Week one - post one !!

Ever since I got Iphone over 2 years back now, the one thing that I religiously checked every 10 minutes was – tada – Facebook, no prize for guessing that!I checked the news feed from friends, commented on their photos and status messages or posted some pics myself and commented on the comments that I got – so basically I was on FB – all.the.time!! So this summer, when I took my blog break, I also tried to stay away from facebook as much as I could. To my surprise, it was such a big relief. I started getting so much time to do other things than checking my FB page every 10 minutes. Obviously - it’s simple Math right?? But staying away from FB was not that simple.These are some of the things that I did instead :  
1. Learnt how to swim: Yes, at the ripe age of 30. Nope. I did not know how to swim until now. It’s such a shame to not know it for where I live. As a kid, I failed to learn every time I tried to.

In summer of 2010, M’s cousin’s wife gave me some introductory lessons on how to float. And I guess that was a huge learning step.

Let me give you a small example during our trip to Catalina Islands last year . Along with its lovely beaches, it’s also quite famous for the water sports activities. It was then, when I and M voluntarily decided to go snorkeling with a guided tour. We paid the fee, changed into the snorkeling gear after which I posed happily for the pictures and then – swoosh – everybody was in the waters exploring the marine life except me. I sun burnt myself waiting on the shores for M who came back but only with a rich experience. Not only did I repent wasting my bucks to see nothing but later it took almost 2 months for all that uneven tan to recede.

I tried my luck again this summer. But this time I was determined. Under M and Dad’s supervision, I took that first plunge, and only after few sessions was able to progress from floating to a few strokes holding my breath with my head inside the waters. And now I can swim the entire breadth (width) of the pool.  I know I have a long way to go , and I am not at my gracious best , but who cares , I can “officially” swim now *wink !!

2.      Beaches and more beaches: I hated going to beaches until this summer. I mean I liked to go and see the sunsets or take a stroll in the sand but that was about it. I never liked jumping with excitement with every wave in the sea and getting drenched. Last year, when we visited Laguna Beach, M was having a ball of time in the deep waters, while I stayed far away (again), on the other side of waters, clicking his pictures trying to read a book.

And by the way why wasn’t I in the waters? I hated getting wet, changing, and all the sand that sticks to your feet and wouldn’t go away.

So basically, I was left with no choice but watch the people around me having fun.

But this summer changed things. With my parents and sister here, we hit the beaches like crazy. And this time all prepared. The beach umbrella for the shade, the tarpaulin, the folding chairs the non-comodegenic sunscreen, big hats and itsy-bitsy clothing! With the swimming lessons on full swing, I have also started enjoying getting swamped by the waves. Malibu, Laguna, Newport, Aliso Veijo were just some of the beaches / waters we tested!!!!

We are officially the beach people now!! On a sunny day in California what more do you really need?

3.      Food :

For the past entire year and a half now, I have been watching out what I eat. With the help of running, zhumba and yoga and with strict portion control, I had finally lost all the weight that I wanted to. But after following this regimen quite religiously, this summer I finally gave in –for what you ask?

For the pure bliss that’s called “ma ke haath ka khana” (home made Mom cooked food). And for once, I did not think twice before gobbling down that extra puranpoli with a spoonful of homemade ghee.

Well, as much as I enjoyed hogging all the food, I have begun to regret it. Yes, all the food is showing up on me and I begin my workout routine again from today J

With coming back to blogging, I will be back to FB too and I will try my best not to check it every 10 min … ;)