Not Losing Ground, 3 Oct 2011

 

Not Losing Ground, 3 Oct 2011

In order to cultivate new hobbies/interest, I decided to try different things this year. What is the worst that can happen? I will only get rich in new experiences in the attempt to do so, right?

 Here is what I purchased from Groupon/Yelp/Living Social deals in last 1 year:

1 Indoor Skydiving

1 Indoor Rock Climbing

1 Dance

1 Yoga

1 Bread-making

1 Bay cruise

1 Fandango movie

10 various spa deals (for massage)

 Here is the update on those:

1 Indoor Skydiving: Never used. Expired.

1 Indoor Rock Climbing: Never used. Expired.

1 Dance: Never used. Expired.

1 Yoga: Never used. Expired.

1 Bread-making: About to expire.

1 Bay cruise: Used

1 Fandango movie: Used

10 various spa deals (for massage): 5 used, Appointments scheduled for the rest.

Except spa, movie and bay cruise, all deals expired or are about to expire without use. I didn't even need to try those other activities to learn that I don't give a rats a** about them. I should, I totally should. But - I don't. 

The new age Colonel Julius Nagendranath Wilfred Singh*  aka LivingSocial/Groupon/Yelp has failed quite miserably and I have remained the same old me. So don't expect to see any parachute diving, scuba diving pictures of me anytime soon. You have no idea how much I would love to have those up here.. but the fact remains that I am No Diver. Nope. Not an ounce of diving instinct inside. Water, air, whatever ...I have no urge to take the plunge!

A friend recently asked me to consider taking up biking. Even I who tend to get carried away with momentary excitement was quite sure about the dim chances of it happening. I casually mentioned it to my sister (who btw has always been very prompt in bringing me back to reality) and without a moment's hesitation she said, "We all know how this is going to go, Priyatai. You will get all excited and spend lot of money and time shopping for the bike, clothes and gear. After 20 mins of actual biking, you will  start looking for the nearest Starbucks on your iPhone, leave the bike and sit there sipping your Tall Soy Coffee Frappuccino."

Well, aren't little sisters lovely??!

So, I was saying that after going through the table of Deals Purchased and Deals Used,  I have realized that I have no urge to engage in personality-enriching activities. It is severely disappointing to see the illusions about my adventurous and versatile self get shattered. The ordinariness of my existence is glaring in my face and I feel like one of the Amol Palekar characters. But at the same time a strange sort of peace is there. I feel light now that the baggage of outrageous expectations from myself is gone. #self-acceptance

This weekend I am going to get a massage at Mizu spa, walk to the Starbucks next to it, order a Tall Soy Coffee Frappuccino and walk back home contently.

 Interested in watching Lion King 3D after that?

 * Remember Ashok Kumar from Chhoti Si Baat?