The Month That Was.. September

September is not a month I want a repeat of.

That said, Darlings of Venus happened. Onam happened. Payasam (kheer) happened. 

I learnt how NOT to study for exams. First time ever that I spent the day before the exams feverishly watching Grey's Anatomy (SO7). 

I learnt how to keep my nose to myself and my tongue locked up inside my mouth. I learnt that, if I don't, there will be far-reaching consequences. This, I learnt it the hard way.

I kid myself that I'd finally grown up and then burst into a ball of fire the very next day at the least provocation. I did NOT learn how to grow up. What I did learn was that dogs will bark - on the roadside, in the alleys... almost everywhere. And there is no way you can ask them to shut up without any damage to yourself. 

Best course of action in such cases - act true to your conscience, be honest in what you are required to do and mind your own effing business.

I learnt two things about Kerala.

1) People are of extremes - either they build beautiful houses (naalukettus, nadumittams and whatnot) replete with the grand, old architecture and classy doors straight out of the Royal Palaces, living spaces straight out of a good living magazine. Or they makes houses like these.

Need more explanation?

2) Men in Kerala are sinfully good-looking; I'm not talking about the college crowd or the hi-fi types. I'm talking tea-stallwala, doodhwala and next-house-neighbor's distant relative's brother-in-law who's here for the weekend types. You will be spoilt for choice for 'bird-watching'. 

BUT, they are aggressive. In the sense that while I'm accustomed to dismissing staring men with a condescending glance, this particular breed only stares back with even more aggression, if you so much as make eye-contact. Intimidating.

I learnt that the blog world can get very ugly and are a very biased lot. What with North Indians and Madrasis and Mommas, the underbelly was exposed and I'm not sure I liked what I saw. Whatever happened to blogging uniting us and all that tosh?

I learnt to make headers and became obsessed with making one for my blog. I did and put it up when I crossed 200 followers (more on that very, berry soon). I learnt to make peace with the fact that I can't write stories at will. I need to wait for the perfect time when everything falls into place and I just have to put my fingers to the keyboard.

I learnt that patience is not one of my virtues, which is NOT AT ALL a good thing. I learnt that Pon & Zi are beyond EPIC. I also learnt that I love science-fiction more than I realized. I learnt that I won't die if I go without chocolate for a week.

I learnt that my brother and sister are growing too fast and if I don't catch up now, I will lose them for the next ten years till they get out of their teens. I also learnt that surprising Amma feels really, really awesome.

Now here I sit, cozy and warm in the comfort of the safest place on Earth, with Amma playing Zuma's Revenge like there's no tomorrow, reveling in the knowledge that I have a whole eight days to waste as I please, satiated from the perfect dinner with the perfect person at the perfect place and all I can think of doing is to curl up with The Shop on Blossom Street till I fall asleep.

Ain't that a good start for a fresh, new month?

 Dear September

October, how YOU doin'?;P