Namaste 2010!

Namaste 2010! I’m a little late in getting my first post of the year up, but no worries, this is the start of a whole new year of blogging for me. 2008 and 2009 were both stellar years, 2 of the best…no, THE 2 best years of my life.  I’ve never been so excited to see the changing of the year as I am this time around since 2010 has some great things lined up for me already.

I’m not so much of a resolution maker as I am a list and goal maker. So to get things rolling, here’s my list of BIG goals for the year:

Learn Hindi: In November, I’ll be starring in a great, big, over the top production of my very own Indian wedding. The colors, commotion, and excitement of this are slightly thrwarted by a nagging sense of overwhelmed urgency to be able to communicate with my future inlaws and the hundreds of people that will come to meet me on November 17, 2010. My current grasp of Hindi can be summed up in relation to food and basic greetings, but that’s not quite going to cut when this towering stature of an American girl comes to join the Gupta Family. I’ll got 11 months and counting to command the Hindi languge, wish me luck!

Get Published: Vibhu and I want to take our lives on the road after the wedding, so aside from the adventure and plethora of mangoes that will bring, it also means making income on the road. Traveling in 2008 re-kindled a love for writing and photography that I had forgotten about and now I’m finally ready to make my dream of being a travel writer a reality.

500 Followers on Twitter: Social media is here and its revolutionizing the way people think, do business, and interact. Twitter, Digg, Stumble Upon, Delicious, and the good ol’ standby, Facebook are just a few of the massively powerful tools out there that I am beginning to grasp, appreciate, and utilize.  500 is kind of a random number, but I figure its a good wholesome number to start with….I’m already pushing the 100 mark, so why don’t you follow me too @wanderingdona ???

Fundraiser for Team 100: I started the Team 100 Athletic Scholarship Program back in the summer of 2008 as a result of living with and being inspired by the team in Arusha.  I’ve been dragging my feet in securing funding to continue the program, and its WAY overdue that I do something about that. So this year, I’m finally going to do some fundraising…I’m thinking its going to take the form of a pay by donation dinner. Vibhu will be the chef. Bombay Frankies anyone?

Turn Off the Fridge: We’ve been talking about it, meaning to do it, but its scary. We’ve even decided that this is the weekend to do it. We’re pulling the plug on our fridge, in yet another step towards greener living. The enclosed mud room off the side of the house stays well below freezing all winter, so really its silly to keep a big energy-draining clunker plugged in. With a little rearranging, organizing, and probably more than a few days of adjusting, we’re going to convert our 100% Mother Earth Approved mud room into a functional refrigerator and shrink our carbon footprint just that much more. Skeptical? Check back soon for updates and photos!

So here’s to a new year of happiness, silliness, and lots of love! Lets go rock it.

Notes from December 3, 2009

I just walked by someone’s cubicle and the sweet, crisp scent of fresh evergreen was intoxicating. Oh how I long for warm cozy fires, hot chocolate in giant mugs and mounds of whipped cream, Christmas carols and pretty lights.

It’s December 3 and my life is practically void of Christmas carols. Back at home we have a radio station dedicated solely to holiday music starting December 1 every year. I haven’t found anything like that here…surprising since Islanders begin prepping for Christmas as soon as they close the door on the last trick-or-treaters. This morning I added ‘Feliz Navidad’ to my ringtones hoping to add a dash of Christmas cheer every time someone calls me. Sadly, no one has called me yet.

‘Feliz Navidad’ has been my favorite Christmas carol since I first heard it on the Sesame Street Christmas Special. It will forever remind me of Big Bird and Snuffalufogous ice skating.

Its grey and soggy outside, and what’s left of the light reminds me that its close to quittin’ time. I’m meeting Vibhu for coffee right after work, but more than anything I want hot chocolate and Russian tea cookies like my mom always make this time of year. I wonder if I’ll be able to find any suitable alternative. I just hope I’ll be able to brush my teeth before cozying into the dentist’s chair, a mouth full of coffee and cookie remnants might not be the best way to greet the person who’s about to drill into my teeth.