Reminiscing

It is almost the end of 2009. This has been a very eventful year for me. Not too long ago I was wondering about life being too stagnant. Not anymore.

I started running and even ran a half marathon. I learnt ballroom dancing. I worked in three different states, three different jobs and traveled too.

Surprising as it may seem, I really felt sad leaving Michigan, our'home' for the last five years. There were a lot of 'firsts' there. The life changing five years of my life so far. Wherever I go in life, Auburn Hills will always have a special place in my life.

Also, this past year, made me feel like an adult, for the first time. I always heard people say, one has to make compromises in life, it was my time to make one I guess. I made the right choice by wanting to be close with my loved ones.

This year brought me some really good friends. It is so nice to be surrounded by people who care for you.

There is less than a week of 2009 left and I feel happy and grateful for the life I have.

My new year resolutions are already chalked out, but more about them later...

( not so ) paranormal activity

After all the box office raves and Amit's constant nagging, I finally gave in to watch the movie. We rushed to the movies( which is across the street from home!) on a Thursday night. There was just one more couple in the theater. It was the perfect ambiance..

Well, the movie started and I kept waiting for the activity to begin. Finally there was some action and it was good. But by that time, I was suffering from motion sickness. The handy cam was awfully shaky. I looked at Amit and he was worse off. So we opened our eyes only for the night scenes. After an hour into the movie, I lost interest. It was the same old story. One could predict the end. What happened later was pretty stereotypical, but to my surprise Amit liked it.

I can see how it can be a creepy movie but really not as scary as the reviews say it is. I thought good ol' Norman Bates' mother was more of a surprise than the ' demonic force' in our new flick.

All in all, a decent attempt towards changing the trend of horror movies. Definitely better than the bloody gory monster flicks out there.

A good watch.

Runner's high!

I had always heard of it. Last Sunday I felt it. I ran my first half-marathon. It was an awesome experience running in front of the Capitol. I was holding on a great 9.40 pace till the 10th mile and then my right hip started hurting and slowed me down. I met one of our past patients' en route. She was finishing up a relay. She kept pushing me and brought me close to the finish line and then all of a sudden, when I saw the finish, I sped like I was on drugs and for a minute felt like I had a whole new body and that I was ready for another 13 miles. I was high!

Just after the finish line, it all came back. My aching hip, knees and calves... but that last minute was something else.

A few shout outs to Linda for the pep talk, Chandu and Malli for being great friends!

Run Maddy run...

Last year I watched the movie ' Bucket list' and made one of my own. One of the first few things on the list was running a marathon. As a kid, I was always into sports. I was a good runner, even in college. But nothing ever came out of it. Last year I did some contemplating. I thought I was getting lazy. I was too complacent. So, I embarked on this journey...

In April this year, I bought a pair of New Balance and started running. The first day I ran 1 mile and was sore for two days. Ever since then, there was no looking back. I ran my first 5K on May17th and finished in 25 minutes. First 10 K on May 31st and finished in an hour. I would call myself a slow runner, averaging at 10 minutes a mile. But as stereotyped as this may sound, running has set me free. It has changed my personality for the better and has done everything for me that I had hoped for and more. I have had my set of setbacks and injuries and will continue to have more, but, the joy of finishing a race is unparalleled. I am headed towards my first half-marathon in less than 6 weeks from now and can hardly wait to run in the nation's capital.

What makes me feel even better is that I am not lazy. Pushing myself during the runs, and going on long after my legs have given up is not easy. Choosing the harder path, is something I never thought I could do, but I do it. Every time I run. It has brought out the best in me.

And now for the lack of better words... three cheers to Running, hip hip hurray!!!

Shall we dance?

I've had the writer's block for a year now. Thank goodness I kept my day job!
I have had a really exciting year since September'08.
I learned Ballroom dancing and realized I did not have two left feet anymore!( finally understood the meaning of that phrase) In ballroom dancing, ladies start dancing with their right foot and gentlemen with their left. It is THE golden rule. So, if someone is a bad dancer, they would not use their feet right, thus the term!
Ballroom dancing was fun. It was hard for me to let go of the control, as gentlemen are the 'leaders'!
The Rumba is my favorite dance, which is Latin, but still ballroom. Our instructors were so graceful and for some reason, very nice too.
I wish the classes went on forever, if it was not for their cost! Maybe when I am rich and old I will be able to afford them again...
But till then, whenever I hear music, I will ask Amit, ' shall we dance'?