Monday, November 21, 2011

My Non-Bucket-List Bucket List

I've never had a real bucket list. I guess I'm just not organized enough. I never thought ahead much: the most I ever remember thinking ahead was to when I was 25 or so, by which time I would, of course, be married to the love of my life. (I am not sure if it's fabulous or depressing that that did come true.)

But as I approached 30, I began to feel I hadn't done enough. I was sure the teenage me would be disappointed in me. Sure, I'm in a wonderful relationship (where after six years we haven't just not driven each other crazy but have actually learned to, you know, not drive each other crazy) and I have a job I love (which I know is rare, from all the cribbing everyone seems to do about their jobs and bosses). But what about all the exciting, wonderful things I was going to do?


Last year was a year of change for me. I started this job that I've loved in a way most people think you're not supposed to love jobs. But almost immediately, the Guy moved away. I didn't know then when or if he was coming back; I didn't know how our lives would change. But he was back for good after six months, and while the separation was difficult, it ultimately did help us. I became more of my own person again. Most importantly, being alone and terribly lonely and yet not unhappy helped me figure out what makes me happy. And I want to be happy, not just comfortable. If I think about it, that's the one thing I've always wanted from life.

So I sought out new things, and tried to make new friends. We went to Dehradun and Mussoorie, places I've always wanted to visit. On the same trip, we met Jai Arjun Singh, whom we're both huge fans of, and Chicu, who seemed like an old friend even before I met her. We went to Delhi again, and wandered around on a beautiful winter day, and visited an old friend.

We went to Kaziranga, another place I've always wanted to visit. We took a boat ride in Assam, another thing I've ... you get the idea. We went to beautiful green Dandeli. Then the Guy got himself a bike, and we go on bike rides again.

Some months later, I turned 30. And I'm not saying it's exactly related, but I've experienced so much awesomeness in the last two weeks. And it's inspired me to do more, seek out more new wonderful experiences.

As I said before, going to New York city and seeing some of the art I've long admired have been long-standing dreams. And both came true lately.

And if you don't live in India or you've been hiding under a rock, last weekend was the NH7 Weekender music festival in my city. And that turned true another experience I've long dreamed of: a really good concert. Though really good concert doesn't even begin to describe the Weekender.

(I can't really talk coherently about the event. If you asked me, all I could say was... OMG, it was awesome! Pentagram was so awesome and probably my favorite show of the event. The Guy's was Imogen Heap. OMG, Hipnotribe. OMG, Swarathma was amazing! OMG, some band I still don't know the name of blew me away! OMG, Imphal Talkies was so politically relevant and moving I wanted to sit down and cry. OMG, Papon and the East India Company--see how the crowd loves them! Finally, a popular Assamese band! OMG, Indian Ocean! OMG, Indian Ocean's Rahul Ram apologized to me (for getting in my way as we watched Imphal Talkies, and I couldn't think of anything more profound to say than "No problem!" Not, "you can stand in my way all you like, sir!") OMG, Karsh Kale on stage with Vishal Dadlani and Monica Dogra and Imogen Heap and Rahul Ram all at the same time! OMG, we're so close to the stage!)

(See? You shouldn't have asked.)

Next, maybe a few weeks in the mountains. Maybe.

11 comments:

Nilesh said...

Hey, I thought Imogen Heap was great, but my favourite was Pentagram too :-)

Unmana said...

Oops, sorry! In other news, I PLAYED PENTAGRAM in the car today. If only my drive were long enough to play more than one full song. Now, "This, this could get ugly!" looping in my brain.

Unmana said...

AND I forgot to mention Menwhopause. MENWHOPAUSE WERE AWESOME!

Pallavi Sharma said...

Totally love your incoherent talk about the musical event :D
And another good thing about the 30s is that you can afford things that you always wanted to do ;-)

Unmana said...

Pallu: True. I definitely can't yet afford most of the things I want to do, but I hope to get there!

~G said...

cannot believe the boy missed this. he is so into music and we did not know about this event. :(

ek-ummeed said...

Guilty of living under a rock :(
Had NO idea about the event...was busy checking out about tickets to Sonu Nigam's concert :D
Anyhow...ditto Pallu's comment...loved the way you gushed about the music :)
As for the bucket list, you've been rather busy on it I can see :D
*hopping off to put down my list. 30+ and NO list. Sheesh!!*

Unmana said...

G: WHAT? HOW could you not have known? This was the SECOND year. It was over EVERYWHERE. It was TRENDING on Twitter.

Oh, right. Not everyone gets all their news from Twitter.

ek ummeed: Not a real list. There are things I've always longed to do, but never put them together in a list. I'm ready to die now, because I'm happy and nothing's undone.

Ronid Aka Akhu said...

thank u Unmana, I am akhu of Imphal Talkies :)...

Unmana said...

Akhu: Thanks so much for commenting! Look forward to hearing more from you.

Unmana said...

Akhu: Thanks so much for commenting! Look forward to hearing more from you.