Compare and contrast

Always helps – comparing and contrasting. Listing out the pros and cons and just thinking about it. I have had a lot of categories to compare and contrast and then stand back and think about.

First and foremost the elephant in the room – my job! Yes I have been writing about it ad nauseum. It has been recent and I have been taking some time to settle down. 4 years of working in a certain fashion does make one get used to working in that fashion J. So it takes time to break the shackles, come out of the old mould and accept the changes. I am 2 months and 10 days old in the new job and I can finally say that I am glad to have taken this role. It lacks the flexibility but I have made my peace with waking up and getting to work everyday. I have become a seasoned public transport taker too where I can sniff an empty seat in the bus ;) I have also sushed out the workings of cab services to some extent and predict with some accuracy, how much in advance should I be booking a cab to reach in time. Since I am at a work environment I concentrate more. If there is a bit of a downtime,  don’t run and do the dishes or vacuum the house or cook for the kids, which I might do if I was at home. I read up something, even if it is the news. I write a blog post (which must be making the only reader somewhat happy J )Also I am learning new things. Over the span of 2 months I can say I have learnt 2 new things. Which would not have been possible in my old role. Yes it had the flexibility, but it lacked defined work. I was in conversation with one of my bosses in the old place, and I learnt that they are going through a fresh selection procedure. That means some of the people could be facing redundancy again!! It would not have been a nice position to be in a span of 3-4 months to prep for a round of selection or termination. I know, no job is permanent. But if the same situation were to come up here, my resume would have 2 new things to put forth, which is a benefit.

So that area definitely looks better.

As I finished yet another revolution around the sun, I could not help but marvel at how different it was from last year. Last year K forgot  my birthday!!! That is how I will remember my 2017 year. I was miserable. He remembered at the end of the day, and came home with a lousy bouquet. Chiyaa hated the bouquet and started crying that it was a horrible gift (she totally said my thoughts :D !) and that there was no cake, and no one told her it was mummy’s birthday. It was a very down in the dumps kinda day. This year, I had mummy with me! That just puts a smile on my face. Chiyaa is a year older and remembered my birthday. In fact she started a countdown ever since it was December. Counting down to my birthday and Pumpki’s which is in a few week’s time. The day before, she  kept telling people at school, at her karate, at her after school care that its mummy’s birthday. It was also the first time ever in my working career that I went in to work. Since I am on  pro-rated leaves this year, I have managed to accrue 6 holidays.  I took most around school holidays which meant I did not have one to spare for my birthday. I did a load of interesting work, which was good. We had evening cake cutting and snacks which was good. Evening when I picked Chiyaa, the staff at her after school care sang happy birthday! It was just so cute. K remembered my  birthday!  Think after the debacle of last year, he was on the defensive for the whole year. For his birthday in July, I had got him a gift. But we needed to change it in the shop. While there, he really liked a piece and wanted me to buy it. He said, he would forget my birthday when it came, so I get something early on. I did not say to no to such an attractive offer and went ahead with it. 5 months down, he still remembered :D He got me a beautiful bouquet. I am not a flowers person, but its always the thought that counts.

In the evening we were pondering where to eat out. There were quite a few criteria to consider -  proximity from home, state of kids, state of hunger of adults, availability of place in shortlisted places, the service time in shortlisted places, and many more! Finally we zeroed in on good old Kentucky Fried Chicken! :D Cheap – I know. Unhealthy – double check. But we had way too many criteria to satisfy. Since we were all too hungry, the dinner tasted amazing! So satisfied – triple check ! A fabulous birthday indeed J

Same time last year, everything was so unsettled. Chiyaa’s school, her after school care, Pumpki’s daycare, our house, the unhappiness at my job and K starting a new career. Things take time to turn around. Sometimes a year.