Ten things

Ten things in the next decade?? In all her infinite wisdom, Madhu saw in me the prefect scapegoat. One who plans her life ten minutes at a time, had to make out a ten year plan. That somehow didn't seem very fair. Even people who are paid to plan stuff are given a reasonable five year framework. Ten years?? That seems so far away. Ten years ago I was in University,and looking back, the last ten years weren't exactly the stuff pipe dreams were made of. So are the next ten going to be based on pipe dreams too?? I hope not.

Theoritically, I want to travel far and wide, and see the world. I want to see Angkor Wat, I want to hike along the Great Wall of China, drive along the Silk Route, ponder about lost civilizations under the monoliths at Easter Island, contemplate evolution on the Galapagos Islands, go to the far north and watch the Aurora Borealis. I want to make journeys on famous trains. I'd love to travel from Paris to Istanbul on the Orient Express (hopefully without any fellow traveller getting done in during the trip), maybe cross the tundra on the Trans-Siberian railway... Somehow, I don't see these happening. With two toddlers in hand, and their supplies in tow, I'll settle for seeing Kyoto, Nara, Nikko, Sapporo and Hiroshima before I leave Japan! And perhaps on one of our trips to India, go to Hampi and see the ruins of the old Vijayanagara empire.

And while I'm at it, requalify and get a job to finance my travel plans. And since we're on the subject of requalifying, I plan to renew my HAM radio license sometime. Goodness, I've to study electronics again.

Did I mention my toddlers? I want to be a better mother to them and learn a lot more patience. I don't want to smile in sympathy and kinship next time I see another mother lose it completely when her kids have torn her nerves to shreds. And while I'm at it, maybe I'll be more patient with the other half of the equation when he's totally glued to a cricket match and refuses to even acknowledge my existance.

I want to make our home television free over the next decade. After two years with no telly, I think we're actually being a family and not beings idiots glued to the idiot box.

I HAVE to get in shape. Round is a shape too. Once I can find a babysitter for the little one, I want to devote a few hours a week to getting fit. I may not fit into the old jeans from college days, but I do want to drop a couple of sizes. Quite a few sizes.

I want to get me and my family more eco freindly and try to leave a smaller carbon footprint on the sands of time. Maybe my kids will pick up my eccentric genes and go in for causes like animal rights.

In the next decade, I'd like to learn 2 more languages. And maybe pass a few exams for Japanese.

I want to do something worthwhile with my life. I have a couple of causes in mind and want to work on them. But that might have to wait till my kids are older.

I want to convince the other half of the equation that we HAVE to get a pet.

And very paradoxically, I want to want less. Somewhere down the line I'd like to say I have no wants.

And very soon, sooner than a decade of course, I'd like to see what plans Golly, Denti, Axe and Namrata have for the next ten years of their lives.