Skip to main content

Wake up time: There's no Woman in the Moon

How I love this awesome quote! Here it goes: 

Even the moon gets to put its feet up once a month. Man in the moon, of course. If it was a woman in the moon, she would never sit down, would she? - Allison Pearson

True, isn't it? Well, this almost sums up my typical day and don't you dare envy me for it! Okay, read on first:)

Sneak Peek into a Working Woman's Busy Routine
When your curtains filter in that soft beam of early dawn, DON"T even dream of snuggling back into the warm covers for even FIVE seconds...just run out of the covers as though your house is on fire...that way, you will get some exercise and burst off some sleepy calories too!

Rush to kitchen, make tea so that your fingers don't turn numb by the time you eat breakfast. 

Remember to twiddle your toes through the winter socks to make sure you know that you are still alive and kicking, if you know what I mean. 

Tip in the brat's ready-to-drink-after-boiled-milk and make sure you are generous with the sugar and the chocolate powder or else you may have to drink it yourself because the brat may conveniently forget! 

Check if the brat's books are all in the school bag with homework done tidily of course, scrawl a note to Ma'am in case you want her to notice your brat is still there in her class and not blended in with the whiteboard she jots on!

Done? Hahaha, not yet! Wake UP the BRAT!!!! (30 mins of exercising effort as you get into all kinds of push ups and plank positions to lift the little guy, who otherwise, is as light as a pillow!) Once you get him all readied into a little gentleman, don't forget to look for the sparkle on his black shoes too. Do a final check on what goes in his bag just to be sure all's decent. Get him to say his prayers, drink his milk and be right on time to hop into the school bus.

Phew! Stretch those tired muscles a bit, drink your tea, get ready to go to work.

But it's not that easy if you are a working woman (no giggles here, ok, ok, i am dead serious!)

CHECKLIST FOR EVERY WORKING WOMAN

YOUR DRESS:  Don't be a nutcase like me who simply can't color-coordinate. Okay, maybe, I am being melodramatic here. But I've had my share of fairly embarrassing moments such as wearing my kurtha inside out and not knowing it the whole day. So it's best that you check the state of your dress before you get out of home.

YOUR HANDBAG: Check your wallet and make sure you are decently loaded (pun intended!) Is everything in its proper place in the handbag that is in itself vast like a marketplace? You can fish out nearly everything from a working woman's handbag. Yes, you heard right. There's house keys, new moisturizer that is as good as new because we put them in the bag but never really use them once they are in the bag because when we do look for it, we get the housekeys instead! And yes, the black, the cobalt blue, the shimmering grey and the forest green eyeliners plus the lip gloss that you keep just in case there is a last minute cocktail party that you never get invited to but your friends do so there, they can borrow it and be eternally grateful to you! 

YOUR PERFUME: Make sure you are carrying your own with the lid on or else it will spill and you lose more than a lot of money, you will have to chuck your handbag with all its contents too. Make sure it is your perfume and not the insecticide or the men's AXE deo spray.....that would be a clear disaster at the workplace now, wouldn't it. [Secret Just Between You and Me: I know of several women who wear the AXE deo spray anyway]

YOUR PAD: Don't get me wrong. I am talking about that spare notepad you keep in the folders of your bag so that whenever a EUREKA moment comes, you don't need to tumble into the bathroom tub and make a mess of things, you know water is precious and all that. You can use your note pad right there at your desk with a decent pen by your side. Make sure your name is on it or else some one may simply decide to adopt it :D 

YOUR FOOTWEAR: Now this is priceless. After a whole night of event coverage,  I've actually walked into my office for an important meeting wearing two different kinds of sandals! DON"T LAUGH! I know you are, ok? Thankfully, my best buddy Anu spotted it. She skipped her lunch hour to buy me  a matching pair of footwear right on time and saved me from disgrace at the workplace. So, always check your footwear before you rush out of work. Stick a post-it on your mirror if you need a reminder.

THAT DEADLY SWIVEL: Before you rush off, look in the mirror and do that one sporty, deadly swivel to make sure all's fine at the back. No pun intended. Sometimes the outfit you wear rides up at the back and makes you look quite bad. Don't risk it. That's all.

Have a great day. And you know what, despite all these little niggling issues, I think it's great to be a woman.

If you don't believe me, see this pic. I am happy, aren't I? So should you. So, let the rainbows light up your sky, let the passing clouds move on and you should keep smiling. 



Yes, that dazzling smile only you can wear. 

Trust me, just wear your smile. 

DO READ:  Love's Journey, Swami's Blessings! and The Wisest Lesson in 2018

Comments

Asha said…
looking beautiful the mother, the son and the bond between you. A beautiful back ground completes the picture.
KParthasarathi said…
Wow that was a great post.I have no first hand experience but have seen my daughters doing all the things you had so humorously described.Despite all the methodical care,early rising and preparing the child for the school,you have never reckoned with the last minute hurdle.You will hear the horn of the school bus and your son standing with you at the door would rush inside to the toilet.The boy would not respond to your 'hurry up' calls and the driver would not cease giving repaeted horns.You will be running between the door and toilet.At the end of it all you will be a crumpled tired soul wanting to rest with the clock announcing it is time to get ready for office.
I empathise with such moms with young kids.
Jairam said…
Wow, that was quite some "Day in the life of..." post.

Absolutely enjoyed reading it.
AM Zafaran said…
Hi Swapna...just bumped into your blog! Was glad to see you after so many years! Remember the translation workshop we attended? :-)
Vishnu said…
Humorous and lively post here, Swapna. Definitely a day in the life of. I love the contrast of the post and the many to-do's and the contrast of the picture-perfect photo. Not only do you get it all done (kids, getting ready yourself, housework, and job) but you make it look photo-perfect :)
@Asha - Thanks so much Asha. So happy to hear your words.

@KParthasarathy - It's great to know that I have something in common with your wonderful daughters, sir. My warmest regards to hem. I can totally connect to your thoughts here esp about tackling last minute hurdles. So kind of you to share your comments here, looking forward to more such warm, heartfelt interactions.

@Jairam: Indeed, thanks so much for reading and enjoying the post.

@Vishnu: You have such a delightful perspective on everything. Thanks so much for sharing here what you liked about the post.
@Zafaran: So wonderful to connect with you after so many years. Very delighted to hear from you and thanks so much for reading my blogpost.
Anurama said…
Swapz,

The post was a delightful read. Had a smile throughout. Yes, you said it all..but why did you miss the cooking and cleaning too?

Most Popular Posts

The Ugly Truth about Caste in Kerala

Many years ago, when I wrote this post on Kerala's caste system, I had not considered that people would start sending in abusive comments about one caste over the other. It baffles me that this is how Indians, all of us, continue to judge each other on account of caste differences.  [ READ: Guru Kripa: Powerful Lessons at the Lotus Feet ] My question is - why do you ABUSE any caste or community? I suggest that you read about the lives of great Masters and their stories - none of them judged anyone on the basis of caste.  You can read the life stories of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagawadpada, Tulsidas, Jnaneshwar, Namadev, Sri Aurobindo, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Paramahansa Yogananda, Shirdi Sai Baba, and many more Gurus in Sanathana Dharma. NONE of them endorse these caste hierarchies in Bhakti Marga. Assuming that Guru Sampradaya does not appeal to your sensibilities, do read this  new book 'Ants among Elephants' written by Sujatha Gidla, who writes about herself as being born

How do you light Deepam at home?

How do you light deepam at home? As a child, I loved watching the ritual of my grandmother lighting the deepam or the traditional lamp at home in the evenings. A sense of serenity accompanied her frail figure as she would carefully straighten every wick, dip it into the tiny puddle of oil and light the lamp. As my grandmother would read out the scriptures and chant the prayers, the fragrance of incense sticks and flowers added depth to the experience. In many Hindu homes nowadays, the lighting of the lamp (or the nilavilakku, as Malayalis refer to the traditional lamp in their homes) is not a regular practice. A lot of people have many questions around how to light deepam at home and which oil to use and so on. An important point to keep in mind - Maintain physical cleanliness and hygiene while lighting the lamp. Wear clean clothes while lighting the lamp. Frequently Asked Questions About Lighting Deepam at Home Collating most queries related to how to light the deepam at home, I'v

Note of Thanks for the Honest Award

Thank you, Baba . I've run out of words to describe my happiness in getting this Award. A big, heart felt thank you to Faiza Ali for encouraging me with this Honest Award. It means so much to me because I'm an ardent admirer of her awesome blog, Faiza Ali's Kitchen. Requirements:- I must thank the person who gave me the award and list their blog and link it I must list 10 honest things about myself I must put a copy of Honest Scrap logo on my blog I must select atleast 7 other worthy bloggers and list their links I must notify the bloggers of the award and hopefully they will follow the above three requirements also. 10 Honest things about me:- 1. I am very proud of being an Indian. 2. I am very thankful and humbled by my parents', their unconditional love, sacrifices and amazing support and the way they brought me up. 3. Good books are my life. 4. I love my Twitter friends. 5. My favorite place is Puttaparthi. 6. I am a shopaholic. 7. I am a 'people person.&#

Saree Woes 2

Our earlier discussion on Saree Woes really perked up my spirits. A big thanks to all of you for pepping me up. Okay, here's the good news. There was an unexpected late night party that I had to attend in Gurgaon. To be honest, I haven't had the time or energy to attend any such parties after Adi was born. I was sure I wouldn't have the confidence to make conversation with the glitterati, let alone feel confident to carry off wearing a saree. This is one of those parties where you have to be dressed very formally. Well, at the end of a working woman's day, you hardly feel ready to attend one of these parties looking like a moron, right? So, with very little preparation and very few hours left, I called on all the gods in Heaven to help me look a little younger and prettier since I don't have the magic to look young all on my own. Although I was tempted to wear one of my awesome Kancheevaram treasures, I knew it would be very difficult to drape it without any h

Sorry Tales of Housework

While growing up, I shirked house work because I knew Mummy would do it. The only hard work I did is to eat whatever she made. Mummy would wake up early in the morning, bathe, do the pooja, make breakfast and lunch and then of course, my task was to eat it away as if nothing else matters.  Of course, she would ask me to help her out and learn some basics but do you think I listened? Not seriously, I simply didn't. I used to tell her not to worry so much. I always felt there would be a magical Alladin's Lamp that would manifest and take care of everything when it was my turn to take care of a home. Her wise words "Start early, or else later you will find it difficult to manage simple chores in your home" always fell on my deaf and dumb ears. Those were the years I wish I could turn back time.... (sigh, dreaming, dreaming!) In case you are wondering why the sigh, read this post .  Marriage, Introspection and the Pressure Cooker Suddenly, I found