Mid-life Mantras

Now that nearly half my life is over, there are a few realizations that I am not afraid to put down. Those who know me well know some of the stories behind these!

• It is okay to fall in and out of love.
• Monogamy is over rated . Super moms are over rated . Nostalgia is not. 
• The older you grow , the more effort it takes to make friends. 
• It is okay if your life is not as cool as those in your news feed.
• Your kids behave the way you do. 
• There ARE selfless people in the world who help with no strings attached.
• Patience and tolerance are acquired virtues. They get better with age.
• Pleasing others is a lot of work, you will always fall short with someone , somewhere.

Coping in the days of Covid-19

'House arrest', as some people call it. 'Not fair!' - as the young people missing Spring Break exclaim. It doesn’t have to be either of that.

As a family, we are finding ways to keep us together and entertained in the days of 'shelter-in-place' in California. We were able to find some less inhabited trails in and around the area. So this is still a great option.

We are missing family and friends but found time to periodically video chat with many of them. FaceTime or video chat is better than just audio as it brings us closer. Neighbors , strangers are more amicable now. 'Hows it going?', 'Do you need help with groceries?' are questions that we are exchanging with passers-by while we maintain the social distancing rules.

Don't give up on fitness just because you can't go to the gym or run/walk freely in the neighborhood. Me and my son love  youTube channels like Yoga with Adriene and Popsugar fitness. We even did 'zoom yoga' with my colleagues, one of whom is a yoga instructor. 

Board games have always been our favorite during the long winter days. We love strategy games like  'Settlers of Catan' and 'Ticket to Ride'.
Interestingly, we borrowed this game called 'Pandemic' from my niece. I never knew much about epidemics, outbreaks, cure vs eradication. Playing this game has been very interesting and every time we win against the pandemic, it signals hope that we will all come out of the Covid-19 situation!

So hang in there! 

Nevertheless , she won!

Elizabeth Warren's exit from the 2020 U.S. presidential race is more than disappointing, it is actually crushing for women like me.

She was my beacon of hope for intelligent women making it to the highest office. Now, I doubt if intelligence matters . In the words of late night comedians, “She is over - qualified for the job!” Jokes apart , it IS true. She is too good that she can’t be true and she will not have a chance for that !

I’ve heard first-hand comments from people saying “ her voice is too hoarse “ or “I simply don’t like her “. “I don’t agree with all of her policies”. Tell me, does anyone judge Joe Biden for his stammering or lack of clarity ? Did it matter that president Bush Jr fumbled and goofed up so many times that bushisms were so popular? Did everyone agree with all their policies ? I am at my wits end and completely appalled, so I am not even going into the million things that 45 did wrong !

Talking of qualifications, likeability and the job market, “Men are confident about their ability at 60%, “ 

Here's my wish list inspired by my hero, Warren-

I want women to feel confident even if they’ve not checked off each item on the list. Women should not be forced to leave the workforce when they have kids. We need to create and promote more women managers so there are no more old boys' clubs . And when there are more women managers , there will be more women in executive roles , as VPs, CXOs and founders. Women should not be critical about other women, instead we should build a sisterhood , so what if it’s a parallel to the old boys' networks ? We should stand up for each other .

As for her race , Warren sums it up best - “ If you say, yeah, there was sexism in this race, everyone says, whiner. And if you say, no, there was no sexism, about a bazillion women think, what planet do you live on?”

The good news is that women are now standing for office in city councils , county offices and state governments. But I want to live in this planet and in my lifetime, see a woman president in the USA! That would invigorate every girl, every woman, trying to make it big at school, in college and in her career.

The T-shirt is a symbolism of Warren's victory in putting up a fight. I just purchased it from the Warren shop before they close it. In my mind, it reads “Nevertheless , she won !”