Rough first Christmas without my mom. I started this blog a couple of weeks before she passed away. I still remember her encouraging words when I showed her my first post. “If that is what you like to do just do it. Bon Dieu Bon (Godwilling).” Since that fateful day, it has been quite a challenge to even turn on my personal laptop and express my thoughts in writing, until tonight.
I turned off my work laptop on December 23, 2020, to never again turn it back on until this morning January 4, 2021. This is the very first time, in over 3 decades, that I have not checked work emails while on vacation. Of course, this morning, for a brief moment :-), I could not remember my login password. Yes I completely disconnected from work: it was relaxing and helped me refocus on my priorities, on who should matter first and it is “me, myself, and I.”
During those 11 days, I spent most of my time rearranging my room, closet, preparing a few bags for charity, and Binge watching Netflix. It started with the usual Bollywood movies which usually entertain me because I love the music, dancing, and the color scheme (set, costumes, etc.). While searching for a different genre, I discovered a movie titled “Queen,” https://www.netflix.com/title/80032081, a 2013 comedy-drama about a young 24 year-old Indian girl. Rani (means “queeen” in Hindi) is her name, a naive soft spoken future bride, who is devastated when her fiance cancels the wedding. At first, I was expecting the typical plot: she would remain sad in her room, stop eating, and cry for days on. Then, maybe a new prince charming would appear and help her heal. Oops! I was wrong. Rani decided to go on her Eurpean honeymoon all by herself. I was screaming at the TV: What a jerk! You go Rani! Good for you “Queen.” Rani indeed displayed the kind of spirit that I wrote about in a previous post, the same traits that I admire in a Fabulous Woman: Fierce and Resilient. Throughout the movie, Rani has flashbacks about her time with her so called fiance. Those flashbacks reveal that she needed her fiance’s permission for any small decision. Imagine a girl, sheltered, protected by her parents and much younger brother, who decides to embark into such an adventurous trip. Throughout her journey, Rani makes new friends, becomes less inhibited while keeping her Indian values, welcomes new experiences, and reveals her courage and tenacity. If you get a chance to watch it, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I would love to hear your opinion in the comments section.
After “Queen,” I was ready to start “Bridgerton,” https://www.netflix.com/title/80232398, especially upon reading the rave reviews. But I changed my mind, while flipping through Neflix, I opted for a 2011 show “New Girl” https://www.netflix.com/title/70196145 starring Zooey Deschanel, one of the main protagonists, who rents a room from three guys. The storyline follows this cast of of thirty something silly roomates/friends who live in Los Angeles and learn humorously about the meaning of true friendship, love, and finding their true calling. I was looking for something light, refreshing, a comedy that would keep me interested. “New Girl” definitely delivered and lifted my spirits. My silly laughs mixed with warm smiles were the most potent medicine for my bruised heart and depressed state of mind. After the first two episodes, I asked myself how I could have missed this show that started in 2011 and had 7 successful years until 2018 when it ended. Oh I got it, I was constantly traveling for work and the boys were still in high school. So my time was spent mostly on helping with SAT prep, campus visits, college applications, and graduation parties. Unlike ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ that got me bored at some point, it was a delight watching each and every one of about 22 episodes of season 1-6, and the 8 episodes of season 7 of “New Girl.” The only downside, the Binge watch will take longer than a weekend or two: the time spent will be worth it though. Enjoy and let me know your thoughts!
During the Pandemic and difficult moment, Netflix has brought me the much needed “Chicken Soup for the Soul” style entertainment.
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