I am beginning to think that much of a person's ability to be productive, effective, whatever has to do with their surroundings especially the climate. Was dragged to the gym by DH yesterday, no matter how much I whined and complained about it and once there, it really came as a rude shock to me when I realized just how badly out of shape I have become since moving back to India. After 20 minutes, I had to bite my teeth, limp across to a chair and flop down carefully trying hard not to scream in pain...jeez!!
To begin with I never was much of a "gym" person but back in Cleveland, I loved working out at home and the local Metro Parks, so was in fairly good shape. Since moving here, my motivation levels are below zero. I simply feel too hot and lazy to lift a finger...forget working out.
Going to the gym also gave me a chance to actually see myself in an alien mirror (which has become rare of late as I have given up shopping) where I looked so ghastly and unhealthy that I couldn't believe it was me! At home, looking at ourselves in our own friendly, gotten used to for a while mirrors, we never look as bad as we truly are I think! Strange mirrors have a way of shocking you out of your complacency!
The final Piece De Resistance that I tried to prevent myself for indulging in but some kind of sick fascination with my deterioration led me to - the weighing scale - showed that I am slowly but steadily gaining those dreaded pounds.
The worst thing of all...my response....ah! Who cares? It is too hot to do anything...this city probably has to be the shittiest possible place that way...limited breathing spaces, no beautiful outskirts so to speak of...once read in the paper that this city is either the 1st or 2nd ranking place in India for lifestyle diseases...am not surprised at all. Soon, I'll probably be one of those "lifestyle diseases" statistic too....ah who cares....it is too hot to do anything and anyways there are good hospitals here, albeit expensive!!
So dearies...planning to move back to India? Start with your requirements, absolute must haves in terms of climate, city amenities, pleasant living in clean, pure, unspoiled settings (for this you may just have to move to Bhutan not India) anyways....what I mean to say is try to move to a place where you feel motivated to live and won't spend the better part of your days becoming a "who cares?" philosopher!!
To end on a reasonable note, there's pros and cons everywhere. For instance, electricity is not a problem in Gujarat, no power cuts/failures etc which is a huge blessing in a place where life literally depends on AC systems ...at least for those who can afford it - the flip side of the coin...these very same things are increasing atmospheric heat.
Away from the city, the heat is intolerable but does not feel as lethal...makes me wonder, would it have been truly impossible for us to develop eco-friendly ways to deal with the heat instead of compounding the problem with heat generating climate control systems? In this case, we only had to look at history...after all, people lived, survived and thrived in this climate for centuries before electricity came in to save our lives!!
So life goes on in this blessed manner...
Wow, Roona, I feel for you. We were having above-90 degrees weather here in Northern Ohio last week and we live in a rented shoebox built in the 1950s with no AC. Tomorrow's supposed to be 96 and I'm dreading it. I'm planning to write in Peaberry's for the day if that does come true.
ReplyDelete(The weather forecasts here are so inaccurate we're hoping they'll be wrong again.)
I'm sorry for you being afflicted with the "Oh, who cares?" syndrome. That can be so hard to break out of, esp. when you can't easily change environments. I've got a version of that going on, too, created by moving to a city (for work) that doesn't interest me and where I can't figure out how to meet like-minded people. After two years of having no friends or social life, staying home in my jammies to write is a whole bunch easier than making an effort to put down roots here. Especially because we won't be staying. We're just looking for our ticket to somewhere better.
(I'll be sure not to move to Ahmedabad - and by the way, be sure not to apply for a job writing ad copy at their tourist bureau :D
I agree that our ability to be effective (and happy) can rely greatly on our environment and the weather. I know there are people who have such good mind control that this is less true for. But when we're having another one of our 97 partly cloudy or 202 cloudy days (leaving only 65 days for actual sunshine) I know I'm not one of those mental yogis. Today is gloomy and I'm already crabby.
But I feel a little better now after venting. Thanks for the prod to do so!
P.S. Does DH like Ahmedabad? What is his advice to you? (dare I ask? ;~)
Milliiiiiiiiii....I wanna be at Peaberry's too and sorry but I would ask for one of those 202 cloudy days, preferably very cold...along with their huge mug of awesome coffee and the grilled cheese and writing with a writing buddy....oh well! I better stop dreaming!!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes...I wish I were one of those mind control Yogis too but I am far far from it.
DH doesn't much like the place either but then he tolerates the heat a whole lot better than I do and he gets to go away frequently to other towns and cities on business so he gets nice little breaks...Ahmedabad usually ranks one, two or three as the hottest place in India esp during heat waves, so you can imagine, going any place else is overwhelmingly guaranteed to be better than this.
His advice for me? Nothing really because short of moving, which would be impractical work-wise at this point, we don't see any solutions.He suggests trying a move anyways but I am saying no coz I have a feeling that'll compound our problems unnecessarily at this point.
But yes...we are discussing having a second home somewhere cool where we can go when it gets to be too much to handle like now...the frustrating thing is these are all long term plans...for now I am stuck. So my goal is to have something in place before next summer rolls around...that is if I survive this one ofcourse!!!Lol!
Roona - I'm reading your reply in Peaberry's and wishing like heck you were here writing with me!! Waaaahhhhh!!!
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time I've written in Peaberry's for probably a year. Too broke to buy coffee and lunch to justify taking up one of their tables all day. But today I decided I would spend that money just to be in the AC.
Gosh, that's terrible about Ahmedabad ranking in the top spots for hottest place. Having lived in Darwin at the Top End of Australia I think I can imagine what you're going through - though it's probably even hotter than Darwin.
When you said a move might compound problems at this point it made me think of this quote that leapt out of a book at me a few days ago. It was something I'd read before, but at the time it didn't penetrate:
“By consciously rising to meet challenges, we transform them into opportunities.” – Sharon Jeffers in Cards of Destiny
It's probably not a lot of consolation for you to hear that right now, but maybe you're in the thick of a challenge that will ultimately purify some things out of your life that you don't need anymore and be also forced to go to the edge (inside of you, though driven by your outer reality) that will ultimately help you live your dreams. That's been happening to me lately (despite or maybe partly because of being stuck in this town I can't relate to) and it's amazing.
(But, I might add, FINALLY. I'm 51 and a grandmother so this has been a long time coming. A certain number in my numerology profile - the Heart's Desire number, no less - tells me that's OK because I'm meant to be a late bloomer. LOL!)
Sending you big hugs and godspeed wishes for your happiness . . . all the way from the back booth in Peaberry's.
xo
Milli...The quote and what you said after makes huge huge sense in my situation...the great escapist that I am I have finally put myself in a situation where I have no choice but to face things and bring about some drastic changes from within! Although I rage about it because it's hateful to feel so trapped, I wouldn't want it any other way as I can sense that this time, there will be some meaningful change that could not have come about any other way...I guess I just have to make sure I do everything I need to do to make it happen.
ReplyDeleteI hope you had a good writing day at Peaberry's and the changes you are looking forward to happen quick so you can realize your dreams, although I must say you have already done a lot with the writing part of it and because of that writers like me have benefited a lot!!
Love and Hugs,
Roona