Lakshmi Iyer's Blog, page 31
March 16, 2020
COVID-19 Diaries: Day 1
I walk around the home at 5:30 am, raising blinds to be met with inky darkness, putting a pot of coffee and logging into work. This is not my usual routine. Nothing about today is normal. Late yesterday evening, I turned off all my alarms and reminders. The ones that wake me, the ones […]
March 14, 2020
Saaptiya?
The children troop in, one after another, tired, messy hair and cold. The routine is the same every day. I insist they put their boots away, hang up their jackets and use the bathroom before snack time. I stand by the kitchen island, three bulging school bags lined next to each other. I am methodical. […]
March 11, 2020
The Irrelevance Of Almost Everything
I scan the news. I work. I scan my email. I work. I refresh my Twitter feed as I eat. The stress bands at the base of my neck are back as is a near-constant headache. This time though, I know the cause for the stress, COVID-19 aka Coronavirus. I have watched from afar, in […]
March 2, 2020
They See Blue – Desi Blue
Political activism is very new to me. I have written about it before. Up until recently, I did not care enough to learn about how the democratic process works in this country I call home now. The words caucus(es), primary(ies), Super Tuesday, Gerrymandering are new to my lexicon. I am still trying to understand why […]
February 25, 2020
Triggers
I feel sated when I step off the elliptical. The kind of satisfaction that comes from knowing it was an enjoyable experience. I turn my phone on and see a notification from my aunt. It brings worrisome tidings. I call her and get her voicemail. Through the morning the phone lines are busy exchanging details […]
February 15, 2020
Coming Home
I stand stir-frying okra at the gas stove. It is past our usual dinner time but then it is a Saturday that also involved a solid two-hour nap in the afternoon. The smell of asafetida in oil, the heady scent of turmeric as it mixes and coats the now dry okra takes me back to […]
February 14, 2020
Valentine’s Day: Flawed And Perfect
“I have two Master’s degrees you know?” I playfully tell my oldest daughter as we talk about why I should be working. The conversation stems from a chance remark about how exhausted I feel and she quips that perhaps I should quit as I did once before. “I probably will get another Masters after you […]
February 5, 2020
Contrarian Love
“Can I get a pair of diamond solitaire earrings?” My tone is playful. He responds with gravity, asking me a zillion questions and finally pronounces that yes he will. “Can we adopt twins?” His immediate reaction is one of incredulity and anger. The next morning, he is sheepish as he agrees to expand our family […]
February 4, 2020
Disengage. Disconnect. Disavow.
My jaws feel tight. There is an invisible band that stretches ear to ear wrapping around the base of my skull. I massage my jaw. I open and close my mouth like a fish hoping it will loosen that tightness I feel. I walk around coaxing blood flow to my neck. Most days I feel […]
January 23, 2020
Ten Years. Many Lessons.
This week marks ten years since we went from being a couple to parents of twins. Each year I struggle with marking the day. Obviously, it is of import to me. It also is of import to my children in ways I cannot measure or understand. I consciously stay away from anything celebratory. I […]
