Sixteenth year

Today’s the day; sixteen years ago in 1996 I started my career in journalism.


Since the time I had become a big time admirer of cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar in 1991, I wanted to be a journalist so that I could meet him. This coupled with my craze for ace reporter Rajdeep Sardesai during my college days in 1994-95 were the two main reasons for this decision of mine. I would take journalism books from my college library and read them to know more about journalism. Somehow the craze for journalism was just too much!


Then I came across a classified ad in Midday for trainee journalists and I just jumped for it. I had to get this job (by any hook or crook) and I just applied for it. Since I was still studying, I requested to be a part timer! The management agreed and I was asked to join them from 1st February, 1996 – my joy knew no bounds! I wasn’t worried about anything – the only thing I knew was that I was on my way to becoming an eminent journalist! LOL


Today, sixteen years down the line, nothing of that sort has happened. I am no way close to becoming an eminent journalist. Sadly, I have had a fragmented career (which shows poorly on my resume) because of various reasons and mainly due to motherhood – I kept getting in and out of jobs all the time for my kids! My family and kids have always been my priority and for this very reason, I have never aspired for top notch journalism jobs wherein I will have to give a lot of my time and endeavor – I preferred giving it all to my kids! That’s the reason I still work part time though three years back I was working full time. I would come across hundreds of problems which would work against me – so I have stuck to low profile b2b writing! I like this kind of arrangement as it gives me the liberty to manage my time at both the places – at work as well as at home!


This way we all feel happy – I can give my time and energy to my kids, teach them, cook, and also do various other things – now I feel I am able to juggle everything in a much better way! I guess there are no more guilt feelings of neglecting the kids as it used to be with my earlier jobs.


But honestly speaking, it’s a humongous task to be a mother – I still don’t know what to do when they both start growling at each other like mad dogs and are just ready to pounce, paw and scratch each other! It’s so difficult to handle them in these situations – it’s so difficult to wake them up in the mornings for school – it leaves me flustered till today!


Talking about my career, somehow this year I want to excel in my work front – since it’s the year of the Dragon, according to Chinese astrology, it’s an extremely good year for me in all fronts – so I feel like pursuing my career in a much better way!


I am getting this aspiration to be an expert columnist in some parenting magazine or have my own column in some mainstream newspaper – but I just don’t know whom to approach! Just don’t know how to go about it!


I also feel like becoming a reviewer – be it of books, music, movies – anything! I know how to do it because I have done it in the past for some dotcom.


My ambitious project of launching my own PR agency dedicated solely to the gems and jewellery industry is also in the backburner since 2009. This plan is just not taking off! May be its not destined to be!


So let’s just see what the sixteenth year of my professional career has in store for me………………