2011! Some would say it’s been the best year of my life. And in many ways it has - I’d have to agree. This year I had that baby I swore I never would. I got out of that job that’s been sucking my soul dry for a long time now. I discovered that I am probably in the relationship I want to be in for the rest of my life (yes I know that would have been a discovery best made BEFORE the wedding, but hey, a little confirmation is always nice isn’t it?). Unless the man in question wises up and runs for his life ;). Annnnd I realized that a true friend is one who will leave her newborn baby and come to you because you have the hormonal pregnancy sniffles.
So between the post-Christmas-not-so-much-of-the-glow, I-am-sick-as-a-dog-and-hate-everything place and the pre-new-year-I-don’t-know-why-I-get-sucked-into-NYE, oh-God-what-am-I-going-to-wear place that I am in now, I hang on to that.
My life as I know it has changed, and the extent of the change is pretty amusing! I really had no idea how one-dimensional I was until I looked into my wardrobe! In the last few months since my gorgeous little girl arrived (nope I’m not biased at all, she really is the best :P), I have spent an inordinate amount of time in pyjamas. Why? Firstly, duh, because its awesome! And secondly because pretty much everything I own is either for the office or to go out for the evenings in (all of which doesn’t fit being a third point that we’ll quickly gloss over).
I recently therefore, with much glee, discovered the pleasure of drawstring pants. What an awesome invention! Trousers who’s USP is that they don’t have to fit! Between that and the whole host of voluminous, harem-ey, culotte-ey pieces out there, I’m set! I’ve fully embraced the life of a ‘Jumeirah Janaki’ in my new comfy clothes.
By the way of explanation that’s a term my lovely friend - lets call her NP – coined. It comes from ‘Jumeirah Jane’, which is a semi derogatory term for *ahem* ‘white women whose husbands work while they have coffee and have their nails done’ (Jumeirah is an area in Dubai BTW). I know, I know it’s a horrible cliché! Its been used in Dubai for ages and has become a part of the almost accepted racist undertones that you find here sometimes. Jumeirah Janaki is our black humour way to describe the brown counterpart. No, it doesn’t count as racism when it comes from brown people! And trust me, the Janes and the Janakis are about as far from the clichés as its possible to be. Just use it enough and it loses its power anyway.
Just to be clear, I’m not in any way dismissing the part I play in the raising of my child – and oh, I PLAY a part. (Have I told you I’m a control freak?) Or the fact that I work from home. But, for people like me, who are used to 14 hour days of high stress (doing something that in the end is pretty unfulfilling) and think the Blackberry is an extension of their arm, this is either awesome or a nightmare. And thank the universe, for me, it’s AWESOME!
And THAT is what has made this year truly landmark for me! I’ve learned something new about myself, just when I thought I didn’t hold any more surprises. RandomRambler the Jumeirah Janaki; and happy being one. That’s fab!
So… Happy New Year all. And may 2012 bring many wonderful surprises! We could all use them.
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