Outliers

To Do List

We all have dreams and aspirations which change with time. The amusing ones which we had as kids and the more daring ones as we grow. Some of them cling to us while others change to more mature forms as we age. Here are some of the things I would have like doing as a kid or would like to do now as an adult. I’ll continue this post later if some other dream job comes up :p

Build a library. Whether it’s in my own home or something more public, I want to do this as a good amount of my early teenage years were spent in one and I feel that the time spent there was time spent wisely and it played a major role in building my love for reading and writing. Since they don’t teach proper grammar at American schools, I believe that a good amount of my grammar is at its level today because of the books I read back then. They used to let us take around 25 books at a time on our library cards and sometimes we would do just that (to avoid multiple trips). And oh the joy of reading all the books within a couple of days, reading them in the comfortable silence of the library, taking them with us in the car on family trips, reading while in the loo, and yes, reading under covers at night. Those were the days when there were no online social networks, no mobile phones and hence no other distractions. We would read blissfully disconnected with the rest of the world, giggling at Amelia Bedelia’s ridiculous mistakes, being afraid to turn the last page of each chapter in the Goosebumps series, going through the pictures in Mary Kate and Ashley books first and then reading the story afterwards, being amazed by Cam Jansen’s photographic memory, getting hold of the Harry Potter books and then racing to see who finishes them in the least amount of time. Good times they were. The purpose of building a library therefore is to be able to share with the younger generations a taste of life that I had when I was a kid myself.

Teach. At school we used to have such brilliant teachers that I had made up my mind quite early that I would like to grow up to be a teacher just like them. I was so inspired by the way they taught so lovingly, with such grace, how they would remember all our names and if any one of them were to leave or move away we would tell them how we’d miss them and that we wished they would stay. They would know most of our parents too and so we had a wonderful support network at that point in time. I wish I could be such a teacher, one who remembers her students’ names, knows where they come from, understands them and monitors their progress individually. I have gotten a chance to teach a few times in a formal setup and the experience is just overwhelming. I don’t know if it’s a good thing or not but I had started to feel so responsible for them that often I would neglect my own work in an effort to prepare course work for them. I would take the time to reply to their text messages inquiring how to solve this question and that. I would meet them in my free time and help them with their worksheets whenever possible. I felt so connected to them that when I was fired (which was an attempt at cost-cutting, not my negligence mind you!) I was deeply saddened. Luckily for me, my own students managed to get me re-hired and so the journey continued. It was a beautiful feeling, perhaps comparable to looking after your own children (though I cannot say for sure since I don’t yet have children). And from their end came such respect and love, as was evident from their act of getting me re-hired. They would greet me when they’d see me, ask me how my own studies were coming along. By the end of that program I was able to tell which of my students had the greatest potential and so would feel sad about losing the others. Nevertheless, I always tried to motivate them and teach them that even if they don’t succeed, it must be because life has better plans in store for them.

Scuba-dive. So refreshing is the thought of jumping into deep blue waters that I wouldn’t give it a second thought before saying yes if I ever have the opportunity. When I see pictures of the world under the surface of the ocean, I can’t help but marvel at it. It is such a beautiful sight and how I’d love to see it with my own eyes! I’ve always been attracted to water, be it the ocean, a lake or simply a swimming pool. Strangely, I used to fear the deeper end of the pool when I was just a kid taking swimming lessons. I’d wear pink inflatable arm wraps in order to stay afloat. But like I mentioned water attracts me, and so it goes that I once jumped into the deep end of the pool to get my bangles which my brother had teasingly tossed inside. It’s funny now that I think of it, how I dived in after my precious plastic bangles without giving a second thought to the fact that I didn’t know how to swim. I flailed my arms about, tried to call for help but there was water getting inside my nose and mouth. Eventually I think the instructor there saved me and out I came coughing and spitting out water. Stranger still is the fact that the incident hasn’t made me scared of water at all. The way some people would never sit on a horse after falling off of it.

Skydive. I’ve never been afraid of heights either. In fact I believe the best part of any building is the rooftop. I’d like to jump off from a high altitude (of course with a parachute!) for the thrill of it. Free fall is something I’ve experienced a good number of times here on earth but I’d really like to experience it from up above, knowing there is a good amount of time to enjoy the feeling before I make impact with the ground, believing that the parachute will open in time to allow me a safe landing. What a feeling it must be to twirl around in the air, to see the world from such a height. I get excited while watching it on TV so I guess my mind would blow if I get a chance to do it myself.