It seems just like yesterday since I have left full time work but it has been almost seven years since I quit working in a PR agency and moved to work as a part time RJ and freelance writer. Thankfully both the latter jobs gave me the designation of never being out of work and it was completely at my pace.

Now that my little one is slightly more manageable than before, want to give work outside home a shot.

Been a client servicing executive, a pr executive, a stint as a TV host, radio jockey and freelance writer now let’s see where I actually land myself in. Hoping writing saga continues until way past I am in my sixties. Wanted to put his down just for my own satisfaction. Hoping that my blog updates will be more regular than ever before.

Leaving radio finally on June 22, 2009 was quite an experience. Except may be because I already had a kind of trial run; I had left it for a month after April and joined again for a month and half, I was more prepared and knew how life would be without it.

Yet last Monday, even though I was composed I was longing for my listeners to be in touch with me, miss me and appreciate me. Yes I was feeling like a little girl wanting to be recognized and feel elated with appreciative comments. I knew it very well if people have liked my shows, have appreciated whenever I have done well they would defiantly message that day or try to get in touch with me later though my website.

I must say, it is a truly humbling experience when one receives a nice feedback from a stranger who has liked your voice or the way show is conducted and this is shown through sms or a comment left. In my last post if I have thanked rainbow for making me feel special I have to admit this time atleast it is listeners who can make a radio jockey truly feel special. Thank you everyone (no matter how many in numbers) who have wished good for me on radio thanks for making me feel really special.

It is a strange feeling before I go to sleep tonight. I am sure to have butterflies before I go on air tomorrow; the last show on radio in this phase of my life. I really do not know how to thank all those countless listeners who have been with me and made feel that radio is the right career for me. It was not as easy decision to quit a full time job of PR to move into radio and writing, but I do not think I have ever regretted this career move. As things change it’s time for me to take a long break; this time though it’s for a personal reason.

Thank you FM Rainbow for making me feel special whenever I was on air.

I am not going to forget last evening’s outing for a long time in my life. I had gone out with Vikas and a few of his German friends to watch a play called ‘Black Tie’ from a German production. If you ask me the play was more of a Korean one than a German perspective yet I must admit the message was strong enough to bring in new insights about adoptions. For one I am going to think hard if ever I decide to adopt a baby.

Anyway coming to the chance celebrity encounter, we finished the play late in the evening around 9.45 pm. A causal conversation amongst us on the actual message of the play took a little longer and thankfully made us stay there. Soon enough we saw someone getting mobbed with camera flashlights. We found it surprising that the cast of the play is getting so much attention and thought probably others were more appreciative of them. Suddenly, I heard Vikas scream “Aamir Khan”! I turned around and saw Aamir in skin and blood just there, three steps away from us! I plunged my hand into my handbag to get hold of a notepad, to get his autograph. As the bodyguard of Aamir was hurrying him out there was not much time to think. My mind was racing with options of getting to enquire about his availability here, a possible radio interview, tele-con anything if at all. I started flipping through pages of my handy telephone book and was finding no page empty.Thankfully I finally found half a page vacant with no scribbling of either numbers or names and I rushed myself amidst the crowd right in front of Aamir Khan. I confidently asked him Aamir, “autograph please”. In the back of mind I was hearing a voice asking me to ask Aamir for a possible interview. Somehow I couldn’t make the decision in all the hurry, fans trying to get themselves photographed et al. Oh yes the moment when Aamir took my telephone book to sign, he asked me, “Sure, do you have a pen?” I was taken aback as I didn’t really have a pen in my hand. Suddenly I saw Vikas diving amidst others to give me a pen and then was the Kodak moment.

Aamir signed it for me as I told him that my name is Reshma. He looked at me, froze the eye contact for a split second before smiling and moving away. Trust me, I felt maybe he liked my grey blue eyes. Though countless people have admired my eye colour, yesterday I felt privileged! Later I felt maybe he thought it doesn’t matter if you are Reshma or Nargis or Anjana or maybe the glance didn’t mean anything at all.

Yet I cannot deny the fact the emotion running throughout the evening was similar to a twelve year old teenager having seen her first celebrity crush live in front of her. I can never forget when I had fallen in love with Aamir when QSQT was released and over the years I guess the crush has obviously metamorphosised into respect given the person and his comments in public life or his roles on screen.

Oh yes the Kodak moment became more special when a popular Hindi news paper – Rajasthan Patrika, that I seldom read but henceforth will value more, this morning published a photograph of Aamir Khan signing the autograph for me! And guess what, Aamir Khan and I were dominant in the picture.

Thank you Aamir and thanks to the Rajasthan Patrika photographer! Yes, I do have the autograph which I was trying hard to convince folks at home that it is really Aamir’s signature but the next day’s picture said it all. I have mentioned this briefly on Aamir’s blog as well in the hope of another encounter during his stay in Bangalore. God willing let’s see.

This prompts me to write more on the many celebrity encounters I have had. Keep visiting the site.

I do not know what to call this lengthy gap in my writing on blog, indiscipline, structured way of putting things certainly not lack of content. Have been thinking every week on the issues that I want to write on, but haven’t really put it across.

Just finished a series on women to mark International women’s day on March 8th. Thought of a program went to my senior, got it approved and got the guests for the show. To make it work everyday with a thought-provoking interview meant backbreaking background work but hey it was worth the effort. Beginning from Mansi Prasad to Dr. Nirmala I received interesting viewpoints of a woman. Just loved the show. Was glad many found it informative and it was well received. Hope to do more such shows or may be even better ones. If at all any of you had listened to any of the shows, do leave a comment how it was?

Of late I have been meeting people who are making me write more and talk more. Yes both in print and on radio, I have come across people from various backgrounds, professions and various sensibilities. Right from an enriching meeting with noted theater personality & director M.S Sathyu to the otherwise quite Ramanujam Sridhar (or maybe he talks when there is the need to. He was there in our studio to talk on public relations as a career) to whole lot of women who provided me inputs in writing my features for publications, each is a different person with different attitude.

Someone asked me if I get a thrill in meeting personalities than just ordinary people. The question made me think – are those who are not popular because of publicity and media ordinary people? I do admit people who are known because of publicity have an aura and they need to retain it. Yet people who are not known and are continuing with their regular work; are thought to be ordinary. Why should one think so, for they may have better ideas, opinions and intellect that is yet to be made public?

When I write on specific issues that make me think about them deeply, generally I do understand I cannot move ahead without other’s inputs on them. So at least for me people, who give their comments for my articles, give their opinions; hold equal importance if not more than the people I meet for radio chats.