Anu Morris

‘Anu, I am bringing my son to Bring Your Kids To Work. Can I swing by to say Hi?’‘I told them that you were an author.’‘Do you see all these people in the room – they all report to her (Me).’‘I am bringing my daughter and son to work – and would love for them to meet you.’ These were the messages from colleagues in my last role. Now, with Work From Home and video, kids have become an integral…

It’s been two weeks since my last blog – one weekend I was not in the mood, and the other I was fighting a cold. One of those colds that make you wish you were home – haven’t had one of these in ages. Congested head, no appetite or energy to do anything, body aching – you get it. And how many times I get cold or flu, it always surprises me when it takes its time to run its course. I am on day…

I had dinner with fifteen other Indian women last week. It was a women’s day dinner organised by a work group, and I was invited. Now, it was a novel experience for me in more ways than one. First, I cannot remember the last time I went out for dinner with people other than my family and friends (Yes, that’s singular). And a good chunk of that small group lives outside of the US. Second, I…

Like peeling layers of an onion, some lessons also reveal their depths when you are ready. One such lesson for me, which I am unravelling now, is the dismissiveness. I cannot tell you when I started this; probably at a young age. If I am not interested in what the other party is saying, I dismiss it. Or if I do not like the person, I dismiss whatever they say. Take nothing personally – quote…

I needed to breathe – what I mean by that is, given the routine at work and need for diverse city life and food scene, we decided to do a weekend getaway to New York. Yes, I am a city girl at heart, and unless I see skyscrapers, hear sirens, and walk amidst people hurrying, I feel out of place. For those who are lost, there will always be cities that feel like home. ‘New York is not a place but…

A secret club that nobody knows about – because it would ruin your reputation. I completed my first 30 days in my new role and met with the finance partner about expense pressure. She joked, ‘Are you having fun yet?’ I laughed and said, ‘Would you believe me if I said Yes?’ It was a moment of connection, and she said, ‘I love a challenge.’ I agreed wholeheartedly and said, ‘I know, right. All…

I remember my driving instructor telling me to keep my eyes on the middle of the road so the car wouldn’t keep swerving from side to side. When I first started driving, I did not know where to keep my eyes, and the car/hands followed where my eyes went. Once I got the hang of driving, I knew how long I could keep my eyes off the road before I got off track. Now, hold this thought. You’ have got…

I have a fascinating habit pattern. dear future worry: I have met your cousins before. they all said I couldn’t make it and guess what? They were wrong every single time. Signed – your track record. SITUATION: I am flying long-distance on my own, and I obsess over details: how to lift my baggage from the carousel, what if transit time isn’t enough, what if I get the middle seat, what if my…

This is a continuation of the last blog, where I said I would explain why I am attracted to Data, unwillingly, because it has qualities I want in my life. What I really want to say is that Software Engineering is my first love, and Data Engineering is who I married. But it is with very great difficulty that I can say the marriage part, because it seems like a commitment for life, when who knows,…

Right, here we are, readers. I quite don’t have a charming topic to regale you all with but having just watched a quintessential, terribly British netflix series called Seven dials I am inspired. Seven Dials is a novel by Agatha Christie that features Superintendent Battle and the plucky Lady Eileen, also known as Bundle. Why is she called Bundle, you ask? Well, you will be glad to know I looked…

Secret – is an adjective that means ‘known about by only a few people; kept hidden from others’. There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you. What I am realising is that most stories/shows/movies all have an element of secrecy in them – I am not talking about big public secrets like the tomb of Tutankhamun. Still, small personal secrets that each one of us is sometimes…

Female Voice: Last night, Mom had a stomach upset. She had the mutton gravy for dinner, and it did not sit well with her. Male Voice: If she takes gas medicine, she will be ok Male Voice 1: If you drank less, you would remember that you were supposed to pay the bill. Male Voice 2: Well, I forget even on the days I don’t drink. There’s noise, there’s silence and then there’s city life. These…

I just watched the latest Knives Out Mystery on Netflix—a good one, with a great cast of characters, especially Father Jud. A few of the themes in this movie were secrets, confession and vengeance – and recently vengeance or revenge has been on my mind too! So, it was a good opening for the blog. If you think I am plotting a great revenge drama, you are not incorrect. I do that a lot – in fact,…

You know when you hear or see something, and it comes back at you? I have a lot of things like these, quotes, books, shows, etc. And sometimes I don’t realise that this was in my backlog until I actually see that item again. So, the Peaky Blinders show was one such thing. I have had my eye on it for a long time, but the timing never seemed right. It does have a fair bit of violence, and I was in…

The most important question to ask yourself in any situation is, ‘Who are you being at this moment?’ I can hear my professor’s voice saying this in the Creativity and Personal Mastery course (CPM) I took at London Business School. The course is like an onion, and I am still peeling the layers. When I took the course, it resonated so strongly with me – I was obsessed. I ended up retaking the…

I re-watched the Queen’s Gambit series on Netflix again. It is about a fictional female chess prodigy who tends to self-destruct despite her genius. It is a well-done series, great actors – one of those series which has integrity, so it hits you where you need it the most. Isn’t that true about real works of genuineness – the ones that come through you and not by you. I love it when it happens –…

Even on grey or rainy days, the sun still shines. I was reminded of this while walking in London. A brief break in the clouds made everything light up. Over time, I started to appreciate grey, rainy days, and now I actually prefer them. My husband jokes when it’s sunny, ‘Not a good day for you, eh?’ Rainy days give me a chance to turn inward and find some stillness. The sun is always there, just…