Thank goodness I started preparing for this post ages back. Hence I am able to submit now. Read on. No, don't groan and roll your eyes... YES, it is another year-ending post and I HAVE to put this up now. I cannot promise for it to be hilariously entertaining, but I can definitely try. :-) And yes, it IS a long post. Hey, I don't torture (read: post entries) often so the least I can do is to make sure when I do post, I post something long and never-ending right?
Me ducks the barrage of chappals and tomatoes and dives behind curtain for cover....
P.S.: Notice how the length of narrative for each month shortens as it to get towards the end of the year? That's how much I've been getting these days to blog :-/ Sigh...
2009
A terrible year to begin with… my graph hit rock bottom during the beginning. And from then began the climb. Quite a few ups and downs… A quick overview given below:
January
Started the new year with a bang…quite literally. Was out on a date with one of my friends. Barely did we go out for a drive in his car after the clock struck 12 than he banged his car into a divider on the road and burst a tyre plus damage the shock absorber. Fortunately both of us were unharmed but the outing ended then and there with him dropping me off in an auto. Atleast I reached back home… he had to spend half the night at the police station, getting his car towed back! (Yes, you can see my usual pattern here as well!! :P ) What a way to star the new year!!
On a more sober note, one of my life’s most irreplaceable losses took place this month. I lost my maternal grandfather to a stroke on Jan 18. Fortunately I was able to be near him during his last few days, or rather months, so there are plenty of happy memories to cherish, plus he didn’t suffer before he went. May his soul RIP…amen!
February
I successfully completed my (elementary) Level 1 French course at Alliance Francaise and gave my exams. The lessons helped provide a distraction from my mourning/depressive phase.
Alternatively, I also started my blog this month. My first entry was posted on Feb 20. Aaaand I was back in business. Of writing, that is. After 6 long years :-) Landmark month alright!
March
My birthday month! Spent a whole month in Ottapalam, Kerala with relatives, chilling. My mind needed that time to heal alright. By the end of it, I was fresh and ready to face the world again. Had a wonderful birthday where my parents organised a little celebration at home with close relatives. It felt wonderful to feel special and loved.
On a more humourous note, certain four-legged creatures took a liking to me… I got followed by a curious ox all over the place during a rare temple visit!
April
Got proposed to by a li’l pipsqueak … and it lasted all of 10 seconds. No, don’t get me started on it LOL
I returned to Delhi, taking along with me my 87 year old grandmother, my father’s mother, who went on to stay with us for awhile.
Started attending the gym…in an effort to improve my fitness.
More importantly, another significant development in my life took place. They say running into your reflection is a very rare thing in life. I did, much to my delight and surprise. Little did I know that it would be the beginning of my journey into blogosphere, blog samaj and so many valuable friends!
May
Recession made the process of job hunting a cumbersome process. However, I did attend a few interviews though, and things did look hopeful; but in the end nothing moved forward. Efforts were on side-by-side, to apply for my 2 year work permit in UK. What a pain gathering all the documents… wondered if there’s no end to it?
My grandmother returned to her native place towards the end of this month…after a pleasant stay with us. I concluded without doubt that life without grandparents doesn’t really serve the purpose.
The gym and I had a love-hate relationship going on by then. I took a king-size fall right outside the gym one day on another day got stuck inside the lift. Both times, no major harm was done though. The fall didn’t leave me injured and the lift started working immediately as well. But realised I’d better keep an eye out for future disasters there.
On a more sober note, one of my close friends lost his father to pneumonia. Felt too shocked to respond initially… realised life is so fleeting. Swore to appreciate better all the good things in life that I had around me. Prayed that he (and his family) would have the strength to endure and make it through.
June
Lost the grandmother of one of my closest friends to a sudden stroke. What is with this year 2009??? I’ve been losing far too many people close to me. But I’ve gained the company of a lot of new people too. Life has its own balance I guess. But one can never make up for the ones that leave…forever.
Pop star and legend Michael Jackson passed away this month as well. 2009 seemed a nasty year as far as deaths are concerned.
Sat around idle for far too long…my dad saw red. He went beserk initiating matrimonial profiles online and trying to get me sort through them. Didn’t work. Temporarily managed to postpone it for awhile. In the meantime, it gave way to a hit series on marriages and disasters!!! :D
By this time, I’ve gained a lot of friends through blogging… and got thoroughly initiated into the blog samaj! Komalikkal cousins, - Al-valaathi & EOG, - hitchy, cunny sis, indy, sols, smithus, smita, kanagu, swaram, nautankey, ki, pinkorchid, mathew, chronicwriter, oorjas, amit, amal bose and later on to destination infinity, praveen, anish, anil sawan, doctoratlarge, roflindian, sujith, rakesh and so many more.... [phew, I'm exhausted! pls dont ask me to name the rest!]
Highlight of the month: Just 4 months into the creation of my blog, my post ‘My first marriage proposal from the UK’ picked by blogadda.com for ‘Saturday spicy picks’. Dhiren’s words: dhinchak dhinchak… or better yet, vimmuuu’s style: danganaaka danganaaka :D :D And yay! to indyeah for announcing it to me first! :D
July
With a beautiful (and very positive) start to the month, I got through my 2 year work permit in the UK . I knew not soon after, I would be getting employed as well. Wow, what a long wait!
August
A jam packed month. Met up with my reflection finally. Also took a two week vacation to Kerala, enjoyed myself with entire family who had come down for the wedding of two of my cousins. Finally got through my offer letter and started work on the last day of this month. A lovely month all in all. Man, wish all months were like this!
September
Started work in Gurgaon. It feels humbling to be a salaried person again… especially when I know that just a few months back I was nothing after all. The reality check is good, lest it all go to my head.
Work timing became hectic and ate a lot into blogging and spamming time.
October
Work ate into my time... blogging came down drastically. Least busy month with my blog.
November
First official travel to Mumbai took place. Didn't get around to meeting Crafty or Smita unfortunately. But I did meet up with a very dear friend :-) who showed me around, fed me the best pav bhaji I've had in my whole life and took me for my first ride in the Mumbai local. You know I'm coming back for all that and more right Ani?
Some breaking news! My first ever interview got published at speakbindaas.com. Woohoo! :D I'm in demand :P
December
Unfortunately a jam-packed month with work. Was able to take a quick vacation to Kerala, but that’s about it. Hope to ring in the new year with loved ones!
Of course, how can I forget? Realised I was blessed to have the friends I do, when I came to know a lot of my posts got nominated for the Avant Garde Blog Awards... without me ever having to lift a finger...or even coming to know about it! :-) Life has its own way of rewarding you... always!
Three things I am grateful for, that 2009 gave me:
1) Restarting writing. I got a part of myself back!
2) My blog and my blog friends. No replacing ANY of them :-) So glad I know all of you!
3) My job. And my new friends at work.
My wish-list for 2010? I am not sure I want to call them resolutions; that’s like kinda degrading them.
1) To be the person I used to be. The downs of 2009 really took me down with them… I need to concentrate on being the person I used to be, to take challenges head-on, to be confident and to have faith in myself and my own future
2) To consciously take an effort to be in the blog world more often… I am thankfully still in touch with most of my blog friends and manage to comment on your posts… but not as often as I’d like. I’d like to keep writing more regularly, it’s a gift I received this year
3) To pursue more interests and develop my life a bit more… and not just die over work and more work
Lessons learnt this year:
* Do not sacrifice anything for someone who is not willing to do the same for you
* Learn to put one’s foot down when one’s interests are being compromised… be it even with one’s own family.
* Sometimes all you need to do is ask, you shall be given. Sometimes when you want to collapse, help is sent to make sure you don’t. It need not come from the direction in which you expect, but it comes nevertheless.
* As always, the darkest hour of night is just before dawn. Sometimes the darkest hour happens so that you appreciate the light that comes after it.
* Whatever will be, will be. Worrying about it or not, doesn’t really make a difference in the outcome except killing one’s own peace of mind :P
* The happiest people (particularly the ones who laugh the most and make others laugh as well) don’t necessarily have the best of everything… they just make the most of everything that comes their way. I learnt to respect concealed vulnerability in people… and in myself.
Enough of boring you already! Wishing all of you a very wonderful 2010... may your dreams come true this year... sprinkled with joy, liveliness and peace of mind! God bless! :-)
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