2011 - A year that was

Well, this is the first time I’m recounting the things that had happened in a year, sitting all alone on a New Year’s Eve with several thoughts of what I’d do for the night running paralleling on my mind. Not that I haven’t done the same ever in my life as yet; the fact is I had done it several times, but only in my mind and not in a blog, as in, only to me and not shared to anyone else. Having said that, I’ll make sure this one is not going to be a-boring-recap of the stuffs that happened with/to me.

To begin with, a New Year is nothing without any resolutions, even if we are sure of ourselves that we won’t be going to stick to those any longer. Just the concept of ‘resolution’ is itself exciting and keeps us going strong (at least for few days), you know. I, as usual, welcomed 2011 with a couple of resolutions – Blogging and Reading (Check The long awaited start for additional details). Surprisingly, none of them were ever a part of my New Year resolutions till then. So, at that very thought of fixing them, I made sure I shouldn’t hold on to my record of handling my past resolutions.

On this day, looking back at the track record, I’m happy that I almost stuck to my resolutions.

a)    The posts in my blog is an indelible proof for the first (though the count is negligible compared to the fellow bloggers, given my past, it is, by far, more than acceptable for me. After all, it’s me who should be satisfied first).

Some noteworthy points with respect to my posts are:

·         ‘A Story’ happened, out of the blue (or I should be truthful and say it was because of my friend’s repeated request – and that’s the reason I dedicate it to her). It’s special because it’s my first attempt after I’d decided to stop writing stories after ‘Deathbed’ (due to some secretive reasons). The special thing about this is I didn’t round off on the storyline when I started penning the first part or the subsequent parts published so far. I just wrote what struck my mind when I worked on the respective parts. As of now, I don’t know how and where the story will end; neither do I know if it will have a happy or a sad ending. As you know, if only you’ve been following ‘A story’, only eight parts have been completed so far, I hope I’d finish the remaining parts soon.

·         My personal favorite posts of the year – ‘Puppy Love’ and ‘Random Ramble #1’.

·         Not to mention, my letter to my crush. J

 

b)    Reading hasn’t been my cup of tea for long. I hardly read any novels before my sister asked me to read ‘Five point someone’ – a book that kindled my interests for novels – Thanks to Mr. Chetan Bhagat. But still, such a lazy ass I am, it took more than a year and half for my hands to touch another novel (co-incidence maybe, the book was ‘Three Mistakes of my life’ – the third book of Chetan Bhagat). From then on, I have read quite a few books, but not at an acceptable rate. That was the reason for me to include ‘Reading’ as one of my resolutions for the year. Just like my other resolution, this too was carried on with utmost sincerity, I’d say.

 

The carrying out of this resolution began with ‘Tuesdays with Morrie’ and ended with ‘Can love happen twice”. I can’t give away the exact count of books that I read this year, but all I can say is that the count is respectable.

 

So, what’s in store for 2012, in regard to resolutions? No, I can’t reveal it here until it’s executed in a proper way. Maybe, I’d do it in the post, “2012 – A year that was”.  

On the other note, the year had few interesting, or rather, positive things, I’d say, happened. To mention a few –

 

·         I was happened to acquaint a couple of new friends – the onsite counterpart of my previous project Mr. A, from whom I’d learnt a lot – both professionally and personally, tops the list. I wish I’d more time working with him.

·         Tried my hand on cooking, which was eventually a short stint though.

·         Played AHL, after a gap of two years, and won the trophy for the second time in as many appearances.

·         Won first place in the technical quiz back in September – my first ever participation since joining the company.

·         Got two followers whom I wasn’t aware of to my blog. That means a lot, really. J

·         On top of all, got good news, on professional front, a couple of days back. That is something to cheer about.

 

When there is a crest, there will be a trough; when there is a positive, there will be a negative. That’s how the universe is designed, after all. So here are my few regrets/negative things of the year –

 

·         The biggest regret of all, I failed on the mission ‘june10’. The piteous fact is I wasn’t even given a chance to start the mission that I had been planning for a while then. L

·         Simple things play spoilsport, sometimes. One such thing – a simple message - played with me too, by not getting back to me ever.

·         I couldn’t offer any help to my friend when in need (which I only came to know later through my other friend), just because I wasn’t in touch with the person for a while. My bad, but I keep reminding myself that I should make it up to the person somehow.

About the new year, all I can say now is that the year 2012 is going to a significant one in my life in several aspects, either in a positive or a negative way, for I have already have few plans in my mind. Hope everything turns out as per my calculations.

I just hope 2012 will be happy and prosperous for everyone. Let miseries drown and Joys fill the air. Wishing everyone a Very Happy New Year!!!

Have fun; enjoy your life. Cheers!

Did I miss something? Oh yeah, Dec 21, 2012. What do I want, the world to end or not? It unarguably depends on the outcome of my plans. LOL… J

Random Ramble #1

He woke up, only mentally, still lying in his cozy bed with his eyes closed. It wasn’t the case for him normally, that too when he slept after midnight, not to mention the empty beer bottles lying around haphazardly in his room.

That was the first time he boozed alone. No friends, no random rambles, and no fun. Also, that was the first time he was fuddling all night to get over his sadness; he knew he can’t rely on ‘I drink for fun’ – his usual excuse, anymore.

It was too early, but his thoughts were running between his days with her and her last words to him.

It was a chill Sunday morning. He felt the blanket of mist around him. He rushed to turn off the fan, again only in his mind. His body was too lazy to do it physically.

He wanted to smoke.

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“I found a lighter in my son’s pant pocket today,” his neighbor said to his Mom, fuming.

“Is it? God save this generation kids. I mean, what’s his age? 17 only na?” his Mom said, “No matter how strict we are, they still find ways to cheat us.”

“Yeah, I don’t know what to do. For a moment I thought it was his dad’s, but then I found one in his dad’s pocket as well. I’m confused whether or not to let his dad know about this,” his neighbor said.

“Lucky, my son hates smoking,” his Mom said ignoring her neighbor’s concern.

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“Get the fuck out of my room, you idiot,” he shouted at his friend who lighted a smoke in his room.

“Cool dude. I can’t booze without this, you see,” his friend tried to explain holding a cigarette in his hand.

“Hey, go to the terrace to smoke. Get back once you are done. He hates smoking. Don’t you know that? You dumbass,” his other friend who had already gulped three beers, voiced to prove that he was still in his senses. Prestige issue, it is.

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“Smoking is the best remedy to get over your sadness, you know.” Those were his friend’s words in his lecture about the advantages of smoking, during one of the bleak Saturday night chat sessions in his final year at college.

Not to forget, that guy, who gave the lecture, was a chain smoker. And he was careful enough to end his lecture without answering the question - “How do you say that?”

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He wanted to smoke.

He woke up, physically this time. He walked zigzag across the room only to end up holding the wall at one corner of the room.

After few minutes of struggle, he managed to stand before the mirror. He was not able to see him in the mirror; instead, he saw her. She was smiling. He kissed her in his ‘hangover’ senses, but he kissed the mirror in real.

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“Beta, do you smoke?” his Mom questioned him as soon his neighbor left for her home.

“Mom, what question is this? Don’t you know how much I hate it?”

“I know you, beta. Just be careful with your friends. People always change; some people make the other people change, just remember.”

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“Bhaiyya, ek filter cigarette, please.”

He lighted the cigarette. He struggled to smoke, not because he was shivering from the cold, but because he was fighting with his first smoke of his life yet.

He unlocked his mobile as he wanted to engage his other hand in something. His Mom smiled in the wallpaper. 

He switched off his mobile at that instant.

Finally, he was done with this first smoke, but still not with his sadness. She circled his mind still. He loved that feeling. He loved the feeling even more with a smoke in his hand. He found happiness in his sadness.

In another half an hour, he was done with a whole packet of cigarettes.

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After few days, his ‘chain smoker’ friend called him as his competitor. He has become a proud chain smoker now. Thanks to her? Hell no. Thanks to his love for her.

Some people make the other people change, he remembered.

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