A yearly start...

It’s amazing how little time you get to introspect. The end of a year offers a good opportunity to do just that. 2009 is over and done with. Every 31st, I like to look back at the year that has gone by. Why is a calendar year important? Because you need to have a certain time frame to think about what you have done. Or haven’t. If you suddenly look back at your entire life, it might overwhelm you. So many rights, so many wrongs. So many regrets, so many feel-good moments. So we divide our life into years. Its easier one at a time.

There are always a few years that stand out. I remember 1997 when I joined Fergusson. 2004-05 when I was an intern. 2009 joins this list.

It’s been an eventful year. For the first three-four months I was practically at home, cramming for my Masters exam. I remember the late nights, which got longer with every passing day. How I disconnected my cable connection, and missed the entire IPL2. I passed my Masters exam in June this year. The process drained me emotionally and physically. The last time I was this vulnerable was a long time ago. Hopefully the next time will be a longer time away. It was the last formal academic exam of my life and finally after 27 years, I was out looking for a job.

July had me making the biggest career decision of my life. Hopefully i have made the right one.

2009 also saw me on my third weight loss program. I had succumbed to gluttony earlier in the year and I had to do something about it. After my exams I lost more than 10 kgs over the next 3 months. I lost craving for junk food. And I removed the mental block I had against walking.

2009 was the worst year for Hindi Cinema. Time and again I went to see a movie and came away disappointed and frustrated. Now I am fast losing interest in hindi movies. At the same time, I developed an addiction to English TV shows. This year saw me polishing off Prison Break, Heroes, Wonder Years, 24, How I Met your Mother, Lost, Entourage and The Big Bang theory. They keep getting better.

This year I bought my first car with my own money. They say you can never forget your first car. Time will tell…

There were also a few things I could not do this year. Go to Goa for the first time. Visit my school. Do some charity. Start reading novels again. Publish a book of my nano stories.

Hopefully when I write this piece next year, I will have done all of them.

Happy new year!