A picture is worth thousand words

Dedicated to all the waves that touched my shore!

The year that was...

Let this New Year usher in all the happiness that you were deprived of the previous year :)
Its the time to introspect, A full year has gone by and i would like to list out things that i learnt/did through the past 12 months

I seriously do not remember anything worthwhile that happened in January, excepting that on the December 31st, 2005 i had a group of friends at my place, they got drunk and puked all over the place! One of them slept the whole night partly on the mattress and partly on the cold winter floor! One almost killed another of my friends but for my intervention :)
Otherwise, I was stuck with work and weekend visits to Parikrma all through January.

Early February, I attended a Business Visa interview for visiting the US at their consulate in Chennai. I remember being humiliated to see the way some of my fellow Indians were treated. But hell, there were rows and rows of people queing up to peer at Uncle Sam. The interviewers are Humans too.

I was off to California in March. I still remember the plush green carpets adorning the floor of the Singapore Airport during my transit.

I stayed at Belmont and had a chance to wander around the Silicon Valley. I liked the way every occupation is respected in the States. You give the same respect to the room cleaner as you give to a cab driver or a receptionist in a hotel. Obviously being a pedestrian through a larger part of my life, i enjoyed the respect given to the people on the foot by the people on the huge fancy cars on the streets of Belmont. I remember (after coming back to India) standing infront of the Christ College in Bangalore and waiting for the torrent of the traffic infront of me to miraculously give me a way. It took some time for me to realise that, i have to wade through this quagmire myself by showing my palm to the angry people in the Santros and the bikes.
I visited Los Angeles, but my visit was restricted only to the Universal Studios and the Disney Land. One of the best memories i have from this visit was the half-day that i spent at Stanfornd University.

After coming back from US and after getting inspired by my room-mate, I finally attempted the impossible, I joined a moderately posh Gymnasium called Zone. Its 5 min walk from my house and i for the first time in my life realised how harmful those innocent looking pizzas are! I lost about 12 pounds and am in the process of losing more of that flab.

I met my sister after about 2 years in July. Though i had to accompany her all through her shopping spree in Life Style, Hyderabad Central and Shopper Stop (Effectively spending about 8 hours a day staring at overly enthused teenagers drooling over stuff that shouldnt cost them a quarter of what is written on the price tags) it was fun.

I started to prepare (perhaps prepare is too strong a word!) for what is voted as one of toughest competetive exams in the whole country, CAT. I used to spend a lot of my time watching T.V than the books. I did not fare well. But as i mentioned in one of my previous posts, CAT is not that big a deal. Though i am not going to make it, i realised one thing, I do not need to look at those guys who will get those coveted calls from the IIMs with awe. With a little bit of effort (and should we include the blessing of lady luck) i would have been there. I am a staunch believer of this little bit of wisdom that "Everything that happens in one's life happens for the better". Hoping that i have more in store in my life.

In November my sister gave birth to a beautiful baby girl "Anchita" and my mom has been at Sydney with her for the past 3 months.

At work front, I started assuming more responsibility, taking decisions, interacting with people from a host of countries. Technically i may not have learnt a great lot, but otherwise, i feel i learnt a lot. On a slightly darker note, i had to bid good bye to three of my close friends and team mates. Another of my very good friend's brother passed away. May his soul rest in peace.

And this new year, i spent quietly on contrary to the ruckus last year :) I was watching Audrey Hepburn's "Roman Holiday" one more time as the clock struck 12 with another friend who came to spend the New Year Eve with me.

Wishing every one a very Happy New Year once again.