counting back to the year that was

I cant believe the year is almost over...we're just dealing with the last scraps...and for a while, if i sit myself down, i can't believe its gone by so fast...seriously...where did the whole year go?

Is this a sign that the year was nondescript? maybe...some parts of it were exhilarating... some parts of it just bleh! and while i am always grateful for the mercies from above... i cant say that i am particularly sad to see this year go.... i am so looking forward to the next one... 2010....almost sounds like something the space scientists predicted 60 years ago!

Most of this year has passed in a haze....the only memories that stand out vividly are the travel trips K and I made....

i can hardly remember anything from january other than i starrted a very important project at work which saw me through till july... we went on a team outing and i did the rope walk... it put a lot of things in perspective for me...in a way that was good, because the year was just starting off and having those thoughts helped me immensely...that was the only thing of significance i can recall....

february seemed like an extension of the month that went by ... the oscars for rahman and pookutty and a bigger leap for a dear friend J.... we shared so much on the phone, and taking a leap of faith, she began a home based business. last month, i visited her and was so proud of what she has achieved single handedly in the last 10 months.... a lot of what she did was so close to my experiences, that it was deja vu all over again....

march was full of excitement... travel to ahmedabad for 10 days of a well deserved break with K's family and time for me to laze about and be a bum....oh and the shopping! after going easy for 2 years...i went all out on this trip!

I cannot recall April...except that i kept exclaiming hot hot it was getting and fearing that the end of the world through global warming was near....fretting over the usage of plastic...and hoping everyone did their bit...

May was a blur of boozy times....for the first time K travelled for multiple days without me, and i stayed at a friends house till he returned... its interesting how living in someone else's comfort zone makes you wonder how welcoming your own home is for guests....i was privy to the life of a single woman...and sometimes, i wonder how life would have been for me if i was still single...it was also a time of excruciating pain with my neck and shoulder pain, i wore a collar for a month and was in bed for a whole week....also, began yoga classes.....sadly, R took her life, frustrated with her lot, alone and disraught....we'd spoken a day before and she sounded "normal"... i still cant believe she's gone sometimes....made me realign and reassess...and thank god for His mercies....

June was a busy month, full of people...i had a friend staying over because she had issues at home with the family over her "not agreeing to marry the first idiot" she encountered, we took a trip to bangalore where all 5 of us shacked out at my mom's.... i got not one...not two..but three piercings done...the shiny nose ring was to keep me enamoured for many months!! we had a barbeque party on the rooftop of my mom's home...and i got a cook!

the last day of june was a story... a day spent in a spa with K to make up for lost time....and beginning July with a trip... with just a one way ticket to delhi, we landed and stayed at a friends place for a couple of days... moved on to dehradun...then to mussoorie....and then the mother of all....a trek into the Valley of Flowers at the foothills of the Himalayas in Uttaranchal.... It was to be the most significant trip i took this whole year....i am glad i lived to see this day.... sun burnt or not... it was worth every aching muscle....i also turned a year older....i got a new camera and a new laptop as birthday gifts from K.....we were to have a relentless stream of friends staying with us... different sets...for the next two months...

August brought the much needed rains... i was beginning to worry about a drought....it also brought amma to spend a few weeks with me... but with the bomb scares and all that... she was terrified and it took a lot of counselling from K to calm her down...

September threw the state into turmoil.... YSR the chief minister died in a helicopter crash.... there was chaos and confusion and lots of political mud wrestling...the rains continued and were much loved by me...i started another blog....Patrick died....i made some important changes to the way i wanted to work.... K and I slaunched something of our own.... we made an end of the month trip to bangalore that was such a fulfilling experience....

october was a quiet month for me personally although the house was FULL of people and parties that included masks!! i pottered around ... painted my coffee table and beautiful mosaic...made more plans for the next few months...spent a lot of time in retrospection....

november seems like just yesterday....K and i have been married for 6 years and i cant believe it has been that long already.... we had a lovely dinner where i dressed up and used eye shadow!!we had a few more impromptu parties....i tagged on with K for a trip to bangalore...i loved the weather at this time of the year

December.....was a big month for us.... K's little venture was doing something exciting... as fate would have it, I went with him to Kerala for an event...it was the most charming way to end the year... we stayed in jew town ... i've never enjoyed a trip to kerala as much as i loved this one....the work we did was very well appreciated....K turned a year older....i was depressed for a while with not being able to spend christmas with family and all the bandhs for the formation of the separate state of Telangana ... but i came around...made cake and murukku and kalkals and shortbread.... had a party with the most significant people in my life right now... and am thankful for the year that went by....

i think its an age factor, when you begin to detest noisy smokey parties... i have nothing planned for the new year....

for myself.... i want more focus on the plans i have...personal and professional pursuits.....a year that will be better and more fulfilling than 2009....

for my friends, family and all those of you who read this space.... i wish you peace and joy... may you stay safe...and happy...and may you be fulfilled.....

Happy New Year... lets have a good year 2010!