The year it was...wasn't...

For the past 3 months my blog has suffered my absence. A feeling of someone going away for long. So where was I, what was I up to in the last quarter of this eventful year. Here is the list of top 9 things that happened to me in 2009... I don't believe in order but still for all the people I want to read this may enjoy the ordering :

#1: Engagement - Finally the wild horse learned how to trot. People talk about life altering experience or the absence of such event. But for both the sexes isn't it life altering. May be love marriage is different, where you are so much used to being with each other; but surely arrange marriage is a life altering experience. I didn't know Meghna when I last posted article on this blog and then after 2 meetings it felt life is about to change or should I say now it has. How? that's a all together different article.

#2: Anushka - 12th Feb this year my brother-bhabhi were blessed with a baby girl; I met her when she was 3 months old and the first time I picked her up was the most amazing feeling. The brother I have grown up and have looked up all my life, now is a father himself. She has brought about change in my brother, bhabhi to mother, my parents to Grand-parents. Life back in roorkee was so different with just her presence.

#3: Singapore - It has been almost 4 years since I started my professional life. While I sat in domestic airport, I saw all my friends travel on business trip to foreign land. So finally I decided why wait for fate, when I can write few lines on my own. Taking my old college friend we planned a 4 days trip to Singapore. Flight was short, hotel was fabs, city and places were pleasure. Started a blog for the trip...though it still waits for a finish

#4: Germany - If Singapore happened out of arrogance, Germany was due to grace of God. A decision made on the professional front almost 2 yrs back gave me this opportunity to go and work in Germany. The trip was amazing as I had never experienced such a long flight especially it was via Dubai. Enjoyed the whole traveling experience; though what happened after that goes to my #5...

#5: Jaundice - It was cold, really sad weather in Germany when I landed but nothing could have damped my excitement. My mother-in-law calls it curse-of-jealous-eyes and so the devil himself took away all the excitement as my first trip was ruined by Hepatitis E virus. Enjoyed the first 5 days and then it happened. For next 3 days I threw up even water. And for a whole of 5 days I didn't take any food or water. Last time I remember my weight was under 85kgs was when I was on hostel mess(y) food and now I lost more than 10-15kgs to go as low as 82kgs (mom been work full time to get it back up). Trip which was supposed to be for a month, was cut short to 10 days. Of all the disappointment, what hurts the most was professionally I couldn't complete what I was sent for. Still life and work goes on, whether we are in it or out of it (teaching for life).

#6: Professional Act & Rise - A lazy boy couch defines my attitude towards my professional life, that I shall always be relaxed and take-your-own-time kinds. But somehow, somewhere, I inherited my father's will to excel. Especially in areas which are not known. First time in Infy I thought it was a fluke that some senior gave me something I knew nothing about and somehow I managed to scrape through. In SAP, it was a challenge to get into areas which were alien and realize that books and reading will never leave me. Education only ends with death. School is never over!! Sadly :) Hence I had this act of working via books, forums, articles. I enjoyed it a lot and I guess so did the people who had a watch on me.

The rise came two-fold. I stepped on to the next level and will enjoy its taste whole through next year. Hopefully I will enjoy lot more work at office, even though marriage will happen.

#7: Fracture - The worst experience of the year came when I broke my left hand index finger while keeping in one of the company cricket tournament. I believed in the doctors in Manipal Hospital, but they turned out to be monsters only interested in insurance money. As professionals get support from companies with medical insurance, Manipal Hospital operated unprofessionally, giving me non-functional middle joint in my finger. To an extend my ego took a hit. I took pride in my typing speed on my lappy; that went down with lot of typos. Also, my parents were worried about the prospect. The only silver lining in all this accident and the mess after that I learned some about my character. At no point I felt of hiding this in during the process of arranged marriage. It felt great to be truthful and honest. We as humans find it hard to accept our limitations. I still find my anger as one truth, hard to accept. May be this blog becomes a start. May be!

#8: Sports - An avid cricket fan, I have kept cricket's involvement away from my blog. Mainly because I don't criticizes much when India loses. I will go lengths to argue that Indians tried hard but couldn't win. So my blog will always be biased. This year though it was different. Lot of stuff happened and one way or the other I was part of it.

In F1 I saw a new brand name making complete mockery of the season. Winning the title of both constructor and driver champion.

In Tennis I had to painfully accept the fact that Roger Federer is now of course the best Tennis player in history; sadly my favo Nadal not only had series of Injuries but also bowed out of French tournament first time in history. Just hoping 2010 he bring joys back to me like he brought for all the Spanish people by winning them the Davis Cup final

In football there wasn't much that happened, but I started to enjoy and learning names of different club players. So it was still good times for me

Lastly, my favo, Cricket, I was blessed with number of things. India winning the test series and reaching number 1. Sachin Tendulkar (bade bhaiya), completing 20yrs in international cricket. Virendra Sehwag (chote bhaiya), amazing again with the pace he can play test cricket. I am not of the era where Englishmen used to sit in Lord's balcony and clap gently for every boundary scored. Also I will never show my unlimited appraise by just standing and clapping again. I am of the era of T-20 cricket. And Sehwag just played a day of cricket where more than 6 Runs per over were scored in 90 overs of days play. Like the 1998 sarjah vs Australia, 1999 WC Tountan vs SL, 2003 WC vs Pakistan memories of Sachin...this innings of 293 by Sehwag will be etched in memory for life.

#9: Misc - Yes, the 9th on my list of 2009 has some collection of items. It has the battle within me to accept marriage as the next step. I write love stories, some true experience some made up; but all along writing them, I believed something equally lovely will happen to me. Arrange marriage was an honour I gave my parents, because we live one life and we now we don't give them the happiness, when can we.

I went back on Tennis court to participate in Tennis Tournament. May be not so fit, but still in doubles we brought the whole court on fire. Both the games we played, as team, Babu and I enjoyed it a lot. Exactly 10yrs since I last played an tennis tournament. The only such pleasurable incident I can think of Brain Lara scoring 375 and 400 in a gap of 10yrs (not quite comparbale, still I thought of mentioning it).

XBOX, PS2 & PC Games gave me lot of pleasure. God of War 2 and Gears of War 2 both played and finished. Started on Sim City 4 and Tiberian Sun at the fag end of the year. Mainly because I still recovering from Jaundice. If I am not allowed to play due to lack of energy or go out eating; what else can I do to pass my time... Games give that sense of inner peace to me.

Courtship period where I have spent a fortune on my mobile bill. Knowing a total stranger has been a journey with lot of new views, notions. Few of the killer blows were when Meghna expected me to show concern and she acted wrongly, just because she like me getting little off-the-hook; another one of those when she expected me to keep asking infinite times and finally when I gave up, she actually opened up her thoughts. Strangely no experience in life with a friend, girl-friend or even a hook-up can explains how heart & mind works during courtship period. I said 'yes' to a total stranger and I know she is no stranger any more. She is so much a part of me...

Marriage preparation and the number of funny incidents. I was an outsider during my brother's marriage as all episodes were directed with him in the lead role. Now its my time, its my time to be the stand-up-comedian. So my dad asked me to shut-up, turn up and sit quitely for the marriage. This is how he did it in front of dadaji and this is how I should :)

Time and affects of friendship has also taken away some good friends. Anusha was one of the amazing colleague whom I enjoyed working with. Her calm way of doing things was always alarming to most of us. Even the development team applauded her ability to successfully execute every test. She got married and moved to US. Wishing her all the best in life. Another of my great friend Akaash, who moved to US way back in 2007 has almost lost touch. Even the news of my jaundice didn't move that moster of his seat to give me a call. I still remember the bread-butter-jam session (nothing musical) every weekend at his home in chennai. Truely, my affection to chennai is closely associated with how his family loved me...uncle, aunty, priya, anand, paati and dodo. Not to miss out Jagatshree; but we have stayed in touch with each other. Like good nice friends.

Carrying dabba to office. It is a symbol of married men to carry lunch box to office. For me it was mainly because my cook can't make measured food for one person and it is always way too much that I started eating dinner the subsequent day as lunch also. Then came jaundice and I had no choice. No fat, No oil food, means home made food. My cook Ashok has been very helpful and caring. I do miss mummy's food.

Politics, movies, drive to kerela, stories on blog...so many things are there in this year making 2009 another well spent time. 2010 brings new challenges both personally & professionally. I wish everyone calm, peaceful and amazing 2010.