New Year Times :)

It's a new year ... 2009. And like every new year, this one too comes with expectations and apprehensions, and leaves us with another year of memories and experiences. In many ways 2008 was unique for me and for many others, and it came with it's share of fantastic and horrifying moments. However, there are a couple of remarkable feats that make the previous year stand-out in itself -- we all cheered that historic moment when a man named Barack Husein Obama rose to the position of the most powerful person in the world indeed, we all shed our tears for the courage and the spirit shown by the Indian police and Army in fighting the terror strike on Mumbai, we all went hysteric as India soared high on Dhoni-ism, we all spent troubled times figuring out our money and our job as the most devastating recession hit the global economy, we all stood ashamed of ourselves when we saw scandals by our world leaders revealed ... one could go on and I am certain I missed probably many more crucial happenings. 

And all the while, we all have had our own, personal experiences -- the moments of brilliance and the moments of agony. I for one had probably a few of the biggest moments of my life -- my graduation, my first flight abroad, California, a new country, a new life, Saarang, getting far away from the 4 years of college life and its absolute brilliance, my first paychecque, my last day at college, my first day at another, hostel nights back at college and the discovery of the real strength of the bond we formed in the 4 years ... absolutely splendid !!

Months ago, I was back to my school for my school's Alumni re-union. I met up with my friends at school ... people whom I used to go to school with, people whom I used to meet 5 times a week for the full day for close to 14 years. And seeing them after a full 4 years was indeed great fun. It was then that I got a chance to realize that these people had changed a bit. The change was nothing major, but little things about them that was different. This new year's eve as I sat back and started wishing people, I had a strange feeling that the next time I meet my friends I probably might realize that they had changed a little bit more. Nothing remains as it was before ... but it is probably more difficult for us to accept in reality. Thus, this new year's eve I prayed for 'no changes' ... which I know will not quite be fulfilled. However, in as much as it comes, we all can at least hope for 'good change'.

On a personal front ... last few months I have had a strange feeling of lethargy creeping up inside me. It was because of a multitude of reasons, some of which I am pretty sure of. But what it has done is that it has kind of kept me away from actively engagin in all my interests -- music, writing, books, and I have also not been able to visit my blog. Thereby, I also made a small resolution this time -- to cut away from this lethargy and start following my interests again. I hope to be able to make good of it. 

The new semester is about two weeks away. I have been sharpening my culinary skills (like all grad students with insufficient payments to dine out every night), I have been watching a lot of stuff, have been paying bills and managing finances, I have been thinking about Credit History, have been getting accustomed to online shopping and Wal-Mart, have been doing a lot other things that I had never even dreamt of doing in my life, have not been doing some things I had indeed dreamt of -- oh ... and yeah ... have been studying the rest of the hours :D

Here's a Happy 2009 to all who are reading this, and to all who are not.