Showing posts with label Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Review. Show all posts

Thursday, December 31, 2015

Adieu.


There are lights everywhere, colorful, bright, soulful; there is a cheer in the people, a little bounce in their walk, a little joy in their eyes. The excited eyes beamed in the wait for the end of another glorious year and the approaching new year full of hope. I have read quite a few blogs where people have poured out their feelings for the amazing year that is just biding us farewell, while at the same time being hopeful with new aspirations in the new year and new beginnings of happiness and joy. *Touches wood* #FingersCrossed. I am with you on this and come on, who doesn't like happiness and joy. A lot has happened in the year and I am awestruck that I don't remember any of it. I always thought I had a good memory at least when it came to remembering the things other than studies. But looks like I am losing my touch. Well anyway, let me just bore you with my drama for the year. And mind you, I am not a good actor nor a good writer(*gets smacked in the head*). Here's to 2015 for becoming a memory and the moments that left a lasting impression for never to fade.

No Tricks Allowed
I had a very different sort of experience last year on my birthday. It was on Sunday the previous year and I was hoping that none of my friends make a big deal of things. I was wrong. They did. I got kicked and whatnot. Keeping that in mind, I removed my birthday everywhere. But some smart ass people still remembered the date. I have no idea how! Eventually, I ended up with a nice 'ol trashing and a cake face pack. I have to be really really careful this year. The thing would be to skip going to office. 

Tamasha in the Sky and Avatars on the land.
My credit card application was rejected not once, not twice but four times. I know right how can credit cards be rejected when they are almost giving it for free at the bank counters. I have no idea why. They weren't too specific and I was also kind of not too serious about getting one because I knew if I get one, I will be piled up in huge debt. But after a lot of rejections, I finally managed to get one. After a long struggle and crying over the old camera, I finally managed to get a camera. I was hoping for a high end, but then I figured that I need to learn a lot before jumping into being a professional. Not that I am no professional. I have 900 likes on my Facebook page, so I am pretty awesome. Not. Anyhow, there was this Aero Show event at Bangalore and I got a chance to use my photography skills with the new lens and all. I managed to get some decent snaps, but they could be better. Another event that happened a couple weeks later was ComicCon. Being a comic enthusiast, I was too excited to go. I tagged along with an old friend, who apparently had no much knowledge in the franchise. I think he knows about Chota Bheem.

Inconclusive Experiments
I had hit that crucial "Writer's Block" syndrome. They say that no such thing exists. Maybe, may be not. Or perhaps, they are too busy and always writing to neve have felt that gray lapse in writing. I have a lot of those. Eventually, I reached a stage where I wanted to start a blog afresh, like from the scratch. One of the many reason besides the writer's block is the feeling of not being read. No one was reading apparently. But whenever I posted about this that no one was reading, people would read that. I know the irony isn't lost on me. But I think I had a little reader base and that I was assured that I wasn't writing for others rather than I was writing for myself. Well, yeah I completely agree. But one can't move forward being all alone right? Anyhow, I just revamped the whole blog appearance. No, it didn't bring more followers. And I also started an anonymous blog, because apparently everyone had an opinion. So, to avoid the bloodshed, I decided to create another blog where I was supposed to be the bad guy, or the real me. Apparently, that didn't work out as well as I thought it to be. Two strikes.

City of Joy
The Art of saying NO has always been a foreign concept for me. And it is a pain in the ass. To cut long story short, I was traveling to Kolkata to help out a project in a bit of crisis. The problem was they needed a doctor and they got a mechanic. And they made do with the mechanic. The stay has been kind of unpleasant, thanks to the rain and the hot weather. And not to mention the expenses. Despite the public transportation being cheaper, I spent more on commuting. The reason might have been that the public buses were written in Bengali and I was Bengali-illiterate. While I was giving away, erm spending money like I was a freakin' billionaire, the credit card statement due had a different story to tell. Not to mention the work culture at the place I was working is like they would practically stay at office if someone tells them to. "No more", I said and hopped on the flight back to Bangalore.

Ah-mazing
Blogger meets are always awesome. I had the opportunity to meet some of the amazing writers and bloggers. I attended four meets this year. The biggest one of which was BNLF, with the most crowd. The best one was the last one, a small group of people yet the most memorable of them all- GOA. I think it is more about what happened after the trip than what happened in the trip. I am usually a shadow in the meets, almost invisible. And I wouldn't blame anyone who might not have recognized me, then or now. But something amazing happened over the trip. I have met these amazing bunch of people, who just made the year all the most memorable. We have become a sort of Family- Blogger's Family.

Secret Santa
The joy of sharing is boundless. When you see that smile, not on the curved lips but in the eyes, that smile, that joy, that happiness is contagious. So this year, Richa and Co. decided to make it a little interesting by not only sharing gifts but also by spreading the word of joy. The idea was to create a flash blogging on the eve of Christmas. So a group of awesome bloggers decided to binge blog and flood the social media with the message of joy and what Christmas is all about. It was a small group, but it was fun to do nonetheless. And I was part of it, which is more than I could ask for. 

_______________

Have I done anything that would stand out in this year ? 
No.

Any milestones? Achievements? 
Lol, No. None.

Anything to strike off from the To-Do / Wish list / 25 things before 25 (wait I am going to be freaking 25 in a month!) ?
Umm, No ! 

Is there any chance in the next year?
Oh yeah, absolutely. Optimism is all I have, even though I might not feel it.

Anyway, since I am here blabbering about almost significant (or not) that happened this year let me extend by just a little bit - Friends and Blogging. I haven't been the best of the writers but there have been people who were there to help me through all this ordeal.

The People around me...

It was a year of marriages and farewells. Some of the once good friends got married and a few moved to better opportunities. I was just trying to figure out who else has left behind.

Aditya : This guy never ceases to amaze me. I have no idea what he sees in me, but he calls me talented and all that. He is an amazing singer, joyous and an  enthusiastic guy and always in high spirits. I wish you all the happiness and joy in the world, bro!

Rani : The ever so bubbly girl got tied down, finally. I mean so sad. I mean so happy for her. The thing about marriages is that people have a better excuse of not about to hang out. Nonetheless, I made her totally addicted to TV series. Yes, that's my accomplishment. Don't blame me for making her a fan of TV Series. :P

Manjunatha K : A creative, cool and sportive guy you could ever meet.

Let me take cue and say something about the fellow incredible bloggers : 

Richa : Where do I start? The last few months I have seen her multi tasking - between work and Blogchatter and promoting BlogBuddy program, dividing people, inspiring people, putting up weekly prompts and then the Secret Santa challenge. And does she stop there? No. She sends a beautiful New Year Card with an inspiring note. Thank you Richa.

IQ : She is an amazing writer and a great friend, she always has been. Though the intensity of her writing have decreased, but her thoughts always inspire me. 

Wanderer : I think she might be a little busy with the academics and all, she is rarely seen in the blogosphere, I mean No comments on my blog(!?). And not to mention, she has a creative mind despite her telling otherwise. Though she is experimenting with blogging and voice-logging, or whatever it is called ( will come up with a better name. Yes, its' like podcast but whatever)!

Red Handed : She has been AWOL for the major portion of the year. Her last post was ages ago. I think she might have been busy with the new work and all or may be she got married and not getting enough time. I think she will kill me if the latter isn't true, but nonetheless, an amazing and humorous blogger and Tweeter ( been AWOL from Twitter also, and visiting once in a blue moon).

Vishal Kataria : One of the person behind the curtains of BlogChatter. I have interacted with him on Twitter and finally got a chance to meet him on one of the Bloggers meet. He is incredibly talented and creative thinker, and an equally great writer.

Suman Kher : Furstrated Fellow Aritel Customer. I think she might have switched to some other Network Provider. She is among the one who would literally fly down to my place and kick me if I ever mention the words 'Writers Block' / I am not about to write anything. 

Ankita Bhatia Dhawan : If I did the amount of work she does, I would have been long dead. She takes care of her daughter. She meets her deadlines at office pushing the boundaries. She blogs, almost daily. She is creative, smart and extremely talented, not that I have to mention it.

Sreesha : Twitter Rival. I mean always pouncing at a chance to pull my leg and I kind of offer it, no not my choice. And she writes nice poems.

Sid Balchandran : #SuperDad. I think that explains it all. Oh, one more thing he makes people jealous is he works by Staying at Home. I completely envy him for this. And not to mention an incredible blogger, writer and story teller and has a great sense of humor.

Purba Ray : I have only been on social media trying to pull each and everyone's legs. And I was incredibly surprised when the most noted blogger had asked for me. For a second, minute, hour, 2 days still don't believe ever having that moment. It was a dream! Anyhow, she needs no introduction. She is notably the best humorous blogger and a funny tooth tweeter. 

Vinita Bahl : She is incredibly funny and a people's person, humble and recently found out that she raps too. I mean come on, I can't even speak properly. She is rocking all trades from writing to singing. 

Dr. Roshan : Another famous doctor who blogs. Having topped the charts of great bloggers and being a doctor, he is humble and an incredible humorous person. 

Aseem Rastogi : He binge read my blog. I am surprised he survived. Though he is in the Hospital undergoing critical brain surgery, he still survived. 20 odd posts he read in a span of two days. I mean I myself wouldn't do that. #JustSaying Thank you Sir.

BlogChatter BlogBuddies :

Kala Ravi : Ever since she across my blog, she has been a regular visitor and always leaves a comment. I think that's the first job of a BlogBuddy. And not to mention, she wakes us all up and pushes in doing the tasks. The right term for her is proactive blogger.

Sherna : The bubbly girl I met at the Bloggers Meet is a great writer and and equally funny girl. 

Reema : *In her dream also she is writing a new post*. These last couple of months, she has written what I have written in the entire year. A creative writer and an equally talented poet.

Divyakshi : She goes by the blog url 'Quirkywanderer', perfectly justifying the name. She not only explores the places she visits, she weaves a story through words and pictures.

Anindya : Knitting is always a difficult job. But he knits the words with pictures and always makes people jealous of the the food photos. I completely envy him because he has all the great food and all we get a candid photos of the delicacies lying on the plate to be devoured. Only that we can't. 

Aditi : I have read her book which I got on Amazon 26 Stories which was amazing collection of short stories. And on top that she is a regular blogger promoting prompts and sharing ideas for bloggers.

Prateek Pradeep Mathur : A creative and wishful writer creating stories through words. Though he stays on the other part of the world, he is always connected with the blog buddies and sometimes reads my blog too. 


Now, I would go on about each and every blogger I came across and that would take days to complete. So, let me just add the names here. SoumyaAathiraAkshitha, Anita, Vaishaki, and everyone whom I forgot to mention ( my apologies) are a few amazing bloggers in their own unique way. Thank you. 

Photo Courtesy
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To summarize, I have outlived which I had never expected. Yeah, of course each year has its ups and downs, but at the end of the year I can just hope for better days to come with lessons learnt from the past. Anyway, my year end song or poem or rambling or whatever you may call it. It is kind of a ritual that I post the same thing every year, just like I use the same resolutions every year.

"
Past has taught Lessons.
Memories have brought Happiness.
  Time has taught Living.
Mistakes have brought Wisdom. 

Now, New is the Year.
New are the Aspirations and Dreams. 
Behold the Newness.
Step forward, Step Ahead.
Here it comes, yet another Glorious Year. 

Welcome it. 
With a Smile on your Face.
And Hope in the Heart. 

Cherish the Past.  
Carve a better Future. 
And Never Forget,
Live each day
One moment at a time
"
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Anyway, Wishing you all a Happy and Prosperous New year. May this year bring you many good surprises, joy and happiness. 
Take Care and Have Fun.
____________

Singing off 2015

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Tata ZICA #madeOfGreat


Tata ZICA

Sometimes, good things come in small packages.

ZICA is a new car from TATA MOTORS. It will be released next year but a small preview of what's in store was given to 60 bloggers from across the country. I was one of them invited to share the experience along with the immensely talented bloggers. The meet was set in association with IndiBlogger, a blogging community and the location was GOA (I will give you a few seconds to let it sink in). It was a two day event which comprised of fabulous food, music, product intro - Tata ZICA of course and finally the driving experience. 


Before we proceed one might ponder over the question of what is Tata Motors #madeOfGreat. Tata Motors have acquired Lionel Messi as the Global Brand Ambassador. Delna Avari, Head of Global Marketing gives us the insight about why they choose Lionel Messi and why he is really #madeOfGreat. So, before you again drown into serious thinking, you, yes you reading this is also #madeOfGreat (ie if you survive this post till the end. Nah, just kidding. You are already #madeOfGreat.) Well, fasten your seat belt for the #Fantastico ride.




On the afternoon of 5th December, all the bloggers have slowly started pouring in at the Alila Diwa Resort and after a delicious lunch we were all set to head the beach. It would be a shame not to visit the beach when in Goa. The beach set us up with the Goan feeling and the beach football just gave the added kickstarter to the program. After heading back to the hotel, tired as we may be, we were all excited for the events that followed. After quickly getting refreshed, a podium was set for the bloggers intro which was followed by a locker room session.




The locker room is a typical replica of the Locker room we usually find in the Soccer stadiums, only that the lockers had awesome goodies - A Tata Motors - Messi Jersey, a sip up bottle, Messi's jersey replica Pendrive-Keychain combo, a notepad, a carryon bag and a file with the Product details. After admiring the goodies we had a surprise in store. Our coach for the day had arrived and it was none other than Cyrus Sahukar. Cyrus had a one on one with Delna Avari, Head of Global Marketing  who met Messi and got him to be the Brand Ambassador for Tata Motors. She explained how humble Lionel Messi was and how he was truly #madeOfGreat as a person in spite of his huge career achievements in Football.


...

Cyrus then introduced Pratap Bose, Head of Design who gave a walkthrough on  the design aspects of Tata Zica. He explained the journey from the inception of the idea through the clay replica to the actual manufacturing of the car. 



The highlight of the presentation were the three Exs and three INs  : 

Expressive - Confident and agile stance, with the new multifaceted TATA emblem and signature hexagon grill.
Extraordinary - Next generation sharp, sculpted design language makes car rise above the crowd.
Exciting - 3 Dimensional headlamps with smoked lens and sporty black bezel Sharp Tail lamps accentuate a sporty stance

INviting - Layered design theme with a dual tone interior. Customizable air vents and premium graphics on fabric. Premium, height adjustable seating with body hugging bolsters.
INtouch - Premium finish with geometric texture, accented with chrome handles and premium knitted fabrics.
INtelligent- Next-Gen CONNECTNEXT Infotainment system by Harman, complemented by the sporty instrument cluster pods. Multiple storage space designed for easy access. All control within easy reach.
...


It was then time for the technical aspects of the car. The backbone of any car lies on how efficiently can the car deliver and meet the user's expectation. The more economical, the more a person would prefer a car. Anand Kulkarni, Head of Engineer gave us the indepth walkthrough on the design features and the technology that has been used in the car, about how it is next generation. The key factors of which are :

a. Revotron Engine, with a 1199cc, 3 cylinder Pertol has the first in segment Multi Drive functionality namely City and Eco. It has a power of 85 PS and a torque of 114 NM. It has a superior fuel efficiency and is made of all light and efficient Aluminium.The maintenance cost of the car is significantly low and has lower emissions. 




b. Advanced Safety : Safety is a priority with the increasing cars on the road. Airbags on both sides is definitely a plus point. The energy absorbing body structure in case of crash will reduce it impact drastically for the passengers inside.

c. Comfort : Advanced dual path suspension for a comfortable drive and superior handling. ePas for Stress free maneuvering. The rea parking sensors will give the direct indication on the infotainment screen. And a passenger centric ac vents provide for quick cooling. Leg space - How people crib about the congested space. Thankfully, the scooped front seat provide for the much needed leg space.

...



d. ConnectNext - An Infotainment exclusively developed for Zica by Harman which gives a  surround sound effect and a great bass. The steerings are mounted with controls for hassle free driivng. Bluetooth connectivity with smart phone integration.  First in segment smart phone enabled turn by tirn navigation app. Juke Car app. The app utilizes the mobile hotspot of a phone to create a virtual network. This enables multiple users to play their playlists.

Finally the curtains were raised and the much awaited car was finally revealed - Tata Zica. It takes the name after the advent feature of he car that it being Zippy - Zippy Car. There were counter set up describing each feature of the car. There will be six variants of the car in the following months. One of the best feature is the customizable air vents, the color of which can be user defined. After learning about the different aspects of the car, its features and breaking down the down part by part though photos, it was time for dinner.
...


The evening settled in the slow music while the calm atmosphere gradually witnessed the clinking glasses and laughter of the people. The delicacies were set and the people mingled with each other over words, jokes and rap battles. The karaoke ended with a Hindi number while everyone joined the dance floor to shake a leg while the champagne followed the rhythm of the steps and beats.

The morning started as usual, by me hitting the Snooze Button for 2 hours straight. Eventually I got up and put on the over sized Jersey. The breakfast section was swamped with a variety. I had a hard time deciding what to eat and ended up picking up everything one by one. I finally ate a months' lunch. My mom would have been very happy to know that. Just as then, it was time to head out and experience the Zica drive. After the rules had been set and the instuctions handed out, 20 Zica cars with 3 bloggers each headed on a 20km drive. The drive included challenges, of course and the winners would win vouchers. This was a pretty decent deal to win vouchers.


The cars were lined up and waited with their engines roaring. The flag was waved off and the race began. It was course of roughly 50 kilometers accompanied with a few tasks that we were supposed to perform. We were pretty swift with following the map, despite the technical difficulties put forth by the voice navigation. We along another team were perfectly following the directions without getting lost. It was a pretty smooth ride, with the surround sound rocking the car. The car ride was more fun with occasional stops for the challenge. 

Here are some of the tasks via tweets :

The Team P3 :

Experiencing ZICA Drive :


Selfie Challenge:


Sound System at its' best (plus the wind):


#Fantastico to the power 3 :

The Boot Space :

Singing a song :
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To summarize the #Fantastico Tata ZICA 

a. Design
Zica is definitely a new trend in the hatchback community. The exterior and interiors are perfected to not only catch the eye but also to provide the comfort, and will definitely give a run for the other variants in the hatchback community. It has been designed to meet most of the needs of the person handling the car and the passenger. The extra leg space for the second row passenger, the minor things such as the arrow shaped handles, the position of the hand brake closer to the driver providing more space for the cup holders and other commodities, the bottle holders on all the car doors, the AC vents, the speakers on the doors at the rear providing the surround effect. Every minuted detail meticulously done.

b. Driving Mode
Fuel efficiency is a striking feature for any car, and it varies from the terrain we are driving in. The heavily populated ( roads with more cars on the road ) and the hilly side where there is less vehicles will provide for a huge variance in the fuel consumption of the car. Zica has two modes - Eco and City. The ECO provides the conventional economical mode which helps in saving the fuel consumed. Both the variants ( Petrol and Diesel ) provide the two modes of driving. The City mode provides the freedom to travel faster and has better performance (in the long run).

c. Music 
Music is the best companion anyone can ever get. Whether it is with family or even if one is planning a solo trip, music tops the list of the people have. ZICA provides a surround system with eight speakers and has an excellent bass as well. ZICA comes with e ConnectNext Infotainment system providing the in-class music experience. The JukeCar app is a preinstalled software which enables the passengers to chose their favorite playlist by connecting it through their phone through the bluetooth. Another feature that stands out is that the music fades in volume to provide the turn-by-turn navigation to the driver.

d. Guide Me.
The MapMyIndia Navigation system is developed exclusively for the ZICA car and as mentioned earlier, it provides the turn by turn navigation. It is another feature of CONNECTNEXT, where the console provides the navigation updates. The rear parking sensors provide the information directly on the Infotainment system console. Though the navigation is mostly depended on the network connectivity, it still accounts for a good navigation.

e. How did it fare?
On a stretch or roughly 50 km, the Petrol variant which we were driving fared well in fuel efficiency and so did the Diesel. The driving was smooth and the power steering was a plus point as it could cut corner with ease. The hydraulics and the suspensions were in perfect sync with the car balance providing a smooth ride.

f. Huge luggage? No Problem.
With 240 litres, the boot space is quite huge for a hatchback model providing space for two people to perfect fit in. Yes, we did try that and no, no one was stuck. So, this must be enough to prove that even if you have that luggage and you are deciding whether to carry it or not, don't give a second thought and pack it.

g. So, how much ?
The price of the car has not yet been revealed since it wasn't a commercial launch. But one can estimate the price to be lining along with Hyundai i10 or Maruthi Celerio.

h. Final Verdict

To have experienced the ZICA first hand, I would say it is a go-to car in Hatchbacks.


The #fantastico captures : 


...

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This post is written for IndiBlogger in association with Tata Motors #madeOfGreat.

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Adieu.



"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow."
- Albert Einstein


I was just getting used to this number 2014 Twenty-fourteen and here I am rehearsing the new number 2015 Twenty-fifteen even before it has begun. Well, I like to keep myself updated, a little too early perhaps this time. I have read quite a few blogs where people have poured out their feelings for the amazing year that is just biding us farewell, while at the same time being hopeful with new aspirations in the new year and new beginnings of happiness and joy. *Touches wood* #FingersCrossed. I am with you on this and come on, who doesn't like happiness and joy. A lot has happened in the year and I am awestruck that I don't remember any of it. I always thought I had a good memory at least when it came to remembering the things other than studies. But looks like I am losing my touch. Well anyway, let me just bore you with my drama for the year. And mind you, I am not a good actor nor a good writer(*gets smacked in the head*).

Getting kicked by a Girl
It was a day after my birthday. I did not mention about it to any of my friends because I know what they would do and in the fear of that I kept it to myself. But it wasn't that hard for them to figure out. I unintentionally gave a clue and in that mistake came out the truth. I wasn't wished by any of them on my birthday, but the following day I had it coming. I was still kind of hopeful that I wasn't made out and acted so making a total fool of myself. You know the feeling when you lie to a person and the person knows that you are lying - That kind of fool I became. But, in a way I kind of deserved it. This was no fun, believe me. That was one of the birthday gifts that I ever got and hope that it is the last of its kind.

Cousin got married
After a near half year of torture from me, she finally got relieved leaving me no one to else to tease. She was on regular call with me every other week just talking about stuff called life and I was there every single time to remind her of the upcoming marriage and that fact that she hated that but kind of excited (which wasn't shown) made my task a lot easier. But all that fun ended in January when she got engaged and in February when she got married. And oh yeah, I was like the photographer and gave the offcial photographer a very hard time. 

Jobless with a Job!
So, the journey began again. Six months to the date, I was in a project and that was the longest I had been and then as fate might have it, I was left to the wild to chase some other prey, I mean project. But I was rather too adamant and reluctant as there was no harm in working for a few days or months, the money would still get credited at the end of the month. Though I could have made some productive use of the time and actually did something that mattered, rather than staring at the wall all day long. 

Another cousin's marriage.
Yes, there were a lot of marriages. Well, this was last in the family for this year. Now for last marriage I was appreciated for the messy long hair that I had by almost everyone in the family. One old guy whom I don't even know came up to me and said that he didn't recognize me (of course, he really didn't know me nor did I but he knew my mom) while suggesting me to get a hair trimmed. Yes, everybody loved my hair that they wanted a piece of it. Anyway, this time to avoid any such special appreciations, I had my hair cut 3 weeks before the actual day. As luck may have it, that barber took more than I bargained for making me look more dumber than I already was. 3 weeks later, that "effing" hair never grew a mm, resulting me to hide in the whole marriage. And this time none of my photography skills were presented. 

A hasty move.
As I was battling with boredom and nothing to work at, I finally caved in and decided to get on the next opportunity that presented itself. And it did in May as the promises seemed to be beneficial and the work was minimal. Only to find out that there was a lot in bargain which they failed to mention and to top it all, the promises were dismissed. Now that we were already in it, getting out of that mess was totally a nightmare. I actually had a few sleepless nights, thinking about the day and telling myself that only if I had thought it through. For the next 2 months, I shuttled the two corners of the Bangalore city just to get out of that false promised mess. And I did, but that was a nightmare for sure. 

Feeling Trapped.
I was already stuck in the labyrinth with no way to escape and on top of that I was the only guy in the group of ten. I was totally on the wrong side of the balance placing me in the visible limelight. It doesn't seem like much of a deal but it actually was, atleast for me. Imagine one guy and eleven girls, one is bound to feel trapped. I had a few hiccups but then more people joined and I was slowly off the hook. Thank God.

End Game.
I had to play bold. That decision two months back was eating my head, my patience. I had to put an end and I was willing to take all force with me. I wasn't scared of anything. The worst that could have happened was they telling me to quit. I called my mom and asked her if it was okay if I quit the job to which she said that she had no problem at all. I didn't had any problem with the work. In the contrary there was no work and along with it was extra pay. But they had made certain promises which they are denying it and that hit a nerve I never thought I had. I was this close to take it all the way up the chain, but they knew that they made a mistake and were willing to make amends. I was eventually let go. 

A Midnight Caller.
My phone never actually rings even though I change the ringtone every other day, well because that song was awesome. Anyway, I was just trying to get over my writer block and in the process I was brainstorming as my phone buzzed in the new ringtone for that week. The excitement that it being a girl just went down the drain. The caller was a dude(a blogger) with whom I stopped talking a few months back because he was being himself and kind of reckless in his thoughts who wanted to know about a girl (also a blogger) whom I came across around the same time as him. What surprised me was when he asked me about the private intimate questions about her to which I politely declined having any such knowledge. He was confused and unstable in his thoughts and as I thought we might be on good terms, he had to make that bad move. He called me once again a few minuted later I disconnected his call. And that was the last I heard of him. Now they both are happily in love. Yeah, I had the same question - Why the hell was I a part of this? 

A Rainy Trek.
We, as in the friends group were getting bored as we never had been out together in a long long time. So when there was a trek organized by a certain group at work, we just grabbed that opportunity as it came. It was one hell of an experience. It was rainy. It was slippery. It was congested. It was cold. It was windy. It was a near test of my stamina, which I thought I had in abundance but it was worse than I had imagined - I have no stamina at all, like NIL, Zero. Ten minutes into the trek and I badly wanted to get back to home. I did not write about it because every time I think about it, it just pains me. No not because of the near traumatic experience but my camera which got soaked even though it was rarely taken out resulting in making it a junk piece, literally. From that day whenever I see a camera, I just go "Damn! why would it happen to me?"

So far I have been going month-wise and looks like the train end here. The last three months of the year have been a fuzzy since I don't recollect a single thing that happened to me or around me. Oh yeah, there was a colleagues' marriage just this month. Apart from that, nothing. 

Have I done anything that would stand out in this year ? 
No.
Any milestones? Achievements?
Bleh! None.
Anything to strike off from the To-Do list?
Umm, No?
Is there any chance in the next year?
Oh yeah, absolutely. Optimism is all I have, even though I might not feel it.

Anyway, ince I am here blabbering about almost significant (or not) that happened this year let me extend by just a little bit - Friends and Blogging. I haven't been the best of the writers but there have been people who were there to help me through all this ordeal.

A few people who made a difference this year -

Aditya : This great singer is not only a great friend but just admires me for no apparent reason. He has a great voice and is a fun guy to hang out with. 

Rani : She is notably the only friend who reads my blog (I hope she still does). And I am eventually making her addicted to TV series. She is a child at heart and speaks her mind which I totally admire and on top of that she has a great sense of humour. She is awesome in her own way.

Vamsi : He is my old classmate who has a wicked humor and is always the victim of being teased ( the good-no harm kind of) and I always do that.

Sabarish : He is my lunch buddy and my former team mate/ team lead kind of. He is another fun guy to hang out with.

Arjun : Though he is a little elder to me he never makes you realize that age gap.

And I belong to the so called group of friends who go by the names Siva, Laks, Deepak, Sushma and Ramesh have been a part of my year. But lately the chemistry seems off. May be the reason could be associated with Laks getting married, Deepak moving to a new project and having office far from us and the love pair Sushma - Ramesh. This couple have changed as a lot over the months totally have totally stood out to amaze me in every wake. 

A few bloggers who made a difference and continue to do so - 


Red Handed : The first person that came to my mind. She is an amazing writer and what I love about her apart from her writing is the way she motivates. Every single time I post a write up belittling my writing skills or likewise, she makes me realize I am going about it the whole wrong way and not to down grade myself whatsoever. But then again, I hit that writer's block and I feel like venting about my incapability to pen down thoughts and what a drag I am as a blogger. Then again she makes me realize - "That is so right. Why the hell did I even write? Undo. Undo. Delete the damn post!".

Dhara : I was just reading her latest post titled "Mandatory post at year end" which made me realize that I haven't done anything remotely significant in this year. As a matter of fact, I didn't do a thing. So, her post was kind of a booster to do something this coming year. And here is another amazing blogger.

Mrs. K (Keirthana) : Well, she got married this year. So congratulations and if you are reading this - You owe me a party :P . Though she might be irregular at reading my posts ( and I can't blame her for my lame posts) she understands me even though we haven't actually met. So, I really appreciate her thoughts and opinions. And not to specifically mention, she is also an amazing writer. 

Wanderer : Her mind is simply amazing. And the way she writes is quite unique. Though I envy her (a bit for that amazing mind of hers) she does sometimes helps me get out of the writers' block. Yes, she is that good. And I recently observed that she has a lovely voice.

IQ : From now on, I would be calling her Didi. Well she did related me as talking like an annoying brother. She had been MIA for a long time, but I am hoping to see her write again, soon. And hoping that she reads mine too.

Now, I would go on about each and every blogger I came across and that would take days to complete. So, let me just add the names here. SoumyaThe Purple AssassinAathiraAkshithaThinkerAmrit SinhaBushra etc, etc, are a few amazing bloggers in their own unique way.
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To summarize, I have outlived which I had never expected. Yeah, of course each year has its ups and downs, but at the end of the year I can just hope for better days to come with lessons learnt from the past. Anyway, my year end song or poem or rambling or whatever you may call it. It is kind of a ritual that I post the same thing every year, just like I use the same resolutions every year.

"
Past has taught Lessons.
Memories have brought Happiness.
  Time has taught Living.
Mistakes have brought Wisdom

Now, New is the Year.
New are the Aspirations and Dreams
Behold the Newness.
Step forward, Step Ahead.
Here it comes, yet another Glorious Year. 

Welcome it. 
With a Smile on your Face.
And Hope in the Heart. 

Cherish the Past.  
Replenish the Future. 
And Never Forget,
Live the Moment.  
"
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Anyway, Wishing you all a Happy and Prosperous New year. May this year bring you many good surprises, joy and happiness. 
Take Care and Have Fun.
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P.S. Are you alive or did I just your last day of the year?

About Me

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Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| Writer | Photographer | Split Personality Disorder | Foodie | Music | Art | God-Fearing Atheist | Movies | Golf | Soccer | Dance | Mentally Stable Sociopath |