MXXI

At the onset of the New Year, this space deserves a happy thought. Through the past few months, there have been several moments which I would love to rewind and play over and over again and quite a few which I would just like best to forget.

So, here we are. At 2011, and inevitably, am recollecting some of the most important things which happened in the previous year:

• I graduated. Without a degree or my security deposit; nonetheless I am a post graduate

• Got my second first salary

• Met a lot of new people and realised that I should be less judgemental. Realised that there is still some good left in people (Refer to my ‘I’m the luckiest’ posts)

• Lived in the most dingy place in the world (for 5 whole months!!!!)

• Attended my first and subsequently lots of fashion events

• Got an independent apartment (after 3 months of looking and innumerable squabbles) and was heavily reminded of the E8 days in Pune

• Had a haircut after 13 months!

• Shifted base to a different city, again. Not to mention the baggage it created – physically and otherwise

• Saw my share of friends getting married/ engaged/ roka-ed

• Went to Muscat for Diwali and travelled with parents (after 8 years!)

• Have actively begun to depend on television for entertainment. In addition to the really brilliant soaps I have watched in the year ( HIMYM, Lie To Me, Vampire Diaries)

• Watched the most bullshit movie ever in the theatre (We Are Family) – Ankita had earphones plugged in almost throughout the movie!!

• Acquired new gadgets!! (Nokia E72, Dell Inspiron)

• Experienced my first winters (Fingers are numb and am wearing two sweaters, socks and gloves as I type this!)

• Got rid of a fear of places. Hereby declare that Delhi – NCR is quite alright, and at times, rather fun!

• Got happy-high on one green apple martini *Note to self: Never intake alcohol without eating sufficiently, first*

• Met people who matter in the city and around. Swetha, Ridhima (apart from work hours), Bhardwaj, Butt, Rashi; Am quite satisfied!

• Attended my share of Delhi weddings. Boisterous but rather fabulous!

• Actually began to enjoy sports. Cannot wait for the next football World Cup and have become an ardent fan of tennis and badminton thanks to Commonwealth Games 2010!

• Ecstatic to announce that the movie list has now crossed 950!!

Contrary to the last new year and in characteristic manner, I did nothing special to welcome the new year this time; Just the same old pizza-cake-movie on TV routine. Have never been able to figure what the great celebration was all about, but each one to their own. Hence, the day was supposed to be a half day at work, and I left the office at around half past eight in the evening. The funny part being that I wasn’t really upset about it (For more, refer to previous posts). After dinner with Ankita at Pizza Hut, we headed home, and the last winter night of 2010 wasn’t kind for those not in a closed place!

My guess is that common perception demands one not to be home for the last day of the year. To add to the phone calls from friends saying ‘Are you serious’ and Facebook updates which displayed people getting crazier by the hour, it was like even the television set was screaming at us saying ‘Please get your arse out of the house!’ The only movies which were on television, which made sense, were Jim Carrey’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ and ‘New Moon’ on Star Movies. They really should have some dedicated programming to entertain those who weren’t out partying! Nevertheless, Zoom and Channel ‘V’ Latenight were a saving grace, and whilst the Absolut Ankita had acquired from Scotland was opened, all kinds of cheap Bollywood songs were being danced on.

January the first was comparatively much more happening. Woke up late, and then was visited by PK, who began her new year with a visit to the office. And thus began the planning to get her a tattoo (Please note that said activity was being ideated and procrastinated for over 5 years in anticipation of the pain and the design). The evening before, several designs were being looked over, post the brief and a phoenix was settled on. I have often heard, that most tattoos are either impulsive or in the most drunken of states. So an appointment was taken, and further to a play of various emotions (PK- Nervousness/Anxiety, Ankita- Confusion over what the big deal was over a tattoo, Myself- Singing motivational hymns), we were at Funky Monkey Tattoo Studio in DT City Centre, Gurgaon and the aforementioned emotions were doubled! PK kept asking us to shut up; Ankita found numerous gory tattoos which she thought I should get done (From ugly mermaids, to gay dolphins, to a dancing unicorn). So after filling out a precautionary declaration, we were in the Operation Theatre of tattoo parlours. Note to tattoo studio designers/ owners: It would be great if the said room is less scary, especially when the activity is supposedly painful. This one had a huge colourful skull and crossbones painted right across one’s eye span and a stack of needles in the other side and trust me, although the tattoo was beautifully made, it was not the most relaxing place to get it done. While the tattoo artist was forewarned that he might be physically attacked depending upon the intensity of the pain, and PK was a sight when the needle was being opened and fitted with the ink. Through the 45 minutes, and PK repeatedly telling the world and herself that ‘Wow, this doesn’t hurt’ *Moment of revelation*, the phoenix was imprinted! I have been planning on a tattoo for a while now, and looks like it will be soon that I will be returning to get one!

Followed by the tattoo was ‘Band Baaja Baarat’ and I hereby declare that the movie is indeed bearable and has pretty awesome music! If the disturbing, slow-motion, highly magnified snogging was gotten rid of, I am sure the ratings and collections would be so much better!

Thus were the highlights of 01.01.11! And it’s back to the grind now, and it is already the third of the month.

Here’s to hoping to what was a most ordinary beginning would be a super year – resolution posts to follow!

Note#

• The bulleted year-gone-by was inspired by a blogger friend. Bullets make so much sense!

• The post title is Google inspired