The year that went by

It’s too early for this piece. Atleast 2 weeks earlier! But I presume, nothing much or bigger can happen in the next 15 days, that will overshadow the 350 days that went by. And I hope not too. Looking forward for a sedate time.

How exactly this year had been? Well its mixed I should think. One way to look, life has never been so good. Things that I had only dreamt earlier happened. Things I had been wishing for ages happened. If I make a balance sheet of good and bad things that occurred, then good column should be bigger. So no complaints!

Let me list out all the good ones first

• Found a best friend.
• Got some real good money.
• Bought a new car.
• Shopped till I was bored.
• Collected footwear and shirts like women.
• Got promoted to a meaty role.
• Daughters as usual loved me more than the previous year.
• Had a big holiday.
• Did a few good things for the needy.
• Good stuff happened to friends.
• Wifey landed up doing what she always wanted to do.
• Partied as if it is end of the world.
• Started writing (apart from blogging, which also started this year)
• Collected more number of books than what I already had.
• Read more books than the previous year.
• Lagey Raho Munna Bhai happened.
• Chatted, sms’ed, mailed, spoke more than ever.
• Made useful expenses as much as frivolous ones.
  

Now the bad ones

• A visit to the ICU and popping up more tablets than ever.
• More people quit at office.
• Bitten by a loneliness & wanderlust bug.
• Friend’s dad passed away.
• Everyone got busier.
• Saw lesser number of movies.

I am now prompted to think, that at any given point of time a balance sheet of this kind, will only have more good things. There is good all around and if we trained ourselves to see those, life appears to be good. But, it is also true that bad things when they do happen are big in magnitude. Or maybe, we don’t even remember small bad things, which is good in a way. Our mind wants to keep more good stuff than bad stuff and that’s good news.

Pain & misery seem to be there, but then how else we can recognize the good things?! In this book ‘Don’t sweat the small stuff….and its all small stuff’ by Richard Carlson, there was this wonderful lesson. If something bugs you so much, just stop and think whether it is going to matter so much the next year and then you know you don’t have to sweat.

But , ‘Easier Said than done’ Richard ……..

Technology

Brain

Would not be surprised if this happens soon !!!!

Gizmo

I recently read that toys always fascinate men. For older men, it is the gizmos. As much as a girl would fall for a teddy bear, boys will fall for anything that works in some mysterious way. Be it a simple stapler, a transparent one with dials & stuff will excite a boy.

Mine was the iPod Nano. Should have bought this long time back, but somehow good sense dawned upon me a year back to postpone all gadget buying (though a worldspace or two just slipped in). It was primarily because I was buying all new introductions in the market at a vulgar price which later sells at half the cost and my service expense are always higher the new piece in the market. So I decided not to jump and buy an iPod.

My daughter has been bitten by this bug of surprising my wife and me on our B Day’s. Invariably she needs the support of either one of us to execute that. And we both can’t keep things from each other. And we make a mess of this surprise thing and disappoint my daughter no end.

Few days before my B’ Day, my daughter wanted to go out and I screamed at the poor thing for always wasting time when the exams are happening. She was mighty disappointed and was crying. And she happens to be my life. This prompted my wife to once again break the surprise. Apparently, she wanted to go check out on the gifts. So, I suggested we go and not tell her that I know the purpose.

And I landed up first in this gizmo shop. And itched to buy this Nano. But could not, as I was told by my wife that it is supposed to a surprise to me. We walked out without buying. Not before getting the number of the shop-wala. And for a week, it was my turn to be waiting and practice surprise. It is a pain waiting for something you want and that too when you know you can get. Well I had no choice and I was gathering all the songs that I want.

At last it was given. And from then onwards, even while brushing I am wearing that and some songs have gone into the bloodstream by now.I suddenly realized that there were new sounds in the old songs that I have heard a zillion times. And I am hooked. I would say it is an amazing find, this iPod. Just to carry around so many songs on you is simply awesome.

Maybe one day the interest will wane. But by that time, I should have become deaf.

The Following Sea

There is this concept called ‘Following Sea’. A huge wave that chases a boat in the sea is called as the Following Sea. It is such a sight to behold while one is in the sea. I had this experience when I ventured inside on a Red Flag day. The flag itself means ‘Don’t Go inside’, but anything forbidden is always tastier as it tastes of sin, like they say.

Of-course we were all dressed up in Life Jackets and there were 3 locals who accompanied us. I didn’t have hell of a hope to swim out if something happened, life jacket or no. And added to it, I really didn’t know how to swim also. But sometimes, there is such a lure, and adrenalin flows in full and you catch the bait.

Going into the sea is always more challenging as you hit incoming waves. There is so much skill with these fishermen, who sidetrack the waves most of the times and you zip through a wall of water on both sides. But there were a few moments of scare, when we rode a crest and came down with a thud. Its one thing with men, in a group, everyone is foolishly brave and whatever fear one has, it is all kept inside. You aren’t a man, if you show fear. Back to the primitive days of a hunting group with the terrain as your enemy.

After a couple of km’s, fear got the better of us and many of us nonchalantly suggested that maybe its time to go. After all we were there in Temple Bay for a training meet, the trainer would be waiting for us. Then started the saga of the ‘Following Sea’.

All these waves that we were braving to go against, were now behind us, or should I say ‘after us’. Easily 6 foot in height, they chased and chased. It was a question of who is faster, the boat or the waves!!! Felt such a rush inside, but with no resistance forward it was also an extremely pleasant ride being pushed by the force of the tides. The chase lasted all of 7 to 8 minutes and we were back to some still waters.

Then you know what would have happened, we were men really and promptly some of us jumped into the sea, floated for a while. And started the trek back home.

I could see a great relief in many of the faces. Me ?! There is a term in Tamil called as ‘Prasava Vairakiyam’ ( it means that , when in labour all kind of resolutions like ‘never again’ even for pleasure will be taken and of course promptly broken later ). It was the same. I was scared to death and vowed not to be so foolish ever again while we were going in. But when I reached the shores, I was thinking maybe next time I should kill fear and enjoy the sea more. :)