An end to the hiatus - Part III - Happy New Year!!!

So, 2007 has been amazing.

I’ve travelled in Europe (albeit at the excuse of work :)), and I’ve gotten married - infact, spent more than half a year in nurturing and giving wings to a relationship that promises to take me on a joy ride, into the sunset of the future  - with my partner for life.

Other important things have happened too, materialistically and professionally speaking. Materialistically (actually *technologically*):

1) I’ve FINALLY got myself a Laptop in July this year. This is after contemplating the extreme step (for a person who thinks as much as I do, of course ;)) first in August last year!  It’s an HP Pavilion dv2000 - and in addition to being sleek and chic, it is top-class in terms of features. The experience so far has been worth every penny spent, and I look forward to more “intimate” times with this new companion of mine (of course, second to you-know-who ;)).

2) To utilize my laptop effectively, I also got a BSNL DataOne Broadband connection at home. Getting the connection was probably the only thorn in the bed of roses last year - whew. What a wait!! (although I know people who’ve endured far more than me) - how many times did I go up and down the road that leads to the Telecom office in BTM?! (In case anyone needs directions, you know whom to approach!!). The connection (UL900) thankfully is great in terms of speed, and download capability - and I’ve just discovered the pleasures of watching movies online :), at YouTube & Google Videos. So, three cheers to internet liberation at home!

3) I’ve also got an Apple 80 GB Video iPod as a companion for all the nightmarish journeys on Bangalore’s famed Hosur Road (although I must divulge that BTM Main Road is worthier of the honour now) - from home to office and back. If all this time, I was worried about storing my 15 GB songs somewhere, my iPod ensures that I have this worry no longer. And looking at the bright side, I still have 65 GB left to fill!! Its musical-heaven for me these days… *Dreamy smile*.

To avoid being labelled an incorrigible show-off, I resist the temptation to list all the other material gains

As for work, this year has been hectic. But it’s also been extremely productive - the year has ended with a promotion, incredible insight, new distinct directions of growth, and I’ve fulfilled one of my long standing goals at work (Gosh, can it get better than this?) - so I’m heaving huge sighs of satisfaction.

Standing where I do now and looking back at the year past, I also go back to my Happy New Year post - way back in December 2006:

“2007 promises to be an important year in my life… what with lots of professional and personal changes on the horizon. I don’t have any material/physically quantifiable resolutions yet, and generally never do, since I doubt my ability (*smirk*) to stick to them with a steadfast resolve.”

I (tongue-in-cheek) state that the resolutions I made, still stand; Much easier to stick to them you see, than for e.g., the tried and tested I-promise-to-exercise-and-lose-weight one ;). Any more new ones? - would have to be only one:

• Be grateful to God and to myself.  Thank you God, - for being there, showing me the way - in fact, the countless ways, and proving that “No matter how screwed up you perceive your life to be, never underestimate God’s love that rescues you right back” is completely true. And my last vote of thanks goes to myself - for falling, but knowing enough to pick myself up, wipe the tears and stumble onwards with vigour. For learning that life is best lived with the least complexity - just a dash of innocence, a thimble of honesty, a pinch of hope and loads and loads of Love.

Happy New Year everybody!!!

P.S. Last year this time, I also exulted at having my blog registering 10,000 visitors. Today, its speeding towards 50,000! So, although I did announce a closure of vote of thanks, it cannot be truly closed unless I count you out there - Thank YOU :). And yes, I will see you later!