My Bad Year

2012 would be called the year that ran its course too fast but I am ecstatic about the time going faster. Let’s just say it was definitely not the best of the years, it might get qualified for my top 5 worst years before 30 ( I am not making any promises, but I am highly optimistic about the wicked things that are coming this way)

It started in Goa which should have made it memorable, but I would remember it to be the day where I was hit by lightning (metaphorically speaking) and groped by a maybe a 1000 strangers (Oh, the joy that comes to heart when I think of living in this country where I will have a daughter one day) It was a hell of a start. No wonder the year turned out the way it did.

The highlights:

Goa, January

Sitting on a beach in Goa, fiddling with my camera, trying to get a better angle on one of those beach side shacks and talking non-sense for hours and hours while listening to the ocean in the background.

Hyderabad, March
S's wedding, the madness that it was where I trying to act as a referee between the two other bridesmaids, who were spoiling for a fight, which included me slipping off with one of them in the name of inhaling fumes. Getting drunk with the groom the night before the wedding and listening to him talk about his lady love (which was by far the best drunk conversation till date) and me crying on the my way back from her reception for all that I was going to loose (totally stupid, while I missed the singing, the PDA and what-not, that's one thing I ll regret)
And lets not forget the pre-wedding shopping which included me tormenting her to death in La Senza

Gujarat, April

Marooned in the middle of nowhere-land in Gujarat, travelling half way across the state crossing the deserts, beaches and eating food on glorious road side dhabas. Hunting for those gulabi pedhe during siesta time in Rajkot and the joy of finding the perfect dessert.

Indore, April

Running around along the Chappan street in Indore, gliding from one fast food stall to another to taste yet another type of pani poori while the guide talks away to glory about Indoris love for food.

Mumbai, May
S's bachelorette party which involved us using nature's gift in the name of love and peace where S finally got back to normalcy and decided she doesn't want to be left out. I spent two days ordering people around to make more food while I lounged around.

Goa, June
Driving along the back roads of Goa listening to the raining tapping on the car windows. Getting down in the middle of nowhere to take pictures. Sitting on the quiet deck of the resort and listening to the chirping sounds around the jungle. Watching buffaloes play water games and see the river change colors in the rain.

Dubai, August
Walking along the glorious malls of Dubai, window shopping. Trying to figure out the exchange rate to buy shoes to fill half my luggage. Watching the sunrise in the middle of the desert, enjoying the solitude and sand dunes

Gokarna, October
Floating in the ocean and lazing around on the beach while trying to find another bottle of beer to remedy the hot sun. Doing my first portrait shoot of the two idiots, shouting orders and creating general mayhem. Eating insane amounts of banana fritters.

Mumbai-Vijayawada-Machilipatnam, November

Standing in line for two days for a ticket to Machilipatnam and the joy of finally travelling across state lines to see the the surprised look on my grandmother’s face. Talking to her about everything under the sun and listen to her talk about her childhood.

Panchgani, December

Sitting by the bonfire, enjoying the nippy weather with a nice cup of coffee and good company. Contemplating about life and all its accouterments till we couldn't talk any more.

Hyderabad, December
Running around the city in search of the elusive size 20 platinum ring, getting the bride ready all by myself, using every damn trick in the book to get the freaking flowers in her hair while running interference for her. Wouldn't repeat this experiment for the world. P and K are getting a wedding planner. 

Mumbai, December

Sipping beer after beer in Sea Palace Terrace Cafe  with a new bunch of people. Arguing till my throat hurt about absolutely everything and a whole lotta bitching about the job, parents and well the inevitable.  

Song I played most this year:

The bad things that happened on the way to 2013:

• I did a lot of stupid things, the list actually got longer than the previous years. Aren’t we supposed to get older and wiser? I guess I will be Brad Pitt of Benjamin Button (or maybe him in the new Chanel ad, I do sound awfully like him, because most of the time I sound broody and nonsensical)
• I stopped talking to people. I actually have become more anti-social if that’s even possible. I do miss talking to a few of those friends that I actually do talk to, but it is getting difficult finding those few common things and making the conversation last longer.
• I stopped fighting with people; I no longer have the energy to deal with such blah things anymore
• I made bad choices, over and over again because I was waiting to be nominated for the most non-confrontational person on earth award (I walk away, I don’t talk, I don’t reason, I don’t yell, I simply walk away. How cool is that! NOT when you have a 100 imaginary conversations in your head before deciding to take the coward's way out)
• I actually volunteered to update my profile on one of those god-forsaken matrimony sites (I know, I thought I would rather die than do something like that but you see, this is my long term strategy: there are more guys available online for my parents to shortlist, vet or do whatever it is that parents do; which directly affects their mood, which in turn making PC a happy person. So, for the sake of my sanity, I have taken upon myself to talk about my hobbies, interests and other total non-sequitor stuff)
• My new boss who has taken upon herself to make my life a living hell, insists on calling me darling and would make me work 24*7*365 if she had it her way (which is actually what I have been doing even on 31st working back to back till it was almost midnight)

The good things

• S, the person who is still making time to be my therapist while I complain, shout, cry and stomp my feet about the unfairness of it all even though she has a house to run
• R, for listening to me rant forever and for being the only positive person in my life and the voice of reason when it comes to dealing with my parents
• P and K, who most of the time I plot on killing if US gun laws apply here; but I have to admit its only because of them that I have not become a recluse
• My camera which has in itself given me a new hobby, a new topic to search about and the general feel of doing something productive
• My new appendage, Kindle which has provided me a way out of those meaningless talks, long drives, awful train journeys and just about anything that I don’t like
• I am much more closer to my family, I guess that’s the one good thing I did on my own, not bad eh?
• Finally deciding as to what to do with my so-called life, but things/situations/people are definitely not making it easy for me (and I am not a fighter, I am a runner so let's see if this year is going to make me cower and be daddy's girl or the monster-who-never-listens-to-her-parents)

I just realized that nothing much has changed, the good has remained the same, but the bad list has increased so I guess this is a year of status quo; the year where nothing important has happened, the year where in a way time stood still or I rather I stood still.

Hoping the next year would bring any good would mean I am an optimist, which I most definitely lot. So, here’s to hoping that the New Year wouldn’t be as bad this one. There, that's not such a bad thing is it?

P.S. S, Please forgive me, my brain cells have been dying exponentially this year, pretty please!!