Day 67 - 2009 in retrospect

As another year comes to an end, media everywhere will be playing 'The Year That Was' and reliving the good and not-so-good times of the year. As we read them we tend to agree or disagree with them and start to form our own opinions. Debates and discussions will range on some topics among friends and new thoughts will gather.

But really the feeling of how the year-that-went was is a personal one. Global events have some impact on what we feel but mostly we would remember or forget the year based on what happened to us.For some it'll be a momentous year that they will never forget while for others it will be a year that they hope they never have to re-live. Today we will all retrospect on how it was for us - moments of happiness, sadness, grief, elation, joy and mix of all feelings. Maybe a new love or a new job or a heartbreak or losing someone - so many things happen across 365 days of a year and across 31,449,600 seconds.

Allow me that liberty of talking about my year as well. You, of course, may not be interested. But if you are.....read on!

2009 started off as a scary year. Businesses were not doing well, economy was looking down and at Citrix we had just announced a 10% workforce layoff. I was thankful to God for saving my and my wife's jobs as we saw some of our colleagues being asked to leave. That was a period of mixed emotions - sad at seeing friends go but happy that we had our jobs intact. One didn't know whether to feel happy or sad.

A change of guard happened at work mid way through the year. The person at the helm of marketing in Asia Pacific changed. With a new leader comes new thinking and new ways of doing things. The job profile changed and towards the latter part of the year even my reporting structure changed. I am still waiting to see if that was a good thing or bad. I guess 2010 will show the true colours in that space. But a good thing also happened with me handling a new region and learning new things. Its always good to take up a challenge that will teach you new things and stretch you a bit. The year has ended on an interesting note work wise and I'm looking forward to 2010.

Tarush started school and that was a momentous thing. He went through his three stages and settled down into school. He had his friends, became much more communicative and interactive, had his cultural programs and seems to be enjoying school. Playschool made him more independent. Today he is a lovable brat who says the cutest things and makes us laugh. Ipsi started her steps towards becoming a teenager and trying to step out of being a girl. This year was a year of shadows for her as she is stuck between cartoons and Hannah Montana - being a kid and becoming a girl. Her questions have started becoming intelligent and yet she retains the innocence that I like.

My friendships became stronger and I thank God that I did not loose any friends. One particular friendship - with Sowmya - became stronger in 2009 and that has made me happy and thankful to God. I pray that that continues into 2010. The GMC had regular meetings and we gossiped a lot. Its my bedrock and I look forward to 2010 with them. The year ended on a high note with me touching base with a friend that I lost touch with twenty years back. That was awesome. Friends that matter most to me remained my friends.

My family remained healthy and strong and prosperous. My parents health was good as was my sister's. My wife and me fought, bickered and loved - like any couple married for 11 years. She threw me a surprise birthday party that blew me away. Our kids forged stronger bonds with their cousins as we hosted our nephews for one month. Then my brother and sister-in-law followed and we had a good time. My parents bought a house, we did some investments, changed furniture, had holidays and were in generally good health.

But the year also bought one of the saddest moments of my life till date. 3rd October 4.30am is not a date or time that I'm likely to forget anytime soon. We heard the news of Gina's passing and the next few days were tears and sadness. GINA is a gap that will be felt very acutely.

I started blogging and have been at it for 5-1/2 months now. 68 blogs in 155 days is not a great achievement but I'm proud of it. Proud of the fact that its not a diary of my daily minute-to-minute happenings but really a collection of my thoughts on varied subjects. I have some readers like you and I Thank You for it.

But the biggest achievement for me in 2010 was the fact that I started exercising. I've lost 8 Kgs in 4 months, lost couple of inches and feeling fitter and better. I'm loving the fact that I can fit into my old wardrobe and the compliments that are coming my way. Thanks to my sister and Ani for teasing me, pushing me, goading me to loose weight and to Ani and Sowmya for being an inspiration for it.

In the end 2009 has been a decent year of its ups and downs and I'm glad that I've crossed that sea with more bouquets and less scars.

Wonder what the blog post of last day of 2010 will say! Here we come!