Rocking in the Free World

In all probability, this is the last post in my blog for 2007. I had written a somewhat senti post a year ago about how friends are moving on, while I still seem to be running hard just to stay in the same place.

This is a personal post of sorts, and if you aren’t really keen on reading it, you’ve been warned. (My own ‘cute’ Caveat Emptor!)

2007 was turbulent, it started off in a whirlwind and is ending with another storm approaching. Governments fell, leaders were assassinated, more children were born, Al Gore and Rajendra Pachauri won the Nobel Peace Prize, Monkee started a blog (!!!), I became a member of the fourth estate, I became a band manager, I ended up playing bass for two bands this year (both of which disbanded, but another band’s formation is on the cards in mid Jan 08) and I had a haircut with six days to spare for the new year(quite contrary to my resolve of not having one this year)!

Lots of travel, although none international unlike the year before, although I hope 2008 will significantly remedy that while sustaining my travel fundaes within the country as well. Two trips to Mumbai, one to Chennai for Kodhi’s surprise birthday party (another first – considering how people would think twice before inviting a partyphobe like me), a trip to Gokarna, one to Mangalore, an unforgettable New Year’s being welcomed on a quiet beach at Pondicherry and the innumerable trips to Mysore which seemed so relaxed, peaceful and pleasant for the very first time since I began work circa September 2004.

Maybe it had to do with the entire gamut of ups and downs that I had to face this year, though the ups were unparalled and the downs can definitely be remedied and as eternally optimistic as I am, I am certain that all the disappointments, trials and tribulations and the lousy times I faced have helped me build character and are for the best. Much better than cribbing and singing Richard Marx level songs about “now I go crazy wondering what it might have been” or some such nonsense.

What’s done is done. Period.

I honestly think my writing this post has more to do with playing to the limited gallery of junta that read my crappy livejournal, rather than actually wanting to convey something of significance, for I am not a big fan of New Year’s.

I think New Year celebrations or anything associated with giving it more than its due share of ignore are as overrated as visits to the Discos, Clubs, smoking, being cool and “Goa” (thanks, Skimpy!).

Just to clarify, I HAVE been to a Disco once and I HAVE smoked cigarettes before but given it up for good because of uncommon sense and I HAVE been to Goa. So its not like I am being an unexperienced ignoramus hypocrite.

One of my best New Year’s eves to date was in 2000 when I welcomed it by studying for my 12th Boards and taking up a mock Math paper in which I screwed up one problem, which I would blame pointedly on my idiotic neighbours at that time who shouted and screamed too much in welcoming the new millennium. Then they slew a goat, drank its blood and went to sleep, laving me traumatized for life. Wait! Maybe that was on some other occasion, but I don’t really want my memory to record that for posterity.

The math problem was related to 3D coordinate geometry which was newly introduced in our syllabus, so maybe I wasn’t too well versed with it anyway.

I’m not a grumpy cynic, I’m just a realist who is trying to look beyond the absolute idiots that most of us are turning out into just because of media-induced frenzies, due to peer pressure, herd mentality and because we might be afraid of finding out for ourselves as to who we are, just because there is a strong possibility that we might not like what we see.

I don’t know what the point of all this was, in any case, and I just hope you have a safe and Happy New Year’s celebration for 2008, and may the New Year bring you all you need, and most of all you want.

The time has come, this post is over, thought I had something more to say.