It is that time of the year when I sit back and plan on things to do in the next year and also start to wonder how I frittered away this year...I have been doing this (the planning part) for some years now...don't ask me about the execution/implementation part all these years though! Anyways looking back at this year, it started off quietly for me as any other year - the routine five day work weeks, in between visits to gym, occasional parties (and social drinking), Friday evening basket ball games, all night long game of cards over the weekends and tennis. In this part of the world where I am residing currently, weather is ideal for a game of tennis all year long and so started playing on a regular basis. Also planned to take few lessons but some how didn't happen (adding this to my to do list for next year!). In the second quarter of this year one of my friends bought a gaming console, XBOX 360. So for the next few evenings, nights and weekends was playing this one game called 'Gears of War' like crazy and soon got addicted to it. For me all the other activities took a backstage for a while. Believe me the graphics and background score in this game are awesome. With the time I was dedicating, soon finished playing all the stages, won all the wars, so slowly got back to my mundane activities-workout, tennis, hang outs with friends, work...
Interestingly, in the latter half of this year any topic of our discussion(s) at lunch or in a bar or sometimes even in our meetings either started or ended with talk on marriage or marriage proposal. Suddenly it seemed like the topic of the town. To me it appeared that, the cohort of people I know of my age, started feeling that it is the right time (or may be high time) to get married. And as expected this year most of my (guy) friends tied a knot-few to their college sweethearts against all odds, few to whom they have been dating for a year or so and few others to keep both sides happy, to their parent's choice. With the addition of few new members to our otherwise all guys gang, group activities have changed in the last quarter- the Friday evening basket ball games gave way to potluck events, the occasional hang outs around bars/sports-bars seemed like a distant past and the card games are played but not all night long. I think in my entire life I have never attended as many potluck events as I have in last two or three months. But no complaints here, since got to eat the delicious home-made food in all those events. These little changes (in day-to-day or past-time activities) in life are bound to happen anyway and it was just a matter of time. I guess also one has to re-define one's priorities as they move on....
Being an enthusiast of outdoor activities, I would say the best part of this year was visiting a couple of national parks during the three-day weekend breaks in summer and fall. The hikes there during the day really tested our mettle and the camping overnight in wilderness gave an opportunity to relax. I think this is all what I did mostly this year but the way this year is coming to an end is not exactly the same as it started for me or I should say not the way I planned...You know things have been a little complicated and unsettling lately. I do not know why, but what I do know is that I give a damn...
As always looking forward to a more fun-filled new year and hopefully things will settle down. Yeah! almost forgot to mention that this year also saw the birth of my blog. Ha-ha!
Interestingly, in the latter half of this year any topic of our discussion(s) at lunch or in a bar or sometimes even in our meetings either started or ended with talk on marriage or marriage proposal. Suddenly it seemed like the topic of the town. To me it appeared that, the cohort of people I know of my age, started feeling that it is the right time (or may be high time) to get married. And as expected this year most of my (guy) friends tied a knot-few to their college sweethearts against all odds, few to whom they have been dating for a year or so and few others to keep both sides happy, to their parent's choice. With the addition of few new members to our otherwise all guys gang, group activities have changed in the last quarter- the Friday evening basket ball games gave way to potluck events, the occasional hang outs around bars/sports-bars seemed like a distant past and the card games are played but not all night long. I think in my entire life I have never attended as many potluck events as I have in last two or three months. But no complaints here, since got to eat the delicious home-made food in all those events. These little changes (in day-to-day or past-time activities) in life are bound to happen anyway and it was just a matter of time. I guess also one has to re-define one's priorities as they move on....
Being an enthusiast of outdoor activities, I would say the best part of this year was visiting a couple of national parks during the three-day weekend breaks in summer and fall. The hikes there during the day really tested our mettle and the camping overnight in wilderness gave an opportunity to relax. I think this is all what I did mostly this year but the way this year is coming to an end is not exactly the same as it started for me or I should say not the way I planned...You know things have been a little complicated and unsettling lately. I do not know why, but what I do know is that I give a damn...
As always looking forward to a more fun-filled new year and hopefully things will settle down. Yeah! almost forgot to mention that this year also saw the birth of my blog. Ha-ha!
