Ashaayein

The advantage of having a birthday on days like Jan 1st, Feb 14th, April 1st, Aug 15th etc is that a lot of unexpected people also remember it... 

The birthday was filled with fun, happy, sad and lonely moments. I so wanted to write this post on the same day, but as usual ended up finishing everything and sleeping late night with no energy left to write anything. Well... Better late than never. :)

A lot of people called up but a few dear ones missed out (probably forgot). Had fun at office with the team members of the new team getting a cake for me. Came back home to find that the room-mates had also got a cake. :) The best part was that both were chocolate cakes. But some how the party at home turned out dull, with the usual noisemakers missing. Missed home and family a lot. It's the first time in all these 24 years that I had to celebrate my birthday away from the family. :(

I received lots of gifts.. :D I got the best gift the next day though. Sometime late in the afternoon I saw a mail in the official inbox which had the details of the previous Quarter's award winners. Attached with it was an excel sheet having the names of the winners. I was about to delete the mail without reading it, as usual, and a thought crossed my mind "when will I win any such award?". I joined a new team just a week back and had worked in the old team for a little more than five months, with most of the initial time spent in learning about the product. So my chances of having done any significant work and that being recognized by the manager was bleak.

I opened the excel sheet with no expectation whatsoever and the first name that I laid my eyes on was mine. I couldn't believe it!! I read the employee id, the project name and the remarks, everything matched my details. Reading the remarks by my previous manager made my day... :) The award though small is a huge achievement for me considering the fact that I was least expecting it. The expectations now created have to be kept up.

All in all things turned out great.. :)

Infancy

My blog turned a year old today. But I wish I had written more posts during the year. Missed out on writing many posts when I had to move to a new city. I was busy with trainings at the work place on one hand and getting used to at home on the other hand. However what I'm happy about is that I didn't stop blogging and got back on track.

It was easier to stop than continue as with many other things in life. There are times
- when you have nothing to write about.
- when you have lots of ideas but nothing materializes into writing.
- when you start writing but it all stays in your drafts.
- when write and post and then get a feeling its junk.
- when you get a feeling as to what are you doing here? where there are people who write so beautifully.
- when you feel it's pointless, nobody's even reading you.

But despite all this there's are times when you feel you just wanna share what's on your mind. That's what makes me continue. I find it absolutely wonderful that people have been blogging for years and the finesse in their writing hasn't worn out but has only got better. The varied topics that people write about, the kind of responses it draws is all so awesome.

During this week for the first time I happened to visit the blog of IHM and realized how a blog can help people cope with their difficulties, how it can bring strength and how it can be source of tremendous support. I feel sad that I was too late in visiting and reading her daughter's blog. I could have known her maybe for sometime, could have found a place for myself in her life through the comment space.

Blogging means different things to different people. If you are here reading my posts, do feel free to comment, appreciate or criticize my writing. It would make a lot of difference. If you are a blogger yourself, do let me know what is it that makes you want to blog??

Happy Blogging everyone!!

Happiness

Its so true, that the things which bring you great happiness come free of cost.. :) Like... someone's  nice words about you, knowing that people are gonna miss you when you are not around, knowing that your presence makes a difference to a few. I have felt all this in the past week and it feels awesome... :)

One of the most unexpected and overwhelming incident in the past week was my Prof. calling for a meeting on the day I quit and it intending to be an informal send-off for me. :) I shall never forget the words he spoke for me and about me. Though he comes across as the strict professor at times, he has a heart of gold, which he has proved at many instances. His words, which wished me luck, told me that my contribution in the work had mattered and let me know that I shall be missed, will always remain in my memory. :) It made me feel so special.. :) He even said that they'll miss me as much as my parents would when they would get me married and send me off.. :D

I am grateful to be having friends to whom I matter. Seeing a couple of friends crying that I shall be going away made me sad and happy. Sad that I shall not be able to meet them often and happy to have such friends. (Hey guys... you never know..., what if I'm back in a couple of months to eat your head again... So don't cry... :))

It felt great to have my sister come over and stay at home over the weekend. It had been months or probably an year since she last stayed over. If not for her I would have done none of the packing. She has so neatly packed so many things that I'm now scared that I'll need 2 more bags when I'm coming back coz I can't pack as neatly as her.. :) Wish she had stayed for a few more days. I just hope that I'm here when its time for my niece/nephew to come. I want to see her/him on the first day itself.. Just can't wait for it... :)

One of the things that's making me sad is the thought that I can't probably blog when I'm away. That's coz I don't have a laptop nor do I think I shall get a chance to access the internet at the workplace. I'm not sure yet, but that's how it is generally... :( Never mind.. I'm gonna post all the stuff on my mind when I come to Bangalore during the weekends.. :) Something's better than nothing... :) What say??