Happies Endings

I love my life. That was the conclusion I drew sitting on the terrace on a chilly night. I had screwed up another exam and this time I had fared so badly that I was beginning to really doubt my capabilities. I was staring at the sky aimlessly and then started thinking about the year that has passed by. I got the feeling that this year has been very different. So here is my review of the year gone by......

I started the year with my 3rd trip to Europe. Now the best part of this trip was that I set foot on the Eternal City. One of the most exciting parts was the planning. It really is amazing to see the amount of information thats actually available on the internet. Wikitravel and google maps are Gods to any traveller. I had just one weekend to visit Italy. After choosing Pisa over Venice apart from Rome, I booked my flight well in advance and ended up getting tickets at decent prices in Ryan Air. Then I went about planning what I would do every hour in the 48 hours that I had. After the research that I did on the internet, I had a plan which even covered which roads I would take while walking to the various piazzas in Rome. I had already seen the way from the train station to the hostel using Google Earth. I had already memorised every path, every train, every bus that I needed to take and also knew how much time I had to spend in each spot. I knew the exact place where I would get authentic Italian pizza at an affordable rate. I re-read 'Angels and Demons' so that I could relate the places I would see in the Vatican to the book. I also had a risk management plan with me. Basically a plan B if things went wrong. I even checked the internet to confirm that there were no strikes planned for that weekend. Every other trip of mine has neve gone according to plan. But amazingly, this one did. I discovered something about myself after the trip - I can plan and execute. To add, I think among Paris, Rome, Brussels and Amsterdam, Rome is best; the next time I set foot on Rome, it will be with my wife...........

The release of the final book in the Harry Potter series is another significant thing that happened this year. It was a book that was much awaited for and it didnt disappoint me either. Voldemort's end might have looked very lame but series on a whole is according to me a collector's pride. It has something in it for everyone, young and old. It has the right blend of fantasy and reality and unlike many other children's novels, portrays the confused mind of an adolescent with flair. Harry Potter has had an impact on millions including me. He has performed magic in many ways, with and without the wand.

What did I do at work this year. I wont say that work this year was uninteresting. But I guess I was entering a comfort zone. Now this is the zone one should always avoid. I realised it somewhere during the end of the year and have plans to crawl out the zone. But I did get some opportunity to realise my potential in requirements analysis, estimations, planning and the likes. And I now have clear goals if I have plans to stay on in the IT industry. And I have a message for all the IT people. Please dont complain. You get paid well. The work can be challenging. The work place has the best possible facilities. You get to travel and see the world. You can grow to senior positions at a fast rate. Performance plays an important role in growth. You get to interact with people from different nationalities. You need to work only for 5 days a week. Now how effectively you spend the time and money is upto you but the opportunites are ample. So the grass may look greener on the other side but remember that the responsibility to keep it green on your side is on you.

Winning and losing may be a part of life. Some even say that it only depends on the way you look at it. One plan that went totally haywire this year was the 'MBA'. The plan was just to clear at least one exam and start off with the course next year. But that is not going to happen now. This means that I have not put in the effort that is actually required. Usually I have a plan B in place for such situations. I will now have to let the plan B take its course. I usually believe in the saying - "Whatever happens, happens for the best". And this has had both positive and negetive impact on my life. Maybe I was not aggressive enough on the - MBA plan. Its time to set the ball rolling.........

Now there is one last venture of mine that blew up on my face. My quest to find love. Let me be frank - There is a girl I love (Yes I am using 'the' word!) . And it is not just some silly infactuation. But I didnt act on it. Now I have lost her. For a lot of my other ventures I will have a plan B. But in this one, I cant have a plan B, can I? She is the only one. The reason I didnt act on it is pretty simple. I didnt see she her reciprocate the same feelings. And I am not the guy who is ready to throw a stone blindly in the air without knowing where it would land. Maybe I should move on........

But as SRK mentions in OSO, life is like the movies. We need to have happy endings. Otherwise the movie has not yet ended. Life will go on................