Twenty20

As the clock struck 12 on the 9th of Jan 08, and my cell kept buzzing with messages and calls from loved one's, i realised that i had gone through the "best days of my life", school days were over quite sometime back, and now, the teens had come to an end.. i had completed a decade on the face of this planet.. it felt good.. to be "grown up" and at the same time i felt sad to think of the fact that i was no longer going to be the "pampered kid"... The greater journey had just begun, the journey where i would have to take on the world alone, no dad and mom to help me through, no friends to extend a helping hand and more importantly no more teachers, no guides. The battle is mine and mine alone... ok! enough of philosophical thinking...

My dear friends ensured that i stayed up through the night wid there messages and calls... the sound of the phone ringing while i was trying to sleep surprisingly dint annoy me, i kinda enjoyed the attention i was recieving..loL! the morning started off well with my mom trying desperately to wake me up inspite of me playing truant... she was successful at last, a glance at the papers and then an early bath (ughhh!) what followed was a bit of tradition, a customery visit to the temple quite some time later i returned home with dad to find my uncle had arrived from delhi... on time for the bash... after an elaborate lunch with parents, unlce and my sis, i went to the office... There i was greeted by everyone witha big smile, and for a change everyun wanted to shake my hand, a short while later i recieved perhaps the best birthday gifts of all time from my dad a secret kept well by him...
Retuned home and played around with my newly acquired digital camera (read toy) waiting for my sis to return ... we den madea short trip to westside where we bought each oder gifts and spent some time cracking jokes (thats wat we do wheneva we r together)..
After returning home, the cake was cut, bubbly uncorked and the celebrations hit the high point of the day... after some fun and games and a photosession, we went out for dinner.. had a great dinner and returned home exhausted!!!!! a perfect bday made special by my uncle and sis who took the pains to come down for my birthday!!!!!!!

2007 is over... gone.. it seems like yesterday, when i uncorked the champagne to set in 2007 but now its over... leaving me in a haze, as i collect the memories and try to preserve some of the choicest... the text messages keep coming in, the network is jammed, phone lines are busy and we are into 2008.. the previous year unravelled in a tremedous speed and it was a journey to savour..

31st nite on 2008 is perhaps the very best i have spent, the day started with my whole body aching thanks to numerous muscles pulls after a cricket match, a dust allergy leading to a sore throat and a running nose (soon to be transformed into a blocked nose)! not a very good way to start off the celebrations, to add to all this a plan wid school frends for a reunion cancelled and yeah running to office in the morning and hoping to get off early.. on reaching office, luck struck and struck BIG... there was absolutely no work in a office and more importantly getting off at 3.30 pm followed by a month off (study leave)! On reaching home i indulged in my favorite passtime for the last time in the year, the net! after chatting and wasting time, the cold took to me and i had to retire under the blanket for a much needed evening nap... dad returned home and then the fun started, getting dressed in jeans and sweats to goto Mr. Dutt's place to gate-crash (actually give him a surprise). What followed was some interesting conversation over snacks and wine (well my first new year resolution coming true b4 the year started.. amazing aint it?). After a frenzy of wishing each other on the new year, the conversation rolled ranging from school days, scholastic beats, the future of panchajoni and some useless banter.... we left his house a lil after 1 am.. and den the car inched its way along J.L.Nehru road in the search for a place to get a meal... the destination was azad hind dhaba but unfortunately, they had closed shop for the year... an alternative was found in dominoes (inspite of fact that my dad loathes pizzas like anything) after a sumptous dinner of chicken pizzas, we made our way back home in the dead of night! Reached home at 2.30 and then took refuge under the blanket.. on a happy note to begin a brand new fight for survival in the new year!!!

A great unplanned end to a mundane day and a year which had been nothing short of a roller coster ride!!!!!!!!!