2022

Is it too late to write this post?

I guess not as we can always look back and assess our failures and achievements anytime.

I put failures first always as there are many. Lets not talk about them today.

Achievements happen irregularly and when they do its like stumbling upon some serendipitous finds.

Ok. that’s me.

Now coming back to the main topic – 2022.

I can happily say that it was a Year of Achievements. Not momentous or mammoth. But little joys and minor accomplishments which may seem meaningless and mundane. But for me they are not as these tasks have taken time to complete after undue procrastination.

These are:

(i) Got my flat painted and polished after almost ten years. Reason ? Mother being severely bronchial and several times on Oxygen support. I was afraid that the smell of the paint and polish might affect her adversely. But minimal maintenance was rendering the flat unlivable. So keeping fingers crossed took the leap. Nothing majorly untoward happened. Thank God!!

(ii) Got the overhead water tank replaced almost at the point of bursting. Massive job! Wondering how to get it done. But my plumber (a good guy) eased my worries. Now with a bigger tank in place the water issues have got resolved to a large extent.

(iii) House maintenance is an ongoing process. However got a few crucial ones done like floor grinding (mainly balcony and the open space at the back), replacement of kitchen slab (partly) etc. A few are still pending. May be this year….

(iv) At the office front – completed the stipulated number of e-courses which was part of the e-learning module I have spoken about in my earlier blog on Curse of Corona – Part II. These were to be finished by a certain timeline. Finished much before. Guess what the number was? EIGHTY!! Can you beat that ? But I am glad I did and still continuing with the rest.

(v) Re-connected with an old school friend after aeons and now we talk often on phone. Resolved to meet this year for sure (as we both keep very busy and stay at extreme ends).

(vi) Visited Hardwar. In fact I have not moved out of Delhi since 2008. So, this was really a get-away in the true sense and sorely needed. We (me and another friend) started early morning and came back the same evening. She had to perform a short ritual by the Ganges. After that we just sat on the steps leading to the Ghaat (river bank) and enjoyed the cool breeze and some heart-to-heart chat. It was so pleasant and peaceful even in the hot and dry afternoon.

(vii) Resumed reading and finished quite a few books. Am a slow reader and often not able to keep regular reading time. But even if there was a break in between I made it a point to get back to the unfinished read. Also, taken to a new author – T M Logan – and am hooked to his racy writings. I recommend him to all Mystery Lovers. Mind it I am a very selective reader and rarely read outside the domain of preferred writers. I bumped into Logan quite accidently on Kindle Prime Reading and then there was no looking back. After The Holiday, I am into Lies – second book by Logan. 🙂

(viii) After my driver left (because of heart problem. Poor chap! He is so young!) started commuting by the Metro i.e. from office to home in the evenings. Metro can be very stuffy at times and getting a seat is dependent on others being kind to you. But it has shortened the commuting time. I can avoid the on-road traffic. I get a good fifteen minutes walk from office to the station and again from junction to junction (at the changing point). I can climb down the steps (though it was painful at first being a long time after). I can spend some time on kindle. Also, Metro is where I got lot of ideas for writing earlier. Now I can happily jot down my thoughts and many of my posts last year have birthed while journeying back home. Considering my medical issues, Metro was a tough choice that I made last year!!!

(viii) Started writing in my mother tongue i.e. Bangla. Was hesitant at first being out of touch with the language. But I was dying to….So revived my Bangla Blog with short pieces. Then the creative bug bit me hard and I embarked full fledged on writing short stories. And wonder of all wonders – these were well received when published on a popular site. I also won the Certificate of Literary Lieutenant!! Yooohooo….

(ix) Stopped binging on Web Series which has actually given me more time for reading. However, still there are cheat days. Fictions, in any form, fascinate me and I love to take refuge in the wildly exciting make believe world of narratives of different styles.

(x) Became a serious Wordler and Waffler. Words! Languages! Expressions! Have always attracted me. Wordle gave me an opportunity to test my vocab. Surprisingly, it also opened a vast arena of online word-gaming …..Quordle, Octordle, Waffle, Spelling Bee, Letter Boxed….and I went berserk!!!!

Whoops! A year full of activities.

Howsoever insignificant (i) to (x) may seem, these are very personal and a matter of pride to me.

Its good to take stock of things once in a while as it

(i) allows to tick off all the tasks done and

(ii) figure out what more remain to do

(iii) gives a sense of satisfaction

(iv) raises self esteem and confidence

(v) reveals the importance of planning and resolve

(vi) widens the horizon of future possibilities

With every such assessment one ……………………..grows !!!

Believing in CANI (Constant And Never-ending Improvement) does help.

I am sure much more was achieved last year. Will go on adding as I recall.

This post will keep on expanding, therefore, underscoring this is not the end.

So is life …..

Till then…

Traa…Laaa…Laaa

Pic from Google