I came across this tag on RM’s blog, and thought it was a good way to introspect on the year gone by. I started thinking about what my answers to the first few questions would be, and soon enough, I was in full-on introspection mode. This tag made me reflect on all that was in 2012, all that continues and all that died out with the 31st of December, all the could-have-beens and must’nt-have-beens.
Here goes, the tag:
What did you do in 2012 that you’d never done before?
~Went to Kashmir!
~Worked from home
~Visited a vineyard
~Visited the village where my MIL was born and brought up
~ Started reading non-fiction, and realised that not all of it is boring
~Went on a solo trip to my parents’ house in Ahmedabad
~ Explored Ahmedabad like a tourist
~Went on a Bangalore exploration trail
Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next?
I didn’t make any proper new year’s resolutions for 2012 as such, but I did have a ‘word for the year’ in mind, which was ‘balance’. For 2012, I wanted to achieve a balance in my work-home life, a balance between home and social life, a balance in reading between different genres, a balance between health and fitness and being a foodie. I think I have succeeded in being true to the word for most of 2012.
This year, too, I have a word for the year – ‘Better’. I want to get better in different aspects of life – health, home, work, reading, travelling, among others. All the activities that I plan to do in 2013 will be directed towards this end.
What date from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Honestly speaking, I don’t remember any particular dates from 2012. I do remember a lot of moments from 2012, though – like the one when I caught my first glimpse of Kashmir and fell in love with it, the one when I realised that my parental home in Ahmedabad will no longer be home, the one when we received my parents at the Bangalore airport not as visitors but as citizens of Bangalore, moments between the OH and me, moments at work, and so on.
What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Losing 10 kg. of weight the healthy way, without giving up on being a foodie and without going on a crash diet. It was a tall task, but I am happy I did it! 🙂
The challenge now is to keep off that weight! 🙂
What was your biggest failure?
Not being able to regulate my book buying better. That said, I must say it is much better than before. 🙂
Did you suffer illness?
Touchwood, there were no major illnesses. Just a few coughs and colds, body aches and tummy upsets.
Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
That of some of our relatives and the society in general.
Where did most of your money go?
In travelling and books.
What did you get really, really, really excited about?
About the Kashmir trip (of course!).
What song will always remind you of 2012?
Several songs, in fact. Like Pyaarge aagbittayithe, kateya karoon (the first song I heard in 2012), raabta, among others. Oh, and, of course, Oppa gangam style – the tune got stuck in my head a lot in 2012.
Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
I think I am happier. I was in, pretty much, a chaos this time last year, with the job change and all. 🙂
What do you wish you’d done more of?
Brushing up on my general knowledge. Writing.
What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worry.
Did you fall in love in 2012?
Yes, many times over, with the parents, the OH, the world around me.
What/Who was your greatest musical discovery?
I don’t think I had any musical discoveries as such. In fact, I listened to very little music in 2012, but I did manage to reaffirm my love for Bollywood music.
What did you want and get?
Better fitness levels. An improvement in my reading. Purposeful travelling. Work-life balance. (A big touchwood to all of that!)
What did you want and not get?
A better home garden.
What was your favourite film?
I didn’t watch many movies in 2012. Out of the few I watched, I liked Kahaani and Vicky Donor, in spite of the dramatic ending of the latter movie.
What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 30 in 2012! 🙂 The OH got me a laptop-cum-writing desk (!) for my birthday, getting the cue from my lust list. 🙂 He took me to dinner at Toscano’s in UB City, which was lovely, as always.
What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A child.
What kept you sane?
The OH, Amma, my manager (by allowing me to work from home for most part of the year), books, music and travelling
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012.
Things in life do not always turn out the way you want to, but sometimes, the way they turn out to be is for the best.
Which new place/s did you visit in 2012?
Kashmir! And Palakkad.
Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Ae zindagi, gale laga le. Humne bhi tere har ik gum ko gale se lagaya hai, hai na?
Tag some bloggers you would love to read these answers from.
Hmmm… not tagging anyone in particular. If you would like to answer these questions on your blog, please go ahead and do it! 🙂
Okay, so this tag (http://aditto.wordpress.com/2013/01/02/circa-2012/) percolated till you via R’s ma!
😀
I am yet to visit Kashmir, and is on my must-visit lists. Not sure if I will be able to make that trip this year though..
And on the weight loss thing, I can only welcome you to the club 😀
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@Aditya
Yes, this is the tag that brought me to your blog as well. 🙂
Good luck with visiting Kashmir this year. 🙂
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Like everybody here…waiting to hear about your weight loss regime 🙂
Good round-up of 2012, even more glad that most of the times, we knew about the happenings through the blog 😉
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@Visha
Thank you! 🙂
Weight loss regime post coming up soon. Not that it was a regime, to be honest. It was more of a lifestyle change, and a lot of awareness.
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Happy New Year!
Wishing you a fantastic year ahead…
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@Sukanya
Thank you so much! 🙂
Hope you had a great start to 2013!
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I’m not going to tell you how jealous I am that you lost 10 kg, visited a vineyard and worked from home. 😉
I’m going to tell you how much I liked this post. I am going to wish you a great 2013 and hope that all that you hope for bears fruit. And I an going to tell you that I will pick up this tag some time later, maybe for my blogaversary. 🙂
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@Sudhagee
Thank you so much, Sudha! 🙂 Would love to read your version of this tag. 🙂
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Excellent year 2012 then 🙂 and WHATTTTTTTTttt 10 kg’s oh my oh my Howwwwwww, I need that miracle my side too , I am so overweight i tell you..
TGNS here’s wishing you have much more to add to this tag in january 2014 ..
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@Bikram
Thank you so much, Bikram! 🙂
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Hey TGND, loved reading your 2012 synopsis. I am so impressed on various counts – your book reviews, detailed travelogues with super pics, and recipes and your poetry. And now the weight loss too – please do share your experiences.
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@Chattywren
Thank you! 🙂
I will definitely write about my experience soon. 🙂
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10 kgs!!!!!! Wow! great! Do share tips TGND 🙂 I too started the year with healthy weight loss program and even lost about 3 kgs … but then started my baking experiments and then sadly gained much more than I lost 😦 😦 I am at it again now… hope to do better this time 🙂
Interesting tag 🙂 I would love to take it up…
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@Lifesong
I will surely write about my weight loss regimen soon. 🙂
Hee hee. Baking is one of those things that affects your weight loss program negatively, in the worst way. 🙂
Please feel free to take up the tag on your blog. Would love to read your version.
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10 kilos!!! Really???!!? That’s quite a feat! Do post on how it was achieved 🙂
Heading over to read your lust list now…love the name:)
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@Aparna
Yes, really. I will post about it soon. 🙂
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I have never made new year resolutions. I am more of a one-day-at-a-time kind of a person.
And like you, most of my money goes in books. And clothes too. 🙂
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@Amit
I don’t make unrealistic new year resolutions. I know I will not be able to stick to them for long. Instead, of late, I have taken to determining a few areas I would like to work on every year. I try to stick to them as far as possible.
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God!!!!!!!!!!!
Pyaarge aagbittaithe! – one fun song. there is also another – kathlalli karadige…. 😛
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@Kismi
I loved Pyaarge, and made the OH explain to me each word of that song. 😀
Haven’t heard Kathlalli.. Will give it a hear now!
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hehehehee it is a funny song 😛 extremely. I am not sure if that can be translated though 😦 Give it a hear 😛
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Like GB said, I am glad that I got to read a few of these as and when they happened 🙂
I have never seen your lust list. I am so digging that one up now 😛 tee hee.
Wish you a lot of good things in 2013 and onwards TGND!
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@Kismi
Thank you so much, Kismi! 🙂
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Kahmir – thts on my wishlist for ages or rather make i Leh Ladakh!
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@Meena Menon
Leh Ladakh is on our wish lists, too! 🙂
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Errr…Errr…Errr..
10 bloody kgs in one year….and you havent told us how…chalo abhi likho how how how?
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@R’s Mom
In about seven months actually. 🙂
Sure,will do a post about it soon!
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Lovely answers! One thing I admire about your posts is that you are dedicated to each of them, never skimping on size or detail. Book reviews, Travelogues………….this list, each of them. Keep it up and have a great 2013!
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@Mom with a dot
Thank you! I am glad you enjoy reading my posts! 🙂
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That was a good round up of 2012 TNGD. I am glad, I too was a part of most of the things you mentioned here as your blog friend, most of your posts are still fresh in my mind 🙂
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@Greenboochi
Thank you for being there, GB! 🙂
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