The one in which we introspect about the year gone by…

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! 🙂