2012- The best so far.

2012

I've started writing this so many times, but it’s just not coming out right. So instead of my long detailed usual write up, I’ll try a list.

The Year:

1.   The nightmare start- Thesis submissions. The last of all Christmases and New Year’s spent alone at home in front my laptop. Craziest of all deadlines. The final one.

2.   The month of good sleep and celebrations- We went to watch MI4 the day of my viva. I slept the entire movie and was only woken up to see Tom Cruise jump out of the Burj.

3.   Slight anguish with the problems concerning my internship were quickly dispelled with the start of my internship with Cadence Architects. God always has the best plans for me. Just need to be patient.

4.   Four months of work. Probably learnt more there than I did at college. Long commutes, long hours, but got to work with great people on some great projects.

5.   Squeezed in so much into my schedule. It was all worth the lack of sleep. Everything from singing practices, swimming, string quartet practices, play practices with the kids, RATS play meetings and sets design and of course Brownie Points baking through the night.

6.   Hard work pays off well. The kids did a super job. The RATS play was brilliant too. Brownie Points got a front page feature in Time Out. A year and a half ago, when Time Out first featured us, I was browsing the internet and saw that Australia’s top pastry chef, Adriano Zumbo made it on the cover of the Sydney Time Out. I concluded that we were definitely not good enough to make the cover! We are in no place to start comparing with such a genius, but still, we are mighty proud of ourselves. :D

7.   And then the final of all final college jury’s. The internship months went by so fast and I was back in the line at college waiting for my turn to present my work to the jury. Such a different feeling to waiting in line before the thesis viva!

8.   I spent the next 2 weeks in bed. Probably the worst illness ever. Never felt so helpless, listless or so much in pain. Months later, my Mum told me that during that time, she prayed and told God that if I had to go, she was ready. I never realised that it was that bad. Thank God for the healing and my doctors aka parents who took care of me and of course the prayers and many messages.

9.   The BIG holiday was the highlight of the year. Just a few days after pulling out IV tubes from my hands and I’m on the plane off to London for 2 months. Ate so much good food with the intention of putting on all the weight I had lost. Definitely wasn’t a hard task. Apart from spending a super time with family, I got to do lots of ‘bucket list’ kind of things. Here are some of them:

·      Went to Wimbledon- Watched current women’s world no.1 Azerenka play and also former world no.1 Roddick play.

·      Saw Europe’s tallest building- The Shard.

·      Watched the Olympic Torch run one leg of its journey.

·      Saw the work of 5 Pritsker winners- Renzo Piano, Norman Foster, Herzog and deMeuron, Zaha Hadid and Richard Rogers.

·      Watched the stage production of the ‘most successful piece of entertainment of all time’- The Phantom of the Opera.

·      Watched the stage production of Chicago in its final month of performance.

·      Ate in a Michelin-nominated restaurant, Vanilla Black and also in the café of the two Michelin star restaurant, Sketch (which also had the weirdest bathroom I’d ever been to)

·      Saw work by the best artists in the world including Monet, Michelangelo Rembrandt, da Vinci and Van Gogh at the National Gallery and work by Worhol at the Portrait Gallery.

·      Bought a chocolate-chip cookie at Europe’s biggest departmental store, Harrods.

·      Saw some of the most expensive cars in the world including a Bugatti Veyron, a Maybach, a Mclaren F1, some Lamborghinis and Ferraris and may be some others that I didn't recognise. Also went for a ride in a Porsche Carrera.

10. Spent 10 days in the beautiful country Sri Lanka with cousins and did many more awesome things. Will definitely go back.

11. Came back home to Bangalore and planned to spend the next months doing everything but work. Pushed my job hunting to Jan 2013.

12. Graduated with a degree in Architecture. Batch of 2007- you guys are awesome!

13. Got to be part of many church activities including the concert by the Praise and Worship team and also organised a complete programme by the children.

14. Had the busiest month ever with Brownie Points after the biggest Soul Sante sale we’ve ever done and a feature in Bangalore’s biggest newspaper, The Deccan Herald.

15. Went for a basic scuba class. If only I knew this could have been a career option 5 years ago. I also got my drivers licence, which has been on my 'to do' list for 4 years.

16. December will always be my favourite month of the year and this December was certainly the best. Apart from the crazy Brownie Points orders, I joined the carol singers every single night and sang till I had a sore throat. Was part of 4 Christmas parties to 2 orphanages, an old age home and the church for the blind. Went Christmas shopping after 6 years and got to spend a great time with family.

17. All in all, this year was definitely the best year I’ve had so far. The time at home has helped me plan what I want to do next. It’s given me time to figure out how I want to use my degree and now I think I’m quite clear with my priorities.

18. If the next year means moving out of home, I’m grateful for the time I got to spend at home with family and with friends in Bangalore.

Here’s to 2013. I have absolutely no clue what you have in store for me. Totally excited! :D