25 - The Year In Review

So it's done... I turned 26. 

I'm done being 25!!!

A small brief look at the year that was :)

For starters, I always expected 25 to be a big year – signalling one quarter of existence and all. And it was, in more ways than I imagined it to. So let me go through this in three parts – The Bad, The Awesome and The Lessons Learnt!

The Bad

1. Got rejected. Twice.
2. The job that I loved transitioned to the job that I tolerate
3. Not yet published (Though it will happen soon, or eventually, hopefully)
4. Lost a friend
5. Lost a phone – XOLO, worst customer service and after sales service in the history of the universe!
6. My Stevie (laptop) crashed

 The Awesome

1. Stayed in a beautiful country for 2 whole months (South Korea)
2. Saw snow!!! Walked in Snow. Drank hot chocolate I as walked in snow :)
3. Got a tattoo!!!!! (Finally!.... I really did it!)
4. Got back my best friend (After 2.5 yrs)
5. Loved someone
6. Had a job I loved (Still have the job, just don’t love it ;) )
7. Made global friends (Russian, Korean, Chinese, American)
8. The first birth year that I had a job from the start to finish!
9. Travelled to 2 countries amazing countries. Loved both for very varied reasons - The States for the people and the attitude, and South Korea for the sheer beauty of it all :)
10. Ate a lot of amazing food (like a LOT!!!)
11. Became really organized ( Gymming regularly (almost), writing regularly, sticking to things from start to finish)
12. Went to Lotte world [ :D Twice! And the Gyro drop]
13. Got an awesome new anna who actually keeps snickers ready for me ALL the time!
14. Learnt a new language decently (before I dropped it)
15. I went from completely clued in to clueless to just calm

The Lessons Learnt

This is an interesting category... anything can be a lesson learnt. Any good experience or bad.:) However, here goes

1. It pays to be calm
2. It pays to be straightforward
3. Patience can be learnt. And I might have just learnt to practice it a little bit!
4. Love involves a lot of adjusting, hurts like crazy sometimes, and you have to know when to take the call on whether something is not worth it, or worth fighting for - not always an easy rational choice
5. Some relationships are too high maintenance, and as we grow older, we realize that they are sometimes not required
6. People change- big time. Its funny how strongly that realization hits every time.
7. Old love can be rekindled into love or friendship, it all depends on you
8. Travelling rocks. Nothing NOTHING like travelling alone, exploring new places, and trying to figure out a country or place's culture based on their history and trying to connect the dots, and just being there, soaking it all in
9. Politics is, unfortunately, an essential part of South Indian companies
10. It is always safer to keep the personal life - professional divide
11. Sometimes, the lines fade, you might get to have strong new bonds, but one should be ready for messy after effects in case the relationship goes sour
12. Being happy is a choice
13. When I stop nagging, my dad nags
14. Money can buy happiness sometimes. To an extent, but it can.
15. Supporting the parents financially gives an amazing sense of accomplishment, in the best possible way
16. Sisters are such marvellous confidantes!
17. Family matters.
18. Friends do too.
19. If he does not fight for you, he doesn't deserve you.
20. Alcohol helps :P Dancing helps more!
21. Rumours are bloody vicious. But castles inside the head are sometimes more harmful.
22. Food is the best. Shopping is a close second.
23. I am difficult to shop for. Just take me shopping in stead :P
24. A job well loved can become just a source of money before you know it
25. I am more like my dad than I ever knew before! ;)

These things I learnt (sometimes, re learnt) in my 25th year. Valuable lessons indeed.

And there it is...the lot of it ...maybe not much of it, or too much of it.

26th ...I wonder what it will bring.

Yours, 

Still,

Imaginative Realist