Tuesday, January 4, 2011

My New Year Post

We're on the 4th day of 2011 (already!!!)

The year got off to a wrong start - my laptop stopped working and I've come back to so much work after my mini new year break that posting from office has been difficult. And I can see a hell lot of work coming my way this year, so my posts may be few & far between. But this is the place I come to retain my sanity, to push all the hassles of life outside my mind for some time, so I'll make sure I blog as much as I can.

How did you bring in the new year? I brought it in in a way that I think makes me old but people in my age group (30-45 years!!!!!) think is a wise thing to do on New Years' Eve - stay home surrounded by people you love.

Really, I stopped partying on New Years' Eve many years ago. What's so attractive about over-crowded parties, headache-inducing traffic jams that ensure you wish each other Happy New Year! in the car itself never mind the fat cash you paid for entry to the 'it' party in town, and massive holes in the pocket? I'll keep that cash to buy myself a new bag & shoes, and save myself that headache that would come in the way of some rocking sex later on in the night, thank you! (Just so we make sure that we get enough bags and shoes and rocking sex during the rest of the year, you see :)

I've decided not to do the introspecting-retrospecting-stock taking shit this year. Maybe the 30th year has finally brought me some wisdom! But mostly because there's nothing to take stock of...HA HA!

I casually checked my post from a year ago - my new year resolution post for 2010 - and what I realized was past shocking. It was comical. The 7kg weight loss that was supposed to happen has turned into a 5kg weight gain, fitness levels are abysmally low, spending habits have gone from bad to worse, and investments are way below the levels they should've been at.

So I've decided I'm going to be conservative in my resolutions for 2011. Here's what I plan to do - and hopefully will be successful in doing - in this brand new, shiny, new year (grammar freaks please excuse):
  1. I'll stop fretting over losing weight and will instead focus on overall fitness. That means I'll eat healthy, eat 5-6 small meals every day and work out as frequently as I can. Which should do the job. Isn't that the approach that glamazons like Bipasha Basu, Kareena Kapoor and their multi-millionairess fitness consultants advise? If that doesn't work I'll try yoga, power yoga, artistic yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, Thai kick boxing, kettle bell, circuit training, resistance training, calisthenics...there are plenty of options out there. And if I die while I scurry around like a headless chicken doing all of the above, I'll know whose dreams to haunt. Those glamazons'. And no Mr Reebok, I don't want your Rs 8000 ass-tone shoes.
  2. I'll cut down on my expenses (swear to those luscious Aldo shoes I saw the other day, I will) and increase my savings. Mango & Promod will continue to exist without my charity. I'll make a budget every month and stick to it. I do not need new clothes every week. I do not need to eat out every other day. I have enough bags & shoes. I do not need to build a stockpile of imported shampoos & body washes in my bathroom. I do not need to stock up on imported sauces that cost the GDP of a small country and lie unused in my fridge till even the fungii refuse to colonize them. I do not need to randomly buy people gifts b/c no one buys me any gifts anyway :(
  3. I'll get over my fear of driving and learn to bloody drive!!!!!
  4. I'll go on 2 long vacations during the year. And at least one mini vacation. I'm reclaiming my life.
  5. I'll spend more time with my parents.
That's it - short & sweet.

I tried to find a word that I can use to most aptly define the year gone by, for me. The only word I could come up with was 'MEH'. That's what 2010 was for me - meh. It was a year of status quo, personally and professionally.

The prognosis for 2011 looks bleak - an impending relocation, bigger job responsibilities, and emotional challenges that are going to be difficult to overcome. But I'm determined to sail through - by taking one day at a time, by not worrying about things that are beyond my control, by focusing on my goals for the year and blinding myself to everything else. 'Coz I've got to see you on the other side of 2011, yo.

A very Happy New Year to you :)

6 comments:

Ru. said...

wow this is such a wise and nice resolution set. You sound like me :) thats my way of claiming some wisdom for me you see ;) but no frankly I think after a point of time, the party-shopping-eating out part can wait a bit, there are other important things in life like parents, health and peace of mind...and you seem have them all in ur list. Great! I wish you be very succesful in achieving it.

Moonshine said...

@Scarlett Even without laptop, you are back!!!!!!!I am happy :)

Your vacation plan is the best!!! You MUST ensure you do!!!!

bricks said...

Happy new year 2011.
May your post for the year 2012 start with all of these resolutions on the list of been-there-done-that.
May you find a better word than 'meh' in 2011.

Kalyan Karmakar said...

Scarlett, you and I have almost read and commented on each and every post of ours since we started reading our blogs.

I always make it a point to read your posts when they appear on reader. Even if they have the odd sentence, like in this post, which makes me blush. So keep writing through the year and thanks for making such a broad age band which covers both of us. Which is fairly unique though Moonshine would be part of the clique too

I don't know if the new year will be any better or worse than the last by I do hope that you keep writing through it

Scarlett said...

@Melee - Thanks Melee! Fingers crossed. Happy New Year to you & yours :)

@Moonshine - Look who's talking! You're working till 10 every night inspite of pledging that you won't :P

@Bricks - 2011 doesn't look that great either :( I'm waiting for 2012!! :D

@Knife - You're so propah! One of the reasons I put in an odd line here & there in my posts (you know which line I'm talking about) is b/c I want you to get de-sensitized to it & stop blushing...LOL! So get over it already :D

The broad age band is courtesy a satisfaction form I filled out at a restaurant recently. It killed me to check the 30-45 year bracket :(

And thanks for hanging in there and reading my posts regularly even though I embarass you sometimes. I enjoy reading your posts just as much. Happy New Year!

Kalyan Karmakar said...

@Scarlett: do you think you will ever really succeed? :)