Happy New Year!

Today, I'm posting about my rather eventful (Or, should I say, uneventful, Vaish?) New Year and the resolutions that I (sorry, we - Vaishali, Vichitra and me) thought out for me.

So, it all began with a fateful phone call on 31st night. Vaishali, my friend who does not know why a phone exists, and does not use hers much, actually called me and wished for New Years'. Needless to say, I was surprised, but there was yet another shocker. She actually planned for lunch the following day which'd be the 1st of January, 2008 (I mean, what a momentous day, a lunch planned by Vaishali!) So, without any qualms (actually, before she changed her mind!), I said yes, and was all excited for the lunch date. Of course, she called up the third one of the trio (Err..Vaishali, Vichitra and me) also for lunch. Only she forgot to confirm it with her after I said yes to it. Like, for instance, did not tell the time we were going to meet. The next day dawned at 12 noon for me, and I rushed to be on time for our lunch date since Vaishali had promised to come on time this time (Oh, her New Year resolution, unwritten for the last few years, but written this time around is to be punctual). She doesn't try, even, let alone be). I reach the place which was an untried before Chinese restaurant close to home (closer to Vaishali's place, though) and waited for a good one hour. Of course, on New Years' day, if none of you got replies to your New Year messages (Okay, I do NOT message or scrap all the 3 lakh people I know coz I said hi to you once, so I will politely reply if you message ONLY), its because of crappy Vodafone (a new, rantful (!) post about that, later). I was stuck without a phone waiting for two of my closest friends on New Years' day in the hot sun for 40 mins and the rest of the 20 mins inside the restaurant with people staring at me staring at their food and lest I forget their company! Finally, I lost it and went home and called up my friends only to find out from Vichitra that the lunch plans weren't confirmed and I tried Vaishali (Note, I say, 'tried,' coz calling Vaish is like calling a Call Center - either it is unavailable, or engaged or she does not pick up!) and she picked up! Wonder of wonders! And all she had to say was "arre Nandu, I've already 'set out' ya! How can you not come?" (Please note the use of 'setting out' at 2.30 PM) Finally, we 'set out' and ate not-so-great food at an outrageously expensive place surrounded by people who looked highly snobbish, and next to a woman who gave me a look over thanks to my almost torn jeans and Osho Chappals (WTF, I say!) As I continued to look like I save the world, and she does not, and quickly polished off the not-so-great food from my plate (Oh, did I tell you that I had not drunk even water when I ran out for the lunch date, while Vaish, who picks on her food ALWAYS had eaten Poori-Bhaji for breakfast?). So, Vichitra joined us for coffee finally, and we wrote out our resolutions. Here is how I let others change my life, and prepare for an 'exciting' time ahead :)

Oh, oh, the resolutions are in BOLD, while they are 'quantified' (thank you, Vaish) in regular font with specifics. And mebbe, some comments in parenthesis :P

1. Lose weight by 20 kgs (This has been an always there on the list, and always on the top! One more time its on the top, I will have to make my second resolution as " Visit Cardiologist for a checkup atleast once a week)

2. Save money - Atleast $20 a day (Note the use of dollars :P)

3. Do not panic - Count 10 before saying OR doing anything

4. Think positive - Say/think one positive thing about people/things happening in your life and document it on blog once a week

5. Take more care of self - Get eyebrows shaped regularly (I was looking like Krur Singh on New Years' Day and still do, for that matter!)
- Apply lotion everyday (Remember that ad where the mean evil 7 year old boy runs a truck on the 6 year old girl's hands? I’m soon going to turn 25.)
- Use conditioner every time after shampooing hair (This is pure laziness, methinks!)
- Oil hair every time before washing hair (Again, washing hair for me is impulsive decision)

(Note how everything is all dependent on appearance. My attitude has changed ;) thanks to Vaishali and Vichitra)

6. Be more organized and less messy - Clean cupboard once a week (I did not have clean, ironed clothes for Christmas)
- Dust/Sweep/Mop home everyday (Another way to lose weight. But really, can you see me with a broom?)

7. Read at least one book a week (Now, since I've lost this habit, and getting married to one who does not read much, I should brush up on reading, I thought)

8. Volunteer once a week (Of course, I have to identify the cause and put in time and energy, but right now, once a week to quell my guilt of not doing anything for 24 years now).

9. Do not miss an appointment with the psychiatrist, and the next time, try not to blow a raspberry at him (Vaishali and Vichitra's suggestion for a resolution, and ya, the 'him' was their idea too)

10. Fall and trip over my own foot less (Okay, this does not mean I can trip over others or others' foot!)

11. Do at least one daring thing (!) once a month - Buy a dress that I never thought I'd wear and wear it. (Of course, I cannot state examples that Vaishali and Vichitra thought of)
- Go hiking
- Send flowers to my husband (Sigh)

12. Do not freak out when AB sends gifts (another of Vaishali and Vichitra's suggestions)

13. Do not think of everything in terms of victories and defeats in the next phase of life (Hmm...)

14. Be more patient when shopping with others (: read AB. Again, another of Vichitra and Vaishali's brilliant ideas to make me and my life better)

15. Learn a new language (This, when I'm sitting jobless waiting for a work permit in the USA)

16. Be less clumsy (Suggested in a chorus by Vaishali and Vichitra when I spilled my Ice tea all over the table)

17. Stay in touch with people I really love, and also with a lot of others I'm going to be away from (I promise, I will do this, all ya guys!)

I'm determined to keep these. Err, well, maybe not 9,10, 12, 14 and 16 and I'm still thinking of 13
(Oh whatte number for what a resolution :P) BTW, we all signed on each other's papers containing the resolutions, making me all the more determined to keep these!