love 2018

we happened to meet each other
by chance. per chance.

and we chose each other then.
and we have been choosing each other every single day since then.

for a almost a year long, you have somehow managed to not let go, inspite of me giving you reasons  enough. you made it clear to me, each time I had the slightest of doubt, that 'giving up' is never an option. not because, you can't, but because you wont. because, that never came up as an alternative ever. you were there, even in our fights. strongly standing the ground, letting me rant, letting me obstinate. and sometimes, it was the other way round. but it has always been you, who took the first step - be it you telling to forget, telling me to let go, making up to me, when you were not really around.

and what did I do? well, I, for my part, marvelled at your patience of putting up with me for all these times. and I also got really mad at you one day, and ended up crying the next day while fighting.

and in between and along all of these, I somehow fell in love with you.


and then, I will love you some more.

a very happy valentine's, Love.

p.s. and yes, I look 'happier' with you <3

"Firsts"

hey there
i am pretty much psyched about this entire thing of "firsts". maybe because it ain't the conventional "first" for any one in particular. and yet, it can't be denied the fact that the 'firsts' do exist. and of course, boy, ain't they special.

and i began the year with a First definitely!
the first 'quiet' new year. and the 'first' ever beginning without any wish. even though i was definitely the person who was egging everyone else to make a wish!

so, no resolution for me this year. not because i don't believe in them (nooo.. i believe in them to the extent that breaking them becomes all the more fun! been there done that!) but a new 'venture' of sorts. the write-down of all the firsts, so that, by the time it ends, i can boast of a note pad full of firsts including the last page that will still shot out loud "when was the last time you did something for the first time?"
nevertheless, this calls for a certain huge plethora of patience. and i might go beg borrow steal (certain V, the Man, M are definitely gonna be the sure shot victims). but something, however mundane this might be, but it all might just be worth it at the end.

January '17

1. first day of quietness, first meet of the year with Vikas, first conversation with M for the year.
2. first day of showing the 'elusive shoulder' and being super proud about it.
3.    
4.   
5.  
6. first annual office party, first dance with the Bosses, first dance with Heels on, and a drink and not a drop spilled for the entire night
7. first heels hangover 
8. first book read #Neverwhere
9.  
10. M calls!
11.  
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13.  
14.  
15.  
16.  
17.  
18.  
19. first visit of the crazy bunch for the Year with goodies. the "New" year begins! with the first 'Gur wali chai'. 
20. first beer of the year with the Man at the place! 
21. beer + bread + beer + fish + beer + pizza + beer + mishti doi + coffee + grapes + single malt + chicken + mishti doi + grapes.
22. first motorshuti'r kochuri+kosha mangsho of the year.
23. #NeverSettle
24. first good-bye :/
25. Shippie tells me he's getting married!
26. first penguin read #G
27. catching up on Narcos, S02E09
28. first record of a song and first chicken cooked of the year! *celebrate* 
29. "Roger" that! oh! and acing the "Formality::101" class! *hee-haw*
30. first all-nighter at work. *deja vu* 
31. Ceejay! after ages. and first for the year.

that was the month that flew by!

February '17

1. first sari wear of the year + first selfie post😂
2. complementary newspaper(s) along with the regular copy!
3. first trip with the work crew ~ missed.
4.  
5. Promised a story by V, got the story as promised by V! 😍
6. first trip to the East✈️
7. New brush, coffee being served, Bhetki and Ilish and birthday gift :) 
8. Egg-jam, followed by Maal🥃🍻👯
9. PeterCat, Chello kabab and Prinsep Ghat::day out with the Man🍜 
10. Breakfast at Flurys 🍳 with zoo to be followed! 
11. Roopchanda -  and that be the fish🐟
12. Captured the garden🍅🍋🥀🌺 and organic farming comes home to the west, all the way from the far flung east! 🍈
13. First day back at work after the chhutti
14. Ek Madhav Baug🎭
15. Began with roses with a note waiting for me in the morning and ended with chocolates🌹🍫
16. Mamma k sath raat ko soya😇
17. japs regulators visit and the family day getting canned
18. FabIndia visit finally and a disappointment 🦍
19. Secrets spilled and how! Evening soiree with the Man and the Brother🥃
20. Ride in Manager's new car  🚗
21. Empty streets and train 🛣️
22. Dinner invitation with the MD :)
23. Video board meeting and a vegetarian dinner with the MD🥗
24. Ceejay House empty and me and Naushad being the ghosts 👻
25. The Girl comes to town. first meet of the year, first photu together, first "date" along the sea🌉
26. first lazy Sunday with her, shoe shopping, beer-ing and night stroll by the sea!👭
27. Monday dinner date :) 👛💄
28. The girl says ciao😕

March '17 

1. first day and first fight with the friend 📵
2. first birthday meet🎂
3. first set of meetings down📋
4. first sports day. and the love for the Brand.🏆
5. signed up for a weekend hike! crazy streak combined with the delirium state! 🤞
6. the Brit took a census of the people coming in on Holi!☝️
7. the India CEO becomes the AEJ CEO! felt proud while shaking hands with the man in Pink tie.🤘
8. lunch with the ex-Country Head and current AEJ Head! #WomensDay special :)👑
9. 
   
10. RBI inspection::successfully seeing it through!  📝🗒️📄📂
11. slept for 24-hours! 😴
12. Alternating between sleeping and not sleeping 😴😶😴
13. Working Holi and heart-to-heart with the MD. First, and how! 🎆
14. Sexy bhoot being the topic of the day💃
15. The Brit has something good to say 😋
16. First steps towards materialisation of the Pondi trip🏝️ 
17. Fitting on the face retort to a religious fanatic and Late evening office gappe with Chaitanya👥 
18. 
    
19. Paratha🌯 and Shoe shopping 👠
20. First part lead in the pre board, and finalizing board agenda by myself! 📜
21.  
22.   
23. Transfer to the 'Legal' 😎
24. missed the dinner date with the bunch at Dishkiyaoon 😖
25. Directors checking out whatsapp status :P 🤓
26. favourite shoes at half prices! yayyie!👠👠
27. new greys at work. 👠
28. Gudi Padwa and dinner🎎
29. such a peaceful day (read: no emails) inspite of all business working!🗂️
30. chicken pasta from the cafeteria🍝
31. night trek - Gerbett Plateau to Matheran via Bhivpuri Lake🌌

April'17

1. reached home from the trek at 1100 hrs slept from 1230 hrs till 0615 hrs the next day!😴😴
2. dealing with the aftereffects of the trek😶
3. narrowly missing the Boss's thrashing😌
4. twinning with the shoes 👠and chocolates (the fav sort) from the Man!🍫
5. when the manager and the Bong guy deliberate over "pink" and "baby pink"👔
6. atheist discussions with the big boss.💭
7. Saurabh Shukla's play at Prithvi🎭
8. HIMYM marathon🖥️
9. Neel ka budday🎉🎊
10. perfectly scripted minutes - says the stakeholder📝
11. folks come home :)👨‍👩‍👧
12. family being trip-y. bags are packed! 🎒
13. T2, followed by Chennai Airport.. And then road trip to Pondi🚗, aurobindo ashram, pondy beach, LeCafe🥛🍰, french consulate🇫🇷 and the yellow walls🏠
14. paradise beach🏖️, botanical garden🌳, train ride🚎, new sari, home made cookies 🍪
15. #ShubhoNaboBarsho, Auroville and the lunch buffet that featured every animal! 🍲
16. road trip to Mahabalipuram.🛣️
17. Pondi hungover😕
18. got asked out for the Beiber concert by the MD🤣
19. increment 🤑💸 and surprise anonymous delivery from Shiro at Ceejay for me! only thing, i happened to be in powai.
20. Boss checks out at 6!🕕
21. Mini picnic at work with truck loads of food🍲
22. First meeting with what seemed a not-so-blah'd prospect and a mini bookathon after ages📚
23. Lapi crashed🖥️
24. Lazy
25. 
    
26. Bong lunch at work! 🍛
27. Red eye✈️
28. Bruno🐹😍, mangoes and date with the Girl over long drive and golas🍧.. And of course, Laali🚗😍
29. Gossips with coffee and drive with the man😍, buttercupp date🍰, amdavad ki gufa, night drive and smokey affair at natrani's🍔👭
30. Fancy lunch🐟🥗🍲, A bagpack🎒, and desserts 🍰🍧🍨

May'17

1. Back to base
2. Echor for tiffin🍐😋
3. That immensely satisfying feel of cooking a proper meal from scratch after returning home from work after a long and tiring day. Fed and happy! 🥗🍚🍲
4. Secretarial Audit begins📝
5. Amras lunch at work🍹
6. Harry's with V and ride on his bike🍻🏍️
7. Blind date which wasn't half bad and random meet with 'Langur' after 7 years! 😳🙆‍♀️
8. Bleh Monday 
9. Leaving early Tuesday 
10. Powai after ages, comp day, promotions and celebrations 🎉
11. Date night at Shiro :) 👫
12. Flight to goa delayed🙇‍♀️
13. Bleh Saturday 🤷‍♀️
14. Caught red handed over smokes! 🙈
15. Marathon Monday 🙅‍♀️
16. The eve before the day
17. First set of meetings down.. And coffee date 👫
18. Meeting deadlines kinda Thursday.. Almost pulling a late night! 🙆‍♀️
19. Goa baby! Champagne toast🥂🍾 and house party at Leon's 🎉🎆🎊🎶followed by after party scenes at Mambo's💃💖🍻
20. Goa, day 2.. Champagne before lunch🥂, lunch at Calamari's🥘🍤🍣🍗🍖🍛🍹🍸🍻 and Saturday night live at Thalassa! 🎊💃👫💖🍻
21. Early morning flight back to base and horizontal the whole day🛬😔😴
22. Hello Monday! With a post Goa hangover 😵
23. Peaceful Tuesday🙏
24. Bleh day.. Acting as Naushad's counselor🙍‍♀️🙎‍♀️
25. BM with the firang done. Gearing up for the show tomorrow 📄
26. Second set of meetings down! And Naushad runs away at 5.30!📁🙆‍♀️
27. If my house could speak, today I'd have been listening to a long story of neglect.. Damn the week.. Catching up with the house day..🙆‍♀️ 
28. Movie date! Pirates :) 🎬👫 and then some monkeying around at the Monkey Bar🙊😂 and successfully waving off the service charge 😉😇
29. Bleh monday
30. Beer and karaoke💗🎤🍻
31. Waking up voiceless and then being a crow throughout the day

June'17

1. First rains! #HelloJune🌧️
2. Running out at 5.30pm on the Friday 💃
3. Saturday office, made good by the afterwards lunch date😊👫.. Drive through the better part of the city, coffee and aimlessly roaming about in the mall.. Saturday well spent 😊😇 gave him #S to read🙆‍♀️
4. Lazy Sunday 
5. Monday blehs
6. Bebinca🥞
7. When the 23rd meetings get rescheduled 😋 followed by the evening date over pizza and coffee when he comes to your side of the town😇🍕☕
8. Ice cream treat by the Boss! 🍦
9. Iftaar at Mohammed Ali Road🍖🥘🍗🍲🍢🍧
10. Linking PAN with the Aadhar.. Being an adult😏
11. Hamster Comedy Open Mic 14🎙️
12. Inaugerating the new chhata🌂
13. Munching on Hide and Seek
14. Certain first time plans😙
15. Gheraoing Naushad 🙅‍♀️
16. Finger casualty 😥
17. Trip-y traveler to the East, yet again! ✈️
18. Mango harvest 🌳
19. lapi comes back to life! oh, yeah and the sad exams :/
20. Fly back 🛬
21. The Brit knows and Hersheys and Amazon make the day🍫📦
22. 100 likes on an Insta post! 🎇
23. birthday with Him, with the cake, the single malt and the first kiss! 🥃💏🎂
24. Saturday movie marathon and his birthday gift👗🎬🎥
25. reunion with them guys!👫👬
26. Deadline met somewhat peacefully 🗓️
27. He goes to Nepal✈️
28. Voiceless😷
29. Voice back, unabashedly asking for Eid treat and conversation from Nepal. 📲
30. Welcome back dinner at home. 🍛

July'17

1. Lazy Saturday lavish lunch at Global Fusion 🍣🍥
2. Sunday cookathon and revelations. 👥
3. Meeting Rachana randomly wandering in the hiranandani lanes👭
4. 
   
5. 
   
6. 
   
7. Super irritated with the brit. 🤦‍♀️
8. Go karting🏁 followed by unlimited sangria 🍷🍷dinner date at Grandmama's Cafe💑
9. Recovery after basketball 😔
10. Mundane Monday 😏😪
11. Mid week movie date💑🎦🎬
12. Cranky night 🤦‍♀️
13. Cranky day for him and Maharashtrian food for lunch 🥘🍱😋
14. Fly home🛫🏡
15. Shopping 👖👚
16. Roger that! #Federer🎾🏆
17. Terrible Monday blues made bluer by horrible rains🙇‍♀️🤦‍♀️
18. Sick🤢🤒
19. Peaceful Wednesday 
20. Thursday with Wanda📸
21. Meh Friday 😑
22. Office and cleaning up shit at work 🗑️🗂️📂and taking a rain check on the date🤷‍♀️
23. Early morning movie, 🎬birthday shopping for Bulla,🛍️ lunch,🍛 followed by the movie date💏
24. Mondays 😑
25. Sweet cravings satisfied.. Happy budday joys.. India CAO budday no 50🎂
26. Belated birthday cake at work 🎂
27. Pizza treat as lunch at work 🍕
28. Paul's goodbye! #Farewell 🍷🍲
29. Stressful conversations which involves the dates😰🙇‍♀️
30. #MannKiBaat📣 
31. Much needed clarification.. Dates stress😰

August'17

1. The Mondays 😲
2. Pranzi sheesha with Ram👫
3. Founder's day at Nomura 🎎
4. Work from Vashi 😕
5. Random Saturday turns out not-so-random - human development training session with Bhabhiji😀😊😇
6. New beginnings on Friendship Day! 💑
7. 🤒
8. Fight😥😩😭🙎‍♀️
9. 🤒🙎‍♀️
10. Proud rainbow owner! 🌈
11. Home made Biriyani night! 🥘
12. Seeing him off, as he flies away 😘
13. Talking with the MIL😱🙈
14. Horrendous Monday 😠
15. Welcome off on Tuesday.. Some good of being independent 🇮🇳
16. Blah'd Wednesday 😏
17. Samosa binge day! 🍔
18. Conversation abt the private pool stay😉🏡🏊‍♂️
19. Annabelle creation! 🎬
20. Rainy day🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️
21. The day i plot revenge against someone i thought was genuinely nice. Because, as they say, whatever goes around always comes around!
22. Gossips with the GF 👥 and making the revenge feel evident in the undertow 😈 
23. Peace 😇
24. Ganpati comes home😇
25. Forced Veggie food for lunch, stranded at the airport, airport shopping, both actual and window, and finally the flight taking off and reaching home 🛫
26. The 'date' conversation 📆
27. Fly back🛬
28. Ganpati at Bulla's🌸🎊
29. Rain deluge🌧️☔🌧️
30. Forced stay at home 😡
31. Dinner date forfeited.. Damn the visarjan. 3 weeks no see😕😭🙇‍♀️

September '17

1. Goat-y conversation Friday 🐐
2. Pulling the curtains on the three weeks' separation.. Saturday night🥂💑 and night out with his friend as well! 
3. Sunday movie date🎬 Bandra seven G's :) 
4. Almost gagged ride back home😷🤢😷
5. The mega visarjan shenanigans🎆🎋
6. #Hedwig pays a visit🦉😇
7. On-her-face snubbing! 😔
8. Charmed stranger, fellow cab rider and a lollipop to celebrate his friend's birthday! 🍭
9. Road trip with Janeman to Sula! 🚗🛣️🍷
10. Wine tasting and the 'date'-d conversation 🍾
11. FB tells me that it has been a while since I have updated my dp😂
12. The meet followed by the celebratory dinner🍣🍝"Congratulations to Us!" 😘💑👫
13. Waking up to thunderstorm 🌩️⛈️😰😨
14. Free share in a fancy lunch.. Entertainment on a much needed Thursday 🌯
15. Twining with four on the floor! 😂🙆‍♀️
16. The boyfriend follows your instructions and cooks up a storm! Absolute drool scene! 🍜😍😋
17. Home-cooked 'maangsho bhaat' for lunch and then the evening play date with the boy! A perfect Bong Sunday 🍜😋😘💑👫🎭
18. The Mondays 
19. Sari in Ceejay! #Mahalaya and the long distance  drunk BF 😉😘
20. The gf gets to know! :😊👭
21. High tea with the US-Jap and a night full of bitching session :👨‍👨‍👧‍👧💁‍♀️🗨️💁‍♂️
22. Green sari at work 😜
23. First pujo plans💑
24. Pandal hopping, dhaaki nach 👫
25. Debanjali, Doolaly and adda👭🍻
26. Pujo date with Him.. Shoshthi at Tejpal💠👫
27. Mamma pops home 😄👨‍👩‍👧
28. The first official meeting! #Ashtami👫🥂
29. Singapore! 🇸🇬 and girls night out 🍸👯‍♀️
30. Jurong Bird Park 🦅🐧followed by authentic Chinese dinner with dimsums. 🍙

October '17

1. Universal Studios! 🎢
2. The zoo day :) 🐨🦁🐯
3. Madam Tussaud's, Trick Eye Museum, S.E.A Aquarium and meet up Tanu didi and Mohit Bhaiya :) 😍
4. Science centre and Mustafa! 🎁
5. Feeding fish 🐟, Ikea, Swedish lunch, the single lens camera 📸 Singaporean local food🍲
6. Cycling along the beach🚲
7. Sting ray for lunch 🍴
8. Called "home" :) "Shubho Bijoya" with the FIL and the MIL! 😊
9. Monday off! 😁
10. Comfortable Tuesday ☺️
11. Gloria goes to work! 😜
12. Talking abt dressers and mirrors 🗨️💭😝
13. Dress up at work for pre Diwali 🎆
14. The first match! #LiverpoolVsManU⚽
15. 150 hits for the video! *just dance!*💃
16. Fishy lunch! 🐟
17. Diwali lunch at ceejay 🎆
18. Pops budday! 
19. Registered for marathon 🏃‍♀️
20. Chhotu ki shaadi ka dare😈👾
21. Bhai phota 😘
22. Dot painting class notice and lazy Sunday conversations 
23. Enrollment to the  dot painting class
24. When you leave at 4.30!
25. Donate the clothes and shoes 👚👟👠🛍️
26. . 
27. When the folks become excessively possessive abt some stupid gamcha 🤦‍♀️
28. He meets Ram and a 'date-night' squeezed in 🍷
29. Dot art🎨, fancy lippy present 💄and happy Halloween date👻
30. The good morning goodbye kiss😙
31. Becomes his emergency contact 👩

November '17

1. People go shopping for the Day! 🛍️
2. PJ! Early in the morning 😡 and maggi🍜
3. Presentation done well! 🗂️
4. He comes home, to home cooked dinner finally! 💏
5. Celebrating 'khichdi'🥘
6. Easy Monday, with marathon phone calls with mamma 📲
7. Rocking the boyfriend's sense of fashion! 👗💫
8. Discovering the sweet surprise in the fridge🍫
9. Staring, gaping, ogling at a pretty face #FlirtyMuch😆
10. Fly home 🛫
11. When the bf makes it public with the photo 👩‍❤️‍👨 followed by Shaadi shopping with folks🛍️
12. Fixing the photographer and evening soiree with Krishna kakima, Tapan kaku and dida😍
13. Flying back 'home' 🛬
14. Children's Day! 🎆🎉🎊🎈
15. Dinner date foresaken😑
16. Organizing member for the dept trip 👩‍🏫
17. Road trip to Lonavala 🚗🏡
18. No hangover after night long drinking 😎🍾
19. Debanjali, Bong lunch, Jameson and Him🍛🥃💑
20. No hangover Monday 😎
21. Drove to Ceejay! And back! 🚗
22. 
    
23. Bira comes home 🍻🍻
24. Up all night talking 🗨️❤️💑
25. No movement Saturday 
26. Coco with V! 🎬
27. Strategising with the lizard with the space on the wall 🦎
28. Real life Harry Potter and Janice! 
29. Double birthday celebrations and double birthday cakes
30. Team gets to know! *blush

December '17

1. To the east, first of a kind 🛫
2. Bride shopping followed by the first meet with the 'family' 👫👨‍👩‍👦‍👦
3. Super moon🌝
4. December rains 
5. Cyclone Ockhi 🌪️
6. New member👩‍⚖️
7. Brit's townhall at work👩‍💻
8. Relatively Chilled out Friday 😊
9. Tending to the injured bf🤕
10. Conversation with the kid sister 🤓👭 and Eternity Now 😍 👑💄
11. Bf gets the ankle plastered and calling dibs on the white canvas👩‍🎨
12. 
    
13. Scouting for the birthday present and drive to the mall🧦
14. Birthday presents 😍 for Him! 
15. Plans for the birthday eve! 💬
16. The Birthday! With Him 😘👩‍❤️‍👨❤️🎂
17. A. R. Rahman concert with Janeman! 🔖
18. Calling in sick for not being sick! 🤭
19. Voiceless 😷
20. Research on sciatica 🔍
21. Mashi 😘
22. Secret Santa 🎅 and Homeward ✈️
23. Road trip to kutch! 🚗
24. Camel ride on the beach 🐪 followed by the drive up the mountain 🚗
25. Christmas tan! 😣😭
26. Home and sleep 😴
27. When Ram dashes the dance lesson plans😏
28. Passport office revisited and success! 
29. Last working day of the year and PPM filled for the week on Friday! 📋
30. Renewed passport, police verification and heart to heart with Him. Oh how I miss him! 
31. MIL calls! And Jumanji with Sounak. 🎬

Calling it a year. It was nice and nicer for most parts. There were fights and making ups, for the not so most parts.
There was love and laughter,  promises made and moments shared, anticipation, butterflies, apprehensions and bear hugs.

A year of a lot of firsts.

And the last one for the year!
Ciao!

P. S. when was the last time you did something for the first time? 😉