Yet another year comes to an end

Hmm, so the countdown for the end of another year comes to an end. It feels like just yesterday when the year started and we are already seeing it come to an end...my year started like any other year...at home...with family...and dis year is going to b no different...
January 2008 was the turning point of my life...its going to one year since i went to Vidarbha as part of covering deprivation...but even today the images of the villages..villagers...poverty...haunt me...where life is about surviving each day.... Kishore Tiwari...Vijay Jawandia..these people continue to fight..fight to uplift the farmers......even today Kishore Tiwari continues to maintain a 'Suicide Diary'; a few thousand more farmers killed themselves this year too in parts of Vidarbha, Andhra etc... Nothing much has changed...the life of human beings in our country is worth zilt.
No One cares. One wonders where the so called NDTVs and CNN IBNs of this country were when farmers were on a suicide mission..except for making 'documentaries' which capture the 'poverty' of our country, hardly do u hear any channels or even papers for that matter discuss about the agriculture policy of this country. .. Doesn't NDTV think 'Enough is Enough' when it comes to the poor dying? guess not. Coz they don't watch NDTV right? So, a few thousand poor people die..who cares? The trp ratings don come down coz of those deaths right?
This year was also marked with unprecedented violence across the country..blast after blast..the psyche of the people was affected...however that too saw a gradual change from initial fear to a sense of detachment and acceptance that nothing much can be done and terror attacks can;t really be avoided..den November 26 happened..Mumbai got attacked..and the city's already stretched spirit snapped..while media went on a rampage covering the attacks...many crucial questions too were raised on the changing role of the media from a fourth estate to a corporate set up that needs to be regulated... from freedom of expression to the need for curbing this over-expression... 2008 has been the year when media truly touched a new low in India- whether it be the Aarushi murder coverage (which incidentally has been forgotten) to the Mumbai attack coverage.. the year has been a traumatic experience for the viewer, with many wishing for the days of DD news coverage to be back....
From a life changing trip to vidarbha..to mad rush to complete a dissertation in March 2008 to placements in April..to the convocation ceremony in May....this year has been quite an 'eventful' year for me...May 22- I saw Rakesh after 1o whole months..and boy was i happy! :) June was my training at The Hindu...June 2 to December 31- I have completed a few months at Hindu..
There have been days when i have been super frustrated at things..to moments of joy when reports and articles were appreciated..but yea the initial thrill of finding my bylines did slowly weear out..Aug 2008 Rakesh went back to US while in October we completed 3 years of togetherness....this year was also marked with our parents getting accustomed to each other...something that we both wanted... Looking back as i recap the year..i c that 2008 has been an year of learning and unlearning for me....story ideas...and six months in the field has left me looking at everything as a possible 'story idea'..and then there are times when i just want to get out of the monotony of reporting city based stories and want to roam around...
Made new friends this year.. like in any year..retained old friends....got in touch with older friends thanks to facebook....saw friends get married....shared the joy of my first cousin delivering a baby girl...while another cousin got married..while some found love..others lost love... forgave old friends...accepted mistakes and asked for forgiveness..bid farewell to other as they left for higher studies....lend shoulders to friends when they needed it...made new friends online...one such friend is Vatsala-Kappa who was my junior at Francis... i have't met her till date..but i feel protective about her..like i would be of a younger sis.. 
Friendship at Workplace: Something that i thought wouldn't happen..considering the vast age difference and professional experience..but yea i did manage to acquaint myself quite many in the office...while i found friends in three.. proving that age difference doesnt really matter as long as the wavelength matches....SKM, Venky and ADK (the only one in my age group) have been really good..from helping me get accustomed to the place to making me feel at home...Venky and i share the same alma mater..our school...SKM is a good human being who just doesnt say No to anyone...and is always there for anyone ready to help...he is truly a 24/7 helpline :) a man with a good heart...and with an equally lovable daughter... ADK has helped me get used to the nuances of working in a city bureau to lending an ear when i wanted to vent....
It's been a good year over all...an year worth remembering for numerous reasons...

One reason why am looking forward for the new year is that 2 people am really close to in this office have promised me that they would quit smoking. And am glad they are for reasons best known to them and me....

Well, here is wishing all of you a Happy New Year 2009. ... :)