Oh-nine - A guest post from Sridhar

my fine friends:

It's that time again - resolutions, wishes, dreams, wants, desires, to do lists, not to do lists - time to renew them all and perhaps for a few lucky ones, life goes on as usual.

As we enter the final year of oh-oh decade, the millennium bug seems so far away and yet, it seems like the last 9 years have made the world stand rather still in terms of any major improvements or lack there-of. In some ways, we probably slid back in time with a rash of violence and vengeance filled acts. Wars, oil prices, more terror, more people employed in the trade that we call "security" than every before.

Let us hope that we see some unexpected positive changes happen in oh-nine to help make this decade a memorable one.

It was a year, where my 4 year old daughter was confused how a Turkey can be a bird, yet a country. Can't blame her, I am still confused about the right adapter plug to take with me when I travel, after traveling for a good 15 years around the world. Strange, yet so alluring, so exciting to get on a plane and not knowing how the far away destination would sound, smell and look. As some would say the world is flat, yet the far end of the table has a different coat of varnish.

A year of Phelps, a year of tragedy in Mumbai, a year where most of the streets seem to develop potholes, none worse than the street named Wall, a year of defeats for the Aussies, a wonderful year for SCCC and oh yes, a year of Oh-bama welcoming Oh-nine from the White House.

A year gone, one that I would remember for the heavenly smiley (see attached) and the first time my daughter was able to draw a smiley, a year that had her spell her name for the first time.

and then I remember and remind you of my favorite quote:

"Nothing meaningful has ever been accomplished without irrational
exuberance".

Don't resist that sudden inner urge every once in a while, learn a new sport, take your family to a far away place, try and recapture at least one moment that made you feel like a million bucks.

Put things in perspective and let us not take things for granted. When you see, think of the blind, when you walk, think of the lame, when you have a choice to make, think of the many who do not get one basic meal - let us not waste and spend away our privileges and don't forget to celebrate every day (or maybe once a week) with at least one kind selfless gesture. The world can certainly do with a bunch of these.

Celebrate every moment with your family as if it were the last, for they are the ones who were there last year and will be there for you the next and the next and the next...

Celebrations do not have to wait a year.

Here's to 2009, and to good things for you and yours. Happy oh-nine!

Cheers,

Sridhar


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