Another year, nothing more, nothing less...

As I stared into the midnight sky lit with the crackers from New Year's Eve, I couldn't help suppressing a chuckle. People making merry, watching popular actors dance and crack jokes in the idiot box, drinking and passing out in shabby hostels... celebrating is a diverse exercise indeed. What would remain unchanged on the very same day after a year is the desperate attempt to leave the failures of the past year behind and pretend, even if for a few days that everything would be all right in the coming year.

I, for one, belong to a different school. The burden of things that should have been completed in the year gone by weighs me down every time. The oh-so-familiar sensing of mistakes that would be repeated once more scares me. And the sheer boredom of the year ahead tires me even before the year has actually begun. And, just like my all time favourite poet Plath, I too keep wondering then,"is there no way out of the mind?"

Kurta - Colaba Causeway, ripped denims - Jabong(and DIYed by my love Debi), rings and earrings - New Market, silver kolhapuri - Shreeram Arcade, bindi - mom's, lipstick - Wicked by Colorbar

On a more cheerful note, I turned 26 and realised that I quite like the idea of slowly turning into a lonely old lady with an opinion. In order to celebrate ageing, I chose to go ethnic with this kurta I had bought during one of my random Colaba trips and never wore later. With age, the effort associated with accessorising is also proving to be tiresome. Hence, I go minimal on most of the occasions these days. Having no winter here in Mumbai doesn't help the layering lover in me though.

How did you usher in 2016? Lonely and unceremonious like me or grand and blurry?

Looking back at 2013...

So,another year is about to end and I can already hear the b'day bells ringing! But more on that later. First and foremost, as a responsible and self-righteous blogger(and I say it with a straight face), my duty is to produce an ode to 2013 cum a New Year resolution post before it's, well, too late.
                                                                                                                           2013 has been a year of extremes, both good and bad. I gained my first exposure as far as the Corporate life is concerned and if my time in TCS is anything to go by, well, I can't wait to start working(of course you know I have a job now,don't you?)! I fell in love, after years and was fortunate enough to be loved back. I had my heart broken and learnt to live with it, happily. I rediscovered myself, met the person who holds the missing pieces of the puzzle of my life. We have known each other for long but never chose to explore just how much we have in common. But guess life had it planned after all. We met because we had to. He found out his insanity in me, like he says and I found my stability. Since then, he has been there like an angel- blessing me all the time and I've never been lost again. And this miracle led me to believe in a superior power, if not God. I lost a lot of close friends this year, grew distant with the rest but also gained such profound meanings of every relationship that I was hardly in a position to complain. Life has been difficult,full of challenges but seldom have I come out of a crisis so strong! Self-loathing used to be the emotion that defined me. I guess pride is slowly finding its way in.
                                  And now, with the New Year already knocking on my door, I have got to make myself a few promises. I don't believe in any New Year resolutions as such but one needs to be focused while ushering into the New Year. So,this year, I promise to try and fulfill the following-

• After a long time, I have started believing in love, magic and everything else that the Fairy Tales had taught us. Being a cynic might make one feel intellectually superior but optimism takes one farther. So, I choose to believe in all the stupid good things that we thought never really existed and give life a try.
• I haven't been the best daughter all my life. Even though I loved my parents in my own way, I have been an out-and-out rebel. Since I'm getting older now(yes,turning 24 DOES make me feel aged, in a good way), I have started to appreciate everything that my parents have done for me ever since I was born and even though I don't know how long it'd take(given my salary and other constraints),I'd try to make my parents happy in whatever way possible-maybe a small meal or a meaningful conversation...the choices are aplenty.
• I've spent a considerable number of years hating people, feeling miserable and thinking about getting even. But the joy of forgiving is not a cliche. It really makes the sun shine brighter and the birds sing sweeter. I have already forgiven most of the people I had held any grudge against but I'm going to forgive more and let go of all my pain in the process. Everyone is worth loving. Everyone deserves forgiveness.

And now, the usual ones that you'd be able to see coming if you know me a little-

• Read more.
• Shop wisely.
• Wait for love.
• Eat carefully.
• Value the real friends.
• Write less frequently but with more heart.
• Don't miss gym.
• Drink responsibly.
• Discover the small pleasures of life- a Sunday walk, a book finished in Starmark, piping hot momos, ginger tea, curling up inside the blanket, an early morning or late night phone call from the one who matters.
• Learn to avoid regrets.
• Save enough money to enroll for a proper French course.
• And of course, MOST IMPORTANTLY,dance more.

And now, the pictures from the street food adda with my sunshine girls! If you live in Kolkata and haven't been to Jhaal Farezi, let me tell you that it's an absolutely must visit- for the reasonable price, the ambiance, the decor, the courteous staff, the live music and what not! It's absolutely worth the journey to Park Circus and the fact that one can just hang around for hours with a cup of green tea definitely earns brownie points from me. Also, I think I'm going to dedicate an entire post to maxis and how they have made life a lot more fun and lot less stressful for the mankind.

Maxi dress-Sudder Street,heart print shirt,ring-B.K.Market,shoes-Simpark Mall,clutch-borrowed

If there's one thing that I'm good at, that is having a cup of green tea and posing with everyone else's drinks! *Wink*

With my girls Anu and Sayantani

Well, bidding 2013 adieu would undoubtedly be sad but then again, the old has to make way for the new. In other words, how else would my b'day come? *Happy Dance*
So,while I'm busy cutting my cake, all of you have a good New Years' Eve and like I always say, never give up on Fashion. Much love,
                                       Soumi.