Its Been a Year!

My blog is one year old today! <Applause> Last year this day (few hours from now) I had posted my first ever article into cyberspace.  Its definitely an achievement for me because its one of those few things I constantly keep at.  I can tell you about some things I tried my hand at but it was because either I was busy or due to bad luck due to which I failed

Here’s to name a few:

Learning Japanese – I love to learn languages and when I started working 5 years ago it was for a Japanese process.  So I wanted to learn the language.  One of my friend is a freelance Japanese translator and also teaches the language! (Lucky me huh!) So yea She agreed to teach me and said if I study hard I could answer the level 4 exam – There are 4 levels of Japanese  Language Proficiency Test (there are 5 levels now but there were 4 back then).  Level 4 being the lowest and level 1 the toughest.  Things with me is I get really excited and agree to do things when they sound do-able.  My friend lived about 11 stations away from my house (this is not too far if you get on to the Mumbai Local) that is about 25 min by train. So the excited me was all set and attended the class for the first 3-4 weekends.  Japanese is a really interesting language (and I wish I had pursued it) I’m a visual learner and Japanese words are actually drawings that describe the word.  I still remember the word Water – pronounced Mizu in Japanese.  Below is the picture of word in Hira-gana (one of the three scripts used in Japanese writing.  The other two are Kata-kana and Kanji) on the right.  The way my friend explained it is – it looks like a drop of water splash – Indeed doesn’t it? The language is mostly drawings... almost!:P

Mizu  - Water

I guess it was because of her teaching method I still remember the few things I do.  So the question why did I not complete it? I think because I was lazy and partly also because my friend got married and moved to a different city. So that was the end of learning Japanese.

The Violin Affair – I just love the sound of violins and its such a beautiful instrument. I love everything about it! One of my favourite musical ads is of the blender's pride music CDs (the ad where the guy first keeps playing this one tune and towards the end his girlfriend gifts him a violin and learns to play the same tune herself)...ever listened to it? At times like these I wish I could read and write music.

Its a thing of such beauty!

So once upon a time, I enrolled myself in a music class (this was almost 4 years ago I think).  The first day was exciting.  I learnt to play the DoReMi chords :) and dreamed that someday I could attempt to play a Beethoven or Bach (Yeah, I'm a hopeless dreamer :D) . I guess it was the class timing (and me being lazy) did not attend more 6 classes :(  A real shame! Even today I feel guilty because I just gave up.  Now I’m just buzy and work timings are a challenge for this sort of thing. But maybe someday I would go back and learn to play... or if I don't I know I will definitely buy a lovely violin for keepsakes :) (When I have my own place and won't have to worry about space management)

Un Sueño Español (A Spanish Dream) – I was keen to learn Spanish because after Japanese this language seemed a lot easier. For starters they used Roman alphabets. Quiet a few words is Spanish are  similar to few words used in Konkani (my mother tongue), Hindi, Sanskrit and has common words used in Portuguese (I don't know Portuguese or Sanskrit but know a few words from here and there). 

So I joined the class, got the books and was super excited to learn the language in the beginning.  I learnt the alphabet and numbers :) Every day I would find a word that had a similar meaning or sounded similar in some of the other known languages. The reason I gave up was... hmm, now that I’m writing this I realise is because I was lazy.  The class was in between workplace and home - usually this is a good thing. But the problem was I had to take the bus to get to class and the buses in this city.. and that's a whole different story. I had to wait for 25-30 minutes for the bus if you missed one you would have to wait for sooo long! Taking the auto-rickshaw was not a economical option for everyday travel... The wait was killing. So I gave up and wasted a lot of money - guilty again. This was about 3 years ago. I like to say I've learnt from these experiences... and now I don't enroll for any class :P - kidding :) Early this year I signed up to learn to drive and I completed the course and I now have a driver's license :)

I guess if I was really determined I would have been able to achieve all of the above... I remember this quote by Swami Vivekananda – "Arise, Awake and stop not till the goal is reached."  Determination is the key to success... This was years ago and I have learnt few of life’s lessons through the years.  I have learnt that one needs to be relentless if we really want to make things happen. Another quote I'd like to mention is "Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough." (Don't remember who said that).

So yes... completing a year on the blog is a BIG deal for me because its one of those few things I am able to check off the list - not really going to check this one off.. yet!  Looking back and seeing 40 articles in a year, liked and commented on is not too bad I guess ;) It was a a wonderful 1st year of blogging.  Hope the inspiration continues and may my Muse watch over me :) 

I would also like to thank those who read these articles / stories that I post - Thank You! It is knowing, somebody somewhere is reading and appreciating my effort that has sometimes inspired me to write and share :) Please continue commenting, sharing and liking :D Your feedback is very much valued!