It’s been a crazy year, hasn’t it? The tradition across the blogosphere nowadays is to blog about lists – 2008′s list of good events, bad events, improbable events, good movies, bad movies, resolutions, number of girlfriends etc etc – the theme goes something like this: list what went on in 2008, list what might go on in 2009, thereby dancing in the trance of hindsight and probability.

Or as Shelley said, very succinctly ‘We look before and after, and pine for what is not’.

In line with the tradition, here goes my personal note (Preview of 2009 from a generic scenario post coming up in the next couple of days) -

2008 – When I look back at this year, I can define it as the Year of Accumulation. Personally, this year was not as wild and crazy as 2007. This was a year where I consciously put my head down and worked on little things, accumulated a lot of things and in general surprised myself when I discovered rather surreptiously what worked for me and what didn’t. Lot of friends (online and offline), Lots of adventure and sport (Rafting, Golfing, Shooting{yep, semi-automatic and revolver}, Bowling) and Lots of learning on the professional front. Nothing very great, nothing very significant and yet they add up to being a decent year. Frankly, I don’t know what was the best part and what was worse in this year. This has probably been the longest time I have been away from home and my close set of friends back in India. (At this point, I thought and thought for about 20 minutes and my mind is just blank to write anything more – probably indicating to the fact that no ‘goals’ were set and hence achieved in 2008. It was, as I said, a year gone by in accumulating and understanding myself better).

2009 – Lot of things lined up for 2009. First thing, I need to take care of my investments. Being in the US has cut me off from the stockmarket and other investing avenues in India – laziness and timezone difference beingg the primary factors. If not for the timezone difference, I would have short the hell out of the stockmarket and made some decent money. Not to be. Secondly, on look out for a better profile professionally – probably looking at a P&L role in the current organization or any other. Thirdly, by end 2009, should be on the board of a startup (product company) – need to see how far it goes. Fourthly (is there such a word?), working on a couple of social entrepreneurship ideas which might take off in some manner by mid-2009 (What I have realized is I am good at ideation and market execution, but absolutely have no clue about coding. If you think you are a decent coder, get in touch with me – we can work something out). Skydiving and Bungee jumping are high on the radar and might happen anytime soon. Last but not the least, I got to start writing a book or atleast collaborate in writing a book. Not sure of a 2009 completion though. Blogging, hopefully, should be more frequent than 2008.

With all that personal history and futuristic view aside, having fun is more important than anything else. Here’s raising a toast to a happy and fun-filled new year 2009.