Friday, October 31, 2008

Turning 35 and looking back

I am now 35+ years by my biological age. I wanted to write a small post here, mostly to read it again when I turn 40 or at some greater age.

First 22-23 years were mostly dedicated to formal education with some sprinkles of extra-curricular like theater, public speaking, writing. In terms of education it was a very regular one, with a graduate degree from Kirori Mal College, DU , in pure sciences (B.Sc) in 1994. Then a PG Diploma in Computers after my attempts to get into a MA (International Studies) at JNU failed. The high point of this phase was the time between 1992-1995. During this period I got exposed to a much bigger world doing lots of theater, learning lot many things and shredding so much of baggage which any avg middle class study-driven boy keeps. This meant going to various college fests, winning acting awards and so on. I was almost staying by myself after my class XI so I had more time and little or no family-pressure. After I finished my college in 1994, I enrolled for a evening course in Urdu. Did a program with National Museum and spent lot of them in their huge library. :). I also started to write as a Theater critic for a 'Sunday Mail' publications. Lots of things happening during this time. I stayed at JNU for probably 3 odd months.

Later a new group of friends in the PG course. My school life is not the high-point of my first 22-23 years of life since I didn't do much in school days, more so because there weren't enough avenues. My father had put to the best school which he could as per his means so I am really lucky to get what I got but as a school it didn't indulge in any genuine extra-curricular or things of that sort.

Next comes the work life. With my first job in a garage firm ACPL in early 1996, writing anti-virus TSR programs in assembly language was fun. My first salary was Rs 3600. When my daughter starts her school from April'2009, I would probably be paying more than Rs 3600 as her monthly tuition fee. And she is not going to a new age, new world, 20 students a call, international, all air-conditioned school. Its a regular school. But Rs 3600 were enough to pay for room rent, conveyance expenses, food etc. I was also taking some tuition which used to give me another Rs 650 - Rs 900 and most of that were getting saved. My next job was with Newgen (1997 - 1999) and Newgen was indeed a large firm. Then a brief stint at Quark, followed by Legato and finally at Adobe for last 7 years, since January 2002.

The high point of this period was 2000 - 2004 when two things happened. At a first level, this was the first time when I started to live with friends. Some of us took a large duplex flat in Noida and that bond is still very strong. I spent about 4 years there (2000 - 2003) and they were simply out of the world. I also bought my first car while I was there i.e. in Oct 2001. It was a WagonR and I still have it. We were at house no 437 in sector 37 and sometime back, we even attempted to have a blog on that.

Meanwhile I reconnected with some of the old college friends and met some new people in the process and we had a gang. We made numerous outstation trips and it was simply a blast time. Later I got married in Oct 2003 to a real old friend who was part of that gang and we had more parties. In fact there was a party almost every other day. We bought our 2nd Car, a Mahindra Scorpio, in 2004 and that meant more outstation trips.

By the mid of 2004 things started to move a little away. I had moved to my own house after my marriage so the connection to friends with whom I stayed with was gradually getting weak. The old college friend gang was also getting thinner since one of them moved to London. Others got occupied as they got married.

In 2005, Pihu came into our life. While Pihu was coming, our outstations trips reduced, gradually coming to zero. Parties stopped happening since we can't any long have a a drink-all-night-smoke-any-where scene. By the time Pihu was 2 months, we started our outstations trips to break the monotony. By the time Pihu was an year old, we moved to a new house and setting that up was keeping us busy. By this time, parties have almost stopped or probably they have taken a new form which meant less people, more clam and all that.

I would think that this is the time when the 2nd golden era finished. This was the time between 2006 begining to 2007 mid.

Smita took to work again and that pepped up things. Pihu started to go to Play School. And by the beginning of 2007, things started to change. We were again going out. Later I started Ghuamakkar in July 2007. Later in the year, I drove to Jaisamler. Things were again bright and chirrupy. In 2008, I drove to Allahabad and later all the way to Darbhanga. My work at Adobe was going steady and after a few changes, Smita was back to ZEE which she was enjoying. Zee gave her the freedom to work at flexi time. We also booked a house at the posh ATS, Paradiso, Greater Noida in early 2008. Last summer my niece has now started to live with us as she has taken a program at a nearby college.

Last month we went to Dubai, first international trip for the family together. I would guess that 3rd era has started from early this year and would probably carry on for some time. I would guess that we would most likely move to ATS house in 2009 as we complete 3 years in July 2008 in current house. or May be it would happen in March 2010.

I dont know what lies in future and probably I would want to write this kind of note when I get to 50.

7 comments:

Avinash said...

This post is not as exciting as the usual posts from NJ are. Perhaps collecting 35 years in few paragraphs does that to the post.
But yeah, I am happy to be the part of the post... No, you'll not find my name anywhere there, just a mention of a place called 437/37. That was the place - more than 4 of the inhabitants spent the best of their lives in. Yes, it was not limited to myself - Avinash, Nandan, Rahul and Ravi. There were lot more - I would not be able to perhaps give a count... let me still try to name them - Manish Syal, Rahul Vishwaroop, Maneesh Shekhawat, Vinod Durga, Smita Dhall, Vijyendra Kohli, Rabbi Angom, Jogiraj, Dhiru, lots of other zee folks, and list goes on and on. Others may add the names here.

We have so many anecdotes that we find it difficult to write them on the blog Tewari started. But yeah, that was one great rocking period of our lives...

Anonymous said...

Yes, right Avinash. It was a blast.

Lets have a 437 party sometime. Currently the group is spread across world.

May be the ones who are close-by can meet.

Wot say Avi, Ravi, Rahul v, ManIS.

Durga - You have any plans to be here sometime soon ?

Ravi said...

Perhaps I am the most frugal contributor when it comes to write something in blog or posting a comment. Eventhough I always cherish the time we spent at 437/37. As the youngest member of that family I started my IT career from 437 so it will be always a place to remember for me. There were numerous other things which made the stay memorable at 437. Reunion 437 would be a great idea.

Anonymous said...

If we have enough money to splurge sometime, probably we can own that place and turn into a kind of museum. Assuming that some of the occupants make it big in life, it might just become the most wanted destination :)

Rahul V is not in town. How does next wednesday (11 Nov) sound to everyone ?

Avinash said...

Parents in town, so not a good party time :-)
From my point of view, we'll have to wait until after Pulkit's birthday on Nov 16th.

Nandan Jha said...

Ok. Lets do it post Nov 16. Nov 22 - end of month, my parents are here :)

Most likely I would be out on 22 so 21 would be difficult.

let Rahul V come back, may be a low calorie party.

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