2005 has been an eventful year

Thursday, December 29, 2005

Challenged authority. Kicked ass. Got fired for showing too much cheek. Got congratulated for the glorious exit. Learnt a thing or two about Sturgeon’s Law.

Got ditched. Went numb. Felt nothing. Felt free. Fell in love several times over. Discovered the joy of feelings without attachment. Learnt to distinguish love from loneliness. Made new friends, got closer to some. Lost one.

Travelled. At least one trip every month this year. Lived out of a suitcase; later backpack. Saw a bit more of the world. Went from cautious, panicked steps to being able to roll into a new country every week, feeling perfectly at home from the first hour.

Met an Amazon Watch backpacker in January who spoke of his baggage fetish. Thought it charmingly curious. By December, collected six pieces of baggage, in addition to existing four, not counting the numerous pieces of inner baggage meant to be stowed inside the big ones. None came cheap. Still on the lookout for something better. Now I understand him. Don’t yet feel a need for the solar panels and hand cranked mobile phone charger he carried.

Battled the bulge. For a while it appeared retreating, but I slacked and it mounted a new attack. Discouraged, yet fighting.

Lost interest in photography. Denied it, but there’s no denying the increasingly crappy pictures. Figured the period of good pictures by random chance is gone. 2006 had better be planned. Considered working in television, decided it was far too much of a diversion from career plan.

Made my first income from photography. Got published in local papers. They didn’t credit me, but the pay was nice. Supported the baggage fetish.

Kept my nose out of open source politics. The rot is now stinking bad. Open Content is where the action is, baby!

Found a footing in academic research. Liked it. Want more. Attending classes in 2006, January through April.

Contemplated long and hard on the evolution of societies and cultures. Collected questions. 2006 will be the year of answers.

Spent the last quarter of the year in what was more or less a three month holiday. Not entirely by design. Now to find a decent income again, something that will leave space for academic ambitions.

Did I mention excessive travelling and holidaying this year? The work-life balance was great. Hope to sustain it through 2006.

luv_serendipity — Dec 29, 2005 1:18:14 AM — # ↩

Love all the pictures!!! Great way to do a summary!!
teemus — Dec 29, 2005 1:26:43 AM — # ↩

Simply awesome.
arunshanbhag — Dec 29, 2005 2:16:38 AM — # ↩

Wonderful! and great pics too!
I wish I could do the same ... er ... travel as much, ie.

Good luck in the year ahead!
suku — Dec 29, 2005 3:20:51 AM — # ↩

Meaningful photographs...I think the one with the donkeys and the bike is outstanding.

Nice year to have met you then, eh? :)
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Dec 29, 2005 10:10:10 AM — # ↩
  
  Yes indeed. Good year to have been meeting people. Now if only bijoyv wasn't so elusive.
swamysk — Dec 29, 2005 5:52:07 AM — # ↩

Very nice. Curious to find out what questions the trips abroad raised.
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Dec 29, 2005 11:11:51 PM — # ↩
  
  Most of them are challenging personal perceptions of the world. Will post when I have collated them.
crabbycool — Dec 29, 2005 6:25:20 AM — # ↩

classes, groovy! what classes are you going to attend?
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Dec 29, 2005 10:04:42 AM — # ↩
  
  In cultural studies. Not sure of the specifics yet. latelyontime signed me up, said they'd be worth it.
  - mike_higher — Dec 29, 2005 2:47:13 PM — # ↩
    
    Where ?
    Are they all 3 month courses? I am looking for something May - Jun
    - Kiran Jonnalagadda — Dec 29, 2005 10:46:12 PM — # ↩
      
      Re: Where ?
      No, they're one to five year courses. I'm attending just one track. See http://www.cscsarchive.org/
notanangel78 — Dec 29, 2005 7:23:22 AM — # ↩

What a brilliant post, and the pictures are amazing. This one goes to my "memories."
:)
ashwinne — Dec 29, 2005 8:05:57 AM — # ↩

Super!
You are such an inspiration dude!
prady — Dec 29, 2005 8:38:42 AM — # ↩

Very cool !!
louiswu — Dec 29, 2005 9:22:36 AM — # ↩

Contemplated long and hard on the evolution of societies and cultures. Collected questions. 2006 will be the year of answers.

The academic research would be in this field?
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Dec 29, 2005 10:08:34 AM — # ↩
  
  Yup. I'm sort of bored of tech and curious about how normal people live their lives when not pounding away at keyboards.
  
  Calling it "research" would be a bit too much. At the moment, it's just education.
- shortindiangirl — Dec 30, 2005 11:34:16 AM — # ↩
  
  Contemplated long and hard on the evolution of societies and cultures. Collected questions.
  
  So, let's hear them ? Can't keep those Q&A's all to yourself eh ?! And I don't mean questions as part of a travelogue, but questions all together, Friedman style.
  
  I maintain that the more fascinating world is the one that is not busy connecting to each other around itself. But the one that is living life as it has learned to do over several generations of practice, error, trial and learning.
  
  Also really enjoyed a visual recount of the year.
sajith — Dec 29, 2005 9:50:26 AM — # ↩

What a backpack. And Sturgeon didn't have to be so brutally honest.
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Dec 29, 2005 10:15:16 AM — # ↩
  
  The silly grin you see plastered on my face is me attempting to bravely conceal the fact that the bag weighs 30 kilos and its weight is not evenly distributed and my shoulders are going to collapse any moment! And this wasn't all, I had two more bags, though thankfully neither in the same weight category.
  - sajith — Dec 29, 2005 10:29:17 AM — # ↩
    
    Haha. On second look, yes, one could sort of tell :D
mansu — Dec 29, 2005 10:16:11 AM — # ↩

Best summary i have seen.
sidcarter — Dec 29, 2005 10:40:15 AM — # ↩

Awesome dude. Now, who is that chick ? Looks like I asked that question before...did I ?
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Dec 29, 2005 10:43:41 AM — # ↩
  
  That's Divya, arucard2 and deepakjois's housemate. You met Deepak with me.
madhav — Dec 29, 2005 10:42:11 AM — # ↩

Superb post. Memories.
beerbal — Dec 29, 2005 11:02:07 AM — # ↩

:)

Have a great 2006!
gromhellscream — Dec 29, 2005 11:05:13 AM — # ↩

Nice snaps...and memories..a nice tribute to the whole year that just went by!
rahulkumarjha — Dec 29, 2005 11:28:15 AM — # ↩

....amazing....
manish — Dec 29, 2005 1:05:46 PM — # ↩

I've seen a Vietnamese friend send out a PDF with her (and her family's) year-round summary. Thought it was a cool.

P.S. Yours is nice too. ;)
- shortindiangirl — Dec 30, 2005 11:30:34 AM — # ↩
  
  The Amroo way is to send a Christmas letter with one page news about the family's year. Often with a family photo for the season.
zeeshanmn — Dec 29, 2005 1:10:17 PM — # ↩

Made my first income from photography. Got published in local papers.

When was this? Great summary Kiran!
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Dec 29, 2005 10:49:33 PM — # ↩
  
  The World-Information City conference in November.
apaurusheya — Dec 29, 2005 1:44:34 PM — # ↩

cant help, but feel a bit nostalgic looking at those pics...
shruthi_dipali — Dec 29, 2005 1:47:45 PM — # ↩

wow.. nice pice, nice write up and a nice year!!
mona1610 — Dec 29, 2005 4:50:04 PM — # ↩

What a superb photo-post! Awesome pictures here.. I even took the liberty of wandering off to your flickr site where I found the monk and you at Angkor. I completely loved the impression the picture gives off!
joshmachine — Dec 29, 2005 6:32:25 PM — # ↩

all the best for next coming year and hope you conquer remaining part of world ;)
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Dec 29, 2005 11:02:10 PM — # ↩
  
  I'm trying. ;) Next goal is simple: cross the equator. Bigger challenge is to visit every continent at least once. Two down, four to go.
  - shortindiangirl — Dec 30, 2005 11:31:19 AM — # ↩
    
    D&I have the goal of one new country a year.
vaishaksuresh — Dec 29, 2005 9:16:59 PM — # ↩

Nice way to sum things up :D
thaths — Dec 29, 2005 9:44:29 PM — # ↩

I can understand what you have been through - I have experienced it myself (perhaps, not exactly the same way). Travel is good - it opens eyes. My resolution for the coming year includes travelling to at least one foreign country and going camping regularly.
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Dec 29, 2005 11:00:41 PM — # ↩
  
  Nice. I don't have the budget to plan for another foreign country unless it's somewhere near, like maybe Sri Lanka (planned for about May).
- shortindiangirl — Dec 30, 2005 11:31:52 AM — # ↩
  
  One country a year, every year is a doable goal for me... and that's the plan.
grecianurn — Dec 29, 2005 10:10:49 PM — # ↩

Nice post.

I might copy you, but you don't need to worry about the pictures being half as good.
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Dec 29, 2005 10:43:08 PM — # ↩
  
  I copied it myself from Popagandhi, who's unfortunately removed her post in a recent transition from blog to photolog.
kalyancreddy — Dec 29, 2005 10:29:47 PM — # ↩

Brilliant re-collection and an amazing way to remember a year!
ma7ur — Dec 30, 2005 12:39:21 AM — # ↩

awesome post!
Anonymous — Dec 30, 2005 6:21:57 AM — # ↩

Beautiful pics, fascinating precis. Isn't that projector room from Plaza? I remember, I remember!! :-) And looking at that baggage pic, you should give yourself a bit more credit on the battle with the bulge. Or if you want to feel even better, drop in at Mantri ;-)

Have a good and happy 2006.
-Arun
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Dec 30, 2005 7:33:11 AM — # ↩
  
  Hey Arun! This projector room's different. It's from Elgin Talkies in Shivajinagar. Unlike Plaza, this place is still in operation.
  
  We should meet up sometime.
tsk1979 — Dec 30, 2005 12:19:44 PM — # ↩

Lucky you! to have the freedom of picking up your bags and moving to where your heart takes you!
deelight — Dec 30, 2005 1:04:01 PM — # ↩

I'll add on to your list of admirers! Good post...loved the pics. Hope 2006 is as eventful and even more fulfilling.
drkishoremurthy — Dec 30, 2005 4:12:26 PM — # ↩

brilliantly summarised.. I hope and wish that all this introspection and exploration paysoff both personally and monetarily..

you are some character and I absolutely positive that the next year is going to be a fantabulous one for you.. good luck!
suddenlynita — Jan 16, 2006 1:02:45 AM — # ↩

I liked the first picture the most.Hats off to you.To tread the road less travelled by,one needs great courage.But the power of ONE is the power to make a differance
shortiyergirl — Feb 24, 2006 12:21:30 AM — # ↩

Just catching up with my friends' pages.

Great way of looking back on the year. I think I should do it more often to gain some perspective.

Btw, I don't see no pudge :)
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Feb 24, 2006 12:25:43 AM — # ↩
  
  Oh, you should look at me now. That was pre-prominent-pudge.