2008 will always be remembered as a Black Year in history of Empire residents i.e. Pankaj, Puneet, Vineet and myself.

First and foremost a year which will always be afresh in our memories because of bitter incidents – Delhi Bomb Blasts and Mumbai Terrorist Attack.

A year which brought our lives as employees upside down, shattered and showed the painful part of professional world. A year in which our faith in profession was destroyed. We changed jobs one after other and now we have quite sparkling job history behind us to showcase and also glittering, bright, crispy stories of our transitions.

Right now, we are in process of reconstruction.

A year in which we witnessed 57% steep rise in our cost of living – highest ever since we have started living on our own. Ah, it is truly a recession in that way. And biggest contribution in that cost-rise was from our land-lady. You might see quite frequent mentions of her on this blog from now on and will be referred to as Monger.

An Unpleasant Personality got introduced in my life which is pillage grande and has contributed considerably to lessen my interest in what I love to do. Will be referred to as UP.

Have travelled on road more than any other year in my life. This was a change which has helped me to rebuild my strength in other way!!

Missed friends more than ever. Raji is no more with us here at Gurgaon and when I was at Chandigarh, Empire mates were the ones remembered a lot.

There are more electricity/power cuts at Gurgaon/Haryana than any other year – Haryana is blackening out…

These were the enough happenings of 2008 to make us call and remember it as One Black Year!

Known as City Beautiful or City of veterans, Chandigarh is a city full of flowers, trees and still clean or should I call it a Clean and Green city.

Safety wise, when it is called as Old-Men’s city, it maintains that status. I have seen traffic rules being followed more strictly than any other city in India (and still I managed not get even a single ticket so far!). You can’t drive above 60 km/hour (0.621 miles/hour) throughout the city (I can understand how restrictive that would feel to guys who have been accustomed to drive 110 km/hour over highways, being one of them). Helmet is compulsory for two-wheeler motor-cyclists. What else, there are traffic lights even at places where you can’t expect traffic at all.

But one issue I have heard and not encountered is that here traffic police is a bit partial to those from other states than Punjab. If nothing else, those bikers are given tickets for over-speeding (umm if not figured out, I also bear number plate of Haryana) but still, I am not having any personal experience in this matter although have been facing rough Punjabi drivers every other day.

A city designed by a famous French Architect and known as best planned city of country.

All I can say is, I am in love with this city except the land-lords (why are they same everywhere…be it Bangalore, Gurgaon, Chandigarh or Mohali)!

In the end, I am in Punjab – my home-state. A place where you can get Lassi and Makhan with meal anytime anywhere (being a typical Punjabi, I accept that I have been missing this for more than three years). Another typical thing about Punjab is that here exist more outspoken people than any other state…HA.

I used to think that I wouldn’t be able to keep away from blogging for long but life teaches you everything. Looks like it is going to take longer for me to start normal as far… as I can estimate, at least couple of months or should I say by the end of this year?

So far, this year has been full of annoyances and that’s what made me conclude this timeline but still life is truly unexpected (I am trying my hands on that).

Right now figuring out the ways to settle down.

Here is the announcement – I know you all are missing me and this blog. Same is on my side (believe me). I will be trying to resume with full blogging by December 2008 but anything before that will be making me happier.

…I used to blog as I am never going to stop but it happened. Although not stopped, paused. A pause for 2 months because in those two months I saw thickest and thinnest of my career…in other words, the peak and the trough of mah career wave.

For those who can make it out, digest as well as understand…just a nod will work ( ), I saw my firm closing down, got unavoidable employment opportunity to become a US employee, visa stamped and then… I refused.

Remained on hunt for a suitable job (in other words jobless) for couple of weeks after resign, and then landed with best opportunity anyone could have after coming out of CashEdge.

CashEdge has closed it operations at Gurgaon. I managed to get couple of good offers and finally zeroed down at Chandigarh, also known as City Beautiful and presently residing at Mohali (neighboring city).

All these things happened in span of 4 months after my return from US in March. Managed to keep up with blogging for almost two months somehow but then, everything broke down with me for next two months.

So this is the summary of those two quiet months of my professional life as I am too … to describe it completely but pretty sure that it can explain my 60 day silence which looks quite small in front of turns I went through.

And there was this friend who was going through similar phases of life almost at the time and now resuming with life as I am. All the best to you too dear.