Here I am writing the very last blog post of the year. Probably, I will write one more but I don't know as I am not too sure of it. I realised that I wasn't that active by the last two or three months of the year and I barely wrote one. Even, if I wanted to. I was caught up with work and also life happened. Or should I say, I am trying to make it happen. 2024 wasn't a bad year as I thought it would be but I am not really satisfied with the year at all. There, I spoiled it for you. However, I am still going to write down how every month went this year. And it feels like it happened a long time ago. 

1. January: 

The month had me on a thin line where I had very less time and there didn't seem to have any hope of redemption and so I was partly in a shell. However, by the mid of the month, a good news awaited me and showed that I was eligible for an extension and managed to apply for one by the end of the month. One thing I wish I hadn't done was quitting my part-time job assuming that I would get the other job in order to stay longer. 

2. February:

It was a bit hard in the first two weeks of being restless and jobless but then I had to wait till the extension gets approved and thankfully, it did by the end of the month. I can look for something while also working on my final assessment to graduate. 

3. March:

A month that was neither moody nor mad nor momentary but it wasn't that bad as last year's. A bit of tension here and there and by the end, it felt a bit better and probably the good thing was revisiting some of my favourite films which played a huge role in my childhood. (I will talk about them in a later blog). I also went to the cinemas after a long time and I love that place.

4. April

I applied for a visa to visit my family and also applying at part-time jobs to pay the bills till I get to renew my extension and stay. I was thinking too hard while applying for a job wondering if it would be hard, or safe, and friendly. But nothing would be easy. and by the time, I set my mind in something, the post is gone. And I was unsure if I had to apply for the same places where I worked before. I should move on. I shouldn't be stuck in the same place. I wouldn't grow as an individual otherwise. Also I submitted my final assessment which I think turned out better than previously. 

5. May

A routine of walks happened along with the job hunting. Unnecessary outings have proved to be time-waste for me even if it is doing things I like. Having said that, if there is a purpose in me going out, it feels fruitful; be it the encounter with someone or eating at a cafe and whatnot. There were concerns and worries and at the same time, the time was ticking for me and I could only apply for stay-back once I have graduated. And by the end of the month, yes, I have passed. 

6. June

A lot happened this month in my case for sure and I am not saying because it is my birthday month but you won't believe what I did on my birthday. I visited the Harry Potter world (Check my blog about the same for more details.) and it was magical; though I wish I was more into it. I turned twenty-seven. It is where I was feeling I was too old for young things and too young for old things. It felt like I may have outgrown certain things but still can have fun in my own way while also acting my age. June was good in that way. I almost had a job which I couldn't get through because of some verification process.

7. July

The highlight is definitely the graduation. The first and the last one. Being in a suit and walking among the graduands gave me a high and I didn't have to drink something to get a high. I realised I would miss my time in the Uni but at the same time, I knew I didn't want to go again. I don't think I will visit my Uni unless it is absolutely necessary. I am way past the Uni phase. But age is just a number and I want to earn now, implement what I have taken from the Uni.

8. August

The month kind of started with a bang and gave me a different sort of high. Now that I have graduated, I have to apply for stay-back and that is a careful and lengthy process. I can't apply for any other jobs as I have to wait for the approval considering I had very little time then. I also found out that the cinemas near me was going to close and so I made good use of that by watching movies; mostly re-releases than new ones. That is the only cinema that made me want to watch movies on the big screen every now and then. Having said that, I didn't go for every movie just like that. There weren't good movies, and also tickets were expensive and I didn't want to go for the sake of it. And because that cinema was closing, I made use of it by watching the movies which I have already watched and which I could have watched in the comfort of my own home. I was told why I am watching movies which I already seen. Maybe because, I haven't seen them on the big screen. For example, the first Spider-Man movie, any of the Harry Potter movies, Pulp Fiction and so on. That is how I engaged myself in August. It ended with my visa getting approved. Thank God!

9. September

Now I have got enough time the same way when I had my student visa and it's high time I learn from my mistakes. And act quickly because time goes very fast. It will be gone in the blink of an eye. I joined swimming lessons and I applied for jobs without thinking too much of how difficult it would. Life shouldn't be that easy for me because how am I going to grow as a person. I applied and didn't expect anything during the interview which surprisingly went quite well and I got the job. now, I have got something to sustain for a while and at the same time, look for other jobs and balance with other activities.

10. October

Work was only during weekends which was fine because I have four days at home to myself and even if I want to go out, it wouldn't be much of an issue because there wouldn't be too many people unlike the weekends. Because I have got enough time, and no time to lose, I tried to incorporate my plans and routines instead of slipping into where I have been staying for two years. I need to be ready when I move out but I can't stay there any longer so what needs to be done has to be done. Also, I watched one last movie at the cinemas before it closed for good. That's all folks!

11. November

Nothing exciting at all or happening I would say other than work, work, work and looking for way out and sometimes slipping into distractions. And suddenly, I want to do a lot of things but the question is: Can I still do it? At this time, being a 27 year old. I wanted every day and month to have progress. There is progress in some way or the other but I certainly want to have more of it. 

12. December

The last month of the year. Still no Christmas spirit by the Christmas week but I still had a good Christmas. If my Manager had approved my time away, I would have celebrated Christmas with my family but I still was with family. there was a routine of visiting London during the month but it was an absolute disaster. The first time I went, I missed the bus and when I rescheduled, the bus was delayed. What was supposed to be a three hour ended up being a six hour journey. I had barely time in London and it was also drizzling making it even worse. It should have been a decent one to cheer up but it didn't. Last year also got me in similar situation and to choose between the worst among the two, I would say never mind. December wasn't that bad but it wasn't that great either. It was also cold that you wanted to get wrapped up in the blankets and you had work to do before the year ends.

This is probably the longest blog ever written on Candlemonk. And to sum up this year, it luckily didn't fall in the three-year pattern of being the worst year like 2021, 2018, 2015 and so on, but it still wasn't a satisfactory one. I went to the Harry Potter world on my birthday, I attended my graduation ceremony, I got a job to sustain for the time-being, I have time but still I am not happy. Why? 

What am I expecting in 2025? A hell lot of progress. It won't happen overnight, I know but it has to happen. It shouldn't be slowed. A lot has to happen and it can only happen with discipline and consistency. 

Yes, this is my last blog of the year and I hope by 2025, I come up with more stories and blogs. Wishing you all a very Happy 2025. Cheers!