Indian & Proud

Damn fine time to be an Indian. 

What a fabulous couple of weeks! I mean, we got a picture of Mars taken with our very own indigenous camera.  We saw glimpses from the control room of unbridled happiness and tears of joy. Those long years and efforts paid off…Hurray! Now we can finally have pictures from Mars. Do you even know what that means? Probably not. Listen, the next time you are stuck in traffic after the city gets a mild sprinkling of rain then you go ahead and look at the pictures from Mars dammit! Immediately and magically using your 3G internet, you will be transported to a time in the future when the roads don’t flood if the neighbor has a leaking faucet or because the drains, all 4 of them, were not built by the Vijaywada kings. 

Even when you are being chased by dogs as you go home from the glorified call center you call an office, then again, you flash the chasing pack the pictures. Can you imagine the animal’s consternation? They will stop, regroup and contemplate. Your shall pass in peace. I personally think I want to look at those pictures when we have a full moon night. I plan to find a nice spot, lie on my back and then hold up my phone in line with the moon and pretend that I am God making a world warm and glowing with gases and toxic fumes turn into the atmosphere free moon. From red to white…Of course we are now showcased to the whole world close to half a century after the Americans got it done at the cost of billions in today’s money. And, in true style, we did it super cheap and we are proud of it. One of the favorite stereotypes for an Indian presented itself grandly and with the world watching, we lost no time in making sure it continues to be relevant in 2014. I mean how many other people can claim to charge Rs 7 per km on a journey to Mars? Value for Money , Return on Investment. We got it all right here baby!

Our political juggernaut finally understood the meaning of a “PR” blitz and they successfully used it to the country’s advantage both in the homeland and in the US of A. Kudos!! The speech overseas was all over the news. Spectacular! Back on the mother ship a CM finally got her just desserts after eating everyone else’s breakfast, lunch & desserts for two decades. Justice happening as well in the country, wow!  Yes, I did hear though that a bunch of people felt it necessary to take their lives in protest of the arrest. Makes sense, the country’s population is still swelling. Lock up a couple more of our corrupt politicians and maybe we start making a dent. We take idol worship to new heights. We have had people kill themselves over actors, politicians and new age gurus. Suicides happen because the girl we idolizes could not give a rat's ass about our existence and we will auto terminate when we cant pay our loans. Our kids are killing themselves because the race to be the best has become mind numbingly intense and parents have become even more possessed with their kids achieving stellar marking at every level in school. I see kids being hauled off too karate and guitar and drumming classes and then also asked to study through the night. If their child does not score 95% in every test and every exam at every level in school he will grow up to be a nobody.  His future will be doomed and Mr Underachiever's parents will go to their graves disappointed and broken with their children’s failure in becoming "something".

The scary part is I am not sure they are completely wrong. Yes some idiots over do it but for the most part it was like this when I studied too. Our education system is unbelievably challenging and there is rigor and discipline, at least in the good schools. Donations have gone into many lakhs territory and after we empty our life savings we sure as hell need to make sure it is worth it.  Good school or an unknown start up, the kid's gonna get a raw deal whichever way he goes. I was too dumb to get more than 70 and 80% marks in spite of studying sincerely and so my parents gave up on seeing me as an intellectual colossus pretty early on and I thank them for that. My biggest concern in life is not about the kid I knew from school who is currently earning 3 times my salary because his doting mom held his feet to the fire every night of his life.  Neither am I worried that people are desperately trying to leave the country for “a better life”. Namely more money, more stability....and hence, more money. What really makes me wonder is how happy are we going to be as a people going forward.  I have folks in my social circle who are barely making ends meet to people who are literally swimming in cash and I don’t really remember anyone, including me who is truly happy. Everyone has moments of course but happiness or even contentment as an eventual plateau….Is that even possible? 

You know, we are a smart race. We persevere and we endure and we will reach greater heights. It was the most obvious and fitting eventuality that an Indian was chosen to head Microsoft. Mr Nadella is the poster boy of Indian stereotypes and probably our ultimate success story in the recent past. 

I wonder, Is he happy?

Oh Robin....

If humor was a religion then Robin Williams was a God.

You may not have gotten every joke, it was sometimes too fast to even understand but damn that man was brilliant. The manic energy, the impersonations the sheer speed at which he could rattle of wisecracks....it does not get compared. He was in a league of his own.

What made him even more special was that he could manage serious roles as well and you suddenly did not see the comedian. Like a puff of smoke the madness disappears and it is replaced with earnestness and intelligence. You don't hear the Gandhi impersonation, the wild flailing gestures and the Tweety bird humor never even existed. Instead, you just see a genuinely good actor, you hear a voice that is strong and unwavering and without missing a beat Robin Williams the comedian transforms to Robin Williams the actor. The transformation could never be simple, it could never have been as effortless as he made it look.

I loved The Birdcage. That movie, to me is the best illustration of Robin's ability to pull off comedy and drama, humor and melancholy so sublimely that you don't even see where each genre ended or began. The scene where he is at the bar contemplating whether or not he should hide his sexual orientation for his son's meeting with his girlfriend's parents....yeah, that's epic. A glass of booze, a lit cigarette and a brooding mood never looked so captivating to me. That movie was brilliant for so many more reasons as well and the actors in all were fabulous but to me that's always going to be a favourite Robin Williams movie and one that I would always recommend to someone who wanted to know just what the big deal was...

I seem to be looking back a lot these days. So many fallen heroes. Robin Williams, Michael Jackson, Schumy...All the fame and money and celebrity just did not mean anything at the end. Yes, maybe in Schumy's case he might bounce back some day but man, it all seems so pointless in the end. Such an anti-climax. I ask myself..why? Did it really have to end like this? Did'nt they deserve a better ending?

They bought cheer and humor and music and magic to us mortals and just for that..They are missed.

Time Travel

Its a nice feeling to be here again. Its been more than a month since I have posted anything on the blog. There have been so many times that I have logged in and stared at the blank post window, a million thoughts running through my mind only to shake my head and focus back on something that needed my attention at that moment. The people closest to me already know why I have not made the time to post anything. Time has become an enemy and at this stage I feel I am fighting a losing battle.

Much has happened in the past couple of weeks. I have been enjoying the fact that Schumy seems to have got the measure of his blond haired team mate (I dislike Rosberg immensely :):)) but hey, it was yours truly who called it out in my post in mid April and I do so love being right. The overall win eludes but now there is a genuine reason to have hope. It just might happen...

Its has been a few weeks now since that devastating Mangalore crash. I don't care who you are in life, some tragedies will affect you no matter what. While I was thankful that I did not know anyone on the flight, it was something that could not be ignored. You know, I have never been a happy flier. I have been very fortunate to travel several times by planes thanks to my dad working abroad for more than 15 years but I have never, ever been comfortable with flying. Man was not made to fly is what I say and yes, while I sound like I belong in the 18th century, the truth remains that I don't like to fly. I have seen more than my share of air pockets and turbulence and I can assure you, that I take the name of the Lord every single time the plane shudders even in the slightest.

I have often wondered why I dislike flying. Perhaps, its because I am a subversive control freak. The truth is that if I am not at the helm of a car, bike or even an airplane I start freaking out. I remember a few years back when my dad used to drive, I would hit the invisible brake pedal on the passenger side and would even sometimes close my eyes! I admit, my dad is a fantastically safe driver but that matters not. Two years back I had an accident while a friend was riding my bike. Mind you, it was not the first time I crashed. I am proud of it but, I had previously crashed at least 7 to 8 times and each time I brushed it off. However, the last time I crashed on the bike there was someone else in control and since then I have not touched my bike. I am convinced its the most unsafe means of transport out there and I will not even permit myself to sit pillion with anyone. Man, I hate this feeling. There was a time when I even fancied buying a big cruiser and looking oh, so cool astride the beast but not any more. I know I will get this misplaced sense of fear fixed someday, I really dont want to live in fear but for now, I don't ever want to get on a bike again.

Something special happened this week. I got to met "her" again. As with most good things in life, it was unplanned. I still am not sure how it happened but before I realized I was driving half way across the city to our impromptu rendezvous. In the hour and a half that I spent with her having a late lunch, gently laughing over silly stories, I remembered why I fell for her in the first place. Looking back, I feel honored that this gentle creature even considered an ogre like me to be "The One" albeit for a relatively short period. No further meetings are planned and while admittedly, this was not a life changing meeting, I unquestionably loved the fact that we met.

Some people will always affect you and they will do so in the most profound manner. They will have a power over you and while distance can make their hold on you seem a little less pronounced, the feeling only intensifies as soon as you are within the individual's vicinity. I pride myself on not having too many people who affect my sense of self. "She" forever will be one of those who will.

Well, the weekend is here and I cant wait to get away. Time to sign off..:)

The Week That Was..

Another hectic week. A little more so than what I'm used to. As always it was work that was the cause and if the daily routine was not enough, I signed up for a 2 day training that needed me to attend the training from 9AM - 6 PM and then come back to office for work till 2 AM.

Translation : Sleep deprivation!!!

But the training was nice and nice for a very different reason. Well its done and on a Saturday I'm in office again conducting some interviews for my team. One of my potential interviewees decided to skip it and that allowed me this 30 mins to update my blog. I often ask myself why I choose to run this hard. Isn't it is easier to shift to a lower gear? Isn't it a little easier to care less? Well, truth be told, it isn't. Trust me, I have tried.

Blame it on the last few years of college where I never lived up to my true potential which is one of the things that I keep kicking myself over. Or maybe, I should blame it on the fact that the moment my mind is idle it begins exploring questions that leaves me more mentally exhausted than I would be after a draining work week. It's mysterious sometimes, what makes us do the things we do. Its the beautiful quirks that makes us who we are. At home, I will not get off the bed for hours, perfectly content flipping channels. At work, I have been accused of being dedicated, hardworking and couple of times, *gasp* dynamic!! Who knew that's the tag I would have?

Last weekend I had the chance to cook a little. I am not a great cook but I can create. My parents on the other hand are brilliant at cooking. Stories of their prowess have traveled far and wide and I know the potential resides in me too. Whenever I get a chance, I love to get into the kitchen. Funny thing is, I never do it at home because I know what I cook will never compare to my parent's cooking but when I'm out I feel liberated. I feel that I have nothing to prove and that allows me the peace of mind and clarity that one needs to create. And make no mistake, cooking great food is akin to an artist putting together a masterpiece, the intense please of creation rivaled only by the pleasure of tasting a well cooked meal and having friends go Ooh and Aah over your creation.

So once I'm done with the interviews, I can look forward to catching up with friends and chilling out. I am sure I will get to listen to their stories and I know I will enjoy sharing mine with them. Bet we will even have a few laughs. It's good to have friends. They make me realize there is more to me than being "Mr Dynamic-Office-Going-Man". After a hard week that's what I most look forward to.

No man is an island. Everyone needs someone don't we?

Dying To Win

Mellow Sunday afternoon today. Laziness fills my senses. I loathe the thought of even brushing my teeth or worse, having a shower. The Jack D (Best Whiskey in the world..Woohoo!!) from last night's get together with friends is still in my body and it does not help. Not one bit.

As has been the case for years and years now, it does not stop me from waking up in time for the Chinese GP and hey, I got my prediction half right. It was a McLaren which won but the one driven by Button and not by Hamilton. Alonso drove brilliantly too and I am still convinced Alonso will clinch the driver's title this year. He is just too good a driver and he looks at home in the Ferrari. He just needs to have some luck coming his way. But still the race sucked for one very painful reason. Schumy came a cropper. Again.

Today, the conditions were wet and changeable. Five years back it would mean just one thing. A Schumacher masterclass performance and a demonstration of why he is the best F1 driver of all time. But today, every Schumy fan would have felt a knot in their throat. It was yet another race where Schumy struggled. He did not get the start right. He worked his tyres too hard and wore off the inter's threads way faster than he should have. He just about slithered his way to a very humbling 10th place finish. The car was just not working for him and I would not complain all that much but for the fact that Nico Rosberg got his second consecutive 3rd place finish. Schumy has to spend the next 3 weeks doing some much needed soul searching. Was the comeback really necessary? Was it worth the ignominy of bringing in the car so far down the order? And yes, Was it the right decision to join the Mercedes team and turn away from Ferrari's open arms?

Schumy is not over the hill. I am sure of that. What made Schumy brilliant however, was that he was light years ahead of his contemporaries in every aspect of the game. He brought a ruthless, single-minded approach to F1 that saw him being the fittest driver of his generation. A driving approach that leveraged shrewd thinking on the pit wall with blinding speed when it mattered the most, at the end of, and at the start of a tyre and fuel change. Hell, he did not even shy away from the politics of F1, getting himself in close with Bernie and then with Jean Todt. By the time the field had upped their game he had built Ferrari into the unbeatable colossus they were, sewing up back to back to back to back...to back world championships. I think Fernando Alonso heralded the start of the first wave of Schumacher-esqe drivers. Then Lewis followed very closely by Sebastian Vettel. I dont think Schumy has lost his edge, except that all the drivers and teams have realized how he and Ferrari had become such a devastating combination. And now that Schumy returns after a 3 yrs hiatus he is being made to realise that, for the first time, he is the guy who has to play catch up.

The question is, Can Schumy raise his game now? At the age of 41 one cant see it happening. But then what is a fan, if not a fanatic? I tune in every F1 weekend hoping to see the magic returning. I tune in hoping to see him finding that last missing piece that is holding back. For one race, just one race, I want to see him step up to the top of the podium, holding the winner's trophy aloft. Detractors proved wrong. His decision to return, validated.

I can guarantee that it would be the sweetest win for Schumacher and atleast for this lifetime fan.

The Week That Was...

So did anyone else feel that the Sania Mirza marriage turned out to be such an anticlimax?

I did appreciate the buildup and the hoopla that accompanied the event. What more could one ask for? Ex-wives crying foul. Public outcry over the Indian tennis player riding off into the sunset with a Pakistani cricketer and then, as the day of the marriage approached, Sania Mirza standing by her slightly forgetful husband-to-be. Yes Sir, I definitely expected the actual marriage to resemble the D Day landing on the beaches of Normandy with fireworks blazing in the sky like the 4th of July and hopefully a final "kahani mein twist". But instead, SM transformed herself to the perfect Indian bride wearing her mom's 25 year old red sari (Looking great, mind you!!) and they got married in a relatively hum drum fashion and that was that. The next day all was forgiven, the marriage forgotten and we were left wondering "What was the fuss all about?". Strange ending, I must say :(

Looking forward to the weekend. Work this week was, well, work. The Chinese GP's qualifying is in a few hours and I plan to slumber till 11 AM and wake up in time to catch final quali. For sure, I am an ardent Schumy fan but Alonso is the only other driver in the F1 field who gives me the same goosebumps as Schumy did back in the late 90's. With the long straights though, I am putting the McLaren of Lewis Hamilton down for a win. I think the guy is brilliant. I just don't like him, that's all :). No denying his talent though, unfortunately. I'll know if I got this right by Sunday afternoon. And so a weekend with friends, good old Mr Jack Daniels, some more office work and some F1 action beckons.

Time to head out.

Wash my pain away

Bangalore saw its first proper rain shower today. A brief spell lasting just over 2 hours or so. I was lucky enough to catch the live performance for a few minutes after dinner. No surprise, everyone in office were thrilled with rain. Hands down it was the theme of the day!

So what is it about rain that most people fall so in love with?

I get the physics and obviousness of it. Rain cools the earth down, brings down the ambient temperature, raises the water table, good for crops, helps to fill up the reservoirs which in turn helps generate electricity, yeah yeah, blah blah...whatever!! This isnt the National Geographic so ill drift away from the tangible and get back to my favorite realm, the intangible.

My experiences with rain have been varied. On the road, I have had more than my share of scary moments and also one or two crashes in the rain back when I used to ride my bike. I recall, back then I had the uncanny knack of getting caught in the rain whenever I used to drop my girl home. Man, I used to curse the rain back then. I used to hate the fact that I did not have enough petrol money to drop her in my van and if that was not enough, not only did I have to see her go, as an insult to injury, I would have to ride back home wet to the bone with only the cold breeze and my wet jacket as company. Nothing pleasant. Nothing beautiful.

Today the rain stopped far too quickly and I was in office anyways. Still it brought back some memories. Made me smile. Isn't that what matters, a smile from within? I am at peace with the rain now. I have no animosity towards it. It has its role to play and it will play it no matter if I like it or not. But Ill tell you one thing. What I do enjoy when it rains, is how it seems to wash the city clean. It removes the layers of dust and grime. In just a few minutes it cleanses everything. For a few moments after the rain stops when I look around, I like to believe the city has become just a little cleaner, just a little more innocent, a place where I can live for just a little longer.

And then, I smile...

When the Tiger roars...again!

Quite a weekend for Tiger Woods. He makes a brilliant return to golfing on a fantastic stage like The Master's and simultaneously makes it to the top of the "Unsexiest Man" Top 100. Such a wide spectrum of accolades.:)

Now hey, the "Unsexiest Man" Top 100 is some loser poll out there. I never even knew it existed till yesterday but the fact that he tops their listing is a reflecti0n of the fact that the world has still not forgiven Tiger for his indiscretions. In the past 5 months we have seen a hero being torn down, his image of perfection being shattered. Does anyone even remember the number of women pouring out of the woodwork accusing Tiger of sending obscene texts, sleeping with them , the works? Add to it the fact that today's media does not want to stop at just exposing a story. Like a rabid dog, the media will get after a story and rip it apart, exposing it in each and every grisly detail and then more. And finally, just when you think the dust was beginning to settle and when you think the worst is over, another bimbo appears and we are right back where we started.

I am not defending Tiger here. Well that's not completely true. I am defending him just a wee bit. I mean, there is no denying his crime. He was a married man and he cheated on his wife with scores of women. Period. He embarrassed himself, his wife, his family and anyone else who was close to him. Somewhere I think he made the mistake of believing his demigod status on the golf course would translate to his personal life and nothing and no one would stand up in opposition. He believed the good will and adulation he had generated would never disappear. He could not have foreseen how the public's opinion would turn into loathing.

My question is, Does Tiger deserve this level of public outrage? Did Tiger have a semblance of normalcy when he grew up? I mean, Come on, you thrust a golf club in his hands when he is 4. His childhood unfolds in front of the media's eye for all the world to see. He is revered as the best thing in golf even before he begins playing in the professional arena and by the time he has hit adult hood he makes more money a year than the economy of a small country. Tiger's life has been abnormal from the get go and then we are appalled when he does not follow "Normal" behavior? Please!! Who are we kidding? Why are we being such hypocrites? Somewhere as individual, we have take a good look at the whole situation and avoid getting swept with the public outcry for Tiger's behavior.

Coming back to golfing was a brave and smart thing for Tiger to do. Elin whatever her name is will divorce him and she will get a fat check for her pains and that will be that. As far as I am concerned, I so want him to succeed. I want to see Tiger dominate the golf world as he used to. I want to see him end his career as the undisputed No 1 golfer in the record books and in the public's opinion. He was groomed for greatness since the day he could hold a golf club. Whether he likes it or not, it is his for the taking. The greatest golfer ever. His destiny awaits.

Just do it.

Three Years Later...

Can you believe it? It has been three years since I last accessed this blog.

Three long years...So much has happened in the time between my last post and now. So many things...good things and bad. And the stories of the past few years will definitely be shared, not probably in a chronological order but probably when something in the present triggers something from the past. But this time I would want to keep the blog going and atleast not wait for three years before I access this again.

Well lets see how it works out :)

Long days...longer nights

I have not posted anything since my mega post on Sunday, been busy with work and stuff. Since that post I have been telling a lot of people about it and asking them to take a look at it. And guess whats!! a friend in the publishing biz even gave me a real nice compliment..WOOHOO!!! :)

I am actually very happy about the post. Yeah, I was having a slow day and did it to kill time but then I did show a lot of patience in doing it and people who know me, know that I am NOT the patient types. And this feels good...it actually feels really good.

Oh, guess what. I will be going on another trip this weekend with folks from work and thats gonna be fun too. Would look to post some more pics and stuff, thats assuming that I can hold the camera and point it in the right direction after all the alcohol consumption that is...

Ahh alcohol consumption, a beautiful subject. Thats another post in the making....

Day 5 in Kayrala

Hmmmm my last day in Kerala:(

Woke up awfully late, around 10 in the morning and headed back to his place for breakfast. Once I was through with breakfast we planned out the day's activities. He wanted to spend the day out shopping and showing her around the city. I had been instructed by folks at work to get them banana and jackfruit chips and black halwa. So a day in the city it had to be and we went ahead and hired a Qualis and did just that. Lunch, shopping and another trip to the beach was all packed into one day. The last thing we did was to go to the harbour where the fishing boats were coming in with their catch for the day..Not such a smart thing to do because we absolutely stunk of fish just by walking around the harbour. The picture of the fishes was the last one I took in Kerala because my battery ran out as well.

Come 9 PM and it was time to head out to the bus stand to catch my bus back to Blore. Incidentally, I had never travelled in a Volvo so did that as well on this trip. By 6 AM I was back in town, heading home in an auto, reflecting back on the week that was...

Day 4 in Kayrala

The Marriage.

The big day was finally here. He got up at 3 AM to go back to the temple for some alone time and he came back smiling. I knew he was ready. He was actually happy that he was going to get married. There was the usual chaos and confusion leading up to the marriage. I hear they do about 40 marriages in Guruvayur, a DAY !!! Now thats possible because each marriage ceremony lasts for about 4 mins....









When our turn came there was pushing and pulling to get all the main people into the crowded mandap. The priest then did his thing. Everyone was scrambling for a better look. There was a band somewhere but I could not see them but essentially the marriage itself was simple and uncomplicated. My friend entered the mandap as a bachelor and a few minutes later stepped out as a husband....Once the ceremony was completed we had the photo sessions and then after a mini reception in the hotel we were staying in, it was time to head back to our rooms and rush back to Calicut for the main reception.

Even though the marriage was complete, the drive back was still very stresssful because we had to be back in time for the start of the reception and I had to drive them back. We did however have time to stop for a bit near this bridge overlooking a river bed and it provided an excellent photo op. Word was the this river slowly dried during the summer months and you can actually see that in the pic. The reception went on without a hitch and by the end of the day we could barely even move. I just remember checking in to a nearby hotel by around 10 in the night (could not obviously stay at his place that night) and then checking out as soon as I hit the bed...

Day 3 in Kayrala

Day 3 and we are off to Guruvayur for the marriage. Guruvayur was about 110 kms away from Calicut. My friend and I were in the car along with his mom and a cousin and the rest of the marriage party that was coming along, the cousins and aunties and uncles and whoever else were related to him in one way or the other were in the blue bus ahead. We reached Guruvayur by around 5 in the evening and I took the chance to walk around. I have never been to a devotional/religious place like this and they say that Tirupathi is much more crowded!!!!. The line of people on the left seems to just go on and on and never seems to end. I spent about an hour there and barely saw the line move. I am not the types to even go to church on Sundays and I dont understand the kind of devotion one needs to have to actually go through this kind of strain in the maddening heat just for a moment or two with the diety inside. There is nothing wrong with having faith but all this...it just does not make sense to me...

Day 2 in Kayrala

Day 2 was the first day I really got the see the roads in Calicut. Long.Clean.Wide winding roads. The pic below is of NH 17, the road we took the following day when we went to Guruvayur. Driving in Kerala was an absolute pleasure especially for someone who suffered the hell was call roads in Blore. Ahhhh,the sugarcane stand. The best sugarcane juice I had in my life. Pure, unadulterated sugarcane juice with just a bit of lime to add flavor. We must have had atleast 3 stops at that stand that day. Ummm, that would be my friend standing there giving the sugarcane guy the Superman pose. The sugarcane guy was not much impressed however.

Most of the day was spent roaming the city. We checked out S.M road, the equivalent to Commercial St and also the square (I forget the name of the square, will check with my friend and update it later on) I also sampled the the all-famous Kerala liquor, toddy… We didn’t have to go far, just a few fields away from his house we came across a shack where it was served in bottles of all shapes and sizes. This was my first time tasting the stuff and I must say it is an acquired taste. I did finish 2 glasses (about half a bottle) but that’s about all I could manage. My drinking partners however were poor drinkers. They must have had as much as me but by the time we were ready to go they were high as kites. No pics taken at that time, will check on his camera if we took any...

Day 1 in Kayrala

The road to my friends place. First thing I noticed was the sheer greenness of my surroundings. His house is smack dab in the middle of paddy fields and all this is just about 9 or 10 kms away from the heart of Calicut city. The green-ness continues!!!! Love the 2nd picture took it by placing the camera on the parapet wall along the side of the road....

Wow!!!!








The Calicut beach on a Sunday evening. Chock full of people...My friend and I spent more than an hour there talking about the good old days in college and the non sense things we have done when we have been together.

We also ate something called Manga while we were on the beach. Its nothing more than slices of raw mango which is pickled in Vinegar. This makes it exceedingly tangy on the surface but as you bite in to it there is just a bit of sweetness to offset the tanginess. Check out the pic on the right....Pretty dramatic isnt it??? There used to be a bridge constructed here which fell a while back (you can actually see pieces of it in the water) The iron structures left back are testament to the awesome power that nature can unleash when she so desires...

Hi Honey!!!! I'm Home!!!!

Ehhh...not quite. But im back!!! Missed me??? YES!!!!!!!!! Liar...

I came back to the Blore on Friday morning. It was an exhausting but an absolutely awesome week. Tons of things done, new places seen, new memories created...yeah sounds cliched. So what??? My blog!!!! And of course the main event, his marriage, which went off pretty smoothly in the end.

This had been the first time I took 5 days off from work. I have never considered myself to be a workaholic but then this was the first time that I chose to go ahead with a vacation in my 4+ yrs with this organization. Was it time well spent, you ask???

Answer : - Yes!!! Yes!!! Yes!!!.

Agreed, while this was not exactly one of those slow and relaxing vacations but time away from work, with friends and in a new, different place is still a vacation.

Kerala is an amazing place. I have never understood why folks who visit Kerala rave about the place but trust me, now I know. Kerala is a place that im gonna visit again and I already know where - the backwaters...Look out boss, I might just ask for another 5 day vacation before the year is over but thats for another posting, another day.

I thought it would be nice to put up some pics taken on each day of my trip so the next couple of postings are going to be about the trip. Just a warning the pics are rather large thanks to my 6 megapixel cam..I rule!!!!

Roll on Day 1...

A New Beginning...

Long day today. Have been up since 6 PM last night and its close to 3 PM the next day. Working in a call center does that to you sometimes, Ahhhh, I have forgotten to mention... My best friend is getting married in a few days time and i'll be going over to Calicut for a few days. Yes, he broke the gentleman's agreement that my friends group had struck way back in college wherein we decided that nobody marries before 30. He breaks that solemn agreement...and in some style too..he is still just 26!!!! But I'm also suitably excited. A trip to a new place. The chaos and confusion. Add to that witnessing the start of a new phase in my friend's life..Yup, I'm excited...

I would be leaving by late Saturday night so my blog and me will be away from each other for a good 4 -5 days but I hope to make a happy reunion with it when I come back with pics and new memories to look back on...

Random acts of Kindness...

WOW!!!! I am back home after another 12hr day in office but I have still dragged my butt over to the PC to work on my 2nd post. Hey, did I mention earlier???...WOW!!!!

So my shift was done and I made my way to the underground parking. I got into my green, very old and rickety Omni van, switched on the radio and pulled away from my space. I noticed a new rhythm, seemed strange, very unnatural but I shrugged my shoulders. Im too tired to care, that is until I saw one of the security guards running, waving and pointing, at the back end of my darling. I stopped and craned my neck to see what the fuss was about and there it was. Her right back tyre. Flaaaat!!!!

I spent a moment thinking about what had to be done and then figured it better to turn back and head back to my spot. Once there, I got out, cursing the gods and then proceeded to spend a good 10 mins looking for the jack. I looked under the carpeting and in the dickey and then followed the same routine twice over. But no jack!! I came to the conclusion that the Maruthi people have screwed me over and left me...jack- less. I despondently trudge back to the office. I was rushing home to enjoy mom's cooking but now that did not look likely. So, I went ahead and had breakfast with some folks from work and then it hits me.

The goddamn seat!!!

I swallow, choke the rest of my breakfast and run back to the van. I checked under the passenger side seat and lo!!!, sitting there snugly, right next to engine, is the jack!!!

Delighted, I reach down and try yanking it out but it does not budge.I try pushin, pulling, tugging, glaring angrily but hey, its not budging!!!. The damn thing is just not moving!!! And just when I feel like life has lost all meaning now that I have been bettered by my tyre jack, I hear muttering behind me. I turn back to find 2 men walking over to me. One indicates that I need to step back and the other continues muttering in Kannada to the first one. The first guy reaches in and in an instant returns with the stuborn jack in his hand. The other guy moves to the rear of the van and while I try in vain to attempt communication in English and my broken Hindi, they get busy with the tyre. I continue attempting conversation but its futile. They are here to help and help they shall. I shut my mouth and a min later another guy approaches. In what seems like nothing more than 5 mins the 4 of us had the van jacked up, the offending tyre off the van and the stepney pulled out from under the van and tightly secured in place of the flat. Even the tools were back in place. We did a slicker job than the best of F1 teams and all done by 4 guys who barely uttered a word to one another. I so desperately wanted to thank them but my Hinglish was a poor means of communication. At last I just said a genuine heartfelt thank you and gave each of them a firm handshake. They smiled and nodded their heads and went back to doing what they were doing before they met me.

The drive back home was hot and tedious in the morning rush hour traffic but I was not bored. I ran the entire incident in my mind over and over again. I am NOT a person who gets surprised easily but today was an exception. I feel gratitude in my heart..and it really feels good that strangers will still just come over and help out in terms of adversity. I dont know how long this fuzzy feeling will last but im gonna enjoy it while it does..

Its time to call it a day...

I Actuallly made it..

A blog (short for web log) is a user-generated website where entries are made in journal style and displayed in a reverse chronological order. ...

A blog is a personal diary. A daily pulpit. A collaborative space. A political soapbox. A breaking-news outlet. A collection of links. ...

A blog gives you your own voice on the web. It's a place to collect and share things that you find interesting— whether it's your political commentary, ...

So these are definitions that we know and associate with the word blog. First time this smart kid heard the word, he started wondering..blog...hmmm....sounds funny. I remember how back then the word was associated with so much of hype. The new internet funda!!!

Now we all blog. (Notice the use of the word "We" inspite of this probably being my one and only posting ever...) My uncle blogs...my ex boss blogs...a lot of colleagues blogs...my best friends...err well they are as dufus as me so they dont actually blog. But thats not the point, I have never been one to open myself to people.....Atleast not until im really drunk or until it serves my purpose to be someone i really am not. Im amazingly lazy to even THINK of keeping a damn diary and to make the time to pen my thoughts and then go through the torture of viewing my day condensed to some scribblings on a sheet of paper.

..But Still....Im here..I actually made it