Does this need a title?

With all the recent goings on -- busier work schedule, travels, etc., etc., the best I can come up with, once in several weeks, is nothing but a ragged patch of disconnected thoughts and observations. Darn! It is hard to write once you lose touch, especially if all you write day in and day out is code, proposals, estimates, project plans, and emails. And an occasional shopping list that never gets looked up.

Thankfully, I can still read. Though not as much as I used to. I read Lajja recently. It was long pending but I ended up not liking it. Found the style very immature. Maybe it was the translation that did it in. Still, I fail to understand why the author was taken so seriously recently in Karnataka where people ended up killing each other over something she was supposed to have said.

***

What is worse than getting stuck in the middle seat between two men on a long flight? Of course, getting stuck in the middle seat between two women on a long flight! No wiggle room whatsoever, and you can't even nap fearing you might sway a bit too far like a drunk and embarrass yourself!

But then, you can't always help it. I couldn't on Monday.

A hefty lady to my right. She wouldn't even let me imagine that we had an armrest between us. And she closed the windows even before the plane took off cutting me off totally from the outside world and thereby depriving me of the joy of seeing sunset from 30000 feet.

To my left, a skinny woman who busily worked away in her notepad calculating some strange numbers -- tens of thousands of dollars per week. Wonder what business she was in.

And me, with my skinny book, sitting like an overwhelmed school kid. And Pandit Jasraj singing my favorite Todi variations into my ears to help me forget the discomfort.

I was hardly 3 rows from the door. So as soon as the doors closed, I started looking around for an empty aisle seat, and I didn't have to look far. The 3-seater row to my left had an empty window seat with the other two occupied by a young Chinese couple. The guy then moved to the window seat, leaving the aisle seat vacant. Perfect. And as I was eyeing that seat, the guy noticed me and in one quick perfect move, asked the girl to move to the aisle seat leaving the middle seat vacant. What a disaster! I resigned myself to my fate, and settled down uncomfortably into my seat. But I couldn't help notice, albeit grudgingly, that the young couple flew the entire flight sitting a seat apart! It was as if they were saying "We would rather keep a small distance between us than allow a stranger invade our privacy." Fair enough!

***

I have seen women cry for all kinds of reasons, "absolutely no reason" being one of the more common. However, I had never seen a woman cry watching a movie on a plane! The skinny lady who was working some crazy numbers before the movie started got so absorbed in the movie that at the end, as Leo Tolstoy was dying, broke into uncontrollable tears that wouldn't stop even a good ten minutes after the movie ended! I just couldn't believe that somebody could cry in public while watching "The Last Station"! Sure, it was a good movie with some great performance by Helen Mirren and Christopher Plummer, but still....cry?

I guess this lady has never seen a bollywood movie!

Bits and pieces

OK, not much of a full blog post, but some bits and pieces that have been playing in my head. Needed to get them out of my system... so here they are.

* * *
Lalit Modi is OUT! CLEAN BOWLED! Nah, actually, make that hit-wicket. Good riddance! I have never been a fan of IPL. Actually, I would have wholeheartedly hated it if not for the fact that Dravid, Tendulkar and Kumble were playing in it. Two reasons why I detested it so much:

1. It is not cricket. It is mockery of cricket.
2. Modi. Do I need to say more? If BCCI was Corrupt, Modi is Corrupt++. And vulgar. And he flaunted it with no shame.

* * *
While I've hated IPL, and have never watched a single game in IPL 1, 2 and 3, I've kinda followed it online (you can't help it if you visit CricInfo.com everyday and read as many blogs I read!). And I was particularly impressed with the way Mumbai and Bangalore played this year. I didn't really favor any one particular team, but if I were to pick a team, I would have picked 3, none of which eventually won the trophy though each of these 3 teams deserved (and promised) to win.

In general, here's how I look (love, hate, and why) at the 8 IPL teams, in alphabetical order:

1. Chennai Super Kings: Hate. Reason: Hayden.

2. Deccan Chargers: Hate, in spite of Gilchrist and some connection I have with Andhra. Reason: Andrew Symonds.

3. Delhi Daredevils: Love them. In fact, one of my most favored teams this year. Sehwag and Gambhir are obviously two of the big, but not the only, reasons. The fact that I used to live here hasn't influenced much though. And have nothing against this team, despite the fact the Ashish Nehra plays for them.

4. Kings XI Punjab: Kings? Of what? The 'Also-Rans'. Deserved neither hatred nor love. Poor Zinta -- if they keep losing like this, it won't be too long before her dimples disappear. Oh, btw, it turns out there is Modi-connection here too -- so maybe I can hate them. ;)

5. Kolkata Knight Riders: Oh boy! Where do I start? I would have so loved to see Ganguly just sit home and keep his dignity. Poor guy! Two arrogant Australians screwed him up big time. And a Khan almost did him in.

6. Mumbai Indians: Love them. Because of Tendulkar. I have never really supported a Mumbai Ranji team because of the big bullies they usually are. Does anybody remember the Ranji final in Mysore? But in IPL this year, the way Tendulkar played and led the team, I wanted them to win the championship.

7. Rajasthan Royals: HATE them. Modi. Warne. Modi. Warne.

8. Royal Challengers Bangalore: Ah! My home team with Dravid, Kumble, Kallis, etc., etc. How can you not love them! But there is one thing that is really bad about them: the vulgar Malya.

* * *
In the middle of this, while the thugs like Modi were making big by breaking every rule, how did they summon the moral courage to ban Ravindra Jadeja for negotiating for a better deal? I guess one can't use Indian politics, cricket, the business of cricket, and morality in the same sentence.

* * *
I never thought I would write about IPL in my blog... I guess strange things do happen.

सार॑गा तॆरी याद मॆ॑...

.

The End.

Just because it is Jan 18th

A regret, yet again

For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind
and to melt into the sun?
And what is it to cease breathing,
but to free the breath from its restless tides,
that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?

PS: No, this is not in reference to the two famous deaths in Karnataka recently. I lost someone very dear earlier in the week.

Someone who played a very important role in my life as I was just trying to find my feet all those years ago.

Someone who affectionately disagreed with an important decision of mine but supported me nevertheless, and tried to make sure I would never have to regret it.

Someone who taught me how to appreciate a good percolator coffee, and how to make it too.

Someone who personified gentleness, light humor, and affection.

Someone who, though quite young, was waiting for his Call for a while now.

Someone who I am very guilty of not being with in the last days and moments.

Someone to whom I have been pouring my heart out in the last few days wishing I could say all this in person one last time.

Someone who I am praying will forgive me for all my lapses.

Post PS: I am reminded yet again how we take our and our loved ones’ lives for granted. We go through our lives as if we all are going to live forever, and forget to express our love, our affection and our gratitude to those that deserve to hear them. Only when they pass on that we realize what has been left unsaid over the years. And what remains is the guilt that will never go away till we meet them again in the other world.

Like what I am left with. Yet again.

Merry Christmas, folks!

A worthy investment indeed!

Can you tell Caesar loves Macs as much as I do?

Why, oh why?

I don't mind snow at all. I love the white, soft, powdery stuff, even after weathering way too many snowy winters. But when travel is involved, mine or my guests', especially during the holidays, I can't help wonder why now, why Chicago!

Cookie time!

Enough of sunsets now. It has been snowing non-stop. So why not have some hot cookies fresh out of the oven to kickstart the holidays!








PS: Before you ask, no, I didn't bake them. I am not THAT gifted. I just photographed them because they looked so lovely, and of course I ate a couple.

One more...

Hangin' In There

History rocks!

Only if you take good care of it.

"Light and Lines" Redux

No, I am not putting up these pictures here because I am suddenly excited about tall and huge buildings. I have lived in this city long enough to have several memories associated with most of these buildings. Architecture here is aesthetically stunning -- but I have gotten so used to it that I almost take it for granted. What mesmerizes me even to this day is the beautiful and ever changing display put up by light and lines -- one, the raw material, and the other, the most fundamental building block in 2-D visual design. I just can't walk or drive through the city without pulling my camera out.

Photographs of World Leaders

An interesting collection of portraits, mostly black and white, by photographer Platon, taken during UN General Assembly in September. As any serious photographer will tell you, portraits, especially the B&W types, are some of the most difficult to shoot. More so when your subjects sit for you only for a few seconds!

I also loved the short commentary by the photographer for each portrait. Go ahead, have a look. There is definitely something to enjoy here if you like to study/photograph faces.

http://www.newyorker.com/online/multimedia/2009/12/07/091207_audioslideshow_platon

The Eating Dilemma!

Say you make 3 or 4 paratha (ಪರಾಠ), chapaati (ಚಪಾತಿ), or dose (ದೋಸೆ) for yourself. As each of them comes off the skillet, you put it on the plate or in a box (to keep them all warm). When you are done making them all, how do you go about eating that stack? Top one (the latest and hence the warmest) first so that you can enjoy at least ONE hot paratha/chapati/dose? Or, are you an Equal Opportunity eater who flips the stack and eats the first one first and in the process eating them all at the same at a "not really hot" temperature?

One of my eternal dilemmas. I face it every time I make such dishes. Like today when I made parathas for the first time in my life.

You know, this dilemma actually applies to a lot of everyday events, including those in your professional life. It says a lot about who you are, how you approach life, how you make decisions in life. Sounds trivial and silly, eh? Well, sit back and think about it. And you will see what I mean.

"Which is prettier?"

My face?



Or my landing gear?

ಸಾಗರದಾಚಿನ ನಾಡು...ನೆನಪು

ಪ್ರತಿ ಮುಂಜಾನೆ ಇಂಥದೊಂದು ದೃಶ್ಯ ಕಾಣುವ ಭಾಗ್ಯ ಎಷ್ಟು ಮಂದಿಗುಂಟು?!

ಇದು ಯಾವ ಊರು ಹೇಳಿ ನೋಡೋಣ?

ಸರಿ, ಈ ಚಿತ್ರ ನೋಡಿ... ಗೊತ್ತಾಗಬಹುದು. :-)



ಹಳೇ ಚಿತ್ರಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಏನನ್ನೋ ಹುಡುಕುತ್ತಾ ಸಿಕ್ಕ ನೆನಪುಗಳಿವು....ಆಣಿಮುತ್ತುಗಳು!

Historic Pigeon Point Light House

Pigeon Point Light House, first opened in 1872, is one of the tallest light houses in the USA. It is currently in a sad state and is closed to public (though it is still being used by US Coast Guard).

This is the same light house that I had posted a picture of about a year ago.