Goodbye 2021

2021! 

What a terrible year it was. Thought 2020 was bad, but it was nothing compared to the collective trauma of 2021. We thought we had ridden over the Covid wave, with cases on the decline and vaccines rolling out. And then we got hit hard by the variants. Suffering yourself, seeing your loved ones laid low, hearing news almost daily of classmates, colleagues and acquaintances passing away. Meanwhile social media was full of cries for help. Amidst the doom scrolling, wanting to help while simultaneously feeling totally helpless yourself. Times couldn’t have been grimmer. 

Yet how quickly life threw us back into our usual routines. The Work From Home experiment continued, and travel was limited. The entertainment means continued to be limited. Reading, a bit of blogging, some OTT content – in short, more and more screen time! Personally, watched one genre more than others – kids TV. My personal recommendation - Masha and the Bear, with Dora the Explorer taking the second place. 

That was 2021 - a year of survival. And now entering 2022 with another wave of the virus arriving and cases escalating. Praying that this one’s impact is minimal. 

Maroon 5’s Memories (from 2019) really summed up the over-riding emotions of 2021 

Let’s hope that we stop living in these “unprecedented” times soon and get back to the “old normal” in 2022. Wishing all readers, a Very Happy, Healthy and Safe 2022!

The Human RAM

Remember the early days of "Computer Science" teaching in school. Amongst others there was also a list of abbreviations to be remembered. And also differences between things like RAM & ROM. 

RAM - Random Access Memory 

Not sure about computers but human brain certainly work in random fashion. Memories & names just flit in and out for no apparent reason and without any trigger. Something the philosophers and scientists have pondered about since time immemorial. 

Now why this sudden realization? Because suddenly three random unrelated names popped up in my head.  Carl Uwe Steeb, Floris Jan Bovelander and Madhusudan Tantubai. Except being sportspersons of varying ability in different sports, couldn't really link them up. 

Now who are they? 

• Carl Uwe Steeb (Wikipedia) - German tennis player of the early 90s, who reached a career-high singles rank of 14. 
• Floris Jan Bovelander (Wikipedia) - Dutch hockey legend known for his penalty corner conversions. Part of Olympics & World Cup winning teams and over 200 international goals. 
• Madhusudan Tantubai (Cricinfo)- Jharkhand wicket-keeper who replaced Dhoni when he got his first national callup. 

An above average tennis player, a hockey legend and a first-class cricketer. Now I know who the names are but why did they jump out of the subconscious mind into the active one? And in a series at that? I guess the eternal unsolved mysteries of nature and human mind. Truly the human brain sometimes works in the most random fashion, accessing memories buried somewhere in its recesses. 

Funny to recall and write about. And having a quizzard's mindset, surely more such will names will burst out in the future. Certainly made for an interesting rewind. 

All this while there is pile of work waiting to be tackled!

Goodbye 2020

2020 - what a year it was! With apologies to Dickens, it was the worst of times but (in some respects) it was the best of times as well. 

Cooped up at home, being paranoid about the spreading virus, cut off from social circles, entertainment means restricted, swamped with housework with no domestic help, while simultaneously trying to “work from home”. It was exhausting and difficult but more than compensated by the joy of being there for every new activity of the little one and getting to spend full time with my little family and of course no commute. 

There was a paranoia like never seen before about cleaning and sanitization, lest the virus sneak into our homes and lives. Many other habits changed e.g. the morning newspaper has all but disappeared; Haircuts can be done yourself! It was also the year in which the very concept of work-life balance went for a toss as the transition time (commute) between the two disappeared and they were present simultaneously throughout! 

The year was bookended with some travel. And a seemingly endless quarantine. Have to say, being locked in a room watching waves in the sea does give a totally different perspective of the passage of time. The city of Visakhapatnam got added into the travel map. But did it really? given that the entire stay was inside a hotel room. 

2020 had an extra day. Very important. And thankfully it came before the lockdowns struck! 

There was also a bump in the screen time qwith quite sometime spent on Chu Chu TV, Cocomelon, Dave & Eva et al. We also did our bit in making Baby Shark the most viewed YouTube video ever.

That was 2020 - the year in which we lived through history. Covid struck and world hit a collective pause button. While we mourned our losses, we also caught a glimpse of what nature would be if left undisturbed by humans. The eerie silence broken only by chirping of birds, the clear blue skies, more animals and birds visiting us. It was quite an utopian setting in a most dystopian circumstance! 

Hello 2021! Let's see what you have in store. 

Wishing all a very Happy & Normal (hopefully) New Year 202

The Twenty 10s

Another decade passes by. Although inconsequential in terms of the geological time scale, a combination of the widespread acceptance of the Gregorian calendar and decimal number system and the average human lifespan does tend to make a decade a significant passage of time.

Almost ten years back, I had written a post on the noughties. Simply my reflection on the decade gone by. Had ended that post with a wish of reviewing the tens on this platform. And here I am still putting in my thoughts on the past decade. As they say, the more things change the more they remain the same.

So how did the last ten years go. Things are quite different now. Started the decade alone and with a nomadic existence. Ending it not alone and having spent the entire period in the same city & company! Stability with constant evolution has been the mantra.

During the noughties, home referred to one city in the first half and another in the second, without having lived in either. The tens changed that bit. Lived in Mumbai/Navi Mumbai throughout but still can’t get around to calling it home. There certainly is a sense of losing touch with own roots.

There were new experiences including some life changing ones. Also, the passport was put to its proper use for the first time ever! And there is the constant battle with time which keeps slipping away in the fight against the ever-expanding “To Do” list. Yet the true moments of Happyness were always sneaked in.

Work evolved in its own way with exposure levels getting changed. However, it did stay very much in the realm of Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint and of course that constant pest, the smartphone (a new arrival in this decade, for me at least).

People came in, people went away, some reconnected, others may connect again. The cycle continued and probably will keep going on. There are more ways of being in touch than ever before.

So that was the Twenty Tens for me. The new decade certainly brings its own anticipation. And I wonder if there will be a similar post in 2030. Would certainly hope so! Meanwhile, the pursuit of Happyness will continue!

P.S. And I was wrong, this decade was exciting in its own way compared to the noughties!

Goodbye 2019

Another year went by, but personally what an year it was!

Early in the year, the Little One arrived. And after that let's say things were a bit different. It was a fascinating time watching someone take their first tentative steps into this world. 

Of course, uninterrupted sleep became a fantasy. As did the earlier entertainment means. Movies, TV episodes and books were sneaked in. I believe this was first year in over two decades that there was no movie theatre visit! But wasn't really missed.

And now to the other events of the year.

• Attended a couple of musical concerts and Arijit Singh simply outshines Maroon 5!
• Also somehow found myself amidst a full constellation of "stars".
• And I voted. Twice!
• And there was an offshore trip to round off the year.

Now to the year 2020, which amongst other things has an extra day!

And throwing in this Backstreet Boys song which really resonated this year.

Goodbye 2018

End of year MMXVIII AD. Time to reflect back on having completed another revolution around the Sun. 

From a chaotic beginning, being stuck at the airport due to a fog delayed flight to a calm ending, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, it was a year of busyness where while not much happened, yet a lot actually did. 

This was a year of small trips, including some with same day return. The travel map expanded into the neighbourhood (Pune) and to middle of the country (Shahdol). The daily commutes kept getting longer and amongst other things even involved a helicopter ride! The 4G connection helped overcome the ennui of the daily routine though. However due to the occasional madness which collectively grips our cities, spent a couple of days with mobile data not available, which was somehow also a very liberating feeling. 

There was a 10 year college reunion. Frankly speaking, 10 years can change a place a lot, if there is desire to do so. There were many other WhatsApp groups planning a multitude of reunions. Waiting to see how many of them come to fruition. 

Book count increased but there is always scope for growth. Movie theatre visits may have dropped but were replaced by experiences like a play (and not just any play but The Mousetrap) and a couple of games of Kabbadi. 

But most importantly, 2018 was spent preparing for 2019! 

Wishing all readers a very Happy, healthy & prosperous 2019.

Goodbye Twenty17

Its time when calendars are changed. As we begin another year, its time to take a step back and look at the year gone by, before the madcap pace of life catches up.

The Year MMXVII A.D. was quite an eventful one. The signs were there at the very beginning. At the stroke of the midnight hour, as the world celebrated and cheered the arrival of a new year, me ran helter-skelter hunting for the Uber which would take me home from the airport. A home which during the course of the year had a change of address as well. Guess, those early moments set up the tone for the year, which was filled with lots of commuting! Flights, Taxis, Buses, Trains - long and short and many!

The commuting time increased. To pass it, cultivated new hobbies, like catching Pokemon on the roads. But after some time, the attraction wore off and it was just a drain on the battery. Then discovered the Raj Comics App for reliving those childhood memories. And finally moved on YouTube lectures – benefits of a 4G connection and a longer commute.

The travel map expanded quite a bit and was also filled with loads of history lessons. There was the first ever European trip into Italy – the land of pizza, football, gelato and Christianity! Also travels to Ajanta, Ellora and Rajasthan. Every trip adding more items into the “bucket list” than the ones being checked off. Also, the more I learnt, the more I realized that like Jon Snow, I know nothing about the world! 

Had decided to post one picture on Instagram everyday. It was only in early June when the streak broke. Maybe this year. All this travel has ensured that there is no dearth of pictures to be posted!

Reading is something which I would want to do more, but somehow seem unable to! Reading speeds have drastically reduced! Although did manage to complete the entire series of A Song of Ice and Fire. Best book that I read this year, would be Sapiens. Certainly a book which makes you think of your own position as a human being in this world.

New Experiences – trying different food items, catching the setting Sun over the sea, spending a day selling pottery at an Arts festival, exploring different cities on foot, walking the high-rope, somehow surviving a major wardrobe malfunction with least embarrassment, a long rain-drenched return from work as the city got flooded, tea at a tapri in the cold morning, and closing out the year with a bonfire.

So onward to 2018, which has already had a crazy start. Looking forward to learning more and staying happy and healthy!

The Italian Sojourn

Bon Giorno

After a few days in Italy, these words automatically get added into the daily dictionary.

Italy - how do I describe it? The entire country seems to be a live history lesson - there are churches, museums, fountains, canals, archaeological sites – all linked with the land's glorious past. The saying "All those who wander are not lost" fits well with the place. You take a wrong turn and you end up discovering something unexpected. All of them quite fascinating, but none so much as the experiences.

Italians love football. After all they are four-time World Champions of the planet's most popular sport. UEFA Champions League Final happened to coincide with our stay. Watching the Final alongside a bunch of what I thought Juventus supporters at a restaurant was quite an experience. They cheered for everything - a goal scored, a goal conceded, a foul, a good save and sang throughout, while pizza and beer flowed freely. Juventus lost that day and chants of “Juve, Juve, Merda” still resonate. Turns out it was an anti-Juventus chant after all!

Just how big a phenomenon was Roman Holiday! Some sixty odd years after it's release, it is a cultural landmark (in a nation full of landmarks)! Audrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck and their Vespa are still visible all around. Also, found a little shop which called itself Audrey's Shop.

A lone cellist playing in the basilica square. The music, hauntingly beautiful and soothing. Just sit on the steps, close your eyes and be mesmerized. And you are recharged for the walk to the next spot in the itinerary. Only, you don’t feel like leaving the place at all.

The Roman Empire may have disappeared, but here and there were some “gladiators” challenging you for a duel. Rather asking you to get a photograph taken in exchange of money. But, still it was funny to see a man all dressed in gladiatorial costume taking a sip of water from a plastic bottle during a break.

Beware of sea-gulls. They may seem gentle but if you have food in hand they can be quite deadly. Some launch direct attacks. Others can do stealth attack as well. Witnessed one such sneaky attack where the bird was once thwarted off but it circled and sneaked up from behind to snatch a pizza slice right out of the hands of its hapless victim.

Which brings me to the food. After all, Italy is the home of pizza and gelato. Hours of walking, trying to soak up all the history around can leave you very hungry. So, you enter a pizzeria, ask for a margherita (pizza) and the shop-owner says – “But I am Alessandro”. Italians do have a charming sense of humour!

But one can’t have pizza for all meals. So imagine the happiness which the sight of a “genuine” Indian restaurant brings. (And not a Bangladeshi one masquerading as an Indian). The owner greets you warmly with “और कैसे हो ” while Humma Humma (the new one) plays in the background. Apart from the great food, they also had an updated Bollywood playlist.

We did stand out as Indians in a foreign country. Even the border police at airports greeted us with a Namaste! And that’s what made an elderly couple strike a conversation with us while taking a breather from the sightseeing. They were from Sweden, spoke English and had adopted a child from India. Over the next few minutes, apart from other things, learnt about their little town in Sweden whose entire population could easily fit into one of the average size building complexes in Mumbai! The conversation may have been initially hesitant (from our end) but certainly was an enriching one. 

Back to the churches and the music now. After a long day of sightseeing, sitting in a piazza listening to some live music and I see a colleague from work. The world certainly is a small place.

And I found a church with a personal connect. In Rome, near to the Pantheon was the Chiesa San Ignacia de Loyola. A church dedicated to St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesuits, which runs my alma mater.

And many more such memories to be cherished forever.

Grazie & Ciao

P.S. Time to re-read Dan Brown!

Mission & Vision

There was a time not too long ago, when people went to work did what they were asked/ordered and came back home with the fruits of their labor. There would be overall targets and you fulfilled them as best as you could. 

But no longer. In the modern workplace you do not just have team goals. Every individual has to have one of their own (Written down and signed off). The process may be at times bureaucratic, mostly irritating but can occasionally lead to interesting results (if the creative juices kick in at the right moment)

So there was me, building up an Individual Development Plan for work. Instead managed to come up with a personal mission and vision (not just for work). 

A small Misssion backed with a 7-point agenda. Now lets see how long this will sustain. After all the beauty of any such development plan is to keep revisiting and tinkering it as we go along.

Goodbye Twenty16

The Year MMXVI A.D. draws to a close. There is something about this change of calendars which gives a reason to hope. However dark the days may be (or surreal as they are), there is always a sense of optimism for the coming year. But before we step into the new year, it is always worthwhile to step back and take a moment to reflect on the year gone by.

Twenty16, how would I look back at you? Certainly with a sense of achievement. Yes there were ups and downs but the ups were higher, and more fulfilling. It is always better to have goals to achieve and overcoming challenges step by step rather than aimlessly running along. Also why I like Candy Crush more than Temple Run :). 

So, the things which will stay in memory from 2016.

• Twenty 16 had an extra day. Very important !!!
• The Travel Map expanded with my first ever trip to the west of India, out of Asia, across the Atlantic and right into USA. Lets just say, the place is a bit different. It was my longest flight with lots of movies, random sleep and being awestruck with the desolate, white landscape of Greenland (but where is the green in Greenland). Other highlights being taking a train journey in a foreign land, a selfie with Van Gogh's selfie, multiple museums, getting a free cookie because the owner was also Indian and a birthday cake on the return flight. 
• The touristy me also managed to add new travel locations within the country - Diu and Coorg, both off the beaten track, one a tiny speck surrounded by sea, other a hilly terrain occupying a vast green territory. And both having their own charms.
• Professionally, a series of exams capping off a good year with collateral benefits. And Citius Altius Fortius can be a good motto for professional life as well.
• Oddly, there was a drastic increase in number of celebrity sightings. Airports and malls which I had visited many times earlier were suddenly teeming with celebrities, big and small. 
• I always thought the government was just a distant enabler. Until November 8, 2016 when a single announcement disrupted the entire country and sent every individual scampering for  usable cash. Also finding working ATMs became a new hobby.
• The blog launched a new section LearnNBlog. Not sure how much learning will it dispense.
• Instagramming became the new chief hobby. Only downside is now pictures are "also" taken from an "instagram perspective"
• There was also a major spurt in the number of whatsapp groups, many of them getting muted instantly on joining. 
• New Experiences - Zipline, Golf, Pottery, Online team gaming. 
• And last but not the least - "Winter is here". Catching up with the happenings in Westeros is quite a learning experience.

So onwards to 2017. Looking forward to gaining new experiences, learning more, reading more and most importantly staying happy and healthy. 

Wishing all readers a happy and prosperous new year 2017!!!

Resolutions Time

A new year has dawned upon us and ‘tis time when resolutions are made. Most of which broken by this time of the year. So instead of making resolution for a year, me decided to make some resolutions for the future (no time frame). And helping me in framing the words is a famous playwright from some centuries back. 

Give thy thoughts no tongue,

Nor any unproportion'd thought his act.

Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar.

Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,

Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel;

But do not dull thy palm with entertainment

Of each new-hatch'd, unfledged comrade. Beware

Of entrance to a quarrel; but being in,

Bear't that the opposed may beware of thee.

Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice;

Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgment.

Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,

But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy;

For the apparel oft proclaims the man,

And they in France of the best rank and station

Are of a most select and generous, chief in that.

Neither a borrower nor a lender be;

For loan oft loses both itself and friend,

And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.

This above all: to thine own self be true,

And it must follow, as the night the day,

Thou canst not then be false to any man. 

These were the words of wisdom imparted by Polonius onto his son Laertes as he is leaving for France to attend university, covering a whole gamut of subjects from friendships to fighting to finances (Hamlet Act I, Scene III). Though written over four centuries ago, the words still hold good, although some of the contexts may have changed. So on the lines of Shakespeare, here are my resolutions. 

1. Listen to varied opinions but do not put anything on any social media without verifying it through other sources. And certainly not indulge in hate-mongering. 
2. Be financially prudent. Not be a miser nor a spendthrift. Save first and then spend. Invest after due research and not just a hunch or a tip. Do not get swayed by any get-rich-quick-schemes nor panic on every news event. Keep track of the finances. 
3. Do not procrastinate. But on the other hand, do look before you leap. Many things sort themselves out with time but many go worse as well.
4. Spend time with those who really matter. Take more holidays. 
5. Do my bit to save the environment.
6. Keep Learning.
7. And finally “to thine own self be true”. The most important one. After all everything else falls in line after this.

Cheers to a new year and new resolutions

Goodbye 2015

The year MMXV A.D. approaches its end. It’s time to reflect on the year gone by and decide the course for the year to come. The more things change, the more they remain the same. Yet, every passing year leaves behind its own share of memories. Overall it wasn’t a very likeable kind of year with issues snooping around at the back of the mind. 

• Major change: Shifting to another place and hunting for a new one, a major exercise in itself.
• Memorable Experience – River rafting in the Ganges and having to hang on to dear life in the rapids as the raft overturned and people getting swept away to the next raft. More adventure than we had bargained for. But memorable all the same. Then there was the musical concert, the play seen on a screen and finally being part of mega service launch. And securing a phone invite via social media. And some more dentist trips.
• Achievement of the Year – Completing a month long fitness challenge. And feeling quite good about it. Although other attempts did end midway.
• BookMarks - Started a new section on the blog, dedicated to the books I complete reading. 9 entries made this year.

Now for the resolutions for the next year: Be Healthy & Happy and keep everyone around happy. And I am certainly looking forward to 2016. After all it has that one extra-special day. 

Wishing all readers a very Happy and prosperous 2016.

Battle of the Bulge

In the last days of May, found an "event" on Facebook, which some of my friends were "going to". Turned out it was a 30 day abs challenge which people had decided to take up. Well, it seemed interesting enough, so me too decided to join this "movement". After all, the most visible effect of the sedentary lifestyle enjoyed by most office-goers including yours truly is a nicely developed paunch giving a well rounded appearance to your personality (Pun intended).

Getting rid of this paunch has been a ongoing battle for long, albeit a losing one. Exercise regimens have been initiated and let go. Multiple fitness apps have made their way in and out of the mobile phone. But somehow every single routine has collapsed for some reason or the other. With all these experiences behind me, I looked up the following chart, which was the cover picture of the event.

It was a set of 4 exercises (Sit-ups, Crunches, Leg Raises & Plank) to be done with increased repetitions over a period of 30 days with a rest day every 4th day.  The first few days looked light enough. So I decided to have a go at it. Printed out the picture and started striking out the routines as they got completed. The exercises were followed on a daily basis as per the calendar. So daily after returning from work, I would look up this chart and follow the instructions. 

Day 1 - 15 sit-ups, 5 crunches, 5 leg raises and 10 second plank. This was done easily without breaking any sweat. Although I did wonder if I would be able to manage the Day 30 routine with 125 sit-ups and 200 crunches. Decided to cross that bridge when it came and take it a day at a time. So day after day, the routine was followed with increased repetitions. The duration also increased from barely 10 minutes on the first day to almost 45 minutes by the end of the month. And somehow, I did manage to complete all the days without a single failure [started cheating a little on the plank in the last week though].

Some tips on how to keep it going

• Do not look at the activities for the last day. Its a huge number but you can get to it by the end of the month.
• Do the exercises in sets of 5 repetitions and have some background music to keep you distracted.
• Take a little break between different exercises, but finish in the same sitting.
• Keep having small sips of water in between
• Keep a print of the schedule. Use a pen/pencil to cross out the exercise set as you complete. Nothing motivates better to do the next step than crossing out the previous completed step.
• Try to maintain the same time daily.
• Follow as per the calendar dates. Makes it easier to keep track and complete.
• Find the next challenge to keep the spirit going

Overall Result - The weight has reduced slightly and the belt is definitely getting tighter. And it does feel good to have been able to complete 200 crunches at one go. The first battle has been won. But the war is still on. 

Here is the link with videos of how to do the exercises (Link) 

P.S. Taking up a new challenge for July. After all success breeds more success.

Goodbye 2014

Last day of the Year MMXIV A.D. Its time to look back at the year gone by and await the year coming ahead.

It was an interesting year, full of travel and lots of new experiences and change. The kind of year one can look back in satisfaction that it was a time well spent.

• Biggest Change - Work shifted from 6-day to a 5-day week, automatically creating a whole extra day every weekend.
• Travel Map - More foreign travel done than ever before and more domestic travel as well. Singapore, Thailand and Greater Noida added to the travel map.
• Memorable Experiences - Spoilt for choice here - Staying overnight in a ship in the middle of Bay of Bengal, holding a tiger cub in my lap, para-sailing, underwater walking, boat ride in the backwaters, visiting ancient sites depicting human life from 100,000 years back, giving a speech in front of the entire group company. Or simply lying down on the ground and watching a sound and light show.
• Online courses - A new interesting world which I accessed this year. 
• Books - One area which needs heavy correction. Volumes are now at an all time low.
• Health - More fitness conscious than actually working out
• And did NOT lose a phone all year

And as for the year 2015 ahead.

• Soak in more experiences, see more, read more and most importantly enjoy more.
• Keep Learning
• Goal for the year - Citius, Altius, Foritus - in all parameters of life.
• And keep everyone around who matter happy.

Wishing all readers a very Happy New Year 2015 :)

Goodbye 2013

Last day of the year MMXIII A.D. Time to bid goodbye to year gone by while ushering in the new. Also time to take stock and to move forward.

The year gone by began with lots of experiences to be soaked in. A play, a fashion show, a small boat trip, another in-stadium match, some travel. All in the first half of the year. Then came health issues, all minor but more of the irritating kind (guess the side-effects of being on the wrong side of 30). And most of the second half of the year was spent trying to find some time to relax. Work is interfering too much into actual life.

• Highlights of the year - Has to be walking on the Misty roads of Mahabaleshwar; Also marking our first anniversary over an extended time. 
• Travel Map - Misty Mahabaleshwar is the only new addition
• Readings - Volumes have reduced dramatically 
• Movies & Television - Cinema trips have declined dramatically while TV watching increased ever so slightly.
• Lowlights of the year - Changes which did not come; heath irritants.

Given all that happened in the year gone by, here is my list of new year resolutions.

• Find Time. There are lots of things to be done. But for any of my resolutions to succeed, time is the critical one. A little difficult but will be managed. After all, only I can bring in my own change.
• Take more holidays. 
• Explore more - New places, new books, new movies & documentaries, new experiences. And try not to wait but go for things as and when they come in
• Stay healthier and fitter. Cut the laziness and waist.
• And lastly, not lose a phone 
• But most importantly keep the ones around me HAPPY

Wishing all readers a very happy, prosperous and healthy (this is what happens when you are on the wrong side of 30) new year 2014 

Happy Diwali

"Wishing you & your family a very Happy Dipawali"

Its that time of the year, when this and other messages of similar nature will arrive in your multiple Inboxes (via sms, e-mail, whatsapp, other messaging services). Yes its Happy Diwali time - the most looked-forward festival of the year (at least for me). But like everything else, even Diwali has changed.

When I was younger, the thing to look forward to in Diwali was the chance to burst crackers. Other things like puja, decorative lighting, delicious food, new clothes were hardly noticed. The young me made a complete list of items which were required to celebrate Diwali - फुलझरी, रस्सी, घिरनी, गुरकुण (अनार), snake and a gun with rolls. Favorite one being the snake. You light the dark pellet and the way it would grow into a snake like form was the most fascinating to watch. Also it was the messiest when cleaning up a day later.  As the years passed, the slightly older me added a few more items to the list - मिर्ची बम , आलू बम , चटाई बम & rockets while the little gun was dispensed off. Post the list making was the purchase. Carrying a large packet of multiple kinds of firecrackers had its own joy. And a day before Diwali the major event was spreading out the packet in the sun to ensure no moisture remained. Each of these items had their own thrill. Waving the lit phuljhari gave the real diwali celebration feeling. It was also used for lighting up the other little crackers. And there was no better sight than a rocket lighting up the night sky. The gun would be the first item used and it would be the last to have its stocks depleted. Any crackers which were left over (highly unlikely event) were used 6 days later during chhath puja. There was also this continuous tussle going on inside to start bursting the crackers but ensuring that you don't deplete your stocks soon.

And then I guess I grew up. Having left home for higher studies and followed by a job, lost all interest in the crackers. Now the biggest question was if I would be at home for Diwali or not. And there was a no better feeling than  planning a home trip around this time. The biggest thrill of Diwali now became the journey home. Trying not to sleep the entire night before to ensure that I did not miss the train/flight home. Meanwhile the non-stop fireworks specially the sound and smoke ones began to seem more of nuisance than anything else.

The thrill may have moved from buying crackers to being home for Diwali what hasn't changed is the festive mood. There is something joyous about Diwali which no other festival has. The multitude of lights all around and the fireworks lighting up the night sky gives the whole place an ethereal glow. A glow which is a most uplifting one to the heart.

Also as a side benefit Diwali also gives the opportunity to update your phone contact list specially if your contact list has been lost for some reason or the other. There is an extra joy in getting season's greeting messages from a previously unsaved number.

And if you are reading this - Wishing you & your family a very Happy Dipawali"

P.S. - A request - Please ensure that Diwali remains a festival of lights and not the festival of sounds.

P.P.S - An old Diwali post (Here) from my initial days of blogging.

Deja Vu - Issued In Public Interest

It felt like the opening scene from Hangover II. It had happened again. The questions were why me? And again?

Losing a mobile is not a nice experience. Losing repeatedly is even worse. Feels like I have been "marked" as a serial victim.

Now to the event itself. Got onto a BEST bus as per my daily schedule. After some time, say 15 minutes, decided to check the phone. And the phone had disappeared. As simple as that. Heart sank with the feeling of deja vu.

Asked the neighbouring passenger to dial my number. As expected, phone was switched off. The thieves are quick, both at nicking the phone, and manually removing the battery.  Tried to recollect the incidence of the theft.  This is probably how it had happened.

A large sized fellow was the first to get onto the bus. Near the top step, lots of coins "slipped" out of his hand which he stopped to collect blocking the way. Meanwhile I was directly behind him on the next step, with both hands on the bus handles for balance. Felt a sudden surge behind me due to others trying to get on. Probably this was the moment when the phone was nicked. Also noticed that the big fellow who had dropped the coins got down after a couple of stops. Pretty sure this was an organised operation. One person creates a distraction while blocking up the path and someone else uses this precise moment to pick the pocket.

Another bitter lesson learnt. Do Not get distracted in crowded, public places even when the distraction is right in front of your eye. "Constant vigilance" is the only way to keep your belongings safe.

Losing a phone is major nuisance. The worst bit is that the cost of the phone itself is the least concern. The value of the personalization and memories attached with the phone is much greater than just the phone cost. Contacts, messages, pictures, your personal high scores in various games are intangibles which have no use to the thieves but cant be replaced.

And a suggestion - Always keep the phone locked with a pin/password. You might never see your lost phone again. But at least your "personal" data will not be accessible to anyone else.

Sharing this, so that others maybe alert in such scenario.

P.S. Hoping & Praying that this tragically epic trilogy of losing phones has reached its conclusion.

Goodbye 2012

Last Day of the year MMXII A.D. And for me personally what a year it has been. It was the year of transformation and change. And I can always look back to 2012 as one of the best years of my life. After all, all the 3 basic ingredients for Happyness are now in place. Someone to love, Something to do & Something to Hope for.

Here is a little look back on the year gone by.

• February 29 is the most special day in the calendar. And getting married on such a special day to a special person. Well as they say सोने पे सुहागा. Though there remains the issue of the date on which to mark the yearly anniversary.
• Quite a lot of travel done including the first ever international destination added. Bali, Goa, Nalanda circuit, and rediscovering Mumbai as well. The journeys have become more pleasant due to the wonderful company.
• Shifted houses. Now refer to Bombay as my home base rather than Navi Mumbai. And included many additions to the household.
• Learning to drive. It was quite an experience. Sometimes fun, sometimes scary. 
• Managed to lose another mobile phone, the same model as last year 
• Lots of teething issues. Wisdom tooth pulled out, root canals done etc, etc. Bloody painful too.
• Work continues as usual. The more things change, the more they remain the same.
• The posts keep coming on to the blogs. And they are a little more noticed now.  Ventured into the podcast front as well with a couple of recordings

So 2012 you were nice to me. And provided such wonderful memories to be cherished for a lifetime.

Lets see what 2013 has in store for us.

Wishing all readers a very happy year and life ahead.

Nishantzworld - 200 Not Out...

200. 

That is the number of posts that have been written for Nishantzworld. And writing this little post to celebrate the landmark.

More than 6 years ago, an idea of writing a blog came to me. And I took my first tentative step. It was a confused beginning with me having no idea of what I was getting into. After that first step, posts started coming in as and when I felt like writing something. Posts would be on campus life and some other world events which I thought strongly enough at the moment to express my thoughts upon. Apart from my life, there  would be the occasional movie review and the more regular cricket related ones. There were also a few random ones whose content had zero originality.

Had an idea of closing the blog after moving out of campus but was dissuaded by a couple of readers (whom I am very grateful to). Post campus life, the posts became more world oriented. The frequency of posts went down. However there was something which kept me going. Slowly the writing style also underwent little changes. Cricket has been shifted to an altogether different platform called Slipstream Cricket (which reached its double century in double quick time but has slowed down off late. There have been the occasional writer's block but have still gamely carried on. Some cosmetic changes have taken place to keep up with the time. Now I have a dedicated MovieNotes section where I review the recent movies seen. (debuting today to mark the 200th post). Hopefully sometime soon there will be enough posts to start a dedicated travel section too.

What keeps the blog going on? The occasional comment which comes in. More than that the satisfaction on seeing my own thoughts getting published and being able to share them to the world. There is never any dearth of ideas. It also feels great to be occasionally published on other forums.

Special thanks to the 22 people who publicly follow this blog. 

And lastly the Fab 5, my favorite blog posts from post 101-199 (something which I had done for my 100th post as well). In chronological order here they are.

• The Fast & the Corrupt. Where I wrote about Anna's movement
• Jhansi Ki Rani. The Don Bradman of my posts. For some weird reason the most visited blog post so far.
• The Inhuman Humans. An account of a painful encounter with the Dentist
• Bombay. Expressing my inability to call Mumbai my home.
• Driving Lessons. A set of 3 posts chronicling my efforts to learn driving. Made some progress in there.  A blog is a good way to note your progress. And I need to post the 4th one in the series.

Hopefully more and better ones will follow.

Thanks once again to all who have have read this post. Your comments are most welcome. 

Driving Lessons - III

As promised (rather hoped for) in the previous post, the 3rd edition in this series comes with experiences from behind the wheel. Yes, I have had my first real hands-on driving lessons. Here are some of the learnings made from the driver's seat.

• #1 - Having a experienced and professional driving instructor helps - a LOT. He knows exactly what kind of mistakes first time driver would make, what kind of roads to take to begin handling the car etc. I received an informative ten minute talk on the basic driving equipment and their usage. And then only was I allowed to start.
• #2 - The key to a driving is good handling of the clutch combined with the accelarator. I wasn't driving at a very great speed, but hardly needed to use the brake. Having good control of the clutch is an essential pre-requisite for a good driver. (Proud moment - Not once did the car stall while starting due to  sudden clutch release)
• #3 - While changing gears, you don't really need to look at the gear handle. Its better to keep your eyes on the road and the mirrors.
• #4 - Use the horn a lot. At turnings, at turns, at busy parts of the road. Better to warn the person ahead, that an inexperienced fellow is driving the car instead of putting them at risk. Also gives sufficient warning to others.
• #5 - Practise and practice more. I actually jumped at a chance to get an extra session on the 1st day itself. It makes you more comfortable and eases out the nerves as well.
• #6 - Keep your speed low. It enables better control always. Lower the speed, lower the severity of any incident.
• #7 - Align the steering wheel to the road ahead. But this is easier said than done. Quite likely to overdo this simple thing.
• #7 - Learn about your car. Keep reading the manual whenever you get a chance. Even a simple thing like opening and closing the bonnet over the engine becomes complex. For opening, there is button near the front door on the driver's side which release the bonnet. Then you go and unlatch it manually. For closing the bonnet needs to be dropped from a certain height. It just does not latch up if pressed down.

Have to say, it was an exhilirating feeling to be driving a vehicle for the first time ever. The thrill of feeling the car move with me at controls is bit undescribale. Have to say this, learning to drive a car seems to be a simpler task than learning to drive a 2-wheeler. (Guess the brain feels safer being inside a stabler vehicle).

Some of the highlights -

• able to get the car moving at the first attempt itself
• not stalling the car during driving
• making a U-turn at the lights (Yes I did that)
• reverse driving (with the aid of the the instructor)
• taking an uphill blind turn

More driving sessions coming up and am certainly looking forward to them.