May 22, 2009

My last couple of weeks!

Looks like the drive to blog is not just enough. Not blogging for close to a month pinches especially when I am striving to be a religious blogger. My friends never miss to make fun of that very aspiration. Not so amusing, they even doubt the verity of ClustrMaps and voice it a little too often. In a fit to blog, I wrote a lot and said RIP to all of them. I guess I should take it a little easy.

Last couple of weeks have been absolutely hectic with more responsibilities at work. It's going to be like this for another one month before I get away to Kashmir for the perfect holiday. Okay people exclaim! Kashmir! I am just so excited even when I'm agnostic about my coming back.

Some other relevant updates. My experiment with baby tears in a terrarium failed miserably. A good old friend called on me after 4 long years. I took time off from work and slogged away the next couple of days. No regrets there, those are some moments to cherish. Carpe diem! I believe in it. Chandana celebrated Mac's first bark. Meanwhile Mac & Cooper still sing the same song of friendship. Before the intense work schedule took a toll on my well being, I did a bit of self indulgence at Bodycraft. I loved it and would recommend the place to all fellow Bangaloreans.

After coaxing close to a score of people to buy 'Three Men in a Boat' and making sure that each one advocates the same in an MLM fashion, I picked up my second copy of the book. This time a neat hard bound edition all for just Rs.150/- from Wilco Publishing House. The publishers have a huge list of titles, mostly complete & unabridged classics, classified under 'Classic Library Books'. These books elegantly bound come in surprisingly low price. Before I even realised, I had already grabbed The best of O. Henry, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. My pleasure, Alice's book came with the original illustrations by John Tenniel. I had always wanted to read them with an adult's perspective ever since I figured Alice & the logic-chopping pair Tweedledum and Tweedledee in a book on logic. Below Tweedledum and Tweedledee debate the finer points of logic with Alice.


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"I know what you are thinking about", said Tweedledum : "but it isn't so, nohow."

"Contrariwise," continued Tweedledee, "if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be: but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic."

As I said earlier, let me take it a little easy. Alice and her adventures can easily be part of another post. By the way did you know that Alice's books were banned in China on the grounds that "animals should not use human language".

There was a big fat wedding in the family and we paid a brief visit to my folk's. It felt great catching up with aunts, uncles and cousins, who were little kids when we last met 7 years ago. Some interesting pictures I took during the trip. This one is my favourite.

CIMG3977 No, it is no tree in hibernation. It's a dried flower of teak tree held against a white wall. Mangoes, the luxury of summer, fallen from the big mango tree in my ancestral home yard.

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The tree provides food and shelter to a lot of animals and birds. Like always I still spot many rare birds. They may not be actually rare but I haven't seen them in plenty. There is a beauty in the infestation of this wild plant too, right? Come monsoon, it is going to thrive more.

CIMG3856 Finally, the purpose of this left me confused. A shelter? for? from?

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Last weekend had my friends at work and their families coming over for a potluck lunch. It was fun to play the hostess. With a couple of the same guys leaving work to pursue better options, the Friday lunches won't be the same fun anymore. Let me wish them all the best. Meanwhile I am still waiting for Manu's blog launch. Given the fact that he is much of a self starter and is diagnosed with an acute case of verbal diarrhea (I'm stealing his very words here), I am surprised I am still waiting.

4 comments:

Manu said...

This, I believe, is the first article in which you have done justice to the punch line of your blog. And for someone like me whose reasoning levels are much less than 14 cycles per second, this warranted at least 3 times reading to catch up with your thoughts. Given so many topics to me, I would have drafted atleast 5 or 6 full length articles! (the diarrhoea is getting acute!)

So, holidaying in Kashmir... During my North East days I heard this told to me more than once: “People who tell that Kashmir is the most beautiful state in India have not seen Arunachal!”... Well, I am not spoiling your “perfect holiday destination”, but adding another option when u draft your next holiday plans.

I am definitely one of the most important links of Ur “3 men in a boat” MLM.. Even though I am yet to begin reading it from the 30th page (where my bookmark still stands, thanx to my Annual Closing exercise) I have been recommending to every of my “literarily-inclined friends” to catch a copy of the same.. And continuing on hardbounds, I am yet to get my copy of Anne Frankes Diary! :)

Anyway, the best thing that happened to me after reading the post is that I have decided on a June first week deadline for staring my blog. Two weddings and a friend coming down from Hyderabad this weekend stand between me and the deadline.

Minu said...

Oh yeah! Your copy of Anne Frank's diary will soon be on its way. Sorry for the delay. There are so many titles in the hard bound edition. All classics. Man! I had a hard time convincing myself. I'm running out of space in my library. When you resume reading 3MB, there is this chapter on Harris's maze adventure. Of course JKJ is exaggerating but it's so hilarious, you will have a near to death experience laughing ;)

North East is definitely in my list of destinations. I'm looking forward for the Kashmir holiday. It's a great place to buy willow works, papier mache and rugs.

Hey the 14+ cycles thing is every brain's activity in waking state (more about it later). But even if it isn't the case, it's perfectly all right considering your current condition. 5-6 pages omigod... brevity, Manu, brevity is the key! This time Prof.Ramki's words! Go find the lock first before you even think of your blog :P

Subash S L said...

Some post that was! Loved it. Didn't know you were planning a Kashmir trip. Really fascinating. Like Chaithu always complaints, "Why, Kerala all the time?" I think I must schedule a visit somewhere else. But then who can stay away from all those marriages? Loved your pics too. Great going and don't give up on the blog. Several years ago I wanted to shut down mine too but always seemed to get back to writing. I am sure you will too.

Minu said...

Hey Subash! Thanks for the comments. I have told so many about the trip, I have lost track of who knows and who doesn't. I guessed I missed telling you too :)