Chasing the Monsoons

Sudha Murthy's first novel, and what a book at that! The story is something almost everyone can connect to at some level.

The story follows Shrikant Deshpande and Shrimati Shrikant Deshpande in their journey through school life and beyond. They begin their life as rivals in school, with their families as neighbourly enemies.

The story is all about relationships, and how no one but the two people involved in that relationship are responsibile for it's success or failure. Examples out in the world maybe aplenty but it's the understanding, trust and love between two people that makes a relationship work.

Shrikant and Shrimati start out as competitors in school, move on to become friends and ultimately life partners. Shrikant is ambitious and smart, but Shrimati is ambitionless yet smarter. She gives up her dreams to be with Shrikant, and the story takes us through the various turns in their relationship.

All in all an excellent read, one which I think all couples should take time out for :)

Recent Reads:

I have been struggling with The Blind Watchmaker. Richard Dawkins makes an excellent and very believable case for the Darwinian Theory of Evolution. It's an enjoyable book, but the last 70 pages seem to be a drag as he diversifies into a lot of topics at once. Extremely enjoyable though. I am about to finish it and take up another one. I need to be inspired like Violet seems to be these days.

Bleeds:

I feel like I want to get away... far far away from this mad rush of life. I think I need a real holiday :) I can see myself planning for one very very soon :D Our office has enforced a stupid rule that requires us to take a forced holiday the week of X'mas. I find it ridiculous because the reason stated for this forced PAID Time Off (PTO) is that folks in the SUS don't get overburdened with work when they get back after their X'mas break. I mean do we complain when we have piled up work right after we are back from Diwali break??

Photofeeds:

Here are photos from our first Diwali.

Our First Diwali (2008)

We spent a mere 3 days at Goa, our first real (actually second, if you count the honeymoon) outing post marriage.

The beach was beckoning, the weather hot, and all in all a good time was had. I wish we had spent a few more days there, and in a planned manner as the trip was quite ad hoc.

We divided the 3 days into beaches and Panjim, with most of the time at a beach here or there. Activities involved collecting shells, chilling under an umbrella, dipping our feet in the water and some frisby.

Here are snaps from our recent Goa trip:

Goa Trip 2008

Somehow whenever I spend time with my wife (which is everyday), she reminds me of this song:

Spent most of the last 2 months traveling: Goa, Ranchi, Mumbai :)

Will post pics soon.. they are already posted, I just need to caption them out. :D

• Waste -- Phish
• Bachna Ae Haseeno -- Kishore Kumar, Vishal and Sumit
• Right Here Right Now -- Abhishek Bachchan
• Moonlight Kiss -- Bap Kennedy
• Walking Away -- Craig David
• If You Leave Me Now -- Chicago
• Crazy Little Thing Called Love -- Queen

The title track blows you away. I mean, really. The best title track I've heard in a while. Do NOT miss it.

As for the movie, it's quite good. I wasn't expecting anything more than some crappy acting and a chocolate boy image from Ranbir. But the guy delivers. Minisha Lamba sucked royally, as did Deepika. Bips is another story though ;)

The movie is quite straightforward, with a no brainer story line. It's the corny jokes and slang that really make the movie fun.

When I say Bling, you say King, Bling is King, Bling is King

Okay I just made that up using a line sung by Hard Kaur in Singh is Kinng's big-ass hit, Bas Ek Kinng.

The songs for the movie have made me want to go in to see the movie on the first day first show basis. Ofcourse, I cannot really do that as it's a working day and I'm not crazy enough to go for the first show @ 8:30 AM!

All said and done, this weekend I definitely intend to watch the movie.

written on the tip cup at a coffee shop:

Thanks a latte! :)

My third trip to the US (post moving back to India), and I am simply saddened by the lack of an environment within which one can feel welcome.

I mean sure, the thank-yous, I really appreciate that, etc. do amount to something, but to me they seem superficial. Maybe it's a cultural thing, and maybe I need to see their point of view. But even still.

I have never felt so lonely in my entire life. Here I am sitting in a hotel room with absolutely nothing to do, and with no one to hang out. This whole country is so big... everything is so far apart, with lots of space.

Work is taking me to the US again, third year running. Albeit this time the trip is to last only 10 odd days starting on the 10th of July.

I'll be visiting the mid-North US which I have never done. Intend to do some quick shopping, sight seeing and then finally head back home to my lovely wife. Oh did I forget to mention that I'll be working most of the time? I guess not.

I can already smell Starbucks, taste Taco Bell (Taco Hell for some) and hear the FM radio.

Well
I know what I've been told
You gotta work to feed the soul
But I can't do this all on my own