Coucou! Ca va?: 2007

By Murali

G-Strings

Have been increasing the noise around my neighbourhood. Reason - have been learning the guitar for the past couple of months.

Still a beginner and trying hard :). This has long been on my 'to-do' list and finally, the unchecked check-box was checked. Also, the guitar lessons are good enough reasons to sneak out of office a lil' early on a couple of week days :-)

As of now, I am adoring playing the "G-strings" - occasionally, I do produce 'music', mind you :-) But it'll be hard identifying the 'music' in-between the cacaphony!

Just to remind myself of the fact that I am learning the guitar, I've started blogging (www.chordsandleads.blogspot.com) exclusively about the same with the notes I've gathered so far.

My mridangam learning lasted for 2 years, let me hope this stays atleast that long !

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By Murali

Little Angels Day Out

Yet another outing(22nd Sep 07) with the specially challenged(hearing impaired / underprivileged ) kids from Ashray Akruti. This time, the venue was Mount Opera. Was a very very memorable day.

Should you wish to volunteer, please visit Ashray Akruti (http://www.ashrayakruti.org/) for more details.

Leaving you with a few images ...

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By Murali

Cricket and telugu movies

Yet another delayed post. For people who are shocked to hear that I am 'busy', please do try to digest the fact that indeed I am !

Well, now that we are on a high after the T20 win, I just couldn't stop myself from comparing our DEAREST Agarkar(specifically) with Telugu movies. Funny as it may seem, lets see what the comparisons are :

Similarities
1. Both are disgustingly useless - Even before a telugu movie is shot or even before Agarkar comes to bowl, we know that we are heading towards disaster. 1 in a 1000 telugu movies is 'good'. 1 in every 1000 Agarkar overs, he does not concede a four.

2. Both still make money - As ironical as it may seem, both still are money making machines. The icing on the cake was Agarkar being awarded 15 lacs after the T20 win.

3. Both are heavily supported by lobbyists - I don't even have to explain this. Most of the protagonists(I wouldn't be even remotely tempted to call them 'heroes') in telugu cinema are offsprings of yesteryear 'protagonists. While telugu movie fans give their life to watch the ugliest movie on the day of the release, many of the ex-maharashtrian cricketers still consider Agarkar to be one of the best in business.

4. Both don't use their brains : Anyone who has watched a 'single' telugu movie will understand what I mean. Same with anyone who has watched Agarkar bowl a single over :-)

5. Both are appreciated for other factors : Agarkar was the fastest to reach 50 ODI wickets ( some gazillion years back). He has a good arm. Telugu movies have good songs, good comedy, argue fanatics - what about 'story' but?. Core 'required' competency in both - ZERO !

Dissimilarities

Agarkar is 'hopefully' history, but sadly, telugu movies can never be :-(((((((

Ramesh Powar was another classic case. We all know how 'terrific' his feilding is. He was bought in as an all"round"er. Note that the emphasis is on the word 'round'. So, if the selectors cannot find a bowler, who can 'field' as well - it merely brings out the inefficieny of the BCCI in selecting a person (lets not even go close in saying 'selecting a cricketer') to represent India. Oh hang on a minute - lets not forget that Powar is also from Maharashtra. I guess the Union Agriculture Minister should spend more them on the farming field than on the cricket field.

Amen!

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By Murali

Junket to Phuket

Here I am, after a long 'summer hibernation' !

Had been to Phuket for a week, Thailand due to a 'small' status change in my life ! The place was much more than what I had expected it to be. The lovely mountains on the coastline, the 'all active' city, the adorable hospitality and to top it all, the cheap prices :-)

Visited Phi Phi island. This was the island where the movie 'Beach' was shot. Was a long 48 kms journey by a speed boat. Honestly, the boat ride is much better than the place. Phi-phi is just a hyped-up place like many other ones.

Ofcourse, Patong beach(where I stayed) deserves all the hype. The place reverberates with the tides as well as with the array of activities along the coast. It's busy all the time and bubbles with songs, thai massages, pedicures, parasailing, night clubs, etc. U name it and you have it !

Our last expedition was to the James Bond island. Apparently, 'The Man with the Golden Gun' was shot here. We canoed on the sea and that was fun. Had to go below mountains on a canoe with a torch. Couldn't have been better :-)

Well, coming to food - being a vegetarian didn't help the cause at all. All food comes directly from the ocean. So, had to be content with Pizza huts and Subways. The Indian restaurants that I tried atleast were not as good !

In short, a fun place to be at a reasonably cheap price (you can shop, rather than 'window' shop due to comparable-with-india prices)

Leaving you with a few images ....

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By Murali

Was it cocky..... ?

No, it wasn't. It was Coccydynia!

It rained just one day in this blistering summer at Hyd. And that was enough. I somehow managed to loose my footing on a wet floor and fall on my back. As usual, ignored the pain for 3 weeks – only got worse. Panic button pressed!

Cause and what was the effect?

Went to a local medico. Diagnosis: ‘Just’ 3 weeks complete bed-rest. Excuse-me? Not approving the decree, I went to Apollo.

Verdict: Coccydynia!

Alleviation strategy: Resurrect the tailbone thru’ physiotherapy. No bed-rest required. Thank heavens!

So, there I was having an ultrasound device running thru’ ‘no entry’ zones on my back, for a few days.

Fall, for you scale great heights after that; but never fall ‘back’, for you can never lift even the smallest of weights after that !

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By Murali

Good FrYday(s)

Good friday and so, a long weekend. So, yet another break from work, albeit in the hot and scorching weather. Was supposed to leave on vacation on Wednesday nite - however - wednesday was a 'bandh' at Hyderadad for no reason. It was a bandh - but then, all life was normal except the plying of the APSRTC buses ( which anyday, I wouldn't dare to get into ) :p :p So, essentially had a two day workweek !!!

Got a mail from one of my friends with the subject as 'status change'! Well, I had assumed on seeing the subject that he had mistakenly sent one of his official mails to me. Was wrong. A 'small RIGHT' shift in his life from being a confused bachelor to a sincerely committed bloke. Good news indeed!

Have to vacate my flat as my flatmate is heading to the US. So, the painful househunt begins (all at 40 deg :((). How much do I hate this ! Have to wear a talisman, I suppose, to get one in a single day. The chances are you getting hit by a meteor are higher than the probability of you finding a good house with low rents at Hyd.

A fifteen hour train journey beckons as I head back to Hyd. I normally do enjoy train journeys but with the very thought of a 3-day backlog at work, I guess this time arnd, my journey wont be as sweet :p :p

The train journey was not all well. Had to board my first train at 5pm, presuming it would reach well in time for the next one. Not to be so - the first one came in an hour late and reached an hour late. I was assuming I had the missed the connecting train. Long live Indian Railways - the second train was 30 mins late(I don't call this luck by any stretch of imagination :p :p) - so, just managed to board it in time !

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By Murali

"Spring"ing back !

Had a longer winter hibernation than I had thought, so no wonder my blogspace has been untouched for a while !We are hitting 'spring' now (well, no spring in Hyderbad, for sure), so, I am just about jumping back to write a bit. Too many changes in life in the past few months - just another lazy excuse to say that I had no time to blog.

Major 'achievements' in the past four months :

I managed to finish a book that I started, I guess, a couple of years back (couple <> 2)
I've finally started 'working' (reason - I've been shifted to a new team :) )
Played for an intra-company cricket tournament and lost miserably!
Completely stopped cooking, gymming and squashing ! corollary : getting rounder by the day !
Have been thinking about an Himalayan trek and the train of thoughts halted at the station of : 'Cut the crap - u'll never execute it'

Also, after a long time, met my ex-colocataire (ex-flatmate).. Well, the last I saw of him was a geekish software bloke. Now, that he has funnelled himself out thru' an MBA, I see a whole new guy. Oh man.. he was never so refined :-))

As cricket fanatics, we are always optimistic, aren't we ?

Heights of optimism:A friend of mine sitting all nite long watching the Bang-Bermuda match hoping that Bermuda would win.

Another good one : Sehwag applying sunscreen before going out to bat :-)

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