The Reader

Watched the movie "The Reader". It was a weird sort of movie. Didn't quite know what I felt. But was disturbing nevertheless!


 

A moving

post on a Sri Lankan!

Somehow it takes such people to enhance the situation of physically handicapped in developing countries.

Life

would be simple if knowing is all that mattered!

Anyway!

Blogosphere

NDTV and Ms. Dutt have shown themselves in really poor light by serving a legal notice to Kunte. The blogosphere is full of discussions of whether what NDTV and Ms. Dutt did is right or wrong. I am clear in my stand. What they are trying to do is ludiocrous!

see these links for more here, here, and here

Anyway!

Good news

Some more good news for a good friend. I am happy for him!

An interesting piece

on Indian elite by Niranjan Rajadhyaksha

Jan 25

The way a day starts is no precursor to what is going to come in the remaining part of the day.

It was one of those days where everything seems to be falling apart and suddenly out of nowhere things fall into place.

Anyway, Lets see!

An interesting take

on the handling of the financial crisis by Anantha Nageswaran

Well this post

puts everything on Slumdog in perspective.

I agree with this guy!

link via Chandni

What can you say?

Viru..... is simply unbelievable!

"I try to hum songs, bhajans, Sai Baba bhajans, Kishore Kumar songs, especially those pictured on Amitabh Bachchan, till the bowler is about to deliver. I try to sing songs as perfectly as possible in order to keep my mind completely uncluttered."

Virender Sehwag has a unique way of keeping focussed at the crease

from cricinfo

A summary

of the crisis in Gaza by Bronner. He describes how difficult it is not to take sides and even when you don't you are expected to be serving your agenda by both sides! An worrying conflict indeed!

An interesting excerpt

“You should not be a reporter if you are not telling the whole story, not just the parts that sell.” I would offer a mediator the same advice."

Something to

ponder for us in felicitating bravery

Interesting analysis

of the best openers in test cricket. And guess where my dude ranks!
He is number 2!

Slumdog

A context based take by Amit Varma. It has the reverse effect on me. I would have appreciated it more if it was an Indian I guess.

The ridiculous

party called MNS. Seriously, will they never grow up?

This is freaking crazy!

Slumdog gets 10 Oscar nominations.

I have to say this. Slumdog is a decent movie but very very over rated and over hyped.

China in trouble?

Seems like it!

Well

Life is hard [:)]

Flights

I sit here on my flight back to Austin trying to look back at the last 17 days. I remember everything vaguely. I met my good old friends, went to the conference, attended the fellowship program (meeting people from 19 countries). Among all these, there has been one common thought that has always been with me. May be with time I can exercise more control over it. But it has been pleasant - the 17 days. Especially, the words I heard a couple of days (reinforcing what I believed for a long time) were helpful.

Talking to and meeting old friends is one of the most reassuring things for me. I know I am getting senti, but somehow I like that state of mind. The IRF program allowed me to realize that I still have it in me to be social (not unbelievably friendly). I can engage in light hearted conversations and liven up the group like in the past. I am pleased to see that part of me being still alive.

Now after 17 days I am back and would have to work hard and for a good amount of time over the next 2 months to get everything done in Austin. I hope I can do the work required to get my PhD soon. I am desperate to complete my education and move on to different challenges. Personally, I am working on making truce with my current situation and will hiope to make it easy for the people involved. I really hope so! I mean it!

Somehow I have inexplicable feelings. But thats how I am!

Books and Life

I have always believed books are an integral part of my life. With every good book i read my belief strengthens. I just completed the book "Reading Lolita in Tehran". I have been very fortunate to read books that in a way act as a mirror to my emotions and life in general. At various stages of my life I have learned and drawn guidance from them (or to put it in the words of a good friend I have drawn what I wanted from the books I read). For example "Anna Karenina" allowed me to understand my fear of "death". Jhumpa Lahiri's Namesake helped me to clearly decide on my future. Khaled hoseini's Kite Runner allowed me to understand to define my guilt. His another book A Thousand Splendid Suns gave perspective to my current predicament. Now the recent book has enabled me to understand things that I have been fighting to understand for sometime. For anybody who reads or aspires to read books I advise (no, I implore you) to read as many books as you can. This way you do yourself a great favor and in the process enrich the lives of those around you!

Awesome fun

We as a group had awesome fun playing nice little games.

Its been sometime since I let myself off so much! Its a great feeling!

Hmmm

For some days it will be  enough but for others it wont be!

But having heard it (even if its only once) will make me even more happier when I look back at everything.

Hmmmm?

Am I asking for too much?

How can it be! I myself give so much, so expecting that in return is fare! Isn't it!

Anyway! its just difficult to handle!

Vegetable bridge

We built a pretty good vegetable bridge yesterday and it was the best among the ones built.

It was fun!

What

do you do when all people want to do is run away from the truth?

Well, at some point it is for them to realize. You can only point things out to some extent.

Still its not just a matter of fact acceptance of the issue!

Anyway!!

Ironic

There are only somethings you can control in life. The older you grow the more you realize that there are fewer and fewer things that are in your hands.

Also, these things kind of make you understand whats going on in your life. They might not be perfect indicators but they give the hints. In my current state, I do not want to take the hints. I am fighting a losing battle. I just hope to minimize the damage.

Anyway!

Satire

at its best here

Finally

I decide its time to post. My trip has been slicha hectic involving travel from DC to Philly, NY and back. Now I have finally settled into my hotel and the Fellowship program has begun. It looks like it is going to be strenuous. I hope I will be able to have some fun!

Blogging will be slightly random till I get back!

I still have random moods, but the work is keeping me slicha busy!

Lets see!

2009 begins

with a long trip for me away from Austin to the North East!

I need a good break.


I hope it will be fun!

2008

The year end post.

Me
Academically this has been a productive year. Got some good work done. Completed my proposal. This year I have achieved a dream of mine when I joined UT. So I am very pleased about that.

On the personal front I had to face some setbacks. The pain is still there and it shall be there for some more time. I only wish I knew for how long.

Non-academically I shall be proud of finishing the Austin marathon!

Family
It has been a decent year in terms of my family. My sister made me proud by completing her MTech. She also has started work and things look good for her

Friends
This year has been good for my friends. Three good friends got married, another one started work in Austin, Another got a job in Academia, Another two of my friends are heading back home for good. Also some of my batchmates have got married. Looks like the peak shall be in 2009.
Also, I will remember 2008 as the year where I made a very very good friend. But


Cricket
Indian cricket has made giant strides this year. The highlights include the victory in Perth, CB series victory, Chennai test win. Of course Viru had an awesome year! Also of not were the performances of Ishant and Gautam. Dada and Kumble have retired. Cricket after 2008 will never be the same again for me! Also, Australia have been toppled (still unofficially) as the world champions. For now the mantle shall go to South Africa. But under Dhoni India can change that. Lets hope 2009 will be that year

Tennis
Federer had a rough year. Only the US grandslam. Not happy with that. But Nadal deserves credit for that. But I hope Fed to be back to his best this year.

Books
Managed to read some good ones such as "A Thousand Splendid Suns", "Siddhartha"

Trips
India trip was short. I was under immense pressure during the trip but managed to hold up decently.
Seattle trip rocked. The good old days of bachelorhood groups are over!
TRB 08 and DC was as usual fun and good!

Overall
In my current state I am happy 2008 is finishing. But may be in some years time I might look at it more kindly!


Anyway hoping 2009 will bring happiness to everybody!