Beginning of a New Year

Finally this year is also coming to an end. And after so much hype about the end of world this year.. we are still going strong.. aren't we... Whether this is a good thing or not, there is a lot of responsibility with us to not cause more issues that can eventually lead to our annihilation, if not for us, but for our future and younger generations.

Well, with respect to me, this year was an end of sort for a lot of things. After 4 years of struggle, I found the light at the end of the tunnel. I did finally see the end of a relationship (even though I stopped caring a very long time ago, but there was this little thread of connection, which got cut this year). I was able to put some of the demons I have had with me to sleep forever. I am not sure if my sins vanished with my dip in the Ganges, but I felt good to visit it. I fulfilled some of my dreams like doing a karaoke, buying an iPad, buying a platinum ring (all materialistic stuff.. but hey I am no saint here..) This year also saw my mom's 60th year completion, which was special to me in many ways. Work wise too this year was special with new projects keeping us busy round the clock..but we were finally there and even though it was tough, it was worth it. I am not sure if I can do this next year or the year after (I am not getting any younger..) but as far as I am able to do it when I am able to .. its good. I have made some new friends, thankfully haven't lost one (except the one that was meant to be lost). Started a new blog and am able to do it enough justice I think. My shift to Hyderabad has been a change of sorts for me and I hope that it will be bring me some more new perspective in life going forward.

I am really thankful for everyone (my family, my friends and acquaintances) who have supported me and have been there for me whenever the situation warranted it. I should say that I am blessed in a way that there were people at every turn to help me when I had trouble or when I was down or just when I needed a kind word. And I sincerely hope to carry it forward and be of some worth to someone else who might need my help. I pray that I stay blessed in that fashion.

As much as I look forward to 2013, it also seems a little bit scary for me. Not for anything else, but for the only expectation people around me have for me. All my friends and relations (includes my family) have suddenly made it a point to agree on one thing and are determined to see me through it. They also know my  pressure points and that is what scares me. Let us see.. I am still keeping an open mind.. But definitely not in a hurry. I have always been content and happy as much as possible. So whatever comes and how ever things turn out, I know how to make myself happy ( too selfish that I am) and to some extent, others too. Keeping my fingers crossed and trying to keep up with my travel quests. I wish to travel more, read more, learn new things in this year and try to be a good friend to my nieces and nephews and educate them to be more wild and free ;) and be a child in that process and not repeat the same mistakes again.

Here is wishing you all a Very Happy and Healthy New Year. Let us hope for a better world, at least for the sake of our children.

Christmas in Rajdhani

I guess when I got a ticket (not through tatkal) in Rajdhani from Hyderabad to Bangalore 2 months ago, I should have thought twice (with prior experiences in Kurla coming from North during this season). But I was so overwhelmed about getting a ticket without the tatkal charges, I did not give any second thought about the weather conditions and that was my mistake.

As usual, I got to Secunderabad station via MMTS  and came to the platform 10 by 6 pm and my scheduled train arrival was 6.30 pm and I was wondering why there was no platform information displayed on the board. I was waiting till 6.30 pm and not hearing any announcement of the arrival, called up my bro to check the train timings and guess what...due to heavy fog, the train was delayed for 3 hours or more. Good god... 3 hours..Was wondering what to do for a few seconds and then next, I did what I am happy to be doing nowadays in such a situations, got to the A/C waiting room (you need to pay 20 Rs to be sitting there...is that legal? whatever..), took out my ipad and started on a novel (a Nora Roberts one named "Reflections"..which is a quickie for 3 hours) and was happily reading till 9.45 pm. Then an old person who was seated in the same waiting hall for Rajdhani suddenly announced that the platform has been changed and that it will be departing by 10.10 pm from 8th platform. What!!! I still have a 2/3 pages left..yet I had to pack it up and then rush over to 8th platform and guess what.. The train arrived at 10.10 pm and even though it was supposed to be there only for 15 mins, it seemed to stay for ever.
When I had traveled by Rajdhani from Bangalore to Hyderabad earlier, it was so neat and it started on time (because Bangalore is the starting point..) but now when I entered I was stuck by
a) how untidy and dirty it was (to the extent that people left diapers in the tables used for dinner as is.... Jeez.. what kind of attitude is that!!!!). I can understand that travelling long distances it is difficult to maintain cleanliness..but if you have kids it is common sense to have some covers to dispose these kind of garbage isnt.. The toilet was much cleaner than the berths. People had to call the assistants of the train and ask them to clean up the whole compartment.
b) how people who do not have confirmed tickets had occupied other's seats and were wondering where to go next and were hunting for other empty or yet to be occupied seats. I saw a family of 5 adults and 6 children who had occupied my place and were so reluctant to move out and I literally had to wait for them to find a place elsewhere, drop the kids and then come back for their belongings. It took them almost 40 mins to move out. Since there was too much happening around, I just couldn't yet go to my berth and start sleeping. And the train did not seem to start at all.

But one good thing that happened was before getting in, people did let the passengers getting out first, at least in my compartment. That doesn't usually happen. Its always a mad rush. Even in spite of that, one person who lost to the race of people getting down, found himself still in the train and took his own sweet time to get down there by causing trouble to people who were going about to occupy their seats.

Since I did not have any dinner (Lays doesn't count as dinner) I was eagerly waiting for the dinner to be served. And first time in my life, I had dinner @ 11.30 pm ..By that time the train was already in motion and I also completed my novel. After dinner and relaxing I realized that it was Christmas eve and I am on a train @ 12 and wide awake. Again a first !!! so I said a little prayer.. wished Jesus a very Happy Birthday and got ready to sleep.

Next thing I knew I was woken up by a snore. Not a light one.. a snore that literally vibrated the whole of the compartment. All the lights had been out by then (I guess it should have been 1 am or 1.30 am) and it was a "silent night and holy night" except for this snoring sound. I wasn't sure why it made me laugh. But I had to control my urge to laugh out loud. I don't know how the 1 year old kid who was sleeping in the lower berth (mine was side upper) with that sound.. Did it assume this sound to be part of the rhythm ? It could be because the snoring was coming in varying degrees of pitch. It went high and then a little low and then suddenly a big puff of air and then no sound for a few seconds and then it started all over again. I was so tempted to record it in my phone..but then I felt very ridiculous and silly to do something like that. I don't mind people snoring. I know a lot of people who snore..but this, this was the ultimate. I wondered how no one in the whole compartment complained or even commented. Guess everyone was so tired with the delays and stuff, that they went to sleep and were in deep slumber. And it was my luck to be in such close proximity to this person. And with the windows and doors closed, it was echoing too well. I was wondering how to sleep with that sound and then started by trying to concentrate on the rhythm of that sound that I actually fell asleep sometime after 2 or so. And to my surprise, that person did not snore in the early morning when I woke up @ 6.30 am.

Since the train would reach only by 11 am and I had already lost my sleep, I did the only thing I knew again. Starting reading another Nora Roberts novel named "A Will and a Way" so that I can complete it by 10.30 or 11 am. Thankfully a tea was offered by 7.30 am. Tea is a very important part of my morning ritual. And my novel got complete just in time to arrive in Bangalore.

Even though the delay was a little irritating (and I cannot blame anyone here.. it happens with the kind of weather) but if I had not had my ipad and story books in it, I would have been dead by boredom. Thank God for that.

But I would definitely think twice (or rather not think at all) of booking my train from Hyderabad to Bangalore through Rajdhani... I wouldn't mind going from Bangalore in that train..but not the other way round, just like the way I avoid Kurla if I had to go from Bangalore to Coimbatore (very inconsistent in timings and delays are very painful and tiring). 

Cluttered thoughts

There were too many things that I wanted to write, but I was too clouded that I couldn't get a proper line of thought every time I sat down to write them down and when I had tried, it had become too cluttered that I ended up deleting them.

Since I am in a much better mood and little clear headed today let me try putting my thoughts a bit coherently.

a) Hyderabad in a month:
Its almost more than a month since I have been in Hyderabad and Hyderabad alone (without any home trips in between). I know it should not sound like a big deal, but people who know me well know that it is for me. What did I do ? Nothing much, except go for a few movies with my friend here. Roam around in a few places and 2 malls. Did not go out as such for any significant places as work kept coming steadily and if not I was too lazy to get out of my room (thanks to my iPad and books and movies online). One thing that I was very happy about was my two wheeler. My bro was kind enough to ship it from Bangalore during one of his business visits and since them I have been zooming in it. Driving here is both hell and heaven. I could go to my office ( a distance of 3-4 km max from the place I live) in just 5-7 mins (hitting 60 kmph on a average).. Just imagine that. I cannot think of that in Bangalore, even if I start early. But here.. my friend was shocked by my driving...but I love that thrill of driving fast (but not rash) and when there is an opportunity to drive like that.. why not take it..  But if you have to go places during rush hour traffic it is a pain, not because of the traffic (its no better than Bangalore..) but the highs and lows of the places.. this place has too many highs and lows and turns...to drive slowly in those areas is very painful for your hands when you have to hold the break a little tighter and in the car...don't even ask. But the roads are comparatively wider..so that way its sort of nice.
Finally I went to Shilparamam this Saturday with my friend (the excuse we gave ourselves was that we crossed the deadline of 21-12-2012... so why not celebrate it with some shopping..) But I know once I am there I cannot resist a few things. And I did buy, but thankfully was within my limits. The place has changed a bit, more in terms of the facilities it offers and the maintenance. It attracts more people now and has its own food court and a stage for performances etc.. But the essentials (the shops that sell handicrafts and other such local items) remain the same. The prices of the items are little on the costly side. We couldn't make it to the Rock Gallery or other things out there. I need to go back with my camera next time and do only the left over places. But was happy to be in that place..


b) New blog:
After I had started the new blog, I almost find something to write every now and then. And I feel so nice about it. Of course, I am not writing about every book I read or every movie I see. But then it is a good feeling to write down about something that makes you feel (anything). Another progress there is that nowadays I am thinking of taking some nice pictures to go with some quote. Photography for me was for a different reason till now (more on that some time later). But it will be sort of interesting to do some photos with some purpose. I can only do so much with my low level of creativity. But nevertheless, it will be nice to do that.

c) Impulse:
I was never a person who would do something on a impulse. But I did something very impulsively today. I have been wanting to buy this ring (a platinum one.. I never liked gold.. ) for a very long time. I don't know when I got that urge to do that. But its been there with me for too long. Every time I thought of it I used to shoot it down because of some reason or the other. I have jewels but that was bought for the reason of pacifying someone else. I hardly got one or two for myself. But I never wear them (except the essentials) even during family functions. I hate being jewel-decked. But a platinum ring.. . I had this crazy thought with me for a long time. If I was being loved and if I reciprocated it and if that person for some reason wanted to buy me something costlier (and I would allow that person to do that only once.. I sort of dislike gifts.. I like giving them..but getting them is something I would like to avoid) then I would ask him to get me a platinum ring. This wasn't the idea derived from the platinum gold bands ad. It was just there with me. That was one thing I somehow truly liked for some god-knows-what reason. But since my divorce (this is the first time I am saying this aloud I think.. just trying to accept things I guess..) I know that I cannot wait for that moment to come. I just can't (or rather don't want to) wait for someone to do something for me. I had never done that before.. so why should I wait for someone to get me something I like. I had been to a jeweler to get something else for my friend. But then this thought occurred to me when I was trying to pay the bill for the jewel I got for my friend. I stopped the cashier and told him to wait and went ahead and bought myself a platinum ring and paid for both. It was so liberating. This year saw the end of something that was important to me for over a decade. But this year end also will see me leaving the bad tides behind (hopefully) and go into the new year looking forward  for better times and as they say..take the bull by the horns. ;) Hey.. I have a platinum ring now !!! how cool is that.. At times doing things on an impulse is nice. Of course, the wanting of it was not impulsive. But getting part of it was. The only other time, if I remember correctly, I did this was to buy my iPad. You have no idea how glad I am to have an iPad with me now.

I wanted to write about another sensitive topic too.. But I guess I would have to postpone that for later. Its getting late.

Hasta pronto. 

First IMAX Experience

Thanks to the team I am working with in Hyderabad (my team is sort of internal customer of theirs) I got to watch Skyfall (again) and this time in IMAX.

Prasads IMAX is the one where we saw the movie.... As soon as I entered the hall.. I was literally dumbstruck.. and I cursed...(sorry..but just couldn't control myself).... It was so... Magnanimous.. and they had booked the tickets almost 4th or 5th row from the top and in the center.. Perfect view.. And the movie viewing experience was just Amazing.. It was as if you are there...The shots of the top view of the Shanghai and London...I felt my phobia of heights kicking in.. Wow.. and this is for a movie which was modified for imax screens.. then imagine what would be the experience with movies which were shot specifically for those screens... Good God... I would really love to see such a movie in that theater..

And guess the price.. .its Rs.250/-...what the .. That is the price of a normal movie in Bangalore on a weekend..

I am really thankful for the team to include me (even though I told them I had already seen that movie...they did pester me with the line "not in imax.." and I had to relent) and thank god I relented.