Wanting a break...

For the past couple of weeks, I have been thinking of taking a break just to break the monotony. Eversince January- when we had been to Phuket Singapore, we actuallly havent taken even a day off! Not that its a sin, but just that we havent made an effort. Sruthi has never complained she needs a break, nor have I thought of it. She is so damn busy. We were actually better off before the wedding, when we used to look forward to spending a whole weekend together. We are now more like visitors in our house. Sometimes, due to her delayed work, we dont even have dinner together. I really thought HR was a 'cool' work dept to be in a co., but I am sure she will hate it when I think aloud! :)

I just spoke to my friend now, and he said that I am missing the weather in Coimbatore and Palakkad. and you know what, a colleague of mine has just said the same thing! Now, when I started looking up the various sites to ascertain the truth in their statements, I am all excited to pack my bags (and hers' also- due to paucity of her time). Then comes the moment of asking your boss for a 2 day 'leave'. I have always noticed it with various bosses. How come they find this word so paranoid and think it non-existent in the English dictionary? and then, while you prepare excuses, and make the reason sound genuine and handsome, a pop up comes- "A Meeting Request". Thats life, is what you think, and now when I will stammer to ask for "leave", he is sure to ask me if I got the E mail. Man, common, even meetings can sound paranoid to me, but what the heck I also planned my vacation the same time you were sending out the meeting request!!!

Obviously I have to keep him happy, and I am promted to say: 'Oh Yes! I saw it. I am certainly looking forward to the meeting!!" only in the interest of my future leave santion for my cousins' wedding in Mumbai and Kerela, later in the year. So, here I am, I continue to enjoy Palakkad and Coimbatore weather thro' accuweather! :) See you soon!

Masakkali

Oops.. This write has noting to do with Delhi 6. As my wife is straining her knife to cut potatoes, the song is on MTV, and for want of a title.. Masakkali...

Wondering me and blogging and all?? Well, I guess thats again not by design. May day as it is today, I am not supposed to do work. So I thought- why not do something more productive rather than jus being a couch potato guffing on some cheese sandwiches and a glass of buttermilk. Its just for the love of my wife am forced to eat it, while the intent is always on to reduce some calorie intake!

It is so intriguing that when the week is on.. there is always a dearth of time, and when I have a long weekend, the longing for a long weekend has ceased to exist.. Human Psychy, I swear is criminal..! Coming back to this long weekend, I had these sudden plans to got over to Bangalore, and sometimes it was Pondy, and turned down by my beloved sharply, citing "Financial Reasosn". WTF.. We earn to spend was my agruement, while she had a vailid arguement saying "whats the point earning, when you are always spending". Resaonable, and quite a Wallet concious spouse I have, is what I thought till this morning when she springs up this morning saying her 'Summer Wardrobe' is not complete, and I should plan my day accordingly. I got the hints, but obviously perplexed on how her thinking could be so contradictory!

I have so many things to do: Cycling, Make an effort to reduce my tummy, Pay my dues to the Bank who asks me to be his debtor, re-order my dirty cupboard, play golf and catch up with some office work. Having so many things to do, I guess its just a problem of plenty, and am sure by the end of the day, I'll be able to fix some of them.. Ah, forgot to add: also watch the Kolkota 'Nightmares' take over the monsoon hit Punjab this evening. Thats provided my wife decides to put forth her plan to shop for sometime later.. Cheers!

Chak De Su-Do-Ku

After having watched a very "enthu" movie..a long time after Lagaan, my friend and I got the tickets for Chak De India... The movie was good, and quite un-characteristic of a Hindi movie...just with that one number.. the stadium, oh am sorry the whole theatre went roaring..Chak De....Oh chak de India!!! I was just happy about one thing at the end of it all... At least one sporting Indian team bet the Australian Team...!!!

Oops.. jus got carried away with the movie... Was travelling back from Bangalore back to Chennai this morning. My friend dropped me at the railway station at about 5:45 am. Shatabdi Express, good food, Fast ride to Chennai.. everything sounded good..except the boredom. I didnt want to sleep in the train. I finished reading the Hindu. Came coffee, then waited quite for the breakfast.. gluttony..what a big sin indeed!! Then I spotted the 9 by 9 squares in the newspaper, and for the first time in my life thought I should make a honest attempt. I replicated the whole thing in a white sheet, and started.. It kept me quite into it. For once, the bearer had to tap on my shoulder to divert my attention to the tea that he had brought..as if it was some specially brewed tea from the estates of Darjeeling...

May be I thought I was too rude to form that impression, nevertheless, I asked him to place the whitish-yellowish paper cup on the tray. And I continued to fiddle around with the pencil on the checks. Am sure that my neighbour thought that I was a "coding geek" from Electronic City as I kept scratching my head every now and then...I went for about a quarter hour trying to decipher where exactly I should start from. Then hit a brainwave-Trial and Error.. Eureka..It struck! I was on..full flegged, scratching the digits, shading boxes and what not..and at last I felt like overcoming Australia in the World cup Finale. Having said so, It was 10 am, and one glance...Tiruvallur station was gone! I acted as if it was I crumbled the cookie yet again..and splish...I dropped the tea on my neighbour..He was furious.Old uncle was snoring to glory, when the "darjeeling cold tea" actually got in touch with his skin! I had the most apologetic look on my face. Apologising, I offered him my mineral water bottle so that he could clean the stain..He went out, somewhat wet, and when he came back to his seat..He said "Even I have a nephew who gets so involved in his work"..he also assumed that I was a Software geek.

As the train entered the platform, I stood up as if I emerged victorious, like coach Kabir Khan, with the Hindu in my hand, and was getting down. The bearer stood by the exit and was smiling at everyone. Having fought my head to fill the 9 by 9 checks, I felt good and tiped this guy, though he never expected it. Chak De Su-Do-Ku!!!

Sivaji..and the Band of Super Swingers (Boss)

BOSS....Bachelor of Social Service

I actually never in my dreams, thought I will watch Sivaji in the First day of its release...You have to witness it to experience the feeling...the feeling of being victorious! What a movie..Stylish, Full of Shankars Gandeur, and Sivaji...being a fan of thala is not easy.. U have to see his movie the first day...! Trust Me..I swear!

I was the lucky lad to get the FDES (First Day Evening Show-in local lingo). Courtesy: Mr My chuddy buddy at School. Reached the theatre an hour before itself fearing the crowd and the parking place. I was the "lucky devotee" to get to see paal abhishekam, and deeparadhana, and Thalai himself.. Yes.. I promise I got to see Thala and his family moving out from the theatre after their matinee show. I know you wont believe it but Yes, I am lucky!!!;)He went out in his Old Amby with his family. I somehow got the feeling of watching God at his Sanctum Sanctorium!!!

We parked our vehicles and went in..Oh God...Whistles blowing, and flowers at the screen when Thala was taken out from the police car to the Jail....What an atmosphere. Quite similar in comparison to the Eden Gardens in a Indo-Pak ODI!!! No exaggeration at all!! Th cam Ballelakka....The whole place was roaring.. My friend Ran to the screen and seeked "HIS" blessings, and that was the public reaction in every song! Quite interesting..!Thala enthralled us with his Stylish and Novel way of chewing Gum, Tossing A coin and his voice when he sai "Chumma Adhuradhula".........

The Movie was superb.. Good Editing, Excellent direction, Cinematography, Stage presence of allthe actors...But as usual, Rajini was the cynosure!! No second thoughts on that. After a good 3 hour Darshan, I am yet to come out of the First Day Revalation...

Pera Keta Chumma Adhuradhulla......!

Tirupathi...A Thirth Treat

It was on the 2nd of June.. my friend and I decided to go to Tirupati..a long time due appointment that BOSS had given me, and I as usual failed to keep. Quite an interesting venture. Gotta let you know this, that I have a "machham" somewhere which mm yet to figure out....I have the good luck of driving New cars to Tirupati. The last time was in Feb 07, my colleague gave me the opportunity of driving a brand new Alto, not so comfy.. but I better not crib..who gets the op to drive a brand new vehicle, with not even the plastic removed from the seats..that too such a long dist....

Ya, am quite proud of myself, I have let in others to believe that I am a good driver of cars...and my friends do trust me before they hand over the keys to me, quite ignorant about my past driving skills...;)

Coming back to my trip... A brand new Santro clad in a wine red suite, shining and standing proud was waing for me to ride her on...we started at about 12pm, after having bought sweets for our man..Mr Prasath. We took the Tada route, thru Red Hills and the road was simply superb! Not an "e-kaka" to stop us..We sped by, with just one elaneer break in the middle, where the owner of the car actually wanted to drive in the highway for about 10 kms. We reached Hotel Bhimas and stuffed ourslves with a rava dosai and a "south indian kaapi"..Left the car at Alipiri bus stand- my friend wasnt again sure if his new possession would be safe, but my assurance did give hime an aorta of confidence.

We started to climb up the hills..Ghosh! the first hill indded was quite an ordeal..I had a kind of a "black out" but my mate's instincts worked well (for a change) and the "choda" was very very relieving. Humid and raining. There were people from al over the country, some reading the Vishnu Sahasranaman, some bending down all the way smeating the stair case with manjal and kungumam, some enjoying the "picnic" and some having the army spirit-their only motive was to clear the 1st hill-quite an uphill task. We reached the end of the 1t hillWhat a relief..We knew the next 5 hills is going to be easy...we went on, prayed to hanuman to provide us the "glicon-d" when we wanted it, and just sped. My friend managed to have the "cool" look in him and managed to impress fellow "golti comp freaks", with his "I work for CTS" dialogue in the most professional manner, as if he was the the critical man to the COO...;)

We climed up, with our feet yearning for rest... and at last reached our room with much an enquiry. Here was Mr Prasath-our hero welcoming us with the room keys. Had dinner and my friend had this second spot decision..mottai. Prasath was an action hero indded. Got the first place for him in the "to be mottai" queue and all was over in 10 flat minutes. Our friend came our victorious..like Bruce Willis in the Jackal...It suited him wee enough though! Next, tickets were ready for the "roll over"-Angapradarshanam.. and now my friend decided to make it a triathlon.. got a veshti and Ready..

At about 1 am we got up, in our pyjamas and so called veshti, had a couple of buckets of water on us and sped to the queue. By the time the whole thing got over it was 315 am. Ran back to the room, and all decked up joined the q for the AAD. Finished that , Only God knows wht went ove us when we reached the room...At 9 Am we realised that we had to go back from where we came..Madras--Nall Madras....Came down in the roller coaster jeep and finally, at Alipiri took the car, stuffed ourselves with "full meals" at Bhimas, and drove back.. The drive wasnt that bad
as I thought, with just a few sleepy sudden breaks, it was otherwise quite OK! Reached home at abt 4pm....and dont ask me what we did after that,,,,,,,,,,,I promise, I dont remember till I heards the cockoo next morning....Good Morning..Time for"TATA Indicom..I booked a line last
friday and am yet to recieve the connection....!!!!!"

Cheers!