An Odyssey

First Things First: Wish you and your loved ones a very  happy, peppy and zappy 366 days in 2012 Looks Good Right? But Do You Know that he is not following some of the Golden Rules? As you might be aware, I have been preparing for a marathon(half) . Due my extreme commitment in the preparations I decided to change my category from 25 to 12.5 KM so that the regular winners of 25 k are not disheartened by their sudden loss. But as 12.5 KM is not my category, I knew I could not finish first. But life is full of sacrifices ain't it? While running the marathon, I picked up some tips and came to know that most of my "training" didn't incorporate the important stuff that contributes to better and efficient running. These are my observations and are awaiting patent. Humble as I am, I hate to say it but I am expecting a Nobel prize in Sports. Till then I hope you keep these things between us. Here are ten tips that will help you for sure whether you are over

Sural Waterfall from the view point in the village of Sural I t was a search for Heaven that led us to Belgaum. The spark came from a set of  photos posted on FB . Temptation overcame us and a trip for the immediate weekend took shape. We wanted to hit the place before the end of  October. Lack of rains can change a landscape into something else altogether. Without enough time to plan, road blocks had good luck  finding us. We couldn't get reservations in a resort called Wildernest. Heaven was supposed to be en route to the resort. So the infinity pool plan sunk with it. It was  decided that  it should be a trekking + sight seeing trip instead. Trekking on Saturday and scouting on Sunday (armed with the  approximate location of the place from Vatsa's friend, who was the lucky soul who posted the photos). Bangalore was left behind for a weekend.   

No question now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs. The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.  George Orwell, Animal Farm, Ch. 10 This is not a dissection nor a review of the work Animal Farm .  The world has smart people who can write  better  reviews than me. This is about the  relevance  of  Orwell's  writing in  today's  world. This is about how 100 pages written six decades ago reminded me of the world I live in, how a world changed from an idea of Utopia to a dystopia , how freedom is just an idea and  how our lives are driven by lies. ****** Spoiler Alert ******

Last weekend Mrs. Nair and me had visited  Bannerghatta national park . The place closest to Bangalore where you get to see animals other than humans, dogs, cows and crows. We decided to hit the place early to avoid traffic and the weekend picnic goers. And we were  spot on with our decision for when  we decided to return at around two in the afternoon the  crowd was bigger than the Anna campaign. At least  5 schools, two convents, teams from s/w companies and hundreds of nuclear families were fighting to find picnic spots around the park.

F ive minutes more Not today, tomorrow for sure You are tired You work too hard You look perfect Diet and compensate A  month more to go Bad nose block Its raining  Legs are paining The fog is thick Its cold , you'll fall  sick. I have this crazy idea, in my bucket list, of running a full marathon.  Even though my body has been designed with the remotest possibility of accomplishing such a feat, I thought to give it a try. As an initial scare I decided to participate in the half marathons of Kaveri Trail and Ultra marathon events of 2011. To my utter surprise and shock it seems I cannot run 21 km without practice. So I have to (try to) get up every day morning and complete at least a quarter of the total distance which till date I have successfully failed to do.  The d day is September 18th, after which depending on my availability on Earth (might as well be Heaven by the time I finish 21km on foot), I will update the status of my venture. 

Tie the knot by TCR4x4, on Flickr Prologue N ext month, by this time, I will be a family man from a bachelor bloke. Lightning strikes when you are most unprepared for it, like when you are holding an iron rod. Lightning struck me when I was holding a plane load of iron pillars. The lightning went straight through my flux capacitor and here I am three years into the future. It doesn't feel so bad, but I am concerned about the aftermath of such an unprecedented event. Responsibility was never my accomplice. Well, I chose him not to be. He is like a laxative, shit happens when he's around.

I t has come to my attention that people's opinion of software engineers  is changing. This is a recent phenomena, instigated by the rumours spread by rival professions. I believe these rumours have their origination from secret mendicant organizations, who feel that we are taking away their rightful place in society. These rumours are going on a small trip now. To the outside of outer space [War cry]..

     [SHOW/HIDE INFO ] Taken at lake district. This one was a beauty. Perched at the farthest end of trail. Felt like taking a plunge despite the cold.

[I hear her voice, in the mornin’ hours she calls to me The radio reminds me of my home far a-way And drivin’ down the road I get a feeling’ That I should have been home yesterday, yesterday.                                -Country Roads, John Denver] T his life in strange company - Lonlier than lonliness. I burn in sorrow Under the rays of a stranger Sun. Shadow's a familiar face, Ever a silent one.  By Faceless Voices And voiceless dreams, Pains are poisoned even more. I suffer in silence. Miles from myself On this stranger shore, Counting time till summer comes When the tides shall take me home. [Wow, this blog was dead for a year. Not dead, there are some half dead drafts. Never could complete any of them. I should kick myself in the a$$, beacuse i missed something I loved doing]