200th Blog Post

The first blog post dates back to October 8th 2006. Thanks to my dear friend Sridhar who introduced me to the blogspot. Which began only as a photo capture slowly grew to capturing moments, stories, fantasies & more. Proud that I have 200 posts!.

There have been daily posts, months without any and some terrible ones. Looking back is joyous irrespective of the sentiments. I regret not capturing so much more which I could have :(

As my profile reads, sure hope to leave a history when I finally leave...........

Life is but a Race Horse

Unique We are

Being Born or Being Born to die but what a race ahead to win. No one wants to be a failure yet we give up hopes, dreams to be shattered by time & a winning race lost. How I wish I raced for myself, the true myself? Often than not, we fail even before the race begins, not that you were any weaker but the thought of your enemy being stronger. Weakness is Death & certain it is. We train & train, for, one day we know we will be tested in mind, body & soul. We do what we believe is the best, we give everything we have, I run like it is my last race & there I stand to be judged. The long years of training takes a toll, the merciless riders & their whips, the cheering crowd who then spell a curse & at the end of the hard days labor, I retire to the lonely stable & dine alone. Don't you want to see me running alone ? like I do in my dreams, cheer & make merry that I'm still running & never let you notice the torn shoe at my feet. I beg, not to sell me to a butcher, nor in my old age be the beast of burden... remember the fine horse that I once was, the innocence of whom the world stole away. You threw challenges higher with every day. I was running to live & yes! I lived to run free. What you are is your destiny but why compare? Life is unique & let it be. I want to run, not a race but a run for joy, I seek no glory nor promise you of one, let us live in joy, share the joy & die in joy of being there to shed a tear when you leave & return from the grave with the joy of being born to witness a life so beautiful !

Happy Customer with Buckaroo

I'm very particular when it comes to buying footwear. I would roam around all the shops, try all those that I feel looks good & comfortable. The slightest discomfort, it gets rejected. Isn't it why they say, you should get into his shoes & feel what he feels? Though I'm taking the literal meaning of the saying, I believe, a wrong measurement of the shirt or the trousers really doesn't make that difference which your footwear can.

Your walk defines your personality, gives you the confidence and helps you on your journey stride after stride. Hence, don't ever compromise on your foot wear.

After scrutinizing the details, I picked up the Buckaroo Alise Brown Leather Boots. The design gives the tough looks. The ankle length converse gives you that extra support while walking or running, the flat corrugated sole makes your feet feel soft. Overall a quality product that has met all My expectations of shoes.

Alise Brown Leather Boots

I was so happy with this brand that I wanted another pair of casual shoes from the same. My Wife insisted I buy a double shade & something that I haven't worn earlier. Narrowed down on the Buckaroo New Hoshi Casual Shoes. Was delighted again with this purchase on all aspects. Feels like it was tailor made for me.

New Hoshi Casual Shoes

By now, you must know that my next shoes will also be a Buckaroo :)

8 Ball Pool on Miniclip

It's always hard to find out how something became an addiction. The process is a slow obsession to something that we find hard to live without & for me it was the 8 Ball Pool on Miniclip. Started with friendly matches as a guest, then signed up for the free account, played till hearts content & just when I thought it was done, Miniclip introduces points (shown as coins) that you can play for. With 250 that was credited to my account, I played 5 days a week & within months, My all time high was at 500000 coins.

Played all tournaments, won 49 of 56 awards, I rank as a Super Star & the thirst just doesn't seem to quench. I think I will play as long as I feel like. Because this is the only online game that I played for such a long time & not bored of :)

Buffalo3.0 External Hard Drive - a journey to remember

Older times were good in it's own sweet ways, a film roll, rolling camera, skill to load the roll & every picture mattered. The excitement of waiting to develop the roll, neatly arranging the photos in the album, carrying it with you all the time, the only entertainment after television when friends & family visited home, the silent smiles & laughter when you're looking at it alone. Not to forget the long wait in owning a camera at home.

But not any longer, my adventure with the digital camera began when my Brother-in-Law gifted a Sony Cybershot 3.2 MP when he returned from the United States of America. With a 512 MB memory card, I felt like I had so much power and this changed every occasion in life. I wouldn't step from my home without My Digital Camera, be it a simple function or a vacation.

Tons of photographs, loads of memories & with it came the fear of loosing them. Though burnt to the CD-ROM at 16x speed, titled & arranged in the CD leather pouch. The fear of loosing still remained. The number of CD's only kept increasing, editing was challenging and the maintenance got tougher, though I lived with the slow speed in loading the pictures to the computer.

Booom! what was once expensive was now affordable - the external hard drive. Ranging from 1 GB to TB's, decided on 1TB for the time being and luckily there was a sale on ebay. Ordered for a Buffalo3.0 Ministation 1TB for 3500 INR which was delivered on the second day. The task on hand was huge & there was a rush to transfer everything from the CD-ROM (like CD's were about to die in a day). The task was not as easy as I had thought, had to be specific in the folders created for easy access & sharing. It was a sigh of relief, a smile & a feeling of accomplishment.

Will it end here is the question.... I know the cloud is out there to scare me further, dig into my pocket, force me to evolve & rejoice when it's all in cloud. I'll be on Cloud Nine !

No More "Dream - Platform 13"

Had started this Label "Dream - Platform 13" back in March 2009 hoping to capture the details of my Dreams. Even brought a book "Dreams & their significance", read "Interpretation of Dreams" by Sigmund Freud, I was all inspired.

Used to place a note pad & a pen next to my pillow to jot down what I dreamt. Did that for a couple of days after which I had this terrifying dream that I actually woke up sweating & crying. Called up my Father who was at work at 0400 Hrs.

Everyday I dream, sometimes I wake up to use the bathroom & when I go back to sleep, the dream continues, I dream several images & stories every night and this happens only when I sleep on the bed upstairs (irrespective of the position of my head). My wife suggested we visit a psychiatrist, but I feel it is no disorder. I have been having dreams - that's all.

My Father's tone was calm as always, it was me who was in shock. I told him about the dream where He had passed away & I woke up sweating & crying. His calm composed reply is etched in my brain, "Death is certain". He did not speak anything else, asked me to go back to sleep & when he returned home, he did not speak about it nor has he till date.

Thus ended the dream diary, however, I still think how could a Man be so calm & composed when His son calls him at 0400 Hrs crying & his only response ""Death is certain".

On Following Pravs World

Have been following Pravs World http://www.pravsworld.com/a-lesson-to-teach-for-lifetime/ for over eight years and it's a wonderful window to learning emotions, relationships, career & so on.

You can either read volumes of books to ascertain the message, understand & implement or simply read a quote on Pravs World which delivers the strongest messages through simple pictures and a couple of lines.

Stories that can never be forgotten, the ones which needs to be passed on from one generation to another to create a beautiful life, worth building & dying for. My Parents used the Panchatantra to engrave the values of relationship, love & respect to my life. I shall use along with that, the quotes, videos, pictures & stories from Pravs World to teach my child to LIVE LIFE.

What are they selling anyways?

Watching advertisements on television has been irritating & the concepts are ridiculous. Promote your product but not at the cost of putting down someone else, faking the message, wrongly representing a culture & stupid ideas.... I can go on & on with the frustration these advertisements have driven me to... what a pity that the brands go to such cheap & low standards of advertisement.

a) does your tooth paste prevent you from acid attack? what the heck do you mean acid attack. My Dad is 65 and hasn't lost a tooth & never experienced a tooth ache. Does He brush with your toothpaste? hell no. Stop scaring the kids with terrifying Ads, let them eat what they want and live life.

b) 3 stupid cricketers counting the stares from girls? am sure as bold images in sports, you can do much better Ads & deliver a worth while message to the society. You don't have to show that you carry a hand counter to click at every glance you get from a girl.

c) an individual saying in spite of being a software engineer he couldn't find a bride? folks, if you want to promote your muscle gain drink, show a before & after photo, why do you want to highlight the education?

d) all fruits in a soap? when poor people cannot afford a single fruit per week, you show tons of fruits being used in making your soap. I would rather recommend a fruit a day to have a healthy skin or better still scrub with a stone.

e) being fairer means everything? racism to the core, saying only the fair gets the job, people look at only the fair ones and being dark means a sin

I know this won't change, but my efforts to teach the kids the right way to gauge an advertisement will never stop. Hope people would start criticizing these stupid ads on every forum available and bring real sense to the word 'advertisement'.

Lost in Thoughts

How often we come across people saying "they were lost in thoughts" and every time I hear that, makes me recollect the last time I was lost in thoughts.

It is an unexplored frontier which haunts you again & again. You re-live the moments working maths in your brain on what should have been done better, what shouldn't have & what if it were to happen again. The hidden thoughts in the subconscious which paves the way for what the future beholds & the fantasy world that you may live in - ah! what a way to get lost in thoughts.

Looking at my Daughter grow so fast (She is 14 months now), I wonder how I would be lost in thoughts when She really does grow up (say in Her teens) on how I put Her to sleep, Her sweet first words, signs, laughter & cries. See, I was lost in thoughts for that brief moment when I thought about it.

"Lost in thoughts" has no boundaries, no limits, undefinable & the one whose variable is only your mind. It is freedom. You can change the direction of everything, like going back to school, falling in love, hugging your Mother, hiding from your Father, bribing your Sister to keep a secret, the first kiss, adventure trips, smile of a newborn, your first near-death experience & simply every moment of joy & sorrow.

So, the next time "you are lost in thoughts", live that moment, enjoy like it were raining, learn from that experience and make another memory worth while that you may want to get lost in its thought some day.

Madhuri - a Delight!

Ever watched a dance from the chin up? Watch Madhuri Dixit.

The expressions make me feel like her face commands the rest of the body to dance. A diva so charming, gracious & splendid, makes the heart skip a beat. The elegant dance moves by the queen is enchanting. She is a delight to watch & I shall watch forever :)

Things I've Paused, not sure why...

As a kid & over the years, I ventured into a lot of fields, developed them as hobbies, pursued for a while, then shelved them, moved onto chase something else & this cycle just doesn't seem to STOP... Is this the reason why I am a jack of all trades? Did I miss something big by doing so & if YES, what I may have missed?

Philately: One of the first hobbies that I remember, collected a large number of stamps, made my own stamp album, exchanged with my friends at school. From 1995 to 2002 almost no activity. When I joined Railways, I opened the album again. My Sister gifted me stamp albums. Joined a philately club in Hubli & actively participated in a couple of meetings. With the philately account opened, I received new stamps as they were released and I continued to received them even after I quit Railways.  Sometime in 2007, I neatly arranged them in a photo album and thus ended this hobby.
But, has it stopped my interest in Philately? I still collect them, browse for sellers of stamps & feel excited when I look at some collections (though I'm not placing them in the album).

When I started collecting as a kid, I wanted to be the greatest philatelist. Though satisfied with my collection, I am not the greatest yet... but I still have time.

Poems: Ah!, it's an experience and I am proud of what I have composed. Hundreds of them, a few published online and the last one was composed sometime in 2010. I feel, I could have churned this better, continued as a poet and had oceans of opportunity to pen down a lot that I have let go. With easier publishing options today, I can sure make myself proud, if I continue...

Sketches: Fascinated by seeing the pencil sketches, wanted to give it a shot and I must say, I did sketch a couple of master pieces (Swami Vivekananda & Bhagat Singh) without any formal training. Piled up a lot of copies that I wanted to sketch but never did. I still browse for pencil sketching material online, have downloaded the tutorials on how to sketch and WAITING FOR THE TIME knowing that I have to make time...

Paper Models: Started with the help of my consultant in AOL. Made a wonderful fighter plane, helicopter, air base, WWII war areas and that was it. Have a lot of ideas and it is hanging in the most active part of the brain...

Blogging: When my friend introduced blogging, it was big. Wanted to capture almost everything that has happened in life so far and dreamt of the real open book Autobiography. I know what I have missed and will complete it in this life time...

A lot more that I have kissed just ONE time are Photography, Adventure Sports, Long Rides... all in anticipation of the good times to come.

Oh Lord! My Bucket List is almost done -wish me good luck.

ನಾನೇನಾ ಆ ರಾಯ ???

ಮುಂಜಾನೆ ಐದರ ಸಮಯ - ಮಹಾಪ್ರಭು ಕಾಡಾನೆಯೊಂದು ರಾಜ್ಯದೊಳಗೆ ನುಗ್ಗಿ ಪ್ರಜೆಗಳನ್ನು ಭಯಭೀತರನ್ನಾಗಿ ಮಾಡಿದೆ. ಬೆಳೆಗಳನ್ನು ನಾಶ ಮಾಡಿ, ರತ್ನ ವ್ಯಾಪಾರ ಮಳಿಗೆಗೆ ನುಗ್ಗಿ ಇಬ್ಬರನ್ನು ಹತ್ಯೆ ಮಾಡಿ, ವಿಟಲ ಮಂದಿರದ ಬಳಿ ಸುಳಿದಾಡುತ್ತಿದೆ. ತಾವು ಈ ಆಪತ್ತಿನಿಂದ ಪ್ರಜೆಗಳನ್ನು ಕಾಪಾಡಬೇಕು. 

ಆಗಿನ್ನು ದೇವರ ಪ್ರಾರ್ಥನೆ ಅಭಿಷೇಕವನ್ನು ಮುಗಿಸಿ ಉದಯಿಸುತಿರುವ ಸೂರ್ಯನ ದಿಟ್ಟಿಸಿ ನೋಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ನಮಗೆ ಸೇನಾದಿಪತಿ ತಂದ ವಿಷಯ. ನಾವು ಆಗ ಸೇನಾದಿಪತಿಯನ್ನು ಅವರು ಮಾಡಿರುವ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಕೇಳಿದೆವು. ಸೇನಾದಿಪತಿಯು ತನ್ನ ಅನುಭವಕ್ಕೆ ತೋರಿದಂತೆ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನವನ್ನು ಮಾಡಿದ್ದರು. ಇದೀಗ ನಮಗೆ ಸ್ಪಷ್ಟವಾಗಿ ಕಂಡ ದೃಶ್ಯ. ವೈರಿಯು ನಾನಾ ವೇಷ ಧರಿಸಿ ನಮ್ಮ ರಾಜ್ಯದ ಮೇಲೆ ಮುತ್ತಿಗೆ ಹಾಕಲು ಪ್ರಯತ್ನಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ. ನಮ್ಮಲ್ಲಿ ಭಯ ಭೀತಿ ಕಂಡರೆ ಅಂದಿಗೆ ಅಂತ್ಯವಾದೀತು ಈ ವಿಜಯನಗರ ಸಾಮ್ರಾಜ್ಯ. ಇದು ಇತಿಹಾಸ ನಮಗೆ ಹೇಳಿಕೊಟ್ಟ ರಹಸ್ಯ. ಈ ಕಾಡಾನೆಯ ತರದಿ ಅದೆಷ್ಟೋ ಬಾರಿ ನಮ್ಮ ಶಕ್ತಿಯ ಪರೀಕ್ಷೆ ನಡೆದಿದೆ. ಇಲ್ಲಿಯ ವರೆವಿಗೂ ಸಹಸ್ರ ಯುದ್ದಗಳನ್ನು ಜೈಸಿದ ನಮಗೆ ವಿಜಯವಿಟ್ಟಳನಿಂದ ಮತ್ತೊಂದು ಪರೀಕ್ಷೆಯೇ ? ಆ ತಾಯಿ ಭುವನೇಶ್ವರಿಯ ಕೃಪಾಕಟಾಕ್ಷ ನಮ್ಮ ಮೇಲೆ ಇರುವವರೆಗು ಕಾಡಾನೆಯ ಹಿಂಡೇ ಬಂದರು ಒಂಟಿಯಾಗಿ ಜೈಸಬಲ್ಲೆವು ನಾವು. 

ನಮ್ಮ ಯುದ್ದ ಶಾಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಪಳಗಿದ ಗಂಡಾನೆ ಭೀಷ್ಮನ ಬೆನ್ನೇರಿ ಕೈಯಲ್ಲಿ ಹಗ್ಗದ ನುಣುಕು ಹಿಡಿದು ಹಾದಿ ತಪ್ಪಿ ಬಂದ ಆ ಕಾಡಾನೆಯ ಬಳಿಗೆ ಬರುತ್ತಲೇ ಅದು ಧಾಳಿ ಮಾಡಿತು, ಚಿಂ ಎಂದು ಅದರ ಮೇಲೆ ಹಾರಿ, ಮುಷ್ಟಿಯ ಬಿಗಿ ಮಾಡಿ ಅದರ ತಲೆಗೆ ಸಿಡಿಲೇ  ಬಡಿದಂತೆ ಆಕ್ರಮಿಸಿದೆವು. ಒಂದೇ ಏಟಿಗೆ ಪ್ರಗ್ನೆತಪ್ಪಿ ದಟ್ತೆಂದು ನೆಲ್ಲಕ್ಕುರುಳಿತು ಮದಿಸಿದ ಆ ಕಾಡಾನೆ. ಮತ್ತೊಂದು ಜಯ !

ಶಿಲ್ಪಿಗಳು ಕವಿಗಳು ಸಕಲ ಕಲಾವಲ್ಲಬರು ತುಂಬಿರುವ ನಮ್ಮ ಆಸ್ಥಾನದ ನೋಟವೇ ಒಂದು ಹೆಮ್ಮೆ. ವೈರಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಸಿಂಹ ಸ್ವಪ್ನವಾಗಿ ಭೀತಿಸುವ ನಮ್ಮ ಸೈನ್ಯ, ಅಪ್ಸರೆಗಳನ್ನೇ ನಾಚಿಸುವ ರಾಜ ನರ್ತಕಿಯರು, ಹಿರಿದಾಗಿ ನಮ್ಮ ಸಿಂಹಾಸನದ ಬಳಿ ರಕ್ತದೊಕುಳಿಗಾಗಿ ಸದಾ ಸಿದ್ದವಿರುವ ಖಡ್ಗ. ಈ ವೈಭವಗಳ ತಲೆತಲಾಂತರದಿಂದ ಕಾಪಾಡಿಕೊಂಡು ಬಂದ ಹಿರಿಮೆಯ ವಂಶ ನಮ್ಮದು. 

ಶ್ರೀ ಕೃಷ್ಣದೇವರಾಯ                                                        ಶ್ರೀ ವಿಶ್ವನಾಥ

ಇದು ನನ್ನ ಪುನರ್ಗೊಚರಿಸುವ ಸ್ವಪ್ನ, ಮತ್ತೆ ಮತ್ತೆ ಅದೇ ದೃಶ್ಯಗಳು, ರಣರಂಗದಲ್ಲಿ ವೈರಿಗಳ ರುಂಡಗಳ ಮಾರಣಹೋಮ, ಎಲ್ಲಿ ನೋಡಿದರಲ್ಲಿ ಹಸಿರು ತುಂಬಿರುವ ನನ್ನ ಸಾಮ್ರಾಜ್ಯ, ಮುಗಿಲೆತ್ತರಕೆ ನಿಂತ ಶಿಲೆಗಳು, ದಶಕವಿಡೀ ನಡೆದರು ಕೊನೆಗಾಣದ ಗಡಿ, ವಜ್ರ ವೈಡುರ್ಯಗಳಿಂದ ತುಂಬಿದ ಅರಮನೆ. 

ನಾನೇ ಆ ರಾಯನೆನ್ನಲು ಈ ಸ್ವಪ್ನವೇ ನನ್ನ ಸಾಕ್ಷಿ !

Mailbox Cleansing - Herculean Task

Brain, Head, Eyes & Fingers started to hurt when I decided on cleaning the personal mailboxes. Having unlimited access to the internet since 2004 with emails as the primary means of communication, over the last 10years they have piled up much beyond what I thought it would be & most of which I could not relate to.

From the basic folders, many more custom folders were created in anticipation that I would need them one day.

Why did I want to clean the mail boxes?

• Would be easier to locate the mail that I'm looking for with lesser mails
• Free up my cyber space
• Permanently delete the ones which are worth deleting
• Reorganize based on the current lifestyle
• Makes me feel good that I'm organized
• Wanted to see my progress

I started with a basic sorting From & Subject. Though this helped me clear ~40%, for the rest, I had to open the mail, attachments & then delete. My brain was under constant pressure to quickly decide if I would ever need that mail again and would it make me happier reading the same when I'm old.

Must say it was a walk down the memory lane, I giggled, laughed, frowned, on a few grew angry, sad and was frustrated. It showed me the change in my personality, thoughts and what Life is all about. What was once considered the only way had lost its way, had to try hard to put a picture to the names of those who were once dearer, people had moved on & so had I.

fall in LOVE

Hard to tell if it's Passion or Love that haunts you in the middle of your sleep, tickles your brain through the day and a possession that never lets you go until it dies of age or you hide it deep within, finding a new one that you want to be chased by. This emotion is divine that keeps you alive - to fall in love again & again!

to fall in love with a place, ah! a pleasant emotion of what you liked which doesn't restrict itself to trees, wind & ocean. It stretches far beyond the reaches of imagination and what may temporarily make you feel "you fell in love with the place" may actually be that one thing in particular that churned the dream that was dreamt long long ago and the one which found its identity here at this place. Now think hard, was it the place that you fell in love with or did you camouflage your love with that place?

to fall in love with a thing, is actually not falling in love at all. You lack exact words & say, fell in love with that.... like the food you had at a diner, a car you saw or the ornament you brought.

to fall in love with a person, the hardest of emotions, the one where brain gives away to the heart too soon. You want to think it is eternal, never shall change and never shall you loose. With time, everything is tested & only those who nurtured it well shall have the roots strong enough for the emotion to grow as an oak, strong & no storm strong enough to bring it down.

falling in love has many contexts defined by various definitions at various stages of life. What was once a passion becomes a distant memory, a memory that you never want to remember reincarnates itself, a few falls in love are worth forgetting, some by choice and the rest by design. Every time you fell in love with something, there was clarity in love but the uncertainty prevailed on whether you would get it or loose it. No man wants to loose and hence the subconscious works its way silently allowing you to make the union of things surrounding that what you truly loved. This forbids the very thought of loosing and you believe it is true.

Love is a very specific emotion like the rainbow, you are never certain was it the white you fell in love with or was it the colors. This is a constant battle between the brain & the heart in which you choose not to loose either.

This post is an experience, a clarity of what I truly fell in love with and the way forward to sort things in the compartments of my brain and heart. Though uncertain of what now appears certain, for sure it's worth falling in love with!

"ಚಿಂತನ"

ಮುಂಜಾನೆ ಮನೆಯ ಅಂಗಳದಿ ನವಿಲಿನ ಕೂಗು, ಪಕ್ಷಿಗಳ ಚಿಲಿ ಪಿಲಿ, ದೊಡ್ದಿಯಲ್ಲಿನ ಹಸುವಿನ ಅಂಬಾ ಎಂಬ ಪ್ರೀತಿಯ ಕರೆ ಇರುವಾಗ, ಯಾರಿಗೆ ಬೇಕು ಗಡಿಯಾರ ? ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಗಡಿಯಾರದ ಮುಳ್ಳಿನ ಹಾಗೆ ದಿನಚರಿ ಮಾಡುವ ಅವಶ್ಯವಿಲ್ಲ. ನನ್ನೊಡತಿ ಮಾಡಿದ ಬಿಸಿ ಬಿಸಿ ಗಂಜಿಯ ಕುಡಿದು, ಗದ್ದೆಗೆ ಆಕಳನ್ನು ಕರೆದೊಯ್ದು, ತಳಿಯನ್ನು ಪರೀಕ್ಷಿಸಿ, ನೀರಿನ ಕಟ್ಟೆಯ ಸರಿಯಾದ ಕಾಲುವೆಗೆ ಹರಿ ಬಿಟ್ಟು, ಹಾಗೆ ಸುಳಿದಾಡುತ ಹೊಂಗೆಯ ಮರದಡಿ ಕೂರುವಷ್ಟರಲ್ಲಿ ಊಟದ ಸಮಯ. ಅಮ್ಮನ ಕೈ ಹಿಡಿದು ನಲಿಯುತ ಜಿಗಿಯುತ ಹಾತರದಿ ಓಡೋಡಿ ಬರುವ ನನ್ನ ಮಗಳು "ಚಿಂತನ".

ಮೂವರು ಊಟವ ಮಾಡಿದ ನಂತರ, ಚಿಂತನಾಳ ಕಲಿವಿಕೆಯ ಸಮಯ. ಅವಳು ಬೇರೆ ಮಕ್ಕಳ ಹಾಗೆ ಶಾಲೆಗೆ ಹೋಗುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. ನಮ್ಮ ಪರಿಸರವೇ ಅವಳ ಶಾಲೆ. ಈಗ ಅವಳಿಗೆ ಮೂರುವರೆ ವರ್ಷ, ಅ ಆ ಇ ಈ ಅಕ್ಷರಗಳನ್ನು ಗುರುತಿಸುತ್ತಾಳೆ, ೧ ೨ ಇಪ್ಪತ್ತರ ವರೆಗೆ ಹೇಳುತ್ತಾಳೆ, a b c d ಅಕ್ಷರಗಳನ್ನು ಗುರುತಿಸುತ್ತಾಳೆ, ಅಮ್ಮ ಹೇಳಿಕೊಟ್ಟ ಹಾಡುಗಳನ್ನು ತಪ್ಪಿಲ್ಲದೆ ಹಾಡುತ್ತಾಳೆ. ಇಂಗ್ಲಿಷ್ ಮತ್ತು ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಪದಗಳನ್ನು ಜೋಡಿಸಲು ಕಲಿತಾದ ನಂತರ ಅವಳ ಅಮ್ಮ ಹಿಂದಿ ಹೇಳಿಕೊಡುವುದೆಂದು ಹೇಳಿದ್ದಾಳೆ. ಗಣಿತವನ್ನು ಈಗಾಗಲೇ ಕಲಿಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾಳೆ.

ಚಿಂತನಾಳ ವಿಧ್ಯಾಭ್ಯಾಸ ಪರಿಸರದಲ್ಲಿ. ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಶಾಲೆಯ ಗಂಟೆಯ ಭಯವಿಲ್ಲಾ, ಖಡ್ಡಾಯವಾದ ಪುಸ್ತಕವಿಲ್ಲ, ಅವಳ ಮನಸ್ಸು ಏನು ಹೇಳುತ್ತದೋ ಅದ್ದನ್ನು ಕಲಿಯುತ್ತಾಳೆ. ಹಾಗೆಂದು ವಿಷಯಗಳ ಪಟ್ಟಿ ಇಲ್ಲಾ ಎಂದು ಅರ್ಥವಲ್ಲ. ನನ್ನ ಮತ್ತು ನನ್ನ ಹೆಂಡತಿಯ ಜೀವನದ ಅನುಭವಗಳಿಂದ ನಾವೇ ಒಂದು ಚೊಕ್ಕದಾದ ಪಟ್ಯವನ್ನು ಮಾಡಿದ್ದೇವೆ. ಇದರಲ್ಲಿ ಹಲವಾರು ಬಣ್ಣಗಳುಂಟು, ಕರ ಕುಶಲ ಹವ್ಯಾಸಗಳುಂಟು, ತರಕಾರಿ ಹಣ್ಣು ಬೆಳೆಯುವುದರ ರಹಸ್ಯಗಳುಂಟು, ಮೇಣವ ಮಾಡುವ ಪರಿಯುಂಟು, ಯಾರೊಡನೆ ಹೇಗೆ ವರ್ತಿಸಬೇಕು ಎಂಬ ಪಾಠಗಳುಂಟು , ಹಬ್ಬಗಳುಂಟು, ಸಿಹಿ ಭೋಜನ ನಳಪಾಕದ ಅಡುಗೆಮನೆಉಂಟು, ಹತ್ತು ಹಲವಾರು ಆಟಗಳುಂಟು, ನೊವ್ವು ನಲಿವಿನ ನೀತಿ ಕಥೆಗಳುಂಟು, ಎಲ್ಲಕ್ಕೂ ಮಿಗಿಲಾಗಿ ಜೀವನದ ಮಧುರ ಕ್ಷಣಗಳ ಸವಿಯುವ ಸಾಗರವೇ ಇಲ್ಲುಂಟು.

ಮುಂದುವರಿಯಲಿದೆ.........................

What happened to the email Forwards ?

A quite day at work and having completed all the scheduled tasks on the table, landed in the world of email forwards that I had saved. Upright surprised with the number of mail forwards that I had received during 2004-2006. The following years 2007-2010 saw a gradual decrease and today the 14th day of October 2013, My mailbox has zero mail forwards.

Relating this to the recent end of telegram and the last decade where I haven't received a single inland letter or a post card (nor have I sent any). Communication infact is a constant shift, what was the only means yesterday will be overtaken by a superior means today and tomorrow shall witness another and the motion just doesn't stop.

The journey I have witnessed thus far is the shift from post cards to emails to orkut to messengers to twitter to facebook to whatsapp. For all those who have preserved the post cards, it's a history worth reliving and for the present generation who start with the world wide web, it would still be a history when they look back at communication after another decade or so.

Every walk and field of Life is screaming out one big word "CHANGE" and it is unwise to hold onto things forever. The apprehension and the fear of Change dies slowly with time. Wise make a fortune by embracing Change and fools left behind to regret what had to have been done.

Another learning that brings a smile with every click of the mouse.

Road Circus - have you witnessed?

Act 1, the most common: Neck bent to one of the sides. Initially I thought it must be a disability of some form and even prayed to heal them quickly. It was only after witnessing hundreds of such jokers did I realize that it was the cellphone trick. Should I blame it on the poverty that people cannot afford a hands free (these days all cell phones come with a FREE hands free) or the urgency that everyone thinks he is on the way to the hospital or a funeral that he cannot stop his vehicle and speak? What ever be the case, it is funny and the next time you witness one, laugh it out. 

Act 2, single handed four wheel drive: The cellphone trick does not limit itself to the two wheelers, with gold studded hands, neck and even the frame of the sunglasses being gold, it baffles me that even the high end car owners cannot afford a blue tooth or a hands free for their cellphones. May be they are really on an important call (damn), jokers turn the steering like they are driving on an empty football field. I don't want to mention the real circus that happens when they try this trick on the gradients. May GOD bless them!

Act 3, wheely: Acts of heroism isn't the fault of the youth. Thanks to the bollywood in a lot of ways for imbibing the sense of heroism in the minds of youth with very poor or no statutory warnings for all the crazy stunts shown on the big screen. Is it only the bollywood to be blamed? Poor upbringing of the kids (some families don't even have a count of how many kids have been produced) and buying them stuff, the value of which is unknown to the kids is another driver of this road circus. Blame it on the government for not encouraging this sport through an established academy (something the Modi government may look into). This category learns only with accidents (hope they don't survive considering the risk posed at others).

Act 4, Erythrophobia or Erytophobia or Ereuthophobia: Wondering what the heck is this? This is the fear of red lights. Symptoms of this phobia are honking when the signal light is red, increased honking hoping the red light would listen to the honk and turn green, moving the vehicle across the zebra crossing and idle accelerating. When you talk to these jokers, they simply smile or burst out at you telling that the road belongs to his family (road may belong to your family, does the signal light too?) 

Act 5, high beemers: High beams are just higher-powered/brighter headlights, so they are used when it is dark out, but only when no other vehicles are either in front of you going the same direction or coming from the other direction in the other lane. Usually high beams are used on highways where there are no street lamps, during the late hours of the night when there is little traffic. Also, if it is foggy out, high beams won't help visibility - that's what fog lights are for. Using high beams in fog will make visibility worse.These jokers can never understand the result of their trick (because they are opposite to you)

Act 6, the honkers: Unnecessary & continuous honking is a sign of fear and low confidence while driving. Having said what I just said, not at all surprised by the number of the sightfull blind that I meet on the road everyday. They see that the road is blocked ahead yet honk with all their might (may be they were taught in school that honking clears traffic jams and turns the red signal green). They just can't see that there is a baby sleeping on the two wheeler ahead, an old citizen in the adjacent vehicle and most hilarious, they honk at the buffaloes too. I sincerely pray that these joker's ears be blown off and again Modi government to ban horns on vehicles.

Act 7, need for speed: Seems to me that they were born on the race track. Reckless driving endangering the lives of others is the great circus act here. May GOD end their lap sooner!

A lot of other silly tricks are not worth mentioning like staring at the girl on the bike, looking at the rear view mirror like you know the person behind, stretching at the signals on their vehicles, loud music (not sure if they are deaf at an young age? they don't look like that though) and unsure if they have to go left or right. Did I forget to mention that there is no entry fee for this circus - anytime, anywhere!

Highlights of My observation:

• Educated class or the so called corporates are the best jokers
• Poverty is the root cause why people get into road circus
• Everyone can become a hero if you watched that bike stunt twice on the screen
• Everyone is in a hurry (you'll never know the reason nor do they)
• Money and Muscle rule
• Jokers don't really care what the society thinks of them

Those that took the pain of reading this blog, take the pain of not being called a joker on the road, pass on the right behavior to the next generation and to who ever you care.

If you wish...

WE LIVE 2 EAT !!! INDIA !!!

Love Of Swallows

This was another forwarded mail & it had to be a part of my history......

Here his wife is injured and the condition is fatal. She was hit by a car as she swooped low across the road.

Here he brought her food and attended to her with love and compassion.

He brought her food again but was shocked to find her dead. He tried to move her....a rarely-seen effort for swallows!

Aware that his sweetheart is dead and will never come back to him again, he cries with adoring love.


He stood beside her, saddened of her death.

Finally aware that she would never return to him, he stood beside her body with sadness and sorrow.