Headache :) -

Yesterday being Sunday, I had headache by evening. I thought it was because I had eaten less. I ate biscuits but, it refused to go away.

Did a little bit of retro, the week before was bit tough, work wise, plus stupid meetings. I had ended it all with almost 3-5 hours of GTA 5 play on my playstation. So I felt indeed it was the exposure to the monitor which made all the difference. Coupled with my mobile where I randomly watch tik tok videos or check messages or browse.

I cannot really blame it on the kindle though :)-

Cheers,

TTTT - #65 - A stranger who refused to acknowledge his Kannada lineage :)-

I have strange tales of co-incidence, some are of pride, but some are really forgettable. One such incident happened post my completion of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

I completed the yatra and came back to Nepal. We had a accomdation for 2 days at a 3 star hotel, Hotel Landmark opposite Kings Palace. It was surely a posh locality.

We came on probably 21 July 2019 evening and ate food and slept off. The next day when I was climbing down from my room which was in the fourth floor to ground floor, I heard a couple converse in Kannada.

I could immediately catch up to them. They looked like Indians and spoke in Kannada which is my native language. So out of curiousity I asked them in Kannada, "Yaava uru nimmadu" ? which roughly translates to " which place is yours" or " where are you from "..

The gentleman replied in Kannada, we are from New York :)

He didn't mention about any lineage. Generally people who are born and raised in India, tell that they were born and raised here, but settled outside since a long time. But this gentleman, refused to tell about his other details, may be because I was a stranger.

But either way, I felt, he had disassociated with this own motherland.

Cheers,

Mohd Rafi - a legend

Aye Gulbadan - Mohd Rafi - Hasrat Jaipuri, Shankar JaiKishen, Shammi Kapoor, Kalpana

I think, if there is someone who could be called father of playback singing, its got to be Mohd Rafi saab. I have grown up listening to Mohd Rafi saab songs. Though I cannot remember each and every song, which movie, I think I can name a few.

My love, respect and interest in Mohd Rafi saab almost tripled post my visit to Kashmir. He is worshipped there. Some things should be treasured and what better than Mohd Rafi saab in Kashmir, where his sung songs have been shot.

Mughal Gardens - Nishat, Shalimar, and couple of other valleys.

I also feel, the beauty of Kashmir and other places has been elevated, because of the voice of Rafi Saab, the words of the lyricist and the melody of the composer and the priceless expressions of the actors!

Cheers,

PS - In this song, if you can observe, how Kalpana madam, changes her expression when she's facing Shammiji and when she turns her back on him.

You can easily read a persons intent when you observe him carefully :)

I think, you can say a lot without saying anything vocally, just by expressions, and the prime example can be found in this song, set as an example by Kalpanaji!

A 22 year old phenomenon

Today evening after I finished my work, I ended up reading. I was continuing a book by Satyajit Ray which has collection of stories which have been published from sometime in 1970's to 1990  I guess, forgot the year, my bad. I have been reading this book for a while now, its a good 700 pages one on hard print.

So I had music for company and there I was listening to Michael Learns to Rock and reading in a dark room, without much distraction.

This whole experience took me back to 22 years, when I was a kid and staying at Malleshwaram. I still remember, sitting on the same bed reading a book with Michael Learns to rock playing in the background. Just that the book was either Famous Five or Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew. And it happened to be borrowed from Friends Circulating Library - Rajajinagar.

Now I was at Uttarhalli, reading on a purchased book and I could afford a dark room now because I had kindle paper white with backlight. So many years and all of a sudden you realize, you are indeed lucky to have lived through all those years and experiences. Also you feel sad so many years have gone through and you have not noted the memories of those years.

Actually my grandfather used to write diaries, but as a kid never understood the importance of them, now all of a sudden, boom you grow up and on one such day figure out what you did 20 years back and all of a sudden things begin to haunt you!

I thought worth making a note on my blog and worth thanking God, parents without whom, today would not have been possible.

Cheers, 

Age is just a number Christine McVie

Here is a song sung by a beautiful lady. The lady in the video is 70+ year old. People are used to telling we should act our age, we should stop doing certain things after certain age.

But to stop doing what you love just because you are of a certain age, doesn't make sense.

Here is Christine McVie - and Lindsey Buckingham :) who too is around 69 when the video is shot.

I could never imagine, live singing to be this good :)

Interesting comments on youtube - songs.- Prologue

Its been quite a few years, I have been listening to songs on youtube at work at home and since few years, I have been reading and observing comments on youtube.

Some of the comments are very interesting, funny, creative and some of them highly intellectual. So I thought of making a note of such comments in my blog, just to re-read what kind of appreciation people hold for someone's music in their lives.

Its really wonderful to see how good music impacts lives of so many people, be it inspiration wise, be it upliftment, music really helps.

Cheers,

Feb 14, 2020, special day

Feb 14, 2020 was indeed a special day, not because it was Valentine's day. But it was the day when I got a Rs 30k subsidy from Karnataka government intended towards my Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

I had applied for a subsidy from Karnataka Government and it was picked through a lottery system. Made me really happy. Thank you Sri Yediyurappaji. _/\_, my heartfelt thanks to everyone who made that iconic and memorable trip possible!

Cheers,

Goo Goo Dolls - Black Balloon

Another song by Goo Goo Dolls which I like, there are plenty of music instruments playing in sync to achieve this song. So in order to compose a song like this, I am pretty sure exceptional talent is needed!

Cheers,

What a co-incidence - Part 2 - TTTT - 64

Another co-incidence happened recently during my North East trip during December 2019. I was staying at a hotel in Imphal, Manipur. Over here I could hear someone speaking in Kannada in the next room. Again I felt must be dreaming, but considering the voice was so loud, I realized its not a dream.

It turned out a whole group of 27 people had turned up from Bangalore for a complete North East trip via road. Their trip was over a period of 22 days, starting and ending at Guwhati, covering all the seven sister states of North East.

They came as a part of a travels group and co-incidentally it was the voice of the owner or travel group leader whom I had heard. So spoke to them for few minutes and then proceeded.

Remember, this all happened in Imphal, Manipur, so this calls for a co-incidence,

Cheers,

What a co-incidence - Part 1 - TTTT - 63

I have had few co-incidences during my travel during the last few years, so thought of writing them, before I forget all about them. Its about meeting people or stuffs happening when I am travelling which made me realize - o boy what a co-incidence...I know it sounds ridiculous and silly but no harm in writing about them. May be as random rants.

First part I remember happened in Bhuj, during our Gujarat trip in December 2017. During one of the days, when we woke up, I could faintly hear someone speaking in Tamil in Gujarat. I thought I must be dreaming.

Only to realize we had a bunch of people from TamilNadu in the hotel just a floor above us. Nope, I did not speak to them, but imagine, where is Bangalore or Tamilnadu, where is Gujarat and where is Bhuj in Gujarat, imagine you find someone from your neighbouring state all the way in Gujarat, it surely calls for a co-incidence!

Cheers,

Influential bands - Goo Goo Dolls.

There are few bands which I like. Few are very close to my heart. They cheer me up, on days when I am down. One such band is Goo Goo Dolls.

I remember I was introduced to Goo Goo Dolls only in 2002. Their album Gutter Flower was out and there was a song on the radio which was playing continuously. It opened up a whole lot of thoughts in my mind. And almost 18 years later, here I am, writing about them, as their songs continue to influence me in every positive way.

A big load of thanks to Goo Goo Dolls.

I still remember that, I used to scratch out the name Goo Goo Dolls on our classroom benches, and scribble the same on our class room board using chalk pieces. Such were the days! and now they are gone. Below is one of the songs by them, will share more! with stories to remember of course..

Cheers,
Sandeep

Songblog

I always had a thought of having a separate blog for maintaining a list of songs which I liked. I think time is ripe for such a blog. But at the same time, I wish to share some songs here too.

For now, sharing one such song which I like very much. There are many more, but this one makes me smile :)- More so a similar name - Song bird for a song blog!

Its called Song bird by Christine McVie (Fleetwood Mac)

Cheers,

When we rode in a beautiful vehicle (Force Traveller) TTTT - 62

Its not that often, I get to drive about, in beautifully maintained vehicles. I generally travel in office shuttle, other cabs, other people's cars. Also in general I observe vehicles, how they are maintained etc and other parameters. So when I get to travel in exceptionally maintained vehicles, I just tend to have a plan to write about it.

One such vehicle was the one we travelled to Dandeli. Yes, after my North east trip in the month of december 2019, I was itching for a trip/trek/hike or whatever, and I got a chance to travel to Dandeli.

This time we rented out a Force traveller. Initially, I thought this to be just another TT. :)-

But it was different.. The driver was super cool and super comfortable with people. The vehicle was also different. It was a 2012 model TT.

Overall it was still having factory fitted seats, but the pickup was superior, and the suspension seemed to be upgraded. So after a night's journey when we reached Dandeli, I just asked the driver about its maintenance, he told he had changed couple of parts in the engine bay, which were from a different model and superior. But he told the over all maintenance was the same, it was just the care and attention he took to the various parts of the vehicle, which just showed up.

For example, for a better conditioned turbo charger, its always and always recommended to idle the engine for 10 minutes post start and 10 minutes before turning off the engine. Believe me, it works wonders, I haven't done this and I can and have always felt how a cold turbo responds versus how a warmed up turbo responds. Plus as it ages, I assume the smoothness it delivers varies just by this one above parameter.

Cheers,

Work from home setup

Almost three months into the new year, I found sometime to write again. This time, we are working from home, owing to the corona virus scare, which has brought things to a standstill.

So after two weeks of working and working listening to music, reading Satyajit Ray, I found time to change my setup in my room to include some place for blogging as well. Below is the image :)-

Cheers,

What to do for this year

- Completely forget these people whom I was talking about previously. 

- Think of buying a cycle and cycle long distance

- play more on my play station. 

- complete gta 5.

- change organization rather work place

- read more

- blog more

- get a new sofa done, bigger size, 

- buy a new laptop or bigger monitor or fix my PC. 

- Exercise even more regularly. 

- Trek more, 

- Get back to Himalayan trek if possible. 

- Leh Ladakh or spiti during Winters :) 

2019, what happened

- registered for kailash mansarovar yatra and successfully completed it, thoroughly enjoyed my journey through Nepal and Tibet/China, two full moon nights at Mansarovar lake. 

- Manipur, nagaland and burma trip happened, 

- got an offer from a service based organization, but rejected it. 

- Regularly went to gym almost all months, :) 

- Read moderately. 

- Got angry only twice during the whole year. 

- avoided negative people and negativity at work place, was at peace throughout the year :) 

- still coding :) 

Brand new year :) - 2020, what didn't happen :)

Another year, new beginning, last year was kinda depressive, things didn't go as per my plans, but in the end I did manage not to goof up. 

I had planned these in 2019, which unfortunately couldn't happen, 

- wanted to forget some people from my life completely,  didn't happen, randomly messaged these people asking for suggestions or help, need to be mentally more strong :) 

- wanted to buy a cycle and choose long distance cycling with friends - didn't happen

- wanted to trek more, no treks in Western Ghats happened :(

- wanted to read more, unfortunately didn't happen

- wanted to contribute more at work place, didn't happen, owing to too much dirty politics at work place and nature of work, couldn't find interesting work, I still have a job, which I'm kinda happy to be having. 

Kailash Mansarovar Yatra - 5 - 2019 - Medical test- ...

KMY 2019, demanded I undergo a medical test and get a certificate from a doctor. So I underwent tests and got myself certified as physically fit. Last time, I remember before a Himalayan trek, writing a letter authorizing myself as the sole responsible person in case of any happenings during the trek and nobody to blame.

With flight booking done, medical test done, amount paid, it was a month of wait due to the delay. And finally it was July 10, 2019. My dream of participating in India's holiest pilgrimage was about to come true!

Cheers,

Change in office shift timings

I have been allocated temporarily to a project and as a result, I had to undergo some changes in my work hours. Apparently this new team which I work with, works from 8 am in the morning to 5 pm in the evening. As a result the manager told me to come in the first shift.

It happened so, after 6.5 years of second shift 11AM + to 8PM, I am back to morning shift. I had gone early only when I had attended interviews in all these years.

This made me undergo yet another change. My gym timings are 8 AM in the morning, but now, I had to decide to go to gym in the evening.

So today after 6 years of morning gym sessions, I had my first gym session in the evening. Only to realize I didn't need warming up. Generally in the morning, I used to do 10-15 minutes of warm up and stretching, but in the evening, I tried warming up and felt, as if I had already warmed up :)

Apart from that, running on treadmill needs more effort in the evening as I feel not so fresh as morning. But the good part is, there is no sun nor heat to slow down in the evening.

If I can control my diet after my evening workout, there is a high chance I might lose few kilos weight as well. Fingers crossed,

Cheers,

Reason for blog name change - and back -

One of the things which I did as a part of this year 2019 was to change my blog URL. There were multiple reasons for it though, I do want to mention them.

- Last year around September October, 2018, I went through a bit of turmoil at work where in a project which I had been tirelessly working just got downsized, and I was instantly released being a senior resource and having a costly billing, they could do nothing. They couldn't afford and I ended up in free pool, so this put me into a kind of shell, where in I neither wanted to speak to anyone, nor want anyone to know what I was going through, it was hard for a couple of months, where in you aren't able to forget the project because you have put in your weekends, fought for quality, got a good reputation. Good news was I almost instantly got a new offer from a different organization (after 7 days of bench warming!).

- Few people I was speaking with ( yeah I meant people) kind of humiliated me with their words, attitude, behavior. I just didn't want them to read my blog anymore. They knew I blog and knew my blog URL.. Considering I hardly interact with only 2-3 people on a few day/week basis and you end up getting humiliated by them itself, calls for totally lack of luck ( I meant I got lemons from these people in terms of behavior). So I basically wanted them not to read my blog. Will they read now? Well, those few people are out of my life though and I hardly interact with them, if they do read them now, its up to their discretion, I just don't care anymore.

- I had less to write, and I had written few posts describing my unceremonious sacking or release from the project, where in few people who weren't performing instead staring at RV college grounds could be released, but yeah, it was me. I didn't want people to read these posts.

In fact, boot lickers, ass lickers and home grown talent (people who have joined organization as freshers and have survived or rather worked 10+ years in the same organization) take higher precedence, over lateral hired experienced and costly billing resources. That's the hard truth of Indian IT industry where talent and knowledge takes a back seat.

- I was skeptical too about these posts being searched via google, I shall double check if my blog features in google search results. So with these kind of posts about workplaces, I definitely didn't want to go with my name URL. Now, I have pulled off all these posts as drafts, so they aren't public!

- I am having a torrid time with my system at home and laptop. Now using my office laptop without VPN to post this. Both laptop and system have been behaving badly and its time I correct them or buy a new one. Meanwhile tried backing my pictures on home PC now, I see it boots up with no display, what a pity.

Cheers,

PS - Posting it on Dec 15, placing it on January Month as if nothing happened :)-