Vinayagar leads the way forward.

Vinayaga Chaturthi Vaazthukkal. Folks enjoy the holiday season...

Mommy is in town for a couple days and is having a blast with her grandson.
Work is light since it is an end of release and that has let off a lot of steam.
Lots of folks have left Bangalore on vacation to their home towns or to places and traffic is very light...

Thanks Achu...

About 5 years back, before Pallavi and me got married (and were doing our rounds), we were visited by my youngest cousin. Done and dusted on his 10th exams, Ashwin (Achu) ventured out of his hill top world and embarked on a week's vacation of Bangalore.

It was a fantastic one week for the both of us. Pallavi was put up in a PG in Koramnagala close to my aunt's place where I was put up. Those were the days when my office day started at 11 and ended pretty much at 4. :), so basically lots of free weekday time unlike the present days.

Everyday for that week, Pallavi used to join us after work and we roamed all the hot spots of Bangalore. We did roam like crazy. Those were the times of no car and we used to take the autos everywhere. To sightseeing, to movies and to shopping. Achu had a halo of simplicity, innocence and amicability all around him. So much fun and laughter around, that it appears to have happened just yesterday!

Times have changed and that little brother has grown up. Much of the amicability and innocence is still intact and he has grown a persona that I have now come to admire. Now in college and notably the leader among us with cars, tech and gadgetry and stuff.

We have been wanting to have a picture of us framed every since Arjun become active, but look at what Achu has done for our wedding anniversary. Brother, you have done us proud and suddenly I am amazed its the same Achu who visited us 5 years past.

Thanks a lot Achu...

Achu's gift to us for our 4th wedding anniversary...

Work life balance

This week has been the most hectic ever. I don't remember it being this tough or this chaotic ever. 

Day light is long gone and the night moon is ever smiling when I get home. 9 - 9:30 - 10. It has been progressing as the days of the week pass by. I have to thank the two creatures at home who wait for me with smiles on their faces and good food steaming and ready for me when I get in. 

Thanks dudes and hope these tough times bade by soon.

Guess what???

,,,,kuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuulluolxollko

... Guess!

Updates...

Arjun is 6 months and growing up fast. His activities and expressions have more than doubled. 

He has advanced from gazing at objects of interest to now trying to grab stuff and an occasional attempt to leap and just go for it. 

He is an interesting thing to just watch for and is more than a full time job. His crawl is not yet perfect and this saves some effort for us, nevertheless we need to be careful. 

Work is tight and she has also resumed work and its a tightrope that we walk everyday.

Subramaniam

So where do I start? Class V is when this friendship started. That's when I joined the school. He was already in there, may be he joined a year or two earlier. He was the son of the most famous dentist in town. Nishanth joined the school a year later in Class VI.

How did we become buddies? I do not know, may be we were always buddies. But we were the gang of 3, always together during break times and lunch hours, we did a lot of crazy school stuff together. We were in the school band, he was the drummer and then went on to become the band leader and performed with a lot of grace. Nishanth was always the side drummer. I joined in as with the bugle and then went on to become the trumpeter.

Lots of incredible times. He was in the neighborhood and come into the hostel for the studies times. I also had to join in being the principal's son. Subramani or STN as he was fondly known as, was a guy with a lot of flair. He was the prince of the 'A' section, the only one. The most friendly guy around and certainly the most talked about.

Certain stuff that come back to my memory. He was quite a studious guy but not the most serious one. He would be remembered by the teachers (and my mom) for getting all the answers correct on the exam papers, but still will loose marks because of not tagging his answers to the right question numbers. I think it did not matter much to him as much as getting the bookish knowledge as full as possible onto the answer sheet.

A very good dancer he was. Self created and an ardent follower of MJ. Western dance came on naturally and effortlessly to him and he was on the annual day performances all the school years. Me and Nishanth had a lot of catch up to do and some of the steps that he produced, required a lot of effort to replicate. Over the years in school he has given innumerable performances, Western (O-Pa), Karagattam and Tamil folk too.

When we were about to finish school (exams over and waiting for the results), he and Nishanth always used to say that I would secure the first mark and I used to chide them, given the fact that not even once during school I did secure first. But he had a genuine heart and may be because of his words, I don't know, I did secure the first mark, topping with two other folks. I will always remember you for that. 

We finished school and he went to do BDS and then his MDS, Nishanth and I went the engineering way. We were in contact for some time after that as well, but recently fell out of touch. Subramani is a name that everybody in my class and most in the school will always remember with a tall figure who is always on a smile, that's forgotten how to end.

Life is sometimes so very cruel. It takes away some gems and leaves behind a big void. We hear of accident mishaps so many times and people losing their dear ones. It only strikes you when you have lost somebody dear. It changes everything, all is well one instant and gone to nothing in the next. It has shattered some of the confidence I had in the 'good life'.

STN, this one is for you. We have lost a dear friend and I wish I had a one more chance to tell you how dear you have been to me. During all the years in school and beyond I have learned a lot from you. That is part of what I am today. You are somebody unforgettable and your memories will live on with all of us. May you rest in peace. Pray there be some solace in these troubled times.

Toothless smile.

Its 1:30 AM and he has been up for an hour. His mommy has been sleeping, well she is tired and she deserves to rest. I am watching over him and he seems to be very far from anything close to sleepy. 

I put him on my lap and start rocking him, gently at first and then increasing the rhythm as my efforts bear no fruit. After about half hour of rocking, the little eyes start to droop. And as the eye lids close in further, the rocking gets smoother. 

Finally as the eye lids close tight and shut, a second or two later, the toothless jaws open up in a smile of divinity and contentment that is so serene, I wonder if there is anything more joyous to watch.

Stuff

There are a few stuff off late that's been hogging its share of my mind.

Career

My impending job change. I have been out of project for about a week and my last day in my current org is 25th of this month. I have learned now that job switch are equally a pain as much as they are rewarding. I have made a choice of where I will be continuing my career. It has been a decision backed up by weeks of thought process and I am not going to look back.

Domestic

Its sad that we get only 3 months as maternity leave and this means that she has to get back to work soon. The advantages of a nuclear family are many and I have been on the beneficial side so far. My son is definitely my lucky charm, but he will miss out on having grandparents watching over his growth. I for sure had that honor. My maternal grandparents were with me as I finished school and I sure have a lots to thank them for (also my mom).

We are hopeful a house maid/care taker will fit in and solve us of these worries. I am just hopeful.

Others/Misc

There are certain other things on my mind which I cannot freely write about, but I am happy that all these take a back seat when I see the one thing that has bought a lot of cheer and joy for me.

See for yourself.

Arjun

A packed weekend schedule

1. Pavi my cousin is getting wedded. That is one. And this in Coimbatore. (I am going to be visiting the Sharadambal temple again. Three and half years have gone past.) - Happened
2. Juno and Pallavi are heading to Erode for a 4-5 month rest and recuperation period. That is two. - Done
3. I need to re-renew the lease for my house in Coimbatore. Thats three. - Did not happen

The plan

1. Leave early 12-Feb. Planned for 4:30 AM.
2. Breakfast and refuel at A2B, Thoppur.
3. Lunch at Erode, then a kutti rest.
4. Drive to Pollachi, via Kangeyam and Palladam, Dinner at Pollachi. (Night halt in Erode and travelled in the morning to Pollachi, Father-in-law accompanied me)
5. 13-Feb, drive to Coimabtore with Mom and get together with family for the wedding occasion.
6. 14-Feb, the wedding.
7. Leave Coimbatore 14-Feb, late afternoon and drive back to Bangalore.
8. Dinner at A2B Thoppur and reach Bangalore, late at night. (Reached home at 1 AM, smooth no issues drive unlike last time)
   
   

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The Road

1. Bengaluru to Erode: Drive through NH7 from Bengaluru to Salem is a breeze expect for some rough patches as we reach Hosur and the Thoppur ghat also slows down the drive. Took the NH47 from Salem to Chittode and this road is good with no exceptions. Chittode to Erode is a ~10 km drive through moderate lanes.
2. Erode to Pollachi: Erode to Kangeyam is a SH and is quite decent patch to drive on. Kangeyam to Palladam is NH67 and is a breeze though single laned, quality of NH vs SH can be appreciated on this drive. Palladam to Pollachi is again through SH but a slightly jolty ride.
3. Pollachi to Coimbatore: NH209 - poor poor poor. Road is moderate but narrow and traffic is perpertual.
4. Coimbatore to Bengaluru: NH47 from Coimbatore to Avinashi/Perumanallur is a difficult and time consuming drive till is crossed since work is in progress. This will easily take about 2 hours in peak hour traffic. Beyond that it is a true multilaned NH. NH7 to Bengaluru is retracing the route taken onward.

ICC WC 2011 schedule on Google calendar

Thanks to Sunil for putting together the ICC WC 2011 schedule on Google calendar.
Click on "+ Google Calender" button to import directly to your google calendar and get alerts for each match...

Moving over to GMail

Its been a long and rather eventful journey with Y! mail. Unlike the city folk who opened their mail accounts with Y! or Hotmail when in school, it was while in college that I opened my first personal mail account with Y!. It was Dec 2000 during the winter recess.

I scooted halfway through the 'Priyamanavale' movie in Durais theater in Pollachi to visit the neighborhood browsing center to open my personal mail account on Y!.

After more than 10 years I have decided to no longer use my Y! account for personal mails because of spam problems time and again. I have been rather late to move because there is so much history behind my Y! mail account, but I have had enough. 

I am moving on... and GMail will be my primary personal mail id henceforth...

Love at first sight

The day is the 18th of January 2011, time about 4:45 pm. The place is the Fortis hospital at Bannerghatta road, Bangalore. We have some news. The wait is over. The verdict is out and accepted. The docs have concluded that we had waited enough and advised a C-section.

We have been at the hospital since 2 days. Mom-in-law has been with us for about 4 months now. But these couple days have been her loneliest. She was at a hospital amidst voices in a unfamiliar tongue. She needed some reassurance and I turned to the closest help at hand - my Aunt. She took a day off from her work and arrived at the hospital.

So far going has been good. Dad-in-law has been informed and he has started immediately. It is a 6 hour journey to Bangalore from Erode (via Salem). My mom has been informed and she is trying to get to Bangalore from Pollachi. Its the start of the week following Pongal festivals and buses and trains are running full. My mom has to wait.

4 pm, Dad-in-law has just reached the hospital and we are in the wait. 4:45 pm, the docs have just visited. The decision is taken. Pallavi is relieved that the wait will be over, she seems prepared, but I am not sure. Things move swiftly. The OT is getting ready, we around are getting anxious, there is bound to be action shortly and we are not sure if we are ready.

5 pm, the attendants wheel her - bed and all into the OT. She is smiling, we are praying. These days it seems to be a minor procedure, but signing requisite forms gives me the creeps. After all its all human. But I have faith, things have been good so far, there is no reason for me to worry, but still there is adrenaline and I cannot hide from that.

5:30 pm, I look around, My dad and mom-in laws are deep in meditation. Looking at their serene faces gives me some comfort. I clutch my aunt's hands and chant my prayers silently. I do not know yet if its going to be a boy or girl, I only pray that things go fine and my two other lives will come out of the OT with good health for the rest of their lives.

5:45 pm, the doc comes out. We hold her in high esteem, she has been so much assuring and involved and we have gained so much confidence in her. I greet and meet her. "Congrats, its a baby-boy. Things went well. Blood loss was normal. There is no worries". She seems elated. Well I am too, things went well. I inform the others. There are tears of joy, we were hopeful of a baby-girl, but relief that things have gone well. I shed a tear or two, it just escapes me.

6 pm, my aunt and mom-in-law are busy on phone calls, there are two family trees to be informed and the communication responsibilities are shared. My dad-in-law and me are waiting, chatting, hopeful to meeting the people out. Its the nurse on her way out of the OT to the delivery rooms. In her hands is a green bundle, she meets us and displays the contents of the green bundle.

Tiny face with little round eyes. The cutest, tiniest and freshest pair of eyes that I have ever seem. They seem confused. The eyeballs are rolling, the gaze shifts between the nurse, dad-in-law and me. "Whats with you people? Never seen a just-born before? Stop staring or I will feel embarrassed." His face is so flushed its the brightest baby pink as he meets and greets air for the first time. I am glad he is normal and lets the nurse carry on into the delivery room.

I think this is love at first sight...

Life

This day, the 18th of January 2011, we have breathed life to our bundle of joy. Well on more thought it finally dawns on me that on the contrary it is he who has breathed a new life into us.

Life is going to be so different for the two of us, now that we are three of us. It has been an eventful year for us with the baby thing, but now its relief. Things are looking good for a better year this 2011.

Wishes have been pouring in from all walks of life. We are deeply indebted to all the folks and it will be all these good wishes that will keep us going. Thanks a lot folks! :)