Thank You Mom....

For sometime now I have been wanting to get into some hobby which would become a passion that I could look forward to...a passion that I can escape to.. forgetting all the stresses of day to day life...a passion that I could master...

Surprisngly, it was my mom who introduced me to Sudoku! She started doing the puzzle everyday and used to tell me " I am physically very active but I dont want my brains to degenerate at this age...so this indulgence!!!". Initially, I wasnt taking to it too much...felt it was cumbersome to be involved with numbers...plus have never been the numbers person (Astonishingly, I am a wizard when it comes to recollecting phone numbers though!!! dont ask me how!!)..... dont forget I scouted for a school that would offer me another option for Mathematics!!!!

Lately, I have been getting attracted to "The digits must occur only once" puzzle like a moth to the fire (as cliched as it may sound!). Whenever I get time to myself, I find myself sitting with all the old newspapers and solving Howard Garns puzzles..I love challenges and this new challenge keeps my brain ticking all the time...Its a passtime that is fast turning into a passion and i am enjoying it to the hilt! Prague here I come!!!

Where is the public outcry?

Nothing has shaken me more in recent times than the Nithaari murders. It took me a while to register the news; I refused to believe that I live in a place where such gruesome crimes could be committed; I refused to acknowledge that the Moninder’s and the Surinder’s are very much part of our social fabric. I am yet to come to terms with what has happened (or should I?).

It’s been just over a month or so since the Nithaari killings came to light. The first few weeks saw all news channels carrying only this sensational news for quite a while... interviews with affected families, psychologists, lawyers, anyone who had any remote connection to Nithaari but of course not much of the police because they are had goofed up considerably on this case. We heard and saw the protests made by affected families; helpless cries for justice. It’s been over a month now and there isnt any significant coverage of these killings. One hears the stray news that the CBI is close to filing a charge sheet and that’s about it.

I wonder why isn’t there a public outrage and pressure to take on the system especially the police for goof ups that they have made; why isn’t the public talking about speedy justice; why isn’t anyone addressing the grievances of the affected families? The Jessica Lal’s, the Mattoo’s received so much attention from the public and consistent pressure worked in moving the case to their decisive ends…why isn’t such a thing happening here?? Can’t we identify with the families who have lost their children so gruesomely and have been living with hope that one day their children will come back to them??

Out of sight, out of mind?

Haven’t we heard this phrase several times in our lives? I am sure many of u would have experienced it as well. Recently I met a long time friend of mine. We met up like old timers having to catch up on so many things that we wanted to share with each other. Hours together seemed like minutes but we were glad that we could atleast get that time together. In the euphoria that followed, we promised to stay in touch more regularly and call each other more often. I got back into my world with new found energy and friendship and looking forward to the days that would come by when I could cement my friendship further. Was looking forward to the exchanges, the leg pulling…but was i expecting too much? ..

Left me wondering about the depth of the friendship, the bygone days when in our childhood friends meant the world to us!! where have those days gone??

Guess it was a case of out of sight, out of mind or was I too much of an emotional fool or am i just over reacting??!!!

Spoilt by the East

My recent travels have taken me to four countries in as many months. Three of them in the Asia region and one in Europe. I am someone who adapts to a new situation pretty easily without much fuss. I have been put up in very decent hotels in all my recent trips abroad. In Asia, all the hotels I stayed in had spacious rooms, comfortable bathrooms, excellent room service (very important criteria for me to judge a hotel as I tend to order a lot in my room as I work late!) and well organized conference facilities. Staff tend to go out of the way to assist you and make a guest feel comfortable. Have left most of these hotels with a smile on my face!

In stark contrast, the hotel room I stayed in London was extremely small, claustrophobic and room service wasn’t up to the mark. The staff were far from courteous (sniffing racism here??!!) and I sensed a disinterest and an urge to pack off guests as soon as possible.

The experience also left me wondering what these so called developed western countries have achieved! Asians have this history of pampering one and all and for once I wasn’t cribbing!!