42.2kms

It took me 6 hours to finish the Bangalore marathon. Not a very great time as I had aimed to finish in five and a half hours but still I managed to overcome my body screaming at me "STOP!" "STOP!" for 42 kilometers...

I had decent pace for the first half, completing 10 kilometers in just over an hour and then getting half way by about two and half hours. But at about 26 kilometers I had run my last for this race. I walked the rest of the way to the finish, taking about three hours to cover the last 16 kilometers.

Almost every part of my body below my waist hurt. The groin area, knees, calfs, ankles, feet (heel and sole) and each one of the 10 toes. Pains in each these areas would come and then dull away giving way to something more painful...
Plus I developed a condition in my upper body which is very common among amateur male long distance runners but a little embarrassing to describe here. I had taken some precaution but it didn't work and the roaming medical team had to help me. I soon forgot about it but I spent some anxious 10 kilometers...

The race was very badly organized but I don't want to go into those things here as I am too busy nursing my sweet and nasty aches and pains...ow! ow! ow! ouch!

Huh?!?!?
...There is a deluge in the deserts of Rajasthan (villagers expect the water to recede only after 3-4 months!)...
...The ice Shiv Lingam in Amarnath didn't form this year (it formed later under some controversy that it was done artificially)...
...Cherrapunji, the place we were mesmerized with in school as the wettest place on earth, has received almost nothing in monsoon rainfall...

Crikey! - You will be missed...

Bush Defends War Strategy

Quoting repeatedly from Osama bin Laden, President Bush said Tuesday that pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq would fulfill the terrorist leader`s wishes and propel him into a more powerful global threat in the mold of Adolf Hitler.

WTF...how?

Adieu to the kid from Las Vegas

Ander Agassi retired yesterday after a stellar career of 21 years. He bid a tearful farewell to tennis after losing in the 3rd round of the US open.

I remember the day when my brother got this huge poster of Agassi to put in his room and I was looking at this guy with long hair and wearing multi coloured neon clothing and now today Agassi at the age of 36, bald and in nearly all white attire retired as one the greatest players of the game. Agassi had the sweetest return of serve ever and his ability to take on the big servers from two feet inside the baseline had never been done and still never has in way he did it.

He won all four Grand Slam singles events during his career plus the Masters, the Davis Cup, and an Olympic gold medal. He is one of the only 5 players to win all the grand slams. One of the things that stand out about his career is in 1997 dropping from being ranked number 1 in the world to number 141 and then coming back. He never quit upon reaching 141. He went and played tournaments where even ball boys were not there and finally was number 1 again in 1999. He will remain one of my favorite players ever even more than Sampras.

On Sunday he was clearly in a lot of pain because of this chronic back problem and many times just stood straight letting the balls whiz by. His back had seized up completely after the match with Baghdatis in the 2nd round but with the help of some non-steroidal injections he managed to show up for this match.

Here is what he had to say at the end...

"The scoreboard said I lost today, but what the scoreboard didn't say is what it is I have found," Agassi said speaking to the crowd "You have pulled for me on the court and also in life. . . . You have willed me to succeed sometimes even in my lowest moments. . . . You have given me your shoulders to stand on, to reach for my dreams -- dreams I could have never reached without you. Over the last 21 years, I have found you, and I will take you, and the memory of you, with me for the rest of my life."

On thinking about quitting while playing through a lot of pain.

"If I wanted to quit, I would have done that a long time ago. I didn't come here to quit."

"I didn't want it to be tainted with a lack of desire or preparation, for me, it was never about winning and stopping. It was always about getting the most out of myself for as long as possible."

Billy Elliot
I watched this movie again over the weekend. It is about a kid living in a poor northern England town and how he takes to dancing ballet. Billy discovers dancing is what interests him rather than boxing which his father wants him to take up. He really doesn't know why and in the process he gets badly beaten by his father and teased by his brothers who are miners and going through tough times themselves but Billy gets support from his teacher and they develop a close bond.

The movie is really funny and has this sharp edge to it. Especially the scenes when Billy just dances free form in the streets of his town to awesome background music and like when Billy figures out his best friend likes to dress up as a girl (Billy’s expression is priceless). Then there is his grandmother always passing loopy statements in middle of serious situations. Also the conversation between Billy and his teacher when Billy asks her “Miss, you don’t fancy me, do you?” and then tells her “All right, don’t blow your blob (head)”.

Lots of touching scenes like when Billy reads his mother's letter and when his father comes around to suport him. The acting by Billy and his father are what stand out in this movie especially near the end by his father. The movie has a great soundtrack with really well placed songs and music. You almost feel like dancing with Billy at times. It is a really nice feel good, kind of simplistic movie about friendship, family and following one’s dreams…

This really funny ad is coming on TV these days. It has this kid brother with curly hair asking his older sister, who is doing yoga, tons and tons of questions…
“Kya kar rahi ho? (Yoga) Isse tum palti ho jaogi? Tu fir chocolate kyon khati ho?”
“Arrey tum ulti kyon ho gayi, khana bahar nikal aaya tu?” "Mai ulta dikh raha hoon" "Isse kya hoga?"
Then when the sis is watching some bearded baba on tv and continuing her Yoga…“Yeh dadi wala kon hai? Isse tumhari dadi nikal aayi tu?”

The thing is that the ad doesn't relate to the life insurance product it is trying to sell but by itself it is quite amusing and cool…

AGASSI AGASSI AGASSI...Fight On!!!

India
Over some drinks, last week, someone remarked how in some communities parents want their daughters to be married only to someone settled in the US. Now along those lines there were some other comments like "I will never go there", "And I am proud to be an Indian" and "I never felt at home there or could never somehow call that place my home". Anyway that apart, Fahrenheit 9/11 was coming on TV and there is one segment where they show how on a regular basis the US have invaded countries. That got me thinking...

In 1998 the US bombed a far away country and destroyed a primary school and an Asprin like drug making factory. They never helped Rwanda but they happily went and flattened Iraq twice. They gave Osama 3 billion to spend and god knows how much more to Saddam to fight against Iran. They have assassinated probably half a dozen presidents and leaders in South American countries throwing these countries in chaos and sending them spiraling into further poverty and then installing puppet dictators.

What I am getting at is my country has never done that. We have never invaded anyone. Despite having one of the worst neighbours ever possible we have never been the aggressor against even them. We have the worst corrupt politicians but still we have never bombed a primary school. We have never bred hate and violence in such blatant forms to satisfy the greed of the elite rich and the so called "corporations". I can safely say that our collective conscience is clear in this matter. This makes a big difference in my mind, proud of that record...

Che Guevara
The second thing that I quickly wanted to write, came to me while watching Motorcycle Diaries. The movie is about Che Guevara. While living in Los Angeles I had read and known about him but hadn't seen the movie as yet. The movie covers Ernesto Guevara and his friend taking a road trip on a rickety motorcycle across South America. Something changed in him during this trip. He saw the economic disparity in the countries he traveled through and that changed him to become one of the most influential leaders who fought for the weak and poor. His photo (below) is among the most recognized pictures in the world. Che, which became his famous nickname meaning "man" or "pal", is the symbol in the fight against inequality and injustice all around the world.

But what sort of popped in my head was a song that AC/DC plays in their live shows called Bonny. Angus Young, one of my all time favorite guitarists, plays a very soulful version of this song. Anyway the song goes:

I`ll take the high road
And you`ll take the low road
And I`ll be in Scotland afore ye

So did Che Guevara take the high road or the low road? I am not sure. Don't get me wrong, there is no doubt his intentions were righteous and I find what he accomplished very admirable and inspiring. But was it the high road? Now let me ask you if Gandhiji's road was the high one or the low one??? I have no doubt as to which road it was...

Apparently Che was inspired by Gandhiji and claimed armed conflict was never his first option but looks like finally revolución was the only option he was left with...

Never Let Me Go

I recently picked a book by Kazuo Ishiguro called Never let me go. While generally reading the back cover I found that Remains of the day was also written by Ishiguro. I hadn’t read “Remains of the day” but had seen the movie. Anthony Hopkins delivers a brilliant performance in the movie portraying the butler. So anyway, based on the jacket of the book, it was also a finalist for the 2005 Booker prize, I thought it was a very readable book and bought it…

I will definitely recommend this book to all. You can read this blog further, don’t worry nothing here will spoil your reading...

The book is a story being told by a 31 year old girl named Kathy. She walks you through her life experiences, up from childhood, largely with her two best friends Ruth and Tommy. I found myself a little lost at the beginning not able to understand what was special about them and what are “donors” and “carers”. But things clearl up as you progress. Anyway, despite that Ishiguro’s style will keep you involved. The portrayal of Kathy’s life is really heart felt and you will be able to associate with some of the things. Things like fighting with best friends over things both big and small, not being able express feelings freely due to circumstances, quiet but desperate separation etc…

The third and final part of the book is a punch to the gut, gentle though. Everything unravels in the final part. I found myself choking up many times as the characters near their fate. The story and theme are fiction, as you will realize, but the human feelings and situations described and portrayed are just so genuine and true. It is in this part that you start seeing through each of the characters, understanding them and the love they have always shared, although not openly, for each other.

As one of the reviews says the book is a “…a tour de force of knotted tension and buried anguish…”. Just like “Remains of the day” while reading this book you will many times feel as to why the characters don’t just bring out everything in the open. Kathy even thinks back that during one situation maybe the best thing to have done was to just go give Tommy a big hug. But you will realize, that is not how things work in life and sometimes feelings have to be left suppressed…

A very simple and warm story, told in a very different and novel way, that will leave a lasting impression on you...

This was lunch a couple of weeks back...All by hand... :)

Ahhhh!!! Finally a long weekend has arrived. We are having a long weekend after nearly 4 months and the team in office is going into a comatose :)

I recently bought some 30 movies. Actually 4 of us together bought 57 movies and my share was 30. Been meaning to rebuild my collection and finally got down to it this week. But you know what after buying these 30 movies the "to get" list has already grown back to another 30 odd movies... :)

Here are some of the movies I bought...

Fight club
To kill a mocking bird
Motorcycle Diaries
Gandhi
Bitter moon
Adaptation
American Beauty
Usual Suspects
Black hawk down
Capote
Crash
Finding Nemo + Ice age

Now just need find time in office to finish watching them ;-)

Have the time of your life...

Was listening to this acoustic song by Green Day (watch it here) that conveys a simple but vital message about life, "hope you had the time of your life". I see people around me, including myself, in misery struggling with life’s decisions, rights and wrongs, yes, no and maybes but as this song conveys that is just how it is (it being life) and in end it is all right (as in correct), so don’t forget to have a time of your life…

Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time

My interpretation of this is that don’t question things too much, don’t struggle with things too much, these decisions are not questions that you absolutely have to and must answer in one way or the other. These are just circumstances, just make up your mind to go ahead either way and if required learn the lesson that is there in it. And if you have to just keep learning all the time, so f’ing what!?!

Here is the chorus…

It's something unpredictable, but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

Really life is unpredictable, plan it but don’t harp on it too much because finally it is unpredictable. And you know what, yesterday, today, now and in the end whatever you do it is all right. Just don’t forget to have a time of your life. Not meaning go out on a binge all the time or go around hurting people but you know what, stop worrying about things. Circumstances will never go away they will teach you lessons till kingdom come. Listen to this song, maybe it will have some effect...

Go ahead, have the time of your life because in the end it's right...

Floyd Landis has failed a drug test. Of the two samples that he gave on the day of his spectacular rebound on a tough mountain stage, one sample has excessive levels of Testosterone.

What is wrong with professional sport, this drug thing is so widespread, take football, cycling, athletics, baseball all these professional sports and many others have strict drug tests but at regular intervals people get caught.

Floyd's performance was so good, people were impressed and talking about him, the Discovery team wanted him, he had gained respect the hard way but looks like it wasn't...

Does that make me crazy...

Oh, I found a really cool song, maybe because it hits so close to home for me :)

Check out Crazy by Gnarls Barkley. Right from the first 4 beats the song just has this really cool vibe. You can't help rocking to it. The song has a really groovy, smooth flow to it with the bass in the background, it'll have you humming the tune. Be careful though because if you hum "Does that make me crazy" people are going to nod and say "oh ya for sure" :)

The video (watch it here) is extremely creative too, caught it on VH1. It has those weird blotted shapes that psychiatrist use. Those shapes keep showing up and somewhere the singer's head will be there. Really gave me a kick...

But maybe I'm crazy
Maybe you're crazy
Maybe we're crazy
...Probably...