Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Well.. Saturdays don't get any better than this..
Woke up @ 5 am.. The day started with a Chilly ride to Ananya. I love these long-morning rides. The Orange Sunrise in Airport road is an incentive to get up early on a Saturday Mrng.. The roadside Chai seems to get better every week.
It was a tapering run just before the next-week's race. The weather was perfect for a great destressing run.. Played a bit of Ultimate-frisbee next.. Only 2-3 players each side, a small play area.. but it was great fun..
Ananya is a Magical place, and has so much to offer.. Today, It taught us farming. George was so enthusiastic to share with us the process/techniques. [Start->Programs->MicroSoft Farming??? - No] We ploughed the field, planted the Ginger/Bean sprouts, manured and watered them. This is the closest, I'll ever get to real-working for a while. Totally fulfilling experience. [I'm sure Sucksman will have something to say here..]
It was only 9 am, and I was already having so much fun..
Shivamma's kitchen beckoned us. Idlies floating in Sambhar and hot masala tea.. Wow.. We discussed various things over breakfast. The group is getting crazier by the day. We'll take over Bangalore one day.
Tidbits: I'm the popular choice for the next Sempai (First student in Karate Dojo)..
Apparently, I am always "on a high" and I can be drugged even without drugs.
We parted our ways by 10... Some cycled back.. I rode back.. Some others decided to walk back..
On the way back, I stopped at the usual cane-juice place.. Every week I see the HAL Aerospace museum across wanted to visit one day.. And Today was the day..
The Museum had a lot of interesting exhibits.. I got to see our own MiG-21's, Jaguars, Light Combat Aircrafts. But no Sukhois or F16s..
MiG21Headed back home around noon. Showered and napped.. The whole day, I was unplugged from the Web - thanks to the power cut. Spent the afternoon with Atlas Shrugged.
Outlined and developed a short-story.. I do a lot of writing these days and I love it.. Should organize a bit more and channelize the energy..
Went out for the usual Saturday-evening stroll. The sight of kids playing is blissful.. I sometimes play with them - until their parents comeback.. [Whats the deal with them? Y wont they let the kids play with me??]
Calvin & Hobbes and Sweet-corn - Great combination for a wonderful Saturday evening.
8 pm and its time for IPL-semi finals: Bangalore Vs Chennai. 3 hrs of solid entertainment and Bangalore has just won as I write this..
And.. thats an Awesome Saturday..
Hello Super Sunday... What do you have in store??
Friday, May 22, 2009
Life, at times can be unjust.
when you bite the dust,
in everything - you mistrust.
It may look like a scary brawl,
But these are the times to stand tall
and wither it all like the great Wall.
Life is too short to worry,
It'll all be over in a hurry!!!
--Vinodh
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Oh Yeah, things do go wrong
no matter you're how strong
Just when you are out of town,
the castle comes crashing down.
What do you do, hitting zero-ground,
And there is no turning around?
When the Truth turns out to be a lie,
when you lose the sole guiding eye?
Love and Care ??
They're mere pretense, I swear!!
There is nothing to confess,
I am just helpless.
Life is a bluff.
'n I have had enough..
--Vinodh
Saturday, May 09, 2009
It was a long drive yesterday to the farm, and I had a very interesting discussion with the Sensei.. I gotta understand that I'm not alone in the quest for the ultimate truth!! Everyone has their own way... and as Vivekananda says, the answer lies within!
So Vinodh, Which college are you in?WOWWWW!!! Perfect 'cherry topping' to an amazing day!!
The day started with me acting as 'Assistant-sub-coach' to run with the Ananya kids. Practiced karate after a good long run.. Hmm.. Someday I'll blow that candle with a punch!!!
It was very kind of Sensei invite me to her farm 'n I yes'd in. Met a few bike enthusiasts. Biking looks interesting.. Its kinda less tiring than running, you get to ride longer and promises to be as fun.. That'd take me a step closer to a triathlon.
The farm was huge. Lotsa trees.. loved those mangoes.. broke a mango with a Shuto-Uchi..well, almost :) .. Had an amazing time under the trees..
The 'Icing on the cake' was while walking back to the car.. This new friend asked me,
"So, Vinodh, which college are you in?"Well, being the narcissist that I am, I know I workout hard to get fitter and be in shape.. And still, Wow!!! I was flattered!!
Sealed off the day with gr8 Konkani food @ Kanua..
-Vinodh
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Wow.. Bangalore is a great place.. I have fallen in love with this awesome city.. One can find anything here...
There is a club for every darn thing. You name it.. Its there.. In the past 4 yrs, I have googled and found these groups.. Running, Foreign language, Adventure, Charity, Rubik's cube, Effective Educational methods, Bhagavad Gita study group, Tin-Whistling, Start-ups, Poetry Writing, Robotics/AI, Vedic Math,.. and now.. Ultimate frisbee.. (the Laughter club shd be interesting to try out..)
Heard about Ultimate-Frisbee from Balu..... looked up online.. Wow.. there is a big group of hi-enthu folks playing right across my work-place...
Subscribed to the group, went in early this mrng and had an absolutely amazing time... I wasn't exceptionally great at it... But I didn suck! (OK.. I was caught running with the disk-twice.. I'll learn)
There is a lotta physics in Ultimate frisbee ebooks online.. Its certainly eazy to pickup.. Can prove tough to master!!
Hope I get better in the following weeks...
Its Frisbee fever this May... Are you guys game?
-Vinodh
Monday, May 04, 2009
Yeah.. You read it right. Seth Godin knows me.
When I read a good book or a great article, I write a thanks note to the author. And seldom do I get a response.
Guess what I saw in my inbox today.. The great Godin himself has written back to me...
I highly recommend reading his blog/books.
here is the mail.
---
from Seth Godin
to Vinodh Kumar
date Mon, May 4, 2009 at 12:27 AM
subject Re: Thank you for Inspiring.
Wow!!!
thanks Vinodh!!
I appreciate it.
=============================
Seth Godin
45 Main Street 3R
Hastings on Hudson, NY 10706
http://www.sethgodin.com (click on my head!)
--------------------------------------------------------
On May 3, 2009, at 2:44 PM, Vinodh wrote:
Dear Seth Godin,
I'm a regular @ your blog and I love it. Your writing is inspiring.
Thanks for being Seth Godin and inspiring us.
-Vinodh
Bangalore,India
Friday, May 01, 2009
Heard of this story??
A man is walking along a beach where thousands of starfish have been washed onto the sand. He sees another man, scooping and bending, then hurling something out to sea again and again. When he catches up, he sees that the man is throwing marooned starfish into the water.----
“There are too many to save,” said the first man. “What you’re doing is meaningless.”
The second man flings another starfish into the water, looks at the first man, and smiles. “It certainly meant a great deal to that one.”
There are times when we wonder if its worth it. I tell myself - "Every little drop counts"
Of late, I have been spending time with 2-3 kids@ Ananya, helping them with their exams. A few folks asked me, if its worth it - The 2*20km ride on a well earned Saturday! When I answered that, I am trying to give something back to the system, he prompted that, the problem is not isolated. The whole education system needs a complete make-over and what I am doing is Insignificant.
Yes! What I'm doing may not change-the-world overnight... But It does mean a lot to these kids. More over I get to know some great folks there, who seek answers to the same questions. This networking will certainly help me in the long run to challenge authority and change the world.
More importantly, this helps me find a way to fill 'The Void' within!
-Vinodh
