Sep 18, 2013

Why does Blog rhyme with Slog

It has been a century since the thought of coming back to blogging entered my mind.

I believe there are two sides to me. The "Oh-I-am-so-busy" me keeps explaining to the other "Get-done-with-this-shit" me that after 2 hours of working out, 10 hours of office and 2 hours of reading, all there's left is 8 hours for sleeping and 2 hours for eating + house chores. The weekends dissolve in  sleeping (for most part of the day), reading, watching sitcoms & movies, family duties, and other miscellaneous work; and keep in mind I work alternate Saturdays (YAY, goes the "Oh-I-am-so-busy-me").

The "Get-done-with-this-shit" me first of all complains that the name I have given her is crass and not as snobbish as her other counterpart. Anyway, she time and again reminds me that there is a blog I have to get to and that these small things like living your passion no-matter-what are those that give meaning to life.

So, today, because I left work early as the city stands still to let The Lord and His devotees pass, I downloaded the Blogger App on my device. And while contemplating, I decided to make the first installation of my book list that I intend to complete reading in the next year of my life as I turn one year older in the end of this month. 

2013-2014 Book List # 1: 
The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri
Narcopolis by Jeet Thayil
The Calcutta Chromosome by Amitav Ghosh
Love in the time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
Mafia Queens of Mumbai by S Hussain Zaidi

The Lowland is a book short listed for the Man Booker this year. Award or no award, Jhumpa Lahiri is an exemplary author who knows how to weave a catchy story with strong characters. So, her book makes my list even before the judges decide her fate. Narcopolis was short listed in 2012. Jeet Thayil has managed to write in a way so unique that when I read the first few pages, I decided I need to put it on my list to be read next year (I always read a few pages before I buy/borrow/order any book and then set it aside to savour it at a predefined time in the future).

The Calcutta Chromosome is a book I left half way last year because of its slow pace. Love in the... seems to me a promising book which I hope hasn't lost it's essence in its translation from French to English. Catch 22 is a light and funny read that I intend to take on a vacation some week. The last two were recommended by two friends long ago and I trust them too much to not read these books. 

With this, the "Get-done-with-this-shit" me rejoices and high-fives the "Oh-I-am-so-busy" me who scowls and doesn't bother reciprocating as she has other things to do.

Oct 14, 2011

Yours, Forever

She waited outside the window in the pitch dark night, looking at the drama unfolding inside. She knew it would be time soon.

People inside were shedding tears of sorrow, while she was drenched with tears of joy. After all these years, she had almost forgotten that this situation would have normally demanded a grim attitude.  She had lost all of those feelings now. And moreso, she knew he was going to come, so there was no possibility of any sorrow.

Suddenly, the wailing inside increased. At the right moment she moved in through the window, and stood beside his figure. The people surrounding him on the bed were beating their chests and wailing sorrowfully. The doctor drew the white sheet over his head.

She welcomed him with a smile as he rose from the bed without effort and held her hand. She had waited long enough. He planted a kiss on her forehead as they started walking through the people and drifted towards the sky without ever looking back.