Grumps and rants

I've been maintaining a separate file for all the books I've read, seems tedious to keep it now. For good I'm going to list all the books I've read until now. They are going to overlap with the ones I'd shared recently. I can't say I've read the most fancy, or the most-read ones but the variety grew as I grew (older) or I could lay my hands upon. In no particular order they are: Angels and demons by dan brown Romance with chaos by nishant kaushik Complete sherlock holmes by sir arthur conan doyle The monk who sold his ferrari The verdict - John grisham Tell me your dreams - Sidney sheldon Harry Potter: The Philosopher's Stone  One night at call center Godfather Five point some one Master of the game - sidney sheldon The sky is falling- sidney sheldon Digital fortress- by dan brown Three mistakes of my life Any thing for you ma'am Eleven minutes- Paulo Coelho Blood line-  Sidney sheldon Oliver's story - Eric sehgal Love story

Tonight marks the end of year 2017. I'm at rest with the year-end and at peace how things have shaped up. I've few good news for the year-end; holidays are all lightened up for me. It's hard for me to express my solace with recent developments. Keeping the spirits high I'm listing books I read in 2017 as I'd done for 2016 : Anna Karenina translated by Constance Garnett City of thieves Night by Elie Wiesel translation by marion wiesel  Rape of Nanking the forgotten holocaust of world war II Dawn by Elie Wiesel Animal farm Old man and sea by Ernest Hemingway Day by Elie Wiesel Of mice and men Now the Hell will start One Soldier's Flight from the greatest manhunt of world War II  by Brendan I. Koerner To kill a mocking bird The martian by Andy Weir The Media Monopoly    The Grapes of wrath Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini  The heart divided by Mumtaz  Train to Pakistan  The Namesake  The girl with the dragon tattoo     This list l

It's been awhile I wrote something. I didn't enjoy staying away from blog. Mornings were pumped with a torrent of thoughts, many days. Missed penning them down. Anyway, I moved to NJ, close to NYC for new job. Changed place, changed friend(s), wallet, recently got a new laptop finally, new various other things. The transition was much needed, indeed. A week back or so unpacked things that were in boxes for a over a month, got rid of tonnes of papers that I've been carrying since 2013. Long time I know. Never got chance to look into them. Inertia is within me is strong to not rattle things, make changes. That fear of making things bad, breaking persists, lives inside me. I'm still trying to get hold of all the changes: commute, cooking, lunch box, knowing bus terminal, shuttle drop-offs. It's overwhelming. At work I've found the groove but things are still settling; just assembled my chair, got external monitor a few days back. New machine is pending, still.

For the last time I'm sitting in my endeared balcony. I guess enjoying noise from planes in the sky, sirens from ambulances. Night is beautifully pleasant, close to full moon, breezy. Wrapped in my thoughts, few brooded upon, reliving good memories, burying the heart wrenching ones (Arlington Cemetery is close by). Gazing at small whatsoever Virginia skyline with clear head, empty mind like a clean slate. One on which anything could be etched and everything could be erased, again and again. I am going to miss balcony for an indefinite period of time. My body is aching and eyes are heavy from all the packing, cleaning. Am moving. This is figuratively and literally, both. I'm moving to the world's financial capital and moving on in my life, further and farther. DC had been the city where I resided, lived more than eighteen months in last more than half-a-decade. I can't believe myself it's been really a long time of more than two and half years. Years pass by but no

I jostle with numerous things, things that are like cake walk for many. I merely can't figure or make up my mind. It takes me time to convince myself, to gather my thoughts and make route through them. As in whence I'm jabbing keys on this laptop for blogging I've to make some outline of the post, some times it's like a fog, few times I write in multiple seatings, edit, review and again consolidate thoughts. The picture is hazy, where to start, where to end is unclear.  A decade or so back I was prepping for an entrance exam and during one of the classes we were told physics is about feel. If you can't get it then it is going to be hard. I didn't understand it for many months until practising tens of questions, writing tests I consistently scored in single digits. Later on I quit preparations for the exam and aimed lower for I realized I'm unable to get idea of things quickly, as was needed.  I realized and practised this thoroughly yet I haven't sto

It's 65°-ish Fahrenheit in the District. Evening is serene, save cruising sound of vehicles from highway across the apartment and loud noise from jets from airport near by.  This weather is totally marvelous, I could sit entire night without moving, yet enjoy every moment of it. Pleasantness is immeasurable in the Fall in DC. I'm going to miss it, very very much. Dawns are bit soggy, misty, foggy. Need an another layer to wrap, absorb a tad chilly weather with a savory tea. Time has changed. I'm inundated with some mixed feelings, doubts, some inhibitions. Things have changed, time has moved on, however, I reckon it's me who hasn't. Probably, time to rectify stuff within self. Not going to roll as always, had been, have been.  I ponder too hard on how and what causes these changes so slow, that are much needed yet take years to understand, identify, be cognizant of. People are mean, selfish. They are going to lie, absorb anything, nod, roll eyes as if things are

Why we hurt people we love most? Why do we say unbearable things that we didn't mean to? Why we say painful things to people we care most? What is it that fires up within urging to sow venomous seeds in the hearts of people you value the most? How do we come up with mettle to utter most agonizing, tormenting words to people who respect you more than anything else? Why don't we understand that it's easy to lose, hurt people than to get along with most beautiful memories of your lifetime? Why is it not easy to let go people and things you wished for? Why is it that there are scars for deeds that got unintentionally done? How do we sleep with thorns in soul after rending apart hearts of people who mean everything? Why don't we accept things as is and let things fall their own way than relentlessly rescuing them to not to fall in the cracks? Why is it there's irreparable damage done even when the desire was sinless? Why is there a hope within us that's c

Some years back I was having a conversation with one of many persons I randomly talk, but this one knows how to handle things, questions in crystal clear manner, without letting emotions cloud judgement. Car was filled with pungent cigarette smokes, it was pitch dark save headlights of the car. Conversation was rambling as it always does with me, like me. Broad strokes about so and so, such and such things. I had noticed that I was going bored at the end of the destination of things, people, pursuits. The last infinitesimally small percentage feels intensely laborious. It's like dragging a sack. Conversation went on this fact I noticed. Person was as cool like a bar tender taking order, with calm head, regardless of the complex nature of ordered drink. Nothing much was said or provided any detailed explanation but merely - don't put your immense efforts in the beginning of the journey. Let things slow, easy. That would allow not to burn your enthusiasm and saves until end of

Over the last few months search is a suitable word, if at all, to summarize my thoughts. Apart from actual work I'm held up with things that keep my routine off the balance. Search for a right measure of red chilly powder. It still evades me honestly, its disproportionate quantity never stops me to try another pinch of it whilst cooking. Some times the powder changes, other times, dish gets changed, seldom both changed together. My quest for right number of laps in swimming pool that neither leaves me too tired, neither have me wanting to exercised more, is still ongoing. Although I think I'm good with the time for brisk walk. I baffle with the right quantity of food to cook. My tiny palms don't get it right on quantity. Unfailingly food is more than it was thought to last. Shoes I'm yet to buy another pair of running shoes, apparently, don't like the ones available in store. Person, or company, this search looks to have been ongoing for a duration more than I co

Past couple of weeks I was on the road. Traveling, again sightseeing, checking out places. Shopping was inevitable and so was late night wakefulness. Neither any amount of sleep nor food had done a great justice to bring me back to the full enthusiasm equivalent of the day bygone. I seemed to lack something. Travel or schedule wasn't packed to the full, either. I saw many faces, many people, families, groups and sea of people at most touristic places in the world. If anything I enjoyed besides walking, getting rattled whilst being lost in navigation during travel were toddlers, infants. I dote these little creatures. Toddlers, I wish I can weave my thoughts for these enthusiastic folks. They are unstoppable with their cries, energy, wails, countless attempts, reticent smiles. They are going to do anything, everything within their reach. They never seemed fulfilled with any action, however small or big its might be. Their tiny little hands racing, eyes scanning surrounding, tiny

Over the last few years I've come more as a morning person than nocturnal. Waking up by seven o'clock or eight to the late, even on weekends. I get restless otherwise, mind and body don't need excess of nothing. Weekend mornings tend to be quiet here in the district. Most of the people were either awake until morning for drinks, or busy gaming, TV series, talking politics. This city loves politics. If you're in the district then you'll not escape from the the bug of politics. You'll often see black and long cars of congressmen, entourage of Harley-Davidson police motorcycles with sirens blaring. Politics and power. This city is a prime destination for tourists when it's not cold. I've never had a chance to venture out to enjoy the luxuries of a tourist - to bite breakfast. I incredibly love going to old-fashioned joints whence on travels, grab something to eat, savor coffee, pour again and soak coffee's nose flaring smell. Sit, order, wait pati

I often get agitated with things, the way they remain calm and refuse to budge. Perhaps for me things have not been rolling, or maybe I like things flowing, prefer things that change their course keeping me on the go. Things tend to slow down in mid-life and slowest in old age unlike childhood where time flies insanely fast. I was told about this and its analogy with three clock hands long back in summers. I've gotten old that could be another plausible explanation. For some reason these thoughts perplex me. At times I agree to them, sometimes I fret over them. If I look around I see people doing same things for years and years some successfully, some in vain yet giving their best. If I take example from tennis sport the big four never let their matches to any other and have retained their supremacy on different tennis courts for over a decade now. Other players never gave up, the older ones are not letting thing give up too, quite evident from 2017's win in Australian Op

Living in a small town gives a lot of mobility, or so I believe. Excuses for not checking out new things, events, places or even revisiting places you've been to get depleted. Of course, it's applicable to things you're interested for otherwise regardless of location, size of town, buildings, theaters, gardens, popular spots remain for namesake. May be for some clicking selfie though. It had been a long time I had gone to museums or attended any performance. Some how spaghetti situations got hold me, yikes. Visiting museums is delightful to me albeit not for many people whom I know. Others find museums boring, just throwing looks as if checking photos on smartphone with no interest or insignificant joy. One of the many reasons I enjoy museums in the District of Columbia is that they are free, yay! Not all are free, but mostly. There are wealth of things to look, read and learn from these places, free of cost. If you enjoy graphics, high-resolution colored photos, read

It's been a while long I've been here. Can't put excuses because they are lame, obviously. Nonetheless, I'd say I'd been mired into numerous things which I reckon have become part of life now. Another post some time would help me vent out these thoughts. For this article I'd begin to cut to the chase. I've been on the move for over a decade now and the genesis of this post comes from my different abodes I've resided at, opportunities I've had to meet people, work, exchange greetings among many others. I oft hear from people how much they love their so and so town and would never leave it for air, weather, for surroundings, for opportunities and other countless yet unfathomable things. How can they be so awfully stubborn of one place and ignore to visit other places? Let's look at few things. Folks from Bombay say they can't move to another city, they love scrumptious food from street vendors. Folks from Indore are crazy about its small

Since the beginning of this year I immersed self in reading. One of the reasons was to surpass my last year's book tally and also, to read the vast number of classics available through library at my institution. In this effort I got engrossed and detached with outer world. There were few places in DC I'd wanted to go and would love to visit again and again.  Breaking the monotony I visited Library of Congress and Capitol Hill. I started my day at Library of Congress (LOC). I joined on time to get first tour. In there, personnel would took us through one of the rare collections of Bible, their manufacturing contents, the temperatures these treasures are maintained at. Over the tour you'd get to know meanings of different symbolisms in architecture - how sculptures are looking in a certain direction, various other props. Tour ends with an panoramic view of the library through a glass walled balcony. Library hosts one of the largest and rarest world's collections inc