From my Sketch Book

I was going through my old sketch book. Here are a few snap shots.

I don't know why I can't be focussed

- can't remember the last time I drew or painted anything :(

Recession

I'd been saying I wasn't affected by the recession so far. Guess I can't say that any longer. 5% pay cut for me. But under the current circumstances, I can't complain I think :)

To Kill a Mockingbird

My favorite book. I bumped into this book when I was on an official gettogether and fell in love with it instantly. I borrowed the book and finished it in one go. I loved it so much that I bought a copy of my own.

I just adore Scout and of course, her Dad, Atticus. Atticus is not your regular hero - he is not an angry young man, he doesn't mouth off, he can't kill thugs with his bare hands or with a fashionable gun - but he's brave, he's got that quiet, dignified resolve. He never tries to get even with people and he's not afraid to be alone - he's my ideal man. And Gregory Peck playing Atticus only made me like Atticus even more :)

Some interesting stuff:

Its a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee. She never wrote another book.

Peck won an Oscar - best actor

Atticus Flinch was voted in 2003 by the American Film Institute to be the #1 Greatest Hero of American Film

Quotes:

"I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do "

"If there's just one kind of folks, why can't they get along with each other? If they're all alike, why do they go out of their way to despise each other? Scout, I think I'm beginning to understand something. I think I'm beginning to understand why Boo Radley's stayed shut up in the house all this time. It's because he wants to stay inside."

Animals

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated" - Mahatma Gandhi

If we go by this defenition, I think India will be the last in the list. Its ironic how Indians know all the right things to say but never do anything right. Animal suffering is one of the many reasons why I'm agnostic. I just don't undrestand it.

Anyway, that's me and my first dog :) I don't remember much of the dog - I hope I treated him well :)

Masinagudi

I seem to be traveling a lot this year. Went on an off-site meeting with my colleagues to a place called Masinagudi. Its abt 7 km from Mudumalai. It was peaceful, quiet and freezing cold. The poor animals are not left alone even in the jungle. People using flashes, honking.. I wonder what the animals think of humans.

PS: Try and find the monkey in the picture :)

Singapore Trip

I was in Singapore during the holidays. I went with a friend and stayed with another friend and we had a great time :)

Since this is my second foreign trip, I wasn't as amazed by Singapore as I was when I visited the US in 2007 but still it was very good. Anytime I visit a developed country, what strikes me most is the way they value life. And how organized things are and how easy life is. Here in India, simple things such as getting into a bus and going somewhere or going to a bank and trying to get a DD can be so tiresome..

Anyway, I think I roamed around everywhere in Singapore - the zoo, the bird park, the river cruise, the sea cruise, the science park, etc etc. We went to Malaysia too, by bus from Singapore. I bought a kg of Tiramisu and its heavenly. Yumm :)


I'm not happy with this post - it seems abrupt. But can't think of anything else to add. So, I'll let it be abrupt (Its better than boring ;))

PS: The picture was taken in the zoo in S'pore

It's been a year

since I wrote in my blog ..

I don't know why but I could never bring myself to write all of last year. Anyway, this year started out well for me and I hope it stays that way :)

I'm hoping I can write more this year. Let's see..