How I got back 1 hour a day in my Life

I am a monkey
In my life I haven't done one thing for a longer point of time. I have blogged, went to the gym, tried running, played badminton, painted (just brushed) for a while, even few underground salsa classes!!! Nothing seemed to stick on me. Apart from work (which is also ever changing) I couldn't do any hobby/activity CONSISTENTLY for more than 6 months. I still do these activities once in a blue moon but the satisfaction or the dopamine rush for doing it has gone down.

Then I found cycling
Cycling is the only one thing that came out personally positive out of my Facebook usage. Diva my college mate (CEG) got connected through FB and we hardly knew each other before only through NCC & camps. I guess during college days itself he had made a cycling rally to Thiruvannamalai, and me missing out due to a hair line fracture in the foot. I kept seeing his FB pics on cycling and stuff and was interested. Subsequently during the month of April 2014 I had a fortunate visit to the US where I saw many cyclists in San Francisco. Back to home, I kept seeing more pictures of Diva doing 200km etc, and somewhere the spark has struck in me. I enquired Diva he suggested Mach city, and I also did my part of googling. Not ready to spend on costly bikes, I stepped into few showrooms (cyclogens, track & trail KNK, JBC anna nagar) and finally spotted the out of production BSA Mach 22 in BSA store Anna nagar. Bought it and started my cycling journey on 28 June 2014 in a rainy evening from Anna nagar to Triplicane.

Solo Rider
Started out as a solo rider in Marina roads and I tracked myself with basic time (watch) and distance (google maps) formula and kept track of all rides in a google form (still doing it). Was in touch with Diva over fb chats getting suggestions and doubts cleared from him who subsequently encouraged me to push to my first 50 km ride. In the meanwhile I had also started riding to office much to the dismay of my parents and to the surprise of my colleagues. Started riding with Sreeram, Harish somewhere in march 2015 and in few weeks joined for ride with WCCG !!! (interval)

Enter WCCG
I guess Happiness in cycling is a exponential function of no. of people with whom we ride. What a bunch of ppl!!! It is has kind of become a brotherhood (+ 3 sisters so far). Various routes & Rides, Frisbee, Core session ( though I missed the last 3), WCCG Chats (though on mute, I keep looking at it everytime I connect to the net).

my first WCCG Ride

Did an exciting night ride venturing into IIT in cycle at night (poor Santosh).
Took on the Gran Fondo 90k.

Took up the 25km X 10 days challenge (awesome one)
Explored new routes, got a cool picture & learnt how to smile for photograph  (you have to show your teeth), rolled down St. Thomas mount hill, got chased by mongrels, did a food ride with the Mongrels venturing in Sowcarpet for the first time (shame on me residing so close to the area), sprinted 25km in a hour on my single speed.
The 25X10 entirely changed my morning habits. It got my bowels running easily and I easily wake up in the mornings now.

at the royapuram fishing harbour

during the food ride

25km X 10 days achievers

Then came the 200KM NIGHT RIDE - Just nominated myself 1 week before the ride (Santosh thank you). Ride day started well with WCCG workshop in the morning with great tips from Sundar sir (happy to know that he is also from CEG!!! Sundar sir, Diva CEG naale super thaan), was scared seeing the puncture demos wondering what will happen if my single speed tires get busted. No quick release, no easy nut & bolts, I would be embarrassed to get others stop their ride for helping me. Amma swearing on the same day TRAFFIC!!! I reached home late in the hot sun with hardly few hours to rest and prepare (mental status at the time: still in-confident). Somehow took 30 mins rest, couldnt control my nerves after that. Got prepared, over prepared and reached the CORE training school to get my bike suited up. Ride started with easy OMR and Kelamabakkam Vandulur route which seemed to be difficult during Gran Fondo was a breeze. Surprised to see that I was in the leading pack. Then came the hardwork with slow gradient till Melamaruvathur which sapped my energy. U turn there, I fulfilled my wishlist of sleeping in a pavement, well it was a bus stand and one more subsequently. Started last in the U-turn point and was pushed and pulled by Diva & Arving who gave great company. Even though it was a down gradient on the return, I didnt had much energy to ride. Avg speed dropped to 15 to 18 km/h but Diva & Aravind kept me going. During the end phase near by pass road it was like eppoda maduravoyal varum for me . Even the Sun has risen and still Maduravoyal was not in sight. Tension started rising as 13hrs was nearing and we finally found Maduravoyal. We jumped the gun avoiding the bridge exit and carried the cycle across the road to Koyambedu. Then found this internal hidden energy from nowhere and we sprinted to Anna Arch to complete just in time. This was a dream come true moment, which I had envisioned when I was thinking of taking up cycling (remember that I got inspired by Diva's 200k 400k pics).

sleeping in bus stop

loading food before the hard up gradient

Dream come true - with Diva

final sprint with Aravind

Getting back that 1 hour
All these fun, hardship and experiences I am proud that I did it with my Single speed. I reach home by 7-8 post rides and it has given me 1 active hour before I start to my office. Few days I did go back to sleep, but most of the days I have read more articles, sent out many mails, watched few more TED videos and clean up few mess at home. On the whole cycling has given me back a 1 active hour daily in my life, some weight loss and I have gained many more beautiful friends. So KEEP CALM & PEDAL ON.

P.S. : I have got a New 'Old MTB' (thanks to my Boss) and had fun with that too. But that story is for another day !!!

Links of Whos Who
WCCG - https://www.facebook.com/groups/wccgisthebest/
Diva - https://www.facebook.com/divagaran?fref=ts
Sreeram - https://www.facebook.com/sreeram.p.s.58?fref=ts
Santosh - https://www.facebook.com/santhosh.kumar.75436?fref=ts
Sundar sir - https://www.facebook.com/sundar.rajan.3557?fref=ts
Aravind - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000055745026&fref=ts

Chennai International Film Festival 2014 - Movies & my experience

It is always been a great year ending for the past few years, with me and my friends attending the music season events, year new movies and Chennai International Film Festival (CIFF). Music and movies in December have become a part of the calendar now. In CIFF 2014 I happen to watch few movies and below I am sharing my 2 dollars worth of experience (2 cents is too cheap nowadays).

Party Girl – French – The spirit of a person wouldn’t change, even as they age or come to terms with reality as it is the shell in which they always feel comfortable.

Two Days, One Night – Belgium – Tried on the lines of 12 angry men, trying to make a majority vote shift but not impressive enough.

Geronimo – French – Could have been more musical and dance oriented which is featured only for a brief moment. Ending was like typical Indian film where the Protagonist survives hours after a fatal wound.

Behaviour – Cuban – Excellent one. Great performances by the Kid especially in the scenes where he woos another girl. Wish there are “Carmela”s in every school. Sharp visuals .

Monument to Michael Jackson – Serbia – Laughs and smiles all the way before the climax. Nice movie.

Natural Sciences – Argentina – Short& sweet, pleasing greyish visuals and simple movie.

Kuttram Kadidhal – Tamil – Good attempt. (Movie crew request : nothing should be revealed till public release)

Paris of the North – Iceland – Great view of a mountain. Nothing more than that.

Honeymoon – Czech – Shocking and an open ended climax.

A Girl at my Door – Korean – Good performance by the child artist.

Superegos – German– Nothing special.

Cracks in Concrete – Austria – History repeats itself theme with an open ending.

Deal – Netherlands – Wannabe romantic comedy movie with little lengthy ‘romantic’ scenes.

The Gambler – Lithuania – Great camera work in few scenes. Especially the speeding trolley shot and the climax scene. Good performance the protagonist while he commits suicide.

Fish and Cat – Iran – No story. But great narration and camera work linking slices of various conversations happening at the same period of time.

Mundaspatti – Tamil – Funny and good scenes portraying Nandita.

Kathai, Thiraikathai, Vasanam, Iyakkam – Tamil – Not a movie without a story as it claims. Evidently  showcases a phase of Director’s struggle with open ending.

The Ambassador to Bern – Hungary – Nothing special.

Two Step – American – Sudden violence scenes felt brutal and shocking. Other than that nothing special.

Back Roads – Australian – Couldn’t understand few dialogues of this old Aussie movie. Needed subtitles. Booze all the way in the movie.

Consequences – Turkey – Great opening scenes with music. An eye for an eye theme.

Disturbed Sleep

The handpump on the side of the street creaked and clanked in fast tempo as Kumar hurriedly filled his bucket. With the almost broken bucket in one hand and brushing with his other hand he strolled to the public washroom wondering about the dream he had in the morning. As he stepped in the entrance the tuck of his lungi unfolded which he adeptly caught with his brushing hand and tucked it again while clenching the sweet pasty brush with his teeth. The morning rituals were performed alongside the regular casual abusive exchanges with the regulars of the place fighting for the hardly clean space. The ritual left a vaccum in his already empty stomach and Kumar headed for the tea shop near by the temple on the other end of the street.

‘Boss oru sadha tea podu’, he ordered and took out four salted flour biscuits from the jar. Dipping the biscuits in tea glass, he ate then slowly observing the hurried departures of the street residents and the devotees coming in and out of the temple nearby. Is this going to be just another day of tea and biscuits he wondered realizing that he hasn’t made any theft for the past few weeks and had gone broke few days back. Just that moment of realization, his eyes spotted a flicker coming from the dials of a bike parked outside the temple. One a second look with focus he found that the flicker came from the key chain & key still left on in the bike. Sensing the opportunity, he calmly and quickly put the last unfinished biscuit as a whole in mouth and gulped down the remaining tea and headed for the unattended bike. 

He neared the bike as if praying to the God hovering above the temple tower and checked for any dust cloth in the bike’s headlight. Finding one he started dusting off the mirrors, checking his hair in the mirror and casually sat on the bike. After giving a glance around confirming that no one has noticed him in particular, he ignited the engine and rode the past temple taking a left exiting the street heading towards the main road.  A police vehicle was parked at the junction of the street connecting the main road.  The policeman outside the vehicle regulating traffic waved at Kumar trying to stop him. Not knowing that he was a random check, Kumar panicked and throttled the bike harder trying to jump the signal which was turning red in two seconds and go straight. And it all happened in flash when the policeman yelled at Kumar and vehicles coming on the right honked and budged. Kumar trying to escape already well ahead and moving car coming on the right, got hit by the tanker lorry next to car and blacked out.

Kumaran woke up with a shock, wondering what sort of a dream he had, where he was riding a bike in lungi and getting hit by a water tanker. The alarm clock on his phone buzzed at it gave an additional thump to his already palpitating heart. Cursingly he killed the alarm fighting with the touch screen phone which responded late playing the irritating alarm tone for few more seconds. His heart came to a little more relaxed rhythm and he thought that the dream had done him good as he somehow had got up seconds before the alarm for the first time and planned to go ahead start the day early and reach office one time. While taking the shower his thoughts came upon the dream he had and started pondering for a while how he had ended up in such a situation. Almost five minutes passed and he came back to his sense by the banging on the door with his roommate shouting and demanding that it was the latter’s time to occupy the bathroom. 

The mess boy was surprised to see Kumaran early to have breakfast and serviced him promptly and even tried to coax him to have few more idlis. Finishing the breakfast he walked to the nearby bus stop finding that there was a bigger crowd at an early time than compared to his usual boarding time. Irritated by the crowd of too many school children carry heavy school bags and college going youngsters he wished he had slept on till his regular late wake up time. ‘Damn that dream’, he though as he stood wondering again about how he did he manage to ride bike in lungi wherein he couldn’t even ride a scooter properly in real. By the time has was wondering, the route bus to his office has come and almost most of the students boarded up bus spilling over in the footboards. Sensing a sudden a decrease in crowd he noticed that the bus had come and started leaving. He rushed to catch it and managed to jump on the footboard where the school children and collegegoers were fighting for space trying to impress the window-seaters. 

The bus had covered a few kilometres and gained a steady pace and was whizzing past in the middle and right lane of the main road.  Suddenly the children started gathering near the exits pushing around getting ready to alight. This caused a sudden disturbance in the already tight group in the footboards. A heavy schoolbag punched Kumaran right in his face who was standing hands stretched gripping one of the frames of exit. The force knocked him out and he lost the grip and got thrown by the pace of the bus and landed in road to be hit by an oncoming water tanker and he blacked out.

Kumar woke up with a shock and immediately looked for the beedi in his shirt pocket. Lighting the beedi and having a draw he scratched his head hard and slow wondering how come he was all shaved up and dressed neatly in a dream he just had. He looked up at the thatched roof and the sun warmed and gradually heated up his face through the hole. He got up and picking up the bucket stepped out of his home wondering about his dream.

Of Beggars & Me

The Couple with the Cart

I see them near the market, with my hand full of processed food and loose change in pockets to be put away in a coin jar.

The Mother & the Child

She loiters around the tea shop near my office where my credit runs to thousands on tea and cigarettes and I shoo her off.

The Compartment Cleaner

After few adjustments with TT I settle in my berth pushing the luggage in the clean floor under, where he justs waits and crawls by pushing the trash along with him,

The Girl who tapped the Windshield

My car halts in the signal, bass louder than the honking and her face pops around in the windshield which I wiper it off like a dead dragon fly on a highway ride.

There is no free meal

Asking for 2 idlis he waits outside the restaurant where I tip at large for a half eaten dinner.

The Watchmen of the Gods

Breaking 108 coconuts I come out of the temple and find my footwear not stolen, I wear them and hurry away deaf to the calls of them praying around.

& Me

Back from a local trip, two dozen pics are uploaded face & hash tagged, I refresh every minute to check the no. of likes.

Canvas White

I wait and wait for the inspiration to come,

the clock keeps ticking from autumn to autumn -

A canvas white, losing its bright.

The class I am in,

hands are messed with colors, unable to wash,

many paintings complete - to each his own a master piece.

The lure of hues wanting to spread out,

But I don’t dip in the brush,

mocking the daubs done by the crowd.

I wait and wait for the inspiration to come,

the clock keeps ticking from autumn to autumn –

Life - canvas white, losing its bright.

Enlightened, Enraged, Entertained and Exhausted

As my morning brush is chewed,
Babas preach abstinence
whose escapades last night I viewed.
Papers open up with reality so unreal
with tales of perverts inside the pulps of adverts.

Astrologers and market gurus predict,
with 95% confidence levels
and channels toss the outcomes for today's pending verdicts

Forenoon flys facebooked at work
Like to support
Like to contribute
Like to slap
Like to salute
Soon going to make lexicographers go out of work.

Lunch is shared,
with leaders whose apathy spared.
Who gets to hanged
and which player to be axed
Is the topic for post lunch seated relaxed.

Returning full with the worldly baggage,
I bathe in hours of domestic soap.
And to top it comes the holy cow,
Hawking over a dozen 'holier than thou'.

With my soul finishing this roller coaster,
I hit the sack pretty much faster.
For there is again a tomorrow,
To get enlightened, enraged, entertained and exhausted.

The BIG Leap

What is beyond death – either being remembered or being forgotten? But that depends upon for whom you have lived – for others or for yourself

Yes!!! I am nearing 30s. ( but 2 more years, 760 more days J remaining) and I am often met with this 5 lakh Rs. Question – ‘When will you get married?’. This makes me wonder, is it really a religious sin or legally committed crime to stay single at this age.

Expert opinions and amateur experiences – they keep coming like the uncalled for 'Buy set top box ads' during the recent times. Uncles and aunties sell their life experiences, about marrying at the right time, helping out parents, settling for life etc as pearls of wisdom. Newly wed friends, still star stuck give good reviews as if marriage is like all the romantic-drama movie titles.

Me thinks marriage must be the first MLM to come in world. And the pyramid is still growing with people in the above levels gaining pleasure on getting one more chap into the fraudulent scheme (“aai neeyum maatikkittiyaa” ). Man!!! and those ceremonies, the preparations, have we done so many things while going to school, college and work? . Now, don’t argue that is too big an event – then why don’t people just not work and get married.

For an average middle class bloke like me, freedom blossoms in late 20s – post college proving my worth, getting a job, settling in it and changing from being dependent to being depended upon in the family. At this juncture, one has the full power of doing anything he wants, but still enjoys responsibly with friends, outings, small parties here and there and the end of the day living a happy bachelor’s life. Now, where the hell comes this cruel intention of pushing him into a life long struggle of marriage? Can’t I enjoy my full cup of freedom till its last drop?

Yes I know, I am getting old, friends got married, parents not the so active anymore. Cant one increase this yielding age to marriage? With all the advancements in science, can’t my mom cook still for one more decade? Can’t I get married post 30? And what guarantee that the future sons and daughters are going to take care of their parents?

Oh my married friend, just that you jumped off the cliff unhurt and still adrenaline rushing, don’t ask me to jump. Coz I am still scared, because from where you have landed there is no coming back.

Out of the Box!!!

This one is heavily influenced from Seinfeld. As Jerry says , we all live in boxes in a sense. You are there in a womb - box. You are put inside a room - box. Then you are dumped in an auto rickshaw /car / van to school - box to box. Then college bus to Classroom to lab to office - boxing all the way. And the subsequent  marriage to bedroom to hospital room to coffin - BOX! BOX!! BOX!!!... All our life BOX, and hence the expression "out of the box" ( of course making up this one).

So the phrase "out of the box" - other than the usual, something not related to your life, go beeping die yourself if you cant think normally. 

But then there are few things out of the box which I like a lot

biking - one travel form where you are not in a box... Things don't move by your window during biking. One is not separated by that screen or veil . The biker blends, and he moves into the space , rather than the space  seen moving through the window.

Sleeping under the stars - not just for the romantic ones as stereotyped in movies. Believe me, its a zen experience , wondering whats up there, see the shape shifting clouds, losing yourselves counting starts and getting dissolved into a small nothing in the big universe.

Trekking & hiking up - no one can put a big roof on mountain , right? Well , if sleeping under the stars is about going small, this is about feeling big . Standing on the cliff , office becomes far away, bosses invisible and you get few firsts of nature - the sunshine, the wind, the rain, the bird droppings too...

We all work for the weekends...

Off late I have been working so hard ( unsmart :'( I should say ) that I haven't had enjoyed a proper break or a weekend. Mailing late nights, reading materials on Sundays, and evening skipping great World Movies in my hard disk. Then finally happened to take a trip with my buddies last weekend. Just before the trip, I started working even harder trying to finish off more work. Now, looking back I see that I have enjoyed a proper weekend almost after a break of 3 months. Earlier I used to have a good weekend fortnightly once, merely roaming and hanging out inside the city. Now the gap between the breaks have become wider and the breaks more memorable. Is this good or bad, I am confused !!! This reminds me a cliche, "how long since you took a decent break?" Remember that guy? -  slogging late hours, files all over (the desktop), unshaven, soggy eyes, tired look but still with a fire inside to work... I wonder and assuming to understand, what for he is waiting so long. May be longer the gap, more enjoyable the break? Or he loves to finish off work at a stretch? Then does the latter question mean, people with short gaps between breaks are not so keen on finishing it off? Uh... never mind these ramblings, no matter what, each one has their own frequency / urge / resistance to take a break in the weekends. Fools are those ones , who work so long that they don't have a weekend but just THE END.

The Evergreen Test Match

Who said test matches are long gone. We daily play it, from Monday to Friday . 

The toss

Finding your boss sending your Monday morning mails before you reach the office - it's gone , you have lost the toss. You have been put into bat in a good track if the mail is about appreciation of last week's work or a simple follow up of the same But, if it is about the tasks ahead for the week, hmmm!!! oh boy, you are stuck in a grassy pitch be careful.

Those first few overs with testing swings and bouncers like " you got to complete this by today ", shouldn't take away your cool. Which on losing, you are bound to give away wickets too early by not concentrating on the work ahead. 

The ball gets old

Survive the morning session, you meet the vicious spinning testers/whiners/end users who come up with bugs, complaints and nasty mails to your boss. If you have the solution ready, your middle order is safe, or else, a bad tea break and an exposed tail of "how to figure out these things", will see off your day.

Day 2

Your woes continue, as the tail is wrapped up with few more minor complaints and tasks added to your list, thus inviting your boss to bat. With the calm and arrogance of Chris Gayle, he sends of mails of fours and sixers hitting the typical "why you have not done this? " shots. 

The beating Continues

You have a bad lunch session, with all those bugs and pending items in mind. Back from lunch you google, refer old files do reverse engineering and all other means to find out the cause and the solution. But as the sun sets you still have not answer with your boss leaving the field dominating the day - " you better sort it out".

Day 3 - Finally some wickets

You are starting to get frustrated with no head way, but then a conference call is called for with the super boss. This time your boss gets it, unable to explain and vaguely hitting in the air giving motherhood statements  like "it's just a small problem sir. we will sort it out".

Post Lunch Declaration

Post the call, a one to one meeting happens with your boss setting the deadlines with the usual sledging.

Day 4 - A mountain ahead

You sweat it out hard, try not to lose wickets. With little tasks getting completed one by one you feel the confident in erasing lead. But as the tea session nears, cracks appear. You still haven't found the solution for the big tasks and made no head way losing few wickets with the EOD status mail.

Day 5 - The Survival

Your boss starts coming around to bowl those bouncers and Yorkers again . Even the spinners pitch in giving out the googlys stating "this is not what I asked for!!". With all your brains, might and luck you try to eke out the todos, but the game ends post tea with this classical end game ball taking off the last wicket -

Please stretch out tomorrow and finish it off

rgds,

Your Boss

Post Match Commentary

You always wonder if you could finish off all the work before Friday and be the Aussies of test Cricket. but then , till you have a boss you are always a minnow.