Return of the Prodigal

Namaste
Welcome back. Thanks for the patience.
Lets see if we can infuse some life back into this place.

Alright, lets face it... I havent blogged in an eternity. No reason why not. Just been lazy. There were opportunities to say a few things here and there but i figured nobody cared, most of all me, and hence the inactivity.

So, if there is anybody thats out there keeping tabs through this blog, apologies for the absence, here we go again and a word of advise. Dont do it. Pick up the phone and call or send an email or chastise with a comment.

Right, thats settled then... Whats been going on?

Oh, so much....

First and foremost, i moved back to India..... I watched Adam Sandler's 'Happy Gilmore' sometime in the Nov of 07 and the scene where he yells at the golf ball " Are you too good for your home?" because it didnt fall in the hole, got to me and brought me back to my senses. Clearly a changed man, I bid adieu and (re)turned east, southeast actually. My mum calls it the return of the prodigal.

To sound pompous, i must say it took me a while to acclimatize back home. The pollution levels are way too much here in India, atleast in the cities.. I was coughing, having bouts of food poisoning, running a constant cold or temperature and having a general sense of being unwell for 4 months, no less.. It did have some good side effects though.
I was tipping the scales at 82 kgs but pummelled to the low 70s in a matter of weeks... Much like the sensex, i thought....
Any my folks appeared a little concerned about my health they werent too much on my tail on the progress, or lack thereof, in the job search front...
So i bandied around town, unquestioned, catching up on gossip from friends and family...Frankly, i never thought Vijay would ever score with Anitha (the lucky bastard) or the Raos will move out the neighborhood .. Junk stuff like that, you get the vibe, yeah...
Of course, i was coughing busloads of coughspit, when somebody brought irrelevant topics such as my own career, MBA aspirations or marriage...

And just like that, the 4 month sabbatical came to an end when i joined with LP in Bangalore and i will complete a year here come April end.

Nothing really significant has happened personally from then till now except my stock portfolio is down 50%... A couple weekend trips, a 5 day trip to Goa, a recent half marathon come to mind instantly...

Muchos have happened at a non personal level though... Sensex aside, I think i chose just the right time to come back..
Its been some year for Indians or what...good or bad.. things have been HAPPENING here...
Olympic medals, Sathyam scam, oscars, a Booker prize, a world chess champion, Mumbai blasts, Mahesh & Sania winning the Aus Open, Bangalore blasts, Ahmedabad blasts.... And of course, US just plain sucked, so nothing much to complain there as well.....
There were a few high impact moments like losing my grandfather, the missed heartbeats before reaching out to my Mumbai based uncles on 26/11, friends that lost their jobs, friends that are getting married... just gave the impression things have been happening AROUND me...

And then of course, there's Sourav's retirement......

Let me not kid you. I am a private, grown man and i was unashamedly bawling my eyes out in public when i heard dada was retiring...
Then of course, we'll see him in IPL. Thank god for small mercies..

Otherwise, nothing's been going on... Life is okay. Work is okay. I'm just happy to have a job during these bad times. There isnt much to look forward to except the 20 km weekly running targets, the weekend binge or goodboy sessions (depending on whether i am in bangalore or Chennai), a rare familiar movie on HBO and giving the eye to the girl at Wockhard hospital where we lunch... I keep telling myself that i will smile the next time but she doesnt catch the eye much, and when she does, she looks away, so.... Its familiar territory, i've been there before and know the rules and am applying it..... Lets just say that perseverance is the name of the game.
And i will try to extend that here as well, the perseverance part, that is...... You guys be generous with your comments and we'll see you around....

Let me sign off with this old crap joke somebody told me today at work....
Q. Why did the bank get bored?
A. Because it lost interest.

Sayanora.