World needs Kamblis too

Talent and divine gifts, while remarkable, require more to flourish. They demand relentless hard work and immaculate discipline, alongside a sprinkle of luck. Without these, even the most gifted individuals risk fading into obscurity, akin to Vinod Kambli rather than Sachin Tendulkar.

Yet, the world needs its Kambli's too, as they underscore the exceptionalism of Tendulkar. They serve as reminders that talent alone is not enough; it must be nurtured, honed through hard work, and coupled with discipline. Luck, though unpredictable, can tip the scales. Together, this blend forms a potent recipe for success, showcasing that true greatness is not just about talent, but the dedicated pursuit of excellence.

Navigating the Ups and Downs of Relationships in the Modern Era

let's talk about something that's been on my mind lately: relationships. Have you noticed how it feels like separation and divorce are almost trendy nowadays? It seems like everywhere I look, there's another couple hitting rocky waters or calling it quits altogether. It's got me wondering, have relationships lost their depth and understanding compared to our parents' and grandparents' generations?

I mean, let's get real here. Did our folks and their folks not have their fair share of issues? Of course, they did! Every couple has their highs and lows, and every individual comes with their own mix of amazing qualities and not-so-great ones. Even those couples we envy for their seemingly perfect happiness? Scratch beneath the surface, and you'll find they've got their own set of issues too. But here's the kicker: some couples tough it out, while others are quick to call it quits.

Now, divorces and separations are on the rise, and there's a laundry list of reasons why: incompatibility, miscommunication, infidelity, addictions, domestic abuse, family drama—you name it. But here's the thing: these big-ticket problems are often just the flashy symptoms, not the real root of the problem.

So what's the real kicker? Miscommunication. Yep, it's the biggie. In a world where egos often run the show, truly understanding each other can feel like an uphill battle. But here's the silver lining: most issues can be smoothed out with some good old transparent, heart-to-heart talks. It's all about putting yourself in the other person's shoes, ya know?

Of course, I'm not saying every relationship can be saved. Sometimes, priorities clash so hard that there's just no common ground to stand on. That's the real deal of incompatibility right there.

So, what's the takeaway from all this rambling? Well, maybe it's time we all put a little more effort into listening and understanding each other. After all, a little empathy can go a long way in keeping those flames of love burning bright.

Jaane kahaan gaye woh din

I miss those times when friends used to meet, sit and chat without any reason. Now, they look for reason. Birthday, anniversary and other pointless formal gatherings in casual attire. 

I miss meeting friends at any hour. Now, suggestion for an impromptu meeting is countered by a proposed date and time.

Everyone wants to be young but everyone has grown-up. I miss my younger friends.

I miss you my friend

Friendship is like a delicate dance, full of ups and downs. It's not always easy to make and keep friends; it's a journey with lots of twists and turns, highs and lows. But it's in those tough times that you really see how strong a friendship is.

I find myself reflecting on this as I navigate the complexities of my own friendships, grappling with the inherent struggles that come with maintaining these cherished bonds. I have always been one to cherish my friendships deeply, holding them close to my heart as pillars of support and solace in times of need. However, in recent times, I have found myself grappling with the painful reality of losing touch with some of my closest friends, a realization that has left me feeling adrift and alone.

One friendship, in particular, stands out as a poignant reminder of the fragile nature of these connections. This friend, who once served as a confidant and a source of comfort, has now become a somewhat distant figure, the warmth of our conversations replaced by mostly formal and awkward conversations. The rift between us began with a series of misunderstandings and miscommunications, each one driving a wedge further between us.

The first crack in our friendship appeared when I felt hurt by some insensitive comments made by my friend. Though I knew deep down that his intentions were not malicious, I couldn't help but feel wounded by his words. Instead of addressing the issue calmly and rationally, I let my emotions get the best of me, leading to a confrontation that left us both feeling uneasy.

The final blow came when a long-running joke between us took a turn for the worse. What had once been a light-hearted jest between friends had morphed into a source of ridicule, causing me immense discomfort and frustration. Despite my repeated attempts to convey my displeasure, my friend failed to grasp the seriousness of the situation, leading to a heated exchange that left our friendship hanging by a thread.

Looking back, I realize that I could have handled things differently. I could have been more patient, more forgiving. I could have approached the situation with a level head and a willingness to understand rather than react. Yet, in the heat of the moment, I let my emotions cloud my judgment, causing irreparable damage to a friendship that meant the world to me. This friend has stood by me in dark times and I should have understood that. I am difficult person to be with but he is one of the few, who was always there.

As I sit here, grappling with the aftermath of these events, I can't help but feel a profound sense of loss. I miss the easy camaraderie we once shared, the effortless way we could talk for hours on end about anything and everything. I miss having someone to confide in, someone who understood me in a way that few others did.

But amidst the pain of this loss, I am reminded of the resilience of friendship. I am reminded that true friendship is not defined by the absence of conflict, but by the ability to overcome it. I am reminded that even in our darkest moments, there is hope for reconciliation, for healing, for a return to the bonds that once united us.

So, to my friend, I want you to know that I miss you. I miss the laughter, the tears, the shared moments that made our friendship so special. I hope that one day, we can rediscover the magic of our friendship once again. Until then, I will hold onto the memories we shared, cherishing them as a reminder of the bond we once shared and the possibility of a brighter future ahead.

Intermittent Fasting: Day 7

Intermittent Fasting: Day 6

Intermittent Fasting: Day 5

Intermittent Fasting: Day 4

Hard Reality

In the past few month, while going through an extremely dark phase, I realized that most people and most relationships are fake. Not that I did not know that earlier but some more relationships/people unexpectedly are in that list and that has made me truly wake up to reality. Some people behave in a certain manner because of their circumstances and your circumstances. They are friendly with you. However, when the circumstances change, people change. It's the hard reality.

And ya, I am not blaming ANYONE! Knowingly or unknowingly, I may have behaved in similar manner with someone at some point of time. I hope not but….I may have. Humans, by nature, are flawed! 😃

We have to remember one thing. At the end of the day, you fight your own battles. There are very few people (if any) who you can count on.

Intermittent Fasting: Day 3

Intermittent Fasting: Day 2

Intermittent Fasting: Day 1

Ooty Trip

Feel like disconnecting from the whole world for sometime...or may be more.

Movies: Michelin Star Dishes or McDonald's Burger?

There is an 'unnecessary' controversy that has been created over 'Indian' cinema and the 'National' language. Various actors and/or publicity-seekers are jumping into the dialogue. Some Hindi movie actors said that 'Hindi' is the national language and some South Indian actors said that Hindi movies are not the only ones that qualify as 'Pan-Indian' cinema as movies in South Indian languages are finding viewers across the globe now. 

As I mentioned at the very beginning, it is an unnecessary controversy and both sides should have refrained from getting into a social-media war. Lets look at what has been discussed;

Hindi is the 'National' language

That is incorrect. I do not blame the people who believe that as we were either taught that or were made to believe that. Hindi is the official language (along with English). Though I do believe that all Indians should know (and should be 'encouraged' to know) Hindi as that would help in communication across India but then, no one should be compelled to learn the language. India being such a diverse country, it is difficult to make that change happen in near future. If at all this happens, it can happen only through people initiative. It has been working so far and there is no 'need' for any change.

Hindi Movies Get More Importance

Now, lets come to the other side of the debate, which drove me to write this blog. Its about the 'Indian' cinema. Some South-Indian actors indicated that whenever 'Indian' cinema is discussed, represented or recognized, it is the Hindi cinema or 'Bollywood', which is taken into consideration. 

I am not sure if that is genuinely the case. While it may not be 'the' justification, lets look at the list of past winners of National Award for Best Feature Film. 

Since 1953, only 12 'pure-play' Hindi movies have won the National award. It excludes 'Ship of Theseus' (Hindi and English) and 'Court' (Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati and English). During the same period, 22 Bangla/Bengali, 12 Malayalam, 6 Kannada, 4 Marathi, 2 Tamil and 1 Telugu movies won awards. So, it may be unfair to say that only Hindi movies are being recognized. I agree that Hindi movies and movie stars get more media-attention and headlines. However, that is because Hindi movies are watched by a larger audience and includes some mega-stars. However, there is no biasedness or partiality as such. 

South-Indian cinema also has several mega-stars including Rajnikanth, Chiranjeevi, Mammootty, Mohanlal but except Thalaiva, others have not managed to create a significant fan-base or gain popularity outside India or their region. Of course, this is a comparative statement. I am not at all suggesting that Chiranjeevi is not popular. However, he probably is known to fewer people compared to say...Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan and Rajanikanth. It is a fact. This does not make Chiranjeevi a lesser actor. In fact, personally, I do not like most of the names mentioned above. In my opinion, list of best actors and most popular actors [in Indian context] seldom have common names. Among the current leading actors, I personally enjoy the work of Dhanush and Fahadh Faasil the most and I am not only talking about South Indian cinema!!

Which Movie Industry is Better?

Though it is not being said or discussed in as many words but the debate, comments and the arguments put forward seem to suggest that the 'stakeholders' want to comment on which movie industry [in India] is better!! This debate is again....unnecessary. 

If I talk about myself, I do not 'generally' enjoy Hindi movies but I end up watching a lot of them. Most of them are nonsensical formula-based movies. They do better (in terms of collections/returns/ROI) than the kind of movies I genuinely appreciate. Some of the popular South-Indian movies (RRR, KGF 1 & 2, Baahubali 1 & 2, Pushpa etc.) are also doing pretty well in terms of collections however it is important to understand that box-office collections do not necessarily mean cinematic brilliance [and vice versa]. 

If a movie is watched by more number of people, it does not necessarily become a great movie. Similarly, if a megastar is followed by a larger group of fans, it does not necessarily mean he/she is the best actor [or even a good actor]. McDonald's burger may be the most popular food item but is a McDonald's burger ever considered a great dish?? These days, almost every superhero movie sets the box office on fire but are they ever considered a genuine piece of art? 

In the field of art, popularity and sales volumes do not always mean brilliance. People watch nonsensical, formula-based masala movies because movies are watched with family and/or friends and people typically opt for pure-play entertainment for such events. For example, when I am watching a movie alone, I would watch something like 'The Lunchbox' but when I go to watch a movie with my 10-year old, I would end up watching 'Simbba' or 'Suryavanshi'. I watch a lot of movies - different genres and different languages (English, world cinema, Hindi, Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil....]. I look for good stories and good performances and do not restrict myself to a certain genre or language. However, for most people [even I select movies based on the mood], movies are a getaway from their regular, mundane life that is often filled with stress, depression, issues, burdens, frustration, anger. They do not want to see the protagonist go through similar emotions on-screen and would rather watch a nonsensical comedy/action!! They like to watch a hero that is larger than life...who can stand against villains, beat 100 people, romance, dance, make us laugh....and what not!! Such movies help the viewers come out of the theatre relaxed [not always though!!]. So both kind of movies are required. We need movies with a message, with a great story, with brilliant performances. At the same time, we need the nonsensical formula-based masala movies. 

We need the Michelin Star dishes but also the McDonald's burger!!!

Steps: 11th May

Could not finish 10K!! :(

Did some back and leg exercises in the gym and I could barely walk by the evening.

Steps: 10th May 2022

Steps: 9th May 2022

Steps Count: Off Track

Last fortnight has not been good from health point of view. I have been fairly irregular in all aspects, including steps, swimming, exercise as well as diet. We went for a week-long holiday and I always knew that it would impact the momentum - however, it was needed as I need to ensure that the interest of others are not always getting subordinated. My daughter's summer break is going on and a holiday was required. The kid has shown unbelievable patience during COVID as we have hardly stepped out in last >2 years. 

Holiday is done and the momentum took a hit. The body also went back to behaving like previous days and when I restarted the walking and exercise, I felt aches and pain everywhere. Moreover, walking in sand on the beaches put additional pressure on the knees and I developed knee pain. 

Now, most of the issues have gone away and I need to immediately get back to the fitness regime. From today onwards, I would walk at least 10 steps everyday. And would exercise at least once a day.

Happiness is...

...Making 4 mistakes and 6 blunders....and still winning!!!

Goa Trip: Some More Pics

Goa Trip: Some Pictures

First flight after >2 years!!!

Today's Swimming Session: 20 Laps

Today's Swimming Session: 31 Laps

Significant Improvement

The diabetes test results are pretty good and show a significant improvement. 

Target 1: To bring HbA1C level to less than 6.0

Target 2: To stop the medication

Today's Swimming Session: 27 Laps

Today, I couldn't spend much time as I had to rush back for diabetes test. Still a good session. In fact, from now onwards, I would target 20-30 laps everyday.

Last couple of days were not good. I missed most of the activities as I was unwell. Was feeling weak and also had some gastrointestinal issues. It was quite severe. As we also suspected that sugar level may have come down, I had fruits and proper food in past two days. I did have some junk food as well :(

Last evening, the situation was pretty bad as on multiple occasions, I felt that I would lose consciousness. May be I stretched myself a little too much.

Have got tests done to check the sugar level. Also trying some home remedies. Feeling better today. I did my gym session this morning and also went for a swim. Would complete my 10K steps walk in the evening. 

Hopefully the test results would be normal.

Swimming Trends

 

Today's Goals and Status

• 1 hour swim in the morning: Achieved
• 10K steps: Achieved
• 30-45 minutes of weight training: Achieved
• Day 1 of 3-day egg-fast: Achieved