Rafa and the Rolland Garros!

If my kids ask me what Covid-19 pandemic could not change, I will tell them that it couldn't change the dominance of Rafael Nadal on clay, at the Rolland Garros. Astonishing display today. A memorable match I watched, after a long time!

The ending and the beginning - Take Home #676

In every ending there is a beginning. In every beginning there is an ending. 

I own my dad a lot

What the actress Shruti Hassan said reminds me of what my dad said when someone asked him, why would you want to send your only child so long away to Delhi for further studies.

He said "I myself studied in Meerut, long away from home. How would it be fair to not send my child now?". I do not remember him ever telling me to study well. He always said I must educate myself well and develop all-round capabilities and communication skills.

I owe him a lot; so much that I cannot ever return. All I can do is to give it back to my children.

The mid-night maggie!

 One thing has remained constant from those Btech days, Mtech days and now the working-mother days!

The "Mid Night Maggie".

Happy retirement, dear sir!

 I think of school days and I think of those times spent practicing and playing under the coaching of Ammaiah sir. So many beautiful memories from those four years, representing our school in Central zone and winning it for our team. Those are some of the blissful memories I carried with pride all along.

Many students were moulded into awesome players by Ammaiah sir, some even represented India on various international stages. Every student from our school has certain level of fear, respect and love for him.

Everytime I play, watch or even think of a match, I think of him. And everytime I think of him, I regret not choosing sport as my career. Life would have been entirely different and most importantly, I would have got a chance to make him proud. Well, the motivation I take from sport is something that keeps me going in whatever I have chosen to do.

I wish Ammaiah sir a happy, healthy and joyous retirement life. Hope he will continue to enjoy the successes of his students. I'm proud to be one of them.

The click that gave lot of energy!

This is clicked from our home balcony and it has given magical energy to ease out the lockdown stress during the day!  

M.S.Dhoni - The untold story : Will I be watching it in peace, ever!

This is the most watched biopic by me and I consider it as one of the best biopics ever made. Great tribute to the former Indian cricket captain and also to all the support system he had in the form of family, coaches and friends.

I'm not sure when will I be able to watch it in peace again. I doubt if I will ever do!

Its not about what depression does to us. Its not even about what people do to us. Its all about what we do to ourselves!

Home made red chillies!

 

Book Cover Challenge - Accepted

 

#TOP - The first ever post!

If I ever write my life's story, the chapter about the following is going to be the most intense and interesting:

COVID Fear + Lockdown + Our Twin Toddler Boys + Work From Home + No Maid + Tiring Days + Sleepless Nights

A great story is in the making! Day after day, the determination is multiplying.

And,

#TOP - This is going to be the "working title" of my book. 

Sunrise view from our home!

 

Webseries - Queen

 I'm glad to have watched this before stepping into 2020. So much learning to take forward - the best one being "Do the best you can do while doing what you have to do".

Brilliantly portrayed by three lady artists, the protagonist's journey depicts what made her so strong and swashbuckling. Ramya Krishnan, as usual, has put up a flamboyantly charismatic performance. Inspired by true events, the script and screenplay are top notch! And it's a must watch, especially for women who seek strength and success.

Thank you - Gouthm Vasudev Meenon - for putting things together.

Movie Review Post!

My last full fledged movie-review-post was on 'Arjun Reddy'. And the last movie I have watched is 'George Reddy'. My life in between had revolved around handling two babies and two projects. Yet, nothing stopped me from watching a few movies. Thanks to Amazon prime, Netflix, Zee5, Hotstar and other online links. It's quite difficult to summarize my thoughts on all those movies. Let me try handpicking a few of them, which impressed and inspired me.

#Rangasthalam deserves all applauds for the attempt made to recreate village environment and personas. Charan and Samantha - I never found them as good before.

#Padmaavat released among havoc and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's depiction of Padmavati and Khiljee will stand tall for a few years to come.

#Mahanati is made as greatly as Savitri Garu herself is. Keerthi Suresh's brilliant portrayal of the yesteryear's actress is the best of all biopoic performances I have seen so far.

#Gudachary's script work is one of the awesome of its kind. Adavi Sesh is indeed the find of the decade.

#TheShapeofWater Not all movies which won Oscar convince you as much as this film does. How do they get these plot ideas! Beyond imagination, at least mine.

#Virus is a fine work of art that depicts a complex script in its simplest form. Couldn't believe the way they pulled off the climax sequences! Thought provoking.

#Uyare is a beautiful story of a girl with unbeatable conviction to become a pilot. And nothing, including a brutal acid attack, can stop her from believing that she makes an efficient pilot.

#KGF After Baahubali, this has been that Pan-Indian film, second part of which is the most awaited. What a dramatization and characterization of the lead protagonist! Mind blowing work especially in the second half of the movie. Yash has done a fantastic job. I'm too waiting for the Chapter - 2.

#GeetaGovindam Absolutely entertaining piece of cinema. Vijay and Rashmika make a beautiful pair on screen. Smartness overloaded in the direction department.

#Raazi Undoubtedly the best work of Alia Bhat so far. Very convincing she is in that role. The only song of the film is such a grandeur of music! Full marks to Meghna Gulzar.

#Raatchasi #Hitchki Must watch movies for all teachers, students and their parents. Every student is unique and some teachers have ways to bring out the best of each of their students. Jyothika's costumes and Rani Mukharji's act are the highlights of these films.

#Chichhore is a must watch not just for parents but for everyone else too. Interesting screen play and awesome performances makes this movie a great watch.

#MissionOverMars Ever since I attended the panel talk of women scientists from ISRO at Mumbai in 2016, I got connected to MOM project so well. No doubt I watched this series at one go, all eight episodes back to back. Awesome narration and depiction of the role of women scientists in the successful run of Mars Orbiter Mission. A mist watch for all techies.

#GeorgeReddy The forgotten history of an influential student leader of Osmania University in early 1970s is picturized in a brilliant and non-controversial way. Sandeep Madhav is the best fit and he filled the shoes aptly.

Looking forward to watch movies and write more about the artists' work in 2020

Our hobbies make our children - ParenthoodDiaries #18

 Our hobbies make our children and our fears break them.

What we are habituated to do is most likely what usually our kids pick up at an young age. I grew up listening to my dad's bedtime stories, and observing him reading books. I used think that he was telling me all those interesting stories from those books. I picked up the habit of reading books from him and I'm still hooked onto it. As I grew up, I picked up the habit of writing, again from my dad, and you know how I'm with that now.

While it's easy to guess what hobbies children pick up from parents, it's tricky to say what fears they are influenced of. There might not be a direct correlation of the fears they pick up, but somewhere or others the fears of parents and children do have a connection. I'm still not very clear of which ones I succumbed to. However, I'm sure I did. Those fears did become my limitations at times.

For our kids' sake, we must choose our hobbies wisely and try to be fearless from within, as much as we can.

Worth staying away from Kids - ParenthoodDiaries #17

I drop kids at creche on every working day's morning. Sometimes they cry. Many times they get on. But every time I drop them, I think of this: TODAY I MUST CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS SOMETHING VALUABLE, WHICH IS WORTH STAYING AWAY FROM KIDS THE WHOLE DAY!

My perspective towards work changed, hugely, after kids. Earlier I used to perceive it to be my responsibility to do the task at hand well. And that was it. But after kids, I started seeing the work that I do as my contribution, towards the organization and society. When we feel we are responsible for doing something, exemplary work especially, we expect to be recognized and rewarded. When we feel it's a contribution, we expect it to be rejoiced and remembered.

After all, glory is in being remembered for the signature we leave through the work we do.

No one can deny... Take Home #675

We can be denied of an opportunity but not career. The risks we take and the compromises we make define our career, which is only in our hands and no one else is responsible for.

Introducing our boys...!

 The game of my life took an important turn when I got to know that I had conceived twin babies.

Surprise. Excitement. Tears. Fear. Urge to eat. Being dependent for almost everything. Planning the maternity leave. Preparing myself for the D-Day. Mom's handmade food. Hospital food and bed. C-section. Being told of the arrival of boys. Kissing the new-borns in the operation theater. Informing family and friends. Pains. Struggle to get up from bed. Painful first walk. Bleeding. Sleeping babies. Sleepless nights. Naming. Smiles of babies. Meeting friends and family. Clicking photos. Recording videos. Changing diapers. Sterilizing the mill bottles. Dressing up the boys. Bathing them. Noting down their important milestones. Amazon prime and Netflix at night. Rejoining the office. Creche. Driving with the babies in isofixed car seats. Maids. Visit to hospital. Cold. Cough. Fever. Laughs. Fights for toys. Handling two projects, two bosses and two teams with more rigor than ever. Cooking for babies. First steps of the boys. First birthday. And so much of inexpressible 'Larger than life' experience.

It's been a wonderful and engaging journey of 20 months which I have thoroughly enjoyed and lived. It's kind of once in a lifetime thing. Got help from many people during this time; cannot name all of them here but I will remember all of them and be indebted all throughout my life.

Soon after the delivery I realized that I had always dreamt of having twins, but never dreamt of raising them! It's not easy and it's not that difficult either. There has been will and the ways have been found out. It shall continue.

Introducing our boys... Shiva Bharat & Bhuvan Shambho.

From the Great Indian Culture to the Great Indian Hypocrisy!

Two recent incidents have made me thoughtful and then made me write this post! No intention to offend anyone; this is straight from the heart. 

Incident 1:

The creator of Facebook, Mr Mark Zuckerberg, congratulated his sister named Randi Zuckerberg for an achievement of hers. He posted it on his Facebook page. Normally, whoever reads it, either they leave it there and move on to other posts or write a comment to congratulate  her. Some of the Indians found another way to react to that post, in all humiliation more to themselves and the Indian-fraternity than to the Zuckerbergs. Some of the Indians picked her name 'Randi' and confused it with its meaning in Hindi. They started posting all sort of inhuman stuff on Mark's post. Yes, some other Indians responded with rebuke but nothing could stop the other group of Indians from committing the socially-heinous act. Zuckerbergs did not react, and that's their take on it and a noble one, given the scenario. 

Incident 2:

Most of the cricket followers know about the ball tampering scandal that hit the Australian cricket an year and half ago. Cricket Australia had handed an year's ban on Australian cricketers Steve Smith and David Warner. They did apologize and served the ban; they are now part of the Australian cricket squad playing the World Cup-19 at England. During the league match between India and Australia, some of the Indian audience (Pro-Indian fans as media exactly called) shouted at Steve Smith - "Cheater"... "Cheater"...! Although he did not reciprocate, he must have been deeply hurt; one day we may get to hear from him on this incident, possibly in an autobiography or in a media-interaction! Indian captain Virat Kohli exhibited the professionalism and sportive-spirit at the post match talk by condemning this act by some of the Indian fans . 

First incident shows that some of us, the Indians, do not know how to let others live. The second incident show that some of us do now know how to get on with life. High level of hypocrisy exists with visibly no cure! Indian culture is a lot talked about in all positive sense in the current generation. If the incidents similar to the above continue to happen, Indian culture will continue to be talked about in the coming generations, but not for the same goodness as is today. While we continue to praise the past that had handed us with the Indian-cultural standards, we must continue to build them up with inspirational acts rather than pull them down with unappreciative acts. Otherwise, the time is not far away to see the Great Indian Culture being replaced by the Great Indian Hypocrisy! 

Rain and the Rainbow!

Pune-rains and the rainbows are incredible scenes to start the weekend with!  

The lack of it... Take Home #674

Neither time nor experience, often what we lack is "conviction".

Giving back to children - ParenthoodDiaries #16

In our walk of life, from childhood to adulthood to old-age, we come across many people who help us in different ways at multiple occasions. We may not be able to give back to all of them, due to various circumstances! Whatever that we cannot give back to them, we must give to their children. And that will be more than giving-back as far as a parent is concerned. Give back love. Give back help. Give back money. Give back everything except hatred. Only love must transcend the generations.

Parenthood and delegation - ParenthoodDiaries #15

Something that I have learnt, more in my ten months of parenthood than in my ten years of work experience, is DELEGATION.

Knowing what to do is the first baby-step towards delegation and the how part can be, rather shall be, left to the person whom we have delegated the task; if not always, majority of times! In my work experience I have seen people who have been successful in achieving the desired results by delegating. Having closely watched them and having seen myself improving my delegation capabilities over the last few months, one thing I can say confidently is that delegation is one of the skills every individual must possess and improve time to time, be it personal or professional life.

The crux of delegation is 'confidence on our eco-system of people' and the crux of confidence is 'risk-taking capability'. To become confident on our people we must understand them and help them strengthen their desired skill. Risk taking capability is something that we can improve only by taking risks!

There is undeniably high risk in child-rearing. It could go many ways and to let it go the way it is supposed to go, we must start showing confidence in the people involved; be it maids, teachers, friends of kids, or for that matter the kids themselves,  by letting them do what they need to do, while we observe and intervene on need basis. Instead if we micromanage, we ruin our children just like the way some managers ruin their teams!

Parents cannot be everywhere and do everything for their children. But parents can make their presence felt by delegating right things to the right people at every juncture of their child's journey; this includes delegating certain tasks to the children themselves.

Advantages and challenges - ParenthoodDiaries #14

Weather it's twin babies or a single baby, or no baby for that matter, there are advantages and challenges in each scenario. The moment we let the challenges start bothering us more than what the advantages make us positive, that's the moment we must start validating our own thought process. Challenges are every where and solutions may be are around the corner or they may be are far off. The quick we realise that we must accept the challenges, the better will be our determination and the more time we will have to find out the solutions.

While the above said is in general applicable while handing any challenge, challenges related to kids are perceived to be the toughest by parents. And that's exactly why we must be really quick in accepting the challenges and be strong rather than getting pressurized and get weakened!

Birthday 2019 as a mom!

Many birthdays passed and it never occurred to me! Today as I have become a mother, I feel like saying this.

My mother was a teenager when I was born. She used to top her class and she had to miss her final exams since I arrived before the expected date of delivery. That was just the beginning of the streak of compromises and sacrifices. And I'm very happy that my mother continued her studies for another four years and became a teacher. She could do that because my grand mother, Vijayalakshmi, took care of me and my mom. My grandma did a lot for us, which I can't explain in few words. On October 10th, 2002, suddenly we had to face her day of death! I have deeply missed her ever since. Mothers do a lot for their kids. My mother and grand mother have done a lot for me. Saying thanks is never enough. I must and will do whatever I can for them.

I'm reserving about my father for now! One day I shall express about him, who's the most influential person in my life.

Sharing responsibility - ParenthoodDiaries #13

Husband and wife share the responsibility of be it home-making or child-rearing.

Ladies, next time when you are asked if your husband helps you at home, say this - we share the responsibility.

Helping and sharing responsibility are different not just by their literal sense but also by the way they are executed. Help is the assistance we get when we are solely responsible for a given task. Sharing responsibility is sharing of ownership; the act of being equally responsible.

Home-making and child-rearing are real fun when they are executed together by the couple. Also, they happen smoothly and sensibly when done together. Children are known for imitating and majorly learning from what they observe at home. They learn to be equally responsible as they grow and become a parent; after all, child-rearing is also about making the parents of next generation!