A box full of surprises....

There wont be any one who doesnt like surprises... surprises are always sweet, or its shocks... last day received a surprise like that... its not just a single one... but a box full of surprises... it was from my pan pal Kissy, my b'day gift came from miles and miles away...
It's always an excitement even when i receive a letter from her... the box came with a tone excitement... more the goodies inside, its just the whole thing that excited me... there was a journal, an empty one for me to write on... candies, candles... and the best part of the whole for me was a 'blob ball' which came with a note to squeeze when on pressure... On with a 100 tensions in my thesis writing, i think its going to help most....
I am treasuring the whole thing.... thanks kissy, hope i can send you box of surprises like you have done...

Brownie and Me/Us...

When i sat down to watch the movie 'Marley and Me' I never expected anything other than any other normal, not-so-boring, Hollywood movie... "a family learns life lessons from their adorable, but naughty and neurotic dog" review was also not so appealing... the only thing which put me to watch the movie was the adorable dog picture in the review columns... But i never expected me to be in tears at the end of the movie...
A real story by a journalist, the movie just told the story... that can be story of many others too... The movie reminded me of our own pet dog years back; almost 18.... He was Brownie... A German Sheppard with more of brown color... He was the first pet we had... Like Marley, he too was uncontrollable... and high spirited, strong... those days even we felt he's a bit neurotic, but yet lovable... he loved us kids...
But his ways made my parents keep him with less freedom... not letting him out because the neighbors were terrified of his behavior... Yet he was longing for the unlimited freedom which he never got... Like Marley his last days were indeed painful for us... Seeing him dying.... just like in the movie...
We never had a dog in our family after one more dog died in old age, immediately after Brownie...
Marley's story reminded me of my childhood... If we had a raised voice from us or someone fighting, our dogs used to bark till we keep our voices down, not appreciating what we were doing.... the lessons of life, we are learning not just from fellow humans... Anyways a wonderful movie... few of the kinds which turn the viewers emotional... like me....

Life's not the same....

It's 8.00 pm and I am in my lab... nothing like that happened b4 in my research life... life's changing.... for everything there's a time... this is the time to move out...
Life going hell lot busy with the thesis work.... it's correction time and seminar preparation... the target is mid-march when i can have a big smile... till then its a busy bee routine...
I hardly see my close friends around.... neither I am spending time in gops... and not even photography series (though i click random clinks now and then)... Not so interest in late night movies in my laptop... Instead, it's late night tea and 'latex' typings...
It's not just the thesis, but something which i can never live without too... its the sports month here... my football team 'misfits' in the field already practicing... all the excuses to keep away, will never work with them... so i am field too...
My life in hyderabad is shuttling between the football field and the lab.. two extremes, for many I am a mystery person, managing extreme works... but thatz me... and thatz making me different... and truly I am loving it....

****************************
Pic above: I had to participate in a panel discussion on the popularization of science in Birla Science Centre, Hyderabad....