Potpourri

This time I went for treks near Palghat . This is a town in Kerala , very close to the Tamilnadu - Kerala border. Unlike my last trek, I am going to describe this one in detail, because our camera abandoned us just when we entered the forest. The pictures can't do the talking, so I have to. Those of you who wish to trek or even those who wish to know how much we freaked out read on. We reached Palghat junction around 4:30am. You get a bus very close to the junction that leaves for Pollachi at 5:00am. (There are buses every 20-30 minutes). We managed to get in. This bus should take not more than 1 hour to reach Pollachi (ticket Rs. 25/-). But it stops quiet often in between (crosses the Tamilnadu - Kerala border) to reach Pollachi , Tamilnadu at 7:00am. Our trek route was to start from Parambikulam wild life sanctuary, situated in Kerala . We planned to do the two days tram way trek (offered by Parambikulam santuary Rs 1225/- per person)(which later got changed to another ...

My weekends are becoming more and more happening. The saturday seminar series starts my weekends. Thats a long story which in short can be summarised as: a bunch of us who are moronic enough to waste our saturday mornings reading derandomization algorithms---which are...thats a really really long story and can't be made short----, wake up and gather together. One of us gives a talk and others try to listen and understand. For me, it has been highly fruitful(i am learning things) and refreshing (reading something completely orthogonal to my research--which is....well, thats another long story which can be made really short ;)). Then I go out somewhere and have my lunch. Chennai weather is currently meharbaan on us which means-- going out in the afternoon doesn't seem too much of a drag. Anyways, the day's description is not the point, but the point is I am liking my weekedns lately. They are pretty refreshing. I watched a movie called Glengarry Glen Ross. If you have liked ...

The qualities in people I appreciate/love/absolutely adore/admire. (Warning: Many intense words will be repeatedly used) 1. I admire people who have ability to be completely content with what they have. That doesn't mean to give up and not try anything further than your ability. It just means to be in peace with what you have. My parents are classic example of this. They have faced many things in their life. Have had bad hard days. But I have only seen them completely content with all/whatever they have had. (daughter like me!!) I put such people absolutely on top of my adore list and can't stop respecting them. 2. I admire people who can throw themselves completely into something. That may be for a small time e.g. for preparing for a talk. Or that may be for some big cause. If you can put yourself on a hold for a while and just give your best to something outside of you. Keeping all the noises in your head away and give your best. I admire such people. 3. I admire people, who ...