2001 The first odyssey

Dated: Oct 19, 08

Preface:
On a slow moving sunday, I was feeling very lethargic. Thought of calling up a few friends, massaging and basking in sun, listening songs etc. But I did not want to do anything. Just yesterday one of my friends had asked me to bring 'Malgudi landscapes' for her. Looking in the box of books, I found a book half read by me '3001 The final Odyssey' by Arthur C Clarke.

There was one article about indian mission to moon 'Chandrayaan'. It talked about human colonies in space becoming reality in 100yrs or so. While reading it, I went into day dreaming mode(With thoughts from newspaper and my half read book). Thought of small story. Just putting that and try giving some imagination. Dont know what this is going to become.


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Sputnyan did not pay heed to the news that vijanta planet army was going to attack earth. This rumour had been around for last few days, but truth could not be ascertained. He kept on working. For him the problem that he was solving was more important. Actually the stream of helium particles that were being sent to one of the moons of earth 'Aurganez' were striking 5 cm away from its destined location. He was fixing this bug in the software. Though it was not a show stopper, but Sputnyan had the habit of got lost in one thing that he was doing.

Three four gossiping groups had emerged on his office zone talking about the attack. Sputnyan's concentration was lost. And looking so many people talking, news seemed to be real.

In the evening, an all employee meeting was called. Employees were informed that the co. office was being shifted to other planet, because of the prospects of the attack. Company made softwares that controlled the hardware to supply different items from helium particles to as big as spacecrafts to between planets. If the office's operation were not shifted, then it could lead to loss of business.
But shifting of the office did not mean employment for employees, As co. could hire new employees in accordance of the law of the planet whereever the operations were shifted. Sputnyan was both happy and sad on the news. In fact more sad than happy.

He was happy because he was already 14 but had never got a chance to leave the planet. Now he could get a chance to go outside. He had got job offers from other planets, but he liked the job that his current co. was doing. so he decieded to stay back. He was sad because he liked a girl in his office. They had become good friends. But still they were not at a comfort level where Sputnyan could ask her if she loved her or not. He could get a job on earth as well, but given the current situation he may have to compromise on the kind of work he did. But Sputnyan like the domain 'Trans-Planet' for which he made the softwares. Major software companies dealing in 'Trans-Planet' domain were shifting because it was the first thing that could come under attack, if it ever happened.

Finally Sputnyan packed his luggages. He defragmanted the 'Brain chip'. He needed to make space for the data that he wanted to take along. Also when he will reach the new planet, his brain-chip was required to have at least 100 terabytes free as per the law. This was because the rules/regulation and other information about the new planet would be loaded on his arrival. It also helped in adapting to new planet's environment. He wondered what would happen if he were to have only original brain and no brain chip.

It would take 10hrs to travel to other galaxy and then a small plane would take another 5 hrs to travel to the planet 'Picanso'. He closed his eyes activated brain chip and loaded the book 'Simply 2001'. The book was a fiction based on the half truth half false information that the people had about the life 1000 yrs ago.
Author suggested that life was very simple and enjoyable in 2001.
He opened chapter I of the book.

"Shaurya 27yr old guy was excited to learn that he would be the first indian man to land on moon. His joy was more because India was a poor country and being an indian and achieve this feat was a big thing. His parents were equally excited. But they were equally concerned about the safety. His 65 yrs old mother was all tears. Shaurya had moved on to space research field after completing his studies 4 yrs ago."

Sputnyan wondered how it was simple. Till age of 23 he had to study alone. Today after the birth, child's brain is loaded with information at 8 different stages and he starts working at 5. Also he was amused at the idea that people studied and then worked in 2001. In his age, people research after completing their work. Typically at age of 30. Also he thought that it was more complex to have earth alone divided into countries. Then this inequality. Poor country and rich country. Now even different planets spread across galaxies were more or less same barring the natural climate etc. Rules and regulations were different only to cover these differences because of natural aspects of the planet.

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Bombay to Puna via Khandala Lonavala

Workout by weeks

Many trainers recommend a very desciplined routine. Also they recommend split routine. Eg. They recommend something like.

Day1 : Back/Biceps
Day2 : Cardio/Abs
Day3 : Shoulders/Chest/Triceps
Day4 : Legs
Day 5: Cardio/Abs

I dont know whether right or wrong, But I feel more motivated and pumped when I follow 1 day one part routine followed at will. But each part once a week.(Though not very strict). Eg.

Day 1: Arms(Biceps/triceps/forearms), A little back
Day 2: Shoulders
Day3: Rest
Day 4: Chest
Day 5: Legs
Day 6: Optional - cycling/running.

Share ur experience.

Three books and my first article

I have always liked the stories which are near to the realities. Be it Ramu's movies, or book Malguri Days by R K Naraynan. I also liked the light and real looking articles by Karan thapar. So today when HR deptt. dropped a mail regarding the contest in the company for submitting articles for the monthly magazine, this idea of writing an article out of simple life experience popped up. I dont know how successful I am going to be. To be honest, I am not confident enough that this article of mine is going to be selected. But I really wanted to write anything. So I chose my blog. No one can stop or reject this article here. (He hee)

For that matter, I chose a topic that just happened to me and also brought some changes in my life. Just a small story how I fell in love with books.

Japneet singh my roommate at Mohali would always read something or another. From taking spritual books to toilet to reading novels. He would read after
toiling in office before computer and then going to bus stand for paronthas at 1:00 am in the morning and still manage to read somehting at 2 am. I wondered how he had so much of energy. But he would read somehting, be it even 3-4 pages a day.

Then one day, I got my hands on one of the books in his collection on one of the boring weekends. "Five point someone" by chetan bhagat. The author summarizes it well -"What not to do at IIT"

It was just the one without any big words, unrealistic ideas. Just a simple, close to reality book. I bet, if you hate reading books, try this one. You will fall in love with them. A very true combination of three personalities. I do not want to tell the entire story so that your fun is not spoilt if you decide to read this book. The every scene in the story seems so real that you can visualize it. This book is so special for me because it helped me revive my love for stories and books.

The love that was an embryo in my childhood when I would walk 3km to get comics on cheaper rent. I would sit on the small space before the houses in front of comics lender. The shopkeeper would then charget 50 paisa instead of 1Rs. In turn I had to return the comics just after reading that. Sometimes I would bring as many as 6 comics at one time. The lucky day when I 6-7 Rs gathered by applying too many "schemes". Anyway, so lost love was found with this book and I finished this book in one night and next half day. Though I slept in between.

Now after 2yrs of findng my lost love, I feel that the books open you up to large treasur of ideas so that you enjoyed your life to the fullest. Good written books alway impact your personality and life. I too read one of the very good books "How to speak publicly and win friends". Though good to learn a few things, but it brings some sort of Hypocrisy in you in the beginning. It takes you some time to analyse your behaviour and get out of it on reading good books.


I had gone to sector 17 market in chandigarh, a popular place referred as "Geri Route" (Where you can see too many girls"). Vineet sadhu and one more guy was there. Who this another guy was, I am unable to recall. In sector-17, you would find big shops with big brand names. Samething with the books. Chandigarh people too generally prefer brands. Though there is a huge rush in "Rehri Market" in sector-22 too. Both of these places are the favourite "Gheri Routes". So no wonder that the business of the book sellers who sell pirated books goes well. I remember I bought "The Google story" original edition for around 500 bucks. And saw same book for paltry 120 Rs. with one of the sellers. They would spread a bedsheet on road and then put books in a nice way. These are generally the best sellers. So, If you pick any one of these from them, it's likely that you have chosen a good one.

Seldom shll I go especially for buying books. On this occasion too we had gone to these "Gheri routes" when I just leaned on the books on the road side at sector-17. I was just surfing when I saw this book. With a gloomy picture of a lonely girl and title embossed "Veronika decides to die" by Paulo Chohelo. My sixth sense said that this book was going to be unique and near to reality once again.

"Veronika decides to die", the first around 10 pages depicts the thoughts of a girl who has decided to suicide. These thoughts the author has put in such a beautiful way. And surprisingly these are the thoughts that came in Veronika's wandering mind in two to three minutes. The end of the book is fantastic climax. I again abstain from telling the story to avoid spoiling your fun. But after reading the book I found myself ushered to new way of life. I wonder how a simple book like this can impact your life. The life that is sans hypcrisy, that lets you enjoy life without caring what others will feel and say. I feel that though I have not been able to do this to the fullest but some voice within me says "Do it, F*** the world if it resists, for you are not going to live for long".

Something off the track, before going to the last book. What all thought are going through my mind right now. One, I have found that putting personal thing on net can casue problems for you. Especially marriage. Though I am not a criminal sort, but still something at the back of mind says, newspapers and police may also use it to track your psychology. I know this is coming because one part of my mind says "Do not expose personal things" and second says "Do it, F*** the world". Another thing that I have got a little emotional. This big article is surely not going to be accepted. Also I am going to drop the idea, since this has got too much personal stuff. May be my friends especially my younger brother is going to ask me in a taunting way what all I wrote . (Even I would have done the same thing he he he).

Coming back to the third book. I thought of putting "Malguri Landscapes" as my third favourite book in the beginning, but as I went along writing, I discovered that "The Google story" changed my life more though I like Malguri Landscapes more. So "Google story"

I was surfing through review of new books in newspapers when I found the summary of the book. I want to be an enterpreneur, so I was eager to know what all the two guys just in theier 20's did to become so successful. Everytime I would go to Sector -17, chandigarh, I would ask for a pirated copy of "The Google story". I tried even the branded shops, but to no avail.

I had gone to Delhi for visa, when I decided to try for "The Google Story" from Nayee sarak. My father was also in Delhi. We both went their. And as it happens with me for books and clothes, I buy somthing and everything unplanned. So I bought books worth around 4000/= including "The Google Story". This is a book about two Genius. I would say that read this book slowly, It is a book that one should seek to have maximum impact from for having a successful career.

I dont remember Sergey Brin or Larry page said it "To be successful You have to be freak enough to say that I can do the impossible". These are not the exact words. I am sure these would have looked better had I put the actual ones. It's again a book close to reality. It's kind of "Making of an era". The second part tells you that if you are admamant to give, you are bound to succeed. I found that the "More one enjoys his work, more one gives to the world more one is destined to be successful". This I mean in the true professional and selfish context and not the spritual one.


So, I have dropped the idea of sending it to Karishma(HR), though I enjoyed a lot. I am not sure whether anyone is going to read this article till the end. But I really enjoyed talking to me. Also it has proved to be an article that reveals my personality, my psychology and everything but it's still not the kind that I would like to hide at any cost. I hope this is going to be beginning and I would one day dare to write about the darkest side of my personality.

Mera bachpan

I as an 8 yr child

Lemme know what you read.

Hi,

I am currently reading Malgudi Landscapes based on novels of R K Naraynan, the popular cartoonist.

This is the collection of small stories and extracts from novels of the great indian writer. Stories move slow but are very realistic. I found the "Swami and Friends" just fantastic. Writer has described how Swami fantasizes as a child and his innocent actions.

It reminded me of the great drama "The Malgudi Days".

Lemme know what are you reading these days.

Cheers

Fitness Freaks

I got to gym for 3-4 days a week and spend 1.5 hrs there. One day for arms, legs, shoulders and chest each.

My routine:

10min Warmup
125 Situps
45 Namaskar(Alternate if it's very hot)

1 hr weight lifting.