The Years They Will Remember

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Akhil and Sahana with thatha. Akhil is in sixth grade. Sahana is in fourth grade. My own fourth grade feels like a blur, but I remember sixth grade quite well. Mrs. Vijayalakshmi was our class teacher. She was outstanding at teaching English. At BP Indian, grammar, punctuation, and the structure of a composition mattered. Some of my classmates had a natural flair for writing, and I loved reading how they put their thoughts on paper. I came third in class that year and received a merit prize. I still remember the books: Five Have a Wonderful Time by Enid Blyton and Grandmother’s Tale by R. K. Narayan. I still have my copy of Grandmother’s Tale . Inside is the school’s prize label: third rank, Class VI D, 1992–93, awarded to Subbarathinam—the name I went by then. My sixth-grade merit prize. I still have the book. ...

Weathering Heights!

When I was in India, I used to wonder why the Europeans and Americans get so excited when they see the yellow metal shining in the sky. What's the fuss all about! It used to be mind boggling to see them attach so much of importance to the Sun God. But it didn't take me long to figure out. First in Stuttgart and now in Rolla. I still remember the day I landed in Stuttgart. The whole land mass was covered by the white moss that could throw anybody into depression. The pall of gloom would transform to something really miserable. That's when I realised the significance of the Germans' statement. It is a great feeling to feel the sun penetrating your skin and giving that soothing touch. It is a different matter that summers in India are pretty difficult times, but that waft of sunlight does certainly takes away your depression. That's how I felt last week when Rolla was dipping to sub-zero temperatures. The weather here is as fickle as a wife (Sidhuism! Adjust Madi!).

Morning: 6-7 degrees Celsius, Fantastic weather, bright and sunny, and absolutely no need of a jacket
Afternoon: Gloomy, and a slight dip in temperature on the way from lab to home
Afternoon return: Can't come back to the lab without a jacket. Hell! it's getting cold!
Night: You need a jacket, woollen cap, gloves and what not and by the time I reach home, it starts snowing and its freezing!

No wonder Bangalore is unbeatable!

Comments

  1. I bet! Colorado is better though - It snows during winter but the sun is out all 365 days in a year!!! The snow gets melted away in a jiffy and its not unusual to see a couple inches of snow the first day and everything cleared away the next day!!!

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  2. cool blogging man.. like ur style...

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