What I learned about the World last week

There are times when one can do nothing but laugh at the ridiculous, impossible and downright bizzare things that happen in this world. If you've stumbled upon this blog post about the silly things that I came across over the last week: I hope this makes you smile. 

1. Rajasthan's Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has a huge fan following in Istanbul, Turkey

Its true. The number of 'likes' on his facebook page jumped to 2,14,639 from a mere 1,69,077 in just a month. Whats more, the city with the highest number of followers is not Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, India, but Istanbul in Turkey. Perhaps the people of Istanbul while protesting against PM Erdogan, decided that it is time to call in help from the country historically famous for peaceful protests--India. If this assessment is correct, Mr. Gehlot should immediately consider moving to Turkey from India, as he is surely assured of a secure voter base there. 

2. Yamaguchi-gumi Shinpo: A Magazine for the Well-read Gangster

"Times have become hard for Japan's mafia and they can no longer rely on their 'brand' to generate profitability." writes Shinoda Kenichi, Don of Japan's largest organized crime syndicate, the Yamaguchi-gumi consisting of around 27,000 members. The infamous yakuza group have now started their own magazine instructing younger members in the values and disciplines they should observe and carrying an entertainment section that includes a poetry page (satirical haiku) and the fishing diaries of top officials. The magazine is not available to non-members. 

Shinoda Kenichi of Yamaguchi-gumi

3. The CIA is in possession of the world's most high classified vacuum cleaner design

The CIA's efforts to 'un-torture' Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, mastermind of the 9/11 terrorist attacks have resulted in the creation of highly classified vacuum cleaner blueprints. In the hope that the self-confessed terrorist would reveal further information in a sane state of mind, the CIA allowed Mohammed, then detained at a secret prison in Romania, access to schematics from the internet for the purpose of re-engineering this common household appliance. Mohammed is also reported to have enjoyed the Harry Potter books. 

4. Thailand's men are getting 'bigger' 

Oh yes. You guessed it. I mean, down there. The Thai Government is buying larger condoms with a width of 54 millimeters to cater to the needs of men under 30. The Director General of the Disease Prevention and Control Department observed that "Most men are now over 170 cm tall and exceed 70 kg in weight. They can no longer use condoms with sizes of 49 mm and 52 mm."

5. The true pervert is willing to hide in septic tanks to peep at women 

A 52 year old man from Oklahoma, USA was jailed on a peeping tom complaint when a woman found him looking up at her from inside the toilet of the restroom at a park. The man was pulled out by the police covered in human waste. He claims his girlfriend hit him over the head with a tire iron and dumped him in the toilet, but the police aren't buying this story. So, the question is, how far is your local pervert willing to go?

For the sake of clarity, this is what a septic tank looks like:

(Sunday, 7th July- Saturday, 13th July, 2013)

As Seen from the Viewfinder

A view of the South Eastern Railway HQ washed afresh by the rains. 

Perhaps I should start editing my photos a little to make them look better, but I couldn't resist putting up a picture of this quaint little structure from the British era. Surrounded as it is, by the vagaries of the modern world, the South Eastern Railway HQ in Calcutta presents a pretty picture of the times gone by. 

Project: Vikram Betaal for Rapunzel

If you've read any other post on this blog, you probably know that I'm presently unemployed (by choice) and at home, preparing for various exams. Whats more, home is an apartment on the top-most floor of a twelve storey building in Calcutta-- a city where I know all of nobody. I feel rather like Rapunzel, to be honest -- only my knight in shining armour is the steady flow of time and the coming of the month of December (Kaal then). If I am to stay sane, I must create my own amusements! And my first project is to read a book in Hindi! (Ta-da!)

As mentioned earlier, I'm taking classes to improve my skills (or lack of thereof) in my native language. It may seem odd to a non-Indian reader, but many urban kids-now-young-adults of my generation are poor at the language seeing as they have been schooled in English, and are now working in English. Certainly, everyone speaks it fluently (at least in the north). But the opportunities to read and write it don't arise too often.

Alas! I must admit that my Hindi is perhaps much worse than normal. Therefore, I'm starting with a relatively simple book: the Vikram-Betaal.The story of the wise and fearless King Vikramaditya and the wiley Betaal (in Indian mythology, a spirit inhabiting a corpse)  is believed to have been written by Mahakavi Somdev Bhatt as 'Beetal Pachisi', some 2,500 years ago.

A copy of my book at home.

A still from the TV show of Long Ago

The tales of Vikram and Betaal were a regular in the Tinkle series of comics, so popular when I was a child. I was introduced to King Vikramaditya at the age of six, and he has remained in my memories since then for the courage and wisdom he displays whilst tackling the betaal.

I'm excited about picking up something from my own country's mythology. The tales are not confined to children but are enjoyed by people of all ages. Seeing as the novel is in Hindi, I'm going to give myself a rather flexible time of 2 weeks to read it. Deadline: July 22, 2013. Happy Reading (to me)! ^^

10 things you might not know about Calcutta

Although I'm not a native of Calcutta, city of joy and once the capital of the British Raj in India, I've been living here for 5 years now. Moving to Calcutta from Mumbai was quite a culture shock, but I slowly learnt to love the pace of this city. This post is a compilation of Calcutta's unique delights, as seen from the eyes of a non-Bengali. 

1. Bread Tost.
Walking along the pavements in Calcutta, one will find many roadside stalls selling cha (tea), chat and other sorts of food. At many places, one can have two slices of bread toasted and with butter for a whopping 6-10 Rupees (approx. Rs. 55 to One US Dollar), happily labelled 'Bread Tost' on the cardboard menus hanging off the stalls.

2.  Everyone takes an Afternoon Nap.
There's no avoiding it. Unless you are in Park Street or some other equally commercial and upmarket area, the city will fall asleep from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Taxi drivers may turn you down and the local grocer will most certainly have closed his shop so make sure you have everything you need for the afternoon well in advance.

3. The Shuttle.
The 'shuttle' is a form of transport where the drivers of private vehicles -- i.e. the drivers as employees of the owners of the vehicles -- pick up commuters headed in the same direction as them, for a small fee. Of course, this is done without the employer's knowledge or often, against his explicit orders, but is a common practice. Shuttles are a cheap and comfortable way to get around the city, if you know how and where to find them. Watch out though, they arn't the safest at night. After all, you never know just who is in the vehicle you are flagging down.

4. Blue and White.
Mamata Banerjee, the present Chief Minister, has decreed that the entire city is to be painted blue and white. Thus, government buildings, flyovers, railings, dividers, street signs, buses, bus stands, trees and random walls now sport her favorite colours. This move has the city's intelligentsia seeing red. They argue that it is a waste of resources, that blue isn't the only beautiful colour and that such light colours get dirty quickly and will have to be repainted again. With this, Calcutta will join the ranks of Jodhpur, the blue city of Rajasthan.

A tram under the road leading to the Vidyasagar Sethu

5. 'V' is 'B'
In Bengali, there is no syllable for 'v'. Instead, the English and Hindi 'v' is converted to 'b'. Thus, when you are asking for directions, people will ask you back, "Bhere you go?". Non-bengalis are frequently annoyed with this as their names are misspelled and mispronounced constantly.

6.  One way traffic on Park Street changes directions at 1 pm and back again at night
Park Street is a commercial street hosting some of Calcutta's biggest offices, hotels, schools, restaurants and shopping complexes. While change in one-way traffic direction does exist in other parts of the world, the reason for its existence in Calcutta is unmatched by any. Supposedly, it was started to ease the daily commute of the erstwhile Chief Minister of Bengal, Jyoti Basu (1977-2000) and continues to this day!

7. Bhaayolence.
The people of Bengal are among the most non-violent people in the world. They may shout, swear and spit, but won't progress to actual bodily assault. That does not mean there are no murders or muggings, but on the whole, Calcutta is one of the safer parts of India.

8. Travel by Autos at your own risk
Auto-rickshaws ply on specific routes on a share basis in Calcutta. By share, I mean that upto six people along with the richshaw driver will be using it at one time -- three passengers at the back and four, including the driver, at the front. Travelling at the front can be fun but one must have a good grip to avoid spilling off the vehicle on sharp turns and sudden jerks.

A not-so-crowded auto

Schoolchilden sitting in the trunk of an overcrowded auto

9. Tibetan food and Chinese cuisine

Calcutta is considered to be the birthplace of the fusion cuisine, 'Indian-Chinese' and one can see why. Tibetan food and Chinese cuisine here are absolutely delicious, more so than in other metros such as Mumbai and Delhi. Restaurants such as Blue Poppy or Beijing in Tangra, the China-town of Kolkata surely give the rest of the country a run for its money in this field. Of course, you may want to try the same cuisines in Sikkim too, where they are even better.

10. There are no Lanes on the Roads
Of course, the white lines are painted there. But no one ever follows them. Especially taxi drivers. Traffic is a huge problem in this city, and the best way to get around it: simply make your own lane!

Life Lessons from Old Friends

In Delhi last week, I had the opportunity to meet with two long-time friends, both of whom I've known for almost a decade now. This meeting will probably be our last for a while, as both as heading off to different parts of the world--one to the east, Singapore, and the other to the west, the UK.

We met at Delhi's famous Connaught Place at a restaurant called Barbeque Nation, well-known for its buffet which includes a never-ending serving of starters, barbequed at your table. There's an equal amount of food for vegetarians and non-vegetarians, a limited amount of complimentary alcohol with the buffet, the staff are courteous and the food, absolutely delicious. All in all, the experience was wonderful -- but I think that had more to do with the company than anything else.

A picture of CP looking more orderly than it actually is

Catching up with old friends is a very refreshing experience. For me, it was a reminder of my 14-year old self - her views, values and hopes - and an opportunity to judge my present position in life from her eyes. The 14-year old me was awkward but more confident about herself and her abilities. Conversations about everyday things with the two boys showed me that its time to return to some of her ideals and let go of some later-developed insecurities. I'm still young and hope that when, at the age of 60, I look back on my life, I can say firmly that I have few regrets.

Fujoshi: Withdrawl Symptoms

A bona fide fujoshi, I returned home from my week long trip to Delhi this morning at around 11 am. Within an hour, I had unpacked, bathed and was sitting on the the laptop to get a much needed dose of some yaoi love!

Without any internet access this past week, the fujoshi in me was screaming furiously for some action. However, that craving was mollified on the journey back. I would like to report with much joy that the two men in my train compartment were probably gay. For anyone who doesn't know, the AC-2 compartment looks like this: (Trust me, its far more comfortable than it looks)

They appeared to be in their early thirties, though one was clearly a little older than the other and they looked nothing alike. Both sat on one of the upper seats the whole time, chatting away in low voices about nothing in particular and only separated for a few hours for the night (on a 17 hour journey). Two grown men sitting on the same upper berth is an oddity. The social norm on the Indian Railways is (for people) to sit on the lower berths during the day (even if the upper berth is the one assigned to you).


Between the two of them, they were sharing one bag and their meals. Finally, as far as I could see during my surreptitious observations, they seemed very comfortable and familiar with one another.

This may be an effect of the withdrawal-- it could be that they were long time friends. BUT I'd like to hope that I've at least learned to think of things that would not strike most people. Even if such thoughts would not and should not apply to most situations. Anywho, the two men on the train set the bells ringing in this woman's head. Kyaa! >_< So happy!


--x--
Current Mood: Relieved. Glad to be home.

As a rule, 
Man is a fool
When it is hot, he wants it cool
When it is cool, he wants it hot
Always what is not!

So that makes me a ...fujoshi?

Despite what most say, there is nothing wrong with being an otaku who just wants her yaoi.

...is what a test I just took on the subject told me. Such encouraging words. If you are interested, here is the link to the test. Its short and wonderfully accurate. ^^




The word fujoshi is a pun on the word for ''upper class lady", written with alternate kanji so that it means "rotten lady". For the uninitiated, fujoshi refers to die-hard BL fans i.e. girls who like boys who like boys. And 'Boys' refers to males of all ages, though I draw the line at shota.

This picture, found on google images, is also a marvelously accurate description of le me. (Should I say embarrassingly accurate?) The only two that don't fit are the ones about the clothing--since I'm not alone at home, I'm rather better clothed-- and about the dyed hair--my hair is of such a poor texture already that I don't dare dye. I'm not allergic to cats but a large part of my family is. I love them. My blog is dedicated to one.

Wikipedia notes some interesting points about fan preferences, which I found to be rather true for me. Particularly the point about "the borders between yaoi, shōjo manga and ladies' comics are quite permeable and fans of BL probably enjoyed both homosexual and heterosexual tales." However, "fans tend to prefer BL to non-BL shōjo manga... (there exists) a preference for BL over other forms of pornography, for example heterosexual love stories in ladies' comics...slash and yaoi fans are dismissive of mainstream hetero-sexual romance". 

Its true. While I do (sometimes) enjoy heterosexual romance, I'm more often than not, dismissive of it. In fact, as long as we are discussing heterosexual romance in manga, my absolute favorite is Threads of Time by Noh-Mi Young, which isn't tagged as a romance. Its a seinen, action manhwa.

I think such a preference exists because a yaoi romance just seems more passionate. There's an element of all or nothing involved. After all, a romance between two men can never be easy. But its not as though most stories dwell on the issue. However, I'm very curious about whether this preference stands true for all BL fans?

Finally, I'd like to add that this explains my near-compulsive urge to read and write about yaoi (mentioned here) whenever I look at the laptop. Which is very often in a day.  

Pooping on People: Easy lessons for birds

 Lesson 1: Aim

The most fundamental lesson for pooing on people. Important. Master this before you move on to others.

Aim for the head. If the target is vertical i.e. standing, the head will provide the largest uncovered surface area for your poop. Further, if the target has dark hair, the white of your poop will shine gloriously on a sunny day.

Lesson 2: Technique

This lesson will show you how to maximize the impact of your dropping. An easy tip: Cover the largest area possible. For this it is better to be seated a relatively higher than usual so that your droppings will fall over a larger area on the target, leaving no part untouched.

Lesson 3: Stealth

It is best if the target does not realize that a ready-to-poop bird is sitting on the branch above his/her head. More experienced targets will immediately move away and a good opportunity will have been wasted.

Congratulations! On having completed the three lessons described above, you have now grasped the basics of Pooping on People. You are encouraged to practice the lessons at least three times a week too keep your skills sharp.

Now that you have mastered the basics, you can challenge yourself to Poop on People in various fun and innovative ways. We have suggested a few examples:

• Pooing on a chair just before the target sits down.

• Aiming while flying.

• Aiming while the target is walking.

Note: The nearly-insurmountable aim of die-hard poopers is the Aim-while-target-is-walking-and-bird-is-flying. Send us a video if you have accomplished this feat, and we will spread your name and fame across the bird-pooing world.

To conclude our lesson, we would like to remind you that in some cultures, such as in India, it is believed that bird droppings bring good luck. To be precise, if a bird poops on a person, something good is in store for them. Refer to the Panchatantra story about the bird whose droppings were as valuable as gold --quite literally seeing as they actually were gold. Therefore, for the more considerate of our students, do not be afraid of causing your target any trouble. You are doing them a favour. So go! Spread the Poop!


Ever since she was little, the author has had the rare privilege of being the target of many pooping birds. Be it during a volleyball match in 5th grade, on her way back from the Calcutta High Court after an internship, before an interview with the university's law review, on the way to dinner, sitting idly with some friends in college, on a beach, in a cafe, on a holiday in Manali, while jogging and the most memorable so far: After a very expensive hair spa on her last birthday, the birds have always been drawn to her. 

---x---
Current Mood: Miffed
---x---

Tale of the Golden Droppings
(straight from the Panchatantra)

On the top of a mountain, there was a huge tree. In this tree, lived a certain bird, by the name of Sindhuka whose droppings always turned into gold.

One day, a hunter came to the spot to catch birds. While he was watching, this bird discharged its droppings. Immediately it turned into gold.

The hunter was wonder-struck and he thought to himself, 'I have been catching birds since I was a small child, but never have I seen the droppings of a bird turn to gold!'

So the hunter set a trap in the tree.

The foolish bird did not notice either the hunter or the trap and was caught.

The hunter took him out of the trap and put him in a cage.

Then he thought to himself, 'Now, before anyone finds out about this strange bird and reports it to the king, I had better go to him myself and present the bird to him.'

And so, he took the bird to the king and told him everything.

The king was delighted and said to his attendants. 'Look after this bird carefully. Give him food and water to his heart's content'.

But the king's minister said to him, 'Your Majesty! How can you trust the words of a mere hunter? Could it ever be possible to get gold from a bird's droppings! We advise you to take him out of the cage and release him'.

The king listened to his minister's advice and set the bird free.

Immediately, the bird perched himself on the top of a nearby gate and let fall his droppings which immediately turned to gold.

The wise indeed say : Check thoroughly even what seems to be impossible.

Little Big Soldier Not Review

The 2010 movie by Jackie Chan is set in China during the warring states period. A fifty-something Liang soldier captures a Wei general in the hope of collecting a reward once the war is over. The movie is good. Jackie Chan is cutting down on his action scenes as he grows older but that doesn't stop one from enjoying the movie. The acting is good, the ending is perfect and the bear's entrance stole the show. I highly recommend it.

However, this is not a review of the movie. There are plenty of reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and other sites. 

I'm only interested in whether it is realistically possible for the captured general--played by Wang Leehom who is described as a superstar all over the net-- to look so hot even though he is a hostage, has been rolling about in the mud and dirt under the sun for days, is bruised and cut, and has clearly not been moisturizing, shaving or bathing?! On the contrary, the mud and dirt, tastefully smeared over his chiseled face, only serves to further enhance his good looks!

A few examples:

And my favorites:

See? As a friend of mine once said about Colin Morgan of Merlin fame, "Thank you for your face." Don't get me wrong. This is not meant to take away from acting ability. I'm saying: In addition to great acting and singing, there's plenty of eye candy on the screen! 

As a side note on an earlier post where I commented on unbidden yaoiness that emerges occasionally in my mind: This movie was one of those occasions (eg. the scene before the bear). These occasions seem to happen quite often. *sigh* I need help! 

Current Mood: Very, Very Satisfied!

On picking up hindi after nine years...

... I discovered why I had dropped it in the first place. I really like the language, but absolutely hate the subject.

In school, I would have been one of those nerdy and quiet, 'straight-As' type of students, were it not for my consistent Cs and Ds in Hindi. Instead, I remained a nerdy and quiet type of student without ever achieving the redeeming quality of 'straight-As'.


My problems with the subject were never-ending and the largest of these was my spelling. I was losing close to 20 marks out of a 100 mark paper on spellings alone. But spellings in Hindi are easy. The word is spelled exactly as it is said. Unlike English or French. However... those damn vowels! Choti 'u' ki matra, choti 'e' ki matra... it all sounds like badi 'u' and badi 'e' ki matra to me!! (Quick translation: there are two ways of writing each vowel depending on whether there is a small emphasis on its sound in a word or a large emphasis on the sound but it never sounds like a small emphasis to me).

This also applies to consonants which are halved if there is only a slight sound of that alphabet. Some words like उत्तर (uttar or north) have one and a half of the same consonant! (Agreed. The example used is a very simple word.) Sometimes, there seems to be more than one way of writing a particular sound. The whole thing just came across as being very dodgy to me.

Second problem: Vocabulary. Unfortunately, as one taught in English-medium schools, growing up in South Bombay, with both parents speaking Hin-glish at home as they are used to using English thanks to their jobs, I didn't have much contact with the language. I'm not too interested in Hindi cinema either and at that time, didn't read Hindi books. As a result, I didn't pick up too much on the vocabulary or on muhavare (phrases?).

Third Issue: Handwriting. OK its not as though my handwriting in English is particularly famous for its neatness. But it is legible most of the time. Forget about another person reading it, even I can't decipher my handwriting in Hindi.

In ninth grade, when I came upon the rare chance to choose between Hindi, Sanskrit (the scholarly language of the ancients and mother of Hindi today) and French, I dropped all efforts at improving my knowledge of the mother-tongue and defected to a language of the Europeans and the UN.

Come full circle to today and if I clear the exams I gave in May, I find myself facing a Hindi challenge in December. As I discovered yesterday when I started relearning the subject, I don't even recall what seven or eight of the alphabets look like! And get quite confused between many of the others.This not something to be proud of. Am squaring myself to start  with the basics: writing down the varnmala (alphabet) five times. I can still read it somewhat comfortably though and obviously speak it fluently, if in simple words.

Thus now, to the subject that was once the bane of my existence, I say:





Current Mood: Confident, optimistic

Must be STRONG..

...by which I'm referring to not caving in to my unyielding love for BL (especially yaoi) manga. I discovered this awesome world about a year ago and have since then, with great effort of will, managed to cut down on my yaoi time to just a few hours a day. It was officially a problem because I was reading it whenever I was on my own... i.e. when I was supposed to be studying. Or attending classes. Or sleeping. Or eating. Or reading something else.

(Is it going too far if I liken my situation to that of Chief Hokutos...??)

However, there is no way I can regret falling in love with the genre. Buried within the giant mountain of BL literature - novels and manga, there are some truly amazing and touching stories. And it is such a pleasure to realize, while I'm reading a story, that it one of those gems. .

The me from 2 years ago scorned most romance for being 'pink fluff' that makes you gag. I think that 21 year-old Rimjhim would be angry with Rimjhim today -- a complete convert.

A massive thank you to mangakas and their publishers for creating such amazing work and to all scanlators for their efforts in bringing it to the rest of the world. I wish the manga market would pick up in India so I could buy them. It is far too expensive for an unemployed-law-graduate-preparing-for-various-exams to order them from abroad. Idle hopes of learning the languages are crushed as soon as I look at the vast syllabus for my exams later this year, but perhaps I'll get the chance to change this someday.

A note of caution though: Reading BL has given me an entirely new perspective on the male of our species. There are times when I'm looking at a person but only seeing the butt or thinking, "This guy is totally an uke." or "Imagine the two of them together." And so on...

*Sigh* As Haru puts it... Mom, Dad, I've become...

I need to get me one of these!

Confessions of an Eternal Procrastinator and Incurable Optimist

A month out of university and with the Exam scheduled for May 26, 2013 not looking too hot, I am finally forced to admit that I have a serious problem: Procrastination.

This is something I have been in denial about for about 7 years now, owing to the fact that I generally do reasonably well (not great) even with last-minute effort. Doesn't look like that will be the end result now. Immediate lessons learnt: (i) The UPSC requires more than a month of study (which everyone but me probably already knows) and (ii) is a risk not to be undertaken without a back-up job.

Nevertheless, one must not lose hope. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. If not this year, next year. A month out of college is no reason to lose hope with regard to the issue of the-all-important-source-of-income.

I have to wonder though: Does the combination of procrastinator and optimist make one a builder-of-castles-in-the-air? Is this never-ending optimism the root of my  problem? Methinks someone is starting to irritate herself.

Present Emotional State:
I feel a little like a traveler who accidently finds himself (herself) locked inside India's Mars Obiter, 30 seconds from launch on October 22, 2013. Of course, in this scenario, the accidental traveler's survival is tied solely to the success of the Mission. All considerations of food, oxygen, temperature, pressure, gravity, boredom, solar radiation, etc. are irrelevant.

This picture illustrates the point perfectly: (How I wish I was the one who drew this)

I must say though, the comparison above isn't meant to take away anything from what must be an experience beyond compare: actually looking at Mars through a spacecraft orbiting the planet.  

Higashino Keigo, Crime fiction novelist

                                                        The Devotion of Suspect X

A murder mystery from the masterful Higashino Keigo-sensei, the Devotion of Suspect X is the third book of his 'Detective Galileo' series and arguably one of the most mind boggling murders in the world of crime fiction. At the very outset, Keigo-sensei shows us the murder itself. We see how it happened, who did it and the motives behind it. The reader is then presented with a greater challenge: what is the perfect way to hide a murder?

                                                    

Salvation of a Saint

Another gem from the 'Detective Galileo' series, Salvation of a Saint follows largely the same detectives as they attempt to unravel a seemingly perfect murder. Is it possible to commit a murder from another city all by yourself? The reader is told who the murderer is at the very beginning, and then thrown in the dark with the detectives as they try to piece together the crime.

What strikes you first is the writing style. Simple and evocative, the translations by Alexander O. Smith reflect a writing style that reminds you of the discomfort of being in a bare, windowless room on a hot, sunny July afternoon with only a small table fan to provide some measure of relief. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean that it is difficult to read, only that the memory of it lingers. Note that there are is no flowery brandishing of the brush, but neat, straight, crisscrossing lines that form a maze with a most definite exit.

The content of the writing is thought-provoking. The books are a cultural experience if one is not Japanese nor has ever been there. We are given glimpses of the life of the average, modern-day Japanese person and of a culture that very different from what we know. Although translated in English, they retain the peculiarities of a new language and culture: such as in the politeness that often across. Are the Japanese ordinarily such a polite people?  

The books also offer interesting discussions on the human psyche, such as the motives behind the murder, the circumstances that influence certain actions or conclusions about a situation. What I found particularly intriguing was the question about the determination and resolve required to carry out a murder. Very few authors can make a reader look beyond the facts of the murder and peer into something much deeper and darker than mere facts.

As for the plot itself, there are no loopholes and the story is sound. The narrative is well-edited and flows at a natural pace, neither too fast nor too slow. Keigo-sensei possesses the rare ability to truly distinguish his characters from one another. In the questions asked by the detectives and the answers they receive, we are presented with the point of view of someone completely unaware of the 'how, why, who' of the murder (though the readers themselves already know this). The bystanders, witnesses, friends present a one-sided view that clearly lacks a comprehensive understanding of the situation. The different viewpoints keep the books, which reconstruct the incident over and over again, from getting repetitive or boring. On the contrary, keeping up with physicist Yukawa's ideas is a challenge in itself. 

Finally, for the reader who likes to solve the case along with the detectives, the answer is probably there in what you are reading but rather impossible to discern. Good luck though!

If there are any flaws in the books, it is that the writing can be a little too bare sometimes and that Detective Kusunagi doesn't seem to be quiet as smart as I'd like to think he is. Moreover, people who are a little impatient may find it hard to get through the first few chapters as Keigo-sensei lays down the foundation for the murder. Bear with it. It won't last for too long and in the description of everyday lives, he's giving you clues. Besides, there's a sure reward for your patience: an answer that lives up to your expectations.

Although I have only read two of his works, I can say with some confidence that Higashino Keigo is not a writer that should be missed. The two books mentioned above are amazing examples of both sound plot and solid writing. Perhaps I should try other Japanese authors. A Murakami Haruki that I read also used a similar simple, almost bare writing style, though the content was rather dark and depressing. Some people might consider such a style of writing bland, but I rather enjoy it. Besides, as a law student, I know bland. This is not it.

Next on my list: Manatsu No Hoteishiki by Higashino Keigo and Out by Natsuo Kirino.

Running in the Evening...

...seems to be much more fun. I went around five yesterday, when the sun was just starting to set. I'm home for the weekend, and home is by the Hooghly (a distributary of the Ganga). Although there's no path along the river, it is very windy and I had fun pushing against the cold wind as I ran. I should also point out that I wasn't as hungry and didn't have to spend the entire day after that, feeling the effects of the jog. 

Ok so I'm going to switch over to evenings now. With the setting sun.

Thank you NHS and Laura! I feel really, really good about this!

Bring on Week 4!

Couch to 5k-- Week 3 Day 1

W3: 5 min brisk walk, then two repetitions of: 90 sec jog, 90 sec walk, 3 min jog, 3 min walk

Before starting C25k, the maximum I could run was about a 100 meters before collapsing in complete defeat. Therefore, even though I managed the first two weeks without any trouble, I had my doubts about the 3 minute runs scheduled for this week. 

Sure enough, they turned out to be hard. Not as hard as I had thought though and I probably have the last two weeks to thank for that! Both runs were successfully completed, with around 350 meters covered in each of the three minutes. I know I have to go much faster and go on for much longer but for the couch potato-me, this is a small achievement! I found the first 3 mins harder than the second, but I was happily surprised to find that I actually recovered my breath during the 90 sec runs. With no aches or unnecessary fatigue to report, I'm feeling happy and motivated.

I am a little unsure about whether I'll be able to manage this run the next two times. The thing to remember is, it'll only get harder after this, so I have no choice but to manage the two 3-minute runs next time too.  

I really enjoy reading reviews or experiences of others on C25k. Its the best way to keep motivated. So if you are like me, and happened to stumble upon and read this post, then all the best! :) Keep at it! 

Thought for the day #2

Don't take life too seriously. You'll never get out of it alive anyway.

Thoughts on the thought:

I have no idea who first said this. Many thanks to Readers Digest for introducing me to the quote which has become part of my philosophy on life. Of course, there are times that I need to be reminded of it and most of the time, I need to be reminded to forget it.

These days, I need to forget it. Here's why: one first needs to have a life and livelihood in order to not take them seriously. I first need to come up with some serious plans for my life post-graduation before I can be 'not serious' about life post-graduation.

Big fat cats and papa bear

Comments on the changed name and address of the blog:

My big, fat cat is not the panda, as some may assume if they know the two of us. It is exactly what it says it is. Not that I have too many big, fat cats. Also, I love cats a little less than I love dogs, but on the whole, a lot more than I love other animals. 

Next, I'm most definitely on my way to becoming papa bear of 'The Three Bears' fame, given my choices in life. I don't necessarily think this is a bad thing, but it may cause some trouble for the family when they begin husband-hunting for their papa-bear girl. muahahahahaahahahahahahaha

Couch to 5k- Week 2 Day 2

First of all, I got round to keeping my New Year’s Resolution (Running so that I can become fit and lose some, or a lot of, weight) 17 days after the New Year began. Oh well, they say well begun is half done.

Couch to 5k, by the NHS, is a 9 week running/jogging plan that gets you from couch potato to running 5 kilometres in 30 mins. It consists of 30 minute podcasts for every run that tell you when to run and when to walk. Note that the podcasts are available for FREE: an important point for unemployed students like me. Each week they gradually decrease the walking time and increase your running time. With only 3 runs a week (every alternate day) for only 30 mins a day, this plan seemed perfect to get a couch potato like me running like a pro (or at least, off the couch).

It still is. For one who absolutely hated being sent on a jog early in the mornings, hated being pushed into sports at school, and has absolutely no stamina and hand-eye coordination (which I know is not required for a jog), I’m enjoying C25k far too much. Actually, I don’t hate exercise entirely--its just very difficult to get motivated and get started. Seeing as I’m starting to lose my initial zest for the programme, I thought I’d write about it on my blog to keep me motivated.

I prefer to go running in the morning. Since there arn’t any good parks nearby, I’m forced to run on the road. In the mornings, there are fewer people and I don’t have to worry about vehicles.

Week 1: 5 mins brisk walk, 60s of running and 90s of brisk walking alternated for 20 mins, then 5 mins brisk walk.

Inspite of my initial doubts about my ability to keep up with the plan, the 3 runs went smoothly without me thinking I need to stop and rest. It should be noted though, that after the first run, I spent the whole day in bed, absolutely fatigued, and until 10 that night, failed to notice that one of my toenails had scratched against the skin of the adjacent toe and drawn quite a bit of blood. Fortunately, second run onwards, I was fine.

Week 2: 5 mins brisk walk, 90s running and 2 mins walking alternated for 20 mins, 5 mins brisk walk.

This is fine too. I’ve been lucky enough to avoid any body ache or cramping of my muscles so far, but I’m certain Week 3 won’t be this kind. As I said earlier, I’m starting to lose my initial zest for the idea, but I still love the thought of being able to run 5k some day. Also, it feels great once I actually get started walking to the podcast, so I’m counting on my memory of that feeling to get me off my bed in the mornings.

Today’s run was a bit difficult, mainly because I ate almost nothing yesterday (due to a bad stomach) and had a cold when I woke up this morning. Nonetheless, the run was fun and completed without too much trouble.

Notes to self for future runs:

• Wake up earlier. At present, I leave around 7 a.m. However, as winter is receding and days getting longer, the sun is rising earlier and by 7.30, its almost sunny. 
• Need New Shoes and Shorts.
• Go potty before runs. I read this on another blog and couldn’t agree more with the writer.

Progress on weight loss and fitness:

I haven’t checked any weighing machines, but my waist feels just a bit thinner already. You know, you can tell with the fit of your clothes. Even more accurate: the notches on your belt. I may just be seeing things, but I really do think they fit better.    

I would like to assume I’m on my way to becoming fitter. By next post, I’ll try to find a more objective standard.