Pilot by Birth, India by pics, Seatbelt! Mathroobootham!

#294

Housekeeping:-

1) With me outvoted 4-1 by all ladies at home,first time,Radhu took Lalitha for a movie in our 27 years of married life! Usually,I take Lalitha to movies (Which are only 7# in 27 years) Of course, being a Julia Roberts movie, Lalitha loves watching JR movies (Erin Brokovich, Pretty woman etc which she watched on TV) I didn't make a hue and cry! It seems "WONDER" is an awesome movie about a story of boy with facial differences! IMDb rates movie 8.1! Awesome. As my A movie a year quota is done for 2017, with Dunkirk, I need to give this great movie a miss!

2) It was great evening with wearing new shirt kids presented, yesterday was my Birthday as per Indian Almanac, (I was born Karthik Month, Karthik Full moon, so named so)! as usual celebrations were given a miss at home. For a change Lalitha posed as was son who are both camera shy hahahha!! 

I got a whatsapp video of a 6 year boy Adam talking to Etihad Pilot, Samar, about all the Nitty-gritty of Flying! I dived deep to get the full story and boy! it was awesome and heart warming! The kid knows A to Z of flying! Being from Honeywell, I can relate to some of the terms of what he says! I am very sure he would captain a flight one day in future, God Willing!

Clyde Roe is my Monsanto colleague,spent some time here and was fascinated. He sends photos of India as he sees them as awesome. Even as an Indian,who come across 10s of photos a week, I am fascinated by things that are new to me! No wonder India is sub continent of contrast.There is nothing that is common, one bit, that unites us as Indians, more so a divisive, polarising, stupid, ass hole government of thugs governs us over last 3 years,still we co-exist as 1.3 Billion people?Some magic I guess!!

I was shocked to read "THE HINDU" editorial on Road deaths. About 155,000 Indians die on road every year. That is almost equal to the whole population of City of Basle. ( My first port of call 1994, so strong love for the city too) But other end of spectrum is stupid ways INDIAN behave in not wearing Helmet or seat belts!! You invite trouble!! Please use for your family sake! 

Mathroobootham pens an awesome column in HINDU I don't  miss here is today's one on Stupid Digital Money!! ahhahah!!! 

Leave you with some images!! heheh!!

Take it easy, take care,stay safe, God Bless

Karthik

3/12/17

1130am. 

26/11, Midnight Line, Rooster Bar, Bra-ffiti!!

#293

Housekeeping:-

1)Turning 55 on Thursday (30/11) was a sombre affair.No celebrations or dinner. Usually dad calls that day to wish and chide me, especially last 3-4 years, டேய் கார்த்தி, என்னடா 52 வயசு ஆச்சு இன்னும் பொண்ணுக்கு கல்யாணம் பண்ணல நீ,52 வயசுல நான் தாத்தா ஆயாச்சு !!As though, she waits for my approval!! hahahh!! miss u dad! Children from different generation and thinking, insisted I cut a piece of cake, making a wish! I obliged!

2) People who come to see me in my room at Hyderabad,(This is kind of my permanent room at the resort)are usually stunned to see the position of TV. I have put practically near waste basket! It has been five years since I tuned TV. Only when in Bangalore,I watch 930am BBC news. Even that gone now!! Who would watch stupid shows!

26/11 like 9/11 and 7/7 is a watershed moment, while terrorists took the country as hostage for a few hours, it must be mentioned that that was the last major terror incident over the last 9 years. Today, I would be very much shocked and astonished if such event repeats in India or anywhere is developing world. Even major blasts would be a thing of the past. Odd incidents of "drive to kill"l may happen. Intelligence gathering, data crunching, facial recognition camera, collective participation of the agencies and global support to work to rout terror attacks are high on priority on all government list. Bush, Blair, Man Mohan Singh must be credited for working no nonsense measures which the successive governments worked putting aside the differences.

I finished "Midnight Line" #Jack Reacher book. Awesome book, Reacher works with a team and brings his team work, listening skills in to fore. Lee Child touches up on the key aspect high end drugs which acts as soothing agent for war veterans who undergo the trauma of Physical and emotional traumatic stress disorder. Reacher is back to his old way no women, no sex while in act, which makes it more likable. For, me work and sex dont mix! Never ever!! Yes,nothing like reading book from Pages!! I started but then due to travel moved to Playbook version! Good news was 1) Son ordered the book! 2) Daughter too turning to Reacher fan! She finished #1-Killing Floor,(The book which made me a Reacher fan, 2002 or so!). Only Lalitha left!! hahah! She and English crime fiction!! போங்கடா வெண்ணை!!! 

If Lee Child came with Thriller and problem solving, Grisham is in elements at his wit best and awesome crooked law students in "ROOSTER BAR" 3 law graduate students rip the Capitalistic world of USA apart exposes the loopholes, scam in the system. I must say, with me away from Twitter, Facebook etc, it had given me so much time to read books and I finished in 3 nights or so in Google playbooks. I enjoyed the book and I recommend, if you want some light hearted stuff on a very serious issue. Finishing that I am on "David Baldacci" "The End Game". Day time read is "HIGH PERFORMANCE HABITS" by Brendon Burchard, A hands on practical guide, every 20+ person, entering critical aspects of life like Job, masters study, married life must read! 

Hahahhahah! I am never a boob watcher!never fascinates me, so when in IN BOX Bra' ffiti came as pdf, I watched the message than the background!! hehehh! Enjoy! 

I leave you with our teen days memory of things that we enjoyed would be hard to find in 2017! 

Ok, Take it easy, take care, stay safe, God bless

Regards
Karthik.

2/12/17, 1115am. 

MBS, Lakshmi, Leadership crisis Why?? Never go out naked not even for a second!

#292

Housekeeping:-

1) Mom's Angiogram scheduled for tomorrow. I am thankful for all the messages that are coming in expressing support and comfort. I shall keep you updated. Thank you so much.

2) Amazing, my son got my mom an awesome new cell phone. Not that mom's phone was shipwreck,but son said it had lived its life change of time change of mobile!! hahah!! I recollect getting Silk Saree's for my Grandmother in 80s with my salary. So mobiles are new Silkuu what பாட்டி want!! 

MBS????? What's that? 

If you have been reading the Economist, you would have got it!! like MMS here who worked the reforms in PVNR in 1991 to make India what it is! MBS is Mohammad-Bin-Salman, the crown prince who is set to become King of Saudi Arabia within next 12 months or so. At the very young age of 32, he has good 50 years to work his plans. MBS over past 20+ months has been quietly leading reforms. Yes, it is uphill struggle even for a man of his calibre with Wahhabi clerics, 1500 Cousins etc who may want to sit in the throne! I think, slowly he is sidelining and quietening all his detractors. As long as Saudi people have no discontent with his action, I see smooth sail for him. Many people to whom I speak across world agree that Saudi Arabia would go back to its 1970s Moderate Islam ism under MBS say by 2032 or so!! I would bet for that happening! If MBS fails, then it is bloody civil war with Iran getting emboldened. 

I hardly watch any Tamil content in videos or movies other than some Comedy snippets. I think I have seen few clips of Madras Central which has made me laugh out loud..... So I was curious when there was a twitter outrage on short film, Called "LAKSHMI" in which a middle class working housewife in an attempt to take out her frustration on her husband's extra marital affair,flirts with a guy. I have watched the film. I am firmly with the lady,she did no wrong. The sacrosanct relationship of marriage is terms of equal with both taking vow to fulfil their part faithfully. If one strays off, the relationship is then null and void and no point in blaming the other person to do what they do! Gone are days when Men can do what they like and women have to put up with it. "MEN WIRED FOR SEX WOMEN FOR LOVE" can't work as excuse for men to do what they want to do! With women becoming more educated, independent, stronger in social upliftment, they would hit back with vengence. Also,I am astonished at the outrage, that such ideas propogated, would push middle class women to try out relations out of marriage?? Seriously?? Give me a break!!! 

Like Italian city bus,that come to bus stop, I also quickly watched another Tamil Short movie clip!! It was just awesome!! When you have to die, you will die! no matter how much respite you have been given by St.Peter/Chiragupta!! ahhahah! Watch it, it is funny I tell you! As movie has English sub title any one can watch! I did so with my kids! Another matter, did they see it??? 

One of the biggest crisis we see across world across spectrum is the lack of leadership to guide people be it country or corporate. Leadership is pathetic, timid, inept, inefficient, incompetent, irrational, idiotic, insulting at all levels. I keep saying to my son that Indian shit hit the fan in 1988 to land in a mess we are in!! I would any day go back to India of 1988,it means no wife,no kids,no Internet,no flights to fly at moment's notice etc. (I would have always found them)... But it would have given back the days, people who care for each other,empathy,developing people, organisations which put values first, leaders who show actions with visible felt leadership at workplace etc. I think as for the world, it is in shitty state ever since 2008 crisis when lack of leadership, Greed is good took deep routes. I was triggered of this thought when I watched this awesome clip of Al Pacino in Scent of a woman, in which he shreds to peices the school board for lack of courage, integrity, the cradle of leadership that is broken and is pathetic. This act won him the Oscar and it will be 25 years of his achievement. 

Ok Enough of serious stuff, I would leave it with some funny stuff which I enjoyed!! Never go out Naked, not even for a second, no one would see!! hehehehhe!!!! Don't beleive me, watch this footage!

Some funny memes to chill maadi!! 

Innocent heart never sleeps, Krishna said so good folks wont get sleep, dont get scared if insomonia 

Take it easy, take care,stay safe, God bless
Regards
Karthik
13/11/17 1830 Hrs. 

Obituary, Tribute, Hoodwink, அடிங்கொ !!

#291

Housekeeping:- 

1) It has been good 3 months since I posted here. Dad's passing away, the following protocols of 45 days mourning as elder son as well as my work committment of 20+ days in Hyderabad rural has left me no time to post my thoughts here. I am now at #Bangalore on a 10 day break.(Today Dad's 3rd Month rituals,all done!) I would like to post some thoughts over next few days when I am here.

2) I have finished reading "What Went Wrong"by Hillary Clinton" an amazing one from her on the analysis of her failure to win the 2016 Elections. A must read for people to learn from failure. With so many fiction to read for me, the fact that I managed to complete the book shows how gripping it has been.

I received this short 7minute video this week from a friend. I am just amazed at people who rush through their life and then gone in a flash without realising how much they missed the people dear and near to them.I know of few cases of people whose life is taken away in their 30s, 40s without having spent quality time with their family and those whom they left behind feeling so helpless about everything or not having moments to cherish. For me personally, I was very lucky that I listened to Jack Welch, a good 2 decades back. Jack and  Suzy always maintained that it is never Work-Life balance, but Work-Life CHOICE. When you have one,you don't have the other! Of course, family always comes first and so the choice has to be managed sensibly with an agreed plan to share time with dear and near on a Monthly, Quarterly, Annual, Decade plan. Only a stupid would say that I should have worked more in his death bed. In these stressed out, rated out, corporate world of last decade or so, it is very easy to miss out long term loses for short term gains. I am glad I never got sucked in to this post year 2000 mad rush and bailed out just in time. 

This was an advertisement for family and freedom in Singapore, but a very powerful message on little imperfections of men! The wife gives an Eulogy at the funeral of her husband. It reminded me of Dad, Me!! (Hhahah! Last night 2am, Lalitha awaken by my Snoring!! hehehe she was sleeping good 10 feet away!) 

I laughed out so much!! Folks never get hoodwinked by pretty looking sales girls who would drown you by their sweet talk and flattery! No one is immune to this disease,even men in their 40s who want to look 20s!It is your hard earned money!! Be prudent, live the life you want, and always learn to say "NO"!! 

I am not convinced by all the outrage that idiots in Social Media are generating over "INDIGO" incident. This looks an outlier of a couple of rogue staff you would encounter anywhere in service sector. In my travel over last 24 years      (Since 1993 which would have now touched nearly 1000 Flights over 4 continents) I have not come across a single cabin crew,or support staff or agents who had been rude to me despite my pushing my point through argument. Of course,they push their policy,and if u do not like it do not fly the airlines. Indigo of this new boarding process in non aerobridge in to bus is an absolute rubbish or Emirates hell bent on 1peice cabin bag!Give me a break, I stopped flying Emirates!  However, the Meme are earth shattering!!

Take it easy, take care, stay safe, God bless

Karthik.

12/11/17 1420 Hrs. 

Grieving & Counselling! Once More Indian system shit hits the fan!

#290
There are only two things in this world that are certain. One is Death and the other is Taxes!!!

While there are good mechanism, people with capability exist to manage Taxes, I am not sure in our Indian Eco system there are good measures available to handle DEATH!

Even a strong minded, emotionally stable person like me is beginning to feel the strain of losing my father, a good 100 hours after lighting his funeral pyre.  In my case,Father's passing away was  more or less anticipated with a question of "When" rather than "IF" ever since my Urologist clearly told me he had just weeks in his account once secondaries surfaced. I cant help wonder in situations,where a dear /near ones depart a world in a more tragic situation like young age, accidents, body not traceable or murder which leads to its own trauma and mental shock what kind of solace, support, counselling, grieving exist for people to recover and lead a normal life in say weeks/ months????

This is where a system need to exist for managing stress/strain through professional counselling and offering comfort and solace. I am not sure I could have reached out to any one through a professional network and seek a remedy. More, I see the system, more I feel and proved right that asking for help is assumed as a symbol of weakness in our environment rather than seen assumed as a symbol of strength. 

I am glad that I had worked my Emotional / Spiritual / Social / Physical energy and intelligence through my western way of wiring my mind to face such eventualities.  This is now fully coming handy. I am positive that I shall overcome this situation with my way and thought process I have built in. Things will be all right in a few days. ( This blog post is an expression to seek solace, vent) Once again, this goes to prove my point of view that anything INDIAN other than Indian wife is not trustworthy dependable when push comes to shove or nothing exist to which you can reach out! 

Dad's departure also now exposes me to a new world out there which calls for different sets of rules and protocols. Restricted food items, times and types of meals a day, fasting etc, aligning to solar/lunar calendar, have now become norms to which I never bothered adhering to as long as he was around.

We are proceeding with the rituals, we have done 7 days so far. I must say time flies, tomorrow this time (735pm) would have been a week since Dad departed this world. Lalitha, Uma, Mom are doing their best to meet the needs of the departed aathma until it finds its resting place in heaven on the 11th/12th day.

Finally, I am just amazed/stunned by the phone calls, personal visits, email, whats app, Twitter, Face book on people who have expressed their condolences, support, consolation to us. Dad's departure had opened an opportunity to  build bridge with relatives in the second and third circle, which were practically defunct/ frozen for whatever reasons. I am also touched with people travelling 4-5 hours by flight/road to reach Karaikudi and spend 30 minutes with us, shows their love and affection for Dad.

Take it easy, take care, Stay Safe.
Regards
Karthik
21/8/17 1945 Hrs.

Dad 10th Day Dasaasthu Intimation!

10th Day Ceremony Announcement:- (Dasaasthu) 
We like to announce with grief, the passing away of our Beloved Father, Dr TM Balasubramaniam , aged 80, Retired Deputy Director, #CECRI, Karaikudi, on Tuesday, 15th August 2017 at 1930 Hrs at our residence in Karaikudi. TN.

The Dasaasthu, 10th day ceremony and onwards for Athmaa Shanti shall be conducted at his residence, “GAYATHRI Niwas, 4, Pillayar Koil Street, Sekkalai, Karaikudi, 630002, (Opp Mena Hall) on Thursday 24th August 2017, from 1030am Onwards. 

Kannan Vadhiyaar who is our family priest for 15 years ( His late grandfather was too, 1973-2002) would lead the rituals. 

The 13th day subha karyam shall be performed on Sunday 27th August from 11am onwards. 

We seek your participation.

Regards
Karthik and Lalitha
Anand and Uma.
Phone 04565 224517 (Land Line)
9443685391.
Karaikudi
18th Aug 2017
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

அன்புடையீர் 

எங்களது அன்பு தகப்பனார் Dr  TM பாலசுப்ரமணியம், வயது 80, retired #CECRI காரைக்குடி, அவர்கள் 15/8/17 செவ்வாய் அன்று இரவு 730 மணி அளவில் சிவலோக பிராப்தி அடையந்தார்.

10ம் நாள் தசாஸ்து காரியங்கள் 24.8.17 வியாழன் காலை  1030 மணி  முதல் காரைக்குடி செக்காலை , பிள்ளையார் கோயில் தெரு ,மேனா ஹால் எதிரில் உள்ள எமது இல்லத்தில் (காயத்ரி நிவாஸ்) நடை பெறும்.

13ம் நாள் சுப காரியம் கிரேக்கியாம் 27.8.11 ஞாயிறு நடை பெறும்  

தாங்கள் கலந்து கொண்டால் நன்று 

கார்த்திக் & லலிதா 
ஆனந்த் & உமா 
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Update:- 19/8/17 930am
We completed the 5th Day ceremony. Made up pouring holy water, food ,honey,milk, curd and covered Day 1,2,3,4 as well. This was same place where grandfather's ceremony was done 1995. The same room, all 3, GF,GM and dad's soul departed.

Karthik
19/8/17
Karaikudi, 945am. 

It is sinking in.... Dad is no more!

#289

As I posted on my Facebook page, Father, Dr TM BALASUBRAMANIAN, passed away on 15th AUG 2017. Coincidentally his father, my grandfather passed away on 25.1.95 and was cremated on Republic day the day after. The end was painless and swift. I saw inner peace in his face. While I was strong and composed while pouring the "AGNI" on his chest and fire engulfing his body in minutes, 8 hours later that night, when I was going through old pictures of his life, something gave in and I cried a lot a good 24 hours post his departure.  Anand and I immersed his ashes at Cauvery river at Trichy.  I posted the announcement of his departure in today HINDU (TN Edition)

The 10th to 13th day ceremonies are being held as indicated above to complete the Athmaa get its blissful resting. 

I am already beginning to feel the change that I need to adapt and wonder how being a son with father around absolves /relieves you of many types of ritual you need to undertake to fulfil human obligations, more so if you are the eldest.

I am amazed at the support we as family got from our relatives, friends, CECRI colleagues, well wishers for all logistics support for his last journey as well as consolation and emotional support that has been pouring in. Touching to hear people/relatives who have marriages in their family in coming days, putting aside preparation for a joyous event and participating in the grieving. Some folks even ready to accompany on Dad's last journey only to be firmly refused to participate by our family priest. in view of health/oncoming marriage a happy event soon. Goes to show if you want to see how popular a man was, watch his funeral procession. Thank you everyone. 

The family deeply thanks the medical services of Doctors who treated him as well as the Nurse whom we hired to take care of his needs over the last 6 weeks. The girl did a superb job in meeting the medical needs and make his last days a bit more comfortable than normally possible for a terminal illness patient.

Dad a life well lived! Mother may have some tough time to be all alone after 55 years of living her life adapting to father's needs and now has to charter her own path. I / we the children, have given her the choice to work her path as she sees fit and would support all the decisions she takes. 

Regards

Karthik

18/7/17 1145am.