Runners, yeah we are different.

Lately with all the new changes in my life, it has become really tough to find time for running on a weekday. Gone are those days when I used to go out for a run everyday.... so as a result of all these changes and no time for running, I have been running on the treadmill on weekdays, and I hate it, I get bored to death in a 7K run, but this is the only option left now.. I generally carry my running shoes to office, run in the Gym and then take a shower and start working.

After the Ultra my old shoes are retired now, so like any runner, who doesnt have a dress code in office they have become my office shoes!!! :) But these are not the shoes that I would be running Mumbai marathon in. I use the Asics Gel Nimbus 10, so the retired shoes are Asics gel nimbus (blue color) and the ones which I use for running are Asics Gel Nimbus 10 (blue color). To a non runner this might look a little odd, imagine I am standing in the office lift, Wearing a pair of running shoes, with a similar looking running shoes in my hand. For those who don't know I am very very possessive about my running shoes, and for some strange reason known to me and my "biwi" I dont like to keep them in a polythene bag.

I enter the changing room, take off my running shoes and step into a similar looking pair of shoes, and go for a run. Well I was doing this since monday and finally one of my coworkers asked me that why do you change your shoe when you can very well run in the pair which you are already wearing, mmmmmm I tried explaining it to him, but he wasn't convinced, must have thought of me as a fool..... anyways, Runners... Yeah we are different!

**********************************************************************************
I guess this thread needs a little updation....

You know you are a runner when:

1) you see 21.1 Km in your car odometer and realize that you car has done a half marathon since you got your tank refilled
2) your car boot is filled with a pair of running shoes, some socks, a couple of running shorts and Goodie bags from your last marathon
3) you would find energy gel packs in your glove box
4) your office desk is filled with sippers you got as part of the goodie bags in marathons
5) when you argue with your coworkers that the nearby restaurant is not a kilometer away but its 700 mts, and no we don't need to drive there

Objects of Desire

The latest is TREK 4300 2010 model. Here it is:


The specification are as follows:

Frame: Alpha Black Aluminum w/ semi integrated head tube, formed down tube w/integrated gusset, formed top tube, monostay seatstay, forged dropouts w/rack and fender mounts, replaceable derailleur hanger

Front Suspension: Spinner 300, 100mm

Wheels : Shimano HB-M65 F& FH-M65 R hub; Bontrager Ranger rims

Tires : Bontrager Jones XR 2.25 F, 2.20 R

Shifters : Shimano EF50, 8 speed

Woh ek gaana....

This post is inspired from Topi's latest blog post

My favorite song would definitely be a Mohd Rafi track, and it is "Tumne Mujhe dekha" from Teesri Manzil. Released in the year 1966 it is another masterpiece by Nasir Hussain, and directed by Vijay Anand starring Shammi Kapoor (the Lover boy of that era), Asha Parekh (the chirpy Girl as Topi likes to call her), Premnath, Prem Chopra (who was graduating to be a full time villian) and legendry actor KN Singh.

The film was a musical thriller, with awesome music by RD Burman and mind blowing lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri. This is one song to which I can listen to again and again, and infact during my drive to office this is the first song I listen to.The cinematography, lyrics, and expressions are too good.

Just wondering that without Mohd Rafi's amazing voice would shammi kapoor have had the same image in Indian Cinema ? With songs like "Chahe koi mujhe Jungli kahe" which gave Shammi Kapoor his identity as a careless lover boy of the 1960s.

My favorite stanza from the song:

कहीं दर्द के सेहरा में, रुकते चलते होते,
इन होटों की हसरत में, तपते जलते होते,
मेहेरबान हो गयी, जुल्फ की बदलियाँ,
जानेमन जानेजां .......

video on Youtube:

Confused

Scenario:
I went to SBI (State Bank of India) to open a PPF (Public Provident Fund) account.

Reality Check:

The Documents required for opening of this account are as follows:

1) Address Proof

-Yay, I have a lot of address proofs! Water Bill, electricity bill, Rent agreement, but all are in my flat owners name, since I am on rent here, they are not in my name, so what, they still would be valid. When the Election Commission of India accepts it, so should they, attached with a valid Identity proof, and nationality proof
Reality Check: No they are not valid, you need an address proof in YOUR Name. Now that seems a tough task, why don't these government authorities sync with each other, why do you require "n" number of documents for "n" different purposes.

-Oh okay, I have a Landline and Mobile Phone in my name, and on this address, and the good news is that they do accept these private suervice provider's bills. But since I wanted to be nature friendly, I have registered for e-bill, obviously in order to save paper. So I can take a printout from my online account (of the mobile pohone service provider) and that should work!
Reality check: No you need a bill which has been delivered to your address, but what happens to the nature, I have registered for the e-bill. Well then I cancel that, wait for a month, get the bill and will use that. Now I want to cancel the paper bill and want to revert back to the e-bill, but there is some error / miscommunication, I don't know what, and the paper bill still keeps coming, f*&k with nature....

- Can I use the company letter stating that I live on this address, since the Passport authority of India accepts this, so should SBI. Isn't Passport authority of India more concerned about frauds and security ?
Reality Check: No they don't accept this, my company needs to have all salary accounts with them......

2) Passport Copy

-Wow I have that !

3) PAN Card:

-I have that as well!

But this bloody address proof gives me frustration every time I go to these authorities. I just hope that after the unique UID assignment these problems wont creep up. But wait, isnt that a Govenrment authority as well ? Weren't there already enough number of identities available? I am confused

Chutti hai.....

UP must be the only state in this country where we have so many leaves. Just spoke to Dad and found that they have 5 DAYS OF HOLIDAY. The breakup is as follows:
1) Vishwakarma Pooja
2) Jamat ul vida
3) maharaja agrasen jayanti
4) id-ul-fitr
2 and 4 I agree are regular festivals, but has anybody heard of "Maharaja Agrasen" ? Somebody save this state from Behenji....
A little googling gave me this info:
Maharaja Agrasena (also Agrasen) (Devanagari: अग्रसेन) was a legendary Indian king of Agroha, a city of traders, from whom the Agrawal and Agrahari clan traces its origin. He is credited with the establishment of a kingdom of traders in North India, and is known for his compassion in refusing to slaughter animals in yajnas
It seems that Behenji is out wooing the Baniya community now, she has anyways declared a State holiday for Parshuram Jayanti (in order to woo the Brahmins).

Wear an old coat, buy a new Book

Thanks to some Shopper's stop gift vouchers. I pampered myself with some new books

1) A corner of foreign field - Ramchandra Guha
2) Witout Fear (Bhagat Singh's Biography_ - Kuldip Nayar
3) Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien (wanted to buy this since a long time)
4) A thousand splendid Suns - Khalid Hosseini
5) Kafka on the shore - Haruki Murakami

And I am very happy now!