My First Su-Do-Ku Solve

hahaha.. did it!!

Always thought that I was incapable of the logic and the time that required to solve a su-do-ku puzzle.

Here is the solved puzzle :) - the bold numbers were given, i put in the unbold ones :D and am pretty pleased.

This is indeed the solved one..(for those skeptics out there) See how the computer solution(of a different su-do-ku) appears below.

This was a medium su-do-ku.

The Seventh Month

BOY!!

My last post was at the end of June. This one at the beginning of August. Where was I the whole of July? Man.. What can I say?

July seems to have disappeared into vapors for me. So many things crammed into one month, it spins my head to think I really pulled it off.

It all started with the wait to begin my long awaited vacation from the 4Th of July, the first three days of July seemed never to end. Then came 4Th of July and there I was, pretty pleased with having received all the relatives. Ready for the events to come on. 5 Th and 6 Th went away in shopping for stuff. Thanks to Rafi Bhaiya and Sartaj bhaiya, it was a blissful time. Great discounts and some not so great (you know, FIXED COST, NO BARGAINING type shops he he) in the end the experience simply added to the fun.

Then 6Th July was the time for me to get tense about the forthcoming days. Am I good enough? Will I be able to justify myself? Will I perform (on stage) well? Am I ready for this? All silly questions. Made me miserable for some time. but the constant goings and comings of friends, relatives and everyone kept me quite occupied.

There was never a time i felt so lonely at the start of the day and so well cared for by the end of the day, never ever in my life!!!

7th July will be quite an unforgettable day. I kind of lived my whole life in that one day. The morning wasn't anything spectacular. I was sitting around doing nothing. Those questions surfacing again. My best friend was occupied somewhere else. No one was there beside me. At a time when i was about to enter another life, I sat alone, doing nothing. But soon, my sisters took charge and took all the trouble to make me up to be a good-looking bridegroom. And hence commenced my first facial ever. HAHAHA. Then came the head massage and i was cleared. Then came Badar to gift me those spectacular watches he bought for me. That was a great feeling. And I was no longer alone. I was literally swarmed. After this the pace never slowed down a bit. Things kept happening at such a fast pace... it seems a blur now.

There were serious deadlines to be kept in reaching the function hall. My in-laws wanted it to be a punctual affair. So did I. So there were quite a few things to be done before leaving for the function hall. The room had to be decorated for which i had to get an electrician who would drill a hole to set up a mosquito net!! hahah.. bloody electrician understood my need and over-charged me. Lemme get my hands on him once. I will make him realize what a mistake it was.

Did some shopping in my colony, where I chanced upon a set of my in-laws, surprised to see me out and about. Soon it was time to start for the hall. In the back of a Toyota Qualis and my dadiammi(granny) in it. I holding onto her wheelchair from banging into the seat with another cousin of mine. That moment, being with my granny when going to the Nikah was one of the highlights of the day. It made me so happy.

The bride's side was getting ready at the hall with all preparations in place. Me and the bride (Sameera) reached the function hall (Pavan garden) within 10 minutes of each other. Offered the prayers at the function hall. Three of them (Asr, Maghrib and Isha). It was time to get ready after maghrib. I put on my Sherwani, which was quite hard to do, had to seek help from a cousin to put the top most buckle. And there that in place, i headed for the stage. On the way i could see old friends reaching the function early. waving to them i reached the stage and once again, I was ALONE! nobody to keep me company. My friends busy with their own stuff. soon some friends joined me on stage. I felt better. Then the Qazi came and performed the paper-work. Meanwhile Imam saheb delivered a lecture on the importance of marriage which i missed as i was busy with paperwork. This happened so fast, by the time i realized what was happening it was done.

My marriage. With one "Maine Qubool kiya!!" I was married!!

After the sermon in Arabic and Dua in Arabic-Urdu started the flow of invitees. The Hyderabadi Dulha (bridegroom) has to complete nearly 1200 hugs (approx). 3 to each person. So there was the performance i was talking about. Never in my life have I hugged so many people - known and unknown. :D

It was a little too much to handle. The constant press on my lungs made me nauseating and my head started throbbing. I was down and out. I was sick. Dinner followed and I never thought that I would not eat at my own wedding!! Reminded me of my Sister's reception, where I didn't perform too well either.

Had a nice laugh later with Moin. The rest room event is one of the most funniest things to happen in July. Hahahaha.. (not to be shared here!!)

After that came the most wonderful part. Well, :) It was time to meet my bride :D Which will be one of the happiest moments in my life.

After some rituals of farewell we both were allowed to get back home to sleep.

Valima - The reception went well. I was much careful. Giving lighter hugs and drinking water intermittently. I was very very careful and in the end it paid off. I had a gala time at the dinner with chilly chicken and stuff.. hmmmmmmm.. and next day we were supposed to leave for Kashmir so we tried to wrap up stuff faster and leave and wake up early in the morning.

Well it was a short trip but filled with the entire gamut of experiences that I will again not forget. I will put the trip into telegraphic style.

We reached just in time for the check-in. Took the flight. Reached Delhi. Baggage Missing. Missed connecting flight. Stayed in Delhi - 1 day. Visited important places (India Gate, Metro, Presidential Palace, Red Fort). Reached Srinagar. Tight Security. Beautiful Mountains. Great Hospitality. Went to Gulmarg. Amazing Place. Horse Ridings. Lovely Food. Went to Pehelgaum. Nice Road. Cool Water. Great Views. Got Back to Srinagar. Houseboat. Wonderful Experience. Dangerous Shikara Ride in Night. Good News of Ayesha. Pleasant Shikara Ride in the Morning. Water Sled ride. 5 star buffet!! Next morning Flight to Delhi. Met Harpreet (friend). Reached Hyderabad. Baggage Missing. :)

My Sister was leaving for the US right at the moment we landed at Hyderabad Airport. Me and Sameera rushed out to meet her and we reached just in time. Gave her some Kashmiri mementos and bade her farewell. Then All our household got busy with Ayesha's good news. i.e. Her wedding. Fastest planned wedding I ever experienced. One Week Flat. And everything went smooth Alhamdullilah. Went to her Reception in a Bus. Which indecently got stuck deep in mud. The proposed time of departure that was 12 a.m. turned out to be 7 a.m. All the while we were awake. Trying to get the bus out. Helping with bricks and granite to no avail. It had to be a bull dozer and 4 rounds of a 9mm steel rod between the bus and the dozer to get that thing out. Unforgettable experience. Maybe a blog in itself. 20 days of the month already gone!!

I reported back to office. The last week of the month in office, trying to work. In the meantime, got an infection and got a bad cough. Father-in-law left on 28th by which time had to attend some delicious dinners. Awesome.

So this is it. Not a complete account by any stretch of imagination but mandatory. I will most probably write about the firsts that I did during the Kashmir trip. Till then. Have fun. Keep Praying for me as I pray for you. PEACE

The Wailing II

Before you start reading, please read the first part of this post. Here

Back to her desk, she begins her work. Her phone begins vibrating before emitting the louder notes of her ring tone from her purse. It is Abhi on the line.

"How are you feeling?" he asks.

"I am fine" she says.

"I got a call from Dr. Pratima; she said the results are in. Are you sure, you want to go there alone?"

"Yes, I'll manage, don't worry. I'll be coming home after the Clinic. So it's OK"

She had almost forgotten about the appointment. After notifying her boss, she proceeds to the lift. The lift is painted bright to keep the riders from feeling claustrophobic. Colors that represented happiness, the exact opposite of what she is feeling right now. The uneventful lift journey takes her to the ground floor. She hires a taxi and directs it to the Clinic.

On the way to the clinic, while the taxi waits for the lights to change, she sees a couple of half naked kids going from car to car begging for alms. Some windows opened, some did not. One of the kids carrying an infant, for added impact. The infant, started crying, flooding back the memory of the wailing she heard at her desk. That turning her off, she closed her eyes for the rest of the journey, trying not to think of anything but her meeting at the clinic.

The Clinic was the exact same as she remembered the last time she visited. The same bland white walls, with varying shapes of dried moss due to water logging, turning black. One would expect a clinic to be much cleaner. The insides were much better. Almost like a scientific lab, totally sterile. She approached the desk with a deep sense of foreboding.

She knew something was not right from the day she had the abdominal pain and dizziness. She thought it would pass, but it did not. Abhi took her to visit Dr. Pratima, their gynecologist. She did some tests on her and asked them to hope for the best.

The receptionist asked her to wait in the waiting room, while Dr. Pratima finished with another patient. She knew right then, something was indeed wrong as the doctor wanted to convey the news directly to her. She sat down. The table had an assortment of magazines. None interested her. The wall in front of her carried a poster - "Say NO to female infanticide".

Dr. Pratima called her in. She asked her to sit down. With the sundries out of the way, Dr. Pratima got out a yellow envelope with the test results.

"You have, what is called, an Ectopic Pregnancy." That did not make Shanti any more comfortable.

"It is a rare condition, where the fetus lodges in places where it is not supposed to. In your case, it has lodged in the Fallopian Tube. This form is called the Tubal Pregnancy."

She took a long pause put down the results in front of her, looked right in Shanti's eyes and said

“At this point, I have to be very clear with you. If you continue with this pregnancy, you might die!"

"I suggest we dissolve the pregnancy, it is a safe procedure where we will inject a chemical and dissolve the fetus"

The word "dissolve" did it. The room seemed to expand of its own accord. Her vision got blurry. The tears just wouldn't stay in her eyes.

The Wailing began again.

Team Work (e-mail forward)

There are times when you are so swamped with work and other issues you are on edge. But then, you get a mail that simply makes you smile and gain a new perspective on your issues. Here is one that made me laugh and for once I was glad I am on someone's forward list.

Google Fanatics

Some people who are regular on internet have their lives entwined with Google. I might be one of them. Obviously, Google goes out and buys the best free stuff in the business, poor fellows like us need to get involved with Google.

Some people are just plain'ol crazy about Google. Following is an example.

They See this
www.Google.co.in/jobs Google is looking for Java experts. Jobs in Bangalore/Hyderabad. Apply!


and Do this
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=how+to+Become+Java+expert+in+two+days+and+apply+to+google

The Wailing - I

She hears the wailing of a child coming from the recesses of the window by her desk at work. The ceaseless crying of the child makes her nervous. It was something she had not experienced before, ever. The day was hot, sweat dripped from her forhead. She reaches for the napkin, then she hears it again. It is an infant, too young to tell if it is a girl or a boy. She swabs her forhead, throws the napkin in the red dustbin below her desk. She tries hard to concentrate on her work. The dealines are approaching, so many peer reviews, so much work left.

The coffee she just got sits there on the desk steaming in a crippled cup. A cup that has folds and creases. Not for long will it stay steaming. The day passes with the sundry events of her job. Meetings, reading innumerable pages of documents, typing lots. In no time, the lunch hour emerges from the glow of her monitor and her computer clock jolts her out of her reverie. The walk to the canteen is uneventful. Her visits to the canteen always rung in one nauseating thought. The time she used to eat the canteen food. A period of disgusting health problems plagued her for months. Now she got food from home. She is close to tears today. Doesn't know why.

She takes a plate from the stand goes to her favourite table just beside the canteen window overlooking the lake. She settles down and is happy she no longer eats the canteen food. The tasty home made food looks and is indeed mouthwatering. Eating by her window was one of the things she liked about her day. The cool breeze from the lake and the taste of spice on her tongue was unbeatable. The breeze is warm today. Halfway through her lunch, she gets a call from her husband enquiring how her day has been. Very well she replies and resumes her lunch. Then, she hears it again. The wailing. Incessant. The unforgiving cry of an infant bitten by pangs of hunger. The food no longer appeals to her. She looks around the canteen, everybody is eating, chatting, going out, coming in. None seem to be bothered about the wailing child. She must be the only one hearing it. She does sit beside the window. Her apetite is diminished. She packs her box and leaves.

Rain

When it rains in Hyderabad, it is lovely. I for one like those evening rains, that start in late afternoon continue till dinner and stop. The night drive gets exciting with wet roads and the cool breeze. The dawn comes with a promise of bright weather, with the rain having washed the skies. It brings a clear sky allowing one to see farther than on a normal day and with those minute details that make you think if your sight has improved.

The morning brings a wet perfume to your sense that is nostalgic. The washed away mud settles along paths and is smooth like the beach sand to touch. The pattern of the water flow still etched on it, tempting you to disturb it. The trees are greener to the eye, the flowers more colorful. The winds of the rain have blown away the weak, about to fall leaves.

The after effects of the rain are beautiful but a few moments before the rain starts, the atmosphere is heavy, breeze bringing the clouds to you. The slight drizzle before the downpour reminds you to take shelter or not. Being at a job, I could not take the liberty of drenching myself in rain. But I did see a couple of people giving in to the luxuries of rain drops on their skins and clothes as they were returning home to the cozy comfort of the dry soft towel and a hot cup of coffee.

I believe rains everywhere tend to arouse similar feelings and sights. Our great-great-great grandfathers, who were farmers, must have waited days and months together to experience the joy and miracle that rains bring to their farms and fields. Maybe this joy transcended into our genes as well and thus we celebrate that rare rain that visits us in the middle of a hot summer. Hoping God gives us more such pleasurable times.