Cute Baby Picture #2

Looks like there is another Linus in the house!

Cute Baby Picture #1

Here is my niece Sarika in a device of some kind:

Gee This Blog Sucks...

As everyone well knows, I’ve blogged very little om the past few years. Mostly, I’ve just lost all interest, contributed by the fact that my writing was increasingly becoming repetitive—hence boring. I know I have this blog, but I’ve written only 400 posts in nearly three years; when in my hey day I use to write over 500 posts a year.

I have also noticed that the quality of my writing has deteriorated exponentially. Just read posts from my old blogs (here and here). I swear I didn’t write any of it, but I did. What the hell happened?

I'm Still Here Status

Nothing new to report from my end. Of late, I’m on an extended hiatus. Not doing much blogging as you can see – not one post for May, in fact! I’m reduced to updating my Facebook status and an occasional post on Twitter. I have stopped reading blogs altogether; but I am reading a lot, reverting to printed materials. You can say I’ve gone old school.

But I’ve made an exception for the latest issue of Pragati, the history issue, which was edited by JK Nair. It is very good, and I highly recommend it.

No Mood To Write

It is end of February and I only have seven posts to show for it. The reason is that I have a lot on my mind lately: no job, no health insurance, dwindling savings, deteriorating health are just one of many of my troubles.

You figure with all this free time I would have something to write about; something to say. But I have nothing, not even a brain fart. I use to read dozens of newspapers, magazines and blogs a day to find something to write about, but these days I rarely visit any of them. As a result, I am getting more stupid and more ignorant by the day. I cannot hold any argument as I do not have command of all the facts.

I'm definitely in a funk of some kind, but I don't know when I'll get out of it. Hopefully it will be soon.

New Year Resolution

I've made only one resolution for 2009: not to make resolutions I know I will not keep. Simple, no?

My Plans While Looking For A Job

My tentative - in the loosest sense of the word - plans while I'm looking for employment are as follows:

• Finish reading all the books that I have yet to complete and, in the process, up the total of books read to 15 for 2008.
  
• Watch a lot of movies, documentaries, and television shows.
  
• Do some technical training, hone some skills, and maybe pick up some new ones.
• Lose more weight by exercising more.
• Concentrate more on my health without having to worry about work. Always nice to have.
• Learn about investing and explore the possibilities of being a day trader (crazy, I know).
• Hopefully, blog more (my lowest priority, sorry).

On Hiatus...No, I'm Not Writing A Book!

I'm taking all of August off. Too busy to write anyway. Busy on a project at work, a lot of paperwork to do, errands to run, and completing items that have been on my 'to-do' list forever. No time for play except a few rounds of video games.

The Life Of A Consultant: Sitting On The Bench

After a three-month assignment that ended prematurely, I'm back on the bench. This is the life of a consultant - feast and famine. Hope to get a new assignment soon, but given the weakness of IT spending by companies, I might be on the bench for awhile.

I hate sitting on the bench. For me it's a sign of weakness; a personal failure. I need to work all the time, otherwise I feel useless. In the meantime I'm taking some training to sharpen my skills. But what good will it do me if I can't apply it right away? It's like learning a language, I suppose: use it or lose it.

My malaise is also affecting my blog: I was posting almost every day while on assignment - evidence of my busy brain - but I have since dropped to few posts a week; and on the verge of giving up altogether.

Hope to get back in motion soon.

need a one-day vacation for me

I haven't watched a DVD - from beginning to end - in so long. Too busy at work, helping the wife around the house, weekend events with friends and family (birthdays, graduations, etc.), and other things that take too much of my time.

I need a day just to myself so I can do what I want to do: watch a DVD, read without being interrupted, write a substantial blog post or two, even an article of publishable quality, or even play some video games.

For me a day off would be the perfect gift.