Running and Spinning again.....and loving it !

Come 01st.of January and resolutions is what comes to my mind. For the last two years the resolutions have been to go for regular work outs at the gym. While I don't expect to convert the family pack to a six pack, I certainly expect to look at my feet without any obstacle !

Sadly, after a very successful two month work out last year I had to quit gymming on the advise of the physiotherapist. Why physio, you might ask. Even if you don't u've got to read it anyways. I developed a bad ache on my lower back and the left leg due to my travel and had to undergo physiotherapy. After the course I was asked to avoid gymming for a while. That break resulted in total discontinuity until the end of the year.

However, I'm back at the gym with a vengeance breaking all my previous records at the treadmill and the spinner. The sheer joy of sweat pouring out after a good workout is terrific. Using a very 'un-healthy' brand's tag for a very healthy cause - I'm loving it !

Go to the farm....in Hyderabad !!

On a lazy Sunday afternoon we were contemplating how to kill time and a small little leaflet caught our attention. It was a leaflet that was handed out at my daughter's kindergarten school a few days back. It was a place called Hobby Hub. It boasted of pets, plants, etc...not exactly a very exciting prospect for us. Nevertheless, we thought we'd take a nice little drive and spend 15-20 mins at the place showing our children a few animals that might excite them.

The leaflet had a well laid out direction to get to their place. It made it very easy to get to the venue in Nacharam, just outside the main city area in Hyderabad. We took about 20 mins to drive there. The entrance to the place was very small, almost like a hut. It gave the impression of being a very small place. We entered to the sight of a few children hanging around....some around a small little rabbit, some around a plant, some playing on a swing. We were welcomed by the owner, a simple smiling gentleman. He asked one of his helpers to lead us and show us the place.

We started off seeing the different kinds of

aquariums with the unique fish. We then were introduced to the different species of birds and rabbits and then entered the world of plants. This sight left us spellbound. We were introduced to a plant expert who walked us thru the various types of plants and trees they had grown in the vast area. With childlike enthusiasm we kept exclaiming at the wonderful plants. Seeing an green pepper plant in front of us was quite something. We saw banana plants, brocolli plants, papaya plants, tomato plants, coriander, brinjal, lettuce, red pepper. We also saw various varieties of plants with medicinal value. It was a terrific experience.

We also spent a good amount of time getting our hands dirty while taking a shot at the art or pottery....and did end up making 5 small pots for ourselves. This is a MUST DO at Hobby Hub. What started out as a 15-20 min plan ended up in an enriching 3 hour experience ! In the midst of all the pollution around the city this is a surely a hidden treasure.

2010 !!

I'm happy to be back on this page. Its been a while. To the millions of my wonderful fans I would like to apologize for this (unintentional) break.

What a year 2009 was ! Actually, that goes for every year. Every year comes n goes n yet we exclaim 'What a year' ! There were several highs in the year in different fields. It was a year when India gave a decisive mandate to 'Good Governance'. A year when the equity markets gave investors one of the best returns ever aggregating about 80%. A year when India became # 1 in the 'Real' (Test) cricket. Indian television scored over the box office. Reality TV trumped everything. IPL2 was a super hit, especially since the Deccan Charger delivered a class act from # 8 in the first season to # 1. Unfortunately, with highs come some lows as well. Andhra Pradesh lost a great leader in YSR. The state is bitterly split and on the verge of a collapse. Sex scandals involving high ranking police officials and even old time politicians came out in the open and shamed the entire nation.

For me it was a year of change though. A year when I was able to convince my bosses that I couldn't live out of a suitcase anymore. A year where my weight was directly proportionate to the sensex - went down the first few months and then no sign of reversal of the upmove !! The year ended on a high (literally). I realized what a great dancer I was....or was it the Vodka ;) I contemplated participating in Dance India Dance show but later backed out as the organizers refused consumption of alcohol on the show !

Twenty 10 - hope the year is as spunky as the way its pronounced !