The Three Nieces

Its been 8 years since I was last in India. Due to a combination of many different circumstances, I have not been able to make a trip. During these eight years, three of my nieces were born there (and 2 more in the U.S.). So, without further ado, I present to you  (from Left to Right) Sai, Mitra and Bhavna.

In all, I have 9 nieces and 1 nephew (Aged between 2 months and 24 years). I think our family by itself is taking care of the sex ratio in India. 

Sir, Yes Sir, No Sir

By now, I am sure you have heard of Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel - the first Indians to get a contract with a major league baseball team. On December 8, 2008, The Pittsburgh Pirates signed these two gentlemen to a minor league deals as pitchers. Their story is definitely one for Bollywood movies!! These guys won the competition called "Million Dollar Arm" in India and were brought to the US to have a try out with major league scouts. They have been interviewed on NPR, USA Today carried an article on them, and ESPN did a feature on them last week on thier "Outside the lines" show.  I wish these guys all the best. Already the second season of MDA is in full swing and I am sure there will be one or two more worthy candidates that will get to test their skills in the majors.

One thing I noticed during all these interviews was, how these guys kept saying Sir at the end of pretty much everyone's names and sentences and reminded me of the time I first came to the US. As is the habit in India, you address anyone in any position of authority, superiority with a "Ji" (in North India) or Sir (especially if they are your teachers, boss) or "Sair" in South India.  When I had my first meeting with my graduate advisor at Penn State, I would address him and respond to him with a "Sir" added to his name. At the end of the conversation, my advisor told me that I need not address him with a "Sir" and just call him by his first name, or if I feel the need to give him respect for his position and/or age, just address him as "Dr.________".  It was kind of weird at the start but I soon got used to it. These days, I pretty much address most of the professors I interact with by their first names without even pausing for a second. I had always admired the "informal" way Americans (all westerners typically) do business.

"Respect your elders" -- That's always a running theme when you are in India. Obviously, its a good thing to respect your elders. So much so, sometimes, that people never even think twice about what they are being told to do, never question authority. "Oh the elders know better!". This is counterproductive many times, because the kids never gets to experiment themselves and don't get in to the habit of asking why and why not. This kills off ingenuity and creativity.  I guess a good balance of "advice and guidance" and "let's step back and let the kid figure it out" is what is needed. From the kid's point of view, its counterproductive to question authority just for the sake of doing it as well. There is that phrase again, "everything is good in moderation".

'Tis the season

The other day I got a phone call from one of my mates I played cricket with at Penn State, Herman. Herman is from South Africa and he wanted some online links to cricket streaming sites so that he could watch the Australia V South Africa test match!! I couldn't answer the phone and so, he left a voice-mail. I didn't get to check my messages for three days for whatever reason.

All the while, the test match at Perth was building up to a great crescendo following the memorable run chase by India at Chennai versus England. When I finally heard the message, I felt so awful that I had not shared the free cricket streaming links with Herman, I text messaged him that. The day after the monumental effort by SAF to beat the Aussies, I sent him an email congratulating him on his country's accomplishment. Hopefully, this will help heal some of the wounds they have suffered as a cricketing nation!! (World Cup '92, World Cup '99, World Cup 'o3, T20 Worl Cup'07).

On a realted note, he shared the news that Herman and his wife have welcomed a new baby boy in to this world. I know there are plenty of options for a kid growing up in the U.S. in terms of involvement in sports but I am glad to know little Herman Jr. has his heart in the right place.

(P.S. The bat is autographed by none other than the SAF great Fanie De Villiers himself!).

What Sachin means to India

"Once I was on a night train winding down from Simla to Kalka that stopped halfway for refreshments at a station lit by flaming torches. On a small television screen wreathed in cigarette smoke in the corner of the dining room Tendulkar was batting in a match in Mumbai. No one moved or spoke or looked away. The train was delayed by 20 minutes. Not until Tendulkar was out could the world resume its normal timetables and rhythms."

Excerpt from an article on Cricinfo

Also, check out this video where the groundstaff at M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai rush to congratulate Sachin Tendulkar after hitting the winning runs in the First test match against England! He patiently shakes hands with every one of them! (00:53 time mark).

Jesus Says: Take a chill pill y'all!

That is the picture of a Christmas tree - the first one that I have ever bought. Its a 3 feet midget tree from the local Lowes store. My girlfriend Kathleen and I got it over the weekend. We wanted to get a 6 feet tree but it wouldn't fit in my friend's car. Oh well! 

Kathleen was raised a catholic and I, a Hindu. She is not a believer in God, neither am I. In fact, a interesting story to tell here. She used to be a firm believer in someone upstairs, his son and the whole production till the day of her communion. (She says it was by a Philadelphia cardinal -one of the more famous ones, apparently! All the cardinals I know are either in St. Louis or Phoenix). She felt the whole notion of God and the Faith system leave her the day of her communion. Fascinating.

Although I never have had the whole Christmas experience with Santa and Jesus, I believe, even as a non-believer in God/Agnostic/Atheist, I am alright with people saying merry christmas. I personally don't think when people say "Merry Christmas", they mean for you to have a happy time on the supposed day of birth of the son of God (or Not). In my opinion, its another way to greet you and it just signifies the time of the year. And so, No - I don't get offended when people wish me a Merry Christmas. 

As you may have noticed, every year, around this time, Fox News' Bill O'Reilly and few more talking heads get in to the whole business of "Attack on Christmas". Because, Secular minded people want to say "Happy Holidays" there by not prefering one holiday with religious undertone to another. In fact, it became a huge talking point when the Governor of the State of Washington allowed people to place signs from a group of Atheists declaring the absence of God etc, next to a nativity scene in that state's capitol. Obviously, the Governor was widely criticized by the right and praised by the left. As I see it, its a wonderful interpretation of the tenets of democracy by the Governor. If one religious holiday can get a display in a government building, then, every religion's followers if they want, have claim to that same space. Either you accomodate all, or have none. Of course, O'Reilly frothed at the mouth, calling the governor a pinhead and what not. Didn't the people land on the shores of this country many centuries ago to escape persecution based on religion? Or, you are free to practice any religion, as long as it is Christianity?

Both the people that get outraged when some one greets them with "Merry Christmas" and those that get angered when people say "Happy Holidays" to them, need to relax a bit. By focusing on the technicality, you are missing out on the spirit of the season. 

On that note, Happy Freakin' Holidays and a Merry Effin' Christmas to all of you!

Yes I can

and I will blog at least infrequently. and not be dead. 

Good Times, Bad times. Its all good.