tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32714695933046963642024-03-13T23:44:27.448+05:30the blog formerly known as musings from mumbaiPreeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.comBlogger574125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-61093101879961903732020-07-12T17:02:00.001+05:302020-07-12T17:02:15.335+05:30In which we re-read "1984"
The way I used to read when I was younger was with a certain breathlessness. To say that we (Several of my family members & I, trace the tree up and down, stick to the women, you will get the list) are addicted to books is an understatement. There are many moments when my need for a book is almost alongside my need for breath, for example. There are other family members who hold the book Preeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-64712147140270725632020-06-09T12:50:00.001+05:302020-06-09T12:50:31.181+05:30Rasam Chronicles
I am not a fan of rasam. I would like to rise against the tyranny of rasam. Go ahead, disown me. I am from Mysore, and though my family does have some Tamizh roots, the well-entrenched dislike of rasam is pinned (mostly) on my Tamizh friends. As soon as you speak of the thin soup and the idyllic town together, they will turn to you, their noses turned up, and say “So you put sugar in the rasam,Preeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-76256727800216243342019-05-25T16:57:00.000+05:302019-05-26T11:58:52.592+05:30That Ultra Running Book - A Review
I bought it the day it released, more or less. And finished reading it almost in one shot. It was worth the excitement, for sure! If you are a runner (and who isn't?), you have to read this book. Anyhow I have loved all the books by Adharanand, so I was really really eager.
The strange thing about social media is that you feel like you are so connected, somehow. I saw Camille Preeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-8366081480705711732018-02-20T18:17:00.000+05:302018-02-20T18:17:24.235+05:30About "Karmic Kids"
"I have read your blog" - every once in a while someone (new) that I meet tells me. Of course I am super surprised always, I have been really quite bad about maintaining this space. Years and years ago, when I first started out, my buddy told me that the activity could be hard to sustain. I assured him I would be fine, 'cause I am an idea monster. I still am. I have many thoughts, ideas, plans, Preeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-6661537568351080022017-06-28T19:33:00.001+05:302017-06-28T19:33:38.663+05:30Running Q & A
Do you have any "doubts" to clarify, about running? Well, you can always go refer our little magazine. The various editions of The Rundown (India's only magazine on all things running) are available at http://www.chennairunners.com/rundown/
Meanwhile, why not sample a bit of it here? Perhaps one of these is a question you are grappling with at this time. #PracticalTips #UtterNonsense #Preeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-7475128311352503652017-05-23T10:56:00.002+05:302017-05-24T09:47:42.046+05:30Absolute Shorty
We took this photo a month or so ago. I got so dejected at being the absolutely shortest person in the family that I invested in a pair of heels. It was long overdue, for sure. Thankfully, nowadays there are wedges that one can wear somewhat comfortably, not having to recourse to "Sky High Heels" as I see them referred to, is definitely a great thing, considering my loose ankles.
Preeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-82899676047881365362017-03-14T08:42:00.002+05:302017-03-14T08:42:45.053+05:30Of Brown Diaries and Ink Pens
It has been an interesting week (the one that passed, that is). The elections were interesting - and that's all I want to say about it. Finally, after 43 years of existence, I have found my feet planted somewhat on real ground, but let me not push it and pretend as if I have deep political views! I am on top of all the trending stories, however, though I did manage to escape to the 1940s Preeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-86842184643294690912017-03-07T08:48:00.004+05:302017-03-07T08:49:24.242+05:30For the love of the art
I made this comic for my class blog. And since my students don't seem to care about it at all, I thought it will be interesting to use it here and talk about why I love teaching. I guess the short version of it is that it allows me to bring up all the (somewhat) repressed tendencies to be dramatic, crazy, and most of all to talk a lot.
I have been teaching for a long Preeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-77649787739261722392017-02-27T19:26:00.001+05:302017-02-27T19:26:51.429+05:3035 Pieces of Pasta
It was one of those mornings today.
My maid (cook) called in sick at 6:20am.
Good news - I was awake and reading an unputdownable book.
Bad news - it was "Bad Mothers United" by Kate Long.
I didn't even work out 'cause I was lazy.
And she had early school today.
I ploughed on, I am 43, I can deal with one measly lunch box.
'How many farfalle does she need?' I Preeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-31397800625616070072017-02-19T19:05:00.000+05:302017-02-19T20:16:35.411+05:30Togetherness
How to get a selfie together?
Some of our most memorable times have been when we are exercising together. Over the years, we have had basketball, running, volleyball, gym, long treks, p90x, and more recently, walking (!). All of these have been fun in their own way, and though we do a number of workouts separately as well, I feel like these together workouts are an important Preeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-30574638253605172262017-02-16T20:08:00.000+05:302017-02-16T20:09:53.420+05:30Bloody Hell!
I had a blood test recently - a routine check up which revealed routine things about my body and so forth. Before you ask, yes, it involved a urine test as well, which - however many times I do it - is a major pain. Anyway that was all fine, I don't want to talk about peeing though I just did.
There is a snatch of a memory from my childhood, I was very small, at least in size if not in age. We Preeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-88321663128219755612017-02-11T17:52:00.000+05:302017-02-11T17:52:18.334+05:30Of Careers and Creches
Today I want to muse a little on parenting - as loyal readers know, it is one of my favourite topics. Mostly, it's a chance to say unkind things about The Child, who is, thankfully too preoccupied with a pile of books borrowed from the library last week, to get back at me.
I attended an interesting session at IIT today. I was the "Chief Guest" at the creche in the campus. I agreed to go simply Preeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-35698233569402692392017-02-09T14:44:00.000+05:302017-02-09T14:46:13.935+05:30Rejection
I was contemplating rejection, mainly in a work situation. We write all these manuscripts all the time - by and large we have been lucky, but a good number of them are returned back, rejected. My co-workers and I go through a period of dejection then - if the reject is with good, stated reasons, we can at least sit down and address them - but many a time no details are provided, and we don't Preeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-80384086066539955702017-02-04T12:15:00.002+05:302017-02-04T12:15:14.639+05:30Short Shorts
At the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2016
Running shorts are my favourite thing in the world. Though I have never found a satisfactory pair of them in India. As in the past, in my recent trip to the US, I obsessed over it for days and finally ordered a bunch of them on amazon, to my hotel room. Only to discover a rather nice running store round the corner...
It was heartening to Preeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-51130770760489564602017-01-31T11:05:00.002+05:302017-01-31T11:05:17.327+05:30Triggers
That's all.
Preeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-87967407267267019462017-01-25T18:10:00.002+05:302017-01-25T18:13:49.939+05:30At least there are no cats
(From: amazon, not my copy - which is anyway from the library)
I have stopped myself from buying any more Murakamis. I still like him fine, I assure you, despite the fact that he was yet again passed up for the big prize & yeah, sure, I have listened to Bob Dylan for a long time now and love him and his voice and his weird lyrics. At any rate Dylan is not a runner like Murakami so therePreeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-86681183008402281472017-01-23T19:44:00.003+05:302017-01-23T19:44:54.832+05:30Hydrating for a marathon
(source: not me)
I usually carry a water bottle wherever I go. Especially if I am running a marathon the next day, and all my friends are busy hydrating for what seems to be a week and I figure I may as well do that too, 'cause you know, you never know the day before the marathon that you may twist your ankle and throw 16 weeks of training (even if desultorily done amidst much stress).
But Preeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-39311617569875940712017-01-21T17:57:00.001+05:302017-01-21T17:57:46.750+05:30For the love of writing
At the end of it all, when I think about the reasons why I love this little space of mine, it boils down to just that. The love of writing. The joy in seeing words form in my mind and find their way to the keyboard and then on to this nice little template on blogspot.
Admittedly, 2016 has come and gone and I have very little to show for it. I used moodle a fair bit for my course and even that Preeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-2223768372483209012016-06-22T21:33:00.000+05:302016-06-22T21:33:10.464+05:30Nostalgia
(with thanks to facebook for unearthing this gem)
I think when you are 42 years old, you spend a whole bunch of time thinking about the past. I recently met with some friends - girls err women - I went to college with. We had a nice lunch - chat - exactly like we would have in those days in the early 90s'. Well, except for small differences. You know, one of the kids came along, one of us Preeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-32750002539307562092016-06-16T13:01:00.000+05:302016-06-16T13:01:52.875+05:30Again about Gulmohars
I used to love the summertime back then. There was the whole last-day-of-school ritual. We would just go crazy. I would warn my family that I would be back home late. And we would get up to something or the other in school - just silly things - like playing a lot. That one time we challenged each other about using the teacher's bathroom; or to throw something into the staff room and escape Preeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-80965172243191035632016-06-13T21:52:00.000+05:302016-06-13T21:52:58.939+05:30London Marathon and So On
Thank you random google searchable website with such cards. It captures the essence of my relationship with my daughter perfectly! Though the visual is quite off. She is about an inch taller than me now, and it may interest you to know that recently, she outgrew her crocs, passed them on to me, and bought the next size.
It has been an interesting summer, for sure. Last summer, in Preeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-69690777019525246902016-06-04T11:02:00.000+05:302016-06-04T16:16:58.109+05:30The end of an era
I have been meaning to write about her for a while now. In fact, for the past year, whenever, in brief snatches, I met her during my travel to Mysore, I have wanted to say something, many things. She was born in 1925, and the kids & I had great fun calculating her age every year. For the past several years, she has claimed that she is 86 years old. As if time had stopped there for her.Preeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-83267415957199074542016-06-02T14:15:00.001+05:302016-06-02T14:15:49.446+05:30The room on the roof
I have occasionally spent time in this guest room in our house, in the past. It's a nice one. It's all the way up, and is kind of cosy. It has a balcony, which holds much attraction to me especially in the morning after my workout when I want: cool tiled floor & good air circulation as I dry off and try my various experiments. So yeah, I am back here for a bit and it has been quite nice, Preeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-27628878479803962002016-04-15T19:35:00.001+05:302016-04-15T20:15:07.940+05:30Birth Month Update
It has to be most lame birthday I have had in my 1000 year life on earth. First of all, I bought a bucketload of things earlier in March. Like, an iPad (admittedly, I have barely touched it up to now), and a Garmin (Love It), boots, and clothes, and things. Not to mention an inverter battery, and new tires for my car, and stuff like that. When some NGO called me repeatedly and emo-blackmailed mePreeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3271469593304696364.post-71036674102727561832016-01-05T11:40:00.001+05:302016-01-05T11:40:51.074+05:30New Year 2016
Resolutions 2015 2016
I guess it's as good a time as any other to talk about all this stuff. What happened in 2015. What to look forward to in 2016. Stuff like that. Maybe in bullet points? In images? In nice colours? Let's see.
2015
Moved to a new office. It has blinds. But the door lock doesn't work properly. I like it.
None of my MS/PhD scholars graduated. Didn't feel like Preeti Aghalayam aka kbpmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11829919187093167561noreply@blogger.com1