November Nuggets

Again on the face of it another VACUOUS month but when I dig deeper, there are gains. I visit SPARRC (Sports Performance Assessment Rehabilitation and Research Centre) six days out of seven. I try my best to be there at 6:45 am and I usually make it and this has been the best experience of my messy life in a long, long while.

            I signed up with SPARRC for four months REHAB for my knees and the good news is the treatment is working. They have a big centre in Besant Nagar which is a three minutes’ walk from my den. I take an out of shape elevator at Spencers to the fourth floor and from there it is 50 minutes of stretching and strengthening my muscles. Sports Medicine as practiced by Sparrc really works – every exercise is aimed at strengthening the walking muscles. They are blessed with a friendly staff: Oviya is quiet and perceptive (she knows when I need the knee weights and she will wrap it around when those are in its schedule run). Venkatesh is smart and he keeps adding variations as I progress. One of the best things of a workout is your movements get better by the day; you add more complexity or the full version of it and this is motivating enough: what I did clumsily on Monday, I get the full measure of it by Wednesday and these little improvements feels that you are on the right path. Now I walk without a limb, next week I will try a brisk walk and pretty soon I should be jogging.  This daily workouts opened my eyes to this age old trite that FITNESS and CONFIDENCE go together.  Now I want to invest in daily gym workouts. Let my biceps bulge and chest feel as strong and sinewy as a barrel.  SPARRC shows that if you experience expertise, professionalism and a friendly air,  life isn't so bitchy and messy. This is a smooth running brook and at 50 k worth every pence of it. I will remember Nov, 2018 as SPARRC month of my life. I also loved my two days holiday at Guruvayur to escape the barren loneliness of Diwali.

            There were two weddings this month in the family that I skipped. My reasons were that “You don’t send a wedding invite after three decades saying: I have a son or daughter and please do come.” It’s a mental strain that lasts for over two days seeing relatives in decades. One of the gains of MINDFULNESS is avoid any action that brings discomfort to me. First let me take care of myself and then I shall follow the societal norms is a good working principle.

            Another gain of November is Mr. Pandian who is purchasing my apartment. It now feels like selling this place to a friend. We have long chats on life and how Indians corrupt it with their existence. He has a genuine respect for me saying, “Sir, you will definitely see good days in life. Your talents and thinking is formidable. I was reading your O my darling, India and this is great writing skills.” This is a compliment I cherish as I did Anurag’s “Powerful words of an excellent writer and few can match your skills.” I turned to Dhamma Mani Sir for advice for investing in a LASSI SHOP franchise. He said, “Sathya before you start looking for locations or signing the cheque, go meet them. See how the whole thing works and then take the plunge. Don’t forget that you are a MBA in marketing from what is that institute…..IMT Ghaziabad before all this writing madness took over.” Shyam advised on investment, “You don’t need to invest all the monies in equities or MFs or debt instruments at one go. The market is volatile now, allow it to settle and do it in stages, “as he recommended a few MFs that gave him good returns.

            I watched “Bohemian Rhapsody” and it is my best movie of this year. I felt sad for two days feeling how Freddie Mercury squandered his god given skills for wild excesses. I have been listening to Queen for over two decades and this man made me cry for the operatic “Bohemian Rhapsody” and the plight of loneliness in “Somebody to love.” And I quote the lyrics of “We are the Champions” so many times in social contexts and even my blog posts. I felt sad that he died so young; but then what a celebration and joy his life has been. I also patted myself on the back that I was listening to Western music as young as 7 or 8 without any promptings. I first heard Carpenters “Yesterday once more” and “Kungfu Fighting” that my dad brought as a cassette to our first tape recorder in the mid-70s. It takes an intelligent mind to cultivate its own musical taste and thank god I ploughed a lonely farrow for such phenomenal returns.

            IMT friends continue to give satisfaction. I spoke to Lakhina last week and he said, “Sathya, you can call me anytime you want.” Lalit engaged a session with a life coach in Velachery as he said, “Sathya, please don’t thank me. There are so many people in our batch who care for you.” Neetu has been threatening to call for a while; she again vibrates friendship and care. Deepak writes with a lot of concern and compassion. Seriously, I thank every person who harbours a kind thought of me.

            As the house sale process will conclude in a week’s time, I thought of a visit to Madurai, Coutrallam and Rameswaram for a weekend sojourn in December. I found a flight ticket to Madurai for Rs. 1500 and did not waste a second booking it. So something to look forward besides joining a Guitar course. On my own steam, I tutored myself to Mel Bay’s level two and now I do need guidance. At two days a week, this should bring in positive vibes. I changed my guitar strings last month and I spend an hour on the instrument as my fingers leapfrog over the frets. Again simple pleasures but you work hard to earn them.

            November has been kind and hopefully I build on it. Now I no longer have the drive to hunt for soft skills assignments or an exploratory trip to UAE, I will check out this LASSI SHOP franchise. It looks a good thing but let me take my time and explore.  Even on investing the sale proceeds, I am becoming smarter as I plan my portfolio. It’s lonely out there but let me bat for myself with more conviction as the winter months do take their toll.  One thought the movie stuck me with: one may be exceptionally talented or even a genius, you don't demand anything of life. Life in its wisdom confers its blessings and grace even as I wait for my turn with patience and faith. It's hard nonetheless is there anything better? I ask in false modesty and theatrics, some Freddy influence.