Above picture courtesy: Panasianartsalliance

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Its that time of the year to clear leaves and also to stretch your legs and relax.  What better time to spend Christmas back home with family and friends.  Going back home to Hyderabad tonight.  Will be back in Singapore only in the new year.

Lots of cakes, cookies, appam, stew, hyderabadi biryani and the festivities await.  This will be our first Christmas back home since I got married.  Really looking forward to it.  Looking to go around the city and take the sights and sounds of the city i lived in.

Its really been a wonderful year. Tough no doubt but, professionally satisfactory.  At the beginning of the year moved to a new department, attended a course and got certified.  Worked in a more structured way.  Learnt the importance of documentation and keeping my foot down to say NO.

Raring to go into the new year.  Lots of things planned for the new year.  Gotta make some really radical decisions.  Cant wait.  Not to mention, completed 11 years in Singapore on the 4th of December 2011.  Time has just sped by.  Have spent a third of my life here in one of the most progressive and dynamic cities in the world.  Have made some great friends for life.

Let me take this opportunity to wish the best of the season to all of you and your loved ones.  Have fun and enjoy the holidays.

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Petronas Towers at dusk

Christmas @ a mall

A fish sculpture

Fountain

Liberty on wheels @ Genting

Chilly, misty afternoon @ Genting

Looooooong cable car

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Wishing all of you and your loved ones a very Happy & Prosperous Diwali

Thought the mid week holiday doesn’t give much reason to cheer.  Still, look at the bright side of the holiday.

As usual, say no to the noise and smoke generated by the crackers.  Spend some quality time with your family and friends.  Isn’t that what holidays are all about?

Ya, this blog has more or less taken a backseat.  Not that i have lost interest.  Just that there is so much to do and so little time.  Only 2 more months to end the year.  Great things to come in a few months time.  Cant wait for 2012.

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It rained in the morning and there was a nice breeze.  Couple with the smell of the wet mud and the greens, the place reminds me of Kerala.  Some pictures of the bird park

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Happy Lunar Year everyone.  Wishing the year of the rabbit brings much prosperity and happiness to all.

Its a 4 day weekend for us here.  Hope the rains dont play spoilsport.

Above picture courtesy: Water-Trotter

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Its the final week leading into my faviourite times of the year.  Its Christmas time.  I love the feeling.  Wish i was back home to the cold, wintery temperatures of Hyderabad.  Not to forget the warm cakes, appams, chicken stew and other eatables, the christmas trees, the star in front of the house, the singing of carols….

Put up the Christmas tree at home quite early this time.

Happy Holidays

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Having read so much about the movie, i thought i would be lost and the movie would be confusing.  But i found it quite engaging and entertaining.  The way the movie races through the different countries, the whole concept of getting into someone’s dreams to steal information or to plant them.  Man, where do they get all these ideas from? 

Avatar on the other hand transfixed me visually.  Its stunning.  No other word comes close.  But nothing great actually when it comes to either acting or the script.  Visually the movie is in its own class and will take a long time for any other director to match it.  Now, James Cameron has announced 2 more sequels to the movie in the years ahead.  Looking at all he has done in this one, the expectations are already quite high.

The Expendables was the usual 80s Rambo kinda movies that Stallone was so good at.  Explosions, bodies getting ripped off, the heroes going to the villain’s den and blowing up the whole place, a sexy woman who is rescued by the hero just as she is about to be raped.  Would have loved to see Arnie and Bruce Willis get their hands dirty though.

Machete was similar to the Expendables.  Mindless action with lots of gore attached.  Its rare to see Steven Seagal and Robert de Nero in the same movie. But was fun.  Another mindless action flick.

Having read so much about the financial meltdown in the US and with so much interest in finance & investing, this movie was a must watch for me for quite some time.  The movie did drag a bit, nevertheless i found it engaging.  Now, it has motivated me to go search for the original that released some 20 odd years ago.

All pictures above courtesy: IMDB

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Say no to crackers that cause noise and air pollution.  There are better ways of celebrating the festival with family and friends.

We are in the final 2 months of the year.  2010 seems to have sped past even before we could realise.  Some bumper performance by the companies pre-Diwali and am sure when the 3rd quarter results are unveiled, there could be even better performance to see.  Not to mention, Obama making his trip to India coinciding with the festival.

Enjoy the holidays and stay safe.

Previous Diwali posts of 2009, 2008 & 2007

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Wishing the best of what life has to offer to you and your loved ones.  Happy New Year.

Picture source: 123greetings