Month: December 2020

We’re Almost In 2021

- Roshan

It is now almost midnite and we are about to say goodbye to 2020 and say hello & welcome to 2021. Hope you won’t be such a terrible year as your predecessor was.

I am working today but it has been a very light day at work, again. I had to go to the office today for a couple of hours for something that they wanted us to do. So post lunch I hired a cab and by 1:40 pm I left home and went to the office in Kakkanad. I met some of my team members who I haven’t seen since late March. We then finished what we had to do in about 2 hours and saw that it was pouring cats and dogs! Terrific! Thunder and lightning on 31st of December. 2020 is a real bitch!

Anyways, I came back home slightly wet. I dried myself off and got a hot coffee and a snack. My sister and niece came to visit before my sister’s husband came to pick them up as they were going to go for a night out at a club. My parents were supposed to go with them but they changed their minds at the last minute. I bought dinner – fried chicken and French fries for my parents while I had a pizza with small bbq chicken wings. I had a beer along with that while I did what little work came my way.

I also chatted with my cousin for a while as I ate the pizza. Now I am just waiting for the minutes to trickle on by and it strikes midnight. At 12:30 am I will shut down my work system. I wish everyone a Happy New Year and may 2021 be much kinder to us.

Positives From 2020

- Roshan

Since most people, including me, have been complaining about the year 2020 and calling it the shittiest and worst year ever (not sure but the Black plague & Spanish Flu era might disagree), I thought I’d end the year on a more positive note. Let me recollect all the good things that have happened in the last year, 2020, and/or look at the positive side of things.

1. I finally got the opportunity to work from home. I really like the fact that I don’t have to commute daily and I can work in my lungi and undershirt and not have to shave.

2. I finally was able to get an air-conditioner in my bedroom. Granted it was free as my sister & cousin had closed their physical office due to Covid-19. Since they had a new ac in there – and because my sister and cousin’s homes both were air-conditioned – my sister offered it to me. I was planning to get one and was thinking of saving up some of my earnings from sponsored blogging to do so. I didn’t have to in the end.

3. I finally, finally bought an executive computer chair and my aching ass and lower back is so grateful. Money was from earnings from my website.

4. I also bought a new phone, the RealMe X2 Pro and I love it so much. Money was from earnings from my website.

5. I enhanced the RAM of my laptop from 4GB to a stonking 16 GB and it is the best thing you can do to your laptop. Money was from earnings from my website.

6. Speaking of, the months of April, May, June & July, I made a ton of money off sponsored posts on my website.

7. I was able to buy most of the tv series (box sets or individual dvd sets) that I was looking to buy. Like Stargate SG-1, Battlestar Galactica, Agents of Shield, Sherlock, Automan, Misfits of Science, Friends & The X-Files. There are a few that still elude me and maybe 2021 will see me get them.

8. I’m starting a new hobby – cooking a few recipes that I have wanted to try.

9. I also managed to buy my folks a brand new smart tv.

My Secret Desire?

- Roshan

What’s your secret desire?

I have this wish that I find a very powerful genie who is trapped in a lamp. I set it free and in return I become it’s master and instead of just 3 wishes and then the genie can go free, this is different. This genie is now forever mine to command and he can make every wish of mine come true. Anything at all including changing looks and appearances and shapes.

So I make wishes and my life changed. I become 6 inches taller, slimmer and more athletic. And my dick becomes much bigger. My bank balance grows as if I have won this large lottery. I can now buy a large luxury apartment and decorate it as I want. Heck I can buy 3 or 4 apartments and some houses. My parents, sister and her family and my cousins, aunts & uncles are all well looked after and they all get plenty of money to burn through for fun, courtesy of my wishes.

I get an expensive private jet and travel to all the places I have wanted to go and spend money there enjoying stays in the best hotels and indulging in niceties. Rome, Milan, Vancouver, New York, Montreal, LA, Las Vegas, Vienna, Singapore, Sydney, London etc. I also can attract any beautiful gorgeous woman I set my eyes on and fuck them in my beds. Give them the best sexual pleasure that they can ever imagine, and in some cases more than they ever imagined was possible. That is the life!

And that is my secret desire.

Prompt from 119 Journal Prompts for Your Journal Jar

Brighton 0 Arsenal 1

- Roshan

Arsenal are now in a “different world”, according to manager Mikel Arteta, after they recorded back-to-back league wins for the first time since September by beating Brighton. Before Christmas, Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer was among those to question whether the Gunners had what it took to retain the place in the top flight they have held since 1919. Defeat at Everton on 19 December left them only four points above the relegation zone after 14 games – their worst start to the season since 1974-75. But fortunes changed with a surprise 3-1 victory over Chelsea last weekend, which has now been followed up by this latest success.

Tuesday’s display lacked the fizz of that 3-1 win over the Blues, and they were particularly sluggish in the first half when they only managed one effort on goal. However, the tempo and urgency was turned up a couple of notches after the break, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Gabriel Martinelli going close before French striker Alexandre Lacazette fired home in the 66th minute. The second-half substitute had only been on the pitch 29 seconds when he swept in Bukayo Saka’s ball for his third goal in three games. Brighton boss Graham Potter left forwards Neal Maupay and Danny Welbeck on the bench – two of six changes made to the starting XI. His side once again looked comfortable and composed on the ball but it was a frustrating story in attack.

Aubameyang went close soon after the restart when he attempted to turn home Saka’s cross but was thwarted by the knee of Robert Sanchez. His side then broke through. Saka, exceptional on the flanks, this time set up Lacazette, who barely had time to get his studs dirty as he fired his shot past the Seagulls keeper. The closest the home side came to scoring was when Alireza Jahanbakhsh forced a sharp save from Bernd Leno at his near post. Arsenal climb up to 13th and now have 20 points, while Brighton remain two points above the drop zone in 17th.

Will Skip The Bars For Now

- Roshan

A few short days ago the state government decided that they would reopen the bars for people to come in and order drinks and food. The bars will no longer be allowed to sell bottles of beer and alcohol to customers at the retail price. You see the bars usually sell their wares at a huge profit (a 650 ml beer bottle that costs Rs.100-120 at a Bevco outlet is usually charged at anywhere between Rs.250-350 at a nice bar). During Covid the bars were not allowed to serve drinks and food but the public can buy the bottles off them for the regular price.

That is how I have been buying beer these past few months. I also bought a bottle of Old Monk Rum and 2 bottles of brandy for my dad. I have bought them from a private club and from a nice bar. Now I won’t be able to do so from a bar but I can get them from Bevco outlets and the private club. However I plan to try to get some beer from a BevCo outlet though I will have to get a token via their app which barely works. Let’s give a try in the morning and see if it works.

And that’s because I don’t want to go to a bar. Not now anyway. People won’t be careful and I just don’t want to risk it. So even if I don’t mind paying the higher prices for beer or vodka/rum and enjoy some delicious food in the nicer bars, I won’t be going for a while.

An Eggcellent Alternative

- Roshan

Quail eggs are a tiny and cute alternative to chicken eggs. They taste remarkably like chicken eggs but are small — typically just one-third the size of a standard chicken egg. They have cream-colored shells with brown splotches and deep-yellow yolks.

For their size, they are packed with nutrients, but there are some precautions to take when dealing with them, especially if you are pregnant or have an egg allergy. For being so small, these eggs are surprisingly rich in nutrients.

A single quail egg provides a significant chunk of your daily vitamin B12, selenium, riboflavin, and choline needs, along with some iron — all in a serving that contains only 14 calories. Selenium and riboflavin are important nutrients that help your body break down the food you eat and transform it into energy. Selenium also helps ensure healthy thyroid function. Meanwhile, vitamin B12 and iron promote healthy nervous system function and help maintain optimal energy levels through their roles in red blood cell formation. In addition, choline is vital to helping your body make acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that sends messages from your nervous system to your muscles.

Benefits of eating Quail Eggs include improve metabolism, promote bone strength, help to speed up recovery, beneficial to the respiratory system, help in maintaining regular sugar levels in the blood, help relieve depression, detox our bodies, boost concentration, have anti-aging properties, perfect for a protein-based  diet, improve skin health, treat acne, make your nails shine, reduce hair loss and help control dandruff.

Work At Home : Cons

- Roshan

  • Sometimes your company or perhaps certain people at the company feel that since you have the office system at home you can work a few extra hours. What else will you do since you don’t go out much?
  • The irritating thing about getting calls while you are not in shift. When I am on a day off I don’t appreciate getting a phone call at 5 am
  • Power outages in India – if it happens during your work shift then it is a problem. Luckily for me it is rare these days and if it does happen it usually comes back in 1-2 hours. For major work it can take longer, 3-5 hours but it has only happened a couple of times in recent months. Since I now have an inverter, I have back up for 3.5 hours.
  • Broadband issues without which the work cannot happen. I have had some issues with Asianet recently going back all the way to March. Luckily their turn around time is pretty good.
  • No time away from mom & dad. I see them all the time! And that can drive me crazy.

Downsizing (2017)

- Roshan

Downsizing is a 2017 American science fiction-drama film directed by Alexander Payne, written by Payne and Jim Taylor, and starring Matt Damon, Christoph Waltz, Hong Chau, Udo Krier and Kristen Wiig. It tells the story of Paul and Audrey Safranek, a couple who decide to undertake a newly invented procedure to shrink their bodies so they can start a new life in an experimental community. Audrey refuses the procedure at the last minute and Paul has to reassess his life choices after befriending an impoverished activist. Principal photography on the film began in Ontario, Canada on April 1, 2016.

Work At Home : Pros

- Roshan

Pros of Working at home:

  • I save a lot of time because the commute is nil.
  • I don’t have to shave everyday. I shave a couple of times a week, unless I am on a video conference call/training.
  • Comfort is king. I wear my undershirt and a lungi and I go commando. Gotta air them balls!
  • It’s mostly home cooked meals 3 times a day or 2 times a day. We do buy get restaurant delivered meals 2 times a week.
  • I can drink coffee or soft drinks while I am at work. We aren’t allowed to bring drinks to the work area, except for water ofcourse.
  • I sleep a lot more and the saved time from no commute can be had for watching tv or other leisurely activities.
  • When I am not conducting online training, my break times are flexible. I can break for lunch or dinner or coffee/snacks whenever I want.
  • When there is downtime and less work I am listening to music and can even watch a bit of tv as long as it doesn’t interfere with any work that can come my way.
  • I save on money for Uber & Ola as I don’t need to travel.

Arsenal 3 Chelsea 1

- Roshan

A rejuvenated Arsenal recorded an important victory over Chelsea to end their seven-game run without a win in the Premier League and ease the pressure on boss Mikel Arteta. Two first-half goals set the platform for the Gunners’ first top-flight win since 1 November. Alexandre Lacazette sent goalkeeper Edouard Mendy the wrong way from the penalty spot and Granit Xhaka curled in a superb free-kick 10 minutes later to put Arteta’s side in control. Bukayo Saka’s cross then dropped into the top corner early in the second half to put the game beyond the visitors. Tammy Abraham scored from close range to make it a nervy final five minutes for the hosts and Jorginho then saw his weak penalty saved by Bernd Leno.

But it was an otherwise lacklustre performance by Frank Lampard’s side, who missed the chance to go second. It was a well-deserved victory for Arsenal, who climb to 14th and will hope any talk of a relegation battle is now behind them. It has been an arduous couple of months between Premier League wins for Arsenal boss Arteta but, on the first anniversary of his first game in charge of the Gunners, his side delivered arguably one of the most important victories of the Spaniard’s tenure. Five months ago, Arsenal and Arteta were celebrating winning the FA Cup against their London rivals, only to watch the title-chasing Blues invest £200m on new players while the Gunners spent Christmas in their lowest league position since 1982. Arteta made six changes to the side beaten by Everton last time out in the league and trusted in youth with 19-year-old pair Saka and Gabriel Martinelli and 20-year-old Emile Smith Rowe.

He was rewarded with renewed energy and, despite there appearing to be minimal contact when Reece James fouled Kieran Tierney in the box, Lacazette made no mistake from the spot to deservedly put the hosts in front. Xhaka, back in the side following suspension, found the top corner with his free-kick soon after and when Saka’s attempted cross dropped over Chelsea goalkeeper Mendy into the net, Arteta must have felt his luck was changing. Martinelli forced Mendy into a low save after a smart move down Arsenal’s left and the Blues stopper was relieved when Lacazette failed to capitalise on his mistake. Mohamed Elneny struck the bar as Arsenal threatened to add to their tally before Chelsea’s late reprieve, but the Gunners held on for a first win in the Premier League since they beat Manchester United at Old Trafford almost two months ago. New West Brom boss Sam Allardyce suggested the Gunners are one of their relegation rivals this week but Arteta will hope this victory proves the catalyst to propel them up the table.

Jokes For The End Of The Year

- Roshan

My New Year’s resolution is to be more optimistic by keeping my cup half-full …. with either rum, vodka or whiskey.

I was going to quit all my bad habits for the new year ….. but then I remembered that nobody likes a quitter.

My New Year’s resolution is to break my New Year’s resolutions. That way I succeed at something!

Q: Why did Princess Leia contract Coronavirus?
A: Because she went to woo Han.

Two grandmothers were bragging about their precious darlings. One of them says to the other, “Mine are so good at social distancing, they won’t even call me.”

Who’s idea was it to sing “Happy Birthday” while washing your hands? Now every time I go to the bathroom, my kids expect me to walk out with a cake.

On New Year’s Eve, Marilyn stood up in the local pub and said that it was time to get ready. At the stroke of midnight, she wanted every husband to be standing next to the one person who made his life worth living. Well, it was kind of embarrassing. As the clock struck, the bartender was almost crushed to death.

Boxing Day Blues

- Roshan

What would I be doing if I live in a Western country like Canada, the areas of the US that I like or the UK, as I have often wished I did, on Boxing Day? What would I be doing in the holiday season if I had that life that I desperately wish I had. Well, pretty much what I imagine it to be is a cozy family day at home.

I would wake up late on Boxing day to find that my loving wife is also sleeping in that morning. Despite me walking on tip toes to get to the bathroom and doing my morning business, the family dog however does hear me and is wagging her tail in greeting as if she couldn’t wait for the night to be over and her humans to wake up. I pet the dog and quietly led her out of the bedroom, so my wife cannot hear us. I go down to the kitchen and let the dog out into the yard and then get coffee started on the machine. As I yawn and wait for the dog to come in and for the coffee to get made, I stand in the cold air on the deck and stretch.

The dog is now back in and I close the door that leads out to the back deck and yard. I get two cups made just in time to hear my wife coming down the steps. So she did hear us and had woken up. As she comes in to greet me good morning with a kiss, I get the coffees ready so we can relax on the sofas and switch on the tv. I suspect that the rest of the day will be making breakfast, choosing left overs for a quick lunch and then watching movies on tv. Walking the dog and not doing much else more taxing that day until dinner time and we have to choose between ordering in or cooking up something quickly.

That would be my Boxing day if I had the option.

Christmas In Covid-19

- Roshan

Not being big on Christmas it has always been just another day. If you are in a school, college or office environment then leading up to the 25th you will see lots of programs, carol singing and being dressed as Santa (with the scary. creepy Indian masks; I dunno why India can’t get better looking masks for Santa) and some stupid contest or the other. They usually have a Secret Santa thing going on which I like.

With this year working from home, I have not had any of that ofcourse. And as usual Christmas is just another day for an atheist. It is a holiday for my department however this year they had wanted one of us to work on Christmas and New Year as a backup / emergency / just in case. I volunteered for the 25th as I knew it would be an easy day at work and I would also get Monday off. On Monday I will be going back to the hospital and when I come back I will be tired and hence will want to take a nap in the afternoon which will be difficult as my shift starts at 3:30 pm.

2020-12-26_12-42-07

So today I was working from 3:30 pm till 12:30 am but I would have to say that I was available for work during that time but I hardly got a peep. I even contact some of the service delivery managers informing them that I am here and ready to help out if any issues do come their way and was almost begging them for something to work on. Instead I watched Youtube videos, listened to music and chilled. By 7:15 pm I ordered food for me and the parents. We had butter naan, butter chicken, bbq chicken wings and fish fingers from BBQ Nation. Delicious.

By 11:30 pm I realized that nothing is gonna come up and watched the latest episode of Star Trek Discovery and by 12:30 am I logged off and shut down my work station. I will watch a bit more tv before falling asleep.