(Aug 12, 10:36am)

I covered the BJP National Council Meet the other day.. It was a good, day-long experience...

Very hectic, but then when you are doing what you had seen other scribes do on TV hitherto, it feels ok..

It was the first time I saw all the tall BJP leaders together on a dais.. Individually, I had seen most of them before, barring the prime minister..

I was satisfied with the reports I filed at the end of it, though I thought if I had been working for a newspaper, I would have done better.. Since there would be more time..

XXX

I plan to go home in September... I think I will have to miss Durga Pooja... My probation gets over on Sep 24, but by the time formalities are over and I am alotted my share of leaves, it will be end of Oct..

Before that, I can avail a maximum of six-day leave if I were to club my comp offs, CLs, and weekly holiday together..

But I can't take that during DP.. I will be taking that before it, as I have to do mumma's annual death anniversary rituals on third week of Sep.. Let's see!

XXX

(Aug 7, 11:20pm)

Fifty-one page views in one day!

This mood-enhancing thing happened today.. seems finally my blog is restoring the stats it once commanded..

Many of you would say I am deriving pride in this, and that this is silly...

Frankly, pride to me is very closely linked to esteem and is based acutely on the humility and rightfulness of my own conduct.. besides the ability to exhibit grace in difficult circumstances..

So no, there's no element of pride here..

But yes, we do take some merriment out of small things sometimes.. It is one of those.. and for me who wishes to be an author and commercially successful, these are little indicator.. trifle ones as they are, though..

XXX

I went for K Natwar Singh's book launch today... It was interesting... Singh is sharp... and agile.. To me, any ageing man who retains his nimbleness is a good example...

It fills me with a pleasant realisation that every age has its hue, and we all can make that more wonderful!

I wanted him to ask one question in the q/a session.. It would have been a considerable one..

"Had you not fallen out with Sonia Gandhi, would you ever leak that her renunciation of the PM's post was not driven by her inner voice as she famously claimed? Would you ever tell the world it was overridden by an adamant son who feared his mother's safety?"

It would have been interesting to note what he would say.. Probably, it could have made to page 1..

Sadly, I was in a crowd in the over-filled auditorium and not visible to the moderator perhaps..

XXX

(Aug 4, 11:19pm)

After a long time, my blog stats hit 400 plus in one month... which means, my stats have become good again after I started writing frequently in the last one month..

My blog stats had fell to an all time low of 250 approx ever since I returned from Kashmir and stopped writing... I can't be blamed though... There was this new job...

And there were elections.. besides, I am not exactly comfortable.. I need a better place.. and since I do not have a refrigerator I am not having good, self-cooked non-vegetarian food.. I feel listless often..

XXX

There was a time when my blog would have 800-900 views a month.. It was a huge hit.. so many people followed it...

Now I have a feeling, while I still have regular followers, they are a new bunch.. many old guards have stopped visiting..

Though few of them do visit here, which I can sense..

Does Anon 99 visit? Does Anon 99 think anything of me now, whether good or bad.. Or am I now immaterial?

XXX

(Aug 1, 12:07am)

The weather is fine in the evening now.. Days are humid but you can bear...

I might be interviewing the Libyan ambassador tomorrow... It will be a busy day, but then I have an off on Saturday.. and Sunday, although I would be at office, there wouldn't be too much to do..

XXX

I had a very lovely Eid... I was told by my bureau chief I could take an off.. and that was good, since I realised later that had it not been an off, I wouldn't be able to greet my friends adequately..

I had whole bunch of people to greet this Eid... as I had been in Kashmir for quite some time, and with some families, I had grown closer... and in some cases, with their extended families too..

It was lovely connecting to them... it felt as if I too was in Kashmir.. with them.. making merry.. they are very different people.. far from formal.. and yet, their intimacy doesn't make you feel odd.. far from it.. it makes you feel happy..

I used to stay near the Hazratbal shrine while in Kashmir.. A**i* sent me quite a few pics of the place.. it was buzzing with activity... and beautifully decorated.. Wish I was there too..

XXX

Even in the evening, I had long conversations on the phone... I now have two very dear brothers there.. one my all time best freind and brother N****.. and the other one, a TV actor, who I made friends with last time..

He was N****'s friend.. Then there were so many colleagues to wish.. from the English weekly I worked with there, and other people from the fraternity..

It was a nice time!

XXX

(July 28, 11:56pm)

It's Eid today... the moon was sighted a few hours back, and a grand celebration follows across the country tomorrow..

I have so many people to wish this time.. I always had quite a few Muslim friends.. from school, from neighbourhood.. muma's friends..

But with my frequent visits to Kashmir, the list has gone higher.. I really hope I do not miss out anybody..

Btw, I have been invited for Eid feasting at BJP ex-MP Shahnawaz Hussian's house..Tomorrow 1pm..

XXX

(July 28, 11:52pm)

I have stopped house hunting for some time.. but job offers are not stopping to pour in... I got another call Saturday..

It was the HR of India's largest selling English weekly.. I told them what they are having must be an old CV of mine, and that I am working already with this news agency..

Still they insisted... and my aunt told me, there's no harm in meeting.. if you say a blunt no, they might not consider you in future either..

XXX

So, I went to this English magazine.. a sprawling, glamorous premises... and some very good looking lady receptionist..

Preetier than the one who sits at Bhadaur Shah Zafar Road office of the largest selling English daily..

Anyway, it turned out to be a desk opening.. I declined humbly.. after conveying we would keep in touch..

XXX 

(July 26, 2:07pm)

2014 has so far been good.. though I am aiming at some bigger feats... and hope they come along this third quarter itself..

If it does, I will be utilising much of the last quarter of the year, writing my novel..

The last quarter anyway is my favourite season.. I love autumn.. Spring is good, too.. probably sweeter... but a scorching summer awaits it...

Autumn gives an impression that everything is fading... the trees are bereft of its leaves... but are they bereft of beauty? No!

Fading is not always dull... it all depends how you look at things... When you look at the barren trees and still find them of some beauty, it might just mean beauty doesn't desert you as you age..

You can retain your charm in even the later stages of your life, if you acknowledge your age, and are ready to welcome it and live it... and try to find out ways to add grace to it..

In Cardiff, I would find so many beautiful old couples dotting the parks on weekend.. so well dressed.. so happy.. and so much in love with their age...

Anyway, coming back to autumn, it is also a season of varied colours... especially if you are in Kashmir... Will I be in Kashmir this autumn?

I hope..

And then autumn opens up to an inviting winter... with pleasant memories of your childhood when you would be off school for a long holiday... and perhaps visit your grandmom and let her fall you to sleep recounting stories...

Stories are powerful... This autumn I hope to write one..

XXX