tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29957442024-03-07T23:18:32.152+00:00Deepanjan Nag's Magnum OpusHappy the man,and happy he alone,
He,who can call today his own;
He who,secure within,can say,
Tomorrow do thy worst,for I have lived today.Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.comBlogger2670125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-6163541583857205062023-11-19T22:11:00.001+00:002023-11-19T22:11:36.173+00:00We LostIt shattered a billion dreams. But the defeat was a comprehensive one.Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-83625759765908850512023-11-17T22:14:00.001+00:002023-11-17T22:14:02.830+00:00World Cup 2023The final is tomorrow. India face Australia. Nervous.Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-75398399970590037352023-11-17T04:30:00.002+00:002023-11-17T04:31:45.919+00:00Desperate HousewivesBinge watching Desperate Housewives on Hulu. I'm loving it.Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-82681295191541726852022-11-13T21:38:00.002+00:002022-11-13T21:40:02.219+00:00What's the world coming to?<p>Covid was unfathomable for most of our generation. Social distancing was a ubiquitous oxymoron we had to embrace. Society was effectively suspended. When the pandemic finally began to recede, it left behind a trail of irreparable damage.</p><p>Now that Covid is visible mainly in the rear-view mirror, one would imagine that we can finally heave a sigh of relief. Not so fast! Humans are up to their good-for-nothing shenanigans yet again. Russia launched a unilateral war against Ukraine while the UN went limp on the issue, Elon dilly-dallied with Twitter before finally buying it and doing everything he could to decimate it, and FTX, a hitherto reputable crypto-exchange, was reduced to a sham because of reckless and unethical practices by its owners.</p><p>All this while the world faces a once-in-a-lifetime kind of inflation with recession looking very likely. The worst, I fear, is yet to come. It'll be a real shame if we have to look back at the Covid-era with nostalgia.</p>Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-53284269848311154032021-07-16T23:00:00.001+01:002021-07-16T23:00:58.280+01:00COVID-19 VaccinationGot my 2nd dose of the vaccine yesterday. I hope mankind never has to endure the ravages of yet another pandemic.Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-18258269175214703692021-07-16T22:58:00.001+01:002021-07-16T22:58:09.506+01:00S.D BurmanI used to make fun of the legendary singer/compose because of his rustic style and apparent lack of complexity. And yet, here I am, listening to him and loving the sheer nostalgia.<div>Some things are inexplicable. The heart often speaks an elusive language.</div>Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-73776619159236958852020-11-18T09:28:00.002+00:002020-11-18T09:28:22.300+00:00Leverage Trading<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://bpcdn.co/images/2019/02/16004200/margin-vs-leverage.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="760" src="https://bpcdn.co/images/2019/02/16004200/margin-vs-leverage.png" /></a></div><br />Finance is still a terrifying concept and I'll always remain a tyro. But I'm trying to be adventurous and dip my feet into leverage trading. The concepts are mind-boggling and the path is fraught with danger. I'm enjoying the ride for now.<p></p>Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-26109407266334861392020-11-16T14:50:00.001+00:002020-11-16T14:50:23.369+00:00Persimmon<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/Fuyu_persimmon_fruits%2C_one_cut_open.jpg/320px-Fuyu_persimmon_fruits%2C_one_cut_open.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/Fuyu_persimmon_fruits%2C_one_cut_open.jpg/320px-Fuyu_persimmon_fruits%2C_one_cut_open.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Had to use Google Lens to know how to eat a Persimmon. I'm no fan of the fruit.</div><br /> <p></p>Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-7554933625091363622020-07-01T22:33:00.001+01:002020-07-01T22:35:42.011+01:00When CD was happening<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_Tx6TYnPat8" width="320" youtube-src-id="_Tx6TYnPat8"></iframe></div>Nothing revved me up like acoustics. This video from 1982 correctly predicts the revolution about to be ushered by CDs. Audiophiles never had it so good.Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-61914752194850593732020-06-29T19:42:00.002+01:002020-06-29T19:45:40.672+01:00AWS<div style='text-align: center'>
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Now that I've got a taste of Google Cloud Platform and Microsoft Azure, I'm off to the land of Amazon Web Services. This is the granddaddy of cloud platforms. I'm currently focussed on Lambda Functions. I've already covered EC2 previously and now also dabbling in S3, DynamoDB, and IAM.<div><br /></div><div>Amazon's infrastructure is impressive.</div>Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-50805130015082818282020-06-28T14:32:00.004+01:002020-06-28T15:09:05.522+01:00T Time is Over<div style="text-align: center;">
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My stock of herbal tea is finally over today. But since it's impossible to get addicted to herbal or green tea, I'm not exactly rushing out to replenish my stock, though there are many health benefits to it. I think I'll just take a break before continuing.Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-28327400259159532622020-06-27T09:11:00.010+01:002020-06-27T16:27:42.359+01:00Tram!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pMxp4YKKPqs" width="320" youtube-src-id="pMxp4YKKPqs"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>There is something captivating about tram rides in Kolkata. It's amazing that this relic of British Raj is still on track, let alone plying. But Calcutta Transport Corporation (CTC) has long suffered from dereliction and the dwindling routes bears testimony to this neglect. The service is apparently on its last leg, though there have been rare hopes of revival from a few enthusiastic government officials.<div><br /></div><div>No city in the world is more apt for a tram-in-shambles ride than Kolkata. The two are in perfect harmony with the other. When the tram moves on the streets, it does so meekly, jostling for space to run through. It's almost apologetic for still occupying precious stretch in a city that is bursting at its seams from overpopulation and constant encroachment. Space is clearly at a premium here. People generally condescend when the tram musters the audacity to ring its bell asking for attention - perhaps because someone has conveniently parked his two-wheeler on its tracks and walked away. Every time the tram inches ahead, it seems to murmur its gratitude for still being allowed on the roads, to anyone who would care to listen. Its acquiescence to its fate is there for all to see. Most people are actually sorry to see the service inevitably fading away. </div><div><br /></div><div>Still, the old-world-charm of a city that steadfastly refuses to move with the times is best witnessed from a squeaking tram. The windows are always wide open, as are the doors. Your view of the city couldn't be more unhindered. People hop in and out almost on a whim, often while the tram is still moving. For many commuters, it's just a joyride, a way to relive a bygone era or a dab of nostalgia. Nobody in his right mind would take the tram when he has an appointment to keep. </div><div><br /></div><div>The ticket checker approaches the commuter to collect his fare, wondering what ill-fate could have befallen him. But he's grateful that there are still enough people who use its service. Their numbers might be on the wane but not yet naught. On a good day when traffic is less-than-usual, the tram even breaks into a momentary roar as it speeds through the thoroughfare, the flanking buildings reverberating in joyous approval.</div><div><br /></div><div>May there be many more days to come before we forever lose the tram.</div>Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-58300465556354766282020-06-26T12:12:00.001+01:002020-06-26T12:12:10.183+01:00Menu<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/S2sdzZLZVEqje/giphy.gif" />
</div>Rice, Brussels Sprouts, Spinach, Broccoli and Eggs for today and tomorrow. Very good for health but tastes bad.Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-81893818013028310262020-06-25T12:05:00.008+01:002020-06-25T18:00:10.895+01:00Family @ the round table<div style="text-align: center;">
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I miss those days. The family would gather at the round table for dinner at a preset time. Baba would sit on my right and Ma on the left. Didi was bang opposite. Baba was the only one who helped himself to some extra green chillies. <div><br /></div><div>Ma did the initial serving. Most days, among other things, we had fish - remaining true to our Bengali tradition. I was elated on the rare occasion when the humble egg played the usurper and replaced the fish.<div><br /></div><div>Our conversations would be many and varied. Didi and I rarely teased each other. Before TV came along to disrupt everything, it was the most profound moment of the day. We proverbially huddled together for a family-meet over food, discussing all that was worthy.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>The entry of the TV gave us a semblance of the shape of things to come. I synced our dinner time with the daily soaps. Soon enough, I was so caught in the weekly plots, I thought it best to sit away from the table, in front of the TV. No one protested. I now wish otherwise. Those precious family moments were never to be after that and I forever lost what would have potentially been priceless fond memories in the making.</div>Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-61337206836267995452020-06-24T08:47:00.001+01:002020-06-24T08:47:48.663+01:00The Toothbrushes arrive<div>
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<br /></div>Since the PO was in no mood to deliver the bounced toothbrushes, Asha and Ari paid a visit to the hallowed office to retrieve the coveted objects yesterday. I hope they find it useful. I'm counting on Ari showing more enthusiasm now in doing the daily chore of brushing his teeth.Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-28409470314377870912020-06-24T00:05:00.003+01:002020-06-25T13:59:09.230+01:00The case of the missing images<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>Now that I've renounced my renunciation of Blogger, at least one oddity has resurfaced - vanishing images! I'm appalled to see that even after all these years Google has failed to put this nagging issue behind them. Googling (ironically) for the problem, I found that the web is replete with people complaining about it. I'm not sure if the mystery will ever be solved if even the mighty Google is unable to fix it after all these years.Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-57588901956276640752020-06-23T23:45:00.004+01:002020-06-25T08:13:55.233+01:00BBQ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>Enjoyed my 1st barbeque in 5 yrs. The last one was in New York under entirely different circumstances. <div>London seems to have embraced tropical summer yet again. Knowing what winter feels like in the West, I'm not going to gripe about the heatwave, especially since it was the perfect setting for the party.</div>Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-92108297085097019622020-06-23T12:15:00.006+01:002020-06-24T13:58:50.276+01:00Snufmumriko<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>Tiny smart speakers are terrible for serious music but more than enough for ambient music at low volume. My latest find - a Swedish composer named Snufmumriko. His music doesn't try to grab your attention, nor is it disappointing if you listen. The vibe is just perfect for a pensive end-of-day, aided by warm dim light and an essential oil diffuser.Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-41123912036229787882020-06-23T11:41:00.003+01:002020-06-24T13:57:28.246+01:00Slip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>Today was one of those rare days than I missed the wakeup time. I was late by 15 mins, not nearly enough to throw me into disarray. I completed all chores.<div>I'm honestly surprised at how vehemently I've stuck to my routine since I resolved to make some drastic changes.</div>Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-75039112209314095562020-06-22T23:11:00.009+01:002020-06-24T13:55:15.485+01:00Toothbrushes in the PO<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>A pair of prized electric toothbrushes have been languishing in the post-office since June 3rd. Thanks to the ever-looming presence of Lord COVID, the first attempt to deliver them was spurned. I'm not sure how long the terrible reign of the virus will keep deliveries crippled. I'm hoping my brushes don't return to Amazon.Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-90989705498967361202020-06-22T09:03:00.007+01:002020-06-22T22:03:21.150+01:00Good Morn<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjaWrZlhuPG12PvvoRnjSv89qNssnLUCZx7A8sQcKJnUnRwvJPCB2A1dkN-djJ0yt8EcvqOS3iP-bP3bKHazbp3bLfcQ9cjy91MqPyKjd3KfujeZnQPfCVTdlQnEnLmtXaE_fkD1BeB2v0GAJV900Ox=s320" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjaWrZlhuPG12PvvoRnjSv89qNssnLUCZx7A8sQcKJnUnRwvJPCB2A1dkN-djJ0yt8EcvqOS3iP-bP3bKHazbp3bLfcQ9cjy91MqPyKjd3KfujeZnQPfCVTdlQnEnLmtXaE_fkD1BeB2v0GAJV900Ox=s2048" /></a></div>Subscribed to Apple Music late last night upon Ari's request. I hope he puts our Alexa to good use.</div><div><br /></div>It's morning. Sunlight is flooding my room through a window right next to me. The white curtain diffuses the light. I'm looking at my screen with a squint since I'm seeing double. Staring continually without frequent blinks dehydrates my eyes and I reckon this is aggravating the problem. I must buy some artificial tears to remedy the issue.<div><br /></div><div>Herbal tea awaits my sips. The moisturizer came flooding into my palm as I tipped the bottle. The depleting supply allowed the air to gush in and lotion to ooze out. I need <a href="http://www.notion.so">Notion</a> to keep me on track with these daily chores as I can't bother to burden my birdbrain with the frivolous. </div><div><br /></div><div>My breakfast doubles as a mildly tasty-yet-bland lunch with rice, sardines, and egg. Prior to that, adhering to my strict schedule, I prepared to satiate my tummy's needs for today and tomorrow. I like being done with food chores early in the morning.</div><div><br /></div><div>The daily trivialities know no end. Not that I'm complaining.</div>Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-63794617859641360512020-06-22T00:01:00.004+01:002020-06-24T13:52:34.793+01:00Cooking alternate mornings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>It isn't easy squeezing a range of chores into a 1-hr early-morning window and leaving the kitchen spick and span after solo cooking. Covid-19's conspiracy-of-the-century and a range of events compelled me into quickly learning the art of surviving purely on my cooking skills. I could already cook a little and even survive on it for a few days. But the lockdown called for a drastically altered lifestyle and now my culinary skills had to quickly elevate and gear towards long-term survival. It was a tall ask.<div><br /></div><div>Making me cook is like expecting a baby to play chess - the challenge is hardly commensurate to our skills. And yet, over the past few months, I have risen to the occasion and not only survived but thrived. Well, I'm not exactly flourishing but I'm pleasantly surprised by my own resilience.</div><div><br /></div><div>The most epochal change has been switching from using the microwave to the stove for cooking rice. While earlier, 20 minutes in the microwave would produce a lumpy bowl of rice where all the grains were seemingly superglued to each other, now, a rather precisely engineered method to cook rice over the stove has produced dramatically more edible rice - the kind that people would expect to eat without overworking their jaws. Best of all, this elaborate technique doesn't cost me more time.</div><div><br /></div><div>To add cheer to this daily staple, I've resorted to a healthy routine of broccoli, spinach, beans, mixed vegetables, brussels sprouts, eggs, sardines, and the like. Though the taste isn't necessarily the best, I'm proud of the health benefits I'm supposedly gaining.</div><div><br /></div><div>But I miss regular and tasty food, there's no denying it. When the world is back in orbit and there's a semblance of normalcy in my daily life, I hope my dying tastebuds can be pampered and revived.</div>Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-40794243637322874642020-06-21T13:42:00.004+01:002020-06-24T13:51:35.503+01:00Father's Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEiW7MDnOIbFtpe54KXRwobq1D7WgWlUWEtZTcMwF3NOmtLzpOf5DyLgrip8sPlJgxp64idCneYxket9Mo2e9Sbx05fCOjiO1yPHm-sTEbOng7eJcA5714bGYrYpAKD1vXFMWiyEtLyluLhBNBvA6HSs=s500" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEiW7MDnOIbFtpe54KXRwobq1D7WgWlUWEtZTcMwF3NOmtLzpOf5DyLgrip8sPlJgxp64idCneYxket9Mo2e9Sbx05fCOjiO1yPHm-sTEbOng7eJcA5714bGYrYpAKD1vXFMWiyEtLyluLhBNBvA6HSs=s320" /></a></div>Every day is Father's Day to me. It can't be relegated to one particular day of the year. I've nothing against the celebrations or the reminding some of us may need. Just that the hoopla often seems like yet another product churned by social media.Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-31235588908534485552020-06-21T13:31:00.006+01:002020-06-24T13:49:19.349+01:00The unresponsive Alexa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>I love Alexa. What I do not like is that it needs an incredible amount of prodding when I try to play the voice recordings on my Android. Is it shoddy coding or is it a real challenge to pull audio from the server?Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2995744.post-77813986196985034352020-06-21T13:25:00.004+01:002020-06-24T13:47:22.662+01:00We need a resurrection<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div>The news is overwhelmingly sombre. We're now so numbed by the daily installment of bad news that we don't even pay heed to it anymore. The wait for a vaccine is excruciating. Any glimmer of hope, no matter how trivial, is a welcome relief. How long before we put all this behind us?Deepanjanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11313106810885221711noreply@blogger.com0