Children's Books, Darkness among other things

I have been reading a lot this week. All thanks to the great new Scribd app and subscription package, which lets you read on your phone and computer and has a great collection of popular fiction. They even have a newly added audio book section which I haven't tried out. Now I do not prefer e books to real ones, mainly because I miss the smell of books- old, new, dusty et al. But this is convenient and lets me extend my reading time to my commute without lugging around weight and risking motion sickness and if you save books to your library you can read them on your train/bus/flight journeys. So in short, I am a fan.

Anyway the books I have been reading are mostly children's books. I read a bunch of books by Andrew Clements. They are books for tweens I would say, they are not dumbed down for children. They are very well written, exciting, have great plots and 'wait for it' are set in the real world. No fantasies well maybe just a bit,but for the most part real life problems that children face everyday and how they handle them smartly. None of the children are particularly goody-goody, they all have their faults. What they do have in common is a mix of intelligence, street smarts and courage to face everything thrown at them. This makes reading about them anything but tedious. In fact, we may learn much from them

Great Adventure story, interesting twist on small town versus large corporates. Reading second book of this series now.
Other Books by the author:
- The Landry News- Interesting discussion of rights and amendments, Great book about the freedom and power of the press
- The Report Card- An intrepid heroine, who makes you wish you thought of her rebellious ideas, talks of the pressure of grades and living up to expectations
No Talking- Simply loved this one. I wouldn't have survived a day in this no talking contest, being personally an unshushable
 
 This was a strange, strange book. Not in a good way. The premise seemed okay, a little far fetched but okay. The book was very off putting and not at all good to read. Felt they took the whole empathy thing too far, it was sort of weird. The sliding bit was contrived. The only good thing was the suspense, but it was hurried along and that ruined it for me.
Book along similar lines which was surprisingly good was 'Reconstructing Amelia' by a first time author. She handles several sensitive issues with unusual tact and there is hardly anything that makes you uncomfortable about the book. It makes several strikes against the over sharing that everyone does in social media today and it's consequences.

Reconstructing Amelia was a particularly dark book primarily because it exposes things that could quite plausibly happen in real life. Other darkness this week comes from watching American Horror Story. This show is really really scary, not because of ghosts, but because of all the scary people. It has some really great actors, who are particularly convincing. This show has made for quite a few nightmares for me. The other creepy show on my watch list is Stalker. A very under dramatized, sober investigative series, it's about a division which catches stalkers obviously. It's interesting because the characters have more depth than the usual one dimensional investigators we see. It has Dylan Mc Dermott, who also acts in American Horror Story, one of my favorite actors after being "Bobby" from the practice. I haven't missed an episode and this show is sure to have you checking your locks at night. The only movie I managed to catch last week, did not inspire any optimism either. Stonehearst Asylum has plenty of movie heavyweights- Michael Caine and Ben Kingsley namely. The movie is a little slow, but picks up pace along the second half. It treads on the fine line between black and white. The end is not as unexpected as you would like it to be. You realize it somewhere in your brain along the way. Excellent flip side view at mental illness and it's treatment.
 

Training Wheels

He let go. She fell."Ouch!"she cried. "Sorry", he said. 'It's my fault.' ' Don't blame yourself.' ' I can't ride.' ' Are you hurt?' ' Only my pride.' 'Let's try again.' 'Not today.' ' You tired?' ' Just had enough!' ' Don't give up.' 'I want to.' 'One more time.' ' I'll magically transform?' 'It could happen.' ' Stranger things have!' she said frowning. ' Never said that.' 'Didn't have to.' ' Topic change please.' ' You were saying?' 'Was I? When?' ' Yesterday night, remember?' ' Oh, that.' ' So, not important?' 'Important, not urgent.' ' Spill it!' 'Not now, later.' 'Why not?' ' Need more time.' ' Or a phone?' ' Possibly, a phone.' 'Can't take it.' ' Can't say it.' ' Course, you can.' 'Not to you.' 'Is someone talking?' ' About what?' ' Someone is talking.' 'Yes, guess what?' ' About us?' ' Sort of.' 'Are you embarrassed?' She frowned disbelievingly. ' I am here.' He frowned back. ' Trust issues much?' 'Maybe, I don't.' ' I would lie?' ' No, just asking.'

'Never just ask.' ' So you won't.' ' Right, won't go.' 'Because of me?' ' You'd think that?' ' Because of everyone?' ' Is that worse?' ' I think so.' She said determinedly. 'Decide right now.' ' I should choose?' 'Yes, you should.' 'How can I?' ' Up to you!' ' I don't know.' 'Or don't want?' 'Could be both.' 'Not sure?' 'No one is.' ' Thought you were.' 'Not a savant.' ' That's a seer.' 'Whatever, don't care.' ' Tell me why?' ' Never ask again?' 'Try not to.' 'Promise me.' 'Okay, I promise.' ' Privacy, I guess.' ' You guess.' ' Don't know really.' ' Guessing isn't enough.' ' Deal with it.' 'Sharing is wrong?' ' Just personal opinion.' ' It's messed up!' ' Stop arguing!' ' Don't make excuses.' ' I am not.' ' It's my imagination?' ' Sometimes it's overactive.' ' It's always me.' ' That's not true.' 'This time, you?' 'You got me!'

'I don't.' ' Why the need?' ' Want to understand.' ' Better a mystery.' ' A bad one.' ' Let's do it.' ' Announce it?' 'How much longer?' 'Need convincing.' ' Announcement? Something Else?' ' What else?' ' Any regrets?' ' None now, never.' 'Just need space?' ' To be sure.' ' If everyone knows?' ' Will they?' ' I won't tell.' ' It's over.' ' How pessimistic.' ' Never peaceful again.' 'It won't end.' ' What's the point?' ' Telling the truth.' ' To everyone else? ' He sighed dejectedly. ' I am happy.' ' I am too!' ' Why the worry?' ' I am skeptical.' ' Okay, not worried.' ' Hate gossip.' ' Thinking ruins everything.' ' I should stop?' 'Just relax!' ' I am trying.' ' Try harder.' ' I don't agree.' ' It's perfect timing.' 'I disagree.' 'Please do.'

'Worth it?' ' You gotta ask?' 'It's to me.' ' Only you matter.'' I know.' ' So you'll go?' ' Prom sucks!' ' Less with me.' ' You aren't scared?' ' Of what?' ' Wrong ideas?'  ' Should I be?' ' Something like that.' ' Do you care?' He said, 'No!'. ' I don't either.' ' Let's go!' ' Great, finally!' ' Get back on!' ' Ordering me huh?' ' That's impossible.' ' Hold on tight.' 'Trust me.' ' That scares me.' 'Need to start.' They both smiled.

Art Museum: Philly- An Inspiration

Poised high up on a hilly path, more often than not the Philadelphia Museum of Art is the first thing you notice as you enter the Philadelphia 30th Street Station on a train. It has become, thanks to the Rocky Movies, an icon in Philadelphia, the most recognizable landmark in this city. You can delude yourself that you are following in Stallone's footsteps as you huff and puff up Kelly Drive to reach this monument. The road from the city center is less picturesque and less Rocky like. You can only get the complete experience if you run up Kelly Drive and then confront yourself with the massive steps leading up to the museum. The steps are dotted with many aspiring athletes working out and even a "Yoga at Sunset" class proceeding on the side. In summer, more often than not you can find dogs running into the fountain and children wading barefoot into the water.

The view of the Philly skyline looks perfect from the steps, the curving Benjamin Franklin Parkway runs through right down to the city. This is the less scenic look and looks deceptively short, but is a far longer walk than the Kelly drive path you could take. Some of the flags planted along the sides of the road flutter in the wind closer to the Museum which is located in a particularly windy area while the rest of them hang limply. The Parkway has many museums and places of interest scattered along it such as the central branch of the Public Library, an interesting four sided sculpture replete with lions and other animals, humans and fountains, the Rodin Museum. The Eastern State Penitentiary and the Barnes Foundation are a stone's throw away.

 Next to the steps amidst the green foliage is hidden the Rocky Statue. You can see many people lining up in front of the statue to pose for photographs. The museum is built in a Classic style and draws heavily from Roman columns and forums. The exhibition that I had a chance to view were the plans to redesign the museum and give it a modern facelift by the architect Frank Gehry- famous for the Walt Disney concert hall in Los Angeles. It would be interesting to watch how this traditional structure transforms into its modern interpretation. The museum has a pay as you wish every Wednesday and on the first Sunday of the month. Wednesdays are a good time to visit as there are some cool activities from wine tasting to plays and performances.

Now that quite enough has been spoken about the outsides of the museum, let me do a highlight tour of the inside. There are permanent exhibits with rotating display items and special exhibits. Two of the most fascinating permanent exhibits are the Indian temple complete with stone pillars and a mock up of a medieval cathedral with carved wells and tiled roofs.

Special Exhibits generally have a large special area devoted to them. One of the special exhibits, I had a chance to look at was the China exhibit. There were rooms filled with video graphed books on the walls, showcases filled with ceremonial and everyday clothes used by early Chinese kings and common people. Specially built rooms filled with furniture displayed traditional arrangements in Chinese homes. Children were sprawled on the ground with detailed activity books in hand. The best part of all were the stand up interactive panels explaining the exhibits, every museum should get them for every exhibit, they are like a crash course in art appreciation. Finally, everyone, big and small, young and old got a chance to write their name in Chinese and take it home with them.

My top 10 favourite art installations

1. The Four Seasons - Leon Fredric

2. The Arab Chief- Mariano Fortuny y Carbó

3. Little Dancer - Edgar Degas
4. The Imaginary Illness- Honore Daumier
5. Given: 1. The Waterfall, 2. The Illuminating Gas-Marcel Duchamp
6. The Staircase Group by Charles Wilson Peale
7. The Crucifixion and The Gross Clinic by Thomas Eakins
8. Spring by John La Farge
9. The Pont Neuf- Camille Pissarro
10. Potrait of Madamoiselle Legrand- Renoir

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is not a sprawling mega museum like the ones in New York. It is a small cozy museum which you can get to know every exhibit and learn about all of the paintings, sculptures et al. But most of all, the Museum inspires awe and motivation, anyone running on Kelly Drive or driving past the museum at night can testify to that.

Why baking is like analytics

I have been doing analytics consulting for all of my professional life and I have been baking only in the past year, that too only on weekends. I love baking as long as my results are sweet and I like my job on most of the good days. The similarities between these activities goes much further to me when I think about it. So here's one of those ridiculous lists which lists out why:

1. Baking is neither an art nor a science. Same goes for analytics. They deceive you into thinking it's a science and numbers game. But you need a feel, otherwise known as common sense for both. For example, you cannot add 100g of flour that the recipe calls for and say but it s not supposed to be this liquid. Just like you can't say you don't know why your numbers fell off a cliff.

2. There are some things you only learn by doing. These are two of them. There are siren like recipes which seem so super easy for a complicated sounding cake or biscuit. Theoretically, we are all on the same page and then your oven steadfastly refuses to yield results. While you may give an awesome theoretical spiel on a math model, you might see them all come tumbling down when you actually get to work.

3. Half baked results can always get you in trouble, though you may try to spin it otherwise. It is not easy to eat a half baked cake. You will choke just like you would when you eat one, if you try to deliver half baked results.

4. You need to follow instructions, step by step. Missing an instruction or mixing up order of events can prove to be costly mistakes. Procedure and quality checking at each step is important.

5. All measurements need to be accurate. Guessing and approximation isn't always the best idea.

6. Practice! Practice! Practice. The longer you do it, the more number of hours you put in practicing initially, the better you get at it. Soon you are almost perfect and hardly make any mistakes at all.

7. It's easier to explain to others how to execute something- whether a cake or an analysis, It becomes difficult only when you have to do it yourself and then you might have to ask the person you explained it to for help

8. An extra pair of hands is always a good thing. Delegation helps you get to timely and accurate  (read tasty) results.

9. Stirring the pot too much isn't always a good idea, Like an over-beaten cake, over analysis only falls flat on its face.

10. Appearance is more important than you think. The shape and embellishments of the cake make the first impression before it is even tasted. Your content and analysis may very likely go for a toss if you are not a pro at formatting and 'prettification'.

Philadelphia in Food

I spent the best part of this summer in Philadelphia, working. Like all my travels and most of my posts, this is all about the food I experienced in this very friendly city.

Lunches at Potbelly and Corner Bakery.. Enjoying a hurried mushroom melt and trying to eat crunchy chips quietly in a client meeting. Actually finding choices, vegetarian dishes I like in the office cafeteria..

Madelines with my friend.. Midnight snack and accompaniment to long overdue catch ups..Roti Canai at Banana Leaf with a foodie co worker.. Conversation was better than the food.. Missing home and succumbing to Philadelphia Chutney Company.. Living to regret the moment of weakness. 

Enjoying my share of farmers markets on Rittenhouse Square.. Knowing basil lemonade Popsicle could taste so good and getting complimented on my 'spring' shirt. Tasting veggie hot dogs as you listen to weird music at the Old st market.. Discovering you happened up on to the Old st market by mistake.. Trekking on purpose to the Ben Franklin parkway for the Fair on Parkway and getting disappointed with the 2 food trucks.

Experimental tasting with tasty kake and orange fair trade chocolate... Loving the icecreams at Franklin Fountain. Veggie burgers at Devil's Alley and Hip City Veg. Vegan cupcakes and OJ at Animo.. Falling in love with wok stir fries at Honeygrow on my first day and coming back many times.. Finishing up with a Smore melt in the mouth cookie from Insomnia Cookies..

Stumbling on to a perfect Italian place BYOB like most in Philly that I can't remember the name of because I went around looking at so many menus before I walked into one. Discovering super relaxed fine dining down the road from your house.. Having a Parisian breakfast at Parc Rittenhouse looking at the park, feeling Parisian with all the dogs around. Trying to repeat the experience at Devon and failing miserably. 

Having one pastry of each kind with Mom at Metropolitan bakery. Trying mojito icecream at a weird gelataria on 20th street.. Buying my friend tiramisu from Miel. Marvelling and getting disgusted simultaneously over chocolate pasta at Max Brenner. Having had too much of a sweet thing, biting into red chillies at Han' s Dynasty. Finally trying and liking Indian food in the US at Indeblue. Realizing a childhood obsession with Dr. Seuss having French toast breakfast at Green Eggs and Ham