Bangalore Book Festival 2013

[Updated 29.11.2013 7.35 pm]  This event has been called off by the organizers.
[Updated 07.12.2013 10:05 pm] Book Fest may be held in Jan (link)
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My Original Post:
The much awaited Bangalore Book Festival 2013 will start from 29th November.  The grand event is scheduled at Tripura Vasani, Palace Grounds, Bangalore.
The exhibition is between 29th Nov - 8th Dec.
This will be the much awaited event of the year for the book lovers and bibliophiles. The event normally starts in the October and also spread for more than 2 weeks.  However, this time it happens only for 10 days.  The public will get two weekends to visit this book exhibition.
Approximately under 300 stalls, the books are expected to be in English and all Indian languages. Usually, the book stalls give a discount of 20% - this is far lesser than online shopping.  But I personally encourage buying from stores regularly to support the publishing community.
I wish the book exhibition differentiates itself beyond regular and popular books. We also would like to see rare books, unique ones. Also, bibliophiles would love to see bookshelves.  Self Publishing companies and City Libraries also should make their presence wide.
I am looking forward for the event.

[ADDED] Some more personal links:
My daughter Diya at Bangalore Book Festival 2010
Diya exploring the stage in Bangalore Book Festival 2008 (she was 2 years then)

Not a couch potato!

This dog seems to tell "Dogs are not couch potatoes; and couch potatoes are not dogs"

Anjali (1990) Tamil Full Movie

Today I was watching few scenes of this great movie Anjali. I am reminded of few things:
1. Most of the people have healthy children
2. There are many children like Anjali but fortunately adopted by some good hearts

Very emotional movie. I will watch the whole movie on a weekend soon!

Empty Platform and Departing Train

Empty Platform and
Departing Train

The departing train and the empty platform can make anyone philosophical! Here is my poem

Until the train arrives, 

the platform is a living, 

lively place. 

When the train arrives,
everyone on the floor
gets on to a made race.
When the train departs,
some feel good,
some feel relieved.
The train does not care!
But it carries loads of
relationships and dreams.
The platform turns empty
and hearts heavier.

Fighting the craving for new SmartPhone

I am exercising my willpower more these days. There is a strong craving to buy that elusive Samsung Galaxy Note 2.  Read my previous post. The price is fluctuating between 29K to 32K and I am also almost waiting like a dog for the bone.
Advertisements are really persuading.
But I started developing some more beliefs:
1. Why do I want this phone?

• Because it has a stylus.

2. Why do you need a stylus?

• Because my identity is a writer. I am currently writing in laptop, smartphone and papers and notebooks and my work is scattered everywhere. Note 2 will help collate everything in one place.

3. What is the bad side?

• I may be constantly glued to the phone.
• I will tend to be online forever - which I hate doing it.
• I will miss talking to people on the transport.
• I will not observe anything else.
• I will not think.

4. Is 30K worth?

• May not be now.  I will establish myself an author, and then reward myself with this smartphone.

5. What do I do now?

• I think I will use my current resources well. Even my humble 512MB RAM is good enough. Will accomplish something great, conquer the field and reward myself. PERIOD. No second thought of buying Note 2 for the next few months.

Despite Everything!

Despite everything,

The world has become a

better place to live!

Despite noise around me,

I see music in me.

Despite smoke around me,

I smell roses surround me.

Despite burns

I sense fountain of youth

Despite tears

I hear laughs.

Early morning mood

tells me that

the world has become a

better place to live.

Its my day - today.

For entrepreneurs

My friend lent me this book "Start up of You". It's written by the founder of LinkedIn. I just loved this book. It's not a typical self help book. I am going to buy a personal copy and few gift copies soon. The author has intelligently taken the "start-up" as the metaphor.  It's all about purpose, ownership and networking.  It's easy reading and not that heavy.  I recommend it.