Certainity vs. Probability

The only certainty in the life of one that is born is death. All other events have only finite probability of occurrence.
We all 'know' that but we like to forget this fact in our everyday life. As if we are bound forever. We plan things for a life of eternity. We 'buy' houses forever. We own stuff as if forever. We mourn losing our belongings. And our folks too. As if we owned them too. No. Not gonna happen. Everything goes. All things must pass.

Happy Birthday to me

To be honest I don't care about birthdays. There is nothing special about the sun being in the same position as it was integer multiple of 365.25 days earlier. It may not even be exactly that. But it feels good to be important.
That said I had quite a birthday day this year. In the night I was surprised with cake and stuff for midnight. Stayed till 3 am. Next day I treated everyone at a bowling ally along with food. It was good fun.

I received a birthday card from my Mom this year too. With a poem for me. I must say my Mom is quite a poet now. Just to give her background she has masters in Hindi Literature. I should put the poem here once I get home.

Happy Independence day

Happy Independence Day to all Indians! Although if you actually look back at the day that we are trying to celebrate there are more things to be sad about than to be happy.
Not that I am a pessimist (which I may be independently but it is totally unrelated to this observation) but the biggest migration in history took place in that year 1947. Considerable fraction of human population was murdered by their own kind. Yes I am talking about partition of India and the bloodbath involved. Over years I have read a lot about this unfortunate event and I tend to imagine what it must have been to live to see those days in, say, Lahore or Amritsar.
Not that it was the first time hate was used as killing tool but it could have been avoided, at least partially, with minutest attention to better administration and taking more time for conflict resolution instead of hurrying it off. This time of year infuses a sense of melancholia in me.
The very next to next day comes my birthday. And this happens every year. For some reasons I am not particularly enthusiastic on the day for birthdays in general. Not to say that 15 Aug has any contribution to this effect but I am not sure why/how I want to celebrate it. Although I must admit it feels nice when lot of people wish 'Happy Birthday'. It makes you feel you are important. :)

Runners high

Survived the 5k run!
I completed my first official 5k run last Saturday with a timing close to 25 minutes. Don't know the official timing but it should be between 25 - 26 min.
This was saturday morning. After which I waited to recuperate little bit unitll Monday evening.
On the Monday evening I had a rush of endorphins experience. It is called runner's high if you haven't heard about it. It was an experience like nothing before. I felt I could run forever, faster and faster. Had I run any faster I would have taken off from the ground. :) I ran 10 km total in less than 48 min! My fastest kilometer lap came in 4:03 minutes while I was on high.

Well it came at some price. I had sore legs for a day. Not real bad but I could feel it.

What is Chemistry?

Here is an interesting video of what people think chemistry is. I would have never guessed that a lot of people would describe it this way. Take a guess.

"Don't forget without science there is no love because it is all hormones baby!"

Running

This Saturday I am going for a 5k Run. This would be my first. Recently I have been fancying idea of running a marathon. Umm.. maybe half-marathon to begin with. I talked to some marathon runners and one of them said,
To run marathon is not the point, to run injure-free marathon is difficult. But he also said that a lot of guys older than us run so it is not that bad.

My current status is that at my best I have completed 10km in 55 min. That included hydration breaks. Not that bad. Almost quarter marathon.

Unlike previous summers, in this one I have been running more than I was biking. Well, summer is coming to an end. Guess I am running out of time.

Very soon it is going to be cold and chilly. No place to run. :(

UPDATE: Aug 9: Completed 5k in 25:08 min

Sunday at the lab

I AM NOT GOING TO SPEND THIS SUNDAY IN THE LAB!

Nevertheless I enjoy this song and I think some of my blogger friends will like it.

Happy weekend (that includes Sunday)