personal-blog on S Anand

Dancing with eyes closed

Sun, 09 Aug 2026 11:55:44 +0530

One of my goals this year is to learn to dance.

I haven’t done much about it, but I did snatch one opportunity. At VizChitra, Ashok Kumar led an Afternoon Rhythm “where the drum sets a beat and you find your place within it.” He invited volunteers on stage.

I usually volunteer for uncomfortable things (a habit from school days), so I briskly walked to the stage, waited for a few others to join, then started dancing to the beat.

I’ve been told (as a kid) that I was graceful. I haven’t danced in decades. I tried a few tentative moves.

Then my mind voice went, “Screw this. Just f***ing dance. Don’t worry about looking good.”

I closed my eyes. I danced to the beat.

Here's the video

This is the part where I’m supposed to say something poetic about how I felt. But it wasn’t like that.

Some parts looked awkward. Felt awkward.

Some parts flowed. At least to me.

But for a few minutes, I was back at hostel, dancing to Ilayaraja’s beats in my room, all by myself.

One of my goals this year is to learn to dance. Even more so, now.

Nobel prize in Economics

Thu, 09 Oct 2003 12:00:00 +0000

Robert Engle and Clive Granger won the Nobel Prize for their work on ARCH and something-or-the-other-I-ought-to-have-studied-at-B-school. I was outside Engle’s office last month (somewhere within 100m of the corridor in the photo), and that’s the closest I’ve been to an Nobel laureate. Of course, some people know him personally and discuss ‘stupid problems’ with him.

Victorias Secret

Thu, 11 Sep 2003 12:00:00 +0000

In the meantime, I have been up to no good.

Vodka ad

Fri, 17 Aug 2001 12:00:00 +0000

I’m on vacation until 27 August. Don’t expect too many updates. In the meantime, enjoy a CNet ad I liked. (Note: I’m not getting any “ad revenues” for this. Nor do I enjoy vodka. I prefer milk shakes.)
(I used to have an Absolut vodka ad here, but it doesn’t seem to work any more.)

I learn that girls can be very confusing

Sat, 14 Jul 2001 12:00:00 +0000

anand_m26blr: Hi Sonisha! How’re you?
sonisha_jd: hi
anand_m26blr: Where are you from?
sonisha_jd: adb
anand_m26blr: Sorry? ADB?
sonisha_jd: adilabad
sonisha_jd: a.p
anand_m26blr: Oh, I see. I’m right now in Mumbai.
anand_m26blr: Which chat room are you in?

The reason I asked this was because sonisha_jd wasn’t in the chat room I was in, and I was logged in invisibly. I have a theory on who sonisha_jd is, but that’s a different story.

sonisha_jd: will u mail me?
sonisha_jd: yahoo
anand_m26blr: Sure… but mail you what? I didn’t understand…
sonisha_jd: what?
anand_m26blr: You said “will you mail me?” – I didn’t get that part. You mean, keep in touch on e-mail? Or you want me to mail you right away?
sonisha_jd: u mail me
sonisha_jd: ok
anand_m26blr: OK, I’ll mail you. sonisha_jd@yahoo.com – right?

By this time, I’m confused enough to agree to anything.

sonisha_jd: ya
sonisha_jd: how u got it

That sounded like a condescending “How clever?” that I’ve heard before. Fuelled my suspicions on the identify of sonisha_jd.

anand_m26blr: How did I get what? Your e-mail ID? From your login…
anand_m26blr: Are you a student?
sonisha_jd: ya
sonisha_jd: u?
sonisha_jd: lazy bone!

Unprovoked and meaningless outburst. Again something I’m used to and have a theory about.

anand_m26blr: What? Who’s a lazy bone!?
sonisha_jd: ok bye mail me!
sonisha_jd: u
anand_m26blr: Hello?

Abrupt termination of conversation. Intruiging.