The Neapolitan Novels

I read and enjoyed and also got (un)necessarily involved in really good fiction, thanks to the Neapolitan Novels series by Elena Ferrante. For beginners its a 4 book series, traverses the friendship and story of 2 girls growing up in Naples Italy from 1960s to early 2000s. (I had decided to do a 1/2 yearly books-I-read review post on the blog, but who am I if not a slave to breaking my own resolutions).

Things that went through my head as I read and progressed and finally finished this series.

1. For some reason I failed to remember the instances when Lenu or Lila cried in the books. Actual crying.

2. I read a book series after a really long time. Last time I read something like this was A song of ice and fire (you know what happened there) and The kingkiller chronicles (3rd book is supposed to be out by this year end or next year, I think). So a part of me could not come to terms that I would *actually* get to read this series to the end in the same year!

3. Normally books based in a particular city/country evoke a longing in me to visit the place. I felt nothing like that as I finished these books. I also read up some more on Naples as I progressed and the books don't diverge from what the real Naples is. It's presented as is. Full of violence, crime, contradictions and poverty.

4. The writing reflects honesty. Specially of emotions. Elena Greco (one of the protagonists) is doing the narration throughout the series, as (not a spoiler) she is the published writer in the fictional world. Although, Elena's honesty about her own life is at times annoying, verging on self victimizing, her honesty for all other characters reflects that she really loved them.

5. Rafaella aka Lila and Elena aka Lenu's friendship can become the lore of modern times. I would have preferred some of the drama that surrounds their life to be not there. Someone may be Netflix should convert this into a series. 

6. I LOVED the 3rd (and the 4th comes closest) book in the series the most. Maybe, since it has themes of leaving home to carve an identity, growing up, life changing decisions etc, something I am still grappling with and coming to terms with. 

7. Nino Sarratore is a jerk. We all meet one such person in our lives. I think. There are hate tumblrs for Nino Sarratore. LOL.

8. I was so disturbed by some of the events, incidents in book 3 that I proclaimed to T, that I am never going to start reading the 4th book and finish the series. I was so done with it. But my OCD prevailed. Also, I wanted to know. So I read like any good person does.

9. This is a pretty vague point, but I'll try to articulate nonetheless. Few writers, authors can delve really deep into the nuances of what we feel on a daily basis. Doing so requires a lot of hard work. Translating that onto paper honestly even more so. No wonder each book in this series is 400+ pages long (I read hard copies, shared the carbon footprint with T by bartering). Even reading such stuff is at times very involving and taxing, as you get sucked into it. Maybe Ferrante was coming from a very personal place, maybe these people are real, what happened to them is real. I am glad someone wrote about their lives. Even if under a pseudonym.

10. I am not much into choosing favorite characters. But, I want separate stories and books to be written on Michele Solara and Enzo Scanno. Theme being 'Devotion to Lila'

11. Also, I think the name of book 4 is not really literal allusion to things happening to characters. Its deeper, its about the lost child within each of them? (or maybe I am overthinking or maybe I am not).

12. I cried at the end of book 4. I could not believe that the narration of these intense, complicated, intertwined lives was coming to an end. Not much is revealed about a lot of 'whys' in the books, I am going to have a tough time making peace with that fact.

13. The history of the world changing around the girls is captured in the books. From earthquakes to political upheavals to technology's penetration in daily lives. That made the text richer.

Of Cassini, broken hearts and roses blooming in my borrowed garden

I am looking at the final descent of the Cassini spacecraft into Saturn's atmosphere. As Cassini dares into the uncharted territory, I well up. There is something deeply moving and romantic about the images. I wonder what all the astronomer's in the world must be feeling now. Wonder, excitement, awe of what awaits? As the final moments of Cassini's life reach earth, we all wait. Wonder for the unknown. Gratefulness for the gone. The one's who are left behind.

My heart is trying to find meaning in this unknown. The images are eerily incredible. They mend something inside me. Something heals. Not that things necessarily need mending. But I'll take this catharsis over the rootlessness I tend to feel from time to time. Belong.

Talking of which, I got to be the new caretaker of the mini garden that came with this apartment. The plants lived. Well beyond my own surprise and wonder. Things could not have been better. But the household help, loves annoying me. She broke an entire and ONLY bark of the rose plant, because it was growing aimlessly and had become difficult to not bump into. Keeping all my composure, I confronted her the next day, pretending to work from home. She said 'didi, see it will grow back again.' Yes, but I had managed to keep it alive for so long, why the heck did you have to do what you did! In this harsh summer. Of course, in front of her I merely agreed and went back to pretend mode.

I now started watering the plants without even looking at them. And one day groggy eyed I woke up to this

Why could I not see this for so long? Break, re-grow, move on.

In other news, SHE broke/cut off branches of 3 other plants. They are learning to re-grow. I have succumbed to the mighty Surekha Tai's wisdom.

A list..

Of unfinished/unstarted/left in random state projects. Because Upasna who I am constantly in awe of wrote one with the most apt illustration.

1. Books - 9 physical books have piled up on my to read list. I don't know how/when I am going to arrive at them.

2. Photo memory project - I am not big on clicking pictures using phone or any other device. Recently with the addition of a new member to our family i.e. Baby M, I want to document picture memories. I have made a start on this project, but but but..

3. Website - This year my blog completes 10 years! Hence I want to convert into a digital real estate owner. Initial research is in, but rest of the pieces of the puzzle remain to be arranged.

4. Alarm clock - This is not a project per say, but a personal move away from smart phone alarm clock, I have been meaning to do. Call it laziness or sheer unwillingness to take time out of my schedule, I have been unable to buy one! I don't know what will happen to me. 

5. Home lighting project - I live in a rented apartment, but I have been wanting to change the lighting for quite some time. I have not found the time to do any research in this regard to even get started :(

6. Bullet journal - I skipped #bujo for 15 days of February - excuse travel and 15 days of March - excuse work.

7. Medal hanger - My running medals deserve a space of their own. I might just scrap this project and buy a hanger off amazon. #GettingThingsDone

8. Pocket reads - I have more than 100 unread links/articles in my pocket feed. I am a stickler for 0 inbox and that numbers keeps on gnawing at me. I know sane advice is to just delete the app and live a peaceful life. But I really want to read the stuff I have saved over months (I even remember what I have saved over time). I want to chalk out a project to attend to this. Recently Raja Sen tweeted that he allotted 2 hours every Saturday every week to devour the pocket feed. I think I'll take inspiration from him.

9. Blog posts update - 3 posts from the Europe trip, 2 from the Himalayan trek trip and countless other drafts remain untouched.

I don't want to list anything more because this is making me feel like a loser! But sharing this also makes me keep things in perspective. For eg. I really need to start utilizing my weekends more productively.

Things I learnt from 6 days in the mountains

• Baths/showers are for the weaklings. If you are from the drylands or plains (or cities) and want to live in the mountains, then, forget what a bath feels like. Because when you are up there freezing your exposed body parts, read toes and fingers (if not wearing socks or gloves. But why will you do that in December, I ask!) nose, cheeks, mouth, making water touch them will feel like saja-e-(thanda)-pani. As if drinking water to stay hydrated, as drilled into your brain by every trek co-ordinator, is not punishment enough. So lesson number 1 - Unlearn the notion of bathing. There's sun bathing for whatever time the sun shines and you can remove the n layers you are wearing, to expose that covered part of the arm or leg. If you had any other ideas then please go to the beach to sun-bathe.

• Wet wipes are the best thing to happen to trekker-kind after the evolutionary ability to breathe. In the high mountains you only hope to breathe fine as the air starts getting thinner by the day. The only other thing you should care about (if you belong to the cities and are not sure about maintaining hygiene in the mountains) is having/carrying enough wet wipes. This multi-purpose invention can be used to wipe your hands, face, clothes, unclean utensils or lunchboxes after an hearty meal, your rear or even the toilet seat made unworthy by previous user's shaky coco-peat pouring skills.

• Pee-buddies are the new best friends you could ask for. Imagine sleeping with 5 layers of clothing, inside a sleeping bag, inside a tent. Now imagine your bladder waking you up in the middle of the night. A pee-buddy in need is a buddy indeed. If someone can wake up at ungodly hours just to accompany you to the loo tent, then those people are special. Cherish them. Keep them close. Also, never lose sight of them. Literally.

• I was able to charge my smart-phone on the penultimate day, thanks to the kindness of a fellow power bank owner. When I called up home to the delight of my folks, the first question that got thrown at me was 'Have you had your food?'. Here I am telling aai (mom) about the beauty and adventure and the first thing she asks me is about food. I mean I am annoyed by this question 80% of the time. But at that point I was so glad that there was someone in this world who cared about my stomach being full at 9000+ feet. I cannot describe the joy I felt at telling her about all the different food I had eaten, not just on that day, but during the last 4 days. Moms are the bestest!

• Learn from the children when it comes to embracing the mountain life. None of the 3 kids (age 8, 10 and 11) on our trek ever complained about layering up, feeling cold, walking too much or being hungry. They were always excited when they started a day's trek. And the excitement did not wane when we reached the next campsite. With equal energy they would line up for stretches, chai, snacks, food and sleep! Kids = best things that happened to our trek group. (should actually thank their parents for bringing them along :D) 

• Lastly as our trek lead told us, you don't climb the mountains. The mountains let you climb. Specially the Himalayas. These inviting but rugged beings showed me the harsh and physical (literally) side of life. I learnt to respect my limits, my body and the mighty mountains.