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It rained heavily in Ichalkaranji that day. Water was seeping into our house, including my room, because it was so heavy. That was not a concern of mine. I was concerned that the water would seep into our new house, which we had not yet moved into. In my panic, I asked a friend about the rain intensity in the area where our new house was located (it's not stupid to do so - it can rain differently in different parts of the same town). But, to my disappointment, it was also raining heavily in that part of town. I worried about it for a long time, and it made me realise how important the house is to me.

For most of us, 2020 was a year of lows. But it was a memorable experience for me and my family. After a lot of thought and waiting, we finally got our first house in October of last year. When the rest of the world was cooped up in their homes with nothing to look forward to, the house was something we could all be excited about. It also kept us occupied with all of the interiors work that needed to be completed in order to get it in the shape I desired. The screenshots of house decors in my phone's gallery attest to how involved I became in it. This was the only thing that kept me sane during a rather crazy year.

Having a house that we can call our own has been a childhood dream of mine. As cliched as it may sound, nothing beats the feeling of your parents being happy and proud of you for something you've accomplished.

Even after the house was completed, it was difficult for us to settle in. My grandmother died a week before we were supposed to move in. It made me extremely sad because she couldn't see the house. When she first heard the news, she was extremely happy. Our plans to move into the house were repeatedly postponed due to the ruthless corona virus, which claimed the lives of many of our immediate and non-immediate family members. Our enthusiasm waned as a result of this.

We finally moved into the house on the 23rd of last month, as they say, time heals everything. This was one of those moments and events that you imagine a thousand times in your head before it happens. I wanted to record and share this because it is a once-in-a-lifetime event for me. One thing that this whole experience and feeling has taught me is that some things may not be as important or as big a deal to the people around you, but if it's important to you, then keep it. Allow it to provide you with a sense of joy and pride. Finally, I'd like to express my gratitude to all of my friends and family for their continuous encouragement throughout this journey. You know who you are.

Sun signs!

A sun sign, also known as a zodiac sign, is a type of identity that people want to be associated with. A person's sun sign is determined by the date of birth, or, in scientific terms, by the position of the Sun at the time of birth. According to the date of your birth, there are 12 different sun signs.

The 12 signs are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces.

"If you really want to learn more about yourself, ask your friends about your personality traits. You will get the answer, but you will not like it because it is the truth, not some sugarcoated lie from some random website."

According to the majority of people who believe in them, the sun signs can be a determining factor of one's personality traits and can also be used for astrology to determine one's life purpose and destiny.

This blog is simply me expressing my thoughts on this widely accepted but highly dubious concept. This, in my opinion, is the biggest con that has ever existed and continues to exist. If the fact that I'm calling this a scam offends you, it's possible that it's just a personality trait of your sun sign.

Using highly generic adjectives that almost everyone on the planet can relate to is the key to defining personality traits based on zodiac sign. They use words like Energetic, Gullible, Friendly, Lonely, Courageous, Lively, Smart, Romantic, Kind, and so on. Now, if you pay attention, you'll notice that there's an adjective for everyone. Every type of person can identify with one or more of these adjectives, and then is led into believing that the zodiac traits are accurate.

You might be wondering why the concept of Sun signs is so popular if it makes no sense. The Sun sign scam, like any other, is a boon to many people. There are blog posts based solely on the concept of sun signs, newspaper columns that have been showing sun sign based horoscopes for years, and video creators whose content is solely based on the zodiac signs. This is the most effective way to say the same thing in 12 different ways. People who consume such content, in my opinion, do so in order to avoid taking responsibility for their actions.One example of this is - 'Oh you are so unnecessarily picky! Nooo..Its just how Libras are!.' (For every Libra that's relating to this its a personality trait of a Virgo and not a Libra - I was trying to make a point here).

Making something highly generic and linking it to science according to convenience doesn't make it true. It actually makes it more dangerous. There are people out there who use the Zodiac horoscope as a tool to scam people left, right, and centre.

If you really want to learn more about yourself, ask your friends about your personality traits. You will get the answer, but you will not like it because it is the truth, not some sugarcoated lie from some random website.

Both attacks and compliments are welcome in the comments section. Feel free to say what's on your mind - just don't blame it on your zodiac sign.

If you liked reading this check out my post on movie 'The Disciple' . Know about me here.

The Disciple

disciple /dɪˈsʌɪp(ə)l/ noun

a follower or pupil of a teacher, leader, or philosopher.

A 2020 Marathi language movie directed by Chaitanya Tamhane is about an Indian classical vocalist Sharad Nerulakar who has devoted his life to the art form following the teachings of his guru/teacher. This post is not a movie review - I am not any movie critic. This is just me nerding out.

99% of the cast from this movie are newcomers and yet he took 9 months to complete casting for this movie.

A still from the movie 'The Disciple'

I do not know anything about the Indian classical music. The makers of the film do not expect you to know about the art form to cherish the movie. The story is focused on an Indian classical music artist but it feels like a story of every other artist out there. The film shows the progression of Sharad Nerulkar's character. He struggles through every phase of it. You can feel his desperation to become best and make his Guru proud screaming loud through the screen. (which is amazing because the movie is very low tone and understated). He still remains an ordinary artist till the end who is constantly fighting with his internal insecurities.

What did I like about this movie?

Chaitanya Tamhane - the director of this movie has an inclination towards wide shots, loooong takes, still frames, slowly moving scenes. You can see all of these in this movie as well. All of these combined makes every frame of the movie beautiful. You can literally pause at any second of the movie and the frame you get is nothing but an amazing photograph. I have always been a sucker for the movies that are shot well. This movie is a treat for the eyes for someone with the same liking. This movie proves that film-making is not always about telling the complex stories - it is sometimes about giving the audience a good cinematic experience.

Who shouldn't watch this movie?

This movie is not for someone who loves fast paced action, drama, thriller. It moves really really slow. This movie is not about a complex story that unfolds as the time passes - it is a character study I would say.

Fun facts about this movie

Director Chaitanya believes in hiring non-professional actors for his movies. 99% of the cast from this movie are newcomers and yet he took 9 months to complete casting for this movie. Alfonso Cuaron - director of the popular movie 'Gravity' was so impressed with this movie that he decided to be an executive producer for this project.

'The Disciple' is available on Netflix to watch!

You can read about me here.