Music
Music, in almost any form, brings me joy. But I’m especially drawn to the spontaneous creativity of improvisational music, particularly jazz and Indian classical. I’m also actively learning Carnatic music on the guitar and mandolin, though I’m still very much a beginner.
While I grew up listening to music, I did not formally learn until my college days. My initial steps were on the violin, guided by Ms. Sowmya (a student of Kanyakumari), I found my true passion in fretted instruments. Under the tutelage of Guru Shrinidhi Hemmige, I explored the intricacies of Carnatic guitar, fueled by the captivating sounds of Mandolin U Srinivas and Guitar R Prasanna, whose artistry continues to inspire me.
I own several electric guitars and an electric 4-string mandolin.
Keyboards
Keyboards have held a special fascination for me, particularly as a heavy computer user. My journey began with a Kinesis Freestyle, mounted vertically to prioritize wrist comfort. This quickly grew into a genuine passion for collecting and using a variety of keyboards, even dabbling in custom builds. My daily driver is the Kinesis Advantage. Though I also own the newer Kinesis 360, finding myself still drawn to the classic Advantage 2. My collection include over a dozen split, ergonomic keyboards, including a custom Dactyl designed to perfectly fit my finger lengths, reflecting my dedication to finding the perfect typing experience.
A few years ago, I decided to transition to the Colemak keyboard layout. The initial weeks and months were demanding, but the effort has paid off, as I am now comfortably “multi-layout fluent.” I maintain typing speeds well over 100 words per minute on both Colemak and the standard QWERTY layout. For a quick mental break, I often turn to typing games, finding them a fun and engaging way to sharpen my skills and refresh my mind.
Coffee
I enjoy a good cup of coffee, and I’ve even taken some beginner barista training to learn more about the process. My kitchen has a few different kinds of brewing equipment, and I tend to prefer lighter roasts from Central America when I drink it black. When I add milk, I like darker roasts from the Coorg or Chikmagalur regions of India. Perhaps this love is inherited; my great-grandmother ran a renowned coffee stop, opening her doors at 4:30 am to serve piping hot filter coffee to eager travelers.