Once upon a time (a highly unoriginal beginning I know, but hey, one has to start somewhere and all said and done one can’t go wrong calling on the classics) – a long time ago (1993), though it was not “a dark and stormy night” (and there’s two instances of plagiarism in my very first sentence! I can imagine what a field day my students would have a if they saw this) – a very dear classmate characterized me as peregrine. Now a peregrine is a falcon, but Rusten had used the word as an adjective, in keeping with our programme director’s edict to choose single adjectives to describe our classmates. A peregrine Neeraja then, simply meant a Neeraja who moved around. Ever the kindred spirit, Rusten had already recognized this propensity of mine and chose to celebrate it. I was so flattered and charmed by the description that I was determined to make it as part of my identity whenever the right opportunity arose. And now’s my chance. As a tribute to the prophetic Rusten – Eric Rusten Hogness to give him his full name (funny expression that, now that I think of it… as if his name were mine to give) – my blog bears his adjective in its title. Stories about Rusten, the program we graduated from and my peregrine tendencies will appear in other pages of this blog as and when I have the time and inclination but I just thought I’d explain my title. Anyway — this is my blog – the “peregrine chronicles.” Join me for whichever parts of the hell of a ride my life’s been (mostly in any case) thus far. Be warned, the chronicles may be prosy and overlong, but I do hope that those of you who do visit enjoy yourselves.

Neeraja