Its hard to believe,but its already been 2 months since I began my new job. Certain junctures in life are true turning points, and at the moment, this definitely seems like a career switch I'm gonna enjoy !
Reading tons of logs and not getting enuff new code to beat out was frustrating. Its like putting a frog in water and asking it not to swim..
Anyways, the new journey and environment definitely seem positive and the learning opportunity sounds inviting for sure...
Off late, I have taken a liking into the spiritual world and regularly read up stuff on Krishnasmercy.org. It definitely helps to elucidate the purpose of life and guides us on the righteous path towards salvation. The trick is to walk the talk and I hope to make some headway on those lines in the forthcoming future.
Its sick as usual to see Manmohan Singh extend an olive branch to Pakistan, this time almost forcing them to gobble up the 'humanitarian' aid for flood relief.
First and foremost, we grow no olives in India, maybe its the Italian influence on the government that causes them to associate so deeply with olives...
Anyways, the writing on the wall is clear, the pipeline of aid will be routed by the benign neighbor to the needy Taliban and Lashkar, which is in dire need of funds, and will use the same to fuel further unrest in the Kashmir valley. The mango diplomacy is being stretched too far.
Its so ironical that the Mango people or the 'Aam Aadmi' as Three Idiots introduced it, would not benefit a trifle from all this shenanigans of the politicians..
The Kashmir unrest seems to surface at regular intervals every couple of years, only resulting in more deployment of forces in the Valley and talks of autonomy. Why can't India, which is trying to ape its Big Asian Dragon Brother, just take a leaf out of their book and crush this movement for once. Look what has happened to these Asian neighbors since 1989, one country marching along the Yellow Sea en route the Pacific to humble Uncle Sam. The other still reeling under issues like corruption, Naxalism, and being the bashing boy for Mr. President. This time in the form of hi-tech Indian companies sponsoring the illegal drug trafficking and immigrant problem along the southern Hispanic border of the US.
Back home in the national capital, Mr. Kalmadi has ensured that the CWG are in news for all the wrong reasons. And why is he enjoying such patronage from India's first family? Is it because these contracts have a leaky pipe that leads into the benami Swiss bank accounts of 'you know who...'. Its truly a shame that the python of corruption has firmly gripped us and crippled the fabric of our society..
Phew, this has been such a sorry tale. But today is Friday, and its time to cheer up and shout TGIF !!!
Friday, August 20, 2010
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
The Washington chronicle..revisited
Sunday and Memorial day were action-packed days, and the soaring mercury resonated well with our rising spirits! Not once did DC smell like a ghost-town, in fact the long weekend and the perfect summer weather created a nice hue of colorful dresses and fragrances worn by the fashion savvy..
Washington monument was our first stop and was truly a delight to the eyes. What made it even more spectacular was that it was right in line with Capitol Hill leading further up to Lincoln Memorial. For a moment, I was reminded of the Peshwa era, where Pune's own historic monuments like the Shaniwarwada, Parvati and Sarasbaug formed the trinity frequented by Shrimant Bajirao Peshwa and his royal clan, that succeeded the throne.
It was fun to see road-side stalls selling candy, burgers, hawkers selling bottled water and ice-cream. Sucking at those popsickles in the sweltering heat brought much needed relief, and my kiddo did not take it too well in her stride that she was being deprived of this part of the fun!
What really stood out in DC was the grandeur, and cleanliness that is void in most Indian cities and places of tourist interest. We also had a chance to do a peek-a-boo into White House from a distance about 0.3 miles away, and it seemed like a mini-fortress that was well guarded for Mr. President.
The rest of the afternoon and the day to follow were thankfully spent in the cosy, air-conditioned confines of the Smithsonian museums, which gleefully offer free admission to the public. Each and every section made some interesting viewing, and we were left gasping for time and energy when viewing the exhibits.
I equally liked both, the Museum of Natural History that boasts of the Hope Diamond, as well as the Air and Space Museum. Although the limited security left me wondering whether most of the precious gems on display are indeed imitation 'American diamonds' craftily replacing the originals...
As if we couldn't have enough of the National capital, our itinerary included a visit to my bro's Alma Mater that was conveniently located 230 odd miles away, but who cares quoting Rabindranath Tagore 'Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high..'.
It proved to be whirlwind tour in the end with us scrambling to grab a meal in Blacksburg's only Indian restaurant, followed by a rapid fire guided tour from my brother driving us around campus...Felt good to be there though..
What followed next was slightly bizarre, with the Garmin GPS speaking a different language as if to say, entities like freeway were extinct and the only way to get back to Raleigh was driving thru country roads of VA, where winding roads was the norm, ghats was a way of life and houses were spaced almost half a mile apart.
With a sigh of relief we cruised back to the city around 2:30 AM, sleepy, tired and showing signs of exhaustion that usually accompanies such a crazy day.
But as they say, all is well that ends well and it was a nice memorable East coast jaunt!!!
Washington monument was our first stop and was truly a delight to the eyes. What made it even more spectacular was that it was right in line with Capitol Hill leading further up to Lincoln Memorial. For a moment, I was reminded of the Peshwa era, where Pune's own historic monuments like the Shaniwarwada, Parvati and Sarasbaug formed the trinity frequented by Shrimant Bajirao Peshwa and his royal clan, that succeeded the throne.
It was fun to see road-side stalls selling candy, burgers, hawkers selling bottled water and ice-cream. Sucking at those popsickles in the sweltering heat brought much needed relief, and my kiddo did not take it too well in her stride that she was being deprived of this part of the fun!
What really stood out in DC was the grandeur, and cleanliness that is void in most Indian cities and places of tourist interest. We also had a chance to do a peek-a-boo into White House from a distance about 0.3 miles away, and it seemed like a mini-fortress that was well guarded for Mr. President.
The rest of the afternoon and the day to follow were thankfully spent in the cosy, air-conditioned confines of the Smithsonian museums, which gleefully offer free admission to the public. Each and every section made some interesting viewing, and we were left gasping for time and energy when viewing the exhibits.
I equally liked both, the Museum of Natural History that boasts of the Hope Diamond, as well as the Air and Space Museum. Although the limited security left me wondering whether most of the precious gems on display are indeed imitation 'American diamonds' craftily replacing the originals...
As if we couldn't have enough of the National capital, our itinerary included a visit to my bro's Alma Mater that was conveniently located 230 odd miles away, but who cares quoting Rabindranath Tagore 'Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high..'.
It proved to be whirlwind tour in the end with us scrambling to grab a meal in Blacksburg's only Indian restaurant, followed by a rapid fire guided tour from my brother driving us around campus...Felt good to be there though..
What followed next was slightly bizarre, with the Garmin GPS speaking a different language as if to say, entities like freeway were extinct and the only way to get back to Raleigh was driving thru country roads of VA, where winding roads was the norm, ghats was a way of life and houses were spaced almost half a mile apart.
With a sigh of relief we cruised back to the city around 2:30 AM, sleepy, tired and showing signs of exhaustion that usually accompanies such a crazy day.
But as they say, all is well that ends well and it was a nice memorable East coast jaunt!!!
Friday, June 04, 2010
Desis visit D.C.
Last weekend was a roller-coaster ride without venturing into any of the theme parks. An East coast trip ensured that we were pumped with adrenalin and any dull moment was left high and dry in the heat of summer.
Now taking a baby on her maiden flight via the Red Eye express isn't the most rationale decisions, but when one is squeezed for time(and $) and wants to cram all the wonderful experiences in half a week, then it becomes an evil necessity. Luckily for us, Ishanvi was a good flyer, only providing glimpses of the weapon that children wield, tears and crying that would make a might army come to a grinding halt from the Battle of Waterloo..
I have always been an admirer of the East coast, a reality cemented by the fact that I only have its memories from Spring thru early Fall. This time was no different, and passing thru Hartsfield Jackson Airport in Atlanta was like a mini-homecoming, reminding us of the nice time we spent there before turning occidental in quest of Gold (err. greener pastures) ! The descent of the flight as it hovered over Raleigh airport was even more gratifying, and I was awe-struck again, watching the shades of verdant landscape interspersed with prisitine lakes that define the landscape of the South East hinterland..
A quick lunch and shower was all it took, before we hit the road. Looked like this time my body had caught up with the Sun shining on EDT much sooner, and did not gimme too much of a headache that frequent the jet-laggers. As we closed in on Uncle Sam's capital, the EQ, i.e. excitement quotient grew by leaps and bounds and the pinnacle of Washington monument perfectly personified the state of our mind. The lights that shone upon Capitol Hill truly make it a visitors' paradise. I could already identify myself with tourists decked up with the copyrighted 'I LUV DC'. The adventurous spirit that we were exhibiting took us close to the dungeons of the FBI/CIA headquarters in neighboring Reston/Herndon VA, when our GPS guided us via the backdoor into a no-entry zone headed towards the White House. Some driving skills put to test and clever maneuvers took us back to the safe confines of our Hilton Hotel, and I was a tad disappointed to miss any rendezvous with its socialite heiress Paris Hilton !!
To be continued...
Friday, May 28, 2010
Summer of 2010
Lot of water has flown down the bridge, since I last put my blogging skills to use.
And yes, I'm still not an alien, with a blue-body akin to the Avataar lead pair, but still the blogosphere feels like a different place altogether..But I'm sure, a few hundred lines is all that it would take for my Shin-kan-zen to start rolling once again!
2009 was a year in which a lot happened, and its hard to believe we are knocking at the doors of June of 2010 already...Wasn't it just a few days ago, that 2010 came beckoning to be the year of economic revival, promising to usher in good times again, and make mends for the recession that gripped the world thru 2008 and 2009.
Of course, another kind of Dragon has got a firm grip on world affairs now, with China, shining like a star in the new world order and humbling the mighty Uncle Sam, whenever it gets an opportunity.
Now, I haven't read into the fineprint about the situation @Latitude 38 parallel North aka the Korean peninsula, but my gut feel says, its a proxy war between the USA and China, not South and North Korea..
One of the evolutions in my social networking history over the year was switching over from Orkut to the more sociable 'Facebook'. Now, being a die-hard Google fan, it wasn't an easy choice, but a decision made with due diligence and listening to my heart's call !!
To summarize, in the war between Mountain View and Palo Alto, PA won handsomely. I guess it was also easier to favor PA, since I moved residence out of MTV to the relatively more sunny, vale in the Bay Area.
Now I am not a big fan of Al Gore and his initiatives to save the planet, but the weather change being experienced recently has caused me to devote more than the occasional shrug to the issue of global warming. Here in Cali, you are supposed to pay premium for the Sun, but dude, where is the Sun, this yr ?? NorCal is behaving more like its cousin Portland and distant Pacific cousin Seattle in exhibiting a weather pattern that is as naive to me as a doughnut would be to a newborn !!
Spring has brought everything to life, but the chill accompanied by the erratic rains has really left me doing Brrr..for the past several months, with no respite on the horizon.
Back home, India is reeling under a severe heat wave that would offer stiff competition to the Icelandic volcanic ash that left Europe limping and got flights to a standstill. Could it not spare Europe, as it was already limping under the Euro-zone crisis?
40 deg celcius is the norm now, and its not uncommon for the Deccan Plateau to warm up close to the half-century mark (temperature wise). Guess, the only advantage is hotels won't need an oven any longer to serve the Tandoori chicken to its fans!
Have a flight to catch later, but hoping to bring back the blogging spirit in the Summer of 2010 !!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Blog abhi baki hai mere dost...
This almost sounds like alien territory to me; revisiting it after a gorge that is around 8 months apart.
I had practically given up on blogging for the better part of 2008, and it is certain checkpoints like your birthday, that remind you that there is a life beyond the role of bread earning that needs to be exercised.
Reading is another of those long lost passions that I need to reignite in 2009. I'm already planning a dash to the Mountain View Public Library this weekend, to catch up on all the reading that has eluded my eyes since time immemorial. The last thing I remember devouring upon was the 'Godfather', which I enjoyed thoroughly. And then I took to reading the 'Last Don', but lost initiative along the way...
Celebrating birthdays in a place different from your home country has its own ramifications, and I wonder at technical aspects like when should I celebrate it? Should it be as per my current time zone or should I align it with India? Still haven't figured out the answer. I got around it, though, by making myself believe that its on both days, thus having a 36 hour window to rejoice...
We had planned to watch CC2C at the movies a while ago, when we last caught its enticing trailer while watching Singh is King. We were eagerly waiting thru mid January and were tuned to the theatres around that screen Bollywood films; lo behold, when the reviews came out, I was quite disappointed to see that it was a bomber at the BO. Well, that didn't mean we were going to give it a miss, especially in the era of streaming video delights, which friendly desis are eager to help their fellow Indians with. What a spirit of fraternity this movie sharing business is; doesn't it deserve some gallantry award, since the guyz have the cheek to brave the (C) word, in the land where 'sue' is a mighty weapon !!
So ultimately, CC2C or what I abbreviate as C22C or 2C2C or 22C was watched in the cosy confines of our apartment home, and we patted ourselves for being judicious and waiting for some public reviews. Its February and its raining here again; just waiting for President's day to catch up more sleep on the long weekend..ehhhh
I had practically given up on blogging for the better part of 2008, and it is certain checkpoints like your birthday, that remind you that there is a life beyond the role of bread earning that needs to be exercised.
Reading is another of those long lost passions that I need to reignite in 2009. I'm already planning a dash to the Mountain View Public Library this weekend, to catch up on all the reading that has eluded my eyes since time immemorial. The last thing I remember devouring upon was the 'Godfather', which I enjoyed thoroughly. And then I took to reading the 'Last Don', but lost initiative along the way...
Celebrating birthdays in a place different from your home country has its own ramifications, and I wonder at technical aspects like when should I celebrate it? Should it be as per my current time zone or should I align it with India? Still haven't figured out the answer. I got around it, though, by making myself believe that its on both days, thus having a 36 hour window to rejoice...
We had planned to watch CC2C at the movies a while ago, when we last caught its enticing trailer while watching Singh is King. We were eagerly waiting thru mid January and were tuned to the theatres around that screen Bollywood films; lo behold, when the reviews came out, I was quite disappointed to see that it was a bomber at the BO. Well, that didn't mean we were going to give it a miss, especially in the era of streaming video delights, which friendly desis are eager to help their fellow Indians with. What a spirit of fraternity this movie sharing business is; doesn't it deserve some gallantry award, since the guyz have the cheek to brave the (C) word, in the land where 'sue' is a mighty weapon !!
So ultimately, CC2C or what I abbreviate as C22C or 2C2C or 22C was watched in the cosy confines of our apartment home, and we patted ourselves for being judicious and waiting for some public reviews. Its February and its raining here again; just waiting for President's day to catch up more sleep on the long weekend..ehhhh
Friday, May 16, 2008
A laid-back Friday
Its one of those rare days @work, when the pace of life can match the pace of work. There are just a few things to take care of, and people are chilled out in general. What a surprise that this is happening in one of the most warm days seen by me in Nor Cal so far..Gave me the faint hint of being someplace closer to home in Pune, with a classic tropical climate, the winds confined to the Occidental coastline of the Pacific, and not trying to venture into the hinterlands of the Peninsula and South bay.
Today's a laid back Friday, and the scorching heat today means our office admin guyz have been thoughtful enough to order ice-cream and popsicles in the afternoon rather than the trite Beer, which can quench the thirst of certain souls but leaves tee-totallers with a bitter taste ..
In fact, it was the first time in more that six months last week that my entire team went to the HQ building to participate in the Friday evening bash. I was happy to move outside the confines of my solitary existence in office to a more social hangout. There was tons of food, mainly of the non-veg type that Americans devor and revel upon, with a bit of salad and veg rolls to satiate the palates of the green people...
Last weekend we went for a Marathi classical songs concert organized by the local Maharashtra Mandal, and it wasn't disappointing. Devki Pandit rendered a variety of beautiful compositions starting off with Raag Madhumati and culminating it with the traditional Bhairavi.
It was a good blend or cocktail, if you may, with classical, semi-classical, thumri, natya-geet, bhav-geet and bhakti -sangeet. Though I am not a big fan of hers, the mood and spirit of the occasion in the setting of the Jain temple @Milpitas was rejuvinating enough.
This weekend is going to busy for us, since we need to shop around and do other planning activities for the impending trip to the North East. We are really excited about this trip to NY and Niagara and guess the season is perfect for this excursion planned....
Today's a laid back Friday, and the scorching heat today means our office admin guyz have been thoughtful enough to order ice-cream and popsicles in the afternoon rather than the trite Beer, which can quench the thirst of certain souls but leaves tee-totallers with a bitter taste ..
In fact, it was the first time in more that six months last week that my entire team went to the HQ building to participate in the Friday evening bash. I was happy to move outside the confines of my solitary existence in office to a more social hangout. There was tons of food, mainly of the non-veg type that Americans devor and revel upon, with a bit of salad and veg rolls to satiate the palates of the green people...
Last weekend we went for a Marathi classical songs concert organized by the local Maharashtra Mandal, and it wasn't disappointing. Devki Pandit rendered a variety of beautiful compositions starting off with Raag Madhumati and culminating it with the traditional Bhairavi.
It was a good blend or cocktail, if you may, with classical, semi-classical, thumri, natya-geet, bhav-geet and bhakti -sangeet. Though I am not a big fan of hers, the mood and spirit of the occasion in the setting of the Jain temple @Milpitas was rejuvinating enough.
This weekend is going to busy for us, since we need to shop around and do other planning activities for the impending trip to the North East. We are really excited about this trip to NY and Niagara and guess the season is perfect for this excursion planned....
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Finally some time
At last there is some time at hand. I thought I was away from action for a couple of months, it so turns out I haven't posted since Dec..well that's pathetic..anyways..
To say that Jan-march has been quite hectic would be an understatement. Still we did a lot of cool things along the way..
We saw the nature's majesty in the form of Lake Tahoe, and did treks to Muir woods. SFO city as usual is a treat to visit, and we actually got great pictures of the Golden gate on multiple occasions. I always thought the city is taking time to accept us into its fold and finally it has...
Visitors from india has been another highlight, and the biggest advantage has been getting lots of home-made goodies on the opposite side of the globe..Hurray !!
Daylight savings happening last week and suddenly the day seems bigger. Its a treat to get back home in broad daylight and still enjoy the sunshine for an hour later. Also encourages us to get back on the fitness track and enjoy the spring weather. Barren trees have started showing sings of life again, and beautiful white and pink flowers are covering the tree tops..Birds are chirping and its Spring in Cali...
To say that Jan-march has been quite hectic would be an understatement. Still we did a lot of cool things along the way..
We saw the nature's majesty in the form of Lake Tahoe, and did treks to Muir woods. SFO city as usual is a treat to visit, and we actually got great pictures of the Golden gate on multiple occasions. I always thought the city is taking time to accept us into its fold and finally it has...
Visitors from india has been another highlight, and the biggest advantage has been getting lots of home-made goodies on the opposite side of the globe..Hurray !!
Daylight savings happening last week and suddenly the day seems bigger. Its a treat to get back home in broad daylight and still enjoy the sunshine for an hour later. Also encourages us to get back on the fitness track and enjoy the spring weather. Barren trees have started showing sings of life again, and beautiful white and pink flowers are covering the tree tops..Birds are chirping and its Spring in Cali...
Friday, December 07, 2007
Pacifica
Its been almost 2 months since we moved to the Pacific coast of the Americas, and looking back, it sounds like a wise decision. Good weather, lots of places to see and lots of friends and ppl you know..
Its taken a while, and now I am getting into the groove on the workfront too. It wasn't a simple start by any standards. Its a new company,new place, new colleagues and a new environment. On top of it, I was squeezed between buying essentials for our apartment, and work. To top it, my brainy had started to get a bit rusty for no apparent reason.
There was another contrast which I had to juggle with, and that was the difference in the working style I was used to, in India and on the East Coast vs. the one here in Cali. Now that I have realized what nuts and bolts need to be fixed, the jig saw puzzle is gradually finding its way out...
Though it will take some more time to get firmly rooted and have my juggernaut rolling..
Last month was great on the excursion front. Rahul, Aditi, Vaidehi and I had a great day in San Francisco, the cute city.The weather was chill and at its foggy best...The golden gate park and the golden gate bridge were real treats for us. We also had our first rendezvous with the waters of the Pacific Ocean, and it was biting cold to say the least...Its almost winter here, and the beaches of Cali are know to treat people coldy, they say..hehehehe
The Golden Gate bridge was truly marvelous, but we could just catch a glimpse of it, due to the extremely foggy conditions..Good reason for us to catch it later in the summer.
Thanksgiving weekend was an even bigger outing for us, with the Kakades and Deodhars setting off to Southern California on our maiden sojourn. it was an action packed trip for 4 days, starting with the riches of beverly Hills, Rodeo drive, thru the scintillating Hollywood and LA city, and leading us to Universal studios. The next day was in the sunny town of San Diego, just off the Mexican border, where we got a more than fair share of oceanic fauna, amongst sea lions, manatees, whales and dolphins, not to forget the flamingos...
On our way back we took route 1, going thru Sa Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara, and I had a nice adventurous 3 hours of driving in pitch dark along the winding state road besides the Pacific. What a shame we could not enjoy those moments of exuberance felt during a game of roadrash by the Pacific drive...There's always a next time, ain't it ?
Its taken a while, and now I am getting into the groove on the workfront too. It wasn't a simple start by any standards. Its a new company,new place, new colleagues and a new environment. On top of it, I was squeezed between buying essentials for our apartment, and work. To top it, my brainy had started to get a bit rusty for no apparent reason.
There was another contrast which I had to juggle with, and that was the difference in the working style I was used to, in India and on the East Coast vs. the one here in Cali. Now that I have realized what nuts and bolts need to be fixed, the jig saw puzzle is gradually finding its way out...
Though it will take some more time to get firmly rooted and have my juggernaut rolling..
Last month was great on the excursion front. Rahul, Aditi, Vaidehi and I had a great day in San Francisco, the cute city.The weather was chill and at its foggy best...The golden gate park and the golden gate bridge were real treats for us. We also had our first rendezvous with the waters of the Pacific Ocean, and it was biting cold to say the least...Its almost winter here, and the beaches of Cali are know to treat people coldy, they say..hehehehe
The Golden Gate bridge was truly marvelous, but we could just catch a glimpse of it, due to the extremely foggy conditions..Good reason for us to catch it later in the summer.
Thanksgiving weekend was an even bigger outing for us, with the Kakades and Deodhars setting off to Southern California on our maiden sojourn. it was an action packed trip for 4 days, starting with the riches of beverly Hills, Rodeo drive, thru the scintillating Hollywood and LA city, and leading us to Universal studios. The next day was in the sunny town of San Diego, just off the Mexican border, where we got a more than fair share of oceanic fauna, amongst sea lions, manatees, whales and dolphins, not to forget the flamingos...
On our way back we took route 1, going thru Sa Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara, and I had a nice adventurous 3 hours of driving in pitch dark along the winding state road besides the Pacific. What a shame we could not enjoy those moments of exuberance felt during a game of roadrash by the Pacific drive...There's always a next time, ain't it ?
Friday, October 26, 2007
My favorite season
The last quarter of the year more often than not tends to usher in good tidings for me.
Until last year, way back in India, it marked the onset of the festive season, with Navratri coming with a big bang, and Diwali crackers adding that icing on the cake....
The air gets so better, the scorching heat is gone, the monsoons have retired back to their abode in the oceans, and winter is round the corner. Its a trilogy of sorts; as a student there are more challenges to be faced in the form of mid-year exams, but once you are out of the clutches of this education system and onto a job, then things tend to get more relaxing on this front.
Its not just big festivals that leave an impression and give that feeling of gay to us, even the smaller and yet fun filled ones, for e.g Kojagiri Pournima today leave a distinct feeling of elation on my mind...The radiant, resplendent fully waxed moon shines its riches upon Mother Earth and we human mortals try to capture this parent-child romance in ounces of Milk and devour upon its crisp pure creamy taste ...Kojagiri makes me reminiscent of the nice dinners I had with my family in Pune on the terrace and more recently, the Sharad Pournima on the beaches of the Radisson Inn in Goa last year, with a bonfire and waves lashing incessantly onto the shores, with us folks merrying amidst all kinds of music and dance....
Even as I sit in my living room on the other side of the globe, the feeling of joy is pretty much the same..On the personal front too, I have begun this period of the year with lots of reasons to cheer for. The brand new job @Vmware, the brand new car-> Yes, the Honda Accord if you missed those sound bytes from me. I cant but help remember the commercial of Asian paints where Sunil babu gets a naya ghar, nayi gaadi, nayi mrs.. (well, my wife is nayi too, and I am still a naya husband) :-)
Being in the temperate part of the world has other side effects and advantages..I got my first exposure to this phenomenon called Fall (aka Autumn). ANd then there is a big gung-ho about how the leaves turn into rainbow colors and display the Fall colors to mankind... Its almost like a competition between states like Maine, MN, WI and NH as to where the carotenes and xanthophiles are most vivid and colorful....
We came down to the West not expecting any kind of Fall in Cali. But Palo Alto has had its fair share of Fall and its beautiful colors, and has been a treat to our eyes...
Overall, it feels good, being in the hub of Silicon valley, in the midst of the Googles and Yahoos and VMwares of the world..........Enjoy the season guyz..!!!!!!!!!!!
Until last year, way back in India, it marked the onset of the festive season, with Navratri coming with a big bang, and Diwali crackers adding that icing on the cake....
The air gets so better, the scorching heat is gone, the monsoons have retired back to their abode in the oceans, and winter is round the corner. Its a trilogy of sorts; as a student there are more challenges to be faced in the form of mid-year exams, but once you are out of the clutches of this education system and onto a job, then things tend to get more relaxing on this front.
Its not just big festivals that leave an impression and give that feeling of gay to us, even the smaller and yet fun filled ones, for e.g Kojagiri Pournima today leave a distinct feeling of elation on my mind...The radiant, resplendent fully waxed moon shines its riches upon Mother Earth and we human mortals try to capture this parent-child romance in ounces of Milk and devour upon its crisp pure creamy taste ...Kojagiri makes me reminiscent of the nice dinners I had with my family in Pune on the terrace and more recently, the Sharad Pournima on the beaches of the Radisson Inn in Goa last year, with a bonfire and waves lashing incessantly onto the shores, with us folks merrying amidst all kinds of music and dance....
Even as I sit in my living room on the other side of the globe, the feeling of joy is pretty much the same..On the personal front too, I have begun this period of the year with lots of reasons to cheer for. The brand new job @Vmware, the brand new car-> Yes, the Honda Accord if you missed those sound bytes from me. I cant but help remember the commercial of Asian paints where Sunil babu gets a naya ghar, nayi gaadi, nayi mrs.. (well, my wife is nayi too, and I am still a naya husband) :-)
Being in the temperate part of the world has other side effects and advantages..I got my first exposure to this phenomenon called Fall (aka Autumn). ANd then there is a big gung-ho about how the leaves turn into rainbow colors and display the Fall colors to mankind... Its almost like a competition between states like Maine, MN, WI and NH as to where the carotenes and xanthophiles are most vivid and colorful....
We came down to the West not expecting any kind of Fall in Cali. But Palo Alto has had its fair share of Fall and its beautiful colors, and has been a treat to our eyes...
Overall, it feels good, being in the hub of Silicon valley, in the midst of the Googles and Yahoos and VMwares of the world..........Enjoy the season guyz..!!!!!!!!!!!
Thursday, August 30, 2007
The new dawn...
The summer here is turning out to be better.
Vaidehi is in Atlanta now, and suddenly my mundane existence has sprung back to life.
The ghar ka khana is back and I am already feeling at home now.
Got some plans with Abhi for the labor day weekend, we might go around the city a bit, and probably further, time permitting.
Last weekend we spent a handful of hours in Atlanta downtown, and being here for almost 5 months, I hadnt ventured anywhere close to that part of town. Suddenly I explored the East-West Marta link for the first time, and also took a bus ride.. Underground Atlanta wa buzzing with activity and some pockets there reminded me of Tulshi-baug in Pune :-)
I had a few more exploits of interest in the last month, and some force in me has sailed me thru the objective I had in mind, cant spell it out here for fear of pre-maturely leaking out the news...but yes, life does promise to get even better in the next few months....
Haven't read any novels in quite some time, the last one being Five Point someone, and not Harry Potter, which is what people would expect to have read latest by default :-)
My culinary skills have been put to rest. Thankfully..Yeah, I was almost reaching a point where I wud rather succumb to burgers rather than spent a few hours daily in the kitchen besides the electric oven, trying to get tadkas and Indian cuisine cooked for my stomach.
Planning and will power are the keys to success, i have realized, and I hope to be more and more systematic to make this mortal existence one with lot of substance.
I Pray to thee Lord...
Vaidehi is in Atlanta now, and suddenly my mundane existence has sprung back to life.
The ghar ka khana is back and I am already feeling at home now.
Got some plans with Abhi for the labor day weekend, we might go around the city a bit, and probably further, time permitting.
Last weekend we spent a handful of hours in Atlanta downtown, and being here for almost 5 months, I hadnt ventured anywhere close to that part of town. Suddenly I explored the East-West Marta link for the first time, and also took a bus ride.. Underground Atlanta wa buzzing with activity and some pockets there reminded me of Tulshi-baug in Pune :-)
I had a few more exploits of interest in the last month, and some force in me has sailed me thru the objective I had in mind, cant spell it out here for fear of pre-maturely leaking out the news...but yes, life does promise to get even better in the next few months....
Haven't read any novels in quite some time, the last one being Five Point someone, and not Harry Potter, which is what people would expect to have read latest by default :-)
My culinary skills have been put to rest. Thankfully..Yeah, I was almost reaching a point where I wud rather succumb to burgers rather than spent a few hours daily in the kitchen besides the electric oven, trying to get tadkas and Indian cuisine cooked for my stomach.
Planning and will power are the keys to success, i have realized, and I hope to be more and more systematic to make this mortal existence one with lot of substance.
I Pray to thee Lord...
Saturday, August 04, 2007
I'm still here
Last month was a blog drought for me, without a single post. And its today that for lack of better alternatives, I find myself blogging again. Also once in a while I need to send KeepAlive(), so that people know my blog is still on :-)
July proved to be a routine mundane month, lacking the action of any sorts....
and now its August, getting warmer day by day in the Southern state of Georgia....
When I suddenly look back, its been 3.5 months out of India and still there are those moments, where I fail to come to terms that I won't be going home anytime soon....Luckily my wife would join me soon later this month and this is a big reason to cheer, since I hope it takes away half of my boredom.......
I have been planning some other things too in the meantime, and am hoping that by dint of my efforts and that element of luck, I should sail thru and successfully complete the project which I have set sail for.....
Today for the first time I went to the movies here, and watched the Bourne Ultimatum, and it was good to watch..Lot of action packed, a bit too fast to palette at times..but some kind of entertainment in general. I also came to terms with the buckets of popcorn that are gorged upon by fellows here. What a contrast compared to the small plastic tini-wini bits of popcorn we used to buy back home, from the market in Pimpri for like 2 bucks...(Rs..not $ hehehehe )
Exploring the US is going to be my next part of the agenda, and I hope to really see some good places and enjoy with Vaidehi when she's here...That would be really something to look forward to...
Let me end with an expression which I learnt from the Wonder Years which ran in the late 60s and early 70s...Have a neat summer !!!!
July proved to be a routine mundane month, lacking the action of any sorts....
and now its August, getting warmer day by day in the Southern state of Georgia....
When I suddenly look back, its been 3.5 months out of India and still there are those moments, where I fail to come to terms that I won't be going home anytime soon....Luckily my wife would join me soon later this month and this is a big reason to cheer, since I hope it takes away half of my boredom.......
I have been planning some other things too in the meantime, and am hoping that by dint of my efforts and that element of luck, I should sail thru and successfully complete the project which I have set sail for.....
Today for the first time I went to the movies here, and watched the Bourne Ultimatum, and it was good to watch..Lot of action packed, a bit too fast to palette at times..but some kind of entertainment in general. I also came to terms with the buckets of popcorn that are gorged upon by fellows here. What a contrast compared to the small plastic tini-wini bits of popcorn we used to buy back home, from the market in Pimpri for like 2 bucks...(Rs..not $ hehehehe )
Exploring the US is going to be my next part of the agenda, and I hope to really see some good places and enjoy with Vaidehi when she's here...That would be really something to look forward to...
Let me end with an expression which I learnt from the Wonder Years which ran in the late 60s and early 70s...Have a neat summer !!!!
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
June te June..will naveen be sone ?
Before I realize the last week of June is here, and as the Sun passes over the weekend, July will dawn. Not that any of these months are real special to me, but I am suddenly faced with the stark reality that half of 2007 is gone..and also means another thing, that it will be 6 months since I got married. Now whenever I look at my marriage photos, doesn't it just sound like yesterday ?
With office chores, this week has been a listless one, and one where my Ashwamegh of triumph, success and glory has been suddenly halted, also stealing away my luv(love) and kushi (khushy) feeling ..
I guess there are always these moments of lull which help us to reflect back on life, take a breath and analyze what has gone right -n-wrong, and whether the boat of life is steering in the right direction. So, I too have taken stalk of the situation and have set the ball rolling for what should lead to my heart's desire.
Tony Blair has resigned today, and for some strange reason, I felt a tinge of emotion for him, guess its always big news when the excited electrons need to return back to their normal state. Back home, the rains are continuing their now yearly routine of lashing onto cities, towns, mohallas and dwarf villages, bringing life to a standstill. As if to remind people, that the surge in technology cannot annul the forces that Nature is made up of. But it does mean a good year ahead for farmers, agriculture, and even the manufacturing sector in general, and makes the bourses even more bullish...
With Presidential elections in India reduced to a two-way battle, the sword-lines have been drawn, and I am a bit unsure myself whom I want to support. I would also like India to have its first female President, and notwithstanding the fact that she hails from Maharashtra, I have some respect for our VP too..anyways..good that this is one election where I do not miss out casting my ballot..
Far away in Western Europe, a bunch of 11 guys belonging to Team India are playing a game called cricket, and I hope it remains sincerely confined to such corners of the world rather than Hindustan, so that our nation continues to be more productive and stress-free...anyways, hope the desis back home are listening....What I am really missing this time around is the tennis action, since the absence of a TV is preventing my thirsty eyes from savoring the green lawns and strawberry with cream that defines the persona of Wimbledon.!!! too bad...
With office chores, this week has been a listless one, and one where my Ashwamegh of triumph, success and glory has been suddenly halted, also stealing away my luv(love) and kushi (khushy) feeling ..
I guess there are always these moments of lull which help us to reflect back on life, take a breath and analyze what has gone right -n-wrong, and whether the boat of life is steering in the right direction. So, I too have taken stalk of the situation and have set the ball rolling for what should lead to my heart's desire.
Tony Blair has resigned today, and for some strange reason, I felt a tinge of emotion for him, guess its always big news when the excited electrons need to return back to their normal state. Back home, the rains are continuing their now yearly routine of lashing onto cities, towns, mohallas and dwarf villages, bringing life to a standstill. As if to remind people, that the surge in technology cannot annul the forces that Nature is made up of. But it does mean a good year ahead for farmers, agriculture, and even the manufacturing sector in general, and makes the bourses even more bullish...
With Presidential elections in India reduced to a two-way battle, the sword-lines have been drawn, and I am a bit unsure myself whom I want to support. I would also like India to have its first female President, and notwithstanding the fact that she hails from Maharashtra, I have some respect for our VP too..anyways..good that this is one election where I do not miss out casting my ballot..
Far away in Western Europe, a bunch of 11 guys belonging to Team India are playing a game called cricket, and I hope it remains sincerely confined to such corners of the world rather than Hindustan, so that our nation continues to be more productive and stress-free...anyways, hope the desis back home are listening....What I am really missing this time around is the tennis action, since the absence of a TV is preventing my thirsty eyes from savoring the green lawns and strawberry with cream that defines the persona of Wimbledon.!!! too bad...
Friday, June 08, 2007
Rains in Atlanta
Its getting warmer here in SE of USA in Atlanta. I can easily feel the contrast in the weather now vs when I got here first in mid-April. Then, it was touted as spring, but the early mornings and nights were really chill, atleast by Indian standards; now its much warmer early in the day and stays like that until late at night. In fact, the sun is scorching at times , in the afternoon..they say more so because of the lack of the ozone layer in this part of the world.
Its been overcast here for the past few days and the weather here reminds me of the monsoon season way back in India. One good thing is not having to face the potholes for sometime now..:-)
On work front, I am really liking the new technologies I am working on, which have been truly refreshing. Its fun to learn stuff urself and then implement it in code. Already new buzzwords like WSDL, web services, SOAP, XML, C# are making me feel elated, and increasing my knowledge.It does feel good to work on cool latest technologies in this fast-paced world of IT.
The new domain also feels nice for a change, outside the BE-lake, where I swam for quite some time. Its only when u get outside the lake, that you realize its a big world outside for us to explore...
This weekend, I will be taking some driving classes, before my test next week, and I hope I do learn the nitty-gritty of parking so that will pave the way for me to get my driving license..and then I can rent cars and visit places and have more fun...
Its strange but already Atlanta sounds like a home to me, i.e when I go outside, and come back it does give the feeling of being in familiar territory, though it lacks the warmth and charm of good ole India and amche Pune...well kuch paane ke liye kuch khona padta hai ...
Its been overcast here for the past few days and the weather here reminds me of the monsoon season way back in India. One good thing is not having to face the potholes for sometime now..:-)
On work front, I am really liking the new technologies I am working on, which have been truly refreshing. Its fun to learn stuff urself and then implement it in code. Already new buzzwords like WSDL, web services, SOAP, XML, C# are making me feel elated, and increasing my knowledge.It does feel good to work on cool latest technologies in this fast-paced world of IT.
The new domain also feels nice for a change, outside the BE-lake, where I swam for quite some time. Its only when u get outside the lake, that you realize its a big world outside for us to explore...
This weekend, I will be taking some driving classes, before my test next week, and I hope I do learn the nitty-gritty of parking so that will pave the way for me to get my driving license..and then I can rent cars and visit places and have more fun...
Its strange but already Atlanta sounds like a home to me, i.e when I go outside, and come back it does give the feeling of being in familiar territory, though it lacks the warmth and charm of good ole India and amche Pune...well kuch paane ke liye kuch khona padta hai ...
Thursday, May 24, 2007
After a month..
Its hard to believe, but its been just a month since I have been in the US. It sounds like much longer...and believe me, most of the time and energy gets spent in booting up.
Yes, there are things you need for survival here, and each one comes in a specially packed Pandora's box. its all about ur SSN, then debit and credit cards, leasing apartments, paying deposits, setting up utilities, and credit checks.
This must be the only place which trusts credit more than cash. sounds ridiculous to me at least..
Anyways, who can change the law of the land of Uncle Sam?
I am now almost into the groove of coming to office, doing my job and going back. There is a monotony of sorts about it, since there is a traditional difference in the office culture I am used to versus what I find here in AT&T. Its so much sombre and business oriented here..yes, its good to be professional, but don't know what harm a few playful moments or chatting with ur cubicle neighbor would cause...
And in my team, there are just too many Indians, still haven't got the feeling of working in the US in the true sense, since my work and interaction remains more or less shielded from the Amrus.
This time, trying different international cuisines is also conspicuous by its absence. I remember being in the US for just over 3 weeks last time, and trying Chinese, Mexican, Thai, and a few more other places. this time the farthest we have gone with respect to a non-Indian meal is the Pizza..LOL...
India has changed a lot in the past 3-4 years, and so being here doesn't make you feel necessary more privileged. save the cleanliness which is next to Godliness here..(well almost). Is it because In God they trust ? :-)
company gave me a laptop to work, so its good at the moment. Not having internet at home has advantages like not having to check office mail from home, nor bother about work. and yes, i can coolly watch movies and catch up episodes of Wonder years which I was dying to see after some rave recommendations from some colleagues..
One big thing for me to get here has definitely being getting out of the atmosphere at Symantec India, which was turning out to be maze, without the outlet that the free man of today aspires for...
Looking fwd to the Memorial day weekend coming soon; me and my pals planning a nice trip to the Smoky mountains..it should be fun...
Yes, there are things you need for survival here, and each one comes in a specially packed Pandora's box. its all about ur SSN, then debit and credit cards, leasing apartments, paying deposits, setting up utilities, and credit checks.
This must be the only place which trusts credit more than cash. sounds ridiculous to me at least..
Anyways, who can change the law of the land of Uncle Sam?
I am now almost into the groove of coming to office, doing my job and going back. There is a monotony of sorts about it, since there is a traditional difference in the office culture I am used to versus what I find here in AT&T. Its so much sombre and business oriented here..yes, its good to be professional, but don't know what harm a few playful moments or chatting with ur cubicle neighbor would cause...
And in my team, there are just too many Indians, still haven't got the feeling of working in the US in the true sense, since my work and interaction remains more or less shielded from the Amrus.
This time, trying different international cuisines is also conspicuous by its absence. I remember being in the US for just over 3 weeks last time, and trying Chinese, Mexican, Thai, and a few more other places. this time the farthest we have gone with respect to a non-Indian meal is the Pizza..LOL...
India has changed a lot in the past 3-4 years, and so being here doesn't make you feel necessary more privileged. save the cleanliness which is next to Godliness here..(well almost). Is it because In God they trust ? :-)
company gave me a laptop to work, so its good at the moment. Not having internet at home has advantages like not having to check office mail from home, nor bother about work. and yes, i can coolly watch movies and catch up episodes of Wonder years which I was dying to see after some rave recommendations from some colleagues..
One big thing for me to get here has definitely being getting out of the atmosphere at Symantec India, which was turning out to be maze, without the outlet that the free man of today aspires for...
Looking fwd to the Memorial day weekend coming soon; me and my pals planning a nice trip to the Smoky mountains..it should be fun...
Friday, April 27, 2007
Samland blog
Its been over a week since I stepped into US territory. The first few days were gruesome and very boring. Just wanted to take the first flight back home, its only now that tings are getting a little better.
Cooking meals for dinner is a good past time and also allows us to taste the Indian cuisine which is some much in demand by my palette.
I decided to go out blogging with hihg spirits, but looks like i have got bored along the way. So just have to prematurely truncate this one till I really feel like it..Schuuz
Cooking meals for dinner is a good past time and also allows us to taste the Indian cuisine which is some much in demand by my palette.
I decided to go out blogging with hihg spirits, but looks like i have got bored along the way. So just have to prematurely truncate this one till I really feel like it..Schuuz
Friday, March 16, 2007
Just for gags
Ambivalent feelings run thru my mind at this juncture in life, when I am ready for yet another leap. Though this is not a leap year,I have suddenly accelerated things happening in my life. First I got married, so as to solve the all important issue of companionship, and with this mission having succeeded, I set my issues on other goals in life.
Change is always a difficult thing, and it was this inertia or the affinity for homeostasis that made me stick to what I was doing for the past couple of years. But finally, the simmering within, with the help of a few external catalysts made me take steps towards a brighter future.
With things shaping up well now, I am ready for the Occident to propel myself into the orbit.
Suddenly, since the past couple of months, i find in myself a new sense of confidence about work. Things sound within grasp and my sharpness seems to have increased. Ideally, I would have expected this transformation to be a gradual process, but some kind of magic wand has done the trick, or so I feel. How else would I be brimming with confidence out of the blue, atleast on the work front....
Its not been all hunky dory, though I make it sound that way. At times, the feeling of wretchedness takes its toll on me and sags my spirits to such an extent, that the frustration manifests itself in different forms like anger, anxiety etc. But some kind of divine intervention ensures that I come back on track in some time, only to repent for my actions in the last few moments.
One good thing in the process is that good sense seems to prevail and things dont get out of control. Maybe its just those minor adjustments that need to be made in life. I should be learning to enjoy more out of life, and be more open and magnanimous..this will make life a lot simpler than what it sounds in some trying moments.
Some blogs are from the heart, some out of the mind, this one seems to be a good blend of both...So its as natural as it gets when the mind is without fear and the head is held high, just to quote Gurudev Rabindranath !!! just for gags :-))
Change is always a difficult thing, and it was this inertia or the affinity for homeostasis that made me stick to what I was doing for the past couple of years. But finally, the simmering within, with the help of a few external catalysts made me take steps towards a brighter future.
With things shaping up well now, I am ready for the Occident to propel myself into the orbit.
Suddenly, since the past couple of months, i find in myself a new sense of confidence about work. Things sound within grasp and my sharpness seems to have increased. Ideally, I would have expected this transformation to be a gradual process, but some kind of magic wand has done the trick, or so I feel. How else would I be brimming with confidence out of the blue, atleast on the work front....
Its not been all hunky dory, though I make it sound that way. At times, the feeling of wretchedness takes its toll on me and sags my spirits to such an extent, that the frustration manifests itself in different forms like anger, anxiety etc. But some kind of divine intervention ensures that I come back on track in some time, only to repent for my actions in the last few moments.
One good thing in the process is that good sense seems to prevail and things dont get out of control. Maybe its just those minor adjustments that need to be made in life. I should be learning to enjoy more out of life, and be more open and magnanimous..this will make life a lot simpler than what it sounds in some trying moments.
Some blogs are from the heart, some out of the mind, this one seems to be a good blend of both...So its as natural as it gets when the mind is without fear and the head is held high, just to quote Gurudev Rabindranath !!! just for gags :-))
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Spring has arrived
The new regimen after marriage is still taking a while to get normalized. This has led to procrastination of several tasks, very alike blogging regularly. I just decided that before people think I am out of this world, I need to send in a heart-beat message. Also its important to train oneself to cling on to good habits, which take a while to develop and be ingrained in the mind, but just require a few loose threads to be snapped off easily !
Days and nights are more eventful than they used to be say about a couple of months back. Well, classically speaking a couple of months more than a couple of months, since I was already in the transition phase from single->committed->engaged, until the ultimate wedlock happened. But coming back to the point, the monotony that had set in got broken and was replaced by a more welcome set of changes.
Joining office after that marriage vacation hiatus hasn't been that simple, since getting into the groove sounds simpler in theory than in practice. The pace of things has suddenly picked up for me, after the new work assignment, and being a feature owner gives the feeling of having to shoulder a lot of responsibilities. Also, you become the cynosure of public attention and have to learn to take the credit as well as the blame...
There have been a lot of personal chores to attend too as well, and they are keeping me and my mobile busy for quite some time...This weekend we will be traveling close to my erstwhile native place and meet up with Vaidehi's old granny, and I hope the blessings of the left and right trunk-sided Lord Ganesha will prove to be a double beatitude for us...Spring has arrived, and I can smell the freshness that is floating around in the ambient air like a lilting melody !!
Days and nights are more eventful than they used to be say about a couple of months back. Well, classically speaking a couple of months more than a couple of months, since I was already in the transition phase from single->committed->engaged, until the ultimate wedlock happened. But coming back to the point, the monotony that had set in got broken and was replaced by a more welcome set of changes.
Joining office after that marriage vacation hiatus hasn't been that simple, since getting into the groove sounds simpler in theory than in practice. The pace of things has suddenly picked up for me, after the new work assignment, and being a feature owner gives the feeling of having to shoulder a lot of responsibilities. Also, you become the cynosure of public attention and have to learn to take the credit as well as the blame...
There have been a lot of personal chores to attend too as well, and they are keeping me and my mobile busy for quite some time...This weekend we will be traveling close to my erstwhile native place and meet up with Vaidehi's old granny, and I hope the blessings of the left and right trunk-sided Lord Ganesha will prove to be a double beatitude for us...Spring has arrived, and I can smell the freshness that is floating around in the ambient air like a lilting melody !!
Thursday, January 18, 2007
The dawn of 2007
2007 has dawned and the first month has slipped past pretty quick., well almost. The month will always remain special to me as the one in which I got married, besides it has the dubious distinction of being the month of my birthday; winters in India are excellent and that's because the weather is just perfect for that travel recipe. Me and Vaidehi did travel to Udaipur and were truely mesmerized by the lake city, resplendent with its gardens and palaces surrounding the beautiful expanses of pristine water bodies. It gives the city a nice bohemian look, and gives the impression of a European setting.
Mt. Abu also turned out to be an excellent getaway, and not many people go there for the post-marriage trip, is what someone quoted. But within a span of 2 days, I met two people saying they went to the same place when it was their moment of pleasure and joy !!
Vaidehi flew her maiden flight and me my maiden one in the new year...Looking back the whole ceremony and trip sound like a nice dream which came and passed by smoothly. There are moments when I think if this has really transpired or whether it is just a figment of my imagination. Our family watched the marriage CD and it seemed like a fairy tale to us; but it was thoroughly enjoying to relive those moments again and again. I guess, there will be many more iterations over the same before they r back in the wraps, waiting to be watched again....
The pace of life is picking up again, especially this week since I joined office. There are some tasks that I need to gather momentum on, plus some personal priorities to factor in...Abhijit flies out this weekend and I hope i get to see him much sooner than the chasm of 18 months like this time...
Guten abends..
Mt. Abu also turned out to be an excellent getaway, and not many people go there for the post-marriage trip, is what someone quoted. But within a span of 2 days, I met two people saying they went to the same place when it was their moment of pleasure and joy !!
Vaidehi flew her maiden flight and me my maiden one in the new year...Looking back the whole ceremony and trip sound like a nice dream which came and passed by smoothly. There are moments when I think if this has really transpired or whether it is just a figment of my imagination. Our family watched the marriage CD and it seemed like a fairy tale to us; but it was thoroughly enjoying to relive those moments again and again. I guess, there will be many more iterations over the same before they r back in the wraps, waiting to be watched again....
The pace of life is picking up again, especially this week since I joined office. There are some tasks that I need to gather momentum on, plus some personal priorities to factor in...Abhijit flies out this weekend and I hope i get to see him much sooner than the chasm of 18 months like this time...
Guten abends..
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Mixed feelings
The day began on a moderately hectic note and after attending to my household chores I was off to office. The mind was without fear, and head was held high, and this remains my state at the end of the day, although the magnitude of the fear and the high headed-ness dropped by a minuscle through the happenings of the day...
My wud-be gave splendid piece of news thru the middle of the day and her promotion was catalyst enough to make me feel a few notches higher. Now I realize additional advantages of getting married, where the joy of sharing happiness mutually is so wonderful a sentiment...
The evening turns out to be a sudden date to quickly celebrate the success ! I discovered this new thing about coincidences and wish making when you utter the same word simultaneously with someone, so we decided to give it a shot and hope for the best outcome to give us company in the near future...
This last week has been a true connoisseur's treat, and I have already tasted a wide variety of delicacies, with many mouth watering sweet-meats. On multiple occasions, our kind hosts actually guessed what was on my mind and I got to savor those food items to my heart's content.
A good message came in last week by telephone, and I only hope it translates into something fruitful, so that I can bring fruition to my plans..Abhijit's homecoming has been such a wonderful experience and suddenly the home is buzzing with activity. It almost sounds like our lives had gone to a frozen state, lacking the energy and enthusiasm, and spring has returned with blossoms of those fragrant flowers and we r up and running again as we were about 18 months ago. I also got to relive those moments of him troubling me again, which were conspicuous by their absence, and I had to make solitude my dear friend !!!
I sent in quite a few marriage invitations this week and looks like the fag end is approaching, although a tad far...I pray to God that things work out smoothly and any worrisome factors are ironed out before the D-day. Looking forward to a big vacation from next week onwards, probably been a long time, maybe after my Engineering exam breaks. I wish my blog readers a Happy new year in advance, since I'm not sure I'll be signing in soon before 2007 dawns..Happy holidays folks..
My wud-be gave splendid piece of news thru the middle of the day and her promotion was catalyst enough to make me feel a few notches higher. Now I realize additional advantages of getting married, where the joy of sharing happiness mutually is so wonderful a sentiment...
The evening turns out to be a sudden date to quickly celebrate the success ! I discovered this new thing about coincidences and wish making when you utter the same word simultaneously with someone, so we decided to give it a shot and hope for the best outcome to give us company in the near future...
This last week has been a true connoisseur's treat, and I have already tasted a wide variety of delicacies, with many mouth watering sweet-meats. On multiple occasions, our kind hosts actually guessed what was on my mind and I got to savor those food items to my heart's content.
A good message came in last week by telephone, and I only hope it translates into something fruitful, so that I can bring fruition to my plans..Abhijit's homecoming has been such a wonderful experience and suddenly the home is buzzing with activity. It almost sounds like our lives had gone to a frozen state, lacking the energy and enthusiasm, and spring has returned with blossoms of those fragrant flowers and we r up and running again as we were about 18 months ago. I also got to relive those moments of him troubling me again, which were conspicuous by their absence, and I had to make solitude my dear friend !!!
I sent in quite a few marriage invitations this week and looks like the fag end is approaching, although a tad far...I pray to God that things work out smoothly and any worrisome factors are ironed out before the D-day. Looking forward to a big vacation from next week onwards, probably been a long time, maybe after my Engineering exam breaks. I wish my blog readers a Happy new year in advance, since I'm not sure I'll be signing in soon before 2007 dawns..Happy holidays folks..
Monday, November 27, 2006
Blogging, which was an obssession at one point in time, has now suffered a setback. Today its just when i ran out of options to do that I decided to login and pen a few words here. The office was jampacked with action last week, which never seems to run out of steam, as there is lot of ammunition which is added to keep the flame alive ! My principle of detachment helps me cope up with these daily bouts of anxiety, as I stay aloof looking for the bigger principle in life. This Saturday me and family drove to Khalapur off the Pune-Mumbai Expressway for this 'Kelvan' which becomes a treat if you will, in the pre-nuptial, post-bethrothment era of mankind. Panchpakwan or the five delicacies were the speciality of the house and it was refreshing to be in a village, abundant with rain, and some glorious gift of flora and fauna. It is at these junctures that I inadvertently put on the thinking hat and ponder over our purpose in life. Is it just to lead an action packed life, full of work, TV and other material comforts or is it to discover your true self? Happiness is truly a state of mind, as it cannot be multiplied by the sodium vapour lamps that add color and illuminate the dark city streets, but are not incandescent enough to uplift the human spirit !!!
At times, ridiculous though it may sound, I experience in myself, a miniature Buddha, who felt compassionate towards his fellow beings and reached enlightenment in due pursuit of a solution for the same. I really empathize with the sorrow around and feel I need the power to transform lives to make this world a much better place, devoid of the vicious elements and even the natural phenomenon of life and death. Of course, this thought is too far fetched, since it amounts to transgressing the boundaries of my mortal existence and attempting to barge into the domain of the One God, who very well knows how things should be...
Getting rid of the cricket mania has done me a lot of good and every sorry performance by our team does not penetrate into my system any longer. In fact, I wish people got more wiser and did not look upon victories in a game of cricket to serve as a feel-good factor; the media gets fresh meat on their kabab stick with every dismal loss and tabloids are currently too busy tracking how the heart beat between Ash and the Jr B is getting faster and passionate.
Music is a true refresher as was proven Saturday nite, when I caught up Gazals by the maestro Jagjit Singh on my local cable channel. Felt like it was a true moment of bliss, and was one of those rare moments, when you feel life should just come to a standstill ...
At times, ridiculous though it may sound, I experience in myself, a miniature Buddha, who felt compassionate towards his fellow beings and reached enlightenment in due pursuit of a solution for the same. I really empathize with the sorrow around and feel I need the power to transform lives to make this world a much better place, devoid of the vicious elements and even the natural phenomenon of life and death. Of course, this thought is too far fetched, since it amounts to transgressing the boundaries of my mortal existence and attempting to barge into the domain of the One God, who very well knows how things should be...
Getting rid of the cricket mania has done me a lot of good and every sorry performance by our team does not penetrate into my system any longer. In fact, I wish people got more wiser and did not look upon victories in a game of cricket to serve as a feel-good factor; the media gets fresh meat on their kabab stick with every dismal loss and tabloids are currently too busy tracking how the heart beat between Ash and the Jr B is getting faster and passionate.
Music is a true refresher as was proven Saturday nite, when I caught up Gazals by the maestro Jagjit Singh on my local cable channel. Felt like it was a true moment of bliss, and was one of those rare moments, when you feel life should just come to a standstill ...
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