The Trio

1. I would name the book "Five point someone" as "The Trio" rather. Due to the meager travel according to US standards I do from my home to office [27 kms] or tedious travel of 27 kms within city limits according to Indian standards, I get some time to read anything and etc which I choose during my commutation. What is this etc? "Dostu bada dostu..." when played in local FM radio, I just close my eyes for sometime speaking with in as "Just relax dude". When the eyes close automatically the relaxation switches over to a small nap. In between my relaxation & nap, I found sometime to finish the book "Five point someone" written by Chetan Bhagat and gifted by my friend. It's about the days at Delhi IIT of 3 guys Hari, Alok and Ryan who were similar to the majority of students studying in any college offending the curriculum structure of the system. The difference is, the majority wouldn't have studied from beginning much and crib the system. These guys have proved successful in the same system till they joined IIT else how could they join there? The story line is simple and had always stayed within the IIT campus. It didn't peep out in each individual's personal life and was aligned to their days at the institute. Else it would have been a great source for the next mega serial in Sun TV. The caption of the book is "What not to do at IIT" and the story upholds it. Few chapters were really funny especially Hari's comments over Alok. Like the one when they plan to sneak into Hari's girl friend house on her birthday. The novel is well written, simple & plain. At many instances the author had left with a loose end, may be to continue with the part-II. Towards the end, he would conclude with their current positions after completing the IIT but with a word saying "A disaster occurred though". If part-II would be released then I will be one among to grab it.

2. At last the Dasavatharam fever was suppressed by Kuselan & Rajini's apology story. I am once again rewinding back to Dasavatharam. Being an ardent fan of Rajini always I have tried to be unfair to Kamal. But at times he wins over me with his sheer efforts & talent. Be it MMKR or Kurudhipunal or Nayagan...and now Dasavatharam. I am not going with the equations of what could have been done better. There are always better things than present and no end to debate. He had rocked with his efforts and the diversified talent he possess. Though not every inch I enjoyed overall it was a nice movie with enormous work put in. Not so easy to coordinate and sync up all the characters by the same person. It was a class treat from the class actor.

3. Parthasarathy temple lane at Triplicane, Chennai hasn't changed an inch for decades. The atmosphere is filled with the ghee & butters of course the tamarind rice smell from each mami's house. Cows and buffalos block the street causing "take diversion" for the drivers & riders. The temple stands high as usual with Messai Sarathy watching the Kali kaalam. The coffee powder aroma around compels you to take a cup of filter coffee as soon as you reach home. Mami's are busy in drawing ma-kolam when "uchavar" comes for visit around the street. Mama's exhibiting their muscular strength & thoondhi move around discussing from psycho manidhan to Kuselan. Bread bajji shops are packed with more people adding more & more cholesterol to their system. Young girls fleet into typing classes with a bunch of unruled sheets in their hand. Yet the place is lively and you would love to stay there. If only Sarathy appears and ask me where you want an apartment in Chennai though a costly offer, I would point right here perumale.

Chennai - the City

Kangal Irandal un kangal Irandal enai katti ezhuthai podhadhana...the song which impressed me from the day I landed in Chennai. Hmm...Alas I am back here. Am I happy? Am I excited? Am I comfortable? I don't know I don't know because I don't have time to think myself. You see that's the problem here, things are running so fast around you that you have time to run along with it. Chennai the place where lakhs [Not 100 thousands :-)] of people fleet in for work and various other activities haven't changed much in the base values but still you see evident added things on these values. First item I noticed in the government buses is the tickets issuing method. There is no more bunches of tickets carried by the conductor with variety of face values on it. He has this ATM kind of instrument where he punches in the amount and the ticket is printed. That was easy and a nice change. Vijay is scaring me on his Kuruvi movie posters everywhere in Chennai and looks like it was forced to be a hit. You know why... don't you.

I am seeing the best of best cell phone models here whereas still I feel U.S. is 10 years behind. You get a feel that most of the people tend to behave as if something is chasing them. Are they being chased or are they chasing something? Not sure but you will get that feel. Within city limits I don't see a penny change in terms of cleanliness and it has got worse. The thing which I crib continuously is the mad traffic. Every bank is giving out 0% interest loans for these vehicles and every dick & harry had got some vehicle adding more traffic on roads. Apart, the people have the possible negative value traffic sense with them. Yes, pathetic traffic sense and when I start my bike I remind myself whether I have a valid life insurance than my driving license. Not exaggerating but this is the true state.

I think there are at least 50+ T.V. channels newly added and every channel follows the same pattern of show list ignoring minimal level of creativity. Over re-acting casts and same revenge fundas are the most watched mega serials. Still you have to appreciate that they have tied the people and I see many rush back to watch their favorite Kolangalal or Arasi to name a few. The internet connection is neither good nor bad, somewhat you can adjust if you don't have the greediness to open multiple sites or download something big item.

Sathyam Cinemas have taken the movie experience to next level. Yes it is awesome with a heavy price to it but truly amazing. The ambience, seating, effects and all other items have been carved with perfection. But you need 1000 INR to watch a movie with 4 family members. Saravana Bhavan has reduced dosa size to idly size and charging double than before. The sambar or chutney what they give is just for smelling not for eating.

Real estate business is woofing to the sky and 80% due to the NRI software engineers sitting outside the country, coding "dim a as integer". The inflation rate has gone to 12% in the country and everything is at least 50% more price from 3 years back. The politicians haven't changed much and still think people are comedians. They do the same thing what they were doing in 1980's and I think the next change would be hitting there. Fridays at IT companies is like going to a cat walk show. You will get confused where you are for a minute on Fridays.

There are many many items I observed in this continuous changing city but this page would be then glutted all over. Hence resisting with the samples and leave it to you guys to experience yourself.

tata....

Life changes continuously and traverses through different phases due to its and our own course of action. Once again time has come to pack my bags for the return to homeland. It’s tough to adapt quickly to a whole different world after living quiet sometime in the land of opportunity. This space and time has definitely given the right exposure and knowledge which every software engineer likes to gulp. At the outset the living style and the day-to-day activities are completely different between these two worlds. I am going to miss few things definitely here and with the good memories back in mind traveling back home with hopes and starting things freshly. If again lines cross, I might drop by here. For now Good Bye US Dudes.

A Love Letter

Dear Lakshmi,

I still remember the day I met you and without any inch of hesitation, I accepted you as is. From there I have enjoyed every single moment with you and always loved to move along together. To my conscious I believe I have taken utmost care of you and whenever you weren't feeling well I have treated you with the best care I can afford. I have always fed you with hygienic food and avoided dirty places. You have shared my moods when I am happy or sad. Whenever I get down mentally, you have enhanced my mood with good music and drive. I haven't troubled you much by using you harshly and always stayed with the gentle touch. You have wonderful shape and nice at inside. I have ensured that no one touches you in crowd and when someone even come close, I took you out of that area. You have been a good friend and we had a nice relationship so far. When I realized that you might depart me soon, I was really upset. True dear! I was restless when someone started to come and snatch you from me. When someone utters minor complains about you I was defending you and never let you down. When it was confirmed that you will leave me, I started feeling the loneliness. Finally when you left me today, I just stood there to see you going far away and disappearing after sometime. I wish I would see you again sometime but not sure when and how. You have left me only one thing for me to remember and you will always stay back deep inside my memories. Oh dear! Love you and going to miss you a lot :-(

ஊரை தெரிஞ்சுகிட்டேன் உலகம் புரிஞ்சிக்கிட்டேன்
கண்மணி என் கண்மணி
ஞானம் பொறாந்திரிச்சு நாலும் புரிஞ்சிருச்சு
கண்மணி என் கண்மணி
.
.
--Narsidude

Learnt at a cost

The issue got resolved after diagnosing at the high command, Toyota services. It was a simple fix for which I had to pass through various incompetent(s). Anyways my car did teach me a professional lesson.

"Go to right people at right time to get the right solution"

Thanks to my dear car!

Learn to say "Don't Know"

If you don't know say don't know. That’s much better than doing some crap and covering up the issue. Recently my car had an issue of vibrating when the brakes are applied. In fact I haven't driven much in recent times and thought may be its some issue in brakes. As it is an old Toyota Camry, the wear & tear is expected. When I went and gave the vehicle for diagnosis to Midas service in my area they said it is something to do with brake rotors in the front wheel and they have to cut the rotor. Also the back tires have to be replaced to fix the issue permanently. I asked them how the tires are related to the issue, as I don't see anything when I drive and only when the brakes are applied the vibration occurs. They gave me a detail explanation which wasn’t convincing. So I told them to perform the brake rotor fix and not to do the tires replacement. They did the brake fix and when I came to take my car in the evening, I realized the issue wasn’t fixed. So I asked them why it wasn’t fixed. The fantastic customer handling person told me it was because of tires. I told them to explain how that is related to this, and then the chief mechanic came for rescue. He drove for a test drive and confirmed this is not any brake or tire issue, it is something to do in the transmission of the car where the gears are getting stuck when the car comes from high speed to low speed. I was convinced with this fact but was upset with the initial diagnosis. So went back to this super customer handling guy and asked him if you would have said this in the morning I could have saved what I payed you now. He was again again repeatedly saying there was an issue in the brakes too which was fixed. I again said when the problem is somewhere why I have to fix something which was working and pay for it. He never accepted because basically he was trying to cover up for the mistake. I again told him even if you couldn’t diagnosis the right issue, you could have simply said "I don’t know" & there is nothing wrong in it and I could have gone somewhere else. But never was he ready to take what I said and finally with frustration told him Thank you for your excellent service and diagnosis. I am very sure I will not go back there again; eventually they lost a customer which is not correct for business operation. Anyways I am just a pebble for them still I am one among similar customers whom they will continue losing if they are doing this in future. Crap!

Today's Headlines

Is recession coming? Yes, No, May be...Financial Analyst in US are running up and down in finding the answer. Any newspaper or a magazine you read one standard column or an interview would host the topic. Most persons seen talk about it at least once among them. After Shivaji the most talked item among Indians recently as whether watched or yet to be watched, recession is the successful successor. Every Indian IT company glares each day on the happenings. Why? It definitely affects them as larger part of their revenue comes from the US clients and projects. Especially IT companies who have larger financial clients are restless to know the end result. I get confused by the news and statements given by the people in the news papers. Few say it started, some say it is yet to come, others say it would be there but might not be severe. Many institutions have started already making adjustments, changes to their current work structure and projects to be defensive of the situation. As a newbie in this economy news, it’s like watching a "Vitalachariya" movie. Recession means a state where the economy is said decline. It is also said as a decline in the GDP. Next question comes what is GDP? which means Gross Domestic Product, the total market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period of time. So GDP is a mathematical equation which comprises of additions and subtractions of sum of components. I get head and tail of it sometimes hmm...

After reading today's news column of some 'X' analyst was thinking on the subject and working out the laundry stuff at home. Suddenly noticed a paper [Purchase Bill] outside the glass door of the building and thought it might have slipped out from my pocket. So went out to verify it. During this course the apartment building door got locked and I was standing keyless in the Chicago beautiful weather. It was the rear side of the apartment, so I was coming back to senses to find out what next. I tried to throw snow balls with bear hands at my balcony door and then tried shouting to call my wife but no luck. Fortuitously today the climate wasn't that bad and saw the building again hoping for someone to come. It stood as a silent rock and no single movement was visible. Cursing my bad luck and recession news, slowly walked in the snow filled paseo to the front side of the apartment hoping there would be someone coming in or going out. Stood at the door for sometime to actually find out that in my apartment most don't come out during Sundays and also found earlier that rear side entrance is used by few people. But was standing still there like Padikathavan Rajinikanth after his brother's car splashes the dirty road water on him. Finally like a hero a China man came from inside and was waiting for this golden opportunity but hesitant as he might think I am some stranger trying to get an access to the building. Due to my face value :) and pity look I gave he didn’t ask me anything and with courtesy let me inside. Deeply thanked him and also decided no more recession news for today?!#$

Saga of the recent trip

Few months back I went back home for a short trip. Instead of writing travelogue as paragraphs and boring everyone, I just placed lyrics of Tamil film songs instancing the events I was passing through...Here you go...

hiyyayoa hiyyayo pudichirukku
Unakku yennai
pudichirukku
Yennavoa Yennavoa
pudichirukku
yenakum unnai
pudichirukku

Minnalai pidithu Minnalai
pidithu
Megathai thodaithu
pennendru padathu veethiyil
vittuvittan

Kanmani Anbodu kadhalan naan ezhuthum
kadithame
Ponmani un veetil sowkiyama naan ingu
sowkiyame

Minnale nee vandhadhaenadi -
en
kannilae oru
kaayamennadi
en vaanile nee maraindhupoana maayam
ennadi

Madrasa sutthi paaka
poren
marinavula vidu katta
poren

Sahana Saral
Thoovutho
Sahara pookal poothatho
oooo

Maama un ponna kodu ada aama nee solli
kodu
ithu saami potta mutichu athu thaanda
moonu modichu

maaNgalyam tantunaanaena mama
jeevana haethunaa
kaNttae badhnami shubakae tvam jeeva
sharadam shatam

Kalyana malaai kondatum
pennai
en paatai kelu unmaigal
sonnen

ennavalae adi
ennavalae
endhan idhayaththai tholaiththu
vittaen
endha idam adhu Tholaindha idam

Akkam pakkam yaarum illa, Bhoologam
vendum
Andi pagal unarugey, naan vaazha
vendum

karu karu vizhigalaal oru kan mai
ennai kadathudhae
thadhumbida thadhumbida siru amudham
ennai kudikkudhae

Irava pagala kulira veyila nammai
undrum seyyaththu
kadala puyala idiya mazhaya nammai
undrum seyyaththu
aanal undhan mounam mattum ethu
seyuthadi...

Telephone manipol sirippaval
ivalaa
Melbourne malarpoal melliya
magalaa

New York Nagaram urangum
neram
thanimai adarnthathu
paniyum padarthathu
kappal irangiye kaatrum karayil
nadanthathu

Hey!
Angel VanThaalae
VanThaalae
Oru poovodu
oonjal seyThaalae
seyThaalae
Yen nenjodu

Vasandha mullai polae vandhu aadidum ven
puraa
ullulaayi
ullulaayi..............

Hmm...:-(

vizhyil vizhum thusi thannai yeduga nee inggu illai
manathil yezhum kuzhappam thannai thirga nee ingge illai………
naan ingge neeyum angge..intha thanimai nimishangal varusham aanatheno ?
vaan ingge neelam angge intha uvamaiku iruvarum vizhakamanthu yeno ?

Maa Tuje Saalam!!

After a year and half when you know that it’s just few days away to visit your home, it’s exciting and thousand butterflies fly inside you. Yep, I would be travelling back home next week on vacation and wish to enjoy every moment to the core. Planning to unplug from everything for few weeks and just be as a school boy who passes his time during his summer holidays. When I look back everything seems to be a pleasant experience and want to start right from my kinder garden days till here. Already have planned to visit few spots, which are my all time favorites in Chennai. I am very fond of sitting at home with the family team and just chatting for nothing. Dosas, idly, Bajjis are just waiting for my arrival in Saravana Bhavan and Sangeetha's. Devi paradiselyum, Sathyamlyum Kaal veche aganum moodivoda iruken. Morning walk at Marina beach and evening bike ride to Besant nagar beach are still recapped in my mind. Eppo eppo athu kedaikum, itho ithonu next weeka ethir nooki kathikittu iruken. Amma kaila antha thayir sadham vangi sappidanum, Appa kitta pesi kindal pannanum, Kutti pasanga kitta velayadanum, nanbarguladan irukum antha evening meeting time....ippadi pala aasaigaludan kathirukiren. One side I think appadiye irunthutta, thrirumbi varrama....evalvu nalla irukum....That care, that affection, that unconditional love evalvu "$" koduthalum kedaikathu...The comfort feel you won't get anywhere except at home. Aayirm kanavuguludan adutha vaaram parakiren thaai natiruku...Varatta.....

Tham Tharee kitta

Kichu maama kichu mama not two persons, 1 friend of my father was there. When he used come to my home, my father used to complain about me saying this guy is playing kite & bambaram and was wasting his time. So Kichu mama told that in his house Miruthangam class is ongoing every weekend and he will make me to join the classes. He called me and said “Parupa, naama aathu payan nee….ethavathu intha carnatga samacharam ellam kathukanum, from coming Saturday onwards morning 7am veetuku vandhiru…”. I was thinking pochuda they have planned to kill my weekend sleep. But at that age I wasn’t able to oppose ippo mattum ennavam….but kuralachum kodupen :) So I was forcibly pushed to miruthanga class and started going to it. Saturday morning 6am used to be waked up for bath and a hot coffee would be served. I used to wear a white dhothi and T-shirt…naane thaaan …and go to the class. As it was my first day, I was given the top priority. My Guruji called me and had to get his blessings with fruits & fees for that month. It was the Guru thakshanai. Pillayar Slogam was the first thalam taught to me. Still remember it “Thoom thoom thaaka thakeeta….” Guruji was sincere in one thing, after teaching he used to write the thalam notes in a notebook for every person and give for practice. I thought ok now this is my route oru periya miruthanga chakrvarthiya ayuda vendiyathuthu thaan. But the interest got down and turned towards Karate…that’s a whole lot of different story.

Though the classes were conducted in Kichu mama house, Guruji was treated as their family member. He used to get time to time hot coffee from Kichu mami and I used think enaku koduka mattalanu. If I start first to play my master used to take long hours and used to scold me for stiff hands. One bad thing was everybody used to be there around and it was kind of embarrassing feel. We Tamil guys are very famous for hitting 1 person if first hit was given in the crowd. So slowly these elder guys and oldies used to comment “Thaambi appadi illapa ippadi methuva methuva”. I live in a colony and was kind of gang lead for a group. So when few of these elder guys who stay near my home used to be there, it was kind of “maana prachanai” for me. So I started thinking how to skip this part and escape. From next week onwards I used to tell my master that I am totally free and would like to watch other’s play and finally show my talent. Master used to think “Agaa...What an interest is there with this fellow” But I know the truth of why I prefer to learn as a last person. So after getting early and going to class I used to sit in the class for 3-4 hrs just for the sake of avoiding those big brothers. They used to play well and the session would be sometimes good as competing with fellow persons. Sometimes I used to enjoy and sometimes I used to crib my soga kathai. Like this it was moving for years and then 1 fine day my master told me to buy own miruthangam. So I got that and shelved it. My father used to scold for buying the instrument and not playing it. I decided that I will make him to repent to scold me like this. He used to go for night shifts to his office so he used so sleep in the morning. So when he starts sleeping I used to practice mirudhagam with dum dum dum sound. Then he stopped commenting and I was relived from the pressure.

Next peer pressure started. All those guys who come to class does something in front of my mother and my mother started asking me when I will do like them. So next I had to think what I should do to cover up this. My school annual function was going on and my Tamil teacher Kalyani was in search of a background score when a ghost enters into the drama. The music was to just give the scary effect and it was only “Daama daama daama” sound. I thought this would be the right opportunity to lock my mother’s peer pressure. So I went voluntarily to my teacher and said I will perform the background music as I am one miruthanga vidwan :) Then went home and exaggerated as I am performing something in the annual function. Finally the peer pressure reduced. Ippadiyaga en miruthanga saga was on going. Then public exams were nearing and I started saying that I have to pay full attention to my academics and would like to take a break of this class. Actually ellam peela thaan but just oru build up. That break from miruthanga class which I took for public exams is still continuing and my parents forgot asking me about it. Aha…

Friday to Saturday!

In US to recreate they play different kind of games which is new to me. The other day I was watching a group was throwing a thread tied with two balls at its end to a pole kind of structure. If the thread structure hangs on the pole after it’s ejection then a point is credited to the end. This Friday evening watched another type where two boxes with a hole were kept at two ends. A small sack filled with sand was thrown to the box and if it falls inside the hole then it’s a point. Three girls and three boys with can beer in each of their hands were playing. I was fluctuating to see the game and the girls ah... After coming back to den I was bit bored. Whether to sleep early or to watch something or to browse something what should I do was the thought process ongoing. Starring at the DVD boxes for some time and then pulled out the movie “The Butterfly Effect”. Initially when the movie started I wasn’t fully involved into it but in the end turned out to be a good one. The movie was a fantasy movie of travelling back in time [Irony: I want to kill time but watching a movie projecting about travelling back in timeJ]. The movie starts from the childhood days of the hero Evan Treborn by Ashton Kutcher. At important phases there were memory blackouts for him and the screen fades out. At first I wasn’t able to correlate the sequences and was confused. Later in the movie when he travels back in time he was able to visualize the same situation and alter the way it happens. The story plot and screen play was done so well and compels the audience to continue till the end. It was a tightly coupled sequence and anywhere the director slipped then the whole movie would have diluted. The director succeeds in what he wanted to project and it has come out in a good shape. Evan goes back to his memory blackouts by reading his daily journals and knowing what had happened he tries to alter the situation. But the outcome of the modified was totally out of his hands and turns out to be negative some way or other to himself or his close mates. Hence every time he goes back and alters to see everything finishes well. He loves Kayleigh's performed by Amy smart and he wanted her with him after he modifies the past. But it didn’t work some way or other, so at the end he scarifies his love and once for all ends his love in its budding stage, carving a good future for everybody.

Each plot the same characters perform a different role. It was like seeing multiple movies with in a movie and was interesting. Rajinikanth made a statement on an occasion when asked why he wasn’t doing his next movie as “Kadhai illa sir”. After watching such movies which deals with same love story but in a creative outfit, makes to think why new stories aren’t there. It puzzles me how Kamalhasan who likes to perform variety missed to redo this play. Just out of craziness thinking whether this might be the story of Dasavatharam, his next venture :) I have seen “Back to future” and this one but I like the later more. There is no end to creativity and movie world is all about it.

Changes are inevitable and apply to everyone\everything. For past few days was thinking of doing some physical activity rather than sitting in front of the black box. I like playing but forming the group, pulling everybody in the evening time became out of scope and gone are those days. Those days my job was to call everybody from their home sharp at 4 pm for playing. To go to gym feel somewhat lazy and also think if not continued then will blow up again. Might be a myth but comfortable with it. Hence planned to go for a walk for a while. Don’t know whether this will be continued but making an attempt to it. In this effort the biggest supporter is my iPod and Tamil movie songs. Especially songs from Vijay, Rajini movies make you to feel energetic and your pulse rate increases. So for now “Unnoda uyarvuku unnoda vervai, ennoda uyarvuku ennoda vervai…”

Tribute

A good friend is always a valuable asset you have earned for yourself. There is no substitute for good people being with you. I have limited group of people whom are close and mutually cherish the moments. Today morning I got the news of losing one due to unknown reasons so far. It really broke me down and the day was horrible. All the past instants with him was hitting hard in my mind. It was shocking and shouldn’t have happened. He is a nice, energetic, enthusiastic person whom everybody would like to move along. We have shared our times together happily, quarrelling, discussing and playing…ahh! I am thinking how his family would take this, it’s tough and a total let down. I have no idea what had happened suddenly and still unable to believe myself. Many people die but when the near & dear does, it pinches you to ground. Pray that his soul rest in peace and his family needs to get consoled. We are going to miss you dear friend!

Identity

More than “Who am I”, I get choked with the question of “What am I”. I get so much confused with this question and searching for an answer. If I know this answer then I would be one of the rishi’s sitting in one eternal place. I am puzzled in finding what I came for and what I am doing is what I am for. Should I be living a life doing 9-5 job, then going back home with briefcase? Making some money, saving for buying a home, ending up in seeing the children grown up and making the way to graveyard.

I see many varieties of people, one who just see his family and forget all his passions. Neither he learns or has some interests to do something new. Only thing that concerns him is his family & be a bread winner. So he comes to job and goes back that’s all he does. What spark is there in it, I don’t find one. But I think one way oh! Is this what life should be and should I also do like this?

When I do some work I think do I mean in doing this? Am I here for it and is this what I am good at? Everyone will get a turning point where one would know what he is meant for. Did I get already this gyan or am I yet to get the opportunity? Where to find the inside and how to really pursue what am good at? But I believe everybody has this type of insider but nobody reveals or expresses. All just live as the reality pinches and stops them from pursuing their aspirations or the search for what they are. Some just live without even making this attempt as they don’t want to and completely avoid it. With this state of confusion going to bed am I meant for sleeping? :-)

[P.S.:- This post might be confusing as I am confused]

The WOW Factor!

It’s a wish to own it for quiet sometime after coming to US. I have seen people going crazy about it and have also seen several promos on it. One day had a chance to browse through its features in Best Buy store. It’s been an awesome experience for me and felt fond of it. The sleekness, sound effects, clarity, compactness... I was resisting my self from buying it for some reason. But today couldn’t stop from being the proud owner of it. Yes! finally bought the Apple iPod 30 GB. What can I comment on it, it just mesmerizes you with its sound effect and the video ah… Uyrin Uyrie video from kakha kakha movie made its debut entry into my iPod and after that non stop music for past 3 hrs. It might be a bit high expenditure for me but feel its worth buying. Few albums already in my play list are from Elton John, Backstreet Boys, Enigma, Spice Girls, Bryan Adams, Aqua, Swades, Michael Jackson, Venga Boys and list goes on…Importing the songs\videos thru iTunes is the main activity for the upcoming days :-) You will definitely feel it as a WOW factor!

Malgudi Days

Living in a single room mansion, eating in a Iyer mess, rushing to the main bus stand, running behind the Nagapattinam meter gauge train, getting a seat to sit for the 45 minutes journey, walking towards the college gate, dreaming inside the class rooms, typing "Hello World" programs, chatting with the class mates, long walk to the Parotta shops or mess for the afternoon lunch, sighting the college girls, tucked out shirt with a slipper and a long size unruled notebook with a Reynolds pen, do not forgetting to take a pocket comb, waiting for the last hour bell, going back to station and having fun at the station, speaking\singing\sleeping while coming back from college, getting down from the running train, requesting for a lift from railway station to main bus stop, walking happily with no worries but with big dreams on the roads towards the mansion, sneaking inside peoples mind each time when someone pass by, having a 2rs tea with butter biscuits, collecting notes and taking Xerox copies of unknown authors just to accumulate in the shelf, eating dinner at a fast food center, calling home from a STD booth for hours, enjoying the night in the terrace with mansion friends, playing carom board with the mansion manager, sleeping with a alarm aside for the routine tasks...Gosh. It was a wonderful life which I miss and feel could never get back. This was my post graduation period at an engineering college near Tanjore.

These Malgudi days of mine came back to me in a flash after several years when I got bunch of emails from my class mates which was a surprise. I never had a single contact with any of my Tangore guys. It’s like everybody rushing to complete what they want and in this race everybody forgot the touch with each other. We were the toughest guys for our lectures and we were given the bad treatment from everybody in the college. But now most of us stood up to a decent level and the cycle changes. The lectures started passing their resumes to us :-) We had good time with each other at the same time bad patches. There were clashes and misunderstandings with each other which now look silly. But that is a phase change and it happens to everybody. Everybody is busy with their professional work and most have got married and might be a having a child. But still a small email made a difference and it brought back the memories. I truly wish that everybody one day have to come together to relish those old Malgudi days!

Seattle Times

I visited Seattle last week for an official purpose. Seattle was worse than Chicago in terms of climate. Seattle had heavy snow showers and roads were slippery. It seems after many years its facing this change in its nature. Anyways most of the transport wore chains to its tires for more friction and causing sound pollution:-( The public transport is the one which I like in Seattle and miss in Chicago.

I like to travel, visit new places and meet new people. What I don’t like is the preparation to travel and settling down after coming back. It includes booking tickets\accommodation, packing and then washing\ironing after coming back. The most irritating part is two things one is the air travel where you are tied for couple of hours and ironing of the washed clothes after coming back. God save me from these!!

I had lots of fun with new people and enjoyed staying at my friend's place. My friend had got a new projector and it’s like watching a movie at Devi Bala theatre in Chennai. The experience of monster screen at home is different and exciting. After buying such a projector there is no necessity to hit the theatres. A little patience is needed for the movie to be available online and that’s it you would be entertained with more comfort than in theatre. A good item to be bought by each of the frequent cine goers\lovers.

While returning back took a cab from my friend's place to the Seattle airport as snow showers were present. It was hard to drive in those circumstances. Luckily got a cab and was speaking to the cab driver. He asked me are you in IT and when I said yes, he started speaking his good old memories. Actually he was a main frame programmer in his early years and now he wants to get back to this industry. It sounded interesting and gave him some tips [Gosh…don’t laugh]. When I was about to get down, he just thanked me in a very friendly manner. I just realized what all I have been saying in Para II above, seems to be nothing when people struggle for their days bread!!

Thodargirathu :-)

This blog has completed its 2 years and entering into its third year of existence. I used to read blogs after its introduction to me from one of my friend. I never intend to blog myself and was just reading to know what they are & what they write. One evening at office when I was about to leave, was called by my above friend and asked what is the name you like for your blog? I said are you kidding, I am trying to know its spelling and you are asking me to write. But due to the fact that I didn’t want to deny abruptly and for a moment thought what if, I just accepted it. I didn’t even know how to post and what to write. But something I wanted to do and thought why not this. After creating the account, my friend in front of him asked me to write something, which was like nightmare. Nothing came to my mind and was thinking is this yet another crap in my life I am going to do like all before I have done. Just wrote a self welcome note to myself which when I read now I start laughing, not that I have grown up in blogging\writing but thinking of my sheer ignorance.

To pen it’s really tough and the stuff in it is more important. It’s like everybody tells a story for a movie but when Manirathnam or Shankar says it has its own dimension. The carving of the script is an art and everybody doesn’t get that easily. I have written many craps here and few here & there good ones according to me. Always in my case it happens like doing something and getting something as an end result. I intend to write but its turns out to be something else in a different shape. I feel I haven’t got still the art of writing. But it doesn’t stop me writing, I wish I continue as long this excitement and enthusiasm lives up.

The moment I post something, it’s like oh yeah! Dude something is done for the day!! This excitement still exists and hasn’t drained away which makes me to write more. I don’t have huge readers but a handful of them and most of them whom I knew. Just because I marketed myself saying to them I have a blog and when find time please do read. After they read the thrill remains till they say “yaPa blog pathen naalla iruku :-0”. I get surprised when I see new readers on the comments and think myself people read your writing also...Hmm.

Many things I learnt from this blog and one fact I understood is I am very bad time manager. Yup! Its sheer fact and you can see it on the below recent posts. I really don’t do time management well and end up in not writing a post at least for a week. I always hang it in to do list of mine and keep postponing it for days. Also prioritization of work is horrible and just goes by what comes for that time. I am pretty sure that this isn’t going to work in long run and has to completely rework from scratch.

Might be it happens for others but it happens for me at times regularly. That is suddenly I think what to write, is it really worth to someone or myself to scribble something, what if I don’t post something, Dude lots of others are really writing well and if you don’t write no one cares, really is this something good for me, am I having any meager skill to write, is it worth spending time??? All these rise within me and falls as time pass by. Suddenly I get tempestuous and start reading other blogs which I read regularly. Then come back and see my archives to see what mistakes are carved carefully by me :-( I have cursed myself many times when not writing a post or not writing it properly. It needs huge amount of effort and perseverance. It’s not a one day job nor comes out of teaching. But something stays on within me and still this one exists for its third year…

She is back :-(

Really don't know what to do !$%!

I am here in Chicago for quite some time. During the mid of November one day I was just coming back from office. I was bit tired and was just feeble. Suddenly she came in a flash. I saw her for the first time. I couldn't resist myself and was feeling glad. This was my first experience to see her. As days passed by I started seeing her frequently. Slowly my relation started with her and met her day-after-day. More...

Road Ahead !!

[Click for a blow up]

Life is pretty fast. Hardly finding time to react, realize. Just moving on and on… Something or other comes and blocks your calendar. This place is pretty fast at least for me. There is always some pending task to be done and look forward for tomorrow to start. Donno how long this is going to be. Still this is current life and has to move on with it :-)