Blog closed

Its good bye friends... Don't ask me the reason. All things come to an end.
Blog will close down at midnight tomorrow.

Kung Fu Panda

A good animated filum after a long long time. The Panda is a Kung Fu enthusiast. His life changes when an accident makes him the 'Dragon Warrior'.
Watch this over-sized, over-weight, funny Panda beat the crap out of the goon.

Still here

Hey... I am still here...

Many happy returns of the day to Tanuj. He is soooo old that he likes to pretend he is getting younger.

One of my colleagues has quit... I will miss him... I remember telling him the 'Despo Mallu story' in the first week of our meeting and him agreeing to himself.

The story goes like this (Don't mind if I am repeating myself... I tend to do that... A LOT)
"When we joined TAPMI... a B-School with major Mallu junta... the Mallu females very seriously advised us not to date the Mallu guys 'coz they are big despos. They were proved right a few months later".

Anyway... Good-bye Dinds... we will keep in touch but you will be missed.
(Btw.. Dinds doesn't read my blog)

Corporate life is funny... you can get ahead by either PR or hard work. PR is the safer, faster and surer option. I prefer the 2nd one... less competition there.

There are some people who may not know the head, tail or the body of anything... but will make decisions.
One rule you must always follow in corporate life: "Trust No-One"

Life has been a struggle lately... and things will only get worse... The thought of next year keeps me going... good things are expected to happen once this phase passes.
And like Tanuj always says: "Good things happen to good people"... and I know I am good... highly misunderstood... but good.

K.S has written a post on "Blunt!!!".... Let me quote a very relevant line:
"There are times when u have to use it on the people who are very close to u.. but the truth has to be passed on !! No matter how bitter it is."
So true... Jo hai so hai... even if it hurts.

I wish I would always have been blunt in my life. Anyway, I intend to try and inculcate that.

Cia... good night everyone.

I want to pass on my motto in life: 'Regret nothing... make mistakes... but never regret them'

Btw... It doesn't matter who forms the government... UPA or BJP... The conflict is not about whether the N-deal should be signed or not... the conflict is about who should take credit for signing the deal... in this case it is going to be UPA.

Some more photus

The Apple store


Everyone's fav store- Macy's


Empire State Building


Sis's apt- just like a hotel


Dubai airport- it even has a mosque

Superstar India

This book was my B'day gift. This is the 2nd Shobha De book I have received as a present by close friends... previous one was 'Spouse' from A1 & A2.

I like Shobha's books... I am also well aware of the fact that her fiction novels became famous for being the maximum number of books thrown in trash on the day of their release.

I can identify with her writing style... I have a similar style.

Coming to the book... it is about 'India'... 'Superstar India'. A very balanced and objective view of India... full of contradictions... This is the right time to be an Indian... and yet we haven't even reached the peak. The boom has just begun.

Nothing in USA surprises me... not the clean roads... luxurious apartments... big malls... subway... I have seen it all in India. USA is not another country Indians aspire to migrate to... India is where the action is. 

Hancock

On Saturday Jiju, Bro and I headed to the multiplex... the options were 'Wanted' or 'Hancock'. Jolie won... but tickets were available only for 'Hancock'.

I like Will Smith. He is an amazing actor. Hancock is just another superhero story with a twist. He is a drunkard, sarcastic, indifferent... but a superhero nonetheless since he has superpowers and uses them to catch criminals with disastrous consequences for the common people.

One fine day he saves the life of a guy (don't remember his name) who works in PR. His wife is Charlize Theron. Hancock gets an image makeover and things are good.... till he finds out Charlize also has superpowers. Thats the twist... 

I won't give out the end... its too boring anyway.

Worth a watch once!!!

Btw... multiplexes here don't have seat numbers... you have to arrive very early (sometimes 45 mins earlier) to pick good seats... you may even have to wait in a long queue (Thats just like theaters in Himmatnagar.. now we have a multiplex there so life is luxurious).

Compare it to India where I can book tickets online, pick the seats and even get tickets home delivered at minimal charge. Bliss!!!

More photus

Beautiful rains

View from a speeding car

The casino 'Wild Wild West' at Atlantic City

Fireworks on 4th of July: Independence Day... View from terrace

Empire State Building: View from terrace at night

More on USA

Hi... I didn't realize  I was gone so long. My phone charger wasn't working and I couldn't retrieve the pics in it. Right now I am too lazy to retrieve them. Anyway, I received a mail from APC inquiring whether I am alive since the blog has not been updated. 

So here it is... before someone else mails me the same (don't think anyone else will actually "react" like that though.. :P)

The weekend was spent at Atlantic City... it is as close as you can get to Vegas (without actually going there). It is a nice tourist destination with casinos (there is one called 'Taj Mahal' and is quite gaudy) and a (dirty, filthy) beach. I won $2 at the casino (Yippie!!!).

Yesterday I met family friends who have migrated to USA. I have known them as a toddler and Himmatnagar just ain't the same without them.  As a kid I loved "yellow puris" prepared by Aunty as a snack. Unfortunately, she doesn't make them here.

The nights are spent playing 'Taboo', 'Scrabble' and cards with Jiju, Sis, and Bro. 

New York is an expensive city. You have to pay toll tax everytime you enter/leave it.... even if you are a Yankie. The other day the car broke down outside 'Macy's'. We just needed a cable and another car to help us jump start it. Nobody was ready to help out... finally a cab driver charged us $10 for helping out. In India, 10 people would have gathered around and offered free help and oodles of advice. Its all about money here.

One thing I appreciate about NY is the convenience and freedom it offers (if you have the money). There are lots of parks, entertainment options, restaurants with various cuisines. We went to a Mexican restaurant 'Rosa Mexicana' on Sunday... amazing food. The public transport (buses, ferry, subway) bring every place within reach.

Photus

Python at the 'Lizards & Snakes' show in the museum

An interesting globe on the ceiling of museum

Statue of Liberty

SIL

View from ferry

View from the ferry to Statue of Liberty

USA.. continues

I have been on my feet for 8 hrs... and they are killing me. 

Yesterday Bro and I hopped onto the ferry to the Statue of Liberty. He had been there earlier with Dad and advised me to avoid getting off there... the Statue looks better from far away.

Honestly... the statue looks better on TV or in pics... you can go ahead and avoid the trip there... but then again you can't come to NY and not see the Statue... can you? 

Today we headed to the Museum of Natural History.. armed with maps, directions, Metro card, cash, water, flat footwear and a heavy breakfast we boarded the subway... the wrong one. Anyways... somehow we managed to get off at the correct stop and explored every inch of the museum. Bad idea... 'coz it is huge!!! Some sections are good... mammals, Imax  show, Space Collision show, Lizards & Snakes, Hall of Gems etc.. to name a few. It reminded me of my Biology, Geography and History lessons (I miss Biology). 

On the way back we stopped at the Empire State Building... the view is better at night... Since I have seen 'The Tower' at Sydney... ESB did not impress me.

 

The most important part of the trip was seeing all kinds of cleavages... you imagine it... and I have seen it.

Ciao!!! 

PS: Next post has the pics

Doodh.. doodh.. doodh

I just visited the supermarket 'The Food Emporium' close to home. Bro and I were given a list of items to buy:

1) Whole Milk

2) Heavy Cream

3) Spinach

4) Strawberries

We walked to the refrigerated section looking for milk... we found skimmed milk, non-fat milk, eggnog milk, Vitamin D milk, less fat milk- 39% less fat than whole milk, milk with 69% less fat than whole milk...... but no whole milk. Finally, with some help we located it in the non-refrigerated section.

It reminds me of the time I went shopping for bread at Spencer's Hyper... there was milk bread, sandwich bread, wheat bread, grain bread etc... I started wondering which bread I can grown up eating.