The gragzone

Kati Patang!

2010-09-27T14:24:00.000-07:00

Kati patang ki tarah hum duniya se katt gaye
Jahaan kismat ne phoonka usee oar chal diye

Manaa ki ab bhatak rahe hain dishaheen hum har kahin
Azaad to na sahi par kisi dhaage ki kaid main bhi to nahin

Is this love?

2010-06-08T16:00:00.000-07:00

No..Honestly, it was not love at first sight.. but the more I look at her, the more beautiful and gorgeous she looks.
When I look at her eyes I see a true reflection of myself. And I can see the world through her eyes. She holds my hand and we share a moment to cherish. She reminds me of a mermaid carved to perfection. Soon I will have to make a choice on whether to make her mine or not. Dear iPhone 4 - I love you.

Under the tree

2009-08-13T13:24:00.000-07:00

Oh under the tree is where I want to be
right under the tree where my mind is free

the breeze caressing my cheeks
in the middle of a summer day
when the sun is glazing with brilliance
is from the tree next to the creeks

oh under the tree is where I want to be
right under the tree where my mind is free

Elated!

2009-06-03T23:28:00.000-07:00

Most comedians have performed at some point in a bar where the crowds temperment is rather unpredictabe. Never thought I would have a similar story.

For a long time I wanted to get out of my comfort zone. Its great to perform with friends in audience to support you but what if it is a crowd of strangers? And what if it consisted of people who are not from my cultural background ( read : Non-Indians). And today was the day!

SBIP (South Bay Improv Persons) is a group of us who are focussed on Improv comedy. Of course, being a group made it a lot easier but a team without teamwork is worse than being stranded alone in an island I suppose! We had an awesome performance today. We have been rehearsing over past few weeks and today it all came together. I would not say it was perfect but it was very very well received nevertheless.

Carpe Diem!

2009-05-31T12:31:00.000-07:00

Carpe Diem - The 2 little latin words that mean a whole lot : "Sieze The Day" ( Courtesy : Dead Poets Society - nice movie by the way). Sieze the moment. Make your life extraordinary. Make it large.

Sounds very motivating and inspiring. But unfortunately it is so much nicer in a fairy tale than in real life. Nevertheless what it does it it emits hope. A hope that some day, hopefully in the near future, those words come true. But it cant just happen like it does in a fairy tale.

It is all about how courageous one can be to take path less travelled. Ultimately its a state of mind that you can reach over a period of time. Some do it early, some take time, some never make it.

Ok. So here I go. I declare myself to myself to 'Carpe Diem' - and off I go now to sieze the day!

Improv improves!

2009-05-27T21:32:00.000-07:00

Over the past several months I have been a very regular imrovizer.. for non starters, improvization is a form of theatre which involves making things up on the spot - The TV series 'Whose Line is it anyway' has made it very popular and brought it to main stream.

While I am at it I realize that improv, in reality, is much more than making something funny. Its about building energy. Its about standing up for each other in a team and making the other person look good. Its about optimism and making things work the way it is. Its about learning to say yes to others irrespective of whether you agree with it or not. Its about creating a zone where everything appears great. Its collaboration at its very very best. And most importantly its about living the moment - at the moment.

Just a few thoughts

2008-10-14T18:53:00.000-07:00

http://picasaweb.google.com/grag.bhat/HaveAGreatDay

yo yo

2007-09-28T14:50:00.001-07:00

jiss raah mein chale nahi uss raah ka kya bharosa
agar khaana tha curry to sambhar kaahe ko parosa?

Manmaani

2007-08-18T22:07:00.000-07:00

Socha tha ki karoonga mannmaani
Par yeh baat mere mann ne nahi mani

Maine apne mann ki baat maani
Aur kee nahi kuch bhi mann mani

Agar maine mann ki baat nahi thi maani
To kar sakta tha jee bhar ke mannmaani

Mere adhoori kahaani....

2007-08-07T14:44:00.000-07:00

hum unke kadmon ko choom lein par woh paanv nahi deti
hum hain jinke isqh mein woh humein bhaav nahi deti :D

Ek aur sher

2007-06-13T22:57:00.001-07:00

dagar ke uss paar koi nagar hai
na manzil hai us paar na ghar hai

par isi raah par tiki yeh meri nazar hai
bas unki kadmon ki aahat ka asar hai

Ek puraani sher.. dedicated to her eyes!

2007-05-07T08:47:00.000-07:00

Whose eyes? Could be anybody :-) hehe

Dekha hai kahin baar par kabhi nazaron se nazar nahi mili
In aankhon ko un aankhon ki madhoshi ki jhalak nahi mili

Doobna hai unki gehraayi mein, katna hain unki tez dhaarse
Khona hai unki chanchalta mein dekhiye humein kabhi pyar se

(Composed on Jan 23,2007)

All rightie

2007-05-07T08:40:00.000-07:00

This is not happening.. is it? But then, it looks like its "the law of blogging" that there will be patches of weeks ( sometimes months, sometimes years) when u just dont blog.. Who cares anyways!

The route 66 trip blog is "to be continued".. I have no idea when though... hehe.. 3 more days and tons of action yet uncovered. The summary is that we do hit the Cadillac Ranch in Texas , a natural Arch in new Mexico, a long drive on the last night and reach back by Sunday morning with a day to spare.. remarkable i must say-> 3 men, 13 states , 1 car, 5000+ miles, 8 days.. that was our trip

The Thanksgiving drive

2006-12-03T20:32:00.002-08:00

Day 6: Thursday Nov 20th 2006
States : Missouri, Kansas , Oklahoma
Cities: Eureka, SpringField , Baxter Springs , Tulsa , Oklahoma City
Miles ~ 450
Cop catches: 1
Tickets: 0

Happy Thanksgiving.
Traveling on a holiday brings with itself its own package of features. Thanksgiving being an important one manifested itself as \ closed stores , closed museums , closed caves , closed food joints......

It is said millions and millions of Americans travel during long weekends. The cops are on high alert. It is fun to see the way they stand between the roads or underneath the bridges. The moment they spot a 'prey' and they scoot behind them right away.
Deepak was the driver this time who was driving clean at the speed limit of 70 mph. As anyone with a normal instinct would have, he slowed down the moment he was a cop. The cop got "suspicious" and came right behind us. He first called out Deepak for some inquiry and then came towards our car to question me and Shivram. Questions included whats wheres whens and hows about us and our journey. The most interesting one was if we carried guns (!!!!).. Well it was a "routine" check that they do to keep the crime level low especially during holidays and being innocent we came through clean. Encounter with cops appeared to have become a routine for us too!. Anyways , the moral of the story: Never slow down for a cop if you are not already fast :-)

Looking for kicks on route 66

2006-12-03T20:30:00.000-08:00

Day 5: Wendesday Nov 20th 2006
States : Illinois, Missouri
Cities: Chicago , Pontiac, St Louis , Eureka
Miles ~ 350

Route 66 is called the mother road for it was the major road that connected the east to west for a while. People migrated in tons and thousands during the early part of the century. Business blossomed at all places that the road touched. Gas stations , Motels , Restaurants , Recreational facilities : All grew in leaps and did do very well during the time the road existed. About 40 years ago the interstate freeway system emerged and the historic route 66 is nearly a history now. The road itself has been decomissioned a while ago and either totally abandoned as it is at few places or replaced by the freeway.
We did want to see the remains of the heritage of this recent history. As it was rightly put by a singer earlier this century "Get your Kicks on Route 66"

First things first: We should begin fairly at the beginning of the road. After some searching we finally found the route in the downtown and the journey began. The board that is placed at many places, the map and a lot of common sense were our guide.Another thing that was the lifeline was a book on things to see on route 66.

From Chicago till St Loius we had to take the interstate 55 south. The historic route had been devoured by this leaving strands at places. We displaced ourselves to Pontiac ( the name of the place) by lunch time and for the first time had lunch at a non-chain restaurant (or perhaps the chan was un heard of by us). As the day traveresed we went in and out of the freeway and got a first first hand feel of the abandonment. An old victorian house of Davis, the Supreme Court Judge in the era of Abraham Lincoln told us a story of how royal people lived many decades ago.

A generous old man (who turns 90 next year ) at an erstwhile 'Pig Hip' restaurant shoed us hospitality and warmth would have been for the travellers across this route in those days.

We also came across an abandoned gas station owned by someone having a great sense of humor. One of the boards read "open 24 hrs , except when closed". Another said "open when here , closed when gone". There was a fornt half part of an old car on display with a plack card 'half price'. Am sure the owner of this gas station had a great outlook towards life. It still tells the story of the past.

It was dark when we reached St Loius...a major city in Missouri located at the border of MO and IL. The landmark structure here is a hhhuuuuuuuuuuuge man made arch. Its pretty well lit at night and visible from miles away. When we went underneath it there was absolutely no one except us. We had a quick glance at it feeling the 'hugeness' of it and we were back on road.

The number shifts and now we are on Interstate 44 west. After driving for a while we decided to call it a day. A Motel 8 was in the vicinity and my magic AAA card fetched us a discount. And hey remember the game I talked about earlier? The lady at the reception looked like an Indian. "Where are you from" I asked. "India" she replied with a smile. "Where in India?" .."Gujarat".. ( But of course I thought!). Dinner at chain restaurant at AppleBees and ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz..

Chill out in Chicago

2006-12-03T20:29:00.000-08:00

Day 4: Tuesday Nov 20th 2006
States : Illinois
Cities: Chicago
Miles ~ < 100

Good Morning Chicago.. it was time to snooze to downtown. After a brief discussion on whether we should catch a train ( Deepak was for it) or drive down ( I was for it) , we decided to drive down and turned out to be a good decision as we saved over an hour. The first thing that is noticeable about Chicago is the wind chill. Its already pretty cold being the beginning of winter and the wind from lake Michigan ( who the hell named it a lake.. we cant see the other side of it!) makes it 'feel' colder. Although I had pretty warm clothes on me, I wished I had more!

The first destination in Chicago downtown was the Sears Tower: The tallest building in Chicago and for a long time the tallest in the world. The entire city of Chicago can be seen from there and the concrete jungle looks all that more dense from up there. The roads and ramps has a symmetric beauty while the the stream cutting through the city gives it a classical feel.
After some snaping we were back to earth where we caught up with my good friend and our 'guide' for the day; Girija..It was very sweet of her to join us :-)

Hunger strikes and it was a crave to try out the famous Giordano's pizza. We walked for about 20 minutes through the streets crossing blocks lof bricks before we reached. On the way we saw the Historic Route 66 board for the first time during this trip. Also got a glimpse of some marvellous structures from the eyes of an architect. It was pizza time and the pizza was gorgeous... yum yum.. It had a unique preparation with the stuffing right in between the dough. I would love to have more of it whenever I get a chance.

Right next door, literally , was the Millennium park. A park with some architectural beauty constructed to welcome the arrival of the new millennium in 2000. Chicago is a city known for its art and architecture and slowly but surely it was becoming more and more obviousl. Very close by was the place ( I presume) where Swami Vivekananda had delivered his world famous speech on Hinduism over a century ago.

The next thing planned was a cruise through the river in the city which takes us top in and out of the city. A ride through the city giving some wonderful view points within the city and a cruise away into the Michigan lake to see the downtown from a 'sharks eye' view. But not all things in life go as planned.. do they? The cruise is closed for the season! This is what we learnt afte we took a bus and reached the Navy Pier. Anywyas we saw the building where aparently Oprah Winfrey lives.

At the bus stop before we took the bus , for the first time, I came across a spiritualist ( not sure of the term!) who proclaims about Jesus and perhaps frees your mind. Apologies for my lack of understanding on this subject but it was something very interesting to watch.

It was cold at Navy Pier. With no buildings to tone down the wind from the Michigan lake it was unbearable cold. The next destination was the Hangcock tower wich is the 2nd largetst buiding in Chicago matching the sears tower for style and might
A restaurant at 95th floor in the Hangcock tower gave a fantastic view of the Chicago downtown at dark ( It was about 5.30 pm and was dark). A walk till that point through the beautifully decorated Michigan Avenue gave me a great feel of the down town. After the few major cities I have visited in US ( and some back in my own country), depsite some things being unique to each city, what I realize is that a downtown is a downtown..is a down town. Tall buildings , mostly banking , busy roads, no parking space , busy people. Life is fast and often lost ( literally too!).

Girija turned out to be a great city guide and it was time to bid her adieu and get back to the parking lot near Sears tower where whe had parked our Buick. A lazy drive along the lake side and another toll skip landed us home well before night.
Sivaram, Sameer and Anand were ideal hosts for travelling friends like us. Their hospitality is much appreciated. We now have a long way to travel back along the historic route 66 through the next few days. And hey, that is what we were there for in the first place.

Destination Chicago

2006-12-03T20:28:00.000-08:00

Day 3: Monday, Nov 20th 2006
States : Nebraska , Iowa , Illinois
Cities: Omaha, Des Moines, Davenport,Geneseo, Schaumburg
Miles ~ 600
Cop : 1
Tickets: 0

After dreaming all that we can it was back to driving. After a spectacular performance the previous day it was a day to take it 'easy' with less than 600 miles to travel. Within an hour during the rush hour on a working monday morning we were in Omaha. Yee hoo .. we were on 'vacation' and no signs of the monday morning blues. The same not true about the sky though as it was gleaming blue indicating a perfect weather for travel ( although I was hoping to see some snowfall).
Omaha is one of the larger cities in Nebraska and the "busy"ness of the streets did hint that it does a lot of business. Perkins was the chain restaurant this time which satisfied our morning hunger.

Iowa
By the time the minute hand of the clock could sweep itself back to where it was we entered Iowa. Not that it does not have things to see but as far as we can see from the freeway, still nothing but nothing around.

So, just like the previous states, it was all about driving, listening to the tunes on the FM radio ( not well prepared with CDs) , overtaking the huge trucks only to find another one not too far away and pairing up with different co-travelling cars for some durations all the way constantly breaking the speed limit of 75 miles an hour by a good 10 miles per hour ( only to be over taken at times!)

We have now become pretty good at reading maps and extracting all that we need... a skill that will be needed especially since we rejected the ugly looking GPS from the car rental. My membership with AAA proved to be a fruitful one as we had taken the maps of all the states and the card did magic at motels offering us some discount each time.

Illinois.. here we come

Before the sun disappeared in the horizon we crossed the Mississippi ( gosh... what a name) river and we were in Illinois. The spped limit was lower here and most of the vehicles did seem to oblige... alert alert beep beep.. this has to be a low tolerence zone.

Making Geneseo memorable

Soon enough a cop was coming behind us flashing lights and shouting sirens. Shivram was the driver and the offense was driving at 70mph in a 65mph zone and a 'dangerous' lane change. After collecting our ids and doing some checks ( These folks have access to more information about us than perhaps we know about oursleves!) he let us go witha 'warning'..his way of showing hospitality towards visitors from far west. I tried to get the cop car on my video camera and stopped the attempt soon when I sensed that this may turn out to be an offense!

Shelter in Chicago
I called my friend in Chicago and invited ourselves there :-). We got closer to Chicago and the thing that stood out there is the toll system. Not a soul would have an idea about what it means... not a visitor at least. Anyways, we skipped and hopped a few tolls unknowingly and reached Schaumburg somewhere north west of Chicago downtown. That is where we were guests to our friends place : Sivaram and Sameer. A nice rice sambhar was waiting to be gulped by us as we crashed after some fun conversation.

Time to kick some 'gas'

2006-12-03T20:27:00.000-08:00

Day 2: Sunday Nov 19th 2006
States : Nevada, Utah, Wyoming , Nebraska
Cities: Wendover,Salt Lake City,Rawlins, Lincoln
Miles ~ 1050

The overwhelming spirit of adventure was short lived as soon it was overwhelmed by overwhelming cold. After barely 3 hours of broken sleep we started the day at about 3 am .. and hey soon the time zone changed and we were ahead by an hour as we crossed onto the Mountain Time ( from Pacific time).

Jab subah Utah... we were in Utah!

Pretty soon it was bye bye Nevada and welcome Utah: a state well known and represented by the huge salt lake and hosts some unique land structures a glimpe of which we got later in the day. After a couple of hours of drive,it was time to hit the rest area for a quick nap. The journey resumes as the day breaks and soon we find ourselves in the Salt Lake City. It was sunday morning and the city was pretty much deserted ( come on.. who wakes up early on a sunday?).But wait.... we went near the city's famous church and people are flocking in tens to attend the coir almost each of them just about as perfectly dressed as one can be. Coming from the California's Bay area ( where shorts are pretty much considered 'formals' at many places) this was odd.Protection from cold would be one good reason to do that but there was much more to it. The orthodox nature of the society was radiating itself so strongly. Some of the volunteers (there were many of them) invited us in but since we were short of time ( and we were totally out of placed and not "dressed" for the occasion ) we had to politely refuse.

Now lets start a game.. lets have a Desi Count ( The number of Indians we would come across in the trip).

We have a long day ahead.. and a long distance to go. Lets start. After a hefty breakfast in Denny's neutralizing the lack of dinner previous night and a vow to try to avoid food chains going forward we heaedd east.. again on the Interstate 80. Going through the curves and ups and downs across some nice landscapes ( and pretty unique earth material) we slip across to Wyoming.

Wyoming.

Wyoming boasts about two things I know of: The grand Yellowstone national park up north west and the richness of its untouched wildlife. The former was not in our route while the latter was not obvious since all we can find as long as our vision can reach is nothing. However, the latter is reinforced by lack of human population for miles and miles and miles.

After hours of travelling its time for food... for us as well as the car. We stopped by at Rawlins which is happy about its rich population of 9006 ( Yes.. our Infosys campus in Bangalore has more people). With time and hunger not allowing search of a non chain food joint it was time to settle for Taco Bell.
I havent seen a Desi for close to 24hrs ( barring a Sardar Truck driver hoisting a poster of Aishwarya Rai) and I continued the trend. But one of the workers in the food joint was from Gujarat and as he struck a conversation with Shivram we learnt that there are about 15 Gujju families in the town. Hmm.. close to 2% of the towns population. Thats impressive!

Nebraska

The dusk breaks and we reach Nebraska. Another huge state with long roads to offer. We couldnt see the nothing that it had to offer for us to see as due to the darkness all we could see is nothing ( what ? ).

After driving and driving and a bit more driving we decide to hit a motel at Lincoln. It was damn cold and the temperature was surely sub zero. The Best Western Inn had all that we needed at the time : A warm room and a cozy bed. Time to crash for a much needed rest.

The Journey begins

2006-12-03T20:25:00.000-08:00

Day 1: Saturday Nov 18th 2006
States : California , Nevada
Cities: Cupertino, Reno, Elks, Wells
Miles ~ 550

After not so early start and skipping a dear breakfast we found ourselves near Reno in Nevada at about 3.30 pm.
No matter which corner of this state we go, no matter which remote village it is,there is one thing we will find blooming and sparkling: CASINO....with just about the same hypnotic music and gravitating ambience.The slot machines are everywhere: A gas station, airport, hotel, food joints... u name it. Its truly a state for gamblers.

By the time we had a quick visit to a casino and onto the road again it was close to sunset. ( Being winter, the sun is gone by 5.00 giving us few ours less everyday to explore ). After few hours of driving we decided to camp.

The place where we camped.. Wells was one of those tiny villages on the interstate. After having decided to not go to a motel ( partially due to lack of 'facilities' and partially coz we knew that if we hit the bed.. it stays hit!) we ventured onto the parking lot of a gas station and decided to call it a day after a brief battle with luck on the slot machines.

The road trip

2006-12-01T20:01:00.000-08:00

3 men start a journey to the far east.... a mortive to run away from chains and to see what america truly was and is before the mask of mass commercialization was thrown onto it.

For me it was a long pending ambition .. a cross country road trip and the moment of truth had just arrived.

Happy Diwali!

2006-10-21T07:19:00.000-07:00

Yoon hi diye jalte rahe, yoon hi ujaala failti rahe,
Par uss kaal ko na bhoole jisne roshni ko roshni banaaya!

Dreams do come true!

2006-10-14T19:39:00.000-07:00

Last year when I landed in US, a friend gave me a ride in his Ford Mustang and that was an event for me. Later in the evening that day I sent an email to my friends with pride " I was driven in a mustang today". For some reason this was the 'WoW' car for me.

Few months down the line I got my licence. I had come on a short visit India. When I returned, I had reserved to rent an economy car from LA to my home in Cupertino. And when I went to pick up the car, I was offered an upgrade to Mustang convertible at a nominal rate. Mind you it was a chill day in November but I gleefully accepted it. The drive was amazing and next day a lot of my friends took a 'test drive' before I could return the car.

Months passed by and I sold my car ( I had a very nice Nissan Altima) because I was slated to go back to India. This program got scrapped at last moment and I was stranded here having sold my car. This time, I thought, I will go for a different type of car and was looking around. Weeks passed by and partly due to hectic work schedule and partly due to my incompetence in decision making I was on my feet with no car and some good friends to give me a ride whenever I needed. After this wait, today, I bought a car. And no prizes for guessing: Its a Ford Mustang GT convertible.

I dont know whats in store for me tomorrow but at the moment I am ecstatic. Whether it is because I finally got a car or because it is a Mustang is something that I dont want to bother!

A great lesson is that dreams, however they are, do come true.But the bigger lesson is: Its the fear of making a bad decision that stresses us out.. and not the bad decision itself. These words come out of the heart as it has happened to me multitude number of times: The great relief after a decision is made!

A false impression

2006-09-11T22:36:00.000-07:00

Not all that fall are down and out
Not all that dormant are cold and dead.
Not all that breakdown remain broken and down

Because falls often create a false impression....

Fear the unknown?

2006-07-31T01:13:00.000-07:00

Believe

2006-07-18T00:08:00.000-07:00

Believe me.. I am Unbelievable!

What?

2006-07-14T15:03:00.000-07:00

i Know Naught coz i Know not what i Know not

wat say?

TODAY

2006-06-14T21:23:00.000-07:00

Today is the tomorrow that I desired yesterday...The desire today is for another tomorrow.... a wish that it was a different yesterday.
In midst of tomorrow and yesterday , the Today fades away..... Just like that.

Browse till drowse

2006-05-05T00:29:00.000-07:00

Thats what life has become off late... and this paradoxically does not explain the lack of blog.
In the meanwhile life has taken me to Kings Canyon , a shift in residence , Grand Canyon ( wow!.. drove 1700 + miles vroooooom) and to Kings Canyon again...

All it takes to change things is a split second.... the first trip to Kings Canyon resulted in a tragic incident when my friend who was driving the car lost control due to rash driving of a passerby and resulted in a broken arm of another friend. I escaped unhurt but it reminds me how short life is and how unpredictable it is.

World is a small place it is said but when I took the helicopter ride over the grand canyon and entered a cave in the midst of nowhere in the Kings Canyon it all appears so deceptive. Life there on these monster structures look so standstill with an observable change coming by only through the course of millions of years.

How true that no one can live forever... that makes it all that imperative that as long as I live , I have to make it all that worth it!

U believe? U prove.. U prove, I'll believe

2006-04-27T23:54:00.000-07:00

What appears NOTHING could really be ANYTHING

2006-04-19T00:07:00.000-07:00

Perception... u get a wrong one and a gold is no more valuable than a grain of sand!!
Face value... how often misguides and clouds truth.. The vision to see things beyond the way it appears makes all the difference... for what appears nothing could potentially be anything. Its like a plain sheet of paper which could be colored to make anything out of it : a rough scribbling or a masterpiece. Or like a rock that can be just another rock or a sculpture that rocks.

Nopes... should never underestimate anything..especially self potential... anytime!!

I refuse to believe it cant be done

2006-04-04T23:16:00.000-07:00

Life teaches... every chapter of it... and every simple line of it can potentially contain the theorem of life.
A great lesson re-learnt from a simple experience: wearing contact lens! I have tried intermittantly for months but cud never command my eyelids.. my own eyelids.... to allow the lens onto my retina... until i told myelf : "I refuse to believe it cant be done"

That brings me to the thought. It is so easy to give up quoting a quote that someone else has quoted: 'it cant be done'. This in turn might have been quoted from what someone else has quoted... Somewhere down the chain, in midst of the quoted quotes, the the thought process has disappeared and what remains is just the quote that 'some'one has quoted and everyone else have voted and noted without being devoted to convince oneself likewise or contradictory.

Its those small steps that we often dont take for the lack of belief that eventually stands out as the gap between a champion and the rest.

True: Not all things can be done. But an aswer to the question 'Why cant it be done' often tell why certain things cant be done... as long as there is no answer it certainly can be done.. much like an accused cant be termed guilty unless proved so..

In the meanwhile, I still struggle to wear my contacts comfortably but am sure will do it someday sooner than latter as long as 'I refuse to believe it cant be done'.

Raghu's Two Brains theory

2006-03-26T16:47:00.000-08:00

Today I devised a new theory: God has given 2 brains to each one of you : One for you to use and one for me to fry... huhuhahahahahah

Around the world in Angeles

2006-03-23T19:48:00.000-08:00

At last got to see the length and breadth of Los Angelese last weekend. It was no shorter than an adventure with me taking my poor old car and driving 1300+ miles in all by the time I was back on Monday evening.

Got a ride share on way up ( or down?.. LA is south from here)...stayed at a Sharjeels ( my good old college friend) place.. Next morning caught up with another friend (Suhasini, my colleague from Infosys and an esteemed APJ member haha) and off to Santa Monica beach.This is suppossed to be the beach where BayWatch was shot. Next off to Santa Barbara (Yes there was a TV serial by that name). Wanted to goto San Diego in the opp dir but dint have enuf time... good times and then to LA downtown where we caught up with another friend.. had dinner in a chinese restaurant in downtown (suppossed to be a place where celebs come.. anyways who cares). Then off to Sunset Blvd on Saturday night.. had a 'happening' look.. drive thru Beverly hills to Rodeo street (st with most expensive shops). The day ends at 2 am.

Late to bed late to rise.. and by the time we traveled to cal adventures it was close to 3 pm...ditched california adventures and went to disney instead. Reason: its open till 12. As soon as we entered there was a kind of parade.. was kind of nice.. then was a bit boring for a while even making me wonder is it all worth it.. then the tides change and the last few hours were rapid and messemerising.. it was a awesome ambience there. My video camera was out of DVDs and how I missed it here! Again after the exciting day, back home pretty late.

Next day was all about driving. Had a couple of folks for ride share. Reached the first one ( after losing my way thereby exploring more of LA :-)). Was a DJ but had a sword with him along with other stuffs ( eeeks!)...Anyways as we were about to start he says he needs to goto east bay and I was going only to south bay so he decided to get off. And hey.,. i saw the mountain with 'HOLLYWOOD' written on it...I always wanted to see that!!.. Anyways then went on and picked up other ride sharer ( she was a student of Mathematics from University og Washington). Had dinner and swoosh...missed 5 north and went on 99 north instead but no harm done. Was good company along the way.Dropped off the ride sharer in Sunnyvale caltrain station , came back home and crashed

Yes..had taken monday off. This was another unique trips of mine with a lot of firsts.. and it is these firsts that makes them memorable.

Snow Snow

2006-03-10T21:53:00.000-08:00

It snowed it snowed.. so wats the big deal?.. The big deal is that it snowed near my place where it normally does not snow. An early exit from office in the evening and we were off to saratoga.

Although I have seen snow recently today was my first snow fall!.. And all out of the blue.
No.. by snow fall I donot mean falling on snow ;-)

And hey tomorrow I will be playing HOLI.. happy holi :-)

Salsa...a wonderfuk form of dance.. as I realized yesterday..... more about it some other time.

Excitement!

2006-03-06T00:10:00.000-08:00

Its been an exciting few weeks... so many things happening around me keeping me at my toes all the time.Lot of things changing around me.. lots of new things i am hearing about and lots of prototypes being deprototyped(did I just invent a new word here?
A trip to Pinnacle National Monument , to Monster Jam and the latest to Mt Shasta. Amazing experiences.

Monster Jam is something that has to be seen live to get a feel of.. those huge trucks making as huge noise and jumping in thin air.. wow!.. That was perhaps a good thing to watch on Shivaratri : A day (night rather) belonging to the lord of Destruction Lord Shiva. A visit to the temple in the evening rounded up the day well.

Mt Shasta:It a kind of inexplicible energy in the name itself. Driving on an icy surface ( on a 4 wheel drive SUV ofcourse) taking the visual ( and sensual ) pleasure of a snow covered mountain is beyond words. And then driving for close to 250 miles non stop after that is fun :-)

Live the moment , every moment

2006-02-19T18:25:00.000-08:00

As every moment passes by it endorses its importance which is realized only after it is gone...Not that it is a new thought , not that I have not realized it earlier...
What bothers me is why is this so difficult to accomplish? All the precious time is lost in search of something that is unknown and in persuit of something 'good'...
The crux is that there is nothing bad , nothing good.. everything is just right. If tomorrow is built on yesterday's foundation what do we do today? : take the steps that are right for today.

'Now' has to be an impulse of high energy.
Have to Live the moment , every moment.
That is what can set me free!This is what I want to do with my life!

Hmm.. how long can I try to do this? No answer for that.. but atleast let me try.. again!

What counts?

2006-02-19T18:00:00.000-08:00

Does anything need to count in the first place?

Happy Valentine's day

2006-02-14T20:29:00.000-08:00

Wat do u say? LOL :-)

The photo was taken in Lake Tahoe a couple of days before 'The' Valentines day. It was one hell of a trip did lots of things and also got to drive a lot inlcuding a non stop 4.5 hr drive after couple of tiring days....and hey.. i can ski better now:-)

Confidence or competence

2006-02-05T22:55:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I wonder: is it the confidence that builds competence or is it the competence that builds confidence. It may be a 'avalanche' kind of an effect but one has to be the cause and the other the effect.. or does it really follow the norm of cause and effect?

Sometimes I wonder why i wonder!

The point of view!

2006-02-02T23:55:00.000-08:00

How often , all that it takes is just a change in the point of view!

Just blogging..

2006-01-24T23:19:00.000-08:00

Ek sher arz hai

2006-01-09T14:12:00.000-08:00

har gunah kaabil e maaf hoti hai sivaaaye ek ishq ki
mar mithne ka shouk tha tab hi to hum ne ishq kee

waah waah waah :-)

Who is riding?

2006-01-08T21:46:00.000-08:00

There is a vast dense jungle and I sometimes feel that ever since I have gained conciousness I am on a horse wandering aimlessly. It is fun but I have no idea where I am and where I am heading to.

Should I trust the horse and let it take me for a ride.. or should I take control and experience the thrill of exploration?

Sun , Moon or the Star?

2006-01-03T20:26:00.000-08:00

Firstly : A very very Happy New Year... May I say this is the first New Year day in the year 2006? For there are more new Years to come in the next few months based on various traditions.

Now coming to something I was pondering over for a while... a comparison between the Sun , the Moon and the Stars. I have taken a lateral approach rather than an astronomical one.

Sun: Shining with full glory , One of its kind , Very energetic , Overshadows the others ( moon and the stars) whenever around but not to be seen for about half the time

Moon: Classy, Enlightens by reflecting when the Sun is not around, Not consistant. Still , one of its kind

Star : Although most of them can be uniquely identified, there are plenty of them. May not enlighten anyone but can often show the right directionw when lost

You may add more traits for each of thease..... Eventually what do u want to be:Sun, Moon or a Star ? Think about it!

WONDERful life....

2005-12-21T21:01:00.000-08:00

Sometimes i wonder what life is all about. Is it just about earning money to earn credentials or earning credentials to earn money.. or is it something much deeper and beyond that...As every moment passes by time appears to be running out... and I appear to wander aimlessly and run ......run away from truth... the truth that I have no idea of the purpose and role of my existance.

Good moments come and go , bad ones come and go but we remain to go through them all.. Everty moment it is as if I am waiting for something although I know for sure that it is just an illusion.An illusion that manifests into multiple forms as it continually transforms itself. I could feel the earth shaking beneath me , the skies falling on me and the walls crushing on me. I could feel the chill of the wind that has not yet come. The clouds of doubts surround all over my mind and i can sense a tornedo coming out of this depression.
Miraculously everytime this happens invariably there is a rescue path that opens up out of nowhere. And what comes to resuce is not a super natural force but one of those simple small pleasures of life the value of which we often ignore. It is so amazing to realize that these simple things are so powerful that they can fuel and tunnel my way back to the dream world where I always want to live.

My trip home was all about those simple pleasures of life.. It may have been a small trip but it was all that refreshing. The expressions on face and the delight in the eyes of those who matter to me said it all and made me feel that it was indeed worth it. The details of this will perhaps be never blogged but always carried as a memorable memento deep within my heart.

Here is a glimpse of my homevisit when I went to Shivanasamudra with my family..:My mother, father and smart lil brother ( not looking so smart here.. hehe)

More pics :-)

Dark or Light?

2005-12-07T23:44:00.000-08:00

Perceptions.... lots of things are just simply about preceptions!

The carishma

2005-12-06T22:43:00.000-08:00

Meri zindagi mein koi aa gayi hai...Pichle saturday us se pehli baar mila tha... pehli mulakaat mein hi mein use drive par le gaya tha.. aur mujhe woh achhi lagi thi..but i cudnt make up my mind.. poora weekend uske baare mein sochkar monday shaam ko maine use commit kiya. Uske baare mein mein ab kya kahoon... ... dikhne mein theek thaak hi hai... haan: kaali hai .. achhi gaati bhi hai.... aur woh ek Japan se hai!
Welcome to nissan altima : my new old car. :-).. at last! Finally got it at noon and in the evening went to the Sunnyvale temple to get the blessings and luck.

3 weeks ago: 15th Nov
Home Home here I come

Yeehoo... i am goin home. Finally booked the tickets for home yesterda: LA to Bangalore via frankfurt and Mumbai (Air India).. still not sure how i am goin to LA.. havent told anyone back home.. so trying to work out a sweet little surpirse... and am all excited. The camcorder I ordered recently was suppossed to be delivered to me by today but despite best efforts i cudnt get it :-(.. perhaps tomorrow.

Inertia

2005-12-06T22:29:00.000-08:00

Yes.. thats what it is called... resistance to change? Although involuntarily thats what most of us ( includes me!) do. Hey.. it also means laziness :-) But the past 3 weeks were very precious to ignore. So here I am with a split blogger: split between current and 3 weeks ago!

The Night Rider!

2005-11-13T23:00:00.000-08:00

Aah well.. it just happened.. friday nite was adventurous... one thing made way to other.... at 12 midnight i started for a long drive from here to Half Moon Bay to Santa Cruz and back by abt 2.30.Sorry to have disappointed u if u were expecting anything else.

The drive from half moon bay to santacruz is mostly alongside the beach.. and the sky was pleasantly clear and was moonlit and with scattered reflections of moon on the sea.. it wa simpluy soothing and fantastic... wasnt sure how safe it was so dint get down for a long time and was mosty in the car. But either way my long standing dream was fulfilled ( ref one of my prev posts!).

On sunday had been to a place called Napa valley wkith friends on sat... it has a lot of Wineries : Wine yards etc...just to have a look :). It gave a great insight on how beautiful the place is during the fall season.

On the way back i rediscovered how beautiful a smile can be and what can a cute little dimple add to a smiling face :-). Further i learnt that people who are not so lean get inFATuated pretty fast!

Today I got en'light'end a bit ( i mean got a haircut which wud have 'light'ened me a bit :D ). Went around in the evening for some kinda shopping.

Was pondering over one question though: Whey are people without hair ( 'baal') called bald ('baaled')??

A threat to digital revolution

2005-11-10T23:19:00.000-08:00

Theorem : Full = Empty
Corollary : 1 = 0 , true = false
Implication : If all the binary numbers are same then there is no way any binary digital gadget will function
Proof:
From a well know theory,
A glass half full = A glass half empty
=> Half full = Half Empty
multiplying both sides by 2
Full = Empty
Hence proved.

Flower Power

2005-11-09T22:59:00.000-08:00

Just Reach Out!

2005-11-08T23:09:00.000-08:00

Nothing is unreachable ... isnt it?

Oh by the way it happens to be birthdays of close friends today and yesterday.. many many Happy returs of the day to them:-)

Colder coaster

2005-11-05T20:29:00.000-08:00

Full of twists and turns over the past couple of weeks.It all happened so fast that I dont quite recollect em all!

My project assignment riding a wave of uncertainity , hell lot of work in the current project and a direction of a skit and and entertainment program for HTMD day celebratin kept me busy enough over the last week.This apart there was something that constantly engaged my mind... and perhaps due to external pressure i ruined it all.

By the end of last week (ending 30th oct) the uncertainity of my stay remained with one assignment offered but not confirmed.The skit and entertainment program went on pretty well.The weekend plans of 29th oct got screwed up as I was requested to support from 12 to 3 pm at the last moment :-( and I obliged. The weekend was boring barring a couple of movies and lots of phonecalls.

Then came Monday the 31st : A fresh new assignement ( different from the other unconfirmed assignement) offered to me in a platter right out of the blue....something pretty close to what I always wanted to do. .Onto it from tuesday onwards and am pretty excited and charged about it. Lets see how it goes by. This was how I celebrated Diwali (other than a lot of phone calls and a visit to temple).

The weather is getting colder by the day and sun sets pretty early nowadays ( made earlier now by undoing the day light saving timing schema).Yesterday was a special day.. I heard a very good news from a very close friend of mine and am thrilled and so happy about it.

We bought a TV today and that will change a few things in daily routine :-) Lots more to key in but dont know what.
This might perhaps be the most boring blog I ever blogged :D

Knock Knock

2005-10-23T22:06:00.000-07:00

Hey.. i am alive and kicking. The effort towards making the movie (hmm refer my prev post) was perhaps worth it coz apart from all the other things including loads of appreciation and criticism , it fetched us third price out of the seven participating teams . But for me it was the experience and feeling of doing something that i wanted to do that mattered the most. Somethings are lined up for this week as well. My project is also in the phase of going live and so its a high action time! In the meanwhile my existance here in the coming days is still an open question and it is perhaps that unpredictibility that is making life all the more exciting for me.

Weekend was interspread with work and some fun.Missed the Muir woods but went to the stenson beach past the golden gate up north. It had some wonderful arenas. The road enroute there was just ectatic. On our way the Golden Gate was NOT visible due to heavy clouds!! Now that was worth a sight. San Francisco : As chill as ever. Went to a friends place for dinner and tat was tasty : Filled me to the brim!

Bidding adiu for now with some moments engraved.....

Amnesia Recovered

2005-10-19T18:53:00.000-07:00

Just recovered from a deliberate temporary loss of memory that my blogger existed. It had been a pretty busy week last week is a lame excuse to give. A lazy week is perhaps more appropriate but with lots of things happening...One of which being that i am not yet sure if i am gonna stay here any longer than this month end :-)

The last 4-5 days rocked... Got myself into a movie making competition and tat was fun.Apple has some amazing tools and no better opportunity to try them out.. So much excited about it tat went home at 4.30 am on monday night ( doesnt tat mean tue morning? yes it does!) . Anyways, just got finished with tat.

Weekend was nice too.. an extra sleep on saturday and a trip to Alcatraz and China town ( No... not in Asia.. its in San Francisco) on sunday.

Standing in Alcatraz island I managed to lift the city of San Francisco :-)..Check this out:

I made it!

2005-10-11T22:44:00.000-07:00

At last I made it.. Yes I did!. I went to a temple yesterday after a long time. Was such a great feeling.It perhaps drove me into something last night but thats a bit private and personal :-)
And yes I found another student to teach driving lessons : This time my Rakhi sister here.

Today was good too. Wished mom on the occasion of Vijaya Dashami ( and Ayudha Pooja) ... quite an occasion back home. A day when righteousness gains victory over the evil. I cant say i want no evil but all that I wish for is the strength and sponteity to fight and face anything.

Although I was a bit restless today , made it to the temple today as well and this time I did garba....yes i did!!.. after such a loooong time... was truly rejuvenating.

Now I am signing off leaving you with wishes of a very happy dushera and this wish of freshness:-)

A weekend of broken dreams

2005-10-09T23:47:00.000-07:00

Ok... the title is exaggerated.But despite all my desperation, inspiration and perspiration i could not make it to Dandiya.. something that i wanted to do for a long time.A robotic exhibition in San Jose : Couldnt make it there either. A fantastic air show in San Francisco: Made it just in time to see the last couple of acrobatics sitting in the car.

Aaha.. but every cloud has a silver lining. Discovered a new place to hang out on Saturday (BJs.. not tat i will be goin there frequently but...).. And finally made it to the crooked Lombard street in SF. That apart a pretty lazy weekend livened ( is tat the right word?) by small trips and talking to friend and family over the phone.

Eeeeeeeeeeks!! Who is this?.. Is that a nerd? a ghost? The super man?.. U got it pretty close.. tats me :-) Golden gate as usual looks amazing and this time , in another pic managed to capture it alongside half moon (aadha chaand.. reminds me of a close friend :-) hehe)

If it aint taketh any effort, it aint worth the effort

2005-10-05T23:02:00.000-07:00

Does that make any sense? Many things in life needs a considerable amount of effort to come by... and perhaps it is this effort that makes them all that more valuable and desirable.

This pic of Jog Falls is wow... isn't it? Not that it took a huge effort to see it but even if it did it would have been worth it..It was full of fog when we reached there with hardly anything visible which left us with no choice but wait.And when the fog cleared after a while it made way for a spectacular view. It was much like something grand being hidden behind the screen and then the curtain rises.....

Whats the relation between pic and the quote?.. A deep thought would reveal that.. after all 'if it aint taketh any effort it aint worth the effort'

Where is the Paradise?

2005-10-05T00:20:00.000-07:00

This picture was taken in Honnemardu when I had been there with some good friends over a ago (July last year).It is near Jog falls in Shimoga district (Karnataka). The picture may be amazing but is far from capturing the true beauty of the place..... time spent there goes down the memory lane to stay till eternity.

That is were i first got introduced to life jackets and hit the 'boat'am line with lots of boating and swimming( with life jackets on of course!). A place so close to nature and far from civilization but not so for tech savvys.A friend was carrying a laptop and speakers and thats all was needed for a DJ morning.. mornng??.. yes rocking ourselves on top of the hill @5.45am in a hut with just a bulb and a plugin point ....along with a camp fire barely before sunrise! Not for long though coz the silence of the early morning had another story to tell.

Now deviating from the point, on a deeper thought, is the paradise really there.... or does it reside in our minds?

No dead ends , only turning points!

2005-10-04T10:31:00.000-07:00

An old LION

2005-10-02T23:27:00.000-07:00

Ek purnaani sher/kavita/ watever :

Jab woh hasti hai to duniya suhani lagti hai
Uski muskurahat dekh kar dil yeh khil uthta hai
Uski ankhon ki chamak tamas ko nasht karti hai
Uske aas paas hone ka ehsaas hi mujhe santusht rakhti hai

Jab woh root jaati hai to dil mein halchal si hoti hai
Toot hi jaate hain hum jab woh thodi si bhi roti hai
Uski kadamon ki aahat ko dhruv se mein sun sakta hoon
Uski natkat adaa ko sadiyon poorv smaran kar sakta hoon

Uski chanchalta hai jisne hume khud se alag kar diya hai
Uski ek nazar ke liye humne palke bicha rakha hai
Is ehsaas ko jaane aap kis naam se pukarte hain
Hum to ise apne dil ki parchaaayi kehate hain

(Written on 1 july 04 )

Down Town San Jose

2005-10-02T22:02:00.000-07:00

Saw a inter cultural fest there yesterday.. reminded me very much of Melas back in my countlry.. it was a very similar ambience... it appeared to be a Mexican fest or something but was very nice!
Cancelled my movie plan ( Maine Gandhi ko nahi maara) last nite and Gilroy plan today :-(.
Rest is coool.

A midweek weekend!

2005-09-30T23:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a pretty interesting day. Back from lunch to office and there was a power outage...Everything off: computers , AC , lights , access systems even telephone! I understand there was a fire somewhere that casued it. No hard feelings but the preparedness for such an occasion was poor which reminds me of my Bangalore office which perhaps had better facilites.

So now that no one has the answer for when this is gonna recover, everyone started flocking back home. Around 10-12 of us decided to head to a beach and play volleyball.We zeroed in on Half Moon Bay State Beach. Not being modest i may add that it was my idea :-D .

And phew we played like crazy : Running , Volleyball , dodgeball ( nice game! ) , catch catch etc. Kabaddi and Kho Kho came up as ideas but remained as ideas.

I have been to a good number of beaches here in US but never had entered water. But yesterday, out of the blue,impulsively went in and jumped in the water just minutes before sunset.. and ooooh the water was coooooold.. But was fun!! After my trip to Mangalore in India this was the first time i drenched myself in the sea. The iceing on the cake was the beautiful view of the sunset.

After all this fun all of use were pretty tired.. We went to the nearest starbucks (coffee shop ) on the way back home. I opted for vanilla cafe ( extra hot). Came back home and had a nice sleep.

Oh by the way we had a 'project party' planned for yesterday (29th) which did not take place. That made way for another fun filled evening today. Had a great time bowling in Moonlite Lanes followed dinner in Chicago Pizza... and all these just a few hours before the 'quarter' ended.

And now back in home all prepared for working tomorrow.......

Happy Birthday!

2005-09-28T21:14:00.000-07:00

28th Sept ..the birthday of someone very very close to me and someone who has been with my all my life.
Happy Birthday amma :-)

Let there be Light!

2005-09-27T20:41:00.000-07:00

Waah Waah

2005-09-25T23:05:00.000-07:00

Kati patang ki tarah hum duniya se katt gaye
Jahaan kismat ne phoonka ussii oar chal diye
Manaa ki ab bhatak rahe hain dishaheen hum har kahin
Azaad to na sahi par kisi dhaage ki kaid main bhi to nahin

There is always something to be happy about... even if dreams are to be sacrificed for the call of duty.

Weekend Worship!

2005-09-25T02:08:00.000-07:00

Work is worship...and thats wat kept be busy all day today... on a weekend sabotaging all my plans of goin around in San Francisco along with friends including one who has come down from Reno.

But I must say i enjoyed the day........ and its always a pleasure speaking to her especially after a long day :-)

Mein aur meri Silicon Valley

2005-09-23T23:24:00.000-07:00

Mein aur meri Silicon Valley... aksar baatein karte hain.Private baaterin hain warna blog kar diya hota.(note : Its 'valley' and NOT waali ).

Just back from a Kannada movie 'Amritadhaare'...... the first day and first show(simultaneously released in India and here).
My second kannada movie (after 'JOGI'.) in the same theatre in San Jose. Pretty neat movie with a couple of small but not negligible takeaways.

After the movie we drove back home along the Santa Clara right at the silicon valley. I have always loved roaming around at night along the streets and today was no different. Everytime I feel that those silent skies and the streets and everything around has something to say and that they listen to me although i dont utter a word....Its one of those simple pleasures in life!

In this valley , it appears though I am gonna stay here a little longer than originally planned opening up a pandora box of exciting things to do although a bit salted by the fact that i have to wait longer to meet my family , relatives and some close friends. Its like a reaction when a fire and water interface.

As far as tomorrow is concerned does not look like there is gonna be a wheel or the way as I have to be here in office ( one of those rare occasions when i need to be here on weekends.... touchwood).

And as far as now is concerned here I am , speaking to the silence of the night... mein aur meri silicon valley!

Where there is a WHEEL there is a WAY..

2005-09-22T23:26:00.001-07:00

Already thinking about the weekend :-)

Moves on...

2005-09-22T22:57:00.000-07:00

This week is flying by pretty fast ... so what every week does. And with every passing moment the question arises about the purpose of my existance... on a second thought is there any such purpose? Brings my thought to the river and its banks which has an interesting story to tell:

A story of perfect harmony where one compliments the other. The more I think about it the more I realize that both have its own share of sacrifices and previliges...and together they sacrifice and are previliged too!The river moves on but the banks hold on.Together they create….a wonder!

Hehe.. sometimes i can be really wierd ( sometimes???) .

Pleasant weather

2005-09-20T22:56:00.000-07:00

Its rained.. yes it did.. for the first time ever since i came here (on May 1st 2005 by the way).The weather that followed was simply awesome!

The pleasant day included
: wishing a very close friend on her birthday in the morning and making a e-card in flash in the evening ( i love flash by the way)
: installing some some fundoo applications on my system (after attending sessions on final cut pro yesterday in a Apple store nearby .. gosh they are awesome)
: taking a friend on driving class ( he has a test tomorrow) ,
: and yes , a bit of my share of office work too.
: lotsa other stuffs .. including routine chats and emails

Now wishing myself a happy night :-)

My Moon dream

2005-09-18T23:02:00.000-07:00

Aah.. it is full moon and a weekend too. So just about ideal time to do something that i wanted to do for a long time : Spend some time at the beach on a moon lit night. The last time i did it was in Kaapu beach near Udupi with some close friends: just a week before coming to US.

All was fine and incidentally got folks to accompany me too.. started off in the early evening and were near the half moon bay beach well before sunset. Stopped by at a beach , and then went to half moon bay state beach just before sunset and then headed for another beach further south... all the while alhough enjoying the pleasant climate, constantly i was aware that my original plan had got FOGged... a typical climate at the west coast in the bay area.

Back at home earlier than expected but enroute could see the complete moon , although not very close from the beach.
However the dream remains.. a dream.

Sky Diving!

2005-09-17T18:17:00.000-07:00

Had heard about it.. had seen it on TV and have talkded about it.... and gosh today i actually did it!!

An almost free fall from the moment I jumped off the plane at 14000 feet till about 5000 feet above the ground when the parachute opens and then I gradually glided down. I was certainly on a 'HIGH' to say the least.

I wont say i was scared or extremely thrilled coz by the time I realized wats happenning I am half the way back down!
No time for adrenaline rush as the speed of the fall in the air on such a wonderful sunny day totally chilled me out.
But the moments were invalualble!! I had a few acrobatic moments as my instructor accidentally loosened my goggles when he was signalling to the cameraman and it kept slipping but i managed to hold onto it .. making it a 'SPECT'acular jump :-)And am perhaps one of the very few to see the ground bare eyed falling at that speed.

The videos and snaps have come out pretty cool too.On a second thought having the cameraman had its own flipside... most of the time i was focussed on the camera instead of the beautiful things around :-) ...Oh by the way it was my instructor's 7898th tandem jump! Lets hear it once for the unique experience called sky diving.. 1..2...3.. Yo

Look out....

2005-09-16T16:00:00.000-07:00

Ever hurt? Ever felt pain?

2005-09-15T15:32:00.000-07:00

Losing sight of future?

2005-09-15T15:17:00.000-07:00

Finally!

2005-09-15T15:14:00.000-07:00

So finally i have blogged in....the momentum is high now.Awaiting time to decide course..