Wrong Number

At 7.30pm, I called a friend who is here in USA. I hadn't spoken to her for a long time on the phone. Went to my address book, clicked on her name and dialed the number. A low, squeaky voice answers
"Hmm"
"So rahe hai kya?" (Are you sleeping?), I asked.

Her reaction to that was a bunch of loud thuds. The signal was bad, couldn't hear her properly.
I hung up.

Later that night, I met her online and asked, "Do you know that I called you today, or are you still in your sleep?"
"When did you call me?" she asked.
"Around 7.30pm"
"No you didn't" she exclaimed confidently.
"Wait, I'll check"

As I checked the number I had dialed, I noticed a +91 as a prefix.
"Shit! Who has your cell in India?" I asked.
"My mother"

As soon as she said this, we both started laughing. I was feeling terribly sorry that I had woken up her mom at such an hour. It might have been around 6am there.

Later she explained to her mom what had happened and vowed to pull my leg on this subject for eternity. Her mom actually thought I was a drunk calling to harass her.

Maybe my voice has that natural tone. Sorry aunty!

( 30th July update - And now she has blogged about it too!! in a much better way, apart from all the exaggerations and leg-pulling!! )

I turn to you

There are a variety of people in life with you. Your family, your friends, your relatives, your family friends, your classmates, your colleagues, your cheddi-dosts and langotya yaars, the cricket-buddies, the hang-out dudes, your support-system, your unofficial brothers and sisters. The list and categorization can go on forever. Some may qualify for more than one category. Even though everyone doesn’t like categorizing, the fact is that it does exist.

No matter how many people you know in life, when crunch time comes, who will you turn to? No category will define anything on judgement day.

When those closest to you can’t understand what you are going through, do you turn to someone else?

What if they, too, are going through something that you can’t follow?

Do you wait for each other, or do you turn to someone else?

Even though it’s frustrating, would you actually be patient and wonder if you’ll ever get the good old days back?

No matter how much you try, why can’t you understand and feel “exactly” what the other person is feeling when they lose someone important?

Why do you feel like not staying in touch with people you will never see again in you lifetime?

Why do people turn their spinal cords towards you when it is their turn to help you out?

Why do people not understand that life is too short to stay mad at each other for long?

Why do we have second thoughts about naming a relationship, the first of its kind?

Him and Her - 1

Him: Nice party, huh?

Her: Yeah. It’s pretty boring.

Him: So, you’re Amy’s best friend, right? The one from Ohio?

Her: Yeah. How did you know?

Him: She told me that you would be the most beautiful girl I find in the room.

Her: (blushes)

The "Super"Jet

It is always interesting to see some new developments in your industry, some new inventions in your lab, a different chapter in your syllabus or a newly researched high-tech gadget in your toolbox.

In September 2007, at the KnAAPO assembly plant in Siberia, rolled out the 95-seat transport vehicle onto the tarmac. It was a joint venture between the Russian Aviation Industry, Rosaviakosmos (Space Agency) and the Boeing Company along with the marketing genius of Sukhoi, Ilyushin and Boeing.

It was the Sukhoi Superjet 100. The first of its kind. The beginning of a new series.

Having seen one in front of my eyes, I must say how posh and classy the exterior looks. I would have even been able to see the interiors had I been a Russian citizen. Anyway, the superjet boasts of some really state-of-the-art equipment. The standardization of the design will make it possible to improve the economic performance of the aeroplane family operation with expenditures kept at a rational level. The aerodynamics and design of the aeroplanes of the family are based on proven advanced technology to minimise technical risks at the stage of design, testing and operation. It can cruise at a maximum altitude of 41 thousand feet at a maximum speed of 0.78-0.8 Mach. It has the regular 2 turbofan engines as always.

Deliveries are to begin in late 2008. Sukhoi predicts that 163 units of all variations of the Superjet 100 will be delivered by the end of 2016.

In my personal opinion, I feel Russia has managed to create an aviation oil-well with the manufacturing and launch of the superjet. They will save a lot of money on imports and the orders have already started flowing in. I see the superjet 100 challenging the Boeing 737 and the Airbus 319 in the small-aircrafts category. It is just the former CIS countries that have placed huge orders at the moment. But when word spreads out about the efficiency of this machine, even the Brits might think twice about their agreement with Airbus. India and Russia have a “positive” history when it comes to aircrafts and in this case delivering the aircrafts won’t be a problem since Russia is geographically closer. Or do I need another globe?

In the long run the bigger jumbos like Boeing 747 and Airbus A380 will take away the candy, but the Sukhoi superjet is an excellent example of how to succeed when it comes to short-term profit in the aviation industry. It makes sense economically to the Russians, if they have counted right. They’ll need to fund their next few space mission failures with the money they generate out of the aviation industry.

Even though I wish at times Russia had more money, so that they could show the world what is the true meaning of technology, they are soon establishing themselves in the Asian aviation market at least.

Joy

There is a place where you are happy,
A face you see everytime.
You miss the bliss,
You long for it from nine to nine.

What you thought was a happy place once,
Just isn't anymore.
It has changed for worse,
It's nothing like before.

Maybe you need to think about why
You keep running away.
What you have been seeking all along
Will be beside you someday.

The pursuit of the joy makes more sense,
Than joy itself could ever be.
Everytime you turn a corner,
Standing by you you will find me.

For your happiness is my life,
I'll make sure you smile everyday.
But that won't happen,
Unless you say what you need to say.

Just because you find happiness in one place,
Doesn't mean it isn't everywhere.
For there are people around you always,
And you know how much they care.

I know what you're thinking,
But I still want you to say.
To make sure I'm not assuming,
And keep learning everyday.

Him and Her

Welcome!

A new series begins, a new chapter,

A series of short dialogues,

A series of special moments,

A series of romantic confessions,

A series of flirtatious comments,

A series of comic errors,

A series about understanding and misunderstanding,

A series about their past, present and future,

A series about their relationship, whatever name you might want to give it,

A series about Him and Her,

A series about them.