Final Approach

Flashback

2011-12-29T15:46:00.002-06:00

There are some images that we directly correlate with either events, people or momentous occurrences. I had one of those recently that took me into a double flashback of sorts.

I had just boarded my 6.30am train from Montreal Central Station to Ottawa. I removed my coat jacket and placed it onto the hangar, asked for a coffee and stared out the window. The train exited the platform and this beautiful sunrise dawned. The next few minutes made me wonder why I don't travel by train, especially in ones with such big ass windows. I looked down the alleyway of the Via rail Business Class compartment....

.... I asked myself, "When was the last time I was in an inter-city train?"

It was two years ago, Dec 2009, when I was travelling from Mumbai to Mangalore and back. The time before that was around Dec 2005 from Tver to St. Petersburg.

In all these flashbacks I noticed a stark contrast in my life status and maturity. Back in 2005, I was this clueless student three years into my Bachelors degree, not really sure what the next couple of years would bring. I felt like I was just tied down and following the path with the bread-crumbs all over it.

Alternatively, in 2009, I was almost done with my Masters degree in the USA, much more mature and street-smart (I would like to believe). I was looking forward to the challenges awaiting me in that trip, the semester after it, the the job-hunt eventually.

And now, I am working for one of the biggest companies in my industry, impacting daily airline operations and making a business trip in business class wearing a nice suit, sipping on nice coffee accompanied with a continental breakfast, just hungry for every opportunity I get to progress.

A flashing sequence of memories tied together by trigger cues. Quite a satisfying feeling of progression in life.

SAUL: I have a question....

2011-11-29T14:05:00.000-06:00

Say we do get into the cage, and through the security doors there, and down the elevator we can't move, and past the guards with the guns, and into the vault we can't open...

RUSTY: Without being seen by the cameras.

DANNY: (off everyone's astonishment) Oh, right. Sorry. I forgot to mention that.

SAUL: Say we do all that. We're just supposed to walk outta there with a hundred million dollars in cash on us without getting stopped?

Danny smiles, his broad, sure-of-himself grin, the one Rusty couldn't deny earlier and these guys won't deny now.

DANNY: Yeah.

============

The scene that leaves a mark on anyone who watches the movie. It is hilarious, but succint. Ground-breaking, but subtle. Cautious, but inspiring.

Ocean's 11.

This is Blasphemy. This is Madness.

2011-11-04T21:58:00.003-05:00

Madness?

LOL. This has to be one of the funniest "concept" images of all-time.

Song of the Moment: Armin Van Buuren and DJ Shah feat Chris Jones - Going Wrong

2011-07-28T13:36:00.002-05:00

Top Ten - You know it's summer in Champaign when...

2011-06-17T17:01:00.000-05:00

- The windows and doors need to be kept closed from preventing the outside (fresh and hot) air from getting in.

- The power in the living room keeps tripping because there is a fan, AC, laptop and microwave connected.

- Evening tennis begins only after the sun sets. Suddenly indoor badminton is better. But nothing beats the feeling of an optimized breast stroke in the cool swimming pool.

- You would rather just sit in the AC bus and roam around campus rather than wait at the bus stop for a connecting bus.

- You get up early and run to the office or library to study because there's central AC there and you will end up saving on your monthly electricity bill.

- You feel like having the AC for lunch and the fan for dinner.

- You start visiting people who keep their houses cooled the whole day.

- You postpone meetings because you don't want to walk one block in the scorching heat.

- You say it out loud, "India is better (temperature-wise)"

- You wonder why God gave you hair all over.

The 'Chitragupt' joke

2011-04-22T23:35:00.002-05:00

A Gujju, a Bhaiyya and a Bihari & Malayali died and were facing Yama.

Yama asked them if they wanted some facilities & told Chitragupt decided on their accommodation.

The Gujju said : "Hey Yambhai, aa marathi loko toh mane shaanti thi jeeva nathi deta. Maari dukaan fodi naakhi. Aa marathi loko ekdum junglee chhe. Mane maari baaju maa marathi maanas nathi joto."

The UP wala said : "Theek kaha gujjubhai ne. Shriman Yam, in marathi logo ne to hamara jeena hi mushkil kar diya hai....eemaan se! Arre, meri dukaan ka board bhi kala kar diya. Kahat rahi ki dukaan ka naam marathi bhasha mein hona chaahiye. Ab ee bhi koi baat hui kya? Mujhe bhi mere baaju mein marathi aadmi nahi chaahiye."

The Bihari said : "Yeh dono sajjan aadmi theek kahat hain. Arre main thode din pehle railway ki pariksa dene mumbai gaya tha. Raam Lalla ki sougandh, in marathi logun ne humka bahut hi peeta. Hamaar haddi pasli ek kardi. Aisa junglee marathi humka hamaar saath naahi chaahiye."

The Malayali said "aiiyoo humoko bhi marathi baaju main nahi mangta, bahto pareshaan karta hai yeh log. kuch kaam kerne ko nahi aata phir bhi hosiyari maarke kaheta hai ki tumko hamare mumbai se nikal dega.

Yama turns to Chitragupt and says : "Aayla Chitrya, ya saglyanchya files majhyakade gheun ye re!!! Baghto ekekala"

You know what the problem with hollywood is...

2011-03-31T10:33:00.004-05:00

"You know what the problem with Hollywood is. They make shit. Unbelievable, unremarkable shit. Now I'm not some grungy wannabe filmmaker, that's searching for existentialism through a haze of bong smoke or something (slight chuckle) No, it's easy to pick apart bad acting, short-sighted directing, and a purely moronic stringing together of words than many of studios term as prose. No, I'm talking about the lack of realism. Realism. Not a pervasive element in today's modern American cinematic vision.

Take 'Dog Day Afternoon' for example. Arguably Pacino's best work, short of 'Scarface' and 'Godfather' part one of course. Masterpiece of directing, easily Lumet's best. (cuts cigar) The cinematography, the acting, the screenplay, all top notch. But. (lights cigar, puffs twice) they didn't push the envelope. Now what if in 'Dog Day,' Sonny really wanted to get away with it? What if - now here's the tricky part - what if he started killing hostages right away? No mercy, no quarter. "Meet our demands or the pretty blond in the bellbottoms gets it in the back of the head." Bam, splat! "What, still no bus?" Come on. How many innocent victims splattered across the window would it take to have the city to reverse it's policy on hostage situations? And this is 1976, there's no CNN, there's no CNBC, there's no Internet!

Now, fast-forward to today. Present time, same situation. How quickly would the modern media make a frenzy over this? In a matter of hours, it would be the, the biggest story from Boston to Budapest. Ten hostages die. Twenty, thirty. Relentless, bam bim, one after another. All caught in hi-def, computer-enhanced, color-corrected. You can practically taste the brain-matter. All for what, a bus? A plane? A couple of million dollars that's federally insured? (takes deep breath) I don't think so. Just a thought. I mean, it's not within the realm of conventional cinema...but what if?"

- Gabriel Shear

written by Skip Woods

To Vegas or not to

2011-02-23T12:48:00.006-06:00

I don't know why but for some reason everybody wants to go to Vegas. EVERYBODY!! Either it is their wish to lose a lot of money, or they have the misconception that Vegas has many tourist attractions. What is it about Vegas that attracts them so much?

So many other cities have casinos, what makes them unattractive? If you ask a good poker player, he would prefer going to Vegas only when he is sure that there will be many people who want to lose their money. Well, that is almost everyday. That's why the good poker players go there. The same reason for good blackjack players and other card game players. My curiosity begins when people can find casinos in their backyard, with the same game stakes, same setup, yet still want to go to Vegas to do the exact same thing. Weird!!

I have some rules about going to Vegas that I wouldn't like to break. These simple thoughts usually determine how much you get raked.
1) If I go to Vegas 'to play', I would prefer going alone. Simple. Isn't it? No worries about what the time is, who's waiting for you, whether they are getting bored. You have complete control over your decision-making on and off the table.
2) Play in games that you don't find elsewhere. For somebody who has never been to Vegas, you wouldn't know what is different in Vegas unless someone else tells you or if you analyze each casino website and game format closely. Whatever you find in most casinos across the world, you find in Vegas. But the casinos have more to offer. Did you know that there are almost 20 different 'satellites' to the World Series of Poker every day around April-May? That's what I call different, something you won't find in your backyard casino.
3) The strip ain't everything. If you are a tourist, i.e. not a person who has any skill or idea about any gambling that Vegas has to offer, then you really need to think if Vegas is the place where you want to visit by spending your hard-earned cash. If you think it is, then check out this link, which gives you most of the attractions that you can see.
4) Be as thrifty as possible in Vegas. Yes, I said it. I have seen people have a margarita, then some more, before sitting down at a table. My only suggestion to these people is to try and calculate how much they pay when they order those very same drinks 'after' sitting at a table. If you are going to play, then most casinos offer exclusive game suites with excellent benefits. But you gottta make sure that you play, and play well.
5) Who are you going to Vegas with? If its your new wife/husband, are you telling me you couldn't find a better, more romantic honeymoon destination? If its your entire family, what are the kids going to do while you're sitting at the tables or at the strip club with your uncle/father-in-law and the ladies are at a beauty parlor? If its with friends, will you really get a chance to coordinate with each one of them and party better than if you were in your home city considering each of your friends plays a different game?

Some might feel that I'm being too harsh when I say the above. Well, try this. If you are a good card player, go to Vegas for a week. ALONE!! Stay at the best game suite which might cost 35$ per day plus casino money. Work hard on your game and don't spend too much money off the table. Quit early on bad days, i.e. not days when you lose money but days when you are actually playing bad).

Vegas is a good place, lots of attractions. Gotta give kudos to marketing and the sheer lure-factor that they have managed to create. Going there won't be a complete waste of time, but you can bet good money that it will be a waste of money.

Bring it on

2010-12-20T01:49:00.000-06:00

"I will not be beaten. You have yet to see me shining, shining... I won't take this lying down."

- Kristian Leontiou

A solid day at work..

2010-09-27T21:06:00.003-05:00

Even though I am extremely tired after the day I have had, I'm making sure it stays in my memory through this post. I might forget details by tomorrow. Today has been one of the longest work days I have encountered at IATA.

Location, International Air Transportation Association, Montreal

Department - Infrastructure Strategy

8.30am - Arrived at work.

8.45am - Meeting with Assistant Director (AD) to discuss format of technical papers to be submitted at the ICAO General Assembly.

9.15am - Started working on the papers. No time for coffee.

10am - Meeting with Senior Manager (SM) about data analysis for the iFLEX project, particularly the Atlanta-Johannesburg and Dubai-Sao Paulo routes.

10.10am - Working on assembly papers and flight plans for iFLEX.

10.30am - Conference call with Head of Department - Aerospace Engineering at the University of Illinois and graduate coordinator to discuss my future semesters.

10.50am - Finally, coffee time. Director (D) notifies me of a 1.30-3 meeting, which means that the papers must be ready by then.

11.00am - Started filing, categorizing the papers based on Assembly timetable, Agenda and Working Paper number.

11.15am - I was told by SM that the State Gate review is on Thurs. Lots of prep left.

11.30am - Started running additional flight plans alongside.

12.00pm - Conference call with 7 more executives in 7 different countries for iFLEX implementation.

1.30pm - No time for lunch. Got done with the call and headed over to the meeting with the D and AD.

3.00pm - Concluded and finalized the papers. Started reading two last-minute technical paper additions.

3.30pm - Got a snickers bar from the vending machine as lunch and some coffee. Went downstairs to post a document to India.

4.00pm - Met with D and AD to discuss last two papers. Decided they were useless.

4.30pm - Statistical analysis and construction of tables, graphs, which is easier than it sounds.

5.30pm - Started reviewing the iFLEX Guidance Material (GM) with the data, analysis, tables, graphs, etc for the State-Gate review on Thurs. I had to use two different versions and combine them into one after adding my inputs, which is not as easy as it sounds considering it is a 50 page document.

7.30pm - I was officially the last one on the floor working.

8.40pm - I decided to leave before I got burned out.

I would have continued working had I decided to have a cup of coffee. But I didn't want to overwork myself. The next day was going to be an important one too. Lots of final drafts of the GM to write. Overall, it was a very fulfilling, productive work-day.

I can relax on Thursday evening at the ICAO Assembly drinks and dinner party. I'm pretty lucky to be attending it considering the Assembly takes place only once in three years.

Up and Running

2010-06-28T09:42:00.000-05:00

Ladies and Gentlemen...

Presenting ...

After months of learning how to work this out....

And uploading files, folders and data...

A portal for all of my stuff...

A portal for me, of me, by me..

A central executive for my research, blogs, publications, info about me....

http://www.ashwinjadhav.com/

Sigh of relief!! Maintaining it will be tougher than creating it... LOL. But it's all worth it!

Immortal Combat

2010-03-14T20:05:00.002-05:00

There is this syndrome amongst all of us now-a-days to post everything we find on Blogger or Facebook or Twitter. It's a nice way of sharing information, attracting attention and telling people you're active. I never used Blogger to share anything Ive found online that has amused me or for something I want to share.

This picture reminds me of the time I used to make the draws for the Grand Slams for men and women by hand, and then update it according to who won or lost. I'm sure if I look in the right places at home, I'll find the 1999 Wimbledon draw amongst others.

First of all, a troll would destroy an elf, unless the elf had some random magical power. Just beating the troll in terms of "number of eyes on face" isn't enough. Also, how on earth (maybe it was middle earth!) did the elf reach the semi-finals, I'll never understand.

Secondly, I don't understand why a fairy would even contest. I think the gnome got a "walkover".

Thirdly, I don't know where the mermaid and the centaur fought, on water or on land, or somewhere in between the stratosphere.

Finally, a zombie-ghost final would be tough. It would be hard to bet on any one of them. But how the already-blind zombie beats the already-invisible ghost is an interesting conclusion to an eventful tournament.

We shall call this one "Immortal Combat"

Road to salvation

2010-02-10T14:35:00.002-06:00

I've been reading Ankit's blog quite a bit recently and there is one post (called 911 vs 100) that really echoes my thoughts. It's the basic, simplest and minutest of differences between a developing nation (India) and a developed nation (USA). Say India is developed, it is not!

Infrastructure is the spine of a country. I had been to India recently and I know where we stand in terms of infrastructure. We will get there though, in a few years. I really don't know about the whole country, but the cities are developing. Rules and regulations are having some meaning. I'm not going to pretend to know too much. All I'm going to do is try and take a closer look at a developing India, through its developing cities.

Water and electricity, 2 of India's biggest problems have been banished from the cities. The BMC has very stringent rules on water these days and new constructions are encouraging rain water harvestation and/or bore wells.

Transportation is taking a new turn this decade. By 2020, the 4-5 metropolitan cities will have an excellent core network including monorails, metro systems. Roads and rails will be well maintained allowing better flow of traffic. Check out the various projects underway in Mumbai at the MMRDA website http://www.mmrdamumbai.org/ Here you can get details on all projects including skywalks, flyovers etc.

Politics, unfortunately, has not even managed to peek its head out the window to see the rising sun. Corruption, corruption and more corruption. I understand it completely, but with limits. If you are not corrupt in India, you will be killed by somebody one day for not being corrupt. But I'm happy to see the average age of the politician reducing. One thing I'm not happy about is the Shiv Sena thinking they have the biggest Maharashtrian brain possible.

We need a better educational system, something without the quota system. A place where students won't be ragged and a place where they won't hang themselves. It is improving, but at a snail's pace. We need more schools, colleges and universities. There are hardly any aviation schools and places to study astronomy, aerospace engineering. Not only that, I've heard that there are only 3 accredited institutes in the whole of India where one can learn marine biology.

Finally, more security. Something like 911. I don't think even 50% of the population knows about the 100 system. On most occasions, they feel that it is best not to dial that number. Myth or joke - India is a country where the pizza arrives faster than the police. I want to see the police deliver the pizza someday.

Brick in the wall

2009-11-01T21:49:00.003-06:00

I recently visited Orlando, FL for the Digital Avionics Systems Conference (DASC) and I took my first step into the conference-world. I probably wouldn't have gone if I hadn't been presenting a paper. But the experience was amazing. Never had I thought that just sitting all day attending presentations, with lunch and coffee breaks in the middle, then talking to the presenters and researchers at the end of the day would be so much fun. I really felt like I wanted to be a bigger part of this world and venture deeper into the rabbit hole. It also made me want to go to such an event even if I wasn't publishing. I also realized how I'm just another brick in the wall, how tiny I was when all the industry professionals got together under one roof.

I did successfully present my paper and defend a few questions thrown towards me, met many different people from all over: Boeing, NASA, FAA, MITRE (CAASD), Eurocontrol, Lockheed Martin etc. Most of the people who attended my presentation really liked it, mainly because it was so relevant to their papers and/or everyday travel. My paper was titled "Impact of Critical Hub Airport Configurations in the Next Generation Air Transportation System". When I started talking about Chicago's O'Hare airport, I asked a question that told me the audience was really interested. The question was, "Has any of you been delayed for a long period on the tarmac at O'Hare?" Everyone just smiled.

The whole AIAA/IEEE community is so dedicated to finding solutions to such problems related to Air Traffic Management, safety issues, etc. It is just amazing! After all said and done, my flight from ORD to CMI took 35 minutes to taxi. It was taxiing longer than the flight time. That is just ridiculous. The guy next to me was speechless when I told him what my presentation in Orlando was all about. I think he felt like choking me because he wanted to get to his girlfriend quicker and the Chicago ATC just wouldn't let him.

I decided to celebrate this momentous trip to Orlando by starting by new professional blog: http://turbulenttarmacs.wordpress.com/ It will be my wordpad for everything related to the industry. I hope to integrate everything into my own website someday, hopefully in the next month ;)

Good calls

2009-08-21T11:33:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, I went to Rantoul to play in a tournament. For the first time, I thought about playing with strangers and seeing how I fared. We were 5 of us, all put in $10 and started off with 10000 chips each. Winner takes $50.

I started off well, winning some small pots and quickly became the chip leader. Once I become chip leader, I hate to lose my position and the advantage. Two of the players went out gradually, one of them was eliminated by me, but he made a bad call with a mediocre hand.

The turning point came when the blind were 500/1000. I had about 20000 chips and the guy to the left of me had about 18000. That left the 3rd player, a woman across the table, with around 12000 chips.

I had 76 off suit and decided to go for it. I raised the big blind three times and bet 3000. I was the small blind and the guy to my left was the big blind. Having already put 500 in the pot, he decided to raise my bet. He made it 6000. This was a huge decision for me. I thought to myself, he won't risk so many of his chips on a bluff, coz he doesn't have that big a stack. If he does have AA, KK, QQ or any other pocket pair, I am in bad shape. But if he has AK, AQ etc then my odds are decent, coz low cards might just hit the deck in the flop. Another possibility was, he was bluffing and just trying to collect the money I had raised with. Well, if that was true, then I was in good shape. I decide to go for it. I called. The flop came 6 6 3. I had made a set (three of a kind). Now I knew this hand was mine. The action was on me and I bet 6000. Now he thought about it for a long time. And after a while, he pushed all-in, and I immediately called. He was shocked. He thought he had me beat, opening up 8 3 off suit. When he saw my set, he began cursing. I was immensely happy with the way I had played the hand and I won it. I now had close to 38000 chips vs the woman's 12000. Later the guy told me that he was really impressed when I called his re-raise, and that he was just trying to take the blinds and raised money.

I ended up winning the tournament and reflecting back at this moment as the turning point. It happens a lot, when you end a tournament, reflecting back on major decisions and cards. I'm just happy I made the right move at the right time.

Kabab or Haddi

2009-08-06T05:23:00.001-05:00

Anubhav: Kiske saath jaa raha hai Philly?

Me: Ankit and Anjali ke saath.

Anubhav: Kyun kabab mein haddi ban raha hai be?

Me: Abbe, mujhe bhi toh kabab chahiye. Aur mera kabab toh Philly mein hai!!

The eclipse

2009-06-26T02:10:00.000-05:00

And suddenly, anything is possible. Its power is undeniable; its beauty mesmerizing; its lure biblical; its meaning unknowable. And as quickly as it comes, it disappears, leaving us to dwell on our own insignificance, in the face of God.

- Mohinder Suresh (Heroes - Season 3 Chapter 9)

Paul Blart: Mall Cop

2009-06-08T01:45:00.002-05:00

What the hell is wrong with directors these days? Watch this movie and you will scream out, "How is that possibly logical?" several times. Kevin James was probably doing this movie as a favor to someone otherwise I don't believe he is suicidal.

I really don't understand how a little girl can enter a mall surrounded by cops and SWAT from all sides. Moreover, I don't understand how a man with a chilli ketchup bottle can defeat another man with a gun. Also, why the stupidest people on earth would rob a mall.

This movie will make you wonder all of the above and more.

My Rating: C

Terminator: Salvation

2009-06-07T01:35:00.000-05:00

By the way, I got a call from John Connor himself from the future, and he says that there were 6 terminator movies made in all. The last two were called Terminator: Almost and Terminator: Finally.

There is no real point in just stretching a particular storyline just because it makes money. I am a huge Terminator fan. I love the concept, it's so unique. Something that I love the Matrix for as well. But this movie doesn't really prove that progress is being made by mankind towards survival. Even the story of this movie kind of reminds you of the previous adventures of Connor. Same shit, new sequel. The special effects are A-grade. They won't disappoint you, and you might even enjoy the movie and say that its a nice, one-time watch. I would recommend changing the name of the movie in that case because I expect much much more from a Terminator film.

Bale does fine as Connor. But what this movie needed was a Cameroon touch, desperately. Terminator 2 just had a touch of genius stamped all over it. T2 made 204 million at the box office. I think this one will scrape through and reach one hundred.

And now, John Connor is having a baby... amazing! Elasticity at its best!!

My Rating: B-

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

2009-06-05T01:27:00.000-05:00

The reason I thought that film-makers were willing to make X-Men Origin based movies was for the likes of Halle Berry and Hugh Jackman. After watching the movie, I realized that they actually wanted to tell their tales. Personally, I don't think anybody other than Wolverine or Jene Gray have stories worth telling.

The movie blends in with the whole X-Men ensemble. But serious questions can be asked about the whereabouts of Magneto and/or why they had to use a double for Patrick Stewart. The flick is entertaining on the whole. Jackman and Schreiber do justice to Wolverine and Sabertooth respectively.

Some alterations have been made to the script, so most X-Men fans will easily spot the useless pieces of junk added here and there. They've made a movie, not told the exact tale. The flick does a good job as a stand-alone film.

My Rating: B+

He's just not that into you

2009-05-28T18:07:00.000-05:00

Getting a huge star cast and trying to educate people about dating and love isn't the best way to make a successful film. I think the makers of He's just not that into you started seeing improvement in their love lives after they saw Love Actually or some other educational movie about love. I think so did the cast. You can see the cast make an effort though. The preformances by Bradley Cooper and Ginnifer Goodwin stand out the most.

Even the dumbest person on the planet has the scope to learn more from his or her own experiences than by watching this movie. The fact of the matter is that there is no triumph over cupid. Nothing can be figured out.

My Rating: C+

Angels and Demons

2009-05-24T15:33:00.000-05:00

Being the movie buff that I am, I thought it would be a good idea to warn the movie-goers through this medium. I easily watch at least 20 movies in a month. So, I have decided to review each movie that I see via short-and-sweet summaries followed by a rating.

Robert Langdon is the luckiest idiot on the planet. In Angels and Demons, whatever he looks at turns to clues. I liked Da Vinci Code more than this flick, coz this has been made more into a Hero-vs-Villian type saga. Ewan McGregor has done a phenomenal job. He is one of the rare chameleon actors that the industry has. The problem is that he doesn't get offered a decent number of good movies. I have full faith in Tom Hanks and Ron Howard. They are the top-draw. Their attempts are noteworthy, but cannot save this film from a mediocre script.

I would spend 20 hours with Dan Brown rather than 2 hours with Howard for sure.

My Rating: B-

Make Chai Not War

2009-04-28T03:39:00.002-05:00

It's been exactly a month since my last blog post. I've been busy and the perfect example of lethargy for a month now. Thankfully, I got some work done. The abstract for my research paper was submitted 5 hours before the deadline (on Friday, 24th April), after countless grammatical checks and chants.

This Friday was special though. I was basking in the post-submission era (few hours) and the weekend had arrived. The Indian Graduate Students Association (IGSA) had collaborated with numerous other organizations to host a multi-ethnic stand-up comedy show called "Make Chai Not War". I would have attended this event even if I wasn't the president of IGSA and was living a few miles off-campus.

The event brought together three big Indian stand-up comedians namely Azhar Usman, Rajiv Satyal and Paul Varghese. Each had their own style and approach towards race and humor. But they were hilarious entertainers. I haven't been at a comedy show in months, it almost made me forget my once-upon-a-time ambition of trying stand-up.

Someone even tried to videotape the show on their mobile phone, but Azhar caught them. That was funny! She kept the camera fixated at what he was saying, she just wouldn't stop recording. That's when I wondered whether the fact that the show is being recorded or not has an impact on the performers. It's like U2 performing at Slane Castle or Rammstein recording the Volkerball. They made sure it was top notch, or did they decide to record it into a DVD after they had performed?

I noticed that all of them spoke to most of the audience after the show, asking them their names, including me. I wondered if they would really remember everybody. One part of me felt like it was a PR thingy, the other part said that it's normal human approach to want to know who you are talking to. I personally thanked all of them after the show and made sure that I had found a way to stay in touch with each of them personally. The other organizers shared my goal to bring them back next year along with some bigger names. If we manage to get Russell Peters, that would be something big. I even noticed that there were no comedy clubs on campus dedicated to stage-comedy. And so began my thoughts on founding one.

Going Down

2009-03-26T18:35:00.000-05:00

The recession is hitting every part of the world, every industry. But I hear that the public service industry is the least affected. Good times for them!

One major industry is lying wounded is Aviation. The projected loss for aviation was x billion for this year. But yesterday the projection touched 2x billion for 2009. I've been closely watching the numbers rise and fall. Never seen them go so low.

After 9/11, the aviation industry got divided into three groups financially. Today's economy is the ultimate test for them.

Firstly, the companies that suffered a minor loss after 9/11, they are still managing to survive today's abyss. They have found a way around the dollars and are waiting for the high tide to wash their tears away.

The second group got hit bad after 9/11. These companies have started panicking today. They are laying off employees, deferring aircraft orders and reducing capacity. They have made tough decisions and found a way to cling on.

The third group faced a crisis the moment those planes crashed into the world trade center and it's sad to say that they were in crisis up until a few months ago. It just never stopped. Most of these companies have gone bankrupt, Eclipse aviation is the best example, and the rest are heading towards bankruptsy as the months go by.

Overall, the North American market is better placed if compared to the European market. This is solely due to the stability of the oil prices in USA.

The way I see it, either the recession will end first or the oil prices will erupt due to volatility. Either way there will be a huge shift in numbers from east to west. How this affects and bothers me is as follows. Three months ago I set out to collect as much data as possible. I read articles, papers, airport data, predictions, projections etc. I had my facts right and numbers circled. But the timing of the recession and my thesis are a work of Murphy. These numbers and projections can be thrown out the window now. There will be new shit everyday and that could potentially harm my research. Approximately 367 papers have been written on the increase in air traffic over the next 15 years. Suddenly, they don't make sense. What happens this year will define the next 15 years of air travel.

The founding of the Unofficial

2009-03-06T18:29:00.004-06:00

March 5th 1803.

Niclas: I just got a call from him. We need to pay up by next month, or else we are all dead.

Patrick: How the hell are we going to come up with so much money in so little time?

Romney: We shouldn't have borrowed the money in the first place, that too from such a dangerous man.

Patrick: Oh, quit whinning!

Romney: Shut up!

Niclas: How much money do each of you have?

Romney: 35 grand.

Patrick: 20 grand.

Niclas: And I have 30 grand. That means we are still 105 grand short.

Patrick: Why don't we sell our houses or businesses?

Romney: Are you crazy? We won't make that much anyway and we will become complete beggars.

Niclas: He's right, Pat.

Patrick: Well, I have an idea. But it's crazy.

Niclas: Anything will do in such a situation.

Patrick: Well, what if we come up with a strategy which will enable us to earn a lot of money in a single day.

Romney: If you're talking about something illigal, then I must remind you that we are wanted for a lot of crimes in a lot of countries.

Patrick: No, no. Nothing illegal.

Niclas: What do you mean? Elaborate.

Patrick: If we tell the people that tomorrow they must use products made by us, we can earn a fortune.

Niclas: Who the hell would want to buy so many t-shirts from me? And how the hell will you two make money out of your businesses?

Romney: I don't even want to live in Windsor anymore.

Patrick: We can tell them that tomorrow is a national holiday. They will believe us. They need to buy a lot of liquor and t-shirts. We can have a particular brand of t-shirts made just for this day. We can have this event in different countries on different days.

Niclas: That doesn't sound half bad.

Patrick: Since you don't want to live in Windsor anymore, Rom, you could go to USA and sell the products.

Romney: I'm not sure about this.

Patrick: Trust me. I will supply you with the liquor and alcohol. Niclas will supply the t-shirts. We can target USA and UK.

Romney: Hmm.

Niclas: What would the holiday be called?

Patrick: Well, since I came up with this, I'll call it St.Patrick's Day. Rom can choose whatever name he wants in the USA. But I doubt whether a St.Romney's Day would be appealing enough.

Romney: The USA won't allow such an official holiday. I'll call it the unofficial.

Niclas: Sounds like a good plan to get people to wear the same t-shirts we sell, and drunk for no goddamn reason. This will be our cash-camel.

Aid

2009-02-22T22:57:00.001-06:00

One of the biggest decisions to make as an international student is about your future.

There are those who have taken loans and think about repaying them after they land a job. Then there are those who need to get back home to take care of their parents, because there's no one else. The ones who want to make money abroad and save enough to take back home to start a family. The ones who want to work, live and love away from their homeland.

As graduation nears, that's one of the questions I will need to address. Even though I keep saying that I'll decide as and when the day comes, I know that at least some planning needs to be done in advance.

I don't have an assistantship as yet, so most of my decisions are financially motivated at times. I even give out this blog address to my prospective bosses, wherever needed. I hope they find this post. Aid from the university always helps a student. A lot will depend upon whether I get aid this semester or not. My graduation date. My future plans. My next lapdance. :P

2009-02-19T02:20:00.000-06:00

One of the courses I’m taking this semester is Cockpit and Crew Resource Management. It deals with communication and utilization of all resources by the cabin crew.

We were shown a video today in class to highlight the importance of following procedure. The captain and flight engineer were old buddies and had flown together before. The first-officer, however, was new to the game. They prepared for approach, and the captain was very slow and nonresponsive. The first officer immediately noticed that they were below the glidepath. He pointed it out to the captain. At this time, the engineer asks the captain, “Hey Jim, what’s the difference between a first officer and a duck?” The pilot seemed to think about it for a few seconds and then said, “I don’t know. What is it?” The engineer then replies with a smirk on his face, “Well, a duck can fly”. They both giggle about it in front of the first officer. The aim of this joke was to put the first officer back in place. They wanted to show him who was in charge.

The plane crashed a few minutes later due to an unstabilized initial approach. The first officer’s last words as recorded on tape were, “I told you so Jim”.

We're gonna be in the Hudson

2009-01-25T22:54:00.001-06:00

Date: Jan. 15, 2009'
Origination: New York LaGuardia Airport
Planned Destination: Charlotte, N.C.
Actual Destination: New York Hudson River
Passengers: 150
Crew: 2 Flight, 3 Cabin
flight Duration: Five minutes

According to NTSB Member Kitty Higgins, spokesperson at the on-
site investigation, the timeline is based on FAA radar and audio relays of air traffic control communications related to “AWE1549,” according to NTSB Member Kitty Higgins, official spokesperson at on-site investigation. [Ed: note: “AWe” refers to -America West, parent company of US Airways] Times are local EST as reported to NTSB.
15:24:54 LaGuardia (LGA) tower controller clears Flight 1549 for takeoff from Runway 4, with instructions to turn left after departure and maintain a 360 deg heading. About a minute later, controller instructs crew to contact New York Departure Control.

15:25:51 Pilot contacts departure controller and advises aircraft was passing through at 700 ft. and climbing to 5,000 ft. Controller instructs aircraft to climb to 15,000 ft. Crew acknowledges. Controller instructs flight to turn left to heading 270 deg.

15:27:01 “Ahhh, this is 1549. Hit birds. We lost thrust in both engines. We’re turning back towards LaGuardia.” ATC acknowledges problem and instructs flight to turn left on a 220-deg heading. Crew acknowledges
Radar data from Newark and JFK sites indicate that at 15:27:01-- about 90 sec. after Flight 1549’s departure from LGA--the Airbus A320-200 intersected a “string of primary targets” between 2,900 ft. and 3,000 ft. These targets [interpretation: birds] were not depicted on the departure controller’s radar screen.

15:27:49 Departure controller advises LGA tower to halt further departures because an “emergency airplane is returning to the airport.” When queried which flight was returning, departure control advises, “It’s 1549. Birdstrike. He lost all engines, he lost the thrust in the engines. He is returning immediately.”
15:28.05 Controller asks if pilot wants to land at LaGuardia’s Runway 13. Pilot responds: “We are unable. We may end up in the Hudson.” According to the NTSB, discussion followed as to whether the flight could land at Teterboro (N.J.) airport, located about six mi. off the right side of the aircraft. Pilot responds, “We can’t do it.” When asked on which runway he would like to land, pilot responds: “We’re gonna be in the Hudson”—the last communiqué from the aircraft

15:30:30 Radar data shows aircraft touchdown in the Hudson River. Radar and tower personnel notify U.S. Coast Guard, New York City Police Dept. and other search and rescue groups. Coast Guard replies, “We launched the fleet.”The safety board’s Air Traffic Control Group had completed interviews with seven controllers and air traffic management personnel from New York Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) and LaGuardia (LGA) tower.

For videos of Flight 1549’s recovery operation, http://www.cnn.com/video/?iref=videoglobal and water landing, http://cnn.com/2009/US/01/17/usair.splash.video/index.html

2009-01-04T02:59:00.000-06:00

It's not the occasion.

It's not the people around you.

It's not the atmosphere.

It's not the ambience.

It's not mandatory.

Nobody around you knows.

And you don't want them to know.

You tend to make excuses.

You want it to stop.

It's your choice.

You ask yourself.

What's behind the smile?

What is wrong?

Why do you want to go through with this?

Will it really ease anything?

Why do you really need to drink?

Parity

2008-12-27T22:44:00.001-06:00

This is one of the posts that I'd only hoped I would write one day. It was an If..Then scenario. And writing such a post is never easy.

When I got admitted to the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, I was so elated. Little did I know what was in store for me as a grad student. In this country, a grad student is supposed to work twice-thrice as much as an undergrad. A grad student is supposed to sleep for less than 8 hours a night. Every department computer lab and study hall will have at least one grad student in it even at 3am. This post describes it really well.

The transition from Russia to USA was made really easy by all my friends here and I never really had any problems with food, shelter. I was so used to just showing up for classes and doing research in Russia, that I forgot that there are more things to being a student.

My first semester was a disaster. Thanks to lots of mistakes on my end. A grad student in my (Aerospace) department needs to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0. Mine was a 2.22. Yes, pathetic, screwed up, lowly,...

Probation, was the word that I became familiar with in May 2008 after the results came out. I started asking myself serious questions and understanding what is required to succeed in a particular course. Each course has its own demands and rituals. Some require you to just present 3 presentations in the span of 4 months and you get your grade. Some have 2 midterms plus homework plus a final exam. What I realized is that every course, every professor, every chapter has to be aproached in a different way. I was still on Russian time.

For the next months, I started understanding what academic probation really means and the different petitions associated with it. I had to get my GPA back up to 3.0. For that, I would need excellent grades in all my courses to get the average back to the required. Failure to obtain the GPA would mean removal from the university.

I decided to take 4 courses, one more than needed, just in case. I have to admit there were many instances where I thought that there is absolutely no chance I could make it. I was against all odds. The person betting hundred dollars on me would actually become a millionaire. Even the look in my academic advisors eyes told me that he wasn't confident enough. Yet, he recommended a few courses. I took two of them but the other two I changed. Little did I know that at the end of the semester I would be looking back at the choice of my courses and the addition of the fourth course with absolute marvel.

I had a lot at stake and I knew it. I loved this place, the people, the university. My friends had become my family and I had no backup plan in place. I was even the president of the Indian Graduate Students Association. I really didn't feel like losing all of that.

Hardwork and dedication are mandatory. But even sacrifices have to be made. That's what I did different from the previous semester. Trying to tackle 4 courses along with 2 part-time on-campus jobs became a routine and weekdays became my workout. I just hoped that at the end of the semester I had something to show for.

23rd December came quick. The grades were out and my blood pressure was over the roof. As I checked them with Pragni, Omkar and Pallavi trying to calm me down, I realized that none of what I had done throughout the semester would matter if this didn't work out. And I knew that Pinky too was thinking whether I made it or not while vacationing in India.

3.73 and my cumulative was up to 3.06

Parity was restored.

It's amazing how the smallest things people say make the biggest of difference, the way they stand by you defines your relationship with them. They affect your confidence and give you added incentive. And every word has made the difference in the past months.

It's been a week since I saw the grades and I still am wondering what I would have done if they had let me down. I started receiving quite some praise which I hadn't heard for at least a year. One of my professors even called it "A terrific achievement" which sounded really flattering, but made me proud. All Pinky asked me online was "In or Out?" and all Pragni said to me was "I never doubted you one bit. Never."

Welcome to the Real World

2008-12-15T06:39:00.004-06:00

.... a world where your life can change radically in a split second

... where the smartest person in the world is on a wheelchair and all he can use is his brain.

... where a marathon winner comes home to the news that his diabetes has taken a decision to cut his leg off.

..... where all a hardworking man needs is to come home to his family and remember why his ass is red and his hands are rough.

...... where you could lie on the bed staring at the ceiling late in the night even though you haven't slept for days.

..... where a letter of recommendation can get you into a relationship.

...... where the other line always moves faster.

.... where you realize that you could lose everything you cared for tomorrow, or maybe the day after.

..... where the world will not let you think.

..... where you are as faithful as your options.

..... where you are given two weeks notice.

... where criminals run countries.

... where a three hour exam doesn't show how smart you are, but how slow you are.

.... where the total amount of good and bad follows no proportionality theorems.

.... where you can feel all the pressure in the world....and some more.

.... where every second counts.

.... where time is money and poverty is a viscious circle.

... where viscious is spelt vicious in google, or maybe the previous spelling is actually wrong.

... where one mistake could end it all.

.... where an MIT gold medalist dies of stress and high blood pressure at 26.

.... where you either get rich or die trying.

.... where the originality of an idea is directly proportional to the time you take to write it down.

.... where you live on the basement level in Crap Villa.

.... where your love interest will either sleep with your best friend or not get along with them.

.... where what goes around comes around and around to choke the hell out of you.

.... where you realize that you have been happy all this while, only to think that you're the saddest person alive at that moment.

... where you get dumped for being fat/ugly/tall/short/hairy/bitchy/sterile/obtuse/poor......

.... where life kicks you in different places at different times but you can't kick it back.

.... where everything comes to an end.... even this blog post.

You're welcome!

:)

2008-12-06T02:13:00.002-06:00

Top 10 things guys think about when they pee

2008-11-19T04:03:00.004-06:00

Presenting an idea that originated in the weirdest of places, while doing one of the most liberating things a guy can do standing.

I've also decided that I will be making a section called "My Top 10", something to give "Him and Her" a run for it's money.

So, here are the Top 10 things guys think about when they pee (according to me, at least)

10. Gosh, this place stinks. But at least it's cleaner than my toilet in the hostel.

9. Flow velocity is equal to flow rate divided by flow area.

8. How can people even think about drinking this to remain healthy? I pity the astronauts, but at least they are going to be recycling it.

7. Just because I started before him, doesn't mean that I should finish before him.

6. Why can't I concentrate?

5. C'mon, aim for the center of the bowl!!

4. Could I move one of those naphthalene balls with the pee-force?

3. I would have asked him how he's enjoying the game, except that we are not at one.

2. I'm free!!

1. Am I awake? (Always better to check)

Him and Her - 3

2008-11-07T23:01:00.000-06:00

Her: I love you!
Him: I love you too!
Her: You know, I've wanted you to be the one for me since forever. Ever since I've known you.
Him: That's the liquor talking. When I ask you tomorrow, you won't admit to have said this.
Her: Because I'm scared. But I want this. I want this forever.
Him: Why can't you tell me all this when you're not high?
Her: Sometimes you behave like you don't care.
Him: I always care. I just get angry and I pretend to not care.

(pause)

Her: (falls asleep on the couch)
Him: Let's go to bed.
Her: I don't like you.
Him: Why?
Her: Coz you won't let me sleep. No, but I wasn't sleeping.
Him: (giggles) You're drunk and you need sleep.
Her: (angry) I'm not drunk and I wasn't sleeping
Him: Okay! You're slightly influenced by alcohol. It's late. Let's go inside and sleep.
Her: Why can't I go to sleep while the video?
Him: What? You're talking nonsense again, in your sleep.
Her: (snores)
Him: (picks her up and takes her to bed)

Credit

2008-10-30T02:31:00.005-05:00

When you are a part of a team, the rules are different.

A team is made up of individuals, who play their part, who perform to their abilities.

When someone doesn't do what they are supposed to, fingers are pointed.

Fingers might even be pointed at those, who shouldn't be blamed.

That's where a leader is tested.

That's when the resolve of a team is questioned.

Criticism is a tricky attribute. It needs to be aimed at those who deserve it, or those who don't deserve it but can take it.

Acclaim, too, is a tricky thing. Given to those who can't handle it, acclaim can cause complacency.

But I've seen the guilty walk free and the battlers take the hit.

People who have slogged all day and night over a poster without even starting on their assignments, haven't been told what a wonderful job they have done.

People who have done the running around at the last minute when there was nobody else to do it, when there was no other option, haven't been told that it wouldn't have been a success without their effort.

People who have worked their asses off to make a beverage that the layman would sit and sip and marvel at in the cold, haven't been told that it was the reason that the event was a success.

If criticism has to be handed out by the numbers, then why not applause?!

Maybe it's just not enough by my standards.

This is my way of paying tribute to them!

Pardon my French

2008-10-26T19:18:00.004-05:00

I have had some really entertaining professors and teachers over the years. But none of them have come close to Don Talleur, my AVI 455 - Aviation Accident Investigation class instructor. He is the typical good-guy, Jim Carrey look-a-like dude.

In our previous class, this is what one of his explanations sounded like:

In accident investigation, you come across everything even remotely related to Human Factors. Some one or the other will eventually make a mistake. Sometimes increase in automation, decreases situation awareness (SA). I was once flying over lake Michigan, getting ready to turn over for my base leg towards the landing strip. The flight was on auto-pilot and I bent over to my right to grab the approach chart. When I come back up to my seat, I look out the window and the ~~freaking~~ plane's making a 20-degree left turn for God-only-knows what reason. I had no idea why the turn was being made, where I was headed or what I need to do to get back on track for the next 5 minutes. That's 300 seconds. Situation Awareness, you see.

As I said before, human errors are the major part of the pie in accidents. I know this investigator, who I had met over somewhere last month and he was investigating a particular incident. I asked him the reason for the accident, actually the probable cause. Was it mechanical failure? Or a design error? I didn't expect an informal answer from this gentleman, I barely knew him, but he went on and gave me a very frank reply. He said, and pardon my french here, "The guy fucked up, plain and simple".

I've just never heard an instructor say stuff like this before. The whole class was silent for about 40 seconds. We didn't even laugh. It was the truth, it was the plain truth said by him in a very frank manner.

Falling short...

2008-10-16T18:26:00.002-05:00

Have you ever had that feeling inside of you, where everything you do is turned around and thrown back at you? No matter how much you strive and slog, it is never good enough.

Someone once told me, "I don't think people will appreciate you, because you don't know how to get that appreciation out of them".

And I said that if they really and truly do appreciate what I do, then I won't have to.

There is nothing worst than having that feeling deep inside. Knowing that you are not good enough. Not capable. Not worthy.

The best part is sometimes people are really trying their best and truly deserve some appreciation, but they are not given it, which makes them perform poorly.

It is swimming against the current that defines character.

It is doing a good job without any sort of appreciation in life that demands respect.

And it is your belief in your goodness that will make you rise up and deliver even when you are told you're not good enough.

Weekend

2008-10-12T01:19:00.005-05:00

It's hard to say no to someone you love. When they have that smile on their face or that look in their eyes. My heart melts. Even when she asked me to post this (just because), I couldn't say no, even though it was through a chat window. It becomes harder after you've just met her a few minutes ago and she has looked the best you've ever seen her look. Beauty redefined. Seriously. It's hard to not sound flattery, but sometimes you are stunned by the beauty around you.

I can't dance for nuts. I know that. But I also know that there are very few things and very few people in the world that could get me dancing (alcohol included). Today I danced like no one was watching. All I could see was my friends in front of me, and none of them were judging me. We all were just super-elated to be with each other and enjoy that moment, even though I know everyone missed Pinky in some way or the other. Dandia Raas, Garba and Bhangra.... awesome!

It's hard to find time for these things when you are a grad-student. The weekend comes in a jiffy and goes even quicker. You never know what hit you. I am sitting here in the comp lab on a Saturday night trying to do my research. Yes, it's a Saturday night, I've just returned from the Garba party and I intend to finish my quota for today in this secluded lab while listening to loud music. Well, being a grad student, I'm happy that I have the keys to the department building. I wish sometimes though, that I would be joined by her, who wouldn't join me here (for various reasons).

It's been a while since I'm written about current affairs. I'm happy about the effort I'm putting in all around. But I can always do better.

Goosebumps

2008-10-11T18:23:00.007-05:00

I've taken 3 courses related to hardcore aviation this semester. One of them is a research project on a new breed of attitude indicators, the other is a runway and collision hazard analysis course for the Lambert International airport in St.Louis, MO and the third and most interesting course I've taken is Aviation Accident Analysis.

A part of me has always wanted to get into Air Crash Investigation, but I've felt that it isn't correct that my livelihood will depend on people dying. Well, this course has definitely changed my perspective on that. It is the job of the investigator to determine probable cause of the crash and prevent further such incidents. So, you're saving lives.

But a part of me always reacts in the same way. On my first day, the instructor told me that an investigator needs to be inquisitive and objective, not emotional. We've had several case studies throughout the semester and understood the process as a whole. Site anaylsis is just the beginning, then there's wreckage mapping, evidence sampling, witness interviewing. It's all part of a long process which will always have the media hovering around and misinforming the people. Hence, informing the media as and when we get any new information is critical. It will also have legal bindings and redundant jurisdictions which can be bent, not broken.

At the end of it all, the investigators will determine the probable cause of the crash and construct a virtual simulation on the computer of what actually happened during the last few moments of the crash. This information is determined using the data from the Flight Data Recorders(FDR) and the Cockpit Voice Recorders(CVR) among other things. When the last few moments of the flight plummeting are analyzed and explained a shiver runs down my spine. Everytime. During every investigation. This is because as an investigator, I must know how many people were on board, how many children. I must know how human error played a role in the accident. How some idiot forgot to check the pressure guage or the construction company would rather spend 4 million less on a flammable insulation for the cockpit instead of the non-flammable expensive one. And how, even today, there are so many things done wrong in aircraft manufacturing and maintainence, that if I'd mention them here, you would never fly again.

After gathering all the evidence, resisting your desire to shoot the person responsible for all those people's deaths, preparing your report and making the flight simulation, you have to get ready to explain the harsh reality to a room-full of people.

In the simulation video, the minute the flight slams into the ground or water, I have the same prolonged reaction.

Goosebumps!

What about now...?

2008-10-08T00:29:00.004-05:00

Lately I've become a huge fan of Daughtry. I was sitting in Subway munching on a sandwich when "What about now" started playing.
"I like this song" she said. "I think it's Daughtry.... Actually I'm pretty sure it's Daughtry" I said. Since then, this song has been ringing in my head.

And the other song here "Over You", is pretty darn difficult to pull off vocally.

Also check out "Feels Like Tonight" by Daughtry.

Awesome tracks!!

Pessimism

2008-09-22T01:14:00.002-05:00

Because true conservatives are pessimists, they are happier than liberals, for three reasons. First, pessimists are rarely surprised. Second, when they are wrong they are delighted to be so. Third, pessimists do not put their faith in princes-in government. They understand that happiness is a function of fending for oneself. Happiness is an activity; it is inseparable from the pursuit of happiness.

- George F Will
Pulitzer prize-winning author and columnist.

Love 101

2008-09-12T16:15:00.003-05:00

This is just the mid-term

I. Do as directed (or else?) Fill in the blanks or answer the following with one of the three choices:

1. The number of fights in the first month is directly proportional to ____________. (the square of the dumb conversations, the exact level of understanding when nobody talks, the number of times you have fallen off the bed)

2. What is the exact amount of liquor needed to get the truth out of him/her?
a)2 gallons plus what he/she will puke.
b)half a litre more than the tears shed in the past eight months of the relationship.
c)Who the f**k is sober enough to measure?

3. What does the time period of a relationship depend upon?
a) How long you can stop staring at other singles.
b) How many times you say "I Love you...now let's go to bed" before you get drunk.
c) How good you are where it really matters. (wink)

4. Love me for a reason, let the reason be _______. (Money, Sex, all of the above)

5. What is the minimum number of people it takes to screw up a relationship?
a) Including in-laws?
b) Zero.
c) The Lord of the Flings plus the fellowship of the affirs plus the two flowers plus the bloody returning king who has Harry's wand.

6. The instrument that is used to measure love is called _______. (Foot-ruler, Spank-o-meter, Infrared that also checks number of hickies)

7. Love is _______. (Invisible, The "Him and Her" sections of my blog, the best feeling you get when you are blind)

8. Every couple has an equal and opposite _______. (swinger-couple, charge - I mean money, possess-assessissuss-iveness factor)

9. When two people fall in love that are admitting to being ______. (insanely horny, out-of-mind and out-of-money, ready to be raped)

10. Which of the following are true chronologically:
a)Fall in Love - Have a kid - Get married - Stay away from each other - Become friends - Cheat on each other
b) Become friends - Get married - Have a kid - Fall in love - Stay away from each other
c) Have a kid - Get married - Stay away from each other

If you think I have copied the above exam, then you can _______. (Try to "love" yourself, drink n shut up n drive, kiss my brown ass)

Daughtry - Crashed

2008-09-07T05:30:00.000-05:00

Take your pick. An excellent track.

The first one is with a NASCAR video, which I must say is well choreographed. :P

The second video is with scenes from Spidey -3, the song doesn't end well though. :P

Problem

2008-09-03T16:16:00.000-05:00

When there exists a problem between two people, it is not only necessary but critical that those two individuals identify and acknowledge the problem. I feel that the stages in identifying a problem between two is the same as the stages of grief, more or less.

Stage 1: Denial
Both parties will usually tend to deny that the problem actually exists. They run, they hide.

Stage 2: Anger
Both parties will feel angry at the situation and will try to blame it on the other. This part also exacerbates the problem and puts them in an even bigger rut.

Stage 3: Bargaining
The basic "you do this for me" dialogues are said which sometimes hurt the other party. Life and relationships are not about bargaining. They never are. But yes, they are about compromise and understanding.

Stage 4: Depression
Both parties get lost in the abyss of sadness and uniscence. This depressed state of affairs leaves too many wounds to heal.

Stage 5: Acceptance
After days, or months, or years of self-argument, you realize that there is a bloody problem. What you should have realized a while ago, dawns upon you now. The question remains, is it too late?

The two people can tackle a problem together or run from it. They could bring in a third person for some more insights and perspectives or they could bring in the eight hundredth and fourth person for his advice. Nothing will be solved unless both of them admit and accept. Unless they understand each other and their point of views. Unless they realize what wrong has been done. Unless they make an effort.

The two people I am talking about are just two people. They are not your boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, grandparents, sons, daughters. They are just two human beings between whom a problem exists. Now, how they choose to approach it is up to themselves.

LOL

2008-08-31T15:38:00.001-05:00

I worked as an instructor over the summer and I could not have been happier. I love teaching and always will. It's something I always want to continue doing. My students are seniors in high school and unfortunately, or fortunately, I was teaching them anatomy. Here are some recapped moments.

Me: In which sport are the muscles of the arm used the most?
Student: Chess!

--------------------------

Student: So, Mr.AJ, what did you do over the weekend?
Me: I was grading your papers and I also spent some time with friends.
Student: What kind of friends?
Me: Ummm.... the good kind.
Student: I mean, do you have a girlfriend?
Me: Let's get back to the lecture, shall we?
Student: That's a "yes"!

-------------------------------

Me: What do you want to become after you graduate college?
Student: A stripper!
Me: I'm serious.
Student: So am I. It's going to be my night job. I don't know what I want to do during the day yet.

------------------------------------

Student: (answers to a written question) Babies have 300 bones because they haven't fused together yet, while humans have 206 after fusion occurs.
Me: I underline babies and humans.

--------------

Me: (written) What are the muscles that surround your heart called?
Student: (written) Cardeyack muscles.

----------------------

Me: Did she give you the notes?
Student: She said she hadn't written nothing.
Me: That's a negative negative. You can't use a negative negative. It implies the positive.
Student: That ain't true!

Either....Or

2008-08-28T00:08:00.003-05:00

Either I have lost the will to blog, or I have no time on my hands.

Either I have nothing to blog about, or that's my latest excuse.

Either I have too much going on in my life, or I think it is.

Either I am living in my own world, or I have lost reasoning.

Either everything around me is perfect, or it's too good to be true.

Him and Her - 2

2008-08-07T23:54:00.001-05:00

Her: Do you think we’ll get married?

Him: I’ll answer that on the day I marry you.

Her: How many kids do you think we’ll have?

Him: Before or after we’re married?

Her: You really know how to kill the mood, don’t you?

Wrong Number

2008-07-29T01:37:00.004-05:00

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

2008-07-25T17:28:00.001-05:00

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

2008-07-12T13:05:00.000-05:00

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

2008-07-09T13:49:00.001-05:00

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

2008-07-06T12:53:00.001-05:00

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

2008-07-04T02:28:00.001-05:00

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.

*ollywood

2008-06-30T04:53:00.003-05:00

One thing I always manage to do in abundance in India is watch movies. This time I think I created some kind of a record. I behave like a film critic when I watch movies. Start pointing out faults and mistakes. Try and imagine a scene being shot differently. Here's what I thought of the movies that I watched.

Iron Man

Marvel have some really interesting stories to tell. From Spidey to the Fantastics. Iron Man is a really good way to make more money whilst providing entertainment. Any engineer would have a blast during this sci-fi flick, especially the Mech-geeks. The movie can boast of some really well-executed stunts coupled with the special effects. Robert Downey Jr. has done justice to the role, though I still prefer him in total comic roles. Gweneth Paltrow, ummm, is okay. They could have put in anybody in her place to be frank and it wouldn’t have made a difference. I loved the soundtrack and will be downloading it once I can get my hands on some free unlimited internet. I’ve heard that Marvel will be coming up with Wolverine too, starring Hugh Jackman. Can’t wait to catch that. But up next should be Dark Knight, Heath Ledger’s last.

Iron Man gets a metallic A minus.

Sarkar Raj

I don’t tend to like too many hindi movies, mainly due to chunks of useless reel shoved where it doesn’t belong. I absolutely loved Sarkar. It didn’t have any songs and it never deviated from the subject. Sarkar Raj is just more of the same. Quite frankly, such movies can be transformed into a neverending series. It will be one hell of an ATM series for the producers no doubt. Big B is awesome, just awesome. Small B and Aishwariya are good. The cast is filled with young, ripe talent. Ram Gopal Varma sure has an eye for talent and his directing masterclass just keeps on surpassing the previous. There could have been a few more twists and turns in Sarkar Raj, but I’m not sure anyone except me would have liked an overdose of surprises. A powerful movie!

Sarkar Raj gets a powerful A.

I have to admit, I have tried counting cards before. I’ve never done it professionally because I am not that good at it. I am more of an aggressive poker player than a card-counting blackjack player. 21 deals with a very real and confusing subject. It happens everywhere nowadays, card-counting. People pay their grocery bills because of it. The movie and the subject would be hard to grasp if you didn’t know how to play blackjack. I was expecting a lot out of 21, probably too much. I was disappointed. Kevin Spacey’s traits as an actor have been covered with a cloak of invisibility in this flick. Jim Sturgess and Kate Bosworth are only okay. Stories like these are bound to involve a lot of money and a lot of greed. In such situations, the story-line can be modified as seen fit. But there’s a touch of realism to the end.

21 gets a B for blackjack.

Sex and the City

A total woman-movie! Hundreds and thousands of women will flock in herds to see this stylish chick-flick. What they might not notice is how the characters are so different from the characters in the serial. This point too was put forward by my very sex-and-the-city-loyal female companion during the movie. I need not say more or I will be bitten by a smitten kitten.

B minus.

Bhootnath

This film was a timepass movie that maybe most people will enjoy due to the humor and sentimental bhav attached to it. But then again, songs shoved where they don’t belong and a stretched screenplay are minuses. Big B and Bankoo Bhaiya have done well in it. It makes me happy to see ghosts and objects flying without seeing the strings attached to them. The special-effects train has finally arrived from Hollywood.

Bhootnath gets a disappearing B minus.

De Dhakka

This movie will be fondly remembered by me. I hadn’t seen a marathi movie in ages, maybe the last one I saw was 12 years ago and I don’t even remember which one it was. Inspired by Little Miss Sunshine, De Dhakka has totally original characters and a totally different feel to it. The rural marathi rocks and so do the cast. There were times when I didn’t actually understand the dialogue, but the way a scene is portrayed just makes it so much easier to understand. A journey of a loving, dysfunctional family!

De Dhakka gets a B+.

I also managed to see Blue Planet, Mysteries of Egypt and Space Station at the Imax Dome Theatre. It was indeed a privilege. I wish they actually made more movies for the dome.

Cristiano, Cristiano...

2008-06-23T19:15:00.002-05:00

You might have heard of

Ronaldo
David Beckham
Luis Figo
Zinedine Zidane

These have been the best players in the world in the last decade. At the moment, the best player in the world says he wants to leave the best club in the world. That's laughable, I tell you!

Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon five seasons ago, has scored a massive 42 goals this season as United won the Premier League and the Champions League. He is, no doubt, the best in the world at the moment. He'll only get better, they say. He is valued at around 70 million pounds. Yes, you read it right. In 2001, Zidane cost Real Madrid around 45 million pounds, which is still the world record transfer. Seems like Ronaldo's transfer, should it happen, will shatter it to pieces.

Even though news reports are still shaky, I really fail to understand why Ronaldo wants to leave. He is at the best club in England and in Europe at the moment. Why would someone want to leave? He is among the highest paid footballers in the world. Why would he leave? To get more money? Maybe. He said a while back that it is his dream to play for Madrid.

I think that it is the face value that you get at Real Madrid that players enjoy. If you've noticed all of the above players in that list have played for Real Madrid when they were crowned World Footballers of the Year. Ronaldo has achieved that feat at United itself. Even David Beckham reached his peak at United before he joined Real Madrid. Why Ronaldo would take this decision is beyond me.

At the end of the day it is the club that own the player. If Manchester United say Ronaldo is not for sale, and they have, then he is going nowhere. I don't think the richest club in the world would be awed by a 70 million pound price tag, no way! I'm sure United will not sell him. But then I hope Cristiano doesn't do something stupid like hand in an official transfer request.

The gossip continues anyway.

Everytime

2008-06-20T10:04:00.004-05:00

Everytime you use the same attitude while arguing or fighting, you realize that it is the result of 20 years of agony.

Everytime you behave a certain way, you wish you could explain why.

Everytime you feel like tearing your guts apart, you remember what is was like when you were happy.

Everytime you feel like giving up, a face comes in front of you that won't let you.

Everytime you feel like you are being yourself, someone comes along and tells you that you are not.

Everytime it hurts, you think about the big picture.

Everytime you think about being negative, you slap yourself saying "This is not you".

Everytime you walk, you see your footsteps from last time.

Everytime you think about pouring out everything, you remember that it's no use.

Everytime it feels wrong, a feeling deep inside you tells you otherwise.

Everytime you lose someone, you realize what you feel for them.

Everytime you start to feel vulnerable, you start backing off.

Everytime you lose control, you take drastic measures.

Everytime someone else's happiness seems more important, you sacrifice.

Everytime you think about the future, it scares you more.

Everytime you talk to yourself, you edge towards madness.

Everytime something doesn't make sense, you ask the questions a million times.

Everytime you think you are alone, you discover yourself all over again.

Everytime I think of it, my life seems incomplete.

Need for speed

2008-06-13T07:20:00.005-05:00

I have loved driving all my life. There was a time when I would have given anything to become a professional racing driver. Even today, there are some people in my life who still encourage me to take it up professionally. I used to be amazed at the street races happening around Mumbai. The ones at Marine Lines and the Western Express Highway interested me the most. Quite a few early-morning walkers have been killed over the years because of this so-called sport.

You have to know the right people, be at the right places and have the right attitude to even be considered for the races, I was told once.

On May 25th, 2008 I was offered a seat in a race. I was given instructions and details. Everything felt real. In fact, it was as real as can be. Suddenly, I remembered all the accidents of the past that I had read about. Now, even though I would be racing on the Western Express highway on certian undisclosible nights at certian undisclosable times when people do not venture out to stroll, I was reluctant to say yes. This is something that surprised me. I just couldnt say yes. It isn't gambling, it isn't. No money involved. Only your car, your skills, your pride and your life.

I have been thinking of the hit-and-runs. Haven't even started to think about what would happen at speeds of 120-150kmph. What would happen if I lost control for a split second at those speeds. Newton would laugh in his grave while pointing out to his second law. Others would just point at the picture below in horror.

I have never doubted my skills as a driver. Never been scared.

I still have been given the option to mull it over and say yes after a year.

Let Love In

2008-05-27T03:48:00.001-05:00

During the course of life, we live, love, lose. At some point we get hurt. Sometimes that bruise just doesn't heal. We can't bring ourselves to love again, thinking about the same ramifications. Some people have multiple wounds. Some just forget how blissful love is.

We don't feel like being vulnerable again. We don't feel like taking the plunge again. The days of the rollercoaster seem over. The words "soul" and "mate" can only be used at an Australian bar with a soul food buffet. The heart can no longer decide. Love is benched.

Everyday I am given another reason by life, another reason to not believe. The horizon isn't in sight, the boat is empty and the sky is starless. I just keep rowing.

Why do we need to be reminded time and again about what we mean to other people?
Why do we drift away from what we once called happiness?
Why do people change? Change for the worse?
Why don't we just let love in?

Goo Goo Dolls - Let Love In

Glory!

2008-05-23T12:21:00.001-05:00

It happens only in Kurla...

2008-05-17T06:34:00.000-05:00

I start to think about having dinner, when the phone rings and I am told that the train arrives in an hour. I get ready and leave. Me and Jigar somehow find the Kurla Terminus which is located in some "khopchi" of Mumbai. At the Terminus, the first thing that I see is millions of people. At least it looked like millions. There was no road. There were people walking, people spitting, people sleeping, rickshaws parked, rickshaw drivers arguing, taxiwalas abusing each other left and right. There was a hint of a terminus, and five platforms. People camping on the floors, the toilets looking like gutters, the stalls looking like toilets, the telephone booths looking like stalls. From Illinois Terminal to Kurla Terminus. Wah!

I see an old man walking in the middle of the 'road' with a stick. I put an arm around him and took him to the side, saying, "Uncle, side mein aa jao. Gaadi lag jayegi." (Uncle, please come aside. You might get hit by a car). His smile was worth millions.

We tired to look for the ticket office. Supposedly we needed a platform ticket. The queue went on for miles. There were approximately 235 people standing in the line. It would have taken us about an hour to get to the counter and purchase the 2 rupee ticket. The train was scheduled to arrive in 25 mins.

Jigar said, "Ab kya?" (What now?)

"We'll go without the ticket onto the platform, what else?" was my answer.

"Paagal hai kya?" (Are you mad?)

"No other option, boss. We'll pay the fine. Whatever it is. 100-120 rupees."

Suddenly I had a wild idea. I told him to wait while I bugged the station master. I knocked and entered. He was on the phone but entertained me. "Yes?"

"Sir. Yahaan par ek hi ticket office hai platform ticket ke liye?" (Is there only one platform ticket office here?)

After his affirmative answer, I asked, "Kitna fine bharna padega ticket officer ne pakda toh?" (How much fine will I have to pay if caught by the ticket officer?)

He smiled. Kept the phone down. "Usko bolna ke Mishraji se baat hui hai. Mai hoon Mishra. Batai do usko", he said in his Bihari accent. (I am Mr.Mishra. Tell him that you have spoken to me)

Problem one solved.

Then the train arrives. My sister jumps on me, literally. She hadn't seen me for 5 months. We decide to hire some help for the bags. The coolie starts loading the bags and when he is almost done he names a price near 120 rupees. We all look at him in bewilderment and instruct him to unload the bags. We keep negotiating. Another man arrives on my right. He asks, "Taxi?"

I start negotiating with him about the taxi price which he thinks should be 250 rupees.

Typical bhendi bazaar scenario. Dus ka beees, dus ka beees.

Finally, after some hilarious numbers are thrown around, I manage to get the services of the coolie for 80 rupees and the taxi for whatever the taxi meter says plus 70 rupees(baggage). I ended up paying the taxi driver a total of 200 rupees. Money well saved I'd say.

God, I love bargaining. Just love it. Mumbai rocks!

Turbulence

2008-05-15T12:40:00.001-05:00

I've seen shaky wings before. But this was something different. Amidst the turbulent conditions, the joint of the wing and the 2nd engine of the Boeing 747-400 looked weak. I kept a close eye on it for the first leg of the journey, hoping it wasn't real.

At Frankfurt, I alerted the crew before I exited the plane. Later, I realized that the crew was changing as well. I made a mental note to tell the new crew too. As I took my seat, I was contemplating.

"What if they delay the flight, again?"

"What if they just laugh it off?"

It was something I had to tell them rather than not. I asked for the cabin crew supervisor and informed him that the wing looked unstable, rather the upper part of the engine looked like falling off any minute. He said, "Don't worry, Sir. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about." I turned around and took my seat. Now, I had made it a point to not tell him this in front of the other passengers. I didn't want to cause panic. Anyway, it all fell on deaf ears. Maybe if I would have told him that I was an aerospace engineer, it would have made a difference. But I just had a bachelors in it, and I haven't gotten half way through my Masters. I'm an engineer none the less.

As I sat in my seat, I thought, "If the plane crashes now, and I survive, I will sue Air India. Better even, I will punch the guy for not listening and then sue them."

Maybe being in this field and studying most of these mechanisms make you overly cautious at times. I have noticed that happening many times with me. I just know how things work and fail so well, that I worry too much.

I kept both eyes on the wing this time. Non-turbulent conditions made my life easier this time and the flaps worked fine during the final approach.

I got to Mumbai in one piece.

Champions

2008-05-12T14:46:00.000-05:00

Final day drama it was! With Man Utd needing a victory to win the league, they produced the goods on the final day of the premier league against Wigan in familiar fashion.

But just the Premier League crown isn't enough. For a squad this talented and mature, the Champions League should be the ultimate target. Again, their main rivals will be Chelsea. I must take my hat off to Chelsea, by the way. After the departure of the "Special One" - Jose Mourinho, I thought they would free fall. But their new manager Avram Grant has managed to put up a fight on all fronts after the initial slump in form.

I also need to congratulate Bolton, a club that I have great respect for. I didn't want to see them relegated to the lower division. They fought well till the end and managed to survive.

Another team that should get accolades is Everton, who have consistently managed to grab fifth place below the top four and qualify for the Uefa Cup.

This seasons Uefa Cup final will be an special one for me. Zenit St.Petersburg are finally where they belong, in the final of a major European competition. I just wish I was cheering for them at the final. I will be, but at the edge of my seat in front of my TV set. I hope they win. I hope they show the world the beauty of Russian football.

Zenit for the Uefa Cup!

Man Utd for the Uefa Champions League!

303, W Green St. Apt B203, Champaign IL 61820

2008-05-11T04:32:00.005-05:00

I walk to a place that is empty. I look at the ground and see millions of my footsteps on the footpath as I have walked to and fro from there. I know that I am going to nobody. To nothing. But I want to go none-the-less.

I open the door and turn on the lights. Emptiness everywhere. I walk through the apartment just to catch a glimpse of unexpectedness, but nothing surprises me. I sit on the couch and look around. Sigh. I see Dhum frying the onion rings in the kitchen. Pal sitting on her comp and making us listen to some new song. Pinky working all night on his comp while making sure everyone is doing their work too. Dream Catcher watching "Sex and the City" and getting yelled at. I see RM coming and going, ignoring everyone.

I breathe the air of a place where I have spent more time than my lab. A place that I imagined even before I had set foot into it. It had come to be my home. Our home.

They say that change is good. Change must be welcome. But what if I don't want change?

What if I want to turn back time? What if I want you to come back?

What if I want us, all of us, to be there..... just be there.

The 8th May Girl

2008-05-07T14:33:00.003-05:00

Once upon a time, you were my best friend. You were like the devilish angel amongst us.

I remember playing with you, talking to you, fighting with you. I remember your mom scolding me. My mom scolding you. And then our moms laughing it over a cup of tea while we giggle on the side.

You played cricket with me. You tried your best. You didn't care what people thought of your over-arm bowling action.

The bullshit that you used to talk, the flattering remarks, the boasting. It was fun. It was you.

The way we spoke about our crushes, and then tried to get the ball rolling. That was the best.

I could joke with you, tease you, love you, understand you, miss you, ignore you, smile at you all at the same time.

We fell in love with each others best friends. Yet nothing changed. That's what made me love you even more.

We could hang out anywhere. And be together. We could walk to anywhere. And find our way back.

And one day our lives changed, when you had to move. I never realized that you were gone until you were gone.

I've been wondering where you went ever since.

You're just a mouse-click away, yet so far. Too far maybe.

I miss you!

Happy Birthday.

Saved

2008-05-04T19:25:00.001-05:00

I start my laptop. Go to my blog page. Create a post. Sit and stare at the blank page and wonder whether I should write what I want to write. Sometimes, I don't even feel like thinking about it. More often than not, I end up writing it. The words in front of me scream the truth, but I won't listen. They tell me a story that I refuse to believe. My mind resists.

I slowly understand the reality. I continue writing. Pour my heart out. Pour my mind out. I write more than I have even thought about the relevant topic. My fingers seem possessed.

Emptiness. When there's nothing left to write, I look away from the keyboard. Stare at the ceiling for a bit. Point my cursor on "Publish post" and consider. Shake my head and click on "Save Now".

I hope that it is safe, somewhere.

Sweet and Low - Augustana

2008-05-01T17:40:00.000-05:00

From catching the beautiful tune of the guitar.... to looking up and actually listening to the song playing on the TV in the courtyard cafe at the Illini Union.

From waiting till the song ends to catching a glimpse of the name and the artist.

From rushing home and downloading it on my laptop to enjoying every bit of this song.

From the magic of spontaneous actions to the relief of doing it right.

Sweet and low - Augustana

Have you ever...

2008-04-25T15:47:00.000-05:00

Do you ever feel like walking alone? Like walking into nowhere?

Do you ever feel like disconnecting from the world??

Have you ever wanted peace from all the noise in your head?

Have you felt that destiny will play its part?

Where will life take you if you relinquish control?

Will it be somewhere you belong? What if you want to come back?

Will people find you when they need you?

Or will you just disappear?

Why can't you sleep sometimes? Is it because you are afraid to dream? Or is it because that voice in you head never lets you close your eyes?

How can you say everything and not say anything at the same time?

Have you ever wanted to scream into a pillow? Or kick the ground with your sole?

Have you ever wanted to ask a bunch of rhetorical questions just for the heck of it?

Why do we look for answers to questions that don't have any?

The things people say

2008-04-23T20:07:00.003-05:00

Here is the transcript of the pre-match and post-match text messages that people have sent via the 606 and 81111 networks in Britian. Courtesy of BBC Sports, people can message their opinions and comments which are then added onto the live text commentary of the match.

from red_head_devil on 606: "I awoke this morning next to my not-attractive-enough girlfriend, to travel to my not-paid-enough job before I return to my not-big-enough house to watch United on my not-good-enough telly - but if we win at Barca tonight - well, today would be one hell of a good day."

from Sp0rtsFan23 on 606: "In return for going to bingo last night with the missus, we are having steak in front of the match with The Apprentice lined up on Sky Plus for afters. I'm a Gooner but am massively looking forward to this clash."

Anonymous: "When Solskjaer scored the winner in Barcelona in 1999 I jumped out of my chair, my socks slipped on the carpet, I fell backwards and hit my head on the floor, giving myself concussion."

from Phil in Manchester via text: "If United lose another game this season, nevermind tonight, I will buy a hat and then eat it."

from Matt via text: "I'm sitting in my pants in my dingy student house, writing my dissertation, while my tutor is partying in Las Ramblas with a bunch of merry Catalans. There's something wrong here."

from craidski_MUFC on 606: "I'm sat at work clock-watching. I can't wait for the day to end so I can drag the missus down the pub to watch what is going to be one of the best European games of the year."

"Park marking Messi? Jinkies!"
Tom, Manchester, via text on 81111

I'm in an open exam at the minute for my finals, and I'm watching the match, without beer, as a compromise. Sort your priorities out!"
Jez in York, via text on 81111

"The script has already been written, Henry to come off the bench and score the winner."
Darrell via text on 81111

"United have played like a boxer willing to take a barrage of body-blows. They haven't been very adventurous but limited the damage Barca could have dealt."
Mathew, London, via text on 81111

Uniqueness

2008-04-17T16:05:00.001-05:00

I have taken a course in Electric Propulsion this semester. My instructor, Prof. Burton, has approximately 30 years of experience in this area. He has even visited Russia (I think) during the good-old USSR days when exchange of material and technology was permitted.

Today during our class, he pulls out this sheet of paper with a picture of an Ion Thruster. While he was showing it to the class, I noticed that the paper was in Russian. I immediately asked him. He didn't know who had asked the question so he said, "Yes, it's in Russian. Does anybody know to read Russian?" That was my cue. He handed the paper to me and told me to translate. I started roughly translating most of it. He then interrupted me and told me to read just the title. It read "Electric Rocket Thruster", roughly, and it had a picture of it.

It is times like these when you feel unique. One of a kind. Like you know something that nobody else does. Like people will listen to what you have to say, and trust your word. That's the power a parent has, a teacher has. That's the power I wish politicians in India could have. Maybe once upon a time they did.

The first thing I did when I got home was checked whether what I had told them was right. I started hoping that I didn't create some techno-babble bullshit because I had a hunch. Fortunately, it was right. I realized that it was right all along. It couldn't have been anything else.

Be it the simplest of things, when you pass on knowledge or information to others from the top of the pyramid, you better be right, or at least correct the error as soon as possible.

My Russian Language Certificate (which I haven't got yet) means much more to me suddenly. Uniqueness is present in everyone of us. You will know when unleashed at the opportuned moment.

United

2008-04-08T17:10:00.001-05:00

I have been a Manchester United fan for almost 14 years now. They were the first club I started supporting as a kid, and they will be the last. Manchester United is not just a football club. It is a dynasty, which has taken decades to build. One man who has devoted his life to this club is Sir Alex Ferguson. He's been at the helm for 21 solid years now. Considered the most successful manager ever in the English Premier League, the 67 year old has created an era of entertaining football, talented players and continues to go strong.

As you might see on the bottom right tab on my blog, Man Utd just defeated AS Roma in the quarter finals of the Champions League. They now face Barcelona in the semis which promises to be a mouth watering clash of the titans. One of the top Spanish sides against the reigning English Champions. A game where names like Thierry Henry, Lionel Messy, Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Samuel Eto, Paul Scholes and Deco share the spotlight for two 90 minute encounters.

Man Utd last won the Champions League in 1999. It was one of the most breathtaking climax ever. Man Utd score won 2-1 after Bayern Munich had taken an early lead. Man Utd scored 2 goals in the space of 3 minutes at the end. What drama!! You can check out the match highlights by clicking here. With one of their strongest squads ever, I believe this year they will go all the way. They will triumph in both the domestic league and the European.

The Premier League had been dominated by Man Utd for a long time up until 2002. Then Arsenal won a couple of titles. Then, entered Chelsea with the help of the Russian Roman Abramovich's billions. They won back-to-back titles in 2005and 2006 when Man Utd's team was in a transitional rebuilding phase. Last season, Man Utd bounced back. They won the league, reached the finals of the FA cup and progressed till the semis of the Champions League where they lost to the eventual champions, AC Milan. One of the most memorable matches of last season was the quarter final clash against AS Roma where thanks to some excellent football Man Utd won 7-1 which you can watch by clicking here. It's a real coincidence that they faced AS Roma again this year at the same stage. But I'm happy that they have overcome the hurdle because Roma have improved a lot since last season.

I desperately await the semi final clash with Barcelona, like Sir Alex, and hope that Manchester United can put up a performance in both legs and set up a final meeting with either Liverpool or Chelsea. The final will be played in Moscow on May 21st. I've been waiting for the final to be held in Russia for 5 years. Perfect timing!

The One

2008-03-27T19:41:00.003-05:00

Well, I am going to be 24 this December. If another kid calls me uncle, I will castrate him.
I need to fix some terminology.
Call your parents' brother uncle, not me. I am not old.
Old is when an "all nighter" means not having to get up to pee.
Old is when you are cautioned to go slow by the doctor, not the police.
Old is when your wife tells you, "Honey, let's go upstairs and make love" and you reply "Sweetheart, I can't do both".

OK. In all seriousness, I was freaked when I turned twenty. I was no longer a teenager anymore. The twenties brings some really heavy-duty words to mind like "Job","Marriage".
Every guy has his share of marriage-phobia. Every guy gets cold feet. It's just a matter of how he deals with it. If he has the prefect girl alongside him, then it gets easier. But that doesn't mean he doesn't get cold feet.

It is true that love is blind, but marriage is definitely the eye-opener. Before marriage, you dream of growing old together. After marriage, you wonder who will die first. Love is one long sweet dream, and marriage is the alarm clock.

We learn about these things called "love","relationships" when we are around 15,sweet 16. But we really start to understand them when we reach the 18-20 phase. Most men get married when then are 26-27 and most women when they are 24-25. That gives every man roughly 8-9 years and every woman 6-7 year to find their better half. Wow, I love statistics. Numbers never lie. How can one find the one person out of millions in such a short span? There might be a time in the future when people look for the right person for 20-30 years and end up spending 7-8 years of married life. That would be wierd, though. Imagine a 50-year old man standing at the alter saying his vows, "I searched 8 countries for you, even Ethiopia. But the 30 years of my life that I dedicated to finding you were worth it." Then the woman replies, "Sorry honey! I forgot my hearing aid."

"By the power of God, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You might not have a 25-year anniversary, unless both of you trust medicine. Good luck trying to get pregnant. You may now wear your dentures and kiss the bride."

Sometimes I wish she was you

2008-03-24T12:51:00.003-05:00

I heard this song about 14 months ago in Russia on the radio. I didn't know the name of the artist or the song, but I loved it and never heard it again. The song kept playing in my head many times. Finally a few weeks ago, I heard Omkar listening to it and I was in luck.

Happy Birthday Omkar!!!

P.S - This song is NOT dedicated to you.(seriously!)

I can't imagine saying the words "I wish you were her, I wish you were my girl" to someone while your girl is with you. Apparently, Hinder can.

"Honey, why you calling me so late?...... My girl's in the next room, sometimes I wish she was you. I guess we never really moved on" - Hinder

While you were sleeping

2008-03-22T19:08:00.001-05:00

Have you ever woken up from a night's sleep or a short nap and felt a different person?

Have you ever felt that something changed while you were sleeping, but never managed to understand what?

It happened again today. It's been a while since I remember it happening.

I was exhausted from all the running around I had done on that Saturday afternoon. Three private tutions back-to-back during 10th std is enough to get your head aching. I decided to take a short nap after lunch and recharge my batteries. I wasn't looking forward to playing cricket that evening as the last time was painful. I was so scared of facing that bowler again, Harnish, was his name. I had got bruises on my foot and my wrist from the last time. I had been too boggled, not concentrating on the ball, more bothered about how to avoid it. I wanted to skip batting for the first time in my life. But I was too tired to think about it, so I slept.
A rush of blood ran through my head when I woke up. I felt as if I had dropped from Mars at that very instant. I looked around. Something felt different. It was 6pm. I got ready and joined my friends. When it was my turn to bat, I wondered how I would face the music while attempting to keep my eyes open. The first ball was played by me on the front foot. My outstretched foot was perfectly placed for me to play a forward defensive stroke. Where did that come from, I wondered. The second ball was a full toss which I slapped for six runs. It landed on the terrace of the opposite building. Who was holding the bat in my hand? It sure as hell wasn't me! I played like I was possessed. I took 18 runs of the over, which isn't too bad. It was a week until I faced Harnish again and I never got bruised again. I played him with sheer confidence and agression.

What happened during the time I was asleep is still a mystery to me, but I loved it.

I fell asleep on my study table during my 12th std prelim exams. It was 2am and I had been working on this particular math problem for 40 minutes without a clue. My eyes opened at 4.35am and I gazed at the geometric figure for half a minute. I knew the solution! I began writing the proof and just managed to carve something out of the stone. It turned out to be correct!

Did an angel come into my dreams and whisper something in my ear, or was it Newton or Pythagoras?
How can a rational or natural explanation exist to such bizzare phenomenon?

Today, I woke up and realized that I was falling short of expectations. I haven't been paying attention to the one thing that matters the most. I had almost lost sight of it. But someone must have held my hand ..... while I was sleeping.

Write here, write now

2008-03-16T05:24:00.003-05:00

I was having a discussion a few days back with a friend about reading and writing. There is nobody in the world who likes both equally. We all like one more than the other. Some of us prefer reading, while some prefer writing.

I like to read. Some tales are better told in words than on screen. But writing is my passion. If someone told me to choose, I would tend to bend more towards writing. It's not only my blog, but the other stuff that I write. I normally don't show people everything. It's just such a beautiful way of venting.

I've written poems, scripts, even short stories. Some friends have witnessed a few of my short stories. They were well-appreciated. My fear is and will always be the same, that someone will duplicate my material. That's the reason I never post any of those stories on my blog. Some genius jackass siting in Swaziland can easily translate my story and make a movie out of it which might win a Raspberry award. This is the reason why I sometimes think about a good subject but never put pen to paper. I once thought about an excellent sequel to "Main Khiladi Tu Anadi" - a 90s hit hindi movie. I had planned out the entire plot in my head, continued with most of the characters from the first film and given it a decent ending. And yes, this would have been a film without any songs. But those would find their way into the film anyway, as they always do in hindi cinema. Most of the script involved incidents that had happened in the past few years with me and my friends, and everything made sense. I had the stunts, the thrills, the romance, all in my head, but for some reason I decided to think more and never wrote it. I've forgotten most of it now. But still remember the story, at least the gist of it.

Another story that I've been working on is my own. It's been three years since I first started writing the script for that one. Still don't have a name for it, but I'd named it "The Amateur" temporarily. It's a drama-thriller about a young CIA agent. I never got a chance to continue it. Same case with this story. I have the whole plot in my head, but don't have the time to sit and write it down exactly the way it is.

I've decided that I'm going to devote a certian amount of time every week to my stories and scripts. Now that it's Spring Break, I can make such a decision. After a month, when I'm swamped with studies for my final exams, I won't even remember that I ever thought about this resolution, and my stories will once again be mummified waiting for the next excavation trip.

Worn Out

2008-03-09T15:38:00.001-05:00

In Russia, most undergraduate students live in dorms. Ask anyone who has lived in a dorm when he/she was a student, and they’ll tell you how crazy life can be. Late nights, stayovers, piles of books on your bed, conversations over coffee, fights, parties. It’s a crazy life! When I was in my final year undergrad, I took maximum advantage of my free time by spending it with friends and visiting places in St.Petersburg that I hadn’t seen before.

Sometime in December 2006, after having dinner with a friend, I decided to stay over at her place (don't get any ideas). We both had to go to church the next morning, and my place was a forty minute commute from hers, so staying over made sense as it was almost midnight. Her hostel was very strict about letting people stay over, so we had to get special permission from the person in-charge, the kommendant. The guards just wouldn’t let me in. She went into the kommendant’s office, while I stood outside, waiting in anticipation. I was too tired to go home and it was too late. When she came out, I was told that he had granted permission, but he would be visiting her room in an hour, just to check. I was relieved, if anything.

As we made ourselves comfortable at her place, she got an idea. As I didn’t have a washing machine at my place, she suggested that I change my clothes, put them in the washing machine at her place, and wear the clean clothes in the morning. I had my doubts about the dryer, she didn’t have any masculine clothes except a t-shirt and shorts. After her assurances, I changed and put the clothes for wash. We then began watching a short video of her sister’s wedding. Someone knocked at the door at around 12.30am. It was the kommendant, just as he had promised.

“I’m sorry”, he said, “but I don’t think you’re friend can spend the night. My superiors will be coming tomorrow morning and they will question me about this.”

“It’s so late”, she protested, “he lives way across the city. How can he go home now?”

“The last train is at 1am. He can easily make it. I can’t let him stay, bottom line. Goodnight!”

At such a point many things could have popped into my head. Would I reach home on time? Would I reach home safe? What if I don’t reach before my hostel main door is locked?

But the only thought that washed those away, obviously, was “My clothes!!!”

I was speechless for a minute, thinking how I would survive in minus ten degrees celsius with shorts. All I had was my underwear (luckily), my shoes and my winter jacket. Quite an interesting situation, don’t you think? There was no option, we raided madam’s cupboard to find some decent-enough clothing, while we cursed the kommendant for his time-keeping. The winners were a long-sleeved t-shirt which looked like something a boy could wear, a dark blue jean pant which only came upto my ankles (looked like a bloody three-fourth denim pant) and a pair of white socks (or should I say mini-socks).

I was aware that I didn’t have time. If I would miss the last train, I would either have to walk home (which would take at least an hour) or I would look like a cross-dressing beggar on the streets of St.Petersburg. Hence, I didn’t protest about the clothing.

All I said as I left was, “See you in church tomorrow”

And all she said was, “Please wear something different”

Yes, the woman had a sense of humour and so did the hundreds of people who walked by me on my way to the underground metro station. I got more attention than the hot girl with a short skirt and high heels standing with a cigarette in her hand by the curb. The train driver, too, noticed me standing at the platform while the train approached. I was so baffled that I thought I heard him say, “The doors are closing. Please be careful. Next stop – Vladimirskaya. What the hell was the guy who entered the train wearing?”

Well, I reached in time at my hostel. Luckily for me, very luckily indeed, there were six more guys in my room including my roommate. They were watching a movie. When I entered, they were in awe. One guy didn’t notice a thing, some were laughing, one of them said, “what kind of socks are those?” and another even said, “Damn, I need to try this.”

If you come back...

2008-03-08T05:49:00.003-06:00

I came across an interesting statistic a while back. It said that around 60-70 % of the romantic pop songs in the past two decades have come from boy-bands and girl-bands. I guess groups like the Backstreet boys, Spice girls, Boyzone, Michael Learns to Rock are responsible for most of it. Even recently, many new bands have come up with some really excellent tracks. Blue, Westlife are just some of them.

So, another romantic song by a boy-band. This wasn't one of the famous tracks but it was well appreciated. A beautiful song! My 'song of the moment'.

"If You Come Back"
- Blue

For all this time I've been lovin' you girl
Oh yes I have
And ever since the day you left me here alone
I've been trying to find, oh, the reason why

So if I did something wrong please tell me
I wanna understand
'Cause I don't want this love to ever end

And I swear
If you come back in my life
I'll be there till the end of time
(Come back to me, Come back to me, Back into my life)
And I swear
I'll keep you right by my side
'Cause baby, you're the one I want
(Come back to me, Come back to me, Back into my life)
Oh yes you are

I watched you go
You've taken my heart with you
Oh yes you did
Every time I tried to reach you on the phone
Baby you're never there, girl you're never home

Vibration-frequency densitometer

2008-02-29T02:55:00.001-06:00

The following is a brief translated version of my Bachelors project.

Densitometers are instruments which are used to measure the density of the liquid they are immersed in. They can be of the following types: mass, hydrostatic, radio-isotopic and vibrational. Their function is to constantly measure density and hence they play a very important role in modern fuel equipment. The following densitometer is a vibration-frequency densitometer which measures the density with the help of the Wiedemann effect and is used on board most commercial aircrafts.

The fuel tanks of an aircraft are usually situated inside the wings, under the fuselage and in the tail assembly. The densitometer(7) is located in the lower section of these tanks. They also contain several ultrasonic probes(2,3,4), which are connected to a micro processing unit(10) along with the densitometer. The micro processing unit uses the readings from the probes and the densitometer to calculate the speed of sound and mass of the fuel. It also converts the resultant density with the help of the analog-digital converter and indicates the density of the fuel on one of the cockpit indicators(11). The accurate measurement of density inside the fuel tank depends upon the amount of water and other particles mixed with the fuel. This brings into question the purity of the fuel. Hence, the better the quality of the aviation fuel, the better the accuracy of the densitometer.

The construction of the vibration-frequency densitometer includes a sensor, which measures the change in density of the fuel and proportionally vibrates. A mechanical resonator, which can either be a single tube or the cylinder, acts as a sensor through which the fuel flows. The tube begins to vibrate as a result of the change in density and gradually reaches a resonant frequency. The whole densitometer is coated with a layer of aluminum. A wound coil along with an attached magnet in the central portion of the densitometer help form the mechanical resonant system and make sure the device remains stable and accurate for longer periods. The resultant resonant frequencies are calculated by the surrounding electronic devices.

The Wiedemann effect – This is a magnetostrictive phenomenon where a magnetic field gets divided into two perpendicular fields: spiral and tangential, which create an electric current within the rod. The potential difference of the rod due to the current is proportional to the spiral moment.

The schematic representation of the entire fuel measuring system includes the sensing element of the densitometer, which is connected to a phase detector. The detector measures the resultant vibrations and its frequencies. A generator acts as a regulating medium between the phase detector and an amplifier. The phase detector compares the signal from the sensor with the feedback signal from the generator, which passes through an integrator. The resulting signal goes through a micro processing unit, as mentioned before and then is shown on the indicator.

The use of different fuels around the world means that their densities will vary. The following two diagrams show the similarities in the signals but the difference in their frequencies. In the first signal diagram, the input fuel is TS-1, used only in Russia, which has a density of 780 grams per cubic centimeter. The second diagram shows the fuel Jet A, used in USA, India and many other countries, which has a density of 840 grams per cubic centimeter.

All in all, the densitometer is a very important part of the fuel system, but the vibration-frequency densitometer has some disadvantages. The surrounding temperature effects the densitometer’s readings and factors like contamination increase the error.

The advantages of such a densitometer are: the vibrational method of measuring the density is much more efficient than other methods, this type of densitometer reduces the error due to viscosity and it’s static error is not more than 0.2%

The University of Illinois

2008-02-24T14:46:00.005-06:00

When I got into the U of I at Urbana Champaign, I knew that no other university would interest me. After that I got accepted into 6 other universities, but none of them could live up to the name of U of I. I had heard a lot about it for many years now, about the department, the location, the faculty, the perfect study atmosphere, about everything.
Now that I am on campus, I feel that this university has lived up to it's name and reputation. I am proud to be a part of this esteemed institution.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign began in the year 1867. The University is in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana (total population 180,000) in east-central Illinois. Situated about 140 miles south of Chicago, 125 miles west of Indianapolis, and 180 miles northeast of St. Louis.
It boasts of :
37 campus libraries
130 buildings with wireless access
70,000 computer connections on campus
The college of engineering is ranked 5th in the USA while my department of Aerospace Engineering is ranked 7th in 2008.
Facilities - 286 main campus buildings, 2.3 square miles (1468 acres)
559 total buildings, 7.7 sqyare miles (4938 acres)

Sports
10 & 11 Number of men's and women's (NCAA) teams (respectively) with 14 major facilities including Memorial Stadium (62,000 seating), the Assembly Hall (17,200 seating), Atkins Tennis Center, Huff Hall (4,000 seating), Illinois Field (3,000 seats for baseball), Eichelberger Field (1,500 seats for softball), the Illini Track and Soccer Stadium, two 18-hole championship golf courses with driving range and the newly opened Demirjian Golf Practice Facility.

470,000 square feet of recreational space between two newly expanded campus recreation and wellness centers. Includes indoor tracks, leisure pool with slide, climbing wall, basketball and racquetball courts, indoor and outdoor 50-meter pools, and much more; other recreational facilities include an ice arena, outdoor adventures center, inline skating rink, and several play fields.

Population
6,450 Undergraduate students living in 15 Private certified housing units and 63 Greek Houses.
1,700 Single graduate students or students with families living in two University-owned apartment complexes; two residence halls are home for 720 graduate students.

1,000+ Registered student organisations, coalitions, honorary societies, and teams.

5,378 international students in 2007 from 123 countries; ranked #4 in the nation’s “top 20 Research Institutions” in number of international students.

42,326 Total students: 30,895 undergraduate and 11,431 graduate and professional students, 53% men, 47% women, 6.0% African-American, 6.0% Latino/a, 11.0% Asian-American, 0.26% Native American, and 12.7% International.

Faculty
2,971 Members; 1,402 tenured, 570 tenure track, and 1000 other faculty.
22 Nobel Prize faculty and alumni winners; many noted scholars, including one Crafoord Prize and 19 Pulitzer Prize winners; others recognized with memberships in prominent national and international societies, academies, and foundations.

Campus
The campus is one of a kind, really beautiful. Soon, I'll write about the campus in detail, the places I hangout, the amazing transport system and the sheer efficiency of everything that is done on campus.

Go Illini!!!!!

I realize that I am here now..... it's been a month..... I just stood in front of the Alma Mater(photo above).... just like I did on the first day when I got here....... I've changed the time on my blog from St.Petersburg time to Central Standard Time....

..............times have indeed changed!

When she smiles....

2008-02-20T08:54:00.003-06:00

One attribute that defines your attitude is a smile. Silence is bliss, it speaks volumes. A smile is paradise, it pacifies, it alleviates.

Her smile is brighter than sunshine, it makes my day. Even though it’s brief, her smile takes away all my troubles. There just ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone.

"I'm a house of cards in a hurricane
A reckless ride in the pouring rain
She cuts me and the pain is all I wanna feel
She danced away just like a child
She drives me crazy, drives me wild
But I'm helpless when she smiles"
- Backstreet Boys

The Learning Curve

2008-02-17T14:49:00.000-06:00

Over the years, I have made a number of friends. Different kinds of people, from different parts of the world, with different perspectives and different personalities. Once upon a time, I was a lousy friend. I never performed to my fullest. I let myself and my friends down on many occasions. They were just people who I played cricket with, or guys at school or kids my age who just happened to live in the same neighborhood.

Gradually, my views on this topic changed. I learned some valuable lessons, sometimes the hard way. I became more mature and responsible towards my friends. I understood that I had a duty. My relationships with most of them matured, took a new direction. I never let them down anymore, or at least tried not to. I began to realize that this wasn’t a piece of chocolate cake with icing on top, it wasn’t a walk in the park with my babysitter holding my hand, and it wasn’t something that could be taken lightly. Screwing up is easy, just like dying. It is holding on to life that is difficult. You have to strive, work hard at any relationship in order to keep your end of the bargain.

It’s been such a long time since I screwed up that I had forgotten that I CANNOT take it. I cannot handle being a poor friend; it just throws me into an abyss. Recently, I let a friend down and I didn’t realize it until she told me about what went wrong and how I had played a part in it. Once I understood my mistake, I knew what had gone wrong with me. I had taken things for granted, which is something I never do. This took me to another planet. I just had to deal with it, deal with myself. Nothing else around me made sense, nothing else mattered. It was a reverie! It is this feeling inside me that ensures the safe landing of future voyages. It helps me to be careful of turbulence. I just hope I haven’t lost my seat yet.

Rush Hour

2008-02-13T10:08:00.003-06:00

Kestrel, the friend that I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, has finally started his blog. I'll be posting a permanent link to his blog soon. Akshata, on the other hand, has completely stopped posting. She tells me that she writes regularly, just not on her blog. Should I remove the link to her blog just because she has stopped writing?

Moving along...
Ever since I arrived in Champaign, I've been swamped. Busy with assignments, busy with classes, busy with household chores, busy with my friends. The sheer pace by which things are moving is alarming, almost unbelievable. I never knew that being a graduate student is such a demanding affair. This is where my diligence and meticulousness will come into question.

I was so into convincing people that I won't be going to Champaign, that I started believing it myself. I wish someone had adviced me before, "Ashwin, don't graduate and start your post-graduation in the same week, you might not believe it."

Sometimes, pursuit is better than possession. You sometimes realize that when you really really want something, and you finally get it, you don't feel like keeping it. Not me! I have wanted to come to UIUC for a long time. And now that I am here, I will cling on to these moments with whatever I can muster.

Still, why is it so hard for me to believe that I am here? I think I need to change the clock on the top right-hand side of my blog to Champaign time. Somebody pinch me!

The Transition

2008-02-03T10:40:00.000-06:00

This is the longest break I have taken from blogging so far. In the past three weeks, I have thought about blogging almost everyday, but didn't have the time, didn't have access to the internet and couldn't find the words, at times. The week between 20th January and 27th January could be described as one of the most crucial I have ever had. I divided my plans into three stages.

Stage 1: Graduation
I finally graduated! I had been waiting for "Graduation Day" for a while, had worked very hard to present my project well. All my effort, all my prayers, all my energy was being utilized. This was something I just had to do, something that I couldn't screw up. If this went wrong, then I wouldn't go to USA for my masters. This was something that was always on my mind.

My thesis was ready, and so was my presentation speech. The only thing that bothered me on the morning of the 22nd of January was the question-answer session that followed my speech.

As I walked onto the podium with a nervous smile, the curator had trouble pronouncing my name. With the cane in my hand and my speech in my head, I began. I was confident and sharp, I paused when necessary and took my time. The speech went well.

I was bombarded with three questions, two of them were expected. The third, I answered out of nowhere. My asnwer came out of the back of my head as a result of the extra research and long hours at the library. I even explained parts of that answer that weren't needed. "Relief" was the first word that came to my mind, "graduate" was the second.

The curator started calling out the results and my name was last. "Ashwin Jadhav, excellent!" said the curator, (A=Excellent, B=Good, C=Satisfactory) then he added "I congratulate you all on behalf of the university and the department upon completion of your undergraduate studies. I hereby pronounce you "graduates". "Phase One complete", I said to myself.

Stage 2: The journey and the beginning

Exactly 12 hours after my graduation, I was sitting at the St.Petersburg International Airport waiting to board my flight to Chicago via Munich. My friends were all with me till the very end. After paying for my excess baggage, I saw the very last exit stamp being put on my russian visa. The flight was delayed due to excessive ice on the wings and tail. But I had to wait in Munich for a couple of hours anyway.

Munich was great! I would place it's airport in the league with Heathrow and Charles De Gaule. Everyone spoke english, I suddenly missed russian.

I slept during the 10 hour flight to Chicago. The flight landed on time and I was excited to meet one of my closest friends. I hadn't seen him for almost 16 months. Since I had to catch the bus to my university from the airport itself, we didn't exit. We enjoyed a burger and a drink accompanied with a lot of catch-up talk. We were so engrossed that I even missed a bus, but that gave me an extra hour with him.

The three hour drive to Champaign was comfortable. I suddenly felt alone. I felt the need to be alert to this new beginning.

My apartment was just how I wanted it to be. The department was just two blocks away. Most of the people I knew were very friendly, very helpful and went an extra mile for me. The next two days were dedicated to registering for classes and making sure I became a certified student of the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Stage two was completed.

Stage 3: The surprise

I was in Champaign, I had graduated, I had settled down. But the one person that deserved to know all of this was kept in the dark by me. Reason: To surprise her. She had planned a lot for me, looked at apartments for me, answered hundreds of questions for me, had been my closest friend for the previous six months. I didn't want her to run around anymore.

She was scheduled to return from Philadelphia four days after my arrival in Champaign. I met her online after she landed and told her to go to the Illini Union on campus if she wanted to receive a surprise left by me. Something told me that I had given away too much, but I had to see her on that day itself.

Late that evening, she entered the Union and walked along the it's longest corridor. As she drew closer, she realized that I was standing at the end. She hugged me and said, "I knew it, I so knew it". Well, she was surprised, she didn't care how or when I got there, just seeing me there made her happy. Later we dove into the details of how much had happened so fast and how I had planned it all.

One of the most important weeks of my life, probably. Everything went well, thankfully.

I'd like to thank the following people:
Rohit for his support and help all the way.
Pragni for her support, help and commitment all the way.
Pallavi, Omkar and Pinky for their company, help and for keeping the surprise a surprise.

Train Check

2008-01-19T09:24:00.000-06:00

There are some incidents that take place in life that you can’t easily forget. Some are funny, some are tragic. But they make up your memories none the less. The following happened during the summer of 2006.

I was in India on vacation and had joined private classes for GRE preparation. The classes were far away from home, so I used to take the train. I met this girl at these classes and very soon we became good friends. We had a deal. She would help me out with the Verbal (English) section and I would help her with the Quantitative (Maths) section. We started liking each other. One fine day, she had to change trains at my station. She called me up and warned me that her friends were with her, so I couldn’t go up to her and talk to her because she didn’t want her friends to have any idea. I stood at the platform waiting for her (and the train). When she got off she looked at me and smiled. I so wanted to go up to her, but couldn’t. She was with two girls and a boy. Now, in Mumbai we have separate compartments for men and women. So, this guy (her friend) climbs into the men’s compartment with me. He stood bang opposite me. I even caught him staring at me a couple of times. I wondered, “Is he suspicious? Does he know?” He had no clue, but neither did I as to why he was giving me those looks. After few stops, the girls got off and she was alone in that compartment. She called me up. This got me really blushing. We spoke for around 15 mins till we reached our destination and the guy in front of me, “Mr. Stares-a-lot”, could hear everything I said to her including, “When is he going to get off?” but thankfully he still didn’t catch on. We three got off at the last stop and she warned me on the phone again not to approach her. We decided to meet at some particular junction a bit away from the station. When I got off, I saw both of them talking and while walking past them I brushed my hand past her outstretched hand in the smoothest of ways. When I turned around she glanced at me and smiled again. At this moment, the guy caught her looking at me but didn’t respond. We both met up at the designated place later and laughed about it.

About a week later, her sms woke me up. She had written something about losing her umbrella, her favourite, pink umbrella. Apparently, she had left it in the train and got off. I ignored it and went back to sleep. But about an hour later, she called me up and told me that the train was heading my side and requested me to run to the station and intercept. I did so. My mom was bedazzled to see me get ready so fast and leave the house at that speed. As I exited the door I told her, “I’ll explain later but it’s important.” I normally walk to the station but this time I took a taxi. By the time I reached the train has already passed by. Suddenly mom called up and I explained the “friend losing an umbrella” part to her. Then miss “pink umbrella” calls up to let me know that she is arriving in ten minutes. I went to the station master, asked him to look into the matter and find out when the train will return. The poor little nice guy contacted the CST (final stop) station master and informed me that the train is expected back in twenty minutes. As expected madam arrived and came straight to the station master’s office uttering her first words, “You look cute today”. Now, I knew she was messing around. I had not even showered that morning, my hair was all over the place and I was sweating profusely. Those words got the little guy in my head to laugh “ha-ha-ha-ha-ha” and I said to her, “Can we focus at the problem at hand?” So, the station master and I explained the situation to her. When we both exited the office, I was startled at what I saw.

It was “Mr. Stares-a-lot” looking right at me with a strange “have I seen you before” look and in my head I’m thinking, “You saw me a week back, you jackass, but thanks for not recognizing me even though we stood opposite each other for 30 minutes.” She introduced us, we shook hands. Silence. Nobody uttered a word after that. I knew I didn’t want to speak. So, both of us carried on to the designated platform and waited for the train to come while her friends stood on the opposite platform giving me the strangest of looks once again. Maybe that guy told them something about me, which still remains a mystery.

We didn’t find the umbrella. Someone probably took it. But it was worth a run, for me at least. I wonder if I’ll ever see “Mr. Stares-a-lot” again. I wonder if he’s reading this right now and still doesn’t have a clue that it was him.

Prison Break and 24

2008-01-12T01:46:00.001-06:00

I am quite the TV and film buff. Recently, I've managed to catch up on some of the best serials made in modern television. I enjoy films and serials of all genres, but nothing beats a good action-thriller with its usual dosage of drama and comedy. Two such serials have become my favourite and I long to watch the next episode each time I finish the previous one. Just go to google and search for Jack Bauer or Michael Scofield and you'll know how famous these characters have become worldwide.

PRISON BREAK

Prison Break is into its third season now. Breaking out of prison is just the beginning. Prison life in the USA is something unique and interesting. But when someone gets into prison in order to break out, and has done years of research about every aspect of prison, you have yourself a treat.

In a gist and without giving away too much, Wentworth Miller plays Michael Scofield, an engineer who's brother, Lincoln Burrows played by Dominic Purcell, is convicted of a crime that he didn't commit and faces the death penalty. After learning that his brother is innocent and has been set up by very powerful people, Michael decides to commit a crime in order get imprisonated and break out with his brother.

Brilliant writing by Paul T Scheuring, accompanied by good performances by Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell makes Prison Break what it is today. They have managed to extend the serial after coming up with conspiracy after conspiracy.

24 is a one-of-a-kind series. Rated as one the most addictive on TV ever, it has been nominated in almost every category in the past six years. It is currently into its seventh season. 24 gives us a close-up look on the counter-terrorist unit (CTU) headed by Jack Bauer, played by Kiefer Sutherland, who keeps the country safe from terrorist threats. It also follows his personal life and the lives of the other members of the squad, government officials and the terrorists.

You might wonder why is the name 24. This is a unique serial and the first of its kind. Every episode occurs in real-time, in one hour. There are 24 episodes in a season, hence that makes it a day. Each season depicts a 24-hour period. The next video is a short clip from the first episode of season four.

Overall the show has been nominated a lot. Kiefer Sutherland is the heart and soul of 24. He won a Golden Globe award for Best Actor in a drama series after just 10 episodes of the first season and has been nominated for the Golden Globe and the Emmy alomst every year.

In the arms of the angel

2008-01-03T19:20:00.000-06:00

Very often we find ourselves looking to someone else for help, for advice. Very often we reach out in ways unknown to us when life comes rushing at us from out of the darkness. We look for heaven on earth, we look for an angel, our angel. Someone who will comfort you, who will protect you, who will guide you to the light. It is in the arms of that angel that we find a place called heaven.

Here's my song of the moment. No other song could have been more perfect for the OST of The City of Angels.

Spend all your time waiting for that second chance
For the break that will make it ok
There's always some reason to feel not good enough and it's hard at the end of the day
I need some distraction oh beautiful release, memories seep from my veins
They may be empty and weightless and maybe I'll find some peace tonight
In the arms of an Angel fly away from here
From this dark, cold hotel room, and the endlessness that you fear
You are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie
You're in the arms of an Angel; may you find some comfort here
So tired of the straight line, and everywhere you turn
There's vultures and thieves at your back
The storm keeps on twisting, you keep on building the lies
That you make up for all that you lack
It don't make no difference, escaping one last time
It's easier to believe in this sweet madness, oh this glorious sadness that brings me to my knees
In the arms of an Angel far away from here
From this dark, cold hotel room, and the endlessness that you fear
You are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie
In the arms of an Angel; may you find some comfort here
You're in the arms of an Angel; may you find some comfort here

2008

2008-01-01T07:48:00.000-06:00

A new day, a new month, a new year! Every year I hope that the upcoming 12 months will be better than the previous ones. Every year I make a mockery of people's resolutions, saying that they will never last, nobody ever follows them for an entire year, or even remembers about them after January goes by. Every year I look back and let the lessons that I have learnt in the past year get imprinted onto my memory. Every year I work out, stay in shape and then ruin the hardwork by overeating in India.

January promises to be one of the most important months of 2008 for me. I'll defend my project and will finally graduate, I'll make the transition across the ocean to do my masters without any sort of break, I'll embark on a new journey into the wilderness that is USA, the chapter called "Russia" will be over after five years. January holds the key to the next two years of my life, and the next two years of my life will shape up the rest of them, I'm told.

The past year was eventful. Memorable moments include my mom and sister visiting me in St.Petersburg and us touring in Moscow, me celebrating my birthday at home after five years, me getting my US visa, me witnessing an ILS crosswind approach at Helsinki while landing at night through my window and finally, me running around the university trying to convince my department that I can graduate.

Years come and go, I don't even see 1st January as a big deal anymore, it's just another day to me. People say that whatever you do on the first day of the year, you end up doing all year long. Well, I don't know how true that is. Resolutions, though, have to be made. People make them every year, including me. It doesn't matter if you follow them or not, but you need to make them. My resolutions for 2008 include more tonic from last year, more of the same, more hardwork, more determination, more leadership, more responsibility, more ambition, more friends. But something needs to be added every year, something should be new, they say. So, this year I'll add work and blogging. I will try my best to blog as often as I can, as sincerely as I can and will try my best to get an on-campus job or assistantship of some kind. Now that I have written it down, I'll check at the end of the year how much I tried.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008!

For Kestrel and Simone

2007-12-25T10:32:00.000-06:00

I would like to take this opportunity and thank everyone who reads my blog. Though I am happy with my audience, I would like some hidden characters to start commenting and would love to increase the number of readers. It's just been 2-3 months and the response I've got over this period has been overwhelming, unexpected. I am elated!

My readers and my friends are my driving force. Most of my friends have been reading my blog in order to stay in touch with me, to know what's going on in my life. But I would also like people to get pulled towards my blog through my writing. My style of writing could be called orthodox or colorful, but I like it when people acknowledge it and sincerely comment. Be critical if you have to, but tell me what you are thinking. I am still an amateur when it comes to writing and I have a long way to go, but one thing I have always believed in is that no matter how good you get, there's always room for improvement and you never stop learning.

In these 2-3 months, I have received a good amount of acclaim from Kestrel and his wife Simone. They've been reading my blog for a while now. Well, Kestrel is technically related to me, he's my grandmother's sister-in-law's brother's son (I hope I haven't got that wrong), but he's just a few years older than me and I've always seen him as a friend since childhood. Recently during my visit to India, it was Kestrel's dad birthday. There was a huge bash, one that I was really thrilled to attend. It was an opportunity to meet Simone, Kestrel's new bride and catch up with that section of relatives. The photos below were taken that night and I promised them that I would put them up on my blog.

Kestrel is a good writer, you can tell from the comments he's made on my blog in the past. I hope he starts his own blog soon, a place where he can unleash the fury.

The advice that I got from Simone that day was priceless and won't be soon forgotten by me. Thanks Simone, I will try my best to find my friend. Keep reading and keep in touch!

Moral of the story : read my blog, leave your comments and I'll write about you.

Oh, please. That was a joke! I am not that desperate to increase my passenger-count.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Back to sub-zero

2007-12-22T09:35:00.000-06:00

I arrived in St.Petersburg on Tuesday evening, instantly put on my jacket and gloves as I exited the airport. I was used to this weather, it's been five long years. The next two days weren't the usual post-arrival, get over the jet-lag type days for me. I was up and running taking care of business as usual. If I don't get used to jet-lag, then I'll be spending around 20-30 days a year recovering from it coz I fly a lot.

On Thursday I felt feverish. In spite of that, I went. I knew it was imperitive for me to meet a prof at college. I was right. I ended up clearing one of my two remaining subjects. But the fever had worsened. Bed rest was the order of the day on Friday and Saturday. And there's nothing like watching premiership football while sipping hot chocolate during the weekend.

No matter how long you stay in one place, be it five or ten years, you need time to adapt to the conditions, your body needs time to get accustomed to the weather. And I keep telling people that I can swiftly handle the weather in USA.

What I came across during this short period was a bit strange. While I was in the flight, I thought to myself, "What if I don't make it?" and that thought came back to me while I was taking a tablet yesterday. This thought opens your eyes and you start thinking about the stuff you haven't done, the words you haven't said, the breaths you haven't taken. One such alarming thought crossed my mind, a message for someome.... if I didn't make it. I don't know whether that was instinct or my mind playing games on me, but it was a good one.

Guys like me

2007-12-14T01:18:00.001-06:00

I feel complete at home. My life, my daily schedule just clicks when I am here. I never oversleep, I am much more responsible, frankly, I set an example. Sometimes I think, any parent would be proud to have a son like me, any sister would love to have a brother like me, and of course, any girl would be lucky enough to have me in her life.

When I am abroad, the only thing that matters is me. I sleep whenever I want, eat whenever I want, I'm a mess. My time-table is messed up, it revolves around my classes and football. I live for myself, and that's not who I am.

I learn from my mistakes, and I tend to learn fast. My dad once told me, "Problems in your life can either make you or break you. A hammer can break the glass but it can also shape the steel. It is up to you to be either glass or steel."

Many factors play important roles in shaping up one's life. I feel proper parenting, upbringing, surrounding social life, schooling are important. But do the stars play a role in it? Does being a Sagittarius have a say? What if I had been born in some other month? How much would it affect me? These are questions that don't have a good-enough answer.

Those around you can influence you for better or for worse. At some point in life, you have to let them stop influencing you and stand out, be yourself.

I have reached that point in my life.

I embrace responsibility and smile at challenges now. Earlier, whenever I faced a tough situation, I used to look up and say, "Why God, why?" or "Why does this always happen to me?"
Now, I find myself laughing and saying, "Is that the best you can do?" or "Bring it on"

I had to drop off my sister to college recently and had to log off. I explained it to the female I was chatting with. "Drop your sister off to college?" she asked. "Do guys do that?"
"Yes!" I exclaimed, "We are a rare breed."

Expect the unexpected

2007-12-07T05:22:00.000-06:00

I LOVE GIVING SURPRISES!!!
That's something I will keep doing forever. I've taken every opportunity to surprise my parents by arriving home from the airport unannounced. This time I did that to my sister. What I like the most is the reaction people give me and the adrenaline rush that I get while doing it.

My latest victim was an old friend of mine. I had been planning this for a while, and finally, with her sister's help, I caught her unaware today. Her sister told her that they would meet for lunch at the designated venue and told me to show up. After hunting down the place, I made it about 10 minutes late. I sent her an sms before entering, "Will it be a warm hug or a friendly handshake?" She did not have my number, I hoped that message wouldn't freak her out. I saw madam talking on the phone, approached her and said the words, "Surprise!" Believe me, her reaction was worth witnessing. We hadn't seen each other for almost six years. She got up instantly, hung up the phone, and hugged me. It was at this moment that she realized that she had been set up. I ended up explaining to her how difficult the whole thing had been. We caught up on old times and ended up having just coffee and drinks for lunch as she was on a diet. Women!!!

I sometimes wish more people would take up the responsibility of making others smile or laugh.
It's always worth the effort.

Judgement Day

2007-12-05T04:52:00.000-06:00

After six sleepless nights in Mumbai, the place I call home, Judgement Day arrived for me. I promised myself in the morning while I was having tea, "No matter what happens today, the first thing I'll do after coming home is write about it on my blog".

I couldn't sleep as usual. After rolling around in my bed for hours, I got frustrated at 6.30 am, so I got up and watched some tv till 8. Got ready and left by 9. I had to go to my accountant first, to collect the revised financial summary. Whenever mom felt that I was nervous, she started some topic and calmed me down in the taxi. At least it took my focus off the subject and reduced my heart-rate. Everything was in order at the accountant's place, we began the taxi ride to the other side of the city. I knew it would take at least an hour, we would reach one hour before the given time and that was exactly how I wanted it to be.

As we pulled over at the consulate, I saw the queue. It stretched along the walls of four buildings. It was long, we had an hour. Just then Rohit called up to check on me. I had received calls from all the people, who I had expected would call, in the past 24 hours. Rohit kept saying, "Don't mention NASA, say that you are coming back, ISRO chalega". My head was a cacophony of panicked voices. We began to move forward slowly. Just then Anurag (forgot his surname) turned to me and asked, "Are you applying for a student visa?"
"Yes", I replied and that sparked a conversation between us. I noticed a girl in front of us constantly turning around and looking at us. She was with her parents. Later she introduced herself to me as Akshata Hegde. I also noticed two girls and a boy standing behind us.

The boy standing behind us joined in the conversation at some point. While we were talking, this guy utters the word "F**K" in front of my mom and Akshata's parents. A voice in my head said, "What did he say? Oh! You have got to be kidding me!" Anurag and myself looked at each other. There was a brief moment of silence after which we never gave that guy a chance to butt into our talks, especially if he was going to say those words.

Anurag, Akshata and myself really hit it off. We started making each other laugh. I felt comfortable around them, comfortable enough to tell them that I'm doing my undergrad from St.Petersburg and will fly directly from there once I'm done. Anurag seemed like the type of guy that you would need around you during a crisis, a guy who knew stuff and wouldn't hold back. Akshata was really sweet, had an amazing smile and would speak her mind. We joked around about how the how they are making a new airport in Mumbai, so the old one can be used for the new consulate considering the queue we were standing in. I can now imagine how many applicants maybe applying every year. Anurag asked me about my views on luck and I told him that it depends. One day luck may play a 50% role, the next day it might be 99%. Akshata liked the answer, "I liked the way you put that", she said, "Very true". Both of them freaked me out every ten minutes about how my case was a unique one, something the visa officer would question me about. Not many people do aerospace engineering from Russia then switch to the USA for masters. I might be the first one ever. But in the next ten minutes, they relieved me in some way or the other. Then, Anurag and me would tease Akshata about how much shopping women have to do and she was probably thinking about what to buy that very moment.

We entered at 12.30 pm, after 90 minutes of baby-steps. After I passed through the security check, they dug up my application forms and handed them over to me. I then went for a fingerprint check and submitted the forms along with my passport and I-20(admission document) at the counter. My token number was 918. All I could do now was wait, alone. Anurag and Akshata were nowhere to be seen. I sat in the first row. There were around 50-60 people sitting, waiting for their number to be called out. At 1.10, I heard 918 and headed for window number 17. I saw Anurag and Akshata standing in a line as I walked past them. Akshata waved at me, but I was too late to react to her thumbs up. She turned away.

I was second in my line. The visa officer was a female in her mid 30s maybe. I had a broad smile on my face. Everyone who knows me, knows that I am a ladies' man. The guy in front of me entered and was asked to show quite a few documents. He was rejected!!!! My heart-rate, my pulse-rate, my blood pressure, maybe even my sugar-level increased. As I opened the door, the lady asked me, "Is that a child over there?"
"Yes", I answered hoping that she would grant me the visa for my correct answer.
"Can you please send her in before you if you don't mind?" she requested me.
I instructed the girl and her mother to enter ahead of me. They were done in about thirty seconds. In those thirty seconds, I tried to say every prayer possible. I mixed up the verses of one prayer, didn't realise where I started it or where it should end, I just kept saying some verse.
After they were done I entered.
"Good Afternoon"
"Good Afternoon Ma'am. How are you?"
"I'm fine. So, why are you applying to the USA?"
"I'm applying for a student visa to the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign"
I'll never forget the reaction she gave me to that. When I said the university's name, she gave me a "can't reject you" look.
"Which other universities had you applied to?" she asked.
"Illinois Institute of Technology and Penn State University."
"Eleven? Did you say eleven?" she asked in a higher volume.
"No, ma'am, I said Illinois"
"Who will be funding you're education?" was her next.
"My family members" was my vague answer.
"What do they do?"
At this point, I was actually wondering how many family members I have.
"My father has his business and my mom's a housewife. But, we have some retirement money kept aside for my education. That's what we'll be using"
That was exactly what she wanted to hear.
"OK. Here you go", she handed over my I-20 back to me. "Your passport will be couriered to you."

I exited with a smile, realizing that I had achieved something that took me two years on the whole, right from the start to my TOEFL preparation in 2006. I hugged mom, called up most of the important people in my life. I looked for Akshata and Anurag, but couldn't find either. Luckily, I met Anurag further down the road and we exchanged experiences. All three of us had got the visa.

It's amazing how two strangers you meet can have an impact on your mood, on your state of mind, especially at testing times such as these. I wouldn't want any other two people in place of them at that moment. Everything seemed balanced, everything seemed chaotic, everything turned out just the way we wanted it.

Desperate measures

2007-11-28T23:12:00.000-06:00

After a tiresome week, I'm home. The past week has included an encounter with the police in St.Petersburg. I was on my way to shop for some vodka and chocolates for home when three policemen asked me for my documents. In Russia, a foreigner must always carry his passport,visa and registration with him at all times, unlike the USA or UK. This is because of the countless illegal entry points to Russia from all sides. I realized that I didn't have my registration with me. I normally keep it in the passport, but on that day I had submitted my registration to the foreign department in my university and was left with the xerox, which I forgot to place in the passport. I took a ride with them to the police station. There were two Uzbek criminals sitting next to me in the car. The cop in front turned and asked me, "India, right?" I replied positively and that sparked a friendly conversation between us. The two Uzbeks started whispering stuff to each other which angered the officer. He took his stick and whacked one of them, "Shut the f**k up! Don't disturb me when I'm talking to my respected Indian guest". I was starting to get comfortable and knew exactly what I would have to do once we reached the station. Everybody got off except one of the officers and me. He asked for 2500 roubles, but I had been there for five years and knew my way around. I negotiated to 1000 roubles. I could have easily refused to pay him and spend the night there. In the morning, after confirmation from my university, I would be free after paying a penalty fee. But I had to catch a flight the next day, that was my headache. He accepted the money and shook hands after introducing himself to me. At the end of the day, I wasn't too happy about the whole incident but was content with the way I handled it.

Corruption is a tricky thing. At times, I tend to defend it. A constable who is paid a lowly wage and has to feed his wife and three kids has no other option but to take bribes from time to time. What makes corruption bearable and justified? Instead of paying up for a speeding ticket at some government office the next day, one can pay the officer immediately and the officer can accept. That's understandable! But if you want to get away with theft or murder, the officer and the person bribing him need to contact me for the position of "experimental space monkey" becasue they don't deserve to be on this planet. But desperate times call for desperate measures. The "desperate measures" part should be controlled.

Out of the darkness

2007-11-25T12:04:00.000-06:00

When life comes rushing at you from out of the darkness, who will you choose to face it with?

Will it be someone you trust?

Will they be wise?

Will their love for you help them guide you to the light?

Or will they lose their way in the darkness?

Will they make noble choices?

Or will that person be someone untested, someone new?

Life comes rushing at you from out of the darkness.

When it does, is there someone in your life you can count on?

Someone, who will watch over you when you stumble and fall.

And, in that moment, give you the strength to face your fears alone.

- Lucas quotes from One Tree Hill - Season 4 Episode 6

Scouting for love

2007-11-22T15:45:00.000-06:00

Most people fall in love, and get married. But what happens when you don’t fall in love? An arrange marriage is an option. That gives you the chance to find love after you get married. Some, including me, see an arrange marriage as a risk.

One of my childhood friends, who is around three years elder to me is hunting for a bride. He’s been undergoing the interview process (that’s what I call pre-arrange-marriage stuff) for like ten months now. He keeps emailing me and telling me stuff about the arrange-marriage side of life. He’s not the kind of guy who can settle down and adjust with any kind of girl. He has never even been in a relationship in his life. He lost his father when he was young and his mother isn’t forcing him to get married, but he’s 26, so she isn’t saying “we’ll wait” either. So, the scouting began for my friend a while back now and he hasn’t even got close to liking a girl. He mailed me a few weeks back and it didn’t look good. I deleted the mail but remember most of the sentences, which were really striking. He still feels that he’s lost his chance to fall in love, that now he’s out of options and advised me to try to settle down with someone that I love. Good advice, but apart from that I completely disagree with him. Firstly, he’s just 26. Yes, I said ‘just’. It isn’t the end of the world for him. All he needs to do is find new avenues to meet people. He’s working, so I told him to do so through his line of work. Secondly, if he isn’t ready to get married, he shouldn’t even think about it. That would just make everyone around him unhappy. And finally, things turn out the way they are supposed to. If he does find someone and settle down with her through the “interview process”, she could turn out to be ‘The One’. That’s what I believe and that’s what I told him. He hasn’t replied, which is good because that means he heard what I said and is considering it.

I can’t wait to get to India and see him pretend he has everything under control. I hope I can support him whenever he needs me.

The mood pendulum

2007-11-21T10:00:00.000-06:00

Moods are part and parcel of one’s daily life. I always complain that women are too moody at times. But that isn’t true. Most women just let their mood dictate terms to them. Men can’t have any of that.

I woke up today feeling awful. When you are in such a condition, you wonder whether your mood will rub off on to other people around you or will it be the other way round. If someone messes with me when I’m low, then God help that person. But mostly I like to be left alone when I’m down. I choose the people I would like to speak with because I know who can change my mood for better and who can for worse. But sometimes, there’s no better shrink than a mirror. There’s nothing that some alone-time, a walk in the rain, a shower, a drink (just one) or some meditation can’t fix.

Life deals you the cards. You decide whether to play or fold. What’s more important is that at some point you have to decide whether to put all your money in or wonder what might have happened if you had. Learn to play poker!!!

Hope, faith and belief play an important role and so do destiny, fate and luck. When darkness falls, you could sit on your ass and wait for the sun to rise or you could look up to the skies and let the stars show you your way home.

The Chaos Theory

2007-11-17T19:47:00.000-06:00

The Chaos Theory - One of my favourite theories that can be explained with the simplest of examples. A theory which even the dumbest man on earth can understand.

The flapping of a single butterfly's wing today produces a tiny change in the state of the atmosphere. Over a period of time, what the atmosphere actually does diverges from what it would have done. So, in a month's time, a tornado that would have devastated the Indonesian coast doesn't happen. Or maybe one that wasn't going to happen, does. (Ian Stewart, Does God Play Dice? The Mathematics of Chaos, pg. 141)

A student forgets to set his alarm clock for 8 am on the previous night. The next morning, two of his friends wait for him at the bus-stop. They turn up at the lecture thirty minutes late. The professor detains them after class in order to punish them. As a result, the professor gets late while going home. His wife isn’t happy that he’s late as they were supossed to go out. They end up having an argument. The next day, he’s in a very bad mood and decided to take it out on the students. He gives them the toughest of questions in a test and fails each and every one of them.
None of this would have hapenned if the student had set his alarm clock for 8 am.

One random act causes another…. causes another….. causes another….. and then the pattern emerges.

An early pioneer of the theory was Edward Lorenz whose interest in chaos came about accidentally through his work on weather prediction in 1961. Lorenz was using a basic computer, a Royal McBee LGP-30, to run his weather simulation. He wanted to see a sequence of data again and to save time he started the simulation in the middle of its course. He was able to do this by entering a printout of the data corresponding to conditions in the middle of his simulation which he had calculated last time.
To his surprise the weather that the machine began to predict was completely different from the weather calculated before. Lorenz tracked this down to the computer printout. The printout rounded variables off to a 3-digit number, but the computer worked with 6-digit numbers. This difference is tiny and the consensus at the time would have been that it should have had practically no effect. However Lorenz had discovered that small changes in initial conditions produced large changes in the long-term outcome.

For a dynamical system to be classified as chaotic, it must have the following properties:
- it must be sensitive to initial conditions,
- it must be topologically mixing, and
- its periodic orbits must be dense.
Just a small change in the initial conditions can drastically change the long-term behavior of a system. Sensitivity to initial conditions means that each point in such a system is arbitrarily closely approximated by other points with significantly different future trajectories. Thus, an arbitrarily small perturbation of the current trajectory may lead to significantly different future behaviour.
Sensitivity to initial conditions is popularly known as the "butterfly effect", so called because of the title of a paper given by Edward Lorenz in 1972 to the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington, D.C. entitled Predictability: Does the Flap of a Butterfly’s Wings in Brazil set off a Tornado in Texas? The flapping wing represents a small change in the initial condition of the system, which causes a chain of events leading to large-scale phenomena. Had the butterfly not flapped its wings, the trajectory of the system might have been vastly different.

Initial conditions…. Strange attractors….. Deviations from the norm…. UTTER CHAOS!!!!

The Reason(s)

2007-11-16T18:00:00.000-06:00

I was scheduled to finish my Bachelors in June. I wasn’t ready for what life threw at me back then. It’s almost December and I’m still here. There are two reasons for my tragedy. One of them is bad luck, the other one is me not working hard enough.

The bad luck part can be explained easily. One of my professors got sick in my final semester, he didn’t take class for around three months. Then near the end of the semester, he left a note on the faculty notice board. He was back and had little time to complete the scheduled classes, so he decided to cram it up into 3 days. We had to do 11 labworks in 3 days. Unfortunately, I never saw the note, and nobody told me about it before the three days got over. The professor was very rude and decided that he wouldn’t even consider extra classes. If he would have, maybe I would have been given that credit.

The part where I blame myself for not working hard enough is difficult to explain. I usually am hardworking, especially academically. I wasn’t ready with my project in June, simple as that. I’ve been told that the project is tough, requires a lot of research, but that’s no excuse. After I was told that I would have to stay back and complete the project, I put in a lot of effort. July and August are considered to be months dedicated to rest and vacationing. I got mine at the Russian National Library. I was doing something that I should have done months back, research, research and more research. My project wasn’t bad in June, but after I was done with my research, I realized how much better I’ve made it.

It’s almost December and I’m almost done with both, my credit and my project. The past few months have taught me lessons that I couldn’t have learned in any other situation, at any other time. But the job isn’t done yet. Testing times lie ahead, only this time, I am ready.

Phone-a-friend

2007-11-08T09:37:00.000-06:00

The following conversations took place in the last few weeks :

Friend 1: Ashwin Jadhav, when are you coming here (India)?
Me: Soon.
Friend 1: That’s what I’ve been hearing for the past 4 months.
Me: Oh. Then, sooner than that.

Friend 2: Hey, come to India soon so that you can ask me out.
Me: Why bother? You will say ‘no’.
Friend 2: At least get your ass here so that I can say ‘no’ to your face.

Friend 3: When are you planning to come here (another country)?
Me: Maybe around the 1st or 2nd week of *******.
Friend 3: Ashwin, if you come here and not talk to me or ignore me….?
Me: Then…then what?
Friend 3: … I’ll hit you!

Friend 4: When are you finishing?
Me: Soon.
Friend 4: Are you doing a project for your Bachelors or your PhD? Why is this taking so long?
Me: The project’s complicated dude. It involves a lot research and it’s rarely used in today’s aircrafts.
Friend 4: If you screw it up this time, I’ll find a job, just so that I could fly to St.Petersburg and kick your ass.

Friend 5: Good Morning. How are you? Hope to see you here next week.
Me: I’m good. How are you doing? Next week? No ways!
Friend 5: Bitch! You better tell me when you are coming for sure right now.

People are so 'nice' now-a-days. Just a simple "I miss you" would have been enough.

Religion-wise

2007-11-02T22:21:00.000-05:00

Religion is something every Indian has, built into his/her system since birth. I’ve been asking myself why it plays such an important role in modern-day life and still haven’t found any answers. There have been riots, mini-wars, murders, acts which are more than sinister, in the name of religion. My question is “what would have happened if all men belonged to one religion - humanity?” Humanity still does exist, but it deserves a place much higher in today’s world.

I’ve been going to temples, churches, even mosques sometimes since childhood. My parents are both Hindu, but my father is a Maharashtrian and my mom is a Gujarati. If you’re Indian, or have any idea about our religions and castes, then you’ll know what I mean. My grandmother (mom’s mom) is a catholic, which makes things very interesting. Both my dad’s parents belong to the same caste and religion though, which kind of doesn’t balance things out religion-wise in our family. I’ve had nicknames ranging from ‘fruit salad’ to ‘mixed breed’ to ‘hybrid’ - a result of cross-pollination to ‘ash’ – something you get after anything regardless of its colour, shape or size is burned. I’ve never heard a single word against any religion ever taken in my house. Everybody is involved, everybody goes to the temple, to church, everybody prays. It’s funny, when you’re brought up in this world, how the outer-world looks. A place where there are quotas in schools and colleges for a particular religion, a place where you are asked which God you pray to before you agree to a date, a place where a bullet will not ask you which religion you belong to. I’ve gone to interviews and given the boldest of answers when it comes to religion. An interviewer once asked me which religion I belonged to and I answered “No religion, sir, I’m just a human being.” It was a role in a catholic play and I got the part.

For me, God is God. It doesn’t matter where, with whom and why I’m praying, I always pray to the same God. He always looks the same, answers my questions (sometimes with a slight delay) and blesses me and my family and friends. Now, all my parents are waiting for is for me to marry a Russian girl to really spice things up at home religion-wise. If she were to be orthodox or a protestant, then we could have our own soap-opera.

Now I'm living in your afterglow

2007-11-01T18:16:00.000-05:00

Sometimes you can't describe what's going through your mind. But a melodious tune and meaningful words combined together does you a favour. I was browsing through a friend's videos today and heard this song. Can't get enough of it. Truly a masterpiece of a track. Here's my song of the moment.

Here I am, lost in the light of the moon that comes through my window

Bathed in blue, the walls of my memory divides the thorns from the roses

It's you and the roses

Touch me and I will follow in your afterglow

Heal me from all this sorrow

As I let you go I will find my way when I see your eyes

Now I'm living in your afterglow

Here I am, lost in the ashes of time, but who owns tomorrow?

In between the longing to hold you again

I'm caught in your shadow, I'm losing control

My mind drifts away, we only have today

Touch me and I will follow in your afterglow

Heal me from all this sorrow

As I let you go I will find my way

I will sacrifice 'til the blinding day when I see your eyes

Now I'm living in your afterglow

When the veils are gone, as I let you go, as I let you go

Touch me and I will follow in your afterglow

Heal me from all this sorrow

As I let you go I will find my way, I will sacrifice

Now I'm living in your afterglow

Bathed in blue, the walls of my memory divides the thorns from the roses

It's you who is closest