Turbulence

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

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

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

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

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

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...

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

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

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

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!