Tech Museum, San Jose, 11/20/2005

Went to the Tech Museum of Innovation in downtown San Jose. Wanted to take mom, dad and sis for a long time, kept putting off that visit for too long so I could take them to watch the new Harry Potter movie (Goblet of Fire) in the enclosed Hackworth Dome IMAX Theater:)

Couldn't get tickets for yesterday (Saturday) so had to settle for Sunday morning 9 am show, waaaaaa:(( Woke warly and made it on time. But were almost last in the line, so had to sit in the front row. Even though the theater was dome, we still had to strain our necks to watch it. But it was worth it, a movie well made. I didn't remember the book in fine detail, not as much as Puts (my sis) at least, so can't make comparisons and be a critic about how well made it is as far as sticking to the book, but I enjoyed the movie as a whole:)

Then the lunch at Cafe Primavera (the cafe inside the Tech) and a round of the museum. Now comes the tragic part, I lost my Fuji 5MP digital camera:(( I left it at one of the exhibits in the museum and forgot it there and we went back like after 15 mins but couldn't find it. I registered it with the security office but have little hopes of finding it:(( But not feeling all that tragic about it as I would have some 2 years ago even:) I tend towards the philosophical actually, these days;) I was like, it had to happen, it did.

So much for the day, the coming week is a 3-day one, very short, very nice:P Thanksgiving weekend:) Will be travelling to SoCal, LA and Nevada me Las Vegas:) More on this page:)

BTW, still managed some pics in Subhash's (aka Aayana;) )Nokia. Will post them later into this post if I can, as long as I can master my Hello+Picasa Skills.

Hum Panch

Hum Panch

This post is dedicated to four of my long-standing very-good friends (and yes, they are girls, for a change;) )

This is a story about five friends and we used to call ourselves Hum Panch (there was a serial at that time by that name). Who are the Panch (five)? Me (Divya), Shruti, Vamshi, Rathi, and Teju!:) We were classmates in Francis' during intermediate (that is 11 and 12 standard in AP) this was during 1995-1997, 10 years back:)

I will try to recollect how I met each one of them and how we came together in this post, my 10 year friendship day contribution:)

I think the first one I met was Shruti. I met her in my French class. I saw her walk in and the way she droops and walks, she looked so, yeah, brace for it, pitiable;)!!!!! I took instant afsos to her and thought, ohh this girl looks so friendless, I must befriend her. BTW, at that time, I used to carry around hard boiled sugar candies and chocolates with me, so I called her and gave her a candy and said hi and so started out friendship:)

Teju was next. This one is really cntroversial, as much as the first one is funny. We had a Math class and I was sitting in front of Teju. She could not see the board and nor could I. I was straining my neck to get a view and Teju madam calls me from behind and says can you move a bit, I can't see the board. As it is I was annoyed that I wasn't able to so then I said, I can't help it any better than you can, I can't see it either;) Just to annoy her:P And so it started. I know for a fact that Teju did not vote for me in the classrep election and also decided to keep away from me, but then when she got to know the ""real"" me I suppose my charm captivated her (right Teju;)??) and we are still real good friends:)

I don't exactly remember when I first met Rathi and Vamshi, but I know some stuff about our initial days of acquaintance. I took a liking to Rathi when I saw her sincerity in whatever she did. Very meticulous student, and very very sincere:) So we got talking, mainly in the French classes (and later our talking was Francis-famous as Usha ma'am would vouch for;) ) and so started the long-term friendship. Rathi also lives in Sunnyvale, about 7-8 blocks away and still is as sincere and as worrying about the quality of her work as she used to be:) no amount of assurance from any of us would convince her that its good enough;) What say Rathi?:))

Vamshi, now Vamshi and I used to live in the same colony for 3 years or more, I think, but I did not know her before Francis. And I think I met her through one of these other girls:) If I remember right, Teju. Vamshi's Dad (Hi! Uncle) worked for RTC and his jeep was our primary means of transportation on both trips to movies and to exams!!!! God save that driver!! And also the scores of other auto and bus drivers on whose vehicles we got on board;):) Vamshi and I did not connect that much initially but we did a whole lot of stuff later on, and she, till date remains I think the one girl among these that I have met more often and spent more time with, no one understands Vamshi better than I do, and I think you will endorse that girl!!;) Basketball, cards, Shuttle and your landlady in Tarnaka:)) Even though Teju spent loads of time with us, since Vamshi and I were in the same colony, we met more often and shared a lot more:):)

So we still remain, five girls good friends:) And we still manage to create a huge ruckus when we meet and scare people who are within a radius of 20 feet away;) We have not all five met for many years now (I think 1999 when Shruti moved to Riverside, CA). Four of us are here in the US, and Teju ma'am is as always the bossy manager at VSNL (or is it BSNL Teju?). Shruti (aka Shetty), Vamshi, Rathi and I met in Ann Arbor in 2003, we had an amazing time:) I had a blast with Teju when I met her last, and guaging from our performance in scaring people away, I am damn sure that when the five of us next meet, we will create the worst ruckus mankind is yet to witness!!! Amen!!!:)

Daily Digest, 11/16/2005

Daily grind seemed like I was grinding through my life which is actually not true, I am having quite some fun, so I decided to rename my posts as daily digests;) (Digest ---->Food----->Eat, yummm!!!;) )

Early morning, not early actually, more 7.30ish. Slept late last night, came back from San Fran where we went to meet Subhash's IIM-Cal friend. It was fun, except for that it took me three hours to reach San Fran from when I started on the Bay Area/Silicon valley's holy roads. Religiously I drive through the traffic day in and day out. I avoid it most of the times by leaving late and coming back early to escape the traffic but get caught at other times.

These days I am not thinking much about anything, so posts are all very dry boo hoo hoo.

I can't wait to watch Harry Potter though. Needed to take my parents to the Tech Museum and its IMAX theater so I decided to wait until this movie got released as I didn't want to watch another commentary about river Nile or Indian Tigers;) So Saturday is the day. So want to watch that movie. I am a Harry Potter die-hard. What will become of the world after Book 7?;) No, not THAT die-hard actually but somewhat, yes:)

Subhash and I were discussing that Mystery in Mystery Spot, during some part of that three hour journey we took from Milpitas to SFO. Until I took out my notebook and jotted down some figures I could not figure it out. But I understood it later alright! I think I should also do something enterprising like that in India and make some money, but point is, we desis are intelligent, so I might end up having no visitors and going into losses, so much for trying to be enterprising;)

Daily Grind, 11/14/2005

Its just another oooooooooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrdinaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaary day...

Pretty much wasted my morning time in email and timepass. Need to do some finances, need to read for CCIE:((:((

That apart we went to Mystery Spot yesterday, Sunday. It was a funny place, don't know if its natural or man made but it did have some real pull;) Go to mystery spot to find out more:)

In the evening yesterday we went to meet Subhash's cousin who was in SFO for an awards ceremony. True globe-trotter he is:)

Planning the Thanksgiving trip still, need to plan for another trip to Madison in Christmas, so not looking forward to it, all the snow and ice uuuuuuuuuuuurgh!!

I went to school (yes it is a University, Americans call them schools) at University of Wisconsin, Madison. Nice place Madison, except for the dirty winters. I am super sensitive to cold and on top of that I spent four dreary winters in America's snowland, the midwest.

Signing off for today, its been a bad post, I know, too wandering, but I am not finding anything these days to spark off my wit or cynicism, or maybe I am coming under the influence of hubby and becoming too good and not criticizing anything about anyone, alas!!!!!

Daily Grind 11/11/2005

Its one of my friends' bday, I just remembered, need to call or at least email;)

Planning a trip to Las Vegas, Los Angeles and if possible, Grand Canyon. Was looking at air-fares, so expensive!!! To travel within California, from Silicon Valley to LA, if I have to spend 300 bucks, its attrocious. So we decided that we would drive down. We = Subhash & me. Need to take my parents around, been idling at home weekend after weekend:( The last major trip I took them on was NYC and Niagara. That was a good trip, Subhash had just come back from India.

Have been in the US for four years now, never found it any great, prefer to go back to India any day. My parents came visiting in August and they are here till Jan. Feb I am getting married!!! Can't wait to let go of my spinster days;) Subhash moved to the US because I was here, now he doesn't find it great either, so planning to go back ASAP:)

Rathi came over (we were a set of 5 girls, thick friends from 10 years, like 1995:), classmates in 11 & 12) yesterday, we were discussing a whole lot of things, of them was India or US. My dad, as usual asked her, what are your long term plans, India or US, then started the whole thread, why India, why US. I prefer India, but my Dad and Rathi preferred the US;) We were generally highlighting the good and evils. Traffic in Hyd! Rathi said she couldn't stand it, I said, I will just have a chauffeur when I go back to India, udhar at least you can afford one, not like here;) I don't deny it, I like the noise, the active cultures so to speak (like they advertise in Yoghurts here, 1000's of active cultures, live bacteria), the sheer life and its colourfulness (not colorfulness, mind you!!!). Here life looks black and white to me, plain, dull, boring. Lets see when I can actually get back. Lost two years before I could find a decent job, need to make up for it asap and go back:)

Then, nothing much, Shruti called, what a coincidence I wanted to call her to ask what her plans were for Thanksgiving, I remember she said she was going home to Riverside, we spoke for some time, then I was watching Wizard of Oz, couldn't live through it, fell asleep. Subhash went out to watch cricke with his friends.

This weekend I must take my folks out somewhere, just thinking where:)

Daily Grind, 11/09/2005

Today was just like any other, days are getting shorter, nights longer. I lived in Wisconsin for four years, that was depressing. Having lived in Hyderabad (India), I never thought that I would crave for sunlight;) With soaring temps every summer, I used to hate the sunny days, in Wisconsin I craved and yearned for them:))

Then I had some good time at work, my job is essentially software testing and so like a fisherman (rather fisherwoman) I wait and wait for fish (aka bugs) to catch in the lake (aka programs) ;) Today I found FIVE!!! The maximum I got in a day. Then there is the usual round of emails from people, spent quite sometime on perusing some interesting emails on a program we did recently.

I guess I will eventually fill these pages about who I am and all that...

Currently planning to write the CCIE, I just got through 3/7s of my book:( I have been reading for months together. There was once a time when I would have finished one book in a month, so much for working on a full time job and having familial ;) responsibilities:P

Better get back to some of my office work (which I left midway and came home because the sun had set) and then I shall try and finish some reading, ahem...

Just the beginning

Why Sinusoidal...I was thinking ups and downs, that is what all our lives are about right?:) But hubby dear said, general scribbles, then I said, scribbling ups and downs, then hubby said, sinusoidal scribbles:) Hubby is the brilliant one right:) So I said go!!:)