First Things First

When I first touched the apple laptop...and as my friend told me to get a hold of it and feel the mac and apple inventions...I lost my typing skills..it was almost like my vocab was dumb...The keypad could be compared to a flower whom you shud not touch but appreciate.

It was also the same when I touched an i-Phone...dint know whom to call....how caught-between-happiness are we when we get what we want and are in a numb-state. Again, the day I bought Nokia-5610..the first camera phone....the first person I called..the first photo I took..and the first message I received..oh..mine..its all so great to experience that feeling...

As you read on, I am sure you remember the things that you got..first time..and the ecstasy..the first time you rode a bicycle..(tricycle)..first time you drove a 2/4 wheeler...the day you wore a tie...your favourite sports shoe...or the first bike..or your guitar..the first time you were on an aeroplane..

The first time we did coding..and that was implemented successfully :-) ....However..coding nowadays is more of looking at the screen and more-or-less writing the same thing again and again..may be with more indentation.

How thoughts roll across and you go back to your childhood and think..how your experience was.....and sometimes feel ashamed of what childlike you have been to have demanded stuffs from your parents ;-)

History: We were in Agra on a trip and I was in 2nd standard...and my dad had told me he would buy me a watch..the digital one..which costed around Rs.25 It was almost evening and the volcano-feeling of getting a watch erupted..and I stood like a T in the middle of the street and would not move till the Wa !! tch ticked in MY wrist.

And sometimes you feel proud of doing something like that....We all have similar kind of experiences and have different and amazing feelings attached to it.Do share your experiences..and the madness you went through..

YNP

YNP stands for Yosemite National Park.

I , infact we have always been amazed to see the way Google functions..one example is the Logo of Google which changes according to the ocassion. I also feel the same and will try to depict my mood thru the blog-image. What a gr8 idea..but human emotions are not ocassions...hmmm..let give a try... How far can I go..Lets see...

My first being the dry background of Yosemite National Park which replaces the Kartik at the beach. After visiting YNP today, I truly acknowledge that it deserves to be a world heritage centre. Heaven for the trekkers...the naturists....and for the 'common' people who can visualize the nature monster-standing infront of them. It was a 1 day trip..and I have already planned..the next time I go..I will be there for a minimum of 3 days. So nice is the place - a refuge to me..and infact to all of them who hail from the roar and dust, the sick environment and the man-made hell. Only words you will utter..will be kind of..WAAUUUUW....oh gosh..terrific..spectacular...amazing..I am sure u will be short of words to appreciate nature in its own home.

Excellent scenic drive and a must-see for someone in and around california. As we moved towards one of the vista points -May Lake..we could see ice(snow ka bhai)...on some of the rocks...ice in June..can u believe that....its not melted yet...Its on the Tioga Road..which remains closed november thru may.

Glacier Point needs a mention...huge rocks..the watefalls...the valley..you can always google out things which are good to see in YNP..I am waiting for my next trip....and will update you with more pics and stuff...

Hindi Poetry I

I am impressed and totally mesmerised with hindi poetry....or u can say..hindi verses..may it be a doha or a sonnet in hindi....shero-shayari...Hindi is the language I feel very comfortable to express myself the best.

History: I was in 7th standard and been to nagaland where I met Tiwari-ji who used to work with my Dad. And it was then when I was introduced to bit of shayris and poetry and their meanings....One of those verses which I would like to share is -

Nakshatra bhushanam chandro
Naarinaam bhushanam patiha
Pratidhya bhushanam Raja
Vidya Sarvasya bhushanam.

These are self explanatory and everyone may not agree with all the lines but we do find some inspirational good things in everthing and everyone.

Nakshatra bhushanam chandro - Moon is the ornament of all stars
Naarinaam bhushanam patiha - Husband the ornament for the wife
Pratidhya bhushanam Raja - King is the ornament for his Subjects
Vidya Sarvasya bhushanam - Knowledge is the ornament for everyone !!

And we really do and should boast of great poets..kabir is one of them..Tulsidas.and so many. As I remember some more..

'Aalasasya kuto vidya, Avidasya kuto dhanam
Adhanasya kuto mitram, Amitrasya kuto sukham'

If you are lazy you wont have knowledge and if no knowledge - no money
No money then no friends, No friends - No happiness !!

I have been fortunate enuf to have some friends in Delhi who were from Allahabad..the epicentre of Hindi poetry as I am made to believe....the great sense of peotry and the power it has...but even though I have been so attracted..I have not been able to do justice to myself by keeping in touch with hindi verses. More to come on that..in my upcoming posts...where we dont live our dreams...we behave like common people..stuck in the social bindings. Social laws are written for the common man..You are not common..dude ...Raise up..and live yur life.We dream but dont apply...dont have a goal for ourself.....!! People who do not have a goal are no better then dead and there are so many of them breathing around but do not even know they are Dead.

फ़िर मिलेंगे

गर जिंदगी में मिल गए फ़िर इत्तेफाक से

पूछेंगे अपना हाल तेरी बेबसी से हम

- साहिर लुधियानवी

People

"Mujh ko bata mera dar hai kahan maula
jogi bana main phira rawan kinna...."

Everybody is a jogi in some terms and most of them throughout their life....Some songs do touch us and make you flash those moments infront of you..may it bad or good...Left home after class 12th and since then been a Jogi of all sorts :-(

And as my best friend puts it, people around you are ladders, you have something to learn from each one of them and grow up in life...I was the lone cook today as my frens had some office-calls and as I started to chop vegetables to make aalu-shimlamirch ki sabji...I played some bengali songs,,"Shei tumi keno..." and " Mone aar naai re...." ..Wherever I might be and whenver I feel lonely I play some of my favourite songs..coz as the real-player sang so melodiously, I felt I just had to open the door and I could find Atanu..Daadu..Pontu with beedi....sharing one of our own lectures. And actually I like to be in that mode and enjoy being so..just as I would turn right and see Shankar-Da religiously cooking the best of food....or sometimes I myself sing "Piyu bole Piya bole..." to make myself feel that I am inside VM - Vaibhav mansion. How on earth do I do that....

Everbody does it....and u meet different people as the JJ - Jogi Journey goes on and on...God must be anxious to see how puts such different people in one box and roll it into the bowling stands.....At an atomic level..VM is one good example..or perhaps the earth is one big example where everbody is in and GOD curiously watches how and what happens NEXT!!

When I see the heads of Jit-da, Ranjan, Kannan-Anna, atanu, joy, daadu , sujoy da...and so many others...the head is just a mask for the brain cells who are actually facing a storm...kind of a tsunami..the high energy of thoughts..some absurd..some good..and how on earth do they think so much ! Keep aside Biology, and you would find a kurukshetra in everyone's head..just ignore how they look like...its the brain cells that are smart and not THEY ! Sometimes in discussions I stare at their heads and dream of how the cells would be suffering inside...some of the same type of cells who are sleeping inside my head..

Even in office meetings..when I feel sleepy or boring..I stare at the barking humans and go to a different world..when the lectures seem to be rubbish...humour pops out..absurd thoughts occupy my mind and I am truly lost in myself...I am sure most of you also experience the same thing...

Its not always humour though..some songs touch your heart....me being so sentimental..lot of songs make me feel and moresoever..makes me think...some generate the tears in my eyes...

"Addhura hun main ab tere binaaa.......
Addhuri meri jindagaani reh jaayegi.....Doorie sahi jaaye naa.."

And practically the same song is interpreted differently by different people...As I hear the above two lines..I miss my dad.....and much before I realized that I had lost my dad..I used to miss my girl-friend with the same two lines. Sample example below:

"Kambakht yeh chand bhi ajeeb keher dhaata hai...
bachpan mein mama, jawaani mein sanam nazar aata hai "

I might be the KID in each group..the lesser GK-waala, ignorant....less experinced in terms of life..I dont think much when travelling...just relax..but believe me..lot of absurd thoughts go in my mind and I enjoy them a lot..and feel happy bout myself....I think about almost everthing..from what the vegetables think, What would I do..if I could fly....what if I am selected into Indian Cricket team and how I would behave then :-) and lots and lots..

I would try to keep these kind of post with a different link in the blog as I dont want to bother you people so much that you block my blog !

Lion (Sher)

हमें इन सस्ती खुशियों का लोभ न दो

हमने सोच समझ कर गम अपनाया है

- साहिर लुधियानवी

Begun Bhaja

As I opened the fridge, I could see a half-cut egg-plant (Brinjal). Manu was going to prepare a sukhi-sabji with aalu and cabbage. This brinjal was getting older and it was time it should die. I could visulaize "Begun-Bhaja" in that brinjal and I told Manu and Narinder that I would make one of the bengali dishes and I was sure they would like it.

They did warn me against the amount of oil I was going to spent on an experiment whose result could be horrible. Will all the courage I have, i stormed into Narinder's Kitchen..(Mine was loaded with rice and dal). Made a mix of haldi, chilli powder..and salt and rubbed the beguns against that paste. Now the real game began...I put one begun on to the already heated oil...Oh God ...I think the begun had some water in it..and oil started to dance and spill...Save me my Lord !! One by one..as it turned brown and partly black...I had fried 7 beguns.....kuch toh jal gaye the :-(

Little did I know the amount of smoke my preparation generated....luckily it was just not good enuf to ring the smoke-alarm-bell. Narinder started yelling and opened the doors and windows..as he was the one who had to sleep there :-)

It was really very oily..but not that bad...eatable..It made be remember Barpeta Road (Assam) where "Begun Bhaja" is a common preparation.

BTW..the snap which I took of the "Begun Bhaja's" contains a newspaper in the background....and the only readable words are " Avoid Mistakes"......I have to appreciate GOD..and destiny.

Boss

Give me the Wisdom, To understand my Boss
Give me the Love, To forgive him
Give me the Patience, To understand his deeds

But dearest God, dont give me the Power
Because if you give me the Power
I will BREAK his head !

GREAT

This is what I feel bout myself...Two weeks of swimming and I can swim a whopping distance of half the pool :-) . After a hectic day at the office..the functionals sitting on my head and me behaving like a sorry ass...I plunged into the pool as if I would cross the English Channel. As the gorees dip themselves into the water and feel me ..he he... J

One hour at swimming and 2 litres of water (drank them all), donno how much calories did I burn. Its was 40 mins that I had become "Hippopotamus in pool"..cannot move or splash my hands/legs...it was time to merge myself into the jacuzzi :-)

The upcoming week is gonna be hectic at office and Bush might have to call back the troops from Iraq to help me from the functional testing guys. So guys..thumbs up and say - " All the best, Kartik"..C'mon be louder...."ALL THE BEST, KARTIK" ...Hmmmm.....That was nice!

Faith - Man with Umbrella

A long time ago, there was a severe draught in certain parts of India. One village in particular was caught up right in the middle of this draught belt. The economy of this village was entirely dependent on agricultural produce. Without rains, the villagers faced a bleak future, indeed. The extreme heat of the sun had dried up the rivers and the lakes. There was hardly any water left in the wells. The people were really desperate for water.

The villagers approached the village pundit (priest) and asked him to organise a prayer-for- rain meeting in the temple. The whole village turned out at this prayer meeting. One man was among the last group of people who arrived at the temple and every body with strange quizzical looks on their faces, was looking at this one man. This man was carrying an umbrella and he was the only man who brought his umbrella to this prayer meeting. No villager was ever seen carrying an umbrella outside of the rainy seasons. To the villagers, it was as strange as seeing a housewife going everyday to the vegetable market dressed in a bride’s costume! For it seemed unconventional to carry an umbrella when there was not one rain cloud in the sky.
The prayer meeting commenced and at the end of all the rituals and ceremonies, when people were about to leave the temple, they could not hold back their curiosity about the man and his umbrella.

‘Why was he carrying the umbrella?’ the people asked.

Upon being questioned, the man with the umbrella replied:
"The Lord will provide. He gives and He takes away. The Lord will surely answer our prayers for rain and I will need the umbrella for the rains".

The villagers laughed him off. Not one of the villagers could appreciate the absolute and sincere faith of the man with the umbrella. The scorching heat of the sun outside the temple was still fresh in their minds.

And then, a miracle took place. As the people were streaming out of the temple door and putting on their shoes, rain clouds appeared in the sky, the gentle breeze gave way to gusting winds, the pallor of the sky darkened and thunder and lightning heralded the coming of the rains. And a sudden downpour opened the eyes of the villagers. Their ridicule of the man with the umbrella changed to amazement, disbelief, and they now understood the intense faith of this man. All the villagers agreed that it was the sincere prayer of this one man with his total faith and devotion that the Lord simply had to answer.

Milk & Water Friendship

We often have examples of friendship and I would like to share my favourite story on friendship between Milk and Water.

The milkman bells the door and gives the packet of milk. The owner adds some water to the milk and pours into an utensil and keeps it on the Stove. The thought process of Milk and Water ...

Water: " Milk is my best friend..I had nothing in me..no colour..no purity, the money value...the taste..and the added minerals..calcium..and so many things..Who would give me all that he has in this selfish world..By getting mixed up with the milk..I have attained all the characteristics of milk..and so..he is my best friend and I owe a lot to him"

Milk: " As usual , the owner is going to boil me and later drink and I am going to die very soon..Who in the world will accompany you in the path of death...Water is the best friend and is with me in the worst of situation and so he is my best friend"

As the milk gets heated...

Water: "Since the milk has given me so much..I cannot let it die...I should be the first one to die....and so the water vapours up..in no time and milk is left alone.."

Milk: "In my short span of life, I got the best of friend and he also has left me now....I cannot live without him..and I should die now....I dont want to live..and so the milk decided to commit suicide by falling into the gas stove fire.. "

It comes up gradually above the utensil..to spill into the Stove and die...the owner sees that...and sprinkles some water on to the milk...As soon as his fren (water) returns back to him..the milk subsides down ...

Post a comment if you like the story :-)

Story of Onion, Tomato and Ice Cream

Long long time ago, when humans had not dominated the world..and even the vegetables used to have a social life..this story is about three best frens - Onion,Tomato and Ice-cream. It was a very humid day and all three decided to spend their time at the marina beach. Though Tomato and Onion were pretty good swimmers, the Ice-Cream was bit reluctant as he did not know to swim...But convinced that OT would help I, they all reached the beach. It was a lot of fun..but suddenly the ice-cream slipped out fo tomato's hands and drowned....OT tried their best to save the Ice-cream but in vain...It was like the tsunami had destined to take away the Ice-Cream.

Shattered, doomed...seeing a fren drown and being helpless..what else can the HELL be made of ! Tears unstoppable....three frens and one of them gone..they were walking in the beach shore like mad ..cursing the Bay of Bengal. Then suddenly, the tomato saw huge giant foot above his head..and before he could react... he was crushed to death by a human-being strolling on the beach.

Hell had broken loose on the onion...cursing himself for giving the idea of swimming..left alone in this bad-bad world...without frens...having seen close frens drown and then crushed to death...he was not in his own self...fed up with his life..he rammed into the temple and in amitabh-deewar style..Aaaii...with all his complaints and as the tears flooded the temple..he asked why was it that..he is left with no frens. When the Ice-cream and Tomato died..there was someone to shed tears atleast and feel for them...But the onion was left stranded in this world......

The God appeared and told him..Dude ! Whenever you die, the perosn who kills you will cry....Tatashtu !!

And this is why we all cry when we cut onions :-) Post a comment whether you like it or not !

saDavatharam

With lot of expectations...an ardent fan of Kamal especially after seeing "Anbe Sivam", I left Santa Clara campus and headed towards Century Berryessa where dasavatharam IS being screened. The movie started with a bang..back to 12th century and kamal in his own self..but as the 3 hours went by..it was an horrible experience...If you are looking for logical storyline..forget this movie....but if you are looking for acting(kamal's)..You can probably watch older movies of Kamal which are outstanding. Ten roles..just for showcasing the talent, the makeup and to prove his ability. He actually does not need to prove anything..he just could have made a wonderful movie. All in all...the rating would be 2.5 out of 5.

Some Kamal-characters did stand out atleast for me (Chris Fletcher and Balram Naidu)..fantastic makeup..acting..even though fletcher was a bit unbelievable.Watch the movie only when the ticket prices go down....Some relief..in the last 10 mins or so..when the tsunami stuff is picturised in a better way (actually it could have been worse).

Came back at 9PM yesterday night and spent some time with Jack Daniels and towards a sound sleep.

Football and Life in Bangalore...

Never have I been a sports buff except for cricket....We all have recently started playing football here at the Lick Mill Park..There's a tennis court too. Football is really very painful..My legs have gone on strike against me as they felt I treated them as slaves...I am surpised how Rolandinho and Rooney plays.....Well Rooney might be playing the real game nowadays as he got married to his childhood sweetheart very recently....Wish you a very happy married life Rooney Bhai.

Coming back to legs..its aching like hell and after 8 PM I threw myself in the pool....All these drama-baji is not just to lose weight..but to be away from the compter/code/erp world and be what I actually am - a small kid in the big world, playing and relaxing irrespective of whether the earth is gonna be saved or not J.

Even with this hectic schedule....I miss bangalore and alpine apartments...I was the King there..who managed kartik..even now I am ! But sometimes playing with those kids, the ganganagar market, going to Sujoy-Da's house, Jit-da, Atanu, Joy, Daadu, Arka...and talking to them bout Kundu, ROnjOn, Pupu and so many things.....

When I used to be in Delhi, my frens often asked me - kartik...tu kabhi life mein serious nahin hoga kyaa..har samay faaltu mazzaaak karna accha nahin hai re....But actually if I look back..and feel those foolish moments of mine, where I have been childlike..talking nonsense...having a cheap sense of humour...living on the edge with some absurd thought process..helped by some cheap non-veg jokes...I actually feel Great bout myself..happy with the slightest of things I possess. So many things to share..bout my frens..especially starting from Doon, Delhi, Kolkata, bangalore...and then Oracle...how they have changed me..or let me take the credit - how I have learnt from them !! Will Keep on posting..even if you dont post a comment ;-)

शायरी फॉर द डे :-)

हर तम्मान्ना हर खुशी से आज मैं दूर हूँ
जी रहा हूँ इसलिए के जीने पर मजबूर हूँ
जीने नहीं देगा मुझे ये तेरा इंतज़ार
चाँद रोया साथ मेरे रात रोई बार बार

Samay Ka Pahiya

Nice song ("Samay Ka Pahiya") from Bhootnath movie starring Amitabh and this is played when the child performs the rituals for the bhoot's mukti. You never know from when and where do you get inspired sometimes. Mostly the mistakes are on the ones you learn more from. Please allow me to dedicate some of the lines of this song to myself.

Office is very hectic nowadays..and after work-hours we have started playing football and if time permitted- a bit of swimming. But I dont have results to show..I am still 67. Probably I am eating more calories than I am burning.

Also if you unfortunately come across this blog ...do comment on what you think when you see a beach first time !! Take a moment and see the first page of this blog :-)

Golden Gate Bridge

One of the best attraction SFO has and its stands up tall to all the name and fame its has been bestowed with...The City view and the bridge is wonderful....For me any such big bridge reminds be of the Howrah Bridge in Kolkata (Ravindra Setu). It was a good experience ..driving ..first to the Oracle Headquarters in redwood city and then to the golden gate bridge and beyond..till we reached sea-shore.

The Oracle HQ was also the first time and it was indeed incredible to have witness the office of the largest Database/ERP solutioning company ;-)

Need to sleep..lotz and lotz of work in days ahead. Good Night Folks !!

Hollywood Blvd

Late though..but this needs a mention as I walked through the streets of Hollywood..the 'inscribed stars' on the road...Lot of actors.. and probably it was just a feeling to be in the Street and nothing else..Actor's hand/foot prints found...and surpirsingly the attached snap is also from the Hollywood Blvd!!

You can give a one-time visit..thats all....we went in the daytime as we had to leave in the afternoon fro San Jose....But I would suggest..go there after evening ;-)

And if you thot the attached is God Ganesh - Wrong answer..Google it out for yourself :-)

Stanford !!

Universities..study centres..educational institutions and colleges..these are things where God has played tease-punish game with me. With all respect to God..I would want to ask him..kyun yaar !! Even I want to be in the best of college and best of campus. God - Aap jo bhi karte ho accha hi karte ho (Shayad)...or the famous harivansh rai line - Mann ka ho toh accha aur agar mann ka naa ho..toh bahut accha. Whatever.

Just been to the Stanford University in California. C'mon..as I commented out to Manu, it was actually more like visitng the Lal Qila in Delhi. Huge..kind of historic look..never-seen-before....and I somewhere felt as I explored the campus that I dont deserve to study here :-(

The nearest one I can think of (that I have been to ) is IIT Chennai where Mayank is studying. No comparison boss...dont hit me...It was a great experience today..and would like to share one angels snap that I took inside the campus and fortunately see the timing of the snap - You find LOVE at her feet !!

Universal Studios & Sea World

I was never a GK guy..who knows bout places and hence was curious to see Universal Studios..what it was.... Even though I had googled it out a bit. My frenz told me it wud be like Ramoji Film City, hyderabad. I have never been there not to Universal. To sum it up..it was a great experience.....rides (sepcifically the simpson's ride), horror museum, the shows, studio tour, jurassic park ride..and what not...Awesome!!

We had also been to the SeaWorld amusement park at San Diego to see Shamu Dolphin, Sea Lions, the pets (dogs,cats,pigs) performing like theatre artiste. But it was very crowded..and the food (burger) was next to hell. But again..the rides were fantastic..and the "Journey to Atlantis" needs a mention. The drive to San Diego from LA was one of the better one I have been till now in US.

This was all 2 weeks back..work is in full flow. BTW..I am swimming everday in the evening for an hour....Did you guys read that clearly..I am swimming :-) .. Still learning but..very happy with myself after a long time for giving a chance. Needa post more bout swimming and sharing the same water with the gorees ;-)

Learn in India and Drive in the US

Mirza-saab...the name of the Great Person who successfully taught me driving four wheelers..and his name is "tattooed" in my mind for the rest of my life. I remember his frowns, anger and smile..when I used to drive :-( BTW, I have learnt driving and have an valid Indian DL.

Never did I know I would bump upon Sujoy-da's alto from WB and get to park it in alpine apartments..I got it just for 1 min..but I wanted to test myself.....and I remba' how I left the Keys in the vehicle. The reason I realized later (When I spent time with myself), that during my driving classes I never had to pull off the keys..coz Mirza-saab had to train the next guy and he wud be sitting in the car for the next candidate...I actually had never taken off the keys in my life :-)

That was all seven months ago and now I am in US..yearning to drive..but so busy are my colleagues...that I did not get time to bring the car from hertz guys. I started with Narinder's vehicle..once,twice...office....and finally booked a ford fusion and drove it myself back to the hotel. Never did I dream bout driving..let alone in india. Copied songs and have put it in the ford's music system. Driving is always a good experience but kartik-driving is an "Adventure" :-)