Holi....

Holi as all of us know it's a festival of color, love, peace and togetherness
I used to be a active participant and used to play every year since childhood. Since last two year I am in US at this time of the year so I am not able to celebrate it's with full zest, if at all we want to celebrate it is not possible will all enthusiasm and energetic 1. It's snow all around 2. Its sub zero temperature.
So today is just like any other day for me... I wish this is last time i am not playing holi...

Few of the Holi celebration I remember are:

- This one at my office... wind down calendar 4 years... Back then our office group, believed in celebrating all the festivals from Holi to Christmas/New Year.... Holi being the first festival of the year it was always fun… We would sent invite to the whole building (roughly 400+) people but we knew that only people to attend would be our team (50+) we got all organic colors just to make sure that people don't constraint by telling that I am allergic.
Once all the people in our group were all colored.... We planned to visit all floor and make sure to color all volunteer who want to be part of it but could not come by.... So we colored coloring people who willing wanted to be part of the Holi… from 6th floor to ground floor.

- This one is special as it was with all my college friends.... every year our group played Holi in incremental way... It is like one or two will start from their place, drop by another friends place color him, this is used to continue till late afternoon and we all group by then would have covered half of Pune...

Playing Holi with kids is most interesting of all, we used to form multiple teams and chase each other

By late afternoon we would be all tired and beyond reorganization....

Next day going to office is more amazing as he trace of color on our face and hands which were all ready to scream out and tell all how fun and great HOLI we had…

Cricket.... argument... Sachin....

Today Sachin became the first cricketer to score double century in forty years of limited over cricket match (earlier it used to be 60 over).

I was not aware of the match also, mostly i sleep with laptop by my head, and today morning the alarm had run coupe of time i was still lazy to get up.... just then my long time friend pinged me on gTalk.. asking me "why the hell i am sleeping this late" (it was 7:20am EST)... get up and watch Sachin slamming South African bowlers...

I was still in half sleep, i open "www.cricinfo.com" and saw Sachin pic on the site and it stated, new record in creation, that was it my eyes were wide open.
I huriedly checked scored card, by then Saeed Anwar record of 194 run was history, as it was time to be re-written by India's little Master Blaster "Sachin Tendulkar", he went on and ended up scoring 200 unbeaten by the time India's Inning came to a close....

Just then i remembered those day when i was in Pune and used to watch each match telecasted on TV religiously, my whole family are big fan of cricket. I can literally get into fight for Sachin, and so was my dad ready to get into a fight for Rahul Dravid (He is nicknamed as 'The Wall' the most dependable batsmen in middle order.

Every match in which India used to play, and be what ever be the result by the end i and my dad would have half a dozen argument both proclaiming their own idol as best, and both not ready to stand down :-0

I really miss those arguments and defending for Sachin i had with my dad.

After every fight Mom used to make sure that we have a peaceful ending and the arguments are cricket fight is over by dinner.

I bet today also if i and my dad are to watch cricket match together, we will not end with out an argument.... :-0

I Flunked :-0

I Flunked in Knowledge Test (mandatory test one has to clear to get a US road driving license).



Today finally after all my attempts of clear the exam and i move a step closer in getting my driving license took a back step, as i have to wait for 7 days before attempting another test.... And next time i should have no other reason.

In all I have been to the DMV (Driving Motor Vehicle) for 5 times, yes its true five times.

Attempt 1#.
As all suggested, there is no need for one to read the book (driver manual) its better to give practice online test till that time, preparation level should reach a stage where looking at the answer one should tell the question.

Okay i prepared for 2 weeks had given bunch of practice exams, and finally i was at the DMV, they have a six point verification (more details 6 points). I had to submit address proof; my landlord was so lenient that he gave me the agreement without mentioning dates. That was all it required for me to mess up (this is what i had put 1 Apr 2009 - 31 Mar 2009), The person cancelled the document and i was sent away with nothing :-0

Attempt 2#.
After couple of months another my friend was visiting DMV, asked me to join so i took some test before that and accompanied him, after reaching their not sure what happened i decided not giving the test and ended up only getting a ID proof for my self :-0

Attempt 3#.
This same friend #2 motivated me for second attempt, so i tagged along with my room-mate for preparation, and finally on a Sat we decided, and this time, Friday we have a weather alert (mentioning we might receive as much as 18 inches of snow). But alas not a single flake were yet ready so Sat morning we reached DMV, for our surprise, a Memo welcomed us (Due to adverse weather alert we are closed)... Gosh

Attempt 4#.
This time again i tagged and two other people to try out our luck giving the exam, so finally Sat morning we were once again at the DMV, and this time, "System Down" Gosh i am jinxed and as i am only the common variable in all the above attempts hehehe, cant resist laughing

Attempt 5#.
This time i had not prepared for the test but made my mind and planned to change the day of exam as in all above attempts it was Saturday, so this i took gambled and planned to venture on Thursday, after all above try i got myself cleared from all the verification points and but things were not to end for me.... In the exam one has to clear 40 questions from 50, and in my case on 48th question I happened answer 11 incorrect... So I flunked.



Attempt 6#.
Not sure when this will happen but know its a matter of time i guess hope #6 turns out to be lucky or me.

Interesting perspectives.

This one to i tagged from Preeti blog.

The set of questions framed are nice and each one of us will have some different way oh this question, i bet each will have its one set of How, Why & Buts...

It would be fun to answer them.... So please answer them, and let hope you know what’s in store for you if this is about to become true :-0

1. Would you rather have the power to be invisible or the power to read minds?
2.Would you rather spend the rest of your life without a significant other, or would you rather have a partner who is extremely difficult?
3.Would you like to know the day you’re going to die ahead of time? Why or why not?
4.What does love mean to you?
5.Do you think it is okay to lie? When would it be alright?


#1-- Invisible or Read Mind: Hmmm this is interesting, back during our school day a movie "Mr India" got released and in that the main actor happens to get a watch which will help him to get Invisible (and not invincible) at that time i dreamt that i would love to have one such watch or such power. But know i would opt for "Read Mind". It not because i am that wiser, it would be great to now at time how to tackle a person who is with you, or many un-told things which do trouble people at time, and i bet every guy would love to have this power so that he can or attempt under stand mind of a lady :-0

#2 -- If given a choice i would love to live all by myself, rather then spending your whole life with stress in making a relationship work. The reason i am choosing this option would be due to my profession it’s purely an "occupational hazard" (this was quoted by one of my office colleague when we commented him how could u watch such a movie). Btw i am an IT consultant, and trust me its not life full of rosy picture (we actually have rosey picture on desktop as wallpaper or screensaver) hehehe

#3 -- Date of death: Hmmm a big FAT NO. Why to live a life of predictability, say if a dare-devil knew in his date of death, i guess it will not even inspire him to perform the stunt.... so as simple as that i to would not love to know the D Date.... easiest way would be to live each day as if their is no tomorrow

#4-- Love: Love is a relationship, which do not relay on caste / creed / religion, its universal do not recognize boundary, Love is untold support which one get

#5--- Okay to Lie: to a extent yes, knowingly or unknowing each one of us would be saying dozens of lie each day.... Most lie not to hurt one or to take undue advantage, if a lie if told with good conscience its fine for me.

Please do comment your answer, it would be fun to write your thought.

Valentines day.....

More then s decade back India (Pune) was never gripped with Valentine's day fever....
As time progressed or rather as we started becoming more global, many events and celebrations became part of our routine life....
I remember we started celebrating Friendship day (1st week of Aug) and yes 14 Feb was getting started to marked as a day when people of all ages started expressing love & feelings to their loved one....
Archies & Hallmark started playing a bigger role in this by creating the most eye catching gifts and greeting one can gift to his/her loved once....
This time I am in NY and someone special is in Pune... Not to sat that I miss her and hate not to be in Pune....
Yesterday night it was Pizza time at my place, so I was in Shop-Rite to get something required for pizza at 11pm. In front of me at the counter a person in his late 50 was buying couple of roses...

Our discussion.
Me: hmm the lady should be lucky
Mr A: oh yes... Btw how will I make sure they are fresh till morning
Me: put it in water or keep it in fridge... Or in freezer if it's for next year :-0
Mr A: laugh out loud... U know what I was waiting for her to sleep.. Later I slipped my tell wanted to watch TV... and after sometime I came here....
Me: She indeed is lucky

Over here, I see a person wanting to gift roses to his loved one on valentines day.... And back in India, I see the so called social police (people who consider themselves as the safeguard of Indian culture and heritage) this are those people who do not have any work and are against Valentine’s Day not sure why? And what are they going to achieve from it. Lately to get fame it's better and easy to protest against any popular flow, be it right or wrong, rather then helping people in need, as doing this one is not to get any publicity.

Be it any way... I will celebrate this day every year....
I actually sent bunch of roses and chocolates to my Mom & some personalized gift to someone special....



The Icy heart is put up at Time Square, It made on Ice, and this heart is to completely melt by 22nd Feb, so it another 6 days, and over this time the heart will have different shapes .... It would be interesting to watch it daily, not to see its evolution, rather to say its extinction, but it better that we all keep aside the difference and nurture love in our hearts..

From 67 to 193

You might be wondering that is the tag line or what does it mean.
Well actually that my heart rate recorded while i was using thread-mill, i myself was shocked to see 194 flashing as heart rate, i questened myself, it is fine to see that higher number. Good that i am not that week hearted to faint on that view :-0
 
Till 4 months back i have never stepped in a GYM, that many would say hmmm that’s bad one should do some sort of exercise... In fact i myself do not have a reason or explanation why i never joined a GYM.
 
So finally when i had joined, i remember the first day, the person who help me enrolled gave a small walk through mentioning me what all facilities they do have in GYM, after that i decide its still not good to start on that day itself i will come by tomorrow to start exercising. So next day i went,, and i have always heard from people around me that they run for this long and amount of calorie they burn all those stories. On which i used to say a small double chocolate cookie at Starbucks has 400 calories in it, and the reply i used to get i takes roughly 40 mins running on Treadmill to lose that much, and I used to pass a smile on them.

Just to be more serious in GYM i undertook few session, Session 1: My trainer, wanted to check how much i can run, under 300meters i was exhausted and my heart rate was touching 170+. He told "Its not a nice news my friends" and as usual i just laughed, he told common i am serious you are not to laugh this isn’t funny, i replied him, i laugh on every situation.
 
So over the time, i am able to cover a nice distance on treadmill running, yesterday i did cardio for 15 min, starting speed 6miles and gradually increased that to 9miles, covered close to 1.6miles and did see the magical number "Rate at which my heart was beating --- 194"