Quote

This is again another shameless copy

"Sometimes the ideal feels sooooooooooo good that one yearns to hold on to it and elude the real. The irony is its the ideal that eludes you ! "

Driving

In this vast country called the United States, to be able to drive a Car is a must. A real must. Theres no independence unless you can do that. And when a friend here and a friend there (especially the friend here!!!) refuses to learn driving, it really gets to me. If you got to live here for any length of time you better know driving.

Music Musings

I am now listening to the songs from Minnale and Alaipayuthey. These are some of my favouroite songs. Interestingly one of the few films where the lyrics actually (I consider) are quite nice. Listen to them sometime and u'll see the flow of Tamil.

Somehow as far as music goes, in general i can listen to anything. Sometimes i prefer carnatic instrumental, sometimes cine songs. I havent yet got a hold of the Rock cult, inspite of having been close to quite a few friends from the cult--the latest addition being Renga( I must add he nowhere close to the others in the cultism tho).

Venki, ur music Cds i will send them to you as soon as possible i promise. I will try to write a few Cds over the weekend and mail them by Monday. Lets see whether i can keep my promise.

I have suddenly started wondering what kind of music does Bala listen to? Bala, if u do read this drop in a line man. By the way, that reminds me that its been a long while since i talked to Bala too. I hope to change all that sometime this weekend.

After a few days yesterday i went and played some squash immediately after some swimming. Was happy to get extremely tired.

Reminding Gaurav/Kavitha

Well, I just felt that it was only right to remind Gaurav through this blog. Afterall, isnt that how Kavitha came to know about the PotLuck that was hosted at his place. Let me add that the food at the Ptluck was wonderful. Anyway, Gaurav its my duty to remind you that Kavitha would be leaving to the MidWest---Yes shes becoming a RANGER just as she wanted to!!! So if you have any plans of feeding her anytime better be soon!

SKI Update Part 2

The Ski trip, has had its ill effects also i guess. Yesterday and today i have noticed that i have a sharp shooting pain in the lower back every once in a while when i attempt to get off the chair. Gaurav has tried to find fault with my wonderful chair, but i know that the fault is well within me ..not with the chair.

Ski Update

Saturday was Ski time again. Me, Shyam Renga and Rambo went Skiing to the White Tail Ski resorts. It was supposedly great conditions for Skiing. We started late that day (as has been the custom whenever me and Shyam have been involved in any activity!!). So at around 4 we departed College Park. We reached the Ski resort at around 5:40 or so. Getting into Ski gear etc took the next 20-25 minutes. We then hit the slopes.(well I actually litearally hit the slopes). I was actually very very underconfident (if such a word exists) and was struggling with the skiis for the first half an hour or so. But then as i skiind on the first two Bunny slopes for about half an hour or so, i regained my toch ( whih is to say i fell down at a less frequent rate!!!).

So after asometime of comfortable Skiing in the bunny slopes i decide to try the next slope which was definitely much harder and much longer and much steeper. (But of crse to Pro skiers like Shyam this slope is a piece of cake.). Anyway i am still an amateur while on top of the slope i decide i will give it my best shot. The next few seconds were great. I had a flwless long Run on this slope. It lasted for about half the length of the slope and then i had my first fall on this slope. I completed the slope with two more falls. By then i was really really cold. So we all went out to have some Tea/Coffee.

After replenishing ourselves we hiot the slopes again. I made two more attempts at the long eluding slope. Both attempts were moderate. I had a few falls every once in a while but on the whole i was getting more comfortable handling the Skiis. Lets see how the next time goes. Hopefully i will be able to Ski again later next week.

Clarifications

For those few who have asked me whether I am actually a Dr/Prof et al.

I havent yet completed my PhD. I am still a Graduate student!!! I hope to one day complete my PhD. But that seems a distant dream.

This is precisely the reason why that email was funny. It was funny because the sender had assumed that I was a Prof/Dr neither of which i was!!!

Mass Proffing

Mass mailing profs for positions as Research Assistants and for Internships is I guess common. But theres a limit to such mass mails. When I receive a mail asking for an internship....Well that is funny. This is an email i received today. Read and enjoy. I have removed any reference to the name of the sender for anonymity.


Dear Prof Dr.V.Ashok Narayanan,
I am a 3rd year undergraduate student of **** Engineering at **********.I am impressed by your research work in the field of signal processing.I particularily went through your publications on The fractional Fourier transform: theory, implementation and error analysis and i was really impressed by your research work. As a part of the curriculum the students are required to undergo a summertraineeship at the end of the 3rd year. I am highly interested in doing a summer training in your research group and would be highly obliged if you gave me an opportunity for internship during (May-July) in 2005. My academic interests are in signal processing. I believe that doing a project under you would fulfill my interests and expose me to the current trends in these fields of research. I am attaching my resume and hope for a favorable response.I would also like to request you that if you are not the intended person, please forward this to the authorized person. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
****** ******

Friday

Its Friday today and that of crse means that the weekend is around the corner. It makes my heart a little lighter and my mood a little upbeat. Not just mine actually. When you walk around campus you can see a spring in peoples stride. Ispite of the biting temperature (-10 degrees). But then again this is not as bad as it was 2 years ago...with a 30 inch snowfall during this time. But thinking back it was a nice time,...What with all those holidays because of the snow.

My Dear Friends

This is something i friend sent to me....
It definitely struch a chord somewhere...


Around the corner I have a friend,
In this great city that has no end,
Yet the days go by and weeks rush on,
And before I know it, a year is gone.

And I never see my old friends face,
For life is a swift and terrible race,
He knows I like him just as well,
As in the days when I rang his bell.

And he rang mine but we were younger then,
And now we are busy, tired men.
Tired of playing a foolish game,
Tired of trying to make a name.

"Tomorrow" I say! "I will call on Jim
Just to show that I'm thinking of him."
But tomorrow comes and tomorrow goes,
And distance between us grows and grows.


Around the corner, yet miles away,
"Here's a telegram sir," "Jim died today."
And that's what we get and deserve in the end.
Around the corner, a vanished friend.


Remember to always say what you mean.
If you love someone, tell them.
Don't be afraid to express yourself.
Reach out and tell someone what they mean to you.

Because when you decide that it is the right time
it might be too late.




Seize the day. Never have regrets.



And most importantly, stay close to your friends

and family, for they have helped

make you the person that you are today.

Skiing

Yesterday night i went Skiing. It was good Fun. Me and Shyam left home at about 3 PM sunday. We reached WhiteTail Ski resorts around 4:30 PM or so. I joined the beginner Ski lessons being a first time skier while Shyam the veteran of many times went to conquer more difficult slopes. My class started at 5:30 uneventfully with the instructor teaching me few things abt how the Ski gear and some simple techniques to Ski. (Interestingly the instructor was a Prof. In ELECTRICAL ENGG. at George Washington Univ). Anyways my learning at the small bunny slope was slow and met with several (countably infinite) falls. About a couple of hours into the non-stope melee of falling on ones own face in the snow, Shyam appeared. He asked me to go to the next slope. Though i was hesitant in the beginning i decided to take his advice. The second slope was more fun. It had more open area to Ski. This was still a Bunny slope. But had enogh length of run to help one to learn skiing. With several falls i got better at making turns and controlling the speed of the Skiis. Then after a short while the two of us went to the next slope. This was narrower and slightly steeper and was a good second step. A few falls and sometime later i was quite comfortable in this slope also. Though falling down was always just one mistake away.

Shyam i guess got bored with teaching me and decided to plummet down one more difficult slope while I kept alternating between these two slopes for about an hour. When we met again, i asked him whether i should/could try the next slope. Now, this one was much steeper and much longer. And the lift which took us up to the top of the slope was slow...(almost as if heigtening my tension). As we were nearing the top i was becoming more and more unsure of taking on this slope. But with Shyam egging me on i started the plunge. It was a truly painful yet stimulating learning experience. I have no idea how many times i fell down. And each of these falls were wuite rough. After many falls and a painful right hand , i finally completed the slope. ENOUGH For the day we decided. Well actually we didnt have a choice for they close at 10:00 PM. So we drove back home. On the whole i enjoyed Skiing. (Of crse many thanks to Shyam).

Shane Warne

Shane Warnes recent Quote that "I am on TV. So i cant swear" when told that Darrel Hair missed calling a No-ball in the Perth Test where he scored 99 doesnt make any sense at all... Atleast it doesnt make any sense to me. What if Darrel Hair had given the no-ball. He would still have been 99 and out!!!

Heres a link to the Quote
http://usa.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/FEATURES/quotes.html

And a link to the match
http://www.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/2001-02/NZ_IN_AUS/SCORECARDS/NZ_AUS_T3_30NOV-04DEC2001.html