Very Happy Moment...

Never been happy myself for a long time...I was so happy today and can never forget this moment. Just wanted to make a mark this day and this hour...

The beauty is we have so many well-wishers around who smile when our family smiles and shoulder us each of us when we are down...

Our family cannot ask for better than what we have been as we are...We are real people and have only real friends around us.

Thanks to God for keeping us like this and selfish prayer, wish we continue like this.

- Naren

Special Week End...

Wow..I never had so much planned for any week end. This week end, we have so much things to do or events happening around.

Randolph Air Show 2009

I have been here in San Antonio, every year somehow managed successfully to miss the Air Show...Hope I make it this time...

http://www.randolph.af.mil/library/2009-randolphairshow/index.asp

WurstFest 2009

Last year, we had really big gang of guys to hang out and desginated drivers to enjoy this Beer Fest.

Food, Beer and hang out where you can supposedly taste or drink all brands of Beer. I don't think I will be going this year.

http://www.wurstfest.com/

Malic Gem Show 2009

This is more of Gem, Mineral and Jewelry show...I am not interested in this but some of my friends would be...

http://malicjewels.com/show-information

And we are all planning to hit the Mexican restaurant for the Karaoke, could celebrate Antoneita's Birthday.

And we do have Selva's Birthday Bash midnight.

And I am going to play morning cricket which I missed for last couple of weeks.

I will update what I did actually but I am excited to have this much to-do list other than my work. :)

First Post...this Year 2009...My Parents trip...Vote of Thanks...

#1 My parents visiting me and was roaming around different places in 3 months. I was constantly hooked into travel websites, travel deals, ticket deals, hotels and car rentals. I can still bet I can find better deals when it comes to travel in US.  

Guys, I would say the road trip with my parents from New Jersey to Washington DC and Phoenix to Las Vegas via Grand Canyon ;) were the best. You won't realise you have so much to talk for long hours with your parents. It's quite a different feeling. I would ask anyone to take this trip anywhere.

I should thank my friends who have accomodated my parents and I for those three months.

Maheshwer ( Yengal Anna Vijayakanth)

Gulam ( Vanathai pola Livingston)

Suresh 

Gopi 

Rajkumar 

Selva 

Murali

Karthik

Rajesh 

Vivek Krishna 

Special thanks for Shriram Kannan (the best in my all time fame), Shyam (travelling with me to Niagara), Bharath & Bhargavi (for taking them as their parents), Newton ( for arranging Rockford beach house), Raj Prabhu (for travelling with me to Vegas, he owe me a lot for showing the bite of Vegas), Gulam (travelling with me to Orlando), Chandra & Kalpana for helping out in Houston and Rajeshnath (my understanding boss)

San Antonio,TX

Corpus Christi,TX

Rockford,TX

Houston,TX

St.Louis,MI

Orlando,FL

New York,NY

Washington DC

Niagara Falls, NY

Grand Canyon,AZ

Las Vegas,NV 

HandBag Matters...

Today, end of work, I saw a lady going out with a big bag, carry bag and a hand bag. I was fascinated and thought what she would have carried to stay maximum of 9 hours in one place.
I am pretty sure she was not marooned in an island. Then, I realized not only her but every other women carried minimum of two bags with them if you ignore the purse. What for??

I know many men carry same purse from the time he started to have let it be for sentimental or lucky reasons.

I remember this one incident happened in my school days. Our French madam went out in middle of the class and she is famous for her make-up kit. My friends wanted to confirm the rumors and open her handbag. One person, Balaji, successfully opened and end up with thrashing from her. It was quite funny to relive.

Meeting...

I missed a get-together for first time, happened in Hartford, Connecticut. I have to stay for a while in San Antonio because Mahesh (room mate) arriving here from Chennai. Courtesy calls :)

I think around 10 guys are meeting and its birthday for Rajendra Kumar :(

Happy Birthday dude..enjoy..

Vacation to Office...

I cannot describe the days between January 12th and January 29th...full of excitement, happiness, enjoyment and fun. The reason could be..I have never had an vacation for a while..possibly nearly 5 years in my professional life. I don't want to come out of this mood and still want to enjoy tiredness felt from my travel.

Raj marriage, Nawaz marriage, Tirupathi, Pazhani, Erode, Kalasthi temple visits, shopping for the weddings and sister's kids. I have done what wasn't done even in my early years, this 10 days was the most eventful and fun filled.

Still miss out few mates to meet mostly my school mates..

It is great to have a vacation..so people go for it..

Common Interest..

A feature in orkut let you know the updates made by your friends in last 24 hours...and I found this video been updated by five people in their orkut videos...nice clipping..good to watch..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjSIX-pVfDc

34 years of service..

I doubt myself of working in a same organization for 34 years but my father made it. He got retired last month after serving 34 years for Ashok Leyland. The farewell was grand and feelings are mutual. Well, I missed the celebrations part of it but can live the moments with the pictures. I have completed 5 years two months in same company and lets see how it goes.

He served in Medical department as a First Aider and had many critical and life saving experiences. When ever he comes out with his real life experiences it makes you feel humble and void. When most of us struggle ourself to tackle machines, he could simply make a difference in a human's life.

He had his own ups and downs in his career but 34 years is a long time to have those.

Thanks for my friends and my brother who put together the pictures.

Longest Day..

October 20th would be my longest day..okay..everyone have 24 hours..let me put it in other day..my longest actively day..

It started with our Directions' 08 meeting on 19th evening. One thing, the best thing, I like about HCL, anyone can always stand up to your President and ask your question. I am not promising about the answers whether it would solve or not. After meeting, your manager walks by and clarify the same question. Turning 5 years, this I love in HCL.

Okay, after meeting it was Weekend Cards section went on till 3:00 pm. I went till the last round which was a record of sort. People who exited before me felt very bad not in losing but losing before my exit. ;-) But guys informed about Ayutha Pooja Pot luck next day.

I went to Prabhakar's house wishing him safe journey. Talking to him will rekindle one of my passion in career. I will let you all know after it works out. I wave and said will be back around 7:00 am to collect the house keys.

And came back to my room and found a movie "Good Luck Chuck". Same routine movie but okay to watch on Satuday night. And now it was 6:30 around. Thought I would take a quick shower for others :-)

But, slept for 2 hours and got up around 9:00 am. I need to rush to Mahesh's house for Sarawathi Pooja. I figured out it would another 1 hour for the pooja, so rushed back to my home to cook some dish for the pot luck.

Now, Vegetable biryani would be right option. After the masala fried vegetables are ready, got a call from Mahesh. Then, dropped off Biryani option and checked for Coconut which I had. Now, the Biryani was turned to Vegetable Kuruma after adding the Coconut milk with Sesame seeds to the Masala vegetable. It came out good.

Finished the prayers with Payasam. In the mean time, Checked our apartment office hall for Ram daughter's 2nd birthday celebration and conveyed same to him. Now, its time for temple.

It was quiet and pleasant in temple. Mahesh was kind enough and called for lunch. Super sappadu. Rushed to PotLuck with my vegetable kuruma, thought it would 8-9 people but turned out to be 25 around. The count matched with the number of dishes too.

Sakarai Pongal, Puli Satham, Sambhar Satham, Kuruma, Rice, Sambhar , Rasam, Kaara Kozhambu, Fried Brinjal, Vendakai, Carrot, Beans Poriyaal, Poori, Carrot Alwa, Gulaab Jamun, Bonda, Coconut Chutney, Appallam, Venkaya Vathaal

After 30 minutes of relaxation, Newton called for the 5:30 pm mass in his local Catholic church. Wise man he picked me up from my apartment and exactly reached for the mass. It was really good experience, probably because of the first time experience..it was so unique and different. I had a chance to talk and have Brazilian coffee together with the 50 year old couple.

Now come the climax of the day..Birthday party and bachelor party combined together..Shukla's birthday and Prashant's send off..it was rocking party went till 3:30 am..I dont want get too much into it.

Directions'08 - Cards - Prabhakar 1032 - Movie - Apartment Office - Cooking - Pooja - Temple - Lunch - PotLuck - Church - Newton House - Shukla Birthday - Early morning home

Game in College Life..

Yesterday, we watched a movie "Superbad" a school teen comedy, it was quite funny. But, this is not about the movie. I was reminded few games played in my college life during class sessions. Nothing can beat it..

Okay..the game goes like this..its simple..the Mam / Sir would be taking Class on the stage, turning back..passing of the ball shaped paper or handkerchief would continue until the lecturer turns back. And who ever having the paper with them, should definitely stand up and ask a question. Basically should ask a question and move on so that we continue our game.

It would be so funny quite a few pitiful souls doesnt really know what the lecturer is teaching but bound to rule will ask a question. Lot of times, the most interested person would be the lecturer. He / She would be amused to see a person, whom he / she has never seen before in his class. asking a question. With sincere dutiness, he / she would explain what ever the question is..

We would also have "Back up" guys to help out the person who is questioning. "Just in case" to pull him out if he happens to land into a tight corner. Obviously these guys relatively know the stuff what the tutor talking about..

It was hilarious when you were part of it..Great part of our life..

4th of July 2006, Moab, Salt Lake City

It's 4th of July, memorable one for million people around me so does to me. If I could rewind exactly 360 degrees back..sorry 360 days of course, I could end up exactly in a Frontier Airlines, flight to Salt Lake City so does another seven guys from different part of cities.

Ghuru from San Jose, Sendhil from Los Angeles, Deepak and Sai from Chicago, Pradeep from Detriot (i suppose), Bharathi from Seattle and finally our host Joshua waiting dutifully to receive everyone of us.

I was so excited to take this flight after the stuff we are going through, hell lot of stuff. Actually I was meeting few of these folks after a long time and Moab was really nice place to take a short adventourous trip.

We did experiment few of the adventures..rowing, hiking, camping, swimming, ATV ride, nice food for all four days in a row. I can never dream of four days break anymore.

But I can dream of those four days...so long..

Thanks a lot guys..