Leaving on a jet plane...
Friday, April 22, 2005
All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go..
am standing here outside ur door....
and so goes the song, but the difference is that I don't hate to go. I'm excited...
So guys, my next post will be from Dallas as my flight leaves tonight...:)
Woes of a "holiday" Tortured soul..
Saturday, April 16, 2005
My friends told me that you cant survive in Dallas without driving and you can't drive without an IDP (International Driving Permit)...
So began my crusade to get one. Left for chandigarh on thursday. The mission was simple:
1. Go to State Transport Office.
2. Give forms to officer (all forms already completed) for stamp and signature.
3. Come Back
But as it turned out later, the enemy was prepared. The 3-point agenda was just a trap to lure me behind enemy lines...
Each point branched off to several other points and to perplex and torture me further, even recursion was thrown in.
WARNING: For the weak at heart, this is a good point to stop. Cuz the details below are quite gory and graphic. Any resultant effects, like frustration, hair tearing, teeth grinding, etc, will not be my responsibility.
So, let the story begin...
Woke up to a melodious tone ringing in my cell. It was my alarm...
After such a long time, I had seen morning, yeah, I woke up at 7:00. Birds were chirping, a mild breeze blowing outside...The day seemed to be off to a good start...
Came out of my place to find a baba (saint) standing there, who, on seeing me, instantly uttered the words "
Videsh yatra nikat hai baccha". (Foreign travel is near, my child). The day was indeed good. I managed a smile...:)
Well, the first point went off well. Reached the STO (State Transport Office)....
Knocked at the door of the official who had to sign and stamp my papers. No response...
Waited a bit and knocked again. No Response. Opened the door and peered in.. It was empty.. A peon saw me and said, "Madam Chhutti pe hai" (Ma'am is on leave). Is it starting to go wrong? I thought.
Met another officer and was told "Since wednesday and thursday were holidays, so she took the friday off. She's the only one in this office who can sign ur papers. However you can go to another office near high court. One Mr. X is also authorised to sign."
Nothing to worry yaar, i told myself..
Went to the office and what do I find, Mr. X is absent. Why? Same reason as before...But then you can go to DC's office. ADC will sign it.
At ADC's office when the same episode was repeated I had started to crumble...
Someone told me to go to old STO but they said nothing was done there now. Then came back to new STO. Then a guy gave me a ray of hope. Gave me a slip and asked me to meet someone in the second office. Then in the second office i was given a slip and asked to meet someone in the first office and told that work will surely be done. And guess who was i supposed to meet.
I found out when I came to room no 3. It was the same room where I had knocked first thing in the morning...
Then I was told that my work would be done on monday...But alas, our merciful Government, Monday has also been declared a holiday and here I am, the tortured soul, back in my office, torturing souls like you and deriving sadistic pleasures out of it...
Life is beautiful again :)
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Thanks for cheering me up and for being there for me, guys. Am feeling much better now that I spent a few days with my family. My parents and bro came down to gurgaon for a couple of days and we talked so much. Went around shopping like a family. And it was so much fun. More fun than any outings with my friends. I really feel refreshed....
Meanwhile, the date for my leaving is coming closer and I havent planned anything. This is my first time so am quite excited but also a bit uncertain whether I'll be able to sustain this enthusiasm for three months. But am not thinking much about that right now. Lets take things as they come. But at present the worry is that everybody is telling me to start buying things for my stay there and I havent even started making a list as yet. the only list am making right now is what I'll buy from there. Currently, following 2 things are certain (Have been on the list for a long time):
1. An iPod (thinking of getting a 30 GB photo)
2. A decent 4-5 MP digi cam. (Canon/Sony or Nikon)
The things that are almost on the list are:
1. A gaming console (PS2/XBOX??)
2. A laptop
Do share with me any thoughts, advice, suggestion that you may have about any of these things. What models would be good. Where to buy them from? Any other options available? Know of any discount coupons/ rebates or other deals?
Or may be u can add something to the list...
Chalo, mez off to slickdeals, pricegrabber, etc for now.. :)
Why....
Thursday, April 07, 2005
Its 8:15 PM. Am sitting in the office. And will keep sitting for atleast another 4-5 hours. Working? Nah.. Doing nothing at all....Its not that I don't have work. Got loadsa it right now. Have to do so much for the oncoming trip....but its that I just dont feel like working. Life's become a drag...
The same old routine everyday. Wake up, get ready, go to office, work, come back, sleep. Throw in a couple of eating time slots in there too. Even the games now bore me...
What am I missing??For Christ's sake its been only about 10 months since I've been working and I already feel spent....No enthu left for anything...
While in school, it was always like, just pass 10th, then life'll be cool.
Then college, I thought, just get into a good engg college, then life'll be cool.
In engg college, the feeling was, its just the last hurdle man. clear this, get a good job, then life'll be cool...
Now it feels life has surely become cool, rather, *thandi* (for those not knowing hindi: *without any spark*) as it should be put..
Read on someone's blog a few days ago: The motto of life should be "Wake up happy, sing a tune during the day, and go to sleep with a smile". And the way I am living right now, its more like:
"Wake up with a splitting head ache, roam around like zombie through the day (the only tune on the lips being that of the grim reaper's song), and go to sleep wondering if i'll indeed be able to sleep"
GOD, whats happening to me....
Is it homesickness?? Is it my laziness coming to fore?? or maybe I'm going crazy..
Or maybe its nothing at all...
Hope this phase gets over soon...
Remember this before bug fixing
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
Just came across this:
And still ye mortal programmer soul tries to sweep out the bugs.
ALAS! The irony of ignorance....*big sigh*
Visa Update
Friday, April 01, 2005
Just received this mail from the HR deptt:
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Hi
You have been given a 2 year multiple entry Visa. Please collect your passport from me..
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What do I say now???
"Yipppeee" is the only correct word I think... :)
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