Happy New Year!

Well... Happy New Year 2011 to one n all. Here's hoping that the new year brings joy, prosperity and good health to one n all.

I am here after a month not just to apologize for the lack of updates but also to convey the fact that I am going to be vanishing off the blog for a few more months while I deal with the work that goes with the PhD territory. I shall, if possible, of course keep updating. But for the moment, it looks like a temporary hiatus is in order. And I thank my faithful readers who have visited back n forth though there've been no updates for almost time immemorial. My sincere apologies to that too.

Lets try n reconnect soon. Until then, enjoy all that you can - work, home, family, life and possibilities!

Good tidings to one n all....

Happy New Year to everyone out there! Well I am almost a week into this new year before debuting the first post this side of 2010... And though I've had a bunch of posts (many negative) to start out with, I decided I wanted to start the year on a positive note unlike what I did last year (not that it had any dramatic repercussions). So here's looking on the brighter side of things...

The cold is abating a bit and though we have a couple of more months of cold nights to withstand, things are looking up... the days have become longer and that's good news. The thesis (cross your fingers everyone) should chug along soon once I have a few stumbling blocks removed from the way. Plus I want to finish my long-standstill book (wish me luck!)

This year I made no resolutions considering that I suck at keeping them anyways. But S n I have decided that this is the year for travel (so look out for exploits), the year for exploration, the year for the carefree merry enjoyment (well apart from what the thesis permits me of course).

However I'd be just as interested in knowing about all your new year resolutions, if any and how keeping them up last year went. So, speak up and all you missing commentors, come back!

Apart from this cheerily sunny post, watch this space for my cribsheet, which includes cussing the makers of the Avatar game and my own personal body heat which is coping up with the cold outside by having me exploding in mouth ulcers and kirikkattis (boils in the eye).

Bye bye 2009. Hello 2010.

When I read these numbers, 2009-2010, it almost seems like we are living in an era different from what we actually are. I remember celebrating the Millennium new year, 2000, back at home in Adyar with a huge party for friends. And we were ushering in the new era, the new millennium, being among the gifted bunch to be old enough to appreciate the turn of the decade and what not. A decade has gone by since then and life has changed almost beyond recognition. We’ve grown up. And I can sparsely believe that 2009 has flown by at the pace that it has. Sure it differs for everyone with perspective and just like everything else, time is a relative quantity. But the popular vote this time seems that everyone agrees that 2009 was in quite a hurry to get done. And like everything else, it’s easier to reflect upon now that it’s over.

But instead of listing out the goods and the not-so-goods, I am going to swing right ahead and welcome 2010 with outspread arms. Here’s hoping that this new year brings better luck, better fortune, only the best news and the best results, a lot of fun, loads of cheer, good health to all near and dear, great spirits and great contentment to all!

Happy New Year 2010!

A New Year's jinx

Well I was suddenly struck by this yesterday that having spent a lot of memorable occasions with my friends over the past few years, we've never spent a New Year's day or New Year's eve with one another. In fact SO and I were discussing it yesterday evening as well. Of course when we were traditionally home in India before moving out, we always spent the day with the family. And it didn't mean as much to spend it with friends... However even after moving out of the house for the 5th year now, I haven't spent this day with my friends (except for in 2007, I think).
2005 - I was in Dallas with my family over winter break at my brother's house.
2006 - India on vacation
2007 - I am vaguely unclear about this but I think the few of us who stuck around Cincinnati spent an uneventful day with one another
2008 - India again...
2009 - In Paris... but without any of my jingbang.

Somethings are just not meant to be I suppose. Maybe we'll make it a reunion sometime. Maybe. And uncharacteristically, this has made me melancholy (maybe added because I am just back from a fabulous India vacation). Happy New Year all!

The lightbox

This is a remarkable post for many reasons, 1 -It's the 400th for MindBlogging (yippeee) and 2- it fulfills a project that S and I embarked upon ages ago after seeing Pattu's this post. Fascinated by the concept and seduced by his results, we set out to build our own little/mid-sized lightbox. We followed pretty much the same procedure. But for the unfamiliar here's a gist .

What you need -

How to go about it -

1. Cut out a rectangle from the top and the 2 sides of the box with the knife so as to be able to tape the trace paper over the holes and allow light into it for a reflection-less even light.

2. Paste the trace paper directly over the holes to cover them up. Tip: Tape from the inside of the box for better results.

3. Paste the chart over the inner back wall and the bottom of the box. The end result should look somewhat like this -

4. Position the lamps with the fluorescent bulbs (we found only a maximum of 40W) directly in front of the box on either side of the opening. We realized that this configuration was best for the low power afforded by our lamps.

Shoot away!

Here are some results -

We could've gotten better results with a more powerful lamp and that'll be part of our Lightbox Ver 2.0. As of now, here's wishing you all a fabulous New Year ahead!

Reflections on 2008

Here at Blogger, I have celebrated the end of 4 years including this one.. And this year has narrowly clocked the maximum posts by me. I am going to keep this short. 2008 was one of the best years so far - I got married and I spent over 3 months in India, even if sporadically. Just those 2 factors make this a glorious year... And to top it all, I live in Paris... ah bliss.. As for 2009, I have very few 'resolutions' and whatever I have are professional.. The PhD has to take shape and a very good one at that.. More publications and conferences make for a very successful year... And of course everyone has their personal aspirations. Mine is to travel wildly... let's wait n watch if I make it happen. :D

Here's wishing you all a fabulous year ahead! And here's welcoming 2009! Happy New Year!

PS:This post isn't necessarily my last one on this side of the year. We'll wait n watch, won't we?

Happy New Year

2008. This is undoubtedly going to be one of the most memorable years in my life. And it begins tomorrow. There's been a lot to cheer about 2007- the most memorable being that my nephew was born.. That apart also, 2007 was a predominantly pleasing year.. The defense.. the graduation.. the multiple jobs... the new places, new friends and what not. Of course I wish many things were different. I wish I hadn't lived such a nomadic life. But I found new places, made new friends, made more contacts and gained priceless experience and everything has a positive spin to it. I am not going to complain. For now, its soo good to be home with the family to celebrate yet another new year with the conventional celebrations. The cake.. the TV.. the family.. the 12'o clock wishes and maybe a latenight drive around the city. Exactly as it has always been and probably will be.

Happy New Year 2008!

The French Window

Well finally I am sort of done with collecting the trousseau (this word was reintroduced to me by M - the no. of times she's used it at me!). The trousseau - those price piece of clothes that belong just in my wardrobe and were undeniably created just for me. Ok ok.. enough bragging, I know. But my point is not even the saris, themselves. But moreso, the blouses. It looks like the man (or woman in my case) in the wedding is not the groom but the tailor who makes the seemingly boring 80 cm bits of cloth into fashion statements... something that offsets the traditional drapes of the sari with a sense of style(ing) and indeed is a big headache for all brides-to-be for the blouses can make or entirely break the "look".

After ample research, a few trial blouses and a lot of cribbing later, I did zone in upon a tailor suggested by my SIL-to-be.. And I went over with a bagfull of pattu (zari) blouses. As this is strictly traditional wear, I thought I had to make the blouses reasonably fashionable to make the attire chic, young and trendy. I pored over the many books that the tailor showed me for the back designs which is indeed the only place you'd dare to experiment. And I thought I was being very thoughful in choosing the designs pertinent to the occasion.. like a pooja demanded a simple, traditional, prim n proper blouse... while the nalangu was the ideal time to experiment with the jennal(window), kadhavu (door) so-to-speak of back designs for the blouses. And then I spotted the perfect one... the french window. I suspect there's no need to explain any further.

Having confidently pointed out what designs I wanted for what blouses, 10 days later now, I am a bit wary of what the end result is going to be. Nights have turned into nightmares where the french window is a bit too wide and the knots a bit too many.. Add to that the tension that I should remain the size I was when I last gave the blouses for stitching (it may seem like a weird concern.. For anyone who thinks so, please come home and savor the food that my house serves doused in ghee, accompanied with sweets , et al.) In retrospect I fear that I may have experimented a wee bit too much and blah blah.. Okay, I realize I am hyperventilating.

For now, Happy New Year.

End of an era...

Its the end of the year... for many reasons, its the end of an era...

Well, this post is the last one of the year... I have mixed feelings about this year... while some moments I cherish and can never exchange for anything else, overall I felt that this year for me was a year in wait... literally for many many reasons... I have been waiting for many things to end. And nothing has.. So, for selfish reasons, I can't help but push this year behind and look forward to a more fulfilling 2007. However on the bright side, I have matured as a person, learned more about people, maybe lost a lot of my innate innocence in not-so-pleasant ways, gained new perspectives on things and people - so maybe it involved a lot of pesonal development. But I am not sure it was necessary for me at a stage in life where I am looking forward to many important things, a Masters Degree amongst many.

It was the end of an era of pure bliss with my dear Nokia 3100 which I still cherish. With the technological advancements, it was but natural for me to go savvy and choose a more loaded phone like the Samsung T629 which I have now had for just over 24 hours.

It was the end of life for Saddam Hussein. He was the first political leader I knew when at the time I was 8, he (read Iraq) invaded my then home country, Kuwait. The only positive I attach to the whole traumatic episode that me and my entire family were very lucky to have been on vacation in India at the time it happened - 2nd August 1990. So we didnt have horror stories like all our neighbours and friends who went hungry for days as they evacuated the country. It wasn't easy as a 8-year old to understand why we'd been uprooted from one place to an alien country - my good old India was alien to me having lived most my life till then in Kuwait. My bro's this post gives a better perspective of things. However, the point being, no matter what a cruel ruthless man he may have been, I couldnt but help feel pity at the way his "illustrious" life ended... at the gallows with media coverage and people dancing over his remains.

This year...


People use me... England wins the Ashes

My jobsearch's kickstarted... Saddam Hussein is executed abruptly and people dance over his remains

My advisor won't look into my thesis... Google buys Youtube

I have papers published and more invitations for technical writing... Italy beat France at the World Cup

My bro drops in for a surprise visit... The biggest hurricane in 50 years strikes Australia

I have a tizzzzzzy vacation... Aiswarya Rai marries a tree to rid her "Manglik" stamp

I have developed truckloads of patience... Movies like KANK are called BoxOffice Superhits!

I did most of the work for my Masters... And the temparature on Dec 31st in Cincinnati is 56 F

I could keeeeeep rattling n rambling.. But the bottom line is

Bye Bye 2006! Happy New Year 2007!!!!