Drunk at 10DS

10DS rocked. The crowed pickedup at 10:30 or so and at the last call,
the dance floor was packed to the brim. After spending 10K, walked away
with a few pictures that would provide a perfect reason for me to stay
away from mixing stuff..

I can't really remember the last time I was drunk. Good company, nice
music and few last shots got me this time at 10DS. Between the
combination of Whisky and Tequilla, I lost count and while I did that,
gave a perfect opportunity for my SO (significant other) to say 'I said
so'.

Drive to late night munch at Ohri's was a total blur and I
am sure I totally jay-walked raising a few eyebrows. As much fun I had,
the next day ended up with dull mood and gross hangover.

I suppose with all the fun I had that day, the only sane way is to live
up to the year of broken detoxification promise.

India -- Update 1

It often seems that the trip just started even though I have been here for about a month and half. There is so much more to explore, so many more to establish contact with and so much more to glean from. I pack up in about a week and half and this trip was a real treat.

I have had the opportunity to work remotely and seems to have contributed much more than what I could if i had stayed back. Technology has worked wonders and communication to US has been a breeze. The broadband connection I had taken was very reliable. VOIP never acted up and magicjack truly works wonders.

If you plan on working remotely and plan vacations around it, do plan for lesser ones. It seems working nights and staying awake during days does take a toll after all. I had some ambitious plans to explore North India but with airports as far as they are in Hyderabad and in other cities, the idea of flying does not seem too appealing.

My first part of the working vacation was spent in supporting Austin team. In the meanwhile, caught up with a few at a friend's wedding. Saw first hand how most people these days attend weddings mostly as a chore than to bless the couple. Most people had their own agenda at the event, never really cared for what they came in for, had their grub and checked out. Weddings have been very commerical and seems like it had to be scaled down in terms of their pomp and raked up in tradition. Nevertheless, it was fun for some of us who have missed on a few.

Enjoyed home made food, pampered my bro's kids and my own and attended a few parties. Most parties were buzz with election news, economy gloom and real estate bust. Speculation rife, the parties still had a character to them.

Plans to explore aspects of moving here were temporarily put on hold because of the state of the economy. Most feel 2009 after elections would be very gloomy and this ain't the right time. It sure did not look like one. My trip to the massive IT areas had half finished buildings with few laborers lurking around. Last time, every thing seemed closer but this time it seemed that the haphazard constructions were going to cost the city. Bangalore seemed very different with roads dug up everywhere for the metro rail.

All in all, have seen facets of good growth albeit executed in a bad way.

Why the shor?

Slumdog, after all its hoopla got its 8 oscars. If I were on the panel, I would rate as a well-made film but certainly does not deserve all the band-bhaja its getting. Damn, after the awards, the Indian media seemed like it was celebrating victory over the world. What for?

For the hype that was generated in the media, the governing body would have made its verdict a week or two back. For some of its actors, it may be a proud moment to be associated with a film that won the oscar, but neither can it be a claimed as an Indian victory nor it changes much of the persona of what Bollywood is.

For the western audience, it would just solidify their beliefs that most of us dance with women on corny scores and bullock carts are our main source of transportation. Yeah, real Jai Ho.

Krrrr Krrr...

Know what that sounds like, scratching the bottom of the barrel. On one end (no pun intended), we have Obama getting elected raising hopes in ways nobody ever dreamed off, and on the other in India, we find crooks like Sanjay Dutt and Azharuddin to run for power.

The Dutt guy cannot act, cannot live his life straight without drugs, leads both his private and public life in a despicable fashion and receives support from another scumbag Amar Singh. To top if off, Amar Singh pulls off the Manyata stunt. The other Azhar -- what a role model he is? Screws up his cricketing career, ditches his wife and children for another bimbo and now wants to find his place in politics.

How in the world do these dumbwits have the audacity to stand up after all their fuck-ups? It isn't as much crime for them to run for power as it would be if we voted them in. So, please don't.

Rehman Rocks!!

I came across this song while I was reading one of my favorite blogs. She pointed to a song that she could not just sit back and not dance to and I see why. This is from Delhi 6 starring Abhishek and Sonam Kapoor. Listen to this song called Masakkali. Boy, does Rehman Rock or what? I love songs which are totally bindaas, and invite people like me who cannot break a step to do what they best do, Jump. And, I am at this very moment. My wife would kick some butt, she can practically pick up any step in a minute or two on this song..

Here India, I come to jump and live two months of carefree life. For now, increase that PC volume and break a sweat...

Bizarre Week..

This past few days have been stressful to say the least. Anytime one has to move, it is painful. To mitigate some of it, I hired a couple of movers. As usual they came in an hour late, were lazy a***holes, and to top it off, worked only a couple of hours leaving behind a bunch of tiny stuff that I had to come back and break my back to finish the job.

Since I leave in a couple of days to India, there were ton of invitations from people to come by and join them for dinner. I usually am one of those 'cannot-say-no' types and hesitatingly said yes to a couple of them each involving a 20 mile drive.

Yesterday night was one of them where I pulled into a gas station to fill up my Lexus. Filled, moved a feet forward or so, and out of no where, a Chevy truck came in front and ripped my front bumper apart. The guy was pretty decent, exchanged info and on my way..

Had my dinner at friends, headed out to another friend to crash for the night. Drove another 10 miles with the bumper half kissing Lexus and the other half kissing the road. Got home, wanted to call my wife, and the battery goes dead. Had a Sony Ericsson, so their cell phone chargers are the crappy kind with no USB support, so had to wait for the next day.

Got up next day, went to the collision center to get a quote. Asked them if I could use one of their computers to call a few office colleagues, the answer, our office blocks all sites. WTF?

Decided to drive the same half-bumper-falling Lexus to my friend's apt where i had my second car parked, and saw that I had a flat tire on Honda Accord.

What are the freakin chances that two cars, cell phone dead and two insisting friends invite for dinner on the same day? Change people, please, leave the dinners alone when the guy is busy. Puhleezz..

I am waiting for this bizarre week to end. Waiting to sit back on British Airways with a glass of wine and head home...

UPS -- unparalleled service

I was very impressed today with UPS delivery service. I was expecting a package from British Consulate. At 8AM, UPS called me that it is on the delivery truck and I should expect it. Unfortunately, the window was too big, 8AM to 7PM. I could not really sit and wait home, so I left to work.

At 10AM, they made an attempt and left a note on my door. I noticed at 11 AM online, called them to hold the package at their office instead of making another delivery run. The lady at UPS customer service took my number and told me I should expect a call within an hour from the local office here in Austin to let me know the time to visit their office.

It must have been not more than 5 minutes when I got a call from local Austin office informing me to come by their office at 7:30 PM. Just to avoid the drive, I asked if she could intercept the driver of the truck and let me know where his next stop would be so that I could run and pick it up. She said, she would try, in another 5 minutes told me the address. I went by, another 5 minutes the truck was there and voila, I had my package. Now, that's putting technology to use. Amazing...