Avatar - An exhilarating experience

It was one of those weekends where you do not feel like going out anywhere. Just a lazy day...

Woke up, a nice chat will folks back home, an usual breakfast, some usual movies on TV, a quiet lunch and a nice nap. This is what the day was until I decided to break the monotony and go for a drive. A couple of calls later two more lazy bums joined me and we headed off deciding where to go.

Its a different experience when you start driving not knowing where to go. You decide if you want to take a turn at the signal and later decide you did not want to (After hearing the honks behind you). Well as it ended, a couple of wrong turns later we were in sight of AMC 30. (A movie theater with 30 screens!!!!). As it were meant to be, found a lot of parking space and lucky enough to be just in time for the movie Avatar in 3D. Nice seats were found and a bucket of pop corn and a few promos later we wore the 3D glasses ( I would once like to take a photograph of a theater full of people wearing those glasses LoL that would be a sight to see).

Once the movie started I was gripped to my seat not wanting to even miss a scene. Birds, arrows and bullets flew past me riveting me to my seat. The movie has a good pace with a nice storyline (there are places where a few songs can be placed if remade in Bollywood.). The narration is good and direction stupendous. James Cameron wins the heart. A must watch for all the movie buffs and the ones not so keen as well. Ensure that you have your spectacles on and don't forget to duck when an arrow is aimed at you. It was truly an exhilarating experience.

Am sure you will enjoy it... well I did...

City of Joy

Phoenix is one of the most well planned cities in US. The city is criss-crossed with parallel roads and perpendicular avenues or streets. As with the other majority of cities, the main roads mostly lead to malls, hotels or large buildings and the side roads lead to similar houses. So having said it, I thought I will write something about how the city and the residents are prep'ing for the upcoming holiday season.

Christmas is probably the only biggest festival here. There is a general feel of happiness in the air, the flights are all booked, the flight tickets a sky high, there are discounts flying all around, the shopping malls are full, there are large queues in the billing counters at the malls and what not. The houses are decorated and lit up with colorful lights. The Christmas tree is too adorned with lights and colorful decorations hanging out.

At office, there are smiles all around, people are talking about how badly they are looking for the long vacation, inquiring what they would be doing this vacation, where they are going to be, who is visiting them and are in a general hurry to finish up their long list of assignments. There are cakes all around. Meetings end with a smile and not much action items.

So with all this, it seems to me like this may be how a city of joy would look like!!!!

Dummies Guide to kitchen...

Disclaimer: This post is not about the ingredients nor the method of preparation various dishes. As the title suggest, this is for dummies, so who cares what they cook except for themselves. Also, they would like it anyway. This is purely my experiences in mastering the art at the kitchen. Read on!!!

I am no expert to write a dummies guide well, that too on this topic. Infact I am a dummy my self helping the fellow dummies who despise the same pizza's, burger's, burritos or subs in creating their own menus.

So here began my experience...

While I was here for the first time, Swamy graciously agreed to cook for me and I with no remorse or option agreed to do the dishes. I was occasionly allowed to cut the vegetables, peel onions and on some lucky days to fiddle with the food. I spent full three months watching him cook and craftily prepare the amazing mouth watering food.

The next time around it was Praveen who took the honors, but here I was allowed for some hands on under his watchful eyes.

So this time around it was me, myself and my kitchen. I was warned, teased and even challenged. But as you must have already read in my another post I have managed and well.

Here are my list of accomplishments over the last couple of weeks...

• Bisibelebath (My masterpeice till date)
• Uppittu (Upma for some)
• Tomato Bath
• Mix Veg curry
• Puliyogre
• Lemon Rice
• Rice
• Gojju
• Maggi

Well the list will certainly grow over the next couple of months.

So as I boast about my experiences and accomplishments here are a few thoughts:

Cooking is about two things

1. Taste

2. Smell

Taste

A great taste is a combination of salt, sweet and sour. A right mixture of these three makes a great food. From my experience the cardinal rules of cooking a great taste are:

a. If its too salty, make it sour. (lemon juice, tamarind would do) and vice versa
b. If its too spicy, make it sweet. (Sugar, jaggery etc if nothing a chocolate :) )

A couple of tries and you will be on the right path.

Smell

Trust me this the most difficult aspect of cooking. The awesome smell that draws people in to the kitchen, hungry or not. You will smell it when the rice is cooked just right. when that sambar is just right and to be out of the stove.

How can you know before hand?

Well let me be frank, you can't. You are still a dummy remember!!!!

So what do you do? Nothing much actually...

Instead you can serve it hot or either break one of the cardinal rules mentioned above.
Believe me it works!!!!

So next time around if you eat something really hot, too salty or too sweetish you know what to smell for!!!!. However if you still fail do not worry, and remember this.

"Who cares how it tastes? It will taste good to you. Thats what matters!!!!"

So go ahead explore the kitchen, cook on!!!!!

The Lonely Life

3:00am:

Half asleep-Half awake I turn towards the clock to check the time. I do not want to wake up yet.

But sleep evades me.

4:30am:

After struggling for an hr and half. I wake up get to my desk to check the mails.

Ah.. there are messages that have popped up on my chat window.

I respond to those and then a series of messages ensue....

5:30am:

Still in front of my lappy. Responding to mails, messages on chat window.

6:00am:

Coffee time!!! With a mug of coffee, my fingers continue to play on the keyboard.

6:30am:

Still there. Coffee is long done. Call from home.

Series of questions about what I did, what I cooked etc etc.

7:00am:

Ready for getting ready....

Arrgh... how I miss the ironed clothes...

7:30am:

Corn Flakes, Milk and Orange Juice. A typical continental breakfast.

Time to call the Cab. As I walk down to the lobby of the hotel,

the chilly morning air brushes aganist me.

The drive from office is in such a contrast with the one back at home.

8:00am:

As I walk down the office entrance lobby, I do not recognize the faces.

I get to my desk. Hey there is a meeting that is scheduled at 8:30am

11:30am:

Up pops a message!!!

"Hey, whats the lunch plan"

"Errr.. nothing", I respond

"Okie.. let's go out",

"Sure, will stop by your desk"

12:30pm:

Back at desk....

Meetings, Discussions, Decisions, Action Items,

5:30pm:

Back at Hotel Lobby.

"Hey, I would like to watch the movie ..............."

" Sure, here you go" (Hands over the DVD)

6:00pm:

With a cup of coffee in hand I switch over to the movie

7:00pm:

Tring Tring.... Phone time

8:00pm:

After a deliberate thinking as to what to cook I decide something and go about that

9:00pm:

Telecom.. Meetings, Discussions, Debate, Decisions etc

11:00pm:

Gd nite day.

The Weekend So far

Well Saturday was gone... and of what was remained on Saturday, I had a nice shower and some yummy Maggi and was off to bed. I knew that the Jet Lag was looming somewhere over my head, finally it knocked me of my sleep at 3:00am I was trying to ward it off and get some sleep but gave up by 4:00. Logged in to see if anyone was online. Phuff no one... there went my thoughts of catching up with all back at home. Finally, got hold of Ranjani and spoke to her for a while and then asked her to call up home and get them online which she diligently did. After bidding bye to her(She commented that my voice is already sounding like an NRI) called up home and spoke to all. I am sure Google have revolutionized the web. G talk in an amazing thing and for the first time in my last three trips to US I was able to talk to people without the hassles of a calling card. Google rocks!!!!.

Act 1:

After debating what to have for breakfast, decided that I need to do some grocery shopping. Got ready and a quick phone call to the Discount Cab saw that I was on my way to Fry's Market place. Its amazing how here they maintain the discipline of having the things the same way for years to come. After shopping had some croissants for breakfast and the cab diligently dropped me back to my hotel.

Act 2:

Once back from all the shopping i let my culinary skills act and the result was Puliyogare. Whoever said I will famish.... I dare ... LoL.

Act 3:

Well thought of having a nap but ended up sleeping at Indian time zone from 12:00 to 6:00.

I wonder when I will get over the jetlag. Evening was uneventful after all what can you expect. Watched America's Sweethearts and chatted with a couple of office mates. For dinner had tortilla, chutney pudi with curd and engaged myself with Micheal Chricton's Congo. The book is as gripping as the movie. Dozed off to a sleep to see myself awake at 4:00 am (Ah at least an improvement of an hour when compared to yesterday !!!) and typing this to you guys.

More to come... Have a nice day.

Above the white ocean

It was time.... almost 4:15 am on Saturday morning. I was late per my plan of leaving home by about 15 mins. I was all packed and ready. Called up Arun and ensured that he was awake. Had the last cup of coffee at home for a long time to come. Nithin was awake and he helped me bring down the luggage..... Did a last minute check on the Passport, visa and currency all was as expected. So, there I was ready to leave home after a long time for a short time. Enroute picked up Arun and was on the Airport road with some good music playing.

Reached the airport well within time and then did a quick weight check (Oh not mine.... I meant the baggage) This is one of the good things that the airport authority folks have done. Having a weighing machine outside the departure gate. I remembered the first time I was travelling and the confusion I was in during the luggage checkin as one of my bag was overweight. After adjusting my luggages for the weight issues I was all set to enter. Bid Adieu to Arun and Nithin and I was on my way. At the counter, after answering a few customary questions, I was given my boarding passes and was through the security checks. Once near the gate, went to a book store and helped myself with the classic. Jules Verne's "Around the World in Eighty Days". The flight started boarding as planned, however a technical glitch saw to it that we were delayed by 20 mins.

Finally, all was set and we took off (Docomo dinn happen as well) Breakfast was served and I devoured myself on the adventures of Phileas Fogg, Passpertout and Auodha. The 10 hour flight was better than I had expected (Except for no DoCoMo). We were view flying at 38000 ft altitude gave a different view of the land below, we flew just parallel to Bombay and entered Iran, here land looked like crumpled brown cloth with white and blue (Snow and Water) design patterns. We then passed over The Dead Sea (Why do they call this?? I have no clue !!!!) flew past Germany and approached London. As we were flying above london all I could see was an ocean of white clouds and ours seemed like a sailing above it, it was an amazing view which cannot be described in words. Phileas Fogg had reached back to the reform club and we landed. Jules Verne did not let me keep the book down even for a moment.

We landed in London about 30 mins late and had to rush through security check to get to the gate. The next flight was ready and got on board. I had a better seat than the previous flight (well no Docomo here too!!!), had lunch and dozed off, was woken up by flight attendants while they serves the snack and we were already close to Phoenix.

Got out of flight, cleared immigration and found myself a cab and was in my hotel. Took a couple of videos from the Hotel DVD library and switched on Entrapment and I got entrapped in my sleep.

Oh ya... made noodles today for dinner... I mean Maggi Atta Noodles.. Easy to make yummy to eat !!!!