iSpace

I hail from the land of crowd.

No matter where you go, where you step, where you turn, where you see ... there's crowd everywhere! At bus stops, at train stations, at airports, in schools, in movie theaters, in parks, on the road ... crowd everywhere! Men, women, elderly, young, kids, infacts, rich, poor, beggars, sellers, people, people, people ... everywhere! Sometimes it is hard to find enough space to stand, to sit. Many times it's hard to walk. People pushing you around, stepping on your foot, calling you names, being extra rude is not at all shocking or surprising or even new. This is just how life works ... in the land of crowd!

Due to this exposure, it is sometimes hard for me to see people standing in buses when almost half the seats are empty. In the land of crowd 3-5 people share a seat, which was originally made for 2.

The later is the land of space, iSpace.

This place is full of land! Here, people don't like to see people. They don't like to be in close contact with them. In theaters, a minimum distance of one empty seat is absolutely required in order to enjoy the show. Here, people prefer living in the back portion of the house so that the road is not in front of there small abode, which allows them to avoid seeing people! Mostly everybody drives a car, use of public transportation is minimal, which allows many to enjoy iSpace in their known and friendly surroundings. In class, in parks, at train stations, at bus stops - in any public place - a good distance is maintained, no word is spoken, and not one comment is passed between two strangers. This is how very extremely important iSpace is, and this how very extremely strange the land of space is!

The Simpsons - Indian-e-fied!

Today, I came across this on YouTube.

Serves as good sequal to my previous Simpsons post.

Oh! So Yumm...

Lindt Truffles. Especially those white balls with that creamy stuff inside!

White chocolate is not really chocolate, it does not have any cocoa in it. Yet, the white truffles by Lindt are what I like, what I love!

I was first introduced to these amazingly delicious fake-chocolates at the

Fernbank Chocolate Exhibit. I worked there as a part-time cashier on alternate Friday evenings and on every Saturday and Sunday. Joined in February, quit in June. I preferred working at the Chocolate store, which was often more busy, but a lot easier to handle. Friday evenings were the most boring of them all. The evening went by very slowly. The couples entered the store with one of their hands entangled into a hand of a different skin tone than theirs; the other hand sophistically held a wine glass. Often times, people weren't in their senses (side effect of drinking). Other times, they'd purchase a $14 chocolate bar just to try it out.

I begged to differ.

Not completely though.

I worked there - the reason: I needed money to survive - and insipid of being poor I too purchased those highly overpriced not so uncommon candy bars. But, I bought the small stuff: like the beautiful White Lindt Truffles.

I'm not chocolate crazy. Yes, exactly how I'm not car crazy. There are a few chocolates, however, that make me fly. It all started with Five Star, creamy caramel bundled with some other soft and creamy stuff tied together by a milk chocolate coating. It started there, it ended there. That's all I liked! Not even KitKat, not even Perk, not even Cadbury. Five Star ruled!

In US, I tried several chocolates but none lived up to my expectations, except maybe Milky Way. And now, Oh! So Yumm... Truffles!

Recommended Read: Candy Freak by Steve Almond

Crush List

I'm not into cars. I can't even tell you the names of (a lot) of cars by just looking at them, except of course I know someone who owns a certain one and happen to know the name. The possibilities are not a lot, because Indians usually buy the same cars again and again. My parents, grandparents and uncle-aunt each own at least one Toyota Camry. So you see, there's no need to know all the names (or even a little less than all), because one name fits all!





Back in India (or maybe I should say, when I was much younger), I could identify a car by its sound. It's not hard to differentiate between a Tata Indica, Maruti 800, and a Fiat.

Since I'm not into cars, that says for itself that I'm not crazy about them either. My heart does not stop pumping blood at the sight of a Lamborghini. Neither does it fall short of breath on seeing a Ferrari. I don't want or wish to have any of these cars.

I believe you are pretty conviced that I too am going to buy a Toyota Camry someday. Hey I know the name! and I sure can relate it to a picture in my head. BUT! there are a few cars that do contribute in those little tiny instances where I don't feel my feet being in contact with the ground. Umm... not a few, but two. Don't worry I won't prove you wrong, if not Camry I'll buy something pretty much like it since Ferrari and Lamborghini are not on my crush list.

The first car I like would be Nissan Maxima. Surprised? Of course! What's so special about this, so simple, so boring, so not-unusual looking car. Well, I don't know! When you like someone, is there a reason behind it? Or is it a feeling inside? Something you can't control. Something you know is strange, yet feels right! Same thing here. I guess, I'm pretty practical in that manner. Why dream of a Hummer when I know it's of no use to me. Or, am I just finding excuses? Nah! C'mon its a MAXIMA!! I don't need an excuse for this car.

Next in line is Nissan Z. Much cooler. Much hippier. Much younger. Still, i'm not aiming too high. I don't think you'll need a explanation to why I like this car, do you?

Maxima and Z have been on my list for a while now. Even today, when I see either of the two cars my dil goes mmm...

It seems that soon enough a new member maybe added to the 'I like...' family. You won't be able to guess this one.

It's small.
It's sleak.
It turns heads.
It's a two seater, two door.
Most likely a fantacy forever.
Hopefully, a dream waiting to be turned into reality.

And the winner is Lotus! May be I over exagerrated. I'm still not sure if I really, absolutely, truely, passionately like the car. I've only seen it twice on the road in the past five days, and once on a photoblog. But the car looks pretty cool. And I believe, there should at least be one car in the house that lets just the two - him and i - take a trip, without even having the option of more people. The rest of the cars, can quitely sit in the garage, and act like they are at the repair shop.

The Simpsons Introduction - human-e-fied!

The Simpsons introduction, played by real people. Exactly like the cartoon!

Could not find a copy of the actual intro due to copyright laws.

Why did the Pigeon cross the road?

Here, on GSU 'campus' we have traffic lights for pedestrians as well. This is often hard to find in American suburbs, but in downtown it's not a surprise, in fact it's an absolute necessity.

Some people - and I really do not understand why - wait for the walk signal before stepping on the road, even if they can see there is not a car to be seen for a good distance and that no car will magically appear before the signal turns red from yellow.

Often times, I cross the road without paying attention to whether or not I'll safely reach the other side or unsafely reach the hospital. I guess, I lack observation skills, or I have too much faith in the crazy downtown drivers.

I've seen many not using the zebra crossing, which is not an uncommon thing, though it may be dangerous if one is not extra careful, even I do the same thing! But never in my life - before the morning of the day of today - did I see a pigeon waiting for the signal to say 'walk' and then crossing the road, using the zebra crossing! No exaggeration here, no fiction, nothing is made up!

I saw a brown and white pigeon cross the road with other human
pedestrians; it was 'walking' right in front of me.

I - looking at it all this while - smiling!

I don't think I've ever seen that pigeon fly, and I've seen it around Aderhold a number of times. It's not hard to distinguish it from others of its kind due to its texture. And, I've always seen it alone. Hmm... may be it doesn't have any friends.

I took some pictures of the 'lonely bird that walks' when I first encountered it. I wish I could post some of 'em with this blog, but unfortunately I can never transfer images from my Moto Razr to the PowerBook. The bluetooth identifies the object, but always shows an error when trying to transfer anything!

Google Store

Yes, Google Store! It sells all sorts of things from pens to pants, frisbies to can openers, office stationary to dog accessories.

Google's commercialization at it's height!

Some things are extra cheap, others horribly expensive. They got stuff for everyone! Poor, rich, humans, pets, kids, and adults.

Check it out for yourself!

Ads of a Better Flock

These are what I call commercials of a better flock. Way better than Pepsi TV fundas...

Shield TV Commercial

Pepsi Indian Cricket Huddle Advert

Why Plasma TV isn't popular in India...

Ranked in the order I like them. Plasma TV ad is not that great. And here's one from Airtel (as recommended by Mr. Arjun Kochhar):

Airtel: A. R. Rahman

Katherine's Pages

The Description: Exposure to the world distanced Katherine from everything except books. Years later, the one guy she does not want to get close to will drive her to open an old chapter of her life. But all he wants is to open a new one with her in it, before time runs out.

This is another one of Suban's films. If I am correct, he shot this before The Attraction Theory. I was one of the many editors for this script. Katherine's Pages is much more involved that The Attraction Theory, and is more like a "feature film" rather than a short clip. Once you see it, you'll realize a lot of effort went into the story writing. This can be viewed in better quality on Google Video or YouTube.

Watch TV + Drink Pepsi = Pepsi TV

Yesterday, I was looking up some Indian TV commercials. Didn't find any good ones. Pepsi used to make some good ads - or at least, back in the day I thought they were good... don't know if I'll like them now - but in this day and age they are making ridiculous, hilariously stupid, and seriously just a waste-of-time sort of commercials with bollywood stars.

Here's an example:

Pepsi TV commercial 1 of 2

Pepsi TV commericial 2 of 2

I have only one phrase in mind to express my emotions - WTF!!!

• Shahrukh Khan is too old to be doing this shit! There was a time when I used to absolutely love the king khan but I was a kid back then! Now, I don't even want to see his face even on a fucking moving vehicle that passes by me within several seconds; the 82 second commercial was definitely a stretch!
• What's up with these girls looking bitchy? Is it a soda commercial or a commercial by Axe?!
• Kareena Kapoor can't act, can't dance, can't express emotions, can't do anything that will give her the title of an "actress", yet she's so famous that she's in a Pepsi commercial? Or, is that how she's making money these days?
• Pepsi TV?! - Watch TV + Drink Pepsi = Pepsi TV - WTF!!! What kind of a crazy, stupid, crapy funda is that?

India needs much better ad makers (or whatever the term is for the people with a career in advertising).

4th of July - 2006!

The date back in the year 1776 when the United States of America declared itself a free nation. Exactly 230 long (being an Indian, maybe I should say short?) years ago.

The day is celebrated all over the US with fireworks, fairs, special events and a lot more. I feel awful when writing the following:

I never really witnessed any of the 4th of July excitment LIVE; and it has been 5 long (definitely long) years since I've been living in this nation.

Now, I feel proud - and certainly very satisfied - to declare:

This year was different!

The morning started early (for me at least! I woke up at 9 - very unusual for a holiday). I had read about the Peachtree Road Race the day before after hearing about it from Dean Brook - my bicycle coach. Although the road started at 6:55 and 7:30 for Wheelchairs and Elite runners, respectively ... 10am still wasn't late for a photoshoot as over 50,000 individuals participate in the 10 mile race, and at any point in time until, I guess, 12pm one can see a flock of people running, walking, strolling on Peachtree with a number tag on their t-shirts.

I did nothing related to the American 'Independence Day' in the afternoon. Rather, I was at Dean's house learning how to fix a road bike - change tires, pump air, fix breaks. Learned some new bicycle terms. I'm sure I won't remember all of 'em, but it's a start ... plus, as Dean says, "at least you'll know what someone is talking about when you hear these words."

In the evening, we headed to the City of Decatur Fireworks after discovering that it's the point from where one can see all the firewords in the city - Lenox Square, Centennial Park, and Stone Mountain. After reaching the area, we decided to change plans and headed towards the Lenox Square Mall because there was a lot to do their - stalls, food, games - none of which, we could see at Decatur while sitting in the car.

Initially planned for 9:30pm the firewords at Lenox were delayed until 10:15 due to light rain, but once up they did not stop, and seriously were fantabulous!

The next few pictures on my photoblog will certainly be dedicated to and portray this day.

four wheels, on the road ... one in hand!

The past few weekends have been quite a ride. From Helen, Georgia (GA) to Memphis, Tennessee (TN) to the great Smoky Mountains up in North Carolina (NC) and TN.

Road trip to road trip. One destination to another. Often, driving aimlessly into the dark and empty highways. Many times, taking a road less traveled by, with no car, no human soul to encounter in any direction. Making careful turns on those curvy mountain roads, stopping suddenly to witness an owl staring at us, slowing down to let a snake cross the road. Hiking up a mountain, running out of breath, being extra careful not to trip on the roots that run all across the path. Taking a break by a water fall, drinking that cool water, splashing it on our exhausted faces.

Witnessing the beauties of this alien world that we live in.