Apple adda

Don't be mistaken by the title: I am not selling fruits and I am neither inclined in selling apples. This weekend we (meaning my roomies) have decided to extend their love for Apple products and so we have two new shiny Apple MacBooks. So I decided to count the number of electronic gadgets we have in our house:
1. MT's Apple Mac mini
2. MT's 12" Apple PowerBook (extinct now--and planning to upgrade to a shiny MacBook Air(MBA))
3. My Apple MacBook
4. My Dell Dimension 5150 desktop (Windoze now, may install a Linux distro)
5. BRP's IBM Thinkpad (Windoze)
6. HN's Apple Mac mini
7. HN's Dell Inspiron(or something) Laptop (Windoze)
8. HN's new and shiny 1 day old Apple MacBook
9. NG's Dell Inspiron(or something) Laptop (windoze + Ubuntu)
10. NG's new and shiny 1 day old Apple MacBook
In addition to these 10 computers, we have a seldom used IBM laptop with Ubuntu for displaying movies on TV thru S-video (thanks to RM)
OOh, we also have 3 iphones, 2 ipods, 2 ipod touches, 1 ipod nano, 5 printers..!!!
Though some of these will appear as ads on the local groups as items for sale, I can't help noticing the fact the amount of computing power available at my place..(no mention of the actual computing potential due to 5 intelligent and brainy roomies--self praise) LOL..Hahaha...!!!

Deja-vu

It's different when you are so far away from kith and kin and feel like celebrating birthdays. The mandatory NRI custom includes calling up parents and siblings, etc (add "in-laws" for married folk) and then everyone wishes you, etc. The tedious part is you have to cook everything and then call your friends over. I am not complaining, but that's life away from parents and relatives. BTW I have invited friends over for dinner sadya: rice, sambar, pappaddam, father-six(achar) and semiya payasam. Someone please send me a fruit cake !!! When I was a kid (till 8th..no kidding) my star birthday would be celebrated in India because of the summer vacations (July & August) in Dubai. Eventually I was sad that I never had a chance to take chocolates to school, not to mention that I never had birthday parties due to the vacations and in the process saving my parents the trouble of setting up elaborate parties, getting chocolate boxes, etc. After shifting to Pune (8th-till I came to USA), I can only remember a birthday party in my ninth standard with a small fruit cake (no icing..mind it) and with a couple of friends over, watched TV, etc. College birthday parties involved a small lunch/snack party at the local college canteen--commonly known as "birthday treat". I celebrated my birthday once in Kerala (just before I left for USA) with a mandatory visit to a nearby temple followed by a sumptous feast and two payasams. In USA the scenario was different, friends came from all over and bombarded me with the choicest ingredients that included ketchup, eggs, beer, carpet shampoo (ugh--I have a snap to prove it). Thankfully all birthdays after that have been very peaceful involving simple cakes and better gifts, (thanks to the missus for last year's 30GB iPoD plus this year's advance b'day gift 8GB iPhone). But I feel this sense of deja-vu: I used to look forward to celebrate my birthday in India, when I was a kid, and it's no different even when I am all grown up (kid at heart-missus will agree) and in the USA. I miss simple things-going to the temple, mummy's sadya and yummy payasam...hmmm.. Ok as usual missus has sweetly reminded me that I haven't attended her birthday yet...Deja vu again.

A good weekend

Hmmm...so it's been an exciting week. First on Monday, honourable Steve Jobs releases the much much awaited 3G iphone and he reduces the price on it plus makes fun of the EDGE speeds on the existing 1st gen iphone. There he squashed all my chances of selling my 3 month old iphone..!!! Neeraj on the other hand is impatient to lay his hands on the new phone set to debut in US on July 11th.

I was busy doing N.O.s the remaining week. N.O. means night outs..[:P]. Neways writing is a tough task especially when I am wracking my brains to maintain the correct thought flow for my research proposal. If only we could get PhDs by working or passing exams. or as Manas mentions.."it's an utter waste of time just writing up things when all that time can be devoted for pure research." I agree with him, I could have put two weeks for my research paper/poster due by the end of July. Anyways it's no use complaining about a system and it's rules. Sometimes when i am cornered, I think about the dialogue in Matrix: "Bend the rules as the rules restrict you".

Anyways after submitting my white hardcover to my advisor, who I am sure will paint it red with his comments; I left for NJ. First of all driving 8 hours is tough and add to it KC 2.0 alpha in existence for me. Thanks to Silverine for putting that on her blog.
So this time around I lazed around at NJ had wine and asked Madam to watch "A Good Year"; DVD courtesy Blockbuster. Excellent movie to watch to top off a relaxing weekend. I suggest that you watch it as well..!!!