I recently got into graphics (GFX) and started a lot of work. Some of my good outcomes have been uploaded to my photobucket account and I wanted to share it, so I linked it over here. Just working out the kinks, kinda covered. It will be updated automatically when I add a new pic into it. Hit the play button.
Yes, I know, Im self-centered. Sue me.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Skipping Security
Funny thing happened to me the other day.
My flight from India to Kuwait on the 29th had a stop in Qatar. The flight to Qatar was pleasant, the seats were comfortable and there was ample leg room too. New standings, Emirates > Qatar Airways > KU Airways >Oman airways. Food was good too. Looked a few months old, but nonetheless delicious.
Now, to our story. The flight was scheduled to land in Qatar and take off to Kuwait from another flight all in a window of 50 minutes. It reached on time, but for some odd reason, we were let out only after 20 minutes. Meaning, when I reached the transit lounge, I had 20 minutes before my next flight left. Conveniently, I had no idea of all this. Funnily enough, as soon as I reached the transit lounge, 4 flights exited simultaneously resulting in a massive crowd there. Thats when I noticed the Kuwait flight on-screen blinking LAST CALL. Thats when I started to think something was wrong. But thats all I did, think. To make matters more confusing, my watch was on Indian time and my cell phone on Kuwait time and I couldnt find a darn clock anywhere that mentioned the local Qatar time ( I had 7 min before the flight left)! There I am fumbling with a number of time-telling devices when the overhead speaker blares my name. All I could say was, "wtf?".
This was the only message the speaker was announcing and finally it took me a minute to realise what was happening. Thats when a security dude passes by me and I say," I think Im the person on the speaker". The guys stares for a few seconds and then he shouts into his portable radio just like a war movie mission," Subject theata 1 located! I repeat Theta 1 located in sector 4-6-D-2! Accompanying to destination!". All of a sudden he pulls me out of the queue, removes all those barrier thingys (I dont know what to call them, so heres a pic:
We cut across the whole baggage screening line, cutting through everything. Next thing I know, Im passed like a baton to another security dude who asks me, " Wanna run like theres no tommorrow?". The only thing that I picked up from that sentence was, " Whoa! A cliche from a security dude?".
And with that we run across half the airport onto a waiting bus which was waiting just for me. Eventually, everything turned out well. It was later that I realised, I was the only person connecting from India to Kuwait, so they held my India flight longer before disembarking. And thats why they held the other flight too.
Ah, the best way for instant recovery from a jetlag: A casual obstacle course around your local airport for that adrenaline.
My flight from India to Kuwait on the 29th had a stop in Qatar. The flight to Qatar was pleasant, the seats were comfortable and there was ample leg room too. New standings, Emirates > Qatar Airways > KU Airways >Oman airways. Food was good too. Looked a few months old, but nonetheless delicious.
Now, to our story. The flight was scheduled to land in Qatar and take off to Kuwait from another flight all in a window of 50 minutes. It reached on time, but for some odd reason, we were let out only after 20 minutes. Meaning, when I reached the transit lounge, I had 20 minutes before my next flight left. Conveniently, I had no idea of all this. Funnily enough, as soon as I reached the transit lounge, 4 flights exited simultaneously resulting in a massive crowd there. Thats when I noticed the Kuwait flight on-screen blinking LAST CALL. Thats when I started to think something was wrong. But thats all I did, think. To make matters more confusing, my watch was on Indian time and my cell phone on Kuwait time and I couldnt find a darn clock anywhere that mentioned the local Qatar time ( I had 7 min before the flight left)! There I am fumbling with a number of time-telling devices when the overhead speaker blares my name. All I could say was, "wtf?".
This was the only message the speaker was announcing and finally it took me a minute to realise what was happening. Thats when a security dude passes by me and I say," I think Im the person on the speaker". The guys stares for a few seconds and then he shouts into his portable radio just like a war movie mission," Subject theata 1 located! I repeat Theta 1 located in sector 4-6-D-2! Accompanying to destination!". All of a sudden he pulls me out of the queue, removes all those barrier thingys (I dont know what to call them, so heres a pic:
We cut across the whole baggage screening line, cutting through everything. Next thing I know, Im passed like a baton to another security dude who asks me, " Wanna run like theres no tommorrow?". The only thing that I picked up from that sentence was, " Whoa! A cliche from a security dude?".
And with that we run across half the airport onto a waiting bus which was waiting just for me. Eventually, everything turned out well. It was later that I realised, I was the only person connecting from India to Kuwait, so they held my India flight longer before disembarking. And thats why they held the other flight too.
Ah, the best way for instant recovery from a jetlag: A casual obstacle course around your local airport for that adrenaline.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
The Beginning
27 months ago :
Nov. 6: By this time I would've been studying for my 1st modal exams.
Mostly i'll be having my 1st iPod Nano. Those were the days. I had fun hacking it to play video. Thats an obsession. Any gadget that is unfortunate to reach my clutches will never be the same.
Cant forget my dads reaction when he heard about me playing for the CBSE clusters 3 weeks before my modals. Always makes me smile.
Shams was cool. The class was fun. Had some wonderful memories there.
I guess this was the exam for which i really started studying. French wasn't as bad as it used to be. Ever grateful to Sridevi ma'am for that. It was pretty cold that month, colder than it had been few years ago. Catching half court passes were starting to hurt. Random stuff aside, life was awesome. Back then if someone told me that it'd be my last Christmas there, i would've told 'em to #&!@. Those were the days. Playing ball seaside, cycling in 10 degrees, going to AJIAL, hacking stuff, expanding my music, planning the next after exam party, playing billiards, fragging *sigh* I miss it all.
It was around mid november that my uncle came up with this absurd idea of me studying in India, living with his family. Curse internet chatting. My dad asked me about going there and i said no even before he could finish the sentence. He tried again in december and i said no again. The same |n Jan and yes, the answer was still no. Jan 30 was the last date for taking the TC and when the day came i was glad my dad wouldn't ask again. Or so i thought. He kept asking and asking till i finally had to give in. So, he went to the school, got the TC (they shouldn't have given it, the deadline extending hypocrites). Though I dreaded coming here, I knew I could extort some cash from my dad to buy me stuff "needed" for the trip.
Heck, me and Haffis had lots of fun. Even Nikil, Rino, Riaz and so many others were all were leaving too. Those were some great times. In a few words it was all "worms party, headshots, bball, eclipse, billiards, pizza and beef burgers".
Haffis had to leave a week or so before me. My D-day was may 17. Lets see, I got a cell phone, ipod vid, speakers, 120gb hard drive, boxes of chocolates (read snickers and kinder) and so much other things I really didn't need. The flight was sweet. Emirates rocks. All the flight attendants were very courteous. And pretty. Really pretty. It was connecting from Dubai, so I had three hours or so in transit. The Airport Mall is mind blowing. It was so big and cheap. The electronics section was brilliant and the staff was extremely helpful, and for once actually knew what they were talking about. Though I had close to 50 KD in multiple currencies, i didn't have the heart to blow it. I got a lot of goodies anyway. Though i couldn't resist indulging in a little chocolate. Cost : KD 3.
Back on the plane, the in flight movie was pretty good. Though i cant remember what it was. The food was good. Beats KU airways anyday.
Thinking back, I really blamed everyone for making me come here. Of course, Dads constant banter inculcated the idea. But part of the reason is that most of my friends were leaving too. And I would've got some cool stuff too. That doesn't mean I still dont blame everybody else :)
Nov. 6: By this time I would've been studying for my 1st modal exams.
Mostly i'll be having my 1st iPod Nano. Those were the days. I had fun hacking it to play video. Thats an obsession. Any gadget that is unfortunate to reach my clutches will never be the same.
Cant forget my dads reaction when he heard about me playing for the CBSE clusters 3 weeks before my modals. Always makes me smile.
Shams was cool. The class was fun. Had some wonderful memories there.
I guess this was the exam for which i really started studying. French wasn't as bad as it used to be. Ever grateful to Sridevi ma'am for that. It was pretty cold that month, colder than it had been few years ago. Catching half court passes were starting to hurt. Random stuff aside, life was awesome. Back then if someone told me that it'd be my last Christmas there, i would've told 'em to #&!@. Those were the days. Playing ball seaside, cycling in 10 degrees, going to AJIAL, hacking stuff, expanding my music, planning the next after exam party, playing billiards, fragging *sigh* I miss it all.
It was around mid november that my uncle came up with this absurd idea of me studying in India, living with his family. Curse internet chatting. My dad asked me about going there and i said no even before he could finish the sentence. He tried again in december and i said no again. The same |n Jan and yes, the answer was still no. Jan 30 was the last date for taking the TC and when the day came i was glad my dad wouldn't ask again. Or so i thought. He kept asking and asking till i finally had to give in. So, he went to the school, got the TC (they shouldn't have given it, the deadline extending hypocrites). Though I dreaded coming here, I knew I could extort some cash from my dad to buy me stuff "needed" for the trip.
Heck, me and Haffis had lots of fun. Even Nikil, Rino, Riaz and so many others were all were leaving too. Those were some great times. In a few words it was all "worms party, headshots, bball, eclipse, billiards, pizza and beef burgers".
Haffis had to leave a week or so before me. My D-day was may 17. Lets see, I got a cell phone, ipod vid, speakers, 120gb hard drive, boxes of chocolates (read snickers and kinder) and so much other things I really didn't need. The flight was sweet. Emirates rocks. All the flight attendants were very courteous. And pretty. Really pretty. It was connecting from Dubai, so I had three hours or so in transit. The Airport Mall is mind blowing. It was so big and cheap. The electronics section was brilliant and the staff was extremely helpful, and for once actually knew what they were talking about. Though I had close to 50 KD in multiple currencies, i didn't have the heart to blow it. I got a lot of goodies anyway. Though i couldn't resist indulging in a little chocolate. Cost : KD 3.
Back on the plane, the in flight movie was pretty good. Though i cant remember what it was. The food was good. Beats KU airways anyday.
Thinking back, I really blamed everyone for making me come here. Of course, Dads constant banter inculcated the idea. But part of the reason is that most of my friends were leaving too. And I would've got some cool stuff too. That doesn't mean I still dont blame everybody else :)
Monday, April 13, 2009
Blogger commeth...
Finally after 11 months of preparing, I've got the perfect template and the perfect name. Oh, and the person responsible for the brilliant header is a wonderful friend I'll call "Juggs".
Banter aside, today being april 13 means april 12 got over. Now if your scratching your head, it means the IIT JEE was over yesterday. Finally, after 2 years of preparation, giving up nearly everything I've lived for, its over.
This blog should be about my life in India. How everyday seemed like a dream, flickering between reality and the absurd, almost like Sleep Walking.
Banter aside, today being april 13 means april 12 got over. Now if your scratching your head, it means the IIT JEE was over yesterday. Finally, after 2 years of preparation, giving up nearly everything I've lived for, its over.
This blog should be about my life in India. How everyday seemed like a dream, flickering between reality and the absurd, almost like Sleep Walking.
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