My time in the US of A - part 1

I felt that I should document everything that is going to happen in US. Why? Because, I feel like that I am in a learning curve and I have to document it. You do not know how you will be, or what l going to do in the future. But, if I document these days, I will be able to look back at this part of my life and would be able to look at where I am standing. Besides I always wanted to write a book. So, I want everything documented. I know I am now in the US for 3 weeks, But I can still remember the last 3 weeks.

One tip for everyone is that, Do not go to Saravana Bhavan on the day you have the flight, Even if you do, please eat lightly. I didn't and it showed during the flight to Houston. The night when I left to the Houston from Chennai is deeply etched inside me. My mom was really brave to have held her nerve until I left, and I am sure how much she would have felt so much after I left her for immigration.

I was inside, first time as a passenger instead of someone who just came to give sendoffs. And it felt good. My family along with two of my friends, Dinaesh and Dhanasundar were there. There was a little part of me that was really afraid. I went to the check in counter, but was sent back to get my bags scanned. And there was this really long line and by the time I got my bags, wrapped it with polythene(yes, you heard me right!! For 200 Rs. you get baggage insurance as well.) and went to the check in queue, there was this long queue outside. And as I completed my check-in, the immigration check for my flight was called. So after waving everyone goodbye, I moved in to the immigration.

The funny thing was I was wearing my jacket which weighed almost 5 Kgs. And I was sweating like a pig in Chennai airport. The immigration official even joked about it(to be frank, I was sweating as she had the authority to hold me back in India, I didn't tell her that, I blamed it on the leather jacket). And the security near the gates were also very strict, given the recent terrorist activities. I sat near the gate exhausted and emotionally feeling low. But it was ok. I was going to US on a purpose and being away from the family was no big deal either.

The flight to Dubai from Chennai was my first flight of over an hour(my previous flights were to and from Hyderabad, both just 45 minutes). The ICE was good in Emirates, but the breakfast served(Yes, at 3 o clock in the morning. My tip, don't eat just because it is free unless you really want it.). We were given a menu but later were provided only the vegetarian option because everything else was over. Bad flight management, if you ask me. But anyway, I tried watching some movies, but I couldn't focus. So after juggling a few movies, I settled with G.I.Joe for the trip. And nothing much happened until Dubai.

Dubai Airport. Man, it was really kick ass. Compared to Dubai Airport, Chennai airport is really a dwarf. It was so big and there was a big duty free market in Dubai, where you get everything from Cigarettes to Cars. And it took me an hour to reach my departure gate, even though I walked really fast without stopping(OK, i am exaggerating, but it took me more than 20 minutes and you have to cross a security check similar to one that was in India). And after another 16 hours of flight which was in an elliptical path. I reached Houston!!!!!

Today is not today but yesterday

I found this strange phenomenon when i was viewing the last two posts. I posted them on 3rd Jan IST but strangely they were displayed as posted on Jan 2nd. Wierd!!!

I have been entangled with Medieval 2 for second straight day now. Been playing Catholic christian factions and in the course of the events, you get to realize medieval kings were never really enjoying life, as many of us assume these days. It is so challenging doing so much tasks and it is no wonder kings often failed to make a mark. You had to be great even to be a king, from there you had to be really really magnificient to become a good king and even more magnificient to be a great king and god like if you have to make a mark.

The gameplay mechanics in medieval 2 is amazing. Playing as a catholic faction, you piss off the Pope and you get your ass kicked by all the other Catholic Christian factions. Check this out, i was playing as the faction Venice and the current Pope was from Hungary, whom I did not support in the papal elections(I had 3 Cardinal votes in the College of Cardinals as the previous pope was from my faction). Now I invade an Hungarian settlement which the Hungarians captured from my ally The Byzantine Empire and Whoosh!!, The Pope sends me an stern warning that if i attack Hungary one more time I would be excommunicated and the Hungarian Army shows up with a huge army at my gates but they do not lay siege and just stand there choking up the trade. Talk about Church Politics. Sure enough, I was excommunicated and I had to wait another 15 turns(30 years) before I could reconcile into the Christian world. There is a lots of twists and turns in the story and the game is extremely addictive.

Well, having said that, there goes another day with nothing to do and just staring at my computer. I will say, Just another day at the office then.

Old Post New Day - Jan 2

It took me just 5 minutes to get into the "Oh!! Do I have to do it!!" mode, eventhough this is a follow up of the last post. Sheesh!!

Anyway, today I was addicted to a game called Medieval 2 : Total War. Previously it was Rome : Total War, this was the next released version, the latest version in the series is Empire : Total War touted to be the last and final version in the series. Though, I doubt it, No series that deals with wars is going to end without World War II. The most destructive and widely fought war ever.

Coming back to the total war series. The level of strategy and micro management you have to deal with is mind boggling. Unlike, Age of Empires Series, this one is pretty complicated. Total war series, in general, allows you to capture settlements, form alliances, open trade routes, upgrade settlements as population increases, fight life sized battles on screen. Especially the battles involve a lot of strategy, right from placing your units in formation, flanking movements, You have to play 'em to know 'em.

Rome : Total War dealt with units during the time of rome while Medieval 2 shifts focus 1000 years forward to the medieval Europe where the feudaling kingdoms have been formed and the crusades have started between Christian and Islamic forces. The action is engaging.

Well, there goes another day.

Old Post New Day - Jan 1

New year is a reason quoted for all the changes it seems. My blog is also not an exception, come new year I felt I had to do something new and hence blog. But Why blog? Cos, I downloaded a journal software and the stupid software planted a virus in my PC and a genuine software costs money. What the heck?? Anyway, I felt I had lots of time in my disposal and I could atleast spend 5 minutes doing something, hence I chose to write about my entire day. But I guess most of the time it will be nothing.

So it took me two days to come and created a blog account to write, Hence the title. The everyday happenings of my life is nothing interesting but I would like to capture it to read it in the future and wonder about what I did everyday.

Chennai is surprisingly cold these days, probably the most coldest period since I have been to here, but I could be wrong given that fact I am waking up this soon only for the past one year. And, last year's rains took everybody by surprise. But what is ironic is that global warming has brought incessant rains and a cold wave in Chennai.

Speaking about surprises, last year was filled with them. A pretty bad year for almost all the people. What happened to our south was very regrettable and even more so was the attitude of our rulers in the north. The cash for votes scam in our supposedly largest democracy and our people's surprisingly welcoming attitude. I had been employed for only 4 months in the whole year due to stupid recession. And last but not the least, the close shave from destruction TN had because of the release of two Vijay films in the same year.

Let us hope this year will bring us good things for all of us.