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Harini patiently scanned some pictures from our recent outings!

http://www.sudhar.com/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=Latest-Snaps

Its been a while since we had added anything to our album. Folks back home have been wanting to see us.

Making it big is not easy, neverthless every other person dreams of it. I am no exception and believe as every day goes past me that I am a day closer to it.

Sheena & Vijay Vaidyanathan, a couple shortly after immigrating to US, experienced a remarkable life and turn of events, that we can only envy of. Another true story to get motivated. If there is a will, there is sure a way.

http://www.albany.edu/pr/albanymagspring2000/internet.htm

Wonder where I found this story? Incidentally, Vijay Vaidyanathan is the founder of Net Effect Media Inc (NEMI) which produced the hilarious and enjoyable movie ‘Green Card Fever’. The same compnay most recently distributed the movie ‘Yuva’ in USA.

So lets dream on, It costs nothing, but could buy you a great future.

Undeterred by the not-so-good review on rediff about yuva, we honoured our promise and saw the movie this past weekend.

Hate to admit it, the guy at Rediff was indeed right! Mani could have done better, the “other” good aspects of the movies like cinematography, stunts and star cast are becoming all too common these days, especially in recent high-profile hindi movies. But the essence of mani’s movies: an odd story line and a gripping story-telling style(screenplay) was lacking; the stuff that was present in movies like kannathil muthamittal or alai payuthey. Anyhow, we wanted to see it, we did. we could have fared better with a dvd rental from patel brothers!

That was friday night. The next worthy event of the weekend was visting coney island yesterday. Its the south tip of the brooklyn coast overlooking the atlantic. Before we spent an hour on the ocean front board walk, we toured the aquarium, with the honour of being the only couple visting without kids!
Some species like the transparent stingers and dwarf sea horses were totally breathtaking.

While driving back, Harini and I had a conversation on if it would have been cheaper if we had taken the train to the coney island. Hmm..yeah, i know what you are thinking, Was that question really necessary, especially after the fact that we have already taken the car? ok, I agree, it was a stupid topic, but towards the end she casually uttered something very interesting…’There is nothing as plain cheap in US, you only have cheaply overpriced or expensively overpriced’!’. That from somebody new to US is understandable isnt it?

Read a good article about Manmohan Singh written by his college pal from cambridge, who is a renowned economist today at Columbia University in NY. If you didnt know, Columbia is one of the top 3 business schools in the world.
http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEH20040522142618&Page=H&Title=Top+Stories&Topic=0&

Manmohan with P.Chidambaram, sure reasons for hope of a financially bright India.

Rediff reviewed the first show of Yuva previewed in TimesSquare yesterday http://in.rediff.com/movies/2004/may/20yuva.htm

Its unfortunate that the headlines suggests that the movie is disappointing. I sure didnt expect that for a manirathnam’s movie. We were planning to go and watch the movie tomorrow, as I think about it, I am unlikely to change my mind. Well, at least, the reviewer mentioned few niceties in the movie that could be worth the $8 and the commute!

After my last post, another surprise twist in the Indian political melodrama. Mr.Singh emerged from nowhere and now he is the PM. Definitely million times better than Ms.Sonia and thanks to whoever it is to have adivsed Sonia. Someone speculated that it was Dr.Kalam, not sure if I can buy it? But as I think about it, it would have nearly impossible to convince the nation had not sonia herself came forward to deny the post. Anyhow, speculations and skepticisms aside, Its a great new story beginning for the nation. As another Rediff article points out, the most educated prime minister of India is fully loaded for a ride. Will he make history or go in the drains as…what the heck is his name…huh yeah Deva Gowda? Neverthless democracy and secularism at its best, I am so proud to be an Indian. America, not in another century can do anything like this.

Just returned from Scranton, PA on an off-site official visit. It went perfect, I couldnt have asked for more. I think I convinced more people than I expected to.

And Harini had just got a salary hike, I think its almost 80%, she is in cloud nine!

Until I find the mood to write…

I had to force myself into writing this note, as its after a bit too long a gap, my mind just doesnt seem to long for it. Priorities have changed a bit, just submitted my application for NYU, feeling much better to wrap the last two weeks of work on essays and recommendations. Hope it all turns out for the better, just one more piece of the puzzle to fix.

Lot of things have happened back in India. Running a democratic voting for a billion people is by far a humungous task, even Americans would dare to take up. Sonia seem to have hit the jackpot that she has been aiming for so long. Though I have nothing against her as a person, I had to concur with Ms.Jayalalitha, when she claimed ‘Dont we have one Indian in this billion who can run the country?’ makes sense right? She might be a Indian for all practical purposes today, but the world has not gotten so much open minded yet to allow this happen with ease. Neverthless, looks like she is the crown queen, as both priyanka and rahul seem not interested for the big post, even if rest of us feel otherwise.

The attrocious act of some soldiers in iraq prison is just unacceptable. True, every one makes mistakes and Americans and their soldiers are no exceptions. After all, they are humans and could not bear it when fellow soldiers and aid workers are burnt alive and hung in the middle of streets by iraqis. But when American is playing a unrequested, unwanted and largely unsupported internation police job, it got to know how to behave. It cant be helped…a few soldiers spoiled the entire troops reputation. Period. It can only be forgotten, will never be excused.

After going back and forth between moving to south carolina and staying back in New jersey, we finally retained the previlage of staying back to live in this famous new jersey. We were happy for just one reason that we wont miss new york city. Destiny calling me to NYU perhaps.

Not exactly a plane, but I did fly a Skyhawk Discovery jet yesterday. A friend of mine, Duncan Lyall is a flight instructor at a local flying school and he offered to give me a fun first lesson on the Discovery. It so happens every pilot takes his or her first lessons on a Discovery jet. Its a small four seater propeller jet that can be operated from both two front seats(Similar to how car driving schools teach students).

surprisingly, it was very easy to fly it, though I only had the full controls for once in a few minutes, during our hour long ride. With the wind and weather little shaky yesterday, it was scary at times. But I managed to maneuver quite well, I learnt the four basics of flying and infact already logged 1 hour of flying time towards 40 hour need to get a flying license!

It all sounds too simple isnt it? it actually is simple. for the most part, the wind takes care of flight, so it like sitting on top of an eagle, it automatically flies.

I enjoyed it and am daring to take on the next lesson. The owner of the school mistakenly assumed me for someone who would buy a discovery jet and told me I could buy one for less than $200K

The sorry part of the ride was harini got sick mid-air and puked!