Day 8

It was the last day and we had hardly touched the cool waters. Without a dip in the ganges the trip to Haridwar is incomplete, similarly we had to dip in the ocean. The red sail sporting company was a small company proving snorkel trips on a catamaran. Not that I can differentiate much between a sail boat, schooner, catamaran, jib or mast, the boat was half filled to capacity with 30 people unlike the whale watching sailboat trip which had only 8 people. The captain and his cronies were pleasant and the boat was quite surprisingly accommodating.

As we sailed off to the snorkeling location the reality hit with a bang. I had not swam since the last snorkeling trip since last years Florida trip. The knot in the stomach curled further as people just jumped in and snorkeled away to see mysterious ocean creatures. Gathering the momentum I grabbed a life vest for “just in case” and like a sponge absorbed all the information doled out about the mask and breathing. Somethings rang a bell but it was panic city inside as I jumped into the water complete with fins.

The clear blue ocean with free visibility to the coral calmed out my nerves enough to remind me to keep breathing through the mouth and fin away to the promised site of never before seen so close sea creatures. At some point I lifted my head up enough to see that was way off course and she was sitting by the steps getting the equipment on. I swam back and tried to calm her down and get back to basics. I recalled how in Florida she had shattered the fear barrier and jumped into the ocean albeit never left the rope. There were still some initial activation issues and once she figured out the vest did its job well and the additional red float in hand we traveled far, well as far as the float tied to the boat let us.

There were no mythical being in the ocean. But that was hardly any disappointment because the water temp was just right above being cool and the suns rays were playing tricks with reflection due to waves the ocean floor looked sparkly and divine. After frolicking in the waters for about 40 minutes we decided to call it a day and hopped back to the boat.

With the wind in the sails and on board sandwich lunch in out tummies we basked in the afternoon sun. We also saw quite a few whales much closer than the whale watch trip. The big mammals were awe inspiring and very graceful in their movements. Once back on land we found a place to taste and buy some pure hawaiian coffee and tea.

The drive back to Peoria from Chicago was on automation. After the long flight a good sleep on a proper mattress was much needed. As I woke up and saw the window I could almost see the clouds and mountains past the window. As I shook my head the reality of the cold weather sunk in and the hot piping upma and sambar sure helped cure the blues away.

Day 7

We had half a days worth of driving for the day and half a day of phone calls to schedule a snorkeling trip before we left the islands. We drove all the way back to the volcanos for the aerial tour only to get a five minute tour of the seaside and figure that the clouds would be too low and we will not be able to see any lava flow nor steam vents. We saved ourselves plenty of green but we had a avoidable four hour drive. To salvage part of the trip we went to the touristy waterfalls where we learned to say Merry Christmas in the local language which I repeated a few times and have since then promptly forgotten as well.

The water falls were not pretty on account of the water being muddy but they were quite majestic. Too bad unlike Kempty falls they did not allow people close to the water for safety reasons.

Does doing an activity for the sheer risk of it increase the adrenaline? If you make an activity extremely safe it does take some amount of fun factor out of it.

Her diligence and persistence on the phone yielded results and we had a snorkel tour booked for the next day just in time to wrap up the trip and catch the flight.

The afternoon was a really lazy one with both of completing the library books and a solid nap. Now we can definitely say we took a nap in Hawaii too. In search for a rejuvenating coffee to wake up our Aloha spirits we strolled lazily past the ocean side joints. Each one was claiming their fame in “best burger” or “authentic Hawaiian” to “local favorite” and enticing passerby with low rates and best maitai offers. We decided to go to the burger place but just in case traipsed further away to see what else Kona had to offer. It was kind of channel surfing to find out if there was anything else better going on. We found a Thai restaurant no surprise there, that was right by the ocean side with the sun about to set in an hour or so. Our legs gravitated towards it and we ordered a fish panang and mixed sea food and summer rolls along with a maitai and iced coffee. The view as the sun was setting was picture perfect. It was almost a perfect ending to the last evening in Hawaii. Being Christmas day the motorcycle rentals was closed and mopeds somehow did not quite substitute the craving only raw horsepower and nimble handling could provide.

It was one of the few days we watched a few hours of TV and a more than week without Internet was therapeutic. Very few phone calls and we did not miss much of it either.

Day 6

Another fairly early day completely dedicated to the volcanoes. We had to drive across the entire island to get to the Volcano side. ON our way there we got pulled over by a female trooper for speeding. I would like to think that my charms and smile had won her over and we left the scene unscathed of any tickets. We also wanted to scout the volcanoes from air and it was pouring down pretty hard. So we rescheduled the air p[lane tour to the next day meaning another day of driving back. The sky cleared out now and then in time for us to take a few pictures and browse through the museum and marvel at mother natures fury and workings.

It was a suprise when there were dieties/ sort of where in the different erupted material was labewlled as Pele's hair and Pele's Tear drops, Pele being the goddess. It definitely reminded me of Indian Goddesses Like Durga maa.

There was the overpowering stench of sulphur at some of the locations. For the layman it was a hole in the ground and some dirt, but the fissures and solidified and cracked lava bore tales of destruction from decades ago. The smoldering steam vents were a reminder that eruptions could occur but can be predicted with more accuracy with better understanding and accurate sensing technologies. Some of the technologies are also used in the mining industry.

We also walked though a lava tube which was eerie and just imagine at some point there was red hot lava flowing though the same chamber we were traversing though..... shudder.

We had stopped midway and detoured to a lesser known / advertised waterfalls Umauma. There were insect repellants as aprt of the ticket for mosquitos and I got bit by a wasp. It was non poisonous since I am still here writing about the story but in case I disappear for a few hours and a crime is stopped by a mysterious man in mask, be assured it was me. The falls itself was good because my expectation were really low because of the hype caused by the media.

The rain had added a lot to the muddy flow and the rainforest had a beautiful neon green look to it. A walk through the rainbow park we saw a lot of familiar flowers, ate a over ripe guava and did not get caught, cocoa, coffee, vanilla, cinnamon etc.

We did hike around a few trails more like trails for city slickers because they were concrete. There were plenty of labels for the plants but was tiresome after a little while and the picture taking reduced after a few hundred yards. But occasionally a guava tree, a beautiful flower or the scenery would revive the interest in pictures.

The driving in the rain through one of the wettest places on earth was full of lush forests almost transported me the best Jurassic Park movie (the first one). We were reliving the 3-D live version of the movie.

We stopped by a drive in to grab a quick bite just the tv show and had very little idea what we were actually getting into. We order two dishes which turned out to two too many. Deep fried shrimp chicken and fish were so sogged up in oil that turned us away from fried food. The saving grace was the icecream float with vanilla on pepsi.

Is there a way to capture the taste the smell the sense of awe for recounting later or to convey the feeling to another person? Possibly not because not everyone would have the same response to the same stimuli.

A beautiful beach is nothing but salt water and dirt. Same scenery different perspective.

On our return we took the supposedly shorter route according to the map but took us a lot longer and a few stops by the black sand beaches did not help make up the time either. A well located chai station would have been extremely helpful and being in Kona coffee plantation side and Christmas eve did not help the case at all. The coffee will have to wait another morning.

Being Christmas eve most of the dining places had either closed or did not pike our interest. We settled on a Thai place and decided to order just one dish on account of the colossal lunch failure. The satay was good along with the chutney. The pad thai was too lemony tangy, I guess by now we have become very picky unless we were very hungry.

Day 5

Waking up early has become the key phrase that is usually left to non vacation time for conscientious health conscious early risers. The lure of romantic sunrise on the islands was sufficient to rise us from the deep slumber induced by the water kissing the sand on the beach. We packed our bags and checked out as Chuck our ride to the base camp greeted us in a gruff voice and a cowboy hat. He had plenty of very funny anecdotes about the weather resembling his wives in predictability among others. We joined four others who were also signed up for the classic sunrise bicycling down the mountain tour. The treacherous climb to the Haleakala mountain was conveniently delegated to Chuck who we later came to know had poor sight and obvious hearing issues. I just thought he loved to talk and listening was skipped in his vocabulary.

He was originally from Portland and had stories about pollution and had apparently held quite a few odd jobs. Our tour guide from Brazil and cohorts in cycling tour from Spain and Germany was like a benetton add for country representation. The full moon added to the bright early hours and coffee was barely sufficient to keep us in the windy mountain top for a sunrise in the clouds. The discussion in the van varied from Lance armstrong to Pushing Tin and pickpocketing tips. Once the time passed the sunrise we headed down on the bicycles which had drum brakes and fixed gear ratio.

There was hardly any pedaling and the only portion was labelled Jane Fonda's thigh Blaster road by Chuck. At first she was pedaling like a grandma driving a skylark in Florida, but after a stop for coffee and breakfast she was right behind the tour guide. The tour guide led the troop on a bicycle and Chuck followed us in the van with the trailer for bikes blocking any traffic barreling down our way. He was in radio contact with the lead and we occasionally gave way to the meddling fuel consuming beasts driven by environmentally inconsiderate folks. I will get off the high horse now.

There were no bill boards in Hawaii, it was conveniently made too expensive so that it does not interfere with the aesthetic view. There were no pearls from Hawaii because of preservation laws. Is that in self interest i.e. If Phillipines wants to harvest pearls and destroy environment it is cool. But harvesting Hawaiin pearls was against the law. Already there were signs of progress that interfere with nature. Existence of Walmart for a couple of years almost guarantees the diminishing returns for farming industry. The 35 sugar mills have dwindled down to 1.5 because sugar could be made cheaper elsewhere.

In the long run the only thing cheaper in US would be ???.

On one hand you want a decently priced vacation and on the other hand one also craves the exotic. If the islands of Hawaii get ravaged by sea of concrete Jane, Jill and .. would be able to afford it bu then it wont be the exotic "place to go". ANd then there would be new islands to explore and ravage.

The fast sweeping wet turns were also being conquered by a late year YZF600 and a missed downshift had the rider squirm a bit but experience took ove as he rode out the turn. Our third leg was fast paced and short lived, just as we were getting used to the pace and the curves and the views we stopped to load the bikes back on the trailer. It was a pretty neat trick to keep the customer wanting so that he would come back. We basked in the warm sunshine on a plastic chair somehow seemed to be a crazy simple wish when we had left Chicago.

After Chuck dropped us back at the hotel we finagled our way to a room for a couple of hours. It was more like the resort graciously offered a room and in the few hours a nap was taken and the chappatis were consumed with Shahi paneer. The garden view room was more like parking lot view room and pale in comparison to the ocean view room, but we were definitely not choosers nor did care, just grateful for the rest and rejuvenation needed for further car drives and plane rides.

We saw some crazy surfer dudes getting smacked around and so close to the rock wall that made me wonder is life insurance rates increase if you mention interests in surfing. We found a desolate point in the highway to stop by and have a cliffhangar reminding moment from the top of the rocks. We returned the car without any trouble and our ride to the airport was immediately available. The only time when we wanted to tip the man we did not have any change, luckily the driver was also picking up a couple more passengers from the airport. Hopefully they had some bills of green and willingness to part with them, but being asian only the first part may be true.

We met another Indian couple at the airport who also did a whirlwind tour of the islands like us and offered good tip on plane ride to the lava viewing and volcano park visiting.

It is like the MBA thing, most of the people I know have either done one or in the process or planning to do one. Same with the Hawaii trip too. One thing checked off on the things to do before the end.

The car rental that we had online was thrice the price compared to the other islands. We took a risk and just took a shuttle to another car rental and found 50% savings by ditching the reservation and getting another car on the fly. Make on wonder how artificial jacking up of prices prior to Holidays is so prevalent.

The island hopper plane deserves a few lines. First impressions were rickety dinky "will it complete the trip" kind of emotions. The baggage check in person was the same as the non existent security person. In fact he was our luggage storer, flight attendant tour guide and the pilot as well.

We checked into the hotel and saw the beach kinda from the balcony. But by now the Maui hotel would be a tough one to beat, for its proximity to the beach, the ocean sounds, the pool view. We just shrugged at the view and went to find dinner. We had asked the concierge about not so fancy not so fast food and she got the hint and showed us a few inexpensive (cheap) places. One of them was closed so our choice narrowed down by combining our willingness to walk to only one. We saw a palm tree with chritmas decorations for the first time. I ordered the oonu grilled sandwich with fried and she ordered sno crab sandwich with salad. The fish was very very mild but the snow crab on sourdough was pretty good.

Ordering healthy food is not the same as eating healthy food, I noticed as she gobbled up most the fries from my plate. At the end I put my plate farther away but distance is never a deterrent to a fried snack fanatic.

As I see couples clinging to each other like the end of the world, I wonder when and how that comes down to the couple with kids who rarely talk to each other. Reminds me of the Julius Ceasar quote " Like horses, hot at hand but fail the test like a deceitful jade under the eyes of a jeweller" or something like that. Do quibbles strengthen a relation or making up after fights result in taking the person for granted. Is the willingness or desire to make up an indication of the strength of a relationship. Should logic be used in the same sentence as relationship?

Day 4

The only day when we were not slaves of the alarm clock and it was a vacation day for the poor timekeeper. We really did not have much of an agenda for the day except drive around the worlds most beautiful drive and chill on the beach. And the day started with chilling walk down the beach where a early morning photographer clicked us with the morning sun lighting up our faces and boat in the background. There were quite a few others who were strolling and writing messages on the beach only to be washed by waves. But the kiddish enthusiasm could not be deterred by a bunch of hooligan waves. We did manage to catch the "complimentary continental breakfast". I would like to visit the continent where they have such a breakfast.

After doodling around on the beach we found our way on the map to Hana. We would like to claim the circuitous route by "design" and not any deficiencies in the navigation skills. If there were a road sign reading challenge, we would definitely flunk. By a faint chance we located a board hiding behind the lamp post traffic signal and some trees and once again we were back on track. In case you missed it we missed a few turns.

The 30 mile road definitely brought back memories of the deals gap trip and even more treachorous because most of the bridges were one lane while the road was technically two lane. Since most cars were compact size it was ok. I would love to see two trucks navigating around each other. There were several waterfalls and road side stalls and taco shops selling fresh banana nut bread, pearls, fruits.

When we reached the destination we realized the journey on the road to the destination was the main part. The town was hardly worth the few bytes on the web. We located a direction to a snack shop and we found a beach side and got down to stretch our legs. She said there was black sand beach around here and that we should take pictures for patel value. I look at her and look at the sand on the beach and look at her and say "Honey the sand is black here, this must be the black sand beach". Just because there was no big red neon sign these observations seem monumental.

We did find a restaurant / takeout place with stir fried chicken rice for lunch special and we ordered a top ramen noodle soup along with it. Sitting by the beach side benches with packed lunches/ baskets was a common sight and honey mooners were dime a dozen everywhere. But in Hana it looked more like a full family vacation package with kids and grandkids. As our order was ready the olfactory senses were alerted to a new kid in town and the taste buds had a party of the year. The chicken was prepared unusually well adn we had just seen the movie Ratatoille and the taste sensation explosion is an accurate desciption of the chicken.

After appeasing the stomach we headed back the same way and now the brake turn accelerate motions were becoming a second nature and the road to Hana was like a mini race course.

After a little while well a couple of hours of see sawing we took a much needed break to avoid feeling queasy and almost like being in a roller coaster or being on a sail boat in rough seas. After the road straightened out we found another excuse to park our behinds and the car in a beach front personal heavenly alcove complete with a view, surfers and park benches.

Message from the beach hippies inscribed on a bench

Live to love

Love to live

Unlike the angry messages like Marvin sucks or obscene ones this message was a welcome change even to a cynic.

Little kids big kids everyone was out there on the water trying to ride out the waves as much as they could. It was like being a predator at times. Wait and watch repeat cycle followed by instinct and catch the wave and follow through. From the expressions on the young ones fear and courage had no boundaries. The limitless energy and abundance of waves ran dry our patience to watch them. It was more an invitation for us to jump in and catch the waves ourselves and experience first hand the disheartenment of failing and excitement of the wait and exhilaration of cresting a wave. And as the wave picks one up everything slows in time and dream about it for years clearer than 50" HDTV.

It was time to head back to the room to freshen up and read the book till the sun came down.

Day 3

The alarm was doing overtime these days unlike office days when the alarm was set when the results were like a vegetarian tiger. As we walked towards the valet parking we were apprehensive about the reception we would get based on the previous days "thieving". But it was another person and another day. On the way to the car rental we recalled filling the gas in the car and could not find any gas stations till we almost reached the rental return and there like tall saving grace big neon board claimed something in blue but surely selling gas. We caught the shuttle to the airport just as it was about to leave. The unacknowledged scratch on the yellow PT cruiser shall remain unacknowledged. The rental policy without insurance was like a loan sharks dream, anything that happens regardless of whose fault it was the renter was liable for full damage. It was almost intimidating one to get the insurance policy just like thou shalt return the car with full tank of gas else be charged a arm and a few toes for a gallon of gas.

After reaching the second island while waiting for the rental car pickup we saw a few enthusiastic joggers running up and down the hill and a full rainbow behind them. Just to digress for a moment if anyone knows the radius of a rainbow please let me know. Back to the regular scheduled program. We are thankful for the delays else we would have been busy poring over maps and trying to figure where to go how to get there and miss the rainbow completely. Are we so busy trying to catch the moment for eternity by filming it or taking a picture that we forget to actually savor the moment? We do relive the moment everytime we think about it or tell it to friends and family.

Do we tend to observe more when on vacation like birds or leaves or sounds or views that on a normal working day would be tossed aside like a used sock.

After a hunt for a breakfast place we found a fast food joint that also had a activity for less store which we will find hundreds of later in the day. We figured out where and what and when for the next few days for selling a piece of our time listening to sales pitch of a vacation home/time share. But unfortunately we did not qualify since we were not on the island for more than a day/24 hours and had activities scheduled within the next 5 hrs.

Statistically they were targeting people with leisure time who were likely to buy unlike us who would probably make it back to Maui maybe once more in lifetime. But we did get free lunch out of the deal and got us back to Lahaina for the whale watch and that was also close to the hotel.

We walked around till we could check in and then walked around waiting for the sail boat to arrive. Once checked in we were were absolutely positively stumped by the view. We could see the entire ocean from the balcony conveniently located chairs was awesome. But our initial excitement waned quickly when we could not locate the bedroom or the bed. We tried out key on all the doors we saw without success. We had seen a few house maids outside so as she stepped to find out the mystery we found that the bed was stored vertically integrated like a wall cabinet. There goes the midvale school of gifted award to us...again. Luckily she had not found the maids yet.

Luckily my wallet did not loose any weight even after we walked in and out of a jewelry store and strolled past a few others.

The sailboat was probably a 60 footer with a main sail and a jib. the crew was friendly and champagne, beer and chocolate flowed freely, we did have to ask for chocolate twice though. Once out in the ocean the captain shut down the engine and let the wind find us. Looking far out we could see whale snout sprays. As the boat crawled towards the whale sightings the whales would move farther away. We did manage to see one whale up close and looked very graceful and huge. But more than the whale watching the weather was just perfect with sun coming down and light breeze and smooth sailing. The payload was just around 10 people which was great and had newly married couple teaching in SF and a realtor from Austin.

The stroll back to hotel was a scenic route walking away from destination to see local shops and budding artists. We found a pretty good bargain for a straw hat much below the range we had expected. The same hat was more than twice the price in a store right next door. And at another store they had marked down price for a gift item incorrectly and we benefitted well too.

In the hotel chicken tikka masala and veg manchurian with chapatis and rice was the meal dejour. It had never before taken so much trial and error to make a meal from frozen chappatiis and microwavable curries. The chapattis had thawed a bit and would stick to the pan and then the pan got too hot and burned the roti. The machurian gravy leaked out and some of the flavor was lost to the cardboard packing. Watching the waves and hearing the soft lull of the water and sand meant a early sleep time.

Day2

All the unaccustomed physical activity (hiking in the sun) and odd sleeping hours caught up resulting in a slight fever. However I was pampered with noodle soups and conveniently escaped jogging by the sea. By 11 after she returned from a hubby uninterrupted walk/jog we were up for some more sight seeing albeit a little less physical.

In the lobby we went to the activity center located earlier in the visit to inflict some touristy questions to the person manning the booth. As I asked the valet parking to fetch the car we were finalizing the luau (Hawaiian feast) we wanted to attend. Meanwhile the parking attendant honked his arrival and left his post in search of something more interesting than waiting on his customers. As we left the booth purchasing the twilight package including the polynesian show the valet attendant was no where to be found. Well there went his tip surfing past the horizon. The car was locked and we had waited for a good two minutes when the patience relief valve opened up. She sneaked past the booth to discover the keys begging to be taken out for a ride to the North shore. And as she picked up the keys, which was probably blasphemous in itself when no one was watching, we walked past a few others who were still stuck in the waiting phase surprised by the exhibition of blatant breach of protocol/etiqette evident in their "I can't believe they just did that" look of incredulity. But my guess is that they might have followed suite after we left in minutes.

We drove towards north shore, which was supposedly a mecca for surfers. The waves at waikiki were like the bunny hill for skiers. We took a detour towards a local town where we stopped by to do patelgiri and there were a few others like us. As we continued on the detour and our nostrils picked up the scent after we saw the sign for huli huli chicken. The grill was set up outside, this was no fancy pants restaurant, hardly a restaurant even. There were a few chairs thrown under a makeshift tent with poles stuck in sand filled buckets. Fresh shrimp were being tossed on the grill and the cleaned up chicken was doused lavishly with the secret braising sauce. We settled on just half a chicken for taste and a dipping of a big transparent vessel with freshly squeezed lime topped off the meal. The sign advertising the aforesaid two-winged edible bird had a chicken dressed in a lei and dancing to some tune happily.

The only dance the chicken was going to actually do was in my midsection quenching my hunger pangs. We walked a little on the beach and sat down to watch budding surfers patiently learning while the experts were showing off, while a few others were content with basking in the sun. As we drove off the beach headed to our next destination we passed by a roadside shack selling pineapple and coconuts and some knick knacks. We stopped by to taste a fresh a fresh coconut and had a non-verbal powwow with a camo wearing, bicycle riding, geographically challenged wannabe army person. There was also a humble looking artist who was carving faces of warriors and gods out of branches and staining them with color. We bought one of sculptures at the Polynesian culture gift shop.

Following the footsteps of Rachels Rays tips on good eats, we skipped the posh read expensive places for something little out of way flavorful and light on the budget as well. The place in the 101 things to do referred to a place exactly like that. Shrimp shack was not exactly what the name said it more like a shrimp van but after a taste of flavorful fresh shrimp with a few scoops of rice that small issue of name was buried under crab legs and butter as well. After many valiant efforts to master the skill of breaking the crab legs using the apparatus provided which was chained to the tray we resorted to the tried and tested appendages extended out and the dumbell lifting and body pump classes were put to the use man intended i.e. put delicious food into the mouth.

After the crab was consumed with fervor hitherto known only in imagination of ravenous hunger meeting a feast fit for the king we decided to add a little polynesian cultural adventure to our experience. We barely made it to the last canoe rides and headed to the only show we thought we could make. We got a temporary warrior tattoo that looked menacing and then tried the poi sort of juggling weights tied to strings and try to maneuver the trajectory of the attached weights in a sort of circular fashion. The demonstrators were mostly native or at least sounding and looking and made it sound so simple, and would occasionally show off by changing from clockwise to ccw and then switch hands and then single handedly accomplish what ten of us were barely able to do with two hands. The ease with which they switches between various motions had a hidden beat and when they missed it made them human and without skipping another beat they would pickup the pace and catchup. That was true showmanship. The ritual touching of noses was Alaskanish but the warrior dance was really intimidating and the facial expressions had quite a bit of terror in them. The yells and screams were definitely from another era unlike the profanity or verbal punches that we see today.

WE decided to be bold and be late for the traditional luau / feast since our bellies were asking for a break and there was a tonga drum show as well. As woman nudged me to be a "volunteer" I managed to get my behind on stage to match my non existent music less talent against a burly enthusiastic tongaman. I seemed to hang well or so I think till the drum tempo increased a tad and then confused my brain cells which told one thing to my muscles and my muscle tried to execute and there was chaos. I shared the stage with an australian who was on a world tour with his 4 kids and parents. For my efforts I did get a crown made of palm leaves which I left in the rental car (I just remembered as I write this 12 hrs later).

There was picture taking with leis and she got the last one!! On to the luau which was supposedly a feast and roasted pig was the focused entree. Since we just had a lot of food, our hunger level was not much and unless the food beyond a level of excellence it was not going to please us. That meant extreme high standards, the salad and the chicken and the roast and the others did not make the cut. However the dessert selection was wide and one of them tasted like jinnu with a flavor of coconut.

There was enough time gap between dinner and the show just to entice people to buy stuff and the trick worked. WE bought a wooden warrior/god which was a good bargain which we found out later. There was a booth where one could pick a oyster shell among many and then the shell would be opened and you would own the pearl that were inside. One lady was so lucky that she picked three or four and all of them had two pearls. Two pearls were rare and three were extremely rare. But the whole concept was pretty neat, with a guranteed pearl inside, of course the color of the pearl would not be known untill the shell was broken. We bought one and found a pink champagne pearl which was cool and had the pearl drilled for mounting on a pendal/ear ring to be decided later. Somehow a pearl on a 1o carat gold white or otherwise did not sound appealing.

After the purchase we entered the show where the center aisle tickets were an upgrade which we cheaply refused to purchase. But the view was just as good and the performances matched and exceeded expectations. The humor element was overbearing at times but the skill and execution was really good. The music at times reminded me of Goan music. It must be something about islands.

The drive back in the dark two lane highway was uneventful and were glad to be back in the hotel ready for another days adventure.

Day1

Day 1:
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The alarm woke me up at around 4 and as I slumbered for a little while more and opened the window a couple of hours later the ocean sounds and visual soothed away any tired muscles and something that is unusual for a work day both of us woke up earlier than usual. We had a bowl of cereal (save time and mullah) and headed out to Diamond head crater.

Being the cheap skates or health conscious we avoided parking right at the bottom of the hill which would have set us back by a fiver; we chose to park in a free parking area and walk for about 20 min and trek for about a couple of hours. There were some steep steps slippery trails but mostly greeted by smiling faces returning from the top and enthusiastic tourists and locals huffing away and passing us. Even though we were out of breath as well, we were going at just half the pace of the runners, yes there were people running up hill!!. There were a few look out points which served more like a good spot to take a much required breaks for resting the behind and grab some water.

The topmost point was more like a military look out post and the view was all that pictures attempt to show and more. The wind blew through whatever hair is left on top of the cranium and felt close to heaven. There is something about the bluish green tinge of the ocean that reaches to the deepest of being.

The trek back down was a lot quicker with a little less griping when going uphill. Our next stop was the historic infamous Pearl Harbor museum. We intended to see just the submarine bowfin and Missouri fighter vessel and skipped the air force museum. All the exhibits made us feel so close to a major historic moment. The submarine was fairly cramped quarters and visions from the u-571 played a little in my head. We saw tables where letters might have been written to close family members, happy moments disturbed by emergencies, poignant moments in shared loss, where boys grew to be men.

All these great thoughts were interrupted when we passed the mess halls when hunger pangs came back with a vengeance we quenched by a bad hot dog and a great cold cut (just by comparison) and chips. After a 30 min search of dining places, which could satisfy craving for authentic seafood without being too pretentious. We boiled the list down to a Thai place and a tiki's bar and grill. After passing by thet place it looked really appetizing with good ambience and not to feisty pricing. The mai tai was good and the signature drink was a touch below good. The fish in the medley melted in my mouth and the shrimp garlic in coconut gravy appealed nicely to my taste buds.

Day0

Notes from author: Please do not try to read it all in one go. It is seven days of vacation and we invite you to read it one day at a time to transport you to see the view, smell the beach and feel the breeze.

Day0:
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The plan was perfect. Leave by 4:30 arrive at 7:30 to catch the 8:00 bus with enough time to check in and catch the 10 o clock flight. What was not taken into consideration was that the waking up hours was insane by many standards and underestimated the laziness factor. And added to the mix was the Chicago traffic factor. As we were inching towards the airport the traffic grew thicker and like a hourglass the time was slipping though. I saw a opening in the fast lane and switched to it causing grief to people behind and angered looks that could slash a tire. The moment the car shifted completely to the other lane, lo and behold brakes lights are on for the car in the front and the lane we switched from started to move faster. I could almost hear the satisfied smile of people passing us.

The race was on and the fuel meter did not co-operate either. There was no time in the morning to fill up and now there was a chance we could be stranded because we were out of gas. And we had not stopped since the start and the bladder pressure was building in the background. Finally we reached the place where we were supposed to park the car and catch the ride to airport.

There was a interviewee who was late and did not have a ride there were people going to mexico who were trying to catch a flight and there was barely enough room for all of us and the luggage. The rickety van looked like a old war horse with stories to tell and so tired that if you stopped it may never start again. The check-in line could dishearten even the seasoned traveler. Internet check-in was a god gift (even though man gets credit for it). There was hardly a queue for the online check in. The security line was no trouble at all and now I appreciated every little thing that came our way.

The flight was fully booked and crying babies loud enough to turn one away from having kids (at least think about it) The in flight entertainment was actually the different variety of people boarding the plane. Few meeting their fiancées, getting married, returning islanders, people intending to become islanders and of course tourists.

This was the first time woman landed in California. Well even if it was for a couple of hours at the airport I guess that counts. The lunch at mexican was a fairly palatable chicken filled quesadilla which was toasted rather well.

The flight to Honolulu was uneventful except for the completion of reading the book Deception Point. We had to fill out a form about any food items brought along to the island. Like diligent and teacher fearing parent obeying law-abiding people we declared that we brought some potatoes and onions (yeah I know).

Only to see that the locks of our baggage were broken into for inspection. I failed to see the point of the declaration form.

It took a while to find the right spot to wait for the rental car shuttle and the feeling of being in Hawaii was sinking in with each lei we say and the floral prints and shorter shorts. After a bit more u-turning we finally got to the hotel and checked in. Opening the window showed some promise and we freshened up quickly and search for a cure of the growling stomach.

After a brief walk around a couple of blocks we found there was plenty of Japanese influence in cuisine and population as well. We settled on a chinese restaurant hoping for some good sea food in a style that would satisfy the fresh sea food deficiency we had suffered since the singapore trip. The food was a ok. We made it back to the hotel to catch up on some badly needed zzz’s.

From Kapi to mocha frappacino and back

Even though the title refers to cuppa joe, it goes beyond that, an ode to the taste palate. Now that I am awake and sleep deficiency is near normal conditions I gather my focus onto the next part i.e. food. If it looks good, smells good, has great texture, and the sizzle of onions still pervades the air and it tastes wonderful, then life is inevitably great. Somehow food catches all the senses and pleases them, be it a fancy italian or comfort food from the formation years.

For years (decades) I had bias towards indian food, how it was the best and all. I don't know when the rebellion inside me began and questioned my thought process as to what made it great and why every food show isnt boasting of indian cuisine. That led to discovery of other flavors starting from the southeast thai, chinese, mexican, italian, and american. Even though I might not be able to distinguish all the flavors and authenticity of all the flavors from other nations suffice it to say now I have developed appreciation for my taste buds and shall constantly strive to keep them happy and satisfied.

There are still commonalities despite the geographic distance how mexican and indian food like tortilla and roti are close. Mediterranean spread is so similar to indian chutney.

Did fast food kill the flavors and replace it with fat? Is eating in a hurry a crime against the chef and the ingredients? There should be a kiss the chef day to commemorate great chefs and the service they do which goes underappreciated meal after meal.

All this food talk is making me hungry. So long anad thank you for the fish - see what I mean.

I me myself

I have noticed some things around me lately. It looks like a lot of people are screaming me me me and me too all the time. It is not that being selfish is bad or undesired, but the entire me thing is growing out of proportion. Me this my that, my car is so, my pants are so, my computer and at this point I have tuned out to a radio station far far away.

I just also noticed that I have been using I quite a bit. Oh well I aint perfect either. If there was a thought experiment conducted for a me me me person how would that person react when they met themselves. Would they be talking simultaneously and not care what was being said.

Is blogging the same. My thoughts, my responses, my style, etc?

Has the internet boom affected the art of conversation to the point where every one is talking and very few are listening and on the verge of going deaf voluntarily.

Blogging does provide a outlet to thoughts when no one is around and the intensity is definitely lost when the moment passes away.

Teachers paradox

The school has taken upon itself or the responsibility is thrust on them to educate the population in there single digit age or there abouts.

The teachers could spend their time teaching the half interested pupils or exorcise the deep seated curiosity of the few and take their knowledge level up and beyond expectation. But that would mean the so called lower in the grades will loose further interest and fare poorly in exams. Is this unfair to the teachers to expect them to perform miracles and still be accountable to the school board about performance and funding.

And to add to this the compensation is probably not the greatest anywhere in the world. In a way they can see their success reflected in the students' success, but that may not be good enough to pay the bills.

Quite a conundrum

With environmentalist screaming for a greener earth and all, I recently came across asituation and wondered what they would have to say.

Often there is a claim to save the trees so that the trees "eat" co2 and there is the obvious aesthetics and global warming always thrown in for good measure along with whatever the latest buzzwords are. Now there is sub school of thought for conserving water as well. Great calculation of how a drip over time becomes an ocean.

What about the time when it comes to cleaning your behind for the morning ablution? SHould we conserve water or cut another tree

To wash or to wipe is the question.

Paradox of the cleaning lady

I was waiting at the airport terminal and as the cleaning lady approached I gave way so that she could run the vacuum and she sighed seeing how carelessly people threw gum or waste around. Mindlessly people take the clean environment for granted. A nameless face picks up after them and unlike home where kids are constantly threatened with grounding unless rooms are cleaned, adults have surpassed that stage and specially in a public environment there is no accountability. There is no one chiding the teenager who spills the fries and goes about as if nothing happened.

Back to the cleaning lady who could have used a little hair gel sighed again but went on her duties with a resignation of a mother who has lost the battle with her rebellious, tenacious teens, just for the day, but will gather her resources for the next battle.

But as she moved on to the next gate I was wondering if all the people cleaned up after them the cleaning lady might not have a job and will be sighing a different tune.

It is all good

When you hit the golf ball with your driver right at the sweet spot, the sound the sensation in the arms and the "yesss" feeling as you watch the ball going and going in a straight line on the fairway and bouncing past the 150 yard marker aand then the 100 yard marker.

When you slide into your backhand to make the pass down the line catching the opponent off guard following it up with a forehand slice volley winner.

When you tap your front brake as you lean into the turn and roll on as you leave the exit
and the front wheel just get light.

When you estimate the right amount of ginger and garlic along with onions and other spices.

When you pull the string to the kite at the right moment when the wind blows.

When the light turns green just as you intend to step on the brake.

When the gulab jamun just melts in your mouth along with ice-cream at the right temperature.

When you wake up just a minute before the alarm rings.

When the skillet is at the right temp when the onions and lamb sizzle.

When the parking spot opens up right near the store entrance.

When the lunch special on a impromptu diner has your favorite

When the ads don't appear when you channel surf

It's all good.

Random thought of the day

failure to follow instruction can lead to destruction followed by construction.

Having fun seriously

What do I do for fun is an often asked question when meeting new people.

I try not to scare them by mentioning that I create physics problems in spare time or think about hitherto unsolved theorems i.e. fermat. I ride motorcycles for fun, I have flown kites, play tennis, bowl. In each of these past times the more I get involved the more interested I am in details. For e.g. riding motorcycle is not just about finding a new road or going for a long ride. It is also about understanding the machine. How does the front suspension settings help a quicker turn in or tire pressure and fuel economy and tire life. Or why is double fisted backhand more firm than a single handed forehand or how does a higher toss help a serve.

Sooner or later when I am explaining some of these intricacies to a self proclaimed enthusiast, a hint of a yawn stops me dead in the tracks and that is where it stops being fun and more of work or non fun.

Sometimes it is not about how a 2B pencil works better on a handcrafted paper. Just grab a pencil and put your thoughts on a medium.

The good bye

I had not seen my room mate or heard her since two days. Even if I don't see usually I hear her. I was busy with looming deadlines. Once in awhile she did have a habit of being quiet but that did not last for hours much less days. I never understood these phases that well. The friendship had stuck right from the first day we met. We were not the reluctant room mates though she would not have been my first choice.

At first I was alarmed but I could not call up the police either. Legally we were allowed one per room. I had not much choice but to keep fingers crossed till she showed up eventually or risk the music of justice. I remember the days when she was sick adn I used to feed her. It was time consuming ordeal to cajole some food through her mouth. She had given me courage in ways she never knew or probably could ever understand. We could never communicate in any normal sense but her mere presence would elevate my moods and heighten my spirits.

In an attempt to keep my mind away from any desolate thoughts of her I started cleaning up a strange stench caught my attention. As I looked past my window I could see her on the edge of the sill where her maiden flight ended.


-Originally written in 98 or then abouts

Are you bored?

During the first few months of marriage it was plenty hectic getting used to new schedule after the wedding and the whole jet lag and missing family thing going on. It was during this time the boss was getting the boredom virus which refused to go away even after treatment by movies, food and magazines. It was then with great trepidation an anxiety she said to me I am bored.

I gleefully announced "Fear not my lady, for I have the panacea right here" and proudly and unmagically produce a rectangoloid object originated from Russia "borrowed" from a classmate. The said object was revered for years and had been my companion through various nights of passion. It had never failed to stimulate me and through the years my respect for it grew and then steadied.

It was a feared one for novices and even seasoned veterans acknowledge it like a great opponent or a warrior. It was Problems in General Physics by IE Irodov. While I was narrating how my friends and I would be creating (not solving) physics problems while sitting on the terrace or by the college tennis courts my woman was horrified by the suggestion. She could not even fathom how I could suggest something which is close to blasphemy of entertainment.

I did confess apriori that I was a geek. But I guess the degree of geekness was left to imagination. Even now she thinks twice before claiming boredom lest I bring out the two pound 500 page linux manual.

So who won this round

Have insensitive men driven women to lesbianism

Nothing more to add. The title says it all.

Ok little bit more. Now that same gender marriages are being allowed in some states what is next?

Will customized DNA operations let people have customized personalities or will there be a mad rush to be like Brad pitt look alike. WIll there be customized babies whose characteristics can be chosen by parents. Then will those kids sue their parents ?

And if androids become common with personalities, what is stop people to marry androids. It is not too far in the future.

Height of innovation

Or is it laziness and cheapness?

One of my buddies did not have a champagne opener. He did however have a borrowed philips screw driver. I took out a screw from his dining chair used the screw driver to drive the screw into the cork and then used a pair of tongs to uncork the bottle.

Corrective Lens that change color based on sunlight ~= super glue + old glasses + used shades

Who is the real teacher

There is often a thesis which is dedicated to parents, friends, teachers.

Is the acknowledgment given to the pedagogue (yeah I checked the spelling) sufficient?

Two trains of thought

1. How does one repay this great gift/inheritance
2. How much of the credit actually belongs to the student itself?

Addressing the second one, is there such a student as unteachable? or put another way is there a teacher? The student, given enough motivation will seek the knowledge. The teacher is a medium to minimize the search and make the process streamlined.

As for the repayment the best way seems to be continuing the process of passing on the knowledge. Science may shed new light about the eleventh planet but that is just information. But the process of discovery and innate curiosity is what creates the substance or basis of knowledge.

50% glass

A glass filled upto the half mark with water was presented to the class. Here are some observations:

1. If you pour gasoline it will float and if you pour 10W50 it will settle in the bottom

2. Add a few ice cubes and whisky, then we can party

3. Aha there is the answer to my thirst

4. Peers closely and squints and says look there is an ant in there

5. Nice glass I didn't know you could make it in that shape

6. Eeew the glass has spots on it

7. 10 bucks says you can't thow a penny into the glass from here

8. Can I put some bamboo shoots/money plant in there

9. Does the water/glass exist if I close my eyes?

10. A frequency of sound of the air column will now be twice an empty glass.

I still think the world is still black or white, optimist or pessimist, boring or interesting.

Running mind game

At first running 4 miles seem really long. Specially if one runs at a slower pace say 5 miles per hour. It means almost close to an hour at the trail if you want to include warm up and cool down. That could have been an extra hour splurge in bed counting z's or 60 min of goof off time on the net.

Considering that life is an integrator and all that jazz, long term effect of healthier activities even though proven to every one else there might be a research in the future sponsored by the council of lazy bums which would prove that the heart can pump only a million gallons of blood and the lungs can process so many cubic feet of air so save those breaths for something more meaningful instead of panting away on the treadmill.

Breaking down the hour: The warm up and cool down are actually investment made so that the post running time period is free of cramps or pains. And the first few minutes are spent in the sinking thought that one actually got off their derrier and actually made it to the trail. While that surprise is still wearing off a frumpy in his 60's overtakes you with ease. One's mind wanders if he was running fast so that he could outrun his wife and stave off some chores. An effort can then be put forth in trying to match his rhythm of step and see if breathing can be synched with each step.

The mind is wandering off again... is it better to take smaller steps faster or fewer longer steps. By this time the mile marker greets with a smile and sometimes that indicates 25% completion. Well that would be a third of the way if the run is cut short to 3 miles and walk the last mile. Just then a super soccer mom forges ahead of you running with a twin stroller. What is the big hurry lady? Is this what she wants to teach her kids? The running is another activity on her to do list, just before grocery shopping and picking up laundry. That is probably going to remind one of doing some of their own chores. Slow down smell the roses and don't forget to mow the lawn. Oh darn it, I can still try to enjoy my run. Just then I overtake a pot bellied balding middle aged water bottle carrying spherical being of a human. Make a mental note to continue running not to reach that stage well atleast skip the spherical part.

The second mile marker at least is visible now with a glimmering ray of hope I continue to trudge along. The old man who overtook me is on his way back and it is clear that he ran to the third mile marker. If I can 6 miles once this year that would be an achievement. A shirtless Salman khan emulating oakley sporting tweenie passes me as if I were standing still. I am probably the blob that he is avoiding to become. Any thought of picking up the pace is thwarted by a cute dark haired pony tail wearing female specimen also overtakes me. I wonder if she has a boyfriend as I dont spot a ring on her hand.

That question is answered shortly as she meets up with the shirtless boy wonder at the two mile marker. If you think it is jealousy speaking you would be wrong. Well maybe, but I am not admitting even half a thing. As I turn around at the second mile I look at my watch. It is 7pm central so the new episode of King of Queens must have started. What is the deal with advertisements anyway. The network probably aired the ad for this episode for atleast a couple of hours that week. And the actual episode is probably ten minutes not accounting for commercials and it two minutes of that is the starting music and ending credits.
The only morale booster now is that I am about three fourths of the way there. Well that is just a guess since my head starts hurting when computing 3/4 of three miles and estimating how many steps I have taken. That reminds me to check the new pedometer and if it was recording the steps. It has a timer as well so instead of calculating how far I have to go I put my cranial ALU to compute my speed in steps per minute. A mental slaps registers a slap immediately realizing the futility of having such a unit as a measure of speed.

As a few familiar faces are seen in the opposite direction the first mile marker is a gentle reminder that I am close to the end of my run. A lance armstrong wanna be cycling short wearing walmart cycle rider rushes between the old couple and me. I smile and wave a hello and hear a yapping sound fast approaching me followed by a scream and a yell " Come back Abe". The yellow labrador was unleashed and he was happy slobbering anybody. The screaming lady was not to be calmed down by the earnest explanation by the owner that Abe was quite playful.

A I cross the rarely used bench I smell barbeque in the air. The trail is practically the backyard of a upscale neighborhood. My taste buds start yearning and my growling stomach does not help. The prospect of a beer filled refrigerator devoid of food triggers a thought of suing these grillers for causing trauma of hunger and appetite. How much cash would suffice to appease such anguish? I like these non quantifiable questions.

Would I have to buy a cash counting machine to count the bazillion or should I skimp and count the money by hand. Tough questions. "One your left" said the armstrong junior who zips past me and brings me back to reality. I probably have another half a mile to go and I see a swarm of people on cycle blocking the width of the trail. These three kids less than 10 years and their parents all of them on cycles. I wonder if there was a sale in the neighborhood that I missed, or if it was part of a new year resolution of more family time that brought them all together. The all pink attire of the youngest on the pink streamers and bike just about made my day. She even had pink shoes and laces.

The zero mile marker held the light at the end of the tunnel. Should I sprint to it to reduce the time of pain or should I endure lesser pain for a longer time. Which one is more healthier? Before I could make a scientific inquiry into the subject I crossed the line and felt like a Olympic gold medal winner. What do the silver medal winners think at this point. If they knew the other members racing would they shake hands say " good run, how about some coffee" and meet up at the starbucks and make fun of the low fat pound cake which had been waiting for a long time.

For the record the four miles were run in 51 minutes. My best timing was less than 47 minutes last year and the fastest mile I ever ran was 8min30sec. And fastest two miles was 17min30

Can you make new friends

After a certain age my accruement of friends has diminished quite considerably. It has infact become zero. The height was probably in college where friends were being added to the phone list left and right and top and bottom. The phone book overflowing with numbers that included drinking buddies, smoking buddies, tennis buddies, bar hopping buddies, foodies, music buddies, running buddies; class buddy, homework buddy; any and everybody who I came in touch would be a buddy at some point.

But now I almost have like a filtering process that seem to weed out all of them. I am not including people I know through work in the friends list. One drinks too much, One does not drink at all, one is all talk, the other no talk, one is too cool, other not cool enough, one is single, the other is too married. In the end I think the criteria is mostly some one who can simulate conversation and find holes in my thought or add to it.

It kind of reminds of "lead follow or get the hell out of my way". My friends should be able to add to my life and in return can expect the same. I think this where addition of two similar numbers yield greater than the sum of the too. Or in terms of physics where bidirectional flow of current between two points at similar potential. OK that got a little to scientificial.

The lost art of listening

What is conversation?
Is it mere exchange of data or information with added non-verbal personal biases.

A lot of times when I was younger I would just wait for a pause in the conversation to add my 2 cents. Turns out that is what my thoughts were worth if not less.

Now being a smidgen older and hopefully wiser; conversation means response to previously received aural simulations and information. It does however irk me when I have responded to the comments and the speaker has intentionally or unintentionally ignored the said comments and still stuck to their original vein of thought. This drives me to be tacit and detached from anything further. Since I really don't have anything to say to the hearer (not listener).

I am aware that I am occasionally guilty of doing the same either due to my excitement blocking my ears or plainly that the other party's response is so off the hook that it did not warrant a response.

Bio engine - incomplete

The auditorium was not full to the capacity. If the presenter did not have the content of the material on his mind he might have felt a little dissappointment at the turn out. He was anxious to please and be applauded for his work. The audience was mixed. A few well known older faces now trying to get back into popularity after the initial triumph sitting with other newer eager to absorb everything news reporters. The expressions ranged from increduluous to disbelief.

"If only I had a penny for every wise guy who thought he had the solution to worlds energy problems I would have been better off than now" thought Tom Bilman. He had been coerced to covering the lecture of professor Ivanoski, the part russian, throrough scientician. Ivan was studied under great names often in their shadows, little meek by nature but persistant. Whenever he had disagreeable insight he would mention it but not come off as strongly as the issue demanded.

Tim and Ivan met at a conference bar where Ivan was nursing a skyy and gin.

"Belvedere shot please" Tim said to thge bartender as he slid into the bar stool a couple of feet away from Ivan.

" we are out of belvedere , how does grey goose sound?"

" Does not sound as good, but it will have to do for now today"

"Try absolute instead, you wont regret it " ...................................................................


" I give you the bio-engine" thundered the voice of Ivan as he unveiled the velvet curtain and showing the chamber enclosed in a glass chamber.

"The principle is very similar to a horse, the horse eats grass/hay and get energy. The horse can now pull a cart or provide transportation or draw water from a rotating well." However the horse needs to be fed even if there is no work to be done just to maintain the horse. An IC engine is an on demand power source. but as the fuel costs have risen beyond the reach of the average man and EPA is constantly driving the pollution requirement to the frustration of the big three."


"The basic element of the bioengine is the nano-organism. The nano organism is a tiny living microbe which has a unfed life of atleast hundred years. WHich means if there is no "food" even after 100 years if it is fed for a day it will survive for 100 more years. The "food" it "eats" could range from traditional fuels to pizza or even chicken curry. The NORG consumes the food and produces electricity. Depending on the pressure and temperature conditions the output varies but the lab tests and the prototype we see here can produce 2 hp almost continuously making it the lightest cleanest power source." Ivan started speaking evenly and he progressed into the speed his excitement of sharing the discovery raised the tempo of his voice like a symphony. He sounded like a kid who newly discovered shells by the shore and sharing his findings with fellow playmates.

Curious Kitten

It is raining kittens and puppies, my other half said as she handed over a samosa with chutney. We havent unanimously decided who is the better one yet.

My arched brows of suprise gave away my inability to get her weird sense of humor. She sighed a good sigh (what's a good sigh anyway) and explained that it was something between a drizzle and a downpour. Aah I exclaimed nodding my head meanwhile blissfully returned my attention to the half bitten steaming samosa. When the weather gets gloomy my lady gets the blues, so in anticipation I had picked up samosas to lighten up her mood. food for mood as she called it.

With my pampered behind parked in the confines of a wailing recliner my calls for water were unanswered. All I heard was a slight hint of giggle followed by a hearty laugh. Being the Sherlock holmes without the talent nor affinity for cigars I peeped into the kitchen to see her slouched over the counter reading something. My stealth entrance with the bond music brought her back and I noticed her samosa still untouched beside the wrapped paper which she was reading intently. With my musical entrance she turned around and asked me 'How old do you have to be to use humoungosity in a sentence'. A slight bell rang mutedly in the remote corner of my brain as the electric pulses rushed to retrieve a memory when I first invented the word. I was about to reply when she started reading the passage "Working wife vs house wife - the debate continues". I rushed to literally snatch the paper out of her hands and a familiar handwriting a nostalgia brought on a rush much like meeting an old friend unexpectedly. Yes it was an essay written by yours truly decades ago. The raddi wala I shouted , must have sold this to the mithaiwala where I bought the samosas. Mystery solved I declared as I returned my attention to the other samosa on the counter which I was sure was feeling neglected.

Not so fast Mr cutie pants I want to read the rest of it. A mental alarm rang louder this time. My panic system works better than the logical side of my brain. Please make you wonderful chai to go with this samosa I pleaded and madee what I thought was a cute face with a smitten smile. She relented and said this is not over you know. I have been married long enough to know that I thought in my head sighed mentally knowing that within next ten minutes my memory cells would have to work overtime with my creative juices to alevate the next round.

Logic

Digital logic ie on/off or 1/0 or yes/no.

Why do I constantly get asked about when I am to give them the good new of me having a baby.

About how it is really getting late and all.

If I am stupid then I should not be really having a baby since it is not going to great from the kids standpoint of having stupid parents.

And If I am smart should'nt I be able to make that decision myself?

I am either stupid or smart and in either case any external input is not the major force in teh decision making


Unfortunately unlike most computers life is analog and fuzzy and sometimes people with better experiences and perpectives can provide useful input

Money Talks

I found an incredible deal on a consumer item and was boasting about it to my friend, Mani (money).
"You know I got the additional discount for blah blah and used the coupon from the website blah etc" and was feeling extremely smart since he bought the same thing for more. A third person intruded the conversation and said he bought it in another country for half the price I mentioned. I thought what a cheap skate. Now I think I understand hypocrisy a little better.

My friends are always quoting best prices and where to buy. But do not make the mistake of telling them about a deal. They would inevitably argue, one up you by saying they could get a better deal on another website or catalog. That claim cannot be verified and all the arguing wears me down and makes me thirsty for a strong drink or hungry for a snack.

What is it about saving a penny that gives a rush? The hourly rate that most of my friends' companies charge for their services is enormous. So in the time that any of them explains how they saved a penny or the time they actually spent saving the penny had they worked and billed their time they could have earned thousand times the penny he saved.

Saving money is good, and important. It gives options in case of emergency and more things to buy for comfort or luxury or finance interesting hobbies.

Mathematically

saving = earning - spending

To increase saving one could either decrease spending by finding a great deal during a sale or work longer and earn more. Or a third option is not to spend at all.

It really irks me when people constantly tell me that I overspent on buying certain items. If I wanted something I would do a preliminary search and pay the best price and purchase the item. I am not oppossed to saving money. I am just not obsessed with saving. The same people who advise me on penny saving could spend gazillion on jewelry or housing or electronics that is not really needed.

That brings up another dimension - what is needed? Do I really need a 4000 sq ft home or three motorcycles or four computers or full size pickup? not really. Being an engineer I am constantly asked to optimize various parameters most often it is the cost. Reduce the cost is the constant mantra. But at the same time people pay for things they really want. i.e. supply demand thingie.
Is diamond really worth so much? It is just a stone really.

The next time anybody starts talking about saving money I am going to start charging them for listening. Hey if the hot ladies late at night charge five dollars per minute I think I should in the ball park too. I could also give volume discounts or free minutes too. That way if anybody is talking to me they better have something worthwhile.

If you really want to save money ask me and I could help you. You may not like my ideas or agree with them but I can guarantee you you will save some money.

Reasoning

Why is it that words are just as important as the person saying it.

I said I like your hair and just get a nod and the same thing uttered by your crush sends you to seventh or eight heaven. I stopped counting after five.

When my parents asked me about movie they just receive a grunt but when she asked me I had to be stopped talking about it.

What is it about love and hate that makes the world go on the perimeter of a constant radius objects?


I like the way you smile it lightens my mind brightens my day
I hate your whine it damps my spark clamps my thought

Does logic and love go together? More on this coming

Thieving thieves

Stolen again. Of late this has been frequently occurring. My bank balance had a few million and at the end of the day I spent all of it. Some of the spending was well worth it. There were a few items that were bare essentials. It must have been the genes inherited from my maternal side that is responsible for all the unwanted spending. The television stole many of my hours or is it my laziness that is responsible. Ultimately it was my loss.

What would Ramu do?

The monthly inspection of the belly necessitated a visit to the trail.
OK more so from the insistance of the better half. We decided right at the beginning of our marriage who the better half was. The trail had seen us a lot more during the early spring when the temperature was above freezing with sunshine brought out a 1000 watt smile on my ladys lips. As I try to distract myself with counting down the seconds when I will be back in my lazy boy with a cold one, familiar faces smile back on their return from the two mile mark. Some faces were familiar but still unsmiling. Giving them the benefit of doubt I am assuming they are counting down seconds like me too or probably thinking about the dessert they can eat after the run. There were a few others in a third category trying to impress the visiting mother inlaw!!

Then at the half mile marker it stood out of the scenery. In the weeds and the wooded trees surving the bunny rabbits and the swallows a red tulip. As I ran past it I wanted to play the Romeo and pluck it and give it to my lady friend who was running with me. I kept thinking about it all the way to the mile marker. As I turned around it seemed too corny and I wondered what would Ramu would have done. As I ran past it the second time the tulip waved to me as if saving "thank you for not plucking me so that few more runners can enjoy the red tulip.

Time Money effort

What is the time value of money
i.e to save x$ how much time would you spend
or to save x hours how much would you spend

and so on

what difference does it make?

shall I make coffee? she asks

I thought the question was if I wanted coffee,
who makes it was a different question dependent on whether I wanted coffee or not

In the interest of coffee I nodded and said yes

nonresponsible

I am not an irresponsible person.
I just choose not to add to my current responsibilities

Marriage

In light of same sex marriages can a person be married to computer or internet?
How would the taxes be evaluated in the case where one may have multiple computers?

Ok seriously in the future once there are robots close to humans can there be soulful unions between a human and a robot?

Familial way?

Ok My dad was sick and the next phone call was me asking mom how dad was doing and then I asked Dad how he was doing. Then my wife asked my mom and then dad if he was feeling better.

Now if there was a public announcement that dad was doing good that would eliminate a lot of repeated questions and answers, but that is not the same. Why and how I am hoping to figure out.

Pollution

Some smokers had sued the cigarette manufacturers because they did not know the harmful effects of smoking. Can the same logic be applied to car manufacturers as well?

There is always somebody in the group who claims smoking is bad and second hand smoking is effecting them. How about car/truck companies then? How much pollution do they create?

Do the vehicle producers owe money to the bicyclists or people who do not own a car?

Lost and found

I found a few pounds and inches?

The original owner please take them from me.

When is life happening

I will buy better clothes once I get in shape
I will treat myself to a spa after losing a few inches
I will feel good about myself after there is less of me on the weighing machine

The life is happening now

Pessimism - a virtue?

Pessimism can be used as a tool. If the negativity can channeled to prepare for eventualities it could actually be useful.

What if there is traffic jam on the way to the airport? Start early
What if I get stranded ? Charge the cell phone prior to departure
What if I get lost on the way? have contact phone numbers handy

Chaos not just a theory but a way of life?

Chaos is not referring to the pile of clothes on the bed and stuff under the table.

Small changes in inputs or initial conditions change the outcome.

A lovingly made steaming cup of java in the morning greeting your still weary droopy half sleey eyes gives a much needed boost of life.

The same irritating bird chirps who disturb your early morning deep sleep from previous nights frivolous activities can be interpreted as natures way of saying good morning. I guess by now you know I am in a good mood.

little white pony

You can lead the horse to the water but you cannot force it to drink.

Well maybe the horse wanted a diet coke instead of filthy polluted lake water!

Maybe one should have asked the horse if it wanted to drink i.e. thirsty.

Things would be simple if one could simply point the way to the lake and let the horse make up its own mind.

Enough horsing around.

To follow or to lead

Sometimes there are too leaders and too few followers.

At other times just followers and nobody to lead.

Sometimes I am the leader and at other times I just want to follow