Happenings – Page 2 – Balamuthu's Blog

Keyboard

Playing a keyboard was my long time wish. I once asked my parents to buy me a keyboard that costs around 3000 INR. I was studying 4th standard at that time and I used to cry whenever I happen to see a music shop. This made my parents to get me one. They took me to an exhibition in Tirunelveli and got me a tiny keyboard for 30 rupees :). I did not bug them after that and was highly satisfied. I never played anything other than Happy Birthday song.

Now, at the age of 29, not knowing on what to do at home, I searched through my bucket list and found this old wish. Buying a keyboard!

So I hopped on to a music store and brought a keyboard, stand and a chair home.

I have no idea on what to do with these many black and white keys. I’m not going to take music lessons, they charge 20$ for half hour. I’m already broke.

I have decided (do I have a choice here ?) to learn on my own with the help of internet / books and a video lessons from GarageBand of MacBook Pro.

Lets see…In few days I will get to know whether my wish is Playing a keyboard or just Buying a keyboard :D.

Just Pass – Graph Theory

I got my exam results in mail. First I forgot my register number. So I phoned my friend to confirm. Then I was not sure what this ‘E’ means.

My friend has got lot of Es too, so that made me confused whether it is really pass :). I compared my previous results and found that E is just above F(Fail) which means I’m pass.

I’m not great in studies…but I’m an expert in clearing subjects with least marks 🙂

I have to finish my project and viva but it is not possible now as I cannot travel to India until next year.

I wrote this ambitious post when I joined MS in 2009 and another post few months back in confusion after Graph Theory examination. Now it is just one step to complete my degree.

PS: MS degree is as adventurous as Dangerous Dave and Super Mario. I’m in last level and hope to complete it soon.

My first car

I bought my first car. It’s a pretty old 1997, Toyota Camry. I registered it in my name on tuesday and got it delivered on friday.

Since childhood, I buy vehicles before I know to drive them. That applies to my cycle and scooter. Till now I don’t know to drive geared motor bikes just because I didn’t own them. 😀

Now, I have bought a car with out having any idea of driving. I will have to learn and get a license soon. I hope to explore the city with this car.

Well, let me name my car. I like the name Bumble Bee but my Honda Activa and Cycle shares the same, So I will name it as Optimus Prime.

PS: I’m planing to buy Autobots emblem and a keychain. 🙂

29

I’m completing 29th year today. Like every year, this one was special too.
Though I have not done anything good/great/big so far, I’m enjoying it. But the fact that I’m in to 30th year reminds me of few things. This is the stage where men becomes more responsible, save money, buy house, get married and settle in life.

I have not started doing any of those. Should I at least start it now? Come on, I’m just growing :).

I have no plans and I don’t want to settle. I hate to use brain to plan and live a calculated life. My brain does not work properly most of the time 😀 So I prefer to use my heart and live the way I love.

I hope this year will be great, fun and adventurous.

iBought an iPad

In one of my previous posts about iPad, I mentioned that I will buy it when I come to US. Yes! I did it. I got my first month salary in dollars and waited for a week thinking whether to buy or not…then I just went ahead and bought it yesterday :). There was some rumors about mini iPad, but I am not interested in smaller size iPads – Actually I don’t have patients to wait till its release :). (I don’t know why people wants the iPad to be smaller and the iPhone to be bigger :D)

Ok, here is what I have bought…

It’s a 3rd generation wifi only model with 32 GB memory. I got 2% discount from my corporate. So It’s 663$ with smart cover and taxes.

I also mentioned in my review that there is nothing interesting other than the Retina display. Yes! It’s all the same with few changes in processor and camera etc. It’s little heavier than the previous one. But the display is stunning. It’s really awesome. I downloaded kindle and iBook apps. I hope reading books would be nice in it.

Tadaaah 🙂

Note: I was not able to add pictures in my post from safari, so I switched to WordPress app to add these pictures but there was no option to set one as featured image, so I had to switch back again to browser. Creating a post in both iPad browser and WordPress native app is a pain and a bit annoying.

PS: I hope Tim cook will not announce a new iPad in WWDC that is scheduled on June 2 week 🙂

– Post published from iPad (Added this signature intentionally :))

Angels on the walking lane

Again, I woke up late today. I left home at 9.30 and I had to walk to office since I left my BumbleBee in office on Friday evening.

Though there is no call (a stupid status call) today, I walked in hurry and tension. I went ahead of the Disney Land and then crossed the yellow VW Beetle – I don’t know why this Yellow Volkswagen Beetle always makes me smile and happy whenever I see it 🙂

In few meters I saw a line of angels crossing the road and coming towards my lane. The empty walking lane is now occupied by Angels. I went nearby them and a gorgeous little girl said Hello and gave a lovely smile. They are elementary school students going somewhere from their school accompanied by two teachers.

One of the teachers told me that I should probably go front as it takes some time for all of them to go.

I said ok and walked forward, but the line started to move again and now I’m in middle of those tiny tots.

I was wearing a backpack and looked like one of those school students. I felt like a grown up kid in the midst of the little angels. Some kids smiled and few felt shy but all were happy walking.

I did not want to split the line so I stood in acorner to let the line move on.

All the kids waved bye and we exchanged smiles. My tension vanished away on their smiles. Then I started to walk slowly enjoying the weather, admiring at the trees, sparrows and the old buildings of the historic Glendale village.

Life is Beautiful!

PS: People ignore the beauty of life in their fast, urgent and busy life. I realized that life is not about achieving success, survival or making money. Life is just about living!

Look around,

Breathe in love and

Live the life!

Smokes from my neighbour’s house

It was a pleasant evening and I’m standing in the balcony enjoying the view.

I noticed smokes passing in front of me. I ignored it in the beginning but later when I saw the smokes keep coming out, I realized that something is wrong. I doubted that AC compressor would have caught fire. To avoid something worse happening, I took my phone to call 911. But I didn’t.

I want to make sure what is happening before I report to 911. So ran down to check. The AC compressor seems fine and smokes are coming from elsewhere.

When I looked up in confusion, I saw an old lady sitting in the balcony and smoking Hookah!

I never expected a Hookah and just returned home with a funny face 😀

Am I being precautious or just afraid of everything?

Thank God! I did not call 911 🙂

Bumble Bee

I remember the days, when my father bought me a Hercules MTB (Mount Terrain Bike) as second hand. That was my pet and I enjoyed riding it. It was stolen one day and I felt very bad. I went to each an every neighbor’s house asking whether they have seen my cycle. I did not get it back, so my dad got me a new Hero cycle which I have used from 6th standard till completing my engineering degree.

Okay, Enough of history. What’s now?

Now, I have got a chance to buy a cycle again. I don’t have frequent buses to office from my apartment. To commute, one needs a car for sure. But buying a car at this time is not possible. Since my office is just 1.6 miles from home, I bought a cycle.

It’s a Mountain Bike and I named it as Bumble Bee 🙂

WP_001606 — I bought front and rear lights but forgot to buy batteries 😀

I went to office by cycle. I tend to keep left as in India 🙂 then somehow managed. I’m the only one who comes by cycle in my office 🙂

America la ye, en, intha world la ye, cycle vachurukira ore software engineer nan than 😀

Welcome to my house

Whoo! I have shifted to an apartment and it’s pretty awesome. On friday evening my colleagues helped me move here. Then we went for shopping and bought pillows, comforter, Bathtub screen and lot more. I reached home around 10 pm after spending 165$ in shopping.

Since this apartment is new to me and that too it’s a night, I felt very lonely and scared to sleep 😉 So I called my Mom and then felt better. I also phoned my friends to kill the time and finally fell asleep.

Next morning, the sounds of the birds woke me up. I went to the balcony and amazed to see tiny little birds flying all around. I saw a small RED bird which was so beautiful. This place is awesome!

Let me take you to my newly rented apartment.

View form my balcony. Here is where I saw those tiny birdies.

The hall is quite spacious, but I’m not going to buy a couch / sofa to fill the hall anytime sooner 🙂

My Kitchen – It’s really funny to say ‘My kitchen’. I don’t know cooking but got all utensils and groceries to cook 😀

WP_001566 — My kitchen. Does it look like a bar? 🙂

My empty bedroom. Planning to buy a mattress, box spring and a frame this weekend.

Again, a view from my balcony. I tried to capture at least one bird with my mobile camera, but no luck. Hope to capture that tiny Red bird someday 🙂

Thanks for visiting my house! 🙂

Frozen food, Night lamp and the Comforter

Well, It has been more than two weeks for me in America. Currently I’m staying in a hotel – La Quinta Inn and I’m all alone here.

I depend on my colleagues who pick and drop me everyday and I have not been to any place other my office, super market and bank 🙂

I have booked an apartment and shifting there tomorrow, so when I think about my stay at this hotel, It is just these three things that pops in to my mind.

Frozen food, Night lamp and the Comforter.

I fill the refrigerator with the frozen foods. I microwave it for every day’s dinner.

After my dinner, I just keep the table lights ON and hide myself under the comforter. I’m little scared to sleep in the dark when I’m alone 🙂

This is what I was doing for the past few weeks. I hope to find it interesting and lively at the apartment that I’m moving to.

Now, It’s time to sleep. Got to get up early and checkout in the morning. So Good Night!

Can some one switch ON the lights please…

Sweet and bright dreams!!