Happy Halloween 2011, Union Sq. NYC

Burrrrrrffffff... First snowfall in NY/NJ

Its snowing heavily today, surprisingly for October. Started in morning & still snowing. Couple of inches of snow I guess. I had to go out to city & it was quite a walk, pants half wet & shoes all wet. Also.. it turns out that the PATH commute increases many folds, if its snowing. 25-30 min delays on all PATH trains. Anyways, MnD were very excited to see their first snowfall. Like I was when I saw my first snowfall. Taking videos & pics & all that. Exciting & Fun. But I told them that it's only exciting first time or first few times maybe.. And that too, only if it doesn't snows a lot. Or its just PAIN!!

I was gonna go watch Ra.One today but couldn't/didn't. Watching Rann (8/10) at home instead. Fantastic movie, great performances, excellent storyline.. and great direction. Ram Gopal Varma is a great director, seriously he is. Although he has done some terrible work (aka Aag & James?), he has done lot of terrific work as well. He is one of the greatest film makers of India who knows how to present a story, how to use camera, camera angle, camera motions etc. Such an excellent technician. I am really impressed, really!! The movie is about how redicuolus media has become these days, lying & cheating & everything. Where money should be medium & news should be the goal; we see that news is medium & money is goal. Look at this ridiculous video below, from India's most ridiculous news channel 'India TV'..

Happy Diwali.. Shubh Deepawali!!

So finally this year, I really celebrated Diwali. Atleast the most Diwali I have celebrated here, the way we used to in India. Basically, because my parents are here (like hear, not hair). Had lavish Indian lunch of chhole-puri (yum-yum). Had Gulab Jamun, Besan Laddoo & Gujhiya for sweets, home-made. We did evening Lakshmi-Ganesh puja & aarti etc, lit diyas all over house & all that. Didn't do firecrackers (patakhas), I didn't do that much in India either - lot of pollution & money wastage I think. We used to go to neighbors & friend's home to deliver Diwali Sweets & they'll bring in our home for us. We'll be loking if they got as anything good, or special or better than what mom made (which is impossible). Lot of FUN. We also watched Yamla Pagla Deewana (6/10) which is a decent fun masala movie. Had a good day, had a good Diwali. Happy Diwali to you, Shubh Deepawali!!

Fall Foliage near NY/NJ | Big Pocono State Park & Jim Thorpe PA

So I took my parents for viewing & enjoying Fall Foliage (which is almost near ending now). Considering I live NY/NJ, the best bet at this time of the year seemed to be Poconos. So we decided to go to Big Pocono State Park & Jim Thorpe. The Big Pocono State Park is around 2 hrs drive from my home, the last 1/3 part of which is through mountains & stuff, which is interesting & nice. The fall colors were still there, which was kinda nice. Then we reached on top of BPSP, which is on top of a mountain, I guess Camelback Mountain. There are 4 parking spots & a cafeteria/store (which was closed). Parking Spot 1 is the best spot, right on the top & in middle. You can see the view of all sides & do hiking/trekking around it or so. Pretty nice view & fun experience. Then we drove an hour to Jim Thorpe, which a nice small little town in the valley with a river flowing & all that. You can hike & bike along the river, looking at the river on your side & mountains all around you, which had beautiful Fall colors, & the nice gorge. It's quite pretty. There are some other nice spots with great view & all that, old historical buildings, railroad & rail ride etc (which I didn't get to do/see). It was definitely a nice day with lot of nice Natural site-seeing & FUN.

MnD are 'here' in USA

MnD = Mom & Dad. My Dad came up with this term/acronym when I first came to USA. He started using this in chats and I/we have stuck to it since then.

'here' = In USA, this is said as hear, like hearing & not hair. I need to remember that!!

Rest is all a simple story. After all the previous tussle with US Embassy in Delhi my mom finally got her visa earlier this month and my parents are here today. I am meeting them after more than 2.25 yrs. It's exciting, its emotional, its nice.. very nice. Glad I could do this for my parents. I am sure they are going to have a great time & so will I. Looking forward for lot of travelling & hanging out, lot of good home-cooked Indian food & lot of talking (arguing too maybe), lot of FUN!!

My First American Wedding Experience

To begin with, let me clarify: I was just attending the wedding yesterday, of my (& Tani's) friends Amy & Duncan. It was not my "american" wedding, or "my wedding" of any kind. Just my first experience with/in an American Wedding.. & it was AWESOME!! It really was...Wedding parties are usually fun, at least in India they are. In India, weddings are Big Social Event. It's all about show-off & having fun & all that. It could be a multi-day celebration, but that's changing now. Although I haven't attended a wedding in India for quite  a while now.. actually haven't been to India for more than 2 yrs for that matter. But anyways..

The wedding started with Wedding Vows (i.e. the real wedding ceremony stuff. BTW, this could be a tough phrase to say for an Indian as ity has both 'W' & 'V' which are said differently by Americans) were exchanged at Carlyle House, which is a really historic building (maybe pre-historic for American standards??). It's a beautiful old building, the weather was warm & nice and it went very well with occasional sound blasts by airplanes flying overhead. Short & sweet stuff. Then the party moved to the Ritz-Carlton at Pentagon City for the reception.The theme was 80,s which I really don't know much about. But no one really cares about the music much, once you are few drinks down, even the banging of kitchenware can be music (that's how heavy metal came to existence I guess). Although as far as I can remember, the music was fun & nice.. if I remember!! After the introductions of bridesmaids, groomsmen, groom & bride herself, it was time for a beautiful "first dance" by our beautiful couple, very well choreographed (with almost no steps to do, except one :-). Then some long & "emotional" speech by best man & maid of honor & some other things maybe which I don't remember. But the food & drinks were on table which was NICE (that's what made it lemurable). And then... The DANCING. OMG.. As far as I am concerned, I made the party rock n roll.. or something.. dunno.. but I had LOT OF FUN, lots of Dancing, with almost everyone who wanted to shake a leg, or two. It was pretty awesome. Along this time, there was wedding cake cutting, which I never got to eat & more Dancing.. more FUN. I just remember the Dancing. It was very joyful, festive with lots of wonderful & great people there. Amy & Duncan are surely fortunate to have so many wonderful friends who came to share there joy on there special day (and enjoy free food, drinks & dancing). We are so fortunate to have such friends who decided to make us a part of their special day (and get lots of gifts and on top of that get the video taken by me for free... yeah, I was the unofficial & unpaid video-grapher for the event). All in all, a wonderful day, a wonderful weekend, a wonderful time.

Thanks Amy & Duncan Van Buskirk... and Heartily Congratulations!!!!

Jagjit Singh, the Indian ghazal king is dead :-(

Another death of a master of his craft, after the last one. Jagjit Singh, the Indian ghazal king & maestro died yesterday. He made me really like ghazals, or lets just say that I only liked 'his ghazals'. I read this song hothon se chhulo tum in my dad's youth diary and heard it few times too & loved it. Then later I heard some his other ghazals in movies & loved almost all of them. He had such a melody in his voice, such compassion & such music. With in a week, this is another BIG loss for all of us!!

On a different note, Netflix has taken a full U-turn about split & Qwikster spin-off. They are not going to split the company, make 2 accounts & all that. That was a stupid idea to begin with anyways, glad they realized that. They are still going to keep the price raise, that sucks. But I am still subscribed to both Blu-ray & Streaming!!

It's Amitabh Bachchan's birthday today - Happy-Happy B'day Amit jee, the Big B!!

A weekend in Boston... waiting for lovely FallS

I was in Boston this weekend, after almost 2 yrs.. & I had a good time. It was nice. The people who know me & my opinion about Boston may find it surprising that I enjoyed Boston. Although, I did enjoy Boston earlier too, sometimes. I guess its always been about people, & that part was very good this time round. Met some old friends and new people as well, both was lot of fun. Also visited Rhode Island for few hours, it was okay too. The weather was nice all this weekend too. Kinda chilly on Friday night but very nice all Saturday & Sunday. I was told that it was one of the warmest Oct 9 in Boston area, with record breaking 84 F. Although its almost impossible to predict. Cold then humid then colder then rain then cold then rainier then.... UGH. Wish the weather is good for next 2 months, Wish for lovely FallSeason & pre-winters!!

RIP Steve.. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs died :-(

Steve Job's dead.. & I never got to meet him.. never got to say thanks to him. to tell him that how his speech below inspired me.. motivated me.. & raised my respect for him to highest levels. Before this, I thought of him as just another Technology master/guru of Silicon Valley, the Apple co-founder, who was great businessman & a sharp/smart guy of course. A guy who has created such royalty with his brand that he can afford to charge ridiculous amounts of money for his products & people will blindly buy it. An arrogant & obnoxious & proud person maybe. & so I never bought or owned an Apple product, for that same reason. Did I ever doubt quality & superiority of Apple products, not really..

But Steve Jobs is not just Apple co-founder, the leader of a technology giant. He was an innovator, a thinker, a scientist, a leader, a true visionary. He changed the way people look at personal computers, even though he was not the first person to invent GUI in computers. He changed the way people use portable music players, even though he didn't invent mp3 players. He changed the way people use phones, even though he was not the first to come up with a touch screen phone device. He changed the way people look at hand held tablets, even though many including me thought it was a stupid idea. Why would anyone want another device to hang on to when we have smart-phones & net-books. Why?? But.. what do we know? He was the visionary behind all this. He was the one who either knew it will work or definitely was the one who was ready to take that chance/risk of bringing it to people & it worked. Worked very well I guess.... He was a genius of User Experience & User Interface. He converted existing ordinary/mediocre/popular ideas/devices into a new invention by his excellent UE/UI enhancements & innovations and made these things just unbelievably awesome. He changed the the way we use any of these devices. He changed the World!!

Today, he's dead. But he accomplished so much in his life. He lived the life of "Steve Jobs". Regardless of all the challenges & difficulties, he did SO much. But he's still alive & will be for years to come.. in our hands, in our pockets, in our bags, on our desks, in our offices, in our living rooms, bedrooms, homes and everywhere around us. He'll be always alive in our hearts.... RestInPeace Steve, RestInPeace :-|

Not that it's anything important.. but I think I'll buy some Apple products now. Just as my tribute to Steve Jobs & support for his brain-child Apple..

My mother finally got her U.S. Tourist Visa!!!!!!!!!

After rejection twice, my mother finally got her U.S. Tourist Visa. So glad & happy!! What did we do different?? I contacted my area congressmen (Jerrold Nadler & Albio Sires) & they sent a query/recommendation letter to US Consulate in New Delhi. Sires' office asked me to send them my mother's documents & all that and I did that too. My mother went for interview today with all the required documents & letters. But they didn't even have a look (probably they had it with them). Just asked 2-3 simple questions unlike previous times & the visa was granted. COOL & AWESOME!! Heartfelt & cordial thanks to Congressman Nadler & Sires and everyone else who helped :)