killall -s SIGTERM BlogDaemon

Adieu this blog... There's a new one now: http://protean-thoughts.blogspot.com

OSS Camp Delhi

The last weekend, a splendid one, and a really hectic one.... I attended some sessions of the open-source software barcamp in Delhi. It was fun seeing so many people attending the camp, meeting up with people from the community and listening to stuff people have learnt over the years. The sad part of the whole deal was that I could only attend three of the several sessions I'd have loved to attend. I had to leave for an urgent personal errand, and couldn't even talk to any of the people about their experience with open-source.

Music can do that to you

I have been listening to some music that sort of catches on to you. It all started when I discovered this wonderful share on my friend's desktop, and copied a few numbers to my own. There were so many of them, and I just started devouring on them one after another. First, there was Iron maiden. Their music can sound jarring at times, but the kind of lyrics they write just burn right through you. Honestly, I can't believe they're called a satanic group (or are they?). Then there was Metallica, spinning the magic of their guitars - awesome guitars they've got there... really, truly awesome. I didn't need any caffeine for days listening to their music. Then there was a collection of Bhimsen Joshi's classical presentation of the Yaman raga - awe inspiring. Finally, I settled on a Pink Floyd album - whoever needed liquor! With the kind of music that they play, you'd get drunk without touching one drop of alcohol.
All this music makes me just wonder what could really be the purpose of our existence.. why? Well, I don't know, but it just does that to me. Music controls me unlike anything else. One whacky number from Eminem and I stand right up, into my work. One bluish number from Lucky Ali and things are too sombre for life. Does it really work that way?

Time to invite the others

It seems the government of India has goofed up a major industrial opportunity.
Is there any respite? None; there doesn't seem to be a way around such things.
[See for yourself]
How about the government finish their chip-manufacturing policies/proposals and invite AMD to invest in India? Why does India need to run after the Microsofts and the Intels. Are we not an anti-monopolistic nation?

Land ahoy! Guys! Just finish the proposal and go ahead with others!

Another memorable evening

A buffet dinner at Chutneys', cool restaurant in down-town Secunderabad, an 80km/hr ride on the bike and a fun night with friends. Wow!! This evening was amazing. It started with one of my classmates wanting to have one final get-together-dinner-party - you know, the types that bachelors go to. In the end, we compromised to having a decent dinner party at a Punjagutta (Hyderabad) restaurant called Chutneys' (a place famous in Hyd. for spicy food). It was a buffet dinner, to the tune of 135 bucks each. But it was cool. I mean, I had three scoops of ice-cream... wow!! It was like, you could have anything you like without any limits. We had a couple of rounds of starters - much to the annoyance of the restaurant manager (or that's what I thought he was). Then, we had two main courses - one Chinese, one north-Indian - masala food :). And finally we had desserts. We ate like real gluttons - as if there was going to be no food tomorrow. But the food was good, and I got a free--ride to the restaurant - so didn't have to pay the extra bucks for the conveyance (poor Shakti).
This, was my second experience in freaking out during the exam days. Once, and only once before this, we (me, Shreyansh, et.al.) partied during our exams.
But the days are gone... No more exams :( No more classes :( Just two more days of official college life. I hate leaving college.. :( 'cause I donno what's in store for us on the outside of these protecting walls.

End of another chapter

The last lecture of my academic life just got over.... oh the sweet irony of it. It was one on "Computational Geometry". The professor (Dr. Prosenjit Gupta) was as prolific as ever - giving one idea after another. The realization that this is it, hit me in the last 30 minutes of the lecture. The professor had started talking about "open problems" in the area of computational geometry, conferences related to it.. etc.. It hit, and hit real hard. I couldn't believe it. This was it - after trudging for years together, this was it. Is this how life is?

I guess so... Everything has to end somet ime or another. Yesterday, I was too lazy to get up for a morning class at 8:30. Today, I'd give anything to study another month... Is this how death is too?

I wonder sometimes what all of this means? I mean, what does it really mean to "want something"? And what does it mean to be able to "get something"?

But I guess, I've got to move on - like every other human being. I don't understand... why are we here at all? Why does time rule us? Why can't we break the rules of nature?

Oh gr8!! Now I'm going nuts. Anyway, on a happier (more clumsier) note, I can still see my prof's face
lingering over my head, scrutinizing if I was half asleep or in a full doze :) It must've been hard trying to
teach so manyl antagonistically insomniac dudes who find solace in the "quiet" of the classroom.. :) he he he..

Disillusioned Inc.

Another one bites the dust. Another pretext of my destiny opened up before me. Life's like that. It's balanced
well. I have but one wish now. One desire. Nope, it shan't come here.

I have the following questions to people?
1. What is it that comes back to you when you give it to others?
2. What is it that doesn't mean anything and yet means everything?
3. Why is that whatever's rational is sometimes the most unacceptable?
4. Why can we not reason out everything?
5. What is it that we are afraid of, the most?
And if all the above stupid questions do not fall in your category of sane thinking, buzz off s*__*r.
---

Ever heard of a bear cub wondering about the meaning of life?