tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73133692011-04-21T18:18:29.588-04:00Life, Experiences, Anecdotes, pysche, secrets, passion, humour and fun, a writer in the making!Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.comBlogger1291100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-55965839126077888392007-07-15T23:34:00.000-04:002007-07-15T23:35:28.170-04:00

You know you are from Mumbai (Bombay) when1. You say "town " and expect everyone to know that*this means south of Churchgate.2 You speak in a dialect of Hindi called 'Bambaiya Hindi', which only Bombayites can understand.3. Your door has more than three locks.4. Rs 500 worth of groceries fit in one paper bag.5. Train timings (9.27, 10.49 etc) are really important events of life.6. You spend more

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1158761838785032052006-09-20T10:14:00.000-04:002006-10-09T04:17:12.526-04:00

They have funny accents, occasionally dress in strange outfits, and some wear turbans and grow beards, yet Indians have been able to overcome stereotypes to become the U.S.'s most successful immigrant group. Not only are they leaving their mark in the field of technology, but also in real estate, journalism, literature, and entertainment. They run some of the most successful small businesses and

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1157640398937580532006-09-07T10:40:00.000-04:002006-09-07T10:46:39.010-04:00

Times have certainly changed. Time was when nobody was willing to give me a credit card: no domestic bank, no foreign banker, nobody.Cash had just about begun to be considered poor man's credit card, like the wit said. At that time, I thought I would be able to stretch my resources a bit if only I had a credit card.But that plan was stillborn as the card issuers were just not willing to come to

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1154538901896632172006-08-02T13:11:00.000-04:002006-08-03T12:00:10.440-04:00

A nice anecdote by an Indian consul General in USAA sixer, a sixer," I was shouting excitedly as the white ball soared high above the lights in the clear night sky and cleared the fence. I had stood up and was waving my arms. So were others all around me, standing, shouting, raising their arms. But some were turning to look at me, with a hint of incomprehension or irritation. "Stop that, please

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1154530650253763712006-08-02T10:54:00.000-04:002006-08-02T10:59:50.150-04:00

A superb piece of article on Omkara. Read on and I am sure if you havent seen the movie yet, after reading this article you would be in the theater watching this brilliant movie.Omkara blew my mind. I can't remember the last time I said that about Hindi cinema, something I am force-fed once a week, on average. Vishal Bhardwaj's film, however, is a superlative-exhausting work of passion and

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1152884204624625152006-07-14T09:20:00.000-04:002006-07-14T09:36:44.673-04:00

An account by Times of India Deputy EditorToday's Mid-Day edit begins by saying that you don't need to be a rocket scientist to understand that the chain of events starting from the Bhiwandi riots to the desecration of Meenatai's statue and what happened as an aftermath, to the serial blasts on the trains yesterday, means somebody somewhere wants Mumbaikar's to spill out on the streets and grab

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1151585937074990102006-06-29T07:48:00.000-04:002006-06-29T08:59:11.353-04:00

Havent been adding much to my blog for a long time now. After thinking a lot about what to write on I couldnt come up with anything. Today morning while browsing through useless email I came across an email forwarded by a friend of mine. A pretty cool summarization about drivers of various types of vehicles on road in India. EnjoyTruck Drivers: You usually don't get to see them directly because

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1148496642358726842006-05-24T14:49:00.000-04:002006-05-24T14:50:42.376-04:00

Random Observations in my two years of stay here in the United States. Some have shocked me, some bewildered me and some just left me in awe Cars are driven on the wrong side (left) of the road Automatics instead of manual transmissions There are neither power cuts nor water cuts Phones get busy and not engaged (people get engaged) The floor numbering begins at 1 instead of G (there is no

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1145806573555539682006-04-23T11:36:00.000-04:002006-05-13T02:48:31.293-04:00

Late in the night at Mad4Mex a Mexican joint in Philadelphia’s University City District, a usual haunt for Drexel students (read poor and hungry desis) and working people (slightly better off then the earlier mentioned hungry desis) staying on the outskirts of Philly. So here was this motley bunch of five people sitting in the farthest corner around a round table sipping long island ice teas and

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1143047852188878582006-01-15T12:17:00.000-05:002006-03-22T13:39:24.370-05:00

iPod iForgot11th Jan 2006, 12:15 am in the night at Mumbai International Airport’s departure lounge. I was at the gate to board the flight to London, departing at 2:30am………...I had come back to Mumbai after a year and half. After a month long in Mumbai and thoroughly enjoying the break, it was, sad to say, time to pack my bags and leave for Philadelphia. After making sure I had everything I

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1141160915943196142006-01-12T15:52:00.000-05:002006-03-22T13:40:22.840-05:00

I saw Swades last December. It was a touching movie and it did kindle passion in me for my country, My motherland, My Home...yes Mera Bharat Mahan! A year passed by before I got a chance to visit India. Each day seemed to drag by. Not one day passed without remembering good old India. Each passing day made it harder to control my emotions. Each month seemed like a year. I was dying to get back to

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1134621676899586202005-12-14T10:41:00.000-05:002006-02-02T19:43:34.260-05:00

On 14th Dec 2005, two days after I landed in Mumbai, I was sucked into an adventure of the urban kind. One of my VJTI classmate, R, had come down to mumbai. Me, M, A and T (all vjti classmates) picked R up from the airport and decided to go to Bandra and spend rest of the evening. Sizzlers at Kobe was followed by a stroll on bandstand and then the tired band trooped into Cafe Coffee Day. Catching

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1134493085433714042005-12-12T10:39:00.000-05:002005-12-24T03:29:58.826-05:00

10 Dec 20052:30 pm load bags into airport shuttle (damn excited about going back)3:30pm reach airport, unload bags (hoping bags dont exceed the weight)4:00pm bags checked in, marathon three hour wait to board the flight (look wistfully through duty free shops and finally pick up chocolates, only affordable item)5:00pm hope the flight departs on time (damn hungry and very excited)6:00pm boarding

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1134710942329499722005-12-12T01:10:00.000-05:002005-12-16T00:37:55.233-05:00

01:10 am 12th Dec 2005 Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport, MumbaiBack to mumbai after a year and five months. Its so good to be back homeLets see what adventures await me in aamchi Mumbai. Keep a lookout for this space

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1134080119087281492005-12-08T17:10:00.000-05:002005-12-08T17:18:16.756-05:00

In exactly two days I board the flight to mumbai. I cant control my excitement any more and wish that these two days just fly off. On 10th Dec 2005 at this time I'll be at Philadelphia International Airport all set for my maiden voyage back to India. My motherland. I feel like singing "Mere des ki dharti..." or "Ye ho des hain tera...." I am dying to hear the air hostess announce; "Ladies and

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1132633793882116392005-11-24T11:24:00.000-05:002005-11-24T11:26:03.723-05:00

Nupur's Tag got me thinking and here are 20 random things about me1. I am not Maharashtrian, contrary to the popular belief (because I speak marathi at home)2. I love reading books3. I hate heavy metal or anything to do with similar kind of music4. I sometimes keep thinking what am I? why am I here? what is my role in this matrix of life5. I dont get dreams. Even if I do, I dont remember any.6. I

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1131684573758009262005-11-12T17:45:00.000-05:002005-11-12T19:37:13.633-05:00

In September 2005, when Steve Jobs unveiled the new iPod video, along with millions of other iPod enthusiasts I vowed to lay my hands on one as soon as possible. Now I am admiring the sleek black model in my hand, yes my new iPod. Its awesome. Its even smaller than the palm of my hand, but can hold much more than my closed fist. I am now one of millions of music freaks enjoying listening to music

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1130000628462347812005-10-22T13:03:00.000-04:002005-10-29T22:26:15.566-04:00

Living in Mumbai for my entire life, I knew my decision to study in USA would involve many sacrifices. First and most important, no mummy's food, no family to support and care for you, no close friends to share your joys and sorrow. But the sacrifice which I unknowingly made surfaced one year later when I had a frozen masala dosa(thin pancake stuffed with potatoes). That was I first time I had a

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1129765354555197462005-10-19T19:42:00.000-04:002005-10-19T19:42:34.606-04:00

What feelings come to your mind looking at this snap. Calm, peaceful, lonely, blissful. Aint it beautiful? 

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1128431153289190452005-10-04T08:58:00.000-04:002005-10-04T09:20:14.546-04:00

Tagged by nupurI attempt to write a 55 words story. Read on"On a dark freezing night, tethered on the brink of losing his sanity a lone heartbroken soldier staggered in a drunken stupor. The cold wind revived his senses stirring painful memories for which he had long suffered. A lost war, a doomed nation and a forgotten love, he only had the open skies for solace."I tagSriraj,Arun,Sushanth,Manish.

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1128093573150299132005-09-30T10:57:00.000-04:002005-09-30T11:20:53.673-04:00

Do you sometimes feel that you utter some word or sentence unconciously even when the occasion doesnt call for the use. "Kya baat hain!" I dont know how and when I picked up this phrase. I just cant stop myself from using this phrase million times a day. Its become so common for me to use this phrase that I am surely gonna get killed one day. The other day my roommate was describing his day's

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1127579213088194062005-09-24T12:25:00.000-04:002005-09-25T13:13:55.810-04:00

Sometimes Cyber space can throw up surprises as hitchhiking through the galaxy would. On a boring Sunday afternoon I lazily typed Kalghatgi in Google just to see how many people in this world share the same difficult to pronounce surname. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Kalghatgi's have made a lot of progress with many of them actually having their own webpages. This spurred me on to track

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1126885124619340692005-09-16T10:43:00.000-04:002005-09-16T21:02:55.396-04:00

Far away from home, four roommates, one amatuer priest with lots of devotion, on the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi decided to conduct aarti at home to invoke lord Ganesha's blessings. What follows is a narration of the sequence of events. Read it just for fun and it is not meant to hurt anybody's sensibilities. Two of us, me and sriraj got busy in making prasad. Saurabh, the priest was busy learning

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1125949306873226352005-09-05T14:30:00.000-04:002005-09-07T13:27:19.110-04:00

Philadelphia International Airport, Sunday, September 5th, 2004, 2:30 PM EST, the moment I landed in Philadelphia. What a moment it was. I would never forget this day, most definitely a red letter day in the calender of my life. Sometimes I wonder time flies away so fast, It almost seems like yesterday, but to think of it, today, its exacly one year since I came here. What a year it has been with

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1124136551212685332005-08-15T16:03:00.000-04:002005-08-15T17:23:17.666-04:00

Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka, jaya he,Bharata-bhagya-vidhata.Punjab-Sindh-Gujarat-Maratha,Dravida-Utkala-Banga,Vindhya-Himachala-Yamuna-Ganga Uchchala-Jaladhi-taranga.Tava shubha name jage, Tava shubha asisa mage,Gahe tava jaya gatha,Jana-gana-mangala-dayaka jaya he Bharata-bhagya-vidhata.Jaya he, jaya he, jaya he, Jaya jaya jaya, jaya he!click here to listenThe song, Jana-gana-mana, composed

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1124123495672552022005-08-15T12:29:00.000-04:002005-08-15T12:39:35.700-04:00

mere sabhi saathi bloggers aur vishwa mein fayle hue saare bharatiyon ko bharat ki aazaadi ki atthaavanvi saal girah mubbarak ho! Sitting here in Philadelphia, I feel proud to be an Indian. I salute our Independence.Happy Independence Day!Jai Hind!!

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1124032621150155602005-08-12T11:14:00.000-04:002005-08-14T11:19:13.980-04:00

My Blog reached a milestone on 12th August 2005. The counter logged 100 visitors in 12 days. Applause. I wish to thank all the people who made this possible :-). Keep visiting.

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1123817023524857392005-08-11T23:22:00.000-04:002005-08-12T11:32:21.166-04:00

My very first encounters with coffee, as far as I can stretch the precious few neurons in my overworked brain, remind me of the lazy Sunday mornings at home and the warm aroma of freshly brewed MR coffee spiced with nutmeg powder. This once a week affair was the only time I was allowed to drink coffee. Other requests to drink coffee were politely turned down with not so polite reasons, "you'll

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1122866588118794042005-07-31T23:23:00.000-04:002005-07-31T23:23:08.133-04:00

Mumbai marooned 

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1122081045789664952005-07-31T23:10:00.000-04:002005-08-01T12:17:42.736-04:00

How is it to meet your best friend after a long time? Do you feel excited and keep anticipating the day of your meeting? Do you feel nostalgic thinking about the time you spent with them? Does it give you a spring in your step? Well, I felt all this when I was going to meet my best buddy after two long years. Right from the time I booked the flight tickets, I felt wonderful, I was just counting

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1122481358445123882005-07-27T11:22:00.000-04:002005-07-28T17:58:29.836-04:00

Mumbai battered! Torrential rains drown Mumbai! Highest rainfall in India! 660 mm of rainfall in Mumbai in a single day! Mumbai Airport closed! All local and long distance train service standstill! 150,000 people stranded at various stations and places in Mumbai! People spend an entire night on the top deck of a double decker BEST bus! Some people walked from VJTI to BARC, some walked from

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1122081070301223802005-07-22T21:11:00.000-04:002005-07-26T18:57:51.060-04:00

I used to wonder why people like Harry Potter so much when I was back in India. Every other person used to ask me have you read harry potter? I used to think Harry Potter is for kids. There after until I came to US in 2004 I hadnt read a single Harry Potter Book. In summer 2005, after nine gruelling months, I by chance came across an offer on Amazon.com where I was getting the set of 5 Harry

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1121256139131109702005-07-13T08:00:00.000-04:002005-07-13T08:02:19.136-04:00

Hey peoplecheck this blog I came across. Its an insider's story about Iraq by a person living in and writing from Baghdad. It a truly touching and highly opinionated blog. Read on for enlightmenthttp://riverbendblog.blogspot.com

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1120664509498070982005-07-06T11:26:00.000-04:002005-07-06T11:41:49.513-04:00

"Honesty is the best policy". I learnt this proverb way back in my school days. Today I found out that honesty literally pays. I am a regular at a food cart here in Drexel, so much that we are on first name basis. I ordered something to eat, paid and accepted the change. I was walking back and suddenly realised that I had more money than I started with. I promptly went back and returned the extra

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1119903640336137622005-06-27T16:20:00.000-04:002005-06-27T16:20:40.343-04:00

best buddies 

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1119903576659827842005-06-27T16:19:00.000-04:002005-06-27T16:19:36.663-04:00

up up and away! 

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1119901725283300872005-06-27T15:45:00.000-04:002005-06-27T15:48:45.283-04:00

I just love air trips, one for the sheer experience of flying high up above and second for the short travel time. The most exhilarating feeling is when the huge man-made winged beast takes-off to the blue skies. It’s just amazing that such a huge machine can climb so gracefully. I just love the feeling when the plane is airborne. The powerful whirring of engines when it is taxing generates varied

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1119901409894994412005-06-27T15:42:00.000-04:002005-06-27T15:43:29.900-04:00

On a lazy Friday afternoon, coming back from a marathon shopping session, before leaving for my vacation, I decided to have a hair cut to look presentable to my buddies and my bro. Took an appointment for five in the evening. Here is where, I realized later was the biggest mistake I made, but who knew a simple haircutting would turn into a disaster. I sat in the barber’s chair at 5:00pm and

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1118952859244469822005-06-16T15:52:00.000-04:002005-06-17T13:24:40.810-04:00

Total number of books I own: About 500. (counting all the engineering books used in all the 4 years. Some of them have been gifts, some I brought at the local papermart, some of them I have forgotten to return to the lender and some I forgot to return to the library). I have been fond of reading from a small age. If I have nothing to do I would be found curled up in my favorite spot with a book

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1118844575325484612005-06-15T10:03:00.000-04:002005-06-15T10:09:35.330-04:00

Well this seems to be a new idea. I have been book tagged(blog book tagged) by Nupur. I was just reading about book tagging. You read a particular book. Register on a site which deals with taggging. After you finish reading, leave the book at some place, like library, cafeteria, bus station etc and mention online where you left the book. Somebody else would pick up the book and the book travels.

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1117908347993217022005-06-04T14:05:00.000-04:002005-06-04T14:05:47.996-04:00

Awesome! 

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1117908274935282192005-06-04T14:04:00.000-04:002005-06-04T14:04:34.940-04:00

Glorious! Aint it? 

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1117905787329497132005-06-04T13:21:00.000-04:002005-06-04T13:32:37.726-04:00

whether weather will work on weekends? A pressing question indeed. Another weekend where the weatherman predicts the opening of skies. Seems like the wather has taken a break yet again and it so happens that its a weekend. I wonder sometimes, does the sun work according to the american lifestyle? slog from monday to friday and relax on weekends! I am yet to see a bright, hot and sunny weekend

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1116869617555494662005-05-22T11:59:00.000-04:002005-05-23T13:35:49.843-04:00

9:00 in the night on a lazy sunday, chinese for food,bored roommates for company and nothing much to do, I popped in 'Sixth Sense' in the dvd player and let it rip. I hadnt seen the movie since it was released 3 years back and desperately wanted to catch M. Night Shymalan's chillin thriller. After watching 'Signs' and 'The Village' I am a big fan of Shyamalan's movies. At11:00 pm I found myself

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1115859954231353992005-05-11T21:05:00.000-04:002005-05-11T21:05:54.296-04:00

Brilliant aint it 

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1115741705874199182005-05-10T11:32:00.000-04:002005-05-11T20:19:25.110-04:00

6:30 Wake up and lie awake in bed.6:31 Realize you spent $18 on last night's dinner, means no eating out for the next 6 weeks.7:00 Wake up suddenly with heart in mouth when you realize you didn't hit the snooze button--you turned it off.7:01 Fall asleep again.7:44 Wake up with heart in mouth again.7:45 Ready to go to school, will shave tommorrow, bathe day after, will eat early brunch at (Taco's/

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1114977265346717982005-05-01T15:54:00.000-04:002005-05-01T15:54:25.346-04:00

Fading glory 

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1114977050651240282005-05-01T15:50:00.000-04:002005-05-01T15:50:50.653-04:00

Spring is here 

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1114976983615931232005-05-01T15:49:00.000-04:002005-05-01T15:49:43.616-04:00

Spring at Parktowne 

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1114731760499419772005-04-30T21:25:00.000-04:002005-04-30T21:20:18.813-04:00

Sameer with his desi friends in US 10 years down the lineEverything was new for us when we first came here. We all made new friends. We all clung to each other. We watched countless movies. We even learnt to cook and throw pot luck parties where we always played Antakshari. We confess that we even smiled at those beautiful girls across the street. We all took trips to India; some annually, some

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1113867340121149512005-04-18T19:45:00.000-04:002005-04-18T19:37:11.800-04:00

Not so much of a food person I was just wondering the many different cuisines I have tried out since coming to USA. American, Indian, Chinese, Mexican, Thai, Turkish and not to forget my own cooking which does not come in any of the earlier cuisines;)American: Mainly all sorts of meat preparation. Bland and boring. Its very hard to survive as a vegetarian in USA. I sort of turned vegetarian after

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1113867727209146522005-04-18T19:42:00.000-04:002005-04-18T19:42:07.210-04:00

six months later 

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1113867685424998972005-04-18T19:41:00.000-04:002005-04-18T19:41:25.423-04:00

on reaching USA 

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1113610572925519142005-04-15T20:16:00.000-04:002005-04-15T20:16:12.926-04:00

April 2nd 2005, one second after 1:59:59 am the clock read 3:00:00am. I stared at the watch in disbelief. Rubbed my eyes to make it go away, but no it still showed 3am. Probably I was too tired after the show or maybe the effects of hectic preparation for the show and lack of sleep were beginning to show up. Could it be if someone had laced my pepsi with alcohol? I was at an afterparty at a club

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1112735741268544462005-04-05T16:00:00.000-04:002005-04-05T19:32:23.230-04:00

"A' Capella”, does it sound familiar? Acapella means, "Without musical instruments". How can any song sound melodious without some background score? I got the opportunity to witness a performance by "PennMasala", the first south Asian acapella group in USA. I was absolutely amazed by their performance. They had people for making specific sounds, like a tabla, a drum, a guitar and various other

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1111533370107087292005-03-22T18:16:00.000-05:002005-03-22T18:16:10.106-05:00

another photo from my living room 

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1111533300812537542005-03-22T18:15:00.000-05:002005-03-22T18:15:00.813-05:00

light and dark. random photos from my living room 

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1111206080891808612005-03-18T17:45:00.000-05:002005-03-18T23:21:20.893-05:00

Hurray! I finished another quarter here at Drexel. Such a relief to be done with the finals. Well so now commences the spring break. At the beginning of every quarter I tell myself that I'll become regular with my habits, sleep right, eat right, work right, excercise daily and reduce thatexcess fat. Its two quarters down the line. I sleep regularly at 1:00am, have lunch regularly at 4:00pm, have

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1109957652224305012005-03-04T12:28:00.000-05:002005-03-04T12:34:12.233-05:00

Thanks to a forward from Arun. I felt so nostalgic about the four glorious years I spent in undergraduate. Read and relive those days1)The lecturers dont teach.The students dont study.The only guy whobenefits is the one who owns the 'dhaba' next to the college.2)Rules are made to be broken. 3)Promises are made to be broken.4)Deadlines are made to be extended...ALWAYS!5).Guys always think the

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1108697977841534072005-02-17T22:36:00.001-05:002005-02-17T22:39:37.843-05:00

Life is a second Life is a centuryLife is joy Life is sorrowLife is up Life is downLife is gain Life is painLife is day Life is nightLife is fast Life is slowLife is history Life is mysteryLife is knowledge Life is ignoranceLife is colorful Life is monotoneLife is bright Life is dullLife is a path Life is an obstacleLife is success Life is disappointmentLife is love Life is hatredLife is activity

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1108581449744276542005-02-16T13:54:00.000-05:002005-02-16T14:24:02.333-05:00

One look at the mirror early morning today gave me a rude shock. I looked like a mop upside down. I resembled "Mowgli" in "Jungle Book". Only I didn't have Bhaloo and Bagheera for company. Probably I should change my profession from student to rock star.Ahh!! The travails of being a graduate student in USA. Neither do you have enough money to shell out for a regular haircut nor there is anybody

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1107823946186172072005-02-07T19:25:00.000-05:002005-02-07T19:52:26.186-05:00

Have you ever celebrated your b'day away from home, away from your parents and relatives?I celebrated my 23rd birthday 8000 miles away from home in Philadelphia. Infact I celebrated twcie. Once a small icecream party with just my roommates at the stroke of 12am on 31st Jan and recieving calls from family and friends in US and India. The second party was a blast with cake cutting, b'day bumps

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1106360535978451572005-01-21T21:22:00.000-05:002005-01-21T21:22:15.976-05:00

there used to be a swimming pool here 

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1106348062719411952005-01-21T17:54:00.000-05:002005-01-21T17:54:22.720-05:00

Blanket of snow. View from my room  

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1106177484836328542005-01-19T18:15:00.000-05:002005-01-19T18:37:38.286-05:00

January 19th 2005. The first time in my 23 years of existence I saw snow, I felt snow and realized that this is something that I should make myself accustomed to for the next two monthsMother Nature has been kind enough till now to spare Philadelphia from snow. My roommates, who have been year for the past two years showed me snaps of snow which started right from November end. Foot deep snow,

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1104975747961034192005-01-05T20:40:00.000-05:002005-01-05T20:42:27.960-05:00

Google has been generous to me in doling out invitations for gmail account I have 6 invitations. Anybody who wants a gmail account get back to me at sameerkalghatgi@gmail.com. hurry!!

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1104615767856576442005-01-01T16:33:00.000-05:002005-01-01T16:45:01.813-05:00

31st Dec 2002: At home with family watching new year's special show on TV and enjoying some delicious hotel food. 31st Dec 2003: In Hiranandani, Thane with friends partying and dancing the night away and finally crashng at a friends place for the night. 31st Dec 2004: In Philadelphia, at Penn's Landing river side with roommates and other friends, watching a splendid fireworks display and

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1104080887399299062004-12-26T11:37:00.000-05:002004-12-26T12:08:07.400-05:00

exams over. tensions over. holidays are here. what should be done? 3 bored people hit upon the idea of visiting New York for a day. Here's how it went Wednesday 22nd Dec 8:00am: In the Chinatown Bus to New York 9:00am:Over the Delaware river bridge 9:30am: New York kab aayega? 9:45am: Almost there 10:05am: Chinatown,Manhattan 11:00am: Ground Zero 11:30am: Lunch time 12:00pm: Hatching a Plot 1:

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1103484655044171732004-12-19T14:30:00.001-05:002004-12-19T14:30:55.043-05:00

winter is here!! view today morning 

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1103484601352349052004-12-19T14:30:00.000-05:002004-12-19T14:30:01.353-05:00

view from my house in fair weather 

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1103309411318788742004-12-17T13:43:00.000-05:002004-12-17T13:50:11.316-05:00

Hurray!! Finally the exams are over.Fun time begins. Happy Holidays!!!. Its already three months into USA and I am done with one quarter, three courses, physics TA, quit physics TA, started working for a prof, working on the Indian Newsletter and much much more,whew!!. Its been an activity filled three months. Christmas is here and so is the cold winter. well now there is a break for two weeks

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1102458806419338042004-12-07T17:29:00.000-05:002004-12-07T17:33:26.420-05:00

The most dreaded time in the life of a grad student is here! Finals Week! 6th : Project submission 9th : last quiz 13th : Exam no 1 14th : Exam no 2 16th : Exam no 3 17th : recovery from the shock;) 18th : relief 19th : relaxed:) well before I get any more shocks I get back to studying!!

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1102282051554467632004-12-05T16:27:00.000-05:002004-12-05T16:27:31.553-05:00

twilight 

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1102200772248231472004-12-04T17:39:00.000-05:002004-12-04T17:52:52.250-05:00

This happened in the first week I came to USA. It was my first test. Cooking!! My roommates were ravenous and none of them was in a mood to cook anything. I felt all eyes boring into me. Thats it.I had been trying to avoid cooking for too long. I had to take the plunge.To keep things simple I announced I am going to cook daal chawaal. rice done, wow!!, looks fine. now second thing daal. I wasnt

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1102113668083184822004-12-03T17:41:00.000-05:002004-12-03T17:41:08.083-05:00

clouds rushing past 

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1102112874727254342004-12-03T17:27:00.000-05:002004-12-03T17:27:54.726-05:00

Philadelphia downtown from my living room 

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1101414759930807152004-11-25T14:36:00.000-05:002004-11-25T15:41:01.493-05:00

25th November 2004. Thanksgiving eve!!. What a beautiful day to wake up on. The weather was perfect to go out and enjoy. This was at 10:00am. Who knew that it would all change suddenly. I had breakfast and went for a shower. I dressed up and just had a casual glance outside and the weather was in its element. Damn! Suddenly it had become overcast and the clouds were just waiting to pour. I

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1100195723719303572004-11-11T11:56:00.000-05:002004-11-11T12:55:23.720-05:00

11th November 2004. Laxmi pujan today. Its gonna be an awesome day back in India. Lots of lights, sweets, family and more importantly the sound of loud crackers.Gosh! I am gonna miss diwali this time. No sweets, no relatives, no gifts no crackers :(. But kya kare majburi hain. I have taken the decision to come and study in USA, so all the other things back home in India shouldnt matter now. SO

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1099448603674146362004-11-02T21:03:00.000-05:002004-11-02T21:23:23.673-05:00

Whew!! midterms over. what a relief. I now know what it means to be in a pressure cooker. the entire last week I was drowned in work and studies, though less of the later. The first midterm was terrible, almost like a wake up call "Welcome to America!!".oh man that was really a rude shock. everything was smooth till then. Well now I have been baptised by fire. Come what may. I'll take it by its

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1098666806228732312004-10-24T21:02:00.000-04:002004-10-27T21:15:05.133-04:00

How to spend weekends! Before the term starts 1. Sleep till 12:00pm 2. Call up friends and family and chat for hours 3. Clean up the house 4. Do laundry 5. Watch HBO movies 6. Cook nice food 7. Chill out 8. Watch Hindi DVD's 9. Play cricket with roommates with a makeshift bat 10. Chat and mail 12. Write blocs 13. Sleep again in the afternoon 14. Hang out with buddies in the evening 15. Listen

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1098479907331292692004-10-22T17:14:00.000-04:002004-10-22T17:21:12.176-04:00

Here it comes. my first pay check in dollars! cool aint it! thats my ultimate dream, earn lotsa dollars and become rich. Well these are the first few hundreds which will go on and become a few millions : ). It sure feels nice to hear the rustle of a few crisp greenbacks. let me go and have a nice meal in a long time. enjoy

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1097906879923037112004-10-16T01:49:00.000-04:002004-10-16T19:44:51.986-04:00

drat!!! its raining,again!!. damn this weather. These weather ppl in USA.Dont they ever get their predictions wrong. unlike in India. They predict. I'll quote in hindi " garaj ke saath cheete padenge!". Warning!! fishermen are warned not to venture out in the sea. stormy weather". when you get up in the morning you have nice sunny weather and a perfect day for picnic ; ). In philadelphia the

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1097266347002693372004-10-08T16:07:00.000-04:002004-10-08T16:12:27.003-04:00

A Prof. at the School of BioMedical Engineering, Drexel University said this "University of Pennsylvania is smaller than Drexel"......lol....lol.....ROFTL UPenn an ivy league university is compared to Drexel University....lol..lol ok on more serious thoughts Drexel ECE program research is considered superior to UPenn : ).....kuch toh achha hain Drexel ke baare main : )

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1097092413601438892004-10-06T15:31:00.000-04:002004-10-06T15:53:33.603-04:00

I was very happy when I got a second job to make up full 20 hours of on-campus job. Today was the first day of my tutoring. A student had scheduled an appointment with me at 3:00pm for an understanding of some concepts from electromagnetics. Well I reached at 2:00pm after lunch at the learning center waiting for my student. I was using my free time to check mails and there walks in a student to

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1097077968128858792004-10-06T11:31:00.000-04:002004-10-06T11:52:48.126-04:00

I was always had the opinion that there is no such thing as a "free lunch".....and thats what they teach in corporate management training sessions. But I guess I would have to change my opinion especially after I came to USA and joined Drexel University...I have been having a free lunch every alternate day......either a pizza or a pretzel, sometimes cakes, sometimes cookies but there has been a

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1096756533408984102004-10-02T18:12:00.000-04:002004-10-02T18:35:33.410-04:00

What a night!! Great atmosphere, great dance, great music, cool DJ....awesome pizzas and a fantastic crowd....you might be wondering what am I talking about Fresher's Party organised by Pragathi Indian Student Association at Drexel University, Philadelphia. We had an absolute blast.....the show was well organised and there was also a micmicry show by a talented alumni.....best of all entry, food

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1096433923846686482004-09-29T01:34:00.000-04:002004-09-29T00:58:43.846-04:00

Whew what a day.....first day of grad school....i feel as if I worked for an entire week....aadat nahi hain na kaam karne ki...especially after an year's sabbatical from college...sala aish ki zindagi thi yaar Tata Motors main...no padhai, no tension, no deadlines, no assignments and now all of a sudden all this has come back and its overwhelming.......TA classes in the morning, meetings, courses

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1096432279284507242004-09-29T01:20:00.000-04:002004-09-29T00:31:19.283-04:00

Do you sometimes feel that you are not able to say what you what to say? Do you feel sometimes that you have a lot of things to say but you end up saying nothing? Do you sometimes feel that nothing is coming out of the mind how much ever you try? well I guess I am in that situation.....for a long time I have not been able to write much on my blog.....it seems as if my brain has switched off the

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1096246364407785312004-09-26T20:42:00.000-04:002004-09-26T20:52:44.406-04:00

After coming to USA one thing I noticed is that there are hardly any beggars unlike India......which is a very good thing...not that there are no beggars....I had an experience with an american beggar while going home one evening.I was crossing a bridge over Schukyll river and came to the other side...I saw an old decently dressed man coming towards me....i was a bit apprehensive and I didnt want

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1096245164482463772004-09-26T19:57:00.000-04:002004-09-26T20:32:44.483-04:00

24th September is the date, Drexel University, Philadelphia is the place and the event is International Graduate students Students orientation...all are excited for the event to begin...breakfst at 9:00 consists of coffee, juice, cake and cookies...its 9;30 break fast over and people r anxious for the event to begin...we expected it to begin on time...but as in india it began way behind schedule

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1096126890195705042004-09-25T11:23:00.000-04:002004-09-25T11:41:30.196-04:00

One of the good things in Philadelphia for Indians is the Indian Stores...though the name is "Indian and Pakistani spices"...its like a proper sahakar bhandar in mumbai and smells the same..once u enter the store u feel like u r in india....u get parle G biscuits and frozen chapatis all in one place....its a real convenience for students especially boys....u can even rent DVDs of all new

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1095449203499288192004-09-17T16:25:00.000-04:002004-09-17T15:26:43.500-04:00

What is an hoagie?.....the person who gets it right will get an hoagie from me as treat

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1095355659242490492004-09-16T03:58:00.000-04:002004-09-16T13:27:39.243-04:00

TA..yeh TA TA kya hain....oh no no i am not speaking about Tata....TA is teaching assistantship.. whew finally I got an on campus job which'll pay me around $1000 per month and also help me in getting some experience....how i was dreading the prospect of working in a cafeteria and book store!!.....well there is nothing bad in working there..only thing is u actually need to work hard there and the

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1095265995372605822004-09-15T06:15:00.000-04:002004-09-15T15:46:09.943-04:00

the only thing permanent in life is change!!....whoever has said this must be surely one wise guy but y am i saying this?...well the biggest change in my life happened on 5th Sep 2004..thats when I stepped in the US of A.... the very first thing I noticed was the clealiness all over.....change no 1the airport is so huge and there were hardly any people over there...change no 2the people are so

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1095101540328267832004-09-13T05:22:00.000-04:002004-09-13T14:52:20.326-04:00

12th Sep 2004!!...whew...one week in the USA already....so far so good, its been a smooth transition to life in USA.....I have spent $60 in one week...sob sob Rs.3000/- in a week...maybe not much for ppl earning in dollars : )....well I passed one trial by the fire...cooking!!!....my first shot at cooking was a sweet success....alu flower and daal chawaal....none of us roomies had to go hungry

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1094842836604288492004-09-10T15:51:00.000-04:002004-09-10T15:00:36.606-04:00

I am getting up 9 and a half hours later I am having breakfast 9 and a half hours later I am bathing 9 and a half hours later I am going to college 9 and a half hours later I am having lunch 9 and a half hours later I am having snacks 9 and a half hours later I am having dinner 9 and a hald hours later I am sleeping 9 and a half hours later well u may wonder y am i late for everything....and why

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1094674577779726602004-09-08T16:11:00.000-04:002004-09-08T16:16:17.786-04:00

I finally reached Philadelphia, USA. After a long wait I achieved my dreeam....whew...let me catch my breath. As soon as I settle down i'll be back to active blogging....till then enjoy take care ciao...adios

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1094007318803813822004-08-31T22:56:00.000-04:002004-08-31T22:55:18.803-04:00

u know the person u r talking to is a mumbaikar if he tells u how much time will it take to reach a particular place instead of telling u how far it is when u ask him how far is 'x' place cheers

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1094006890326379582004-08-31T22:47:00.000-04:002004-08-31T23:02:43.096-04:00

U come to know that a person was working in Tata Motors if he tells u that he has been waiting for his accumulated PF to be credited to his account for over 4 months after quitting : (...... u may wonder who that person is..... "YOURS TRULY"

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7313369.post-1093764904257880162004-08-29T03:35:00.000-04:002004-08-29T03:35:04.256-04:00

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

Sameerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10110223678698236643noreply@blogger.com0