Saturday, May 31, 2008

IPL Semifinal: Chennai Vs Punjab

Rameez Raza's cool comments while Punjab were batting at 64/7
  • Punjab are in suicidal mode, they have pressed the self-destruct button ... ahaahaa
  • Punjab thought that they had Yuvi (UV) protection but they didn't .... mmm sense of humor

Memorial Day Long Weekend (May 24-26)

We have the Toastmasters International sessions in the office every Tuesday during the lunch hour. I attend them regularly although I've given just one speech. The date was Tuesday May 27th, the day after long weekend. As usual, I was attending Toastmasters and during the Table Topics session the topic provided by the Table Topics master was that 'What do you think will be an ideal long weekend?' That table topics question got me thinking about my ideal long weekend.

I've started thinking about that question and recollected my Memorial Day long weekend. It began on Friday night when Sista, a senior in Auburn, came to San Jose. He was staying with Suresh, another senior in Auburn. Sista arrived at 9:30PM and I couldn't wait to meet him. I've found out Suresh's address immediately and met them that night around 10:00 PM. I've spent chatting with them till 12:00 AM.

After that I came home and asked my friends about their plan for Saturday, they said that they have planned to go to Napa Valley. I've convinced them to change their plans and come to San Luis Reservoir along with me. I've already planned to go to that place as my aunt (pinni), unlce (babbai) and cousins were coming there. By convincing my friends I've made sure that all of us will have a good time :)

On Saturday morning, at around 9:30, five of us (me, Kalyan, Siva, Sujana and Vinay) left in two different cars. I've met my aunt and family at San Luis Reservoir Creek, the place they were planning to do camping, after almost one year. From there, I took my cousins and left to Pacheco State Park which was around 10 miles way back from that place to do some hiking. The surroundings were beautifulllll...it was all covered with hay. We hiked almost 5 miles and took some good pictures along the way. At the end of the hike, my cousins were almost sick of looking at hay.

After the hike, we went to several vista points and enjoyed the view of San Luis Reservoir from different angles. In the evening all my friends left to Sunnyvale and I've spent some time with my aunt's family in the evening at campground and we all came back to Sunnyvale at around 10:15 PM.

On Sunday, I've spent time with my Auburn friends Sista, Paruchuri, Suresh, Vamsi, Ramraj and Kalyan. Also Sista and Vamsi's better halves Sindhu and Sneha were also present. We all went to 17 Mile Drive at Pebble beach, CA and had a heck of a time there. All the time we were cracking jokes and having fun. We also made sure that Paruchuri had good photo shoot for his future planning :). We were all together till 12:00 AM next day, then said good bye to each other and parted our ways. It was a really memorable day.

I've got up early Monday morning and spent some time with my aunt's family and they left to LA around 10:30 AM. I ate my breakfast and then had a good sleep till 1:00 PM. At that time my friend called me up for lunch. I went to my friend's place had lunch and just spent the rest of my day relaxing.

After recollecting the whole long weekend, I thought that this is the best way for me to spend a long weekend, spend one day with relatives, other with friends and just chill on the final day.

So, all of you do think about your ideal way to spend a long weekend and relish doing it.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

An innovative way to play and learn

I think the way we learn stuff in schools (I'm referring to those in India from my experience) is not good and it can be improved a lot. A good way to achieve this would be by allocating special projects to students themselves and instill a feeling to optimize the way they can learn stuff.

While reading Mercury News, I am came across this article by Mike Cassidy who talks about founder and CEO of 'Alchemist Empire'. The name of the CEO is Anshul Samar and he created a card game name 'Elemento'. The card game is similar to the WWF cards, which I used to play when I was a kid or the Pokemon cards, which are highly popular. Instead of learning stuff about WWF superstars or Pokemon characters, Elemento deals with Chemistry and its chemical reactions. In Elemento, elements are the characters and they rob electrons from their rivals to form compounds and subsequently robbing their cards. Mmmmm.......Sounds interesting.......at least for me :)

Oh! And I forgot to mention, Anshul is just 14 years old.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Eemanna Yosemite Trip aaaaa......

Woww.....We had an amazing Yosemite trip. When I look back at it, I can't even imagine that I hiked the 3.5 miles to reach the top most point of the Upper Yosemite water fall. I have hiked for almost 4 hrs and I was drained of my entire energy. It was the beauty of the location that gave me energy to even do that.

Once I've reached the top of the water fall, I had an amazing feeling that I've accomplished something great and I was feeling that I was on the top of the world. The only sad part was that you have to walk back to reach the car and it took almost 2.5 hrs.

The climate there was next to nothing. It wasn't warm, it wasn't cold, it was simply perfect.

The trip to Bass lake next day was very pleasant and relaxing, which we were in desperate need of. Overall, my second trip to Yosemite is also successful.

I suggest all the people to visit Yosemite if they haven't till now.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Now, the time is 8:45...

Now, the time is 8:45 you have started from Bath Lake around 4 p.m. and we have reached around 7 p.m. because that I couldn't drive by Vinay and very good navigation by Alyan, Udos to both of them and we have awesome ____. listen

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Now the time is 545....

Now the time is 545. We have left Bass lake at 4pm and we are now 55 miles away from Delroy(?) and we are planning to do shopping in Delroy(?). So all 4 of us Vinay Kalyan, ______and also me Sudheer are going into ____ right now.[unclear speech, please listen] listen

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BASS Lake

Lunch at BASS Lake, lake view restaurant

Now the time is 12:25....

Now the time is 12:25. We have reached the Bass(?) Lake around 12:15. And we are enjoying the scenic view of the Bass(?) Lake. We are trying to see if we can find any activities to do over here. listen

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Bass lake

Notify of 11:30, and...

Notify of 11:30, and all of are ready by 11:00, we are waiting for a couple of guys to arrive, once they arrive we will be heading to Bass(?) Lake, hoping to have a fun time over there. listen

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Waiting in the room

Yosemite falls from their mid-point

It's 8 a.m. on Sunday...

It's 8 a.m. on Sunday and hurray I figured out the way to email pictures to my blog and now you will be able to enjoy the pictures along with the comments. Enjoy, bye. listen

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Now the time is 12:45...

Now the time is 12:45 a.m. we left Yosemite village at 10 p.m. and arrived at Oakhurst California. listen

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Saturday, May 10, 2008

We finished our trail(?)...

We finished our trail(?) by by 8:00 p.m. and then we came to the restaurant by 9:00 p.m. We just order our pizzas and waiting for the order. So, we are very tired and waiting eagerly for the food. listen

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The time is 6:30 night...

The time is 6:30 night right now and you have already ___ point to a decent(?) and he is going well so far, its quite slippery and we are going on so far with it, alright. Get you later. listen

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We are still heading...

We are still heading down the Yosemite from the upper Yosemite waterfall and we haven't even reached the halfway point yet. I think we have completed almost 1/4th of Descent and the time right now is 5:54. listen

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I actually forgot the...

I actually forgot the mentioning the last thing that all nine of us made to the top most point of the upward Yosemite Waterfall and we all had a great time, we all had a group pictures and now we are walking down. Bye. listen

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The time is 5:20 PM...

The time is 5:20 PM now and we are now starting out Descent from the upper Yosemite Waterfall just now. All right, catch you later, bye. listen

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We have reached the...

We have reached the top of Yosemite Water Falls. This is an amazing feeling. We have-- we did the breakfast(?) 3 and a half hour, and we finally reaching it, and we are almost dead(?). We are totally exhausted enjoying the scenic view of the valley. listen

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We have reached the--...

We have reached the-- kind of the point of the upper Yosemite waterfalls, and it is one of the amazing use of the Yosemite waterfalls. This is really, really beautiful. You ought to see it to believe it. Believe me. listen

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[unclear speech, please...

[unclear speech, please listen] It is amazing, I'm waiting to get to the point, I will be there soon. listen

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So eight of us have...

So eight of us have reached this point, Sudheer, Pradeep, Vinay, Siva, Sandeep, Kalyan and Sashi, Harish and Ravi. Now the time is 2:40. listen

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Now, the time is 1:45....

Now, the time is 1:45. We are climbing the _____ waterfalls and we are almost in the middle almost a little 1 mile or 3 miles listen

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Now it's 12:40. We...

Now it's 12:40. We had lunch from 11 to 12 and we got on to a bus and reached the Lower Yosemite Falls and we are just starting to hike. listen

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Audio blog post, transcription...

Audio blog post, transcription unavailable listen

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The time is 10:40 and...

The time is 10:40 and we are passing by the Merced River and this is very ____, this is very green and very beautiful. listen

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The time is 9:20 now....

The time is 9:20 now. We are parking through Grooveland ____. listen

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The time is 8:40, we...

The time is 8:40, we have just crossed Oakdale and we are going through ____ very beautiful mountain, there is a good grass. listen

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We have started from...

We have started from on the well around 6:30. We reached ____ now heading to work Yosemite. The time is 7:40 right now. listen

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The time is 6:05, right...

The time is 6:05, right now. All of us is ready except shoe are ready [unclear speech, please listen] you should be ready to go in 30 minutes. listen

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Trying to write a blog...

Trying to write a blog using Jott. If this works, we can follow our entire ____ updates here. listen

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