kalakayam water falls...courtalam trip

we roommates went for a one day trip to courtalam [tamilnadu] and kalakayam waterfalls near ponmudi.. the trip was planned on saturday evening...on sunday morning 4am we started our trip which was full of unexpected thrills and events...watch this space for more photos,videos and a travelogue on which im working now.Probably i will post it within 3 days depending on my "bug" conditions at office..here is a preview photo...for the suspense part i made it black and white..

r o l e p l a y i n g...

wen i was a kid..i used play roles..sometimes i do play roles even today..though not on a large scale basis..

as a kid i always admired -

the p i l o t....


who got the ability to fly a thing without wheels..i always
thought they had a special power...i wanted to be a pilot when i was in 4th standard.
now i realise its the aerofoil..

the v i o l i n i s t...


i tot how that sound came wen they moved a rod over their folded hands..
i dreamt of playing a violin on a stage full of people.
i never knew..there was a violin held in their hands..
now i realise its the string vibrations...


the l o r r y d r i v e r.

i always wondered how such a small human could move a big thing by rotating a rounded thing...
i role played a lorry driver and faked driving lorry inside my house running here and there
honking pee pee pee.. when i see mom,dad or sis..now i know its the A,B,C 's ie accelator,brake,clutch
and combustion engine..

the s i n g e r on stage

didnt like the singer on audio cassettes..but i liked the stager performace..all people swaying to his tunes..
clapping..used to see michael jackson's steps..used to role play his performance..dreamt as if i was dancing and
singing with boneless body twists..now i know people like him are gifted..

the k a r a t e m a n

i always used to wonder how strong is the karate man..breaking bricks..delivering flying kicks,as if to fulfill it
i started learning karate from 8th standard,discontinued it after blue belt.Now i understand that to be a
karate man..i need patience,will and endurance...

the s u p e r m a n

superman was my superhero..used to tie bedsheets on my neck,putting on dad's underwear over my pants,i used to jump from one sofa to the other..holding both of my hands forward..used to ride bicycle which were
fitted with training wheels,on my homemade "superman costume"..it felt like flying..
now i know its pure video magic...

the s u p e r h e r o

always wanted to be the superhero in action films..shooting villians for the rescue of his kidnapped sweetheart.
now i know its very easy to be a superhero in the "reel life" ..but in the real one..impossible..


the b i k e r a c e r

always used to wonder how the bike racers used to rub their knees on the ground when they take the turn..
used to tilt my cycle and many time have hurt my knees..i didnt know about the forces then..
even today used to tilt my bike to my maximum level of fear..but never rubbed my knees ever..yeah
once i rubbed..but the bike was badly injured along with me :)

being a weed

definition of a weed

many a times,i see people like some exotic plants..will wither down if not cared for..but the quality of a weed is endurance..you cut it away,pull the roots away,burn it,spray weedicides..the weed always finds a way to survive..we can learn from the weeds about endurance..

i suggest we all live like a weed.how to know if you are a "weed"

1.if you are not useful to anyone..you are a weed.

- dont worry,who knows,if a weed like u is a herbal cure for AIDS ??

2.you are a weed if someone tries to destroy you..

-dont worry,the quality of the weed(endurance) will make u survive again.

3.you will be a weed,if someone has found a very good for the weeds who grows around you.

-dont worry still,read point 1

4.if u dont fall in the above categories..ur weed number 4.

-no worries,u r helping someone to make a living,the weedicide maker lives on your mercy.
see this website for example

All in all,a weed like you is more useful than other pampered ones.More than that remember,the best quality in you in endurance.Endurance can make you survive anything.

-inspired from the weeds along side the railway tracks,which i saw on a journey.Most of them were so beautiful with wild flowers.

Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman [ Bryan Adams ]

To really love a woman,
To understand her,
You've got to know her deep inside ...
Hear every thought,
See every dream,
And give her wings when she wants to fly.
Then when you find yourself lying helpless in her arms ...
You know you really love a woman

When you love a woman,
You tell her that she's really wanted.
When you love a woman,
You tell her that she's the one.
She needs somebody, to tell her that it's gonna last forever.
So tell me have you ever really ... really, really ever loved a woman?

To really love a woman,
Let her hold you,
Till you know how she needs to be touched.
You've got to breathe her, really taste her,
Till you can feel her in your blood.
And when you see your unborn children in her eyes ...
You know you really love a woman.



When you love a woman,
You tell her that she's really wanted.
When you love a woman,
You tell her that she's the one.
She needs somebody, to tell her that it's gonna last forever.
So tell me have you ever really ... really, really ever loved a woman?

You've got to give her some faith,
Hold her tight, a little tenderness.
You've got to treat her right.
She will be there for you taking good care of you ...
You really gotta love your woman.

And when you find yourself lying helpless in her arms,
You know you really love a woman.

When you love a woman,
You tell her that she's really wanted.
When you love a woman,
You tell her that she's the one.
She needs somebody, to tell her that it's gonna last forever.
So tell me have you ever really ... really, really ever loved a woman?
So tell me have you ever really ... really, really ever loved a woman?

dedicated to teddy

this teddy, presented to me by a friend of mine for last
christmas...sits in front my LCD at office..he knows all my
frustrations..today he saw me solving 8 bugs in one go.wen i get frustrated i punch him on the nose..and hurt him..wen i feel cold..[wen the a/c is too high]..i squeeze him so that my palms are warm..he is with me through my thick and thin..this post is dedicated for teddy.thank you for your support.

those were the best days of my life - rx100 days

Ask any guy…about the best days of his life..school days..college days..no wonder bryan adams sang…”those were the best days of my life”..those summers of 69…
I was in 8th standard and the onam holidays were about to start…My uncle..dad’s youngest one…hit upon an idea to teach me to ride a bike..As I am pretty short in height,he was skeptical about my balancing skills....we didn’t wait to get permission from my dad and mom who were abroad…if asked..it would be a big no..why waste an ISD..or wait for a call from my parents..We decided to start on day 1 of the holiday.We have a school ground near our home..as it was holidays..the ground will be free..So we had a good breakfast..I put on my best cloths..uncle started pouring out instructions during the breakfast…I was a bit afraid..but at the same time excited too…
I put on a paraqon chappal..[which was the popular brand tat time :) ] and we headed for the school ground..
The training started first he showed me the nightmare of any newbie learner..the cluth and accelerator release…it is an art..once u learn it..the bike or car will start moving it..
And then only you need to change gears and do the same trick.If at any point of time..you fail in it..the engine jerks and stops..

After showing that..he drew a figure on the ground..which I haven’t forgotten till now…
It’s the gear diagram..for Yamaha it was first down..then all three up..four gears in total.
So instructions followed..
Push the kicker…at the same time raise a bit of accelerator..and once u start it...u should continue raising the throttle..else the bike may stop.
Now the nightmare trick..
Hold the clutch
Put the gear
Now release the clutch and raise the accelerator…
If you overdo or underdo it…the engine jerks and stops..then u have start from step one.
So I started trying..again nd again nd again..the young legs started to pain..still I kicked…
Again and again..and finally the bike moved..uncle was sitting at the back..
He told me to riase to 2nd gear ..i raised..it fell on to neutral in between…And a big big growl resulted..If you have seen a rx100 growl..you will know how loud it is..

Many more trials went on…uncle was so patient..he kept encouraging me..failure after failure…and it was getting hotter…the sun wanted me to stop my practice..we didn’t give up..
Now I have learned the cluth and accelerator trick to some extend..Now the gear change and go trick..it had the same previous trick combined to it…
It was about noon…and I was riding in fourth gear around the ground…

Now the start and stop ,slow down and speed up sessions…it went well after some failure…
Now the “uncle less” session started..I was all by myself…started changed gears…top gear..and was taking a turn…it happened..i skidded fell down..right signal light broken..knee hurt..uncle came rushing…declared stop practice..
Day 2 ..

Uncle went to a neighbour friend of his…I was getting bored..took out the keys from uncles table..kicked the bike up and I was riding on the road..occasionally the bike getting stopped due the failure of the C & A trick…and I improved..when big vehicles come..i stop the bike..and then start again…Day 2 went pretty well.. and I came back..and saw uncle standing on the porch with his hands crossed…he was obviously cross for my act..but he forgave and gave me a warning…

Days passed years passed…10th over..+2 over..the KDE 1103..japan made rx100 is my life line...the boy who learned the art..started doing tricks..ramping..wheeling..all the tricks in town..putting up shows during the +2 days..the front wheely is the all time favs..
And Im cool one of the class..

Wen I started engineering..my parents came down and settled..the rx100 was still my babe..during my first years..i used to kick up stones at the porch wen I left home at morning..mom had to broom away the debris from the porch…and this became a habit..
But mom had a growing concern..my tricks..my speed..mom started advicing..i never heeded..
And it happened one rainy day..i was coming back from college..i never use rain coats..i like to ride in rain..so I kept my books in class itself..and was coming back..the road was flooded with water..was coming around a corner..skidded and fell in front of a lorry..
I saw the big black wheel coming to crush my head..and the metal plate “satan” symbol swaying madly..with his toungue out..in front of the lorry..i tot..this is it..i closed my eyes..i heard a screeching sound..hot water fell on my face..then all I could hear was the sound of the rain and thunder…

I opened my eyes…saw the “satan” metal plate still swaying madly with his tongue out..
I rested my head on the road..the water filled my ears..and is covering my face fast..

The lorry driver jumped out..his eyes wide open..he expected to see crushed head under the wheel..but he saw me resting my head just inches away from the wheel…and I was looking at him and giving him a “ho rakshapettu” smile…

He asked..if I was hurt..and gave me a hand..i stood up..examined myself…not even a scratch..even the coins in my shirt pocket were intact…the driver was so happy yet bewildered..I was like phew…thanked god a lot for his timely intervention…my head is still intact..and not even a scratch..I lifted up the biked which was drowned in water…
I started after many attempts..the lorry driver rode away..i went to home..

I never told my home folks about the incident..after some days they came to know about it from a neighbour who saw all these from a near by house..mom made plans to sell the bike..Uncle had given me the bike when he went abroad when I was in +2…
A buyer called..and the bike was sold for a meager 12K .. inspite of all my efforts to stop..i had no supporting points..i had to part with my rx100…
To compensate for the loss..i was bought a powerless bike Libero of the same Yamaha family..and I had to accept the offer..Though libero cant be used for ramping..i clocked it for 105Kmph in highways..it was all I could do…

…….those were the best days of my life.....

here i am......killing bugs for a living...

born brave - the picture says it all

this picture is the one i got by email yesterday...pretty funny..



[click picture to enlarge]



now some developer who knows all about the way "the system" works...has done some minoredits..and below is his creativity...whoever you are..we developers love you for this...




[click picture to enlarge]

thumbha beach

two fotos clicked between 2 minutes interval..during sunset.

samsung flatscreen display on railways

a photo taken by my friend tiju george thomas

its payback time

Who ever tot lallu will read my blog !!! he read...he paid back.I came from ernakulam to kollam for Rs 245...ys in A/C class..all the other tickets were sold out.How come lallu know its me ? ..the person at the ticket counter looked at me and said only A/C tickets are available..do i want one ?...i was desperate..so i took one...so instead of 45Rs i had to give 245Rs.Sorry lallu..im a fan of urs..like ur hairdo..

hmmm well this note is for him.if he comes back.



its about ur GPS application in the A/C compartment.It showed i will reach Allepey at 17.50 when i started from ernakulam..the dumb GPS doesnt know our train always slows down..it slowed down after going for 15 minutes..now the GPS said "You will reach allepey at 18.00" ..guess the software needs to be rewritten..it should add the following line.."you will reach allepey at xx.xx hrs , IF ur train goes at this speed" ... :-)

a thought:

whats the need of that display then ? ..i found only one use...
It will tell "heyyy u have reached allepey station" , when the train reaches allepey station...usefull when ur visibility out of the compartment window is zero.

another thought :

"i know yaar we reached allepey"...its like someone telling us "hey ur sitting inside a bakery,when we are sitting inside the same bakery and eating a pastry"


the above are just my views on that GPS.if anyone knows more advantages of that GPS..please do comment on it.