Saturday

Saturday. Boring as usual.

Say something

Some people say that I don't talk too much. Mostly when I meet new ones they will observe: 'You don't talk much. Say something'. And after hearing that there isn't really much that I can say.

May be I shouldn't give them chance to say that to me. So that I am not in a position where there isn't really much left to say. It is kind of self loop. When I don't talk much, which usually is the case, then people point it out after it there isn't much left and after that it becomes like that. I have to break the loop

So I am reading how to talk to strangers.

Forgetting names

How embarrassing it becomes when we forget someone's name some time. It happens mostly when you are meeting someone after a long time. But for me it is not usually. If I know someone's name I can recall it after long times but problem is to get it right in first trial. When I meet somebody for the first time and (s)he tells name I usually tend to observe that person and not concentrate on what (s)he is saying for name. I will concentrate more on how (s)he is speaking and all. So it is very difficult to get it in first trial. I always require to ask just after few minutes. But there are nice tips and tricks you can use to escape the embarrassment. Following is a list taken from this link.

1. Tell them your name first.
Someone is approaching you – you know the face, but not the name. Try being the first to talk, smile and say “Hello, we’ve met before – I’m Dee”. In most cases the other person will say there name too. This works perfect in situations when you only met someone briefly because there is a change they also have forgotten your name. Using this trick provides the person with your name also, without either of you having to admit you forgot names.

2. The extra sneaky tricks.
Ask the person their name and after they tell you say “No, I ment your last name.” Another option is to ask how they spell their name, now of course this can backfire if their name is something simple (like Dee).

3. Avoid saying names altogether.
There are situations where you do not want to admit you forgot a name. If it is a name you should know and the consequences are too big then starting a conversation without any names is your best bet. For example, “Oh hi, how have you been?” “Good to see you again, I was hoping you would be here”. This also gives you a chance to remember their name as you talk.

4. Use the ‘introduce a friend’ trick.
“Hello, oh have you met my friend Jack?” Jack then says hi and in most situations the person will introduce themselves to Jack. If the person merely says “Hi Jack” then you can still say “I’m sorry, I have forgotten your name”.

5. Darling so good to see you!
This trick is really a twist on avoid saying names altogether. But instead you use a substitute where you would usually say their name. Such as darling, honey, champ, sir, dude etc. Not recommended at business events but can work at parties.

6. Ask someone else what their name is.
If you are attending a party or networking event scan the room for familiar faces. If you can’t place a name to a face then ask a friend who they are. Now you know their name and are ready to greet them later.

7. Be honest (short and simple).
If you are going to ask someone what their name is because you have forgotten add an apologize. “I’m so sorry I can’t remember your name” or “I’m sorry, what was your name again?” A simple apology is all that is needed before launching into a conversation with them. Or you could try something even simplier like “Can you remind me what your name is?”

There are a bunch of sites here and here that have tips on how to remember people’s names so you’ll never have to use the tips in this post.

Mumbai

Terminal is such a good place to blog. :) You have internet, all the time in the world (if u r well before in time) and lots of activities going around you.

Anyways visa interview was just a formality it seemed. Just two min talk. No document check no nothing. Just they kept my passport. People say they trust. So this heck of visa thingy is over. Now I can put my resignation and fix date of my summer vacation. And rest in peace thereafter. For 1 month.

Even though a short one this trip was memorable like anything. Stayed at a friend's at Hiranandani and spent one whole day. Almost relived the college time. One of those days when we did nothing at room except bulla (gossips - intellectual ones). Went out only for lunch, evening snacks and dinner.

Loner

Since I am going to live more or less lonely life for next some (5?) years it would be apt to get some practice from now on.

There's nothing you can say
To make me change my mind
Goodbye

Pasta

I am enjoying self-cooked pasta right now. Thanks to quick pasta recipe.

Pastafarianism

Finally the dilemma is over. Rejected the Purdue offer. Never thought this will happen. That I will get an offer from Purdue and eventually reject it.

When I was a child I had very high regards for this university. It was one of the wow things for me. But then it happened. A little late though but it happened. Then there was fellowship at Minnesota which means I have flexibility in deciding my adviser. And energy research at minnesota looks some what more happening than at Purdue and the prof who was hiring me. Finally sent rejection to him.

I was sitting very relaxed then all of a sudden from everywhere people start telling me to start looking for housing there otherwise it will be late. Or u wont get things and all.

So all of a sudden I started looking the web and this weekend I was onto it only. But it seems that deadline for on campus housing was 15-May. This soon I was not able to find a person to share apartment with me inside univ. I dont know why but many people prefer off-campus housing.

And has been quite customary now I a alone for dinner at weekend again. Most of the people I know will go out to non-veg placed to eat. I am the only home alone left. Loner. It is hard to find company for veg dinner. My be I can cook something in kitchen. It will be a nice practice for univ days ahead. Lets try some pasta. Pastafarianism!

Purdue

Its past April, almost mid May and Purdue has come off its sleep and decided to review my application. Now is a new dilemma between Purdue and Minnesota. Purdue is a big name to reject. So is Minnesota in Mechanical. But I have a better fellowship offer from Minnesota which means I have freedom to choose professor and topic after visiting the university. It looks like flexibility versus better University tag and slightly better location/climate.

Saturday

So its saturday it is getting dull. Somehow I woke up in the morning. very morning I mean. Around 6:30 or 7. It was the maid I think at the door. Anyways it was a dull start for today.

Previously in the week I received my I-20 form from the university and then I told manager in office about the offer and about that I want to leave and go for it. Certainly there was some amount of dejection that I observed. No employer would like their employees to leave within a year. Even I also feel bad about it but thats the way things are. I think we talked at a fair length. More than half hour. But at no point he was infuriated. He looked sad though. One day or the other it had to come. I still have around 1 and half months in hyd.

Parity

There is very unique thing about nature which exists which we dont realize too often. But there are times in our life when we do realize that parity law does exist in nature. That, the things are symmetric in nature. They apply on right-handed and left-handed equally. But very little often do we realize that this parity law is violated nature too! In week interactions there are instances when parity does not hold and there nature stands stripped of its parity! They have different outcomes for up-spins and down-spins. Although nature is strictly fair for strong interactions like gravity, electromagnetic forces and strong nuclear forces.

Feynman effect. :P

Go plus

With each passing day my days in Hyderabad are closing in. In the limited days I went on a paid resort trip from my office in a group of 21 people. It was a very nice junket. It was actually a workshop where we were supposed to learn some business values. The instructor was a third party vendor and he knew the terms of trade very well. I always have respect for these kind of people who have complete control over there conversational style, the way they react and their temper of things. Control over things.

All together there were many activities which were to be performed in a group. Two groups two be exact. Several of them out door. For example the last and final activity was a game similar to rugby but to be played with non-dominant hand. Another was a plank puzzle.
At the end of the two days we became bonded with each other. It was nice to know so many people. Truly speaking I had never befriended this many people to this much extent in this much time. I will specially remember the walk on the first morning.
And the gossips by the pool side on the second night. For the first time I played crappy games like DumbC and it did not look too crappy. It looked too dumb though. :D