Good Luck Team Cajunbot!

Around the same time 2 years before, I was in California representing Cajunbot, an autonomous ground vehicle in a challenge conducted by DARPA, the US Defense Research Agency. The same challenge is underway in California now, with the robots competing in an urban setup.

Being a part of such a team was a fantastic experience in 2005! I can never forget the visibly joyed faces of every single member of the team when the officials from DARPA announced we were one of the finalists. It was an ultimate experience of holding our nerves during times of turbulence, staying calm and hard as a rock and not cracking down under pressure. We had all forgotten sleep for more than 2 weeks then! But, we were not ready to sleep until Cajunbot was ready to go and drive safe! Reading the blogs on the Cajunbot website brought back memories of enthusiasm, energy, tension and pressure every single day of the challenge in 2005.

So dear Team Cajunbot!

Here's wishing you all the very best and all the luck in the world there ever is! Hope to see you all as winners! Keep up the good work and really proud of you all! You guys are the best!

For folks who are interested to know more about the Urban Challenge: http://www.darpa.mil/grandchallenge/index.asp

The beautiful Fall.....

[Scene: Monica and Rachel's, everyone has just finished Thanksgiving dinner and are groaning over their fullness.]

Rachel: You know what we should all do? We should play that game where everyone says one thing that they're thankful for.
Joey: Ooh-ooh, I! I am thankful for this beautiful fall we've been having.
Monica: That's very nice.
Chandler: That's sweet, Joey.
Joey: Yeah, the other day I was at the bus-stop and this lovely fall breeze came in out of nowhere and blew this chick's skirt right up. Oh! Which reminds me, I'm also thankful for thongs.
Joey: I mean, it's not so much an underpant as it is a feat of engineering. I mean, it's amazing how much they can do with so little material! And the way they play with your mind! Is it there? Is it not there?
Chandler: Are you aware that you're still talking?
Monica: Is anyone thankful for anything else besides a thong?

As much as Joey is thankful for the beautiful fall for reasons we all know, I'm REALLY thankful for the beautiful fall we've been having. This is my first experience of Fall colors and its the most beautiful thing one can keep looking at!

I mean it's amazing how the leaves change colors like that! My office is situated in the woods with all these trees in vibrant colors and there's a lake with the trees bordering it. I have started taking afternoon walks after lunch, sit a on a bench just near the lake and enjoy looking at the trees......I seriously cant get enough of the colors!

manasellam maargazhi......

Was listenting to nenjam elaam from aayutha ezhuthu today....

The lyrics go like this:

"en manasellam maargazhi dhaan
en kanavellam kaarthigai dhaan"

Couldnt figure out what that means! Please let me know if any of you guys find out or think what it might mean! :)

Just another post....

So, here I am again after a "REAL" long time...
Lot of things have happened.....Have had guests at home, been damn busy at work, visiting a lot of places.So thats how life's been.

My parents are here in the US of A visiting me.I am having a ball of a time taking them to places.I myself am seeing some of these places for the first time.

In the last month and a half or so, we've visted Niagara,NYC,SFO,Orlando,Columbus,DC,Boston. Now thats a huge list and I'm just tired of travelling.I've got the cloy effect.I just want to stay home and relax..Its like, we've been going out almost every weekend. I'm waiting for winter to arrive so I am just bound to stay home. I want my own space, want to do stuff I like at home and enjoy the solitude. And God only knows until how long I can get this solitude and "my space"!

Apart from that, life's jut been the same.Watched a couple of movies over the weekend
1. The heartbreak kid - An ultimate time-pass movie
2. Ammuvaagiya naan - Quite a nice movie, beautiful screenplay and some very good dialogues
(Review to follow in a seperate post)

Life's becoming really stale.I am bored to death.I already feel old.I want someone else to live my days and my life for sometime so I can sit back, relax and watch them do it! Ok, I dont make sense anymore.Let me stop here and be back with some no-nonsense.