Sunshine + blue skies + right temp = Kayaking

With Anita at work, Ant & Aay not able to make it, I headed out to the lake. The water was a bit muddy but the water front activity was in full swing. It is the first week of Jun so it was not surprising at all. Rowers, kayakers, anglers and just a lot of people on the water front confirms the summer is in and everyone is making the most of every minute of sunshine.

... but on the other side of the world.. its a different story. My mother called this morning and told us how hot it was in Lucknow. This planet is so small when viewed from outer space but on this planet the climate varies so much that life styles have given rise to cultures that make this world so different. View this from a point on this earth and it is not difficult to imagine but if you were an astronaut on board the space shuttle -- it gives you a different perspective.

... and it crashed once again..

What is Dell producing now a days ????

Aayush is headed for Waterloo

A few days back Aayush decided to commit himself to an Engg course at Waterloo. A hurried trip to Waterloo last Saturday followed by a trip to U of T in the afternoon culminated in the decision.

The last week has been hectic for him as he tries to make it to his innumerable breakup parties. It is well deserved and well earned. I hope he is having fun.

Crashed Hard Drive

I wonder how many of you have experienced the loss of your hard drive? I lost mine on fri May 29.The tech attending to my laptop cooly said " I am unable to recover your data but I will try to reimage your machine". He said this with a flat tone. Some one with no emotions. As I listened my mind raced through the contents of my hard drive trying to gauge what was "gone" and what could be salvaged through email and USB sticks. I was not even listening to the tech on the phone who was repeatedly asking me permission to re image my hard drive. I mumbled my "OK" as I sat in a daze wondering what I was going to do. How was I to complete my deliverables and in what manner could I afford to be isolated from the digital world? I have no answers as I struggle to go through a weekend without a laptop.
Anyway ... the long and short of it is that I have lost all my personal data & no I did not back up all my personal stuff but managed to save all the work related info on a shared drive but my pictures and the audio books and the "other stuff" is lost forever. On Monday I will possible get my laptop back with a "clean" HDD ....Life begins again....

This is being posted from Anita's machine while she is away at work....

Antrix's Portfolio

Have a look at Antrix's Portfolio. The model in the initial pages has been done single handedly in a 2-3 days almost non stop effort. This I believe is typically done by the full support of an Architectural organization. The organization that Antrix worked with in Japan, unfortunately did not do models but which is almost de rigour here in North America.

Antrix's Portfolio

Decision on Choice of University

Deep discussions on which University to go to



Some brotherly talk on what is good and what is not...



Some additional help is sought...



Antrix advises to look far into the future and decide...



Aayush decides to work it out on his own...



For a teenager , its not an easy decision....




tomorrow when the sun rises... we will know if it is Waterloo or Toronto...

Thirst, by first principles

I was doing some yard work today in some great weather. As I mowed the lawn I became increasingly thirsty and went in for a drink. The cool water along with some ice surprisingly did not satisfy me and I suddenly thought of the long forgotten "surahi". I longed to taste that earthen taste but I guess no one has even heard of it in this part of the world. I desperately needed a glass of "ghara" water. Anyone remember drinking the last bit of water from a ghara and along with it some loose clay as well? The cruncy taste I still cant forget. I think the nearest ghara would be approx 8k kms away in India. Next time some one asks me what to get from India, I might take him/ her on with a request to get a "Ghara" & if that is too much I might settle for the slimmer version - a "Surahi" :)

I did not have a picture of a ghara so I "stole" it off the net -- I hope the owner forgives me.