Sunday, February 26, 2006
Orkutting!
After an insanely long time, finally the orkut bug has bit me. And I'm getting to meet a lot of people I had lost touch with! Orkut rocks!
Long weekend
Last weeked was a long weekend, thanks to President's day on Monday. As all weekends go, this was a lazy weekend, spent in bed. On Sunday, while I was about to sit down for lunch, Srikumar called up asking if I wanted to go to Dosa Diner for lunch. I agreed, and we had lunch there, and I returned home.
Monday morning, Ray called up asking me if I wanted to spend time with him and his grandkids at Commack. Having nothing else to do, I agreed. So we went to Commack, and met Adam (9) and Jake (5). Ray and Melanie had bought Tamagotchis for the kids, and they were really excited. It was their 4th :-)). Jake sat next to me and showed me his tamagotchi and the different things to do with it. He also showed me his parakeets and we took photos of the birds with my cellphone.
After that, we headed to the Costco in Commack and had lunch (it has one of the cheapest lunches around here) and bought some frozen food. Got back home by around 4:30. You know, NY is not so boring, after all :-)
Monday morning, Ray called up asking me if I wanted to spend time with him and his grandkids at Commack. Having nothing else to do, I agreed. So we went to Commack, and met Adam (9) and Jake (5). Ray and Melanie had bought Tamagotchis for the kids, and they were really excited. It was their 4th :-)). Jake sat next to me and showed me his tamagotchi and the different things to do with it. He also showed me his parakeets and we took photos of the birds with my cellphone.
After that, we headed to the Costco in Commack and had lunch (it has one of the cheapest lunches around here) and bought some frozen food. Got back home by around 4:30. You know, NY is not so boring, after all :-)
Price-shopping
Remember this post? Well, a few days after I bought the im7, I found it being sold for $190 at Costco, a whole $40 lesser than at Best Buy. Ray suggested that I return it at Best Buy and buy it from Costco. But given bad experiences returning stuff in India, I thought it was better to absorb the $40 loss rather than go through the painful experience of returning the im7. Ray's daughter had a better idea -- she suggested that I buy it from Costco, and take the un-opened box to Best Buy and return it, for a no-hassle return. Although it sounded good, I saw the risk of ending with 2 im7s if Best Buy did but accept the return. But, as it turned out, the return was no hassle, no questions asked :-). This is one of the things I like about the US. The previous day, I had returned a BT headset that wasn't working with my mobile.
BTW, turns out that Costco is the place to go for buying stuff at a low price, from electronics to food!
BTW, turns out that Costco is the place to go for buying stuff at a low price, from electronics to food!
My first amerian paycheck
Well, its been a while since I posted, so I'm retro-blogging
Got my first paycheck in the US on the 16th. Firstly, it was supposed to come on the 15th, second, the HR had goofed up on my joining date. I joined here on the 1st, but HR thought 6th and needless to say, I did not get paid for the first 5 days :-(. Anyway, HR assured me that the amount will be added to my next paycheck. I sure hope so! BTW, after taxes, the salary is a pittance. I dont think I can afford to buy a bike or a car :-(
Got my first paycheck in the US on the 16th. Firstly, it was supposed to come on the 15th, second, the HR had goofed up on my joining date. I joined here on the 1st, but HR thought 6th and needless to say, I did not get paid for the first 5 days :-(. Anyway, HR assured me that the amount will be added to my next paycheck. I sure hope so! BTW, after taxes, the salary is a pittance. I dont think I can afford to buy a bike or a car :-(
Monday, February 13, 2006
Shovelling snow
I finally had a taste of this American "tradition". Ever since I read the strips where Calvin complains about shovelling snow, I've always wondered how it would be to shovel snow. And today I got a chance.
Since last night's snow, the driveway to the apparment had more than a foot of snow. Yesterday evening a snow plow company came down here and plowed the drive way (I found out today from Ray that the landlord has a contract with the snow plow compay to plow the snow). So, the guy had cleared the driveway, but blocked the door that I used, assuming that I'd be using the kitchen door. Which meant that there was a 2 foot pile of snow in front of my door. So while leaving for work in the morning, I got my shoes full of snow.
When I got back some 30 minutes ago, the pile was still there. I had spotted a shovel while leaving in the morning, so I picked that up and shoveled a pathway for myself. He he he... Now, if only I could get some company to make a snowman :-)
Since last night's snow, the driveway to the apparment had more than a foot of snow. Yesterday evening a snow plow company came down here and plowed the drive way (I found out today from Ray that the landlord has a contract with the snow plow compay to plow the snow). So, the guy had cleared the driveway, but blocked the door that I used, assuming that I'd be using the kitchen door. Which meant that there was a 2 foot pile of snow in front of my door. So while leaving for work in the morning, I got my shoes full of snow.
When I got back some 30 minutes ago, the pile was still there. I had spotted a shovel while leaving in the morning, so I picked that up and shoveled a pathway for myself. He he he... Now, if only I could get some company to make a snowman :-)
Snowy weekend
It started off on Saturday evening and went on all through to Sunday night. And when it was over, New York had gotten is heaviest snow in the last 20 years! Looks like I brought the Toronto weather down to NY! :-))
The whole backyard looks awesome! I feel like playing in the snow, but too old to do it :-(. *sigh* Sometimes I wish I had never grown old. Ah, such is life!
The whole backyard looks awesome! I feel like playing in the snow, but too old to do it :-(. *sigh* Sometimes I wish I had never grown old. Ah, such is life!
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Another gadget : a companion for my iPod
On Friday I bought the Altec Lansing im7. I walked into Best Buy to buy a $100 speaker for my iPod and ended up buying this. Like the 251 that I have at home, the sound quality of this speaker is excellent!!
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Finally a taste of heaven!
Ok, that was a pretty dramatic title, but today I finally got a chance to eat Sambar!!!
It all started last Monday, when Senthil came up to me and offered to take me to Hicksville to buy Indian groceries and pre-packed food. Well, I was missing the taste of Indian food so I agreed. We decided to go on Saturday.
Senthil picked me up at around noon, and we headed out to Hicksville. The roads here are amazing, but people drive too fast and its very un-nerving to see a H-U-G-E truck zip past you while you are riding at 90kmph. At Hicksville, we went to a store called Patel Brothers. I stocked up on MTR and Swad pre-packed dishes and bought some salty snacks, besan ladoo and some shrimp.
Next we went to Dosa Diner for a lunch buffet. On the menu were rasam, idli, sambar, chutney, puliogare, dosa, curd rice, gulab jamun and payasam. It felt so good to eat spicy sambar after ages!!! I miss Bangalore. Can't wait for the day when I eat cheese masala dosa at New Shanti Sagar again. Until then, Dosa Diner it is!
It all started last Monday, when Senthil came up to me and offered to take me to Hicksville to buy Indian groceries and pre-packed food. Well, I was missing the taste of Indian food so I agreed. We decided to go on Saturday.
Senthil picked me up at around noon, and we headed out to Hicksville. The roads here are amazing, but people drive too fast and its very un-nerving to see a H-U-G-E truck zip past you while you are riding at 90kmph. At Hicksville, we went to a store called Patel Brothers. I stocked up on MTR and Swad pre-packed dishes and bought some salty snacks, besan ladoo and some shrimp.
Next we went to Dosa Diner for a lunch buffet. On the menu were rasam, idli, sambar, chutney, puliogare, dosa, curd rice, gulab jamun and payasam. It felt so good to eat spicy sambar after ages!!! I miss Bangalore. Can't wait for the day when I eat cheese masala dosa at New Shanti Sagar again. Until then, Dosa Diner it is!
Daily routine
Coming to New York might turn out to be the best thing for my habits. Since I've come here, I've started sleeping earlier, waking up earlier and eating 3 meals! My daily routine goes like this
0630 - Wake up
0830 - Ray picks me up
0845 - Walk into 7-Eleven and buy coffee and breakfast
0900 - Get into the office
1330 - Lunch
1730 - Ray drops me home
1915 - Dinner
2000 - Sleep
0100 - Wake up and check mail, etc
0230 - Sleep again
I kinda like this routine, not much stress!
0630 - Wake up
0830 - Ray picks me up
0845 - Walk into 7-Eleven and buy coffee and breakfast
0900 - Get into the office
1330 - Lunch
1730 - Ray drops me home
1915 - Dinner
2000 - Sleep
0100 - Wake up and check mail, etc
0230 - Sleep again
I kinda like this routine, not much stress!
The House
The house I've been put up in is in a suburb of New York called Huntington. Actually, its part of a bigger house. There are 4 rooms, a kitchen and two bathrooms. One of the rooms doesn't have heating, so it cannot be used during the winter. I'm using the biggest one, with an attached bathroom. It has an ancient heating system. Its ok, but nothing great.
Leaving Toronto
Finally, 5 months after I landed in Toronto, I'm bidding farewell to the city, and to its few residents who made my stay memorable. Yesterday evening I went to the office to pick up my files and bills and stuff, and I met Manoj and Lata, the couple who own the news stand in the building I was working in the last 5 months. Told them that I was leaving Toronto for good. I also bought a few postcards, just to remind me of my stay here (God I hope I packed them!!). They were really nice to me and they made me feel at home whenever I went down to the news stand. Before I bid farewell, they asked me to take a bottle of juice as a farewell gift.
Next stop was at Rasoee, the Indian food restaurant from where I used to order Indian food through my stay. I had gotten familiar with Muhammad, the guy who ran the place, and Gary who worked there. We had a pretty long talk after which Muhammad gave me two samosas and a glass of mango lassi :-). Unfortunately, there was just too much stuff in my fridge and I could not finish it :-(.
I had made an appointment with a guy to buy a Nokia N70. He imports them from China or Singapore or somewhere and sells them in Canada. Bought it for $600. Its a cool phone.
Next up on the agenda was packing. That was a big nightmare! After I was done packing my two big bags, I called up the airline to check the weight limit of the checked bags, just to make sure I did not overshoot it. The guy whom I talked to told me that the limit was 44 pounds for the checked bags, and 22 pounds for the cabin bags. So I asked him what the extra-weight charge was. He said, we don't take bags that exceed the weight limit. I started freaking out. So I left out some of my stuff, since I had no other choice. I will miss my skateboard, and all the other things I left behind. I packed through the night.
Next morning, I got into a taxi and got to the airport. There, the airline guy told me that there was no weight limit. I was so pissed, but I had no choice. Anyway, the damn airline was late and all that, but I got to New York by around 3:30. Ray came and picked me up, and on our way back, we picked up Melanie (Ray's wife) from their house and stopped over at Tiny Thai for dinner. Then Ray dropped me off home and left.
Next: The house.
/Edit: Turns out, I did pack the postcards
Next stop was at Rasoee, the Indian food restaurant from where I used to order Indian food through my stay. I had gotten familiar with Muhammad, the guy who ran the place, and Gary who worked there. We had a pretty long talk after which Muhammad gave me two samosas and a glass of mango lassi :-). Unfortunately, there was just too much stuff in my fridge and I could not finish it :-(.
I had made an appointment with a guy to buy a Nokia N70. He imports them from China or Singapore or somewhere and sells them in Canada. Bought it for $600. Its a cool phone.
Next up on the agenda was packing. That was a big nightmare! After I was done packing my two big bags, I called up the airline to check the weight limit of the checked bags, just to make sure I did not overshoot it. The guy whom I talked to told me that the limit was 44 pounds for the checked bags, and 22 pounds for the cabin bags. So I asked him what the extra-weight charge was. He said, we don't take bags that exceed the weight limit. I started freaking out. So I left out some of my stuff, since I had no other choice. I will miss my skateboard, and all the other things I left behind. I packed through the night.
Next morning, I got into a taxi and got to the airport. There, the airline guy told me that there was no weight limit. I was so pissed, but I had no choice. Anyway, the damn airline was late and all that, but I got to New York by around 3:30. Ray came and picked me up, and on our way back, we picked up Melanie (Ray's wife) from their house and stopped over at Tiny Thai for dinner. Then Ray dropped me off home and left.
Next: The house.
/Edit: Turns out, I did pack the postcards
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