On your mark... get stead.. GO.. GO.. GO..

Thoughts of hitting the blogging scene have been preying on my mind for quite some time now. Every few weeks I would drive the thoughts out of my head telling myself I was too busy to be able to maintain a good blog. (I was not.. Just this feeling of self-importance that invades my being every now and then). In fact I should say my mind was split into two on the issue of blogging. For convenience let's say that the left part of my brain was all for blogging while the right wasn't. (biologists, forgive this trivialization). Since last year my left mind(LM) has been playing various tricks on my right mind(RM)(assuming again that RM had the final say in the matter) to get me started with blogging but RM was STRONG. RM resisted with all his might each of the arguments put forward by LM. A most persuasive train of thought that LM tried follows..

LM: isn't that blog good? I could do much better..
RM: Oh really? I don't think so.
LM: Umm.. I could atleast do as well
RM: do you really think so?
LM: Actually "NO"
RM: I knew it..
LM(consolingly): But I could come close
RM: seriously?
LM(sheepishly): again No.
RM: sigh
LM: But atleast a blog would be a more productive way of wasting time than hanging out with girls.
RM: Hah! Are you trying to put one over me? I know my priorities in life.
LM: Oops.. my mistake..

and so it went.

Until today, that is. I got back from India last week. And LM has been acting up since I got here. Anyways I figure 15 months of procrastination has beaten all my previous records and so am on the verge of taking the plunge. In fact since I've already typed out 250 words(don't count, it was just an estimate) I guess I should say "I've taken the plunge". :-)

Why today the fourth of july 2005? Today is not my girlfriend's birthday (but then again it might be.. Sadly I won't know for sure until I meet her). However today just happens to be the "FOURTH OF JULY" which is why I must explicitly state before I am branded a traitor, deserter and the like that the American Independence day is NOT the inspiration for beginning my blog. It just happens to be a long weekend during which I took the time to get started. In fact if at all something(or rather someone) has inspired me it would be Vinod(my junior in college) for he maintains one of the classiest blogs I have come across.

I would like a theme to my blog. Having lived in the United states for about a year now and having been born and brought up in India, a comparison of the two cultures seems to be the most obvious theme. I would like to state here that my opinions/postings may be controversial. However, the intention is not to ridicule either of the cultures but to share my thoughts and have a little fun at the same time. That being said, I reserve the right to digress and talk about myself at anytime.. ;-).

A little something about me..
I am pursuing graduate study in Computer Science at the University of New Hampshire which happens to be a quiet and picturesque school about an hour from Boston. I studied Information Technology at Sai Ram Engg College and was lucky enough to fall under the scope of Madras university since that meant I didn't have to study for four years.. Don't be envious.. I've had to slog my heart out during the last one year making up for my lack of "knowledge", and I've still got a long way to go.

Reading is a passion of mine.. and I will very definitely explore the subject further in my future postings. I love satirical humor and my favorite books in that category are "Yes Minister" and "Yes Prime Minister". I would certainly recommend that everyone read the book (note that I said 'read' not 'watch'). More specifically I would recommend it to the fans of "The Hitchiker's guide to the galaxy". Having read both books I'm confident they will appreciate it.. for the nonsensical humor if nothing else..

I ought to get going now and watch the wonderful fireworks display that my friends are raving about. If it lives up to expectations it might even make an ideal next posting.

God Bless America.. and India.. and every other country in the world.. :-)