Livermore Temple, California

I have been wanting to visit this temple for a long time (4 years!) and finally got a chance to do that (thanks to my buddies). The temple is located in a very quite residential area in Livermore, 40 odd miles from San Jose, California. The temple houses most of the Hindu Gods under a single roof. This is the first time I am inside an air-conditioned temple! It was quite a scene inside with all kind of folks offering various prayers to the residing deities. There were all the young Indian kids learning the Indian/Hindu culture, practicing the hymns and a lot more.

Bottom line for me; it felt really good to be in a temple. Had some good home made food (as 'prasadam') and finally hit back home in the burning summer of California.

Enjoy the temple view

Being the lesser mortal

How does it really feel to be the lesser mortal? Honestly, it sucks! It is just plain unfortunate that some one has to go through such a situation, but when it is forced on you, it becomes really horrible. I can't go more on this for certain resaons, but truly wish that incidents where one has to feel so, remains to be a thing of past.

Trespassers will be recruited

I used to ridicule Sai that his company is one that takes in folks in such huge numbers that it is only possible if you have a placard in front of the gate reading, "Trespassers will be recruited"! The state of affairs just a year back was that there were just a handful of companies who were recruiting in masses. In the recent past, I am seeing almost every company seems to be in a recruitment spree, hiring folks left, right and centre, that I started wondering if it has really become true today that if you are trespassing within a company's territory, they just pull you and make you an employee. The veracity of this statement can probably be validated by some on who is hunting for a job, or being hunted for.

So, X is ready to offer a salary of N with some kick ass work. It sure sounds interesting! Was there a calendar invite asking for a one-on-one? :)

In the "world" of America

This is just my third visit to the so called "land of opportunities" (no denyin that) and I am already too tired and bored of this place. I am sure half the world will scorn at me for saying this, but honestly, I don't feel the radiating presence of life and energy here. Things are just so artificial here, right from a "Good Morning" to the "Good Day"! Thankfully, I am not a loner stuck in this place, have enough and more friends and less time to catch up with everyone, but still I am unable to connect myself to this place. I have been having this feeling not just about this time (I know folks would love to associate different rationale behind my feelings here), but this is how it has been for me since the first time. I agreed to give my self the benefit of doubt and gave me a couple of more chances, but the feeling or intensity of being the fish out of the water has only grown ever since.

God! I love it back in my place where there are folks to take care of all if not most of your needs. There are lot of dependencies but still it is not easy to not lose your independence there (something that is considered a priced possession here)
I could go on with an endless list of why things are better back home and I could get more than one counter list for each of mine, but that's a topic I would be willing to fight when I am more in control of my senses (5 rounds of vodka?)

Until then, I will listen to a few more "Hail Mary" statements and look forward to go back and hear "Kadavulee Ithu Enna Soothanai"!

Film scores on Yahoo

Off late I've been listening to a lot of film scores on Yahoo music. It is definitely wonderful to see Yahoo including such a channel as part of the music offerings. There are wonderful scores of music that you never hear mainly because it is a background music or more often than not, it is the one that is played towards the end of any movie (predominantly International ones) where if you are watching a movie in a theatre, you just walk out ones the cast of appearance starts on the screen.

There have been many a big hits from Jurassic Park, LoTR, MI-II and the more recent ones like Memoirs of Geisha that are constantly played in this channel and each of them are definitely worth a ear(two if you like :) ).