Jailed!

Got up at 8:00 am and started off my laptop sleepily. Tried to connect to the Net and it failed. This was a common problem and usually worked when I restarted the modem. I restarted the cable modem and tried again. No luck!

Did it a couple of more times but it did not work. Thought that I will investigate it later and got ready and left to work.

Came at around 5:00 pm and decided to check on the Net again. Again the laptop was not connecting to the Internet. Now I started getting concerned. As I was checking my dining table, I saw a letter from Time Warner stating that we had not yet paid and should pay at the earliest!

Had they cut our connection? Were we late in paying the bill? Would there be no Net till my dues got cleared - I sincerely hoped not! I was now feeling pissed at my roomie as it was his job to take care of the Time Warner bills and he had left for vacation to India..

Anyway I called the Call centre and told them that I was unable to connect to Internet. They confirmed that my account was fine and all payments have been made - I heaved a sigh of relief.

They said that they will try connecting to my modem and they were successful. Then they said the problem could be with the router, so I disconnected the router and connected the modem directly to the laptop. Still no luck. Then the Customer Rep said there was a major outage in the downtown area and by the looks of it - I was affected. They said it would get resolved in a couple of hours.

At around 9pm, I tried my laptop and still no Net. Now this was getting to my nerves, I again called the call centre. They made me repeat the same procedure of disconnecting the router and stuff but still no Internet. Still another couple of hours...

Time moved real slow. I switched through the basic channels on TV but I was in no mood to watch TV - the fact that Net was not working was making me very edgy. I had nothing to do as such, just general browsing. But still without the Net - I felt locked in my room with no access to the external world - it was getting a bit claustrophobic. I was waiting for the couple of hours to pass and then I would try connecting again

At 11:00, I tried again and could not get through. After exchanging pleasantries with the Call Centre, I came to know that this was the worst outage in some time.

It was a "Net"less day and I did not enjoy it one bit. No talking to Amma and Appa, no mails exchanged with friends, no songs on radio, no blogs read - it was a really bland day wit Net. Anyway I resigned to my fate that I will not be able to do anything on Net that day and slept off...

The next day I got up and checked - it worked :) Net was up - checked my mails which I would anyway check in office :) and got ready and pushed off to work!

I guess more and more people are getting hooked to Net. Surprising thing is that in India I had no Net at home and I was still absolutely fine.

My addiction started when I came to US four months back and I just hope I get over it. But the big question is - "Will I ever?"

Urag.

First week at a B-school is really hectic - group formation for projects and what not... total chaos and before the insanity sinks in, we are in for mid-terms... Urag was in my Economics group as our roll numbers were closeby.

First project group meeting - Computer Lab - Urag had a "I mean business" attitude and naturally assumed the role of group leader and led the meeting... Urag asked everyone - what will we do our project on - some suggestions go back and forth - but we were nowhere... He looks at me and I just had to say something. I without thinking too much said - Credit Card Industry - I told him that Home economics had totally changed by introduction of plastic money - how spending habits changed etc because of credit cards...

I was sure it was going to be shot down... and he would curse his luck for taking me in the group. Suddenly he said "I think it is a great idea" and we called the end of the meeting... After the meeting, I started talking to Urag casually... After a few q's he asked "Girlfriends" - was caught by surprise. I said "No Urag, what abt you". And he promptly said "Yes"...

I dont know what - But much later when we discussed about this incident and how we became friends - there was this incredible wavelength match when he talked to me and I told him that I felt the same... He also mentioned that he never has talked freely to anyone in his life when he has met the person for the first time... Well thats what people mean by saying "You just connect"

Urag was a really sweet chap... His girlfriend (now wife) was sweeter and cuter... I feel if he was not my friend, I would also have tried to "line-maaro" her... He got me hooked to bhujiya (an Indian snack) and he used to get it for me everytime he came from Calcutta... I was weak at Fin and he was a Fin-god - so before every Fin exam, he was my saviour to make it out through... He also used to do my Fin projects as I would laze around.

And he is so unashamedly frank - he used to say - you may think I waste a lot of money (4K) on phone every month. But I try to do my bit by not giving clothes to Dhobhi and cutting other luxuries in life - his value of money was true to the "maaru" that he was

I even became close with his girlfriend and when they used to fight - they used to complain about each other to me and I used to refree - had to be careful that I do not take any sides... But luckily most of the time it went fine... They were made for each other - anyone seeing both of them would say that "Yes, they should be together for life"

Not many people got along with Urag - they say he was too arrogant, was not a easy person to get along with, he remained a bit aloof and what not - I disagree completely with them - I just get along great with him :)

And yes, the Economics project rocked just as our friendship...

Madness

Today it was 55 F (12 degrees centigrade) and we went and played tennis...

And to top it we were 5, so we played 2 on one side and 3 on the other...

Yesterday we played tennis in the rain - dont ask me how - but we did till it became a downpour...

All in all - Good friggin' fun... and sheer madness :)

Friends

As I see "Friends" in TV - I realise that I simply love watching the bonding that they share.

Looking back, I have been lucky on the "friend" front and have made many special friends till date. Some are still in touch, some are out of touch, some remember me, some dont as well - irrespective of all that - they are still "Special" to me... I also hope to keep making more friends as I go on.

The next few posts are dedicated to my friends - a Post for a friend :)

So I have quite a bit to write now in the coming days :)