Indian Ameri

$ Main aisa kyon hoon, Main aisa kyon hoooon... Main aisa kyon hoon, Main aisa kyon houun$
$ Main aisa kyon hoon, Main aisa kyon hoooon... Main aisa kyon hoon, Mein jaisa hoon mein waisa kyon hooon$

Nice singing ppl. This was the question I asked myself before I went to San Francisco for my AICHE (American Institute of Chemical Engineers) technical conference. But that one week I shall never forget in my life. It had answered me questions which I've been trying to sort out for a looonnnnngggg time... When I say long I mean real Loooooooooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnngggg.
Things I learnt as a student or as a researcher was a lil below my expectation, but things I learnt as a person was gargantuan (like that word). Since I had my previous post on my future goals I would like to skip my mindset on it and try not to bore you.

Lets go to some interesting stuff I noticed during my trip.

1) In the flight saw this book called 'Skymall'. If you are really bored in a flight just have a peep into it. Who said inventions are supposed to be big. The inventions that these products show are extrordinary. I loved the inventive products they published. It gives you new insight into your imagination. Just try lookin at the book and guess what you might end up with an idea that might change your life.
2) If you aren't queasy about lift off or touch down then look at the people sittin beside you. You can see an overflow of emotions. Saw this guy who's face was blank as a blue windows screen showing no emotions. But his hands were making odd circles which I felt that he was calming himself someway or the other. A child who was playing all the time went and hugged his mom and sat on her lap when the plane landed. I was fortunate enough to view their relationship. An old lady was so interested in seeing the plane land that she pushed the window seater (an average elderly man) and saw the whole landing procedure.

Now for the fun part -

3) I was damn hungry when I was coming back to Atlanta and the air hostess offered everyone peanuts. The ironic thing was the common TV which was overhead showed excuisite and exotic food shows in the food channel. I called her and asked her, 'Thats a nice way I can quench my hunger with peanuts' She laughed and said, 'Guess what! Thats how we eat our daily meals' She went and changed the channel to CNN.

4) Back in San Francisco, Ghirardeli chocolates offered 10% discount with the previous bill you got when buying sweets. When me and some of my friends went to have ice cream there was this cycle of bill exchange in order to get 10% discount. Aatish's bill went to Abhay, Abhay's to me, Mine to Reynolds, Reynolds to Shyam and finally Shyam back to Aatish. Unfortunately Aatish dint get the discount coz he was the starter... I was thinking about the situation and was thinking, this looks like an analytical problem which I remembered when my bro gave his GRE. PS I was thinking what if somehow you got bills from trash cans outside the store, can you use it to get free food. I shook my head and gave a smirk to my innovative yet cheap thought.

5) We went to a hotel near San Francisco, where it was written Free internet and free breakfast. The wireless internet wasn't working and so went and asked them what the problem was and they said that the system was down. I asked them to take the sign off and immediately they apologized and the receptionist removed the free breakfast board. That was real funny. I had to hold my laugh for a long time and then gave up hope on the internet stuff.

6) Saw this kid in Fishermans wharf who was throwing stones at doves. Fortunately for him his dad was sittin on the other side and so got hit twice from his kid. He saw the situation moved away from the position asked his son to stop throwing stones. He did but the doves werent fine with that. One dove flew over the guy and pooped over his shoulders. The dad got real angry and started throwing some stuff in his hand at the bird. Unfortunately it hit an old lady and the rest was just apologies.

7) Had to fight with a Pakistani guy for cheatin on an American friend. It was only a dollar issue, but it could be worse in the way an American thinks of the country. Be it Pakistan or India, elevate your countries position with what you do. Its not necessary that you need to do good but never do anything bad to depriviate your countries pride.....

8) I won $34 by beginners luck in a casino, thats when I realized am not supposed to gamble because of the Vrath am currently undertaking. So had to spend all the money on friends and felt a great deal of satisfaction.

9) Was the only non American non Japanese in the US Japan conference in which I gave my talk.Said an 'Arigato' at the end and still was able to get only blank faces during the question part of the talk.

10) and finally, I liked the place Lake Tahoe where I sat alone for a while watching the lake and the mountains surrounding me. I wont say that I had a nostalgic feeling, but defenitely something that pured my heart of troubles.

This one week has opened ways of looking back at my life, my goals, my emotions, etc. Met some new friends and met more people. I am starting to like the way, Main Aisa Kyon Hoon stuff....
PS this is my half century in blogging in blogger.... Standing applause.... Thank you for all the comments I recieved so far.