Monday, Bloody Monday

Poetic license, had to change some in the original title of the song, from Sunday to Monday! The OU is back in full swing on the first day of the week again, and to kick things off this morning we had the OTEC plenair, the first for this year. Unfortunately the Big Boss is ill, and couldn’t attend. As a result the plenair was cut short to around 2 hours instead of the regular 3,5. It also means that my scheduled meetings with the Boss have been postponed. It is indeed a shame. I know not when he shall have time again for the same.

Finally some progress with the practitioner group, or semblance of the same today – FBR informed me that there might be a chance to publicize my work at an event on the 27^th where a number of practitioners are expected to participate. She feels (and I agree whole-heartedly) that it would be a good opportunity to reach out to some ID practitioners at the higher educational level, owing to the lack of progress with the KN. For this purpose, I have made a prelim flyer about my work and the expectations from the target group, and hope that it shall pique some interest at the event.

To script a flyer, I decided to give Microsoft Publisher 2007 a whirl, but came out quite disappointed. I had expected some of the functionality I had noticed in iLife during my brief stint with the Apple Way of life, but darn, Apple’s iLife does the work SO much better! So here I sit, waiting for the supervisor’s comments about the draft of the flyer, before I take it out for revision.

An interesting discussion took place over lunch about Economic Imperialism and the effect on the local economies, worldwide. It was quite fascinating to hear the views of our diverse group from the ApeCage. The discussion stemmed from the casual remark from MKV, that it was indeed the 60^th year of India’s independence from Britain, and soon became a debate over the gun trade, attitudes of the developed economies with regard to the developing and under developed nations and the like. I quoted the participatory farming techniques put into place by the Narsimha Rao government in the 90s when the Indian economy was opened to the private investment, and how that kind of approach can indeed aid the local economies and foster growth by investment – both direct capital and in terms of farming technologies.

And with this day, just 4 days remain till I meet my beloved! The excitement and the rising sense of impending fun, is almost too much to bear! I really wish these days fly by, till it is indeed time to meet her at the Airport! But alas, she has a huge exam to tide over, before that, which basically means I shall not get to talk with her much before we meet in person… helaas : ( But then we get to spend a week together, and that too in beautiful locales! Hope the weather holds out.

Speaking of which, what is up with H!? It snowed last night, and the temperatures reached -2, which is just unusual for this region at this time of the year. But as they say, April, er macht was er will But I hope the spring weather is back next week, and stays that way for our trip to Paris! Mmm lekker!

Ok back to work…

Tim@14:11

Aachen and all that

Aachen, oh Aachen, such beautiful memories doest thou evoke in me! It has been a splendid day in good ol’ Aachen City. A very English weather accompanied me there, a cold, dreary, grey day, right out of a Dickens novel – Perfect for Aachen indeed. Took the train to Aachen HBF and walked my way to Elisenbrunnen, which was, as always brimming with activity and people! It was such a change from the sleepy ol’ town called H that I found myself ruing the fact that I had to leave. Next, Hilal, where I made my purchases and then decided to stop at the Berliner Grill for a nice hot Lahmacun with Tzatiki. Unfortunately the person today didn’t quite know how to prepare the same, and instead of what I usually eat, I wound up with something the cow spat up. Well it wasn’t that bad, but well I was disappointed. A walk to the Irish pub near the Dom, and St. Patty’s day celebrations were in full swing, with a live band and a bunch of drunken German students to boot. Had me a pint of Guinness and drank another in the namesake’s honor, he, who has been laid low. Actually, will drink to most anything!

Met a few people I know who were also milling around the Dom, and chatted with them for a while. You know it is a Saturday, when around 17:00, Aachen begins to empty. Having nothing better to do, I decided to head back to H, and relax at home. Took the bus back to H, and got down at the station. Just as I was getting down, I saw the train from Amsterdam pull in. The realization, that this would probably be the time I am back in H with my beloved next Sunday, probably on the very same train, was just so overpowering! She’ll actually BE here!

Oh well, now off to clean my lebensraeume, looks as if a hurricane passed through me place!

Tim@18:51

Jolly 27th

Hoop de doo, here I go, hitting the big 27. It was ever so special to be greeted by my loved ones as the clock struck midnight in various time-zones. First the celebrations in India, as my brother and father called me up at the stroke of midnight in India, followed by congratulatory phone calls from old friends. Bro made this beautiful card for me, scanned and sent it, really touched me – the words, the effort that he put in. Bro, my lil bro, you are one of a kind! As the clock struck 12 in CET, I was greeted by my special someone, who was ever so sweet to call me! Some jokers back I knew from Aachen have a weird sense of humor (just kidding guys, you’re awesome!) and kept ringing me at odd times during the night, as the clock struck 12:00 in GMT and finally in USA, by which time I was awake once again! Messages have been pouring in on Orkut, so very nice of you guys to remember! Very special do ya make a guy feel, indeed! And here I am in the office, sharing Kersenvlaai with me awesome colleagues. Though the namesake isn’t there today, unfortunately, so a piece of Vlaai shall I eat, in the collective Tim’s name!

And with this multiple of “nine” year, can’t help but think, would it be indeed a year to remember? If any heed be paid to numerology, life-altering events have indeed taken place at every “multiple of nine” year in my life. I’d rather not jump the gun and speculate though, for as a wise man once said, and dad so often repeats “Many a slip from the cup to the lip”.

Tot straks!

Tim@11:47

So yesterday at work, I received this book I had ordered “Integrated and Holistic Perspectives on Learning, Instruction and Technology” from Springer. A very interesting book with numerous essays on the holistic approach to learning, and design thereof. I was rather getting impatient for the same when Mieke walked in, triumphant, with the book in her hand. Excitedly, I turned to the first page, and lo and behold, essays on “Immigration and Ethnicity”. Um, ok this did not seem like what I had ordered, but perhaps it was an advert, and I turned to the middle of the book, where the author was describing how certain ethnic groups have a propensity to migrate out of their lands. Um being one, I didn’t need an essay to tell me that, but that’s beside the point! I had the wrong book! Oof!

It promises to be a long day, for I plan to go to Ikea as soon as I get back home. A lot of things need to be ready before she arrives… Just 7 days before she takes her flight… Just can’t hardly wait…

Tim@15:26

Shopping and all that

Well, here we go again, has been a while since I updated the blog. Not due to lack of interest, but rather the lack of developments the past few days. Got the feedback for my first draft from my supervisor, and indeed, the points made are valid and acting upon the same would really improve the quality and the feel of the paper. I am rather disappointed though as I read it back, there did seem to be a lack of consistency and structure throughout the paper, which is something I consciously, realized while writing the same, but didn’t do much to alleviate the problem. The emphasis was on meeting the deadline set by the Boss. Now that I have some time to reflect, a lot needs to be done. I started the corrections yesterday and shall continue them through the week.

Yesterday I got the delivery notice from Wehkamp that my order had been delivered at the DHL service point in Praxis, H-Noord. I cycled there and got the teeny packet, wondering whether the chaps had actually sent all that I had ordered. Apparently not – for when I reached home, I found three items missing. One they said was out of stock and two weren’t accounted for at all. Disappointed and needing to go for groceries, I decided to go to the local C&A. Very rewarding did that turn out to be. I spent my merry time there, and bought two pairs of jeans and a pair of formal trousers, and a leather belt. Ready for them conferences I am! Saw Malik on the way back, but apparently he was in a hurry. Seems like I have managed to piss off the Frenchman. Oh well.. The namesake has taken ill, ‘ne Erkaeltung apparently! Wish him a speedy recovery. Macro finally got the replacement Nokia for the one he lost the other day. It looks very much the same (na klar) but had the T-Mobile branding which he basically flashed on his own. WTG m8!

My brother finally got all the presents that I had selected for him from Rediff. The whole experience with this webshop has been – NEVER again! Hated the service they provide and the lack of support, not to mention the fact that they outsource all their orders and disclaim all responsibility once they have validated your CC data. As a result, one item reached Digo on the 8^th, one on time, and the last, on 14^th! Horrible service I say. Rediff? Never again! Grmmph!

Oh well, back to the paper again.

Tim@12:57