… as you might have noticed.
First off, I hope you have a great 2010! To those of you who wrote to me or commented on my earlier post wishing me well: thank you! A few observations:
* You folks were right: there isn’t such a thing as a stress-free move. I found myself yelling at the guys who came to pack the stuff at my house every time they dealt with my stuff in (what seemed to me to be) a cavalier fashion. It was after the truck drove away that I realized that all I had done was try to control one small part of the process where the risks of damage were probably minimal. True to form, we got a few broken curios, a slightly banged up microwave oven and one piece of baggage three days late. Less damage than I initially feared, but more damage than I would’ve liked. I wonder if there was anything to learn from the experience. Here’s one: Do not use Southern Packers and Movers, even if the alternative is to pack all the boxes yourself, buy a truck and drive it personally to wherever you’re moving. When I cool down, I might come up with a few more.
* Most organizations (or those I interact with, at any rate) seem to work like autorickshaws. The front wheel (sales) goes where it can find a little bit of space, and the rear wheels (service) try and fit in as much as they can. And don’t even get me started on customer support hotlines.
* There is more stuff hidden inside a lived in house than it seems at first. Clearly, some law of physics is being violated somewhere. I am mildly tempted at this point to make some pithy observations involving R^4 and/or L-space (ook!), but I really cannot muster up the energy to be funny.
Having had that little rant, I am happy to be back in Bangalore and spending precious minutes staring at the arse of the car before me. Don’t ask me why this feels comforting. I guess it’s because I look forward to spending the better part of my day with a wonderful bunch of people with the same geeky sense of humor as mine. Sample this Koan that my colleague came up with:
Student: Master, can I always use linear regression?
Master: Not when you see the world in black and white.
Strange as it might sound to you, this little exchange made me laugh aloud. Yeah, I know, I’m wierd that way.
One of my faithful readers (such as there are) commented that my two year pyjama party was coming to an end. It is true: the unfamiliar sensation of wearing trousers for the better part of the day — as opposed to my shorts and t-shirt ensemble of the last couple of years — is making my legs itch. Or maybe I just forgot the moisturizer while getting ready for work this morning.
In other travel-related news, I will be in the US for a couple of weeks in January. I plan to divide my time between Boston and Albany, with a possible trip to NYC if time permits. I have been to Europe before, so I have some idea of what it’s like to be a vegetarian in a country where salad is what food eats. However, if you have any specific advice on how to deal with the idiosyncrasies of the US, please let me know.
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