First Week in Sunnyvale
1st week in the "Land of the Free and the Land of the Brave"
It is nearly a week since I have landed here and sort of enjoying myself.
Monday 25th June: The first day was full of meetings and one-on-one with most Engineering group. Even attended the Engg weekly progress meeting. Shiva provided me the pick-up and drop-off and showed me the way around I could walk to. Went shopping with him at the Indian grocery store and did some more basic shopping. The Chinese lunch place was also nice though I would prefer a Hunan place next time around. Came back from work to 'Homestead' and had a couple of Methi Parathas. Called home, spoke for about 15 mins or so, and then slept. The journey was Pune to Sunnyvale was quite a long one and very hectic to put it in mild terms.Absolutely No Work done.
Tuesday, 26th June: Power outage in the company and hence work is affected again. Here however it works differently. people were happy and enjoying. We back home get tense as execution is affected. Around here they find it as an excuse to go HOME !!and so more than half the day gone. Work starts at 2:30 or so, try to do my best by 7 and beyond.., most of the office is empty before 6 and you are all by yourself. I returned to 'Homestead' and went for a nice jog. Felt nice running on an Empty Street at 7:30pm and that too in Bright Sunlight.
Wednesday, 27th June: Again a power outage but luckily it is up by 12pm and work starts earlier than the previous day. Finally I am able to get some work going and with an isolated place of work, I am able to pull-up nearly 2 days or work by 7. In between, its Pizza day and I have a sumptuous feast at the table. I mostly limit myself to salad and veg pizza slices (3 of them) and a couple of Chicken Wings. Conference call starts at 8:30 and ends by 9:30 or so. From office to 'Homestead' which is nearly a 20 mins walk I do not see a single car pass on either side of the roads that I take home.
Thursday, 28th June: No Power Outages this day and work as usual, nothing much happens. Shiva was going to come in late so had a coffee break with Pradeep. Now he is one of the most coolest guys I have seen altogether, not just in Innopath. Work is finally taking some shape, speed and size. The "Chinese" food in the company in the evening was really bad and I have a weird feeling in my stomach.
Friday, 29th June: The food was really not "that" bad. Breakfast includes Bagels, Muffins and Orange juice. For lunch we head to an Indian restaurant called "Shaan". Shiva orders "Tandoori Chicken Breast". If that is supposed to be the size of a Chicken Breast, that chicken must have been as big as a Goat/Sheep. Man was it Huge.., too bad, I did not have my camera with me. I, being the guest, get the extra one to take home for Dinner as well. So far No Cooking done and I am missing it.It is 8:30 and the thing being shown on TV is unbelievable. If kids are watching no doubt they are a messed up lot. I later come to know that there is DishTV and hence "this Entertainment". Parents can breathe a little easy I guess.I am actually counting the number of things I was doing exactly a week back. Godya helping me buy and pack stuff, reducing the increased Kgs. Time Flies.
Saturday, 30th June: The alarm is Off for 2 days and I get up past 12.., with the Blinds closed there is no sense of the time by looking out of the window. It does not help much as it looks to be same from 8am to 9pm. I get up and finish the daily activities. And then, I go for a RUN.., at 12:30. It feels great, liberated almost. Roads are empty other than some Mexicans working/mowing the gardens/lawns in front of the office buildings. I jog past the Innopath building on the other side and then I give up. Walk some more then jog some more. Locate where the Subway is then start my way home through a different side. I lose the orientation for a moment but then am back at "Homestead" in 5 mins. Nice 30-40 mins workout on Saturday morning.My first hand at cooking involves "Maggi Masala" and nothing more. Lunch and then there is an array of great movies, Forrest Gump, Cast Away on one channel, Mission Impossible on another. Basic Instinct 2 is nowhere even Close to the Classic-Prequel. Sharon Stone.. now thats a different story.I talk to relatives/friends for some time and then I fall asleep for a while. When I get up, I am Lethargy Personified. Do not even wish to get off the bed.Then I decide to go to the temple. I know this is as absurd as "Tambe Aarogya Bhuvan and Mutton Pattice". Nah, I did not go there to exactly pray, but I went there for prey. And I do not mean "Single Rich Indian Women" but Food. Its not that I don't want to spend money but there is nothing around to go and spend. Clemson suddenly seems to be so much better than the Bigger Cities. Thats the biggest Irony, when the shops were close by, the wallet did not smile much the. Now the $ are there but the shops aren't to be seen.The temple or so, and the surroundings are not like what we see in India. All Gods are placed in one corner and the rest of the pandal is for people just to sit and listen to a person who was wailing aloud under the pretext of singing a Bhajan. He either was taking momentary breaks or was forgetting the lines while singing. But whatever he was singing probably drove the Gods away rather than bringing them closer. The dinner arrangements were nice but the food, the less said the better. BH people, don't crib, stop abusing the quality of food. Rice, Kaali Daal, Roti and a couple of Sabjis, Jalebis and Rice Kheer was quantity enough but lacking quality. Should not be complaining of free food though and the greatest part was that I did not have to cook for another day.There was this "Aunty" in a cocktail dress, in a temple ??? and Boy was that low-cut. Another inch or so and Mallika Sherawat would have been put to shame. Why did she have to bend low anyways to feed her kid ? Why not keep the kid on a chair or even the table to feed him ? Most Gentlemen were not complaining though their better halves were.
Sunday 1st July : I wake up to the call from home and its dad on the line. After about 15 mins of Parents-Son and Sister-Brother talk I get up to get ready. Have a 15-20 min call with my cousin in Baltimore and then I am off again. Running baby.., run Forrest run. Atul would be glad to know that I ran nearly 2 miles in one go.., nearly though, gave up on the last 200 yards or so. Came back and decided to make some nice stuff. and so here is the Egg Curry
for the afternoon. Luckily the movies being shown were really bad and I could get a lot of things going, including writing all of this stuff.Plan to do some laundry and clean up all the dishes during the evening. Also planning to write some Blogical Nonsense of mine, which I haven't been able to do so lately.
Passing Thoughts:
Summer in California is Not all that Sunny and Warm. Instead it is Chilly, Windy.
Missing Family, Missing Friends, Missing Colleagues, Missing PSPL (including Badminton on Saturdays) and most of all Missing PUNE :((
It is nearly a week since I have landed here and sort of enjoying myself.
Monday 25th June: The first day was full of meetings and one-on-one with most Engineering group. Even attended the Engg weekly progress meeting. Shiva provided me the pick-up and drop-off and showed me the way around I could walk to. Went shopping with him at the Indian grocery store and did some more basic shopping. The Chinese lunch place was also nice though I would prefer a Hunan place next time around. Came back from work to 'Homestead' and had a couple of Methi Parathas. Called home, spoke for about 15 mins or so, and then slept. The journey was Pune to Sunnyvale was quite a long one and very hectic to put it in mild terms.Absolutely No Work done.
Tuesday, 26th June: Power outage in the company and hence work is affected again. Here however it works differently. people were happy and enjoying. We back home get tense as execution is affected. Around here they find it as an excuse to go HOME !!and so more than half the day gone. Work starts at 2:30 or so, try to do my best by 7 and beyond.., most of the office is empty before 6 and you are all by yourself. I returned to 'Homestead' and went for a nice jog. Felt nice running on an Empty Street at 7:30pm and that too in Bright Sunlight.
Wednesday, 27th June: Again a power outage but luckily it is up by 12pm and work starts earlier than the previous day. Finally I am able to get some work going and with an isolated place of work, I am able to pull-up nearly 2 days or work by 7. In between, its Pizza day and I have a sumptuous feast at the table. I mostly limit myself to salad and veg pizza slices (3 of them) and a couple of Chicken Wings. Conference call starts at 8:30 and ends by 9:30 or so. From office to 'Homestead' which is nearly a 20 mins walk I do not see a single car pass on either side of the roads that I take home.
Thursday, 28th June: No Power Outages this day and work as usual, nothing much happens. Shiva was going to come in late so had a coffee break with Pradeep. Now he is one of the most coolest guys I have seen altogether, not just in Innopath. Work is finally taking some shape, speed and size. The "Chinese" food in the company in the evening was really bad and I have a weird feeling in my stomach.
Friday, 29th June: The food was really not "that" bad. Breakfast includes Bagels, Muffins and Orange juice. For lunch we head to an Indian restaurant called "Shaan". Shiva orders "Tandoori Chicken Breast". If that is supposed to be the size of a Chicken Breast, that chicken must have been as big as a Goat/Sheep. Man was it Huge.., too bad, I did not have my camera with me. I, being the guest, get the extra one to take home for Dinner as well. So far No Cooking done and I am missing it.It is 8:30 and the thing being shown on TV is unbelievable. If kids are watching no doubt they are a messed up lot. I later come to know that there is DishTV and hence "this Entertainment". Parents can breathe a little easy I guess.I am actually counting the number of things I was doing exactly a week back. Godya helping me buy and pack stuff, reducing the increased Kgs. Time Flies.
Saturday, 30th June: The alarm is Off for 2 days and I get up past 12.., with the Blinds closed there is no sense of the time by looking out of the window. It does not help much as it looks to be same from 8am to 9pm. I get up and finish the daily activities. And then, I go for a RUN.., at 12:30. It feels great, liberated almost. Roads are empty other than some Mexicans working/mowing the gardens/lawns in front of the office buildings. I jog past the Innopath building on the other side and then I give up. Walk some more then jog some more. Locate where the Subway is then start my way home through a different side. I lose the orientation for a moment but then am back at "Homestead" in 5 mins. Nice 30-40 mins workout on Saturday morning.My first hand at cooking involves "Maggi Masala" and nothing more. Lunch and then there is an array of great movies, Forrest Gump, Cast Away on one channel, Mission Impossible on another. Basic Instinct 2 is nowhere even Close to the Classic-Prequel. Sharon Stone.. now thats a different story.I talk to relatives/friends for some time and then I fall asleep for a while. When I get up, I am Lethargy Personified. Do not even wish to get off the bed.Then I decide to go to the temple. I know this is as absurd as "Tambe Aarogya Bhuvan and Mutton Pattice". Nah, I did not go there to exactly pray, but I went there for prey. And I do not mean "Single Rich Indian Women" but Food. Its not that I don't want to spend money but there is nothing around to go and spend. Clemson suddenly seems to be so much better than the Bigger Cities. Thats the biggest Irony, when the shops were close by, the wallet did not smile much the. Now the $ are there but the shops aren't to be seen.The temple or so, and the surroundings are not like what we see in India. All Gods are placed in one corner and the rest of the pandal is for people just to sit and listen to a person who was wailing aloud under the pretext of singing a Bhajan. He either was taking momentary breaks or was forgetting the lines while singing. But whatever he was singing probably drove the Gods away rather than bringing them closer. The dinner arrangements were nice but the food, the less said the better. BH people, don't crib, stop abusing the quality of food. Rice, Kaali Daal, Roti and a couple of Sabjis, Jalebis and Rice Kheer was quantity enough but lacking quality. Should not be complaining of free food though and the greatest part was that I did not have to cook for another day.There was this "Aunty" in a cocktail dress, in a temple ??? and Boy was that low-cut. Another inch or so and Mallika Sherawat would have been put to shame. Why did she have to bend low anyways to feed her kid ? Why not keep the kid on a chair or even the table to feed him ? Most Gentlemen were not complaining though their better halves were.
Sunday 1st July : I wake up to the call from home and its dad on the line. After about 15 mins of Parents-Son and Sister-Brother talk I get up to get ready. Have a 15-20 min call with my cousin in Baltimore and then I am off again. Running baby.., run Forrest run. Atul would be glad to know that I ran nearly 2 miles in one go.., nearly though, gave up on the last 200 yards or so. Came back and decided to make some nice stuff. and so here is the Egg Curry
for the afternoon. Luckily the movies being shown were really bad and I could get a lot of things going, including writing all of this stuff.Plan to do some laundry and clean up all the dishes during the evening. Also planning to write some Blogical Nonsense of mine, which I haven't been able to do so lately.
Passing Thoughts:
Summer in California is Not all that Sunny and Warm. Instead it is Chilly, Windy.
Missing Family, Missing Friends, Missing Colleagues, Missing PSPL (including Badminton on Saturdays) and most of all Missing PUNE :((
Labels: Onsite Visit and Experiences
posted by Vyaktigat_Manogat_Swagat | 2:48 PM
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