My Last day in US office
There was once a naughty boy,
a naughty boy was he
he flew away to San Francisco
the force10 there to see
there he found
that the ground
was as hard
that a yard
was as long
that a song
was as merry
that cherry
was as red
that lead was
as weighty
that four score was
as eighty
as in chetpet
and he wondered…
and he stood in his shoes
and he wondered!
Courtesy my mom's memory.
Naim.
My 9th Grade Dream Sequence
I found this while moving to our new house.
I reckon I wrote this in 9th standard.
My Dream Sequence
My friends often ask me "whats on your mind?"
I say I'm looking for the girl Im not able to find.
"How do you want her to be? Fair and Tall?
Nay, I say, such a girl cant make me fall.
Im looking for my dame, whos born only for me,
Sure I'll find her, know her when I see.
C'uz I see her everytime I close my eyes
She's what I call a beauty, She'll be Nice.
I'll know cuz she'll glue my eyes to herself
The Red Red Rose will bow to this elf
Her solt smile will stop my heart
Cant stand before her, though Im smart!
Lets say I see her today or tomorrow
From where will I get courage, where can I borrow?
My tongue gets tied, hands begin to shiver
I will feel the tickle from spine to the liver
I wont let her go Da Macha! Never Never N0
I will compose myself, go to her and say...."Oh"
I will pull out a rose, she'll say "what for?"
"To show this flower how incredible you are!"
Then, of course, as all of you expect,
She will say "How very Nice of You"
I will take her lovely hand, kiss her perfect lips
& then she will say "I LOVE U"
-Naim Tabriz Khan (Then 9th standard)
Sorry my Doorling!
Dec 18,2006
Well well well.....Abrar's wedding is round the corner. And boy am I excited. Abrar is a couple of months younger than me. He is my mom's sis' son. And he got lucky before me. Wonder when my turn will come. This guy is working in the UK - he is a doctor there.
OK coming to the point - I just ordered the first suit of my life. Its costing me some 5000 rupees. And his wedding is probably the only time I am going to wear it before I grow out of it. But still I wanted it. It had to be a suit. Joyas and I couldnt make up our minds on the material so I took Ammi. She always has a superb taste and this time she picked out the cloth I most certainly would have missed. I would not have regretted though, because I wouldnt have known it existed.
I wanted a slim, body tight fit and showed the tailor the model on the wall and he couldnt help making me feel like his career's highest challenge. It would be difficult, but I told him to try his best. Has he seen Men In Black? Or Casino Royale? I try to be polite to him hoping he puts in that extra bit of effort to make me not look like a fool.
Its important for me to look not so formal. The suit shouldnt make me feel like im inside a life size cardboard box. I should feel like Im not wearing one at all, but still enjoy the attention (Dont think Emperrors New Clothes). But how would I look riding a Hero Honda wearing my first suit? Dont curse please. Ill devote the next 3 days to making sure that doesnt happen. This is moot because of something that happened today - my car wont start. The piece of (shhhhhhhh) art died on me this morning. Refused to wake up after the nights sleep. So Ammi came down, and we decided we will push it out of the lot, and while doing so, I would jump in, push to Reverse gear, and jerk start.
The plan was good. If succeeded, it would have meant I would be doing something else and not writing this blog at 1:30 AM - because I would have reached home on time from office IN MY CAR. It didnt. and I am writing this blog.
As it turned out, the door was open behind me when I pushed from the side of the steering wheel, and we started gaining some speed as the car slid down a gradual nonzero positive slope, and I jumped in, hit reverse and the moment before I was supposed to throw my foot off the clutch, there was a thud - the door had just slammed onto the pillar in the parking lot. Man.
For one and three thirds of a second, Ammi and I looked at each other in the eye - well this doesnt happen everyday to everybody. Is this my lucky day or what! Call the auto. I havent started my Hero Honda for 3 months.
The door still serves its purpose. but I have treated it badly. sorry my doorling. I will take u to VST motors and spend a few million paises on you and make you a door able again. There is going to be something in it for me too. If you recover before the marriage, my suit will make sense.
If not, well, see what other Doors God opens for me.
By the way, Abrar's marriage is on Christmas, 2006!
Naim.
Distances
NaimKhan: Ammi are u there?
GULNAR KHAN: very much
NaimKhan: see how distances can shrink?
GULNAR KHAN: but physical distances beat technology
NaimKhan: could nanasab and nanima have even imagined this possible?
GULNAR KHAN: nanima would have been excited and shouted, but reply me previous remark
NaimKhan: What physical distance? i can go around the world in 24 hours
NaimKhan: i could be back home for dinner
NaimKhan: after a round the world trip
GULNAR KHAN: you must be able to reach home the minute you think of it
GULNAR KHAN: that is some technology
NaimKhan: That is playing God
GULNAR KHAN: i wont drag in God here
NaimKhan: why not? he is the only one who can do it - today
GULNAR KHAN: ok, i have got to go. see you later. bye
NaimKhan: ping me when u come online again
GULNAR KHAN has signed out. (12/16/2006 12:52 PM)
my US trip part 2
OK Part 2.
so where was i...yes in flight SQ16. i decided that i will sleep well so i could go to office the same day and show my dedication. but it turned out the flight had 80 in house movies. one on every channel. super na...and beautiful movies. i think i managed to watch 4 or 5. i watched "CLICK", "practical magic", and some other ones i cant remember. ya "office space" i think. its about 3 employees in a company about to be laid off,,,and they decide to steal money from the company.
this time, i got my window seat too. again good view. of the clouds. and during landing, the aerial view of SFO was extraodrinary. beautiful landscape, water, and i saw at least 2 other planes in the air very close, just hovering in the air. so we landed very slowly. i forgot to mention about the security checks in seoul. they did not let me take the small cure water bottle. no aerosols are allowed in hand luggage - no liquids. but it was ful all the way.
every check, they ask me why i am going to us. i said training once, project discussions once....
SFO airport was not at all the world class facility that we would imagine. it was more like an indian high class shopping mall thats all. the mosaic was like krishnapuram coliny style...it just struck me that this is not even close to the singapore/seoul airport...
i told the customs i was carrying a handycam, a laptop, but as it was for personal use, i need not declare it or mention it in the form they gave me.
the limousine driver wasnt there after i went through the customs. i went out, and again came back in and then a man asked me "Mr. Khan?" he had a 10 rupees ruled two quire note book with my name written on it...not what i was hoping for...i thought someone in a suit would be there with a real plaque with my name PRINTED on it and stuff...well no worries....i tried to see if harris bhaiya or afzan were there...wernt...so we walked to the parking lot and sped away in the majestic LINCOLN. what a car....so silent..pin drop silence inside the car. so smooth...i took video on the way out of the airport....came to the hotel.
the first thing outside the airport that i noticved is the temperature. it was 16 C. they announced in the place that. it must be 16. very cold.
Larkspur Landings hotel. the receptionist seemed to be worried that i didnt have a reservation - and then found out that i did have one - from november 4 to november 17th. wow this is was a mixup. actually what happened was ..when debbie - the office HR lady responsible for my reservations - when she called these people, she sais "oct 4 to oct 17" reservation was done, then she realised her mistake, called them again, and said - its november not october. she meant the november of november 17- not november 4th...but here, they changed it to november 4 to nov 17. thankfully the hotel was not full. so i got room number 124. here first floor and ground floor are the same. our first floor is their second floor. funny.
the room is great. spacious....large bed, tv, microwave, casserol water heater, electric stoves, plates, hair drier, internet connection, etc - ive not fully explored the room yet. i took a hot shower bath, and went to office.
theres a free transport service - they like to call it shuttle service. every half an hour . need to book it though. anywhere within 5 miles, they take me for free. im thinking if i need to go farther, ill tell them to drop me at the end of the 5 miles and then go on my own from there! 5 miles la enna erakki vitturunga!!
so i went to the office at 4 i think. the receptionist didnt know me. i had her call Peter Hu. he came and took me inside after a hug. i met robert cox, Ron, Jacob Rapp, Geetanjali Bhalla, etc. i met tanveer and bahman later in the evening. everyone was happy to see me. i have come here to reduce their load so naturally they were happy.rob showed me around....its a HUGE place. the break room - cafeteria, the LABs, etc, i met many other colleagures from other departments. they had my picture taken and gave me an access card in 10 minutes.
Peter suggested that we can go to a supermarket and get something to eat in case i felt hungry in the hotel. in the hote i wont get anything at night. so Rob and peter and i went to the market, got instant noodles, soups, chips, etc for 20 dollars and then came back to office because there was going to be a dinner party hosted by Bahman for the
guys. i got a new blackberry with a local number.
the official dinner was called off. it would be on thursday.
The whether is awesome. i was shivering in the cold. COLD COLD. never felt like this. shaking from head to foot. and enjoying it.
so robert and peter and i went out for dinner. its a place called XANH or something - pronounced "sun". we had fighting prawns, shaking beef, calimar (squid)...89 dollard...rob paid. peter dropped me at the hotel. but i couldnt keep my eyes open in the car. i dozed off for the second half of the 10 minute drive. came to the room and slept like a log.
i woke up and thought im late....but realised it was only 3:30 AM. i couldnt sleep after that. i made instant cup noodles, had my sahar at 5 30, and said the neeyath. took bath at 7, got ready and took the 9 am shuttle to office. then regular work. i got a cube...these are with tall walls..not like in india. very spacious...i got my landline, my chair..ready to start...
...but i found it difficult to catch up on the backlog. i had too many unread emails. i didnt know whether to do this or that.
i managed to take 2 cases. peter / rob didnt cxall me for lunch - they know i was fasting. so i called the shuttle and asked them to pick me up at 4. they did. i came and slep off...got up at 12 i think.
So im hoping to enjoy to the full. there is a lot being expected of me here. please pray that i should meet that. Peter said that i can stay longer if i wanted. i clearly know for sure that i am being looked upon as an asset here. i hope i am able to live and work upto it.
Ammi, how are u coping up without me there? i wish i was there with you now. How is mama? is he taking u to french class and arumbakkam? please dont strain urself.
Fidha, how are u? how are ur studies? are u planning to come home this weekend?
Abba, i havent spoken to you today. i will call u soon.
My cell number is snip
myt desk number is snip
i will mail you everyday on whats happening. most of all im enjoying the cold climate. it rained the second rain on this whole year.
take care
love
Naim.
my US trip part 1
06-Oct-2006 14:16
Hello Ammi, Abba and fidha,
Assalamu alaikum.
Im safe. Im sound. Im sleepy most of the time.
Thank god for the safe and very very enjoyable journey. I am very happy to be here. So much to tell you. Where to start I dont really know.
After the immigration clearance in chennai, after security check, there was still an hour for me to board the filght. The girl with the kid - Bhavani came just 10 minutes before the time of departure. (For abba and fidha's knowledge, she is a girl who is going to meet her husband in Las Angeles, and this is her first time traveling in a plane, and she has an infant kid - Aditya. She will have to change a flight at singapore - a different one than the one i was to take. her family members requested me and ammi for help.)
So the flight took off. to San Fransisco. can you believe it. Here i was, being sent to the United States of America.
Singapore Airlines wins the best airlines award year after year. the service was excellent. I got a windoew seat with the best view from the plane. The plane seating was 3X3X3. like the saudia flights. mini TVs for all the seats. dinner was served. i dont remember what i had, but i remember enjoying the meal. in fact i enjoyed all the 4 meals in the two flights. the girl was sitting somewhere behind. i was watching movies, listening to music, and i think in 4 hours, we landed in Singapore. the flight was uneventful, other than a few bumps on air.
i carried the girls huge bag, and mine out of the plane on landing. the next flight for both of us was on the same terminal. but it was to be in another 3 hours. so i was just roaming around, taking videos, and enjoying every moment. She wanted to call her husband, so she gave me 5 singapore dollars to get a calling card. i got it, but it didnt work. we got an "invalid card" error message on the phones. i went back to the post office from where i got it, and the lady there said i need to use it on a WHITE PHONE, not any phone. i tried it on the white phoen, and it was accepted, but i didnt use it for myself, i gave it back to her. but before that, i let her call from my bb after i called ammi.
I took the baby on the travellator (horizontal escalator) when she had to go refresh herself. its a cure boy and i have videos of him.
I arranged a helper to take her bag into the flight at her gate. she was all thanks. then i realised that i had 10 minutes to go from her gate F52 to my gate E12. thats very far off. so i ran ran ran...an at one stretch, i saw an officer calling out "san fransisco"...i nodded and then he took out his walky talky in a hurry and intimate the gate. i knew i was late. i was the last passenger to board the flight. thrilling no? they closed the plane door behind me, and i went to my seat and saw that the window seat allotted to me was occupied. o never mind, i took the aisle. Headed to Seoul.
again, not very eventful. just good food, great apple juice, i was sitting there, gaining altitude, and weight.
Seoul - the same aircraft would carry me to SFO, but still all of us had to get out, fill some forms, and then get back into the same flight. a different type of dressing style with stick like ribbons on the hair of women there. took video, just roamed aroung the airport, there were phones i could call from, but i needed a card. there was a card vending machine, but it would take only korean WANs. so i went to a snacks outlet, and asked whether if i bought something with us dollars, she would give me change in WANs. she didnt understand. someone translated it for me to her. and i learnt - if i pay in us dollars, i get us dollars change. i said i didnt want the noodles.
thats why u didnt hear ffrom me from seoul. did u know people dont understand me if i say "seeOL". its pronounced "soul".
ok this time, i was not the last passenger to get in. this flight would last 10 hours and a little more.
will send part 2 in a while. got to go to the bathroom.
khuda hafiz
