| 3 apr 2001 first i have to extend my congratulations to duke for a well-played game.� i hate duke.� yet i won't deny that they were truly the best team this year.� the unfortunate thing is that they're always near the top of the list, so i just resent them, that's all. i went to jeremy's last night to watch the second half of the arizona/duke game, and as hard as arizona tried, they just couldn't do it.� i feel sad that they wouldn't win a national championship for the coach's late wife, bobbi olson.� it's a pretty magical sight to behold a team that is driven by emotion and will, but i guess at some point, it's just not enough.� i know how frustrating and futile it must feel to want something so badly and not physically be able to achieve it.� it's the harsh reality of physical limitations setting in; it reminds us that we're only capable of so much. i've always fantasized that if i put in every ounce of will and focus into a sport, then i will have one game where i can play like a pro.� like make 20 free throws straight.� or make a couple pars on the golf course.� i'd like to believe that i have it within me to do spectacular things once in a lifetime at least, but that it's just not my time to do it yet. i think watching the ncaa tournament has improved my basketball for the time being.� it's kind of a source of inspiration and insight into new moves and tactics.� i played today for the first time in two weeks, and there were times where i felt for a split second that i really knew what was going on.� three times, i had an open lane to drive, and just instinctively took it down there.� sadly, i missed the shot each time, but i did knock it down a few times from the perimeter.� with my height, i should really be playing more on the inside, but i always thought it was cooler to be able to shoot from the outside. basketball is a great sport.� if you're not running around on a sprained ankle or hampered by a broken finger.� both of which i've had.� the broken finger thing was pretty nasty. so now... with exception to the nba, which i'm vaguely interested in (go kings and mavericks!), there will soon be nothing to watch on espn.� i'm not interested in hockey, and i really don't understand baseball.� so... it's going to be a dry spell in the sports world until football season starts in august or something. ----- i had great fun this afternoon choosing dishes to order for the next time my company has indian food.� it's fitting, since i've had so much of it lately.� i gravitated toward the really spicy dishes, and the one with okra.� i love okra.� unfortunately, i was vetoed on both.� the other co-workers threatened to force feed me my unpopular selections for the rest of the week, seeing as there would be a ton of leftovers. i learned some food-related words from my indian colleagues.� "paneer" is um,... oh yeah, cottage cheese.� they really like that stuff; there are lots of dishes with paneer.� "vada" is a doughnut-shape thing, but i'm just going to say it's an indian donut.� "masala," another common term, means something like a mixture of spices and stuff.� so there are a lot of masala dishes.� and, my favorite, "bindi," means okra.� man, that stuff is good. the last time we got bindi masala (you can figure out now what this means), i just ate a huge mountain of it by itself.� it was hella greasy.� my co-worker rahul was absolutely shocked that i just ate it plain.� he was pretty grossed out.� he still gives me shit about doing that to this day, which makes me laugh.� i guess i don't eat indian food the indian way. ----- it's really quiet in this quadrant of the building.� everyone in ASIC design has moved out already to the other quadrant.� i was really wrapped up in my project, so i didn't want to switch cubicles until i was finished.� and my reward for getting the chip working will be... moving to quad 4 with all the others, in a smaller cube.� yay.� where am i going to put up my posters? i still decorate my surroundings like a college student.� posters everywhere.� someday i may move to artwork or something pretentious like that.� well, for a time, i did really like magritte's stuff.� but now, my fascination at work is with movies and entertainment.� at work, i have posters of my favorite violent crime-related movies (_the professional_, _the killer_, and _reservoir dogs_), a milk ad featuring WWF's rock, and a mobile suit gundam anime calendar. even at my old company, i was the only one who decided to decorate my cubicle.� it don't get it.� isn't it really drab and unwelcoming to take a white-walled sterile surrounding and not make it your own?� while everyone else marvels at how zealous i am about putting up posters and stuff, i just wonder why they don't do it themselves.� it's so boring.� and no, a dilbert cartoon or two doesn't cut it. i mean, one of the first things i requested when i accepted my job was a corner cubicle, so i would have wall space to put stuff up.� and when my boss gave me some choices for my new cube, again i requested the same thing.� i guess i'm really possessive about my space, and i like having things to look at.� it's certainly a rarity here in engineer land, though.� we need more personality here! ok.� need to head off to the lab.� one of the chips (not mine, thank goodness) isn't working correctly. |