Sunset or sunrise? - Photographic weekends #15

Shot this one during trip to Matheran, last weekend. I had to exploit both optical and digital zoom facility of my camera, for capturing this view.

Rubiks cube family... expanding!

I have been friends with this wonderful puzzle game since mid 1999. During those days this simple fact, that it can be rotated in all 3 directions without breaking, has made me so fascinated towards this game. I remember how desperately I've played with this on the very first day. It took almost a month for me to completely solve this. Huh, what a joy that I've felt when I've completely solved this. Mathematically, the total permutations of a solvable (3×3×3) original cube is given by: or 43 quintillion, in short. Highly unimaginable to list all those configurations by hand. The facts and figures of this game are always interesting. When I read that there are people who can solve this game just in 7.08 seconds I couldn't believe it. There is an extensive mathematical research that has taken place on how to solve Rubik's cube. It was found that any random configuration of the cube can be solved in just 26 steps. You can read the article here, quite mathlicated though! Well... that's just the tip an iceberg.

One fine day, when I was browsing for information on Rubik's cube, I came to know that there are 4X4X4 and 5X5X5 versions are available with fully functional models. Recently I have seen videos of 7X7X7 and 9X9X9 version of the game in fully functional form. What an amazing design. Just try to imagine its internal design. You'll surely come out with an expression of wow.

No... that's not all of it. There are softwares available to play the game online. If you are too bored and have already solved the smaller versions like say 9X9X9 manually, you can play the higher versions virtually. I was dumbstruck to see the videos of how people have solved up to 100X100X100. Checkout here to see how 20X20X20 is solved.

No... that's not all of it yet! There is a whole family of twisty games which come in various shapes (see the video of dodecahedron here, and read about Pyraminx here), sizes and complexities. I feel like buying all of those and try solving one by one! Huh, too high an ambition for an amateur like me!

Bottom line is... we humans, though very lazy, though very arrogant, though very egoistic and blah blah blah, are blessed with this powerful brute force. I guess, that's what is making us understand this mother nature step by step. If nature is not this beautiful and complicated, all our research efforts, and life in general, will lack motivation.

Cars and colors - Photographic weekends #14

Life can be funny!

I did some crazy thing a week ago. We are around 100+ heads in our office and there are only 4 urinals available. Because of the air-condition or just the natural urge, people do visit these so frequently. Lately, I got so frustrated with the way they spill it there. I don't know how many companies do the job of pasting instructions of how to use western toilets, but somehow I felt that there is a need to instruct about how to use urinals properly. I got this idea of putting up a funny-poster somewhere, and pasted the following poster.

Everybody was coming and asking the admin-person about who has pasted that. Huh, I think people are not ready to stop spilling. Instead they are insecure about their manhood. Read more about this insecurity here. Yesterday, one of my colleagues has drawn a cartoon depicting the situation. I am posting it here, just for fun!
Have a fun-filled Friday!

Back from hibernation!

I think, it's more than six months after I have written anything that is substantial here. Reasons could be many. Post-marriage blues, laziness, busyness, retrospection, tiredness, blah blah blah... Many a times, I felt that my posts are looking too personal and mundane! Also, I observed that people write more when they are out of comfort zone. As far as non-professional blogs are concerned, blogs have become venting points. Personally, I could see that many of my previous posts are just out of frustration, depression and some such nonsense!

I am happy to see regular visitors to my blog, despite of my continuous trash! I started photographic weekends series just to make sure that this blog remains (attr)active. Now, I am back from hibernation and joining the regular bloggers!

Wish me all the best and keep visiting!

By the way, those who can read Telugu can visit my Telugu blog here.

Innocence doubled - Photographic weekends #13

Shot this one during Mahabaleshwar trip last weekend! I could visualize these two little girls as those described in the story "Little girls are wiser than men" by Leo Tolstoy. These twins have doubled the childhood innocence!

Solitude or loneliness? - Photographic weekends #12

Shot this during Sinhagad trek a week ago... Amidst many colorful flowers and plants, I found this one amusing! Sometimes, we are not sure if our mood belongs to solitude or loneliness!

PS: I have become more and more lazy these days. May be because of my resolution to reduce my laziness and extra pounds. Hope I will update regularly! By the way, I wish all of you a very happy new year!

Yellow again - Photographic weekends #11

Somehow, these little flowers are really soothing in look... they look like treasures scattered in the grass and other unnoticed areas. Shot this during one of the treks we did recently! By the way, I am yet to produce a good quality miniature!

Auto-mated road - Photographic weekends #10

We have visited Charminar today... I found this view quite interesting! I was wondering how these people are so good at managing through these roads, amidst the unending chaos!

Lost in paradise - Photographic weekends #9

Shot this during a mini-trek we did last Friday... Weather was so good that we forgot everything and played like kids for a while... You can see Mario, my colleague, engrossed in enjoying the beauty of nature!

Shining and soothing - Photographic weekends #8

Shot this on last full-moon night! I was amazed at the way my cam is able to show few craters and other details on Moon's surface!

Happy weekend!

Growing and glowing - Photographic weekends #7

I could capture this, from my balcony, on one of the beautiful mornings! Thanks to my wife for waking me up so early in the morning!

Out of focus? -Photographic weekends #6

PS: idea is borrowed from PHD.

Black & White light - Photographic weekends #5

I tried to capture a glowing bulb, by reducing aperture, increasing the shutter speed, and focusing manually! Color mode is not set to B&W, though the shot looks like black and white one!

Eying on me? - Photographic weekends #4

I have shot this one while trying manual focus feature of my SONY DSC-H50 camera... I am worried about my camera as my wife is getting frustrated because of my obsession for this camera ;-) I am in love with this one because of its rich features!

PS: this beautiful eye belongs to her... I thank her for the million dollar pose!!!

Cloned colleague - Photographic weekends #3

This is my first attempt to create cloned photograph through GIMP, not perfect though. I am amazed at the multiple clones done by people, in so many creative ways! I will try once again for a better output and post it later.

PS: I am getting my camera in another 4 days... I am excited!

Angels in yellow - Photographic weekends #2

These are little flowers that I see on my way to cafeteria every afternoon... So small are these flowers, but give lot of inspiration and energy to smile!!!

Watching rain - Photographic weekends #1

Inspired from Phographic Fridays series by Chandoo, I am starting this series from today! By the way, soon I am going to get my own digital camera with 15X optical zoom!!

This snap is shot at Top Station in Munnar, Kerala during my honeymoon trip!

27... ... ...

alas! I am 27 now... Unlike last year, I am much happier and feeling complete this year! thanks to my wife, for making it a very special day for me, in her own style.

P.S: Let me see how different this year would be!

married...

Amidst the bright lights... beautiful flowers... pleasant fragrances... pandits' chantings... smiling guests... and blessing friends... I have got married to Umakalyani, the love of my life!!! I thank one and all who have wished me good luck, personally and electronically!!!