...the invitation went like this:

[

Dear all,

Fancy fancy dresses? Have an idol? Hate someone to your guts? Have something hidden in you which you'd never think of sharing (but obviously you'd have to in my party, yes, a party). Want to dress up to your beliefs?

Although it is on the 5th that I turn 26, we celebrate me on Friday, the 13th of October (oh yeah!), just to give you enough time to prepare. Yes you got it right, it is a 'speak your mind and be heard' extravaganza! It is not just the dress we are talking about, you've got to aim to be/act your subject. You could even share some of the inner you, what you keep hiding from everyone, and not feel embarrassed about it because there is no reason to. Why? Well, lets just say "those who mind, don't matter and those who matter, don't mind".

Venue: **** Map: ****
Day and Date: Friday, October 13, 2006
Time: 2000 hrs until who knows when...

You can bring along friends/partners etc. If they want to be heard, they are most welcome too, but its not a hard constraint on them. However, if you know me or if you've only ever just said 'hi', you gotta aim to be heard.

And, it will only make me happy if you come... please be a sport, will ya!

Now get your ar** down here and be proud of it.

Peace,
Arjun

PS. Feel free to forward this e-mail to interested parties.

PPS. If you really really cannot be fancy, at least come with a personality e.g. have a strong opinion on the 'meaning of life' for instance and act it out when you are here! ...take it seriously folks!

]

...and...this resulted:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/achords/sets/72157594292393854/

;)

...the first entry of this year!

shocking!

so, i am in kashmir right now and it is nice to be back. the weather is good... many sunny spells, no rain, will snow in a week or so (hopefully). i plan to go to the "dal lake" further up north near srinagar (kashmir's summer capital). the lake has what we call "house boats" (rooms over water) and shikaras (commuting boats!). if it were snowing, i would also try skiing at a place called gulmarg but i will go there anyway, hoping it snows...no wonder kashmir is called "heaven on earth":)...anyone interested in coming to india next year??

next, im going down south to a city very close to mumbai (called, pune), to attend a conference (what else?);), after which i will be going to bangalore to give a little talk...

then, to my hometown (lucknow) i will head and bid goodbye to this year...followed by kashmir again before going back to england.

...in Neurocomputing (Elsevier). for this i did not ask for any extensions (deadline). it will be out in march 2006. it is my second journal paper. funnily enough, the first journal paper which is a major reference for the second, will be out in october 2006.

what on Earth are these scientists thinking? just got an email from HRI, Germany inviting me to be a reviewer for a session at IJCNN 2006 to take place in Vancouver next year! well, i cannot complain as this is a cool opportunity to get all the papers i will be reviewing out of the way and get mine accepted ;) of course i am kidding. research is all about ethics!