Tech Days 2010

For those of you who don't know what it is : http://developers.sun.com/events/techdays/

Happens every year, pretty much like clockwork, at Hyderabad International Convention Center, Novotel Hotel in Hyderabad. Basically a bunch of ppl all over the world huddling into conference rooms and talking about/demonstrating cool, exciting breathtaking techie shit.

This time around, I was one of the 3-4k ppl sitting in the chair in one of the huge conference rooms, listening in awe to a legend deliver the keynote. Father Gosling, Java ka baap! Spoke mainly about JDK7 and we listened. He told us how he'd written the background for the preso in JavaFx (might've written it when he was sleeping) and we listened. And we gaped.

The rest of the day was awesome! Small booths here n there, demo-ing interesting stuff, talking to people about technology, students mooching off on free stuff like nobody's business, Hotel personsu running around worrying about snacks, water and other F5ments...

Back in the hotel room at the end of the day, get out of the sweaty clothes and get into Parrrrrrrrrrrrty gear! For party is what we did, Sun Bangalore style! Our dearest admin went to the pub/restaurant in Novotel and struck a deal which enabled us to gobble up unlimited starters and unlimited main course and unlimited drinks for just a 1000 bucks per head!

So there we were, 11 of us, huddled into a table for 6! And there they were on the stage, the incredibly, astoundingly and enormously talented Phillipino-Romanian Band!!

1 Kickass Phillipine Guitarist. KICKASS!!!! Can't tell you how much
1 Kickass Phillipine Keyboard dude...Surreptitious impact maker.
1 Romanian Blonde exuberant hair-all-over-face vocalist. With an awesome range!
1 Romanian brunette goddess with a voice and a body that God must've created during one of his super duper happy moods...Couldn't take my eyes AND ears off her...Surreal...


(Resumes writing post after dedicating 5 minutes of thought and worship to her)

1 drummer and 1 bass guitarist who I didn't notice much but mattered a lot to the ensemble!

We were just chatting, loffing ,drinking, eating etc and they were just playing ballads and inconsequential songs.

Then they played 'Seven Bridges Road' by The Eagles.
Then Murali's mind ceased all activity and stood up, transfixed.
Then Murali sang with them. Sang his heart out. And felt glee like never before. One heart full.
(100 bucks says not one of my readers has listened to this song...unless she's still reading my blog................ :) )

I don't remember much else of the night. In watching the match on the huge screen (oh yeah!!), singing along and totally experiencing and living their songs and adoring and worshipping the long haired, brunette goddess, 3 splendid hours of my life passed.

They played Meatloaf and Boyzone and Dire Straits and Eagles and Santana and stole my heart and gained my respect. Check them out if you ever land up at Novotel, 8 pm to 11.30 pm.

---------------------------

Fast forward to Bangalore and Murali is Avenging away at a decent pace, laptop on his back. He stops right next to 'The Lalith Ashok' (The venue for Tech Days Plus 2010 in Bangalore) and asks an auto driver where the hotel is. He gets a weird look in response.

He walks in. He looks at the agenda. He doesn't find his talk listed there.
He's silently and calmly flabbergasted.
He goes around and enquires, gets it repaired, is scheduled to hit the stage at 1345 hours.

Sees that his opensolaris laptop isn't working very well with the projector there. Quick switch to windows. Alternate environments needed for demo, all setup in 20 minutes. Stands on the podium and waits for the audience to come back from lunch.
Some of them trickle back in, and sit and stare at him.
He stares at them.
They stare at him.
He finds his hand sweating.
They stare at him.

At 2.10, he starts presenting.
They stare at him.

At 2.35, he's a bit worried cos they're still staring at him.
At 2.40, a soul stirs in the audience. Asks a question. He is overattentive and answers in exuberance.

At 3.15, he's done presenting and answering the rest of the questions. He receives a smattering of applause. A small but good one he thinks.
(He blames the post lunch slot and the decently good food for the lack of enthusiasm)

Job well done...He's no longer a Tech Days virgin! :D

Tell me how...

On just that one street...

And its ur face, I've been looking for, on...

Why does the ending enchant me so much?

And while we're engaging in the socratic method, will i find you?