Phantom calls

I had heard about them but had never experienced it until recently.Phantom calls are so frequent that I have to touch my pockets to confirm or deny the ringing. Eventually I end up digging for my cellphone that isn't ringing. It's gotten to the point where I won't even have my cell phone with me but I feel the vibrations. As I understand this is mainly because, we will be more alert to sensations that represent a cellphone vibration and it leads you to over-incorporate non-vibratory sensations and attribute them to the idea that you're receiving a phone call. Hence my phantom calls are more frequent when I'm riding. This thing is very annoying, I'm planning to switch off the vibrating mode and will try to relay on the ring tone alone. In turn I'll be saving on battery life as well. On the second thought I may end up draining battery as I've to solely rely on my listening ability which is almost impossible in Bangalore. Hence the caller keeps trying until I lift my mobile.

Any way, in case if I don't answer your call you know I'll be busy experimenting. But don't worry I'll get back to you sooner or later.

Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon)

I would rather change the title to "A week with Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon)". Downloaded a copy recently and must say it was primarily meant to replace my Opensuse 10.2. After installation I'm strongly thinking about formatting my Windows partition to make some space for linux & have a single operating system. Usually linux installation was a nightmare to novice like me, but things have changed and Ubuntu 7.10 was easiest among the lot. Following are the list of things that I liked the most.

1. Easy Installation
2. Add and remove programs application
3. Easy configuration of network
4. Easy to install proprietary codecs
5. Pidgin internet messenger
6. Compiz fusion (Neither vista nor leopard can match it)
7. Most important of all, its free

The list goes on and on. Till now, I do not have any excuse to at least log into windows for a while either to burn a DVD or watch a divx movie that I used to do with Opensuse frequently

What really prompted me to post this article was the ubuntu ideology - "A person with ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, for he or she has a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed." - Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Such a nice philosophy, yet so difficult to follow.

A small observation

There are so many clues that blogs can give about their owners happiness quotient. One such effective detection methods is described here as an example. By experience I feel, a person who frequently blogs is happy and content with his life and is doing new things every day and has lots of time to spare usually students fall into this category. If the frequency reduces to one blog post per week that means he might either be travelling or he is enjoying his work and his profession. If he blogs rarely, he is stuck with a high paying MNC job which he dislikes. He will be the most unhappiest person on this planet. And yes, if a person gets an out of the country on-site assignment he promptly stops blogging and plaster his Orkut album with his travel pics. This is small observation and would love inputs based on your experiences.