tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429826Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:48:37 +0000there is no value in blogginghttp://starkat.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Justin)Blogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429826.post-4240850229595201182Tue, 18 Dec 2007 14:15:00 +00002007-12-18T07:37:28.071-07:00My good friend Prerna tagged me (link), and here is my reply:5 Things In My RoomWhich room? My bedroom, the front room, or MY room (meaning the computer room)? Since the bedroom is still being worked on, and when I'm at home I spend most of the time in my computer room, I'll choose that room:1- Two computers, "Aditi" and "Uma". Aditi is my main computer, that I use for gaming, work, etc. Uma http://starkat.blogspot.com/2007/12/tagged-famous-five-tag-thanks-prerna.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Justin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429826.post-6235984896426237719Mon, 03 Dec 2007 14:56:00 +00002007-12-03T08:39:44.093-07:00So, I call up Comcast today to figure out what's going on with my billing... I spoke with a Spanish-speaking girl (Nancy) that barely had a handle on english who had a short fuse. I asked her to explain the bill to me, since it says three different things in three different places, and during the course of the call, she had to put me on hold 3 times and gave me a bunch of different stories.So http://starkat.blogspot.com/2007/12/it-happens-again.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Justin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429826.post-1465892528721592504Sun, 02 Dec 2007 16:24:00 +00002007-12-02T09:39:35.589-07:00Just when I thought everything was said and done with Comcast and I thought I wouldn't have anymore headaches... they hit me again!Let me give you the landscape from the last post up to this one: Comcast removed the cable box from my house, relocating it to the workshop wall, and recabled it all. They then agreed to pay to have the siding replaced, and I had someone come out and replace the http://starkat.blogspot.com/2007/12/comcast-its-not-over.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Justin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429826.post-7677792522052973139Sat, 01 Dec 2007 01:03:00 +00002007-11-30T18:04:46.530-07:00In response to the recent incident of a man pulled over for speeding, who was tazered by an over-zealous cop (here's the link), I have this to say:So, this and other recently reported incidents with our neighborhood police forces leave me with the questions: where will we be in the next 5 years?Should we all stay home in complete fear that breathing funny is gonna get us beat down or arrested by http://starkat.blogspot.com/2007/11/cops-bad.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Justin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429826.post-5322738413826449007Sat, 17 Nov 2007 07:18:00 +00002007-11-17T00:22:51.961-07:00The worst part about sending Seema back to India for Diwali isn't the saying goodbye, isn't the time spent alone, it's the waiting. The final few hours that pass so slowly, every moment an anxious anticipation, butterflies-in-the-stomach, impatience that drags on endlessly.Not knowing where she is, or when, or what is the worst. I can't sleep, I'm too restless to stick to any task, and http://starkat.blogspot.com/2007/11/waiting.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Justin)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429826.post-9113606162538560331Fri, 16 Nov 2007 14:09:00 +00002007-11-16T08:20:04.848-07:00So, yesterday, Kerry from Comcast came out with my area tech and some guys from the original contractor came out as scheduled at 1 PM. They had me repeat the situation and what I'd like to happen, then Kerry made his suggestion, which in writing is complicated and difficult to explain, but seeing it, is actually rather simple. Their only worry was ensuring the cable is longer than the ground http://starkat.blogspot.com/2007/11/so-far-so-good.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Justin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429826.post-1267534801658396043Thu, 15 Nov 2007 18:03:00 +00002007-11-15T11:03:30.700-07:00So, here's the current situation with Comcast: After my carpet bomb email yesterday, I recieved a call from the escalations department asking if they could send out a tech that same night. Unfortunately, I had class, and was unable to make it, but they said "That's ok, we'll work something out." Then a few minutes later, I recieved a call from someone else who confirmed a time with me (1PM http://starkat.blogspot.com/2007/11/is-there-hope.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Justin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429826.post-559739991022622928Wed, 14 Nov 2007 18:25:00 +00002007-11-14T11:28:28.225-07:00So... today the contractor for comcast came out... took a look at the box and mess of wires, and refused to do anything. Wouldn't even just remove it all from the side of the house and let me deal with the rest. Whatever man... He's a contractor, and just following the instructions of his bosses (Comcast). So at this point, I'm putting the final touches on me carpet-bomb email that I'm abouthttp://starkat.blogspot.com/2007/11/evil-overlords.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Justin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429826.post-6135981328964716991Tue, 13 Nov 2007 15:18:00 +00002007-11-13T08:25:08.856-07:00So...during my previous call, Comcast told me that someone would contact me within 72 hours about my dispute. Of course, nobody did. So I called back yesterday, and was told that my dispute was opened incorrectly. OF COURSE IT WAS. Did I really expect Comcast to do a quality job?So she fixes it. Then wants to transfer me... grrr... so she transfers me and I get a girl named Princess, who http://starkat.blogspot.com/2007/11/more-in-comcast-saga.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Justin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429826.post-3428162315523924749Wed, 07 Nov 2007 18:15:00 +00002007-11-07T11:19:06.803-07:00So I wake up this morning and comcast finally disabled my connection. No internet. Suxxor. So I call them up, and they say it's been disabled due to non-payment. I told the guy that the last girl I spoke with advised that it wouldn't be shut off until this dispute with them has been resolved, and he said "oh well, no go, buddy." So I'm stuck without internet access. No biggie, actually...http://starkat.blogspot.com/2007/11/comcast-evil-stupidity.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Justin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429826.post-9020587659533300645Fri, 26 Oct 2007 04:30:00 +00002007-10-25T22:34:07.144-06:00Among the vast array of other projects I'm tackling, I added another.Well,a ctually, I got my hands on a jewel: a Nintendo Wii. Woohoo! I'm using it to have fun gaming, but also to get into shape, and get healthy. And that's the goal: lose 15 pounds by the end of the year, and my Wii is at the center of the project.Read all about it in my new blog: http://starkat-wii.blogspot.com/http://starkat.blogspot.com/2007/10/new-project.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Justin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429826.post-8905126647486067745Fri, 19 Oct 2007 22:18:00 +00002007-10-19T16:20:37.161-06:00Ok, I just moved into a house, my first home. One of the first things, I do, of course, is want to get my connection to the internet connected so I can be online again... So I call comcast to come out and hook me up. The state of the 'connection' at that point was there's an overhead line coming in from the back of my property to my house, where it's connected to a filter that's screwed into http://starkat.blogspot.com/2007/10/comcast-i-hate-them-and-heres-why.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Justin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429826.post-843993691814661638Sun, 07 Oct 2007 16:05:00 +00002007-10-07T10:14:28.459-06:00 I found this letter in an old archive folder, and thought I'd post it here. This was written at a time after Seema and I were married, when I sent her back to India to help her family. Her dad had 3 small heart attacks, and required surgery, but refused to do it. I knew that if she went, he would not be able to refuse.Here it is:To My Dearest Seema 'If' http://starkat.blogspot.com/2007/10/old-letter.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Justin)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429826.post-653807060538847650Wed, 03 Oct 2007 13:53:00 +00002007-10-03T08:42:59.705-06:00If you know anything about me, you know I love nature. Green forest, blue ocean, white sky, red desert - they all hold special significance and extraordinary beauty in my eye. I know I'm not the only one to observe this, but have you ever noticed how there's always some special place that you just connect with perfectly? Maybe a tree, or a secluded spot in the park, or a bend in a trail, http://starkat.blogspot.com/2007/10/alchemy-exists.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Justin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429826.post-8813301083209109775Mon, 24 Sep 2007 16:17:00 +00002007-09-24T10:34:57.438-06:00It's been raining the entire weekend. I wouldn't even mention it, but it rarely rains much these days, and any rain is entirely welcome!I began the weekend on Friday night tearing up the carpet in my front room. Seema helped me as much as I'd let her (getting down into the sharp tacks and nails just isn't a job for a girl.. and the thought of her getting cut bothers me), and I finally gave up http://starkat.blogspot.com/2007/09/cold-dreary-monday.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Justin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429826.post-1157822403845527818Thu, 22 Feb 2007 18:10:00 +00002007-02-22T11:17:35.996-07:00Yeah I don't blog much lately. I haven't had time, been so busy with school and work and personal projects and everything else. It's crazy. But I thought I should start now, it might help me focus on something, something in particular. Let me 'splain.I realized yesterday that I really am something of an asshole. Even when I'm not in 'angry man' mode, I bet I still come across as rather angryhttp://starkat.blogspot.com/2007/02/long-time-no-see.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Justin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429826.post-112661951506692369Tue, 13 Sep 2005 13:29:00 +00002005-09-13T07:53:42.100-06:00I don't enjoy windy mornings very much, and when I stepped out of the apartment building this morning, I could tell the trees didn't like it either. They angrily grumbled and argued about the state of affairs. Trees have different accents: the tall fir tree outside of my balcony, like a classical Japanese geisha, spoke in whispers, bowing to the other trees before she spoke; the tall oak grumbledhttp://starkat.blogspot.com/2005/09/morning-meditation.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Justin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429826.post-112226688505469021Mon, 25 Jul 2005 04:46:00 +00002005-07-24T22:48:05.060-06:00life is all about what you see, what you feel - your senses. Everyday you wake up and there you are and you take that for granted. There are those times, though, when all of a sudden time stops, and you forget yourself, and there you are, lsot in a moment of sensation. A leaf falling from a tree in autumn. The smooth cool comfort of bedsheets in the early morning. The taste of lemonade on a http://starkat.blogspot.com/2005/07/life-is-all-about-what-you-see-what.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Justin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429826.post-111976156499215483Sun, 26 Jun 2005 04:41:00 +00002005-06-25T22:52:45.000-06:00She sees me, and smiles. So gentle, she eases all my fears. We stood once, hand in hand, and vowed never to part. She sees me, and smiles. She listens to all that I have to say, and understands. We stood once, together at last, and our hearts beat as one. She is the one that is my sky, she is the sea. She is the fire, and the earth below me. She is the heart, within my heart, and the love http://starkat.blogspot.com/2005/06/who-am-i.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Justin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429826.post-111956458278880711Thu, 23 Jun 2005 21:52:00 +00002005-06-23T16:09:42.806-06:00Dear God,I know you can hear me, you answer my prayers so many times. You are amused when I ask for trivial things, and are happy when I show true thanks for what you have given me.I pray often for the basic things people pray for. And when I do, I try to ponder upon these things, so that you can see they do carry weight in my mind and life. But every once in a while, something worries me, andhttp://starkat.blogspot.com/2005/06/simple-prayer-complex-sentiment.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Justin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429826.post-111953933166423667Thu, 23 Jun 2005 14:56:00 +00002005-06-23T09:08:51.690-06:00So, my wife and I got in a little fight the other day. It sucks. It's very difficult for me having her gone off to India to take care of her parents. Especially since she's more concerned with finding a house and a short-term job than she is with keeping open communication with me. I DO understand something of what she's going through, but I also have my own opinions too. And I think, that http://starkat.blogspot.com/2005/06/first-words-with-her-dad.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Justin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5429826.post-111780841418849101Fri, 03 Jun 2005 14:08:00 +00002005-06-03T08:20:14.200-06:00I'm not some fancy thinker, I'm actually one of those people that likes things simple when they should be simple. I love India: Indian food, culture, people, dress, cinema, etc. There's a lot about India that's too unique to ignore, and though there's a lot I don't like, I can say, as a whole, I love India.Something that's bothered me a lot lately is the western influence on India's culture. http://starkat.blogspot.com/2005/06/decline-of-indian-culture.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Justin)0