Jetlag is real though. I’m kinda suffering through it today with being tired but still waking up really early this AM. Back to work and perhaps some normalcy tomorrow but something tells me that tomorrow is going to be exciting because of some of the email threads. I’m up for it! The trip was really good though and a lot of things settled out for my work including building out an entire SE organization fundamental for international operations. I’m excited about that.

Anyways, I’m home and I have the rooms, the network connection, the computers. I found out my combo printer, scanner, fax machine died while gone so I ordered a new one from the “egg”. I got another HP because they just seem the best these days.

Yesterday a work colleague took me for Southern India cuisine for lunch and it was very good and spicy! I had tandoor lamb and rice last night cooked to perfection served with abundant beers.

Now I’m playing the waiting game to get on to Chennai Int’l Airport which can take as an hour to get to in traffic and then there is the waiting around for customs.

I’ll be back in Singapore for one night tonite and then I’m homeward bound. Catch you in Singapore for some final thoughts and perhaps a Chilli Crab or two

After meetings tomorrow, I’m back to Singapore for a night and then on to home on a long airplane flight. It will be good to get home but I already am planning a trip to the UK and back to Chennai. There are things which need to get done that belong to me. Its a good feeling that I still have so much left to contribute. I feel in the right place, right time. Now I need to deliver and execute. I’ve always felt I could do that reasonably well. Except perhaps at Levanta. But Levanta had its own issues far and away from my humble abilities. They did not know what they had and mis-managed the rest of it. Blech…

I’m going to Linuxworld Expo in SF for one day. If you go on Wednesday, see ya there. Look for me. I’ll be wearing an older debian shirt or something and my beard has touches of grey. Age moves along at its pace.

Catch you all tomorrow Chennai time!

Tomorrow I go back to work and I’ve thought a deal about my last week traveling. I’ll be glad to get back home in a week or so. I miss the family unit and it’ll be good to see them. The little spats, arguments, family time is good when you don’t have them. But I also have enjoyed the “me time” on this trip. I’m on to Chennai India for a few days later this week and then back to Singapore for a evening and then on to home next Saturday. In the global sweep of time, I get in an hour after I leave from here. Its really kinda strange how that works but it all leads up to a few days of roaming, waking at strange hours, and trying to acclimate.

I’ll be blogging each day I think which is more than what I’ve been able to do when I’m just at home @ work. That seems good since I feel less blogstipated when I take the daily dose.

Its a beautiful sunny day here in Singapore and in about an hour I’ll be departing the hotel for a day here and there. I saw the museum in a cab ride and I cannot wait to get there and explore for a day.

Dreams are strange. I read somewhere they allow you to go quickly and quietly insane every night of your life. Last night, I had this dream about RWR which is strange. I still think about him but I’ve kinda decided that we’ve changed too much and my world and his world are too far apart. I don’t know what I’d say in a real world if I met up with him again; but in the dream scene, we hugged. Val was just smiling and nodding like telling me “you should listen to me; of course RWR wants to see you”. But in the real dream I live in, I simply cannot find the way to do anything there in that old prehistoric archeological world I lived in. Its too distant and different. I still miss it too much at times I think. It had the better parts of most things and perhaps I miss the wondrous mix of science and human endeavor that anthropology offers. I guess I will always be a once separated archeologist and will watch the History and Discovery channels. And dream…

My Saturday AM scramble would not be complete without a sense of the “what next” in my life. It seems you reach a stage in life where the what next thing is kind of decided. Its not a case of what you “may” do but what you “will” do. That is strange. The eggs don’t scramble so wild any more folks. The yokes are all in place and the whites don’t spread in the pan. Gosh… I don’t even eat eggs any more. Bad analogy I guess.

Anyways, go out and make it a fine day. If you go to Linuxworld, I’ll be there on Wednesday. I’m not sure why. Call if a step towards Linux after so many steps away.

I had started to say a few venting things about my job; but its simply not worth it. Sometimes, work is just work. There is no edge to it, no wondrous innovation and everyone just shrugs much like Ayn Rand told Atlas to do. Shrugging removes the discomfort but the weight may come back. We shall see.

I don’t dislike my job; in fact its mine by choice not chance. I’ll be there until I leave and I’m dedicated to it completely. What I don’t really get at *job is why they can settle for so much less when they could have more.

This place truly rocks it. I like Singapore. I’m also drinking some beers tontie and blasting away. Its been a year since I drank more than this number and I think I will just blow the carbon out. This engine has been pampered for awhile. Time to let things go.

Where is it all going? What is the roadmap, the plan, the goal? To what end does Linux itself plotting? I don’t honestly get it anymore. Kernel releases come out slower but they seem higher in quality yet they often break things that integrate like VMware. Where do we wish to see the value? What is the innovation point? Does a failure to actually update things mean a failure to innovate? Should there be a “bleeding edge” of Ubuntu much like Sid on Debian for those of us that want to play at a dangerous level?

What timeline are we discussing for true innovation? I just don’t see the path any longer nor do I see my place on the path. I’ve grown a bit reticent about updating perfectly good Ubuntu 7.10 installations because I don’t see the big change. What does it get me in terms of the underlying form and function? I could probably use a new kernel for some things but why?

What are the visible trends that Linux is answering? Is it desktop? Server, Embedded? I don’t see the trend any longer. I see gnome and KDE doing things but there is not a path to the light.

For us tool users, we will always use the tool with the best fit whether it innovates or just updates. But we also may want a playground which can be stressed a bit. I’m going to Linuxworld to meet up with some people I know and don’t know. But I don’t expect a set of answers. Ubuntu Linux in some ways seems stalled on a set of features that really don’t innovate but just update. Perhaps I should just go back to Sid.

It takes a bit of time to get here folks. Singapore is not some easy jaunt from SFO. My flight was from SF0 11 hours to Inchon in Korea and then another 6 hours from Inchon to Singapore. Going back, I’m gonna change the flights out a bit and fly into Hong Kong for a few nights and then go back home. I’ve never been to Hong Kong so I’m excited. Never actually been to any of the places I’m going this time so its all good!

BTW, I’m staying at the Royal Plaza on Scotts here in Singapore. Its a pretty nice hotel. Today, I just hung around here and ate in the hotel. My next stop is India and I’ll be staying at a very interesting place that our India team booked for me there for a week or so. Its called RainTree and it sounds very nice.

The final cool thing is that my friend AFT from the GAP, Linuxcare, and Levanta days is also over in Singapore so we are gonna meet and party down a bit here in SG land. Undoubtedly, the work gang will take us out as well.

Linuxworld Expo

It appears that LWE is coming up again. I am going to go on Wednesday but for the first time in about 5 years, I’ve not arranged a Linuxcare Labs reunion lunch. It feels a bit strange but I think the time has come to move past that. I feel like I’ve moved past a few things around Linux and perhaps that’s okay. My current work is very challenging, fun, and personally motivating; but my “touch time” with Linux is low. I guess I will go to the expo on Wednesday, see how many of my old friends did not show up this year, get a Debian CD, and drink a few beers with those that do show up.

Indiana Jones - saw this one and it was escapist luxury. Thanks to George and Steven. You guys did not forget what got me last time. But so many things have changed since last time for me. Like last time I saw Indy at the Big Screen was as an archeologist and in the company of anthropologists and archeologists. That made it different and I remember doing that movie very clearly.

Journey to the Center of the Earth - Why? Well, this one has been re-released a few times but the combination of personal story, Brendan Fraser, special effects, etc make it on my list.

Mongol - This is one of those “limited release” movies that I may have to commute to. Why in heaven’s name does this come out limited and some stupid movie like Zohan is released for everyone, I just don’t get. Perhaps its a mark on our social conscience and its fabric. We care more for movies that are inane and stupid. So Zohan is a miss and hopefully Mongol is a gimme.

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor - I just cannot wait for this one, folks. The other two were just rollicking good times full of fun, adventure, danger. This one with Jet Li is gonna be ultimate I think.

But, you say, this blogpost is about westerns. Well westerns capture the elements, the primitive, the ambitious and the wanderlust. Here are a few for your consideration podner:

The Professionals - Burt, Lee, and some great effect brought to you by a great director. There is action, sex, action and its not predictable. The “bastard” line makes it all and Lee delivers it perfectly. No spoilers though… You gotta watch it.

Magnificent Seven - Yul makes his mark with zeal. This has to be the watermark of westerns. And another great director in Mr. Sturges.

Silverado - Just plain fun and you gotta see the chem. between Kevin Kline and Costner. Wonderful movie with great lines, action, plot and fun.

Tombstone, the 3:10 to Yuma both the original with Glenn Ford and remake with Crowe, and it just goes on and on. In short; westerns are bread and butter and no matter how you slice them (ugh… stop the analogy for pete’s sake…), they represent a timeless thing. I think the Geronimo; An Amercian Legend makes for a very rewarding evening since it presents a somewhat different take and I’d be remiss if I did not mention Dances With Wolves with Costner.

Truth be told, I like the golden era of Westerns. I consider that to be the 1950s and 1960s. Movies made then seemed to have matured into more serious plots, better constructed scenes, took more into account of what folks wanted to see. Westerns these days are few and far between and maybe that’s better. Because I only go to few and far between movies myself. Its a wheat and chaff thing for me. I don’t like meaningless animated romps no matter how well received and I don’t like stupid movies no matter how skillfully the stupid is implemented. An animated movie as to approach The Emperor’s New Groove if it wants to grab me.

So, there you have it. I don’t eat popcorn and candy but I do like a movie.

Every so often and separated with good bits of no movies. And there is a pattern to my movie watching.