An Elliptical Commute!

Recently we have been considering buying an elliptical trainer at home. Since we are too busy to go to a gym, having something at home could come handy. With that in mind I started my search.

There is this brand Life Fitness that makes exercising equipment. I checked their website. They had few ellipticals listed on their website. They didn't mention price for any of the models. I knew it was a pricey brand, and I wasn't looking for anything very costly. But I thought I better check out their store. Maybe there is something there good for me.

I took out few hours from my schedule last weekend. And visited their store.

Salesman: Good evening, sir!
Me: Good evening! Could you show some of the eliptical trainers you got here.
Salesman: Sure, sir! Over here, sir. This one is our basic model. It is priced at rupees three-and-half lakhs. And this one, sir, is the advanced version. It costs rupees seven-and-half lakhs.
Me: Can I commute to office on these?
Salesman: Sir?? Sorry, I didn't get you. You are looking for an elliptical?? Right?
Me: Yes. But the prices you are quoting are for cars. So I am wondering if I can go office on any of these ellipticals!!!

Our New Digital Camera with "Intelligent Face Detector"

We decided to buy a new camera last November. After our initial research, we shortlisted two cameras - Canon Powershot SX 20 IS and Panasonic Lumix FZ-35/38. The two models are top-selling non-SLR digital megazoom cameras of the day. As we soon learnt, the choice between the two is a difficult one. There are many forums on internet where people have vented their frustration at not being able to decide which one of these two cameras should they buy. Each camera has its pluses and minuses.

Canon is the leading brand in digital cameras. Powershot SX 20 IS has 20X zoom. It supports 12 megapixel resolution, and has quick autofocus. To top it all it has fully articulate LCD display, which many consider an extremely handy feature. Panasonic FZ-35, on the other hand, has a close 18X zoom, and 12 megapixel resolution. Its major drawback is it's fixed LCD display. To its advantage, it has a better image stabilization. It is considerably lighter (~420 gms, in comparison to ~680 gms for Canon SX 20). And it has excellent performance in conditions of low light - an area where it beats Canon hands-down.

All in all, it was a difficult choice to make. We agonized over it for several months. Finally, one day I said enough was enough. We had to buy one of the two cameras that day. After another agonizing hour or two at Fry's, we bought Panasonic Lumix!

I have posted several photos taken from our new camera on this blog (see below - Chicago and Hawaii). The camera has lived up to our expectations. Although we were satisfied with Panasonic's performance, the thoughts of how life would have been with Canon continued to bother us.

The ghost of the torment of the decision to buy Panasonic continued to haunt us. It returned again and again to vex us. However, when we saw this advertisement for Panasonic Lumix with "Intelligent Face Detector", it was finally buried once and for all. The moment we saw the ad, all our doubts vanished. We had made the right choice. No other camera would have suited us better this day than Panasonic Lumix!!

"Panasonic Lumix - with Intelligent Face Detector"

Dr. यमराज !

"Hi there! Pleased to meet you. I am यमराज. And I will take care of you." Not the kind of words, one would be "dying" to hear! When I was ill last week, these were the words said to me, almost. Here's how it happened.

I had slight cough, cold and fever last Thursday. So I took a day off from work and rested. I felt much better on Friday, and I went to office. In the evening I had dinner at a friend's place. I was feeling just fine when I went to bed that night. But when I woke up next morning, I was in terrible pain. I was having difficulty swallowing, and my throat pained like hell. The first thing I did was to call my doctor's clinic. The receptionist told that my doctor was not in clinic that day, but someone else can look at me, if I were okay with that. The situation I was in, I wouldn't have mind visiting a vet! I instantly agreed to visit the other doctor and took an appointment. (Getting a doctor's appointment on the same day in US - that's a miracle. I was lucky, I thought!)

A couple of hours later, I was in the doctor's clinic. The nurse measured my weight and checked my blood pressure. I waited for the doctor. Then suddenly a young fellow in white suit entered the room, shook my hand, and said, "I am Dr. यम. I will take care of you. How are you feeling?" "I was feeling good. Though I am not so sure of it now", I said to myself!