Hard disk drive of Samsung laptop replaced on 2021-12-20

The hard disk drive of my laptop refused to boot since the wee hours of Thursday 2021-12-09. 

My skilled young and highly dependable brother, Dip RC (no blood relation) who had associated with me since 1993 as a 'market researcher', and had subsequently acquired skills and mastered himself in computer hardware and networking has always come to my rescue on any and every issue related to computers and accessories since 1996-97. On Tuesday 2021-12-14 afternoon, he invited me to his place in Garfa in South Kolkata. My worst fear came true. The 500 Gb Seagate/ Samsung branded hard disk of my Samsung laptop bought on 2014-08-14 had gone 'kaput'. 

Only a small part of the 300 odd Gb of extremely valuable data had been backed up about 6 yrs ago. I went into utter depression for a week while he tried to retrieve data from my laptop. 

I just can't express in words how thrilled I was on getting a call from Dip on Monday 2021-12-20 morning asking me to collect the laptop from his place on the same afternoon. 

A brand new 1 Tb Toshiba hard disk drive was fitted into my trusted laptop. Barring about 3 Gb of data which had accumulated over the years in the C: drive, all other data in the D: and E: drive could be retrieved successfully. He even backed up all the retrieved data in the Seagate 1 Tb external HDD which was already there with me and lying unused. 

Collected the 'back to life' laptop from Garfa on 2021-12-20 evening itself. 

Dear Dip, I just can't stop thanking you. I am happy that on my recommendation itself you have assembled over 100 desktop computers and bagged innumerable maintenance contracts. Keep doing the good work. Stay safe and stay happy with your son and wife. As usual, you can always count on me. 

Any individual or organization in Kolkata who require new desktop assembling or laptop repair or anything of such nature, please revert to me. 

Freezing cold in Kolkata since 2021-12-21 evening

My bones are freezing since 2021-12-21 evening although I am in Kolkata itself. 

It's 1.22 am now on 2021-12-22. 

Posting at 1.25 am for 'No Rhyme Or Reason'. 

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* Emni Emni 

GTG Pats76 - Nayan Ghosh, me @ Sabir's Hotel, Chandni Market, Kolkata on 2019-12-18

Believe it or not, I boarded a Kolkata Metro after a whopping gap of 34 (yes, THIRTY FOUR) years yesterday, 2019-12-18. 

My last ride was in mid December 1985, just 4 months after I joined Castrol India (then, Indrol Lubricants and Specialities Ltd) as an Executive Trainee. Thereafter, it was touring India for work with very little stay in Kolkata. I got delivery of my own  white LML Vespa 150 NV sometime in mid 1986 and that signalled farewell to Kolkata Metro rides. 

Spent over 6 hrs of quality time with St. Patrick's School, Asansol buddy Nayan Kumar Ghosh (Bua) settled in Ras Al Khaima in UAE on Wednesday, 2019-12-18 from 2.30pm to 8.30pm. 

We relived our young days of 1980s while in respective colleges in Kolkata. 

I was really so excited the moment Nayan suggested that I leave my personal transport at his place in Chetla and take the Kolkata Metro for a to and fro ride to Kolkata's CBD. 

First it was a short auto-rickshaw ride from Chetla to Rashbehari crossing. Then it was an underground metro ride from Kalighat to Chandni Chowk. The young men at the ticket counters were superfast in their job. The small round plastic token tickets, the sensor machines which allowed me access to the downwards flight of stairs, the baggage scanners, the signages, the arrival of the North bound train sharp at 3.05pm as per schedule, the sliding doors of the trains opening and shutting in about 10 seconds, the cool air conditioned interiors of the compartments, the escalators to climb up from the platform, the machines with slots to drop the plastic tickets which allowed ne to exit the Chandni station left me spellbound. 

Young college girls, young couples, not too young men and women were clicking selfies in the compartment with gay abandon. We too clicked a selfie inside the moving train. 

Next was a hearty lunch of Tandoori Rotis, Chicken/ Mutton Rezala and Firni, a treat by Nayan at Shabir's in Chandni Market. It would have been so wonderful if my buddy's wifey Shampa and their kids were there, too. 

At Shabir's, we couldn't miss the customary photo sessions. 

After lunch it was a pretty long walk to a spectacles shop in Bowbazar Street. Thereafter, it was a looong walk to the books market off College Street near Presidency University and meeting two of Nayan's friends from his stay in private hostel days. Then it was the unmissable roadside sweet milk chai sitting on a bench laid out in an already narrow alley, off Surya Sen Sftreet. 

We still had the energy to walk further down to the Central Metro station to board the return ride to Kalighat Metro station, a journey of only 17 mins. I was even lucky to get a seat, although Nayan wasn't 😊. By car, it would have taken me a minimum of 40 - 45 minutes in evening rush hour on a working day  😭. 

After exiting the station at Rashbehari crossing we were lucky to get an empty bus which took us to Chetla in about 7 mins only.  

After reaching Nayan's place, it was a long adda session with Sandip Samanta in Asansol over the phone. 

Finally, it was a solo ride back home near Salt Lake Stadium in my 28 yrs old faithful via Alipore, AJC Bose Road flyover, MAA flyover.

My simple dinner on 2021-12-17

A simple dinner for myself on Friday 2021-12-17 at 10.15 pm .... jeera rice, soya chunks with alu in soya sauce, capsicum with alu in soya sauce, daal, omelette, coriander chutney. 

About an hour later there's a bati of boiled chick-peas waiting for me. 

At around 12.30 am I will have a glass of sweet steaming hot Bru coffee with 25% milk and 75% water. 

Telling you'll for 'No Rhyme Or Reason'. 
Just 'Emni Emni' 🤭

Sandip Samanta's VW Vento Comfortline 2010 w.e.f 2010-09-28

Sandip Samanta's VW Vento Comfortline 2010 w.e.f 2010-09-28. 

Registration number: WB441588.

Holi at Behala with Baba, Ma, Diya, Diksha and cousins on 2011-03-20

Holi at Behala with Baba, Ma, Diya, Diksha and Boro Mamima, Mum, Tunku, Rinku, Prishot, Jhuma, Pinky on 2011-03-20.