Soliloquies

A soft. professional's misery..

2008-07-23T12:35:00.000-07:00

I start my day by sitting on a chair,
Giving my monitor a hard, cold stare.
By evening I’m done with another coding,
Oh! This has become a routine so boring.

Like all, I entered this field with many a hope,
Jobs were aplenty and there was no dearth of scope.
Dreams were big - Of joining the likes of Gates,
And a chance to make good money in the States.

Thus, I entered the world of bytes,
Only to realize that reality bites.
‘Coz a programmer’s life isn’t all that cosy,
The bed of software isn’t all that rosy.

Seeing the monitor all day & night,
Have taken the power off my eyesight.
Late to bed & late to rise,
Has made me wealthy, but not healthy & wise.

Working holidays, busy weekends,
No time for family, no time for friends.
My job steals most of my time,
Helplessly, I’m a part of this crime.

Just for a few bits of money,
I forego those moments with my Honey.
When I should be out – having fun,
I’m telling a Comp. – what is to be done.

I hate you, yet I can’t get away,
‘Coz I need the money you pay.
God, to thee I pray,
If there be one – show me the way.

When God didn’t bother to reply,
I realized what it tends to imply.
I chose my own path, sans the logic,
Of planning, tracking & weaving some ‘magic’,

Manager’s chair was always alluring,
But now I know, it’s equally boring.
Do what may to evade the pain,
Somehow, the fuss doesn’t seem to wane!!!

Celeb's Blog.. Other's Slog !

2008-07-09T10:37:00.000-07:00

Some of the regular readers of this space have urged me to blog more often. Although laziness continues to be the prime reason for not blogging often, another turn off which is building up fast these days is the numerous CelebBlogs that’re mushrooming all over the BlogSpace. And they’re luring the common reader away. (It’s like losing your dedicated customers :-(!)

C’mon think of it – If I’d the time to read a webpage full of unfeigned content, wouldn’t I choose to read the thoughts of a certain Mr. Bachchan over someone like Nihar Ashish? Don’t bother - You don’t need to answer that one :P. The verdict is straight, reading about celebs naming their pets upon each other is any day more interesting than what happened in X person’s life. Moreover - The news channels ensure that you know about the latest posts on these blogs more regularly than the celebrities themselves (You still think they write it ‘ :-)?). Knowing these as a matter of fact, I’ve no complaints with my readers.

However - I certainly feel that personally; I have something strongly against these celebrities. I used to watch TV as a pastime, mostly reality shows, then the celebrities started hosting them & the ‘reality’ bit was no more. I used to love cricket, but soon it became the amalgamation of Bollywood & BCCI which made me lose interest. Now I can almost say that I used to love the BlogSpace, but very soon, celebrities will be ruling the roost here as well. After Aamir, Amitabh & Shahrukh, the latest news claims that our very own Mr. Lalu Prasad Yadav is also going to start writing (I doubt!) his own blog soon. Can’t wait for that one – Need to know how he used to locate the train sitting on the bhainsi.

Go on celebs - Keep Blogging! (while I keep Slogging :-(!)

Manager @ 25..

2008-06-25T04:27:00.000-07:00

Date : 14th August, 2003.
Venue : Interview Room. SIT Campus, Tumkur.
Event : Final (HR) round of TCS Interview.

Interviewer: “Where do you see yourself 5 years down the line?”
Interviewee: “I see myself as a Manager, managing a team of at least 8-10 people. Estimating, Planning, Interacting with the key-stakeholders & leading the proceedings.”

Interviewer: “Don’t you think 5 years is too early to be a Manager, considering you still have an year left to complete your course?”
Interviewee: “I have faith in my abilities & I like to dream big. So that I can push myself to chase & fulfill them”

The interviewer was a sly pot-bellied & bespectacled Bengali who seemed to have no regards for humankind or people in general. No points in guessing who the Interviewee was! There were other discussions in that interview apart from the one narrated above which probably didn’t go my way. The interviewer wasn’t impressed. He probably thought of me as a cocky student, who’d read some inspiring books with his dreamy eyes. 270 top students from our college of 800+ students appeared for the first round of that selection process. After 4 rounds – Only 35 made it to the final interview. Out of the 35 finalists, 29 were eventually selected. And I was one of the 6 who couldn’t make it! For the first time – I had doubts whether I’d set very high targets for myself. People with unrealistic dreams are always treated as maniacs in our society. As much as I loved being confident & bold, I detested being perceived as an arrogant, unrealistic & over-confident person.

It’s about to be five years since that incident. As I write this, I feel a sense of satisfaction. Neither have I achieved something major nor answered anyone’s questions. No dreams fulfilled & no critics silenced. In the last five years, I’ve just managed to live upto my own expectations and I’m happy that I could do so. I’m doing what I saw myself doing yrs. earlier. I’ve been a Manager @ 25!

Last Day, Last Year !!!

2008-01-07T13:12:00.000-08:00

It was the second last day of the holiday season & most people had already planned it in advance. After all, the last day of a year deserves some celebration! As for us - Our deportation in a foreign land did not leave us with too many options. The lack of family/friends & the cruel weather further added to the agony. Thankfully, there was this City Square (Nathan Phillip Square to be precise) which hosted an open air extravaganza [I like the last word – Goes to show how well they marketed it!]

A leading TV Channel had sponsored the event which brought together some of the renowned local/international artists in an open air ground. We’d already been there @ the same time last year & since we’d no better options this yr., thought of sticking to the tried & tested formula. Our team consisted of just two people – Me & Ravi. Being our usual selves – We started @ 11.40pm, knowing that it was just a 2 min. walk from our place. However – This day was to be different. The regular 2 min. walk took us a good 10 mins. - Thanks to the crowd! It looked like the whole city was converging @ one point. It was definitely a good build-up to the actual event. Excitement was in the air. People were singing & shouting all along the way. Most of them were in good (read: ‘High’) spirits & were suitably dressed with accessories ranging from 2008 painted faces to massive balloons to ‘Happy New Year’ hats. It was pouring, like a tradition, for it was raining on the same time last year too. But the rain just wasn’t enough to dampen the spirits.

So we arrived @ the spot & joined the several thousand other heads which were fighting the rain & cold just for the ‘feel of the moment’. It was just like another rock concert. The countdown started soon & just at the stroke of midnight – The crowd bursted! Everyone released the balloons they were carrying, there was a loud noise of different whistles, trumpets & mere screams :). The ambience quickly transitioned from a ‘Rock-concert’-ish to something close to the Inaugural Ceremony of a world-wide event. And when the moment finally died down - followed the loooong kisses! When we looked around, everyone was embracing & kissing their partners [Believe me or fail - I rarely mean ‘everyone’ like the everyone in last sentence.] Looked like we were the only lonesome losers in the crowd of millions. Surrendering to the occasion - We shrugged shoulders & embraced each other a Happy New Year!

Clichéd as it may sound, there are moments when you think you’re a part of the crowd & then, there’s the very next moment when you realize you’re all but alone. All for yourself & nothing more! Cruel are the designs of destiny. For when you have friends, you keep striving for some free time & when you have good times, you fall short of company!

Getting discharged.. The Electrostatic way ;-)

2007-11-30T12:50:00.000-08:00

Over the last few days – I’ve been sensing an electric ghost in my suite. It never shows up, but uses its shock-&-awe tactics to surprise me at regular & unprecedented situations. Whether I touch the door knob, the washroom tap or the refrigerator door, it shocks me every single time. The situation had become so spooky that I finally had to search for ways to get rid of it.

This situation is nothing but Electrostatic discharges in the form of shocks. Here are a few facts about the same (Actually there were many but I just managed to pull in the ones which are applicable to me/people like me):

Cold & dry climate, Furniture coverings, Man-made floor and shoe sole materials are main factors in most cases of shocks.

And as with most cases – The causes themselves gives us an indication of the solutions. So for people who experience electric shocks more often than others, here’re a few pointers to reduce the same:

Try to increase the temperature & humidity of your place.
Wear cotton clothes
Change the furniture covers from synthetic/nylon to some cotton variant.
Check your floor. Change it if you can [Wooden & carpeted floors are more susceptible]
Opt for shoes with leather soles. Better still – Walk without shoes or socks.

I’m still wondering that the electrostatics chapter in the high school Physics class taught us so many complex formulas (of which we remember none). What if our education had been more practical!?

The Hollywood Touch.. & Go

2007-11-23T13:26:00.000-08:00

The title of this post is delusory (like most of my other titles). Not that I’m confused; it’s just that I’m bad when it comes to making the choices. So the bear with me-This has nothing to do with flirting with danger.

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon. And just like all lazy Sunday afternoons – Nothing was going right! The Sunday was ageing fast; I wasn’t feeling like moving a muscle & yet was cribbing about another wasted Sunday. Just then the communicator on the Laptop buzzed. I was expecting a Yahoo! But this turned out to be the Office Communicator. Ab kya phat gaya! Was the obvious (& usual) first-thought.

However- It turned out to be my Director. She was like – "Sorry to disturb you, I need to talk to you on something urgent" By this time, my mind had already thought of what things could possibly have gone wrong for me to deserve a direct (& unscheduled) confrontation with my Director. So while I had started cogitating the ‘saving-my-ass’ speech, I was informed that I’m required to travel to the US for a quick Client Session. The topic of interest was the place – She’d just mentioned Hollywood! (Probably just for the affect - Managers always know how to bait the juniors)

So – Overnight preparations happened (anyyyyything for Hollywood), the presentations were made & the bag was packed. 3 of us were supposed to go. My Sr. Manager – An uber-kewl Jamaican guy, myself – the quintessential ‘brown’ nerd & a bubbly peer (who could’ve opted for modeling but chose to ruin her life in software). The lady was supposed to pick me up from my place for the early morning flight – And boy! Did she do a good job at it? I literally woke up by her call (2 hrs. ahead of the flight time & early in the morning) She was ready to reach my place in 10 mins. And me, like most other good guys, was too much of a nerd to admit I was hardly ready. Anyways – I got ready in 15 mins. & that included a forced nature’s call, proper shampoo bath, two coats of shave, last minute packing & dressing up (Deos, chapstick n all). After all I was going to have great company. So I finally got off & headed to the airport in hugger-mugger. Things were smooth after then – The only itch was that after reaching the airport, when I searched for the camera to capture a moment – I realized that I left it behind! I was completely shattered assuming the opportunities that I would miss. Being in Hollywood & without having captured a moment – That sounds like a curse! [Coming to think of it as a reconsideration – Little did I knew at this time that I would not get a chance to visit any locales – That should’ve reduced some disappointment]

We went straight to the client office from the airport. And the next two days passed by in a flash. It was only Hotel to Client office & back, naturally enough, the sight seeing was limited to the roads & the sidewalks. The hotel suite was good (It was Sheraton after all).The only other place to boast of, was the Universal Studios complex where we dined once. It was lively, well-lit & crowded with all kinda tourists – from kids to grampas & from couples to officials (like us). We’d decided to try some good Mexican food, and minutes later – It was ascertained as SHIT.

Well, that’s almost all of it. All that I know about Los Angeles/California/Hollywood/Universal City is that:

It’s hotter than most other places in the US/Canada (and the HOTness is not just in terms of just the temperatures. You’ll need to see the babes to gauge the heat ;-))

The traffic is no less chaotic than India (Bangalore?)

When you’re passing through the roads, you get a feeling of déjà-vu. (You must’ve seen these places in some Hollywood movie or the other)

The HOLLYWOOD sign on the hills is more glamorous live than what we see in images. (Sadly – I got a glimpse of it only when the flight was ascending on our way back).

Throughout my stay, I was wondering how I would get to see the HOLLYWOOD written across the hill. And ironical as it may sound – I got the view from my flight while returning. There it was, all across the hill, almost teasing me.

Well – God responds at times. You just need to pray long enough. Thanks god for answering my prayers & being so kind to me!

The last few 'Royal' trips...

2007-11-10T18:57:00.000-08:00

The last four lines substantiate the crux of my Diwali this year. Though it wasn’t too bad after all – But frankly speaking, there wasn’t anything great about it either. Now before I can jump on the Diwali story, I need to justify my sabbatical from the blogging space. I always had the passion to write, but perhaps the other passion (or the urge!) to work is always slightly higher which kept me to my daily official tasks & away from the notepad. In the meanwhile, there were many incidences which I’d liked to pen down. But having gone past them I don’t think I’ll ever do that again. So thought of at least listing them here, so that they’re captured in text apart from my memories:

The Royal Official Visa trip: Just a day of regality wherein I flew King-kisser airlines, leched on the cute Punjabi stewardess, got a dedicated chauffer driven Optra to start with (which was later replaced by an Accent), drove down the length of the city, did some shopping, visited a friend & dined in a dhaba. Everything was just royal & perfect on that day. [And yes – I got my Visa too]

Toronto Reloaded: In the space of just about a year, we were flying again to Toronto – Our international abode. The journey this time was far less eventful (but none less exciting) that the first time. But once we touched down the city, it caught our excitement (yet again!) The apartments were better than the last ones & the office had shifted too. We are all set for the second innings.

The Royal-er Official trip: If royal was the term given to the one-day Visa trip to Chennai, then this one should be termed no less than ‘Imperial’ or ‘Majestic’. For the 2 day offsite trip to a resort in North-Toronto was something you only get to watch in movies or dream about in fantasy. First of all, it came in at the last minute & at a surprise. I was told in the weekend that I need to reach this resort on Monday morning for a 2-day internal session. I was wondering what kinda session are we gonna do in a ‘resort’. All the queries were pleasantly answered after we reached there after a 90 minutes drive on Monday morning in my Manager’s plush car. It was a calm & serene place. The tranquility was disturbed only by the gentle breeze. There was a vast stretch of individual cottages lined up & half of them overlooking a beautiful lake. There was also a large landscaped golf course outdoors. In the indoors – you had all that you can ask for in a multi starred location. The suite was princely too. For among the obvious furniture, it included a Jacuzzi, an arrangement for house-fire, and a big balcony overlooking the woods & the beautiful lake. Apart from the sessions that we anyways had to attend, we had a great dinner & we also had an outdoor activity. And the activity was – A bumpy ride around the woods & the rocks on a Hummer.. (Yes you read it right – A Hummer it was!). And it was the ride of our lives. We went through timberland & bouldered terrains & enjoyed the various acrobatics of the Hummer. The two days passed in this location like a flash but the memories are bound to remain forever.

Well, that were the back-logs of the old months as they passed by. Hope to be more regular (at least for the next month or so)

Diwali - 2007 (In 2 lines)

2007-11-10T07:38:00.000-08:00

लाख तारे, आसमां में.

एक मगर ढूंढें ना मिला...

देख के दुनिया की दीवाली,

दिल मेरा चुप-चाप जला !!!

Back with a BANG...

2007-07-25T08:18:00.000-07:00

It’d been rather long since I had my last post in these columns. People like Jas./ has a valid point when they label me as a ‘slacker’. Off-late, I haven’t been able to do justice to blogging (something which I started doing pretty early vis-à-vis my peers). So I’m BACK. But that’s not exactly what the title of this post is aimed to convey.

While reasons are aplenty, a rather demanding (read: killing!) work schedule tops the list. So no prizes for guessing what I was doing all this while. I was burning myself in achieving one goal after the other. Meeting deadlines, producing high quality output, coordinating tasks and ensuring the delivery from myself & my team. Still – No complaints as I’m aware that these are a few things which are not special to my schedule alone. Most of my peers also experience a similar routine.

Amidst these daily scuffles, my awry postures were savaging something which has, is, and will be, supporting me throughout. That something is – one of our body’s most underrated & neglected parts – The back. The back does its best to support us through all of our ‘comfortable’ postures throughout the day but we do little to take care of it (It took me only a couple of days of nagging pain to realize this!) As the situation didn’t improve itself so I had no other choice but to see a specialist. The response from him was disheartening. He blamed the typical lifestyle of IT people & was quick to give the numbers (I was sure he’d crammed them the previous night).

I was suggested a week’s rest & a lot of exercise. The latter was especially painful as it’s something which I had trouble even spelling (had to look up a dictionary to get it right here!) I was unsure of how my Manager & peers will respond when they get to hear this. Thankfully – My boss turned out to be a real gentleman and extended his full support in me getting over this problem. Moreover – he was sounding genuinely concerned which made me feel better.

But as luck would have it – It was just the beginning of new things for me. You can’t imagine the degree of things I went through in my supposed days of rest (in official terms - leaves). The list’s long so have thought of capturing it elsewhere. At this time – All I want to convey to my readers is (in Amitabh Bachchan’s KBC style) -- Please please pleaseeeee take very good care of yourselves. Nothing is more important than you & your well being. No deadlines, projects, work, social engagements, meetings etc. should be given precedence to your health.

The last thing anyone would like to do is to feel spent & worn out. Don’t let it happen to you. At least not in your mid-twenties! Unless you wanna experience a ‘back with a bang’ – Take Care

The perfect lady in my dreams..

2007-04-19T08:23:00.000-07:00

In times of solitude I use to cerebrate
About my beloved, my perfect mate

A perfect dame, perfect every feature
Embodying beauty & miracles of nature

Solacing her words and gentle her touch
Caring like an angel & loving me much

Standing by me, helping me rise
Correcting my wrongs, keeping me wise

The world was perfect till the moment I roused
Thwarted, perplexed, baffled & groused

For where was the perfect lady I possessed
Smitten by whose charms & fully obsessed

Turned to the almighty, asked him thrice
Return my dearest, whatever the price

Pat came in a terse reply, sans the warmth or ire
“My Child – First deserve, then desire!”

Truth dawned, there’s more than what meets the eye,
No one’s perfect - at least not I

The perfect match remains an elusive dream
The answer’s contingent on how perfect I have been

World Cup - A shattered dream !!!

2007-04-05T01:43:00.000-07:00

Cricket is religion! At least in a place like India where a billion hopes rests on the shoulders of the Gods of the game. After India’s inglorious exit from the World Cup, however, a lot of alterations are bound to happen. It’ll take some time for the people who’d their fantastic imagery and incongruous juxtapositions set for bringing the Cup home. Millions of fans on the subcontinent went into mourning and the repercussions are grave. Companies cannot move quickly enough to dissociate their brands from the multimillionaire players who have trudged home from the West Indies as fallen heroes. One farmer from West Bengal committed suicide while another died with a heart attack. Bob Woolmer was murdered and Greg Chappell was shooed away. Can cricket get any more surreal at the moment?

The reason to cheer is, like anything else, there’s a flip side to it as well. No longer losing sleeps and run rate calculations for fans. Managers are happy that their folks will not be walking into office late and groggy. Wives are elated to get the control of remotes and uninterrupted access to their saas-bahu soaps as husbands are no longer watching cricket in the prime time. And finally – People, in general, have got a lesson that all that glitters is not gold and perhaps the ‘Men in Blue’ don’t deserve all the respect and worship that they entertain.

The way cricket is administered and played in India will have to change. Most Sports now are professionally organized activities that rely on identification, training, and building of talented players’ pool with no room for politics. When professional politicians govern Sports, there is something wrong. The dream will remain a dream unless we plan well & work hard to achieve it.

First observations in Toronto...

2007-01-15T17:28:00.000-08:00

The last post ended with a note saying that all 'firsts' are special. I still hold to that. So just thought of penning down the few 'first' observations which I had over my stay so far in Toronto :

The city, in all, is far less crowded. Cars zoom easily @ 100-120 km/h and on a normal day very few people can be seen on the streets.
Traffic & driving sense are at their best. Drivers respect the pedestrains & wait for them to cross the roads.
NOONE - Yes 'No-one' sounds a HORN. (We haven't heard it yet)
There are a very few 'homeless' people. Beggars' common pick-up line is -- "I'm homeless"
Beggars don't accept anything less than a $. (Keep your change to yourself)
Coffee shop fronts are the ideal spot for beggars to sit.
Switches are ON when pressed on the upside (If you're an Indian - You'll think they're OFF)
All door and closet handles are lifted UP for them to open (Normally we turn them down in India)
There are more (or at least 'equal') no. of women on the street as compared to men. (It's my favourite item - For obvious reasons :-))
Almost everyone carries a pet (& most of the times the pets are dressed better than us)
People don't litter at ALL. There are dustbins everywhere and there's a good sense which prevails among the people to ensure that they don't litter.
Goods/Services are NOT inclusive of taxes.
Simple daily needs like Curd, Cabbage & Capsicum don't exist - They're Yoghurt, Lettuce & Green Pepper respectively (We learnt it after failing to convey to the s'keeper about the items in front of us & the 'keeper insisting - "We don't sell Curd/Cabbage/Capsicum")
6pm is the usual time for all the markets to shut down.
Customers first - That seems to be the Mantra everywhere. You'll feel like a king wherever you go.
Every person who interacts with you (be it a bartender, a lift operator, a coffee shop counter girl or a shopkeeper) - Will start with a warm smile & a more-than-audible 'Hi/Hello'!!!
People have the general courtesies - While boarding lifts/passing through a door - They hold it for you and noone forgets to thank you in case you do the same for them.
Its the safest of places - No thefts, pickups reported by acquaintances/newspapers at all. Women travel alone even post midnight.
In an addition to the last point - The ATMs are located @ roadside (Just like a public phone - No separate enclosure, no security - Just an ATM machine on the pavement!)
Whenever friends back-in-India interact with you, they end up asking - "When are you coming back?" (And you thought you'd 'just arrived')

My first journey abroad !

2007-01-11T15:44:00.000-08:00

Even since I was a kid, it was one of my burning desires to see foreign land. After joining the IT Industry it was certain that my chance will also come, sooner or later. Although it turned out to be a longer wait than expected but I was glad that my chance DID came finally. Excitement was in the air and preparations were aplenty (Thanks to the chilling weather expected there and the foreign policies of my company). The entire penultimate week was spent in shopping like crazy. Everything was going fine till the night on the last day, but then……. I slept. While I was supposed to catch a flight early morning, so was supposed to leave around 2.30 – But the eyes parted only @ 2.20. Woke up & headed to the airport in a jiffy. To add to the chaos - Realized in the cab mid-way that am not carrying my ticket (How could anyone do that!) – Came back again & picked the ticket, thus killing more of the crucial time.

By the time I reached airport – I was nervous of having screwed my first flight abroad. It was great that my colleague Tiru was waiting outside. The transition was smooth & the customs were friendlier than expected. Met some ol’ friends from Infy @ the airport – Those guys were going to London for an Iron Maiden concert (And I always thought you need a ‘reason’ to travel, the farther the distance – the bigger the reason should be). Nice to have been proved wrong by my pals. Finally time arrived to board the flight. Though have traveled innumerous times in the domestic circuit, this carrier was interesting nonetheless. It was a fundoo flight - full of gizmos (Buttons by the side for TV remote, reading lights, headphones, hostess’s assistance etc.), a TV screen (Though they have it in KingFisher too) and many other small details which can only be experienced (Read – I don’t remember them). Time started to elapse in the flight & the teetotaller in me gave way to the adventurous & experimenting Gemini. Most of the people who have been on International flights earlier, used to swear by the quality, taste & varieties of the available liquors there. So while I was around - I wanted to savor the experience. So I tried a white wine initially (Which was nectarous) and followed it with red wine (which was acerbic). After the latter experience - I gave up on further experimenting.

It was a stop-over flight via London. So we got a chance to spend some time in the Heathrow Airport's Terminal IV. And buoy.. What a place! A blazing red Ferrari was the first sight, we immediately started shooting it (as if it was a once-in-a-lifetime sight). Many unique and first time views followed. It was less of an Airport and more of a hugeeeee shopping mall. A must notice thing there was the people. ALL of them had great taste (going by the clothes they were wearing & the way they accessorized them with complementing stuff). The terminal looked like a ramp on fire. Everything was an eye candy & we exercised our eyes so much that they cried for sleep. Time finally came to board the next flight and we were supposed to go through the painful verification process again. The Immigration officer turned out to be a true bastard. He picked me & my friend in the lot. Asked for our passports, made us sit separately while he was verifying our passports, asked us to show 'another' photo identity proof, sign in a blank sheet etc. etc. Although it lasted only for 5-10 mins. – It was really embarrassing & caused me tension unlike anything. We came to know how Indians are harassed outside (And what an irony coz going by his fluent Hindi he can only be another Indian or a Pakistani).

Nonetheless - the journey continued and we reached Toronto. Toronto was one of the most well illuminated city from a bird eye's view (I’d seen Kolkata & Delhi on a Diwali day but this beats them even on a regular day). The weather turned out to be warmer than expected. We went through the baffling process of immigration again. Thank god the officer was friendly this time but was slow as a snail. As we finished the stampings, we went ahead to collect our jumbo sized baggages. When we tried to look for the trolleys, we realized that even they are CHARGED. And that too @ $ 2 apiece. Throughout our lives we'd kept complaining that things are so expensive in India, and that was the first moment when we realized how wrong we were! To add to the problem - All that we were carrying was $ 300 in 3 $ 100 notes and a fancy WTM card. None of them could help us there. Anyways - We managed to come out of the situation (By using our good ol' Indian Credit Cards). After that it was the time to search for a taxi. The only signboard which signaled towards them read -- "Taxi/Limo". As any other first timer, we were apprehensive in going towards that direction, So we asked a security guard for a 'General Taxi' -- He pointed us towards the longest Ford I'd seen till date! Since we had no other option - We decided - "Let's see whatever happens!" It turned out to be good. That was just like any other general taxi that they have here (The names include Chevrolet Optra, Hyundai Elantra, Nissan .... and many others). Before boarding the taxi, while we were returning the trolleys - We realized the importance of putting things back in their places when we got back 25c on placing the trolleys in their holders.

The journey to our apartment was short. Mainly coz the Ford was cruising @ 120kmph consistently. The driver turned out to be a Pakistani and spoke fluent Hindi. On dropping us - He wasn't shy enough to ask for a tip and we were more than glad to oblige (Only to know later that he had overcharged us already in the fare). Finally - after arriving in our respective suites - The warmth & the sight of it <Here are the sample pics> made us so glad that we forgot all our weariness after a 24hr + flight across multiple time zones.

Every journey is a new experience in itself. But this one was really special (As all other 'firsts' are!)

Lagey Raho.... Indian Cinema !!!

2006-09-10T12:12:00.000-07:00

Yes - This is inspired by the movie which is the talk-of-the-town currently. After a loong wait - Bollywood offered a movie which was worth a discussion. In general - Sequels in Bollywood are essentialy stereotyped extensions of the originals. But here comes a movie which defies all the standards of the Box Office. After the much deserved success of the original, the director delivers again - Now, propelling the quip of the well-established ‘Munnabhai and Circuit’ cult, he discharges an even spunkier and funnier interpretation of Gandhianism in present day Mumbai. The film successfully establishes a ‘feel-good’ representation of the sentimental cynicism that’s setting in the new urban India or as you might, the post-Gandhi era.

Kudos to the film-maker for trying out something different. For its takes guts, gumption, courage and vision to attempt something like this. More so when you have a nation of movie fanatics who're expecting nothing but the best from you. Munna is in his all-time-best form. Circuit was utilized better this time around. They must rank among the great movie couples of all time, and they deliver again - amazing chemistry, wonderful comic timing, they are having fun, and so are you!. Vidya Balan was fresh as dew. Bringing in almost all of the old cast in the bit parts was a wonderful idea - it tapped into nostalgia for Munnabhai without making this a sequel to it. The biggest decision perhaps - Was to keep the storyline entirely different & un-related to the original. Just looooooved it !!!!

With the new breed of film-makers, who dare to think differently - Indian Cinema is all set to be international. We've seen the desi potential in movies like Black & Lagaan. Over the last few weeks - I had a chance to watch a few South Indian hits & I was spell-bound to see the camera-work & the action sequences. There's talent everywhere. It just needs to be more consistent. With more releases lined up this year. Hope this one ends up being a good one for Bollywood as well as Indian Cinema. Though I don't have too many expectations from Farhan Akhtar's DON coz of SRK's arrogance which is now visible in his dialogue deliveries too, what I am really looking forward to is - DHOOM-2. Watched it trailers in the interval. To say the least - 'Amazing'. Finally Bollywood can also boast of MI-2 & Matrix standards (Who's complaining even if they're direct lifts - We love our heros repeating :-) ). Hrithik is looking like he has never before & you won't believe our eyes when you watch Aish. This's sure something which can be looked forward to.

Lagey Raho.... Indian Cinema -- We're loving it !!!

A journey called Life - I

2006-07-04T02:48:00.000-07:00

The mid years of my life had forced me to be a vagabond. I was frequently supposed to travel places, often alone. But since I love to travel, I never quetched. The best part of travelling is - You get to see millions of people, whom you would've definitely missed, had it not been for the travel.

I have had amazing experiences during my journeys. Most of them were so special that they are still afresh in my memories (& probably, will remain so forever). We often end up complaining about our lives, work, salaries, food, workplace, traffic, government & what not but what we forget is that we are one of the few blessed ones who are leading a comfortable life. There are an exorbitant amount of people for whom, every other step in life is a continuous struggle. For how else can certain things be explained? I will tell you about some experiences that I had, in my short stay in Delhi. (8 yrs. ago)

We used to stay in a nook whose approach was through a slum. Among the few sights that still flashes in my mind are – a long queue of plastic vessels which are always lined up in front of a tap which opens only @ 6pm. Also regular quarrels that used to happen at the same location for something very trivial called WATER – The most important luxury that we pretermit. Another were the oh-so-regular street-fights (A quick investigation revealed that the causes again used to be very trivial – a loaf of stolen bread, a glass piece broken by a laborer or a non-performing jack due to an ailment/old age). All of them struggling to make a living, but the world has nothing better than contempt & bashes, to offer them.

Once I was not getting autos for travel, so I decided to board a small (but jampacked) cab. Once in, I was cursing myself to have made this choice as even breathing was difficult inside. There was a lady sitting next to me who was holding a small child to her chest (Although the child was 2-3 yrs. old). Maybe she was just being protective, but kids are kids. He was crying on the top of his voice & punching her on her face repeatedly. Poor mother, even in such adverse conditions was not ready to let go of him. Tears were flowing down her cheeks. Such was the rush that except a few neighbors, no one else was noticing too. They tried to console the kid; one even tried to threaten him & said – Kid, is this how you treat your mother? The mother said sedately – Not his fault. He has just lost his father.

Till date, her face when she said that, haunts me.

Another peculiar incident that I noticed was – There was this guy who used to sell tea, cigarettes n snacks (Omelets, sandwiches etc.) from 9pm - 9 am. He was an obvious favourite among the IIT/IAS preparatory junta. The peculiar thing was – His wife always used to accompany her. She was average looking, but always used to be dressed in her best. Somehow, that was quite appealing to the crowd too, who wanted more than plain tea & cigis in early mornings. Bhabhiji’s smile & sensuality was the reason for that particular joint to be famous (there were several peers who could not attract half of the crowd). We always used to feel strange & seriously doubted the ladies intentions & her hubby’s reasonings. On the last day in Delhi, we happened to be the only customers. And bhabhiji was not around too, so we thought of asking Mr. Chaiwaala what he thought about his wife & his business. To our surprise, he was all so aware of the same. In a candid conversation, he agreed that both he & his wife realized that she is attractive & they can use this fact to bolster their business. She was an exemplary lady who was brave enough to do her best to help her household. We saluted the lady and bid farewell to the yet-another-common-family, who were justified in doing whatever is possible to help themselves.

These incidents, and many more, have forced me to reason, & understand, the value of things that we overlook. I have learnt to ask less & thank more. For fortunate are the people like you & me, who do not get thrashed by our bosses, who still have their family/friends beside them, who do not have to display their wives to the world for a living.

Help someone to get out of misery. Spread the fortune.

MBA after work ex. in Software - To 'B' or not to 'B' ?

2006-06-23T05:02:00.000-07:00

There are two kind of people in software. The techies (I prefer calling 'em geeks) & the smart-asses (the one's who believe in - Don't work hard. Work Smart).

While it is very much advisable for the former ones to continue in this field, the same doesn't quite apply to the latter ones. Down the line, they start realizing that this is not what they always dreamt of. Acquaintances earning fatter paycheques & colleagues moving faster in the career ladder are somethings which will always keep haunting the average 'smart-guys'. One short alternative is to do MBA after a couple of years of work experience. But the big question is - Unless its the IIMs or ISBs, Is it worth it ?

Before you commit to pursuing an MBA, you should take time to reflect on your work experience, your abilities, and your ambitions. You should ask, Am I where I want to be in my career and my life? And, What would it take to get there? Assuming an MBA will help you achieve your goals, think about what specifically you want to learn and gain in an MBA program. With sufficient self-assessment, you will stand out in the MBA admissions process as someone who is prepared and motivated. These qualities can help give you a real edge over the competition. The truth is, you will be competing with other applicants who are very well prepared, so you need to be very focussed & confident.

The two lucrative things that drives one towards an MBA are - quality work & hefty wallets.

Starting with the latter first - After working for a decent software company for a couple of years, the pay is generally decent, if not great. And opting for an MBA at this stage means taking a risk (And we're discussing non IIMs here). Because, in case your college is not amongst the top 10 colleges in the country, there're very bleak chances of you being offered something which you couldn't have earned otherwise (Continuing in S/W). Not to mention the promotions & the job-switch-hikes that you would've got, had you chosen the technical path.

Regarding 'Quality Work' (as it may seem). Its the ultimate fantasy of a S/W Engg. to hold the chair of his boss. But throwing light on reality, its not a walk-in-the-park after all. When people play one-day matches before delivery & scratch their heads in fixing stupid bugs, they always feel that sitting in front of a laptop & working on MSword/excel will be great fun. But they fail to realize what SpiderMan taught us - "With greater power comes greater responsibilities".

All of it boils down to one question - Do you have it in you ?

If you're confident enough of your managerial capabilities (and making best use of them by getting select in the best management institues) , this is one decision which you'll have to make sooner or later.

All about ME....

2006-06-16T02:44:00.000-07:00

It may seem as if I am carefree and strong,
Going through life as if nothing is wrong.

But no one has ever seen the real me,
They only know what I let them see.

Most often my smiles are real and sincere,
Other times they help to hide my secret fears.

I carefully created a clever mask of illusion,
I wear it now to hide my pain and confusion.

So never is a tear seen falling from my eye,
I have learned to hold it all silently inside.

Quite often I want to just let go and weep,
But the pain is very intense and too deep.

I yearn to belong, to be one of the crowd.
To be able to speak of my dreams out loud.

Wanting so very much to be accepted,
Yet fearing the possibility of being rejected.

I need special someone to discern the real me,
And not hold in contempt what they will see.

The weaknesses and flaws I try so hard to hide,
Are all part of the real me I keep hidden inside.

Why do people change jobs ?

2006-06-06T22:29:00.000-07:00

Perhaps just because its the industry trend. Perhaps you just begin to lose interest. Perhaps you find something that interests you more. Perhaps your company is downsizing. Perhaps you're looking for more/different responsibilities. Perhaps you're feeling the sting of losing a promotion. Perhaps there's a conflict in the workplace or perhaps the new company is offering you a better pay/benefits. These are just some of the numerous reasons people find themselves on that precipitous cliff looking back on their career just as the dirt begins to crumble beneath them.

There are frustrations even in the perfect job. With experience we learn the grass is not always greener on the other side. Yet, there are times when the job just isn't worth it.

Who're the people who change jobs ?
How do you know when to make a move?

According to my personal experience, you can't tell if the job is wrong unless you've really understood yourself. Without clarity on your core values, skills and interests you can't distinguish between the annoyances you should live through and more profound issues. Your fundamental values may revolve around integrity, or working on a team, or making a difference in the world, or a better work-personal life balance or an array of other things. If the job conflicts with a fundamental value then you owe it to yourself to leave. If you have to contort who you are to do the job then it's time to leave because not only are you being unfair to yourself, you will never be delivering as much as you could.

ORKUT - The new rage among software folks

2006-05-24T04:44:00.000-07:00

A few years back, Google quietly released a social networking service called orkut, named after Orkut Buyukkokten, a Google SE who developed it, making excellent use of the personal time allowed to him by Google (All employees at Google are allowed to spend twenty percent of their time working on personal interests, a policy Google has to encourage creativity & a reason why it remains the dream company for folks like us :-))

When I came to know about it, I thought its just another alumni/batchmates kind of stuff. But to my surprise, it has become a rage in a very short period. Today you can find anyone & everyone who uses the internet regularly, on orkut. Moreover, more than anyone else, its the software professionals who're using it for networking. People are regularly finding their long lost classmates & colleagues. And the best thing is - All this comes free of cost (unlike classmates/batchmates sites where you have to cough up an exhorbitant amount to sign up for the 'premium' membership).

Moreover, the ease of usage & the 'personalized' experince are the factors which make it a hit among the masses. Apart from an easy-to-manage friend network, there's a vast array of communities @ your fingertips. Some of them are really funny and a good time pass whereas others are for a good cause.

Due to all these and much more, orkut is an addiction - embrace it or shun it. Thanks to this wonderful person who used his innovative mind to come up with something so good. Orkut - We love you.