Training Blues

The view showcased here made me want to comment on it first, but being a teacher myself, though not in India, wanted to write a bit myself, giving my own perspective on what it is to be on the other side of the class.

The general idea of teachers are that either they are lousy or they juz wanna make money through private tuitions. Yes, people are like that, but those people are not there by merit. They just see it as a career opportunity. The real teacher is someone who comes into this field not out of what he wants to be but out of the compulsion that he wants to make a difference to others. Its not a teaching profession, its a teaching service. As Abdul Kalam and our Captain says, the youth is the most powerful and they are the most potent weapon to shape the future.

There are some exceptions, but you cant make the mistake of taking the exceptions as examples. Ofcourse, while in school, I did perceive the younger batch of teachers as crap, but its the same set who have gained experience and gained the respect of the new generation, the last time I interacted with a bunch of guys from my school. Its like the seasons, students come and go, but teachers stick..not just to their service, but to every student's hearts. Cos unknowingly, understatedly, for 15 long years, they really shape the young mind and give it all the stuff it requires to survive in this world. Without teachers we are not what we are now. Just to prove my point: How many faces (as they were then) do u recollect of your batchmates, say in 2nd Grade. How many faces of teachers (may not be their names) do u recollect of your teachers in the 2nd Grade. I guess atleast one.

Personally, I am a professional (in a profession where everyone is infamously stereotyped as a software engg), but I recently about a couple of years back discovered the other side of me, the one which wanted to help others, the one which realised the joy of rendering service (not just through windows and web services), the one which wanted to be a teacher. I have been doing my bit here and there, but getting to teach young people from 5th grade onwards to old seasoned professionals who have been through a lot more than what I have, I could see how an enthusiastic teacher can really make a difference to how a student progresses. Not to boast about myself, I could see kids listening to their walkman idling with their cellphone games at the start, asking questions (which is something that really really makes a teacher happy) and exceeding my own (very high) expectations. Then I realised a truth that the ultimate joy for every teacher is when they see their students be better than themselves. Cos that means they have done justice to what they are supposed to do.

And the other aspect of teaching is that the capabilities and background of the students may differ wildly, but a teacher strives to make everyone better, not relative to one another (which is stressed by other professions) but better than what he/she was before. Professions give you challenges and excitement, but services like teaching give you joy and contentment. Moreover, even teachers learn..from their students, from the varied experiences through interaction, cos each batch is different. For a teacher, each pupil is different and special, which is something your employers dont want, they only want the best. Teachers aim to make everyone the best.

Right now, I think I have found a very good balance between my profession, my teaching and my learning. So much that I make it a requirement that my employer allows me to continue teaching, during the interview. And believe me, I have rejected a few MNCs cos they did not meet this particular requirement. I have to work at my limits or beyond to multi task like this, but the stuff I mentioned before, abstract terms like joy and contentment, really makes you go that extra step, makes even the burden seem enjoyable. Its not easy being a teacher, not everyone can, but once u r a teacher, you never want to give it up for anything else!

Btw, why this title? Juz came into my head. Doesnt really make sense, cos its all been the case of "The grass is always green on the teaching side". Any questions?

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The search has just begun !!!

You shud learn to say no to succeed in life..Microsoft, EA sports, the rejection saga continues..gud to know those guys are interested in me, but my priorities are different currently. On the other hand, I juz started with my masters and things look a bit cramped. I guess it wont be a cake walk, but i have to walk thru it. Interesting people I met, most o' them are more experienced than me, so its gonna be a good learning curve. Projects and assignments are pouring in, so its gonna be tuff managing a full time job, a part time training, freelance, and seminar talks (more abt this later)..but I take encouragement from people with wife n 2 children, a demanding job (project mgrs n stuff) and the passion to do their masters! Hats off to them and hope i do get my acads straight this time!

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Just a few words...

Suttu viralai neeyum kattai viralai naanum
Ezhudhum edhuvum kavithaiyaga malarum

Oruvar vaazhum ulagil mounam thaane pechu
Mozhigal edharkku iruvar inaiyum podhu

"Engirundhu vandhayada" - Five Star

neeyum thaan selvaai malaigalin gugaiyile
naanum thaan selven imaiyin gugaiyile

"Rayile Rayile" - Five Star

Kannodu unnai kandaal
Kaneerum thenaai maarum

"Thiru Thiruda" - Five Star

Sollukkum theriyamal sollathaan vandhene
Sollukkul artham pola sollamal nindrene

"En Veetu Thottathil" - Gentleman

Netru nee enga irundhaai, kaatre nee solvaai endren
Swasathil irundhadhaga solli sendraai

Anbae naan uranga vendum
azhagana idam vendum
kangalil idam koduppaya

Nee en arugil vandhu neliya
naan un manadhil sendru oliya
nee un manadhil en uruvam kandu pidippaya

"Kaatre en Vaasal Vandhaai" - Rhythm

Kaadhaliyin arumai pirivil, manaiviyil arumai maraivil
Neerin arumai arivaai kodaiyile
Vetkam vandhaai uraiyum, viralgal thottal urugum
Neerum pennum ondru vaadaiyile

Vanna vanna pennae, Vattam idum nathiye,
Valaivugal azhagu, undhan valaivugal azhagu
Mellisaigal padithal, medu pallam maraithal
Nathigalin gunamae, adhu nangaiyin gunamae

Pennum aarum vadivam maara koodum
Neer ninaithaal penn ninaithaal
Karaigal yaavum karainthu poga koodum

"Nathiye Nathiye" - Rhythm

Kilaiyil kaanum kiliyin mooku
Vidalai pennin vetrilai naaku
Putham pudhidhaai ratha roja
Bhoomiyai thodadha pillaiyin paadham
Ella sivappum undhan kovum

"Pachchai Niramae" - Alai Payuthey

Killuvadhai killi vittu yen thalli nindru paarkirai
Naan oviyan endru therindhum nee en kannirandai ketkiraai
Amudhenbadha, vishamenbadha, illai amudha vishamenbadha

"En Kaadhalae" - Duet

Muthal muthal vandha kaadhal mayakkam
Moochu kuzhalgalin vaasal adaikkum
Kaigal theenduma? kangal kaanuma? kaadhal thondruma..?

"En Swasa Kaatre" - En Swasa Kaatre

Un viral vandu ennai theendiyadhe
En narambodu veenai meeetiyadha
Manam avan thaana ivan endru thidukittadhe

Nathiyora poovin mela, jadhi paadum saaral pole
Ennai inba thumbam seruvadho
Oru kannam thandhen unnil maru kannam thandhaai pennae
Yesu naadhar kaatru vandhu veesiyadho

"Theendai" - En Swasa Kaatre

Nenjil yekkam vandhaal, kannil thookam vandhaal
Poovil urangum siri paniyagirom

Azhagu angae ingae sirikkindradhu
Pudhiya kangal nenjil thirakkindradhu

"Thirakkadha kaatu" - En Swasa Kaatre

Nila kaaigirathu, niram theigiradhu
Yaarum rasikka villaiyae
Indha kangal mattum unnai kaanum
Thendral pogindradhu, solai sirikkindradhu
Yaarum sugikka villaiye
Indha kaigal mattum unnai theendum

Indha vaazhkaiye seedhanam
Ungal thevaiyai kelungal

"Nila Kaaigirathu" - Indra

Attrai thingal annilavil, netri tharala neer vazhiya, kotra poigai aadiyaval neeya
Attrai thingal annilavil, kotra poigai aadugaiyil otrai paarvai paarthavanum neeya

"Narumugaiye" - Iruvar

Poovukkul olindhirukkum kani kootam adhisayam
Vannathu poochi udambil oviyangal adhisayam
Thugil sellum kaatrin mellisai aadal adhisayam
Gurunadhar illadha kuyil paatu adhisayam

"Adhisayam" - Jeans

Penne undhan mellidai paarthen
Adada brahman kanjanadi
Satre nimirndhen thalai sutri ponen
Aaha avane vallanadi

"Anbae" - Jeans

Otrai kaalilae pookal nirpadhu
Un koondhalil nindrada thaan
Poomalaiye poochudava
Sindhum mazhai thuli mannil vizhuvadhu
Un kannathil muthada thaan
Naanum unnai muthadava

"Enakke Enakka" - Jeans

Sala sala sala sala rettai kilavi
daga daga daga daga rettai kilavi
Undallo tamizhil undallo
Pirithu vaithal nyayam illai
Pirithu paarthal porulum illai
Rendallo rendum ondrallo

Kannum Kannum rettai piravi
Oru vizhi azhudhal iruvizhi aruvi

"Kannodu kanbadhellam" - Jeans

Kaadhal kaditham theetave megham ellam kaagidham
Vaanin neelam kondu vaa, pena maiyo theerndhidum

Kadidhathil vaarthaigalil kanna naan vaazhugiren
Penaavil ootri vaithadhu endhan uyirallo
Ponne un kadithathai poovale thirakkindren
Viral pattal undhan jeevan kaaya padumallo

Meladai neengum podhu vekkam enna mundhanaiya

"Kaadhal kadidham" - Jodi

Vekkam ketta thendralukku velai illai
Thendralukkum ungalukkum bedham illai
Aadai kulla paarkeer
Ayya thalli nilpeer

"Velli Malarae" - Jodi

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The search has just begun !!! (to hear more such intriguing words)

Irony

First you say "so long",
Then u just long
You get ur parents to come over and "ting tong"
But somewhere down the line, your heart becomes strong...

Every passing second, misery you prolong
Hammering your heart like a powerful gong
Exhausting lame excuses for flying many a furlong
Knowing that your decision was but a ping pong...

Realising u have got it all wrong,
You write a sad song
Finally u know where u really belong
A place u have ignored all along!

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The search has just begun !!! (to mourn for the thousands gleefully flyin away..almost everyday)

A point of note..

Azim Premji's Housing Loan

Wipro's Q1 Profit

The articles convey something, doesnt it?

Now for some analysis...

The monthly per capita expenditure in the national capital's urban pockets was Rs 1,452.83 and Rs 1,010.83 in rural areas, whereas the all India figures come to Rs 932.79 and Rs 498.27 for urban and rural areas.

How much do u spend monthly? How do u account for it, compared to the above statistic?

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The search has just begun !!!

Moodevi

This is the typical word use to curse a luckless girl (which I strongly condemn btw - i dont think luck has to do anything with what a person is), but I am going to use it in the literal sense and talk about the "Moondru devi". In hindu mythology, we have the 3 strong jedi gals (lakshmi, saraswathi and paarvathi) who came together to destroy a darth lord called narakasuran and make us celebrate with light sabers, also known as deepavali. With strong reference to that, let me introduce the Moodevi that I have recently met (blog-encounters). They are princess, paparazzi and nandini, who seemingly equate to paarvathi (mentally strong, destroyer of evil), lakshmi (kind and giver of wealth) and saraswathi (goddess of knowledge and arts) respectively. Well, they are out to destroy the narakasuran of laziness in me and try to get me to blog abt books (yeah, eeeeeeks!) and get the world to wield the punch-sabers (of the keyboard) to their delight. But even the goddesses had to fight for 9 whole days before they cud celebrate, so I aint gonna give in that easily.. And the whole post was just to continue my quest of acknowledging those people who have made a difference to my life, and these three have just made that difference recently (adding 3 to the number of blogs I visit regularly). Hats off to you three and may the moodevis continue to impress me with their diverse blogs.

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The search has just begun !!! (to move into a new house tonite - damn the shifting!)

Layman's Clock Work

For those who got misled by the previous one...

8:00am: Wake up
9:00am: Go late to office.
9:30am: Have bfast
10:00am: Surf news sites.
10:45am: chat with ur friends.
11:00am: Chat with ur dear ones.
11:30am: Count down to lunch.
12:30pm: Rush to canteen.
1:30pm: Talk and eat at the same time.
2:30pm: Laze around
4:00pm: Chit chat with colleagues
6:00pm: Rush home.
7:00pm: Boast about ur work to people (saying its so strenuous).
8:30pm: Grab whatever snacks u can
10:30pm: Buy something from supermarket
11:30pm: Call up someone and spend time on the fone.
1:30am: Surf the web.
4:00am: Sleep.
8:00am: Get up again.

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Clock Work

Daily Planner

8:00am: Start up
9:00am: Office start time. Punctually miss it.
9:30am: Milo time. Mandatory protocol, else will face steaming repurcussions
10:00am: Plan the day ahead by analysing daily reports (sendra naal ulagam).
10:45am: Strategic communication through electronic media.
11:00am: Brainstorming and negotiating with a tough customer (J)
11:30am: Creating vision statements by looking at the system time and counting down.
12:30pm: Manage opportunistic concurrency issues at canteen stall.
1:30pm: Use parallel processing techniques to optimise "time to digest" products.
2:30pm: Come up with functional specifications of idle brain
4:00pm: Emergency team meeting to discuss on contingency plans for procastination
6:00pm: Enhance performance and increase efficiency in leaving office.
7:00pm: Propagate evangelism of work life to confused disciples.
8:30pm: Facilitate collaboration between various teams to share the available snacks
10:30pm: Maintain stock balance by statistical procurement
11:30pm: Summarise the day's progress to boss through tele-conferencing.
1:30am: Analyse existing and future technologies and data mining.
4:00am: Shut down.
8:00am: Restart

Double Century and Private Sanctuary

Often the most mundane and taken-for-granted things gets highlighted in life only when we dont have them and we really feel the need for them. Juz like a blasted pillow in a pathetic state, with hair oil, sweat and jollu linings in a bed that is curvier than any girl here (ok, i aint gonna go into tht again)...

I never missed my bed as much as i did last night. I thoroughly enjoyed the previous 200 hrs..as u cud only enjoy when u r wide awake. With no pride at stake, I did take a nap for 4 hrs in a makeover bed (3 chairs combined - it is an art to sleep like that), in what cud be essentially termed as the last week. I did manage a complete week without sleep during my 3rd year, but with a beautiful girl (MM) for company some of that time and my vibrant youth, it wasnt that tough. Now that wrinkled burmudas have changed to crumpled formal shirts and pants, and with the girl replaced by a hottie (my office comp - u shud touch it!), I did feel worn out at the end of it. I am very happy that Coca Cola and McDonalds would enjoy a massive profit this quarter (all unpaid expenses ofcourse.. for all those living on OT, good for u!).

With my usual 4 hrs of sleep a day taken away from me by the whiff of .net-magic (i juz donno why some things juz dont work..i did try beating and begging) and the pile of Error Catalogs on my table littered with everything but a pillow, I was indeed shaken by the sheer blissfulness of working life. I did come home to greet my roomies (well, only one was in sight) and clean, but the weight of responsibility weighed down on me and I was off inbetween an enthralling captain's film.

I realised how much life has been good to me in the last week...Im tempted to call it a wake up call, but that would sound cliched. Needless to say I havent got over my hangover with a mere 6 hrs yday, as I am running an hectic 20/7 schedule which will occasionally become 24/7, and im waiting to taste the heavenly tidbit called sleep. Ofcourse, it was all cos one miss is missing...God knows wht will happen otherwise! and tht wud have definitely explained the absence of any sense in this blog.

It wasnt without a few pressures. I think Ms. V can lemme know whts the fear of closing ur eye-lids are (in the absence of the bio-guru Ms. A garu), but I did have it the last week. I knew that once I close it for more than a micro second, its gonna seep into my brain and seduce it with its entropin, dissolving the caffeine content that I injected through litres of coke, and steadily take over my entire body. Its the worst feeling realising and accepting that an alien force is taking over ur body, yet fighting helplessly to stay ur own self.

I give myself three options now:

1. A lap from Blore
2. An arm from Chennai
3. A pillow from Singapore.

Well, as high the hopes might be, reality sinks in and I realise it will be hours before I can go into the sanctuary facilitated by the last option...and live to fight another day.

Being the person who would like atleast others to have what I dont, I dont care whats the time there for u. Good Night!

PS God: juz 4 hrs plz :(

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The search has just begun !!!

People

Well, I juz thot about a lot of people complaining that blogs are about oneself. I think blogs are about what one thinks...And with so much of bitching and itching and cursing and moaning and slogging around, I am yet to find some matter of fact opinions of people. Izit cos bloggers think too much of themselves and too few of the good qualities of others? So lemme buck the trend and put in a word of a few people..random order juz as it renders in my brain...I dont like priotising people (not my work)..well, lemme juz start off with a few bloggers...

Paparazzi - very straightforward, a bit egoistic and proud, balanced in her own tipsy topsy way, not afraid to pass judgements though will not evaluate yourself with those rules, pretty possessive... (well, the inspirer of this post)

StarGazer - silent, thoughtful, passionate

Girish - geek with the big G. Sakalakala vallavan, still nallavan. A bit eccentric at times, but thats expected. Downright local (without the Im doin my masters in opthalmology from Princeton university accent) whenever I talk to him.

J - The confused guy in his own wake of looking at the world. Very constructive brain, but mostly too abstract for me to be enthused about.

Ranga - Chauvinistically utopic. Lives in the dreams of a perfect land. Simple, compassionate, emotional, enumerative. Idealistic to the core.

Dinx - Silent, moody, mournful, kind and gentle. Very sensitive to the slightest provocation. Total commitment to seasonal afflictions. Often does a suprisingly good job in what he does, given his quiet nature.

Makki - Has his own unique way with people. May not leave an impression but atleast worth being a source of inspiration (eg: my blog). I should say I have never been so successful in consistently putting my thots to words. Crazy and many a times impractical in his dreams.

A - Too old for her age, her brain is. Very balanced, thoughful, easy going and friendly. Has a tendency to get carried away and tread close to plagiaristic ritualistic adaptations, but impressive in her own uniqueness. Makes her work a bit of an inquisitive curious ravenous little puzzle of sorts. Too good is all I can exclaim.

Ms. V - Insightful, I probably acknowledge more of her skills, but its the silence from others that really highlights her abilities and underlines her immense potential. Can make nonsense seem like good sense for the major part, encapsulating it in splits of critical laughter.

Princess - Downright entertaining. Very methodical, masked in a coat of bittersweet. Having the knack of keeping audience' interest, it probably takes u a lot more to get mentioned in more than a letter (I do have that honour thanks to my really long real name).

Ammani - chewing gum. Managed a niche in distributing the gum and allowing people to chew it at their own sweet pace, thereby making chewing an art and the gum seem a treasure.

Swetha - A potent weapon in her own world, a bit of a bliss. Need to be pushed, she aint shy once it comes to doin things. Perfect for a prefect, not cos she can lead, but she can set an example and a precedent.

Sharana - One person whose writings I really really really admire..for the intricate intertwines of words and play on everything with rhyme often being the only exception. High quality thoughts rush out in a stream with no breaks for visual effects. At the end of it, you see the falls in all its magnificence.

Bala - Roaming about the lake in all ferocity targetting the refinement of politics. High hopes indeed, but even impossible says im possible, so all due respects. His research into developing his blogs makes me see blue (the hyperlinks ofcourse!).

Smyta - It was very hard for me to imagine a feminine geek (geekess?) before I stumbled onto this hardcore techie. Beautiful nostalgic photos leave you gaping for a want of a word, bringing you a smile so wide that u will set your worries and tensions aside.

V - Naive and impulsive, shes a i-dont-care-but-beware kind. Lovely words that bloom rarely like a vintage flower. Needs some inspiration to go with her thoughts. First impression has been pretty positive.

Priya - Analytical and practical. Very honest with her reactions and often fills just a word more than you want to describe. Varied interests and focussed approach is a bit of a contrast, but careful not to keep a wrong foot.

Vishy - Always worried about what the future holds in store for him that he often forgets to live in the present. But whenever he keeps in touch with reality, he does appear flustered. He has a very tenacious nature, which coupled with his insecurity, qualifies him a bookworm, but with a notable occasional monologue that will leave you thinking..

PS: for those who dint get a mention, no hard feelings, its not an award :P Most likely I juz forgot and very likely that im 3/4 asleep..

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The search has just begun !!! (to praise rest in next)

Of Bill Gates and Open Source, and S'porean oldies

Yesterday I had the honour of listening live to a speech by Bill Gates, Chief Software Architect of Microsoft. He visited here for the 3rd time ever, and he was quite happy what with the govt doing all it can to go .netting their services. I shud be glad too, tht means steady cash flow for me.

I should say I thot he cud talk more fluently than that - with a lot of vocal pauses. Anyway, all went well until the Q&A when one guy had asked "Why dont you make your code open source". The look on Bill Gates'face then - priceless! There was an obvious pause for 5 seconds before he replied some value for money and stuff which no one gave a damn about.

The best was the pause..This is what he must have been thinkin.."Its my freakin company, I want to make money, and thats what makes me so adorable. No one will give a damn abt me if I wasnt the second richest person. Go ask companies like IBM and Sun to make theirs open source or Motorola and Siemens make their phone technology opensource. And if I do expose my code, a lot of companies will file law suits saying tht i have copied from their software! Plus a lot of companies will start getting out much better products based on our software than we ever can..Cmon think about the reputation of Microsoft if Windows doesnt ever crash! We are just not ready to accept that kinda isolation and frustration."

OK, now on to the more serious second part...

Imagine...a person with a shoulder bag full of stuff to sell..the first reaction is to bend down and ignore. If the person comes to you and says something.."No thanks" trying to be as polite as u can. Then the person sadly moves away, but wait..there is a chair on the way.. and the stuff gets strewn all over. Thats when my instinct takes over and I help the person gather the stuff...And I open my eyes and take note.

An old woman 70-80 i assume, withered looks, blind, selling tissue papers. An equally old blind man tagging on behind her clutching her hand for moral and physical support, worried at the scene unfolding in his darkness. Once I finished my errand, she said "che che" (well, it sounds like tht, means thanks in chinese). I felt kinda sad about the whole thing and I offered to buy a pack. And I gave her a $10 note for tht. Then she started scrambling in her purse feeling the circumferance and girth of the coins to give me the exact change. Whatever color when blood red and saline water combines, I had tht in my eyes then. I was out of words, cos I dint know how to say "juz keep it" in chinese. But I cud always show it in action and then her gratefulness made me ashamed and made me fight my tears. And then it was off to the next table and another rejection taken with elan. I wish I had some more..not juz money..

Back to consciousness, I was fuming at a lot of things. The way the oldies go about their 70-80+ years. Its quite shocking that all the places u go, its the oldies who clean the tables and plates at the university canteens, hawker centres (roadside food courts) and the careless emptiness of their existence to the younger generation. Sometimes I really feel that they have brought that situation upon themselves and that they juz go about the whole thing with no remorse. People often associate this city/country with all the skyscrapers and beautiful roads..but is beauty all about cement concrete and tar? I was thinkin about how many times I have heard "paati sonna kadhai", "thatha used to do this and that" from Indians. Here, I have never ever heard that. The children here are quite dependant on their parents till they get married, and then still its about their parents (till the parents earn ofcourse). What about the grandparents? Are they too old or are you too rigid or are you blind? Even the blind get tears in their eyes, cos they feel..and I saw a coupla pints pour down today, the tiny pool splattered by the tap tap tap..leaving my heart in shambles.

I dont wanna blame it on poverty, which btw, is present here (though might seem unbelivable for many). basic necessities are there, but in heavy debt and mortgage.. For one, it seems hard to believe there are no Indian families here struggling like this, but there is no indian man or woman (70+) i have seen doing the cleaning and cleansing. That makes me wonder. Is it the over-enthu S'porean (kiasu) workaholic behaviour that makes them work even a day before their demise or is it the Indian family and society values that prevent the Indian counterpart from doin such things when faced with adversity? Its been there in my mind for a long time now..but all I can do right now is dump my plates into the bin myself..

Old is gold is probably not true when it comes to how society treats the old, atleast here..Even the world goes round and round, does it bore u? Think about the reality on the ground and do ur best to make the old people proud or atleast happy..cos they deserve it. I remember a line from Kandukondain Kandukondain..when aishwarya rai says "Maranathai vida kodiyadhu enna theriyuma..marakka padardhu" The way she said it made me laugh..but now I think.

heart-broken... not by a girl this time.

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The search has just begun !!!