Courtship of a different kind - Part 1

Define: seeking the affections of a woman (usually with the hope of marriage)

Among Indian guys, it is popularly divided into two stages. The first phase is known as "Adhu oru kanaa kaalam" known for the intense self beautification ritual instigated by even the faintly beautiful girl, followed by neer abhishekam (jal abhisheka for the tamil-disoriented). This divine water flows incessantly following a self realisation called adolescence. Since Dubukku has mastered the art of story telling in this period, I will shelve the (ghost) stories from my own past.

The second phase is the legal jollu uttufying period between engagement and marriage afflicting unsuccessful participants from the first phase. More likely, the same applies to both the genders. This is analogous to a match to decide the third place that nobody cares to watch. Thus, the couple seek solace from being undisturbed in their courtship. Unlike the first phase, where volatile reactions occur, engagement turns the Indian parents from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean within a blink of an eye. Late nights wakey talkey singles are cooed, and blank calls are blush-interpreted. Mock anger is put forth once in a while to ensure "adult" intervention. This is also the convenience period, where the guy does not smoke or drink, and the gal is homely and shy. She talks only when talked to, while he is handsome and adoring. "Everything is nice when nobody is wise" saying comes into play in full force during this extraneously extravagant exciting exercise.

The phrase "Subhashya seekram" (Do good things fast) plays spoil sport, although it correlates well with trying to tie up two losers with the throngs of marriage, before their "honeymoon period" gets over and to ensure that they dont do any "silly things". Ofcourse, the "exciting" things on offer after marriage makes the two fall into line. It slowly dawns on them during the marriage day that they are the two most neglected souls in the ceremony full of cricket, current affairs, politics and future marriages. People bless them with long lives, definitely long enough to realise their folly.

And then "the third person" hears "they lived happily ever after...".

In the next part, I will venture into my personal life, and the funda behind the heading. Viewers' (in)discretion might suggest that I might be the author of Harry Potter, and that I might author another 6 parts that might make their stomachs rival Shakira ending in a rather bemusing, yet utterly disgusting, excretion from the wrong side of the body. Please rest assured that the former is incorrect, and that I would stand aghast at even a mention of one of those books. For further information, please contact M(r)s Princess.

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Bloggers' clog

Increasingly I find that my blogger circle has become dormant. While fully aware of the reasons for the sharp slump in my own frequency (laziness masked as excuses), I am not sure about the reason for the rest of them switching off. Surfing blogs used to be an everyday ritual, when I wished I had enough time...But now it seems like everyone is stuck up or too hung up to post a few things...

Maybe technology has given them an alternative avenue to vent their feelings and expressions... Analogous to the SMS and Chat luring teens, much like Email captivated teens a decade ago, I do find a lot of people go in for Orkut rather than blog nowadays. Although it could prove exhasperating trying to follow another person's scrap book entries, it does provide an avenue for quick and short communiques with your own friends. The visibility is much less, but precise and concise messages take centre stage.

Interestingly, I was one of the first few to use both these technologies, and I have been a jack, stuck between the two, with a 100+ blog entries, and a 100+ scrap book entries. Masters of these are counting in thousands. Although I see the good points of both, I do think blogs are etched in time, while scraps are meant for that moment in time. I started a blog as a bigraphical log, and will definitely continue it in the same vein.

The purpose of this post is to reach out to those lazy guys and gals present as links in the right hand side of this page, who havent posted for a while... wake up and get going... for, there will always be some who love to read what u have got to say...I am sure everyone had their own sweet reasons for starting it, but I am damn sure they have none when they really think about why they stopped.

You will stay atop until you stop!

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Inspiration

When a man fights from the brink of defeat and humiliation to prove himself again at the level he was revered, it shows a man of character. Sourav Ganguly has just done that, and it is indeed fascinating. I have always been a fan of the classy left hander, and his impeccable grace, let alone his mighty sixes. Let me draw on his inspiration and apply it to blogging, so that this blog doesnt go down the drain.

I remember starting this blog with a remark that this is just an online catalog of my life. I have never bothered about the number of comments in here, and I hope to stay that way. A lot has been happening the last few months that had kept me too busy to blog (aka lazy). For those viveks who exclaim "Figure a paathu friend a cut pannittan", it is just one side of the story. The last six months, I have worked harder than ever, inside my house. I have gained great appreciation on what my mother had done all these years, literally bone crunching tedious tiring exhasperating work. Worries were never my forte, and I do know the reason now. Your purest is in your thoughts, and my dearest friends were definitely part of it. My planning skills were put to a test and my communication skills suffered as a result. I do hope things will be back to normal, now that I know commitment means a lot.

For those eager souls, the last couple of weeks flew in a flash in India! My formal engagement ceremony inbetween made it quite hectic and enjoyable as well. Expectedly, it was a sweet shock for all my relatives. For the first time in my life, I had no clue what I am doing during that ceremony! I have always shied away from the spotlight, and it was quite flestering to be in the centre. For statistical purposes, this is the first ceremony that I have actually seen properly :P I have always been entrusted with looking after kids and playing with them during any of the family gatherings. Although a couple of kids were fighting over who wanted to sit on my lap, I did not have much of my "usual work" to do. Trust me, my sis and aunt didn't make it any better by making up all kinds of jokes. I did wonder how I am going to get through the marriage day sitting 5-6 hrs in the smoke. I get suffocated by even naptha, so I am quite concerned. A flurry of introductions on my in-laws' side interjected my thoughts, and before I knew it, there I was, engaged to the girl I fell head over heels for, 3 yrs back. I guess thats life!

Back to the present, days are going through at a snail's pace. Nothing much to do at work or home. Relaxing was never my strong point, so I am eager to latch on to the things I have missed the past few months, and enjoy the last few months of my bachelorhood. Reminiscencing, life has indeed come a full circle for me, and having seen both sides of the story, I definitely like this one :)

When time is wrong, miseries throng; When time is right, things look bright;

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India here I come!

Hi guys,

I am home bound for a couple of weeks. Not that I have been posting much of late, but anywayz, if anyone cares, pls give me a call or email...

Off from Changi Airport!

In the name of masters...

I am currently pursuing my masters course in NTU, wherein I am undertaking a research project on the applicability of a new software business model.

I would be glad if you could fill up the associated questionnaire (Should not take more than 5 mins). We are targetting current or ex IT CEO/Project Managers/Project Lead/ Team Leads.

If you have been in any of the above-mentioned positions in your current or previous jobs, please fill in the details accordingly.

Survey

Please pass this on to your friends as well to aid in our research.

Please drop me an email as well, if you are interested in receiving a copy of the aggregated survey results.

All information gathered will be kept strictly confidential.

Thanks in advance!

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The end of an era...

I was getting used to being too lazy to blog and telling people that Im
too busy to blog... But it all changed in the matter of a few mins.
Having been pumped up by the fact that Schumi has managed to claw back
to within a couple of points of Alonso, I was in for a shock. The moment
I saw schumi look down at the start of the press conference said it
all.. That this was going to be his last. Sure enough there will be a
lot written about him in the next month, but that's not all that hes
worth. Competitors will be relieved but say there wont be a difference,
but that's not what he is to the sport. He has been an icon, he has been
a lot more, he has shown himself to be the ultimate Champion. I will
always wonder if I loved F1 cos of schumi or loved schumi cos of my love
for F1. Such has been his presence in this sport he has dominated that
rules were written and re-written in vain just to plot his downfall.

He is not the best sport, and he has admittedly been a rogue. He has had
his share of good and bad. Yes, he is a man, who wouldn't mind 'crossing
the line' to win, and one who wouldn't mind crying when he felt so
(Imola, 1994; Imola, 2000; San Marino, 2003). And yes, he is human, and
he showed it when he gave the trophy to Rubens Barichello (Austria,
2002) when he was 'gifted' the win by his team, atracting a small fine
of $500K. He has had his share of clashes and bashes (Spa,1998), with or
without reason. That's the nature of this sport. He has had his share of
laughs as well, He has lead a genre of drivers, and shown the way to all
of them, while so many of them were shown the doors. He is a competitor
to the core, never wanting to yield a place, even if he has nothing to
gain and everything to lose (Germany, 2006).

But all that doesn't take away the awesome driver and team player that
he is. Seven, and hopefully eight, World Champion titles do not come
easy. A lot has been screamed in the media about his No. 1 status at
Ferrari, but the subtle albeit forgotten moments (like letting Eddie
Irwine win the Malaysian GP 1999 which he could have easily won) are
what defines the team player that he is. When the going gets tough, the
tough get going, and surely enough a career threatening leg breaking
crash (Silverstone, 1999) did not deter him. He has always said that
statistics do not matter to him, and true enough he is gonna retire with
a 100 wins in sight, so near yet so far. Statisticians are the only guys
who will be pleased with that.

I can write and write a lot about this gem of a guy, but my heavy heart
is taking its toll. Let me sign off by saluting the maestro. F1 will
definitely miss him, and so will all of his innumerable fans. Never have
I felt so happy, being just 1 in a billion. I have indeed been lucky to
watch him race. Drivers come and go, but Champions like him come once in
a lifetime. With gaping jaw, there is just one phrase I will always have
for him: That man loves to race, and wants to win!

Truly an end of an era... whatta man! I love you schumi!

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Yahoo goes bust :(

I discovered that my Yahoo account (sooper_crack) has been hacked. I am not able to log in to my msgr or check my email. If you see this msg, please contact me thru ra_rajagopalan@yahoo.com. Im damn pissed that I have lost all my contacts cos of that!!! Whoever it was, feel free to get a free flow of curses from me. Im quite tied down trying to settle down in my new lifestyle and new surrounding. So will get back to blogging in sometime. Meanwhile, get back in touch folks!

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Nothing else matters

The day I have been waiting for all these years has finally arrived. When you have someone special with you, nothing else matters. Absolutely nothing.

And for once (and probably only once) I love Indian Airlines, for safely ferrying my beloved across the mighty ocean..

RAQ: When bliss hits you at the speed of a blizzard, it feels like a wave of the magic wand by a wizard.


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Hold On

This is for a special friend looking for a special someone...

Hold on...


Dont flee, with doubt in excess
Yet there could be that special someone
Who sees you as his princess
Whilst your sordid fear, long bygone

When things do seem as you need
It only increases your pride and greed
But when things go all so wrong
We tend to let go a tired song

What we need is a moment of clarity
Truth, alas, is but a rarity
Lets face it and see the brighter side
Casting your worries about present and future aside

Let not a decade's misery blind you
Be positive and indeed there will be a few
Who think the world of you, and soon
You will realise failure is but a boon

Not all love is full of roses
Ending as a pair under an arch
Time will decide when that someone proposes
Till then, let not the past deter your determined march

May God bless you with all you want
We all search, intrigued by the questions that haunt
Most choose to feel the pain and grumble
But the successful say it makes them humble

When we forego our needs and learn to accept
When we learn to gain from pain, pleasure we intercept
When we grow out of our wants, we see the world as it is
Nothing's more special that living your life, with not a second to miss

So my dear miss,
Your Prince hasnt gone amiss
All I say is enjoy your day, till you get an instant fizz
When he comes into your life and takes you to eternal bliss.


RAQ: In a list, there is always a first and a last; If the first is the last, the list doesn't last!

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JPM - Flair and Flare

Shocked was I to see the news yesterday. I never considered him a Champion, but he was a fighter, always up for driving the wheels off any car hes got into and never afraid to bang wheels with a competitor. Such was his intensity that he had broken down innumerable Williams'. From a rookie who had the guts to stun the World Champion in just his third race, he has been a terror in the offing. Too bad he has to go out after being subdued by his new boss over the last couple of seasons. Just why he wasnt able to click at McLaren would be anything from unreliable car to an admonished soul. However, now he has gone as he came. In a whirl of fire. He showed his Colombian aggressiveness aplenty during his 6 yrs in F1, but never had he garnered my respect as much as he does now, for the simple fact that he had the guts to show the finger and walk out mid season. Ofcourse, even a layman would know the real reason is not NASCAR but the accident that took his teammate out last GP. I think it was more a manifestation of his bosses' anger over not able to retain their number 1 driver due to poor results like the last one. And this guy aint one to gulp down insults and eat his pie. I am still very much an F1 fan, and absolutely a Schumi fan, but Im proud of u Montoya, for you are a man! And F1 has surely lost some of its flair and flare, with him...

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My Best Friend...

I miss quite a few things of late.. Talking to my friends as much as I would, running to meet them online with every buzz as I should, sharing their happiness and sadness as much as I could, but now I feel like a dead wood...

Its the time when time doesnt seem to chime, when every rhyme seems not so sublime, when speakers dont blast and songs dont last, when I sleep till it gives me a creep, when I say goodnight before midnight... something is terribly wrong.. the reason is I long to be where I belong...cos its been so long for it to come along...

The reason... my best friend. He is gonna leave me forever. I broke down in tears the moment I realised hes gonna leave. He has been my best friend in life. I have had a lot of my friends stab me in my back, but when the role is reversed, it is just heartbreaking. You dont realise the true value of anything until it leaves you. I have only seen one person in their deathbed so far, and I am reminded of it.. The painful affectionate last touch, longing for him to never leave you, but knowing fully well that you need to let go. No pain, no gain. I mean, how mean!

I have always been proud of my friend. He has always been on my side. Whenever I needed him, he was there. Bore the brunt of all my faults, even my parents used to scold him for all my faults, and he has been ever so patient and never left me even in my worst of times. We promised each other that we will always be there for each other, forever. My parents used to even call me by his name at times! Such was our closeness. We used to be such pals that there wasnt a day when I hadnt met him. And now that he is leaving, it hurts. Like never before, like never again..My whole body shudders with the fear of the unknown, a life without him, my veins strains knowing it can never relax again, my best pal being snatched away by fate right in front of my eyes. And I can do nothing to prevent it. Its only a matter of days (18 to be precise) that would change my life forever.

This is probably not an ode that my famed laziness deserves, but all I can say is that I love you, my precious laziness, and im gonna miss u lots! Being the eternal optimist, I do hope against hope that my better half will allow me to catch up with you, my pal, ever so often! Meanwhile, 18 days is a long time isnt it? Be with me, all that time, will you?

RAQ: When all seems lost, there is still hope to breach. When hope seems lost, there is dope to reach. But when dope is in scope, say nope, is what I preach!

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One Step Closer

One Step Closer

Lot of things make news these days
But the most important ones are not those the newspaper conveys
Something that touches the heart and triggers pleasure rays
Are often the result of innumerable prays.

Neither the ones which make you smile in happiness
Nor the ones which make you scream in delight
Not the ones which make you squeal in excitedness
But the ones which make you cry, though not in plight

For the news is something
That is worth everything
At that point of time, nothing
Else seem as important, as that thing.

The way your emotions surge
The result of your long subdued urge
The way you always wanted it to be
Now that it is, emotions are let free.

The hop in your step, the end-to-end smile on your face
Your heart and its pent up feelings, it betrays
With nothing to stop you, all your emotions surface
And when one spots it, the resulting blush adds to your grace.

Sparkling eyes that makes the sun envious
The added pink tinge in your cheeks quite obvious
Happiness that abounds the heart is most precious
That there is still a long way to go, seems oblivious.

Aching hearts, crying souls and painful farewells
Been through it all, and now the sounds of wedding bells
Seem to ring in the not so distant future
Though till then, we might be a step ahead of our culture!

A missed opportunity a couple of years back
But God gave a good job to fallback
Experience, we gained, in work and life
That will stand us in goodstead when we become man and wife.

A lot we learnt through these years
Felt close in joy and dealt with our fears
Every fight brought us closer together
Waiting and longing and praying for fate to bring you hither.

Finally the day is nearing, when you will be with me
I cant wait to experience that moment of unprecedented glee
That we are meant to be together, God can foresee
Close together, from now on, forever we shall be!

Life is not going to be a smooth ride
And I need to find resources to provide
But with you by my side
I can leave all my worries aside.

The moment I met you, I knew this is it
That I have finally got my dream girl, every bit
An innocent girl with a golden heart, mine she did split
And here she comes, to set ablaze the light of love and life, in that slit.


Wish you a very very happy birthday, J :)

RAQ: History tells His Story, Mystery tells Miss Story

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What do you want?

Its that time of the year again.. when you grow up, atleast on the record. And when family and friends greet you with glee and wish you all the best... you would love to have more than just one birthday a year. But wait, did you think about your family and friends? Birthday and "surprises" go together. Presents have to be showered on the birthday gal/boy. But what to get them? What do they like? What do they need? What do they want? Its like writing an examination, one too many, every year. Other occasions like marriages are often straightforward to get "gifts" for. And if u cant think of any, a white cover wud be the obvious (and most popular) choice. No, not that for a birthday! If its a close friend, guy or gal, its a severe test on u to conjour up the right present. Even more for loved ones. Ofcourse, they wouldnt want anything more than to hear a pleasant "Happy Birthday" but then, if family and friends do something about it, why not you? So, in a way its indirect pressure to think a million times before you act (to get a present).

So, now that we "know" we need to get something, what do we get? For a guy, things are quite easy. A cool gadget or a nice shirt or tie or shoes and matter settled. Atleast you can be assured of getting a clear answer when you ask them. But for girls, its not as simple, for the simple reason that they themselves do not know what they want, most of the time.

Top three choices for what a guy wants...
This thing, That thing - means I want this thing or that thing. In reality, anything will be fine.
Nothing - means I dont want anything but you to be with me.

There are no three choices when it comes to guys, only two. This or That. Done.

Top three choices for what a girl wants...
Nothing - means I definitely want something, but I aint gonna ask u. Its your job to find out.
Something - means buy me something that I want, lets see how much u know me.
Anything - means get me something that I like, I dont know what I want myself, but you should know.

As it stands, that makes us none the wiser as to WHAT we should get them. So the ultimate quest follows, with everything on the line. Thats quite a challenge and I like challenges! (Now I know why some people thank heavens for bdays coming only once a year)

I have a "reputation" amongst some fellow bloggers as being a MC, and I know this post doesnt help alter that image much. But sometimes, things are not what it seems. Anywayz, right now, Im in the middle of trying to figure out the toughest puzzle, for a special someone, for a special day... so lets hope I get it right.. atleast this time :P

RAQ: If you venture into uncharted territory, make sure you come back to tell the story

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Bank on me

A lot of people get their interest from the bank, or even salary from a bank, but I get my salary paid by a bank. I have maintained a very low profile for the last couple of months, partly due to getting flustered by the new working environment. Ever since I got into the new company, I have had a tough time explaining to people that it really is a bank and Im not making names up :P Atleast for the football freaks, I can mention the title sponsors of EPL and that settles the matter. Not quite. The immediate question: "Do you get free tickets to EPL". As if I care a damn abt EPL. Yeah yeah, being the world cup time, I need to bring in football somewhere. And my fav? Brazil, Spain, Italy, Germany in that order.

Anywayz, coming to the bank, I realised that banks in general are one of the lousiest working environments u can find. My work is making me yawn in boredom rather than in lack of sleep, like a few months bak. Banks are highly structured in terms of products, heavily dissected in terms of resources, largely unstructured in terms of processes and just chaotic in terms of technology. If you find 101 systems to manage 100 products where most of those products interact with each other, 50 systems are so out of date that vendors dont support them, 75 systems give you the same data in different formats and suddenly one day u realise 25 systems are redundant, and one system is erroneous and u dont know which system that is, now u r talkin banking language!

Added to this, all the fuss on top of it in the name of security and compliance, and a nosey manager who doesnt seem to know anything but to say "yes" when talkin to the top management, while being hellbent on finding faults in u. And these "faults" range from spending too much time on the company's internal technical forum (?) to doing stuff in my desk other than my job scope (like helping my colleagues) (??) to not having written proof of having gone through the company's online knowledge bases (???) to not knowing english cos I wrote "I will intimate you once its done" to a business user and he took "intimate" to mean "imitate" :P

The only consolation is the people there. They usually have the best in the business, but whts the point recruiting the best to do the worst? In no other industry do u find 3 ex-architects and 2 ex-project managers working as developers in the same team :P Why? The key selling point (and maybe the only one) is the domain. Financial Services, Banking and Insurance (FSBI sector in short) is the only place where the money really is! So, everyone does suckle up to get the domain knowledge in this area. So did I. But I have an unique perspective, having been in all three of those areas, and I do find that Banks are the most complicated (need not necessarily be the most complex) place to be in. In most industries, hardly anyone cares about the "bigger picture", while in banks, nobody really knows the entire stuff.

Ofcourse, I expected it to be as messy when I joined, and being the eternal optimist I look at it not as a problem, but as an opportunity. I realised that in the formative years of your career, it is of utmost importance for you to take on the challenges, instead of finding faults and escape routes.

RAQ: Knowledge without Application is useless, Application without Acknowledgement is worthless, Acknowledgement without Appreciation is pointless.

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Today's Special

Not everyday is today. Not many days brim with news like today did. Maybe its cos its a PR expert's bday. So lemme start off with wishing the Princess a very very happy bday! Today was also the day of a special function for my cousin looking forward to her first kid. One of my best friends through college, Sriram Saroop, is getting married today as well. My best wishes to him! And to top it all, ofcourse, came the BIG BIG BIG news from J. Finally, thanks to all the prayers of the well wishers, my life is gonna change quite dramatically in ejjatly 2 months' time. As expected, I am just too happy and cant hide my smile anywhere. Why should I? ;) At the end of all this, I pretty much got ragged by my own parents about things to come with subtle warnings about things that might happen :P What they forgot what that as much as they know me, I know them :)

Anywayz, for those who feel that they might not be able to talk and chat with me as frequently, I always value my friends highly, and as I always say, I am never too busy for my friends :) Ofcourse some will disagree after my recent abscondings :P

Special and unforgettable day, this.

RAQ: Failure teaches more than Success, but life makes sure neither is in excess!

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Back to Earth

The last 10 days have been just amazing. Too many things happened too fast and I was literally in heaven. My sis visit was a blast and I thoroughly enjoyed it! So much that it has taken me 2 days after she left, to come back to earth. To give you a gist:

Day 0: The night before THE arrival. Havent been so excited abt anything like this, for long. Damage limitation exercise in full flow as I sought to keep everything out of reach of the kids.

Day 1: Went to airport to receive my sis, her hubby and the two kids, Pratul (6 yrs) and Jayanth (2 yrs). From the start, the trip was all about the kids. Jayanth insisted on pushing the empty trolley all the way to the gate where an alarmed guard had to coax him to leave it. Came home and immediately went for dinner in Komalas (one of the many visits there). Came back home. Jayanth showed me a glimpse of why he is a terror back home. In 30 mins, there was nothing to be seen on the floor (btw, its a typical bachelors' apartment, so u know...). His elder bro did not wanna be overshadowed, so he locked my room from the inside, forcing me out of my own room for the rest of the night.

Day 2: Paid a hefty sum for a 2 sec job by a locksmith. Room sweet room! Planned for a trip to Sentosa Island, but aborted half way through. Realised travelling with kids needs a lot more time than planned! Was suddenly aware of a buzzing sound. Turned to look at the taxi door open travelling at 100 kmph. Look on the taxi drivers face suggested I wouldnt be surprised if he had a heart attack. Diverted to a friend's place and Jayanth professed his love for the 10 month old baby there with a tight ringing slap across the face :P Went to BirdPark. Pratul got scared of the hawks and eagles but Jayanth was there, as always running upto the trainer shouting "mama thaa". Then we travelled by train, and Jayanth wouldnt have anything of it. It started off with a small moan saying "train venaam" and soon became a hysterical cry. Actually it was more of an order than a cry. We had to get off about midway as my sis and her hubby were just too embarassed by the whole train looking at them in stunned silence.

Day 3: Finally went to Sentosa Island. Water, milk and nappies were the most valuable products of the day (and the rest of the days to come). Realised Jayanth is a two word freak. He only talks two words at a time but conveys very effectively. "Paal venum", "dhathi venum", "chuchu ponum", "mazhai peiyardhu", "express(train) vendaam", "call taxi", "college bus", "samaan lorry", "double-decker bus" are a few of his vocabulary. 2 - nothing more, nothing less. Would have made thiruvalluvar jealous!

Day 4: I was off to office, never cursed monday like this. Heard they enjoyed themselves in Zoo and Night Safari. Came back home at 12.30, so nothing much. It was something Pratul really enjoyed, I heard. He is a really sweet soft shy kid. I have seen him grow up and guided him along the way (taught him a trick or two in his younger days). Cud literally see that lack of guidance can turn a constructive energy into a destructive one.

Day 5: Witnessed a gruelling act. Saw Jayanth maul a poor cat in my house. He went and grabbed it by the scruff of the neck and hugged it tight (real tight). It cried in pain and me loving cats, bled. And by the time I forced him to let go, the cat had had a painful haircut.

Day 6: Cut short my day's work and wanted to meet them in Mustafa. Searched for 1.5 hrs in that shop for them, and gave up. Most frustrating experience. Went to temple and came back home, only to get a rude shock. Called up my handphone (with my sis), and realised she had lost her (my) handphone in Mustafa. I had no other way of contacting her, so I rushed there. After a frantic search and rescue operation, I could finally relax for the day.

Day 7: Last day of work for the day, as a Malaysian trip was planned for the next couple of days. Hectic work though, and everything was last min. They had meanwhile enjoyed being to the Science Centre. After a hell of a delay, managed to go halfway around the city to reach the train station and caught it just in time. This period also involved frequent tensed calls to Visithra to check up on a few hotels in KL (I had just realised that I havent booked a hotel in KL). Train saw Jayanth with renewed energy and this time around, it was a 5-6 yr old girl who bore the brunt of his "affection".

Day 8: KL, here we come. Stranded on the streets as there was no hotel available. And the one that was took the liberty to charge a humoungous amount. Bore the brunt of my sis' short temper. Probably this was the first time I noticed her presence amongst the chaos ;) Made a fool of myself by not planning for my "dear" sis. Got into some decent hotel and then off to the towers to book tickets. The best thing about KL is the tallest things there.. Petronas and KL Tower are just too good. Esp the former, which attracts young and old alike (did not seem to bother Jayanth's "running around routine" though). His Goal in life is simple. Do whatever his bro can do. This involved a vertical jump of about 5 feet in the garden there. Rounded the day off with a trip to the Airport (which is in a distant isolated location 70km away). Just thinking how people in India will react if they hear that we spent Rs 3000 to just travel to the airport and back.

Day 9: Went to Batu Caves (a beautiful scenic climb) and Putrajaya (a freaking hot distant deserted place in a land far far away from KL). Came back exhausted to do some shopping (and lotsa bargaining) in China Town. Once we realised there was no more cash left, the day drew to a close as we boarded the train back. I never got to meet Visithra, but sure thanks for her valuable info. On hindsight, she would have more than met her match, if only she had!

Day 10: Final day of a sweet little journey. Back to same old monotonous city. After a morning nap, went to Mustafa and bought nothing, then went for some ice creams (in Swensens) and a movie Poseidon (mini version of Titanic). Inbetween Pratul tried to emulate his bro's antics and in the process fell off the sofa and bled his nose. Poor guy.

Day 11: Couldnt even say tata babye cos I had to rush to the office. Got a lot to reminiscence, but a lot more to curse for the week flew off so soon.

Even though the talk of the town was the young kid, by heart goes out to Pratul, for whom the trip was all about. Atleast for me, it was all abt him, his enjoyment and satisfaction. I did what I could to entertain him and he was overjoyed to get a "Power Rangers" toy and shirt-shorts, at the end of it all.

RAQ: All good things have to come to an end... for better things to start

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Visa Power

I hate credit cards. They are the biggest trap in life, but according to some smart fellas in the US, they have found a way to reap "rewards" from it. Donno how true it is. Heard that the avg savings rate in the US is -4% though. I would be happy with the 52% here. (Though all the time I have a feeling of living in US!).

Talking of rewards, I am going to finally reap the benefit of having a multiple entry visa to Malaysia. Every year, I get a multiple entry visa hoping to frequent the country across the bridge, but I somehow end up going there only once a year. This year, I am going to go there for the third time next week. I know, its not much, but better now than never. Donno where Visithra has disappeared, but if u do read it before next fri, gimme a buzz. Ozhunga suthi kaami.

And the reason is BIGGGGGG. My sister is coming down for a whirlwind tour of Singapore and Malaysia (sorry, election hangover) starting this friday. Cant wait to see my two nephews in "action". God save the things in my house, though I could hardly care less for a bundle of mess anywayz. I did clean my house though, for obvious reasons. And I realised I need to get quite a few stuff for it to look inhabitable. I do hope my nephew isnt an avid expert in drawing like Ms. V!

Talking about my nephews, I cant stop, so hope to post some pics soon! The first guy is gonna ensoy himself to the core, but the second one is gonna be busy turning Singapore upside down, I guess! Cant wait to see them! Curse my work, but atleast there will be a good reason, for the next 10 days, for me to rush home!

And with my bank balance fast approaching zero, I am tempted to go in for Visa power, but no thanks, I will stay with Mastercard for now!

RAQ: Nobody dies a virgin, as life screws them right from the origin.

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Quote me!

I think I promised this a while back, but as all promises, it went undelivered. But my rejuvenated self wants to bring it on!

Each post from now on will end with a quote. Sometimes more than one. Whats so special? Its a quote, not an unquote. Will let you figure that one out. And since we are all so familiar and so dejected with FAQs, I will call mine RAQs.

RAQ: A person full of hope hangs by a rope. A person without does it too, only difference being the scope. One cannot cope, the other wants to elope

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Yours Anonymously

Anonimity always has the buzz. A sense of curiosity, a certain inquisiteness builds up in your heart when you see something anonymous. It started long before blogs.. Knowing the unknown has been the quest of mankind, a means of continuous exponential progress that we have seen. Maybe thats why they leave christmas presents without the name of the sender. Sometimes it might be a safeguard and sometimes its due to the fear of the unknown. I wonder what people would have felt to receive a letter (not an email.. I mean hand written letter) delivered to them without a sender's name or address, and the contents making them none the wiser! Its something that gives you goosebumps... something that triggers your imagination.. something that makes you gush even before you have realised it. Just like a "secret admirer" or a "from a friend" email. On the other hand, there are other things like automated birthday emails sent by some stupid website "on behalf of" your friends, which make them so near yet so far, and synonymous with anonymous. To them, you elicit the most explicit, worth a censor edit.

Now in the fast age, even confusions and surprises dont last long. "If i dont get it, I leave it" policy is whats prevalent. Ofcourse, as communication channels increase in number and frequency and decrease the distances, the opportunity to remain anonymous have increased too. Alas, in the electronic age, anonymity too, doesnt last long! With free easy to use trackers, even the simple blogger has now become a computer specialist. Increasingly I find people keeping track of IP addresses of accesses to their blogs, with reasons ranging from security to satisfying their basic instinct (aka ego). Some have a wry smile writ large in their faces when they see the per-day access go above a limit.

But still anonymous comments are quite abundant in the blog world. I think the main reason for that is the main concept behind blogging being anonymity. Your space. Your thots. Your feelings. Your words. Ofcourse, you cant get away with everything you say or do here. BBC reporting today, the arrest of a few bloggers! But the idea remains that its a free medium of diverse expression. Every blogger is, in a way, anonymous. You see their electronic self, maybe far fetched from their true self. Yet, you like some, you dislike some, you forget some, you treasure some. Thats the way it is. Thats the way it was meant to be! And anonymous comments sure do add to the fun. A bit of spice, a bit of ire, a bit of hate, a bit of spat, a bit of forgery, a bit of fallacy, a bit of mock... These bits are sure the tid bits of the blogworld.

Needless to say, I was totally overwhelmed by the "anonymous" comment to my previous post. I cant stop gushing with pride at having enticed an elusive soul to comment on something at long last. And before you need to say, that sure triggered this post ;)

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The height of laziness

Just thot I will list down my holy deeds to get a perspective of my lazy self.

1. I have forgotten the last time I cleaned my room.
2. The bedspread that I diligently washed 1 month ago is still lying on my bed, crumpled, waiting to be spread out.
3. My parents asked me to get covers for my pillows when they visited 5 months back. They followed it up and gave up this weekend.
4. Last weekend, I wore the same shorts and t-shirt everyday as I was lazy to open my closet to take out a new set.
5. Last week, I took bath everyday in the dead of the night so that I dont have to do "yet another task" in the morning before going to work.
6. I have been "trying hard" to clean by house every weekend after the last time I promised to do so, but never actually got to do it.
7. I googled for an "=" as my keyboard key doesnt work. And I forgot which site I got it from! Later, I put it as a textfile in my desktop, so that I dont have to google it everytime. And this was one year back.
8. Sometimes I sleep with my lights on as I have to get up to switch it off. (excusing the times when I had a sedative called book in my hand)
9. Two of the most important keys from my laptop came off (microsoft developers know how often they use F1 and F4), but I havent given them a call yet, even though it is under on site warranty. This happened 4 months back.
10. I have slept without dinner on days I dint wanna walk for 5 mins to get my dinner packed or having to make my own dinner (in 2 mins in an oven)
11. I went late for my interview. Said my biggest strength is my time management and proudly said Im the best cos Im the laziest they can find. And I did get the job :P
12. In my previous company, all meetings were scheduled for 9am when I joined. My manager postponed everything to the afternoon 1 month after that.
13. I have bought bottles of coke/sprite/7up as I did not want to go all the way to my tap to fill up a bottle of water.
14. I have left my clothes in the washing machine for almost a week. My roomie reminded me about it and I washed those again... at this point, it struck! and I left it in there again.. My roomie got fed up and put it up for drying himself.

Ofcourse, it doesnt mean Im proud of all this. I feel bad about some of those things, but everytime I wanna do something about it, I just..I mean.. I know but.. well... am lazy :(

And if a certain someone gets pissed off by reading all this... April Fool... I was just a bit too lazy to post it last month!

Life is tough cos we choose to live it the tough way! But if thats the way life is meant to be, so be it!

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Best Blogger of the Year 2005

I dont really differentiate among my friends or foes, if any. But since I have a lot of time on my hands and a lot of bloggers have been getting on my nerves by not posting anything, I am gonna start this... No no, no tags. Just my opinion. Plain blunt unbiased opinion (to such an extent that both Sun and Jaya TV will telecast the SAME thing!).

Triggered by Ms. V's lack of self respect, and borrowing from her huge vocabulary, I will spout my critique. Everyday is gonna be a nightmare (for those who know me, my day starts at night) for some blogger who did enough bad deeds in his/her last life (or blog life, whichever is shorter) to warrant a thorough bashing and lashing at this blog. In no particular order, I will let out my fury. The ones in my 'preferred' list will surely get a mouthful. Meanwhile, if you think there is any other blog worth commenting about, keep it to yourself. As I said, this is strictly MY OPINION of 2005 wrt the blogs that I visit.

Ofcourse, it will end with naming my favorite blogger!

Btw, every one of you can vote for a particular blogger in their 'exclusive' posts. This will definitely be taken into consideration in this secular forum. For example, if we are the UN, your votes will equal the votes of individual nations and my vote will be the US vote.

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Katham Katham

Finally... Evil Dead! Exams over. It is really bad when the professor looks down on your paper and stands in utter silence during your exam. It often doesnt get worse then having to submit an assignment AFTER the final exam. But sometimes it does... when the professor singles you out for a special mention of how pathetic you did your exam right in front of everyone :P So much for the professor "recognising" you in class!

Anywayz, who the heck cares. Time to enjoy. Time seemed to go really slowly the last couple of days. I was literally bored to death and was too lazy that I dint wanna do anything, even blog. Ofcourse all good things have to come to an end... like my readers' sigh of relief at seeing no posts ;)

Due to overwhelming demand (too much build up and hype i know), I am back in action.. Its still not sunk in that I am FREEEEEEEEEEEE for the next 3 months, partly cos important decisions have to be taken in the meantime, but have to enjoy this freedom while it lasts.. So beginning today, the search has just begun... yet again...

And final word deservedly reserved for those lazy buggers (aka bloggers) who havent put up anything citing every possible irrational excuse.

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Is it a bird? Is it a rocket? No it is...

Michael Schumacher! Six years have gone by since that picture at the same location, but for sure he was flying high at Imola tonight. What a comeback and what a drive! Holding on a faster car behind might have been a hugh challenge for Alonso last year, but all of 40 laps, with everything from mid-corner breaking to spewing break dust and all of his 240 GP experience, Schumi reigned supreme. And with Alonso making the mistake by choosing the wrong corners to attack (Rivazza is supposed to be the best place to overtake - in the 950 degree tyre heat), trying variants at Variante Alta doesnt help! Anywayz, this was just a wake up call for the fair weather fans I suppose :P Some proclaim this as one of his best races, but for those knowledgeable few, it wouldnt come close to his heroics in 1996, when he won 4 races with a Ferrari that spewed everything from wings to engine covers to exhaust pipes. He controlled the race and the pace beautifully, and even visibly he was much better shape than an exhausted Alonso. Ofcourse, I couldnt reason out why Renault would opt to come before and not after Schumi's second stop, but Im sure Renault boss (Briatore) was the most relaxed man on the pit wall (trust me its fun pitting ur past vs present and enjoying experience prevail from the sidelines). Anywayz, hats off to Schumi!!! A champion, he was, and he is! Ferrari is still not the best, but a champion with a decent car is more than a handful, as Alonso would vow. For those who spit fire after Schumi's "inability" to overtake last year for 12 laps, atleast he gave it a shot! Anywayz, I do hope the Ferrari challenge starts here, rather than being a one-off like last year Imola. Bridgestone gotta lot to work at, but I do hope it rises upto the challenge. F1 is all about man and machine, and the man surely made up for the lack of pace of the machine today! Whatta man! Hail the meister!

I did wanna restrain myself from blogging before the end of my exams, but what the heck... as if I study.. anywayz, I am so full of pride now... and am glad, the first of my waitees has come to an end... Hope the rest follow soon!

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Waitees

Its been a while since I rote anything, but as everything its got a reason.. I am in a phase of my life when everything is on hold... for something else to happen.. trying hard not to make into a deadlock situation!

I am waiting... for my blady masters projects to complete
I am waiting... for the masters exams to finish
I am waiting... to test my fitness in the corporate run
I am waiting... to resurrect my cricketting skills
I am waiting... for a special arrival
I am waiting... for a special friend's life to fall back into order
I am waiting... to talk to my friends which I have missed lately
I am waiting... for Schumi to take his first proper win in almost 1.5 yrs.
I am waiting... for the resurgence of Ferrari.
I am waiting... to own a BMW.
I am waiting... for a special relationship to begin.
I am waiting... to make sure all these waits end.

So wait, till the next post...

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The Million Dollar Question

Seems like everyone has this kostin nowadays.. "The search has just begun!!!" - What is that mean. I would forgive people for thinking its about a gal at first, but even people close to me sometimes wonder.. Whats in a name? But I have a story to tell... so listen mite (yeah yeah, i love everything aussie after their defeat.. so cool!)

It all started when I landed in this country. How am I to know that my initials stands as a source for giggles here? So, during the orientation (aka ragging), I was christined RA. That nick, 7 yrs down the line, still is recognised in my university campus, which is quite a surprise in itself. Anywayz, it all started when I got my computer barely into the new millenium. My friend kindly 'volunteered' to fix my comp up for a humble token of a cigarette pack and a night of watching 'popular' movies on my flat screen monitor. When he was setting it up (and I knew nuts abt computers back then), he asked me to give a name for the computer. My instinct told me RA, but my creativity wanted to expand it. Expand, I did.. Thus it became Random Access. And ofcourse, it needed a computer description. I thot for a second to get a phrase with a bit of correlation. There it was.. "The search has just begun !!!". Whatever made me write those 2 things at the dead of the night made a lot of sense later on...

Random Access became hugely popular. It became the pen-name for my poetry as well. It gel-ed in nicely with the kind of carefree attitude that I seemed to possess. It became synonymous with my supposedly random poetry. It became the lifeline of the indian forum that we had. It became a source of inspiration. It became the talk of the university. But more was to come. I got to know about chatting and went into ICQ. There was only 4 Random Access at that time, but thanks to ICQ for giving a number than an unique id, I was able to keep my favorite. This nick alone was so popular among gals (I wonder why!) that a lot of gals added me into their lists. A lot of people were jealous of the fact, and some named me "ladies' man" just like Ms. V's latest nick for me :) I never imagined the nick was so powerful! Needless to say, its been with me for the last 7 yrs and I have kinda grown fond of it. It kinda gave me an identity that people were able to map to. As recently as today, I got a comment saying it ties in well to my memory prowess (or the lack of it).

The second part of my online signature ("The search has just begun") was just instinctive, but something I have grown to love and respect. This talks a lot abt me and the way I am too. I, like a true saggi, is driven my curiosity to wander out there in search of knowledge. Many times I have been stumped by the fact that there are so many things out there in this world to be learnt that 24 hrs aint enuf in a day. And there is just no limit to the depth of knowledge that you can acquire. This kinda explains the fact that I am probably a jack of all trades, but the master of none. I also realised that its the fact of life, that there is always a search.. both inside and outside of us, that keeps us going.. in pursuit of the unknown. This has really made my signature meaningful, so I decided to stick on. To add spice, I sometimes tie down my sign to the context (esp in my poems, if u have noticed). And contrary to expectations, the search never ends, as the end of one quest is merely a beginning of another!

So there u go.. now gimme those million dollars ;)

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Fate

"Its fate.." is what we get to hear a lot of times.. from ur family, friends and even us... now what is fate?

Fate is our friend... We dont know fate till we are in the stage where we run around. Fate plays games with us. We always want to prove ourself against fate and make us the winners. However, we lose almost all the time. This might make some of us disillusioned. We elevate fate to be the invincibles and most of us just give up on our prowess to wrest the advantage from it. However, some of us take defeat on our shoulders and keep improving with every game. We may not master the game, neither understand our opponent, but we can keep improving our skills. There comes the time when the odd victory stares at us. And what do we do? We attribute it to LUCK :P

So in other words, all of us are inherently self-abstracting.. we dont want credit for our victories nor blame for our failures. We want other entities to suffer. Do u realise the invaluable friendship that fate brings to our lives and how we conveniently blame it for everything? A true friend is one who gives unto thee without expecting anything in return. They even shoulder ur ill spat but still continue to be with u and guide u along the right path, however hard or harsh their words might seem! Embrace fate, acknowledge reality and live ur life! Then u will be surprised tht u can take almost anything that fate seems to throw at us and whack it for a six!

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Shame on us!

I have always been a proud Indian. And I have always respected women and gals for what they are. A lot of my guy friends think of me as an online casanova, but I guess only those gals who I have interacted with, who can give the right answer. Anywayz, coming to the point, I have been totally disgusted and depressed the last week or so, when I have come across a series of posts like this and this triggered by the Blank Noise Project. Trust me, I have never been as ashamed of my country and fellow brothers like what I did recently. I wudnt like to bypass the serious issue by saying I am the goody goody guy and others are to blame. I believe responsibility lies with all of us, even though only a sparse few might be causing these disgusting acts. I wud have been even ashamed to bring up these posts to public, but this attitude, I realised through those authors, is what has been preventing the scale of this social evil to seem lesser than what it actually is. And looking at the alarming rate at which I hear girls say "yes" to the simple question posed (and I havent heard one "no" till now) is making me freak out. Worse still, its almost always followed by the casual after-comment "Its so common, why are u making a fuss out of it now". This nonchalant reply completely bewilders me and sends a chill down my spine, thinking of gals, young and old, prone to the vested interests of, shame on us, men. I dont believe in reporting things and keeping quiet. The next time I see any person doing such "roadside romeo" tactics (pi, if u ever read this, doesnt refer to u da), I am gonna take it up personally, irrespective of the consequences. After all, India is a land where a woman is treated more than God! And I will do my best to make it stay that way. And those guys whom I know who are already on the wrong side of things, better beware. I cant take an insult on my motherland, and every woman who makes up my motherland, so better think twice before crossing the line with a gal!

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Mother of all Games !!!

This is by far the most spectacular game I have witnessed... I am happy that I kinda pushed 3-4 people into watching it as well... If you have missed out, u sure have missed out an opportunity of a lifetime buddy! Anywayz, it was totally engrossing and nailbiting than anything else I have ever witnessed. Trust me, I am a die hard fan of South Africa from today (except ofcourse when they play India), but they were just too good. Amazing is an unpretentious understatement for their game. The sheer mammoth total (not often do u see 870 runs in a one day game!) followed my blistering attack and counterattacks, the setbacks, the fightbacks... juz too good. To be honest, there can be only one winner, and thankfully it was the team that deserved it (unlike the World cup campaigns - the 22 runs in 1 ball fallacy and the tie win, for those who know what I am talkin about). That they beat Australia is an icing on the cake. Just too good !!! Screw those baskets who kept bleating that South Africa have never won a series against them.. This was just the kind of statement that cricket is all about. No kings or pawns. Its all about how good u r on that day... And South Africa, dented by Pollock's absense, really meant business, atleast in the latter half of the match!

Even though I only followed the scores online, thank god I got to follow it live !!! Whatta match! You only witness these things once in a life (like watchin the Schumi massacre in 2004) and this is definitely one of them! Hats off South Africa! You juz did it!

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You made my day!

Somethings do make our day special.. Ofcourse, here is my top 10 (no no not a tag..please...) that brought a smile to me recently... no rating.. just numbers...

1. Seeing J after a long time.
2. Ms. A's prayers inspite of her personal tribulations
3. A mention by sukku
4. Preethi taking away WV.. yeah word verification, ur ardent fan has ditched u.
5. Ms. V reaching 100 posts.
6. Me getting my dream job sort of.
7. A chance to resurrect my cricketing career with my new company
8. A chance to see and hear APJ AK
9. Got to meet up with an old skool mate.
10. When I finally got my first Java component working

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A beautiful relationship...

Its not often that I dont find words, let alone finding the right words. Its often in ur most difficult of times do u find ur best of friends.. or so they say. I was in a middle of a crisis when she came into my life, to conduct a little background check. Countless hours of talking and chatting later, we were the best of friends. Ignorant of the constant heckling of friends, I came to know about the intricate world of the feminine mind through her. And then she wanted it to be a bit more...

A joyful beginning paved way for the narrowing of distances. Timed whizzed by and I started getting blur... I knew she was next to me, holding my hand.. One fine day, she said she wanted some space... I gave her some. I knew she was nearby, I could hear her voice.. I became blind...And then she wanted some time alone... I was reluctant but I was confident, and had to yield. I knew she would come back.. to hold me and walk me through.. I waited.. I pondered.. I construed. I hallucinated. I wished. And then she came back. I knew it. I always knew it. A year hence, I cud hear her. I wanted to proceed. Then she said the time has come... I was overjoyed.

She slowly peeled away my bandage. I was blur at first. Then I was able to see. I could see! There she was, with him... A tear streaked across from my eyes. The glaring light, I mused. I hid my face to be comforted by the darkness. There was none. Take a pill, she insisted. I knew I can never get cured. People laughed and cursed and advised and bullied and made a joke. How will they ever know? Things always change, but some things dont.

Then it was time for her to leave. She said goodbye. I thot abt holding her back, but did I ever have a choice? She wanted me to stay in touch, but I just smiled and said I wouldnt disturb her. She understood that I finally understood and sighed in relief. She went her way. Away.

Now I cud see, but I was still a bit blur. I turned to find a smiling face offering me a helping hand. I was hesitent, but the smile seemed genuine. I prayed to God, and held that hand. Never to let go.

There are many unforgettable memories in life, some brings a smile, others a tear. But in my life, she features in more than one of them. And sometime this month, she is joining hands with him... With a tinge of sadness engulfing my heart, I hereby bid farewell... may God bless her, cos she indeed was one of my best friends!

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Se7en

Seven seas? Seven continents? Seven days? Seven worlds? ....

Whether people are ruled by numbers are open to debate, especially among the folks who hasnt realised it first hand. But I am a guy who has been brought up with as much examples of numbers as anything else. Being fascinated by them from a very young age, I am always on the look out for nice numbers. If there is one guy smiling at a car number plate 9369 or 9786, it might be me. A simple example is my mom, who was born on Sep 21, married on Oct 21, joined her (only) job on Nov 21, when she was 21 yrs, her son born on kaarthigai 21, married her daughter on May 21, resigned her job on Feb 21, her son joined his first job on Jul 21, and a bit more that I tend to have forgotten.

Everyone tends to be ruled by numbers, and you would be in awe, if only you cared to stop and look at it. I am myself ruled by 6, but for the last coupla years, my life has taken the 7 route. Needless to mention, it was due to a person ruled by number 7. From the date I met the person (16th), I have felt its influence on all the major activities in my life. Though 6 and 7 dont have that much of a chemistry between them, it has really sparked between the two of us.

OK, now to the crux of the matter. After 7 weeks of job search, where there were severe doubts on my sanity, and offers that were interleaved, making me akin to a gambler in terms of playing my cards right to get the best possible outcome, and rejecting the likes of Mahindra British Telecom, Strategem Technologies, Deutsche Bank, Microsoft, SCS, Credit Suisse First Boston, I have decided to take up my 7th offer with Barclays Capital. Thanks for all the prayers, guidance and well wishes from a lot of quarters, and equally so the screams, the tensions, the doubts, the questions, the advices and the bashings that made me more circumspect than i usually am, I think Im finally in the right path towards achieving my long term goals. Incidentally, I set foot on the 7th of the 7th month 7 yrs back in this country. Needless to say, Im in seventh heaven! And thank you, Ms. 7 ;)

Now off to 7-Eleven to celebrate!

PS: Thanks for all your concerned remarks in the previous post! I might have made it a bit blur, but heres the news. Yes, it was abt my job and my offer was withdrawn, but due to "exceptional circumstances" and after a high level meeting, it was decided that my case seemed to a "honest mistake", whatever that is, and a new offer was given to me today. After being given a 0.1% success rate yday, its a huge sigh of relief. Surely more things are wraught by prayers than the world dreams of :) So, from monday, I am no longer a velai illa pattadhari... :P After 1 month in the gutters, its gonna be bak to hectic life..donno to laff or cry, but it definitely a smile to others! And trust me, honesty is definitely the best policy... though very costly :P

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Too good to resist

An offer. A dream job. The hope of it made you wait for a whole month rejecting 7 other credible offers. And finally it comes.. the best in town. dreams can now become reality. A glitter in the eyes and relieved happiness to those whom u love. the best career path drawn before u as dotted lines. Just had to sign.. An offer too good to resist...You become the HERO.

During the process, there was one innocuous arithmetic mistake. You realise it a day after u signed the offer. Keeping quiet will harm no one. Finding out will be almost impossible. If you accept the mistake, all hell will break loose. Your professional integrity will be on the line. Your job ends before it starts. Your career path becomes a mirage. Your family will be shattered. You lose everything u ever thot of. You have nothing to fall back on. You become a ZERO.

Yet u choose to maintain your personal and professional values (aka honesty, integrity) and go for the second. If you are me.

An(y) offer too good to resist....?

Epilogue:
Things happen as expected. Im pissed at the big bad world. Tomorrow I start from scratch. Literally. Atleast with a positive mindset, I can only expect to do better!

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Chaos

Once again the most successful Indian captain has been dropped.. this time from the Test squad. The reason given: Performance. The reason I think: Chaos.

"All's well that ends well" has been the pragmatism of Indian cricket and cricket lovers for quite a while now. Winners are awarded with plush lands and houses, while losing entitles stone throws on the same houses. Voices have been hushed in the last few months as the Indians are on a rare winning streak. People, alas, have never mattered lesser.

There is a understated overemphasis on World Cup 2007. Yes. Its a big tournament. Experienced cricketers are needed in crunch situations. Winning it is prestigious. Degrading proven winners is not the way to achieve it. Young talent is important. Spot talent and give them chances, but not on needless biased basis. VRV Singh is being figured in, while he leaked runs today in the warm up game against England, while Munaf Patel who bowled lovely spells with 5 wkts to speak wasnt. Baffling decisions. Batting should be flexible. Why isnt Sachin in any other position but opening and 2 down in tests?

Let us look at Ganguly, the leader. He revolutionised Indian cricket. He epitomised attitude and courage, he backed his younger players like no one. Yuvraj himself admitted his respect for Saurav, who was accused of keeping him away from Tests to get his spot. Ganguly like any ideal leader, was selfless. He brought himself down from opening slot in ODI (splitting the most successful opening pair of all times) cos he cudnt fit Sehwag in any other position and he thot he was experienced and flexible enuf to handle other roles. Who is flexible and who isnt? He got team spirit into a individualistic team of the 90s. One fine day, he dint fit the bill anymore.

Let us look at Ganguly, the player. A short search in Cricinfo stats will leave u spellbound. Hes the quickest player to get 5000,6000,7000,8000,9000 runs in ODIs in the world. He has an amazing average in tests that he has lead, much more than any other captains, including Rahul Dravid. He was an ideal number 5 and bailed out India in times of crisis and beautifully meandered the tail at times. Sachin has a pathetic record in the last 2 yrs in both forms of the game, yet he is persisted with. Ganguly meanwhile had a decent couple of years, averaging more than Sachin definitely. I thot he played one of the most brilliant knocks in Karachi, when the top order just fell in a heap. He steadied the innings with 30s in both innings, when the rest of the top order dint total to 30. Why is Sachin never dropped even after a string of dismal performances. If fitness was a yardstick, why isnt Laxman dropped, as he is worse than Ganguly, as a batsman and as a fielder.

The main thorn in the flesh seems to be Greg Chappel, along with the Board comprising of people who hate him to the core. I dont give a damn what they trying to do, but its created Chaos. Young guns have been brought in and old chaps have been axed. Long term, yes, but think about the experience those guys have. Our bowling department is fully young now. But its faring pathetically, cos there was no one to mentor them, like Kapil was to Srinath. Sadly Sachin's only role seems to be that nowadays! Given Greg's affliction towards young guys and the Board's policy of giving every new prospect a chance, I see a lot of players with 50 ODI caps and 10 test caps for India. Not gonna be many who will reach 300 ODIs and 100 Tests. Given the fact that Sachin needed 76 innings to hit his first ODI century, and his first 8 were below 40, if Sachin was newly inducted into the team today, I would bet against retaining his position for the next series. If this goes on, I doubt if any new Champion will be born. Experience should not be underestimated and it teaches players a lot more than just mere exposure! Ganguly has a lot of cricket left in him and hes an excellent player. Alas, his last few years in international cricket is marred by politics. Its leaking blood to see a player of his quality sitting out for reasons apart from cricket.

I have been tight lipped about this issue till now, but when I saw Kiran More's pathetic comment on Saurav's exclusion - performance, caused an outrage in me. If you have been watching Indian cricket for the last decade, Im sure u feel the same. Its not about what he is or how he is, neither about Indian cricket. Its all about what a player he is and what he does out there in the middle. And hes indeed a champion at it! People are blinded by ravenous youth display, but I feel that its quite a sad chapter in Indian cricket, and Im ashamed to bear witness to it.

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Yey I am the first to comment

As with all good things, there are quite a few evils lurking in this blogosphere. Ofcourse my dearest word verification tops the list! I am no blog analyst, but recently, I have been noticing this trend in blogs of different types. Needless to say, it is only appearing in high-popularity blogs, so has nothing to do with mine, but still its kinda unnerving to find the sort of "craze". It really doesnt mean anything if u r the first to comment or the tenth. Comment is meant to be more of a viewpoint, but its turning out to be a rat race for "signing attendance". Maybe Blog as a school of thot is being misinterpreted! And in the near future, maybe we can see proxies operating in this area! Quality of posts might roughly remain the same, but the frequency of posts have reduced, while the comments have increased. Bloggers have been stereotyped, and they feel indebted to their readers to follow the treaded path. Blogs are also tending to follow the law of averages, any stupid comment will attract roughly the same number of comments as the most brilliant post, as the readers are themselves indebted to "sign in" to anything the blogger says.

Another case of indebtation comes when there is a comment from the unknown person. Two events are triggered. The blogger must thank the new visitor, and invariably visits and leaves a comment to the same effect on the visitor's blog. Comments like the title and anonymous hate comments have become more frequent in blogs. Also, a lot of bloggers tend to moan about not finding anything to blog about. If you dont think of writing anything, dont! They feel forced by readers, decreasing blog hits, their inertia of momentum or whatever crap to keep writing.. and writing.. and writing more... and writing less about themselves, less about their feelings, less about the things that bother them, less about what they care about...

Truths and feelings are spiced up to add more entertainment value. "Not me" I hear u screaming. Do you post and forget about it or do you read through/ edit your post before or after submitting? Do you write what comes to your mind or do u think "This is worth blogging", "I shud blog this tonight"?. Will you dare to disable the comments for ur blog for a month and still continue to blog with the same frequency? You can argue about a symbiotic relationship, but has the "core" of what a blog is missed along the way? If u read the first ten posts of a blog and the last ten, you would know what Im whining about. Blog courtesy, blog etiquette, blog values, what next? Maybe Im not following blog ethics in the content of this post! And my dear spammers have also reduced their indulgence, decreasing the entertainment value associated with a blog! Somehow I find the "fun" element of blogs decreasing and ""compulsive" factor increasing. One blogger stated that the page hits continued over 50 a day when he had not posted for over a month. Another said he blogs for improving his english skills. Another said he loves to make people laugh while another said its to improve the networking opportunities. Another said Im not able to keep people interested, so im quitting. I know there might be a lot of defences for these, and are usually portrayed as advantages of blogs, but is it a good thing or a bad thing?

And I feel everyone of u shud do something to make me more satisfied.

Im sure u r thinkin "there is nothing wrong with my blog", "whats wrong with my blog", "how to make it more interesting for this guy"... Indebtation it is....

Blogs are supposed to be ur thots expressed in ur way. Lets just keep it at that!

Quoting the god of services, "Do no evil"! Will you? Wont you? Its upto you!

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Biap

This is my latest nick name. I hope u remember my nick name woes, but this is one I loooove hearing. Cos its from the latest addition to my family, my dearest nephew. Few of his achievements in the 2 yrs of his existence include 18 stitches to his ear, when he tried to sneak inside a dog's cage through the steel gate of a kennel, innumerable wounds inflicted by his adventurous nature, and an unexplicable feat of pushing the TV onto his feet.. TV broke, thankfully his leg did not. Ofcourse, the best part of it is that he evokes the screams (of fear) from everyone who has had the opportunity to see him in "action". When he comes in, destructors (forgive my developer instincts) stand astonished! Everything in his grasp is either crushed into humiliation or battered into submission or thrashed into humbleness or shredded into pieces. The only smile in the room is often his! Ofcourse, I couldnt help but gawk at this young wonder. He is not as specialised as his elder bro, but is as observant and looking at every opportunity to "prove" himself. Such diligent workaholic i shud say ;)

And btw, today is his second birthday... :D

I would leave you with this, something I wrote when he was born.... that i wanted to give his mom, but never managed to... but if u ever get to read this, my dear Jayanth, I love you!

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V-day

I love you.

I dun have anything to give you.

I dun have to give you anything.

I have already given you everything I had.

I neednt say less, I neednt say more.

It applies to everyone of you, in one way or another.

Its more like love 21-7, 365 days a year. Those who know me know that when I sleep, nothing registers in my mind... absolutely nothing. so thts the 3 hr gap ;)

I dont know why people profess love today.

If I have to convey my love, I would profess my undying love to ....
!~~~ THE INDIAN CRICKET TEAM ~~~!

Whatta match yday !!!

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Long long ago

Long long ago

Long long ago came along a girl
Who has since taken over my world like a whirl
I have since seen the most beautiful love unfurl
Cos goddess as a gift, I had got through an URL

It all started off, seems just like yesterday
When all things gone wrong, I would still make hay
When my life was all about misery, and one kill
When I thot everything was nothing, you fit the bill

Just looking at you standing still
Motionless, seducing me like a pill
Grinding me to the limits like a mill
I have never thot abt dying but u created my will

Nice memories I will always have, of you my lovely garden
Of the moments you arrived through a beep and all those buzz
Wishing it lasted forever, I guard those memories like a warden
Happy and sad, those filled with flush and blush, fury and fuss.

Words seem endless, when your beauty plays a song
They seem non existent, when you do come along
Flutter, my heart does, whenever your mind screams
Cos I feel your feelings as fast as lightening beams.

Moments, so precious, have I collected
Across the two years, since we connected
Something I lost, the same thing I abducted
Alas, yours seem to weigh on me as its recollected.

A million things said and done
Doesnt equate to your brilliance and beauty
And the search has just begun,
For making you happy in life, is my duty.

Girls I have always revered and respected
And you, for the golden heart that you depicted
I have never been so closely inspected
And all my actions changed and perfected.

Without you, I wouldnt have been myself
Where in every action, thy come before self
Everything I do or say, you have changed to suit
Your sense of style and gentleness, you command to boot.

You have been my best loot
My most precious thing, I will hoot
Your health is the only sore foot
On shining silver, like soot.

"I love you" is all I can tell you
Undying love for you all through
Im sad that nothing much I can give today
But I really mean what I keep repeating everyday.

Im still in a flux on where I will be
But I want you always close to me
Every second, through my thots, I see
Your reflection in my heart, making me glee

Valentine's day is nothing special
Just an excuse for me to cover up our spatial
Seperation by uttering those words many a time
Only when I hear your voice, these thots become sublime

My current situation is grim
But you fill my heart to the brim
I have to get a heavy purse and frequent the gym
And as always your name becomes by fervent hymn.

Love is universal, so they say
And all I can do this day
Is to make u happy, I pray
Till the time, together we stay.

An effervescent passion
A controlled compassion
And a selfless deed for education
Together with a confused vindication

These are just a few of your traits
That acted as charming baits
For me to fall into a "trap"
Amazing how each other, we can fully map

You came into my life and filled my heart's gap
You are the best of the best, I can continuously rap
Thinking of you, my eyes resemble a tap
Cant stop admiring you, even when you are taking a nap

Im very proud of you, my dear
My heart beats for you, Im sure you hear
A thousand miles apart, we still appear
So close, our love always shifting up a gear

Time has never been on our side
But sooner or later, it has to abide
As our love transcends boundaries, bonafide
Sticking together for life, a wild ride

You can run, but you can never hide
From the fact that relationships rise and slide
Together, we have laughed and cried
Longing for my proudest moment yet, when you become my bride

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Quadralemma

The New Year has kinda created a dent in my blogging frequency. I am kinda shocked myself, as being jobless wud have meant more, and not less, posts from me. Anywayz, I am officially jobless in a quadralemma. I got 4 choices from which to choose one. On a scale of 1-10, everything has been between 6-7 (yeah, rate yourself is one of the most FAQ in an interview), so its been kinda hard to choose.

Alright, now to the interviewee saga...

I realised that interviewees over a period of time tend to formulate a standard set of answers for the usual FAQ (strength, weakness, projects, challenges etc). I hate repeating things that I have said. My astrounding memory apart, I do tend to consciously avoid saying the same things over and over again (Rahul Dravid r u listening?). And a lot of interviewees tend to repeat the "magic formula" to get in, rather than give the interviewer a good perception of what the interviewee is. There is always a dilemma. Should I tell him what he wants to hear or what I really am? The more desperate u r for the job, the answer tends to slide towards the former. But in this race for the vacant seat, the interviewees who are true to themselves tend to lose out as well. Interviewers can best be described as a bridled horse, looking through a focussed lens. If you deviate, no matter how good u r, u lose.

But on the other hand, what if, the interviewee, like myself, decide I dont really need the job, if they want me, let them take me, else leave it. Even though some jobs can be simply "irresistable", which I can simply not say no, I havent got such a job yet, so I prefer to remain with the "dont care" attitude that is in direct contrast to my usual passive self.

Especially if you are in the place I am, you would definitely hear this statement "Are you prepared to work late to complete your job". Ofcourse, the truth is the worst possible answer. This is an implicit contract that u sign during ur interviews that increases your work load while reducing ur wage and demolishing ur health. Cost cutting technology at its best. Even though most guys would spend time in their offices late, checking emails and chatting, I hate to be in the office or anywhere near, if I am done with my work. I want my bonus to be a function of my job, not a function of my work hours. I would love to see it in a Human Rights Violations document. I think in about 1912 or so, they brought down the working hours to 8 hrs a day. Does any of the companies realise why they brought it down?

Some of the companies really get on my nerves during the interview process. Not only do they think too high of themselves, they tend to frustrate u with "i-have-lost-count" number of interviews. Worst still, they tend to repeat the same questions and i refuse to go into an infinite loop saying "im the smart amazing flawless dedicated guy that u want", complicating things. Interviewers have a valid point. They want to get the best person for a position. But how do they decide on whoz the best, if everyone repeats the same phrase over and over again? Technical, aptitude, business, people, aptitude, behavorial tests after... what more? And if any interviewee knows what he/she wants with their career, it acts like a warning symbol for them. Doubt creeps into their hawk like brains.. "If this guy knows what he wants, wont he become frustrated with this job soon?". Worse so, cos I have some constraints, like my concurrent masters degrees. Talks of commitment, implicit overtime agreements, explicit behavorial threats, lectures on company policies and regulations tend to dominate for the next hour.

The most hilarious part is when the interviewers at the end of the interview ask you "Do you have any questions for us". I thot it was nice of them during my first ever interview, but I soon found a pattern in this as well. They expect you to shoot only "certain" questions to them. They dont want to face questions they are not prepared for. If you ask them more about the role or the job or the growth, they have standard template answers for you. You should see the look on their faces when I ask them questions like "Whats the average age/experience of your Team Leaders, Managers". They take it intrusively, while I am just being practical. Equal opportunities, Meritocracy, Scholarly are buzz words for corporate communication officers to portray the company in a nice way. But are these really the case inside the organisation? These stats might help me validate those claims made on their website. Ofcourse, they avoid it by just saying "Confidential". In other words, they dont know.

So in essence, they end up recruiting guys who dont know what they want in their career, able to comfortably lie in/about their resume, able to work their ass off, not expect any kinda growth, infinite patience towards beaurocracies, do the job day in and day out with a wide smile on their face. And they end up losing them just as quick! As one company aptly put it.. "You know, you have comfortable chairs if you have to work late and we offer free coke". Thanks buddy! But its bad for my health!

Future interviewers, just think about the interviewee, just a little bit, and you will get a much better person to work with!

PS: Im taking a big risk in this post as some of these quotes are from my current offers. But I dont mind, cos I love to be transparent. I want to be able to work in the way I feel most comfortable in, in the organisation that I see the most fit for me, meeting my personal goals.

PPS: I still havent decided on where I want to be. Its decision time, so taking it rationally and slowly.

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The Man Himself

"HE APJ Abdul Kalam" screamed the banner. After breaking our heads over the additional initials, we realised that "protocol" does come into play. Anywayz, I got myself a great seat in the third row, just behind the President's entourage, and bang in the middle. After a tense, fiddling, boring, exhausting wait, we cooled ourselves on sharing of anecdotes about our beloved President, and the beauty of his own anecdotes. Ofcourse, for those of you who havent gone through it till now, please visit The President of India.

Aint his lectures and speeches fascinating? With only one out of the 20+ comments I got being negative about his talks, I was eagerly awaiting his presence. Hidden amidst the powerful big men came a humble little man with ruptuous applause (that was more instructed than spontaneous). However, the sponteneity of the applause was in the duration. It reminded me of how popular he actually is. He had to turn around twice to get us to stop clapping and be seated.



After a short inaudible intro about the President, it was time for his speech. He dint disappoint, with his subtle humour and his purpose-filled talk. "I have prepared a presentation, but let me know if you dont like, I can talk about what you want" lightened up the atmosphere. He went on about the importance of Education, the the need of the present (Info-Nano-Bio technologies merger), the pillars of the future (Knowledge, Education, Healthcare, PURA Grids), and above all scientists and science and technology.

You could see a sense of gratitude in his voice when he referred to Vikram Sarabhai, Verghese Kurien and Homi Jehangir Baba, and pictures of these greats (with their accomplishments) were truly inspiring. One statement was very powerful indeed. He said "Technology has borders, but Science does not". Ofcourse, hardly a speech passes without one of his trademarked anecdotes. So here it was. He had the honour of presenting an award to a 92 year old Nobel laureate. During the ceremony, the Nobel winner not only thanked Abdul Kalam but also picked out persons in the 3rd, 4th and 6th rows to thank them individually for their researches and scientific contributions, saying that it was the collective effort that has made the earth a better place to live in. He emphasised that this "Scientific Magnanimity" is what should run in the veins of all scientists the world over.

He had the knack to tie the whole presentation (that he has meticulously prepared himself) to the purpose of his visit to the Univerisity (to sign MoU on Nanotechnology) and lead to his closure with its impact on scientific enhancements for the world.



Then followed a hilarious Q&A. The first question was quite straightforward, on the importance of Education towards India 2020 - his vision. The second question was from an Indian student doing his MS here (not so hilarious in itself, but tht he did his undergrad in IIT Delhi and grad studies in Stanford made every other Indian question his sanity). He was asking about what measures the President is taking to ensure there is no brain drain :P I thot it was he who has to make a decision whether to go back or not. The President said that 10-15% expats are normal and does not affect the brilliance of the country (man, am I proud :D:D:D) and that they are having a lot of R&D effort back home, if they are interested. The final question was the shocker. One communication engineering gal wanted to put her theory to the ultimate test by quizzing the President about how he is going to abolish the rampant Child Sex Tourism in India. He got the word Children alone at first, but taking note of the shock in the auditorium, and after 3-4 clarifications from the gal and the MC, he proceeded to stop his Advisors from shooing away the gal and asking for the next question. Even though it was ill advised of the gal considering this is not a debating forum but a question to the Head of State, he calmly said that "We need good citizens. Govt cant make good citizens. Women, Family and Education can only make good citizens. And once we get good citizens, these things will automatically cease to exist".

All in all, it was really a humbling experience to meet such a nice down to earth humane scholar of gigantic proportions. Even though I couldnt manage to ask a question, neither get an autograph (he only managed to sign for 2 before he was ushered away), I really felt it an honour to have him with us today. Today shall go down in history as the day - I almost fell down on his feet.

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All about aussies

Been a while, but the pause had nothing to do with me being jobless :P Its more to do with my inherent laziness.

Yeah, the title...No no, its not about Camille in the Australian Open, even though she was definitely worth the camera time she got in the finals! I did follow a few matches in the Aus Open (after a long long time), and there were indeed a few stunning moments, capped by the brilliant rally during the Men's doubles finals. The take by Paes.. kinda made me forgive the atrocious almost comic facial expressions he showcased, in the pretext of passion. I was happy to see Hingis back, being one of the last classic champions! One look at Mauresmo, Williams and Davenport and u will understand what I mean! That she was lookin even more gracious was juz a plus! Federer's whine at the end of adding his 7th crown, which sadly I saw only in one of the replays, added a melodramatic touch.

Last week was quite hectic and it flew off like anything. I did have a surprise visit from my cousin from Sydney (athai ponnu). I dont think many people will be blessed with 7 athai ponnu and 2 mama ponnu, but alas fate intervened with their average age being 45 :P Only one of them is younger to me (way too young). Before I do another Federer, let me get back to topic. This cousin came along with her 11 yr old gal, who showcased so much of an aussie attitude that I was stunned beyond belief. She was way too self obsessed, shopaholic (not for toys or barbies), care-a-damn attitude, way too sensitive, suspicious rather than courtious, "i know everything i dun need u to tell me", artificial wide grin to a camera, too much fuss, and so on.

Dealing with 11 yr old Indian kids is totally different from dealing with 11 yr old Aus kids, and I got to realise it quite soon. I gave her a chocolate and her mom asked her to give me a piece. And when she refused I juz put on my most innocent face and asked her, "Thaa please". "You dont have to beg me like this, dont you have any shame" greeted me. A slap in the face would have been better and less shocking. I tried to reason it out. I realised the nonchalant attitude of the parents towards the child's reactions and the audacious comments being met with laughter might have something to do with it.

Children are capable of stunning you with umpteen questions and put u in embarassing situations, but the sweetness and innocence comes through. Not shock and bewilderment. I have been around with quite a few kids, but this one was quite a jolt. Children dont know the right and wrong and parents are responsible of showing them the right direction and the wrong things should be immediately stymied (by a glare, a raised voice, a caution or an advice). Giving them a free hand in everything may not be the best way.

Finally, a future aussie Filter is in town and gotta take him around. One adv of being jobless I guess :P That Visithra cudnt make it here is a bit sad and a bit fortituous, as I can roam about without worrying about bashings from behind :P

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Opportunity of a Lifetime !!!

Well, opportunity knocks but once, and u just have to be at the right place and right time to grab hold of it. This is what knocked on my NTU inbox just a couple of minutes back.

Dear Deans of Schools/Institutions, Vice President/Directors of Offices,

Dr Abdul Kalam, the President of India, is scheduled to visit NTU on Thursday, 2 February 2006 between noon and 2.00 pm as part of his state visit to Singapore.

Dr Abdul Kalam will address our students at 1.00 pm at the lecture theatre, level 1, SBS Building. We wish to gather a total of about 300 students for the address.

And my dean says:

If you are interested in attending the following event – which is rare for the President of India to be here -- please let me know by today. This message was forwarded to me this morning, and I’m sorry for the short notice. SCI only has 10 seats. Since we are allocated 10 seats, I’ll just have to do it on a first come first serve basis. Let me know.

Well, what do I do..what do I do.. Summon all my typewriting skills and put it to the test to send my details across in the shortest possible time. Oh yeah, regarding right time and place, I just happened to open my webmail for sending some project-related email and there this is!!! And a total of 4 mins elapsed from the time of the mail to the time of my reply, thereby increasing my chances for attending the same, given that most of the undergrad will be sleeping at this hour(10.30am) and most of the masters students will be busy working to check their webmails now.

After this crazy few mins when my heart narrowly escaped unscathed, I forwarded this email to my masters colleagues, and hope some of them do make it!

I always wanted to be only in three professions, namely a bus conductor, a fighter pilot and an astronaut. The first went to the thrash once my huge collection of over 10000 bus tickets that I had accumulated were thrown to the bin after I came to Singapore (yeah, was there till my 12th). Next I wanted to become a fighter pilot (I dont know when, maybe from my 4th or 5th standard). I still get excited seeing a fighter plane and was on my way to serve the nation, even passing the NDA written exam, until I was diagnosed with my lifelong agony, aka color blindness. Though partial, I was to go nowhere near mettalurgy, chemical industry and ....aeronautics :( Why god why... Meanwhile I also wanted to become an astronaut (most astronauts are pilots and most of the early ones were fighter pilots, apart from being scientists). So, my dream was to become an astronaut, but for a person allergic to text books, I find it hard to fulfill that dream as well. I satisfy my desires by looking up at the night sky and wondering how it will be...

So naturally, it was a dream to meet the scientist/ researcher/ leader/ genius/ ISRO guy/ intellectual/ Vedic Scholar/ Visionary/ President of India! I have heard, read, revered him ever since I first heard about him. Followed his (partial?) autobiography in Kumudham or Vikatan, when it came out, to the hilt and can never stop admiring his personality, persona and grace. His love for science is only surpassed by his love for children. Looking forward to the opportunity of a lifetime, I do wish it materialises and I get to salute him first hand!

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