My Blog-o-sphere

2009-07-20T20:47:00.000-07:00

Monday, 20th July, 7:00 PM. Jackson Heights subway station. One of the biggest and busiest subway stations in Queens, NY. One of the many shops and stalls inside this station is a new music store, selling mostly Latino music. It displays a 26 inch flat screen TV mounted atop the window display of the shop. Since June 25, 2009, it has been playing music videos of Michael Jackson, all day long. And every day, I see people gathering in front of the window display, watching in awe, admiration, and at times sadness. I see African-Americans dancing to the tunes, Hispanics gawking at his moon walk, Asians in sheer amazement of his star power. And everyone reminiscent about some moments of their lives when they celebrated some occasion with his music.
A Latino guy is passing by, stops and asks a group of African-American ladies watching the TV - "Wow! They're still playing this every day?" The ladies very proudly say, "Ohh YEAH!" and turn to the tv and continue their cheer.

As I turn around and head to my destination I continue to hear the speakers.. "..if you're thinkin of being my brother, it dont matter if you're Black or White..."

What's in a name?

2009-07-10T16:06:00.001-07:00

My name was chosen by my aunt, as per tradition in my family. In my childhood, I hated my name. The most popular girl in my class was either priyanka or pooja or some other very conventional, supposedly "girly" name. "Why wasn't my name something like that?", I wondered, assuming its my name that makes me less popular. Well, that has changed. Aditi is now considerably popular in India, partly thanks to this song. I still wonder the meaning of my name though. The first person to ask me the meaning of Aditi was my school principal. I had no clue then. But since then, I have been searching and finding quite a few answers:

1. Adi = beginning. Iti = end (in sanskrit). Hence, Aditi is that which encompasses the beginning as well as the end.

2. Aditi was the name of a Goddess in hindu mythology. She is the mother of all Gods.

3. Aditi is the mother of Aditya, the Sun God.

4. Aditi is the wife of Lord Brahma

5. Aditi means the one without limits

6. (This one's my favorite) A fellow blogger also had a post on this, and here's what she observed : Rv. I, 98, 10 says that "Aditi is the sky; Aditi is the air; Aditi is all the gods and the five tribes; Aditi is whatever has been born; Aditi is whatever shall be born."

You win some, you lose some

2009-04-25T21:32:00.000-07:00

Till july 22nd 2008, everything was normal.. Come July 23rd 2008, and everything changed. I landed in the United States of America. So, what changes from Mumbai to Manhattan?

• I started watching the weather forecasts. That’s a major factor in a New Yorker’s decision-making paradigm

• I finally know “what lies beneath”, and that’s the underground subway system

• I never saw a single mosquito after July 23rd

• I did not see anyone take a crap by the road

• I am not supposed to rush to grab a seat in the train. Even if a seat is empty, a NewYorker will just stand next to it and be engrossed in a book

• Also, nobody attempts to get into the train if they are doubtful about getting at least 0.5 ft of space between them and the other passengers

• A single line for the bus is a single, straight line

• In conversations, the filler "yaar" has disappeared and has been replaced by "you know" and "like"

• Footpath is now a side-walk

• Pedestrians also have traffic lights

• Pedestrians are now respected. Yesterday an Audi stopped a full 15 seconds for me till I crossed the street

• Oh yeah.. it is not “road” anymore. It is a street

• I am now supposed to say “Could you please move in? Thank you.” instead of “Aage badho yaar, itni jagah hai andar train mein!!”

• There is no sound here which even remotely resembles that of an autorickshaw, or its horn.

• Garbage is in the garbage bin, and not outside it

• “Kachrawala” is now the “Officer of the Sanitation department”, and is addressed as “sir”

• I now know what a hand sanitizer is

• I am twice as dependent on the internet as I was earlier

• Everyone has at least one iPod or iPhone

• Mac is cool here – PCs are a thing of the past

• Having a car is not a luxury anymore. It is a necessity. (Not that I can afford it)

• Chicken is now a part of vegetarian food

• Heaters are very important. But so are air conditioners when it’s summer

• Microwave is more important than cooking gas

• There is no “balcony” in the house and even if there is one, there are no clothes hanging in the balcony

• There is no “rainy season” anymore. Rain here can appear any time!

• Ralph Lauren Polo t-shirts is now not a big deal. It’s SAKS Fifth Avenue that’s classy

• Pollution, noise, electricity cuts are a thing of the past

• Diwali crackers at 4 AM are now a thing of the past

• Eating paani puri while dropping it proudly on your shirt is a thing of the past

• Kulfi and sugarcane juice is now rare

• Screaming "Saachiiiin, Saachin!!" while watching that T20 game with my bro is a thing of the past!

Well, the universe always does its balancing act, doesn't it?

Work-life

2009-02-24T11:57:00.001-08:00

Working in america after you have worked in india can be difficult. Not because the work is different, or because the companies are bigger. Just the work ethic and the work culture is different. In India, where I worked, it did not matter what time you came or left, what clothes you wore, how you spoke, how you looked, how you smell - IFF YOU WERE GOOD AT YOUR WORK. However, in america, you not only need to be good at your work, but all the other things that I mentioned here.

It takes you a while to accept and get used to this fact. There have been depressing times for me. Times when I thought things were unfair, because I was good at my work after all!
The good part is that I get to experience this while working in school. I am learning my lessons before I go out into corporate america, and this ensures I dont screw up there!

The bottomline though, is : dont repeat your mistakes.

Am Back AGAIN!!

2009-02-08T11:06:00.000-08:00

Yes, I like to do this dissapearing act once in a while... I had almost bid goodbye to blogging. I either write about myself or about what is happening in the world. There are already millions of blogs on the world wide web to cover the latter. To cover the former, I am a bit reserved.

So what changed my mind? May be my thoughts were getting clogged with random noise around and I relaised the last time I was able to think clearly was when I wrote. So here I am.

Am back!!

2008-07-10T02:57:00.001-07:00

Yeah I know everyone uses that title - AM BACK!! too banal but I deserve a warm welcome!! "How have you finally got back to blogging?", you might ask. Well, I am jobless, and finally got some time to think about writing .. No, no.. don't get me wrong.. they didn't kick me out of work because they were tired of seeing me there 12 hours every day. I kinda.. left them! Yeah, am going to be back to being a student - full time!! So, am back to blogging also because I will have many spicy things to write now!

It feels kinda strange after couple of years of being "independent" and "self-financed" and "I-have-to-go-to-the-ATM-today" types.. Now its back to using money "wisely" and "saving-up" and "pocket-money" other things which I am slowly getting into the groove of..

another transition that I HAVE TO make is to get back to BOOKS.. well, I am a self-confessed non-reader.. I cannot read novels.. fiction, non-fiction.. cannot read even short stories or comics!! Management stuff? Well THAT I gotta try!

Its a nice feeling to be at home at this time in the afternoon though.. lazying around.. with a mug full of my favorite hot chocolate and the dull rainy atmosphere outside.. At work, at this time, I used to check those 60-odd emails which used to greet me in red color in my inbox every single day! Well, I kinda miss them though! The sense of accomplishment and achievement that work gave me, was unparalleled.

BTW - to all my movie buff readers (god, i like the feeling that i've got "readers") couple of movies you JUST CANT MISS:

Khuda Ke Liye
Aamir
Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na
(in that order)

Catch it at your nearest theater.. oops.. Multiplex - NOW!

Movies Galore

2007-12-12T12:09:00.001-08:00

My reviews:

Om Shanti Om - 3 out of 5
Jab We Met - 4 out of 5
Goal - 3 out of 5
Saawariya - Disqualified
Dus Kahaniyaan - 4 out of 5

Yes, I liked Dus Kahaniyaan... worth the 200 bucks that I spent for that multiplex!

PS: Gelato ice-creams have a new fan - ME.. Loved its Ferrero Rocher and Death by Chocolate flavors.. yum!

Some Unfulfilled Wishes (as of now)

2007-06-30T00:52:00.000-07:00

1. Buying my dream dress for the dream party.
2. Not postponing the dream party.
3. Watching Love Actually.
4. Not having a bad hair day.
5. Finishing ALL the work for the day, THAT day itself.
6. Getting rid of crappy songs and irritating Radio Jockeys.
7. Stopping the rains from ruining my weekends.
8. Start liking the cafeteria food.. all over again.
9. Trying Yoko Sizzlers.
10. Writing a good post on this blog.

Some Gyaan

2007-06-24T07:01:00.000-07:00

The Sarpanch of a Village was respected and looked up to by all the villagers. All kinds of problems and disputes were taken to him and he would resolve them all, instilling immense faith in the villagers for him.

A day came when a sage came in the village. He lived by a tree in the village, and some people started to seek his advice.. As days passed, the number of people coming to him for advice increased, and one day the Sarpanch had no visitors at all!

Knowing about the sage, jealousy took over the Sarpanch. He wanted to test the sage for his intelligence. He went to the sage and told him -

"There is a bird in my closed fist. Tell me if it is dead or alive. If you tell me correctly, you will indeed be considered clever and will be rewarded. If you answer incorrectly, then you will have to leave this village immediately."

The sage smiled and answered -

"Whether the bird is dead or alive is completely in your hands. If I say that the bird is alive, you will squeeze your palm so that it dies. If I say that the bird is dead, you will open your palm to set the bird free. It completely depends on your decision, what you do with the bird."

This story reminds us something very important - What happens with our lives is completely in our hands. What we do with it determines how our life shapes up. No body, other than us, can say what direction our life will take.

PS: This story is courtesy the HR head of my organisation.

Four Liquid Stages of Life

2007-06-20T22:12:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: Another interesting blog

My must-reads

2007-06-20T21:41:00.000-07:00

I want people to read good stuff on my blog. And I will admit that all stuff on my blog is not good. So, when I have a new visitor, I want him/her to view select posts first. Posts that are really good. First impressions do matter, you see!

I, therefore, created a label called My "must-read"s. These are posts which:

A: Make me proud of my writing abilities(some might disagree, but what the heck!)
B: I want people to read these posts, because of their sheer content. Something in the content I want them to ponder about.

So - in case you have come across my blog for the first time, just read My must-reads first.. and if the posts there have impressed you enough, you will definitely read the rest!

Cheers!

PS: Damn!! what am I doing in Finance?? I should be doing Marketing!

2007-06-17T08:33:00.000-07:00

Another week gone by.. Encounters with our firangi colleagues who had come down from NY.. My first phone conversation with a client..and many such things.. Monday to Friday went in meetings, work, phone calls, and enjoying some first rain showers over Mumbai..And as the weekend drew closer, I was already down with cold..

Some interesting things that I did over the past week included reading some great stuff on the WWW. Blogging is not only about writing, but also reading other blogs.. and trust me.. some of them out there are really too good..
Surfed some nice sites about paintings, art and decor.. Had some interesting and insightful conversations with few colleagues.. and also developed a strange addiction towards watching Indian Idol every Saturday(that's because I cant watch it on Fridays). Now this is a competition you definitely got to watch!! The competition here is not just between the contestants, but also between the judges.. each one tries to prove the other wrong... Its funny at times.. I like the show for its songs and singers.. All of the songs chosen somehow happen to be my favourites.. Since I have heard them over and over again.. it's like I am judging each of the contestants sub-conciously in my mind..

I also realised I plan too much.. No plan is worth spending more than 40 mins thinking about it.. You never know, circumstances might compel you to change your plan.. Invest your grey cells wisely..!

Very, very Sugary

2007-06-10T22:09:00.000-07:00

Before I had seen Cheeni Kum, the only thing I had presumed about the movie was that - It must be funny - and It must be made for showcasing the old-man-younger-woman romance that has been attempted before too (read:nishabd)

I missed the beginning of the movie. Wasn't really difficult to understand what was going on though. One of the first scenes I saw had AB in a white chef's robe, shouting (in his peculiar style) at his cooks in the kitchen of his "Indian" restaurant in some place unknown (I didnt know it was London as I had missed the beginning). Then came the scene where he tastes the 'very-difficult-to-remember-and-pronounce' named hyderabadi pulao, which was made by Tabu. There starts the story.

I feel Cheeni Kum is a must-watch. Why? Firstly, very witty, humorous, straight-to-the-point dialogues. A very straight-to-the-point and practical story. Theres nothing in this movie that I couldn't digest - except one. The "sexy" little girl is way to mature for her age, dont you think? Well, but I didnt mind it much.. her dialogues were too much fun to think logically about the 'age vs. maturity' dynamics. The movie has some of the most innovative and bold scenes that you can ever come across. And with "bold" I mean mature, not indecent, not vulgar. No stereotypes, no dancing around trees, no dreamy eyes, no ghisa-pita romance.

All-in-all, a sweet yet 'sugar-free' movie..

2007-06-05T11:28:00.001-07:00

Year: 1951; Movie: Awara; Raj Kapoor, Nargis

Dam bhar jo udhar muh phere, oh chanda
Main unse pyaar kar loongi, baatein hazaar kar loongi

Dil karta hai pyaar ke sajde
Aur main bhi unke saath
Chaand ko chanda roz hi dekhe
meri pehli raat, ho meri pehli raat
Baadal mein ab chhup jaa re, oh chanda
Main unse pyaar kar loongi, baatein hazaar kar loongi

------------------------------------------------------------

Year:2007; Movie: Shakalaka Boom Boom; A bunch of crazy people

boom shakalaka everybody on your feet
the ladies in the house feel complete
while the guy says shakalaka boom
come on n everybody burn the room
shakalakalakalakalakala...... shakalaka boom boom
everybody this is what i wanna say, let bit stay
why did you stop, the bits gonna rock, don' t stop don' t stop
shakalakalakalakalakala...... shakalaka boom boom

tere bina chain aata nahi , ashiqi ka dard jaata nahi
har pal teri yaad, yaadon mein fariyaad
bin tere din raat, bekaabu jasbaat
jara jara jara jara jhoom
shakalakalakalakalakala...... shakalaka boom boom

-----------------------------------------------------------

Need I say more?

Random Musings..

2007-06-02T10:56:00.000-07:00

There is a very cliched and often over-used line - 'Spend your life with someone who loves you, instead of someone whom you love.'

Okay, agreed! It feels good to be loved. Everyone wants attention, admiration and love from their partner. Instead of loving someone who doesn't reciprocate your feelings, it is better to be in a relationship with someone who has done the "falling in love" among the two of you. You will always be happy and satisfied with this one person's commitment, love and devotion towards you.

BUT, whenever I came across that line, I always wondered- Suppose you choose to be in a relationship with some Mr. X, who has done the "falling in love".. he is crazy about you. And he gradually comes to know that you ain't actually in love with him, but in love with the fact that he loves you. How will Mr. X then feel? Does he not want to feel loved too?
Does he not want his feelings to be reciprocated with the same intensity?

Somehow I see selfishness hidden in that line! Yes, the relationship exists. But does love truly exist both sides?

The Verdict is here

2007-06-01T00:31:00.000-07:00

----------------------------------------------------------

31 May 2007

High Court Decision Released

Dear CFA candidate,

I am very happy to inform you that after hearing arguments on our application for a stay of the AICTE order, the Delhi High Court decided to permit CFA Institute to give the CFA exams in India on 3 June 2007 as scheduled.

We must caution you that the Delhi High Court decision could be appealed. We will of course keep you updated if anything changes, and we are proceeding with administering the CFA exams in India on 3 June as scheduled.

----------------------------------------------------------

http://www.cfainstitute.org/aboutus/worldwide/asiapac/31mayupdate.html

Cant get enough of this song

2007-05-31T04:48:00.000-07:00

You can be rich
With no money to spend,
You can do everything
When you understand…

You can be mother
When you are a man,
Open up…
You know that you can…

Open your eyes
Open your mind
Open your thoughts
Don't stay behind…

Open up, open up…
Open up, open up…
Nescafe!

The key is inside you
To open your mind,
You know what is out there
Your heart can't be blind…

Open your eyes
And open your mind
Open your thoughts
Don't stay behind…

Open your eyes
Open your mind
Open your thoughts
Don't stay behind…

Open up, open up…
Open up, open up…
Nescafe.

Erase all the borders
And start in your head.
Open your mind
To thoughts seldom said…

Open your eyes
And open your mind
Open your thoughts
Don't stay behind… {2}

Open up, open up…
Open up, open up…
Open up, open up…
Nescafe!

The good old Nescafe song which is also in hindi.. "ho shuru har din aise, ho shuru har pal aise.. Nescafe!"

2007-05-29T12:44:00.000-07:00

Some places are made to dream about..

Some are man-made, like this one

and some can be made only by Him - like this one

PS: The first image is Hohenzollern Castle - the 19th century reconstruction of a 13th century castle in Bisingen, near Stuttgart;
the second one is Crepuscular Ray sunset - Telstra Tower, Canberra

Happy Birthday to Dear Blog

2007-05-26T12:25:00.000-07:00

I wrote my first blog post on May 19th, 2006. This blog has completed a year now!!

A year of scribing has indeed improved my writing, and my thinking patterns. When I look back at my first, rudimentary posts, it is sometimes embarrasing. Albeit, I am happy that this blog helped me write beter, read better. It was visited, read and appreciated by most of my friends. It helped me jot down my cerebrations and contemplations, and analyse their patterns. It is great to have something that describes you!

Happy one year of blogging to me!

Congrats, ICFAI !

2007-05-26T06:33:00.002-07:00

MUMBAI: The Indian upstart has managed to displace the American major.
No, we are not talking about Infosys buying out Microsoft, but the
Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India (ICFAI) getting the
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute to leave India.

The CFA institute was founded way back in 1947 in the US. Inspired by
the success of the programme, a few IIM, Bangalore, professors, set
up ICFAI and started offering the CFA degree in India. This degree did
not have any connection with the CFA institute, though it did use the
same name.

The CFA filed a case against ICFAI in 1997. In August, 2006, the Delhi
high court gave a decision asking ICFAI to drop CFA from its name by
May, 2007. ICFAI stopped offering the CFA course a few years ago and
replaced it with an MS-Finance degree. In March, 2007, almost two
months before the May, 2007, deadline, ICFAI filed a case in the
Guwahati high court, claiming that the CFA institute was running an
unapproved technical programme. On directions from the court, the All
India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) asked the CFA institute
to cease operation in India with immediate effect. The premise was
that any foreign university/institution imparting technical
institution in India has to have clearance from AICTE.

“A writ petition has been filed whereby the CFA institute has
requested the Supreme Court to at least allow the institute to conduct
an exam scheduled for June 3, 2007,” says a source close to the develo
ment.

“The ICFAI itself does not have an AICTE accreditation for most of its
technical programmes. This is a clear attempt by ICFAI to protect its
business interests more than anything else,” says a CFA who was
unwilling to named. In fact, a whole lot of ICFAI- run institutes are
on the list of unapproved institutions running technical programmes
without AICTE approval”.

This list is available on www.aicte.ernet.in. The list includes a few
engineering colleges and business schools run by ICFAI.

“ICFAI has been offering the CFA programme since 1985, which was
recognised by AICTE in 1990. Other programmes are offered by ICFAI
University, which don’t require recognition from AICTE, but from UGC.
ICFAI university is recognised by UGC already,” says S K Sharma,
director, ICFAI Business School. ICFAI has managed to get a university
status in the states of Uttarakhand, Tripura, Sikkim, Meghalaya,
Mizoram, Nagaland and Jharkhand under respective legislations. The
University Grants Commission though has recognised only the ICFAI
University at Dehradun (Uttarakhand) and at Agartala (Tripura) in the
list of universities maintained by the University Grants Commission
under Section 2(f) of the UGC Act, 1956.

“AICTE has been taking similar action against Indian institutions as
well. Why is the issue being hyped when a foreign institution is
involved? Are the laws of the land different for different
institutions?” asks Sharma.

“Some of the best business schools in the country do not have an AICTE
accreditation. Most of the business schools of Symbiosis Society in
Pune did not have an AICTE accreditation till some time back and that
did not stop industry from recruiting from there. The Indian School of
Business in Hyderabad does not have an AICTE accreditation. Now that
does not mean that they do not have a quality course in place,” says
the CFA mentioned above.

“Most of the original founders have left ICFAI by now, disillusioned
by the way it is being run, having essentially been converted into
money-making machine. Some time back, Besant Raj, who was the founder
chairman and chancellor of one of the universities established by
ICFAI, also quit,” says a source close to ICFAI. The institute, since
its inception, has largely been run by the low profile Yasaswy, who is
a member of the board of governors of ICFAI.

as reported in DNA

2007-05-26T00:50:00.001-07:00

Birthdays are special occasions. Not because we grow a year older. Not because we celebrate by cutting cakes and throwing lavish parties. Not because we get gifts. A birthday is special because it is a benchmark. A threshold.

Every birthday is a time for SWOT analysis. Like the year-end date for a company’s accounting books. How much profit did you make in the last year? What were the strengths? What were the weaknesses? Was there a proper cost allocation? How can I improve my performance next year? Here are my Financial Statements :

In the books of M/s Aditi Prabhu.

Income Statement for the year ended 19^th May, 2007.

Balance Sheet as on 19th May, 2007

Not too bad.. ha? I could also think of doing a Cash Flow analysis!

2007-05-14T23:16:00.000-07:00

will you be with me in all times, good or bad?
will you comfort me when I am dejected and sad?
will you help me find myself when I cannot?
will you believe in me when others will not?

would you hold my hand, when it trembles?
would you lead me out of life's terrible jungles?
would you trust me when I stop believing in myself?
would you love me, when I stop loving myself?

2007-05-12T00:51:00.000-07:00

Work life is strange.. it is a different domain in itself - 11 months of work experience till this day has taught me some valuable lessons...

Work is work - It is not worship. Do not get too emotional about work. Keep it practical, thoroughly professional.

Always maintain work-life balance - Do not neglect friends and family because you are "too busy".

Do not sit too late - The work will go on. It will never end. Your body and mind desperately need rest after 9 hours of work.

Another reason not to sit late - you could be taken for granted. The day you decide to leave "on time", your colleagues will think you are leaving "too early".

Your team is your work-team. Do not make too close friendships with people who do not know the difference between a work-relationship and friendship. You will not be able to talk practically about work with your 'friend' at work.

Be tolerant towards others. If there are 10 people in your group, all 10 will have different traits, different ways of working. Do not wish everybody worked like you. Do not wish you got along well with everybody. The moment you start wanting to get Everything under your control, you will only end up getting frustrated.

Always collect your appreciations, the praise that you got from colleagues, seniors. Save them, if they are emails. Go through them when you are feeling down. It will boost your morale.

Understand that your boss also has a boss. He points out your mistakes because he is doing his job. He is paid to do so. There is someone who points out his mistakes too. So basically, everybody is sailing in the same boat!

After every mistake, LEARN! Do not regret making the mistake. Just make sure you better yourself next time.

All the above and many more, are what I observed, and learned. They are easier said than practised, for sure. I am yet to implement most of the above(especially the sitting late part, you will agree), but does it helps to know.

Happy Working!

2007-05-11T00:13:00.000-07:00

N: So? No blogging these days?
Me: Hmm.. well, of late theres nothing to blog about. Life is pretty monotonous. Hey - yeah thats a good theme - 'Monotony of my life'
N: haha

Naah.. dont you guys worry. I am not going to write about the monotony of my life. There is something interesting indeed. I saw the movie - Bheja Fry last week. And ever since I have been recommending it to everyone I meet.

Never seen a movie which is such a roller coaster - inspite of being as short as 1.5 hours!!

The things that make this movie remarkable are:

1. Awesome actors - the amazing duo of Vinay Pathak and Ranvir Shourey
Milind Soman looks oh-so-adorable even with an ugly beard and long hair. His screen presence is commendable even after so many years.
Sarika - well, never mind!
The show-stealer here is definitely Vinay Pathak!

2. An unpredictable story-line. Keeps you on the edge of your seat!

3. Also, these days when hindi movies go on and on for 4 hours and we beg for an end, this movie will make you beg for more! I actually was dissapointed when the movie ended..I wanted it to go on and on.. In less than 1.5 hours, Bheja Fry gets its audience engrossed in it.. Hats off to the director.. it was a risky proposition indeed.

Dont know if it will do very well with the traditional bollywood junta, but it sure gets a 5 star rating from me!!

Hey got to go.. My phone .. "its ringing" ;-)

On the 'eve' of Womans Day..

2007-03-08T21:13:00.000-08:00

Women who read this will bless me, and men who read this will pull their hair in exasperation.."One more long list??"
Albeit, here goes.. the pointers on How to Score Points with Women.. some(more) guidelines for Men on how to make their Women happy.. and trust me when I say this - each of these is equally important and true..

How to Score Points with Women:

Upon returning home find her first before doing anything else and give her a hug.
When listening to her, reassure her that you are interested by making little noises like ah ha, uh-huh, oh, mmhuh, and hmmmm.
Leave the bathroom seat down.
Pay more attention to her than to others in public.
Display affection in public.
Practice listening and asking questions.
Validate her feelings when she is upset, instead of offering solutions.
Give her twenty minutes of unsolicited, quality attention (don't read the newspaper or be distracted by anything else during this time).
Be patient when she is sharing. Don't look at your watch.
Show interest in what she does during the day, in the books she reads and the people she relates to.
Laugh at her jokes and humor.
Let her know that you missed her when you went away.
Surprise her with a love note or poem.
Take pictures of her on special occasions.
Treat her in ways you did at the beginning of the relationship.
Most importantly, respect her for what she is and does for you.. whether it is your mother, sister, girlfriend, fiancee, or wife!

Courtesy: 'Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus'

Happy Women's Day!

Busy days are here again

2007-02-02T22:07:00.000-08:00

This is one of those precious saturdays that I get for myself. Fridays are usually hard at work. Come home late..get up late on saturday morning. Mornings are typical --Switch on the pc.. check mails along with a hot cup of tea..

I have a look at my messenger window.. Nobody's online today. How come everyone is busy when I am free. It isn't so during the weekdays.. The entire world is online,,and buzzing me while I am in a hurry to sign off and go to office..anyways..

Something reminds me.. it's the beginning of the month.. And with me it has become a ritual to go at this page http://www.astrologyzone.com/forecasts/ and check my astro forecast for the month,.. Susan Miller is almost correct if not completely. But what annoys me most is when she says that a particular month is a great time to do something and when that thing is the only one I cannot do.. Nevertheless.. now it is a habit (good or bad, I dont know) to check my forecast on the 1st of each month and see what the month has in store for me.

No great forecast this month.. no interesting mails..no friends online too..! How boring can a saturday morning get! Wait a minute.. I had almost forgotten that I have a blog..and I have been neglecting it for quite a while.. thanks to my "busy"ness.

So here I am..scribing away about my Saturday morning.. Thanks to my blog... i have saved my saturday morning..atleast!

2006-12-15T22:36:00.000-08:00

My fears & anxieties
Opportunities that I lost and never got back
Bad decisions that I took
Embarrasments that I had
Times when I had been fooled
When I felt cheated
Times when everyone and everything seemed unfair
Betrayals from friends
Dissapointment about unfulfilled dreams
Times I was hurt by someone
When I felt terribly guilty about things that I did
When I did not get what I badly wished for
When I failed for the first time

All this, and much more..They happened, because they wanted to make me happen. The lessons that I learnt from each of the above, made ME. My opinions, likes, dislikes, attitudes, behaviour, the friends that I choose, the not-so-good-friends that I ignore, the tasks that I take up, the challenges that I overcome, the happiness that I cherish -- are a result of all of the above. What I am today, and what I will be tommorow, is a product of such setbacks. Why then, do we wish that such things never happen to us? They should, must and will happen. How else would we know what not to do?

2006-11-24T10:37:00.000-08:00

Today's lessons for me:

Always be proactive to be ahead of others.
Don’t assume things.
Ask lots of questions, no matter how stupid they seem. Your doubts are important. The other person’s opinion about you isn’t.
Be confident about yourself before expecting other’s to be confident about you. Feel good about yourself and the world will feel good about you. Every step you take should ooze confidence and poise, not fear or uncertainty.
Make the best use of every moment that you have. It will never come back.

2006-11-21T03:53:00.000-08:00

I tried to write some thoughts today, but I didn’t know from where to start. The mind is such an amazing machine. Like no other machine in this world. No other super-computer. It can process 100 thoughts at the same time. It can create 100 perceptions at the same time. It can recognize 100 problems at the same time. Wow!
But sadly, this super-machine, the mind, never has answers to most of these problems it recognizes. It identifies number of problems in split seconds, but hardly ever offers solutions that quickly. Infact, many a times it doesn't offer a solution at all. Strange, isn’t it? Ever wondered why?

The very power of the mind—to think in multiple directions—often becomes its biggest drawback. When approaching a problem, solving a problem, it never sticks to one approach. It wants to consider all 100 thoughts, perceptions or approaches, which are completely different from each other. The result? Confusion, Conflict, Chaos.

What happens to the solution then? A random one, which is perceived to be processed by the mind, is taken as the optimum solution. If not randomly, then the one which is perceived to be taken after considering ALL the so called factors or approaches. But is it practically possible to consider diverse and conflicting views and arrive at a common course of action? Very often, the answer is no.
And we realize later, that what we took as the solution, was actually no solution at all. Because there was no process done on the problem in the first place.. the solution was only a result of commotion., a random choice.

How do we avoid such commotions? By keeping the mind calm, some might say. But then, how to stop the super-machine from thinking in all possible directions? And when all the directions seem right to you, which one do you choose? Make an arbitrary choice? Leave it to luck? Or sit and wait for the solution to come to you? Will it ever happen?

Well I dont know about others, but this is how my mind-machine works. Does any engineer out here know how to operate this type of a machine?

2006-11-12T23:29:00.000-08:00

My TV boasts of more than a hundred channels.. and some 50 of these 100 channels are the fresh'n'breeding "24 hr news " channels.. It's interesting to watch some of them.

While I was surfing these channels one day, this is what I get to witness:

News Channel 1: Is airing a programme called "Umrao Jaan- Parde ke Peeche" and guess what the news reporter's talking about-- the love-life of Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachhan.. My curiosity (not for the news, but for the channel's reporting abilities) made me watch the half-hour programme..which talked about everything --from Aishwarya and Abhishek's childhood..to how they came close, to how they are hiding their affair..to what Amitabh Bachhan has to say about the affair..to why Jaya Bachhan scolded Aishwarya once..to how their kundalis didnt match..and blah blah blah.. (How informative!)

News Channel 2: Is talking about the so-called "push" to Sharad Pawar by cricketer Damien Martyn.. They give a much inflated and animated account of "how and when Damien Martyn pushed Mr. Pawar" and go on to question every single biggie in the cricket world as to what they have to say about it..The reporter's filmi way of describing and narrating the whole situation is commendable.. (Shahrukh, you better pack your bags)

News Channel 3: Is analysing the "slap" to Bob Woolmer by cricketer Shoaib Akhtar ..and is giving a year-by-year and decade-by-decade account of the relations between Woolmer and the Pakistani cricket team..and also a year-by-year account of shoaib akhtar's career.. Who said what to whom and when.. everything ..minute-by-minute.. is described here

I couldn't gather enough courage to surf to the fourth news channel.. The turn-off button on the remote was a natural choice!

2006-11-07T00:31:00.000-08:00

It came, it lived, it faded away..
It brought along so many smiles, so much nostalgia, and so much pain..
It brought the essense of friendship,
It brought the message of life.

In smiles, giggles, laughter and jokes,
It made us long for that old life..yet again
I wish it stayed for a little longer..
I wish I could ask it to wait
But helpless as I was..in Time's hands..
I had to let it go..that one Moment of Happiness.

Thankyou, my dear friends, for the 4th of November.

2006-10-29T23:16:00.001-08:00

When I sit by the beach at sunset,
and the hues of the sky to me seem colorless,
I wish I could write you a poem.

When the sight of your smile is the only thing these eyes seek for,
And when it’s the only thing they cannot have,
I silently wish I could write you a poem.

When there are tons of things to say,
Yet I fall short of words,
I wish I could write you a poem.

When I cannot talk to you,
But you hear all that is unsaid,
I wish I could write you a poem.

When your presence overwhelms the soul,
And it yearns to celebrate this love,
I wish I could write you a poem.

I know this feeling reaches you,
even without me writing a poem,
Even then, I still wish I could write you a poem..

2006-10-29T23:16:00.000-08:00

2006-10-19T03:20:00.000-07:00

To really love a woman,..to understand her..,
you've got to know her deep inside..
hear every thought, see every dream
and give her wings when she wants to fly..
and when you find yourself lying helpless, in her arms
You know you really love a woman

When you love a woman,
tell her that she's really wanted
When you love a woman,
tell her that she's the one
She needs somebodyto tell her that it's gonna last forever
So tell me have you ever really, really ever loved a woman?

Women have been considered a mystery for ages.. Why? Only men know. Basically we are simple creatures, just like all you men out there. The only difference is, we also have a heart, besides a brain. No offense meant to all my male buddies reading this. But, what is our fault if we have mood swings? What's our fault if we are sensitive? What's our fault if we like shopping? And why should we not scream when we see a cockroach? God made us this way.. Just like God made you the way you are..

Accept it..you can call us weird, strange, moody,..and whatever you like..but you just cannot stop loving us! It is a mother's warmth that a child needs when he is hurt. A husband needs to get back to his wife for that loving care after a hard day at work.. Women are the balancing force in men's chaotic lives.. she just needs appreciation, and expression of your love and care..not diamonds, not exotic food, not expensive clothes, not luxurious cars.. just You..coz you complete her..just as she completes you..

2006-10-17T07:38:00.000-07:00

Seven Secrets of Success: Find the answers in your room

Fan says: Be cool
Roof says: Aim high
Window says: See the world
Clock says: Every minute is precious
Mirror says: Reflect before you act
Calendar says: Be up to date
Door says: Push hard for your goals

yess!!.. finally I know what I am... An ISFJ

2006-06-04T03:44:00.000-07:00

"ISFJ? wat is that?", some might ask.. Well, after taking this test..which claims to give me my exact type of personality, i came to know i am Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, and Judging.. hmm.. gr8.. Thanks to Myers-Briggs, now i know what i am..
Well all this does sound intriguing to me, especially because i have always been fascinated with astrology, personality types, predictions, etc etc..
On being a part of social groups like orkut, i realised there are many like me who want to know about themselves..or should i say who are confused about themselves..?

So why are these tests so popular? probably because we constantly seek reasons for our thoughts, behaviour and actions. Questions like-- "Why do i feel this way?" , "Why do i think this way?" and "why am i the way i am?", are very promptly and easily answered by these tests in a very self-explanatory..yet not-so-explanatory answer-- "Because you are an ISFJ"..

Another reason for the popularity of these tests could be the "compatability tests" attached to them.. Who is the ideal partner for you? Who can be your best friend? "An ISFJ gels well with an ENTJ..".." will have a satisfactory realtionship with a ISFP".. and so on and so forth..

In our outward-looking minds, these tests take us a bit closer to looking inwards.. to finding out what we really are.. But isn't it sad?-- we need the help of a personality test and tons of websites to know ourselves and our acquiantances ..We need the love-compatabilty test to know whether or not we are compatible with our partner, whether or not we will have a lasting relationship..
Well looking at the other side of the coin-- in our busy lives.. something is better than nothing.. if it wasn't for these tests, i guess we wouldnt have even bothered to look within us..

But i still believe the journey is more important than the destination.. the journey of discovering yourself, your partner, your friends.. through interacting with them, knowing their likes and dislikes..fighting with them..arguing with them..and then knowing what hurts them and what amuses them.. all this is enriching.. no matter how much time it takes, months, years or decades to know a person,..its all worth it!

I have my own reservations

2006-05-30T08:13:00.000-07:00

well i have been thinking since many days..actually weeks ..of writing about the most talked-about, written-about, and blogged-about topic-- the Reservations..or Affirmative Action..(thats the more sophisticated way of calling it)

But i dont want to bore you with the regular kind of write ups.. so i am posting a rather fun(or sarcastic) piece of story that i came accross.. it will pretty much bring accross my sentiments for or against reservations..

Year 2020 : Rahul was about to embark for his first day at school

Rahul : Boohoo ! Boohoo ! I dont wanna go !
Dad : Son you have to go to school . Everyone should learn .
Rahul : No No ! None of my friends are there .
Dad : But Son....
Rahul : Nikhil has gone to US . Sachin has gone to Germany . Sneha has a private tutor . Even Vinay is not going to School .
Dad : I thought Vinay was going to School ?
Rahul : No Dad he is going to a Reservation School to learn the nuances of using Reservation to your benefit .
Dad : Oh !
Rahul : I dont want to go Dad !
Dad : Son you have to go . You have secured the first rank in the Entrance Exam .
Rahul : But Sneha and Vinay also secured 2nd and 3rd rank .
Dad : But son there was only 1 seat out of 100 which was availble for non-OBC, non-SC/ST, non-management , non-politician , non-rich , non-freedom fighter genral category open student . And you have got that seat . So you have to go !

And so Poor Rahul heaved his 12.5 KG bag onto the back and trundled away to the School .