Bye 2010 - Welcome 2011

Wishing all of you a very happy and prosperous new year.....

Like most fellow bloggers... even I had the thought of summarising last year and also penning down my goals for this year....

2010 has been a great year for me..... probably one of the best years in my life....
Here are some quick recap of memorable events....

1. The most important news of the year :) our junior is coming.....
2. Early 2010, got a chance to visit back to my college alumni function with all my friends and brought out nice memories back to picture.
3. Visited Mythree Farm..which gave me a whole different perspective about life and retirement days... I will probably post a seperate one on this...
4. First time travelled on business class to PA & TX and again got a subsequent travel to FL (naan innum First A/C laye travel panninathu illa)
5. Got a oppurtunity to stay at Leela kempinsiki, Kovalam- I dreamt staying in this hotel in 2000. Ofcourse I would be more happy if it was a personal trip but atleast got a chance to go there on business.
6. Favorite Movie - Vinnaithaandi varuvaya & Inception
7. Girivalam - I got oppurtunity to go three times this year.... and all the time the experience was great...
8. Hyderabad Trip - Maapi Marriage & On the way back sat next to celebrity in flight (Vimala Raman)
9. My desire to do something new out of the routine got fulfilled when I enrolled in Msc Psychology along with Sanjay.
10. Speech at IIT madras about smile, Speech telecast at Gyaanavaani FM Radio about Smile
    Puthiya thalamurai Interview and subsequent article about Smile were all memorable experiences....
11. Finance Goals - I was able to track my expenses every month and bring them down at the end... I was consciously improving my savings methods and have a better emergency fund.
12. Live Life Debt Free - As I dreamt I have closed all the loans. I have freed myself from loans totally. Now its tempting for me to look ahead and purchase new things and get into next phase of loan..but I am evaluating this desire and taking it slowly. I may end up in loans again..and I may come out of them. I may not take loans at all...I do not know :)

But overall its a great year.....

Now lets look at 2011 and how I visualise

1. Well first biggest thing that I see for 2011 is that I will be a "Daddy". We are expecting our junior to come anytime during the first week of February.... so Sat & I (to some extent) will be busy with baby throughout this year...
2. I am relocating to Trivandrum starting Mid January so obviously will take more time in settling down at this new place... it has already become a familiar place by now and ofcourse I will be involved in travelling a lot back and forth...(So a lot of time is going to be spent on Train, ABT Travels & ARC Travels and Kingfisher & Spice Jet)
3. I may take it slow from a career prespective and focus more time with family and early years of our baby so I am hoping not to have any job hops/ career move but you never know.
4. Financially..its going to be one income for entire year but I have already accomplished all the necessary steps in 2010...so we should be fine.... I might have to take a very cautious approach towards my impulse spending and getting back into loans.
5. Travel has taken a back seat last year due to pregnancy and related travel restrictions... so this year.... that might take a few short trips along with baby...
6. Ofcourse...my M.Sc degree will bring back some student life back to scene... so I will be having semesters, exams, hall ticket, question papers, additional sheets :D it is going to be fun...
7. Guiding SMILE from a remote location... need to see how this goes for next year....

so 2011 is going to be equally challenging.... and wonderful with nappies, cerelac, and more and more of baby stuff....

A Moon A Star A Sun - Girivalam

Went for girivalam for last full moon day.... The last time I went for girivalam was almost five years back, and this time when I reached koyambedu... I couldnt imagine that there will be this much of crowd. People were standing in a long line... that already came almost two folds inside the bus terminus and then also grown outside till the auto stand. I somehow parked my bike in the paid parking and try to get hold of a seat as the bus entered into the CMBT Bus terminus. I know I was not following the line but I didnt have any other option because if I were to stand in the line, then I would get my bus only after 2- 3 hours. Finally I reached to Thiruvannamalai around 3 AM. When I went to front gopuram, I could see the full moon glowing just adjacent to the gopuram.. I was so delighted to see the moon. This moon is always special to me.... With that happy moment I started my girivalam....

At the begining, I was fully charged up and started to walk briskly and were trying to overtake all those who were walking in the street, two things were clear in my mind.. not to think of any other nonsense while walking this holy path and not to stop at any point to sit down or relax.... no matter how tired you are just keep walking... never sit down... these two points were pretty clear.... I didnt want to enter into the ashtalinga temples as I passed the girivalam paathai, because it was all crowded and I wanted to complete the girivalam before the sun comes up hot in the morning...so I kept walking as much as I could when I felt no pain. It was sad to see the entire girivalam has turned out to become so much commercialised, there were full of shops on both sides of the road. There were eateries stall, music cd's stall, tea stalls, corn, peanuts, juices, herbal tea, pain reliever... you name it... the road was also crowded with people that you cannot imagine for. And most of the people were talking all nonsense about real estate, relative stories... etc ... etc...Now I have already not followed the first point of not to think any nonsense but I couldnt restrict myself to feel bad about all this happening around me.

At this moment I had almost walked around some 7-8kms.... and could be around 4:30 or close to 5 AM, I saw just one star on the sky...just one alone..sparkling in middle of nowhere...and as I was watching it, I saw one more star that was moving very quickly and disappeared into the clouds...I was sure I watched it and it was not a meteor but kind of a star that was glowing equally but crossed all of a sudden and disappeared.... thats another wonder of the nature.... and I kept walking ...by this time, I was starting to feel the tiredness and little bit of pain, It was difficult but I know I still have half of my journey to complete....Even though I feel I can walk there was also a unwillingness internally and tempting me to halt for a moment. No I didnt want to stop, so I kept walking.... Some people were tired and gave up in middle and started to sit down, some slept down... some kids still running around... and I was continuing to walk but slowly and steadily. This time I didnt mind if some one walks past me. I just went with my pace.

By the time it was close to 6, there was a smooth beam of light coming from the east, yes the sun is getting ready for his day. I saw this tiny little orange spot after some time, slowly glowing and radiating. Its been a long time since I actually saw this early morning sun. See how lazy my life has gone. but then not to regret at this wonderful moment, I kept walking noticing this wonderful moment of sunrise.... slowly he(sun) was glowing up and changing the colours... I could see the crimson red, steaming orange and pale yellow a mixture of all of this predominantly turning to bright yellow..... It all happened in a matter of less than 10-15 minutes, the sun started glowing up nicely. It was then I realised that I need to walk down 2 more Kilometers to complete the girivalam.

So this one night not even 1 night, just 4 hours, I witnessed this holy moon, and crossing star and this beaming sun.... I felt some internal satisfaction and figured out why the crowd has increased off late.... With this I some how managed to complete my last few kilometers of the girivalam. The last few km were kind of difficult, my feet has already began to ache, but I know I need to finish this up somehow or the other. I could see every one at the stage struggling hard to walk. Some people still gave up at those stage and sat down for rest, but I didnt want to give up. Some poeple who were regulars, were trying to ace it up as normal as anyone could.

This might sound like a philosophical note, but this 14km of walk very much relates to our entire life.... early stages you are all geared up enthusiastic, you walk as quickly, briskly as possible... and in the middle stage.. you find some difficulties, you feel like giving up but you know you still have half more journey to be completed and at the last stage you find it very difficult to keep it going but you know the end is not so far and you still try to go at your own pace and finally you reach your destiny.

P.S: I look forward to go to Thiruvannamalai for the next full moon. I just love this mini spirutual journey.

Fight Club

I dont know how many of you have watched this movie...but I happen to watch it yesterday and I really liked this movie...

I liked many parts of the movie... especially people becoming addicted to the consumerism, worker supervisor controversy, split personality of Jack & Tyler :-) ( If you notice every body does that ...I try to maintain two different personalities like Nithiya :) and Nandoo :X(

Alright I wanted to quote two different dialouges that became my favourite

Tyler Durden - Fight Club
You're not your job. You're not how much money you have in the bank. You're not the car you drive. You're not the contents of your wallet. You're not your fucking khakis. You're the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world.
Tyler Durden: Man, I see in fight club the strongest and smartest men who've ever lived. I see all this potential, and I see squandering. God damn it, an entire generation pumping gas, waiting tables; slaves with white collars. Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need. We're the middle children of history, man. No purpose or place. We have no Great War. No Great Depression. Our Great War's a spiritual war... our Great Depression is our lives. We've all been raised on television to believe that one day we'd all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars. But we won't. And we're slowly learning that fact. And we're very, very pissed off.

While searching for images, I found another intresting post about Fight club... Read more if you are intrested

http://bconnor.blogspot.com/2006/11/fight-club-and-friedrich-nietsche.html

If I had been there ......

Sometimes feeling bad... not able to get into a foriegn country... and earn in dollars...visit places... share photographs.... but many times feeling good of being able to live in Chennai..be with parents... be with my doggy... be with the childrens at SMILE...

Many a times.. people ask me .. why didnt you try for a onsite oppurtunity......come on you must be earning in pounds and dollars.... even after hearing all that... i too feel... why didnt i try to work some where outside the home town and earn in dollars......but later then... i feel i did take up the right decision of stayin here... after all success is what we measure as a result of our decisions....

We grow... grow up as adults... and start earn in thousands... lakhs... which is all good... buy a car... buy a home.... get married....if you look at each and every moment that you could rejoice in your life... you will also find your parents... rejoicing twice about thier childrens prosperity.... there are no expectations from them....

they too worked hard... they earned for us in hundreds..thousands...took loans... for our education.... tried to save a little.... sacrificed most of their pleasures... and lived for us... and still living for us... now people who worked with me (22 out of 25) ... have happily flyed out to U.S (which is the only place in earth considered for living at least according to them
alright.. no offence meant... not all of them :)) .... happily go out to all possible tourist destinations....take photos.. and share that... not even knowing that we sitting here might be least intrested to see some unknown place in the earth with just 2 or 3 well known idiots posing in differnt directions... they come back .... they get married... they go back...
probably ask parents to come in a dependent VISA (Mind You! - You have been dependent on them for all your ages ... before you were actually earning and still dependent on them to grow up your kids..... a baby sitter in US actually cost more and you are not willing to pay for that.....)
They may not be able to withstand the cold or extreme weather.. they may be missing out thier own set of people with whom they have thier evening chats.... they may be missing thier daily visit to the nearby temple... but inspite of all that... they wanted to travel miles... just because... they want to be their children and grandchildren.. just for the comfort of being with thier own souls.... I have seen so many such souls in airport who wanted to live with thier children...they pack everything and also try to get accustomed to this new way of life... and come and stay with you for some time.....but all their heart will be longing to come back to India....

Once in a while.... may be your christmas vacation.... people come out to visit the home town... and the main intention may not be to see those dear ones.... but something which sounds different!!!! yes ... to investtt??? their hard earned dollars into some real estate property... and nothing else... get the formalities.. done... and here again... the parents are busy
the whole month before you arraive to finanlise on the place....

Nobody can refuse all these... maybe some are doing it.. and some wanted to do this... and some dont have the oppurtunity to do this... but almost... 60-70% of people are following this trend....

But for how long is the question... how many of us are content with what we earn... how many people who went to US are really thinking back to settle down here in India... how many of them are still struggling for a green card and citizenship... forget it.. it is not going to be my problem :-)

I am happy that I am with them... I am happy to see a new soap in the soap box every time i need a new one...all those little things that my mom does for me... I am happy to sip the bed coffee served with love every morning.... nobody need to tell me a good morning... all i need is that cuppa of coffee from my mom..... I am lucky enough to enjoy such little moments in life....I dont share my life with a canon 6 mega pixel camera ... i share it real... with them... do a vetti talk before going to bed... hug them everytime in mornign... make fun... laugh... i am proud that i dont have a third person as a driver.. when i take my parents out for any function...

I feel it is my responsibility to ensure that their dreams are realized and what they failed to see when they were young,it is my responsibility to ensure that they experience all those they should and feel that their life is complete.I will do my best to give the best possible attention to all their wishes. Just because they are old does not mean that they will have to give up everything and keep sacrificing for their grandchildren also. They have wishes, too.

There is no more asking to myself......If I had been there.....


P.S: Inspired by recent movie which I saw (Cinema Paradiso)
Salvatore (hero) stays in a village and he gets a invaluable freindship of Alfredo( a theatre projectionist)... with the advise from Alfredo... Salvatore leaves his home town.. and returns back after 30 years....

Salvatore ask his mom - Do you ever felt that you missed me?
Mom - No i dont... but i feel that only when I bolt the door in the night...
Salvatore - You never used to bolt the door those days..
Mom - I do (smiling)... those day when you come late from the theatre... i used to pretend that I am sleeping.... once you reach home... i silently go to the door and bolt it before i sleep....
but now after you have left from here.... and every night when i bolt the door... i used to feel that i am leaving some one out there.... far away...
Salvatore - silences for a moment.. with tears n eyes..

P.P.S - This post may not be true for all those who live abroad... so dont get offended if you are staying abroad...... because thoughts may vary... opinions differ... these are all just my point of view and after all its my blog :-) take it easy

Tender cocunut!!!

There is a big crowd near the church... which i didnt expect at that point of time... it was too dark in the evening... and there is a small road side cocunut seller on that corner of the road... she is a handicapped woman who has been selling tender cocunuts there... i have been there a couple of times... during my morning walk with cheenu...

That specific day... I was going out for with drawing some money at the near by ATM... but then while returning back... i stopped for while..to understand.... what is really happening over there...

there is a big JCB earth mover crane... and a corporation employee standing with a piece of paper...the person claims that they have sent a notice... just one month before to remove the shop from there.. but there is no response.. from that lady... and the tiny little hut & shop has to be cleared now...

the lady... who own this hut... refuses to move out from that place... from her perspective.. where will she go... what is the alternative for her... is she the only person blocking the road.. infact.. it doesnt block any roads.. but is an hindarance for the corporation road expansion..???i dont know when the road expansion is going to happen... but after hearing all this.. i couldnt stay as a normal audience...

i just went to that corporation offical.. and asked... what is he really trying to do at this place.. mean while.. the person..who operates the earth mover...tried to create a scene as if he is going to demolish the hut..everyone standing there including me.. thought the hut would go into pieces.... but no.. the lady was sitting right next to the big wheel of that massive vehicle.. and the operator could nt move any more... she refused to come out from that place.... the operator has to stop.. proceeding further...

i started again.. can ask you person to be on hold for a minute..... do you think.. it is the right..way to do this..he started.. Sir i have been in service for the past 35 years.. and all this sentiments and all will not work while clearing the sideways... we are also humans.. but at the same time.. we cannot proceed against the GO... and this ladyhas been informed prior about this happening.. and it is not fair on her part to still...stay and claim for this place...

Before ..i could proceed... there was another person.. who is supposed to be a very old gentleman who also stays in my street..came all the way from the crowd and pulled me outside....... he started asking me... what do you think...you dont know anything about this... have you seen any of the demolitions.. before,... you just come from here.... i have seen a lot in my experince.. whatever you say...may not be taken...into consideration... so just come away and dont argue with the person...

damn... how could he speak like that... agreeed from a logical perspective.. what all they say is right..but bloddy... its 9 in the night... and where will the old lady.. go if thier hut is removed... with this massive machinery... she still has some of the cocunts..lying in front of the hut... atleast cant you people see that she is a handicapped..i have interacted with her a lot of times and she also has a kid...

but this gentleman.. knows me right from my kindergarden days... he doesnt allow me to speak anymore.. and we started an argument...right there.. where i refuse to leave from the situation and he desperately wants to pull me out...

i went back to the corporation fellow... (all my respect for him has come down really).. i said.. i totally agree with your...G.O.. and other formalities.. but i guess this is not the right time do clear this place.. come on where will she go... please come back tommorrow morning and carry on with your execution... when there is day light.... atleast give them a 'nights' time to clear things from the hut... where will this small kid sleep in the night... and what do you going to achieve by executing your G.O this very minute... cant you just wait for the sun to rise..

By the moment .. i completed this sentence.. my neighbour uncle... started again... back to me... cant you understand.... just come out from there.. dont argue.... i said.. fine i am coming ... all i asking is a request to wait till morning... and after this its upto... you... by this time.. my uncle..or the so called old man.. pulled me holding my hands from the crowd.. and wanted me to go to home... he said... you better go to politics..(with a smile)...

I just smiled back.. and went back to home.... still worrying what could have happened.. there

The next day morning.. i was so anxious to go back and see what really happened... to my surpise... the hut was there... but couldnt see the lady

While coming back from office the same day evening...... I wanted to make sure to just have a look at the place... it was even more pleasant surpise for me.. the hut has been shifted little backwards from the existing place... so that it doesnt block the road expansion....

Sometimes complex problems do have very simple solutions..... :D and i saw the same lady sititng with tender cocunts lying all around.. and her little girl playin with a small roadside puppy...

kadhal Karuvarai

karuvarayilirunthu kalaika mudiyamal thavikiraan....
aam karuvai sumantha kadhalan...
karuvaayi... uruvana avan kaadhaliyin ninaivukalai....

*** yipiddddiiii ****
Thnks ammu for giving such a spark...
Yepdi ellarum Tamizhla post panreenga... somebody help meeeeee

Key to my Life

From Left to Right
BIKE KEY - HOUSE KEY - OFFICE KEY :D

am still looking for a cute.... matching key chain for it ;D lol!!!

Outsourcing!!!!

Oracle advance concepts training room, puriyatha onrai puriya vaikum muyarchiyil trainer Purinthukollum arvathil silar, muraithu muraithu parpor silar Cellphone alaipathaal adikadi veliye sendru oyoivu edupavar silar Orathil ipaadi eluthi kondu naan

15 minutes breakil paartha oru sambavam
katida thozilaalikal iruvar oruvan manvetiyal manal allikoduka
innoruvan athai alli sendru veru oru edathil kottivitu varukiraar
ithu oru satharana kaatchi thaan .....

irupinum 15 nimidathil 6 murai ivarkal ithai seythanar aaanaal antha manal mukadu kuranthaithathaaga theriyavillai oru crane irunthaal 2 nimida velai thaan ithu.
crane ku vadakai selavu 1 mani nerathuku kurainthathu 5000 Rs ivarkal iruvarin oru naal sambalam thalaiku 200 Rs ithu kooda Outsourcing thaano ..........


ivarkal mattum enna paavam seiythaargal , ippadi veyilil kastapadukiraarkal endru ennakul oru iyam thontra …………

How oracle handles uncommited transactions ? endru arugil irukkum oru pen mani kelvi elupigrar ….

Nalla velai trainer mobile ippoluthu azhaithathaal avar veliye sendru vittarr

Training roomilirinthu - Nandoo :-) :-(

I wrote this on 14 DEC 2004 - Anyways it is New one for my BLOG

Ninaipathellam nadanthuvittal theiyvam yethumillai

There are some times when we are really broken down not knowing what to do.... This almost happens in everyone's life... Sometimes we are not broken down but shattered into pieces.... all that one has to do is understand that there is nothing we can do about the past...
Here is some way by which I have been somewhat successful... when I am in trouble... I call my best buddy in the world... I have lived so many years with him... and he has supported me in all good and bad times... and he expects the least for himself... so these moments are the real ones when i treat him....and he is none other than me :D . Yeah I have heard from some of my friends that many do the same.... pull yourself closer and comfort yourself... do all that you want to do... eat ...sleep... close the door and shout :D and whatever that you feel like doing
After some time when the waves inside has settled down...normally they dont but atleast after some time just try to do the things youo like and you should be alright

You need to accept that you are human and have all of the normal human failings (thathuvam!!!)

Remember that it is an illusion to believe that you will always get what you want to get. (Ninaipathellam kidaithuvittal theiyvam yethumillai...)

Stop de moralising yourself ! (Summa polambratha niruthanum puriyuthaaa)

When you do make a mistake, view it as a situation-specific Stop over generalising ! (Ellam Maayai)

Resist the temptation to set unrealistically high goals You are sure to fail if your goals are too high (Overa scene podathae maamu)

Ask yourself what you have learned (Ithuku thaan schoola olunga padikanumnu solrathu)

Avoid using others as the yardstick ....(avanuku mattum ellame kedaikuthu...ennaku mattum yen ipdi nadakuthu :(

Stop thinking "I’m only good if I’m as good as, or better than, someone else." - (You are always the best in the world)

Get actively involved in your life (Remember to read this blog once again)

Do things that make you feel good about yourself ( I would go for a full plate hyderabad chicken biriyani :D

Start experiment with finding new activities that you actually try

So here after dont get broken down...bend it like beckham