Tuesday, January 31, 2006

office Bday bash!!!

nuthin to say - just the pics...party time at office with my teammates...postin them a bit late - check out the one with the cake on da face...cool huh?(grinning)













Friday, January 27, 2006

Feelings on being 'twenty-two'...

When i got up in da morning today, my first tot was pertaining to da title of this post...was it some sort of a great achievement or just a 'time-stone'(instead of a milestone)...theek tarah se dekha jaaye to life still has a lot to offer me..and i still have to live a lot more of life. But having crossed the mark for the proper age of adulthood...(ahem! 21 years - official age for a lot of things, including marriage and watching certain stuff which every teenage boy dreams of - OPENLY!!-haha)...of course there are things now which bear even more importance in life than just these things...responsibilities to be shouldered, opinions and advice to be given - dese things are a part and parcel of life beyond the teens - in fact these are the things which make one feel like an adult...which gives one a sense of satisfaction that he is being asked for, he is respected as an individual...aint I rite folks?

It was real nice of my parents having come down from Goa to celebrate the bigDay with ME...of course i had been feeling so lonely since a lot of so-called 'debacles' had happened in the last couple of weeks...always agree with da fact tat in bad times, even when things just dont seem to be going rite for u, its best to turn to people for whom u mean a lot - who care too much for u to see u shed tears, or even have a pouted face... It gives me a real nice feeling to state that the in da 22 years of life i have lived, I have had, and have also found a lot of people who are, and have formed a big part of my life...who have given me a lot more that they can imagine, not just in tangible terms, but in mental feedbacks, who have beared with me in times when i have needed them so much and was at despair..who have encouraged and inspired me, and have been my motivating force...warm hugs and kisses to all who have made my life so very SPECIAL!!

There have been parents, relatives, and of course, dat part of my life which i give a huge amount of importance - FRIENDS -> especially close friends...evryone will agree tat a nice evening spent talking to a close friend, or a nice time @lunch or @dinner spent with some close friends are some of the best moments one can have in life...something one can always cherish in his/her life - once again its nice to say that I have had so many of these...and am looking forward to havin lots and lots more with my friends... For me it has always been life moving at an unusual pace - sometimes slow, sometimes fast...friends have been comin, and departing - (gee...i guess everyone has a life like this)...I sincerely invite the comments of those people on this page whom I mite have missed out on in life...dat wud be a real nice way to get back with oldd friends...

Any issue left to discuss as yet - ah yes...maturity...kam ya zyaada? hehe...left to the others to decide...of course you readers who know me personally, and/or, know me thru this blog...But i guess a 70 percent level wud be a 'mature' answer...what - me boasting? Howeva there is a lot of maturity in different spheres of life yet to come - here's hopin that 2006 is a stepping stone to dat!!

Friends, Indians and countrymen -> I officially declare that...

my jokes(pj's), silly humour, whacky styles(ahem!) and a whole lot of other things shall still continue...

in other words...

you still gotto bear with me and tale-tellin blog!

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Achchha ulluu banaaya!!

If you guys wondering what this post is all about - well - u gotto read till the very end.

We had one hell of a time with Deepa in Bangalore...especially during this week and the weekend which just passed...with loads of shopping...me buying jeans, a Denim shirt..and Deepa buying a nice T-shirt for her cuzin...selected by yours truly...

Jan 24th...one day before our dear friend Deepa was to be leaving for Pune - what was planned was a nice gift - a reallll cute teddy bear soft toy...which we knew she wud adore...more than nethin else. (I can imagine Shweta's tears to be givin away that teddy - are u readin this Shweta? hehe!!)...well this just starts the whole thing...

Jan 24th nite...a dinner planned to bid farewell to Deepa for hre trip to Pune...venue - Lemon Grass, restaurant in Jakassandra...the first appearance of the restaurant was great...altho the latter experience with da food etc wasnt so pleasing...Lemon Grass was bound to be more fun as our whole group was supposed to meet. By around 9, all of us had arrived...me and my friend hiding Deepa's gift. I dint know that my friends were goin to get a cake for Deepa too, and was surprised to see it - made a face at my friend for not havin told me bout it in the first place.

After the usual gupshup, of course, the cake had to be cut. The covers were thrown open, and what do i see - low and behold - 'Happny Birthday Ashish'....(for those of you who dont know, my bday is on Friday this week)... I was really taken by surprise...and shud admit that I would have neva guessed what was cookin up these guys' sleeves. To add to it, there were some marvellous cards from da 2 gals, and the biggest surprise of all, a gift - guess wat - the same T-shirt I had selected for Deepa's so-called 'cousin'...

Yup - too much...i know...seems to be a re-run of Bluffmaster's ending - indeed was feelin like AB junior, as he runs through after havin found out the truth at the end...I was literally overwhelmed...had neva been surprised in this way..but it was certainly very very nice of all my friends to have brought it this way. Thank you guys...for each and every moment of yesterday evening....I know it has been special for all of us...

Of course what followed was a nice dinner - (leave the food aside)...and Deepa's teddy gift to end with...















One of the best birthdays I have had ever - and guess wat - it isnt even done with as yet...!!!

SOS - a movement...

Guess this post in the blog has been delayed enough...it was a visit to a unique place that had taken place on Sunday - I hadnt heard of it myself - it was my friend Deepa who gave me most of the inputs...and as she was leaving for Pune on Monday it became all the more reason why she shud have visited da place in Bangalore before she left...

The time - around 1 pm, after a rather late breakfast, and a hangover of the previous day's excitin time togetha. The place - SOS villages...quite far off on Bannerghatta Road. On the way to it, my friends could get a nice view of my company, as well as Honeywell, where another of our friend works, as well as of course, the one and only and ever-prestigious by its presence in Bangalore - the Indian Institute of Management. Now what this place was - and why would I describe it as a movement...SOS is an effort to home a majority of the orphans in the world...started quite long back by a foreigner - but now quite widespread in 37 cities India (dat was real nice to hear)...I guess its a must for one to know about such places - and such a movement for the cause for mankind...

The first thing I missed there on reaching of course was my camera phone(some defect in it)...howeva Deepa's 6600 was there to do da work...there was an official from SOS who showed us around and let us know the place better...there were around 16 homes everywhere, with around 10 children at any time in each home - of course 'equipped' with a mother(well she is employed, out of around 100 people who apply for the post)...the mother is the lady who takes care of all the children entrusted to that house. She spends all the life she after she joins SOS in nurturing the well-being of the children, till they become of eligible ages. The man, in fact even told us of a girl from SOS who was now comin back to her mom after delivery so that she can take care of her in her post-pregnancy period.

Once again- not all the photos are come dat good...still postin them so that u readers get a teeny weeny feel of this place...










The photos depict the lake in the campus, and also a snap of their beds in the rooms. Each house has around 3-4 rooms, with similar kind of beds for the kids. Of course, that is, until they are kids.

The place SOS is a must-visit. Deepa has left for Pune today, of course with the urge in mind to also visit SOS in Pune. Besides everything else, the place was a relief to get to from the busy life at Bangalore, with its quiet and serene surroundings. The 'movement' as I have called it, seeks help from every source possible, and of course even from monthly or annual donations, something which the official told us about.It is also possible to legally adopt a child from SOS. But of course, only after a screening process of how well can u mother or father the child. It was indeed a nice time that we had had at SOS. The reason was that we could associate ourselves with this movement - for the benefit of the homeless children, or those who are deserted by their parents. Lend a hand, take out a day from your busy life, and do visit SOS - an asset to the nation.

Monday, January 23, 2006

Planned, cancelled, but wat a way to enjoy!

This time the weekend had been well-planned - a trip outside Bangalore, picnic time - etc etc...kinda wud be nice for me, as i had had an awful week - mails bein exchanged about the stuff to be taken etc added to the fun...but well, some things came up and the outing had to be cancelled...what did we do then? lay at home? no way...here is how the plan proceeded -

Spot 1: Lal Bagh Gardens - The prestigious garden at Bangalore, visited by one and all...it seems to be a bore for guys like us, but well it was much more than better...not coz we roamed and admired the scenery, but well - coz we sat in the lawns, played 'chain cook'(hope u guys remember dat)...and just talked our way out until around mid-afternoon...







uhh...shanks...excuse me for not havin included u here...there isnt a single one featurin u in da lawns...

The best part at Lal Bagh was the exhibition which we happened to visit...where certain saplings were even available for sale, which my pal Shanks purchased...pardon me for the loose photography...









A quick, but rather late lunch, we spend some time coolin ourselves in the park, now joined by da my twin 'brat' friends...









Spot 2(final for da day): Coffee World - tot we'd try it out...had seen it from long at Kormangala...so there we were...toastin some heavy coffee and mocha drinks like frappes, iced mochas, belgium chocolates etc etc...






and voila...there is what was left of it all...




comments on Coffee World - almost similar to Coffee Day, but i guess da latter is cheaper, ie if u leave out the VAT expenses(chuckle!)...but i gess a quiet Qwuiky's
at Kormangala rules...both in terms of taste and price...da only noticeable thing at CW was the photos of grand brand ambassador Esha Deol hangin all around...

And there u go - a happy group to end it all !




Now wasnt dat one FUN-FILLED DAY!!!

Monday, January 16, 2006

Weekend mazaa!

Now that was a weekend which i can speak somethin bout - most certainly...studded with several stuff...rite from getting up at wheneva I wanted on both the days - to a fun-filled cyber chat with great friends yest evenin...boy i really cant speak about all - but i gess both fun and some seriousness settles in from now onwards...with the great 'Yem Bee Yaa eggjam' season ending with style - of course style here doesnt mean that i got ne calls...just that it was excitin enugh...it isnt all that over, in the sense that TISS remains, but that being in early March, I have Jan and Feb to mull over wateva happened in the last 6 months and try to make amends for the better...

Lets speak bout sum better things now - like wat was fun for the weekend...Saturday was for friends of course - a movie which had been planned in November itself, so dat was one thing executed nicely - Zinda is a must-see...but not for the faint-hearted. Although the movie covers a broad range of violence, some of which mite be termed as unnecessary, the movie has its owm moments of glory, as well as some spell-bounding roles by Dutt and Abraham...and of course the seductive n sizzling Lara Dutta(dont miss her man!)...but the 2 hour length, the unusual storyline, the dark nites, the mysterious plot..all makes for a good film...zinda deserves an applause...

post-Zinda saw me and my frenz at Sweet Chariot...finally I had to see one of those -and it was in the one at MG Road...i must say this place is worth it...n it was nice checkin out my pal's Sony Ericsson P910A at the same time...check out these...altho they havent come so clear due to the faulty lighting conditions..but the phone is a cool thing...except for its size...










The main thing to speak about Sunday was of course FMS primarily...the ending MBA exam of the season....hadnt answered this one last 'MBA season'...coz mainly the test is more about speed...basically jo sabse tez woh jeeta...n of course innumerous more things come into the picture - the reservation which reduces the no of seats to almost nothin, the huge no of Delhites writin the test after havin prepared extensively, absence of hi-fi speed when needed most in my body(hehe), the huge emphasis on the written score in the final FMS call etc etc etc...all in all make the test a lot tougher than it seems...tough to make it finally to the famous insitute...

Christ College- the place I answered it howeva dint get all the thumbs-ups from my side...considering dumb things like standing in a line to make it inside, the dumb invigilators, the benches...new, but uncomfy to sit on, especially those against the wall(poor me)...howeva FMS was all wrapped up and done by 4 in da evenin...needless to say i dont know bout gettin the call...depends on luck too u see(geee)...

A nice ender to the evenin was a dear chat in the cafe with 2 of my best friends who are at present workin in Pune...me and my friend rattled away on the keyboard as it was totally unplanned...and we were all the more excited to be chattin with these 2 after more than 6 months now...one hour of great fun-filled chat...of course the hour seemed to pass off too soon...promises laid that the next chat wud be better planned and for a longer while of course...

all in all a great weekend...

Friday, January 13, 2006

post no 50

The title of this one looks like the typical title of a Ramsay horror film doesnt it? Howeva I could not think of ne other title, and this post was incidentally the golden one, so well... Just postin this coz its the end of the week and I have nothin else to do in the last few 'Friday' hours...the 'Friday' feeling had settled in quite some time back today and me was already feelin very lazy...just tryin to go thru the concepts of Order Management and tryin to make some sense out of the myriad ppt's and pdf's...

I just remembered that I hadnt kind of written bout my XAT experience...of course not that i do wanna write bout it...just zat it was an extremely disgusting experience which mite make my blog filthy, so i mite as well not mention it here (heheh)...and then there were those aspirants who tot they had seen evrythin after seein CAT 2005! To find out what happened at XAT 2006, log on to PG - check out this page - da link is available...

The days passing by since new year have been boring to the max...not much work...mba season ending for me with pathetic performances in da exams, and the oncoming year lookin like a huge monster with god knows what lying ahead. I find myself sandwiched between my goals in life, my committment towards work, and my ethical life...the path between these three hasnt been easy for me, and isnt goin to be some sort of a cakewalk. But wat amuses me is the probability when in a given sample of time, the number of things which do not seem to be in my favour are enormous...

goin to play now...more discussions on monday i gess...gotto enjoy my weekend - also studded with my last big entrance for this season...

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

On the 'bench'...

Another very unfriendly term used in software companies nowadays. Seems to have derived its source from companies which recruit more people than the amount of work available in units...(need i take any names?)....howeva i can say in pure technical terms that this is when one is not bein billed...the present state in which i am maybe...goin thru dummy objects for study purpose, preparing myself for the real battles which are gonna come netime now...da projects i mean...

When one is on bench i gess he can savour all possible things in life, dream, have fun etc etc...these are some of the things we used to do evryday in college - ahem! Got my new laptop yest...a beauty from DELL...a pity that it has only one USB port, and well, it isnt the latest version which most of the senior employees have here...howeva - its with me to stay now...things which i can boast bout which sometimes i only used to think...1 GB RAM etc etc...in college days i used to wonder how fast pc's with this much memory must be in accessing data..yea pretty fast - but satisfactory i can say...

Too bad i had to depart with my old Compaq friend - howeva i can say that it was definitely a good one...(at least it had 2 USB ports - grrr)...me tryin to get used of the touchpad as and when i have time...took a hell of time transferrin data between the 2 lappies...but finally its done and today mornin i cud savour the new machine...and then wat i did? nuthin much...yea - one can say i studied somethings to 'some' extent...but evryday its a promise given to oneself that the next day i will do more and better...dats why maybe the 'bench' time is time which one can actually make good use of - in the context of knowing his or her concepts better - so that he can build up good knowledge and doesnt have to run to basics when the deadlines in the projects approach...

With 2 entrances on the MBA side to go...one immediately ahead...and one far away to contemplate...i gess it IS time for some good quality work!

Friday, January 06, 2006

another one of 'nice' articles I have picked up!

Just wish dat if this happened once, it shud neva happen again to neone else!!

My Best Friends Wedding

It was his wedding day. As I finished giving touches to my mild makeup, my thoughts flew back to my school days. The first time I met him, he was just another face in the crowd. We met occasionally through common friends. We became good friends, always had fun at the other's expense. He never spared a chance to irritate me, which was not very difficult. We always ended up fighting and patching up the next day only to fight again. 2 years flew by but nothing changed. Our friends knew we were very close and teased us incessantly. We would blush but still continue fighting. Everyday I would wait impatiently for him to come. If I didn't see him for even a day my heart would not be in whatever I do. I would roam around listlessly. I attributed it to the fact that I did not have my daily quota of fights and patch up. We grew up together, but as we grew up we became more aware of our friends making fun of us and the usual teenage gossip. We slowly reduced our fights and spent less and less time together. One day he came and told me that he was leaving to another city. I had always taken it for granted that I could see him whenever I wanted to. For the first time I realized how much he meant to me. All our friends were there to say goodbye. I wanted to say so much, but I didn't know how to convey my feelings. As the car pulled out, I realized at that moment that he meant more to me than anything else. He was my best friend but I also realized, I had unknowingly, unconsciously fallen in love with him. I wished he was there, in front of me so that I could tell him how I felt. But he was gone. There was not a day, not an hour when I didn't think of him. My friends realized something was amiss as they had never seen me so silent and so lost in thoughts. When they found out the reason, they felt it was just a crush and that it would go away. Some suggested finding out his whereabouts, but I didn't want them to. I was happy to be in love. I didn't want to think that there were two possibilities. He might love me, but he might not. I was happy that I was in love, it was beautiful. There were times when I would miss the sharing, the companionship, the sweet nothings that people in love felt and enjoyed. My love was one sided but it was love nevertheless. He was always there in my thoughts and what better companionship can I ask for? Time flew. I went to college and then to work. Through the years I heard bits and pieces of news about him. I heard he was abroad, studying. And then I heard he was in love. My heart broke. The rational side of me knew that since I had never told him how I felt, I should accept what happened. But my heart cried. As much as I tried I couldn't stop thinking about it. I would spend the whole day putting up a smiling face for the people around me and fall into my bed tears streaming down my face. I realized I had to face the truth. He was my first love and would always be, but I realized life has much more to offer. I wanted to move on, be happy and maybe meet someone whom I would love and who would love me. Surprisingly fate decided to help me in its own way. I met his mom by chance and she promptly invited me for his wedding. I realized the only way to come to terms would be to actually go for wedding. I knew, once I see him happily married, I could and would get over it. I came back to the present with a start, as my mobile rang. It was my friend asking me out for a movie. I told her I was going to a marriage to meet a long lost friend and hung up. I was ready, to face reality.

-Saujanya

MY BEST FRIEND IN MY WEDDING

I just came out of the shower. The new suit was lying on the bed. It was a memorable day for me, my wedding day. I was getting ready when my mother entered the room and told me that my friends have come and they are waiting to see me in the hall. I just glanced through the window n I could see all my friends chatting n laughing, people who have been with me through my thick n thin. And then I saw her, an angel, my best friend. She looked really beautiful, had put on some weight, n carried the cute little smile that I always admired. I slowly started traversing back, memories started pouring in, and it has been a long eight years since I last saw her....

I first met her in school when we were taking part in a debate competition. She was cute, shy and a bit funny too. We occasionally met through some of our common friends. Slowly, she became a part of my life. We used to have lunch together, gossip around, and make fun of the teachers and those were moments when we felt that nothing existed beyond us in the entire universe. She used to wait for me when I had special classes and pretend that she had missed the school bus. Life was so much of fun. No day ended without fighting and patching up. At times, there was nothing to talk, but still I craved to talk. That's when I used this weapon of fighting. She was quite adamant, never gave up so quickly, n I enjoyed every moment of those precious times when we fought and argued and then patched up. There were times when our friends teased us of a growing affinity, something beyond friendship. I pondered about it at times, but she was very quick to dismiss it every time. I slowly started realizing that we were made for each other. But, fate had other ideas. My father got a transfer and we had to move to another city in short notice. The day finally arrived, I expected her to say a lot, I was looking into her eyes, trying to read what's going on in her mind, realized at that moment, Einstein's equations were much easier to understand than what's going on in a girl's mind. She never uttered a single word, just said good bye. Tears were flowing down my cheek, I thought she would understand at least at that moment, but rain poured in washing away my tears and with it my chance of being with my angel for life.

She never contacted me after that. I joined college and went abroad for my further studies. I always made sure that she knows what I am doing and where I am through our common friends, hoping against hope that someday she will realize the love for me hidden in the deep cavities of her heart, and she would say those words which I longed to hear for years. But it never happened. She finished her education and later she joined a reputed software company. I slowly started accepting the fact that I was not the kind of guy she would like to spend her life with. In the mean while, I met a girl who fell in love with me. Knowing the pain of an unfulfilled love, I accepted her proposal, and our marriage got fixed. But, I wanted to see my angel at least once in my life. I asked my mother to pass on the invitation to her; somehow I strongly felt that she would surely turn up for my wedding.

There was a thud sound and I came back to reality. She was still sitting there and laughing, maybe to one of the jokes cracked by my friends. I knew at that moment, mine was not a lost love; it will always be there in my heart. If it was there for eight years, it will last forever, till I reach my grave. Just that we had to move ahead in life, in different directions. I got ready and started walking towards my friends. I was ready, to face reality.

-Ram

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

2006 - what bout it?

For some 2006 began wid a bang - for others it crashed like hell - for some like me - it remained normal, but more on the negative end...hows it for Bangalore - soon to become Bengaluru - more on the negative end again, with terrorism striking out in all spheres...the atmosphere particularly not bein very good with the IISc attack to end 2005, the finding of AK 56's etc proving the existence of Islamic terrorists in the city,and to make matters worse, a hoard of bomb hoaxes in the city - no one can imagine the destruction which can take place if ne of these turns out to be true...

Lets speak as if in a bestseller - amidst this turbulent atmosphere of terrorism, deceit, corruption and so on is ME - now 2006 dint begin in a great way for me either...rite from a foolish argument with a close friend to not getting ne calls from the IIMs...now that isnt new is it? I was expectin none, so no much blues this time - except that the IIMs once again have the results as unpredictable as they can be...the plot thickens as the scorecards are not out as yet...only the calls are - PG is roaring with the victories of many a number, and of course weeping with the miseries of a much bigger number, people who have spent their full year without a job in hand, having aspirations of a seven figure salary and to pass out from the best institutes in the country have been as usual let down by the not-so-very-transparent procedure of the IIMs. Why why why...these questions of course raise doubts in thousands of minds, especially of those who havent made it to single call - also of those who have got some of those red-lettered calls and mysteriously havent got the others...now thats a thing to wonder for them...

I think I shall be relieved till the thing dat in another 2 days the scorecards will be out...too bad that these results have to be sandwiched between the other exams...it shudnt but it kind of has a mental impact on how we perform in the other exams...da main thing which wurries me this time is that several deserving people whom i know well have again been let down...people whom i have prepared with, and who have raced past others in the mock season - it isnt that CDay was bad for them...just that maybe all the dreaded cut-offs cudnt be surpassed...

2006 I guess will also be a technically active year for me...in any case - management or no management, the year promises a hoard of other technical fundae in store for me...and it isnt so bad actually - just that it isnt the thing i wanna be active in...but then this isnt the first time life has shown me that i cant do everythin wat i want in life...some things are best done when the things at hand have received some justice...

For all the people who gave CAT 2005 after real good preparation but cudnt get honoured:
You guys got a lot of prepare for in the next year too...one thing i learnt from PG...neva give up...neva lose faith..

For all those who made it...

Get ready to be screwd first in the GD/PI's...and then in the IIMs..

For all those who dint prepare well...

CAT 2006...its a decision...take it or leave it...

I think i fall in the third category...

Disclaimer: I gess all those readin this will be thinkin dat my new year is only wonderin more bout CAT, CAT and CAT...naah...its just dat da atmosphere talks of it these days...there is definitely much more to life than just this feline.

new year wishes...

Lets reserve a special post for this...

A VERRRY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL VISITORS OF MY BLOG!