In the year 2009

We are at the brink of another new year ... a year which holds so many promises ... so many potentials. Like each new year, this year too I’ve set few small goals ... few milestones which I want to achieve. You may term them as new year resolutions ... every year I set few aims that I try to achieve. I am not a planner ... but as I am growing older, I’ve mellowed down a bit. Gone are the days of restlessness (or recklessness) ... I’ve started to appreciate a bit of order in life. Anyways, I still don’t have a long term future plan – personally or professionally. To tell you the truth, I’ve absolutely no idea what I’ll be doing in next 5 years or what I want to do with the rest of my life. I’m still looking for life answers ... but heck ... I’ll take it whatever comes my way. Life hasn’t been an ally ... it always teases me ... putting me in precarious positions ... and I am left to fight all the demons. People say that it feels good to come out of predicaments ... trust me ... I’m getting pretty sick and tired of it. I am tired of feeling insecure ... tired of all the worries ... tired of all things that makes me lose my sleep. I never plan ... because they never come good ... never. Instead, I make small (most of the time ... meaningless) goals ... and feel happy if some of them (or any) comes true. So here I go ... these are few of the things that I wish I achieve this year

Specific

• Get at least 1 professional certification
• Buy a nice digital music system
• Watch at least 4 movies in theater ... even if I have to watch alone
• Buy 2 decent pair of shoes
• Must break the 80 kg barrier ... even if it lasts a day

General

• Put a simple financial plan in place ... start saving money ... earn extra cash
• Be more accommodating ... try to be polite and try to listen to others (just try)
• Curb loosing control ... temper down anger ... especially at home
• Must do at least 1 nice thing for family
• Must take a week long break ... to a place far far away
• Do one really wild thing ... anything out of the ordinary
• Dedicate regular time for self upgrade ... learn new things which might be useful in career
• Start exercising regularly
• Learn cooking (or at least try)... even if it’s a simple dish
• Try not to be critical of all things Bollywood (just try)
• Cut down on television and internet surfing
• Stop cussing while driving ... drive like a girl or an oldie ... calmly
• Start seeing someone ... or worse ... get married

Will evaluate on the eve of 2010 ... hopefully I’ll achieve all of them.

HAPPY NEW YEAR ... Cheers !!!

Dudette and Ghajini

Yesterday evening, we (I aka Jajs, Mohini aka Mohans, Anshuman aka Annuman, Deepak aka DD, Nitin aka Chaws) went to Ruchi’s (aka dudette) house. Mandeep (aka Mandy – dudette’s hubby) is not well for the past couple of months. At such a young age, his kidneys are not working properly and he needs regular dialysis. Dudette is working from home for quite a while now so that she can take care of him. We all can only imagine the kind of pain and anguish dudette is going through – that too at such a young age. Hence, we decided to visit them ... also we thought that they need to unwind a little. After a long time, the GL gang got together ... met Mandy ... he was cheerful and so was dudette (as usual). After a while, we (I, DD, Annuman, Mandy) went to a nearby eatery and ordered a nice dinner. Got the dinner packed and headed back home ... where the girls and Chaws (usual for him ... ahahaha) were setting the table for dinner. We ate ... joked ... pulled each other’s legs ... had quite a bit of fun. At around 11:30, we headed back to our homes. On our way back, we got a SMS from dudette ... she messaged to say thanks for the nice evening and they felt good. Mission accomplished.

Today, my BS team planned for a team outing ... movie (Ghajini) and lunch ... niceeeeee. Even though I’ve quit GL, they asked me to join for one last team outing. Since the show time was 10:30 AM, got up early in the morning. Caught the metro at 8:50 ... could not believed my eyes ... it was cold and the fog was really dense. It was so smoggy that I couldn’t see anything beyond the metro’s track flyover (Delhi’s metro is elevated). Reached Noida (Great Indian Place mall ... Big Cinema) sharp at 10:30 ... Viabhav was standing at the gate so that I can enter the hall (he had everyone's tickets). Just when I entered, the start credits were being shown. The movie is a remake of a hit Tamil movie (of same name), which itself was “inspired” by Memento. However, I really don’t care about these details ... am just a normal moviegoer ... ain’t a movie critic/reviewer. The movie was hyped as the biggest blockbuster of 2008 ... although I can’t deny that in terms of simple box office collection ... it may turn out to be the highest earner, but I'm not too sure that it is the best film of 2008. However, it is not the worst either. The story was kinda fresh ... liked the first half because of the lead pair’s funny romantic track. Asin (lead actress) looked good and she seemed confident enough on screen. Aamir (lead actor) ... being Aamir ... gave everything to the movie. I heard that he trained for 13 months to get a ripped bod for this movie. One thing is for sure with Aamir, if he is doing a movie, it would be worth a dekko. The second half and the songs could have been better ... but then nothing can be perfect (even if it is an Aamir Khan movie). All in all, it was good enough ... would give it 3 stars.
After watching the movie, we all lunched at Pind Balluchi. Hmm .... Nice Punjabi food .... yummy!!! Then we all headed for the office .... me too because I had to submit few documents for the final settlement paycheque from GL. Met couple of friends there ... got a lift back home from Mohans. She dropped me at usual place ... and I walked back to home. On my way back, I took the usual short cut via District Park ... man it was fun. Since the park is pretty big and open, it was really foggy ... could not see anything in front of me ... and it was pitch dark ... not a single soul near me ... nice winter evening walk. Finally, it has started to feel like winters ... thank god.

Adios GL

Today is my last day in GL. After 3.5 years, I am saying goodbye to a workplace, which was full of professional experiences (more good than bad) ... made so many good friends ... learned so many things ... changed my carrer path from TW to QA ... good stuff ...

Just getting the final NOC form signed by various departments (Admin, IT, Finance, HR, Manager) ... and by evening I will be all set to leave GL one last time as an employee.

Incidentally ... writing this post from office ... one last time before they terminate my mail/internet account ... so goodbye GL ... you been the best working experience so far ... hope we cross our paths again ... someday.

(Sulk and Cheer !!!)

Back from Mumbai

Am back from Mumbai ... was there to attend my niece's birthday party ... she is 1 year old now :-)

Getting tickets in this festive season, for a place like Mumbai, was a challenge ... I planned the trip 40 days in advance and still I couldn't get reserved tickets. As a result, I had to book my tickets in special holiday season Rajdhani. I boarded the train from Hajrat Nizamuddin station and immediately I felt that this ain't the usual Rajdhani. Anyways getting the reservation was good enough. Luckily I got the side lower seat, which meant that I do not have to deal with 5 other commuters. I just have to face another lonely soul ... and luckily my co-passenger was a young gal ... her name was Urvashi. I noticed BITS logo on her sweatshirt and asked if she is indeed studying there. She said yes and told me that she just finished her majors in Public Health. Since I also studied at Pilani (did little bit of schooling from BHS), we instantly started talking about the place. Soon we developed good rapport and started talking on various other things. Not only was she beautiful, she was intelligent (has to be if you are a BITS student) and fun to talk to. The next morning the train entered Mumbai ... amazingly it was an hour ahead of its scheduled arrival time. To correct its timing, the train started to stop frequently. When the train stopped at Dadar (it was not scheduled to stop there), Urvashi asked me - Is this train gonna stop here. I told her that I don't think it is supposed to stop here. She told me that her place is nearby and if it stops it would be good for her. So when the train finally stopped, I asked her that if she want to get down, I can help her. She told me yeah and we rushed to the door so that she can get off the train quickly. She thanked me and told me ... will meet sometimes (like thats gonna happen !!!). When I came back to my seat, I called my Jijaji (brother in law) and told him about that the train. He asked me to get down there (Dadar) since it is easier to catch the connecting local train to Thane (Jijaji's place). So I got down and saw Urvashi again ... but by that time she was leaving the station. Meeting new people while travelling is fun, especially when the person you meet is interesting. I know that meeting her again is almost an impossibility, but that's the beauty of travelling. Its like instant friendship ... short and sweet.

Next day (22nd Dec), the big day arrived ... my niece's birthday. We booked a newly built hall for the occasion. From 4 pm, we started decorating the place with balloons. We also set up the music system and arranged the podium. My sister made couple a big banner for her princess on thermacol. She also made a collage of Avni's pics (my niece).

The gifts were packed in special hand made gift bags, which my mom made (they were really cool). Amazingly, these bags were made from normal stuff which you would find in any Indian home.


The party started at 7ish. Since it was basically a kids party, there were games, music, dance, the usual kind of birthday fun. Before cutting the cake, the Khoya bag (bag full of goodies) was broken. The bag bursts — toffees, pencils, erasers, kids stuff tumbled out. All the kids pushed each other to collect the "loot". What a fun !!!

Finally the cake was cut (a whopping 4kg choco cake). Just when the candles were about to be blown away, my niece swung her hand into the cake. I guess that was the perfect way to cut the cake (cutest way too .... hahaha). Afterwards, the dinner buffet was served. Yummy food, yummy cake, yummy ice-cream ... all my dieting went for a toss ... but who the heck cares ... anything for my princess.

Got in the train on 23rd from Bandra. Again I got the side lower seat. This time also there was a gal ... alas this time, she was butt ugly and illiterate. The train arrived an hour late this time. Aah ... good times gotta end sometime. Before boarding the train, I asked my mom to send the office bag to station ... Mamaji came to station and dropped me to office.

The trip was nice ... and already am missing my sweet little niece.

GL ... going going !!!

Well the day finally arrived ... the day I was anxious about ... and secretly wished didn’t come soon ... but things usually don’t go according to my wishes or plans ... I quit GL few days back and had the pre-exit interview today. Well ... sometimes you gotta take decisions which are not of your liking but you gotta take them anyhow ... Having worked here for 3.5 years and having liked most of it ... it was not the easiest of decisions ... Last 6 months, things were not very comfy-comfy ... I tried very hard to keep going on but I couldn’t found enough reasons (well not any) to stay any longer and weather this turbulence.

In the pre-exit interview, after hearing my reasons for quitting, the HR gal asked me – what can she do so that I reconsider the decision ... she told me that if I want the promotion (which I firmly believe that I should have got in the appraisal) ... she can make it happen in the next cycle ... if I am worried about job security (due to recession, things are not very hunky dory in GL), she can get me a project. She said if these things happen... will I reconsider. I thought for a sec (should not have) ... but when I ran the montage in my head of all the things that made me do this, there was only one answer... NO. I asked her that I was not given the promotion last time because the management didn’t thought I was ready for it (I know they are wrong) ... and having been on bench for almost 3 months (the time since I stopped working seriously) ... how can I get the promotion ... on what grounds GL will give it ... If I was not good enough 5 months back ... what wonderful things I have done to deserve the promotion ... and why I am being given these options now when I dropped the papers. Obviously she didn’t had any answer ... she asked me alright since you are not happy (!!!) what do you wanna do ? To serve the one month notice or want early release ... I opted for the latter. So 26th it is ... the last official day at GL ... never thought I will bid adieu to the place so soon ... but ... whatever ... you know ... shit happens.

3.5 years may not be a great deal of time frame at one workplace, but if you are an IT person (read IT coolie) in India, it is a lifetime. I made few wonderful friends and I absolutely loved the place for the first 2.5 years ... I don’t think many organizations in Delhi-NCR have such an work environment ... but for the last 1 years... GL has grown too big for its own good. It got big ... and started to act like one. The huge influx of new people has surely changed the atmosphere ... sadly not for good. In addition, the recession made things worse. Anyhow, like they say ... all good things must come to an end.

MAMS 97 Reunion

Yesterday night, I had my first re-union (sort of) with MAMS school friends; some of whom I met after 9 years (1997 !!!). I was in touch with most of them via e-mail or Orkut, but haven’t seen most of them in 9 years. A month back, I received a group mail from Punit asking all of us (MAMS 97 batch) for a get-together. Punit came up with this idea of old buddies meeting once in a while, and last year the first MAMS 97 buds met (I could not attend). However, I made sure that I come around for this one because not every day you get to re-connect with school buddies. Even though only 8 of us came for the party, it was a night of nostalgia. I guess next meet will see a much better turnout. Well you can’t complain since most of us are not in same city, country or even continent. Anyhoooo ... it was good to see all of them. Getting to know them all over again was also an experience. In these 9 years, we all have grown older and wiser (except for me ... LOL). We are in the “adult” phase of our lives, but yesterday we became kids again.

Waiting for winters

Its 9th December and still Delhi is waiting for its famous winters. The day temperatures are still in mid-high 20s (ºC) and nights are still reeling under double figure temperatures ... way above normal. Dilli ki sardi (Delhi’s winter) is legendary among Indians, especially the Hindi speaking folks. Delhi is like a weather lab where one gets to experience the 2 main seasons – summer and winter – to the extreme. If summers burn you with near 50 degrees, winters can freeze you with near 0 degree. Not many places on this planet can boost of such a huge temp-range ... one of the reasons why I love Delhi. No wonder we Dilliwalas (Delhiites) can go to any place without fearing the weather gods. When I was in NYC last year (in winter season), even the day temp use to be near 0ºC. The hotel I stayed in was inhabited by many south Indians (who never really experience winters back home). Those folks were not very comfortable in such conditions. I, on the other hand, enjoyed the winters immensely. Not that we get such chilly conditions back home, but it was easier for me to adapt. Similarly, I have seen so many foreigners apply bucket load of sunscreen lotions and drinking tanks full of liquids when they visit my city in summers (to enjoy Indian summers ... huh!!!) even in April. Where as we Delhiites don’t even flinch in June-July, when the Sun seems to be really HOT (literally).

I hail from a small village (Kanuta) in Churu district, Rajasthan (adjoining state), which also has a similar weather pattern. Churu have always been in the news for weather reasons. It boosts of the highest and lowest temps in India (for plain regions). In fact, the variation in the minimum and maximum temperature may very well be greatest for any place in the world. Having made Delhi my home and my karma bhoomi (land of my actions), I adapted its culture and weather like a hand in a glove. Like every hardcore Delhiite, I too enjoy a good (and lazy) night sleep in rajayi (quilt) and drinking garam garam chai (hot tea) along with pakore (Indian snack). Aaahhhh ... absolute bliss

I love it when I struggle to see in the dense fog (pollution also plays a part in it) ... I love it when I shiver while driving (never used the heater option in my car ... never ever) ... I love it when it gets dark at 6’o clock in the evening, I love it when the sun don’t shine for days and I love it when I actually miss the sun. So many things that I want to feel and yet the winters are not here. Damn !!!

Solidarity for Mumbai victims @ GL

Unintentional humour at first 26/11 press conference

Today Mumbai’s Police Commissioner Hassan Gafoor called a press conference (first official press conference by police after the 26/11 Mumbai Attacks). Just like in any other press conference, this one too had its share of unintentional humor. Here are 3 little things that I found kinda humorous.

When the commissioner told the reporters that there were 10 terrorists in the terror episode and they were divided into 5 groups of 2 each. One (genius @#$%&) journo asked – 4 terrorists were killed in Hotel Taj alone ... how can that be possible. The commissioner looked at him with absolute disdain and said that yeah that’s right. We killed 4 terrorists in Taj because there were 2 groups in it. What a moronic question was that ... this was not a Math class dumbass.

Another funny moment happened when the commissioner was asked whether the nabbed terrorist is cooperating with the police or not. With a wide smile on his face the commissioner answered – yes ... yes he is cooperating. Like that modafocka terrorist have a choice ... Mumbai/Indian police can make even a dead wood to play like a flute ... they can make a dead man to talk like a teenage girl ... then who the fuck is this stupid terrorist. No matter how long and hard he was trained ... he can’t withstand the “policing” ... if you know what I mean.

Last but not the least – the commissioner explained the strategies of the terrorists. How they were trained and blah blah. He told the reporters that the idiots were trained very well and they were told to take positions at higher places so that they can gauge and cover wider area. When the terrorists attacked CST (one of the most famous railway station in Mumbai), they were not that successful because they couldn’t found out the way to the top. Lack of infrastructure and bad design saved the day ... ahahahahaha.

Unrighteous Religion

What a horrendous week it was ... India’s economic hub – Mumbai – was held hostage by 10 terrorists (official figures). Just like a scene from a B-grade desi flick, the terrorists came in small boat via Arabian Sea and attacked Hotel Taj (which is located by the shore), Hotel Oberoi-Trident and Nariman House. More than 200 people were killed and around 400 injured. The security forces also killed 9 terrorists and nabbed 1 alive. The terrorists were absolutely ruthless and barbaric. They were shooting at sight ... indiscriminately, which makes me wonder ... WHY? The motive of all these jihadists is simple – to kill or be killed for the sake of their religion. They preach that they are fighting for all the Muslims ... yet they do not even blink while shooting their own brothers and sisters. More importantly, is this the only way to raise concerns. My answer is unequivocally NO. We all are living in a civilized society; we all must behave civilized. This is not 10000 B.C. for gods’ sake.


Yesterday I was watching a documentary on 9/11. They showed how the terrorists get training and how they get into suicide trance. Most of the high profile suicide attackers (fidayeen) are well-educated (hell ... in western universities) young people. They have their entire life in front of them. Yet they choose to kill until death. Funnily, the extremist leaders brainwash the young minds ... and get this ... the prize they say is to bed 72 virgins in heaven. What a load of BS !! These young men are told that not only they will go to heaven ... they will also be greeted by 72 virgins (Hoor Al-Ayn ... beautiful maidens). I know I know ... its jaw dropping. I am not a Muslim specialist, but I am not sure that this is what Allah meant when he preached the religion. However, if this is one of the reasons of martyrdom then I am at loss of words. The kid who never got laid in real life ... is expecting to be the stud in afterlife. It is so funny that I almost fell of the couch when the commentator in the documentary spoke of it.

Come to think of it ... sex/lust and religion has a very strong bond (no pun intended). Every religion has some kind of reference to sex/lust. In fact in most religion it plays a very central role. Let me summarize few important mythological sex/lust tit-bits

• In Hindu religious stories (well I’m a Hindu even though I don’t really believe in organized religion, but I was raised a Hindu so I know few stories), Maharishi Vishwamitra was tempted by Meenaka (she was a pari ... a fairy). Vishy was a holy man and he was a celibate (ahahahaha !!!!). However, Meenaka broke his self-control and bedded him.
• The entire Ramayana (one of the most religious holy book) was based on the central theme of Sita’s kidnap by Ravana. Sita was Ram’s wife (one of the most famous Hindu deities) whom Ravana (the evil king of Lanka) kidnapped because he wanted to marry her.
• Even Mahabharata (another important religious holy book) happened because Duryodhana stripped his own bhabhi (wife of elder brother)
• In Christianity (and Islam), Adam and Eve were commanded to be fruitful and multiply ... look what happened. We just crossed 6 billion mark :-). Both of the religion has strict rules and regulations for sex/lust (remember Eros !!!).

I can see a point in fighting for what you believe in. However, the beliefs should be real ... they should not be imaginary or mythological. A soldier dies because he believed in his country and compatriots, however the same should not hold true for all those who die for religion. Weather anyone likes it or not, we have created our own religions. This is a fact. And we created it as a fall back option. Religion is nothing more than a comforting factor; a false make-belief that someone cares for us when everything seems lost. I know this may sound very crude but this is what I think. To kill or be killed in the name of religion is nothing but an utter waste of life. Those who die for it deserved to be dead. They had it coming. When you know that you will die one day, then why not make the most of the time when you are alive ... if you are man enough, you can bed more than 72 hoors while you are not sleeping (if you know what I mean). The crux of most religion is the aspect of “homing mechanism”, which roughly translated as all the God’s creation must draw back to God himself. It sounds like having one's cake and eat it too. C’mon don’t make your god look like a lowlife. I am sure while creating religion and god, people had a bigger image of god in their mind.