scrooge in me

Having moved into my new project, the only change from my normal corporate life is this one particular event that occurs too frequently. There may not be any reason, but out of the blue I get the invitation to be there, to enjoy with a Special guest. I' am left with no other option, but entertain this guest (can I say an intruder) into my daily routine...
By now many would have guessed that am talking about the small parties we have at office...
I' am a person who is really open minded to accept such an uninvited guest at a totally unexpected time. There is an old Indian saying "GUESTS ARE LIKE GOD", and I totally abide to the traditional norms put by our wise ancestors. I respect them for all the hard fast rules they set in this area. When this SPL Guest arrives, I would not think twice to entertain him, cause in my opinion-1) partying like crazy keeps you going.2) And the whole team is together when it is party time.
But there are certain times when I feel really irritated when this guest comes. Those days are the ones I call, my BLACK DAY. These are days, when I would have oodles of work to do and the time allocated is minuscule. I would already be at the brink of sanity, so I term this as the "worst time" to receive a party invite. And I would have to be present with the team in the name of FORMALITY. I end up not doing justice to this really adorable guest of mine, cause my tiny mind and heart is preoccupied with the thought of my work and finding an optimal solution to the vicious problem.
This makes me wonder, do I really like these frequent parties? Me enjoying that time is purely based on my work. If I have work, I certainly detest hanging out in parties. And if am free, I would love to go and have a blast...
then the bitter truth slowly sank into me, I realized that my liking toward any thing or anybody was purely based on my convenience. And that was the time I felt the slight pinch of guilt for this particular attitude. But in the end, I was left with no other option other than accepting the fact that there exists an evil scrooge in me....

Mitr, My Friend

Disclaimer: All things mentioned in the blog is very much true... and there can be no denying to even a single point mentioned here...

As I return back home from a long day at work... I wanted to sit down and scribble my random ramblings..
Even during the day when am all fresh I really don't think much... or I rather say... I don't get time to think... cause am too busy managing 5 spaces on my Mac machine.... in one the music goes on... and in one I browse... and my fav space where I chat is the most visited one... there are at least 3 chat windows open... and I try to maintain a decent chat with all...
In spite of the infinite warnings from my ML. each time he passes my cubicle he gives me this sly look of his... cause I would be chatting or doing something, but surely not working... And the last but surely not the least my XCODE SPACE where I design the wonderful applications for THE I-PHONE.... Though I find this part of work interesting... but surely isn't creative...
So I seriously gave blogging regularly a thought... may be cause I have my own laptop... so why not I do it in a regular basis...
so that the writing skill me never dies... today again... through out my bus journey I thought... what would it be... Random thoughts coming from all directions... the boring side of me was compelling me to blog on WORLD PEACE. And the frustrated side forcing me to write about how much I hate my work... then after a lot of brain storming... all parts of my brain came into a mutual consensus...then I decided why not write about the most wonderful people I have ever met...
There are certain reasons why I chose this topic...
1) I thought it is safe... With the person who they know, my friends would guess that I would write about me... As they tell me tat am one of the most narcissistic and self obsessed person they have ever seen... This way am goona surprise them... TO ALL MY FRIENDS "I AIN'T ALL THAT PREDICTABLE"...
2) Me Writing about some one else in a way has come as a blow to me... but this way am surprising myself... And surprising myself is something which I love the most ...
3) Am writing about this cause this is one topic which I have been procrastinating from time immemorial... So thought let it be done…This side of me is called "LAZINESS"...


Here I go about the Miss.Wonderful Person.... If I have to start writing about her I would need oodles of time and pages... cause she has been my closest friend for 5 long years.... My roommate during my college days... she is one dame who knows IN AND OUT OF ME.... Aishu... lovable called so by the whole class. Yes its true she has another name.. Tharu (for those who don't know Malayalam... that means duckling).. This name was christened to her on our crazy tour in the year ONE of our Engg journey...
If u ask me what she was famous for in our college days... then I can quote some---
1) Her most adorable walk... which won her the honor of being called "THARU"...
2) Her sitting in bench one of the class.. And writing out all the crazy things the prof says...
3) Her wide smile... which shows even the last tooth of our mouth... But hey ... this wide smile won her the Miss. Best smile in our BREAK OFF PARTY... (Still I refuse to the honor cause I strongly believe I Have a better smile*Winks*)
4) Her good girl nature... come on even in hostel... she was the one to wake up first and take a bath...
Can u guys believe it... I used to be surprised cause me being the lazy one used to do my daily chores of bathing past mid night... So in a way I used to convince myself saying "Hey Keerthy... the day has already begun u r the first one to have bath...not ash... so that means u r the GOOD GAL*Chuckles*"...
She is such a sweet heart... cause to handle a spoilt brat like me was a task by itself... there have been days when I have refused to eat just cause the food tasted bad.. And my concerned little aishu... used to feed me... and that was when I used to agree to have my food.... That was aishu for me... my every thing...
I still remember how the J factor used to creep in me... when I find her spending more time with some one else... and I being such a brat have went about fighting with her... but when I used to do the same thing I used to expect her to understand that I was having fun with others... this is the side of me called "BEING INCONSIDERATE..." I still remember the fight we had cause I did not give her attention in a college day function... though she was sitting beside me.. And I was so bad that I refused to tell her "SORRY"... cause telling the S word was supposed to be like killing myself.... The fight continued for a day... and some how it got solved... I vaguely remember the scene... and am sure I did not tell her sorry even after reconciling...
My Partner in crime during the four year... We have done so many stuffs during our monkeying days...
I just can tell some of them... cause if I write all ... I would be left with no other option than writing for ages... but I would mention some of them here... which I can tag as the most fun filled ones....
1) year one... the physics eggsham... Ammu and me... not having prepared a word... so had to stoop down to cheat in the exam... I had to take all the pain of opening the book in spite of the fact that my hands were trembling... cause mr. Varks was standing there... then after all the effort I was successful... I could get my answers... ammu had to just see my paper and re-print it in her own... aishu from ammu's paper... it was a damn train... when the results were out A BOLD COMMENT on Ammu and my paper... "COPY CASE"... Poor souls... we did all the effort and we get caught... and this queen is all safe.. *Still angry*
2) year 2.. Had to submit assignments... and in the mayhem of getting an assignment to copy from... and to write it on ours.. We got late... the DEADLINE was over... we went to the staff room to find all rooms locked... and the KALA BHANDER in us... gave a fab idea... we opened the window of our teacher and aimed at her table and threw it... I don't blame me for a bad aim... it Was NEWTON's GRAVITY that spoilt it all... if not for gravity I am sure that assignment could have landed on the table... *why did newton have to think so much*
3) the most comic one of the lot.. We in a spree to celebrate Kerala piravi... we wore "Pattu Pavada"(Kerala traditional wear)... thinking there will be many to accompany us... then we reach the college late... come on we had to take a lot of time to dress up... we had to look like angels na... then we walk through the corridor to realize that we r the only fools to have wore this... oh my god... we got vivid expressions from all of them... but we were too intelligent to have taken a spare dress. Got it changed... damn we made a clown out of our self....
4) All the above mentioned is nothing in front of the gr8st comedy of error we presented on the stage. Our great remix dance performance on the college day...

There is one part of the dance event... in which we the duo come in the centre stage to do something which we thought was out of the world... but unfortunately for us nothing could get more funny than the step we performed... I still remember the repercussions... The next day I walk in the college listening to all the comments from the road side Romeo's of our college... then I took the oath... never again I will dance on a stage... and till date I have stuck to my oath.... *Winks*

5) Then the 3 tours... in which we managed to be a part... after all the fights with dad and mom in both the houses... after the forgery of dad's sign.... And at last we made it for the tour.... And these tours... gave us those precious memories... that we can carry it through out our lifetime....

Aishu... don't know hoe she manages it... but she can some how leave me in fits of laughter... I laugh till my stomach hurts... but she doesn't do it cause she wants to.. Why would some one make a fool out of herself in front of others... but aishu my dear darling has done it umpteen number of times...
1) The first year HUMANITIES Seminar of hers. Being the roll number 2...she was one among the first few unlucky souls to take the seminar...and when her chance came... she went running to the podium... and there she does her high jump just like a professional... I sit gaping to see her safe landing... and there I see her falling down in front of the whole class... I tried to control hard... but I could not... All I remember is I was there on ammu's lap laughing my heart out... my god what a fall... Am still smiling thinking about the scene...

2) this is another major fall of hers... but this time the audience were large... she fell in front of the whole college in the stairs... The trios (ammu, Aishu and me)

were holding hands and running down the stairs... all I remember is seconds later... I see something rolling down... then after careful examining and reexamining I realized it that it is my aishu...Again the it did not occur to either of us (Ammu and me) to go running to help her... we sat on the stairs laughing again... after some time we went to examine her for any bruises... Voila!!! She was safe... no harm done to the ball... *I still remember her embarrassed and angry look on her face*...

3) She was this major hot shot of our college... it was only few days since we landed in college... and all I hear from all is. Aishu has a secret admirer... boy oh boy.... It came to me as a blow... I was so anxious to know who this guy is? Then one day I got his darshan... I was so damn happy after seeing him... I expected a great looking guy and got to see a guy who had to go to a civil engineer to get the gaps between his teeth set right... I have laughed my heart out at her... though I knew she felt terrible about it... this side of me is called "SADISM"...
I can just go on listing about her... but some are better when not mentioned... some are better to be treasured in my heart... where it will remain forever till I go to my graves...
Enough of good things about her... let me try and list of some BAD Things about her... I am not sure how successful I would be...let me give my best shot...
1)Hmmmm....
2)Hmmmmmmmmm....
3)Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....
4)Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....
5)Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....
Damn... I Give up... I seriously cannot list out any... This Female is truly the most amazing character I have ever seen.... A real damsel....

no pretensions with her... I can be myself.. As am at home...I LOVE U FOR LIKING ME FOR WHO AM...

This one is my best shot to write about the most adorable people I have ever met... May be a futile one... but this one is direct from my heart...

R U A Certified Slave?

Each day I open my official mailbox all I can see is the constant reminder that am in place or world where I don’t belong.. Only 5 weeks to go complete your certification…These certifications are nothing but a proof that I am well aware of my business unit and technology.. I know I can some how manage to clear them, by merely going through the dumps (previous years papers)… I still don’t understand how my fellow employees manage to remember all the questions of an exam (along with the options..)..Maybe they could have been fed with the best chavanprash during their childhood…however they do is immaterial… any ways a BIG THANKS to them… If not for them how will ppl like me manage their way out.. As I Belong to the lazy Category and am not going to take the pain of going through each page of the 100 pages Pdfs that am supposed to be learning… But the BIG Q remains unanswered… Am truly certified for the purpose I was hired for? How far am I competent? Not that I under estimate myself…but my doubt is that how good am I at this job…. The job of a “software professional”.. Working for an year I can without any bit of doubt say that I have become a knave to this BIG IT FIRM am working for…I do all my work. Just cause my conscience should not prick me in the future…I should not look back at the this tenure of my life and feel like a complete looser… and hence I put all that it takes to complete my work before the deadline (that’s an over statement, generally it is on the D DAY)…at times it ends up taking all my leisure time…as I end up working more than the prescribed 9.10 hrs. Some kind of Company Policy.. It can’t be 9.05 hrs also… One of the manager said, “U folks have to clock in 9.10 hrs… Else u will be sacked..” In this recession time, when I open my inbox with fingers crossed, cause I have this constant reoccurring nightmare of seeing my TERMINATION LETTER.. So with fear in my mind… I Give my 100 percent in spite of myself.. With the kind of person am… I don’t like working after the prescribed time slot.. And I have my own self-made crazy explanations for all this…1) Working late gives me a feeling of a bloody fool… a person who is not good enough to complete her work on time…2) I believe that life is lived once.. So enjoy it as if you don’t live till tomorrow…3) Working and living on your own… so What is missing in your present phase of life is Family.. And now my friends are my family.. So I prefer to spend time talking to them…In spite of all the odds, I still end up working late (and this late hours come ONCE IN A BLUE MOON)… But I Still wonder.. The question that iterates through an infinite loop in my mind is –“how far is it worth all the pain? Am I doing justice to my job? Above all am I doing justice to myself?”In this long year of all work and seldom fun phase of my life.. What have I learnt? How good am in the technology am working? I personally feel if given a basic Computer knowledge (which even a kid has now) and GOOGLE any average TOM DICK AND HARRY can code… any doubt? Readymade foolproof tested solutions are available in the WWW World… Where you make your mark is in some small not so complicated logic you write.. Back in my college days.. I still remember I was so bad in Computers.. I was not like those techies… who knew all the damn shortcuts of the computer.. I was a novice.. You ask me What is ur PC’s configuration.. I would be blank.. As I have never stepped into that area. The whole credit can be attributed to my brother. He knew it all right from the scratch.. I still remember those days when I used to gape at him while dismantling the CPU to work on something which he used to call “THE MOTHER BOARD”*All I Did was standing there perplexed… as the whole thing seemed beyond my level..*. I was this ignorant person who knew nothing about computer.. From that person who did not know the nuance of coding or computer to what am right now Has been a roller coaster ride.. A lot of heart breaks… many disappointments… stress that would eat me up… times when I forgot to smile… times when I forgot to celebrate my small success (let be the silliest thing I got on my screen for the first time).. All that I see around me is the competition to reach to the TOP… in this rat race to make a position I have forgotten how to live….PPL say we work for life…but where does the whole concept of life exist when u just don’t live…u r nothing more than the machine…which starts its processing at 8.30 am and continues till 6.00 am…even machines are more luckier than us…as they can hang themselves…and no one questions them…but we even a slight delay in the deliverables…we know what we r going to face…we have to complete our work…in spite of the fact that its human to be lazy or not in a mood certain days…but all these can happen only in the weekdays…those small weekdays…which are just available to do what we want to…cause of this undue pressure…most of us spend the weekends doing nothing other than “Lazing” around at home sweet home…These mundane days, weeks, months and years…make this sect of people nothing more than computer itself…. In Spite of all this I have this wide smile on my face on the month end… I check my bank account to see the huge lump of money I get… Again this salary hikes is different for different ppl… if u fare really well.. You have an amazing pay… else you are one among those thousands… you got to make your position some how… And the criterions to make yourself eligible for the BIG MONEY is-a) Work as though work is the only thing u know to do… If you are confronted with the question “ A Romantic dinner with the gal of your life or the pending work?” Without a second thought your answer ought to be WORK…b) You have a series of exams (famously known as CERTIFICATIONS) a dread to most of them.. You have got 3 tries and you got to score a damn 65 to clear them… Man I have never seen 65 on my scorecards during my Graduation… Now I struggle to get the magic number…c) FUN that word should be an alien to you… People are watching you.. If u have fun than the co-workers prescribed limit than be prepared for all kind of talks…. d) Have this wide smile on your face (though a fake one)… else how can you enter the good books of your peer… In all to reach the top, you have to suppress the individual in you… and wear the magic MASK to win Hearts of PM, PA and also the SEs… Then you get the accolades, the not so deserved appraisals and a gang of “FAIR WEATHERED FRIENDS”… In this whole process of seasoning to get tuned to the corporate world, you are reduced to nothing but a “CERTIFIED SLAVE”…

Which FACE of India does the Elite Want to see?

Laying on my sofa watching one of the most happening shows on The TV THE BIG FIGHT is one of the very few things that make me feel good... And this particular "WAR OF WORDS" episode that was going on was all the more interesting... Cause today the topic of the battle is THE SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE...
YES, The fight is on the same movie that managed to win 8 Oscars... And today I see the argument on "If India should celebrate this victory So much". Some Thing that is thought provoking isn't?
This was something that forced my lazy brain to think...Does India really needs to be so thrilled... I agree this has got AR (the Mozart from the South) his well deserving recognition...and also Resul cause all his efforts won him THE BEST... This movie has definitely got Indian Sound Duniya a new platform in the world...This Movie has done loads of good things to this particular stream of Indian Art and entertainment... And I Bet every body would agree to it... Indians being a sect of people who are used to celebrate even a cow's pregnancy... It is isn't too surprising that they are celebrating this event... Come on we should be happy cause Children from the "dirty slums" of Mumbai went all the way to LA to walk the red carpet... 2 Indians won Oscars for the country... Yes this is definitely something we have to celebrate...
But the debate was...why is India celebrating when the DARK SIDE of India has been shown to the whole world... The fight is cause this movie has made whooping sales at the box office unveiling the side of India that we were not ready to expose... India has been this for ages.... So why don't we have the mind set to accept the flip side of our nation... Are we over reacting just because an outsider pointed it out? These slums, the beggary business has existed in India from time immemorial... As was said by one of the Panel members in the show (sudhir Mishra) "We never reacted when Traffic Signal (madhur bhandarkar) was made... That also showed the misery existing in our slums..." So my question is why are some people reacting to the accolades that slumdog millionaire is receiving...
The next issue was the Movie title... Come on that was something that was truly unintentional.... The movie was not named cause they thought Indians were supposed to be Jhopar Patti ke Kutte... According to me, it was named cause the whole screenplay was about the rags to riches story... It just showed that EVERY DOG HAS HIS DAY.... The whole emotional drama on the title was completely baseless (strictly my views..)
Big B's comments on Slumdog have sparked a debate about the Western media's view of India. The movie actually has everything that symbolizes India for the westerners - slums, the Taj, rusty trains, a reference to Bollywood and even a BPO. What more could a westerner want to relate to this story set in modern day India? This makes me think which Face of India does the ELITE want to see... If Slumdog is not real India , then is Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gham or Rab Ne Bana De Jodi(I Just hope I got the movie name right) the real India... The elite are reacting cause they feel India is what they see in their Page 3 parties... Ladies draped in designer clothes and men in their GUCCI suites as it is shown in BOLLYWOOD movies... Is that truly India? If that is what they think... I think it's high time they take off their goggles and get the windows of their cars down and look around... Then they can see the real India... As the Times Of India stated "If Big B felt emotionally hurt seeing the picture Western folks have about India.. Then come on he should make a picture on the newly formed Beggars of The Wall Street.."
As Sudhir Mishra said in the show..." Why can't we view this movie as an art? Why can't we see this as a collaboration of two cultures? Masters from both the culture has come together and made a movie...and this movie does need the appreciation. The movie is definitely a good move, probably not the best... as it is a movie with positive note... It is a movie of Hope and optimism. "
In my personal opinion, there is no use of arguing about the thing, which has happened... If we really felt bad about the current situation shown in the movie... its up to us to take the first move.... Work as a group for the betterment... Isn't this something to Ponder On???