[at] 25 !!!

Always wanted to do this... Just 25 min to go though ... so ppl please ignore errors, if any... There will be many...

Will be mostly like Rapid Fires:

BEGINning on a serious note...

NULL;

END; /* Just today wrote a PL/SQL block */

Birthdays After joining 'Nirvana':

• 24-Sep-2006 - In a party with Friends (Also, lost my Nokia 3300, first mobile phone)
  
• 24-Sep-2007 - Bday@Jakarta.
  
• 24-Sep-2008 - Bday@Vietnam.
  
• 24-Sep-2009 - Bday@Jakarta.

What after 25 more years?
Well, if everything goes well, a restaurant @ Mumbai, where I will prepare 'Chef's special' every evening.
Rest of the time, would like to have a small fan club and just blog!!!
That's retirement plan! World's best job, as it is rightly said...

What drives you?
IT humor, and the fact that I actually get paid for doing that.

Whom do I idealize?
Scott Adams (The Dilbert Guy). Follow him blindly. He's our GOD, if you are in IT industry. Read - THE DILBERT PRINCIPLE.

My best slogans: # All are copied from somewhere #

• No one knows what I do, until I stop doing it.
  
• Success means, never having to wear a shirt!
• IT PREAMBLE
  ===========
  "We the Unwilling, lead by the Unknowing, are doing the Impossible for the Ungrateful. We have done so much for so long, with so little knowledge that we will one day qualify to do anything with knowing Nothing."
• Water is good for you. Unless you're at the bottom of the ocean with an anchor tied to your ankle. Teamwork is like that.
• Home is where the .bashrc is
  

A birthday gift you always wanted:
Well, believe or not, I am trying to do this from a long time. Get 7 black plain t-shirts, and get the following printed, one note each:

• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday :P

But my MOM ain't gonna allow this :)
But I've more than 39 black T-shirts now in my closet!

Dream Sunday, may be 10 years from now?

Get up @ 8.45 am in the morning... Call up 2 of my best friends... Find out the matinee movie being played in the nearby theater; while cursing 'em for being Kumbhkarans... Complete daily chores (includes 'bath'), and walk out of my house, tricking my mom to NOT know that I did not have that glass of milk, wearing shorts (may be the best brand) and a simple T-shirt... riding that lovely bike of mine... may be doing a Swades...

After the movie, discussing the movie, as we used to, a few years back, in the PG, playing Table Tennis...

One Samosa Pav and then the amazing AAREY Lassi (whose taste is the same from last 10 years) ...

And then running back home for lunch... Yeah... You cannot miss this!

A nice Vietnamese Coffee in the evening should conclude it!

Well, did someone exclaim that we would be married?
The trick is to sacrifice our cars for 'em, and ask 'em to what women do best... Shopping!!!


P.S.:

• Retirement job (Chef's special and blogging) does not mean the IT industry bores me. I just love the IT world.
  
• Nearby theater means the one having lowest fare, with lowest crowd; where you can actually by pop corn, @ pop corn rates.
  
• Asking them to shop implies that they'll bargain (some peace for our soul).
• For all the enthusiasts ( I know there would be none), here's my current contact: +62-87886078609.

There's a surprise waiting for me, back @ home in Mumbai... but no one would tell me, what it would be...

When I look back at any point of my life, I will definitely remember these 25 wonderful years... A toddler just born... who cut his birthday cake with friends, when he was 1... who required help from mom and dad both for oil, tie and shoes... who looked more into the clock than his books for the clock to strike 4:30pm, to play until 7... who then went ahead to use a fountain pen... went to the college, using Mumbai Local trains... who bunked lectures for canteen... loved Mithibai College... who made decision to take up Computer Engineering, just because he may have a computer... to the engineer Don Bosco shaped... learned from DUCS (DBIT Union of Computer Scoiety) ... to an IT fresher... to understand the business processes... who then stepped first time on the plane... who grew into who people call a IT professional... to what I am, commenting on everything the life showed me...

Ten Travels of my professional self

How ever, one (read 'I' ) may blame one's workplace, I am what I am, and what I am is because of my first and current work place.

Well, I have to confess that I am a lucky lad! While possessing no special *skills* whatsoever, it seems I was the chosen one. Customer Travels, formed an integral part to shape my personality that exists today. I have had the opportunity to travel 10 times (of which 9 were international), the log of which I constantly update and share with Ajay and Nirav (very few {only} of the real names that you'll ever find in my posts. Thanks mates!)

Cities visited (in ASC order of where first visited):
- Jakarta, Indonesia. [Count=3]
- Singapore [only a few hours...]
- Larnaca, Cyprus. [Count=1]
- Hanoi, Vietnam. [Count=2]
- Malaysia [only a few hours...]
- Hyderabad [Count=1] ... Well, I consider this to be international :)
- Dublin, Ireland. [Count=2]
- Pune. [Final_Count=1] ... Local onsite < style="font-style: italic;">Nirvanas (codenamed of course)? How to behave, and whom to talk, were his biggest problems then... he even confused the domestic airport with the international one, for God's sake!

Well, I have just loved every place I have been to. However, Indonesia remains a special one, being my first travel, and Vietnam, the most adventurous of all...

Immense confidence is what I have gained...
Have opened up my mind in real sense...
Have unlearned to learn...
Changed my definition of good and bad...
Adapted... Restructured...Revised...

If you met me three years ago, then hey... its time for a new introduction! From you waiting for an introduction from someone, to you introducing your peers... From a Yes Sir... No Sir... kind to a fundae philospher... From just a plain listener to a strategic dictator (too many exaggerated adjectives, ahem!)... its been an amazing journey!

And why am I writing all this? Coz, a lot of memories are springing back to life... my tenth coincides with my first ... as I am currently *back* to Jakarta!

P.S.:
Next Post - My first travel!

A must read - God's Debris

Everytime, I find something interesting, I end up promoting it so blindly, that people think I work on commission!

So, in relation to some conversation, I suggested the book - God's Debris, by author Scott Adams (of Dilbert fame), to two people whom I happen to know. Of which, he finished reading 80-pages (the book is just 131 pages), and could read no further.

The preface of the book is most important:
1. This is not a Dilbert book.
2. Might Hurt religious sentiments and understandings.

Its a nice read, which questions God's existence, his omnipotence! One indeed, needs to keep an open mind while reading this book. It took me one flight, and two lazy Saturday afternoons to finish this 135-paged book for the 3rd time.

After all, there is only one Avatar at a time!

August 14, 2006

A lot of old memories are running through my minds, and so... expect a lot of OLD posts now...

It always starts with those good old childhood days... You are always very excited to visit the workplace... Because you don't work... Your dad does! He brings you in through the office gate, and the watchmen smiles and asks your name... You enter the office, and the chai-walla asks, whether you would like to have a Gold-Spot or a Limca (GoldSpot remains my favorite!) Dad then proudly shows you his work area... A wooden chair, A wooden table laden with paper files, God's and family photos, and an inkpot! Fan-on-top if you work, and an additional table-fan if you get promoted! He then takes you around introducing to all the people in the way, and then to the room for Cold Storage, and you experience that first wave of some device called Air Conditioner, and you adore it! And you wonder, when will I get my room with cool air around me?

And then years pass on... Cafeteria servings become food, Smart people become dudes, Coca-Cola becomes Coke... and you graduate!

It was 14-Aug-2006. With the perception of a normal (government like, where babus sit - with wooden chair&table and fan on top) in mind, I walked inside with pride... (Imagine the musical score from Black, the movie)... and it seems like a dream come true...

Moving from Mumbai to Pune, was then, my worst decision... which turned out to be the best eventually... I even considered going back, just to be with the family, and take up the offer which paid exactly 50% of what this company offered... My roommate then and office colleague now, even suspects tears in my eyes, when I bade my family goodbye on that first day... :)

Coming back to the musical score from Black...
You observe most of the things, that seem ridiculous:

- The floor covered in glossy-reflecting-shining granite, and you have a look at your local-branded shoes!
- (Non-artificial) Plants leaves are wiped clean using water and a napkin
- The intersecting joins within a staircase, being cleaned by a tooth-brush
- Free Food (Includes breakfast, lunch, snacks, fruits, beverages - This surprises some of my friends, even today)
- Free travel services
- The Hotel Accomodation charges bill amounting to Rs.40,000/- for 15 days.
- A separate Table Tennis, Billiards, and a TV room.
- No Dress Code (Wore a shirt exactly twice in 3 years while in office - once when interviewed, other when went to onsite for the first time)
- Tissue Papers everywhere
- Good looking girls (However, either committed or in the neighboring projects!)

After coming over the surprises, you start with your first day at work... but you feel no different... The Induction lecture starts... but you listen this time around...

Few days pass by, and then... your first salary arrives! Nothing seems to match this feeling... you have earned it! Then you go to the ATM, take out your first bill of 100Rupee Note, and laminate it to remember it for the rest of your life...

And this is how it all started... three years back!

Blah! Blah! Blah! [at] a Training

Phew!!! Back after a long time! Believe me when I tell you that

facebook is actually killing my blogging act! Just kept writing something crazy on my WALL, only to find out that No One's listening! So here it is, for me.

I am currently just loving my 5-day profession. Going as a full-time trainer, for the 3rd time in a row, I would love to make it my profession. For all of you who are reading this, am in the software industry, but out of all the techie work, and just socializing! Socializing, I think, I need to write another blog... woooh! Too much to write!

Anyways, at the training, there are a few interesting things happening:

• I wore a shirt! - Yeah! This is top-of-the-list. You'll never ever find me wearing one of those dreaded things!
• Background - Something which can be taught in 2-3 days, is to be streched over 5 days.
• I have, however, convinced them that 5 days is too less, a time, for getting there.
• I say, with full confidence, by looking right in their eyes, that we ought to start exactly @ 9, and I have no problems, whatsoever, in streching beyond the regular hours; but just smile within when they ask me to start by 9.30 and conclude by 5.30. Its a relief!
• It's a record, being the closest ever ONSITE opportunity ( <>
• More the people, the better it gets! - My philosphy from a trainer's perspective! More the people, there always exists a person, who leaves the meeting room for something; and then you just WAIT!
• Carried my personal (and NOT Office) laptop, just because I could get my WINDOWS and ANTIVIRUS definitions updated. (For the geeks - I've never ever installed an IT software, beyond Microsoft Powerpoint till date; It is just meant for games, music, and movies in that order).
• Was active on facebook for about 2 hours, while training the peers.
• I ended up speaking 70 minutes, for the matter worth, not more than 7 minutes. And it was a master piece!
• "All that you require can be CONFIGURED" - The statement I've used at least a hundred times!
• Sighed for SWINE-FLU, and for Michael Schumacher, not returning to the FERRARI Grid, for a couple of minutes.
• One of the participants is down with COLD and COUGH, and the other participant's room-mate feels feverish and has sore throat. Ever heard those ridiculous symptoms?
• Went for a long drive (on my bike), after my quick lunch; but was still the only person to return back to the training.
• Had plenty of freshly ground coffee! Something atleast, for my poor soul!

However, exaggerating all this might seem, I truthfully respect the opportunity, and give it a best shot, so as to fulfil all the training needs! Ahem!

Stay tunned... for more updates! I am just loving it.

16th Grand Slam, against Rafa?

Wimbledon Finals: Roger Federer defeat Andy Roddick
	Roger Federer (2) 5 7 7 3 16 Andy Roddick (6) 7 6 6 6 14

Whoooooaaaaaaaaa! What an exquisite final showdown at Wimbledon!

With injured Rafa pulling out of Wimbledon, everyone of us suspected there was no one stopping Federer now... but after running through the finals of Wimbledon 2009, you'll agree when I say, Big things, never come easy... does it ?

There are just too many thoughts haunting me at this time while I write... stay with me! That is, If I tumble, just put me back on the chair!

Star Studded Match
Pete Sampras, her beatiful wife Bridgette Wilson, Bjorn Borg, Woody Allen, designer Ralph Lauren, Russel Crowe... Does it get better?

Through Pete's Mind
Just wonder the thoughts going through Pete's mind... while on court, he grabbed 14 of them. Undoubtedly, the conditions then, and now differ, and need not be compared, and while his records, still hold, people will truely remember him... but here plays a man, who is trying to get over him... onto the 15th... just like erasing your name from the history book, and replacing it with mine... did he really wish him to go past him???

Interesting Statistics
For his 15th Grand Slam, he had to wait for four hours and 15 minutes, and had to go past his 15th set!

Andy and the Killer serves
With Federer unable to find a way pass to correctly break Roddick's serve for the 4 hours of play, many critics would sympathise with Roddick for his loss, in spite of being the better one. True, but then its a crazy game called Tennis, says Roger!

Through Andy's mind
Here I am... this is me... There's no where else on earth I'd rather be?
On serious notes,
Here I am... If I win this one, Pete's record still holds! If I lose, Roger creates history! Today, I am/was the better one... but I've not yet made my mark in the Tennis world! Am I just no one?

Success never never comes easy
With everyone thinking that the 15th Grand Slam would come easy in lieu of Nadal's absence, nooo... it definitely wasn't! I could feel the shiver, quiver, and the chill run down my spine... He was made to wait... and wait... and wait... I asked myself ...

He has given his best for all the previous 14 Grand Slams... he has put in more than 10 years of international tennis.. but still, everything boils down to that last set... 16-14... he had to wait for another 10 sets to get there...
Seemed like God wanted him to wait... true! The victory couldn't taste any sweeter!

Back to World No. 1 Federer
The 15th Grand Slam has brought back his World No. 1 Title, with it! Hail Federer! When asked about his feelings, he expressed this year as fully crazy. He somehow felt funny about winning back his Wimbledon title, and all coming good this year!

Good gift for the new one to come
When asked about his feelings about creating history, he expressed this year as crazy. He somehow felt funny about winning back his Wimbledon title, and all coming good this year! Mirka Vavrinec, Federer's wife's been 8 month pregnant, and what a gift it would be, for them, this year, everything falling correctly in its place.

16th Grand Slam, against Rafa?
Many wanted Federer to create history, against his greatest sought competitor... Rafa! Well, so what he couldn't make 15th against him... 16th isn't far away! What say, folks?

Goa, the place to be!

I remember my good old childhood days, when we use to plan our vacation to the "Nehru Hatti Garden" (a.k.a. "The last garden" - R.A.M, this is to irritate you!), a place which is not more than 200 metres from our building gate. Everyone of us, will bring in something, which when mixed, will taste like bhel (never mind the ingredients), accompanied by Rasna packets!

Add 15 years to your age then, and after you've got a few bucks, and some1 asks for a vacation venue, one of the favorites will surely be GOA! And that's how we started - myself, Ajay, his sister, his cousin!

Packing the bags dint take more than 15min, and the thrill and excitement of the trip starts right here! With the bus to Goa to leave @ 8.30pm from Gokul Hotel, Borivali, there I was... helplessly trying to call up Ajay @ 7.43pm, to know whether he forgot to pick me up for the trip. But at last, we reached! But nah.. the excitement ain't over...

With Ajay sighting an Arrey Lassi counter, he was just uncontrollable, and hopping badly to get there to quench his thirst for Lassi, sorry.. Arrey Lassi! His sister, was at the doctor's and I doubted her arrival on time. With his cousin wanted to buy specifically "Paragon" Chappals , he started hunting for it right away! Believe me when I tell you that Catching the Bus was least on everybody's mind ...

But all goes well, when the best of friends are around, and there we were, playing with the semi-sleeper seats of Neeta Volvo bus service, on our way to Goa.

Special thanks to:

Ajay's cousin's sister: For making excellent Noodles! Can we have this again, while Ajay heads back to France? Also, for the tempting sheera...
Ajay's Mom: For making jam, and chatni sandwiches (yummmy...)
Ajay's Dad: For chopped cucumber pieces, and buying a knife@ bus stand to cut tomatoes, to make our vegetable sandwich on board
My Mom: For making theplas, which made way into our stomach for the first lunch@Goa.

And after watching 2 Govina movies back to back, we reached there finally... GOA !!!! Ahh.. !!!

Where did we stay?
- Hotel Mellorosa, Arpora, 2kms away from Calangute.

Cost? And how did we bargain?
- Rs. 900/- per day for 4 people.
- Excellent bargaining skills from Ravi, and me, wherein we said to Mr. Jaan, the receptionist:
* We dont want extra matresses. Hum log zameen pe soyenge...
* Swimming pool mein mere badle tu jaa..
* Hum log ek hi light use karenge...
* Hum log paani kam use karenge... in fact... hum naahaenge hi nahi... 2kms petrol waste kar ke Calangute se paani laayenge...
* Hum log students hai... kuch to rehem karo...
* And many more... Ravi pls add it in comments!

Transportation
- We rented one Pulsar, and a Bajaj Avenger for Rs. 250/- per day (petrol charges extra) from Bhushan, the guy next door to the Hotel.
- We enjoyed a 250kms drive throughout the trip.

Places we visited
Day 1 (Evening)
- Calangute
- Wagator, in search for the disc, which disappeared due to the off-season nature.

Day 2
- Arambol (32kms drive from Calangute). Excellent empty roads!!! Ajay and myself enjoyed a nice bike fall, with some minute, but painful injuries.
This was the best secluded beach of Goa. A seemingly trained dog accompanied.. rather lead us to the sweet water lake, which is just adjacent to the beach! "Ahhh..." was our call in unison when our feet touched the sweet cool lake water! Thanks doggy for escorting us here!
- Wagator. Excellent place adjoining the beach, which serves some tasty omlet-paav breakfast. Just buy an Amul Butter, enjoy it with the omlet-paav, and you'll love it. Dip the buttered toast in the chaai, and aahhhh... you'll taste heaven...
- Wagator - Sikrim - Calangute drive. Calangute, if you just go aloof the crowded area, you will see some cleanest water to get drenched! Whoaa.. what a bath, it was!
- Chapora Fort, Wagator! 30min before the sunset spot! Everyone visits in here, but not the adjoining hill connecting it to the Wagator Beach. The hill we climbed, gave an exquisite view of the Wagator Waters! We imagined a lady, a dragon emitting fire, a rat, a rabbit of the clouds. Splendid, it was!
However, Ajay's request to wait for the sunset was denied. Instead, we asked him to take a photograph then, and label it as "30minutes before sunset". What an idea, sirjee!
- Back to Hotel Mellorosa. We'll not forget the amazing dinner served by the hotel staff, minutes after closing the restaurant!

Day 3
- Uff! We're late
With a tiresome last day, everyone was awake late, and we started the day at 10.30am.
- Mayem Lake
55kms away from Calangute, this is an excellent hidden lake, in the center of Goa, which I found the calmest of all. And if you can peddle a boat in the calm and cool water.... man... that's life!
To get here, you have to cross a "Cable Bridge", which is a long streched road, where in you can vroooom your bike easily till 100kmph. Its a bridge, which you should always cross!
- Panjim Market
The trip ended with shopping for family and friends, and with the Kwality Walls ice-creams!

Special finding during the trip was Hotel Vrundavan @ Mapusa Bus stand, which after discovery was our sole place for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. With raising our hand like "Hail Hitler"... the waiter will serve you in no time! Must try - Lassi (which we suspected to be curd plus flavored milk), and surely "Baby Corn Mushroom Tawa Subji"

There were a lot of jokes and fooling around. Devang Patel reminding Aarti of some one, whereas some1 wanted to buy something for someone.
Jhaagda is baat pe hota ki xxxx k piche kaun baithega... does this ring a bell fellow tripmates?
We missed Chin2 and DhanO, our Tom and Jerry, throughout the trip, and imagined situations if they had been here!

The whole of Goa seemed to be shut down during this trip, but the scenic beauty still remains! And if you are a bike fan, the empty roads have never been better! There are 100s of those unexplored places guys, pack your bags, and start hunting now... dont forget to vrrrrooooommmmmmmmmmmm...


P.S:

Let me not forget the mention the fifth character on our trip. When Ajay's sis Aarti wears those numerous sweat jackets, the ZooZoo comes alive, wearing the ZooZoo type shoes too! Will try to publish ZooZoo merchandise pics shortly...