And the moral of the story is ..

And the moral of the story is .. to never give up. Access your limitations understand them well and continue to aim for the stars !

The world my friend is yours and you can do with it as you wish.

And in the end its all worth it ! 

The Serenity Prayer

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
by Reinhold Niebuhr

I struggle with this every day. When do you decide to give up? When do you know the battle is lost ? And when do you say I will give it one more short ! I will try harder.

The never say die attitude brought me this far and its simply hard to say No. To give up a quest to accept failure.

What do you think ?

Ithaka

When you set out for Ithaka

ask that your way be long,
full of adventure, full of instruction.
The Laistrygonians and the Cyclops,
angry Poseidon - do not fear them:
such as these you will never find
as long as your thought is lofty, as long as a rare
emotion touch your spirit and your body.
The Laistrygonians and the Cyclops,
angry Poseidon - you will not meet them
unless you carry them in your soul,
unless your soul raise them up before you.

Ask that your way be long.
At many a Summer dawn to enter
with what gratitude, what joy -
ports seen for the first time;
to stop at Phoenician trading centres,
and to buy good merchandise,
mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
and sensuous perfumes of every kind,
sensuous perfumes as lavishly as you can;
to visit many Egyptian cities,
to gather stores of knowledge from the learned.

Have Ithaka always in your mind.
Your arrival there is what you are destined for.
But don't in the least hurry the journey.
Better it last for years,
so that when you reach the island you are old,
rich with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting Ithaka to give you wealth.
Ithaka gave you a splendid journey.
Without her you would not have set out.
She hasn't anything else to give you.

And if you find her poor, Ithaka hasn't deceived you.
So wise you have become, of such experience,
That already you'll have understood what these Ithakas mean. 

by Constantine P. Cavafy

Its the journey that counts .. As long as you enjoy it.. its all good.. 

The Quest - A leap of faith and hope

Were the fundamental purpose of life itself is in question.

With trying so hard for something that seems so unattainable.

So close yet so far.

My quest and its endurance in question.

Not many in life that have been this strenuous.

A path where few have set out for and fewer concurred

Yet looking back at every milestone crossed.

It brings to mind that none were easy.

The difficult ones are the ones one is the most proud of.

With sincere hope I wish and pray that this one be overcome as well. 

Sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel is not to be seen

It’s simply faith to continue to strive to attain the unattainable. 

Strange But Funny !

I have received three marriage invitations recently from people I dont know very well .. People some of whom I haven't met or even spoken to. I was asking a friend of mine why would people who dont know me send personal invitations to their wedding ?? Is it that they felt that I was a close friend? His answer was well .. you know now a days people dont have much friends and the ones they have are no longer in the same city or same country ! So people just try to round up as much "friends" they can !!

Sound pretty stupid ! why would anyone want to do that ?? Guess we are all humans and would like to show people around us that we'r popular and very sociable.

I'm making my wedding invitation list...

:)

Misunderstandings ...

How often are we misunderstood ? An opinion or a thought is is ones own, brought about by his perception about something. Guess what I trying to say is that we need to understand each one of us do things which we believe is right. Often before we point fingers at the other we need to understand the other persons point of view patiently.

My H1 B Visa Experience ... @ The Chennai US Consulate

My H1 B Visa Experience ... @ The Chennai US Consulate

Disclaimer - The below are my personal views... Please look at various post to get a wider perspective.

Also before you ask questions please also go through :-
http://www.orkut.co.in/CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=50424890&tid=2586300162427899201&na=1&nst=1

Starting :-
Check the USCIS site to see if your petition has been approved :-
https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/caseStatusSearchDisplay.do;jsessionid=cabeLc8U8vDPBguWDCjUr

Once approved :-
You need to pay for the interview you need to go to a HDCF branch :--https://www.vfs-usa.co.in/ApplnForms/HDFC/HDFCAddressList.aspx
Once you have received the HDFC receipt you would need to wait for two or three days for the receipt to be activated.

You could check for estimated dates for your visa interview :-https://www.vfs-usa.co.in/Frame.aspx?param=MsXW4V7i/9YyDxdZNpjLTPh0rd1pvj7/F7V1wzlj7Nik/F+DVlt/uFbHbeIoR226
To book a date you could use the same VFS site.

While on the above site use Internet Explorer enter all the details on the Ds156/Ds157 forms. Other browsers will not work. Start filling the DS forms.
Once you SUBMIT the forms you will be asked to select the Visa date, you will not be able to select the time of your interview.Once submitted this would then give you a 4 PDF files Ds156,Ds157, Interview Letter, Class-H-L-O ( consulate letter to you with some info).

Once you have Submitted you will have to book your date!! ( i.e you need to check dates available before you submit the forms). You will be allowed to re-schedule your interview only twice, after that your HDCF receipt will not be valid.

On the DS157 you would need to write your name in Native alphabets, don't forget this.. you can print the form and then write your name in native alphabets.

Note:- If you fill up the DS forms but don't want to take the interview, i.e you don't submit the form since you dont have the right dates or if you have not received the documents from your employer.. then you can SAVE the DS forms .. but this will accessible only for one week. If you do not book a date within one week the form will expire and you will have to fill the DS forms again.

Make sure the Photo you take is of the below specification:-
https://www.vfs-usa.co.in/Frame.aspx?param=MsXW4V7i/9YyDxdZNpjLTPh0rd1pvj7/F7V1wzlj7Nik/F+DVlt/uFbHbeIoR226

If your photo is not by specification the consulate has a photographer who will click your photo .. so not to worry.

Once you have printed the forms

a)Collect all your personal & educational documents.
b)Collect all the documents from your employer.


Having said all that ... Now I assume that your interview date is booked. The below will be on the documents .. and the interview and form 221g which several people are getting.

A small note on Chennai Consulate :-

Chennai at the time of the year (July mid) is pretty hot, carry a tissue cause you will be sweating!!. You can only enter the consulate 15 to 30 minutes before the interview. You will not be able to carry any water, eatables, mobile phones, sealed envelopes. The Chennai consulate and I guess every consulate is really really busy. At max your interview will last only 3 minutes at the maximum. So as said you need to be sharp clear and very organized. Being confident and answering to the point are the keys to a successful interview.

In my opinion if you follow the below list of segregation of documents things will be very easy for you. The reason for arranging the documents into folders and in the same particular order are in direct relevance to the possible sequence by which you will be asked for them.

You would need to take 4 simple clear folders with an index sheet one every folder. Please put all this in a PLASTIC bag, the consulate will not allow big bags.. or any other personal stuff.

Folder – 1 - To be submitted as a set to counter X where the lady will put all these documents on to a folder of their own.

01. VISA DOCUMENTS

Passport
HDFC Receipt - only the copy that is to be submitted. take Applicants copy and carry it with you separately
Interview confirmation letter
D156( 50x50 Photo in white background)
D157

02. H1B PACKAGE

Approval Notice
Form 129
H- classification
Employer letter to BCIS
Labor Condition Application

Folder 2

EMPLOYMENT DOCUMENTS

Offer letter from your US Employer. -Signed by you and your employer. - Very important
Current company :-

Offer letter
Last six months pay slips
ID card
Bank statement

2. Previous Employee Documents

Company A – Offer letter & Relieving letter

Company B- Offer letter & Relieving letter


3. Other Documents

Resume
Form 16
All previous managers contacts

04. EDUCATION DOCUMENTS

Post Graduate – Mark sheet & Degree Certificate
Under Graduate– Conciliated mark sheet, All mark sheets, Degree certificate
12th Std Mark sheet
10th Std Mark sheet
Professional certificates

05. Any previous applications to the US Consulate.


Folder 3 - All employers documents ( mentioned below)
Folder 4 - Copy of all the above documents.

There may be a few extra documents on the above list, like the Bank statement etc .. but its up to you if want to take them. Always better to carry more, and get it over with.

Now comes the most important part, the documents from your employer. Many people last year got a From 221g :-
http://www.orkut.co.in/CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=4971731&tid=2554231799896441689

What is a form 221g ?
http://chennai.usconsulate.gov/refusals221g.html
http://chennai.usconsulate.gov/adminprocess.html

I urge you to read the above links in detail.

So the blue form 221g which most people get is because you don't have the documents.

So NORMALLY the reason for you to get a From 221g would be because you don't have one of the below documents :-
The below is taken directly form a Form 221g :-

a) A copy of the petition signed by your employer and you.
b) Income tax returns for the last two years and financial statements of your employer.
c) Notarized list of all employees, their status, start and end dates and their employment status.
d) State unemployment wage report, paid for the last three quarters. Wages paid to all employees.
If internal project :-
e) A detailed specific description of the internal project to which you will be assigned. Include a complete technical description of the project, employer, time line, current status, number of employees assigned work site location, market analysis of the final product.

If Client Project :-
f)The contract between the US employment agency and the job site ( work location) client.
g) A letter form the personal department form the US based petitioner and client company on the terms and conditions and the agreement of your project.

So if you have all the above covered then you might not get a 221g.

My interview :-
Though I'm from Chennai I landed up nearly an hour early. They will not let you enter more than 15 or 30 minutes in advance depending on the crowd, so don't go to early. The guard will check you physically outside the consulate and ask for your interview letter,HDFC receipt and passport.
Once your in, another guard will ask for your bag, ask you if you have a mobile phone or any sealed documents. Ok. Then you need to put you bag on the conveyor and goes thro x-ray, you pick it up move to the next phase.

12 counters or so, they will collect your folder 1 up it in a folder of their own. Now someone will be guided to a queue to have your interview.

I wait in the queue, my turn comes.

VO: Good morning
Me: Good morning
VO: So you've done your B.E & MBA
Me:Yes
VO: Your working as a XXXX at XXX can you describe your role ?
Me: I design XXXXX
VO: Are you going on an In-house or a client project ?
Me: I'll be on an In-house project.
VO: Whats the name of the project ?
Me: XXXX - XXXX
VO: Do you have the product document ?
Me: Yes. ( Passed the complete file given by XXX, and told her the Indexed number.)
VO: This has too many things, I don't have the time, people are waiting. I'm going to put this on Administrative Processing please submit all the documents I have asked for. Fills the 221g From and give me.
Me: All these documents are in the folder I have given you.
VO: Are you sure ?
Me: Yes
VO: Ok, then, we will look into your papers and get back to you. If everything is good we will ask you to drop your passport. You don't need to come for another interview.
Me: Thank you.
VO: NEXT...

There were too many people with just one interview counter .. The officer was much in a hurry.

One week later, I was requested to submit my passport to the VFS. As of now I have submitted it and am waiting for a response.

Also below is the link of collected questions from various people :-
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dg6cc3n4_24c2bw9vdz

The Dubliners - Beer beer beer

Aromas of China ~ BJN Group

The true BJN fan - hats of to one of be best Chinese restaurants in Bangalore !

Ebony & 13 Floor - Banagalore

I visited the 13th Floor - Barton Centre, MG Road. A beautiful experience where you can sit and sip your favorite drink and enjoy the beautiful Bangalore sky line. Having said that they are a little up end they did not have the Grey goose or the Belvidere though it was on the menu ! You go to an upmarket place to have the best . .. strange they did not stock good Vodkas.

The food was not that great only one of of the three dishes we ordered was good.

Reality Check - Will be steep for your pocket no doubt !!

The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud

A highly recommended book by a close friend. Well it starts out well and has a steady rhythm, so i think I can safely say its a quick read. Was it good? was it worth my time and did i enjoy it ? barely !

I always loved the concept of a Genie, so it was in interesting ride, I some how felt the book lacked depth of characters. The plot was very predictable, also the writing monotonous. There was a feeling that discontinuous chapters had been introduced just to make the book long.

I'm half way .. through the second book .. so lets hope things get better :)

Home Sweet Home

You can travel the world .. and see the most beautiful things on earth and fall in love with them. But nothing is ever going to be like home !

I went to Chennai this weekend,I was overwhelmed by this sensation of this is where I belong, this is me, this is my home ! I think you can go live where ever you want to ignorant of the fact of what home is really about .. but you are sure to know when you come back someday !

Just another sad day ..

You know however we try to take control of our lives and try to build that cocoon so that we are not affected by the crazy people around us, it never works !!

Everyday, is a fuc*ing sad day ... with the people around me who simply drain all my energy.

On the other hand, though I have grown to realize one should never expect anything from family or friends. Cause they normally only lead to disappointments. Still somewhere at the bottom of my heart lingers .. that sad feeling when I have expected people to be there and that haven't.

All said .. I feel I have a beautiful set of friends who always take care of me. Thank you all for being there. You are all very dear to heart.

Something to cheer all up !!

Cafe Masala

WOW ! One word to describe it all. An excellent spread of veg and non-veg - Indian, Italian, American, Chinese cuisines all served at a reasonably price of Rs.280/-. The spread consists of two soups five salads or so .. two pastas .. KFC type chicken .. excellent pizza, mutton biriyani .. chicken curry.. five deserts .. and much more..

The food tasted good. I personally enjoyed the thin crusted pizza, the mutton biriyan and chicken curry, gulab jamon and the chocolate moose.I feel the spread was awesome for the price and the standard of food was good. Remember this is from the BJN group !

Fresh Salads in Bangalore

The Namdhari Group has several outlets in Bangalore which offers fresh vegetable salads , Pasta salads and even lasagna ! If you have not tried it out; I highly recommend you do! They are very fresh, with vegetables organically grown at their own farm. The salads are pre-prepared twice a day, also you can make your own at the salad bar. You can either do a take away or even have it in there.

Let me know what you think.

One of my all time fav ...

Aim For The Stars

I was always told " Aim high for the stars, cause if you fall short you will fall on the moon" I believed in this .. And of the first time in my life it came true. I worked hard I aimed for the stars and I just fell on the moon.

Nine things I got to do ....

I want to :-
1) Travel to Italy, Greece & France
2) I want to sit in a road side cafe some where in Europe have some hot chocolate .. and a chicken baguette and may be drown it with some Dr. Pepper
3) I want to learn pottery
4) Paraglide ... also travel in a gas balloon
6) I want to get married !
7) I want to have the time to cook everyday .. have a proper meal.. with some wine..
8) I want to be the Vice-President in a reputed organisation
9) I want to learn to salsa

Almost Everday

Almost everyday.. I look at this tablet with a message which Chris and I bought three years back ..It reads
"I will go
I will see
I will conquer"

I read this, derive strength from it and tell myself this is my destiny .. to push my limits ...and be successful.

The feeling ....

Being successful at work has nothing to do with where you are geographically !
But making more money does have a lot to do with where you are geographically !

I dont believe in fate or luck .. I believe in hard work, but lately things have been going so wrong .. things which I have no control of .. I think I'd attribute that to Fate or Luck !

I'm sad.

Quarter End

A typical sales job .. it really gets busy when the quarter is at its end...

Its quarter end .. its busy ... but I truly enjoy it like this..

I plan to get married ..

Marriage ..

I was talking to an old friend today .. who was telling me how we loose our personalaties when we get married.. I don't completely agree...

I guess .. you have a lot to learn .. when your in a relationship.. and you grow.

Chasing Clouds

I guess most of us all the time are after better things in life. I sure am .. I have realized how ever hard I try to live for the moment and be happy with what I have, I just keep craving for more.


Is this so with everyone else ?

I plan to blog my thoughts more often from now ...

Mark Twain

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Today is my birthday ! I some how feel I have postponed several things I would have like to have done... and I never get around to doing it. I agree with the quote above. I plan to do something about it !

One of My All Time Favorite Poems by JRR Tolkien

The Man in the Moon Came Down Too Soon

There is an inn, a merry old inn
beneath an old grey hill,
And there they brew a beer so brown
That the Man in the Moon himself came down
one night to drink his fill.

The ostler has a tipsy cat
that plays a five-stringed fiddle;
And up and down he saws his bow
Now squeaking high, now purring low,
now sawing in the middle.

The landlord keeps a little dog
that is mighty fond of jokes;
When there's good cheer among the guests,
He cocks an ear at all the jests
and laughs until he chokes.

They also keep a hornéd cow
as proud as any queen;
But music turns her head like ale,
And makes her wave her tufted tail
and dance upon the green.

And O! the rows of silver dishes
and the store of silver spoons!
For Sunday there's a special pair,
And these they polish up with care
on Saturday afternoons.

The Man in the Moon was drinking deep,
and the cat began to wail;
A dish and a spoon on the table danced,
The cow in the garden madly pranced
and the little dog chased his tail.

The Man in the Moon took another mug,
and then rolled beneath his chair;
And there he dozed and dreamed of ale,
Till in the sky the stars were pale,
and dawn was in the air.

Then the ostler said to his tipsy cat:
'The white horses of the Moon,
They neigh and champ their silver bits;
But their master's been and drowned his wits,
and the Sun'll be rising soon!'

So the cat on the fiddle played hey-diddle-diddle,
a jig that would wake the dead:
He squeaked and sawed and quickened the tune,
While the landlord shook the Man in the Moon:
'It's after three!' he said.

They rolled the Man slowly up the hill
and bundled him into the Moon,
While his horses galloped up in rear,
And the cow came capering like a deer,
and a dish ran up with the spoon.

Now quicker the fiddle went deedle-dum-diddle;
the dog began to roar,
The cow and the horses stood on their heads;
The guests all bounded from their beds
and danced upon the floor.

With a ping and a pang the fiddle-strings broke!
the cow jumped over the Moon,
And the little dog laughed to see such fun,
And the Saturday dish went off at a run
with the silver Sunday spoon.

The round Moon rolled behind the hill,
as the Sun raised up her head.
She* hardly believed her fiery eyes;
For though it was day, to her surprise
they all went back to bed!

A Blast From The Past ..

Was chatting up with a couple of third standard friends of mine from IIS, Jeddah (www.indianschooljeddah.com/). It was indeed a nice experience to find some long lost friends who you were good friends back in the third grade, Thanks to Orkut. So now I am in touch with quite some guys, who I studied with in my third grade in another country ain’t that simply great ?? I also managed to get in touch with some other friends of mine … form various schools.

The reason for writing this particular blog is not simply to express my joy of finding these long lost buddies of mine but to for you and I to ponder how people change so very drastically with time. Those third standard friends then did not then have a personality, did not know what they wanted in life, knew nothing at all, not even to find their way back home! Today some of them stand as monuments of excellence, some getting there and some who have a long way to go. Why? Why is it some have made it and some have not? Individual capabilities is it? Or is it the way one has been molded at school, at home and by the surrounding environment. Or is it both ?

Its always funny to see some people doing better than others, I feel it is cause many fail to understand and recognize what their true potential is and what one is good at doing. Of course there could be a hundred other factors like hard work, financial capabilities (as it changes the opportunities one is offered), luck (if you believe in its existence) and so on …

It is indeed very ironical how apples of the same basket have turned out. Seriously ironical I’m sure you would have some kind of similar story to tell !

Coorg ...

I had been to the beautiful hill station of Coorg. An amazing place which is known as the Scotland of India. We were fortunate that the climate was good. I was also able to go for white water rafting which was an adventurous thing to do. I also managed to take a dip at the Iruppu Falls one of the biggest falls which plunge down from a 170ft. It’s a beautiful sight to see and experience the force and beauty of nature, a change form the monotonous city lifestyle we all lead.


The Nagarhole National Park (officially known as the Rajiv Gandhi National Park) was a big disappointment. The reserve boasts of tawny, black-striped Royal Bengal Tiger (in larger numbers than in Bandipur National Park), panther, chita, and sloth bear, leopard, jungle cat, jackal, wild dog and sloth bear, elephant, spotted deer, sambar and also over 250 species of birds. Well all that and probably more animals! But what did we see just some spotted dears! When I asked the driver of the safari he explained that there are no animals except for the dears! He didn’t how ever tell me what had happened! It is indeed sad to see a wild life reserve which boasts of so much being completely wiped away.

I also had a chance to go to the Namdroling Monastary at Bylakuppe Village in Kushalnaga which shows off proudly to the second largest Tibetan settlements in India. The temple serves not only as the prayer hall for the Tibetans, but also as a school for their young monks. It’s a beautiful sight the temple stands magnificently amidst the surrounding scenery, where you feel suddenly transported to another realm.


Here some photos to relish !

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AbuXLVo2as2Lnw

How We Welcome Foreigners in India … An Experience

My boss was planning a trip to visit the team from the US, her perception of India was hazy and I believed that it would change for the better when she comes down. But who am I kidding the life I in Bangalore is something only a few percentage of the Indians lead. There is a good percentage of the population below the poverty line. So India today is a mix of cultures and living standards. We do have a lot to improve in the infrastructural front even in the most developed cities. Well my boss’s perception didn’t change much I guess. But she did learn of the lifestyle we have and that we had adopted pretty much of the western culture they follow.

She did have a bad experience at the airport when the customs officials did not want to release her baggage for she refused to bribe them Rs12000. It was awful to come to the understanding of the way some government officials’ work. I was wondering if this is how we welcome foreigners to India ? If bribes start at the airport till where would in individual think it would go.

I was happy that we were good hosts to the foreigners who came in. On the other hand though crossed my mind, of what one of my friends mom had told me sometime back. She said why ? why is it that we pamper foreigners, they ruled over India for a long time, looted us, and trampled over India and now we pamper them so much, have we forgotten what they had done to us? Also the fact remains that you would never be pampered when you go abroad.

I had a good time with my boss, she had bought all of us gifts form Victoria’s Secrets. Parties at TGIF and Leela’s.

Some basic facts; India has a population of 1.25 B and 36% live below the poverty line. (http://indiabudget.nic.in/es97-98/chap101.pdf) some stats show 25 % below poverty(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty_in_India).

Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift

The third part of the Fast and the Furious, The movies was only for 1.37 minutes and didn’t have half the action in comparison to its sequels. If this would have been the first part there would have never been a sequel to follow up. The movie had definitely fewer cars featured, may be just five or six in comparison to the previous parts and the acting could have been better. The story line was never great in F&F so really no comments on that. This movie was on the whole concept of drifting, while some would be familiar with the concept from NFS this would be a fairly new concept to the general public. I personally was not really turned on with the whole concept of building the whole movie only on drifting. On the overall a pathetic attempt !

A Personal Though

I’ve been in five schools, two colleges, and two organizations, three countries and all my life I’ve met different types of people. All of whom have taught me a variety of things, some of which I have absorbed I believe that the individuals I’ve met in my life have played a major part of who I am today. I always loved keeping in touch with people, having a wide set of friends. Meeting them and corresponding with my friends .. even before the existence of e-mails.

Today I was struck by reality. Many of my close set of friends were getting married! Well I was more than happy, greeted them, met their counter parts and so on. These were friends some of whom I had known from the day I had got my senses. The few people who I treasured, who I loved beyond imagination, who I had shared my thought, dreams, ambitions, were going to marry another person and fuse with themselves another personality. I waited and watched what the outcome of this would be. Surprisingly my fears became a reality most of my close friends got so much so involved with their new counterpart that they slowly started putting their friends in a back seat. Strange how you could keep aside someone you have known literally all your life. Yes I do agree that they have a new life, a new person to understand and someone who could satisfy all their needs, but still. Could they do any better than literally throw someone who had been with them all their life away and would I be put to a situation to do the same?

Similarly how some of my male friends some of them, shun all their mates away when they meet some girl / some one they love ?! The have no time, no ear to lend to their friends who have been with him through everything they had gone through.

It is here I want to ask people to stop and think, how one should have a balance of a new relationship and the old ones. Of course new ones need a considerable amount of time and effort, but its at the same time one should try the balancing act ….

End of session !

"Another 365 day trip around the sun....enjoy the trip"

Ms.P sent me this mail ...

The inscription on your book...

Another 365 day trip around the sun....enjoy the trip.

I loved those words. Cos, it's not about wishing you luck, good health and prosperity. All that is understood.
Birthdays are'nt about celebration anymore. It's about milestones. And with each birthday, it's like a personal marker in our lives, where we introspect. Look around and figure out where we've come. It's about making every year count. Every living moment. Whether you spend it asleep, reading a book, chatting with friends, working hard, taking a vacation or doing something new.

It's another journey. Yours. Enjoy it.

Johnny Walker – Scotch Tasting Event Held At The Taj West End

Johnny Walker – Scotch Tasting Event Held At The Taj West End

I have no idea how any one would have my residential address within 3 weeks of me taking up a house in Bangalore. Indeed it’s a time to wake up and see how far marketing has gone and how soon information is exchanged in any form. Why do I say this? I got an invitation to attend the Johnny Walker Scotch Tasting Event Held At The Taj West End (Bangalore). When I received the invitation I was more than surprised, how would anyone know that I was a chronic alcoholic? (Not that I really am). I never did contemplate to go, but then the whole thought of tasting Whiskies interested me, as I’m really not a whiskey drinker.

It rained, it poured and I was pretty damp when I got there, The Taj West End was a beautiful place. All I was thinking of was getting my hands on some good Whiskey to get me warm ! Its somewhere I’d actually take some one special. It was very in with nature with a lot of greenery.

The session started with an introduction to Johnny Walker, its history how the striding man was one of the first advertisements ever made. The rich history of one of the oldest well known brands. The session was a marketing and educational one, where we got to taste 5 different Scotch understand where each one was produced what could we expect form Whiskeys produced in different parts of Scotland. The difference between grain and malts … etc… was pretty interesting … The color of whiskeys..! It went on only for 45min but did what it was designed to do. Ensure that everyone got to taste their product when marketing for alcohol is banned ! It got people to understand what Scotch was all about… I feel it was an exceptional marketing !

An excellent experience… but would I go to the bar and order a whiskey the next time ? Well I don’t think that will ever happen unless the situation drives me to … but I wont contemplate to get myself a Johnny Walker. So the session did accomplish what it was meant to I guess!

The Tulleeho / Smirnoff Tastemaker Sessions – Bangalore

I was told about this session by a friend it was indeed interesting concept and was anxious to know how it would be. So when the session was done I gave him a ring and he said that it was a good overall experience. There I decided to go for it called in booked for the class. (http://www.tulleeho.com/tulleeho.htm) The site is good with a lot of fundamental information on a lot of things; I like the wine information in particular.

Well the class stared a little in at 11am IST (Indian Stretchable Time), at Nineteen Twelve on Marks road not a great place for the night outs but good enough for a workshop. A nice hot welcome drink of coffee or tea for your choice, Tables arranges with a variety of utensils and drinks to get your cocktail exquisite. So there it started off, a day with loads of alcohol, and information of how to make it taste better! Ain’t that crazy. We were taught about the basic variety of glasses to the density of liquids.. made several cocktails and tasted them… Had a well prepared lunch and then off again the day finished at 6pm and the whole thing was a blast ! A must go for any one who is contemplating to go or not to!

Business cards

Today I got my business cards, Happy and proud of where I stand today. Was indeed waiting for it, I did miss it sometimes. But then I was just thinking what’s the whole point ?? Where does one today uses a Business / visiting card ? Hmmm... you could drop it in those bowls at business events .. yea . might be useful when you go to these big events .. a useful networking tool, but do people just go back home and throw it away ?? ( I don’t ) .. .. Any way life goes on …

In The Land of Fantasy Anything Is Possible !

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

In The Land of Fantasy Anything Is Possible !

So there I was at crossroads (Bangalore) deciding which book to pick up and remembered P telling me that Eragon was worth the read, the beautiful cover on the book was of Saphira the dragon did tempt me I should say. But then again I was weary to move to the realm of fantasy, not because I didn’t like it but sometimes they either get too complicated or have great similarities. Well Harry Potter didn’t let me down at least not the first three ! and neither did JRR, though I found JRR a little too complicated for light reading. The movies I should say were nowhere close to what the real book contained and also it actually spoils the imagination you have created of what you have read. Nothing close to what you imagine is there ?

Well getting back to where I started off, it was indeed more than a coincidence to find several similarities between LOR and Eragon. The character Broom was very much similar to Gandalf, the boy (ERAGON) had also similarities to Frodo. There are many more subtle but distinct similarities when the two books are compared. But I should say its is very well written, a definite page turner. It does let you imaginations run wild and the details given does help you picture every instance clearly. It is indeed sad (not really though) that they are making the movie Eragon, well this would actually spoil the imaginative part of it. That doest mean that I’m not waiting for the movie to release but what the heck … everything is entertainment … would love to see how well they could pull it off!

Coming to the end of reading book, I ventured to pick up the sequel to Eragon, the second of the trilogy Eldest. I was indeed taken back when I say the price of the book Rs. 785 (Approx) and yes it was hard bound. The price was definitely steep and if I wanted to read the book the other option was to turn to pirated copies (available), which I have vowed never to do. I don’t really like reading hard backs as well as they are actually to heavy to carry when I’m lazily lying on my bed and reading. Well at last I didn’t buy the book came home with The Valkyries by Paulo Coelho. The other book I have next in line is something I have been wanting to get my hand on for a long time – The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie let me see if I think the book is as good as they claim to be. Thank you P for sending the book all the way from where ever you are you’re a sweet heart !

Signing off for now …

Been There Done That…

“Been There Done That…” Exactly what I would say to almost anything. But my experience a couple of days back changed my whole view to the idea that I had done almost everything I wished for.

When was the last time you did something for the first time??

For the first time I took a girl out on a long drive,
For the first time someone bought flowers for me,
For the first time did I touch an elephant,
For the first time did I footsy,
For the first time did I share a bottle of chardonnay with one special person,
For the first time did I feel I met someone who I could live my entire life with,
For the first time did I cry and yet feel happy,
For the first time did I feel I kissed the right girl.

It was the most happiest day of my life.. …

I looked into her eyes and felt,
A feeling that I never want to be alone
The touch of her hand mesmerized me
To believe I was in a fairy land.

Isn’t earth a place where good things aren’t meant to last ….

Being Immature ?

Reading several blogs of random people and some of my friends .. I feel me getting stuck on the issues of love and relationships… Is simply to childish or immature.
Is it ?
Well I guess its a mix ...

A Rendezvous With The Unknown ….

A Rendezvous with the Unknown ….

For long I was hoping to meet this girl I met online. We have been talking to each other almost every single day for the past 6 months. I like her attitude, her intelligence, smartness and well a lot of other things. The fact that we stay in different countries, has not changed the way we keep in touch nor the way we connect. The last six months she and I have been pretty much interested in meeting up and seeing how reality strikes us when we move out of the cyber/ telephonic world.

Well today was the luck day for both of us, we met up, we didn’t feel wired, on the contrary I was very comfortable with her and I guess so was she. We like each other’s company so much that we plan to spend the rest of the days she is in India by allocating all the extra time we have with each other.

But I have my own questions to the nature of this relationship, of where its heading, What will the bottom-line be ? etc.

With New Opportunities At Hand

With new opportunities at hand, and evaluating current acquisitions there comes a time to decide and decipher each new opportunity to make a valid logical decision. In the process come inputs from all near and dear as well as people who could have valuable insights to lend as they were / are in a particular field.

It is up to one’s ideology to carefully weigh each new opportunity and take a good decision, keeping in mind what one ideally wants to achieve. I am currently in the process of deciding what best could help me today and in the long run. Let me wait and see what conclusion I arrive at and why.

Love ….

Why do people fall in love?

What is the belief of falling in Love ?

What are the advantages and what are the disadvantages ?

Lets try and find out logically why .. this confusion ? why the craziness ?

MBA – The talk of the town

UK/ USA / Australia

Well I’m really not an expert on the whole MBA thingy but here I am Mr. Golden Beard BE. MBA (Cardiff Business School-UK). Well I plan to give a short insight of the options I had, the choices I weighed and the path I chose. Also you will find what I feel I have gained and what I feel I could have gained in a MBA but have not. You will also find basic tips on how to look forward for what you really want out of a MBA and how to find it.

Well after having done my engineering successfully and not that a techy person I decided to try my hand at something I though I was good in –management. A word of caution here, MBA does not give you a chocolate truffle cake .. but just the layer of topping. You will have to have good communication skills, basic analytical to really benefit from any MBA you chose to take up. Well leaving all that behind ,I didn’t have the patients neither to write my GMAT nor take a course for 2 years in the US. Many people telling me that the degree given in Australia not really valid in India or any where else in the world. Thus my only option at that point was UK. UK also has been the center of management studies for a long time and the US being the Mecca of tech. So there you have it next stop UK, ohh I totally forgot .. I need to decide the uni !!

Well to find the best uni you do have a pretty complicated process, without guidance quite mind boggling. Well here is an easy fool proof way to select you Uni without much of a hassle. Go to hero.ac.uk get the RAE ratings from there, this is a research ranking published by the UK government on the university’s. This will give you the top schools in your particular area of interest. Word of caution the RAE ratings available now was published in 2201 and is a little outdated .. the new one is due sometime this year. The next thing would you deciding how much you can afford, this is very important. The average living could be kept fixed as **** ₤. Thus you now will know what the max tuition you could pay. Now you will have to go to these school websites and check the entry criteria and then the tuition fees. Simple aint it ? Now you have the options clearly jotted down.

My opinion about getting a job in the UK is that it not easy, out of my whole class (a class of 250) of Indians only 2 have managed to stick on and both of them don’t have a valid work permit. I personally did manage to get a job but didn’t manage to get my work permit. Thus I came back to India and am working in an MNC with a decent pay, I currently also do have a job offer from one of the world most renowned software firms to join them. But this again depends on one’s own talents. One of my friends from Cardiff has a better offer and some others are literally working for peanuts.

What have I gained from my experience at Cardiff – Well a decent international exposure. Meeting and working with a global audience always broadens ones perspectives. You also look at how other people work and equip your self with things you might not have though of.

I still feel that if I had gone to the US I could have managed to get a job there and steele down for some time. Well the other side always seams rosy. The problem for MBA’s from abroad is that many companies don’t recognize the uni which you have passed out from as they are not familiar with the ranking systems etc.

There you are… any queries and comments welcome.

Lost and lonely … scared and tired ..

Well though life is going on fine and I rally have anything much to complain about, I still feel lost and lonely scared and tired ..

Lost cause sometimes I dono where I’m going what I’m going to do .. though I think I’m pretty focused .. I’m in a decent job etc .. I still feel lost

Lonely … I don’t have a good companion to share my emotions with ,,,

Scared .. where this life is taking me

Tired of trying to prove my self and work my ass off…

Nishanth....

I would like to share with you all a unique experience I had this Sunday. A met up with a friend who I haven’t met for the past five and a half years. We had kept in touch on and off by sending e-mails, just enough to keep each other updated with what we were cooking in our own lives.

I met this guy last Sunday, we shook hands gave each other a gentle hug and were off, as though we had just meting each other every day for the last couple of years. There was indeed absolutely no feeling of the friendship gone stale and we had not met for years. Yes, there we were planning to go for lunch, we ordered lunch and started talking.. the comfort level was indeed so good that we could possibly talk about anything. It was indeed such a wonderful feeling. A movie after that and so on .. the evening went off as well with so much we had to talk about. Our views on different issues ..

Well the point being that sometimes though we meet people after ages… a good friend is always there in your heart and never far apart. Well this guy was none other than Nishanth …

Nishanth plans to quit Stan Chart and peruse his higher studies in the US … My best wishes to him …

Don’t be dismayed by Good byes
As they means of saying we’ll be meeting again..
By
Richard Bach

Today is the day …… the day when I’m picking up myself from crumbling down, to evolve into the person I hope to be. Many a time we fall and give up on the strenuous road we take. It is indeed not very easy for most of us to face the challenges and do the very best we can. Its is also true that some let them pass by like a winter breeze and others just let the worst happen. I today want to pick myself up and assure myself that I’ll do what ever it take to make my life.

Today is the day of the lion … when it wakes from its slumber with a new attitude …