People !

I've always been fascinated by people. Ever since childhood, I was always interested to know different types of people. And around highschool types, I took smal strides into numerology, palmistry and also was interested in mind reading, face reading etc. Not just that, I read some miracles performed by great yogi's , where they recieve thoughts of people in distant lands. And probably that was my first attraction to yogi's and saints. All this because, I was hooked-on to "How do people think and behave the way they do".
Well, given my increasing people-related roles, I really really need to gain expertise on this aspect.

I've been meeting some very different , interesting and difficult people offlate. Arrogant, argumentative, very selfish,cunning and combo of these...Iam able to handle some situations, not getting the rite reaction speed sometimes, and some are above my head. Thanks guys ! You make me think deeply !
:)

All said, and done, I realized that, my own performance would be my most powerful weapon to shut such wagging tounges. As Kalam rightly says, for peace also, you need to fight. So, I always need to get my act right, be very perfect at my job, and keep learning, so that I can keep such people in check.
Sarvagyo Gyaanam uthamam !

My 1st potato curry !

I'd bought a lot of potatoes 2 weeks back, and I was worried if it'll go waste. So, I made up my mind to cut all of them, freeze a part of it, and make a curry out of the rest.
And so I did ! Potato-tomato Currry !!

I liked the way I cut them, as it came out in a very regular shape.
Now comes the main problem, of other ingredients !! Uff ! I always manage to get the salt-chilly powder combo right, but there's something missing in terms of the smells and taste.
I wanted to improve my performance this time.
So, after adding salt-chilly powder, i opened the draw and shortlisted all the possible items that I Cud add, to get a great taste.
Thsi was the short-list :
- Paneer
-Peper powder
-Soya granules
- Corn powder
- Maggi tomato soup powder
- Mustard, and other dals used for seasoning
- Ohh, nothing else available ! I have a bad inventory :(

So, I decided to add all of them in proportions, and at different points in time, while the cooking is on. I learnt from my cooking experience that, adding components in different stages of the dish, helps in taste :).

So, after 30 mins, there emerged the dish of the year !! Potato-tomato curry.
Postmortem : Only mistake was, I had fried the seasoning items a little more, and it gave a burnt smell. And I could hav added more salt !
Finally, when I ate , I still felt, there's something missing, in the aroma dimension :(
So then, I added paruppu podi[dhal powder] to rice, and added this curry to it.
Wow ! Delicious !! Am improvingv huh !! huhooooooooo !!

My 1st beetroot curry !

Entering a new phase in Life

God's grace ! I got promoted to "Technical lead" . Iam quite happy, as it was totally unexpected. Honestly, I have worked hard, but never expected this soo soon.
I did relish this news for a day, but after that, my mind set sail on my gaps and what all I need to learn now, to perform my role effectively . I listed some of them :
- Master design patterns
- Get a strong hold of OOAD
- Finish PMP certification
- Finish a couple of .Net certifications, leading to MCSD.
- Just like a cricket captain should effectively understand his bowling and batting resources, and deploy them effectively, I shuold get a very good hang of the testing aspect of a project, with respect to development of test plans, test bed and relate planning.
-I should learn effective usage of tools like QC, MS Project, and learn abt testing tools(for automation, scripts etc).
- I should read a lot of books from experienced devs, abt methodologies, team dynamics.
- I should meditate a lot more and be a dynamo of energy for the entire team, always bubling with ideas.
- I should work on new ideas for the company and try and bad projects or create synergies in some way, so we get more work
- Net-net, this is like a music composer role[or rather, lil different], where I need to read so many tools and technologies and orchestrate a solution , with these various instruments/tools.
- I need to have an in-depth perspective of al technologies and tools, to make a difference to the project.
- I need to have an in-depth perpective of the performance dimension of applications and tools, and keep working on improving the performance of systems/tools.
- Establish great contact with a wide variety of people, to know about wide variety of technologies, and their respective challenges.

Beyond all these skills, I need to have great drive for excellence,greater commitment to team success,greater ambition, and finally dedicate my best effort to my beloved gurudev !

Harihi !

About venus citizens

I met a girl about couple of weeks back. She is my colleague and she was visiting my office from a different state in US. We share the same office building in India, and I've seen her few times in our cafeteria. Since she didn't have access card to this new office,I was asked to get her in, which I did.
We sat next to each other in Boston office and she started telling about her. Well, she was cherubic and asked me a lot of info. I patiently provided all info amidst my calls . Well, hospitality is a part of india culture and I think I was courteous enough to help her in possible ways.
Now, end of the day, we came back to room together and I'd told her, we'll share the cab charge. She gave me a stare. Why??
That day, she didnt have other friends here, and I told her I have some movies in my laptop and she could watch. She came down to my room and started asking me about my proj etc and then I told her to watch a particular movie, which she did. Then I'd offered to share the food which I'd prepared and she was good enof to prepare dhal, and also taught me. After dinner, she watched the movie, while I was reading a book.
******End of day-1**********
The next day, her behaviour was strange. Since morning, she started to behave in a bossy fashion. I was immersed in work, and didnt care much for it. During lunch time, I started to eat in my desk, and she said she doesn't want to have heavy lunch.
I offered curd rice , which she accepted. But, after sometime, when she returned me back the box, half of it was left, reason being, pickle was over. How can she waste food so heartlessly?
I told her to throw the leftover and do some cleaning and give me back. She gave a weird stare, as if "why the hell should I?? ". I stared in return and after sometime, she gives me the box with some rice left. What the hell, I thought. She realized that I got angry.

I could deduce so much about her. Our office locales were really beautiful, and she had to have a fotographer take her snaps. So, she reconciled and started to talk friendly again. In the evening, we started early, as if was friday and went out on a fotography spree. It was an awesome environ indeed.
She wanted endless snaps of her in different poses and backgrounds. I got tired. She said, its her Bday . Well, its only courteous to make her atleast little happy on her Bday, so I obliged .

After about an hour, we return back. I offered to give her some sweet on Bday, and I casually asked about treat. No replies.
In my room again, I offered her some snak, and boiled milk . She had some milk and left some in the cup, for me to clean ! This is bullshit, I thought. But its her Bday.

Her friend was supposed to take her to downtown and she was passing sometime in my room.
She goes out with friend and comes back, picks up her laptop fro my room , and vanishes. I told her, "Hav fun, we'll meet in India". And she returns back to her place next morning. But, no Bye/Thanks.
She must not have spent a penny on her food or anything past 2 days, and I helped her so much, but she didn't even thank me for any of that.
Thats the min that anyone wud expect.

Well , this is just one of those shamelessly selfish girls, who tend to USE courteous guyz , and since its just a 2 day trip for her, she didnt even care to thank.
What a bloody character !
Well, it started to burn in me slowly and I coudn't douse it.
Did I come across as a fool, or a flirt trying to impress her or even going to ask for any help from her? Then I write a lesson in my orkut profile and wanted to share this lesson with people, and then only my fire douzed a bit.

Girls ! Are they really so devilish? I've seen worser devils. IF this is on one end, I've also seen many angels too.

This is yet another colleague of mine , and missing her friendship is something I repent so much in life.
She was one of the most beautiful girls in office. She always had a big gang of friends around her , making so much sound . Also, she used to talk really loud. Her body language was really hyperactive, to the point of being v restless.
Well, I've seen such girls, who tend to talk sweet and churn guyz for selfish purposes. So, I kept a safe distance from her.
Infact, as a matter of policy, I maintain some distance from beautiful girls and try to guage them from a distance, before making any friendship. I did the same with this girl as well.. In subsequent months, I gave some music programs in office and after that, this girl tried to attract my attention in numerous ways.
In canteen, she used to walk near my table, talk loud when I go pass, sing a song sometimes etc. But, I kept a safe distance. Once it so happened that, we had to sign some register to collect some coupons and we were at the table at the sametime. She had to sign the register, took the pen, and searched for her name, but suddenly told her friend, that her name is not visible and that she would wait. She put down the pen. I grabbed the pen, signed , collected and started to push off, when I saw that it was her pen, and she started signing. Why did she say that she didn't get her name? Obviously, it was a compromise on her part, to help me. I realized it later.

I spoke to a couple of friends about her and they said, she's a scene party. All the more reason to avoid her I thought.

But, turns out that, its one of the worst judgement I've made in life .
I then came to know that she's sooo friendly, music loving, adorable and simple person. God !! What a blunder I'd made. Looks are soo deceptive, but body language was deceptive as well in this case.
I started to search for her profile in orkut, to find more about her, and my blunder just looked colosal to me, looking at her scrap book and testimonials. Such a wonderful lady ! I got very angry on myself, for having missed such a friend.

Then the next day, when I opened her scrap book I found her friends congratulating her on her engagement !! To cry or to smile?
Well, I took no time to add my wish in her scrapbook, though we were not friends in orkut. I just thought, there's no license needed to wish her good. And I did.

That day, I learnt a profound lesson, "Never be judgemental". I just guage people with my limted experience, and I can be totally wrong.
Well, am happy, I learnt a lesson, but am sad, I missed such a wonderful friend.

Venus citizens, must have inspired the subject of psycology, am sure !

My best lunch so far,

I'd gone for Whale watch, and post-drive, my friends went to a hotel for lunch. Since I'd brought some lunch, I sat down to eat nearby the acquarium, which was our next destination. I was a little bored to eat alone. Luckily, in the next table, a kid was eating popcorn and he had spilled it over the floot, which some pigeons were eating. My mind switced to that Scene in DDLJ movie, when Amrish Puri feeds the pigeons. Whakaouuuuu !

So, for every 3 pieces of parata that I eat, I threw one piece to the pigeons. Gradually, pigeons multiplied in geometrical proportion. And within 2-3 mins, atleast a dozen sparrows surrounded the table. And they were soo bold that, I threw a piece on the table, very close to me and it still came along and picked it up in a flash. There was a quarrel within pigeons ,and then within sparrows and now it was pigeons Vs Sparrows ! Ya hui na baath ! :) Was reminded of fight scnes in gladiator movie !

But suddenly, there was a new sound emerging. And lo !, it was a sea gull very close to me. So, then I had to be fair enough and gave away some pieces to it as well. And in no time, there were 4 of them.
Finally, it was a kurukshetra itself, with all 3 species fighting for paratha ! Well, who doesn't like parata ain't it?

Now, I had a to play a referee, as some small sparrows gave a look of deprivation at me ! I got touched by their innocent look and wanted to help them. So, I used all tactics to divert the stronger ones to a different place and in between feed these week ones. But, uff, the strong ones eat their piece and in a flash come back to snatch the share of weaker ones as well. U baddies !!
I played a baddy too, with a stick at hand, trying to regulate their lunch.

Well, i tried my best to feed the young and weak ones, but though i throw pieces vvvvvv close to them, some don't spot it at alll, and some aren't fast enough. Couldn't help comparing this scenario with humans. We humans sometimes tend to miss out on providential opportunities knocking at the door ain't it?
At the end of it , I was left with no pieces, and some cute sparrows were looking anxiously at my hand for the next piece. I opened up my lunch box and gathered all small bits of vegetables and parata, that I could muster. Still, wasn't good enof. !
** I think, for the first time in my life, I felt bad about not being able to help. I learnt thru my own experience, what difference, a morcel could do to life. It could be a sparrow's meal for the day ! I vowed to myself, that I'd never ever waste food. And I also decided that this would one of the first lessons I'd teach to my kids, with the same experience.

Finally, a profound truth just got re-inforced on my mind ! "U will NEVER get what u'r not destined for, and will invariably get the destined pieces".

A fun lunch, ends on a pholosophical note.
Was a great experience though :)




Seagulls !




Pigeon fight !

Daring , darling sparrows !!

Life is interesting :)

Kala Jamun

Today, I tried my hand at preparing a sweet. Basically, about 3 ltrs of milk got broken while boiling and I didnt wanna waste it. Kya karen??????
I instantly got the images of my granny and mom,stirring on and on and on in a kadai, and finally get a lump of white mass, called MILK KHOA ! Common da Raghava, try it.
So, I started stirring it yesterday night, and I started to play A.R.Rahman albums. 1,2,3.....10 albums got finished. I still keep stirring. Eventually, it became an involuntary action of my hand. Remember, in films, hero slaps the comedian 4 times and the latter's head still keeps tilting left and right, perpetually? The same perpetual motion happened to my hand I guess :)
Uff !! Not any more, and I slept for the day. Today evening I came back from office and spotted that kadai again in the stove, and starts again, "operation stir". And atlast, I got a viscous while liquid. What do I do with this?Should I use it as butter , in my curries or sambar? Should I use it in Maggi?[Actually, last week when milk got broken, I used to pour out the liquid from that vessel and immediately add noodles to the vessel and make paneer maggi , if u will ;) ] . KKya karoon?
Eureka !! I'd bought Amul gulab jamoon last week, and hadn't touched it since then. Howabout adding it to this white lump and making a jamoon khoa types?
Well, I instantly tried it out, and outcome was really delicious. Somebody knocked at my door ! Ahh ! Is it the hotel guyz complaining about excessive abuse of gas or something? Oh, it was just my friend and as I told him about my creative initiative, he said, the while lump is called Kalakand.
He tasted it and fida ho gaya ! Wow, experiment success !
KalaJamun was a great success indeed ! Here is the picture for you :)

City view from Charles River, Boston... Wow !

1st views

Well, its been quite interesting times so far, the journey and the settling down episodes. Just wanna post some observations ..

About Hotel
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Well the hotel is pretty neat. Its surrounded by thick nature and whats more, we have a hill very close-by where we get the view of Boston city . The hotel is surrounded by cars all around it, oh I learnt about so many brands and their makes during my walks . The admin folks are pretty friendly[someof them pretty and friiendly he he ]. During the first walk, I heard a whirring sound from nearby, like the one we hear during flight take of or like a huge waterfall nearby. I eventually found that, there's a highway nearby and my, whatta roar !! There are much better hotels nearby, esp hotel Westin. I really need to appreciate the gardening around all hotels. Its enriching to see such beauty and diligent gardening. Also, the electric poles all around, are full oak trees, which is aluminium alloy pole in India. There are apple trees all around, but since its private property, we've been asked to watch out ! But a true indian that Iam, will surely flick some during the wee hours of midnight ! Flicked goods are obviously a lot tastier ain't it?
The roads are very well maintained and it looks pretty neat. There are wooden fences on one side of the road, reminding me of the Tomsawyer tales of childhood.

My Hotel Room
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I have a very neat room, with a double bed , a kitchen and an attatched bath. Prelim kitchen utensils are available ,with an over, breat toster and over utensils. Very well furnished, in all.

Food
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Friends
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US Culture, people
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Climate
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Climate is pretty chill. I took my first walk, in about 2 hrs of reaching the hotel, as the climate and environs, was soo inviting. It was pretty chill out there. I felt like the winter of Ooty. The fresh air is soo vitalizing and I'd luv to take long walks, but for the pain in my heel ! God ! be good to me pls !