The 'Other Side' of ME..

KFC run by the Deaf and Dumb

2011-12-20T17:59:00.000+05:00

Had been to KFC, Indirapuram a few days back. I dint realize at first that the people manning the counters were actually deaf and dumb. The better part was that they were as efficient as the 'normally abled'.

Hats off to KFC for coming up with such an initiative. And it gives us another reason to go Non Vegetarian :P

You can read more on this here.

Joy of Giving Week India

2011-10-03T19:28:00.000+05:00

Finished collecting 2 bags full of old stuff.
My parent love to store old things and i love to donate them :P
Its the Joy of Giving Week people-make a difference by being a part of it.

Participate in any JGW event Organize a fundraiser in your office, society, school Organize a clothes, toys, books collection drive Raise/donate money Volunteer at a shelter Pick a smile card from the JGW website and do a random act of kindness.

http://joyofgivingweek.ning.com/

Zomato Feedback -Features i like and wud love to see

2011-09-16T18:41:00.000+05:00

Hi Zomato

I have using your site since a long time now. I had some feedback points in mind and this contest provides the perfect opportunity to express them:

Three feature I like..infact I LOVE:

1) Menus - Till date i havent come across a listing for which i have been unable to find the menu. I use your site for pretty much all my restaurant searches. and the menus are immensely helpful.

2) Zomato is updated ahead of other foodie sites - Again it hasnt happened with me yet that i call up a listing found on Zomato and the number turns out to be incorrect or not in use. Kudos to Zomato team for keeping the site so up to date.

3) Editor reviews & ratings - Seeing editor reviews and ratings helps me make up my mind while deciding whether to visit a restaurant or not.

Three areas of improvement:

1) Title for reviews - I love to give short and crisp titles for my reviews - Please let me do the same on Zomato.

2) Ability to upload photo albums - Apart from writing about what i ate i also like to click pics of the food and restaurant. Would love to see a feature that would let me upload my food albums on Zomato.

3) Ratings should be broken down - Write now users can give only a cumulative rating. It unfortunately doesnt give a very accurate picture. I would prefer that user's be allowed to rate each aspect - such as service, ambiance, food, variety of menu etc. That should give a more wholesome idea about the place and the user's experience too.

If you are wondering what this is about, Zomato - the famous and trusted foodie site of India is going for a project upgrade and has asked its users for feedback. To know more click here

Have you been using Zomato too? If yes, what feature would u like to see?

32 likes!! Wow

2011-09-08T17:31:00.000+05:00

Got 32 likes on Indiblogger on my previous post - which hardly had 5 lines (and i had thought it wud hardly get any attention) .. lol..

Saying NO

2011-09-06T14:43:00.000+05:00

If people want to say No, they should be upfront about it.

Better to squash someone’s hope like you Squash an insect, rather than let their hope fade away in misery and pain.

Whats ur style of Saying NO??

Witness to TWO sides of this Nation

2011-08-21T23:14:00.003+05:00

Dated - 20th Aug 2011

Today i was witness to a contrast of life that left me numb. It was the first weekend of Anna's protest, so i along with my ofc colleagues decided to go and support Anna Hazare in his fight for an effective Lokpal Bill at the Ramlila Maidan. We reached Ramlila Maidan in the afternoon and were humbled by the massive turnout in his support. People had come from near and far - in metro, car, bike, autos, some even on foot-all with one aim-to tell Anna Hazare that they support him in this fight and to pray for his well being.
It seemed that India has once again woken up and started bothering about its way of life.

In the evening I had to cover an event at one of the high profile clubs in Delhi. I reach their half heartedly, my heart still at Ramlila Maidan. And I see one of the most hep crowds of Delhi - in the sportiest cars - wearing the brands i fail to even think of. To put things further in perspective - the minimum cost of entry to the place was Rs 4000 and it went up to Rs 1.5 lakhs - WTF! 1.5 lakhs for 5 hrs - and to add insult to injury - the entire place was so overfilled that it became next to impossible NOT to tip toe on other's feet.

In a short span of less than 24 hrs - I saw two India's - one fighting for their basic rights which provide a hope of better living - and another which hardly cares about the hoo haa going around, busy spending their 'hard earned' money.

India is not only a nation where people from different religion and regions coexist - but also where people from diametrically opposite economic conditions live and exist peacefully. Jai Hind!

The best part in all this was that when i saw the elite of Delhi, with the hottest wheels, in the prettiest clothes, my heart didnt ache to be one among them. It was more than happy that it cud be a part of the Lokpal movement. I knew this is where i belonged and this one incident helped dispel any doubts that i had.

Anna Hazare in Mayur Vihar

2011-08-16T17:27:00.004+05:00

Was on my regular morning jog in the usually quiet neighborhood of Mayur Vihar till I reached Supreme Enclave. A few days back I had seen a few tv channel vans outside it which made me wonder what was happening but then I forgot about in the daily hustle bustle of life.

Today the entire stretch around Supreme Enclave apartment was jostling with Policemen, Police Gypsies, TV channels, reporters and people –so much that it was hard to find space to walk around. On enquiring the reality dawned upon me. Anna Hazare was here – and as promised on his way to start his fast – before police intervened and arrested him.

A few minutes before I reached the place Anna was taken away by police officers. While I rue the fact that I missed seeing such a great personality who has set the nation’s imagination and determination on fire, I also rue the high handedness shown by the Government. As has been quoted at endless places, this act completely shows the government is in no mood to talk or listen and willing to do what it takes to get their way. Infact they seem to be in mood to win the next elections. Instead of winning people’s confidence they are doing everything to destroy it – first the scams, and now the brazen handling of people who want to fight corruption.

I have been a staunch supporter of the progress brought about by UPA but if things continue like this UPA is surely on its way to lose my vote.

Note – Delhi Police after coming in for criticism for its handling of Baba Ramdev’s rally, seemed to be displaying restraint today. None of the police officers were holding lathis or any other riot prevention gear.

6 Years and counting.

2011-08-08T09:41:00.000+05:00

8th August 2011 - 6 yrs back, the very same day, I stepped into the big bad corporate world. Pretty much alone and very much on my own. What followed were a combination of some of the best moments of my life - that i wud never ever happen again in my life, and some of the worst - some that i pray never happen again.

A snap shot of the good, the bad and the ugly -

the awesomeness of Infy mysore campus - sitting in a seat surrounded by girls on all sides ;) - late nite studies - having chicken biryani with the best of my pals - kayaking in back waters - the pain of seperation - the dullness of Hyderabad - endless discussions with Saurabh - realising the fact that people will hardly be in touch again - the frustration of being a software engg 'just in name' - the desire to break out of the monotony not knowing how and where to go - Pune - awesome weather - Cramer gang - awesome biking trips and dining outs - my roomie - getting alone again - trying to get along with the flow - the label of being incompetent - scraping thru and managing to get back in the arms of life again - Delhi ..

6 yrs seem like a lifetime but the fact is we have just begun.

To all my Infy batchmates who will be completing 6 yrs of non stop work life today - Cheers - and Good Luck!

Damn these (intermittent) rains

2011-07-13T21:59:00.001+05:00

Have been not keeping well for almost 2 weeks now..the cough and cold just do not seem to go away.

All the desi nuskey and medicines have failed till now. Add to that the intermittent rains – Yesterday had left for office under sunny weather - 15 mins down the line I was caught in rain – and it was raining cats and dogs – Result – I got drenched from head to toe and the cough has gotten worse. Add to that the fact that it rains for 2 hrs and stays humid for 2 days –compounding further my misery and uneasiness.

All this coupled with the fact that things in life are hitting roadblocks at one point or other has given rise to a feeling of dejection and gloom. May be if I would get better (physically), all these things won’t weigh so much..may be!

Damn these intermittent rains. I think I will never get used to the Delhi weather ever.

Wayne Brady Live @ The Taj

2011-07-09T22:10:00.001+05:00

Had been wanting to see a Stand Up Comedy event LIVE, and to go to The Taj Hotel..thankfully both of my wishes were fulfilled courtesy Spiritz&More .

The event was an experience of a life time. Shot a lot of photos and videos. Here is the video of the event - shot thru my Canon IXUS series.

How to file complaint for Malfunctioning Streetlights in Delhi

2011-06-29T19:18:00.002+05:00

Jannhit main Jaari

If you happen to live in Delhi then you must be quite used to the 'case of non functional streetlights' in your area.
I was also quite used to it untill i finally decided to stop being ignorant and do something about it. I googled about this issue and found that BSES Yamuna provides a facility where in you call their customer care number and register your complaint about the malfunctioning streetlight along with some details about its location. And thats it..the streetlights are fixed within 48 hours.
The customer care number is 011-39999808. Dial '2'-'1'-'2' to talk to a customer service representative and file your complaint.

Hope this Helps

Review - Pyaar ka Punchnama

2011-06-23T08:20:00.000+05:00

Image courtest : www.OneIndia.in

Pyaar ka Punchnama sounded like just another love story/love triangle(s). Adding to that a completely unheard of star cast made the movie even less appealing. So I decided to give the movie a miss without even bothering to read its reviews.

But whoever (refers to guys only) saw the movie was in awe of it. Read good reviews about it on FB, heard good reviews about it from my colleagues so finally changed my mind and went to see this movie.

And the verdict – The movie indeed is iconic. A critic on the women of 21^st century – Pyaar ka Punchnama is a story of three guys being tormented at the hands of women in their lives. What makes the movie click so much is its closeness to reality - Liquid’s frustration with the life as a software engineer, Rajjo’s tryst with a Live In relationship and witnessing the ugly side of it, Vikrant’s fascination with a woman who was never his and among all the mess – the bonding between the guys – who stand for each other is testing times.

The movie is superb. The story, the star cast, the acting, everything just gels together and keeps u hooked. Of the three characters showed in the movie I believe many of us would identify with one or the other – and it makes you introspect, and realize the foolishness and helplessness of the situation you were/are still in.

My Rating 4/5 (Awesome) - A MUST WATCH. And the song – ‘Ban gaya Kutta by Mika’ – just loved it.

One of the best scenes of the Movie:

Living on the Edge - Camping & River Rafting @ Rishikesh

2011-06-15T09:20:00.060+05:00

Dated - 10th to 12th June 2011

River Rafting @ Rishikesh

A few months back someone had asked me what gave me a high. At that time i was at a total loss for words, but during this trip to Rishikesh i found or shud i say - refound - the answer.

The 7 of us left for Rishikesh from Delhi on Friday night. But that wasnt without some initial hiccups. Baba Ramdev who were fasting in Haridwar had gotten seriously ill. There were rumours of his followers blocking roads to protest against government's arroagnce. Initially it was decided to postpone the trip to next day but at 10:30 pm Mr Maurya calls and says the plan stays. And from here on the adventure begins.

I was picked up at 1 in the night. Despite such late hour we got caught up in numerous traffic jams when we hit the highway.

In desperate need of a nap

By morning 7:30 am we reached Haridwar. Intially we had decided to take a dip in the Ganges therebut we got to know that GangDushera was being celebrated that day (Saturday) (there was immense rush). Seeing this we left directly for Rishikesh.

Clicked on the way - @ Haridwar

Camping in Rishikesh

We had taken a combo package which included 3 meals, stay and rafting. The cost was Rs 1600 per person. The camp - organised by Alpinestar Holidays - was situated just next to the river bed.

Reached base camp

Awesome location. Tents were situated just next to the river bed

We reached the camp by 9 am and were served breakfast - aloo paranthas, bread butter and tea. After that we explored the surroundings and clicked some pics.

The mess - Food was pretty good

By 11 we got read for our rafting adventure.

The River Rafting begins..

There were 10 of us in the boat including the guide. We were accompanied by a life safety kayak. The rafting stretched across 18 kms - from Shiv Puri to Rishikesh city - across numerous rapids. While some of them seemed pretty hard to navigate, our guide made us cross them with ease.

Getting ready for a thrilling experience

Life Safety Kayak

Navigating the rapids

On the way we stopped for Cliff Diving which involved diving from the cliff one and half storeys high, straight into the water. Our guide was hesitant to let us go for it - he said it was risky but i felt he was just saving his time - so finally after a lot of persuasion we went for it.

Testing our life jackets :P

Mid way halt - On the way to Cliff Diving

Cliff Diving was a mind numbing experience. As soon as u hit the water, u lose your senses for the next 10 seconds. The life jacket thankfully brings u back to the surface in no time. But the experience gave me such a high that i went for it again and finally my friends had to stop me from trying again as were getting late.

Caught in the action :)

Thank God I knew lil bit of swimming

One more rapid and we reached our destination. While other camps had arranged for taking their guests back to the base camp (We had landed around 20 kms far from our base camp while rafting), ours gave it a miss - pretty unprofessional indeed. Anyways, we managed to reach the camp somehow. After having lunch - dal, sabji, roti, rice and salad - we wanted to rest badly but it was damn hot and our tents felt like they were on fire, so we decided to lay by the river bed and do some gup shup.

Tats me

Sun bidding us good bye

The evening snacks which were to be served at 4:30 were served at 8. But thankfully they had also arranged for a bon fire. We sat there as we ate, clicked pics, finally had dinner and then left for bed. We and a friend of mine chose to sleep under the sky, with Moon staring down at us :) Next day we got up early and left for Delhi.

The river rafting experience at Rishikesh was an experience of a lifetime. We had started from Delhi unsure of what was ahead of us. While we thought the distance from Delhi to Rishikesh would be covered in 6-7 hours, it took us nearly 9 hours to reach there. Organizers Alpinestar Holidays did an average job. While the food was good and stay was comfortable, they lacked punctuality. Evening snacks were almost given a miss. There was not much arrangement for entertainment after rafting. Also they were not clear about the transportation arrangements on the way back to base camp after rafting.

But all of this was worth the fun we had - living in the tents, sleeping under the sky, rafting in the Ganges, diving into the water. If you havent been here yet, then add this to a 'must do' in your list :)

Gandhiji's Law of Action & Reaction

2011-06-07T21:59:00.000+05:00

Gandhiji’s law of Action and Reaction states that “Whatever Karma we do in this life – we face their consequences in this or the next life, and whatever good or bad we face in this life and a consequence of our Karma is this or the previous life. Isliye, Buraa mat suno, Buraa mat bolo aur Buraa mat karo.”

I was wandering in CP with Chetan when I came across a beggar in a state of depair, asking for money for food , saying that he hadn’t eaten since two days I thought isney kisi ka kya bidaga hai that he has to live a like this. And I found Gandhiji’s law to be pretty apt , and that there is some unseen power in this universe that makes sure we pay for what we do, that if he sow a cactus we bleed through its thorns, and if we sow a marigold we relish its fragrance.

What this also means is that if someone does something bad to us, we need not necessarily hit back at them, because there is a ‘unseen’ force that will take care of it or even if we do hit back, it’s the ‘unseen’ force that made us do so.

Chalo enough philosophy for the day J ..Bye Bye

Relationships & more..

2011-05-05T17:17:00.000+05:00

All around me relations are going through a tough time. A couple is having a tough time convincing their parents of their love, another one also going through a similar fate. Yet another one has failed to withstand the tests of time. All around me relationships are crumbling under pressure, some have already crumbled but a few have emerged victorious. Why is it that some relations are able to withstand the tests of time while many give in?

Over time I can easily compare relationship to a piece of rock. We hold on to our relationships like u hold a piece of rock firmly in your hands, but under the pressure the rock gradually disintegrates, turns into sand and slips out of your hands. Relationships also seems to suffer a similar fate. What causes the relationships to crumble? Is it the lack of love? Is it our hectic lifestyles that leave very little time for feelings? Is it that we erred in choosing the ‘right’ person?

And while I am seeing so many relations crumble, I have also seen relations going strong even after 25 years! Aren’t those people happy? How did they manager to tag along for so long? Imagine – 25 years of same person??
We don’t get bored of our parents or siblings even though we don’t choose them, then why do we get fed up of people we ourselves choose to be with?

Keep watching this space!

2011-04-30T16:48:00.000+05:00

A few posts back I had said that I was not having much to crib about..Well.. I hav now. Keep watching this space for more updates.

Vindicated

2011-04-22T22:53:00.002+05:00

Got my appraisal rating (in the new company) a few days back. Was told that I ‘exceeded expectations’ and hence got a rating of 4 (best being 5). How does that make me feel?

Over the last two cycles (which happened in my previous company) I was told that I was not upto the mark. I was given a pathetic 4% hike last year and the justification given by my manager was that though I was good, I was not exceeding his expectations. For the last two cycles my abilities were doubted upon, questions were raised about my ‘work attitude’. For the last 3 yrs I kept on questioning myself, whether I was good enough, my belief having been completely shattered and I just held by the string of faith.

For the last 3 yrs I have been trying to prove my critics wrong, to prove to myself that I am good enough. During this time there were endless ‘ends’ when I felt like giving up..not just on this industry and profession, but life as well..there were several times when I imagined getting hit by a car, crushed by a train and much more..but thankfully the string of faith held good.

So how does being told that I have ‘exceeded expectations’ make me feel? I feel Vindicated.

An evening at the Delhi Jazz Festival

2011-04-10T22:10:00.001+05:00

Went to the Delhi Jazz Festival being held at Nehru Park yesterday. The performances were from Christine Jensen Quintet (from Canada), Fractal (from India), and Jump4Joy (from Sweden). Was amazed by the amount of crowd that had gathered (and the gals were hot ;)

How did i find the music? Well, honestly it was my first tryst with Jazz and my ears are not tuned in for that kind of music, but looking forward to attend more such events.

Below are some pics of the event

The performance about to start

Christine Jensen Quintet performing at the Delhi Jazz Festival

Thank You God

2011-04-04T17:06:00.001+05:00

Few days back someone asked me..wht things in life gives me a kick..at that point I was at a loss for an answer..today I have one.

Experienced the second earthquake of my life today. Was reading newspaper in the ofc lobby (in Noida) when I felt the ground beneath me shaking..at first I was unsure and then I felt the second wave. To add surety to my doubts, the people in ofc starting storming their way out of the building.

When we reached downstairs safely, I felt a high..a high on knowing that all of us were safe, that God was kind enough to save us from another bad news (the Japan story is not yet over), a high on knowing the we are alive this day, this very moment.

Read more about the earthquake in Noida/Delhi at http://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=216837&sms_ss=facebook&at_xt=4d99b2724f425952%2C0#summary

I miss mota :(

2011-04-01T18:54:00.000+05:00

Its been 17 yrs since I have been frends with Mota…Till 12th we were in same school..then studied in same city, then worked in the same city too for quite some time. Both he and myself know the in and out of each others life, yet when he comes on vacation to Delhi and we hangout, we are never short of topics to talk about. With him I am a completely different person..while I find it so hard to come with topics to talk to my other friends, with Mota the topics are always endless and most of the times senseless. Last time when he came; me, mota and Owl spent 11 hours in Sector 18, doing nothing but window shopping and eating – a feat I don’t think I can repeat with anyone else.

Btw y I am writing this post..well I was asked to write one so here it is. Yeah life is good (touchwood) and I don’t have much to crib about, hence the lack of posts. I managed to clear Sun Certified Web Component Developer certification, now pursuing MSc in Telecom Technology (first sem exams begin April mid), got my second Adsense cheque :) , desperately awaiting the salary hike and …. See m again short of topics (read words) :(

A visit to the Mughal Gardens

2011-03-09T17:19:00.000+05:00

I had been to Mughal Gardens almost 20 yrs back with my parents, and whenever we used to see the pics they used to leave us nostalgic and awed. So this time when the Mughal Gardens in Delhi opened to public, my mom was very excited to visit it. Finally after much dillying dallying last saturday we gave the much talked about Mughal Gardens a visit; once again.

As the entry wss free we were expecting to witness a heavy rush however (luckily) it was not so. I was expecting the Gardens to be an artist’s portrait of nature’s beauty, hoping and wishing to be swept off in a feeling of awe, however the Mughal Garden's were more like an exhibition – an exhibition of herbs, bonsai, flowers and more. The much talked about Vertical Garden was a bit of a disappointment while the Bonsai section was pretty nice. Sadly as photography is no more allowed, we completed the visit in sheer 45 mins and at the end didnt have any memories to carry with us.

The Mughal Gardens are a welcome break from the confines of a mall, but more like a one time visit. Next year when the gardens reopen I wonder if I will be interested in visiting them again.

Happy New Year 2011

2011-01-02T00:18:00.000+05:00

Wish u a peaceful, joyfilled, masti bhara year + good food, flattened tummys, less of smoking, more of promotions, cheaper onions, moving traffic and last but not the least snagless Metro operations

Happy New Year 2011

Project Bandaloop in Delhi

2010-11-29T17:47:00.003+05:00

Dated: 26 - Nov -2010

Heard about Project Bandaloop performing in Delhi a few days back. Had read a lot about them in newspapers and online. The dance troupe from San Fransciso is famous for performing what they call - Dancing on the Walls. So took a leave from office and went to see their performance.

And was it worth it? It was one of the best things i have witnessed this year. In the 1 hr they performed they left the entire audience spellbound. It dint seem like that they were hanging from rooftops and gliding on the walls. Their movements were so smooth, so perfect. It was as if I was seeing them perform on a stage.

Took some beautiful videos of them performing with the help of my Canon IXUS. Must say m pretty impressed with the quality of my camera. Also given that this was the first time i recorded a Live Performance, must say i hav a pretty steady hand. Unfortunately my limited GB internet connection doesnt provide much scope to upload all the videos (Also quality has suffered) :(

Here's a short clip of their performance. Hope u enjoy it.

Arranging ur own Arrange Marriage

2010-11-25T14:32:00.000+05:00

Peenuts was pretty sure of what was the Other Side of Him, till Pune happened. In the last 3 years he has changed so much that even he is not sure which side of him is which.

A guy who believed in living free, a loner who wanted to have casual relationships and casual sex, one who never wanted to go back to his family was metamorphosed into an entirely different entity in the last 3 years – someone who values commitment & sincerity, views physical intimacy as something very sacred, and loves & wants to be with his family.

Unfortunately Cupid’s arrow failed to create magic in the heart of one who effected this change. With love out of his way and his parents hardly showing any enthusiasm, he is left to fend for himself. Thanks to shaadi.com and bharatmatrimony the ray of hope is alive. He thought that these sites are for losers, but now that he is one among them, he can understand their importance.

Welcome to the world 2.0, the world where we Arrange our own Arrange Marriage.

Funny Moment of the Day

2010-11-19T11:34:00.002+05:00

Yesterday I was having a chat with Mr. Mehta, here’s a part of it:

Mr. Mehta : Aur bhai, shaadi kab kar raha hai?
Me: Khoj chal rahi hai, teri nazar main koi ladki hai to bata.
Mr.Mehta: Kaisi ladki chahiye?
Me: Someone who is caring and understanding, who works but is not too career oriented, has hobbies, wants me to be a part of them, and wants to be a part of my interests, Someone with an intention of being my life and making me, my family her life.
Mr.Mehta: Aaj kal aisey ladkey (boys) miltey kahan hain.

:P Nice one Mr. Mehta.

Is it the beginning of the Nosedive?

2010-11-18T14:57:00.000+05:00

I have worked in 3 different organisation now and my career curve is as shown above.

In Company 1, my impression skyrocketed in initial 9-11 months and then plumetted. Similar thing happened in Company 2, where it went to negative in the 2nd year, but i hung on and vindicted myself in the last 8 months.
Now m in Company 3. Completed a month here today. Time sometimes just flies. My impression is on an upward streak, my Team Lead is pretty impressed, but as if one setback was not enuf, in another shocker, my team lead is leavin the company too. WoW!!

Is it the beginning of another Nosedive?? May be, may be not. But i pray i will face it with courage and confidence and come out satisfied and wiser. Amen.

Movie Review - The Social Network

2010-11-15T14:36:00.000+05:00

I hav 239 friends on facebook, but when i wanted to go see the Social Network with someone, i cudnt find any, so had to go watch it alone - Ironical, isnt it? More interesting is the fact that i wasnt the only one who had come alone to watch the movie. 2 seats beside me there was another guy sitting alone. He asked me r u alone too, and then we thot - y not watch the movie together instead :P

Social Network is a movie based on Mark Zukenrberg, the founder of Facebook, and what a movie it is. Mark u rock, and despite the fact i hate facebook (because though i got to be intouch with my long last pals, i could never really connect with them, infact it has only increased the distance with my near ones, who now prefer posting on their walls than hanging out), i love your idea behind facebook. The movie is captivating and total paisa vasool. Its the kind of movie, i had been waiting for long, and it truly deserves 5/5 stars.

Btw, did u know - Facebook is worth 25 billion dollars and it was called The Facebook earlier.

Though for the Day

2010-11-12T17:58:00.000+05:00

There's nothing better than a great romance... to ruin a perfectly good friendship.

The feeling this Moment

2010-11-12T12:28:00.000+05:00

"Dikkat sirf yeh nahi hai ki i cant hold on to people, dikkat yeh bhi hai ki i cant move on."

Sometimes i look at my friends - preeto, kamal, ami, ankit .. they hav moved on so well..the space for me is now completely occupied by others..aur ek main hoon..reh reh kar bar guzrey huey pal hi yaad karta rehta hoon..and even more so now that i hav so much time in my hands.

Feel like losing myself in the abyss that this world has become and then i think - shayad us main bhi i would not be satisfied..the quest for satisfaction continues!!

The era of ambitious living, small on feelings and Facebook

2010-11-08T14:29:00.000+05:00

What do u do when u r alone? Call ur friends, talk to them, visit them. Wht do u do if they are busy & involved now in their own lives? Spend time with ur sis. Wht do u do if she thinks you a bit old to hang out with her? Spend time with ur parents. Wht do u do if they think they r too old to hang out with you? Find a special one? What do u do if the special one is quite ambitious and wants to focus on 'her' own life??

This has been my dilemaa for ... may be since my best pal left me in 6th standard. And every 2 yrs or so it comes back to haunt me..making me miserable and lonely..again and again..desperate for attention, only to find out that that i hardly fit in anyone's league.

And this feeling has been compounded thanks to Facebook and all other social networking sites. People have become so short of feelings that they are content in writing one liners on their Walls but hav nothing to talk when you call them. That they would prefer spending the whole day looking at other people's status rather than going out and having a status of their own.

Or may be i m stuck in a wrong era - an era where feelings are becoming smaller, time is getting lesser, and i m left wondering whether i will be able to find anyone who wud be willing to soak up the lonliness in me!!!

The case of missing spectators at CWG

2010-10-11T23:01:00.001+05:00

Newspapers, News channels, OC and Delhi govt are all talking about the lack of spectators at CWG games, which has become quite a sore point now. Some attribute it to security measures, while some to lack of proper directions. One reason that has been overlooked so far is the stup e-booking system in place. Infact its a mockery of internet booking. After making a booking, one needs to go all the way to Tolstoy Marg or Parliament Street to collect the ticket, (Why wud anyone living in Ggn do that), that also one day in advance (one leave to see the event, and one to collect the ticket..wow). The icing on the cake is the long queues at these centres for collection of tickets. The wait time can range from 30 mins to an hour, even more.

As a result, while people do book the tickets, they actually dont end up seeing it, hence the sold out banners even though there are not many spectators in the stands.

Wish OC gets wiser, once and for all.

Back in India

2010-09-28T23:18:00.001+05:00

Finally after a month of working non stop and getting my ass whipped in foreign land m back, and m glad. This trip brought about a lot of first’s in my life - the first time I went abroad, saw the Twin towers live, saw a shark live, and worked without a day off for 28 days. Also managed to decode the

Malaysia

mystery to an extent so listing down my experiences for you.

1) Before deciding to what you want to eat know this – Nasi means rice, Goreng == Fried, Mee = Noodles, Ayam == Chicken. So while Nasi Goreng means fried rice, Mee Goreng means fried noodles. If you are a veggie or crazy for Roti’s then try Roti Canai (pronounced Chennai). Roti Telur (Egg Roti) is equally delicious.

2) Those living in KLCC, check out Nasi Kandar Pelita. The restaurant serves amazing Malaysian food, thosai (read dosas) and endless variety for the non veggies at extremely affordable prices. If you are craving for South Indian and a kadak chai then try Sarvana Bhavan in Bangsar. Kashmir Valley in Brickfield is a must try place too, however Jaisal located in Brickfield can be given a pass. While the food was tasty, it was heavy on oil and surely not worth 25 Ringers per person.

3) If you are looking for souvenirs, Central Market is a nice option. I bought some nice paintings there but if you are are looking for something Kuala Lumpur specific, then you can find some nice treasures in at the Aquaria store in Suria KLCC.

4) Chocolate factory is goooooooood but veryyyyy expensive too.

5) Aquarium @ KLCC is superb. Go there around 12 or 3 pm so that you can enjoy the fish feeding shows as well.

6) If you know skating, then Ice skating is a piece of cake. Try it out at Sunway Lagoon.

7) Travelling my Monorail is like travelling on a toy ride. Its surely fun. The Delhi Metro is much better and comfortable than KL Metro.

Two weeks in Malaysia and i realised..

2010-09-04T21:31:00.000+05:00

Managed to finish two weeks in Malaysia - weathering all the frustration of non stop long hours, inability to visit any place and more and i realised:

1) People literally slave for money, but the dollars are not worth the shit we hav to go thru.

2) Life wud have been better here had my yet unofficial 'cook cum caretaker' been here ;)

3) Indians are very restricted when it comes to food. While most of us are veggies, the non veggies are largely limited to chicken, mutton and fish. Here people eat everything - frogs, fish heads, crab and lobsters, shrimps, beef, and many more dishes, after seeing some of which i literally felt like puking.

4) Mc D's Malaysia is much better than the Indian version.

5) KFC tastes the same everywhere.

6) Malaysia is considered a shopping hub but its in no ways cheap. Better to shop in India than here.

Pushkin Gupta is a virgin no more

2010-08-23T20:21:00.000+05:00

Before you react do care to go thru the entire post :)

In software engineer's language, a developer who hasnt been to site ever is a virgin - unexposed, untouched :P

And on 21st of August 2010, after more than 5 yrs of wait, I broke my virginity, when i landed at the Kuala Lumpur Airport.

Yes, m in Malaysia :)

5 yrs and counting

2010-08-08T23:25:00.000+05:00

To : All my Infy Mysore Batchmates

Hello friends!

How s life? Hope all is good.

Its been a long time since we last met, sat together, and chit chatted. Life has become busy all this while, and though the moment might be forgettable..i would like to remind u all that we have completed 5 yrs of our work life :) (the longest set of 5 yrs of my life).

So here i am raising a toast to all of us for reaching this milestone...and while i wont say that we all finish more such sets of 5 yrs, i do pray that all of us find what we want, and end our day happy and hearty.

Pushkin

Friendship Day..huh

2010-08-01T20:40:00.000+05:00

Is this day of relevance anymore? Does anybody even cherish the feeling of friendship, leave alone celebrate it as a 'Day'? Do we, given the fact that we have so many priorities, have even time for all this? Or is it just me being too sarcastic?????

The days of my college are undoubtedly one of the best days of my life. We were a batch of just 26 and to me, my friends were like an extended family, rather than a bunch of people brought together by fate. So when after 5 yrs of leavin college, when one of the most loved guys of our class was getting married, i was looking fwd to it..not just because his marriage was something all of us were keen to attend, but also because i was looking fwd to meet the people with whom i spended 4 valuable yrs of my life. Only to be disappointed to find out that just 4 of us out of the batch of 26 turned up.

But then i realized that i was just being over-enthusiastic. That given the hectic pace of our lives, there are other things more important than friendship. I realized that i was still living in the past, as i always do, and while i had been unable to move on and lose myself in a new set of 'friends', others had done so. That friendship now a days is not about meeting and spending time with each other, but about posting 'Happy Friendship day' on a wall on facebook or orkut. Huh..so be it..

Happy 'so-called' friendship day.

Slapped on the Face

2010-07-09T15:22:00.000+05:00

An whopping increment of 4% after 2 yrs of slogging - willingly and unwillingly - thats what i got today.

Feeling insulted, feeling like i have been slapped and told that i m here not because i am wanted in the company but because i m too unwilling to find another job.

If you ask me wht wud i have done with if i had got a better increment or atleast what i expected (8% atleast), well i wud have felt that i m still reqd here, that after 3 yrs i hav spent here m not disposable, that switching jobs is not the 'theme' these days, and that things might be bad but they will hopefully get better soon.

But that was not to be.

Better things to DO !

2010-07-03T17:25:00.000+05:00

Its gonnaaa rain..wht the hell m doin, sitting online, facebooking.. :|

Monsoons @ Pune

2010-06-29T13:01:00.002+05:00

How would a person, who has always bathed using a bucket and mug, for the last 4.5 yrs in his career feel, when he is put in a glass bath with a multi function, multi option shower, in a furnished suite with basic neccesseties like a LCD TV, ulta comfy beds, sexy lighting, mini bar, wifi and more, in a luxurious hotel, and that too for almost 3 weeks.

Well., i m damn exicted for sure, and thrilled, and feeling out of place as well.

For your information, i have been sent to Pune for a few weeks - project req - and to enjoy Pune monsoons. The weather here is damnnnnnnnnnn sexy and such a relief from Delhi heat and Gurgaon dust.

In one line - m loving it :)

Coming up next - the pics of my suite :P

Travelling from Delhi to Gurgaon

2010-06-15T22:33:00.001+05:00

Its been six months since i came back to Delhi, and i have been traveling from my home in East Delhi to Gurgaon ever since. Having tried all possible modes of transport - Metro, Bus, Auto, Shared Cab, here i am consolidating my experience.

Route 1	Day	Yamuna Bank to Jhandeywallan (By Metro)	Metro Station to Karol Bagh Bus stop+Wait time for Bus	Karol Bagh to Shankar Chowk (By Bus)	Shankar Chowk to Sec 21 (By Shared Auto+Walk)	Total Time
Time (in mins)	Mon	25	10	50	20	105
Time (in mins)	Tue	25	10	40	15	90
Time (in mins)	Wed	25	10	40	15	90
Time (in mins)	Thu	25	10	60	20	115
Time (in mins)	Fri	25	10	40	15	90


Route 2	Day	Yamuna Bank to Dwarka Sec 9 (By Metro)	Metro Station to Bus Time + Wait time for Bus/Shared Cab	Dwarka Sec 9 to Kapashera Border (DTC or Feeder Bus or Shared Cab)	Kapahera Border to Sec 21 (Shared Auto or Walk)
Time (in mins)		75	15	25	15	130

I have tried two routes so far and eagerly await to try the third - East Delhi to Ggn by the Gurgaon Metro Line.

What if?????????

2010-05-31T19:32:00.001+05:00

Who is my worse critic? Unfortunately or fortunately .. Myself.

In the morning, on my way to ofc, i was thinking what wud i be, i were not what i am - i.e wht wud i be if i was not a software engineer. And i had no answer. Since i first started learning computers, in 7th, i always wanted to be a software engineer. And five years down in this profession, i rate myself as of one the worst in this profession. Rate it in terms of exposure, in terms of client handling experience, in term of variety in knowledge, in terms of depth of knowledge, i find it hard to spot someone worse than me.

May be i was wrong. I was never meant to be what i am and hence the extremely mediocre performance so far? But if not a software engg, then wht can i be????

What would you be if u were not what you are?

Status UPDATE

2010-05-05T14:13:00.000+05:00

Pushkin Gupta is on the verge of losing his mind, leaving everything behind and moving away to a remote place - wanting just one thing - PEACE of MIND

Tale of the Day

2010-04-22T16:56:00.000+05:00

Its been a very irritating day today. No nothing bad happened today, but its just that every day's frustration has piled up and i cant be reasonable with it. The irritation of carrying on with a life which u dont wanna live, a lifestyle which u hate but still follow becoz u just dont hav the guts to change it.

I am not frustrated with anyone, even my situation..i dont hav the right to do so. becoz I am incapable of changing the situation i am in. I am too meek and underconfident to take that risk. I fear losing wht i have even though i dont care much about it. The irriation and anger is at myself..for letting myself down

Writing after a long time

2010-03-25T18:42:00.000+05:00

I havent been writing much here..Life has been good but emotionless - a routine which i like to follow but it doesnt leave me with any space to express my feelings, infact, it doesnt leave me any space to bother to know if i am feeling something.

Fortunately/unfortunately today m feeling extremely sad, and wht better thing to do when u feel like this, than blog.

My seniors at Burrp (the site for which i freelance) are leaving. And suddenly, even though i have been working there for a long time, everything seems new and unfriendly.

The project in my current company is coming to an end. I had been sceptical when i joined this project, but i loved being a part of it. Learned things that i boast about - not just technical things but perspectives. Had never debugged in such fine detail, had never tried to understand issues to such minuteness - i guess their attitude rubbed on me, and m so very thank ful for that. But now that the project is ending - i dont feel like coming to office any more.

Salsa class is also coming to an end - the so called 3 month course will be over this Sunday and i am supposedly an expert (huh). M still just a beginner.

And the gloomy day just adds to the sadness.

Thrilllllllllllllllllllleddddddddddddd

2010-03-02T22:16:00.000+05:00

TV can never match the thrill of a Live Match, that too when its a Hockey match, plus its India vs Pak and to top it all India beats Pak 4-1. What a match it was..it kept us hooked to our seats to the last minute.

I am not a fan of Hockey, but after seeing this match i realized why it reached the level of being India's National Sport. Fast faced and exciting - its a breath of fresh of air for all those souls bored of endless cricket.

Here are pics of the matches that i watched this Saturday.

Australia vs England - Match in Progress

A closer look

Sprinklers watering the National Stadium Hockey Turf during break time

The stands

India vs Pak - The Historic Hockey Match begins

India Wins 4-1

Indian Team taking a victory lap

Help with spreading medical awareness in rural India

2010-02-09T13:25:00.000+05:00

A group of doctors working in the heart of the heart of India, Chattisgarh, requires someone with basic skills to make small videos of simple procedures like - how to identify goitre, whooping cough, etc. These clips will then be used to train people who live in the deepest interiors of the state. It's a week long project (or longer if you have the time). All you have to do is accompany the Doctors and shoot clips with a simple camera or even a digital camera that can shoot videos. If you have a video camera, that will be wonderful.
They may not be able to pay much, but if you get to Bilaspur, board and lodge will be taken care of. The organization is called Jan Swasthya Sahyog.
For more details you can contact Dr. Ramani Atkuri, 094253 02301 or Dr Yogesh Jain, 094255 30357 Email id: janswasthya@gmail.com ASAP.
Its a noble initiative and anyone with simple digicam skills can go and help spread awareness about diseases/illnesses in the interior regions of our country. Please Help Spread The Word.

Is it my taste buds or just the hype?

2010-02-07T23:04:00.000+05:00

M back in Delhi..about to be a month now..and slowly slowly m getting back to my ways..exploring and experimenting..sometimes alone, and sometimes with friends.

This week i visited FastTrax and Kababs.

Fast Trax is a fast food restaurant in V3S mall, Laxmi Nagar. The ambiance is quite nice with cruiser bikes on display. However the restaurant turned out to be a poor cousin of Mc Ds. While Mc D's lacks variety, it boasts of quick service and world class quality and taste..both of which seem to be missing in Fast Trax.

Me and PP ordered Non Veg Salsa and Cheese Samosa - While Non Veg Salsa , is more like chicken kabab topped on a cold plate of salsa - somewhat edible, cheese samosa was definitely avoidable.

Our order took around 20 mins to be served but we had to go to the counter thrice to check if our order was ready - no one in the staff bothered to take the pains of informing the customers abt the order status.

All in all i rate this place 2 out of 5, and that just becoz of the ambiance.

Thats abt Saturday, on Sunday i went with Chetan to the very famous and talked about Karims in Chandni Chowk. Despite the mad rush, Old Delhi is a place worth visiting. It has a charm of it own, and after spending four years roaming arnd from place to place - Mysore, Hyderabad, and Pune, i relished it all the more.

The extremely narrow streets, the Nai Sadak, Paranthey Wali Gali, and ofcourse Karim's.

We ordered - Mutton Burra and Chicken Seekh Kabab for starters, and Chicken Noor Jahan,Kadahi Chicken and Tandoori Roti for main course.

While Mutton Burra and the Seekh Kabab were good (definitely below expectations), the main course was quite a disappointment. Chicken Noor Jahan was made in green gravy and didnt look appetizing at all.

Also the place is always crowded, so its hard to get the waiter's attention. At one time we ordered Karahi chicken, and the waiter brought it in like10 secs - as if he took someone else's order and gave it to us :P

I wonder is it just the hype this restaurant has, or my taste buds are yet to adapt to the taste of Delhi!!??

Btw, the entire order cost just a little over 400 bucks - worth the money i would say.

Question for the day?

2010-02-05T10:48:00.000+05:00

I hate expectations - ofc main boss, ghar par gharwaley, sasural main girl friend.

Kaisey rahey koi confident when u r not respected for wht u r and wht u want to be.

Is their a place in this world where i can just be myself?????????????

Chapter Delhi-Part 1-Chilling Delhi

2010-01-22T23:10:00.000+05:00

M back..after 4 yrs of roaming arnd and being in different parts of India, m finally back.

A week has gone by in a jiffy and m still to adjust. Foggy days, metro rides, chilly nites, home cooked food - methi key paranthey, rajma chawal and more..and lots of pending personal work..thats how the week has been so far.

Still wondering whether to travel daily from home (2 hrs one side) or to stay in Gurgaon (which is proving to be quite costly option). Lets c how things turn out.

Moving to Delhi

2010-01-11T14:44:00.000+05:00

Delhi->Mysore->Hyd->Pune-> and now back to Delhi.

4 and half years ago i left my city in search of a career, in a field i always wanted to be - software, and joined a company i always wanted to work with. The quest took me to Mysore and Hyd. But unsatisfied with the situation i was in, i left Hyd and landed in Pune. Initially my plan was to stay here for a year only and then to move on again..but the city held me back.

Its been three years almost in Pune now, i am in the same company, in the same city, in the same rented house and with the same roommates. A younger and more ambitious Pushkin would have revolted at the thought of this though itself, but time has told me to be more patient and to be at ease with my surroundings.

2007 - new place, new people, new friends and an enthusiastic me - 2007 was the year of parties and exploring Pune with my always cherished Cramer gang - Matheran, Mahabaleshwar, Lonavala, Mulshi to name a few outings of ours, plus innumerable parties that we had - Christmas eve at MG, New year at Chowkidani, the list is endless.

2008 was a tough one - failures after failures-frustration with the job again - and total lack of motivation-that is how i would describe 2008 - my machinery has gotten into a vicious circle of frustration and depression.

But in 2009 i clawed back to life - thanks to my friends and to be family ;) Started writing and it became my passion. Joined Salsa and pursued it with utmost sincerity and dedication. Burrp came my way and then i launced a site of my own.

In between all thing i started teaching at an orphanage near my home. After the initial hiccups, things became smooth and i was able to establish a rappo with the students. But then i have to go leaving things unfinished.

Where i failed here was that i was unable to garner support, and to impress people to follow what i was doing. A few people did pitch in but they withered out in a week or two.

Where i failed was that i cudnt get a momentum going which could keep things ticking even when i was not in place, and the thought itself is quite saddening.

After 3 yes here i feel this is the place i belong. Somehow the smartness that characterizes people of Delhi is missing in me, and i get worried wondering if i will be able to adjust their again - adjust in my home, with the people, the weather and more..

But life moves on and with it i too - M moving to Delhi permanently and a new chapter awaits to be written.

Book Review-2 States By Chetan Bhagat

2009-12-10T17:40:00.001+05:00

2 States - The story of Chetan Bhagat's marriage. Mota thinks the story suits my life more, and I think that this is a story that touches lives of all Indians who unfortunately/fortunately fall in love and decide to get married. Chetan Bhagat has cleverly touched a topic that would strike a node with many hearts. Plus his novels are priced so low, that even if they might not turn out to be a gud read, you can still take a risk. Quite a strategy indeed.

Another thing that i find intriguing about his novels is, that they are 'HIS' actual life incidents, which i find quite hard to believe. I mean how can somebody's life be so happening?????? Or may be i am just being jealous. But whatever be the case, the novel touched my heart. I cud relate to it, and i loved reading every bit of it. And m glad (if it actually happened), that Mr.Bhagat finally got to marry the '2nd' love of his life.

Five Point Someone (5PS) was hilarious, One Nite @ Call Center had a storyline somewhat similar to 5 P S. My friends said 3 mistakes of my life was not worth it, so i dint even bother to read it. But with 2 states, Chetan Bhagat has re-created the magic. A must read.

Mood of the day-Disheartened

2009-12-09T10:40:00.000+05:00

The site is getting on my nerves now.

Despite all our efforts, page views are again dropping - exponentially this time, and i have no clue how to fix it.

Have been thinking all nite, and m feeling so strained right now.. Not able to focus on work also.

Sometimes i feel i dont hav the temperament and patience to do such things..huh..Man i got to break out of this loop, coz its killing me.

Need urgent tips on how to deviate my mind from the site..please help.

A year goes by

2009-12-03T11:18:00.000+05:00

Its December people..another year on the verge of an end.

Man..time passes by like anything.

The year has been a fruitful one for me (touchwood).. Performed on stage, started m own website (my baby..m so proud of it), cleared a Technical Certification despite all the work constraints. Managed to pursue dance as a full time hobby.

Been almost 8 months since i have been learning Salsa, and i hav loved it. Just miss the fact that i cant experiment my learnings on any one now :P.

Got committed..thanks to my Jiju.
I have to agree that behind every little success of guys there's a girl behind..the reason being not that they are a support and help you focus..but the fact that once she says she's urs, she means it and men can get over the insecurities (which otherwise occupy 100% of their mind) and focus on other things (read career).

Burrp came my way, and i am not just a software engineer any more, i am a free lance writer as well, and it gives me such a gud feel.

Wht next year has in store??Marriage???Hmmm..still m not sure..though i am very bored of being single now, i still think that m too immature to handle marriage (but then i wonder if i wil ever b mature enuf for that).

Looking forward to make my job a secondary means of living, so that i can have time to pursue newer opportunities and take risks as well.

Last year i hated looking back, but this year its a different story.

Thank you God for blessing me, i truly and whole heartedly, appreciate it.

Happy Birthday Ami

2009-11-12T22:58:00.000+05:00

Its my 'One upon a time' love's birthday on 16th. I didnt even remember it at all, till a reminder mail brought it to my notice.

Talk of getting over things - while its a boon becoz its doesnt let things get on my head, its also a bane, coz it makes me devalue things, feel less compassionate about them, and makes me feel i can adjust even if they leave me :(

Btw i had a dream today in which i got a letter sayin i was being transferred to Gurgaon. Somehow i misplaced it...and was searching for it. I woke up and started searching for the letter, only to realise it was a dream :)

Tuesday Morning Blues

2009-11-10T08:43:00.000+05:00

Its such an awesome weather, and m feeling so sleepy..Wish i cud just lie in the warmth of my blanket all day..Monday went Ok..this time its Tuesday Morning Blues :(

A glimpse of my Salsa performance

2009-10-27T18:55:00.002+05:00

I had my Salsa performance a month ago. Finally got to see a glimpse of the video and i hated it.

First m looking so fat in it :(

Second, the dance looks so clumsy (i always imagined that i ws much better than this).

Anyways, m not giving up. The next class starts 2nd Nov and m enrolling for it. Hopefully i will end up a better dancer this year end..Amen.

You can also see the glimpse at : http://mrudangarts.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=31&Itemid=15 (Check out the Sway one)

The full video has now been uploaded too :)

Updates time

2009-10-25T17:28:00.000+05:00

Celebrated Diwali @ Home after 2 long yrs. And it was a memorable one. Met so many family and friends, and my near and dear one ;)

The website is going good..getting good reviews on the new template.

The search for a job back home has begun, and it seems to be a long one :(
Got rejected from two companies :|
As autumn says, i need to learn to charm people, rather than go and just give an interview.

Pictures say more than words. Here r some of mine, this Diwali.

Happy Diwali everyone

2009-10-16T23:32:00.000+05:00

A Very Happy Diwali.

Hope u r having a gala time. I had a gr8 time too today. Met autumn, sha2nk, mota and his family, gigo's parents and ashish bhaiya and his family. In one line, it felt great meeting all near and dear ones after such a long time, and i belive this is what Diwali is all about :)

Happy Diwali

Disheartened, Distressed and Dep*******!!??

2009-10-08T12:56:00.001+05:00

Its a familiar feeling..it takes months to come out of it, and a few shocks later, m back into that sinking feeling again. There were two things that i had tried hard for last year - almost to the end of desperation - an onsite trip and higher studies. Both eluded me till i had to give up on these dreams and pursue something else. Life has been happier after that but today my friends and my juniors (whom i had trained) are going on site. I wonder what makes me less than them that i never seem to qualify. Its not that i desire it, but it does throw me into self doubt. Haven't had good work in office for quite some time now, almost one and half months, and i have begun to hate office already. Also the feeling of running away and not going home is creeping in. It happens mostly when i am due to go home and its happening again. May b the phobia of answering my parents failed dreams of me, my phobia from self evaluation are pulling me back. But life's like that - a few good moments and a lot of sad ones. I have seen my dad slog it out for every small happiness and now its my turn. I pray that God will lead from moments of darkness into lightness.

Joy of Giving

2009-10-05T15:18:00.001+05:00

Yes, there is certainly 'Joy in Giving', and i had my share of it. As a part of my company's community relations team, we organized fund raising campaigns in our office, which were quite innovative and generated tremendous response.

We have regular Friday gatherings on project basis, where employees gather, eat and share jokes and news. One of the ideas for Joy of Giving (JOG) was to ask projects to skip one such gathering and donate the money to JOG.

Another very successful idea asked people to send roses to each other with a thank u msg, or one sayin sorry, or one hoping for better times ahead, etc. The idea was to make people feel special and in the process raise funds also, and was greeted with tremendous response. The happy reaction on people's face when we delivered them roses and wished them 'Happy Joy of Giving' was worth the effort.

All in all this JOG was quite a success in our company, and m happy, rather contended that i was a part of this initiative.

Me and Salsa

2009-09-30T08:36:00.001+05:00

Dated : 27th Sep 2009

Once the show got cancelled, second time i had to go to my hometown so could not perform, but finally today i broke all the jinx and did what i had been wanting to do since a longggggggg time. Yes i performed on stage today, a sexy salsa to the tunes of Sway by Pussycat Dolls.

Yeah i was damn nervous, my heart almost skipped a beat, i went to the loo 7 times in an hour, and i missed some steps while dancing on the stage, but all said and done, it was a experience i wil cherish and relish all my lifetime. M proud of myself :)

And to applaud myself for this achievement, i gifted myself a 250 GB Seagate portable HDD :) :)

I wish this is just the beginning and i will see myself on stage more often.

mY triP 2 tAMHIini GhaTs and MulShi

2009-09-11T13:19:00.005+05:00

I have been to Mulshi Dam twice now, beautiful river, clean blue waters, heavy rain, a wet me, garam garam pakodey and chai..the place is amazing. Its 40 kms from Pune (Chandni Chowk). The route is good for first 25 kms, but over the next 15 its a back breaker. But neverthless this place is worth going again and again. One of the ultimate romantic spots, and at the same time a fun filled partying place too. Its a place for one and all. This time when we came across this place enroute to Tamhini Ghats. When i was crossing Mulshi, it felt like I was in Australia or New Zealand. The endless blue water stretching out in front of us with greenery all around, it was sooooooo beautiful.

There are a variety of restaurants near the dam. The two that i have been to are Quick Bite, and Hotel Good Luck.

We reached Tamhini in about 3 hours. Though by the time i reached there my back was already paining but when i went through the stretch of Tamhini Ghats, i forgot all the pain. The stretch is a narrow road, surrounded by hills on one side, with waterfalls all around. One of the most beautiful sights of my life. But that was not all. We parked our bikes at one of the waterfalls, trekked to it as it was at some height (and it was quite an adventure), and then bathed in the falls.

Here are the pics.

View all

Get your own

Its a place u must go to if you ever come to Pune. I have also put up the route to Tamhini for your reference.

Life Partner!!!!

2009-09-05T23:52:00.003+05:00

Me and mayank went to see this movie today. Had read its reviews and though it was much appreciated, it was said to be just another movie portrayed in a much better manner. So i wasn't much keen on seeing it. But since there weren't any good movies released this week, i dint hav much of a choice. But i am glad i watched it.

While it potrayed the reality of life after marriage in a very humorous manner it still managed to scare the shit our of me. The way the poor guy was getting butched between his family's traditions and the wife's dreams was hair raising. The problem with guys is that they are problem solvers, unlike women they are not just mute listeners, so when they see their wife or parents in trouble they want to find a way out, but in this case there seems to be no optimum way, infact their is no optimum way. I was thinking ki salaa meri bhi aisi hi watt lagegi kya !! :( Thats y the option of a live in appeals so much to me..na ladki kisi ki bahu banegi, na koi saas banegi, hence no roles, no expectations..bindaas jiyo, khush raho..wht say?

Btw the songs are reallyyyyyyyyyyyy pathetic, and the movie would have been much much muchhhhhhhhhhh better without them.

Havin a fundoo time

2009-09-01T10:24:00.002+05:00

On Friday nite we had office party..non veg, booze(btw i dont drink) and dance.
Saturday ko went to see G I Joe with roomies. What an action packed movie..loved every bit of it. Sunday ko went to Tamhini Ghats with office frends (Will put details of this one later). Amazing place to be. The ghats are actually a narrow stretch of road surrounded by beautiful waterfalls.

That was about the weekend. Monday was office, but didnt have any work. Took a leave today (just like that), have another off on Thursday (Some festival). So this week i will be going to office only on alternate days..wowwww...its like m living a dream :P (touchwood).

I wish ki har week aisey hota :) :)

Do you believe?

2009-08-31T12:42:00.002+05:00

Do you believe in God?

I surely do. There have been time when i have been put in doubt, and my faith has been put to test. And faith has always won. There is one thing i have learnt over this period of time.

PATIENCE IN GOD IS FAITH

The 50 question tag

2009-08-23T15:13:00.003+05:00

Payal, koi kitna wela ho sakta hai na..50 questions!!!
Let me see how many i can answer.

01. What time did you get up this morning?
at 8:00 a.m.!!!

02. How do u like your steak?
Wht Steak??

03. What was the last film you saw at a cinema?
The Hangover

04. What is your favorite TV show?
Man vs Wild on Discovery Channel

05. If you could live anywhere in the world, where it would be?
Would like to explore more of the world before i answer that.

06. What did you have for breakfast?
Dint have it, directly had brunch.

07. What is your favorite cuisine?
Spicy Punjabi

08. What foods do you dislike?
Lobster

09. Favorite place to eat?
Nothin specific, prefer to expermient a new place everytime

11. What kind of vehicle do you drive?
Honda Shine (its a bike)

12. What are your favorite clothes?
T-shirt and shorts

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance?
Kerala, Goa, Germany, France, Singapore..the list will keep on expanding.

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full?
1/2 full

15. Where would you want to retire?
Not sure but i want to retire soon :)

16. Favorite time of the day?
When m leaving office :P

17. Where were you born?
India

18. What is your favorite sport to watch?
F1

19. Who do you think will not tag you back?
Dont know

20. Person you expect to tag back you first?
Next question plz

21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this?
Not curious at all

22. Bird watcher?
Yesssssssssssssssss

23. Are you a morning person or a night person?
Morning

24. Do you have any pets?
No

25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share?
Yes, my website s finally managing to get 100 views a day, also started a blog on restaurant reviews. Also my advanced level salsa classes are gonna start soon :)

26. What did you want to do when you were little?
A geek :P and a superhero :)

27. What is your best childhood memory?
Will need some thinking

28. Are you a cat person or a dog person?
Dog person

29. Are you married?
No.

30. Always wear your seat belt?
Yes

31. Been in a car accident?
Not yet

32. Any pet peeves?
Whts that?

33. Favorite pizza toppings?
Not a pizza fan

34. Favorite flower?
They are blue colored with shades of white, dont know the name :|

35. Favorite ice cream?
Sitafal flavor available at Natural's

36. Favorite fast food restaurant?
Hogger's Hut, its a fast food joint near my place.

37. How many times did you fail your driver's test?
Passed in first time itself

38. From whom did you get your last email?
From EzineArticles.com

39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card?
Landmark/Crossword or any book cum movie store

40. Do anything spontaneously?
Pass

41. Happy with your job?
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

42. Brocolli?
Like it

43. What was your favorite vacation?
College time summer vacations

44. Last person you went out to dinner with?
My roomies and a frend

45. What are you listening to right now?
To the sound of rain outside

46. What is you favorite color?
Blue and Green

47. How many tattoos do you have?
None.

48. How many are you tagging for this quiz?
Zero

49. In what time did you finish this quiz?
Dint finish it in one go.

50. Coffee drinker?
More of a tea fan.

The Six Suspects Reviewed

2009-08-13T14:08:00.003+05:00

(Image courtesy:http://www.waterstones.com)

Finished reading The Six Suspects by Vikas Swarup yesterday, second novel from author of famous Q&A, popularly known as Slumdog Millionaire.

The novel is quite similar to Q&A in the way it has been written. It begins with a murder scene, of a famous, rich and very corrupt industrialist. Their are six suspects including the victim's father. The novel then delves into the past of each of these suspects and how each of them had a motive to kill the victim. In all this 80% of the novel is over.

Then it comes to the present, and an investigative journalist reveals the secret, the identity of the killer-an xyz (one of the suspects) whose brother had been killed sometime back by the victim. Till then the novel seems realistic. But the next chapter shows that the killer is actually victim's sister. At this point novel seems to sound weird, and then again in the next chapter killer turns out to be someone else, who had absolutely no motive to kill the victim, except the fact that he wanted to cleanse the nation of corrupt politicians.

At this point i am like..wht is this!!! Yeah the novel is a too much of a fiction, specially the ending. I felt quite disappointed after reading it and wudnt recommend it either.

My rating 1.5/5

Review written by:Pushkin Gupta

4 yrs...baap rey

2009-08-09T19:38:00.003+05:00

Completed 4 yrs of my work life yesterday..8th of August 2009. An achievement, though i hav done nothing much in these 4 yrs. Infact somehow i hav always felt that my knowledge and skill levels have gone down. I know many other software engineers feel like this. Wonder if this is a disease associated with this profession :|

Anyways, completing four yrs is an achievent, though quite a small one, and i was happy and relieved tht i cud achieve this milestone. Gifted myself with a 4 GB Kingston pen drive and an expensive hair cut.

But mayank said something which really caught my attention..4 yrs of B.E. passed like a gush of wind..but 4 yrs of work life!!!! Since last two years, every day of my work life has been a pain in the ***. The whole enthusiam that never downed in 4 yrs of college life, in fact it only increased, all of it drained out of me in just 2 yrs.

The reality is, abhi to sirf 4 saal huey hain..still many more to go :|

Friendship Day

2009-08-05T17:37:00.003+05:00

Dated : 2nd August 2009, Friendship's day

With each passing year, as i grow busy in my own life, as frends become more and more distant, as phone calls give way to occasional scraps on orkut and facebook, this day seems to lose its relevance. Till last year i made it a point to wish everyone by sending a mail, this time i dint even bother to do that.

However despite this lack of feelinglessness towards this day, i still managed to celebrate it more grand way than i ever did.

I, as a part of Community Relations programme, have been going to a NGO run school whre we teach kids from 6th to 10th on weekends. This time it was decided to give them a break and celebrate frendship's day with them. And it ws fun, much more than aimless hanging around and window shopping that i , otherwise, wud have been doing.

From playing hulahoop, musical chair, kabaadi to having lunch with them, it was a very nice experience, though a very tiring one too. And i was glad that the students have been spared this rout by 'internisation', and instead of wasting time in chatrooms they spend time, holding each other hands, playing with each other.

August Rush

2009-07-30T08:16:00.004+05:00

Dated:Sunday, 26th July 2009

It was another lazy Sunday afternoon..me and Mayank were enjoyin th rain from the confines of our window sill, and watching movies on lappy. First one was Shortkut - the Con is on : A horribly terrible movie, 2nd was Kambhaqt Ishq which was just Ok..by this time it was already 9 in the night, and after two disappointing movies, i wanted to go to sleep, rather than risk another movie. But Mayank insisted on watching another one - August Rush.

For the first 15 mins it was hard for me to keep my interest in the movie, but then i simply i got lost in it, in the swell of the emotions that the movie had. Its arguably one of the best and one of the most touching movies i have seen till date.

August Rush, is a movie about a child prodigy, a 'seperated' family bound together only by music, and how music eventually brings them all together.

A must watch.

Salsa classes in Baner

2009-07-29T23:07:00.002+05:00

Its been almost 6 months since i have been learning Salsa, and almost 3 months since i have been learning here at MK Studio, Baner, and m loving it.

Yes, for all those people looking for Salsa classes in Pune, MK Studio conducts classes in Baner. The teachers are Mridang and Sonali, and they are one of the best teachers i have come across (The best wil always be Nelson - my former teacher). They are not only good dancers, but they also teach well. And since the studio is in its initial stages their is no fixed schedule (unlike Shaimak), which helps us learn wht we want. In these three months, I have learned how to lead the girl confidently, and how to catch the beats. Now we are working on refining our style :)

So all those who wanna pursue this dance..hope 2 see u here :)

Lohgarh Revisted

2009-07-21T17:19:00.001+05:00

Rains are here, and so re-begins our quest to explore Pune.
Went to Lohgarh this weekend..Awesome place..It was the 2nd time i was going to this place, and this time i we trekked to Lohgarh fort (last time we just let ourselves loose in the waterfall and came back). There s a place where due to heavy winds, the waterfall starts flowing backwards..managed to click it in my camera. Hope u like it too.

Mood of the day - Ronaa aa raha hai

2009-07-21T10:55:00.003+05:00

Suddenly m feeling very alone..want to have a heart to heart chat with someone par aisa lagta hai ki kisi key paas merey liye fursat nahi hai..i m sitting at my desk and my eyes are filled up (bas aisey hi..for no specific reason)..yesterday i turned to my diary to pour out my heart, but she also seemed so alien to me..may b she s also angry with me coz i have neglected her for long.

Just want this day to end and to sleep endlessly till this feeling wears off.

Guilty or not guilty!!

2009-07-11T16:02:00.003+05:00

My chuddi buddi is nowadays being confronted with a situation which is making him feel guilty again and again. When he discussed his problem with me i had no answer to it, but since i very much want to help him out, i am posting his problem here. Hope some of you have an answer:

Chaddi buddy is an extremely sweet, simple person, very caring but unfortunately very Unsophisticated, and unfortunately (or fortunately) he loves his un-sophisticated personality.

However this at times becomes a cause of embarrassment for his girlfriend. Also his girlfriend keeps on making him realise that she could have found a better person, but since he is so caring and is always there by her side, she never had a chance to let anybody else enter her life.

Chaadi baadi feels quite guilty because all this makes him feel that since has been so caring his gf now does not have the courage to hurt him, even if she s not happy with the situation.

Cud i ask for more

2009-07-08T18:53:00.002+05:00

Dated : 5th July 2009

It was mota's b'day. We went to Veer the Dabha (Sus Road), to celebrate his b'day at 12 am itself, cut cake and boozed (i dont drink so i just watched, and slept..their itself :P). Came back at 2 am.

Phir subah had to go to ofc..had a hard day..lots and lotssss of work..was totally exhausted when i left at 8 pm in the night.

Then went to Kalyani Nagar. Fooled around their a bit with Autumn, Aparna, Somu and Vishi. Aparna is autumn's friend from Delhi..mera to dil hi aa gaya hai us par :P

Had dinner at Chillies (koregaon park). Loved the ambience and the food as well. The restaurant has small huts (something like closed cubicles), where u can sit and have a space of your own. Ate tandoori chicken (my fav), mutton seekh kabab and also had hukka. And all this luxury cost us just 900...wapas aatey huey it ws raining, and i loved drenching and driving in it.

Cud i hav asked for more!!

Ending the day on a good note

2009-07-02T01:08:00.002+05:00

It might be very early to say this, but its better that i say this rather than never being able to say it.
These days going to office gives me a high, and everyday i leave, looking forward to come back next day. I have been put in a new project a month back. My mentor and team lead (they are NOT one person) are in Israel, which means there is no body to sit on my head, and thankfully my lead really underestimates me, resulting in me, more often than not, exceeding his expectations. But the best part is that i am assigned a task and given complete onus for it, which brings out in me the enthusiasm and zeal to deliver a better outcome. In autumn's words, i design and then question myself on its appropriateness, and then re-design it. The work is not a 'learning experience' and its not much of a 'value additon' either, still it manages to bring me back to office next day, with a high spirit.

On the onto-ponto front, things have been moving at a turtle pace. SL had to shift to another house, so that means almost zero progress on layout enhancement, as well as page rank and hits increase. We have decided to postponse selling this site by a month, and have instead revised our targets by almost 2.5 times. Lets c how things go. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Trying to be an onto-ponto

2009-06-27T17:00:00.002+05:00

As u must be knowing, i have been quite desperate to get out of the routine and monotony of software industry. First i was thinking of leaving my job and trying out something, but then Ajay and many others advised me against it.
So i am now trying to become an onto-ponto (read entrepreneur) - part time. Me and along with 'sl' have launched a website, aimed at educating the masses about certain myths and realities, the source of the information coming from news and articles i have collected over years, and of course, the internet.
Though its like a drop in the ocean, but for me it its a mark of my first step towards independence from a job routine, a first step, towards breaking out of the shackles that have bound me since last 4 years, since i have started earning.
The response of those who have went thru my site has been heart warming, however the revenues generated are way short of target.
Life has become quite interesting these days, and it keeps me busy..hope i wil hav a lot to share in coming days

Pune ki pehli barish

2009-06-20T16:07:00.003+05:00

Its raining in Pune today, and raining heavily.

Went with mayank and bairagi to the roof top and we played in the rain..ek doosrey jo zameen par girakar we splashed water on each other :) :)

Dil to tha ki gf ko chaat par ley jaata, usey baarish mey bhigata, then we wud come back to our house, and bath (togther) under the shower (in warm water) :P :P. Then i wud hav sat by the window sill, watching the rain, while she wud make tea and pakodas for me.

Par afsoos, yahan to pehli condition (of having a gf) hi satisfy nahi hoti :|

Men and Multitasking!!

2009-06-19T17:43:00.003+05:00

I was making upma for myself today, and trying to clean kitchen shelf simultaneously, but unfortunately i ended up burning the upma. Its not a problem that only i face, but many others of my fraternity experience the same problem..we guys, are simply not able to multi task efficiently..unlike women e.g. my mom, who goes about doing all the household chores, at the same time - washing, cleaning and cooking..wow!! Even autumn is very good at it.

Is it that the we men are so focussed, that we are unable to multitask, or is the God has made the other sex better than us when it comes to this skill?

Restaurant Reviews - Contd..

2009-06-14T20:23:00.005+05:00

These days me and Mota try out a new restaurant every friday. If the restaurant has the facility to pay by card, then i pay, else he pays..so far i have been the lucky one..with him paying thrice and me only once (yeah u r rite..we r trying out all kinds of restaurants, from road side dhabas to the posh ones). So here are the reviews of some new restaurants i have been too (Have pasted old reviews as well).

Wadeshwar, FC Road

Food:Its a south Indian restaurant, but not just any south indian restaurant. Has some quite new varieties of dosa. I tried moong dal dosa which was ok. Fruit Salad ice cream was realllllllllly tasty.

Food : Good
Service : Quick and efficient. The elements 'be present' and 'make their day' were present (Learnings from the fish philosphy)
Ambience : Open air, nice comfortable seating.
Crowd: Ideal dining place for a family.

Cost: Economical

Sweet Chariot, Model Colony, Shivaji Nagar

Located in the bylanes (almost) of Shivaji Nagar, its a cafe, serving all sorts of sandwiches, sphaghetti dishes, etc. Dint like the stuff, not because it was made badly, but i dint like the dish at all. Tried Rio, a new energy drink in market. For 20 bucks, its definitely worth. A better place to be in case u r non veg as veg options are quite limited. Dont try the peach iced tea. Plain one is much better

Food : Not my kinds
Service : Quick
Ambience : Ok, a bit noisy as its located near the main road.
Crowd: Good, haunted by a lot youngsters.

Cost: Economical

Skips, Aundh

Went their with Autumn, and since then m a fan of this place. Its run by a lady who cooks execellently. From macroni to sandwiches, varieties are endless, and taste..yummmy. Try out macroni in mixed sauce, any non veg sandwich or coolers.

Food : Excellently prepared, very tasty
Service : Slow, the only negative part
Ambience : Sweet.
Crowd: Good, haunted by a lot youngsters.

Cost: Worth it

Good Luck Cafe, FC Road

Extremelyyyy cheap, and surely gives u more than 'value for money'.

Food : Good
Service : Decent
Ambience : Not a place where you would like to go on a date, suits bachelors more.
Crowd: Ranges from young to elderly, poor to rich.

Cost: Cheap

The Ship, Kalyani Nagar

Went to Ship for our project party..and since it was Friday, all of us were in mood to dine (no wines :))...There were around 18 of us, and we had a really difficult time getting the seating arrangements done..At one point, the manager even refused to co-operate and let us all sit together. Only when we threatened to walk out he agreed. We ordered a lot of sea food platter, which unfortunately was chiefly Lobster (which smelled and tasted yuk!!). There were very limited veg options, hence i sincerely avoid all veggies not to go there.

Ambience was good, but still its very expensive. Definitely not worth if u have to pay from your own pocket.

Food : Not tasty, veg options are almost zero
Service : Ok
Ambience : Not worth the cost
Crowd: Hot :)

Cost: Very costly. Not value for money

-----------------------------------------------------

Garden of Eden, Kharadi

Food : Gud
Service : Gud
Ambience : Superbbbbb
Crowd: Mind Blowing..very very Hot :)

Girls were roamin in Minis to Micro minis and we all had our tongues drooling ..lolz...i know this is a very 'vulgar' explanation but thats the way it was..heaven for singles ;)
Ambience ws good...they hav a sort of a tree house option....plus a DJ plays on fridays..
But its costly...infact among the expensive restaurants in Pune..cost us 400 per head.

Firangi Pani, Shivaji Nagar (Model Colony)

Its an Indo-Italian restaurant, where u cn order Italian food..if u like 2 experiment..else stick to normal Indian food.

Food :Strarters are Ok..Main course is Bad
Service : Gud
Ambience : Ok..the area s quite small..infact a bit congested
Crowd: We were the only people in the restaurant :(

Liked the Honey Chilly Potatoes for starters. then we ordered Italian food..which was too bad..i mean either the Italian food is like this (i found it quite tasteless), or they prepared it very badly.

Rahul, Aundh

Food :Ok..the menu looks quite 'attractive' with a variety of options, but taste is just Ok.
Service : Slow
Ambience : Ok..
Crowd: Ok

I wud say its just another restaurant..cudnt find anything special to mention abt it.

Sand Cheese Garden, ABC Farms, Koregaon Park
(Not sure if i spelled the name correctly)

Undoubtedly one of the worst restaurants i have been too. I went there to celebrate farewell party of a friend leaving for US..and since this restaurant was so horrible...mujhe bahut gaaliyan padi :(

Food :Bad, tasteless
Service : Pathetic....the waiter was tryin to be a smart ass, and irritating as well..and that applied to other waiters there well.
Ambience : Open air, nothing to cheer about.
Crowd: Too bad..there was only one more group apart from us in the whole restaurant..

In short, buri tarah kaat gaya :|

11 East Street Cafe, East Street,Pune

Food :Decently Gud..Had non veg only which was gud but then nothin special
Service : Gud..lil bit slow..but considering the crowd we were..it ws Okkk.
Ambience : Tooooooooo Gud...i mean its one of the best places i have been too (look wise), and thats a real compliment. Very innovatively planned
Crowd: Gud..hot chicks from India and abroad made the huge bill worth it :)

In one line,...this place is among the best restaurants in Pune..definitely worth a visit.

Magnolia - Thai and Chinese Cuisine, Aundh, Pune

Food :Gud..specially the fish starters. Quanity was fulfilling, which is quite rare in Pune restaurants.
Service : Gud..We had gone on a weekday..so there wsnt much crowd.
Ambience : Gud..nice and cosy
Crowd: No comments

Overall worth a visit..the place ws gud, cosy..food gud and not very expensive either.

Green Park, Baner Road, Pune

Food :Ok..veg was gud..we ordered Fish tikka, which costed 230 bucks and had only 8 VERY small pieces..daad bhi geeli nahi hui :(
Service : Slow..too slow
Ambience : Gud..We sat in the open air part...cool breeze was blowing which added to the feel gud effect.
Crowd: Gud..infact too crowded..we had too wait almost 40 mins before we got a place to sit.

In short, its tooo expensive.

Carnival, Near ABC Farms, KP, Pune

Food :Ok..not gud..just OK...
Service : Quick...efficient
Ambience : Gud..The whole place is divided into huts..givin u lots of privacy..ideal for a group party.
Crowd: Gud..

The restaurant is quite cheap..i mean economical..we were 10 people and it cost us just 1900 in all..We also played antakshari...so it ws quite fun..worth visiting.

Koyla, FC Road

Food :Food is nice..tandoori chicken was good
Service : Quick...efficient
Ambience : The restaurant is quite small in size...but the ambience is nice..ghazals playin, quiet environment..not a place where u can do hulla gulla..more suited to format get togthers.
Crowd: Ok

Tareef, Aundh

Food :Had tandoori chicken which was gud..non veg main course was also gud, but veg wasnt..had makai mushroom..which wasnt good
Service : A bit slow
Ambience : Very small resturant, though they have to tried to make it look as classy as possible..still dint enjoy the ambience much
Crowd: Ok

One of the undeserving yet expensive resturants i have ever been to.

Post 91, Koregaon Park

Went there for team lunch..opted for the buffet option, which costed us 375 per head (including taxes).
This included unlimited beer/mocktail, 2 veg/non veg starters, 2 veg/non veg gravies (punjabi style), two continental gravies, a variety of rice, salad and desserts..not bad for the no of varities..but food was not fingerlicking..wud tate it 6.5/10.
Service : Fast
Ambience:Nice ambience. The restaurant is really impressive from outside.
Crowd:Hep and happening :)

Not Just Jazz By The Bay, E-Square

Initially we were disappointed because we were the first to enter the restaurant..may b coz it was holi (it was past 8:30 PM when we reached there)..the ambience was nice, seating comfotable, starters were gud (but please dont order Nachos..its pathetic)..prawns and fish fingers were delicious (though the quantity was veryyyyy less, and prices..toooooooo high)..Since it ws Wednesday, they had bollywood karaoke..arnd 10, the restaurant was completely filled up..many people came on stage and sang..it was quite fun. The service was fast, and crowd - HOT :)

In short, One of the terrific restaurants i have been to so far (We four ran up a bill of 3500, which included drinks as well)

Frame of reference and life

2009-06-14T19:32:00.002+05:00

Came across an interesting point of view this Saturday.

I have always been very enthu when its a special day for my friends or parents or collegues, be it a birthday or a bachelor's party. I spend days and weeks brainstorming on how to make them feel special that day..but when its my special day..i also 'unfortunately' expect the same, want to be pampered, and made felt special, from morning till night (which never happens making me feel all the more frustrated).

But in this whole process i never realised that though i spend hours planning for others, in their 'frame of reference' the end result was barely an hour of celebration, sometimes only half an hour, sometimes even 15 mins or less. And so is what happens in my case.

Also where i take days to plan, they might only take hours to do so. What i and we all need to do is fit ourselves in this frame of reference and then see things.

It was definitely an eye opener for me. Hope it helps u as well.

That sinking feeling

2009-06-12T17:19:00.002+05:00

She s thinking of resigning from her job and going back to Delhi. I also feel that its a good decision considering the current circumstances.

It was an eye opening experience for her, staying in bombay for two months..and even though we were hundreds of kms apart, that distance managed to bring us more closer. But the 'need for comfort' wont be there anymore once she is back among her parent and friends, the very basic fact that has kept our 'relation' strong till now.

Wonder if 'it' wud survive this coming phase, or putting in other others, i am having that sinking feeling that 'it' wont be able to make it this time.

I m lucky that i hav my appointment 2morrow..really need to talk to my doc.

Malls and Sanitation

2009-06-09T15:09:00.003+05:00

Though the standard of living (in terms of income, expenditure, etc) in Indian cities has improved drastically, however, unfortunately its not been the case with the basic necessities especially Sanitation. I have spent a great time in three cities Hyderabad, Delhi and Pune, and the level of sanitation deproves in that order with worst being in Pune.

With nature's call being hard to resist, its not uncommon seeing people (read males) relieving themselves in public..infact in Pune, they are even found shitting on unbuilt flyovers (What an early morning sight).

Thanks to the malls i am saved of this embarrassment :P Hope more of us use them..(mall owners should promote this too..more the 'customers' entering the malls - for whatever reason-more the chances of sales)

Hope more and more malls spring up in every corner of this city.

World Environment Day

2009-06-05T17:48:00.002+05:00

Happy World Environment Day.

Planted a tree today..like i did last year..hope to make a much greater contribution in the coming days.

NIEM- info please!!

2009-06-04T22:50:00.003+05:00

Hello frends!

U must be already knowing how pissed off i am with being a software engineer. I have been looking at alternative career options (quite actively) - one of them being pursuing my interest in organising events i.e. pursuing a career in event management..no i am not thinking of opening a venture of my own (m too underconfident for that), but looking to find a job in an Event Management company, making contacts, and then making a mark of my own.

Unfortunately..i got to know from a number of people that the salaries paid there are pathetically low...ranging from 7k to 12k only..thats too low to even survive, considering i mite need to work in pune or even bombay.

Recently i came across an article in Education Times on National institute in Event Management. This college (in Pune) is the no 1 in Asia. It provides Part time Diploma in Event Management (an 11 months course) for a fee of just Rs 31,000. There are just 60 seats, but the catch is that there is no entrance exam, no GD/PI..admissions are on first come, first serve basis..i found it too hard to digest.

I am quite interested in this, as it will provide an excellent platform to step into my field of interest (without having to sacrifice my job). I have been trying to get in touch with alumni or students of NIEM, thru linked on and orkut but havent met any success..if u by chance know any one from NIEM (National Institute of Event Management), please do let me know asap.

Wht the f**k

2009-06-03T19:42:00.002+05:00

Barely a month ago i was moved to a new project (against my wishes)..i was told that the project was reducing in size, so my services were not more required.
Barely a month old in this 'new' project, i hadnt come to terms with its technicalities and business, i am told today, that i am moving to another project..huh..this new project s a 'common pool of talented resources' which is being formed to effectively deal with day to day challenges..bullshit..

Life sucks, life fucks, and unfortunately..its not at all enjoyable

Boreddddddddd!!!

2009-05-31T22:12:00.001+05:00

M alone at my place...and m feeling damn bored...had maggi for dinner, and thats it..hav lots of tasks to do but none of them seem interesting at all :( Had a nice Sunday morning, par raat utni hi bekaar hai..wil probably sleep..gud nite

Book Review - In the company of Women

2009-05-28T00:34:00.002+05:00

Finished this novel in 3 days (quite fast by my standards)...and that shud give u an idea of how much i liked this novel by Khushwant Singh.

There were a number of reasons for liking this novel:

1) The sexual escapades were very well neatly descibed, leaving little to imagination, and very much refreshing that those in Nancy Friday and Penthouse.

2) Liked the guts of the protagonist of this story-basically a biography-this guy (a handsome, well built divorcee from the upper class in Delhi) had the guts to publish an ad in leading Indian daily newspaper, seeking female companions for live in relationships-that too in a time when condoms were wore to prevent pregnancy and AIDS was quite unheard off.

3) And becoz of the end, which made me realise (again), that we live only once, and we shud value this one life.

Try to get ur hands on this one.

Thats it for now.

Over n out

Movie Review - 99

2009-05-27T00:15:00.000+05:00

Since there were no blockbuster hindi movies being released for past many weeks, and with the Delhi burning like an oven under the sun, me and Maggi opted to watch 99 (and the comfort of an a/c hall)..none of us had any expectation from this move..no we had one..that we wud b able to bear it for its entire duration...but when it started, we were so engrossed in it, that we dint even bother to talk to each other.

Kunal Khemu, Cyrus, Mahesh Manjrekar, Boman Irani and the don of Delhi (forgot his name)..all of them added excellent humour to the movie..the story though not original was superbly crafted.. the title 99 though is quite absurd (there s not much weightage behind it), but i must say the movie is refreshing, and definitely worth one watch..so people..go check it out.

Suggestions invited

2009-05-26T20:13:00.000+05:00

Hello frends!

How r u doin..m doin good..was in delhi for a new days..leavin for pune tomorrow.

It will be almost 4 yrs for me this Aug since i started working (as a software engg), but now this field doesnt appeal me much and m trying for a career change. Have been involved a lot into organising events (music fests, project events, tshirt design, etc) during my ofc life, and i enjoy them a lot as they allow me to be creative and think 'out of the box', and m hoping to pursue this hobby as a full time passion.

I am thinking of pursuing a job in event management company, growing there, before venturing into something of my own...sounds quite crude but that wht it is..so help me design my resume..as a env engg turned software engg to an aspiring event manager, let me know ur views on wht my resume shud highlight...also let me knw if u hav any thoughts to share..

Thank u

UPA part 2

2009-05-22T23:28:00.004+05:00

Though i dint vote, i m pretty happy with the results..the people of India voting for a stable goverment, and not getting carried away by regional politics. The results were no less a surprise for me as for anybody else, with me expecting a gud show by regional parties due to a not so all round performance by the Congress.
Now with Left off its back, my expectation from this govt hav touched a new high, despite the fact that global economy still is in turmoils.
But one thing that i wud want is, that the govt shud appoint ministers irrespective of the votes that have been won by them. While they shud not give in to DMK (and its bunch of non performing people), it shud reward people like Lalu (who despite a poor showing in elections, has been a revolutionary railways minister), etc.

All th best to UPA for its second innings. I am having my fingers crossed :)

Vacation Time

2009-05-15T23:20:00.002+05:00

Going home tomorrow, after a gap of nearly 5 months, but somehow m not homesick..not even a teeny little bit..its not that i hav started liking pune (again).
Infact the reasons to like it have only got lesser.

Will be back after 10 days and m already looking fwd it, and carrying out the plan ahead (sounds cryptic???bas sound hi karta hai..hehehe)

Chalo people..cya after some time..will try to keep in touch.

Bye

Broken Hearts and Insecurity

2009-05-15T22:41:00.002+05:00

2 days and m witness to 2 diff people(close 2 me) suffering from high levels of insecurity..their insecurity stemming from the fact that the people they 'loved' (yes, its in past tense, as both of them felt that they cud find better partners) are on the verge of 'falling' in a 'relationship' with other people.

It somehow reflects the situation i ws in (and may b still am) a few months back, and it is in these times that u need to take a stand, clear out ur heart, and let life take its course. We shud accept that there r some things in which we cant do much except being true to others and ourselves, and that wht i advised them to do.

Kambhaqt Ishq..huh :|

Book Review-Dollar Bahu

2009-05-14T18:01:00.002+05:00

This novel is based on a traditional Indian Hindu family based in Karnataka..the title of novel suggests a lot about its content, and i wont delve into its details..in all the novel is very simply written, with no twists or turns..but it still did manage to keep me hooked till then end..

At best its a one time read.

Stage 2 starts

2009-05-06T09:46:00.002+05:00

Stage one is succesfully compelete (and within timeframe).. Now its time for stage two to start..it involves following:
1) Saving enuf to cover for my unavoidable expenses (basically policy premiums)
2) Find other ways of monetary sources..targeting to generate $1 per day from my blogs in advertising
3) Find a job in a field of interest..currently event management.

Hav given myself a time period of 2 months for first two tasks.. task 3 will be done on a ongoing basis. Lets c i make a breakthru soon.

Amen!

Lambada @ Pune Central

2009-05-02T23:00:00.003+05:00

For all those lonely soul, here is something to rock ur Saturday evenings.

Lambada, one of the very famous bands of Pune is playing at Pune Central (Shivaji Nagar), every Saturday evenings this month..and this band rocks.

The lead singer, the anchor and the sole guitarist of this band are simply awesome. From playing english songs (Guns n Roses to Bachna Ae Haaseno), they made sure the crowd present had a gud time.

Do check them out coming Saturday.

Movie Review - Manorama Six Feet Under

2009-05-02T22:40:00.003+05:00

With no new movies being released, and plenty of time at my disposal i have started watched old movies (by old i mean those released in 2006 and later).

Today i watched Manorama Six Feet Under starring Abhay Deol, Raima Sen and Gul Panag...may b my expectations from the movie were quite low..coz even though this movie raked in only 2 to 2.5 stars(as per rediff and other sites), i really liked it.

Gul Panag as the typical housewife, Raima Sen set out to decieve S.V, and S.V. (a writer turned detective) played by Abhay (He s surely on the way to become my all time fav). The movie had the right mix of mystery (and no songs thankfully) to keep me interested and the ending was quite apt..the message of the movie - Everything that we do is to have more power, but in the end we end up being caught in the whole circle itself.

A movie worth watching.

M saddddddddddddd

2009-04-30T14:06:00.003+05:00

Pehley to MBA interviews clear nahi hoti thi..ab to technical interviews, related to the field m working in for past 4 yrs..wo bhi clear nahi hoti..literally dimag ko zang lag gaya hai..huh.

Its a long weekend this time, but for me its gonaa be a looooooooooooonnnng weekend..was looking fwd to my dance class 2morrow but that has been cancelled..my roomies r going 2 their hometown..gaurav s also going 2 bombay..its gonna b a boorrrrrrrring weekend :( :(

Btw check out this link:
http://rajeshlalwani.wufoo.com/forms/blogworks-india-bloggers-directory-edition-1/#public

Blogworks is compiling a list of all indian blogs..do register.

Monday Morning Blue

2009-04-28T11:14:00.002+05:00

Gud News and Bad News.. Gud news first - my project has finally been changed..a year of torture finally comes to an end..Bad news..i hav actually been chucked out of my project, and put into one i wsnt interested in being a part of..this is one is even more chaotic (it atleast seems like that).. i have zero knowledge of the product being used..on one hand learning seems immense, but on other side, chances of falling into an even worse vicious circle of work and no rewards seem high. Lets c wht future has in store for me..atleast i wil hav something to write abt :) :)

Fish

2009-04-24T16:19:00.004+05:00

If u cant choose ur work, then choose ur attitude..
thats wht this book says, and that wht precisely i am trying to implement in my life as well.

The four learnings of this book are :

1) Make their day

2) Play

3) Be Present

4) Choose ur attitude

Wht ever i do i try and give ny 100% attention..i mite still work only for 9 hrs but i have increased my quality time from 62% to 73% (well beyond the stipulated target of 70%).
I try and enjoy my work..but since coding in project is quite monotonous, i have started making my own site, and suddenly the learning curve is on a rise..and m able to use each day in a meaning full way.

In doing the above i hav already choosen my attitude..'Work still sucks..but i need the bucks' :)

Hope this book is help to those who are being plagued by issues similar to mine.

All the best