Christmas Spirit

There is nothing much I adore about Christianity as a religion, but am not here to tell what I don't like or why I don't like rather I wanted to share what I like the most about Christmas.

The most I like about Christmas is the spirit of Christmas and the importane with which its celebrated world-over. Its a season of holidays, get-togethers, families and friends, gifting, parties and yes Carols. Christmas Carols, Santa-claus and gifts and childrens happiness on back of all this is unprecedented. The euphoria and the craziness that engulfs the festive season year on year is amazing. The decorations, the sotcking stuffed gifts its all so magic. I loved the spirit of celebrations and getting together. The movies with all the carols, the kids, the Santa claus, the reindeer, wooww I really love watching all those Christmas movies.

My 3 Favourite Carols

1.12 days of Christmas

2.Jingle Bells

3. We wish you Meery Christmas

A few things I find a bit funny in India,

Its a great season if celebrated with proper christmas spirit and kids. Really would love to be part of that spirit for once.

Merry Christmas to you all.

My Christmas Sprit Level: 40%

You definitely have some Christmas spirit, and you enjoy the holidays as much as the average person. You don't go over the top celebrating, and by December 26th, you're ready to pack away your decorations. You have your own special Christmas traditions, and you tend to pick and choose what you like about Christmas. The holidays are important to you, but you don't let them take over your life.

Do You Have the Christmas Spirit?

You Don't Know Much About Christmas

I only got 3/10 correct So you don't know all of the history and trivia of the holidays... As long as you remember to put out some cookies for Santa, you're still ahead of the game. Random Christmas fact: 7% of mall Santas were found to have a criminal background.

How Much Do You Know About Christmas?

Crazy about....Things to lookout for 2008

Offlate I have been thinking of freaking out a bit and am quite inspired to take an uncanny risk for having that adrelane rush.
Racing and fast driving has been my order of the day. While biking I've been consistently been above 60kmph but my bike doesn't have a great pickup for me to go from 0-60 in say 4s's. But somehow still keep pushing it to screach. 70-80 is what my bike manages but on the bisy roads thats all we can expect. Though I want to upgrade to a 200cc if not a 150cc bike, I've been warned against doing so, and spend money on a 2-wheeler instead get a car. Probably I will if I move to a new city.
Anyways my Favourite Car has changed. Earlier I was just bowled over by Octavia. The showroom at Raj Bhavan road had suited sales woman, very modern and sophisticated, the car was amazingly new. The interiors were none that I ever I saw, and wanted to own it when I get my car. But after so many years and so many new cars in the market am just touched by one car the Honda Civic, very contemporary and futuristic design, love to own it and zoom away in this beauty.
---->
Fast & Furious, 2 Fast 2 Furious & Fast & Furious Tokyo Drift had there impact on me on the cars front. Lets see when I will get to drive so crazily.

Next found interest that's been bugging me in my me in my head is to own a dog. Been an a animal lover for long but not a dog lover, scared of taking its responsibility. But don't really know why this feel, these days. I want to own a doggie, possibly a beagle if not a Labrador. I want a doggie to play with and have fun, so that I can forget the world an be happy. I want to be loved and pampered whenever it seems me, and run and go around me whenever I am with it. Hope I do get a permission from my mom on this.

Mumbai - After 10 weeks

The last time I was in Mumbai I came with a lot of tenderness in my heart, floating in the air, air of romance and a dream. I was in Mumbai on Sep 13, 2007, when I wanted to make a surprise trip and also have my first hand experience of Mumbai life. I was planning to shift to Mumbai for better opportunities and also in better interest of my would-be. That time I stayed at Vara's JPM-IIMK mates apartment in Andheri (E), Chakala. A fruitful.

10 Weeks before - "Flash-back"

On Sep 15th Ganesh Chaturthi I had my Puja done at Vatsi-Manish's house at Nahar Amrit Shakti, Powai. After pooja started for Vashi via Andheri-Malad- Vashi. The Vashi station,cum IT park was unlike anything I ever saw in a railway station. As I was travelling over the bridge in the train to Vashi, I could recall the climax scene of True Lies where the Limo with Jamie lee Curtis speeds on the bridge over the sea. Vashi was unlike any place in Mumbai and is the first townships of Navi Mumbai, planned well and executed well too. Its more of an island town. The large and spacious Vashi Railway Station was built into and under the International Infotech Park, to ISO 9002 quality standards.It is one of the top 10 Info Parks in India. Constructed over Vashi railway station, seven broad white towers form the International Infotech Park(IIP),

At Vashi, reached City Centre apartments where I had my lunch then headed towards Palm beach, a mall few metres off from the apartment to spend the rest of the evening.

The Palm Beach Galleria is the newly opened 2.5 lakh sq. ft. shopping mall in Vashi, conveniently located right off the highway.The first ever Espirit ( the leading brand for fashion timewear) corner for watches and accessories in Mumbai, which is also the first in Asia has been opened here.The mall boasts of McDonalds fast food, Odyssey (a store for books, toys, CDs, DVD's), MAX Retail of the $1-billion Landmark Group(Dubai), Adlabs movie theatre and many other brands. Had good time going up and down round and round the mall. At Max we shopped for a few gifts, and followed the same at the Archies.

The next day went to Hiranandani, spent a lot of time at this beautiful, classy, colonial place which had a good mix of Residential and Commercial skyscrapers. Spent lot of time playing bowling at Galleria's, Hakone Entertainment Centre which provided facilities like LAN Gaming, Arcade Games, Pool Tables, Billiards, Bowling, Mini Golf, Bumper Cars, Go Karting and Rock Climbing. Then proceeded towards Srusti a ethnic shop, D-Mart shopping mall and Crossword the book stall. Bought something or other at each of the stores. Met Mr.Vikas Kochar at Galeria's footwear shop, who after moving out of Genpact joined as CFO AIG Financial Services in Mumbai. Then proceeded to retire in Vashi itself for the night, Next day headed to Hiranandani and then to Hyderabad by the 9pm train.

30th of Nov, 10 weeks later
Close to 10 weeks after the last visit, I again set foot in Mumbai, this time with a changed perspective. The last time around I was I came to expereince the Joy and spirit of Mumbai, this time its to understand and know the underlyings of the city. I flew in and went straight to Hiranandani, where I was at Delphi and then went to Galleria ate and shopped at D-Mart. Then bought a new cell at Mobile Store there.
as my mobile died out the moment it landed in Mumbai. So my 2 cells have gone useless in a months time. Then went by Hakone and the gokarting tracks and also recollected the previous visits and felt happy about it. And felt if God could give me one more chance to undo and relive the past.

Anyways spent the rest of the time watching people and how they moved and dressed. Then as night fell moved to Mulund after meeting a couple of friends and eating out again at KFC. For the night went to Nirmal Lifestyle mall in Mulund, went shopping at Shoppers Stop, Dollar Shop after my dinner at Urban Tadka. Then retired for the night at Friends place at Mulund.

Next day went camping in the locals, went to Kurla, nostalgic thougts of my previous visits bloomed here, then went to Chembur and had a look around, and also managed to buy some DVDs. Next stop was Dadar and then to Andheri (W) from where I went to Infinity mall in Lookhanwaala, Andheri, had my lunch at Malgudi then proceeded to shop further, before catching a bus to head towards Villa Parle towards airport. Wanted to do more, shop more but lack of company and my shoulder baggage kindaa pulled me down. I managed to buy a dozen of Pirated CD's I couldn't believe my eyes when I got Telugu DVDs at Andheri Station, well one more reason to be comfortable if I were to stay in Mumbai.

Anyways the trip was short a very nostalgic, learned and expereinced the fast paced life of Mumbaikar, the slums and choules of Mumbai, the hard life of a common man, the opportunism of the politicians, and greed of the place making people work that extra mile. People hardly have time, and probably the only time they spend with the families to enjoy is on a Sunday, rest of the time work and journey. All people work, infact the cost of living is high and to offset the living costs the large female population is also in engaged in earning bread for the family. Thats the reason for coming accross a women more often than in any other Indian city. But Mumbai life is a stuggle, lots of diversities in culture and social stature makes this place unique. People tend to be very opportunisitc and live in a struggle for survival scenario and people keep running accross for modes of earning money.

Chocolate Bytes

Tom Hanks puts it best in his 1994 Oscar winning movie Forest Gump "Life is like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're going to get".

Interesting piece of comparison he makes on this front. Life's such a twist and turn of events that every now and then one gets caught up in surprises if not woows or ooouchs. Pleasant or unpleasant, enjoyable or painful..thats life.

Today has been an interesting day, for I had the maximum number of chocolates at a single time compared to any year combined in my life. I had half a dozen Ferrero Rocher, the spherical hazelnut covered in chocolate cream for lunch. Had back to back meetings and reviews with the customer visits and Board visits, only mode of having lunch was a can of diet coke, a few chocolates and friendly doorside Chatwala. Liked the Rocher a bit, tasted the same for the first time a week earlier when my Bro bought along an entire array of chocolates. Interestingly I've be introduced to the brand of chocolates on the day of my birthday where I was to gift the same to my colleagues. I never knew brand beyond a Cadbury dairy milk, or perk or a five star. Limited knowledge, but walk down a hyper-market and look down the various options and quick reference from a Chocoholic things are different. Chocolate selection is an art in itself, never mastered it though but understood that its high an art as tasting wine, and gifting chocolates is supposed to highest form of expression of love for youth, for an adult probably a diamond would suffice. So one interesting lesson learned is way of breaking into your loved ones heart small or big is through a chocolate. Well never a day is one late to offer one and accept one.
Now for some gyan I gathered - Chocolate it seems causes certain endocrine glands to secrete hormones that affect your feelings and behavior by making you happy. Therefore, it counteracts depression, in turn reducing the stress of depression. Your stress-free life helps you maintain a youthful disposition, both physically and mentally. So, eating lots of chocolates makes one happy--- hmm interesting, but I still doubt why children keep crying before having one and after having one, only logical answer is that it increases the craving for more of everything. Well no one can stop at one.

Scientific Answer

Chocolate expecially the dark kind is an excellent source of flavonoids epicatechin and gallic acid, which are thought to possess cardioprotective properties. In small portions it can actually be beneficial, and most obesity is caused by other foods high in calories in fat, most comonly fast foods that contain trans fats.

Chemical-Chemicals- and more Chemicals..

Happy Harmones - Serotonin, Endorphins, Dopamine, Progesterone (women)

Chemicals - Theobromine, Phenylethylamine (Love chemical), Anandaminde, Magnesium (leading to females craving for Chocolate)

To begin with, Chocolate contains over 300 chemicals and it is not known how all of these affect humans. Chocolate provides a feeling of well being. Serotonin and endorphins are the main reasons for the pleasing feeling. Serotoning is often found in the cnted of exercise, and have obtained its creadet as the “happy hormone” in chocolate. Serotonin is released after the consumption of carbohydreates. Its neurotransitters help send the message of a feeling of calmness and relaxation. In fact, Serotonin is usually given to deppressed patients to help them treat out of depression and generates feelings of live and ecstacy.

Endorphins are another chemical the brings a feeling of euphoria to the brain. Endorphins have also been proven to be an effective painkiller with same effects as morphine. Endorphins block the ‘mesage’ of pain that would be sent to the brain to be translated into pain.

In addition to serotonin and endorphing, chocolate also contains another mood elevating chemical called Theobromine, which is a chemical stimulant that is usually mistaken for caffine due to similar brain activity. When chocolate is consumed, Theobromine, from cocoa, and serotine, from carbohydrates, bind to each other and become a temporary antidepressant. This kind of binding relaeses message from the brain indicating a happy, elevated mood that causes depressed individuals to grab pounds and pounds of chocolate after a rough time.
Contrary to belief, chocolate only contains small amounts of caffine. But eventhough caffine is not present in enough quantaties as in coffee it does contain the same effects but in a lesser concentration.

Another depression reliever found in chocolate is Phenylethylamine or “The love chemical.” Phenylethylamine causes changes in blood pressure and sugar levels in the blood leading to feelings of exitement and alertness. It increases positive moods and decreased depression. Phenylethylamine also causes an increase in the pulse rate which results in a similar feeling when one is in love.
Another physiological chemical in chocolate is anandamide. Anandaminde resmbles THC, a chemical that is also found in marijuna. It activates the same receptors as does THC which causes a greater production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that creates a feeling of well being associated with a high. Even though Anandaminde is already found in the brain and is broken rapidly, chocolate consumption adds to the amount that acctually gets broken down which casuses the effects of calmness and elevation. But it must be made clear that chocolate is not a drug and it would take very large amount of chocolate to create a high.

Many women report particular chocolate cravings when pre-menstrual. This is possibly because chocolate contains magnesium, a shortage of which can exacerbate pre-menstrual tension. Similar cravings during pregnancy could indicate mild anaemia, which chocolate's iron content may help to cure

May be a bold statement to make after experienced the Power-puff girl's chocolate power Man cannot live on chocolate alone; but woman sure can. Woman are atleast headstrong to focus regather and get along. Men I still doubt, legend talks about a Devadas, not a Devadaasi....

It is because of all these reasons that chocolate is the main component grabbed after a break-up or a seperation. It is a comfort food that elevates the mind and creats happines during chearless situations.
Until next blog chao

I am a White Chocolate Personality

You are White Chocolate You are sweet, caring, and truly very innocent. Whether your naive ways are a bit of act or not, people like to take care of you. You are a quiet flirt, and your power is often underestimated!

What Kind of Chocolate Are You?

Craziness is my current phase of life

Lots of uncertainty, after the sudden twist of events. Can't decide on lots of things, lots of turmoil, lots of pains, lack of overall vision and focus thats how I feel.
Its been over a month that things fell apart and probably over 31 days that I spoke to Shruti. Lots of people said a lot of things against the very person whom I adored and accepted inspite of the obvious shortcomings pointed out and till date couldn't really come out of this unfateful event. Time is a good healer people say, but its doing no good in my scenario for now.
Though I forcibly get to content myself saying that its like a "Casandra Phenomenon" or a "Deja Vu" or this ought to happen as a punishment of my Sins towards all the bad things which went between me and my family especially my mom, and my turning down of relation owing to the family pressure.
Learning and experiencing has been hard, lots of things have given up since then.
My Mobile broke loose, as if it had a heart, and was prime Witness to my relation. It felt and experienced the same way as I did, and unfortunately the same mobile which is less than 6 months old simply broke as I opened it.
No Diwali at home this year, unusual for I never missed Diwali in my entire life. Even my parents didn't burst a single crackers. If it was not for Vandana I wouldn't have joined the rest of the fraternity on Diwali. It was a painful feel, but I wanted to expereince it too.
My Gym and my grooming sessions all wound up abruptly owing to multiple reasons.
Had a cut on my forearm, which I left untreated lead to boil and Puss formation in the whole arm, and had to get it operated after 2 1/2 weeks of agony. Am still recovering from it. I've been bleeding for last 2 days, its pains double more due to Hyderbadii weather. The size of the depression is as big as to accommodate at least one medium sized playing ball marble. Put all the pain killers on the hold, though been advised Diclofenac Sodium thrice a day.
Had been off from office for last 6 days and entire first & second week of November. Feel very embarrassed to face the very people whom I shared my happiness.
My dream of moving into my own house fell apart, dream shattered, and torn apart.
All the 3500+ minutes of talk we had for endless night all ended abruptly without even a hush, and call informing of the next steps.
I know I am very sorry of being rude on occasions, but I couldn't be soft otherwise and ignore be tossed around and blamed and labelled as a Liar by a person who hardly understood how to assess people and values. The very girl I accepted against all odds braving against the worst of situation just showed me her back. I completely felt like a looser, for the respect and courtesy which I showed was never returned back. The respect of a relation, and treating her a person who is pure from mind, body and soul wasn't ever appreciated. May be I expecting a lot, but till this moment I feel I put efforts enough only to be ignored and treated as an untouchable. If she feels shez better without me, I thought so be it. Had she given me a chance to plead guilty and I would have closed it without a pain; never ever thats come.
Having seen all this I feel and probably say it to all that she stands to loose a lot by loosing me than I loosing her; for I swear I would have stood by wind and fire by day and the night by the side of the person whom I wanted to be with. She might not even realise it but I would only hope that at least a few years from now, if things were to go bad if she were to remember me I would be really be blessed.
Finding her I would have been the luckiest person, but loosing her I would say is her bad luck. If my gut feel and my sixth sense are correct if shez headed for rough weather, she would have been better off with some one supportive and who accepts her as-is. She would definitely need a hand to hold hers and take her along.
Yes, life is bed of roses, so sweet and aromatic and beautiful to look-at but underneath are always thorns which hurt, and life is always getting along with those thorns.

Learnings: Letting go....

Every now and then right through your childhood one is taught to keep trying and to never give, for ultimately one succeeds in ones goals.
Offlate I've kindaa discovered the other side of the statement. With the sequence of events which unfolded over the last three weeks and the kind of talk that got generated as an aftermath, and feelings of my near and dear, and how badly hurt are my parents and frightened of the consequence I am learning to live with a different notion.
Today I was watching a series on Vastu talking about removing clutter from home which would make life much easier to live. It talks about letting go of useless things of past which will allow new things to come-in with new flow of energy.
As an example of the same just caught up my mind while climbing the stairs back home. When we tighten the fists we feel strong and high in emotion, we can use our fists either to hit someone or hit ourself, but nothing more. Just a strong emotion, but by letting the fists loose, one is really could feel the blood flowing and the fists more relaxed and the person in turn more calmer. The hands are ready to do more than just hit out. Its unlocking of our own energy to achieve more.
In the same way, I guess I need to adopt the same principle, I've been holding out to my emotions and feelings for long, well beyond any tolerance limits. But for what, neither the families nor the person respond back. What is the use of clinging on, am getting stale and becoming a vegetable only to be sympathised. I trust my feelings and what my heart beats for, but I need to realise one basic thing " I should not prioritise people for whom I am just an option". Letting go is very hard. but once that is achieved one would feel relieved of all emotional passiveness and agony, and in turn regulate the same towards much more meaningful things in life. One needs to worry if something is wantedly been done wrongly, but need not worry about perception if the perspective of people are very narrow.
Anyways tonite I feel high, and I see my goals that are to be achieved, there is lot to be desired, dreamed and lived for. Am not the one who is running away from learning things, but am taking a step or two back so that I can run and leap ahead of everyones expectations to show what can be done. I wish I could prove what they have missed and what I have gained from the current situation. I can only hope thats all.....

Full Circle - Happy Days

I want to make this series the part of my Autobiography, but I really don't know wether these small incidents spread accross a period of 3 months to 1 year make any difference in my life in a long run. I still got atleast 40 years to look forward, only thing I can do when I look back 40 years from now is probably smile.
At this moment the time is 12.40 when I started drafting this in the blog. Its after a gap of probably 3 months am back blogging. Before blogging I've checked my vital stats for my blog, to see if some one is even visiting and reading the pages. Sadly the answer is no. Talking of full circle, I've started blogging inspired by my fellow classmates at IIM like the likes of Baba and Girl with Big Eyes; Nitai & Priya. The first blog I probably read was of Nitai 'Baba' on the SCon election politics. Quite entraled by his literary intellect. Than was hit by the wittyness of the Malu girl Priya. The controversy at the campus and the row which followed on the blog comments on Lionel Araha and Nanda Kumar, made me enter this blogging sphere.
Anyways today I've been using the blog to siphone out some bit of frustration and anxiety levels which I want to share and seek advice. I always feel pity at myself when I am very commandingly able to guide, help and solve issues of others who seek to approach me and whom I strongly feel bonded to, but when it comes to personal things I feel all but alone in this entire world. I feel that no one has time or patience to hear my word and if listened there is no way one gives a shoulder and pats and makes me undertand in a different perspective. I really felt that badly today while talking to Vimal a afriend of Ram Ogety. Vimal had his balance of isssues on career and thought of giving my two peneece. Just thought of myself and need of help personally and professionally at this crucial juncture. I feel terribly left out, dreams of mine on verge of shattering. Dreams might not big to break my heart, but small ones like settling down in the house of my own where I move in with my life partner and spend countless periods of time sharing happiness, and I want to be on top of the world by making her happy and see myself happy in my small world, where there is no scope for materialistic wants.

On 25th of Oct 2007, my new house was auspicously made open with Vastu Pooja being culminated after a week long Dusseraa celebration where I got my Chandi Homam completed and got the protection for the family and both the houses too. Slept on 25th at my new house, knew I would hardly sleep but somehow manged till early hours with my parents. That night I felt it was like my longest night. One partly due to the fact that I had patched up with Shrus after some bit friction which went overboard the previous weekend and got to talk freely from 24th after I let loose my issues which got out of hand with Shrus. I 've always been optimistic on this front and always believed once at home she would automatically scale up.
Eitherways on 26th Maheshmama comes to Hyd and I am wildy excited about it. I get to lay my hands on my wedding cards. For these cards I almost created a stir, put in lots of efforts and invested lots of valuble time and thought process to uniquely design 'one of a kind' card. This culminated into one after good 4 weeks of efforts and discussions. I was almost waiting for the Saturday to go visit the temple and get Pooja done. Again the night before a small argument follows on Pooja of the cards at Mumbai (really no clue why it went that way - I had nothing to say). Went to Lakshmi Ganapathi temple had the Pooja done. The first cards, set of 6 went to Shruti to be distributed at her end, (Ramya, Vamshi, Divya, Ajay, Nilofer, Manisha, Spoorthi(??) ) Then Srilekha booked tickets for the first show of Happy Days at Devi.
Lots of work going on both on the preparation front and work at my house, shuffling accross these I did somehow managed to reach the cinema almost 45 minutes late. This is my first movie with Srilekha. It took me close to 10 years to go along with her. The movie was one epic piece of entertainment. I enjoyed the movie to the core. Especially Tyson 'Arjun' Vs Sravs character kindaa idealised him. The others were Chandu with Madhu and Rajesh with Appu Shankar with Sangeetha. Loved the movie becaouse of multiple reasons,
Its something where I've been to for 4 long years & cribbed for life.
This has brought forward the nostalgia within me which I shared while travelling everyday to college right from ragging to bus travels and 120/220 bus routes to Vasavi halts etc etc.
Went to the movie with no expectations at all, enjoyed it and most importantly I didn't try to predict or forsee whats comming next, that made the movie more fun to watch and enjoy. Music and songs where very catchy and currently Happy day songs replaced all my ring tunes and am listening to them atleast 6 times a day like my previous track Saalm-e-Ishq. New tune for me has arrived.
After the movie I hardly was done with the dinner I got a call that Srilekha's brother Srikar ha an accident and is in the hospital. Had to rush with Srilekha and her mother to the hospital. The family depended on me for the support. I had to be with them well past mifdnight, the accident was a headon between two two-wheelers on the necklace road. One Srikar's friend who was driving the bike had very critical injuries. I could not bear the site of his state. Very taken back and hit by the state. Added to it there were atleast 3 deaths I've seen in the emergency ward, people crying with sorrow. I was quite shaken and unable to recover till next day morning. I could not even take my fiance's calls one I had to switch off my mobile for want of running down my battery; two because I was not in any state to talk. I wouldn't know that this would be the last time she would call to me talk. Next day, on Sunday 11.30 am she promptly calls on my mobile as I just entered my home, after catching some time on the workouts to relieve off the stress. I've begged for sometime to recuperate and refresh so that I can talk back calmly. That was the last words from her, which sounded worried.
Then things went for a turn, over an argument where I lost my cool when I was accused of being a liar and misguiding my family. Couldn't take it and this was retaliated very very aggressively costing me my dearest dream. All I built in the last 3 months which were becoming a reality is lost.
Today 11th of Nov 2007 after two weeks, a week off from office, we had a SatyaNarayana Vratam at my new house. My parents took care of all, with around 20 of the closest people attending I guess everyone made the merry out of the situation. After this went to meet Ram, played snooker, followed by a game of bowling (finished at 85) , candidly recollecting the Hiranandani expereince, and how everything is lost. I can't but feel like a looser today. Can't cry, cant let a tear down, for I can't break my parents heart as I cry for a girl for whom hasn't done anything to deelivate the situation. I've tried hard to find fault but still can't think in a negative, for I've started accepting and nearly adapting to her way of life and things which I presume are gaps. I don't know if she ever will think of me, but for me she will hold a special spot. Today with a heavy heart and void unfillable went to Happy days again for the second time with Aarti, Ram and Vimal. Had a good time and laughed and enjoyed. But all the time I still keep thinking of Shrus and the way she talks. Some correlation in terms of saying "Challa challa istam" , Ego clashes etc. Really feel that girls are hard to understand and I hope I could have understood Shrus far better and taken care of things which look like today. Really pains deep within, and really feel like forgetting every goal in my life I've set. But I still hope I get her back one day, if not that atleast I hope I get to plead pardon for hurting her and hopefuly she accept my appology, and put a stop to the bad blood which has tarnished both of us. I sincerely hope that the egos of everyone are gone, and instead of running away from the issue learn how to adopt and tame oneself to be a better person. I want to be the best lifeparnter and never would cut my efforts from not achieving the same...

My Engagement is Fixed

People, the engagement ceremony of Chiranjeevi Satya Swaroop and Sowbagyavathi Shruti Purna Madani is happening on 1st Septemeber 2007. To us, it is a milestone and an achievement; to say the least. My limited vocabulary stops me from explaining how exactly I feel. Yet, let me go on record and say 'I am ecstatic', and in Shruti's words ' On Cloud 9'. I got the buzz on in my head. And it is all happening.
Done with initial set of shopping spree which lasted close to 2 weeks, Kanchi Patu sarees (light weight for engagement) and a Light weight delicate Vankee ring for the bride. I got 2 pairs of shirts and trousers for now. Need to buy other accessories too. Goossh...lots to do but a bt of laziness also has crept into me.

Paradigm Culture - My story

The other day in office I was reading an article on change management, and on breaking the norms by thinking out of the box. I had an interesting read on one experiment, related to primate influence on primal behavioural traits and the underlying traits in a controlled environment.
In the experiment a set of 5 monkeys where put in a cage, with a tall ladder placed in the middle with a tempting bunch of banana's on the top of the ladder. By natural instinct whenever the bunch was put at the top the monkeys would rush to get the bunch, the naturalist researchers switched on the water sprinklers for 5 minutes whenever the monkeys touched the bananas. This irritated the monkeys and ensured that they don't fall in for their temptations. Even if one of them was tempted, the others ensured that the one which rushed to the bananas was trashed enough. After a period of 3 months of the exercises, one monkey was replaced with a fresh subject, and this monkey without knowing would rush to the top of the ladder would be pulled down by the other members and bashed up thouroughly. Over a period the temptation was suppressed, the experimenters repeated the replacement over the period until the entire lot of monkeys where new, and never had an insight why they were being bashed when they attacked the bunch of bananas. So the ritual slowly set-in with the cause being lost.
You must be wondering what am I trying to relate to using the above example, earlier I was in a discussion with my fiance over the cultures and customs. In particular over dining habits and how particular some communities are. Later during the day as I was talking to my Aunt, and was discussing on the same lines, she did share a few more insights on similar customs in our families during our earlier days, and how things have changed in the recent times owing to the cosmopolitan and fast paced life. What I really felt funny was how we all followed these age old rituals without even realising the significance of the same, and how in the modern times everyone disregarded these rituals without even understanding the root causes and the logical reasons.
Things I learned today are

• Madi, madi well, maddi saree concept
• Pooja paat, vs maadi vs tulsi
• Maadi bath at lake and how the ladies use to keep the path in which they walked clean and wet by sprinkling water all along the pathway.
• Cleansing of the pooja area, space etc.
• Dining rituals - on the floor, sprinkling of water on the floor after food.
• Dining norms - hands, serving hand vs feeding hand.

The list was endless, and I was awestruck as my aunt took me through the entire list how they used to do it our homes. Following the conversation I did manage to get a notch of the funnier side of these so called rituals and how people use to compensate for some short comings particularly in handicaps people had those days. Funnier enough how a "Saas-bahu" clash happened due to the rituals. In my own case, experience of my Granny-Aunt nexus, where my granny used to sprinkle water all over the place as a part of the sprinkling ritual. And how my aunt used to go to lengthsto keep the place spotless and co exist with some hilariously severe rituals. Funny is the way how a traditional monkey spoilt the crux of the ritual practice with the underlying reason lost over a period of time. Irony, superstitions, cult, confusion, skepticism all follow as man is the topmost primate who believes in challenges. Afterall its their forefathers who have tasted the forbidden fruit of wisdom, at the God's Garden of Eden, and vanquished from their to suffer the fate, so do the present generations carry on a similar suffering to some extent.

Management Funda's for Real life - Selecting a life partner

Last week starting from 23rd of July I was into a week long training. I had to attend a compulsory 2 week D.M.A.I.C Six Sigma Black Belt training as a part of my job requirement, to enrich and dissipate the knowledge to the Operations, in addition to assisting teams in their quality initiatives.
I earlier attended the Week 1 BB training in Bangalore in Sep 2006. The faculty then was a BB called Pankaj, of ACOE who till date had only been taking GB trainings. Doubtless to say there wasn't much knowledge transfer happening at that time, and more so I had completely given up on me using the Six Sigma methodology, until my reinstatement into NBCU as a billable Black Belt. So this time around the training was in Hyderabad, with Sriram Cherukuvada, MBB GSS COE, an IIML alumnus as the facilitator. Needless to say the entire sessions where neatly done, and all the 23 in the class absolutely had a great time at the training. He was pool of knowledge to be tapped at every opportunity. Really impressed me a lot.
Anyways in one of the sessions one thing really touched me when he was taking us through the CAP training modules and QFD (Quality Function Deployment) tool in detail. He mentioned a real life situation where he had to take a decision on his wife's continuity of her profession. He said many of the the tools could be use in such circumstances and aid one in their decision making. Though the tools are not decision for making as such but they would prove of great use to support a decision making process by bringing in structured and organised approach and thought process.
This answered a long awaited, lingering thought or rather a confusion in my mind over the applicability of various theoretical leanings into real life situations, but surely as I matured in age, the thought process has come-off time. The last weekend of month, I was facing a similar kind of a situation where I am supposed to make one such decisions. The decisions might pertain to heart, and heart as they say is not bound by logic, and that the heart has it own rules and follows its own logic. Given this situation I badly wanted a way out, and going and contacting people is very subjective and biased by ones experiences, environmental influence so to say.Here where I thought of deciphering the code of heart, well did I achieve it?? That's a question you need to answer yourself, here are my workings and approach.One was to utilise the QFD approach where one tabulates the Big Y's in a column and all the vital X's on the different columns, and make a scorecard and then compute the final tallies under the house of quality. I wished to go beyond a scientific approach as stated, and wished to get into a marketeers shoes, and think how he would place himself in a consumers mind. The approach was how does a Branding professional create a image and brand. I heavily relied on David.Aakers approach on creating a brand has a section dedicated to how do you market a brand as a person (The brand identity system). I did my own bit of reverse engineering on this topic to arrive at my vital X's.


Heres a few steps to my approach, probably one might corealate at a much required time of life.

Firstly drill down to a set of questions on how a person's identity serves to provide direction, purpose and meaning for that person. Considered the following basis for questions...
What are my core values ?
What are the core values that am looking for which would compensate/compliment mine ?

What is that I stand for in life/family/career?
What is that the person am looking for stand for?
How do I want to be perceived by the other family and what I can offer them ?
How do my family perceive the other family and what do they look from the relation?
What personality traits are influential and how are they to be identified or projected ?
What are the important relationships in life and how to compensate the same over the current developments?


Based on this I arrived on the extended brand identity structure which has core and extended identity. The core identity as defined speaks of priority traits which are central, and a timeless essence of a person, which is most likely to remain or expected to remain unfaultered as the relation nurutures and blossoms. The extended identity includes identity elements, which are sublimal in a relationship and add on those variety and spice which is much requiered for a fun filled life, it would also speak of various smaller elements get gelled as organised cohesive and meanigful groupings, that provide texture and completeness.
I wish to incorporate of few of Management fundas I've learned lets see how well I can be successful on the same.