Upgraded kit!!

Thanks to BBMP election announcement, all of a sudden the civic authorities are showering us with loads of development activities! Few weeks back, while we were waiting for our MLA to inaugurate the road laying work. The local "chota" leaders thought of adding a traditional touch to the inauguration and brought these 2 guys with "instruments".



I was surprised that the "nadaswara" gave way to modern instruments!!(I am not sure about the name of the instrument he is using)

Re-view

Whatever you call it, a review or a re-view of the past year. here is it

• An year that tested my patience levels to the maximum
• An year where I had seen what stress can do to an individual
• An year where I kept my hobbies in tact despite of the "situations" I am put in
• An year that started off well, went to WORST, ended on positive note
• An year that would have otherwise changed my whole life, with the kind of decisions I had taken this year!!!
• At personal life level, I wish it won't get worse than this!!!

Ok , off the serious tone..

• People pointed out at my protruding belly... need to work on that. (Instant Solution- Buy XL size and cover it up, exercising is tough..duh)
• Job is boring, wish god changes my manager overnight!!
• My office bus had boring people!!
• God save this world from dumbos, I had seen enough of them this year.

Now, the resolutions for new year:

• Exercise (without pain)
• Exercise more.... & more.. & more
• Explore North East at least this year, 2 years of failed promises looks ugly
• The NGO work that has taken backseat last year has to be pursued actively
• Birds are beautiful, study more, see more(no hidden meanings), learn and spread the joy
• Blog more...
• Re-look at your salary, it s**** a big time, do something about it!!
• Look for prospective donors for a DSLR camera !!! (bhutan lottery, Sikkim lottery etc)
• Read more (the lirbary membership fee is going waste)
• Buy a bicycle (long time pending), cycle to office
• Stop proscrastination (unlike what you did to this post)

that's it folks...

Hope this new year brings more happiness and joy in your lives and be a memorable one....

The day Pharaoh visited..

Yesterday I had a surprise in office! After a lazy lunch, as I went to our break out room, a colleague of mine showed a picture she clicked on her mobile of what she thought is an "eagle" perching near the window of the women's loo. Seeing at the visual I jumped... it's the Pharaoh himself!! I exclaimed, goodness it's the "Egyptian Vulture"!!!
(more info on wiki- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_Vulture)

My office is very close to ITPL (precisely 1 km away from ITPL, on the main road ) and knock knock, we have an Egyptian vulture resting near the window pane today. (place similar to where blue rock pigeons nest in apartments). This is so exciting, since people travel all the way to Ramangaram off Mysore road to get a glimpe of a nesting pair there and we found one in our building.

I struggled hard to held back my temptation of breaking into a women's loo. But had to settle with a view from far when few kind women colleagues opened the door for a long glimpse. (to stop your imagination going elsewhere, the window where it perched is dead opposite to the loo's door). So near yet so far for "men".That fella must be male..grr

Upon my request the ladies brought us this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSsdOPtXCEE

Smart fella he knows that we can't touch him because of the window glass and let people come very very close !! So, my earlier suspicion of sighting one at my office is true. So you all know where I will be peeping everyday after lunch time.. just kidding!

Priceless....

Distance traveled... 30+ kms
Movie tickets... 400 Rs
Popcorn & Snacks... 100 Rs
Happiness on wife's face... "priceless" :)
*Note:-Never knew that there are hidden costs behind the word "priceless"

Being simple...

I want to share a story, a real life story about someone I met last year. Yup, a post pending from one year! Today, I am in the right mood to share it with you all since they never fail to inspire me. Ok, now into the details:

The year was mid 90's when software just started to take off a big way all over the world.
A mechanical engineer from IIT and postgraduate from US university was working in US as a software engineer along with his wife who is a product of IISc (bangalore).

Guess what would the couple be doing NOW??
Well a fair guess would be the person would have become a CTO or a Divison head "enjoying" life in the US with a big house, a big car and most probably a green card!

Well if that was the case I would not be telling you this story!

So here is what they are doing:
They live in a thatched roof hut in a small tribal hamlet off a small village in INDIA practicing agriculture, encouraging afforestation, working on water conservation and learning about traditional ayurvedic medicines and all this by CHOICE!

Mr Nagesh and Aparna are the couple I am referring. I am fortunate to meet them in person and "experience" their hospitality and life style over a weekend. This is the first time in my life I came across such an idealistic people! The couple came back to India in late 90's and started living in a hamlet with the tribals and took up agriculture, experimented and worked with another visionary of the village.

Later they formed a forest protection committee along with villagers and started afforestation. They had dedicated some acres of land to plant commercial trees, the yield of which can be taken back by the committee and benefit the villagers. They went through lot of tough times. I personally saw the place and witnessed the land and the trees. Besides these I practically saw how check dams and rock filled dams can prevent soil erosion.

The live in a simple house, with basic amenities. Their daughter Turiya goes to nearby village school along with the children of the hamlet, far from the cartoons, sops, theme parks etc, yet brilliant and speaks impressive English since her mother tutors her along with the kids in the hamlet. I learnt how simple life can one live, how humble a person can be, how committed an individual can be, how idealistic one can be!

That made me think, what do I want out of life?What stops us from being dedicated for a cause? I know each of us had our own commitments, promises and things that keep us sticking to our current life. But sometimes I feel there are more things one can do in life than we can think of! Being simple is no easy job, I would say, being idealistic is even tougher!Kudos to the couple and may god bless them with more good things!

Back to Bangalore

So after well spent 2 weeks at home town, spending time with family and relaxing, I am back in bangalore. Weather is OK. Office looks new. It should be a week before my body get used to this weather and couple of days before getting used to work.

Thanks almighty for the learning, realizations and for taking care of me.
All I need is some positive energy and some work!

Best gift in Life!!!

If god suddenly appear in front of you and asked you to make a wish, what do you ask??
Think...
What is that one wish...?
What would you ask??
The only wish..?

OK on any other day I would ask:
"Appear whenever, wherever I wish and fulfill my wish there and then"
well kind of infinite loop. huh? :)
Well on serious note and after one week of sick sickness I have decided I would ask
HEALTH.

Yes, someone rightly said "Health is wealth". I realized this after a marathon one week of painful experiences and still going. This nasty viral fever brought me down with strange pains and acts and made me run to hospital every day with the swine flu scare round the corner.

Finally, I made an appearance to the swine flu testing center and had a consultation. The doctor much to my relief told me that this is normal viral fever and I don't need to panic and gave some tabs to relief and asked me to check back if needed.

I realized how important health is over this week. Strange pains, irritation, restlessness forgot to tell doc about some symptoms, what not!Imagine a restless guy made to confront to home with confusion for one week. Finally I am relieved to hear the news that this is normal virus. So yours truly is going to be at home for an extended holiday taking fluids, tablets. You can touch the monitor sicne I hardly had any swine flu syptoms, no runny nose, no cold, no cough, just this bloody nerves connecting neck and head itching, almost normal temperature and worst weather outside. Guess I never hated rains like I did today.

Ok some gyaan for people who want to get swine flu test done:
Only Rajiv gandhi Chest hospital, off Nimhans campus is eligible to do tests. Rest of the hospitals only treats you if you have symptoms.Now the procedure is like this:

1. Go to Rajiv gandhi chest hospital. If you are arriving from Christ college side, at NIMHANS signal, take left turn, hit dead end, just keep going straight till you reach the Chest hospital.
2. Go to room no-7, fill a form and register yourself (they give you a card and a form)
3. Carry the card and the form to the consultation ward 50 mts past this block.
4. Wait for your turn
5. Go in meet the doctor, answer his questions, explain your problems. Only if the doctor is satisified with your symptoms, he will recommend tablets or X-ray or whatever.
6. Your swab samples and X-ray would be taken only in the case of perfect symptoms or if doctor diagnosis it to be H1N1. Otherwise they recommend medicines.

Wish me happy recovery