Apology

For all who had to read thru my earlier post. Apologies. Did not realise so
many were going to get it. Blogger ignorant u see.

Sooriya

Thanks
Sooriya S
CSM-AstraZeneca
sooriya.s@in.ibm.com
+91 96000 36251

Sent from handheld, ecxuse typos.

Costly Mistake.???

Well, it all started of quite nicely with me being born in April of 76 and a cousin of mine just a few months ahead of me in Dec of 75. 4 years ahead of us was born another person in this world that will touch the lives of me and my cousin in varied ways. Is it his fault.? Is it mine.? Or is the world around us the perpetuators of this.? Well, the answer still eludes me. Let me know if you know.

For about 21 years of my life I led a pretty care free life. Good friends, cousins, parents, teachers etc. Everyone was good. Everything was fine. Then one day my friend, the one that was born 4 years ahead, who is introduced to me by my cousin and who always claimed that he was my cousins best friend, my cousin and myself decide to start a venture together. I am not able to pull in too much of captial, being of not-s0-rich financial background, however, everyone accepted and we started off. Things were not rosy the first few years, they never are in entreprunership, are they. Well, that being said, I could not manage very well with lack of income and hence decided to part ways. So we all end up drinking in a local hangout and I propose this to my cousin and friends (couple of others who joined). There was little hesitation from the others. They all looked like they understood.

Things move on. I find a job with Dell and I move to Bangalore. Things seem to be moving on fine, or so I assume, when suddenly one fine day I get to understand that my cousin is unhappy that I had left. And that surprises me. So I call him and all he has to say is that I have been talking unhealthy things about him and this 4 year old frien behind their back. Which surprises even more since I have no clue what is happening in chennai and my cousin states that I have been remarking on what is happening in Chennai. How will I know.? and why my cousin feels that I know.? Still beats me.

Well since he is upset and so is apparently this 4 year friend of mine, they decide to ask me to pay up 2.5-3 Lakhs for something that I had quit 2 years earlier. That surprises me further since I personally had repaid close to that amount for loans taken for the venture and for deficiencies I had faced since there was no salary taken. Well in this situation I had one request for my cousin and friend, there was a loan taken in my friends name from a financial institution (hereinafter FI) for which my mother in law had signed surety for. She had already got one notice from that FI for due's which were not paid up. It would be interesting to know that MIL underwent a bypass surgery and is a retried, no pension lady. I requested my cousin and friend to give me evidence of closure of that loan since my MIL was too tense and that for some reason put them in the offence. No clue why.??

Well a few months down the lane my MIL gets another notice, a visit by a collection agent and a visit by a guy who completes eviction process (jafti, for those new to this word). I talk to my cousin and he says he can not help and asks me to talk my friend. I call him and he literally threatens me. Yes, you read it right. Threaten. He tells me that this is all nothing new to him and he knows how to get out of this without paying and that my MIL will be pulled to the court and hence I need to pay up the whole due. He also adds that he is not talking to me for "my face", but for my MIL's face. (un moonjikkaga pesala da, un mamiyar moonjikkathan pesuren). Well, that is really cool, is it not.

Now I am running from pillar to post to get this sorted. Everyone I know tells me that I will end up paying the debt since it is my mistake (MIL's) of signing the surety. But with all the interest that has accumulated so far, it comes close to 4.5 Lakhs.

Now tell me. Is this not a costly lesson in friendship.? Is this not a costly lesson for being nice.? Is this not a costly lesson for trusting that friends wont screw you up.? Is this not a costly lesson for believing that your cousin will think for a minute before deciding how you came to know about things others claim that you know.? Is it not a costly lesson to understand that people close to you are actually scheming day and night to screw you up.?

Needed some place to share my frustration and what better way to write it out. Now I feel a little better.

Desire or Deserve?

Reality is rather too far off from fact. We all know that. An individual who gets paid more than about 15 lacs per annum on top of that salary also gets fuel allowance of about 2-3k per month, while someone who draws about 15-16k per month either has to take office transport, which for most is just too inconvenient or public transport, need I comment on this or use personal transport and pay 2-3k out of the 15-16k he pockets a month. This is reality.

Who requires that allowance, just to match the topic let us call it “desire”, so who desires this most. And who deserves the allowance more?

Without any doubt senior management deserves this most. No questions about it. They deserve this most for their experience, qualification and the value they add to the business. Then why this topic?

My thought is, it is true that they deserve, but does that 2-3k per month make a huge difference. Will they even notice if that amount is less in their pay check. Mostly not. Even if they do, will they be too bothered, definitely not.

On the other hand, will it make a difference for our low paid friend. Yes, most definitely, it will probably sail him through the whole month for fuel expense, instead of having to bite into his/her basic pay.

What with the fuel prices increased so much, I am sure this gesture would be much appreciated by any and all.

But then, HR Policies are not made of “desire” but on “deserve”.

Beer, Biriyani, Benz!!!

Well Sunday 7 Sep was a day to remember and cherish for a long time to come. And this morning colleagues wanting me to repeat the experience to other colleagues made it even more special.
We had a small family reunion of sorts in my aunts place and it turned out to be better than the usual. Yes, we had all the beer, biriyani stuff. But what made it extra special was the Benz. Yes, one of my uncles got himself a new Merc, c220 CDI. And I was driving it yesterday. Man, was it good!!!!!
The car feels and handles like a dream. The moment you turn the ignition on, you know you are in for a special experience. All those who remember their first Merc would know what I am talking about. That less than half turn of the key and the engine coming to life is simply special. I actually turned off the engine once to feel it again. From then on once you slide the gear stick to drive, it was an auto transmission, it was like riding.. sorry gliding. The car just glides on our roads. Can I do full justice to explain the feeling? I don't think so. Suffice to say this was the best so far. People look at in awe when you are at the wheel, some in awe and some in plain jealousy. You can't make it out, but feels good to think that way. I came in this morning and narrated the experience to one of my colleagues and he on his part when another one came in promptly informed him that I had driven a Merc and did I tell him about that? Now, does that make it extra special. It does.
So long... let me get back to work putting these thoughts of the Merc away, sure it is going to haunt me for a long time to come.

200 things to do before you die

How many can we achieve? lets see. All BOLD complete by me

01. Bought everyone in the pub a drink

02. Swam with wild dolphins

03. Climbed a mountain – "Small but a mountain is a mountain is a mountain"

04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive

05. Been inside the Great Pyramid

06. Held a tarantula.

07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone

08. Said "I love you" and meant it

09. Hugged a tree

10. Done a striptease

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Stayed up all night long, and watch the sun rise

15. Seen the Northern Lights

16. Gone to a huge sports game

17. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa

18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables

19. Touched an iceberg

20. Slept under the stars

21. Changed a baby's diaper

22. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon

23. Watched a meteor shower

24. Gotten drunk on champagne

25. Given more than you can afford to charity

26. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope

27. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment – When sr. employees goofed up in front of the client

28. Had a food fight

29. Bet on a winning horse

30. Taken a sick day when you're not ill

31. Asked out a stranger

32. Had a snowball fight

33. Photocopied your bottom on the office photocopier

34. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can

35. Held a lamb

36. Enacted a favorite fantasy

37. Taken a midnight skinny dip

38. Taken an ice cold bath

39. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar

40. Seen a total eclipse

41. Ridden a roller coaster

42. Hit a home run – No baseball in India, but scored 3 consecutive 2 runs in the last 3 balls of the match to win the match, last down.

43. Fit three weeks miraculously into three days

44. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking

45. Adopted an accent for an entire day

46. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

47. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment

48. Had two hard drives for your computer

49. Visited all 50 states

50. Loved your job for all accounts

51. Taken care of someone who was shit faced

52. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

53. Had amazing friends

54. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country

55. Watched wild whales

56. Stolen a sign

57. Backpacked in Europe

58. Taken a road-trip

59. Rock climbing

60. Lied to foreign government's official in that country to avoid notice

61. Midnight walk on the beach

62. Sky diving

63. Visited Ireland

64. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love

65. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them

66. Visited Japan

67. Benchpressed your own weight

68. Milked a cow

69. Alphabetized your records

70. Pretended to be a superhero

71. Sung karaoke

72. Lounged around in bed all day

73. Posed nude in front of strangers

74. Scuba diving

75. Got it on to "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye

76. Kissed in the rain

77. Played in the mud

78. Played in the rain

79. Gone to a drive-in theater

80. Done something you should regret, but don't regret it

81. Visited the Great Wall of China

82. Discovered that someone who's not supposed to have known about your blog has discovered your blog

83. Dropped Windows in favor of something better

84. Started a business

85. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken

86. Toured ancient sites

87. Taken a martial arts class - Tai-Chi, though Aditya and my wife will not accept

88. Swordfought for the honor of a woman

89. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight

90. Gotten married

91. Been in a movie – Been on MTV though. Won a bike race when in college to be on that

92. Crashed a party

93. Loved someone you shouldn't have

94. Kissed someone so passionately it made them dizzy

95. Gotten divorced

96. Had sex at the office

97. Gone without food for 5 days

98. Made cookies from scratch – Not cookie, biryani, right from hand grounding the masala as power was down

99. Won first prize in a costume contest

100. Ridden a gondola in Venice

101. Gotten a tattoo

102. Found that the texture of some materials can turn you on

103. Rafted the Snake River

104. Been on television news programs as an "expert"

105. Got flowers for no reason

106. Masturbated in a public place

107. Got so drunk you don't remember anything – Noida.

108. Been addicted to some form of illegal drug

109. Performed on stage

110. Been to Las Vegas

111. Recorded music

112. Eaten shark

113. Had a one-night stand

114. Gone to Thailand

115. Seen Siouxsie live

116. Bought a house

117. Been in a combat zone

118. Buried one/both of your parents

119. Shaved or waxed your pubic hair off

120. Been on a cruise ship

121. Spoken more than one language fluently – Tamil, Hindi. English of course.

122. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone

123. Bounced a check

124. Performed in Rocky Horror

125. Read - and understood - your credit report

126. Raised children

127. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy

128. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour

129. Created and named your own constellation of stars

130. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country

131. Found out something significant that your ancestors did

132. Called or written your Congress person

133. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over

134. ....more than once? - More than thrice?

135. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge

136. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking - Rape me by Nirvana

137. Had an abortion or your female partner did

138. Had plastic surgery

139. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived

140. Wrote articles for a large publication

141. Lost over 100 pounds

142. Held someone while they were having a seizure

143. Piloted an airplane

144. Petted a stingray

145. Broken someone's heart

146. Helped an animal give birth

147. Been fired or laid off from a job

148. Won money on a T.V. game show

149. Broken a bone

150. Killed a human being

151. Gone on an African photo safari

152. Ridden a motorcycle

153. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100mph

154. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced

155. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol

156. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild

157. Ridden a horse

158. Had major surgery

159. Had sex on a moving train

160. Had a snake as a pet

161. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon

162. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing

163. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours

164. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states

165. Visited all 7 continents

166. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days

167. Eaten kangaroo meat

168. Fallen in love at an ancient Mayan burial ground

169. Been a sperm or egg donor

170. Eaten sushi – and loved it too.

171. Had your picture in the newspaper - Jul 1, 2008. Deccan Chronicle

172. Had 2 (or more) healthy romantic relationships for over a year in your lifetime

173. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about

174. Gotten someone fired for their actions

175. Gone back to school

176. Parasailed

177. Changed your name

178. Petted a cockroach

179. Eaten fried green tomatoes

180. Read The Iliad

181. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read

182. Dined in a restaurant and stolen silverware, plates, cups because your apartment needed them

183. …and gotten 86’ed from the restaurant because you did it so many times, they figured out it was you

184. Taught yourself an art from scratch

185. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

186. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt

187. Skipped all your school reunions

188. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language

189. Been elected to public office

190. Written your own computer language

191. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream

192. Had to put someone you love into hospice care

193. Built your own PC from parts

194. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you

195. Had a booth at a street fair

196: Dyed your hair - Burgundy

197: Been a DJ

198: Found out someone was going to dump you via LiveJournal

199: Written your own role playing game

200: Been arrested

IT Service Management Foundation (ITIL V2)

Competed my ITIL Foundation on V2 today. Scored 72%. That's ok, considering that I have been preparing for less than 3 days including a day of training. Next is what?

Featured in a National

Featuring in a daily is something exciting. I was featured in the Deccan Chronicle - Chennai print edition on July 1 2008