I am ARMed

Development on the ARM is chugging ahead..Looks like I am gonna be ARM-Literate in months to come..
Pretty much excited.
This blog is going to tranform from a personal one to a techie blog...
And yes..I am heading to Murud-Janjira for my 31..
Happy new year to you..

Belling The CAT!

It is over! Finally I can see the horizon in front of me without the restraint of time.Although it wasn't that bad after all and I managed to clear the sectionals in Quant and DI,but couldn't reach the mark in English.
Well my idea is that this isn't the end of road,and it is the journey actually that was filled with a lot of learning.Met new pals,learnt a lot about managing time and this journey has left me resilient for the future.It really doesn't matter if I couldn't make it,I have had enough of learning from this attempt.

JMET is the next exam!

For the CAT Aspirant!

Dedh so minute.
Dedh so minute hain tumhare paas.
Shayad tumhari zindagi ke sabse khaas Dedh so minute.
Aaj tum accha solve karo ya bura,
Yeh Dedh so minute tumhe zindagi bhar yaad rahenge.
Toh kaise solve karna hai, aaj main tumhe nahi bataunga.
Bas itna kahunga ki jaao,
Aur yeh Dedh so minute jee bhar kar ke solve karo
Kyunki iske baad aane wali zindagi mein
Chahe kucch sahi ho, ya na ho,
Chahe kucch rahe, ya na rahe,
Tum haaro ya jeeto,
Lekin yeh Dedh so minute tumse koi nahi cheen sakta, Koi Nahin
To, maine socha ki iss test mein kaisa solve karna hai,
Main tumhe nahin bataunga, balki tum mujhe bataoge. Test dekar.
Kyunki main jaanta hun ki agar yeh Dedh so minute,tum
Apni zindagi ki sabse badhiya CAT solve kar gaya
To yeh Dedh so minute khuda bhi tumse wapas nahi maang sakta.
Toh Jaao . Jaao aur aur apne aap se, iss zindagi se, apne khuda se, aur har uss insaan se, Jisne tumhe – tumpar – bharosa nahi kiya, apne Dedh so minute chheen lo.

A year later....

The most daring journey of my life started this day....My life as well as my job at TCS.
As of now both have been pretty well....

And one more thing happened last year on this very day..My cellphone came to life this same day..
As of today my cell is old by 9000+ meessages and a shade above 83 minutes in airtime.


Had a normal day tday..just like any other day at office...a lot of calls and messages and people asking for the most hilarious treats....


The best learning today..

My mom wished me "Happy Birthday" and I said "thank you".She said you should have wished me too.
I realize today what I mean to her....

Hats of to You! Madame

I think this has been the moment that has definitely moved me,bearing the fact that it was a sight that has been particularly unique and has changed my perception towards women in general.
There isnt a ray of doubt that I respect them as individuals and not as members of the opposite sex,but this one leaves an impressions of what women really are.

I happened to see a lady bus conductor.I am not sure whether it was a shock of life or just plain awe towards her,but the feeling was something different and I was constantly looking at her,
as was the entire set of people sitting in the bus.

I visited the exam center to attend my exam,and was more than happy to experience the
learning altogether.

A learning that be it any job, if "he" can,"she" definitely can.

The Most Irritating Microsoft Components!

The award goes to Microsoft Data Access Components!
One more reason to install Linux.

A way to spend a lazy Sunday Afternoon

Two things that I definitely do on the Internet are
Blog Surfing

Can you see the "Next blog" link on this page.Keep clicking....

Flickering

I do this everyday,and I watch the most impressive pictures of the last 7 days on flickr.

Sundays are no longer boring....

The Ghostly Images

I am feeling very very lucky,coz my sister owns a cool Nikon Coolpix S5.Although it is a definite point and shoot,but for inquisitive ppl like me who will learn all the neat stuff that the cam does, all that my sister finds it hard to comprehend,it is kinda a lot of, genuine fun.
If you dont belive me check out my album at flickr.com/excerptsfromlife and you will find two ghostly images of my mom and my neice,and this has come as a surprise to me that I could actually do this.
If you are reading this and you happen to stay any where close to the Queens Necklace in Mumbai,please call me..I will give you all the rights to any photo that I click there.

The cam has got what not.The list is endless. A macro function that is terribly good and timelapse..waah...you have to do nothing the cam just goes on with its work.
I am saving a huge sum of money to buy a digital SLR which will gimme a lot more freedom.I wish the OpenMoko had a neat cam in it.I would have definitely brought the phone right away..
If no one would be looking,then I might pick up the screwdriver and then open up the Nikon coolpix,but then the stakes are a kick on the most undesired place and a lifetime celibacy from things that are cool as the Nikon.As for now I am very happy.

And I am genuinely happy that some one else too is interested in photography and this makes me happier than ever...We share atleast something in common.

A Good Time To Invest.

If you are not a party animal and don't spend a handsome amount of money like my friend Bhavik,then here is a time to grow it.The Markets here in India are going through a low phase that has its roots in the Subprime Lending back in the US.
For a quick low-down on this, refer toWikipedia,and you will find that it has also started back here in India.Dont you remember those errant random calls from banks which are as varied a loan to buy a puppy!
The point is that if you are sitting on a large pile of cash as I do,then it would be wise to atleast start investing some in the Stock Market.Buy small and buy when the market is bearish.Buy for the long term...
I had an itch to write this blog coz of two reasons.Firstly I havent written one in past couple of weeks and secondly I have brought some stocks ..again...Still waiting for the market to fall,so that will buy more and enhance my Rupee Cost Averaging.
It is not sure when the market will again climb the celebrated levels it was 3 weeks ago,when the folks at TV18 went nuts,but I am planning to hold for atleast a year or so.

Although I do not understand the market well as yet, but backed by some good people's advice whom I belive, this is a bet I would hardly repent for.

In Middle of a Social Experiment

I dont know where it is heading...
I started a social experiment a few months ago.October 2006 to be precise.
It involved understanding of Grapevines
The reason I did this is that I am throughly fascinated by "Grapevines".The way they can circulate important information withing a group of people with very native tools like speech(although today speech is augmented by wireless phone networks but that is another story )
The point is that I was trying to assess how fast a piece of information flows from person to person.There was no genre of messages that I employed,but it normally included information pertaining to money for most of the time.And sometimes about certain tech stuff that I did.
(A note of advice if you are reading this that it is entirely possible that you have been a part of it.)

The results are so confusing and voluminous that now I am employing techniques that are normally employed in statistics.

More about this in later posts...The point is that this blog is not about how I did the project,It is about me just informing you that,If this experiment turns up to be good and I tend to earn money from this,you will definitely be a shareholder in that..And the share not only is in money but in all recognition that I have from this..And if I have hurt your sensibilities then I am extremely sorry.

A Friend's Meet

Long lost friends met today....
The list includes nine pals.. Me,Poonam,Kennedy,Nirali,Jugal,Viral(Sans Guru),Tanna and Tanmay and last but not the least,Jinesh...(congrats on that first ranker dude).Also was Tushar but dint join us for the dinner... All the best for your studies ahead.
Had a lot of fun,so much laugh over things that make us laugh everytime we remember them..(Well we havent had bad times that we cry remembering them)
Changes that I found after long time...
Poonam seems to have lost weight but she denied it...
Jugal has had his hair long and we donated him money to visit the barber....
Kennedy has become someone who now thinks before he leaps..but yes sometimes he does leap without a thought...
Nirali is gonna leave this Tuesday..so was an occasion to bade her farewell...
Viral and Tanmay sporting the Infinitech T-Shirt...Looked cool..way to go guys...
Tanna still maintains his magic at pakaving people...and so do I
I had never been to this place in Mumbai called Hiranandani...Nice place I must say...Gives you the feel of a small hamlet somewhere in France. (Nice place if you wanna spend time roaming aimlessly with your timepass...)
As ever Viral was the Bakra today,and Jugal has been registered as a new one today..
Gaming at Hakone was fun,and I enjoyed all of us sitting and racing cars next to each other, too good...But above all this meet has filled energies that are gonna last for the next coming weeks when talking on the phone is our only way to connect...Lets plan something early guys..How about every weekend?
Let me know guys..dying to meet you again
And Bhakti,I dont wanna listen to your rut next time,you are gonna join us next time when we summon you...Dont do a GTS next time...

My Graveyard Shift

It is fun to work here at night.
Firstly you are only this one person on the entire floor,you can play the music u like, and no one to ask what u doin.Best of all the canteen here is working and you can ask for either Maggi or a sandwich.Too Good.....
I kinda like this and hope to continue ,but I fear my body might give way.
Secondly when I return home in the morning,the sleep is so deep that it is next to being unconsicous,and I just love sleeping that kinda way.
The most important is that i find time to study for my CAT.
Lets keep fingers crossed that it works out fine.

This saturday was fulfilling

Firstly got to meet Sree.After a long time.And what he brought with him was ever more exciting...
He brought the Simputer...which happens to be a mobile Linux platform with a lot of things that can be done on it,and also had a look at Ubuntu and seriously wondering why ppl are not moving to such an operating system..I mean it totally rocks!!
Since the simputer runs Linux,I was in awe at what he brought.Also it was a new Sree that I met,and was fairly unrecognizable at first glance!(Well I was not the only one by the way)
And actually a meet with Sree made me realise how less i knew about myself and how good he is at seeing beyond the obvious..

Hopped to Lamington, had the chance to meet Bhakti..But she was sleeping when I was leavin.
The fun part was that she called up a little later when I was back home and the devil in me could not wait to trick her.Well she had a good time loitering around the place as she followed directions around which I told her,and she fell for it,believing that I was back there.
The fun part was her banging the phone down when she realised.hehehe
Last but not the least,I could catch up with my CAT studies which happen to be lagging far behind and giving me a conscious feeling that something's wrong..

I would be able to sleep peacefully this saturday.

Those College Days

राह देखी थी इस दिन कि कबसे
आगे के सपने सजा रखे थे नजाने कबसे।

उतावले थे यहाँ से जाने को
जिन्दगी का अगला पड़ाव पाने कों।

पर ना जाने क्यों... दिल में आज कुछ और आता है
वक़्त कों रोकने का जीं चाहता है।

जिन बातों को लेकर रोते थे

आज उन्ही बातों पे हसी आती है

नजाने क्यों आज उन पलों की याद बहुत आती है।

कहा करता था... बड़ी मुश्किल से चार साल सह गया
पर आज क्यों लगता है के पीछे कुछ रह गया।

कही अनकही हज़ारों बातें रह गयी

ना भूलने वाली हज़ारों बातें रह गयी।

मेरी टांग अब कौन खींचा करेगा

मेरा सिर खाने कौन मेरा पीछा करेगा।

जहाँ २ हज़ार का हिसाब नही वहाँ २ रुपैय के लिए कौन लादेगा

कौन रात भर साथ जागकर पढेगा।

कौन मेरी गाड़ी मुझसे पूछे बिना ले जायेगा

कौन मेरे नए नए नाम बनेयेगा।

मैं अब बिना मतलब किस्से लादून्गा

बिना टोपिक के किस्से फालतू बातें करुंगा।

कौन फेल होने पर दिलासा दिलाएगा

कौन ज्यादा नंबर आने पर गलियाँ सुनायेगा।

ऐसे दोस्त कहाँ मिलेंगे

जो खाई में भी धक्का दे दें

फिर तुम्हे बचने खुद भी कूद पडें।

मेरे गानों से परेशान कौन होगा

कभी मुझे किस्सी लडकी से बातें करते देख परेशान कौन होगा।

कौन कहेगा साले तेरे जोके पे हसी नही आई

पीछे से बुलाकर कौन कहेगा... आगे देख भाई।

सिनेमा मैं किसके साथ देखूँगा

किसके साथ बोरिंग लेक्त्र्स झेलून्गा।

मेरे फर्जी सर्तिफिकातेस कों रद्दी कौन कहेगा

सही राइ देने की हिम्मत कौन करेगा।

स्टेज पर किसके साथ जाऊंगा

जूनियर्स कों फ़ालतू लेक्त्र्स कैसे सुनाऊंगा।

अचानक किसी कों देखकर पागलों की तरह हँसना

नजाने यह सब फिर कब होगा कह दो दोस्तो यह सब होगा।

दोस्तो के लिए प्रोफेस्सोर से लड़ पाएंगे क्या

हम यह फिर कर पाएंगे क्या?

राते के २ बजे पोहे खाने कौन जायेगा

तेज़ गाड़ी चलाने की शर्त कौन लगायेगा?

कौन मुझे मेरी क़ाबलियत पर भरोसा दिलाय्गा

और ज़्यादा हवा में उड़ने पर ज़मीन पर कौन लायेगा।

मेरी ख़ुशी मैं ज़्यादा खुश कौन होगा

मेरे गम में मुझसे ज़्यादा दुःखी कौन होगा।

मेरी यह कविता कौन पडेगा

कौन इसे सच में समझेगा.
बहुत कुछ लिखना बाक़ी है

कुछ साथ शायद बाक़ी है।

बस एक बात से दर लगता है दोस्तो

कही अजनबी ना बन जाये दोस्तो।

जिन्दगी के रंगों में दोस्ती का रंग फीका ना पद जाये दोस्तो

ऐसा ना हो के दुसरे रिश्तों के भीड़ में दोस्ती दम ना तोड़ जाये ।

जिन्दगी में मिलने की फरियाद करते रहना

अगर ना मिल पाये तो याद करते रहना।

चाहे जितना हस्लो आज मुझ पर,में बुरा नही मानूंगा

तुम्हारी इस हसी कों दिल मे छुपा लूँगा।

और जब याद तुम्हारी आएगी तब इसी कों याद करके हस लूँगा।

Companions in the Train

'The World Is Flat' - Thomas Friedman
A book that I think has been the one that I like the most from my entire reading history.
Partly of the fact that it has a factual punch to it,and the author's style appeals to me.
I kinda like books that illustrate facts with numbers and this book is just about that.
The idea of the author revolves around political and technological changes in the 1990's that have sculpted the world that we know today.A must read for a beginner in current affairs,as this one cuts through all jargon.
on a scale of 1-5 I would rate it 4.

'Word Power Made Easy'-Norman Lewis
Why the hell didn't I refer to this book before makes me wonder, although me being an impulsive book buyer,could not spot this gem before my eyes.
In the sense that this book as anybody would say would improve vocabulary in English very easily,and I would recommend it to any and all.
On the same scale this one scores a 4.5

Longing For Weekends-I want to go back to college

Hey, I have to admit it
Back in college it was fun, and serious fun?(does that make sense,anyways you get the point right). I used to long for a Monday,after the friday when returning to college made me feel good.
But here in my job I am longing for a weekend and I pull myself out of bed to go to work every weekday.

I do like the work,nothing is the matter with it,but its this strange feeling when a Monday arrives.

Anyways if you are reading it and still in college,its an advice from my side,enjoy your life in college coz these days are never gonna come back.

I want to go back to college.

My friend Manjul Rightly Says-Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7 of your life!

Hey People!!

I start posting today and will start with the quote that to this day is inherent in anything i do..

"It is not always that the best man wins,
But soooner or
later he who wins
is he who thinks he can"


I remember the day,back in a job interview, when the interviewer asked me
"Then what about women?".I have no answer till date.