Too many things to worry about !

We are happy sometimes to get what we want but there are some sitautions where you may be happy one side but a bit confused and nervous the other side so that the happier moments doesnt go so fast..I am in one such moments...I shoud say "Everything is for Good!"... Leaving that aside..I spoke to my parents after four long days...They are now on a pilgrimage tour to Kasi,Haridwar and Hrishikesh. My parents are very happy and they are content with the trip.
I could see the happiness through their words.
I jus picked a Southern fried Chicked and some fries in FISN N CHICK'N while coming home. Yep..I decided to have this as my dinner once in a week. Felling very lazy to cook and also running out of time and varietyies. I gonna hit the bed now..I know its very early but I want my mind to get refreshed so as to think and plan meticulously for the et of actions that I am going to take.
-Arvind

Dinner Menu

Today I was a bit tired and hungry after playing Tennis. My dinner menu was :
1/2 Galia Melon
3 lices of Wholw wheat bread
1 cup Apple Juice...

Do you think I started dieting..Nope..never...never in my life I can be on diet..I love to taste different types of foods..I dont mind even if it is not very tasty but I should be able to eat it.. I like trying out different types of food ..I tasted the buffets of almost all 5 * hotels in chennai with my family..my mom is very diet conscious rather she'll not feel OK if she eats some vegetables and she's reluctant to taste soem new dishes..her favourites are the traditional Iyar aathu samayal...

I feeling very lazy and am not interested to spend much time in cooking as of now..because I have a lot of useful stuff do...so I am planniong to cook my luch in the morning and take dabba to office and manage with the items cooked in the morning for dinner too...lemme see how long this works...

cambridge_tamils

I created a new group in Yahoo groups for the people from TamilNadu,India who are working in cambridge,UK and near by areas. This group os formed to make new friends,celebrate our tamil festivals here in Cambridge and mainly networking ( fwding CVs ;) )..right now I have invited five tamil ppl. here and I know only those 5 (actually 3 and 2 thru my friend)here in cambridge. People who "accidentally" come across my blog and happen to be in cambridge and coincidentally happen to be a tamilian you are most welcome to join the group.
I hope thsi would be really useful if we have atleast 10-15 ppl so that we can start with something. Also I have to think well and come up with some innovative ideas to keep the group active as it is not groups of known people.
Let me see how ceative I am in keeping teh group alive atleast for a month...to my bad luck there are no festivals this month..so taht atleast I culd send 'Happy ********' here * just means wild character and not any censored word.

I cooked Bitter gourd ( pavakkai) curry..I will not say it came out very well..it was tasty and I was able to eat it.I was feeling bored to cook rice so managed to heat the frozen parata and ate with pavvakai for dinner...what a weird combination...
"oru naal un vazhkkaila abroadla bachelora irundhu paar appo theiryum athoda kashtam ellam"

-Arvind

Bank Holiday

I am not very sure about this concept in the U.K. A bank holiday is considered as a local holiday with none of teh offices open and the buses running on a Sunday timetable. Today is one such day and I am still trying to make use of this free time effectively. After roaming around Cambridge for teh last 2 days, I opted to stay at home today and spend some time reading. I told my sister about blogging and showed her some sample blogs of prabhukrish.
Made chinna vengayam vetha kozhambhu and venkaikkai curry for lunch. Hap a good sleep again in the evening. Happened to read this in a blog and found it good...I would be forwrding this to al my friends soon.

A butcher watching over his shop is really surprised when he sees a dog coming inside the shop. He shoos him away. But later, the dog is back again. So, he goes over to he dog and notices it has a note in its mouth. He takes the note and it reads "Can I have 12 sausages and a leg of lamb, please? The dog has money in its mouth, as well."The butcher looks inside and, lo and behold, there is a ten dollar note there. So he takes the money and puts the sausages and lamb in a bag, placing it in the dog's mouth. The butcher is so impressed, and since it's about closing time, he decides to shut the shop and follow the dog.So off he goes. The dog is walking down the street, when it comes to a level crossing; the dog puts down the bag, jumps up and presses the button. Then it waits patiently, bag in mouth, for the lights to turn. They do, and it walks across the road, with the butcher following him all the way.The dog then comes to a bus stop, and starts looking at the timetable. The butcher is in awe as the dog stops a bus by pulling its left leg up and gets in it. The butcher follows the dog into the bus. The dog then shows a ticket which is tied to its belt to the bus conductor. The butcher is nearly fainting at this sight, so are the other passengers in the bus. The dog then sits near the driver's seat looking outside. As soon as the stop is in sight, the dog stands and wags its tail to inform the conductor. Then, without waiting for the bus to stop completely, it jumps out of the bus and runs to a house very close to the stop. It opens the big Iron Gate and rushes inside towards the door. As it approaches the wooden door, the dog suddenly changes its mind and heads towards the garden. It goes to the window, and beats its head against it several times, walks back, jumps off, rings the door bell and waits at the door. The butcher watches as a big guy opens the door, and starts abusing the dog, kicking him and punching him, and swearing at him. The butcher surprised with this, runs up, and stops the guy."What in heaven's name are you doing? The dog is a genius. He could be on TV, for the life of me! "To which the guy responds: "You call this clever? This is the second time this week that this stupid dog's forgotten his key."Moral of the story.....You may continue to exceed on lookers expectations but shall always fall short of the boss's expectations. It's a dog's life after all!

-Arvind

Vinayaka Chathurthi!!

For the past 2 yrs though I was in B'lore I travel down to chennai to have a feel of the festivals..Now I dont have that option.I was happy when my friend here in Cambridge called home for Lunch. Though I was not keen on food atleast I could meet people and have a chat. I liked the phrase "Interested in friends/business/networking" in orkut. It exactly says why I am in orkut.
Had good lunch at theor home and saw soem movies in Sun TV - Englishkaaran and pokkiriraja.
Actually Rajini's ( not my friend but the superstar) acting in old movies are good and I really adore his style. Not doubt that he is the super star. But his recent roles and get-ups doesntsit him much. I have another day holiday here - a long weekend.
My parents are going to Kasi ( a pilgrimage trip) tomorrow and I am thinking of being awake for teh next two hours so that I could wish them a happy journey in the early morning IST.

Motivation!

I would like to read a lot of motivation books..not that I lack motivation, but atleast while reading those books and after its completion I would use my time effectively. I am a very slow reader and I have to soem way to improve my reading habits. But given some technical books..I am jus exactly opposite. I listened to the Pod cast in kiruba's blog about G.B Prabhat.
Visit www.kiruba.com for more details.
So I started reading the book Eimona ( a pdf version which is free to download).

londON

I was very happy to meet my old good/best friend in London last week. I was really waiting for that moment for teh past 2 months and when it came nearer I was thrilled. I left early from office to take a train from Cambridge to London. The journey is about 40-45 mins. I was happy to see a lot of people moving around in the London Kings Cross Station. With the UNDERGROUND tube map in the hand and a bag in the shoulder I was searching for the connecting train to the London Bridge Station. We had planned to meet at the London Bridge Station. As I was a bit early (as usual) I had a Burger at the Burger king and waited fro the tube. The londON underground is very well planned and connects the whole city. I took teh Jubilee line and reached London bridge station and went out to see the LondON bridge until my friend called to say that he reached the station. I was there and was very happy to meet him after a long time.Time has showed its stamping.. We started talking about our work/life,etc,etc..I still remember that we both (esp me) used to be very talkative during our school days and the teachers would ask us NOT to sit next to each other..we used to talk hours together in front of his house..I am not sure if he still remmebers all these..We visited LondON bridge and went to teh hotel where he was staying. We generally started discussing about things and we talked till next day morning 3 AM..it was good and I would never be able to make such good friends ....
I would always love to be with some good friends whom I really cant miss...but no I am in a place where none of my friends are... I hope to meet them as n when possible..but TIME has to decide when and where... we are being governed by time..and it dictates us what to do...

Tennis !

Tennis is one game that I loved to play right from my childhood days..but ubfortunately didnt have an opportunity. Started with the caohing in the League club (thru Alcatel) I would be ready to grab the opportunity to play. After coming here to cambridge I became a member of teh Tennis Club which is very close to my home. Every wednesday here we meet new members of teh club and play. Yesterday I enjoyed one such occassion and felt a slight improvement in my game. I wish to concentrate more on improving my game. But, there is another important goal in my life...so should spend considerable amont of time in improving my game.
I have to balance my work,career growth and hobbies.

Get Set Start!

My friend today arrived from India. He has now come to U.K searching for job. I wentdown to the bus station to pick him up and drop him in the accomodation that I booked for him. I had asked him to get me some preparation material on GMAT. He has got it now and I jus went thro first few pages...now I am bloggin with a tin of FOSTER's Beer in my hand...and I remember
"TOMORROW Never DIES".. So I am all set to start preparing.

Googling :)

I was reading an "agony aunt" kind of blog the other day. I jus tried googling some of my friends' names in google to see what it retireves..this made me feel a bit sad..I tried my frieds' name who did their Masters in teh US..and google instantly throwed some technical papers by them, their project , thier posts to the technical groups,etc,etc..
I was not lucky enough to do a Masters in the US after my engineering. Even today I feel a bit bad about that. It was that kind of a siuation and nobody except for fate is to be blamed for that. I shouldnt repent because God had given an equal opportunity as my friends' who did their Masters..but one thing I would be missing is the M.S after my name .
But now that I have equal opprtunity, I shouldnt be blaming time or fate and should do my Masters which I was planning for a long time. not an MS but an MBA degree..

"Oh God Please give me the mental strength and
make me dedicated and diligent so as to fulfil my dream..
I trust you and have full faith in you to help me
study well and concentrate on my work to achieve my dream"

Aval kidaipaala??

enna vendru solvadhamma..
vanji aval perazhagai..
solla mudiyillayamma
konji varum perazhagai..

andhi manjal nirthavalai
en nenjil nirainthavalai....
naan ennendru solvaenoo..
adahi eppi solvaeno....

I am waiting to sing this song.... I am not sure if this is natural in all teh guys...I was expectign to have a very beautiful,intellgent girl friend when I joined my higher secondary school..college...office...my my expectations never met..may be sometime I realise there is someone of ur kind..but by the time I realise that the irl would have got engaged or married... this also happended in my life... I am very eager to sing the above lyrics.. to my one and only girl...

Aval kidaipaala??? avalai naan paarpena..?

Enakena yaerkanavae piranthaval yevaloo??

Idhyadhil kilikiluppai seibaval evalo...

Colchester - Zoo

Getting setlled in Cambridge now..was feeling a bit bad that I didnt have any good company to roam aroung U.K. My friend is jus now married and I didnt want to disurb the couple. So I was planning to go to Ely. I got a call from from my friend's wife and she said let's plan to go to Colchester zoo tomorrow (saturday 5-Aug-2006). I was happy and said OK..we checked the bus timings and train timings and at 9 o clock in the night we came to know that I wouldnt be able to catch the train the next morining becos the first bust from Cambourne (the place where I live) is at 7:55 AM and it would take approx. 4 mins to reach teh station.
So my friend offered a choice to come and stay in his home that night so that we can start early the next Morning.I reached my friend's place in a place called Cherry Hinton in cambridge at 1115 pm. So we planned to get up at 0530 in the morning and get ready to catch the train at 0815.

Next day:
My friend's wife jus stopped the alarm when it rang and slept asusual forgetting abt the plan. I happened to wake up at 6:30 and also woke them up. We got ready in few mins..and she packed idiyappam for break fast. We took a cab and were happy to reach the station and board teh train which was about to leave.We were lucky in seconds.
We had to change train in Ipswich and take another train to colchester.
We reached colchester station at aroung 0945 and took a taxi to the zoo. The zoo was very big We were given a map and the zones were created besed on the continents. We sa all kind og animals like orangutans,chimanzees, wolves, hunting dogs, sealion,penuins,warthos...etc etc..
I havent seen such a big zoo.
We spent almost 6 hrs and we were lucky to see the sealion feeding and a performance by them. It was just amazing. We had some fries,chips,butter croissants in the zoo.
We left the zoo at around 1630 , ook a cab to the tation and reached cambridge.
This was my first trip in the UK after come here almost a month before.
The zoo was really amazing and it's worth spending the money.

Processes

I went today to the HSBC bank in teh citi cente in Cambridge to open a bank account. I have opened only one Bank a/c in SBI in Chennai..but the procedure here was entirely different.After submitting my passport copy and address proof..the person (an Indian settled probably) entered those details and my salary details in the database..she let the system decide on what tpe of account the bank should give me and if I can be given a credit card or not.

I dont know if I was really lucky but the person said that the system has given me a very good account,current account with over draft and a credit card... am not sure if I have to be hapy abt this...
Now abt the chatting sessions..
Gtalk is good but some time there is a long pause/noise for more than 10 secs...I think it was better at home in India with a BSNL Data One connection...But now I feel India is technically developed..
Discussd a lt of things with my friend Murali - abt North/South India, Culture Change, the perception of India/Indian by "foreigners"..the company we worked for..all shits...

Tennis!

Ah! founa a tennis court vey near to where I live. So started playing tennis again after a long 2 years...so planning to improve my tennis skills ..also got to read a lot..
Last evening I went to the small lake..actuall an artificial pond jus opposite to my office..I was jus enjoying the ducks there..there were quite a few ..was then listening to music and came back home.... Even small thing does matter in this world..the nature is always beatiful..and one has to enjoy ....

UK Waley

On 8th of July 2006 I started from Chennai (MAA) to London Heathrow (LHR)..
June 8th-July 7th

Quit my previous company Moto on 7th of June..and flew to sweet singara chennai o 8th.
Ended up paying Rs.1400/- in spice Jet for the extra luggae.
had a great tine at home. Went to kodai and tirupathi with family.

July 8th.

I start from MAA to LHR by British Airways. I am leavig to UK for a permanent employement there. But my actaul aim is to earn some money - do my MBA and settle down in chennai with parents and family.
Actually I felt the pain ( home sickness) when I laned up here. From LHR I had booked a Taxi to Cambridge to the place where I booked for accomodation.
I was feeling homesick and wanted to go back to my my parents (my mom especially).
Didnt get adjusted to the timings so slept a bit early ( indian time).

July 9th
With my friend ( havent seen him b4 that but came to know abt him thru another friend) wnt for shopping as he would be leaving in another 4 days. Passed time to forget my home.

July 10th
Joined the new company in Cambridge called IP Access. Happy to meet a lot of fellow Indian who would be here for atleast an year.

July 11th
Decided to moved to the apartment where these guys are staying.

July 12-July 14
home-office-friends place - home

July 15
Shifted to the new place. Found a tennis court nearby to play tennis. More importantly started blogging.
These days I am trying to cht with whever comes online in my google or yahoo messenger..

Dr. Sekhar's Dosa - New Thippasandra

Me and my roomie had dinner at Dr. Sekhar's Dosa in New Thippasanadra. This hotel was opening hardly a month before and when we went there at 9.15 PM (approx) it was full (though we got a table for us). I was wondering about the bachelors in bangalore (icluding me) who are motivating guys to become entrepreneurs ( hotel business). I am not sure if the same would click in chennai. So enjoyign the last few days in Bangalore...

Chennai - Air Sahara - DELAYED

I was annoyed to see the flight delays. I could accept delays in landing due to improper planning in India, but the difference in STD (Scheduled time of Departure) and ETD ( Estimated Time if Departure) of the Indian Domestic flights would be more. Yesterday my sister was supposed to fly by Air Sahara evening flight from Bangalore to Chennai. She did not notice the flight delay until I saw that and informed her. When I asked about the delay in the ticketing counter, the female tehre said I have to check it up in the boarding counter if they could endorse the ticket in any earlier Jet Airways flight provided there should be quota availability.
Now that Air Sahara is taken over by Jet tehy have few seats in the next Jet Airways flight if the are any delays in Air Sahara. This is good.
So I managed to get my sister's ticket endorsed in a Jet Airways flight. But still we had 2 hrs to spend..so we had a burger,samosa and a trpoical Ice berg cold coffee at the coffee day outlet in the airport and had a small walk.

Crocodile Park - Chennai

Been to chennai last weekend. I was really feeling bored on Sunday and jus tried to go to Adyar by Bike. The weather was good so I enjoyed the ride in my bro's Super Splendor. My nostalgic memories made me turn towards Thiruvanmiyur.
During the final year of my college days me along with few of my friends used to go for swimming at the WATER PALACE in Thiruvanmiyur. I remebered those good old days and wanted to find teh way to the pool again. Not being able to find it, I jus drove staring to teh ECR road..stopped at the provate beach near Uthandi for few mins and again at Muttukadu for few mins. I was feeling bored to go for boating alone and so I decided to go ahead and was happy to see the board saying 'Crocodile Park 3kms'..being a wild life enthusiast I went there and saw soem different types of Crocodiles. Also one interesting this is that I also saw how the venom is taken from snake which is used as the medicine for Sanke bites.
Saw king cobras and other indian varities of Snakes. I felt it is a very good place for the young children and will kindle their interests for knowledge on the wild life.
The park was not crowded and was able to spend 45 mins there.
Also, they said that the venom from the snake would be taken only once in a week and if they try to take for the second time , it would hurt their tootha nd the snakes would not be able to eat their food[live rats]. These snakes are fed during night times as they do not take their food when people are around. I saw some rats[alive] being packed fro the sankes' dinner.
After the movie sorpion king I saw many scorpions at one stretch there in the crocodile park.

Are Brahmins Dalits today ?

Increasing resevation for OBCs..Forward Castes ( once most privileged gang) are now suffering due the reservation policies in India. The govt. instead of developing the infrasturcture and providing more facilities so that the OBCs could compete equally with the other people just makes them lazy by introducing reservations. In city or the urban areas where the OBCs and the other castes have equal opportunity this reservations just slaps hard on the OFCs (othe Forward Castes).

A FC guy though scoring higher marks would no be able to make it to the top govt. institution for his preferred subject because of reservation.

Govt. can provide more scholarship and encourage OBCs by other means without pusing the FCs backaward.
Read this article in rediff This article is taken from http://in.rediff.com/news/2006/may/23franc.htm

The Da Vinci Code ...

One of the best thing is that my friend is working in another branch of our company which is 2 building before the Innovative Multiplex, Bangalore. I called him up and asked him if he culd book 4 tickets the DVC movie. Me along with my 3 roomies watche dthe movie.

I read teh story before and I was thrilled to watch the movie. Though the movie did not describe the fiction as in the book it was quite interesting. I particularly enjoyed each and every scene refreshing my memory.
Itz a good movie to be watched after reading the book..I would rather say the book is very good.