Monday, August 22, 2005

Feel like GOD !

Seen this new ad on TV for the Bajaj Avenger DTSI 180? shows a guy in a black gear with cool goggles, cruising on a bike in the rugged high mountian terrain...(bkg music is good as well), and reminiscing ...

the tight slap on his cheek from his father... he says
I forgive... my father.
remembering the gal who let him down... says
I forgive..... women.
rides on a pot hole on the road... says
I forgive ..... the Government.
his boss flinging papers at his face... says
I forgive...... my boss.
feeling the cut on his lip... says
I forgive....... my barber.
seeng himself of the past, kicking some old dust (read bike).... says
I forgive........ my past.

I forgive.......... them all.....
I feel like... (a small pause) .... i feel like GOD!


I love this ad... somehow relates to me a lot (if not all) :p

Friday, August 19, 2005

On the move...

setting off to Fish cove(one of the many beach resorts in chennai) in another hour. we have a dinner outing with the client. Riedar Hauge (CIO of WWL) is in Chennai along with Ragnvald Blindheim (who will be taking over as CIO from Riedar soon). Great people.. making big at a very young age. its so nice to have interaction with such people. so much to learn from their personality. The last time we had our client visit Cognizant was almost a year back. Then we had the bigwigs of IT dept of WWL at our office. I remember talking to most of them who were on their first ever visit to India. Well, they must hav had a great time... certainly different from wat they experience in the cold Scandinavia. some of the things (they say) that strikes their mind when they talk of India is the idols of god and goddesses, sarees, elephants, spicy food, oranmanets ... and not to forget the cows on the streets :) They feel really amazed how India is soo much diversed in itself, yet is a very powerful player in almost all the aspects of today’s world, including business, IT and world politics.

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Resolving Conflicts

[came across this classic article... take time to read]

Conflict. It's a fact of life. It's a fact in friendships. You develop a friendship with someone, and conflict is sure to occur.

Many superficial friendships end up being shelved after an argument because there isn't enough depth to warrant all the trouble it takes to smooth over the disagreement. Unfortunately, even when the friendship reaches a deeper level, conflict continues to happen and can break apart a relationship.

First and foremost, talk the situation over soon after it occurs. And do it soon! From my experience, people begin to talk about what happened even sooner afterwards. Good, step in the right direction, right? Well, not always… particularly when the talking isn't with the person involved, but with other friends or acquaintances. People begin to pick sides. The gossip circulates and all of a sudden, friends become enemies. Suddenly everyone is mad at everyone else. So, be sure to talk with the person with whom you are upset without the interference of people who aren't really involved.

Resolve it the day it happens. One rule my parents follow in their marriage is that they don't go to bed angry with each other. They always attempt to resolve things the day it happens so that in the morning, it's a fresh start with no past grudges. I've found I need a short cool down period of a couple of minutes so that I don't act in anger, so I can act with a more rational mind instead. For some, counting to one hundred before saying anything, may be an option. Whatever you do, don't let things ride for too long. Even when you don't see eye to eye, agree to disagree. Tell them that while you may not agree with what they're saying, you still value their friendship.

Try to see the other person's perspective. Sometimes if you sit down and talk things over, you begin to see where the other person is coming from. Realize that everyone has been created differently with various talents, abilities and personality traits. For example, you might be a leader while your friend is more of a follower. You may be frustrated with him or her for not being very decisive. Yet it is important to understand that no matter what your quirks, each person is still unique and needs to be appreciated.

Here's a tough one - initiate resolution. Be the first person in a fight to say sorry for your part. Even when you think the other person is wrong, it's not a bad thing to say "I'm sorry you feel that way" or "I'm sorry if I offended you in that way." If you're honest, genuine, and gentle in delivering your words, there's a good chance your friend will reciprocate positively. Use feeling words as no one can argue with your feelings. For example, "When you do this, you make me feel silly."

Focus on the bigger picture. Successfully facing and working through the discomfort of conflict in a friendship has a worthwhile reward: a deeper relationship. Don't accuse by using the word, "you." Be sensitive. Try to offer solutions when appropriate, but know when to listen. Don't underestimate the importance of a listening ear. Most important, be loving in what you do. Don't go out to "get" the other person, but try to focus on peacefully resolving the disagreement.

Resolving conflict in any friendship is not the most pleasant task, but it is worth the hassle for the result on the other end is a deeper friendship.

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

cudn resist posting this...

Calvin & Hobbes

Wanna crack CAT 05' ?

Here are a few tips from Brijesh Singh, an alumnus of Mumbai's Jamnalal Bajaj institute of Management Studies (Class of 2002).

CAT is a test of your managerial aptitude and managerial skill sets:

~ Time management
~ How you handle pressure and uncertainty
~ Decision making

Remember, CAT is not about solving 150 questions in 120 minutes. It is about solving 90 to 95 questions with 85 to 90 percent accuracy. Here are a few tips that should fetch you a call from the best B-Schools in the country.

Tip 1: Handle pressure and uncertainty well

Handling pressure and uncertainty is a crucial element of CAT. This is a vital skill that a manager requires in his/ her daily decision-making process. The CAT examination spans 120 minutes, but if you are able to handle the pressure in the first 15 and last 10 minutes, your chances to excel increase.

Tip 2: Sequence and prioritise -- your mantras for success

Sequencing and prioritising mean:
~ Deciding on the sequence in which you will attempt the various sections.
~ Allocating an approximate time to each section.
~ Prioritising questions within sections.

Here are some sequences you could adopt:

Sequence I
1. Quantitative Ability
2. Data Interpretation/ Data Sufficiency
3. Verbal Ability

Sequence II
1. Quantitative Ability
2. Verbal Ability
3. Data Interpretation/ Data Sufficiency

Sequence III
1. Data Interpretation/ Data Sufficiency
2. Quantitative Ability
3. Verbal Ability

Sequence IV
1. Verbal Ability
2. Quantitative Ability
3. Data Interpretation/ Data Sufficiency

Note: Never attempt Quantitative Ability in the end. QA utilises your core fundamentals and formulae; sometimes, they are difficult to recall under the twin pressures of time and mental fatigue.

Tip 3: Tame CAT by taming each section individually

Here are some specific section-related strategies:

Quantitative Ability
Attempt questions in three rounds.
Round 1
~ Attempt all one liners.
~ Attempt all two liners.
~ Attempt all four liners.

Round 2
Come back to the leftover questions of Round 1. Under pressure, you might just have left easy questions from Round 1 unattempted. Attempt them again

Round 3
If time permits, tackle the lengthier questions on your favourite topics.

Verbal Ability
~ Most students attempt English Usage or Reading and Comprehension questions first.
~ In Para Jumbles, look out for structural and logical connectors.
~ Before attempting Reading and Comprehension, scan the questions once.
~ Narrative RCs have generally proved students' nemesis. Be careful.
~ Generally, students scan a poem before an RC. A poem is short and easy to read, thanks to fewer eye fixations. You will also come to know within a few seconds whether it should be attempted or not.
~ Grammar questions should be your forte.

Data Interpretation/ Data Sufficiency
~ Revise your percentages and approximations.
~ Data Sufficiency questions are independent of each other and should be attempted first. Try not to use external knowledge while answering Data Sufficiency questions.
~ Once you are done with the Data Sufficiency questions, attempt single graph questions followed by the double graph questions.
~ Questions based on logical games and long tables are generally attempted last.

Speed breakers
CAT also features speed breaker questions. Beware of them. These questions constitute about two to five percent of the CAT paper and are best attempted by not attempting them. They are also known as 'take home' questions.

Most important!
1. Relax.
2. Take two easy full-length tests on November 19 and November 20 from 11 am to 1 pm. The test on November 20 should be a three-section test. Try taking a four-section test on November 19 (Remember, CAT may have an additional section on Reasoning).
3. Do not over-burden yourself on November 20.
4. Revise your mathematics formulae.
5. Watch a war movie to pump up your adrenaline! :)

ALL THE BEST !!!

Solve this

One of the CAT questions...

Five years ago, Beth's age was three times that of Amy. Ten years ago, Beth's age was one half that of Chelsea. If C repre- sents Chelsea's current age, which of the following represents Amy's current age?

1. c/6 + 5
2. 2c
3. (c-10)/3
4. 3c-5
5. 5c/3 - 10

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

Moods of a woman :)

(well this ones not from a feminist for sure!!!)

An angel of truth and a dream of fiction,
A Woman is a bundle of contradictions.
She's afraid of a wasp, Will scream at a mouse,
But will tackle her husband alone in the house.

She'll take him for better; She'll take him for worse
She'll break open his head and then be his nurse.
But when he's well and can get out of bed.
She'll pick up the teapot and throw it at his head.

Beautiful and keen sighted yet blind,
Crafty and cruel, yet simple and kind.
She'll call him a king and then make him a clown.
Raise him on a pedestal, and then throw him flat down.

She inspires him to deeds that ennoble man,
Or make him her lackey to carry her fan.
She'll run away from him and never come back
But if he runs away she'll be on his tracks

Sour as vinegar, sweet as a rose
She'll kiss you one minute, then turn up her nose
She'll win you in range, enchant you in silk
She is stronger than brandy, milder than milk

At times revengful, merry and sad,
She hates you like Poison, but loves you like Mad.

why always....

i usually get time to write something on my blog only after office hrs, late in the night. but today i wantd to prove otherwise. the result are these insignificant lines. ok.. got to get back to some work.... I'll b back (Terminator style) :) Hasta La Vista Baby !!

The way people say sorry !!!

The way people apologise and their style of saying sorry depends a lot on their personality and zodiac traits. No wonder Leos embarrass you when they say sorry while Arians will actually annoy you with their apology?...

Aries: For starters, Arians think they are so sweet,they could not have possibly said or done things that need an apology. So in the unlikely possibility of them actually going down their knees to apologise, it will be a simple sorry.Nothing less, nothing more.

Taurus: They are so scared to face others when they make a mistake that by the time they resurface to tender an apology, the damage is done. So Taurans end up making foes out of friends because of their laxity in apologizing.

Gemini: Geminis think they are infallible and therefore will never really apologise for anything. But once they realize, they prefer to act as if nothing happened, and behave normally with people who have a problem rather than remind others of the incident by tendering an apology.

Cancer: Cancerians will make you feel sorry for demanding one when they make a mistake. They are the legendary characters that burn hands and slash their fingers! in order to display the quantum of their repentance. Their repentance is dangerous.

Leo: Leos are a delightful bunch even when they are trying to make up for their follies. They will go down their knees, buy flowers, put up sorry posters.. do everything colorful to flatter you and make up for their mistakes. In fact it's fun to induce them to make a mistake and let them apologize for it.

Virgo: Virgos will first formally set aside a time and date and inform them what they want to tell you. Then they will mentally prepare themselves to talk out the same things. They will finally draft the script and read out whatever they want to. In short, even their heartfelt apologies sound like well-drafted scripts.

Libra: They are very vocal once they realize their folly. They never ever hesitate to come clean and admit their mistakes. In fact, they will go out of their way to convince you about how genuinely sorry they are.

Scorpio: Scorpios are formal and think that tendering an apology is more of a formality. So instead of just saying sorry, they will send a formal mail or send a card, whatever it takes to avoid direct confrontation.

Sagittarius: Sagittarians don't believe in being sorry or apologizing. For them, it is human to err and therefore saying sorry is just redundant. Interestingly, even if others make mistakes, they are pretty cool and don't expect much from them.

Capricorn: They can't take a simple sorry. They need reasons, explanations, written letters and the works to get elicit an 'ok, you may go now' phrase. They are hard to please and even harder to appease.

Aquarius: They are sweet, genuine and innovative when they think they are wrong and need to undo the damage. Aquarians are easy on their mistakes and don't take too much time to do their sorrying.

Pisces: Pisceans don't easily give in because they believe that everything is about perspective. So if somebody thinks they made a mistake! , it's because they have a wonky perspective. Pisceans and apologies? No chance!!!

sochta hoon…

sochta hoon…
inn saagar ki lehron ko dekh kar,
kyon ye kinaare se takraakar laut jaati hain.........
karti hain wo kinaron se bewafai,
yaa fir saagar se wafa nibhati hain.

Monday, August 08, 2005

Calvin strikes again !!

a quite weekend

it was one of those weekends which i would never blog again. i regret for not going to blore. atleast i could have spent some quality time with my parents. And i could have met some old pals.. it was a Friendship day on sunday! Staying back in chennai all i did was going to The Park and Landmark.

More than me, it was my frend who was disappointed, as the lounge at The Park was open only for in-house guests. he got really pissed and drove out from there within no time. 30 minutes and we found ourselves sipping drinks at ‘Bikes and Barrels’. Chennai has quite a few good pubs and discs. it was Saturday and crowded like hell. we somehow managed to find a table and tried to listen to some good rock. one reason i like go there is for the music. they play somer eally good music ..hip-hops, light rock and sometimes fusion. Bhangra remixes are quite a craze now. i watched my frend smoking, sipping beer and enjoying the music while i had some pepsi. Its actually embarrassing for him to take me.. i drink nothing but pepsi and he drinks nothing with pepsi :) quite a contrast. neways.... could see some most of them glued to the three flat screen TV’s mounted on the walls. I guess it provided them more excitement than the..... :) And why not, it was fourth day of the second test bt Aus and Eng and Aussies were pushed to the wall. not often u see Aussies going down. it was a wonderful performance by the English team. The Ashes has always been fought for pride more than anything. Todays newspapers said.. the match was a real cracker as England won the match by 2 runs.

i felt i missed some real good cricket, which i wudn have if i was at my home in blore (well, one more reason why i want to get back to Bangalore soon).

Saturday, August 06, 2005

Calvin and Hobbes


I always had the love for cartoons. first it was Maya Kamat's comic strips on Deccan herald, then RK Laxman's 'Comman Man' and now im CRAZZYYY abt C & B. Yes, u are right... its Bill Waterson's Calvin and Hobbes. Calvin is really amazing, he is a six-year-old boy, and is the main character of the comic strip. He lives at home with his parents. He has a stuffed tiger named Hobbes, who he believes is real and with which he converses and interacts. He has an overactive imagination, and just about every comic strip has some element of fantasy in it. Calvin is rambunctious, getting into trouble frequently and often breaking everything remotely breakable in his parents' house. He is extremely smart, but his imagination and immaturity make success in school impossible. He represents the piece in all of us that wants to stay a kid forever--and who can blame him?

Too good... well.. just hav a look at some of the best of C & B.. njoy !!! ;)

http://www.progressiveboink.com/archive/calvinhobbes.htm

OK, me logging off for the day... gud nite!

wat am i doing in office?

no..its not always that u find me at office on a friday night. every week at this time around i wud be rushing to catch a train to bangalore. this weekend im not travelling. last time i was in blore i had met all my frends. its always good to meet frends... esp during a weekend. no major work to do, just lie around, watch a movie, do some shopping, .... (well, we end up doing a lot than the prev 5 days). the only sad part for me is that i will hv to travel back to chennai, by the sunday night train. its almost 7 hrs journey and the worst will only come later... i.e. OFFICE on a monday morning :(

this weekend since i'll b in chennai, im thinking of going to The Park. not been their before though, before that i will b going to Landmark, my fav bookstore to grab a couple of mags and books(if sometings interesting).

neways... let me get back to some work... i hv a call with onsite in another 20 min. shall scribble more before leaving for the day. byeee