Pop Tates - The unrestaurant

Yea... that s what it s called.. a nice pub in Andheri, Mumbai. They play good music and serve some beautiful wine. Candle Lit tables, dimmed bulbs.. wow.. what a place.. there s nothing of this sort in Chennai...

Sid and I went to this place couple of days back and we were in a mood to just enjoy our evening...A glass of Riviera red wine (for me) and two pegs of pazhaiya samiyar (Old Monk) rum (for him) was what we ordered coupled with nachos, cheese garlic bread and exotic veggies with sauce. The exotic veggies had broccoli, mushrooms and baby corn dipped in chilli sauce...Yummmmmyyyyy !!!!!

We stayed there for over a couple of hours and just enjoyed our evening in less than Rs. 500.

The pub invites couples, families and groups of men who just wanna chill out with beers.

I would love to visit this place again sometime....The service is decent and the prices are worth it.

Marina Musings

Marina Musings....

Ki Ki Ki Ki Ki Ki Ki......aahh.. there goes my alarm.. rousing me from my peaceful deep sleep.... just one look from my window... too dark outside...looked at my cell phone...time is 4:55 AM.. wish I could snuggle back again and zzzzzzzzzz....ouch no...I need to shed some much unneeded weight.. so there goes my sleep.. with a rueful smile, I jump out of bed and message my sweetheart.. Time for him to wake up too.... oh yea.. we go for our morning walks together.. That way we get to meet atleast once in a day !!!

The morning duties done, I change into my tracks and go down and wait for him. Zooom... we are on our way to our own dear Marina... Park the bike near the lighthouse and start the walk.....this blog goes to describe the lot of interesting characters I ve come across so far in the beach...

There are people who come there genuinely to reduce weight, to keep fit and maintain themselves and there is this category of people who want to flaunt their cars and this other category of women who wanna make men ogle at them....

The first person that we normally see is actor Sivakumar... whoa what a man.. At this age, he even runs...I am sure he must be in his late 50s or even early 60s. Looks like a 40+ year old man. He still looks as young as he looked in Sindu Bhairavi...Kudos....

In contrast, Tennis star Ramesh Krishnan jogs with his protruding "thoppai". He has this amul dabba look, chubby cheeks, and gasps for breath every few meters.

Moving ahead, we catch up with CharuHaasan, the eldest brother in the Haasan family. He has this gang of 4 who normally accompany him with their morning gossips.

Then there is Chittaps...he resembles Sid's chittapa a lot so we ve nicknamed him Chittaps..

Another guy whom we regularly see is this person who zooms in different cars every day. Invariably these cars are Merc s. Trust me he doesnt look like a guy who owns these cars.. We are very vaguely guessing him to be either a car mechanic or a driver..LOL..However, this guy has this cheap look on his face as if he is a member of a smuggling gang.. He has been nicked Illegal Party...

Then there is "thoongu munji mama". He finishes his walks by 6:15 am and then off to sleep in one of the benches. God knows for how long he sleeps there ..(aathuku pona pondatti odhaippala nu engalukku theriyadhu...;-)

We also see lots of cute pups and ferocious dogs. There is one black, white and sand colored dog (pup ??) that sits under the net watching his master and master's friends play tennicoit.

An alsation comes with his master..damned lazy dog.. walks very slowly shaking his bums...looks cute though....This guy(dog) is not a regular and is usually late...

Couple of Dalmations with their masters... very naughty duo...

And also, there is Sher Singh..(gee that s our nick for the dog). His master is a Sardarji...that explains why he is called Sher Singh..

But our favorite is a black colored pomeranian that walks in a rhythmic fashion - he always goes - ching-linga-ling-ling ching-linga-ling-ling.....

As we walk past the Vivekanandar Illam and move ahead towards the MRTC, the beach is strewn with people, their home for the night is the beach and their bed is the soft sand. However, it doesnot speak good of our laws and government. From a distance, it looks like a battlefield that has its war just fought. Reminds me of JallianWala Bagh or the Battle of Troy.

We take an about turn and head back towards the light house.

On our way, we see this lady who is clad in a neat cotton sari, starched and ironed, with matching earrings, necklace and bangles. God knows if she s come to the beach for a walk or for a ramp show. She also wears 2 anklets on each foot, that makes this chalang-chalang sound. As you move past her, the smell of a cheap perfume makes you twitch your nose. She looks like a ladies club member who needs to show off even when she s on a morning walk. We ve nicked her "Jil Jil Ramamani...".

Oh how can I forget the loud speaker gang !!! 4 people who jabber continuously in "uchchasthaayi" that even people beyond the Bay of Bengal can hear them...Now these 4 dont come together for their walks. If 2 of them are already walking, and the other 2 meet them half way, then they all come back and start howling away to their glory, much to the irritation of others...

On our way back, near the Gandhi Statue, the laughing club is active.. Yes agreed Laughter is the best medicine... but you need to laugh with your heart not with your mouth... this laughter club has people whose antics only irritates others. Laughing with the mouth does not constitute medicine, instead just pains the mouth....They make odd sounds which just makes us wonder what these people are upto...I have heard this saying "vaai vittu sirithaal noi vittu pogum.." here vaai vittu sirithaal implies, not laughing with your mouth, but laughing heartily....

On the pavements, there are lots of outlets that sell fruits, arugampul juice, and some of those I have no clue what they sell.. The smell of fresh kothumalli is the only "feel-good" thing around that place....

Last but not the least, as we finish our walk and sit on the bench to relax ourselves, this ragged looking beggar appears out of nowhere and religiously asks all the jay-walkers for money... He doesnt budge, although people get irritated and move away...so when we spot him, ESCAPEEEE !!!!!!

The last day at Slash

Oh yea, so where did I leave,... hmm yea.. my project manager came and i got his autograph (well.. it was his sign on the no due cert..) later got autographs from finance, HR and library......

The last day.....

As I walked in to the office today, I was looking at eveything here for the last time. The reception, the elevators, the aisle, the pantry.... I will miss this place.....got some pics clicked as soon as I came in.. hee hee Vagmi was handling a training session paavam andha trainees.. they had this i-dont-know-whats-happening look on their faces... My photo session was a welcome break for them.....:-D

Gave off some invitations.. and me wanted to blog this last day..... Got all the no dues signed on time and now... I need to get the exit interview done.. I hope it happens soon.....

Suddenly this girl Lakshmi tells me you arent supposed to bring cameras.. I was stunned. I dint know that before... anyways, me gonna take pics....will put up the link here once I get them printed and scanned (that s a hint that I dont have a digital camera and am asking Sid for one !!!)

The last lunch

well nothing worth remembering...LOL.. a maida sweet... hard triangular pieces made of wheat (!!) - they call them chapatis.. (I swear you can play flying saucer with that), panneer masala is just a gravy with raw paneer cut and strewn over...., pulao = rice with steamed veggies.... raita is probably the only item in the menu that we can safely eat... beetroot curry - dont tell me that s beetroot.. sambar = 3 in one -- melendhu edutha rasam, naduvulendu edutha sambar.. adilendhu edutha kootu...:-))))

Now I am kinda more relaxed.... but what from tomorrow?? I am used to working (??) and now I am on a break for atleast 3 months.... What am I going to do? Oh yea prepare for MBA... I d do that.. but is that all?

Wait and watch...(enakkum sethu thaan.....:-)

Cheers Folks...

Last but one day.......

Ahhh... the last but one day here at work......Need to get all the no-dues signed.. unfortunately my project manager hasnt turned in yet.... he has to sign it first...so while he comes.. here is me blogging away....

Joined here on 10th July 2003. I still remember the day when I came here for an interview....(i dont remember the date though..;-). The place looked so nice in comparison to my earlier office. The reception area is well made with a beautiful kuthuvilakku... a nice desk and two lovely couches (you could cosily sleep on them...hehehe). Flower pots at the entrance, well made conference rooms... and I could go on.....

Wondered if I would get in this place.....and I did.....joined here on 10th as mentioned above...Lots of imposition on the first day itself...(joining formalities....) and yea, I had only half day office (hehe school madhiri....)

First two months was vetti@office.com. We came in at 9, self learning till 12, lunch, then self learning till 6, snacks and then home was the routine...We were 6 of us who joined initially.

Then came training sessions by Harshini Mahanama (we all had our own doubts if she was related to cricketer Roshan Mahanama, and :-( she wasnt....), she had come down from USA to train us in the process and the product. Two weeks of rigorous (??!!) training and then came the day when we actually started work....

Work was tiring but we did enjoy it in the beginning. Later we were in different shifts.. and my first night shift...wow.. and I was alone.. That idiot Balaji who was supposed to be with me, was on leave for a week and imagine, I was the only person on floor....scary...... urupadiyaa veedu poi seruvomaanu irundhudhu.... But I managed and later started enjoying my night shifts (until it started screwing my health....;-)

Life went on.. and we recruited more people into our team.. the team strength increased and so did the work load.

To be continued......(My project manager has come....)

Idhayathin Osaigal Kavidhai enra peyar solli....- Part 2

#11. bhoomiyil veezhndha mudhal mazhai thuliyin vaasam
nee yennai theendiya mudhal sparisam
sooriyan thamaraiyai paartha mudhal paarvai
un vizhigal yen idhayathil itta mudhal keeral
katru malaridam pesiya mudhal vaarthai
un idhazh yen kaadhil odhiya vedham
alai kariakku thandha mudhal muththam
un idhazh en idhazhil varaindha oviyam
katril sikki konda pattam
un kaigal alaindha yen koondhal
seekiram vandhu ennai unnudan serthukol..pirivin thuyaril vaadugiradhu indha uyir

#12. vaanathil mega moottam -
peidhadhu mazhai
en manadhilum moottam -
peidhadhu kanneer mazhai

#13. en uyir piriyum bodhavadhu
un madiyil enakku idam tharuvaaya??

#14. kadhiravan theendiyadhum
thamarai virindhadham -- aanal
unnai paarthadhume naan
naanathaal thalai kavizhndhene!!!

#16 oru azhagana mazhai naal
saaral yennai seendiyadhu
thenralum malarai aasaiyudan anaithadhu
bhoomiyai mazhaiyin kaadhal nanaithadhu
kaarmegam malaiyai uchi mugarndhadhu
alai karayai thottu thirupthi adaiyamal
meendum meendum thottu paarthadhu
naan mattum paalaivanathin mulchediyaaga thanithirukkirene
anaithaiyum jodiyaga padaitha iraivane - yennai
mattum yen thalaivanidamirundhu pirithadhan kaaranam yennavo??

Idhayathin Osaigal Kavidhai enra peyar solli....- Part 1

#1 ulagengum unai thedinen -- yennulleye
nee irukkirai yenbadhai marandhuvittu....
unai kaanavendum yenru yenginen -- yennulleye
nee pudhaindhu irukkirai yenbadhai marandhuvittu

#2. undhan sora sora kannathodu kannam serkka vendum - un
madi meedu amarndhu maarbil saaya vendum
kaiyodu kai serthu alaiyoram nadakka vendum - un
kaal meedhu kaal vaithu naan nadakka vendum
un kesam kalaikka vendum - un
sattaikkul naanum nuzhaiya vendum
vaadaiyil porvaikku badhil nee vendum
kodayil kulumaikku badhil nee vendum..
yenrenrum nee yenakku vendum - un
madiyileye yen uyir piriya vendum....

#3. idhazhodu idhaz serkka vaa - un
imayaale en vizhi mooda vaa...
un manadhodu en idhayam serkkavaa - un
madi meedhu thalai vaithu naan thoongavaa
un nenjodu ennai anaikka vaa - en
ninaivodu nee kalakka vaa
udalodu uravada vaa - en
uyirodu un uyir kalandhu vaazha vaa

#4 en thalaivanai pirindhadhaal naan azhugiren --- yaarai
pirindhadhaal megam kanneer sindhugiradhu????

#5 en kanneerin vazhiye nee veliye vandhu viduvaayo endra bayathil --
naan azhuvadhillai .....

#6 karai vendam endralum kadal karaikkuthan
megam vendam endralum malai megathukkuthan
mann vendam endralum mazhai mannukkuthan
nee vendam endralum naan unakkuthan

#7 penmaikkulum aanmai irukkiradhu
enakkul nee irukkiraai......

#8 en penmaikku aadhaaram un theendal
en vaazkaikku aadhaaram un swasam

#9 nizharpadathukku muththam koduthen
nijathirkku eppodhu???!!

#10 iyandira vaazhkaiyil...
idhayathin unarchigalukku madhippu illai

In the line of fire - Part 2

When he spoke after sometime, it was with a calm certainty that surprised Vivek.

"I know sir, I know what it is to be in the line of fire," He was staring blankly as if no passenger, no train existed, just a vast expanse of time.

"There were 30 of us when we were ordered to capture Point 4875 in the cover of the night. The enemy was firing from the top. There was no knowing where the next bullet was going to come from and for whom. In the morning when we finally hoisted the tricolor at the top only 4 of us were alive."

"You are a..."

"I am Subedar Sushant Singh from the 13 J&K Rifles on duty at Peak 4875 in Kargil. They tell me I have completed my term and can opt for a land assignment. But tell me sir, can one give up duty just because it makes life easier. On the dawn of that capture one of my colleagues lay injured in the snow, open to enemy fire while we were hiding behind a bunker. It was my job to go and fetch that soldier to safety. But my captain refused me permission and went ahead himself. He said that the first pledge he had taken as a Gentleman Cadet was to put the safety and welfare of the nation foremost followed by the safety and welfare of the men he commanded. His own personal safety came last, always and every time. He was killed as he shielded that soldier into the bunker. Every morning now as I stand guard I can see him taking all those bullets, which were actually meant for me. I know sir, I know what it is to be in the line of fire."

Vivek looked at him in disbelief not sure of his reply. Abruptly he switched off the laptop. It seemed trivial, even insulting to edit a word document in the presence of a man for whom valor and duty was a daily part of life; a valor and sense of duty which he had so far attributed only to epical heroes.

The train slowed down as it pulled into the station and Subedar Sushant Singh picked up his bags to alight.

"It was nice meeting you sir." Vivek fumbled with the handshake. This was the hand that had climbed mountains, pressed the trigger and hoisted the tricolor.

Suddenly as if by impulse he stood at attention, and his right hand went up in an impromptu salute. It was the least he felt he could do for the country.

...Concluded

In the line of fire....Part 1

I read this story somewhere, I dont know who wrote it, but I am impressed and moved. I am posting it here and crediting that anon author.

Vivek Pradhan wasn't a happy man. Even the plush comfort of the First Class air-conditioned compartment of the Shatabdi Express couldn't cool his frayed nerves. He was the Project Manager and entitled to air travel. It was not the prestige he sought, he had tried to reason with the admin guy, it was the savings in time. A PM had so many things to do! He opened his case and took out the laptop, determined to put the time to some good use.

"Are you from the software industry sir," the man beside him was staring appreciatively at the laptop.

Vivek glanced briefly and mumbled in affirmation, handling the laptop now with exaggerated care and importance as if it were an expensive car.

"You people have brought so much advancement to the country sir. Today everything is getting computerized."

'Thanks," smiled Vivek, turning around to give the man a detailed look.

He always found it difficult to resist appreciation. The man was young and stocky like a sportsman. He looked simple and strangely out of place in that little lap of luxury like a small town boy in a prep school. He probably was a Railway sportsman making the most of his free traveling pass.

"You people always amaze me," the man continued, "You sit in an office and write something on a computer and it does so many big things outside."

Vivek smiled deprecatingly. Naivety demanded reasoning not anger.

"It is not as simple as that my friend. It is not just a question of writing a few lines. There is a lot of process that goes behind it." For a moment he was tempted to explain the entire Software Development Lifecycle but restrained himself to a single statement. "It is complex, very complex."

"It has to be. No wonder you people are so highly paid," came the reply.

This was not turning out as Vivek had thought. A hint of belligerence came into his so far affable, persuasive tone. "Everyone just sees the money. No one sees the amount of hard work we have to put in." "Hard work!" "Indians have such a narrow concept of hard work. Just because we sit in an air-conditioned office doesn't mean our brows don't sweat. You exercise the muscle; we exercise the mind and believe me that is no less taxing."

He had the man where he wanted him and it was time to drive home the point.

"Let me give you an example. Take this train. The entire railway reservation system is computerized. You can book a train ticket between any two stations from any of the hundreds of computerized booking centers across the country. Thousands of transactions accessing a single database at a given time; concurrency, data integrity, locking, data security. Do you understand the complexity in designing and coding such a system?"

The man was stuck with amazement, like a child at a planetarium. This was something big and beyond his imagination.

"You design and code such things."

"I used to," Vivek paused for effect, "But now I am the project manager,"

"Oh!" sighed the man, as if the storm had passed over, "so your life is easy now."

It was like being told the fire was better than the frying pan. The man had to be given a feel of the heat.

"Oh come on, does life ever get easy as you go up the ladder. Responsibility only brings more work. Design and coding! That is the easier part. Now I don't do it, but I am responsible for it and believe me, that is far more stressful. My job is to get the work done in time and with the highest quality. And to tell you about the pressures! There is the customer at one end always changing his requirements, the user wanting something else and your boss always expecting you to have finished it yesterday."

Vivek paused in his diatribe, his belligerence fading with self-realization.

What he had said was not merely the outburst of a wronged man, it was the truth. And one need not get angry while defending the truth.

"My friend," he concluded triumphantly, "you don't know what it is to be in the line of fire."

The man sat back in his chair, his eyes closed as if in realization.

To be continued

A poem for me by Sid.....

Each time I read this, I have tears in my eyes. I am so lucky to have Sid in my life. Thank God.....Sid is my love, my life, my soul and my all... I owe you big time Sid. This poem was written for me by Sid, after we had a fight and we missed each other terribly.

I Love You
With my every breath,
With all I have left,
From the deepest depths,
Of my heart, I love you.

With all of my strength,
With a thousand miles' length,
Every thought I think,
I think that I love you.

For the length of forever,
As long as we're together,
Through good and bad weather,
For always, I love you.

When no one is there,
When you think no one cares,
When love seems too rare,
Remember, I love you.

When everything's gone,
When all has withdrawn,
When hopelessness dawns,
Don't forget, I love you.

When you fall down,
When your dreams come unwound,
When hope can't be found,
Be happy, I love you.

When you make mistakes,
When you're filled with hate,
When you're old and gray,
Even then, I'll love you.

Even death don't do us part..
Separation don't come our way..
Even in the other world,
We will be together...

I will always love you..... now and forever

Raapi - An inspiration

Raapi - fondly (??) called by his folks... aka Rajesh Vijayaraghavan, has been a source of inspiration for me to start blogging. While I have been having a blogger id for quite some time now, I actually started blogging after I read Raapi's blogs.

Read Raapi's blog at http://raapi.blogspot.com

Thanks Raapi for getting that writer's block out of me...:-) - DS

Some things to ponder - Part 1

I am so thrilled... man.... I am resigning from my work next week and guess what? I am taking a break from work for some time... whew.. I need that....... been working continuously since college and now this break is a well needed one... Boy !! why do you think I am quitting..

I am getting married to put it very simply.. but wow, I am thrilled at the whole idea... Sid and I have waited for almost 9 months now, and 1 more to go....People are asking me if I am scared, am I losing my independence, new place, new people, how am i preparing myself so on and so forth...

I am not feeling anything different. May be this is a love marriage, I have known my m-i-l for long time.... but yes, at that time I knew her as a neighbor, but that does not change anything.... I am not scared for one thing, and for another, I am not losing my independence. I dont know why people (men and women) have this false notions and misconceptions about women losing identity post marriage. Trust me, it is all in you.

You can change your life as you want it to be. You are the captain of the ship and you can steer it as you want. Agreed, the wind needs to be favorable, but the sea can always not be smooth. We need to know how to overcome a rough tide dont we?

Am I quitting to be a home-maker? No.... I will take up a job once I am slightly outta this excitement... of course the excitement is never going to die down, I need to familiarize myself with the place.. long time since I visited Mumbai....(Yo.. That s where I am going)...

Am I jeopardizing my career post marriage? (People who say this raise your hands....) Folks grow up....lots of women have shot to fame after marriage....

Patience and understanding and trust are the key ingredients for a nicely baked married life.. You dont trust your partner, you lose out......

Just thought I could put forth my views.. Comments welcome... - DS.

My first blog....

My first blog.. Yipeeeeeeee......