What matters to me Most and Why ?

Microsoft GIVE Campaign - IshaVidhya

2012-01-08T16:41:00.000-08:00

Overwhelming, is probably the closest I can come to describe my experience raising funds for Isha Vidhya during the Microsoft GIVE Campaign. To give a little context, every year in month of October every Microsoft employee can pitch for a charity of their choice and donations up to $12,000/year are matched by the company. This was a tremendous opportunity and the Seattle volunteers were very determined this year to start the first annual fundraising event for Isha Vidhya in the Microsoft GIVE Campaign.

Isha Vidhya being a relatively new charity inside Microsoft, we had to appeal to first time donors and be visible among other charities supporting education in India. With creative posters and a message from the former CEO of Microsoft India, Ravi Venkatesan, we kicked off our fundraising campaign with a lot of hope. The biggest hit was the $240 donor matching – we had a photo display of various children on scholarship along with their progress/thank you letters. Many people who had no previous association with Isha Vidhya came forward and donated generously. They were truly inspired by the work of Isha Vidhya and what appealed to them most was the English medium, computer-based education for rural children.

The centerpiece of our GIVE Campaign was a Table Tennis tournament with a $50 donation to Isha Vidhya as an entry fee. The tournament started slowly, but soon we got around 40 registrations and many people from various nationalities donated above and beyond $50. We had many talented players from the table tennis club and the competition was intense. Wei Zhao, a Chinese national was the winner.

Overall the tournament along with our campaign raised more than $10000. This would not have been possible, if not for the support of our Isha volunteers from Microsoft. Now that we have taken the first step, we hope to make it even bigger in the coming months and support the education of more rural underprivileged children.

For me, what I realized the most was that many people in my work place and outside are looking for a genuine opportunity to lend their support. All I did was to ask for their support to this cause. Thanks to all my colleagues at Microsoft for their participation and donations to Isha Vidhya.

Isha Vidhya is doing phenomenal work in the rural villages of South India through education. I am thankful to all the teachers, staff and volunteers who are dedicating their lives to make this happen.

Many of us are fortunate to reap the benefits of our education and this is our time to make this opportunity available to those in dire need.

- Shiv Sundar
Isha Vidhya Volunteer, Microsoft, Seattle, USA

Why I like to travel

2012-01-04T16:58:00.000-08:00

Growing up, I spent my summers across various states on North India along the Himalayan belt. Living in single room house with my mom and dad at 10,000 feet above the sea level , where the only way to reach there was through a chopper , was exiting and liberating at the same time. I have lived in various scenic places such as Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Rajasthan due to the nature of my father’s job.

Two significant travel experiences during my adult life were gypt in 2009 and Peru in 2010 x-max .Having returned from Peru just a few days ago , I can still feel the cultural exuberance of Peruvians. Spiritual insights of Incan civilization and their love for mother earth( Pacha mama) has made me realize that we are living in this planet borrowing everything from the mother earth , Including the very body we call it ours.

I worked in Microsoft for 5 years and lived a very city oriented life. This trip to peru has made me realize that life lived with close proximity to nature (plants , animal) is most enriching.

Political Cliche

2008-11-08T09:40:00.000-08:00

I was very pleased with Obama's victory in the presidential election this week . It reaffirmed my belief that one does not have to walk away from his true identity to be victorious in an unfamiliar terrain .

Obama believed in himself , he was convinced that he could make the lives of Americans better and people's trust followed through. This holds true for all aspiring leaders.

Movie Rights

2008-10-04T22:04:00.000-07:00

Being a ardent follower of Kolywood and Bolywood news and gossips , my movie picks are usually on target . I keep myself updated on who is dating who , when is the next blockbuster being launched ,and which hollywood movie the plot is based on .

Recently I forced Deepthi to go with my two tamil movie picks despite her strong rebuttal.Let me take one movie at a time and explain how it was a failed movie experience .

Kuselan , I knew it was not a typical Rajini blockbuster , but I had my expectation on the lines of Lakha Lakha Lakha .Pasupathy is an amazing find for tamil cinema , meena is my all time favourite tamil hottie , but depressed face of pasupathy for entire length of the movie was difficult to sustain . Kuselan for me was a boring farce which had no highpoints .

Satyam,great music from HJ , sensible hero Vishal and bomb Nayanatara ideally should have been a perfect recipe for success .Movie actually went as expected till Upendra's flashback but after an interesting first half the second part of the movie as a big letdown .

Saroja , Varnam 1000 are my next picks , If they dont go well I might have to watch movie in solitude moving forward .

Wah Kya Chai Hai !!

2008-09-28T20:15:00.000-07:00

I have been wishing for this from a long time . Every time I doled out $4 for chocolate-coffee , I wondered when would this be among the list of things they served . Ingredients were sold separately and one had to mix them together, but every drinker knew it was not the same .

I rejoiced , when I walked into Starbucks a few weeks ago, they started my much awaited Black Tea Latte Tea service . Black Darjeeling tea dipped in hot water mixed together with steamed milk and sweetened .

Next in my wish list is Hot Chai being served in my Office Kitchenettes .

The dawn on cricket leagues

2008-01-31T22:52:00.000-08:00

Kapil Dev and folks may have started something that would stop a middle class parent from saying " Dont run behind the bat and ball ...you know well that only 11 people get to hog the lime light ,leaving the remaining idiots like you good for nothing " with their kids cricket obsession.

Formation of private cricket leagues would improve the lives of many aspiring cricketers. In the past a job in railways ,bank was the benifit earned by a state level cricketer but with companies like UB and Reliance owning cricket teams , players can earn big money .Hmmm.. UB KF ,It makes my evil mind wonder if the King Fisher swim suit model's would be cheering cricket matches.

I am hoping that these new avenues would motivate the younger brass to give a career in cricket a serious thought .The current trend of youth in india flocking towards science and technology, is creating an imbalance . Not many explore performing arts , sports as a career option .As a kid I wanted to be a cricketer but parental pressure put academics before games.I still continue to enjoy playing sports but I wish I could play sports for a living.

Hail the traitor .

2007-12-02T09:54:00.000-08:00

Indian media seems to follow the principle of "Innocent until proven " to the core . As for the common folks , movie persona overshadows any real life blemishes . Gandhi was one of the most influential person this century , but I never thought that a national traitor could sway the public into believing that he is a true follower of peace and non violence by a mere portrayal of gandhisim in a commercial entertainer.

Millions of fans in the Indian household praying for the release of their favorite movie personality from a criminal case is just another case of Idol worship but the fact that media and educated crowd considering law and justice as obstacles to the release of a person who was responsible for a gruesome attack which killed thousands of innocent people including women and children is shocking.

In third world countries escaping crimes bribing your way through law is no biggie but publicly escaping betraying the whole nation in a act of terror shakes the very foundation the modern day society stands on .

Tea Shop...

2007-06-30T10:10:00.000-07:00

I like travel , and what makes travel even better is the culinary experience while visiting some place new . Great food , awesome music , romantic ambiance and to spice it up hot waitresses would sum any favourite hangout place /restaurant .All these attractions fade away after numerous visits . I pondered as to what would be that one place that entices me for a visit on every possible opportunity , OR can there be such a place...??

The time I spent in my college teashop , growing out of teenage were most memorable.What fascinates me even more is with no variety in menu , seating of a wooden chair , a tea shop attracts so many people.

A tribute to all tea shops and memories associated.

Life that was...

2007-06-10T22:58:00.000-07:00

Life that was ...

Start @ 15
Study Important 4 years of your life 9 10 11 XII
Maths Physics Chem
Entrance Exam , Engineering , Medicine
Tution Coaching Classes
Engineering percentage
Computer Classes
GRE /TOEFL /CAT
Aptitude /G.D /Campus Interviews
IT Job / MS abroad
Software Job /US for a Client project
H1b /Green Card
End @ 25

Wish it was

Start @ 15
Sports , Games
High School romance /Friends
A little bit of studies
School cultural /Dance /Songs
Some College /New city /New friends
Busy doing nothing /Beer and Smokes
Pretty Girl in your bustop /Slacking in the last bench
Travel
College Canteen /tea shop
Cultural/Sports /Love & Breakups
New job /First pay /Gifts for your family
Drink/Dance /party weekend POA
Hiking /Goa /Fenny
end @25

May be "Wish it was " elements were there in my life , I wish they formed the major chunk of it .I guess one always wishes that their past had more fun filled memories . I hope not to write a similar blog 10 years from now .

Have fun , while it lasts...

Beer to Wine...

2007-04-23T22:55:00.000-07:00

Time is a healer , time is a killer . As you age , your decisions change .Things you once cherished the most ,doesnot exite you anymore .6 pack that used to be a permanent member of my grocery cart is slowly being replaced by cabs , merolt and blanc .

Is the transition from beer to wine an indication that my life is not exciting any more ?Are choices you make an indication of your present state of life .

Such men rarely exsist.

2007-02-25T22:48:00.000-08:00

1. It does not matter how a girl looks , but what goes inside the the look matters.

2.I would have done this even if it was a guy .

3.Once I am committed , I seldom checkout other women .

4.I do not care about the past ,lets look into the future .

5.I would always respect your space.

6. You can still be friends with your ex , that's totally kool with me.

Such men rarely exist , if you are with one of them ...consider yourself lucky.

I am bored ....

2006-12-24T17:05:00.000-08:00

"I am bored".There has never been a week that passed during these three years that I have been in the states ("Land of my dreams" the way I referred to it when I landed here )where I did not claim to be bored.

I have the urge to do something always , be it playing some sport , watching movie in a hall ,dining out or traveling .People around me easily guess, that I am really bored ,when I sit down in a place quietly and start reading a book . I have had friends who can sit in their house alone and entertain themselves pondering on something , may be watch some TV , drink beer or read some books.These group of people I just talked about come under the category of calm souls and those people who always want to do something , like me fall in the "restless soul " category .

While talking to a good friend of mine ,a calm soul , she said that people who are bored of themselves constantly seek so called activities of fun .Not able to stand a mockery on myself , I quickly snubbed back with an escape phrase "What ever looser !!"

Are we , the adventure seeking folks , looking to explore the unexplored , bored with ourselves ?

Not So personal

2006-08-12T18:52:00.000-07:00

Hey All ,

The posts on my blog are mostly random thoughts and have no inspiration from my current state of life

Thanks
Shiv

Traits !!

2006-08-08T18:26:00.000-07:00

Walk up to the counter to purchase a few usual things and when the clerk gives you the credit card receipt ,do not forget to say THANK YOU .Every day in the morning a fellow driver needs to give way , to merge into the crowded lane , always waive your hand to thank him .Donot forget to hold the door for some one who is following you , always smile when you pass somebody , know to you.This is called courtesy.

Never boast your achievement so that the other person might get intimidated . Trying to convince some one that the road to success is just a few steps ahead in the right direction . Motivating others to achieve their goals better. This is modesty.

Apologizing even if you know that its not your mistake just to reduce the tension , with a kin. Not passing rude remarks or comments which can induce laughter to a few but might hurt some one's sentiment .You are considerate and may be modest.

Do you have to be rude to sound confident. Is modesty a sign of weakness?

Heterodoxy!!

2006-07-16T11:31:00.000-07:00

Born into a family , culture ,society forces you to accept certain conventions involuntarily .Growing up,you imbibe values which your parents choose for you .A doubter would question how much freedom do I have ? What choices in my life are mine ? Following established traditions ,customs might be easy , but accepting a way of life which is truly not yours may not be a easy choice .

Questioning the established belief , can raise a few eyebrows , but non believers I feel are the need of the day .With the society being plagued by malicious practices , people seeking a rationale for every established rule can help trigger a modern day movement to eradicate the problems which have been shackles to our development .

Stepped out BRB

2006-05-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

Hi All ,

I have had major changes in my life and all have been for the good .It will take a while for me to adapt to the new changes and get back to blogging .Till then stay put , I will be back shortly.

Cheers
Shiv

Mind Your words

2006-05-08T12:29:00.000-07:00

Just 5 posts away from my 50th I write one , which is loosely based on my blog URL .MIND YOUR WORDS a constant battle that I have fought, with very little success . I have had a history of LOOSE TALK , atleast that's what I consider .I have had many instances where immediately after saying something I wish I hadn't.

I have always believed that LOOSE TALK is associated with extreme emotions , by which I mean we talk a lot when we are angry or in a happy state of mind . WE here belongs to those people who find it difficult to control their emotions , people who speak their heart out . I have had friends , mentors and family members(read it as BRO) whom I have seldom noticed utter something which was more than required , I admire their self composure , but how do they pull it off so well ?? My best pals Ashok and Bala exhibit the same composure , I envy those people because they have to deal with lot less troubles. Words that we speak are the root cause of most trouble.Take note that these composed people are by no means introvert ,they are full of energy , fun loving and great people to be with .

Many a times I have observed that good deeds are overcast by bad words , people who are in the good books of their friends and family members are those who maintain control over the words they speak . As the battle of my mind over the words continue I leave here with a question in my mind "Will I be know for what I said or by what I did ??"

Cell Phone Mani

2006-05-01T23:18:00.000-07:00

Cell phone has been an integral part of my social life .My relationship with my Cell went sour when I touched her with with wet hands . For the past few days , volume functionality of my cell phone was repaired, by which I mean the display and other tasks work fine, but I cannot hear anything from the phone nor can I talk into it .

This morning I rushed to the Verizon wireless stores hoping to find a remedy for the illness , my cell phone had contracted .The store keeper checked a few things and said , that the cell phone has liquid damage and that I need to buy a new one for $150 .

This is the famous "Car Kit" Error of LG phones where in the phone assumes that a hands free ear phone has been plugged in and all external volumes are muted .I read user groups for the past two days , stripped the cell phone apart , cleaned the PCB , used a high power duster to remove all dusts , Used a microscope in my lab to see if any lines are shorted , broke into the firmware setting and cleared all firmware errors , channeled all my embedded knowledge , but sadly Nothing worked .

A disappointed me , sitting on my bed at 11 pm not able to talk to my friends unable to pick up calls.Is there any hope or Is this the end of my relationship with my cell phone . The final tip was to fold a aluminum foil and insert it into the slot for the battery charger. I had little faith in this trick , but I wanted to try this as it was my last resort . I ran down to my kitchen picked a strip of aluminum foil made a small piece , big enough to fit the battery charger slot and scrubbed it .To my Great Surprise the volume was enabled again and my Cell phone came alive from 3 days of coma .Tonight I am a happy man , my Life support System is back up .

Moral of the story is , if you in a bad situation in life and feel there is no solution for your problem don't loose heart , type the key words of your problem in GOOGLE and you are sure to find a solution .

A Phase in the Life of an Indian ...Guy - Part 1

2006-04-25T22:26:00.000-07:00

There is a phase in life of many ( Not so Hep ) Indian guy's life where

1. Bryan Adams songs makes him romantic .

One would Lip Sync his song and when he screams "In Heaven " the romantic-o-meter's mercury will be at its peak.

2. Chicks flicks are very funny

About Chick Flicks my buddy kartik once said "Only way I could watch a Chick flick is to drop my b&%*ls in a ziplock leave it out side the movie hall and watch the movie peacefully ".

3. You would say nice things to your Guy friends Like

"Man I missed you when you were at home"
"Hey I have been waiting for you so long ?? Where have you been "

4. In a family function's you would find yourself discussing family politics with your aunts and girl cousins.

5. A phase when you would wear a "Capri" aka 3/4th pant and consider yourself kool

6. Where you would go to Gym few days and buy one of those tight sleeve less tshirts to display your muscle.

7. Where the center page of regional magazines was your source of inspiration .

8. Where he would buy Greeting Cards and give it to his Guy Friends on birthdays.

There are many interesting things that an Indian Guy does during his early teen .If you have read the above bullets and if you think you cannot relate to it , be happy for yourself that you were one of those confused wanna be dudes.For those who can relate , you have nothing to be proud of either.

Are you financially Smart ??

2006-04-18T15:05:00.000-07:00

I landed my first job last year . I led a cost conscious life in Grad School with a $600 income to pay for rent ,utilities and groceries . A full time job encouraged me to spend more .Few months into my job I was unable to track my expenditure and had huge credit card debts.

When my finance went messy, I had to come up with a strategy to combat my impulsive shopping nature .First of the few things I needed to do was

Track my expenses
Budget
Reduce expenditure one category at a time.

I cancelled all additional credit cards and stuck to one major card for all my expenses bought Microsoft Money and linked my credit card and checking account to it and tracked my monthly expenses . I budgeted all categories of my expenditure and decided to monitor my expenses Vs Budget every month.

This leads us to the first step towards investment.

Rule 1 :Save as much as you spend ( If you earn $3000 a month say $1000 goes towards your Rent + Car loan + Insurance , the remaining 2000$ needs to be split for expenditure and savings $1000 a piece).

2. Aggressively transferring money to a savings account (ING Direct 3.4% APR ) helps you save money.

The next few basic steps for investing are
3. Contribute the amount that your company matches into 401K every year .

4.If your company offers ESPP (Employee Stock Purchase plan ) use the full limit of this plan.

5.Every Investment plan should have a long term goal and a short term goal .Typical Short term goals are Investing money in the order of 5k -10k in mutual funds . Long term goal is to buy a house in 2-3 years with around 15% down payment.

Stocks , Mutual funds are good investments but one needs to collect a lot of data on those before attempting to buy .Investing Bible is a good book to get a heads start.Create a portfolio online and monitor it constantly , try to understand the factors that affect a stock price.

My friend Ashok has a website PROCUE which has lot of information in the finance section.He happens to be the source of all information that I provided in this post.

Lok Paritran (Alas Serious Indeed)...

2006-04-15T10:25:00.000-07:00

Lok Paritran party know to all as "Former IITians forming a political party".The party is contesting elections this May .It is looking for candidates to contest.

Any social cause needs finance and support and I hope the Indian diaspora that has been talking , complaining about the state of affairs back home will take steps to donate generously.I have emailed requesting the folks at the helm of affairs to create a Web Based method of sending money, facilitating the IT savy crowd to donate .

Till then spread the word about the party and encourage your folks to VOTE for them .

Jay Hindh

Lok Paritran

Trust , influence ,positive energy , inspiration and belief

2006-04-02T23:30:00.000-07:00

Ashok , a good friend of mine handed me a copy of "Wings of Fire "which is Dr APJ Abdul Kalam's autobiography .A man who is admired in the Global Community .One Chapter of the book has inspired me to write this post and I am sure remaining portions of this book will motivate me more .

Every person born into a family acquires its Socio Economical Values , he is taught a few good things by his parents. Teachers mould his thought , make him ready to accept challenges ,and to deal with uncertainties that life has in store .Friends , mentors , elders influence your thinking. After obtaining inspiration from many sources we draft a plan on our own and set to achieve it .Religious feeling aka spirituality which ever way we choose, tends to have an influence to on our thinking too .

I have always performed better when my parents encouraged me , my teachers motivated me and my friends trusted me .I take responsibilities for my actions and thank god for the great things he has done to me in my life , the good friends and mentors who he has sent to guide me .

I believe every one can be a positive influence in some ones life , creating positive energy in others is reciprocative .Let us be the source of inspiration for a few people whom we cross as we travel the journey of life.

Charity Post ( Re Released )

2006-03-27T07:53:00.000-08:00

Gandhi rightly said"Be the Change you want the world to be".

The world has been divided into two hemispheres one are the have and the other being
have not .The Indian Crowd settled in America definitely falls under the "have"category. We are a set of people who have crossed oceans leaving the loved ones behind seeking green pastures .We face problems in an alien land.People arrive here with lot of dreams and go through lot of travails to achieve them .

But when each one of you get up in the morning , feed yourself to a bowl of Kellogg and start the ignition of your Toyota corolla parked in a nice apartment or a private home pause , stop and think for a minute .Forget about your problems in life like the Gas prices being high , ever rising real estate market,and your never ending Credit Card dues , you are definitely better than those people in India whose every day meal depend on their daily wage , young children who work in mechanic shops , grocery stores these children who haven't seen the Funskool toys that your kids play with , these children who have never stepped inside a school nor did they have new clothes for diwali when you happily bought clothes for your entire family on a Halloween Sale in Macy's.

Many of us including me have talked hours about the corruption in India , and how Indian Society cannot improve unless we educate the masses, did we do anything about it?? NO!!!.

Every time we travel to India we need do some charity , rather than donating money to an organization , one should identify a cause in his town or his native Village and should spend one week end of his vacation visiting a place and helping the Kids ,family, old people get what they need the most with the money he has assimilated before his journey .Lot of people living in US are short of time , trust me it is very difficult even to think of issues like this with such a busy schedule .

Charity starts at home ,the house maid that works in your parents house could be your stepping stone to charity .You can graciously offer to take the expense of her kids education expenses until the time you can afford , you can visit a Local school where a small amount of slum dwellers manage to send their kids and agree to sponsor one kid from high school to obtain a College Degree .

India is a country with a lot of problems and these problems needs
modern solution .Educating poor Children is the definitely a noble deed .Every Child who is educated illuminates the lives of their family , inspires his friends to strive for success like him .A small deed of charity towards a poor child's education could change many lives.

Madrasi ...!!

2006-03-22T23:28:00.000-08:00

"Are Yaar Madrasi log will know English and Hindi but when a north Indian visits chennai they say Hindi Nahi Maloom "."Man no hard feelings but chennai sucks , the auto walahs are real horrible , my GF lives in a flat in Chennai and the house owner says no cooking Non Veg in the entire Complex ..Common dude you must be Kidding imposing rules on what one should do in their own house ".Every place I go with my GF every one gazes me , from an young guy to elderly people ,Whats their problem in life ??".Theese are the some of the stuff my north Indian friends had to say.

I hear a lot of statements like above .But every chennaite is proud of his city his culture and doesn't find a problem Living there .

Is Chennai a city that can sustain cosmopolitan crowd , people from different countries , for the matter non - Tamil speaking Indians .Thinking about it rationally I have my doubts .We are so rich in Culture and heritage ,but is it easy for tourists to travel and visit Tamil Nadu ? may be not.

Being a pivot of Industrial development in the sectors of Automobile and IT , Chennai , the corridor to Tamil Nadu needs a make over .We are proud of what we are, our tradition ,our culture but that should not stop us from being open to changes and development .Starting from the Airport , transport , Roads , Police we need to improve and make life conducive for visitors .We need to remodel the society in such a way that by only speaking English a person can lead a normal life in Tamil Nadu.
We need not change our roots , but we can accept constructive improvements .

Lets Hope that as we step into a new millenium we grow as a society which is corruption free and visitor friendly .

How secular are you ??

2006-03-11T20:19:00.000-08:00

Ashoka the great once said "For He who does reverance to his own sect while disparaging the sects of other wholy from attachement to his own sect in reality inflicts, by such conduct , the severest injury on his own sect "

While driving to a Chinese restaurant on a week day I casually asked my colleague "Hey Aleck Whats up for Summer ?".He replied "Oh..I forgot to tell you I would be traveling to India with my Missionary ".It was just these words that triggered the argumentative skills as rightly pointed by Amartya Sen in the book Argumentative Indian.

I don't like the Missionaries coming to India in the pretext of helping the poor but end up influencing them for religious conversion .I had to express this feeling to my good friend Aleck and had to provide suffice reasons for that .Here is what my argument was.

My best buddy for about seven years is Ashok a Christian , my other friend Rimzath is a Muslim .India is a secular country in which we go beyond religious tolerance and follow acceptance.I used to go ashok's house for Christmas and visit Rimzath on ramzaan to wish him "ID Mubarak".We celebrate each others faith .

India has poor people , people who are affected by physical and mental conditions .Helping people in need is "Karma".Associating religion with deeds of kindness is not a good representation of any faith .Providing destitute food , education and care will help India grow , but reasoning that, following a paticular faith has given him prosperity brings the paticular faith no good.I feel that the tribal and poor people do not have the wisdom to make a judgment.Educating them is a positive step in their life but influencing them to make a religious decision is morally incorrect.

We need to like a person for what he is , him being a better person is more important to me than the faith which is making him better .The effect is more important than the cause .India which has to focus on development in various fields doesnot need any hindrance in the form of communal violence.

Youngsters of my age grow up with people of different religion caste and belief .They accept their friends for what they are and try to forget their differences and work towards the betterment of the society .

Religious influence of foreign missionaries disturb the balance of India and affects its peaceful exsistence

Ego

2006-03-05T12:49:00.000-08:00

When it comes to relationships many people know and have talked about how to make it work .What I am pondering on a cloudy Sunday afternoon is how to to avoid a bad relationship .What a looser !! He He ..

Many impersonate to impress the newly found love of their life , this might kindle romance and events that follow aftermath , but when the patner discovers your true self things tend to fall apart.After every broken relationship we hear people saying "I did so much for her , I bought her this , I was there for her when she needed me ,without me she could not have become the person she is " ."I was used and abused" is the sad tale of many people who once thought "life is beautiful when your are in love".."Love ke liye Salah Kuch bhi karega ".

Keeping it real , and conveying your true feelings at the right time clears a lot of misunderstandings .Many a times we refuse to break the news out and save it for the the future , though the pill might be hard to chew it is better chewed sooner than later .

Dave Chappel has a funny skit in his episodes about how "Keeping it real can go wrong ". But my call is "Keeping it real is the best way to handle relationships ".Like Russell says "Be a man , do the right thing ".

Patti Sollai Thattade ...(Listen to Your Grandmom )

2006-03-02T12:43:00.000-08:00

I saw this video at lunch time today ..burst out laughing
Patti Video
Let me know what you think .

Tagged

2006-02-26T11:14:00.000-08:00

Oh...Sunday ..wake up late ..my IQ level still low i have to write some thing smart .
I have been tagged by Suchi ..here it goes

Ten Years Ago ,

I had my first big Crush .
Drinking and Smoking is evil .
Love marraige is a sin .
Found out ..children are not born using GOD's magic .
Debonair was the most informative book .

Five Years Ago

Only a dumb person studies in college.
Kool dudes never take lecture notes.
Bunking class is the best part of college life.
College Canteen was my home.
Playing Cricket was the smartest thing to do .
Was in love .
Was the DADA of my College.
Ragging must be made compulsory in colleges.
Hostel Life Rocks.

Last One year

First love never lasts .
First Car always crashes .
First Job Sucks .
BEER is your best friend .
Friends are the crux of life .
My family is the best .

Yesterday
K came to Sacramento with his parents.
Lot of Talk about his special some one with his family .
First time I had to say "I dont think It will work out between us".

Five Yummy Things

Moms Meen Kozhambu (Fish Curry).
Ven Pongal .
Chicken Biryani.
Appam Thenga Pal .
Kal Dosai Vada kari .

Five Songs I know by heart

Netru Illada Matram - Pudhiya Mugam
Minnale Ne Vandha Podile - May Madham
Anbe Sugama - Parthale Paravasam
PArkathe Parkathe - Gentleman
Dating - Boys

Places I escape to
My Computer
My bathroom
My bed
My frens house

Five things I'd do if I have money

Buy IPOD
Buy a new computer
Buy a NIKON XLR
Buy a BMW
Buy a House

TV Shows

Whose Line it is anway
Everybody Loves Raymond
Saved by the Bell
Family GUY

5 Things I can't Live without

Friends
CAR
Beer
Food
Computer

5 Cusines

Indian
Malaysian
Thai
Greek
Mexican

Five people I tag

Joe Steeve
Sukhayna
Nithya
Jagan
Katpadi Murali

Just Friends yaa !!!

2006-02-24T13:11:00.000-08:00

"No man can be friends with a woman whom he finds attractive. He always wants to have sex with her," said a wise man called Harry Burns when he met Sally Albright.

"Yes, that's right, they can't be friends. Unless both of them are involved with other people, then they can," Harry explained.

It's been 17 years since he said that and yet women don't seem to have really got the hang of what he means. They actually believe that the guy who calls every single day and goes out of his way to help her is "so sweet" and (wants to be) just friends.

Oh! Please! Men surely have better things to do than play guardian angel. Like it's their new full-time job or mission statement for life.

Now, let's consider for a minute the profile of these guys who do that.

a. He is single. Obviously, otherwise, he would be running around to get his own girl to like him.

b. He is not her type. Because, if he was, she would have seen through his desperate attempts to woo her.

c. He has friends who believe, or in some cases, KNOW that he likes her more than a friend.

d. He does not have another girl that he finds attractive as a friend. Because if he did, he would be doing that for her too.

e. He is the initiator... the guy who takes the effort to make conversation, at least most of the time.

Is that some sort of a co-incidence now that they somehow meet all those traits?

Fat chance. The truth is women like the attention they get, they don't want to say `No' to it or confront him because they don't want to lose the benefits. Besides, till the guy has said it, you can always just be "friends".

It is high time these do-gooder gentlemen woke up to see that if she hasn't seen his love in all that he has done for her, she's probably blind. Or plain dumb.

SHE SAYS

And men, of course, are assuming that women are really taken in by the `let's be friends' gag?

`Friendship,' my poor misguided young male puppets, is sometimes just a convenient way for women to make cow-eyes at you over canteen Cokes, or three course dinners. You might think you have the upper hand, but you're just being checked out to see if you are date worthy.

Because when a women is `just friends' with a guy, she gets a sneak peek at how he really thinks, behaves and relates to other people. (Pssst. A word of advice. Act snotty with the waiter and you're out in the cold.)

More important, being able to say, "we're just good friends, ya" lets you off the hook, when nosy friends start prodding you for details, and your mother begins to plan a June wedding in her head.

In fact, Indian ingenuity has come up with an even better way of concealing a relationship that's too young and unsteady to announce. The "He's like my brother," and `She's like my sister' story makes it so easy for all those totally unrelated siblings to watch sunsets hand-in-hand with nobody getting suspicious and tracing family trees. But, please remember, it doesn't work this way with everybody. Of course, men and women can be friends. Otherwise, imagine what a warped world this would be.

Men need their women friends. For one, men have terrible taste when it comes to picking out clothes or solitaires for their girlfriends, and can always do with some female guidance. Besides, female company keeps men civilised. Look at what happened in William Golding's "Lord Of the Flies", where a bunch of boys abandoned on an island began to eat each other!

And yes, women need their male friends too. They give us a man's perspective on life, making it easier to understand boyfriends. They are generally completely chilled out, which makes them easy to hang out with. And they're useful at times when you need someone to carry your shopping, help you move furniture into a new house, or get rid of an over zealous admirer.

Boyfriends are nice to have around, but guy friends are essential.

If you have reached this part of the post and you are wondering "Shiv has written a awsome post you are in for a Big Suprise !! This is an article i lifted from Hindu Metro Plus Chennai Edition ".

Hope you had a good time reading it .

Amma .

2006-02-20T23:46:00.000-08:00

Being a vivid music fan I have decided to post a few lines that caught my attention during the week .

Its a Hindi Line

"Yehan Sab Kuch hain maa phir bhi
bin tere lage mujhe akela "

A bit of translation

"There is everything in abundance here MOM
but without you I feel alone "

Poetic version by my good frend R

"missing my mom, is the reason only
without her around, i feel lonely"

Will wait a few days to days to post the Movie and Song Title .Till then I will let people guess ?? Current Blockbuster !!

Jo

2006-02-18T08:31:00.000-08:00

Jothika is the prettiest girl on screen and my favourite .This post is dedicated to her .

Things I Like about her .

Everything

Things I hate about her .

Nothing

Jo Fan Macchi !!

Son

2006-02-16T22:53:00.000-08:00

My Dad sends me great cards for my birthday every year .
The words in the card makes me feel that i have fullfiled
my parents dream to an extend .Here are the words for this year

Seeing you grow up into a nice person
makes me realize what Life achievements are all about .

The pride that we feel in our hearts when addressed as
your parents is obsolutely beyond explanation .

Chennai Rocks macchi !!

2006-02-11T17:06:00.000-08:00

Its been my longest stay away from chennai .Two years and 6 months to be more exact .The three weeks I was in chennai was by far my best vacation ever .Having lived there for 17 years , how does this three weeks rank up to number 1 ? .Let me stop the prelude here and mention the factors that made it so .

1. The BIG KISS I got from my grandma when I reached home .

2. Three night shows with my DAD Aaru , Kanda Naal mudhal and Sanda kozhi .

3. Quality time spent with mom and dad .

4. Balajee Bhavann Tiffin Menu .

5. Cute Chennai Girls .

But the whole incident that sparked me to write this was the nights that I spent with Kuppa Queen 's Kuppa Gumbal . Meeting Yuvan Shankar Raja in Mocha , tons of KF that I guzzled , Bikes and Barrel , Dublin koothu were my best moments .Thanks to the entire Kuppa Gumbal and special mention to Siddharth .Hope to have a big Kuppa Bash in US may be Vegas !!

Looks like an Oscar winning speech .

Coffee makes you smarter !!

2006-02-09T21:53:00.000-08:00

For the past few months I have been frequenting the US Tea kadai (Shop*) Star Bucks .
After many attempts Michele got my name right , so every time I step into SB she greets me by saying "Wassup Sheev ".

For bulk of students and office goers ,coffee is the burning fuel .Early morning to get the day started we need a cup of coffee .A bit of caffeine wakes you up from the afternoon drowsiness .So the question arises does a cup of Coffee make you smarter ?? .

Today I came across an article in TIME which claimed that "Coffee stimulates your brain to respond better " . Intelligence of a person cannot be enhanced , but the ability to focus can be increased with a cup of coffee and this has been medically proven .Next time you are feeling sleepy and not able to concentrate ,get yourself a cup of coffee things ought to get better .

STATUARY WARNING : COFFEE CONTAINS CAFFEINE WHICH IS INJURIOUS TO HEALTH

Argumentative Indian

2006-02-07T21:48:00.000-08:00

A couple of friends of mine have been reading the latest book by Amartya Sen "Argumentative Indian " .This book is about how diverse India is and how vastly different ideas we posses .It brings out arguments on Indian democracy ,caste , creed and its constant battle for peace.This book might give you answers to many questions about Indian culture that may have been lingering in your mind .

Havent had my hands on this book yet , it will take a while for me to read it and review it .Meanwhile I would like every one to put this book on their reading queue .

Here or There ....

2006-02-04T11:01:00.000-08:00

United States has been the land of dreams for a lot of people . When one lands in US they carry with them hopes of their entire family .After lots of hardship a decent life is established and with very year going passing by life gets even better .

There are a few who like the American way of life adopt to it, and let go of their past which includes their culture ,tradition and values . There a few who fight a constant battle between the western influence and their eastern values .Life is good here , by saying that what I mean , a very good number of people live in nice houses , eat good food , have good clothes to wear .Having covered all basic necessity , people have enough time and money for vacations and many extravagant events .Oh boy life is definitely good here .

A few feel home is where the heart is,but others like to live in a place which is more conducive for life , better facilities ,infrastructure and better education for their kids .But reasons apart I would love to live where I am most happy .Is it going to be here or there is a big question that i have to answer sooner or later ?

My first device

2006-01-06T17:48:00.000-08:00

The first project that I worked in my professional career has
entered the market .It is a PC/PDA dual purpose device .
Please check the URL and let me know what you feel .cPC

I played a major role in the software development of this project .
I feel thrilled that this product is listed as one of the three candidates
in Palm PC category at Consumer Electronics Show 2006.

Man Vasanai

2006-01-06T08:28:00.000-08:00

The pits that I encountered on roads , cuts that made in my bike , road side food stalls , railway gate , visits to sathyam theatre ,spencer ,coffe day represent my teenage .

"Oh my God !! so much garbage , dirty roads , rude drivers , crowded busses , cheating auto drivers , corrupt cop "said the bloody american ."Being at home , drinking moms tea , eating south indian food , pretty tamil girls ,watching tamil movies "said the simple tamilian .

Cost of living has gone up , petrol is nearing 50's , 500 is the running currency , bikes cars for every one are the new elements of the chennai life .

A lot of movies to watch , a lot of school and college friends to meet , a lot of shopping to do ....

Have I redicovered myself or have I lost my past.I am happy to be back in Chennai ....

Thai Manne Vanakkam

2006-01-06T00:32:00.000-08:00

I landed in bangkok on a late friday afternoon from singapore with my brother and my other cousin .As we were about to leave the airport I encountured a very familiar atmosphere where the taxi drivers were trying to lure tourist to ride with them , we shrugged everyone and went straight to the prepaid line .

The buildings , streets, of bangkok are very similar to any city in
India .There were a lot of things to see in thailand but we decided to stroll
on the local streets .Like any tourist spot many touts would approach you for many things , theses were the common lines "thaaaaaai massage sire ","Sir tuk tuk (Tuk tuk is auto of thailand)".

Thailand is famous for imitation of branded goods, Louis Vutton bags,Rolex watches , Sports Jersy are among the hot sellers.The thai currency is Bhat and it has the same value as an Indian Rupee.

On Day 2 we took a boat ride to the Kings Palace , walked to the Sleeping Bhuddha in the noon .In the night we visited the night market and dined in a fancy thai restaurant .

Day 3 was one of my best travel experience , we visited the floating market .It is canal which has shops in it and the tourist would travel on boats and shop around .I would let the pictures do the remaining talking.

There are many things , other than what i wrote ,that thailand has to offer and you have to be there to experience it .And like they day "What ever happens in Bangkok stays in Bangkok ;) ".Over all i had a great time here and all credits to my host and financer my bro .

a few more hours..

2005-12-25T15:30:00.000-08:00

I have been waiting for this day for the past two years.A few months of shopping , a few days of packing , a few days of planning ,a few nights of dreaming about being with loved ones .A realization that far away from where i live are a few souls, who love me , my existence in this world make a difference in their lives .Despite their busy lives they take a few moments to think about me and miss me for not being around .

While the whole of america travels on X-mas to be with their loved ones , a season which brings happiness in million of souls .I am finally headed to a place which i can call it my own.Have i loved it so much always or the feeling of being away from it has trigered this passion..what ever the reson may be this is the happiest day of my life.I have a flight to catch in a few more hours..

"I am Leaving on a Jet plane , dunno when i be back again ...."

Great Blog !!!

2005-12-08T00:13:00.000-08:00

Joseph has an amazing photo blog .The pics he posts are full of life , on thoose evenings when i feel away from home his pictures makes me smile .Take a look at his collection and let me know how you feel.This is my favorite pic.Let me know yours ??

His lines for his above pic

I give my hand to you,
Hold me tight;
I make my life yours
Make it sweet;

Latest Tunes

2005-12-04T09:56:00.000-08:00

Listening to Kalvanin Kadhali & Sanda Kozhi both by Yuvan !!
Favorite Song: Tajmahal OviyaKadhan by Vijay Yesudas (Kalvan Kadali )

Other nice numbers :
Eno Kangal (Kalvanil Kadhali)
Dhavani Potta Deepavali (Sanda Kozhi)

Listen to theese two Movie songs in
Raaga.com and tell me what do you feel about it ??

Here are the reviews in India Glitz

Will I be out of Place?? In Chennai

2005-12-04T08:57:00.000-08:00

Born and brought up in Chennai ,at the age of 17 my dad thought he had enough of me and sent me packing to Allahabad,Uttar Pradesh for engineering .When I made a unsuccessful attempt to come back home at 21 with a job in IT industry my mom played her deadly emotional card and shipped me to Los Angels.

Last time I was in Chennai was in Summer 05 ,the maximum I spent in a day in Chennai was Rs 100 .Movies at Sathyam , Beasant Nagar beach , restaurants in Anna Nagar , Coffee day , Landmark , Connexions ( Anna Nagar) ,Dishnet HUB were my favorite spots.While I was busy studying in US my friends were Blowing their pay Slips in bars , discos , Star Hotel ,Mayajal and other happening places in chennai which I haven't even heard of .

When I am all set to visit Chennai in Jan 2006 , I am wondering if I would be a stranger in my own home town Will I need people to tell me what to do ? Where to go ?. When I meet my college , High School buddies will I be able to chill out with them ?? Or feel lost in translation ?

Has any one had such experience when you were back home in India ??

Bonded by Web!!

2005-11-20T15:19:00.000-08:00

Shiv , Narayanan , Jagan

Petrified Forest

Napa Valley

Natural Geyser

The Chennai/Tamil Blog Community has expanded in the recent months Venkitu is a very prominent name among our Blogger Community .It just took one week between his first Comment on my Blog , to Spend an amazing week end with his family.

Flash Back of my Trip . Started and ended with amazing Dosas and Idlis from Uma (Narayanan's Wife) Definitely the high point of my trip .Me ,Jagan another blogger from Chennai and Narayanan went to Wine tasting in Napa Valley with a little buzz from Wine we got a glimpse of natural Hot Geyser and finally we walked through the trails of Petrified forests thinking how small is the world .Strangers a week ago we are having a blast now .We Clicked a lot of Snaps and I am sure you will read more about it in their Blogs .Late at night we went to watch Harry Potter's latest movie with his kids .

I am not sure if my fellow bloggers will get opportunity to spend time with Such lovely hosts like Uma and Venkittu, but this will go in my dossier as most unselfish show of affection to fellow Indians in a alien land.

We are planning to have many more week ends like this ,but for the first one thanks to BlogSpot.com.Jagan is planning to come over to my house for a week end this month so I guess I found a new "Macchi " in my life .

AARU ..mujic a surprise

2005-11-16T23:16:00.000-08:00

YuvanShankar Raja , Harris and ARR are bound to deliver every time .I wouldnt even bother to listen to any one else .The music of Aaru
turned out to be a suprise .I liked a couple of songs .
The songs are available for download at www.mohankumars.com

Theese lines are mesmerising me ...

"Parkathe enna parkathe kuthum parvaiale enna pakade "
( Too tough for me to translate)

"Nenjum ennum oorinile kadhal enum thervinile "
(It the city of heart a street named love )

A funny song "freeaa Vudu" sung by our very own vadivelu and Jassie Gift was suprise package .Over all a good album .Let me know what you guys think

Beer adi!!

2005-11-13T22:11:00.000-08:00

Lot of elders ,friends have told me to be prepared for the worst .
They would say to me "BE READY " ..but i got it as "Beer adi "
is that my fault !!!.How many of you have done the same mistake !!

Ending my blogging for the week end ona funny note !!!

why Tamil music matters the most to me !!

2005-11-12T23:03:00.000-08:00

When we say music has no language , how are some fancinated by english ,other by hindi and me by tamil .I dont attach ego to lot of things in life .But tamil music and chennai are things that i fiercely argue with any one claiming it to be best.Many a times i wondered if were to date a blonde american girl ,american born desi girl (dei dei ..ithu konja too much illa )the date would end when i say all i listen to is Tamil Music .

You know what a person should be liked for what he is , tamil music is a vent for all my feeling .While i listen to music for hours to gether there are a few lines in each song that catch my attention ..some time it bring gloom ..sometimes happiness .I am going to post every week the lines that touched my soul .To start with here are a few

Listen to this and tell me if it made sense to your life !!

Kala changli meendum inayalam ..kadal changili inayade .
translation:( Time Chain can rejoin but in love when the connection is lost its lost for ever)
Name of the Movie : Oru Kaloorin in kathai
Title of the Song : Kangal Kalangida

Oru kaloori in kadhai

Somebody Gonna Get Hurt Real Bad !!!

2005-11-12T11:40:00.000-08:00

Lot of people say they are fun loving , funny and have a good sense of humor .Humor is something that needs to be part of every conversation . Many a times people elder to me have told "Shiv , u need to grow up and be serious ".Shamelessly i will crack a pj "If i am serious then u guys have to take me to the doc".Juss kidding ..has always been a integral part of my sentence mostly the latter part of it.

I had the opportunity to watch Russel Peter Live in San Jose California .It was an amazing experience .All his jokes were impromptu , he picked on a indian girl who was sitting with a white dude and asked here whether they were dating , in a typical deshi style she said " We are jussst friends". Russel winks his eyes and says " We are just friends , he some time sleeps over at my place and i some times at his " ...the girl must have been embarassed.

I would definitely Recommend every one to track if he is visiting any place closer to where you live and go visit him .

Diwali in California aka Home away from home

2005-11-01T00:18:00.000-08:00

At 4pm pacific time I was sitting in my office in California .Diwali
it is in India .In chennai where I am from ,Young kids with their new
clothes would be bursting crackers ,women clad in their kancheepuram
saris prepaing for Lakshmi pooja.Sweets are prepared weeks in advance and are being distributed to Neighbors friends and family.As I was driving back to home I asked myself what was the point of living in US when my heart truly was else where ?wouldn't it be great if I were in India celebrating Diwali ?

I had a dinner invitation at my colleague's place .He is more of a
friend and well wisher .Murali and Shashi had hosted diwali dinner for a few of their friends and I am lucky to be part of it.I entered their house to a warm smile of shashi wishing me happy diwali , a few people had gathered before me .Smell of great food was was in the air and we started talking merrily about various topics.
All serious topics were turned into banters by muralis one liners aka kadi jokes.It is amazing how in new county where I know
only a handful of people, far away from the buzz of diwali in India I was having a great evening .Small deeds of affection ,love and care goes a long way in making people's life better .

This diwali is among my cherishable moments and no prizes for guessing for who made it memorable.

First Pic : The feast

Second : Shashi&Murali (hosts) ,my mentor at work murali ,Umesh nd kartik ( Colleagues)

Sick Day

2005-10-26T12:47:00.000-07:00

Weather in Roseville,California had changed dramatically , this week its been gloomy and cold evey day .Today i woke up and i was feeling tierd and weak so decided to take a day off from job and take rest.

Treated myself to tomato rice ,and boiled egg and decided to spend some time reading my new book MiddleSex by Jefferey Eugenides .

Cricket it is

2005-10-26T12:41:00.000-07:00

My mom reads my blog and she was saying i was getting very serious in life .So i thought i will post some lighter side of me ..and it matters to me in coherence to the central theme of my blog.

Saturday was the Last Cricket game of the Season , i play in the Sacramento Cricket League .I am the opening batsman for my team RCC-2 .Here are a few pictures of the last game .Hope you guys like it.

What does Charity mean to you

2005-10-20T16:26:00.000-07:00

The world has been divided into two hemispheres one are the have and the other being
have not .The Indian Crowd settled in america definitely falls under the "have"category. We are a set of people who have crossed oceans leaving the loved ones behind seeking green pastures.There are many problems that that we face when we immigrates to a a alien land.People arrive here with lot of dreams and go through lot of travails to achieve them .

But when each one of you get up in the morning , feed yourself to a bowl of Kellogg and start the ignition of you Toyota corolla parked in a nice appartment or a private home pause , stop and think for a minute .Forget about your problems in life like the Gas prices being high , ever rising real estate market,and your never ending Credit Card dues , you are definitely better than those people in India whose every day meal depend on their daily wage , young children who work in mechanic shops , grocery stores these children who haven't seen the Funskool toys that your kids play with , these children who have never stepped inside a school nor did they have new clothes for diwali when you happily bought clothes for your entire family on a Halloween Sale in Macy's.

Many of us including me have talked hours about the corruption in India and how Indian Society cannot improve unless we educate the masses did we do anything about it NO!!!.Gandhi rightly said"Be the Change you want the world to be".

This was a prelude to a question that I ask my friends What Does Charity mean in your Life ?I had asked this question to my close circle of friends here in Sacramento , we call ourselves ASJOBASH (AShok Bala Jom and SHiv ) . This is what we had decided. Every time one travels to India we would collect money from friends and family in US and give it to him .He rather than donating it an organization would identify a cause in his town or his native Village and would spend one week end of his vacation visiting a place and helping the Kids ,family, old people get what they need the most with the money he has assimilated before his journey .Lot of people living in US are short of time , trust me it is very difficult even to
think of issues like this with such a busy schedule .

Charity starts at home ,the house maid that works in your parents house could be your stepping stone to charity .You can graciously offer to take the expense of her kids education expenses until the time you can afford , you can visit a Local school where a small amount of slum dwellers manage to send their kids and agree to sponsor one kid from high school to obtain a College Degree .

India is a country with a lot of problems and these problems needs
modern solution .Educating poor Children is the definitely a noble deed .Every Child who is educated illuminates the lives of their family , inspires his friends to strive for success like him .A small deed of charity towards a poor child's education could change many lives.

Visit www.vibha.org and see what is happening in your city in US and look into their current projects and see how you can make yourself useful to this world which has given you so much to be happy about, share your joy of learning with others and make a difference in lives of people back home in India .I am planning to Volunteer for the Sacramento Chapter of Vibha Are you going to?????

Whats Success to you ??

2005-10-20T13:45:00.000-07:00

Whats Success to You ??

I stopped by barnes and noble this afternoon and I picked up a book Called Success .It is not some self claimed Guru giving tips to be successfull but quotes of great people about Success .Success is relative to evey person and hence theese are few ways I define Success let me know if any one of you agree to some of the following.

1.Your Life is a Success if even one life has breathed easier because you lived.

2.If you feel Secure with the certainity that this is the way life will always be.

I am going to add to the list as i read through the book in meantime
if any of you (My fictional blog readers) can post your definition of success .

SHIV420

2005-10-20T10:44:00.000-07:00

I decided to get a Custom License plate and i wanted SHIV on it ...but i need three more letter to fill it up with .So i popped a question to my Bro who without thinking said 420 ( Char so Beez) .I like an obedient younger ordered thoose and here is how it looks on my car .

Leader ..Leadership ..Captain ....CEO What are they all about ???

2005-10-15T01:09:00.000-07:00

My mom wants me to do an MBA and become a CEO .My Mom is ambitious sometimes impractical but for sure she inspires me ..And makes me think .Ok lets say I want to be a CEO of a big corporation .What skills do I need ?

This question leads to bigger question so is there a set of skills one need to gain to become a leader or are leaders born with those abilities thing I always believed in is if you want to be a leader you need followers you need them to trust you .To make this happen you need to lead by example and prove that you are truly worth their devotion .Many successful leaders were those who being among peers demonstrated great skill and ability and his own peers escalated him to Leadership.Self proclaimed leadership is dangerous .When it comes to leadership no article is complete without mentioning the dictators .Hitler ,Saddam ,Mussolini all ruled by terror .Is that the right way ? No it is not .

According to me a good leader is one who commands respect by his action ,is in good faith of his followers and leads them to a path of prosperity and protects them in moments of adversity .So is leader a GOD ?? And who is GOD by the way?? .I believe every man who does good to fellow human beings is god .Love is God.Leadership is a blessing and it needs to exercised with utmost care.

For thoose who dont know who this Guy is he is NarayanaMurthy the Former CEO of INFOSYS .If in future i happened to be a leader i would want to be like him .

Are you born creative or you become one.

2005-10-12T23:36:00.000-07:00

I have spent hours wasting TV and browsing the internet aimlessly .But When some one asks me "Hey ship what are your interests". I would proudly say "Listening to Tamil music and playing cricket".That's when the inner me says "Common dude Tamil Music is fun I agree whats up with cricket who does not play it , tell me something different".

Usually the person asking me the question follows it up with "Do you play any instruments ? Any games like tennis ? Basketball? (People in India consider cricket part of life like Breakfast , lunch ,Cricket and Dinner ).No No no.How about Photography ,painting ? .Thank god some releif ,with great pride i would say " I take a lot of fotos".

Many time I wondered was it the place that you grew up ,your parents motivation ,
your friends ,that inspire you to become creative or is it just you who is responsible for it .Shamelessly I have put the blame on my MOM saying that all she wanted me to do was to Study and I did that obediently but MOM did not encourage me do creative things.

Artists ,painters , writers need a congenial environment do pursue their creative
endeavourer's wait a minute they were artists first before they seized an environment .

SO for all those people out there who are blaming it on the city you grew up ,school you studied , your strict MOM .Its time to think about the new things in life you want to experience .You need first think ..think deeply ..Think differently and think a lot .These are the first few steps to make your thought creative .

Tamil Music

2005-09-09T22:15:00.000-07:00

"Thamizhe en Moochu Thamizhe en peeche ".Interest in tamil Music and Movies was rubbed on to me from my dad (I refer him with love as Sundar) which also happens to be my last name.There are many things in life which i conciously refuse to accept .Western Music ,Rock ,Metal ,Metallica , Ozzy are some of thoose .

My roomate katik Iyer a ardent Rock fan who lives and breathes rock he also has a passion for drumming .While he used to listen to Rock all the time , i used to seize a few minutes to play my AR Rahmans , Yuvan Shankar raja and Harris Jeyaraj . He has a collection of say 100 rock Cds which he carries with him during our trips .Slowly as days went by Kartik who is a tamilian by birth was getting attracted to tamil music .The final blow was struck when we both went to watch Anniyan in San Jose he was mesmerized by the movie and by its songs.We watched the movie three times later .Listened to the songs every morning for about a month .From then on when we are travelling no Tool ,Dave mathews or fity Cent .Kartik would tell me "kannum Kannum podu da" meaning play the Kanum Kanum song from Anniyan .

Today i was hangin out with kartik in the evening he knows about the latest tamil songs more than i do , he calls me up at my cube to tell me abt the lattest Thotti Jaya songs by Hjeyaraj ."Dei Shiv Thotta Power song Super da"

I am really happy that i got Kartik in touch with his tamil side .Something i got intersted being with him was Stand up Comedy "Dave Chappel B!@#ch "