Cubicles

Caught up with 'Wake Up Sid' last Saturday with LSD, there was this part in it where the hero finds a job in the office, and boy was it some office. It was pretty cool, no cubicles at all. The manager had one big cabin, vending machines of course. No cubicles, now that's one office I'd wanna go to work everyday. The big sick conference hall with leather seats a with a flashy projector all is replaced by a big table with a white board and post-its. That's not just it, no dress code, well not that you can walk into office in your undies, but casuals that's the code of the day, everyday. I work in an IT firm, and I still don't know why we need cubicles? You could imagine them as bunkers place horizontally, it looks like some concentration camp of some formally dressed individuals. The place needs some posters, not posters of your HR buddy or the Go-Green campaign in office, let's get some RF posters, Cars, some graffiti, a good photo of 'aurora borealis', a view from the canyon.

Tim Robbins cell in 'Shawshank' had posters!!!. It changed his life in prison. I've decided, I'm decorating my cubicle, not like a tea shop or something... something inspiring... get a RF poster... A Steve Jobs poster... I'm gonna have my own cool, three walled office.

(Image courtesy:http://www.stomptokyo.com)

By the way a few updates. Two of my friends are getting into some serious hobbies. In alphabetical order.

Shveta: A fashion designer by profession, she's now getting her hands into 'pimping up' your old and boring dupattas, tops and curtains. She's into 'block printing' and 'tie and dye', she takes orders for printed dupattas, T-shirts and tops. You have to see the bed sheet that she just did with the whole 'tie and dye' technique- totally El wicked-o!!! and I'm not saying this just because she's my friend. She's really good at this. So if you guys are interested in 'pimping up' your wardrobe a bit. Just add a comment with your phone number or drop a mail to me at itsme[dot]bijou[at]gmail[dot]com. I'll pass on your details to Shveta.

Here's sample of she made.

Now Vasu, I have a theory about Vasu; God must have set course for her to land on earth in a place where there's cheese, chocolate and whole lotta goodness made from ovens. Seems she took a detour and landed in India instead (good for us). She's into big time baking, has an oven for herself and she's chugging out whole lot of awesomeness from this new friend of hers whenever she can find some time. She's decided on sharing her baking skills with anybody who wants to give baking a try. She will provide the materials and an oven, you just have to walk in and watch her at work and you'll get to make your 'own' cake with some help from Vasu. So you guys interested or know anybody who's interested. Drop in a comment to the end of this post or you could get in touch with Vasu on her blog here. You could also drop me a mail at itsme[dot]bijou[at]gmail[dot]com. I'll pass on your details to Vasu. She does share her recipes and pixs of the baked goodies on her blog, feel free to check it out.

Brother of the bride

Am I being a very obnoxiously over protective brother here. She always had it her way, and we always let her have it her way. It was like her secret super power or something, she always had it her way. Be it with chocolates, writing with ball point pens, her time with the TV. .She has veto power on 'Going to School' or in her words 'Lu-KG'. She very much decides on what she 'thinks' is right for her, not what really is right for her. Am I blowing this out of proportion, why is it that I just can't see her as a grown up and responsible woman.

Maybe I'm comparing her with the women around me. I already am guilty of being this over expecting brother, whatever she did was never good enough. I wanted her to be better than me, get the best opportunities better than the one that I got. And to make stuff worse, folks always let her have her way. I slowly became the guy who never could 'handle the truth', ammachi became her Fort Knox. Did I become 'the guy on the other end of the daily phone call'. Did I miss out on this whole transformation from baby sister to whatever she is now.

Now suddenly she's all ready and all to get married. There is a dude of her choice, she gets her way again. I'm not saying I don't like her choices... I just never trusted her choices. Life in 'Palathra' was literally a bed of roses. Tiffin on time, daily wake up calls, pick up and drop to school. The only thing that I think she knows to make is TANG and Maggi. No, I'm not exaggerating, the only other near to cooking (when the remote is not in her hand) thing I have seen her do is, mix the flour, butter and sugar for Amma's cake, and I have my theory that she does this so that she gets dibs for licking the bowl afterwards. Are we caving in to another one her wishes. Would she be able manage a home, be a wife and all.

Why couldn't baby sisters just pupate and then emerge as these a something with wings and all. How the hell am I supposed to know she's no more a baby sister. I don't think Palathra without my pestering sis would be the same. Yeah I know I'm totally flipping out here.

(Image courtesy:www.brisbaneinsects.com)

Caterpillar in the tree, how you wonder who you'll be

Can't go far but you can always dream

Wish you may and wish you might

Don't you worry hold on tight.

I promise you there will come a day

Butterfly Fly Away

Butterfly Fly Away (butterfly fly away)

Flap your wing now you can't stay

Take those dreams and make them all come true

Butterfly Fly Away (butterfly fly away)

We been waiting for this day

All along and know just what to do

Butterfly,

Butterfly,

Butterfly,

Butterfly Fly Away

(From Miley Cyrus: Butterfly Fly away)

Jump start!!!!!!

It's been two long years since I last posted anything worthwhile on this blog. Jump starting my blog is one of the main resolutions I made for 2008. So here I am, back again to jump start my blog. My reason for this long break... well I wish I could say that 'I found the remains of my home planet in space, and i just flew for 2 years to bring it back to earth and bury it'. I was lazy, I'm so lazy that I skip breakfast cos I have to heat up a cup of milk. So I guess that gives you a real good idea on how lazy I am. I was lazy so I didn't post anything on the blog.

So now what's changed during this two long years that I was lazy. Nothing much, I stopped playing badminton early in the morning, bought a Laptop, got this nut-case idea that I'd look smoking hot if I had a 'shaolin' pony tail, nothing much changed. Didn't grow a shirt size nor did I put on any weight. So that's it for the two years that you guys missed.

It's a new year and it's a new start, the past year had it share of happy and sad experiences.

2007 taught me that:

'It's very selfish on our part to expect the people we love and care about to be around. The only place that they will be with us for life is in our hearts. And the ones that really reflect the love that you have for them are the ones who call up and stay in touch'

'If you want to screw up a IT Project, just screw up at your requirement gathering phase, that will take care of the rest'

'Even Roger Federer feels like an ordinary man in Roland Garros. Gods do make mistakes'

2007 left behind these to remember:

• The trip to Sikkim and Nasik.
• Kimi winning the F1 Championship.
• Fedex Winning the Wimbledon.
• First day with my IPod.
• Laukik's Wedding.
• A Day in GIM and a Trip to Vasu's Jungle.

What am I looking forward to in 2008:

• Fedex to win the French Open, and that to beat Nadal at the Final.
• Kick-start a career in SFDC.
• To take the annual crusade International.
• Visit a whole lot of places in India.
• Peace and Good will on earth

So you guys can look forward to more posts from me, hopefully weekly. Wish you guys all a very happy new year. God Bless.

101 days

Today I start my blog, my first blog. Today I am more happy to blog on something I'd like to share with you all. Let me introduce you to the "Open House Badminton Community"

It was started some few months ago when two guys thought of getting into sports.

(I'm trying to work on a "two guys and an idea which later became Google" theme, so please play along ok).

Come on...Sports!!!!...., why sports?:
They did try jogging and all but it wasn't fun enough to making it a habit.

Ok Fair enough... But for what?:
Well you know these guys are software engineers, all they get to do in a day is brood in front of a PC, code a few lines and eat at regular and irregular intervals. The unlucky ones who do accumulate a lot of body fat had problems with the 'unluck' being fairly visible to the outside world in the tummy region. So I guess that's a fair enough reason.

Too good a reason but why Badminton?:
Well let me introduce you to Guy1 lets call him 'Neo', he know Badminton on the other hand meet Guy2 he knows carp about sports , you could categorize him as your 'play less talk more guy' meet Guy2 lets call him 'Anakin skywalker'

So these guys decide they'll initiate this Badminton thing, Neo is like the Catalyst, he'd quick to start an initiative, so he gets hold on two Badminton Rackets and a Shuttle Cork from some of his friends. He even finds a place where we can play, a small deserted field near our place... Lets give it a name... hmmmmmm let me think....... Yup...'Sea of Tranquility'.

The next day, early in the morning (were talking 5:30 AM early) Neo and Anakin starts on to this deserted land to play badminton, they are all armed- rackets and all. They reach the place and nobody is there, just as they were to set foot on the 'Sea of Tranquility'. A dog started barking real loud that it woke up the Guards in the neighboring apartments and surprisingly the guard for our 'Sea of Tranquility'. So technically we didn't get to set foot on 'Sea of Tranquility', we get into a dialogue with the Guard of the plot, who says it's 'Private Property'-talk about 'initiative inhibitors'.Well there goes the 'Sea of Tranquility'- now the mission that started with a place to play, rackets and two blokes with an initiative get reduced to, two guys two rackets and the initiative.

So then what happened:
Neo "We did come this far it's real bad if we just go home right". "Yup we should atleast try to do a smash and all with these rackets right" Anankin added. Two Blokes, rackets and a pavement. Well let me tell you something, these two blokes started out something that is called the "Open Source Badminton Community"... Oops... "Open House Badminton Community" (OHBC), which now boast of a badminton court of their own, 6 plus members, full infrastructure, our own rackets and shuttle corks

Aside:Hope the "two guys and an idea which later became Google" theme worked.

Well if you are wondering where I fit into this story, well I'm the 'Anakin Skywalker'-may the force be with you

This whole OHBC thing helped me a lot, it taught me a lot. I'm having a tough time personally in life but there are few things that do help me cope up with every day- this OHBC is one of them.

I learnt that everyday there is a something for you to start, something to initiate, some good habit, some blog... something. It need not be yours, there might be some good start that would require your support, your participation- be part of it, support it. I learnt that killing good initiatives is the most worthless thing you could do in a life time.

I learnt a game, I was never into sports, I always was a 'wanted to be' person... 'wanted to be' a doctor... 'wanted to be' a F1 Race Car engineer ... 'wanted to be' a Basket ball player(this had nothing to do with Basketball players, who get to date Hot girls in school ;-) )... I wanted to be a lot. Now I know what I want to be, no long term "want to be", just a short term "want to be" and the best thing is I work my level best to be that.

I learnt keeping boundaries, restrictions, keeping rules just kills the fun out of everything- keep guidelines not rules. Look at our OHBC it's Open- Anybody can join, age no bar, religion no bar, region no bar.There's no expert or novice or anybody among us. It's open, it's for everyone who share the interest that we have- break a sweat, enjoy the game and go home. That's it. Give your share to the community by your participation, by keeping it alive, that all that is expected from the members.

OHBC had it's share of inhibitors and show stoppers and all, but still we made it this far and we'll keep going on... I learnt that it's hard to swim upstream, but once you reach your goal, your victory is more memorable than the one if you had reached there downstream...

I dedicate this blog to all the members of this great initiative that I have taken some freedom in calling the "OHBC- Open House Badminton Community". This blog is me telling them how much I appreciate their fellowship in this humble initiative. Today we celebrate the 101th day of this fellowship. I'd would love to disclose the members of this community, but I still haven't asked their permission, if they permit I'll put their name and pixs in my next blog. Promise.

Thanks for patiently reading through this blog, this is a new initiative that I started today. I would like you all to keep coming back and read my blogs and give your valuable comments and all, I request you to be the 'catalyst' in this small initiative of mine.

Now the question that I ask myself everyday... 'To be or not to be?"
Answer: "Yup I'd die to be ME"