Forest. Friends. Fun.

The trip to Bandipur last weekend is very special to me in many a sense.

First, it is a mini get together of my batch - of the 125, 19 of us were there - 1 in every 6 - and that too after 3.5 years and that too not a few hours, but for 2 whole days! (The 20th member of the trip was our evergreen "Jith" Kumaran!)

Second, the excitement of the jungle safari that we undertook - right through the abode of the great animal species of Bandipur - watching them in their natural state of living. We also had a documentary about the state of the animals in the sanctuary, the challenges they face and their life styles across seasons. For me it was like a reminder about how wild the world is and how every species accept it gracefully. Only humans whine!

Third, the trip was planned as a gift for my birthday. The mail thread started like this: "Bunti's BDay Gift" - Bandipur Trip :-)

Fourth, the excitement of going through my favourite 4-laned Bangalore-Mysore SH17.

Fifth, the pampering accomodation at the KSTDC Bandipur Safari Lodge - something which I did not expect at all (naturally I keep my expectations low, when Govt services are involved). The safari package, the cottages, themed interiors, great food, professional staff, punctual guides, natural environment and clean air were all worth the 2.2K that we paid per person per night.

I have to mention the interiors of the cottages here - each room had an animal as the central object. There was a huge painting of the animal on the wall behind the bed - it was a real painting done by a local lady - not a wallpaper. The curtains, bed spreads and the mats also had some resemblance or the other of the same animal. Like my room's tiger paw curtains and mats, tiger striped bedspreads. Yes, I stayed in the Tiger Room in the Tiger Country!!!


We played cricket and frisbee. We went for an unguided trek, climbing a steep hill through the bushes with atmost difficulty. But once reaching the top we found that there was a simple, well laid route, just a few metres away, but hidden in plain sight. Most of us felt good about not discovering it in the first place :)

Additionally, I got to learn Salsa from my Guru, Sai - who was a surprise member of the trip.

Overall it was a fantastic break from the routine.

Golden Rules for Career Success [Richard Moran]

[can't resist posting this here]

Golden Rules for Career Success

[WORKING as a business consultant all over the world, Richard Moran has discovered some basic career-related rules that everyone should know—but many don’t.]

• Business is made up of ambiguous victories and nebulous defeats. Claim them all as victories.
• Keep track of what you do; someone is sure to ask.
• Be comfortable around senior managers, or learn to fake it.
• Never bring your boss a problem without some solution. You are getting paid to think, not to whine.
• Long hours don’t mean anything; results count, not effort.
• Write down ideas; they get lost, like good pens.
• Always arrive at work 30 minutes before your boss.
• Help other people network for jobs. You never know when your turn will come.
• Don’t take days off sick—unless you are.
• Assume no one can/will keep a secret.
• Know when you do your best—morning, night, under pressure, relaxed; schedule and prioritize your work accordingly.
• Treat everyone who works in the organization with respect and dignity, whether it be the cleaner or the managing director. Don’t ever be patronizing.
• Never appear stressed in front of a client, a customer or your boss. Take a deep breath and ask yourself: In the course of human events, how important is this?
• If you get the entrepreneurial urge, visit someone who has his own business. It may cure you.
• Acknowledging someone else’s contribution will repay you doubly.
• Career planning is an oxymoron. The most exciting opportunities tend to be unplanned.
• Always choose to do what you’ll remember ten years from now.
• The size of your office is not as important as the size of your pay cheque.
• Understand what finished work looks like and deliver your work only when it is finished.
• The person who spends all of his or her time is not hard-working; he or she is boring.
• Know how to write business letters—including thank-you notes as well as proposals.
• Never confuse a memo with reality. Most memos from the top are political fantasy.
• Eliminate guilt. Don’t fiddle expenses, taxes or benefits, and don’t cheat colleagues.
• Reorganizations mean that someone will lose his or her job. Get on the committee that will make the recommendations.
• Job security does not exist. Always have an answer to the question, “What would I do if I lost my job tomorrow?”
• Go to the company Christmas party. Don’t get drunk at the company Christmas party.
• Avoid working at weekends. Work longer during the week if you have to.
• The most successful people in business are interesting.
• Sometimes you’ll be on a winning streak and everything will click; take maximum advantage. When the opposite is true, hold steady and wait it out.
• Never in your life say, “It’s not my job.”
• Be loyal to your career, your interests and yourself.
• Understand the skills and abilities that set you apart. Use them whenever you have an opportunity.
• People remember the end of the project. As they say in boxing, “Always finish stronger than you start.”

When Bhavani Met Spree...

Little did I know, when I opted to learn "Technical German" as an additional credit in my college, that the first country for me to visit outside India will be Germany! In fact one of the reasons for me to choose Anna University over my local PSG Tech - is to get exposed to the cosmopolitan culture of Chennai and to feed my flair for languages! How much of those objectives got accomplished from my 4 year stint at AU I dont know, but I definitely got an introduction to the German language.

So, when my office, totally based in US, told me that I have to go to Germany, for a period of 3 months, I could simply not believe it. It is not the excitement of going abroad, but the excitement of going to Germany, a country that I have come to know so much through all the years with the history books and the language! Even after reaching there I cant believe it for a couple of days!

New country, new culture, new customs, new language and new people! I dont know how long did I roam around with a gaping mouth! Probably all the three months! If I start writing about Berlin, the city of my stay or my visits to Amsterdam or Norway, it will be a loooong post! I will reserve it for another day.

The well developed infrastructure, public transport, communication facilities, super hot figures (he he ..), artistic historic buildings, boring modern high rises, totally obedient commuters, ... contribute to the awe!

The loneliness, phone costs [ :( ], lack of social events (...why did you not go to pubs?...), lack of the sight of children, backpain are the shortcomings!

All in all, it was a different 3 months in my life, with so many new experiences and new learning everyday! There was shock, surprise, amazement, despair, depression, shame and joy - with one or the other of these extreme feelings constantly accompanying me all the time!

...and in the long run, I also became a foreign 'mappillai'! :-))

reasons

If you ask me what kept me from updating the blog all these days - inspite of so many things happening - a foreign trip, a new (strange) girl, etc, etc - i must say it is "karma". When I wrote my last funny post in Feb 2007, about the book Shantaram I had just bought it and read exactly one chapter - about 20 pages - in it. But then never really touched it again. Not in the long journeys afterwards or whatever time. Seven months later, today, 3rd Sept 2007, I have finished the book and the first instinct that I get was, to update the blog!

It is one "hell" of a book. I will say a "must" read!

More posts about my trip to Germany and my new bike are in the offing. Keep watching this space.

...and remember this: "luck happens to you when fate is tired of waiting"

tracking thanks

Thank you for visiting my blog. Should get some statistics. If you feel what the hell is the use of having a blog that is never updated, well you are right. But I cannot help much as I am going to start reading Shantaram. Seeya.

~Parthi.

...the connection

Sweetheart,
I loved you from the day I met you. Even though my initial intentions are lusty, later I discovered that you are the best any one can get. Darling, you have no idea how happy I was when I saw you in my office. You were there in college with me - now you are here in my office. Could I ask for more?
It is in office I discovered how great you are, apart from being so beautiful and ...sexy! You were there for me whenever I wanted something. Anything. In fact, I grew so close and so dependent on you that I don't do anything without checking with you. And when I asked you if you could come home for a while, you said ... "YES". Is there a cloud ten? I think I even crossed that. From the day you came home, I am sleepless, foodless and well... more and more lesses.

What is the magic in you baby? How can you be so caring, so suggestive but never enforcing, so well-informed, ...? My God, you are the ONE.

Now tell me, what do you want from me? Is there anything that I can do for you? Is there a gift that I can give you this Valentine's, that can speak of my gratitude and love? I am blank. Totally blank.

Friends, it will be great if you can tell me what I can do for my love - my internet connection - which has helped me get this far in my career.(of course apart from paying the broadband bills). Please ...