"I keep my friends as misers do their treasure, because, of all the things granted us by wisdom, none is greater or better than friendship."
-- Pietro Aretino (1537)

Happy Friendship Day to all my iland friends!!!

It was good to see off 4. Her father had come to pick her up. We felt a sense of relief and contentment.

Being away from home, we get to connect easily with hometown people in this far away place.

Sep 2006

Welcome to Air force base Bagdogra, West Bengal. Flt.Lt.Fl.Lt.Punita serves here in the signals division. Fl.Lt.Punita got married to Selvam on 2^nd October 20066. She had come home to invite us. “Sir plan you leave this time in such a way that you can attend my wedding, I hope to see you there-no excuses please”. She was pretty excited, but not the way a normal 30yr old would sound. I have this vague feeling that forces training changes women.

“So Fl.Lt.Punita, what does Mr.Selvam do”?

“He’s in California, into IT”

“Hope you’ve moved proper channels for your relieving orders. You’ve not completed your full commission period”.

“Of course sir, may be a matter of months. That’s all and I will move to California”.

Jan 2007

Fl.Lt.Shankar had come home.

“Shankar how is Fl.Lt.Punita doing? How’s her life in California? Unfortunately we couldn’t make it to her wedding”.

“Mam you can ask her for yourself. She will also fell well if you talk to her”.

“Do you have her mail ID, which will be more convenient”.

“Nope just a local call is enough”.

“What do you mean? She’s not left yet?”

“Why do you ask so many questions? Her resignation is not accepted. She’s met the top person. No luck. The government has spends quite a lot of money in training officers for service. You cannot walk of just like that.”

You mean to say she’s got to stay here for another 5yrs? What will happen to her family life? What is her husband saying? And people at home? Is there no solution? How can they force some one like that? LLLL

3^rd Aug 2007

Hurry up we need to go to the railway station to see Fl.Lt.Punita off. She’s leaving for good. Her resignation is accepted. So she can have a happy family life now. Fast, we are getting late. The train is at 2.30pm.

My goodness, how did this happen. Well as a final attempt, they contacted Dr.Abdul Kalam on his final day in office and he passed orders for her to be relived from services to the nation.

It was good to see off Mrs.Punita Selvam. Her father had come to pick her up. We felt a sense of relief and contentment.

Wish you a happy married life Mrs.Punita Selvam!

But… what happens to your dream career?

Well, one can never have the best of both worlds.

(The names have been changed)

A few interesting dialogues …

A 3yr old kid and the rest of the people

Grandpa – Anand, next time I see you in the kitchen, I will break your legs. This is not the place for kids.

Anand’s mom – Anand you’ve not had anything to eat, shall I make a dosa for you?

Anand – It’s ok amma, but please don’t go inside the kitchen. Grandpa is breaking legs there. You have only2 legs…

Anand’s mom - L???

Anand  - aunty, open the jannal I want to put my mandai out.

aunty– Anand please talk in tamil.

Anand – No tamil, teacher says only English talking…

Anand has diarrhea and his mom takes him to the doc

Doc – anand what happened?.

Anand – Doctor Uncle, when I open the tap fully water goes fast.

Doc – yes, but what is your problem?

Anand – Today fully I am going potty like that L

********

I feel really lucky to be born to see, and witness the life of great personalities during this century.

To have seen the live performance of M.S. Subbulakshmi amma during the December season is a memorable experience. I am not sure if I was more impressed by her personality or by her music. So much is her charisma that one forgets to even wink. You would want to capture in your mind as much as you can the divinity of the moment.

Today I am humbled by another genius of our times, Professor Dr. Abdul Kalam, that’s how he wishes to be addressed. I wonder if it’s really humanly possible for someone to be so simple. Still we have the living example in front of our eyes. From a scientist to the first citizen of India, now Dr. Kalam is professor of Anna University. Teaching profession has always had great respect in this country and now has been decorated by him suitably.  

I admire this person!!!

Fauji life or the life in forces is very different from the civilian life style. I am planning to write more about my experiences as a officers wife and the many things I come across. This is the first one...

You are going to meet someone today, I've asked him to come home. I am sure you will be interested...
When my hubby starts like this, I know he's found some real talented person. I was anxious and in a few minutes this bengali 'da turned up.
"jaihind sir!, aap ne bulaya tha".
A simple looking person in a khaki truoser and white t-shirt, looked like anyother jawan in the campus.
"Gopinath, woh kya karte ho, madam ko bataov".
He started in a bengali-hindi mix,
"art karthahon madam".
"art, matlab, kuch be".
He is too good at carving things, right from thermacole to wood to glass etching and anything ge gets his hands on. Well dada is also good at making fakes.
"Madam, agar main id card ka copy bano tho aap farak nahi batha payenge", he cut short and gave a swift look at my husband.

Mr.Gopinath bhattachrya has another 5-6yrs to go for VRS and plans to have a art exibition. He comes from a poor family in West Bengal, North 24 palgan dist. A self taught artist, he has a very impressive portfolio. His aim is to join the film industry. He's already developing contacts in Mumbai to get in art direction.

He gifted us a beautiful piece, A Ganesha in glass (etching)!. It just took him 5 days to make it. Another Ganesha, looks like my friend decided to come to me in many forms!.
It was nice interacting with him, but he would not teach others.
" Trade secret madam, business log dekega tho fatafat banake bej dega, humto fouj me time nahi milta, sirf pasand ane se karke deta hoon. Aap mere advertisement kejiya."

Next, he is starting work for the durga pooja. A palace for the pandal. It a very important and colorful festival in bengal...

Best wishes to Gopinath bhaiya!!!, let success be yours.

Hi friends,

My professional website http://www.creative360.org is hosted, do have a look and let me know your comments.

Being my previous employer and having few scrip, I was glued to the tv screen to check out Satyam's results few days back. Though it was in the expected lines, the dent in profits was definitely a cause for concern. This was mainly attributed to the rising rupee in the global market and Satyam was not the only exception here.

There is a small article in EC-23rd July. "falling dollar will push IT firms to innovate"-by Sudin Apte, Country head-Forrester research. One idea he suggests here for improvement is "flattening the delivery pyramid".

From current developer vs. manager ratio of 18 or 20:1, firms need to move to 30:1, providing next level of savings and part relief from the ever rising attrition".

I feel this kind of decision has a major impact not only in the IT but on the job market as a whole. In present day scenario, most of us enter into the job market right after graduation/engineering, through spot selections and campus placements. After few years of putting in service and jumping organizations, there is a possibility of stagnation.

On the other hand a few who choose to go for higher studies like PG in the same stream or and MBA without taking up a job, stand a better chance of landing in higher management positions.

Taking a break from the career and going for higher studies is a good option. But there are lot of commitments which worry us from taking this decision. We've been discussing this at home for quite some time now. Hope we come up with a solution for my husband to go in for higher studies...

Mylapore (Chennai) is very famous for the 'mukku pillayar koil" (corner ganesha temple). Every street corner, you can see lord ganesha, sitting patiently amidst the people going about their daily chores. Mamas and mamis, school children, rikshawalla and every passer will wish him, though hurriedly. I've got so used to these mukku pillayars that, when I step out of my house and say bye to people at home, my head will turn towards the beloved ganesha sitting in the corner temple. A simple nod and sometimes a smile or wish and many times a heated glance, I go past. But here in Silliguri I do not find my friend, I really miss him. So I decided to bring him in my balcony corner. Sitting amidst green pots, there he is. always with me...

welcome to my ganesha corner :)

This is a forward from one of my friends. very intresting...

There is a beautiful and convincing explanation given by the Chinese.....
Thumb represents your Parents
Second (Index) finger represents your Siblings
Middle finger represents your-Self
Fourth (Ring) finger represents your Life Partner
& the Last (Little) finger represents your children

Firstly, open your palms (face to face), bend the middle fingers and hold them together - back to back
Secondly, open and hold the remaining three fingers and the thumb - tip to tip
(As shown in the figure)
Now, try to separate your thumbs (representing the parents)..., they will open, because your parents are not destined to live with you lifelong, and have to leave you sooner or later.

Please join your thumbs as before and separate your Index fingers (representing siblings)...., they will also open, because your brothers and sisters will have their own families and will have to lead their own separate lives.  

  Now join the Index fingers and separate your Little fingers (representing your children)...., they will open too, because the children also will get married and settle down on their own some day.

  Finally, join your Little fingers, and try to separate your Ring fingers (representing your spouse).
You will be surprised to see that you just CANNOT....., because Husband & Wife have to remain together all their lives - through thick and thin!!  
   Try this out.............

Yesterday we had our punjabi friends for dinner with her parents. uncle is a retired bank manager. The talks gradually centered around his post retirement life. He told me his very intresting experience and the general thought process of a salaried employee.

Power supply is a constant problem in his place and inverters are "must at home" products. One of his friends suggested he take up dealership for inverters. Uncle flatly refused.
how can I do it,
I dont know the product,
I dont have marketing knowledge,
I dont have this...
I dont have that...
And one fine day he went to his bank, there was a new manager who welcomed him cordially. "Sir i've heard quite a lot about you. You were one of the bold decision makers and got considerable profit to the bank. Infact the small but thought changes you brought in the bank earned us a long list of customers. Its my pleasure meeting you".
Uncle came back home and started thinking. I took so much initiative for my employer. I worked for the benefit of someone who payed me a monthly income, though I could've just functioned the routine way. Then what should stop me from working for my own benefit?
And so a new initiative was born. With just 6months in the field and well established contacts, forget break-even, Uncle walks to his bank with a good prfit in hand every month...

there begins a new the story in his life...