Bloglines - Toyota's Achilles Heel

Bloglines user Venky (venkster@gmail.com) has sent this item to you, with the following personal message:

All you Lean folks out there, check this article out and let me know what you think about it.

btw, I dont necessarily agree or disagree with the article, so don't shoot the messenger.

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Evolving Excellence Thoughts on lean enterprise leadership from the editors of Superfactory

Toyota's Achilles Heel By Bill Waddell A remarkable article about Toyota appeared in the CNN site yesterday that exposes Toyota's Achilles heel - the ignorance of racism.  It also raises some serious doubt about their vaunted "Respect for People" principle. The point of the article is that Toyota is having management staffing problems.  They do not have enough qualified Japanese staff to control their growth - almost all of which is occurring outside of Japan.  Despite 75% of their personnel being from other countries, and having had a U.S. sales presence for almost 50 years and a manufacturing presence for over 20 years, all 26 Toyota board members are Japanese. All of the senior decision makers at headquarters are Japanese, as well. Mitsuo Kinoshita, the guy in charge of Toyota HR, says, "Getting overseas staff to share our views on management and quality is very difficult."  Really? That is either self-delusion or a tribute to incredibly poor training if 20 years of U.S. manufacturing has not produced anyone who understands Toyota's views on management and quality.  Or it could be that the Toyota management mind is such that, at the end of the day, they cannot ever come to accept the notion that a non-Japanese can be their managerial equivalent. Their 'Japanese only' headquarters culture is a self-fulfilling prophecy.  They point out that employee turnover at non-Japanese plants is much higher than it is in the land of the rising sun, which means "a 20-year track record means a lot more for a Japanese plant than factories elsewhere." With that excuse for refusing to allow non-Japanese folks into the inner circle, it seems to be a safe bet that good people will continue to leave Toyota, keeping the turnover rate churning. Staff turnover is an accurate measure of long term management performance and, by their own admission, Toyota is not doing well.  It is self-serving of them to write this off to American culture. Why would a smart, hard working non-Japanese man or woman stay with Toyota for very long when (1) there is a glass ceiling limiting the chances for promotion, and (2) there is good money to be made taking those skills to other companies or out on the consulting trail? Mr. Kinoshita says that Toyota's insistence on micro-managing and controlling everything from Japan is because, "We're afraid of slipping, so we can't help but interfere." How much respect does that show for people?  It seems to me that the cornerstone of respect is trust, and trust for anyone non-Japanese seems hard to come by at Toyota. Even Taichi Ohno and Shigeo Shingo were deluded by national pride into downplaying their own contributions.  So much of their writing was couched in terms of how Japanese look at things and do things - attributing much of the Toyota Production System to this unique Japanese outlook and value system - yet very, very few Japanese companies have duplicated Toyota. Toyota founder, Sakichi Toyoda, was every bit the racist Henry Ford was and could be just as cruel in his opinions about the West as Ford was when it came to the 'International Jew'. That proud, but ignorant, value system does not seem to have completely evolved out of Toyota. In a post a few days ago, I included a quote by Massaki Imai, founder of the Kaizen Institute and vaunted TPS guru, where he said, "Japanese companies developed a very effective system of management, particularly in the manufacturing sectors, and the rest of the world has much to learn from these practices." I beg to differ, Mr. Imai.  "Japanese companies" did not develop "a very effective system of management" - Toyota did.  They are simply one Japanese company that was built by some very intelligent and capable individuals.  The fact that they were Japanese was not the reason for their success.  If it were, Japan would not be losing manufacturing jobs at a rate greater than the U.S., and there would not be such a thriving market for lean consultants in Japan. Toyota says they are stepping up to the problem by establishing training and education facilities in Japan, the U.S., Thailand and England to develop capable managers.  That strikes me as a worthwhile endeavor, but not one that will solve the problem.  If 20 years of demonstrated performance results by some very capable American managers in Toyota plants is not enough to convince the boys in Toyota City that someone who is not Japanese is qualified for advancement, then a sheepskin from Toyota U is not going to do it. In Rebirth of American Industry, I demonstrated how forty years of business success blinded GM and Ford to the flaws in their management system.  They were so sure of the 'rightness' of their model, they were incapable of recognizing and adopting improvements from external sources - namely Toyota.  Toyota is doomed to follow the same course if they do not develop the intellectual and moral integrity needed to take off their racial blinders.

Vacation

I wish I could be on vacation forever.

My Inner Hero - Warrior!

I'm courageous, straightforward, and charismatic. I'm a born leader, but I'm also not afraid to face danger on my own. Nothing stands between me and victory... nothing that lives to tell the tale, anyway. If you need someone to charge into battle for you, call on me.



How about you? Click here to find your own inner hero.

This is what i got as a review about myself..just dont know if this is just plain bullshit or actually means something...but at the moment it doesnt hurt to brag..does it?


Congratulations!

Hello, Warrior.

Character Stats:

Rogue (14)
Warrior (23)
Wizard (11)
Paladin (6)

Your Profile:

You're tough, courageous, and up to your eyebrows in chutzpah. If you're still in school, your teachers probably talk a lot about your "potential." If you work, your boss calls you a "pro-active self-starter," whatever that means. You don't shy away from hard work, that's for sure. When it comes to leisure, you'd rather be out hiking or biking or snowboarding than sitting around watching TV or reading a book. You care about your health, and have strong opinions.

Above all, you're a man/woman of action and a born leader. You see obstacles as challenges and hardship as an opportunity to build your character (and your muscles). You're not afraid of conflict - in fact, you're not afraid of much of anything. You tend to dive into things headfirst and sort out the consequences later.

Your Mission:

You were put on this earth to lead others. They will follow you, because they are bowled over by your forceful personality, your charisma, and your willingness to do what they're afraid to do. You are the one who has to make things happen, because everyone else is too afraid of rocking the boat.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to Start Something. Something small, or something big. Start a club at your school. Propose a new project to your boss. Invent a new family tradition. Start a small business. Start SOMETHING.

And don't dally about it. We WILL be checking up on you.

A Warning:

Try to remember: it's not all about you. Yes, people tend to do what you say, but don't abuse that power. Don't be a bully, even if you feel like the weaklings really deserve it. Have a Paladin teach you how to "make nice" when necessary. You have the potential to become a great leader, but only if you curb your tendency to be thoughtless, egocentric, and well, sometimes just plain rude.

And by the way, just because you don't understand something, that doesn't mean it's "stupid." Get a Wizard to figure things out for you instead of just giving up when your attention span runs out.

Fashion

I am convinced fashion should be a mandatory 0 credit course in college in India. Everytime I fly out of or into the United States, the flights are filled with a bunch of desis wearing well...interesting clothes, like for example dark brown trousers with light brown dress shirt and sneakers with black socks. Then ofcourse there always are the people (me including!!) who fly into the united States in summer wearing a jacket, expecting it to be freezing!!

The point I am trying to make is that India is rapidly growing into a superpower and its highly skilled abundant workforce is increasingly seen as a great positive. What all this means is that we are going to have more and more Indians work in different parts of the world. While its our performance that really counts, first impressions do matter and looking sharp and fashionable can't definitely hurt us. Also being sensitive to the culture of the place and genuinely trying to understand it and trying the local costumes will only make us more amicable and win us friends and fans world over. After all when was the last time we got pissed at a western woman for wearing a saree ? (which btw I still think is the most elegant yet sexiest costume a woman can wear)

I know people who know me or seen me atleast once are probably wondering who I am to be talking about fashion, being a pathetic dresser myself? The problem I have with fashion is

1) I was born color blind and still am color blind...so no matter how much I try, I dont see crimson or turquoise or olive, I see the world in red, blue or green and my knowledge is limited to the 12 basic colors you get in a pack of crayons. (I did really try...check out http://www.yaelf.com/colour.shtml) So if somebody tells me crimson will look good with ivory black...sure but first of all how does crimson and ivory black look like? you get the point?

2) Being an Engineer, it troubles me if something doesnt follow rules and can't be defined by algorithms and basic laws..and fashion is a fitting example of something that just doesnt follow any rules..Infact I always hear..to be fashionable you got to first break all rules and yet somehow when I break all rules...I look pretty disgusting!! And where rules do apply I follow them painstakingly...like the color of your socks should be the same as the color of your trousers, the color of your belt should match the color of your shoes, wide big ass buckle belt for jeans and dressier belts for trousers etc.,

Guess again that's where a course could have helped. I can vow if there was something like that 99% of college students wouldnt have missed a single class....it would have become like the "mid-day meal" for many college students to get to class.

Peel potatoes quicker!!

For all those people, like me out there who cook everyday and love potatoes, check this video out. It tells you how to peel a boiled potato in one step.

http://www.zonalibre.org/blog/roge/archives/090899.html

As true Lean enterprise enthusiast, I am a sucker for efficiency, be it on the shopfloor or elsewhere...

btw...you can thank me for the video through my amazon.com wishlist!!

Just Whining!!

As I am flying at about 40000 feet over the atlantic ocean, and its my worst flights I have taken in a long time. Here is the scene...

First of all I havent slept in a long time!! Knowing I will be flying tonite, I decided to sleep very little last night, hoping that would make me very tired and put me to sleep in the flight. So i was screwing around last night doing nothing productive and started packing at 12pm today for my flight at 4.15pm...blah...blah. Anyways that was all fine as, I did finish packing and made it alright to the Airport in time.

I check in my bags and the delta agent tells me sir, you are 4 lbs over...do you want to take out 4 lbs or pay the $25 fee. Needless to say I was shocked as all I had checked in was 1 bag and I knew the free baggage allowance was 2 bags of 50 lbs each. Then she clarified saying my bag weighed 54lbs and I have to remove 4 lbs. she said you can check in another bag if you want but we can't let you check in this 54 lbs bag. Reluctantly I removed 4 lbs from my check in luggage and put it in my hand luggage and still didnt understand what the big deal was all about though!!

And then I walk to the security check. I am not even going to get into that because, if you flown into or out of an airport in the United States you probably already know how big a hassle it is. Its the part of the war on terrorism, which attacks poor tax paying civilians esp. ppl travelling frequently on business, who pay for the war on terrorism in the first place. Anyways to make a long story short, within the security clearence area which is about 20 Sq. Ft, I was asked for my boarding pass 3 times by 3 different people. I am convinced now that 25% of the American workforce works in Airport Security.

Everything went smooth after that till I was about to board the flight to Paris from Cincinnati. I walk to the gate late (I was drinking Starbucks coffee, ate a Banana nut muffin and "parag pathyfying" the flights) only to realize the flight is going to be full and that there are no more exit row or bulk head seats available. so I am stuck in Zone 5 in an aisle (Thankfully) seat for 8 long hours.

Anyways all that was about 6 hours back..the reason I am writing this blog now is because..well i can't go to sleep. My master plan of being awake last night worked well because I am feeling very sleepy now...however I just don't seem to be able to find a position I can goto sleep in. I first tried to sit back and relax, but then there is a kid sitting right behind me who is screaming her guts off. I then put the tray out and tried to rest my head on it. after getting over the initial discomfort of squeezing in my big belly in so i could put head in the tray, while sitting in my coach seat, I realized the guy sitting in front of me seemed to get a kick out of moving his seat front and back every 30 seconds. Meanwhile thankfully the kid behind me stopped crying and started playing. Her game was to kick my seat with both her legs as fast as possible. All along we were running into soo much turbulence that the seat belt sign was on throughout and so I couldnt even walk out. i dont mean to be a whining S.O.B but thats not all! There is this guy sitting next to me or in my neighbourhood, who is farting like crazy. And I am not talking about mild farts here....I am talking about farts, that if left out of the plane will drill considerable sized holes in the ozone layer. So to protect the environment and save the world I decided to bear it all.

Atleast the journey has taught me of 2 things

1) Get to the gate early, beg, borrow or steal but somehow manage to get an exit row seat or a bulk head seat. Its worth waiting in the gate for an hour.

2) Stop being a cheap bastard and get those noise cancelling headphones. I am still not rich enough to buy the Bose headphones for $250 but I know Sony has some for under $50. I might just have to get that.

Btw did I mention about how the flight attendent threw an empty water bottle on me and refused to ask/give me something to drink while serving the 2 guys sitting next to me? Guess its just one of those days or nights.....whatever!!

I guess the screwed up Paris CDG airport is just exactly what I need after a miserable flight and over 24 hours without sleep....oh well!!

A new gadget and my entertainment center!!

Hey! I like toys, expensive toys that can make noise, move, works with battery or A.C power. I just recently got a new gadget which I consider the best gadget of 2005 (which is why i bought it!!), and magazines like PC World, Men's Health rate it as one of the top 10 gadgets of 2005. Its called a slingbox, and what it does is stream you television online. you ofcourse should have broadband connection and also a router (wired/wireless)but then you probably already have these two!! All that you need to do is to connect the slingbox to you DVR/Cablebox/Cable and also plug in a ethernet cable to the slingbox and connect the other end to you cable modem and you are all set on the hardware side!!

The slingbox comes with a slingplayer, which you install in your laptop, and you have to setup the router and the slingbox for remote viewing (basic port fowarding etc., child's play for anybody who uses bit torrents to...well you know what!!). and that's it!! watch your TV from anywhere in the world!! The slingbox also comes with IR guns, which acts as an universal remote and enables you to control you DVR from remote location. You can even set up new recordings, watch already recorded programs off your DVR etc. It essentially is advanced signal processing which enables online streaming. Also there isnt any subscription fees, once you buy the Slingbox you are all set!!

For those of you who already havent guessed it, my long term plans with the Slingbox? set it up in my house in India, and then I can watch all the cricket matches, MTV, Channel V, Sun TV, Surya TV (Midnight Masala ;), Kahani ghar ghar ki etc., all over here (or anywhere else in the world) and i dont have to pay a dime for it...pretty cool eh?? My entertainment center is however now a mess though with all the complex connections. There are a zillion cables running around my house to service my DVR, DVD Recorder, Home Theater, Slingbox, Cable Modem and Router. Check out below a picture of my entertainment center (well, I built it from scratch) and also my connections of AV devices!!

This is what you need to know about the entertainment center I built....

Total cost for lumber $60
Capital equipment $25
screws and fastners, glue, paint etc., - $20

Value, satisfaction, Pride I get looking at it and the aesthetics of the entertainment center - Priceless!!

There are some things money can buy, but for cooler things you need to talk to me!!

P.S> If you are wondering why the entertainment center is multi colored...well I ran out of paint, and all that was left were the yellow and black colors...and i thought...well what the heck!! after all it was never meant to be a contemporary piece of art anyway!!


Well these are the connections of the AV and computer devices in my house!! check it out!

Oru Vellai Kazhuthi-in Diary!!

Its been an interesting 3 months...definitely the peak of my business travel. Although on one hand there were tons of 60 hour weeks and working saturdays...there was also lots of fun associated with all the travelling, meeting different people, learning a little bit of a new language and ofcourse a vacation to Chennai, India.

I have been to 3 different contienents (North America, Europe, Asia), 4 different countries(U.S.A, Germany, France, India..I almost made it to Netherlands too!!) and numerous cities and countless restraunts in those numerous cities in the last 3 months. Travel is always associated with interesting incidents and I have had my share too. There have been numerous incidents which i had thought about blogging, but never really found the time. For example the time when I bit the fork, causing my gums to hurt for 2 whole weeks, while I was having an arguement with a colleague of mine over a business dinner or the the time, when I slip and fell in a bathtub and landed on my jaw in a hotel room in Paris.

People tell me I am lucky to have a job like this, I get to travel and meet different people, stay in nice hotels, visit different places...they often miss the big picture which is...along with travelling comes a problems, boredom and lonliness. For eg:- for the last 3 months I have been literally living of a suitcase. I definetely dont remember how my wardrobe looks and vagely remember how my apartment looks. I havent met some of my best friends for months despite the fact that they live only a couple of hundred miles away. I missed my best friend for 6 years's graduation ceremony. I havent watched my favorite program on television in the last 3 months and suddenly all the travelling doesnt sound that glamorous...does it?

As a new year dawns, I am first of all thankful to God, not just because I have a job but also because I have a job that I absolutely love. I realize that the new year brings about a lot of oppurtunities, along with a lot more travel, long flights and boring hotel rooms...but hey...I am 23 and single, If i dont do it now.....when will I? after all there is a career to be made...

Finally I thank god for the biggest gifts he gave me...the ability to be without worrying about problems till they actually appear & for my lazy dumbness, which prevents me from thinking about anything unless I absolutely have to. As long as I have these (flaws) qualities, I can lead (an)a (in)sane life (however you want to look at it!!!).

Chennai Pattinam!!

Any trip to Chennai is always wonderful. The city to me has an unrestrainable charm. I think thats interesting because thats typically an opinion only people who grew up in Chennai have. Most people who visit Chennai view it as a place with haphazard traffic, lotsa road work, numerous temples and a conservative city. Yet despite having visited a lot of other big cities in the world, I love Chennai because i have memories associated with the city's every nook and corner. I grew up roaming in its streets, eating the delicious roadside food it offers (popularly known as "kazh-izundhi Bhavan"), spending my evenings with my friends in Besant Nagar beach eating masala Kadalai.

Yes like any other self respecting college student I bunked college and went to satyam to catch a flick and then to Spencer's plaza. I enjoy the Nair Kadai Tea and the Babu Kadai food (Yes I went to SVCE). Ill stop now...this blog is not about food, its about the memories I have from every corner of the city. Like for example the time I bunked college and travelled from Sriperumbudur to Mount Road Devi Paradise theater, taking 3 different buses to watch Minnale with 15 others, The time when the 15 of us bunked college and went on a drive on ECR and then to Juhu beach to swim the whole day and to lay on the beach under the sun, followed by the first day first show of the movie "Kannathil Mutham Ittai" in Prarthana drive In theater.

I guess you should have got the point by now..which is

1) I used to bunk college a lot...which explains the dismal attendance record I had

2) I love Chennai and I always will, it might grow and become like Chicago one day, or might get a lot worse...it might be the most condervative city in the world or the most liberal...no matter what happens I will always enjoy my trip to the city.

its been a couple of years...

Tiday - 7/27/05...its been exactly 2 years since I came here to the United States. In these two years I have learnt a lot, matured quite a bit, found a job(I hope i still have it when i go back from school!!) made little money...spent tons of cash...met some great people..have had a crush..learnt a little bit about a new culture...etc. etc., the list goes on. But however this blog is not about my life here...its is actually about the dreams and aspirations I had when I came here. Yesterday I was talking to a bunch of my friends and somehow they reminded me of my Statement of Purpose that I sent here to the University of Kentucky with my application packet. My SOP is the only thing I have really written in my life (besides meaningless blogs) and also the one I spent over 2 months writing and refining. Check it out!!

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
________________________________________

I have a dream....said Martin Luther King Jr.

Not only in the context of the America of the 60's but also in today's context, this statement does convey a powerful meaning. For, dreams are what great achievements are made of. To me, dreams have always meant a lot. Be it the dream of owning that first remote-controlled car or succeeding in my engineering class, dreams have constantly paved the path for me in the pursuit of my goals. Right from my younger days, mechanics and machinery have fascinated me. The sheer power they produce have both intimidated and excited me. Little surprise that I decided that this was where my future was.

It's often said that success is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration. To me that 1% inspiration has always been my father. He started AMCON, a small industrial consultancy firm in 1982 (an offshoot of a company called IBCON Pvt. Ltd, started in 1940’s by an American, John Moore and developed into one of the leading Industrial Engineering consulting firm in India till 1982) and through sheer hard work and determination, transformed the firm into one of the leading consultancy firms in India. His success has left an indelible mark on my will to succeed too. With the 30 years of experience he has in Industrial Management, he has also been a source of immense knowledge to me in my endeavors.

The seeds to my future were sown in school where my obvious subject choices were Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science. These subjects not only provided me a strong foundation in engineering, but also furthered my interests in this field. As a logical follow-up, I took up Mechanical Engineering as my major in the Undergraduate course. I was fortunate in getting admission into one of the leading colleges in South India, namely Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering where I had the right environment to learn. The college attracts some of the brightest students and my classmates have been the greatest strength in my development through joint participation in seminars, organizing programs in college etc. During the course, I was exposed to subjects like Basic Engineering, Production Technology and Workshop, which gave me a lot of insight into present day manufacturing technology. I also took up Non-traditional Machining and Fluid Power control as my electives as I believe that these subjects have become an integral part of today's industrial scenario. During my third year, I developed a great interest in the field of Operations Research, a subject in which I am currently crediting. Subjects like Inventory Control, Job Scheduling, Assignment and Simulation have made me realize the immense potential this field has in store for the betterment of our industry. My natural flair for mathematics coupled with the fascination towards Operations Research and Manufacturing has made me choose Manufacturing Engineering, a subject that I believe gives me a phenomenal opportunity to pursue my interests in both fields.
To put my theoretical skills to good use, I took up industrial training at TAFE, a leading automobile manufacturer in India. As part of the training, I presented a project report on 'Cellular Manufacturing and Cost Control'. This project not only gave me an excellent opportunity to apply my theoretical knowledge but also introduced me to the concepts of cellular manufacturing and other Japanese concepts like 5S and Six Sigma. This project on cost control taught me the importance of waste management, made me think of ways to reduce cycle time and introduced me to concepts like 'Just in time' to cut unnecessary inventory. A number of my suggestions towards cost control were also implemented by the company. The most rewarding experience during the training was that it gave me an opportunity to observe closely the 'nature of work' of an Manufacturing engineer. Being a part of this setup, which was my future too, I knew I would love the challenge. And it indeed was!

I have always believed that my strength lies in my ability to think persistently about pressing problems till I come up with a plausible solution. The problem of depleting oil resources and rising pollution levels has made me realize the importance of Hybrid Vehicle technology. To this end, I presented a design paper on series Hybrid Vehicle Technology. This paper was very well received and the icing on the cake was the grant of US $2500 that I was awarded to make the Hybrid Vehicle. This indeed was a dream come true! This enormous success has not only reassured the faith that I have on myself but also instilled in me the confidence that "I can make a difference".

Just as the USA ranks highest in the list of countries, your university ranks among the best in the list of universities. During the course of my research about American Universities, the literature that I read about the department of Manufacturing Engineering in your university explains the clear thrust in my field of interest. It would indeed be a privilege to be an integral part of this highly acclaimed course in your prestigious university.

At this juncture, I would like to put forth my request to be considered for admission with financial assistance for the Master of Science program offered by the department of Manufacturing and Systems Engineering at your esteemed university. I can assure you that if I am admitted for the course, I will put forth my best efforts and ensure mutual progress.

When Martin Luther said those famous words, it reflected the stuff dreamers are made of - They see things not as they are, but as they will be! I am a dreamer and I am a doer. For a doer is one who makes what will be, what is! Every person's attitude determines his altitude and I am not afraid of heights!!

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Like most other SOP's I agree mine is a little exaggerated...but I can vouch most of it is true..and I still am in the pursuit of the heights I want to reach. This ladies and gentlemen is what I hope to do with my life!!

Laxmi!!

Folks,

Disclaimer: I know you dont come to my blog expecting to read something sensible. I shall fully live upto my reputation.

I wanted to let you guys know about something that has fascinated me and lotsa other guys the past 2 days here in Lexington. Yes thats my new RC car "Laxmi" For those who think I am mentally deranged and that Remote Controlled cars are for kids under 10 leave now!!

I am attaching pics of "Laxmi". Its a 4WD vehicle.





Aint it beautiful? I have already influenced a bunch of guys here and they are going to get similar RC cars and we plan on making a track and racing..wont that be awesome?

As for me...I am busy planning how I am gonna buy the "all new more powerful than ever 2006 Laxmi". Check out http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LG3210&P=1 for details...its got a hefty price tag though...a whooping $400
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I wonder how some people find going to the mall soo appealing? I need to go to the mall to get some stuff and have basically been procrastinating the visit for about a week now. The thought of going to a place seeing all the things I want to buy but cant afford to buy just doesnt sound to me like a very appealing thing to do!!

ok time to go and exercise;)

Lessons to learn!

I am not a big fan of fowards and am especially against passing off fowards as blogs. However the following is a foward my friend sent me which due to some odd reason I had the patience to read through and kinda liked it!

I Hope you like it too!!

Cleaning Lady.
-----------------------------------------

During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz.
I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions
until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who
cleans the school?" Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the
cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her
50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last
question blank.

Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would
count toward our quiz grade. "Absolutely," said the professor. "In
your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve
your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say "hello".
I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

Always remember those who serve.
--------------------------------------------------------------

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10 -year-old
boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass
of water in front of him. "How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked.

"Fifty cents," replied the waitress. The little boy pulled is hand out
of his pocket and studied the coins in it. "Well, how much is a plain
dish of ice cream?" he inquired. By now more people were waiting for a
table and the waitress was growing impatient. "Thirty-five cents," she
brusquely replied. The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have

The plain ice cream," he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put
the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream,
paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to
cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty
dish, were two nickels and five pennies. You see, he couldn't have the sundae,
because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

Giving When it Counts.
-------------------------------------------------

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to
know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare & serious
disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood
transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same
disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.
The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked
the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I
saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and
saying, "Yes I'll do it if it will save her." As the transfusion
progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all
did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his
face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and
asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?".

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought
he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.

En Vazhkai!!

While I am sitting here having my horrible dinner (Toast with eggs and Kroger Instant Chunky vegetable soup) I was thinking I must have been like a horrible mafia guy who wrote all his fortune to the homeless when he died. wondering why? read on...

This post is a conversation between me and rational public who would ask logical questions to my frustrated replies...

(Conversation begins…)

Venky: As I got home from work at 6.30 today evening and opened up my personal emails, I saw this email from this lady in OIA asking me for a set of documents for my CPT. She is annoying stupid bone headed ***** **** **** (beep beep beep!!!)

Public: relax..whats the big deal? just give her the documents and get done with it!!

Venky: Ohhh....yeah? I wish it was that simple. I live in Fort Wayne, IN a 4 hour drive from Lexington. So its not like i can take a couple of hours lunch and go meet her on a weekday.

Public: I understand but you are still wrong scolding her because she is just doing her job. There are rules and procedures which need to be followed and she is just doing her job well...

Venky: is she really? so why didnt she tell me about these documents when couple of weeks back i took 2 days off and spent an hour in her office going through what i was giving her and asking her a million times if that was all she needed. why didnt she tell me about this then?

Public: Ohhh...I see what you are saying now. Yeah shit happens sometimes!! just what is she asking for?

Venky:
1) A letter from my DGS which I gave her when i was there. No idea why she needs another letter stating the exact same thing again
2) Official Transcripts..which take 2 days to be processed and posted and so I wouldnt receive it till Monday and I will have to send it back to her immediately. My CPT expires next Friday and I dont know how I am going to sort this thing out. Btw FYI my transcripts will go from UK to me in Fort Wayne, and then immediately back to UK. And before you ask NO, UK cant send it directly to the other department..c'mon they cant make it any easier for the students...that just isnt how UK works!!
3) I have to be registered for Summer and Fall. I have to take courses for which I cant register myself and the request has to go from my prof. to the department secretary. Sending paper work to our dept. secretary is like throwing a stone in quicksand...get it?

Public: Holy cow!! looks like you are in deep shit!! Hmmm you know the best thing to do is to take your mind off this for a while. Take it easy man...go hang out with your friends...

Venky: Thanks for reminding me...I have no friends in Fort Wayne..

Public: What about roomies? go spend some time with them..

Venky: Jackass...no roomies either...I live by myself.

Public: WHAT??? You are kinda decently sociable why dont you have friends in Ft. Wayne yet?

Venky: Ohh well I work like 12 hours a day and there is little time left after that to socialize!!

Public: Hmm thats alrite...atleast since you put in soo many hours you might get a full time job in the company!!

Venky: hehe last week the company told me that wasnt an option. The big 3 automakers who account to over 90% of our sales had to have soft sales while I am in the job market. so what happens? my boss tells me "Venky..You are just the kind of person we would like in our company and I have heard nothing but good things about you but unfortunately we cant offer you a position at this time"

Public: dude you still have good friends in Lexington...call them up and talk to them! It will make you feel better

Venky: Well yeah...I could do that but the signal inside my house sucks....

Public: ohh plss...what a sad excuse!! go outside and talk!!

Venky: I would if I lived somewhere else...not in this crazy city where its 50 degree s and snows in May. Id freeze to death!!

Public: Change your cellphone service provider...

Venky: I already did...I had a sprint before and since my reception was bad changed to Tmobile paying $150 in early termination fees only to find that Tmobile is worse. My friends now blame me for the bad service like its my fault!!

Public: Hmmmm...I assume you dont have a girlfriend either...

Venky: You think I'd be talking to you if I did?

Public: Hmmm man I really feel sorry for you...Ill hang out with you for a while...

Venky: Thanks man...I appreciate your understanding but I dont need your sympathy. Anyways its already 11.30 pm and since i need to be at work by 7 am tommorow
(like any other day), I need to get up by 5.30am and so need to get to bed now!

Public: Goodluck dude...just hang in there....

Venky: You bet I will!!

(Conversation ends..)

The above conversation explains why I might have been a cruel Mafia who killed lotsa ppl in my last birth.

The only good thing about my life right now is my family and friends...they give me the fuel to go on!!(Explains why I might have given my fortune to the homeless!!) Must have definitely done something good in my previous birth to have this. On the whole I feel like I'm running a 100,000m hurdle race...you jump over one only to find another one smiling at you with sarcasm!!

Whatever!!!!!!

am I shallow?

I have been noticing an increasing number of blogs with heavy philosophical content and/or about feelings ppl have towards other ppl, things or just situations. I once thought i was a very spiritual, philosophical person. I once beleived I could find solutions to questions that has been challenging manking for years. I have since then changed quite a bit. I have found my solutions to problems and for the ones i couldnt i have simply ignored them and got on with my life. I like the way I am now though...it kinda helps me live the carefree life i live right now.

The point I am trying to make is somehow being this way kinda prevents me from fully appreciating things people write about...so everytime I read something even mildly "senti" I go like "ohh yeah ok...total crap". Its probably just me...I agree its nothing much to brag about!!

Oru Kelvi.....

Hey guys,
I have a question...
Say you once upon a time you shared a very good relationship (friend) with a person and that person over a period of time has changed for better or for worse but you still like the person the way you always have...
And if due to the lack of time you hardly get to talk to the person...
what is the future of this relationship? Has something like this ever happened to you?
(P.S: I know this doesnt sound like me...but I need help as I am not sure what to do!!)

Shanthi...Shanthi!!

I am watching this documentary on CNN about the 1995 Oklahoma city bombing and it got me started into thinking about the world we live in right now. Its soo painful to see affected people talking about how their lives changed after this happened.

It also got me thinking about some really disturbing incidents that have happened recently in Florida. Infact this has been something I have been thinking about for a while. If I was a parent bringing up my children in FL i would be a little scared considering the fact that there has been about 2 kids who have been kidnapped and killed in a matter of a month. I was wondering god forbid..what I will do if something like that happens to me?

Simple...Ill take a gun and shoot the bastard who dares to mess with my family down!! I will let him/her live but make sure I cause some serious permanent damage s/he will remember the rest of his/her life. I am educated and beleive in the law but then there also times when i think the law does not do justice to some mentally sick people...esp the ones who mess with children. It will be "A time to Kill" (You'd know what I am talking about if you have read the John Grisham novel)
Besides I really care for my close family (like the most of you!!) and anybody who dares to cause harm any of them will pay for it dearly!!
All I need in this world is Peace...Am I asking for too much?

Btw what a coincidence...they are playing "A time to Kill" on Cinemax. Looks like even the gods agree with me!

On a lighter note....ISA elections are coming up and I am going to vote for Ramji. I think he is sincere and has worked hard for ISA and other associations.
Vote for Ramji!!

Ready to mingle..but still will be Single!!

Oru vazhiya naanum therumba blogging world vandhutaen!

I was thinking about this yesterday when i was posting my previous blog and also when i was talking to my ex-roomies after that!!

When I was in college I sure had fun but didnt think it was spectacular. Yedho college ponnaen, canteen and babu kadai le saptaen, pasangal and on rare occasions (when i got lucky!) ponnugala odu class cut adichu padathikku ponnaen, yedhavdhu ponnu patha pudichu vechu kadala pottaen. Yepovadhu weekend vandhu friend vettu ku poi night stay panni konjum diffrent (OH) spirits try panninaen...ille ille friends try panninanga naan summa coke kudichaen (India le diet coke kadaikaradhu kashtam!) appidiye soolite pogalam.
Ippo enna sola varain na despite doing all this i didnt realize how much fun i was having till i came to the US. Appo thaan yennaku thonithu.."aaahaaaa adhu inbam ada nu"
Seri ippo Lexington le thaan summa irundhaen a? andha oor seriyana pattikadu nu thetikutae college le senjathe senjaen..enna kadala pattum podale...ille ille thapa nenaikathaenga..thirundha ella ille...ponnu yedhuvum mattale!!
Seri ippo Fort Wayne vandhum adhuve seiyaraen and appadiye friends kitte ellam polambaraen..dei ponnu yedhavum mata mataengudhu ne..
Seri enough of tamil what I am trying to say is perhaps after i get married i will realize the arumai if bachelor life...esp. after you have started earning.

So I have made up my mind that I am going to enjoy my single life!! after all our ancestors fought 200 years for freedom and it will be a shame to waste it!! (yen logic sahikale nu yennaku theriyum!) The more I think the more I am convinced that I am single because I choose to be!!

The Humble Beginings!!

Attention: K refers to Kay (http://srkartik.blogspot.com) and V refers to Freeyavedu (http://freeyavedu.blogspot.com)

Naan Vandhu appidye reel reverse le suthi Ill take you guys back to July 27th 2003.

It was a warm sunny (Sun)day in Lexington, KY. At around 7pm United Airways flight from Chicago landed in Lexington. Among all the passengers there was this guy who had just flown into what would be his home for the next 1.5 years. Alone and for the first time in these crazy states, looking odd with a fall jacket in summer he was scanning the Lexington airport looking for an Indian face. He had just then in that flight met an American for the first time in his life.

Athu vera yaarum ille....naane thaan!

The American was talking about some road in Lexington which went round the city and he was telling me how amused he was by that. I had no idea then what he was talking about but thinking about it now I think he was talking about the new circle road!

One lean (Both literal and Figurative) tall guy approached me and asked if i was "Venkatesh Gopalan"...yes I said giving him a formal handshake. He introduced himself as Parthi (the guy who was supposed to pick me up) and so we grabbed my bags and head out. The drive to the apartment was kinda long. It felt good to listen to Ilayaraja hits in the car..something i didnt expect to in the USA. So we reached this apartment
(805 Press Avenue, #1) dumped my bags and went to another apartment. There were around 10 guys in that apartment vetty a chatting and ootifying each other. In that apartment I met (after about 12 hours) a guy from my college, my to be roomie for the next 1.5 years. Soon we just got dropped back to out apartment. Parthi seemed very nice as he was talking to us, advicing us on what and what not to do and also brought us some essential commodities. He said he will come back the next day and take us to Walmart!

The next day we got up at 2pm. Still dazed, confused and jet lagged we quickly brushed and showered (I remember i had to take a cold shower because the heater wasnt working) and went to the nearby Dairy Queen to have brunch. I went there and wasnt sure what to order and everything looked expensive (remember the formula?....Price = $value X 50). Hot dogs were the cheapest and so I had a hot dog and a coffee. It was the only time in my life i had a hot dog (Yuck!!!!!!) the coffee i remember was horrible besides being black. I wasnt sure if i was supposed to drink it like that!

We then went back home and Parthi showed up as promised and took us to Walmart. I was amazed being in Walmart...it was huge and my jaws literally dropped to the floor. I know i sound naive but hey...those were my reactions and I am not ashamed to admit it! we got lotsa stuff groceries, sleeping bag etc etc.

The next few days were spent in a boring and useless way. Me and V (my roomie) basically spent the whole day in Youngs library, listening to Kadhal Kondaen and Boys songs...talking about the good old college days and friends. We were I should say in a way in the low point of out lives..No family nearby, no jobs or assistantships, New ppl all around and no friends and above everything alone. There were are soo many funny cooking incidents that if i start getting into them i can go on forever!

Soon lotsa ppl came and all were living nearby. Our other 2 roomates came along to. I made a trip to St Louis to meet my cousin just before school started. Fall semester went by fast and we were all busy and worked hard because the system was new to us.
I still remember the heated discussions we had about going out to eat and about the amount we had to allocate from our tight budgets for eating out. It was generally a once in a month thing. Our rare visits in Sunday to Kashmere, the Indian restraunt nearby which serves the lousiest Indian food. That was the time when every penny counted and varumai hurt us real bad.
I remember discussing hours and hours about how we were gonna pay tuition for the next semester, about the India trip we dreamed about! Just soo many memories.

There were also times when we had soo much fun. Like the times when me and all my roomies just kept jumping on the spring matress we had picked up from the road. The time when we used to make fun my roomie R's English and his very active love affairs.
(K and V...remember "I think we are in Love!!"). Ofcourse K's activities deserve some mention too...his active presence in any place where there were more then 3 Desi girls togeather. His fall 2003 romances deserve a entire Mills and Boons novel and cant be all covered as a part of a blog.

The first snowfall and our playing and tripping in it. The wasted december break when all we did was to download movies and watch them. Well I can go on writing about soo soo many small incidents and moments I shared with my roommates which was soo much fun but I'll leave some for V and K to write!!!

I left Lexington in January 2005 to start my internship here in Fort Wayne. Both my roomies are graduating in May. V is leaving Lexington on the 28th of April to Madison to start his job. K is joining Lexmark in the first week of May. Thinking about it now, we all have come such a long way from where we once were. No matter where I go I know i will always remember the humble beginings and fun I had. I think i will remember them because I had the best roommates anybody can ever have and they are also my best friends. I think its because of them and other friends i have that i miss Lexington soo much and go back there everytime I get a chance!

Thanks K and V! You guys are the best!!

Weekdays....my weak days!

Scene 1 - Friday Evening
I'm all happy and excited about having 2 days off. I am thinking about how I am going to get lotsa sleep and complete 2 million things i need to do.
As the evening proceeds...i either goto to a club nearby of rent a movie and watch it with a couple of beers ooops i mean diet coke!

Saturday Morning...i get up sometime after noon. Have a looooooong hot shower and a brunch. Piss the evening off just going to some place in Fort Wayne.

Sunday Morning....Thats the day when the morning blues start. The day goes by fast and by the time i do my laundry and get my groceries...its time to get to bed.

Then comes the 5 worst days of the week. The fight starts at 5.30 am in the morning between me and my alarm clock...i finally manage to get up around 5.45am...rush rush and get to work by 7am. Work just goes on and on and its probably 5-5.30pm before i leave my office. I goto the Y from there and workout. Finally come back home at 8pm just in time to eat something and crash into bed. So do the other days go

Now all of you must be wondering why i am writing about my daily schedule...the point i am trying to make is life had just become soo monotonous and busy and feels like a never ending struggle with time. After serious thought i have come to the conclusion that if we want to have a super duper career we have to scrifice social life or if we have to have a great life then i guess we must be just content being where we are and not worry much about having a great career.

I guess thats one more of nature's balances...you work hard..make more money but wont find time to spend it the way you want to or we can just work our 40 hours per week and have the time but no money to do all that we want to.

Either way...independent of if we are happy or not..we are always a little discontent!

Its my beleif that its this discontention that makes us want to take that extra step...step after step!

Workout ku oru O podu!

Working out is great for the body. It keeps you fit, helps you live longer, takes that extra flab off, gives you better sleep in the night etc. Recently I read ppl who workout are also likely to be more confident about themselves and their body.

No I am not planning on opening a health club anytime soon.

But I think the best thing about working out is that it makes you feel less guilty about eating whatever you want to eat.

Ok point made...ill now get back to my coffee ice cream with chocolate sauce!

Freedom!!

What is Freedom? What first comes to your mind when I mention freedom?

The thing that comes to my mind is driving down a freeway in a mountainous road by the sea (Like the one they show in Basic Instinct) on a warm sunny 75 degree day! The car being a convertible (Any vehicle...its not abt the car..but a manual shift with a v8 Motor wouldnt hurt) with the roof down.

No worries...No thoughts, relationships, work, responsibilities to hold me down. The hours, selfish as it sounds I live just for myself. It cant be a vacation as vacations are always timed..when you know you will be back to routine in a week or a month it kinda takes the fun away. I am not talking about going at 100 mph..its not about the speed or the adrenaline rush either. Just me, myself and the music made by the wind brushing through my face!

This is how I define Freedom!!

The thing about watching sad movies is its puts one's life in perspective. My friends have been raving about the movie BLACK for a while now and i have been avoiding watching the movie because i heard the story and i knew it was one of those emotional movies i wouldnt really enjoy watching. But anywyas yesterday i had nothing better to do and my friend gave me the cd so i decided to watch it. And now after watching it i have to admit it is a really well made movie. I am not generally an emotional person and if i was moved by the movie i have to admit its pretty damn well taken. I think my life sucks but its when i watch movies like this that I realize life isnt really bad after all. And as for what i took from the movie...if a guy can teach a stubborn little girl who cant see or hear how to read and write (brail ofcourse) and get her a B.A degree then i definitely can tranform my company into Lean. I guess ill start the week with that in mind!!
Earlier in the week I went and joined the YMCA near my house. This particular Y has a gym, Climbing wall, TT tables, Pool Tables, Videao Games, Basketball court, Swimming pool, Whirlpool, Sauna and also some aerobics classes. I worked out after a looong time on Friday and boy...every muscle in my body hurts now!! When i was leaving the Y friday evening there was this sheet of paper lyinig near my car door...i picked it up to see if i had dropped something and i coulnt beleive what i saw...it was the bank statement of one Amy...it had her Bank Account number, Address, Full name and bank balance. I pretty much had all the information i needed to get online and use her bank account to buy myself something i wanted. I had to tear the paper and dispose it off for Amy.
k then later!

General Ramblings!!

while I am waiting here in Ann Arbor, MI for lunch which my friend is preparing i thought i might as well use this time constructively to write a blog. My friend is making chappathi and Channa for me and refused to let me help her...and i have to admit i didnt insist. Its been a good weekend soo far..I relaxed and got lotsa sleep thrusday night. Friday morning (technically afternoon)I went and opened a bank account. After a quick lunch followed by Tira Misu for dessert i head out to Ann Arbor from Fort Wayne. I stopped on the way and bought myself a Tshirt and then continued driving. The traffic on I94 was horrible...i finally reached here at 9pm and me and my friend head out for dinner. Since my friend S has absolutely no sense of direction whatsoever we had to navigate around with my map and we finally reached this Thai place 10 minutes after it closed. So from there we drove around town in search of this Italian restraunt called Macaroni Grill. Fortunately I have a decent sense of direction else we would have never found the place. After a hearty dinner which i have to admit was delicious we got back home and were talking for a while.

I got up at 12.30pm today..my friend had to go for some swimming classes in the morning so she didnt mind me sleeping. After a quick breakfast of eggs and toast which my friend made for me we head out state street Starbucks to grab a coffee and then to Meijers to do grocery shopping for my friend. Now i know that sounds really boring and it was but then i unfortunately didnt have an option and was told i wouldnt get any lunch if i didnt drive her there. Shopping with S is not fun!! when it comes to shopping S is a typical girl! So after a couple of hours of grocery shopping we got back home.

Ok i think lunch is ready and it smells good and I better not let her see this if i want any lunch

later...

Pround to be a ME

I am proud to say i can pretty much fix most common electrical, automotive and to an extent plumbing problems too. So while i was working on my car today i was thinking what really made me the way I am today?

I guess my parents had a lot to do with this. everytime something used to break in my house my dad always encouraged me to open it up and see what was wrong. I know he always did unless it was something very complicated. I remember all the time i used to get chided by my dad for not fixing thins at home which should have gotten fixed. Sure i do remember half a dozen electric shocks and also all the time i opened something up and didnt know how to put it back but hey..i did manage to fix things most of the time.

My college and my Mechanical Engineering degree certainly had a lot to do with things. I am confident about opening any kind of machinery or circuitry up because I pretty much know how they work atleast the basic principle. I guess its kinda similar to how a good cook can taste something and say what ingriedients were used to make the dish. Yup...the more i think abt it the more convinced I am that getting a ME degree was the best thing that could have happened to me..its kinda where a man belongs. The working around big machines, red hot metals....hmmmm satisfying!!

And above everything it just the way I am. fixing things and see them work well after i service them gives me satisfaction..makes me feel like an engineer. it is pretty cool..and I am proud abt all the things i can do..
OK i figured I have bragged enough..time to get back to my haynes car manual and see whats wrong with the EVAP system in my car!
Adios!

The Angel every guy is looking for!!

I have been out of the blogging world for a while now..but Im here blogging at 2.40am on a monday morning not because Im not sleepy (I am very sleepy!!) not because Im Jobless (I need to get to work at 8.30am tommorow morning and I just got back from work at 2am) but because I just saw something which moved me so much i couldnt refrain myself from writing abt it..even this late in the night.

Yes..I am talking about Ashley Smith the woman Brian Nichols took hostage of before turning himself into the police. I just saw her interview on cnn and i have to agree i have never been as moved by a TV interview of a person i dont know as i was today. The way Ms. Smith handled the situation i think is not just uncommon but is also beyond humanity..she surely is "an angel sent by god" as Brian Nichols put it. I think its just mind blowing how she did not run away when she had 3 or 4 chances to because she thought Brian Nichols might hurt somebody else, how she didnt kill him when she had a chance to esp. considering what she has gone through in life. (Her husband was stabbed to death and died in her arms) I think for somebody to talk a person, who killed about 4 ppl, into turning himself to the cops and even offering to do something for her in her house, in a matter of 24 hours is AWESOME..Its soo Unreal and kinda makes me beleive in God and fate.

Ashley Smith, I bow down to you. Women like you make guys like me realize how wonderful women really are. Strong but sweet, Independent but not Inconsiderate, Cool yet caring, Bold but Vulnerable you sure are one hell of a woman! In my eyes, in America's eyes and I am sure in anyone who sees your interview's eyes you are a true Hero. I just hope that someday I will be lucky enough to find a wonderful woman like you and be the best husband to a terrific woman like you!!

I rest my case!!!

Myths and facts about Desi folks in America

1)Myth:
All men in the United States are great cooks and cook everyday/ regularly.
Fact:
Cant be far from the truth. I am a very ordinary cook, havent cooked in 3 weeks now and ever since i moved into an apartment and started living by myself I have probably cooked 3 times.no slef respecting bachelor would!! In the United States with a freezer and a microwave you can eat almost any cuisine from any part of the world you want to!!
however when it comes to women its an altogeather diffrent story...the time i spend watching tbs, cnn....a bunch of girls i know spend it cooking..no complaints though..after all i hope i am lucky enough to marry one such girl who can cook good food for me!!

2) Myth
Indian women in the United states are a mixture of Aishwarya Rai, Kalpana Chawla, shilpa shetty etc. but at the same time are also as sweet as the women in the Soaps...you know a desi Ally McBeal!!
Truth!!
Nooooo wayy!! Indian women here in the United States for the most part are at the best ordinary looking. Some of them shower just once in a while (Kay and I.V you know whom I am talking abt!!)to keep the aroma which reminds everybody of their presence around a mile radius. I'd have to agree though that most of them are sweet atleast to an extent and as long as you are smart enough...not only to say the right things but more importantly refrain from saying the wrong things. SOme of them are really smart, Independent and there are others who claim they are!!
However the kind who piss me off the most are the kind who cant stand one touch of vulgarity, who would look at you like you just did the most disgusting thing in the world when you tell them something naughty. In a world where it an accepted fact that even the queen has 2 legs it women like these who i think spoil the reputation of Indians in the world and esp here in the United States. ok since i think i have deviated quite a bit from the topic i started writing about i think ill stop here..but before i finish just one more type..the type who think the only reason a guy talks to a girl is because he wants to have sex with her..I dont know how they manage to convince themselves of that esp. after looking at themselves in the mirror for as long as they do!!!

If you folks can think of anything else...do add your comments.

Women..dont take it personally...Happy Woman's Day..I probably would'nt be here if they were no women in the world!!
...
...
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So what atleast the other men in the world would have lived happily..;)

No offence gals...just kidding...you know I Love you all!!

college kids!!!

I am not sure if i should feel sorry for my juniors in college and other folks going to college now in Chennai or feel J looking at them.
When i went back to India this time there were just 10-12 channels being telecast if you dont have a set top box (most dont) out of which none were worth watching! there was no Mtv, channel V, Sony etc. shat do college going kids do without these channels? As far as i can remember all i did in college with the exception of the 2 weeks during the exams was to watch TV, talk to my friends about the programs i saw on TV over the phone and then chat online about the conversation in the night till like 12-1 am and then start fresh all over again the next day. so the question is what do they talk about now?
Another thing is in college I did what i wanted to...period. If i didnt like a prof. i didnt like him/her and i just didnt give a damn. If i didnt feel like attaneding a class i didnt simply because i didnt have to explain to anybody...no internals no shit like that + i got my bachelor's degree from Madras University (SVCE) and if you know a few tricks you can be assured of a decent score although there was always a degree of uncertainity. I understand thats not how it works now....and for some reason anna university seems to be bent on screwing their students.

But then on the other hand with the current economic boom in India it looks like all you need is a B.E degree to get a software job with a starting pay of over 200,000 /year. in the good'ol times when I graduated on campus jobs didnt come that easy esp. with the kind of reputation SVCE had with companies coming oncampus...thanks to my seniors for that!!
Internet/Phones and cell phones have become dirt cheap now and i think thats pretty cool. it would have saved me the severe tirade i used to get from my dad once every 2 months when the phone bill was sent home!! I still can remember the days when i used to go out on the evening of the day the bill was sent just to avoid my dad!! sounds petty now bit then i used to get seriously screwed for this!!
Above everything i envy college kids because they are in college...the one place Id give anything to be in..amongst my friends...acting irresponsibly, bunking classes just having fun. how cool was that?
I guess ill keep talking about my college days even after i turn 80...i am foreever ready to relive them.....ofcourse such is the great college i went to...Sri Venkateswara college of Engg(SVCE)!!!

India Trip...a detailed account!!

quite contrary to what i had mentioned before this is my first blog from India and i have been here for three weeks already. I just have been generally lazy and my dialup connection speed hasnt really inspired me to write either. However suddenly a thought struck me yesterday...this is the vacation i had been dreaming about ever since i got to the U.S and blogging is the only way i can save the memories of the good times i have been having here. tommorow, it will exactly be 3 weeks since i got here and i feel like i really havent done 25% of the work i wanted to do over here. 3 weeks just went in a jiffy and all i did was eating and sleeping. When i get back to the US the one thing i probably wouldnt regret not doing is eating as for the last 3 weeks i have been literally stuffing myself with as much food as i possibly can. Infact suffering from indigestion and an upset stomach twice in 3 weeks is itself an indication enough of how much i have been eating, esp. considering the fact that i generally have an iron stomach.

I decided i am going to try and remember what i did since i got here
12/6/04 - got home at around 10.00am...had a delicious bf of dosa and south Indian filter coffee..didnt do anything much...just chilled out in the house...gave everybody their gifts. had a terribly upset stomach.

12/7/04 - didnt do anything worth mentioning...Sindu was sick and so she bunked office.

12/8/04 - went to Landmark and bought books and cds. Had chat from a store in spencers and also punjabi samosa from food world. Spencers has changed quite a bit and the 3rd phase is awesome.

12/9/04 - went back to Landmark to return a book as i realized the same book was available in half.com at about 1/2 its price. Arthi dropped home from work in the evening and was chatting with her for a while. Mohan chittappa and Vinod also dropped by to see me.

12/10/04 - went to ritchie street to buy adapters. much to my surprise i really didnt like the place with its crowd. Sadly the same street where i could spend hours drooling at the goodies and gizmos it had to offer was now annoying. I had originally planned on spending 2-3 hours there but just got my stuff and left the place in under an hour. While driving back home i drove via marina and was filled with mixed emotions. Just too many memories associated with the damn beach.

12/11/04 - went with Appa, Amma, Sindu, Ramesh, Ani, Mohan Chittappa, Usha Chitti and vinod to Mansukhs. Had some 2-3 rounds of chat followed by basundi for dessert. hmmmm....good stuff!!!

12/12/04 - Went out with Balaji to spencers and then later to the beach and then at 7 pm for oceans 12 followed by dinner at Karaikudi....had delicious south Indian Parotta with i think Egg curry. Also had some chat in Spencers followed by Masala Kadalai in Marina beach.

12/13/04 - went to Ayush for a full body ayurvedic massage on my Mom and Sisters insistence. It was comforting and cool. Got myself and amma ice cream from Movenpick on my way back home. Earlier in the day i went out with amma and bought sandals for myself.

12/14/04 - Went with amma to Vivek's in Vadapalani to check out A/C and Washing Machines...bad service. Then went to Sri Krishna Sweets to buy Mysurpa. From there we drove to sindu's office, picked her and Datta up and then Lunched at Aanghan a new restraunt opened up behind Gangothri in Cathedral Road. Had Panneer Tikka which was truly out of the world. Later after lunch we had ice creams in Gangothri and dropped Sindu and Datta off in their office and drove to spencers. Just roamed about and finally had coffee from java city. Came back home and relaxed.

12/15/04 - Went with amma to Rathna stores and I bought her a new cooker and some other stuff. I also bought a belt in Globus. We then went to Chips and Chats and had some chat. I bought a flower bouquet and we drove back home. After a while i then went to Adyar for Arthi's Engagement. The engagement was boring for me as i knew nobody except Arthi. I then went to Besant Nagar beach and walked along the shore for 45 Minutes and then drove back home.

12/16/04 - I cant remember what i did but i doubt it was anything special. I think i went to Just casuals and bought a shorts and a shirt. then went to Kellys and Dropped sindu off and played with Ani for a while.

12/17/04 - Went and picked up a Van Huesen Shirt...some sale was on. Later was wondering if i should have? Went to Mussafir movie...night show...ok movie...typical masala..Sameera reddy looked smoking hot though.

12/18/04 - Took Amma and Ani to Ayyapa poojai in Mylapore. On the way back a stupid Jackass bike guy smashed his bike into my car that was then stationary causing a huge dent in my rear bumper. I was begining to wonder if i should be driving in India. In the evening i went with Appa to rathna stores and then later we all excluding Ramesh went for dinner to Dhaba..ok food and nice ambience but too pricey though!!

12/19/04 - Lunch at Mohan Chittappa's place. It was delicious and filling. Janaki Periammai, Athimbar and Thathi came to our place in the evening. They have bought a new Maruthi 800.

12/20/04 - Sindu bunked office. we did some major suthifying!! Went to Spencers where i bought a pair of formal Arrow trousers, and couple of cotton shirts. Had some chat from Shri Mithai in the 3rd Phase. We then came back home..had Lunch and left again and i bought a pair of formal Woodland Shoes and also leather sandals.

12/21/04 - Went to Naturals, a upscale beauty salon where a haircut costs 200 bucks!! My sis had a coupon for 300 bucks so i got a shave for 50 bucks and a Olive oil Head
Massage for the rest of the money. came out starving and ate lotsa stuff from foodworld. In the afternoon i gave the car for service. got back the car later in the night with the dent been taken care off and also the best part with the A/C working..and working well.

12/22/04 - pretty dull day till the evening. the Evening was horrible. Sindu was supposed to leave and just before we left home to Kellys appa thought Ani had fever. We went to kellys and Mummy took Ani to the Doctor just to avoid risks. I was playing around with the camcorder to see if i can connect it to the computer. Ani started crying because mummy took him to the hospital and after crying really loudly non stop for about 40 minutes...he just stopped and passed out...jeez!! all of us got the shock of our lives and we rushed him to the doctor. the doctor wrapped a wet towel around him and after about 5 minutes he regained conciousness. we rushed him to child trust hospital. I drove the the hospital and i have to admit never before in my life have i been as scared to drive as i was that day. Finally well we later came to know what happened to him was whats called a febrile seizure and is a relatively common occurence in children when there temperature shoots up and it seems it happens in about 3-5% of the children (looked up at it online).

12/23/04 - Left to the hospital early in the morning with coffee. Ani was ok. his fever hadnt subsided though. I spent the whole day in the hospital. i was there till about 9.30pm.

12/24/04 - did pretty much the same thing like the previous day. spent almost the whole day in the hospital, reading "are you afraid of the dark" by Sidney Sheldon.

12/25/04 - was there in the hospital till the evening. In the night went to China Town with balaji. China Town had a great great ambience and was kinda pricey too. I treated Balaji for my internship. Then went to sathyam and saw Swades. Good movie. I thought it was very well made though the first half was kinda slow. I just love the songs in the movie. met Mayee in the cinema.

12/26/04 - Horrible day!! I woke up with a severe headache, backache and also an upset stomach. My dad woke me up saying there were tremors. My friend who had stayed over in my house told me he had woken up because he felt the bed shake. It was not until a few hours later that i realized the seriousness of the issue. Like my BIL said the irony of the situation was that thousands of them had been washed away by the killer Tsunami waves just 3 miles away from my house and i didnt even realize it had happened. I heard the Marina beach is a ghastly site...i still havent had the guts to visit the place not because i am scared the tsunami will hit again but then because there are just too many sweet memories associated with the beach and i dont want to look at the beach in any other way than i have imagined it to be. Ajay and Vijay came home in the evening and we were chatting for a while.

12/27/04 - Felt much better but since the back ache persisted i decided against taking the bike. SInce my dad had taken the car i took an Auto to Spencers where i met up with Arun. Ajay Kumar & vijay in typical desi style came late. We went around for a while and Vijay bought a pair of Jeans. From there we went to Satyam and I saw Swades again.

12/31/04

I tired to post all that I had written earlier in India but then the connection sucked so I couldn’t! This being the last day of the year has been pretty good soo far. The A/C arrived promptly today morning and early noon guys from Samsung came and installed the A/C. Now all that remains to be done is to install the A/C power socket. I will be leaving in a few minutes to drop Sindu off in the doctors place (Andal…her new found pediatrician for Ani) and to go and collect my altered trousers from Lifestyle. As of now I plan on going for dinner with Ajay and Vijay to Savera tonite unless we make other plans at home. I guess that’s it for the moment…..signing off now.

to be continued......

Ciao Ag Comm!!!

I know...I know...you guys must be thinking I am crazy to be writing a new blog when i havent completed my previous one...but then today happens to be a day of rather mixed emotions!!

This is the last blog i am writing from my office (current office!!) using the slow Dell Precision 330 with just 256 MB of RAM. I was thinking abt it today and i cant beleive its been 6 months since i joined this job...time just flies by soo fast...it feels like i just started yesterday. Its been a wonderful job though and i got to work with some gr88 ppl, not to mention all the new applications I learnt. Thinking abt it I learnt to use Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, Dreamweaver and frontpage.

Well...Well..I have really enjoyed working here and will miss working here. Those long pro-democratic party conversations with shamick (prior to and also after the elections)...bugging Subha in her office, covering for Jonuse at her desk while she's gone...short walks via the medical center parking structure to Starbucks, esp. letching at those sexy automobiles parked there...i guess are some of the priceless moments ill probably never get back!

But what the heck? thats life and you got to move on...after all I survived leaving SVCE...this cant be very difficult!!

my friends...they are the best!!!!

For sometime now i have been thinking about writing atleast the names of all my friends who have influenced me and are to an extent the reason behind i am where I am today. If there is one thing i cant complain about in my life it would be my friends....they have always been there for me when i have wanted them etc..etc. (u know...all that kinda senti stuff) So i decided the least i can do is to mention them and write their names in my blog. I know there are a zillion people who have helped me and since its impossible to write all their names down i am just gonna write down all the names i can think of now..if by any chance you think i have left your name out please understand that i have had a loon week, very little sleep last night, stressful 2 weeks before this one and excuse me!! Starting from school....
School - Gill Adarsh
- Sachin
- V.R Harish
- Geetha...(my first real friend i guess...i met her in 1st or 2nd grade and were the worst of enemies..i once was soo pissed with her that i threw her lunch out..she complained to the teacher and i had to share my lunch with her..but we eventually hit it off i guess and were the best of friends till 8th grade and the i totally lost touch with her till the magical reunion 8 years after, in her college. thanks to Padmavathy who got me her info...She now works for CTS in Chennai and we chat regularly)
- Suman
- Megha
- Lavanya
- Vasanthi (She was one hard working kid...my mom used to teach her and i hated her then because i used to get compared with her all the time..she eventually got into medical school i heard)
- Prasanna (graduated from purdue recently...great guy..and neighbour..we went for cricket coaching togeather..both of us loved the 1.25 rasna in shanthi cool bar!)
- There was this one guy i cant recollect his name now but anyways he wasnt a gr88 friend of mine but both of us shared a common passion which was to repair and restore fountain pens..i remember my hands were always stained with diffrent colors of ink during my 5th grade and i was never satisfied with the way my pen wrote and always used to take the nib and the feeder apartto try and make it work better. I learnt a lot abt pens from this guy!!
- Abdul - my key competitor in my 8th grade..i guess he eventually did better than me in acads but then i was the opening batsman for the under 13 team in my school, volunteer to make sure student leave the school in the evening without pushing each other etc. I remember I was an volunteer and so i used to leave class 15 mins early every evening and also used to come to class 15 minutes late every morning. that was such an awesome time...i did well in acads...played a lot of cricket, was a volunteer so got to bunk class, was in the best school ever and didnt really care abt chicks !!!

- Pavithra - we used to sit togeather in 5th grade and join erasers and sharpners in line and make a train out of it. She was a brilliant kid and as usual i was carefree abt studies
- Iqbal Ahmed - he was my kite buddy..we used to do a lot of stuff togeather like stealing other's food, flying kites,play hockey, oor suthaling (yes i started back then in school). I remember once when we made a lot full of manja and applied it to the thread and made some excellent manja thread. I used to absolutely love flying kites back then!!

Balalok M.H.S.S

G Balaji - Awesome guy...my best friend...i can write pages just abt hima nd the stuff we have done togeather...he currently works for TCS and also has a gf now which his parents know off. He might get engaged in less than a year. i must have roames almost all the major streets of madras with this guy. I guess in less than a week ill start doing it again!!
Ajay Kumar - nice guy and kinda senti too. we also went to college togeather. and i guess i hanged out with him countless number of times. we used to do combine studies for our exams.
Vijay - Nice guy works for TCS now. we went to the same college, he was in IT though!

hmmm like i mentioned i have a long list of gr88 friends and and currently running out of time to finish this so ill leave it at this for the time being and will continue tommorow. Please dont forget to check in tommorow....it will have my friends from SVCE and UK.
God my friends....they make me love my life!!

Guess who's back????? back again....

been a looong time since i wrote...actually about a month..but in between my Indiana trip, Thanksgiving shopping, Pittsburg visit, thanksgiving shopping, arrangements for my internship, thanksgiving shopping there was little time to write. There are many things i have been wanting to write about though like doing 110 mph in a 2004 Ford Taurus, driving from cincinnati to Lexington (80 miles) in a record 50 minutes, driving for 4.5 hours (250 miles) at one stretch, shopping for over 100 bucks in one evening...all for clothes for myself etc.

Anyways just for the record (the entire town already seems to be knowing!!) I got an internship with Contech SPX and Ill be starting in January, around 24th. The plant i will primarily be working in is in Auburn, IN which is about 25 miles north of Fort Wayne. It looks like i will be living in Fort Wayne (either alone or with a roomie with a room for myself in any case)

I advanced my trip to India since i got the internship (cost me an extra 200 bucks!!) and so I am off U.S soil this saturday (12/4) and plan on getting back on 1/16/2005.
still got lotsa stuff to buy to take home. I am still not sure what I am going to buy Ani, my 1 year old nephew. When he was born I told my sister I am going totally pamper him and buy him all that he wants and so i need to go get him something...(I am a man of my word you see;))

Guess thats it for now...will write more often here after esp. since i am going to be India and most of the folks who read my blog happen to live in the United States..I shall totally absolutely burn it in to them...you didnt think i am going to let go an oppurtunity like this..did you???

Cya then!!

Folks at UK - FYI

Starbucks Cafe in UK clinic sells its delicious Pastries, Sandwiches and Salads for just a dollar on Friday evenings after 3pm. When I went there today i saw the steep price cut and treated myself a delicious creme filled chocolate muffin...ohh boyyyyy it was awesome..and that coming from a "not exactly chocolate fanatic" means something doesnt it?
Well i did the basic research and found out that since UK Clinic Starbucks is closed in the weekends...they try to sell the stuff off because they cant anyways sell it the following Monday...thus the price cut!
So just go treat yourself!!

Things I want to have/do within 6 months after I get a Job!!

1) The new apple Ipod photo (40GB ofcourse!!)
2) 40" (or more) flat screen HDTV (ofcourse with cable connection...sun, sony, etc.,)
3) Lazy Boy Recliner with a built in massager..capable of reclining upto 180 degrees
4) Minolta Maxxum 4 SLR camera..along with wide angle(as less as it could possibly be to 28mm) and telescopic lens(100mm to as much as the camera could support)
5) Bose Home theater system with digital acoustica(5.1 or 2.1)
6) Build my own desktop...P4 or the then latest processor with the then Max. Clock speed...2 GB RAM, 200 GB Hard Drive, DVD Rewriter, 20" LCD Monitor, Joy Stick and Gaming Steering wheel, Sound Blaster Live sound card..connected to my Bose Home theater system, Radeon X800 Pro 256MB DDR AGP Graphics Card
7)Bring my Parents here to the United States of America!!!
Phew....pretty small list eh?

ending with a quote i liked...

"The great tragedy of Science - the slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact."

P.S - check out
http://www.methodshop.com/mp3/articles/rejectedipods/index.shtml
I found it amusing!!

50 coolest websites!!

hey guys
time magazine has recently published a list of 50 coolest sites. SOme of the sites listed are really cool and worth checking out!!
check out
http://www.time.com/time/techtime/200406/news.html

Definitely worth a visit!!!

Love at First sight!!

Those of you who thought you would never fall in love think again because i was certainly wrong..I guess its just about meeting the right..
Ok...i got this $10 gift coupon from Wildcat text books and I went there this afternoon to use the coupon and after about a half hour search around the shop trying to find something around $10 I went to this corner of the shop and wham!! there she was!! She looked stunningly beautiful, with all those breathtaking curves in her body...ohh boy she was smoking hot. Her reflection on the shining floor added to her incredible attractiveness. It took me about 30 milliseconds to make up my mind and I decided i wanted her and was gonna have her at any cost! and you know what...i did have her..i brought her straight to my bed and ahmmm ahmmm!! Now she is just beside my bed so i can look at her the first thing in the morning when i wake up.
Ohh yeah I did buy her...she was cheap for what she was worth..and now she's hanging in my wall..
well folks you will get nothing for guessing she's a 30 X 25 inch Ferrari F-40 poster ofcourse in the Ferrari red!

Funny thing!

I recently came across something which i found extremely funny..It was what John Kerry said during one of his recent campaign speaches...
It goes like this
Kerry: "Recently a person was talking to President Bush and he told the person his usual story about Praying to God and Flu shots....I guess he was right...thats what one needs to do with him as the president...Pray to God to get a flu shot!!"

Aint that hilarious??

Life's like that!!

There are different types of people in this world but the type I hate the most are the type who day in and day out make you feel like a total loser not that they do it intentionally (which actually makes you fell all the more lousy!) but they just unknowingly make you feel that way!! And the worst thing that can happen to a man is to have to interact and be in constant touch with that person. Nothing will shatter your ego more than that! Trust me...been there...done that!!

Some of these people might actually be very nice helpful people which again makes it all the more worse because it is easier to feel like killing an asshole..its almost like you are gonna kill him/her and s/he being an asshole makes you feel less guilty abt doing it when the actual reason is that s/he got something you think you should have!

I once used to wonder why when 2-3 ppl compete to become partners of a law firm, and eventually one becomes a partner the rest quit? the reason now is clear to me..Imagine there is no way you can work with a person who holds a position you think you should be in...and the worse thing is the person is gonna walk upto you and say.."I think we all deserve this...too bad you didnt make a partner"..yeah rite thats exactly when you feel like taking a 10" titanium knife and butchering that person!

This holds true for relationships too...there is no way you can get along with a person who is going around with the girl you once loved. No matter how hard you try you just cant get along.

The logic is simple..no matter how much of a loser I am and how far that is true, deep down all of us want to be winners and picturize ourselves as winners and so just cant stand a person who makes us feel the other way round.

Inflation hits me hard!!

damn them...inflation is taking its toll and ridiculous things are happening. like for example Starbucks has increased coffee prices by 10 cents. so a tall cup of regular coffee now costs $1.50, Grande $1.70 and Venti $1.80. This increase means an additional 50 cents expenditure for me every week which might not be much for many but for an already broke person like me is a big amount!
Donations are welcome...please address checks to "Venkatesh Gopalan"

Secrets to success!!

These are some quotes i found in a website..i kinda liked them...I am sure you would too...i am posting these in my blog to read them when life reaches that rock bottom low point..when you feel like a total loser...read these then and i am sure they will raise your spirits!!

Some people follow their dreams, others hunt them down and beat them mercilessly into submission. Go confidently in the direction of your dreams In the long run, we only hit what we aim at

. .
SECRET 02 Life is what we make of it, always has been, always will be Life itself cannot give you joy, unless you will it. Life just gives you time and space, it’s up to you to fill it

. .
SECRET 03 Every day matters

. .
SECRET 04 Never, never, never, never give up
Make a success of living by seeing a goal and aiming for it unswervingly. You never really lose until you stop trying


SECRET 05 Champions believe in themselves even if no one else does In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can They can because they think they can


SECRET 06 To move the world, we must first move ourselves
Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right
It’s not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves

. .
SECRET 07 You become a champion by fighting one more round. When things are tough, you fight one more round. When you get into a tight place and it seems like you can’t go on, hold on, for that’s just the place and time that the tide will turn

Most people give up just when they’re about to achieve success. They quit on the one yard line. They give up at the last minute of the game one foot from a winning touchdown

. .
SECRET 08 A mistake is only a mistake if you don’t learn from it
Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they are supposed to help you discover who you are. If I had to live my life over again, I’d dare to make more mistakes next time
. .
SECRET 09 You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face. Challenges can be stepping stones or stumbling blocks. It’s just a matter of how you look at them. The purpose of life is to live it, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience

. .
SECRET 10 Always imitate the behavior of winners when you lose
. .
SECRET 11 Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail

. .
SECRET 12 Winners make goals, losers make excuses

. .
SECRET 13 Jump into the middle of things, get your hands dirty, fall flat on your face, and then reach for the stars. Get busy living or get busy dying Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration. When you play, play hard. When you work, don’t play at all.
. .
SECRET 14 The key to achievement lies in being a “how” thinker, not an “if” thinker
. .
SECRET 15 The path of no risk is the biggest risk of all
. .
SECRET 16 It takes courage to push yourself to places that you have never been before...to test you limits...to break through barriers Fortune favors the brave. To conquer without risk is to triumph without glory.
. .
SECRET 17 Fix your eyes on perfection and you make almost everything speed towards it. Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anyone expects of you. Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible. We only learn our limits by going beyond them

. .
SECRET 18 Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later

. .
SECRET 19 It takes time to be a success, but time is all it takes
. .
SECRET 20 Do the little things well now. In time great things will be presented to you waiting to be done. The beginnings of all things are small In creating, the only hard thing is to begin
. .
SECRET 22 Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb...that is where the fruit is.

. .
SECRET 21 How do you know so much about everything? was asked by a very wise and intelligent man; and the answer was 'By never being afraid or ashamed to ask questions as to anything of which I was ignorant.
. .
SECRET 23 Seize the day
Opportunity is missed by most people because it’s dressed in overalls and looks like work. Opportunities are seldom labeled


SECRET 24 Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do

. .
SECRET 25 Knowing how to win is the first step, we must also know how to make use of victories
. .
SECRET 26 Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock . If you gotta lose, lose ’em right Be faithful to that which exists within yourself

. .
SECRET 27 Promise, then perform

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SECRET 28 Only from the alliance of everyone working with and through each other, are great things born.
. .
SECRET 29 From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life. Note how good you feel after you have encouraged someone else. No other argument is necessary to suggest that never miss the opportunity to give encouragement. There is no such thing as a 'self-made' man. We are made up of thousands of others. Everyone who has ever done a kind deed for us, or spoken one word of encouragement to us, has entered into the make-up of our character and of our thoughts, as well as our success.

. .
SECRET 30 Early one morning, an old man was standing on the beach throwing back starfish that had washed ashore in the night. The man was weak and very old. Each throw took a little more energy out the man, but he kept on throwing. The beach was covered so you could hardly take a step and not find another dying starfish. A young man approached the shoreline and asked the old man what he was doing. He replied “I’m making a difference.” The young man looked around and laughed “A difference? There are probably a million starfish on this beach, you can’t possibly think you will make a difference. The old man picked up another starfish and said “It makes a difference to this one...” and threw back into the sea.

. .


May the road rise up to meet you;
May the wind always be at your back;
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
May the rain fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again may God hold you in the palm of his hand.
You’ve failed many times. Although you may not remember. You fell down the first time you tried to walk. You almost drowned the first time you tried to swim, didn’t you? Did you hit the ball the first
time you swung a bat? Heavy hitters, the ones who hit the most home runs, also strike out alot. R.H. Macy failed seven times before his store in New York caught on. English novelist John Creasey got 753 rejection slips before he published 564 books. Babe Ruth struck out 1,330 times, but he also hit 715 home runs. Don’t worry about failure. Worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try. You don't have to have the lead if you have the courage to come from behind

To be a star, you must shine your own light, follow your own path, and don’t worry about the darkness, for that is when stars shine brightest

He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much; who has enjoyed the trust of pure women, the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children; who has filled his niche and accomplished his task; who has left the world better than he found it, whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul; who has never lacked appreciation of earth's beauty or failed to express it; who has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had; whose life was an inspiration; whose memory is a benediction.

The land of diversity!!

Despite how much I have hated my life and continue hating it ever since I came to the United States, and despite how much my life sucks rite now I cant sometimes help wondering how lucky I am to be able to goto a school in the United States..especially after the cross cultural workshop I just attended.

The cross cultural workshop was great fun especially because i got to meet ppl from diffrent parts of the world and the best thing was we all kinda got along amazingly well, evident from the fact that we were up till 2.30am Friday night (technically saturday morning) playing, singing..we even had a pillow fight!! We left the Natural Bridge at 3pm saturday afternoon with everybody else's contacts vowing we will soon meet up again and have a "reunion of the cross cultural workshop of fall 2004" and Oh..boy and I am not even going to start off about the trek we had up the mountain to the natural bridge on Friday evening.

Coming back to the point which is diversity, I got to meet people from Columbia, S.Korea, China, Malasia, Vietnam, Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Ivory Coast, Ghana and ofcourse United States and India. In which other country in the world can this possibly happen? I think one of the reasons the United States is a superpower is because of the diversity i.e. because there is a huge population of people from diffrent parts of the world in the American workforce who bring their culture and diversity to their jobs, giving the workforce more options and methods to do the job.

In a nutshell what I like about the Unites States is that I dont have to lose my identity as an Indian or give up my values, religion...not even my food to live here. I can be myself and am sure i will still be accepted in the society. After all its the diffrences that remove boredom from our lives and bring in variety!!

Ok...rite now my boss from Poland wants me to help him out with some stuff so Ill continue l8r..