Did you know..

...that cheating in exams is perfectly a natural thing?
...that two wrongs don't make a right, but three rights make a left?
...that two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do?
...that four lefts make a circular square?
...that softdrinks contain pesticides to kill pests in your stomach?
...that today is the last day of this year?
...that you get to celebrate the new year's eve ONLY today?
...that this blog is not updated regularly by none of us?
...that this is my second post of this group blog?
...that probably its YOUR turn to update this blog?
...that we should introduce/re-introduce ourselves?
...that we should exchange emails and ideas regularly?
...that there are SEVEN members in this blog?
...that We (yes. all seven of us) procrastinate in updating this blog?
...that the word 'that' is used excessively in this post?
...that you are becoming restless by reading this useless post?

Well, folks!!

Wishing you all a great year ahead.

Happy New Year 2007!!

The loss of fulfillment

I recently started reading The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai. I was taken aback by the question which was put forth by the author in the book.

Could fulfillment ever be felt as deeply as loss?

Could it? When you are happy, when you are the best at you work, when you are contented, when you are at life's prime, do you feel fulfilled?
Do we feel that our life is complete? We compromise. On many things. Career. Family life. Love. Friendship. Sleep. Food. Health. We compromise on everything once in a while to keep things rolling.Obviously, these compromises cannot always be a win-win situation.

So, when do we feel fulfilled? We might have all the fun, roam all around, go on roadtrips every weekend, watch all the movies in town on Opening Night, eat all the different delicacies of each cuisine, spend all your money, time and energy on your friends.. But, what makes a person feel fulfilled?

Whatever happened to roti, kapda aur makaan phrase?

Coming to the question I was talking about, could fulfillment ever be felt as deeply as loss? Could it? Really?

I don't think so.

Time for re-intoduction

Hi, I am Arvind Prakash Jha (Artful Jha). I have been blogging for a while and have great interest in website building and computers. I know Mani, Venkat and Priya personally (they are my good friends). I am passionate about experimenting with operating systems and anything which falls under the category "latest technology".

All the colours can probably write something about themselves in the comment section of this topic so that it will be under the same heading....

Keep blogging

Artful Jha

Ahhh.. Ummmm...

Hello guys!

Frankly, I don't know what to write. So, I am just going to churn out some gibberish. Please put up with it.

Well, what to say, you see, ummmm, hmmmm...

Ok, ok! Enough already!

Seriously, hi! I am Gayathri. I have been blogging for a little more than a year over here. Thought I would share my useless incidents/trivia over here as well.

Having a writer's block right now. Sad, bad beginning! I know.

Anyways, see you soon!

Cheers,
Gayathri

The first step………..

Fortunately (for me) or unfortunately (for my company and the candidates), I was a part of the recruitment team from my program which was on a huge ramp phase then. I was very eager to get into that committee for two reasons. One for the hep of it and the other, more than escaping of work was the fact I will be getting paid for observing and judging people which I’m sure most of us do and love to do. After quite a lot of initial coaxing my lead who was initially reluctant to share the board with me was more than willing to let me take the final decisions, which was a clue that I was in the right track and won over his approval.

I thought I can share my experience and expertise ;) on this as I had been on both sides of the table in a short while. This article is mainly intended for the first job seekers. May be the experienced fellows can catch a clue or two from this.

Let’s do away with the myths first.

You don’t have to be the best:

Learn ahead what your profile will be. You don’t have to top your school or college to land in a job and neither is that going to assure you a place in their organization. That might even turn out as a disadvantage at times like being over qualified or out of range. If you are looking for jobs which don’t match what your resume says about you, please know to explain why you are looking for a change. Let salary not be the only reason for the change. Talk about the intangible factors like the culture, growth, your expectations etc.

You don’t have to know all the right answers (but be honest):

If the interviewer asks you a question you don’t know the answer, tell them so. Trying to guess out an answer unless you are explicitly asked to will dig your death bed. The fact the question was asked itself means that the person has knowledge about it and if you are going to guess it will be obvious. If you think you know the answer but not able to recollect tell them so. Usually your interviewer will be able to tell the difference between lack of ability and momentary tension.

Before the interview

Do your homework:

You may try practicing in front of the mirror to know about your body language. You may also try the tape if your voice is going to play a role in you getting the job. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Read your resume and you will usually able to pick a few peculiarities out of it. Convince yourself that the company needs you. This is important, because your conviction usually shows the moment you step in and reassures the interviewer that you are probably their Mr. Right.

What you got to wear:

If it is an entry level job, wear formals with proper tuck ins etc. Usually formal rules don’t apply to women but it’s good to wear something formal rather than worry about it while waiting for your call to come through. Your apparel talks about your sincerity. And whatever you wear, wear a smile. My lead never liked or wanted to be a part of the panel, so he sometimes wore that “I’m disgusted” look. This may be the case with your interviewer too, so do everything possible to gain a good first impression.

Am giving you a week time for the homework……..lets meet next week to see what has to be done during and after the interview.

What is the Meaning of Life?

Dear Fellow Bloggers,

First of all, thank you for giving me this wonderful opportunity to participate in this group blog. Now before I proceed any further, a quick word. If you think that this post (and all posts I'm gonna post henceforth) is/are something worthwhile reading, please DO NOT regret later. Go away NOW! Okay..just kidding. If you have come for some intellectual stuff, what I can post is probably random unintellectual rants. And I believe it won't be as crappy as you have imagined it to be by now.

What is the Meaning of Life?

Isn't this one of life's unanswerable questions? Have any of you found out the meaning of your/his/her/my/their/anybody's/somebody's/nobody's meaning of life? What the crap? Yes!! You got it right. Life is crap, or, at least, the idea of it, from an unbiased point of view. I'll tell you. The meaning of life is to find a meaning of life. Having realised this fact, the meaning of life is to find an ever better meaning of life. Life is what you make it.

Well, the only certain thing about life is death. Yeah, the reason we live here is to DIE. But first, it seems, one has to experience bullying by that fatso at school, ragging in college, facing the first interview, sitting vetty and chatting during office hours, participate in a group blog, experience the thrill of running over an important meeting and pelting your good-for-nothing project manager with eggs before he has truly 'lived'. Alternatively you could just stay at home watching TV and eating potato chips and assorted junk food every day. That works just as well.

For you see, life is all about making your own choices. Whether to go to work naked or in a Ramarajan suit, to see what happens if you put a rat in the microwave and a toad in your mixer, to poke your co-worker in the eye with a needle or a knife. You live and die by your decisions (or lack thereof, in the case of whether or not to ignore that 'High Voltage' sign).

Hai,

I am completly abacked by the speed at which Information Technology is growing, Homo Sapiens were finding it difficult to receive or send or to gather information a decade ago until the invention of Internet. In today's world information can be grossed up or sent or received at blink of eyes.

I wolud like to thank and appreciate the people behind this revolution and also Mani & Company for giving me this golden opportunity to share and get shared the experience, Knowledge etc, through the wonderful invention by mankind called Internet.

Hai Iam Venkatesh (alias) Venkat, a simple human being (Want to know about me kindly browse my profile).

I was bit confused in deciding what to write about and finally concluded to write on, Curious to know kindly be connected I be back Soon.

Venkat

Hi

Hi friends and fellow bloggers,

Priya here. When I was thinking what to write in the 'Hi' message, I was reminded of my favorite beat from Bryan Adams.

"Here I am - this is me
There's no where else on earth I'd rather be
Here I am - it's just me and you
And tonight we make our dreams come true

It's a new world - it's a new start
It's alive with the beating of young hearts
It's a new day - it's a new plan
I've been waiting for you
Here I am

Here we are - we've just begun
And after all this time - our time has come
Ya here we are - still goin' strong
Right here in the place where we belong

… (para 1 again)

Here I am - next to you
And suddenly the world is all brand new
Here I am - where I'm gonna stay
Now there's nothin standin in our way
Here I am - this is me."

As this song says, I am looking forward to this new blogosphere.

Priya

The new feathers

Hi all,

Two of my friends N. Venkatesh and K. Priya are going to join me hands in filling this blog with their, brainy-brainy articles. இவர்களை எனக்கு சில நாட்களாக தெரியும். (கிட்டத் தட்ட 1460 நாட்களாக) இவர்களை பற்றி நான் கூற வேண்டும் என்றால் அதுவே ஒரு பெரிய article ஆக இருக்கும். இது என்ன புதிதாக "introducing the bloggers" எல்லாம், அப்படியென்றால் இவர்கள் மிக பெரிய எழுத்தாளர்களா?? (என்னை விட) அப்படி எல்லாம் இல்லை, இதற்கு முன் எழுதியவர்கள், எழுதுபவர்களை intro செய்ய தோன்றவில்லை, அவ்வளவே... இனி மேல் எழுதுபவர்களை நான் முறையாக அறிமுகப்படுத்துவேன். என் மூலமாக பதவி பிரமாணம் எடுத்தவர்கள், என்னை போலவே புத்திசாலியாகவும், திறமைசாலியாகவும், அம்மா...ஐயோ... எவன்டா கல்லால அடிக்கிறது, சின்னப் புள்ள தனமா??? சரி சரி... புதுசா ரெண்டு பேர் எழுதுராங்க, அவ்ளொ தான்.. tata bye bye

இந்த வார திருக்குறள்.

நாடாது நட்டலிற் கேடில்லை நட்டபின்
வீடில்லை நட்பாள் பவர்க்கு.

குறள்: 791

பொருள்:

நட்பு செய்த பிறகு நட்பை உடையவர்க்கு அதிலிருந்து விடுதலை இல்லை; ஆகையால் ஆராயாமல் நட்பு செய்வதைப் போல் கெடுதியானது வேறு இல்லை.

இந்த குறளுக்கு உரிய உதாரணமாக நாம் கர்ணன் and துரியோதனனுடைய நட்பை கருதலாம். தான் மாவீரன் என்று போற்றப்பட வேண்டிய சபையில், சத்திரியன் இல்லை என்று அவமானப்பட்டு நின்றான் கர்ணன். அப்பொழுது அவ்வீரனை உடனுரைவது நன்மை தரும் என்று கருதிய துரியோதனன், கர்ணனை அங்கத நாட்டு அரசனாக்கினான். அச்சபையில் தன் மானம் காத்தவனுக்காக கடைசி வரை உடன் இருந்து உயிரையும் தந்தான் கர்ணன்.

கர்ணனுக்குத் தெரியும், அவன் எதிர்ப்பது அவன் தாய் வயிற்றுப் பிள்ளைகள் என்று. இருந்தும் "நட்டபின் வீடில்லை நட்பு ஆள்பவர்க்கு" என்பதற்கு இணங்க தன் உயிர் பிரியும் வரை துரியோதனனுக்கு உற்ற துணைவனாகவும் உண்மையான நண்பனாகவும் இருந்தான்.

ஆகையால் நண்பனை தேர்ந்தெடுக்கும் பொழுது நமக்கும், நம் நட்பிற்கும் தீமை விளைவிக்காதவராக தேர்ந்தெடுப்பது நன்மை பயக்கும்.

இந்த வார திருக்குறள்.

உடுக்கை இழந்தவன் கைபோல் ஆங்கே
இடுக்கண் களைவதாம் நட்பு.

குறள்: 788

பொருள்:
உடை நம் உடலை விட்டு நழுவும் பொழுது, நாணத்தினால், கை உடனடியாக அதை சரி செய்வதை போல், நண்பனின் கஷ்டத்தை உடனடியாக சரி செய்ய வேண்டும்.

இந்த காலத்தில் சுயநலம் இல்லாத நண்பராக இருப்பது மிகவும் கஷ்டம். அவரவர்க்கு அவரவர் பிரச்சனையே தலைக்கு மேல் இருக்கு. எங்கு பார்த்தாலும் cut-throat competition. இதில் நண்பருக்கு உதவ வேண்டும், அதுவும் நொடி பொழுதில் உதவ வேண்டும் என்பதெல்லாம் நடக்கிற காரியமா??

ஆம், நடக்க வேண்டும். இதற்கு ஒரு நடிகரின் வாழ்கையில் நடந்த உண்மை நிகழ்ச்சி.

இன்று மிகவும் பிரபலமாக இருக்கும் இந்த நடிகர், நடிகராக முயற்சி செய்து கொண்டிருந்த பொழுது நடந்தது. அவர் பெயரை நம் கதைகாக X என்று வைத்துக் கொள்வோம். ஒரு நாள் அவர் அறையில் அவரும் அவரின் அப்பொழுதைய காதலியும் இருந்தனர். அப்பொழுது அவர் நெருங்கிய நண்பர் ஒருவர் கவலையுடன் அவரை பார்க்க வந்தார். உள்ளே இருக்கும் பெண்ணொ நண்பருக்கு தெரிந்த பெண். அவள் உள்ளே இருக்கும் விஷயம் தெரியக் கூடாது என்று அந்தப் பெண் பதறுகிறாள். X -க்கோ இருவரும் முக்கியம். ஆனால் முடிவாக நண்பரிடம் கதவை திறக்காமலே “நான் busy யாக உள்ளேன், அப்புறம் வா” என்று கூறி விட்டார். ஒரு வினாடி X முகத்தை பார்த்து விட்டு நண்பர் சென்று விட்டார். அரை மணி நேரத்தில் X க்கு phone, அவர் நண்பர் தற்கொலை செய்து கொண்டார் என்று. ஒரு 5 நிமிடம், டீ சிகரெட்டோடு, மனம் விட்டு பேசியிருந்தால், ஒரு உயிர் மிஞ்சி இருக்கும்.

ஆகையால் நண்பனாக இருப்பது, treat வாங்குவதற்கும், சேர்ந்து தண்ணி அடிப்பதற்கும் மட்டும் அல்ல. உரிய நேரத்தில், உண்மையான நண்பனாக நடப்பதற்கும் தான்.

இந்த தொகுப்பை படித்த பிறகு, நம் நண்பர்களின் பெயர்களை எழுதிக் கொள்வோம். ஒவ்வொருவருக்கும், உண்மையாக உள்ளோமா என்று யோசிப்போம். இல்லை என்று உறைத்தால், இனியாவது இருப்போம். காலம் கடந்து அழுவதை தவிர்ப்போம்.


P.S.

இந்த நிகழ்ச்சியை அனைவருக்கும் புத்தி புகட்டும் வகையில், பெருந்தன்மையுடன் வெளியிட்ட நடிகருக்கு என் நன்றிகள்.

BRAIN DAMAGING HABITS

1. No Breakfast People who do not take breakfast are going to have a lower blood sugar level. This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration.

2. Overeating It causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power.

3. Smoking It causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer disease.

4. High Sugar consumption Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients causing malnutrition and may interfere with brain development.

5. Air Pollution The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our body. Inhaling polluted air decreases the supply of oxygen to the brain, bringing about a decrease in brain efficiency.

6. Sleep Deprivation Sleep allows our brain to rest. Long term deprivation from sleep will accelerate the death of brain cells.

7. Head covered while sleeping Sleeping with the head covered, increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and decrease concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain damaging effects.

8. Working your brain during illness Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to a decrease in effectiveness of the brain as well as damage the brain.

9. Lacking in stimulating thoughts Thinking is the best way to train our brain, lacking in brain stimulation thoughts may cause brain shrinkage.

10. Talking Rarely Intellectual conversations will promote the efficiency of the brain

So take care....

APJ