Side Effects of being in IT

It was a weekend and I was in my home enjoying with my family. My mom was preparing some delicious food for her kids (no more we are kids but for her we are), mean time I was just sharing my thoughts with her about my company, my feelings, the people I see there. Mean while she cooked some sweets and said me to taste, I just tasted it and gave her compliments for what she has done and washed my hands. She gave me napkin to wipe up my hands; I cleaned my hands and threw that napkin to dustbin. My mom was shock to see me doing this and said hey u threw the napkin to dustbin, then I realized “Ohh its not tissue…… its napkin and I am not in office …. I am in my home”.


Funny but we face this in our daily aspect of life being in IT. While I work in my home everything will be dispersed in rack along with my mobile at the right, when I need to move something in desktop using my mouse I use my mobile. Later I realize ohhh it’s not my mouse it’s my mobile. In office, normally I have my mouse to my right and which is properly set.

It was late night when I reached my home and I was tired with the hectic work which I was doing from morning till night on that day (not every day ;-) ). My cab reached my home by 10:30 pm, my cab driver asked me to sign for the book ( its not a check book anyway) which we need to after every pickup and drop. I drop down from my cab, as I went to my home door was trying to flash my ID card to open the lock. Mom who was waiting for me got to knew some sort of noise and opened our home door. Only after few secs, I realised what i'm trying to do ;-).

The other day one of my brother’s friend (yep...IT Guy) came to our home, as a broker (real estate agent) who knows us was waiting for him to come. I was hearing to that guy talking of a "Standalone" house. When he was actually intending an independent house… Poor broker should have tuff time trying to find an "Alone house standing in a huge empty area…" don't know what interpretations the guy must have made


Once all of my graduate friends thought of getting together and spend some time with each others. We started with mail and ended with SMS. I rarely do send SMS, typing in mobile is the worst job for me. When ever I am forced to reply to the SMS for my friends I always felt why don’t we have Cntrl+C/Cntrl+V OR Cntrl+Alt+Del facilities??? Even in times I search for deleted items in the mobile ;-) ( anyway I don’t find recycle bin in my mobile). Even I tried to call my friends from my landline in home by pressing 9 first.
After talking to one of my friend. I ended the conversation saying ...” Ok bye...in case of any issues will call u back” …. Crap what I am saying.
Later we buddies decided to gather near Forum. My friends already booked ticket, as I went to a movie theatre from office directly.. I showed the guy at the entrance my ID card and walked in…he had to call me back asking the ticket…(Hilarious!)
We returned from the movie theatre and stopped our way to have juice at the local juice vendor and innocuously asked him whether he had a plain 'version' of nimbu pani

Vendor might be thinking which version they need ha ha!!! Later we started our way back to home, where few of our friends started there bikes and scooties, one of our friend’s scooty stopped in the mid of the road as the petrol came to reserve. My friend who was riding said “ I need to restart my scooty” Oops RESTART!!!!

Mission Muskan

She was smiling at me. She was just around 6 years old I guess. I smiled at her back. Seeing her smile, I realized at least I have done one good thing in my life. I have done something for my people in my society. The little girl was one of many children who spend their life in orphanages.

During December 2008, I came up with idea of celebrating my Birthday with orphanages. In midst of our daily schedules, lets do something that would make us feel we are doing something for the society. I know everybody will be busy with their office work, mail checking (:)), Con calls, meeting friends and girlfriends, watching movies, etc. But in spite of these genuine reasons (?), let’s do something for the orphans.

I planned to have my friends and my colleagues (most of them are software engineers) along with me to contribute to orphanages and spend their precious time with orphanages.
I am very much fond of children. So when I had this thought, it really touched, moved and inspired me. So I started to collect the orphanage information from my friends. One of my friends, Mr. Pavan Savalgi helped me in getting some 5 to 6 addresses. Thanks to him once again. That was my first step towards my Orphanage project.

I then went to one of orphanages “Belaku Shishu Nivasa” near Bull Temple Road and talked to caretaker Mr.Mohan. I told him that we are interested to spend some time in service of orphans. We discussed around half an hour on how we can serve orphans and the options we have. We are allowed to help in the form of toys, uniforms, books, medicines, donations, etc. There were 2 options which looked suitable for me.
* We can donate the necessary things (food, play things, books, blankets, etc) to them and one weekend we can go and play with them/ we will serve food for children in their own orphanage.
* Second one requires more budget. i.e. taking orphans to a resort to spend their whole day with us. Transportation and food are supposed to be provided by us.

As I finished talking with him and was on the way outside, same girl of 6 years was sitting in front of me. Then I just went to her and lifted her hand was asking her name. There itself I decided I will complete my project irrespective of circumstances.

There were around 22 children overall in this orphanage. I then enrolled almost all my friends anyway none of colleagues had time to come for this project. Some couple of weeks got passed without any results due to some reasons like hectic work, deadlines, critical issues, conference calls, going to native places, etc

Finally we decided to start on Dec 7^th 2008 to celebrate my Birthday with the orphanage children. Pavan savalgi, Rohith, Priyadarshini, Rashmi Surve, Nagaraj NJ, Kiran Medlery, my cousin brother Mr. Santosh Udupa and my mom along with me went to the orphanage. We decided to sponsor food for one day. And also, we had plans to serve the food in our own hands to children during their lunch and spend some time with them after lunch. We even had plans to distribute stationary good to childrens from our hand. Hence, we decided to meet in front of Orphanage at 12:00 PM afternoon since their lunch time is at 1.30PM. When almost all\everybody assembled near the gate, it was almost 1.30PM and lunch was started for them. There were children of various ages from 6 years to 20 Year old where 60% of them were girls.

All children were sitting in a line and were reciting prayers loudly before lunch. Before starting lunch they told “Annadata Sukhibhava” which really touched my heart by their innocence and cuteness. The little orphanage where they lived looked like a place where heaven touched earth. After there lunch we distributed fruits and stationary goods to all childrens. Later one among those gals showed us fantastic paintings she has done. It was really awesome. After that one after the other the kids became close. I was kidding a little gal to dance, initially she shyed to but after getting pushed by all she danced for Song "Mera naam Chin chin".

We were with children for around 2 hours and then we decided to leave. We get receipt for what ever we donate from caretaker. Then we left the place, had our lunch at Kamat Bugal Rock Hotel nearby and left to our respective houses.

Wish You Happy Deepavali

One of the most popular festivals in the country, Diwali or the festival of lights is a much-awaited festival in the country, and is celebrated with much pomp and splendor. Asklaila gives you the low-down on how the city gears itself up for the upcoming celebrations.
Significant Legends:
As per legend, Diwali is celebrated as the return of the victorious Ram after defeating Ravan, and to signify the end of evil, rows of lamps were lit to welcome Ram and Sita after being in exile for 14 years. Besides this, other significant legends include the end of Narakasura by Satyabhama (Lord Krishna’s wife).
Traditions:
Diwali is usually a five-day festivity. The first and second day is known as Dhanteras and mini Diwali respectively. During these two days, gold, silver and utensils are purchased as well as prayers are done. The third day sees a day of new clothes, sweets, gift-giving, and bursting of fire crackers, while houses and colonies bask in the warm glow of diyas. This continues for the next two days, and is celebrated all over the country, albeit in different ways.
Shopping:
Treat yourself, and your kins to the festive occasion, and pick up traditional apparel from Mysore Silks, Nalli , and Prasiddhi to name a few. Or if you happen to have deep pockets, then pick up designer apparel or two from Ritu Kumar’s or Priya Simran amongst others. Compliment this with jewellery from Tanishq , Krishnaiah Chetty , Ganjam and Orra. That’s not all, pick up some funky footwear from popular stores like Metro , Inc 5 and Soles besides others. With the festive season on in full swing, head on over, and avail of the many discounts and special offers happening in the city. For more details, click here. Besides this, malls too will be bustling with special festive offers.
Head to Cracker Bazaar and Sri Lakshmi Bazaar to purchase your favourite fireworks, or check you local neighborhood playgrounds where many cracker stalls are set-up.
Sweets & Savouries:
What is a festival without sweets? Head to popular sweet shops like KC Das , Anand Sweets , Bhagatrams and Haldirams , and sweeten the deal. Dry-fruits are equally popular, too, and they can be easily purchased from any sweet shops and departmental stores like Spencer’s , All Saints and Food World to name a few.
Have a safe and happy Diwali!

Chandrayaan lifts off! Congratulations!

Congratulations to all team members involve in Successful launch of Chandrayaan-1. Congratulations to all Indians. We are in the list of Elite Lunar Club. I am taking proud to be an Indian. Congrats! Congrats! Congrats! Congrats!

Incredible achievement for our country which could not manufacture paper clips before 61 years!
On the surface it looks like ISRO’s achievement but every one of us has contributed.
There are taxpayers who have paid for our space programme. There are primary teachers who have taught these scientists when they were kids. There are bus drivers who have carried them in time. There are policeman who have kept their homes safe. There are doctors who have kept them healthy.

Aaj puraanee janzeeron-ko toD chuke hain
Kyaa dekhen us manzeel ko jo chhoD chuke hain
Chaand-ke dar par jaa pahoonchaa hai aaj zamaanaa
Naye jagat-se ham bhee naataa joD chuke hain

Nayaa umanga-hai, nayee tarangen, ab hai nayee jawanee,
Ham hindustaanee!

Today we’ve broken old chains. Why should we look back to the achievements of the past? At the doorstep of the Moon is the world. And we are with it.This is the new spirit, new imagination and new youth. We are Indians!

India launched its first unmanned moon mission on Wednesday following in the footsteps of rival China, as the emerging Asian power celebrated its space ambitions and scientific prowess.
Chandrayaan-1 (Moon vehicle), a cuboid spacecraft built by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) blasted off from a southern Indian space center shortly after dawn in a boost for the country's ambitions to gain more global space business.
Chinese astronauts were feted as national heroes last month after their country's first space walk, and India did not want to be left behind.
"What we have started is a remarkable journey," G. Madhavan Nair, chairman of ISRO, told reporters.
India's national television channels broadcast the event live. Some scientists thumped their chests, hugged each other and clapped as the rocket shot up into space.
“The launch was perfect and precise. The satellite has been placed in the earth orbit. With this, we have completed the first leg of the mission and it will take 15 days to reach the lunar orbit,” "Even rain god is very kind on us" Nair announced in the mission control centre.