Ain't it?

"Common sense is the most evenly distributed quantity in the world. Everyone thinks he has enough."

Top 10 @ Hollywood

Top 10 @ Hollywood...

1. How to Train Your Dragon
2. Alice in Wonderland
3. Hot Tub Time Machine
4. The Bounty Hunter
5. Diary of a Wimpy Kid
6. She's Out of My League
7. Green Zone
8. Shutter Island
9. Repo Men
10. Our Family Wedding

Book review: My Life Story

Take a look at the stark realities of life. Changes that happen too quick, too real, too direct but aren't seen or observed in the first glance. How much weight can a human soul carry and still manage to be normal? Can someone handle more than a tragedy and emerge a winner. Do you call the person a winner or a survivor? What could be the difference? How would it be to sit next to the person, take a walk with them in life, listen to them share, to relate to what happened, step by step, minute by minute... just letting the survivor tell you what happened? Well... then you got to read Arti Honrao's book My Life Story!

Arti's use of first person style in story telling keeps you engrossed and ensures you go through emotional twists and turns Kavya faces in her life, her decisions, changes explaining beautifully how quick life changes with decisions that you take and how it could hurt you. In just over a hundred pages Arti manages to tell you a story that would shake your senses and make you feel sad, betrayed, search for love, pain and grief and Kavya's life is amazingly made beautiful with a ray of hope, a path set for the future. My Life Story is too close to life that it can be described as raw. In a story that otherwise is dark and sad, Arti tells you how to have a positive look at life, how to search for the silver lining in the clouds that otherwise threaten to drown you in sorrow.

What made me like the book is the charm with which the story is dealt with, the characters come alive, each presenting a strong appeal, tied up with their personal problems, written so beautifully that you sympathize rather than being judgmental about it. My Life Story makes an excellent read as it explores the meaning of relationships, family, explanation of life. Grab some coffee on a cold evening and get ready to go on a walk down the memory lane as Kavya takes you through her life.

Congratulations and Keep writing Arti. Cheers!

Visit Arti's blog: Straight from the heart and you can buy My Life Story here.

Naukri JobSpeak for February

Key Highlights:

• The hiring activity and demand for professionals in IT - Software moved up by 24% in Feb'10
• Hyderabad has been most bullish on hiring with the job index moving up by 29%
• The top 10 cities of the country saw a double digit growth in Feb'10 over Jan'10
• Majority of industry sectors show an upward moving index with the Telecom and Auto sector moving up considerably by 27% and 24%
• The top 15 functional areas saw an upsurge in hiring activity
• Hiring activity across all experience brackets moved up with growth ranging between 17-19% in Feb'10 over Jan'10

Arrack in the afternoon

Reviewing a book is a tricky thing. The trickiness deepens when you know the author! However, here is a book that needs mention. Arrack in the Afternoon is a novel by Mathew Vincent Menacherry and Mathew has done a good job for a debutant.

Mixing Mumbai, bollywood, business, politicians, godmen, sex, pimps and the unwavering partner - alcohol, Mathew cooks up a heady concoction that stares you right in the eye. The novel explores the life of Verghese Konnikara from the verge of a suicide to a powerful god man till it comes to a full circle. How people fall to opportunities, ignore what they values in life, change over time making the wrong choices only to realize that what they wanted and set out for was different is covered beautifully. The expletives used in the novel make it look real and conversational. Each character is described too well that you feel you know the person like your neighbor.

The protagonist, Varghese, is an average guy with extraordinary dreams, passions acts as a perfect fit to Karan, who I would call a transformer or a good marketer and changes him into a god man, Vargi baba. Mathew takes us through a journey from the streets of Mumbai to the palaces, king-size rooms, beds, cars, money, glitter and shows how vulnerable people are and how the sadness and emptiness in life is covered up with things we call pleasures. Not to give away too much about the story, it is worth a read and kept aside, much better to watch on the screen and then go back to reading it. Arrack exposes the dirty underbelly that is present but is tucked away behind money, fame, wealth and melancholy. Arrack can teach a lesson or two on the use of dark humor.

There are few things in the novel that could have been avoided. Like the repetitive mention of few words and detailed explanation. You would enjoy the details if you have an eye for it and would actually see the plot play before you. Though a bit lengthy, Vargi baba would keep you engrossed while quite a few characters in the novel would remind you of the real ones. An excellent plot for the celluloid, am waiting. Good luck Mat.

Monday blues: CREATE

Creating something out of nothing is stimulating. Very few choose this way. I have seen how deeply engrossed it can be while you are at it. You sit down for hours, engaged, indulging in the creative process. Creating stuff is a relief. A piece of art created, built not just for now but for the future. Something that you have helped build growing up in to a masterpiece that would be admired, looked up to is a relief. An empty canvass coupled with unexplored domain of endless possibilities makes the journey exciting.

This monday, create something that would stand for long. At least start one that would be remembered. While few friends are embarking on such a journey, here are my best wishes. God bless with abundance. Good luck and Cheers!

Pic is from here

Water business

The fast-growing market for packaged water, which at present stands at Rs 2,400 crore, has tough competition. There are about 2000 brands that operate in the market supplying bottled water! This calculation doesn't take into account numerous unbranded sachets, duplicate brands, etc. that are sold in most areas. Customers are duped most of the time as there is a similar looking product on the shelf that is offered at the original price while the actual brand might be more costlier. Piracy in water! What next?

BTW, I personally prefer quenching my thirst with tender coconut water which is the world's safest natural soft drink. So this summer ensure that you hydrate yourself, keeping your mind, body and soul invigorated.

More than functional

Whoever concocted this delusional idea of connecting on a physical level is enough in a relationship is not completely right. Eventually the emotional connect is what matters as the physical wears off. Am talking about friendships, relationships, etc. Once the initial glittery sheen is worn off it just matters to see how soon it breaks and the dream crumbles. What is sought is more than physical, in other terms, emotional.

Let me explain.

When you buy a product, you expect the physical need primarily(agreed this isn't the case sometimes, but mostly, yes) and the expectation is limited to the functionality or physical fulfillment. But in order to pick up the product again from the retail shelf the brand needs to ensure this: Delight in terms of the functional need or pitch emotionally to make the consumer connect his psyche to the appeal of the product. Better are the ones that gets passed on both counts. With the competition being rough, the need to connect emotionally and relate to the consumer is very important.

Going back to relationships, what holds is one that is more intellectual than functional. Ain't it?

Monday blues: Iced lemon freeze

Missed my Monday blues post last week as was too tied up. So here we go.

Iced lemon freeze at CCD is the best to cool yourself on a hot summer eve, especially if you have been in the field the whole day. Melting ice diluting the essence while the lemon peel adds to the grace of the drink soothes the body while quenching thirst.

Why can't communication be like this? Adding flavor to the discussion while retaining the essence, diluting the tension? Why can't communication be used to build relationships? Why can't official day-to-day communication include things which care about people? Try and see if your team responds better when you add a personal tinge to your communication. After all you are talking to people and not just numbers.

ఉగాది

బొబ్బట్లు, అరిసెలు, పాయసం, పులిహోర అప్పుడే కోసిన అరిటాకు మీదపెట్టి వడ్డించడం. పట్టు పరికిణి -పావడ, నుదుటి మీద పాపిడి బిళ్ళ, మెడలోఅమ్మమ్మ హారం, చేతికి గాజులు, నడుముకు వడ్డాణం, చెవులకు దుద్దులు, పూల జడ, అన్నింటికన్నా మెరిసిపోయే నవ్వు, ఆనందంతో వెలిగిపోతున్నతొర్రిపళ్ళ చెల్లి. కాళ్ళకి పారాణి, కొత్త పట్టుచీర కట్టుకుని, ఉదయాన్నే తలంటి, కొత్త కుండలో మామిడి పిందెల ముక్కలు, చింతపండు, బెల్లం, ఉప్పు, పచ్చిమిరపకాయ లాంటి ఆరు రుచులను కలిపి, అరచేతిమీద వేసుకుని రుచిచూసి కాసేపు పక్కన పెట్టి పిల్లల్నందరినీ... 'ఆగండర్రా! కొంచెం ఊరనియండోయ్,' అని అరుస్తుంటే, 'కొంచెమే అమ్మా, రుచి చూస్తాం,' అంటూ రుచి చూడడం, సగం కుండ ఖాళీ చేయడం. ఉదయాన్నే అమ్మ పోరు పడలేక ఆఫీసులేకపోయినా త్వరగానే లేచి పేపర్ కూడా చదవకుండా స్నానం చేసి హిట్లర్ చేతిలో చిక్కుకున్నట్లు నిద్రకళ్ళతో టీతాగుతున్న నాన్న.

చేతుల నిండా బొబ్బట్లు తీసికొని బయటికి పరిగెడుతూ , అప్పుడే వేడినీళ్ళ స్నానం చేయించిన చంటాడు సాంబ్రాణి పొగకు కళ్ళు మంట పెట్టి ఏడుస్తుంటే వెళ్లి, వాడ్ని ముద్దు పెట్టుకుని బుగ్గ గిల్లి బయటకు పరిగెత్తి స్నేహితులందరికీ పప్పులుపెట్టటం, వాళ్ళు తెచ్చినవి తినడం. అలసి పోయేవరకు ఊరి వీధిలో ఆడుకుని ఇంటికి వచ్చి కాళ్ళు కడుక్కుని అమ్మపెట్టిన వంటలు, తిట్లు తిని మళ్లీ బయటకు పరుగెత్తి పక్కింట్లో పూర్ణాలు తిని సందులో షికార్లు కొట్టి, వేసవి ఎండలోమామిడి చెట్ల క్రింద పిందెలు రాల్పడం కోసం తిరగడం. ప్రక్క సందులో స్రవంతి, పార్వతి, భాను, ప్రతిమ వాళ్ళ యిళ్ళముందు సైకిల్ తొక్కుతూ సైట్ కొట్టి వాళ్ళ నాన్నలు పట్టుకుని కొట్టే రేంజ్లో లుక్ యిచ్చాక వెనక్కు రావడం. ఇదిచిన్నప్పుడు ఉగాది అంటే.

షడ్రుచులు కొత్తదనం లైఫ్ లో ఏదైనా నవ్వుతూ ఆహ్వానించాలి. జీవితంలో కొంచెం చెడు, కొంచెం తీపి, కొంచెంపులుపు, కొంచెం ఉప్పు , కొంచెం కారం ఇలా అన్ని రుచులసమ్మేళనం ఉంటేనే మృదుత్వం ప్రేమ, మనదగ్గర ఉన్నదాన్నిమెచ్చుకునే అభిమానించే అవకాశం అని నేర్పించేదే ఉగాది. అలసిపోయి ప్రయాణిస్తున్న బ్రతుకులో కొంచెం ఊరట ప్రేమ ఉంటె ఎంత మధురంగా ఉంటుందో నేర్పిస్తుంది ఉగాది. పిజ్జాలు, బుర్గేర్ లు, మచీనులో నుంచి వచ్చే కఫ్ఫీలు తాగి, ఏసి గదిలో, అద్దాల మేడలో, చెక్క ఆఫీసులో కుర్చునిపనిచేయటం, డబ్బువేనకాల పరిగెత్తుతూ ప్రేమ ఆప్యాయత, అమ్మ, నాన్న, ఇల్లు, సంస్కృతి మర్చిపోయవడం జీవితంకాదు. అప్పుడప్పుడు ఆవకాయ పచ్చడి తగిలితే అమ్మ చేతి గోరుముద్దలు గుర్తొచ్చినట్లు, మన సంప్రదాయం, అలవాట్లూ, కట్టుబాట్లూ అన్నిటిని గుర్తు తెస్తుంది ఉగాది. ప్రేమ అభిమానం ఆప్యాయత అంటే ఏ కాలాలు కష్టాలు వచ్చినా మారవు అని చెప్తుంది ఉగాది.

అవన్నీ సర్లే కాని 'అమ్మా! బొబ్బట్లు రవ్వుండలు ఎక్కడున్నాయ్? నిమ్మకాయ పులిహోర చేసావా?'

'పండుగ పుటైనా ఆ జీన్సు టీ షర్టు వదిలేసి పద్ధతిగా పంచెకట్టుకోమన్నాను కదా?' అంది అమ్మ, వంట గదిలోంచిబయటకు వస్తూ.

'ముందే పట్టు పంచె లాల్చీ వేసుకున్నావా? ఈ డ్రెస్ లో ఎం టీ ఆర్ లా ఉన్నావు తెలుసా? ఇలాగే ఆఫీసుకి వెళ్ళు అమ్మాయిలంతా అందరు ఫ్లాట్ అయిపోతారు.'

'ఆఫీసు సంగతి ఏమో కాని బెల్ట్ లేకపోతే నేను అవుట్,' అంటూ వెళ్లి నాన్న, చెల్లి ప్రక్క కూర్చున్నాను.

'ఒరేయ్... బొబ్బట్లలో పాలు ఇలా కలుపుకుని, నెయ్యి వేసుకుని ముద్దగా కలిపి తినాలి,' అంటూ అమ్మ నా విస్తర్లో చేయిపెట్టి కలిపి తినిపించడం మొదలు పెట్టింది.

'ముందు ఆ లాప్టాప్ పక్కన పెట్టు... ఎం రాస్తున్నావ్?'

'ఎం లేదమ్మా ఉగాది గురించి, నువ్వు చేసే హడావిడి గురించి, వంటల గురించి రాస్తున్నాను.'

'అన్నయ్యా! నేను పూల జడ వేసుకున్నాను అని రాశావా? నా కొత్త దిద్దులు చూసావా? ఆయన ఫ్రాన్సులో కొన్నారు. మన కొండపల్లిలో చేసినవి అక్కడ దొరికాయి.'

'రాయలేదు... కానీ, పక్క సందులో ప్రతిమ పూలజడ గురించి రాసాను,' అన్నాను తనని ఉడికించడానికి.

'అమ్మా చూసావా అన్నయ్య ప్రతిమ గురించి రాశాడంట! నా గురించి రాయలేదు.'

'ముందు తిని లేవవే. వాడ్ని తిననివ్వు,' అంటూ మళ్లీ నా నోరు లిటరల్ గా మూయించింది అమ్మ, రవ్వ లడ్డుతో.

గత పదిహేను సంవత్సరాలలో ఏమీ మారలేదు... అమ్మ, నాన్న, చెల్లాయి, ప్రతిమ వాళ్ళ నాన్నలా, ఉగాది పచ్చడిలా... పండుగలా...

మళ్లీ నేను టైపు చేస్తుంటే అమ్మ నా లాప్టాప్ ఎక్కడ విరగ్గోడుతుందో అని ప్రక్కన పెట్టేస్తున్నాను. మీ అందరికీ ఉగాది శుభాకాంక్షలు. ఈ నూతన సంవత్సరం మీ ఇంట్లో సంతోషాలు ప్రేమాభిమానాలు వర్దిల్లుతూ ఉండాలని కోరుకుంటూ... సెలవు...

[వంటలు చేసి, ఫోటోలు తీసి మా జయ పంపింది; తెలుగు సహాయం మా అమ్ము ఇచ్చింది]

Happy woman's day

Put on the groovy music DJ! Grab those glasses ladies and gentlemen. Time to celebrate. 20% off for all ladies out there. Today is Woman's Day!

Yes, go on and celebrate. You are doing a good job. Schools, colleges, work places, streets, shopping malls, pubs.. add whatever you want to this list. Everywhere there is a mood to celebrate and self congratulate for what a great thing it is to be a woman. If portraying a charming figment of imagination on this occasion is what is required, then you have the right to celebrate. So go on.

If you actually think about what is happening around, behind those doors, cubicles and in the dark corners of your mind, knock on that door and enter. Here is a dark but true confessional explanation that we should be looking at. Women are misused, shamelessly. Most of the infanticides are because the baby is a is going to be a woman! Most places you aren't allowed to go, most positions you aren't allowed to fill in, most things you can't do because you are a woman. Mothers, wives, sisters, colleagues, daughters, no we don't have a discrimination here when you go right out and sarcastically mock. All around the world you go and preach sermons and make statements of being chivalrous while in reality you are a chauvinist and a biased to the core. Lemme tell you something, first get that bill passed, for if you don't, it means nothing to the womenfolk. But it shows you are scared. You are held up to the wall that your hard-earned male domination is threatened in a fold that is supposed to be the men's area of expertise! Go on and grin to the flashes of press cameras and tell that you are all out for the woman's reservation bill and freedom while at heart all you want it to hold her to a string and control lest not she professes her own ideals which might damage your male ego.

First learn to respect the women around you. Then you have the right to grin. Watching shameless politicians creating a ruckus in the house made me sick. If there are women at their houses, kick them out. These are the ones, us the educated folk, have elected. Or did we choose them deliberately as this is exactly what we wanted to happen? Is this a reflection of our inane fears and wishes? Is this a mere representation of what the democratic opinion of the country is? Illiteracy, poor health, low income levels are some evils camouflaged in those smirks that try and push the fairer sex to oblivious dark dungeons of society. Don't get it? Flick on few buttons on your remote and see what our so called swamis/godmen are doing?

So do we actually need a woman's day? Oh yes, after all we need to assure them that apart from being suppressed and downtrodden, you are a celebrated item, a rare breed of disappearing species that has already lost a voice, opinion, choice and what not. So enjoy today and celebrate being a woman, for the rest 365 days aren't yours. These are the same folks that need a mother's day to remind them they have a mother.

Ha... stop this nonsense, go on DJ.. start that B grade item song from some Bollywood chart-buster, oh yes, remember that new small time supposedly 18+ model that was drenched in artificial rain grooving to some fast paced music that the director has made her to survive to suit your male ego and you watch with gaping mouth. Celebrate guys and go back to your drinks and happy times believing you are doing something special for woman's day. Congratulations! Now go back and be the same for the rest of the year till this occasion of false celebration comes up next year and you put on that same mask and dance to the false tune like the cobra does to the sway of the snake charmer's pipe forgetting that its mouth is sewn. Does it make any sense to you? Nope. Did I tell you to down more shots? DJ increase the music, these folks are actually THINKING! Oh! Did I forget to wish you a happy woman's day?

CP is blogging!

After years of making us wait, one of the very few people I respect, a good mentor and friend, Prof. Chowdari Prasad has decided to oblige the blogosphere. Interested in some real stuff? Not the polished, sale-able material that attracts but stuff that makes you think? You got to visit his blog. Welcome Prof, to the addiction.

Pass the bill

I posted this about 14 months ago, and is still relevant.

Right from Yashoda who managed to bring up the naughty little Krishna and Balarama to Kunthi who was the God mother for all the Pandavas in their struggle to cleanse the world from evil Kauravas to the modern day Indira Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Mayawati, Rabri Devi, Jayalalitha, Brinda Karat, from Oneke Obavva, Jhansi Lakshmi Bai to the modern day Kalawati who dug a pond on her own and figured in Rahul Gandhi’s speech, Kiran Majumdar Shaw, Shehnaz Hussain, Vinita Bali, Kalpana Morparia, Chanda Kochar, Medha Patkar to Mother Theresa: women have proved that entrepreneurship is not only a mans word. Women have handled tough situations with equal and sometimes better ease. What keeps it going in India? Are we celebrating few success stories or is the system wrong?

If sanity exists in politicians, pass the women's bill. It is pending since ages.

A deep thought

Do visit the comments section to check out a reaction about DOing something. Deeptaman blogs at Marketing Environment. True... sometimes being SAFE is the best choice .

Monday blues: Let's Forgive

This Monday, let's FORGIVE...

Life is all about the choices we make.

Today, make a choice between taking a revenge on some one who had hurt you badly and forgiving the same to make both the lives to be in peace. The later, my friends, works wonders. Just give a try.

Can't say I love you?

Can't say I love you directly? Now Dial ****** on your mobile and download love quotes! Subscription Rs.5/Quote.

This is the flash message I got today on my DOCOMO number. Please someone help me say I love you. The sick part is that there is a TV commercial featuring similar content! This is being telecast on prime time.

These messages come even after I entered my number in the DND list. Every day I get a call from an automated service to subscribe to some hellotune or the other. Happens to you too? I can stand the irritation to an extent as long as your pulse billing doesn't accelerate mine.

My question is, are there someone in the whole mobile user universe that still depend on some stupid mobile sms quotes that go around for expressing love, invest in stocks, buy stuff that might change my fortune? If yes, I sympathise with you. You should try talking in your own terms, not depend on some mobile quotes. If no, welcome to the club. Mobile operators should take a cue and send the sms' or flash messages only to those that care and respond. If I don't care, please DND. May be you should try your luck at something like the Jaago and Jeeto.

If You Come Today

Raj in his elements. Talk about Segmentation Targeting Positioning! I bet very few could have such a following in Karnataka.

My shepherd

Psalm 23

1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,

3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, [a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

DO something

Placement season is amusing, excruciating. Makes people jittery and on their edge. I guess it is okay to be so. This is when people start calling up everyone they know to clear their confusions or at least get a word of solace. Most of the decisions taken at this level go on to shape your career, life and in a way change your trajectory. Not all decisions are permanent in their outcome but most of them do. Talking to a junior today, I realised I am a minority!

Let me elaborate.

Sure, I belong to a specific kind, a very rare breed of B-School grads who just shelled out 7 figure amount to get an MBA and yet ready to take up a different/non-conventional career decision. The junior I was talking to told me that all her friends and some seniors have suggested her to choose a safe job, in an established firm, with a systematic way of functioning, HR practices in place... translated as a guaranteed paycheck at the end of the month, bonuses at the end of the year and so on. Who said small firms don't pay well? [ Ever heard of stock options? ] Not that I mock these safe ideas or dreams. Not all can try their luck and risk their career. A lot of things should fall in place, like commitments, family, etc. But seeking challenges and venturing in to paths that have been neglected is stimulating.

If you think you are exceptional and want to do something in life, here is an option, a short cut to fulfill your dreams. Go find a firm that has a good and sustainable business model. Work for the CEO or top management, at some place you actually get to learn and do stuff. The key word here is DO. You might have to stretch longer than most your friends, postpone your dreams but trust me the kick you get out of doing something is worth the effort. And guess what, there is a time to shine, for your efforts to be rewarded. The experience you get out of it will be more than your peers for sure. Wait for another five years and then compare. What are alumni meets for?

Another option which some of my batch mates chose is to start out on their own. They have their own firms and are working towards realizing their dreams. They face many hurdles, need to slog more, do all the dirty work themselves but the satisfaction of having your dream come true is awesome. You could actually help your employees take care of their family.

So you can choose a 9 to 5 job in a big building that teaches you nothing or go out and actually do something. Safe is boring. Safe is dumb. Safe is risky. What say?

The Overflowing Cup

A specific link, a small thread that is invisible to the human eye, mostly incomprehensible to the mortal brain. This small, thin yet strong fiber connects us to something supernatural, which I would call God. Mostly considered as childish, unrealistic and ignored, this is also the most debated topic in the intellectual circles. Now how does God come in the context of Consumerism and Psychology? Lemme explain.

Facing tremendous pressure at work usually makes us question the reasons why things are not happening and how everything is like a sheet of ice which makes the ship that we are in, freeze, stuck. Hope for survival seems far off and destiny disappears in a mist of fog and we start smelling gloominess and death. Usually in such situations we start blaming things around us, people, team, colleagues and how things could have been better. I like looking at things around us and checking as to what is wrong and correct it but I also would like to bring in the element of God. God helps!

If you have been following this blog for some time, you would observe that most of my posts tend to show my reverence to the supernatural power that makes me what I am and how I behave, achieve and grow in life. I have been fasting (or hibernating as I call it) for the last 14 days and asking for some answers from the Lord and nothing seems to move. I have seen this earlier... Locks falling off, doors that have been closed opening, stubborn solidified people melting and being super nice, approvals long pending passed, etc. This time it is taking much longer and I am growing weaker by the day. But when He opens up things, who is there to close? I will wait for things to open and trust me they would.

This brings us to the point I want to make. Spirituality is a superlative dimension and associating it to work helps a lot. Doesn't matter if you believe in it or not. Helps you reach your targets, win over people, get hikes, promotions, perks, open doors, change people, change government rules, gets bills passed, deals closed and what not. Each one might take time to happen, but will happen. Trust is the key. I am not suggesting only God helps even if you don't work, but that this is an additional dimension to add to your hard work and passion. You must give 200% in whatever you do and then this would help. I always give my 200% and am asking for His help, specific things which need to happen and I am sure they will. I have seen things happen in the past, happening now and will see in future. Things that come out of no where, doors that you thought never existed open, help from the unexpected. When all else fails, try God. No let me refine that and tell you what I do. Try God and all else will fall in place. He will fill your cup to an extent that it overflows and you will know the force exists.

Try and I am sure it will pay. My cup shall overflow and I shall not want.

Pic is from Dr. Dave's site

Sick, but true

"With money in your pocket, you are wise and you are handsome and you sing well too."

- Yiddish proverb

Yuna fever grips Korea

Kim Yuna is worth a million million now in Korea.

No one can escape Kim Yu-na in South Korea. The 19-year-old has just dominated the skating rink in Vancouver, and is now raising her share of the advertising market to another world-record level.

There was more than enough advertising and merchandise featuring the sensational figure skater even before her winning of the gold medal at the Winter Olympics; Yuna milk, Yuna bread, Yuna SUVs, Yuna air-conditioners, Yuna supermarkets, Yuna earrings, Yuna facial cream and Yuna teddy bears.

But now the competition for product endorsement is so high that firms are happily spending billions of won just to use her name.

Read full post here.

Monday blues: Wrinkles vs Dimples

Continuing with the Monday Blues series...

We know that the no. of muscles needed to smile are much less than what we need for frowning. This Monday try and bring some dimples, make people smile, change the environment around you, your team. People flock around those who make them smile and run away from those who make their smiles fade.

Dimples are much more cuter than wrinkles. Don't you think so? Ensure your count for the day is at least like this: Wrinkles: 0, Dimples: 1.

Monday blues: Happy Holi

Today is holi in India and this is a good time to start a month. Spend some time with your family friends and have lot of fun, love and prosperity. Google's logo today is too cute, you should check (loading a small screenshot). Missing fun at Alliance. Have a great day.

For a change Monday is fun. Enjoy your holiday while in Kerala we are going to work :)