Bangalore : A City of Professionals

Our frustration is greater when we have much and want more than when we have nothing and want some. We are less dissatisfied when we lack many things than when we seem to lack but one thing.

-Eric Hoffer

It is almost a week in Bangalore, and I am still adjusting in the city of gardens. Reason is not that I am completely unknown to city or it is drastically different from other cities but the reason is quite odd, the professional working here react unexpectedly on common situations. The essence of relationship is still well maintained but it is also having a potion of self oriented attitude and PR management attributes. And when asked about this unexpected and and unusual change, the response points toward "So-Called-Maturity".

I had been having rounds of drinks with different categories of friends; from childhood friends to ex-company colleagues, old friends with whom I shared almost 14 hours of my each day in school/college days to old flatmates. And one common thing which I found as a conclusion is that, in all the cases when I had drunk during the last few days, the reason for drinking is not at all the old one "Old friends get together" but more of a common reason for professionals; TGIF, weekend enjoyment. Because they usually kill their frustations of the whole working week with this stuff. I feel like anyone can just bumped into their usual routine and became the part of routine, nothing much effected them.

To get into the core of this more common still much unexpected attitude change, I tried to dig most of my friends' hearts about their current life (both personal and professional). And got much expected answer "Nothing much yaar, nothing interesting, same routine life". But change was visible and was written all over the wall.

Now just generalize the situation, people are getting so professional in their approach to everything including relations and life that they don't even realize, where they are using this logic, even if it doesn't fit in, they try to squeeze it in. I am not saying being professional is bad or not a good idea, it's just that professionalism should be in approach towards work and life but not in relations.

Sometimes, I find people getting frustrated from the situation they have created or they are in, and the only way out which they find is being changed to so-called-professional. I have no idea if it solves their problem or not, NO IDEA BOSS.

You want to think and say that you have everytning you need, but then you realize that something is missing, someone is missing... and once you think you've found it, it goes and disappears on you and you don't understand what to do or even where to start looking for that missing piece of the puzzle. You sit at home in lonely frustration and you just wait...wait...and wait. No where to look, no one to look for...

Situations make them believe that they cannot change anything, not even themselves, forget about changes others or bringing the change in society.

Consider how hard it is to change yourself and you'll understand what little chance you have in trying to change others.

Update : It's been a long time in Bangalore now, this city has changed me a lot, I have seen a lot, learnt a lot, forgot a lot, lost a lot, been a lot now ...

Life is not an easy matter... You cannot live through it without falling into frustration and cynicism unless you have before you a great idea which raises you above personal misery, above weakness, above all kinds of perfidy and baseness. -Leo Trotsky

I just forgot why I started this post and how the title is related to the content of the post, but this is what it is ...

No matter how discouraged we get, God has not asked us to do the impossible -George Grace

Transition through 2 cities or 2 different lifes

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.
-Marcel Proust

Traveling is one of the hobbies which I acquired after my college days. Not intentionally but job add a lot to it, because to find something interesting to spend time during weekend was the motive which helped me search new creative time spending ways.

I enjoyed a lot during most of my visits to different places in southern India. Reason why I enjoy such unplanned visits is well explained by this quote : "The longest journey a man must take is the eighteen inches from his head to his heart".

Being in a city where people from northern India don't want to come (Chennai) for almost 2 years has being a great stay. Now with new year, I am in new city (Bangalore) where every north indian want to stay, but since 2 days I am not enjoying the place (don't know why). May be because I went into a comfort zone in chennai, each and every part of chennai was explored by me and Chennai was almost a second home to me. "Namma Chennai" was on our tongue every time. A bunch of friends who enjoyed each moment of chennai stay. Now new city-new aspirations, new flat-new flatmate, new job-new colleagues, new roads-new buses, new traffic- new traffic rules, new food-new restuarants.

I have entered this new city which absorb each and everyone who arrives here with open arms. But I am having an unwanted desire of going back home may be because of the swadesh song "Yeh jo desh hai tera, tujhko pukare".

A man travels the world in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.
-George Moore

But I know, even if I want to go back, it is not in my hand. Let the journey continue and the voyage of vasco de gama to explore the world too continue. As I am learning a lot about cultures and different cities.

Experience, travel - these are as education in themselves
-Euripides

Re-Defining New Life with New Year

When time is going against you; there is always a new track to follow, rise on the surf board against the flow or swim along the flow. A new year, a new city, a new job, a new work schedule, new colleague, a new world altogether: lets see how good I will perform in 'new' life. I was traveling on 30th Dec from chennai to bangalore. New year celebrations on the 31st night with old n new friends. Now with day one of new year, I have to redefine my life...

Mani's Daal House (MDH)

I am "kind of" better these days, not because everything is going well and good; or I have everything I thought I should have; or I am happy; but because I am facing a lot many problem and I hope these will end soon. I say that because the hope against hope always make situation look better even if it is getting worse. Other than that there is absolutely no changes to tell about, but I will surely keep you all posted! I was thinking about a different topic to write about in blogs but was not getting the idea. All of a sudden I got it because the Chhora {kid} was standing in my bagal {side} and I was searching him in the gaanv {village}.
Coming to the main content of the post, I would like to inform you that I just got promoted!!!. {Thanks a lot but you are mistaken; I am not promoted in my job}. I got promoted as head chef in my flat’s kitchen!!!, where earlier I was just a helper. And as it always happens, I am promoted not because I am STAR performer at my flat’s kitchen but just because our head chef friend {was our flat mate} has quit his job by marrying a girl and taking another accommodation {Getting married is sometimes a boon, at least for him} and I was next in line because of my past experience as Asst. Chef and Senior Helper {Nice titles; Pursuing those roles, I used to cut vegetables like tomatoes, potatoes, onions, chili, etc.} and I am a quick learner {because I can say this with confidence}.
So from last one week we at our flat are preparing food to eat {not to throw it away, even if it is not suggested to eat by our doctor}. Our team of enthusiastic Foodmaker’s is increasing day by day. {not because of the quality of food we make but because of the quality of food being served by the tiffin wala} Our Co-Chef friend used to make chapattis and sometimes Aloo-ki…..-sabji yaar but now as Head Chef this responsibility has been transferred to me, by the unwritten notices and laws. I have improved a lot on preparing different variety of dishes. {because each time I make daal or sabji, the taste is different, sometimes the salt is more, sometimes the red chili powder is more, sometime the daal is invisible as it gets fully messed, sometimes it becomes difficult to eat it as they seems to be tiny granules of rock}. But I am still getting appreciation from my fellow team mates {foodmakers} because atleast they are able to eat cheap and hot food.
To my surprise, {you can count your surprise too} no one ended up in the hospital after eating my cooking {or atleast they didn't tell me if they did!} I've decided that “Daal-roti and Aloo ki sabji with rice” is one of my new favorite foods! {yes, you heard it right, I have decided because these are the only things which I can cook easily}. Still thinking, who came up with such recipes or what?! Who in their right mind would have combined vegetables with oil and powders And then mix it up in sometimes water or without it?! But how great is it!?
So today we are going to prepare Daal.
Ingredients for 2 people:
Urad daal, without skin 1 cup {cup can be of variable size, you can take CCD cup}chana daal 1/4 cuponions 2 nos.tomatoes 1 nos.garlic 4 cloves {but we usually don't put it as we always forget to buy them}green chilies 2 nos.
red chili powder 1 tbsp.butter 2 tbsp.oil 3 tbspsalt to taste
Method
Step 1. :Clean, wash and soak urad daal, chana daal in sufficient water {sufficient means 3-4 cups of water, don't ask me in litres} for at least 4 hours.{if you have free time or not so hungry, otherwise soak it for 2 minutes only}
Step 2. :Peel and finely chop onion and garlic. Wash, remove stem and finely chop green chillies. {you can chop them in any shape because either way you will not be able to chop them in proper shapes}
Step 3. :Wash and finely chop tomatoes.
Step 4. :Drain soaked dals, add 3-4 cups water and put the pressure-cook on fire for half an hour or until the dals are completely cooked.{how can you find it is cooked or not, when the pressure cooker is closed!!! Wait for 5-6 whistles boss, simple}
Step 6. :Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan, add chopped garlic, stir-fry briefly till golden brown. Add chopped onion, put green chillies for four to five minutes or until the onion is golden brown in colour.
Step 7. :Add red chilli powder and salt and stir-fry briefly. Add chopped tomatoes and cook on high heat for three to four minutes, stirring continuously.
Step 8.:Pour the cooked daal in the masala prepared. Stir in the cooked dals and butter and mix well. Cook dal for ten minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally. {can't I pour the masala in the cooked daal rather than pouring cooked daal in masala!!! Can't you eat chapati without daal!!!}
Our daaaaal {stretched it a lot because of mouth watering experience} is ready to serve. So hope you might have enjoyed learning at the Mani's Cooking Classes {Mani's Daal House (MDH) suits better}. When I prepared the daal for the first time, I put chat masala and dhaniya powder too in it. Still I called it daal and not some new recipe name. {I have given this million $ recipe to you, and it is not a joke; use it to prepare your own daal; and I can challenge it will taste just like hot and sour soup and not daal}
I think I now can prepare atleast 10 dishes total! People love recipes prepared by me and they eat so much {including me} that Finally either half of the food prepared get thrown in bin; or I do this mostly, I'm still eating left-overs {My favorite part of cooking}
And the reason for this post on my blog . . . . It is because I am searching a new job as chef or may start my new business by hiring a trolley or tricycle which I will place near the gate of some of the buildings of the IT companies; on which I will prepare food and sell to big foodies in IT industry and I hope my business will prosper.
You think, I can’t? Come on - What is it with "YOU" people - Don't be rude!!! I can do this.

Destiny Some Other Day...

[Cry, Cry, Cry…]
[Sobs, Sobs, Sobs…]
“I was not supposed to be here. It’s not my destiny. Please Help me.” A giant shaped fat-ass sheding tears was shouting behind bars, uttering the same words.

[Gump was standing in front of the grave of Jenny and talking to her in his most innocent originality]
“I don’t know if Mama was right or Dan was. They both said ‘this was their destiny’. I still feel jenny, you are my destiny”

[An action hero of movie in real world]
“I will be back. It hurts. Last time I shot at the tyre of car it blew. But this time….I am not a hero anymore. “The Last Action Hero howled uttering the same words and then stood up.[Arnold and Jack face to face]
“I hate you. You gave me the most pain in my life. I don’t want to be you.”
[end that made Jack hero again]
“We are in a movie and some script writer is deciding our destiny, what we gonna do in our life (screenplay). You are just a comedian, who shouts everytime which brings smile to kids. And I am the Hero of the series of movies. So Shut up. Hey, listen, I will be back. Jack will be back.”
[Andrew lying on bed of the hospital with oxygen mask on his face. All the relatives have just left the room. Miguel sitting on his side]
After winning the case against the firm where Andrew Beckett used to work, he was terminated from his job by the discrimination based on being HIV/AIDS.Andrew taking deep breathes told Miguel,”I have done everything I needed. Now I am ready for it [death] Miguel.” And he died. That was his destiny, and he fought till his other assignments were not over.

To reach destiny is something which is to be attained after fulfilling all the other assignments first, and then moving forward to receive the honour of destiny. So it is just like solving the puzzle of life with all the stages been cleared and questions been answered and then finally completing its cycle to become the winner. So destiny is the end, so better reach the end some other day. First solve the Da Vinci Codes to reach there.

*Note: Please tell the name of the movies from which I have taken the dialogues along with your views as comments.

My Office Communicator Says...

I was just sitting idle and looking at the office communicator window. Thought of disturbing some of my friends but most of them were sitting with 'DND' or busy signboard in their necks. So thought of going through the list of people in my communicator, who can be pinged and would not mind. So I moved mouse cursor from start till end, and suddenly the reason to scan was changed because I was now reading the 'notes' set along with each one's name.

It was like communicator is talking with me, and now I don't need to disturb anybody.

So see, what my office communicator was saying.

Com: No Looking "Back"
Me: Ok. I will just move the cursor in one direction.
Com: World moves aside for the man who knows where he is going.
Me: yea, I know. I am going to find somebody to disturb. And no body is stopping me…ha ha ha
Com: Rehab is for quitters!!!
Me: Exactly dude. I will not quit so easily and will find a bakra (goat) soon. [evil smile]
Com: When you are short of anything but the enemy, you are in combat.
Me: Yes! This is a war of words against the bakras. [evil smile]
Com: If you start judging people you will be having no time to love them-Mother Teresa
Me: Great saying. I will not judge anybody while disturbing them.
Com: My New Number in Hyd : xxxxxxxxxx
Me: Thanks but I will not waste money on phone call.
Com: We live as if we are never going to die and we die as if we never lived.
Me: Sudden change of topic. What is this live-die live-die stuff?
Com: If you think I am busy. I am. - else you are right too.
Me: Attitude!!!!
Com: Some addictions are good. Turn to 'FITNESS'.
Me: I am already addicted to cigs, no more addictions required.
Com: It’s not raining in most parts of India. So can we stop misuse of water, here? Thanking God, that we are not living in those areas.
Me: Sure. I won’t mind bathing in one bucket of water and drinking 5 liters of mineral water. Yes, Thank God, you are not in Thar desert.
Com: There are hundreds of languages in this world but a smile speaks them all. And the best smile of them all is the one which shines through troubles.
Me: I am still smiling and that is shining. This is really best of my smiles.
Com: Tough Time Never last but Tough People Do.
Me: I totally agree.
Com: When there is nothing left but God, that is when you find out that God is all you need.
Me: God, Bless your child. As you are my savior for life.
Com: Those who don't appreciate life, don't deserve it.
Me: God has given life to all of us to live and appreciate it. Let everybody live.
Com: If you succeed u should not tell the reason for it, if you fail u should not be there to tell the reason for it.
Me: I am going!!!!
Com: Live Life King Size....Otherwise don't live...
Me: Yes. I like GF Kings. Please don’t kill me.
Com: Destiny of Confusions, I win it always.
Me: I lose it always. :(
Com: You will always miss the 100% of all shots that you don't try.
Me: I will try even the last shot and even pull the trigger of the empty gun 4-5 times, who knows some of the bullets might not have been fired.
Com: There are two kind of people in one's life- people who wait for others and people for whom others wait.
Me: I am waiting for someone and somebody is waiting for me too.
Com: There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you that it is going to be a butterfly.
Me: There is nothing in me that tells you that I am going to be a great human being.
Com: Satyameva Jayatae.
Me: God’s swear!!! I am honestly speaking.
Com: Your Place or Mine?
Me: WTF [angry face]
Com: Principles mean more to anything than any money or success.
Me: truly said.
Com: Thoughts without actions is dreaming....
Me: I know. I know. But I don’t dream even in nights.
Com: Effort should never be to undermine other's faith but to make a better follower of his own faith.
Me: So you are here to make followers? ;) Or Finding any other place to do this?
Com: Mumbai....Get busy living or get busy dying...
Me: That is really a busy city. How you decided to make follower in this city. Where did you get this idea?
Com: In a meeting....
Me: So what will you tell your followers. Have you mugged some sentences?
Com: ‘The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good’.
Me: How many such sentences?
Com: Number xxxx
Me: So MANY???
Com: Watever is worth having is worth working for.
Me: You rightly said. It is worth mugging so many sentences.
Com: Daring ideas are like chessmen moved forward. They may be beaten but they may start a winning game.
Me: Yes. I can understand. This is just like jackpot. If your followers will work, you will become rich, otherwise…
Com: If you are not part of solution then you are part of problem but the perpetual human predicament is that the solution soon poses its own problem.
Me: What do you mean? Am I the part of problem or solution?
Com: ?????()
Me: To main hoon kaun??
Com: Koi deewana kehta hai, koi pagal samajhta hai, magar darthi ki bechaini to bas badal samajhta hai..
Me: SO you have made all this rules of giving names to people?
Com: Rules are made to be broken.
Me: But in past, when I broke rules, I was punished by my teachers. And so I don’t want to break rules in future.
Com: Present is the seed of the past and seed for the future. So always live in present and accept the things as they come.
Me: You are right Com. I will Live in present.. Someday.
Com: Someday we gonna rise up on this wind. Someday we gonna dance with those lions. Someday we gonna breakfree from these chains and keep on flying....someday....
Me: Smile :)

A Ray Of Hope

He thought there would be something left, some trace of memory, something...but looking into my dark, brown eyes that had once so mesmerized him, he could find nothing. The questing soul that had once shone from them was gone. All there now was the shallow emptiness he saw everywhere. But he just found one good thing for himself, a gleam inside my gloomy eyes and that was a Ray of Hope.

Hope is the most exciting thing in life and if you honestly believe that Happiness is out there, it will come. And even if it doesn't come straight away there is still that chance all through your life that it will.
-Josh Hartnett

When Andy Dufresne (lead character in Shawshank Redemption) was there in jail, he was different from other offenders, where the integrity is lacking. Because He had one thing present in him, even after facing the same treatment like other offenders, and that was ‘Hope’. The integrity of Andy was based on the optimism of getting away from the jail and living a life at a place which he had dreamt of. As Tim Robbins(Andy) says,"Remember, Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things and no good thing ever dies"

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
-Oscar Wilde

Perhaps they are not stars, but rather openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know that they are happy and want us to be happy.
-Eskimo proverb

Ron (Lead Character of Ron Clark Story) wanted to achieve some heights in teaching profession. He went to a big city from a town to teach at big school. He put his soul in his work while teaching kids, who were not ready to change their way of attending schools and they lost their faith and possibility of clearing the SET exams. He never lost Hope and worked on innovative methods to teach kids, made a bond with them and their families, worked hard for the lessons which he was going to teach in class.

Many of the great achievements of the world were accomplished by tired and discouraged men who kept on working.
-Simply Saying

So keep moving, if circumstances are making you stop, halt a bit, take back you hand and put a big punch on the face of circumstances. Because even in those conditions, you have a big weapon with you –> Hope. What seems to us as bitter trials are often blessings in disguise. So we should not blame anyone for anything but should move ahead with a smile on face and hope in heart.

Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it.
-Bill Cosby