True joy of commitment

I still remember my first day in VMS CDN, when I joined as a fresher, oblivious of corporate life and responsibilities. Yet I had a belief that I am on my way to acquainting knowledge and new friends.

First steps

It felt great to be out of the college cocoon and to work on a real project. I was excited about working on a really interesting concept of data delivery and services.  The fact that I could learn how the giant World Wide Web and its services work made me more excited about VMS. Still I had a concern about working with new people, getting acquainted to corporate processes and all those thoughts that haunt every fresher.

Auld langsyne

The first few days at VMS CDN are really memorable. It was a detrimental phase which changed the way we lived. Days were no more defined by lectures and breaks, instead we started getting used to several coding and process related tools. Enthusiasm was high among the team members, everyone was eager to make a head start with VMS. From managers to Technical lead and SSEs to freshers, everyone felt a sense of commitment towards the team.  Mentoring plans were framed to initiate knowledge transfer among the team members. It was great to see how availing the team members were when it came to helping each other with knowledge and competency improvement. The company of such dedicated and adjuvant team mates contributed towards the building of a warm team atmosphere.  At the same time there was a surge of motivation among the team members to contribute their best, which in turn encouraged other member to do their best for the team too.

Magic of working together

Just like everyone else, I hate solitude and love to be accompanied. Thanks to Agile, it helped to keep solitude aloof through “Pair programming”.  Being an Agile team, pair programming was put through in VMS. This really worked wonders for the deliverable as well as for the team members. With pair programming there was no room for un-clarified assumptions and knowledge gap. It was planned that freshers would be paired up with the senior members of the team so as to familiarize the fresh members of the process, the domain knowledge and all the strings that come attached.  It was only through pair programming that we could gain more knowledge about the domain, listen to expert advice, learn from each other’s experiences and gain hands on knowledge on the tools that help in crafting high quality deliverable  Apart from improving the team competency and deliverable quality, pair programming helped sew up a strong bond among the team members, who now started spending the most time with each other. This thrashed up all communication gaps and crafted a strong team.

Yes you can!

Doesn't it feel good when your team shows belief in you and stays by your side during every phase that you go through? Such was the feel that the VMS members had for each other. It was great to see the way senior members vested their faith on fresh talent, encouraged them so as to bring out the best.  Contributions and innovations like CI compliance melioration, CI effectiveness were all the result of support and encouragement provided to the stakeholders. Effort and dedication never went unperceived. Team members were awarded and recognized for their achievements through several means including iteration level awards and honor boards thereby building up the team morale.

Coalesce of Work and frolic

As we know “All work and no play does make a team dull”, play and work were blended together in VMS. Dart, Carom and many more games were brought in to enlighten the team. These games had a refreshing effect on the team. Amidst strenuous discussions on efficient algorithm design and developments, a small game helped refresh ones thoughts and come up with better solutions with ease. Moreover amiability and cohesion among the team increased many folds through these games.

Scope for competency improvement

There were ample opportunities to improve ones competency through the numerous trainings that were organized. Knowledge sharing sessions on the project proved beneficial to understand the real time usage of the developed products.  The CI issues found and resolved by the team were also sent across so as to help others resolve the same with ease.

Happy to help!

It is worth mentioning that the helping tendency of the team members has contributed to the team’s achievement as a whole. No matter what the situation, one could always seek help from the team members.  The generous attitude of people to spend time on solving each other’s issues and clarifying doubts, even amidst hectic release schedules is admirable. Harmonious relation and interaction between the test team and the development team resulted in high quality deliverables.

Nostalgic School Days!

Schooling seems the most difficult phase as a kid but as we grow up, we wake up to the realization that those were the most effortless days in one's life. One's schooling plays a detrimental role in molding their attitude. For most of you schooling would be the most carefree phase. I always cherish my schooling memories as those were the days when I did every silly thing that came to my mind.

I was lucky to be in the same school for over ten years and hence school was my second home. Knowing almost all your school mates and teachers personally makes you feel at home. Being one of the most notorious kids and yet being loved for your notorious acts makes you feel gratified towards the people around you. It was during those days that I found my best friends for life. Friends with whom I grew up, who were partners in all the silly crimes I committed and who were always there for me to rely upon.

Our school was really liberal and hence was very notorious too. With less of punishments and more of fun,we could learn things the fun way. Thanks to our teachers who made learning fun by coming up with all innovative ways to impart knowledge. There was less of reading and more of listening. English classes were the best for each of us used to feel bad when it ended and that was the only class for which we used to wait with super excitement. Writing surprise articles, playing skits, listening and comprehending to tapes and even recording our own radio show were some of the things we used to in our English classes. The thought of those things excites me to relive all those days again. There used to be group article and debating contests during English classes where we used to feel the spirit as we had to compete against the haughty boys of our class. Despite all those tiffs there was great unity when we had to compete against other classes. All the plans and plots that were done to ensure that just our class wins were awesome.

Troubling class mates, teachers and even principal of our school made those days much more exciting. Things never took the serious turn as even the school administration was quite happy go lucky. Most of the times even they used to have fun in all our notorious acts and ended up just warning us with a sweet smile. Over the years, the experience we had was priceless. Learning things the fun way and being full of the joys of spring was just amazing. The friends I made those days are my best friends for life. Knowing one another for more than a decade, growing up together, committing all silly crimes and having similar interests builds the strongest bonds.  Those were the days. Full of fun, frolic and education, those days make us feel nostalgic forever.

Iktara :)

It was yet another day at work, hectic yet satisfying day. Sauntering down idly while waiting for the very dedicated security guy to arrange for my cab, I decided to set some music into my ears. As soon as the lovely instrumental music of iktara from Wake up sid started off, I found myself nostalgic.

“Orey manva tu to bavra hai

Tu hi jaane tu kya sochta hai

Tu hi jaane tu kya sochta hai bavre

Kyun dikhaye sapne tu sote jaagte....”

As the lovely song played, I could see myself down memory lane, memories and moments running down my mind. I realized the "change" around me and inside me in the past three years. These have been the most happening days of my life, I could feel the very first day when I stepped into this all new city, yet found it so amicable. New relationships blossomed and it felt wonderful to find great friends among total strangers.

Carried away by the song, I browsed through the pictures clicked with my phone and I could feel the change in the past few years. People, situations, relationships and thoughts have changed. I said to myself "Change is good"! Thoughts on how much change one can bring to one's own life was overwhelming. Life is all about doing the right things, yet things do go wrong at times. The essence is learning from events and adapting oneself.

Live the moment and never regret! Its all about being consent. Cherish moments and relationships, they truly add color to one's monochrome life. I felt all thankful to this wonderful song from Wake up sid for arousing in me the sweet realization of the precious moments in life! Iktara :)

and it goes on....

“Orey manva tu to bavra hai

Tu hi jaane tu kya sochta hai

Tu hi jaane tu kya sochta hai bavre

Kyun dikhaye sapne tu sote jaagte

Jo barse sapne boond boond

Nainon ko moond moond

(Nainon ko moond moond)

Jo barse sapne boond boond

Nainon ko moond moond

Kaise main chaloon, dekh na sakoon

Anjaane raastein

Gunjasa hai koi iktara iktara, gunjasa hai koi iktara

Gunjasa hai koi iktara iktara, gunjasa hai koi iktara

Dheeme bole koi iktara iktara, dheeme bole koi iktara

Gunjasa hai koi iktara iktara, gunjasa hai koi iktara

Sun rahi hoon sudh budh khoke koi main kahani

Poori kahani hai kya kise hai pata

Main to kisiki hoke yeh bhi na jaani

Ruth hai ye do pal ki ya rehgi sada

(kise hai pata… kise hai pata)

Jo barse sapne boond boond

Nainon ko moond moond

(Nainon ko moond moond)

Jo barse sapne boond boond

Nainon ko moond moond

Kaise main chaloon, dekh na sakoon

Anjaane raastein

Gunjasa hai koi iktara iktara, gunjasa hai koi iktara

Gunjasa hai koi iktara iktara, gunjasa hai koi iktara

Dheeme bole koi iktara iktara, dheeme bole koi iktara

Gunjasa hai koi iktara iktara, gunjasa hai koi iktara..”

Black and White!

They are contrary but are considered a clan and often spotted not much without each other. Interestingly this metaphor applies to human nature too. Human nature is rather very bewildering when analyzed with pessimism. Look at it with optimistic glasses and you'll find them relatively frank and apprehensible. No one is perfect and yes I have learnt it much.

I love analyzing people around me and used to have the habit of categorizing people as either bad or good :P. Yes, I know, whats on your mind now. But I am no longer the same. I am a bit matured now, when it comes to human psychology :). Bliss! Nevertheless perfect too. Analyzing people is pretty much a great experience. You get to know the constructive and destructive qualities. I have known people who love to put up a notorious cloak and talk about their mischief, yet strange but true, they'll be the first to help out a person in trouble, with a clean heart lacking any hidden intentions. Then again we have the so called "goody-goody" clan who never wait to think about ways to project their virtues and yet don't miss an opportunity to bad mouth others to depict their superiority over the rest. These superficial characters are hard to decipher but once you get to taste their medicine you will never fall for their ill plots. You can never feel aura with these people, instead there will alwyas be an air of hostility haunting you when you are around them. Don't be dejected, its not just you or me who have seen people of this sort, instead they exist everywhere. Whats life without a pinch of salt? Learn to handle them tactfully with a humorous attitude. Let them know not to take you for granted.

Hopefully there exist openhearted people too who have still kept humanity alive in our community. Support them and make them feel great for the virtues they hold. Yet again people are not perfect. These cherubs may come with their share of not so appreciable qualities. But still it can be assured that such characteristics will never be a threat to the well-being of others. Though imperfect they will always lend a helping hand when you so much look forward to it. Unlike the so called "goody-goody" one's who get lost somewhere when people look forward for help.

Learn to have an optimistic look. Life is not to make use of others. It is to understand and be supportive to others. There may be a joy of pride in pointing-fingers at others, but it deprives you of the self respect that is very much important for pride. Take people as they are. Don't trust anyone blindly with the way they project themselves, a good mould need not always have a safe shadow. Adding to this, a so called bad egg need not have skeleton in the closet. Good is not really good and bad is not totally bad. Trust the true sense of a person. It is hard to uncover, but once discovered will give you an eternal bliss irrespective of what the discovery was. Trust none blindly and don't judge a person by how they behave with you during the rosy days. This will give you a great outlook on the people around you and save you from falling prey to the plots of evil attitude. Everything is just black and white!

Its all a gimmick

Years down with memories infinite

Wrapping bonds that no spider can weave

Time fades but moments engrave

You find yourself bonded beyond your sense.

Happiness is now being with your bonds

Its not what you made, but its where you grew,

The folks who saw your naiveness as a child

Your care as a kin and forfeits as a kith.

But they vanish time out of mind

It is just auld langsyne that existed

For none but yourself

Those were bonds that were just non enduring.

Its all a gimmick

All because it was sans trust and sans faith

Was bond that was never expected and wished for

Over the time they dont exist instead they hurt

Hurt with criticism and infidelity

Its then you realize it was all a gimmick!

Joy of achievement

No matter what you do,

No matter how you do,

If you succeed,

There's no big deal,

But when you do what you love,

You feel true joy

Sometimes in life,

You can't do what you like,

Still you can try to like

what you do,

But still you'll be gleeful,

when you do what you really love.

But not all are lucky

to do what they love,

Still there's joy,

In hoping to achieve

the distant dream

to be fulfilled

in near future

So try to love what you do,

Still hold on to what you really love,

There'll be a day when you can do,

what you really want to do,

Still try to be the best,

at whatever you do,

who knows you'll like,

things when you feel the sense of achievement..

Taj - The Coastal Queen

They came from the sea,
Like Mermaids whom no one sees,
They were all set to hurt the queen,
The queen of all hotels,
The serene Taj!

They were just some guests,
But were loaded with terror for the rest.
Terror engulfed the heritage,
De-voiding it of its tranquility,
Arousing in it all fears.

It was our coastal castle,
A home away from home.
At the sight of it,
My heart smiled,
But now i was seeing it cry.

Gun shots and grenades echoed,
Fire blazed high in the air above.
The Queen was still alive,
Calm amidst all hue and cry.
She was Taj! Our beloved Taj!


Wasabi and Golden Dragon,
the beautiful eyes of queen,
Were blinded with shots,
The queens elegance was slowly killed,
But still the queens heart still lived.

The Queens crown,
The heritage dome,
was burning like Rome,
While its bejeweled interiors,
were now left with burns and scars.

Pigeons were scared away,
never seen singing for the queen anymore,
the queen stood crying at its fellowmen's death,
and saw warriors shed blood to save her,
Staying mute with all the pain.

It was an attack to divide us,
An attack to kill the queen,
But the queen lived,
So did we,
Having gained the lost unity.

Patriotism bubbled,
Riots vanished,
Unity came up,
And the queen tried to cope up.
Long Live Taj, Our coastal Queen.

The Magic Of Positive Energy

Ever wondered how you would have been if your thoughts were different from what you possess? Just imagine how your life would have been if you had thoughts contrary to what you have. The answer for me is and I guess for most of us would be that our life not be the same. It would just be totally a turnaround. So we realize that our thoughts play a prime role in deciding our lives. It is our thought that decides what we turn out into and what we are.

Our thoughts can be either positive or negative. In my case formerly it was totally negative. I always looked at the negative side of every event. I had a blind faith that i may depress myself by expecting any positive result, in the event that my expectation goes unfulfilled. But eventually, I started feeling that I am running out of hopes. I am running out of wishes. Then i thought, why should I stop wishing just considering, the fear of my wish staying unfulfilled. It made me feel that there is no life without wishes and expectations. Expectations and wishes are the roads to improvement. Only by expecting and dreaming, we will try to change our lives and ameliorate ourselves. In simple words, I started gaining positive energy since then.

One of my friends’ words on positive energy played a vital role in bringing about positivity inside me. This friend of mine always talked about positive energy and suggested me to read the book "Secret - The Law of Attraction" by Rhonda Byrene. Initially I was reluctant to think about positive energy and positivity. But slowly when I realised that I as lacking positive energy, I started reading the book. To be honest, I was totally moved by it. It gave a whole new meaning to life. I started feeling how drastically positivity can change our lives.

After talking so much about positive energy, I would like to tell what positive energy really is. In simple words, it is just looking at the brighter side of everything. It is about having a good hope and the feeling that everything happens for good. Now just think how many times have you failed in your life? Once? twice? or countless times? And what have you learnt from your failures? The reason for the failure and how it can be avoided in future, or have you gained the fear of failures and wishes. If the answer is latter, then it means you lack positive energy. So one has to break the binds of fear and start living with hopes. On should realize the fact that success always comes after failures.

To accompany my stand on success and failures, I would like to bring to your notice the success story of Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs was just an ordinary person like all of except that he lived with extraordinary dreams. Right from his childhood he had been struggling hard to survive. As a child, his mother had put him up for adoption, and later he was adopted by a mediocre couple. As he grew up, he eventually joined a reputed college whose fees were too high for his parents to afford. Amidst such financial troubles, Steve tried hard to make a living. He could not even afford for a square meal. So he used to visit the Hare Rama Hare Krishna temple to take the benefit of the free meals provided there. Ultimately one day Steve just dropped out of college, owing to his financial problems and just joined simple free calligraphy classes for fun. Through those classes he learnt the magic of fonts and all their technicalities. Slowly, Steve started working on his skills and one day came out with the Mac. Mac was a great success. He incorporated the calligraphy skills that he had been acquainted with and created a milestone in the history of computers, “Fonts”. Just wonder if, Steve had not dropped out of college, would we have had the wonderful fonts we enjoy these days? Steve struggle dint end just with the success of Mac. He had much more to experience. Apple, the company founded by Steve, fired Steve one day. It was a blot from the blue for Steve. But the challenging spirit of Steve, made him start new ventures and finally he got his control on Apple again. Today, he is the messiah who has given us out of the box gadgets like iPod and iPhone, that will never be called just an mp3 player or a yet another mobile phone. In an interview Steve Jobs had quoted

“Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.”

So friends, I would like to conclude that every one of us, has to be and need to be positive. Positive energy is the root to success and happiness. After all if we lack positive energy and don’t believe in ourselves, who else will?

Scintillating Emotions

Emotions are the simplest, sweetest yet speechless expressions of our mind. Emotion decides what you are and how you are. If you are too emotional then bliss! I am one of you too. Emotion is like a cloud of thoughts that cast their spell on us and dictate our actions every now and then. Having written so much on social and personal issues I decided why not write about something that resides within us, spreads with us and moves with us - yes of course, its our emotion.

Smile, Tear, Anger, Anixety, Surprise are all parts of our sweet life. These teeny-weeny feelings add a splash of drama to our life. Had there been no emotions, we would stay just as "zombies" - sans feeling, sans trust, sans sorrow and sans joy! Life without emotions is just a plain colorless canvass. Its the splash of emotions that bug out into our life that makes our life colorful.

Sometimes we are sad, sometimes happy, sometimes depressed and most times in a wild state. But have you ever tried walking down memory lane and trying to have a recap of your emotional joourney? All anger, all sorrow, all pain and all depression you had experienced would have in some or other way taught you a new lesson and that realisation would draw a sweet smile on our face when you visit your emotional journey. So never hold on to the minuscule sorrows and failures oof your life, but enjoy the experience of life. Get through all possible emotions destined for a human being and live life to the core.

The different activiteies that we perform are all the reflections of my emotions. I have seen m friends and family ask me what went wrong when I appear to be lull or agitated. Its because our actions are different, your loved ones know that your emotion is not in the normal happy state. You dance, you sing, ou jump, all when you are happy. You brood, stare, bite your nails (he he) all when you are glum. So emotions are like the keys of a key activetated doll. These keys of emotion decide how we dnace and how we brood.

Getting emotional is too good at times. Because it brings out the true person inside you. These days people seem to have moulded themselves inside some shield of perfection and indifference. Everyone tries to put up a professional attitude and pretend to be indifferent to the simple joys and feelings. But they forget the fact that enjoying all the emotions and drenching in all drops of tears and joy is the true achievement. Be happy-go-lucky, laugh, smile, enjoy, cry and even get angry (sometimes, not always!!!!). Experience all possible emotions and respect the emotions of our family and friends. Understand that people are never bad, people are never hurting, its just the emotion that makes them do that. Sometimes you may become a victim of your emotion and end up hurting someone too. So learn to understand the emotions of humans and respect emotions. Shade your life with all emotions so that ou can have some very interesting moments when you walk down your emotional memory lane.

Vincent Van Gogh has quoted out rightly,

"Let's not forget that the little emotions are the great captains of our lives and we obey them without realizing it. "

One Life To Love

I have always wondered what this Life is all about. Why do we live? What is the purpose of this life? and What are we meant to achieve in this Life? Success, Assest, Money and Family make up the priorities of ones life. In this wild-goose chase of achievements and assests, love and fun which form the essence of life are left far behind. The simplicity of life is buried deep amidst all the mercenary and stinginess that are plethoric in the current da world.

Fun, frolic and innocenece seem to have vanished into the dark woods. People no longer have straightforward thoughts and wishes. All people look out for his money and position. But why? Dont friendship, family and love mean anything? Is making mone and achieving success all that matters?

People are ready to go to any extent to achieve success and assests these days. One seems to have forgotten that succes is just a means for joy. Instead one sacrifics all joy and fun, just to achieve suceess. I believe such a life is nothing but plain existance. One needs to understand the true meaning of life, which is gaining experiences. One needs to enjoy and live every moment. Because time once spent cant be gained back, one must try to enjoy every instant of life. Life is to be spent happily no matter what. One has to learn to live with sorrows and failures and accept them as part of life. Everyhing wont be fine always, somewhere something may go wrong, so one has to cope up with such incidents and live life with the same attitude and spirit. People should leave behind worldly-minded attitude and take up a simple, sweet life. It is then that one can have the true fun of life.

I would like to quote one of Samuel Coleridge Taylor's quotes on life and happiness,

The happiness of life is made up of minute fractions -
the little, soon-forgotten charities of a kiss or smile,
a kind look,
a heart-felt compliment,
and the countless infinitesimals of pleasurable and genial feeling

As conveyed in this quote, the true joy of life lies in tiny activities and events. Learn to pay attention to the tiniest aspects of your life. Everyday spend some time with your loved ones, give someone a compliment, appreciate someone for their work, take time to pamper yourself and take time to smile at some stranger. Enjoy every moment of life and make life memorable.

Magical Threads Of Trust

Trust, is the one magical word that gives true shape to our life. Trust is the most valuable gift that we can offer to our loved ones. Have you trusted anyone blindly? Do you believe in blind faith? If no, then you have missed the essence of life. The sheer joy of Life is in blindly trusting our dear ones. "Trust" is that simple element that forms the gist of all true relationships.

Everyone loves to trust, likewise everyone likes to be trusted too. Trust gives joy both to the one who trusts as well as to the entrusted. But why do we feel happy when we are trusted? What makes us feel contented when we win over our loved ones trust? Is it a sense of achievement? Is it a feel of accomplishment? No! Its not! We feel happy when we are trusted blindly because we feel that our care and affection has been recognised. We are assured of the fact that our care is accounted for and is equally respected by the one who enjoys the care.

Relationships sans trust are just like sugarfree cakes. Trust is that fragile thread that strogly binds people together. I have experienced relationships in life that had no speck of trust, still they existed vaguely, but eventually ended up in no sweet memory and no feel of attachment. This is what happens to relationships that lack trust. Such relationships can better be referred to as acquaintances. Most of the times when we are in a new surrounding, we will be longing for trust and friendship. Initially we will be allured towards people who superficially seem to share characteristics and wishes much similar to us. We gradually get along well. Then with the passage of time, we start feeling that inspite of spending a long time, there is no emotional attachment and neither is there any strong bond with them. This is because this new relationship was based on similarities and not on trust. So, relationships that lack the principle ingredient of trust are just transient.

Now think about yourself, your life and the kind of relationships that you have built till date. The dearest person in your life will be the one whom you trust, regardless of the similarities you share. So it is not similarities of interests or thoughts that nurture a relationship. Its the feeling of trust and care that pampers and nourishes a relationship.

So, If you want a happy life and a happy relationship, trust in trusting your loved ones blindly. Believe me, there is great joy in trusting. All your obstacles and problems seem half intense when you have an entrusted person trusting you and supporting you at all crossroads of life. Trust in the simple threads of trust and enjoy the difference in your life.

Incommodiousnesses of Expectation

Expectation is the simplest of human emotions. Expectation is just the simple desire to achieve ones wishes. Expectation reflects in every teen-weeny action and Expectation is the sole thread that holds up our lives.

But still Expectation is one of the most pain arousing actions too. Ever wondered why? Its simple, every sorrow and pain is the simple consequence of an unfulfilled expectation. Every heart knows that Expectations are prone to bring out sorrow, still each heart loves to expect. All this is because there is great joy in expectation. The joy of expectation always outshines the fear of unfulfilled wishes and that induces the sweet little heart to expect further.

In the initial stages of life, expectations will be more predominant. But gradually through our experiences with expectations, we realize the complexity of expectation. Then tardily we learn to supress our expectations. Still expectations never get washed off. Our heart still loves to expect, but the intensity and frequeny of expectation comes down. This is the common phenomena of human expectations and thats how our joy and pain are intermngled.

I wonder, how life would have been if we had no expectations. Sometimes when I stand staring at my unfulfilled expectations, I just feel why do I expect. Ironically, this feel never comes up when my heart bubbles up with groovy expectations :). Can't we live without expecting? Can't our life be void of wishes?.....I think the answer is no. Testifying my thought is the fact that ever single day we live is the outcome of our expectation. The simple and sweet expectation to see tomorrow. The subtle wish that one's wishes may take shape some day, it is this simple expectation that powers

In my opinion, the worst form of expectation is expecting care and concern from other fellow humans. Most of the times such expectations go shattered deep into the ground. At the same time we may also be the cause of hurting someone Else's expectation of love and care. While other material expectations, though unfulfilled don't leave a scar in ones heart, emotional expectations leave an enduring influence on the heart . So my simple notion of happy expectations is to expect feasible materialistic achievements but not emotional achievements. If at all we want to be cared by some fellow humans then why not show our umpteen care for them? Why not give all our expected care to the person from whom we wish to be cared? This way we can feel the joy of having cared and expressed concern. As we all know, there is great joy in giving, similarly, there is wonderful joy in fulfilling our expectation on some one else. It creates a habit of sacrifice and benevolence that arouse true joy.

This life is perked up by expectations, but its the feasible expectation that adds pep to the life. The happiness of life is just like a flower which can be watered by expression of care and love for others. Sacrifice and benevolence are the two staple ingredients for a happy expectation and a happy life. So, Live and let live!

Shooting Stars - Stars Of Wishes

Astronomy and Astrology are both alluring. While facts related to Astronomy can be seen, the facts related to Astronomy can only be felt. Stars and Sky are the basic elements of Astronomy. And now coming to stars, who doesn't love stars? Stars are the simplest wonders of nature. Those gleaming glittering dots high in the sky that ornate the subtle, dulcet night sky. Talking about stars, I would like to draw all your attention to shooting stars. It is said that one can wish the hearts desire on seeing a shooting star and that the wish will be fulfilled without fail. Alas! I am crazy about shooting stars but have never seen any shooting stars! :(..It seems I need to make a wish to see a shooting star! :)

So what is this shooting star? Is one of those twinkling stars falling out of the sky? No! A shooting star or falling star is the common name for the visible path of a meteoroid as it enters the atmosphere. A shooting star is also broken pieces of meteors that have become broken off in space. So shooting star has nothing to with stars. It is just a meteor!
A "falling star" or a "shooting star" has nothing at all to do with a star! These amazing streaks of light you can sometimes see in the night sky are caused by tiny bits of dust and rock called meteoroids falling into the Earth's atmosphere and burning up. The short-lived trail of light the burning meteoroid produces is called a meteor. Meteors are commonly called falling stars or shooting stars. If any part of the meteoroid survives burning up and actually hits the Earth, that remaining bit is then called a meteorite.

At certain times of year, you are likely to see a great number of meteors in the night sky. These events are called meteor showers and they occur when the Earth passes through the trail of debris left by a comet as it orbits the Sun. These showers are given names based on the constellation present in the sky from which they appear to originate. For example, the Leonid Meteor Shower, or Leonids, appear to originate in the constellation Leo. It is important to understand that the meteoroids (and therefore the meteors) do not really originate from the constellations or any of the stars in the constellations, however. They just seem to come from that part of the sky because of the way the Earth encounters the particles moving in the path of the comet's orbit. Associating the shower name with the region of the sky they seem to come from just helps astronomers know where to look!

Still, the next time you see a shooting star, don't forget to make a wish! That way we can test if its just a myth or a fact. Anyhow, wishes surely come true, when we believe in our wishes.

Happy Birthdayyy Tooo Meeeee :)

I am late....Oh no! I am late again! Why am I late for all important tasks. I am late to publish a blog post on my Birthday too. Anyways, finally I am publishing a blog post on my Birthday he he :). It was my Birthday yesterday and to say I was on cloud nine... :)...

When I was wished by my family and my dearest friends exactly at 12, my happiness had no bounds. I felt on top of the world..he he...What a feel it is...when people who make your world assure you that you make their world too! To be honest I had a fear that my best friend would miss to wish me...it was there until I could see them wishing mee...:).. and finally I feel blessed to feel the heartfelt wishes from my loved ones.

Birthdays are in a way a window to self realization. We can understand how we have been one whole year and analyze how to improve our thoughts and ideals.. Yet this Birthday..PINK was the theme. I love PINK and I made sure that everything that I get for myself this Birthday should be PINK haa :)

At the end of the day I felt blessed to have such a caring family and friends circle. I would like to thank my family and m friends who have made my life bEautiFuLl!!!! My life would have been meaningless without you all! Thanks a ton for being with me alwaysss!!!! :)

Adios Michael Jackson - The Pop Connoisseur

The pop connoisseur Michael Jackson's life was pulled to a tragic end on June 27, 2009. The world stood still when the king of pop Michael Jackson succumbed to a Cardiac Arrest. The death of Michael Jackson has left an air of mystery. The pop kings death came as a bolt from the blue to the rock-ribbed fans of Michael Jackson who were all set to enjoy Michael Jackson's live concert at London.

I am not a pop freak, yet I have a special liking for Michael Jackson. The reason for this is not just this music, but the fact that Michael Jackson was in one way part of my childhood memories. It was this pop king whom I tried to imitate in the very first fancy dress competition of my life! :) But today as I write this post on Michael Jackson's untimely death, I feel a rush of blood into my brain, a sort of hysteria taking over me. The fact that I am finding hard to digest is that Michael Jackson was a terribly unhappy man. But why? Why do the life of all celebrities end up on a tragic note? Why is a celebrities joy as short lived as a bubble? Why cant celebrities live happily ever after? I can now find the names of several celebrities rolling down my memory. The most striking celebrity fiasco was that of Heath Ledger, who was found dead in his room. Heath Ledger had committed suicide at a point when he was at the peak of his career. But why? All these "Why's" point to one single reason "Stress and depression". The celebrities get overwhelmed by their success that they find hard to cope up with the fame and success that comes to their side. At some point when they feel that they can no longer perform with the same zing start feeling the pinch of stress. They start pushing themselves to maintain their success story. Alas! They don't understand that success truly is short lived. In Hollywood and music, one day you are on top of the world and the other day you are just another old star. This was exactly what had happened to Michael Jackson.The celebrities always have theie own share of controversies that keep their press image healthy. But sometimes controversies also add up to the stress of celebrities. Michael Jackson had a series of controversies coming along his way. Finally Michael Jackson was found penniless,after he had paid all the sue amounts to get rid of the legal contoversies that we was pulled into. So, what happened to cause Michael’s sudden unexpected death? Since the autopsy was inconclusive, I think it’s reasonable to assume his death was drug-related, especially since police impounded his doctor’s car in the belief it may contain evidence, and especially since the Jackson family attorney says that he warned about that very possibility long ago. I personally suspected that his death was drug-related when the news first broke that he had suffered cardiac arrest, since a cardiac arrest and a heart attack are two different things, and since he was only 50 years old. What I find extremely unusual about this situation is that a physician was actually there with him, so a lethal drug overdose should not have even been a possibility. I therefore look forward to more news on that front.

I very much feel for Michael’s three children, who have lived an incredibly sheltered (and more than a little strange) life as a result of their father’s eccentricities and his fame, as well as his infamy. This is going to be terribly difficult for them, as they adjust to an entirely new life without their only parent. At the same time, they will be embraced by the world now, in a way they would never have experienced when their father was alive. I attribute that to what I call “Sins Of The Father Syndrome”, and it is, quite sadly, a phenomenon which is not unusual even among those who are neither wealthy nor famous. It’s just too bad that no one was willing to forgive Michael Jackson of his perceived sins when he was still here to enjoy that himself.

Rest in peace, Michael. I sincerely hope you have finally found the peace you were never able to find in this world.

Phoenix - The Mythical Inspiration

The word Phoenix is my favourite word in English. This is all because of the one poem on Phoenix that I had read in my Childhood. The poem had such a deep influence that I started relating it to most of the events in my life. The word Phoenix refers to a Mythological bird. It is said that the eternal Lnd of mystery, Egypt is the source of the Phoenix mystery too. Still contrary to the various other mysteries in the world, that have their root only in one part of the world, the Phoenix bird has cittaions in several different Mythologies. In the present day world, The Phoenix symbolizes rebirth, especially of the sun, and has variants in European, Central American, Egyptian and Asian cultures.

The ancient Egyptians linked the myth of the phoenix with the longings for immortality that were so strong in their civilization, and from there its symbolism spread around the Mediterranean world of late antiquity. The Bennu bird was usually depicted as a heron and this is the bird that gave way to Phoenix in the Egyptian Mythology. Archaeologists have found the remains of a much larger heron that lived in the Persian Gulf area 5,000 years ago.

The Bennu was associated with the sun and represented the ba or soul of the sun god, Re. In the Late Period, the hieroglyph of the bird was used to represent this deity directly. As a symbol of the rising and setting sun, the Benu was also the lord of the royal jubilee.

This Egyptian phoenix was also associated with the inundation of the Nile and of the creation. At the close of the first century Clement of Rome became the first Christian to interpret the myth of the phoenix as an allegory of the resurrection and of life after death. The phoenix was also compared to undying Rome, and it appears on the coinage of the late Roman Empire as a symbol of the Eternal City.

In addition to this Egyptian mythology on Phoenix, there are citations of Phoenix in Chinese, Arabic and Japanese Mythologies too. The Arabian phoenix was a fabulous mythical bird, said to be as large as an eagle, with brilliant scarlet and gold plumage and a melodious cry. It was said that only one phoenix existed at any one time, and it is very long-lived with a life span of 500 years, 540 years, 1000 years, 1461 years or even 12,994 years (according to various accounts). As the end of its life approached, the phoenix would build a pyre nest of aromatic branches and spices such as myrrh, sets it on fire, and is consumed in the flames. After three days the birth or as some legends say a rebirth, the phoenix arises from the ashes.

In Chinese mythology, the phoenix is the symbol of high virtue and grace, of power and prosperity. It represents the union of yin and yang. It was thought to be a gentle creature, alighting so gently that it crushed nothing, and eating only dewdrops. It is also quoted in the renowned Feng Shui book - "A mythical bird that never dies, the phoenix flies far ahead to the front, always scanning the landscape and distant space. It represents our capacity for vision, for collecting sensory information about our environment and the events unfolding within it. The phoenix, with its great beauty, creates intense excitement and deathless inspiration." - The Feng Shui Handbook.

The Ho-Oo is the Japanese phoenix, the Ho being the male bird and the Oo being the female. The Hou-Ou greatly resembles the Chinese Phoenix the Feng-Huang in looks. The Ho-Oo is often depicted as nesting in a paulownia tree and was thought to only appear at the birth of a virtuous ruler and was said to mark a new era by descending from the heavens to do good deeds for people only to return to its celestial abode to await a new era. The Ho-Oo has been adopted as a symbol of the royal family, particularly the empress.

Amidst all these mythological notes on Phoenix, there is also a poem on Phoenix written by H.C. Andersen. This is a very famous poem and has a magical quality. The poet has used a wonderful Metaphor style that relates the secret of life, the origin of life and the mystery of phoenix. All mysteries are intertwined in the poem to create a mystical truth and revelation. Here i would like to quote some excerpts from this awe inspiring poem.

In the Garden of Paradise, beneath the Tree of Knowledge, bloomed a rose bush. Here, in the first rose, a bird was born. His flight was like the flashing of light, his plumage was beauteous, and his song ravishing. But when Eve plucked the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, when she and Adam were driven from Paradise, there fell from the flaming sword of the cherub a spark into the nest of the bird, which blazed up forthwith...

This poem is a must read and deserves a careful study. It has very well portrayed the relationships between Mythology and the origin of life. Finally, it is the rare qaulity about Phoenix that it burns to ashes and again reform from its own ashes to live anew, that has allured me so much. The myth of Phoenix has given me an inspiration that no matter what failure we come across, no matter how exhausted we get in our endeavour, if we are determined, then even the most fatal destruction can be overcome. We can surely succeed from the ashes of our failures!

Ignorance is bliss

Who doesn't want to be happy? To say, everyone wants to be happy, but there are only few who are actually happy in their lives. So what is it that gives few people true happiness while most of them live with just superficial joy? Is it their capability to achieve all that they desire? Or do they possess heavenly luck that gives them joy in all endeavor? The answer is their ignorance and their ability to accept things the way they are!

The one thing that comes up between the desire to be happy and being happy is "worries". Worries are nothing but our hearts dolefullness when something goes against our wishes. But amidst all the race for success and achievement, one forgets the fact that the elementary need behind being successful is just happiness. So why should one make oneself unhappy when success falls behind? Why can't we believe that failures are stepping stones to success and take a positive approach towards failures?So, it is "Ignorance" that gives one the feel of true happiness. Ignorance should not be taken in the wrong sense. Being Ignorant does not mean that one should give up hopes, dreams and desires. Instead one must be open for all sorts of outcomes in ones endeavors. The fact that wishes and worries go hand in hand must be made a part of life. Its then that one can experience true, eternal happiness.

Teacher Or Killer?

Atrocities on school kids has been a common issue all over the world. There have been several cases of atrocities forced by cruel teachers on poor kids. The recent incident in a Delhi school is a shocking testimony to the mistreatment of school kids.

School , a place where a child's future is expected to be molded, has now sadly turned into a grave death trap. Parents send in kids to schools with huge expectations but alas, due to a few stone-hearted faculty, some parents end up losing their kids.
Punishing school kids is a common trait in Indian schools. A majority of schools insist on punishing the innocent souls so as to teach them discipline. But they forget the fact that the best way to teach and guide kids is through proper love and care.

The recent incident in Delhi that pushed a 11 year old kid to the end of her life is grievous. Shona, a class II student of MCD primary school in Bawana, was "made to stand" in the sun with bricks on her shoulders allegedly by her teacher. She breathed her last at Maharishi Valmiki Hospital here on Friday afternoon.

This is not the only incident of such sort, our country has been mutely witnessing several such incidents, and innocent kids have been losing their lives. The only solution to this to have proper regulations concerning the treatment towards school kids. Strenuous actions must be taken against teachers who try to handle kids with force. Physical punishments in schools must be banned and defaulters must be prosecuted. It is only through these efforts that one can regain the faith in Schools and teachers.

The dream date.

The global crisis is creating fury all over the world. The economy of almost every nation seems to be vulnerable and stock markets are plunging badly. It is a matter of concern for every citizen. However, the array of people affected by this meltdown are innumerable and the count grows every minute at an alarming rate..... Among the ones affected by the meltdown are the various fresh engineering and technology college graduates too. Alas! I am one of them too!

We had strived day in and day out to make the best out of the four years of graduation... Gradually with the passage of time, when one started performing well in the various tests, a feeling of satisfaction came up... But the best thing for one was getting a job in an IT firm with a catchy pay! It was like a dream come true and a feeling of pride engulfed the budding engineers.

All were eagerly waiting to shed the college graduate cocoon, march forward into the professional life and make a fortune. Every one of us had a million desires about our career and were just excited and anxious to make a good career. Whoops! But with the Global economic crisis, all the dreams seem too distant to achieve. Most of the graduates who got through top-notch firms are waiting eagerly for an intimation to join the firm. Some graduates have not got any sort of intimation from the firm regarding when they have to join, while others have been told bitterly that they cannot join the firm until next year. The most terrible situation is that of those minuscule category of graduates who were abrasively informed that the job offered to them months ago has been nullified due to business reasons and poor performance of the firm. For those students it was like doomsday. The worst part is that all the IT firms have held back new recruitment and finding a new decent IT job seems next to impossible .

The graduates are going through a state of agony. However, one has to believe that, it is not the end of the world, times will surely change. But, its ones duty to make efficient utilization of the mean time. One can work on programming languages, technical skills and also on ones vocabulary. After all "Knowledge has no limits" and one has to gradually improve oneself to survive in the competitive world.... Lets all hope that the "Dream Date" to join the firm is dispatched soon and that all the graduates can have a head start in the professional career!

My favourite series-Smallville

Smallville is one of my most cherished series's. Smallville is the superman story. It is the teenage story of far-famed "Superman". The principal character in this series is "Clark Kent", the super man. However, Clark Kent limns a down to earth and homely image among his family and friends. The series begins with a cataclysmic Meteor shower hitting the serene town of Smallville. Along with the meteor showers, comes in a space ship carrying Clark Kent. Clark Kent was a kid around 3 years old when he landed on Earth and was adopted by a childless couple named Jonathan Kent and Martha Kent, who found the kid amidst a debris of meteors and space ships.

Clark Kent was the apple of eyes for the Kent Couple. They felt as if God had sent in a child for their happiness. With the passage of time Clark Kent grew up into a teenager who worked on his family farm and lived happil with his parents. Clark Kent spends most of the time with his friends Pete Ross, Chloe Suvilan and Lana Lang. They got to the same high school and spend lots of quality time with each other and help each other in their tasks.

Pete Ross is Clark's Best friend and is a peppy guy with a golden heart. He considers Clark to be one of the most respectable humans and cares a lot for him. Clark and Pete had been friends since Childhood and know each other to the core. The best part is that both of them have similar likes and dislikes.

Lana Lang is the supposed lady love of Clark. Lana lives next to Clarks farm with her aunt. The devastating Meteor shower that had hit Smallville had killed Lana's parents and left her an Orphan. Yet, she was lucky to have her aunt adopt her and take care of her just like a princess. Lana carries a girl next door image and is very sensitive and naive. She supports Clark in all his painful moments and both of them share an emotional bond.

Chloe Suvilan is a pepp lass with a gift of gab. She is one of the most intelligent girls in the high school and possesses a treasure of creativity. She is Clarks best friend too. Despite the several tiffs, Clark and Chloe share a very good friendship. Chloe has a soft corner for Clark and cares for him beond a simple friendship. Chloe and Clark work together for their school newspaper namely "The Torch", which focuses mainly on the wierd incidents that occur in Smallville due to the Meteor Freaks existing in Smallville. The newspaper also brings into Limelight the various incidents occuring within the highschool.

Lex Luthor is another prime character in the series. He is the son of one of the Millionares of Smallville, named Lionel Luthor. Lex lives in a Mansion in Smallville and has a great fondness for history and mysterious events. Lex comes in contact with Clark when Clark saves Lex from a crucial road accident by using his super powers. The fact that Clark had saved him makes him develop umpteen care for Clark. At the same time he is puzzled on how Clark could save him from a spartan accident without hurting himself, sets up a faint suspicion about Clark's abilities in his mind.

The Series revolves around these primary chracters with the occasional new characters that are rolled in as and when needed in the story line. It is a heartwarming, fun filled, teenage mystery story. This series is so interesting and alluring that it can keep you hooked up for a long time, unless you make up our mind and turn it off. So hope everyone will have fun watching smallville henceforth. Watch it and have a great time.