1. River Rafting
2. Camping for over a week
3. Volunteer at CUPA and make a difference
4. Complete Salsa classes
5. Travel alone to Nepal
6. Get above a 720 on my GMAT whenever I decide to attempt it
7. Learn Spanish
8. Study Buddhism
9. Document the history of the world
10. Write a book
11. Open a shelter for street children and help in their education
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Into the Wild...
You know you have lived, when you find something worth dying for. If you ever really want something, you should reach out and grab it with both hands. That’s what passion is. It’s the only thing that makes the good, better!
That’s the irony though. Your passion is your own. It’s probably what makes you, you! And if happiness is truly felt only when shared, then how does your passion make you happy unless you find someone who shares your passion? And that would mean that your passion isn’t just yours, but has to be shared to be truly a passion!
It’s confusing, and it’s not what I set out to write about. But it made me think. I am passionate. About 2 things: animals and travel. I am 24 and I have not done too much in either field that I can be proud of. And maybe it’s because I have never found anyone who shares my passion in both of the above. Now, where does that leave me? Impassionate?
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Are you serious???
No way!!! I am not going to sit here while you make a stupid rule. And make it work!!!
Early on a Tuesday morning, I step into office and think “ah, today I shall get all my work done!!!”
I start my routine:
Step 1 – Open laptop
Step 2 – Get some green tea
Step 3 – Log in
Step 4 – Make small talk with people who think coming in early will make them more productive (I belong to that category)
Step 5 – Check mail
Step 6 – Do this for an hour!!
So while I was on step 6, I had the shock of my life!! The Executive Director of my firm sends out a breezy mail with a whole lot of pleasantries - you’d think he was high when he clicked on “Send”! But after reading between the lines, and even otherwise, the message was clear – we were going to be working every alternate Saturday!!!!
Oh shite….
No way!!! I am not going to sit here while you make a stupid rule. And make it work!!!
I revolt, I protest… and if that doesn’t work, im gonna bunk!
Early on a Tuesday morning, I step into office and think “ah, today I shall get all my work done!!!”
I start my routine:
Step 1 – Open laptop
Step 2 – Get some green tea
Step 3 – Log in
Step 4 – Make small talk with people who think coming in early will make them more productive (I belong to that category)
Step 5 – Check mail
Step 6 – Do this for an hour!!
So while I was on step 6, I had the shock of my life!! The Executive Director of my firm sends out a breezy mail with a whole lot of pleasantries - you’d think he was high when he clicked on “Send”! But after reading between the lines, and even otherwise, the message was clear – we were going to be working every alternate Saturday!!!!
Oh shite….
No way!!! I am not going to sit here while you make a stupid rule. And make it work!!!
I revolt, I protest… and if that doesn’t work, im gonna bunk!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Thank you :)
I couldn’t believe it…!! Apparently I was not happy (that I knew) and showing it (that I didn’t know)!!
For over a month… but thanks to D and S2, I realized it and I’m back to normal :)
But it’s still gonna take a while for me to get back on to facebook!! For some strange I was feeling betrayed by facebook!! Anyway, hopefully that stupid phase that ruined the first month of my new year, the last few days of D & S2 and the visit by S1…!!
Just sending this out into the void…
For over a month… but thanks to D and S2, I realized it and I’m back to normal :)
But it’s still gonna take a while for me to get back on to facebook!! For some strange I was feeling betrayed by facebook!! Anyway, hopefully that stupid phase that ruined the first month of my new year, the last few days of D & S2 and the visit by S1…!!
Just sending this out into the void…
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Gingee Fort
Gingee is a small town 68 km from Pondicherry. It is famous for the Fort that spans across 3 hills and one of the few surviving forts in Tamil Nadu. So well fortified was this place that Shivaji ranked it as the "most impregnable fortress in India" and it was called the "Troy of the East" by the British.
Originally the site of a small fort built by the Chola dynasty in 9th century AD, it was later modified by the Vijayanagar empire in the 13th century to elevate it to the status of an unbreakable citadel to protect the small town of Gingee. It was also the head quarters of the Gingee Nayaks, during the Nayak domination in Tamil Nadu. The fort was built as a strategic place of fending off any invading armies.
The fort was further strengthened by the Marathas under the leadership of Shivaji in 1677 AD, who recaptured it from the Bijapur sultans who had originally taken control of the fort from the Marathas. During Aurangzeb's campaign in the Deccan, Shivaji's second son who had assumed the throne, Chhatrapati Rajaram escaped to Ginjee in the distant South and continued the fight with Moghuls from Ginjee. The Moghuls could not capture the fort for seven years in spite of laying siege.
The fort was finally captured in 1698, but not before Chhatrapati Rajaram escaped. It was later passed on to the Carnatic Nawabs who lost it to the French in 1750 before the British finally took control in 1761 despite losing it to Hyder Ali for a brief period.
We stopped at the Fort on our way back from Pondy. We left Pondicherry at 7 a.m. and were at the Fort at around 8 30 after stopping for breakfast at a small town in between. This is where we learned that the Fort is open to the public only at 9 a.m. and we had to wait for half an hour. The entry for Indians is Rs. 5, but for “others” is Rs. 100!! And this differentiation is clearly displayed on the notice board at the entrance… I kinda enjoyed this discrimination ;D
The place is massive – Krishnagiri Hill, Rajgiri Hill and Chakkilidurg are the 3 hills that this Fort spans over. The outer fort covers close to 3 miles in circuit. Within this outer fort there are inner fortress separating each of the above said 3 hills making each one a different fort. Within each fortress lie separate citadels and temples! So overall the fort was a 3 level security!
The fort we scaled was not on our list of places that we planned to visit, but it just caught our fancy while driving through! But absolutely splendid!
the publicity given to this beautiful fort is absolutely nothing! No guide available here. There is a small board on the main road showing the direction as Gingee Fort & nothing else!
I’d like to thank “Prashanth”, fellow blogger whom I don’t know, but borrowed some facts and figures from!!! :)
Originally the site of a small fort built by the Chola dynasty in 9th century AD, it was later modified by the Vijayanagar empire in the 13th century to elevate it to the status of an unbreakable citadel to protect the small town of Gingee. It was also the head quarters of the Gingee Nayaks, during the Nayak domination in Tamil Nadu. The fort was built as a strategic place of fending off any invading armies.
The fort was further strengthened by the Marathas under the leadership of Shivaji in 1677 AD, who recaptured it from the Bijapur sultans who had originally taken control of the fort from the Marathas. During Aurangzeb's campaign in the Deccan, Shivaji's second son who had assumed the throne, Chhatrapati Rajaram escaped to Ginjee in the distant South and continued the fight with Moghuls from Ginjee. The Moghuls could not capture the fort for seven years in spite of laying siege.
The fort was finally captured in 1698, but not before Chhatrapati Rajaram escaped. It was later passed on to the Carnatic Nawabs who lost it to the French in 1750 before the British finally took control in 1761 despite losing it to Hyder Ali for a brief period.
We stopped at the Fort on our way back from Pondy. We left Pondicherry at 7 a.m. and were at the Fort at around 8 30 after stopping for breakfast at a small town in between. This is where we learned that the Fort is open to the public only at 9 a.m. and we had to wait for half an hour. The entry for Indians is Rs. 5, but for “others” is Rs. 100!! And this differentiation is clearly displayed on the notice board at the entrance… I kinda enjoyed this discrimination ;D
The place is massive – Krishnagiri Hill, Rajgiri Hill and Chakkilidurg are the 3 hills that this Fort spans over. The outer fort covers close to 3 miles in circuit. Within this outer fort there are inner fortress separating each of the above said 3 hills making each one a different fort. Within each fortress lie separate citadels and temples! So overall the fort was a 3 level security!
The fort we scaled was not on our list of places that we planned to visit, but it just caught our fancy while driving through! But absolutely splendid!
the publicity given to this beautiful fort is absolutely nothing! No guide available here. There is a small board on the main road showing the direction as Gingee Fort & nothing else!
I’d like to thank “Prashanth”, fellow blogger whom I don’t know, but borrowed some facts and figures from!!! :)
It’s been a while
I’ve been swept into this whirlwind of activities beginning December. Nothing, since then has been under my control.
…
Those 3 dots – I tried listing down what I did in December and all I could come up with was – Rohan’s big birthday!
Rohan turned 24 in Dec and shit, was I busy!! We planned out this huge party and that just took up all the mind space I had…!! But more than the party, I was busy with Rohan’s gifts….:)
For me, a birthday is special because of the things you do.. not the things you get. Honestly, if on my birthday someone took me to Hoskote and we had fun in the drive, popped open a bottle of breezer, listened to awesome country music and came back, it’d be my best birthday ever. But a lot of people disagree!! And I have learnt that the hard way! :P So, I was busy planning out his gifts…some worked out, some didn’t, some are saved for future birthdays…:)
Dec also meant the end of an era… the GS era… my entire 2008 went in fighting them off… I was so excited when it ended… I was no longer “muthal”… I no longer needed to plan my life around “month-ends”… I no longer had to worry about the job offer that took it’s toll on me…. I was free!!
But I realized soon enough, that I had grown into the company – into the culture. And when I got a farewell lunch and hug, I knew I was going to miss the company I didn’t belong to!
Then came New Years’ Eve.
And Sam and Dan; and Vivek; and a trip to Coorg; my India trip confirmation; my 4 year anniversary which was heavenly; telecom training; Green Valley resort; Shweta in town; Danish leaving; Sheena leaving; Rohan leaving; Shweta left; and a realization that I was alone…
And lonely, maybe.
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