Fictional Reality..

Thank you!

2007-03-12T12:20:00.000-07:00

Thank you! :D

Back!

2007-01-10T09:52:00.000-08:00

Wow!

It's been a really long time since I posted in here. The reason for my disappearance after the Hyderabad gig could well be the things that have happened after I left Hyderabad, joined my job in Noida and now I'm back in Indore doing what I've always love doing.

Someone was right; it's not good to make commitments on things you are not sure of to happen in the time to come. I did that, and bang! was slapped by reality. Someone 'anonymous' was right when he commented on my love for TCS post that I won't stay there for more than a year. I didn't stay there for more than 3 months, the reason being personal goals.

I'm very happy to be back and near to my hometown. I'm back with the same set of college friends I used to jam with in the college days. The songwriting process is on, so is composing process and playing covers but that would still take some time. I feel so satisfied doing what I've always loved to. No idea where our band would be in some 7-8 months from now till we practice.

No commitments this time, I don't want to be slapped again. And I'd try to be regular in updating the blog from now on because these days I feel I get some free time in office these days, which I'll invest here.

Live Inferno, OFD Pub, Hyderabad

2006-08-22T09:55:00.000-07:00

This post was saved in the drafts section of my blog. Didn’t get time since the time I saved there, and so the post got late.

I was lucky enough this time to catch up a gig here at One Flight Down Pub, which is quite famous for gigs. Before I was leaving for Hyderabad some two months back I was expecting that I'll definitely get a gig somewhere around the city. I missed one gig - that of a band called Wreakage (don't remember the name, because I was told so). The gig started with Kamoflagodz and after the soundcheck on "Keep on rocking in a free world" the front man announced that the band is now changing their name to Ethereal Rush. They played an OC (I suppose it was called "Still we believe" something), which was good. I downloaded this from RSJ few days back. And then there were some great Iron Maiden covers - Fear of The Dark, Wasting Love and then again an OC, which initially seemed soft but had good drumming in the end by Jaideep and great riffs, loved this song. The last one was their very famous cover of Iron Maiden’s Hallowed Be Thy Name. I sang along, and banged my head for the full set with the band being feet or two distant from me. This seriously was a great experience. I forgot to mention, in between there was one more cover - "Breaking The Law".

Next band was AfterDeath. I had heard a lot about them before coming to Hyderabad and I followed the reviews of most of the gigs they played in Hyderabad, at RSJ. The set was so damn brutal. Two Six Feet Under, and two Sepultura covers, and two OCs - I was crazy banging my head for the full set! The OCs were kickass. I'd like to see them release their EP soon.

The band headlining was Devoid, from Mumbai and which should I say about then.. They owned! With a soundcheck ("Dead Skin Mask" by Slayer) they started off this very speed/thrash metal set. Then came some great OCs, of which I liked their latest song the most, plus "Black Fortress", "Kali" and "Devoid of Emotions". The covers they played were "Angel of Death" and "Possessed". There was some serious moshing and crazy headbanging throughout this set. Though I did not mosh but I stood there for full 3 hours in the front row (would you call that a front row?) headbanging. Having experienced only two gigs in the past, this gig definitely was the most kickass gig I've ever been too. The Hyderabad crowd was good, too many people turned up for the same. Good moshing and extreme heabanging, what more would a metalhead want!

Some days back I read an interview of "Nile" on metal-rules.com which spoke of the spirit of metal brotherhood. Here's an excerpt from the same:

"Q: I think it truly pays you off when you go on the stage and see that excited crowd in front of you – headbanging and yelling your name from the top of their lungs...

A: Yeah, that’s rewarding. I think the important thing though is metal just survives and continues, then metal people have to be able to come together and the metal show is where you league with all your other metal fans – and other metal people that are just like, but you don’t know. But you know what, we are all pretty much the same and a metal fan from here, is not drastically different from – in spirit, a metal fan from Canada, or England, or Belgium, or Marocco, or Japan or Australia; we are all metal people. And I think metal is what brings us together, and that is the beautiful thing about metal shows. It’s not necessarily just about having a minute of glory. I mean, that’s ok, but I don’t think about that. I really believe metal is an international language of solidary which we all metal fans share together. The brotherhood, the spirit we all feel, whether we are all headbanging together or in the moshpit or throwing goat horns with each other – man, that spirit is empowering; that’s the great thing about metal. People say bad things about metal because they don’t understand it. It’s a communal spirit. Manowar is kinda cheesy band – ok, but when I was a kid, man, their spirit of metal brotherhood was just empowering; you felt like raising your fist and, you know, fuckin´ throwing up the horns and saying: “Death to false metal...!!” - or whatever, and that spirit continues, no matter what band it is, being it Morbid Angel, Behemoth, Cannibal Corpse or whoever the fuck it is. As long as that spirit is alive, then, you know, we are strong.

Q: Those were wise words for sure, but it’s sad that MTV´s way to think about metal is way different. They show bands like Korn, Deftones, etc. – and say these bands are metal...

A: They are not metal..."

So true!

PS: It’s 22nd today and today is the release day for us at TCS-ILP, Hyderabad. Tomorrow, I’ll be back at home.

TCS Delhi Finally

2006-07-28T10:57:00.000-07:00

Thankgod!

Finally, I've got TCS Delhi as the place I'll be working in, after I leave from TCS-ILP in Hyderabad although a written statement about the same is yet to come.

TCS ILP, Hyderabad Pt. 3

2006-07-23T23:28:00.000-07:00

Every time I get a lab session I make sure I use it in blogging! The lab session we just had was more of a free session. We used this session for analyzing everyone’s' vocal capabilities, singing songs and giving feedbacks!

Last three days weren't that good in terms of health. I was down with throat infection and viral fever. Thanks to the expensive but nice dose by the doctor I went to, for a checkup. That doctor at the first look looked more like a compounder but like every appearance centric story this too had an 'appearances-are-deceptive' ending.

Saturday was more of on bed. On Sunday, most of my friends went to Mount Opera, a amusement theme-park/water-park here. I was again on bed and I had no good option than order things from the restaurant as room service and watch movies. I saw Freddy Vs. Jason - I was waiting since a long time to catch up this movie sometime. Then Elektra, and Anger Management.

Our allocations should come out soon. I've filled in the preferences as Pune, Delhi, Hyderabad in order. News, rather rumor is that we'll be notified of the allocations today.

TCS-ILP, Hyderabad Pt. 2

2006-07-17T12:44:00.000-07:00

I've been able to blog a bit since last few days from Hyderabad but I haven't been able to check other blogs, even those of my blog friends. Sorry for the same. I'm going to do it next time I get a free session in lab, or whenever I don't feel like having lunch.

Life here is good and the TCS' ILP programme is just awesome. Unlike the training at other places, which focus only on the core technical part, it focuses more on communication skills, etiquette, and grooming and similar aspects too. We regularly have presentations, role-plays, speeches, and written exercises. The good thing being that it's all dynamic with a team change for every activity. That has, in very few days, made the class very interactive. I've lately realized the difference between learning and training. After every presentation or role-play or any activity we people gather and share views on each one of us as a team, that is evaluate each other. Also recently, we've received our stream will be working on (projects) for the next few days. It's UNIX and C++. Also the foreign language facilitated to us is Japanese. Recently we visited TCS' Deccan Park campus for some knowledge transfer about the systems in TCS. Deccan Park is one beautiful TCS campus with a good cafeteria, conference halla, gym, cubicles, and probably so much more that I couldn't see or know of.

Also we'll soon be asked about the preferences of where one wants to get allocated to. Though still confused, the blurry image in my mind speaks of Pune, Hyderabad and Delhi.

I've missed my lunch and am here in the lab to update my blog and read others. I should better be ending this and moving on for I have an LS session in 15 minutes from now.

More Hyderabad

2006-07-01T15:30:00.000-07:00

Here's an excerpt from the recent mail I sent home:

Luckily, we got good amount of Internet here at CMC-TCS Hyderabad today because the faculty for the lab wasn't present. After SO long, I felt good to be in touch with everyone at orkut and that SO long was about 4 days. Long before I thought life without Internet would be
miserable. It actually isn't, for the day looks like it has been packaged nicely. I set the alarm for 5 AM every night and get up by around 5:30 AM (today was an exception when I got up late at around 6:45 and still managed to board the bus) for the days when we have ILP. The bus leaves around 7:20 from the hotel and we reach CMC around 8:15 AM, have our breakfast at the cafeteria. I found everything good except Uttapam and some weird Tomato Bath. Then classes from around 8:30 to 6:30 except for the lunch and some coffee breaks in between. We have a 'Coffee Day' vending machine here and I'm like having almost 4 coffees now since the last day. We get back to the hotel at around 7 and then leave for dinner at around 8:30 PM. Till now we've been able to find a single place near by - Krishna Sagar Restaurant that has the North Indian food - a limited thaali for Rs.40! I forgot to mention the TCS lunch; it's kind of ok.

Hyderabad as a place is nice. I've visited Charminar area, have had biryani once and I seriously have never tasted such biryani before. Plus the Husain Sagar Lake, and the Laser Light Show and this mall Prasad's when we went to INOX for a movie! There's so much more left to visit.

Tomorrow 's off, I seriously need some rest so I'll sleep rather than visit places. I'm writing this from the TCS-CMC lab and it seems it's the time for coffee break.

TCS ILP, Hyderabad

2006-06-24T03:11:00.000-07:00

Again, like always it's been a LONG time since I've made a new post here. Now that I'm here in Hyderabad and have joined TCS finally, I can find sometime for these things again.

Few days before 20th June kept me real busy in packing stuff and arranging the documents that would be needed. The train was from Bhopal on 20th and we reached Secunderabad on 21st morning. We took a taxi to the Hotel Siddhartha where were accommodation was made by TCS and we were told the hotel where we'll be staying is old Hyderabad. Hotel Siddhartha, no doubt is good. We have a TV in the room, the room gets cleaned everyday, anytime room service for water or any problem, a newspaper everyday and so much more. While I was expecting some shopping malls and a good area to roam around when I spoke to my friend in Hyderabad, the hotel we're staying in and the area near by is good. 3 star, and the services are good. The only problem here is food. South Indian food is cheaper, and good North Indian food is kind of costly. We had one South Indian thali on 20th, though it was good at how diet should be but in my opinion it was lacking taste. I didn't at all like the 'rasam' and 'curry' or whatever it's called. The hunt for North Indian food then, was on. We had dinner at the hotel we're staying in on the same day and it was good.

The next day we had to get up early for TCS. Full 8 hours in the Audi, it was supposed to be the orientation for us. We also had the welcome lunch that day which was free. That day we also got this feel of the place Cyberabad because the bus took us from the hotel from this route. But the bus goes through a new route now, some Banjara Hills route I suppose. The next day we had verification of the documents they asked for and bank account opening. The lunch this time again was good but one needs to pay for the lunch. It's very much affordable considering the South Indian food one generally gets here. It's Rs. 23 for lunch here in CMC, TCS training centre. Tea and coffee are free and one can have them anytime during the break. I'm mentioning all this for those who are to join TCS. Some days before I was searching the same on google blog search and I could hardly find one post that was related to the training in Hyderbad. Regarding food, a good north Indian thali here will cost no less than 30 at this place, this is sure. And those who're from south will find no problem with food at all.

We have alternate Saturdays as off. You need to wear business formals for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thrusday and one can wear business casuals on Friday and Saturday. The CMC center is good. I have so many pics to send home and put 'em up here on the blog but the PC I'm sitting on is old, has 98 and has problem with the USB port.

In all it's very much like a paid vacation. The only thing is that we have to pay for food. And paying is not a problem; it's been 4 days we're like on north-indian food hunt. We hope to find a permanent place soon. We have the plans for visiting Charminar and near by places today. It's really fun right now. The classes for the training start from Monday. So we have two days to visit a few fmous places in Hyderabad.

I think I'll end this post now. I know it's not like on good and arranged post but bear with me. The system I'm sitting on is one from the early-man era. Excuse me for the mistakes or typos because the keyboard sucks even more.

Thank you IET-DAVV!

2006-05-11T08:12:00.000-07:00

It's been SO long since my blog has been updated. I just noticed that my blog completed an year on May 7th.

30th April was the day I gave my last viva, the last exam of my engineering life. And 3rd was the day the result came while me and some of my friends were having fun at a waterpark nearby. And voila! I'm done with my engineering now.

In retrospect, the last 4 years don't look like they were long 4 years, the time seems to have passed by quickly. And it's a big list, perhaps I can write a book on all what happened in the last four years, unlike the school days. In short it's a list of some things I accomplished that I dreamt of when stepping in the college, and a big list of what I wished to accomplish but which still remain a part of the long list still to be accomplished!

The four years at IET-DAVV indeed have been full of both fun and learning. There's so much to thank the college for the same. Running after projects and doing them, help from the seniors and helping them in their work were how the first two years passed by. What I earned? There was so much to learn! What I missed? The outgoing life an engineering student should have. Good that I got to think about myself after the first two years and the last two years were completely different - casual about studies and full of fun! The third year brought a big change and that was the time that I feel I started thinking about myself, also we were the first and the very lucky batch of the college to be placed in the third year itself. The final year was more casual, with the projects completing at the deadlines, plus so much more with things that should better be left unsaid. Seniors, faculties at IET-DAVV have been very helping. The fact that college is autonomous makes it stand different from other colleges in the same region. The college celebrated its 10 years of academic glory recently. With many achievements in last 10 years, IET-DAVV certainly stands tall amongst all the other colleges in this very region. Again, there's so much to thank the college for. Thank you IET-DAVV.

Something weird! In these last four years we've develpoed our own vocabulary and some "weird scales" to rate people (karat scale being one of the many). My post of this book of mine named "Yet Another Encyclopedia" is due which contains some 'yet-another' terms for every incident we've come across in these years. But then I feel a blog is not a place to post such things, so it's better to leave it for the time to come.

And now I feel I've known myself better all these years. I've noticed my love for music (read Heavy Metal) has grown exponentially in all these years. During the times that everything kept me in a low and depressed mood, music was and still is the one thing that is holding the life from one hand. And this continues to this very date when I'm busy downloading 20-25 bands under each of my favorite heavy metal subgenres these days so that I can take them to where I'll work in the coming time (the joining date of TCS as always is still not known) and explore this form of music more and more, discovering new bands on the path of exploration. Keeping the music aside, other things that got me interested into them were bikes and hollywood flicks. Not just the interests, but I've known myself better as a person through my freinds. Needless to say, I've made so many friends all these four years (from both my college and others, through similar intersts of heavy metal and bikes), and I'm sure gonna miss the group (our group) of four-penguins-from-Madagascar. :D But we'll stay in touch.

And things to regret? There are two I can think of! One being not giving time to guitar of what someone passionate about the same should have given, the other again is better left unsaid.

Here's the pic of our batch from the last day in college:

There's so much to write but time limits it all. May be in the coming post.

See ya!

PS: For those who are crazy about music, I came across this website http://www.last.fm which is a place to share your music interests. What one hears at home from his/her media player gets updated there as a list. One can see what are the other bands that are similar to what one hears, recieve/recommend music form/to others. It's a good place to discover new bands and research them deep, down under. :D Here in the blog, below the shoutbox are my most heard bands and songs with the link to my last.fm profile.

Yet another confession!

2006-03-26T11:22:00.000-08:00

I've been so busy in the past few years that I almost forgot the friends I used to have when I was in school. Or I should say I pretended to be so busy. I could have had taken time off my college things to meet them when they were back in town. I did so when I was in my first year but never after the same.

I didn't go, visit one of my best friends when he got badly injured in an accident. Instead, I called. I didn't try contacting any one of them for last 2 and half years. It's now that I realize I was so mean all these 2 years that I almost forgot who my first bunch of friends were and now I admit it was a big mistake.

I met two of my closest pals in school times today and I really had a nice time with them remembering things we did during school days, talking about the 2 and half years that have gone by since we met. So many things have changed. Everyone's now far, at distant places enrolled in different courses.

And now when I've met two of my closest pals, I miss them all. I miss those school days. Though we spoke today, we all weren't that satisfied with how our school life was but yeah the fun days, remembering each and every moment of the past made me feel like it wasn't too bad either. And now I swear, I'm going to stay in touch with 'em all and contact all those I have contact numbers of. Not to forget, orkut's a savior too to bring some of my classmates back in touch.

It's high time that I study for exams now for the semester exams start from 12th of May. The submissions are on and I'm half-dead under the load of the final year project and the submissions. And then would come the time for exams. So I should better study.

See ya!

PS: YES! I touched 120 Km/hr on my Honda Unicorn today. I had to incline myself aerodynamically, streamline myself so that there's no body-resistance to air at this high speed and I watched the Speedo touch 120! :D

40 Chilling Kilometers!

2006-03-16T11:40:00.000-08:00

It's again been long since I posted a new entry. Seems like I have a reason to write again because it's something I want to have as memoirs. The college days are about to end and I'm having fun at the extreme, studies still seem far because I'm not yet in a mood to start the same.

Today was good, so damn good. I've never mentioned my new found love for biking here at my blog I guess. These days I just love long drives and today was the day I had fun with the same - in the morning, from Dewas (my hometown) to Indore and then back to Dewas - a total of around 100+ kilometers and most of the time we were 90+ km/hr which was so thrilling. The top-speed I've touched on my bike is 105-107 Km/hr, and I know that it’s too bad that it can't cross 110.

And then we (me and my fellow biker friend) decided to leave for the centre-point of Indore-Dewas Highway at around 10 PM on our bikes. We left for the same at 10:15 PM. The night was chilly, so damn chilly. We didn't take helmets, jackets, not even gloves and headed straight for this ‘centre-point’ place. This though was risky but it sure was a thrill. We stopped at this center-point end and had tea at Reliance's A1 Plaza. It was too cold outside. I tried practicing wheelies there like always but couldn’t actually work out well. A1 Plaza is one heck of a place to try bike-stunts! We returned back at around 11:35 PM. Driving in a chilly night is fun! Though the trip was short but it sure was thrilling.

After the exams end, we plan for a long trip - to Bhopal by bikes, and then to Pachmarhi by bus from Bhopal or just a trip to Ujjain by bikes. Now I just pray this works out. The exams end around 5th May and rumors say that my joining date for TCS is near: expected around 20th May. God knows!

Today was just so perfect. Someone said these lines right:

Only a biker knows why a dog sticks his head out of the car window. And Faster, faster till the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death. Four wheels drive a body, two wheels drive a soul.

See ya! :D

Erase someone / memories?

2006-02-23T10:21:00.000-08:00

Erase someone / memories? I never thought I would have to do this thing ever, deliberately. But I had to, for it all was my fault (Shit Happens!). I'm back from Bhopal and I feel lively and free of frustration, not at all disturbed with the things I was caught up with when I left for the same.

And the cure? I screamed like hell twice at this very lonely part of this large lake in Bhopal. One outburst after those two screams and I knew it was over. The memories are now buried, deep down that lonely part of the large lake. Voila! They no more haunt me.

While I was speaking of the same with a friend of mine I was informed of his way to let it all out - kicking football in one empty room for about an hour till the memories were gone.

And just some days back I saw this flick - 'The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' which now I think REALLY makes sense. Only if someone would erase someone / something they knew!

Have you done this ever? If yes, in what way?

PS: Not to forget the guitar I played all day. :D

The Unnamed Feeling

2006-02-21T00:38:00.000-08:00

Right now I'm leaving for Bhopal because I BADLY need a change, and so thought I'd post and update my blog as well (for a change?). No, this is not what I wrote (it's a song 'the unnamed feeling' by Metallica). This is just how I feel right now for some reason that I was away from the blogworld. But I'm back and I BADLY need a change. See ya!

Been here before couldn't say I liked it
Do I start writing this down?
Just let me plug you into my world
Can't you help me be uncrazy?
Name this for me, heat the cold air
Take the chill off of my life
And if I could I'd turn my eyes
To look and see what's comin'
It comes alive, It comes alive, It comes alive
And I die a little more
It comes alive, It comes alive, It comes alive
Each moment here I die a little more
Then the unnamed feeling
It comes alive
The the unnamed feeling
Takes me away

I'm frantic in your soothing arms
I can not sleep in this down filled world
I've found safety in this loneliness
But I can not stand it anymore
Cross my heart hope not to die
Swallow evil, ride the sky
Lose myself in a crowded room
You fool, you fool, it will be here soon
It comes alive, It coems alive, It comes alive
And I die a little more

It comes alive, It comes alive, It comes A-live
Each moment And I die a little more

Then the unnamed feeling
It comes alive
The the unnamed feeling
Treats me this way
And I wait for this train
My toes are over the line
And then the unnamed feeling
Takes me away

Get the fuck out of here
I just wanna get the fuck away fromMe
I rage, I glaze, I hurt, I hate
I hate it all, why? Why? Why me?
I cannot sleep with a head like this
I wanna cry, I wanna scream
I rage, I glaze, I hurt, I hate
I wanna hate it all away

Happy New Year 2006

2006-01-02T09:23:00.000-08:00

Here's wishing everyone a Very Happy New Year. :)

Now here's something about how the last year was for me. Good, I'll say but then at the end it still seemed a waste for me for some reason. But now when I recall I don't really think it was waste like it seemed to me the time I was returning back home at around 2 AM.

Some of the good things that happened were the recruitment to the very first company that visited the college for recruiting students in their very 3rd year, my aggregate crossing 70, exploring heavy metal and the genres more and more, going back to the guitar classes, the hope of still having a heavy metal band of my own, a brand new bike, a broadband connection (which still hasn't been plugged in here but I've requested for it anyway), suspension from a faculty's class for next 4 days (not just me, there are 31 more guys) and not to forget - a brand new blog! And I know I have missed many things that happened that I still can't recall, and some deliberately.

Now the things to look forward to, in the coming year:

Keep on learning guitar, and thistime learning it well.
Form a heavy metal band and then play in the next Campus Rock Idols or any other college level competition.
Complete the final year project anyhow, and complete it well.
Have a decent engineering aggregate on my degree. Thankgod it's very decent as of now.
Give walkins for other of my dream companies except the one I'm already recruited to.
Look forward to CAT 2006 [I still am sceptic about the work-ex factor].
No more wait.. ask her out before things get worse for myself.

I donno why but this song (Stop Crying Your Heart Out) by Oasis is on my mind right now which has this beautiful lyrics, which I believe fits best for this entry and myself:

"Hold up... hold on... don't be scared
You'll never change what's been and gone
May your smile... Shine on...
Don't be scared Your destiny may keep you warm.

Cos all of the stars are fading away
Just try not to worry you'll see them some day
Take what you need and be on your way
And stop crying your heart out

Get up... Come on... why you scared
You'll never change what's been and gone"

Have a sparkling year ahead. :D

This post cost me 2 attendances!

2005-12-20T10:12:00.000-08:00

I had to wait for so long to get a chance to post a new entry here. Now that I'm blessed with this chance let me inform you all that this chance comes at the price of two lectures that I've missed today and while these lectures are on, I'm sitting in this room (B-104) and writing this entry. And it sucks to miss two attendances in these gem days when college just begins because later you just feel proud that you can bunk the lectures at any time when you've collected this decent amount of attendence on your side.

Life right now seems peachy for there's some good news pouring in. I'm back to my guitar classes and the hope of having a band is still alive. Also if lady luck favors me, I'll soon have a new guitar of my own.

The RTO papers for my new bike should be reaching home in the coming 2-3 days which means I have the permission to take it away to Indore, thankgod the bus days are now gone. Also, if the lady luck favors - I'm gonna get a braodband connection which will mark the end of the long dial-up early-man era of internet connectivity.

It's been a month that we haven't even touched on our final year project. We need to start that soon or we'll get our butts kicked by this faculty (VJ) - the same person who didn't let us come in today because we were 30 minutes late for this 2 hour lecture he's delivering now. Plus, the college crap is still on with my personal life at stake for the coming two months.

And finally, recently IBM was here for the WSAD (WebSphere Studio Application Development) certification for which we had training for three days followed by an exam which one needs to clear to be WSAD certified and I was the one of the lucky ones who cleared it. Thankgod again!

More later! It's only 10:10 AM right now.Still 50 more minutes to spare during which I'll download some videos from hdpvidz! :D

Tagged!

2005-11-28T00:11:00.000-08:00

I was tagged by Shikha. Now I'm supposed to write 20 points about myself. I guess I'll know myself better once I'm done with this. Here's the 20 something stuff I can remember about myself.

1. I'm a true Cancerian. The points below probably will prove the same.

2. I'm emotional, intuitive and moody to some extent. Cautious, and thoughtful, hesitant until I know people well, and then affectionate and caring.

3. I love going out only when there's some good company or bunch of my friends otherwise being back home is the best thing.

4. I can't imagine my life without: My parents and sis, friends, my new bike, Heavy Metal, and my PC.

5. I'm obsessed about Heavy Metal. It's something I can relate my life with. Phil Anselmo of Pantera quoted it right that this form of music is the best way to let out any bit of steam. Having heard many bands under this genre and its sub-genres, I still worship Metallica. I love genre bashing and I know it sounds odd for some, but Heavy Metal is the best music/genre ever created.

6. I love my new bike (Honda Unicorn) that I brought today - thanks to my semester result.

7. I still confess and feel guilty about something that I blundered when I was in 11th standard.

8. My life witnessed a big change when I switched into the 5th semester, those who know me close know it all.

9. I've never believed in love at first sight. But someone now has made me believe in the love at second, third or any of the successive sights. But I'm still so sceptic, do you call it love? :D

10. I can express myself well on any issue by writing, rather than speaking on it. I've been told so many times that I think so much - that one shouldn't worry so much about the consequences of when things get screwed but I can't help it at times, you need to get out of the shit and I'm thinking of a good solution god damn it!

11. Something I realized lately - I love decorating the walls of my room with graffity. That's the reason the wall behind me is full with band names, lyrics excerpts, the genre charts, logos and their number increases in every 4-5 days.

12. I am one of those who keeps saying 'let the bygones be bygones' while remembering the past and regretting things done at the same time. I guess it helps me not to do the same things again.

13. My friends use the label 'voracious' before my nick to describe my appetite. I can't resist bakery items, coffees. I'm a non-vegie!

14. I'm pretty bad at remembering dates because I rely on the software (that I made on my own) to remind me the same. But yeah, I've observed that I've never had a problem remembering the b'days for those I feel are close to me.

15. I've screwed so many things so many times with conclusion as my life being screwed at the end of the day. The CAT disaster just proved this point. Also I got screwed after the insane decision I took when the last semester was just to end. Thankfully, things are coming back to normal now.

16. This may sound silly but I have fear of two things: One being the gas cylinders (which would burst the moment I go near to them) , and the other being of ceiling fans - I can't sleep with a ceiling fan rotating that just has my face under it's centre.

17. I dislike people who habitually pretend to be something they are not.

18. I find myself comfortable wearing t-shirts and jeans plus a skull-cap or winter-cap (occasionally). Except the normal tees you see, I am mad about the metal band t-shirts which come in black. The unfortunate thing being, I don't get these in Indore.

19. Something I'd love to learn well if given a chance: Guitar and Dance (read Salsa/Tango).

20. Two things I'd ask for if God was here to give 'em away: That someone, and my own heavy metal band!

I still feel there are so many things missed, left out about myself that I can't recall. As per tradition, I tag Diabolic Angel, Amiya, Prashant, Neha, Anshul, Arathi, Harini, Neelima. :D

Campus Rock Idols 2005, Indore

2005-11-14T00:58:00.000-08:00

Rock Idols 2005
Indore Regionals
Venue: Basketball Complex

5:00 PM was the time the show was to start, but it started late at around 6:30 PM. Vayu was to headline the show. I read in the newspaper here that there are in total 6 bands that will compete for the regionals - three from Indore, two from Bhopal and one from Nagpur. Knowing this, I was sure that the band from Nagpur is System House 33 which won the last time in Indore. No wonder that they see this place as lucky and less competitive and indeed it turned out to be the same what I thought. Unanimously, they won.

The show started with the band "Who am I" from Bhopal which played Knocking On Heavens Door by G'n'R, It's My Life by Bon Jovi and an original composition. The vocalist wore an Iron Maiden tee and seemed inspired by them. They also seemed like they will cover any Maiden track, but no. Indore isn't a place you get to see bands like Maiden being covered. Although, last time Diet Smoke from IIM Indore covered Wasting Love by Maiden.

The second band to play was some band whose name I don't remember. The name had some 'PC' thing in it for which the vocalist cleared that the band has nothing to do with personal computers. It sucked. They covered 'Larger than life' by Backstreet Boys, and played some original composition which they called 'Assembled PC' which sucked, badly. Covering Backstreet Boys? Are you nuts? While some in the Indori crowd loved it, some who thought it sucked (which indeed it did) threw crumpled papers on the band. It was sure these guys aren't going to win.

The third band to perform was 'Inferno' from Bhopal. They played an AC-DC cover followed by My sacrifice (Creed Cover) and an original composition. Considering that they were new to Rock Idols, and are bunch of guys from some school, they played really well.

The fouth band was 'The Tripwire' from Indore. It had a female, and a male vocalist. They covered Avril Lavigne's Complicated, an original composition, and one more song. The presence and appearance: the vocalist was in a 'Slayer' t-shirt and they played something what the new generation calls punk. What else could be more disappointing? Holy crap. But then they still were better than the 'Larger than life' band.

The fifth band was 'Radioactivity'. These guys performed much better than the last time. A grunge band as they are, they covered Three Doors Down, Puddle of Mudd, and perfomred an original composition. Overall, were much better than all the other bands which performed till now and looked like they will be the runners up if System House 33 performed the way they did last time.

The sixth and final band was 'System House 33'. I rushed in for the front row and luckily got a space to stand there because I knew next 20 minutes were going to be heavy, the moment I was waiting for. They started their set off with a Pantera cover 'I'm Broken' which was awesome. They have really improved as a band from the last time. The solo was really covered well (in case of I'm Broken) and I can't remember much about their stage presence because I was busy banging my head for their entire set. Then they played 'One Eyed Monster', their original composition, then another track, and then ended the set with a nu-metal track - Korn's Blind which again was covered well. I loved their original compositions (I guess they played two) too, some really heavy songs to bang your head on. This was the only band that covered some quality music in my opinion.

Then was the time for the headlining act - Vayu. And man, they really played it well. I'm not a big classic rock fan but I loved their set. They played Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors and their original compositions of which I liked the song named 'Tonight'. Ravi Iyer is one hell of a guitarist. He gave smashing solos on all of these songs. 2Blue was great on vocals. Overall a great set, the best thing about them being the Ravi Iyer's solos. I loved it.

The disappointing thing was that the Indori crowd was still chanting for Linkin Park, Bryan Adams, asking Vayu and the other bands to cover them. Thankfully, they didn't. And man! You have so many mallcore kids here in Indore, so many LP fans. Holy crap again!

The only two acts of my interest were System House 33 (because they generally cover Pantera some other thrash bands) and Vayu because they are such a big name and I wanted to see 'em live, and they really proved it at the end of the day of what they are. A great show! The only band that sucked was that 'Larger Than Life' band. I don't like this new punk rock but then it's Indore, people here love Linkin Park, Bryan Adams, Puddle of Mudd, Avril Lavigne, and similar bands.

The best thing for me about the show was the Pantera cover by System House 33 and their originals. And the Vayu set of course.

The conclusion - System House 33 were declared as the winners. Radioactivity as the runners-up, and The TripWire as the second runners-up. Vayu were great as ever, and the response from Indore crowd was indeed good!

Good luck System House 33 for the show at Chandigarh. Also, to Radioactivity, the best band from Indore in this show.

And all you delhites, I envy you for the reason that Prestorika is headlining the Rock Idols 'Delhi'. Prestorka - Megadeth, Metallica, Maiden covers plus Prestorika's original compositions - may be some songs from their new album. I'll miss 'em all.

Rock On!

Flitting Thoughts II

2005-11-10T03:41:00.000-08:00

During exams I thought I'll not be able to post regularly on the blog. What happened was the other way - I posted entries regularly after every paper. During exams I thought I'll post regularly once the exams are over. What's happened is that it has been 7 days since I'm done with the exam, and the long due post is coming late. Things sure go this way at times, contradictory to what one thinks.

It's high time! It's CAT time. The Prac CAT-9 I had on last Sunday went really well and brought back the hope. Since then I've been regular to the daily sectional tests we (me and bunch of my friends) give on a daily basis. The improving scores are bringing back the hope that I lost when the exams were on and I couldn't study a single word for those 20-25 days.

Two good news! Campus Rock Idols is on 12th November, a day before we have the Prac-CAT 10. A gig before an exam is always refreshing. It's something any metal junkie living in Indore can't think to miss out. Another good news being the plan to invite Indian bands for a rock fest for our college. Things have just been initiated. Will the plans be ruined or be actuated is left for the time to come. I'll join in this process after I'm done with my management entrance tests.

Campus Rock Idols is in Delhi on 19th November. Anyone knows about the venue the gig will take place, and the outlets/places in Delhi one can get the passes from? If you have any clue regarding the same, please post it out as a comment.

There's this 'between the devil and the deep sea" situation I'm into these days. I have no clue what to do. I'm all tangled, screwed and pissed about something. The only thing helping me forget about this mess I'm into is the CAT preparation. I dont know what to do. Still hoping I'll get out of this thing soon. Martin Luther King rightly said: The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in the moments of comfort but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. I'm missing those eyes badly. I can't help it. :(

But then, it's CAT time. I should be getting back to the books and tests! :D

See ya!

4 Down 0 to Go!

2005-10-26T05:36:00.000-07:00

The theory spree has finally ended. The only part that still remains to be conquered is the viva-one that start from today.

The last exam, SSP (Server Side Programming - JSP, Servlets) kind of went well. Two days before the paper we received news, rather rumor that the paper is sure to contain two questions - to design and implement a Math tutor web application, and a Hospital management web application. The reason why we didn't consider it as baseless was that the other section had a teacher who couldn't complete the course in due time and our section was taught by one of the best Java faculties in town and our college, Ms. R.K. Now one thing peculiar about this lady is, she can make you slog heavily for exams just because she's infamous for giving assignments regularly that NEED to be submitted on time and you can't help it - you HAVE to do them on your own and submit them. She's also infamous for the exam papers that are kind of a summary to the course, and that contain a 40 marks compulsory question on application development. And hence, you don't have a chance of leaving any part because that, if done may turn out to be suicidal at the end of the day.

We made that math tutor application taking the help of a friend, understood the structure and were ready, almost confident that it's sure to come because the other class hasn't been taught much at this level and hence their teacher can give them a clue on what should be done at the last time to just pass. Hearsay, as it all turned out at the 11th hour. The paper had a strange application that needed to be programmed at the real time. I could complete about 80% of it and I'm glad about the 80% part because I couldn't have done any better.

But this faculty that taught us SSP should be credited for how she made us work like dogs. The other section couldn’t attempt the paper in its entirety.

Two days back, I heard my mom talking to our servant's daughter while she was teaching her. Mom asked her, how did her exam go? She told that teachers asked them to open up the books and then attempt the exam because this time the copies are to be sent to an administrative department that will check of how the government school she's in is functioning and how much have the poor students benefited by the same. That's the way the government schools are, here in MP. I know two more similar instances where government school teachers, for their sake, of job asked out the students to cheat, or wrote up the answers on board and asked students to copy them. Why do the government teachers here do it this way? That’s because if they don’t, they are going to lose the job when an evaluation regarding them is done. This is how the system here in government school works. Seeing the things this way, I wonder how would India be if we have every teacher like Ms. R.K. :D

For those like me, who love deadlines and detest studies the life would have been miserable. I respect that lady for how she made us work for exams and the subject. Had I been in another section, the paper would have turned out to be a fatal one for me.

That marks the end of the theory exams. The vivas start from today. Being done with theory exams, cracking vivas aren’t a big thing.

We've witnessed the warring guns, and so this too shall pass. :D

See ya!

3 Down 1 to Go!

2005-10-22T01:42:00.000-07:00

YES! That looks like being on the verge of an exodus. :D

The paper I had today [21st Oct] (Object Oriented Analysis and Design) went well as I could complete every question in its entirety, with a hope that all what I wrote was right of course. You won't believe it again but I heard that dog howling for a minute this time before a day of the paper.

This subject is an eye opener. We, the students of IET-DAVV are fortunate to have it in our curriculum. I don't think any of the other colleges in MP has it in its curriculum.

I'm all tired of giving exams. The last theory exam left is on 25th and that will mark the end of the theory spree, with vivas starting the very next day.

Plus, I received some good piece of information today. I can't wait for the day on which I have the first viva. :D

See ya!

2 Down 2 To Go!

2005-10-19T07:24:00.000-07:00

Kill, Kill, Kill, KILL!

The one I had today went okay. I was so skeptic about the paper, but it kind of went okay. The questions needed to be answered with so much explanation. But still, I was screwed in some parts of the paper. It was kind of hard to brief down the answers and hence I couldn’t attempt the last question in its entirety.

Last night was sleepless. Besides slogging heavily for the final revision of the second worst computer book named "Multimedia", we had fun making videos. We shot the graffiti that I inscribed on the walls few days back with the band logos, lyrics excerpts, metal quotes, and so much more! The clip denigrating the subject multimedia, how can one forget the same? And the pic sessions! I'm gonna upload the clips soon, esp the graffiti one and the one denigrating the subject. :D

You won't believe but that dog again howled yesterday. No, this isn't a joke. The outcome - the paper went okay. :D

Sharon of Within Temptation:

Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil:

I'm nuts about these 2 ladies that rule the gothic scene - Cristina Scabbia of 'Lacuna Coil' and Sharon Den Adel of 'Within Temptation'. I literally worship Cristina Scabbia, the most beautiful female in the entire metal scene, and the one blessed with awesome vocals. I still don't have her posters :( I'm going to give the wallpapers for processing at the photo lab once the exams get over. By the way, anyone of you knows if Planet M has such stuff in Del or any metropolis?

I can only help in spreading the word. If possible then give 'em a try. For those who admire Evanescence I can bet that these two bands are much much MUCH more technical and better than Evanescence. Trust me! That's a personal opinion though - They're better, just because they are metal bands *satanic smile* :D

See ya!

1 Down 3 to Go!

2005-10-14T22:56:00.000-07:00

Yeah, 1 down 3 to go! And the one I gave today is something I can hope to pass comfortably. :D

I didn't expect them to ask us questions that would involve so much of reasoning from what all we had to study at the deadline. I was expecting concrete questions that can be targeted right at the core, but surprisingly most of the questions were the ones that could only be tackled using a pragmatic approach. I think I did them all right, except one. I couldn't have done anything better.

Last night was almost sleepless. I studied till 3 AM doing revision after revision under the background euphony (yea, euphony because everything went well) by some dog howling outside for quite sometime. They say a howling dog brings bad luck! Oh if it does then why not call others and let them hear that howling noise and share the bad-luck as well! That was funny when we called and forced a friend to hear that howling sound. But that howling dog brought me luck. I could crack the paper easily. The best I can do now is tame that dog and make it howl during all my exams. :D

The next one is Multimedia and I’m so sanguine about it, it’s going to go well. Eradication Instinct, Kill Multimedia! :D

The only reason why I want to finish the exams fast and well - I have something better to do once the exams are over! :D

It’s sad that I’m not getting time to read new blogs, visit friends’ blog pages. I don’t think I’ll get enough time to do the same till the exams are on. :(

And Yes! Thanks for wishing me luck. :)

See ya!

PS: No, I'm not superstitious. :D

--------------------------------------------

Word of the Day:

in medias res

[Latin]

Pronunciation: (in me'di-äs" res'; Eng. in mē'dē-us" rēz', in mā'dē-äs" rās')

- in the middle of things.

Synonym: amidst, amongst.

Time to Slog!

2005-10-05T04:35:00.000-07:00

The time has come when one regrets his love for deadlines. No doubt, it's time for exams. With the dates for the 7th semester exams declared, the CAT preparation has fallen to zero since last few days. I started keeping my nose to the grindstone from yesterday starting with the academic books. With the way things are going, the course is kind of certain to complete in time in a break-even way.

The exam schedule is:

14th October: Software Engineering
18th October: Multimedia
21st October: Object Oriented Analysis and Design
25th October: Server Side Programming with JSP

And then the vivas and the external submissions are to be scheduled from 26th to 31st. So, the good news - the course will complete in time. The bad news - Someone again is haunting me! :( I don't feel like studying for exams.

I have no clue if I'll be able to post any entry amidst the exams. But I'll definitely try to. So, wish me luck! :D

See ya!

The exam is perhaps the only time when you hate yourself for loving deadlines.

------------------------

Word of the Day:

trudge

A long difficult walk,
Walk heavily and firmly, as when weary, or through mud
To walk or proceed draggingly, slowly

Synonym: pad, footslog.

Markets, Markets!

2005-09-21T22:46:00.001-07:00

Taking into account the preparation for the college academics, the college exams seem at a stake. Time's come when everyone needs to mug up the theory part because the semester exams start around 11th October. The CAT preparation has now stagnated - I'm only able to give one sectional test daily. That's all I can do now, semester exams are so close :( Also, the dates for our Final year Project's formal presentation are announced. Last day we had to work up hard for the data collection and parsing data part of the project - to read the CSV (Comma Separated Values) from the stock data we had.

The project we're working on is a research based project under 'Computational Finance'. People in the stock market make predictions on two basis i.e. there exist two views on which they predict the future trend - one being the fundamental analysis, and the other being technical analysis. Fundamental analysis uses the assets of the company, its profits, new deals, contracts, the fiscal data of the recent quarters and other such fundamental data as the basis of the prediction of the future trend for that company's stock. Technical analysis on the other hand uses the historical data, charts, graphs, peaks, patterns and data representation methods to come to a conclusion about how's that particular stock is going to perform in the coming time. Our project deals with the latter analysis method - the technical one. Our aim is to aid the investors, brokers and people associated with stock markets using technical analysis. That would involve the recognition of different patterns that form in the charts when the stock value is plotted against time, using other details such as volume to identify what path is the stock going to follow in the future.

What we've finished is the feasibility analysis of the project. Last day we worked out to read the CSV values of a company's stock, and tried making a graph from the same. What now remains is the application of the basic principle of technical analysis - identifying the ‘uptrends’, the ‘downtrends’ and the points to sell or buy a particular security. After this part is over, we'll have to work out for identification of numerous other patterns that exist in charting of stocks. This part may extend to the next semester we have. We need to submit the SRS(Software Requirements and Specifications) in few days that has the use case analysis and the sequence diagrams along with the problem domain, requirements, feasibility, the system domain and other stuff. The technical analysis will be available to the user through a web interface. And hence the application makes use of JSP, servlets, beans (as of now), A.I. later for the predictions from the patterns identifies, so that we can provide inferences to the users that use it.

What's so special about this project is the topic under which it falls - 'Computational Finance'. And what’s even more interesting is the topic of Stock Market - something that's fascinating me since last few months I've started to follow it. With the sensex now breaking 8500 mark, on an all time high the market is still volatile. But Indian companies listed on BSE are on a 'high!' (Not considering the petty stocks). What most people get befooled by during this time are the petty stocks which have their values increased with the overall bull run of the market. There have been fewer corrections as of now. But how long can one stay in when everyone's been warning about the volatility of the market? The day the profit booking (people selling their shares for profits) starts, the sensex is bound to fall. But on the other hand, the FII's are keeping the spirit of the Bull Run alive. And this impact has been massive considering the fact that even the 7/7 London Bombings news and the Mumbai's rain deluge couldn't dispirit the bullish trend (uptrend).

But what's going to follow is still a big question for all. You don't have to wait or worry much; I'll have the software ready in few months to help all those who follow stock markets. :D

-----------

Here's the Delhi trip update. Everything's cancelled. I've cancelled the reservation tickets for the trip. The plans have been ruined because we have the Final Year Project presentation clashing with the days we chose to visit Delhi, and also there's so much to submit in the coming days. Seems like everything is conspiring against rock. Rather, everything is conspiring against my life. Talk about my preparation for semester exams, my not so good results of mock CATs, the abating CAT prep when no other college has exams scheduled in November and we're the only scapegoats, the cancellation of the Delhi trip, and my personal life - nothing seems to work the good way.

And something I've learnt today: Never deprive anyone of hope, it may be all they have. Also, never have too much expectations about or from anything/anybody, never day dream too much because it hurts the most when the plans collapse.

----------------------
Word/Term of the Day:

Break-Even Point:
The break-even point in any business is that point at which the volume of sales or revenues exactly equals total expenses -- the point at which there is neither a profit nor loss -- under varying levels of activity.

Usage: A salary of around 16000 per month in Delhi or Mumbai is just break-even.

Blitzkrieg!

2005-09-16T00:04:00.000-07:00

This is a short update on the fest I've always been looking forward to attend..

Blitzkrieg - the IIT-D rockfest and thanks to my parents for permitting me to attend the fest on 25th and then tour Delhi on 26th despite the fact that the exams are at the striking distance from the show. I'm so damn excited about the show - and the full 6- hours of headbanging!

I'll leave for Delhi on 24th. 25th's the day I'll share my music collection with some IIT friends and get the live gigs and album collection from there, then attend the rockfest on 25th. The next day is reserved for the "Dilli Darshan" - visiting the prime and happening places in Delhi, now that needs a research. If you're from Delhi, or know about the happening places in Delhi and visiting this blog, name some in comments :D

I just realized, last few blog entries were so "rock inclined". From the next post, I'll definitely write on the topics I've been thinking for long, keeping my rock obsession aside. There's an update on I-Rock. The cancelled show will be held on 1st and 2nd of October and more information can be checked out at the link below:

http://gigpad.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=609

C ya!

I-Rock Cancelled!

2005-09-05T23:54:00.000-07:00

I'm in a state of dismay right now. I'm so dishearted. I sound stupid but I don't know why I am so attached with this thing.

I-Rock got cancelled on 3rd of September for no good reason. Now why was it cancelled? Here's the link below you SHOULD read and comment, if you have any thoughts on the same:

http://geocities.com/metalhead_ind/irock.htm

And the most important thing being - please, please spread this word. Let everyone know about this and be aware of what happened. It's not a petty issue. Mail this thing to as many people as you can. It's a request, and I hope you won't let me down. What just happened in Mumbai was so unfortunate for many.

Thanks,

Harpreet!

Air Guitars, Air Drums!

2005-09-01T00:20:00.000-07:00

I don't know how to play guitar like them, but I can act well. And yes! I can experience that emotion of playing it on stage thrashing myself.

Air Guitar! Almost every one of us has played it once. But what are air guitars? For those uninitiated, it is an imaginary guitar that a person pretends to play as if it were an actual guitar. And air guitaring is the act of playing an air guitar, usually in such a way that the person appears to be playing a solo. Imagine! The right hand holding an invisible guitar pic plucking, the left hand sliding on imaginary strings, and the body swaying, thrashing to the heavy metal music being played in the background. And it’s nice to see, that I am not the only one of one of the few doing it.

I admit I've been insane doing it at some weird times - when I'm crossing the road, during the lecture, when I'm with my friends and there's a song running in my head. But I never knew 'Air-Guitaring' was so popular. Few minutes back I was reading TOI, and I was surprised to check the news on the 'Air-Guitar World Championship' organized at Oulu, Finland. Good to see that it wasn't a small but a world-class event featuring participants from different parts of the world - The Netherlands, France, Japan, Australia, Finland. No doubt, its a great event for poor souls like me who never had a good chance to learn guitar, but who really live the rock and heavy metal dream. I wish I was there to show my air guitar skills. :D

And it isn't just the air guitar that one can play this way. You've got the drums too. Air Drums! Drumming in the air, the act of drumming imaginary drums. I can't help it, I do this so many times a day - Drumming the desk while the lecture is on, and when there's so such platform as desk you have the air anyway. But I'm not sure whether there's some similar world-class event that covers air drumming as well. Also, there exist air-keyboards.

I've finally been able to rip the DVD (fortunately clear) that came along with the St. Anger CD. The DVD features Metallica rehearsing for the 11 songs in the album, and it’s a kick ass DVD! St. Anger is a must buy. Sad that the album features no solos but yeah, the heavy and exploding riffs make it sound damn well. No wonder why they got a Grammy for the same in the year 2003.

Oh! And there's good news for the residents of Mumbai, and those living near by. The Mumbai's iconic festival 'I-Rock' is finalized and so are the bands. Here's a request if you're into rock and you're free on September 3 and 4. Make sure you're there at The Gateway on September 3 and 4. The show starts at 6:30 PM and tickets are available at Rhythm House (Kala Ghoda) and Hiro Music (Hill Road, Bandra). Help them make this event a big success. The bands featured - Pretorika, Sledge, Zero, Helga's Funk Castle, Vertigo, etc. Sledge and Prestorika are two of the many Indian bands I'm dying to witness play them live. Sledge is well known for its 'Selpultura' covers, and Prestorika! They were the winners of Rock Idols last year. Poor me! I'm still unlucky when it comes to such mega events. But make sure, you're there. :)

Rock On!

-------------------------------

Word of the Day:

perfidious

Pronunciation: (pur-fid'ē-us)

—adj. deliberately faithless; treacherous; deceitful: a perfidious lover.

Flitting Thoughts

2005-08-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

I'm back to the blog world! Last few days were somehow unordinary, which kept me preoccupied. I had my internal tests in college, which went okay. The college authority abruptly turned strict this time which was a big surprise for all.

I wasn't allowed to attend the last internal of 'Multimedia' because I was short of attendance in that subject. I gave my reason and offered them my 'medical' as a proof for my absence for about 3-4 days, but they said they'll see the performance in next internals and I shouldn't worry. I wasn't really worried by the way. I also missed CT 05 at PT because I wasn't well, also some classes for the same reason and now I have enough material piled up on my desk to complete before Monday.

Also, classes at college begin from Monday again after a long 9 day break. This 9 day break was a relief. I needed change from the college classes. This 8 AM to 11 PM schedule is damn hectic. And so I decided to visit Bhopal with one of my friends. I was there for 2 days, and it was fun visiting places there. I seriously needed a break. The moment I stepped in home from Bhopal, the only thing I could smell was 'studies' - The assignments of SSP, and the PT material. Though SSP is still pending, I've started with the missed PT material of the time I wasn't well. The preparation is going okay, if not so well.

I finished 3 books in the meantime, and two of them were really good - One being 'The Celestine Prophecy' which is worth reading. A small book - great philosophy, a bit inclined towards spirituality. The second one is so common; almost everyone has read it - the very thin book on change - 'Who Moved My Cheese' - a great story with great insights! The third I read was a light M&B book during the journey to Bhopal.

I have nothing good to write right now. Something sure is haunting me since last few days, distracting me from studies and the daily plan. I know the thing, I know the solution. I’m just so curious, is it going to work on Monday? Someone rightly said: “The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.”

----------------------------

Word of the Day:

Diaspora

Pronunciation: (dī-as'pur-u)

—n.

the scattering of the Jews to countries outside of Palestine after the Babylonian captivity.
(often l.c.) the body of Jews living in countries outside Palestine or modern Israel.
such countries collectively: the return of the Jews from the Diaspora.
(l.c.) any group migration or flight from a country or region; dispersion.
(l.c.) any group that has been dispersed outside its traditional homeland.
(l.c.) any religious group living as a minority among people of the prevailing religion.

2005-07-27T13:15:00.000-07:00

He picked up a guitar in his school days thinking he would be a rock star some day. He grew up watching Zakk Wylde, Ozzy Osbourne, James Hetfield, and many other rock icons. But he's still surviving to play in his own country. The dream of being a rock star may just end as a dream before he gives up his guitar to the situations he’s living life in.

-----------------------------

Bhayanak Maut.

No, the title above isn't a C-grade Hindi Horror Movie, but our own - India's Heavy Metal band. You may laugh when you see the band name above but then you may change the idea once you know about the conditions under which these bands are forced to survive.

I saw several Pakistan rock bands' videos and live footage in my friend's music collection, some four-five days back. I thought I'd search and find some good live videos of our own Indian bands on P2P networks but alas, I couldn't find a single one. Videos and live footage (bootlegs, and not the DVDs that bands release) on P2P are somewhat legal.

I searched through the websites http://www.rsjonline.com/ and http://www.gigpad.com/ and was stunned to read the interviews, and the profiles of these bands. Many are in grief about no one sponsoring them, no record company accepting them to get an album out. Though some radio stations do air their songs, there are many who still fear to air them. And the channels, you probably know all about it - have you seen MTV, Channel V play them? No.

The bands that rock GIR every year in Delhi, who rock different rock fests every year, and bang thousands Indian heads are in a state of dismay. Bands like Demonic Resurrection, BM, Pin Drop Violence, System House 33, Prestorika, Motherjane, Sledge... - the list is endless. Had they been a bunch of guys like "Band of Boys", or the guy who won at some competition named 'Indian Idol', the situation would have been altogether different. No, I'm not biased towards the rock culture or heavy metal and this post isn't meant to criticize pop culture or those associated with it. Heavy Metal - It is true, and everyone knows this genre is left untouched by many. The genre is underground. Perhaps, this is the reason there's no one to fund these bands, so that they can come out with albums of their own under good record names, play shows - here and abroad - the reason why no single music record company comes forward to sponsor the show these bands put up, just because there’s less money in the same as compared to other music streams.

The gig 'Campus Rock Idols' I witnessed last year and the scene when the pop junta threw bunch of crumpled papers on the band 'System House 33' that was playing on stage disheartened me. But the excitement returned when the same band was awarded as the Indore region winners. The winners of the final round in Mumbai were awarded with some decent amount of cash plus a promise of headlining the show when any world acclaimed celebrity comes to India for some show. The next celebrity was Sting. And worse, perhaps they were forced to present a show in front of the pop junta again. I wonder whether this band too faced crumpled papers or such stuff.

But some of them still are pleased the way things are. They are pleased in the state of being underground. They are pleased with a small Indian fan base.

Though this comes uninvited, but if you're one of those who's into rock music and haven't yet explored Indian bands, log on to http://www.rsjonline.com/bandlands/bandmp3.asp - the MP3s section and download the demos of several Indian bands. Some of them are much better than the bands abroad. Music companies should come forward to support these bands, who enough talent to play this game at an international level. All they need is support. Support the Indian Rock Movement, support Indian bands. Support them!

With a hope that things get better for the Indian bands in the time to come...

Long Live Indian Heavy Metal! Long Live Indian Bands! You Rock!

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peregrination

Pronunciation: (per"i-gru-nā'shun)

—n.

travel from one place to another, esp. on foot.
a course of travel; journey.

Synonyms: peregrination, traveling.

Usage: travel (especially by foot).

Tata Consultancy Services

2005-07-16T13:29:00.000-07:00

Tata Consultancy Services

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) would be the place I'd be in if I'm unable to bell CAT this year, or if I don't appear for any walk-ins after my graduation or even if I do, I don't get selected. No, this isn't a pessimistic view, its just a worst case analysis sorta thing. I realize now, I'm in love with TCS.

Ever since I got selected when TCS was first to visit our college for campus recruitment, and got to know about the company before, through the Pre-Placement talk and later at the 'Sparsh' meet at TCS - Mumbai, I was overwhelmed by this IT global giant. The Q1 results TCS just came up with are pretty decent. The recent news about TCS axing about 100 non-performers seems justified too. But I received different opinions when I told this news to my friends who are all set to join TCS next year.

I told them, that TCS just axed about 1000 non-performers that came as a result of the EVA scheme that TCS started using for the appraisal system an year and a half back. I received different opinions like, "you shouldn't tell such news to us. It feels disappointing that it kicked employees". No, it didn't kick employees, it kicked those who were non-performers and that's absolutely fine. Some days back I kind of predicted this thing (in a post) when I went through the Jack Welch autobiography, that TCS' condition is much like the GE's of 1980s when it comes to mass recruitment that TCS is on these days. Who knows they have one Jack Welch in who starts expelling non-performers? And it’s perfectly fine, the more you add up to the organization, the more you bring to your organization, the more you are rewarded. That's what EVA is, though I still need to read what that plan formally is. But I didn't like my friends telling me, such news is disappointing. No, its a sign, TCS is changing and such change is necessary. No industry likes non-performers. Non-performers should just not stay.

The other important thing I personally feel is, every new entrant should know the company in and out, he/she's about to join. That only happens when you stay in touch with all what happens with the company, the business stuff. I don't see people caring about such things. Ultimately you need to dissolve in the work culture of that organization later, and if you have enough information earlier that would only help you in climbing up the corporate ladder fast.

Meanwhile, the TCS' Q1 results were pretty decent, though still under expectations of the business community and the market people. The total income grows by 6.25% Q-on-Q, the net profits are up by 33.66%. TCS also has bagged another $100m deal from a US-based financial firm. Strategic partnership with China and the Joint Venture with Microsoft are other highlights for this Quarter. The revenues for this Quarter are Rs. 2721 crore up by 24.56% Y-on-Y and up by 6.25% Q-on-Q. There was a net addition of 2,690 employees in Q1. It added 69 new clients in this Quarter. The other big wins include - a leading Europe's bio-tech firm selected TCS for structure-based optimization solutions for drug discovery, and another Fortune 500 manufacturing company selected TCS' BPO for providing F&A services. The list is endless, no doubt it is India's largest software firm, and the top exporter. The Q1 results are somehow just better than Infy's.

Other big news today was the merger between Tata Infotech and TCS. Tata Infotech will soon be a part of TCS. The merger will provide TCS an expanded customer base and a deeper penetration in key geographies, and these customers will have access to the wider range of services offered by TCS, they say. Though the TCS stock fell down in last 2 days, such results are a sign of something good, that's yet to come.

I don't know where I'll be after a year. The life's unpredictable nature again comes into play. But wish you luck TCS! May you accomplish the vision of being in Global Top 10 in the coming years.

Wish you all the very best for the future TCS!

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Word of the Day:

sylph

Pronunciation: (silf)

-n

a slender, graceful woman or girl.
(in folklore) one of a race of supernatural beings supposed to inhabit the air.

Synonyms: 1. sylph, woman, adult female, 2. sylph, imaginary being, imaginary creature.

Usage: 1. a slender graceful young woman , 2. an elemental being believed to inhabit the air.

Seize the day

2005-07-09T23:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I received some news that kind of paralyzed my mind for few minutes. It spoke about an opportunity. And if I go for it, I’ll have next 2-3 days’ work pending of what goes in my PT classes. I was in dilemma for few minutes but then I made a choice – yes, I’ll go for it, and I’ll give it a try. Someone said it right – “Life is nothing but the sum of choices” and ultimately “you will have to choose one, there’s no escape”.

I read a page daily from the English Translated Shri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS), and till now it has been a great experience. I always wanted to read something spiritual, any holy book. I was lucky to get the English translation of SGGS. After I was over with the thinking process for that choice, I recalled what I read in the morning, few lines from SGGS:

“The Great Giver keeps on giving, while those who receive grow weary of receiving. Throughout the ages, consumers consume. The Commander, by His Command, leads us to walk on the Path. O Nanak, He blossoms forth, Carefree and Untroubled. True is the Master, True is His Name. Speak it with infinite love. People beg and pray, .Give to us, give to us, and the Great Giver gives His Gifts.”

And I find this to be the very case with me. I never expected this opportunity to come out of the blue. Things have been so nice since the first year I entered this college. I’ve been granted every wish that I asked for - the projects, the help from faculties, a decent score in every semester, and selection in some good global IT firm. I also learnt that hard work never goes waste, and the results – though sometimes are late, but are never very late. I remember the day I rushed to pray after I was done with the ‘Control Systems’ paper. It didn’t go well and I thought, “I can’t afford to lose marks on this one”. It worked. But that day I kind of felt, believing in yourself, following your heart is what’s as important as believing in god that your wishes would be granted. It’s so true that the great giver keeps on giving, while those who receive grow weary of receiving.

Since every word written in SGGS is truth to the extreme, I wondered why there still are some people who are in need, the wishes of whom are still to be granted. And then the answer for such a question in the very first page was:

“By His Command, bodies are created; His Command cannot be described. By His Command, souls come into being; by His Command, glory and greatness are obtained. By His Command, some are high and some are low; by His Written Command, pain and pleasure are obtained. Some, by His Command, are blessed and forgiven; others, by His Command, wander aimlessly forever. Everyone is subject to His Command; no one is beyond His Command. O Nanak, one who understands His Command, does not speak in ego.”

And ‘He’ wants us to work for, and help those who are in need. Somehow I got my answer.

Blessings if ignored become a curse - that’s burnt on my mind since the day I read The Alchemist. I won’t let this blessing go. I’m working, brushing up what I’ve learnt in the last 3 years. No matter what the result is I’ll give it a try. If the result turns out to be positive, oh yes! I’d be euphoric! If negative, then it won’t have an impact on what I have in my hands now. I’d still be pleased for I was given a chance.

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Word of the Day:

sotto voce

Pronunciation: (sot'ō vō'chē; It.sôt'tô vô'che

- in a low, soft voice so as not to be overheard.

Usage: in an undertone; "he uttered a curse sotto voce"

Life Is So Good!

2005-07-05T02:29:00.000-07:00

'Life is so good!' were the last words by Don Corleone in 'The Godfather'. This small sentence in itself is so true.

Bus trips are fun and a great teacher in my case. It has just taught me numerous lessons on my way to Indore. Something that no book teaches, something one gains by experience and mistakes. Today was no different; the bus trip had something new to teach me. It’s been about a week (or perhaps, more) since I'm reading this book, "The Practice of Management" by Peter F. Drucker, the father of modern management. I'm new to the management issues and I admit that only the 80% portion of what I read is what I can thoroughly understand, the rest seems very technical, hard to understand at this stage. But there are numerous aspects of management that this book introduced me to, in practical sense. I mostly read this book in PT library or in the bus amidst the trip to Indore.

When I was done with some 6-7 pages today in the bus, the man seated beside me on the seat asked me if I was doing MBA or preparing for it. This man looked like he was in his 30s, wasn't very well dressed, and the way he asked me he seemed like just another villager like many others in the bus. I replied, "I'm preparing for MBA entrance". To my surprise he knew everything about MBA entrance, the phases, all about the GDs and PIs. He asked me what I was doing. I replied, "CSE". He then started talking about Engineering and its value in the current days, and making a comparison with the management jobs in the current scenario both in the private and the public sector, and a striking comparison between such jobs in other states and my own state MP. With a barrage of questions and thoughts being discussed I had to close my book. The only thing that surprised me was such a simple man dressed in such simple clothes, who had an accent of like what many villagers speak here, knew and talked about things I never expected out of him. I the asked him about the work and the manufacturing done in the industry he worked for. He spoke like he was on some low post. But the things he told me about their exports and the trends in the company were worth gaining. It was the experience which was speaking. And I realized, foolish I was and foolish are those who judge people by their mere appearance or the way they speak or talk.

Another example is of an IIM pass out that addressed us at the GK lecture last year. We all were surprised to see that guy - how simple was he dressed. Like if you ever were walking down the street and you suddenly met this guy midst the way, you could never guess he's an intellectual - an IIM pass out. And the way he addressed us, that was so inspiring, I still remember that lecture of 4 pillars for success. I never thought of such things before, but someone very rightly said you learn more from mistakes than successes. Its too bad to think ourselves as the most intelligent one amidst a group of people, you never know there's someone else with a big brain in - even if you're standing amongst villagers of some rural undeveloped area where you don't think you'll ever find an intellectual.

Somehow the day was well. I turned 20 today. I'm glad to have good friends that wished me all day right from 12 last night. Thanks! You kept the cell ringing. I had two choices today - to celebrate the day with my parents or with friends. I chose the former thinking what if the joining letter comes early next year and I don't get a chance to celebrate the day next year with my parents. It was fun - the lunch in the afternoon with relatives and cousins, and friends.

Some people reminded me that even if I'm 20 now, I am still like a kid to them. Oh yes I am! I had a bash at the CCD here with some of my finest friends late at around 9:30 PM and then I brought Pizzas home for celebration with my family again at late night. And tomorrow, it’s another bash for the whole class at RP. Such a great family, such great friends and so nice moments, and lessons, what else do I need?

Life is no doubt, so good! :)

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Word of the Day:

incumbent

Pronunciation: in-kum'bunt

—adj.

holding an indicated position, role, office, etc., currently: the incumbent officers of the club.
obligatory (often fol. by on or upon): a duty incumbent upon me.
Archaic. resting, lying, leaning, or pressing on something: incumbent upon the cool grass.

—n.

the holder of an office: The incumbent was challenged by a fusion candidate.
Brit. a person who holds an ecclesiastical benefice.

Synonyms:

-n: incumbent, officeholder, official, functionary
-adj: incumbent, superjacent (vs. subjacent)

Usage: lying or leaning on something else; "an incumbent geological formation"

Family Feuds

2005-06-24T03:29:00.000-07:00

Yes. The Ambani matter is over and this isn't an attempt like media and the newspapers to still keep polls, and have public opinion after the case is settled. Just after the Michael Jackson case got over and he wasn't found accused, TOI, on the very next day conducted a public poll asking, "Do you still think he's a culprit?". Now when the case's over, court has made its final decision why's there a need to drag Jackson back in the court? It’s sad, on the part of media and newspapers that they never end an issue. This post, though deals with the Family Feud what everyone recently saw in Ambani brothers' case doesn't attempt to do the same.

But just after the Ambani feud ended, I have something new to look upon unlike a goliath distribution as in case of Ambanis. A distant relative of mine today was discussing with my Dad about the problems over the right distribution of the will and wealth among him and his siblings. He was here to take some advice on the same and meet us. I was studying near by for the test I have tomorrow. They didn't mind me sitting near by and hearing the matter.

Like my relative sees it, the situation has come when they feel like everything should now be distributed equally. No doubt, they all are married now which may be one cause of such a need for distribution because they all have their own families now. For the things I've personally seen, I think its right. In order to have everything settled they should do it, distribute equally. There's no other option that seems to work well for them.

But why can't such siblings live like brothers, like brothers they were before getting married to their spouses. The bible says:

"Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. And every city and house divided against itself shall not stand".

Anil Ambani, on the very next day after the settlement of the Reliance issue wrote in the "Speaking Tree" in TOI's Edit page, talking about renunciation and some similar spiritual thoughts and the very next day the same page had a brief case on his statement with someone asking him, "Where were these spiritual thoughts when you were asking for your share?". Though the stock market is on rise after just a few stimulating statements by Mr. Ambani, the future of Reliance is still unpredictable. Wish you luck Reliance! Everyone wants it to grow, after all it contributes a lot to India's GDP and it’s the brainchild of the great businessman Dhirubhai Ambani.

Similar is a case of my relative and the case is unpredictable too. The best thing about this life is again, its unpredictability. That's what makes it exciting, right? Had we known what we're destined to what our future will be, life would have no excitement left. It would have been no better than a dried lemon (If life gives you a (dried) lemon, will you make a lemonade?).

But I still don't understand, why can't you live like brothers? Is it the greed, or just the need? Had it been need, it would never ever require a distribution of wealth.

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Word of the day:

verdant

Pronunciation: (vûr'dnt)

—adj.

green with vegetation; covered with growing plants or grass: a verdant oasis.
of the color green: a verdant lawn.
inexperienced; unsophisticated: verdant college freshmen

Synonyms: verdant, abundant (vs. scarce)

Usage: characterized by abundance of verdure.

With Raindrops Came the Memories!

2005-06-19T02:38:00.000-07:00

It rained some days back in Delhi, few days back in Kolkata, and yesterday in Mumbai. And when I was on phone with one of my friends today, I was informed it was raining in Indore. When will my hometown 'Dewas' have its share of monsoon? The answer came few minutes away with the first shower, and the weather? It’s a total change. Perhaps, that was one of the reasons why I had a good, productive day today. The peculiar smell of this first rain brought back the memories of three great outings we had last year during the same season.

The first trip was a trip to Ralamandal Sanctuary, a hillock situated just a few kilometers from our college campus. Its altitude varies from 294.51 m. to 782.62 m. above MSL. It was the very first day of our new session when we entered the III year. The weather lured us to bunk the class and go for an outing. We couldn't say no, and decided for Ralamandal. By the time we were there, it started raining. In minutes it started to rain heavily, with clouds roaring. While we were at the some small security post and were paying the entrance fee, another noise with lightening shocked us. By this time we were all bedraggled by rain. And then came a part when the girls said, "we quit" and went back home. We still decided we'll move on. It was fun climbing up the hill, it can't be called a trekking experience, it was fun though. The sad part was we couldn't take snaps that day, no one had a camera because no one knew the weather's going to lure us to bunk the classes. That day started a series of outings for the 5th semester.

The next trip was to ‘Kajligarh’ that came the very next day to when we went to Ralamandal. Kajligarh is a small village near Indore (about 25-30 Km. from our college campus. I wasn't so excited about the trip, but when we were near to the destination we were heading for we saw an astonishing site. The land we were on was a mountain, and just to the right about 20-30 feet away was a trench, a ditch (you may call it) that was about 200-250 meters in depth (I can't recall the height). The area looked like there were more mountains ahead. We stayed there for a while, once everyone had his strange look down the ditch. Then, we moved on. Minutes later we were midst a range of mountains. Imagine about 4-5 hills around the circumference of a circle, all sloping to the centre of the circle, and we being on top of one hill. It was such a nice site, like those you see in webshots natural wallpapers. Some of us then decided that they'll go down the hill, trekking to the area that looked all green, jungle. By this time it started to rain again and everyone doubted if going down was a risk. You could meet some strange fauna - perhaps, snakes, crabs, scorpions, or some new poisonous breed? What not? And if they choose you as a victim when you're down about a kilometer away from the others, who's going to help? And if you decide to come back in such a situation, god forbid, things could get worse. Its was a big risk, down was the jungle.

But some of us (including me), lured by the way the green jungle looked decided to take the risk. The rest decided to stay up on the hill and wait for us till we come back. Only the first few steps were intimidating, when we had to walk over this around one and a half feet narrow stones that looked like it connected two mountains about a meter apart. We were all afraid to cross it by walking on it, the sight was really frightening. We decided to sit and move step by step sitting on this small connection between two big hills. It started raining heavily now as we went down, down and down. When we came down the hill and the slope kind of changed to a flat land. To our surprise, we saw two-three villagers there. We asked them what's coming next. We were tired of walking about a kilometer now. As it started to rain even heavier and the soil was too wet, many of us started to stumble, what we had in our feet was unable to make a firm grip on this wet soil. The villagers told us there's a river coming next. But out of we guys who decided to come down, and leave rest to the top, some of us (including me) decided its time to go back to the top before the soil's too wet and that narrow area of 1 meter faces soil erosion. It was raining heavily, and the stones we came walking by now looked loose. The water was like coming down the hill to fill that river. I can still remember trekking back to top where the rest of the group was waiting, and that awesome scene when the clouds covered the hill, like just few meters away. We were worried about others who still went ahead for further exploration, the river that villagers told us about. We managed to get on top and were glad to see others still standing there waiting for us to come back. It was some 2 and a half or 3 hours of going down the hill and coming up, and this area had no connectivity for our cell phones so that we could inform each other.

The other group that decided to go further and explore the river came back few minutes later. And we asked them how far did they go? They told, just 10-20 feet more till they saw the river, and then it was some other hill that was in front of them, opposite to the one we arrived at. They, then decided to come back to where everyone was. It was such a nice experience. Everyone was safe. And yes! We saw no strange breed of animals except yes a couple of lizards and a crab (We had debate on the same, was it a crab or a scorpion?) It was fun, my first ever adventure. The sad part again was no one had a camera because this trip was again unplanned, I'd rather say unofficial. Sad, we couldn't film the adventure. :(

The third trip was the trip to Choral river. It was predestined, that we were going to bunk the class for the same. We hired a bus, and played 'Antakchari' on the way. We spent about 4-5 hours there playing with water. It was fun! The Choral pictures below speak the same. It again rained heavily on this day adding more to the fun. We were bedraggled, badly. Lucky us, we had a camera thistime.

All these outings had one thing in common, the rain, and us, getting wet to the extreme! To our surpise, it rained heavily on all three occasions. We're lucky we have such places just few kilometers away from our college campus. Its 27th, or some near by day when the new session for the final year begins. We need to decide the next place to have as outing on this very day. If we don't use these final year days for fun, there will be no reason left for why we would later say, "Oh, I miss my college days!". I'll make sure I take care of that study part with the fun part, its all about management, isn't it? And that's what I'm appearing for. :)

So where are we heading on to thistime, guys?

Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet. ~Roger Miller

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Word of the day:

stygian

Pronunciation: (stij'ē-un)

—adj.

of or pertaining to the river Styx or to Hades.
dark or gloomy.
infernal; hellish.

Synonyms: Stygian, infernal (vs. supernal)

Usage: hellish; "Hence loathed Melancholy.../In Stygian cave forlorn"- Milton

Where do I Stand?

2005-06-18T03:58:00.000-07:00

CT 01 Outcome.

AIR: 426.

The CT 01 result was out yesterday, and I really didn't performed well. With such a score and such a ranking I realized where do I stand. It was a mock test, to the level of CAT, as they say.

I was disappointed about the same, but then I thought I still have enough time to prepare for it and 34 more mock tests and Prac-CATs, of such a kind before the final day. The only barrier in my preparation is Internet, and me, I can't do much about it (I've tried a lot). I sit online for about 4-5 hours daily, during nocturnal hours. Since last two days after the result, I've reduced it to 2 hours. I need to learn to say 'no' to friends now. I can't afford to waste time now, it seems.

It’s a request to those who have me added to their messenger. If you find me online after 12, smash me and remind me to get back to studies. I've ruined the time I had one year back, I don't want to ruin the time I have now in my hands. I've seen this happen; blessings if ignored become a curse.

Last two days have been good; perhaps, the CT 01 result was a tight slap at my face which asked me a question, "Where do you stand?” I'm going to give my 100% to try and give an answer for the same in the next test.

Meanwhile, I'll stay away from internet for my own good, being regular to just the blog and mails, and putting an end to the time-consuming chat for the nonce.

---------------------

Word of the day:

plaintive

Pronunciation: (plān'tiv)

—adj. expressing sorrow or melancholy; mournful: a plaintive melody.

Synonyms: mournful, plaintive, sorrowful (vs. joyful)

Usage: expressing sorrow

2005-06-12T17:31:00.000-07:00

You commit a mistake; you say you won't ever do it again. You commit the mistake again, you again say, “I won't ever do it again". You commit the mistake again and say the same, but will you really ever do it again?

I don't know if this is something that has happened with you before, but its something that has happened to me recently. Someone rightly said me once, "You think too much!". That someone was right. Perhaps, I really think too much, I spent an hour and a half thinking the same lying on the bed to search for sleep, from about 3 AM to 4:30 AM, but I couldn't find a solution except I really mean this time, "I won't ever do it again".

It dates back to 2003, when we were script kiddies (script kiddies are esp teens who use lame ways like readymade scripts and softwares to deface websites and similar acts). We used to disturb others using such lame ways to break in and invade their privacy. That was the time I should have learnt it wasn't something we were supposed to do, even when you know such things. But where will you practice the stuff that you've learnt for the same? The answer was you're doing it for good cause, you're learning something - "keep invading the privacy of others, you will learn!”

It was time when we graduated from being script kiddies to programmers when we learnt the scripts on our own. And luckily, we were able to design those softwares ourselves that we used some days back to hack into others. I remember that moment, when that software worked. I remember that moment when we practically used it to annoy someone from our class, it was some 11:00 PM time, I don't remember the day. I thanked god for it was working, it was something that I could call my own - it was a Trojan. Though a small application, it was capable of annoying anyone on a large scale. Some days later we discovered something whose improved version is now called 'phising'. That thing, what we designed on our own gave us 100s of passwords.

The other computers section of III year was learning at the same pace. They had some guys in their class who were big techies as they used to call. And then an altercation between the Section-A and Section-B which was to find an answer to the question – which one of us is better technically? It was some healthy competition. We defaced a website that belonged to one of the techie guys in their class, and one group of that class. I don't know if many of those people know we did that. We used some 'urdu' font and pressed random keys, and that looked like someone from Pakistan or some Arab country did that. We were afraid of being caught. I remember the time when we did that and came out of the cafe we used to deface it all, we were afraid of being caught of doing such a thing. We used to imagine our director taking actions against us. But it didn't turn out that way.

But sometimes we did use this knowledge for a constructive work, rather than the destructive one we loved. We created this website for the newbie hackers: http://www.securityexplored.tk .We once got a worldwide acclaim for our article at Astalavista which was "Virus Removal in 2 Minutes". That website still exists, but hasn't been updated since long time. We used to get queries from people around the world regarding viruses, ans other such problems. It was a dream come true, something I never thought would ever happen.

We then used to get numerous IDs from our friends in class that they wanted to be hacked, perhaps their bfs and gfs. We did that for sometime, it was fun. But now I curse myself for what I've done, invading privacy of numerous I don't even know about, I did that for friends though. Its not the things above that make me think that way, but the recent three or four instances.

She was an internet friend of mine who told me her name was Name1 (say) and gave me identity of herself like where she lived and all. Cancerians are intuitive. I thought like she wasn't true. Now, I really wanted to know who she really was. I hacked into her account and I was stunned, she wasn't close to what she used to tell me. She was someone else, her real name being Name2 (say). Next time she met me, I asked her why did she lie to me? And I found the answer as, "Just for fun". I was thrilled. She asked me why did you break into my account, I said "Just for fun". She's still a good friend of mine.

Another friend who used to say me, she was from Haryana. Perhaps it was intuition that really helped me again. I decided to check what she told was really truth? After I was done with the research I found she was in US. I told her, the university she was enrolled in, the university's network name she was using, and the system number and name she was sitting on and then I asked, "Why did you lie now?". I don't remember the exact answer but it was something like, "Just like that, I didn't feel like telling the truth". She's still a good friend, and I trust her now somehow she tells the truth.

The next instance was something that taught me a good lesson. Someone tempted me to do it, saying, "Do it if you can." and it seemed like a challenge. I somehow did and gave a reply, and I got these words in my reply's reply: "Next time if you try to do it with anyone, think before you act!". I swore I won't ever do it again, but I did.

I know I'm such a jerk. It’s one of the rare times when you hate yourself for what you've done in the past. Some PS' in this very blog's entries had a confession, I speak harsh at times. And later you regret for what you've spoken. Once it’s out it can't be back. I really don't think before I act. Someone rightly said, filter the action and the word once in your mind before you're to going to say it, or implement it. I haven't done it at times. Forgiveness is god's greatest gift but not for a person like me, I thought last night. But still I can't say anything except, "I will never ever do it again!” I hate myself for I never learnt from the mistakes.

Why have I included the past when its just some recent instances responsible for the same? Someone rightly said to me once, "You just think too much, name 'over thinking' in one of your weaknesses when you go out for interviews".

-------------------

Word of the day:

reverberate

Pronunciation: (—v.ri-vûr'bu-rāt";—adj.ri-vûr'bur-it),

—v., -ated, -ating,—adj. —v.i.

to reecho or resound: Her singing reverberated through the house.
Physics.to be reflected many times, as sound waves from the walls of a confined space.
to rebound or recoil.
to be deflected, as flame in a reverberatory furnace.

—v.t.

1. to echo back or reecho (sound).
to cast back or reflect (light, heat, etc.).
to subject to reflected heat, as in a reverberatory furnace. ''

—adj. reverberant.

Just Imagine..

2005-06-08T03:02:00.000-07:00

You can be sitting home, and traveling abroad at the same time. You could be achieving all you thought about while you're still in preparation for your goal. You wish you could be 'that' character in 'that' novel, or if you were, what would the difference be. Or you could be spending vacation with 'someone' you love, when wooing 'someone' is something that's a 'still in progress' work, and many more. But you can't do it in reality because reality limits you. Unlike reality, imagination is limitless.

Yajur Veda says, "May this mind of mine, which travels too far, which is the light of lights, the only source of all wisdom, which wanders far off places, whether I'm asleep or awake, resolve on what is noble". Where the world of reality has limits, the world of imagination is boundless.

I saw the above quotation in TOI some days back, and it forced me to think that way. Life is full of secrets, and you can’t learn them at once. Some of these secrets are lessons you learn every other day. This post is something I learnt while returning from Indore some two days back. Returning from Indore? By bus no doubt, I wonder why the return trip makes me think that much. Probably, like I mentioned before in some post, because the lights are off around this time, so you can't read anything and I don't have my walkman or diskman ready these days, and hence no music. All you can do is think or doze off. I prefer the first one. That's what I've been doing since 3 years I'm doing a regular up-down. But I never thought 'bus-trips' could turn out to be a great teacher, at least in this Imagination case.

We have numerous problems to deal with everyday. We always solve them imagining the consequences; analyze the pros and cons of the situations we deal with. I'm no special case. The time I return from Indore, thinking about these problems and trying to find a solution for the same is something I've been doing for last 3 years. But I didn't expect it to teach me a lesson this time when I was overwhelmed by this concept of imagination. I don't remember what thoughts were in my mind when that happened, perhaps I was analyzing the time I had before CAT, or the day when college reopens and everyone meets after a vacation of about two months, or about this overwhelming concept of imagination.

Imagination? It really works by the way, in many cases. I'd like to state the one that's in my mind, above all others. In the orientation lecture at PT some days back, this lady who teaches us the English Usage and Vocabulary part for CAT gave a nice example which I was thinking about. She was talking about the ways CAT aspirants used to keep themselves cool, and directed to their aim. One of the ways that someone practiced was this 'glass filled with water' meditation thing, something I was hearing for the very first time. She told, "Every early morning when that guy got up, he used to sit in front of a glass that had water in it. He used to imagine the whole process of preparation for the exams watching the glass which had water in it, the phase of giving exam and then getting selected for the prelims, and the next phases, then the final selection, and then a life at some top B-school. And then he used to drink the water from this glass. Some of you might not believe if that works, but it did for that guy. At least it helped him not to deviate from what he aimed for”. “He remembered that thing in his mind for every damn day that he had before the exam”, she told. That's where it counts. But like Joseph Joubert quoted, "He who has imagination without learning has wings but no feet". And another, "I believe in the imagination. What I cannot see is infinitely more important than what I can see".

But when you think more, or when life thinks you've imagined too much, Bang!! comes the vigorous blow. In my case, I realized it when the bus went about 300-350 meters ahead of where it usually drops me. That blow took me off the imagination, and back to reality. I saw bus had passed the stop where I should have stepped down from the bus. I rushed in, and asked the conductor to stop the bus. He did. And I was dropped about 350 meters away from where I usually step down. And I felt a voice that said, "Kid! Perhaps, you've imagined too much, its time to come back to what's real". I smiled, and then was walking my way back to home. The time was around 11:30 PM. It was lesson, which I won't ever forget in my life.

Yes! Imagination is something that's much faster than the speed of light, but the bottom line is, you have to get back to what's real before it’s too late.

-------------------------------------------------

Word of the day:

pusillanimous

Pronunciation: (pyOO"su-lan'u-mus)

—adj.

lacking courage or resolution; cowardly; faint-hearted; timid.
proceeding from or indicating a cowardly spirit.

Synonyms: pusillanimous, poor-spirited, unmanly, cowardly (vs. brave), fearful, diffident.

Usage: lacking in courage and manly strength and resolution; contemptibly fearful.

Autobiographies! - a novice's perspective.

2005-06-06T03:20:00.000-07:00

Yes autobiographies! And the novice is none but me, who started reading few months back.

I've been reading this 'Jack Welch - Straight from the Gut' book since more than a week now, and I've just managed to complete it half, with over two parts still remaining. This book is an autobiography of Jack Welch, former CEO of GE (General Electric).

For a novice reader like me who's just graduated from fiction to non-fiction and is reading an autobiography for the first time, it’s something that has affected the reading speed. Most of the books on fiction don't let you keep them aside, sometimes not even for a while. Once you're involved, you just can't leave the book before finishing it off. But unlike fiction, autobiographies are a slow read (at least in my case) and at times uninteresting for many.

Meanwhile the book I'm reading isn't such a case. Since it’s more on business aspect, at time the issues seem uninteresting. But when you look out, research, and think about the problem on your own - like what you would have done if you were in that position, you get a real feel of what would have been the difference. The GE story described in the same is so inspiring. And it kind of helped me learn something, about an environment that can build up in any company. That environment, when the company shocks employees by kicking them off. Reading the book, it feels, a process like this is what is really required, if you want to turn the profits on to a big scale, like GE did by removing those people who weren't close to the benchmark they chose for being an ideal GE employee.

It kind of helped me relate everything with my future. Everyone doubts TCS, on why's TCS recruiting so much in numbers. It’s increasing its man-power. Like GE of 1980s, when it had enormous manpower, it had to either fix, sell or end a particular business in which they weren’t No. 1 or No. 2, and kick out those employees who didn't bring much to the corporation, it could be the case later in any such company who's recruiting large in numbers. The GE story has a moral, if you want to stay alive, you need to work hard, bring and contribute to the organization. Hard work that does no good to the organization is of no use. Those who can't work as a team, those who can't dissolve themselves in the environment they and their colleagues are, are better expelled then having them stay. This is one of the many things except the deals, which the book discusses. The appraisal systems and the methods of recognizing talents within an organization are some things that every new entrant needs to know before he turns into an employee from a student.

Disclaimer: I'm still a novice when it comes to reading, my views, ideas may be different, at times wrong. And the TCS' relation with the book, well that's something my mind forced me to imagine, which again could be wrong. TCS' role of being a mass recruiter must be having a strategy hidden that lets the IT giant achieve their vision of being in Global top 10. And I'd love to see TCS achieve their vision, which after an year I can call as 'our' vision. For those uninitiated, GE is TCS' one of the biggest, and favorite clients.

----------------------------

Word of the day:

hagiography

Pronunciation: (hag"ē-og'ru-fē, hā"jē-)

—n., —pl. -phies.

the writing and critical study of the lives of the saints; hagiology.

Synonyms: hagiography, biography, life, life story, life history

Usage: a biography that idealizes or idolizes the person (especially a person who is a saint)

Obey your Master!

2005-06-05T03:06:00.000-07:00

No! You need not worry because I'm not gonna post the lyrics of Master Of Puppets.

Its 2:25 AM right now.

Last night at around 4:15 AM, I decided to shut down my PC. I was late because I was speaking to an internet friend of mine who I know since years, since the day I entered the college. Moments after I was done clicking 'shut down', mom arrived, and I received a nice lecture for being awake so late. She told she'll be keeping an eye on the internet usage from now on. She'll keep an alarm on so that I sleep around 2 AM. The time now, though has crossed 2, I've made up my mind to sleep before 3 for my own good. It’s two years since I changed myself into a nocturnal creature, and no one but the internet and the low pulse rate at night is responsible for the same. Low pulse rate, and the less bill, and hence an abridged lecture from parents when the bill arrives. But somehow, now I've decided to obey my mom. I feel my old days are back, when she used to restrict me for other such things. Like a sweet kid of that time, I couldn't say no. "I'll go to bed before 3 AM", I said.

Today was good. I did nothing but career counseling most of the time. A junior came to me to get some e-books burnt on the CDs, and to ask something about projects. And then a guy from the same colony I live in, for the choice of good colleges in and around Indore. It was fun though, but I missed studies badly. I'm reading an autobiography these days: "Jack Welch - Straight From The Gut", and its a great book.

So far, so good.

----------------------------------------

Word of the day:

rort

Pronunciation: (rôrt)

—n.

Australian. a rowdy, usually drunken party.

Old Beliefs, Old Customs

2005-06-04T03:14:00.000-07:00

Imagine DI (Data Interpretation) taking its toll. About 10 question types to be explained, and about 90 questions to be solved. Tired I was, after the class ended. I wanted peace, I expected peace in the bus I was about to catch to get back to home. I finally found one, and I was seated near the cabin.

The man seated near me asked me about the time. I didn't had the watch on my hand today and since I wanted to check time as well, I took out the cell, and reported him the time, "10:08 PM Sir" and then I was cursing myself for what happened for the next 20 minutes. He asked me "Is this a Nokia cell?", "No, it’s LG", I replied. That fired a discussion on the cell phones and the companies that make them. That man taking out his cell which was Nokia and as if forcing me to say, "Yes! I've committed a crime by buying LG, I must throw my cell out of this window, or even better, I should throw myself out, catch a bus back to Indore, go to a Nokia shop, and get one Nokia for myself." After I committed, yes, Nokia was the best, that man asked me the price of his cell phone, like "what do you think, how much does this cost?” Fortunately, this didn't last long, not more than 15-20 minutes. The conversation was in Hindi, no doubt.

It’s good to sit near the bus cabin at around this time, when the lights are off. Since the lights are off, you can't read. So, the best way to pass the time is to look in front, on the way the bus goes, and keep thinking. At least I find this amusing. After some minutes, there was a jerk, as if brakes were applied instantly while the bus was in speed. The man near me shouted, "It was a weasel!". He added, "Weasels are a good luck, now we're going to have a safe journey", the driver nodded. This man wasn't alone; there were many of his allies present nearby. Another commented, "Chameleons are also a good luck, when they pass by, in and crossing your way.", another commented, "But cats really bring bad luck". And I guess, then they discussed about the breeds of cats that bring bad luck, and those breeds that don't affect you much when they cross your way. The driver looked like he disagreed with the cat thing, perhaps he knew cats crossing your way won’t bring bad luck to the journey, through his driving experience.

I live in a place that's the largest district of MP. The only thing that lets it be a bit modern is its closeness to Indore, just 35 Kms away. While, much of its area is still 'villages', my place (Dewas) has many things to its credit - The B.N.P. (Bank Note Press) and the famous Industrial Area with industries like Kirloskar, Ranbaxy, Tata International and many more, and for religious aspect - Tekri. But still the majority of the population is what lives in the rural areas, small villages that come in the district. And no wonder! They believe in those old beliefs, and many more like the bus incident today. Approaching 'Tantriks' for the illness, and although very few in number but still in practice - sacrificing children for some good. It once or twice happened near Delhi too. Government here, has tried hard to educate those living in these areas. To bring more people in these learning temples, there's some scheme that if you send your child to school, you get wheat - all required for your daily meals, since many living in these areas are below the poverty line. But then these people send their children only for the wheat's sake, and you get rare, very rare cases that a student there is willing to study what the teachers teach. My aunt is a teacher in one such government school and she told me this story. Strange but then, the situation is under no ones control. Soon, the government officials will say that they can't do much about it except leaving the system like it is. Who knows when's the situation's going to improve, when will they learn?

But on the other hand, you also have some great students from these rural areas. Some months back I heard about some student's science project (the student being from the same rural area) being selected at the national level, and then that place's people took out some rally to praise the boy. Good, but the old customs still find a place and that's a story you hear every other day in the local newspapers - as sacrifices, believing in Tantriks, and stuff.

Nothing but that small bus incident forced me to think over it, and relate to the place I live in.

------------------------------------------------

Word of the day:

spelunk

Pronunciation: (spi-lungk')

—v to explore caves, esp. as a hobby.

Synonyms: cave, spelunk, explore

Usage: After everyone was exhausted of the tiring business tours, the company had a nice arrangement for those exhausted to go for spelunking.

Blessed we were, but why did you take it back?

2005-06-03T02:57:00.000-07:00

It was June 2, 2005 yesterday.

Some 9 years back, this day was one of the worst days of my life. The day when I lost someone very special, very close to me and my family.

In less then a year, the time you were sent for, you changed everything, you gave us everything. 10 years back, before you came, it was so sore, the problems and the things that hurt when spoken or reminded about. You changed everything in less than a year. We all believe you were sent by god, you were sent to teach us the new way of living, things have changed since then.

The old residence and the new residence, the old habits and the changes now, you taught us something that lives to this very day. Mom and dad turned so religious since you came, and that still continues. Its harmony, peace and tranquility all around since the day you came. The changes just can't be described by words. We have no words to thank you for what you gave us.

I hate that day and that accident that took away someone who's responsible for what I am today. Someone who showed the way, what family is all about? But if god sent someone to drastically change all wrong things to the good, why did he take her back? It’s so unfair to give away the blessing and take it back.

If there really exists something like a re-birth, I wish wherever you are, you are doing good still spreading the harmony, peace, and tranquility like you did in our case. I love you sis.

And god! I feel cheated. If you blessed us with someone, why did you take the blessing back?

-------------------------------------------

Word of the day:

animadversion

Pronunciation: (an"u-mad-vûr'zhun, -shun)

—n.

an unfavorable or censorious comment: to make animadversions on someone's conduct.
the act of criticizing.

Synonyms: censure, animadversion, disapprobation, condemnation

Usage: He was neutral to animadversion and praise.

I Wish I Had a Band!

2005-06-02T03:31:00.000-07:00

The stage is set. 'Metal-Trap' is about to perform with a set-list that if religiously headbanged could break your neck. Metal-Trap is - 'two guitarists, a drummer, a DJ, a bass guitarist, and a vocalist'. And just before the band is about to play the Orion Intro riff, someone wakes me up. It was a dream, and 'Metal-Trap' was my own, dream band.

Yes, I wish I had a band.

Bang your head against the stage
Like you never did before
Make it ring Make it bleed
Make it really sore
In a frenzied madness
with your leather and your spikes
Heads are bobbing all around
It is hot as hell tonight
Adrenaline starts to flow
You're thrashing all around
Acting like a maniac...

Whiplash!

Whiplash - Metallica [Album Name: Kill 'Em All]

The lines above very well describe what you generally witness at any concert with a heavy metal band on the stage, performing. It’s a song 'Whiplash' by Metallica, one of the creators of Thrash Metal, from their debut album 'Kill 'Em All'.

Days before, I thought about writing about this wish of mine, but then I had some other important topic to write on. And now when I'm left without a topic, I thought writing back the memories will help. After some time to any particular post, that post is then all about memoirs.

It was some August 2004 evening, and I was very excited to witness my first rock concert. I don't remember that date (We don't remember dates, we remember moments, right?). This first rock show was the 'Rock Idols', and I didn't know anything about what the local bands would play there. I was expecting nothing else than some 'Kaanta laga' tunes (because that's what people here consider as rock) or some Summer of 69s - that's where the chicks shout out loud, and in their opinion Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi and allied bands are the only rock acts alive. But I was wrong. Though the first few bands were only good, not so disappointing, there were some bands, which really took the covers to a new level. I never expected any band to touch a heavy-metal cover here in the city of Indore. But a band from Nagpur named 'System House 33' delivered the goods right away with some stunning covers of Korn, Metallica, Pantera, and Sepultura. The worst thing about this part of the show was, the Indori public threw away the crumpled papers while the band was playing on stage because the songs made no sense to them. What a pity, you Indore crowd. And then it was band from IIM-Indore which played two great covers of Iron Maiden, and Metallica. Fortunately, they weren't ill-treated by the crowd (may be because they hailed from Indore). At last it was the band from Nagpur who came out as the best band, and won the regionals here in Indore. Has Heavy Metal ever lost to any other genre ever? No!

Listening to this form of music, and watching the bands play the same live on the gigs I downloaded since about last 2-3 years, I always wished I had a band. It was at Rock Idols we guys (Me, Akshay and Ankit) made the deal, "Yes! We're going to practice guitars and gonna have a band soon." Soon we were to add Anshul for the drums.

I was always in favor of naming the band as 'Metal Trap'. I'd always favor a metal band, never a need of a DJ, or keyboards for the same. But how could you cover Children of Bodom or Slipknot then? But ours was still a metal band, adding a DJ won't change it to 'Nu-Metal' at least in my case. And if our band was about to play some day and if you have 11 best songs to choose from the heavy list, my case would always be:

Orion [Intro] - Metallica
Master Of Puppets - Metallica
Primal Concrete Sledge - Pantera
Raining Blood - Slayer
The Clansman - Iron Maiden
Surfacing - Slipknot
11th Hour - Lamb Of God
Orgasmatron - Motorhead
Arise - Sepultura
Hangar 18 - Megadeth
Battery - Metallica

That's one heavy dose.

Akshay and Ankit had little experience with the guitar earlier, I had none and was a novice, and they chose me for vocals. We practiced the vocals and the bands' riffs by downloading the guitar tabs from the internet, and it worked. We could now play the various intros we watched our favorite bands play in the live performances videos. But yes, not with that perfection. We finally started going for Guitar classes, but this did not last long. It was studies that always pulled us far off, from what we wanted. And then there was no 'Metal-Trap'. It was a studies trap then.

I still have some recorded songs we practiced, some of my friends have heard it over the internet and I believe they don't sound that creepy.

You may address us the way hackers address a novice - as a script kiddie, yes! We were guitar kiddies. Metal-Trap is no more. I thought the day I'd be selected in some company via campus, I'd straight away get to guitars, but instead I straight away ended towards CAT preparation. No complaints. But it’s still a wish. Will I ever have a band of my own?

------------------------------------

Word of the Day:

panache

Pronunciation: (pu-nash', -näsh')

—n.

a grand or flamboyant manner; verve; style; flair: The actor who would play Cyrano must have panache.
an ornamental plume of feathers, tassels, or the like, esp. one worn on a helmet or cap.
Archit. the surface of a pendentive.

Synonyms:

dash, elan, flair, panache, style, elegance
usage: distinctive and stylish elegance; "he wooed her with the confident dash of a cavalry officer"
panache, plume

Usage: a feathered plume on a helmet.

I'm back, and Alive!

2005-06-01T02:14:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm back, and Alive! Those who think the kids crucified me are wrong.

I'm back from the trip dropping the relatives and the brainsick kids to a place they came from. I visited my Grandma's place after a long time, and stayed there for a day for the same reason. It wasn't fun because of an obvious reason - the kids were there.

Its been three f**king days I've been away from the blog writing and the Internet. While I'm here at home, I can still sense the kids' presence here because one of them threw the mouse away few days back and now I'm working with a mouse I brought from a friend of mine. It sucks. And regarding my mouse, its dead.

The night before I left for this trip I witnessed something for the second time (same place), while standing at the "Gita-Bhawan Square" bus stop to catch a bus for Dewas (my hometown, about 35 Kms away from Indore). The time was around 10 PM. A scooter stopped in front of me. A man aged around 32-35 with a round face, dark in color, criminal kind of appearance, started the conversation in Hindi, below is the translated version:

He: Where do you wanna go?
Me: Why?
He: Just asking. Where do you wanna go?
Me: Dewas.
He: Ok, what do you do?
Me: Amm, Engineering, why?
He: Your college gets off at around this time?
Me: No, I was here for my class, something else, but why the f**k are you worried?
He: So, you're leaving for Dewas? by bus?
Me: Yes, holy f**k, yes!
He: Ok, Dewas, bye.

This is the second incident after I found some guy at the same stop who initiated a similar conversation. He kept speaking about his college and his course, but it did not last long.

But I wonder why there exist such people, people who talk no sense, like to initiate conversations with others they don't know? And since the two cases I witnessed involved males, is Indore tuning into a gay island? (funny?), this post may sound silly, but the two cases mentioned are the real cases. But why do such people exist who keep on talking without an aim, to pester others - they consider it time pass, or they do it just for fun? Why do such people exist?

I have no answers. Do you have any?

---------------------------------------

The word of the day is a movie, I guess you know the meaning.

Word of the Day:

serendipity

Pronunciation: (ser"un-dip'i-tē)

—n.

an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident.
good fortune; luck: the serendipity of getting the first job she applied for.

Synonyms: serendipity, good luck, fluke, good fortune

Usage: good luck in making unexpected and fortunate discoveries

Fictional's Theory Of Relativity

2005-05-27T03:33:00.000-07:00

Theory of Relativity?

Nope! Einstein need not worry up there, for my theory can't change the fact that "space and time are relative concepts rather than absolute concepts".

But if space and time are relative concepts it sure is a thing to worry. And who else better than the diseased (Fictional) knows this? I wonder why Einstein couldn't figure it out, anyway. As far as my theory goes, I'm sure he had no relatives, and even if he had, the relatives had no kids to annoy him.

Yes! The diseased has relatives at his place since 4-5 days, visiting his family. Everyone loves to have relatives home, so do the diseased. Relatives were never a problem. But the amount of kids they carry with them sure is. Though, the count in the diseased’s case is merely three. But the kids are strong and brainsick, and at the end of the day the diseased could do nothing but kneel down to superiors. I know how you feel like when you show the sympathy for the diseased and say, "Oh, so sad!". But the 'end of the day' is just the beginning of this story.

Lucky diseased has his CAT preparation classes every alternate day, and so he's spared from the kids once every 2 days. But today was the alternate day that forces the diseased to be at home. And the day turned out to be terrible. It was annoyance at the extreme. "Oh so sad again!". But the diseased has a good news, he says, "They're leaving day after tomorrow.". A sign of relief, you feel sympathized again and say "Oh Good!". But there's something more.

Another news, he adds, "I have to be with them till I drop them to a place (unspecified) for the return trip day after tomorrow, the place is around 95 Km. away, takes 3 hours by train.” The sympathy demonstrators may say, "Oh sad again!”

And with my studies at stake, I'm being pestered by these kids who rule my residence at the moment. Unlike angelic sweet kids they are diabolic. I never thought kids could be so terrible. All I need is prayers for the two days they are still at home, playing with their favorite toy - me, the diseased.

Prayers, so that the diseased doesn't end up being deceased.

----------------------------------

Word of the day:

unctuous

Pronunciation: (ungk'chOO-us)

—adj.

characterized by excessive piousness or moralistic fervor, esp. in an affected manner; excessively smooth, suave, or smug.
of the nature of or characteristic of an unguent or ointment; oily; greasy.
having an oily or soapy feel, as certain minerals.

Synonyms: buttery, fulsome, oily, oleaginous, smarmy, unctuous, insincere (vs. sincere)

usage:

unpleasantly and excessively suave or ingratiating in manner or speech; "buttery praise"; "gave him a fulsome introduction"; "an oily sycophantic press agent"; "oleaginous hypocrisy"; "smarmy self-importance"; "the unctuous Uriah Heep".

Fictional Reality.

India Is Blessed : Megadeth Touring!

2005-05-26T02:31:00.000-07:00

Yes, India is blessed. And the blessing started with a movement that kind of began two years back. With GIR (Great Indian Rock), the mother of all rock events focusing on Indian bands going in such a right direction, with artists like Joe Satriani touring India, the rock scene is on the way to broaden the smiles of we metalheads :) This time its isn't rock. It’s Heavy Metal. I'm glad that Heavy Metal movement is back to India, it’s always better than the pure rock genre anyway.

So, the latest event added to this movement is the news about Megadeth touring India, and its not a rumor. The news from Times Of India says:

"Nothing can get bigger than this or more unbelievable as the world's top metal rock band Megadeth schedules to scoop down on the nation in October.

The surprise over the Joe Satriani show has hardly subsided when word comes that one of the primary metal biggies of the world, Megadeth, are all set to rock India in October. Megadeth in India? Yes, even though it sounds unbelievable yet it is true.

Confirming the event Cyrus Gorimar, director of the event management company which is behind Satriani's tour to India, said, "The Megadeth tour is confirmed. The performance is slated to be sometime in October. We have now decided on Bombay and Bangalore as being the two venues for their performance. Depending on how the Joe Satriani show goes in Kolkata we will decide whether we shall fly down Megadeth there or not. If Satriani's show draws a good response in Kolkata, metal buffs there can get to see Megadeth too come October."

For those uninitiated, Dave Mustaine is the frontman of Megadeth. It is the same Mustaine who used to play for Metallica back in 1982. But after being fired from Metallica and replaced by Kirk Hamett in 1983, Mustaine got together with bassist David Ellefson, guitarist Kerry King and drummer Lee Rauschto to form Megadeth. In 2004, Megadeth released their latest album.

From 1982 to 2005 Megadeth has been one of the top metal acts in the world. They have been whispered in the same breath as Judas Priest, Stone Temple Pilots and Metallica. The grapevine says that this band was set up by Mustaine to answer James Hetfeld of Metallica after Hetfeld fired him. Now, this wonder band of metal rock music is all set to blast India.

Do we hear a rush for bookings already?"

So, what you see above is truth, the URLs that prove the fact above can be checked below:

I'm damn excited about this tour. I love the songs "Peace Sells", "Hanger 18", "Die Dead Enough" and many more by Megadeth. But I'm biased towards Metallica. Had it been that Mustaine wasn't fired from Metallica of that stupid 'being drunk' reason, the world wouldn't have witnessed a band like Megadeth, and another chapter of music that Megadeth started would have been left untouched. I respect Metallica, I respect Megadeth. These bands are two out of Mighty-5 that brought the Thrash revolution, but since I'm Metallica biased, I wish I get to see Metallica live someday.

And thistime I'm sure I won't miss the Megadeth show. I know I've missed the two GIRs, and the performance of John Myung (bassist of Dream Theatre), and the show of the guitar god, the great teacher Joe Satriani , who has had magnificent students, one of them being Kirk Hamett of Metallica. I would have loved to see the man play live who taught my all time favorite guitarist. Seems like Delhi is again not on the list of the venues chosen for the Megadeth show, but things are still under as far as the show goes, and I too prefer Delhi, because its been a long, long time I haven't been there. Prayers Prayers! I hope the exams don't clash with the concert dates, or near by dates.

I read the TCS' real story today, the cover story of May 22 dated 'Business Today', but I'm not in a mood to write on it. And for those who wonder where did the ILP posts flew away after the very first post that discussed them, its because I've left studying the ILP notes, and instead I'm stressing on CAT. So, it’s the CAT-crap that the readers (if at all, any) here are going to get pestered about.

Long Live Heavy Metal.

-----------------------------------

Word of the day:

rococo

Pronunciation: (ru-kō'kō, rō"ku-kō'

—n.
1. a style of architecture and decoration, originating in France about 1720, evolved from Baroque types and distinguished by its elegant refinement in using different materials for a delicate overall effect and by its ornament of shellwork, foliage, etc.

2. a homophonic musical style of the middle 18th century, marked by a generally superficial elegance and charm and by the use of elaborate ornamentation and stereotyped devices.

—adj.
1. (cap.) Fine Arts. a. noting or pertaining to a style of painting developed simultaneously with the rococo in architecture and decoration, characterized chiefly by smallness of scale, delicacy of color, freedom of brushwork, and the selection of playful subjects as thematic material. b. designating a corresponding style of sculpture, chiefly characterized by diminutiveness of Baroque forms and playfulness of theme.

2. of, pertaining to, in the manner of, or suggested by rococo architecture, decoration, or music or the general atmosphere and spirit of the rococo: rococo charm. 3. ornate or florid in speech, literary style, etc.

Synonyms:

Noun

1. rococo, artistic style, idiom

usage: fanciful but graceful asymmetric ornamentation in art and architecture that originated in France in the 18th century.

Adjective

1. rococo, fancy (vs. plain)

usage: having excessive asymmetrical ornamentation; "an exquisite gilded rococo mirror"

C ya!

Fictional Reality.

The Alchemist : Following Your Dream!

2005-05-25T03:41:00.000-07:00

You might wonder why's every other post in this blog a book review? Because I'm turning into a bookworm, I enjoy reading books these days, and I'm thankful to my friends, who're suggesting me such good books that I can never think about not writing an entry that relates to the same. And no wonder, this time it was a modern classic - The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

The Alchemist is a fable about following your own dreams by seeing the world through your own eyes and not someone else's. The best thing about the book was, I could relate myself, my preparation for the CAT while I was reading. The book added fuel to the fire, and I'm more committed to study for CAT now, it acted like an inspiration. Like the book's back says:

"Every few decades a book is published that changes the lives of the readers forever. Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist is such a book."

I've seen the change from today, a new feeling, a new way to look at the life, and the journey towards destiny.

"Every blessing ignored becomes a curse."

The above being my favorite quote from the book. When I was selected in TCS in the III year of my Computer Engineering curriculum, I was aimless. With a job in one hand I always questioned myself about preparing for CAT, or doing some technical certifications, or just enjoy the year ahead? It once came in my mind that a godsend chance should always be utilized for the best, and hence going in the direction of CAT was a right option. And hence I joined the ‘regulars’ batch at PT, and I'm into preparation. Every blessing ignored becomes a curse. I was blessed with an early campus. It should be taken as a blessing, something godsend that suggests: utilization for the next few months in right direction is something that is must, and if you fail to do so, soon you'll see the godsend chance become a curse, and something you'll later regret upon. The book strengthened my belief on the godsend chance, a clear message.

"When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."

Very true! Start listening to your heart, follow the direction it guides you. Start seeing the world with your own eyes than someone else's and you'll realize, the universe is with you, despite the troubles in the way, helping you reach the destiny.

"Every search begins with beginner's luck. And every search ends with the victor's being severely tested."

Isn't this the right quote on the journey to IIMs? The proverb "The darkest hour of the night came just before the dawn" has a similar meaning.

Some other quotes from the book that had co-relation with what's going on these days are worth mentioning:

"Everything in life has its price."

"I'm like everyone else - I see the world in terms of what I would like to see happen, not like what actually does"

"That's the way it always is. It's called the principle of favorability. When you play cards the first time, you're almost sure to win. Beginner's luck! And why's that? Because there is a force that wants to realize your destiny; it whets your appetite with taste of success."

"Making a decision is only the beginning of things. When someone makes a decision, he is really diving into a strong current that will carry him to places he had never dreamt of when he first made the decision."

"The close one gets to realizing his destiny, the more that destiny becomes his true reason for being."

"People need not fear unknown, if they are capable of achieving what they need and want."

"You must understand that love never keeps a man from pursuing his destiny. If he abandons that pursuit, it's because it wasn't true love... the love that speaks the Language of the World."

"When you possess great treasures within you and try to tell others of them, seldom are you believed."

"No matter what he does, every person on earth plays a central role in the history of the world. And normally he doesn't know it."

"No matter what he does, every person on earth plays a central role in the history of the world. And normally he doesn't know it."

On the monk's statement, "But this payment goes well beyond my generosity", the alchemist replied, "Don't say that again. Life might be listening and give you less next time."

So, it was The Alchemist all day, and nothing else. I read some articles from Business Today, and came across the cover story on TCS, TCS –The real story. I couldn’t complete this cover story, and hence can't say much about it but yes! next post would be about the software major that recruited me, or about any new book that comes my way.

-----------------------

Word Of The Day:

saturnine

Pronunciation: (sat'ur-nīn")

sluggish in temperament; gloomy; taciturn.
Bitter or scornful, Showing a brooding ill humor
suffering from lead poisoning, as a person.
due to absorption of lead, as bodily disorders.

Usage:

saturnine, sarcastic (vs. unsarcastic)
usage: bitter or scornful; "the face was saturnine and swarthy, and the sensual lips...twisted with disdain"- Oscar Wilde
dark, dour, glowering, glum, moody, morose, saturnine, sour, sullen, ill-natured (vs. good-natured)
usage: showing a brooding ill humor; "a dark scowl"; "the proverbially dour New England Puritan"; "a glum, hopeless shrug"; "he sat in moody silence"; "a morose and unsociable manner"; "a saturnine, almost misanthropic young genius"- Bruce Bliven; "a sour temper"; "a sullen crowd"

Adieu,

Fictional Reality.

R.I.P. David Wayne

2005-05-24T03:34:00.000-07:00

On May 10, 2005, Tuesday the world lost a metal legend. David Wayne, formerly of Metal Church, the original frontman of the band. He was 47 years old. This is not only a loss for his family and the band, but also for millions of metalheads throughout the world.

David Wayne sang on Metal Church's first two classic albums (1984's "Metal Church" and 1986's "The Dark") before leaving the group and being replaced by Mike Howe. Wayne subsequently teamed up with members of "Heretic" members to form "Reverend", with whom he released two albums and a couple of EPs. He eventually rejoined Metal Church in time for the 1999 reunion album, "Masterpeace". A "solo" album (under the Wayne banner), entitled "Metal Church" followed in 2001. [An Excerpt from HeavyMetal.About]

The webmaster of the David Wayne's Metal Church web site, http://davidwaynesmetalchurch.com/, has the following message posted:

"On behalf of David Wayne's Metal Church, we would like to express our deepest sorrow in the passing of our metal brother, David Wayne. This is not only a loss for us as a band and his family, but also millions of metalheads throughout the world. David died due to complications from injuries he sustained in a head-on automobile accident several months ago."

"David Wayne was the patented scratchy vocals of several Metal Church albums and was in the process of returning to the metal scene with his new band lineup. His goal was to return to the sounds of Metal Church's albums released in 1984 and 1986. We will always remember the burning words and vocals in 'Gods of Wrath', 'Watch the Children Pray', and 'Start the Fire'. David and his current band had just completed several new songs and were ready to head to the recording studio after their European tour dates this summer.

"Along with David's family and friends, we would ask that cards, letters, and flowers be sent to the below address. Additionally, donations are being accepted to help David's family with funeral expenses"

David Wayne's Memorial Fund
C/O Verna Schielling
1217 North 57th Court
Ridgefield, WA 98642

Personally, I wasn't very much into Metal Church because I always thought the band was underrated and unappreciated, but I was wrong. I heard about them from a friend of mine, an year back, but I couldn't get their collection. Recently I downloaded two great songs - "Watch The Children Pray" and "Ton Of Bricks, and they're awesome with Wayne on vocals on the former one. This accident is a big loss to the Heavy Metal scene and we metalheads. David Wayne was a legend.

What a loss, that left every metalhead with a shock. David Wayne, R.I.P. brother. We'll miss your voice. Heartfelt condolences to Wayne's family, friends and fans.

-------------------------------------

Word of the day:

deracinate

Pronunciation: (di-ras'u-nāt")

—v.t., -nat•ed, -nat•ing.

to pull up by the roots; uproot; extirpate; eradicate.
to isolate or alienate (a person) from a native or customary culture or environment.

Synonyms: displace, uproot, place, extirpate, root out

Usage: One of the novel's themes was deracination, and dealt with the uprooted, desperate lives of migrant workers.

Adieu,

Fictional Reality.

Word of the Day!

2005-05-23T03:30:00.000-07:00

Hello!

I've got a good reason for why I'd be posting on a daily basis even when I'll have nothing to write, or when I'm too tired to write, like today and the title explains the same.

Word of the Day:

sapient

Pronunciation: (sā'pē-unt)

—adj. having or showing great wisdom or sound judgment, acutely insightful and wise.

Synonyms: perspicacious, sagacious, sapient, wise (vs. foolish)

Usage: acutely insightful and wise; "much too perspicacious to be taken in by such a spurious argument"; "observant and thoughtful, he was given to asking sagacious questions"; "a source of valuable insights and sapient advice to educators".

C ya! I have nothing good to write on.

Fictional Reality.

The Da Vinci Code : A Pulse Quickening Adventure

2005-05-21T02:37:00.000-07:00

"Life is filled with secrets; you can't learn them at once."

I just completed reading Da Vinci Code , and I couldn't stop myself from writing an entry on the same, and about a confession I have to admit tonight. Da Vinci Code is a freaky book, certainly the best mystery novel of all those I've read before. Besides letting me experience a pulse-quickening and brain-teasing adventure, it forced me to frantically search the topics related to the book - The Holy Grail, Knight Templars, Mary Magdalene, Louvre Museum, the paintings of Leonardo Da Vinci, and many more.

The book starts with facts page where Dan Brown states,

"All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents and secret rituals in this novel are accurate.”

While checking the Opus Dei's website and their response to The Da Vinci Code at http://www.opusdei.org, I read,

"Many readers are intrigued by the claims about Christian history and theology presented in The Da Vinci Code. We would like to remind them that The Da Vinci Code is a work of fiction, and it is not a reliable source of information on these matters."

And then about The Last Supper, Mary Magdalene, etc - I was still searching and had no clue. Meanwhile, when I was at a friend's residence this afternoon I found a strange PDF document which had contents like "How much content of Da Vinci Code is fiction and how much of it is truth?" I don't have it in my PC though, but I'll certainly bring it tomorrow from my friend's residence.

I finally wanted to see how Louvre Museum situated in Paris looked like, the interiors and the Pyramid at the entrance as described in the book in the starting pages. For those, unlucky like me who haven't visited Louvre and want to get a feel of how it looks like, after having experienced Da Vinci Code here's the link of the set of images I found on the internet. It contains The Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, and everything that's related to Louvre, in the Louvre and Da Vinci Code.

Random Pics of Louvre Museum in Paris:

http://www.joot.com/dave/vacation/2002/photos/france/Louvre/

The pics are awesome, and I'd love to see Louvre and the art there some day. [And so I'm thinking to opt for taking French as the foreign language training in the ILP at TCS next year. hehe..]

And then about the movie on Da Vinci code that would star Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon. More about the movie can be checked out at:

http://www.themovieinsider.com/movies/mid/796/Da_Vinci_Code,_The

The movie is about to be released in May 2006.

With regulars batch started at full speed I need to be fast at solving the material given to us, I'll see to it tomorrow, and also a new novel, only if I ever get a chance to go to Indore tomorrow.

PS: I regret for having said something inappropriate to someone like me, at the end it was me feeling insulted for what I've said. [12?] I'm such a jerk.

"Forgiveness is the God's greatest gift", they say. Forgive me.

C ya.

Fictional Reality.

Cristina Scabbia : The Metal Goddess!

2005-05-19T02:47:00.000-07:00

Aloha!

Cristina Scabbia - The female lead in the metal band 'Lacuna Coil' is no doubt, a metal goddess. Last night I downloaded the video 'Swamped' by Lacuna Coil and I was stunned by her beauty. The live pictures and wallpapers of Cristina Scabbia, I downloaded few months back didn't surpise me, but this video did. And then the quest was on, I hunted for more pictures of Cristina on the internet, numerous was the number google had in its reply, and here I am posting two of them.

She's hot! She's ultra sexy, and one the very few metal divas who lead a metal band. And trust me, Amy Lee of Evanesence lies no close to her in singing or in looks, that's a personal opinion though.

And Angela of 'Arch Enemy' and Tarja of 'Nightwish' seem good too, but again no close to Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil.

Cristina Scabbia, the goddess owns me! *bows*

PS: Yes! My regulars' batch started from today.

Adios!

Fictional Reality!

The Godfather : A Masterpiece

2005-05-18T01:57:00.000-07:00

Aloha!

"Don Vito Corleone was a man to whom everybody came for help, and never were they disappointed. He made no empty promises, nor the craven excuse that his hands were tied by more powerful forces in the world than himself. It was not necessary that he be your friend, it was not even important that you had no means with which to repay him. Only one thing was required. That you, you yourself, proclaim your friendship. And then, now matter how poor or powerless the supplicant, Don Corleone would take that man's troubles to his heart. And he would let nothing stand in the way to a solution of that man's woe. His reward? Friendship, the respectful title of "Don," and sometimes the more affectionate salutation of "Godfather."

The Godfather, written by Mario Puzo is certainly a masterpiece. It shows how really important the contacts are, how important friendship is, be it the world of business or the normal life you and I live, how important favors are, and how equally important it is to oblige them. There were numerous quotes which were really impressive and listing all of them here would make this post too long, but its worth mentioning a few:

"Many young men started down a false path to their true destiny. Time and fortune usually set them right."

"Every man has one destiny."

"Friendship is everything. Friendship is more than talent. It is more than government. It is almost equal of a family. Never forget that. If you had built up a wall of friendships, you wouldn’t have to ask me to help."

"Behind every fortune there is a crime." - Balzac

"I'll make him an offer he can't refuse."

"I'll reason with him."

"Don't overestimate the power of forgiveness."

"Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer."

"If anything is certain in this world, if history has taught us anything, its that you can kill anyone."

"Don’t hate your enemies.. it affects your judgment."

"Revenge is a dish that tastes best when it is cold."

"Lawyers can steal more money with a briefcase than a thousand men with guns and masks."

The one being "I'll make him an offer he can't refuse" has become a cliché. And strange that Puzo always claimed that he had never met a gangster in his life before the book appeared. In all, Godfather was a great book. I'm looking forward to see the movie now.

I completed this book two days back, and then I brought "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown and that's what I've been reading since two days. It’s a damn interesting murder mystery, that traps you under suspense after the very first page and I'm yet to recover from the same.

CSC visited our college day before yesterday for the campus recruitment and the event was nicely organized. I wasn't well, so I decided to leave after helping the delegates till the written tests. While I was returning home I witnessed a fatal accident. I call it this way because the conductor of our bus told us that the guy died on spot when he went to check the guy at the accident spot few meters away from where the bus halted. I hope the news wasn't true. It wasn't all guy's fault. Some car hit his scooter from the back, and there was a lady driving the car. The guy bounced off the scooter in front and his neck seemed to crash with the concrete road. If he had a helmet over his head (which isn't compulsory here in Indore, like in other metros) it wouldn't have happened this way. Make helmets mandatory for two-wheeler vehicles, this would help decrease the injuries caused by such mishaps. This is the second big accident I witnessed while doing a regular up-down to college.

I have classes starting for CAT preparation from tomorrow. A hectic schedule is just about to begin again.

Adios!

Fictional Reality.

Friday The 13th Didn't Let Me Post

2005-05-15T02:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was "Friday The 13th"!

A day revived by the most. Here's a concise Friday The 13th Roster, an excerpt from one of the articles I found on the internet:

The fear of Friday the 13th is called Paraskevidekatriaphobia.
Friday is a taboo day because Christ was crucified on Friday. It's also when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden apple.
The fear of 13th is Triskaidekaphobia. There are many versions to it. One says that since the primitive man only had 10 fingers and 2 feet, he couldn't count beyond 12. What lay beyond that - 13, was scary.

And then the 13 letters in your name, the superstition goes, brings devil's luck. A few examples are serial killers like "Jack The Ripper", "Charles Manson", "Jeffery Dahmer" ..and surprisingly my name has 13 letters in itself too :p

Yesterday, Friday The 13th of May 2005, was kinda unlucky from the morning when the bus made me reach late at the TnP cell for the work, the day was tiring until I finally came back home late and found out something was wrong with the internet connection. It let me open google, orkut, and few other websites but not others, not even mIRC. Lastly I tried to post a blog where it refused to open this “Create posts” section. Poor me! But it somehow made me believe why this meeting of a weekday and the 13 as a date had such an importance.

I've been working every day, since last 4 days, its been a tough time. No vacations. Today was no better. But I watched "The Ring - 2" and "The Scary Movie" tonight, to relieve out stress. The Ring - 2 is a great horror-flick, a must watch! "The Godfather" is just near to an end, in all a great novel that teaches you how important contacts are, how favors are to be owed? I'm looking forward to see the movie too, it must be good.

Adios!

III Year - Sem B Outcome!

2005-05-13T01:46:00.000-07:00

III year Sem B Outcome - a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon? It was the result day.

After I took the shower in the morning I received a call, and it was urgent, I had to reach college in about an hour. I was down with health but I couldn’t say no. Reaching there I saw no good work, and in few minutes I got to know about the result, and luckily I saw it minutes before it was about to be displayed. And having 71% as the score I have no complaints. The final battle with the final electronics subject turned out to be a waterloo for itself. But then there was really some work, and that made me stay at college till 8 PM.

I won't forget the last semester in the whole lifetime - to sum it all, 9 projects in all till the III year, certificates from college and university for the portals, the 's/w engineering room', selection in the TnP cell which has been a great experience till now, selection in TCS, the TCS students meet in Mumbai and the accommodation at Taj, and then a result which let my aggregate cross 70%.

I've been called to work for tomorrow as well, and I don't have many thoughts to share for today as I'm all tired, and I need a nice nap. But working is fun, I consider it as the preparation for the worst if I get a metro for work after an year - who knows?

PS: I'm grateful to someone for having saved the D-day. And yes! I speak crap at around this time :( I wonder if I lost a friend tonight for the same cause.

C ya,

Harpreet.

The Software Engineering Room and The Tragic Update

2005-05-12T02:33:00.000-07:00

Hullo!

Today was tiring though it was the day that marked the beginning of internship for the results portal at the University for the coming year. We were there to get familiar with the already existing result management system. And as we tried to be familiar to the system, the system objected and we were in a tragic situation, but being smart s/w engineers we somehow managed to set things right, as they were when we stepped in.

The exhausting day started with me leaving for Indore to rush out at PT for the registration of the ‘regulars’ batch. The batch commences from 18th and that marks the beginning for the busy schedule for the next year. Next, I didn't had plans to visit college but I had to, for a friend of mine who needed to sign a joining letter for the company he got selected in. Good! They didn't imprison me there to work with them for the full day and then we thought about getting familiar with the result system there at IT centre so that on the result D-Day we don't have problems uploading it and in the end not having result delayed and receive harsh criticism.

The “s/w Engineering room" at IT centre has always been a dream destination. The places where you see "Entry Strictly Prohibited" are the places you sure love to visit. One good thing that relates to the same was an article I read today which was about the I&B (Information and Broadcasting) ministry, that they soon are going to cut out the television programs and related stuff that they consider as vulgar (according to their benchmarks, but benchmark? like several 'mullahs' in Pakistan consider 'Saari' as a vulgar dress in their case). Like a kid finds the stolen fruit the sweetest, so is the case with banning such programs and films whose prohibition will certainly add to people's suspicion and the desire to know more about the particular thing banned. So, seems it’s not gonna help.

In my case the s/w Engineering room was what I dreamt of when I spent about a semester and got to know about the same. The room has several computers running, web servers, mail servers, file servers, all the switching elements, and everything you've studied in Computer Networks if you're a techie. It’s an all AC centre, and working among these machines is fun. We were all set to make changes to the result records to make sure that the changes we make are visible once we open the web documents through the browser. What we did was we used the text file with the SQL commands to insert the queries with the help of the ‘phpMyAdmin’ interface we were provided with. And to our surprise, we ended saving those queries into the table instead of the records. By this time we had inserted about 12000+ records that were all queries. And when we checked the results portal through the online interface, it wasn't working and all we could do was to look at each other with blank faces, clueless. But somehow we managed to delete those 12000+ entries which required something more than the usual DELETE query [I'm sorry for the technically challenged people again]. The previous experience that we had with PHP and mySQL helped us handle the phpMyAdmin and resolve the problem, else we were sure to be berated by the professors around for reflecting 12000+ changes into the result. Lastly, we found a way to update the database somehow, and we were saved! The next challenge is the day when we get the real result data to be updated with the result data we'd receive from college once results come out.

That was it, and after I was back home, tired, I couldn't think of anything else but sleep. After I got up and switched on the internet and surfed around, I found some nice NGO websites working for street children, those who're mentally challenged, etc [I wish I could work for the same.. I know I will in the time to come]. I’m grateful to those who volunteer for the same.

Lastly, this world is so small; you end up meeting people around that have some connection to the small city you live in.

C ya!

Harpreet.

Another day.. Another post!

2005-05-10T12:24:00.000-07:00

Aloha!

Another day, another post. Today was just as any other day. I spent time reading the newspaper and I saw a really nice article that dealt with HRs and the appraisal systems. There was a question an employee asked to his boss and which was kinda like:

"I'm an employee in this s/w firm since 3 years and I've worked harder, every night, spent most of the days working for extra hours and completing everything within timeframe as compared to those I have around me working for the same company. But I've got no good appraisals, no good rewards for all the hard work I've put through."

And the analysis revealed that the industry now believes in "smart work" rather than "hard work". It believes in "what an individual brings to the company" and not the hard work he puts through (in case that brings no good to company). Very true!

There was something funny I read about delhites two-three days back and I remember it now, worth discussing! Delhites have this tendency of being so confident about telling the way to people who seem to have lost around with some address in their hand. They will so confidently tell "Go this way, straight, the turn right, and then you'll see the square and there you go!" and if you follow the same you ultimately end up being far from the place you wanted to reach to. Its not their (delhites') fault that they seem to be so confident about they know every way to every place, its about the people visiting that place that makes them think Yes! He/she is the right person I'm seeking an address advice from - right? (or left?). No offence meant Delhi people, but this was what a national newspaper had in its edit page that took my attention. Meanwhile, when I last visited Delhi (in 2002) for giving DCE entrance exams, I didn't experienced any such problems (may be because, I remember when we lost our way, we always sought address-advice from the traffic policeman there, and they seemed polite and we didn't seem to deviate from the correct path). In case you're the one who's to visit Delhi, have no knowledge about addresses and god-forbid you're lost then better seek an advice from "dhobiwalas" or such people because they seem to know people by their cars, residences rather than "Sharma ji", "Verma ji".

The rest of the day was "The Godfather". Its an interesting story, and most of you reading this blog entry must have read it once because its a famous book. I somehow managed to complete the Book III part.

I need to leave early for Indore tomorrow, to register myself for the CAT batch at PT. Its like you'd never have time even when the stage you're in right now is called "vacations". When you're at home you may get a call to work for TnP, when you're free of the same you have another work ready, and since the classes start from 18th, I don't see myself getting free in coming 6 months. What about the plans I promised my college in the last post?

Scrolling back up in this editor, it seems I've written enough crap for today [also I'm disappointed for some reason (Orkut?)], so I should better leave.

Adios!

Harpreet.

Waterloo? But who's gonna win?

2005-05-09T20:15:00.000-07:00

Waterloo - "A final crushing defeat", but which battle am I talking about?

Weird but the battle is with the last electronics subject named "Control Systems". I wonder why there is a need of electronics subject when a student enrolled in the "Computer Science and Engineering" (CSE) course is in his III Year - Semester B. But again since the course is revised by college authorities every year, there must be a need (a need to pester students who love computers?). Personally, electronics subjects have been nagging me since the very first year. I remember "Basic Electronics" was the one that ignited the feud. "Basic Electronics" was an ok kinda subject, and we didn’t took this feud at heart because the time we entered the college, we had already spent time solving circuits and we thought it would be the first and last electronics subject we’d be studying (at least I thought so). But we were (at least I was) wrong. Passing this first battle we were bestowed to two new subjects in II year - named "Digital Electronics" and "Microprocessors and ALP". And we weren’t (at least I wasn’t) furious because these subjects were close to computers, and the peripherals used the same logic, and so studying these two was the only fun I had with the electronics subjects spree. And like in games they keep lucifers, devils and daemons for the final fight, the programmers of our game (the curriculum designers) made sure the ‘curriculum’ game was just a simulation of what the computer games are. In the III Year we were presented to the daemons - "Digital Communication Engineering" (DCE) and "Control Systems". And since I passed DCE last semester (I don’t feel a need to tell the marks) the only battle left now is with "Control Systems". I checked the course to make sure if we have more electronics subjects in the coming year, and not surprisingly, after three years in this slam dance, they’ve let us free (and I have no good words to thank them, the blog says it all). Lastly, I have a feeling that I’ll be able to pass this final battle which was worse than the last one - DCE. And if you ask me for a reason to support my judgment, I have none.

It’s been 3 years in this very college and I see my seniors passing out. An year ahead, it’s our turn. For my case I believe the college has given me everything I thought about when I took my first step in its campus. The environment is congenial, teachers encourage you (at least I’ve felt so, or else I wouldn’t have had so many of my projects deployed), so do seniors. Thank you IET-DAVV (Institute of Engineering and Technology, Devi Ahilya Vishwavidalaya in case you’re wondering what this abbreviation meant).

And since you’ve done more than enough for a student like me (*bows*) who stepped in your environment 3 years back with zero I.Q. about computers, I have a plan for you so that we always have you in our memories after we pass out. Daunted? No! Don’t get scared. Since the next year is the last year left outta our college life, I personally believe there is a need of outings (and mass bunks IF ANY is needed for the same) because if we don’t enjoy the final year this way, we won’t have any precious moments to remember about our college life. In case you’re someone who’s my classmate reading this blog entry, make sure you post a comment. And IET-DAVV, sweetheart, we’ll make sure the outings don’t affect the class schedule.

I couldn’t post a blog entry for yesterday because I was at college for work at TnP cell. The bus in the morning seemed overcrowded. By the time I returned I was late, and then I had to take the relatives to the ‘park area’ nearby where you get the famous junk food (pani-puri, bhel and stuff). And then by the time I returned from the same, it was just too late and tired I was, so the only way was to catch up with bed and some Z'ss.

PS: Reading this entry might make you think like I’m against the one who sets the curriculum. No! I’m pretty happy with the course and the ones who set it because all colleges around seem to have the same curriculum for the CSE branch and that proves, setting such course seriously has some advantage for we students. And yes!

I’m proud to be an IETian.

C ya!

Harpreet.

A Productive Day..

2005-05-08T11:44:00.000-07:00

Aloha!

Yeah! It kind of was, because now I seem fully recovered from the exams shock and I didn't slept much like I did in past few days, and also in the meantime.. seems fully prepared for the result shock I'll soon be awarded with. Call it cause and effect, and what would the effect be is left for days to come.

Last night I worked till 3 A.M. and so was supposed to get up by 10 in the morning which I did. I received news about relatives visiting our place the moment I woke up, and then I questioned about the day's productivity? Will I be able to complete what all I've thought for today or the time will pass fly by with the annoying kids (if any do come with the relatives).

Today was Mother's day and like a good son I wished her the time I got up. I remember every exam time, be it the first semester exams or the semester exams I just gave when I used to wake her up around 2 A.M. - 3 A.M, time and she used to make coffees for me, snacks that'd keep me alive for the whole night so that I could study. And with her blessings everything has been fine till now, and I'm sure so will be the future. I love you Mom! Today's blog certainly needed this piece of writing. The title should be "Mothers Day" instead of "A Productive Day" :p

I read some really nice articles today. One of them focused on the dance bar girls in Mumbai and it was written by Vir Sanghvi I guess. No one had this idea in mind that these dance bars would one day become the focus of a major controversy in India's most cosmopolitan city. At first it seemed like any other campaign by the 'Shiv-Sena' people like the generally do on valentine days, closing bars early, but soon, the same became a political issue and ministers there now support this movement. Is it right to target the dance bar girls first? Or the first on list should be the pimps, and the underground people who bring them up to this city, and who run this business. Anyway!

The other article dealt with Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora. We people in India have the tendency of praising, rewarding people after they're gone, we overdid it in Major Aurora's case. Some argue, was he a real hero in the war? Reading the story it really seemed he was! And the lines below, an excerpt from the same seem so true:

"In our case, when recognition comes it's not just unforgivenably late but unmistakenably manipulated. Consequently, it's seen as an political tactic rather than a nation's gratitude."

And then the Ambanis, another hot issue! The bible says:

"Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. And every city and house divided against itself shall not stand."

The rest is left for you and the Ambanis to derive to a conclusion.

The last article I have in my memories was about "Being a Muslim Woman in India". Once was a time they were imprisoned within the walls of the so called tradition and custom. But their voices against the Muslim Law Personal Board have led to the deep cracks appearing in these walls, and soon will the day arrive when these walls will fall. "Times are changing, society is changing, and so are the Muslim women", as quoted by Javed Akhtar.

And then I read "The Godfather" by Mario Puzo for the rest of the day, somehow completed the Book I and reached to the part where the battle of five families is just to begin.

I recieved a call from a friend today, and he informed me about his unavailability at Training and Placement office for the work. That meant I'll have to take care of things from tomorrow under the teachers in TnP cell. So, the vacations aren't just fun, its still work around. I have plans for visiting Mumbai and Shirdi in the coming days; I hope work allows the same. And yea! I’m sad about the fact that I can't be there for Joe Satriani's show in Mumbai :(

Enough crap! That was how my day went - reading, reading and reading.

C ya then!

Harpreet.

Fictional Reality? WTF!

2005-05-07T11:02:00.000-07:00

Aloha!

[Consider it as a greeting, and techies – don’t confuse it with the congestion control protocols in the data-link MAC sub layer :p]

This is my first post and if you're viewing it, probably the first question you'd think about is why "Fictional Reality"? Why such an oxymoron? Am I conceived by the imagination? Or a Slayer fan, who's damn obsessed about the album 'Divine Intervention' released in 1994? Oh yea, I pretty am!

I remember months back when I was giving the technical interview for TCS, I was asked about various kinds of 'Testing' used in SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle). I remember giving the MR interview for the same company, I was asked by the HR - "Do you have any questions to ask?", and in real time I said "Yes!". I asked something I had in my mind for years, since the time I joined the college and was introduced to computers. I asked "Tell me what's the crucial difference between software professional and a Computer Science and Engineering graduate, what's the point that there is a need of a phase to differentiate them, what you call as training when all you teach in training is what we've almost studied in our curriculum?" He answered, "You work there with the teamwork, here in college you play with toy projects which have a basic 'code and test' procedure unlike what we do." I was asked if I had some more questions, and I said no, with thanks for clearing the doubt. After the MR, I had to wait for a day for my final HR interview, it went well and I was selected.

It’s the time I'm having my vacations and today I opened a core topic of Software Engineering, "The Software Engineering" itself. :p I downloaded the ILP notes from the TCS website last night and decided to have a look at them to get an answer to what I asked two months back. The way we work at college seriously differs from what happens there. Here, we play with toy projects which have the 'code and test' strategy, while there you work with projects that are extremely complex (I saw some projects TCS completed - like the ones involving RBI, Stock Exchanges, and some BFS' (Banking and Financial Systems)), and I also got an answer to the testing question I was asked months before in an interview where I had no clue. Prototyping was another issue I had no idea about before, and the sequential waterfall model I thought would be the model-of-the-day wasn't the case. RUPM (Rational Unified Process Model) is something that's being used all these days. Anyway! too much of techie stuff, but I found these topics very interesting since they were giving me answers to what I've been asking to myself for years. Good! The very next semester we have this subject as the core subject in our curriculum.

The day went with my date with s/w engineering and by the evening I left for 'Tekri' and returned home late, tired. While returning home I had memories of my trip to Mumbai last week which was a great experience. Life there is good, except for its very crowded. When I woke up in the train at around 5:30 A.M. that day and 'Virar' was the station the train just left, I saw Multis all over, life there seemed so congested.. That kinda gives a feeling - Who am I? What’s my existence in this very mob? And then I remembered I need to choose a metro as the centre in future where I'd work with TCS, and it'd most probably be Mumbai despite all these drawbacks because I'm a little workaholic and Mumbai has enormous work in that very case. Who knows, there still is an year to go!

I guess I've written enough crap for my very first blog.. hehe I should leave or else I'd start discussing the next ILP module I am about to read tomorrow.

C ya!

Harpreet.