sorgame endralum, adhu nam oora pola varuma

Some months back my friend referred me for a opening in a concern. I had to take up the interview in bangalore. Booked a flight which is supposed to depart by 7.50AM. As my stars always stand against me, my flight got canceled. Had to call the customer care and advanced my ticket to 5.40AM flight.
The previous day booked a cab, and the cab reached my home by 4.15AM. Got up at 3.30AM. I was literally cursing my friend for the referral, as sacrificing my sleep was too much of concern for me. All were sleeping at my home, my dad got up and prepared a good coffee for me. Silently peeked to the room, kissed my little nephew-dojo and started to the airport. The cab driver was driving at 110Km/hr. I was repeatedly telling "anna slow a ponga..time iruku".He turned deaf ears to it. For the first time in my life, I was traveling alone in a cab at the early hours. All thoughts were in my mind- what if he kidnaps me, etc etc..Maybe the driver himself knew I would be a real hell.
Boarded the flight. Was trying to catch my sleep, but hardly could get it. Reached bang by around 7. Had a burger at coffee day. Took another cab there. Reached the place by around 8.30. My friend brought my favourite omlette from his home. After a little chat, the interview started by around 10AM.
A meeting room was blocked for the whole day. As one person leaves, another one would be ready to enter the room. Pre-lunch there were 3 rounds. I was damn hungry by then. When I was having my lunch, there was a call in my mobile from the 4th panelist. He was already waiting for me. Hurried there, for futher encounter. At one point I was literally in the state of, gosh leave me..I want to go...After 5 rounds, there was a manager round. My evening flight was at 7PM. By around 5.45 I started off from the place. It started to rain very heavily. Luckily the driver took me on time. Even before going and collecting the boarding pass, headed to coffee day to have my sip of coffee..took the return flight, and reached my place..

My first outing with Extreme

Its been almost a year since I updated my blog..Yesterday had a very good time in my team outing. This kindled me to dust the blogger site and update my postings..Our test team planned to head out to GRT temple bay resort in ECR. I have been there once with my previous company. The initial mindset was that, it would be just like any other outing. But it wasnt the case. The entire day was fun filled.

Reached office by around 10AM. The cabs started by around 11AM and we reached the place by 12.30. We were received with a welcome drink. Teams were split to start off with some team events. My team was named avengers. We were 5 members in it.. The first game was "discover the hidden image",in which a big poster was cut into pieces and we need to assemble it and bring it back to shape..We had a tough luck there, almost all pieces of the poster looked alike. Of the 5 teams we stood 4th :).
Geared up for the next game by telling, "arasiyala idelam sagajam appa"..
The next event was thread building using straw, wherein we need to join the straws and make it as lengthy as possible. When the event co-ordinators checked for the straw length, the one which we built crumbled off. That reminded me of vadivelu punch- top strong uuu, ana basement weak...

After this event, we dispersed off for lunch. Though there werent many varities, food was delicious and filling. As always I had desserts as my main course.
The next event was write-right. Its difficult to explain in writing..Let me give a try. There will be a pen attached to a stick. The stick has multiple threads attached to it. Each team member has to hold the end of the thread and pull the stick in appropirate directions and write the word "EXOS" in a poster. All EXOS were dangling, ours was even more pathetic. O looked like r :), but to our surprise, we won that event as all other teams were disqualified..
The other game was Dart Board. Need to hit the magnet on the bull's eye. I was hitting all other places other than the board. There were few other games as well. Not making the readers yawn, by listing out everything here.
Later played sometime in the see-saw and swings just like kids, and headed to sea shore.
With a good coffee and snacks, bid a bye-bye to everyone out there and headed to cabs. Many were eagerly waiting for us to leave, obviously for their own reasons :))
Thanks to all the organisers. Had a good time..Looking out for the next one.

எண்ணம்

எண்ணம் அழகானால், எல்லாம் அழகாகும் ...

If i Quit

Recent times, "have put my papers" have become fashion of the day..Hardly people stick for 2-3yrs in a company..I am an exception though..
I have seen many people with change in attitude in their notice period. Questions come in mind -"Do i really need to work", "Who cares"..etc etc..
Initially a question would be of the format "Yeah, i shall do it"..later it would change to, "The complexity is too high that i need to check the feasibility"..then at the fag end it would be"do i really need to do it?"..
Of course people are paid for the notice period. I personally feel, commitment should be the same throughout. But i also have some good friends, who have worked the same way, till their last working day!!. Hats off to them
Between , I am neither a manager nor a HR. I am just a engineer. Readers should not get these questions in their mind, so i am making myself clear here...
Hope i follow the same, when i get a chance to quit too.

Some courtesy plz..

On my way back to home from office, was waiting in the signal..It had started to drizzle by then..There was a public transport which had halted in the signal too. These days, we find some buses in chennai which ply with automatic door locking system,. Though they claim its automatic door, its controlled by the driver. The doors doesn’t have any intelligence of its own.
A old couple was knocking the bus door, driver took a notice and refused to open..I felt bit annoyed seeing it..By then it started raining very heavily..
First instant i felt, its wrong to board a bus in the signal. These days most of the signals are fitted with timers, we had couple of seconds for the signal to turn green.
They were repeatedly banging the door, and the driver turned deaf ears..Then the old couple staggered to walk and managed to reach the payment...What is he going to loose by letting them in?? Is he giving a place in his home for them to stay?? Is it too much of courtesy to expect from a third person??

Trek to Nagalapuram-05/30/2010

I had registered with CTC(chennai trekking club) for quite sometime now. But so far haven’t got an opportunity to join them. Fortunately made it for social trek to nagalapuram with some of the kids from premavsam home on 05/30/2010. We were asked to assemble near koyambedu by 5.20am. I kept my alarms by 4.20 in cell phones, actually I kept two alarms, as I very well knew I would snooze it and doze off. Managed to get up early and reached koyambedu by 5.20. My dad dropped me. He felt very in secured, though I explained him so much about CTCs, as like any other parent, he asked questions like – how will you go with strangers?, is it safe etc etc..Convinced him to an extent. After meeting the people there, he felt bit comfortable, but I could see him take a note of the vehicle numbers..I was wondering, what if someone else notices that, wont they think bad??..But that’s the parental thing..
We started from koyambedu and reached the home at porur in some half an hour time. I met my other friends at the same place. As soon as we entered, it was so moving to see the kid’s excitement. They were jumping with joy.. All kids were rushing towards balaji(calling him balaji anna..vanga..)..he was crowded with some 10 kids, they were holding his hands and happily welcoming him to their home.. Next favorite person in the group for the kids is peter uncle..it was awesome to witness..We took the kids , and headed towards nagala. Its roughly 125kms from chennai. In the midway we have a place called utukotai, where we stopped for breakfast. All were given idli parcels, with tasty sambars..After breakfast we resumed our travel and in some one hr drive reached nagalauram
By then sun was straight above our head. Caps were distributed to the kids. Food packets were distributed for lunch, which we were asked to keep in our bags. Each trekker was given a responsibility of taking care of the kid. But it was just the other way. A kid named balaji accompanied me, but my walking speed was too slow for him, and he almost ran away from me., initially there was no shade, and we were walking under the sun for 1 hr. All were asked to apply sunscreen, but I don’t think that would have had much effect on us, and in sometime I tanned like charcoal.
Initial terrain was rocky, some places were muddy, slippery ..Then after a walk for one hour, we were able to witness some trees, and we entered the foothills of nagala. Took some interim breaks there. After sometime, we witnessed a stream flowing. Kids started jumping into it. I thought that was the destination, and I felt, “Oops for this small stream, did we walk so much??”. By then someone said, no its just some 30% of walk, we need to walk further..We dipped our legs in the initial stream and it was refreshing.
Walked further, there were narrow trails, bumpy ones, slippery paths, rocky terrains..Whoever was beside me, I grabbed their hands and walked..One was commenting “ I think you will push me”..I also remember there was one guy, with grey t-shirt, I don’t know his name..He really had a difficult time with me, I was taking his help often on slippery paths. I was making him slow as well..He would help me , then march forward..but his bad fate, often had to encounter me ..thanks to that unknown person ..March, march, march..finally we reached the falls..it was worth the walk..very very pleasant and cool waters welcomed us..Din take much of time to jump into it..swimmers helped the non swimmers ..I used the rubber tyres and tried floating ..was successful to an extent ..after splashing in water for sometime, we were damn hungry..We were given parcels of lemon and cud rice..That was like a heavenly delight..Spent time sitting on the rocks and chatting..Next thought came in my mind- “how will I walk back?”..No other go..have to do..but return was much more pleasant..In fact took us less time..Took some sanps here and there..Tilak, peter, sudhir uncle, balaji are some of the names I remember. Tilak would encourage me, “common, its easy..jump, jump”…such a great ppl with great mindset..one can learn what really modesty is from CTC guys..It was indeed a great break for me..Finally we assembled near the cars..Sunita dugar, offered me some buns..I was in a state, where I would eat anything edible..finally said good bye to all, and started..I got down at some point near my home..back to home, sweet home..:)

சொற்கம்

பசித்தவுடன் சோறு ..
படுத்தவுடன் உறக்கம் ..
என்றும் நட்புடன் சூழும் நண்பர்கள் ..
கண்ணில் கண்ணீர் சொரியும் முன் , அதை ஏந்த இரு கைகள் ..
நந்தவனமாய் ஒரு குடும்பம் ...
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