payroll team outing

An outing of different sorts.Actually so, since none of us, other than Ravi and Nita knew where we were going. When I got to know at Leela palace entrance that we were to go to Nandi hills, it was accompanied by reminiscing my previous visit and wondering what we could ever do there! Ravi promised it wasn't the usual way and told about this guy who was accompanying us for our trip.
Got into the bus at the Manipal Hospital. The history lessons began from there. Go back to 1790, when the British followed more or less the same route to come to Bangalore, after getting on to the Madras coast by sea from Calcutta, which was incidentally their capital at that point of time. Atleast for my part, i did close my eyes as was asked and could imagine the English walk those roads. Why Bangalore? For the obvious closeness to Mysore, where Tippu ruled. one of the real warriors in the Indian history who didn't succumb to the English, and like the rest gave up due to the internal bickerings. I suppose the only history where freedom struggle to have prolonged for centuries owing to the politics within.
The English had lost the first two Mysore wars to HyderAli and Tipu. I believe the last time when an Indian king dictated the terms of the treaty. The third Mysore war ended in Tipu accepting the treaty terms put forth by the English but his Army was able to repel the British army owing to the Maratha help coming in late for the Brits. The fourth war is when Tipu was dethroned and Mysore was returned to the wadeyars, the initial rulers of the state. They gave Shrirangapatna to the British, who fled from the place because of mosquitoes. They were then given what is Bangalore now. And Nandi hills was first captured by British since it was at a strategic location to attack Mysore, capuring which, every other province bowed to the English supremacy, since Nandi was considered to be impossible to breach.
Now the streets of Bangalore. We started from ulsoor, which is the lowest point in Bangalore with respect to sea level, which is why the Ulsoor lake is where it is. And where I stay now, gets flooded with a rains just more than showers, because it was a part or near the same lake long back. PS- kempegowdas one tower is in ulsoor. i knew the southern one, because of a history lesson before. ;)
Cubbon road was where the English used to march. And that place is actually so English even now. Just that the Indian Army uses it now. So MG road was always the place to party in Bangalore!!!!
Just put whatever I could remember. Maybe just for myself. Whatever that is, it was a nice trip. Seth thought we were a great group with not much fussing. And we thought he was a sport to climb those 1000 steps with working shoes. We had lunch at this farmhopuse at the foot of the hills and it tasted just heavenly.
And the next day, we all had stiff calve muscles accompanied by a sense of accomplishment. Comments on this, not welcome :D

drafts

what happened was a good thing but what follows is an act of
meaningless politics. Bindra has made all of us proud and the
flag going up for the national anthem would get tears in eyes.
But whats the point in conferring rewards to the guy after he is
recognised outside? Atleast now, they gotta realize the need for
funding on infrastructure. What TZP brought to the screen, the
parents attitude towards evrything other than studies woldn't
take us anywhere in the medal list even after decades. Hope this
changes.

learn the life lesson of how to distinguish between what is worth stressing over in life, and what is better left to the birds.
brilliant quote by no one, but so true..

percentile

I had a wrong assumption about the percentile calculation. Had always thought percentile gave you the idea how you fared with the toppers marks taken as cent. That made a lot of sense to me. The last AIMCAT made me wonder about the whole calculation. How does the number of people tell you how well you have done? Isn't the competition supposed to be with the people on th higher rung? With more people taking the test, the percentile will improve even with you being at the same level, assuming that the people joining the race are behind you. There should be an intelligent answer to this seemingly foolish calculation. I can only think of it this way, look at the rank when on top and the percentile when you want to make it to the top. :)

NEVER HIDE YOUR THOUGHTS IN AN ATTEMPT TO BE PERFECT! BUT SOMETIMES, ITS INEVITABLE.

Followed this link from TIME site and went on to read this piece by Baz Luhrmann- Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen) So very true that we forget today, thinking about the future.


Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’99
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be
it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by
scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable
than my own meandering experience…I will dispense this advice now
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked….You’re not as fat as you imagine. Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday. Do one thing everyday that scares you Sing Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours. Floss Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself. Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how. Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements. Stretch Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t. Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone. Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children,maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…what ever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s. Enjoy your body, use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own.. Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room. Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them. Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly. Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future. Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young. Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel. Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders. Respect your elders. Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one
might run out. Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85. Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth. But trust me on the sunscreen…

Dio!!

I still remember the day when I was asked to choose between a vehicle and a gold chain for myself. It had sounded such a absurd thing to be asked, cos vehicle was the obvious choice. It is a different thing that dad gave me a chain too, later on. This was almost six years back. Then, selection of dio over an activa, for the points in the looks department and not looking like a scooter. Then, everywhere I went, I used to take the dio, thus reducing any exercise.:D But, that was one thing, I was attached to, at that point of time. Even the four years of college, dad wouldn't use it much, only enough to make it fall. But how I used to love it and miss it at college.
And then I had to leave it at home while coming to Bangalore. Had tears when I patted it last time before coming here. But cab strikes at Bangalore came as a savior and the subject for emotional advantage to get it to Bangalore. I forgot the anger and the helplessness of being lost, with it. Just love it.....
Now its come back from service with the front body replaced. Even the small hole in the front is gone now!!!!As good as new, I so like it........