Happy Birthday My Dear Gumnaaaam ;)

“Good friends are like stars.... You don't always see them, but you know they are always there”

Happy Birthday Dad.... :)

Today is my dad's birthday and I am missing him so much!
On this day I want to wish him 'A Very Happy Birthday Dad', may life long I receive your love and blessings which always gives me strength as a child to grow and face this world.

Home is the place where boys and girls first learn how to limit their wishes, abide by rules, and consider the rights and needs of others". ~ Sidonie Gruenberg

I hear its Ganesh Chaturthi for many Maharashtrians and I wish the best and peaceful - Ganpati Bappa Moriya :)

“Plant the seeds of Love in your hearts. Let them grow into trees of Service and shower the sweet fruit of Joy. Share the Joy with all. That is the proper way to celebrate the Birthday.”

“Fear an ignorant man more than a lion”

Yesterday evening, I was in the mood to eat ‘Bhel’ a spicy dish which is usually a snack for evening time made of rice crisps and tomatoes n onions for garnishing with tamarind paste splashes…some what there ;)!

“Craving, not having, is the mother of a reckless giving of oneself.” ~ Erick Hoffer

I suggested my friend to go to ‘Bhavika’- a chat place where you can have all those quick Indian fast food snacks such as Pani-Puri, Dhai Papadi, Ragda Pattice etc..!
We went to this place and we saw a parking so my friend gave a signal and there was another guy who was coming from opposite and as soon he sees us it rushes to park in the spot for which we already gave our indicator signal. Besides that there was another car which was trying to come out of the parking and this guy didn’t even bothered to look at that, probably he was in hurry to park thinking that we will take the parking spot – though the right of way was ours if you go according to the books :D

“It takes 8,460 bolts to assemble an automobile, and one nut to scatter it all over the road.” ~Author Unknown

My friend is a quite nice guy I should say as I am not :D…the moment he parked in our indicated spot I pressed the horn and he looks back after parking from his car – with his hand signal he is asking as if – ‘What happened?’

“Nothing is as dangerous as an ignorant friend; a wise enemy is to be preferred.” ~ Jean de La Fontaine

My friend asked him – ‘Didn’t you see the signal?’ while I was already in bad temper I started showing him the signal!
Probably his wife started telling him that its our right of way since we gave the signal as he even gave an ignoring hand signal to his wife and got out of the car.

“It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in argument.” ~William G. McAdoo

While he was passing us he says to us – ‘Well, I can park where ever I want’. And I guess that was the last straw – I said, ‘sorry you can’t park anywhere but on the designated parking spot and didn’t you see the signal?’ and very ignorant answer – ‘No, I didn’t’ and he walks away!

“Before we work on artificial intelligence why don't we do something about natural stupidity?” ~Steve Polyak

He was behaving as if a rowdy, only to his wife or else my intention was to note his license plate number and report it.

“Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.” ~Albert Einstein

In America people drive as if its there right they forget that it’s a privilege which they should make use of it appropriately! Since I have come to US, am always talking about this rude behavior of drivers on the roads not with me but I often see how they treat other drivers. There is no courtesy, no yield to others; Only in America I have seen road rage and accidents and murders, you will never find a case in Canada at least where someone was killed due to road rage or some kind of revenge unless it is something like a gang related or other matter.

“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.”~ Winston Churchill

I was so furious with this desi guy’s attitude that I literally felt like saying that this is the way you drive even on the road?, without paying attention to the signals and lights, in such case his license should be revoked as he is danger to others.

“To be ignorant of one's ignorance is the malady of ignorance.” ~A. Bronson Alcott

No wonder why people here talk about some Asian drivers as ignorant – we all are responsible for our mistakes and we give a bad name to the community.

“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than a sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr

I have only one message to send across through my post, there is no harm if you did park we are humans sometimes we are talking while parking or listening to something and not paying enough attention but at least when someone points out please reciprocate in appropriate manner. If that guy would have just said – Oh! Am sorry I didn’t see, we would have said that’s okay and we would have parked some other place as we did.
Try to accept at least as that’s the first and last chance to prove your won consciousness.

“Stupidity is not a handicap. Park elsewhere!” ~Author unknown

Drive safe and be courteous with your driving friends on the road.

“The only disability in life is a bad attitude.” ~ Scott Hamilton

“You can chain me, you can torture me, you can even destroy this body, but you will never imprison my mind.”

Have you ever come across a time when you had to test your mind over your heart?

“Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

It does happen with all of us…in different situations and different times.
A time when no matter how strong you are situations make you weak which could be more or less emotionally or sometimes we take things for granted :D

“Love is of all passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart and the senses.” ~ Lao Tzu

Yes, I had lately such hiccups!
I am a strong person mentally and with a strong will power too…but lately I was not doing so well health wise may be it’s the Californian weather which is hitting me now and you know as for me am made for the cold weather with 6 cms snow and -65 wind-chill factor.. :D!

“The sick are the greatest danger for the healthy; it is not from the strongest that harm comes to the strong, but from the weakest.” ~ Friedrich Nietzsche
Anyway when you are sick and someone is there who is really taking care of you …you forget many things as day goes by…I guess I took things for granted and I must admit that though am strong ..my this lazy attitude made my friends feel that am getting so dull…! At work people started asking me if everything is okay with me…and to everyone am giving the same kind of smile and am doing the same kind of troublesome jokes but one guy was there who told me straight that ….”yeah your eyes speaks a lot ! You are not well :D”

“If you treat a sick child like an adult and a sick adult like a child, everything usually works out pretty well” ~ Ruth Carlisle

All of a sudden like a nightmare…one night I felt what if I was all by myself like living in Toronto…will there be anyone to take care…NO! How things would have been if I was there? ..well as we all have two minds – one which speaks favoring the situation and the other speaks the truth and a bit philosophical too ;)

“When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” ~ Audre Lorde And I guess that one thought was enough for me, next morning when I got up I was fresh like the first snow flake!
And now I am back in life :D…yes and a big apology to my blog friends for neglecting at this end of my life.

“Friends are God's apology for relations.”

At the same time I would like to thank my friend who took care of me while I was sick…! My heart goes out to even say that besides my parents no one ever took care of me like this …probably because I never got sick hahaha….yes friends sometimes we fall sick just because we know someone is around to take care isn’t it ?

“We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude. “ ~Cynthia Ozick

I would like to end this with this quote:

“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.”

Why love if losing hurts so much? We love to know that we are not alone.

Now a days weather is so unpredictable that…by the time its noon you don’t feel like getting out on a weekend….and last night I had gone to the video store hoping I will get the movie ‘Fanaa’ but unfortunately it was taken away…and I was searching what to see …and with all my search I took this movie which I think last week I had ignored :D

“The greatest ignorance is to reject something you know nothing about”

Anyway, it has always happened with me…initially I ignore and then my mind says no ..I should try :D…so I did!
This movie ‘Umar’ (Age), the name and the star cast attracted me…!

Age does not protect you from love, but love to some extent protects you from age.

This movie when I started watching, I think its another story where today’s kids don’t care for there old aged parents..and the difference was that this was shoot in UK. So one can see how people don’t even come to see there parents in the old age home and how Asians they do make use of there parents by bringing them to a different country and make them there housekeepers or baby sitters …it is sad and I often used to go to Old age homes in Canada just to make them feel that some one is there to care and even they are loved.

“The soul is born old but grows young. That is the comedy of life. And the body is born young and grows old. That is life's tragedy.”

The same thing I found in this but with a twist where you get to solve a murder mystery but the theme is of support, love and trust.
But it was like a cherry on the cake when I heard my fav. Jagjit Singh singing this ghazal ….guys I just cant wait to install everything in the radio blog today…but hey it will be there one day ;)
Please listen to the ghazal word to word…for those who don’t understand the meaning – the summary is…how parents run after fulfilling the dreams …of there kids and later when they think they can enjoy by then age has brought all the restrictions. In fact those people who have a family they don’t know the value of it …the situation is such that even though family is there still they feel they are orphans even with the family…I think that’s a big curse to human being.

“Treat others as you want them to treat you because what goes around comes around”
If you have nothing to do then do watch this movie…and yes its not related to any region country or culture its for All…whether you are Americans, British Chinese Indians Iranians or …so on…if you are human do watch and it teaches a good lesson to all.

Where love rules, there is no will to power; and where power predominates, there love is lacking. The one is the shadow of the other.



http://www.musicindiaonline.com/l/17/s/movie_name.8110

Hindi Song Title: Khumari Chadh Ke Utar GayiHindi Movie/Album Name: UMAR Singer(s): JAGJIT SINGH Listen This Song on Gayaki
Hindi Lyrics: Shaily Shailender

(khumari chadh ke utar gayi
zindagi yun hi gujar gayi) - 2
kabhi sote sote kabhi jaagte
khwaabon ke pichhe yu hi bhaagte
apni toh saari umar gayi - 2
khumari chadh ke utar gayi
zindagi yun hi gujar gayi

(rangeen bahaaron ki khwaahish rahi
haath magar kutch aaya nahi) - 2
kehne ko apne the saathi kai
saath kisine nibhaya nahi - 2
koi bhi hamsafar nahi
kho gayi har dagar kahi
kabhi sote sote kabhi jaagte
khwaabon ke pichhe yu hi bhaagte
apni toh saari umar gayi - 2
khumari chadh ke utar gayi
zindagi yun hi gujar gayi

(logon ko aksar dekha hai
ghar ke liye rote hue) - 2
ham toh magar beghar hi rahe
gharwalon ke hote hue - 2
aaya apna nazar nahi - 2
apni jahaa tak nazar gayi
kabhi sote sote kabhi jaagte
khwaabon ke pichhe yu hi bhaagte
apni toh saari umar gayi - 2
khumari chadh ke utar gayi
zindagi yun hi gujar gayi

(pehle toh ham sun lete the
shor mein bhi shehnaaiya) - 2
ab toh hamko lagti hai
bheed mein bhi tanhaaiya
jeene ki hasrat kidhar gayi - 2
dil ki kali bikhar gayi
kabhi sote sote kabhi jaagte
khwaabon ke pichhe yu hi bhaagte
apni toh saari umar gayi - 2
khumari chadh ke utar gayi
zindagi yun hi gujar gayi

“Best friends are the siblings God forgot to give us”

It’s been a while since I updated my blog from last time. I was kind of busy and then was not feeling well! But then business is as usual: D
I was quite busy troubleshooting and attending meetings and finally when I came to my desk, this colleague of mine who always like to talk came by to my desk.

“The busy man is troubled with but one devil; the idle man by a thousand” ~ Spanish proverb

He is a good talker but sometimes people do change there route when they see him coming towards them…somehow I am not able to do so as he comes to my desk ;)
Well, I was amazed the way he was giving me some tips about relationship.
I respect him for his age and he often gives me advice just coz I listen to him: D

“A good listener is not someone with nothing to say. A good listener is a good talker with a sore throat.” ~ Katherine Whitehorn

I was not aware that ‘Rakshabandhan’ (bro -sis festival), is tomorrow until he mentioned it. He was telling about his sister who just lives a few miles away from him and how they don’t even see each other and talk once in a year. I was surprised at this. As for me family living near by is having more people to party – the more the merrier. But he was saying how his sister competes with him for everything even for there kids going to University they hide and try to extract information as what his kids are going to do etc.
One thing I was sure he felt very bad that’s why he came and shared this with me…which even gave me a provoking thought – Is blood really thicker than water?

“Don’t settle for a relationship that won’t let you be yourself.” ~ Oprah Winfrey

He said tomorrow is Rakshabandhan and my sister she called my wife and said tell your husband when I come to tie rakhi, don’t give me any gifts.
The wife sincerely conveyed the message and I was thinking…why doesn’t she just leave certain things on him to decide??? Well, he said she didn’t call me and said this but she called my wife so that I don’t give any gifts to her and later she can make a big issue about not giving: D…! What a world…? Why the damn you have such relationships…why you celebrate that rakshabandhan if you don’t have that love and respect for eachother. The actual meaning of this tradition is that a brother will always love and protect his sister in all situations…! I guess it had only meaning in old days when one of the queen was in danger she asked for help through this rakhi with the neighboring king and since then the tradition is being carried out.

“Glory built on selfish principles, is shame and guilt” ~ William Cowper

I have always been a black sheep in my family and I always felt we should only do things in which we believe and not to follow just because some bunch of masses are doing it.

“Believe nothing just because a so-called wise person said it. Believe nothing just because a belief is generally held. Believe nothing just because it is said in ancient books. Believe nothing just because it is said to be of divine origin. Believe nothing just because someone else believes it. Believe only what you yourself test and judge to be true”. Buddha

It is a point to think….how many of you when in trouble approaches your brother or sister and how many of you call your closest friend to discuss and ask for help.

“A friend is one who knows us, but loves us anyway.” -- Fr. Jerome Cummings

I remember I had known a guy who always used to say keep away from relatives: D…now I wonder why?

I guess it’s very true and open whether its friends or your brother-sisters if you are not there in need then indeed you are not there real close ones.

“You can't find any true closeness in Hollywood, because everybody does the fake closeness so well” ~ Carrie Fisher


I would like to share this poetry here…:

“There's one sad truth in life I've found

While journeying east and west -

The only folks we really wound

Are those we love the best.

We flatter those we scarcely know,

We please the fleeting guest,

And deal full many a thoughtless blow

To those who love us best.~Ella Wheeler Wilcox”

“A discovery is said to be an accident meeting a prepared mind.”

I wish I could print the work calendar for myself today….there was not a single point where I had no meeting…:D…it started from 9 and ended at 5 p.m. All different meetings but it was simply traveling from one meeting room to another!

“A meeting is an event where minutes are taken and hours wasted.” ~ James T. Kirk

I felt like writing about this journey to rooms …until my last meeting which in my life-time I have never experienced.

“There are two ways of meeting difficulties: You alter the difficulties or you alter yourself to meet them.” ~ Phyllis Bottome

Basically, I was invited into this meeting due to some change happening in some crap system and someone said it might have impact on to our system ;)...well its always good to make sure from the RACI point of view but then I think one should know what changes are going to happen and what they may think will impact others.

“Technological change is like an axe in the hands of a pathological criminal.” ~ Albert Einstein
Anyway, we all came into the room. The PM is a person who is always in a fast forward mind and she doesn’t remember what ever is said in the meeting the moment she comes out of it..boy I wonder the poor analysts and the developers and probably the business who might have to remind her what she said or probably have to prove that –that’s not there action item :D

“Life is rather like a tin of sardines - we're all of us looking for the key.” ~ Allan Bennett

Quickly this PM - she discussed what’s going to happen in there system and then the impact when we analyzed we weren’t worried if it’s not going to impact the clients. Any internal code change we weren’t interested as we knew it’s not going to impact our being online.

“They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.”

The moment we – as in business and myself we clarified, this PM said ok fine no impact this meeting is adjourned…! And all of a sudden from RM someone entered last minute and the whole scene now turned topsy- turvy !!! All of a sudden there are so many changes and we have to map the codes with our system and blah blah!

“There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” ~ Anais Nin

The RM had language issue hence I was trying to understand from our end what changes we need to make and when I asked the question, the RM lady tried to draw on the board and all of a sudden the PM winks at me and says – you are not going to understand anyway what she (RM) is saying and so don’t waste time and she tells RM – please don’t draw anything it’s a waste of time …hahah gosh I have never seen like that so upfront and on the face…:O boy!!!!!

“Our Age of Anxiety is, in great part, the result of trying to do today's jobs with yesterday's tools.”
Then I took the control saying I need to verify certain things for which the action item was from there end and hence we adjourned the meeting saying complete the action item and then we will verify from our end. From my side everyone agreed and even business was quite supportive.
The moment we stepped out of the room the PM calls me and says so it’s your action item to figure out and I said- NOPE!!!!

“There comes that mysterious meeting in life when someone acknowledges who we are and what we can be, igniting the circuits of our highest potential.” ~ Rusty Berkus

Thank god, the analyst from there end was quite honest who said its her action item: D…but the hilarious part was the way the meeting was organized and conducted…at least for my team, App support, Business they all felt they were stressed out from that meeting as the ladies were chatting all over the place…and no one had a clue who’s saying what!!!!

“Chaos is a name for any order that produces confusion in our minds.” ~ George Santayana

Boy I pity those people who work with them…there might be hardly any time when the requirements must be getting signed off in couple of meetings :D….this was a new experience for me in my project management life – I found it very unique and hence wanted to add a page on my blog ;)

“Pity is for the living, envy is for the dead” ~ Mark Twain

Do share if you also had any such instances…!

“Meeting people unlike oneself does not enlarge one's outlook; it only confirms one's idea that one is unique” ~ Elizabeth Bowen