Monday, March 31, 2008

Boosts My Morale Each Time

'Moving on is simple, it's what you leave behind that makes it so difficult'. Very true. The past can't be easily 4gotten esp if you have received more brickbats. This is a song inspired from one of the poems of Bharathiyar . Rewritten for the film 'Manathil uruthi vendum' . Woman freedom is the theme, it helps me bolster my morale and feel strong at heart.

manathil uruthi vendum
vaarthayile thelivum vendum
unarchi enbadhu vendum
oli padaitha paarvai vendum
gnana theebam yetra vendum

(manathil)

idai varum palavidha thadagalai thagarthinggu
vaazhndhu kaatta vendum
ilakkiya penmaikku ilakkanam neeyena
yaarum potra vendum
maadhar thammai keli pesum
moodar vaayai mooduvom
maanam kaakkum maanthar yaarkum
maalai vaanggi poduvom
veedu kaakkum pennai vaazhthi
naalum yedhum pesa vendum (manathil...)

samaikkindra karanggalum sarithiram padaipadhai
boomi paarkka vendum
thoorathu dhesathil baaradha penmayin
paadal ketka vendum
pengal koottam peigal yendru
paadal sonna sithargalum
eendra thaayum penmaiyendru
yennidaadha pithargale
yesinaalum pesinaalum
anjidaamal vazha vendum (manathil...)

Friday, March 28, 2008

I Missed Him

Today in our college, we were distributed our offer letters. Students placed in the year 2007-2008 around 500 odd from both RMK n RMD Engg Collg were given their call letters. TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HP, Caritor, Tata Elxi, Patni and many others. We were in our audi block. Away from friends as we were given numbers according to the companies placed. And I gotta sit for the first time in the first row. The probs sitting in the first row is you gotta stay glued to the podium, listen or atleast act like listening to all the stalwarts speaking. Two delegates, one from Oracle and the other from TCS were the chief guests. One man started off ' This is just the beginning... You haven't proved anything big....the IT world is competitive....in corporate only the fittest survive...blah...blah...' I seriously don't understand what is the problem with these people, they very well know we are not in a mood to listen. Then came the other man, ' I know todays youngsters don't like advice' I thought he will end it there, but hell he went on speaking for 45 mins...extreme mokkai. One thing that I remember from his speech, it seems he had done his Phd on ' Employee attrition in IT industries' being a Mechanical Engineer. I seriously had no idea what had Mech to do with IT, didn't he find any other area of interest in his discipline to work on. N yaa the words repeated by both the chief guests ' Innovation, out of the box thinking'. I really wanted to stand up and tell, first you say something originative then we will think of out of the box. But then came some precious moments, offering the call letter. That's the only thing I got by being in the campus(I wont use the word studying) for 4 yrs. These 4 yrs have been a kind of static period in my life. I would never miss my college life but for this offer letter. Yes it meant a lot to me, my first step towards being independent. Within few months I would sign my first cheque, my first company TCS. Being a bit futuristic and with lots of inbuilt confidence, I could ideate of going heights. Thanks to my college and lots of thanks to Mom(I was sick during my placement time June last year, without her it would have been difficult). Then my mind wandered to students who are passing out this yr along with me from my own college and from some other collgs but haven't got placed yet. In some colleges there are no campus placement facilities. I know quite a few deserving candidates who are working in BPO's possessing good technical skills. Then I remembered one of my dear friends who wasn't present in the crowd. We are friends right from the starting of our college life. Coming from a village side and lacking the fluency in English, he was rejected in many HR rounds. He has not made it yet in placements on and off campus. I wonder sometimes , Are IT companies looking for programmers or people with communication skill?? What has speaking good English to do with writing code, isn't it more than enough to know languages C and Java better than English..? When I called up today evening, before I could make any consolatory statement and while I was searching for words, he said ' Hey I m pretty much fine, right now doing courses in Java and Oracle and hey thanks for all that you were trying to tell all this time'. He was fighting back all odds. I felt proud having a friend like him. Hey yaar I missed you a lot today.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Aayitha Ezhuthu - Part1

Long is the list of my favorite movies. And topping the list would be surely Manirathnam's movies. I recently found out my best-loved movie from the listing. AAYITHA EZHUTHU(2004). Due to umpteen reasons. The concludes can't be wrapped up in a single post. So yaa in parts. Three playscripts made into a single flick. But hey it's difficult for me to put my dearie into just 3 posts, I am in the thought of sharing all those characters, songs, lyrics, picturing and the nuances, niceties, insights...anything and everything. First part would be definitely one particular song(I m kinda obsessed to all numbers in the movie). This is the 'GREEN PART'. For those who have watched the movie, will definitely know about the shades orange, green and blue. Green is the vibrant and my personal favorite. It solely belongs to Michael Vasanth( Surya). The urge of an individual to change politics by not just cerebrating and blaming but my making an entry. 'Youngsters in Politics', if there is any song that could be played in the background it would be definitely 'Jana Gana Mana', an ideological one. Stupefying lyrics by Vairamuthu(in our jargon, 'room pottu yosiparo??:), a blend in the vocals, ARR and Karthik(as usual great modulation by our guru), amazing cinematography by Ravi.K.Chandran(India in her villages!!) and vibrating music by Rahman( the stroll from the slow to the fast pace, the chorus) Popularly known as the YUVA (hindi version) song. The cynosure, the soul, the centrepiece of the movie... JANA GANA MANA...



Oh yuva yuva oh oho...
(Oh Youth)

Jana gana mana
Janangalai ninai
(Think about people)
Kanavugal vella
Kaariyam thunai
(Not mere dreams, we will make it a success)

Oliyae vazhiyaaghe

(Light as the guide)
Malayae padiyaaghe
(Mountain as the steps)
Paghayum podiyaaghe
(Crushing the enemity)
Chuck chuck chuck chuck gumsei

Oh yuva yuva oh oho...
(Oh Youth)

Aayutham edu aanavam sudu
(Take weapons,shoot down arrogance)


Theepantham edu theemayay sudu
(take lighted wisp, burn down wickedness)
Irulai erithu vidu
(Burn down the darkness of ignorance)
Aezhaikkum vaazhvukkum
Irukkindre idaiveli kuraithu
(Reduce the distance between the poor and his life)
Nilai niruthu
(Make him stand on his own)
Adi kottaththil vittathai sattathin vattathai udaithu
(Break the hold of powerful on the law)

Kaatukkul nuzhaikire kaatredhuvum
Kaalani edhuvum anivathillai
(Wild fire spreading in forest never comes announcing)
Aayiram ilainjarkal thuninthu vittaal
Aayutham edhuvum thaevaiyillai
(If young men dare to defy,no need of any weapon...)

Oh yuva yuva oh yuva...
(Oh Youth)

Achchathai vidu latchiyam thodu
(Leave behind your fears, achieve your aim)
Vaetrumai vidu vetriyay thodu
(Forget narrow differences, stand on the victory podium)
Thoazhaa poaraadu
(Friend, never give up...)
Malaykalil nuzhaikindre nadhiyene
Suyavazhi amaithu, padai nadathu
(Just like the streams from the mountains, make your own way)
Adi vetrikku pakkathil
Mutrathin sutrathai niruthu
(Win and keep winning against all odds...)

Nallavar yaavarum udhungikolle
Narikalin naataamai thodangividum
(If good men give up, jackals will rule the roost)
Vaalipha kootani vaaneduthaal
(If an army of youth spread on the sky)
Valappakkam bhoomi thirumbi vidum
(Earth will start rotating to the right)

Oh yuva yuva oh yuva...
(Oh Youth)

Iniyoru iniyoru vidhi seyvoam
(Let us make a new rule)
Oh yuva yuva oh yuva
(Oh Youth)
Vidhiyinai maatrum vidhi seyvoam
(Let's change the fate of the FATE)
Oh yuva yuva oh yuva
(Oh Youth)

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

No more CAT SLEEP!!!

It's been many times now that I have warned you. No more warnings, only punishments. If you feel so much addicted to the bed and sofa, go to a rehabilitation centre. Whenever you get the thought to go for a nap, ' Stay quiet or get out somewhere and come back only after the feeling gets away'. No more record breaking siestas. You gotta change yourself ramya, say no to naps from now on.

- ur conscience.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Thodi Si Fardha - A tinge of philosophy!!!

I have a strong liking for old hindi songs, R.D. Burman, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh, Mohamed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle. I can't recognize them in a crowd, neither am I cognizant about the movies, but then many of their songs have made my day. I have a collection of about 150 songs. Thanks to Bro, and the mighty Google for helping me filter from a galore of old flicks. Talking about my favorite R.D. Burman I can start from his early 1970's Sholay 'Mehbooba Mehbooba' to his last album in 1994 ' 1942 Love Story' (How to forget the soothing 'Ek Ladki Ko Dekho Tho Jana Sanam') Now dats nearly 3 decades!! Equally talented were the singers in the former generation. Kishore Kumar is my favorite. There are lots of numbers that I just can't forget, that which comes to my mind in no time is 'Dil Kya Kare, Jab Kissise Kissiko Pyaar Ho Jaaye' and ' Rim Jim Ghire Sawan'. Kishore is known for his rocking and lively voice. Singing with so much ease is indeed a blessing. My personal favs are 'Neele Neele Ambar Par' and the other is a quite philosophical 'Jeevan Ke Din' from the movie 'Bade Dilwale'. I don't want to translate and spoil this brilliant song. It's about the fact ' Life gives you pain, but it also gives you the medicines so just unwind and live this present moment which is shining like a star and melting like a snowflake' Hakuna Matata(No worries dear!!!)

Jeevan Ke Din Chhote Sahi
Hum Bhi Bade Dilwale
Kal Ki Humein Fursat Kahan
Sochen Jo Hum Matwale

Jeevan Ke Din Chhote Sahi
Hum Bhi Bade Dilwale
Kal Ki Humein Fursat Kahan
Sochen Jo Hum Matwale

Jeene Ka Rangeen Mausam
Yeh Khoobsurat Zamana
Jeene Ka Rangeen Mausam
Yeh Khoobsurat Zamana
Apne Yehi Chaar Pal Hain
Aage Hai Kya Kisne Jaana
Jeena Jise Aata Hai Woh
In Mein Hi Mauj Mana Le
Kal Ki Humein Fursat Kahan
Sochen Jo Hum Matwale

Jeevan Ke Din Chhote Sahi
Hum Bhi Bade Dilwale
Kal Ki Humein Fursat Kahan
Sochen Jo Hum Matwale

Yeh Zindagi Dard Bhi Hai
Yeh Zindagi Hai Dava Bhi
Yeh Zindagi Dard Bhi Hai
Yeh Zindagi Hai Dava Bhi
Dil Todna Hi Na Jaane
Jaane Yeh Dil Jodna Bhi
Is Zindagi Ka Shukriya
Sadke Main Uparwale
Kal Ki Humein Fursat Kahan
Sochen Jo Hum Matwale

Kal Ki Humein Fursat Kahan
Sochen Jo Hum Matwale

Jeevan Ke Din Chhote Sahi
Hum Bhi Bade Dilwale
Kal Ki Humein Fursat Kahan
Sochen Jo Hum Matwale
Sochen Jo Hum Matwale



Saturday, March 22, 2008

My Recent Fav Ad!!!

Yesterday while remoting(in my lang switching TV channels:) I chanced upon the new Horlicks Ad. Yippee, it was Women's Horlicks. I had gifted my Mom a Ganesh sculpt and a combo of Women's Horlicks and Calcium Sandoz Woman on this Women's day. I forgot to pen about that special day. It so happened that we exchanged gifts as my Mom on the same day brought me 3 salwars . Respecting the woman in each other, the uncle in Prithvi stores says we make best Mom-Daughter... a resounding YES from both of us. These days I feel like am getting more knitted to Mom and Bro than friends. Dunno why...? Hmm...then yaa, commercials always catch my eye. There was a time, not long back( just few months b4) when I was tattling about preparing for the upcoming CAT exam and I also was keen about my area of interest, it would be 'Advertising'. Now the plan has got indefinitely deferred. Sometimes I think how fickle I am, can't stick on to one thing. Bina classes, bina preps chod diya...few days was worried, now eyed on something else:) But chalo it's ok, dats how I AM. So back to TV, it sometimes is boring to watch the same old models in commercials. Many of them whom we later get to see in Kollywood. But if they are my favorites then huyi na baath. I love commercials of HSBC banks, Vodafone and Airtel(whoopee...ARR). There is lots of creativity involved. The HSBC ad where the mother fixes up the daughters rived jeans and another one where the mother throws out a caterpillar found in the vegetables and the boy takes and safely keeps it in a bottle, the world's local bank(cool one!!). The recent Vodafone ' Valentines Ad' reviving the beautiful song 'Pehla Nasha'. The recent Motorola ad, the father starts scolding and the son keeps the music on. The Virgin mobile ads are not bad. Guess they should come up with something more innovative. Then ya the funny Chloromint and Sprite ads. N hey when it comes to ads, I have my dearies, the ever-beautiful Kajol, dashing Hrithik, and ofcourse the King Khan. My recent two favorite commercials is the Coca Cola one endorsed by Hrithik(Waqt na ruktha hain, aaj hi tu jashan mana ley; Time doesn't stand still, so today itself celebrate spring). Hrithik is always in in vogue. N what surprised me was my favorite actor's entry to the Ad World. Konkana Sen, I have admired her acting talent and simplicity in many of the flicks (Mr. and Mrs Iyer, Page3, Chunari Main Laga Dhaag, Life In A Metro...) It was a nice and a simple ad, the Woman who prepares a ' Things To Do list' every morning and recognizes that she has forgotten to include her needs in the big list. The New Women's horlicks ' BCoz Your Body Needs You Too'...Mast!!!

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Running Around The Trees ~~ Wat's Your Pick?

Ah, what a morning it was today. Around 7.20 in my college bus, its drizzling out, if I had got a seat near the window I would have been really happy writing names, fav songs on the wet window (crazy work) Now in our collg we aren't allowed to take gadgets( I don't mind leaving my cell phone, but my MP3). Luckily Jinu had brought hers, (one teacher sitting in the back and the other to my side, nothing doing, arre cmon we r final yrs, smthing inside told me 'break the rules') K chalo thn we decided to listen. Now Jinu had her playlist loaded with her favs. This MP3 n iPod is simply great technology I would say, all those nuances in music and the lyrics can be heard so distinctly. It's foliage all the way from our stop to collg. Closed my eyes and literally went to a different world( Yeah thr were trees...lol) 'Engeyo un mugam naan partha nyabagham , Epotho unudan naan vazntha nyabaham...' dats the classic voice of Bombay Jayshree. It's uyire en uyire song from Thotti Jaya. Harris would have blended the voices of both Anuradha Sriram and Bombay Jayashree really well. Now that made a great start. I chose to stay in the same world, its still drizzling. I started thinking of love songs, ok let me see how much I will be able to envisage in a matter of 30 mins. Being a Rahman freak most of them I could think of were his compositions. The others were well known romantic hits, most of which I love for its lyrics than its music.

These were the songs...
1. ' Ennidam thondrum kavidhaikelam, mudhal varri thandha mugavari nee...' Anarkali from Kangalal Kaidhu Sai ( No wonder why it struck me first, thr is this Rahman stamp n romance written all over. There are hardly few days that i don't listen to this song).

2.' Kan partha kathaika mudiyamal naanum thavikindra oru pennum neethaan..'Paartha Mudhal Nalil from Vettayadu Villayadu(well romance means, u can't forget Kamal Hasan n the lyrics r so charming)

3. Now two songs together of our superstar. 'Namadha kadhai pudhu kavidhai, illakanangal idharku illay...' Vellai Pura Ondru and 'Anbile vaazhum nenjil, aayiram padale...' kadhalin Deepam Ondru Etrinaye En Nenjil( Both of Illyarajas)

4. Just thought of Rahman again, and in no time I could think of so many songs. Some of them were. ' Kangalai Varudum thenisaye, en kalam kavalay marandhirupein...'Evano Oruvan from Alaipayuthey. ' Unmai Sonnal Nesipaya, Manjathin Mel Manipaya...' Nenjam Ellam from Aayudha Ezhuthu. ' Pesugindra Venila penmai Illai Oyantha Poll...' Kadhal Rojave from Roja. 'Vaan ange neelam inge, indha upamaiku iruvarum vilakam anadhu yeno...' New York Nagarm From SOK. ' Azhaage Sugama, un kobangal sugama...' from Paarthale Paravasam. ' Un mel oru poo vizhndhaal ennal thaanga mudiyadhu...' Kannava Illai Kaatra from Ratzhagan. 'Poovil naav irundhaal, kaatru vaay thirandhal, kadhal kadhal endru pesum...' Malargale Malargale. ' Nee enna nilavodu pirindavala, poovukul karuvagi valarndhavala...' Anjali Anjali Pushpanjili from Duet.' Kannadi bhimbam ketta kayir ondrum illayadi, kannadi unjal bhimbam adudhadi...'Enna solla pogiray from Kondukondein(2)

5. Rahman's hindi tracks:
' Tu hi re, tera bina mein kaise jeeyon...' from Bombay. 'Kaise tujhe izhaar karoon main haalat is dil ki, tan mein man mein is dhadkan mein ho rahi halchal si...' Sun Ri Sakhi from Hum Se hain Mukabhala. ' Tere bina beswaadi ratiyaan...' from Guru. ' In Lamhon Ke Dhaman Mein...' from Jodhaa Akhbar. 'Jeene Ka tha Hum mein Dum Par nahin tha koi Humdum...'from Thakshak(most fav) 'Pyaar Ye Jaane Kaise Hain...' from Rangeela.'Gam dil ke paksh chulbule hain, paani ke ye bulbule hai, bhujhte hai bante rehte hai dil se dil se dil se re...' from Dil Se.

6. You can't forget Yuvan for sure when it comes to romance or should I say Selvaraghavan. Anyways, ' Amarnthu pesum marangalin nizhalum, namadhu kadhayai kalamum sollum, udhirndhu ponna malarin vaasama...' Ninaithu Ninaithu Paarthein and yaa ' Oru vanathu puchi endhan vazhi thedi vandhadhu, adhan vanangal mattum inga viral oda uladhu...' Devadhayai Kandein. .


7. Back to Illayaraja. Some songs are so well composed and so commonly sung that you just can't forget them. ' Ethetho ennam valarthein, un kayil ennai koduthein...' Punnagai Mannan, ' Neeyum nayagan kadhal padagan, anbil odi inbum kodi naalum kannalam...' Kathal Oviyum from Alaigal Oyvathilai. 'Kadal vaanam kuda niram maara kudum, manam konda paasum thadam maaridadhu...' Poove Sempoove. N yaa 'Unai enni naane ullam vaadi ponnein, kaani ponnu dhaane yen maamane...:) Ooru Sanam from Mella Thirandhadhu Kadhavu.

8. There were 2 new favs too. 'Kadaluku mel oru mazhai thuli vandhu vizhndhadhe, uppu enna maruma, illay muth enna maruma...?' Sariya Idhu Thavara from Kallori. ' Kai vidum oru kudayay pol, mazhai katrodu dhaan naanum parandhein...'Mudhal mazhai from Bheema.

I was almost blushing:) There were many more songs I remembered in that romantic climate. Can't recollect now. When I opened my eyes, the bus was nearing college. The journey was awesome to the say the least. Sometimes I feel how much I love solitude, traveling. Really I do. Then I was asking myself ' So Rums you too are thinking of running around trees?' Then there came another song to my mind which told me, if you run now, you will surely fall. To love someone and to be loved in return, I felt the person should have inspired you and you too should have in return. In simple words, be proud of each other.

The song is 'Tum Se Hi' from Jab We Met. How the gal leaves an inspiration on the guy, how things change in his life after her coming. Yaa, this is what it gotta be...'intense courtship'. No matter for how many years, its worth waiting for one such.

Na hai yeh pana
(Nothing is gained)

Na khona he hai
(Nothing is lost)

Tera na hona, jaane Kuyn hona he hai
( Your absence is like your presence)

Tum Se Hi din hota hai
(The day starts with you)

Surmayi shaam aati hai
( The dusky evening approaches)

Tum Se Hi Tum Se Hi
(From You...)


Har ghadi saans aati hai, Zindagi kehlati hai
( Every moment in life gets its breath)

Tum Se Hi Tum Se Hi
(From You...)


Aankho mein aankhe teri
( My eyes are staring into yours)

Bahoo mein Bahe teri
( Your arms are on mine)

Mera na mujh mein kuch raha, Hua kya
(I have nothing of mine in me, what happened?)

Bathon mein bathein teri
(My talks are filled with yours)

Rathe saogathe meri
(My nights are filled with your stories)

Kuyn tera sab yeh ho gaya, Hua kya
(Why have all this become yours?)

Mein kahin bhi jaata hun
Tum Se Hi mil jatha hun
(Wherever I go, I am never far...)

Tum Se Hi Tum Se Hi
(From You..)

Shor mein khamoshi hai
(There is silence in the bustle)

Thodi si behoshi hai
(There is a bit of delirium)

Tum Se Hi Tum Se Hi
(From You...)


Aadha sa vaada kabhi
Aadhe se zyada kabhi
(Somewhere a halfdone promise, sometimes it feels more than a half...)

Jee chahe karlu is tarah, Wafa ka
( I want to do something to you of loyalty)

Chode na chute kabhi
Tode na toote kabhi
Jo daaga tum se jud gaya,Wafa ka
(Even if i want to leave, I can't. Even if I want to break I can't. The way i am connected with you by loyalty)

Mein tera sarmaya hun
(I am what you made me)

Jo bhi mein ban paya hun
(All that I have become is...)

Tum Se Hi Tum Se Hi

(From You...)

Raaste mil jate hai
Manzile mil jati hai
Tum Se Hi Tum Se Hi
(Paths are found. Destinations are met. From You...)

Monday, March 10, 2008

Nandita Das - Unassumingly Elegant!!!

The face of Modern Indian Woman, the first thing that strikes me when I see her on the screen. Her looks, the smile, the hairdo, I don't know I just get mesmerized seeing the way she carries herself. Haven't watched many of her movies. Most of them being regional ones supporting a cause, regarding social issues. Kannathil Muthamittal, Azhagi, Provoked, all different roles, delivered with great passion. Have planned to watch this week Deepa Mehtha's Fire and Earth with Nandita in the lead role along with Shabhana Azmi.




Dressed for the occasion. We gotta see her in the red pattu saree as a jury member representing India in Cannnes Festival 2005. The above snap of hers taken when she was recently in Chennai at Sathyam to inaugurate Women's Film Festival. I cannot take my eyes from this picture, dressed in brown with a cream bordered saree, looks so down to earth and aesthetically pleasing. Oh I love you Black Beauty!!!

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Women's Day - Like Never B4

This March 8th will be remembered for long time to come. Few weeks back, we received a mail about 'Microsoft placement on March 8th exclusively for women who are currently in their final semester of either CSE/IT discipline'. We would be having our written test on 8th and if short listed we get to face 3 to 4 technical rounds in the consecutive weeks. Now this Microsoft is a biggie and no techie buff would leave this opportunity off hand. That's true, but where the hell do I fall under that 'techie ones'(pursued Engg after finishing my 12th coz there was this stupid assumption of only 2 options available ahead 1. Medicine and 2. Engg. Medicine required huge cutoff and so the obvious choice. All the other courses don't promise you a bright future...is that so?Doesn't this country need more artists, good politicians, entrepreneurs and the like. For that before you finish your school, you should be well aware of your ambition, your dream. Parents and teachers drive the children making them believe that there are only 2 elite jobs, either become a doctor or an engineer and there is this tiring job of digesting Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Maths text books. Who digests them better will top. From this year on, there is no 'Entrance Exam' too, making my before statement much more strong.) K, let me get back to Microsoft. Along with my friends I too registered( now don't ask me why..) Now comes preparation, is this one week enough to learn all those stuff that I didn't give a damn the last 4 yrs. This is how one of my friends consoled me when I told him 'I am a stupid naa, I am saying NO without giving it a try'. The test was scheduled at Adyar in St. Michaels Academy. The landmark that came to my mind in Adyar was one of India's greatest Cancer Institute which is well known for the free treatment it provides to the poor people across the country. And yaa ofcourse the lady behind, Padma Shri Dr. V.Shantha, chairperson of the institute. She was honoured with the The Ramon Magsaysay Award(also known as Asia's Nobel Prize) in the year 2005. Fifty years of remarkable service, there was this quote of her's that I remember noting down, " The journey has been long. I don't see an end to it, simply because our work is never ending. What we have done is very little. There is much more to do. The journey has been arduous, with bricks and stones and occasional flowers strewn in between, but we continue…" I remembered Sony Mammu(social activist, my friend's uncle and one of the person I can always look up to). He once told me 'Service is an attitude, even a smile can be a service' . Had some unneeded money in my account, thought of paying a visit to the Institute. Called up to the Insti to get permission for visiting. There was this visiting hours and unfortunately I wouldn't be able to make it within the visiting time coz our MS test was slated for about 4 hrs including the registration and ppt. Microsoft had resolved to conduct a recruitment every Women's day. For many it was a dream come true, coz MS doesn't go for 'on campus' placement to many affiliated colleges other than a mighty few. But little did I know that this wasn't a lucky dip. There came 2 delegates from MS to showcase a Ppt about the giant company and today's selection test( My friend was quite intimidated seeing the guys in Denim blue shirt(guess MS uniform), to me the Ppt was a clean chit out of the game esp when one of them replied that ' We had of late selected only some 5 odd, out of 100 students from IIT ' to the question 'How many students are you looking forward to select'. And yaa he also made it clear that the training will be only related to MS products coz they select you only after making sure that you are good at C, C++, Java. Alas, at the end of the Ppt ,I was asking myself 'WHY AM I HERE?'. Before I could think about that, I was sitting in the exam hall. Now fortunately or unfortunately it was objective questions(yaa that 1,2,3 u go free or call it Inky Pinky Ponky type) The test was for 1hr 50 mins. For people who are interested in knowing the details of the test, here it is:

1. Analytical reasoning - 30 mins(students good at probability can get through)
2. Data Structures - 10 mins ( even given the options, it was hard to recollect Stacks and Queues which in my 2nd sem I had learnt (did I...?)
3. C and C++ - 40 mins( snippets given, guess the o/p. This was cruel, as most of the ques were pointers(*,**,&...oops)
4. Operating Systems - 15 mins(my 4th sem paper, I scored around 90 in that paper, but how the hell did I forget it all(thrashing, demand paging, page faults) just in a matter of 2 yrs.
5.RDBMS - 15mins(Queries(select, create, I still had only one query in mind, WHY AM I HERE?) and yaa the Normal Forms(1NF, 2NF, 3NF...oh plzz b4 I become ab'Normal', take the ans sheet from me:(

Finally the 110 mins got over. Thankfully there was no negative marks. The results will be mailed in a weeks time. Now the question is ' What to do if by chance I get through this 1st round?' My technical knowledge will be put to test then. Gotta wait n watch. I was happy for some girls in my class who really deserved this offer. Wish they get through. Lesson learnt 'Be happy with your food, if you want delicacies every day then better learn to prepare them first' :) and yaa this quote ' Don't limit God's ability to do by your capacity to receive'. Goodbye MS for now!!!



Saturday, March 1, 2008

Bin Tere Kya Hain Jeena~~Without you, What Is Life!!!

Mom's birthday, how could I forget it? Since I was quite successful with my part-time job and that I wouldn't have survived some unfortunate incidents last year without my dear momsy, I already had thought of getting her something special this birthday. But then how did I draw a blank? We repay debts of our friends but many a times forget what we owe to our parents. Ya one can definitely ask, ' They are our parents, they are destined to do all this for us'. And we too later in life are gonna do just the same for our children. I don't forget to wish my friends, many dear ones even at 12 in the night. If I have forgotten my dear friend's birthday, I am sure she will call it a crime. But mom just took it easy. I was feeling so bad thinking about it the entire day. Evening when mom came from office, we had a lovely chat and went to temple on my scooty. I still remember when I was in school, how much I craved to get a two-wheeler. I used to tell myself when I start earning I would never opt for a car, will go for a scooty and take mom for a ride. But before I could graduate, mom bought me one. I feel so happy inside, when she sits back, her hands on my shoulders ( remember the Complan ad) Now I don't envy my brother, coz I can drop mom on my own:) I was so so happy, that I started playing all those amma songs. 'Amma endru azhaikadha uyir illaye', 'Naan aga naan ilay thaaye nal vazhvu thandaye neeye', 'Kalayil dhinamam kann vizhithal naan kai thozhum devadhai amma' in loops. My mom was like 'Are u nuts???' :) Now as I write this, I can feel the emotions bashing inside my heart just like the strong waves on the seashore. After all for how many more years will I be able to celebrate this day with her, I don't know but yaa surely these invaluable moments will be cherished as beautiful memories all my life.