Feb 14, 2011: Prapti

Youtube Video Link . . .

Attempt

It wasn’t since yesterday

That I felt new air..

It wasn’t that lovely

Till I found u near..

I dreamt of you when I thought I was sleeping..

I missed you so when I thought I was thinking..

I felt you touch when I thought I was breathing..

I need you enough..

Enough I want you..

Because it wasn’t since yesterday

It was never so lovely..

Till I felt you near

35 Economical PDU

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Course Name: PM Prepcast
Price: $100
Link: http://www.project-management-prepcast.com/

Remarks:
I had opted for PM Prepcast and found it very helpful in assimilating the PMBOK Guide.

Apart from presentation on processes, process groups and knowledge areas, the course includes quality interviews with well established professionals in the field of Project Management. These interviews would, in all probability, be successful in providing a succinct overview of key concepts to the listener (and viewer).

Course Name: PM Prepcast
Price: $35
Link: http://www.proxalt.com/

Remarks:
I found this offering on the net much after the start of my preparation and hence lacked the motivation to evaluate it.

The price definitely is very lucrative !!!

Studious

A very studious kid . . .

Local Inflation

A live example of local inflation / discrimination.

Weekend tickets at PVR Cinemas for Mumbai are selling in the range of Rs 225/- to Rs 275/- while in Aurangabad they are available from Rs 50/- to Rs 100/-

In percentage terms the tickets in Mumbai are 350% to 175% times more when compared to Aurangabad. Anybody can now guess the predicament of the common man / 'aam aadmi' dwelling in Mumbai.

Can, Should, Why?

Our future boundaries are unknown frontiers today, assuming we setup upon to explore new frontiers and overcome the 3 deterrents which inspire the title of this post.

• Can I do this? - About 20% of the lot drops out here. We can readily recall hearing excuses such as 'I cannot do it, it does not gel with my image' or 'I cannot do it, it is way too risky' or very simply 'It is not possible'.

• Should I do this? - Another 20% opt out at this penultimate stage citing reasons which might sound logical to many. They are convinced about their ability to accomplish the task but do not consider it worth the effort. Remember hearing 'Not Interested' or 'I just do not have the time' or 'How would I benefit?'.

• Why am I doing this? - This is the final stage incidentally recording the largest number of drop outs. You are both convinced and capable of doing something and hence venture into it. However, few or at times many steps down the line there comes a defining moment of self justification - Is the frontier really worth the trade offs made?. If answer is not a discrete 'Yes', the final and the most powerful deterrent sprouts up.

After Effects of Alcohol

I never take risk while drinking
.
.
.
.
When I come from office in the evening, wife is cooking
I can hear the noise of utensils in the kitchen
I stealthily enter the house
Take out the bottle from my black cupboard
Shivaji Maharaj is looking at me from the photo frame
But still no one is aware of it
Becoz I never take a risk
.
.
.


I take out the glass from the rack above the old sink
Quickly enjoy one peg
Wash the glass and again keep it on the rack
Of course I also keep the bottle inside my cupboard
Shivaji Maharaj is giving a smile
I peep into the kitchen
Wife is cutting potatoes
No one is aware of what I did
Becoz I never take a risk
.
.
.
.
I to my wife : Any news on chopra's daughter's marriage
Wife : Nope, she doesn't seem to be that lucky. Still they are looking out for her .
I again come out; there is a small noise of the black cupboard
But I don't make any sound while taking out the bottle
I take out the glass from the old rack above sink
Quickly enjoy one peg
Wash the bottle and keep it in the sink
Also keep the Black Glass in the cupboard
But still no one is aware of what I did
Becoz I never take a risk
.
.
.
.
I to Wife : But still I think chopra's daughter's age is not that much
Wife: What are you saying? She is 28 yrs old... like an aged horse
I: (I forgot her age is 28) Oh Oh...
I again take out potatoes out from my black cupboard
But the cupboard's place has automatically changed
I take out the bottle from the rack and quickly enjoy one peg in the sink .
Shivaji Maharaj laughs loudly
I keep the rack in the potatoes & wash Shivaji Maharaj's photo & keep it in the black cupboard
Wife is keeping the sink on the stove
But still no one is aware of what I did
Becoz I never take a risk
.
.
.
.
I to Wife: (getting angry) you call Mr. chopra a horse? If you say that again, I will cut your tongue...!
Wife: Don't just blabber something, go out and sit quietly...
I take out the bottle from the potatoes
Go in the black cupboard and enjoy a peg
Wash the sink and keep it over the rack
Wife is giving a smile
Shivaji Maharaj is still cooking
But still no one is aware of what I did
Becoz I never take a risk
.
.
.
.
I to Wife : (laughing) So chopra is marrying a horse!!
Wife: Hey go and sprinkle some water on your face...
I again go to the kitchen, and quietly sit on the rack
Stove is also on the rack
There is a small noise of bottles from the room outside .
I peep and see that wife is enjoying a peg in the sink
But none of the horses are aware of what I did
Becoz Shivaji Maharaj never takes a risk .
.
.
.
.
.
Chopra is still cooking
And I am looking at my wife from the photo and laughing
Becoz I never take..... never take ..... never take what???


I
never
take a potato I think....

Tendulkars

There are two types of people in this world

1. Those who leave a mark
2. Those who leave a stain

One of the prominent leaders in category 1 is India's cricketing hero - Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin's career which started off as an ace batsman has evolved into a brand. A brand which is not about color & logo but about the pride it evokes in those who represent it.

Click here to visit Tendulkar's World

The Guests

Abhishek and Dheeraj awaiting Mulligatawny soup and Chinese Chiwda

Gaurav's visage captured just after his request for Sachin's Favorite Baingan Bharta was dismissed by Dheeraj

The Starters

We flagged off the lunch with Sachin's Favorite soup and starter

• Mulligatawny soup - We have the freedom to ask for our choice of vegetables or chicken
• Chinese Okra (slang Chinese Chiwda) - Fried sliced okra (ladies finger) with chilies and Oriental spices.

Either of them were delicious . . .

The Main Course

This is where we lost course.

Gaurav had strictly warned us to not deviate from Sachin's Favorite under any circumstance. Accordingly, he was suggesting Baigan Bhartha or Bhindi Masala. However, Dheeraj's taste buds fended either of them. By virtue of being politically very well connected, Dheeraj overruled Gaurav and we went ahead with

• Dal Makhani - Black lentils simmered slowly and finished with butter and cream.
• Veg Tikka Masala - It should be rechristened to Veg Teekha Masala. Perhaps, it was meant to be. Nevertheless, I failed miserably in appreciating it.

The bill presentation was extremely innovative. Each guest was gifted with roasted chocolate enclosing a tiny strip of paper foretelling their fortune. Dheeraj was highly impressed and opted to purchase more of them. The manager truncated the option by declaring that the chocolates were not for sale.

Surprisingly, the bill amount was swelled up. The hosts had erred in adding adjacent table's food bill to ours. Needless to say, it was rectified and we were compensated with another round of roasted chocolates in lieu of the mental harrassment we had endured politely.

The Place

The Road to Tendulkar's

The Interiors

The Trophies

Wicket presented to Sachin after 34th Test Match Century

Man of the Series Trophy awarded to Sachin for scoring 673 Runs in 11 Innings (1x100, 6x50), bowling 18-0-77-2 and taking 4 Catches in 2003 Cricket World Cup

--------- End --------

Kal Kissne Dekha

Yesterday, around 8pm, we believed June 14 was our lucky day. For a paltry sum, we had picked up tickets to view 'Kal Kissne Dekha' in the luxury of a sofa set. Oh Yes!! we were mistaken. Destiny had planned a cruel joke which became partly evident the moment we entered the cinema hall. Its capacity utilization was less than 10%. And then the show began . . .

Courtesy: Chakpak.com

Once in a blue moon, comes forth a motion picture which forces you to rise up from the sofa set and then drives you right out of the celluloid, leaving it unfinished.

How can a father do this to his son? Did they not watch the movie together, at least once, before releasing it to the public eye? The world is so full of frustated mortals looking for a stress buster and Jakky has been presented to them by Vashu on a platter.

The plot is fairly simple - http://www.kalkissnedekha.com/.

A dejected NASA scientist together with a terrorist organization wishes to blow up CST, Airport and Nanavati Hospital. There efforts are hampered by Nihal (Jakky), bloke from Chandigarh, who has the gift to see future apart from the regular gifts which make him the best of dancers, singers, fighters, scholars and dirt bikers.

The kid is exceptional. If Mr Abrams and Mr Howard are still waddling in pride of sporting the best of human brains in 'Star Trek - The Future Begins' and 'Angles & Demons', they should see Nihal in action. Sadly, my doggedness gave way and I could not hang around till the end to view all of Nihal's exploits. Blame it on overdose of masterminds in the lapsed week. Prof Robert, Ms Vittori, Capt james Kirk, Spock and now Nihal.

It is time for me to seek the lesser mortals . . say Dilbert !!!

Kumarakom

An obstacle is something you see when you take your eyes off the goal. We were heading for Munnar when an under construction National Highway made us take our eyes off Munnar and onto Kumarakom . . . and it turned out to be an invigorating tryst !!!

Kumarakom is a peninsula set in Vembanad Lake whose fresh water has carved through the mainland a labyrinth of lagoons, brooks, canals and waterways hosting a variety of fauna and flora. Please visit http://www.kumarakom.com/ for further details

The Stay
As always, thanks to dad, we had a wonderful stay in Paradise Resorts - one of the several lake resorts in the region. They help make your stay enjoyable by providing well furnished independent cottages, 2 houseboats, 1 swimming pool, quality landscaping and a motorboat to take you around the backwaters. Negotiate well on room tariffs and do not pay more than Rs 200 per hour for the motorboat. Please visit http://www.paradisein.com/ for further details.

The Houseboats
Most of the resorts in the region provide following 2 options with varying degree of luxury. Any other option is just not worth considering.

1. An Independent Cottage adjoining the backwaters. Hotel Radission complements each inependent cottage with a private swimming pool
2. An Independent Houseboat sailing across the backwaters. The Houseboats set sail at around 12 pm and return to the resort at 9:30 am, the following day.

Therefore, Option 1 is recommended only if the check in time is reasonably after 12 pm.

En route, houseboats cover most of the tourist attractions. They sail all the way uptil Allepey and then resume their way back home. The sunrise and sunset form the key selling point of the trip. Very broadly, following is their schedule

• 12 am to 6 pm: Cover all scenic spots near Kumarakom and finally head for Allepey
• 6 pm to 7 am: Anchor at a common point as the local fishermen venture out and lay their
  fishing nets across the backwaters
• 7 am to 9:30 am: Return Journey.

The picture shows Houseboat 1, which is smaller of the 2, parked at Paradise Resort. It comprises of a drawing room, bed room with attached bathroom and kitchen

Outer view from the drawing room of Houseboat 2. A LCD TV has been installed in the drawing room, as well as in the bed room

The passage of Houseboat 2, the larger of the 2. First right leads to bedroom 1. Second right leads to bedroom 2. Straight ahead is the kitchen and the driver's room

A Houseboat parked outside Hotel Radisson, adjoining Paradise Resorts

Myopic View of a Houseboat cruising through the Backwaters

A Houseboat with en elevated Balcony . . . very creative !!!

Artistic . . . Isnt it?

The Backwaters

We reached Kumarakom at around 6 pm. All the houseboats had set sail by then. So we hired a motorboat the next day, for a couple of hours, to roam around the backwaters. The artist within me could not resist getting atop the motorboat and capture some rare moments.

There are townships on either side of the water way

Now, a closer look at one of the housing colonies

Now, a closer look at one of the house . . lets not zoom any further !!!

One of the Lake Resorts spotted during our cruise . . . I am unsure of the name

Fishermen consolidating their catch, early in the morning

Road . . sorry . . Water to Kochi . . .

Earth, Water, Sky . . .

Reflections !!!

I wanted to capture the houseboat and the bird together. Can you spot the bird?

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