A Letter from ROMAL

It is said that acknowledging achievements in the workplace is a boon to morale and makes for happy employees. It can be a hand shake or a heatfelt thank you, letting us know that we are valued and appreciated in a classy moves that has improved the business............ So this post is about one thing I am really excited about.........

In November 2010, I joined one of the big four firm called as KPMG as a trainee(Its almost 200 days) and now i am working as an "Analyst".When I joined this firm as an engineer without any previous work experience,i was completely baffled about my role in the company which runs by the best Chartered Accountants of the estate. And It was no coincidence that my first 30 days was really tough to make any move.

The best thing about our company is that one will get enormous opportunity to get the freedom to reach your potentials. And there is so much I can write about my company and the people whom I work with but i prefer to park these thoughts for my next upcoming post. :)

Back to the article, today I got rewarded by the Advisory Services and Head, National Telecom Practice, KPMG India. Mr. Romal V. Shetty, who lead us and take charges of the operation metrics as well. Irrespective of his hectic schedules, packed calendar,strenous travel, he always is well aware of the performances, hard-work put in by every employee in his huge team and the issues and drawbacks that any employee in the team faces no matter what the designation may be and reaches out to them.

Last week, i was deeply touched by his kind gesture when he called me and handed over a self-composed appreciation letter with a 90$ ITC Coupon to recognise my hardwork put in.

I feel fortunate to work with such a leader wherein my efforts were recognized and well appreciated. Like for everybody, it just motivates me to put in my best at work

More than the value of coupon, I was overwhelmed by reading the letter and its something which I want to share on this podium of blog.

I would like to end this post with the saying, "Give the world the best you have and the best will come to you."

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Dear Ratnesh,

There are plentiful tasks performed by each one every day – long hours worked, weekends sacrificed and so forth. But, over and above them all, are the little things missed, which are closer to one’s heart – an anniversary missed, a birthday lost amidst a pile of work, a fun-filled evening with friends/ relatives forgotten…. To name a few.

Ratnesh, you have sacrificed some of these personal moments to honor a professional commitments – to the firm and its clients. This note is to let you know that no matter how great or small – your contribution is highly valued and appreciated.

I may not be able to turn back time, but, here is a humble gesture on my part to re-create some of those magical moments for you with family. I would like to gift you these vouchers which you can use at any time of your convenience.

Here’s hoping you have a wonderful time with family and now that you are truly an asset to us.

Thanking you personally for your sincere dedication.

Warm regards,

Romal

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In the Picture :- Glimpse of ITC Windsor Manor
(U to D : L to R) D Antoo, S Jha, P Vastred, Ravi, Elle, Me & Aishu -

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Loads of Luv.... R

Sacred love

This poem is from a beautiful little book about loving sexuality by Bill Noble... I loved it!!!

Tonight I would be the provider of solace, the caregiver

in the face of all that had afflicted you this day.

But when you took me fully in your mouth, small,

yielding, your encompassing warmth and sweetness

without urgency or agenda, every door opened,

every hurt and hesitation was healed. I gave myself

up to you, and you gave me myself, whole and at peace.

Would you like to be inside? you asked, looking up

from your giving. And in a moment you were above me,

radiant, wordless, emptied of urgency and injury,

and this thoughtless joy rose in my bones, this joy

conceived in love, refracted in your eyes, easy as breath.

Each enfolding night may we come to each other

healed, jubilant and patient, each day of all the days

we may be graced with. May no hurt ever be stronger

than the simplest act of love. May touch redeem us...

Loads of Luv... R

Indian Curry- Naturally Indifferent

"Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you are doing, but nobody else does." ~Steuart Henderson Britt

My roomies used to urge me to put on Music or a TV show channels instead of my rambling control over the TV remote control, where I put on standby, for watching some advertisement. His implication is very obvious and simple that he didn’t want to suffer the humiliation of hearing and watching a commercial advertisement between movies. But then, when you sit back and ponder; it’s then that you comprehend the myriad ways in which an ad is invading our mind; so beautifully.

For Example, Lets say: How many times has it happened that you have crossed a “halwai wala” shop that used to fry Samosa / Manchurian outside its shop; without feel like having one Samosa??? Well, if you try to think out of a box, then you will be speechless to see the beauty of affecting someone's mind without their being aware of it…. Well that’s an indirect way of communicating with your subconscious brain…

The study says that in the western countries, there is a fair amount of inclination towards advertisement. However, Indians are placed at a slightly different level. Maybe, because we are at different stage of development. Perhaps, we Indians still don’t care much about dirt on the streets or donating money or about the war happening in Kashmir but we do give you the last piece of bread we have, if we believe you really need it. [And we expect the same in return…- “Naturally Indifferent”]

Recall any detergent ad, even if the product doesn’t claim to be good for your hands, the ad would show a woman with attractive hands/fingers that you can’t ignore or forget….hahaha… It is believed that if you go on watching your “LOVE” for longer time, it will start building on you and same thing happen in the world of advertisement. It create such an impression that when a girl think of a biking, she should be able to think of “scooty pep+” ( Jaane do na!!- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cu1py4RtQGI) and when a guy wants to buy an after shave, he must think of “Old Spice” (Mark of a man- In Video: Three gorgeous lady come together to play one of the erotic music; using different musical instruments).

Now when you look at the tagline of the commercial product, you will be amazed to see its scientific way of indirect communication and how it establish a string connecting between you and the brand. Some of my favorites are like:-

1) Garnier Tagline- “Take Care”; It is one of the phrase we use for zillion of times in a day while chatting, talking on phone etc. (connect us with the product)

2) Cadbury Dairy Milk- “ Pehli taarik hai”, “shubh kaam se pehle” and “Kuch meetha ho jaye”; depicted a positive emotion like Festivals, Proposal, Friendship, New Year, Diwali were tagged with Cadbury Dairy Milk taglines which create a stronger association.

3) AUDI - " Never Follow" - Well, when you planning to go for a long ride; Don't miss this piece.

4) Gold Flake Cigarettes- “ Honey Dew”- Now this one is really Interesting; utter the phrase “honey dew” twice and third time it will sound like “I need You”- it effects human mind.

5) American Express- “Never Leave home without this"- Waohhhhh

"In general, My children refused to eat anything that hadn't danced on TV." ~ (Not me)

Stuffs I Like # 1 - Keep Walking

"If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking. Angels whisper to a man when he goes for walk" -- Raymond Inmon

Yesterday I've found that I am walking somewhat regularly for about 2 months now... I can't thank enough to the person who encouraged me to start walking...

Wherever I go, I keep my N5800 for the music & pop in my headphones, and get lost in the music and in the nature... It's just let my mind mull over my problems... It takes me out of reality... Incredibly relaxing so much that I do it everyday!!!.... I find myself deep in my thoughts, talking to myself as my feet are dashing through the painted brick by the road side... Then somehow my body and mind will get the two mixed together and I will be relax and will not want to do anything... I think now I am adapting with this walking activity, and my interest has grown rapidly to keep me integrated....

Usually when I am freaked out, all I try to disappear off my actual mind from the real me... I turn on loud music(preferably hard rock) and pace on my rof for about an hour... It tires me out so good that I have no strength to be annoyed anymore..

At first my shins were killing me, I've always had a tendency for shins splits; when I do long walk and at one point there was so much pain that I sit wherever my dimensions are...(roadside brick, cafeteria, or park)... It would have been so easy to give up, but something kept me going... and now after a short adaptation period, I feel like walking on the clouds...

Keep walking...!!!

" Walking is good for solving problems- It's like the feet are little psychiatrists." - Sir Terri Guillemets

Thats My "NAME"

It was ten past seven... today; as usual I woke to a phone call from Mamma... It was pretty early not that usual me... But it was not surprising me either...

Took a deep breath, crawled out from my lovely soft blanket, checked my cell phone if any unread messages and in few moments I began to lift my heavy eye lip, and soon, I was asleep.

Showered after a couple of days and shampooed (I love running my fingers between my hairs) my hair, borrowed Avinash blue (my fav color) check shirt and trimmed my little French-cum-Indian beard... I was preparing for two interviews which was schedule on the very same day... I thought to extending the date... as it would be mental draining for me... so I called one of the company but we couldn’t agree to a time that was good for both of us...

Now, I must say these are the remarkable day of my life and unforgettable too... In my earlier days of my Interviews, I always had this in my mind that “Interviewers are like Lions, and what can a rat like us could do if Lion is roaring....” So I used to have nodded approval in my mind...But same time at the back of my mind I was confident that I am fit for the Job I am going to Interview for...

So back to the today’s workshop, it was my longest Interview ever... After clearing aptitude round, and telephonic HR interview, I have been called in the company for direct F2F Interview... The Interview was bit shocking... some glimpse... Though I am not a perfect story teller so excuse me if I do something wrong...
Interviewer: What is the meaning of your name “Ratnesh” (1st Question)Me: (shocked-not expected this!!!).. Ahem sir, it means King of wealth... God of goldInt: which one is right “king of wealth” or “god of jewels”???Me: hmmm, sir its “ratn” plus “esh”, which mean king of wealth.Int: but you said, “God of gold”??Me: In Sanskrit, it is “god of jewels” and Hindi it is “king of wealth” (trying to confuse & hide my mistake)Int: So which one will you prefer?Me: King of wealth.Int: So do you really have so much of wealth??Int: ok leave it, you tell who kept this name??Me: My father.Int: Was there any special purpose behind giving you this name??Me: (I Giggled) and explained some shit...Int: (suddenly) ok.. Why Electrical & Electronics Engg?? Y not computer science or Info sc? Not Interesting enuf??Me: they surely are but ....

So finally, the discussion and researched around my Namkaran (traditional Hindu Indian practice of naming the baby) wrapped after 10 min... And then some rambling coding in C and SQL, series of puzzles and questions based on graphs...

Though the questions thrown were quite annoying but I always tried to wear a smile... And as soon as I have finished with one company and took cab to be available on time for the second company... and things went pretty well...

So that’s the way my day ends... but each night always ends the same...

My 1000 Visitors

I want to many-many thank to all the known and unknown people who have followed my website (blog) and appreciate my thought work over the months... As hard as it is to commit to a "job" like this without financial rewards, but the other forms of reciprocation; people's support, comments and attachment to my little vision, makes it all worthwhile....

After seeing 1000 visitors to my blog, I was elated tonight and thought of writing a post in a response to the support and love of all my readers.... Let me tell you what its like to write a blog that gets read, followed and commented on: watching the visitor statistics grow and receiving the reader feedback gives me a sense of connection to people as well as a feelings of responsibility to maintain this loving space which has kept me going....

It is said that it takes time and experimentation for each of us to discover what exactly "LIFE" means... But then I always believe that no matter what your background is or what mistakes you think you've made, or what misfortunes you've come across, you always have to trust yourself and your ability because that is the only thing, that can dig more gold from your mind then you ever imagined... I still remember my first night, when I felt like writing something socially... the difference is that I have changed my purpose...

You will be shocked to know that my post "PESIT hostel" and "Stag Evening"(both censored) has bagged the largest number of visitor per page (source:Google analytic)... hueee

Every day or night I try to write something but due to limitation of my active-neuron cell and some technical challenges, I could only make a little donation... Last but not the least; To email suggestions, concerns or opinions or if you want your article to be published on my site, please feel free to contact me at ratnotech@gmail.com... I will feature it on weekends...

Loads of luv..... R

Stag Evening

It is rightly said that "A free mind is a devil's workshop"... I was little hesitating while writing this post... I am telling this because even after reading this, even you, especially girls would like to hate me and my few friends... This post is a description of our evening, how we get together and spend our stag evening (no girls)... I will reveal to you the secret gossip of 6 friends... Can you guess, what do a group of boys talk about, in free time?? Cheap wouldn't be a wrong word, I guess...

Boys sitting on the stairs of a forever closed shop in BTM... This is the place where hell loads of girls passes by between 5:30 to 8:30pm... Each one of us try to get off early from our offices to join the assembling on time...

I know such things can create problems if any of our partner(in future) finds out these "cheap" stuffs...Discussion is happening between six friends Puffy, Prem, Ashish, Tanuj, Avinash and Me - (Initially I thought of keeping identity secrets as this may cause problems to us and within these there are 2- half married(recently broke up) and 1 is going to hunt pretty soon- NDS wale)

Me: (I usually hated boredom and non gossip environment)- Hey, let's stop sitting quietly and do something interesting... The rest were all sitting and thinking their own stuff...

Prem:(after lighting up the cigarette) Yeah, I have an idea... why not rate these girls. Suddenly we all gave him a look.... This statement definitely caught all our attention and jutted out our mind...

What the F**K.............

Me: Oh plssssss!!! We aren't that cheap.
Puffy: Are you dim or sth? I don't want to be cuffed.
Ashish: Busy pulling his chest hair as usual, no reactions.
Tanuj: was busy with his new NEXUS(28K) cell phone.
Avinash: Count me in.

Suddenly a girl passed by talking on phone and she was like waoohhhhh.....

Prem: Hey see that female, talking on phone, see her______
Puffy and ashish: (in chorus) Where? Looking towards the direction)
Prem: Abey that female in black mini skirt (pointing in her direction)
Tanuj: Awesome... how does she manage?
Me: Micro-Mini skirt (correcting Prem)
Puffy: shit!! How can her parents allow them like this???
Ashish: Well.... I guess that's I prefer!
Me: Yes I know, but those are not well shaped.
Puffy & Tanuj: With the mouth wide open as in wonder or awe.

Now I was pretty sure that the decision to embark on this voyage of rating girls has already happened very spontaneously by all of us... So we all got into this rat business and hence we decided that it would be convenient and thus we should make some rules to avoid the complexities to rate these girls... Few rules which we made were like this:

• Never include married women(we respect them)
• Always be serious and mouth-closed (even if an angel passes by)
• If girls coming in a group, we have to rate from the closest girl and follow by the next girl in that group and so on.
• If the girls passing from left, than the guy sitting at the left most position will start the rating first followed by the adjacent one and so on... and vise-versa if girls passes by from right direction.
• Never use Hindi language for rating (if u rate a group of two girls, as 2-2 then in Hindi it will pronounce to give double meaning- hope you all know)
• We have to rate all kind of girls (give respect to all of them- even if she is black or flat or fatty kind: rate all of them)
• Neither we are supposed to do negative marking like CAT papers nor are decimal values allowed.
• Most importantly-No eye contacts(no continuous staring) & No comments and crooning.

So, we decided that we would stick to these rules and we need to play this well(morally)... and then a series of girls crossed that pathway... Girls with gorgeous eyes, groovy hair, cute smiles, deep dimples, light pimples, shiny skin, twinkling lips, best curves, fish walk, cat walk, aristocrat move or a general move... Awww, yeah!

It's always like the whole atmosphere around us glistens in the golden sun... Everytime I feel that the ambience gets electrified when a battalion of girls crosses by... The red brick on the pathway matches a lot with the red carpet on the ramp... I still remember the situation when there was a beauty amongst the entire clamour (a gorgeous groovy girl) passed our pathway and we all hushed on seeing her... Our response towards that girl was even faster than the tachometer which we uses for speed measurement... The rating was sth like this:-

Ashish: I will give her 9.5 (lost 1/2 point cus she is not with me)
Tanuj: I will go with 9.0
Avinash: 10 on 10 sir jee
Puffy: She deserves not less than 8
Prem: same here 8
Me: I will give her 9 ( definitely lovely by all standards)

A great man (not me) once said this-"Girls all over the country doing all that they could to attract guys(diet,exercise,yoga and even surgery) but they can't forget the best stalls of Bhelpuri, Tikki, Aloo chat, Samosa & Gol gappe in the city"... lol... so this is how we spend our stag evening- a lot of bantering and joking and talking some bull s*** and doing nonsense during this... But i guess this is the only time in a day when I live my life and laugh out loud at my tensions... No wonder to say that all the desired things in life are illegal, expensive or fattening...

Now, without increasing any suspense or length, I would like to gist this post by saying that nobody can rate the beauty of any girl... It is that we PRAISE your BEAUTY!!!

Keep Walking!!!

HOOKAH

This Sunday turned out to be different for me... As usual the day starts by 2pm and followed by the things I am supposed to do... I have scheduled my day to get together with one of my friend, Puffy (that is what I call him) to discuss in deep to finalise some future plans.

The initial plan was to head to Coffee for sipping hot stuff, so we have decided to sit in cafe CUPPA in Indiranager, bangalore at 5pm. While, I love food and I love to eat out, it also gives me great joy if the social ambience is heart filling and energetic... and so was cafe CUPPA...

Waiter got us two menus, one for coffee/tea/snacks and the other one for HOOKAH... I have heard a lot about the varieties of nice fragrance of HOOKAH but never very fond of it. Most of my friends from college enjoy smoking hookah on a regular basis, although it was not allowed by our college (PESIT), they all enjoyed the frequent use of hookahs and tobacco. But I have never tried on my lips... So being from middle class my ritual for smoking hookah was simple & very common... So, fairly late I opted for a fantastic puff of Hookah and Mocha... My friend, puffy advised me to check out the combination of Pan Masala and Mint from the many varieties of flavour of hookah available there... I was like a freshman in CUPPA Hookah zone. I was trying this for the first time so was little worried, if it reciprocates with cough in my throat... Bezti ho jayegi!!!

After taking two to three puff of Hookah, I realised such a relaxing and soothing experience that it make me forgot my problems for a while and took me on a journey to the seventh heaven... Smoking a Water Pipe is nothing like smoking a cigarette... I felt that Cigarettes are for competitive people and peoples on the run but Hookah ROCKS... It teaches you to keep patience and tolerance... The smoke is noticeable cooler than cigarette smoke and lightly intoxicating but above all I love its fragrances..... waooooooohhh .... We were all sitting and listening to songs like pink Floyd & Delhi-6 and enjoying our smoke... Every 20 minutes you had to change bowls and coals and tobacco to keep the roar of the smoke crowded... Before long, the water begins to turn brown and bit hotter too... I guess tobacco and nicotine really does calm the nerves. Plus if you get enough nicotine it will make you start to spin... thats what happened when 3 hours has gone...

I love the taste and the conversation that hookahs inspired me. Now you may be saying to yourself that I am no better than a junkie or any other kind of addict. Well I can tell you that I do like smoking sometime but I am not addict of anything than making love (hahaha just kidding)... Now a days, I felt smoking hookahs is a widely accepted thing in our cultures and you will be shocked to know that it is the most traditional discover of INDIA...

But, I viewed as means that lead to the complete relaxation of mind and body...

Until next time, Happy Smoking!!!

Almost Single # Part 1

This second chapter of "KOCHUS" would have comprised my experiences with a friend who later became my best friend and about a new phase I have sheltered myself in.. I know you may be wondering with great confusion as this chapter is not going in order as in context of chapter-1, where I have mentioned my intutions and about my faith and believe...
I don’t know how and from where to start this but let me try out in this way... For me catching a sight of a beautiful bird or hot girls was like impossible... I used to be feet away from girls... May be it is a reason that I don’t know how to behave with ladies…No I know how to show manners to girls but yes, I agree there is insecurity within me... Leave that... I thought things will get in shape by themselves.
It was one of those fortunate days when I got an idea of taking Lab tutorials... I was in my 2^nd year of Engineering, when I have joined this PATE Classes in Vijaynagar, b’lore. Day before that I had a minor accident so I had to roll a bandage to cover my stitches on the forehead. Unknowingly, I was rigging up the circuit on the very next table of her computer. Usually I used to make myself unnoticed but that bandage was pulling little attention towards me. After some time I noticed that a group next to me is staring and they are gossiping something in Hindi... I remained as if I haven’t noticed it, but actually I did... So after a long time I finally broke the silence of my eyes and turned to that group... I didn’t get a look of her but can see that a fair & beautiful girl in the middle of that group is explaining something to them. I peeped my head but she was shaded by crowd... So I continued my work until the recess time. This was the time when my eyes first met with her. I remember my first talk; and how she offer me to join for lunch; and how I ask her to allow me to repair the zip of her black college bag (as if I am good at that). The simple hii’s and hello’s are steadily converting into arrey yaar. I guess she was trying to make me comfortable. The full conversation was so smooth that I haven’t felt even once that she is a stranger to me. After disjoining her and while coming back to my hostel, I realised that from my youngest year till the moment I am here, I have never felt myself so comfortable talking to a girl, the way I felt talking to her... She was so easy going... I was so happy that I couldn’t stop myself explaining how good the moment was to my friends!!! And all were scolding me for my complicated heart as I haven’t asked her number... All the time I cherished that moment and was missing talking to her...

I realised that my heart was cooking something; the nature redefines its laws... Not it is very new... But in fact, it is a tradition that has been going since the very inception of the world... But still...It is more than clear to me that what I am being is simply an object of wonder..
There were so many complications which have been storming inside my mind for the next few days... I started wondering a lot about her, I was wondering if there is someone loving her or does she love someone? I wonder where she is. I wonder what she is up to. So there was a new friend, not often, a first unlikely girl, was making a place in my friend list and I was trying to build a bridge between our hearts without knowing her properly... So every day I reach at that same place (bit late actually) to get a chance of talking her...I became regular in class ...It was amazing how she speak and everything what she says go right into my heart... I am a good listener so whatever story she explains I listen it very careful... I still remember that place very well where we roam a lot... In few days I realised that She is 20 times beautiful from inside than from outside...Though she was unlike girly-girly type girl...So finally the day came when our classes were going to over and still I haven’t ask her number? I was damn confused then... I was very insecure but it was hardest to ignore her... and as expected I said her good bye and take care before i could ask her or let her read my mind... So I was signing out when suddenly she asked from behind....

Do you kep cell phones? 

Loads of Love... R