Do not assume that you know everything there is to know about me simply because you read my weblog on a regular basis. Any judgements you make will be based on the information I have provided you about myself, which is probably vague, incomplete or embellished. Whatever opinion you form on me as person, or my life as a whole, is definitely an illusion. Remember, you are the reader!

Also, check out the Disclaimer.

Ah! Finally I am going to get paid, after almost two months! I was completely unprepared for this kind of a situation. Whatever little money I was left with, started vanishing sooner than expected and I became officially ‘Broke’ since mid-June. Let me qualify the word ‘Broke’ here. This isn’t that kind of broke where you can’t go on a vacation where you typically go due to lack of funds. This is a kind of broke where I had to debate (with myself) if I can afford to spend a few dollars to buy a Chalupa at Taco Bell or Pretzels at Aunt Anne’s, when I was at the Carousel Mall. This is the kind of broke where your friends only invite you out if they’re footing the bill because everybody close to you knows that you ain’t got no money.

But, I can actually say now that I’m grateful for this period of ‘being broke’. Sometimes the most valuable lessons in life are learned outside your comfort zone. Being broke has taught me how to better manage my money, so I can actually deal with these kind of surprises and eventually be better off financially. Sounds cliché, but it has really been a blessing in disguise.

So, here’s what being broke taught me:

Have a cushion to fall back on. If you’re living paycheck to paycheck, surprises like these can derail your finances. But if you’re prepared, you can better deal with any kind of financial crunch.

Having less leads to greater appreciation for what you do have. Now that I have money, I’d be able to appreciate better, those things that I were not able to do as often for the past two months. Like for example, eating Jerk Chicken at Alto Cinco!

Sometimes, you have to make tough choices. Which is worse: Going an additional $15 into debt because you are too proud to tell someone that you don’t have the money to go out with them for dinner or risking embarrassment by being honest?

Set goals and tune out peer pressure. Unless you have some kind of Goal, you would never save any money. Whatever money you have will drain out so easily in so many different channels. And to avoid the money from draining out, you might have to tune out peer pressure sometimes.

Small sacrifices add up to big rewards. Earlier, I used to spend money eating out daily. But, for the last two months, though unwillingly,  I had to eat at home. This has taught me one great lesson, how much I can save if I eat at home! Such small sacrifices like avoiding the urge to eat out, can result in huge savings and eventually bigger rewards.

Just how important money is. It isn’t everything, but everything you want to do involves it. Making it (or having access to it) is paramount. I no longer have any idealistic, youthful notions about money. In fact, I respect it a lot more now, as I do the good advice: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have.”

So, What has being broke taught you?

Its been a year and a half since I came to Syracuse. I set my foot on Syracuse at around 11.30pm on the 2nd of January 2009. I still remember how Syracuse looked like from up in the plane – A tiny little toy town, with chalk powder (snow) splattered across everywhere, few street lights on, one or two toy cars moving around, all this with a kind of magical silence – the ones around Christmas!

I had the address where i was supposed to go stay for the first few weeks as a temp. I asked for a taxi to that place, and then pushed my trolley out to the parking lot, where i was told my taxi will be waiting. It was icy cold out there, and I  decided to brave the cold with my bare hands, being lazy to pick the gloves from my suitcase. I was already wearing a jacket though. I waited in that place slightly shivering for a few minutes, when my taxi driver – a nice old man named Mark – came to me, helped me load the luggage into the car and drove me to 1440 E Genesee St, all the while talking something about India, computers, Indian restaurants in Syracuse, weather in Syracuse and how much colder it is up the hill in the university, etc. The houses along E Genesse are at an elevation from the road and he was not able to find where exactly Apt 1400 was, so he took my roommate-to-be’s phone number from me, called him up. The guys waved to us from the hall, where they were playing cricket. The friendly driver, then helped me get my stuff out of the car, wished me good luck before leaving with a handsome tip, for making me happy on my first day in Syracuse. I then climbed up the steps covered with freshly fallen snow, tagging my suitcases along with me while one of the guys came down running to help me with the luggage. Thus started my stay with these people.

To cut a long story short, I have been staying with the same roomies right from day one until early this month. I was supposed to move to 954 Lancaster Ave after the first few weeks of temporary stay at this place, but I decided to continue at 1400 E Genesse, because I grew comfortable with my roommates and everything, which made me feel this was the new home. Some intuition! At that point of time, this was a crucial decision I had to make. Usually, the problem with decisions is that howsoever prudent they might seem, only time tells what they are worth. Looking back at it now, I do not regret that decision of mine. It had been a pleasant experience overall, I was extremely happy to stay with these people, learnt many good things from all of them (and ofcourse ignored the negatives), making my first ever stay away from family, a memorable one.

Why am I writing all this, now?! All my roommates who were there at the time I came to Syracuse have graduated and moved out. So, I’d like to dedicate this post, in memory of all the fun we had together. Now on, all of us will be in different places, and life will not be the same again, yet again!!

This song compares the various forms of water-bodies like rain, rivers, lakes seas and ocean with the various aspects of a woman – as a daughter, wife, mother etc. One of the most beautiful lyrics i’ve come across.

Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa
Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dhiranaa
Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa
Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dhiranaa

Nadhiyae Nadhiyae Kaadhal Nadhiyae Neeyum Pendhaanae
Adi Neeyum Pendhaanae
Onraa Irandaa Kaaranam Nooru Kaettaal Solvaenae
Nee Kaettaal Solvaenae
{oh river you and women are same…. one or two?…i can give you a hundred reasons if you ask for…}

Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa
Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dhiranaa
Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa
Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dhiranaa

Nadandhaal Aaru Ezhundhaal Aruvi Ninraal Kadalalloa
Samaindhaal Kumari Manandhaal Manaivi Petraal Thaayalloa
{If you walk you are a river, a waterfall if u fall and if you are still thou are ocean… when she matures she is a woman, upon marrying a wife and if she gives birth becomes a mother….}
(Siru Nadhigalae Nadhiyidum Karaigalae
Karaithodum Nuraigalae Nuraigalil Ival Mugamae) – 2
{small rivers, the river touching the banks and on touching the banks arises the bubbles from splashes of water and these bubbles are as beautiful and reflect the face of the woman…}

Dhinam Moadhum Karai Thoarum Ada Aarum Isai Paadum
Jil Jil Jil Enra Sruthiyilae
{on hearing this even the rivers will sing the song of joy…and the hymn will be the hymn in which the nature sings…}
Gangai Varum Yamunai Varum Vaigai Varum Porunai Varum
Jal Jal Jal Enra Nadaiyilae
{the ganges will come, so shall the yamuna, vaigai and ponni singing and walking in a rhythm…}
Dhinam Moadhum Karai Thoarum Ada Aarum Isai Paadum
Jil Jil Jil Enra Shrutiyilae
Gangai Varum Yamunai Varum Vaigai Varum Porunai Varum
Jal Jal Jal Enra Nadaiyilae

Kaadhali Arumai Pirivil Manaiviyin Arumai Maraivil
Neerin Arumai Arivaay Koadaiyilae
{on separation you will realise the importance of lover, and the importance of wife upon her death, similarly you will realise the need of water in the summer}
Vetkam Vandhaal Uraiyum Viralgal Thottaal Urugum
Neerum Pennum Onru Vaadaiyilae
{the colours arise when shyness shines on the face and colours melt when fingers touch her; the scent of women and the water is similar…}
Thanneer Kudaththil Pirakkiroam Oahoa
Thanneer Karaiyil Mudikkiroam Oahoa
{we are formed in a pot of water(the womb) and do the last rites on the banks of water (as per Indian traditions)…}
Thanneer Kudaththil Pirakkiroam Oahoa
Thanneer Karaiyil Mudikkiroam Oahoa

Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa
Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dhiranaa
Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa
Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dhiranaa

Vanna Vanna Pennae Vattamidum Nadhiyae Valaivugal Azhagu
Ungal Valaivugal Azhagu
{oh colorful woman and the circling river – your curves are equally beautiful}
Hoa Mellisaigal Padiththal Maedu Pallam
Maraiththal Nadhigalin Gunamae, Adhu Nangaiyin Gunamae
{the way woman learns music synchroniss the voices, hides the rough voice and speaks sweetly, in a similar fashion does the river cover the rough surface of the landmass and makes it look even and beautiful…. covering all flaws is the nature of women as well as the rivers…}
(Siru Nadhigalae Nadhiyidum Karaigalae
Karaithodum Nuraigalae Nuraigalil Ival Mugamae) – 2
Dhinam Moadhum Karai Thoarum Ada Aarum Isai Paadum…
Gangai Varum Yamunai Varum Vaigai Varum Porunai Varum…

Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa
Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dhiranaa
Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa
Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dhiranaa

Thaenkaniyil Saaraagi Pookkalilae
Thaenaagi Pasuvinilae Paalaagum Neerae
Thaayarugae Saeyaagi Thalaivanidam
Paayaagi Saeyarugae Thaayaagum Pennae
{oh water you become the nectar of the flowers, the juice of the fruits and milk in the breast of a cow, in a similar fashion the women takes form you become a child to a mother and a mat to the husband and mother to a child…}
Poonguyilae Poonguyilae Pennum Aarum Vadivam Maarakkoodum
Neer Ninaiththaal Pen Ninaiththaal Karaigal
Yaavum Karaindhu Poagak Koodum
{in these ways woman takes different forms and if river wishes it can wash away the banks the banks while woman if wishes can wash away all the stains…(the bank and stain is called karai in tamil are homonyms) and both if determined can do anything…}
Nadhiyae Nadhiyae Kaadhal Nadhiyae Neeyum Pendhaanae
Adi Neeyum Pendhaanae
Onraa Irandaa Kaaranam Nooru Kaettaal Solvaenae
Nee Kaettaal Solvaenae
{oh river you and women are same and i can give you a hundred reasons if asked for to prove that you are similar…}

Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa
Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dhiranaa
Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa
Dheemthananaa Dheemthananaa Dhiranaa

Source of Lyrics: http://bit.ly/bg4jA0
Source of Transaltion: http://bit.ly/cZ88VF

Note: This is a Personal Blah Blah Blah. I jus’ wanted to analyze what went wrong today and get it off my mind.

Today, I am feeling really miserable. I want to hit something very very hard, but don’t want to hurt my hand! I have been giving a series of exams to obtain a certification called APICS CPIM (Certified in Production and Inventory Management). I gave my first exam last year in May. It was pretty easy and didn’t require much preparation, maybe because I had taken a class which taught me all the basics. Then I kept postponing the idea of giving my second exam for quite some time. Finally, decided to give in December 2009. Finished my semester, studied for a day or two and cleared the second exam too. After this, I went back to India for the winter holidays.

After returning from the vacation, I decided I will write the 3rd Exam. Took up a date in February, again studied for a day and wrote the exam. This time around, unlike the last two times, lady luck refused to stand by my side. Failed the exam by a mark. Felt bad. But I didn’t want to give up. Registered for the 4th exam, coz I can’t give the 3rd exam for a month. Postponed it twice, due to Spring Break and stuff. Then, finally gave it today morning. With more preparation than the last 3 exams. Guess, I studied for 3-4 days. Read all the chapters once, attempted the practice questions and all. But it was not enough. Failed the exam, miserably, by 6 marks. It proved me that I had under estimated what was in store. It feels so very miserable to fail. Feels like I am so incapable! Failing once can be accepted, twice is really bad. Maybe I am rushing it. But, it has been a year since I started and I didn’t want to delay it further. I still feel rushing it was not a mistake, but the lack of preparation was. I needed this failure. Learnt very valuable lessons, though costly lessons.

Laziness has done its damage. My concentration capacity has deteriorated very badly. I am getting distracted so easily by anything and everything. I am unable to stop myself from doing more than one thing. My mind flutters everywhere, it wants to do 100 things at the same time. I know, multi-tasking has its own benefits, but for the moment I think it is better if I train my mind to concentrate completely on one particular thing. I am going to avoid being on FB or even GTalk, logged in all the time. I have blocked FB and Orkut, so that I can use my time constructively and get rid of the addiction. Hope this time around I change my bad habits and prevent them from doing more damage. Hope something good happens soon. At this moment, it still feels so miserable.

As always let me begin with the Trailer of this Movie:

The movie revolves completely around one of Chennai’s busiest market streets – the Ranganathan Street in T.Nagar and hence the name Angaadi Theru which means ‘Market Street’ in pure Tamil. The Movie is directed by G Vasantha Balan and produced by Ayngaran International. It stars Newcomer Mahesh as Jothilingam aka Lingu, ‘Nijama thaan Solriya’ Anjali as Sermakani aka Kani, KKK Fame Pandi as Marimuthu aka Mari, Director A Venkatesh as Karungali and many other new faces. Brilliant acting by everyone, especially the actress Anjali. Her eyes speak everything.

‘Angadi Theru’ celebrates the triumph of human spirit over overwhelming odds, and the kindling of hope in the midst of all the pain and misery. It tells the story of the workers, the sales people in the shops of Ranganathan Street. It is like tracing the story of few random people whom you will come across in those busy streets, blowing it up and making a movie out of it. Though the story parodies a particular store in T.Nagar, I would say it is the same case with many other shops in India. Especially because there is not much of an opportunity in the interior parts of the country, people come to the cities and take up low paying jobs. The employees are exploited from early morning to midnight, and they too bear all this because of their helplessness. They need the money, the job, to survive. The exploitation is similar even in the IT companies, but people are in a better bargaining position than those shown in the movie.

The movie’s technical brilliance is something which you will not be able to appreciate at the first viewing. The film has such an engaging screenplay, that you will not be able to digress away from the story. You can’t notice any flaws with the cinematography, editing or the music as you would probably be very busy following the details depicted on the screen. The scenes are impact oriented and consequential – You will be simply occupied with the emotions that engulf you with every scene that is exhibited. The music too is Good and I liked the songs after listening to it for a few times and understanding the meaning. Jayamohan’s pithy lines lend a natural feel and deserve a special appreciation.

Verdict: A Must-Watch for those who appreciate Good Cinema.

Let’s begin with the Trailer of the Movie:

Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya is one long flow of emotions and events. As the tagline says (“A different love story, yet again!”) it is a different as well as an interesting story about falling in love, the emotions, the confusions, and the innumerable roller coaster sensations associated with it. The movie title “Vinnai Thaandi Varuvaayaa” means “Will You Cross The Skies And Come To Me?” and is inspired from the lyrics of the song ‘Vennilave Vennilave’ from Minsara Kanavu (Sapnay). Gautham Menon is the writer and directer of Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa. In this movie, Silambarasan Rajendar plays the main character as Karthik. Trisha Krishnan plays the role of Jessie. Academy Award winner A. R. Rahman is the music director of the Movie.

Our Hero is Karthik, a Mechanical Engineer (yet again!) who dreams of making it big as a Movie Director. And our Heroine Jessie, a Malayaali Christian is an IT Professional. Karthik falls in love with the gorgeous Jessie at first sight, similar to Surya’s Love at First Sight for Meghna in the director’s previous movie Vaaranam Aayiram. He comes to know that she’s a year older than him, but still proposes her. Jesse doesn’t want to pursue the love, as she doesn’t want to hurt her conservative father, who is against love. But she is courageous enough to break away from the marriage arrangements made by her family. Karthik is thrilled by this development but Jesse wants more time to convince her father. The film drags on with no significant happenings but it takes an artificial break when Jesse decides to break the affair for an unconvincing reason, which as my friend Srivats explained, showed the character’s indecisiveness and uncertainty about choosing love over family. The rest of the movie deals with what happens to them and their love. And we also have a twist in the climax.

I wondered what the title Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya (Will you Cross the Skies for Me?) implies. After watching the movie, I guess it is about Jessie’s reluctance to come into the life of Karthik, crossing the distance between them, because she can’t decide what to do.

The dialogs and the execution of scenes are top-notch. Simbu and Trisha perfectly fit in the Characters. Simbu has given us a nuanced performance, never seen from him before. He steals the show with what I would call, an underplayed overacting! Trisha looks her ravishing best, in Saree. Good Job by Nalini Sriram as the Costume Designer. Chinmayi has lent her wonderful voice to Trisha which needs a special mention for the exact Tamil and Malayalam accents. Love her Voice! ARR’s music is one of the main reasons to the much acclaimed hype. Music has been the greatest asset of the movie right from the beginning till the end. The re-recording and the background score are really amazing. Though, I didn’t like the songs initially, I am hooked to it now.  Cinematography by Manoj Paramahamsa is Brilliant and is a Visual Treat to Watch. I didn’t see Gautham Menon giving his trademark guest appearance in the Movie, though he had given his voice to the rugged brother (bad casting here!) of Jessie. Did any of you see him in the Movie?

Verdict: On the whole, the Movie is a Must-Watch (atleast once )!

To sum it all up in a few words, I am quoting Sudish Kamat here: Well Written & Performed, Stretched & Indulgent but very Romantic!

Irani Kovil is located in Iraniyur (10.2284°N 78.6504°E) near Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the 9 Kovils of the Nagarathars, built around 1278 A.D. And I belong to this Kovil. This Kovil is dedicated to Arulmigu Aatkondanathar and his consort Arulmigu Sivapurandevi. It lies 24 kms from Karaikudi. This Nagarathar temple is a magnificent piece of South Indian architecture.

Here is a Story about the Temple which our Ayya told us when we were kids. Lord Vishnu killed Iraniyan after attaining the form of Narasimha. After killing Iraniyan, no one was able to calm Narasimha’s fury. It is said that Lord Vishnu worshiped Lord Shiva at this Temple and only then he was able to regain his calm self. And hence this Name for the Temple. Apt to the story, I feel so calm, peaceful and happy when I am there at the Temple. It is one of the most Serene Temples in the World.

This is a dedication to one of my most favorite Temples in the World!

You cannot run a linear system on a finite planet indefinitely!

I had registered for a course on “Sustainable Manufacturing” the coming semester and surprisingly this video suggested to me by Gowtham today, coincidentally provided me with an introduction for the course. “The Story of Stuff” is a 20-minute take on the perils of consumer culture. Though it is exaggerated, the video gives us a sense of the life cycle of material goods!

Activist Annie Leonard wrote and narrated this film. It was first launched online on December 4, 2007. The film exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It’ll teach you something, it’ll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.

Yesterday we roamed around the campus till 1.30 in the night, looking at the sky, in expectations of catching sight of the Leonid meteor showers. The Leonids are considered to be one of the most spectacular meteor showers. Updates showed us that it was supposed to be clearer around 3-4am. But, we were not able to stay back any longer, because of the sub zero weather and a early morning shift. Maybe, i will try to watch it this Friday.

Watching the Sky during the Night Time is Magical! It brings back old memories as well as expectations about the future! I can recollect so many Good Old Memories, but writing that here might bore you out. So, i am skipping that part, so that you can fill it with the Good Times that you spent under the Sky! The Cool Breeze! and the Sound of Night! Staring up into the sky, pointing out at star constellations. It is one of the best ways to relax and enjoy the Gift called Life. Priceless!

Update: I witnessed the Leonid Meteor Shower, the next day after writing this post. Thanks to the Astronomy Club of Syracuse, who took as to a wonderful place on South Campus where we were able to get a clear view of the sky and the stars!

Unquenchable is man’s thirst for happiness. As I said in my earlier post, whatever we do (study, work, earn, learn, for that matter… anything) is geared towards making us or the others around us happy. There is a Golden Rule for happiness, that, happiness comes to him who gives happiness to others.

Nothing Gives More Happiness than a Random Act of Kindness, with No Expectation of Reward!

Do that today… Make someone Happy! and share your experience in the comments!

I recently came across this Short Film and wanted to Share it with you…

The following is the description of this Video by Nikos Pilavios:

The scene is in the backyard of an old house. In the middle of the yard is a simple bench. Two men, a father and his son, are sitting together on a bench. They are silent. The son is reading a newspaper, turned slightly away from his dad. His father is sitting in the middle of the bench, looking ahead, hands in lap. The silence continues.

A bird lands in a nearby bush. Dad looks at the bird; his son continues reading the paper.

“What is that?” asks dad.

The son looks up. “A sparrow,” he replies, and continues reading the paper.

A little later, the bird lands on the lawn in front of dad. Dad sits up, looking at the bird.

“What is that?” asks dad.

“I just told you, father, a sparrow,” replies the son, with a little annoyance.

They sit in silence. The dad sees the bird again, and asks, “What is that?”

His son becomes very angry, drops his paper and yells, “A SPARROW, A SPARROW, S – P – A – R – R – O – W!! (spelling it). WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? I TOLD YOU SO MANY TIMES, IT’S A SPARROW!!!

His dad stand up and turns away. “Where are you going?” asks the son. His dad does not speak, but motions with his hand for his son to stay there. Dad goes into the house.

The son remains sitting on the bench, somewhat slumped over, looking glum. Dad returns, sits in the middle of th e bench right beside his son. He has a book. He opens the book, flips through a few pages, and hands the book to his son. He does not say anything, but pulls his son’s hand up, indicating his son should hold the book. Dad taps a place in the book, and says, “Loud.”

The son reads:
“Today, my youngest son, who a few days ago, turned 3, was sitting with me at the park, when a sparrow sat in front of me. My son asked me 21 times what it was and I answered 21 times that it was a sparrow. I hugged him every single time he asked me the same question, again and again, without getting mad, feeling affection for my innocent little boy.”

Dad nods. He remembers what happened many years before. There is a pause. Then the son extends his arm around dad, holds him and kisses him on the side of his head, many times. He continues to hold his dad. The words he read have re-awakened the admiration, the appreciation and the love he feels for his dad.

Up in the tree above them, the sparrow looks down at the men below and then happily flitters away!