Those of you who follow my blog would be aware that it has been a long time since I’ve last posted. Some of you already know what has been going on in my life, but most of you don’t. For those of you who do not as well as the rest of you it’s time for me to fill you in…

I quit my Job with Sutherland. So no more posts about Sutherland, Dell and Calls!! I have been quite busy all these days doing preparations for my visa and other stuff. And roaming with School and College Friends! Thats the reason for very less posts all these days. Pardon Me!

Im leaving to USA on 2nd January to do my Master’s Degree. At this moment i am not at all sure of what’s in Store for Me after this January! What i am going to do… What kind of place im going to live in(Though i have seen the photos and other stuff, its different to live there!)…  What kind of Friends i gonna make… Most Importantly, How am i going to study for the Next Two Years!!!

I Believe in this verse from the Bhagavad Gita…

“Ethu nadanthatho, athu nandragavae nadathathu. Ethu nadiratho, athu nandragavae nadakirathu. Ethu nadakkavirukiratho athvum nandragavae nadakkum”

“20yrs frm now u wil b more disappointed by the things that u didnt do than by the ones u did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away frm the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in ur sail. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Thats is what i am going to do now… Life’s Calling!

Have you ever seen a hillside that looks like a perfectly manicured lawn? The grass looks unreal, so green and lush? You wished your grass looked like that and even if only for a moment, you want to sit in peace on that beautiful hillside. However, as you get closer you see weeds, bare patches, and the ground is uneven. At a distance these things were undetectable but close up the grass isn’t as pretty.

Our lives can be like that hillside. Our life isn’t going the way we’d like it to and this could be in the professional, personal or romantic part of our lives. Something is broken, it isn’t going the way we would like, and we encounter someone that seems to have the very thing(s) we are missing and that is when the trouble begins: contemplating that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence!

Just for example, I thought that call center’s were cool and fun to work at. Well, they are, but not always. They too have negatives minuses and i cud see that only after coming to this side. I learnt that its not only talking to customers, i also have to take care of a lot more things like logging cases on my tools, etc etc.

When in school we would think College Life would be all cool and fun and we dont have to study anything. Well it was, but still school was different kind of fun. Always we would want to have something that we dont have. It’s human nature to get bored of something that we have and we start longing for something else that we dont have! The Idea is to be satisfied with what you have or start enjoying what you have and Life’ll be Great!

Stay where you are. Distant fields always look greener, but opportunity lies right where you are. Take advantage of every opportunity. Your chances of success in any undertaking can always be measured by your belief in yourself.

Many times i’ve been asked this question, “What’s the Most Embarrassing Moment in your Life?!”

You want to know?! Read on…

I used to go to college by my College Bus from the Second Year to the Final Year. I stayed in the College Hostel in the First year just to experience Hostel Life!!

Myself, Srinivas, Vinoth, Surendar and a few other Guys and Gals used to board our College Bus at Thirumanglam. Me and Srinivas used to walk together to the Bus Stop, sometimes joined by Vinoth on the way. Others join us at the Bus Stop. The Bus Comes to the Stop at 7.40am; Well it is supposed to come at that time, sometimes it comes early or sometimes late. Every student who goes to college will know, the bus comes early when we go a little late and the vice versa! That always happens. SMSes starts flying right from 7.15am; Updating my friends on where i am what i am doing; I’m eating. Started from Home. I’m almost there. Itho vathuten;

Everyday, i get ready at the last minute… Not that i wake up late. We used to go to the Gym in the mornings during my second and third year. So, morning schedule will be kind of packed! After finishing the morning chores(that wud be around 7.20am), i wud hurry up and go to Srini’s Place. Shout Out his Name from the Road once and he’ll look down from his balcony and say “Wait, i’m just now eating! Taking Bath! etc!” Then i’ll wait and we walk together towards t’manglam. Not always walking, fast walking, slow runing, jogging, fast runing! Depends on the Time Remaining! One eye at the watch one eye on the road.

Sometimes we’ll find Vinoth on the way. He’ll also join and we all talk and walk together. There were many funny incidents related commuting to college. We’d reach the Bus Stop all sweating and grasping for breath. We always go exactly when the Bus reaches the Stop or when the Bus starts leaving the Stop. Many a times, we have missed the Bus. Then, we’ve to Govt Bus! (Gosh. So, irritating.) Or a Share Auto. Going by Share Auto that too in Chennai’s Roads is very Difficult. Especially Me and Srinivas, being Tall, had to undergo those difficulties toghether. Like for example, when we go on a Share Auto, i’ll here a Loud *Thud* and when i turn around to see what happened, that wud be Srini hitting the roof of the Auto! And as I look at him and laugh, again another *Thud*, that wud be me hitting the Roof!!!

Well coming to the Embarrassing Moment… I went to the Bus Stop alone one day, i.e, srini and vinoth didnt come that day. But Surendar and the Other Guys of my College were standing at the Bus Stop. Well, the place is usually crowded in the morning because almost all colleges in the city pick up their students from Thirumanglam. As always, i was late. Since the place was crowded, i didnt notice Surendar standing at the Bus Stop. I noticed a bus standing at my stop when i was nearing my stop. It looked exactly like one of my college Bus. So, i started running after the Bus. The Bus Left the Place. Seeing me running, Surendar started running after me thinking that that was our college bus. I somewhow managed to chase the bus and board it when it was running. When i enterd the Bus, I was Shocked!

No Face was familiar! Everyone looked at me! And i realized, that that was a Different College Bus!!!!!! I then went to the Bus Driver and explained him the things and requested him to stop the bus! Thank Goodness the Bus didnt go much distance from my stop. Surendar was waiting for me at halfway and then we walked back to our stop!

This Trip to Mahabalipuram with ma frnds in Bike, was my first Road Trip out of City!

I had not informed my Parents abt the Plans, but eventually my mom found out abt it later!

It was during our Second Year in College… When we were sitting in the Workshop and chatting(as always), someone came up with this idea of Bunking College and going somewhere on a one day road trip in our bikes. We actually planned to go to Tada Falls… Initially, when we planned it in college, nearly 20-30 guys frm ma class agreed. But, after going back home, the guys started giving various reasons for not coming, one by one. The count went on decreasing. So, it was as good as cancelled!

The Next Morning i woke up to Tune of my N-Gage QD Ringing! It was my frnd Raja over the phone, who told me his new plans(Mahabalipuram)! I told him i’ll call him back after ascertaining the situation at my place. I had to check whether the atmosphere is conducive for Bunking or not! Thankfully, we had guests at home that day and mom was quite busy with them. So, after some time i informed ma frnds that i would be coming. And then, i got ready as usual and left home at around 7am.

Srinivas and Myself stayed in the Same Apartments. So, i went to the ground and waited for him. All the other guys were to come to our Apartments. We were 6 in all. Srinivas and Me. Naren and Hem Kumar. Raja and Senthil Kumar. So, we started from our Apartments which was in Anna Nagar and went via Maduavoyal to the By-Pass(200ft) Road. This 200ft Road was almost empty and we zoomed away to GST Road in No time. As the saying goes, Journey is more important than the destination. We enjoyed the Travelling part, which was the most exciting. Coming back to the journey, We took a left turn near Crescent Engineering College and went on till the end of that road. We were a bit hungry by then and had some snacks and water at a nearby Bakery Shop. Then, we went on to Mahabalipuram. On the way we had to pay at some Toll Gate in OMR. I paid for the three of us and kept the tickets in my pocket and forgot about it!!! On our way, Raja tried doing some stunts. He was so busy showing off that he drove over a fresh cowdung and it splashed all over his pant! And there were a lot of funny moments that day.

At Mahabalipuram, we parked our Bikes and walked to the beach! The beach was nearly empty as it was very hot! We roamed around the place. Climbed the Rocks. Caught some crabs. Played in the Water

It was almost 2pm by then. We took our bikes and started back home. Before leaving Mahabalipuram, we finished our lunch at a roadside dhabba. While returning we took the ECR route. Again while coming back we raced each other.

I enjoy driving fast, but thats only when i am in the Driver’s Seat!!!

Hmmm… When we were almost near Muttukadu, Naren’s Bike’s Engine got heated up and it stopped. So, we towed his bike along with us to the Muttukadu Boat House and parked our vehicles there. We had to wait till his bike gets naturally cooled down. We went to the Boat house and lazed around at that place. After some time, we were back on track and reached home in the evening.

I didnt say anything at home and was back doing things as i always do after going back home from college.

I went back to Routine and forgot about that incident. But, i had a surprise waiting for me! After a few days, my mom asked me how was the Mahabalipuram Trip? I was really surprised, how she got to know the place and all?! I asked ‘What Mahabalipuram?’ Like if i didnt know anything. But, am not that good at telling lies, and after some time i let it out, said sorry and asked her how she found that out?! Then, my brother showed me the Toll Gate Ticket! It was clearly written in the Ticket as “Mahabalipuram”! I forgot about the tickets entirely, and my mom found those papers while washing my pants.

Well, my mom didnt say anything, coz am back home safe and sound(the reason she wud not let me out, is reg my safety), and maybe also that what has happened has happened. My folks are not that strict. But still, i didnt tell them because, my mom is usually afraid of the speed at which i drive and if i had told them i would be going to Mahabalipuram she would definitely not have let me go, then!

Anyways, it was a wonderful trip that day. The Bike Journey was the most exciting maybe coz it was my first time! It also taught me a lesson in life(which is the Moral of the Story). You gotta experience anything to understand it! And i learnt from my experience that day! Innime, alert ah irupom la! lolz

Moral of the Story:

It’s Only Wrong if You Get Caught!

Thappu Senja Thadayam Illaama Seiyanum!