Day 41 - Reservation (The Name Game)

It’s time we talk about some serious political issue in this blog. I was damn surprised when I heard that the TN Govt. is planning to pass an ordinance providing 3.5% reservation for Muslims/Christians in Educational institutions and Government jobs. I hear that this reservation falls within the 30% reservation for BCs so that we still don’t go above the 69%. Whatever!!!

With its wide & broadminded outlook to develop the state probably the Government can next look at the reservation based on Names. I mean, the names of people.

It would really be a great idea to provide reservations for people with Tamil Names (like the Entertainment Tax exemption for movies with Tamil names). We already have found out from pure Tamil movie names like ‘Kettavan’, ‘Pokkiri’ and ‘Udambu Eppadiyirukku’ that this is one of the greatest ways to improve the usage of Tamil in the State. I am serious. Would ever you ever otherwise see a Church Park babe use pure Tamil words like “Pokkiri” or probably ever hear an oxymoron in the future like “Kettavan is good da”.

Coming to the reservation scheme - this is how it would probably work - Thenmozhiyaal, Poonguzhali or Iniyaal would get a 10% reservation among whatever category they are in. For example, if Thenmozhiyaal happens to be a BC, she would get reservation under the BC-Tamil category and like wise. All BC guys with non-Tamil names would have to compete in the BC-General category.

But this raises a big question – what are non-Tamil names? How will the Government decide on non-Tamil names. A discussion that went through my mind.

1) Simplest of things first. Peter or Stephen is a non-Tamil name and would definitely not get reservation…………. Jesus Christ!!! What did I just say? How will that happen in our Government? So probably all religious names would be considered Tamil Names from now on. John, Peter and Thomas will become Tamil names since they would have been found in some 2000 years old inscription somewhere in the state. I cant think of any other reasoning for categorizing John/Peter/Thomas as Tamil names. At a later point in time we can state that “Tamil names are found in inscriptions that are 2000 years old and hence Tamil is 2000 years old).

2) We have solved the cases of Johns and even Mohammads - based on such inspirational - sorry inscriptional - proof. But what about the Murugans? Obviously Murugan is a Tamil name because Murugan is a Tamil god. But What did I just say!!! Ente Palaniyaandavaa!!! There are no Gods. So Murugan is not God and hence a non-Tamil name. But not fine – since there are lots of inscriptions on Murugan…So if point 1 has to be valid Murugan has to be included. So we will have to include Murugans and may be Iyyappans as well.

3) Let us come to the case of Kannan. Kannan as far as I know is a proper noun describing God Krishna – probably can be termed as a North Indian person since he fought that final battle in Kurukshetra instead of the vast plain lands of Cauvery. We are supposed to hate North Indians. So non-Tamil name - Kannan is. But Kannan also means “someone who has an eye” (as in Senthamaraikannan - the red lotus eyed person). Hence the decision on Kannan would purely be based on the reason behind naming the person – peyarkaaranam. No parent is now foolish to believe in God when reservation comes against religion. We are in a country where we preferred being called backward classes if it benefits us reservationally. Hence all Kannans would be eyed boys and all henceforth all Kannans would fall under the Tamil-Names category.

4) What about people like Goldman – Goldman can be seen as an English name. But isn’t it a proper noun as well? I don’t get it. Where would Goldman fall under? Would Stalin - a Russian name get reservation? Definitely Vijaykanth wouldn’t but what about Rajnikanth? Will reservation be provided to colleges like Madras Medical college - since it has not changed its name to Chennai Medical College? Too many confusions...

Finally another important loophole- what if people change their names in the gazette to get this benefit? But that is ok. Even movie names were changed to avail this benefit and that is the whole purpose of introducing such incentives – to improve Tamil. To avoid issues in the future, people might start naming their children in Tamil. Like, instead of naming someone Williamson and Peterson(son being Inglees), we would name them “Peter petraan” or “Williamkupiranthaan”. Actualla amarnthu yosithu paarthaal Williamsonku pathilaaha Williamkupiranthaan endrazhaikkumpothu Tamil oru one secondaavathu valarhirathallavaa.

Another interesting controversial political thing I came across - Was just hearing “June Ponaal July Kaatre” from the movie Unnale Unnale – Here is how one of the lines in the song goes – “Intha ulagathil evarumae Raamar illai”(meaning No Ram in this world). How come the BJP missed this – they should have made a big issue out of it – the bare minimum of throwing stones at theaters. It would have become another fighting point to be used in the Ramar-Sethu row. These politicians you know – are becoming less intelligent day by day.

This is what Leo da Mirci says about reservation based on caste, religion and names -

“I am being rationalistic. Very rationalistic. They say there is nothing in names, caste or religion. A bunch of fools. Who said there is nothing in names? Who said there is nothing in religions? Who said there is nothing in castes? Who said there is nothing in status? There is nothing only in nothing. Everything else they say has a different spelling. I always hated people who say that there should be no reservation. Think how unplanned train travel would be, if this happens?” - Such a clear stand point with clearly put arguments…Correct?

I just heard that “Correct” in your mind. So considering that as an agreement with what Leo da Mirci says – am ending this post.

Day 20+20: The genius who knew it 10 years back!

"Less interesting stuff like test matches - they only create very interesting stuff like T20. If you want to see interesting things in your life, you will have to also have to see all the less interesting stuff. That is why I saw this stupid movie" – Leo da Mirci after watching the movie “Aag”.

Day 40 is on Day 20-20(the day we won it)

He knew it!!! Long before we all knew it – he knew it in his mind: “India would win the 20-20”. Of course he is a genius. No doubt about it.

I was waiting on the edge of my seat when the ball went in the air. Oh god!!! It is going to be a boundary. India is going to lose. Not only India is going to lose, but this guy, the guy I adore a lot; his words are going to be almost falsified - there might not be a better chance to prove his words; there might not be a better chance to prove that he predicts things long before its time.

But here!!! We are losing. No…Wait… What is happening!!! It took only 2 seconds for me to get my blood pressure to normal. Sreeshant caught it. We have done it!!! And what this guy said around 10 years ago has become true!! This puts him in the same league as Nostradamus - this guy told us that this would happen long before.

I came to know that he had predicted this only after I joined my engineering college. He was a Professor in my college - they said. Even then, I had seen him very close to me only once. My friends told me that he was a leader and stuff like that. After he spoke to me (us) for the first time, even I believed so – he was a great leader. He said the same words in his speech to us!!! Only, we did not realize that this is what he meant!!

I was almost 10 years now, in 1998 I think… he had predicted this. In 1998,
who knew that there was a similar format of cricket happening somewhere in the world??
who knew that this format would be given international status??
who knew that there would be a world cup in this format??

This guy did… That is why he is a genius. That is why he is a great leader. A visionary they say!!

I have not read his book till now. I am waiting to read it. All I know is that; all I have heard is that; all my friends have today me is that this guy said that “India would become a Superpower in 20-20”!!! Hail Dr. Abdul Kalam. His vision 20-20 has fructified even before its time.

Day 39 - The Stars of Cricket

My God!!! I love Star Cricket…. One good thing about being in Noida is that I can enjoy my evening watching Star Cricket in an AC guest house (bill paid by the company). One bad thing is that I will have to try hard to make people in Noida understand that 1) I am speaking in Hindi & 2) Make them understand whatever I want to tell in Hindi.

Anyways, after a long time I had the opportunity to watch TV daily evening. It is good to see that cricket has shifted back from the boring Set Max to Star Cricket. With Harsha, Sunny and Ravi, things get a lot more interesting.

Watched some excellent moments in the third test match.

Sourav Ganguly lifting Sachin Tendulkar after he got Pieterson out on his first ball. Camarderie back?? Anwyays, I love Sachin’s leg spinners. The slip catches, the LBWs off his googlies and the catches he takes off his own bowling…He does everything with style. One of the few players who still reminds us that cricket is an intelligent game and not a power game…

Without a doubt, the entire Indian team’s joy was evident when Kumble hit his hundred. Watching Sourav jump(literally) as if he had got a hundred!!! And everyone in the dressing room behaving as if he himself has achieved something great – No words to describe that moment. Rahul finally said “We were more nervous than Anil during his 90s”. After Sourav's exit as captain I never could accept Rahul as the captain even though he is my all time favorite sportsman. But now I am seeing my hero as a role model again.

The “Chak De…. Chak De India” package they show at the end of the game. Whoever makes that, Kudo to you!! It is a very good compilation.

Most importantly the commentary team - Professional & Excellent.

A sample…

Towards the end of the 3rd day, Chris Tremlett was batting with Monty Panesar - the last wicket for england. Tremlett had scored zeroes in both innings of the first test, his debut test. Now, he started scoring a few runs. So the other commentator said “He has started playing well, Chris Tremlett. He has become better now”. Harsha quipped - “I guess he can only get better after that performance”.

I adore you Harsha…Without you, cricket for the last 10 years would have been a lot less interesting…

Day 38 - The Intelligent Buyer

The top class discounts were on offer!!!

Place: Lifestyle - Atta Market - Sector 18 - Noida
Time: 1 p.m

If you are the guy who hates Operations as a subject do not read this. If you are the guy who spends an hour and having fun calculating which Postpaid plan to choose based on your past bills' inputs; Not because you would gain Rs. 10 out of the exercise, but because you feel happy that "I did it" when your bill gets reduced by Rs. 10....... go ahead and read this blog…

I am telling you these guys will definitely succeed!!! Because they have fun at work and success is just an ancillary output which they get when they have fun. - Leo da Mirci

Yes... The top class discounts were on offer!!!

Place: Place: Lifestyle - Atta Market - Sector 18 - Noida
Time: Time to execute "Operation Intelligent Buy"

Seeing the discounts I decided to go shopping and "Operation Intelligent Buy” started at Noida. I was so sure that I should never buy anything out of temptation. Have learnt somewhere that most of the retail chains succeed because people are tempted to buy after looking at the products. So I made some intelligent decisions.

1) Check out all possible stores before getting the items. The same item might be available at a better price in a different store.
2) Don’t yield to temptations.

Operation Started

Target 1 Globus: Disliked all items
Target 2 Lifestyle: Disliked all items

Target 3 Pantaloons:

Good. Right Place. Shirts were available at the following denominations 500,600,700,800,900. Buy 2 Get 2 free. You can pick up 4 shirts and the 2 costliest ones will be charged. I got 4 shirts which were priced 900, 800, 500 and 500. So I will have to pay for 2 shirts only (worth Rs. 1700) and get the other 2 shirts free (worth Rs. 1000 free) Pay only 1700 for 2700!!! Good deal. But that is not the end... Temptation starts here.

By getting 4 more of the similar denominations I would have the following options
900, 900, 800, 800, 500, 500, 500, 500. Clubbing the first 4 and the last 4 together you will have to pay for only 900+ 900 & 500 +500. So that is Rs. 2800 and you would get shirts worth Rs.5400!!!

For the first 4 shirts I would pay 1700 and get shirts worth 2700 at an average of Rs. 425 per shirts!! If I get 8 shirts, I would pay 2800 and get shirts worth 5400 at an average of Rs. 350 per shirt!!

Basically the additional 1100 Rs is worth 2700 Rs!! Yielded to temptation…. Finally.

Ok. Got the 8 shirts for Rs. 2800 and a few trousers of Indigo Nation at Pantaloons (for Rs. 1500 after a whopping 40% discount on trousers). The total cost was Rs. 4300 including the trousers.

Operation Error 1:

Paid the bill by cash. And then found that if I had used my recently got SBI credit I would have got a 10% cash back!!!

Operation Error 2:

Then the lady at the counter called me back and gave me a Pantaloon Green Card and a gift voucher worth Rs. 150 since my purchase was more than Rs. 2500. But error bhagwan strikes again. Had I split the bill as 2800 and 1500 and got a green card using the first bill of Rs. 2800, I could have immediately used the gift voucher for Rs. 150 with the other bill of Rs.1500 and would have got a green card holder discount of 7.5% on the bill!!! How much did I lose there??... Hmm...Let me calculate..

Operation Error 3:

Came downstairs. Only to find that Indigo Nation’s showroom had a flat 50% off on the same trousers I had got in Pantaloons!!! So that is a loss of Rs... hmm.. Let me calculate..

So when would I become that intelligent buyer!!! My God…

Day 37 - Tips on Taps

“For girls and children, comfort comes before safety!!! Stupids!!! This is the most ridiculous law I have seen in my 120 years of public service” - Leo da Mirci told me recently (after the Govt. announced that pillion riders who happen to be women or children need not wear helmets). A female and child chauvinistic law!!

Btw, after a recent debacle where my shirt was drenched with water from a tap, I thought it would be a great service to help the public by writing some tips on opening taps.

There are different types of taps. They are made up of different materials, the fluids that flow out of them are of different salinity, density and purity but our concern is none of these. Our concern is that there are different methods/ways/techniques/types of opening taps. If you don’t know every one of them, you are bound be ashamed in front of your colleagues or your boss. You might even lose your job in case it is your boss whose trousers get drenched (shouldnt be a trouble if you have just heard from naukri.com). For others who havent heard from naukri.com here are some tips on types of taps.

Some taps have tops. Some don’t. The don’t types are called naked taps or naked tops (those knobs I mean).

Let us come to the taps which have tops first.

Top Yes Type 1: These are the simplest form of taps. They have a cylindrical knob at the top. Turn the top in one direction and water flows. I am confused as to whether it is a clockwise turn or an anticlockwise turn. Anyways it is a turn in the direction in which the top turns. If water still does not flow after a complete turn then you make a complete turn and go back. There is no water available in that area where that tap is situated (situated ha ha)…

Top Yes Type 2: These types are similar to Top Yes Type 1 but have a vertical tube with a horizontal turner on the top. (Basically a T-shaped knob). They function absolutely similar to the Top Yes Type 1. But they are considered inferior to Top Yes Type 1 taps.

Top Yes Type 3: These types have a cylindrical/horizontal tube with press/release concentric cylinder towards you. You have to press the tap in the horizontal direction with your thumb for water to flow. However water flows out in the vertical direction (Newton’s theory of gravity and Leo da Mirci’s theory of transformation of energy vectors - the horizontal push to vertical fall) are involved here. Though the user manual would say that you have to use your thumb to push you will often have to use you palm and exert enormous pressure to succeed. These taps are often found in schools, marriage halls or local cinema theatres. They have high affinity for each other. The distance between two taps is often not more than 15 cms. These taps rarely work. Their average functioning period is 3 months and are never repaired.

Top Yes Type 4: These types are similar to Top Yes Type 1 but have a slim semi-cylindrical or elliptical metallic structure instead of the cylindrical knob. For water to flow, you will have to stretch your hands with your nails facing the sky and press the metallic structure towards the ground floor of the building you are in. If you are already in the ground floor press it towards the basement parking. If you do not have a basement parking then just press it towards the floor of the same floor where you are standing. You can find these types of taps at hand washes in hotels/restaurants. These taps carry good water a la the arteries which carry pure blood (ha ha.. subject of interest of the subject I am interested in).

Top Yes Type 5: Except the opening mechanism all characteristics of these taps are similar to Top Yes Type 4 taps. In this case you will have to stretch your hands with the palms facing the sky and then pull the metallic structure towards the top floor of the building you are in. If you are in the top floor you will have to pull it towards the top (ceiling) of the top floor you are in.

Top Yes Type 6: Then there are taps which are found in Star hotels’ washrooms. These taps have a similar look and feel as those of Type 4 and 5. But unfortunately the “Press down to the ground floor” or “Pull up to the top floor” techniques will not work in this case. It seems that some of the guys who stay in Star hotels use only hot water for brushing. So these wash taps carry hot water as well as cold/normal temperature water. A certain degree turn to the right will give you water of certain degree and a certain degree turn to the left gives you water at a different degree temperature. Here too you will have confusion as to which one is a hot turn and which one is a cold turn. Trial and error is the best possible way out.

Top Yes Type 7:

We are sophisticated – these taps told me once. They are found in washrooms of good hotels. They are a combination of Type 6 and any one of Type 5 and Type 4. The opening mechanism is also simple. Here there are 4 opening options.

• Right turn, Press down to the ground floor


• Right turn, Pull up to the top floor


• Left turn, Press down to the ground floor


• Left turn, Pull up to the top floor

Sometimes a center Pull up or Press down option is also available where you get mixture of hot and cold water. Type 7s are Visionaries according some great Management Guru!!!

Top Yes Type 8:

Type 8s are found in bathrooms of Star hotels. They are called the Matrix types. There are three knobs connected to a single water outlet. Hot water knob (red color coded), cold water knob (blue color coded) and a water outlet knob(have never noticed the color).

You are Neo. The water outlet knob is the path. The Hot Water and Cold Water knobs are the pills. Morpheus has given you both the pills. He indirectly tells you “You take the blue pill, you will get cold water. You take the red pill, you will get hot water. I can only tell you the path (through which water flows). You will have to open the knob.” Trinity is a part of he matrix (the three knobs are otherwise called the trinity of these water taps). The difference between the Screen version and the bathroom version of “The Matrix” is that you can take both the pills to get water at normal temperature in the bathroom version. Anyways, you can always find that hot water flows out of the blue tap. No plumber has ever got the colors right.

Topless Types:

I am referring to the automatic sensor taps here. These do not have a knob at all. The idea of installing(??) these taps is to reduce the effort of an individual to create a water fall. But unfortunately most individuals who have used these taps claim that these taps require more effort to create a water fall. I saw one such person recently in a restaurant. This is what he did…..

• Mr.Intelligent walks out to the tap. Keeps his hand below the outlet. No water.


• He waves his hand here and there across the basin below the tap. No signs of water.


• Mr.Intelligent now bends down and tries to locate the sensor. Couldn’t find any signs of it. He then tries step 2 again.


• He looks at the guy next to him. He is happily washing his hands. How come in that tap alone water flows!!!


• Mr.Intelligent’s ego does not allow him to go to the next tap.


• Mr.Intelligent now blocks all sides of the basin with his hands. Wherever is the sensor now his hands will be recognized – that is the idea!!! Still no signs of water.


• Mr.Intelligent looks if anyone is watching him. Moves slowly to the next tap. It works now…


• He walks out as if he has achieved something!!!


• The guy in the cash counter calls up two servers watching the whole drama and says “Evlo kashtapattaaru paatheengalla. Yaaravathu antha tap work aagalannu solla vendiyathu thaanaedaa”. Actually that tap did not work!!!

So be careful with these types of taps.

You may also look for some beautiful taps here.

http://www.bathroomheaven.com/sp_brochure/main_taps
http://www.tapshop.net/tapstypes/index.html

I only have this much to say about taps. As Leo da Mirci says “There are many types of taps. There are many tips for using taps. There are many tops on taps. There are even tapes on taps which leak. All taps have their own tops, tips, types and tapes. It is up to you to decide which taps, tops, tips and tapes to use. Good decisions come with experience. There are is lot of management to learn from these taps. A simple management learning is “Tip (incentivize) your employees with a good top (brain) and tap the talent of these types of guys so that they make it to the top.”

Day 36 - Improving your orkut performance

"You know that you orkut because you want to be something with somebody. You say that you orkut because you want to be something else with somebody else."

- Leo da Mirci in his book "How to win friends and orkut with people!!"

One of the most frequent reasons I have heard for people being on orkut is “Looking for friends who studied with me in primary school", "To catch up with old friends" "Orkut is the best thing that happened to friends” and all that crap.

Come on guys, we all know that when you sign into orkut the first thing you see is whether the number of fans/friends has increased or whether any girl has scrapped you (if at all it happens). We know that you go search girls school/ college communities looking for some girl whom you might have known. Soon you get frustrated and quit orkut saying “You know what, I am spending too much time on orkut and it is affecting my job performace”. Yes we understand even that. You are no longer able to compete with your friends in the number of fans, scraps or the number of girls he has connected with. You tried, tried and tried but you could not improve your performance. So you planned to quit. But see, the good news is that you have company - a lot of people are quitting orkut nowadays.

For such poor souls who are thinking of quitting orkut because their performance is not good enough, here are a few tips to increase your orkut performance.

Let us start with the Profile

Name: Names should always be stylish. If you still have things like Raamasaamy, Supppramanian, Asokan, Santhaanam, Jayaramakrishnan in your profile immediately go change them. A Rams, Subra, Ash, Santa or Jay Kris is what you should have.

About me: Typically an about me column would contain super smart statements like “You know me or you don’t know me”, “Read my profile if you really want to know” “I am not someone who cant be easily understood” “Buzz me on yahoo” etc.. Sometimes you can see a bunch of characters scattered all over the place and when you scroll down – Voila! What a surprise !!! You can see a devil’s face or the word FRIENDS! What an imaginative guy he is!! The most recent addition to this phenomenon is to have a poem describing you.. Something like
Want to get into a passionate mire?
I am always on fire
I took an auto on hire
I stood on an electric wire
I will soon burn on a wooden pyre
(for the benefit of the public the lines ending in dire, tyre, sire and gyre have been removed).

Come on guys…. these are stuff Raja Raja Chozhan’s great grandfather had in his profile. It is enough you have a simple about me column which is actually something about you.

Gender: Men are always proud to claim that they are men. However, DC Nielsen’s survey says that there are more men who own feminine ids than women.

Relationship Status: Give some respect to the male community. Give some respect to how God wanted men to behave. Don’t be an outcast. Even if you are married/committed say single.

Birthday: Birthday is the only occasion when girls wish you profusely. The day when they suddenly realize that you exist in this world. That is the day you get the most number of scraps in the year. So, have at least 5 birthdays in a year. Change it every now and then so that you get wishes from girls every now and then. You can have an actual birthday, one each for your star, the sun and the nine planets. (Don’t act too smart and tell me that Pluto is no more a planet. Then you get to lose a few scraps).

City/State: Nothing much. For heaven’s sake do not write the name of your village. Guys from pattis (Kovilpatti, Vadipatti) have a big disadvantage here. You guys might get a list of US cities from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population and use them.

Zip/Postal code: After using an U.S city’s name please don’t show your intelligence by coming up with a 6 digit Pincode (like 624218 for Vaidpatti). U.S cities have 5 digit pin codes (I think he he).

Interested in: Choose any damn thing except dating men/dating men and women.

Children: Remember two things. You are single. Single men are not supposed to have children.

Ethnicity, Political view, Humor, Fashion: Does not matter. No girl is going to search for a Multi-ethnic, very left-liberal trendy fashioned guy with a quick-witted or slapstick humor. Orkut does not have a provision for such searches.

Language: As a true patriotic Indian accept one thing first. We use neither English(U.S) nor English(U.K). We use an Indian language which is similar to English in many ways. Don’t debate on that. The only reason we choose one of the two is because an English(Indian) option does not exist. In addition to your mother tongue you can also choose French, German, Spanish or Mandarin etc. I am sure they are also languages.

Sexual orientation: Avoid the no answer choice here. People should know that you are oriented. (There is a choice called bi-curious here, what the hell is that?)

Smoking, drinking: The girls community is divided in their preference. So no answer is the best answer.

Living: As long as you don’t check all the options it is fine. Girls sometimes read between the lines. For example from a check all entry they would get the idea that you are living alone with your parents and a partner who has kids with friends who visit you often and roommates who party every night with your pets.

Passions: If you are passionate about the discovery channel control your instincts to announce it to the world. See below(Sports) would be the best option…Girls like that.

Sports: F1, Football, Cricket(?) or anything that is associated with speed. Writing Carrom board here would reduce the number of potential scraps by 72%.

Activities: Don’t write your daily activities like checking out girls. Equivalent phrases like Nature watching(considering girls to be an integral part of nature) , Sky watching(when girls are studying in the terrace) etc. can be used.

The five habits of highly effective orkut people: Books, Movies, TV Shows, Music, Cuisines. This is a very important part of your profile. This is the first thing girls check in your profile after your sexual orientation. If you haven’t started reading, watching, eating or listening to anything non Indian, the following tips might be helpful.

Books: You could use names such as Ayn Rand, Frederick Forsyth, Arthur Hailey, Paulo Coelho or Ken Follet. Don’t use Jeffrey Archer or Sidney Sheldon. They are supposedly not so favorite among girls. Girls are jealous that they are the favorite authors of every Bollywood or Kollywood actress. Btw, don’t try typing and pronouncing Paulo Coelho at the same time. It produces disastrous results.

Music: Use names like MLTR, Beatles, Beethoven, Mozart, Elton John, Bryan Adams, Enrique Iglesias, Beyonce Knowles etc… If this list does not contain AR Rahman you are bound to lose fans.

Movies: You should have one movie for each genre. If you don’t know the different genres check IMDB(at http://imdb.com/) . If you don’t know what the word genre means check the dictionary(at http://dictionary.com/). As a basic criteria, minimum two movies should be from IMBD 250 (at http://www.imdb.com/chart/top). Any two from this list is enough but a Godfather or Citizen Kane would prove more effective. Instead of giving the names of movies if you give the names of the directors you will be considered as an avid movie watcher. Say for ex. Roman Polanski movies, Akira Kurosawa movies, Martin Scorsese movies…Also add a few foreign movies French, Japanese etc. You dont need to search for them. Get them at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award_for_Best_Foreign_Language_Film. Use the original name(like La vita labonski murra) within brackets. In an Indian’s profile, the term Spielberg movies is always followed by Maniratnam movies. For Tamil guys Kaaka Kaaka is a must. That is the only Tamil movie that the North Indians love. Any other movie which has Surya in it is an added advantage. Even Surya’s TVS Star ads might help getting a few fans.

TV Shows: Friends is universal. Here, you should be very careful. Even if you are, please do not mention that you would be eagerly waiting in your living room for Desperate Housewives every Thursday night.

Cuisine: Simple formula. You like the people of Italy? Then say Italian. You like Mexico. Say Mexican. You love South India. Say South Indian. You like China. Say Chinese. You love all continents. Say Continental.

Now we are done with the profile part of it. Let us get into how to improve your popularity among the girls.

Profile picture: Don’t think that putting in a picture of Brad Pitt will help you in any way. First, everybody knows Brad Pitt. Second everybody will come to know that you are one poor soul who could not look like Brad Pitt and so gets vicarious satisfaction by putting in his picture.

Recent Visitors: The recent visitors list should never have a name like Jambulingam or Senthoorapaandi. We cant suffer because these idiots did not change their names to Jammy or Sandy. We have a way out. Basic logic: When you visit any arbit person’s orkut profile they visit yours. So go ahead and visit profiles of girls with names like Helen, Jenifer, Anna, Catherine or Isabel. Your recent visitors list will always look colorful.

Scraps: Scrap all girls. “Hi how are you. Didn’t know that you were on orkut”. She will reply saying “Do I know you?”. Orkut will tell you how you know her. A->B-> C ->D->E. Tell her the link. Soon you would probably reach A->E. Wait for a day when she scraps you saying “why no reply da?”. Immediately scrap all friends you have (right from LKG to post graduation) saying “Long time no see da”. They will come visit your page and see the girl’s scrap. They will be envious all day about the “Why no reply da” scrap.

Fans: Except a few morons everybody else becomes your fan when you become theirs. It is an universal obligation. To take revenge of these morons, you can reveal secrets of these morons in their scraps and damage their image. Alternatively, if any girl scraps these morons you can scrap the guy asking “What da… what is happening? Does she know about your affairs?” etc.. and do a proper image damage operation.

Testimonials: You can draft your testimonials yourselves and ask your friends to post them. Treats do magic. You can even return them the favor. Or create a few orkut profiles under some good girls’ names and write testimonials for you from those profiles. Nothing can match the happiness of writing your own testimonial.

Communities: Join some intelligent communities like Puzzles, Sudoku, History of India, Maniratnam fans etc. If you studied in a co-education school start a community for it. But please don’t play games like “Favourite miss in the school, Favourite aaya in the school, Favourite place in the school, Favourite bench in the classroom,” etc. It will be real fun for your friends when a lot of girls reply to your favourites saying “Anna that bench was my favourite too”. The entire purpose would be lost. So, just add the girls as friends and orkut, orkut and orkut. That is the sole purpose of these communities, not playing such useless games.

If anyone has any other ideas please do comment. It will help fellow orkutters.

Long live Orkut & all guys who orkut for girls.

Day 35 - Drink hot - feel cold

For me everything should be under control. Not under control leads to frustration. Helpless or Powerless => More frustration.

Yesterday I was not frustrated. Point is I was not under control too. Enjoyment. Too much. Last Feb drank 2 sips. This Feb drank heavily. First time experience. Excellent. Definitely the last time experience. but still too good. Conscious decision to drink. Taken few months back. ‘At least once in college’ theme. So nobody to blame.

Implications follow today. Lost good image about self. Depressed? don’t know. Some feeling. Not understandable. Lost an important bullet point in my life CV - “I don’t drink”. “I don’t drink” pride no more. Serious damage to self-image. Same feeling comes back again. Don’t know what it is. Yes. Past memories back. 15 year resolution over. Voices. Dialogues. Everything back. Comparing myself with…? No. Don’t. Stop. Afraid. Don’t want to be there. Enough. Divert mind. Tactics? Watch movie. Songs. What else. Talk to …? Afraid again. Don’t talk to anyone. Got it. Friends. Or 7G songs? Somebody is asking for the movie Minnale. Vaseegara. No. Not there. Don’t open that gate again. One is more than enough. Problem = I don’t think of me as good any more. No. You are making a hill out of a mole. You are always like that. Tomorrow it will be all right. Watch Kaadhal, TVS scooty and the school uniform. Smile. Will bring good memories. Ok tomorrow. Blog stop. Watch Kaadhal. Cant.

Think of good things that happened… Yesterday I was afraid of hangovers. Today no headache. Nothing. Be proud. You don’t have a hangover. Or is this? Yes…Yes..it is!!! 2 paragraphs of unnecessary nonsense. Thinking too much. The perfect hangover for me you know.

Day 34 - Why Chennai?

“In touch with reality, decisions are meant to be rational. But some decisions don’t have any rationale. They are not the best. But for a few people they might make a difference. So they become the right decisions.” – Leo da Mirci.

Why did you choose?

Almost every interview I attend has a similar question.

Why Engineering? Why Cognizant? Why MBA? Why HR? etc. etc… I never thought much about these questions. I don’t have the answers to these questions. I had doubts regarding every one of these choices. I still have. But there is one question I have clear answers to. Might not be understandable to others. Might be childish to a few and I might even be a fool to many for making this decision. But let it be so. I know that this is the least I could do.

Why Chennai?

I remember walking down into this institute around 2 years back. I was 23. Still my entire family accompanied me. With pride. Around 20 years back when they were married they would never even have imagined that their son would do an engineering in one of the top institutes in Tamilnadu, leave alone an MBA. They were proud, but I am not sure whether they were happy.
“It was a few months after you joined your first standard. One evening I came to your school to pick you up. I entered, You were waiting for me and you ran towards me holding your report card shouting ‘Amma, I am the first in class’. That was the most happiest moment in my life.”, my mother often says. My father’s is so easy to predict. “The moment I first saw you. They gave you to me and I was holding you in my hands. I can never forget that”. But my happiest moment - it does not involve them. I don’t think anybody’s happiest moment involves their parents. It is either getting into an institute, getting placed in a company or getting a girl friend or something that you got.

When I receive a call from my home, I look at the number and tell myself “Ok. I have something to do now. I am busy. Let me talk to them later”. They never asked me why I did not pick up. They always assumed that I would have, if I had time. But then, even my father is busy. Busier than me. But, I have never waited for more than three rings when I call my father. My call comes before any job for him. Not for me. I know I take them for granted.

My mother often tells me “Nowadays, you can’t expect your son to stay with you after he gets married. At least once in a while, if you are able to see him parents should should be happy. I can understand that. But you know, many of my colleagues are not like that”. I tell myself “Amma, I know you want me to be with you.” - But still it is not going to happen. They would never come out to live in a city and unluckily my education says that I am overqualified to get a job in my hometown.

Three years back, I decided to resign my job and go for an MBA. I had to take a break for an year to prepare. I called up my father and said “I am going to resign my job”. The first thing he said was “Take your own decision. Anyways, me or you mother don’t know anything an MBA. So you do whatever you like. But never worry about money. Whatever you want to study you go ahead. I will somehow arrange for it”. It has always been like that. Money they earned was not meant for their future. It was for their children. If I call my father for money any time, it would be there in my bank account within two hours. I never had any problems with anything….anything. Even, if I had, I would always find them by my side.

One thing is surprising. That they have never asked me anything. At least I can’t remember them asking me for anything. But, two weeks back when I told my father that I am going to attend interviews for a job after much of hesitation he told me in a low tone as if he was requesting, “Ashok , Chennaila job irunthaa paaru. Vera engayum venaam” (Look for a job in Chennai, nowhere else).” Two things were different. One he never called me by name. Two, he never requested me and it was not followed by the typical 'Anyways if you feel that somethin else is better go ahead with it' that comes after every suggestion.

I could have told him that Bangalore was as easily accessible as Chennai and is almost the same distance from my hometown. I could have told him that I could shift to Chennai after working somewhere else for a year… or another umpteen number of reasons. I could have asked him whether it was Chennai that he meant, or any place that is as near as Cehnnai. But, I could not tell him anything. I mean, I did not.

And that’s the answer for Why Chennai?
My parents want me to be in Chennai.
Could be an irrational decision for others. Not for me.

Day 33 - Engum Ta Mil Ethilum Ta Mil - 1

After the entertainment tax relief for Tamil films, the Tamilnadu Government might even announce tax relief to all Corporates who get their employees to talk only in Tamil. If this happens, a typical conversation between two software engineers who meet after a long time would be…

ஏ, நண்பா எப்படி செய்து கொண்டிருக்கிறாய்?

நான் நன்றாக இருக்கிறேன் மானிடா.

அதனால், மேலே என்ன இருக்கிறது மானிடா?

ஒன்றுமே இல்லயடா மனிதா. எதுவுமே நடக்க மாட்டேன் என்கிறது மானிடா.

நீளமான நேரம். இல்லை பார்வை.

ஆமாம் நண்பா… நிறைய அலுவலடா, உனக்கு தெரியும்.

அதனால என்ன நடக்கிறது, உன் காதல் முன்னாடியில்?

முன்னேற்றமே இல்லை. நேற்று கூட ஒரு பெண்ணிற்காக விழுந்தேன். அவளை அடிக்க பார்த்தேன். அவள் என்னை அறைந்தாள். அதனால் இப்பொது மீண்டும் முதல் சதுரத்திற்கே வந்துவிட்டேன்.

ஓ என் கடவுளே! ஓரு பெண்ணால் அடிக்கப்பட்டாயா!! சரி போன வருடம் நீ ஒரு பெண்ணுடன் வெளியே போய் கொண்டிருந்தாயே, சரியா, என்னாச்சு?

நாங்கள் மேல் உடைத்து ஒரு வருடம் ஆகி விட்டது.

மாட்டு சாணமே!! நீ உன் மனதுக்கு வெளியே இருக்கிறாய். இதையே தொடர்ந்தாயென்றால், எனக்கு என்ன சொல்வதென்றே தெரியவில்லை.

வாடா மானிடா!!! நானே இதை எளிதாக எடுத்து கொண்டிருக்கிறேன், நீ ஏன் வருந்துகிறாய்? அதை மறந்து விடு. சரி ஒரு முக்கியமான குழு சந்திப்பு இருக்கிறது எனக்கு. இடத்தின் மேல் இருக்கும் ஆண்கள் கூப்பிடுவார்கள். சாவுக்கோடுகளை சந்திக்க வேண்டும். எனவே செல்ல வேண்டியது அவசியமாகிறது. சென்று வருகிறேன்.

கடலா!!

கடலா மானிடா!! தொட்டுக்கொண்டே இரு.

(For the English translation, go to the end of this post)

For those who cant read Tamil,

Yae nanbaa, eppadi seithu kondirukkiraai?
Naan nandraaha irukkiren maanidaa.
Athanaal, Melae enna irukkirathu maanidaa?
Ondrumae illayada maanidaa. Ethuvumae nadakka maataen engirathu maanidaa.
Neezhamaana neram. Illai paarvai.
Aamaam nanbaa… Niraya aluvalada, unakku theriyum.
Athanaala enna nadakkirathu, un kaadhal munnadiyil?
Munnetramae illai. Netru kooda oru pennirkaaha vizhunthaen. Avalai adikka parthen. Aval ennai adithuvittaal. Athanaal ippothu meendum muthal sathurathirkae vanthuvittaen.
O yen kadavulae! Oru pennaal adikkappattayaa!! Sari pona varudam nee oru pennudan veliyae poi kondirunthayaae, sariyaa, ennaachu?
Naangal mael udaithu oru varudam aahi vittathu.
Maattu Saanamae!! Nee un manathukku veliyae irukkiraai. Ithayae thodarthaayendraal, enakku enna solvathendrae theriyavillai.
Vaadaa maanida!!! Naanae ithai ezhithaaha eduthu kondirukkiraen, nee yaen varunthugiraai? Adhai maranthu vidu. Sari oru mukkiyamaana kuzhu santhippu irukkirathu enakku. Idathin mael irukkum aangal koopiduvaargal. Chaavukkodugalai santhikka vaendum. Enavae sella vendiyathu avasiyamaagirathu. Sendru varugiraen.
Kadalaaa!!

Kadalaaa Maanida!! Thottukondae iru.

The English translation would be,

Hey buddy, How are you doing?
I am fine, man.
So, whats up man?
Nothing man. Nothing’s happening.
Long time. No see.
Yes yaar! lots of work, you know!
So whats happening on your love front?
No improvement. Even yesterday I fell for a girl. I tried hitting on her. She slapped me. So now back to square one.
Oh my God! Got slapped by a girl!! Ok, last year you were going around with a girl right, what happened?
It has been one year since we broke up.
Bull shit!! You are out of your mind. If you continue this, I don’t know what to say..
Common man!! Even I am taking it easy, why are you worrying? Forget it. Ok, I have to go for an important meeting. Onsite guys will call. Have to meet deadlines. So, Got to go. Bye.
Cyaa..
Cyaa. Man. Be in touch.