Saturday, November 15, 2008

On condition of anonymity...


On the occasion of MIP's hitting the lunar surface, TOI published a very informative article in their Saturday (15th Nov.) edition regarding the maneuver. Funnily, it had more information than intended :D

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Where is winter?

Every morning as I wake up, I rush to my library to see how many bulbs have risen in my Galilean thermometer. And each time I'm disappointed to see just one - the magenta one (indicating 26 degree Celsius). When is winter really planning to barge in? Just the teasers in the form of morning-mist ain't enough! I remember last year all the bulbs in the thermometer had risen to the surface. So eager to see that pretty sight again...

Nov 27th 2008. 8:30 am - The 2nd bulb (orange one) rose to the surface right before my eyes!! It indicates a temperature close to 24 degree Celsius. Now this is wishful-thinking being answered instantaneously. It's like 'commanding' the spoon to bend & seeing it happen in a jiffy! Rare event :).

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Just how much informality is 'OK' at workplace?

There are a few things one should seriously & consciously refine when one steps up from student life and joins a corporate environment... Few observations at my workplace have always caught my attention and sometimes made me shake my head in disgust...

1) Attire - Some employees are just so shabbily dressed. I mean they still operate in 'student-mode'... chappals & long untucked shirts are such a shabby combination! No-one's enforcing a dress-code here, but at least be presentable!

2) Language - Swear-words & slang are a definite turn-off ! Even-though it is over some friendly-banter in a conference room, avoid slang! And then they are such sissies on the football field!
Also please... Don't say "Good night, sleep tight" to a senior architect while wrapping up a conference-call !!

3) Freebies - Just because the company provides a free-stock of stationery or snacks in the pantry, it is just so juvenile to carry this stuff home for personal use. U are paid well. Go buy! Also don't come to office late-night with your spouse to make those free long-distance phone calls to your native!

4) Freedom & flexibility - These are the most abused concepts! Don't keep stirring into the coffee cup with a spoon and make that irritating clanking noise when in a conference call!! And don't get that apple that u eat half-way & then leave it for others to appreciate its color change from yellow to its darker shades and then to black all in the stretch of a single conf. call. Don't form a habit to always work at inhumanly hours. Working 11 pm to 5 am daily is gonna leave you nothing more than an individual contributor. U r always unavailable for architecture-discussions as u r sleeping when others need to discuss it !! Also all immediate info-requirements are discussed over mail waiting for u to wake up and read!

5) Personal/Domestic problems - Don't wash your dirty linen in public! Whatever happens at your home is personal. Don't discuss your spousal fights or your divorce-proceedings at office over lunch-tables! Are you seeking sympathy or are you providing entertainment here???

6) Personal calls - Try keeping your personal phone calls to a minimum when at office. Politely hang up! There are ppl. at my office I can't talk to for continuous 10 mins. due to constant phone calls they keep getting from all over the world! And such silly domestic issues are discussed during these unsolicited phone-calls with priority over important technical discussions!

7) Cubicle etiquette - Framed certificates u received in your 7th grade at some singing competition need not be displayed in your cubicle. Dolls, teddy-bears & hanging-monkeys are a definite No-No!!! Aren't you all grown up now?

In short, be clean, considerate, well-mannered & good-listeners at workplace. Is this too much of 'formality' to expect?

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Saina...

It was indeed a fantastic evening, today :). Had been with friends to the Chhatrapati Shivaji sports complex at Hinjewadi to watch Saina Nehwal in the Finals of Women's World Junior Championship against Japanese rival, Shato Sayako...

Firstly the entire stadium is very well done. Was very impressed! And then, the match was a cracker... The moment Saina entered the court, the entire crowd was on its feet & there was cheer & cacophony all over. Every point scored saw the re-enactment of this cheer. What a fan following! And the way young Saina handles this kind of heightened expectations & pressure is really amazing. She was confident, focused & aggressive and a master at her craft... She won in 2 staight games (21-9, 21-18).