tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46199472504833007352024-03-13T23:01:45.373+05:30Just Another Angle to it...My angle of viewing the world....Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-86809000481297165452012-08-30T17:00:00.000+05:302012-08-30T17:00:20.629+05:30My Mother was Born...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i><b><span style="color: #990000;">Wishing my dearest Mother.... a very happy birthday (August 25th 2012). You are the one whose presence in my life, has made me whatever I am today. Love u Mom- you are unparalleled!</span></b></i></div>
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My mother
was born the day I was…replete with sublime womanhood</div>
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A daughter,
a wife, a sister she’d been…but now she was a mother, for good</div>
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Fresh from
the throes of labor…smiling through immeasurable pain</div>
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When she
first held me to her bosom…the rare sensation was all hers, to attain</div>
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Her sleepless
nights were painless… daunting duties for a newborn, easy</div>
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The
slightest ache I suffered… plunged her into deepest agony, no…frenzy</div>
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The initial stuttering
words… faltering infantile steps, brought tears</div>
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Of pride,
joy for the success of her child… triumphing all motherly fears</div>
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A growing
tween had lessons to learn…the confused youth oft erred</div>
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Her advices
fell on immature, deaf ears…but one never saw her, undeterred</div>
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Fears of
failure, ended within me…she made sure of endeavors bold</div>
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She made me
fight my demons…the wet clay was skillfully mould</div>
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Exuberant
over my achievements… stoically, bearing that battle lost</div>
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To hope, she
always taught me…yet, prepared me for the worst</div>
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And then,
her offspring flew away…into spaces, destinations of their own</div>
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Left alone
with just memories… her unfathomable grief, never shown</div>
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Her crazy
antics, infuriating… her eccentricities making it worse</div>
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A strange
paradox of emotions …makes a lovable mom, of course!</div>
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Today I’m
not just proud….of having a mother like mine</div>
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Independent,
daring , determined…the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>family’s sole
life-line!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You’ve made
us into humans…just, sensible, tolerant and tough</div>
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Love you eternally,
Mom… any words will never be enough.</div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-3556205822850425942012-08-21T21:43:00.001+05:302012-08-21T21:43:19.747+05:30Soaked in hope....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1TkJItI8-PA/UDOwtlPU9mI/AAAAAAAABsE/wt0iwPVgPpg/s1600/Soak-no-more.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1TkJItI8-PA/UDOwtlPU9mI/AAAAAAAABsE/wt0iwPVgPpg/s320/Soak-no-more.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So soaked
are we of life- soaking is life itself now!</div>
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How long
will life be a prolonged farce….when shall we soak no more?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Born to a
world, soaked in power- where survival is permitted only to the fit</div>
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Longing for
the ascend of the weak… in a world, soaked in kindness</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Born to a
country, soaked in prejudices-where you have to be born ‘touchable’</div>
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Longing for
acceptance and compassion….in a country, soaked with equality</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Born to a
society, soaked in superstition – where being a girl or her mother is a crime</div>
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Longing for realization
to dawn… in a society, soaked with understanding</div>
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<br /></div>
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Born with an outlook,
soaked in limits- where thinking out of the box is taboo</div>
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Longing for boundless
freedom of thought… in a mind, soaked with courage</div>
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<br /></div>
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Soaking no more in self-pity- where every person can change for the better</div>
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Where one does not just long for change... where promising tomorrows are soaked in hope! </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i>This poem is my contribution for <a href="http://www.indiblogger.in/topic.php?topic=61&sort=popular" target="_blank">Indiblogger</a> and S<a href="https://www.facebook.com/surfexcelmatic?sk=app_212097992149339" target="_blank">urf Excel Matic's -" #SoakNoMore</a>" Contest</i></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-81559891297136928002012-08-14T10:53:00.004+05:302012-08-20T20:29:07.467+05:30An ODE to Marriage...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="color: black; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">
<u><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Shaadi - Jo tera hai wo mera hai!!</i></span></u></h2>
<br />
<div style="color: #666666;">
<i>Loved the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIuGHTAwi1g" target="_blank">new song of a popular telecom brand</a> and couldn't resist tampering with it for making my own version of the song</i>.....</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GQLwWbUa9ho/UCn3Lw88H5I/AAAAAAAABoE/VyKr0QzL4ZU/s1600/Love-Vs-Arranged+marriage1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="73" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GQLwWbUa9ho/UCn3Lw88H5I/AAAAAAAABoE/VyKr0QzL4ZU/s200/Love-Vs-Arranged+marriage1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Single, unmarried, akele... boring hai.</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
‘Couple’ and ‘hitched’ interesting hai!</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<b>Marriage hai toh fyada hai</b>.</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Fyada hai toh <b>life</b> hai...</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<b>KYUNKI</b><i> [shaadi ke baad...]</i><i style="color: #e06666;"><b> </b></i></div>
<br />
<i style="color: #cc0000;"><b>J<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">o mera hai woh tera hai. Jo tera hai woh mera...</span></b></i><br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Hey! Ungliyon pe uske dance kar le. Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
But shopping ka har ek chance maar le. Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<br /></div>
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</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--4JqfBAxWIc/UCn3MjL9nNI/AAAAAAAABoM/aOuPCZSO9rI/s1600/Love-Vs-Arranged+marriage2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--4JqfBAxWIc/UCn3MjL9nNI/AAAAAAAABoM/aOuPCZSO9rI/s200/Love-Vs-Arranged+marriage2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Mera recipe, tera bhooka pet ho.</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
But, office se kabhi naa tu late ho!</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Jokes pe mere tu hase naa hase... </div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Par excuses pe mere, tu har din phunse!!</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<i><b style="color: #e06666;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Jo mera hai woh tera hai. Jo tera hai woh mera</span></b></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2mwzxCIqxQk/UCn3LOOZjuI/AAAAAAAABn8/RrtSOJL1Opc/s1600/Love-Vs-Arranged+marriage0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2mwzxCIqxQk/UCn3LOOZjuI/AAAAAAAABn8/RrtSOJL1Opc/s200/Love-Vs-Arranged+marriage0.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Jeb teri, mera kaharcha ho. Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<b>Blog mera</b> tera charcha ho. Hey! hey! hey! hey!</div>
<div style="color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<i>[OK- the above two lines above are totally unoriginal but every word is relevant to this song]</i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Main aur tum se <b>teen</b> bane , ya do se we become <b>chaar</b></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Family badhe aur income bhi....<b>marriage toh yehi hai, yaar!</b></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Tera car, mera pyar...</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Meri jeet, teri haar!</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Tera offsite, mera trip... </div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Tera cell, mera gossip!</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Tera comment, mera post...</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Tera yaar, mera dost!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8EP-9vDjuOQ/UCn3OeIPhxI/AAAAAAAABoc/aBd0sMmgqgE/s1600/Love-Vs-Arranged+marriage4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="189" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8EP-9vDjuOQ/UCn3OeIPhxI/AAAAAAAABoc/aBd0sMmgqgE/s200/Love-Vs-Arranged+marriage4.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Mera dil, tera bill....</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
Mera fun, tera dhan...</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<i style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Jo mera hai woh tera hai. Jo tera hai woh mera!!</b></i></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<br /></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/jqlQIHDR8IQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>This "inspired song" is my second dedication to <a href="http://www.indiblogger.in/topic.php?topic=59&sort=popular#" target="_blank">Indiblogger's contest </a>for Sony television's upcoming serial- Love ya Arranged marriage. If you like this trailer, do make sure all your FaceBook friends know & <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LoveYaArrange" target="_blank">"Like It"</a> too!!</i></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-52955466140500118102012-08-06T23:03:00.001+05:302012-08-14T10:48:23.659+05:30Marriage Majboori!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This blog article is inspired by Sony entertainment Television's upcoming fun serial<br />
<a href="http://setindia.com/show_details.php?sid=104" target="_blank">Love Marriage ya Arranged Marriage</a>. <br />
<br />
My cousin and I got married at the same wedding hall, with the same band playing, with the same dinner menu (to different men thankfully) for an identical reason- our grandmother!! Like every Indian matriarch, our grand lady wanted to see us wedded "before she died" (she is still hale and hearty, mind you)! Apart from doing the unending shopping together, we had to manage flying cameos to each other’s special functions- with our statuses being "just married" and "would-be-blushing-bride" respectively. That is where the similarity between our marriages ended (or so I thought)!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aMwvJpYbxCM/UCAJHeJYsqI/AAAAAAAABno/qT_vU0kcvFk/s1600/Love-Vs-Arranged+marriage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aMwvJpYbxCM/UCAJHeJYsqI/AAAAAAAABno/qT_vU0kcvFk/s320/Love-Vs-Arranged+marriage.jpg" width="313" /></a></div>
<br />
<a name='more'></a>You see, my cousin’s was a typical "loads-of- inlaws-come-to-see-they-like-and-the-wedding-is-fixed" type of arranged marriage, whereas mine was "dating-for-five-years-inlaws-don’t-have-choice-and-the-wedding-is-fixed" type of love marriage. I knew my man for the past six years and it was almost a complete stranger that my cousin hazarded to wed, as she did not get a chance to fix herself a man. The post-wedding whirlwinds like honeymoons, settling downs, new houses, old-jobs, new husbands etc. kept us very busy and it was only during some mandatory family gathering a year later, that we finally got to compare notes. Much to my chagrin - there were vast differences in our married lives. She was all decked up, smiling at everyone; kept grabbing stolen views at her brand-new husband and was strategically blushing at the very mention of her "worse half" (read husband)! The ceaseless discussions about her fifteen-day long honeymoon, at some grand resort abroad, were exasperating. I remember the social media being loaded with cozy romantic and almost censored photographs with equally cheeky comments. They had to get to know each other, you know! <br />
<br />
As for me, I somehow managed to wear something civil, just wanted to hog food cooked by someone else (other than me), had no intention to know what my worse-half was doing and just managed not to wince at those impertinent leg-pulling that my cousin was busy giggling at! Mine so called honeymoon was just a long weekend, when we both managed to convince our bosses about the social urgency of a getaway. Not to mention our holiday destination, which was a just a three hours drive from the main city. Our scanty photographs were far from romantic. We had had one of our terrible fights (of course about the honeymoon spot) that arose mainly due to six-year old familiarity that so famously breeds contempt at the wrong time. To top it all, I couldn’t complain about my spouse to either set of parents!!!!!<br />
<br />
Throughout the time of the family celebration, my cousin’s husband- the "fresh-suave-so-much-in-love-new-groom" showered her with naughty attention. Mine was roaming around (unshaven), trying to be the useful organizer who really wanted to keep his distance from me to avoid being teased! Our romance had perhaps yielded, prematurely to the famous seven-year itch?<br />
<br />
It was another year later, when we shifted jobs to my cousin’s city and lived within shouting distance of each other that we got the opportunity to compare notes again. It was a little difficult to imagine the bright cousin that I’d seen a couple of years ago, at the threshold of an enthusiastic married life. To start with, we had started looking similar again! That is, similarly careless worn-out dressing, similarly irritable, similarly longing-for-breaks, similarly tired-of-shopping-grocery-in-long queues and similarly reeling under the pressure of in-laws, family and careers. Very soon we discovered that we were also sharing the same marital status boat- the growing financial pressures of monthly installments, the intense peer pressure around every aspect of basic living, the daily scrutiny of our married life by inlaws (did their sons get enough to eat, were they taken care of properly), the inadvertent negligence by husbands (ineveitably late from work daily with numerous career problems of their own) and of course our own dwindling personal attention to ourselves. Married life had arrived!<br />
<br />
Our lives have gone back to being similar again. Now when we meet, our husbands wander off together for their "men-to-men" (essentially discussing falling stock prices and growing bank interest rates) and we girls would start discussing deals in spas, discounts at malls, on-line shopping etc. Of course the major part of our conversation revolves around our "worse halves"- how the socks/shoes/soiled clothes never find their way to the right place, how electricity bills keep mounting becoz of their manly amnesia, how getting ready for office is a gargantuan task with a constantly cribbing, careless male, how well cooked recipes only stay good at one thing- their intention, how it is impossible for them to get romantic these days etc. etc. etc. I’m sure the men do discuss other girls- girls similar to what we were, some years ago!<br />
<br />
When we were kids, we used to scorn our grandmothers, mothers, aunts for their topics of discussion. Had they nothing to talk of, but love or arranged marriages- their own or that of other? Who married whom, who eloped with whom, in-law sagas, how some marriages stood the storms of time or the invariable conduct of husbands. Grotesquely similar topics have been discussed through generations over all these years with their modern variations (human psychology is similar over time, after all). Consequently, any matrimony- be it self-arranged or arranged by the family, after its initial differences metamorphoses into being just the same.... a typical marriage!<br />
<br />
My grandmother has a new complaint. She says she will die (seen no signs of physical degradation so far) without seeing her great-grand children. My cousin and I are nervously gearing up for another set of similarities...<br />
<br />
If this article piques you, visit the serial's FB page & <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LoveYaArrange" target="_blank">"Like the Concept"</a> and make sure to put forth your views on it!! Watch the promo here & decide :<br />
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqlQIHDR8IQ&feature=player_embedded<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-81883250010636474472012-07-31T21:05:00.001+05:302012-07-31T21:14:24.642+05:30My aim in life????<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
What would I do when I grow up…have I given it a thought?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
I’m so grown up, but this one…still
gets me all distraught!! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Do I really know the truth… about what I want to do?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
Do others have to know… of which I’ve
no imminent clue! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Do I have a logical vision… of where I have to go?</div>
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Or is there, an elusive dream … to
pursue and follow?</div>
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<br /></div>
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Itz really tough to take a call …on what I wanna achieve</div>
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Would I just wanna take & take…
or would I care to give?</div>
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How early on, do I decide….how to earn my bread?</div>
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Whether I have to toil, it hard… or
simply be well read.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Would it be a simple job… that has been done before?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
Or will I take that exceptional
path… that shakes me to the core?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Will I work for just the cash… to make more & more of it?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
Have a house, own cars & gold…without
an existent limit?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What if I wanna do something….but I’m good at something else</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
Would I dare to change the path…
and turn chaos to sense?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So many years have I slogged...liking this thing & that</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
But if you rate my happiness…it
would all fall flat</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have been made to do… work that I (apparently) do well</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;">
Is that what I’d to do forever… I still
can’t really tell</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve tried my luck in diverse…new and frayed old things</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Experimenting or copying… selling gold to the kings!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But still I am, where I was.... undecided & lost</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I still don't know my aim in life...but things could have been worst?</div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-27043524222706336762012-06-26T12:13:00.001+05:302012-07-31T21:40:21.188+05:30What am I doing now....?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_nTvNCJzCBtc/TBgCdQrF5LI/AAAAAAAAA9s/7zj-mcMjgKc/s1600/Bookworm.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_nTvNCJzCBtc/TBgCdQrF5LI/AAAAAAAAA9s/7zj-mcMjgKc/s320/Bookworm.png" width="320" /></a></div>
I have gone back to the good old days of my reading (which is why my writing has taken so much of a back seat, as the observant lot of you would have noticed). It is a separate story that I haven't grown much since my days of fiction, detective stories or thriller sci-fis with their nail-biting finishes or classic novels with 'happily ever after' endings . My all time favorite sleuths- the great <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherlock_Holmes" target="_blank">Sherlock Holmes</a> (extra ordinary creation of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Conan_Doyle" target="_blank">Sir Arthur Conan Doyle</a>- I love him so much I have read ALL his work) and the very unique Belgian <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hercule_poirot" target="_blank">M. Hercule Poirot</a> (master stroke of the inimitable <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_Christie" target="_blank">Agatha Christie</a>- still trying hard to complete all her books). I have also spent several comfortable evenings with the likes of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Twain" target="_blank">Mark Twain</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Dickens" target="_blank">Charles Dickens</a> or the ancient, ancient <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Austen" target="_blank">Jane Austen</a>. I wouldn't disagree, if you call me a juvenile reader, given the fact that my choice of authors, tends to be pre-historic.<br />
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But I very much appreciate the work of modern authors like, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jk_rowling" target="_blank">J K Rowling</a> with her humorous writing style, and edge-of-the-seat plotting. I'm least ashamed to admit having read all the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_potter" target="_blank">Harry Potter </a>books and watch the movie versions (so has my 7-year old nephew) and I'm definitely not kidding!<br />
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In fact, I've read these authors so many times (and counting) that their plots have become increasingly predictable and have started affecting my writing style! Whatever said and done- haunting, unforgettable and haunting fiction like, '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Kill_a_Mockingbird" target="_blank">To Kill a Mocking Bird</a>' (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harper_Lee" target="_blank">Harper Lee</a>), however ancient it may be... will forever influence my choice of reading and will reclaim my attention repeatedly.<br />
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Generations born much later than me have long graduated to more sophisticated reading of non-fiction. But I'm an incurable when it come to the fictional genre of literature. Most recently, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Langdon" target="_blank">Robert Langdon</a> & <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisbeth_Salander" target="_blank">Lisbeth Salander</a> have captured my imagination. After reading <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Brown" target="_blank"> Dan Brown</a>'s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Da_Vinci_Code" target="_blank">The Da Vinci Code</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angels_and_Demons" target="_blank">Angels & Demons</a> , I was raring to go for similar work. Somehow his story of extra terrestrial life- '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deception_Point" target="_blank">Deception Point</a>' failed to raise my curiosity and I parted with Dan Brown, at that stage.<br />
Then I bumped into <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stieg_Larsson" target="_blank">Stieg Larrson</a> on wiki and got intrigued. I'm yet to read the two works '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millenium_trilogy" target="_blank">Millenium Triology</a>' having started with the famous, '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girl_With_The_Dragon_Tattoo" target="_blank">Girl with the Dragon Tattoo</a>'. That was superbly exciting, very modern and made me feel slightly contemporary. But so many e-books took a toll on my little 'white' cells and my ocular department is on a small vacation now.<br />
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For lovers of fiction like me, I would recommend the following:<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2264130.To_Kill_A_Mockingbird" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="To Kill A Mockingbird" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1288811633m/2264130.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2264130.To_Kill_A_Mockingbird">To Kill A Mockingbird</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1825.Harper_Lee">Harper Lee</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/355871768">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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Haunting memories created by Lee. The plot is so wonderful, it will be remembered for generations! I will recommend this as a must read for all generations....<br />
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Have read it 9-10 times, so far!
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/10490477-swati">View all my reviews</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16328.The_Murder_of_Roger_Ackroyd" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Hercule Poirot #4)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1166722645m/16328.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16328.The_Murder_of_Roger_Ackroyd">The Murder of Roger Ackroyd</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/123715.Agatha_Christie">Agatha Christie</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/355871768">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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Very ingenious tone of writing- Hercule Poirot never retires, his grey cells as sharp as ever!! Highly recommended for all Agatha Christie fans...
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/10490477-swati">View all my reviews</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12089925-girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1333577232m/12089925.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12089925-girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo">Girl With The Dragon Tattoo</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/706255.Stieg_Larsson">Stieg Larsson</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/355869663">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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Intriguing...brilliant. Did not like the film, though!
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/10490477-swati">View all my reviews</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/968.The_Da_Vinci_Code" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Da Vinci Code (Robert Langdon, #2)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1303252999m/968.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/968.The_Da_Vinci_Code">The Da Vinci Code</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/630.Dan_Brown">Dan Brown</a></div>
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/355904563">4 of 5 stars</a></div>
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I think it is an excellent read! For those of you, who find history boring- this book is a unique peek into the world of ancient art and culture which definitely keeps you turning those intriguing pages.
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/10490477-swati">View all my reviews</a>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-74593666001587779162011-12-12T12:16:00.001+05:302012-08-20T20:27:12.317+05:30TWO Much!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
If I get two more hours per day....TWO MORE, did you say?<br />
Oh! I would do a million things.... or more that very day!<br />
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24 hours were never enough...I'd always had a clue<br />
Well, I'd first make a list... of all I need to do!<br />
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I'd finish that extra work... that boss had on his mind<br />
I'd even help someone... who couldn't take the grind!<br />
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I'd learn new things in my trade... and try out ideas new<br />
I'd put my career on fast track....and get accolades too!<br />
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I'd go for my health check-up...that I keep putting away<br />
I'd visit my friend's newborn...or try that new buffet!<br />
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I'd jog and I'd gym... to lose all extra weight<br />
I'd do justice to my wardrobe...and work on looking great! <br />
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I'd make some brand new friends...or ring up old buddies<br />
I'd really have the time to be... the life all parties!<br />
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I'd shop a little something... or more as per the mood<br />
I'd walk all the way home... with energy renewed!<br />
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I'd spend that extra time... gazing stars with my love<br />
I'd chat with the old couple...from the flat above!<br />
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I'd write my own novel... and sketch like the old days<br />
I'd watch a dozen films...or catch up with those plays!<br />
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I'd cook and I'd keep...my house a little more neat<br />
I'd clear every mess...or help clean up the street!<br />
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I'd not mind a traffic jam....with two more hours at hand<br />
I'd patiently wait in queues...and surely understand!<br />
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I'd try to learn about...stock market or saving tax<br />
I'd just take a crash course on ...methods to relax!<br />
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I'd finally learn to swim... or even play the guitar<br />
I'd join the 'save-trees' drive... or the anti-corruption war!<br />
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I'd attack once and for all...my mountain of laundry <br />
I'd debate on women's rights...to deal with this quandary! <br />
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Two extra hours and I'd put...procrastination to shame<br />
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TWO much time and life goes back.....to being just the same!!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-63639309062311437032011-09-10T15:11:00.000+05:302011-09-10T22:14:21.938+05:30Live in action at Indiblogger!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Thrilled, excited, intrigued and raring to go at the September Indiblogger meet at the Goldfinch hotel, Bangalore. My second Indiblogger meet started with meeting lots of people I already met last time. Was kind of like meeting old school friends!! The best part of the meet is that I get to take video interviews of attendees, on yes...hold your breath- the Samsung Galaxy 750 tab!!! The people here are full of enthusiasm and as excited as I am. For most, it is more than the third meet...so the 'long time' exclamations predominate!!!<br />
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First things first, the Indiblogger gang introduced themselves and shook off lots of shyness. Made us stand, sit and ultimately after a lot of filtering on the sit-ups, the girls walked away with cool Samsung sweat shirts ;-)<br />
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Going on next, the Samsung team took us on a discovery journey & showed us how "the Samsung Galaxy 750 Tab is better than all others". The presentation was far from a monotonous drab that generally characterize product demos. On the contrary, it turned out to be quite interactive, sprinkled with humor and spaced with loud guffaws, not to mention the Samsung blue tooth head sets being won by people who answered the simple technical questions "first".<br />
All the features starting from the looks, the convenient features, the flawless interface, the super fast browser etc. etc. were discussed in detail. The flaws of the device also came out... not that any were visible to me!!! The tech bloggers would be able to do much more justice to the discussion about the Samsung Galaxy 750 tab that happened on the floor.<br />
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This session was followed by 60 seconds of fame for bloggers of Bangalore and even Mysore, Hyderabad, as well as nearby areas who were here just for the meet! Everyone enjoyed everyone's introduction and were photographed avidly during the introductions... those 60 seconds of fame had really made us all feel like important personalities!<br />
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Some great networking happened over high tea. With savory hot snacks on our plates- the mingling with people whose literature we have read and voted for, was an experience on its own! <br />
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The twitter quiz, with attendees answering from their Samsung Galaxy 750 tabs was pure fun! The first question- "would you swap your laptop with the tab?" had mixed responses. The second wacky one, "would you dump your partner for the tab" was answered by an equally wacky- "if I'm gay, yes"!!! The third one "what period of history would you record on the tab if u got a chance?" had some equally funny answers too! The people who answered these walked away with Samsung Blue tooth head sets! There were several other aspirants wooing those cool devices!<br />
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The meet concluded with Live & Let Comment and IndiBlogger Forums. The forum this time covered several interesting topics like corruption, blogging and of course technology!! I too bagged a super cool Samsung Blue tooth head set after shooting all the bloggers who attended the meet on the Samsung Galaxy 750 tab!! Hurried exchanges of visiting cards, email Ids, twitter handles and phone numbers etc. were interspersed with a mad rush for our signature black Indiblogger T-shirts!<br />
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Another evening to remember, some new friends who might grow from being just acquaintances, old friends whose company we get only during an Indiblogger meet and a technology to pine for... Indiblogger triumphed yet again in making a group of people who simply assimilate their thoughts on a computeer into people who blog for a purpose. Kudos!!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-37274286202615008952011-08-19T13:11:00.010+05:302011-08-19T17:44:25.302+05:30Tabbing on: The Cinderella effect!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-csS3ocwfQvw/Tk4jziYJu9I/AAAAAAAABJc/hIRTexRlK9U/s1600/black-n-white-DOS.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-csS3ocwfQvw/Tk4jziYJu9I/AAAAAAAABJc/hIRTexRlK9U/s200/black-n-white-DOS.png" width="200" /></a></div>A few years ago, technology was just what rocket scientists did for a living. Computers were boring black n' white boxes which could be operated only through DOS commands (and of course you had to mug those commands, for creating directories and folders and all other sort of unnecessary things). I just needed to clear the computer science paper by mugging up the unending generations of ENIACs, UNIVACs. I remember those times with a smile, when I used to seriously curse Charles Babbage for making life so difficult for us!! <br />
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It may sound really strange now, but at that time even Google was a word still unknown....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MbXmoic4roM/Tk4jhUaHsUI/AAAAAAAABJY/MAbUamThCug/s1600/windows-logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MbXmoic4roM/Tk4jhUaHsUI/AAAAAAAABJY/MAbUamThCug/s200/windows-logo.png" width="200" /></a></div>And all of a sudden, Windows in the form of the Royal Ball- with is colorful interface and extremely user friendly features entered the life of every human. Everyone suddenly had a royal invitation in their homes, in the form of a computer with a colored monitor. Students drooled over MS word, excel, paint... scanned their old photos, used floppies for all kinds of project work. After the CDs came in, we all felt, technology just couldn't get better....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>But it did!! The internet (as well as Google) swept everyone off their feet- the stunning Prince Charming in the garb of hitherto unavailable information. A dearth of new features and boundless opportunities seeped into the life of everyone who took the bold step to enter internet cafes, open their own email accounts, make friends (read love interests) on Chat rooms etc. etc. Well, this blog post will be inadequate to describe the way the internet changed everyone's life.<br />
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But there was still one hitch. For a dreamer like me who desperately needed their personal space- the computer still wasn't strictly personal and like a book or a walk-man you couldn't sneak into your cozy corner with a huge CPU, monitor and key board in your hand....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l0GqkkJAems/Tk4s1O4FCAI/AAAAAAAABKE/8yqLp-i7dyc/s1600/Computer+fairy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l0GqkkJAems/Tk4s1O4FCAI/AAAAAAAABKE/8yqLp-i7dyc/s200/Computer+fairy.JPG" width="190" /></a></div>Then technology, the unstoppable Fairy God Mother converted the ordinary loudly ringing land phones into something totally personal (albeit expensive) -pagers and cellphones. She didn't stop there and converted the boring structure of PCs into the amazingly useful laptops. It was not long before the cell phones and laptops evolved (at a pace that is comparable only to magic) and the inevitable marriage of their features gave birth to the irresistible smart phones and tablets of today. Today, every technology major, be it Apple, Samsung or Nokia is vying with each other to thrust these devices in to the hands of eager buyers, who are eternally hungry for advanced technology at their finger tips.<br />
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My friend recently showed off her <b><a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxytab/10.1/index.html">Samsung Galaxy Tab-750</a></b> at office and after trying to snob her for some time I literally pounced upon it to explore the features. Voila! I was in love with them all! My personal space was all mine now- technology had the Cinderella effect! <u>I switched to the fantasy mode and imagined how my life would change when I own this tab....</u><br />
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What is it about the <b><a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxytab/10.1/index.html">Samsung Galaxy Tab-75 </a></b>that sets my heart pacing...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hR3sePtAwVs/Tk4pgUDapFI/AAAAAAAABJk/z6YkJiSYjUc/s1600/Looks-SG750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hR3sePtAwVs/Tk4pgUDapFI/AAAAAAAABJk/z6YkJiSYjUc/s200/Looks-SG750.JPG" width="114" /></a></div><b>It looks n' feels hot... </b>Slim, sleek and extremely fashionable, I love to flaunt <b><a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxytab/10.1/index.html">the Samsung Galaxy Tab-750</a></b> in front of friends and strangers without discrimination! The screen is mind-blowing with all mini Apps lined at my finger tips- be it internet, the calendar, the calci, the weather- all my favorite short cuts are viewable at a glance. And it fits in any bag I carry....I'm so falling out of love with my laptop and smart phone!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rH4_8raVBDs/Tk4q0z0WwEI/AAAAAAAABJw/qwy2WmHaeoM/s1600/SG750-speed.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="86" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rH4_8raVBDs/Tk4q0z0WwEI/AAAAAAAABJw/qwy2WmHaeoM/s200/SG750-speed.png" width="200" /></a></div> <b>Itz crazily fast</b>... For an impatient person like me, speed does matter!! The fast browsing and the quick downloading and uploading on <b><a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxytab/10.1/index.html">Samsung Galaxy Tab-750</a></b> are just adorable. I can browse mine (and my friends) photo albums, my favorite image sites, upload albums whenever I want. Of course, I owe my best and clearest of pics to this tab. And I don't have to stare at the loading symbol forever! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6C_q3PTBrHA/Tk4qMs_C2SI/AAAAAAAABJs/aORm4D4MlNQ/s1600/SG750-ebooks.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6C_q3PTBrHA/Tk4qMs_C2SI/AAAAAAAABJs/aORm4D4MlNQ/s200/SG750-ebooks.png" width="200" /></a></div><b>I've permanently switched to E-books</b>... This is news!! An incurable book worm like me switching to e-books is definitely an incredible change. Yes! I'm reading all my e-books on the <b><a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxytab/10.1/index.html">Samsung Galaxy Tab-750</a></b> whenever I' feel like, especially while traveling. Itz easy on the eye and engrosses me just as ever.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BIQD_zI0k3Q/Tk4rCEqHWYI/AAAAAAAABJ0/0eEIVHtHsh0/s1600/SG750-Music.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="101" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BIQD_zI0k3Q/Tk4rCEqHWYI/AAAAAAAABJ0/0eEIVHtHsh0/s200/SG750-Music.png" width="200" /></a></div><b>Itz best for any movie-music maniac</b>... Watching movies with impeccable sound quality had happened only on my home theater system until now. Things are very different with the <b><a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxytab/10.1/index.html">Samsung Galaxy Tab-750</a> </b>on my lap.<b> </b>The music, movies and multimedia are just as perfect or even better!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PNL5k5H7KFk/Tk4sAxfqnMI/AAAAAAAABJ4/d0oxuQyu_C8/s1600/SG750-social+media.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="144" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PNL5k5H7KFk/Tk4sAxfqnMI/AAAAAAAABJ4/d0oxuQyu_C8/s200/SG750-social+media.png" width="200" /></a></div><b>I'm still a Social animal... </b>Even though the<b> </b><b><a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxytab/10.1/index.html">Samsung Galaxy Tab-750 </a></b>tried hard to make me a tab worm, I resisted. All my friends still know what I'm doing, reading, saying, loving, blogging and tabbing- thanks to the dearth of Social Media I access on my tab. Communication was always good, but it got all the more better because of this stunning piece of technology<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kwxPdPfZ1hI/Tk4sIdNMiQI/AAAAAAAABJ8/MFk4jFAg3ac/s1600/Top-performer-award.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kwxPdPfZ1hI/Tk4sIdNMiQI/AAAAAAAABJ8/MFk4jFAg3ac/s200/Top-performer-award.JPG" width="144" /></a></div><b>It got me the top performer award... </b>My boss holds the liberal views about work being done from anywhere and because of his benevolence and the <b><a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxytab/10.1/index.html">Samsung Galaxy Tab-750</a></b> , my work hours are now shifted to a convenient "every time I feel like"!! Be it brain storming on MS-Outlook, reporting on MS-word, charting growth curves on MS-Excel or preparing critical business strategy presentations on MS-PPT<b>-</b> I'm unstoppable now.<br />
The top performer award I got is just a humble dedication to my wonderful new friend , the<b> </b><b><a href="http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxytab/10.1/index.html">Samsung Galaxy Tab-750.</a></b><br />
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<i> [I had promoted <a href="http://justanotherangletoit.blogspot.com/2011/08/samsung-galaxy-tab-750-launch.html">the launch of the </a><a href="http://justanotherangletoit.blogspot.com/2011/08/samsung-galaxy-tab-750-launch.html"><b>Samsung Galaxy Tab-750 </b></a></i><i><a href="http://justanotherangletoit.blogspot.com/2011/08/samsung-galaxy-tab-750-launch.html">on my blog</a> and I'm glad I shared it with everyone. The current blog post is an eager participant of the <b><a href="http://www.indiblogger.in/topic.php?topic=41">"Indiblogger- Its Time to Tab Contest"</a></b> in association with <a href="http://www.samsung.com/in/">Samsung</a>. Watch the official video below-it is exciting]</i><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rQpyQRiVA0s" width="620"></iframe><br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-62743972471238459502011-08-08T11:38:00.010+05:302011-08-19T15:50:37.124+05:30Samsung Galaxy 750 Tabs- Tab away those taboos!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="http://www.livestreampro.com/samsung/" target="_blank"><img alt="Samsung Galaxy Tab 750 Launch" border="0" height="300" src="http://www.indiblogger.in/images/meetings/127/banner.png" width="400" /></a><br />
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Hey!! I'm promoting the <u><b>Samsung Galaxy Tab 750</b></u> Launch on my blog...also the live event Webcast on the 12th of August ( Friday- 12:00 to 2:00 pm). Why?? Well... Tabs are simply in! And I'm in love with the technology!<br />
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I'm in all minds to switch my laptop with the <u><b>Samsung Galaxy Tab 750</b></u>. Read the latest ebooks on the way back home, tweet about whatz happening in my life (right here, right now), FaceBook all the pics from my weekend parties-live! What more, I will be tickling my logical mind with the brain numbing games, download the coolest Apps to go with my (n' all my friends) requirements, find my way to the new farmhouse on the GPRS etc. etc. I'm also dying to listen to my favorite numbers, watch all those movies, take down notes whenever I feel like & even pen down,....err tab down my poetry whenever it occurs to me!! And to say, these features are just the tip of the ice berg!<br />
<br />
U game for the tab too? If yes, there is tons more to know. Just check out this live webcast. If this doesn't change your life, nothing else will!! <a href="https://www.facebook.com/#%21/event.php?eid=234126699958830">Accept my FaceBook Invite... </a><br />
<br />
<b>WATCH THE LIVE WEBCAST HERE ON FRIDAY, 12th AUGUST FROM 12:00-2:00 pm</b>.<br />
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=7,0,0,0" height="450" width="600"> <param name="movie" value="http://custlogin.livestreampro.com/cl/assets/flash/flashskin1.swf?vs_server=http://pointers.livestreampro.com/stcflashw/5c3flslive2502/play&autoPlay=true"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><embed src="http://custlogin.livestreampro.com/cl/assets/flash/flashskin1.swf?vs_server=http://pointers.livestreampro.com/stcflashw/5c3flslive2502/play&autoPlay=true" width="600" height="450" quality="high" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" allowscriptaccess="always" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" vslink="http://pointers.livestreampro.com/stcflashw/5c3flslive2502/play"> </embed> </object><br />
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</div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-78924735849948906702011-06-15T15:06:00.002+05:302011-06-15T15:27:16.634+05:30I'd color the world...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><i>I'd like to paint the world- in myriad shades & hue</i><br />
<i>See corners, walls & people, in their colors true!</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>I'd color the vapid umbrella.. that granddad had with him</i><br />
<i>The umbrella on which I'd thrown...many a childish whim!</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>I'd color my mothers tears, in colors of true joy</i><br />
<i>When she wept on seeing me change, from a child weak n' coy!</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>I'd color my father's sweat, from working hard n' long</i><br />
<i>Hard enough to bring us to, where we now belong!<a name='more'></a></i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>I'd color my worn school dress, which was white & black</i><br />
<i>Embellish the old blackboard and dye my teacher's chalk!</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>I'd darn the rainy days, the million tiny drops...</i><br />
<i>Tinge the gloomy days in chrome, tills the rainfall stops!</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>I'd color a broken heart, fill joy in every crack...</i><br />
<i>Darn an innocent mischief behind an old pal's back!</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>I'd spray, I'd pour n'paint away, the sad n' forlorn days... </i><br />
<i>When sadness touched a human life, in oh! so many ways</i><br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>Our life is FULL of color- whether we hide it or we show </i><br />
<i>Even God parades his mood.. with a colorful rainbow!</i><br />
<br />
<br />
I've written about what I'd like to color in my life...for a contest hosted by <a href="http://www.hp.com/in/laserjet">HP Laserjet</a>. It has been a great opportunity and a wonderful topic to write on. Thanks HP!!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-42740048630674789902011-05-28T02:23:00.023+05:302011-06-03T16:30:35.160+05:30A thing of Beauty.....a Joy forever!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SUIH7y5y7wQ/Tei8UXU-lzI/AAAAAAAAA-Y/1BehYKgsCGg/s1600/beauty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SUIH7y5y7wQ/Tei8UXU-lzI/AAAAAAAAA-Y/1BehYKgsCGg/s200/beauty.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>What is beauty in actuality...the truth or an eye wash?</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>A mirage lurking forever...or a question equally brash?</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Frayed & hackneyed with time...the answer still at large</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>But this query still stands bravely….answerable, free of charge!</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Some beat around the bush…some may speak their mind</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The answers are black n' white…truth n’ deceit combined</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Beauty has typically stood for… the fairer sex’s grace</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Their flawlessly fair complexion… some exquisitely chiseled face</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>How many care to admit… that they look beneath the skin??</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>How many are brave enough to… look for that guy within???</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>My fellow writers have also…beautifully elaborated on this theme</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Woven words in phrases and made their verses gleam!</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><m:smallfrac m:val="off"> <m:dispdef> <m:lmargin m:val="0"> <m:rmargin m:val="0"> <m:defjc m:val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440"> <m:intlim m:val="subSup"> <m:narylim m:val="undOvr"> </m:narylim></m:intlim> </m:wrapindent> </m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Beauty could be only shallow or a trait rarely seen<br />
<b><span style="color: #660000;">This is what my version of “real beauty” has been....</span></b></i></span></div><a name='more'></a><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Beauty lies in all of us... we all are creatures of charm,</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>For some its the face which glows; for others, their feelings warm</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>When we clutched mother's arm, when we first trotted behind Dad,</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>They thought we are beautiful...Oh! how we made them glad!</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Our teacher's smile was lovely, so was the girl next door</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The first bike we rode was great and our first winning score...</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>We realized how ravishing grand mom is, even when old n' worn...</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>We saw charm in the eyes of love, when we were lovelorn. </i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>But what we never stopped to think, is that in everyday life...</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>We have beautifully touched others n' taken away their strife!</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>There was beauty when we saved that pup, there was beauty in the pain</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>When we lied to save a pal, when we celebrated in cold rain</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>We were beautiful when we brought a smile, on that old beggar's face</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>We were captivating when we, on purpose lost in a critical race</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>We are all so beautiful to our Mother nature, of course</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>When we do our duty towards saving, her finite resource</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>We are beautiful when we fight, tooth n' nail for a cause...</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>We are beautiful when we work with a meaningful purpose.</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>That tear shed for someone else....that extra mile walked</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Our beauty has often goaded an inner strength, well-stocked</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>No one is ugly, dear friends...no one is born a thief</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>We are beautiful if we think so, it is all about belief....</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Something unforgettable, a happiness that lingers among life's plenty</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>What makes it is a joy forever.... it is that 'thing' about beauty!!</b></i></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This post is written for IndiBlogger and Dove Real Beauty on Yahoo! India- the people who believe in real beauty and in its expression! <a href="http://realbeauty.yahoo.com/">This is what they say...</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://realbeauty.yahoo.com/" title="Dove Real Beauty on Yahoo! India"><br />
<img alt="Dove Real Beauty on Yahoo! India" border="0" height="145" src="http://www.indiblogger.in/badges/bigsquare_realbeauty.png" width="145" /><br />
</a></span><br />
<div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Proud to be an....</span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">IndiBlogger - The Largest Indian Blogger Community</span></b></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-9776071106979405792011-05-14T00:43:00.002+05:302011-05-28T08:00:41.593+05:30To err is inhuman!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Working as a professional writer has its own barbs. And getting fresh talent to work to your satisfaction can take its toll. The situation is at times hopeless enough to drive you to doing the writing assignments yourself! At least a spew of recent interviews conducted, proved to be so being overwhelmingly mind- boggling, that I was not surprised at my own irritation.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
These days, marveling at the written language (English in this case) has become a rarity. It is only with a very few blogs, articles or books that one gets the definitive satisfaction of reading good English! Is it my squeamishness or is the rich standard of English drastically getting lost amidst the onset of the technological information revolution??<br />
<br />
The internet and phone messaging have anyway ruined whatever little writer's creativity, one would have nurtured in the past. Giving shape to your own thoughts and letting your pen (sadly replaced by the clatter of the keyboard) fly, seems like ancient history. The shameless copy-paste era has long set in and made cripples of several thousands who could otherwise have become good to average writers in their own right. Today, if you can do a decent job out of tweaking (read plagiarism) others' written content, you are a writer in great demand. <br />
<br />
Plagiarism, a close cousin of the word 'inspiration', I believe is as widespread in the world as AIDS is, with the exception that very little concern is shown towards it. Of course, there are intermittent spurts of imitation detection which are but cunning ploys of the desperate and infamous writer to make headlines!! In fact, the respect both plagiarism and plagiarists command can be shamefully overwhelming at times! Run any plagiarism software through most articles you read today and you will be surprised. In fact, the atrocity that English grammar and spelling is enduring is no less than the suffering of the third war countries during recession!<br />
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So who is responsible for the untimely demise of originality and creative innovation in everyday writing? Is it us, the audience who are ready to lap up every possible bit of news irrespective of the writer, the language and articulation behind it? Or is it the writers, who for various unknown purposes continue to perpetuate English writing in its weakest of avatars?<br />
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And what then, is the solution? For some, silent forbearance of the situation has always been the accepted norm. I would like to ignore them (there is not much you can do to that category, anyway). But for those who are in sync with what I’m saying , it is time, we refused to "read" the ordinary" , to rise above acceptance of the poorly written content and tighten our belts to welcome more original writers, whose thoughts and words are still capable of stirring some of those long forgotten emotions within us.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-12719925223102490002011-02-25T08:05:00.003+05:302011-07-14T16:40:55.619+05:30Where I finally belong.....<div align="right"><a href="http://blogjunta.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=116:editors-choice-10th-mar-2011&catid=29:editorschoicecontests&Itemid=133" target="_blank" title="Blogjunta EditorsChoice at www.Blogjunta.com"><br />
<img alt="BlogJunta - An ode to the Blogosphere" border="0" height="10%" src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20028504/badges/blogjunta_editors_choice.jpg" width="96%" /><br />
</a></div><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">This morning, I saw the sun rise....after ages perhaps<br />
Don't really really know...who was responsible for those gaps<br />
Was it me...shying away from the star is sleepy oblivion?<br />
Or was it the orb.... whose ego prevented our union?<br />
<br />
Rising before the sun, always gave me that high<br />
The feeling of accomplishment, is too powerful to deny<br />
Who was evading whom all these days...?<br />
Possibly the curtains, perhaps the laze <br />
<br />
But today, we both had pledged a pact<br />
Silently, mindlessly...within a second, in fact!<br />
To see each other rise.... every every single day<br />
To dispel sinful languor... with the first promising ray<br />
<br />
Today, the new morning brought.... a strong presage of hope<br />
Of broadening horizons, possibilities... of expanding scope<br />
With a simmering heart and wings that were folded for too long<br />
The sun & I take off... sun to the skies & me...to where I finally belong!!!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-66814293175801558862011-02-11T17:52:00.005+05:302011-06-06T12:52:50.711+05:30Humbled by Hampi...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div>We had fallen in love with the beauty of Karnataka, ever since we were students in Bangalore. Every place of tourist interest we had visited had made us bigger lovers of this beautiful state spread along the breathtaking Western Ghats. Be it the sluggish charisma of Mysore, the smug gorgeousness of Madikeri, the ravishing virgin, Gokarna beaches…every place effortlessly seduced us on our very first visit. But what Hampi did to us was beyond any measure of comparison…<br />
<br />
Having heard of the legends surrounding Hampi from our friends who had been there, we set out with abundant spirits for<br />
<a name='more'></a> a three days-two nights stay. Very few people knew much about the erstwhile affluent golden kingdom of Vijaynagar ruled by the great king Krishnadeva- so we did some reading before we left.<br />
We lodged at the very comfortable Malligi hotel in Hospet, some 30 minutes from Hampi.<br />
<br />
As we took a bus to Hampi, we were first met by small rural communities bustling with people who have embraced the modern life, despite being so close to the primordial ruins. As we crossed into the threshold of smooth boulders into the Hampi kingdom, we were met by an inexplicable serenity. As the bus made its customary journey among the wrecks, every nook seemed to ooze with untold splendor... Was it because we were here for the first time or were our senses experiencing something more that what can be expressed???<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OwhDO4nAuIM/TVUe2HxtM2I/AAAAAAAAA7s/ttYXbBIc2rw/s1600/Virupaksha-temple.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="262" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OwhDO4nAuIM/TVUe2HxtM2I/AAAAAAAAA7s/ttYXbBIc2rw/s320/Virupaksha-temple.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Virupaksha Temple</span></b></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table> Our first stop was the majestic Virupaksha [<a href="http://mypurpose.cleartrip.com/trips/33695">http://mypurpose.cleartrip.com/trips/33695</a>] temple, which took us more than half a day for us to cover. But for those who are bereft of fathomless inquisitiveness, it might take lesser time. The Virupaksha temple is believed to be one of the oldest active temples (7th century) existing in India. The temple complex consists of the holy sanctum housing Lord Shiva, pillared halls and a series of giant entrance towers. The experience was simply enchanting. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L3BC2Qp9YCU/TVUgS7iGRcI/AAAAAAAAA8c/zFc2AigYZbI/s1600/Monolithic-Bull.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L3BC2Qp9YCU/TVUgS7iGRcI/AAAAAAAAA8c/zFc2AigYZbI/s320/Monolithic-Bull.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The Monolithic Bull that guards Virupaksha temple</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Lunch at the unique Mango Tree restaurant, pat on the banks of the river was another unique experience. Constructed very intelligently on branches of a mango tree, this eatery has seats at different levels- all giving you attractive glimpses of the river (sit wherever you want), the nearby ruins as well as the omnipresent smooth boulders. Did I also mention the delicious hot International cuisine? Just perfect!!!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xCFL4XdLWDQ/TVUe9QHhLZI/AAAAAAAAA7w/8o3Nny9uBjg/s1600/Pushkarini.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xCFL4XdLWDQ/TVUe9QHhLZI/AAAAAAAAA7w/8o3Nny9uBjg/s320/Pushkarini.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Pushkarini</b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"></div>This was followed by visit to the nearby Pushkarini, or tank where people visiting the numerous temples took their holy dips. Forgotten by civilization, this modest corral with its sapphire waters, is no less an attraction in comparison to its majestic neighbors. After the Pushkarini, we hired a two-wheeler and visited the surrounding temples…<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QPGpTeD2Sok/TVUfTagJugI/AAAAAAAAA70/uRJhEMjmONg/s1600/Ugra-Narashimha.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QPGpTeD2Sok/TVUfTagJugI/AAAAAAAAA70/uRJhEMjmONg/s320/Ugra-Narashimha.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The Lakshmi Narasimha temple that houses the giant monolithic statue of the man-lion God and is the largest icon in Hampi.</b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The famous Kadalekalu or gram seed Ganesha - a 14-foot tall sculpture carved on the slopes of the Hemakuta Hill</b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1Z7TcuTXIOg/TVUgATllBOI/AAAAAAAAA8E/M8VD_GAJ5Do/s1600/Pillars.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1Z7TcuTXIOg/TVUgATllBOI/AAAAAAAAA8E/M8VD_GAJ5Do/s320/Pillars.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The Pattabhirama Temple dedicated to lord Rama, has tall mythical beasts carved in the shape of a series of pillars</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xDHjQjUuA8o/TVUf_pnSw9I/AAAAAAAAA8A/aO0bD2lGUOU/s1600/Pillared-Hall.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xDHjQjUuA8o/TVUf_pnSw9I/AAAAAAAAA8A/aO0bD2lGUOU/s320/Pillared-Hall.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The Glorious pillars</b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u7s8bSzF_kM/TVUkDovvsdI/AAAAAAAAA8s/iPQRdkgB8lM/s1600/Bala+Krishna-Temple.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u7s8bSzF_kM/TVUkDovvsdI/AAAAAAAAA8s/iPQRdkgB8lM/s320/Bala+Krishna-Temple.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The Bala-Krishna Temple dedicated to the Lord’s infant incarnation</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>We also visted the the giant statue of Sasivekalu or mustard seed Ganesh and the huge Shiva Lingam adjacent to the Lakshmi Narasimha temple.<br />
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The most noteworthy thing about the temples was that they ALL lacked deities!!! Being God-fearing Hindus, with the worship culture deeply ingrained in us- the pitch dark, ghostly interiors shocked us to no extent! And it spoke volumes of the plunder which these temples underwent during different phases in history… <br />
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We started the second day with a whirlwind tour of the ruins of erstwhile Vijaynagara and basked in the glory of several ancient structures like…</div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0rnKGn_FPNI/TVUgOD1w77I/AAAAAAAAA8I/tjSQaYIE508/s1600/Ruins-King%2527s+palace.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0rnKGn_FPNI/TVUgOD1w77I/AAAAAAAAA8I/tjSQaYIE508/s320/Ruins-King%2527s+palace.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Ruins of the King's palace-an aerial view</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SwhtclJ4LdM/TVUgQFyqmRI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/dvSkEDVuvp4/s1600/Elephant-Stable.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SwhtclJ4LdM/TVUgQFyqmRI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/dvSkEDVuvp4/s320/Elephant-Stable.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The Elephant Stables- Sheltered all royal elephants</b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9nDS3mblCjM/TVUgQ9gxeUI/AAAAAAAAA8U/2WTAplQUy1Y/s1600/Elephant-Stable1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9nDS3mblCjM/TVUgQ9gxeUI/AAAAAAAAA8U/2WTAplQUy1Y/s320/Elephant-Stable1.JPG" width="320" /> </a></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Elephant's Abode...so royal!!</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ysDx3_o2v3I/TVUgR0JPT2I/AAAAAAAAA8Y/qBkU_0bWqlk/s1600/Lotus-Palace.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ysDx3_o2v3I/TVUgR0JPT2I/AAAAAAAAA8Y/qBkU_0bWqlk/s320/Lotus-Palace.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><b>The Lotus Mahal, used by the queen as a pleasure pavilion. The pavilion spots style arches and the roofs and base typical of Hindu temples</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qOm17n5EYkQ/TVUgUOO_n_I/AAAAAAAAA8g/RlgHaOGp7-U/s1600/Panels-Hazara+Rama+Temple.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qOm17n5EYkQ/TVUgUOO_n_I/AAAAAAAAA8g/RlgHaOGp7-U/s320/Panels-Hazara+Rama+Temple.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><b>The Hazara Rama Temple- with its exceptionally carved outer walls depicting story of Ramayana, was a private temple of the king.</b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9ZPsvBhA-wU/TVUgW9-_FfI/AAAAAAAAA8o/_olo6VtLkk4/s1600/Queen%2527s-bath1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9ZPsvBhA-wU/TVUgW9-_FfI/AAAAAAAAA8o/_olo6VtLkk4/s320/Queen%2527s-bath1.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The Indo-Islamic Queen’s bath, an indoor aquatic complex probably used by the courtly ladies or the king himself</b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ldJXwjRyF8I/TVUgV7GkZFI/AAAAAAAAA8k/SYRn2HnabUs/s1600/Queen%2527s-bath.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ldJXwjRyF8I/TVUgV7GkZFI/AAAAAAAAA8k/SYRn2HnabUs/s320/Queen%2527s-bath.JPG" width="320" /> </a></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">A window from the Guard's Watch Tower-an exquisitely haunting Islamic structure</span></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Most of the buildings were within the Royal Enclosure- a fortified campus with a seat of the erstwhile kings.<br />
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Post lunch we trekked the Matunga hill, which is famous for the sunrise-sunset views as also being the haunt of Hanuman and Sugreeva. Our efforts of the difficult trek were rewarded by a breathtaking view of the sunset on the Tungabhadra river. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1pl6Ak4-kJk/TVUetUHzPWI/AAAAAAAAA7o/DHdbNfAOeVI/s1600/Ruins-of-Hampi.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1pl6Ak4-kJk/TVUetUHzPWI/AAAAAAAAA7o/DHdbNfAOeVI/s320/Ruins-of-Hampi.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Hampi- an aerial view from Matunga Hill</b></span><i><b><br />
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4-9yxZci2FQ/TVUkIZZ59XI/AAAAAAAAA84/W1bMotpxXqQ/s1600/Tungabhdra-Dam.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tIM7khK7E2Y/TVUkKSjVeDI/AAAAAAAAA88/uftoYo_9wEQ/s1600/Virupaskhya-Temple-Anjaneya-Hill.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tIM7khK7E2Y/TVUkKSjVeDI/AAAAAAAAA88/uftoYo_9wEQ/s320/Virupaskhya-Temple-Anjaneya-Hill.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Virupaksha temple from Anjaneya Hill</b></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QiOXL5uzPYI/TVUotmdhOCI/AAAAAAAAA9A/_iGCnLzMSl0/s1600/Anjaneya-Hill.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QiOXL5uzPYI/TVUotmdhOCI/AAAAAAAAA9A/_iGCnLzMSl0/s320/Anjaneya-Hill.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Anjaneya Hill- the view from below</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>We also trekked the nearby Anjaneya hill, the holy birthplace of the Lord Hanuman- the view from the Hill in its entirety showed us the sprawling kingdom. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vOUFtYwuS1E/TVUkHXqCXzI/AAAAAAAAA80/4foJScdibkU/s1600/Trek-riverside-Vittala+Temple.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vOUFtYwuS1E/TVUkHXqCXzI/AAAAAAAAA80/4foJScdibkU/s320/Trek-riverside-Vittala+Temple.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The guardian Nandi for the 1008 Shiva Lingas on Tungabhadra's bank</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>On the third day we took a basket-boat along the swirling waters of Tungabhadra, trekked (to discover a thousand and eight Shiva Lingas, as well as several forgotten statues carved on hilltops) and walked a long distance to reach the Vittala temple. Every bit of adventure to reach the Vittala Temple was worth the experience. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zTuXWroD92s/TVUkFZbwelI/AAAAAAAAA8w/BUVvMm1-REw/s1600/Stone+Chariot-Vitalla+Temple.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zTuXWroD92s/TVUkFZbwelI/AAAAAAAAA8w/BUVvMm1-REw/s320/Stone+Chariot-Vitalla+Temple.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The famous Giant stone chariot of Vittala temple- marked in the pages of history</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>A beautiful endowment of history to mankind and dedicated to Vittala- this temple is the architectural highlight of Hampi. It is specially noted for its hall with extraordinary musical pillars which resonate when tapped. The famous stone chariot with wheels carved out of stone [http://mypurpose.cleartrip.com/trips/33697] stands majestically in front of the main temple.<br />
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On return we took the riverside trek path that connects the ancient Hampi Bazaar to the Vittala temple, which again was a singular experience.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4-9yxZci2FQ/TVUkIZZ59XI/AAAAAAAAA84/W1bMotpxXqQ/s1600/Tungabhdra-Dam.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4-9yxZci2FQ/TVUkIZZ59XI/AAAAAAAAA84/W1bMotpxXqQ/s320/Tungabhdra-Dam.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The Tungabhadra Dam by night</b></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"></div>We returned to Bangalore, as entirely different humans- humbled by what history has bestowed upon us. How rich a culture we belong to, how vast our ancestral origins are and how small we are in today’s society, just trying to fathom that vastness, which translated to their normal life style.<br />
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The single visit etched in our memories runs into several volumes…a blog post just seems so inadequate to describe how and what we felt. I’m sure you would agree, if you have had a similar spectacular experience at Hampi…<br />
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<i>[All photgraphs were taken by my husband Lokanath Khamari. For more breath taking views of Hampi, visit:</i><br />
<b><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lokanathkhamari/Hampi?feat=directlink" target="_blank"><i>https://picasaweb.google.com/</i><wbr></wbr><i>lokanathkhamari/Hampi?feat=</i><wbr></wbr><i>directlink </i></a></b><br />
<i>& </i><br />
<i><b><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/coolnintu/with/5386659778/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/coolnintu/with/5386659778/</a></b>]</i><br />
<br />
</div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-86009477871992371972011-02-10T15:13:00.004+05:302011-02-13T00:42:10.747+05:30Love at First Sight- the Incorrigible Cliché?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Girl-meets-boy, their hesitant, fluttering eyes meet, their hearts beat fast, they are at a loss of words, mumble numerous incoherencies but ultimately live happily ever after!!! Incorrigible clichés all….<br />
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Now, at the ripe old age of 86, I assure you that love can surely happen at the first ever sight. And at any cost.<br />
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So if I told you that I fell in love at the first sight, you would naturally assume that it all started one fine, beautiful sunny day…Hell no! For me, it started on one of those nasty, wet, gloomy Mondays which one loves hating and cribbing about. When I first saw her, I was a typical careless, pimpled, “only-I-know-what-is-right” type of a teenager. But the moment I laid my eyes on her, she took my breath away and left me completely floored. There she was, distinctly beautiful, elegant…flawless and chaste. And in one of those emotionally foolish moments that comes with the surge of youthful ecstasy, I fell- hook, line, sinkers, rod, worm etc. etc. for this heavenly specimen and decided on the spot that I will have her, come what may. <br />
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Her supposed “family” were the richest industrialists of my town. She shared their affluent looks of elegance and grace in every way and it made me so jealous to see how abundantly they showered her with the minutest of care, loving attention as if she was most fragile. But the spaces between her society and mine were so immense that, I thought it would take me another lifetime to get even close to her, let alone have her. As she faded away from my sight alongwith her kin….I resolved yet again, to make a consummate union with her, as soon as my young life permitted. It would be her and none else.<br />
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And overnight the careless young boy, without a care to the world was transformed into a young man with a purpose…to woo the object of his dreams and bask in the glory of her charm. And everything changed, forever. <br />
I started spending hours in my shabby little study, whose use had been a bare minimum until now. My average middle class parents had spared that room for me, in spite of lack of space in the tiny house. My hours of slogging increased to a feverish pitch and of course my parents loved the change. Soon, I managed to wriggle from the bottom of the class to somewhere near average. Slowly but curiously, math and economics became my favorite subjects. I spent hours studying the demand supply curves, which were reminiscent of her appealing curves. I studied harder.<br />
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I entered college as a gawky, starry-eyed but eager and confident scholar; having topped school in my favorite subjects. My dire spirit of independence needled me to join and fervently work long nights at a far away garage and manage my time between painting damaged water shields and studying vehicular dynamics. This did wonders to my practical knowledge and within a year, I could not just coat but also drive and repair to perfection any of the beauties who arrived there in want of my attention. Once when I saw her pass by my modest workplace with her family, my heart skipped a beat. Will she come in? Will I be able to see her close, brush my hand carelessly against her maybe…but my hopes were easily dashed as she faded away into the fog. The more I saw her, the more badly and desperately my desire for her grew. And made my resolve stronger.<br />
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Years passed more quickly than I’d have liked them to. Working as small man in a large organization wasn’t my glass of wine. The entrepreneurial bug had bit me early on and I couldn’t rest until I opened a firm of my own. So with whatever little experience and capital I could muster- a tiny little office cropped up in my parents’ crowded flat. My business was new at that point of time. I was offering services to a world who did not know that things could actually be outsourced. But there I was. Pushing my luck and seeding ideas into people’s brains, making them follow my thoughts and embrace the nascent, inevitable modernity.<br />
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The number of my ideas grew proportionally with the people whom I employed and within a span of ten years, I was doing international business, confidently. I neglected my wife and my newborn son. They were simply not visible to me. My parents also were growing older and I wanted them to see her, as part of our family. Numerous bottlenecks threatened to weaken my tenacity but I drove on like a possessed maniac. To be frank, I hadn’t reached her stature, yet. And I had to, very fast.<br />
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So, I made life happen at a frightening pace. I made my employees work, as if there was no tomorrow. And I kept news of her family coming to me, almost daily. To see her again …touch her spotless body or woo her with my eyes wasn’t enough for me now. I had to have her forever. One day, a bleak piece of news told me that her family had lost their everything in business and were rapidly sinking towards mediocrity…even poverty. According to my sources, she still was with the family -which instilled the hope in me that she still could be mine. Maybe this was my chance. The thought itself was so enticing; I could barely do much else the rest of the day. It was finally time for me to swing into action and I did.<br />
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With zealous ambition and some trepidation, I finally stepped into the household. She was nowhere in sight, her radiant presence conspicuously absent from the scene. My heart skipped a beat. The head of her family spoke to me with obvious sadness; he could not save their ancestral business and it was rapidly sinking into misery. Their long illustrious history, reeking with stories of success and growth was begging for mercy & capital. So sorry was their state, that I could offer very few words of condolence. <br />
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I decided to come directly to the subject and spoke about her (to any one else other than myself, for the very first time) and his face brightened for a second. She was their joy & pleasure since years. But very soon he was worrying abut her future. Was anyone there for her…? I was ready; to strike the iron at its hottest. The proposal that I was preparing for since childhood came tumbling out as smoothly as it did everyday in front of the mirror. But the response was poles apart from my expectations….. <br />
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It was far too obvious that he had only days to live & his family, his business were falling painfully apart. He did not have the time to think. Could parting with her save his family pride and social stature … could this marriage save it all….?<br />
<br />
Convention and modernity were united within days. My burgeoning firm acquired the rumbling old empire of her family in an acquisition that made history and is talked of till date. My parents’ heart almost burst with pride. And then she came. Gleaming in the sun, she drove into my life as regal, proud and graceful as ever. She hadn’t changed a single bit. I touched her cool white smooth body and every curve till I was electrified, not daring to believe the reality that…she was mine, at last. I looked at her proudly. Love at first sight did triumph all odds. Sadness & triumph was smeared all over me...<i><b>It was the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/closeupindia">fire-freeze moment</a> I was waiting for all my life. </b></i><br />
<br />
The vintage white Mercedes- the first ever Mercedes Benz Limousine the world had produced was now mine… </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-33686837498396790832011-02-08T15:26:00.000+05:302011-02-08T15:26:47.211+05:30Inflation- sheez a dayan!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> Inflation has the hit the market and the common man hard. While films like"Peepli Live" had a musical version ("mehngaayee dayan"- remixed into a version called "Inflation- sheez a dayan!" ) to show how it hits the latter, I thought I will assimilate a few basics that might make sense to those who really need to get into the root of the matter. For those who know it all- those comments are more than welcome. So, here goes:<br />
<br />
<b>Inflation: </b><br />
In economics, inflation is a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time. When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services. Consequently, inflation also reflects an erosion in the purchasing power of money – a loss of real value in the internal medium of exchange and unit of account in the economy. A chief measure of price inflation is the inflation rate, the annualized percentage change in a general price index (normally the Consumer Price Index) over time.<br />
<i>Inflation can be recognized as a combination of 4 factors:</i><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The Supply of money goes up</li>
<li>The Supply of Goods goes down</li>
<li>Demand for money goes down</li>
<li>Demand for goods goes up</li>
</ul><div style="text-align: left;">Our Indian government gets involved in it to control the inflation by adjusting the level of money in our economical system. The most noticeable way to increase the money flow in the system is to print more currency, then the rupees will become more relative to goods.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
So how do interest rates affect the rise and fall of inflation? Like we said earlier, lower interest rates put more borrowing power in the hands of consumers. And when consumers spend more, the economy grows, naturally creating inflation. If the Fed decides that the economy is growing too fast-that demand will greatly outpace supply-then it can raise interest rates, slowing the amount of cash entering the economy. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
It's the Fed's responsibility to closely monitor inflation indicators like the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the Producer Price Indexes (PPI) and do its best to keep the economy in balance. There must be enough economic growth to keep wages up and unemployment low, but not too much growth that it leads to dangerously high inflation. The target inflation rate is somewhere between two and three percent per year. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Inflation and Global Liquidity</b><br />
Factors like rates of import and export, the production cost of farms, value of dollar, price of oil (crude oil), market movements of other overseas markets cause global liquidity. In India, we can also feel the effects of global liquidity. We are not isolated from all these issues now. Due to the remarkable economic growth of India over the recent years, increase in foreign currency inflow caused the demand in multiples for many Merchandise and services in India. RBI (Reserve Bank of India) needs to control this excess liquidity in our economic system. For this, RBI increases the “Repo rates” which makes “Costly Credits” and thus increases the CRR rate (Cash Reserve Ratio). This kind of measures by RBI can only control the inflation to a certain extent only. <br />
<br />
<b>Globalization</b><br />
Due to Globalization, no country are independent from Global Liquidities. This causes an important factor for the inflation in a country. A political crunch or economical downturn in a far away country can impact our money value in India</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<b>What is a CRR rate?</b><br />
Cash reserve Ratio (CRR) is the amount of funds that the banks have to keep with RBI. If RBI decides to increase the percent of this, the available amount with the banks comes down. RBI is using this method (increase of CRR rate), to drain out the excessive money from the banks.<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>What is a Bank Rate?</b><br />
Bank rate is the rate at which RBI gives to the commercial banks. Whenever RBI increases its rates, the effect will be shown on the commercial banks. In this case, the commercial banks have to increase the interest rates for their profits.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<b>What is a Repo Rate?</b><br />
Whenever the banks have any shortage of funds they can borrow it from RBI. Repo rate is the rate at which our banks borrow rupees from RBI. A reduction in the repo rate will help banks to get money at a cheaper rate. When the repo rate increases borrowing from RBI becomes more expensive.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<b>What is a Reverse Repo Rate?</b><br />
Reverse Repo rate is the rate at which Reserve Bank of India (RBI) borrows money from banks. Banks are always happy to lend money to RBI since their money are in safe hands with a good interest. An increase in Reverse repo rate can cause the banks to transfer more funds to RBI due to this attractive interest rates. It can cause the money to be drawn out of the banking system. <br />
Due to this fine tuning of RBI using its tools of CRR, Bank Rate, Repo Rate and Reverse Repo rate our banks adjust their lending or investment rates for common man.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Inflation & Investors</b>:</span><br />
When it comes to inflation, the question on many investors' minds is: "How will it affect my investments?" This is an especially important issue for people living on a fixed income, such as retirees.<br />
<br />
The impact of inflation on your portfolio depends on the type of securities you hold. If you invest only in stocks, worrying about inflation shouldn't keep you up at night. Over the long run, a company's revenue and earnings should increase at the same pace as inflation. The exception to this is stagflation. The combination of a bad economy with an increase in costs is bad for stocks. Also, a company is in the same situation as a normal consumer - the more cash it carries, the more its purchasing power decreases with increases in inflation. <br />
<br />
The main problem with stocks and inflation is that a company's returns tend to be overstated. In times of high inflation, a company may look like it's prospering, when really inflation is the reason behind the growth. When analyzing financial statements, it's also important to remember that inflation can wreak havoc on earnings depending on what technique the company is using to value inventory. <br />
<br />
Fixed-income investors are the hardest hit by inflation. Suppose that a year ago you invested 1,000 rupees in a Fixed deposit with a 10% rate of interest. Now that you are about to collect the 1,100 rupees owed to you, is your rs 100 (10%) return real? Of course not! Assuming inflation was positive for the year, your purchasing power has fallen and, therefore, so has your real return. We have to take into account the chunk inflation has taken out of your return. If inflation was 4%, then your return is really 6%. <br />
<br />
This example highlights the difference between nominal interest rates and real interest rates. The nominal interest rate is the growth rate of your money, while the real interest rate is the growth of your purchasing power. In other words, the real rate of interest is the nominal rate reduced by the rate of inflation. In our example, the nominal rate is 10% and the real rate is 6% (10% - 4% = 6%). <br />
<br />
As an investor, you must look at your real rate of return. Unfortunately, investors often look only at the nominal return and forget about their purchasing power altogether.<br />
</div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-62136174690828692362011-01-26T09:02:00.002+05:302011-01-26T11:48:44.261+05:30A celebrated public affair<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Wikipedia defines "Republic" as <i>a state under a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, retain supreme control over the government.</i> The word "republic" is derived from the Latin phrase <i>res publica,</i> which can be translated as "a public affair". <br />
<br />
We made our freedom and constitution a "public affair" 64 years ago. We have a great reason to celebrate, proudly display our national resources & strengths on Rajpath for the world to view. To show the world that India, referred to third world country by the westerners some decades ago, is now foremost among all developing nations in the world and is ready to take on any challenge. <br />
<br />
Very soon we are set to claim the position of a developed nation with our towering strengths like a booming economic power (set to rise at 9% this year), a raring-to-go youth population, rapidly progressing social infrastructure, advanced science, technology & educational sectors...outsourcing capabilities, phenomenal entrepreneurial capabilities, even a budding sports talent and so much else. India is poised for several other social, corporate, economic and environmental reforms this year. There is growth, development, positivity all around. <br />
<br />
Agreed that- terrorism (be in internal or external), corruption, poverty and violence rear their ugly heads most often than not…but what is a nation without major challenges? Inspite of the Kalmadis, Radias, Rajas, Dawoods (to name a few) - there has been significant progress, a never-say-die attitude and the tendency to rise unscathed from umpteen disasters.<br />
<br />
We have proved it as nation and always shall rise beyond all expectations. This Republic Day, I salute the Indian fortitude with a pride that only an Indian can conjure. Happy Republic Day to all!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Db7FEVlSI-c/TT-Vcq2ZcXI/AAAAAAAAA7I/niggGKsxs6o/s1600/64-Reublic-Day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Db7FEVlSI-c/TT-Vcq2ZcXI/AAAAAAAAA7I/niggGKsxs6o/s320/64-Reublic-Day.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-21386400678692705402011-01-10T11:35:00.002+05:302011-06-06T12:56:16.965+05:30Here we go- 2011!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">2011 is being predicted as the year of the blogs and the web and of mobile marketing. It is also the year of conferences, symposiums, workshops and the lot. A zillion things happening and at what an unimaginable pace!! Undeniably, there are more than several reasons to attribute to the breathlessness that 2011 has brought along with it.<br />
<br />
Starting the oh-so-hectic year by attending my first ever <b><a href="http://www.indiblogger.in/">Indibloggers</a></b> meet at Bangalore. A meet that I had looked forward to, since a very very long time. And my wait was justified to the T. The congregation was of amazing dimensions and also for a very noble cause. <br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
The<b> <a href="http://www.akshayapatra.org/">Akshaya Patra foundation</a></b> (pardon the simplicity with which I describe the immensely noble cause) offers government school children with a hot, wholesome midday meal- EVERYDAY. And the number of children it feeds daily, happens to have crossed the millionth mark, a long time ago. The Chairman, <a href="http://www.akshayapatra.org/governance"><b>Madhu Pandit Dasa</b> </a>and the Vice Chairman, <b><a href="http://www.akshayapatra.org/governance">Chanchalapathi Dasa</a></b> mesmerized the crowd with the story of the origin, growth and popularity of Akshya Patra. Presently counted among the top 10,000 charitable organizations in the world, Akshaya Patra and its team wholly believe that the contribution of ideas, expertise and time for this cause is much much above the monetary donations. <br />
<br />
Going forward with the Indibloggers event- it was amazing to see the diversity among the bloggers. From ones who believe in penning away anything that tickles their imagination to ones who limit their posts to the four walls of the kitchen- from technos, experts and geeks to people whose camera spoke volumes for them. Serious attention was grabbed by one blogger who had written a poetry about Mallika Sherawat and got a call from her as well (his comments will remain beyond the scope of this blog, though ;-)<br />
Then there were ones who dwell with poetry and fiction to those whose forte was politics and satire...the categories were close to infinity and so was the level of enthusiasm....not just in the beginning but till the last minute<br />
<br />
The apprehensive, excited, wide-eyed and bubbling first timers met the 'been-there-done-it' second and third timers as excitedly as old friends....all writers of their own merit. The chirpy and cooperative Indibloggers team did a fantastic job maneuvering the event from the beginning to the end. Be it coordinating the to and fro trips on the Indibus, the welcome and introduction of 60 bloggers or the really exciting "Live and let comment" round and "IndiForum Redux"- they deftly saw to the overall participation andgrabbed those eyeballs wherever required.<br />
<br />
And then there the goodies- cool looking Indiblogger T-shirts for all the blogging fraternity, smart picture frames for the highest comments among many others. Hot crunchy samosas, cool sips- before and after the meet, the extremely tasty midday meal of Akshya Patra- the palate of the hungry bloggers were not left unattended to, either!! Hats off guys!!<br />
<br />
With this event, came the inspiration I was searching for since a long time- so here I am, all enthused and ready to face the demanding 2011. Also eagerly looking forward to the next inspiring Indiblogger event. I'm sure it is going to be even more fun, with lots more bloggers to network with (and get autographs from)!!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-70362818218188012172010-10-15T11:42:00.008+05:302010-10-16T18:34:35.783+05:30A rendezvous with life...A personality beyond any comparison. A diva in flesh and blood. Expressive eyes speaking volumes about the exquisite beauty they have seen and experienced. That rich laughter brimming with youthful mirth, abundant...full. Words trimmed with wisdom, yet carefree. A self professed “eighteen-till-she lives” woman! Today I was face to face with my inspiration in life…<br />
<br />
The impact of meeting someone like that is hard on you. It gets you thinking on aspects of life you never thought existed. It makes you feel like a much better person. Like a fresh start, like a promising new morning.<br />
<br />
A dancer, an ace photographer a stage artiste, a taekwondo green belt, an engineer, a writer, a journalist, a technology expert …she packs quite some punch under her talented belt. At the peak of her career as a technology consultant in a leading multinational, she suddenly quit it all. But ‘quit’ is a word she has never really wanted to understand. A go-getter with a never-say-die spirit and a zest for living life to its full, she dived headlong into what she loved most- her parents, her family and photography.<br />
<br />
Going for the tougher things over the easier ones is her forte and she has done that with aplomb. There were initial struggles but ceaseless talent cannot go unnoticed for long. Today, she has her hands full, traveling all over the globe, capturing extraordinary angles of mundane thing s and making the exquisite look even more breathtaking. <br />
<br />
No person was ever honored for what he received…honor has been the reward for what he gave. Her enthusiastic giving nature has made her go to schools where teachers are not frequent, infirmaries where someone dies for the lack of a little help, where just a smile can change a life. She has constantly contributed to numerous workshops, camps, seminars, consultations, talks and training programs to teach other s what she has loved and learnt…and won the accolades all along.<br />
<br />
And she goes on…without a rest, without a pause, without catching a breath- doing the novel, all that she loves, all that inspires her, all that which makes a difference to this world. But for <a href="http://www.hemanarayanan.com" target="_blank"><b>Hema Narayanan</b></a>, the woods are still dark, the miles are stretched ahead and the promises beckon loudly…<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.hemanarayanan.com/"target="_blank">http://www.hemanarayanan.com/</a><br />
<a href="http://hemanarayan.livejournal.com/"target="_blank">http://hemanarayan.livejournal.com/</a><br />
<a href="http://www.hemanarayanan.com/StreetPhotography.html">http://www.hemanarayanan.com/StreetPhotography.html</a><br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/people/Hema-Narayanan/1557551157" "target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/people/Hema-Narayanan/1557551157</a><br />
<a href="http://in.linkedin.com/in/hemana"target="_blank">http://in.linkedin.com/in/hemana</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-72054374664626328542010-10-10T14:28:00.004+05:302010-10-12T18:55:19.923+05:30Presence perfect...During an introductory speech for some important clients a few months back, I suddenly found myself losing confidence. This was unusual for someone who has loved the microphone and used it quite often. At home that day, I came across this very meaningful article which made a lot of sense to me. So I thought, sharing it with others in a similar situation, would help them too....<br />
<br />
<a href="http://blogs.hbr.org/baldoni/2009/10/developing_your_leadership_pres.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%253A+harvardbusiness+%2528HBR.org%2529&utm_content=Google+Reader"><b>Developing Your Leadership Presence (A Harvard Business Review Article)</b><br />
</a><br />
<i>What about when you are pushed in front of the microphone or given very little prep time for something like an introduction of a guest speaker?</i><br />
<br />
This question came from Tonya in response to my previous post on developing your leadership pitch.<br />
<br />
Here's the quick answer, you walk to the microphone and you smile. You take a moment to size up the audience and then you say what you have to say briefly and to the point. Most importantly, as they advise running backs who score touchdowns, act like you have been there before. The great ones hand the ball back the referee; the wannabes whoop and holler.<br />
<br />
At the microphone, remain calm. Why? Because you are in control! Your stomach may be churning and your palms may be sweaty, but you must realize the microphone is in your hands. This is a little secret that I share with people I coach: people have to listen to you. Whether you croon or wax eloquent, the audience is at your mercy.<br />
<br />
You are the master of your destiny, or at least the next five minutes. When you keep that thought in mind, you will realize that yes, you can do this. You can speak in front of an audience and you will be okay.<br />
<br />
Such behavior is how you cultivate your leadership presence, a topic I address in, Lead Your Boss, The Subtle Art of Managing Up. I define leadership presence as earned authority. You may have a title, but you need to earn the respect and trust of your coworkers. Presence is rooted in fundamental competence, and for anyone who aspires to lead, presence is essential. Developing this is a long process that goes far beyond speaking in public.<br />
<br />
Some people confuse presence with charisma, but the two are not the same. The former is developed over time; the latter is what you are born with and is a matter of looks, charm, personality, and appeal. Charisma adds to presence, but you do not need to have movie-star looks to be a person of presence. An example of this was Mother Theresa.<br />
<br />
Picture this petite woman in her white sari trimmed in blue. Old and wrinkled, Mother Theresa was never mistaken for royalty. Yet because of her lifetime of work in creating a religious order to care for the "poorest of the poor" in India, she had a radiant presence around her. Her conviction about her work was so strong that she could approach heads of state for funds to run her mission. She also had a wonderful sense of humor which added to her personal warmth.<br />
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No matter your looks or body type, you can have presence if you work on your ability to connect with others, from behind a microphone or otherwise. And don't worry if you flub a word, or mispronounce a name. Correct yourself, smile, and keep moving. The audience is yours. So leverage your presence, and be the confident speaker you have always wanted to be.<br />
<br />
-John Baldoni<br />
<br />
I've taken some <b><a href="http://www.intonate.net/voicetraining.php">professional help</a></b> and now my entire aspect of communication is changed. Visit <a href="http://www.intonate.net">www.intonate.net</a> for more information.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-12275690767316292232010-09-07T21:50:00.002+05:302010-09-08T10:23:53.032+05:30Free Online Marketing Tools for Startups.As an entrepreneur envisioning a startup, challenges are aplenty and generally accompanied with lack of expertise, some warranted desperation and an impatience to see things run smoothly and take the projected turns. Justified. What is not justified, are the unwanted suggestions, tips, offers, advertisements, advices on where, how & when to invest that come dime a dozen. When starting that dream organization, meticulous planning, some clever strategizing and a futuristic conceptualization goes a long way in determining success.<br />
<br />
Here are some free Online Marketing tools that will help those early startups by answering some basic questions; may help ridding some of that mental clutter and probably remind others of certain vital aspects of a small business. Read on...<br />
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<a href="http://startupinternetmarketing.com/dl/osvrecorder.zip"><b>CamStudio On Screen Video Recorder</b></a><br />
Videos are invaluable when it comes to online marketing. CamStudio captures any onscreen activity from a Windows Desktop and converts it into AVI movie files for use in software demonstrations and active presentations. This application can be freely downloaded. <br />
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<b><a href="http://startupinternetmarketing.com/dl/FTP-Made-Simple.pdf">File Transport Protocol- FTP Guide</a></b><br />
This guide by Michael Nicholas is another free download. It gives directions for uploading web pages and ebook/software files that could be viewed or downloaded by others. These can also be purchased from the business owner. It includes a free FTP program.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://startupinternetmarketing.com/promatic"><b>Press Release-O-Matic</b></a><br />
Press releases are a powerful marketing media if strategized well. Press Release-O-Matic, from Bill Myers is a free software tool that helps "fill-in-the-blanks" . It also comes with full resale rights.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/Instant-Press-Release.htm"><b>Instant Press Release</b></a><br />
This free online press release creator facilitates instant creation of powerful, attention grabbing, and perfectly formatted press releases in an instant.<br />
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<a href="http://www.tucows.com/preview/195062"><b>SnagIt</b></a><br />
This efficient tool captures anything on the PC screen and can save it in the gif, jpeg or other picture formats. Cool and absolutely free! <br />
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<a href="http://www.screenprint32.com/software/screenprint32.asp"><b>Screen Print 32</b></a><br />
ScreenPrint32 works on the lines of the print screen button on the typical key board. It allows printing and/or capture to disk or clipboard, the full desktop, active window, predefined area, or user selected area of the screen. It is especially useful when compiling tutorials or web lessons. Capturing a screen area and pasting it directly into documents is possible. The resulting images could be saved to gif, bmp, jpg or png formats.<br />
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<a href="http://startupinternetmarketing.com/dnapp"><b>Domain Name Appraisor</b></a><br />
This is an extremely useful software for those starting on a shoe string. It gives an estimated monetary value (in $USD) for any domain name (.com, .net, .org or .cc). On entering the domain name and answering a few questions about it, it pops up a figure saying what it's worth. <br />
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<a href="http://www.proguides.ca/danp/audiohow2.pdf"><b>Super Powered Sales Grabber</b></a><br />
This is a 12 Page "sneak peek" PDF excerpt of Chapter 6 from the "Action Grid System". This PDF file contains free, but very valuable and credible content that includes step by step details on how to create individual Audio Recordings that can be sold online for $20, $50 or $100 ! <br />
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<a href="http://www.proguides.ca/danp/blackhole.pdf"><b>The BlackHole </b></a><br />
Here's the actual proof that the Internet "BlackHole" stealing away customers! This free PDF report features screen captures showing how the Internet Blackhole is actually stealing 25% to 50% of profits. This is definitely not theory. <br />
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<a href="http://startupinternetmarketing.com/dl/botsurfer.zip"><b>Bot Surfer</b></a><br />
The inventor of this software, Michael Nicholas has developed an application that automatically searches up to 15 forums at a time to find a topic of interest. It even 'Deep Searches' into blog postings...saving an insane amount of time! <br />
<br />
<a href="http://cooletips.de/htaccess/"><b>htAccess Generater Demo </b></a><br />
This online htaccess generator can be used to create apache configuration files. Dot Htaccesser simplifies the process of creating Apache .htaccess files. Users fill in the HTML form for the configuration desired, and it generates the .htaccess file syntax. It handles options (execCGI, includes, MultiView, etc.), authentication files, IP address blocking, custom MIME types, and error documents. <br />
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<a href="http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php"><b>AVG Virus Checker</b></a><br />
The AVG Free Edition is available for all single home users worldwide. It can be used without any limitations for the lifetime of the product. Free updates can also be downloaded to get the latest program virus databases.<br />
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<a href="http://javascript-vault.en.softonic.com/"><b>JavaScript Vault </b></a><br />
This is a collection of over 700 categorized JavaScripts in 17 categories that can be downloaded and worked with even in the offline mode. This neat application has something for everyone- be it novices or specialists. It has buttons, menus, graphics, text, redirection, cookies, messages, scrolls, forms and more, set up in HTML pages which can easily try the scripts without any messy editing.<br />
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<a href="http://www.pctools.com/guides/registry/"><b>Registry Guide 3.0</b></a><br />
The Windows Registry Guide is a Windows help file that reveals all the best tips, tricks, and tweaks for the Windows® XP, 2000, NT, 98, 95, Me and Vista operating systems . It is a database used to store settings and options for the 32-bit versions of Microsoft Windows and contains information and settings for all the PC's hardware, software, users, and preferences.<br />
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<a href="http://www.quickbanner.com/index.dbm?system=fourcorners"><b>Banner Creation Tool</b></a><br />
This is an online button generator site. Designed by "Four Corners", they offer templates for banners, 468X60 and standard size buttons, 88X31. It's a great resource, and very useful as well.<br />
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<a href="http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Multimedia_and_Graphics/Misc__Graphics_Tools/Zoom___Download.html"><b> Zoom++</b></a><br />
Questions like … What's the hex value of that pixel in that graphic? What is its RGB value? … can be easily answered with Zoom++, a tool which allows viewing, enlargement and analyzing of a region on the computer screen. This freeware program is unquestionably of immense use for reproduction of a particular color, or merely for determining minute differences in an image.<br />
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<a href="http://www.ebooks-made-easy.com/trafficvirus.htm"><b>Traffic Virus 3.0</b></a><br />
Traffic Virus 2.0 is web's first traffic generating free software designed to launch a viral advertising campaign. Quoted as one of the web's hottest marketing tool, Traffic Virus 3.0 is the improvised over the previous version with unique features to the "Get Viral" program that have never been offered before!<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Article courtsey: <a href="http://www.startupinternetmarketing.com/main.html">Startup Internet Marketing </a></i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-77667479792626778012010-09-06T11:17:00.001+05:302010-09-06T11:24:40.631+05:30"Ad"ding it uP !!<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Boooh! Ads </b></span><br />
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<i><b>No.3...Sensibly useless, Voltas AC</b></i><br />
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A bunch of kids invading a groggy woman's bedroom advising her to keep the AC on sleep mode; the same kids singing away to the neighborhood grumpy miser to save money by cleaning his AC filters. Either this makes you change the channel or growl in discomfort at the irritating monotone of the song. Not exactly sweet, that one! Voltas obviously wants to point out that saving power is a child's play! But it could have done been done better than making a musical mess that irritates one consistently, given an almost 2 minute repetition on TV.<br />
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<i><b>No.2...Sad iTen number</b></i><br />
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Shahrukh Khan, man of the masses, the name that the world almost recognized India with. He makes a sad, pathetic show of his acting histrionics with this iTen car ad. There could surely have been a much much much better way of showcasing its features. How on earth can you compare a woman with a car! "You don't walk, you glide, you are the color of honey...blah blah blah"....you can neither correlate these words with a woman or a car. The iTen people would've really had to convince Shahrukh for days for acting in this one. He's generally not so moronic in real life!! I still hope this car sells for its features rather than the associated icon<br />
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<i><b>No.1...For Fairer or Worse</b></i><br />
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You don't need a Shahid Kapoor to come and give you the hourly stats on daily cosmetic habits! But unfortunately, he does so. And tries to tell us how he "just" spends 1 minute per day (thatz still about 6 hours a year) applying Vaseline fairness cream to get fairer skin & rub off those blemishes! The whos-who of the Hindi film industry (Shahrukh, Aishwarya, Katrina, Kajol, Genelia, Asin, Priyanka..you name them) have told us exactly how they got that creamy white flawless complexion sans marks and wrinkles. What planet do they think we are on, seriously?? Everyone knows that these products barely work. Girls (and now boys are also into this race) of all complexions have tried most fairness creams in the market. Has anyone really gotten that spotless (read:heavily made up) pale complexion their stars so confidently flaunt? But these products are still a leader in cosmetic care industry. Well...<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Oooh Ads</b></span><br />
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<i><b>No. 3... Kareena's Ghar ki Kahani</b></i><br />
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Yes, Kareena and Saif (without speaking a word) grab the attention yet again. And they capture every Indian woman & man’s heart with the close-to-reality piece (Ghar ki Kahani) they do for Airtel Digital TV. Saif excels as the speechless husband who checks out his wedding ring when Kareena in a signature monotone says, "Ye shaadiyaan hoti hee kyun hain?". And the oh-so-cliché resemblance of Kareena to the leading actress is just fabulous. No matter how novel the service might be, this ad is definitely something to look out for. At least this one is much better than Abhishek chasing Aishwarya for a bath soap or the near-sleazy Abraham-Biapsha ad for an anti-dandruff shampoo, where these celebrities make a vain attempt to resemble real life mortals.<br />
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<i><b>No.2... The tribal triumph of Sprite</b></i><br />
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The oftrepeated cliché "modern-kid-meets-tribal-chief-in-Africa" theme... yet, this blithe ad brings that required smile to your lips. The message definitely "Clear hai". This ad always features the one smart (Sprite-consuming) dude & the other moronic-showoff who believes he can impress just anyone on the planet with his infinite wit. The best part is the dance the latter performs to impress the chief with words like "Kilimanjaro...Bow n Arrow"..which of course fall flat on the chief's head (quite literally). Well, one gulp of Sprite & Mr. Dzigunobodebo (or whatever the chief's name) is totally impressed!!! Hatz off...<br />
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<i><b>No. 1...Zooozoos still conquer</b></i><br />
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Though not so hot now, Zoozoos still claim a top space in the heart of all ardent ad fans. They have taken a bolder step to capture the moon space now. Be the isolation on the moon saga, dueling the moonlings or yelling their happy messages upto the moon...these kiddos have just made an astronomical entry onto this satellite. Still fresh on telly are the human canon zoozoo that reminds you to get rid of that boring job; the art of living alerts that make you positively buoyant; the zoozoo who's glued to TV while he's being totally burgled ; the star of the match zoozoo with that magical background score or the "joke of the month" zoozoo gaffing away to glory on a cauldron of cannibal fire. They are funny, innovative, touching, unique and most importantly, they aptly convey what they want.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-25519289654648905792010-09-03T19:21:00.003+05:302010-09-06T10:55:11.375+05:30Living that dream...That stupid grin barely leaves my face. My mail box is flooded. I've been typing faster than I've done in the past five years. My rarely used <a href="http://www.facebook.com/swati.swayamprava">Facebook profile</a> is alive and buzzing since the past few days. I've another score of people following me on <a href="https://twitter.com/SSwati">Twitter</a> and I’ve made new friends who've helped me connect to several others. Before you brand me as the typical smug next door, I will quickly explain. <br />
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I was a Radio Jockey (rather Music Jockey or MJ) for an hour on a popular <a href="http://www.radioone.in/">Radio channel</a>. I actually got to speak like a real jock (had been practicing it since ages) for what…10 minutes on my own!!! <br />
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I realized a childhood dream. Only for some moments but there it is. An actual dream coming true! This was my first one (among a few other lofty ones, which are still incubating) and it made me euphoric, ecstatic, exhilarated and all other synonyms of elated... naturally. Happens to a lot of people maybe, but it was a BIG thing for me. Not the end of the road but the foundation of that one path, I'd wanted to walk down all my life.<br />
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I co-hosted a show on radio…but the important thing is that I HOSTED. It wasn’t even prime time and someone else walked away with the popularity votes (and the goodies). Most of my close friends (whom I’d practically made to listen on gunpoint) and colleagues were the audience. My family was proud of me. My moment of fame came and went. But I got back something very precious that I’d lost somewhere down the path. Love.<br />
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No no no no no…before you guys assume that I bumped into an ex on the way to the studio, I’ll clarify. I’d forgotten to love myself and what I’m capable of, long ago. Confidence was there yes, but that love was definitely missing. I’d read somewhere that a lot of things change when you love yourself. I never believed in that. <br />
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The fact that I’ve been doing a lot of positive things since that day is proof enough, I guess. I’ve started exercising in earnest, am back on my diet (err…the results maynot be very evident now), do my voice training daily, have finished a much neglected book, finally hosted that long pending dinner, tried out new recipes, writing my blog regularly, stopped neglecting my MBA project…. Will complete that list in my diary (yes I’ve become regular at that one too)! I’m a little amazed (not smug) at myself, really.<br />
Now coming to why I’m making you read all this? It is a thought that I wanted to implant within you. Something to mull over. <br />
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Do you also believe that one small thing can turn your world around? Can making one tiny dream come true transform you into a different person…a person who is easily capable of achieving all other dreams much more easily than before?<br />
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When was the last time one of your dreams bore fruit? When you actually felt that delicious déjàvu in a fully awake condition? And what did you do afterwards… Did one dream lead to another one and you are where your dreams have wanted you to come? Did you let that euphoria take control and head towards fulfilling your next big dream or did you let it pass by hosting that loud party and forgot all about the rest? Or is that dream still lurking somewhere in your subconscious, impatient to see the face of the world....Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4619947250483300735.post-33929957892046879382010-08-20T14:33:00.006+05:302010-10-18T13:35:48.524+05:30Enthusiastic Online MarketingYou own a startup with top-notch service capabilities for catering to customers the world over. But you cannot help your location. What would you do? Would you stick to serving just a small restricted customer base by advertising in the local classifieds or get bold enough and spend a fortune for advertising your services to the world in all possible media? The answer is neither. Now you don’t need to even hire a veteran marketer or be an expert at designing marketing strategies for achieving your goal. You just need an internet connection, know your way around the right websites, seize the correct opportunities, aggressively follow the current marketing trends and there you are! <br />
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Organizations around the globe are evolving rapidly and embracing distinctive and innovative new methods to promote themselves and amplify their global presence- through the World Wide Web. With online marketing already being established as the most preferred medium of reaching out to clients & customers all over the world, the inhabitants of the IT capital of India are close on their heels too…<br />
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So what happens when a group of gutsy young professionals come together with the sole purpose of uniting the brains of all talented online marketers of Bangalore? A bang! Just this time around it is called <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2814469&trk=anet_ug_grppro">OMEBang</a>…<br />
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OMEBang or <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2814469&trk=anet_ug_grppro">Online Marketing Enthusiasts Bangalore</a>- the brave young association that is the result of the untiring efforts of experts <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=6862166&authToken=HUNk&authType=name&goback=%2Eanb_2814469_*2">Suresh Babu</a>, <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=42036199&authToken=OADE&authType=name&goback=%2Eanb_2814469_*2">Shiva Purohith</a> and their team. Since its inception March-April 2010, OMEBang has essentially been an open invitation, a free platform for all the enthusiastic marketers, who are involved with or interested in the online marketing arena. Starting out with a fistful of members, interacting closely in an informal atmosphere, OMEBang now boasts of a 200 plus community who meet every month to discuss the latest trends in online marketing. They aptly call themselves “a community of Passionate Online Marketing Enthusiasts who get together to share and learn from the Online Marketing Experts in Bangalore”. <br />
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Specialists from areas like SEO, PPC, Affiliate and Social Media, Web Analytics, Email Marketing and several other topics pertaining to online marketing, have been invited to grace the occasion, so far. The discussions are further enriched with participants providing the intricacies, technicalities and strategies followed as live industrial best practices. Everyone can speak, be heard, suggest and be advised with respect to their queries and areas of interest. It is an immense learning experience for every attendee.<br />
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I attended the fourth OMEBang meet during July last month. The topic this time was web / digital media analytics. The presentation by <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/personalchefsuresh/omebang-july-meetup-online-marketing-enthusiast-bangaloredigital-media-analytics">Chaitanya Kumar Pasupuleti</a> was sprinkled with profuse knowledge sharing between all members, be it experts or amateurs. Facts regarding what analytics is all about, why and how should analytics be applied, types and details of analytics being used in the industry, details of the different software-their pros & cons, how analytics affect the marketing efforts, how analytics can be applied on the personal blog to evaluate traffic rankings etc. etc. <br />
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As I regularly work on our corporate website to track visitors of email and other marketing campaigns, much of what was said was immensely helpful. Needless to say, I picked countless new tips that I have already applied to my daily analytics monitoring schedule. Apart from the above, I met several other fellow marketers and online marketing experts who were as enthusiastic as me in participating in this event. The camaraderie was infectious as all professionals let their hair down and enjoyed a weekend evening…sharing, learning, networking and of course having tons of fun..[<a href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001182106404&v=wall&story_fbid=121472114568858#%21/photo.php?pid=5925969&fbid=448363651797&op=1&o=global&view=global&subj=1818041004&id=537756797">Photos</a>]<br />
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I’m eagerly looking forward to the next OMEBang meet which is on Saturday, the 21st of August, 2010 which is going to be all about Social Media, predominantly FaceBook as a tool for online marketing. Mr. <a href="http://ideasmaverick.com/">Preetham Venkky</a>, Chief Catalyst at Catalyst Labs - a Bangalore based technology media company, who is a technology evangelist for <a href="http://www.apple.com/in/">Apple in India</a> and an authority at using <a href="http://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2F&ei=y0FuTJf0FImouAPSq6xB&usg=AFQjCNEO69xqmGBKEzvxFVM6hYomeXRGaQ&sig2=5vOx-z5_GmU66uJnw9Y40w">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2F&ei=7EFuTJ-qO4yovQOTha1B&usg=AFQjCNHTTNi-O4Qgrg6kvGVfKJuRqbuOKw&sig2=J2B-g1qBmsh3QmxwOtrjsg">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBsQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2F&ei=OURuTOHTMY6ovQP6pLFB&usg=AFQjCNGtuKMeVR37NNiwY2Wzx84OC6O88w&sig2=N4RaK4MUO780pD4LZZwEfA">LinkedIn</a>, Blogs, Wikis etc.- for marketing will be the chief speaker this time around.<br />
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If you are also interested to attend this event, please visit: <a href="http://omebang.eventbrite.com/">http://omebang.eventbrite.com</a> to register and know more about this event or visit the <a href="http://searchenginedetails.us1.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=b86849785b4d6dbdc9581b394&id=3bc5fdcba7&e=8aa23b980c">Online Marketing Enthusiast LinkedIn Group</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07376092723846982808noreply@blogger.com8