35 yrs on still missing Karen! memory lingers!!!

4th February 1983,Karen Carpenter passed away at very young age of 32. I still recollect the moment I heard the news during my college days at Madurai! Karen died due to a condition less known that time, now very very common in woman(!!) of eating disorder!!

Along with her brother,Richard, she dished out so many songs which still feel fresh. I am told she was a great drummer too!!!Growing up listening to Carpenters music (more so those days in 70s, 80s u had only radio stations to listen, may be an hour at most/day) the impact she left behind is phenomenal. I am sure her music would be around,come 2117 AD!!!. I still miss her soul touching music and I wonder how much great musical magic she would have delivered but for god's other plans!!! 

All her songs are treat for me! but still my best picks not in any order of her Baker's Half Dozen!!!!

1) Jambalaya ( If I got to pick only1,then this)
2) Calling occupants of interplanetary craft.
3) Please Mr Postman (I recollect my days 1990 waiting for that stimulating mail from Lalitha during courtship days, ahhahah) 
4) Top of the world (Class apart)
5) Good bye to love (Endnote is so awesome)
6) Only Yesterday 
7) I wont last a day without you!! (hahahhaha)


Thanks to my Classmate PK Sridhar who introduced her music to me 1978!!! 

Karthik
4th FEB 2017 1100 Hrs. 

Ready made Roti!! Sleep!!!Obama-Bin-Biden!!!

With Laltiha away and as a person who loves cooking( another matter she doesnt allow me to try out /help her hahahha) I tried some new dish last night. This website Vachef  I found awesome and simple way to work through. I worked the Sweet Potato curry and Tomato Dal Fry Rajastan Gujju style. Came out very well and children (25,22 if can be called kids) loved it! As Roti making is not my virtue, never attempted one! I am sure, I would be hopeless and as like American drivers who never ask for directions, I explored super market Hypercity near home and found KAWAN ROTI /Paratha awesome. The job of heating up the roti delegated to Son at 2000 Hrs who did a super job. Daughter did great help / favour eating them coming from work 2200 Hrs. (Cant blame her can I after a long long drawl day!!)

As much as food is essential as is sleep! so much is being discussed these days! I recollect reading decade back HBR Article managing energy not time in which Sleep is critical to to energetic positive day. I also watched Ariana Huffington video on her book Sleeping Revolution. I don't disagree with her in her prediction that companies would soon have a Sleeping POD for people to nap/refresh just like today they have conference rooms. Sleep many people misjudge! (I too was once a proponent for Sleep when you die, not any more!!) 

I stumbled on once again on UBL tapes a documentary by BBC on my podcast!! It was intriguing to hear he preaching the Gandhian way of Boycott and social chaos as ways to work against Infedels as late as late 1980s! I am to assume the boots landing on Saudi Arabia by west made him take violence! It is also fascinating to hear Osama indicating Shia, Kurds, Communists, atheists posed far far danger to Sunni Islam than West or others! I have an sneeky suscipion/ feeling that Ayman-Al-Zawahri played a very very key part in guiding him to extreme views as the book explains!!

When you talk Osama on a serious note you have to take on a hearty laughter note term coined on election night 2008 November, Obama-Bin-Biden. What a combination they were! U may not like both as Republican, but together they formed one of the best example of team work complementing each other!! Joe Biden was to sell his house for son's cancer treatment, but Obama persuaded him not to do so! That is what is friendship and that's what friends are for as Diane Warwick sang 1980s!!!

See you, Have a great day. Cooking awaits and big arguement ongoing for going out for dinner with daughter, I never like hotel food, I am tiered 15 years outside eating practically every working day!!! 

Karthik.
4th FEB 2017.

31 years, 80 Years, 6 Years!!! TRUMP!!!!

This week marks completion of 31 years of my career. I started packing my bags for #ANKLESHWAR the day space shuttle Challenger exploded in air and setting back USA Space program by years!!(despite another setback thro #Columbia in 2003)While my career had no such hickups. It was great ride 1986-2012 with great people, great team, great organisations, before I felt enough is enough with corporate career, with me feeling I am going no where, in II half of 2012 in my last assignment that began April 2012!! While the next 5 years through my ESH consulting has been tough ride with safety, health still not a great value proposition in Indian entities, I plan to hang out as the saying goes"The Going gets tough, the tough gets going"!!!! 

Today (3rd Feb) is the beginning of 80th Year for Lalitha's father Mr K Sundarraman!! (hahahhahha!! My Father in(out) Law) I have immense respect for him. He took a courageous decision back in 1991,to give away his daughter to a person at #GUJARAT, the most dangerous place then on earth with violence,Hindu muslim riots a common occurrence as sunrise/sunset!! I am glad Lalitha and her elder sister Gauri made it to Trichy today for this simple event (81 planned in a grand manner). We are also planning my father's 80th year celebrations later in the year. Would keep details updated.

I am personally very happy with Aircell maxis verdict,while judgement is disappointing, I am glad it shows how poorly MODI government has prepared and worked in shobby way to prove criminal intent, the case is on for 6 years. Modi government worked on it for 3 years!!!  I keep saying, MODI is dumb egoistic person with "I, Me, Myself" egoistic attitude (Same as MGR) largely attributed to politicians from Gujarat! (remember Moraji Desai the stubborn guy,who is notorious for not listening to people with my way or the Highway)

Trump on other hand, going like bull in chinaware shop!! No one can blame him for not fulfilling his election promises!! Very clear action items, care a damm for what world would say,not a hint of respect for system that exist in place! very clear message to world!! "We have had enough, now we call shots"!!! If Modi had even 20% of this courage and did some of promises, I wont be cursing him with all such unprintable explicit in spite of voting for him in 2014! Not one promise done and going nowhere ! also Modi's team dumbest in Indian history with half ministers looking "PORUKKI" பிச்சைக்காரன் !!! 

Trump on the other hand has picked one of the best cabinet to support him in US modern history the best since in JFK in my view!!! Rex Tillerson, Mad Dog Mattis, Rick Perry, Dr Carlson are some of the best available and certainly wont nod head to Trump unlike our மூதேவி ! exactly the way the team should be!!!

His pick for USA Supreme court nominee too just awesome! I don't think any one could have fitted better void left by Late Justice Antonin Scalia, than Justice,Neil Gorsuch,a conservative judge. Trump might get to pick 2 more judges!! Let's see!!!  Trump is on right track to do what he set to do! As I told my son, How world reacts, how America shapes up it is all up to people, U cant blame TRUMP come 2021!!!! ahahaha!!!! 

                                                                                 Take care, have a good day
Karthik
3/2/2017 0900hrs!!! 

Back to BLOGGING!!

After 5 years of Lull, I have decided to be back in BLOGGING!! I think this is the best forum to express my thoughts. I find Twitter Abusive with bunch of Idiots with GOOJA JAALRA as we call in TAMIL (Nodding heads) ! Facebook too, politically correct world!!!

Looking forward to interactions here and I would start my posts from today !! Stay Tuned!!! 

God Bless!!

Karthik
2/2/17 !!! 

PARAMACHARYA Photo Karaikudi......

PARAMACHARYA PHOTO(LEFT) Live size at our home KARAIKUDI. 

I was talking to my classmate at college, settled in NJ last evening and we were discussing about how parents are stuck to home town and don't want to move. I was sharing my experience of my Mother not wanting to move with us for the simple reason to light lamp on the sage of Kanchi photo, installed 30 years back. The beauty was that the painting was done for my uncle, who couldn't find a place to fit it in his rented apt. He passed it to his brother (My father) and it arrived at Karaikudi during Shankara Jayanthi time May 1982. Also the person who painted the picture is a non Hindu and who had never seen Paramacharya in person...... Also the frame shop at Karaikudi was owned and by another person from the same community and didn't take a  Rupee for this. The photo used to adorn all Paramacharya birthday celebrations venue till a permanent Shankar mutt was built at Karaikudi.

Shirdi visit.... High/ Lowlights

The family undertook the Shirdi trip last week. We missed the trip in 2010 as the train from Agra to Kopargaon was delayed by more than 24 hrs. In the scorching May Summer/ Holiday season we had no option but to return home from Delhi. So this visit was after 2 years and a lot has changed (For worse in my view!!).


Facts:-
1) Be prepared for 31/2 to 4 Hrs to stand in queue. I am told it takes as much as 6 Hrs on festive season. Ours took 3 1/2 hrs with a 45 min stoppage time for evening Aarti when nothing moved!!.... (4 to 730pm)
2) Keep edible items, snacks, biscuits, juice etc to survive this agonizing wait(Baba himself says god can't be thought in empty stomach). Nothing is available once you stand in line except for water bottles. I am told in the morning time for some duration some food items are available with a crowd of 75,000 this would vanish in a blink of an eye.
3) If you are with child /infant ( I am shocked that Parents even attempt this !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)please keep enough milk, baby food items to last 4 hrs, It was pathetic to see kids screaming in hunger, parents and relatives were in such a situation that they couldn't do much.
4) Once you decide to stand in queue, it is practically impossible to retreat should you change your mind,there are no contact person etc to rescue in an emergency situation etc. Pathetic. The queue length accommodating  25,000 people can be imagined (Single file).  At no time you can contact any organisation interface to help you.
5) Mobile etc are confiscated if you take it in. So please leave it at Hotel room or lockers. It was pathetic sight to see folks taking picture and getting rapped on the knuckles.
6) Women can carry small handbags.
7) Passes/ VIP darshan too have become meaningless, even those lines are in 100s. I remember in my 2009 visit, the Rixa driver chiding me for VIP attempt, his logic is," the more you stand in Queue the more you think of god". Sound logic. This trip we seriously didn't attempt any!?.
8) Dwarkamai also there is restricted access to the sanctum Sanctorum, with every trip, I find the chance to have physical access to places where Baba lived and breathed is restricted to devotees. Be prepared for 1 Hr queue at Dwarkamai. Last time the pleasure of touching Baba's samadhi was taken away. So every year the man- divine contact is restricted.!!!
9) Security guards can be arrogant, nonsensical, and lack common sense (Of course the last trait is expected of them, else they will be our boss!!!) I saw case where a 100% Blind man was  denied entry in to main temple. So much for empathy, what can you expect from a govt controlled setup?? SHAME??
10) On the food side, try eating OLD SHARE PUNJAB restaurant located in the lane (100feet) opposite GATE 2.  
11) Travel to PUNE Airport by Road, takes 5 hrs on a normal traffic condition, anything less is impossible.The Pune Shirdi traffic is a SHAME story for how not to plan Highway layout. Authorities there, should visit, TamilNadu to see how every small town is by passed on highway!!..




12) If you are in Pune on transit for say 3 /4 hrs with no business, try Hotel Ibis near airport to meet/ spend time to relax. Good place. Food decent budget pricing!.




So In short, as I keep telling my FOREIGN friends, we do well in India, IN SPITE of our Government. It was pathetic to see the same extended to even worship god. We go there in spite all hardship!!... YES, the IDIOTIC brain will still want to visit SHIRDI in next 6 months and we will be going despite all the hardships, arrogant attitude of administration!! Such is life of an Indian, the common sense will never PREVAIL. !!!  I have told my wife in future to focus more to visit our temple in family ancestral town where even 1000 people wont visit in a year and there is a beautiful village surrounding/ river Thamirabharani to enjoy watching in full flow.


Let's see!! Will keep you updated if the next visit is done!!.... 


PS: Despite all this wife and children longed for one more darshan at Main temple (Samadhi Mandir) and I refused to join them saying it is madness!! They went ahead without me at next day morning 830am. Imagine my shock!! (I was at Prayer hall reading SAI CHATCHARITHA) that they finished darshan in 35 Min flat!!!! Hmmm Strange again are god's ways!!......

32 Years.....

On 30/12/11,Friday,Lalitha and I,traveled to my home town Karaikudi.This was for the school reunion (I passed out +2 in 1980). It was an exciting time, 6 hrs just flew. 30 classmates turned up. The introduction was exciting, some uncomfortable questions on (Mis)Deeds. I did the "Eulogy" of Departed Classmates and Teachers. 

Memento given on the occasion.

SUMMARY from Hindu Newspaper on our meet:-

The first batch of students (1978-80) of Alagappa Model Higher Secondary School, Karaikudi, met at the Alagappa University in Karaikudi on Friday after a gap of 32 years.

As many as 30 students out of 53 studied during that period were present with their parents, teachers and wards. Most of the teachers, who took classes during 1978-80, had come from different parts of the country.

The old students, along with their family members, received the teachers and presented mementoes to them.

The students donated furniture worth Rs.1.40 lakh and laboratory equipment worth Rs. 30,000 to their alma mater.

They were handed over to Headmaster S. Jeyaprakashan by Vice Chancellor S. Sudalaimuthu, the chief guest of the function.

K. Manimekalai, Registrar; Muthu Palaniappan, president, Chamber of Commerce; S. Kannappan of Lions Club; Muthu Kumar, secretary of Rotary Heritage Club, William Durairaj, former Headmaster; S. Kathirvel, former teacher; Arunachalam, Assistant Headmaster; V. Sundararaman, Kumar Muthiah and Krishnakumar spoke.

School teachers (Sitting) and Us.

PICTURE WORTH 1000 WORDS

LONG LIVE INDIA... SAD STATE Wonder anywhere else in the world is this TRUE????

IPAID COOL

NO WORDS THAT IS JOBS MAGIC Same for my family

Condolences

Steve Jobs was a visionary who changed the World through Technology. Will be missed for ever. Rest in Peace.

I can sense how the world felt when JFK passed away, the feeling is same after 48 Years.

 

As a Apple IPAD/IPHONE/ IPOD user over the past 5 years I have personally changed as a PERSON. The IPOD helps & motivates me to walk 150 Minutes a day (Rain or shine) listening to audio books/ podcasts. When Son Scored a perfect GPA of 10.0 in his school exam and when i gifted him the IPHONE the glee/ satisfaction in his face is still fresh though happened 16 Months back. This week will be the First Anniversary of my IPAD which has given me access to read 100s of ebooks / Apps which is unimaginable. (My book collection exceeds around 200, Yes wife shouts for all the easy $ gone on credit card Itunes...).

When I saw Steve's Stanford video,  it helped me to let go anger, revenge, condescending attitude for people whom I dislike as well as being less judgemental of people (For worse!!). Also it dawned on me to thank god for helping me to wake up every day.

My Condolence email below sent to Apple.

rememberingsteve@apple.com" cc date Thu, Oct 6, 2011 at 7:35 AM subject Condolences mailed-by gmail.com

hide details 7:35 AM (5 hours ago)

Steve will be remembered for his vision to make people life better thro technological innovation.

Also, his thoughts on living every day as last day of life gives perspective to put vengeance,hatred, procrastination away.. That is big take for me.

Apple will always be guided by his spirit.

His physical presence will be missed by all more so by his family. May god give courage to them to bear this loss.

Regards
Karthik

Ireland Visit

It was one of the rare trips where I have returned home feeling humbled, 17 years of travel such trips are far and few.....
Ireland was a magic touch.. People warm and friendly... Land blessed Green... Milk flows for free.... and I understand the self condescending nature JF Kennedy had came from. Jokes like why Mafia cant make it to Ireland because they would be out of their depth is common,or when a grumpy German would laugh, When some body says the Irish work harder then Germans..... Such conversations are rare!!!.....

Yes I had tweeted, there is lot of anger on economic aspects blaming Corporates (more so to the west) as those who sold their Soul to the DEVIL. (Some take away for me!!!!).

Yes, the economic depression has left it's mark.... Credit card acceptance big challenge... AMEX Impossible....

Great trip.. Some of snaps attached.

Yes, the USA leg helped me to catch up with a good friend, If god does miracles on people.. his case is one..... Glad I could meet him...
Take it easy and take care.... Live Consciously.
Karthik.

30000 Euro Grizzly Bear

Dunmore Port Promised the Irish Lady at Heathrow Hotel who did my beard trim for free I would visit.

Gaelic Name for Waterford.

Magher who fought British in 3 continents from Waterford, Gandhi did in 2.

Reginald Tower and Magher statue in front of Tower Hotel

People couldnt beleive that somebody wont drink beer in Waterford.... Got to explain !!!!

Will we ever get such Signs for parking in INDIA??????

Streets of Malleswaram, Govt. Interactions......

Hot Hot vegetable slices dipped in chickpea batter and fried. (Pakora, Bajji)

3 person team working on the process.

Street book shop on footpath at Mallleswaram (Second hand books).

GANGAMMA TEMPLE.

Saturday evening for me and my wife is the time to go around temple and do a bit of shopping in Malleswaram (5 to 730) Usually Saturday dinner is buy out/ take away from Hotels. So this week was no exception. We visit the Saibaba temple on Sampigae road and Mallikarjuna swamy temple and Gangamma Temple and then do the shopping before packing dinner.

While I avoid road side stall food/ eatables at any cost (Not a  good experience 25 years back in College hostel days at Coimbatore), the Pakora shop near Saibaba temple ( next to shantisagar hotel) is rarest odd exception I have made myself. They make hot, crisp stuff and hygiene is pretty decent.

The streets of Malleswaram are madly crowded for a Saturday evening, the bookshops(Photo above), the vegetable/ fruit vendor, etc... you name it, u will have a vendor for it........

Switching topic, I had done my Passport renewal as well as the UID (The 35Bn$ ambitious project by the GOVT of India, I am one of the skeptics for this project). The passport process took 7 Hrs due to various screening and finding every reason to push me out. The impression I got from my experience, the whole system is designed to work against common man; you need to be street smart to work a way out and calls for lot of argument. I just pity the common man who undergo this torture..... The UID process for the family was arranged by the bank where we have our account, the process took 25 min for the four of us. The waiting time was 2 hrs, the process is slow, there is time lag in web cam etc, the process involves finger printing, IRIS scan etc. It is a challenging task considering the size of people to be covered (1100 Million people)...

I came across DAN PINK's office hour Podcast (once a month dial in) caught up with 3 past podcast. Value for time spent. Also stumbled up on the ENDING THE GRIND Podcast on getting out of daily life routine to think a bit different.

Until next week, take it easy and take care and Live Consciously.
Karthik.

UK Visit July, Lists.....

VIEW OF T5 from Galleries Lounge.

Inside South Galleries LOUNGE T5 nice place to re energise after 11 hr flight.

TAXI  Manchester Inside

THAI Restaurant Wilmslow Manchester , Good place to eat.

LEGEND Memorabillia Shop (Another Legend!!!).

Being Manchester City and United competetion in everything.

Peice of History Trafford center.

TRAFFORD CENTER at dusk it was 2210 Hrs even natural light.... A mystery for people from Equator...

1 Lit HOT CHOCLATE.... Costa at Manchester Airport...!!!.....

Superb Architechture.

Self Instructive, A lot of confusion for pedestrian coming from different world areas!!!....

Link to CHILLI BANANA Wilmslow.

Unknown people in the pictures are captured unintentionally. No intention to intrude on their privacy.......

Movie Review( 11 hr flights force to you to watch some movies to kill time, cant go on reading and work Laptop.... can you!!!)

1) Limitless---- Ultimate Science Fiction.

2) The next 3 days----> Worth the watch.

3) The Adjustment Bureau -------> I liked the movie, for the first time I had paid attention to a female star, Emily Blunt, Outperforms Matt Damon.

4) Unknown-----> Interesting mystery, Liam Neeson at his best.

5) Just go with it-----> Some Comedy.

6)Company Men.... Reflects ground level reality of corporate downsizing during recession and how people cope and find solution. 
7) Lincoln Lawyer--- A movie I had seen without reading the book, got to get hold of a copy.

Fiction:-

1) One shot---->Reacher at his best. Cant believe that it is fiction. Yes, for that matter after 9/11 nothing is fiction, there is some real element/ intent gets coated with some imagination.

2) Avenger ----> Forsyth in elements, Yes, shades of Cobra can't help it.

3) The Deceiver----> Entire English MI 5 heroics.....McCready could be living somewhere in Devon green lands........

4)POWER PLAY----> Finder exposes the greed, fraud, dark alley of corporate greed/ governance........ A must read to know the evil/ dark side of Corporate leaders. Can see Enron, Worldcom happened.......

Non Fiction completed:-

1) Truth about Leadership ----> Kouzes... A must read for any body who is a Middle manager and wants to step up and stay there.

2) A whole new mind---DAN Pink shows why it is going to be all right brain wiring that is key. Abundance, Asia and Automation are pushers. Pink lists out 6 traits as enablers to get it. (Design, Story,Symphony, Empathy, Meaning,Play,

Amazed and appalled at people's ignorance on asking to do One on one,to be done once a month. It has to be weekly no question. (Once in 15 days; worst case) One on one is the key foundation of people management and a pillar. Get that right, with Feedback and Delegation (Coaching) you have the four part Triad of successful unsexy management to resolve issues. ( Thank you Manager tools!!).

Requesting all of you to have a look at "CRANKY MIDDLE MANAGER" Podcast. Wayne Turmel does a great job.  Nearing 300 episodes, (1 a week!). Please spread the word around. I am doing my small bit to help Wayne reach target of 30,000 downloads a month for his podcast.... He also runs online web presentations training thro Great web meeting.

Ok, Until next time, take it easy and take care; Live consciously and stay Healthy.


Karthik.