No Substitute for Hard Work

We know this thing don’t we? We have been taught this always. Isn’t it? Right from the time we started to walk. We learnt it the hard way. Fell and realized that it’s hard to walk. But we walked.

Every person that you come across conveys this to you in some way or the other. But it takes a realization of the bitter kind before we understand the weight in these words. It was my turn this time. I am not ignorant towards things, but maybe it took me time to realize this. It’s been a week that my results for the 7^th semester came out and I have felt bad for them ever since they were out. Have been trying to write this post but have not been able to.

My results were not so bad that I have to sulk over them so much. I managed a FCD, but was not satisfied. And I am still not. All my competitors scored better than me, there were a few surprises too. Congratulations to them. But when or where did I fall out of the competition. I had been going on and on blaming many things for this kind of performance, before someone told me “There is NO SUBSITUTE FOR HARD WORK“.

It made me think. And it’s very right. I am a very hardworking person and I believe in it. Have been earning everything that I have, ever since I was out of school. Whether it was joining a Courier Company the evening that my 12th standard exams concluded. Or joining Insurance Company on my 18th birthday for a 9 to 5, 15 day training. (How much I dreaded it that day. Was mad at dad for having sent me on my birthday) But it did not take time before I realized that they were critical for me. I am very happy for having done those jobs. When it came to academics as well I (maybe) took a holiday in the first two semesters as I had slogged for my 12th. A wrong choice. There is never any time to relax. I tightened my seat belts and again was studying as placements were coming up and most important of all-I hate being left behind. I had to catch up and I had to do it quick. I knew I was capable and I deserved more than where I stood. It was time, and my hard work paid off and I did very well in my 4th semester (topped that semester and everyone was so happy about it). Unknowing the relaxation kicked in and I am writing this post as a result of it. If we have to succeed in life we have to keep going on. Road blocks are plenty. But we have to find a way to work around them.Find a way to do things or make a new one.

I did not work hard enough and hence I find myself in this situation. It is a very competitive world out there and for those who belong to the IT industry the competition is that bit more intense. You relax or don’t work hard enough; it won’t be too long before you will be asked to pack your bags and leave. There is nothing that can beat hard work is my belief. It pays. Some day or the other. Efforts are what we lack and I have learnt that it does not take too much to make the efforts. I have no regrets any more as there is no point in sulking or cribbing. What’s done is the past and what’s smiling at me is the future. And I would not like to disappoint my future. There is surely no substitute to hard work and I need to keep going on if I have to achieve all that I have dreamt of and to fulfill the expectations of all those who are looking forward to my progress.

RESTART

It’s been a long time since I wrote a blog and feel bad for not having done that. So here I restart.  

I thought of a few things that I would write among the flash backs of the last three months of my absence from my page.  

• I have not made any New Year resolutions. They never seem to work.
• I have picked up this enjoyable but dangerous habit of watching a lot of
  Hollywood movies. Liking turning into a habit!!!! Dangerous!
• The craze for Cricket or EPL is somehow not present.
• Chinese Cuisines have become an obvious choice. ( that means Pizza’s out).
• Have got a copy of Windows VISTA now. Installed it today. WOW is here.
• I am participating in the Imagine Cup this year with three of my mates.
• We are through the first round of Imagine Cup and facing the second round of submissions coming 25^th of March.

Childrens Day !!!

14th November was always so special. It is celebrated as children’s day. Birthday of “Nehru Chacha ”

The preparation would begin days or sometimes weeks ago. Waiting Anxiously for the day to come when we get to wear civil ( or to say color ) dress to school. Competitions being organized in the school. I remember participating in every one of them when I was in hostel. Remember dressing up for this day ( fancy competition was something that i would never miss ) and buying roses for the statue of Pundit Jawahar Lal Nehru.

The day has come to an end today and I did not feel even once that it was a special day. Not because I am in a graduate school now and it is not celebrated here but also because of the fact that while on my way back home I saw the day being a routine one at the schools. It has just reduced to a speech in the morning assembly ( maybe ). Will a day come when it will be totally forgotten.

One of our professors did wish us though   

When I asked my cousin who is still in school“ Today was Children’s day right ? What happened at school ?“He replies in a very straight tone “ Kuch nahi Bhaiya “ ( meaning nothing brother ).

I guess that’s the case with most of  the days of prominent stature. Be it Republic day , independence day … or any other day. They have just become one more day for young girls and boys to take a leave on and do nothing at all.

And for the other age groups….  ????? 

Acad Devcon Bangalore – 11/11/06

I know I had to make this post on that date but due to some inevitable reasons could not. So here it goes. Shall keep it very short.

Awesome : WINDOWS VISTA looks and feels great to work upon. I am surely going to use it. I am surely going to use it. Got a few copies for the user group but I shall download my own and use one. Its truly awesome. 

 Great: Speakers . All of  them were masters at their topics            

•  Kevin : AJAX            
• Ajay : Windows Vista            
• Pandurang : Live tools

Good: The get together that we all had which has always been fun and the dinner.

Bad: Turnover. Very few people turned up for the event which was not a good feeling. Only around 500 out of about 1200 expected.

Forgettable : My address to the crowd about the group. Made a big blunder of it. Did not go as expected.  

Is an Injection painful ??

It had been a long time since i had to take an injection. This time round it was mouth ulcers that have gone so bad that i hardly had a choice. I have always in life preferred pills to injections. They are painful arent they ?

But i was brave this time round. I made a choice that i would have not done some time back. The doc. examines me and say’s

“What would you like? Injection or Pills “

Hmmm.

She being my family doctor for quite some time now, she knew my liking for pills when this choices were laid in front of me.

I asked  ” Which will work faster ? “

She said ” injections will “

i said ” I am ready doctor. Bring it on “

She had said twice by now that i will write the pills that u need to take. But was quite surprised when i interrupted her and said “injection”.

She fills it up with medicine. And asks me lie down on the bed for she wanted to administer it on the hip. I chose my arm instead. The right arm.

Would i have done the same, sometime back ? I deny .  Because i remember lying down face down on the bed closing my eyes tight and hoping that it was all over quickly. 

I was brave this time.

I said “can i take it on the arm “, “Thats your wish” She replied.

I kept looking at the syringe as it went inside my arm. About an inch or so.

No Pain. Why have i been scared all these days. It does not hurt.

Then the medicine goes in.

Still no pain. Hugh!!!!

I stand there rubbing my arm so that the medicine spreads and about 2-3 minutes later.There it comes. It Pains.

I was brave this time round and faced it. I dont mind confessing that i have been afraid of injections or for that matter any medical procedures. But i guess i have shed one of it. If one has a fear, the best remedy to throw it out is to face it and be brave.

Given another choice for an injection again. What will i do ?

bring it on

My First Session @ BDNS

The day of my debut at Bangalore .NET Student User Group was here, ” ADO.NET” i named it after a long discussion with Sharath.

With a fair share of anxiety and the thought of having everything in place, also hoping that nothing goes wrong, i was all set to sleep early to be fresh the next day.

I slept finally at 2.30 last night, after having mailed Sharath my ppt and demos for i was using his laptop.( Preparation for the session were completed and i was satisfied that i was in a position to deliver a good session ). He could not see if they would work on his machine but i was confident that they would and was rest assured on that front.

Had put my alarm for 6:00 am and slept to get up early and finish the last few finer things that i had to remember.

’stay calm and cool’

‘its my first one but there is no room to make a fool of myself’

‘have to put up a good impression for myself and come out satisfied that i had delivered a good session’

But as the case with me always……….. i switched off the alarm in the morning when it went off and happily slept again to be woken up by dad saying a lot of things but the words that caught my ears were ‘U had a “SESSION” to deliver at microsoft today right ? it was that word that was the rightful alarm to me.

There it was ……… i had overslept ( arghh!!!! )………. it was 8:15 when i woke up and had time enough only to get ready and get going.

Reached MS-GTSC at 10.30.The office is situated at the Embassy Golf Link Park with a visitor parking outside the premises of the building. After looking through the registrations page on the UG, i knew that very few people were coming in and that was a disturbing factor. I have been a proud member of this group for two years now and seen the turn oevrs at the UG meets. Today looked to be a bad day considering the attendence, which the empty parking lot confirmed.

‘they might have parked somewhere inside’

though i was sure that it was here that one could park his vehicle. But i still hoped….. hoped.

As i was walking down the hallway that led to Krishna Hall , i was confident, for my preparation was good and i knew i was in a position to even take up questions ( maybe it was also by the fact that i had a few good backups in the balcony at the krishna hall seated who would always help me out ).

I had spent quite some time seating myself in the audience position and thinking of the different kind of questions that one could ask me ( had been online for 3 days now, just reading blogs related to the ADO.NET stuff ………. at the cost of missing my everyday dose of reading other blogs and digging the net ) Learnt quite a lot of new and interesting things in the process.

I opened the doors of Krishna Hall and walked in, to find it empty!!!! I saw Manoj surrounded only by the champs ( i like this term rather than partners !!!! ) and ony one or two non-champ , non-speaker attendees.

‘CHE !!!!’

Manoj’s session began and i sat there to listen to it, with a background process in my head saying “Presentation !!!! Demos !!!! Last few things !!!!”…….. Picked up Sharaths laptop and began to work on the demos. We were able to run it perfectly well . ‘Finally!!!’

I was getting myself prepared for the whole thing mentally……. what if it was small crowd??? I need to do justice to the people who turned up and put up a good show.

Began my session after a *long* Manoj’s session with the clock saying 12:30.

I have till date not been able to understand what goes wrong everytime I introduce myself !! Maybe thats the way the i shed my fears !!!!

Wanted to talk about *Proud Member* ……….. forgot !!!! But remembed to say that this was a demanded session and we were happy to present it.

I seriously dont know what i actually spoke after that. But after the initial hick-up’s I was building up in confidence and trying to think whether it was going in the right direction…….. It was hard to think anything in that time !!! i mean anything !!! Pages and pages of data that i had gone through were making visits into my memory and i tried to extract only those that i thought would keep it simple and i would be in a better position to explain.

The crowd was very good to me. No one asked anything !!! No one said anything !!! I kept going like a bullet train and no one stopped me !!!

‘do all of them know it all ‘

‘am i making sense ??’

‘are my explainations in sequence …… are the things in place’

I think i did well in the end. Was not entirely satisfied with it for i knew that i had the potential to do better.Something in me had just taken me over as it always happens when i am enthu about something and i love to share it .It was ADO.NET this time. Wanted to speak so much more and show so much more of the technology, but there were the self imposed constarints that i had to work in.

I was happy i had done it. But as i stepped down from the dias, I knew my areas of improvement and i shall work on them.

We then had a chat with Manoj for sometime…….. Computer Science Enginnering …….. books one *must* have as a CS Engineer…….. things one *must* know and also the kind of *organisation* one must prefer to join.

“Not the ADD , UPDATE , DELETE companies “, he said

“Bobby-da-Dhaba” was next on the list and we had a nice lunch.

Barista …… Bhaskar ……..Bharathi were next. Congrats to the both of u I am very happy for u

Even after Bhaskar left for Hyderabad, me, Sunil, Sharath, Shreenath, Nirmal and a for a short while Sabrish sat there for quite some time. Nice time spent there. Did not get to know when it was 8:00 when we decided to leave.

It was a good day all in all. I shall remember this day in my life always for multiple reasons.

Under Wear World !!!

It was a rainy day today in Bangalore and i was going to the Microsoft’s Office with Jay. It was really cold for we were drenched in the rain and I was shivering just hoping the rain would stop. Water slowly making all our garments wet and the wind picking up, it was getting tough to ride the bike. Riding against the rain with no helmet is really tough. Every single drop of water feels like a needle pricking into ones face.

In the middle of all of this while crossing Bangalore Central we saw a mobile van carrying a advertisement signage board that read

“UNDER WEAR WORLD “

The first branded under garments super market in india .

And we could not control our laughter reading it. Feeling cold and shivering with it and at the same time laughing and controlling the bike in dense traffic was tough but it was funny.

This is one “SUPER MARKET” category that was seriously missing in the list and here it was !!!! and what a name to give it. Nice choice of name for the store.

Great job guys whosoever owns this one. Wish u all the best . Ur Ad gave us atleast a few minutes of laughter.

Student Partner’s Meet

After a lot of confusion of ” to go or not to go ” i finally made it to Microsoft IDC @ Hyderabad for the SPM 2006. Once i did decide to go there was no mode of transport available for me to do so. Thanks to Laxmi that i got to go in her place.

It was a 3 day meet of All India Microsoft Student Partners and it was fun to have met all the guys there. IDC was as tempting as ever a place to be.

The travel was by a KSRTC Volvo and we left on the 29th Sep at 19:30 amidst a lot of thought process in the head. The PTHUA !!! ( Or is it APTHUA!! ) gang had united again and it has always been fun to be around these guys. Sunil , Sharath , Ghana , Sabarish .

Had dinner in Chikkaballapur that night and then the journey to Hyd continued with a lot of laughter and planning for a so called ” Mad Ad” that we planned to present for the ice breaking .

Prateek ( Yellow ) Ghana ( Pink ) Sab ( Green ) Abhinav ( Jacket and white T’ Shirt) and me having dinner on the way to Hyd.

Day One : 30th Sep

We reached the Mahatma Gandhi bus station at 06:45 and three cabs were waiting to take us to the hotel room. We were slpit up into three different Guest Houses and that was something that was annoying. We could not get a chance to lay our hands on Gaurav was the first among the thoughts . After having Checked In ( If thats the term ), we took a shower and had breakfast and left to IDC.

I was walking down the hallway the second time round after having visited the IDC while on the Bandwagon back in Feb, but it was the same feeling of being there.

This is the BDOTNETStudent Family outside the IDC.

Inside IDC

Once we were inside IDC, plans were on for the ice breaking thing. We had done nothing on that front apart from a few crude ideas that were put down in Sunil’s Diary while at the Expressions Seminar @ Capitol Bangalore.

Got a room for ourselves and the plannings were on, working like secret agents on a high profile project. Entry into the discussion was highly guarded by the right of being a passionate BDOTNETStudent Member. I am yet to recieve comments as to how it all went and what the others thought about it .

We almost fooled everyone that what we were presenting was a technical session on REMOTING in .NET by Sunil. The joke on ” BAD SECTOR ” really clicked and we had a few guys laughing at it. All in all it was nice fun with me playing two roles here and there.

Had lunch and really missed my food partner in Jaddu and i had a few bandwagon guys asking me everytime i went to have food ” where is your food partner ? “. But Jaddu busy with Embedded Sessions was coming in only by 2nd.

Later that afternoon was about briefing as to what the program was all about and senior champs in Shreenath, Garima and our very own Bhaskar Mitra speaking. Met Bhaskar after a break and it was nice to be meeting him as ever.

Evening was spent in playing basketball in the dark which we won. Playing basket ball in the dark was fun. Shooting in the dark and Sunil with a 3 pointer from no where . ( Did u really aim it ??? )

Well what happened in just 5 min after an hours exhausting basket ball was more tiring than those 60 mins put together.Birthday Kicks to Reza !!!! It was tough to lift him in the first place and then to hold him in the air was yet another task. Had to use my shoulder to keep him in the air. I guess this was long pending from the Bandwagon days.

Had dinner and went back to the guest house late in the night at 00:30. Watched a movie and slept.

Day Two : 1st Oct

Woke up by 07:30 ( we had to be there @ IDC by 07:00). It took all of us 10:30 to leave our rooms. Today in Live T’Shirts. It was day for sessions by Pratibha, Kevin, Hardik and an interaction by Aswani with Tejas doing something here and there . Today it was the turn of Hardik to get the Birthday Treatments which the Pune guys were so enthu about doing and we always have been ready for such endeavors.

We tried to spend our time on the Soccer Field , but the Footballer of Century – Nirmal kicked the ball out of the playing area into the adjacent ISB campus and had to do a lot of running aroung to get the back the ball. He was not able to get it back and the play was suspended for an indefinite period and Nirmal was awarded a Red card for life and asked to stay out of Soccer Fields.

It was a kind of a boring day but for the Award Ceremony that happened late in the evening and a “Disco” and ” Dandya Night ” .

• Bangalore won the best Technical UG Award
• Nirmal – Best Champ Bangalore
• Sunil & Sharath – Best Ambassadors ( Developers )

And me ??? I was on the COMMUNITY BANDWAGON and here are the travellers .

Thats me in the white T’Shirt

Then came Dinner . Where were u Jaddu ????

Here is another pic. Me and Reza having dinner . Thanks to Sharath for the photo. Nice foto Sharath

After that i left with Bhaskar and Kunal to Bhaskar’s Apartment where i met his parents. He has a big 3 bedroom flat whose description goes like this …. All windows have new curtains . Newly bought. Thanks to mom dad , not Bhaskar’s effort at all . Two of the bedrooms totally empty. I mean totally empty. The thrid one has three items

• A few carton boxes
• A new double cot
• A foto frame :)

The only other things in the house is typical to Bhaskar’s taste. His comp , A white board, and lot of shoes.

Then we went to our guest house where the Booze gang was on a roll ( names not to mention for obvi reasons ). Mixing Maaza with whisky ( or whatever that was ) !!!!!!

Was too sleepy and fell asleep as soon i went to bed and did not even know when Bhaskar left.

Day 3 : 2nd Oct

We did not go to IDC today. Thought of going around the city. Was not feeling well when we left , but as the day went along i felt better. We thought was watching a movie at IMAX but could not get a suitable show and hence quit the idea and went hunting for ” DUDES” in that mall who could help us reach Freeway9 – Karting @ Hyd.( Longest Kart Circuit of the county with a length of 712mts.)

Me and Sharath found two guys who gave us the address to that place. We had somemore time and also wanted to wait for Shreenath so we took a walk by the sides of Hussain Sagar Lake. Once Shreenath came we left to Kompally – Freeway9.

I had never been in a kart before this and had an exitement filled with fear to kart. I thought not to get into one but after a lot of checks ( does it topple over ?? does it hurt if we crash ??? and many more ) I took a ticket. Was afraid when the kart first took off. But as the track went along so did my fears shed away and it was a great experience. One that i shall remember forever. I was so happy and exited having karted that i wanted to go 4 more laps , but the rain gods came into action and i did not get the second shot. The Bangalore Circuit as i have heard is much better and i shall try and go there sometime soon.

This is the foto after i had finished the 4 laps.

Then we had lunch @ Paradise ( it was not as what i had heard of the place). We then went to IMAX to watch a movie but could not get a suitable show again. We went around the mall for sometime , played some video games with Sharath ( yes the ones that kiddos play) and then planned to leave to IDC when Sab called and said he would be there in 20min. He did not come for the next 45min and we left, leaving him behind :) .

@IDC i checked my mail for a while and then we left to play Table Tennis. That was a good experience as well. Me and Sab teamed up to beat Reza and Sharath 2 games to 1. All L boards at work.

I was supposed to go by the 19:00 bus, but then due to change of plans took the 22:30 bus with Sunil, Sharath, Sabarish & Shreenath ( All S ). We woke up at 03:30 to find the bus having stopped in the middle of nowhere to learn that the 20:30 KSRTC Volvo bus had crashed on a curve. No Casualties. One Coimbatore champ was on this bus. He got away with a thumb injury. Others were sent to the hospital and those who were fine were picked by our and the 21:15 bus.

Reached Bangalore on the 3rd Oct @ 08:30. Over slept and got down at Mekhri Circle.

This was three days of SPM. Did i miss anything. I think i have .

How can i forget Ajay. Yes, Apna Ajay!!!!

Here goes his story. A guy on public demand always. All his PJ’s work somehow :) Calls himself the Logistic … ( dont remember his whole title ) Manager of the Microsoft Community. Also he thinks he is the Punching Bag. Any one has any complaints – Ajay is there to listen to them all and say sorry …. sorry …. sorry !!!!!

All this on the lighter note, but seriously this guy by the look itself , needs a lotta sleep. Ajay !! great job buddy . Nice to have u around . Want a pic ?? Here it goes

Ajay in Hip-Hop style addressing the Champs.

and here is Ajay in Rajni style …… what this foto is all about ??? Ask Ajay or Sharath