TGIF!

Thank God Its Friday,
Since work is not tightening its noose around me this week, wanted to try out something different. I assumed people are kind of getting in the weekend mood just like me and thought this might interest them for a while.

English words, all of them are,
some jumbled, tell me what they are.
( aahaa, kavithai, R antha anonymous naana kooda irukkalam. :)
EDIT:
If you want to try it yourself, I suggest do not look into the comments section at all.
All the answers are out in the comment section, will post the logic behind arriving at the answers soon!

Clues:
1. tent here to get connected to the world. (8)
2. an author's own, etchy trivia not on Hell.(10)
3. a girl wearing her pic with care.(7)
4. run away from, twice a bonded Nancy. (9)
5. Its a classic art Harry!, Thou Poetry (7)

Ippo rules:
1. Comments section la answer pannunga, and 2 mins thaan aachu nu sollatheenga, ( oru 1 hr aachu enaku prepare panna :)
2. Dont look at the comment section before attempting these.
3. Have fun!

EDIT: Probably, I didnt express things correctly. All 5 clue words are anagrams (like jumbles). So, if you look closely at the clues, u can get which letters to jumble to get the word! Clues also have meanings of the to-be-found-out words.

Brittania Milk Bikis Ad

"Oru naal naanum annan maari periyavanaakiduven... annan pola brittania milk bikis saapduven..."
This was the milk bikis ad, that you might have seen when u were pretty young. He liked this ad particularly because it tells him to dream so he can achieve things for himself!

Age 7:
He had a lot of fascination about scientists and astronauts. He vividly remembers the day when he thought he discovered something outstanding - was using soap and saw that if it were to be blown to a bubble and shown in sunlight, he could see vibgyor. (Thats what a prizm does right?). He was so excited about this that he talked with his friends for hours on how all of them could start discovering new things.

Age 9:
He was considered pretty good at math and being the favorite student of his math teacher (or is it miss - thats how they used to call her. "Miss! Miss, intha paiyan en penaa va eduthuttan miss"), he wanted to be a teacher, teaching school going kids on how they could do math better. But that wasnt adventurous enough.

Age 12:
Very much into sports. Although, he hadnt played tennis till then, he used to watch every grand slam tournament shown live on TV. Breath-taking as it was, he loved Becker's lounging volleys, his wonderful serves and his delectable touches in front of the net. He dreamt of himself as a tennis star, someone who can really knock out real-world champions. Alas, he realised sooner thats not what he can become. :(

Age 15:
In his XI standard, IIT classes - attempting to solve complex physics problems. Getting a zero in Balsu's first test ( he was the god in madras giving IIT coaching lessons) - he realized immediately - "IIT, Are you kidding me P?"

Today:
What he desires at this point is probably a stable job, an understanding set of close friends, efforts to make parents happy, good things happening to loved ones and his intentions not being misrepresented.

Tomorrow:
He looks for an understanding wife (who doesnt?), loving kid (girl that is:), going up the ladder career-wise, retaining old friends, and few (un)expected, (un)interesting twists in life.

An inner voice asks him, but why are you hesitating in telling "I want to plunge into politics sometime. Is he afraid/hesitant/worried?"
Pat came a reply from another inner voice - "but thats not a decision easily made".
It sure is not!

- Prabhu

WUGIWUG

Did u know, WUGIWUG means - What U Get Is What U Give?. I didnt.

I read this very impressive blog from a fellow blogger
diyaaram.blogspot.com

I related to whatever was mentioned in that article and I was particularly impressed with the way she ends it!
Intha rendu moonu naal la - I feel all the blogs originating from UK have impressed me (dinesh, ramya, subha, PB) and this one completes the list!

- Prabhu

Murphy's laws

Its as simple as it can get - google, copy and paste. That is all it took for this post. :)

Some Murphy's laws:

Any given program, when running, is obsolete.
If a program is useful, it will have to be changed.
If a program is useless, it will have to be documented.
If such a program has not crashed yet, it is waiting for a critical moment before it crashes.
Tell a man there are 300 billion stars in the universe and he'll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint on it and he'll have to touch to be sure.

When a man wants his wife to hear, she doesn't listen. When that same man doesn't want his wife to hear, she's all ears.
All the good ones are taken.
If the person isn't taken, there's a reason.
The nicer someone is, the farther away (s)he is from you.

Put in anything that you seem to know!

Magnet Schools

I was talking with my brother today and he was pondering upon which school to send his eldest daughter to. His dilemma was - she got an admit in the nearby local school as well as one of those "magnet" schools ( kind of 40 minute bus ride everyday).
He sent me a website about the magnet school and asked me to look into the
website and I was amazed at the electives (amaam janangale, ELECTIVES) that each kid can decide on science, math, social study etc...
If you decide to go it is : http://www.wcpss.net/

Chumma antha website la paathathula silathu pathi sollalaamnu thaan intha blog.
1. MAGICAL MATHEMATICS - AG G169-1009
Discover the magic of numbers and mathematical concepts.
Comment: Namma Vasu intha course a edutha enna? Apovaavathu, numbers la steady a onnu solluvaana?

2. CREATIVE DRAMA G215-1001
This course will give students the opportunity to learn about acting and the stage. They will explore their own experiences through acting, improvisation, and short plays. It is suggested that they take this course before going on stage.
Comment: PB, nee intha course eduthaakka cchhumma pichu pichu sanththoshamaaa (chandramukhi paatha effect) clear panniduva da...

3.WEATHER WATCHING G209-2012

Beginning meteorologists will be assisted in understanding the elements which make up weather. Students will perform experiments and build their own weather instruments.
Comment: Vijay, you should definitely take this one! ( Avan enniku veyil adikkum inniku tennis aadalaam nnu solrano anniku "Jo" nnu mazhai peyyum!)

4. LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP - AG G214-2031
Students will study leadership techniques and the characteristics of persons that are, or have been, influential leaders in our country. Students will be asked to assume school leadership roles and practice techniques acquired through this course.

Comment: Dinesh, enakku therinnja circle la unna vittaa intha course vetrigarama mudikka koodiya ore aalu nee thaan!! ( machi, there was also a course - "Know your calories" - athula un pera podaama itha quote panni irukken, nyaapagam vachukko intha favor a :)

Sari, these things apart, I was really stunned at the options that a 5-6 year old kid has when choosing electives. I am excited about her going to school as I think I would really learn something from her sooner than later. I really like the education system in this country. There are no stupid - "read the entire book for 100 marks concept" but the course work instead emphasises on learning and implementing things that you read.
Accepted that these guys have the best infrastructure in schools than what we had in our colleges, but things can definitely a lot improve back home in Indian education system even otherwise.

That being said, I still want my girl to grow up and study in India rather than here!

Chandramukhi & Mumbai Express

Saw Chandramukhi and Mumbai Express yesterday - first show and second show.
Liked both of the films equally - Mukhi was unusually revolving around a plot for a Rajini's film and Rajini looks youthful and refreshing after the Baba-fiasco. Thalaivi Jo as usual kalakkitta athuvum antha "ra ra" paatula.
Mumbai Express - is yet another misconceived identity film but the film had its moments of laughter and funny sequences. I liked the first 1 hour of the film atleast.
Okie, looks like am writing a lot about cinemas these days.
Will try to come up with an (un)interesting blog in the afternoon sometime on a topic that I wanted to dwelve on sometime.

Later...

At the right place, at the right time...

How often have you wondered - "what if I had been there at that time?".
How do you feel when people say - "Well, you werent doing nuthing at home, you could as well been there and got to witness the event, you just missed it!?"
How do you react - "when you miss a PTC bus and end up with nothing when you could have ended up with Jo ( as in 12B)?"

Statement: I have always been considered one hell of a lucky guy all these years, just because I always seem to be at the right place at the right time and things seem to fall in place for me.

But, if you ask me, I would say " I have seen my share of ups and downs", but if you push me for an answer, I would say thinking hard, probably I would agree with the above statement.
I would say the Almighty has been kind enough to bestow all that I have with me and things thats going to follow.:)

There is a popular antithesis that I use when people say I am lucky. I feel luck is the rendezvous of opportunity and preparation. There's nuthing like plain luck, if you are ready and up for it, you are most probably going to get what you want.

I generally love the rains, and I especially loved the rain yesterday for it came at the right place at the right time!

Ragasiyamaaii...

Was seeing this movie DumDumDum just now. This has always been my favorite songs composed ever.

I tried to type in the lyrics for u guys as well as for me.
Soothing music, aptly written lyrics and thalaivi Jo, mannil vera enna vendum!!
Here you go --

******
ragasiyamai ragasiyamai punnagaithaal porullennavo?
solla thudikkum vaarthai kirangum, thondai kuzhiyil oosi irangum
ilai vadivil ithayam irukkum, malai vadivil athuvum ganakkum
sirithu sirithu siraiyila sikki kolla adam pidikum...

athisaiyamai, avasaramai mozhi tholainthal porullennaavo?
solla thudikkum vaarthai kirangum, thondai kuzhiyil oosi irangum
ilai vadivil ithayam irukkum, malai vadivil athuvum ganakkum
sirithu sirithu siraiyila sikki kolla adam pidikum...

***
1:
nilam neer kaatrile minsarangal piranthidum...
kaathal tharum minsaramo prapanjathai kadanthidum...
nijamaai nee enna theendinaal...
nijamai nee ennai theendinaal, paniyaai kaniiyaai uraigiren
oliyaai nee ennai theendinal, nuraiyaai unnull karaigiren...
kaathaal eval thaane eval thaane eno ularalgal thaano

athisaiyamai avasaramai mozhi tholainthaal porullennavo??
athisaiyamai avasaramai mozhi tholainthaal porullennavo??

2:
vellai thaalai polave en ithayam irunthuthu
mella vanthu un viral kathal endru ezhuthuthu

oru naal kathal en vaasalil ...
oru naal kathal en vaasalil varavaa varava kettadhu
marunal kathal en veetinil adimai saasagam meetudhu

athuvo athu ithuvo athu ethuvo ena naamariyomee....
****
ragasiyamai ragasiyamai punnagaithaal porullennavo?
athisaiyamai avasaramai mozhi tholainthaal porullennavo??
solla thudikkum vaarthai kirangum, thondai kuzhiyil oosi irangum
ilai vadivil ithayam irukkum, malai vadivil athuvum ganakkum
sirithu sirithu siraiyila sikki kolla adam pidikum...

***
Dont you want to listen to this song, I do and off I go!

Final(s) Week(s)

Its those times of the year. If you are a student, I understand its going to be a tension filled, sleep/food starved couple of weeks of total pressure.

Yesterday, I had been to a get-together sort of at a friend's place. I saw a few of "still-studying guys" ( dei neenga ellam engaluku munnadi vanthavanga da, eppo da padippa mudippeenga?? :)
leaving the place early citing assignments, projects and exams pending.

When I had course-work, I always liked the last couple of weeks of school. It always looks like - too many things to do and too little a time to complete them. For late starters like me, even if the professor gives 2 weeks notice about an impending project, its always the last 3-4 days that you start worrying/putting in some time for the project.
Athuvum as the deadline nears - you can see all sorts of reaction from people - "enakku mattum en thaan answer varalaiyo therillaiye", "maapplai,dei nee itha eppdi panna kaamiyenn, naan variables peru maathikkaren ( podaaaanga nu sollanum nu thonum...)", "enna manipulate panina intha maari output varum??", "ot** antha aalu saavadikkaraan da" :)

Ithellaam thaandi antha project, night 12 kku due irunthaa, 11pm ku submit panrathula irukkura thrill e alaathi. Mudichuttu chumma iruppomaa??, aiyo itha professor vanthu check pannum pothu avar test case kku work aagumaa, aagaathaa nnu pottu confuse pannikka vendiyathu...

Beyond all these fears, worries - time flies by in the last 2-3 weeks and the end of it all I really miss this type of activity for the rest of the semester.

Good luck guys, seekuram exams a vetrigarama mudinga. Vaazhthukkal!!

To quote Michael Bevan - when asked how he can come back from impossible situations to win games for Australia - the classic finisher in death-situations replied "The asking run-rate is always lower than what you can achieve".
( Correct me here Vijay, if I'm wrong!)

Random thoughts

A scene from Thenali :
Jayaram and bus Conductor talking about Kamal -
J : "Sir, ivara madurai bus stand la erakki vittudunga."
C : " Yen avare eranga mattaara?? "
J : " Appadiye mudinjaa, madras pora bus la ethi vittudunga"
C : " Yen avare era mattaaraa??"
kaduppaana J : " Thenali, ivar unakku mela"
Bus Conductor jumps down from the stairs and says "Ippo??"

A scene from Minnale -
Maddy, Vivek and gang talking.
V: dei unakku thaan english nalla theriyum nnu solra la, enge i am suffering from fever nnu oru leave letter ezhuthu da english la..
Friend: "respected madam..mm.. mm.. ?? dei.. enna daa thideernu ezhutha sonna eppdi da ??"
V : tho paarunga da, leave letter ezhutha ivan kitte appointment vaangindu varanumaam da.....

A scene from Aan paavam:
An angry pandiarajan talks to his father VK.
"Appa, anna kalyanathoda enakkum kalyanam pannalainna naan enan pannuvennu theriyaathu, nan apporam intha kizhavi (his grandma) ya kalyanam pannindruven..."
VK: "podaa porambokku, athukkaaga engamma va enda kalyanam pannikkara kazhuthai?"
An instant reply from P: "nee mattum enga amma va kalyanam pannikkalaiyaa, athu mattum enna nyaayam?"

A scene from HeyRam:
Vasundhara das and Kamal, just married and sharing a water-on-top-of-lotus relationship:

V: Ithu thaan first time!
K: Ennathu?
V: Neenga sirichu naan paathathu..
K: :-)
V: Second time!!
K: :-)
V: Ahh, hat-trick!!
Later when Kamal decides to go to Maharashtra with vasundara without letting know their families,
K : "ippo naan naalaavathaa oru vaati sirichene nee pakkalaiyaa?? :)"

A scene from Alaipayuthey
Maddy in the hospital "shakthi, muzhichukka, kalyanathukku munnadi un pinnaadi suthinathu ellaam love illa, ippo nee illa nu
naalu mani nerama ellaa edathulaiyum unna thedi alanjen paaru, ippo thaan love naa enna nnu purinjuthu, muzhichukka shakthi muzhichukka..."

- Kadasila senti aa mudichuttene...Thats ok, yaaaru kandukkaraa?

Sting

Knowing that a full week of hard-work?! is ahead of me, I always like an extra half-hour sleep on a Monday morning. It helps me get out of bed - fresh, eager and helps me in avoiding the crib that it is a Monday.
Yesterday was different though, I got up early as my friend told me that you can get 20 bucks of free gas in a nearby gas station. With gas prices sky-rocketing I felt this is an easy way to quench my engine's thirst for a week or two. My room-mate and me backed our cars and bam!!, we didnt notice we were so close and our cars hit each other!
I was like " what in the world was that!, oh comeon! dont do this on a Monday morning".

Already, I lost my precious 1 hr sleep and now this. I felt like the stupidest that I have ever been.
My entire day was not going well, with a deadline on Tuesday and I have no clue why my code isnt working, I started to mutter things - "This is the worst possible start to a week".
But after all, I found out life isnt all about tough lucks, by the end of the day @ work - I got my code do what it intended to do, checked the code in and came back reasonably happy to home.
But wait, the surprise isnt over - the interesting part came in a trifle late in the night - I caught up with a personality with whom I hadnt talked for a while, and who means a lil extra for me. It was an interesting conversation and I enjoyed it and felt a lot lighter eventually.

When I hit the bed, I began to wonder - "Life throws up a lot of things at you from time to time and if you are too busy cribbing/regretting about events, you will surely miss the bus to the interesting ones. After all Life is Beautiful whatever form it takes." (Did I read that somewhere recently, I tend to forget!!)

ps1: I read a blog yesterday and found a one liner that really impressed me - "to feel that you are being loved makes life a bliss".

ps2: Life is like a scorpion, with a harmless sting ofcourse!! You need those stings to get you going. Right?

Dishing out your favorites

Who doesnt love to eat?
That too when you are asked to list your favorite dishes you get into the mood and start uttering out your favorite ones. Here's my top 5 list :

1. Soodaana Idli - Milagai podi:

My paatti's classic combo this one is. It is an unwritten rule in my family that my paatti makes thuni (cloth) idlis and milagai podi on saturdays. This dish would be the clinching factor on my decision of whether to take a 1 1/2 hour ride by route "13" bus to her place or staying at my friends' to play cricket.

2. Onion sambar - potato curry:
Another of my paatti's classic combos which my mom faithfully inherited. This would be the Sunday lunch menu reusing the sambar for evening's tiffin with dosa.

3. Morkuzhambu - Paruppu usili:
I didnt know of this combo till one of my friends dished out to me when I came to US and it has earned its place on my list. The combination is devastating and is very healthy - buttermilk + paruppu + beans. I have tried this many a time in the US that I could call myself an expert on making this.

4. Thachi mammu - Vathakuzhambu :
What is dinner/lunch without ending it on curd rice. Its just not complete. Think of a lazy weekend with a sumptuous lunch ending on thachi mammu - vathakuzhambu combo... saapptu mudicha, sorgame theriyum kannu munnaala... I bet no one can sit idle for more than 10 mins - eppo da thaachukkalaamnu irukkum.

5. Rasam saatham - Omelette :
For the period when I was staying away from home and hostel @ Shanmugha College, this would be the ideal combo for lunch. Unlimited meals onnu 10 roobaikku order pannittu, "boss, oru omelette" nnu sonna, rasam satham sappdaracha sooda varum...top tucker aa irukkum combination...
I am restricting myself from eating omelettes these days - jus bcos they are high in cholesterol. (erkanave makkal ellam - "ivanukku kozhuppu jaasthi" nnu solrathu en kaathula vizhaama illa...)

When I was thinking of these dishes - I could visualise - my home, what I would be like, which plate I would be using, where I would be eating from...
Is someone around me eating idli's?? Infact I could even smell the aroma of hot steaming idlis - ok, now thats pushing the imagination just a lil bit.

Off I go....

The likeability factor

Someone triggered a thought chain in my mind yesterday.
"I like every girl that I come across."

Is that true?
What does it take for me to say "I like this girl, she seems interesting" :
Honestly thinking - a cute hello, an infectious smile and the way she carries herself in a group.

So that means she doesnt even have to talk to me for me to believe that shes interesting and I like her.
I wonder what it is for others? What does it take for you to believe someone (a guy/girl) is interesting?

To be brutally honest and I know most of who know me wont accept this - I take the same parametric scale when I form an opinion on guys as well.
But it is always my leanings toward the fairer sex that gets all the news. Sometimes I feel sick, but that is the price you give to be at the center many a time.

I go back to my good old days ( after all, old days are always good when u think retrospectively) - I have a few girls whom I can talk for hours because I have a special liking for their tastes and their ideas/decision-making, there have been some girls whom I wanted to talk with extensively but never got so far, and there are still few with whom I would like to get acquainted better.

And finally - yeah, I never have said, "I dont like this girl".
And I dont think I am going to change that standpoint yet.

To get a girl's phone number

These set of writings have no relevance as of today.
I am trying to go through my memory lane few years back and talking about my experiences.

******
1. What does it take to get a number from a girl and call her up?
2. Why is it always nerve wracking the last few minutes that you intend to call her up and that your lips suddenly lose the moistness that it always has?
3 Why is it always tough to keep the first conversation going?
4. Why do you run out of ideas in the first talk, sooner than later?
5. Why is it people consider you as a guy with guts if you ask her number?
6. Why do you always hear more of " kalakkitta da" and " naanga irukkom da kavalai padaathe" and less of "thambi ithellaam nallathuku illai..."

Thinking of all the above things -
7. Why do you think " what in the world was I thinking in asking her number in the first place?".

Well after all - by the time that you wrote this blog down - your nerves kind of settle down and you think so what, you can have people laughing at your expense for one more time.