An Award At Work

Awards, Recognitions and Appreciations at work are certainly an honour and it motivates you to compete for excellence.

Many thanks to my Clients, Line Manager and Colleagues.

What's Your Morning Tech Routine?

Some people get their news from the TV and some from radio. Some folks still catch up with the world by reading the morning paper with their coffee.  I tap into Google Reader and Twitter before even getting out from under the blankets. Everybody has a morning routine, and most of us in the tech industry have a morning routine of getting in touch with the rest of the world.

I can't remember when I last used an alarm clock, or staggered out of bed to check the computer first thing. These days, my iPad is my alarm clock and first form of contact with the rest of the world. After turning off the alarm, I start skimming Google Reader, Flipboard (my fav app on iPad) and Twitter to see if there's any news afoot.

Once I reach office, open my office laptop and check my personal email first, to see if anything urgent is happening. Then I check work email and go through that for quite some time. I'll open Facebook, Google+ and Twitter which I leave on and let streaming alongside my work all day.

11.11.11 is Almost Here

Does it mean End of the world or Beginning? Neither

But lets make it a day to realize where we stand and determine how we wish to transform in Life.

Born in 80s - The last SANE Generation

We did not have Play stations, 99 television stations, flat screens, surround sound, mp3s, iPods, computers, cell phones and the Internet, ...but we had time to rest our head on our grandmas lap and listen to bed time stories, we had time to sit and watch chitrahar, rangoli, and saturday evening movies with our relatives and neighbours. We knew the music before the news at 7 in the radio.

Some nostalgic memories:

• The first who've played video games, saw cartoons in color
• The last to record songs of the radio on cassettes
• Knew the connection between a pencil and cassette and the pioneers of VCR, walkmans and chatrooms.
• The generation of the doordarshan, street cricket, kite flying, wwf and paper boats
• The first family car was a Fiat or an Ambassador. This often had to be pushed by the entire family to get going
• Camlin geometry box & Natraj/Flora pencil were our prized possession
• Jumbo Circus have held our breath while the pretty young thing in the glittery skirt did acrobatics, quite enjoyed the elephants hitting football, the motorcyclist vrooming in the Mautka Gola and it was politically okay to laugh your guts out at dwarfs hitting each others bottoms
• Knew that Indira Gandhi was somebody really powerful and terribly important. And that's all we needed to know
• If we wanted a cycle, had only one option: BSA SLR
• Most of the house had the 'almirah' made by the famous Godrej company. Mothers would lock up their jewelery in here and this also provided for the only full length mirror in the house
• Giant Robot, the cartoon that aired on Doordarshan ever Sunday, Prannoy Roy who gave us the news through "the world this week"
• Random ads that used to be on tv and the song went like this "Vicco Turmeric, Vicco cosmetic, Vicco turmeric ayurvedic cream " and "Washing powder Nirma, Washing powder Nirma Doodh si safedi, Nirma se aayi". The first washing machine ad went like this "It rinses, it washes, it even dries your clothes - Videocon washig machine!"
• A reel of 36 exposures was valuable hence it justified the half hour preparation, setting and posing for each picture. Therefore, we have atleast one family picture where everyone is holding their breath and standing at attention
• Adjusting very long pole with a funny antenna on roof top for cricket matches
• At school some of us used to participate in elocution competitions, typically memorizes a poem/chapter from an English author they have no connection with and gets up in front of everyone to recite random poem/chapter verbatim.

Sometimes these memories make me think that People were very happy and satisfied with small small things then!

To add, Doordarshan our only channel then used to start with the following signature, which would make the later generations go to sleep if listens today.

and "Hamara Bajaj" ad

Change Your Thoughts to Shape the Life You Want

1. Make an appointment with yourself - Take a morning or afternoon off to think about your life. If this sounds scary to you, this is one of the first places to change your thoughts. This is fun. What you can dream, you can craft a plan to achieve. Find a quiet place with no distractions such as the library, sitting in your bed, or sitting in your car.

 2. Daydream - During your appointment with yourself, think about areas in your life in which you want to make a change. Areas to consider:

·         Business/Career

·         Relationships

·         Finances

·         Home

·         Physical Health

·         Spiritual

·         Leisure

3. Write Your Dreams Down - Write out what you want to change. Maybe there is only one area you want to change. Don't feel like you have to change everything. But if there is something that could improve the quality of your life, write it down. Don't worry about whether it is possible. Assume that anything is possible.

4. The Action Plan - For your top changes, write out some rough plans about how you could achieve those dreams. Break down the long term goal into monthly, weekly and/or daily things you'll need to do to get there.

5. Mentors - Who else has done what you want to do? Who inspires you? What can you learn from that person or those people? How do they think? How do they handle challenges? Write it all down. Let that person serve as a guide to how you work towards your dreams. Seek out these guides even if it is simply by reading someone's book or blog. Ask for help and guidance. You'll likely be surprised to find that when you ask most people will try to find a way to help you. Lastly, remind yourself every day that if your mentor can succeed, so can you!

6. The Reminder Poster, Use your creativity here - The idea is to create a poster of which you can make several copies to hang in key places such as your bathroom, bedside table, kitchen, car and desk. On the poster (any size you want) list your Dreams, your daily action plan, and the thoughts you want to cultivate each day. You can include quotes or other inspiration from your mentors too.Of course feel free to add pictures, color, texture, whatever makes it powerful for you.

7. Gratitude. Take a bit of time each morning to really appreciate what you currently have in your life that is good. In the evening take a bit of time to review your accomplishments and learnings from the day, either in quiet meditation, in a journal, or with someone who supports you.

8. Believe. Believe in the power of your thoughts. Here are some examples of how powerful a thought can be. All of these great achievements by humans started with an idea or thought in someone's mind.

·                Putting a man on the moon

·                Democracy

·                The incredible expansion of Dubai in just 7 years

·                Writing a book

·                Creating a movement to save the environment

·                Inventing the heart transplant operation

·                The pyramids of Ancient Egypt

Where there's a will there is a way. To build your will, build your mind through strong empowering thoughts daily. The people who had the thoughts that sparked these achievements listed above, did not let doubt get in their way. And neither should you!

9. Take Action. Your thoughts and plans need to be combined with action to create a result. The focus on your goals and dreams will provide the energy and motivation for taking action. If motivation is lacking, don't wait for it to appear. Take action first and then watch your energy and motivation blossom! Take action on your goals every day. Make them a priority by working on your daily goals before doing the mundane things of life.

Focus on Steps to Goals

Imagine the incredible life you will live when your limiting beliefs are gone.

Now, choose to make the limits go away and live that life.

Focusing on the steps to your goals will keep you on track... Focusing on the chaos around you will only carry you away from your vision.

You are worthy of your incredible life… You can claim your incredible life and Live it now.

The path to your ultimate life is one simple step at a time.

Conceive, Believe and Achieve

"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve. There are no limitations to the mind except those we acknowledge" - Napoleon Hill

Character becomes Destiny

Eid Al Adha - Festival of Sacrifice

Eid  Al Adha is the latter of two Eid festivals celebrated by Muslims; its basis comes from Sura 2 (Al-Baqara) Ayah 196 in the Qur'an. Eid al-Adha is celebrated annually on the 10th day of the 12th and the last Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah of the lunar Islamic calendar. Eid al-Adha celebrations start after the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide.

Eid Al Adha (Festival of sacrifice) is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to commemorate the willingness of  Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismail as an act of obedience to God, before God intervened to provide him with a ram to sacrifice instead.  Ibrahim had shown that his love for God superseded all others: that he would lay down his own life or the lives of those dearest to him in submission to God's command. Muslims commemorate this ultimate act of sacrifice every year during Eid Al Adha.

It is very important to understand that the sacrifice itself, as practiced by Muslims, has nothing to do with atoning for our sins or using the blood to wash ourselves from sin. This is a misunderstanding by those of previous generations: "It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah; it is your piety that reaches Him." (Qur'an 22:37).

It is a day of happiness with Muslims starting their day visiting the Mosque dressed in their best clothes. Special foods are eaten on this day such as lamb and sweet dishes. Family & friends visit one another, presents are exchanged and homes are decorated.  Eid money is also given to charities to help the poor.

A Tribute to Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs, the mastermind behind Apple's iPhone, iPad, iPod, iMac and iTunes, has died today, Apple said. Jobs was 56.

Jobs started Apple with a high school friend in a Silicon Valley garage in 1976, was forced out a decade later and returned in 1997 to rescue the company. During his second stint, it grew into the most valuable technology company in the world with a market value of $351 billion. Almost all that wealth has been created since Jobs' return.

The world lost a showman, whose flair for the dramatic — there was always "one more thing" —he was as keen as his knack for divining what people wanted before they even seemed to realize it themselves.

Reaction to Jobs' death came from far and wide:

 From the White House;

"Michelle and I are saddened to learn of the passing of Steve Jobs," President Obama said in a written statement. "Steve was among the greatest of American innovators - brave enough to think differently, bold enough to believe he could change the world, and talented enough to do it."

From Bill Gates;

"I'm truly saddened to learn of Steve Jobs' death. The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come," Bill Gates said. "For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it's been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely." he added.

 Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg;

"Steve, thank you for being a mentor and a friend," it read. "Thanks for showing that what you build can change the world. I will miss you."

Eric Schmidt, chairman of Google Inc;

"He's clearly the most effective and successful American CEO in the last 50 years. He didn't just found Apple, and he didn't actually just make it successful in the first decade, he also took it after a bad period, and rebuilt it. Which has essentially never been done in an American corporations, to be the extraordinary company it is today. To me, Steve proves that nerds don't win. Artists do. And that Steve who is both a technologist, but really an artist, shows that art matters and the rest of us missed the fact that beautiful simple products are what people want."

Walt Disney Company president Bob Iger:

"Steve Jobs was a great friend as well as a trusted advisor. His legacy will extend far beyond the products he created or the businesses he built. It will be the millions of people he inspired, the lives he changed, and the culture he defined. Steve was such an "original," with a thoroughly creative, imaginative mind that defined an era. Despite all he accomplished, it feels like he was just getting started. With his passing the world has lost a rare original, Disney has lost a member of our family, and I have lost a great friend.

Howard Stringer, Sony Corp. CEO

"The digital age has lost its leading light, but Steve's innovation and creativity will inspire dreamers and thinkers for generations."

Jerry Yang, Yahoo!, Inc. co-founder and former CEO:

"Steve was my hero growing up. He not only gave me a lot of personal advice and encouragement, he showed all of us how innovation can change lives. I will miss him dearly, as will the world."

Jeffrey Biegel, pianist and composer

"Steve Jobs expanded technology and the progress of computerization from the 20th to the 21st century as Ludwig van Beethoven transcended the world of music, transitioning from late Classical style to the Romantic style from the 18th century into the 19th century. Mr. Jobs legacy is forever etched in the pages of time and history for generations to follow."

Jobs co-founded Apple Computer in 1976 and, with his childhood friend Steve Wozniak, marketed what was considered the world's first personal computer, the Apple II.

You get shocked when people you know die," Wozniak said. "And this was closer to when John Lennon died, or JFK or Martin Luther King."

By 2011, Apple had become the second-largest company of any kind in the United States by market value. In August, it briefly surpassed Exxon Mobil as the most valuable company. Under Jobs, the company cloaked itself in secrecy to build frenzied anticipation for each of its new products. Jobs himself had a wizardly sense of what his customers wanted, and where demand didn't exist, he leveraged a cult-like following to create it.

Jobs had battled cancer in 2004 and underwent a liver transplant in 2009 after taking a leave of absence for unspecified health problems. He took another leave of absence in January — his third since his health problems began — and resigned in August. Jobs became Apple's chairman and handed the CEO job over to his hand-picked successor, Tim Cook.

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life," Steve Jobs said. "Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important." he added.

School Alumni Get Together - 2011

Reunions present a marker of time.

Indian Islahi Islamic School, Abu Dhabi first Alumni get together event took place on last Friday at Ramee Hotel, Muroor.

These days most of us do not get to meet face to face due to busy life schedules, though facebook helps to connect with each other online. Thanks to those friends who took extra efforts in organizing the event.

Indeed a nostalgic reminisce, a reunion of some happy memories of our school days. 11 years down the line how our daily life used to be......We have moved into different areas of profession, most of them got married and many have children, yet we do we fondly remember the school mates, teachers, silly fights, pranks, games played..and shared each other up to date on what has happened to each of us since we went seperate ways.

Hope to see more bigger occassions for the IIIS Alumni to keep in touch, to share good moments, to recognize and promote talents, to introduce and participate family members, to contribute for a cause, to seek support and much more....

Salsa Magic

I have recently enrolled in for a Cuban Salsa dance course, "Ritmo -de-Havana", and started attending Salsa parties organized by them in Dubai.

Salsa is a popular syncretic dance form with origins in Cuba as the meeting point of Spanish and African cultures. Salsa is typically a partner dance, although there are recognized solo forms (Floor Shines/ Shines), line dancing (suelta), and Rueda de Casino, where groups of couples exchange partners in a circle.
Cuban Salsa is a feeling, a passion, danced with sensuality and style, from the gut, and with love for rhythm and music. Each dance is a new story of meeting one another. And just like a good conversation, it becomes an interaction of leading, following and playing.

Del Peiro, is an amazing guy. He is a certified well experienced Salsa instructor. His energy, sheer passion, commitment and attitude of ready to answer any stupid doubt from you is really admirable.

I never been a good dancer and used to feel shy to dance in public.

The class sessions and party evenings are so nice - messing up the steps with dance partners ;) and the fun of both making mistakes and getting it right. But honestly this dance course increases my sense of excitement, joy, confidence level, and the awareness of dance culture and history. Opportunity to partner dance with every girl in the class also doubled my confidence level to attend parties and partner dance with any woman on the dance floor. Sometimes I wonder what it is about Salsa dancers but I find this community very open and friendly, which makes it much more fun.

Though not interested in being a Professional Salsa Dancer, look forward to attending more such classes, parties and network with this community in Dubai.

Onam 2011 in Dubai

Celebrating the homecoming of the legendary king, Mahabali, the Kerala harvest festival Onam is back with all the pomp and glitter this year.

Falling after the Holy month of Ramadan this year, unlike last couple of years, the Kerala Onam Festival in Dubai  is expected to brighter and bigger, replete with traditional food, art, cultural events and not to forget thousands of Keralites.

At Al Naser Leisureland, there will be a special Onam Market along with entertainment events, orchestra, competitions, radio programmes. Onam special movies and other events for the community. Around 1000 different associations from different parts of Kerala would be participating in the Festival, offering a variety of cultural activities and feasts.

Kerala Kitchen, a busy Indian restaurant in Karama, is currently running a Kerala Food Festival, serving special dishes from each of the fourteen districts of Kerala.

Happy Onam!

The Power of Positive Thinking

A positive mind anticipates happiness, joy, health and a successful outcome of every situation and action. Positive thinking is a mental attitude that expects good and favorable results. 

It is quite common to hear people say: "Think positive!", to someone who feels down and worried. Most people do not take these words seriously, as they do not know what they really mean, or do not consider them as useful and effective. How many people do you know, who stop to think what the power of positive thinking means?

Negative thoughts, words and attitude bring up negative and unhappy moods and actions. When the mind is negative, poisons are released into the blood, which cause more unhappiness and negativity. This will lead you to failure, frustration and disappointment.

“A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.”  Herm Albright

In order to turn the mind toward the positive, inner work and training are required. Attitude and thoughts do not change overnight.

The power of thoughts is a mighty power that is always shaping our life. This shaping is usually done subconsciously, but it is possible to make the process a conscious one. Even if the idea seems strange give it a try, as you have nothing to lose, but only to gain. Ignore what others might say or think about you, if they discover that you are changing the way you think.

Always visualize only favorable and beneficial situations. Use positive words in your inner dialogues or when talking with others. Smile a little more, as this helps to think positively. Disregard any feelings of laziness or a desire to quit. If you persevere, you will transform the way your mind thinks.

Once a negative thought enters your mind, you have to be aware of it and endeavor to replace it with a constructive one. The negative thought will try again to enter your mind, and then you have to replace it again with a positive one. It is as if there are two pictures in front of you, and you choose to look at one of them and disregard the other. Persistence will eventually teach your mind to think positively and ignore negative thoughts.

“For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else” Sir Winston Churchill

My Present Life - Daily Routine

I’ve been getting some very interesting advices for blogging, a close freind suggested that I blog about experiences in my life. Seriously! Blog about my life!

Let me try to start with my present life - my daily routine. 

I am based in Dubai, currently work as a Solutions Manager for a national Telecommunications Company that I love a lot and it is extremely exciting for me. Don't worry, in this peace of blog I am not going to mention more about it as you might find it boring with the typical corporate stuff, clients and servicing and the lot that corporate life brings with itself.

A typical weekday starts when the alarm wakes me up from sleep morning at around 6. Realize time to go to work  and then ...where is the tie that suits the shirt I'm wearing, forgot to polish shoe, laptop charger is missing, no charge in iPad n finally off to work by 7:45  but no pressure since office is just a 10 minutes drive away from home and it is fine if I manage to punch in before 8. but the extra effort that i need to put to find a free parking lot at the covered parking area and to squeeze into elevator to avoid HR sending email notification to boss for my late arrival is bit of a challenge. As soon as I open my laptop, quite a lot of meeting reminders and notifications pops up that will completely wipe away last night's sweet fantasy dream that was in mind while driving to office. A weekday usually goes by a lot of travelling, meetings, phone calls, email follow ups etc.

I always try to leave office on time (unless boss is around driving me mad delegating some crazy job at the last minute). After reaching back home, get freshen up and go to gym and then to a swimming session for around an hour or so. Not to forget, I do keep ample time aside for Allah and prayers during the course of the day. Recently i have joined for a Business Management course and a Salsa Dance class which is of two days a week. A weekday ends by 11 or 12 after the dinner,  facebook -twitter update, TV, a movie, reading etc.

At last the weekend. I am very close to my Family that consist of Parents, 2 Brothers and  a Sister. I  mention about them only now because week end is the time when I get to spend quaility time with my family. long sleeping hours, outing with family, shopping, chill out with friends, night partying etc.

Nevertheless,  I neither have a strict routine nor follow a time table (Ah that would be very unsustainable to me). I tend to be spontaneous with social plans and other things popping up here and there. Ofcourse, we all know that rarely one day is same as the next as we come across different seasons, occassions, vacations, travelling, change in plans and events throughtout the year.

After all who wants to have a predictable steady routine? Boring!