Change is only Constant...!

This year is filled with a lot of changes. At home, at office.. And I am thankful to God that most of the changes have been for the better!
Sushil changed his job. Got into one which he is enjoying immensely. And now, I have decided to shift too (yeah... AGAIN!!). The new job I have got has promised me a lot of things. Good work, excellent people around (this I guessed from the number of people I have met till now from that organization. And till date, not many of my guesses about people have gone very wrong! touch wood!!) and of course, an excellent hike too!
It was so sudden. I was absolutely NOT INTERESTED in this offer when the placement consultant first gave me a call. I just went for the sake of going. But as the interview proceeded, I got quite a bit interested in it! And at the end of the interview, they simply gave their decision, "YES!" and I was to decide if i wanted to go ahead with the offer OR not!
This was one of the fastest decisions I had ever seen. I did take my own sweet time to give my acceptance mainly because I am going to be required to travel a lot! But in the end, the offer was so good that travelling time seemed a secondary consideration.
The medical happened and I finally got the offer letter.
The same day, when I came to office, I heard that even my boss was going to put in the resignation! And after hearing that, I actually didnt want to waste time. I wanted to resign b4 him, else I would not have got my relieving on the day I wanted it to be. Fortunately, my boss did not resign that day, neither has he till date. A lot of rumors did go around about his resignation. But he hasnt resigned!
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When I had resigned from Cummins, I was close to tears. I was literally shaking when I had told this to my boss.. But here, I didnt feel sad. I didnt feel like crying. (yeah..... maybe, I got used to the situation! :D)
But it does feel bad about leaving this place.. a couple of weeks later, if I would wish to visit this place again, I will have to take a visitors pass and sit in the reception. I will have to clear my desk, my place for some one else to fill in.
I just felt bad that I would not be around with my best friends for the entire day. Will not be able to go out for lunch treats. Will not be able to meet useless for coffee on my way home.
It is so difficult to imagine that I will not be able to indulge my self on a regular basis with the Biriyani from Blue nile, Chicken from KFC, missal from the tapri in our office premises, Sandwitches from just baked.. I will miss so many things.... so many people....
But this cant be stopped. I have to leave. It is just a matter of time that those friends will get used to my absence and I will adapt to my new surroundings!
Anyways, right now I am enjoying my Honeymoon period in office. My last 3 weeks! And I am actually workless! :D

A great friend...

Its is really lovely to have a friend whom you know will always be there to listen out to your frustrations, irritations, patiently and then always saying, 'Chal, lets go out and grab a sandwitch!'
And then knows exactly the joint where you would like to go and takes you there!
It feels so great to have such a wonderful friend in your life! Just being with them, cheers you up!

Pravs World.....There is hope to make you Win!

Do not give up and do not give in,
for hope is there to make you win.

Whether through trouble or through pain,
the lesson should never be in vain.

Staring through the night,
it might feel like you have lost sight.

But behold just a few moments more,
and light will break through with a roar.

Do not give up and do not give in,
for hope is there to make you win!

Pravs World...........Heaven on Earth..

What goes around comes around.

Work like you don't need the money.

Love like you've never been hurt.

Dance like nobody is watching.

Sing like nobody is listening.

Live like its Heaven on Earth...!

Pravs World.......... 'A chance to start'

How often we wish for another chance to make a fresh beginning.
A chance to blot out our mistakes and change failure into winning.

It does not take a special time to make a brand new start.
It only takes the deep desire to try with all our heart.

To live a little better, to always be forgiving.
To add a little sunshine in a world for which we're living.

Never give up in despair nor think you are through.
For there's always a tomorrow, A chance to start a new.

For all the Ladies...

I got this writeup forwarded by a friend, in an email. I do not know who has written this. but who ever has, has gotten it almost perfect. Its a superb expression, straight from a womens heart!!
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'The woman in your life...very well expressed... '

"Tomorrow you may get a working woman, but you should marry with these facts as well.

Here is a girl, who is as much educated as you are;

Who is earning almost as much as you do;

One, who has dreams and aspirations just as you have because she is as human as you are;

One, who has never entered the kitchen in her life just like you or your Sister haven't, as she was busy in studies and competing in a system that gives no special concession to girls for their culinary achievements

One, who has lived and loved her parents & brothers & sisters, almost as much as you do for 20-25 years of her life;

One, who has bravely agreed to leave behind all that, her home, people who love her, to adopt your home, your family, your ways and even your family name

One, who is somehow expected to be a master-chef from day #1, while you sleep oblivious to her predicament in her new circumstances, environment and that kitchen

One, who is expected to make the tea, first thing in the morning and cook food at the end of the day, even if she is as tired as you are, maybe more, and yet never ever expected to complain; to be a servant, a cook, a mother, a wife, even if she doesn't want to; and is learning just like you are as to what you want from her; and is clumsy and sloppy at times and knows that you won't like it if she is too demanding, or if she learns faster than you;

One, who has her own set of friends, and that includes boys and even men at her workplace too, those, who she knows from school days and yet is willing to put all that on the back-burners to avoid your irrational jealousy, unnecessary competition and your inherent insecurities;

Yes, she can drink and dance just as well as you can, but won't, simply because you won't like it, even though you say otherwise

One, who can be late from work once in a while when deadlines, just like yours, are to be met;

One, who is doing her level best and wants to make this most important relationship in her entire life a grand success, if you just help her some and TRUST her;

One, who just wants one thing from you, as you are the only one she knows in your entire house - your unstinted support, your sensitivities and most importantly - your understanding, or love, if you may call it. "

My God...

What do you do when you are in trouble, alone? What do you do when you see no way out of a difficult situation? Turn to your parents? Relatives? Friends? Or you turn to God? Sit in his mandir, your hands folded in prayer and tell him to get you out of this all.
Why do people ask for a mannat? Not only old generations do this, even I have done it a couple of times. But why?

Recently happened that I was not doing so well and was sort of surrounded with a host lot of problems. Personal, professional. I really thought that whatever problems there could be in my life, slowly started finding their way towards me, all at the same time. I fought with them. Gave my best. But I also prayed. I prayed to God to set things right for me. Give me my peaceful life back.

And to my greatest relief, my life is returning back to normal. My problems taught me a huge amount of lessons. Lessons, I wont dare to forget my entire life!
So was it god who put all the things back on track for me? Was it my destiny? Was it my people whom I turned for help? Or was it simply me?
What is God? A person? An idol? An imagination? A faith, maybe..
A faith in whom? A belief in whom?

‘I used to be an Atheist, till I realized, I WAS GOD!’

What does this sentence really mean?

‘God helps those who help themselves!’

Both quotes have the same meaning at the end, Don’t they? (though the first one means more like one by an an egoist, but reading it carefully, it might not!!)
All you need to have is faith, in your self. You should have faith that whatever you are doing is correct.
And till the time you have this faith in yourself, not one person in this world can make things wrong for you!

The day arrives...... and passes by.....

The day arrives.. everyone comes to office, a bit early than usual.. all tensed...........
it was her last day!
She comes, bubbly, all cheerful, with the ever sported smile on her face.. as if nothing was wrong....
outside for everyone, she was the usual person, but for us, we could see what she was feeling from inside..
it was our best friends last day at office..
10.00 a.m., coffee time.. sitting in the cafeteria, i was thinking, this is probably the last time we are sitting together in the morning, talking and sharing a cup of coffee in which i dont take sugar, and she needs it.. so everytime we put some sugar which was not too much for me and not too less for her....
all the boys, trying to be happy, cracking jokes, and suddenly a drop of tear swells in the eye.... they look away, hiding it, trying to tell that nothings wrong!!
We have some nice chicken for breakfast which devdas has made specially for her.. and i can say, it was made from the heart! it was amazing!!....... thanks devdas!!...
everyones back to work, though i cant vouch on the concentration everyone is putting in...
the first half passes so quickly... in the afternoon i sit outside with freezer and i see this boy break down in front of me.. i feel so helpless.. all i could do was speak a few words consoling him, asking him to accept life the way it had come along..... 'hamne hi bola tha usko, resume bana, upload kar, otherwise she was thinking of somehow spending the year and a half here....ab uski aadat ho gayi hai re..' Regrets?
N then i saw devdas, sitting next to me, yelling at me to go inside, just because he didnt want me to see him cry.... 'main aaisa nahi tha re...................!!' Surprised?
isnt it so amazing, that one single person, in such a short span of time touched the heart of so many people.. changed them for the better, and becomes the most important part of their lives? and ofcourse you can imagine the condition of any one when he realises that he wont be seeing this person everyday for 10 hours atleast in the workplace...
suddenly the office seems to be so dull, as if all the life has flown out.. in a matter of minutes..............
packing, filling forms, taking various signatures... lot of work to be done.. she was clearing her drawers, handing over the things to me.. the box of chocolates, the pack of cigarettes.... wanting to say, 'take care of my boys... '
evening arrives, we gather in cafeteria again, for a cuppa coffee.... its almost time..... she becomes all red, tears flowing from her eyes, everyone looking away probably trying to control their emotions.. she gets up, goes to get a tissue paper from the bunch.... 'hey, get the whole pack, it will be required..'
she laughs, inspite of the tears continuing to roll down her cheeks....
Sun sets, cafeteria lights up.. we sit outside while she is sitting in the office clearing her mailbox... sending mails saying goodbye to everyone..
night sets in, we come inside.. everyone was looking horrible.. we sit for sometime, she brings chocolates.. then brings pastries.. no ones in the mood of eating..
she packs it all.. and then, it is suddenly the time for leaving.... everyone gets up, picks up their belongings, though leaving a lot of things with each other!
silently everyone walks out of the office, into the lift, to the basement... everyone controls their tears.. we walk to the parking slot.. n then the moment arrives.. now the tears become uncontrolled.. for everyone.. all are crying, saying no words, but actually saying so much to each other.. she points a finger at me n says, 'Useless' and i just give a nod...
we hug each other.. 'take care of my boys', she says to me.... i nod again..
n then we leave..
i had written in my last post, that friendships are found and are lost, but these kind of friendships are not found so easily, and when found, are never lost................
I take back my words.... you were right devdas.. i was wrong.....
I dedicate this post to mini, one of the best friends i have ever had in years together, and to the continuing wonderful relationship we have and will share for the entire lifetime....

Resignations....??

There is a time when a lot of people in an organization suddenly put up their papers! yeah.. the time immediately after appraisals..! So is happening with my place of work.. there is this sudden rush of news.. it has kind of become a 'everyday' sort of an affair..
One of my best friends leaving the organization shortly. Sometimes it becomes so difficult to decide if you want to be happy for the other person, or you want to be sad, because that friend of yours will be leaving you shortly!
Parting from companies is different from parting ways with friends.. thats what someone told me, and thats what i have explained a lot of times to myself and my collegues when such situations have occured in the past. but it is not so simple.. tough it is not exactly parting ways, still the distance creates void space between two people..
First there are phone calls and messages everyday.. then the phone calls reduce to may be once a week, once a month, then probably at that times when you have some work with that person.. then a moment arrives, when you actually face the question, 'what should i talk to him/her after calling....??
All that remains is a name in your mailbox from which you continue to receive some or the other forwards for quite sometime which, later on, you might not even have time to read!
some people say.. a friendship has a purpose in your life, it becomes a part of you, teaches you so many things, provides an outlet for your emotions, teaches you to express yourself, and then is lost..
you move ahead with your life and then, again, you come across this beautiful kind of relationship which walks some steps, along with you, in the journey called life...........!
Hats off to this beautiful relation called........... friendship!!

Some thots......

Hopping jobs has become more of trend now a days. 80% of the people I ask, are definitely not satisfied with their jobs and are looking for a change. The change can be because of money, because of boss or because of the work ppl are getting to do. And it has become so common, that when someone comes n tells you that he/she is leaving the organization, you actually cant even successfully bring a ‘surprised’ look on your face. Because it really is no longer surprising!
Retiring in the same company which you joined as a GET, is now a thing of the past! It works no longer. Infact, now a days when you don’t switch jobs, people may even start thinking that you are no good to get a better one. Really, that’s the case here.
Some people say staying with one company does better to you, you can rise fast in levels. But salary becomes a constraint. And hopping jobs increases your salary to no bounds!
Well, it can be the other way round also! Depend in which industry you work in.
Manufacturing was infamous for paying low salaries. But the market scene is changing slowly. Manufacturing companies too have increased their salaries. Though not to the level of IT scales, but still, manufacturing has a lot more to offer (other than money) than an IT industry.
I probably say this because my first job was with a core manufacturing company. And the experience that industry has offered, is no match for the IT industry. You deal with so many processes, manufacturing, designing, testing, validation, systems.. its just so vast! The ‘cross functional’ working is an amazing thing! Though there might be so many problems within the team, but when they appear in a c/f meet, they are one. Always supporting the colleagues. Its like having ‘One face to the Customer’
Apart from the knowledge base, you get to deal with such a vast variety of people. N trust me, handling manufacturing people, is one of the toughest task! If you achieve that, you can be considered ‘good’ at people skills.
With so many advantages, there are also a bit of disadvantages! But those are there in all the industries, rt?
Personally, given a choice I think I wud anytime prefer to be an employee of a manufacturing organization!