My First day at work!

I’ve been dreaming of having a job that I joined today! So I really have been looking forward to entering office for the first time as an employee … for almost a month now, I’ve passed by the building wishing I’d be a sitting in a cubicle inside it some day! Why is it so special… hmmm for starters, I can walk down to office. Yeah I didn’t risk it today coz it was the first day. Took me 5 mins on my Honda Activa… home gate to office entrance!!! I was in so excited that I didn’t even want to park in the visitors section. But no amount of persuasion prompted the security guys to let me into the employee section without a badge… but they apologized instead… yeah, must have realized how jumpy I was about working at NXP Software. I’ve decided to walk to office from tomorrow… my daily doze of exercises … I can’t really stop grinning even as I type this post out. Started the day with a 3 hr session of usually induction formalities. Practiced my signature around 50 times on 50 different forms… there were 2 others who joined with me. One of them was to join my team and the other was appointed to do very similar work as I had to in a different team. I really felt that the welcome was warm. The HRs really took time to see that we were comfortable. Now, it’s not the first time I felt this warmth. I had 2 practice interviews (at other companies) before giving this interview a shot last Wednesday. After a 2.5 hr technical grill, they decided I was the one. It was followed up with a nice team intro and I was really surprised when team members came to meet me immediately after the interview… after another 30 min session abt the company and structure and finding out where I’d fit in the best, I was taken to lunch. It was followed with another hour of HR interviews, the usual I should say, I am much better at this round that the techie ones. When I walked out of that place I knew I was gonna grin away to glory for the rest of the day. Sure enough I got a call and the letter the next day. But unfortunately it was a holiday on Friday and the pre enroll med tests delayed things by another 2 days… so it felt like ages before I actually felt employed. The teams are very small, but the members are real value for money. I just watched how the guys interacted and went about usual business all afternoon. All I know is that I have to really be at my best to match any of their achievements. Just as good as they are individually; they sure compliment each other so well with their strengths. The business hours are usually. 9am-6pm, Monday through Friday, thanks to the transport service the company provides. But in those 9 hours (an hour or so for lunch an walk after that) I should believe it’s always work considering how much work is done. Naah, it’s just as much fun with people walking around cracking their smart jests, with the surrounding junta joining in the laughter ever so regularly. The CEO of the company called me into his chamber and spoke to me in such an informal manner that I was overwhelmed. I REALLY FELT GOOD! An ideal first day! No matter how I am going to feel about this place a few months later, this is a day to cherish. Yeah a few more freebies from the HR along with a drinking water bottle and a calendar with quotes completed the goodie package for the day! I am so looking forward to beginning work tomorrow, my manger came walking upto me this afternoon and said chill out for the rest of the day and get to know people, and you’re here to work for the rest of your life anyway!!!!!!!! AMEN

Bangalored! (via chennai)

Some how i feel the story of my trip to Bangalore from Singapore is more fascinating than the trip Tioman isle... so i'll do this part first... so much chronology and free time. Stage 1: When i was to check-in my luggage, I noticed i was the only one without any check-in luggage. carrying only a backpack which weighed only 5 kgs. the clerk there was so shocked that she repeatedly enquired as to why i didn't have any check-in. Might have thought of me to be some kinda terrorist, coz nobody goes to Chennai on a budget airline without check in luggage. probably i created history. Infact she even asked me if i was on transit from the US! As expected the Air India Express flight (which is a misnomer coz it took all of 6 hours in place of 3.5 to cover the distance) took off late. The day chose to land was a Tuesday and hence there was no Shatabdi at 5:30 PM. So i did settle in for the 9:30 Kaveri Express well ahead giving me a lot of time to kill. Stage 2: After abt 4.5 hrs, there was a stopover at Trichy, where suddenly the plane got emptied and people came in to clean it! crew change and all... was wondering if it would ever take off again. Finally, it took off after an hour, landed an hour late in Chennai at 2:30 PM. Luckily the weather was very pleasant coz of the rains. Stage 3: I had a very stereotyped view of Chennai until i met Mr L. Yeah I considered them to be just as dirty as the city. Now dont kill me for this... I'm a changed man now! So first thing I bought was mineral water. Lunch at the Golden Chariot was great... yeah except for the flies.... i kept flinging my arms over the table so often that it became too obvious to the hotel staff. Suddenly if i wasn't already embarrassed this waiter comes with a small swat which resembled an miniature tennis racket and starts swinging it around me. I looked up right into his eyes and he smiled showing me all his teeth. I said " boy, I am irritated with the number of flies inside ur A/c restaurant, but this is even more embarrassing." Promptly, still smiling he replied " Sir what to do, mango season!" Need i say more... I burst out laughing so loudly that the rest of the people in the restaurant wondered what the joke was. Then I ask for the ketchup bottle and the waiter goes to next table and almost snatches it from the next guy's hand. In the only restaurant around the international airport, there was only one ketchup bottle!!! I was charged a big sum for the alu gobi + egg fried rice! but the food was great! :) Stage 4: after 4PM Boarded an auto to Chennai Central... again the ride was very pleasant! loved the cool breeze blowing. Nice change from the aircon chill I'm used to in Singy. The moment i landed at the station I realised I had made a mistake. It appeared like the whole of Chennai's population was waiting in the station. Thanks to a derailed train, (of which i was warned abt in advance by a friend who had a crazy morning switching trains,) there was no train moving in or out of the station. I found a place near some platform to sit. i was in the 2nd row of chairs. both rows were filled with random junta. Then, an old couple arrives and the first 2 guys leave their seats for them. A minute later, a friend old couple of the 1st on arrives and chases away 2 more people. this goes on for a while and then its abt my turn. the old lady sitting beside me points out to a girl a little younger than i am and says "ladies ko seat do!" (Give the sat to the lady) I usually dont mind giving away my seat to a needy person, but this was the limit. It was almost an attack on poor people who were already seated . So i didn't budge. Just gave the poor old lady a dirty look. A few mins after the entire gang vacated and I suddenly saw a 50+ aged lawyer occupy the seat next to mine. He went on talking about his family and trips and life.... I had lots of time to kill so i didnt mind. Life in singy is so different, that the 1st thing my mom asked me when she entered the train there was as to why ppl were so self involved. My sister went the extent of saying that her exam halls had more noise than the local singapore trains. Yeah I think SGP turns ppl to be self involved. seen it happen to a lot of friends. back to that lwyer, he was so interested in knowing abt me, and even went to the extent of asking me to show him a demo of my phd project! all done spent 2 hours and realised it was time i decided on taking a bus. The nice lawyer directed me to the nearest travel agent and i picked up a tkt for the 10 PM bus to Bangalore after informing my folks at arnd 7. Met this funny guy in front of the phone booth when i went to call my parents. I was standing outside one waiting to make a phone call. suddenly this guy comes and squeezes in, in between me and the phone booth door. so i make a hand sign to queue up behind me. he inturn says something in tamil + hindi + english which kinda meant that he was there sometime before i was. somehow he starts a conversation with me and suddenly wants me to find a job in Bangalore for his daughter who was in Hyderabad!!! Ironically, I am looking for one myself at this very point!!!! (job i mean) ... man why do i always run into such people. Now his attitude suddenly changed and he wanted me to be ahead of him in the queue ... which btw had only 2 of us! Ran into another character in the train tkt cancellation line ... I had a tkt which reqd a passport for confirmation coz it was an e-tkt. i knew i wasnt gonna get much in return. this guy wanted to buy it at full cost and convinced me to sell it to him despite knowing that no trains were leaving!! I didn't mind it at all... So after all these events, me boarded the bus and reached Bangalore safely and on time at 5:30AM! With an experience to cherish.... 24 hours after i started my journey!

Happy happy joy joy

Things that make me feel that i am living and not just exisiting on earth! 1. A long awaited convocation and all the smiling people around you. People I've barely helped with tit-bits during courses remembering me and just wanting to take a pic to cherish the moment! Realising I did spread some joy after all and it was worth all the trouble :) 2. Singing the graduation day song 'Graduation Day-Friends Forever!' in unison. 3. Warm hugs from family and friends! 4. A trip to KL, Putrajaya and Tioman Islands in Malaysia which realises my ideal vacation! (Detailed post when i find some time) 5. People telling me how much they'll miss me when I'm gone :) Yeah I'm all sentimental here.

Singlish Class???

I was walking around in the new School of Computing building at NUS, which used to be the Law School building... when i came across a door with this written on it! Wonder if the room was used to train the foreigners (to be lawyers) to speak in the way the Singaporean judge would understand! Imagine this conversation... Lawyer: Death sentence can?? okay??? Judge: OKay.. can can la!!! All rise la!!!! (Sorry if u don't understand Sing-lish)

mobi-loo (update)

The previous post draws its inspiration from this post by Amit Verma. Was hoping my entry would make it to the final 7 too...

mobi-loo....

Found the piece of art in the shopping center in the ground floor of my apartment.... was wondering if anybody would actually like to use this state-of-the-art creation! Just a passing thought ... with pics... all i had left was to come up with a product name!

Now this feels like home...

Been a guy who watches sport a lot on TV ever since i remember.... so depriving myself of it for almost 2 yrs during my masters was one hell of a sacrifice. When I was looking for a new accommodation towards the end of last month i was praying that somebody would just give me a place with a TV, cable and of course my fav sports channels and yeah God does exist! Not only did he hear my prayers but in grand style.... imagine, there's a 53" projection TV (if ur used to say a 25" one then this is 4 of them placed together!!)at home with ESPN, Star sports and the Cricket Channel!!!! The 2 other guys i moved in with are just as crazy abt sport as I am. Watched most of the Wimbledon matches after ages... unfortunately missed the final boo hoo, watched the replay thought. British F1 race couldn't get much of that too... but did get a glimpse of the imp moments. che... why did I have to be so busy over the weekend and yeah now I cant wait for EPL !!! Unfortunately the much awaited Ind-Pak ODI got washed out, was ready for it with chips and lying cozy on the sofa!!! Yeah, it just felt like home!!! Bring on the matches now....