Monday, January 30, 2006

Exams at Anna University

Well was going through my friend Pune's blog and he had this interesting post on how we study for our exams.. Actually how we change in the way we prepare for our exams in the four years that we are here in Anna University and i thought i'd share some of my thoughts with u guys!!

Well like he has rightly put on his post....
First year - We start studying one week before the exam
Second Year - Maybe about three days before the exam
Third Year - About a day before the exam
Final Year - The morning before the exam.. maybe open the book to see where each topic is!

Well this is how we are now... We don't really get worried or upset that we have an exam the next day. Schedules don't get postponed or appointments don't get cancelled just because we have an exam the next day.. Life just goes on!!! Its just another day in our lives!!!

Well I guess our attitudes change with time... Now we have developed different ways of making sure we get good marks. Ironically over the years, my marks have been increasing!!! He he.... Marks increasing as the time I spend for a subject decreases!! An inverse realationship!!

Well there are so many reasons for that... The main one being the C2D policy... Well for those of you who haven't read Five point Someone by Chetan Bhagat, C2D stands for Co-operate to Dominate. Well its a process wherein each of us split wat we need to study!!! He he... There are other reasons too as to why grades increase but I aint going to go into the details of that!!! Well thus that explain why I can score 40+ in an exam for 50 (Its an exam in C++) without knowing how to code a line in C++!!!

Anyways... We've just got another three months or so to finish college and now we've learnt how to survive and get through our courses without a problem! Well i got an exam on Ethics tomorrow... And me still gotta get down to opening my book... I better get down to doing that or else i won't be able to make my contribution to the group.. Well guys catch u later... And for further help on the policy of C2D just voice ure views in the comments or in the shoutbox and i'll get back to u on that!!!! Au revoir... A demain

Sunday, January 29, 2006

What lies ahead...

Well i've gone over this so many times within myself... Wat lies ahead for me.. 21 years of my existence has come to pass and now what is waiting for me ahead??

When I was a small kid in a school called Cliff School at Ooty, I was just waiting to leave school and join Lawrence School, Lovedale(yes i knew i was going there after my third standard). To me then, Lawrence was a school for big children and it meant a lot more freedom! Things went on and I did get to Lawrence eventually. And then my life went on... We have three smaller schools in Lawrence(divisions of hostels and classes actually)- Prep School(upto 6th std), Junior School(upto 8th std) and Senior school(upto 12th std). I kept waiting to go ahead... And when I did get to Senior School I looked forward to getting out of there too. I left Lawrence School in the 10th std and went to Montfort School, Yercaud and was there till my 12th.

I kept looking for change.. And when I did get there I kept looking ahead.. But sometimes deep inside I miss my earlier years. Now I am on the verge of finishing my college at Anna University, Chennai(College of Engineering Guindy). Today, i think back at all those years and wonder how life has changed for me over the years. So many different incidents which have on the way shaped my character and perspective over life... Here lies the irony of the journey.. Always looking to go ahead and still looking back and wondering whether life was better then! So many different bonds of friendship, so many different types of people and ways of life.

Now when i wonder what lies ahead for me, I'm also wondering about whether I would actually prefer to go back into time and re-live my school days. I still remember those times in which I would get into some trouble in school and wonder why I was in it in the first place. Now i laugh at those days and feel it did help me become a better person on the whole. Well now atleast i've become a little clear on what I'm gonna be doing after I finish my college. I am going to join the software company Infosys. That would take me to Mysore for about three or four months which would mean a new change in my life-change in my environment and change in friends. Which again looks exciting but at the same time brings in a sadness of sorts, having to leave my college, my friends here. I don't know how many of my friends I will still retain over the years to come. Like in school, when i was going to leave, I felt this way and was so sure i would keep in touch with most of my friends. But today I guess I am in touch with only a few of my really close friends from school. I have no idea about the whereabouts of the rest of them.

And further on, after I join the company, will I stay on for many years or will I leave to study further or join another company! So many roads to take, each one of them looking equally promising! The only thing I know for certain is that I will have to leave my current set-up. The future can be so confusing. Also, there is always the pressure of living up to my parent's aims and aspirations for me. But that doesn't bind me into their already mapped journey for me!

I think I have always been a thinker, a person with ideas flowing. And one who believes that success does not lie in the grades and academic excellence of a person. Rather it lies in the way, a person can view a problem and come up with a solution that is not prescribed in any books. So its all about developing the way you look at what lies in front of you. Thus a person can be successful in any place as long as he is able to bond himself to what he has to do and think along the lines of his work. So i need to be in a position to contribute to change and this I guess will take me a long way. Renumberations will only be a by-product of "out-of-the-box thinking".

I feel that most people lose their individuality after they settle into their jobs comfortably and live a stereotypical life. They don't need to think too much as solutions to most of their problems are already documented and they would feel lost if a new problem was put in front of them. To solve such problems, they would then spend loads of the company's money by means of hiring consultants who by the way are mostly people who think out-of-the-box! So one should be careful not to keep his thinkings within the confines of staying within what is expected to him and instead always think of all the possibilites.

Well coming back to what lies ahead, The future always evokes a myriad of thoughts but the past evokes a myriad of occurences and bonds. So we need to remember the past as we step into the future.

Paritrana - The future of India

Well I was amazed after i read a mail from a friend of mine. It spoke about Paritrana- a political party formed by young students from IIT. Well looks like they've taken a leaf out of Mani Ratnam's Yuva! Five IIT'ians form the core of this party and all of them are in their 20's.

It isn't easy giving up fat pay-cheques and campaigning around the country. So why don't we lend them our support and maybe see them make a difference to the political scenario in our country. We have seen our country being governed only by people over the age of 60(conservative estimate). Maybe it is time now for the youth of India to make a difference to the country.

I think it would have taken tremondous courage on the parts of these students. Having studied in such world-class institutes, they must be under heavy pressure from their families and friends to take up good jobs or study further. But their continued efforts must be lauded.

When we sit and chat with friends over the Indian political scenario(well we do discuss politics once in a while!), we always do find fault with most of the things happening around us. We criticize every politician and blame corruption for the state of matters in our country. But if we were to think of doing something about this, I don't think one of us would be ready to lift a finger.... Most of us are too worried about our jobs or higher studies!

So here's to the success of Paritrana... spread the message around.. And the link to the article about Paritrana that was published in the economic times is given below.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1384411,curpg-1.cms

Friday, January 27, 2006

Rang De Basanti

I saw the movie Rang De Basanti and i thought i'd share my views. Well firstly I went into the theatre highly disgusted with my friends for dragging me along to watch a hindi movie, and that too buy a ticket in black for Rs.150.

The first half of the movie was at times boring. It had its bits of fun too... Like watching the movie sometimes makes me feel that i'm wasting my college life... Aamir Khan and his group of friends are college students who live up life and have loads of fun. They make numberous road-trips which is filmed amazingly. There is this Foreign gal(English or American) who comes to India to shoot a documentary on Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekar Azad etc. Due to lack of funding, she manages to convince Aamir Khan and his friends to get to act for her...

The second half of the movie takes a twist and is fast moving. The background score by A.R.Rahman is amazing and the visuals are great. There is this scene where these guys are near an airport runway(outside of course) and they run towards the plane that is taking off. The plane takes off just over their heads which makes a great scene.

Siddharth and Madhavan are South India's contribution to the movie i guess. Madhavan is a pilot and plays his role with ease. Surprisingly Siddharth has not been side-lined. Rather he has a very big role, which is even more important than Aamir Khan's role.

The song Paatshala makes you want to set off on a road-trip immediately. But the song i liked the most in the movie is a song called "Roobaroo". Its amazing and reaffirms the fact that A.R.Rahman is the best Music Director in the country!

Visogero-This is where our Hearts Belong

I studied for two years in Montfort School Yercaud. It was a big change for me from my earlier school, Lawrence School Lovedale. Montfort was strict whereas in Lawrence we were allowed to be responsible for ourselves. So when i first got into Montfort, i felt the heat on all sides. But i managed to cope and when i got used to the life of following the siren, I did enjoy myself!!

In Montfort, its tradition for each batch to have our own class name which genereally is a word pulled from some language which means "Goodbye". So we chose the word "Visogero", which in some Lithuanian dialect is supposed to mean Goodbye. Well after we choose the batch name, we write and compose a song as our farewell song. And i was given the honour of writing the lyrics for our batch song. Here it is,

Visogero- This is where our Hearts belong.

Through the years that we've been here, Parting is what we've feared,
All the years we were around, u've raised us to this ground.
We now are faced with this end at this so final bend,
We've found this place so deeply dear that we stand filled with tears.

Bridge 1:

Through the rain and through the fog,
Life's mysteries remain unsolved.
Thorugh the hail and through the storm,
This world of ours is to be dissolved.

Chorus:

Visogero to the smiles, Visogero to the times,
Though we may go many miles, (Memories) We'll always cry.
Visogero to this breeze, Visogero to this peace,
Though we may be far apart, Visogero in our hearts.

Doors may be kept wide open, But we are held within,
Remembering now all of you, Each one has been so true.
For all the fun and all the joy, we have to thank you.
Thank you Montfort for your care, your thoughts we'll always bear.

Bridge 2:

Through the rain and through the fog,
Life's mysteries remain unsolved.
Thorugh the hail and through the storm,
Your love for us we'll always want.
(Repeat Chorus)


And for those of you who are interested in listening to the song, here's the link to download the song
http://rapidshare.de/files/10405100/visogero.mp3.html

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

An introspection

Hey everyone....
Today's been a day of some serious inner reflections... Well I have just been wondering about the purpose of my existence!! Well i get into these thoughts once in a while.. And when i start thinking.. I just dive deep into my thoughts which takes me further and further... And in the end it leaves me worrying over whether i am doing what i should be doing and whether things are going the way they should. Did I make the right decision there? , Should i be bogged down by what other people think?, Or rather should I start doing this and stop doing that... Well the list is endless...

Usually these thoughts leave me in a realm of mixed emotions. I can't say that it leaves me sad or worried... But yes if u were to see me in one of these days..then u would think i was worried.. Am i confusing u!!!

Now i'm wondering over whether I should at all be worried about what anyone else thinks of me or what i am doing... I know i should feel ok doing anything as long as I feel it isn't crossing my pre-defined senses of acceptability. But still there's always this small thought that keeps pulling me back which makes me go like, "But what would he or she think of me if i were to say that" and "what would she feel about me if she knew i was doing something". And these questions pull me back and grip me refusing to let go..

So sometimes i take it in my stride and carry on with wat ever i feel like doing. But many other times it does succeed in pulling me back and i land up sitting and doing nothing except think of many other things that i maybe should not have done!!

Well today's one of those many days wherein I am sitting and keying in all of this stuff... Just to get it out of me!!! I was to go out with my friends but then something kept holding me back and i decided to get back to my room and spend sometime with myself!! (I hope i aint sounding like a lunatic)...

And i've just been reading this wonderful essay by Paul Graham on "How to do what u Love". Its pretty interesting and provides a new insight into what governs people's likes and dislikes. Things have been prescribed for us... For example... We are told by all around us from the time we were kids that "Work is not fun and Play is fun". Well so we are brought up to believe so. Now when we are older and are at a job, we need to pretend to love our job(Not everyone of course, but most people). Look at this irony in life. The very concept that Work is boring is bored deep into us and then we are supposed to love our jobs in order to be successful. Well u can read this article at http://www.paulgraham.com/love.html . Ok people... I guess i'll sign off for now... Good bye....

I'm back

hi everyone....
I haven't been up and running for quite some time now... Well i wasn't very well... Bad cough and a mild fever.. So i was mostly sleeping... Well i'm back and i'm gonna keep u updated... Bye...

Thursday, January 19, 2006

Tamil movies...

Hey ppl....
I dint do anything much today other than go for the movie "Saravanna" !!! And it makes me wonder how stupid ppl are at times... How are so many different producers(the guys who put all the money) able to put so much money into such movies... All the movies that seem to be releasing here nowadays run with the same formula...Well atleast if the formula guaranteed a hit then maybe i would understand... Boy meets gal with her family... Ah yes gal's family is in the village!! Villain slaughter's gal's family with "aruvaals" and then boy's duty to keep the gal safe... Whew! When are we gonna see a change in Tamil cinema..But yes there are a few wonderful movies that have been made in Tamil cinema... Like the recent "Thavamai Thavamirindu". Carries a wonderful message.. Speaks about the troubles that parents have to educate us and make us who we are... Wonderfully taken! Well that's it for now... Catch u later...

Two Cigarettes(Horned) Rhyno!!!


Hey guys... Well this is my buddy Guillome!!! And does he look crazy with two cigarettes!! he he.. Anyways today was a great day.. Firstly I got up at 7 30 in the morning which is something out of the normal nowadays(I land up getting up only by 12 on most days).. And i attended class!! Then we had the freshers party for the juniors this afternoon...Was pretty good.. Then went over to Elise's place for diner... Well was a typical French menu... It was a lil difficult with my taste buds too.. As french people prefer their food without too many spices...So being Indian.. I had to load my plate with Pepper and Salt to be able to finish the dish.. But yes the dish was different and nice.. Then we sat and talked and talked for like hours.... Was great fun!!!

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Pick ure self up!!

Don't feel bad when you fall,
As if you have never fallen,
You will never know how to pick yourself up when u do fall.

Sign my guest book People...

Hi everyone... Just added a link to my guest book on the right side of my blog.. If u find the time... Just take time off to sign off there... So i will be able to know all u guys and gals out there who check out my blog a lil better... Thanks....

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

Memories flowing through me....

I feel you in the air,
On your face that ever so sweet smile you wear.
I see you all around,
Your thoughts keep me forever bound.

Those many moments i spent with you,
Then i never thought i would lose.
But today when I think back,
I wonder where it was that i fell slack.

I still remember the instance you crossed my path,
Altogether you stole my heart.
Keeping me forever clinging,
To the many memories lingering.

The more i try to lock those memories,
The more they seem to flow by me.
And the more i try to move on,
The more i think of where i went wrong.

Life is supposed to push me on,
But my life would never see the same dawn.
Wherein I woke up with that smile,
And now am I in a deep form of exile.

I urge myself to not fall prey,
And push myself onto a new beginning.
But the memories will keep flowing,
The momentary spasms of pain passing.

----------- Myself

Just another day!!

Hey ppl....
Nothin special to talk about today... Save for the fact that Gokul's supposed to have read the stuff on this blog and heard he aint pissed(Gosh is he trying to be the sweetest guy around!!)... He he... Man we could start a forum on Goks and never get bored!!... Wat do u have to say silver and liveWire????? Well apart from dat.. well i dint manage to make it to class today also... Got up at 12 in the afternoon....(Surprising i know...) Man am i getting lazier by the day!! I finally got to see Aathi today.... Some of the scenes were amazing... But on the whole this movie aint better than Sivakasi(that's Vijay's earlier movie for those of u who don't know). Then went to Coffee day with a few friends... And now i'm back to my room.. So early yes!!! Gonna sleep early today... As i really wanna make it to class tomorrow...Ok ppl... Bye for now....

Bollywood Dance!!

Hey ppl....
Today was my first dance class.. Went on well.. I managed to do something!!! But was it tiring... guess this is all the exercise i'm gonna be getting... hardly play any sport!! We're dancing for some punjabi song in bluffmaster... And was good.. After we learn we gonna perform on stage after we're done learning the whole thing... Got Guillaume, Vijay, Clemence, Audrey, Elise, Tony and some more ppl coming for this class... Really good fun though!!! Will try to get some pictures on later... Don't have any now... Ok ppl catch ya later.. Gotta get some sleep now... Au revoir.. A demain!!!

Monday, January 16, 2006

Our own rapper bhai....


Well look whose here.... Gokul striking a pose as a rapper... Rapper from Saudi!!! So wat do u guys think!!! Post ure comments here ppl.. . The College stud... Basketball superstar!!! And wat not... I heard there aren't any gals in his class who celebrate their birthday's without his blessings!!! Man he rocks... All u gals out there... This guy's still single...(Or so we think)... And so get moving......And yes... I did hear that loads of gals from IBT are enquiring bout him... So hurry up or u gonna be disappointed.. Though if u want i could put in a good word for u!!!! He he... dat's gonna cost in cash or kind!!!! Take care...

Diner at Clemence's place...

Hiya ppl...
Today was one of those days in which i felt lost...He he... Was pretty tired... Man its been one hell of a long week... Fun filled but tiring... Loads of dancing.... Clemence, Guillome and myself went to the beach(Marina)... Haven't been there in ages... Was nice... then we went over to Clem's place for diner... Had a wonderful dish called Tartflete(I don't know if i got the spelling right.. so Guillome if u see this... Please correct me!!!)... And i just got back.. Gokul's gone to see Aathi.. Man i think this is the first time Gokul's seeing a movie before me... i guess i will go for the movie sometime later... Tomorrow me gotta go for dance class... Bollywood dance class.. Audrey is arranging it... So see u guys later... Me gotta get some sleep.... Good night...

A long night...

Hey everyone... Had a ball of a time again... Man this week rocks...Went to Clemence's place in the morning.. that would be at about 11 in the morning i guess.. Then went to Vijay's place for pongal... Was nice... Vijay's mom was reading palms..She read Kevin's and Clemence's palm... Well talkin bout palmistry... I have never been able to believe that it is possible to foretell a person's future from the palm.. Well i respect beliefs.. but i don't want to believe...As i feel we already have enough on my head...When i cannot keep in pace with the past and the present(that is my thoughts)... Why think of the FUTURE!!! Why not take things as they come... life wud get borin i guess... Anyways.. then we left from there and went to Clemence's place and sat down at the balcony with a cup of tea... From there.. we picked up Audrey at Alliance... Well her room at Alliance is wonderful.. Fills u with energy.. Haven't seen a room with so much colour...So bright and energetic i think..And she painted it all herself!!! Great!! Then we left to coffee day and we were there for about three hours i guess! Was nice.. Coffee day at adyar is one place where we feel so comfortable.. We talk for hours over a cup of coffee(or more!!) over a wide range of topics... Then we left to Platinum(its a disco)... Was great...But yes it was a long night!!!
Take care.. Good bye

Saturday, January 14, 2006

Salut mes amis!!!

Hey guys and gals out there... Its bout 2.30 pm now... Just got back after a great night!!! Well where did it start.. Ya.. went to Alliance Francaise to meet Audrey and Guillome... and after dat... we went BOWLING!!!(man.. am i bad at this game!!!)... well i lost miserably!!! I met Julian today... He's from France and was at Brazil for two years... We guys went out to Pinnacle(Its the roof-top restaurant of Hotel Ranjit) for diner and after that we went to the Russian Cultural centre... (We went to the Russian Cultural Centre bout two weeks back too!!!) There we met Clemence and Irene... (Audrey went back home!!)... Well Julian and I walk into the Russian Cultural centre and guess who we met there!!!! Well SANDHYA!!! Well Sandhya's from Seatle(She's Indian... but is settled there!!) Was a pleasant suprise... Then we danced away to glory.... Was there till now.... Dropped Julian at his place and just got back... Thought i had to fill my blog before i go to sleep and so here i am... Have to get up early tomorrow... That would be atleast by nine!!!(he he he...) Coz i've gotta be at Vijay's place tomorrow for Pongal... Btw... Happy Pongal guys..... K gotta sign off.. Take care... Catch ya later....
Kumaran

Friday, January 13, 2006

My evenings


Hey guys....
My evenings are spent at the coffee day at adyar with friends.... We sit over some sheesha and a few cups of coffee for bout 3 hours everyday... Here i am at coffee day with a cigar!!!!

Wondering how i got a job??


Well people i don't think i told u that i've got a job!!! (lol).. Well i'm placed at Infosys... And this is how i walked into the interview!!!
Some ppl say i look like a bengali in this pic... Wat do u think.. Add ure comments pls....

Innocence beyond boldness!!!

This gal i know... well goes like a rat,
But don't be fooled coz she's one hell of a brat.
And when she's bathing in her innocence....
She's taking many a guy's rational sense.

Treading past many paths...
She's takin with her so many hearts.
And when she's done doing that,
She tries talking u into a pact!!

Behind all the talking she does,
That childishness leaves u stunned.
Watch that smile coming your way,
Coz ure gonna join her huge brigade...!!!

P.S: Dedicated to a very good friend of mine... Hey gal ure out there and this goes out to u!! A friend always... Take care...

---Kumaran

Thursday, January 12, 2006

Doors

Life is a journey through many doors,
You open one, only to find another.
The more you open, the more you close.
And one day when you'll find your journey's to end,
You will see many more doors.

---Kumaran

Hope!!!

Living in a world of dead hopes,
Firmly bound, I cannot cut through your ropes.
Though you try to put me away,
My thoughts aren't willing to sway.

Whatever you may think about me and what ever you may feel,
This journey of hope, I'm not willing to leave.
As days go by, the further you go,
With you always, my heart you tow.

The moments I spent with you keep lingering in my mind,
Carefully I preserve them not leaving anything behind.

-----Kumaran

See me dancing!!!

Hey ppl... here's a small video from the party... hope u like it... http://rapidshare.de/files/10888466/dance.zip.html
Bye...

Party pics

Hey ppl....
I got a few of the party pics online... i have uploaded them onto rapidshare.. To download them just click on the following link... http://rapidshare.de/files/10863503/party_pics.rar.html
Take care...
Bye... Kumaran

My birthday party

Hello everyone... The party went on really great!!! Had loads of fun... Body still aching now... Loads of dancing and fun... The highlight of the day was the way we carried Collins and threw him into the swimming pool. Man, that guy weighs a ton....!!! Well will put up a few of the party pictures.... Take care.... catch ya later....

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Birthday bash!!

Hey everyone out there... Am finally there...Tonight's the big nite... Have arranged a beach-house to have a party.. Well this is the first big party i'm hosting and i hope it goes on great!!! Will fill u in bout the details and maybe upload a few snaps later... Catch u later... Bye

Monday, January 09, 2006

One liner to think about!!!

"Trust, like steel may rust with time. Love is not always a bed of roses!!!"

--- Kumaran.V.M.

our patent-pending device


well we had nothing to do i guess... that wud be Pune and me... and look at wat we got into... Our self designed and developed HOOKAH device.. Well here's the photo... Take a look and give us ure comments... Catch u ppl later... Bye...

Monday, January 02, 2006

i'm back

hi guys.....
Happy new years..... went to Bassera.. a restaurant on the beach on new years nite... had loads of fun... was good..
had gone home for the weekend... for a get together... had a great time.... but landed up spraining my leg ... so me got a cast on my left leg....
Well got to get our project work started... Decided on doing it at Ashok Leyland... Doing it at their Advanced Engineering Department under Mr.Karthik....
then... finally my sis managed to convince Dad and Mom to get her a mobile... so she's got a mobile... then loads of birthdays coming up... today's varun's birthday..... Signing off now...
Kumaran