ha i blog too!!

2007-08-25T04:45:00.000+05:30

Last post was on Nov 2005...don't know why am I posting again today....

Life since the last 2 years have been so much....met so many people and did so many things.....got married too....

Don't know if one post could sum up all that....life has chaged so much....

I just happened to go to SP's site - www.zeeble.net and when I saw my name on his list of bloggers thought lemme just pen something...

Stayed in places in last 2 years...Tokyo , Shanghai , Seoul , Singapore and now in Phoenix, US....met people and to sum up I find them all the same....just that they look and behave a bit diffrent...

My willingness to move around was to see how diffrent people are and how diffrent are places....I haven't been to Europe yet but have worked with Germans for long in one of my projects....same all the same!!!

Now somehow for the time being I am a tired man...especially today when I pen this...slept late yestreday ....alone in my hotel room I get bored...US is not a place where u can be alone and be moving around easily ....public transport is missing here...plan to get a car...that will be like buying independence....Asia's MRT/Metro system rocks!!!

Offlate planning to setup a home theater system to get over my boredom before Sangya(my wife) shifts in to this place ...which on an optimistic note should happen sometime in Oct end...2007....life for her also has been hell....staying apart and doing things on her own....work life sucks!!!

But not everything is as dull and as gloomy it seems...atleast the sun in bright and hard in this part of the world - Phoenix , Arizona.....great skies as SP says....will take some time before I fly freely under them....

Will wait for my life to be back on tracks ...maybe that will happen once my song Sangya is back here....love her...and then I will sing " I am back in the saddle again..."

Ciao ...dunno when is the next one coming up!!

2005-11-11T07:24:00.000+05:30

2005-11-11T07:13:00.000+05:30

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/b/boyzone/23405.html

2005-09-30T11:33:00.000+05:30

Long time no blog! Saw this movie called Finding Forrester (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0181536/) starring Sean Connery in which he teaches a kid to write...one of the ways to break ice when you have not written for long is to just write...like Sean put's it in the movie..."it's so satisfying when you have completed the first draft and you read it for urself" ....and one lesson reinforced is " when you write the first time it's always from the heart..second time around it's from the brains"

Anyways lot of things that I haven't penned for long...a couple of concerts more that i attended...my visit to Guilin and my visit to Qingyuan....both were brilliant....

Today it's Friday(30th Sep,2005) ..it's gonna be a long weekend for a week long National Holiday China will be celebrating throught the next week ....I will be in Beijing and Shanghai next week....a guided tour that I am going for with another coupla of friends...there is core team sitting next to me all agog abt having finished the Unit Test Round 1 and awaiting the holidays to start....all in all a happy and lazy atmosphere around...I am sick and tired of listening to the people in office shouting in Chinese ...I never talked/heard so much in life.....I thought Indians were the most talkative, but the Chinese beat them hands down.....

2005-07-18T06:58:00.000+05:30

Concerts...

This was my first concert ever.There's this wonderfull Xinghai Concert Hall in Guangzhou.On 15th July 2005 I got the chance to attend a performance by the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra(http://www.imgartists.com/?page=artist&id=446)

It was a 2 hour performance with the following being rendered:--

1)Mendelssohn Overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream，Op . 21　
2)Mozart Piano Concerto No .23 in A major, K488
3)Dvorak Symphony No .9 in E minor, Op .95, “From the New World”

The conductor for all the three was JÂNOS FÜRST ( http://www.cisma.org.cn/ev/Principal_2.htm)

For the piano it was Jean-Philippe Collard( http://www.philharmonia.co.uk/meettheorchestra/players/jeanphillipecollard/)

The performance was absolutely brilliant and the audience excellent,Jean had to come back to the stage to give a solo performance after the Mozart's piece as the audience wouldn't stop applauding.

All in all a memorable and a brilliant evening........will go for more this month end.

2005-06-16T12:40:00.000+05:30

A quite Guangzhou day...

Sitting here at Honeywell discussing few accounting issues with my core team member Steven...he's kinda slow in understanding what I say in English..but is a nice person though so I do not get frustated with his English.

There's Sangeet sitting dioganolly opposite to me with a bright happy face...his wife would be landing here tomorrow..

It was a quite day with the rains having calmed the weather out also....people ...I would say these bunch of jolly kidz in office keep shouting and enjoying themselves.........a young zealous lot they are ...reminds me of some poem ...bright and what!!

Plan to go to HK on weekend ...let's see what turns out...feeling lazy and laid back....dunno what to do next...

2005-05-28T17:51:00.000+05:30

Me in Guangzho!

Recetly landed in this quite cool city called Guangzho is South China.Gunagzho is in South China and is 2 hours from HonkKong,I landed here on 24th May 2005,after a long long long journey--Gurgaon_Chennai_Singapore_Bayun Airport(Guangzho Airport!)

I had no idea what Guangzho had in store for except that I was going to some obscure place in South China where I would be working on SAP Implementation for Honeywell,Bayun airport first took me by surprise---it's big and leanand smart--better than any Indian Aiport!!

Next was the Highways connecting the Town to the airport,the city has n number of highways ,it's like u are always on highways,highways galore between mountains and green patches!

Next was the Hotel Pearl Garden Hotel(www.pearlgardenhotel.com) , it's a 4 star hotel and looks cool!

I am enjoying this place---good food,good people and good and very organised city!

Till I pen more..chao chao from Ritesh reporting from Guangzho!

2005-01-02T16:06:00.000+05:30

Here i am sitting in OMAX AUTOS Limited,Gurgaon which is my company's client for the SAP Implementation that our team is doing here,I am into Finance Module.

This is the second day of the new year-2005, and a Sunday I am still in office! working over integration issues in MM-FI and SD-FI!

My team mate Sankar is sitting next to me disgusted..trying to find why "he is not able to do a GR after a Subcontractor has returned some metarial after a job work!"seems somebody has activated the RG1-production register!

This was my first blog for the new year,quite a lousy one though --but thought maybe I start writing --better lousy writing that not writing at all.

Hattori Hanzo!

2004-06-11T17:17:00.000+05:30

Chennai,SAP,Spencer Plaza,Higgin Bothams and Gooseberries!!

This is by first blog since I landed in Chennai on 7th May 2004...long time hmm...joined this company as SAP FICO Consultant(undergoing training till end on June 2004!)...Chennai doesn't seem to be as bad as people told me...infact I think it's better than Mumbai...good shopping malls...Spencers and Isphani to name a few ...good book shops...Landmarks..though landmark is my personal favourite...and life in general is cool ...job is cool ...company is cool and so are the new freinds...

as for food recommended places for eating:--

1)Hyderabadi Biryani at College Road,Nungabakkam:--Just for Rs.38 u get a proper lunch/dinner...most sasta till date in Chennai.

2)Sanjha Chulha on Nungambakkam Road:-Good ambience and food...avarage pricing...around 100 bucks per head.

3)Galloping Gooseberries:--Ok(not recomended though!!!)for salads/pasta and continental food in general...very costly though..a burger comes for Rs.90 and salads start at 45 but quantity is less.

4)The Cascade:--Good Chinese food..average price ...Rs.100 per head.On Nungambakkam Road.

5)Mary Brown:--Good Burgers in Isphani Center...avarage price ...get burgers starting from 19 only and can go upto 60-70.

6)Jaipur :-- Sexy veggie Rajasthani cuisine...cheap ...good ambience but beware of the calrories u add with the ghee in the food...a must visit though...get thalies for Rs.85 and lots of snacks to savour on.

7)Food World:- In Spencers Plaza...good for cheap snacks...burgers/pizzas..etc..

And guess what after the food I am into fitness and stuff...going to this gym called O2 on Khader Nawaz Road,Nungabakkam...is ok types a bit coslty though 1500 pm

On cards to be visited :-- The Canton,Nungabakkam Road and Vellu Military Chicken!

That's all for gotta leave for spencers ..and higgin bothams...this is the last day of the week and I am all set to rock the bed!!!

2004-05-03T15:57:00.000+05:30

SRL Ranbaxy

Had been to this Clinical lab for a pre-employement health check up..near Tunga Paradise Hotel SEEPZ Mumbai...did some rounds of tests...for the first time i was detected with high BP problem...134/90..for my age doctor was a bit concerned...ofcourse overweight too.. I am 79.....ECG also showed some problems i guess...all related to my weigth i guess...

2004-04-15T13:00:00.000+05:30

Resigned from IRIS.

Today I resigned from IRIS Ltd. to join a new company in Chennai ...was a tough decision.Have learnt a lot staying in IRIS Ltd.Completed a year and 15 days in IRIS Ltd.

2004-04-14T16:05:00.000+05:30

GOA VISIT and the Chain Mails that followed:--

From: "das_ritesh"
Date: Mon Apr 12, 2004 2:14 pm
Subject: Goaaaahhhhhh !!!

Hi Junta,
"1-2-3 Break free"…you just couldn't beat the XIMB zealous
lot when it comes to freaking out!!

When the Mumbai junta started the year 2004 with a party , I had
sensed lots of good things happening for the batch!

Lot's of people married…people switching jobs with great offers in
hands…some of them being Abhijit,Anjali and Shalini in Citigroup,
Akshaya in DRL,Anupam in JP Morgan ,Harjot in some hot job,Naresh in
Murugappa Group(I assume Naresh doesn't mind me announcing
this!),Neelabh in GECIS(don't curse me Neelabh!),Santrupta in
Reliance Energy,Roktim at HDFC Bank,Tooboon in HDFC Bank. And
marriages I guess doesn't need to be listed the way people are
taking "The Plunge"!!by the time you get this mail one more Deepak
Saha would be on the way to Baraat!!

Congratulations Deepak!

Itna accha ho raha hai that some of us thought we couldn't digest it,
so a small toli of XIMB PGP2003 met at India's hot spot Goa to
celebrate the "XIMB Shining" campaign and get the digestive juices
rolling with some beer and pristine blue waters and sands and you u
know what---bikinis!!!

The campaigners were the following: --

1)Kamakshya Mohapatra
2)Subhankar Pattnayak
3)Sambit Maharana
4)Sthitaprajna Jena
5)Ritesh Das

& ladies and gentleman…the host was guess who?- Sachin…oops …I mean
Sathchidananda Mohapatra(Toobon-remember our pot bellied mess
secy)..well Tooboon is better known as Sachin these days ,the Goa
effect I guess.Well Sachin is with HDFC Bank,Goa Branch these days
and doing extremely well.

So baat yoon hui ki the weekend was long starting with Good
Friday ..followed by Sat and a Sun.So we JLT landed at Toobon's place
absolutely unplanned and like uninvited guests as we usually do! But
Sachin Bhai ne Inzamam Bhai ko bhi pichhe chod diya(chod diya as in
leave behind/beat!) in khatir dari!!he was just too good in arranging
things in Goa…three days and two nights of ABSOLUT fun!!(as SP would
have put it with his pursuit for ABSOLUT Vodka!! in Goa.)
The first day—Friday started with Colba Beach,Anjuna Beach,Dona Paula
and Miramar Beach,St,Xaveir's and St.Basilica's Church,Shanta Durga
Temple and Manguesh temple,River Cruising and rombo shombo on the
river cruiser!!Maya ----mayaa yoooo…hooohoo

XIMBian's do things differently so we did…started for the trip at
12:00 noon (summer's are no better in Goa than Mumbai!),drank
beer,saw babes and then went to Mandir…the driver of this cool Sumo
Toobon had arranged for just went berserk!!with us in Mandir fulltoo
out!!)

Second day we were no better with the day again starting at 12:00
noon…the driver by this time was more like Pradeep Sahoo(the hostel
warden!) physically present but mentally switched off…started with
Baga Beach..Calangute Beach ending with Fort Aguada Beach(Taj is
cool!)

Both the nights were spent mostly indoors with no energy left in us
with whole days fun we had…nights were well spent boozing…eating like
mad men and listening to Subhankars fully faltoo quips as he would
say….Subhankar didn't leave a chance to break free even in public
places…kept on saying…"1-2-3—I wanna break free" ---did things in
public place which could have landed is in our jaws breaking free
from our faces!!Sudhar jaaa Subbu!!!

SP was at his paparazzi best as Kamakhsya would put it clicking us in
chuds and some babes sans chuds!!!Clicking his new cool ES10 digicam
at all nangoo pangoo things…seriously did manage to get some good
quality pics though, …check out for some pics on his webpage:-

http://www.zeeble.net/gallery/Goa

As for Sambit Maharana aka "Prabhu" was always in look out for blue
things …errr..I mean blue waters and white sands…..did manage to lay
his hands on some blue waters and blue errrr…ask him not me….!!sorry
Prabhu!!!

As for Kamakshya Mohapatra aka "Kammo" he now knows where is he
heading to on long weekends…did get to showcase his swimming skills
along with Maharana in Dudh Sagar waterfalls….Kammo how about some
Jockey chuds pics(girls mail me/SP for this!!!)

As for Tooboon he was more than happy to be seeing people eating
menus he selected---King Prawns,Goanese fish,White Wine,Port
Wine,Vodka,Ice Creams,Easter Eggs(Easter was on Sunday!,as suaul u
would say!!),Souffle,Stifle Pudding,Pineapple Tart and god knows what
all…..it was just delicious and sumptuous too…thanks Tooboon u just
gave some unforgettable moments…hats off to u man!!

As for me kept on sweating with my hanky as bandana on my head as you
would see in most pics,but then did break free with Subbu and lots of
boozing,parasailing and sea cruising!!

The last day was also note spared with us taking a dip at DudhSagar
waterfalls!

The high point of the second day undoubtedly the parasailing stuff at
Calangute Beach…it was an awwwwsome experience….

We left Goa with just one feeling -- orgasmic---as Maharana would put
it ----Goooooaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!

Ciao junta and have fun and take "The Plunge"!!

Enjoy,
Ritesh Das

Note:--Some pics have been censored in the album..people interested
in seeing them please mail to SP.He will give u a passwd to view them
too!!

2004-04-08T09:30:00.000+05:30

Matheran

SP and me had been to Matheran on 6th March 2004 and spent the day and the next day (sunday ) ...was a total horse shit place literally...horse riding was good though...all points looked alike...honey moon point ...sunset point etc...stayed in this cheap guest house called Saheban...slept a lot ...took some pics ...can see them on http://www.zeeble.net/gallery/Matheran-March2004.

Toy train journey was also ok ....types

2004-04-01T15:53:00.000+05:30

1st April 2004

Today I have completed a year in IRIS Ltd and it was weird ,I had to resign ,not because my perforance was bad but beacuse the company is going trough a financial restructuring hence change in name from IRIS Ltd to IRIS Business and all that stuff.

2004-03-08T16:36:00.000+05:30

Holi

Yesterday was Holi--festival of colors,was incidentally a Sunday too...didn't do much..spent time taking some pics...will load it and put the link here.

2004-03-08T16:22:00.000+05:30

Fu Yong!!
Okie now one more cool place to eat in Mumbai!!This small restaraunt in King's Circle Mumbai makes good chinese cuisine.
Though a very small place ,his menu is exhaustive and only Chinese,cooks very well and is cheap too.
My freind SP and I ordered Crispy chicken ,could not finish it off-Rs.80 only/-.
We have been there 2wice and tried Spinach Ball's Thai Style,Monglian Fish,Veg Cantonese stick and quite a few other good dishes.Cooking is consistetnly good and per head comes to not more than Rs.150/-...to cheap for the variety,taste and the quality it serves.Only disadvantage is that is this place is small.Has a nice little aquarium too!
Check out Koolar cafe too in the same building.One of the best Irani Style restaurants in Mumbai! Makes good cheese omlet!

2004-03-04T09:13:00.000+05:30

Lousy Meeting!!
There was this meeting with one of our cleints yesterday.Screwed up everything,not because I was bad at it but because let speak someone else interrupt in my presenation.
This was to be more of a marketing exercise which was turned to techie meeting by my partner techie who was not sure of what he was saying..u know how the client feels when u are not sure of what u are speaking..
It reminded me of my B-School presentations where u as a tactic usually let only the best tspeakers in the group speak and take questions and let the bad ones take a back seat... it was my mistake...lesson learned never take a techie for a meeting where you will be interacting with managers and not techies...
Now I know why they have Business Analysts in tech companies....inspite of them knowing much lesser than a programmer.

2004-03-02T15:39:00.000+05:30

Cheapest Food Joint in Mumbai!!:-- How cheap can cheap be??Can u imagine having a sumptuos meal everyday for Rs.33(non-veg!!)??Yes there's this small hotel(i rather call it a dhaba!!) in Powai,infront of Oxford House,Tunga Village called Murlee!!My ex-CTO's name was also Murlee too!!Was with Red Hat Linux last time I met him...seems to be in Bangalore now!
Murlee is the name of the sole propreitor of this dhaba!!A Mallu man he is in his 40's...is an amazaing character to know..have never seen a guy with a better client servicing/CRM.
Murlee runs his small dhaba or around 300 sqft solely with his wife doing the kitchen...serves his favourite reccomendation--Parotha+Chicken--Rs.27 only!!.
He offers good fish fries also for as low as Rs10/-.Any fish fry --- Tarli,Bombil(Bombay Duck),Bangda,bandas..
I had chicken fry,chapati,chana masala+chota pepsi+complimentary payasam today for just Rs.33 bucks today.
Taste is good but ambience is something many may not like...but since I left home 3 years back I guess I am not mothered much abt ambience and suff these days...that does not mean that my aesthetic sense is dead...all this is good place to have a lunch everyday...atleast it's affordable..

2004-03-02T09:47:00.000+05:30

Seven Samurai---watched this kewl movie by Akira Kurosawa..can't believe was made in 1954..just tells me how foresighted was Kurosawa...this movie can easily win an Oscar today also..a must watch movie.The story goes like this.In XVI century during the civil wars. Confronted with a band of forty brigands who do not cease years after years stealing their harvests and their wives to them, few peasants decide to ask samurais to protect them. Six ronins, lead by their chief Kambei and a farmer son, accept to defend the villagers in exchange of the board and lodging, without being paid, but with the feeling to do their duty. The seven samurai decide to teach the art of war to the peasants before the return of the bandits. Soon, the village is besieged by the fourty bad guys, but the defensive plan of the old chief Kambei will prevail, and the village will finaly be victorious. This is probably the most famous Kurosawa's film.Th whole movie has a very Indian touch.A typical Indian movie I would say...sometimes reminds me of Sholay.
for more on kurosawa log on to:--http://kurofan.free.fr/

2004-03-02T09:46:00.000+05:30

Muharram Fool:--Just walked into the office and was surpirised to see this place deserted...guess what it's an optional holiday for Muharram...and there's this idiot roomie and colleague of mine called Sthitaprajna(SP) sitting beside me downoading and browsing Kurosawa and Orkut Community...sipping the thunder "Thumps up"...waiting for Mrs.Supandi!!