Alligator files

The End

2005-03-04T02:39:00.000-08:00

This is the last post on this blog.

Six months of blogging helped me in getting over my two years of depression.
TWO YEARS.
The worst two years of my life.
Life worse than death.

But now, Life is as beautiful as it was before.
Maybe its much more beautiful now.
I dont want to go back into the past.
I dont want to relive those times.
And this blog will only remind of it.
So I gotta go.

So what now?
Well..I am not saying bye.
And I am not gonna stop blogging.
Maybe I will start photoblogging,
Or maybe MobileBlogging.
Or maybe a new blog on blogger.
Whatever, but at least I wont need to hide behind the mask of anonymity.

The worst is over.
And Life can only get better.

So Later...

P.S.
To Rich and Shy, authors of Shockingly Provincial, and the nicest, loveliest people on the planet.
And To all my blog friends.
You have been very special to me.
And you still are.

Love you, guys.

Truth Hurts

2005-02-22T06:40:00.000-08:00

....But it STILL is the most beautiful thing in the world.

Things

2005-02-10T21:07:00.000-08:00

Things are only as simple or as complicated as YOU want them to be.

BRB

2005-01-15T10:23:00.000-08:00

I will be back.

In the words of Doordarshan : "Rukawat ke liye khed hai"

BTW, I am regularly crawling Shockingly Provincial, Lewis Moten, Foolmaker and their friends.

And yeah, everything is fine with me. And if it isn't, it WILL be.

Happy Birthday, Aishwarya!!!

2004-12-24T06:40:00.000-08:00

Two years back, you loved me.
Last year, you hated me.
Today, you aren't even there.
But still, wishing you many happy returns of the day, whereever you are!!

And Merry Xmas to the world. :)

News: Nidhi Taparia is back and has started bloggling again. :)

Whats Blogging?

2004-12-14T10:10:00.000-08:00

If blogging activity includes the following

1. Writing your own blogs
2. Reading other people's blogs
3. Reading and replying to comments posted on your blog
4. Commenting on other people's blogs
5. Checking your blog stats
6. Promoting yor blog
7. Browsing blog directories

How much time do you spend blogging?

November '04

2004-12-02T05:59:00.000-08:00

This is how I spent my last month.

A typical weekday would be as follows.

8.00 am: Wake up

8.00-9.30 am : Get ready for office, breakfast, etc.

10.30-7 pm : Office hours

8 pm: Reach home, have dinner, some TV

11.00 pm : Sleep

Sundays/Holidays/Bandhs: These days were the most fun. I just cant describe what I did on these days. (Tomorrow is a holiday...Kolkata bandh ;) )

The most interesting thing I did recently was visiting Eden Garden for a cricket match.
India Vs South Africa Test Match, 3rd day.
This was the first time in my life, I went to see a cricket match.
And I got to see 'Sachin'!!!!
No commercials.. :)
No replays.. :(

Life is good.

Happy Diwali

2004-11-12T01:08:00.000-08:00

Blogging after a looooong time. I dont even have access to dial-up connection in Kolkata. :(
I am in cybercafe now.

So much things have changed since last time I blogged. Almost all (not ALL) of my favorite blogs have changed their looks. Haven't got time to read all of their blogs. So I have a lot of reading to do.

And I am just one step away from my dream job. I can't believe it. I am soooooo happy. I will know the result on Monday. I hope everything goes well.

Today is Diwali..So wish you all a very Happy Diwali and prosperous new year.

Hope to blog soon again.

And...
Apologies to everybody for not getting back to your emails/comments.

Busy week

2004-10-31T22:14:00.000-08:00

This week had been very busy for me. Though I accomplished nothing, but still it kept me away from some ugly thoughts and memories.
And I didn't even get time to catch up with Rich's Master Plan (to take over the world). Maybe someday I will want to take over the world. (Come on, think of it, everybody wants to take over the world.) This reminds me of one of my favorite cartoon characters "Pinky & Brain".

Pinky: Aaj raat hum kya karne waale hain?
Brain: Wohi jo hum har raat karte hain, duniya par kaabu paane ki koshish.

Received some emails from friends that made me smile. One email made me want to back to Thailand.

I am leaving for Calcutta tonight. Long and boring journey by chook-chook-gaadi (the train).

Next Blog. Over to Kolkata.

Dhoom : the movie

2004-10-27T02:26:00.000-07:00

Being an Yashraj Film, and reviews from the friends and media, I had very high expectations from 'Dhoom'. But I can term the movie only as 'just watchable' like any other Bollywood movie.
The movie was a bit different in its presentation. Its like a Bollywood movie presented in Hollywood style.
First of all its not an usual three-hour movie. Its only two hours including the song and dance sequences.
The script is typical David Dhawan style. Don't think about how and why did it happen. Just enjoy whats being presented on the screen.
Its a 'chor-police' story. Smart robbers trying to outwit the smarter cop. Some of the action scenes are good but you can easily make out they are all special effects. Bollywood still has lots to learn from Hollywood.
Uday Chopra looks better in comic roles.
Abhishekh's acting will remind you of Amitabh Bachchan. Or maybe its us who still want to see the image of his father in him. Can't believe, people are still obsessed with the Big B.
Songs are good. Like all Yashraj films, you can hear them again and again. I liked 'Dhoom Macha De' (Tata Young version).
Overall a full timepass movie. So even if anyone had seen it on video, its still worth to see Dhoom again on the big screen.

A conversation in the movie
"What's your name?"
"Austin Powers"

Spot it. Have fun. :)

Jaipur in Two Days

2004-10-27T01:42:00.001-07:00

Jaipur. Pink city of India and a major tourist destination.

Here's what a typical traveller has to say about the city.

Amer(Amber) Fort, Jaigarh Fort, Nahargarh Fort
The only worthwhile places to see in the city. Spend the major part of the day here.

Jantar Mantar, Hawamahal, Jalmahal
Only see them from the outside. Don't waste your money in buying entry tickets.

Museums - City Palace, Ram Niwas Baug
Just okay and worth visiting only if you are interested in history and have extra time.

Rajmandir Cinema Hall
Q. Whats better than watching 'Dhoom'?
A. Watching 'Dhoom' at Rajmandir.
Termed as India's finest, there was a time when people would visit this place not to see the movies, but the cinema hall. But today it ranks far behind all the multiplexes in the country. But worth a dekko if you are a movie buff.

Amusement Parks - Pink Pearl, Fun Kingdom
Don't even think about visiting these places, unless you have loads of extra cash and the typical Indian 'chalta hai' attitude. More than half of the rides are not working. And be prepared to pay EXTRA. Extra for parking, extra for costumes, extra for lockers, extra for keeping shoes, extra for accessories, and even extra for some of the rides. It's YOU who will be taken for a ride.
NOT RECOMMENDED.

Chokhi Dhani
Its a kind of resort and restaurant. The food is excellent. So if you wanna have a taste of Rajasthan, its worth spending an evening here.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Shopping
Jaipur isn't a shopper's paradise. However take a walk within the 'walled city' (Johari Bazar) to get an idea about the market. If you are real good at art of bargaining, its the place for you.

Not covered in two days
Moti Doongri Ganesh Temple, Birla Mandir, Galta ji, Sisodia garden, etc.

End-Week-Dull

2004-10-23T06:08:00.000-07:00

End of another dull week.
Though its a festive season, the mood isn't very bright this year.
Last year was different. Celebrating 'Puja' in Kolkata was so much fun. I expected to be there this year too. But things never seem to go my way.

Called up my friends in Mumbai this week. Talking to them cheered my mood a bit. I miss them.

I should get a new job soon. But I am not putting in much effort this time. Its futile trying to get a decent job in IT industry without an engineering degree. All those Brainbench certifications and previous experiences are useless. I guess, I have to work as an accountant for the rest of life.
But for now, I feel like I should be somewhere else. A place where no one knows me. Maybe an unknown island. Any other place away from this computer.
I think I am a bit depressed.
I need a break.

In the End
Thank you Lewis Edward Moten for linking to me. Best of luck for NaNoWriMo contest. I hope to read the first chapter of your novel soon.

Hinglish rules: Times Online

2004-10-19T02:11:00.000-07:00

Times Online - Sunday Times: "Hinglish, as the variety of English spoken in India is known, may seem a little old-fashioned but according to a leading British expert it could soon become the most common spoken form of the language.
Professor David Crystal, the author of more than 50 books on English, says 350m Indians speak it as a second language, exceeding the number of native speakers in Britain and America.
He argues that the growing popularity of Indian culture around the world, including Bollywood movies, means that Hinglish will soon become more widely spoken outside the continent. "

Okay, so now its official now. The unofficial language, Hinglish, is finally recognised as the world's most popular language.

More on Google Search:
http://www.google.co.in/search?q=professor+david+crystal+hinglish&hl=en

Good Excuses

2004-10-18T10:09:00.000-07:00

Two reasons for not blogging during the last few days.

1. I don't have a broadband connection at home.
2. I left my job. And I am jobhunting now.

My Stamp Collection

2004-10-16T06:23:00.000-07:00

Cleaning up the attic and found some really interesting things. Each thing so precious to me, each one a memoir in itself, but still tucked away in some old cartons. :(

One of these things is my stamp album. Collecting stamps used to be my hobby during school years.

I am not a philatelist. I don't have a big collection of stamps, just a few hundreds. But still, its MY treasure. There used to be some kind of thrill in collecting stamps. And sometimes it almost seemed like an adventure.

Well, I have stopped collecting stamps now. And besides, emails don't use stamps.

Off-Topic
I have added TWO referrals to BlogExplosion. I think I am gonna love this thing.

And Thank you Salocin for linking to me.

The Mask

2004-10-11T23:37:00.000-07:00

I am not me! I wear a mask. And its not the same mask I wear all the time. The mask changes depending on the role I have to play. Its relative to time, place and people.

I try to hide my real self. I try to be somebody else. I try to make an 'impression'. I try to live an image which I am not.

I don't remember how long have I been wearing the 'masks'. But I guess it must have been a really long time. Maybe from the time, I was learning to talk and walk. It wasn't my will. It was people's expectations. I was supposed to act 'perfect'.

So I don't cry when I want to. And I don't laugh when I want to. I hide my real feelings. Sometimes I agree with things which I feel are wrong.

A while back, when somebody said "You have changed. You are not what you used to be. I still like your former self", I was puzzled. This person had known me for a year or so. I don't know what I was a year ago or what am I today. I am sure there hasn't been much physical change in me during the year. So what had changed about me?

Most of the time I don't know what people expect from me. And sometimes I find it hard to live up to their expectations. And I don't blame them. I wish I had presented my real self to them.

I don't know if I will be able to throw off my mask someday. I don't know if I will be able to even recognize myself then. I have lost my real self somewhere. I know its within me. But can I find it?

It all sounds meaningless, but its because I am as much confused as this post.

Q. Why do I wear a mask?
A. I am ugly. Simple.

myelin: blogging ecosystem

2004-10-11T23:36:00.000-07:00

My Bookmark

I don't know how I got to this page. But there has to be something interesting here. It looks like an abandoned blog directory. I need to research this thing.

http://www.myelin.co.nz/ecosystem/

ash2ace

2004-10-11T23:34:00.000-07:00

The only thing on my mind when I am not learning anything new.
This week was the same.

Missing you, 'Ash'.

Haircut

2004-10-07T23:02:00.000-07:00

Today I felt that my hair had grown a bit long. I decided that I need to shorten them. I went to the hair saloon. The hairdresser cut the hair and thereby I got my haircut.

I was just reading the Dull Blog and tried to imitate his style. But its tough being 'Dull'. Lol.

Blog Stats
Nothing new happening in my life. And Sunday is still two days away. Just checking the stats. Here's something.

Blogexplosion is bringing in traffic. :)

I get a negative vote at Blizg :(

Shockingly Provincial mentions me in his recent post. :)

My rating has dropped to 4 from 7 at Blogexplosion :(

The blog is listed on LS Blogs. :)

Garfield is the most popular cartoon character among bloggers. :)

So overall, I am having a good hair day.

Fool maker

2004-10-07T22:59:00.000-07:00

i am checking my stats.

i see this url in my referrals list. nah..can't be.

scrolling down, i see this url AGAIN.

something strikes me.

i confirm if i am checking my own stats or somebody else's.

she: you mean you check other people's stats?

me: yeah, sometimes.

she: did you check my stats too?

me: maybe.

she: but why would you do that?

me: i don't know. i guess i love to sneak in other people's lives.

she: you're such ....

okay, right, so its my stats.

there's a smile on my face. and i click on the link to open the page.

i quickly scan the page for something.

its not there.

but it has to be there somewhere. my instincts can't be wrong.

i check the side bar again, this time, carefully checking each link.

its there.

wheeee.....

Thank you foolmaker for linking to me.

Experience vs Qualifications: Business Standard 'the strategist'

2004-10-05T09:51:00.000-07:00

Full original article here:

The article was supposed to be a debate on what makes a successful manager — academic qualifications or experience. But it turned out to be something else.

Here's something interesting from the article.

KAMAL MANSHARAMANI, CEO, Birlasoft Limited (MBA from FMS, Delhi):
"I would choose someone with a higher qualification rather than have the company work on him and train him for the job."

How can you be sure that a person with 'higher qualification' will not need training? And what about the person who may not be 'high qualified' but is skilled and willing to learn at his own cost?

"Before clients hire our services, they want to know about our knowledge base."

Its a bad argument. No client would ask about employee's qualifications. Clients just want to 'get work done'. Nothing else matters.

ARUN KUMAR, President and MD, Hughes Software Systems (B.Tech from IIT, Kanpur):
"A student who has graduated from top engineering and management institutions like the IITs and IIMs will naturally be superior to others with lesser qualifications."

I am not surprised that this comes from an IITian himself. Isn't that discrimination?

GOPAL MADNANI, Country Manager, SSA Global, India (B.Tech from IIT, Mumbai):
"I find it difficult to believe that a motorcar could be designed by anyone who doesn’t have a mechanical engineering background and does not have significant IT knowledge."

I totally disagree with him on this point. Neither do I believe that a person with just a mechanical engineer degree can design a car.And what about those garage mechanics who repair your cars, they don't even have a formal education.

"I don’t want to waste time and money on providing generic training. So, qualifications will determine more than 70 per cent of my recruiting decisions."

Thats his personal opinion. Thankfully it doesn't apply to all other companies. I wonder if the government was right in wasting time and money on him.

Lastly,
SUNDER SHARMA, Former COO, Godrej Lawkim Upstream (M.Com, MBA):
"Why do organisations emphasise academic credentials when they advertise or hire for a position?"
Now this is ridiculous because this comes from the same group company (Godrej Infotech), that would hire a fresh 'highly qualified' B.E./B.Tech than offer the job to somebody with relevant skills.

Thank God, Lalu Prasad Yadav isn't an IITian.

Garfield Day

2004-10-04T03:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was one of the dullest Sundays in the last few months. I felt like being Garfield. Did nothing except sleeping, eating and watching TV. Even Garfield would have done more (stomping spiders and chasing Odie).

Sleeping: I woke up at 11 a.m. after full 12 hours sleep.

Eating: For breakfast, I cooked Maggi noodles. For lunch, I went to my aunt's. And I ate my dinner at the local restaurant.

Watching TV: This is what I did most of the day. And I dont actually watch TV, I just switch channels. Here's something..

Watched the preview of Discovery Travel & Living Channel. Its interesting. I hope they dont repeat shows already aired on Discovery Channel.

Caught of with the latest Indi-pop and film music on Channel [V]. Music videos still aren't very creative. And when any song is repeated more than 3 times in a day, it really starts to get on your nerves (or atleast mine). I miss VH1.

I liked the new ad of Rin Advanced. Its really funny.
Saw the new Onida ad. The 'devil' is back after a long time. I had always related 'Onida' with the devil. So I actually missed him all these years. But glad he is back.
And I never liked the LML Freedom ad (even though it features Shahrukh). I wonder if they will be able to sell amy mobikes with this ad.

Sony has gone overboard in promoting Jassi. Fine, but when Aaj Tak carries an interview of 'Jassi' every month, its just too much. A news channel should 'report' news and not 'make' news. Aaj Tak Jaisa Koi Nahi.

Zzzzz:
Thats all folks.
I love Garfield. ;)
I miss Thailand.

Mahatma Gandhi

2004-10-02T03:35:00.000-07:00

2 October.
Birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
And a public holdiay for the rest of us.

Mahatma Gandhi. What do I know about this person? And why should anyone want me to know about him? Is it really necessary to glorify someone even when you dont know him?

I have read and heard too much about Gandhi. Or should I say, I have been made to believe too much about Gandhi.(I dont even remember how many essays I had been made to write about him in my school days.)

However, the more I 'studied' about him, the more I was fascinated by this person. There was something about him which I liked, something with which I identified with him.

He was an Indian.
He was a vegetarian.
He advocated truth.
But still there was something more about him.

Let me see how much I know him.

He was born in Porbandar in 1869.
He flunked in his Matric exams. (He passes in the next attempt)
He didnt complete his college in Bhavnagar.
He went to London for further studies.
He flunked the bar exams. (Okay, so he passes in the next attempt)
He returns to India as a Barrister.
He is unsuccessful as a lawyer. He doesnt win a single case.
He goes to South Africa to work for some law firm.
He travels in a train WITHOUT proper ticket.
And suddenly he becomes 'Everybody' from 'Nobody'.

This is where Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi becomes Mahatma Gandhi, or Gandhiji, or Bapu. This is where Gandhi becomes a hero, a leader and a legend.

2 October.
Birth anniversary of Lal Bahadur Shastri.

Thank You Rich Rosenthal II

2004-09-29T21:47:00.000-07:00

A big thank you to Shockingly Provincial for linking to me.

Though I know about your 'Master Plan' (to take over the world), I wont tell anyone about it. ;)

Myanmar Airways Sucks

2004-09-29T10:25:00.000-07:00

My arrival to India couldn't have been complete without any ugly incidents.

The service of Myanmar Airways International(MAI) is really bad. Okay so this is a new and small airline. But this isn't any excuse for the bad onboard service. Their motto seems to me 'Service with a frown'. And the food was as bad as the service.
MYANMAR AIRWAYS SUCKS.

And when I reached the Delhi, they lose one of my baggages (I manage to get it after a while of searching). And my second baggage had the lock broken. I brought it to the notice of the ground handling staff at the airport (The ground handling is managed by Cambata Aviation and not the airline). They refuse to lodge any complaint. They said they have no authority and they are not responsible for this. ..Well, then why are they there in the first place? If they cant take the responsibility, then why did they have to touch my belongings and whom should I complain? I never asked them to be there in the first place. Then I realize that I am in India now and shouting at them will only get my voice hoarse and nothing else.
CAMBATA AVIATION SUCKS.

And if these were not enough, there was this fellow co-passenger who sided with the staff of Cambata and said the airline or tha Cambata really isn't responsible for the damage to my luggage. What else could I have expected from an Indian? I guess he was just another stupid Indian working in a government office who expected others to be more stupid than himself.
STUPID INDIANS SUCK.

Koh Chang Island

2004-09-26T22:13:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I visited Koh Chang Island. Its a beautiful place. I wasnt really expecting that I would get to visit yet another place in Thailand just a day before my departure.

The ferry ride to the island takes 30 minutes.

Even though it was a Sunday, the place wasnt very crowded.

We 'discovered' an Indian restaurant, 'Spices of India', on the island. We had tea and samosa. Tea was good. The achaar was excellent. Samosa was just okay. And staff speaks Hindi, unlike in Pattaya.

Since its an island, the only reason to visit it was the beautiful beaches here. Even though I expressed my hatred for beaches in earlier post, this time it was fun. I LEARNED to swim (..hey, I am not a real alligator, okay :) ). Its so easy.

I actually wanted to go for snorkeling, para-sailing and things like that. But there wasnt enough time (..and I havent yet found any substitute for 'Ash', lol ). And there's always the next time. :)

My flight for India leaves tonight. Main aa rahan hoon, mere watan.

And I just waited...

2004-09-24T22:30:00.000-07:00

I turned around
I saw him following me

I turned around again
And I saw him leaving me

Coming Home

2004-09-22T04:43:00.000-07:00

Sigh...All goods things come to an end.

My ticket for India is confirmed this week. I have mixed feelings. I am glad I will be back with my family after whole two months. But at the same time, I feel sad about losing so many nice people here. I dont know if I will ever meet them again. :(
I will miss Thailand. But more than that I will miss the lovely people here.

So, for now, its end of my "Life and Times" in Thailand.

Hey, Good things end..but better things begin. Its time to cheer up....and yes, complete the pending work.

And Just For The Records
This blog (not the blogger) has a special bond with Thailand.
It was born here. ;)

The !? Blog : Timothy Campbell

2004-09-21T19:53:00.000-07:00

My Bookmark

"What's a blog? : Blog is short for 'Web Log'. Originally this was a way for people to post a public record of selected web sites they'd visited, along with some comments about each one. The blogging concept has expanded, though. Nowadays blogs can be oriented more towards the commentary than the lists of links. Some blogs are like online diaries, while others are personal soap-boxes. Some people, like me, enjoy the process of writing and we post our articles on the web so that we can occasionally get feedback from readers"

Nice name for the blog!? Nice website!? Nice person!?

And of course, nice definition for 'blog'.

Mark Lyon's GMail Loader (GML)

2004-09-21T02:17:00.000-07:00

My Bookmark

Mark Lyon's GMail Loader (GML) - Import Your Mail into GMail: "Google GMail Loader (GML)
Import your existing email into GMail!"

And thank you Nilesh.

Pattaya

2004-09-19T23:00:00.000-07:00

This Sunday I visited Pattaya. The journey took two hours by car to reach there. Since Pattaya is a major tourist destination in Thailand, famous for its beaches, I expected the place to be crowded. But it turned out to be a clean and open place. I got to visit only three places. Lack of time, as always.

First was the Underwater World. No points for guessing, what I saw there. Fishes, of course. Its a kind of big aquarium. It was a boring place. Who wants to see fishes in the first place? And that too caged in a glass?
Another reason for not visiting the place is technical. The glass case is made up of some material with an uneven surface. It puts a strain on your eyes. WARNING: Not good for your eyes.

Second place I visited was the beach. Okay, so its cleaner than most Indian beaches. But now I am really tired of visiting beaches. Beaches are same all over the world. Sand and water. What else?

On the way to visit the third place, we had some tea and snacks at an Indian restaurant. The name was 'Accha' which means 'good' in hindi. But the food wasnt really 'Accha'. It was just okay, if you wont call it bad.

The third place we visited was 'Tiffany's Show'. I dont know how to describe it. It was my first visit to such kind of shows. But yeh accha tha. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. ;)

TidBits:
There are more than a dozen petrol retail outlet companies (including Shell, Caltex and Esso) in Thailand. Petrol is cheaper than in India. And it comes NOT at the cost of service. If you were to get the same service in India, it would be like they were doing you a favour and they would shout at top of their lungs (Ever saw that HP 'Accha lagta hai' ad campaign?).
And in case you are curious, the price of one litre petrol is equal to the price of an English daily here.

Ugly Idea: Writing the word ‘Bharat’ in English.
Its so illogical! Bharat Petroleum should be written in Hindi or change its name to India Petroleum. Same for all the companies using "Bharat' in their company name. Maybe I am wrong. But I can be, after all, its MY files.

This Week, This Year

2004-09-18T01:11:00.000-07:00

Its Saturday afternoon in Thailand. End of another hectic week. What did I do do this week??
Ummm..Nothing much....but lets see...

Broke up with a friend and bid her 'alvida' (Goodbye forever). Was taking me too much for granted. Guess, I am very selfish(ugly) in these matters. Didnt regret much about losing someone this time.

Made some new Thai friends. People are like water(no pun intended). They keep flowing. You meet new people and lose old people. And thats life. I wish if 'ash' too was just another someone in my life. Why do I search for her in every new person i meet?

Went to the same pub again. Nothing new. Must visit another pub next time.

Learnt something new about PHP (cookies and sessions) and implemented shopping-cart-style-something for the company.

Planned to return to India next week. I miss my home now.

Seriously thought about my marriage. Time to remove 'ash' completely out of my head.

Planned to write three new niche blogs(technology, travel and people). And then dumped the idea altogether. No use writing about something which is already written.

Changed the template layout of the blog. Added and then removed the tag-board.
TODO: Remove the blogpoll. (Statistics: 80% people arent afraid of alligators).
TODO: Add my blogroll list.
TODO: No more personal grumblings in the blog, unless something important or interesting.

Lastly, I broke my ankle today. It hurts. Ouch.

UglyGator

2004-09-16T03:38:00.000-07:00

Q. What would you call an alligator who is ugly?
A. An UglyGator, of course.

Mmm...Not quite funny.

Well..I dont know how the word 'uglygator' striked me.
But there is some branding potential about the word.

I cant claim to have invented the word. As of writing,the search for the word on google displayed two results. One, that there once existed a domain name uglygator.com. And two, guess what, there's even a picture of an 'uglygator'.

The domain is now avaliable for registration. Maybe someday I will register the domain. And I may even trademark the word to sell .....mmm....maybe 'pet alligators'. ;)

Or the word maybe used to describe someone who are uglier than alligators ("You are such an uglygator!!"). Seems like alligators have got some competition now.

The word even has a Tongue Twister: Repeat the following five times. Alligator, Uglygator. Alligator, Uglygator.

UglyGator. I like the word.

Who wants Gmail?

2004-09-14T23:36:00.000-07:00

Free Gmail! Free Gmail! All-new! Improved! Better than ever!

Lol..Sounds like shouting over a megaphone!

Okay..I have few Gmail invites left with me. If anybody out there needs one, leave me your contact (a comment will be fine), and I will send the invitation after confirmation.

Hurry!!! Stock Limited!!

:))

Sunshine! : Nidhi Taparia

2004-09-14T04:51:00.000-07:00

Sunshine!: "I don't always say things when they need to be said. Which is why when I'm upset at work and can't say something, I end up firing my servant. If my personal life has a hassle, end up fighting with somebody at work.

Why? Because I don't up rectifying the situation there and then. For instance, if I am upset, that a friend hasn't called or bothered to check, how I am doing -- I won't stand up and say anything then! It is my most irritating habit."

Just been reading her blogs for quite some time. Sad that she has stopped blogging now. :(

When I first hit her site (through some link on my friend's blog), I didnt know that she was a celebrity. I thought of her as just another Indian blogger, who worked for a telecom company. But now that I do, I am doing a kind of mini-research on her. Results have been interesting. I still dont know much about her (My research not yet complete, ;) ) And I havent read her complete blog yet.

I will be missing her future writings. I dont know why.

Sometimes!

2004-09-14T02:46:00.000-07:00

Sometimes
Its just too late
To say the things you have always wanted to say
To do the things you have always wanted to do
Sometimes
Life pauses, Time halts
You are not yourself
Sometimes
You are the only audience
The whole world's a stage
Sometimes
Everybody is a stranger
And still you want to be left alone
Sometimes
You wish it were just a dream
And you would wake up with the new sun
Sometimes
Words hit like whips
And leave scars on the mind
Sometimes
You want to cry
But tears dont run down the cheeks
Sometimes
Its just too late.

I loved you: Alexander Pushkin

2004-09-13T20:34:00.000-07:00

"I loved you; and perhaps I love you still,
The flame, perhaps, is not extinguished; yet

It burns so quietly within my soul,
No longer should you feel distressed by it.

Silently and hopelessly I loved you,
At times too jealous and at times too shy.

God grant you find another who will love you
As tenderly and truthfully as I. "

Found this poem on some blog, and really liked it.

Magic Moments!!

2004-09-13T04:05:00.000-07:00

There are something which really make my day..

Like the smile on somebody's face which says you-make-me-smile.

My Dear Blog

2004-09-13T01:29:00.000-07:00

My dear Blog

I am feeling really low (or should I use the word 'ugly') today. :(

Sometimes I wonder if I am really what I am. Or am I just pretending to be what I am? Am I actually happy? Or its that stupid smile on my face? There are some memories which keep haunting me every now and then. Those painful memories. Those painful times. I just wish I were dead instead of living to think about them. Why am I living? For whom am i living? Okay..so there are some people who love me more than they love themselves. Then why did I ever hurt them? My problem is that I can never express my real feelings. I can never say how much I love or hate a person. I can never make right decisions at the right time. I have always made wrong decisions. In the process I have hurt many and sometimes even hurt myself. And then I do nothing but think about the whole thing and keep hurting myself more.

Why am I like this? I dont know. And maybe if I know, i dont want to think about it.

Sometimes I feel so lonely even among so many people. I wish there was somebody with me, with whom I can share what I m feeling now.

I dont want to cry now. But tears always seem to come out at wrong times...

9/11

2004-09-11T03:33:00.000-07:00

Someone just reminded me that today is September 11.

Bangkok Post Vs Times of India

2004-09-10T03:40:00.000-07:00

I didnt expect any quality English daily in a non-english speaking country like Thailand. But Bangkok Post surprised me. (Amazing Thailand, really).

I cant help but compare it with Times of India, something which I had been reading since last 15 years. The editorial content of the Post is better than the Times. However, the Times scores better in terms of advertising. (Well...most of the people actually subscribe to the Times for ads). So Bangkok Post is a refreshing change for me. The price is 20 Bahts, which makes it almost 10 times costlier than an average Indian newspaper. But at least there is something to read.

I am not missing my copy of 'The Times of India' any more. And someday when its monopoly ends, nobody will.

Thursday..

2004-09-09T06:22:00.000-07:00

Its Thursday evening. This week is soooooo long. I just cant wait for Saturday. I havent planned anything. But hope it would be fun like last weekend. (Hey, am I again EXPECTING something?)

This week I met someone.... I wish (or 'expect'..;) ) to meet her again...what the heck....I WANT to meet her again.

There is so much work to do, and I am doing nothing now, except blogging. Writing blogs and reading blogs. Am i addicted to blogging? I have always been interested in other people's lifes. But this time its getting crazier.

Well...Time to get back and complete some pending work. (I wouldnt want to be sleeping at work on Saturday) ;)

Life's beautiful when you expect nothing.

Blogging via Email

2004-09-08T06:14:00.000-07:00

I am just trying this out. Posting a blog via email. Hope it works.

ummm..Blogger is experiencing technical problems as of now. Am not able to publish via web.

Simple is Beautiful

2004-09-08T05:13:00.000-07:00

...Is that why i am so complicated?

For the very first time...

2004-09-06T01:18:00.000-07:00

I went to pub yesterday. It was fun. What makes it more memorable is that the visit was totally 'unexpected'. I regret not wearing my black t-shirt. lol.

And for the first time after a very long time, I didnt actually miss 'ash'. I always missed her when i was having the most fun. Well.. I should visit these kind of places often now...that would make me forget her.

What else did i do yesterday? ummm....went to the beach in the afternoon (It reminded me of my last vacation at Digha and Puri). My first beach visit in Thailand. It was lovely. Very different from Indian beaches. I regret not taking my shorts along (i regret a lot, it seems, lol).

One of my best Sundays.

Great Expectations

2004-09-04T03:21:00.000-07:00

Expectations, expectations and more expectations. The root cause of all unhappiness in the world. (To be optimist, expectations are the root cause of everything, sadness and happiness both. But i m on the darker side today).

I have yet to come across a person who has no expectations. Maybe other people wont have as many expectations as mine. But i do. I expect a lot from everybody. I even expect a lot from everything. I expect a lot from myself too. I expect myself to be good and nice always. I expect everybody to like me. I expect everything to be as i want. Makes me wonder, if its just me or are there more people like me?

I expect this world to be more beautiful.
I expect the wonderful people whom i have met never leave me.
I expect to back to my good old days.(Even as i m writing this, i expect a lot of people reading this and posting comments)

What if people didnt have expectations? Take the expectations out of the people and what u have is just another species roaming the earth. Is that what differentiates Homo sapiens from the Human beings?

Expectations are not wants. Expections are not about being selfish.

We live because we expect to live. We expect that there will another sunrise, another day, another tomorrow.
In the same sense, we are happy because we expect to be happy.

If happiness is getting something expected, then what is real happiness? Its the unexpected.
Real happiness is getting something UNEXPECTED. For example, the unexpected end to my post. :)

Lazy Me

2004-09-03T19:20:00.000-07:00

Its been almost a week since my last post..So just thought of writing something.

Well..This week was nothing very spectacular. I shaved off my moustache. The reaction from the people was very little this time. Just some giggles.

Then it was my boss's birthday yesterday. Went out for dinner at a restaurant. It was Thai food as usual. The people teased me when i ate a mirchi and commented i can eat the whole mirchi.

Then I missed my home yesterday, after a long time. I missed my friends in Bombay. I missed my 'ash'. You can just never forget some people.

Its saturday morning today, so time to get to work.

India wins a silver at Athen 2004

2004-08-30T01:02:00.000-07:00

Great News!!! Considering the fact that us Indians werent even expecting any this year. I mean, who cares whether India wins any medals at Olympics or not? How many of us even know the name of the athletes or sportspersons who represented India? Have you yourself ever wished to represent the country?

Our Honourable Sports Minister Mr. Sunil Dutt says "It (India's performance) was not bad. There has been a definite improvement in their performance."

Over a billion people in this country and just a single medal. Something to be ashamed of and not to be proud of.

It is clear that sports(except cricket) isnt a priority in India(which has its problems of poverty and unemplyment). But it isnt the reason that we cant have any winners at Olypics. Who's to blame? Its the auhtorities who 'select' the 'people' to represent India at the games. I agree that winning is not the sole aim of the games..But the attitude surely matters. I dont believe that sportspersons who represented India this year were the best in the country. And when we have the resources and talent, why should let it go wasted? If we can have 100s of model hunts in the country, why cant we have something similar for sportspersons?

Or maybe next time, who cares whether India participates in the Olypics or not.

Whats this blog about?

2004-08-30T01:01:00.000-07:00

Okay...so i have started blogging and made a couple of posts.
Just been thinking what should be the theme of this blog...Contrary to the name, this blog is NOT about alligators, crocodiles or any other such creatures.

This is a personal blog. i will be putting down my own thoughts here. I maybe right. I maybe wrong. But as long as there is at least one person who agrees with me..i dont care if i m wrong.

About JGsoft - Just Great Software

2004-08-28T02:50:00.000-07:00

About JGsoft - Just Great Software: "Jan Goyvaerts was born and raised in a town called Heist-op-den-Berg in Flanders, the northern part of Belgium. JGsoft was originally established there. Nowadays, Jan lives with his wife in the city of Ubonratchathani in the north-eastern region of Thailand, and JGsoft's street address moved with him. But he spends the larger part of his day in the global virtual world of the Internet, where his business thrives."

-So what if he isnt Bill Gates. Even i didnt know his name until now...I had been using his software since last 4 years. Just like his company name..he is just great. I wish if i can meet him..since we both are in Thailand now.

Thats me!!!

2004-08-26T20:30:00.000-07:00

me

Yeah, thats how i look.

Sabatee-Khap

2004-08-26T03:12:00.000-07:00

hi...
i just completed my profile page. and just couldnt wait to publish another blog.
I dont know what to write but just want to write something.

Okay..so magarmuch means a crocodile..and I wanted the blog name to be "Crocodile files" but the name is already taken by one of my favourite shows ("croc files" on discovery channel)...And an alligator does resemble a crocodile ..and very few people know the difference between the two....lol....Tell me what YOU think about the blog name. Comments are most welcome.

But why the name magarmuch?? and whats m4? hm....mybe in one of my future posts.

For now..I m in Thailand...its a beautiful place with beautiful people. Its been almost a month here.

Sabatee khap means "hello" in Thai.
Thai food is really tasty...but not much variety for a vegetarian person like me.
Thai people speak very little (nit noi) english..but they are very polite, hardworking, sincere and really nice. For
them foreigners are "farang" but us Indians are "khek".
Thai calender year is 2547 and not 2004... however month and date are same.
And after staying here for a month or two, you may want to go back to your country..and unless you have "specific" reasons you may not want to visit Thailand again.

Thats it!!

Hello World!

2004-08-26T01:18:00.000-07:00

This is my first blog post!!

I dedicate this blog to "Ash" --the girl who loved crocodiles...and who doesn't exist in this world any more.

Hope i continue to add more posts to my blog.

See ya...