Thursday, July 31, 2003

Guys!

The guys in my class went totally crazy today!! They asked or rather threw out all the girls out of the class for conducting a survey on who the best girl in class is- on whatever parameters they could come up with. All this because some of us girls talked about the most handsome guys in class! We had to stand out for 10 long minutes to know the results and what do we find upon entering the class? A table on the board with parameters (Cute, Censored 1, Censored 2, S/H and B/B) and names of some of the girls in different places - I, II, III and the guys looking like cheshire cats. Yours truly was awarded the II position in the censored 1 category and ofcourse was very excited!!

So I grilled all the guys as much as I can to know the real parameter of this category ("these were concealed/censored because the girls could get majorly hurt"- quote guys!) - but to no avail. The other categories were first revealed to us as cute, censored1, censored2, strong & healthy and beauty with brains. Was disappointed that I didnt make to the other three or atleast B/B but really thankful now! B/B was actually best bhakra for all times!!

And censored 1 was not really what I wanted it to be ;) - it is somethig like "most crankiest girl in the class" - this is ofcourse pure guess work by me based on the girl in position I but.......! Uh!! Guys are so stupid!!! They cant recognize a good thing when they see one!

Tuesday, July 29, 2003

More like a Nightmare

I am going to be involved in one of the biggest event Bangalore is going to see in the corporate world- Of course I got very excited becasue I have decided to be fully involved in the preparation of communication materials from brochures, invitation, etc and have taken charge!! And natuarally this went to my head and in the meeting yesterday, I didn't bother to introduce myself to the crowd. The result? At the end of the meeting, one of the females sincerely turned to me to tell her ideas..."Sapna, I think...." Got so pissed off.... I mean I look like no Sapna, believe me... so asked her "Do I look like a Sapna to you?". One of the guys in the back promptly replied "More like a Nightmare!"

I completely wholeheardtedly agree!

Sunday, July 27, 2003

God save me from ditching partners!

I have got so many assignments/projects to submit next week that I am going bonkers!! Though I had a nice time yesterday dragging my guy friend around for lunch and shopping, I have nothing to do today except come to the college lab to work on my assignments. One such assignment that is driving me nuts now is on an IT topic- "Vector Processors and Parallel Processors".

I absolutely do not know anything at all about technology and here I am, ditched by my team mates to work on this project all alone by myself. On top of all this, we have to submit a paper on this not just a ppt!!! And the information on the web about these seem either very complex for me to understand or very very simple like just the definitions!!!

God save me from ditching partners!

Saturday, July 26, 2003

Online volunteering

If you would like to devote your services to the United Nations Volunteer Services but cant be present onsite- here is some thing you can do online for the world- NetAid. You can devote any kind of online service to poor people and nations all around the world- just sitting at home. NetAid helps by connecting people who would like to "do more" to support the poor in developing countries, with groups and projects in the developing world. Two flagship programs of NetAid are NetAid World Schoolhouse and NetAid Online Volunteering



Let us join the fight against poverty!

I was greatly disappointed today!

I was talking to my friend yesterday and came to know that the UN conducts the"National Competitive Recruitment examination" for entry level jobs (P2) and that positions for Human Resource Management have been advertised this year. So I got very excited and went to check the UN website immediately. Though there were vacancies for HR work in New York and other cities around the world and is open to anyone, I was not eligible for the simple fact that India was not among the nationalities that are participating in the NCRE 2004. I could not believe my eyes when I did not find India's name in the list- searched and serached again! Alas! I did not qualify to apply this year and was asked to check back next year!

This is because the UN is mandated by the various resolutions of the UN General Assembly to increase the number of professional staff from countries that are not represented or are not adequately represented in the UN Secretariat. Therefore, the programme is open to these priority member states of which India is not one!! Guess too many people from India are already working with the UN!!!

Friday, July 25, 2003

From a Frog to......

Each day I can feel myself growing different as a person (not just in my width though that too to my ever increasing worry!) When I came across this pharse "We did not change as we grew older; we just became more clearly ourselves" while preparing the internal newsletter for my office, it just struck me as really true. Maybe because I could identify with it. Reflecting back, I can say I do not much like the person that I was when I was young. I was not the kid that talked and talked .... and I was definetly not the kid everyone adored but I was everything a parent would never want in thier wonderful child- Quiet, Silent, Dreamy, Shy and lets not forget Average- average in everything!!! I still remember the first prize I got - for a drawing competition. It was such a surprise to my parents, more so to me. No one in my school thought that I deserved attention and when I got the prize, I could see no one was willing to believe it- that too when their favorites managed to defy attention! This happened in my 4th standard and that was the day my destiny was set I think. I continued to be a quiet person till I finished my 10 standard- my friend still refers to me as "the quiet little poet!" when she refers to those times!!

My 11 and 12th class was my formative years- I was famous or rather notorious for being a rebel in my class- I was the girl who gave a leave letter stating that she had overslept and hence absent the previous day! The teacher could not believe her eyes!! I was the girl who came to tests without studying and still managed to get decent marks!!

College life was wonderful- it made me what I am today but the transformation still continues- it will continue till I die I think.

Today I am rather proud of the person that I have become though there are lots of areas that I would like to work on. I have also learnt, especially over the past few days, that it is very important for a person to speak out to establish her identity. Do not wait for people to come and talk to you- but take the intiative- everyone is interseting- you just need to talk to them to find it out. And as my Marketing Prof told us- "marketing drives the world- from your personal life to professional". So I have decided to bring all that was dormant inside me so far to the surface!! Somehow though I am just not able to overcome my observing habits- its really annoying at times when I feel myself growing silent and start to take things inside me!!

I guess if I continue in this path of progress- I can easily become a good HR person as one classmate of mine put it! ;)

Thursday, July 24, 2003

Simply wonderful- A Diary entry from Rediff.com

Broken Bangles

"This is an old page from the diary of my mind; so old it begins to crumble every time I touch it.

It was my fifth year in school. I was in charge of law and order in my class when the teacher was away -- a nine-year-old policeman with the title of class leader, a wooden ruler my main law enforcement equipment.

I must admit no one was actually afraid of me. But they were of my ruler. With it in hand, the law and order always remained under control......."

More.....

Manager: Know Thyself

Here is a really nice article I came across in the HR forum-

Manager: Know Thyself

The best managers use their unique talents to get the most out of their employees

Who was your best boss ever?

Maybe it was that manager who cared about your development. Or maybe it was someone who inspired you with her vision. Perhaps it was that hardworking, tenacious drill sergeant type who pushed you to your limits. Whatever you remember, you’re likely to describe that manager in terms of his or her talents -- those recurring patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior that can be productively applied. Managers who use their greatest talents leave an indelible impression on their organizations and the people who have the privilege of working for them.

So, what talents would the perfect manager have? Would she have exceptional Individualization -- the uncanny ability to see the unique qualities of each person? Would she possess great Woo -- the instinctive capacity to win others over? Or would she be a take-charge person whose Command talents naturally cause people to defer to her the moment she enters a room?

According to Gallup, the best managers may be particularly talented in all of these themes -- or in none of them. The fact is, there is no perfect manager and no ideal set of “management talents.” The best managers succeed because they have an acute awareness of their own talents, they understand how to use those talents intentionally to motivate and develop their direct reports, and they maximize others’ performance by helping them identify their greatest talents and turn them into strengths.

Acute awareness- The road to becoming an effective manager starts with an awareness of one’s own talents.

More......

Wednesday, July 23, 2003

Your feedback would be most wlecome!

Hey guys! Do go and check out my poem which was selected as 'today's feature poem' in Indolink.com- this is the second time am recieving such a honour. While you are at that, you can also check all my other works at Zatang

Your feedback would be most wlecome!

By the way I am still searching..... ;)

Here's to a wonderful life for u all!

"You feel more like sparkling, and spreading the word about the many facets of golden experience that you have!"

Going to Chennai was such a rejuvenating experience for me! It had almost become like visiting a sacred place! The things time can do to change your perception of places and people is simply amazing!

I made it a point to meet all my friends this time and had a gala time. Makes me realise how important people are and how important it is to live life fully while you can!

Here's to a wonderful life for u all!

Thursday, July 17, 2003

My exams are almost over

My exams are almost over. I am so looking forward to going tommorow!! Seems that all the people back home are very busy including my parents.

When I think about this more in detail, it seems to me that people are not really that important- as in a particular individual is not- as long as you are together it is fun and wonderful but once the time comes for one of you to move out, well.... you miss each other initially but .........

Monday, July 14, 2003

My exams have started

Woooof... my exams have started!! And I have done Economics really badly- God I can only ask that others have done worse so that I can atleast get a B grade. Thank goodness, they have relative grading in my institute!!

Am going back home this weekend- just cant wait for it!! Hurray!!!

Saturday, July 12, 2003

Imp

At this juncture in my life- I would like to make note of all the important things that has affected my life so far and that includes some of the most wonderful people on this earth!

Here is my very own type of ode to all of them

Great people in my life- Lakshmi, Priyamvatha, Sowmya, Preethy

Dear people in my life- Mom, Pop, Grandpa

People to whom I would give my life- My niece, Sister and my nephew

People I respect- My bro-in-law, Tanya, Kaneez

People I am indebted to- Lakshmi's parents, Karthik Karunakaran, Prashant Kothari

People I thought I knew- Prasanaa, Madhavan

People I care enough to mention- Sriram, Hema, Sangeetha, Meera, Sumathi, Sathya, Jayasree, Saumya, Radha, Veena, Kanaka

New people in my life- list to come.....

Most unforgettable incidents- The birth of my niece and nephew, The Beach, NIIT life, High school period and College life!!

Monday, July 7, 2003

Um, a date

A senior guy just asked me out (well hinted is more like it) on local network (ie sent me a message online to my comp!!) and I do not know whether to accept or not!! Oh my God!! And he looks good too!! Jessssssss help me out here!

Saturday, July 5, 2003

Animal Personality

This is my Animal Personality- It is amazing and very true too ;)


Otter

What Is Your Animal Personality?

brought to you by Quizilla

What is marketing?

You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and say, "I am very rich. Marry me!"That's Direct Marketing

You're at a party with a bunch of friends and see a gorgeous girl. One of your friends goes up to her and pointing at you says, "He's very rich. Marry him." That's Advertising.

You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and get her telephone number. The next day you call and say, "Hi, I'm very rich. Marry me." That's Telemarketing.

You're at a party and see a gorgeous girl. You get up and straighten your tie; you walk up to her and pour her a drink. You open the door for her, pick up her bag after she drops it, offer her a ride, and then say, "By the way, I'm very rich "Will you marry me?" That's Public Relations.
You're at a party and see a gorgeous girl. She walks up to you and says, "You are very rich..." That's Brand Recognition.

You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and say, "I'm rich. Marry me" She gives you a nice hard slap on your face.

That's Customer Feedback

Art of Living

I am planning to attend the Art of Living workshop sometime this month. I hav heard so much about this and have always wanted to see what it was all about and now I have got a chance to experience it for myself!!

Friday, July 4, 2003

How life changes!!

Exactly a year ago, I didn't know what to do with my life. I didn't know what to do or how to do it .......that period of my life was so well...life-changing. All my friends had already decided what they wanted from life and there I was without even knowing what I was going to do the next day. Though I had applied for MSc Environmental science and MSc Zoology I wasn't really sure about taking either of them. In those days my passion was environment, animals, nature.......still is- I would have loved to become a Zoo Keeper- thats why I did Zoology!! But look at me now- sitting in a college doing MBA of all things- so very far from whatever I have thought ever!! And now my friend Lakshmi is at this beautiful stage and I could sense and see the struggle she is undergoing!- the only thing is that I could not be there for her like she was there for me then!!

How life changes!!
Life is beautiful indeed!

Thursday, July 3, 2003

CANDIDATE TYPES- CREATIVITY IN HR

Hey here is something wonderful I just read. HR Professionals generally have a tough time categorising people into different personality types after being with a candidate for just a few minutes. But there are lots of creative juices flowing in the HR field and here is a list of different character types based on candidate behaviour-

Butterfly - a candidate with a colourful work history, who changes organizations every 6 months.

Chewing gum - this type clings tightly to the current assignment despite having good offers from other companies. More out of nervousness than loyalty.

Border problem - one who announces he is leaving for a better offer, but instead of leaving, tries to get a better deal in the current company.

Tourist - asks about holidays, Saturday's work timings, travel allowance etc more than job description and growth.

Radar operator - is always looking for something better, no matter how good things are within the current Organization.

Morph artist - this kind of candidate can have his/her resume itself change quite unrecognizably, the next time s/he approaches you.

Godfather - negotiates a salary package so hard that the HR person is nearly willing to part with a fraction of his/her own salary.

Ghost - joins the new company but disappears in two days, because that even better offer clicked.

Secret agent - hates to give information about himself. May have missing fingernails from being made to talk at earlier interviews.

Phone book - name dropper, knows everybody in the phone book, unfortunately none of them know him.

Rescheduler - will call before the interview and reschedule to buy more time. Excuses he gives include rescheduling funerals and weddings just to see you.

Children and how they can tell us apart

I do not know how many of you have noticed this but it is so very obvious to me. I am talking about young children and how they recognize instantly whether you are a male or female. I mean the first time a child meets someone, it instinctively knows which sex the other person is and addresses them appropriately. Believe me when I say this is not the way adults recognize, which is ofcourse purily based on visual reception. I guess children have some inbuilt recognition mechanism. Having been around many young children (my dear niece and sweet nephew and others..) I have observed this many times- Especially when I wear unisex clothes like Pants and shirt, they r clearly able to distinguish me as a female and call me 'akka' ! I do not know of any thoeries relating to this in Biology or any other related subject so the credit for discovering this concept first shall go to me. And I will name it Sex recognition concept -like revenue recognition concept in Accounting ;) or may be VJ's theory of sex recognition in young children.

Tuesday, July 1, 2003

Online now icon, how?

I want to know how to add the "Online now" icon to my web page- both for Yahoo and Hotmail- have been searching but its not turning up the desired results!!