penwallah

Guess what most of the typical software engineers (I don’t know about the nerds and the geeks) are constantly looking out for? I know the answers would be something like – some place to hide their ass off when an important report is late and boss is sniffing them all around, some time to search Google to get that new code which their boss is not smart enough to have searched himself, a corner to talk to their girl friend (or say any girl), searching for a moment of isolation with that never before seen girl in that weekend pub.

But what I have found from personal experience is that what they look out for most is a PEN while in office. Yeah, though it might sound very stupid, and none of us would accept it or may not have even given a thought to it, the fact is that the moment you put a new pen on display on the desk, someone will come to you asking for one. And the most interesting part is that no one bothers to get a pen from the service desk guys. They will always search for it when they knew exactly where to get it from. Typical engineers you know! If something can be done easily, create so many hurdles that the task would assume unassuming dimensions (whatever that means).

I had so many pens registered in my name that service desk guys have started thinking that I must be making quite some money selling them off in the buses I took to commute to office, HR thinks that I am adding to my CTC (cost to company) by doing these tricks, while my colleagues have penned a new name for me – penwallah. Why shouldn’t this post sound like frustration?

I have worked for three companies now in my career and whatever has changed in the environment, work culture or whatever, this habit has been similar everywhere. Sirens sounded for a meeting, and these guys will check out every nook and corner of the office to find a pen. Someone has an idea and needs paper to explain it, the search for a pen would start. You can pull the paper out of the printer, but the pen is not found anywhere. And by the time, you get one; a few bits from that idea have fallen apart. Now you have a pen, but not the idea!

So all those pen manufacturers, your biggest customers are we software engineers. Though we will keep saying we haven’t put pen to paper for years, we keep letting your products sell in wholesale in our own nifty ways like those little nifty code tricks we keep inventing all the time.

Of Beggars

I was standing at a road-side shop with a few friends who can’t survive without smoking. Yeah they know smoking is injurious to health, but they are into social service. Think about the huge losses the cigarettes manufactures will suffer, be considerate about the sufferings of the small children and the families of the roadside vendors who would have to be content with just selling tea or might have to shut shops, and the huge dent in the government’s revenue which might result in an economic instability in the country. All this and a lot more, only if these smokers quit!

So anyways, instead of making myself a victim of all this loud talk, I rather let them smoke a few. Ok, continuing with what I wanted to tell you, as we were chatting, sipping tea and smoking, this beggar girl came to us asking for a penny. Humble, hungry, poor and in such a tender age – watching her condition I was a bit moved and took pity on her and before the above social service men could shoo her away, I gave her a few loose coins. She went away happily and things would have ended there and I might not have written this post hadn’t she, to my consternation, bounced back and went to that tobacco shop and asked for supari. I was so surprised by this act that for a moment I just watched her mocking us, as she gave those coins to the shopkeeper and got what she want. I asked her to return it and get a samosa but she kept mocking me, smiled, opened the packet and emptied it in her mouth. Then she just ran away, leaving us all standing stupefied and feeling cheated and guilty.

I don’t want to give a moral out of this story, because there might be someone in real need. But before your act of kindness, just trust your inner instinct and go by your gut feeling. Because you might unknowingly be promoting something very ugly (I was just fooled into doing that).

Life's Little Instruction Book!

This is not my wisdom. But read on ... its beautiful, not very moralistic and its practical ... :-). Kudos to the original author ...

• Have a firm handshake.
• Look people in the eye.
• Sing in the shower.
• Own a great stereo system.
• If in a fight, hit first and hit hard.
• Keep secrets.
• Never give up on anybody. Miracles happen everyday.
• Always accept an outstretched hand.
• Be brave. Even if you're not, pretend to be. No one can tell the difference.
• Whistle.
• Avoid sarcastic remarks.
• Choose your life's mate carefully. From this one decision will come 90 per cent of all your happiness or misery.
• Make it a habit to do nice things for people who will never find out.
• Lend only those books you never care to see again.
• Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all that they have.
• When playing games with children, let them win.
• Give people a second chance, but not a third.
• Be romantic.
• Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
• Loosen up. Relax. Except for rare life-and-death matters, nothing is as important as it first seems.
• Don't allow the phone to interrupt important moments. It's there for your convenience, not the caller's.
• Be a good loser.
• Be a good winner.
• Think twice before burdening a friend with a secret.
• When someone hugs you, let them be the first to let go.
• Be modest. A lot was accomplished before you were born.
• Keep it simple.
• Beware of the person who has nothing to lose.
• Don't burn bridges. You'll be surprised how many times you have to cross the same river.
• Live your life so that your epitaph could read, No Regret.
• Be bold and courageous. When you look back on life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the one's you did.
• Never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them.
• Remember no one makes it alone. Have a grateful heart and be quick to
• acknowledge those who helped you.
• Take charge of your attitude. Don't let someone else choose it for you.
• Visit friends and relatives when they are in hospital; you need only stay a few minutes.
• Begin each day with some of your favorite music.
• Once in a while, take the scenic route.
• Send a lot of Valentine cards. Sign them, 'Someone who thinks you're terrific.'
• Answer the phone with enthusiasm and energy in your voice.
• Keep a note pad and pencil on your bed-side table. Million-dollar ideas sometimes strike at 3 a.m.
• Show respect for everyone who works for a living, regardless of how trivial their job.
• Send your loved ones flowers. Think of a reason later.
• Make someone's day by paying the toll for the person in the car behind you.
• Become someone's hero.
• Marry only for love.
• Count your blessings.
• Compliment the meal when you're a guest in someone's home.
• Wave at the children on a school bus.
• Remember that 80 per cent of the success in any job is based on your ability to deal with people.
• Don't expect life to be fair.

Cameroon Diaz 2

cute one

I was driving with my three young children one warm summer evening when a woman in the convertible ahead of us stood up and waved.

She was stark naked! As I was reeling from the shock, I heard my 5-year-old shout from the back seat, "Mom! That lady isn't wearing a seat belt!"

a small story about relationships

A boy and a girl were playing together. The boy had a collection of marbles. The girl had some sweets with her. The boy told the girl that he will give her all his marbles in exchange for her sweets. The girl agreed. The boy kept the biggest and the most beautiful marble aside and gave the rest to the girl. The girl gave him all her sweets as she had promised. That night, the girl slept peacefully. But the boy couldn’t sleep as he kept wondering if the girl had hidden some sweets from him the way he had hidden his best marble.

Got the morale of the story?

Cameroon Diaz