Ginger & Cardamom

Finally my blog is getting its own home on a independent server. After recommendations of many and the Final Push by Vinni.

I managed to move to a custom hosted blog from the Blogger. People please update your blogrolls, feeds and Bookmarks.

Now you can find your Ginger & Cardamom musings on http://www.prats.co.in

What happens when a blogger goes to one of the spiciest parties in the town, he takes pictures and he blogs about it. Now what happens when two bloggers go to the same party they discuss, take pictures and blog about it. Now Imagine 10 bloggers in the party and you have fun, drama, humor, satire, comments, and obviously the pictures and the blog. The Pictures you can see above and blog you are reading right now. So I got a chance to attend one of the exclusive party from Fosters called the Art of Chilling, the invitation was courtesy Indiblogger and man I am more than thankful to them not only because it was a great party and I had a time of my life, but also because I met so many people and had an amazing time and conversations with them.

So now here I put in 5 steps to throw a great party which I learned at the Fosters Art of Chilling Party-

1- Venue & Music - Choose the venue in one of the most happening locations in the city with a huge pool. In our case the venue was Koregaon Park, Club Solaris (If you are from Pune and wondering where the heck is a club solaris in KP, don’t worry I was asking the same question. Club Solaris is right near the HRC). Get a great DJ who knows how to play for a pool party, and people we had amazing music for our ears, though in brief moment I felt a number of times he was going to play “Saat Samundar Paar….” But every time he managed to save the sanity, I am sure one of the Muscle Shops (read Boxers at the party) was standing right behind him.

2- Attraction- Now step two you get a pool, no don’t expect the people invited in the party to dive right in. Get eye candy models from the Firangi land throw then in. Oh and also ensure the swim suits are nice. Now for the early arrivals would do nothing but at least would keep their attention in the pool. Now ask these models to come out and actually hand over the can of beer. Make sure there is a Fosters logo at the right places, guys would be guys they are bound to stare that’s called promotional placement yam bee yay people right?

3- Beer & Food- Now the major attraction unlimited beer and a pool side barbeque on the house. Well an amazing spread of barbeques covering varieties of vegetarian and non vegetarian eateries with beer and drinks, by the pool side with beautiful people all around you and in the pool. And you get everyone hooked.

4- The Glitterati- Invite everyone who has the taste for the party and may be the dresses and figure to enhance the spice in the party, if you know what I mean. I mean the crowd of the party was one of the best combinations of Pune’s glitterati.

5- Bartender Repeat- Well the step 5 is to repeat the above 4 steps at regular interval. So basically this is the point where I tell Fosters to ensure the party keeps happening again and again (and yes I am hoping to get my invites other times too)

So this is basically what was the party about or as the fosters might call it, The Art of Chilling. Now I come to the part of what the bloggers do, basically 10 bloggers were invited from Pune, and what fun we had. As a matter of fact none of us had an idea what this party is going to be like so a lot of us were not dressed according to the mood (which by the way closer to being undressed :-D). We all met and commented on how we guys are going to have fun except for the girls who were asking a relevant question.

You know as they say guys enjoy easily in life throw a couple of beers and a women in a swimsuit and we have our Nirvana and in this case we were over drafting our enjoyment account by twice of the size of debt which Lehman had when it went down under be it beer or the women.

Within the first few minutes of the party we decided it would be a futile effort to discuss the effect of social media vis-à-vis traditional media or the emerging trends in search engine optimization. Though Kiran made a very genuine effort to pull in the blogging based conversations when he asked one of the swimsuit clad models if she blogged. She gave him a look as if he just had dissent from the Mars, I am sure she would be aware of men are from mars thingie but Kiran’s Direct dissent was a tad too much for her and she eloped back in the safe haven of swimsuits, pool and beer.

Then we had a lot of pointless but hilarious conversations and actually I came up with a whole new section of Bhavya’s joke of the day, a joke reflecting the contrast between two sides of her as a Java programmer and her as a person-

Now I have death threat issued against me by her if I am sharing any of my jokes. To start with I am trying to share one and if I am found dead, missing you know who to find-

So basically in the party we found Bhavya was really averse to her pictures being taken, ironically she was carrying her own camera. So I came with the following jokes-

Why is Bhavya averse to getting her snaps clicked in a poolside party? - Because by orientation she OBJECTS. (For non Java programmers Objects are an important part of the Java Programming)

So the bottom line is all of us had a lot of fun and it was really awesome to meet a lot of fellow bloggers. As I said when ten bloggers meet at the party all they do is have fun, conversations and everything to make a great day.

I met the following blogger at the party (I am missing some names would update as soon as I get their blog links)

Bhavya

Dr. Roshan

Sahil Khan

Prasoon Kumar

Neeraj Jain

Kiran Pillai

Ravish Mody

Aditya Marathe

31 days ago, I decided to take a step which seemed to be very challanging and thought would have minor impact on my life. This challenge was National Blog Posting Month where I was supposed to post 31 posts in 31 days. Given the fact that generally number of posts by me in 6 months also do not touch this number, it was a huge challenge. When Preeti told me about it, it seem to give me a you can’t do this look. And when I get this look from anything I am generally feel the rush of Adrenalin and I result in saying yes to the weirdest of challenges.

This time as it turned out, that it was less of a challenge and more of a fun. And what I thought will be a minor Impact on my life had a major one. I actually relaized why I really blog. How close and at home I am when I am with my blog. Though this was totally a wrong time to undertake such a thing, as the month of may has been one of the very crucial months in my professional life. This was my first deliverable as a project manager where I had a major bottomline of failure (yeah success as well), and as expected for the first 20 days of May, I actually had to slog to amount of 14-16 hrs a day at office to ensure my deliverables and miraculously I still did find time to write a post. Though I agree some of the posts were too lame, but then sometimes I really couldn’t help it because so many things on my mind.

Apart from everyone who reads my blog and comments there are three lovely ladies with whom I actually share the credit, of my successfully Completing NaBloPoMo-

Preeti- She is the One who started it all. If it would not been for her I would have been living in my comfort zone in a blissful oblivion with one or two posts in the month of may. So she is the one who started it.

Monika- Actually I started interacting with her during this period, when we both of us were doing this challenge. I could so well relate to her and her posts that I actually look forward to read her posts and felt a peer motivation kind of phenomenon

Tanvi Udeshi- Now she is a gem of a person, poor girl actually tracked me on Blogs and twitter and kept on reminding me when I was heading towards missing the deadlines. If it hadn’t been to her constant tracking I would have missed posts for at least coupe of days on the account of work pressure or laziness.

At the end of the day, it was a good fun activity and yes I do paln to do it again. As a matter of fact I plan to go on a break till this Sunday and would be back to blogging by Next week. Another NaBloPoMo, well Its on the cards will think about it further for sure. Till then keep enjoying the Pics & Picks of Life.

One of my favorite word in the English Language is IF. It has so diverse usage and imperative of communicating multiple emotions. Well I produce few of my usage of IF which makes it so special in the language-

1- If Conveys Hope & Wishes - One of the most important and necessary ingredients of life is hope and If conveys hope. The hope always lies in the If- If I could accomplish this the life would be awesome after that.

2- If is the Introspection & Learning- Another very important aspect in life of a person is when he looks back at his life and his actions. Introspects what went wrong, how he could have done things differently, how he could have changed or bettered the outcome of a given situation. Here is the if- If I would have saved instead of nasty expenses I could have used the money now.

3- If is the warning- If is a caution sign in life, often an advice, an indication to reconsider and evaluate your course of action and re-steer to ensure course correction. A lot of times when the judgment is clouted, if is the word that clears it. Here is the If- If you went ahead with this deal you are bound to loose.

4- If as the Challenge- if is the greatest challenge for nurturing ambition in the human race. A lot of drive in people is invoked by a simple if- If you can do this the next promotion would be yours.

5- If as a choice- One of the most important aspects of our existence is our ability to choose, our ability to say yes or no, depending upon how we feel. If certainly gives us that choice- I will do this only if I want.

Well that’s about one of the most beautiful words I feel from the English language. To end, I will leave you with one of my all time favorite poetry in English language

IF- Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you

But make allowance for their doubting too,

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or being hated, don't give way to hating,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,

If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breath a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much,

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

I saw this tag on Monika’s Blog and then on Preeti’s Blog, as a lot of you would be knowing that I am writing a post a day for like almost a month (have to do it till its completely a month) I take all the tags where I have been tagged. So I do this one, and as it turns out it was fun too with the strange voices in my head giving weird comments, so read at youur own risk-

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?

Damn I look good, (Voice inside my head: Only if you lose 10 kgs)

2. How much cash do you have in your wallet right now?

Had to count Rs. 5227/- Only (including all the chiller)

3. What’s a word that rhymes with DOOR?

Adore, Sore, More, Core, Shore, Galore, Floor, Pour….

4. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone?

The HDFC Credit Card lady, missed her call as I was in a meeting. Later I agreed to take the credit card if she comes for a coffee with me. Damn she refused, she knew I am not going to get the CC and would not be able to pay for the coffee, so considerate no?

5. What is your favorite ring tone on your phone?

Rihaana – Umbrella,

Beatles- I wanna hold Your Hand

Phil Collins- You’ll be in my heart

Rembrandts – I’ll be there for you (Friends Title Song)

6. What are you wearing right now?

(Why the question sounds too corny to me??? What are you wearing baby types…..and we all know where this goes) Clothes, this is 2009 not 10000BC where I would be wearing a leaf okay two leaves front & back.

7. Do you label yourself?

Oh Yes, Prateek Gupta- Cracking bad ones since 1982.

8. Name the brand of the shoes you’re currently own?
Formal Shoes- Hush Puppies & woodland

Casual Shoes – Reebok

Non Marking Squash Shoes- Reebok

Floaters – Adidas

Chappals- Osho Chappals from Koregaon Park Pune :-D ( I have 3 of them )

9.Bright or Dark Room?

Alone – Bright Room, with someone hot – its better to turn of the lights :-)

10. What do you think about the person who took this survey before you?

Well two of the people took it-

Preeti – She is an unbelievable portrayal of a picture perfect life.

Monika- A very genuine & fun loving person

11. What does your watch look like?

Formal Watch- Chronograph from Swatch, Black Dial and golden brown leather strap.

Casual Watch- Time and Date From Tommy Hilfiger, Metallic Grey Dial with a very heavy look and feel.

There are couple of others most of them metallic and heavy round dials. And I am supposed to get one more Chronograph from a contest I won last month.

12. What were you doing at midnight last night?
Watching Rush Hour

13. What did your last text message you received on your cell say?
Save the settings & Rstart your IDEA phone to Njoy the world of internet. Get FREE Ringtones on http://wap.ideafresh.com/free Brwsing charges as per plan.

14. What's a word that you say a lot?
Loads of them – I, Hey, Excuse me, Thank you, Fuck, Hell, Crap, Damn, Okay, Exactly, For the sake of assumption/understanding.

15. Who told you he/she loved you last?(please exclude spouse , family, children)

Tanvi

16. Last furry thing you touched?
Will toothbrush count as furry (I guess no). Well a Yak on the shimla trip two years back.

17. Favourite age you have been so far?

Imperial Age in the Age of Empires

In Real life I haven’t seen anything other than the Iron Age, where men demarcate nations with boundaries; they learn the arts of navigation and mining; they are warlike, greedy and impious. Truth, modesty and loyalty are nowhere to be found

But the Golden Age sounds fun, defined by justice and peace.

18. What was the last thing you said to someone?

You should watch Paycheck & Thank you for Smoking, amazing movies both of them are.

19.The last song you listened to?

Aaj Purani Rahon Se Koi Mujhe Aawaz Na De Dard Mein Dubey Geet Na De Gham Ka Sisakta Saz Na De

20. Where did you live in 1987?
Kanpur: In my home

21. Are you jealous of anyone?

A lot of people.

22. Is anyone jealous of you?

I wish they were.

23. Name three things that you have on you at all times?

A locket from the temple my family believes in, an armband from the same temple (people see it as my arm has been bandadged, everytime I wear a T, people ask me about it), My hair.

24. What’s your favourite town/city?

Well Kanpur would top charts as I grew up there but otherwise, Hyderabad & Pune.

25. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it?

4 Years back on a greeting card.

26. Can you change the oil on a car?

Yes, I can change the oil, clean the oil & air filters too. My dad made me to go to the garage for couple of days so that I learn the basic parts of the engines.

27. Your first love/big crush: what is the last thing you heard about him/her?

Well, I don’t remember. Never bothered to find out, Kind of dead issue out of the system .

28. Does anything hurt on your body right now?

Yeah my right knee, twisted while playing yesterday

29.What is your current desktop picture?

Deccan Charger Wall Paper

30. Have you been burnt by love?

Yawn!!! Good Question, Next one please??

Well as most of you would have read my take on guys & crying here already. Recently Reema wrote back supporting her view point. Well her take is quite interesting. So I am adding a few clarifications and elaborate my point of view.

So let’s first narrow our view only to the emotional tears and Reema’s reason for the guys should actually cry.

1- Well Ancient Greeks Did it- Well firstly I don’t agree that since Ancient Greeks did it so should everyone in the world. Well it would be like saying that Ancient Indians used to burn their women after the death of the husbands and we should keep doing it. Well that’s pointless. Now coming to the second part that why did actually the males in Greece cried. Well the history suggests that Greece is one of the oldest land where male homosexuality in more common words being gay was socially accepted So between men and their relationship there had to be a role player of a woman, which kind of quite indicates about the crying men was a part of society and was accepted culturally.

2- Mangnese Content- Well another point which has been pointed is that Tears help release manganese content out of the body which helps control temperament. Well manganese has a lot of other benefits like formation of hormones which combat infection, assists in the protein build up, helps prevent failing memory and also builds thyroxin for the body. Now one good reason to flush the manganese out of the body?? Anyone?

3- Prolactin – Well supposedly this is something which regulates production in the body. Now coming back to guys crying, if a guy is producing milk through his body the situation is highly abnormal and for most of the reasons will be a disease called galactorrhea and trust me as in all other cases the crying won’t help here either. I am sure you get the point.

4- Emotional Intelligence- Well now let me get this thing clear emotional intelligence has got nothing to do with crying its more about understanding and ability to perceive emotions and use them as a data points and information for effective leadership and decision making. Now a guy who cry on everything doesn’t has more EQ as compared to someone who doesn’t. You know in a similar way that fear of change is an emotion and a person who understands what it is and can use his understanding has more EQ as compared to someone who himself is afraid of change. Similarly in case of crying, a person needs to be able to relate and understand the reason and emotion behind crying, which for most part is grief rather than crying.

5- My Friends say so- Well that is simply not a reason. A lot of my friends have a belief and they would swear by it but one cannot simply generalize it to the entire society. For example, a group of friends who think Marijuana is cool doesn’t reflect the perspective of the entire society and neither makes it correct. So what your friends think is a set of personalized opinion just like I have mine that Guys should not cry. Since we actually friend or connect with likeminded people there is a higher probability of bias in the sample you are conducting the survey with. Definitely you cannot generalize this opinion.

6- Some examples for great men who cried- Well for every great men who cried there would be a 100 others who didn’t. The point is the men were not great because they cried, nor were they respected for this. They are respected for what they are and what they have done in their life.

Now coming back to some tit-bits on my part, I am not saying that it is a sin for guys to cry. My point is that crying does not make them sensitive or caring or good. As a matter of fact, as we have discussed the Sreesanth’s episode of crying, so if I assume that he would be a sensitive guy as many people have suggested, we should look at his statement about a struggling actress that he would not date a struggling actor he would go for a seasoned one. Well if that was really a sensitive guy speaking, I am sorry my definition of sensitivity is all haywire.

There is nothing wrong or right about crying, its not even an emotion. Its an expression of an emotion, and I totally agree that guys can and should be receptive to all kinds of emotions but the expression of emotions by a special form doesn’t make them any superior in any ways. If at all it can do anything it would portray a weak image of them, when the society and biology expects them to be strong (well if you don’t agree to my biologically part then please before arguing back try and talk to the International Olympics Committee and ask why do they have separate events for male and females) .

Srivats did this tag on his blog and it was supposedly on one of the most interesting subjects in my life, Books. So I decided it would be fun to do it. So here I share with you my take on one of my passions, books-

One book that changed my life:
Every book we read affects us in one way or the other. But the books which have had the most impact on me are-

Bhagwad Gita
Richard Bach- One

Select Essays by Bertrand Russel

The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho

Autobiographies of Lee Iococa & Carly Fiorina

The book you have read more than once:

All the books mentioned in the point above and

Shantaram – Gregory David Roberts

Atlas Shrugged- Ayn Rand

Q&A- Vikas Swarup

Five Point Someone- Chetan Bhagat

Snapshots from Hell: The making of an MBA Peter Robinson

Jonathan Livingstone Seagull & Illusions - Richard Bach

Arthashastra by – Kautiliya

One book you would want on dessert island:
Harry Potter Series

Bhagwad Gita

PG Woodhouse

Ayn Rand Series

One book that made you laugh:

Calvin & Hobes

Haven’t read much in Humor though

One book that made me cry:

None though Oliver Twist & Tuesdays with Morry made me very emotional

One book you wish you had written:

None I wish I would write my own book

One book that you wish had never been written:

Coffee Table Books, I never am able to understand the purpose of Obnoxiously high priced books with fancy pictures. It actually spoils all the purpose of the books existence rather focuses on the kind of money people have.

One book you are currently reading:

The great Secret- Talks on Kabir by Osho

Words of Kabir- Sam Kerwal

Another book on Kabir which just has the title as Kabir

One book you have been meaning to read:

Shivaji: A Hindu Ruler in Mughal India (I can’t read it as it is not available in India, as it is banned)

In the Company of Women - I have read it now, but I actually waited for it so long. The book was in news and controversies and our school library had a copy. I asked to issue it (was in class XII then) and I was refused that it was not meant for us, I actually took it up with the principal that how can a school library has a book which is not fit for class XII students after all it was the senior most class. Anyways was not able to get my hands on it and when I actually got an opportunity to read it, it was 3.5 years later.

So this has been my journey with the books till now. So hows your journey to the wonderful world of books has been? If you are into reading and love your books and find this tag interesting, please feel free to do it.