Remembering New years !!!

Dec 31st 2002: Had won a pass in RadioCity, a couple entry ticket for Vibe 2003. My friend Ady had won one too. He couldn't make it due to domestic commitments, and like usual I dint have a partner. That is exactly when Rj came into the picture, by buying Ady's ticket and my 2 cousins who accompanied us for the Bash. Had a nice time, and we were back home by 2 AM. Rj and me, bajaj Chetak .. what a combination eh!

Verdict: 3.5/5 (Free passes, couldn't ask for more, in those days of student life)

Dec 31st 2003: The first official New year's bash of 'the Boys'. Well that party started this unhealthy trend of all men. Well it's like Fevicol's mazboot Jod. Tootha hi nahi hai :).

A rich party in terms of liquor, food(bread, v/nv - biryanis, cake and what not). Remember that it was the 13 of us, amazing sound system and a rustic farm of our friend MB. What followed till 6 AM was absolute mayhem. We fondly call it the 'Vaanthi Party', enough said !!!

Verdict: 4/5 ( Sheer experience before and after the party. Vinay, do you remember the show in discovery "I shouldn't have been alive")

Dec 31st 2004: A job that paid for our wishes, brought about a trip to hogenekkal. 5 of us, a super cool Maruti Omni, and a passionate driver in Vinay. Some gala time with Kerala parathas, oil massages, beautiful drive on country roads.

Verdict: 4.5/5 ( Gave me the courage to choose a resolution and also somehow help keep it)

Dec 31st 2005: It was an unlimited party our friend Dolly organised, at the very exclusive Farm of our friend MB. It was different i think, don't really remember much from it.

Verdict: 2/5 ( Nothin too different)

Dec 31st 2006: A tough time at home, decided to cut on any outdoor party this year. Glad i did, coz' i learnt a very big lesson.

Verdict: 3/5 ( Well, just being a bit wise after the event)

Dec 31st 2007: Party at Magnolia resorts on Mysore Road. It was nice time, coupled with some nice dance floor time. The B'lore cold sent jitters down our spine sitting in Anup's Santro. 

Verdict: 3.5/5

Dec 31st 2008: This time another farmhouse was waiting to happen,  but for the mismanagement and a problem of wild elephants. Ultimately, ended spending 2 hours at Uppi's resort Ruppis and then whiling away some precious hours on the roads.

Verdict: 1.5/5 (Cudn't it give it lesser, had my good friends spend time with me)

Well this much said, its time to wish you all a very happy and prosperous new year. I wish you all get lots of topics to blog and lots of successes to speak off.

Cheers

~Sanj

Feel Empowered !!!

This sunday unintentionally left me with a sense of empowerment, ask me why!

Eight in the night at Jayanagar, I parked my bike quickly when a person took his bike out. Well, so... what's the big deal you might want to ask. That I found my bike missing when I came back to the same place along with all other vehicles that were parked there is my main issue of contention.

No great story, traffic police had towed my bike off due to wrong parking. Here's where it all starts, I reached the police station to find my bike chained. As usual, started to think on lines of negotiations with the helper. I realised one thing, its not just the interest rates that are up these days, everything is. Even the god damm bribe, is non-negotiable. 

Don't know from which side the winds of change swayed across me, but it sure did something. All of a sudden , I got too critical of the helper and sweared at him in true 'Jab we met' style and walked into the police station to pay the fine of Rs. 300 which I found was a better option than warming the hands of the helper with Rs. 25o and that too without a bill.

I just can't get over the kind of feeling I went through. It was like a new stream of energy, an energy which is in its purest form of honesty, self-belief and contentment. 

I don't know too much of its source, but I want to believe, it came due to my decision of not wanting to be part of the same old vicious cycle of bribe & corruption. 

Anyways, I now know what it feels like to not be corrupt. Don't know if you would want to try it too.... 

~Sanj

Yes! We could

We the (operations vertical) started to think about Tarkash'08 when Obama's speech was making the rounds. At that time, I was wondering if we would do something at all for this years Tarkash.

This was the time when Yogi, my vertical head messaged me asking "Listen, do you want to do Tarkash"? 

I replied to him saying, "Yogi, I won't take initiative this time due to personal reasons". That was then, and now is today after a day when Tarkash is done, which we pulled off superbly.

At this juncture, I am grateful to Gopi and Yogi for the kind of direction and the sense of purpose they showed. It would have been difficult if not for you guys.

Now, let me come to the core team of 'The King's Gambit'.

• Nidhi - The lone representative of the female fraternity in our vertical. But rest assured, her way of working puts you totally at ease.
  
• Karan - Dude has a smart way of doing things and getting them done.
  
• Rakesh - Stalwart
  
• Brijesh - Mr. Dependable
  
• Narayan - Mr. Congeniality 
  
• Anil - Buddy, you have lots of potential.
  
• Anish - Silent Performer
  
• Rahul - Smart chap, has a nack of doing the right things at the right time. Good team player.
  
• Abhineet - Our IBS-B wright brother.
• Sanjay - Urs Truly

Finally, we did have special appearances from our very own Rasya, Pooja, Bharti etc. I guess the latter two are very quickly assuming Rasya's mantle of 'Grilling Queen'.

All said and done, here's three cheers from me to the team of 'The King's Gambit'

Chao!!!

Sanj

A.I.D.S

Ever since I realised that Dec 1st is World AIDS Day i.e. from the last 5 or so years, have been wanting to spread awareness. I say wanting to because, there's not been much I've been able to do apart from sporting the red RIBBON on the day.

Last year I did get to watch a lot of movies with the theme of AIDS by which I should admit that my knowledge has fairly improved about the stigma, issues and misconceptions associated with AIDS.

The only way forward about eradicating this epidemic is to spread awareness whenever there is a chance. Today though, I couldn't do much as I was rather preoccupied and I don't feel good about hampering the progress of my so called AIDS knowledge curve that's pointing upwards. So now I'm left with no other choice but only being virtual about it. 

So friends please take up the cause of spreading awareness about AIDS in whatever capacity possible.