Kili josiyam and Goli soda

Kili Josiyam
Kili Josiyam has always fascinated me. Although I have never believed in this, it was on my TO-DO list for a long time. I have watched them sitting on the road pavement with their caged parrot waiting patiently for a customer. There were times when I had wanted to walk straight to them and inquire if they can give their predictions based on the card the parrot would take. I was just curious to see how the parrot would know what tarot card to pick from the stacked up cards. Although I had the urge, I had never acted upon it.
Last weekend I had been to a restaurant for lunch with my parents. When we were leaving the restaurant, we found a parrot astrologer sitting in the lobby. I gathered that as part of a unique experience the hotel wanted to give its customers, they had arranged for this astrologer to be there. My mom immediately asked me if I had wanted to try kili joshiyam. Why would I say no? It was something I had always wanted to experience. I immediately agreed.

The astrologer asked me to take a seat in front of him and asked for my name. He had a wooden cage that had a parrot at one end and a big mouse at the other end. He inquired if I wanted to get a parrot or a mouse astrology. On hearing my preference, he stacked up the tarot cards vertically. After that, he lifted the door of the parrot, calling it by his name. The parrot stepped out. He nudged it to pick up a tarot card for me.

I observed the parrot and the astrologer. I looked at his hands and fingers to check if he was giving it some kind of gesture to pick the card he wanted. To my disappointment, he did not make any hand gestures. He only kept talking to the parrot, urging it to pick a good card. After pulling down four to five cards down, the parrot finally selected one and gave it to him. When that was done, he appreciated the parrot, took some grains and fed it. He then proceeded to push it a little in the direction of the cage and closed it.

He then opened the tarrot card. I had gotten one with the Ashta Lakshmi goddess picture. He then explained what the card meant and how my future would look like. We then thanked him and paid him some money. At home, I pondered if the parrot picked up some random card or if he had made some kind of gesture that I had failed to observe. My parents then told me that he might have trained the parrot to stop at a particular card if he utters a particular word. I realized that it could be true. That man kept talking to the parrot continuously. Anyways, it was fun and I enjoyed the experience.

Goli soda

Remember the goli soda that we used to get many years back. I remember watching the goli moving inside and making noise while drinking. After that, the cold drinks and fruit favored drinks took over and goli soda took a back seat. Yesterday we went to buy stuff from an organic shop that true to its name sells only organic stuff (unlike other shops). At the shop, the glass bottles with the goli caught my eye. Some were colorless, the others had colored water.

I murmured into my mom's ears that they are selling goli soda. She exclaimed that I was talking non-sense and it was some kind of soft drink. Determined to prove right, I asked the shopkeeper on what it was. He confirmed that they were selling goli soda in five flavors - normal, orange, pineapple, cola, and lemon.

We finally bought an orange one. He asked us to push the goli by ourselves. Although I tried, I could not push the goli. I gave it to my mom and she immediately pushed it inside. She then told me that one of our relative had a small business - making goli soda. She would love to go and help the people in making them when she was a kid.

After many years, I finally drank that goli soda and returned home contented.

Training session and career goals

As part of a two-day training programme that I had attended, every participant was asked to describe his or her career goal for next 10 years and the tactics or sub goals they had. About 80% of the participants wanted to quit the current job and run their own company. Another 10 to 15% wanted to move up the ladder and be the CEO of an IT firm. I and another participant where the only two people who wanted to do something different. While he wanted to do organic farming, I did not really have a career goal. I wanted to just continue doing the good work and have the flexibility to work wherever I want.

All those who had wanted to run their own company in 10 years, where firm on one thing. They wanted to be financially secure before venturing out on their own. They wanted to earn during the next few years and set aside monetary funds that would take care of their family's needs. Only after that is done, do they want to start their own business. It was interesting to hear what business each one wanted to start. They were in the current role or position only because they felt this was the best means to earn.

That got me thinking. What does this mean? Commitments and responsibilities in life was holding many people back from pursuing what they want to do. It also meant that no one was really passionate or happy about what work they were doing.

I remember reading a forward some time back about the life of people working in IT firms. The first few years of one's career, the individual wants to learn a lot of technologies, gather more experience. After that the majority of the people want to quit jobs and start their own firms. Not many do it, but most of them dream of doing it. During the last few years of one's career, the individual only wants job security. That is all matters at the end of the day!!

The career goal that the next group of participants had - to be a CEO or CIO was another favorite career aspiration. Everyone has aspirations to grow in their career and play leadership roles. There is nothing wrong in this. It is a natural transition which would happen.

What surprised me was why does everyone aspire to grow in their career. It could sound foolish. Everyone wants more money, more power, move up the ladder. Why are we not content in doing a good job at the same level.
I know that being in this industry, the moment one says that he or she does not have big career aspirations; people would look down upon that person. They would think that the said person is not fit for that organization or firm.

Why are we always measuring success with what position we hold in the organization? Why is that leading a beautiful and happy life not a successful life? 

I wonder if Iam the only one who thinks this way.

Is it right to force someone to speak in a forum?

The business unit I belong to had started an event xxxTED a few months back. Some senior leaders from our business unit had talked about various topics in this forum.

Two weeks back, my manager V forwarded an email asking if he can nominate me for the upcoming session. As usual, I was busy with multiple tasks and did not really pay attention to that email. I did really read the full email, just bits and pieces. After a few hours, I had gone to my manager’s cubicle to discuss on some other issue. Post discussion, he started this topic –

V: R, did you look at that email I sent you on that session we want you to take?

Me: Nomination is the easiest part. I need to think of a topic

V: What topic. They have listed the topics people have already spoken. Pick out something that is relevant.

Me: Ok, Give me some time.

V: This is just a 15 min xxxTED talk. There will be someone to coach you the first time

** That is when a light bulb switched on in my great mind. All this while I had assumed that they wanted me to train or take a session for the trainees (college graduates). This is what happens when I don’t read the full email.

Me: Wait, what TED talk? I thought it was for fresh graduates.

Me: V, you really want me to participate in that xxxTED talk. This is a big thing. I really need time to think through this.

V: What do you want to think? You just have to go and speak there. I know you can do it. They will coach you.

Me: V, I can talk. But who will write my speech? I have to first pick a topic, write that entire speech.
The team will not help me with that na. They will only coach me on how to speak.

V: Ok, but they have already asked me to nominate you.

The conversation ended. It has been two weeks and the scheduled date for that event is next week. I have still not talked to my manager hoping he would have forgotten about it. Did not want to remind him. Something tells me he would have already nominated me.

God, I just don’t like it when someone forces me to do something. This is something that people should come forward to do. You should not force someone to do.

 

Alas, no one will listen to my opinion in this case L L

How the Google search engine helped me

Last week, I had to attend a two-day training programme sponsored by my firm. I had to go our training center that was located at another part in the city. The first day, I had boarded a bus to reach the training center.

For some reason, I did not remember the bus stop name. The bus conductor started giving out tickets to the passengers. When he came near to my seat, I gave him a fifty-rupee note and said in Thamizh “Oru, manapakkam” (One Manapakkam”).

Conductor looked at me as if I had lost my mind.

Conductor: Manapakkam is near Porur. Do you want to go to Porur?

*He was about to tell me to get out of the bus and take another one that goes to Porur.

Me: No, I want a ticket to that bus stop that is the second one after the tollgate. The one where ASV Sun Tech Park is. It has a name that starts with M.

*Conductor again looked at me and started giving out tickets to the other passengers.  I tried very hard to get the name of that bus stop. As usual, my brain failed in tracking down that name from my memory storage system J

* That is when I realized that even if my own memory storage system did not work, the internet will work. I pulled out my phone and typed in “ASV Sun Tech Park bus stop”.  Voila, the search engine gave me the result – Mettukuppam.

I looked confidently at the conductor 🙋

Me: Antha bus stop peru Mettukuppam. Oru ticket (That bus stop’s name is Mettukuppam. One ticket for that).

Conductor: Ithe muthalaiye solli irukkalaam (you could have told me this before).

He then gave me the ticket and the change.

The next day as soon as I boarded the bus, I looked up the name in Google to verify if that was the right name. I don’t know why my brain does not like to remember this one name 😁😁😁

Connection between methane gas emission, yoga and water shortage

I was watching a regional TV news channel tonight. There was a political debate that was going on about the water shortage in the state and what reforms the state government had taken on this problem.

The panel included 5 people - spokesperson for the state ruling party, state opposition party, the national ruling party and two journalists. The anchor started the debate with a brief introduction on what they wanted to discuss for tonight. The spokesperson from the state ruling and opposition party were each given time to talk and they put forth their own arguments.

After that, the opportunity was given to the nation ruling party spokesperson. Here is what he spoke (tried to do my best of getting closer to the exact words that he spoke) -

National Ruling party SP - See, it has been proven scientifically that cows that give milk release a lot of methane gas. This release of methane gas causes global warming.

Anchor - Ok, do you have proof for this?

National RP SP - You can search in the internet for what I am saying. All of you have smartphones. Why don't you look it up and verify the facts for yourself?

Anchor - Ok, we will all assume that what you are saying is true. We believe in you. What has that got to do with water shortage?

National RP SP - Allow me to speak. You never give me time to speak at all.

Anchor - I do give you time. Please tell us what is the central government going to do about this?

National RP SP - I am trying to get to that point. As I was saying, it has been proven that global warming to a large extent is because of the methane gas that the cows emit. Our PM had given a speech in the United Nations a long time back. When he addressed them he said that pollution is caused due to vehicles. As a developed nation they can take steps to stop this, but we cannot do that in India since we are a developing nation. We cannot stop usage of vehicles. He also talked about the benefits of Yoga. Do you know many countries have accepted the benefits of Yoga?

** At this point, Anchor stopped him since he was talking too much

Anchor - N, what are you trying to say? What has that got to do with not having rains in our state or water shortage problem.

National RP SP - Let me speak. This is a problem with state channels like you. You never give us time to talk. Are you saying that what I am saying is wrong. Yoga is ...

** Anchor stopped him again

Anchor - But N, what are we going to do about the water problem? Why are you talking about irrelevant topics?

National RP SP - K, stop it. Allow me to speak. You cannot interfere in what I talk. Everyone can verify about methane that Iam talking about

Anchor - Not all the viewers will have mobile or internet to verify about the issue with cows producing methane gas.

National RP SP - Then you verify it. It is true and it has been proven.

Anchor - So now cows emitting methane is a problem for water shortage?

National RP SP - Don't talk sarcastically to me.

**The other panels kept quiet, silently watching and wondering what is happening. The opposition party spokesperson started laughing. One of the journalist folded his hands, looked up and then down. He gave out an exasperated sigh.

** Me and my dad couldn't stop laughing. We asked my mom to keep quiet to hear what else stupidity the national ruling party spokesperson was going to say.

** This went on for a few minutes between anchor and RP SP

Finally, anchor could not take it anymore. RP SP was furious and started talking about how bad the anchor is.

Anchor - Iam the anchor of this debate and we need to tell the viewers clearly on what you are saying. Iam not able to understand what point you are trying to make.

National RP SP - You don't understand what I am trying to say.

Anchor - N, are you then saying that Yoga will help in solving our water shortage problems and in getting rain?

Finally, Anchor was so frustrated that he asked for a short commercial break.

Me and my dad continued to laugh. After the break, the discussion continued with the other panels and the show ended.

Where are we heading to? Do these politicians think we are all fools. If I was in that party that guy was from, I would have asked that spokesperson to stop participating in these talk shows in future. He was talking utter nonsense.

Was I duped in paying extra money to the auto driver?

Two days back, I had to take a cab to go to office. I booked an auto for the ride.

As soon as I got into the auto, the driver immediately started talking to me. He told me that in the last Chennai flood, his belongings were washed away. He has two daughters and one son. He was living with his family in a rented accommodation. His son passed away from college and has started earning very little. His two daughters are studying in college and he is not able to afford for their college. Someone helped him to pay the college fees for one daughter and he finally paid it at the last minute. He still needs money to pay for this second daughter's education. He then proceeded to tell me that his second daughter's college starts in two days and he needs money to pay the college fees. He asked me to help him financially to pay his daughter's fees.

I really did not know what to do. I had never expected him to ask me this. I would like to pay for someone's education but how do I find out that he is not lying. I could have asked for proof but I was surprised when he asked me that. When I reached my destination, I gave him a little more money than the amount on the app. He did not even thank me for that extra money.

Was he hoping that I would accept to pay his daughter's college fees? How can he expect a stranger who had met him for just 15 minutes to agree to pay for the education? Was he trying to dupe me? If he had wanted to convince someone, he should have shown proof. He could have at least thanked me for the extra money.

I don't know if I was a fool to believe his story and pay that extra money or I had escaped from being duped or if I had just lost a chance to help a poor girl's education?

Good and bad resumes

I wrote my first resume when I was looking for a job after passing out of college. It was a standard resume that any college pass out would have.

While working for my firm, I was asked to send my updated resume to two clients. Other than these two occasions, I never had the need to update my resume. Every time I wanted to quit my job and move to another company, something would hold me back. I was lazy to update my resume and prepare for an interview.

In the last few years of my career, I have been part of many recruitment drives and have looked at many resumes. Some resumes are nicely written. Unfortunately, a majority of them are bad.

Yesterday, I had to screen select a few profiles for a new position we had. Out of the six resumes, only two were well written. The rest were all badly done. That got me thinking on why I did not even read more than two pages of the other resumes.

I am not an expert in writing resumes. However, after looking at many resumes, I have a fair idea of what works and what does not.

A few observations -

a.) Some resumes run to 15 or 20 pages. People need to understand that no interviewer will have the patience to read a 15-page document. A resume should be crisp, short and not more than 4-5 pages.

b.) Fonts and font sizes are not consistent throughout the resume. Using a "Format painter" could have helped in keeping them consistent.

c.) The highlights or summary section is too long. I have seen resumes where the summary section takes one whole page. This section should just give a snapshot of one's skills and experience. That is all.

d.) Spelling errors in the document. This is bad. Why don’t people use the Spell checker if they are not confident on the spelling?

e.) Bad layout and no formatting done. If the format is bad, the person who is looking at the resume will not even try to read the content. Many people do not give much importance to the look and feel of a document. They think that the content speaks for them. They are wrong. An experienced person could be rejected if the resume looks bad.

f.) Same or similar roles and responsibilities in every project. It seemed that the person has copy, pasted the same roles and responsibilities in all the projects. There must be something different that was done in every project.

g.) Listing technologies and tools that the person has just heard of in the resume. There are times when a job seeker adds a technology or tool that they have only heard of or had used occasionally. When a person has no real experience in a particular technology then it is as good as not knowing them.
 
Not everyone would know how to write a resume that is impressive. Still if one does not make these small mistakes and is able to say what he/she has done in simple words, I think that is sufficient to make a good impression.

The blame game on the political debate TV shows

There are many political debate shows telecasted on the TV news channels these days. Almost all the regional and national TV channels air them during the prime time. They usually start in the evening and go on until 9.30 /10 pm.

My dad watches them and keeps switching between two to three channels based on the topic of discussion and the participants. My mother and I have no other option but to watch these shows while having dinner together.

The participants or panels are usually a mix of party representatives or spokespersons, journalists, experts, analysts. Some of the party spokespersons are knowledgeable people. Inspite of what party they represent, you can actually sit and listen to them speak. They are great orators. That is true for some of the journalists and political analysts as well. They don’t scream/yell like some party representatives. They wait for their turn patiently and then without raising their voice, they give their views. I do have a few favorites whose opinions are neutral and who talk sensibly.

A typical scenario –

TV channel Moderator: (turning to the ruling party spokesperson) XXX why did your party not do this or resolve this

Ruling party spokesperson: Party B did this when they were in power. They were the ones who brought this law (or) they were the ones who signed this (or) they are the ones who started this

TV channel moderator: But XXX, that is the reason why party B lost the elections and people elected your party. Why did you not fix this problem?

Ruling party spokesperson: Party B is the worst party in this country. They did not do anything for the people. People will never let them win. People know them very well.

This blame game continues for some time.

Every time, they ask the ruling party spokesperson a question, they just blame the opposition party. They never answer the question on what they had done for that particular problem. Yes, the opposition parties did not do a good job when they were in power. That is why they lost the elections and you won. Now, do something useful than blaming them for what they did. 

These party representatives have another tactic. When they are asked a question, they talk something that is completely irrelevant to the topic. Sometimes, there is absolutely no connection. They do that to divert the audience and to pick up a quarrel with the other representatives.

At those times, I wondered what must have been going through the minds of the moderator, the journalists and the political analysts. They must be laughing within themselves at these politicians and the state of our country. I could not help but think how they could lie with so much conviction.

Am waiting to see what topic they would have for today’s debate. They never seem to be running out of topics JJJ

Dealing with people eating food at their office desk

I was back from lunch and started doing my work when I realized that there was some odd smell coming from the back of my cubicle. I got up and tried to find the source when I realized that one colleague was having his lunch at his work place.

I wanted to ignore and continue with my work. However, the smell was unbearable. I finally went up to him and requested him to have his food at the pantry. I told him it is ok if he has evening snacks at his workplace but not lunch.

Normally people have biscuits, fruits, chips, chocolates for evening snacks. Those food items do not really smell so bad. But the food that people get for breakfast, lunch could be quite overpowering when taken at the work place.

Thankfully, he said he would keep that in mind the next time.

I recalled having a similar conversation with a team member a month back. This colleague had a habit of having breakfast at her desk.

All said and done, the big question is how do I tell my boss not to have his lunch at his cubicle?? J

I just wish people adhere to some basic etiquettes at office and be more considerate towards others.

The lure of the jewelry stores

My mom and I had made a resolution last year – we will not set foot in any jewelry store until it is necessary. The reason – the sheer brilliance and beauty of some of the jewels on display have mesmerized us on multiple occasions. Eventually, we had given in to the temptation and bought them. 

The range of designs is breathtaking. Some of them are crafted beautifully and it is difficult to evade them!!!

Before you realize what happened, you have already bought them. Only when you come back home laden with your purchases and of course a lighter purse, does the implication of what you had done hit you. The spell that was cast on you by gold, silver, diamonds, rubies and other gemstones breaks and you ask yourself the question – do I really need this jewel? JJ

We had fallen to the charms of the yellow metal many times in the past. We finally decided that it was better to stop visiting these stores.

After almost a year, we had to visit one of the jewelry stores yesterday. We had to exchange an old silver lamp and a gold jhimki.

As we entered the store, we headed straight to the silver section. After looking at the different models and sizes, we narrowed on one piece and decided to buy it. While waiting for the bill, I went around to take a look at some of the pieces on display.

One section had a few silver miniatures. There were several of them modeled out of random things – house, bed, fridge, sewing machine, gas stove with cylinder, hand pump, bus, train, helicopter, car, camera, cricket set complete with stumps, bat and ball. They were so beautiful. I wondered who would buy them.

They even had a rocking horse plated with silver. I have no clue why someone would buy that. Probably people who had a lot of money and wanted to show off their wealth.

We walked to the next floor to get a new pair of gold jhimkis. After looking at the different pieces, we selected one pair that we liked. The only problem was the new pair was less priced than the old one that we wanted to return. The salesgirl informed us that we could buy something for the balance amount.

With no other option, we headed to the finger ring section to see if we could get something for that balance money. Well, the rest is history 😁😁

I ended up buying two pretty finger rings that were quite expensive. I would have got two more if my mom had not stopped me. She told me that the purchases we had done was enough for one day. I agreed when I understood what she was saying.

We finally got back home with all that we had purchased and vowed never to set foot again in the jewelry shop 😁😁

Leather factories and tannery units - a bane to the environment

Every time when I travel back to my native village, I feel that I have let down Mother Nature. It is my hometown. No matter where I live, Iam tied to that place. That is where I was born and the place where my ancestors had lived. Today that place is in dire conditions and none of us has the courage to stop people from exploiting Nature in the worst possible way.

Thanks to Indian politics, the majestic Palar riverbed has dried up leaving no traces of the river flowing except the sand that lies on the riverbed. With the rate at which they are mining sand from the riverbed, I am sure they will wipe out the whole area in a few years. They will then construct buildings on top of this riverbed and that will be the end of the river.

After a few years, the river would be part of the history of our state and probably be a myth.

Although I would like to get on to the story of how this happened, this is not what I had intended to write today.

I wanted to write about how the leather factory has ruined the environment in the surrounding areas. I don't know who was the idiot who had first thought of building a leather factory or a tanning unit in this place.

Man is the only living being on this earth who always finds new ways of ruining the environment.

Around 80% of the leather is tanned using chrome, a highly toxic waste that is released into the riverbed during the tanning process. This toxic is directly let out to the riverbed. The damage done by these tanning units to the environment and to the people is extreme. Some of the damages caused by these leather industries and tanning units –

Pollution of water - The ground water in the neighboring villages and townships has been polluted. This includes agricultural farms, water in the river (if at all it flows), and the underground water in the villages.

Water scarcity - This has led to water scarcity since no one can use this water. The villages have to depend on the water supplied by the corporation through water pipes. If this is the case for water needed for survival, just imagine the plight of the water used for agricultural needs.

Agriculture - Since agriculture is affected, the trees have died. This area was once famous for coconut trees. Now, the trees do not yield much. Even if they yield, there are not much takers for these coconuts due to the water that was used in the farms.

Less rain, which again results in water scarcity - Since the agriculture, has taken a big hit; trees are felled, making way to buildings being constructed in the agricultural land. This has an impact on the environment. It does not rain that often these days leading to more water scarcity.

Health impact - There has been an increase in the rate of cancer that has affected the general population. It is on an all-time high. This is not just because of the polluted water but also due to the work, they do in these tanneries.

Labour and impact on agriculture - More people are lured to work in these tannery units and factories. No one wants to work in the farms any longer. They don’t understand that although the money might be good, working in these tannery units and factories leads to a lot of health issues. They breathed fresh air and had no health issues when they had worked in the farms. They do not understand the long-term hazards of working in these tanneries or leather factories. High wages and lack of people available has also affected farming leading people to sell out their agricultural lands. Again, more buildings are constructed on these farmlands.

Environmental impact - The water and soil is polluted. In addition, the atmosphere has been polluted. In the nights, you can smell the waste from these tanneries flowing in the river. The odor is nauseating. The air is also polluted – harmful gases are released into the atmosphere.

These leather factory and tannery unit owners are great people. They managed to pollute almost all the aspects of the environment – water, soil, air, atmosphere. Well done!!!  Wondering what else is in their list.

Although, the law states that the waste has to be treated before it is let out; it is hardly done. That happens only on paper. When you have greedy politicians, government officials, what else can we expect. Everyone is here to make fast money.

There have been instances where the public had complained about the water pollution. When that happened, the government officials were asked to submit a report. They took water samples from the fields for testing the water quality. On the way they had apparently taken a detour to dilute the samples with clean water before it reached the labs. That way they ensured that the samples passed whatever safety levels the government had prescribed.

Alas, man’s greed for money has no limits!!!

Whenever my parents talk fondly about our native village, they share snippets of their childhood – about how they used to play in the river bed, how water was the essence of their livelihood, how they used to drink the fresh and clean the water in the wells, I can only sigh.

The tannery unit and leather factory owners, the politicians, the government officials are all responsible for the damage that has happened to the environment.  All this for that piece of leather that one uses for a few weeks or months.

Is it really worth it??

It is ironic to see my own people walk to those factory outlets to buy the leather products for a cheap price. I have bought the leather goods in the past and feel ashamed of what I had done.