Monday, February 19, 2007

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Back to Work....

  Because of Bandth here in Bangalore I went to my native place for last three days. Coming back first thing
I noticed was the completeness of bandth this time. Almost everyone stayed in homes
and all roads where clear. I heard friends telling about children playing cricket in main roads, which will be always full of traffic all the day.

I would like to appreciate this kind of bandth which is fully supported
by all classes of people and the fact that here bandth or harthal will not
occur unless strong reason is there for it.

But still I cannot forget the fact that it is not bringing any attention
of authorities or any action is taken upon the case...which in effect the
loss is only to the general public.

Monday, February 12, 2007

SPF - A Trip to Nandhi Hills....

        I am an active member of Professional Forum in the church which I usually go for the mass. It consists mostly of working professionals. Every month we used to fix some activity for that month which most cases will be, some social activity to find and help persons or communities who is in need for help. This month we decided to be different and, we finalized to go for an outing to some location near Bangalore which we must be able to go and comeback in one day.

        Two weeks before we finalized the location of our trip as Nandhi Hills. Geetha booked a 30 seat Swaraj Mazda for 21st January 2007. Because our usual quorum in our meets are less than 10-14 and regular members where only around 10, I never expected a good participation from members. So when I heard one week before that 30 seated Mini Bus was booked, I was thinking it may be an additional burden for our team as many of seats could be free. But the most amazing thing happened during last week. So many people came to join to trip and all the seats were full. At the time of journey only one seat was left free.

        On Sunday 21st January 2007 morning around by 8 am all the members of the Santhome Professional Forum gathered at the Dharmaram Chapel and attended the holy mass. After the mass a small gang went for purchasing essential stationary. The main Items purchased were things like water can & disposable plates. By the time food required for the trip arranged by Brother James Tharakan was ready. Our dearest president Melvin & Jincy had come to shower their blessings on our journey. Melvin is my team mate in company and one of my best friends in Bangalore. He only introduced me to the Forum which now I love to participate very much. By 9am the booked Swaraj Mazda came to the DVK premises. Soon the members loaded the vehicle with food, water & other commodities.



        By 9.30 am the wheels of Swaraj Mazda started rolling. As soon as the vehicle entered the main road the driver was asked to switch off the tape, which has been playing. Brother started singing a Marian devotional song. The members also started singing with him. Soon after the devotional song is finished, for some seconds silence spread around allover the Van. Everyone where in a starting trouble where to start how to start. Our great leader Genson ignited the fire to the group by singing the song “enthe khalbile”. I recollect what he said later about his song. ”Since my singing was of high standards the members couldn’t hang on to it & I was blocked in the middle.”. Actually I think it was not that much bad… No sooner the vehicle was set on fire by the performances of the members.



        The entire cab was divided into 2 & songs started flowing (in Malayalam what u call as “anargalam nirgalikuvan thudangi”). Everybody was really exited so that all the songs were sung at a peak voice . It was with great pleasure & energy that the members enjoyed singing.

        By 10 the members started crying for food. Somebody was telling “Fire in Cab”, ”look is that fire that is coming from his stomach???”. They were on the verge of even beating the coordinator (“vishannu kannnu kanaathaayi ennu paranjal mathiyallo”). By 10.30 the vehicle was parked on the road side & kappa & Meat were served to everyone. Look down the enjoyment of team members….Actualy it was like we have been starving without food for 10 days….(enthoru akrandamayirunnu).






        We stayed there for about 15 minutes and when everyone’s stomachs was full we resumed our journey. But by the time everyone was silent. There is not surprise in that condition as I remember how much tasty was that Kappa and Meat curry. No songs; no violence; no noise at all.

        During this gap Brother shot his goal. He declared that he is going to conduct a beauty contest in which each member will have to present their bio-data, which will be followed by 3 questions from Brother. Among all, the best three will be selected for the final round and will be questioned by members with a minimum of 10 questions. The next 90 minutes it was the contest with interesting questions & answers. It was full of fun & even some serious ones. I was out in the first round itself despite of my best tries. By 12 we reached Nandhi hills & by the time the first round was also over. We took ticket for the vehicle & landed in the cradle of nature by 12.10. Cool, away from the city rush, with beautiful view of Bangalore city from the top of hill. We all rushed into a tea shop & had a tea each. It was there only then we SPF members discovered that creatures like Minu & Soumya will drink neither tea nor coffee. What else they were screaming for ice creams. Poor creatures, nobody got them one. The tea recharged everyone up. Then we all started walking towards the view. On the way we got a rotating bow for children. At this instance we have another invention. We found that we have more than one child with us. So many of the members like Mathews, Vipin (2), Benoy, Bipin, Jejy, Rojee tried it & its rotation kicked everyone. It was nice to see most of their faces after the rotation. After everyone’s showoff we sat in a circle .It was then the games committee came into action.



        The committee consisted of Geetha chechy & Raji well supported by Brother & Beena. First Raji distributed & divided the entire group into 4 teams named Cherry, Mangoe, Apple & Orange. Everyone was asked to pin the cards on their dresses. Then the games started. The first item was blowing & bursting of balloons. You can see some of the snaps of this game down here.






        In this game Vipin of Cherry team had won. Now you just stop reading think what would be the next immediate thing to happen????? Any assumptions from experience of our Elections and school games? Deepu of Orange who came 2nd started accusing Vipin of cheating since he had taken a handful of balloons at one shot which lead to the scarcity of balloons for him.

        The next item was passing a ring among 4 members of the same team using a straw in the mouth. A snap which I was also included is shown here.






        In this games team orange had won by the timely action of Renju. Actually here also hot arguments regarding who won the game took place as Renju had his team members straws cut by half before game started which reduced the passing time to a great extend. But they escaped saying that no such condition was specified in the rules which prevents such an action…..

        The next item was a bit mathematical one in which each member of each team was assigned a number & the members had to form the numbers in the reading order upon the command of the judges. The team which will take the least time will win. Apple team scored a fantastic victory in this game. Genson told he has got news from reliable sources telling that still arguments are going on in Mango team of what is the answer when 60 is divided by 5. (You can assume now which was my team Ha Ha…..But you have to accept that…that’s the reality……Actually what happened was we calculated 60/5 as 15 instead of 12…..which was one of the hit jokes in the tour program….Still I am not getting how we got that number…)

        It was in this venue our greatest coordinator Mathews himself accepted the name ‘Apple Mathai’ which some of the members translated as ‘Dindi Mathai’. Apple Mathai fought hard for his team & in spite of the setbacks his team suffered in the balloon blowing & ring exchange games his team won in the number game.

        By the time it was 2.30 & members were hungry again. When we reached the vehicle some of our native tourists have already finished some part of the food. You can imagine that heart breaking seen of about 6 monkeys sharing our Chicken kebab. We had fried rise, Chicken, Salad & pickle for our lunch. After the lunch Vipin distributed watermelon for everyone.

        Then came the photo session. Every member participated in it. After that we had the ball passing game in which I was the first one to be out.




        Gesnon was the first person to be out and so he started telling that best brains will exit first…. It was an enjoying one and Minu emerged the winner & was crowned as the “Thirumandy”(Dummenst Fellow) of SPF. I hardly escaped from the crown. I was the second last to out. Then we all walked down for some site seeing & again had along photo session. A news is heard that some of the people was running for photos sessions for taking single photos for posting in various matrimonial sites.

        By 4.30 we started back our journey. We started the finals of our beauty contest. Georgekutty, Minu & Prem were the finalists. All the 3 were showered with questions & all performed really well. Now it was voting time to select the beauty. In the campaign Minu was reported offering money to the voters, but when the results came she got only 3 votes to 10 of Prem & 11 of Georgekutty who emerged as the winner. Soon he was crowned as Mr SPF.


Our Mr SPF!!!! 

        Then soon we had one more tea on the way, we played a game of housey in which Vipin, Sojan & Rojee emerged the winners. Later to break the tie in the team events between Apple & Orange there was a short quiz in which Orange won by 20 points to Apples 10. Both the teams were rewarded. Then again the cab was divided into 2 & we had a hot game of “Anthakshari”. By the time we reached Bangalore. Brother gave a vote of thanks to everybody 4 their participation & making the trip a grant success. In his short message he asked the members to keep the days spirit 4 ever in the future activities of the Forum. We the members decided to have a meeting next Sunday after 9 O’clock mass & the main meeting in the first Sunday of Feb. By 6.30 we reached Bangalore & all the members left home with the sweet memories of the trip.

        And as the finishing point I would like to thank Mr. Gentson for getting me many of the critical part of this travelogue script which otherwise I will not be able to remember.

Tuesday, February 6, 2007

How beautiful can it be the fusing out of a bulb

One topic which I got my attention today.

The point of thought came into my mind is this. Most of us will become
upset when suddenly a bulb goes out. We never thought that a burning out
of a bulb can be that much beautiful. Isn't it?


This beauty has been hidden from us because of our inability of our eyes
and brain to respond
to such a fast movements. But now the technology is
helping us to see such amazing things.



You yourself can check it out.

http://www.leggnet.com/2007/02/spontaneous-combustion.html

Staying Late nights.....

I am restarting my new blog session....after a long interval....about 4 yrs. Even I forget the password of my old blogging site. So what..I have to start it all again from scratch.....But one thing is
not changed. Staying late nights.

I know that's a bad habit. But I cannot help it....No way.....