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So a hectic weekend comes to an end, what awaits me is going to be a whirlwind of hectic and fun-filled weekends.
But the weekend did bring its share of scares and unforgettable moments. One of them being a scary accident on the freeway.
With Manish at the wheel and Rodney and Me for accompany, we were headed to the San Diego Sea World. We must have had another 45 minutes of driving on the freeway left, when just descending from a small sloping road, Manish noticed the traffic ahead (in the fastest lane) has come to a stop. He braked and braked like he had never braked before. Driving at 70 MPH and then braking with a car feet away, is tough, and we were lucky to escape with just clipping the bumper of the car ahead of us. It was very little damage considering what can happen on a freeway where all traffic is zoom zoom at 70+ MPH.
The cop came, heard our story and told us to be more careful going forward. We all thanked our stars and continued our journey to the Sea World. An hour and a half late, we still made most of the time at San Diego.
Now that I think about it, anything could have been possible. If we would have reacted even a couple of seconds late, we would have banged into the car ahead and then I cannot even imagine what would have happened.
But, lucky as we are, we came out unhurt and little damage. So the weekend is over, and its back to work from tomorrow. Another few days and then the trip back home.
Wow, I have so much to look forward to. Errrr, heading to Bombay, thats not very calming, is it?
Cheers,
Ashley
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
Taking you for granted.... Dont Let that happen...
"Ashley you quit, even though you were onsite and promoted!", exclaimed my friend. I said "Yes". The reason life makes you take such decisions is sometimes not the circumstance but people you deal with.
In my case, I should say, more than my fellow Infoscions, it was the DHL client who made me quit Infosys. Unfortunately, they used to always have that notion, no worries, Ashley will do it. So keep loading him with work, assign him everything from functional analysis to performance analysis. He will do it all. He is our slave.
So it might have come as a shock to them, when I left them(all of a sudden) and soon they realised I was not coming back.
You deserved it, I say. Life goes on, DHL has moved on and so have I. But that pleasure that I got, to say ' I QUIT', is priceless.
But whats amusing is that life comes a full circle and it presents you the same challenges again.
Like today, after a hectic week of coding, testing, bug fixing by my track colleagues and me, our management expects us to come over on a weekend to test for other tracks.
Again, they are taking it for granted that my track, which has completed its task deligently shall waste their hard earned weekend to clean someone else's shit. The last time I felt mind-f****d like this I decided to quit the organisation. :)
And guess what, over a period of time the people forced me to do it.
Its, not only at work, but so many facets of life, that people whom we interact with take us for granted. Let it be our roomates, our colleagues, our family, our friends, almost everywhere there is someone, who takes for granted that you will do him a favor.
My advice for people who expect favors is, never assume that someone will do it, take a rational decision whether that work or thing you need from him/her is fair enough to ask for?
If not, then ask politely, if it is possible to do that task, and do give him the option of saying NO. The reason being, it was not expected of that person to perform that task in the first place. So its more of a request than a command. But when people keep pouring these requests a little too frequently, its time to understand that the expectation has changed, and its time to screw the person over. This is when the surprise, 'I QUIT' makes you feel the king of the world!!!
Its been a long hard day so far. Sitting and blogging with GlenLivet giving me soothing company is awesome. Thanks to the scotch I feel relieved and fresh. Time to hit the gym and burn the calories that LAYS just added into me.
Cheers and Nice weekend,
Ashley
In my case, I should say, more than my fellow Infoscions, it was the DHL client who made me quit Infosys. Unfortunately, they used to always have that notion, no worries, Ashley will do it. So keep loading him with work, assign him everything from functional analysis to performance analysis. He will do it all. He is our slave.
So it might have come as a shock to them, when I left them(all of a sudden) and soon they realised I was not coming back.
You deserved it, I say. Life goes on, DHL has moved on and so have I. But that pleasure that I got, to say ' I QUIT', is priceless.
But whats amusing is that life comes a full circle and it presents you the same challenges again.
Like today, after a hectic week of coding, testing, bug fixing by my track colleagues and me, our management expects us to come over on a weekend to test for other tracks.
Again, they are taking it for granted that my track, which has completed its task deligently shall waste their hard earned weekend to clean someone else's shit. The last time I felt mind-f****d like this I decided to quit the organisation. :)
And guess what, over a period of time the people forced me to do it.
Its, not only at work, but so many facets of life, that people whom we interact with take us for granted. Let it be our roomates, our colleagues, our family, our friends, almost everywhere there is someone, who takes for granted that you will do him a favor.
My advice for people who expect favors is, never assume that someone will do it, take a rational decision whether that work or thing you need from him/her is fair enough to ask for?
If not, then ask politely, if it is possible to do that task, and do give him the option of saying NO. The reason being, it was not expected of that person to perform that task in the first place. So its more of a request than a command. But when people keep pouring these requests a little too frequently, its time to understand that the expectation has changed, and its time to screw the person over. This is when the surprise, 'I QUIT' makes you feel the king of the world!!!
Its been a long hard day so far. Sitting and blogging with GlenLivet giving me soothing company is awesome. Thanks to the scotch I feel relieved and fresh. Time to hit the gym and burn the calories that LAYS just added into me.
Cheers and Nice weekend,
Ashley
Aura of invincibility..
So after the recent India-Aus series, many have started to raise eyebrows of how dominant a force the Oz really are? Has the loss of Langer, McGrath and Warne too big a damage to continue that legacy? May be, May be not, only time will tell.
What is more interesting is the aura of invincibility slowly disappearing from other few dominant forces across the sports spectrum.
Lets take Mr.Roger Federer. Prior to 2008, he was invincible on all surfaces, but clay. Even on clay he had been sublime, but against Nadal. 4 time World Sportsman of the year to back his reputation, he entered 2008 hoping to complete the Golden Slam. That means, all 4 slams and the Olympic Gold medal too.
But, soon things changed after the French Open. FedEx was no longer invincible. He lost his pet grand slam, Wimbledon. He did not win the Olympic gold either.
Finally, as the year nears to an end, he no longer looks the same blow-you-away tennis genius he was a year ago.
For all those Ferrari fans, things have changed dramatically too. From dominating the F1 scene from 2000-2004, they have been quitely over-shadowed by McLaren Mercedes and Renault. Blame it on the exit of Michael Schumacher, but the decline has been noticable. Ferrari won a record 13 races in a season, they have been unable to dominate the sport since that season. Though, they did win the F1 Constructors Championship this year, their dominance is not the same though.
I feel much the same way as Australia(cricket) or Federer look beatable today, the Brazilian football team and Australian Hockey team have undergone a dramatic change in their respective fields and look vulnerable against a quality opponent.
Just goes to show, sooner of later, opponents do catch up to you. Of course, what FedEx did is unimaginable and mostly will remain a record for quite sometime, but he now has his task cut out to win more Grand Slams and silverware.
Becoming a champion is the easier part for legends like FedEx, it is continuing that legacy thats the hard part. For most of us(like me), becoming a champion itself is impossible, so I am spared the harder task of being at that level. So if you are a champion and reading this, it just got harder buddy. To stay up there, you got to work harder, else, you will soon be forgotten.
All said and done, one Mr.Tiger Woods, still continues to dominate like never before. His absence this second half of the year, is already hitting golf as a sport, with declining viewership and sponsorhip, but I am sure, he must be noticing the sudden disappearance of that unbeatable tag from his friends.
Cheers,
Ashley
What is more interesting is the aura of invincibility slowly disappearing from other few dominant forces across the sports spectrum.
Lets take Mr.Roger Federer. Prior to 2008, he was invincible on all surfaces, but clay. Even on clay he had been sublime, but against Nadal. 4 time World Sportsman of the year to back his reputation, he entered 2008 hoping to complete the Golden Slam. That means, all 4 slams and the Olympic Gold medal too.
But, soon things changed after the French Open. FedEx was no longer invincible. He lost his pet grand slam, Wimbledon. He did not win the Olympic gold either.
Finally, as the year nears to an end, he no longer looks the same blow-you-away tennis genius he was a year ago.
For all those Ferrari fans, things have changed dramatically too. From dominating the F1 scene from 2000-2004, they have been quitely over-shadowed by McLaren Mercedes and Renault. Blame it on the exit of Michael Schumacher, but the decline has been noticable. Ferrari won a record 13 races in a season, they have been unable to dominate the sport since that season. Though, they did win the F1 Constructors Championship this year, their dominance is not the same though.
I feel much the same way as Australia(cricket) or Federer look beatable today, the Brazilian football team and Australian Hockey team have undergone a dramatic change in their respective fields and look vulnerable against a quality opponent.
Just goes to show, sooner of later, opponents do catch up to you. Of course, what FedEx did is unimaginable and mostly will remain a record for quite sometime, but he now has his task cut out to win more Grand Slams and silverware.
Becoming a champion is the easier part for legends like FedEx, it is continuing that legacy thats the hard part. For most of us(like me), becoming a champion itself is impossible, so I am spared the harder task of being at that level. So if you are a champion and reading this, it just got harder buddy. To stay up there, you got to work harder, else, you will soon be forgotten.
All said and done, one Mr.Tiger Woods, still continues to dominate like never before. His absence this second half of the year, is already hitting golf as a sport, with declining viewership and sponsorhip, but I am sure, he must be noticing the sudden disappearance of that unbeatable tag from his friends.
Cheers,
Ashley
Around the corner!
Its down to counting days! A few more days to go, before I finally take that deep plunge into the unknown and 'cannot-argue' world of marriage.
The preparations for the wedding are going on pretty smoothly. The only bump I hit was the church related stuff. I hope I have got that sorted out, unless my parish priest wants to give me more surprises when I head back home.
That aside, its been nice going so far, The wedding cards are ready. Lourdes has her wedding gown getting sewed together. Adrian has his suit material ready. Mom and Dad have their own preparations going on. All the personnel incharge of various inventories and tasks have been booked and kept ready.
It should be one big party in December. Christmas has always been the best part of the year for me since childhood. Sweets, holidays, winter chill, parties and so much fun. The mid-night mass at Orlem church will be a memory forever.
For those who are unaware as to how we (rather I) selected the wedding date. The story goes something like this. I happen to be lucky enough to share my birthday with Uncle Mel, my Mom's brother. Uncle Mel, got married on Dec 26. I cant really remember the year. But I remember, how excited my grandmother's house was about the wedding. Lots of Christmas shopping, Relative pouring in from everywhere. To add to the excitement, I was page-boy for the wedding.
It was that day, I must have been 7 or 8, that I decided that I would get married during the Christmas season. To be frank, I wanted to get married on Dec 26 itself. But no harm done, Dec 28 is still close. So I made sure, that I get married in the holiday season, with the christmas fever adding to the glitter and shine.
So as time flies away, I near, what would be the most important, sacred and fun-filled day of my life.
Its one big party!
Cheers and Hope to see you there!
Ashley
The preparations for the wedding are going on pretty smoothly. The only bump I hit was the church related stuff. I hope I have got that sorted out, unless my parish priest wants to give me more surprises when I head back home.
That aside, its been nice going so far, The wedding cards are ready. Lourdes has her wedding gown getting sewed together. Adrian has his suit material ready. Mom and Dad have their own preparations going on. All the personnel incharge of various inventories and tasks have been booked and kept ready.
It should be one big party in December. Christmas has always been the best part of the year for me since childhood. Sweets, holidays, winter chill, parties and so much fun. The mid-night mass at Orlem church will be a memory forever.
For those who are unaware as to how we (rather I) selected the wedding date. The story goes something like this. I happen to be lucky enough to share my birthday with Uncle Mel, my Mom's brother. Uncle Mel, got married on Dec 26. I cant really remember the year. But I remember, how excited my grandmother's house was about the wedding. Lots of Christmas shopping, Relative pouring in from everywhere. To add to the excitement, I was page-boy for the wedding.
It was that day, I must have been 7 or 8, that I decided that I would get married during the Christmas season. To be frank, I wanted to get married on Dec 26 itself. But no harm done, Dec 28 is still close. So I made sure, that I get married in the holiday season, with the christmas fever adding to the glitter and shine.
So as time flies away, I near, what would be the most important, sacred and fun-filled day of my life.
Its one big party!
Cheers and Hope to see you there!
Ashley
Monday, November 10, 2008
Confession!
Yes, I have to confess, the Indian cricket team today is a better team than the ex-invincible Oz. Period.
I have had a zillion discussions with my friends, discussing how the Indian cricket team could never match the Aussies in sheer talent or killer instinct. But from what I have followed of the just concluded Test Series, India have finally proved me wrong and in my opinion can claim the title of the best team in the world.
The record speaks for itself. The Oz had never lost a test series against India for 7 long years. Thats a sign of their stupifying brilliance.
During this period, they not only beat opponents, but mostly(during their prime) pounded them. But things have come a full circle.
India looked dominant throughout the series and beat them hands down. I still remember one discussion with Prasanna, Sourabh and Pankaj. Must have been one of the most intense debates ive ever been part of, Pankaj and Me throwing everything there is, against India.
Well today, to Prasanna, Sourabh and all those Indian cricket fans, whom I must have sarcastically laughed upon, yes, India is a better team. Sheepishly I agree.
All the best India, now its time to raise the bar and beat teams left, right and center, not only on home turf, but anywhere on this planet, just like how champions do!!
Cheers,
Ashley
I have had a zillion discussions with my friends, discussing how the Indian cricket team could never match the Aussies in sheer talent or killer instinct. But from what I have followed of the just concluded Test Series, India have finally proved me wrong and in my opinion can claim the title of the best team in the world.
The record speaks for itself. The Oz had never lost a test series against India for 7 long years. Thats a sign of their stupifying brilliance.
During this period, they not only beat opponents, but mostly(during their prime) pounded them. But things have come a full circle.
India looked dominant throughout the series and beat them hands down. I still remember one discussion with Prasanna, Sourabh and Pankaj. Must have been one of the most intense debates ive ever been part of, Pankaj and Me throwing everything there is, against India.
Well today, to Prasanna, Sourabh and all those Indian cricket fans, whom I must have sarcastically laughed upon, yes, India is a better team. Sheepishly I agree.
All the best India, now its time to raise the bar and beat teams left, right and center, not only on home turf, but anywhere on this planet, just like how champions do!!
Cheers,
Ashley
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