Life without Internet

I dont think I had been addicted to internet even until 3 yrs back but today more than a day away from net makes me feel I am in a new world. 3 days of no internet last week made me feel I am living in some isolated place with boredom around!! I am still wondering how I could get myself so much addicted to internet. With the long weekend keeping me away from home, its been like a good one week of being away from net and today after coming back to my laptop, I just felt like being in heaven :) I just feel most of my friends would have the same feeling as me :)

One year in Blogging

Not bad that I have been able to keep myself to blogs for an yr now :) I had always loved reading people's blog but was not really too keen to pen down few words. Ofcourse its this vacation from work that has given me the interest and time to blog. I still wish I would continue to scribble little here and there even after getting back to work!! Over this one yr, this blog has become a place of memories to me and hope it remains the same forever :)

Happy Birthday Manoj

I might sound crazy but these days I find my blog as a route to talk to you. Thinking back in these years, I have actually missed wishing you a lot of times on your bday. To the level I remembered your wedding day, I dint remember your bday :( Today as I remember well to wish you, your not around to take my wish. May your soul rest in peace!!

Do we have fear to drive in Chennai?

I often feel 90% of people driving in Chennai drive as though they can anytime meet the dead end!! But is it never possible to have safe driving in our cities?

I wonder sometimes if our people in Chennai know the meaning for Discipline in Driving!! Its not just with the drivers but we also need good roads to drive through.  I had never done anything more than 5 or 6 hrs in car in TamilNadu. Even in the few drives of 5 hrs, we had ended up picking a taxi / mini van. I know it does not make my travel any safe. Atleast when we drive, we have some control but with the taxi drivers its worse. Even when I tell him "You can be slow, I am not in hurry" the reply we get is "எனக்கு தெரியும் மேடம், நான் பத்து வருஷமா வண்டி ஓதுநர்" My entire drive would be a mess as I would be worrying about reaching home safe and would never enjoy the drive.

When every driver fails to go by rules, why is that he is not realising its his life too in trouble? Or have we lost all importance to a human life? We hear so much every day but then can we avoid travelling? No!! Even to get to work I have so many friends travelling 1 hr in bike and car. Infact its not that only long distance can lead to traggic road accidents and death but any short drive which is rash and bad can put our life in trouble.

Very often when I read my friend's Blog, I had thought what is the use of his writting? No one is changing and follwoing rules while driving. But today as I write I can understand how he would have felt everytime he wrote. May be its more because he drives every day while I take to driving very rarely.

The day I realised I have lost my dear friend in a tragic road accident, I went so mad that I wondered if I should ever drive again? One second and one mistake, it can end a person's life!!! Road accidents and death right from school bus to youth in bikes and middle aged people in car!! Where are we heading to?

The driving I have seen in US is fun, enjoyable. The real broad roads with perfect lane maintainence, makes me drive more often than usual. I would not be partial to say its too perfect here. I can point out one place, Los Angeles where driving is not as good as it is in other parts of the country. When we drove in here I felt like being in Chennai!!  At the same time its too good in some other places here. We have taken long distance drive like 11 hrs at stretch and we never felt worried or tensed. It was all plesant and fun to have those long drives. 

Its time our people value human lifes and keep in mind all driving safety measures and follow them even if fellow drivers neglect. Ofcourse equally important is the road maintainance system. I wonder if there will ever be changes there!!!

A Tribute to Manoj Krishnan

I dont know where and how to start. Going back to 2005 May third week, I met this guy introduced as someone little senior to me in work but moved from Blore DC into this new account.

Infact somethings which I have shared here are things I had failed to express to Manoj himself :(

May 2005 : We attended training together for almost a month time and trust me, I hated him so much but I enjoyed his company equally. Every time I approach him for a silly help, he will make a scene of it and I will tell myself "Never ask Manoj for help" but somehow at the same time, his presence made the place lively and fun to be :-)

Jun - Sept 2005 : We were into different projects and not much in touch for some months except occasionally he would come to my desk to irritate me as I leave for lunch :( It was in Sept 2005, he got married to his sweet Harpreet. Today I feel bad that I missed his wedding, ofcourse I did feel bad that time as well.. I had another important friend wedding to attend in Chennai and hence missed his wedding in Hyd. I still remember one of his teasing hurting me and I blasted him for the same right away!!

Oct - Dec 2005 - We were in different projects but catching up with each other for few talks now and then. Every such meeting would be one where he would let me down miserably and tease me to the worst :( But today I realise, I would never get another Manoj in my life who can play and tease me like that :(

Jan - Sept 2006 - I might not be too correct here but sometime early 2006 we happened to get into the same project. Though he was not really involved in my module, having him right in the next cubicle was both fun and pain. His presence always makes the place so lively you never feel the work to be done hard :) But then he would not spare one person in the team but tease all of us!!! I even had one experience when he teased me so much that I had felt like crying!! But then all those only made my friendship with him stronger.

Some unforgettable memories in that 8 months of work are the Vizag Araku Valley trip from Hyd as team and the dinner we all would enjoy as team.

Vizag Araku Trip - This trip got me close to Manoj and Harpreet than I ever thought. Infact after this trip, the little anger I had on him vanished and he became one of my most valued best friends with whom I felt comfortable sharing my happiness and sorrow. I infact stayed in his car most of the time as he was such a wonderful driver. But I dont know and I cant believe that its the same Car driving which has put an end to his life!!

Those dinners and small chats in office were always special to each one of us in the team. I had discussed so many important things and listened to his advices before taking my decisions. Infact from this time, he became someone so important to talk to before moving on with my decisions.

Oct 2006 till date - The last time I met him was when I left Hyd office in Sept 2006. But to me, its like I saw him yesterday. Though I moved to Chennai for work, I had been in touch with him everyday and had never felt he was miles away from me. As soon as my marriage plans were fixed, he was so excited and happy for me, ofcourse even till last month he told me, he was feeling bad for my husband Suresh.

In the last one yr, though we are so far apart, we would mail, call and chat so often that I never felt away from him. I had my last phone talk in the end of Sept with most of the conversation focussed on teasing me and irriating me :) I still remember every word of that last call!! He wanted me to collect all 1$ coins with presidents face on them and I am on the job collecting them for him. I dont know if I should keep them with me as your memories or give them to Harpreet to safeguard them for you!!! I had even planned what gift to give him when I return to India. Ever since Oct 22, I have something to share, I start to compose a mail to Manoj and then realise, is he going to read his gmail / infosys mails anymore and how do I share my happiness and sorrow with him?

I dont know how long it will take for me to accept the reality, but this is so hard and painful. I really wanted to add a picture of me and Manoj in this blog here but unfortunately I dont have one here with me now :(

Manoj, I miss you so much and will miss you all my life!!

Every moment I take a important decision
Every time I have a happy news
Every time I am depressed
I will miss you!!!

I will miss all those sweet teasings which irriates me to the most but bonds our friendship more stronger!!

With all my love to my everloving friend Manoj Krishnan,
Nithya