Month: April 2011

Seven Questions about Office Life?

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
At one point of stage in my life I wanted to work in the Indian corporate world. I dreamed of working inside those big flashy buildings, enjoying cool air con ambiance, flashing computers, meetings, picture-perfect staff, and wearing collar cards, etc.

But after leading a corporate life, I have more questions in front of me? Every day after keying in the hours, I contemplate on the day spend in those sterile walls. Apart from work, what did I do in those 8-10 hrs. Did I make a difference to my work, to myself or it’s the same rut.

  1. How you differentiate each day at your work place?
  2. How do you improve your work, do you spend time learning or unlearning?
  3. Do you share short cuts or do you keep little secretes to yourself?
  4. Do you have a crush at office…that makes you go to work each day?
  5. Do you wish you had a office fling? Or is it the same fling, the pain on the wrong ….?
  6. How do you make your cab trip interesting? Do you sit next to a boring person?
  7. How do you think your office can improve in employee recognition?

Well, I could write more question, but it’s comes back to the same point…Why don’t you share couple of points running in your heard?

Or if you feel like talking to me, you can call at my mobile for an idea sharing session, or just for a coffee or beer meetup.

See ya,

Charles

Sex and the Married Man

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
I’m prompted to write on this topic after reading this passage in Bangalore Mirror titled, Sex and the Single Man. The article, making an impression has matching prose in an sexiting way. Here’s the passage that got my eye and I would dwell on it with my remarks.

A woman’s beauty lies, not in any exaggeration of the specialized zones, nor in any general harmony that could be worked out by means of the  sectio aurea or a similar aesthetic superstition; but in the arabesque of the spine. The curve by which the back modulates into the buttocks. It is here that grace sits and rides a woman’s body. 
– John Updike (Pigeon Feathers)


Right now I don’t have much thoughts, but I’ll be back with my version.

Cubicle Life in Bangalore

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
Every day I pack my bag to work at this swanky building. After a day’s work, I return back , silently through the busy traffic, thinking of all things around my surreal world.

One day less in my life…

Sometimes I wonder what I learned, experienced is the past 24 hrs. Did I do anything new, did I discover a new thought, a new passion or innovate something that will help in our business, or did I return back with the same bag and baggage.

Millions like me throng to the work places, earning, living, and bitching. What extra is happening at your work place? Is this enough for a long 24 hr day? I don’t have answers to these question, and so I’m sharing these to you. Do you have any answers? Or are you different from the usual 9 to 5 tribe.

My question to other working folks in Bangalore… how do you make a difference to your work place, to your colleagues, to your society? Is there anything you can do extra? An extra effortless smile, a little kindness, little extra that no one told you to do…..

  1. What difference can you do in your workplace?
  2. How can you make you life richer, meaningful and lively? ( No zombie existence)
  3. How to make your workplace fun, interesting and happy? 

Finally….Are you enjoying your work in the cubicle?

Swing with Isha Yoga

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Source: The Hindu
I’m always fascinated by new age Guru’s. Especially those who are less like the conventional saffron clad ones. Some time back I read this article in The Hindu and I kept aside this page for repeat reading. Today while cleaning my living room, I stumbled on this folded piece of paper that had this article – Golf with the Guru.
So, what’s it all about. Well, I’ll try to know more on his philosophy, life and suggestions. I like many points in this article about the founder of Isha Yoga. 

   Central message
   Do not settle for the limitations of your experience. Try to break it and move to the next level. If you     do that, you will know that there are many levels of reality outside and within yourself.

“Don’t settle for who you are right now” But why not? ….Don’t you want to play golf a little better tomorrow? We all ant a little more what we knows best – money, love, power, knowledge. 


There is something within in us which does not like boundaries. If we find unconscious expression of this, we call it materialism. You can either walk with your eyes open or closed. I am saying why not keep them open.

Oops at Garib Rath Kochu Veli

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Garib Rath ( Green Budget A/C Train)
Pic Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27223684

I prefer trains to bus. In my regular visit to Trivandrum from B’lore, I usually take Garib Rath, Kochu Veli Express on Monday’s. This train saves me from paying arbitrary prices charged by private buses. Moreover, there’re other personal reasons why I prefer train to bus.

First, I love the raw metallic grind of train as it wobbles and sways on the track, making all the screes and metallic grunts. Also, a train travel makes me relaxed – a time to reflect, read, have coffee or even have a friendly conversation with fellow passengers.

On the initial days of  Garib Rath in Kochu Veli, it departed by 20:00 hrs. Now, with popular demand, the timing is from 17:00 hrs from Kochu Veli and reaches Banaswadi by around 9 in the morning.

Also, like every thing about a public service, this train was clean at the time of initiation. Now, the glean is replaced with growing dirt in the corners, broken cabinets and uneven loo floors. Apart from these issues, there’s one main glitch – loo door latch.

Garib Rath Loo Door Lock issues
During one of my train trip I went to take a leak break…too much chai…coffee from the train. I happily closed the loo door, just when I started to pee, one fellow pushed the door ajar. Oops….. I was embarrassed so was him. First I blamed my absent minded nature as I keep forgetting to do things. For instance I forget to zip my pants after visiting the loo or keep the scooter keys on the vehicle, etc. Likewise, I thought it as a case of amnesia. But, later I realized it was the problem with the door latch.

The problem is with the sliding mechanism of this latch. It’s a faulty design, that requires a complete recall or a change in design. What happens is this – as the train moves, the whole bogey jerks and in the rocking movement, the latch comes off from the hook. ( Mystery solved)

And and even embarrassment  happened during anther tip. This time I was the villain. I pushed a door while a lady was inside…Mother of Ooops….lucky she didn’t notice me. I quietly closed the metal door and fled the scene.

Attention Railway Engineers or Employees 
Can anyone from the Railway coach engineering team look into this issue or similar issues? Also, there’s a problem with the toilet seat used in the commode in western toilet loo. Pls take it as high priority and so necessary modification will improve the quality of train travel. And it will save many people from many embarrassing moments for train travelers.

Advice to passengers:
Next time you travel by Garib Rath, double check the loo lock before you start your business.

Your’s in Concern

Charles

NB: I wrote this post on April 2011, but even as on May 2012 the lock issue remains. And now October, they have kept new lock ..but not everything is fool proof… Again, during a recent trip, I had to keep one hand secure on the door, while I used the other hand for the business.

P.S: It’s time Railways start Facebook ( It can start for different zones ) Southern, Western, etc..