Month: January 2016

How Old Are You?

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
Never Too Late to Learn or Unlearn!

Today’s nimble – For no reason I thought how the hot mama in our neighborhood would look like in her wonder years ( School time). Was her miniature as smart, collected and sensual? Or she was just another teenager in school looking for chance to get attention from boys?

So, what’s this exercise?

Collect all the school pics of your friends or relatives and make a collage. It would take sometime to build the entire collection, probably you have to dig the old old family albums, or use Photoshop skills to single out the person from a group photo. But, after all the trouble, it will be a fantastic memory sheet. Isn’t?

Those Were the Best Days my Friend

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How Coffee House Looked?

Just sharing few pictures of the old coffee house building. This is the famed building from where Indian Coffee House started functioning in Spenser junction. Somewhere in mid 90’s this building was demolished to make way for a ugly looking concrete building. And along with it robbed the beauty of this coffee joint.

Now, coffee house is run in a basement which is meant for parking. Actually, there shouldn’t be any food joint in a basement. But, then we’re in India.

I’ll keep updating with more images as and when I get it from the Coffee House Whatapp group. Till them bye.

Saturday Musings

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
So, what new things did you learn today or what did you observe today? For me, I had two thought which came to me and which I feel like sharing on this blog.

1) Today while doing my morning walk, I saw one rag picker near the park sorting the paper, cardboard boxes and plastic bottles. I’ve seen him earlier doing similar job at another location and this time he moved closer to this park. He wore dark, dirty shirt with a equally black boot. Seeing this I thought of his work, the earning he get at the end of a long tiring day. It also made me think of his routine: How does he work? What does he do? How much will he earn in a day? What will he eat? And at what time? What are his skills? Who taught him? Why did he start this?

I wish I spend a day with him to understand his work, describe his work and make a video of his work.Imagine, there’s a portal which lists out the criteria of each job, starting with the qualification, job description and how is their life on a typical day. What’s the career or financial growth with respect to this job?

Now, think of these job profile. Job of a policeman, or a policewoman, or a bouncer in a pub, a bartender, a call girl, a BPO employee, a manager in an IT company, a graphic designer, a shopkeeper, an autopsy doctor, a momo seller, a CA article ship guy, a spa masseur, a govt clerk, a house broker or even a petty thief, or a corporate honcho, a corporator, etc. .

Don’t you think it would be fun idea to list the finner details of every coceivable job in this world ( job description, career growth, salary, how to get there, skills, finer skills, how to get it started, etc. Also, you can relate to the top earners in the field. For example, how’s the life of a very successful doctor, a popular policeman, or a corrupt government employee, or rising star in a BPO, or a A performer in a sales job, etc.Let the world know the super heroes of each profession, and their qualities.

2) I had one more point in mind. But as usual I forgot it. I failed to note it down. Probably, I should keep a small diary with me all the time.

( Starting today, I’m gong to practice writing for 66 days. According to a life guru, it takes 66 days of regular practice to cement a new habit. So, here I go with my copy writing exercise – starting today)

Memories Chisled in Marble

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Inside view – St Patrick’s Church, Bangalore

Tablet – Memory chiseled in Marble

Any building or monument, beyond 50 years has a long list of tale around it. And one such old structure is St Patrick’s Church, in Bangalore. This well maintained ( recently restored) church has beautiful looking spire, with well rounded pillars for support. Over the last years, I visit this church for the regular Sunday mass. And, most of the time, I look around the walls reading the tablets placed inside the church.

Here’s the inscription on one such tablet:

In Beloved Memory of BERNARD JOHN VIEYRA, aged 21 years | month 25 days.

This tablet has been erected by his sorrowing mother, sister and brother as a token of their abiding love and affection for the endearing love and affection for the endearing qualities of heart which marred all his actions during his brief sojourn of this life

But one thought checks the starting tear they spirit rest with God.

How Patient Are you?

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Test of Patience ( Mera Number Kab Ayega)

Sometimes, I have tons of patience which surprises me. Whereas, most other times, I fall for easy temptations. I wonder, if there’s a way to test patience or do we get more of this as we age?

I remember the time when I used to get those cheesy love letters ( snail mail) from my girl friend. After getting it, I used to take my sweet time to read it. Meanwhile, I will have my lunch, then take these letter out near the garden pond, sit in a cane chair, and slowly tear the envelope to read her tale. My friends used to be flabbergasted with my level of patience! well, I had this way!

Recently, I bough a brand new scooter, my first in my lifetime. All these years, I was a second hand person. With some money, I paid the down payment and took delivery of Active 125. I hope, it will end the big hungama I make to kickstart my 4k Kinetic Honda scooter. It needs at least 25 kicks before it will spurt to life. And my leg badly hurts!

After I bought this, it’s been four days and I haven’t got the REG number. Second Saturday is an holiday for RTO and then these guys need two more days to get the number. Somehow I had the mental strength of not taking this “For registration vehicle”, and go by cycle?

When I wrote this above line, it came to mind on the usage of single quotes and double quotes. When should we use single quotes and when is double quote used? To know the answer let me google it.. 

Project – Harness Solar Power from Roof Tops!

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Mangalore Solar Power ( Taping Solar Power from Roof Top)

Medical College Trivandrum ( Sky View – Satellite) 

I’m a big fan of alternate source of energy. In line with my desire to use other forms of zero carbon energy, I keep thinking of ways state government can generate power from solar cells.

Today I came across an article in Hindu about solar power being generate in Mangalore from the roof top of a building. And this article promoted me to think of empty space on top of Trivandrum Medical College. I just wonder if this space could be utilized to install rows of solar panels like the one at Cochin International Airport. Also, I was thinking, if the airport can work with solar power, why can’t a medical college.

So, here’s my proposed plan:

  1. First get an estimate on the cost involved in installing and maintaining this project
  2. Entrust the work to a credible agency in solar energy field
  3. Next,, and most important is raising the fund
  4. I would suggest that it should be taken to the public. For example, a mega show, like Live Aid, plus donations from ex-medical college students, donations from private companies, funding from pharmaceutical companies or medical equipment manufacturers, etc. 
  5. Create a website exclusively for this project. Send email campaigns, drive the entire propaganda, do SMS or social media campaigns, etc
  6. The website will list the donors, schools, institutions, etc.
  7. Tax exemption to people who are donating to this cause

How can this solar project benefit Trivandrum Medical college and the staff, patients

1) Get hot water for people taking bath ( especially it will be a relief to patients )
2) Reduce the dependence on electric power ( cost saving)
3) Sell excess power to the power grid
4) Generate more jobs ( people for campaign, technical crew, maintenance staff)
5) Also, make a rooftop cafeteria with this fund ( This cafeteria will sell fresh coconut water, tea, coffee to staff, employees, and patients or bystanders) Can limit to staff and employees)
6) It could be the major project undertaken with public funding
7) The entire project should be done by a talented group headed by a visionary. Avoid politics or politicians. They can just be made as nominees, without giving my region in their hands.
8) Make a small space to make a green house to grow roses or some garden plants

BUT, BUT, who’s going to propose this project. How will you combat the naysayers? You can expect the naysayers to oppose this project, but let’s not discuss it. Let’s make this plan a success. I hope someone who reads my blog, share it and make it happen.

Finally, ideas like this are very easy to propose, but extremely difficult to implement.

BTW, this plan could be adopted in any rooftop where the space is left un-utilized.

Ghar Vapasi Going Back to Towns

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Sometime last year one colleague left her job and moved to her home in Calcutta. After few months, her husband followed her route. Now, both of them are building their life in a more familiar setting, close to their ancestral home and clan. I told her, that she should report this migration to Modi Governement, asking for Ghar Vapasi allowance.

So, what does it mean? It’s not the other ghar vapasi campaign that’s going rounds – the converts going back to their old belief system. I’m least bothered about it. What I would like to see is more migration from city to villages or towns. Or people settled abroad should come to India to setup business, or their life in India.

But, is this a wishful thinking or a fancy dream?

I bet it can happen, but in a slow pace. To make this happen, first, we should have some kind of development in 2 tier cities or villages. Or else, how can you go back to your green village and maintain the same economic standards.

I used to think of people from Mysuru or Kollar coming to Bangalore each day looking for job, or a way to start a new life. Why to do? There’s no work in these cities – Kollar gold rush is over, the old reign of Mysore is long gone. Nothing new kind sort of development has come. These days private investment or individuals can do more development projects than those old five year old development planning stuff. BTW, I’ve learned of Five Year Development Plans, and I remember reading of the thrust of each sector in each such planning year. Well, those are just history, or fizzled action plans which did nothing great to India.

Now, as individuals you’ve more power to make change in your life, and to the life of others. Given the freedom to publish news (blog) , TV broadcast ( Youtube) and radio broadcast ( podcast), you can do wonders to make changes in your community.

So, what are you waiting for? Does it sound like a punch line from a booze company?

Hot Rasam on a Chilly Evening

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Rasam in-progress

Every time when the weather in Bangalore dips below 20 C, I have a craving towards soups and rasam. Thankfully, my spouse make such hot, spicy rasam and equally tasty beef  soups today that I badly feels like sharing it others.

So, this is my new rasam business idea here.

Start a small outlet selling rasam shots, soups & breads and if possible cutlets. To start such a unit, you need a small space. All you need is a place to keep the prepared rasam or soup and keep in it under a hot stove.

There were times when I wished that I owned an independent house in Bangalore. I could sell rasam or hot soup right from my house. What about serving rasam in tequila glass or our Indian chai cups. I bet it would a great to have rasam shots during chilly evening!.

Rasam Shots!
Yes, I’m confident that with this recipe, I can make thousands of rupees if not hundereds!!! Not kidding, no fancy dream. I mean it. Well, at least that’s what I think I can do.

ell, the concept of such an idea is not about making money, but my desire to share these healthy and homemade rasams to people who will thank me for it. Rasam with fresh garlic, tomato, puli, corriander leaves, etc. WOW! If you don’t believe me, just call me and drop in my house to taste one of these!

So, did you like this idea? Will it work? What will happen to hot rasam sales during summer months? These are few other questions in my mind. Finally, what price should I sell rasam and soup? The price shouldn’t be too low nor too high? What can it be?

Last week when I visited Foodhall at 1 MG Mall, I had chicken soup. The price for a cup ( not a bowl) is  Rs175. And, it was not my kind of taste.

So, here I’m leaving the case open for other soup or rasam explorers. Finally, one more question, Where in Bangalore do you get the best rasam? I remember having rasam at coconut groove when it had an outlet in Koramangala. I feel there should be more of such healthy drinks in each locality made by homemakers or enterprising women. What do you say about this?

Amen to this Soupy Idea!

P.S: If you like this idea, probably we can try this out by selling in by road side. It will be an experimental basis, like the momo stalls by the road side. A simmering pot with rasam and chicken soup! Just dreaming of it! What if there’s Rasam Point like Chai Point?

Shiro UB City

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Shiro at UB City

At one point of my life, I was a weekend visitor to City Bar. The pulsating club music, rocking crowd, and the ambiance of this place pulled me to this club. Also, close to this bar was Shiro – a restaurant with Japanese, Balinese and Chinese cusine. One remarkable feature inside this place is the big statue of Buddha.

Shiro Website – My 2 cents

I’ve few reservation about this website. The faded color background used on the website makes reading a painful thing. Also, the gallery is taking more time to load. I feel there could be more done to share Shiro’s brand story rather than sticking to the minimal content given on the site.

About the food:
Just once I had my b’day dinner in this restaurant. So, this one nibble don’t qualify me to give a verdict on food. One thing I liked was the ambiance. I think other patrons would nod in approval about the same.

Bye Shiro Shiro!

Charles

Are you a Caregiver?

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Just while returning from my morning walk, I noticed a minor accident. One guy was sitting down, and two girls were standing with a worried look. Few other people were around telling something about the accident.

I think, the girls must have rammed their two wheeler on that fella. At this juncture, I had this epiphany. Imagine a stranger or a friend who comes along the way and lifts the trouble from you and talks on your behalf and resolves the issue. Don’t you feel nice to have a savior or a guide or a guardian who takes the weight of your woes?

Yes, most of us would love to have someone like this. A person who would come and clear our debts, help us out when you’re struck with a business problem, or who would give us the right answers.

Problem, is that we also could be someone’s guide, helper, mentor. But, we don’t. We’re too busy with our life, that we hardly care about other things, unless when it affects us.

I just want to remind this aspect to you! Go, be a mentor or guide to your neighbor, friend

Become a caregiver!