Flossy Ideas, Meetups and Views
Collection of Stories, Perspective and Ideas for Coffee Meets
One of my college mate keeps telling about Bellamy Brothers. Today, I while in the train, Youtube suggestion took me to this happy love song.
Just let your love flow
Like a mountain stream
And let your love grow
With the smallest of dreams
For the complete lyrics
( Isn’t this letting up live with the little dreams – also sharing the love. )
True. Wishing is not same as driven to achieve a goal. It’s just wishful thinking on our part to yearn something desirable.
Looking back at my life and things that I have achieved and failed to reach, I think most things I haven’t achieved is purely the lack of real desire.
For instance, the barter sleep, wake at 5:AM ( not after hitting the snooze button), go for morning walk in a chill weather, etc.
How to Get that, that thing in mind to achieve a goal?
First step is to visualize your goal. Make it feel that you need to achieve it at all costs. Once this part is done, rest will follow.
Often we go sloppy on our goals is mostly the lack of that vision to achieve. Do you really, really wish to reach that goal? Do you see it in pictures? Do you see yourself living in that moment as if you have already achieved it?
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| Quote by Christian D Larson |
Today was yet another regular, disgusting sales personal response. This time from a Suguna store close to my house. I don’t want to go through the details of what kind of response I received. Bottom line is that I wish I could train people to improve customer service – to be responsive to customer queries and have a pleasant mannerism. Not SHOUT back with their typical responses.
– What should or could be the ideal response to a SALESMAN Training?
1. Knowledge of the product or service
There was one instance where I went to Hypermarket in Medical College and asked for tutti-frutti. The sales girl asked me if it’s Frooti drink. In a very recent case, my wife went and asked if they have halal chicken. The sales person said there’s fish and prawns.
These are typical responses of sales people. Why are they not aware of the products on display? Why are they not motivated to learn more about each product and the related item? Answer could be this – 1. They are not given proper training before they go on the floor 2. Motivation to learn, to understand is missing 3. Why should I good at the job when I get the same money at the end of the month? No rewards, no pat on the back, no extra bonus!
Having said so, I wish I knew more people in the vicinity of this junction – a house where I can drop in for tea or for casual conversation. Hopefully, 2019 will make a difference. Also, this blog too is anonymous – hardly visited by people. All these will change!
Not in Google! Don’t Worry!
I just Googled Kumarapuram, Trivandrum to see the sites appearing on search results. Most searches are taken by restaurants, hotels, advertisement for house for rent or sale, Banks, Nursing services, Oyo homes, Property for sale, Hospitals in Kumarapuram, etc.
Alternative Search Results
All these results are just boring. It’s kind of heartless results – all business listing. I think I had earlier written about how Google can given an option to change the way search results appear. Probably, a tick option on the right side of google page which enables users to see other results – results of blogs, stories, business, entertainment, shopping, etc.
21 Point of Interest in Kumarapuram, Trivandrum
1. Pran Hospital
It’s a fertility clinic which started some time ago and has become popular. Website: http://pranfertility.com
2. Menna’s Delight – Baking and Cooking Classes at Kumarapuram
Run by Marina, it’s a training facility where homemakers and wannabe chefs who can learn baking.
Blog: http://mennas-cooking.blogspot.com/
3. South Indian Bank
Located on the road towards Medical College, this bank has safe deposit lockers, ATM, and other baking facilities. I have an account here. Also, pledged my gold many a times in this bank.
4. Rangans Vegetable Shop
Popular and one of the oldest vegetable shop in Kumarapuram junction. There used to a friendly salesman, Mr Vindo who came to work from a place beyond Nedumangadu. He was one of the rare breed of Malayalee sales person, who used to take time to chat, smile at the customers. I used to see him all tired even at 10 PM. One day he stopped coming. It seems he badly sprained his back by lifting something heavy – probably he unloaded the big plantains from the truck or vegetables from the truck.
I wanted to go to his village and see him. Probably, I should give him some money too. Later I heard that he is now working as a patient bystander and also doing treatment for his back problem. Hope he regains his smile.
5) Biverah Hotel
6) Maldives Embassy
7) Divya Medical Store
8) Arjun Medical Store
9) Union Bank of India
10) Kumarupram Temple ( Distinct Landmark)
11) Pebbles Terrarium
It’s my small biz which had introduced terrarium in Trivandrum. After the initial demand for classes, the enquires are thin. To overcome the low request for classes, I’m planning to get into sale of terrarium.
12) Anchor Blogging Class at Kumarapuram
13) Axis Bank
14) Strings Kokedama Class
15) Discount Medical Store
16) Marian Villa School
17) Vasantham Nursery and Stitching Centre
18) Uber Office ( Poonthi Road)
Uber sold their business at the right time, just before the pandemic. It was bought by Zomato. Few weeks after the sale, lockdown was instituted. I think it was a matter of wrong timing for Zomato.
19) Suha
After covid, or before that, there was a major facelift for this boutique store. I hope it attracts more customers.
20) Samskara TV
21) Bus Shelter at Kumarapuram ( an idea around this spot)
This shelter has moved from this location. It’s now closer to SNDP and Muthoot Fincorp place. However, the ideas and points shared on the blog is still relevant.
22. Sundown Time at Kumarapuram
One of the beautiful sky dressing which promoted me to click this picture of sky at dusk.
I’m just anxious like many others in this country on who is going to take the chair. More than that I’m anxious to see how the electoral mandate in Kerala. Will it swing towards the lotus, or the congress or Communist.
Shashi Taroor in Trivandrum!
As a person biased toward Congress, I would like to see the former UN Diplomat win in Trivandrum. One thing I feel is that he brought Kerala on the forefront – his English usage, and the gift of public speaking, etc has made him a know fella.
One thing I was thinking is the outdated system of using sentry to check the credentials of the visitors before letting them gain entry to a unit or barrack. The age old ways of check-post, verifying ID cards, allowing access by looking at dress, are things of the past.
What I have in my mind is about using technology to monitor, screen and check the person before allowing them entry. Even now there are many technology which are available – such as sensor, IoT, smart readers, etc.
Pathankot Attack
The attack to the military camp happened this way – the attackers dressed in dressed in Indian Army uniforms, barged inside the military camp. This modus-operandi is quite common in most guerrilla operations or terrorist attacks. All such attacks uses that time advantage to get past the gatekeepers and get away with the mission.
So, is there a way to screen the military staff or the truck in which they are riding without looking at the badge or vehicle number?
Sensor for Every Military Personal and Vechile
The concept of carrying ID proof is redundant in this century. What the Indian Army would require is a smart ID card with a embedded of chip or sensor.
How will Sensor or smart ID help!
Every security personnel will carry this sensor ID card which will slightly thicker than the credit card. It will have a battery, a sim card and other electronic device which should can only be activated by a thumb impression.
How this sensor embedded ID Card Help Indian Military?
1. All security personnel must carry this ID card.
2. The control room will have have a special program to monitor each jawan or officer. Their location, and ID number will be tracked on the screen.
(Probably, we can take cue from some hollywood movie where we see infra-red image of soldiers. Similarly, there should be a way to spot all personal.)
3. At the check post area, there’s not much need for physical checking of ID card. The sensor reader which is placed away at the gates will read the card and notify the security personal manning the entry points of the camp.
4. A person in a military uniform is not taken as a military staff. There’s no way a person duping as a military person can gain entry into the gates.
5. Even if someone makes a duplicate ID Card, the tracking software will pick this new card and alert the security people
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Is there a similar sensor based ID card used by military? Do we have expertise to make one like this? What about make in India program by Modi, which will be a safety feature on all camps in sensitive regions.
I don’t know if Indian military have thought of such plans?
I would I could be in the team looking after such technology and give my suggestions.
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RESPECT ALL
SUSPECT ALL
INSPECT ALL
( I saw this at the entry gates of ASC College and Training Centre) at Bangalore. When I entered this campus, they asked for my ID Card and did the usual verification. The guards where entering the details in a book ( an obsolete way). Instead a camera should pic each persons pic, another cam should take a pic of the id card and it’s done. The camera should be a high-end camera which will be connected to a database.
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| Kerala Style Tea Maker – Poster Picture |
Years has passed, but still I remember Nair’s tea shop at Kaimanam. I used to stay in that area and used to frequent his shop to drink colored juice. I often take my cycle to visit this shop and during such visits I remember seeing tea drinkers calling him fondly by him “Naire”. Customers would come to his shop and say ‘Naiyaree Uro Medium Tea’. This Nair man had a happy face with a belly, wore loose shirt, and ran a successful tea shop.
Though I never had a tea from his shop, I still think of the people who gather at his tea shop to have hot sizzling tea. It was during late 80′ or mid 80’s when we were staying at Neeramankara. The fizz drink I was my fav, which was around 20 or 25 paise. He used to open these soda bottles with different kind of opener – fizz sound and I would drink wholeheartedly the fizzy water which had all the psychedelic colors.
These drinks were locally filled soda were filled in unique cod bottles ( one with the marble inside).
Running a Tea Shop in 2019 in Trivandrum
Today, most tea shops in Trivandrum are run by enterprising Tamilians. There’s one called Ganesh Tea Stall at Kumarapuram, one more near GG Hospital, and a Aaryas restaurant which I visit for a quick coffee in the morning.
All these tea shop have a common thread – it’s run by hard working and polite Tamilians. The name of shops are Balaji, Ganesh, Aaryas, etc. Also, these shops are doing good business – which means the returns is good.
Where are the Locally Run Tea Shops? Where’s the Nair’s tea shop?
I think, Malayalee’s should rethink their plan of going to Gulf region and think of starting something in their home-ground. A tea shop is a good business, provided they are familiar with the business of making tasty and fresh snacks and food.
There are many small bites which they can sell – Vada, Vazhaka fry, Bonda, Egg bonda, Samosa, Peripe vada, Uniiappam, Sukiyan, Madakusa, Ellaappam, Valsan, Cake, Mundirikottu, cutlet, kappa and kandhari mulagu chamandi ( Chai Kadi in Tipppasandara, Bangalore sells it ), diamond cuts, etc.
After seeing too many tea shops sprouting in this locality, I too have a desire to open one in my locality. But right now I’m cash strapped. Probably, when I save some money from my terrarium or Blogging Classes, I will invest in a tea business.
What’s your observation about Tea Business in Trivandrum?
Will you open one or suggest someone to open a shop? Will you sponsor or be a part sponsor to such a venture?
Suppose you start one or help someone to set-up a tea business, then will you make it unique?
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Downloaded this image from FB. Going from this, I should have been a genius by now! If I can count the mistakes, the repeated mistakes, then where should I have been!
Decades has passed, but I see myself on the same beaten track, making new set of mistakes, repeating old ones without any delay!
Mistakes and Ideas
Having said that, I keep sprouting ideas, one after another. That’s good thing I tell myself. Most of the ideas are crap, but there are novelty in some. I’m not sure, which one is good, which is rotten. The point here is I keep churning new ideas.
Few ideas for your appraisal:
3. Generosity in Every Junction
Patented Ideas – Patent Pending
We all good with listing ideas, telling it aloud through our loose tongues, on our blogs, but are we trying it out? Like me, are you sitting on the ideas, not exploring, not trying it out. What use of your idea, if you’re hoarding it – thinking of a good time to act on it!
Make it Work – Share, Execute Your Ideas
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| Sands of time |
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| Kovalam Beach – beach-beds |
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| Closed Shop – Closed forever |
A month back, I got a call from a colleague saying that one of colleague’s photo has appeared in the obituary coloum of newspaper. I was shocked. She was the only one who I knew in Kovalam beach. I couldn’t belies that I wont’ be seeing her again – selling odd stuffs at Kovalam beach.
Another Loss – Another Void
Each death is a loss – a loss that can’t be filled by another person. It takes time to build a bond, know a person, and often years to build that acquaintance. And woof, it’s gone! All of a sudden, that person is not seen around – just the memory, images just linger.
Will my visit to Kovalam beach be the same?
What a loss!
Do you feel this way when you loose someone whom you had known for years? How do you reconcile with the lifetime loss?
Flossy Ideas, Meetups and Views 