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Eat That Frog! Brian Tracy Youtube Video

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

My boss introduced me to Brian Tracy. She was more fascinated by Brian Tracy’s email campaigns. I also subscribed to his emails, looking for nuggets of life improvement points. Apart form the books he has good number of his videos about motivation, successful living, on sales, etc on Youtube.

In one of my visit to #1 M.G Road Mall, at Trinity circle, I saw this book on the shelf  of Oxford stall – Eat That Frog.

There are many takeaways from this book, Eat That Frog from Brian Tracy and it’s a treasure mine for procrastinators like me.

Goan Food Festival At Taj Vivanta Bangalore

~ bjcharles ~ 1 Comment
Hoarding at MG Road – Taj Vivanta  

Taj Vivanta Bangalore 

Imagine you’re driving your vehicle .. what do you do when you stop at the traffic signal?

Often my eye gaze inside cars, robbing the commuters privacy…thanks to knee-jerk reaction of Govt decision to remove sunscreen cover. Apart from people watching, I scan the road side hoardings, reading the copy.

Once during a traffic stops at Trinity Circle signal, I saw this hoarding in front of  Taj Vivanta, Bangalore.

And this hoarding in front of  Taj Vivanta, at Trinity Circle, M.G Road, is doing a fantastic publicity with these cool promotions. Be it dinner bash or food festival, or special dinner, buffet, brunch, this banner will speak in apt words.

Perfect copy, with best fitting graphics. Someone’s creative juices are tested here. Great job to the Ad Man or Ad Women who’s behind it! Can I meet you? Drink is on me!

Wah, Taj

Communist Thoughts and Me

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
During my school days I often heard this concept from people, movies and popular folk lore – Profit is a bad name. Every where in 70’s and 80’s people resented private businesses, business owners and enterprises.

Why did profit get a bad name?
Blame it on the secular, socialist ideals of India, and more so in Kerala. Communist has only one common enemy – Private Enterprises. According to them, they exploited labor class and pocked all profits to themselves. It’s a rarity to hear business owners in good light.

In 70’s and 80’s era Malayalam movies, private owners played as villain, rapist and evil doers. Public lapped this concept and government workers from Clerk to officials were the harbingers of equality and justice. Large extend to this concept was brought in by USSR ( Russia). The big propaganda machine of communists brain washed Indians by taking the role of guardian of Indian people.

I remember reading or browsing Soviet Union, the B&W journal from Russia which portrayed rosy picture of freedom, liberty, economic wealthy and prosperity to all. I used to idolize these pictures of abundance and fat Russian ladies with big smiles..

It didn’t take a lot of time to break this mirage. Soviet union crumbled under the weight of it’s own false tales and Mr Manmohan Singh out of desperation opened Indian economy into new privately owned era..

Now in the year of 2013, we have transformed into a consumerist society. Old norm has given to an individualistic form of life. Did we progress?

Family ties are broken, neighborhood gossips are gone, and it’s truly a private life. Money has become the bonding factor for people, companies and for survival. It’s a world of people with money or without it. Where do you stand?
Summary:

  • Is profit still a bad word?
  • Does private enterprise play a role in social reformation?
  • Where are we going from here?

31 Things to Do or Explore in Bangalore

~ bjcharles ~ 3 Comments
Bangalore is a hub for travelers, fortune seekers, job hunter, recruiters, angel investors, industrialists, corrupt babus, and home to millions of obscure folks like me. And, if you’re new to erstwhile Garden City, then here’s a quick guide on what to see and experience in Bangalore.

One thing for sure, there more life beyond the grid lock traffic, blasting horns and concrete buildings. It’s all possible if you spot what like to do and how.

This short post is an attempt to list out places, events, activities you can indulge while in Bangalore. Call it a runaway guide to Bangalore’s Hot & Cold Spots

Explore Bangalore by Walk


Following the footsteps of London Walks, Bangalore Walk offers an unique experience for you to explore this erstwhile ‘Pensioner Paradise’ by FOOT. Yes, it’s a great opportunity to learn the history, culture, view the architectural splendor of Bangalore by a walking tour guide. Bangalorewalks does this walk tour and does it really well. This wonderful team organizes foot trips around Bangalore city centres and old monuments.

Visit their website to learn about their cultural trips around Bangalore, or call these numbers for details, #98455 23660 or 98450 68416). Apart from group trips, they offer customized tour for larger groups..

Get Lucky  Bibliophile – Buy Rare & Used Books in Bangalore

Collection of Used Books at Blossom Book House

If you’re a bibliophile, then there are couple of used book stores in Bangalore. There’s one such store at Church Street, is Blossom Book house at Contact # Tel: 25320400,25559733. Next one is ‘The Bookworm’ , Brigade Road , Bangalore Phone: (080) 40913205

Relax Your Mind Body with Ayurveda Massage in Bangalore 
Get a touch of glow to your body and spirit with a relaxing Ayurvedic massage. You can choose the right  body massages based on what you like; therapy level, treatment, cooling your body or just relaxing massage. There are couple of Ayurveda centers close to my house, one such place is Sagar Ayurveda.

Party High in Pubs and Lounge Bars
Despite the midnight deadline in Bangalore, many uptown pubs and lounge bars opens gates for great music, ambiance, food and dance. After a long day, you can visit these joints for a drink & get a chance to meetup with local fellas & girls. There’re couple of good joints in UB City or you can visit Hard Rock Cafe, Bangalore or places like iBar, etc offers different genres of music.

Buy Memorabilia From Cavery Emporium
Run by Govt of Karnataka, Cavery emporium (shop) has a wide selection of unique lacquer wood products, artifacts, or sandal wood products or Mysore silk saris  It’s situated at the entrance of Brigade road, M.G, Road, Bangalore.

For the Dramatists in You – Theater Show in Bangalore
Bangalore is known for wide-range of dramas, plays and stage shows. You can select English, Hindi or Kannada shows and it’s usually held at Chithrakala Parishath, Rankashankara, Alliance Franciase, Chowdry Memorial Hall. Check on the event page of Times of India, to know the latest shows happening in Bangalore

Feast on BarbecueTake trip on a gastronomic overdrive by feasting on grills and barbecue. One best place I had Barbecue is at Barbecue Nation at Indira Nagar. They have unlimited starters that include fish (Basa), prawns, chicken and vegetables.

Shop at Commercial Street 
This ever busy street in Bangalore is known for all kinds of shops, stores and eating joints. It’s ideal place to shop for bags, foot wear, trinkets, and 100 Rs slippers.  .

Tour to Bangalore Palace
Visit this granite palace that has close semblance with any of the medieval European castle or palace. Take a walk around this sprawling campus, touch those ivy covered granite walls, and  the click pics of the old horse carriages lined up at one side of this place. Best time to visit here is during morning. See if you can spot horses, peacocks or chit-chat with the palace workers.

Ride on Namma Bangalore Metro 
Bangalore Metro covers a shot distance, from Bypanahalli to M.G Road. Take a swish train ride to view this Garden City from the heights.

Visit ITPL or Electronic City or Embassy Gold links IT Park (EGL)
Do you know where most of the young people work in Bangalore? Why is Bangalore called the Silicon valley of India? Find out by driving around the big IT parks and campus in Bangalore.

Visit Lal Bagh Gardens 
Fill your picnic basket with fruits, juice, water, book and plan a trip to Lal Bagh gardens in B’lore. Lie down or sit or just rest your back under the shade of big trees or on the green lawns of Lal Bagh gardens. Take time for yourself, or just use this time to re-plan your life. Sounds big…no, just listen to some music and you’ll have a great day.

Topple Pins – Go for Bowling 
Are you a bowling freak or just new to bowling? In any case, Bangalore has many places to practice bowling. If you’re at M.G Road, Amoebae at Church Street offers six lanes of bowling experience.

Akshyapathra Charity
An great initiative to feed  scores of children. Contribute some money or you can become a volunteer by helping in their charity works.

Visit Dance Bars in Bangalore 
It’s a local version of strip bar, but there’s no stripping here. Dance bars are strictly for men, unless you’re accompanied by a good number of male friends. Inside these dance bars, are fully dressed ladies who sway to the loud beat of Hindi movie songs. Also, you’ll see rich folks throwing wads of money at women. Off late, there’s a curb on dance bars. So, check if there’s real dancing or just watching!

Two dance bars near Domlur fly over – Chef Inn Regency, Knight Rider.

Have Beer at any of the Micro breweries
With many water holes spread around the city, you can go for binge drinking in Bangalore. Also, there’re few micro-breweries in Bangalore( TOIT at Indira Nagar, Vapor at 100 ft road, India Nagar, Beiere Club at Lavelle Road, Barleyz at Koramangala,).

And don’t forget to visit one of the oldest pub in B’lore – Pecos. Once it was a hangout of ad agency guys. Many of their copy are seen in the pub.

Pamper your feet with a relaxing foot massage 
Relax with a foot massage. Try out “TheHappyFeet“. They even have house visit. Dial 080-42281122 & they’ll bring that foot massage to your home! Monday to Sunday, 10 to 8 . They send out of the best Facebook page updates, better than Kingfisher page.

Coffee at Koshy’s Restaurant
Situated at the heart of Bangalore, Koshy’s is as old Bangalore. Here you’ll meet a eclectic section people of Bangalore here.

Cycle Trip around Bangalore
If you’re a biking enthusiast, then Bangalore has different cycle groups.

Rock climbing 
If you fall into these tightrope adventures seekers, then there’re couple of adventure clubs who can take you for rock scaling events. Most of the spots are located some 40 km away from the city.

Hard Rock Bangalore
Situated at Anil Kumble circle, at the Southern Part of M.G Road, you’ll find Hard Rock Cafe, Bangalore.  The granite walled building has very interesting music memorabilia, poster, instruments, so on.

Rent a friend in Bangalore
Try your luck by Googling for an escort services in Bangalore. Best, would be to ask for reference. Or, pay to people, who might be willing to be a friend for a day in Bangalore.

Visit Bangalore Turf
Get lucky by placing a bet on one of the stallions at the race course.

Boating at Ulsoor Lake
When traffic, horns, madding crowd takes a toll on you, then here’s an alternative. Take to the oars at Ulsoor lake.

Spa Service in Bangalore
Places like Indira Nagar is dotted with various Spa centers. There’s Escape, then Aura (Thai Spa), and many others in this locality.

Learn Indian Cooking in Bangalore 
If you have a passion for food or would like to know how Indian cooking is done, then you can try out Indian cooking class. Check out this blog Mennas Cooking Class and also the Facebook page on Indian cooking class.

Visit Lal Bagh Garden or Cubon Park
Enjoy a day in one of the sprawling gardens in Bangalore. Stroll through the large green spaces, carry a picnic basket and spend some time with yourself or read a book.

Rent a Car & Explore Bangalore Outskirts

Zoom Cars provide car rentals in Bangalore. Hire a car, take a friend and explore the villages around Bangalore. 

Fetish for Women with Glasses

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
Everyone has something very queer or hidden habit. And I’m no exception. Few people evidently display it, while others take it their fetish to the grave.

So, which category do you fall in? Are you the quiet one – the one who shows nothing on the outside, but has a queer living inside? Or are you the free spirited one, who crave to share your deep secrets with your close friends or with your life partner? Sometimes I wonder why some folks like me have a larger share of queerness, while many others  seems to be the normal breed.

Fetish in Us
For me, I have many kind of wierd stuff staking in me. And, this is one of it. Well, what I have here is this – I have an uncanny liking towards women with glasses. I wonder why I got this wierd liking, but it has been there with me since time immemorial.

So, before digging at my fetish, I went searching for other fetish behaviors. And as rightly thought, I came across all version and degrees of fetish.

Here’re few popular fetish list:

  • Fetish for leather
  • Turned on by high heeled foot ( strappy heals, stilettos) 
  • Fetish for gadgets, gizmos
  • Turned on by cuckold
  • Fetish to dab tears 
  • Turned by body piercing
  • Fetish for blindfold
  • and another 100 more..

Apart from this short list what turns you on? Do you have something more stranger than fiction?

As for me I get turned by women wearing specs. Not any women wearing specs, but the ones with the nerdish, or those having the bookish look, plus equally appealing physic.Very hard to describe in my vocabulary. And, I don’t have a picture to show.

Women in Glasses: Three Shades of Women
In a span of three months, I saw three women who absolutely fits the perfect model of my thoughts. One young dynamic girl with wire frame glass at HRC Bangalore, another chubby matured lady during a Volvo bus ride and finally this matured mother I met in a bank at Trivandrum. And she was the ultimate goddess!

This lady was accompanied by her teenage daughter and her husband. Peculiar feature of this lady was her thick black frame glasses ( one we see old B&W Malayalam movies). Did she step from such an era? And best part, she had pouty lips, with sensual appeal, elegance and maturity. What else do you need in a woman.

Hallelujah to all these great women…

Random Business Ideas for Starting business in Trivandrum

~ bjcharles ~ 1 Comment
Off late, I’m oozing out stupid biz ideas of all kinds…some are crappy, some deserve a second look. Since I’m only good with spawning new business ideas, and not implementing it, I have to share it to you for execution.

This week, I landed in the garbage filled Trivandrum. I can’t help at the state of affairs of my sweet land… road side strewed with plastic garbage bags, long queue in front of liquor outlets and union propaganda posters everywhere and unwarranted government rules. Something is amiss is this green paradise, something better could be done or achieved.

And away from the stench, corruption  and nepotism prevailing in Kerala, there’s a slow and real revolution, but is exploding. It’s the rise of small startups or home based business.

So, what are the best business to start in Kerala? One reigning business is Gold retail, thanks to our dowry system. But the lust for gold is going down, and will become unpopular in Kerala in a decades time. So, what else can you do to earn a decent living in Trivandrum. Here’re few options I can think of.

1) Start a Plant Nursery.

( If you love gardening, or you have spare time after your day job, then this is a big money earner.

Pros: Low budget. You can start with contribution from your friends or relatives.
Cons: Should have sufficient space, good sunlight, cover from heavy tropical rain,

How to begin: Start by specializing in one category of plant. Don’t take everything, you’ll end up now where.  For instance, Orchid, Anthorium or indoor plant specialist, Adenium, etc. Also, sell dried cow dung, or do lawn maintenance or try out supplying gardeners.

Or better still, become a gardener during weekends. I’ve been hunting for a gardener for quite long and the person who used to come from Kattakada is too busy to visit and repot my pots.

2) Start a home nursing centre ( With an online portal)

With no one to take care of elders, parents are living alone in big houses. There’re many home nursing centers, but they don’t have a organized portal to cater to our elders.

Pros: Be the first to start a unique Kerala based portal. Share stories, tips, and articles. Monetize it with the right plan.

3) Start a Homestay

Do you have a spare room in your house or can you take a house for rent? If yes, you can convert these places into a homestay facility.

You have the potential to earn above 30K if you’re able to get steady booking. Become proactive by suggesting local attractions or take them for a local tour.

4) Start a evening take-away counter

I have seen couple of take-away counter running successfully in Trivandrum. You can start from your house. Utilize your culinary skills to make great delicacies at affordable price. Folks in Trivandrum are big time foodies. So, all you need is clean, neat and tasty food. Can you?

Pros: Less investment ( Start with one specialty ) Fish preferred ( Why not start a sardine specialty) Just my suggestion. Or have pork in the mix. I haven’t seen places where you get pork vindaloo or pepper pork.

Word of advice: Labour is expensive and unreliable in Trivandrum. Don’t depend on a external chef. Train yourself in cooking and do the most work by yourself.

5) Start Medical Tourism Facility
Kerala has one of the most advanced medical hospitals for cancer, heart, and other specialties  Try to market such services in countries like Canada, USA or other places where treatment is expensive. Give top-class medical service and give them value for money. Add vacation to the medical package.

6) Start Aquarium business

 

How to Stay Forever Young

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment
Are you still wild?

Today while sprinting and walking at the park behind ESI hospital, I had an epiphany …. I just observed people of all ages in this park, and I thought of their younger side..

Some were gregarious, some quiet, some blabbering over their mobile and so serious about fitness buffs. And all these has some young spots remaining despite in their 50’s and 60’s.

This took me through the thought of how many of still retain youthful spirit, despite crossing 20’s, 30’s or 40’s…So, where is your youth factor? Is it in your voice, your body, your biceps, or your youthful bum….

So, the million dollar question, is here…How Do you Stay Forever Young… How to withstand your little child like behavior or beauty despite going through marriage, or just passing age? Do you still continue your youthful kinkiness? Or you are just as adventurous as you were in your 20’s?

What killed your daring spirit? Who killed the little tiger in you? Why do we get mellowed with time? Are we meant to be sober with age? How maintain timeless body and spirit?

If you have some suggestions to these questions, then share it in comments or just shout out!

While thinking of this topic, this song “Forever Young” from Bob Dylan came to my mind…

May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young.

May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young.

May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful
And may your song always be sung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young.

….watch Foreover Young in Youtube, sung by two of all time favorite singers – Bob Dylan & Bruce Springsteen.

Cheers to the youth in you…

What KSRTC Needs to Learn From KSTRC

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Here’s a comparison between Kerala Road Transport Corporation and Karnataka Road Transport Corporation services. I found it worthwhile to bench-marking their service levels and take cues to improve services .

I’m advocating Kerala Transport corporation officials to see how well their counterpart Karnataka Transport is making profits by cashing on the fixed assets ( land & property). Also how KSRC has better facilities for passengers  and how they have adopting social media (Facebook) to connect with commuters.

Here’re two good practices from Karnataka Road Transport Corporation

1) KSRTC has utilized it’s land and property very productivity. It has converted it’s small bus depot to multi-stored buildings that includes bus stands, multi-level vehicle parking facility, cafe, and upper stories for offices. Imagine how this low value asset is now yielding KSRTC thousands of money from rent

2) KSRTC is using social media ( Facebook) to connect with commuters. It has already won numerous awards for its proactive participation in social channels.

Apart from this, I feel almost all KSRTC (Kerala) depot or station is cluttered with union flags and posters. If this defacement of public property to the singular publicity of unions is totally unwarranted. Instead look at KSRTC stations in Karnataka. I haven’t seen union poster all around the place. Let our Kerala unions like CITU, INTUC and other unions learn about civic sense and think of commuters first before them flag the repetitive slogans.

Finally, both KSRTC should focus on improving the cleanliness of public toilets in various bus stands. I often find most of KSRTC loos too unclean for use.

Why can’t kerala revolt for clean toilets? Why don’t political parties have strike or hartal to force Govt to maintain clean public toilets? Let’s have a different excuse to have a hartal..not the usual petrol hike or inflation or some god damn reason to hold a useless strike.

So, here I conclude my first part series on KSRTC. I hope someone will spot, relevant points from this post and use it to improve service.

Sleep With a Stranger – Themed Cafe

~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Another Japanese invention or rather call it weirdness. We all know that Japs take weirdness to a all new level, but I never thought of this idea… “Why did I not think of this possibility”?

Anyways, I’m sharing the concept from Soneya’s (themed cafe) website. I wonder how a similar theme would work in India. What do you think? Will it work in our great democracy where every little freedom is curbed? Or you’ve to bribe officials to implement it in some hideouts?

Rate card – Right to Admission Reserved

As per my understanding on this cafe theme, this cafe offers you blissful sleep, yes, with their patrons. Service level starts from cuddling, talking, patting or just simple peaceful sleep.And this an’t a brothel and there’s no sex. It’s just plain innocent sleep with a a girl.

As Sonieya’s website says—you are being offered the “simple and ultimate comfort of sleeping together with someone.” Uh…just don’t mind that bulge under your pjs.

I think it’s an great idea, especially in a world where there’s no time for anyone to spare a second or so. Let such ideas come to India, and I’ll be the first one to visit.