Performance Appraisal

Can't tell you how happy I felt reading this article :D - http://news.rediff.com/report/2010/feb/01/fearing-zero-ministers-upset-with-pms-grading-system.htm

I've often wondered if Government employees and ministrys go through performance appraisals and benefits based on them like us! I mean why should only people in private companies(read IT) suffer this system.It can be all the more frustrating when its not done in the right sense or does not yield any benefits as such due to yada yada.. come on guys you know the reasons!

I hope the government follows this system seriously and get on with appraising the ministers in all honesty!

Tchao!

B

Fog in Bangalore

Early Morning Fog in Bangalore on 4th January 2010. Reminded me of good ol' winter days at Pilani!

Ponniyin Selvan!

For one who officially read Tamil in school for 2 years.. 1st and 2nd standard, by the way - I managed to complete the 5 volumes of Ponniyin Selvan :D. It feels like an immense achievement ;) though I think I always knew I could read the language well and quick.. though, I may not be able to write that well :|

Anyway, initially I thought the plot was quite predictable.. but there was a quick turnaround at the end leaving me quite pleasantly surprised. No wonder, its called one of the most successful novels in Tamil !

I also think some of the "Tamizh" names are wonderful. Has anybody wondered how beautiful a name "Poonguzhali" is, once you get the "zha" bit correct :)

Alors, Felicitations! and more Tamizh reading to you :)

B

Decisions

How does one make decisions in life ? Back in college, choosing the electives you want to do used to be a big thing.. I mean life altering is what we used to think then. 10 years later, I feel it did not matter much.. I mean, how does it matter if I did GUI or Artificial Intelligence.. both don't have much place in my life today anyway!

But, as I've grown up in life.. I seem to be expected to make some BIG decisions! Should I study this year, Should I continue to work at XXX place, Should I be paid more than what I get, Should I just dump all this,get married and be a homemaker :-/.Who has answers to these questions.. I certainly don't seem to at the moment!! :D :D. These are life changing decisions.. :-/ Or will I just be thinking about all this 10 years down the line and wondering what the fuss was all about.. I just hope I do!

I can only recollect a time in college. A close friend just couldn't get over a subject.. and she tried as much as she could. Finally she said.. "B.. I can't do this anymore. I am gussing this subject and getting on with the others". I wish I could do just the same :).. dump all those questions in my mind and get on with life :)


B

Doordarshan

I was watching the Golden Jubilee celebrations of good ol' Doordarshan on TV tonight. The program was characterized by the normal DD standards.. poor production values, very normal costumes and amateurish presenters. But, what I cannot fault DD will be the content bit.. it had excellent dances from the different states - Kathak, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Bharatnatyam, Kathakali etc. The performances were interspersed with the legendary "Mile Sur Mera Tumhara" beat and were done by professional dancers from dance academies. The group dances were excellent in co-ordination and the dance.. brilliant!

This got me thinking.. We have these umpteen festival shows across all these entertainment channels(mostly Hindi) for the different festivals. In these shows, we have overworked TV actors struggling to dance to the latest numbers. The steps are forgotten, dresses are loud.. and mostly end up being a headache. I wonder why the broadcasters think we want to see Tulsi, Parvathy etc. dance for festivals :-/. On the contrary, it would be a good idea to call in dancers.. students, young children etc. and give them the opportunity to perform some Indian classical music and dances. It serves two purposes, helps the young ones to appreciate classical Indian music and educates the society about the existence of such classical forms encouraging parents to enroll their wards into them. And yeah, it will be a damn sight better for viewers like us! :)

Recently, I attended a wedding.. and during the reception, we had dancing on Tamil "dappanguthu" music. I felt it was not appropriate.. atleast not for a solemn occasion like a wedding. Its not my business to comment if it was right or wrong, but I believe it had to do with these times where young children have grown up listening to these so called "happening" music. We rarely have a Tamil film without a mass song and some stupid dancing.. It leads kids to think that is the only way to dance :( and thats an unfortunate thing to happen.

I think people must start realizing that there are other traditional forms of dance(besides Bhangda!)and music which we can learn and perform. Unfortunately, DD seems to be the only channel interested in showing this idea! I've regretted many a time for not pursuing Carnatic vocal music beyond a point owing to studies. All the more so, when I landed at BITS and met the number of bright students singing/dancing and playing instruments so well! Its time for another generation to think and act so!


B

Senior Citizen!

Well.. I think it defeats the purpose of naming my blog "Me, the way I am" if I am going to offer justifications for not posting often etc etc.. Hey, thats me... and I am lazy by nature!! ;)

Anyway, when I was scouting for a topic to write on.. popped up the word.."Senior Citizen"! There is a senior citizen tax exemption, special interest rates for deposits, concessions in Rail/Air fare and lately, on the Volvo bus fares!! I don't this is a concept that has come around in the last few years or so.. think they exist for quite sometime..

I guess I am noticing this word nowadays is cos Appa is one and Amma is taking baby steps towards it.. Its quite funny to hear Appa arguing with the Customer care for all those umpteen domestic services.. they invariably start of with this gem of a sentence.."What is this? I am senior citizen.. what do you expect me do? blah blah blah". Perhaps, they should start a separate cell for senior citizens with some folks who can give better answers than... "The system is like that.. Sir!!".

See, I am an IT person (who incidentally is unable to answer my Dad's queries, invariably asks friends/colleagues about the most happening softwares) who designs stuff and can comprehend this answer but to expect a lay man who has been molly coddled earlier by bank/services staff etc.. to understand it is stretching things too far! Time BPO services took note!

Anyway, back to the senior tag.. I think I never noticed that my Thatha/Patti(Grandpa/Granny) were seniors too, cos that is the only way I know them. But to see your strong and fiery(;)Hey, I get scolded for something or the other every day!) parents turning one is a learning process...

Adios,

B

Late Again!

I am still up :-/. Wonder when I will improve and become one of those model daughters my Dad would be proud of!!

Hi folks, just popping up to say Hi!

If any of you had dropped in to check if I have been writing.. Merci beaucoup! Will start blogging soon! :)

B

P.S: I started my "gen" label - things which I cannot slot into any other group goes here. Something tells me I am more likely to put things in gen than anywhere else! For the uninitiated, gen is short for general.. BITSians love to shorten the words :)