Have group chat with your friends on Gmail

November 30,2007

Gmail has just launched new features for its chat version inside Gmail . Whats new ??

• Gmail has added the group chat feature in its chat with Gmail . As shown in the fig , you can invite your other friends to have chat with you ...Similar to conferencing in Yahoo .To start a group chat, click 'Group chat' from the 'Options' menu when chatting.
• You can now see smiley's in your chat if you and the other person are using chat inside Gmail as shown in the figure . The shortcuts for the smiley's is shown in this page .

For more updates from Gmail , see this page .

Courtesy: Subash (JIIT)

Have group chat with your friends on Gmail

November 30,2007

Gmail has just launched new features for its chat version inside Gmail . Whats new ??

• Gmail has added the group chat feature in its chat with Gmail . As shown in the fig , you can invite your other friends to have chat with you ...Similar to conferencing in Yahoo .To start a group chat, click 'Group chat' from the 'Options' menu when chatting.
• You can now see smiley's in your chat if you and the other person are using chat inside Gmail as shown in the figure . The shortcuts for the smiley's is shown in this page .

For more updates from Gmail , see this page .

Courtesy: Subash (JIIT)

Mama calling

I did watch the starry sky among the haze of the frosted window pane and told myself, it definitely was a night for movies. Being a movie freak i was watching movie in series - Hitman and Lucky you. Well i had few offers for online chat which i wasn't in mood for so wanted to watch movies despite the fact that i had L&T SAP Lab early morning. I did not look at the hour at the corner of the laptop nor did i stretch my hands to get the watch and carried on with what i felt was amusing. It was 4:30 A.M. in the morning when my sister caught me online and asked me a series of questions regarding my online activity at that unearthly hour!. I said i was watching movie and soon will retire to bed. Mom called me the next instant and i knew i was done for!

Soon a series of instructions and advices followed to which i was not in the mood for. I agreed to her for i knew it was really late for a person to be awake without any good reason. Well i guess watching movie needs a good reason to be awake at that hour, which i absolutely don't agree to. I was not in the mood to argue and so hung up the fone saying m sleeping and switched off the lights and put the laptop on hibernation. I thought for a while in the twilight of the early wee hours if it really was worth staying awake? When mom called me i felt like she would want me to come back home and support the family. Well maybe not like that exactly but yeah at some point of time, i thought it was it. Then i finally closed my eyes and got myself lost in my dreams of home far far away...where the stars have already left for the dawn.

The "Good Food" drive - a weeks fun ride!

27th November

It was my room mate's birthday and our circle of friends had assembled at my room contributing money for cake. It was just 8 of us and others were not to be invited so we thought we will cut the cake in the room only..then as time flew we and contribution increased we decided that we have a party and the contri money be used for food while Deepak (my roomie) will provide drinks. We brought the drinks and head for "Master Cook" in nearby place (Hinjewadi) and parked our 6 tyre vehicle (3 bikes hehe). Shoot some pictures there and had hell lot of fun there. Service was really bad thought the food was OK. Two full seemed less and we went to buy another one. All was overflowing with the rhythm of drinks and we had a great time. Returned our asses back to our rooms and slept.


28th November

We woke up very late due to the hangover and all i could feel was the head churning along the mortar of time. We were neither feeling hungry nor feeling any sense of doing anything at all. the whole day seem to have been wasted with that feeling. The taste buds were making funny senses and so Saxena and me decided to head for "Blue Nile" in Camp area to which Deepak denied. So we end up at a local, familiar bar cum restaurant "Saundarya" and had chicken handi. It had a horrible taste unlike other days, its chicken is good otherwise. That was the end of the party.

29th November

Saxena and me decided that we will head for KFC in the morning. Our "food journey" has always been interesting one. After giving exams we headed for KFC in camp area and had fun there. We ordered one chicken basket and had our fill to the neck. Then shoot some pics there and went to MG Road for a walk. Went to Planet M for passes for tomorrows "Rock Concert" but in vain. Went to ESquare multiplex and had some fun. We clicked ourselves a group sketch at Esquare.It was really fun. Wanted to watch a movie but the timings were bad so we returned back. On the way we stopped for some coffee at Cafe Cofee Day and had two Cappuccino. It was really a great day.

(Sketch of Saxena and me)

3oth November plan.

Saxena and me headed for Blue Nile in Camp area after the class and had fun with the chicken varieties we had. Then we headed for Koregaon Park and witnessed the Rock Fest, loitered around Adlabs and returned to CCD in Baner. We had no space to fill in our stomach and got tired as well so we returned back to room.

It was indeed a fun ride cum "good food" journey. Catch you next time after exams...where i will take you to more famous restaurants and food joints in Pune. Next time may be George in Camp, Mahesh lunch home in Camp, Bamboo house in JM road, Punjabi rasoi in Koregaon Park or something else. Keep looking for a fun ride with me in Pune ;)

Following the heart

Humans are born innocent and fragile. It's nature that makes us impure with time. I still remember a small girl child selling a special kind of grass used for Durga Puja on the roadside of Satara ( the place where i did my Engineering). Her clothes were tattered and seemed like she needs love and care. innocent she was, sweet was her nature. I was walking along the streets with my friends as we past her. I stopped for a moment to see her as she tried to sell the grass to me. I wished to buy a small bundle of grass just to make her happy or smile. But i thought my friends will laugh at me and i did not buy it. We walked away from her and i kept thinking of her..id she had met any buyers or not. Its been so many years now, yet i remember how she looked at me with such innocence. After all this years, i regret of not buying the grass from her. At least i won't be remembering her today if i did!

Even today,when i see many small children begging on the roads i wish to stop by and talk to them and make them smile. But it would really seem stupid doing so. My heart weeps to see elders begging on the roads, i wish i could make them happy a bit by donating something. But i know that it isn't the solution and maybe i knew that it would make me see as affectionate and emotional bastard. Sometimes i really plunge my hands into the pockets to reach out for some coins and then stop mid way..maybe i wish to see them happy yet not ready to accept the sneers and stares of people!

We as humans have worn so many masks in our lives that we find it hard to sometimes follow our hearts wishes. I do agree that sometimes the heart wants me to do stupid and absolute things. But was it worth not doing my hearts wishes? Will we not be happy doing something we wished really from heart? Where are we going, wheres the world going to?

Exams and enjoyment (continued..)

I remember what i wrote yesterday night before sleep. Well exam wasn't bad, expecting some 30/40. Well i am not a scholar or something like that but i guess the reason lies in how i took the exams! people end up wide awake in name of exams, yeah i also do study when needed.. sometimes i don't sleep at all.But sometimes you know you arent in the mood to do something and you have to do it, that makes the difference. As for me i did what i wanted by having fun instead of studying lol.

Exams and enjoyment !!

Maybe you won't believe me if i say that tomorrow is my Mid-term paper on Entrepreneurship and i spent my time watching movies and having fun. In fact in the evening i got the handout from a friend and went to take xerox. I got the xerox but midway, somewhere i got lost...in fact a friend and me and we sat for some drinks. The first quater ran to second and second to third until we finally gave up saying we have to study also.

Came back to room and finished the other quater that we brought. And i sat down for finishing the rest of the movie that i started. And now i don't think that its a good idea to sit up straight and study for tomorrows exam at 3am in the morning!! I mean thats not sensible enough of me to make such a gesture that people wont approve of!!

Thinking of my odd behavior why i did not study, i stumbled upon my engineering habits which i suppose every engineer knows ! But the real reason is something i really don't know of! maybe i am not in the right mood to study!! Maybe its too hard for me, or maybe the subject is irrelevant. Whatever it may be, the reason is obvious - i don't want to study!! But maybe if it were a technical subject,maybe i would have studied even after the drinks and obviously that would have made me awake the whole night too. Life seems boring nowadays, dunno why! Someone suggest me what to do? A fren of mine has two subjects each everyday, not sparingly Sundays even? "My Gosh!!" i said to her. We have exams tomorrow and we are drinking..thats what i told her.

Well really it seems that my life has been that way. Hard times comes suddenly and yet i prefer to stay with good times always. Good times rock man. Cheers!!

Cyborg and humans..or should i say Koreans?

I watched this new Korean movie i brought from home called " I am Cyborg but thats OK". Its basically a psycho movie that starts in a rehab center with all sorts of mad people. Its a story of a girl who thinks she is a cyborg and does not eat anything, thinking it will harm its circuitry. But there was this mad guy in the same hospital who made people believe that he can exchange the power with other people to make them happy!

With time this guy made the girl believe that he is a cyborg yet made her eat food saying he has fitted a circuit inside her that will digest human food. The beauty of the movie is how the girl which she believes herself to be a cyborg turns herself into a human being slowly with the guys trust. And slowly she realizes human love and affection and tends to turn normal human being.

Can you beat that? I mean a story like that? Its like that "Bicentinial man" starring Robin Williams, where a robot learn to have human emotions and dies as a human. Korean movies rock man!!

Cyborg and humans..or should i say Koreans?

I watched this new Korean movie i brought from home called " I am Cyborg but thats OK". Its basically a psycho movie that starts in a rehab center with all sorts of mad people. Its a story of a girl who thinks she is a cyborg and does not eat anything, thinking it will harm its circuitry. But there was this mad guy in the same hospital who made people believe that he can exchange the power with other people to make them happy!

With time this guy made the girl believe that he is a cyborg yet made her eat food saying he has fitted a circuit inside her that will digest human food. The beauty of the movie is how the girl which she believes herself to be a cyborg turns herself into a human being slowly with the guys trust. And slowly she realizes human love and affection and tends to turn normal human being.

Can you beat that? I mean a story like that? Its like that "Bicentinial man" starring Robin Williams, where a robot learn to have human emotions and dies as a human. Korean movies rock man!!

Respect for Engineers

When i walked down the plane in Mumbai airport,i had this water bottle in my hand. I gobbled it up as i waited for the bus to transport us to the main aerodrome. Unable to dispose off at the runway, i asked a person sitting on the plane's thick tyres where i can dispose it off? He looked sad and shouted enough to make me hear despite the noise of the engine nearby. I could not hear the first time and he shouted again, " i am an engineer"! I said "oops " and walked away taking the bottle with me.

Later i realized that it was a wrong thing, i should have apologized to him. At least an engineer should understand an engineer, no matter what field he may be in! He might have thought that i have taken him for some ground maintenance people or something like that. But i liked the way he kept his low profile yet claiming to be an engineer :)
I respect you dude, whatever your name is!

Hacker's convention

Have i ever told you that i have been invited to India's very first "Hacker's Convention" to be held in December in Pune? Well, i have been. I am so excited about it, but i am not sure if i could make it that day as i have some serious work coming up!

Read more at Clubhack

funny love

Its so funny to see someone in love. I wonder if i looked the same way when i was crossing the bridge ! I have this friend who has never fallen in love or ever had a GF but would like to have one. He keeps telling me of his failed attempts to woo a girl. Anyway this time, he thinks he is in love ! Well at least i can tell that he is acting strange this time. He searches lyrics of romantic songs and messages me...

And if i keep telling that he is in love, he would say shes his school friend and all that crap. But deep inside i know he yearns for that one girl; it may not be her as well but the same feeling will make him fall for her with time.

Something about love

Love is the funny tickle in the stomach when you see someone.
Love is searching for love quotes on the internet.
Love is a pain that has no name.

The other side of Horizon (Part 2)

15^th nov; 8.50 pm

When I stare down from the plane above, everything looks the same! There is no Manipur, no Nagaland or whatever land it is. I cannot even see the demarcations marked by people claiming to be their state or district. Yet there are demarcations in our lives that separate each of us into states, districts, streets etc. But from above, the whole earth seems to be my homeland..my only home. Maybe that’s why God sees us all equally likely. Maybe that’s the difference between God and us! The whole of North East has been lacking from the rest of the world and yet alienated by rest of India. “Sana leipak” or “Land of jewels” it is called by the people residing in Manipur. I would love to make it worth the name, yet find it strange enough to accept it even though it pains me rejecting the same.

To add to its agony, its people are looting its own people for their selfish ends. From a clerk to politicians, all love the green and they can get their hands dirty enough to get the maximum benefit out of it. The UGs run almost a parallel government by their own rules and ethics, unfamiliar and unfavorable to the common people. Yet people have remained quiet till now as everyone fears death, which is the only certain thing in this place. Look at every department in the state, the funds allotted for any project is underutilized and the dividends goes to the UG, politicians as well as the officers concerned. It has become a part and parcel of a Manipur’s lifestyle. There are few honest and sincere persons left in this whole system yet its difficult for them to survive and make a stand of their own. Its like everyone dirtying the river by taking bath in it, they know its dirty yet they still bath in it and make themselves dirty in it. The whole system is paralyzed with fear, anxiety, depression and sufferings. A person works day and night to get his family a decent food and life, yet some people earn easy money and rise up fast. We have to be in the system to change the system.

That’s the sad thing about this place. Those who are suppressed seem to like it and those who suppress enjoy doing it. The saddest part is that those who are in a position to help others who are being suppressed and give a helping hand are also just sitting and watching the show. Isn’t it high time we give our today for a better tomorrow! It takes a second to be selfish but it takes a lot of courage and determination to be a person you dreamt of in life. Are you supposed to give away your dreams just for the thought that there are hindrances in life? Aren’t you supposed to fight for your freedom and struggle to achieve it? Maybe the people have forgotten the meaning of freedom as in real freedom. Every citizen has the right to freedom, but maybe people are so used to being suppressed that they won’t raise a hand against the existing system! Maybe they have to worry for himself rather than the society? Its such a narrow mindedness that would lead to your own downfall if not today.

I am writing this blog burning the midnight oil, lost in my own thoughts. Somewhere someone is not able to sleep; he has just lost his parents in a terrible accident. What does it matter to the rest of the people whether I am awake writing blogs or someone is awake because of the pain and sufferings? To live in a free society, one has to care for such things in and around him. People in this state are ready to burn their extra calorie for the sake of few hundred rupees today. People are ready to die for few rupees more. The smiles that you see in their faces are not of happiness but a persuasion for others to be happy despite their own struggles in life. The innocent people here are ready to sell out their trade for the cost of their freedom. After all its what man is all after about at the end of the day. A hell lot of engineers and doctors, forget the graduates or masters, are lying idle, as if they have surrendered their weapon before the war. The law of jungle applies everywhere, so does the Darwin’s theory – “survival of the fittest”. There has not been an order in life that would make the lives of common man a cordial one! Many die of hunger and thirst everyday in the sun and rain, what makes the difference is the will to struggle. Life can bring you odds and evens I life, which comes with a probability and priority.

In the shade of light, my own shadow makes fun of me for these thoughts that I have instilled in me. Call me insane, or a fake but what if my thoughts come true! There is enough light on the other side of life that would enlighten others lives as well, what it needs is just a voice to ignite it. Life still goes on like the flowing river, no matter how shallow the river be it still flows in the same direction. The chilly winter breeze woke me up gently with its gentle touch shaking me with a jolt. Love is a disease of the heart, which spreads slowly and steadily.

The morning sun rays beamed on my face as if some commandos have flashed their high power torch on my face in the dark, and i looked around my perimeter frozen like an innocent citizen! It took me 5 seconds to realize that i was at my bed in Imphal,breaking the 5 second silence. I looked at my "still asleep mobile" and woke it up to see the time,only to realize that its 5 in the morning!! I yelled at myself "Shit!! WTF it's only 5 in the morning !" as if i have never seen 5 in the morning in my life. I reckoned of the plans for the day,ignoring the shouts of aunty to her naughty daughter downstairs. Suddenly an alarming wakeup call from aunty shook the plans and i had to shout back that i am already up -rise and shine. Descended from my throne and searched for my golden slippers with dreamy eyes; yawned as if i have risen from the dead and ransacked the luggage for my toothbrush and went on with the rest of the day.

N.B. Somone tipped me to write short and effectively. Will try that next time

The other side of Horizon (Part 1)

Have you ever seen the horizon at dawn from an aeroplane? If not then you have missed the most beautiful sight in your whole life! You can see a crimson red, thin piece of sky,all around. It seems like God had decorated the whole earth with flowers in the sky.Maybe i am blessed to see that sight this time,like that of "Aurora Boralis" or "Aurora Australis" !

With high hopes and expectactions that my Diwali vacations will be spent happily and peacefully,i thought of the days to come.I saw the glittering waters of the Loktak lake below and finally shining houses everywhere with the reflection of the sun. We finally landed on the soil of Imphal,the captain announced the temperature to be 29*C and wished us a good time ahead.I decend down the steps of the aeroplane as the steps were brought to contact with the plane. I did not pay attention to what the stewardess had wishpered to me as i walked out of the airbus,and watched the other passengers climb down the steel bird.I wishpered to myself "Thank God,m finally here!" I rushed to the luggage setion with an unattended trolley to get my bag and waited for my bag to show up. As i watched the other passengers,i felt a sense of satisfaction myself as if i had reached the right place. The smiling faces of the passengers made me feel that it was indeed a homecoming journey and happy days are ahead.Got my bag and put it into the trolley where i dragged till i saw the driver approaching me and drove off till home.

The way home was exciting as if i am new to the place,looking left and right and seeing the differences it has been after i had left last time! Reached home and was welcomed with a small traditional 'aarti'. Changed my clothes and rested for a while and came down for lunch. Had the best food after all these time and savoured them deliquently. When i retired to bed for rest, i saw an old yellow coloured local newspaper lying on the table bearing news of dead,injuries and other accidents etc.I took it up in my hands and read it slowly,memorizing the scripts as i read,only to realize that it was previous day's paper.I wondered when it will all end and would be able to read good news!! Manipur,after all these years haven't changed in one thing - bad times. News of extortion,kidnappings,shoot outs,court cases,politics etc still prevailed and may continue to find its place on the front page of the local newspaper for quite some time i thought!

Yet with the hope that tomorrow will be much better,i got dressed and got ready to meet Father George of my old Don Bosco High School. No matter how much one succeed in life or what height he may attain in life,he cannot forget his own teachers in school. For they were the main reason behind the success. They gave their heart and soul for us to lay down this culture and discipline in us that we managed to attain the heights we already have achieved. The roads were dusty,pampered and broken like the lines of an old man,yet managed to reach the school. With a deep sigh of relief,i entered the school campus and met my teachers and Fathers. I had few little things in mind that i wanted to discuss with Father regarding the development of students and society. I am not playing the good Samaritan here but am trying to give my best effort in improving the conditions of people in and around me. Maybe the Moral Science that we studied in School days were the main reason for these insticnts to help people!

The first day in Imphal was a good one,i thought as i lie down in bed amidst the thick mosquitoes in the darkness.I had a refreshing session with some people of "Bosco Mangaal", an NGO run by Father for the youths.All i could say is that,there is kindness in this world after all! Life could have been worse for some people,if it were not for this NGO with the instinct to help and care for the society. The first day in Imphal ended with a smile as i retired to bed,driving away the moquitoes from their long claimed kindom,as i set the mosquito net. I could not sleep though for quite some time as it was too early from my normal "bedtime halucinations". My thoughts wavered and wandered far across the "kingdom of the valley" to the "kingdom of heaven" where everyone dreams of having a perfect and happy life. But i could not see angel nor God in that heaven and thought something is terribly wrong with this so called "heaven". Realizing the fact that it is Manipur,i remembered one tag i had given myself when i was having a bad time -"God forsaken place". Maybe it would be hard to digest on some people's part to accept the tagline but i believe that in their young hearts they firmly believe otherwise! With these thoughts,i fell into a deep slumber,tagging along the big moreh blanket along with the "queen of darkness".

To be continued...

Look at the bright side

There are millions of things to worry about in LIFE.
But there is only one thing you have to worry in DEATH - when and how!!

Favourite restaurants/hangouts

Some of my favorite hangouts/restaurants.

Delhi:
1) Delhi Haat
2) Momo's point in Kamla Nagar

Pune:
1) Pizza hut in Aundh
2) Kobe (steak)
3) Sizzlers in DP road (amazing Pork sizzlers)
4) a small kerala Beef restaurant in Vishrantwadi
5) Burger king
6) Mar-zorin in MG road (good view)
7) Cafe Coffe day - Law college road, Koregaon park
8) Apache (FC road)
9) McDonalds in JM road
10) Kachi dhabeli on Hong kong market lane (wow)
11) Blue nile at Camo area (amazing non veg)
12) George (MG Road)
13) Mahesh lunch home in Camp area
14) Punjabi Rasoi in Koregaon park (god punjabi foods -veg)

Mumbai:
1) Mochas
2) "Bagdadis" in Colaba


Manipur:
1) Fireball
2) Nekheel (amazing cheap momos)
3) Orchid (chicken macroni)
4) Nirmala (decent lunch/dinner)

A simple wish

I wish our lives were just like the stars on a clear dark night.

There's no right or wrong in it. They are just there in their place.

Day by day,i struggle to maintain not only my patience

but my sanity. It seems all like a blurr. I don't know anymore

what's wrong and what's right.The morale of man is low.

There are hatred and jealousy everywhere.

I can't believe that people are fighting each other

instead of them! Hope things get better soon.

Someone please tell mama that...

well.... just tell her m fine.

Courtesy: http://www.polarimage.fi/stars2/ex00441b.jpg

Patience

Patience does not mean that you have to bow,
but to struggle.
Patience means wait for your turn.

Courtesy: www.allposters.com

Guest at my own home

How will you feel if you have been alienated from your own home? Where will you turn up,to whom will u ask help? In times of need,the close ones are there to help but for how long,thats the question!! Life in Imphal,my own hometown excites me when i am about to leave for it. But the moment i enter the Red line,it seems a different life here. There actually is something about Manipur that drives me crazy.Who would not be excited to go back home and seek a peaceful vacation?

Theres no doubt in saying that i am not at all excited anymore to go back home thinking of all the inconveniences i would be bearing at home. Infrastructure,facilities,richness are few things which is of not much concern at this juncture of life in Imphal. I may complain of bad roads or electricity but what triggers one most at times of solace is the environment in which he lives! Imagine living in fear every day..waking up every morning with the fear of UG knocking on the door,fear of driving on the rods less someone shoots me down out of suspicion,fear of listening to hindi music loudly,fear of highway patrols,fear of frisking on roads... How can a person who comes home for some peace and happiness find real happiness in such a situation? Everyday seems to be just another day,a normal day ...full of fear. How can the minds of younger generations grow and think good of the society when the environment is worse and life becomes worser with each passing day?

Today my friend who stayed in Imphal for years told me the real life situations of his friends that shook me to the roots.His friends does not have any money to give his wife for a traditional festival,where daughters/married sisters are invited by parents or brothers for a feast together. His friend did not have enough money even to buy some sweets for his wife to take them to her parents home and so he wanted to give his bike on mortage for the money! Some have stopped their daily work due to some family problems..some has his child suffering from jaundice and has to pay everyday for stay of his wife in hospital despite the poverty that prevails. Life seems to be a big injustice on their part.They may be cursing their parents why they were born ..to see that day in life. Life can be harsh to someone i did not forsee.I mean i have seen in movies but in real life,when you face such circumstances you fell like froze to hear them out.

But there is a silver lining in every dark cloud. After the rain comes the sunshine. Nothing is lost at all. We can start afresh and do our part,contribute thoughts if not monetarily.Motivate people and show some path to those who have never troddden the way,if that's all you got to give. With rising unemployment and poverty in he state,what we can do is contribute some money we have in voluntary organizations which teach or coach people to speak well. Language will be the first barrier that comes through ones job profile. First they learn how to speak and write English or Hindi well or both and then apply for jobs accordingly..say class X passouts or drop outs can apply in retail sectors and graduates in BPO. BPOs are not bad as one things when it comes to money,though thw work culture can be drastic for newbies.

It's better to work and stay in some other state outside Manipur than stay as a guest in his own state,don't you think so? My idea is not to provoke the young mids to move out of Manipur,but to give channels or show path that there can be other options to live better life and be happy. Everyone deserves a better life,at least much better than this life here in Manipur. The value of freedom can be known to those only who have experienced oppression and injustice in life. That does not entitle that i have been deprived of justice or something like that, i am talking about people in general terms. So friends,lets do our part in life. Study hard,work hard and try to help others who could not make a difference.

Manipur roads

I am here at Imphal and have been quite unhappy for one reason,the roads. I cannot even overtake when i need to go in hurry because of that. Can you believe it? Half of the road is submerged and have craters all over while some roads have a long dusty path. The road from Khongnang ani karak to Chingmeirong is so dusty i have to close one eye and drive.

Compare this with the general road i had just experienced a few days back in Delhi. well i know its beyond comparison ..Delhi and Imphal . Yeah but the one above is National Highway 53 while the road which is shown below is just a normal road in Delhi.

What a pethetic National Highway. What are the authorities doing? National highway is a concern of the National Highway and Road Develeopment authorities. Are they listening?