French Open 2014 - All the best, Rafa!

French open this time around has been very unpredictable. Most of the women top players were sent packed by the new comers or rather by their fellow but young players. As I write this, it's known now that Maria Sharapova has won the women's singles title for this year. Congratulations to her and her team. Her opponent in the final, the young Halep has come long way in this tournament. Congratulations to her as well. Hope to see more fight from this young lady.

Road was ended long back for the former champion, Roger Federer. Good that he has got more time to spend with his twin kids. Although he might be enjoying his time with them, I'm sure at the back of his mind his game must be played on. Champion players don't leave the defeats easily. I wish his all the very best to cope up and come back fighting. Andy Murray has done a good job until the Semifinal clash with the title favorite and reigning champion, Rafael Nadal. Rafa proved too good to him. Djokovic to meet the too proven Rafa in the men's singles final clash today. It might be Rafa's play field, having been a champion here for eight times, but knowing Djokovic, I'm sure he will fight till his last effort and the opponent's championship point. 

I'd live to watch this match but my bad luck, Tata Sky and Neo Prime are not in good terms. It's not getting telecasted on Tata Sky! I might opt for the live stream of the last set, I hope there will be a decider set played today on the clay. 

As always, my support is for Rafael Nadal. Ever since I read his autobiography, I stopped expecting his win, for that matter any player's win. A lot goes around them and without knowing an inch of it, we keep our expectations high. That's not fair I feel. Well, nonetheless, I wish him all the best to give his best  possible performance. May the best win. 

Movie: Queen

Having been recently married, I understand how it feels two days before marriage. You are all surrounded by your relatives. You always see your parents running with both the legs with work in both the hands. You can hardly find your face wash and tooth brush. If there are kids at home and you have just purchased a new mobile, you never know where to hide it, at times forgetting the location which you chose to hide it, you end up roaming around for that. A lot goes in bride's mind. That everything is happening so quickly. That she has to leave this place soon and comes back only as someone's wife and not as a full-fledged daughter of her house. Amidst all this, if her fiancee, who once proposed her and she eventually loved, comes to her to say that he would not be able to marry her just because her life style does not suit to his as he has changed over the years, it does not just spoil her bride-mood but it actually kills her from inside. If the very thought that she has been left out pinches her from inside, doubts from her innerself like what people think and how her parents will be able to cope up with all that stress, etc ruin her further. 

With all this going inside her, if the bride, a girl can take a decision of going on her pre-booked honeymoon, it's the ultimate thought a movie director or the story writer can get in the contemporary world. With this start, the way the movie has been run is a fantastic example of the thoughtfulness of the director and co. Kangana Ranaut is the best suited for the role, Rani, meaning the Queen.

A lot might happen to you, good or bad, there is always a lot more goes on around the world. A lot can happen, a lot bad can happen to the people around the world whom you might never be aware of their existence. While you sink in the misery about your unfortunate self, you tend to shut the doors of your thoughts about what goes around. In this situation, if the life stories and miseries of your fellow human beings come your way, you tend to think for them and hence realize how similar are your experience to that of your fellow mates. You start realizing the fact that there is a lot more than tears and depression in the world. A lot that you can actually do, contribute to the world. That there are many ways you can live your life in an inspiring way. That you can actually handle a lot more misery that you have even thought of. 

The script of this movie is written in too many languages, but still it makes you comfortable in understanding the very meaning of it. You witness every emotion of a girl, including her unbreakable confidence towards the end of the movie. A relief, a satisfaction, a realization and happiness are the emotions that you witness and go through during the last few reels of the movie. The care that the movie crew have taken to ensure nothing other than the story that dominates the show has mesmerized me and in fact it taught me the focus that one must have about what to convey and how to do it crystal clear.

The basic necessity of anyone to live is to love his or her own self. Once you do that you are more satisfied from inside that you will be able to accept the fact that there are better people than you. You then know that you have to help someone and you have to follow someone. You will also realize that you will have to inspire someone and to do which you will put your best effort. Life is not just about marrying someone. If you get marriage there is a lot life and for any reason, if your marriage breaks up, there is still a lot to live for and strive for. 

It felt great to see the Queen, Rani, realizing her way of life. All throughout the movie, it's only her waves that surrounded me. I was actually watching the movie on a small screen, which before the start of the movie jumped a lot in mute mode, that the script and the emotional content of the movie never allowed me to realize the dimensions of the screen after the start. At the end, there was a feeling of satisfaction that I got, it felt so peaceful from inside. 

Don't just sit back thinking the bad that you think that has happened to you. Go out and see what's going on. You might just realize that the bad that has happened to you is for good. The 'bad' is actually something else or there is nothing of that sort! 

Respect among the teams... Take Home #300

In a team, respect among people/players bring them together to work/play for each other. They respect each other when they know each other's work role and contribution towards the team. Similarly for any organization, it's important that there is transparency in what each team is going through or being demanded for so that the rest of the teams can support them to deliver together. 

Happy days...!

Memories of the happy days most of the times bring tears, tears of joy and of the deep feeling of missing those beautiful moments, days and friends. 

Remembering my friends from my hostel life! 

I always felt it as an opportunity than pain, whenever I had to stay in hostel. Probably my dad's words kept motivating me to stay back and just have fun around. There were definitely some painful moments but you know what, humans with positive outlook have very less memory of the sad moments, that's what I believe in. Thanks to my friends, seniors, wardens and everyone else who took care of me. Sharing and caring is what I majorly learnt. 'Don't care' attitude at times is as well the outcomes of some of those learning moments. I shall go into further details in later posts; this is it for now.  

Girls' Chat and Gossips!

Although it's not the fundamental right of any girl, every girl including me feels that gossiping is made for girls. Leave two girls alone and if you can manage to listen to them, I bet no entertainment in the world proves the best than that of what you listen. Coffee maker to the history maker, everyone can be the topic of girls' chatting and gossiping. 

If it's in college, it can be either a topper or the best player, a lecturer or the hostel warden, you never know who becomes the topic of girls' chats. It begins no where, ends no where, and the funny portion of it is that it is for no reason the topic keeps changing all the way. When it comes to office, you have multiple options to chat on and gossip on. Out of all the options, the least chosen is about another female colleague. Most of the times and I must say almost all the times, it's about a male colleague! Peer to boss, no one is an exception. If anytime a girl becomes a topic, there must be a boy associated with it. You only have to experience all this to understand how much fun it is. 

I think it keeps girls moving, stress-free. Although i'm sure of it, I don't want to conclude it here. As far as I'm concerned, I feel comfortable and probably more focused after doing that. It basically takes out the garbage thoughts off my mind. It refreshes me more than deviating me from the target. Well, this is all applicable for a funny type of chatting and gossiping, but not for the type of it when you talk about someone beyond the limits. If you go out of control in doing so, you are the major sufferer as all that what you have said attacks back on you immediately after you say that. Better be a fun-gossiper than a serious, emotional and exotic.   

Girls, make use of it wisely! Be humorous, be happy, and make everyone refresh. Don't lose your way by overdoing it.

The way out... Take Home #299

To sustain in any organisation you need to know the ways of the organisation. But if you dream to become an essential employee of an organization, you need to build your confidence and competence in such a way that you can find a way out from any situation that appears 'no way'. 

Learn for yourself... Take Home #298

Work for the organisation, its yourresponsibility. Learn for yourself, its your basic necessity.

The ultimate satisfaction... Take Home #297

Going against all the odds and winning something gives the ultimate satisfaction.

Right decisions... Take Home #296

Wrong decisions at right time lead to right decisions at wrong time. 

Looking at it positively, not all get a chance to correct the decisions. 'Wrong time' can be managed with a dedicated human and team effort. So, better late than never, take right decisions and move forward.

A habit... Take Home #295

Put forward your questions. Understand the situation and the need throughrly. Irrespective of the position you are in, maintain the habit of understanding and then responding. Blindly follwing someone's instructions, whosoever it is, does not help the human civilization in a larger extent. Yes, it might take away the problem for then; we have to do so also at times; but one shall check himself if its going beyond any limit.

Believe... Take Home #294

Happiness is in belief; not in disbelief. Believe people for what you know them. Make sure that what you know is true enough, if not completely accurate. 

Leader... Take Home #293

Leader is he who resolves the issues and while doing which who does not create or be an issue himself. 

Right on job...

The feeling of missing someone

Is deepening in me right now.

Those wonderful times we spent

Are inspiring me to be right on job.

Democracy... Take Home #292

It cannot be called as democracy where no questioning minds are developed. 

Healthy competition... Take Home #291

Creating healthy competetion  in a team  is a virtue of leader. Where he himself can be a live demonstration of maintaining it, that team can do wonders and can go longer than others in terms of its development. Growth cannot be guaranteed as its all together a different ball game; the game which can only be played but cannot be enjoyed by being an audience. 

Inner self... Take Home #290

No doubt; your inner self  is the best decision maker for you. But it is worth discussing things with your best pals to check if any particular perspective of life is being missed by you amidst the various challenges you have. 

The Polling Day

It's all about the General Elections these days. Turn on any news channel; you will find the news about elections. Until couple of days before the polling day, it's all about the campaigning and the quotations each leader must have said about the opposition. From then onwards and until the day of polling it's about the poor arrangements made for the polling staff at polling booths. Finally on the day of polling, it's just about the percentage of polling in each region and few here and there disputes between the parties. Being a follower of 2014 elections on TV, that's what I can say.

In Andhra Pradesh, the state which I belong to, it is declared that approximately 80% polling has happened this time. It's the highest in this region in the recent years. That makes me proud, very proud. At the same time, the fact that I'm one of the responsible persons for that lacking 20% is killing me since yesterday. It's not that I've not tried. Just that I've not tried enough this time. I should have planned everything earlier. Anyway, had the percentage of voting been low, I would have had to worry about my absence more. All in all it's a good day and a historic one as well. 

As my parents are teachers in government school, I've been hearing from my child that any government employee should not support any political party openly. I think I've adopted the same although I'm not an employee of the government. With my age, the feeling of keeping it to myself has aged too. Also, as per the election commission, one must not declare about his vote openly. I support that. In India, emotions overrule the rest. If a person, who is liked by many people, says that he has voted for certain party, his followers immediately start shaking hands with the same party personal. Blind belief is not new in India and nothing wrong as per most of the people. It's the same if it is to worship a god or to surround a person or the so called leader. But you can't hid it as well. People get to know in no span of time about you and the part you support for. This is much easier in villages where the number of voters are less. In such villages, I don't think people are able to cast their vote on their own. They have to follow someone! Although this situation is becoming better and better every time, it might take a long span of time for everyone to realize and prepare themselves for a disciplined way of voting. 

BJP's prime ministerial candidate appears to be the top contender this time. Literally until the announcement of his selection, BJP was not so there in the race. Although there had been a lot of opposition for the ruling party, it was not sufficient to make people look at BJP. But the moment Narendra Modi was announced as the BJP's Prime ministerial candidate, the equations changed left and right, and from top to bottom of India. Many local parties have already announced their support to Modi. Today, it seems as if we are just waiting for the much anticipated and expected announcement. Let's see how it turns out on 16th. By the way, I'm going to take leave on that day! 

Assembly poll in Andhra Pradesh is quite interesting. It appears as if it's very straight forward when you watch a particular news channel and read a particular news paper. But if you change the channel or read the other news paper, you just feel as if you have forgotten everything you have seen and read so far.  After you keep quiet for sometime, it feels as if NOTA is made for us. But then, the responsibility that has been taught since childhood comes into picture and makes you to choose one out of the two. Obviously, everyone believe their choice is the best in the existing. Nothing wrong in that.

Well, fingers crossed now. Waiting for 16th May, the counting day. Hope the hike in the polling percentage is for good cause! Waiting for the judgement day! 

IPL... Yet again!!!

These days I open the Cricinfo home page, I mean the espncricinfo, to get a feeling of the happening of this season's IPL. Which they say as the prestigious league of cricket was earlier happening in Abudabi and now has returned back to it's home soil, for the post-election show. As it goes so far it appears to be dull this time unless for the super-over tie lately. At last they decided the winner of that match by counting the number of fours a team had made, which did not appeal well to me. They could have gone for another super over. They may have their own rules in the invisible rule book!

The reigning champions have lost all the five ties they have played. Another one is going on as I write this. I would not say it's because they lost good players including Sachin Tendulkar, they have enough team strength even today. Their's is a good composure, provided they all decide to play together. According to me, it was not Rohit Sharma's captaincy that ran the team during last year's successes. It was the team show, probably the best show ever by any other franchise in a calender year. If a team wins, captain wins. That too in India, only captain wins. of course he loses too on his team's defeat but he is not the lone name that people take while bestowing criticism, so he need not worry about the too much lime light. Same is the case with Mr. Sharma this year. So far his team has not performed well on any given day. He might be working it out along with his team and management. I wish him and his team all the success in saving their pride during the rest of the tournament. 

Kings XI are at their best. Maxwell is the star. Ever smiling Preety Zinta is even prettier this time. I hope this team will put up enough performance to give the fans of the game a new Champion! 

Chennai super kings are as charming as always. Even with the new team structure, they are going as if they have a highway laid out in front of them. Here we talk about captain once again. Dhoni; he has become a well experienced and even more balanced player these days. His handsome captaincy can be more enjoyed by the fans who play cricket. I've never played and hence I'm not that fortunate now. In any case, Chennai will be one of the tough contender for the title, as always. 

Sunrisers are appearing similar to how Deccan Chargers appeared in the very first season of the IPL. They were the most composed on paper and on filed they bottomed the table. Sunrisers are very good by names, but are not looking any different from their ancestors. I'd like to see better performance from them. You know what, watching your home team winning a match is like eating mom-made food. It gives pleasure from inside. So all the best to them.

Virender Sehwag is the player whose come back is the most wanted and awaited. He is not making those biggies but he is not discouraging too this time. Viru, please play well. And do come back for a decent farewell from the game to which you contributed a lot. So as the same what I have to say for Gambhir. His team is doing relatively well but much more is expected from the new-father! Congratulations to him. Sharukh Khan's immature-fest has not yet started off, we may get to see something interesting in the very next game at the Eden Garden!  

Kohli and his boys appeared strong in their initial matches but slowly they have also come down to make their opponents feel that they can be defeated too. With that below hundred team score, they have ruined the killer reputation they gained from last three IPL seasons. Rajasthan is the slow killer as always. Without the senior players like Dravid and Sachin, this IPL is more like a, I don't know what to say! Probably, a contest of contemporaries, except for the fact that Kalis is still hanging out there. 

All in all, a very boring and unimpressive IPL it is this time, for me. I'm looking for some refreshing headings in the news paper about some inspiring performances, so that I can get back to watching it. Otherwise, I will be watching only the play-offs and the final of course. And yes, no news on match fixing is anticipated. I hope we will not be required to go through all that yet again! Fingers crossed. 

Personal Agenda... Take Home #289

Read between the lines. Look beyond what is being shown. Get some facts at hand. You may narrowly escape someone's personal agenda.  

Freedom of pointing fingers...

Freedom of Making mistakes is important for any organisation's growth.

But, freedom of pointing fingers is utterly destroying irrespective of the rectification of the mistakes. Although it appears dirty to dig down, it is important at times to do so and find out how things went wrong and where; 'by whom' can be ignored from being said for the moment as its self explanatory on the first front after the above said activity; and it can lead to unnecessary pressure around and among employees. 

By doing this the freedom of pointing fingers can be cut down to an extent. 

Learning... Take Home #288

You will learn from your experiences only when you are concerned about the happenings. 

To be happy... Take Home #287

You will be happy when you do not think about anything. But at times, you must think to find ways to be happy, as not thinking about anything is highly impossible in today's competitive world. 

The Beauty... Take Home #286

One cannot look beautiful all the time. But one can be beautiful all the time.

Never derate... Take Home #285

Never derate any person for not performing a task which you have never assigned to him thinking that he would not be able perform it. Give a chance to people, whenever you can, to prove themselves . More than them, it helps you to perform your job well. 

After a long time!

While it was difficult for me to believe that I'd been absent here for more than a month, I chose to make a return at my blog, with a hope that I will be able to pen down my thoughts about what I've been through during the past two months. And before I do that, let me tell you, I'm Mrs. Pramoda now; Mrs. Pramoda Ravi. A much awaited and the happiest!

Well, that apart, the missing Malaysian flight, MH370, has been in my thoughts since the day of it's disappearance. Probably, the slight flight phobia that i think I have has been very active since then. it was on March 8th the incident happen and despite of the involvement of world's best searching equipment and personal, not even a small portion of the flight debris has been found. Surprising and yes, it's hard to believe. The never ending thoughts, such as what would have happened to the passengers and the crew who were on board and how their last moments would have been passed, have been cornering me every time I look for an update at the Google news. I just hope something will be figured out, at the earlier possible if not soon. Deepest condolences for the families of the passengers and the crew. 

Another thing that has been in my thoughts is the South Korean ferry accident. I learnt from the news today that the classes have been resumed in the school which has lost more than half of the total students on board. It's going to be really difficult for the friends of the victims, especially at school and in classes. The captain and some of the crew members have been arrested and I've no comments about them this early. Some SMSes have been published in the news paper and they were undoubtedly heart touching. My heart goes out for the families and friends of all those who sunk in along with the ship. Hope this will be the last time we get to know such a horrible real incident. 

Apart from the above two, if something else has also been in my thoughts, that is the General Elections happening in India, the biggest democracy in the world. I'll write about this in the days to come and in my upcoming posts. I shall sign off for now and go to bed now to ensure that I will not rush in the morning to catch the office bus! 

Good night everyone!