"Aamir calls Shahrukh a dog"

Headlines: Aamir calls Shahrukh a dog.

Really? Aamir called SRK a dog? Wow! Where? On his blog. What? In a public forum? Wow again! Some guts that man has. After all, who can say such a thing to the King Khan. Wonder how SRK would respond!

Easy to generalize and conclude such statements, right? And that is what our (in)famous press does these days. Well, let me retract. Aamir merely says that he has a dog named Shahrukh at his Panchgani home. That too the dog originally belonged to the caretakers of that house. He 'inherited' it when he bought the house. Some also say, he bought the house because of the dog, which I find hard to believe.

Coming to point why I am writing this post, so what if he keeps a dog named Shahrukh? Does SRK have a copyright over his name? Secondly, AK is known for his say-it-as-it-is approach. That's why he's AK. So how does it matter? It does matter to the press. They had a field day (for many days!). And to a few million die hard SRK fans. I am an SRK fan; more SRK than AK fan. But, if AK posts a comment like that, I give credit to him for doing what he does best - being himself. The man is the only guy who can say something like that and still stand his ground. And that too in writing! Flashback to the filmfare awards 2008: Everyone remembers the way SRK and Saif completely took apart their fellow colleagues with their timely, witty and, sometimes, gross (and offensive) gags. I remember telling my brother, "Only SRK can say all that and get away with it". But only AK can say something about SRK and get away with it.

Finally, there is someone in the industry who doesn't kiss Shahrukh's ass (unless Aamir plans to buy a bitc.....err female dog! Any guesses on it's name? ;))

Indian Premier League (IPL)

First chapter in cricket newest revolution has ended. The IPL concluded this past Sunday. It was curtains for one of the most successful cricket competitions in recent times. And what a story it has scripted. Baring the world cup, never has such interest ever been generated for Cricket. The T20s has taken the world, and now India, by storm. As if being world champions was not enough! And, rest assured, IPL 2 will be bigger, grander and larger than life! And I will be waiting.

Yesterday evening, for the first time, I realized how addicted I had become to it. I got back home at about 8.40pm, walked into my room, kept aside my cellphone, keys, wallet etc and walked back into the living room. Took me a few seconds to hunt down the remote and turn on the TV. And, as if by default, my fingers pressed '2', '1', '0' in quick succession that took me to SetMax. And, after I saw a young Amitabh Bachchan delivering dialogues in his trade mark style, that it hit me like a lightning bolt - No more IPL!!! It is over. Gone. Finished. Concluded.

My heart sunk. I was missing it. I was missing the IPL. As a ardent cricket aficionado, this was not good for me. My thoughts started scrambling - Why did it have to end? Would I get to see Warney in action again? or a pulsating Shoeb Akhtar running in to bowl? Before all this could get the better of me, I could hear my mind say what Agent Smith said, "Everything that has a beginning, has an end!" (Btw, my mind said it in exactly the same way and style as said by Smith in Matrix Revolutions! I don't know how it did that. Amazing the possibilities of a human mind.....human who?!).

I got in bed later at night and my wife asks me, "Everything ok?". I replied, "Yes. Why? Do I look like something's wrong?". She replies, " Yes. Since the time you got home, you look lost". Not knowing why she felt that way, I replied, "Everything's ok dear. Maybe I'm just tired".

Sorry honey. I did'nt realize it last night but did so when I got to work this morning. It's the IPL or, rather, the lack of it.

Is the new V3 firmware available for your Nokia E65 model?

Following up on my last post,

The V3 firmware is available for upgrade from the V2 or V1 but you have to see if it is so for your specific Nokia E65 model.

To check if the new firmware is available for your model, click here

Your phone's product code is displayed as 'CODE' along with other details beneath the battery. Go to the link provided and enter that code.

My product code is 0553428 and the new firmware is available for my phone.

Milestone

Our lives have milestones. I know mine does for sure. I've never gotten around to actually jot down my goals in life, aspirations, '101' things-to-do before I die, milestones or stuff like that. And neither have I ever acknowledged a particular achievement or accomplishment as a milestone before. (Come to think of it, there have been quite a few already!) But yesterday, I realized, I crossed the biggest and, possibly, the most significant milestone of my life!

:)

Daag e dil humko yaad aane lage

Daag-e-dil humko yaad aane lage
Log apne diye jalane lage

Khud farebi si khud farebi hai
Paas se dhol bhi suhane lage

Ab toh hota hai har qadam pe gumaan
Hum ye kaisa qadam utha ne lage

Kuch na pakar bhi mutmain hain
Ishq mein haath kya khazane lage

Ek pal mein wahan se hum uthey
Baithne mein jahan zamane lage

Apni qismat se hai maqar kisko
Teer par aa ke bhi nishane lage

Daag-e-dil humko yaad aane lage
Log apne diye jalane lage.

Open your heart - Jon Bon Jovi

Some lines from Jon Bon Jovi's Open your heart....

Open your heart (I want to love you girl)
You made me love again (I want to show you my world)
I won't let them take your love from me
Open your heart (I want to love you girl)
And baby love again (I want to show you my world)
I won't let them take your love
I won't let them take your love
I won't let them take your love from me

Oracle and me...

On 2nd May, I completed 3 years at Oracle corporation!

I pat myself on the back for that. No bones about the fact that this is the largest enterprise software company in the world. And at this point, there are close to 71,000 people working for Oracle across 126 countries. Our product portfolio includes anything and everything that has got to do with databases, middleware, ERP, functional applications, CRM, BI etc. And what we don't have yet, don't worry too much about that. We just go ahead and buy that company!

I am part of a multi-billion dollar multinational company! I feel proud to be associated with a company that needs no introduction. The name speaks for itself. Year after year, quarter after quarter, Oracle exceeds expectations of analysts and shareholders. In 2007, we celebrated it's 30th birthday. Hats off to the visionary and charismatic leadership of Larry Ellison. Someone said it right, God really must not think he's Larry Ellison!

Oracle has also done its part in corporate social responsibilities - EOE (Equal Opportunities Employer), supporting children and elderly homes, refugee camps, education scholarships, fund raisers, corporate games, blood donation camps, to name a few. Stringent HR policies against racism, harassment, regional or gender bias etc. ensure that the employees are well protected. We have regular trainings. team building exercises - ensuring continuous learning and personality development. I can just go on and on....

My journey at Oracle has been awesome. From the minute I stepped into the Oracle building in Bangalore, I knew this was the beginning of something special. And it was. It really was. Quarters went by, targets came and were blown away, numerous awards and recognition, pay hikes, profiles changes, leadership and mentoring....and whilst on the top, in Sept 07, I decided to change locations! Dubai was a totally different ball game. New dynamics, markets, customers, responsibilities and targets....but it's not over yet....the game has just begun!!

I feel Oracle is a part of me now. All that I know about corporate life has been what Oracle has shown me, thought me. And regardless what's lined up next, I know I will always carry a part of Oracle with me.