New York Trip - Jan 2009

When I got my Onsite confirmation in March 2008. I convinced my friendz with Hope that we will celebrate 2009 New year eve @ US. As I wished I celebrated this New year eve with Prabhu and Kaleel. We missed Ashok.
Jan 1st morning I travelled 127 miles. 60 miles from Windsor Locks, CT to New Haven, CT and 67 miles from New Haven to Grand Central, New York. Missed the reserved business coach train @ 6.42 by 4 mins. I realised the time consiousness of american then. Started 15 mins earlier to catch next train @ 7.45 AM. No issues reached timely and safely boarded train. This is the first time I am travelling in AMTRAK. Super Trains and Super comfort. :)
Since I travelled alone I had some wonderful ideas and thoughts about management of my new business, I concluded with "Money is to position you not to determine you". Built various stratergies based on necesscity n seasonal products. I got the confidence that I can make out my first resolution successfully. 300K profit per day.
Reached Grand Central, wow clean n colorful. Kaleidoscope Light Show Presented by Sharp® was scheduled from Dec 1st tto Jan 1st. Gud one many ammais enjoyed it, ammais are the real colorful event.
Kaleel, Siva and Jagdesh joined with me around 12. Siva and Kaleel has not visited Statue of liberty yet, so myself and Jagdesh dropped them in the queue for ferri and started to roam around new york wall st n other streets near to that.
-5 degree celcius temperature freezed my unprotected parts. In 30-40 mins roaming in streets I lost senses from my Nose, Hands and Foot were painful because of the worst weather I have ever exposed myself. Thats the best part of the trip, every 1 hour we run to the subway and travelled in warm local trains. uptown to downtown we have crossed it nearly 5 times in the evening itself. :)
Had only Coffee for both breakfast and Lunch. Kaleel and Siva came back by 6. Burger King gud food and started the chill journey from WTC location Wall st, Brooklyn Bridge, Grand Central, Times Square.
Madame Toussands Wax museum - $35 entrance fees for all access plan. I enjoyed this one a lot here. Gud place to visit with friendz. You should plan to spend 4-6 hours here. We spent 3 hours. I skipped a lot of them to enjoy it to the most.

Grand 2008

நாட்கள் இழந்தாலும் மறையாத நினைவுகளுடன் பிரிகிறோம் இந்த ஆண்டையும்.
வரும் ஆண்டு அனைவருக்கும் வெற்றி, நட்பு, அன்பு மற்றும் ஆரோக்கியத்தை அளவில்லாமல் அருள ஆண்டவனை வேண்டுகுறேன்.

Less time so continuing in my poor english. I had very gud resolutions at the beginning of the year 2008.
1. No Debits
2. No ammais
3. Do well in my leadership role
4. Be good as usual. :)
It was really an wonderful year to pass and I wish many more to come like this.

Jan 2008: Strictly started without ammais and went very well. Since my PL Chandra was leaving TCS, I was given the leadership role for my team. Team of 5 Vishnu, Poornima, Prashanth, Nikhil and Akshaya. No huge work load, great fun with friendz n very gud team. That is good start.
Feb 2008: Quiet a bit hard month. Valantines day illaya :)
Actually because of lack of work in Project, I was forced to release a resource from my team. I had three options Nikhil, Prashanth and Akshaya. Prashanth and Nikhil they are the best, better than me. So I convinced Akshaya and released her from Project. Introduced new process like no working on Fridays. It went well and we enjoyed a lot.
I got my VISA Stamping done. 13th Feb.
Mar 2008: Colorful month. Onsite confirmed. Very busy on travel plans. I was really excited n thrilled to visit a country (dream one for many) for a person who have not even crossed south indian boundries.
I was happy to leave Chennai at the point of time because of some personal reasons. Every comfort in Chennai I missed them a lot. Family, friendz n my team of 4.
March 16th reached United states and felt a satisfication in heart. Man that's great.
April 2008: Project work kept me a bit busy. I worked with Anshu Gupta, my onsite co-ordinator. We never had anything in common. She never liked me as I too do the same. But it is gud environment to work, learn n grow. New People, new friendz n new environment. Life in a different perception which every one dreams off, but that is beautiful only if you have mastered your loneliness. So include all you love in your dreams. :)
May 2008: Manager on vacation. I was directly reporting to Clients. Project was in a very slow phase because of lack of interest from Top management less funding, less work. Enjoyed free time with Blog, movies, dreamz n love. I missed my family because of lots of free time.
on 22nd Client confirmed that my Project is scraped. "Naan appadiyea shock ayittean" :)
I knew that I have to travel back. My friendz and well wishers advised me not to go back to India, but I took a decision to travel back to India. Which is One of the best decisions I made. Thank God.
June 2008: Landed Chennai. Family welcomed with Love n Friendz with Pride. US returna summava. Reported in Office on first day to meet my friendz ;)
Because of integration of my client with other one, my company got gud exposure n projects. Started to work in Funded projects (small enhancement tickets).
Later on the month, I have been rewarded with Integration Team. Team of 8 including me. Core UNIX team [Vishnu, Poornima, Nikhil and Prashanth] and Prabhu, Hari and Loveleen.
July 2008: Integration Project got more popular n more visibility. It was the talk of the Floor. @ more resources joined the team. Priya and Ritushri. It was a real fun to work as a team and representing a team is a pride. I felt happy for the role I played in the team. Status Reporting, fun on fridays, late night stays, preachings to new comers, not many will have such a great life. :) Thank God. Team lunch on fridays not with all, atleast with the maximum crowd.
Days were very challenging with the People on assigning task and getting it done. I was booned with my Core team. Things are so light with the Core team.
August 2008: Second oppurtunity to Travel to US. ;)
Reached US on Aug 3rd. I left my team without a leader defined with resposibilities. I have identified Vishnu and Poornima to my Project Manager to take care of things what I did as a Leader. This was one of the worst mistake I did with lack of in-experince.
Prabhu got his travel approved and reached US on Aug 10th.
Real tough days, I have spent 15-20 hours of meeting in a week. I did my work all late nights.
September 2008: Nazeer passed away. :( My Bro's best friend. God keep his "Aathma" in peace. Tough days continued, this time 10-15 hours of meeting per week. Lots of Project Management. Team at offshore has grown upto 13. 6-7 Freshers. Poor Vishnu and Poornima they struggled a lot with them. I was too much worried for the mistake I did and not able to solve any issues at that point of time.
October 2008: My Manager preached me on daily basis. He asked to do so much of things which I have never thought I could do. He is a real good inspiration for me. He is smart n efficient personality like Hari.
PL has been assigned to Offshore team. Core team is more relaxed, me too more relaxed.
Worst days to pass thru. Unfortunetely I made my offshore team to work solid 14-16 hours a day :(
Nov 2008: Travelled to India. I made my family happy n proud.
Met my best pals Hari and Murali, met my school dudes Venki, Prasad n Mohan. Met Kaleel mapla n my friendz. Met my Core and un-core team. Just kidding.
My Dad dreamed when I will go abroad, in a year I made him to visit Internation Airport 5 times just for me. Nov 30th he told "I am bored of coming to Airport" with a pride, that moment I felt like floating in heaven. I thanked god and smiled. Thanks to mom for making me to hear such a satisfied words from my dad. Mom was so happy on my Visit to India. I love you Mom. :)
Dec 2008: Changed a lot. No work at late nights. very rarely I login to my system after 7 PM. :)
Have made some goals to achieve. Sleeping for 7-8 hours a day. Joined fitness centre @ Office for Health Life ;)
Preachings from Manager have been gone down. Which indicated that "I am learning fast". One appreciated e-mail at the last day of the year is great one to face this challenging new year 2009.

I have to Thank n Say:
Core Team: Vishnu, Poornima, Nikhil and Prashanth. - You guys have teached me a lot. I sincerely thank you guys for helping to acheive something in my Professional life so far.
Offshore Team: Thank you all. I miss the fun we had at October.
Onsite Manager: Krishna teaching me a lot in Work. Starting from creating a document to how to handle tough people.
Room mates: Lakshman, Sam and Prabhu. They helped me a lot to learn disciple n laziness together. :)
Friendz: I have no words to thank you guys. I thank only God for such gud friends.
Family: I am proud of them.

Resolutions:
I am not gud in so many things,
not gud in comunication both oral n written in english n other languages, worst in tamil itself
not master of any sports
not a technical guru
not a super hero
not a nobel prize winner
not a great musician or poet or painter or artist
If I have to resolve all of this gaps, this blog n my life time won't be sufficient. Like everyone I also having some traits in me. I am Optimistic. With that confidence I am proceeding to acheive couple of things in this new year.
1. Building small businesses to earn a profit of 300/- per day.
2. Implementing my project "Super OMNI" successfully.
3. Peaceful life.
4. Bring Appa, Amma and Rizwan to US.
5. Be a good Bhai. My brother missed me a lot this year. I wish I will not miss him this year.
I Pray the one and only God to help me out. Keep us good and safe forever. Help us to acheive our dreams. amen.

Thanks for spending your valuable time on reading this blog. I wish you all a very happy n prosperous new year ahead.

- Rz