Geethakara

I have a separate post on that penned during my college days, will repost that shortly.

Office travel calls for another of my post to be reposted - will do today

So both during college and initial office days I had to wake up real early a) start travel at 6 45 am for college b) be on time for production support morning shift at 7 30 am for office. Being young and the ambitious person I was I managed those.

But nowadays my muscles don't seem to co-operate and waking up early after a late night at work makes me grumpy especially at the milk packet I have to pick up from the bag in the morning

The milk delivery is a genius idea to deliver milk right at your doorstep with someone waking up much earlier than you and having it clockwork ready for you in the morning

But still that doesn't change my outlook, I don't really like the idea of doing that as the first task of the morning. So much so that I used to postpone picking up the milk after I did some other morning tasks like cooking, getting my daughter ready or checking mails

Now the milk gods turned against me when I shifted to a new house, where the new milk person increased my morning grumpiness by a) leaving the milk packets on the floor ( it seems I need to hang and use only the milkbasket app bag for milk!)

b) missing delivery frequently (no easy option to report again on the milkbasket app, it gives the option to report issue only about the order delivered and lo! No option to report when the order itself goes missing)

When I finally raised the issue through the help support line, they said there was no milk stock they day, how funny and strange ! :)

I strongly suspect it's because I didn't hang the milkbasket app bag

Thirdly I cleverly changed the brand of milk to be delivered from aavin to arokya and was able to manage for a few days

But finally the a) and b) problems resurfaced even though I gave up my ego and hung the milkbasket app on the front door!

Long story short I am now ordering milk in instamart for 3 days together on 1 day at my convenient time and I couldn't me much more happier!!

But despite the frustrating experience I need to thank milkbasket for indirectly helping me find a solution to not doing my least favourite task of picking up the milk packets in the morning :)

I am finally set free and elation is true and real :)

But I really worry how intimidated a person going for an interview or just a random family visitor might feel when they are asked to surrender aadhar cards or the like, for entries into development centers. Though in the current days of increasing incidents and malpractices, security processes need to be diligently followed, but the reach for the common man is certainly diminished. We could probably have an entry buddy for each visitor, but social engineering is also a vulnerability - there are so many aspects to take care of when you think security.

But the fear is real :)

But what I still and won't forget is the cult classic movie "the office space" of the 90s and how they have a scene where the IT guys destroy their office printer in an open field being really frustrated with it. Do give a watch to the movie or atleast this scene, it's a gem!

Have been planning to visit for a long time, mind drooling all the varieties of side dishes available for idli, dosai, idiyappam and vadai like kumbakonam kadappa, sodhi, kadala curry, railway chutney and so many more (see attached menu pic) unfortunately for me morning SD list is limited and so will come back again one day in the evening for sure 😃 I had to travel long to get here so already fed myself two idlies at home :) so didnt try the usual fare, if it was somewhere near my place I would have gone straight there in the morning!

Also apparently the sweet pongal advertised, is only available in Anna Nagar branch, so maybe when I go to Ambattur for work I can try it out.

But still the day started pretty well with the 20 rs. filter coffee here.

Reminded of all those food walks that I used to go with Sita my sister exploring eats in various parts of Chennai, nostalgic, now my only recent indulgences have been the yearly sabha canteen visits during December carnatic season. Need to get going on the food walks more!

Happy Friday all!

In its literal sense, the phrase actually certainly indicates the effort needed to peel the nungu.

It looks like a purple coconut from the outside, the nungu is embedded technology (see pics)

The roadside fruit vendor typically removes the pieces and gives a pack about a dozen in those days costing only around rs.30

But today when I ordered through Swiggy Instamart, from the luxury of home, it was a whopping rs.120 for 5 pieces. Quality was great can't complain, the packing perfect and of course delivery straight to door.

Btw from the street vendor's or Instamart's pack, you still have the job of peeling the thick light brown outer layer to enjoy the fruit, it might take a while but it's really worth it, thank God they don't peel that also and put in cling wraps like so much fruit packaging is done these days...

I say, you need to do a bit atleast to earn your treat :)

All in all thoroughly enjoyed the nungu after the mango indulgence last week

Lovingly peeled for daughter and hubby also, most days I am not so loving and ask them to cut their own fruit ;)

Daughter rejected it, she rejects mangoes also and eats only polished fruit like apple and grapes and maybe banana! subtle taste :)

Hubby liked it though;

Good start this week!

Work is also not too hectic with warranty support only and I have the time and the energy to peel the glorious nungu!

Tell me in comments what ice apple (nungu) is called in your region, would love to know!

Pics, first two from internet, last four my clicks!

Usually me and my daughter do it together but today she was out to play with her friends!

Took the time and opportunity to appreciate some of my colleagues for the great work done over the last month.

Happy to have such forums like Celebrate in FIS where appreciation and celebration are made as part of the working process and is immediate, tangible and aligns to our focus and commitment to clients, colleagues and communities.

And today is salary day with the upcoming long weekend as well in India. Wish all my colleagues a happy long weekend

Pic Notes: FIS Ladies team from the Yercaud trip last November.

It was a very informative session.

The presenter talked about how to build an agent from scratch. Key parts of building the agent was to provide the instructions to do the job and give it the knowledge source which could be a company SharePoint site and repositories. Then you choose the AI model and version of the model to use. Open AI Chatgpt, Anthropic Claude versions were available.

Besides other details to add, there was also the approvals part including the "Human in the loop".

Overall it was a good kickstart session on Building AI agents. Hope to put it for practical use in my area of work soon.

#AI#Agents

P.S. Used one of the Roblox game avatars of my daughter as an agent pic for this post :)

Our team in FIS is a vibrant mix of folks with each of them having unique skills and what they bring to the table.

I recently read a post in LinkedIn of how we can be impactful and not just busy.

That left an impact with me.

All types of people skills are needed in a team, the operational activities are needed to keep the business going and to run a team with consistency. Doing the same things day in and day out may not sound fancy but that helps build the core and stability.

This needs to go hand in hand with those folks who are doing impactful stuff which is important for growth as well.

Collaboration is key and team building activities like the quarterly lunch meet (pic here) or the monthly birthday get together and sometimes even a yearly trip that we managed to Yercaud last year help a lot in fostering a great bond with the team

Happy to be part of this wonderful team

Sometimes you just need rest.

Sometimes you need healing!

Sometimes you need to combat depression!

I have been through all these phases. While sleep may not be the right answer, some extra sleep is certainly needed along with therapy or medication.

And the privileged or the older generation brand you as lazy and keep picking on you, it's also something that they've been socially conditioned. Always be up when the sun rises is right, yes, you can work for it and apply it when your mind and body is ready for it provided your schedule and priorities also match.

It is certainly necessary for someone to watch over you and see that you show up and not go into an endless loop, a little nudge here and there is good but one should never be judgemental.

While I like to be perfect too, I have had the CPU, my brain working overtime with overthinking where every single thing that someone says will play back something in my mind and I will go over and over what happened. That just leads to so much mental exhaustion that sleep is one of the best ways to reset yourself and showup the next day. I am not just writing this in angst but also going through the healing process in my way, I hope this maybe useful for someone.

Also setting boundaries in any relationship is very healthy and of utmost importance, especially when you're sharing your space with someone, whether you're new to college with roommates or newly married with your husband and in-laws. Each person may have their own upbringing, environment, needs and wants and mode of operation, so when you have to coexist with others who have their own mode of operation, you certainly need to set boundaries. I have been the people pleaser and not said no many times when I should have and then blowing up later. Another societal conditioning is to always be a pleasing personality at all times, when there is only so much social battery available for one day. Allow yourself to be angry, cry or being rude if you've still not found a good way to deal with the situation at a particular point in time. Remind yourself that we are all a work in progress and we learn and grow. Let's respect every individual and cheer them on in their journey

But slowly as I age I've realised the key to a calm nervous system is to slow down, go through each thing you do mindfully, pause a bit and do the next one.

I also take specific 2-3 intervals to just recharge the brain, be it a walk or a coffee or just a paused blank mind without overthinking.

Ability to stop your mind from overthinking is an art I've learnt in the recent year only as I heal, not delve over a moment and crib endlessly but see if I can respond to it in a better way and how best I can change it the next time.

Marketing and delivery in India is still unscheduled and so I don't take those unknown calls, pick them up only if I am expecting a delivery or there is something like waiting for a driver's call for example in my case. Also I schedule grocery deliveries in my free time and don't try to multitask during that time so that that activity is completed fully and the door bell doesn't annoy you when you're doing something.

Text before calling is something I learnt from my millennial and gen z nieces, it's such a useful thing to avoid interruptions and I try to practice it myself. But sometimes you just need to take that call if there's an immediate need. Always plan when possible.

And finally as your day's stuff is spread out, with time to recharge and a quiet confidence that things will get their due attention, your nervous system begins to settle and the calmness sets in.

Pic: Flowering tree clicked during my walk

And the good part about it was the great flavour of the coffee. Normally I am the typical filter coffee South Indian type but on Saturday I chose a hazelnut cafe mocha and it was just outstanding.

So today when my daughter asked me to order hot chocolate and marshmallows for the summer fun this week (last week we made tang popsicles.. Lol) I ordered hazelnut coffee powder for myself and I am going to try adding my daughter's drinking chocolate as well and make the hazelnut cafe mocha concoction soon!

I mean just look at this pic!

It was the days of Covid lockdown and countless days of quarantine, online classes and work from home. Luckily my daughter Sanju and her cousin Leenu had each other for company, also the elder brother Aditya. I joined their madness from time to time and here's our picture wearing superhero masks and having fun. We had capes also on another day and were doing heroic deeds knocking off imaginary villains.

While the fear of getting affected by Covid was there in the background and our prayers were with families who went through tough times, we also utilised that time, whether it was growing a garden, playing run and catch in the apartment terrace, camping inside makeshift tents at home, playing with blocks and lego and weekend board games with parents.

Now they are two cities apart but still play online games with each other!

I have always been a responsible and go by what's right person all through my life journey till date.

Pretty serious about studies but in the same way light hearted, this pic is of me in kindergarten receiving the proficiency prize for the academic year. Not one, but all the way from grade I to 12, first ranker.

When I reached college I was in a frame of mind that I should slow down a bit but I was still among the top 3. My family has always supported me all through the journey, the last kid doted upon by all, be it my first sister and Bil looking out for me like their own kids, my brothers paying for my college fees, my sister giving me meaningful company and my cousins always motivating me by setting an example in their own journey.

My first blow in life was losing one of my close friend's to jaundice in grade 12. That taught me that nothing is permanent in life. Then the next major blow was right after I graduated from college, I lost my mother just 60, to cancer. Sometimes you don't just accept things when they happen and while you seem to be successful in life, the grief that isn't let out affects you in a different way, I could still remember my immediate brother in tears, but I did not cry much at that time, my only thought was just to keep going. All the grief you carry with you manifests later and affects your mental health.

Coming back, right after college I joined work and I was one of the lucky few to get an on-site opportunity within a year of joining.

The on-site stint was a good work life balanced life and I got to experience a lot more to life like travel and community life.

I also had one mishap to my back perhaps probably by lifting a huge TV up a floor, but it was not a major problem at the time. After a couple of years in the US, I chose to be back in India, as India gave me a sense of belonging. My father was anxious to get me married, I had imagined it would be easy to get a partner in life just like you get a degree, but I went through a few relationships that did not materialize into something mutual and concrete. I have always had a great group of friends be it school or college or at work. But one thing I regret is i could have been more communicative about what's going on in my relationships and sharing the same with my close friends. I always had the idea that only if something is really turning out to be for forever, I should share it and so I went through alone with the grief and the uncertainties for the most part. But my friends have always been supportive of me and had an understanding of what was going on. I take mental illness medication till date even though it is a minimal dosage. Back in India, my back problem manifested a little more due to bad roads and sedentary lifestyle, my next challenge in life was to challenge myself to see what best I could do given the handicap. I have failed and gotten up many times and today I am a much more wiser person. I met KK my hubby at this time and he became the calming anchor to my journey. Married life gave me one of the greatest joys of my life, my daughter, and though I have been very career oriented in the early phases of my work life, I stepped back a bit and am thankful to experience motherhood the best, with an accommodative work environment.

As they say our outlook and perspectives change as we go through this journey of life and I am grateful for all that has been and continue to be a part of my journey.

Though I had become a bit irritable during the times when I couldn't handle failure like I handled success, life is a leveler and I can safely say that I am at a better understanding with myself too now (closing with a recent happy pic)!

And would like to add, each one's journey is different, let's not be judgemental and cheer each other as we go! Cheers

One year older but wiser with me by the side :)

His sarcasm and my drive for perfection head on make the journey more interesting!

My daughter has her own identity of sensitiveness and empathy

Together we make a funny famjam!

Then and now pic!

So just a reminder for all who are going through any hardship, do the best you can out of the situation, you may not hit bulls eye all the time, just keep doing your bit every day.

Failure teaches you more than success can do!