Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Your request cannot be processed!

I mean, how many times have you seen these so-called error messages! When the ATM machine recognises that your card does not belong to its Bank, it comes up with these messages! (or at least i think so)
Whats the whole point in making you-can-now-go-to-any-bank's-ATM-to-withdraw-your-money & not be charged; this entire initiative at times i think is a eye-wash!
Ok, i know my conspirator mind is working & working big time! What are the odds i think; i go to 4 different banks near my office & all off them give me an error message....
It could either be :

- Your request cannot be processed
- Server Error

Isn't this the age where you could operate a robot by sending signals from Earth all the way to Mars; isn't there a lightest (as in smaller than small) possibility that these banks can develop a programme to randomly reject other bank's ATM Card!

Think about it!

Monday, June 08, 2009

How to get more traffic on your blog!

I had a quiet weekend! Went to a good Chinese restuarant called "Hunan", off New BEL Road, on friday for dinner, with family. Food was good; great ambience & service. Must visit if you are in this part of town.
Saturday night went away playing poker with Puneet & his friends. Puneet (my bro) taught us how to play this game; quite interesting & addictive. India's game against Bangladesh also kept me awake.
Sunday came & went.

I was reading an entry online, which was talking about how to keep up traffic on your blog; the concept was simple; it said "Be Interesting!". I am reading it & telling myself, I AM INTERESTING! I mean, most of the girls i knew said that, right!, WRONG!!

Apparently, that is not what gets you traffic/people into your blog: so here is my version of how to be interesting: (Brace yourself)

1. Be Wrong: Say the wrong things, think the wrong things & write the wrong ideas. Its human nature, PEOPLE!! We want to know whats wrong, why is it wrong & how did it go wrong!! Its curiosity that kills us & make us seek new information! Get the Point!!

2. Do something: World has two kinda people! Sayers & Doers!! People only say, they talk; (have you heard of GW Bush), now you know what i mean! So, first be a Doer; go & do something, anything! Plant a tree, fly a kite, take a walk in a nearby park, propose to someone, get pounded by them, stand on your terrace & shout, wink at someone, kill a rat, slap your boss, slap yourself.... & then write about it! Talk about your experience! See where i am going, do something & then write!

3. Surprise people: Everyone around you does the same thing, day-in & day-out. They are boring! You need not be! Do some diferent, something hatke! Ask yourself, "When was the last time i did something for the first time?" After you do that, simple, write about it!

4. This one's my fav: Show a halk naked woman: Hey dont let your horses run wild on this!

5. Be Funny: Have you ever read Dilbert! Remember: people like funny guys; yes, i know Bush (ok, he wasnt liked by many) was funny too - wheneever he spoke i would laugh my ass off! Remember this simple formula: Funny = people = more traffic!

6. Predict the future: This ones again my fav. Go ahead, say something that will happen to people in the next 5 years! It need not be right!  I dont expect you to read Nostrodomus & write about it! Just make up something & write! It neen not be about people; it could be anything. For ex: say that the world will end in the next 5 years, they could expect the mother of all tsunami's; because of so many harmfull chemicals in the air these days around the world, women will get bald in the next 2 years.. let your imagination wild!

7. Tell them who they cannot be: See, this ones a killer thought! Not all can be Bill Gates & Tiger Woods & Warren Buffet! Never tell them what THEY CAN be, but tell them the opossite!

8. Write a detailed dairy: Ofcourse, about yourself. For Ex:
06.00    Got up
06.05    Had milk with eggs
06.20    Went for a walk
06.25    Came back from walk
06.30    Slept
08.00    Opened door on bell
08.05    Picked up paper
08.20    Went to loo
08.30    Had a bath
09.30    Walked naked at home alone
09.45    Ate bread & mashed potato
10.00    Had a itch on my behind
10.15    I am still scratching
You get my point now!

9. Be courageous: People like stupid people! Video yourself jumping off from the terrace of your 2 storyed house or get kicked in your groin by your friend & youtube it! WOW.... People digg this dude!

10. Be "in-your-face" honest: Read Point 8.

11. Tell a story: Talk about your date with Penelope Cruz on an island! Say, how you single-handedly defeated the Romans in India....

12. Say something important: Want to propose to your girlfriend - dont tell her. Write about it on your blog. Thats some major traffic dude! Better still - if she breaks up with you - thats mega traffic.

13. Are you kidding me: Say the complete opposite! The Earth is round; are your kidding me man: The Damm Earth is flat!

14. Put all the above pointers together & you become a mega-INTERESTING-person to follow.

Did i forget to tell you, click on this link!

Friday, June 05, 2009

Angels, Demons & CHICKEN EGG KATTI ROLL!!

Actually, this roll could have gone with any movie combination. Veggies, excuse me, this one's not for you! 
It was yet another adhoc movie plan made at 4ish for a movie at 7 in REX. It was a while since i did a movie at a theatre... was happy & satisfied with watching Moserbear CD's at 40 bucks; but couldnt resist watching Tom Hanks play Robert Langdon in Angels & Demons by Dan Brown directed by Ron Howard! Can you resist a combination like this! So gave into it & decided that this was the day to oogle on TH! But little did i realise that TH had some major competition!
So, 3 of us decided that the movie is on! Madhu, Christopher & myself it was! Chris was to join in later! (Ohh, btw, he is a colleague & a friend from my office). By the time i parked my bike, the tickets were picked up. 
Madhu wanted to munch on something, like a roll; i was not sure. 
There are two entrances to REX; from the 1st entrance, cars roll in & come out from the other. Right at the 1st entrance, there is a Sweet Corn Stand (regular), the next stall after that was the "katti roll" making guy. The stall's named Lazeez! 2 people man this stall. Except the Chicken & Mutton, which are pre-cooked, everything else is made right here, in front of you. The roti, the egg, (few options for the veggies also)... all of this! At 40 bucks, this roll with egg was the best i have had; & if you know me, you would know that i dont give a best review to everyone! For ex: Chocolate Mousse - Java City, Kulfi's - Bowring Stall, Mutton Biryani - Taj (Shivajinagar walla), ... like all these are the bestest in the city; egxactly like that This Katti Roll was the bestest!
The combination of, hot roti, egg fried on it directly, the warm (very well marinated) chicken cubes, the fresh onions, the chat masala & the squeze of lemon--- put all these together like the way this guy makes - YUM is the word! Must visit when you are on Brigade Road!
Ok, now i know why i am not loosing any weight at all. I am too stuck up on food! 
The movie after that was great! It def is much better than the 1st edition of this series; yes i am aware; these two are two separate movies, have no connection.. blah blah.. but bottom line- you will enjoy if you are a fan of any one of the names i took earlier.. TH actually holds the movie together. 
Go, watch it & you wont be disappointed! 

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

10km walk!!

Was initially very skeptical about taking part in the 10km run last weekend. Had to think about it quite a while before i could get myself to say yes! I was not sure if i was fit enough to run 10km. I did try to jog few days in the morning; but couldnt do anymore than 3/4th of a km to a km mark. So i would end up walking.
What an experience it was on the D-day! Its been a long time since i saw so much crowd on the roads for a single cause - to run!
18 of us ran for Diana's Chrysallis Performance Arts Center, an NGO which believes in integration of children with & without challenges.
By the time i reached with my brother & his wife.. the atmosphere was more like a fair. People of all ages, with array diff colored & sized t-shirts, head bands, i-pods stuck on their arms, warming up.. almost was running of breathing space as we started to climb up the stairs to get inside the holding area. It was overwhelming to see nearly 8000 participate in the 10km open run.
I walked all the way with a little bit of running; thanks to the motivation by Dhanya (my friend/partner in this run). She had some super strategy planned out; she would jog only in the small patch where there is no shade on the road. :) By the end of 6km, my legs were cramped up; at the 7th km, there was no pain, i actually felt like running. The routes merged with the participants of the Majja Run; some 13000 participants ran in this category. It was a spectacle.
I finished the course in exactly 1hr 45mins; this not even a time to flaunt; but i am def proud of the fact that i finished it.
Collecting the refreshments & the participation certificate took some 45 mins; but the process was smooth.
Most of us ended up at Indian Coffee House on Church Street to grab a bite & for some coffee. A superb massage at Ayush near my place was a perfect ending to an fantastic-fun-filled-day!

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Posterous

Set up my account in Posterous!
This makes blogging easy....

www.phpillai.posterous.com