Whoa! It's time again for a review of a year that was post! And, what a year it was!!!

2017 subtly, gently but surely nudged me out of my comfort zone in so many ways.

I did travel as much as I would have liked to, but almost none of them were alone. 5 domestic - Fort Kochin, Pondicherry, Wagamon, Tirunelveli and Mumbai (the one day trip - the only one I went alone on) and 1 international - China. Most surprisingly (probably only to myself) I immensely enjoyed the different kinds of company I had on each of those trips, and even feel that I wouldn't have liked/ enjoyed/ covered half as much had I been alone! Be it covering all the exhibits of the Art Biennale which I definitely wouldn't have done without my companion, Figuring our way through a foreign land, not knowing the language, feeling lost - that day, if it hadn't been for my friend who was able to keep a cool head, I would have broken down for sure or Lying in a tent on a hill that's almost where the clouds as the sky cracked open and poured down on us, as a girl friend and I giggled and laughed at our love stories, with no care about the downpour outside.

I was given incremental roles at work - things that required me to learn SO much more than I would have ever imagined, and more importantly, about things that I once believed were so far out of my scope of interest. If you'd told me just a couple of years back that I would be writing statement of works for drill kits, vices and what not (with the help of an engineer of course) and be able to do basic repairs in 3D printers, I'd have said you're high on imagination - but well here I am!
At the end of the day, as challenging as it was, I completely enjoy it!

Serious relationship! Now this one was and is a roller coaster - but I'm not alone, and hence it's so much fun! Yes I've been in relationships before. Even this relationship started last year, but it was just this year - almost starting from a conversation we had on January first, did the seriousness sink in. What initially seemed almost impossible is now a beautiful reality.
Long distance relationship - I've got a year of that left, so I'm going to just say that as long as there's enough love, it's not as bad I expected it to be at all!

Writing fantasy - this one was a pleasant surprise! I actually started working on my fantasy novel last year. I wrote about 5000 words then and paused. I realized this year that I was trying to extrapolate too much from my life experience and had to let that go. The world that opened up post that is extraordinary! I hope I do it justice in 2018 :)

All this, however, would not have been ever possible without the support system I had!
My family - old and new who have been sweet and great, My friends - they're rock solid and the best ever, My team - Best team ever!

Now moving on to some of my favorite moments of 2017:

1. Getting engaged. Funnily enough, the engagement of July 5th sunk in for me only on September 4th. ;)
2. The great wall of China, making it to there by train. Watching the sunset from there. Being there when it was pretty much empty - just about 5 others were there, and having a marvel and greatness of the endless wall sink in. That was fabulous!
3. Holding the hands of the tiny, minutes (less than an hour old) daughter of my close friend, after having stayed with her through the labor, calculating the time between contractions and waiting in front of the labor room. That's an experience that cannot fully be described! Got to mention that I went for a walk with the mother just the evening before :) 
4. Getting a phone as a gift from my sister! The little thing is all grown up, earning and even giving expensive gifts!!! Time flies. Proud moment :)
5. Getting picked up to go to a certain dinner by a certain someone. I had decided against going to that dinner because I didn't know them too well. However, I was picked up, and taken and made to feel at home. That car ride still makes me smile :)
6. Sitting on a cliff somewhere in Wagamon, watching the clouds pass by below and the sunrise above, as the plot of what happens in a world created within my head came to life 
7. Getting paati a new earring with Jeffy. It's sweet how proud grannies are of being gifted by her grandchildren.
8. Sitting on a swing and catching up with a friend of mine after almost 5 years. That was happiness. 
9. Meeting my team face to face in China this year :D
10. Craft - This year I crafted a lot of things beyond just dream catchers. It's been a whole load of fun. I hope I continue to do so!

Biggest regrets of 2017:

1. Mixing friends and money - lesson learnt: DON'T
2. Not going to Vascos for lunch :( I don't know why I don't do some things that I want to so badly sometimes
3. Putting on weight *cries*
4. Not writing more
5. Not taking better care of myself. Be it dressing up or staying fit. 

Hopes for 2018:

1. To not get lost in the vortex of wedding planning. Still have a wedding I enjoy.
2. To finish writing ATU
3. Go to at least one new country (please please please Travel Gods)
4. Find the gentle balance between Us and Me in relationships
5. Learn to wear make up
6. 58

If you stayed on to read all the way till here - Big hug and thank you :)

I hope you had an amazing year as well!

Do share a memory of your year here if you like :)

See you in 2018 ❤

Exoticamp : An experience sharing and review (Vagamon - Camp above the clouds)

Waking up to the sound of the strong breeze gently passing by

Stepping out of the tent and into the clouds

Gingerly dealing with your business in a strategically placed port-a-potty

Finding a beautiful path which feels like it’s straight out of a storybook

Taking that path for your morning walk

Walk a good twenty feet away from the path, cause there’s a calf grazing

This place can make anyone a photographer! PC: Me :) 

Wondering if Pixies and Fairies live in this carefully preserved strip of nature

Ending up in a clearing, then a cliff

Overlooking a valley where more than seven hills meet

Watching clouds gently fluff and puff their way,

Snaking through the gaps between the hills

Spending the most perfectly peaceful thirty minutes –

Listening to the wind rustle, birds chirp, just feeling the breeze

Even developing the plot for your novel – like I did

Finally feeling satiated and happy, and ready to go meet humans again

Have an emotional farewell with that location – because I might never go there again

Head back down slowly

Find another happy camper (literally) wielding her camera

Searching for spider webs with dew drops

Helping her hunt for those

Found em! (PC: Dhi Clicks)

Finding out that she hasn’t been up to the peak

Taking her there – cause you can’t be that close and miss a peak at heaven

Have another beautiful thirty minutes

I could stay here forever - for the rest of my life! (PC: Dhi Clicks)

Head back down together

Find an entire search party looking for you

Head back up with the full group – and be in a mannequin challenge

Cause, hey! Why not!

Head back down to the camp site

Gobble up a sumptuous meal – all that walking can get one really hungry

Then inch back into civilization slowly

Aahh…

Rewind 2 weeks

On the way to to peak (PC: Aditya)

I heard about Exoticamp’s Vagamon from a friend who wanted to go - up for any travel, I signed up immediately. Though, initially a little apprehensive about the idea of camping out in the open. That is something that’s probably more my sister’s cup-o-tea. I’m the clean stay-at-hotels and kinda traveler mostly. (Except my one time trek at Nagalapuram!) However the images they shared and just the idea was so poetic, I had to go and check it out myself. And boy am I glad that I did go.

There is something completely different about going to a place and living differently – We’ve all taken vacations where we go around, enjoy nature then go back to the comfort of a hotel room. I didn’t realize that just being in a hotel room is a comfort space that we never challenge – or at least fail to challenge often. Enjoying nature, and staying right in the middle of it – having a thin sheet of plastic separate you from the pounding rain, sweeping mist or even an animal or two – that’s a different living all together, one that has to be experienced to be properly appreciated!

View from the camp site *.*

This is not going to be a post where I describe in detail about what we did and how we got there. I do not want to spoil the fun of experiencing it yourself.

I do want to, however, tell you about the brilliant idea that is Exoticamp, and if you were to go to Vagamon – I’m happy to share a few tips about what to expect and what to be ready for J

Exoticamp Adventures:

Exoticamp was founded by 3 travel enthusiasts who wanted to make camping accessible to all – women and families especially. As boys, I guess they loved camping and living the rugged life so much, and when they became men and had families and babies, they wanted their wives and kids to experience they joy that they experienced.

5:00 pm - As we looked around,
the bags and camp fire logs lay waiting!

They find offbeat destinations – like Vagamon, Meghamalai, Kodaikannal to name a few, and they’re constantly on the lookout for more places to expand to. Their travel groups are a small enjoyable size of 20 to 30. They’ve made the camps family and women-friendly, but by no means coddle them. They let us women explore and live the wild dream is safe ways.

The cost is also extremely affordable – At Rs.5000 for 2 days (Including travel from Chennai) – (Rates as on November 2017) it is very wallet friendly. The price includes bus fares from Chennai/ Bangalore, Jeep transfers,  4 meals, Snack, Tent stay and all that (Only thing not included are 2 meals – for the morning we reached and the evening we left, where we were taken to good

Breakfast - yummy puttu

quality cheap restaurants). The experience they give us – making sure we are individually attended to, trying to ensure than we all get introduced to each other, so we’re basically one big group of friend on an adventure – worth every buck and second!

Some cool things about them:

They do customized camps - even for smaller groups

They do theme based camps

They conduct camps for kids

They're safe and friendly 

What to expect/ Do’s & Don’ts

Happiness is an authentic Jeep Ride!

• Be ready for a small but friendly gang of strangers. You don’t have to talk to everyone, but talking to at least a few makes the whole experience more enjoyable
• The tents are to be shared by 2 or 3 people. So if you’re going alone – try to find partner(s) to bunk with early
• The ride up the hill was quite bumpy, almost like a roller coaster. I loved it! But if you tend to get motion sickness, keep medication handy.
• Waterbottles are given out but often shared. If you prefer having your own bottle, just bring a bottle of yours and fill it. Keeps things easy.
• If you don’t like eating with your hands, bring a fork/ spoon (they do give plastic spoons sometimes, but they useless with meat. [Food given at Vagamon was authentic Kerela food]
• Don’t forget to stay hydrated throughout – don’t be without drinking water for fear of the port-a-potty – it’s a fun experience, trust me.

  

  Camp site : Where heaven meets earth!

• There is no cell-phone signal for the most part, so keep your family informed. Also don’t try to keep searching for signal, it’s awesome to let go and live for yourself in the moment. Try it!
• Bring some snacks, if you eat smaller meals more frequently.
• Take a power bank and a torch. Don’t forget the torch!
• Take an umbrella!

  

  6:00 pm - Suddenly the clouds decided to pay us a visit. They stayed around for a good 2 hours or so. This was "Camping within the clouds" entertainment segment of the evening!

   
• If you use contacts, don’t go to close to the campfire/ remove your contacts when you do
  
• Be prepared for a lot of insects. If you’re uncomfortable around them, where full sleeved clothing with elastic cuffs if required. They’re mostly harmless and not a problem – just tickle.
• The places are beautiful, and Exoticamp adventures are set up in unexpectedly gorgeous locations – however, try to avoid preconceived notions to make the whole experience more enjoyable.
• They’re very flexible in terms of stopping on the way to enjoy a view, or for a shop – as long as there’s no bus to catch J
• Be ready to trek, hike, get wet – live basically ;)

Base camp - which also has private access to a segment of a waterfall

My favourite part of the waterfall - the little pool of water collected,
where I tried to baby sit a little girl.
"I want to go in the water or to daddy! (who was in the deeper end of the pool)"
I gave up in 20 minutes I think . Heh.

 

Trek to the camp site from the base camp

 

Stopping to say Good Bye and enjoy the view - one last time - until we're back.
Syanora!

Try it and you will Have fun!

I did!

PS: Many photos in this post are by others. Thank you Dhiya, Aditya, & Bragadeesh for the photographs :) 

Dialogue in the Dark : A review

If there was one sense that I would never want to lose - that would be sight.
Yet, my experience in complete darkness was eye opening. Pun intended.

Let's rewind, and give some context to all of this.

Dialogue in the Dark is an establishment where you can experience a safe version of a completely dark world. Have you ever wondered how would it feel like to be blind? to be unable to see what is right in front of you? To have to rely on all your other senses for the visual input we so easily take for granted? Dialogue in the dark is the place for you. Even if you've never wondered any of those things, I would still encourage you to go there.

As soon as we went, before we entered, they gave us lockers and asked us to keep all our things in it. Including mobile phones and watches that may emit light. We keep the keys, and the things are quite safe there.

We were then given guiding sticks, and instructions to keep it close to the body, below knee level, and to use it to only feel the ground.

When you enter the actual space - darkness is an understatement. I realized then that even when we have our eyes closed, we don't actually experience real darkness. The kind where there is absolutely NO LIGHT. Be ready for a minute or two of your eyes trying really hard to find some semblance of light from anywhere.

We (4 of us) had a guide who took us around the place. It is designed to enhance the experience of all your other senses.

I'm not going to spoil your experience by breaking the surprise here - but I must tell you this;
Being in the complete dark is scary. At least in the beginning. And every new experience they give us, there is always fear in getting into it. But trust me (I can vouch for it :) ) It is safe, and worth every minute of it. And no animals are kept inside there (that is one information I would have appreciated in advance :P )  

We even got to play games in the dark. Relying only on our ears then.

I can't repeat enough about how heightened your other senses become. Hearing, touch, smell - even with touch - textures, temperatures, so much it's beyond wonderous.

The cherry on the cake is the eating experience.

We were playing the game, and we knew we were close to food as we could smell it so strongly. My favorite part about eating was that after being in the dark for around half an hour, we already seemed to be a bit comfortable with the food. Feeling it slightly to get a sense of the temperature, then eating it. there was a moment when I was biting at some foil, without a clue of what it was - but I figured it out.

Do go and try it out! Highly recomended!

Some additional info from the organization itself:

About Dialogue in the Dark:

Dialogue in the Dark is a global organization that champions diversity and social inclusion of the Differently abled worldwide. Dialogue in the Dark’s mission is to sensitize the sighted world about the abilities of the differently abled so as to include and mainstream disabled people and eventually empower them economically. Dialogue in the Dark uses real life experiences to convey a very powerful social message on diversity and social inclusion. Dialogue in the Dark has been present worldwide in 43 countries in 130 cities visited by 10 million visitors. In India, Dialogue in the Dark is present in Hyderabad, Bangalore & Chennai

About Exhibition Tour - Walk through experience

Dialogue in the Dark is an internationally acclaimed unique exhibition experience that takes place in complete darkness. The exhibition experience puts you in real life situations such as playing cricket, shopping at the supermarket, having a quick bite in a cafe and lots more - but in complete darkness, awakening the other 4 senses, and deepening self awareness. Dialogue in the Dark exhibition incorporates an optimum mix of fun, adventure & learning in the most unique way possible. 

Duration: 40 minutes

Cost per head: Rs. 250 

About Dialogue in the Dark - Taste of Darkness:

Dialogue in the Dark - Taste of Darkness is India's only concept restaurant where the guests dine in complete darkness for the very first time. The guests deposit their belongings such as phones, watches or any thing which emits light in the locker provided to them in the lobby as even a tiny bit of light could dilute the experience. To make the experience more interesting, we do not disclose the menu to the guests and we keep it a surprise. The menu changes everyday and we take the preference of the guests as to whether they are vegetarians or non vegetarians and serve them accordingly. 

The ideology behind this concept is to awaken the other 4 senses which helps them explore, relish and understand every bit of their food rather than just hogging them and most importantly, enable visitors connect with people without any distraction because, these days, people are either glued to their phones or they watch TV in a restaurant. Taste of Darkness aims to put people through a very immersive dining experience which will make them realise how it is important to focus and enjoy the food while dining. What sets the experience apart is that the dining guides are visually impaired. This unique dining concept was introduced in Chennai on March 18th 2017 and the restaurant is located at the 3rd floor of Express Avenue Mall (opp. to escape cinemas).

Duration: 50 minutes

Cost per head: Rs. 349 plus taxes (for both veg & non veg)

Literary Subscription Box: Fiction Crate, a review

You’ve got mail!

A package actually – oooh even better!

One that’s got a book, a Tee Shirt and some more small goodies. A hand written post card to go with it – Ah, you’ve made my day!

Imagine this being a possibility every month.

We all love pleasant surprises. So, it’s no wonder that subscriptions boxes are increasingly gaining popularity. A box of goodies, tailored to your preference, yet with the element of surprise to make the whole thing exciting and worth waiting for!

There are many genres (so to say) of subscription boxes. Boxes for beauty , hobbies, craft. An interesting one for men that I came across was for Socks! Funky socks that you don’t have to pick, sent to you regularly. How awesome is that?!

I love books, I dream of having my own library, but, book stores are dwindling. More over, the time available to just dawdle around book shelves, trying to find that perfect book has long since disappeared. I seem to forever be fighting with long to-do lists of things to do at work, or at home or planning my next vacation. Honest story of my life. And I love it.

At the end of the day however, I still, like for as long as I can remember, reach out to a book and read a chapter before peacefully drifting off to sleep. It’s also the first thing I do every morning. Just so that I can set the pace for the day, and ensure I don’t wake up to reviewing that to do list.

I recently tried Fiction Crate for my birthday (Yaay birthday gifts!) and I have to say this: Subscription boxes are perfect for (also read – perfect gifts for) bibliophiles like me who are bad at time management. Less choice is more happiness sometimes. Borrowing on Apple’s philosophy, Book subscription boxes send one to few books every month – with some goodies. You can subscribe once, or regularly or for a friend as a gift – completely flexible like that.

A quick pros and cons analysis:

Cons:

1. You don’t get to choose your book
2. You may not like the goodies

Pros:

1. Delivered at your doorstep
2. Wonderful surprise element (my favourite :D )
3. Your preference is taken into account for the Fiction Crate Subscription box, so it’s going to be something close to what you would love
4. Different options available
5. These would make amazing gifts!

Definitely worth giving it a shot. With the options they provide, you’re likely to go back for more!

Clap your way to a happy house!

Gone are the days when being tended to for beauty services at the comfort of one’s own home is considered a luxury. Also, quickly going are the days when one has to scramble for an appointment with their stylist or specialist.

Everything is available at the tip of our fingers and a call away.

As a young adult, I used to wonder how I would ever face the world of home responsibilities. Be it plumbing issues, or pest control issues, or cleaning issues – my parents always seemed to know a guy. I didn’t (and still don’t!) know my own neighbours! Repairing appliances was a headache beyond no other. How do you find someone to repair a mixie? Funnily, my grandma is more up to date on that. She knows repair guys who have these tiny shops streets away. I could never fathom how she found them, and even when I do take her (and our mixie) to those places, I, more often than not, cannot find my way back from there. And if they’re away like at lunch, or have decided to close shop early, we just have to embark on that adventurous journey again! [Cars don’t go through those tiny gallies, and balancing my grandma who only sits facing one side, on a scooter is no easy feat for me]

Luckily for me, for US rather! We don’t have to face that problem. Our generation, this generation, which has been brought up with technology to support us through and through has technology coming to our rescue once again!

Apps such as Urban Clap have come to do just that.

I downloaded and started exploring Urban Clap about the month ago. [Yes, there are other apps such as House Joy which follow a similar business model and almost similar competitive pricing. But I find that currently (August 2016) Urban Clap (UC from  now on) is more competitively priced]

To say that they act as liaisons and help us find many services within one app is an understatement. How do I so confidently state this? This is not a random dialogue I’m saying to make UC sound cool, or to sound cool myself. I say it because in UrbanClap you can find DIVORCE LAWYERS! I was amused to bits at finding that listed (in an app for heaven’s sake!)

Okay, that excitement aside, they do have a whole range of services to offer. For the sake of testing, I booked services such as Plumbing / Laptop repair / and Salon Services. (No, I don’t need the lawyers – now, hopefully never!)

Here’s my verdict :–

Pros:

• You get a confirmation message as soon as the service is booked
• Within a couple of hours, we get a text with details of who will be providing the service
• Within the app – you can access the profile of the individual service provider assigned to you
• I got a confirmation call from the assigned service provider 12 hours prior to the service requested time – when you can explain your issue more clearly, and they give you details about; If or not they cover it, how much it might cost and other details

 Cons:

• The cost is not listed for many of the services. It just states – On analysis
• UC Points can’t be used for most services listed in the app – which is not very cool
• I had a small issue with punctuality. But I accept some traffic leeway has to be given

Overall, an app that makes finishing chores around the house and getting repairs done very easy. One stop solution for home service needs. Makes life much simpler especially for working professionals. Definitely found a place in my phone.

Between Now and Forever – A book review

A story about a young man and woman who get a second chance at true love, against the backdrop of the beautiful tea estates of Darjeeling, written by Meera Shivashankar.

Now and forever was an easy read, Meera’s kept the chapters precise and swift

I loved the pacing and the flow of the first half of the book. It jumped from character to character, rather than chapter to chapter. All woven together by a smooth and tight plot setting thread. The second half, once the plot was set moved by rather quickly.

There were quite a few strong dialogues that had me rereading those bits, just because I really liked it.

That said, the book was sprinkled with more exclamations than strictly necessary. That was a bit distracting.

Romance took a strong foreground. What started as a complex web of problems were neatly entangled by the protagonist and the ending had all loose ends tied into a pretty bow.

I would have loved to explore more of the lovely emotions between the characters, that Meera got building especially between Abhi and little Sammy.

The romance was hot and happening, and it sure makes one wish for a love like that. At the end of the day, that’s what books are for right? Letting us believe in what could be! 

Mantra ...Quietly gorgeous

I've crossed Mantra many many times. It has always made me curious, so one fine Saturday I finally decided to step in.

Mantra is an Ornamental Interior Decoration outlet – which sells Bronze ornaments. There are both religious artifacts as well as well thought out creative home décor items.

Their product line ranges from small statuettes, even pen holders, candle stands, lamps to medium sized center-pieces, wall hangings, statues to huge works of art. Most of the bronze work is designed personally by the owning couple – adding a personal touch to the whole experience.

The artifacts are finished with gold / silver/ copper and bronze coating. Mostly, each item has multiple colours – brought out by various combinations of the coating metals. These finishes give the metal artifacts a retro look – where the antique and modern are married off in style. Quitely gorgeous 

Going into their shop is like stepping into a small museum. The products span over two floors. Strategically planned and spaced out.

Though they do have an online store – they sell a lot of the customized bronze artifacts only in their outlets.

It’s definitely worth a look into.

Happy hair :)

I've been blessed with good hair.
If you ask my hair, it'll tell you that it's a curse.
I've been using the excuse of having low maintenance hair to scrunch it up, and in many ways abusing the poor thing.

It really had fallen to a sad state in the past few months. I kept telling myself that I will do something about it, and that luckily happened when Bounce Hair Salon decided to promote Moroccan Oil.

So off I went to Bounce Anna Nagar assuring my hair (knotted up in an unseemly bun) that things will be better - so don't lose hope! Trust me, my hair thanks me now. It's happy again! And begging me to not stop treating it to Moroccan Oil!

A sweet hair specialist analyzed my hair (kindly not glaring at me for the state at which my hair was!) She directed the stylist to wash my hair with Moroccan Oil Moisture Repair Shampoo, post which my hair was treated to an Intense Hydrating Mask and left to absorb the moisture.

As this was happening, and my poor hair was being richly revived, I asked her about the Moroccan Oil. You see, I had assumed that it was just an oil, but obviously turns out that the spa included Moroccan Oil Shampoo and Mask as well. So she set out to tell me the story - and we love stories!

It all began a long time ago when the lady who founded the brand ended up with a botched hair coloring job. Her hair which was supposed to end up in Auburn or some dark shade had ended up bright red. She had to get to a wedding at Morrocco, and since recolouring hair immediately after it's colored is not advised, she decided to get to Morrocco and get it fixed there.

She went there and landed at a small salon there. The stylist she noticed, first used an oil on her hair before applying the correct color. Being from a nation where oil is not used all that much on hair - she was apprehensive but didn't show it. When the hair coloring was done, and he went on to use the oil on her hair again - she freaked out this time. But being in a foreign country, she didn't show it.

On leaving to the wedding. however, she noticed that her hair felt not just soft and smooth but completely alive. And it smelt great!

She went back to the salon and found out that the oil used was the famous Argon Oil from Morrocco. She bought quite a few bottles of those and took them back with her to the States. There she made her stylist use it for her hair, and also shared it with many of her friends. 

When they came back to her, asking for more, raving about the awesomeness of the Argon Oil, she knew she had to get down and do something about this! She went back to Morrocco, decided to partner with that Salonist who introduced this oil to her - she patented it - and named the brand Moroccan Oil so everyone knows that it's the famous oil from Morrocco,

And thanks to her efforts, my hair is completely happy now!

The story got done as my hair was well hydrated by the mask. The stylist then gave me the bestest of hair massages with Moroccan Oil Hair Treatment Oil.

It's been a good 4 days and my hair is still really really happy :) I've got myself a bottle of Moroccan Oil Hair treatment, and I know it's gonna be awesome!

27 - A Year in Review

Yet another year is over ...
I am now Twenty Eight years old!
I don't consciously feel it yet. But I know it has happened - know it not just from the number but also because of where and how I am in life.
The Twenty Seventh year was a testimony to that.

Prominent Achievements:

1. I bought a car - not a starting, base segment car, but a decent mid segment hatchback. FINALLY!
   AND, I've paid off the loan for it, so it's completely mine now!
2. The story I wrote got published (again, finally!) - Crystal Cacophony
   So I'm one step closer to the dream ;)
3. I switched jobs. I finished exactly 3 years with my last organization, and now I'm in yet another brilliant organization with an amazing multinational team, with a bigger scope of responsibility and getting to do all that I love!
4. I went as a Guest Speaker - to a university, to speak to a bunch of  MBA grad students.

Happy Things:

1. I have learned to drive comfortably now. (Thanks to very patient friend who helped expedite this process!)
2. I wrote and blogged more over the last year - happy to be writing a lot again!
3. I tasted some amazing yummy food - ate a lot!
4. Family, as always was there anytime needed :)
5. I have good friends - and I'm blessed to have them!

Major Regrets:

1. Having to let go of a few really amazing people who were in my life. For not being able to like/ love them as much as they did me, and the imbalance was obviously not fair on any of us.
2. No international travel last year
3. I didn't stand up strong enough for myself during a case of harassment.  
4. I ate too much :/ And didn't balance it with working out enough. 

Major Lessons Learnt:

1. Life goes on.
2. No point complaining if you're not going to do something about it!
3. If I want something, really want something, I can find it by all means available to me
4. Gifts don't necessarily buy love. Neither does good food. But Food is closer.

27

That was the year when I experienced an actual flood. Saw water surround the house. We were some of the lucky ones who didn't incur heavy damage. 

That was the year when the biggest awesome things that happened to me were almost all in my control - it made me realize that being a grown-up is not so bad after all. Being single and accomplished is something I am - something I am proud of. 

27

Personal life wise - very calm. Maintained status quo. Maybe I needed that stability there while I established professionally. And now I'm ready to make things happen in this arena as well. Maybe!

Twenty Seven ...in retrospect, you've been a good year!

You've helped me dig deep into myself to find the courage, resilience, will power and positivity to march on ahead. For that, thank you :)

Look forward to how the Twenty Eight is going to be!

Yours always,

Someday's Dreamer 

Turning Organizational Culture Around - Life at Ramco : A Case Study

Organizational Culture is something that's in the DNA of every organization. We all experience it, and read about it, and some of us study it. It's there, it's essential, and it's not a deniable variable of an organization's overall experience.

Over the last couple of decades, organizational culture has been gaining tremendous importance. The concept of "Best Places to Work For" have become a popular and established method of assessing an organization's quality and worth even. 

'How to make the workplace suitable for the Millenials' is a discussion that most HR professionals have witnessed / attended / if not directly been a part of.

And a question that many companies are having to face.

How does one keep the- easily distracted, not exactly loyal, adventurous and comfortable with quitting to find a better fit or even just to find oneself - workforce as their workforce?

The recruitment teams are stronger than ever. 

[Almost 30 years ago (Just 30 years ago) when my dad was recruited to his first company, he said there was an operations manager and one guy from HR. There was no recruitment guy, and most definitely not a recruitment team! But the law of the land / rules of the game - whatever you call it, it has all changed now.]

And yet,

Attrition is at an all-time high - some companies embrace it, some accept it, some resent it, some are trying to do something about it, and very few are actually succeeding in doing something about it.

Theoretically, it’s simple. The workforce has changed, so all one has to do is change the work culture to fit the workforce. Right? Easier said than done.

The big giants like Google and Facebook were clever and forward enough to be the change, and in a way start the trend. They let the world know that work needn’t be done from cubicles, or even from desks while wearing formals.

(Open space workplaces were first started around 1950 – when after the world wars, resources in general were scarce, and it was easy to set up tables with dividers in a large open room, rather than build separate cubicles for each employee!)

Luckily for the world, what started as a resource saving technique turned out to become an organizational culture shift strategy.

Open spaces have since become a part and parcel of the common organizational structure – the norm. The initially shocked baby boomers accepted it. They keep the Gen X happy.

Gen Y and Z came along, and open spaces were not enough anymore. They wanted perks. Extra amenities. So organizations started introducing small things like “Team Outings”, Small attached gyms, Food Courts, Sports Day and so on to keep them happy. Which worked well enough.

Then the Millennials. Like I said – companies like Google and Facebook; which are the ones that actually accelerated the rapid changes in the generation gaps, empowering smarter technology – have been able to keep up with the pace they set. Many start-ups with their small teams and big ideas manage to keep up with the pace. What about the more established traditionally run companies?

How do they adapt to the swift changes of the current world?

The Ramco Story

[ #LifeAtRamco – A Case Study of Ramco Systems ]

As someone who has been avidly following the changing trends in management (As keenly as some of this generation follow Game of Thrones!) I was very interested when I was invited for an evening at Ramco – to specifically experience “Life At Ramco”.

No further details were given. But it got my curiosity aroused.

[A brief background – Ramco Systems, a very tradititional Indian company, is one of the top players in the ERP space. ]

You see, I’ve been to Ramco for a meeting about four years back (in 2012). It was as boring as any corporate setup.

Start naked white walls. Contrasting blue felt, and the occasional green on the neat workstation layout. A plant in one corner. Some random motivational quote made into a poster. (I know many of us are either thinking: “Tell me about it!” or “Hey! Don’t make my workplace sound so dull!)

Why do I remember something so unremarkable? Because I was made to wait for an hour on a boring couch, and the girl who I met after the hour (who made no apologies for making me wait) said she’d called me back, and never did.

I went out of curiosity, and I accept, some spite. I am happy to report that I was pleasantly surprised!

Every organization derives its culture from a variety of aspects, including, but not limited to:

1. Top management vision
2. Top Management's management style
3. Core Values - The written and accepted ones
4. Core Values - Unwritten and understood
5. How well the management style percolates through to the lower levels
6. The work environment
7. The flexibility offered
8. The dress code 

Ramco has taken the trouble to change each and every one of those items on the list above. They’ve been able to transform from a boring old company of the last century to a happening work place of the future!

Let’s go through them in the logical order – Why, When, How, Where and finally What the change is

Why:

Any such major changes start with a vision. Here it was the vision of the new CEO. He realized that they need change from a traditional company – in their policies, work style, work space and general outlook if they wanted to gain market share and make substantial profits again.

His vision brought out the theme that employees shouldn’t wait for Fridays. They shouldn’t have to balance Work and Life on separate scales. Work Life on its own must be amazing.

Just vision is not enough for a company to get ready to invest a huge chunk of money into things like infrastructure. Though we know that the people make the company, it is not an easy decision for the company to invest so majorly on the top line.

Here is where the belief that the management team had in the vision came into play. They backed his decision, and have been fully supportive.

Many of us repeatedly asked the various employees (who had turned temporary tour guides from the evening) “have these changes actually affected your bottom line?” “Have you been able to prove substantial increase in productivity?” And their answer: A laugh and “Of course!!! When work is so much fun, productively will obviously increase!”

When:

The transformation process was started three years ago (from 2013)

It’s still an ongoing process, they tell me. Like continuous improvement. Ramco has realized that there is always something more that can be done to make employee’s work life better. So they keep at it!

How:

Ramco realized that if they’re changing, they might as well do a damn good job of it.

Changes in the company are right from the HR policies – Flexible work times, Work from anywhere, no formal dress code.

Flatter reporting structure to the extent that – an organization that not so long ago used ‘Sir’s and ‘Ma’am’s to refer to one another is now completely on a first name basis. THAT is the most radical change if you ask me. It’s easy to go from wearing formals to casuals, even for the senior members of any company. But to suddenly have junior members be allowed to call them by first name – that takes conscious acceptance of the change by each and every individual.

They have redesigned the entire work space into a colourful, fluid and fun concept.

Where:

In all their work places – in all the branches across the globe, except those situated inside government offices / or customer sites.

What:

In two words: Almost Everything!

Yes, it hasn’t been overnight. But they have managed to turn the place around – completely!

It’s a workplace that’ll keep any millennial happy and content. If it’s distractions that keeps a normal millennial away from work – it’s distractions optimized that’ll keep him in Ramco.

They’ve got Fooseball tables to keep the adrenalin pumping, Zumba to keep fit, Zen corners – for those who want to work in peace, Plush soft couches to sink into, in house masseuse, A café with pumping music, Games screened, A full restaurant scale canteen that offers a wide variety of cuisines, Healthy snack dispensing vending machines, Swings in lieu of seats,  themed sitting areas … You get the drift (I’m stopping as I’m feeling a jealousy surge all over again!)

I’d like to highlight however, that each of those aspects seem to have been well thought out and carefully picked out. None of them are things one would get bored of in a hurry! And almost everything can be replaced or upgraded as necessary. Good strategy I’d say!

I’ve got some pictures here which will tell you more than I can describe J

After seeing all that, the question screaming in my head was: “How do you get any work done here?” And I managed to ask it to a few managers as well as team members.

And the responses?

 “Sometimes, when I’m bugged, I look at my manager – and he looks at me. And we both pack our laptops and go over to the café, and continue to work there in peace. I think the corner table there is more mine than my actual seat!! Haha”

“Here at Ramco – this Ramco, not what he had 3 years ago, even staying overtime for a deliverable does not feel like work at all!”

“I’m really good at Fooseball now, as I have so much practice at it. But I’m very good at my job too!”

“Our productivity has increased so much, and we’re just getting started!”

“We all love to work here. And we want to do our best for the company that does so much for us!”

All that can be said for Ramco and Ramcans now is: