On the WaY

On my way to Bhiwandi, the town close to Mumbai,where both my parents were born. As I am in the car on my way thought will blog a little. Didn't blog since the last blog around a week back for 2 reasons. One being Eid and second being sick. Had some throat infection and bad cough and it being Eid I did not even look for a doctor and the coughing became so worse never experienced something like that before Alhamdulillaah feeling better today. So left for Bhiwandi as both my kids are there at their maternal grandparents place. Was missing them!

This sickness the doctors said was viral infection that they assume I caught when I went Goat shopping. Lesson Learnt: No Goat shopping for NRIs, their Immune systems are weak. As I know the local boys enjoy and visit the Goat markets often before Eid and they don't fall sick, Alhamdulillaah strong Immune system.

So how was Eid, Awesome, its always lovely to be with your family for Eid. 8 more days to go before I fly back. So the countdown has begun. Not very pleased to return since I have to return alone. The passport and visa formalities will take some time for my new-born son. Allaahul Mustaan. But it was my choice to have him delivered in India, so need to be patient.

Oopppsss I completely forgot one of the other reasons for going to Bhiwandi is to attend a second cousins wedding tomorrow on 11-11-11. Nice date isn't it? So should I book 12-12-12. No not for me, for my younger brothers wedding? Would be interesting!

Still on the way, why can't he drive faster... I am tired typing on my mobile in the car... More later.. Remind me to blog about the wedding

Mumbai Trip - Blog Again

"Write down the thoughts of the moment. Those that come unsought for are commonly the most valuable."

Francis Bacon, Sr.

I copied the above quote from the Newsletter I keep receiving from www.positivityblog.com After being a blogger for long (and then disappearing from Blogging) and also trying to use OneNote on my Computer and a Task/To Do List on my Mobile to capture ideas/thoughts of today/things to do etc. The above Quote reminded me again, how it all began! It was when I joined Invensys, the good colleagues and friends I made who had an influence on me and got me to Blogging. I remember my good friend Vinil telling me, How over the years I will see my thoughts change and develop when I will read back my old blog posts. I can see that today after around 6 years of On/Off Blogging.

So should I start blogging again on a more regular basis.

Let me start with current events. I came to Mumbai over a week ago, What an amazing trip it is this time. Alhamdulillaah (All praises are for Allaah) We have been blessed with a Baby Boy. Its my second experience at enjoying Fatherhood. And Trust me, the Pleasure was not even a little lesser than the first time.. I think becoming Father is the same pleasure every time... May Allaah bless all those who haven't tasted this pleasure with it.

I came to Mumbai, this trip did a lot of different stuff. Met a few very close friends I had not met since years... It was a pleasure meeting them. Became father a second time. Went to Deonar after years, did some Bakra (Goat) shopping. We went on a bike this time. While riding on the way I was thinking when I used to come to Deonar as a kid, we used to use the local Transport bus to the Train Station Reay Road and then the Harbour train upto Govandi, then cross the Railway Tracks towards Deonar. Those were the simple old days.

I want a to visit a few relatives, its on my To-Do List from Day 1. And now the countdown to return has already started. but this time, I will not be missing this task Inshaa Allaah, whatever be the cost. Looking forward to a cousins wedding, where I am expecting to get to see all the relatives, hence procrastinating to go and visit them now. Dont know if this Laziness is right or wrong. Day after tomorrow is EID, and not sure yet what Am I going to wear.. Thats the height of Laziness and I sit here and Blog... Shunu Haadhaa....

Know Your Address

Is it Important? Ahh you may Ask me, is it possible that a person does not know his Address? Yes it is. Not In India, but maybe in a Foreign country it may happen. For example, I never knew or know now the Address where I stayed the first two years in Kuwait. Yes I know it, I can guide anyone in Kuwait how to reach there. But dont know the Theroretical addresss, what is that.

Kuwait has a very good addressing system, you can reach anyplace if you have 3 things: Block No., Street No., Building No. The maps and GPS systems can take you to any place if you know these 3 things, Even when you enter an area you can find maps showing where the Blocks of that area are.

So what I mean is, I did not know, the Block, street and building no. of where I was staying. Yes definitely I know the address after those 2 years, why? Because the first 2 years I was staying in Fahaheel, which is the market hub, you have all the restaurants Arabic, Indian, Chinese, Pakistani at Walking distance. So never needed my address to order anything. But after I moved out of Fahaheel to the more residential area's when my family was supposed to join me. I had to keep my address handy whenever I need to order any food, they would ask for the Block, Street, Building, Flat number.

So with these I realize when you are a Bachelor staying in Market area or bachelor accomodation, you may not know your physical address. But it can cost you.

I learnt this lesson from my friends, they were staying in their company camp. They had a nice way of telling we stay in the building behind this shop, near this medical center in this area. Quite easy for anyone familiar with the area to reach there. But they had an Issue when they had an emergency situation and they called the Kuwait Emergency Helpline. They could not mention where they were, since they never needed and knew what Block, street and Building they were in. The help to them got delayed because the emergency services had to trace out where the shop that they were mentioning was.

In case of any Emergency, Time is the most important factor. It can lead to bigger problems, if help does not reach in time. And hence knowing the Address is very Important.

I dont have to proofread this blog post, because my nephew Hani Hyder just sitting next to me is reading out every word I type loud enough to ensure I dont have any typing mistakes. And I guess everyone in the house knows what I wrote without even reading it, thanks to Hani ;)

.....

Who Moved My Cheese!

Thats a real nice book recommended by couple of friends, short and sweet , i read it in a single day.

The book deals with the subject of change! How to deal when things change in your personal life, health, work or any other area. The author expresses the different types of people:

those who are willing to change, and those who resist and think there should be no change and those that are the quickest to move on. I really learnt how sometimes we amongst ourselves resist any change that comes in our life.

After reading the book, now I can see how I am resisting a change implicitly and then since I realize i try to adopt the change. For an example, being a Microsoft .NET guy worked with Microsoft technologies for around 8 years. When everyone is going for IPad and IPhones which are from the Apple family. I think I do not need to learn how to develop for Apple, Microsoft will come up with something to beat Apple. But after reading the book, I feel No, I need to be prepared to built solutions on Apple products, if managers move to IPad from heavy laptops, and I cannot deliver the information that I am delivering to them on their handheld devices, maybe I will be left behind. So need to catch up, we need to move with the change instead of wondering who moved my cheese.

Guys have a Good read: Who Moved my Cheese.

Fish Market

I remember as a kid when I was in school and there used to be a lot of noise in the class, teachers would say "Is this a Fish Market?" Now why would I blog about it now?

Actually I remembered this when I visited the Al-Kout Fish Market few days back. It was noisy, every shop keeper trying to sell whatever he has to any customer that passes by his shop. The thought came to my mind, what the teachers used to say in School. I have seen the Indian Fish Markets they were noisy. But its the same in Q8 as well. Makes me wonder is it the same across the world or the so called Developed countries have Fish Markets which are not noisy.

Was trying to think the reasons:

1. Fish eaters love to eat fresh out of Water Fish. Frozen will not taste the same.

2. All the shops have more or less same variety of Fish and are selling at almost the same price.

3. So, if the customer passes by your shop he may not come back, so they have a Target to make a sale to any customer that reaches their display area.

4. Regular buyers visit the Fish Market early to get the best Fresh Fish. I remember in India we used to go to the Mazgaon Dock or Colaba Dock after Fajr (around sunrise)

5. So their peak selling period is limited as well.

Food for thought: What would you have done to make the most sales in this scenario? If you were selling Fish. Let us see the different ways of thinking... Engineers, Management Grads, let us all see if we had to sell Fish for a day what would be your strategy.

First post on Parenting

Wow.. My daughter is 1 year and 6 months already Mashaa Allaah, time flies so fast. I remember when she was younger and didnt walk when I used to see some parent with their kid walking holding their hands, I used to tell my wife When will she walk holding my hands. Alhamdulillaah now she does that. So now as soon as we get out of the car she wants to go with me.

About Parenting, many times i im in conversation with different people like my elder brother or someone at work that i know have older kids than me, I ask them how do you do this? How do you handle this scenario? How do you make sure ur Kid is not the one who wants all the toys everytime you go to a toy shop. Etc. Etc. I try to keep learning.

The One Candy Principle: I was speaking to my good brother/Colleague how can I take my kid to a shop and make sure they buy one stuff, he taught me this principle then. He said whenever I take my kids to the candy store, I tell them you can buy one candy, the first or second them they try to ask for more, but the parent has to be firm that they can buy only one. And do reasoning with them, explain to them why more than one is not good. Then in the future they will themselves stick to the principle of One. He explained how when they go with their Grandfather as well, they take only One and when he tells them feel free take more, they still say No One is enough for us. So good Principle One Candy. You can use the same even for Toys, let them select one toy.

The principle of Reasoning: In the above one, how my friend mentioned about Reasoning with the kids. Same I had also learnt from my Mom. Since my daughter was pulling my specs from my face abruptly leading to the delicate ones breaking. My Mom told me tell her not to touch the specs, explain to her and she will understand, kids can understand what we are saying. I practiced that and definitely the principle of Reasoning works.... So remember, the principle of REASONING, do that with your kids.