Many more chopping @ Ivy

Just got news from a friend from Ivy. There is going to be complete shut down of the BPO section by June 30. Don't know what they have in mind about Technology. But Technology would also follow suit. In past the CEO had explictly told that they would not cut the work force, after parent compnay Party Gaming lost US $ 9 in three trading session, but it did happen and there was 25% reduction of Technology. BPO has been already reduced by 75%.

Mumbai office has life

Leaving Ivy has been very good. Just have come to know that there have been bad. People work for more than 12 hours a day, either from office exclusively or from home, including the PM. Though there is no doubt that Ivy takes good care of employees in terms of food, EOE, leaves, food etc. But never thought that there would be sooooo much of work. I saw Raj working very late. At least twice after 2 AM. I don't know why was he up so late in office. Didn't even reply on Yahoo. But I do see most of Ivies working late and office environment is not so good. I just feel sad. Never thought of this thing happening, but it is.

I've told HR to get me assigned to a new project ASAP. It is damn irritating to sit idle for such a long period of time. Someone called Mr. Kanan (of Chennai branch) will get back to me on this. Let us see how soon they get me a project with rest of team either in Bangalore or Chennai. We had monthly birthday celebration during closing hours today. That was really good. A rapid fire Q&A session on Republic Day of India and a debate. Office was divided on 4 groups. And two groups had to debate. That was really good. I didn't have the cakes thinking that would be having eggs. All stuff for the celebration was from the shops I knew very well. Happen to know name of a gal whose birthday fell during January. A new pretty tall gal. [She has a BF :-)] "Where some see difficulties, we see challenges." someone called Sharad is going to leave for an assignment at Germay for long term. He sings very well and on public demand he sang "Kaho na kaho". That was great.

MicroStrategy 8.1 to be released

Wow.... Such a kewl faeture by MicroStrategy... Dynamic Dashboard...

One thing I must say (based on the views of people ho have never worked on MicroStrategy and seen me working on MicroStrategy). MSTR Inc has real innovative people. They always come up with new ideas to make things easier to end user. I have received several mails on MicroStrategy Inc manager, where they openly talk about (In mails) how their competent are duping their own customer and they (MSTR) should not follow the same. They should give their (MSTR's) client fresh UI and complete stuff no half baked ideas like others.

Well this was very well confirmed by several people working on Business Objects and Cognos.

Initial cost of MSTR is exorbitantly high and maintenance is high, but cost cutting advantages in longterm are immense and no other BI tool can stand against MSTR.

Read about this new happening here.

BTW, I'm "still" working with Cybage. MicroStrategy haven't been told that I left Cybage in Nov 2005 itself.

Back to Square ONE

So it is official now. I'm released from project. and I'll be contacted by Resource Management Group anytime soon and will be allocated a new project. I have three options

1. Work in a MicroStrategy project from Mumbai
   
2. Join SAP Testing
3. Join SAP BI

In the order of preference.

Let us see what happens? Life is very bad? Ivy made me feel bad about not accepting H1-B (for a moment) and now Covansys is making me feel bad for not accepting offer from CapGemini. And now if I change job that would be my 5th employment in last 14 months :-)

I know it very well what is job security but sometimes you are willing to take the plunge.

Saw a Dead unicorn driver.....

I was going to my sister last saturday... On Narul Flyover in New Bombay.. I saw an accident.. accident of a biker... His body was covered with thick papers... One nad half lane were closed and the policewla was asking ppl to move (Not to stop at thepalce of accident.).. I was crusing at 80 on thesame lines which was blocked ahead... When I came close at around 50 mtrs I could understand what had happened.. It was all blood everywhere.... His shoes were peeping out of the cardboard covers... I almost brign my buike to stop.. tried to see what had happend and policewala was asking people to move fast... I crossed.. Soon after this I (actually) laughed a bit tinking which useless bike this F***er was driving.. I said to my self "zarron pulsar-wala hoga".. I turned back.. His bike was a brand new Honda Unicorn... I was take na back for next 2 minutes... By the time I crossed the flyover I was feeling like vomiting... (I feel it even if I see non-veg or people talk about it)..Next km I drove at 40.... I drove the remaining journey at 80+ but whole way I was thinking about this accident... why.. how... all that happened?? He was driving Unicorn. Unicorn drivers are pretty sinsible than other bikers.. what a bloody ~!@#$%^&* biker.... The raod was smooth and there were no trye streaking.. there were two bikes standing but hadno signs of any accident so I beleieve thosewere just passers by or may bepolice vehicle.... I can't imagine.. My bike badly needs servising but don't know the service station numbers... Brakes and clutch are loose.. Springs very badly need oiling.. battery needs to be charged up... Gosh.. I gotta take leave and do all these adn will do this by next weekend.... Please drive safely....

Do bandar Covansys ke anadar

Well.. I and my lead (Srikanta) or rather Srikanta is very much troubled by two newbies in the projects. On 12th Shamir had not come to office , had some personal engagements so on leave. The onus of sending mail was on Srinivas. Two mails to be sent from shared inbox of Shamir. I left office at 6:20, time when higher management people were coming back to office after a meeting at near by big hotel. I happen to see my PM (he is one of the big guys at Covansys), but we didn't cross each other's way as I take the path gate nor car gate. Well, at 7:00 I realized that 15th is Pongal and its holiday. There were too many reports to be sent on Monday. I called up Srikanta who is on way home. He said that monday is not holiday. I was not able to open Covansys intra-net from home, so called up Sripati. But he asked me call up after 10 minutes as he was busy with some reports. Well, fine! at 7:15 I get a call from Sripati asking to come to office. well w/o asking why I told them I'd there by 7:30. When I was about to leave home, I get a call from Srikanta, asking to meet up at J.B.Nagar bus stop and take a package home as Courier company refused to send it in Orissa and going back home to keep that package would definitely make him miss his bus to Pune at 8:15. Well, I reached the meeting spot and within 2 minutes of that even he arrived. I just took th the package and ask him to go as he was becoming late for bus. Well here is the real fun. I was in casuals. The guard was taken a back for a moment when he saw me. I asked Srinovas and Sripati about the matter. It was ridiculous to hear that they were not able to send mail. The Reason.:They had not put recipients names. This was straight. Second doubt took me a moment to crack. They were not knowing that when mail format is HTML/Rich Text, attachments are sent in-line (you can drop files inside mail) where in Plain text mail, attachments become separate parts. They were struggling with same for hour or so. Came back home.

Funny MicroStrategy Job Ad

Hey.... Funny MicroStrategy Job Ad.. sound strange.. take a look... Pleasing Personality under Personal skills.... Lagta hai.... Client thoda mastikhor hai.....

A heavy weekend ahead

Life is very uncertain. I had plans to go to Pune (preferably on bike), but I gotta my yearly society get together on the same day. I’m yet to throw the pending party for the job at IVY. I’ve gotta meet Arvind my CDAC mate and colleague at MSTR@cybage Prafful the coming weekend. Well there is another twist. My College mate Don. Unfortunately I copied wrong number from the mail he had sent and I could never connect him. But alan contradicted and gave me the number. What a fool. He is leaving on 7th 30 minutes past midnight. Don’t know what to do and he seems to be damn busy too. Don is not planning to come back to India in future. J Let me see what happens this weekend. Don would be first priority on Friday and Society Party would be on Saturday. So I can go and meet Arvind or Prafful or Saturday noon or Sunday whole day. I can meet don at Airport which is just 5 minute drive from home, but will keep as last option to pay a visit to him.

I gotta meet Gautam too, who has joined Teradata. But not heard from him for pretty long time.