Aranya.me

Life in the US is very similar to a nuclear family in India where it has become so mechanical & routine that sometimes you need to improvise in several ways to bring excitement into your lives. One of the things you can most certainly do is to take a break, couple of times a year which will energize not only yourselves but also your relationships and this keeps you from getting tired or rather bored of life. The second thing that can help is to be part of an association, which brings together people from the same cultural background as you - this will improve not only your social circle but the warmth that you feel away from home helps you to think that you are no longer alone and coming together to celebrate festivities that you would do back home, brings happiness back into your lives.

A fact that I have noticed which is so prominent among immigrants here are that they are never content with their lives – everyone is in some sort of a race to improve something or the other, it could be a better job, better quality of life or to just be better than others. Everyone is so entangled in this race that they forget to live and somewhere in between, they even forget the meaning of their lives or the value of their relationships which is human nature to get bored of everything including ones own lives. But if you pause for a second and think about all the things you have accomplished so far, then this race does not make any sense – it makes more sense to just enjoy life the way it comes, it surprises you in beautiful ways some good and others bad many of which you never anticipated. Don’t waste your lives thinking of all the futile opportunities that you have missed in life, in turn be positive and keep an open mind – you will be surprised by all the positive signs around you and sometimes you feel the presence of some divine force around you, in the form of a person who brought something positive into your life which was a pleasant surprise to you and brought a smile to your face.

It has been a while since I have scribbled something on my blog due to different reasons one of which include being busy at my new job. Well, today I would like to write a short review of the new online game Final Fantasy XIV. I would say that you’re lucky if you haven’t got a chance to check this one out. Though the graphics is pretty impressive along with the storyline, the grind will really drive you crazy as the focus is mainly on professions or crafting which can be improved by obtaining local leves, and regional leves that focus on killing specific mobs within 30 minutes, but the catch is that you can only obtain a certain number of leves every 36 hours. After you hit the level 20 mark, it gets really hard to increase the level or rank on your main profession due to availability of only limited number of quests and some of the level 20 quests can only be completed with a larger group of more than 4 or 5 players with the right level/class etc. So in short, in order to keep players from quitting and attracting new players, I think the game developers really need to focus on improving the game play and reduce the time lag for each window to load especially when you are crafting. Funny, how you don’t have the capability to search “all retainers” for the item you want to buy but instead it is a cumbersome task of looking individually at every bazaar setup by players and the worst part is that you cannot setup your retainer to buy items if you don’t have at least one item with you which is ridiculous. This can be applied to shards or crystals but how can you buy a weapon to setup a shop for buying the same thing on your retainer, since you would only need a single weapon after all so it does not make any sense to me.  The capability to use more than one retainer would be a great addition or the ability to increase your inventory space like other games and increase the maximum number of items that can be setup for sale on your retainer. Worst of all, is if you are looking for crafting recipes which are supposedly ideal for your level, say 10 on blacksmith and you find one, don’t rejoice so fast since there will be at least one material required for the craft that will certainly fail since it is ideal for a higher level say, 15, so what good will that be to you. Overall, I am not really happy with these aspects in the game and if it is not improved soon, pretty sure that I will quit trying it out and go back to the older MMORPGs that have improved the game play over the past few years.

Since this game is fairly new and the fact that I haven’t really explored all aspects in the game, there is a possibility that some of the above mentioned functionalities may exist but I am not really aware of it, like some of the other players who are in the same linkshell as me. Well, if it exists then my advice to the game designers, is to start providing random tips to the players.

I know immigration to the United States has been very touchy topic lately due to the reforms here in Arizona. But I think if you are a resident alien then the GC process would have been something that touched your lives at some point. It probably did increase your blood pressure, several times and the uncertainty associated to the process which includes the indefinite wait for your priority date to be current. According to my personal experience, we do enjoy a higher quality of life in the United States or Canada when compared to India, and no question about that what so ever. Also, personally I prefer staying in the United States when compared to Canada, but the only thing that worries me is that after all the years of waiting, “is there any guarantee that you would finally get your EAD, or could it get denied in the end due to some reason.” Well, if you are looking for a backup plan in such scenarios, then it might be a good idea to apply for immigration to another country where you would be able to enjoy similar quality of life, standard of living as well as similar work environments. Immigration to Canada for some reason is a much faster process and if you are already in the United States then that is considered as an advantage. If you are employed in the skilled worker category then you definitely have a higher chance of getting the same. Also, recently I read an article on the Canadians giving a lot of importance to higher education and investing in education to build a brighter future for the next generation, which I feel is a step in the right direction.

It is definitely true that no one knows for sure what the future has kept in store for us. But to do nothing, and wait for the GC process to take its own sweet time is sometimes difficult to understand and you really don’t know if you should settle down here with the fear that your visa may not get renewed or the GC could get rejected since most people do like some sort of certainty in their lives to live happily. It is hence crucial for ones own survival to find a system that processes applications for PR faster as well as qualifies to your expectations, including embracing immigrants like us with open arms and let us contribute to the GDP.

Lifestyle here in the US had hit us pretty hard, especially the health aspect and the shocking statement from a doctor mentioning that many packaged foods have very little nutrients that are actually healthy. So we have made it a point to look closely at the nutrient information before purchasing any product for that matter. Rice has always been an important part of our day to day lives, especially for Indians like us until recently but we forced ourselves to switch to brown rice instead of white, and reduced consumption in lower quantities over the week instead of avoiding it entirely which would be very hard.  The premise for all these changes was due to the results from a “CPR blood test” which indicates inflammation in blood and risk for developing heart disease. A very useful test, but at the same time if the results are high then that would indicate “poor diet,” though you think that you have been eating pretty healthy, though not entirely. So back tracking the diet for the past couple of months indicated a lot of soda, a small can everyday during summer months, eating white rice, white flour products and several other packaged food items. Also, trying to make a switch from white products to whole wheat, fruits and vegetables is pretty difficult for us but possible.

In addition to these changes, working out is another thing that we Indians need to add to our schedules, at least a couple of times during the week. Joining a fitness center and getting a trainer would be ideal if you are willing to spend some money to get you back on track, which I would highly recommend in order to understand weight trainings in more detail and getting better results for the time spend. We have been eating a lot of fruits both fresh and dried, which includes mostly berries (strawberry, blue berry, black berry etc), which I read in some health magazine as being nutrient rich. Also a couple of interesting things that I have noticed, while reading up online and in magazines includes, eating free range eggs which are supposed to be lower in cholesterol than regular eggs (based on some study), citrus fruits, beets, celery, chili peppers, pumpkin and their seeds, fresh turmeric, purslane and kale are all supposed to be good, although I haven’t really found purslane or kale at any of the grocery stores I usually shop.

It is rather strange how people get addicted to video games and I am able to state this because I have played them in different occasions. I have had the opportunity to play a few online games such as Lineage II, Age of Conan, World of Warcraft and AION. They transform you into a magical world especially the ones that have advanced graphics such as Lineage II or AION which were both developed by NCSoft, and World of Warcraft is similar, except I liked AION better than all the others. Now the ability to not get addicted to these fascinating games is quite simple but seems rather difficult and tormenting for someone who would spend hours playing these games every day. Even a flash game like Farmville can get you to spend hours, farming which would sound very lame but true. For me, it was only a matter of time when I realized that I had other priorities in real life, and did not want to waste my life playing these games, which are not real but seem so real to get you addicted making you while away countless hours of your life every day for many weeks, months and years. But then, there are some others who are so addicted that they think, it is practically impossible to live without spending at least an hour or two gaming everyday or at least a couple of times every week. Now, like I said, the trick is very simple, reduce the number of hours you spend gradually every day or by week but you really need to have the determination within or desire to reduce it in the first place. Nobody can help you if you are not willing to help yourself and make an attempt to try it in the first place. Also, make it a point to spend the extra time gained by doing something you love, other than gaming, which could be anything you think is fruitful such as maybe reading, gardening, cooking, spending more time with family, hiking etc to name a few options. Well, we did practice this theory and was able to successfully stop playing AION, slowly and steadily, by spending more time with each other, watching movies, organizing things, cooking, reading etc. Later I did check out Farmville just for fun, never really expecting to spend one or two hours every day or at least once a week on it. Also, was surprised at the number of people who play using their Facebook accounts, which seem impressive because I did not think that the graphics were comparable in any way to other MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games). Finally, I am glad to say that I did get over this as well, with just sheer determination that there are other priorities and I would rather spend time doing something that I liked doing, which helped me improve my writing skills, cleared my thought and improved my imagination. So I have started reading the Harry Potter books, some of which I have read in the past and watching the movies after I complete each book. I am trying to analyze the instances that have been modified by the movie maker and the things that are left unmentioned in movies. Well, you can never expect the movie to say the exact same story in every detail, since it would only be one or two hours, but I find this feat very interesting since I am able to imagine a world that is not real, and see through the eyes of the writer herself, an imaginary world that perhaps would inspire my spirits and hopefully instill greater creativity within me.

I have never really been sarcastic about things in life, nor do i have the ability to catch the sarcasm that people throw at you or regarding someone else that you commonly happen to know. I think that it is really funny, are they afraid to tell things in a straight forward manner, or incapable of doing so, or are they worried about tarnishing their image in front of other people, i wonder. Again, i am not sure of the reasons for its popularity here, but i am certain that it is very popular among the people you see around everyday, or among the people you hardly know, the stranger who shops in the same store that you are in or is watching the same movie like you etc. This is just something i can hardly relate to, since I have always been pretty straight forward for the past years of my life or at least that’s what i think, nor have i had the privilege to mingle with people who are capable of doing so, until now. It seems so difficult for me to assimilate this fact, as at times it is really unpleasant to the ears at least some of them that i manage to catch, and it makes me wonder, are they joking or trying to make a point. Well, if it is to make a point to me, then it probably didn’t serve the purpose, which is sad for them. But lately, i am able to understand its and bits, probably 2% of all that gets thrown around in conversations, but sincerely hope that i would be blessed with some resistance so as to not imbibe these unique skill sets which may come handy in many cases, but those that i wish not to have.

People are really unique, every one of them vary with country or region, so many different cultures, dynamic behavioral patterns, social life, etc or in general every aspect of life differs, only the variance among some seems to be shorter than few others, based on whether they come from similar backgrounds or not and ultimately everything boils down to the only one common factor that we are all human beings. Though this is a known fact to everyone, it amazes me, the intricacies of human behavior and the ways by which different people react to the same stimuli.

I have been pondering for some time on what i should blog about – should i write about my interests or activities that i am involved in, maybe make this a technical blog on BusinessObjects as well as CRM with tips to use these tools efficiently.

But, NO that’s not what i want to do. With the help of one of my friends at work, I was able to identify a very interesting aspect of my life that i would love to blog about. Guess what, it is “America through the eyes of an Indian.”

A very interesting topic, though i may not be an expert in any of these areas, i would be able to explain the things i feel, see and understand from a human perspective. Hope it turns out to be interesting.

With every passing year or birthday dawns a realization in you, that now you are slowly moving into the next phase of life, closer each day to being the older generation and then you wish that maybe if you could bring time to a halt at this point that would be the best birthday gift so that you don’t get older any more. There is probably a philosophical approach to this, as nirvana or eternal bliss or ultimate bliss to me would mean a state of the mind or soul where you are at peace with yourself and everything around you, when you become insusceptible to age and/or time. Wouldn’t that be an amazing feeling? Positive that I would love it, but according to Hindu mythology, it takes several birth, death and re-birth cycles for you to fulfill all your desires so as to attain this magical bliss. Well, I guess there is plenty of time left for me which is very motivating for now.

My birthday was very delightful, though it was similar to other work days in many ways; it was special for me with a group or team lunch which was so much fun at Claim Jumper, thanks to all the team mates who made it so joyful and then a private dinner in the evening with family. Well, since we rarely celebrated birthdays with cake cutting back home, ever since my dad had this serious accident when I was still a kid, right after the night of his birthday celebration and the fact that this was caused by an irresponsible drunken doctor seems like a horrible fact but true, I never knew that we need to make a wish before you blow out the candle. Funny, how you learn small things every day from some one or the other, now I will have fun telling this to my kids, if we end up having them. But anyways, this past weekend we did get the opportunity to drive to Cottonwood, which is approximately two hours drive from Phoenix to ride the Verde Canyon Railroad (http://www.verdecanyonrr.com/) from a Depot in Clarksdale which runs to Perkinsvile ranch and back. The train depot had these amazing crafts of wooden eagles made by the local artisans, with such perfection that you end up buying them like us. Apart from the small-scale shopping we did the train ride with complimentary drinks and food, to keep you refreshed for the spectacular four-hour ride through the wilderness is truly an experience of a life time since there is likelihood that you will be able to see a few eagles, their nests and probably even eaglets. The ride made me realize even more now that we all need to preserve this beautiful world and try to live in harmony with nature, as every rock or stream or tree or mountain that you see beholds the supreme craft and it definitely makes us all happy.  

We stayed at a very special bed and breakfast place that makes you feel cozy, comfortable and at home (http://www.theannabelinn.com/). The rooms were nicely decorated especially the one we had called the La Chambre D’Or, and the owner of the place was very friendly and hospitable. The Thai Palace restaurant, which sits right around the corner, probably less than a mile from the Inn, seemed pretty busy but the food was very authentic and we loved it. Overall, we had a very delightful weekend and this was probably one of the best birthdays I have ever had in my life, hope to cherish these memories for as long as I live.

Did you hear about the water cooler effect social media websites are having on Television viewership? In the past when the web was gaining popularity everyone thought or believed or assumed that, this would be end of television viewing since internet would suck the consumer into it for eternity thus killing other forms of media entirely or to a greater extend. But turns out that this version is just a myth or a belief with the current developments about the fact that social media websites such as Twitter, Facebook etc are fueling the possibilities of increasing television viewership which enables users to share interesting information that they can watch together from different parts of the country or world in order to contribute value to the smoky serious or hilarious discussions on the web.

Now, the wheel of fortune has turned around and users are able to tweet or update their status on Facebook, be part of discussions as well as watch television at the same time, the so-called multitasking is profiting everyone. No wonder that the Vancouver Olympics is now one of the most watched winter games since 1994 and the Super Bowl supposedly the most watched program in the United States, since the 80’s, isn’t this amazing? This does mean that how well a program on television can evoke hot discussions with millions of tweets would determine the popularity now and moving forward, and this would help increase the channel viewership. Since the power of deciding what to watch and what not to lies in the hands of the customer, there would be more and more customer empowerment with respect to them having a say over what companies broadcast, which means that there could be some tough competition or rough road ahead for these companies in particular. Also, this does mean that there is tremendous power in the hands of the Twitter or Facebook or other social media users not only to back up a not so good show or series but also to bring down a good movie, if they want to but as always, I am positive or confident that Twitter users like us would be smart enough to stand up to make some good decisions or smart choices and ultimately feel glorified of being part of a better tomorrow, I can see that day right around the horizon – what do you say?

Recently I have been reading on the internet as well as listening to messages on the radio relating to the huge recalls from one of the leading players in auto industry and the issues that have caused this to happen. I think that recalls happen all the time with different companies, though they seem to be trying hard to rectify these issues as soon as possible, but the concern raised about unintended sudden acceleration problems and the possible causes does seem quite disturbing.

Let’s step back from this premise and ponder about the statement that “rapid growth in a very short span of time may result in mistakes, within any company.” In my opinion, the auto maker is probably not the first company in the world to walk this path, it has been treaded long and far by many other companies previously and quite a few lessons learnt in this process. Here in my city, I often hear from people who previously worked at this educational institution about the rapid pace at which they grew in the past couple of years, can it be attributed as one of the reasons why they are having student dropouts and bad debts or can this be attributed entirely to the effects of recession with people planning to attend school instead of job hunting, as news sources state – well, there is some room for thought.

Anyway, the insights that we can get from these scenarios, is that companies need to focus on customer satisfaction, quality and overall value provided even when they propose to grow at an extraordinary rate and this needs to be planned carefully. They may expand at a fast rate increasing the brand penetration or awareness, the profits may have quadrupled or increased even more, but in order for them to retain the position that has been conferred to them by the consumer based on quality of service, customer satisfaction or greater value provided, there needs to be some level of dedication maintained along the way to keep up this good work, over time.

The proposals about offering New York residents owning recalled vehicles with alternate modes of transportation (rental car), expedited repairs, and reimbursement of the cost incurred by dealers for the compliance seem to be fair measures for keeping the disgruntled consumer happy for the time being, but the end result on how this would affect the company in the long run would probably depend on how soon the auto maker is able to figure out the problem and remedy it.