Crazy Weeks and "Space" Issue

Hello everybody,

Please look at the woman in the center picture-thatz me or thatz how crazy the past 2 weeks for me at work have been. I didn't expect my recruiting portion of the job could suddenly escalate to such heights. I am talking about the sudden trend where we have had employees who submitted their resignations during the past 2 weeks and managers not only wanting those positions filled in a jiffy, but also requiring temporary help to get through some of their work pile.

So, as the sole HR for a group of 40 folks, i had to fill in 7 positions as quickly as possible. I started to post our temp openings on craigslist-Bay Area's most popular site for local jobs etc and on all the other job boards, networking groups etc . Then, the permanent positions got to be posted on our Jobs website and the resumes started coming. I have been receiving 50 resumes per day for the temp positions and around 10 for each of the permanent ones. I then start the tedious process of phone screening candidates which takes forever and then setting up interviews....oh my god..its been the best 2 weeks of my life- as i have never before been so much busier at work and never have i felt this happy working so hard to recruit the right fit for a position and to be able to create the position, write a job description, go through the posting process, approving a salary range, pre-screening, interviewing, doing reference check, making an offer, negotiating, closing the offer, new employee orientation and have the new employee start on board. It has indeed been fulfilling to work on the whole cycle and i am happy that i have filled the 2 temp positions and have 2 finalizt candidates for 2 of the permanent positions before i go home for the day.


The not so good part has been the crazy work schedules special K has also been doing the past few weeks. I guess many other couples face this kind of thing when they both have stuff at work going on.

But, what got me remnisicing about things were when one of my classmates who has just gotten married tells me that inspite of spending a lot of time with her new husband, they don't get enough of each other. Ha ha..i say to myself......she is in the beginning stage of the relationship and i am sure that with time, she will also reach a point where she ends up knowing a little too much about her spouse and that is when she will think about just being by herself somewhere without the constant pampering- space would be required.

Well, if that be the case, then why am i not thinking that it is ok to be busy and happy with work rather than feeling that it would be good to not have so much of a space....

Happy Weekend!

KB's "Poi" Audio Release

Tamil cinema's most well respected director K. Balachander is working on his 101st directional venture Poi and the audio release function was held amidst a popular gathering of stars who had made a difference to the tamil film industry by KB's introduction. Surprisingly, the event lacked the presence of young top heroes like Surya, Ajith, Vijay even though their parents showed up.

The movie "Poi" is produced by Prakash Raj who is the first actor to set the stage for his mentor. While the movie doesn't have popular faces, the new comers are Uday Kiran as the hero and Vimala and Geetu are the heroines of the film. KB is said to have played a role in this film.

The event was a star studded evening with all KB introduced stars being present to honor their stepping stone to the tamil cinema world. Kamal and Rajini, the greatest finds of KB felicitated the event which was hosted by Prakash Raj.

More pics at India Glitz and Behind Woods.com

Knowing and Choosing for a special someone

This is my second post on the V-day series and now that folks have an idea for picking a restaurant, shouldn't picking a gift for your partner be next on the agenda?

I can visualize several men folks who read this blog to think that isn't this all too sappy stuff, who cares about V-day and isn't that a western concept, and so on..but still, it is a day where lots of shops and commerial folks make money from a majority of people who happen to believe or even are forced to believe by their female partners the whole idea of an evening dinner, gift etc etc....so its for those folks out there who are part of the community that thinks.. Oh Well, whatever..let me do this for my special someone to make her happy (if she is the sort of woman who likes all this) or for a woman who thinks I know my significant other isn't romantic or doesn't care about V-day, gifts etc, but still i feel nice about doing something different for that special someone in my life..................................

So, here goes...............

Knowing your partner-

Before you go out and plan or buy something for your partner, you will need to do some homework on the type of person your significant other is. I am sure that most of us know enough about our spouses or lovers, but this is for those clueless folks who would welcome some knowledge on the topic.

For the men folks-

If your woman falls under one of these categories, proceed, if not, add in your category. Women come in all shapes and sizes, in different temperament packages and so on, but almost every woman has a sensitive, romantic part in her that needs to be captured.

Type A- Women who fall under this category are the easiest to please, they love flowers, esp red roses and the sappy romantic films with a soft touch. For this lady, buying a jewelley set, a pearl set and a bouquet of roses sent as a surprise to her work or delivered at home along with an evening meal prepared by her man, will make her man score big on the thoughtful, romantic charts.

Type B- Women who are the brainy and nerdy kind, who love to read books, not just your Mills & Boon romance or pure fiction, but a non-fiction reader. For this type, go to a bookstore or if you already know her favorite author or book that she has been talking about for ages, buy it and take her for a drive to a quiet park and read the book with her. Be prepared to know all her intellectual favourites and discuss them with her as a way of spending quality time.

Type C- This is probably the hardest category of women to please-they are the tough ones who think that romance doesn't come with frilly expressions of love, flowers etc. that embarass her in front of her colleagues or in a public place. She believes that true companionship comes on a personal level and what do you do to please this lady- Try writing a page on what you like about her the most and some of the wonderful moments the two of you have spent in the past. Then, ask her what she would like to do for the rest of the evening and do it for her without complaining or trying to find a way around it.

I hope that these categories make sense to some of them men out there who are looking for ideas, and maybe if you think your woman doesn't fall under any of these, go ahead and try to know her and do something for her.

For the women folk-

I am not going to categorize men like i did women, since they aren't as much complex to understand with respect to their gift tastes. Most men, especially, the married ones and the fathers don't believe in V-day and gifting concepts, its mostly the single dudes, esp the ones who do have a female in their lives who want to do something.

Also, i am not so sure if many women want to gift something to their men by doing something extra or special for V-day knowing that their partners don't believe or get too excited about this. But still, if you are lady who feels that irrespective of your spouse taking you out for dinner or buying you something for V-day, that you want to show your affection, then go ahead.

It isn't that complicated to figure out what your man likes, there are men who enjoy being given attention and receiving gifts from their loved ones and there are men who feel that it is unncessary and embarrasing for that. So, know your man's preference and act.

A special meal with his favorite dishes prepared fresh by you after his tiring day at work will please most men. If your man is a techie guy, then go out of the way to buy him that Plasma TV or SLR camera or allow him to buy that expensive electronic gadget that he has been asking for a long time. If he is a movie buff, then go to NetFlix or Blockbuster and pick up his favorite Star Wars or any other movie he enjoys, or even better, buy it for his DVD colection if he doesn't have it. If he is a guy who cares about his appearance, then you have a wide array of choices- cologne, shirts, pants etc. If he is a bookaholic, then buy him that favorite book he keeps ordering at the library or he keeps reading during his visits to Starbucks.

If none of all these, then just ask him for a change, if he feels like eating out or just staying home and watching the TV and relaxing, even if its boring and seems unromantic for you, he will pinch himself hard for his good luck and eventually he will come and ask you " Let's do what you want, honey"!!!

Would be interested to read your comments on this.....................................................................

Bay Area Restaurants for Valentine's day

With Valentine's day coming up next week, there are going to be more blogs on the topic-

I thought i would start the first of the series by writing about some of the popular restaurants here in Bay Area . These are places that i have dined at in the past and have felt that they could end up being on a list for popular dinner dates on Valentine's day, anniversary days, spouse birthdays etc.

While, this list is only for folks in and around the Silicon Valley region, others can come up with something like this at their places to go out for a special meal. Please note that if you end up choosing any popular, high end places for crowded evening like Feb. 14th, you would need to make advance reservations several days ahead.

1. Nicolino's Garden Cafe ( 1228 Reamwood Ave, Sunnyvale)

This upscale restaurant is really festive during most of the year, and offers a fine Italian cuisine that leaves a lingering taste. The interior of the restaurant is beautifully decorated and the staff wear tuxedo and several dishes come flaming to the table. There is often a live band or singer performing and shows are at 6.30 and 9 pm on weekend nights which are slightly more expensive.

If you are up for an evening of formal attire, willing to spend extra bucks for some fine Italian food and womderful ambience, this should be a fine place to dine at.

2. Faz Restaurant (1108 N.Mathilda Ave, Sunnyvale)

Faz at the Sunnyvale Sheraton is a quiet, sophisticated place that brings mouth watering Mediterranean food for its diners. The interrior of its posh dining area is so elegant and unique with a colorful finish that makes it distinct from any other Mediterranean place that i have visisted so far. The seating arrangement here is stylish and split level type that leaves a distinct mark on your mind. Another different feature here is the exhibition type kitchen offers diners views of the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes made by the famous Faz Poursohi himself.

A quiet place worth dining for its unique furnishings and good food.

3. Gaylord Indian Restaurant (Ghirardelli Square, San Francisco)

Located on the top floor of Ghirardelli Sqaure in San Francisco, this is one of San Francisco's top rated restaurants that offers some delicious North Indian food. The tandoori dishes, kebabs here are so rich and taste divine. There is a nice selection of vegetarian dishes too.One of the expensive Indian cuisines that is often fully booked, it has some nice night views of the water and its surrooundings in SFO. Although, service and arrival time of the dishes are slow, it is worth getting dressed up to eat at this fine place and save some room to walk downstairs to Ghirardelli for some ince cream.

Indeed, a popular date idea for many!!!

4. Bucca di Beppo (Palo Alto)

Located in a busy neighbourhood in downtown Palo Alto, this is more of a family place or a place to go with a bunch of friends, more than a quiet dinner for two. The inside of the restaurant is lively with the walls decorated with famour Italian people and retro style ads. Also, you can see a huge display of wines hanging from the cellar in the ceiling. The food is good and the portions served are in large qauntities and presented in an appealing manner.

BDB is a great place to dine at with a bunch of folks as you can split the dishes (family style) and come out with a fairly small individual cost. Overall, there are some decent veggie dishes offered here.

5. Frankie, Johnnie and Luigi (Mountain View)

This authentic Italian diner is located on El Camino Real in Mountain View and can also be categorized as a family cum couple eat out place. We landed up at 8.30 pm on last Valentine's day without finding a reservation anywhere and were surprised to find this a fairly decent place. Even though, the interior of the restaurant is a bit stuffy, the food was good- nothing to rave about, but just normal, rich Italian stuff. The prices are extremely moderate and we did end up splurging ourselves that evening.

I am sure that other Bay Area folks would chip in their ideas for exclusive restaurants.........

So, if you do intend to go out for an evening dinner on Feb. 14th whereever you are, plan ahead of time, pick a place of your choice, make an advance reservation and enjoy the evening!

Revathy- A Ravishing Personality

Pictures from Hindu and telegucinema.com and Revathy's homepage.





Today's blog is about my all time favorite actress and woman- Revathy. It has all along been on my mind to write about this substance woman, but had the chance to do so only after coming across a recent article on her other pursuits in life.

Originally named as Asha Menon, she was born in Kerala to a retired army officer and his wife. Venturing into Bharathiraja's Mann Vasanai in 1983, she won people's hearts by her expressive features and natural flair for acting. Most folks liked her for her lively character roles where she managed to act with top stars and stayed in the industry during the 80's and 90's by doing clean roles without any vulgarity or exposure.

I have enjoyed watching and can watch many movies of hers several times without getting bored. My special favorites in Tamil are Idhaya Thamarai, Arangetra Vellai, Pudiya Mugam, Devar Magan, Marupadiyum, Kanni Rasi, Priyanka, Anjali, Pudumai Penn, Punngai Mannan, Mouna Raagam, Magalir Mattum and Kizhaku Vaasal. The actress has several Malayalam films with remarkable character roles that i haven't had a chance to see.

Apart from acting, Revathy has also ventured into directing films. Directing "Mitr My Friend" that starred actress Shobana, she made her subtle yet memorable entry into the realm of emerging women directors. The film was a realistic portrayal of a homemaker in the US who reaches out to her husband and in the process discovers her hidden talents. Inspired by the National Award that she recived for the directorial debut, she did Phir Milenge, another sensitive topic on AIDS.

This multi-talented woman is also a well trained Classical dancer and has given several Bharatnatyam performances to her credit.

There is more to this cheerful lady than just her elegance in accepting more mature roles out of her own will in recent films- she is also an active social reformer. She is involved with Banyan, an organization in Adyar, Chennai that cares and rehabilitates homeless and abused women with mental disorders who are found in the streets.

Recently, there was an article published about Revathy's attempt at sky diving at the Sulur Air Force in Coimbatore. She participated in the multi-adventure camp with the Indian Air Force trainees and proved that it was the adventurous, daring streak in her that made her pursue sport parachuting.

Kudos to this beautiful woman who only becomes more energetic and fresh with age.

Happy weekend!