Author: anandnataraj

Entrepreneur, Blogger, Traveller, Pet Lover, Networker, Social Drinker, Party Animal, Movie Addict, Startup Enthusiast, Organic Gardner, Avid Reader....

Here are some nice Dilbert’s one liners


1. I say no to alcohol, it just doesn’t listen.

2. A friend in need is a pest indeed.

3.   Try & try, if you don’t succeed, then CHEAT

4. Work is fine if it doesn’t take too much of your time.

5. When everything comes in your way you’re in the wrong lane.

6. The light at the end of the tunnel may be an incoming train..

7. Born free, taxed to death.

8. Everyone has a photographic memory, some just don’t have film.

9. Life is unsure; always eat your dessert first.

10. Smile, it makes people wonder what you are thinking.

11. If you keep your feet firmly on the ground, you’ll have trouble putting on your pants.

12. It’s not hard to meet expenses, they are everywhere.

13. I love being a writer… what I can’t stand is the paperwork.

14. A printer consists of 3 main parts: the case, the jammed paper tray and the blinking red light.

15. The guy who invented the first wheel was an idiot. The guy who invented the other three, he was the genius.

16. The trouble with being punctual is that no one is there to appreciate it.

17. In a country of free speech, why are there phone bills?

18. If you cannot change your mind, are you sure you have one?

19. Beat the 5 O’clock rush, leave work at noon!

20. If you can’t convince them, confuse them. 

21. It’s not the fall that kills you. It’s the sudden stop at the end.

22. I couldn’t repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder.

23. Hot glass looks same as cold glass. – Cunino’s Law of Burnt Fingers

24. The cigarette does the smoking you are just the sucker.

25. Someday is not a day of the week

26. Whenever I find the key to success, someone changes the lock.

27. To Err is human; to forgive is not a Company policy.

28. The road to success…. Is always under construction.

29. Alcohol doesn’t solve any problems, but if you think again, neither does Milk.

30. In order to get a Loan, you first need to prove that you don’t need it.

🙂 and here’s the best of the lot 🙂

31. All the desirable things in life are either illegal, expensive, fattening or in love with someone else

Nice management stories


Nice management stories through Gopal Ramanan.

A story from Buddha’s life…

Once Buddha was walking from one town to another town with a few of his followers. This was in the initial days. While they were travelling, they happened to pass a lake. They stopped there and Buddha told one of his disciples, “I am thirsty. Do get me some water from that lake there.”

The disciple walked up to the lake. When he reached it, he noticed that some people were washing clothes in the water, and right at that moment, a bullock cart started crossing through the lake. As a result, the water became very muddy, very turbid. The disciple thought, “How can I give this muddy water to Buddha to drink!” So he came back and told Buddha, “The water in there is very muddy. I don’t think it is fit to drink.”

After about half an hour, again Buddha asked the same disciple to go back to the lake and get him some water to drink. The disciple obediently went back to the lake. This time he found that the lake had absolutely clear water in it. The mud had settled down and the water above it looked fit to be had. So he collected some water in a pot and brought it to Buddha. Buddha looked at the water, and then he looked up at the disciple and said, “See what you did to make the water clean. You let it be…. and the mud settled down on its own – and you got clear water. Your mind is also like that! When it is disturbed, just let it be. Give it a little time. It will settle down on its own. You don’t have to put in any effort to calm it down. It will happen. It is effortless.” What did Buddha emphasize here? He said, “It is effortless.”

Having ‘Peace of Mind’ is not a strenuous job; it is an effortless process! When there is peace inside you, that peace permeates to the outside. It spreads around you and in the environment, such that people around start feeling that peace and grace.

Don’t keep distance

A saint asked his disciples, ‘Why do we shout in anger? Why do people shout at each other when they are upset?’

Disciples thought for a while, one of them said, ‘Because we lose our calm, we shout for that.’

‘But, why to shout when the other person is just next to you?’ asked the saint. ‘Isn’t it possible to speak to him or her with a soft voice? Why do you shout at a person when you’re angry?’

Disciples gave some other answers but none satisfied the saint.

Finally he explained, ‘When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other through that great distance.’

Then the saint asked, ‘What happens when two people fall in love? They don’t shout at each other but talk softly, why? Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is very small…’

The saint continued, ‘When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love.

Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that’s all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.’

 MORAL: When you argue do not let your hearts get distant, do not say words that distance each other more, else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return.

My new hobby


For last couple of years I’ve cultivated the habit of creating new hobbies. Couple of hobbies I’ve started in the recent past and I’ve been successfully doing is; 

  • Vagabond travel trips where in I travel to places in India in all local transport / low cost transport. In this one year I’ve travelled to Kodaikanal, Munnar, KaniyaKumari, Coimbatore, Andamans etc.
  • Investments
  • Reading
  • Social media activity and I’ve become a consistent Blogger, Twitter and actively participating in Linkedin and Peerpower kind of networks.
  • Long drives and finding new routs in and around Chennai.
  • Amateur photography.

Other than this I’m adding an additional stuff to this list. Last week when I was in Coimbatore I visited G.D.Naidu’s museum and I was carried away by seeing his collections.

I always think ahead which people thing I must be crazy. When I was in college I booked my domain name WWW.AnandNataraj.Com for Rs.4000/- then using all my savings. When my parents and friends questioned my I said when I become Bill Gates one day and when I don’t get the domain I might feel bad. Though I’m not to the level of Bill Gates I’m happy that I’m the owner of the Domain name which has my name.

Likewise when I visited the museum I thought even after my death there must be something I did or I used and I thought I must start collecting something different. All my hobbies are low cost or inexpensive. So I’ve decided to collect designer articles. The first in the list is a Key-Chain in the design of shock absorber which costs Rs.350/-. So what is special about this key chain is it is GM’s Official Design.

Next thing in my list is to buy a designer wooden showcase to display all my collections. It is time to get stingy and save money for new goal.

4th Block memories


Today I took my mother and grandmother to Jaya Nagar 4th Block. This was a spot which we use to frequent almost everyday for shopping. Yes 12 years back when I first visited Bangalore my father took me to shopping to 4th block. For me everything looked different compared to Chennai. The language, the people, the culture and I really enjoyed the new place and culture. From then on I use to frequent this place when ever I’m in Bangalore.

Though 4th block had one-way traffic system even 12 years back but a lot of things changed other that that too. It was not this much crowded and one can see lots of retired old people gathering and talking with each other. The climate was even better than now. The bus stop was one the corner in an open space.

After the malls started occupying importance I stopped visiting this place from the year 2002 though I frequented to Bangalore.

Today the bus stop was changed into a commercial building. Traffic has gone really 10 fold more without exaggeration. I can’t see any old gentlemen.

Today it was really nice to walk down the memory lane. Walked through nook and corner of the place. I remember how I nagged my parents for all nonsense things (I feel them nonsense today), but which I thought of importance then, the I got on the platform shops, paw-bajji on cool joint, then juice and ice-creams.

Today I’m independent and can buy what I like but those were special day. But nagging parents to get something and cherishing the past is cherishing historical moments…

Ways to improve self-confidence


Here are some quick tips to improve your Self-Confidence. If we are committed to have a healthy self-confidence there are many things you can do every day to boost your self confidence, each small steps that will help you to reach your goal. The good news is that self-esteem is not fixed and can be improved; try some of the steps below to boost your confidence and self-esteem. 

  1. Identify your successes. Everyone is good at something, so discover the things at which you excel, then focus on your talents. Give yourself permission to take pride in them. Give yourself credit for your successes. Inferiority is a state of mind in which you’ve declared yourself a victim. Do not allow yourself to be victimized.
  2. Look in the mirror and smile. Studies surrounding what’s called the “facial feedback theory” suggest that the expressions on your face can actually encourage your brain to register certain emotions. So by looking in the mirror and smiling every day, you might feel happier with yourself and more confident in the long run.
  3. Exercise and eat healthy. Exercise raises adrenaline and makes one feel happier and healthier. It is certainly an easy and effective way to boost your self-confidence.
  4. Turn feelings of envy or jealousy into a desire to achieve. Stop wanting what others have just because they have it; seek things simply because you want them, whether anybody else has them or not.
  5. When you’re feeling superbly insecure, write down a list of things that are good about you. Then read the list back. You’d be surprised at what you can come up with.
  6. Don’t be afraid to push yourself a bit – a little bit of pressure can actually show just how good you are!
  7. You can try taking martial arts or fitness class/course (or both). This will help build confidence and strength.
  8. Invest in some new clothing and donate some of your old clothing to send a message to yourself that you both look sharp and feel sharp.
  9. Try to make yourself talk positively at all times. When you hear yourself saying you can’t do something, stop and say you can. Unless you try, you will never know whether you are able to or not.
  10. Don’t get wrapped up in your mistakes and dwell on bad points; they can contrast your good points or even give you something to improve. There’s no feeling like being good at something you were really bad at.
  11. Don’t confuse what you have with who you are. People degrade their self worth when comparing possessions.
  12. Surround yourself with nurturing friends, not overly critical individuals who make you feel inadequate or insecure. This could do great harm and damage to your self confidence.

Wanted PHP Developers in Madurai


Madurai is one of the unexplored Tier II cities which has lots of unexplored things and has lots of advantages; 

  • One of the low cost of living compared to any Tier II city.
  • Good place for entertainment which already has 2 multiplexes and 4 more come soon.
  • Two new shopping malls coming in less than 6 months.
  • Famous tourist like Kaniyakumari, Kodaidanal, Rameshwaram, Moonar, Thekadi, Theni etc are all less than 4 hours travel from Madurai.
  • Famous for temples.
  • Famous for its authentic food.
  • No traffic jams.

With all these benefits it would be wonderful place to work. How would it be if you are being paid a salary standard of Tier I city and enjoy the benefits of Tier II city.

These are the requirement available in Cogzidel’s Madudai unit.

Position 1
————

Position: Team Leaders
Experience: 2+ Years
Skills: Good leadership skills, good communication skills, proficient in LAMP technology, innovative and eager to update and learn.

Position 2
————

Position: Web Developer
Experience: 1+ Year
Skills: Good communication skills, Proficient in LAMP Technology, innovative and eager to update and learn.

Position 3
————

Position: Fresher
Skills: Good communication skills, good aptitude skills and eager to learn.

You can forward your resume to boopathi@cogzidel.com.

Cogzidel offers Work Station on lease


CCS has moved to itz own office a month back. We have 5 extra workstations which we are planning to lease out. So these are the facilities available; 

  • 5 computer tables & chairs.
  • 2 MBPS Broadband from BSNL. This will be shared by 12 systems.
  • Invertors backup for upto 4 hours.
  • Fully air-conditioned office.
  • A small open cafeteria to have snacks and lunch.
  • Ample two wheeler parking. Cars must be parked on the road.
  • Office located on West Mambalam which is centre to city.
  • Easily accessible to public transport. Hardy 500 meters Mambalam & Kodambakkam railway station. 250 meters from Five Lights bus stop.

If you are interested kindly contact Mr.Bala Murugan at bala@cogzidel.com also he can be reached in his mobile +91.9884039129.

Professional Tax experience in Coimbatore


CCS has won a deal from subsidiary of one of the largest bank in India which takes care of back end processing of the bank. The work is to register and remit their Professional Tax in Chennai, Salem, Coimbatore & Bangalore. Having our presence in Chennai Bala finished all the work there. Now we had a problem in remitting & registering it in other cities. Engaging a consultant will not make sense as we have signed a confidentiality agreement and also having a consultant means shrinking of our margin. So we were forced to send one of our team members. That is when I thought why I shouldn’t try doing it myself as; 

  1. I have experience in Registering and Remitting Professional Tax with my previous company.
  2. I can save lodging cost as I’ve my relatives in all cities. Where in if we send a team member we have to bare the lodging cost.
  3. Our team members are loaded with work and sending them out of city will effectively mean we are delaying other tasks.
  4. I like to explore new things and I wanted to get a feel of it.

So I felt I decided and when I said I can do it Bala was initially hesitant. He felt a CEO need not do all these things. I told him that there is no written rule that a CEO need not get down and work. When I listed the above mentioned points he got convinced.

I thought I can finish Coimbatore first and then Salem on 30/09/2009 & 01/10/2009 respectively and finish Bangalore next week. Sadly my work didn’t get over in Coimbatore today courtesy to Indian Bureaucrats.  So, these are my experience; 

  • Went to Corporation office only to learn that they have different office for different wards and I had to go to a different place. But they clearly gave the name of contact person and place.
  • South Zone office was not too far from Corporation Office. Reached South Zone office only to fine all the concerned officer are on rounds and were expected only by evening. I was asked to come back by 4 o clock.
  • Then came back home and took a nice nap as I was deprived of good sleep last two nights.
  • Slept by 11.30 AM and got up by 3:30 PM and by the time I reached the bus stop it was 4 o clocks and I thought for a min that I must take an auto. Then my intuition said Bureaucrats will not be perfect.
  • My intuition was right. Reached South Zone office by 4:30 only to find concerned officer was not there.
  • Then checked with his colleagues about the formalities and ended up getting confused. There were two Circular which had Revised Tax details. We have made calculations with one Circular information and the other stated the slabs got revised 6 months back. Ironically they themselves didn’t have a clue when I asked which is valid.
  • Finally the concerned person reached his office by 6 o clock and he got all the documents and asked me to come same time tomorrow. When I said I’m from Chennai and I had a booking back to Chennai. He showed me a sad face expression he was helpless. I can understand no it was the end of the day and he has to leave.
  • Over all nothing happened as per my plan and this is common with Indian Bureaucracy. But I was happy with two things;
  1. Climate was good and waiting for long was not difficult.
  2. In culture coimbatorians are very polite. I’ve never seen Bureaucrats answering with polite tone.

With all these experience I had to close my day one assuming I might finish this job by tomorrow. Also I was called by the officer by 5:30 PM tomorrow and I don’t have any concrete work till them thought I can engage myself. Until them please prey the almighty to keep the office in good mood & see to it that he is in office (as next three days are holidays)…

Difference between Dual listing & ADR


Off late we are hearing a lot about “Dual Listing” because of Bharti – MTN acquisition. Before telling the difference let me explain what both terms mean?

What is Dual Listing?

Dual Listing means listing of shared of merged entity in Stock market of two countries. In Bharti – MTN case if the deal would have gone through they would be listed in Indian Stock Market & South African Stock market as separate legal identities with a common management.

What is ADR?

ADR stands for American Depositary Receipt where in a US bank buys Shares of a company in lots and trades them in US Stock Exchange. A buyer can convert ADR’s into shares and trade it within US bourses.

Back to active blogging


It’s been a long break from active blogging. The reason is not that I was busy but it was because of technical issues which took time to get sorted… 

  • My blog and company websites are all hosted in a single host and we have reached a point that we have to move to different host because of support issues.
  • We were unable to transfer the files to new host because of Iframe malware which affected our web server.
  • So we had to clean all the systems in the organization and then we had to clean the web server.
  • Cleaning 30 systems which is used by developers and web server which is also actively hosting all websites is not a small task.
  • Finally after all hard work for last 20 days we finally changed to a new host.

Now I’m happily started blogging. I must thank Kannan & Co for their efforts to make this happen amid all challenges.