Author: anandnataraj

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

Free Parking at Express Avenue


Went to Express Avenue mall to do some shopping… After finishing our shopping; my friend asked the person in the parking fee counter if there is any discount… Infact asking for a discount has become his habit which he does with street hawkers to branded stores… Finally his habit helped to know something new…

When my friend asked for discount we were told if we make purchase for more than Rs.2500/- then parking is free… All we have to do is to collect the bills & go to the counter in the entrance to collect free parking pass… That was a great news for us as EA is the costliest parking zone in Chennai… I was not sure how many people would be aware of this and immediately wanted to share it…

Though we have made purchase for more than 4000 bucks we came to know only on exit and we were lazy to go back & collect the pass…

Also in a hurry we forgot to get more details & catch points like;

  1. Is it applicable for movie tickets & food court bills…
  2. What is the duration for the parking time???
  3. Is is applicable for premium parking???

Please comment if any of you are aware of the process…

Things that make me feel OLD!!!


Came across an article in Rediff & only then I realized am getting OLD!!!

  • Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge was released 16 years ago.
  • The Millennium is more than a decade old… Remembering the terms “Millennium Year” & “Y2K Problem”…
  • Pierce Brosnan last acted as James Bond 9 years ago… I remember watching this movie in Bangalore…
  • Itz been 10 years since 9/11 happened…
  • The Matrix came out 12 years ago… I remember watching this movie when I was in College… Bunked class to watch this movie…
  • Itz been 14 years since Diana died… I was still in school when the incident happened…
  • Itz been 17 years since Sushmitha Sen & Aishwarya Rai won the first beauty peagent title for India… I was 14 years then…
  • Itz been 20 years since I watched Home Alone… My uncle took me for the movie in Satyam Cinemas… Can’t believe Macaulay Culkin & me crossed 30 years…
  • Terminator 2 is 20 years old…
  • Can’t believe that the youngest Spice Girl is 35, the oldest Backstreet Boy 39…
  • Still remember the buzz Jurassic Park created… It was my first exposure to Graphics in movie…
  • Dil Chahta Hai is 10 years old… Watched it in Woodlans Theatre & still remember those days where I use to listen to DCH songs & work…

Frustration!!! Frustrated!!!


My bride hunt has always ended in a controversy and the latest one happened this sunday… This reason was enough for my Granny who is my well-wisher… But her emotional attachment on me is making me get frustrated… So, what was the whole issue about??

  • A month back I went to see a Girl…
  • Had to turn down the proposal owing to several reasons…
  • The girl emailed me asking for a meet-up & to know the reason…
  • As a gesture I agreed & last week I pinged her when I was in Bangalore…
  • Then Girl’s mother called up my aunt & asked why am I meeting the girl after dropping the proposal…
This whole episode has made people think that I planned a Bangalore trip to meet this Girl… Then my grand mother came today to convince me to agree to this marriage… Then it was 3 -4 hours of convincing, debate, argument, emotional blackmail etc… This whole 3 – 4 hours has created a situation of making me guilty… Got really frustrated because;
  • Mediocre thinking is being infused…
  • Independent decision making is always questioned & I’m asked to report each and every action…
  • Freedom of speech is tampered… I’m taught what to talk to the girl  😦
  • Practical decisions are shown as “Making SIN”…
As a person who preaches liberation, free speech, fight for right… I got frustrated because of the mediocre thinking of my loved ones & more frustrating when they try to infuse it on me… But I feel more provoked because I love my granny & parents that much that they are putting me in a situation where I’m hurting there feeling…
Let me prey to get a quick remedy to this situation…

Do I’ve BALLS???


Do I’ve BALLS???

I had to ask this question to myself when I was reading a blog of a girl who was very much frank & point-blank… She has written about using dope, boozing etc… After reading this blog it made me feel ashamed… I always wanted to be frank & I’ve practised it to my level best…

But my privacy was always intruded… I was always policed & asked to watch my writings… Couple of months back I posted some photos of mine while having Palm Toddy in FaceBOOK… This spread like a wild fire and reached my parents… Immediately I was forced to pull them down…

After reading this girls blog I felt a really ashamed… When a girl can Why can’t I?? Itz time i start living on my own & for me…

Reunion


Being it a weekend I slept the whole consolidating for the lost sleep during whole last week… Then got call from my school mates by 7.30 asking where am I?? Only then I realized that I was late by an hour and immediately took bath and rushed to Green Park…

Am meeting my school mates J.B.Vinod & Vijay Prakash after a gap of 15 years… It was really an emotional moment as it was really a long while… Then it was time to get nostalgic and bring back some memorable moments… Then we discussed what we were upto in between… What we are today…

Everyone had their own bitter & good experience… Everyone had a common love failure story… A common Betrayal story… And their own success story… Couldn’t believe how time ran… We were in no mood to leave in spite of bouncers pushing us out & after getting calls from parents & wives…

I could see a sense of happiness on the face of other folks & so was I :)…

DeivaThirumagan – 5 Star


Back from watching this classic from Director Vijay…. Am proud that Kollyhood is producing more talented directors who are taking tamil cinema industry to high standards… Movie revolves around a father who is still a Kid and his daughter… The struggle a person to get back his daughter and how he give back his daughter for her well being…

My first aplause goes to Director Vijay for this master piece… Next is Vikram & I’ve no words for this guy… He is the only person who the fill Kamal’s space in Kollyhood… Wish Director & Hero wins tons of awards…

Some scene that carried me away;

  • When Vikram looses his daughter…
  • When a shop-keeper feels bad to demand more money from Vikram…
  • Vikram’s story narration to his Daughter…
  • Vikram & his Daughter’s communication in the Court scene…
  • Santhanam’s comedy…
  • Anushka’s expression when she comes to know that Vikram is retarded…

Blast at Utandi


Yet another occassion and this time the reason was for Sundar becoming Father… This time it is Kavi, Karthik (Ralf), Sundar & me… This time Karthik took the role of a chauffeur & he picked everyone… Then after buying necessary things we reached Uthandi beach by 11 PM…

It was fun right from the word go… This time I fixed to target Kavi who always teases me & I found a weapon to tackle from now on ;)… But it all started from the noise we heard from the nearby beach house and imagination started playing rounds…

  • I said it must be some ghost in the house…
  • Kavi added spice to my imagination…
  • Sundar said it was Husband & Wife problem…
  • Karthik said it must be a psycho like Nadunissi Naygal (a tamil movie)…

Then we thought we must break into the house and see what is going on… But some how we got distracted & this time it was time for some photo shoots… Kavi & me posted to the instruction of our photographer Karthik and it was fun for sometime… Then it started raining heavily… We all went inside the car and had come grub and drink…

Again we came out once the rain stopped… It was real nice experience as I’ve never been thru such a wonderful situation as there was lightening always & it added light for the fun…

Then it was time for some namology gyan from Sundar & he was talking about the past of everyone of us and our spouse or would be’s…

By this time Kavi got irritated by our pranks & also he got a call from his master (wife)… He lost his mood and slowly we lost interest & we packed back… But it was a fun filled 3 hours and must thank all folks for making the day memorable… Here are moments pictured…

Day of Loony Pranks


Today there was nothing special when it came to work… So, went out to honor my friends request to join him & then take him around malls in Chennai… Some of the pranks for the day;

  • Picked up my friend from Hotel & started to Express Avenue… Took a wrong route in Usman road & it took an hour to cross that road… My friend ran to the cops and told him that a ministers son was in the car & we were let on the the wrong route bypassing all the vehicle… Crap cops didn’t even check for the genuineness in my friends claim…
  • Went to a dress store in the mall… There was a big crowd in the store  & my friend wanted to try his size… Since there was a long queue in the trial room… My friend tried his t-shirt size near the entrance… Seeing this security came running by the time it became too late… He started murmuring that he would have lost his job…
  • Then my friend went to the BSA shop & we almost negotiated and brought a cycle for his Kid… Even the cycle was packed… Other friend who was staying out came in and said that he can get 20% discount if we got it from the Factory… It really frustrated the shop keeper…
  • All the bad we did for the day got back on us… It took 45 min to get pani puri from Gangothree… But it was fun waiting & joining the mocks with pretty college checks..
  • Finally went to drop my friend in Koyembedu… There a old man was about to board a bus… Citing his pretty grand-daughter we offered to help him… Luck favored us in cops who drove the bus before we could help old man board the bus… We went to get the bus back and it was great opportunity to get linked with that girl… But luck was more on my friends side as he was traveling along with them…

Over all it was a great fun-filled day…

How to choose a MediClaim product??


My father is yet to retire and I’ll not be receiving a mediclaim as my father’s dependent anymore… It is time for me to find out a good mediclaim product in the market which might help in time of need… Not sure if I’d be in a position to negotiate the benefits my father enjoyed… My father coming from a big reputed conglomerate he was getting claims for medical prescriptions & for small clinical claims…

When I enquired with some agents they say I can claim only for hospitalization… Also I’m very much a naive when it comes to choosing an insurance product… So, if anyone can advise me on following things it will be of great help;

  • How to compare different mediclaim products?
  • Where can I find no. of players who offer mediclaim insurance?
  • How to negotiate for a better deal?
  • What all question should  I post to the agent?
  • Pls share you experience in finding the gimmicks or hidden information?
  • If I missed anything please help me by adding up right information…