Solid Start ke liye Solid Breakfast !!!

In the present lifestyle with so much of stress and work pressure, one needs something solid to start with. Nowadays, many of us when we wakeup we realize that we are going to be late to work. This realizations results in many of us hurrying for the work and at many times skipping the breakfast. This is more like you have start a round the globe journey half tank filled, which will not last for the complete distance of  a long day journey. As a result we get tired earlier than expected.

Not having a proper breakfast has been attributed to many reasons by many of us. One of the most common or popular reason is that we are in hurry or have no time or already late for work. All these reasons are just excuses. Kellogg's waale Guptaji is neither late to office nor he misses his yummy & tasty breakfast ever. Guptaji stays focused and keep working hard even when our momentum or energy is low or down. Guptaji stays energetic, active and full of ideas like a tiger even during the end hours of work, whereas many of guptaji's colleague becomes lazy and dump like a donkey. What is the reason of this? How Guptaji is able to all this physically and mentally while being cool and calm. How ? How ? How?

I have been curious to know the secret of Guptaji's energy, but couldn't find one. After trying to investigate and failing multiple times. I tried checking his bags, his work routine, even checking if someone is actually helping him complete those tons of work, but couldn't find one. Finally I decided I need to trace & track each & every activity Guptaji does in his whole day, from waking up to sleeping at night. After tracing him for few weeks, i realize it has to something to do with his breakfast. But whats that thing about his breakfast which makes him a super energetic, calm & composed man?

I needed to solve the puzzle. Few clues which I could get are

• Breakfast is prepare in close to 2 mins.
• Breakfast needed Kellogg's corn flakes, apples, sugar, cinnamon powder & milk.
• Breakfast was tasty as none of the family  member's ever resisted it and actually wanted more.
• Family ate breakfast together and looked like a "Happy N Healthy" family.
• Look of the food is also attractive and well made, which made even me hungry. Somehow I could take a snap of it from my spy Camera. It looked delicious.

Few of my informers also told me that many others are also trying to find out the secret of Kellogg's waale Guptaji Ka Nashta. Some are friends of Guptaji's daughter, some are teachers of Guptaji's son and some are neighbours of Guptaji. I need to go first and try this nice Family wala Nashta at Guptaji's house.

I need to go to Guptaji's house for nashta - which is so yummy, healthy, quicker and easier to make. I need to taste those Apple Cinnamon Cornflakes which keeps Guptaji active throughout the day with a great focus and calmness. I need to resolve and experience the mystery behind Guptaji's power.

Guptaji mujhe jaldi bullao aapke ghar nashta ke liye. ("Guptaji call me as early as possible for breakfast at your home").  Let me also get the solid Nashta for solid start of the day.

Guptaji mera number sabse pehle. Before all the folks in video below.

Start your Smartphone Journey !!!

Well, I have already #chooseToStart long time back, when android launched its cupcake version. With the time i have migrated from Cupcake to Donuts to Froyo to GingerBreads n KK to finally, Lollipop. Throughout these transitions the phone has got smarter and smarter day by day.

As an experienced traveller in this smartphone journey, I will recommend all the folks to #chooseToStart their SmartPhone journey. Many would ask what's the need? I just do calls and nothing else. I don't need complex phones. They get damaged easily and bla bla. I will say to them availability of a feature doesn't mean you have to use it, it means you have power in your hand to use it or not to use. With feature phones its more like disability.
The main thing which used to differentiate smart phone & feature phones was price. The standard definition of feature phone is phone with few selective features at a moderate price. Smart phone used to be high on features but more costly than feature phone. But with Moto E the difference from the price point of view has disappeared. If you are a hardcore feature phone user and don't care about new features, I would like to ask you would you like to see pictures of your loved ones when you are travelling and have an idle time? Would you like to click pictures of some thing special to show it to your kids? Would you like to talk chat with your kids in the medium which they want? Would you like to interact with all your family members in a WhatsApp group and hear them, even though when they are silent? Would you like to not look good and technology aware in front of your kid & friends? If the reply is yes at a moderate price, then #chooseToStart this new journey with Moto E .

Change is rule of nature (Evolution). Everything evolves. There was a time when we used to use Landline telephones which had literally no mobility. But as the technology has increased so has increased the need & desires. Designs & ergonomics of devices have improved. Darwin's theory of evolution also says that species evolve and improvise to stay ahead in the race. Why to stay behind in the race, if its a moderate cost. So why wait, follow the rule of nature and #chooseToStart your smartphone journey.

Now, if you are convinced to start your smartphone journey. Next question for you might be from where to start? 

Price: Since you were reluctant to start the hurdle to start the journey should be low i.e. price should be low. Go for the low cost Best Smartphone. 

Operating System: Since the cost should not be high, it can't be APPLE. ;-) To be safer, you would want one OS which is adopted by big mass of people i.e. follow the BandWagon (Band Wagon Effect). So based on above two points atleast we can reach to a conclusion that it has to be Best "Low cost Android based smartphone".

Network:- It has to connect to all kinds of network globally accepted like GSM, HSPA, LTE. 

Dimensions:- It should be light and you should be able to carry it in pocket. You shouldn't be doing weightlifting for it.

Display & Built :- Screens should be bright with sensors to change the brightness based on the sunlight so that you can see or read easily and it doesn't stress eyes. Resolutions should be good so that clarity of the screen is good and pics doesn't look hazy. Screens should not be weak and have some protection similar to Gorilla Glass.

Fast & Smooth :-  It should have enough RAM and memory space to handle hundred of photographs. You should have flexibility to add more space if required. It shouldn't make you wait as if tortoise or snail is walking. It should be fast with this new age.

Camera:- It should have both the cameras - front & back, so that you can take a selfie as well as others pic. Pictures taken should be clear and crisp i.e auto focus feature should be there. Ability to take videos and better camera of 5MP. 

Sound:- Phone without a sound is of no use. It should be able to tell you if you are receiving a new call or message with soothing ring tones or any tunes which you like. You should be able to hear it loud in loud speaker as well as with headphone depending on the need of surroundings. It should be able to vibrate so that you don't disturb others while in a meeting.

Communications:- It should be able to connect to Wifi so that you can avoid hefty data charges from the carriers. Bluetooth to share the files and even connect to bluetooth headsets while riding a car. 

Locations aware:- GPS to tell your locations to friends at the same time use GPS for customised search & posts. It should have Maps to tell you the location or ride to a particular destination. So that you are never lost. Its a friend in need.

FM Radio: If you like music, FM radio can make you hear to some really good music.

Battery Life: It should be enough to last atleast 24 hrs or more. So that you have your phone alive and reachable whole day.

Different Needs: It should have access to big list of applications from where you can download new games, applications for your different needs. With android you have the biggest list of application/games with different features addressing different needs.

Features:- It should support all the basic features like calls, SMS, MMS, EMail, etc.

Brand:- Brand should be known and good.

If there is any phone which definitely caters to all these needs at a very moderate cost, its  Moto E.

So I will recommend to you to #chooseToStart your smartphone journey with Moto E .

New Baby Arrival : New Hope, New Aspirations, New Responsibilities

Arrival of my baby, Akshaj, on 22nd Sept 2014 was one of event which along with bringing new responsibilities, it also brought new aspirations and hope.As a couple we had some issues but suddenly just the arrival of kid seems to have changed the complete dynamics of my relationship with my wife. Both of us has made Akshaj as center of our world. At the same time it has brought much better acceptance of each other with the strengths and weakness we possess as a couple.

Family Dynamics:- As a couple the time which we used to spend together has reduced, which may seem like a loss of independence. But at the same time, this small time which we share is now more special and their is a sense of need between both of us to make it much better. It has added a new spark to our married life and added a cherry on top of the mutual enjoyment which we used to have. Even the relationship between my wife and my mother has improved a lot, as both have started showering their love on the new infant (Probably have lesser time to quarrel). So arrival of the new baby has improved my family, which is more - happier, busier, enjoying and affectionate now.

Financial Needs:- Sense of new baby means that expenses of the family will increase. This has made me work harder and even look for more avenues to earn money. It has made me more optimistic and better focused. Now my work is being taken more seriously by me. Control on unnecessary expenses has increased. Financial planning for kids education is on mind. Overall, better organised financial planning is coming into the picture now.

More Efficient:- Doing more work at office, at the same time I want to return home faster to be with my kid. This has made me do more efficient work at office rather than wasting any time. I have started going to office on time and trying to be back at time rather than slog work at office. I depart and arrive at office based on my understanding of traffic conditions and time consumed. I have started ordering items on-line & get them home delivered to save time. Now, thinking to move home in April to save travel time in Bangalore, I #lookup to https://housing.com/lookup to get this better and easier. Overall, my efficiency has increased.

Back to Blogging:- During my wife's pregnancy, I somehow stopped blogging. But the arrival of my kid has changed something intrinsically which is making me blog again to express the happiness I am feeling now. Share the Happiness.

Feeling happy when back home:- Earlier when I used to be back home, I used to feel lethargic and used to feel drained. But this has completely changed. Just seeing the face of my baby, holding him, seeing a smile, just fills me with all the positivity and energy. My life is more positive and energetic now.

Hope for Future:- Now when I hope for a better future, I hope it as a family and I am looking up to address all such needs like financial security, housing, education, etc.

Pic of the Akshaj, my baby, who has changed my life for better. :-)

#StartANewLife My Way !!!

Everyone one has his own life and everyone acts differently in different circumstances. This actions paves way for new path of life, but its not necessary a new life. For me Starting a new life means when you make some decisions which changes the way you have lived for many years. The change is visible to all and is not just within you. Mine is such a story in which I have started a new life then ended that life and again started a new one.

I am a Marwadi belonging to a business family. For our family, at least for last 3 generations, the way has been to get a B.Com. degree and join business and be part of family business. Stay with the family, and doing a job as an employee was not an option at all. After my 10th exam, I took science much to the resistance of my family & big brothers. Which somehow many people let it be thinking that after XII th I will move to B.Com. For them science field was for people looking for job as an employee and they had a bias that I should join business. Once a appeared for Engineering competitive exams and told them the plans to join an engineering college away from home that was a shock for most of my family members. For most of us, business was the only way to go, so why even do engineering.

Business v/s Job

For engineering I had to move to kolkata, but for that I need to do lot of convincing at home. Even promising that If I don't like I will be back, etc. After all the convincing and making me look stubborn they had to agree. This was not just about to #StartANewLife. It was about #StartANewLife the way I want. Somehow I moved from my hometown to Kolkata. So one big wave of resistance was over. One more big Tsunami was about to come and it arrived sooner than I expected. I was staying in a hostel and all my hostel mates were Bengali. (I didn't knew Bengali) . Well they were fine with that. 

Veg v/s Non-Veg

But along with being a sole non-Bengali guy I was the sole vegetarian student in the hostel. Once they come to know that I will eat the food cooked along with non-veg food, all hell broke at home. They just wanted me back, period. At that time, I found an unexpected support from my Grand Father. He just told to all and took a stand that, let me try to build my life the way I want - no questions asked - with a condition that if I fail to make a great life out of it. I will just return to them and not hide. And I could continue my engineering, I used to travel to home during the weekends. 

When I look back to the stand taken by my grand father for me, even though he disliked my way. I realise two important lesson he taught me. One was to look up for new things the way you want and try to achieve it. Two, if you fail don't feel shy to talk about your failure and have a plan-B.

Look Up

After my engineering, I got selected for a campus placement. I am still working for software company in Bangalore. I completed my MBA too. Now I see few of my brothers also taking job and none is objecting. It also shows that when you #StartANewLife many others also emulate the same with lesser difficulty. So #StartANewLife is just not paving way for your desires but for others also. Now I feel proud of decision I took and my family is proud of me.

My life the way it would have been had I not taken a decision, would have been different. For my change my normal life to a my new life which was my way. It was different in multiple ways and many things I did first in my family

• First to do a Job and not join family business
• First to stay alone for studies outside my family's residence
• First to do Engineering
• First to do MBA
• First to go outside India
• First to stay in PG/hostel (Now its easier for all fo you to search the same using https://housing.com/, it was not that easy to find good PG/hostel in those days)

I feel good about being first in these. But at the same time, I also agree that there path of directly doing business was also good. Now I feel like starting a start-up which is also like doing a new business. I feel that I come to a round circle. But I have no regret, even if I #StartANewLife again as an entrepreneur, coz that new life will be life my way - the way I choose.

Improved Digital Skills may Solve many problems for India

"Digital Skills for India" is one of the good program which is launched by Intel. As part of this program Intel will work with government to educate across 1000 panchayats targeting 5 million citizens by end of 2015.

 Opinion: I support and am very happy with this programme being launched by Intel. "Digital skills for India" will help the complete ecosystem and improvise in the following respect.

1. Serve as digital seed in Rural India :
   
   
   
   Target to educate across 1000 panchayat mean that there will be many citizens with digital skills in rural area. Who can again impart this skills to other rural citizens. It will be kind of Bandwagon effect - in which rural citizens once they acquire the digital skills will be more effective, efficient and better informed compared to others. The others will then aspire to be more like digitally skilled and hence overall increase in digital education & skill. 
2. Reducing the Digital Divide :
   
    From demographic digital skills perspective, Indian citizens can be divided into two groups : Rural & Urban. Rural population is close to 70% as compared to 30% of the Urban population. Digital skills are way too low in rural area as compared to urban areas. Three main reasons for this are : accessibility, know how of usage & affordability. Intel & India Govt. plans address accessibility & know how issue. But they don't address the affordability as most of the rural folks can't afford ~ $20 internet connection per month. Initiatives similar to "Free Internet" by Facebook can be leveraged here. These initiatives hence are also reducing the digital divide and will convert pen & notebook to tablet & touch-pads.
3. Increase in the digitally skilled labour force:-  
   
   Digital education of the rural India will make india more #DigitalIndia by proportion. Rural population which is composed of 70% of population will help increase in digitally skilled labour force. This will help in reducing supply demand gap for skilled labour. At the same time, it will check the increasing cost of Digital labour. This will keep india competitive in the global market from the cost perspective also, considering the huge competition its observing from lower cost destinations like Philipines.
4. Increase in Market:  
   
   Increase of digital device users will automatically mean demand for more laptops & tablets and other digital devices. This will translated into addition of new demand which were not accessible earlier. Hence bigger market and better opportunities for industry. This is one such way in which companies like Intel will get their investment back in new #DigitalIndia.
5. Improve Economy :
   
   Rural population with digital skills will improve the efficiency of the economy by various ways. Informations related to Weather prediction, price of harvests in various markets, better storage and cultivation ways improving the yields, better access to government, medical facilities etc will greatly improve the efficiency of rural India. This in turns improves the efficiency of overall Indian economy as along with increased productivity it will reduce the loss / wastage and more responsive. 
6. New Local Innovations :-  
   
   New local rural innovations information will be available to wider community and many of such products could be mass produced or used by other needy citizens. One such example is Clay refrigerator - Mitti Cool. These rural innovations can increase the standard of Living in rural India. It will bring name, fame, money as well as better living for rural folks.
7. Reduce urban migration problem:-
   
   There is a big problem happening with rural population moving to urban areas and end up staying in slums. This is adding to more increase in unemployed population in cities as compared to new jobs being created. Most of the cities are not well planned and not capable of handling this huge surge of unemployed unskilled labour. This ends up into various social issues like child malnutrition, violence between local inhabitant and migrants, etc. Digital literacy in rural area will increase job opportunities and hence reduce the migration. This will help in checking the food insecurity problem.

Overall, Its a great initiative by Intel to achieve truly #DigitalIndia. Keep it up your initiatives.

New Arrival - Renewed #Optimism with the start of this new #journey #together

Whenever we start a new journey we are optimistic and as the journey becomes a daily affair slowly the enthusiasm dies and we just keep doing the same thing. At the start we look good, smart, eager to learn, energetic and as day passes by we turn dull. Its with every aspect of life. E.g. When I compare start of study in a new college as compared to the end of study or college life.

Does it mean that newness bring optimism? You can't always make everything new. You can't make new neighbours, you can't make new family, etc. Well, many times yes but you can't just doing new things to be optimistic. 

Optimism can also be rekindled by being #together with your loved ones. They can make you lookup in a very subtle way which is hard to recognise. They also bring the newness of desires and hence the optimism.

Last 22nd September 2014, I was blessed with a baby boy. We named him - Akshaj. Lifting him with my hands somehow triggered something inside me. I felt a need to work harder. I felt the love and affection feeling which I have never felt before. I felt that I need to be optimistic and do more for being together. Ahhh not just being together, being together HAPPILY. When I am going to office, just seeing him gives me strength and motivation to keep going on more than what I should. He provides me with the little nudge to keep motivated. Every day his new moves and growth makes me aspire for more. My Desires and plans are increasing. The plans include moving to a better decent affordable and nice place with good amenities and facilities for better growth of my kid. Housing.com is one such easy way through which I can get a good rented house now and later on buy a new property. Housing.com will help me make a house into a home. 

Being with Akshaj makes me realize that Better Things are Coming. Akshaj, my son, is like a happiness magnet for me. He makes me stay positive & optimistic. I observe the failures which he is facing now to even just sit. He is failing to sit for more than 1 minute even today. But everyday he will try to sit, he will fell down. He will try again. He will keep trying, until I will say that I have to go to office. I can see a never back down attitude even in a small infant who is not educated or motivated by sermons which is given through different texts & speeches. It makes me realize that I have to try more try harder and keep trying and not back down. He doesn't speak but his actions make me say that our biggest weakness lies in giving up. We need to learn a way to just keep trying once more. Being #together with Akshaj is making me #lookup and #optimistic for new & better future.

Every day being together with him is getting memorable for me. The most memorable day was on 22nd september 2014, when he came to my life and make me realise that I am here to make world better for me, him, family and overall. For this I need to keep trying without getting tired and without worrying to fail.