Keep Walking!

Great things in this world are FREE I wonder some great things in this world need no money to be sent. It comes absolutely FREE, like Email. You need NOT pay money to say good words to your mother. You need NOT pay money to listen to a good old friend. You need NOT pay money to express your love to your sweetheart. You need NOT pay money to attend your friend’s school drama function. But, these actions can produce more profound effects which MONEY CANNOT BUY. This is my humble opinion. Thiru

So, you have been told by your parents, teachers, mentors to follow rules, regulations. To me, the first and final rule is .."There are no rules!" If you follow a rule in solving a problem, you will get only same results - like everyone who attempted before you! No wonder. I particularly liked the following advertisement campaign by IBM. "Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The trouble-makers. The round heads in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status-quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify, or vilify them. But the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do." " Think Different " Advertisement - Apple Computers Think Diffe...

One day, while I was waiting for the bus (it always happens to me?) with Anand, an old lady got down from the bus opposite and crossed road, came straight to me. I thought she is going to ask help so, I leaned over to hear what she is going to say. She asked, 'are you using a concession ticket?'. I said 'yes'. She gave me a bus ticket, and told, ' this ticket is valid for next 2 hours, so you can use it!', and went. I was wondering, wondering, oh. god, I didn't even say 'Thank you!' - Big lesson, I learnt that day!! (It is disgusting because, Australians use more "Thank You" than any other people!) Ok, Enjoy your life, and say "Thank you" whenever you can! Thanks for reading, God bless you!!

The media stories, which make it to the headlines, are all personal. I mean all the stories are of individual life, which is very strange from India. I often think why there is a big change. Because, there is no issue needs to be discussed, no problem with Government, No problem with Society (everyone knows it!). So, hardly any stories those appeal to the mass (Indian mass?)..I am sorry, the people like to read about stories of individuals On the contrary, we, Indians (are we?) always except some accidents, scandals.. etc on the front pages of our dailys - otherwise you think you are gone mad! Is tha becasue, the media serves the bad news or we are inclined to reading bad news? Debatable issue! I could not confidently say, anyday on which an Indian newspaper will carry a positive story on front page!

I decided to visit the Ganesha Temple (Oaklands Park), which is 20 minutes by train from the City railway Station. It’s not a train – just a two coaches. Stops in a station for less than a minute. Big hard glass windows so, we can enjoy sightseeing unobstructed. I went on a Saturday with timetable, map etc. Easily, I found the temple but it was closed, the time was 10:30 am. I forgot to check the opening hours! So, I roamed to a nearby library, in which I found a wonderful discovery of Australia (All for good!). I came back; it was opened with some pooja.

It’s a strange fact that all the major sport events start their campaign from Australia – First Cricket match of the year, First Grand slam, and First F1 race – just because – December – Jan will be summer in Australia. (Do you know that Australia celebrates Christmas in summer NOT in winter as in the rest of the world!!) So, we decided to watch the Melbourne F1 race match. I was not interested in watching F1 race because of the sheer noise and the monotonous nature (same track for 50 laps? crazy!). This time, I decided to try because of two reasons – Just to understand what’s this fuss all about F1 (Andy was my commentator) and curiosity about Narain Karthikeyan! What I understood from them – is F1 is more than a single-man’s- ability to drive faster. It’s all about teamwork, strategy with unexpected turns and twists etc. I watched hardly for few minutes – listening to some of the historic strategies of Ferrari team and that of Schumacher! I checked out only a couple of times to know ...

It’s always natural for an outsider to look and wonder at things like this, “Will this happen in India?” Three such incidents: One day, morning while I was preparing to leave to the University – we had experienced a power cut for 30 minutes. Evening while watching the television news, the 30 minutes power cut has made into the top stories with some industries are going to sue for the damages caused by the power cut. Another day, I came to the bus stop and I found that the glass panels of the bus stop (on which advertisements will be displayed) fully broken into pieces. While coming from the University in the evening about 4 o clock, I found no traces of any glass pieces. And a brand new glass panels with the same advertisement were standing! Another one, as a part of our Integrated Bridging Programme for Research Students – a Student-Supervisor (Note the title – NOT Supervisor – Student workshop!) workshop – a kind of Ice-breaking Session - was organised. We had a very good snacks and...

I don't know - atleast not yet - much about the other states. But, I am hearing, reading, living in South Australia - The Driest State in Australia. Ken Duncan also agrees to this point that there are less varieties of landscapes available (only dry lands, what else?) in SA. But.. these guys are doing a wonderful make-up to project this as a truly fascinating "Festival State". How did it get that name? Adelaide is which is the capital of SA hosts Adelaide Art Festival , which is world famous once in 2 years. Begun in 1960, the Adelaide Festival of Arts occurs in Adelaide's warm autumn every 'even' year (2000, 2002, 2004 etc.). So, we will witness it next year. (By the way, did you check the fact that India is coming to Australia only in 2007 to play cricket?). So, I present in pictures about their tourism campaign, no more words. Want to discover the " Secrets of South Australia "? Visit http://www.southaustralia.com Wine Festival SA is famous for i...

I came across a wonderful coffee table book " The Great South Land". It's full of Panographs (a special kind of photographs which are wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide! angled). You can see lot of them in the photographer’s website http://www.kenduncan.com . It presents some stunning photographs of what I thought a " desert land". In fact, its amazing and unbelievable, the government promotes the tourism - such that you will never know that it is a desert continent. They say, if it's heaven on earth it IS HERE! IT IS RIGHT HERE!!!. So, every state has a tagline, for example South Australia - The Festival State. It is embossed in all the Vehicle Registration Plates. I used to wonder and curious about the other state's tagline - what it might be. I found the answer, when I was looking this book casually. I will tell you the story of Festival State (where I live) little later. So, here's the list! Western Australia - The Golden Sate. Queensland - The Sunshine Stat...