This morning (Thursday), my colleague and I sat discussing cost strategies for certain clients and were trying to figure out how to increase revenue streams from certain areas and certain clients. It’s weird that in these tough economic times, we are beginning to hear financial organizations making money again (Goldman Sachs have paid off their $10bn government loan and made $3.5bn profit in the last quarter alone, if you haven’t heard). Working/servicing in the same industry, we need to have foresight of where our clients are going and which areas we could target to get them spending on software again.

While my colleague tried to break things down from the client perspective, I tried to take it a step lower and focused on our internal issues. We as a relatively small company have hell of a lot of work happening at the moment; however, our revenue seems to be drying up on a month by month basis. Pretty often there are a lot of tedious and lengthy projects, and they don’t quite challenge you a great deal (depends on your definition of challenge ofcourse!). However, there is still a job there to be done, and deliveries to be made on target.

Internally within the organization, we have a lot of areas which are overworked and under resourced, however in areas where there is a decent balance, there is a LOT of mismanagement too. Turns out that these teams are at times strategic to the progress of projects and it is in these areas where we are failing to capitalize on our strengths and grasp the initiative to focus on delivering stronger.

I wrote a little something about this area of the business in February ’09, and suffice to say that there isn’t any progress in the last 6 months or so. The shortsightedness in people always makes them notice the one or two quick wins and ride that wave when it happens, but the same people are not ready to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty when they carry out major screwups with amazing consistensies.

I don’t know why but it bugs me a great deal to see people turning up to work and performing with no desire; we could revolutionize our company but with the lack of vision at all levels, the only way is down. I sympathize with them sometimes because they are misinformed, or “don’t know” which direction they need to face, but it is the same point that I made 6 months ago – wouldn’t you think a grown adult would come asking eventually?

It saddens me to see that 3 people within 2 years of my age range look no further at pushing or expanding themselves, regardless of the push, motivation and knowledge that they are being given from others. Ya, maybe it’s lack of leadership, but at 27, 28 and 29 – 3 confident and experienced adults are not seeing beyond their comfort zone. One can guide them to the river, and give them the hook and line, but ultimately it is them who has to go fishing for success.

*sigh*

It has been quite a week on this blog! For anyone who hasn’t been up to speed with the happenings, let me tell you what 14 other bloggers and myself have been upto!

In January 2009, this blog began it’s participation in NaBloPoMo. NaBloPoMo is an innitiative as such, to get bloggers to post on a daily basis. The idea is also to try and blog on a particular theme, but it is not mandatory. The theme for January 2009 was “Change”. It was a subtle theme to begin the year with because January is normally about change, about resolutions, about improving yourself; but January 2009 will also stand out in history as the period in which this world witnessed a truly historic political change which affects almost everyone.

As part of my daily blogging routine, I wanted to gauge how “change” was going to affect the people who read this blog, and more importantly, what is their view of change as they see it in their life. To measure this (using no particular scale as such), the 7 posts in 7 Days (7Pi7D) project was born. The scale of the initial project had to be altered, but the concept remained. This blog was opened to fellow bloggers and non-bloggers to air their views, opinions, and thoughts on this subject of change.

The result of this was amazing, and far exceeded my expectations. The quality of posts which each of these 14 bloggers put together was pretty outstanding. Moreover, I think we can clearly identify that the daily battles which most of us face may be unique to each one of us, but is something that each one of us can definitely relate to. I love the fact that new blogging friendships were forged during this project, and hopefully each one of these guys will see and benefit because of the newly formed alliances.

Another aspect of the 7Pi7D project was a prize for the 500th comment; the prize would go to the 500th commenter ofcourse, and the blogger on whose post the comment appeared. The winners are AnonymouslyMe (blogger) and Digital Niqabi (commenter). An Amazon voucher, and a charity donation are on their way!

As for this blog, well, NaBloPoMo in January was very enjoyable! Saying that, I don’t think I will participate in NaBloPoMo for a while. A major part of my blogging experience is to actually read other blogs, and relate to them from my personal experiences. Unfortunately, during January, I have hardly had time to read and comment on the blogs which I love and follow. I miss this big time, and want to get back to this ASAP. My studies have also taken a fair bit of a hit because of the marathon blogging and the time which it took last month; I want to pick that up again too.

Saying that, I am not one to sit down and continue with a fixed routine! I want to definitely give the blog a facelift, and this is top of a priority list over the next two months. I am also looking at collaborative blogging, and need to further thrash some ideas out in that area. What I do know is that I am reading more blogs outside of my comfort zone, and these are helping me identify challenging areas as a blogger. A little bit of work on the ideas, and we can have something interesting going, not only here but also on other blogs.

I will begin February 2009 by going “shush” for sometime. Work is a little hectic at the moment, and I am begining my month out of London for most of the coming week. I should be alive on twitter, and hopefully back to my blogging best by the end of the week!

The last week of January 2009 was great fun! I want to thank everyone big time for participating. Each of you is in my reader already, an hopefully I will catch up with reading and commenting in the coming days.

I will leave you with 14 of the best! They are linked below in the order of their appearance:

Antonella

Pipi

AnonymouslyMe

Mars

MaliZOMG

Sarah Elizabeth

Falak

HFM

HanniePants

Ms Outcast

Digital Niqabi

Katherine

Dallas Diaries

Lili

MY *updated* – One more for good measure!

Have a good February everyone!

Perhaps it’s narcissistic.  You probably don’t give a damn about the inner dialogues of my mind.  But, no matter how many times I sat down to write about the momentous change we all were privileged to witness last week, I was unsatisfied.  I deleted it five times over.  I gave up, shut my lap top, drank buckets of coffee, and drummed my fingers on the table.  Was it spectacular?  Yes.  Did a tsunami of hope come over me when I watched Obama swear into office?  Of course.  Can I tell you anything that a million other writers haven’t already said a thousand times over, with more eloquence than  I could ever hope for?  Nope.

So, here is my story about change.  My change.

I grew up in a five bedroom house in oil rich south Texas. No, I don’t have an accent.

When he was governor, I once saw W standing on the steps of my church.  I like listening to him talk.  2004 found me living, courtesy of my father’s pocketbook, in a small college town in east Texas.  A staunch conservative, a shiny black W sticker glistened on the bumper of my Ford mustang.   I voted for Bush.

I still cringe a little when I say the word.  Liberal.  I still feel a little out of place in my own opinions, kind of like wearing a prom dress in a bowling alley.  It just doesn’t fit.

But, my eyes were ripped open in 2005 when I married an immigrant, lost my health insurance, and began work as a domestic violence advocate in a shelter for women and children.

Where to begin?

I poured every dime into just keeping my husband living in this country, legally.  I worked two jobs to pay for fees and forms and legal advice.  I parked my car up against a tree to keep it from being repossessed.  I defaulted on my student loans.  I dropped out of college.  I gave away my cat. I pawned my beloved diamond charm bracelet.  I moved to Canada.

The US government lost our paperwork.  We had to start over.  No refund.  No apology.  Start over.

Dropping out of school, I lost my health coverage.  Due to medical conditions, I could not afford more insurance.  There is still a stack of red envelopes on my kitchen table, bills from emergency rooms and hospitals.

Years later, my first real job out of college in a shelter surrounded by women who cannot afford housing, health coverage, clothes for their children, psych meds.  Fathers deported, leaving behind five US citizens under ten years old to live very meagerly off of social services and charity.

I have seen first hand the magnitude of the hurdles facing people just to live in this country.  I  have seen people shackled together in an immigration office.  I once saw a starving women, in the United States of America,  shit in her pants at the table because her body didn’t know how to react to a full stomach.  I have seen children covered in dirt, and sores, and lice – living in cars.

Liberal?   Really, you?

Yes.

I lived it.   I witnessed it  I became a victim to my own blind choice.  I changed.

Change is in the air, and as most citizens of this country and other countries watching worldwide, I am standing with open arms ready to embrace it.

My Name is Katherine, and you can read me on Katherine Unabridged.

When asked to write an article about ‘change’, the last thing I wanted to do was write something that was obvious – or had the word ‘change’ repeatedly in the first sentence. (A moot point now)

Anyhow, with everyone excited with the change of hands in the US administration and the overall feel-good that comes with the start of the year, there’s a feeling the this year will be different. Somehow. For the better. In my opinion, I do get a little irritated that the well-being of the world depends on the well-being of America. But hey – doesn’t matter if everyone ends up feeling all happy and content.

But will things really change for the better? There’s a saying I read on a mat of a cool vegetarian restaurant I ate at recently:
” An optimist sees the glass half-full. A pessimist sees the glass as half-empty. A realist knows that someone will have to wash the glass.”
As most people can see where I’m getting at, I agree with the realist. Regardless of whether this year will be better or worse, it’s up to us to make it work – ‘wash the glass’. All the crap of last year can truly be a thing of the past if we take it upon ourselves to fix the mess we got ourselves into in the first place.

But I don’t want to continue on a lecture about responsibility – I’m sure there’s enough on the web if you search hard enough. I like light and fluffy things – sounds either like food or a soft toy. I’m generally very frivolous in my posts and articles and I like it that way – although the darkness creeps in from time to time. This post might ramble on and have no meaning. That’s fine by me too. That’s how I write and think. No human being thinks like a well-written essay. That’s why you can’t write in one go. You stop, think, edit and plan your way through the word limit given. Being the nerd/geek that I am, I actually enjoyed my English exams – gave me the chance to speak my mind in an essay. No straight-lace stuff about “My Pet” or “How I Spent my Summer Vacations…”. I’d always pick the essay which had something on the lines of “Insert the following phrase into your essay”, followed by some weird sentence. Those were fun to write. My one regret was the school not letting me sit for English as a First Language and instead made me give English as a Second Language. I aced that of course – but I knew I would have aced the First Language one too. Their reasoning was: “The Cambridge examination board does not expect foreigners to pass that paper”. What BS.

I promised TJ/Cookie Monster/biscuitinabasket (take your pick) that I might include a recipe in my post. I’m a foodie and I generally add recipes on my blog from time to time (shameless plug to my blog). So, I’ll hand over a recipe (which I will re-publish on my blog after the 7PI7D is over – sorry TJ) which has ‘evolved’ over time and is a popular comfort food/weekend brunch dish in my house – well mostly just me:

• 1 pkt of hotdogs (about 10)
• 3 large potatoes, chopped into 1cm cubes
• a condiment of your choice – generally a smoky sauce like BBQ or thai chili sauce does well
• olive oil
• salt/pepper to taste
• crumbly cheese (optional)

Heat a non-stick pan and add 1-2tbs of olive oil to the pan. Add potatoes and cook until somewhat crispy and golden on the outside and is mostly cooked. While sauteing the potatoes, cut the hotdogs while frozen into very thin slices. It’s easier doing it while frozen. Once the potatoes are sauteed, add hotdogs and cook for about 5 minutes, when the hotdogs have browned somewhat and are cooked. Add about 1-2tbs of the sauce of your choice, along with salt and pepper. If using a salty cheese later, omit the salt. Cook for another minute and add cheese. Blend quickly and take pan off the heat. Serve hot with eggs or eat plain.

Now about the cheese used, this was a recent modification. I never used cheese before but got a really yummy, salty fresh cottage cheese from Dhaka. It was in a ball and had small holes, like Swiss. The consistency was that if heated, it would melt slightly, giving it a stringy appearance, but retained its shape. That’s the type of cheese I would advise to use. If you use cheddar and/or mozzarella or the melty stuff, I’d advise to add it after you take the pan off the heat. This recipe makes enough for about 4-6 people, depending on appetites and if its added as a part of big weekend brunch. It will stretch to 8 people if used in a big brunch.

My name is Mars, and my mind is ticking on The Inner Workings Of A Media Junkie

I was going to post something light hearted today…. I think I will hold that though for a day or two because I can feel a flickering light bulb in my head…. normally indicates a better moment for me….

This post is going to be a slightly long one, and a little link heavy. But I want you guys to do me a favour today – ok? Click on the links which I have posted today; I really want to try and bring the essence of what others are preaching into the flavour of my post.

I don’t like to get to ‘political’ in what I write. This is because politics and policy to that matter are based on opinions, which like a coin ofcourse have two sides. I am certain that all of you have heard about the goings on in Gaza, and how the situation is out of control in that region. There are a lot of people who are trying to do ‘something’, to try and calm the situation down…. I could even risk my opinion by saying attempting to resolve the situation.

There is one thing though…. regardless of what happens in the political arena, what matters to us everyday people is the behaviour, the views and opinions of our peers. Most people who will read this post come from liberal, free thinking communities and societies where opinion is valued. Or is it?

Like I said earlier – opinion is like a coin. There are 2 sides to this. With regards to this situation, there are a lot of people who are pro-Israel, and a lot or people who are pro-Gaza/Palestine (for some of you – you may want to read anti-Israel). However, there are a lot of people who are on the fence or do not have an opinion. This is worrying; and let me tell you how this affects the actions which could be taken at national and international level.

We live in an era of networking; be it social or live, I think our desire to venture, learn, adapt and accept others, makes us openminded and appreciative of the views of people from other arenas. In our hands, we have the single most powerful tool as ordinary people to voice sensible and logical opinions based on facts. Ofcourse, if we want to win those on the fence, we need to make them appreciate both sides of the problem; and as hard as it is, you cannot get the support of any person without simplifying or rationalising a complex situation like the one in the Middle East.

We also live in the culture of celebrity appreciation. Anything that is said by influential people on tv or a glossy mag, we stick to it like flies to poo. Well…. is that a bad thing? I ask because….. there are more people in the entertainment limelight who are championing the cause for peace than justifying the actions of Israel. I wrote about Jon Stewart covering this situation on The Daily Show, humorous as it may be, he is still coming out and talking some logic. There is a post on Sabbah blog related to Gilad Atzmon. It is a very interesting piece (link to the post) looking at things from a very different angle. I understand the position that Atzmon takes, but they are still very strong words coming from a high profile Israeli.

*Update*

The footballer Freddie Kanoute is voicing his support too.

The news media has been working hard to report both sides of the story too, but the fact that we are seeing only one side maybe reflects the fact that what is happening is so one sided. I personally don’t have a high view of the news and written media, but it is very difficult to doubt the integrity of a large majority of them. Al Jazeera always do a fantastic job end to end in the ME. In the UK, the BBC remains unbiased and is trying to relay the opinions on both sides (One side, and the other side, more other side, and even more other side) of the fence, but you have to ask yourself – the fact that journalists were not allowed into Gaza until a day or two ago and the fact that majority of the in-depth reporting is on what is happening within Gaza let alone outside it…. doesn’t it make you think – where is the suffering really happening? Another short piece in the New York Times summarises this very very well – have a read, and form your own opinions.

It has turned out to be a long post, but my message is this….

Look at the ‘truth’ which is being reported in the media, then listen to the people who are of direct understanding of the situation – bloggers like Mona and Gaza mom are putting in a tremendous effort in reporting the conflict via social media. They are 2 out of hundreds of thousands who are advocating peace as opposed to pointing fingers and attempting to reason with those with no logic. Finally, look and follow the work of human rights groups based in the region – one of the blogs which I am following is maintained by an Israeli human rights group campaigning for the people of Gaza. It goes to show that this conflict is not between religions, and not between Palestinian and Israeli. This WAR is between two sets of people with nothing but their own illogical and unreasoned interests, but the people who are suffering are innocent civilians.

Once you read all of this – form an opinion; if you have an opinion you can influence others by voicing your concerns; if you can voice your concerns, you probably live in a free country with the democratic right to select the people who can make the decisions to intervene much earlier than what is happening now. If you do all this with your family, friends, neighbours and community, we have a decent chance achieving peace not only in this unfortunate region, but also around the world.

I made a pledge to try and post everyday of this month, and the NaBloPoMo theme for January 2009 is Change. I think all of my posts so far are subtly campaigning for change in some form or other around me… we all got on the Obama bandwagon for something ‘revolutionary’…. what’d'ya say we try all over again?

I picked this up from Lili on Twitter – it is soooo funny! I am having issues displaying the video so please click on this link to view it.

I wish more people in the media came out and openly spoke about this issue – in humour or otherwise. Politicians are talking one sided crap about this situation, and I think “normal” people have to have a say and influence the situation, giving it the attention it deserves.

I started writing this post, and then scrapped it… and then restarted…. and then scrapped it. This is my third attempt…. and the reason why I have scrapped it twice is not because I don’t know what I want to say… I’m just not quite sure how to present it….

Half way through the year, I lost something very precious. The person who I loved so dearly decided that we were not going in the direction which was possibly destined for us. If you are reading this today, I just hope, wish and pray that Allah gives you the patience with someone else. I know it took a while for me to get stable on my two feet, for us to try and gain some stability, but these are the challenges that we face in everyday life. Sometimes you win…. sometimes  you don’t. Maybe it was not meant to be for us, and inshallah we can have happier days going forward.

At work, I started the year with a few challenges – good ones. I was given responsibilities at work which I did not expect at the end of 2007. The year is ending very positively on this front too. There is always a stigma, a label which us Asians attatch to ourselves, especially in the Western side of the world. I think Russell Peters put it well in the sketch below. Asian people (read Indian and Pakistani folk) will always complain how hard it is to get ahead in a non-asian work environment. I have worked in a majority Asian environment to know that the thinking of our people is screwed up. Our types love to complain, moan, bitch…. there aren’t many of us who just get on with it. Keeping that in mind, I think the ‘wins’ which I have enjoyed this year reflect the amount of hard work which I have put in. I can hope and pray that the next year is as just to me as this year has been!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eyXdca-K7U

2008 was also an eventful year on the international scene. I think the second half of the year was unpredictable at the start of the year. The 3 things which stood out for me were:

1. The Olympics in China – I think these will be impossible to match for a very long time. The organisation, and the spectacular nature of the games was very very impressive.
2. Obama – I first heard about Obama when he was elected into the senate in 2004. Since then I have been sporadically following his progress, and really got on the bandwagon once the democratic primaries got underway. His election has been by far the greatest and most historic event which I have witnessed. His victory in the presidential elections was the “man on the moon” event for my generation.
3. The international financial crisis is by far the black swan which nobody expected to see. It’s impact, the duration of its unwelcome stay, and it’s consequence is impossible to predict. I do think that this one can be ridden out, but is it possible for billions of people to make the changes which can help us get over this catastrophe?

This year is also very important for me because, finally, I actually committed to blogging, and have made some good and interesting friends on this journey. I want to once again thank the 4000+ people who took time out to read what I have written over the last 7 months. Blogging has brought a sense of relaxation for me. It has also inspired me to think further outside the box, explore new ideas, and take part in discussons which were previously out of my realm. Every thought, view and opinion is some sort of motivation to write better and move up a level.

2008 has been an eventful year for me. I think, consistently throughout the year – be it at a personal level, progression in my career, or day to day life; I think it would be very fair to say that the year has dished out many life changing tests and the curve ball has been thrown at me very frequently. Quite how many I hit out of the park – well that is to be seen. I have grown as a person this year… I definitely sense a level of maturity within myself, and hope that I can take that somewhere.

I was thinking a few days ago… I havent really kept and worked on any resolutions over the last two or three years. I know that when I have a focus or something motivating me, I have had good, successful and fulfilling years. I think it’s time I thought about where I go next year…. A new direction, or dimension may be on the agenda…. only time will tell!

I know there are still 3 days to go in this year, but this will be my final post for 2008. I guess I want to spend the remainder of the year reflecting on where I want to go in 2009.

How has your year been?

*Alvida – goodbye in Hindi and Urdu. Elvide in Turkish (I think that is how it is spelt).

It has been a truly historic night, an event for which textbooks will have to be re-written for our kids to learn.

Let me tell you how big a deal president elect Obama’s victory is to me. I am a non-black British national. I am 26 year old, and have nothing to do with the US of A. The only political history which is significant in my memory is the fall of the former USSR and the end of apartheid in South Africa. None of these 2 events come close to what we have witnessed last night and into this morning.

I first heard about Obama about 4 years ago was when time magazine did a cover on him when he was elected into the senate. Since then, I have sporadically followed him until the Democrats race started about 18 months ago. Although I do not support some of his policies, it it obvious to see that Obama portrays a man who listens very very carefully to all those concerned around him. What has pushed him forward and won peoples hearts is the confidence, charisma, and reality which he brings with him.

I had no reason to stay up all night last night, but I truly wanted to witness and be part of history. Here was a man so gracious in victory, but also in mourning don’t forget. The person who was his strongest supporter, as he grew up, departed just short of his best hour. If you read Obama’s books, you will notice that this is the 3rd such instance that this has happened to him.

What he does here on is something to see. I believe he will not be recognised for a lot of his work because of the stigmas attached to him (skin colour and experience), but also because I expect him to spend his first term correcting a lot the wrongs done by the current administration. I sincerely hope you Americans hold a clear view and support this man vehemently in the changes which he aims to bring to American society and the international agenda as a whole. He may be inexperienced, but he has proved that it hasn’t stopped him till now, and won’t in the future too!

Martin Luther King’s dream was that people would be judged not by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character. Today, Dr King’s dream has come true.

Well done president elect Barack Hussein Obama II, the future is yours to change.

I guess there will be a lot of blog posts to this effect this week, but I think it is a fitting way to kick off this week.

From a British observers’ perspective, I think one thing must be said – the effort made by both candidates has been immense. Yes, McCain had an “easier” ride from the primaries but it still had to be done. Obama has that freshness, determination and drive which makes people take some notice. Hillary Clinton gave him a tough time too, but I think Obama had that little bit more to gain the nomination.

I guess that now we (we as in all you Joe six packs) are down to it, I hope the best man genuinely wins. My money (against all my work colleagues) is on Barack Obama of course; but in the greater scheme of things, I really do hope that the best candidate to take the States and to a certain extent the rest of the world wins this important election.

Right, so that’s the political talk done, onwards….