FIFA World Cup Finals

FIFA World Cup Finals

Venue: Extreme Sports Bar (B'ngta Rd,Bangalore)
Audience: Rajiv, Soma, Nitesh, Pratima, Pradeep, Abdul, Mahmood

When i write about the venue-the only thingy missin here is that we were not in Johannesburg.Yeah– but don’t take upna Bangalore as some faltoo place. The football fever here is Full On with loads of Masti. We got to witness the crazy yelling crowd–watchin the knock out match of Germany Vs Argentina. Yeah- Me, Nitesh and Pradeep had a gala time at Extreme Sports Bar. But we had to go back home sulkin and cursing the bad play of the Argentines.

The Finals

If Biscuit & Bhupi are reading this – my apologies. I had plans fixed everywhere to watch the Finals. But I did not know where I would go. The Final small wee bit adjustments – apna Jugaad came handy – we finally managed to get places to see the Finals at “Extreme Sports bar”. Well, the entire place had been booked months back but we managed somehow.

Since it was late night show, all managed to binge a bit of dinner. Me n Soma already for the Finals. After all, it’s once in 4 years and who knows where we will be after 4 years.

We all reached by 11ish and settled for a table. I don’t have enough words to express – watta an audience n ambience it was to be there. The Spanish fans dominated the atmosphere and looked like a blanket of Reds around the pub. I carried a Red Scarf gifted by my Sister in Law when I was watching one of the Bull fights in Pamplona festival. (long back)

As we all waited for the minutes n seconds to pass by – the whistle finally blew for the Finals to be played. Yeah, I could hear the buzzing of the Vuvuzelas and roar of the crowd – It was a FIFA Finals.

We started off with our customary Big Beer Flask – donknow the actual name,,,but it carried good amount of cold beer . As we all sipped our drinks, we were glued to the giant TV screens. I wasn’t much bothered watchin the match – it was much more to see everyone there “just partying’’

After watching Germany’s energetic, innovative and flamboyant team-we all thought they would be the Champions. But we (me and Nitesh) always wanted a South American Team to win. We lost hopes on how the South Americans were devastated. It was now only that – we relied on Spain. Thanks to Octopus’s predictions–Spain was in the Finals. And of course –anyone would be charmed to know how they played as a team and the great players like– Puyol, David Villa, Xavi, Iniesta, Pique, Torres and Casillas.

Everyone was tensed like the players -the entire world watching them playing – the world’s most watched event. The 2 teams played in traditional futbol style but ball possession was more with the “La Riojas”. It was a sight of disappointment to see so many Yellow Cards- but the match went on. We hoped – none would be there in the Spanish team –but they were a few. Robben will always remember and must be haunting his memories for the 2 misses – my heart just stopped for those seconds.

The gang got back to life once again enthusiastically with a 0-0 in the 1st half. >>

We all sat for a post mortem and strategic analysis – nah – kidding. With all that beer in the belly – we were all waiting for some more action and a few goals. Extreme Sports Bar had an amazing music collection.

The game came a bit dirty with loads of fouls. I wanted Spain to play more better what I saw in the previous game with the Germans. Ball possession and tactics were amazing. Here, the passes were not constant and moves were few. The Dutch side was a disaster. They just had crumbs of possession and they always posed a goal threat. Spain had a well marshaled back four and created a few counter attacking combinations.

Thanks to the red card by the referee as it seemed better now for the Spaniards. We were all thrilled now that Spain will surely make a goal. It was only at the end that Iniesta managed to get a goal. Wow- we are all excited and I couldn’t believe that Spain will the Champions. Well, the Dutch could not fight it back as there was not enough time.

Spain are finally the Champions !!!!!!

The crowd went berserk, it was total madness at early morning. People were just not moving as the bar owner wanted to close down. But it was fun as majority wanted Spain to win.

This was a moment to live for and will always be remembered until I get to see the next world cup in Brazil.

For the moment, we can all sit and relax.

Pictures
http://picasaweb.google.com/kkrajiv/WorldCupFinals?feat=directlink

Project 4: You’re what you eat for your breakfast

The topic may have sent some wrong signals, but I’m not here to preach about vegetarianism or to talk about nutrition or nutrients like calcium and carbohydrates, like Fibre and Folic acid, or Vitamin A and Vitamin C.I’ll talk about something usual – that happens to our lives every day.

But first here’s a little incident that happened some days back.

I was criss-crossing the usual monotonous morning in crazy chaotic traffic. At one signal before the office, i saw a gorgeous girl sitting in a swanky car. She was holding and enjoying a glittering glass bowlfull of colourful cut fruits, while the signal was ticking down to zero. I spontaneously started blabbering about how fast the life has become, that a person doesn’t even has time to properly relish his meal. The time is like sand slipping through the hour glass “At this my consciousness, reminded me that just two days back, how I had skipped my breakfast to finish off a weary weekly status meeting and this wasn’t a one-off incident; this has been happening every now and then for some time.

I was reminded of this quote that I read some time back “You are what u eat for your breakfast” I really like this quote. I find this to mean much more than a quote about your eating habits. How? Let us see.

Breakfast is the first meal of the day; it is a gateway and a foundation of effective energy elevation for the day to come. Dedicated Dieticians have proved that the breakfast provides you the necessary jump-start after 6-8 hours of sound soothing sleep. Those who skip breakfast often feel fragile, fumed and frustrated in the morning. Having a healthy and hygienic breakfast helps you get ready for the loads of tensions and the physical challenges that wait for you in the next few hours. Imagine - the smell of breakfast and coffee (smell) drifting up from the kitchen. ...Aloo Parantha's with curd,bacon/sausage ham with brown bread and Idli/Vada sambar,,hmmmmm,,

Isnt then this a sumptous Breakfast ?

Isn’t then this quote true for every other aspect of life as well?

A good start is an important ingredient for success. Psychologists have proved that childhood experiences of a person have a bearing on his whole life. Good education and empowerment, for instance, is the start of a great career. And that’s why you find parents patiently queuing up for admission of their kids in the best brand of the schools.

Extend this example to the corporate world and you’ll find that companies, which started with a bang, continue to hold that advantage for years to come. When Sri-lanka won the World Cup Cricket in 1996, it was largely due to the flying and flamboyant start that Jayasurya provided them in the first 15 over’s in most of the matches. He deadly devastated the bowling attack and gave a mercurial rise on the run rate. It looked like it was raining 4’s and 6’s.

Some of the engineering marvels of the world – for example Enormous Empire State building in New York, our own beautiful historic love scintillating symbolic structure Taj Mahal and the Powerful Pyramids in Egypt – they are the greatest buildings, which have strongest foundations.

My dear friends, a full fledged Foundation is like a chair, it gives legs to stand up., that’s why we say a good start is half job done.

Remember your health is a personal diamond and if you take care you will swim in sea of diamonds.

But is a sound start in itself sufficient to guarantee you success? Your breakfast, however nutritious it may be, can’t see you through the day by itself. You need to supplement that with well-balanced, sumptuous and healthy meals later in the day. To succeed, you do need an Arvinda de-Silva in the middle order to cash on the great start that Jayasurya provides because after a great start, it’s all the more your responsibility to make sure that you live up to the opportunities that your great start has paved for you.

On similar lines, not all of us got opportunities and environment for public speaking in our school-days, but all of us are having delicious toasts of great speeches as our breakfast right here at Toastmasters.

So every time you feel that you’ve missed your breakfast, just remember the girl at the traffic signal I mentioned in the beginning. You can have your breakfast when you need it and are ready for it.

We don’t know that our body is a hungry dog. It is like a seed, it will never grow unless planted and nourished.
So a great start is really, very important. Whenever you can, work hard, make meticulously plans, have the required training and education before you delve deep down into that dream venture so that you have a great start. Follow it up with more preparation, planning and prioritization, but if you fail to get a great start, never mind; you still can be a winner if you want to. As they say, no-one can go back and make a brand new start; anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.

All happiness has its foundation on a sumptuous splendid and leisurely breakfast.”

"I assure you after your breakfast your body will be as happy as a rat with gold tooth, you will feel as fresh as a daisy and you will be as fit as fiddle."