Let’s get active!

After a bit more than 1 year since I started to work, I’ve noticed one very important thing – working makes you less active physically! It absorbs most of your time and energy plus it completely changes your lifestyle…

So, after realising all this, for quite a long time now, I’ve been trying to adapt myself to this new way of living and make out time for more physical activities. It sure helps to feel more energetic! I am no sports person but I do like some work out.

The process was and is quite difficult to maintain though because being a web developer and having a flexy time for work, I might find myself coming home too late. So the idea came to me – why not try to include some small and simple activities in my daily life routine? Besides, the recent ads of the margarine, Flora, made me even more realise how simple things could be done to improve our physical activities! It’s all in integrating those in our life and making it fun! After all, if we are to do something it should be first and foremost enjoyable and pleasant, else what’s the use?

Hence, all small trips I have to do I try my best not to take the car – besides it’s sometimes a headache to find somewhere to park your car or even get stuck in the traffic! Or even if I’m going by car, I might very well park somewhere far but safe , so I’m sure the car is secure plus I’m going to have a stroll out of it.

The most important thing is to realise that it’s very simple things that could easily change your physical state. And when we talk about physical state, we also should think about our nutrition. Yes, I know it’s the same lecture everytime but as I see it, controlling your food does not necessarily mean cutting out all nice things you like to eat! It’s all about knowing what you are eating and how you are using it – since it’s our body fuel.

Besides, if we try to find at least 30 minutes everyday to work out, it would be sufficient enough to keep fit. And if time allows, this 30 minutes could very well get to 1-2 hours. One of the best ways to make work outs fun is to add in some music! It not only helps to boost your energy but also time yourself. For example, during 3 songs I’m going to walk briskly (on the treadmill ) then another 3 ones I’m going to slow down the pace. With this, you can easily spend 15 minutes alternating brisk and slow walks. Another tip is to try to make a playlist with alternating rhythmic songs and slows. It really helps in motivating and controlling your pace in your work out!

Working out should also be your moment to let go all stress and tensions. Put on your most favourite songs and move on the music without any restraint. Let yourself enjoy this moment. Add in some variations plus some activities you like best -skipping, running, cycling, jogging,etc. Think like this is your hour – you are taking care of yourself and your body. Add to the fun by either working out with friends or getting yourself new clothes for work out (this is for girls specially ). Also don’t forget the “after-work-out” time where you get a nice hot bath or those who have tubs then enjoy the effects of bath salts /oils ( if you are doing it in couple even nicer ).

Last thing – we are lucky enough to live in a tropical island where summers are daaaamn hot but also the best occasion to work out the most we can in the best enjoyable way possible. I’m talking about going to the beach and swim or jog, go hiking, go cycling or even just stroll about admiring the greenery It all depends on where you live and what’s best to do according to your daily routine. In short, being active physically only needs some adjustments and the will to do it. The rest is only pleasure !

My Google Adventure

My Google Adventure by Sou

I don’t quite remember when it all started but I know it was a relief to discover Google search engine! It was followed by the creation of my gmail account and later on my iGoogle page… I also had an enthusiastic lecturer who always kept us abreadst of all news about Google like when it had bought YouTube. Besides our class at the university had its own Google group to enable ‘mass communication’ – as I viewed it. Today though we have graduated, the group is still there and we still communicate from time to time.

Then I joined Netgroup as a web developer and as every decent developer Netgroupers use Google for online search and we also make use of Google Analytics to keep track of the traffic flow on our site.  I was even pleased to learn once that my blog had brought most back links to the site

My adventure intensified when I actually got the opportunity (and enormous chance) to discover the Google Map API and use it for one of our projects – Mauritius Villas – which is yet to be launched (and you can be sure I’ll announce it when it does ). So, there were two of us, Youshrin and I, to enter the world of what I call Google coding. The experience was really great specially when you’ve been able to adapt the map to the requirements of the project. And yeah we also discovered Google Map Maker and we added regions that were missing specially for our map to work effectively. We got a bit desperate while waiting for the moderation at first but it paid off when we finally saw the regions appearing on the map! I might elaborate on this in another post (if requested ).

The last but not least event in my Google adventure was the G-Mauritius Day 2009! It all came to me as a surprise when our director sent me a message telling that he had registered me to represent Netgroup at the event. I was like astonished, surprised and then thrilled. The forum was very instructive indeed and though all information is available online to actually get started with the Google API, having real Googlers there explaining it to you is a unique and enriching experience. It was all about receiving a concentrated amount of useful info in just one day! I can’t wait to give a try to Google Gadgets and Google Friend Connect! As for Google Web Toolkit, it sounds like a real ‘miracle product’ specially for those who know the pain of debugging in IE. However, not being a Java developer at present, it was like the message of deliverance but then the disappointment . Anyway it gave me the incentive to probably jump into Java development later on in my career…

As representative of Netgroup, I found a lot could be used in our sites for more innovative and competitive products. After the brilliant experience with Google Map, Netgroupers have yet to discover Google Gadgets and Google Open Social. This of course will depend upon future projects’ requirements.

If  I could summarise my Google adventure (so far) , I’d say it began with me being a regular Google user, then I became a Google API developer and finally a G-Mauritius Day participant. I wish and strongly expect this adventure to continue. Open source is just ‘fantastic’ (as would say one of my past lecturers) and one of the best part of it is having forums like this one where virtual and geographical barriers are crossed. After all, human contact is the best experience

P.S: The picture is on my Facebook page. I shall place it on my Flickr soon for everyone to be able to see.

What do women want?

Seeking with the eyes by Sou

It has been very big puzzle indeed, present in the mind of men and women themselves, for centuries now…

Ask any woman the question and believe me the answer won’t and can’t be straight forward! Oh and no this is not because women are not intelligent or smart enough to know what they exactly desire! The matter is the question englobes “women” and it would be hard for one single woman to answer for all those types of women out there!

But some attempts could be made though. There are those who’d be happy to have a nice cozy house, a simple and gentle husband and kids to look after. While others would prefer a more busy life with a career as well as a family. Some women like their freedom pretty much, even in relationships.  On the other hand some would like to fully commit and devote themselves to their loved ones.

Of course, I’m using extreme examples! There are also those women who fall in between those extremes. The very fact of discovering what a woman wants, takes a lot of understanding – make sure you see her like an individual with her own identity (and not just a ‘like-all-women’  point of view). Once you’ve figured out who she really is, it all becomes clear. You’ve got to get close enough to her to understand her desires and dreams and even closer to wish they do come true.

In general, women would want you to listen to them and stand by them. We also would like you to stop this stereotype thinking about women being the weaker sex. In other words, start being less condescent or even better, don’t be it at all! Yes, we agree there are things men do that we can’t do but it never meant  that men had to get the lead.

When in a relationship, a woman would want, above all, a supportive and comprehensive partner. Someone who will be by her side for all important steps she takes in life  either in terms of her career or her personal life. It doesn’t mean that a woman cannot stand on her own alone – far from that. It means you do have an important place in her life and your opinion counts!

Women are very complex beings – I firmly agree. Yet the least a man could do is to accept their difference first by putting an end to this usual comparison between a man and a woman. Yes, women have unexplained reactions at times , they tend to get moody very easily. I even agree that they can also become a pain in the neck. But in the end you should understand that all she wants is your attention and affection. More than men, women seek for  love and attention all the time may it be from their surroundings or from their partners. This is why jealousy is most common feeling in women than in men.

Again whatever I’ve been saying might not be fully true for each and every women. Yet the most similar thing among them all is that they are human beings seeking for a place in what we call a man’s world (though not so much anymore according to me) and who have been successful so far

Hence, their most deepest wish would be to finally make women equal to men;  not in terms of deeds or salary but mostly in terms of attitudes and behaviours on the part of the society as a whole…