KOGS Blog

Count Your Blessings

2007-08-18T16:11:00.000+04:00

"I complained because I had no shoes....... until I found a man who had no feet!"

This is a well-known adage - a wonderful and thought-provoking one at that!

But how often do we really take this message to heart?

We are busy worry about "don't-have(s)" rather than "do-have(s)".

Of course, there are times, when we should be grateful for the "don't have(s)" too.

While many of us worry - but do nothing about - having a few extra pounds, perhaps around the waist, take a minute to see the image below...

Manuel Uribe tips the scales at 560 kilograms (1,234 pounds).

What wouldn't he give to be like any one of us???

Count your blessings!

Table Manners

2007-01-28T16:56:00.000+04:00

I came across this interesting Q&A on Table Manners and thought it worth the while to share with folks.

Some of them were indeed 'new' to me.

Sure, you know it very well, but this is for the simple folks like me....
---

Q. Is it considered rude to take a sip of your drink while still chewing?

A. It is considered good manners to wait until you have finished chewing and have swallowed your food before taking a sip of your beverage.

Q. What is the correct position for a coffee cup in a formal place setting?

A. The coffee cup and saucer is placed to the right of the place setting, to the right of the furthest utensil. Since most people are right-handed, the handle should face to the right.

Q. After the completion of a formal dinner, where do you place your utensils?

A. Place the knife and fork parallel to one another across the plate with the knife blade facing inward toward the plate. Position the knife and fork in the position of ten o’clock to four o’clock. For more information on dining etiquette, please consult the Manners 2000 Volume 1 Social Graces and Table Manners Video.

Q. How should I fold a large napkin before placing it in my lap?

A. Large dinner napkins should be folded in half after opening and before placing on one's lap.

Q. Is it proper for a woman to apply lipstick at the table after a meal?

A. It is appropriate for a woman to excuse herself and apply lipstick in a private area such as a restroom.

Q. When should the host/hostess of a dinner party be served?

A. The host hostess of a dinner party should be the last one served. If the meal is getting cold, the host/hostess may state something to the effect, "Please begin while the food is still warm".

Q. At a formal dinner party, how do I properly serve and remove the dishes and glasses?

A. When entertaining formally, dishes are presented or served at guest's left and removed from the right side. Glasses are filled from the right.

Q. When dining at a fine restaurant should you eat different types of food on your plate individually or eat all the food groups together?

A. It is appropriate to eat all items together as the different foods complement one another.

Q. When eating meat, should you cut one piece, put your knife down, then eat the piece, or should you cut all of your meat up first, and then eat the meat?

A. When eating meat, should you cut one piece, put your knife down, then eat the piece, or should you cut all of your meat up first, and then eat the meat? When eating meat, always cut and eat one small piece at a time.

If you are eating American style, you may put your knife down, switch your fork to your other hand and eat your bite. If you are eating continental style, you may cut the piece of meat and eat it without putting setting your knife on your plate. Continental Dining Style is becoming more prevalent today and is considered the preferred method of eating.

Q. What direction should food be passed at the table?

A. Food should be passed to the right, or counter-clockwise, For additional information on dining etiquette,

Q. Is it wrong to stand when a lady excuses herself from the table? What is the proper etiquette when the woman excuses herself and returns?

A. What is the proper etiquette when the woman excuses herself and returns? Answer: In a social setting, it is always appropriate for a male to stand when a female is taking her leave. However, in a business setting, it is not always necessary for a male to rise whenever his female coworker(s) leave the table.

Q. Should you dismiss yourself from the table if you need to sneeze or blow your nose?

A. Yes, excuse yourself from the table, and at no time should you use your napkin as a handkerchief.

Q. When dining out, is it okay to share your food with the others at the table for tasting purposes?

A. Yes, it is appropriate to share when others at the table are also willing to share. However, always request additional small plates and clean utensils for dividing the shared food.

Q. Where do I place my napkin when briefly excusing myself during the meal?

A. Place your napkin on the chair when excusing yourself during the meal as it is not appropriate to place a soiled napkin on the table while people are still eating. At the completion of a meal, carefully place the napkin at the left of your place setting or if the plates have been cleared, place the napkin in the center without actually refolding to original state.

Q. Who pays the bill when dining out?

A. When entertaining a guest, such as when out for dinner or cocktails, the person who extended the invitation (regardless of gender) is responsible for paying the bill.

Q. When do I use the salad fork?

A. When served a salad as the main entrée, use your dinner fork or entrée fork. Also, if your salad is served as a side dish on your main entrée plate, use your dinner fork. Otherwise, use your salad fork for your salad!

Q. What is the correct way to butter bread or a roll?

A. When served bread or a roll on a bread/butter plate; break the bread with your fingers into pieces small enough for one or two bites; butter a pulled apart piece and then eat it. Do not butter the entire roll or piece of bread at one time.

Q. Which side of the guest should I pour wine from at the dinner table?

A. Pour wine and all beverages from the right, while standing behind and to the right of the guest.

Q. When should charger plates be removed from the dinner table?

A. The charger plates should be on the table when the guests are seated. The soup, fish or salad course are served on top of the charger. It is customary for the charger plate to be removed prior to the serving of the entree or dinner course. Some people however, prefer to leave the charger plate on the table during the entree because they enjoy the appearance of the charger. Regardless of if you remove the charge after the soup, fish, salad or entree, the charger plate should always be removed before the dessert course.

Q. What is the correct way to serve yourself a portion of brie cheese? Do you just
cut a piece from the soft part or try to cut off a portion including the hard skin?

A. Do you just cut a piece from the soft part or try to cut off a portion including the hard skin? Serve yourself an entire piece of cheese neatly and then you may cut away the crust on your own plate.

Q. When you have some food in your mouth that you don’t want to swallow, what should you do?

A. Move the food forward with your tongue onto the fork and place it back on the side of your plate.

Q. Where do I place the finger bowl after cleansing my fingers?

A. When using a finger bowl, after cleansing your fingers, place the finger bowl and the doily on the upper left side of the place setting; this clears the dessert plate for the dessert.

Q. Where are the dessert utensils placed in a formal table setting?

A. When setting the table, the dining utensils (or flatware) used for eating dessert should placed using one of the following options:1) At the top of the place setting with the fork (handle pointing left) placed above the plate and the spoon (handle pointing right) placed above the fork.2) The dessert spoon placed to the immediate right of the plate.3) The dessert fork and spoon placed on the dessert plate along with the finger bowl and presented immediately before the dessert.

Q. What do you do when the salad has big pieces of lettuce? Can you cut them with your knife?

A. Years ago, when knife blades were still made of silver, this was true, as the vinegar harmed the blades. However, today, most knife blades are stainless steel and therefore, may be used to cut lettuce into smaller bites.

Q. Should a child stand or sit while the adults are being seated at the dining table?

A. When at a dining table, a child should stand behind his/her chair until all the adults have been seated.

Q. Where should I put my napkin at the completion of the meal?

A. At the completion of a meal, carefully place the napkin at the left of your place setting or if the plates have been cleared, place the napkin in the center without actually refolding to original state.

Q. In a family setting, which direction should food be passed for serving?

A. Food is passed to the right, or counter-clockwise.

Q. What should you do if you spill a beverage on yourself while dining?

A. Clean up the spill at the table or excuse yourself to the restroom if needed. Apologize to anyone your slight mishap may have inconvenienced.

Q. When a fellow diner asks to "please pass the salt,” is it standard etiquette to pass both the salt and the pepper?

A. We recommend first passing the salt and then inquiring if the other guest would also like the pepper

True Gift for Someone you love

2007-01-14T12:25:00.001+04:00

The Greatest Gift you can give someone

is your time.

Because when you are giving someone your time,

you are giving them a portion of your life

that you will never get back.

The King of the Jungle says: Gratefully Yours...

2007-01-09T16:47:00.000+04:00

Ana Julia Torres kisses Jupiter, an African lion she rescued malnourished from a circus six years ago, at her Villa Lorena animal shelter, in Cali, Colombia, Friday, Jan. 5, 2007. Ana Julia Torres is the owner of the 12-year-old shelter

Christmas Craft: Bead and Pipe Cleaner Ornaments

2007-01-06T12:37:00.000+04:00

In order to make this blog more useful, I shall endeavour to include a few interesting topics outside the direct purview of this blog.

Let's start with Christmas Craft, since we are still in the Holy & Joyful season.

---

Christmas ornaments made from ordinary pipe cleaners and inexpensive acrylic beads are very pretty and easy to make. They look quite impressive yet are easy enough for small children to make. This is one Christmas craft idea to use again and again. Older people will enjoy making this Christmas craft, too, which can be varied to make a number of different sparkling ornaments for your Christmas tree.

To make the bead and pipe cleaner ornaments, you need common pipe cleaners in desired colors and acrylic beads. Two types of beads are particularly effective when strung on pipe cleaners. One type are called sunburst beads, but are also known as paddlewheel beads, snowflake beads, or starburst beads. These beads have six faceted paddles spaced equally around a center that contains the hole for stringing. When several of these sunburst beads are strung consecutively, they fit against each other in an interlocking pattern.

The other type of bead that is also effective for this Christmas craft is called the tri bead or propeller bead. It has three rounded bumps arranged around the stringing hole. Like the sunburst beads, the tri beads interlock when strung consecutively. For the most sparkly and attractive Christmas ornaments, get tri beads and/or sunburst beads in translucent colors of red, green, and clear. The tri beads can also be found in metallic gold and silver which can be used in this Christmas craft as well.

Pipe cleaners can be found in silver and gold tinsel as well as chenille of all colors. For the Christmas craft, the best colors to use are the metallics and Christmas colors. The beads cover the pipe cleaners, but the ends will need to be twisted together and made into hangers, so they show.

Anyone, even small children, can string these beads on pipe cleaners. Bend up the end of the pipe cleaner so the beads don't fall off. The pipe cleaner works like a needle, making a needle unnecessary. For best results, show the children how to alternate colors when stringing, or start a pattern of three colors. When the beads are strung on the pipe cleaners, they can be bent into different Christmas shapes. For instance, string red and clear beads alternately, then bend down one end of the pipe cleaner for a candy cane shape. Or alternate red and green beads and form a circle for a wreath. Use red pipe cleaner to form a small bow to decorate the wreath. Form a hanger for the Christmas craft or simply slip the circle over a branch of the tree.

If you experiment with clear beads and silver pipe cleaners, you can make some beautiful snowflake or star ornaments. Snowflake designs can be twisted of silver pipe cleaner only, without the beads for a simple but pretty decoration.

Bead and pipe cleaner ornaments are a Christmas craft you will find yourself using every year. Children and their parents will both appreciate this simple yet pretty Christmas craft.
---
Hope you try it out. Let me know the results. :-)

New Year Celebrations

2007-01-02T21:59:00.000+04:00

It was almost odd that I had a holiday of 4 days :-) Normally, UAE favors people working in the Government, Telecom & Oil sectors and we, the private sector guys are left wishing for more... And that goes for holidays, privileges and salaries too!!!

But this year, as far as I know - for the first time ever, the Government declared that the Private Sector will also enjoy the same number of holidays as the other counterparts. This is perhaps necessitated by the G's move to encourage Nationals to work in the Private sector companies.

The obvious and first option for spending the holidays was to go over to Dubai. But obvious as it was to us, so was it for the thousands others living in Abu Dhabi and the other Northern Emirates, so talk about traffic jams....

So we decided to be a bit smarter and spend the time in Abu Dhabi itself. A little bit of shopping, a lot more of window-shopping, decent lunches & dinners out and masses and services at the Church made up the time. For New Year lunch, the choice was between Fuddruckers, TGIF and Chilis - Chilis easily won on consideration of its special dessert - - - - - - Molten Chocolate Cake :-)

We did go to the Corniche too, but 10 minutes out in the open was enough to get our teeth chattering and back we rushed to the comfort of our car. Yeah, the temperature is pretty down this year in the desert city!

We four had a simple and amazing point as the thought of the day for New Year and I'd like to close this note by sharing that with you...

Regrets of the past and
Worries of the future
make it IMPOSSIBLE
to be Thankful today
for what we have and what we are!

Looking Back....

2006-12-26T14:00:00.000+04:00

How time flies! (And yeah, I agree with your thoughts.... "tell me something new!")

2006 been a year of a good many 'memorable moments' in our lives, thankfully - all good, nice and pleasant ones!

Among some of the things-worth-a-mention that happened,

Suzy

was selected from just among 9 students in her school to participate in the IDEA-UAE exhibition where 250 teams from all over UAE gathered to exhibit their 'scientific' ideas.
graduated from the 'Children's' choir in the Abu Dhabi Church to the 'Main' choir of the parish.
performed Classical singing in front of an august gathering along with children many years her senior in Classical singing.
started grooming her hair and nails in a way that only adoscelents can do :-)

Kenny

rose to the challenge and consistently came first in his class.
maintained high popularity amongst girls of his age in their groups and literally snubbed many folks who volunteered comments earlier about his being an introvert, reserved, quiet etc.
proved himself to be an accomplished drummer by playing for several bands, including a couple of professional ones.
got his own mobile phone - much to the objection of his 'little' sister - one that is naturally much more feature packed than his simple dad's.

Gracy showed her real metal in two ways:

suddenly proving to be very 'smart' on the computers and on the internet - to the extent of offering valuable pointers to 'old hands' like me and her other friends and
being the 'chosen one' whom the nuns at St. Joseph's school repeatedly requested to come and teach French and help the CBSE students.

As for me, apart from reasonable ongoing achievements at work,

I managed to pick up a few more antiques this year :-)
got featured in Gulf News (leading newspaper in UAE) Friday Magazine [15th December 2006]
released my second e-book at http://www.allthingsdubai.com
and also came back to the mainstream after a period of 6 1/2 years - mom and Grace called this as their best Christmas gift...

Well, we know that 2007 will be a great year too. But we also know that it holds a lot of changes for us - especially related to Kenny's moving to Chennai to further his studies and career plans.

May you and your family find peace, joy, happiness, prosperity and good health in the coming year, 2007.

Happy New Year to all you wonderful people.

Joe
---

Joseph Ponnou
http://www.ponnou.com
http://www.allthingsdubai.com
http://www.realhappinessinmarriages.com

Media Coverage - Gulf News Friday Magazine - 15th December 2006

2006-12-16T12:24:00.000+04:00

WOW! While me and my antiques have indeed been mentioned in the press earlier, this is the first time that an exclusive feature has been done on me - and that too, by the Newspaper that is rated as number 1 in the country!

Read it at http://www.gulfnews.com/friday/People/10089371.html

The one I am holding in the picture is a Chinese Porcelain Vase from the Ming Dynasty, Cheng Hua period, about 540 years old!

Here is the excerpt and the accompanying photo:

[Quote]
Porcelain beauty
By Vibhuti Arora, Staff Writer
Published: 14/12/2006 12:00 AM (UAE)

There's this old joke about two little boys loitering in a museum when one of them inadvertently knocks down a precious antique.

'Oh, me, what have I done?' wonders the boy, not really realising how precious the vase is. Hearing the noise, the curator runs into the room, only to see the valuable piece lying shattered on the ground.

'It was such an ancient vase,' the curator moans, looking at the boys accusingly. 'Look what you have done.' 'Oh,' says the boy, brightening up, 'I'm so glad it was an old vase. Seeing you so worried, I thought it was brand new.'
* * *
Step into Joseph Ponnou's home and you begin to hope that little boy in you has grown up forever. Ponnou's home is a mini museum. Ancient Chinese porcelain vases, jade and bronze collectibles, rare pieces of crockery, precious pieces of antique furniture, cute matchbox cars ... all are meticulously arranged and displayed in various areas of his house.

"Almost all these items are priceless,'' says Ponnou, pointing to some Chinese porcelain objects neatly arranged inside a show case.

Ponnou has over 300 antiques from all over the world. Of these, 50 are Chinese porcelain collectibles.

Though a seasoned collector today, Ponnou began with old cameras and telephones. He picked up his first piece of Chinese porcelain from a fellow collector in the UAE.

"It was an exquisite piece. A 135-year-old Femille Rose vase. It was love at first sight and I did not hesitate to buy it, though it cost a fortune. "Gradually, I started looking out for similar pieces and did a bit of research on where to buy them. I realised that the value of antiques can never be truly assessed. It is largely dependent on what the buyer believes it is worth."

Ponnou has a passion for Chinese porcelain, which according to him is one of the most challenging finds for collectors. These pieces are priceless, says Ponnou, who has been amassing them for the past seven years.

In his collection of porcelain and pottery items are a number of pieces recovered from shipwrecks dating back to almost 2,000 years. His collection also includes jade and bronze collectibles dating back almost five millennia, and 20 paintings, some of which are about 100 years old.

His latest additions are matchbox cars and antique furniture. "I have done a great deal of research into the subject, trying to learn techniques and ways to determine the value (of my collectibles) and age but no assessment is 100 per cent correct," says Ponnou.

So his advice to those interested in collecting antiques is: go with your gut feeling. Because he does exactly that.

There are ways to determine the authenticity of a piece which, says Ponnou, can be learnt by spending a large amount of time doing research. He has a library of over 100 books on Chinese porcelain with details about the periods, styles and techniques used in making porcelain.
The book collection is impressive in its own right. His friends, museum curators and fellow collectors, who have also been researching the subject for years, guide him, giving him tips so he can up the value of his collection.

But so deep is his passion for antique collectibles that he does not count the money or the hours spent on keeping it alive. Neither does he treat his hobby as a possible investment. What's more, his family solidly supports his hobby.

"My wife Grace and my children Kenneth and Susanna understand and know what this collection means to me. I wouldn't have come this far without their support and cooperation," he says.

So we've covered passion, interest, joy and satisfaction of pursuit. Ponnou adds one more attribute - stress-relief. "Collecting gives me joy and peace of mind. It allows me escape (from the present) as I get deeply involved in the process (of research) and forget all my worries. Moreover, it has turned me into (an) avid reader and honed my research skills."

Like they say, Ponnou is in a win-win situation. But, for those who would like to visit him and catch a glimpse of his beautiful collection, a word of advice: watch your step. Don't lose-lose it.

Photo by: Ahmed Kutty/Gulf News

"Each of these pieces has an element of mystery
and an intriguing story behind it," says
Joseph Ponnou of his antique collection.

[Unquote]

My antiques were displayed at Dubai Summer Surprises, 2005

2006-12-16T12:06:00.000+04:00

If you thought that it is only a prophet who is not recognized among his own people... well, think again!

The same is the situation with an antique collector. He is normally frowned upon by folks around him and some are quite vociferous too on the subject. Fortunately, Grace and the children understand my passion and enthusiasm even if they do not necessarily share my love for those 'old, dirty things'...

Hence, it is always a pleasure when you meet someone who knows the subject and can talk about it.

Needless to say, family and I were very happy to be invited by Dubai Economic Development office to participate in the Collectors' Exhibition coinciding with Dubai Summer Surprises, 2005.

We accepted the invitation and 'enjoyed' the 15 days of display, attention, recognition and media coverage, but most of all - the visits by some folks who knew the subject and were beyond the casual viewer.

The displays were on the 1st level and 3rd level of the new wing of Bur Juman centre. We had one display stand on the 1st level (shown below) and two display tables and around 30 paintings set up on level 3.

Joe Speaks at DQG Share Best Practices Conference, Dubai, UAE

2006-12-16T11:28:00.000+04:00

I had the opportunity to speak in front of an august gathering of business men and TQM professionals at the Share Best Practices Conference organized by Dubai Quality Award and Dubai Quality Group. The Chief Guest at the Conference was H. H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, Dubai Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), Chairman Emirates Group

Following is the excerpt from the media article:

[Quote]

Sheikh Ahmed speaks at Share Best Practice Conference

[Tuesday, May 31, 2005 10:44:00 am]

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, Dubai Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), Chairman Emirates Group and the patron of the Dubai Quality Group (DQG) has lauded the establishment of opportunities and initiatives that enable Dubai to be positioned as a pioneer and leader in managing quality and which enable the country to respond quickly and effectively to the emerging needs of the economy.

Sheikh Ahmed was speaking at the inauguration of the Dubai Quality Award Share Best Practice Conference, which was held at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Dubai. More than 500 people from the business community in UAE attended the event, which saw the winners of the Dubai Quality Award 2004 engage the business community in quality management initiatives by sharing their best practices. The annual conference is organised jointly by the DQA Secretariat at the Department of Economic Development and the Dubai Quality Group (DQG).

“We are striving to be placed on the map of international excellence and innovation and excellence remain the standards which govern the direction of the UAE,” said Sheikh Ahmed in his opening address. Following this path, many organisations have demonstrated continuous improvement in their systems, eventually leading them to attain a standard of excellence,” he added.

“A forum like Share Best Practice promotes and advances excellence in the qualtiy of products and services in the UAE. This initiative is in line with the strategic objectives of the DED and is guided by the Crown Prince and UAE Defence Minister, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum's vision to make Dubai the city of Quality and Service Excellence,” said Sheikh Ahmed.

“This conference represents a commitment on the part of the Dubai Quality Award winners to share their expertise in quality management with the rest of the business community,” said Mr Essa Kazim, Co-ordinator General, Dubai Quality Award. “Through this conference, the DQA winners attempt to promote business excellence in society, by each sharing a specific best practice which has proved valuable to their organizations,” he added.

The dignitaries, speakers and delegates at the conference were welcomed by Mr. Abdelqader Obaid Ali, Chairman, DQG who explained the role of the Dubai Quality Award and its significance in furthering the development of quality and business excellence in Dubai.

Commenting on the event he said: “The willingness of leading organisations to share their expertise with the rest of the business community is commendable and adequately demonstrates their corporate social responsibility. We aim to further foster this co-operation among Dubai’s business community to ensure its continued development,” he added.

The full-day event witnessed presentations from the winning companies of the DQA 2004 including Bob Curtis from Kanoo Machinery, Razi Ansari from National Flour Mills, Khalid Al Jowder from Dnata Airport Operations, Irfan Hafeez from ABN Amro Bank, Luc Delafosse from Burj Al Arab, Sunil Malhotra from Dnata Agencies, Zaid Al Qufaidi from EPPCO, Ronald T. Martin from Dubai Express, Simon Vension from Jumeirah Beach Club Resort & Spa, Joseph Ponnou from Al Ansari Exchange and Hassan Omar from DUCAB.

The conference also included keynote presentations by two international experts on quality management - Joe Liddane, Managing Director of Setanta Performance International and Dr. Jörg Klukas of T-Systems Multimedia Solutions GmbH. T-Systems one of the finalists at last year's European Quality Award.

Liddane who opened the conference with the first presentation focused on the 'ServQual' technique as a means to measure gaps in service excellence and improve service quality while taking into consideration the constantly rising expectations of customers. He explored a method, which allows businesses to prioritise and make improvements in areas that matter most to customers. He also drew from his experience to explain where organisations need to focus their efforts and how best to make these efforts pay off.

Dr. Klukas’s presentation demonstrated the establishment of a management system that is flexible enough to seize opportunities as they arise, while at the same time providing organisations with solid cornerstones on which they can build successful project management, leading to profitable solutions. Using the process-oriented system in place at his organisation, Dr. Kukas guided organisations on the way forward with a target-oriented management system, a cascaded balanced scorecard and an extensive review mechanism so that everyone can focus on the right corporate goals.

A compiled record of the best practices submitted by each of the winners of the award was also distributed by the DQA Secretariat to the delegates at the conference. The “Good Practices” published proceedings include detailed entries on each of the award winners, thus enabling potential applicants to get an insight into the benefits of applying for the award.

[Unquote]

Need a male model? Look no further!

2006-08-14T17:00:00.000+04:00

They say that parents are happiest when the children excel and exceed their own actions and achievements. When it comes to hairstyles and posing between me and Kenny, maan gaye ustaad...

Back in full force

2006-08-14T16:43:00.000+04:00

It's been a while since I sat at my desk to update this blog.

The usual reasons of being busy with other things. Not that it is not true - in fact, I also made two trips to India in June & July this year, each time - just for 5 days. :-)

I have also been busy updating my antiques online album (click here) and my other blog on English (click here)

The kids are on holidays and busy in their own ways.

But, I shall try to spend more time on this blog - regularly - henceforth.

Love and regards,
Joe

Suggestions Welcome - in fact, Requested!

2006-05-10T13:25:00.000+04:00

How time flies....

It seems but like yesterday when we were smiling around a new born, but that new-born is now ready to step out of school and enter the world of seniors!

12th Standard sure is one critical phase. Careful planning is definitely something that will make a big difference in the long run.

Kenny has chosen Commerce & Information Practices in his 12th grade. We will appreciate any and all inputs from you folks to help him take the right step ahead.

Thanks and best wishes
Joe & Grace

Congratulations, Vivian

2006-01-21T16:06:00.000+04:00

This is indeed a fantastic news!

Vivian, the bright aerospace engineer of the family, has been offered a job at Pune, India.

Please join us in congratulating him and wishing him all the very best in his career and future endeavours.

Joe, Grace, Kenny & Suzy

How old is she now?

2006-01-21T13:08:00.000+04:00

And the girl turns ..... 12....

Click the images for zooming.

Belated wishes are welcome.

Click "Comments" below to wish Suzy

Do you recognize us? No prizes!

2006-01-02T14:54:00.000+04:00

Did I tell you that I have removed my moustache?

or that Suzy keeps practicing her singing most of her free time?

or that 'spikes are in fashion now-a-days?

Well, anyway, this is how we look these days...

Recognize us? :-)

New Year Eve's Open Invitation

2005-12-31T20:53:00.000+04:00

Dear all,

You are most welcome to drop in home after the midnight service :-) for some cake and ale.

Lovingly,
Gracy Mallika

Happy New Year, 2006

2005-12-31T20:44:00.000+04:00

Dear all,

Grace, Kenny, Suzy & I wish you a

VERY HAPPY, HEALTHY, PEACEFUL & PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!

Christmas Party - 2005

2005-11-28T09:57:00.000+04:00

Hi pals,
Any cool ideas for this year's Christmas party?
Cheers,
Joe

All is well that ends well...

2005-10-05T15:11:00.000+04:00

My very dear friends and folks,

The angioplasty (PTCA) was done on Monday, the 3rd October, at 5:00 PM local time. As identified earlier, they introduced a stent of 3.5x20 in the proximate dominant Right Coronary Artery (RCA) and a balloon of 2.5x20 in the mid post desc. branch of the RCA. Barring the initial problem of finding the artery initially (quite unusual, generally) because of which they had to poke me three times in the right and once in the left, the whole process went through very smoothly and successfully.

I was discharged yesterday, the 4th October, evening and I am now feeling absolutely fine. There is indeed some pain in the spot(s) where the procedure was done (upper end of the thigh), but other than that, I am perfectly fine. The doc has cleared that I can go back to my regular life and activities.

I am well aware that my speedy recovery is also because of the good wishes of so many of our dear relatives, friends and well wishers. I must mention that a couple of our relatives even went to the extent of offering financial assistance, though, thankfully, we did not require this.

All of us in the family would like to once again thank each and every one of you who showed that you cared. We are highly indebted to all of you.

With love and best wishes,
Joe

The Angiogram

2005-09-23T12:31:00.000+04:00

Hi folks,

Just a small update on my health...

The angiogram was conducted on 21st September 2005. The good news is that (i) open heart surgery is not required and (ii) the damage to the heart following the heart attack is only 5%. The bad news is that there is indeed one critical block to the extent of 90 - 95% in a right artery. An angioplast is now recommended to place a stent. (Forgive me if the medical spellings and terminologies are incorrect. It is not my forte nor do I intend to make it my passion...)

The procedure could have been continued and completed in another 15 minutes. But the procedure is relatively expensive (more than US$ 10,000) and we needed to obtain a pre-approval from the medical insurance company. So, hope the angioplast will be done in the next few days.

Thanks again to all those who have expressed their interest, love and good wishes,

Joe

Oh, What an Experience!

2005-09-18T14:14:00.000+04:00

Yes, I am indeed referring to my experience following my heart attack. And my experience does not just relate to the medical side, but also to the love and affection that was so obvious all around!

I went to work, as usual, on 6th September. Also as per my usual thrice-a-week schedule, I went to the health-club at around 1:30 PM. I was just warming up on the treadmill when I felt some discomfort like choking in the throat and pain in the chest. I tried slowing down to cool-down speed, but still the discomfort persisted. So, I stopped and sat down for a while - had some water - sat again, but nothing helped. I asked someone to call the attendants and seeing that I was sweating profusely, they really helped by continuously wiping my body with a lot of ice wrapped in a towel. Anyway, I realized that I was not getting any better, so I requested them to fetch me a taxi so that I could go to the doctor.

I think that this was the wise thing to do because the doctors mentioned that the timing was right and more potential danger could be averted. The diagnosis was inferieur wall myocardial infraction. After successful thrombolyse by metalyse, the cardiovascular risk factors are dyslipidemia and hypertension. I was kept in the ICU for 48+ hours and then in the ward for 3 days. I have now been discharged with strict instructions of total rest for about a month. I went for my check up yesterday (17th Sept) and the docs assured us that the heart condition is now stable and that everything else is satisfactory. The next medical action is coronary angiography evaluation, which will be done in the next couple of days.

So much for the medical part...

Our cousin, Dr. Hugh Gaspar, is attached to the hospital where I was admitted and treated. So, I received extra and special care from all the doctors, nurses and other staff. Many thanks to all concerned.

Due to the nature of the event, we did not inform a-n-y-b-o-d-y (except my office personnel), by word got around and Grace and I were moved by the huge flow of visitors even at the ICU. My mobile phone has been switched off since, but people found out Grace's numbers and have been calling her - literally non-stop, both locally and internationally. Flower bouquets and get-well cards & e-cards added to the moral support. We are truly overwhelmed and delighted at the display of love and affection towards me and my family. Please accept our heartfelt appreciation and gratitude, all you wonderful people. You surely helped in my speedy recovery.

We shall be putting up more common news and snippets on this blog. Feel free to respond and also to post your own items.

Best wishes,
Joe

KOGS - An acronym for Kenny, O of Joe, Gracy & Suzy

2005-08-24T19:02:00.000+04:00

This is how we look now-a-days - well, more or less! Suzy has a different pair of specs and Kenny has a different hair style!

The photo was taken at Mercato Mall in Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE

A humble beginning...

2005-08-24T18:26:00.000+04:00

I do hope that this first post on our family blog will go a long way in maintaining family ties and relationships.

Being a private blog - open only to members by invitation - we can keep it limited to our own circle of family, relatives and friends.

I shall try to keep posting some articles of interest. Please feel free to keep posting events and happenings at your end.

Just send me an e-mail at kensus@gmail.com if you wish to be a member in this blog and to start posting.

Best wishes,
Joe