loans that change lives.

One of the enthusiastic participants amongst you all, asked bhOndOO whether he could spread a word about some non-profit organizations through this blog. Here’s the answer.

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The featured website this time is Kiva. It is a platform where you can loan the needy entrepreneurs, and if you are an entrepreneur requiring an interest-free loan, this is your place. The loan can be as small as a few dollars — collectively, it can get huge.

Read about how Kiva works.

A few facts about Kiva:

• A loan is made on Kiva.org every 37 seconds (on average).
• The average time it takes for a Kiva Loan to be funded is 72.24 hours.
• This week, 1917 entrepreneurs have been funded.
• This week, $736,775.00 have been lent.
• This week, 3,264 new lenders joined.
• Kiva is the Webby People’s Voice Winner for Charitable Organizations / Nonprofit.

If you wish to see a website featured on this blog, please comment on this post. bhOndOO will create a separate post for it.

iisc life crosses 10k.

On the first day of the Centenary Year of Indian Institute of Science, the number of visits to iisc life reached the fifth decimal digit. This milestone has been achieved in almost eight months — suggesting over thousand visits every month on average.

The contest for readers was specifically arranged to celebrate this occasion. At least that should have given a hint to you while looking for the anagram. Seems only two readers could follow the hint. Nevermind.

There are many more adventures of bhOndOO yet to come and I will try to satisfy the growing readership demands! Please let your suggestions and critics continue to appear in the form of comments.

A request: If you enjoy this blog, please link it from your homepage.

And a big Thanks to all of you for the wonderful journey so far!

Best Wishes.

madhu’s marriage gift and the sms chaos.

Madhu (the punctual fame) was going to spoil Prashant’s life. Everyone in the Voices team had decided to gather at Coffee Board sharp at 20:00 and start for the night ceremony. bhOndOO had an additional responsibility of buying a wedding gift before coming to Coffee Board. Mails had resulted in several suggestions for the gift, but nothing was finalized (as usual) and it was left at the discretion of bhOndOO (not so usual).

Apart from many other problems that bhOndOO has (and creates), his mobile had started malfunctioning: when sending an SMS to someone, irrespective of whom the message is sent, it used to go to the last person who sent an SMS to bhOndOO. bhOndOO was blissed, since ignorance is a bliss and bhOndOO was totally ignorant of this malfunctioning.

It started raining at 18:00 and bhOndOO could not go out to buy any gift. His umbrella was torn by a sudden attack of a few birds after the birds read this post. He kept waiting for the rain to stop and the rain-fall reduced at 19:45. bhOndOO grabbed his bicycle and rode to Coffee Board. The rain managed to fool him and he got wet.

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Note: Please read the next part carefully.

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It was 20:00 and there was nobody else in Coffee Board. bhOndOO took out his mobile and started messaging junta.
“Where are you?”, meant for Sudhir, gone to BenJi (BenJi had SMSed bhOndOO last).
However, Sudhir also tried to communicate with bhOndOO.
“We are near Ramaiyya Hospital in Ajay Sir’s car, got a lift from him. He is also attending the marriage.”, from Sudhir.
Within a few seconds bhOndOO got a reply, “I am in Goa.”, from BenJi. bhOndOO could read the sender’s name, but was not at all interested in BenJi’s whereabouts.
“Why didn’t you take me?”, meant for Sudhir, gone to BenJi.
“I came here with my fiancée!”, from BenJi.
“I am coming directly to the hall with my wife.”, from Paresh.
bhOndOO was not at all interested in BenJi’s personal matters.
“So what should I do?”, meant for BenJi, gone to Paresh. Paresh was baffled!
“Shall we buy some gift on the way?”, from Sudhir.
“We are going to a beach right now.”, from BenJi.
“Shall I buy the gift? We are in a gift shop right now.”, from Paresh — trying to be calm.
“Okay, go ahead.”, meant for BenJi, gone to Paresh.
“Are you coming to Goa this weekend?”, from BenJi.
“No.”, meant for Sudhir, gone to BenJi.
“I may be back to Bangalore next weekend.”, from BenJi.
“We will probably buy coupons only.”, from Sudhir — clarifying his suggestion.
“That sounds great!”, meant for BenJi, gone to Sudhir.
“Today is Madhu’s wedding, right? What did you buy for her?”, from BenJi (from Goa).
“No. I will buy.”, meant for Sudhir, gone to BenJi.
“Okay, will talk to you later.”, from BenJi.
“Yes. Yes.”, meant for BenJi (for previous question), gone to BenJi (for recent message).
“See you there.”, from Sudhir.
“See you.”, from Paresh.
“Okay. See you.”, meant for Sudhir, gone to Paresh.
“Okay. See you.”, meant for Paresh, gone to Paresh (a second time).

At 20:30, Voices team greeted Madhu with three gifts: a wooden showpiece, a coupon, and a wet best-seller on time management.

Did you enjoy this story? If yes, please think of linking it from your webpage.