Moz@Work: Other

Leaving Spaces Team and Last Team Event

Fri, 06 Jul 2007 21:08:27 GMT

Well, after almost three years as Product Manager, Product Planner and Product Marketer for Windows Live Spaces (nee MSN Spaces on December 1st 2004), it's time for me to move to a new role. I'll be heading to the Microsoft Business Division as Director of Technical Product Management for our Office Communications Server 2007, Office Communicator 2007 and VOIP Devices portfolio. This is an exciting opportunity for Microsoft overall (check out the press release) and one that allows me to get to know the “other side of the business” more deeply.

But I'll be sad to leave the team, especially after events like the last one Pooja organized. Each team member had been organizing events that represent their passions ... we've had Charlotte teaching a step aerobics class, Ali on snowboarding, me on Indian cooking, Marty on biking and finally Pooja on painting. We got together at Pooja's place to paint a mural on canvass, with everyone taking a section each. We then headed to do a wine mixing class (after a lazy game of Trivial Pursuit to kill time) where we used the mural as the wine label (a Bordeaux blend called "Purple Lounge" :-)). Check out these pictures!

This is one of the best teams I have ever worked with and I wish them all the best of luck. I will miss them, but will have a few lasting keepsakes - the mural on my wall, a bottle of wine and a CD I am making with each team members favorite songs and pick me up songs. Just to embarrass them, this is what I have!

Pick Me Up CD

#	Song	Artist	Team Member
1	Hooked on a Feeling	Blue Suede (1974 Cover)	Moz
2	Allah Allah	MFO	Ali
3	It Takes Two	Rob Base	Jay
4	White Wedding	Billy Idol	Chris
5	Last Dance	Donna Summer	Charlotte
6	Oslo	Gilberto Gil	Joost
7	Feel It Boy	Janet Jackson & Beenie Man	Pooja
8	Vertigo	U2	Marty
9	Hand in My Pocket	Alanis Morisette	Mary
10	Running Down a Dream	Tom Petty	Ashley
11	God Save The Queen	The Sex Pistols	Arthur
12	Forty Six & 2	Tool	Arik

Favorites CD

#	Song	Artist	Team Member
1	To Be With You	Mr. Big	Moz
2	Awake a Voice is Calling	J. S. Bach	Ali
3	Roxanne	Police	Jay
4	Trenchtown Rock	Bob Marley	Chris
5	You’re Aging Well	Dar Williams	Charlotte
6	Everything but the Girl	Each and Everyone	Joost
7	Come Away With Me	Norah Jones	Pooja
8	These are the Days	10,000 Maniacs	Marty
9	Stay	Shakespeares Sister	Mary
10	Cassidy	Grateful Dead	Ashley
11	Battle Without Honor or Humanity	Tomoyasu Hotei (Kill Bill OST)	Arthur
12	Grave Digger	Dave Matthews	Arik

Talking about Wow, I'm Walking

Fri, 18 May 2007 01:27:27 GMT

Nothing to do with work, but I am so excited because Armaan is beginning to cruise!

Video: Armaan Walking May 17th 2007

February Team Outing

Fri, 23 Feb 2007 05:29:27 GMT

This one was organized by Ali, who not only speaks a million languages, plays in a samba band, solves third order differential equations in his head .... but also snowboards. Needless to say he skis as well, but snowboarding is more his thing. So we all trundled over to Stevens Pass for a day on the slopes. It was a beautiful day and the snow was not fresh, but still soft.

We took a lesson with an absent minded instructor (he was too busy chilling, asking for tips and answering his cell phone) but Ali joined in to give lessons. Chris was an absolute natural, although he had snowboarded before. Charlotte was like an Energizer bunny falling and hopping but generally getting it despite being jetlagged from her boondoggle at 3GSM in Barcelona the day before. Pooja and I definitely struggled and I was sore as hell the next day, especially on my wrist from the falls.

All in all, another great day with the team. Thanks Ali for organizing and Charlotte for driving.

We missed Joost who had a catch a flight to Netherlands ... so the next one is on him!

Stepping It Up With Charlotte ...

Fri, 26 Jan 2007 05:54:52 GMT

Despite what one might think, morale budgets at Microsoft are pretty limited. A lot of the allocation is reserved by our senior leaders for big team events with 100+ people. I really don't find those to be great bonding experiences. So we kicked off a season of team outings where each person organizes an event around something they are passionate about. And Charlotte kicked it off with Step Aerobic Classes. Charlotte has been doing step since she was a teenager and has been teaching classes for the last year!

She promised a mixed class, but Chris, Ali, Joost and I were the only guys there. And I think the girls had a better knack for the basic step, knees up, step high, mambo, up and over and the string of instructions from Charlotte. Don't know about everyone else, but I died and somehow kept going from sheer embarassment - after all, this was the basic class!

It was a great event, thanks to Charlotte for organizing. Next up is Ali who is going to transform a bunch of skiers into snowboarders next month. Hope the snow lasts :-)

Indian Recipes

Mon, 08 Jan 2007 06:29:11 GMT

Cook Your Own Indian™ Team Event

All recipes below serve 4. Served with rice, paratha and roti.

Minha’s Shrimp Curry

1 ¼ inch garlic peeled

4 cloves garlic

¾ tsp. coriander powder

1 medium sized onion, chopped finely

¾ tsp. cumin powder

¼ tsp. turmeric powder

3 dried red chilies

6 tbsp. oil

2 medium red tomatoes chopped

1 can coconut milk

1 tsp. salt

1 ½ lb uncooked shrimp, cleaned and de-veined

1 bunch cilantro leaves chopped

In pan, fry the onion until it is light brown in color and mildly cooked. Place the friend onions, ginger and garlic into a chopper and grind. Add teaspoon water to chopper if required. Add cumin, coriander, turmeric powders and chili into chopper and blend into thick paste.

In pan, heat the remaining oil. Fry the onion and spice mix. When it is cooked, add the chopped tomatoes. Continue cooking until they shrivel and form paste. Add the coconut milk and continue heating. Bring to gentle boil and add salt.

Add shrimp and stir until they turn pink and are cooked (about 3 minutes). Mix in cilantro leaves. Leave a few leaves for garnish.

Keema

½ oz (10g) fresh garlic

1 oz (25g) fresh ginger, peeled

3 green chili

2 fl oz cooking oil

3 tbsp. lemon juice

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 tsp tomato puree

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp chili powder

2 tsp tandoori masala

1 tsp garam masala

½ tsp salt

2 bay leaves

12 oz (340g) minced lamb

20 fl oz water

1 cup garden peas

Handful chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Place garlic, ginger and green chili in grinder and chop finely.

Heat oil in pan and add chopped onion. Cook onion until it is golden brown. Now add liquidizer contents, tomato puree and all the powders and salt and bay leaves. Cook for another five minutes stirring continuously.

Add the mince, stirring continuously for another five minutes.

Add water and peas and cover pan, reduce heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in chopped cilantro leaves. Transfer content to serving dish and garnish with coriander sprigs.

Tuna Bhajee

12 oz (340g) canned tuna in oil or water

1 medium sized onion, finely chopped

7 red chilies

5 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped

4 tbsp cooking oil

2 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp chili powder

½ tsp turmeric powder

3 tsp lemon juice

½ tsp salt

Chopped cilantro leaves

Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the chopped garlic and red chilies. Allow garlic to turn light brown and then add the onions. Cook until onions are golden brown.

Add the tuna and cook for further 3-5 minutes, stirring continuously.

Add the powders and salt and stir vigorously to mix in the spices into the tuna. Add the lemon juice and stir again. Cook for further 2-5 minutes until tuna is light brown in color.

Stir in chopped cilantro and transfer to serving dish.

Dhal

3 cups red Turkish lentils

6 cups water

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp salt

½ tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp chili powder

1 medium sized onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, crushed

5 red chilies

3 tbsp cooking oil

Chopped cilantro leaves

Wash lentils thoroughly in cold water.

Place lentils and water in pot and simmer gently for about 20 minutes or until lentils become soft to touch.

Add the powder mixture. Take a stirrer, and whisk the lentil vigorously until the grains are crushed but not formed into a paste.

In a separate frying pan, heat the garlic, onion and red chili in oil until they are brown in color. Add to the lentil soup and stir.

Add the chopped cilantro and transfer to serving dish.

Sag Bhajee

20 oz (566g) chopped frozen spinach

½ tsp salt

10 cloves garlic, crushed

10 green chilies

1 medium sized onion, chopped

5 tbsp cooking oil

In a frying pan, place the blocks of frozen spinach with salt and chilies sprinkled on top and heat until the blocks have defrosted. Control heat so as not to dry or burn the spinach.

Create a clear area in the middle of the pan by pushing the spinach to the sides. Pour the oil into this center allow to heat.

Add the crushed garlic to the center and cook for 2-3 minutes. Then add the chopped onion. Do not mix with the spinach yet, but stir the center to ensure oil is mixing with garlic and onions.

After 2-3 minutes, stir the entire mixture of onions, garlic and spinach together. Heat for another 2-3 minutes and transfer to serving dish.

Paternity Leave

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 13:38:35 GMT

Well, little Armaan is going to turn 5 months this Thursday. I can't believe how quickly time has flown. The comatose baby we brought home in April is now alert (wants to explore everything around him), assertive (oh yes, you know he is going to get his way in life already!) and adorable (he is naturally sociable and calls out to you if you don't include him in a conversation!).

So now is the perfect time for me to take my paternity leave for 5 weeks - paid, which is one of joys of Microsoft Benefits. I will be playing baby games, moving houses and working on my book for the next 5 weeks. Expect some updates on my other Spaces but not on this one. Looking forward to coming back relaxed with a new perspective on life in October.

I am a Father!!

Sun, 02 Apr 2006 04:58:09 GMT

Yesterday, I became a proud father for the first time! Taking a week off work to bond with the little gem Lisa and I created, Armaan manik Hussain. Haven't felt this good about life or more nervous since, well, the day I was born. Wish me luck! He has his own MSN Space, so check out his story at http://spaces.msn.com/armaanhussain.

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I am Here!

Hi Everybody

I'm here! My name is Armaan Manik Hussain, the first born son of Moz Hussain and Lisa Thomas-Hussain.

I was born at Overlake Hospital in Bellevue, WA, USA on Friday March 31st 2006 at 4.49am after 13 hours of labor. Mummy's indulgence of Italian food during the pregnancy rubbed off on me it seems as I weighed out at a healthy 8 pounds 2 ounces and 20.5 inches long. Most of my family is vertically challenged, so I am sure this size advantage will not last. Both Mummy and I are a little exhausted, but we are recovering well.

I am looking forward to Grandma (Mummy's Mummy) being around for three weeks to help out. Mummy is taking four months off from work to get to know me better. Daddy's side of the family will be visiting in summer and Daddy will be taking a month off to spend time with me in September.

Please wish me luck in this strange new world and watch out for me. Looking forward to meeting you all.

In the meantime, please do leave comments on my blog and photos. One day I will be able to read them and think of you ;-)

Armaan

T-1 and Counting

Mon, 27 Mar 2006 13:31:28 GMT

Baby Hussain is due tomorrow and I am a little on edge! Every time Lisa mentions a pain or discomfort makes me think the time is now. But after several false alarms this weekend, I figured I would just hold my nerves until at least tomorrow. Thanks for everyone for asking how things were and stay tuned for an update anytime now.

Humor: ONLY IN INDIA!

Thu, 23 Feb 2006 17:17:18 GMT

India is a huge market that I try to keep an eye on. But the clash of reality in India with commerce makes for some humorous images. Take a look below J

It's a Boy!

Tue, 15 Nov 2005 04:58:51 GMT

Well. We went to the doctor last week and she confirmed we are having a boy! Apparently it can be difficult to 100% confirm for girls, because boys sometimes hide their thingymijig. But our little one had no problems showing his off. Take a look below - the nurses had no end of laughter with the way they could see it from every angle. This will make name selection easier.

Talking about Fatherhood and Dhal

Wed, 14 Sep 2005 01:11:24 GMT

A new era dawns for Mozkind :-)

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Fatherhood and Dhal

Well, Lisa's spreadsheet originally anticipated a baby in our third year of marriage and an aquarius or pisces child. I am happy to announce that we are expecting our first child to arrive on March 28th 2006, but that's a full 7 days behind schedule! The sonogram photo from week eight is below for those with an inclination to view these things. It is now twelve weeks and we heard the heartbeat last week which was pretty amazing. We find out the sex in November.

We subscribed to the superstition of not telling anyone about the pregnancy until the twelfth week, but ended up breaking the rule with a few people. We told our close friends and family last week. It was so hard to keep it secret. I walked around distracted and dazed for the last month, still not fully grasping what is about to happen to our lives. I am so excited too. Unlike some guys, I have been looking forward to being a father for as long as I can remember. Maybe it comes from having younger siblings, the youngest of whom is 14 years my junior, and seeing them grow up. The joy and pride I feel as I see my siblings become who they are led to my anticipation of being a father myself. I can't wait!

We bought a video camera to record our thoughts for the kid - at least one outlet for our excitement. We have spoken about everything from favorite movies to dietary habits - poor kid will be bored senseless watching it. I even did a whole session on how to make dhal, the staple of any Indian diet!

Lisa caught up with morning sickness a little late, but I seem to have developed a rare condition called "sympathy sickness". From about week two to ten I was actually sick in the mornings myself, and no, it wasn't the drink. I sold my two-seater convertible MR2 Spyder and now have a practical Toyota Camry with room in the back for a little one. Lifestyle changes aside, all is well with mother, child to be and not that anyone asks, but an awe struck father to be :-).

I will be posting thoughts and feelings as we go through this here, my own little record and sounding board. Who knows, if we ever figure out a way to print a Space, I might be able to present this to the kid some day.

100 People

Thu, 19 May 2005 03:26:03 GMT

Met with the co-founders of a fascinating organization in New York yesterday that is trying to identify 100 people who would statistically represent the population of our planet. The organization is set up as a charity, and is called 100 People. The concept is both artistic (Carolyn Jones, who is one of the partners is an amazing photographer) and has aspirations of helping us understand in visual and personal terms who our global neighbours are. Sometimes it's easy to get lost in statistics like the ones below. But if we can see, read and hear the stories of the actual people, we might be more inclined to both be energized by the diversity and richness of mankind, as well as the shame of how isolationist our species has become. Anyway, take a look at the website, even if only for the great photos.

If the World were 100 PEOPLE:

50 would be females
50 would be males

There would be:
61 Asians
12 Europeans
14 people from the Western Hemisphere
13 Africans

30 would be children
There would be 70 adults,
7 of which would be aged

70 would be non-white
30 would be white
33 would be Christian
18 would be Muslims
16 would be Hindus
6 would be Buddhist
1 would be Jewish
11 would believe in other religions
15 would be non-religious

1 would have a college education
1 would own a computer
80 people would live in substandard housing
14 would be unable to read
50 would suffer from malnutrition

1 would be dying of starvation
15 would be overweight
75 people would have some supply of food and a place to shelter them from the wind and the rain, but
25 would not.
17 people would have no clean, safe water to drink

Sources: The Global Citizen, May 31, 1990, Donella H. Meadows, Hebei University 2001, Zero Population Growth Seattle, Unheard Voices: Celebrating Cultures from the Developing World, Returning Peace Corps Volunteers of Madison Wisconsin, 1992

Balanced Lifecard

Sun, 24 Apr 2005 21:25:44 GMT

Some time ago, Lisa and I were chatting about how we could better keep track of how we were managing work life balance. Being two MBAs and an ex consultant/account, we of course came out with an analytical way of doing this. Now, this may be a bit too much to swallow for some people, but try it out.

The attached image shows a "balanced lifecard" which consists of a number of parameters that are important in your life. Everyone will have their own parameters and priorities. For me, the parameters are roughly divided into work (e.g. success connection, professional skills, economic value) and life (e.g. good health, good spouse, social value etc).

Every year, we plot a little point against each parameter, showing how we have done against it. If the resulting area is lopsided, it shows that you need to pay more attention to that part of your life. For me, work has been great but I have neglected health, personal learning and social contribution. And to cap it, I have left my poor wife waiting for me at home (as she gets home at a reasonable time) on too many nights.

Still, the first step in course correction is knowing that you need to correct it. Here's to a better 2005 on the Balanced Scorecard.

The little things in Japan

Sun, 24 Apr 2005 08:46:36 GMT

Every time I come to Japan it's the little things that put a smile on my face. Like the toilets that have three different settings; one to make noise for added privacy, a bidet built into the damn thing and of course water pressure adjustment for your comfort!

The first time I saw the tea serving ritual, I realized that Japanese culture has evolved to this level of complexity because they have achieved all of the essentials people need to live - good health, food, clothing, shelter etc. Now, all that's left to focus on is the restroom experience. Still can't complain, I think I'll nip in there for some comedy value :-)

Talking about liveplasma music, movies, search engine and discovery engine

Tue, 05 Apr 2005 18:03:45 GMT

Someone pointed this site out some time ago but I lost the URL. Now that I've rediscovered it, I can't stop playing! It's a super useful website for finding music that you might like. But what is great about it is the engaging and fun user interface created. Anyone who hasn't should try it and let me know if they don't get addicted.

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liveplasma music, movies, search engine and discovery engine

A rose by any other name .. Blockbusters are con artists

Sun, 27 Mar 2005 02:58:20 GMT

Blockbusters, the ubiquitous video rental store was feeling the heat with Netflix and video-on-demand TV. It's unattractive rental fee model where users were charged a hefty fee for returning items late was a threat to the viability of the business. So what do the creative marketers do, they get rid of late fees of course. Just what the customers asked for. Right?

Not really. You don't pay late fees, but you now pay a "restocking fee". The guy at the store was brainwashed - he explained that Blockbuster incurs a fee when they restock your item, so it's fair to charge you. Obviously that only occurs if you return it late, so why not just call it a late fee? You get the gist of the conversation I had.

As we develop consumer propositions at the edge of profitability, marketers need to remember that conning a customer has never been a way to win. Give them real value, don't mix it up with other names.

I for one am so annoyed with Blockbusters, I will be converting to anyone but them. Individual customers have little power, but I hope others will join me.

Quote from Blockbusters site:

The End of Late Fees Terms

Membership rules apply for rentals. Rentals are due back at the date and time stated on the transaction receipt. There is no additional rental charge if a member keeps a rental item up to 7 days beyond the pre-paid rental period. After 7 days beyond the due date, Blockbuster will automatically convert the rental to a purchase on the 8th day and will charge the member the selling price for the item in effect at the time of the rental, minus the rental fee paid. Member then has 30 days to return the product and receive a credit for the selling price charged, less a $1.25 restocking fee. These terms available at participating stores only. Franchisee restocking fees may vary. See store or blockbuster.com for complete terms and conditions.

Read our FAQs on The End of Late Fees for more information.