___________ Dear Reader — you must have heard the saying: “Once Bitten — Twice Shy”. This a story of a man who was “Twice Bitten — Never Shy”. ___________ ___________ A PASSIONATE LOVE AFFAIR ___________ During my early days of creative writing — I wrote rather amateurish stories. Dear Reader…

____________ NAVAL OFFICERS’ EVENING MESS DRESS RED SEA RIG Story by Navy Veteran Vikram Karve _____________ _____________ Recently — I saw a news item about a proposal to introduce traditional Indian attire in Navy wardrooms in the drive to discard “vestiges of the colonial era” — and I wondered if…

___________ ___________ SOCIAL MEDIA “BASHING” ___________ Nowadays — we see plenty of “bashing” on the Social Media — especially of “the rich and famous”, celebrities, politicians, and successful people. We also see Social Media “bashing” of Top Brass and Veterans by fellow Veterans. Some of this social media bashing may…

__________ __________ MILITARY LEADERSHIP — OFFICER LIKE QUALITIES (OLQ) __________ In earlier times — Senior Military and Naval Officers were on the “healthier side” — stout, podgy, rotund — call it what you like — and — by today’s standards they would have been considered overweight — or even “physical…

______________ ______________ SMALL TOWN GIRL Story by Vikram Karve _________ PART 1 STORY OF A SIMPLE “SMALL TOWN GIRL” _________ This story happened 23 years ago — in the year 2000 — during the IT Software “Boom”. _________ Pune — circa 2000 _________ Once there was a “happily married couple”. …

____________ HOW TO “SWING” YOUR MOOD Self-Help Tips for “Moody” Persons Like Me Blog by Veteran Vikram Karve _____________ _____________ HOW TO “SWING” YOUR MOOD ________ Are you a moody person…? Do you have “mood swings”…? Do you want to be always in a “good mood”…? I constantly try to…

____________ WHY I GREW A BEARD Memories by Vikram Karve ____________ Here are two “ancient” Navy pictures of mine as a Sub Lieutenant in Uniform as a Guard Commander in Divisions (Parade) — in which I was clean-shaven — a photo clicked 46 years ago — in 1977 — before…

__________ STORY FROM MY EARLY NAVY DAYS by VIKRAM KARVE __________ __________ CREATE YOUR OWN MERIT __________ You must create your own merit and have your own unique identity. Personal Merit cannot be achieved through associations with other people. _________ Do you have to say: “I am so-and-so’s wife —…

_________ ASSURED CAREER SUPERSESSION (ACS) Story by Veteran Vikram Karve _________ _________ SUPERSESSION SHOCK Story of a “Passed Over” Superseded Officer Spoof By Vikram Karve __________ PART 1 __________ Lieutenant Commander “X” __________ Lieutenant Commander “X” was “passed over” for promotion to the rank of Commander. This happened in the…