Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Brand New Day
Thursday, July 12, 2007
The Waste called Waist
- Stop dipping myself in beer - irrelevant, am a teetotaller.
- Start going to the gym - worth considering, but is it very essential?
- Avoid, nay - stop consuming "fatty" foods - Ouch, chicken kaise bhool jaoon?
- Stop worrying, relax - Ah, high funda stuff - wonder if this is applicable to me!
Ummm - I have been thinking of doing a daily round of jogging for the past one year or so, and that has resulted in me going out for long walks on certain days. I think loyalty to myself would help me reduce an inch or two. Abstinence from "fatty" food! In my case, the lust of a tangdi kabab is much more than the usual reason why the word "lust" is used for. But I have managed to put a check on myself - my office lunch is purely fruits, and I have managed it for about two weeks now. This, coupled with infrequent indulgences for the taste buds (which are few and far between them), should work favourably for me.
That's it - I have developed a "plan" which needs to be implemented well to realize fruitful gains. How much do I comply with it? Well, guess you will get to know more about it in the days to come!
P.S - I walked back home yesterday, and it wasn't too taxing. 4.5 km in 45 minutes or thereabout. I believe I will continue the pattern till I remain jobless in the workplace.
Friday, June 29, 2007
The King of Bikes
One such bike lover has a very similar frame to that of a Bullet – heavy, and if I may add, a bit pot bellied ;-) Alright – not a bit, make it a wholesome heavy frame. He has lost a bit of weight over the years with his penchant for exercise, yoga, diet control, etc. That’s my dad for you – sexy at sixty :-P (62 actually). My father owned a bullet Enfield in his hey days – and it remained as one of his prized possessions (an Analog Olympus SLR camera comes close as the second best) – until one day he decided to sell it off because it was guzzling a tremendous amount of oil. Those were the days of paise bachao andolan in his life – which seems to be my priority now-a-days.
A day before the 17th of June, celebrated as Father’s day universally, one of my friends came to visit me at my sister’s place where I am put up. He owned an Avenger – a cruiser bike of the Bajaj family. As we talked about Bangalore, the trouble with the city traffic inevitably came up during the discussions. And from there my father enquired about my friend’s bike. I mischieviously quipped; it is similar to a Bullet. That led to a sudden spurt in the interest levels of my father. I cajoled him further about the bike – and my friend talked about the comfort levels attained while driving the bike. And then we suggested him to take a ride. My father declined initially – but a bit of coaxing made him excited. He went in to get ready for the ride; shirt tucked in and all set to drive.
The lengthy body of the bike meant he had to make a bit of an adjustment to get used to the brake and gear positioning. But one had to grant him that, he hardly rides a two wheeler these days – let alone a cruiser. The electronic start oozed life into the bike – and after a hiccup or two he was on his way. He zipped around for about 5 minutes, and thoroughly enjoyed his ride.
Post the ride he talked about the peculiar sound that a bullet-like bike makes – rhythmic beats at no acceleration. He liked the Avenger, it was smooth and lovable – but remained loyal to Bullet, saying nothing beats the King. A broad grin on his face and a well-savoured Avenger ride – my Father’s day gift ideas seemed irrelevant now J. We still went out for a dinner the next day – but it was evident, his biking experience was much more cherished.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
I Scored a D
It left me fuming at my Dean – he was the one who was supposed to evaluate the project. For all that hard work – it certainly didn’t deserve a D. I had even worked on formatting the entire document along with my other project members (yeah – have a laugh, our so-called dissertation had team members – it was our brilliant Dean’s idea). Now before you wonder what is the big deal in formatting a document – well, yours truly has always managed to ignore such innocuous work – leaving it for the toppers to do. After all, the matter inside is what makes the work important, isn’t it? And there lies the fundamental issue. Our dissertation had enough worthwhile material to get a score above D. For all the copy-paste from a zillion web pages – it was a good enough assorted work – at the end of the day, you have to make sense of all those web pages, and utilize only the relevant information.
I was against the idea of a “dissertation” in the first place – and even had a long argument with the Dean. Do notice – I mentioned “long” argument – that is because I exchanged 2 pager mails with him. Don’t ask me why such lengthy mails – that’s because he loves doing things that way. The length of his mails – and his speeches when he just has to say “hello” are atypical of his character. A character which reminds me of “Charlie Chaplin” thanks to his moustache. And a character who loves blabbing – and ensures he holds his sway over certain students because of his sweet talk. That I didn’t like him from the start is a different story – his audacity in changing the course curriculum on his whims almost propelled me to write a piece on his satanic manners with a subject line – A meeting with the Devil. I have always been a rebellious kind – without showcasing it much. But I like to say things as they are – and it still disappoints me that people do not respond in a similar manner.
After having multiple discussions with him – I arrived at a conclusion of sorts. Here was an academic who wanted to prove his mettle at the helm of an MBA course. He listened patiently to suggestions, and acted on none. He wanted to prove that industry plays second fiddle in the world of academics and they have lesser priority even in an MBA. He proves this when he wants a dissertation to be done in 5 months time, in a group of students, which preferably is a study not related to any company or organization, and is based on secondary data as time is at a premium. While people work on dissertations on a longer frame of time – I fail to understand the importance of one in a shortened 1 year course (10 months actually). There is so much research that is required for such a work, and 5 months is simply not ample enough for the work to be anything more than a document whose content is a selective amalgamation of many others. My Dean’s credentials are worthwhile – and he is a master of his own subject. However his attitude reminds of a saying - there are different horses for different courses. With scant respect for the industry in an MBA curriculum, he is probably a pony in a world of stallions.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Hungry Kya?
As I returned home after having completed my MBA, I found myself in a new terrain. Mom wasn’t around (my sis’ love taking her away) – and dad was home alone. Enter me – and I found myself delve into nuances of Indian culinary. It was a new experience for me, I have had kitchen visits for an occasional dish or two – but this was different. Preparing full fledged meals over four days meant I was involved in a non-stop cooking extravaganza.
Grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. How different was my mindset when I hogged down all those tasty dishes, gave my expert views and comments on how a particular curry should have been prepared, and how I took for granted that cooking is a given for any lady in the household. I bow in front of all the mothers and cooks of the world, who have achieved so much in the simmering bowl the world calls “kitchen”. The job in there involves as much management as I read in my MBA, and yes – it remains one of the most thankless jobs in the world. When you wake up thinking what should be the breakfast, start cutting the vegetables immediately after you washed the dishes of the previous meal, keep wondering if the salt was a pinch too much or too less, and the only thing you ponder about is whether the dish has boiled enough – you realize “mercy killing” can be associated with all the cooks.
We all crib about our routine jobs – how boring our schedule is, how mundane our tasks are, is there any challenge in the job, there is no value-add to my skill set, etc – spare a thought for all those who cook daily. And most, if not all, actually have to clean the house, wash the clothes, manage the kids, buy the grocery, and do a host of other activities. My friends and I used to visit this restaurant which offered limitless food with no liability to pay. As students we had exploited this charitable organization’s policy, and a lot of times we ate more than necessary – at times even leaving behind food. Leave alone moral obligation, it was also a poor reflection on our respect for the chefs who voluntary turn up to cook for this restaurant. I seem to change with every passing day – every new thing teaching me a lot. Every new thing makes me realize that how wrong I have been. Food – among many other things - has humbled me.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
I came, We Saw, She Conquered
My journey from Singapore to Bhubaneswar stretched over two days - the reason being my misery. I was not too keen to spend about the same (or more) money to reach Bhubaneswar from Chennai, than what I did when I traveled from Singapore to Chennai. That too in the event when I was ill, and common sense (that's Lopa for you) told me I should catch a flight. Lopa was worried about my deteriorating health. The halt at Chennai lasted about 10 hours. It was not merely ticking of the clock - the humidity, din at the station, heat in the air, my unrelenting cough, and a blocked nasal passage meant that I had taken a bad decision. I survived somehow, and finally boarded the train late on the night of 16th. The next 20 hours were spent anticipating how I will react when I meet her; I was already in a terrible shape - disheveled hairs, shabby looks, smelly clothes, rough stubble, how was I going to present myself to her?
All that confusion vapourized when I saw her. She was a touch late, but that was not her fault, my train had arrived a bit early. She was beaming the moment she saw me, and so was I. She had brought me a long stemmed red rose - and the lovely thing paled in comparision as she was around. Incidentally she had matched her get-up with the rose. Red ear-rings, and streaks of red in her dress - it all built up the moment of excitement. I wanted to hug her tight, but alas - it was a public place. She looked sparkling, and she was so excited. I was in absolute awe - I was waiting for this moment for so long.
We dined at a nearby restaurant and spent a couple of hours there. It was a short meeting, but quite a significant one. This is when you recite a phrase like "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away!". She was stunning - and I was conquered, yet again, by Lopa. Win me over and over again sweetheart, I am all yours by any stretch of imagination!
Sunday, March 18, 2007
The Rise of Nations
Cricket however presents a different outlook. March 17, 2007 will go down as one of the watershed moments in the history of the game. Minnows as they are called, Bangladesh and Ireland have conquered many a mountains by defeating India and Pakistan respectively in the World Cup. India still have hopes, there is a possibility of qualification for the next stage. However Pakistan have been eliminated, with consequtive defeats from the West Indies and now, Ireland.
There was a common theme to both the games, brilliant bowling from the victors, and listless batting from the vanquished. Agreed, the conditions for the Pakistan-Ireland game were favouring bowlers, but Pakistan had enough of firepower of their own to combat the elements, and the opposition. India were facing an ever improving Mortaza, and this was a day when he would have made the likes of McGrath and Pollock proud. India could have made a match of the abysmal total that they put up, but a bunch of Bangladeshi youngsters aged 17, 18, and 19 showed that battles can be won on the basis of committment and application, and not ONLY on reputation and experience.
I happen to be an Indian, but strangely - this loss has not hurt me a lot. That is because over the years I have learnt to appreciate the game, much more than the players. Bangladesh have arrived, and this World Cup they are a lot more prepared than any previous editions of the tournament. Fit and capable players, they showed their mettle by defeating New Zealand in the practice game. India lost to them not just because of its own wayward players, but because Bangladesh dished out high quality cricket. Ireland are just about as new as it gets. With a history of 8 ODIs prior to this game with Pakistan - they probably just hoped to remain competent. However even they gave a glimpse of their prowress in their practice gam, they had South Africa 98 for 8, and tied with Zimbabwe in their first World Cup game. They had lost close matches in the associate nations tournament - and their players are very capable as proved in this game.
I have learnt a lesson in this process - cultivating hope and aspirations while building up capabilities has to mesh with hardwork and effort. And only then will one emerge as a victor. It was a priviledg to witness the victories of Bangladesh and Ireland, as they are today's real life example of the Rise of Nations.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
A tribute to The Better Half of my life
The phrase "better half" does not do justice to the extent of influence you have in my life. Much as clay is useless unless moulded into suitable shapes, I wasn't half the man I am without you in my life. This isn't exaggeration - the very fact that I have been able to do my MBA is ONLY because of your motivation. With the best of my efforts, I was not being able to convert anything. My parents, especially my father, always dreamt of big things for me - and I was not doing full justice to their ambitions. Pop you came - and the next thing I know is I had converted my CAT exam finally.
But hang on, this is not just about you motivating me for my career aspirations - this is about your special presence in my life. You were this simple smart girl who had just about all the good qualities one could ever imagine - and the typical flirt that I was, I still could not urge myself to flirt with you. I always thought that would be bad - you earned my respect from the early days itself. And it was not just me who thought it this way - it was the entire department.
Therefore it was an honour when you agreed to come to be the love of my life, it started with adulation and awe - you were this special girl, a diva in her own sense - and I was the idiot who could not possibly get any more lucky. As days passed by, I came to know you more. At times you are like a kid, and I am amazed at the innocence you reflect. And at times you are this over excited girl who loves shopping for her wardrobe! To complement all this, you have shown more maturity than I could anticipate, and have been very adjusting even when I behaved like a jerk.
I feel sorry for myself, how could I possibly hurt you over petty matters? I guess I get insecure - you are too precious for me to loose. But I realize I disguise my jealousy into insecurity and I turn irritable. A bit of jealousy is all right - I will always find other men mean ;-), but I have learnt not to cross your tolerance limits.
The catch is - I was attracted to you because you were this special human being, who has never been on the wrong side of things - ever. Perfection is no more a dream when I think about you - and it makes all other things so very insignificant.
By the way - you have the best dressing sense among ALL the women I have ever seen, and you carry yourself amazingly well in ALL possible occasions. Dearest Lopa - I love you like I never have, you are the prettiest woman in this world, and I adore your persona and your style! Happy Birthday once again :)
P.S - How much over I tried, the date of the post remained 15th of March, but it is already 16th out here in Singapore, and it is today that I posted this. But Blogger follows U.S timings, which means the post seems to be posted on 15th :(
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Tremors
This morning Mother Nature seemed to share my happiness with the entire world. Already there have been two significant tremors felt at Singapore. I live in the 6th floor and it did cause a fair bit of anxiety all around. One almost felt like being given slight push in the cradle, or it was like slight waves rocking a tiny paper boat in a placid pool of water, or like the feeling one gets when the swing is just about to stop - you sway in a gentle motion. So much so for an earthquake - life is rocking literally!
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Zero, Not Out!
What makes people think that there is no room for someone who is a touch reserved? We are talking about business analysts or consultants here - the only chat they need to do with customers is business, not some pub room chit-chat which can very well be on the agenda of a salesman!!
I discussed this with my sister, and asked her a question - if you were taking the interview of Nandan Nilekani and Narayana Murthy, and you had the thought process of the individuals who represented Cognizant and TCS, whom would you choose between the two? Pat came the answer - Nandan Nilekani - and this is the point I am trying to drive in. People do get biased, and select because THEY think it is right, not because the job demands so!
All the same, I will try and present a more "energetic" self next time around! I understand the need for showing interest - maybe I was portraying a wrong image there. It makes me strive harder for that elusive job - it will be well cherished when I achieve the goal. As a fellow MBAite wrote in his poem to inspire all those who failed yesterday - "Success is sweet, when I simply succeed. Success is sweeter, when I fail and succeed."
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Whitewash!
My blog is slowly resembling a cricket website - with more and more posts written about cricket. It reveals two things - one is my passion for the game (albeit my own skills are laughable at the very best); and two is the amazing turn of events on the field that seem to happen rather frequently.
New Zealand outclassed Australia for the third game in a row and successfully chased down 300+ scores in two consequetive matches to clinch the Chappel-Hadlee trophy 3-0. Australians are defeated, foxed, stunned, beaten, decimated, destroyed - you add adjectives and the list goes on and on. This amazing performance by the Kiwis makes one trust the instincts - nothing is permanent but change. The Australians might as well make a comeback and win the World Cup - but it will take some time to forget this royal thrashing!
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Bond with the Best!
First it was the Poms, and now it is the Kiwis. Australians now have an achilles heel - and it was Vincent who had first pointed it out. Yeah - it is their over confidence, and it has hurt them badly alright! Minus the key players, they are a bunch of tentative, insipid cricketers who have a lot of vulnerabilities in all the departments of the game. With the World Cup not too far away, 4 defeats in the past 5 games does not sound a happy verdict for the current World Champions. It can get worse - another loss in the next two games against the Kiwis would mean the Australians will be replaced by the South Africans as the number 1 team in the world. You guessed it - with 33 wickets against them in the last 10 games, there is plenty of motivation for Bond again! He is simply the best.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Overwhelmed!
I did ask a question (now that is a rare event!) - is there any worry for the business community amongst all this success? His answer was more on the lines of diplomacy for Taiwan, relationship with the Bush government, and similar things - most of it was subtle, and it gave one a feeling that not much can go wrong in such a build up. Yes there are enormous environmental concerns for China, and there is an increasing income gap amongst its populace - but all said and done, it will take some beating for a nation to halt China's progress to the top of the pile!
Monday, February 12, 2007
Cricket is still a funny game - II
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Hail Schindler!
After all these years, I finally managed to watch Schindler's List - the immensely popular Oscar winning Steven Spielberg movie of 1993; which makes one sit up and think - what is strength of character? This comes at a time when I have been reading about exemplary leaders like Ricardo Semler, Dhirubhai Ambani, Ratan Tata, RP Goenka - and yet my verdict is, each of these successful business leaders can't even match the phenomenon that Schindler created.
I knew about Holocaust, I knew about the World War - and yet I did not know about Schindler and his immense work - it makes me feel so ignorant. After watching the movie, I searched the web for more information on Schindler and the War period, and his contribution to humanity. The movie had successfully created the right impression in my mind - all of the web pages reiterated the disaster that the world was meddled with - and the images only made the scene grotesque.
Schindler was a German national - and he was a branded womaniser and gambler of sorts. The War prompted him to an enamel related business, and he used Jews as workers for his factory. At some point of time, he was a reformed man - and he was affected badly by the crimes against Jews. Who wouldn't be - even when you are at war!! I have no clue what was the drive for those Nazi soldiers to do such brutal atrocities - there has to be a method to their madness, and some sense too.
Perhaps I am too meek, but just a thought of the probable scenes of Holocaust shudders my heart. It makes me wonder, what drives such hatred in men and women? Is it Wealth, Religion, or Power - three things which humans have sought for most of their existence,and continue doing so?
It also makes me wonder - what makes men and women hail a hero/leader?
Is it pride, devotion, safety, job guarantee...
...or the bleak hope of survival...a cause Schindler sought for the 1300 Jews he rescued; using all his might, diplomacy, conmanship, and millions of dollars...
Nobody knows about the exact motives of Schindler, but his deeds are more than sufficient to celebrate him as a hero for all ages - a man who stood against brutality.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Making a New Year Resolution
The roots of Infosys are in India and everyone admires the positive changes in the nation. But hang on, absurd as this may seem, isn't writing solely about India and its achievements defying the very word "flatness"?
The success of the western world and their consequent up rise suggested the world wasn't flat back then. For every successful nation like the U.S, there was a developing nation like India. The new age success of India, China, and others still does not suggest the world is flat. For every imagination-defying nation like India, there is still an economic and social horror ridden nation like Zimbabwe.
For all one knows, the world is far from being flat; earlier it was unipolar, and now it is multi-polar.