Old blog posts imported from rediff
[16/07/2008 15:57:33] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
dead?
no, still alive. just shifted to 410k.blogspot.com ....
dead?
no, still alive. just shifted to 410k.blogspot.com ....
[29/05/2008 09:11:15] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
strike three for justice
there is still hope for india - at least judiciary functions well, even if things get delayed. after 6 long years, finally vikas yadav is held guilty for the murder of nk. may he gets to see his creator soon. amen.
strike three for justice
there is still hope for india - at least judiciary functions well, even if things get delayed. after 6 long years, finally vikas yadav is held guilty for the murder of nk. may he gets to see his creator soon. amen.
[23/02/2008 04:03:57] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
four weddings and a funeral
Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.
Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He is Dead.
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.
He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.
The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun,
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.
-- W.H. Auden
four weddings and a funeral
Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.
Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He is Dead.
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.
He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.
The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun,
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.
-- W.H. Auden
[22/12/2007 17:02:02] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
real life pgw
i feel like wooster. just let off the hooks from an almost certain marriage. though i know i wont be so lucky the next time - but for the time being its a sigh of relief.
one more month and i would have my vacation in india - it certainly doesn't feel like i have spent so much time in US already. time sure flies. and speaking of flies, yesterday i saw the 1980 "the fly" - supposedly a sci-fi movie with jeff glodblum (the jurassic pask mathematician). it was so so pathetic that i had to switch off before it even finished - it was such a big waste of time. stay 20 feet away from this movie, if u ever see this in blockbuster.
my car plans are put off for another couple of months. maybe i am destined for bmw 1 series, launching next march :-)
i was watching a u-tube movie about some unitech apts in geater noida (not sure about location though) which were 6-7 months old the time the video was shot. and what i saw was horrible. the quality of construction and amenities (pool, elevators etc) was pathetic. these builders should be brought to justice, especially in a country like india where buying a house is a once in a lifetime thing for most people (if at all). someday i would start a consumer movement against all this crap. i mean look at all these real estate companies getting fatter day by day, and if thats what the consumers get (i mean the 2nd grade apts shown in the video) - then these builders should be jailed for life for cheating so many people out of their hard earned money.
time to return the movies. ta.
real life pgw
i feel like wooster. just let off the hooks from an almost certain marriage. though i know i wont be so lucky the next time - but for the time being its a sigh of relief.
one more month and i would have my vacation in india - it certainly doesn't feel like i have spent so much time in US already. time sure flies. and speaking of flies, yesterday i saw the 1980 "the fly" - supposedly a sci-fi movie with jeff glodblum (the jurassic pask mathematician). it was so so pathetic that i had to switch off before it even finished - it was such a big waste of time. stay 20 feet away from this movie, if u ever see this in blockbuster.
my car plans are put off for another couple of months. maybe i am destined for bmw 1 series, launching next march :-)
i was watching a u-tube movie about some unitech apts in geater noida (not sure about location though) which were 6-7 months old the time the video was shot. and what i saw was horrible. the quality of construction and amenities (pool, elevators etc) was pathetic. these builders should be brought to justice, especially in a country like india where buying a house is a once in a lifetime thing for most people (if at all). someday i would start a consumer movement against all this crap. i mean look at all these real estate companies getting fatter day by day, and if thats what the consumers get (i mean the 2nd grade apts shown in the video) - then these builders should be jailed for life for cheating so many people out of their hard earned money.
time to return the movies. ta.
[11/11/2007 14:33:14] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
anon
when you have fought as many wars,
and your face has even half the scars,
come back, and we would discuss
what a beautiful world this is
when you are hungry and tired,
and haven't slept for nights,
come and we would talk at length,
about hope and dreams kept alive
living eternally in dark moonless nights,
when your eyes hate, every flicker,
of even the softest of lights,
lets talk, just then, about sunshine
and when you are cold and numb,
even then, i wont ask you much,
just the same question you've asked me,
why don't you feel my touch?
anon
when you have fought as many wars,
and your face has even half the scars,
come back, and we would discuss
what a beautiful world this is
when you are hungry and tired,
and haven't slept for nights,
come and we would talk at length,
about hope and dreams kept alive
living eternally in dark moonless nights,
when your eyes hate, every flicker,
of even the softest of lights,
lets talk, just then, about sunshine
and when you are cold and numb,
even then, i wont ask you much,
just the same question you've asked me,
why don't you feel my touch?
[11/08/2007 11:39:07] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
hmmm....
and i thought people marry for love....seems i was wrong (no i am sure i am wrong). marriage is as much as a transaction as buying onions and potatoes. common sense - dawning upon me a bit late perhaps. i am sooo tired of life sometimes....and reminded by all my well wishers that the world doesnt work according to my thinking....i bet if it did, it would have been a much nicer place.
i have nothing against people who put up their profile on marriage sites (in fact, i have secret admiration for them at times), but its the whole business of marriage sites which amuses and appalls me at the same time. i don't exactly know why, but maybe coz my entire life i have been wary of self-marketing (and to be honest, there was nothing about me to be advertised about). funny thing is that i never felt this way about the dating sites, which somehow seems alright to me. not sure if i am making too much fuss about this, or i think marriages are much more sacred than they actually are, or maybe its the commitment part which gives rise to reason number two. and thats not a pleasant thought i tell you. its like living the quintessential generation gap but with people your own age. i can understand what the guy whosoever first said "been there, done that" must be feeling about life.
seems i would be in california for some more time to come. i am not sure what i am going to do or plan anything. in more ways than one, it is actually a good thing, as it leads to less frustration and disappointment. and there is a sense of adventure too. my only concern is about my mom, who i feel is entitled to a much better quality of life, and that is precisely what i am unable to give her right now, despite my best efforts of course. i wish the coming year could make things a bit simpler, if not easy.
hmmm....
and i thought people marry for love....seems i was wrong (no i am sure i am wrong). marriage is as much as a transaction as buying onions and potatoes. common sense - dawning upon me a bit late perhaps. i am sooo tired of life sometimes....and reminded by all my well wishers that the world doesnt work according to my thinking....i bet if it did, it would have been a much nicer place.
i have nothing against people who put up their profile on marriage sites (in fact, i have secret admiration for them at times), but its the whole business of marriage sites which amuses and appalls me at the same time. i don't exactly know why, but maybe coz my entire life i have been wary of self-marketing (and to be honest, there was nothing about me to be advertised about). funny thing is that i never felt this way about the dating sites, which somehow seems alright to me. not sure if i am making too much fuss about this, or i think marriages are much more sacred than they actually are, or maybe its the commitment part which gives rise to reason number two. and thats not a pleasant thought i tell you. its like living the quintessential generation gap but with people your own age. i can understand what the guy whosoever first said "been there, done that" must be feeling about life.
seems i would be in california for some more time to come. i am not sure what i am going to do or plan anything. in more ways than one, it is actually a good thing, as it leads to less frustration and disappointment. and there is a sense of adventure too. my only concern is about my mom, who i feel is entitled to a much better quality of life, and that is precisely what i am unable to give her right now, despite my best efforts of course. i wish the coming year could make things a bit simpler, if not easy.
[10/06/2007 08:54:56] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
ruminations in darkness
its not the winters i fear,
or the dark cold nights,
neither sorrow nor strife,
they always were part of my life,
no, not the daily grinds,
i never cared for the rat race,
not embarassment or humiliation,
not even the scars on my face,
not the prospect of grey hairs,
or the march of passing years,
aeons of oblivion or promises unkept,
not fear of failures or expressions inapt,
coz all i wish is the clear blue sky,
a dream to live, and a cause to die,
just wish to carry on, not a moment to lie,
i could walk forever, my head held high
ruminations in darkness
its not the winters i fear,
or the dark cold nights,
neither sorrow nor strife,
they always were part of my life,
no, not the daily grinds,
i never cared for the rat race,
not embarassment or humiliation,
not even the scars on my face,
not the prospect of grey hairs,
or the march of passing years,
aeons of oblivion or promises unkept,
not fear of failures or expressions inapt,
coz all i wish is the clear blue sky,
a dream to live, and a cause to die,
just wish to carry on, not a moment to lie,
i could walk forever, my head held high
[26/05/2007 12:42:24] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
You'll never walk alone
When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark.
At the end of the storm there's a golden sky
And the sweet, silver song of a lark.
Walk on through the wind, walk on through the rain,
Though your dreams be tossed and blown.
Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart,
And you'll never walk alone.
You'll never walk alone.
Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart,
And you'll never walk alone.
You'll ne-ever walk alone.
You'll never walk alone
When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark.
At the end of the storm there's a golden sky
And the sweet, silver song of a lark.
Walk on through the wind, walk on through the rain,
Though your dreams be tossed and blown.
Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart,
And you'll never walk alone.
You'll never walk alone.
Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart,
And you'll never walk alone.
You'll ne-ever walk alone.
[03/05/2007 19:36:19] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
in the land of women
Now I can remember like it was only yesterday
Love was young and foolish like a little child at play
But oh how lovers change, I never dreamed how easily
'Cause now I'm just a shadow of the boy I used to be
And when I write the book about my love
It will be about a man who's torn in half
About his hopes and ambitions wasted through the years
The pain will be written on every page in tears
When I write the book about my love
I was a fool to myself when I kept on runnin' around
And I fared little better when I tried settlin' down
Maybe some magic moment
I've never known one, not for long
For all too soon the magic is in a moment gone
And when I write the book about my love
It'll be a heartbreaking story about love and luck
When I get down on the pages all I felt
It will make the hardest-hearted of critics' hearts melt
When I write the book about my love
When I was young love was fun and I was so happy
I looked so good, and I dressed so snappy
Two-tone shoes on my feet, big old smile on my face
As I moved and grooved all over the place
Now I'm down in the heels, my complexion is bad
'Cause my love life is sadder than sad
And when I write the book about my love
It'll be a pop publication, tougher than tough
When I get down on the pages all I missed
It will shoot to the top of the best-sellers list
When I write the book about my love
in the land of women
Now I can remember like it was only yesterday
Love was young and foolish like a little child at play
But oh how lovers change, I never dreamed how easily
'Cause now I'm just a shadow of the boy I used to be
And when I write the book about my love
It will be about a man who's torn in half
About his hopes and ambitions wasted through the years
The pain will be written on every page in tears
When I write the book about my love
I was a fool to myself when I kept on runnin' around
And I fared little better when I tried settlin' down
Maybe some magic moment
I've never known one, not for long
For all too soon the magic is in a moment gone
And when I write the book about my love
It'll be a heartbreaking story about love and luck
When I get down on the pages all I felt
It will make the hardest-hearted of critics' hearts melt
When I write the book about my love
When I was young love was fun and I was so happy
I looked so good, and I dressed so snappy
Two-tone shoes on my feet, big old smile on my face
As I moved and grooved all over the place
Now I'm down in the heels, my complexion is bad
'Cause my love life is sadder than sad
And when I write the book about my love
It'll be a pop publication, tougher than tough
When I get down on the pages all I missed
It will shoot to the top of the best-sellers list
When I write the book about my love
[21/03/2007 00:12:52] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
i say
I say, and so say I,
My morning thought it knew itself just fine,
Until, across the room,
It caught it’s first glimpse of my afternoon,
How can it be,
That these things live in me?
I say, and so say I,
My morning’s day,
seems nothing like it’s night.
My, night, so self-assured,
was all at sea when faced with dawn’s strange world
How can it be,
That these things live in me?
Elliot Wheeler
(Sung by Melanie Horsnell)
http://www.myspace.com/foreverthursdaymusic
i say
I say, and so say I,
My morning thought it knew itself just fine,
Until, across the room,
It caught it’s first glimpse of my afternoon,
How can it be,
That these things live in me?
I say, and so say I,
My morning’s day,
seems nothing like it’s night.
My, night, so self-assured,
was all at sea when faced with dawn’s strange world
How can it be,
That these things live in me?
Elliot Wheeler
(Sung by Melanie Horsnell)
http://www.myspace.com/foreverthursdaymusic
[19/03/2007 00:04:41] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
modern modern art
ok, i accept i dont understand modern art, at least not completely. but a black canvas-i mean jet black? i went to SFMOMA (San Francisco Museum of Modern Art) today and an entire gallery was filled with black, white, blue canvases. i mean completely black, white and blue. completely. nothing else. i understand that the artist might have something in his mind or something he wanted to convey through blank canvases. but how in this world am a starter like me supposed to get into his mind? at least the canvases doesnt help u to :-) another interesting thought is that if it is the artist's thoughts they are interested in-why don't they just pen it down and put it instead of the canvases? maybe i am more of the expressionism/impressionism school of thought here (whatever that actually means :-) ).
but to be fair, the experience was good. there is so much creativity, u feel driven by the force. and i need motivation badly. the thought of "what should i do next" make me restless. even though i am clocking almost 14-16 hours for work everyday. maybe i am lonely. i mean i always was, but now it hurts at times.
i was walking back from the museum-and the area is pretty steep, i mean it goes almost 20-30 degrees up and down within a span of 500-600 meters. and suddenly i realized that when the climb is steep, u tend to slow down-but what exactly u need to do is to speed up, in order to keep up pace. and thats what i need to do. coincidentally the climb was worth it. at the highest point u can see the bay and the fog on the top of the pyramid tower, which is near the hotel i live in (i managed to click few snaps, one given in this post).
its 1.10 at night, time to take the clothes out of the dryer.
"...you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free"
modern modern art
ok, i accept i dont understand modern art, at least not completely. but a black canvas-i mean jet black? i went to SFMOMA (San Francisco Museum of Modern Art) today and an entire gallery was filled with black, white, blue canvases. i mean completely black, white and blue. completely. nothing else. i understand that the artist might have something in his mind or something he wanted to convey through blank canvases. but how in this world am a starter like me supposed to get into his mind? at least the canvases doesnt help u to :-) another interesting thought is that if it is the artist's thoughts they are interested in-why don't they just pen it down and put it instead of the canvases? maybe i am more of the expressionism/impressionism school of thought here (whatever that actually means :-) ).
but to be fair, the experience was good. there is so much creativity, u feel driven by the force. and i need motivation badly. the thought of "what should i do next" make me restless. even though i am clocking almost 14-16 hours for work everyday. maybe i am lonely. i mean i always was, but now it hurts at times.
i was walking back from the museum-and the area is pretty steep, i mean it goes almost 20-30 degrees up and down within a span of 500-600 meters. and suddenly i realized that when the climb is steep, u tend to slow down-but what exactly u need to do is to speed up, in order to keep up pace. and thats what i need to do. coincidentally the climb was worth it. at the highest point u can see the bay and the fog on the top of the pyramid tower, which is near the hotel i live in (i managed to click few snaps, one given in this post).
its 1.10 at night, time to take the clothes out of the dryer.
"...you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free"
[10/03/2007 03:15:14] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
sleepless in san francisco
i just realized what a loser I have become (no no i am not saying i wasnt a loser before-just that now i am sure about it). its friday night 2.43AM here, and after watching "cheaters"-for a whole hour- i am watching a television (yes television-not TV -u smarties out there) promo for girls gone wild. yes, with all the stuff with "censored" marked in the vital spots. now i know that things like ggw with those censored texts is like a riceless biryani (totally imaginary-no such thing is reported to exist till date, but u would get the drift). but before u give me the grin let me tell u something - these girls are hot- as hot as the mighty creator could possibly make them.
so, one part of mine (the brain i mean- before u start imagining things) asks - "does that make me a loser"? no absolutely not. no no- no way. what makes me a loser is that i am still not ordering that $10 CD which these guys are pushing me to buy. and whats this i just saw on the television-girls gone wild island? is there such a thing-i always thought its a myth, like shangrila or the fountain of youth (which incidentally, according to a news-one very famous magician-david something, has found on a lonely island. sooner we would be hearing news about discovery of unicorns also, who knows). now i know that the legend is true. oh thank you god, thank you for this. now i have a meaningful goal in my life-i know where i want to be.
ok, now back to reality. had a talk with my program manager in hyderabad. and he told me what i always feared to be true. that i am wasting my life in india, a person with my aptitude and attitude should be in US. and stay there for good. people might feel happy after hearing such a remark, but no, not me -i already told u i am a loser. a die hard pessimist (did i spell it correctly-did i? no i am sure i have misspelt it).
and lo and behold- you have heard of IQ, EQ even SQ. what they show me on the dumb box is the eyeQ, now what in the good lord's name is that (i wanted to say what the f*** -but cant swear-its a public blog, accessible to even children under 15, which is the mental age of many of the people i know). ok just kidding. kids have much more knowledge about these things now-a-days, why-the other day 12-16 year old kids in MyHome, hyderabad started asking abt my sex life- thankfully which was non-existent at least when i was there. dont smile dude- the thankfully part was not for the non-existence, it was for the fact that i didnt have to lie).
ok time to sleep....everybody else around me have already done so (ok, so i am lonely and there is nobody around me-but i didn't lie, did i?)
sleepless in san francisco
i just realized what a loser I have become (no no i am not saying i wasnt a loser before-just that now i am sure about it). its friday night 2.43AM here, and after watching "cheaters"-for a whole hour- i am watching a television (yes television-not TV -u smarties out there) promo for girls gone wild. yes, with all the stuff with "censored" marked in the vital spots. now i know that things like ggw with those censored texts is like a riceless biryani (totally imaginary-no such thing is reported to exist till date, but u would get the drift). but before u give me the grin let me tell u something - these girls are hot- as hot as the mighty creator could possibly make them.
so, one part of mine (the brain i mean- before u start imagining things) asks - "does that make me a loser"? no absolutely not. no no- no way. what makes me a loser is that i am still not ordering that $10 CD which these guys are pushing me to buy. and whats this i just saw on the television-girls gone wild island? is there such a thing-i always thought its a myth, like shangrila or the fountain of youth (which incidentally, according to a news-one very famous magician-david something, has found on a lonely island. sooner we would be hearing news about discovery of unicorns also, who knows). now i know that the legend is true. oh thank you god, thank you for this. now i have a meaningful goal in my life-i know where i want to be.
ok, now back to reality. had a talk with my program manager in hyderabad. and he told me what i always feared to be true. that i am wasting my life in india, a person with my aptitude and attitude should be in US. and stay there for good. people might feel happy after hearing such a remark, but no, not me -i already told u i am a loser. a die hard pessimist (did i spell it correctly-did i? no i am sure i have misspelt it).
and lo and behold- you have heard of IQ, EQ even SQ. what they show me on the dumb box is the eyeQ, now what in the good lord's name is that (i wanted to say what the f*** -but cant swear-its a public blog, accessible to even children under 15, which is the mental age of many of the people i know). ok just kidding. kids have much more knowledge about these things now-a-days, why-the other day 12-16 year old kids in MyHome, hyderabad started asking abt my sex life- thankfully which was non-existent at least when i was there. dont smile dude- the thankfully part was not for the non-existence, it was for the fact that i didnt have to lie).
ok time to sleep....everybody else around me have already done so (ok, so i am lonely and there is nobody around me-but i didn't lie, did i?)
[03/03/2007 01:59:14] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
sound of music
...my heart wants to sing every song it hears...
saw it yesterday. should have done years before :-), but i guess its never too late. and wrote some lines too:
whoever promised eternal sunshine,
was blind to the joy of dancing in rain,
and all the happiness at the end of the rainbow,
might make u overlook the virtues of pain,
so, lets say, be grateful even for strife,
but still hope, and dream, for rest of ur life.
believe, and keep the faith, its ne'er too late,
not everything comes with an expiry date
my god, it has been months since i wrote anything worthwhile last. and it has been months since i last cried. i would like to believe it was the movie, though i know pretty well it wasn't.
today was my treat day-went to the same thai place we went to dinner few days back. i havent done much after coming here, but being at SFO, atleast u can get all sort of food around u. so far it has been mexican, thai, vietnamese, mediterranean, italian. greek and japanese are on the cards next week maybe.
bala is going to LA after a couple of weeks with his wife and daughter. i might join him if he drives. disneyland it would be :-)
and oh, suddenly realized what my pic on orkut resembles. its "leaving las vegas" - nicholas cage. no, i dont resemble him, just the pic, if u know what i mean.
sound of music
...my heart wants to sing every song it hears...
saw it yesterday. should have done years before :-), but i guess its never too late. and wrote some lines too:
whoever promised eternal sunshine,
was blind to the joy of dancing in rain,
and all the happiness at the end of the rainbow,
might make u overlook the virtues of pain,
so, lets say, be grateful even for strife,
but still hope, and dream, for rest of ur life.
believe, and keep the faith, its ne'er too late,
not everything comes with an expiry date
my god, it has been months since i wrote anything worthwhile last. and it has been months since i last cried. i would like to believe it was the movie, though i know pretty well it wasn't.
today was my treat day-went to the same thai place we went to dinner few days back. i havent done much after coming here, but being at SFO, atleast u can get all sort of food around u. so far it has been mexican, thai, vietnamese, mediterranean, italian. greek and japanese are on the cards next week maybe.
bala is going to LA after a couple of weeks with his wife and daughter. i might join him if he drives. disneyland it would be :-)
and oh, suddenly realized what my pic on orkut resembles. its "leaving las vegas" - nicholas cage. no, i dont resemble him, just the pic, if u know what i mean.
[26/02/2007 15:32:16] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
$400 lesson
ya, thats what precisely it is.i made few calls to india from my hotel room (40 minutes to be precise) and it cost me $400. my mistake was not to enquire abt the rates earlier.... so its an expensive lesson. but what the heck-worrying abt it now wont solve the problem or make anything better. so let me pretend i came to US around a week late :-)
so now-the first thing to do is to get a calling card. lets see.
$400 lesson
ya, thats what precisely it is.i made few calls to india from my hotel room (40 minutes to be precise) and it cost me $400. my mistake was not to enquire abt the rates earlier.... so its an expensive lesson. but what the heck-worrying abt it now wont solve the problem or make anything better. so let me pretend i came to US around a week late :-)
so now-the first thing to do is to get a calling card. lets see.
[21/02/2007 07:13:47] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
here and now (here and how!!!)
life is what happens to you when you are busy planning other things. how true. its 6.30 in the morning here in san francisco. this city is so alive. but i think at this time of the year, i am fortunate to be in sunny california, other states are freezing cold. this weather is what we have in delhi generally in winter, so didnt find it much alien, unlike many of my south indian friends.
singapore airport is one of the shocks-though in a pleasant manner. indian airports have such a long way to go-not only materialistically- but in customer service also. one of the feeling u get after getting down at the airport is a sudden realization to geo-political realities, as a citizen of the global colony. which i think is true abt singapore, more than any other city. most of the people here are foreigners, with majority being chinese. but its a clean city-much cleaner than even SFO.
had long talks with abhinav and deepa yesterday. he might visit here in one of the coming weeks from texas-and i am planning to go around for sight seeing. there is much to see in and around SFO. though not sure without a car, i would have striked much on my own.
have much to work on abhi. so let this be short.
here and now (here and how!!!)
life is what happens to you when you are busy planning other things. how true. its 6.30 in the morning here in san francisco. this city is so alive. but i think at this time of the year, i am fortunate to be in sunny california, other states are freezing cold. this weather is what we have in delhi generally in winter, so didnt find it much alien, unlike many of my south indian friends.
singapore airport is one of the shocks-though in a pleasant manner. indian airports have such a long way to go-not only materialistically- but in customer service also. one of the feeling u get after getting down at the airport is a sudden realization to geo-political realities, as a citizen of the global colony. which i think is true abt singapore, more than any other city. most of the people here are foreigners, with majority being chinese. but its a clean city-much cleaner than even SFO.
had long talks with abhinav and deepa yesterday. he might visit here in one of the coming weeks from texas-and i am planning to go around for sight seeing. there is much to see in and around SFO. though not sure without a car, i would have striked much on my own.
have much to work on abhi. so let this be short.
[14/02/2007 10:31:52] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
one more life
yes, i am getting old. i know, and even if i wish to forget, akshay would never let me :-) he is my roomy, and after many years i made a new friend.
i am not superstitious, but somehow i noticed how one's luck travels in a cyclic manner. for me, for example, its like a 3 year cycle-3 year of boom, and then bust, and then so on. of course, the general trend had always been up all these years.2000-03 were like living in a dream-my first love, completing my engg, winning all these competitions, getting into an IIM, i started training corporates, and got the taste of big money and so on. 2004-2006 were hell in many ways, ravi died in the car accident, one of my cousins in a motorbike one, my break-off etc etc. and now 2007 has started on many positive notes. lets see if 2007-2009 really prove to be the golden years.
life has been a great circus, and i have always been juggling between good and the tempting, loyality and self-preservation, responsibilities and fun, the list goes on and on and on- comically like the energiser bunny. but i think in the end i love what i got- the satisfaction of never having built my palaces over the deathbed of somebody's else dreams. i know it sounds so boring-so lets chuck it before i get too philosophical.
i am going to san francisco in 2 days. a new place to roam around-would try to go to silicon valley-who knows life might be kind, and i might own an office there :-) but somehow i am not excited. not sure why. it might be NG ;-p, but no, that cant be the reason i am sure. and in any case, its a short 2-3 month trip. so, its a touch and go kinda thing. but in retrospect, i think it was good that i cancelled my singapore plan this jan. i can perhaps think of australia at year end, girindar and rajesh being there.
oh yes, and my french classes. after long long time, i finally got hold of it, with priyank and akshay with me. but now i have to leave it in between coz of the us visit. thats fate i would say. never say die though :-), one day sure i would be writing this blog in french.
one more life
yes, i am getting old. i know, and even if i wish to forget, akshay would never let me :-) he is my roomy, and after many years i made a new friend.
i am not superstitious, but somehow i noticed how one's luck travels in a cyclic manner. for me, for example, its like a 3 year cycle-3 year of boom, and then bust, and then so on. of course, the general trend had always been up all these years.2000-03 were like living in a dream-my first love, completing my engg, winning all these competitions, getting into an IIM, i started training corporates, and got the taste of big money and so on. 2004-2006 were hell in many ways, ravi died in the car accident, one of my cousins in a motorbike one, my break-off etc etc. and now 2007 has started on many positive notes. lets see if 2007-2009 really prove to be the golden years.
life has been a great circus, and i have always been juggling between good and the tempting, loyality and self-preservation, responsibilities and fun, the list goes on and on and on- comically like the energiser bunny. but i think in the end i love what i got- the satisfaction of never having built my palaces over the deathbed of somebody's else dreams. i know it sounds so boring-so lets chuck it before i get too philosophical.
i am going to san francisco in 2 days. a new place to roam around-would try to go to silicon valley-who knows life might be kind, and i might own an office there :-) but somehow i am not excited. not sure why. it might be NG ;-p, but no, that cant be the reason i am sure. and in any case, its a short 2-3 month trip. so, its a touch and go kinda thing. but in retrospect, i think it was good that i cancelled my singapore plan this jan. i can perhaps think of australia at year end, girindar and rajesh being there.
oh yes, and my french classes. after long long time, i finally got hold of it, with priyank and akshay with me. but now i have to leave it in between coz of the us visit. thats fate i would say. never say die though :-), one day sure i would be writing this blog in french.
[22/12/2006 06:33:32] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
strike two for justice
by this time, the news is already old. but still sweet to the ears. manu sharma goes for life term - despite his lawyer's - the old man (read RJ) stupid effort. i wish if it was possible to law to send him to jail along with mr sharma. but anyways i feel the angel of death is almost knocking on his door. hell should and would get him soon. amen.
strike two for justice
by this time, the news is already old. but still sweet to the ears. manu sharma goes for life term - despite his lawyer's - the old man (read RJ) stupid effort. i wish if it was possible to law to send him to jail along with mr sharma. but anyways i feel the angel of death is almost knocking on his door. hell should and would get him soon. amen.
[12/11/2006 10:32:36] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
xenophopia + femmephobia
From: victoria miller
Hello,
I Got your message concerning the room and I will really appreciate it if i can get the room from you. Am 23 years old female presently in Sweden .Let me know the bills per month and also to know the method of payment you would prefer.
Try to get me the pictures of the room so I can know what it looks like, and kindly tell me little about your self. I will await for your response later today .
Hope to hear from you soon.
Victoria
----------
Alok Kumar to victoria
hi,
i am in a fix. personally, i have no hassles, and want to help from my side, but not sure if the landlord would allow having female flatmates (I am myself a tenant as i have mentioned in the post)....let me have a word with him, would let you know soon. thats one reason why i mentioned a preference for guys working in IT....its still india and very traditional.
apologies, if things dont work out.
----------------------------------------
A female flatmate? Are you out of your mind? thats what my roommate said when i told him that our ad for flatmates got a response from a swedish girl. as i tried to argue unsuccessfully, i was told that you never know if she is into drugs or what.perhaps rightly-oh damn it-i have also started thinking like them.
the point i am trying to make here is that what do we think of foreigners, why does it bring an image of cocaine smoking inebriated irresponsible persons? i can understand the female part- as i said it is still india. but if would have been her-honestly, i would have felt very disappointed. over an issue which might seem funny. and i was not happy writing that mail back to her-coz i know what is going to be the final response also. am i not as practical as my roommate or what? is it just me who think that this is so unfair - i mean not the decision - maybe we would ourselves have found that the arrangement would not work out to our satisfaction, but the very chance of being eligible the room....just coz she is a female and not from india....i know the matter of this room is not a big deal, and surely she would find another arrangement somewhere (and i hope so), but still its not fair. i remember kristein telling me about her experiences when she used to live near gol market in delhi few years back. and i rememer my own experience when i was looking for a flat in chennai in 1996- when i realized that bachelors, and that too from north india are not something chennai landlords find themselves very comfortable renting houses to. and how i scoffed and cursed them. Do i not find myself in the same position now? but all said and done, its not my house.
time to sleep now. ta.
xenophopia + femmephobia
From: victoria miller
Hello,
I Got your message concerning the room and I will really appreciate it if i can get the room from you. Am 23 years old female presently in Sweden .Let me know the bills per month and also to know the method of payment you would prefer.
Try to get me the pictures of the room so I can know what it looks like, and kindly tell me little about your self. I will await for your response later today .
Hope to hear from you soon.
Victoria
----------
Alok Kumar to victoria
hi,
i am in a fix. personally, i have no hassles, and want to help from my side, but not sure if the landlord would allow having female flatmates (I am myself a tenant as i have mentioned in the post)....let me have a word with him, would let you know soon. thats one reason why i mentioned a preference for guys working in IT....its still india and very traditional.
apologies, if things dont work out.
----------------------------------------
A female flatmate? Are you out of your mind? thats what my roommate said when i told him that our ad for flatmates got a response from a swedish girl. as i tried to argue unsuccessfully, i was told that you never know if she is into drugs or what.perhaps rightly-oh damn it-i have also started thinking like them.
the point i am trying to make here is that what do we think of foreigners, why does it bring an image of cocaine smoking inebriated irresponsible persons? i can understand the female part- as i said it is still india. but if would have been her-honestly, i would have felt very disappointed. over an issue which might seem funny. and i was not happy writing that mail back to her-coz i know what is going to be the final response also. am i not as practical as my roommate or what? is it just me who think that this is so unfair - i mean not the decision - maybe we would ourselves have found that the arrangement would not work out to our satisfaction, but the very chance of being eligible the room....just coz she is a female and not from india....i know the matter of this room is not a big deal, and surely she would find another arrangement somewhere (and i hope so), but still its not fair. i remember kristein telling me about her experiences when she used to live near gol market in delhi few years back. and i rememer my own experience when i was looking for a flat in chennai in 1996- when i realized that bachelors, and that too from north india are not something chennai landlords find themselves very comfortable renting houses to. and how i scoffed and cursed them. Do i not find myself in the same position now? but all said and done, its not my house.
time to sleep now. ta.
[29/10/2006 07:15:14] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
another incomplete one....
i saw life,
passing me by,
sometime time,
watching me cry,
and felt pain,
not my own,
i've seen love,
come and gone,
silence and pause,
dying for a cause,
innocent smiles,
truth and lies,
putting up masks,
friends in casks,
death and birth,
joys and mirth,
hours of wait,
being late on a date,
sleepless nights,
and pointless fights,
selling the soul,
to reach to the goal,
settling the score,
and then some more,
new kids on the block,
or steady like a rock,
and evergreen few,
the old and the new,
some hard to find,
selfless and the kind,
and day after day,
the ego in play....
another incomplete one....
i saw life,
passing me by,
sometime time,
watching me cry,
and felt pain,
not my own,
i've seen love,
come and gone,
silence and pause,
dying for a cause,
innocent smiles,
truth and lies,
putting up masks,
friends in casks,
death and birth,
joys and mirth,
hours of wait,
being late on a date,
sleepless nights,
and pointless fights,
selling the soul,
to reach to the goal,
settling the score,
and then some more,
new kids on the block,
or steady like a rock,
and evergreen few,
the old and the new,
some hard to find,
selfless and the kind,
and day after day,
the ego in play....
[18/10/2006 23:58:35] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
the sweet scent of justice
no, i didnt know ms mattoo personally, like many of us hanging on the word of the HC over the judgement. still, there is a cause for me to shed tears of joy day before - and i did. finally the HC has shown that justice could not be denied even after years of wait.
i know it might sound a bit on the extreme, but seriously there should be a law punishing the lawyers also, if it could be shown that all this time they were aware of the guilty of the accused. if you ask me, this amount to abetting the crime.
anyways, despite all other things, for the time being, i can feel the sweet euphermal scent of justice. it is surely something to rejoice.
the sweet scent of justice
no, i didnt know ms mattoo personally, like many of us hanging on the word of the HC over the judgement. still, there is a cause for me to shed tears of joy day before - and i did. finally the HC has shown that justice could not be denied even after years of wait.
i know it might sound a bit on the extreme, but seriously there should be a law punishing the lawyers also, if it could be shown that all this time they were aware of the guilty of the accused. if you ask me, this amount to abetting the crime.
anyways, despite all other things, for the time being, i can feel the sweet euphermal scent of justice. it is surely something to rejoice.
[15/10/2006 22:53:23] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
miss marple speak
let justice flow like water,
and righteousness roll like a stream....
miss marple speak
let justice flow like water,
and righteousness roll like a stream....
[20/09/2006 07:26:01] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
beyond
nothing lies beyond that door,
i know, and yet,
once more i reach out to it,
like ever before,
everyday i come back,
another day old,
to watch the day melt into the night,
frigid and cold,
thoughts going into smoke,
both wise and absurd,
i lie in silence with voices,
screaming to be heard,
another year wishes to be
forgotten and left alone,
and my heart doesnt want
to carry the burden of hope,
coz for sure, i know
nothing lies beyond that door.
But still i go on,
like ever before.
beyond
nothing lies beyond that door,
i know, and yet,
once more i reach out to it,
like ever before,
everyday i come back,
another day old,
to watch the day melt into the night,
frigid and cold,
thoughts going into smoke,
both wise and absurd,
i lie in silence with voices,
screaming to be heard,
another year wishes to be
forgotten and left alone,
and my heart doesnt want
to carry the burden of hope,
coz for sure, i know
nothing lies beyond that door.
But still i go on,
like ever before.
[18/09/2006 08:12:28] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
live twice
If I could only let you know
I'd give up everything I own
For just one more day with you
There's nothing I wouldn't do
I could not let it pass me by
If I make every sacrifice
To bring me back your love
If only we could live twice
If only we could live twice
-- darius
live twice
If I could only let you know
I'd give up everything I own
For just one more day with you
There's nothing I wouldn't do
I could not let it pass me by
If I make every sacrifice
To bring me back your love
If only we could live twice
If only we could live twice
-- darius
[28/08/2006 09:35:34] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
feels like home
i am back in hyderabad. the moment the cab rolled from the airport on the familiar road towards madhapur, i had a strong feeling of coming back to home. a place where they know me. and i wasnt wrong. reaching myhome appts in madhapur, i was greeted by a 8 year old kid near the lift-whom i used to meet during the swimming hours, recognized me and cheerily invited me for a game of table tennis. though i wasnt able to join him, by evening, i had a game of basketball and some swimming (and i realized badly what harm 4.5 months of inactivity in mumbai has done to my body-hopefully i would be back with my stamina soon). then shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries with almost 20-30 guys in the office today worked wonders for my lonely existence-with the talks of 'good to be back etc.'. to sum it up, it is totally different from mumbai, where even my next door neighbour dont even know me, or the person sitting in the next row in the office for months looks like u have never seen him in life.
and hyderabad life is bit relaxed, cool. running around (in circles) in mumbai could appeal certain guys, but if u ask me, honestly, i dont see a point and purpose in that kinda life. even in delhi, life isnt that 'fast' - but maybe i feel so coz i have lived in delhi all my life.
the only disadvantage-if u can call it that- here is the dinner. unlike mumbai where tiifin system percolates deep, here its either ur own cooking or the slightly on the higher side restaurants. but in perspective, the bliss in living here far outweighs these small small things.
time to doze off. or rather to pick up miss marple. before i bid goodbye - time for trivia: orkut's maximum age one can register with is 86 years (apparently they dont believe anyone over 86 would want to register there!). chao.
feels like home
i am back in hyderabad. the moment the cab rolled from the airport on the familiar road towards madhapur, i had a strong feeling of coming back to home. a place where they know me. and i wasnt wrong. reaching myhome appts in madhapur, i was greeted by a 8 year old kid near the lift-whom i used to meet during the swimming hours, recognized me and cheerily invited me for a game of table tennis. though i wasnt able to join him, by evening, i had a game of basketball and some swimming (and i realized badly what harm 4.5 months of inactivity in mumbai has done to my body-hopefully i would be back with my stamina soon). then shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries with almost 20-30 guys in the office today worked wonders for my lonely existence-with the talks of 'good to be back etc.'. to sum it up, it is totally different from mumbai, where even my next door neighbour dont even know me, or the person sitting in the next row in the office for months looks like u have never seen him in life.
and hyderabad life is bit relaxed, cool. running around (in circles) in mumbai could appeal certain guys, but if u ask me, honestly, i dont see a point and purpose in that kinda life. even in delhi, life isnt that 'fast' - but maybe i feel so coz i have lived in delhi all my life.
the only disadvantage-if u can call it that- here is the dinner. unlike mumbai where tiifin system percolates deep, here its either ur own cooking or the slightly on the higher side restaurants. but in perspective, the bliss in living here far outweighs these small small things.
time to doze off. or rather to pick up miss marple. before i bid goodbye - time for trivia: orkut's maximum age one can register with is 86 years (apparently they dont believe anyone over 86 would want to register there!). chao.
[27/07/2006 06:43:56] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
another snap-marleshwar
another snap-marleshwar
[27/07/2006 06:43:29] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
the journey is the destination
now i know what they mean by this phrase. we went to this place called ganapatipule-arnd 350 kms from mumbai and while returning, took a detour and added marleshawar to our journey. it would count as the one of the most beautiful journeys i ever had. all shades of green visible around you, and the beaches at ganapatipule were good. we spent hours just laying in the sand and getting rolled and knocked by the waves.
marleshwar was another great surprise. as i heard, it is one of the asta vinayaka temples (ganesh). surrounded by mountains and dozens of waterfalls of all shapes and sizes. i am posting 2 photos, but honestly, i realized u can never capture in a camera what an eye can see (at least not me).
the telecon at 8pm was attended by me only, guess the onsite guys totally forgot about that. have to rush to catch the 8.30 company bus. tada.
the journey is the destination
now i know what they mean by this phrase. we went to this place called ganapatipule-arnd 350 kms from mumbai and while returning, took a detour and added marleshawar to our journey. it would count as the one of the most beautiful journeys i ever had. all shades of green visible around you, and the beaches at ganapatipule were good. we spent hours just laying in the sand and getting rolled and knocked by the waves.
marleshwar was another great surprise. as i heard, it is one of the asta vinayaka temples (ganesh). surrounded by mountains and dozens of waterfalls of all shapes and sizes. i am posting 2 photos, but honestly, i realized u can never capture in a camera what an eye can see (at least not me).
the telecon at 8pm was attended by me only, guess the onsite guys totally forgot about that. have to rush to catch the 8.30 company bus. tada.
[21/07/2006 06:49:37] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
the talented mr ripleys
Quick Question: What is worse than growing old?
Ans: Feeling old.
and i am sitting in the office still, but somehow dont feel that much has been achieved in a days work. a telecon at 8.30, and then off to daman. life, it seems, is like a big truck which has run out of fuel, besides having failed the brakes. first u try so hard to move it and when it does, u suddenly realize that the momentum is a bit too much on the wrong side, and despite all efforts it goes on a direction of its own. sometimes u manage to turn the steering, sometimes it just bangs into something. right now i am just holding the steering - and hoping nothing comes in the way.
ah 7 more days and i will be in delhi. at least for 4 days. to quote my sister it is more of a touch and go kinda thing, but somehow i have developed a strong repulsion towards staying too long in a single place, even if it is my home. and with all of ur friends out of town/country (and the remaining ones with their wives/kids/troubles), all u can do each day is to sleep. or watch the idiot box.
i am planning to goto singapore/bali/jakarta etc etc later in this year....but like most of my other plans, there seems little hope of actually getting such a long break. though fauzi has reached s'pore and is game for 3-4 days,i am not sure if i myself can find time and resources for the same. i feel westeners are much better in this respect, travelling come naturally to them, even if they are all by themselves. somethings we indians can also pick up perhaps.
right now, though i am waiting for the dumb telecon, which has come out of the blue, without any agenda, but good thing is that in any case the cab for daman would come after 9-9.15 only. so it makes the things slightly easy. guess i should stop here, its almost time for the *#%@# call....
the talented mr ripleys
Quick Question: What is worse than growing old?
Ans: Feeling old.
and i am sitting in the office still, but somehow dont feel that much has been achieved in a days work. a telecon at 8.30, and then off to daman. life, it seems, is like a big truck which has run out of fuel, besides having failed the brakes. first u try so hard to move it and when it does, u suddenly realize that the momentum is a bit too much on the wrong side, and despite all efforts it goes on a direction of its own. sometimes u manage to turn the steering, sometimes it just bangs into something. right now i am just holding the steering - and hoping nothing comes in the way.
ah 7 more days and i will be in delhi. at least for 4 days. to quote my sister it is more of a touch and go kinda thing, but somehow i have developed a strong repulsion towards staying too long in a single place, even if it is my home. and with all of ur friends out of town/country (and the remaining ones with their wives/kids/troubles), all u can do each day is to sleep. or watch the idiot box.
i am planning to goto singapore/bali/jakarta etc etc later in this year....but like most of my other plans, there seems little hope of actually getting such a long break. though fauzi has reached s'pore and is game for 3-4 days,i am not sure if i myself can find time and resources for the same. i feel westeners are much better in this respect, travelling come naturally to them, even if they are all by themselves. somethings we indians can also pick up perhaps.
right now, though i am waiting for the dumb telecon, which has come out of the blue, without any agenda, but good thing is that in any case the cab for daman would come after 9-9.15 only. so it makes the things slightly easy. guess i should stop here, its almost time for the *#%@# call....
[12/07/2006 23:00:44] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
malsej ghat
snap of malsej ghat, which i visited on the last weekend. beautiful place i must say.
malsej ghat
snap of malsej ghat, which i visited on the last weekend. beautiful place i must say.
[12/07/2006 01:48:14] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
tragic tuesday in mumbai
and i was killed again yesterday,
with hundreds who lost their life,
and more than the bombs i fear,
the heart that yield the knife,
and tears freeze in my eyes,
i see bodies scattered along the way,
and one more time, i was innocent,
but nonetheless i was killed again yesterday
by the time i got back from office at 7pm, and switched on the TV, all the news channel were running stories of the train blasts in mumbai. mumbai, being the big (and long) city it is, we people at thane are as unaware if things as perhaps those sitting in delhi. sick minds at work again - and worst part is that they think they are fighting for a cause. cant write much today just pray to give strength to those affected.
tragic tuesday in mumbai
and i was killed again yesterday,
with hundreds who lost their life,
and more than the bombs i fear,
the heart that yield the knife,
and tears freeze in my eyes,
i see bodies scattered along the way,
and one more time, i was innocent,
but nonetheless i was killed again yesterday
by the time i got back from office at 7pm, and switched on the TV, all the news channel were running stories of the train blasts in mumbai. mumbai, being the big (and long) city it is, we people at thane are as unaware if things as perhaps those sitting in delhi. sick minds at work again - and worst part is that they think they are fighting for a cause. cant write much today just pray to give strength to those affected.
[03/07/2006 21:52:34] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
passwords, rain and mumbai
just a small note for the password for the last blog. it was actually the one which one of the backdoor viruses/trojans needed before u can disable it (or something like that)....
i am feeding on frustations now a days. but realize as John Denver has so succinctly put it: Some days are diamonds, and some days are stones. to start with, i shited into a new apartment with arun, just coz it has a pool. and the day i shifted the damn pool started leaking, which after 3 repairs they werent able to stop. and now it has started raining here in mumbai, so effectively the pool would be repaired after 3-4 months atleast.
but more serious problem is the lack of direction i feel in my career and life in general. not that i am not happy with whatever is happening, but somewhere i feel its not enough. maybe i am getting homesick sooner than i realize. but i guess it is coz i am not finding venues to destress (no, TV/movie watching is NOT destressing - sports is) or to do away the extra energy. accordingly work motivation is not what it used to be.
i got paints from home, but now finding the oils and canvas is proving to be difficult. in general i have found that for junta who are not concerned about nightlife, mumbai and especially thane suck big time, if i may use the word. an example would be the ghodbunder road getting potholes paralleling the surface on moon soon after the rains have started. some are big enough to swallow entire autos. other of course is the population which u can find everywhere in plenty in mumbai. then the apartment we are living in right now hasnt been reached by airtel/any other broadband yet, so net (and there goes half of my social life out of the window).
only thing that i find tempting is the places around mumbai-especially in the monsoon season. this weekend perhaps would go somewhere.
lets chuck this mumbai talk. lets talk abt books. i have finished a lot of books after coming to Hyd-including people watch, alexander the great, how would you move mount fuji, and the anatomy of motive (the last one is abt serial killers-pretty interesting i must say- and i have got the book with much difficulty). right now i am reading one called evolution, extinction and economics which is also good.
dont know if many people have watched the lesser known movies of hitchcock, i bought one set of 5-6 movies, and was not, in any manner, disappointed - paticularly the short episode "the sorcerer's apprentice" was great. must watch. i am trying to buy the second set.
enough for today. ta.
passwords, rain and mumbai
just a small note for the password for the last blog. it was actually the one which one of the backdoor viruses/trojans needed before u can disable it (or something like that)....
i am feeding on frustations now a days. but realize as John Denver has so succinctly put it: Some days are diamonds, and some days are stones. to start with, i shited into a new apartment with arun, just coz it has a pool. and the day i shifted the damn pool started leaking, which after 3 repairs they werent able to stop. and now it has started raining here in mumbai, so effectively the pool would be repaired after 3-4 months atleast.
but more serious problem is the lack of direction i feel in my career and life in general. not that i am not happy with whatever is happening, but somewhere i feel its not enough. maybe i am getting homesick sooner than i realize. but i guess it is coz i am not finding venues to destress (no, TV/movie watching is NOT destressing - sports is) or to do away the extra energy. accordingly work motivation is not what it used to be.
i got paints from home, but now finding the oils and canvas is proving to be difficult. in general i have found that for junta who are not concerned about nightlife, mumbai and especially thane suck big time, if i may use the word. an example would be the ghodbunder road getting potholes paralleling the surface on moon soon after the rains have started. some are big enough to swallow entire autos. other of course is the population which u can find everywhere in plenty in mumbai. then the apartment we are living in right now hasnt been reached by airtel/any other broadband yet, so net (and there goes half of my social life out of the window).
only thing that i find tempting is the places around mumbai-especially in the monsoon season. this weekend perhaps would go somewhere.
lets chuck this mumbai talk. lets talk abt books. i have finished a lot of books after coming to Hyd-including people watch, alexander the great, how would you move mount fuji, and the anatomy of motive (the last one is abt serial killers-pretty interesting i must say- and i have got the book with much difficulty). right now i am reading one called evolution, extinction and economics which is also good.
dont know if many people have watched the lesser known movies of hitchcock, i bought one set of 5-6 movies, and was not, in any manner, disappointed - paticularly the short episode "the sorcerer's apprentice" was great. must watch. i am trying to buy the second set.
enough for today. ta.
[01/06/2006 22:45:21] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
mf2lro8sw03ufvnsq034jfowr18f3cszc20vmw
now thats what i call a password !!
mf2lro8sw03ufvnsq034jfowr18f3cszc20vmw
now thats what i call a password !!
[06/05/2006 09:29:04] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
free fall
if there is one joy, one thrill, one happiness in this world, that is free fall. i went to a place called suraj water park (silly name though), where there is a near vertical water slide-30-40 feet high (u have to see it to belive it)- that is as close as u can come to free fall in a water park. and boy was i scared at the start- but one push and there u go-shouting and with ur hair standing.
and then of course, i swam a lot. in something called waves, which for me was useful only for its 6 feet deep water. let me not be boring by mentioning the others, but , overall, in a nutshell it was worth its price (and that would be 250/-). even arun whom i have to pursue a lot to go was all excited at the end.
i have been doing property hunting on the web. of course, that is not how it is supposed to work, but then i tried my luck. and soon discovered that spending time at an IIM has actually pushed me to the fringes. in other words, the only property i can think of buying is at the far ends of the city. not that it wont change in few years, but still that is the reality at the given moment.
and then the unfortunate incident of the rainmaker. unfortunate coz the CD failed after 70-80 minutes. yesterday (or was it day before) i saw rainman. dustin hoffman at his best. on second thoughts there are many things happening related with rain, sample this: rainman, rainmaker, rain at water park, and me praying for rain so that i can go sightseeing around mumbai (ok, count the last one out-that was plain stupid). but mumbai is bad right now in all the truth. hot and humid.
time for dinner. usual aule ke paranthe. to quote homer simpson-stupid aule ke paranthe. period. tata.
free fall
if there is one joy, one thrill, one happiness in this world, that is free fall. i went to a place called suraj water park (silly name though), where there is a near vertical water slide-30-40 feet high (u have to see it to belive it)- that is as close as u can come to free fall in a water park. and boy was i scared at the start- but one push and there u go-shouting and with ur hair standing.
and then of course, i swam a lot. in something called waves, which for me was useful only for its 6 feet deep water. let me not be boring by mentioning the others, but , overall, in a nutshell it was worth its price (and that would be 250/-). even arun whom i have to pursue a lot to go was all excited at the end.
i have been doing property hunting on the web. of course, that is not how it is supposed to work, but then i tried my luck. and soon discovered that spending time at an IIM has actually pushed me to the fringes. in other words, the only property i can think of buying is at the far ends of the city. not that it wont change in few years, but still that is the reality at the given moment.
and then the unfortunate incident of the rainmaker. unfortunate coz the CD failed after 70-80 minutes. yesterday (or was it day before) i saw rainman. dustin hoffman at his best. on second thoughts there are many things happening related with rain, sample this: rainman, rainmaker, rain at water park, and me praying for rain so that i can go sightseeing around mumbai (ok, count the last one out-that was plain stupid). but mumbai is bad right now in all the truth. hot and humid.
time for dinner. usual aule ke paranthe. to quote homer simpson-stupid aule ke paranthe. period. tata.
[04/05/2006 20:35:25] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
drop dead
as forrest gump would have put it, shit happens. but the real problem is when no shit happens and still ur life sucks. and you dont even know why you just want to drop dead. just like that.
this doesnt seem to be the kind of start i wanted after such a long break from the blog, but was inevitable perhaps. finally i am in mumbai after passing 8 months in hyderabad. there sure were some new experiences, good or bad i dont care. given a choice now, probably i would have stayed there, if only for the simple reason of enjoying swimming daily (yessir, i have learnt swimming, that ticks off one of my 3 new year resolutions). besides, mumbai is hot and humid and i really dont like feeling my face all sticky by the end of the day. add to it, the horrible food we have to eat everyday, and suddenly you want to escape from the same place which you tried to get back to so eagerly. maybe the fun lies in change only. and that i need badly i guess.
not that i am not trying to. i bought a locket which i could have never thought i would, and i am wearing it to office today. but the real joy i think is drinking this cold coffee and eating this horrible tasting upma. however hard u try, sometimes u just get stuck with no choice but to eat office breakfast.
one of my colleagues in HR, who jus joined today has ballooned after marriage whom i am seeing after almost 9-10 months. something from a shape of 1 to a shape of 8, if u understand what i mean.
back to work. but there would be more frustations revealed in the coming blogs i promise. till then there is a lot to fume about reservations, rising property prices and lack of worthwhile girls at office. god.
drop dead
as forrest gump would have put it, shit happens. but the real problem is when no shit happens and still ur life sucks. and you dont even know why you just want to drop dead. just like that.
this doesnt seem to be the kind of start i wanted after such a long break from the blog, but was inevitable perhaps. finally i am in mumbai after passing 8 months in hyderabad. there sure were some new experiences, good or bad i dont care. given a choice now, probably i would have stayed there, if only for the simple reason of enjoying swimming daily (yessir, i have learnt swimming, that ticks off one of my 3 new year resolutions). besides, mumbai is hot and humid and i really dont like feeling my face all sticky by the end of the day. add to it, the horrible food we have to eat everyday, and suddenly you want to escape from the same place which you tried to get back to so eagerly. maybe the fun lies in change only. and that i need badly i guess.
not that i am not trying to. i bought a locket which i could have never thought i would, and i am wearing it to office today. but the real joy i think is drinking this cold coffee and eating this horrible tasting upma. however hard u try, sometimes u just get stuck with no choice but to eat office breakfast.
one of my colleagues in HR, who jus joined today has ballooned after marriage whom i am seeing after almost 9-10 months. something from a shape of 1 to a shape of 8, if u understand what i mean.
back to work. but there would be more frustations revealed in the coming blogs i promise. till then there is a lot to fume about reservations, rising property prices and lack of worthwhile girls at office. god.
[30/11/2005 11:38:15] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
blog sweet blog
this blog has become like my home. the place where i would like to visit more often, but dont get time to do so. months would pass before i would finally write something. not that i am busy so much, but still i didnt post anything.
the past 2 months have seen me travel to pune and bangalore and ofcourse delhi-on diwali. met rajesh, mridula, girindar in pune. had a lunch with sarkar, the only one with him actually,even though he is living in hyderabad only, that too near banjara hills. but it was fun, talking abt all the past crap and who is doing (or who had done) what kinda stuff. came to know abt many a things, which sounded new and shocking at the same time to my ears. perhaps i never passed too much time at IIMK in the 2nd year to get much news abt things. the place-tabla, however, has horrible food and i almost puked after the dinner. one baskin and robbins choco ice cream brought back the taste to certain xtent, but then tabla is not a permanent "never" in my list. talking of the restaurents in hyd, i liked the banajra hills ohri's and angeethi, both of the places i visited with charu. the food and ambience at angeethi especially is good (with their menu printed on a punjab kesari kinda paper, a well and few 'khats' in between the floor, and old hindi posters all around). so we ended having a 2-2.5 hour dinner, but it was perhaps one of the most satisfying dinners i ever had at a restaurant.
talked with sohil also so many days, got to see (finally!!) a photo of his, with hair like bobby deol in barsaat. but as he added, he has got a cut to look decent enough. it was he who reminded me that i havent updated my blog in months (indirectly though by mentioning that he has read my blog).
and abt the delhi visit. seems mom has planned all the 5 days i was there, and i did ended up visiting most of the relatives' places, along with one to manjit's house. not that i dont like it, in fact, i do like to visit a few of them, especially my cousins, but the sad part was that i again lost a pair of sunglasses worth 3300/- (ya again, so that makes 6500/- in lost sunglasses in 2 years for me-the first one being the ray ban pair). but true to the spirit, the day i landed here, i bought another ray ban pair, this time a tad less expensive for 3K. then i met my ex also, and returned her 4K which i have borrowed some time or the other when we were together. she had a business trip to mauritius (a foreign trip before me :-) ). almost 2 years now after our break-up and still i dont know what to do about her. visited richa didi's new flat also, she is expecting in december. i am going to be a chacha. and talking of nephews, my bhanja is growing naughtier day by day. perhaps it is all the affection we shower on him which is doing the trick. but to be sure, he is enjoying his days :-) . when he understood that i have a camera phone, he gave 15 different poses to take his photos, and after each one, he would come and say "dhikhao dhikhao" and laugh seeing himself in the snaps. whenever i goto delhi and see him, i feel that i am missing a big part of life.
the time in hyderabad i would most likely remember as the simpsons days. i downloaded a lot of episodes. and boy, do i enjoy it. u bet i do.
i had my first appraisal here. was as good as i would have hoped. but lot of considerations are popping up, with people moving here and there, a feeling of being left behind sometimes does come to bug u up. but i realized that maybe i am not that kind of person who would leave things in between. till i get a handle of things and feel that i have done my bit, my work here is not over. hyd office, though have become less attractive with messengers and free net being blocked up, in a hurry coz of the BS7799 security audit we had here.
would end here abruptly, long posts are difficult to read for others too. maybe the rest of the content would be poured in the next post.tata.
blog sweet blog
this blog has become like my home. the place where i would like to visit more often, but dont get time to do so. months would pass before i would finally write something. not that i am busy so much, but still i didnt post anything.
the past 2 months have seen me travel to pune and bangalore and ofcourse delhi-on diwali. met rajesh, mridula, girindar in pune. had a lunch with sarkar, the only one with him actually,even though he is living in hyderabad only, that too near banjara hills. but it was fun, talking abt all the past crap and who is doing (or who had done) what kinda stuff. came to know abt many a things, which sounded new and shocking at the same time to my ears. perhaps i never passed too much time at IIMK in the 2nd year to get much news abt things. the place-tabla, however, has horrible food and i almost puked after the dinner. one baskin and robbins choco ice cream brought back the taste to certain xtent, but then tabla is not a permanent "never" in my list. talking of the restaurents in hyd, i liked the banajra hills ohri's and angeethi, both of the places i visited with charu. the food and ambience at angeethi especially is good (with their menu printed on a punjab kesari kinda paper, a well and few 'khats' in between the floor, and old hindi posters all around). so we ended having a 2-2.5 hour dinner, but it was perhaps one of the most satisfying dinners i ever had at a restaurant.
talked with sohil also so many days, got to see (finally!!) a photo of his, with hair like bobby deol in barsaat. but as he added, he has got a cut to look decent enough. it was he who reminded me that i havent updated my blog in months (indirectly though by mentioning that he has read my blog).
and abt the delhi visit. seems mom has planned all the 5 days i was there, and i did ended up visiting most of the relatives' places, along with one to manjit's house. not that i dont like it, in fact, i do like to visit a few of them, especially my cousins, but the sad part was that i again lost a pair of sunglasses worth 3300/- (ya again, so that makes 6500/- in lost sunglasses in 2 years for me-the first one being the ray ban pair). but true to the spirit, the day i landed here, i bought another ray ban pair, this time a tad less expensive for 3K. then i met my ex also, and returned her 4K which i have borrowed some time or the other when we were together. she had a business trip to mauritius (a foreign trip before me :-) ). almost 2 years now after our break-up and still i dont know what to do about her. visited richa didi's new flat also, she is expecting in december. i am going to be a chacha. and talking of nephews, my bhanja is growing naughtier day by day. perhaps it is all the affection we shower on him which is doing the trick. but to be sure, he is enjoying his days :-) . when he understood that i have a camera phone, he gave 15 different poses to take his photos, and after each one, he would come and say "dhikhao dhikhao" and laugh seeing himself in the snaps. whenever i goto delhi and see him, i feel that i am missing a big part of life.
the time in hyderabad i would most likely remember as the simpsons days. i downloaded a lot of episodes. and boy, do i enjoy it. u bet i do.
i had my first appraisal here. was as good as i would have hoped. but lot of considerations are popping up, with people moving here and there, a feeling of being left behind sometimes does come to bug u up. but i realized that maybe i am not that kind of person who would leave things in between. till i get a handle of things and feel that i have done my bit, my work here is not over. hyd office, though have become less attractive with messengers and free net being blocked up, in a hurry coz of the BS7799 security audit we had here.
would end here abruptly, long posts are difficult to read for others too. maybe the rest of the content would be poured in the next post.tata.
[01/11/2005 23:56:44] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
ok, lets make it quick
Ravi, i got this from a mail forward. and i told clearly i didnt write it :-) honestly i didnt know who wrote it or the actual link, but my mistake perhaps lies in the fact that i didnt google to find the author. sorry for this confusion. thanks for the link.
ok, lets make it quick
Ravi, i got this from a mail forward. and i told clearly i didnt write it :-) honestly i didnt know who wrote it or the actual link, but my mistake perhaps lies in the fact that i didnt google to find the author. sorry for this confusion. thanks for the link.
[13/10/2005 01:20:02] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
One more on the chickens....
Indian Institute of International Dreamers
This is not something I really wanted to do. But an inexorable chain of events has forced me to announce my new endeavor----a new management school called Indian Institute of International Dreamers (I3D).
IIM teaches you management. Hah---old hat ! There are so many managers from IIMs out there. What do they make? 12 lacs--15 lacs? How have they changed the world? Keep thinking...cause they have not.
IIPM takes you beyond IIMs. A great start no doubt. But do you dare to go even beyond IIPM ? Do you dare? Punk? Do ya?
I mean come on face it what's there to learn in management? Nothing much---but yes there is a lot to learn about dreaming. Isaac Newton saw an apple fall...like so many others before him. But unlike everyone else, Newton dreamt. Big. The world changed.That's vision.
Bill Gates had a dream, Martin Luther King had a dream, Mungeri Lal had a dream.
Normal people like you only have wet dreams.
Which means that you shall amount to nothing. Nyet, nada, zilch,zero.Even with your fancy PGDMs and MBAs.
That's where I3D steps in---we shall teach you how to dream big---to dream about your future and to keep dreaming forever.
I3D understands [http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7038/523/1600/buckingham.jpg] that dreams can only be dreamt..mmm...internationally. That is why we plan to open campuses all over the world----in London, Paris, Agra, Timbuctoo, Shangri-La, and Atlantis. A few proposed buildings where I3D will be housed are shown here. [http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7038/523/1600/eiffel.jpg]
Our faculty will be chosen from the world's best management institutes----Hass (UCLA, sorry Berkeley), Fuckyou (Dukey Univ), Whaton (the Pen), Luck (Foulmouth) and many others. However for matters of confidentiality, I cannot mention the names of the professors who shall be conducting the courses simply because the revolutionary material they shall be using in these courses will not be available to students of their own universities.
After faculty comes facilities. Each student shall be given a calculator (floating point, graphs)---for him/her to keep. Yes let me repeat that. A calculator with one set of batteries for the student to keep. Forever. Now how many management schools provide this facility? How many eh? Of course the cost of the calculator shall be included in your course fee----after all as any economist who has a recognized degree shall tell you: there is nothing known as a free lunch.
And that's just for starters. Each student gets a free, all-expenses-paid trip to Bangladesh. Yes sirrie Bob. And that too in the rainy season when we get massive group discounts. Why Bangladesh you ask? Well you dont have to go there---we have other attractive tour packages---North Korea, Afghanistan, Burma, Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Right now, we are negotiating with the city of New Orleans which is lobbying hard to be designated as an"active learning" site. Needless to say, the cost also comes from your course fees.
Placement you ask? Firstly let me stress, we at I3D believe that the best employment is self-employment. We follow the principle :" God help them who help themselves". And dreamers are people who do not work for others---on the contrary our aim is to teach you how to make others live your dream. In other words, our aim is to make you a JenifferLopez or a Auto Shankar rather than one of the faceless penpushers produced off the assemblyline by the IIMs.
I3D has already, yes already, been ranked among the world's top 10 management institutes by international magazines like Timepass and Nudeweek based on data we have provided them ---an amazing achievment for an institute this new. Consider this: No 2 in "best swimming pools", No 1 in "best architectural design", No 1 in "most comfortable air conditioning". Mind boggling.
The institute's founder-dean is yours truly---the author of bestselling self-help management books like "Abort Your Eggs Before They Hatch" and " Do Managers Dream of Electric Sheep?" and producer of blockbuster Hindi movies like "Thokh Sako To Thokh Lo" (Murder Me
If You Can) starring Bollywood sensations--Milind Gunaji and Varsha Usgaonkar and a Indo-Bangla production " The Return of Beder Meye Jochna".
Described by New York Times as one of the world's premier dreamers, the director of I3D (who is also its first graduate ) has been called at various times---"visionary" , "management guru extraordinaire", "supercalifragilisticespialidocious" and "Rapunzel-man" (because of his long, luxuriant, dreamy hair).
Motivational speaker and venture capitalist, the director (ie I) has to his credit ebusinesses like desidadu.com and FamilyPlanningMan and is an "aloo matar" of MIT (Madhyamgram Institute of Technology) where he graduated
Great ideas have great enemies. I expect resistance to this new institute from the IIM losers who must be shitting in their undies at the thought of joining dole. We at I3D shall hasten them on their way. Starting November 1, we shall start calling up companies and threaten to immolate their products in public bonfires if they do not fire every IIM in their payroll. We shall be burning everything we can get our hands on--cellphones, detergent, toilet cleaners, computers and of course bras. Most burn those.
I am well aware of the dirty underhanded tricks that some of our competitors shall engage in. Hence I have hired a high profile team of legal eagles (Barely Legal Inc) and media managers (RealBloggers and Sons) who shall aggressively pursue those who seek to defame our noble institution. This they shall do by sending duly notarized emails and SMS-ses and suing pesky bloggers and magazines for amounts no less than 250 crores each---the details shall of course be worked out once our lawyers finish their current project---collecting "voluntary subscriptions" for Kali Pujo.
In conclusion, the people who change the world dream big. You have the power inside you. Inside your wallets. Give them to me. Empty them. In return I3D shall give you dreams---in full technicolor.
And to the IIMs: "Thokh Sako To Thokh Lo"
(Small print: I3D is not recognized as a degree granting institute by the AICTE but really who cares....after all who needs a license to dream? )
Note: The above article is a spoof on IIPM and its recent events
Disclaimer: this article was not written by me (phew....that should save me from the 150 Crore lawsuits....).
One more on the chickens....
Indian Institute of International Dreamers
This is not something I really wanted to do. But an inexorable chain of events has forced me to announce my new endeavor----a new management school called Indian Institute of International Dreamers (I3D).
IIM teaches you management. Hah---old hat ! There are so many managers from IIMs out there. What do they make? 12 lacs--15 lacs? How have they changed the world? Keep thinking...cause they have not.
IIPM takes you beyond IIMs. A great start no doubt. But do you dare to go even beyond IIPM ? Do you dare? Punk? Do ya?
I mean come on face it what's there to learn in management? Nothing much---but yes there is a lot to learn about dreaming. Isaac Newton saw an apple fall...like so many others before him. But unlike everyone else, Newton dreamt. Big. The world changed.That's vision.
Bill Gates had a dream, Martin Luther King had a dream, Mungeri Lal had a dream.
Normal people like you only have wet dreams.
Which means that you shall amount to nothing. Nyet, nada, zilch,zero.Even with your fancy PGDMs and MBAs.
That's where I3D steps in---we shall teach you how to dream big---to dream about your future and to keep dreaming forever.
I3D understands [http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7038/523/1600/buckingham.jpg] that dreams can only be dreamt..mmm...internationally. That is why we plan to open campuses all over the world----in London, Paris, Agra, Timbuctoo, Shangri-La, and Atlantis. A few proposed buildings where I3D will be housed are shown here. [http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7038/523/1600/eiffel.jpg]
Our faculty will be chosen from the world's best management institutes----Hass (UCLA, sorry Berkeley), Fuckyou (Dukey Univ), Whaton (the Pen), Luck (Foulmouth) and many others. However for matters of confidentiality, I cannot mention the names of the professors who shall be conducting the courses simply because the revolutionary material they shall be using in these courses will not be available to students of their own universities.
After faculty comes facilities. Each student shall be given a calculator (floating point, graphs)---for him/her to keep. Yes let me repeat that. A calculator with one set of batteries for the student to keep. Forever. Now how many management schools provide this facility? How many eh? Of course the cost of the calculator shall be included in your course fee----after all as any economist who has a recognized degree shall tell you: there is nothing known as a free lunch.
And that's just for starters. Each student gets a free, all-expenses-paid trip to Bangladesh. Yes sirrie Bob. And that too in the rainy season when we get massive group discounts. Why Bangladesh you ask? Well you dont have to go there---we have other attractive tour packages---North Korea, Afghanistan, Burma, Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Right now, we are negotiating with the city of New Orleans which is lobbying hard to be designated as an"active learning" site. Needless to say, the cost also comes from your course fees.
Placement you ask? Firstly let me stress, we at I3D believe that the best employment is self-employment. We follow the principle :" God help them who help themselves". And dreamers are people who do not work for others---on the contrary our aim is to teach you how to make others live your dream. In other words, our aim is to make you a JenifferLopez or a Auto Shankar rather than one of the faceless penpushers produced off the assemblyline by the IIMs.
I3D has already, yes already, been ranked among the world's top 10 management institutes by international magazines like Timepass and Nudeweek based on data we have provided them ---an amazing achievment for an institute this new. Consider this: No 2 in "best swimming pools", No 1 in "best architectural design", No 1 in "most comfortable air conditioning". Mind boggling.
The institute's founder-dean is yours truly---the author of bestselling self-help management books like "Abort Your Eggs Before They Hatch" and " Do Managers Dream of Electric Sheep?" and producer of blockbuster Hindi movies like "Thokh Sako To Thokh Lo" (Murder Me
If You Can) starring Bollywood sensations--Milind Gunaji and Varsha Usgaonkar and a Indo-Bangla production " The Return of Beder Meye Jochna".
Described by New York Times as one of the world's premier dreamers, the director of I3D (who is also its first graduate ) has been called at various times---"visionary" , "management guru extraordinaire", "supercalifragilisticespialidocious" and "Rapunzel-man" (because of his long, luxuriant, dreamy hair).
Motivational speaker and venture capitalist, the director (ie I) has to his credit ebusinesses like desidadu.com and FamilyPlanningMan and is an "aloo matar" of MIT (Madhyamgram Institute of Technology) where he graduated
Great ideas have great enemies. I expect resistance to this new institute from the IIM losers who must be shitting in their undies at the thought of joining dole. We at I3D shall hasten them on their way. Starting November 1, we shall start calling up companies and threaten to immolate their products in public bonfires if they do not fire every IIM in their payroll. We shall be burning everything we can get our hands on--cellphones, detergent, toilet cleaners, computers and of course bras. Most burn those.
I am well aware of the dirty underhanded tricks that some of our competitors shall engage in. Hence I have hired a high profile team of legal eagles (Barely Legal Inc) and media managers (RealBloggers and Sons) who shall aggressively pursue those who seek to defame our noble institution. This they shall do by sending duly notarized emails and SMS-ses and suing pesky bloggers and magazines for amounts no less than 250 crores each---the details shall of course be worked out once our lawyers finish their current project---collecting "voluntary subscriptions" for Kali Pujo.
In conclusion, the people who change the world dream big. You have the power inside you. Inside your wallets. Give them to me. Empty them. In return I3D shall give you dreams---in full technicolor.
And to the IIMs: "Thokh Sako To Thokh Lo"
(Small print: I3D is not recognized as a degree granting institute by the AICTE but really who cares....after all who needs a license to dream? )
Note: The above article is a spoof on IIPM and its recent events
Disclaimer: this article was not written by me (phew....that should save me from the 150 Crore lawsuits....).
[11/10/2005 23:16:30] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
Ponytail adventures
now i have a boradband at the guesthouse. gives me more chances to blog supposedly. but heck, the last post dates more than a month. anyways, the news of the season is the IIPM controversy. before saying anything, let me admit one thing honestly. whatever u say abt ponytail, he has made a lot of money. money through fooling people at this level. and continues to do so. proves that the "greater fool" theory is applicable in many other areas of life also, other than shares markets alone. thankfully there are still many people left in this world who have some brains left in their head.
now that the education scenario in india being so competitive, obviously there will be a growth in the number of such institutions and more than that, the number of students who have to go somewhere to pursue higher studies. coz all said and done, IIMs IITs and similar institutions can not accomodate so many people (who, taking an optimistic point of view, at all deserves to be there at the first place). but looking at their response, and the comments left on JAM editor's (her name is rashmi i guess) blog, it seems like the whole concept has gone awefully wrong. the so called students and alumni of IIPM seem like they have been through some fundamentist organization like Al-Queda rather than doing a PG in management. even if u try to be mild, u can term these comments as products of some sick minds. what scares me more, however, is the fact that somewhere these people will be managing people eventually. u can imagine the plight of the people who will be working with and for these sick minds.
and then the case of another IIM-L guy in the bangalore incident involving some railway police people. save the fact that he was an IIM guy and thus was able to gather good support, i am frightened to think what could have happened to an ordinary guy. the culprits deserve the strictest punishment for bringing down whatever level of trust was left in police. when protectors start assuming the role of assaulters, then i guess perhaps one more incarnation of vishnu can only help. coz surprisingly the common janta has got used to such incidents, and offers no empathy/concern. maybe i am getting hyper, maybe the situation has really become drastic, or maybe i am just waking to the harsh realities. but one things is for sure, its time to act.
Ponytail adventures
now i have a boradband at the guesthouse. gives me more chances to blog supposedly. but heck, the last post dates more than a month. anyways, the news of the season is the IIPM controversy. before saying anything, let me admit one thing honestly. whatever u say abt ponytail, he has made a lot of money. money through fooling people at this level. and continues to do so. proves that the "greater fool" theory is applicable in many other areas of life also, other than shares markets alone. thankfully there are still many people left in this world who have some brains left in their head.
now that the education scenario in india being so competitive, obviously there will be a growth in the number of such institutions and more than that, the number of students who have to go somewhere to pursue higher studies. coz all said and done, IIMs IITs and similar institutions can not accomodate so many people (who, taking an optimistic point of view, at all deserves to be there at the first place). but looking at their response, and the comments left on JAM editor's (her name is rashmi i guess) blog, it seems like the whole concept has gone awefully wrong. the so called students and alumni of IIPM seem like they have been through some fundamentist organization like Al-Queda rather than doing a PG in management. even if u try to be mild, u can term these comments as products of some sick minds. what scares me more, however, is the fact that somewhere these people will be managing people eventually. u can imagine the plight of the people who will be working with and for these sick minds.
and then the case of another IIM-L guy in the bangalore incident involving some railway police people. save the fact that he was an IIM guy and thus was able to gather good support, i am frightened to think what could have happened to an ordinary guy. the culprits deserve the strictest punishment for bringing down whatever level of trust was left in police. when protectors start assuming the role of assaulters, then i guess perhaps one more incarnation of vishnu can only help. coz surprisingly the common janta has got used to such incidents, and offers no empathy/concern. maybe i am getting hyper, maybe the situation has really become drastic, or maybe i am just waking to the harsh realities. but one things is for sure, its time to act.
[09/09/2005 00:58:32] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
confession of a dangerous mind
the problem with egoists is that they can not even rue "nobody loves me"....coz they love themselves so much. i can tell you that coz i am one of them. i got my computer and have to look for a table for it now, as there is none in the guest house. the broadband connection also needs to checked if its working fine. other than that, and the fact that now-a-days i am able to reach home only by 10.30, things are ok. today the final of the great indian laughter challenge is on, so hopefully i would leave earlier. for last many days, i have not been able to reach on time, resulting in no salad preparation and many fruits have started rotting in the fridge itself. and i spend a lot buying those.
my discussions with one of the QA persons here called shastri, during the lunch hours are growing in intensity. though my team members have termed these as SAD (Shastri Alok Discoussions). the topics vary from share market to morality to economics to politics. my energy levels thus get utilized there, and thankfully save me from thinking too much. anyways. finally i sent a mail to my PGDM batch and the MA batch in Patni asking for some contributions to Parivaar (www.parivaar.org), knowing fully well that even if 1 person responds it will be great. though I really believe its their personal matter, but somewhere it hurts to see them wasting thousands of rupees on alocohol and cigs, and other things like that, and not contributing a penny for causes which are really worth it. I cant blame them, I myself spend a lot on many of my so called interests, proportionately too less on charity, but i know if all of us contribute even a tiny amount, collectively it would be a significant lot. IF that is.
sensex is touching new heights every day. and some profits i am also making. maybe not as good as the market, but then nobody can beat the market. at least not consistently. sometimes i think maybe it was a wrong decision not to take finance in the PGDM course, but i am more than making for it right now by reading a lot of books, which talks right from the implications of economics in everyday life, to how people react and take decisions related to money matters. actually there is already a lot on my hands to read for the coming few weeks. with the computer in my guest house now, i guess i can safely assume those weeks will stretch to months.
tomorrow, for a change i wont be coming to the office on a saturday. at least till now i have no plans to. maybe tomorrow is going to be the day when i finally visit srisalem or nagarjun sagar.
FTV after a brief break is back on the indian cable channels.so this is a moment to rejoice. asta la vista.
confession of a dangerous mind
the problem with egoists is that they can not even rue "nobody loves me"....coz they love themselves so much. i can tell you that coz i am one of them. i got my computer and have to look for a table for it now, as there is none in the guest house. the broadband connection also needs to checked if its working fine. other than that, and the fact that now-a-days i am able to reach home only by 10.30, things are ok. today the final of the great indian laughter challenge is on, so hopefully i would leave earlier. for last many days, i have not been able to reach on time, resulting in no salad preparation and many fruits have started rotting in the fridge itself. and i spend a lot buying those.
my discussions with one of the QA persons here called shastri, during the lunch hours are growing in intensity. though my team members have termed these as SAD (Shastri Alok Discoussions). the topics vary from share market to morality to economics to politics. my energy levels thus get utilized there, and thankfully save me from thinking too much. anyways. finally i sent a mail to my PGDM batch and the MA batch in Patni asking for some contributions to Parivaar (www.parivaar.org), knowing fully well that even if 1 person responds it will be great. though I really believe its their personal matter, but somewhere it hurts to see them wasting thousands of rupees on alocohol and cigs, and other things like that, and not contributing a penny for causes which are really worth it. I cant blame them, I myself spend a lot on many of my so called interests, proportionately too less on charity, but i know if all of us contribute even a tiny amount, collectively it would be a significant lot. IF that is.
sensex is touching new heights every day. and some profits i am also making. maybe not as good as the market, but then nobody can beat the market. at least not consistently. sometimes i think maybe it was a wrong decision not to take finance in the PGDM course, but i am more than making for it right now by reading a lot of books, which talks right from the implications of economics in everyday life, to how people react and take decisions related to money matters. actually there is already a lot on my hands to read for the coming few weeks. with the computer in my guest house now, i guess i can safely assume those weeks will stretch to months.
tomorrow, for a change i wont be coming to the office on a saturday. at least till now i have no plans to. maybe tomorrow is going to be the day when i finally visit srisalem or nagarjun sagar.
FTV after a brief break is back on the indian cable channels.so this is a moment to rejoice. asta la vista.
[07/09/2005 07:09:50] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
so whats cooking?
thats the big news of the past 2 weeks. i started cooking, though right now my menu consists of only kichdis. i am getting used to hyderabad and who knows, might get settled here. the only thing i miss right now here, is the lack of any sports facility. maybe i will start jogging soon. back to the cooking, it all started as a desparate measure to survive. the food which i buy is both expensive and pretty plain. besides, there is fun starting a new activity, and somehow cooking fitted the "new" and "useful" parts at the same time. so i called mom, bought pulses, and spices and of course rice. the funny part was to ask mom abt the pulses, identifying them only by color and shape. i still dont know if the pink one is masoor or moong. anyways, the experiments are going on a happy note, with most of the cooked food edible and for the past 2 times, actually good to eat (SURPRISE!!!). technology has made in roads here also, with the ready-to-eat daal and paneer being quite convenient and tasty (though a bit heavy on the pocket, especially, the ITC bukhara range costing 68 Rs/- for a single packet of daal). my fridge for the time being is beaming with vegetables, fruits and food items. and of course, my mantra, a glass of juice and milk everyday resulting in a lot Tropicana/ real juice packs and nestle milk cartons.
with the office taking most of my time, including the evenings, saturdays and any holidays. somehow i dont like holidays now. i planned to go to srisalem twice during the last 2 weekends, but somehow ended up coming to office. not that i regreat that. i knew beforehand that hyderabad is going to demand more energy and time. charu got down with jaundice in delhi, so hasnt come back yet. once she comes back, maybe some weekends i can plan to dine outside.
there is more to the story rather than just work. i thought of a concept in data warehousing and talked to some people in the deptt, about how useful it can be, though i was pretty sure that it can fill a blank in the current documentation space. this hyderabad project i tried to pitch that in, and right now me and my team is working on that. so in short, this project is finally going to be a proof of concept for my idea. the problem is that i dont know how other firms are doing this particular thing. i will try to find out if possible. i talked to one of my students in IBM, gurgaon, for an hour, thanks to the new yahoo messenger. the voice quality is very clear, i am impressed. he is the chap who keeps on reminding me of my idea abt my own company. i have promised him that we will start something soon, once my computer comes to hyd, which should take 1-2 days more, as arun has sent it from mumbai. and my pocket is lighter by 1500 bucks thanks to the courier charges.
fauzi also called one day-he is in CSC, noida abhi. we talked about going to singapore next year. and surprisingly sriram also called one day. one of the chaps i like talking to, though like most of my other friends, we never talk very politely :-), but i guess thats a measure of how friendly ur to that person.
and among other things- few more lines. first to divya: dont tell lies....i have pretty good memory :-). second....yaar ravi....how did u find the blog? seems you have enough time on your hands these days :-)
chal time to go home and arrange for food. ta.
so whats cooking?
thats the big news of the past 2 weeks. i started cooking, though right now my menu consists of only kichdis. i am getting used to hyderabad and who knows, might get settled here. the only thing i miss right now here, is the lack of any sports facility. maybe i will start jogging soon. back to the cooking, it all started as a desparate measure to survive. the food which i buy is both expensive and pretty plain. besides, there is fun starting a new activity, and somehow cooking fitted the "new" and "useful" parts at the same time. so i called mom, bought pulses, and spices and of course rice. the funny part was to ask mom abt the pulses, identifying them only by color and shape. i still dont know if the pink one is masoor or moong. anyways, the experiments are going on a happy note, with most of the cooked food edible and for the past 2 times, actually good to eat (SURPRISE!!!). technology has made in roads here also, with the ready-to-eat daal and paneer being quite convenient and tasty (though a bit heavy on the pocket, especially, the ITC bukhara range costing 68 Rs/- for a single packet of daal). my fridge for the time being is beaming with vegetables, fruits and food items. and of course, my mantra, a glass of juice and milk everyday resulting in a lot Tropicana/ real juice packs and nestle milk cartons.
with the office taking most of my time, including the evenings, saturdays and any holidays. somehow i dont like holidays now. i planned to go to srisalem twice during the last 2 weekends, but somehow ended up coming to office. not that i regreat that. i knew beforehand that hyderabad is going to demand more energy and time. charu got down with jaundice in delhi, so hasnt come back yet. once she comes back, maybe some weekends i can plan to dine outside.
there is more to the story rather than just work. i thought of a concept in data warehousing and talked to some people in the deptt, about how useful it can be, though i was pretty sure that it can fill a blank in the current documentation space. this hyderabad project i tried to pitch that in, and right now me and my team is working on that. so in short, this project is finally going to be a proof of concept for my idea. the problem is that i dont know how other firms are doing this particular thing. i will try to find out if possible. i talked to one of my students in IBM, gurgaon, for an hour, thanks to the new yahoo messenger. the voice quality is very clear, i am impressed. he is the chap who keeps on reminding me of my idea abt my own company. i have promised him that we will start something soon, once my computer comes to hyd, which should take 1-2 days more, as arun has sent it from mumbai. and my pocket is lighter by 1500 bucks thanks to the courier charges.
fauzi also called one day-he is in CSC, noida abhi. we talked about going to singapore next year. and surprisingly sriram also called one day. one of the chaps i like talking to, though like most of my other friends, we never talk very politely :-), but i guess thats a measure of how friendly ur to that person.
and among other things- few more lines. first to divya: dont tell lies....i have pretty good memory :-). second....yaar ravi....how did u find the blog? seems you have enough time on your hands these days :-)
chal time to go home and arrange for food. ta.
[24/08/2005 02:36:25] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
and some more....
the days gone by,
call me back again,
they whisper in my ears,
they call my name,
some spells of insanity,
and some years sane,
glimpses of happiness,
and eons of pain,
the burning ground under my feet,
and the soul-drenching rain,
faces itched in my memory,
some i never saw again,
dozing on the sofa,
moving in fast lane,
the curse of being different,
while staying all the same,
playing by the rules,
redefining the game,
swearing the truth,
excuse, oh so lame,
......
......
--me
and some more....
the days gone by,
call me back again,
they whisper in my ears,
they call my name,
some spells of insanity,
and some years sane,
glimpses of happiness,
and eons of pain,
the burning ground under my feet,
and the soul-drenching rain,
faces itched in my memory,
some i never saw again,
dozing on the sofa,
moving in fast lane,
the curse of being different,
while staying all the same,
playing by the rules,
redefining the game,
swearing the truth,
excuse, oh so lame,
......
......
--me
[22/08/2005 02:24:22] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
the bygone months....
there are blogs which read like a diary, and if u ask me they suck. unfortunately mine is one of them. cant help it though, i tried to be offline for sometime. but old bloggers die hard. so here i am. and there is a lot to update. first i am in hyderabad right now, and met one of my IIMK classmates in front of hyderabad central, and she said she read my blog. considering that i havent blogged for nearly 2 months now, i was going to ask her how much time back, but then realized she was just being nice. actually i blogged once when i was in mumbai a month back, but somehow page didnt get refresh and the data was lost. so here goes the story:
in mumbai there was a lot of things that happened since i last blogged. u must have heard some of the news already in the TV channels about the rains and flooding in mumbai. once in a lifetime thing to happen if u ask me. for once i was at the scene of action, for good or bad, that is immaterial. if u remember i got the data warehousing deptt here in patni, and was in the vashi office. the place i stay in didnt get much of the water blockage, so not much of an issue for us. the food / atm etc were hit for a couple of days though.
then i did a project in vashi office as a team lead, kinda pilot project for explaining u the nitty-gritties of the data warehousing stuff. was supposed to go to noida/ chennai for a project for 3-4 months, before thet finalized that it would be hyderabad for me. some telecom project here. for atleast 5-6 months. not bad at all, i am staying here at company guest house in banjara hills, which supposedly is one of the places to be, plus the network here in office is totally free , msgr, mails, games and stuff. in a way, this office is pretty swanky compared to the mumbai office i used to sit in.
i went to delhi last weekend. and got viral. so didnt do much of meeting people stuff, except mridula, and we sat in shopper's stop and pvr for sometime, before i realized i cant stand anymore coz of weakness. after i flew to hyderabad, for two days i was in a trance, half sleeping. now its ok, and i have been trying out things to arrange for dining facilities, there is none worth eating daily near the guest house. so yesterday i cooked some rice to be eaten alongwith one of the ready to eat rajma packets from mtr.
so much crap on tv now-a-days that i wonder if this information explosion of all the channels rushing to entertain u is worth it. but thats the story pretty much the same about everything around u. dont know if the rebel in me is resurfacing again, or is this the general frustation over things. but i have decided to be the bad guy in the story now. for some time at least till i get bored of this too. in short to stick with "i give a damn" attitude. to start with, i didnt wish my ex on her birthday. and somehow i feel good abt this. not that it matters with her too much.
time to say tata. hope now i should be able to blog regularly.
the bygone months....
there are blogs which read like a diary, and if u ask me they suck. unfortunately mine is one of them. cant help it though, i tried to be offline for sometime. but old bloggers die hard. so here i am. and there is a lot to update. first i am in hyderabad right now, and met one of my IIMK classmates in front of hyderabad central, and she said she read my blog. considering that i havent blogged for nearly 2 months now, i was going to ask her how much time back, but then realized she was just being nice. actually i blogged once when i was in mumbai a month back, but somehow page didnt get refresh and the data was lost. so here goes the story:
in mumbai there was a lot of things that happened since i last blogged. u must have heard some of the news already in the TV channels about the rains and flooding in mumbai. once in a lifetime thing to happen if u ask me. for once i was at the scene of action, for good or bad, that is immaterial. if u remember i got the data warehousing deptt here in patni, and was in the vashi office. the place i stay in didnt get much of the water blockage, so not much of an issue for us. the food / atm etc were hit for a couple of days though.
then i did a project in vashi office as a team lead, kinda pilot project for explaining u the nitty-gritties of the data warehousing stuff. was supposed to go to noida/ chennai for a project for 3-4 months, before thet finalized that it would be hyderabad for me. some telecom project here. for atleast 5-6 months. not bad at all, i am staying here at company guest house in banjara hills, which supposedly is one of the places to be, plus the network here in office is totally free , msgr, mails, games and stuff. in a way, this office is pretty swanky compared to the mumbai office i used to sit in.
i went to delhi last weekend. and got viral. so didnt do much of meeting people stuff, except mridula, and we sat in shopper's stop and pvr for sometime, before i realized i cant stand anymore coz of weakness. after i flew to hyderabad, for two days i was in a trance, half sleeping. now its ok, and i have been trying out things to arrange for dining facilities, there is none worth eating daily near the guest house. so yesterday i cooked some rice to be eaten alongwith one of the ready to eat rajma packets from mtr.
so much crap on tv now-a-days that i wonder if this information explosion of all the channels rushing to entertain u is worth it. but thats the story pretty much the same about everything around u. dont know if the rebel in me is resurfacing again, or is this the general frustation over things. but i have decided to be the bad guy in the story now. for some time at least till i get bored of this too. in short to stick with "i give a damn" attitude. to start with, i didnt wish my ex on her birthday. and somehow i feel good abt this. not that it matters with her too much.
time to say tata. hope now i should be able to blog regularly.
[12/07/2005 05:23:17] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
Ghost comments
wow..that seems to be the latest and most weird happening these days. comment appear over my blog entries, but they are all see through (read blank). freaky. time to catch the 7'o clock bus....b.t.w this is the shortest entry of mine (barring the poems) on this blog.....
Ghost comments
wow..that seems to be the latest and most weird happening these days. comment appear over my blog entries, but they are all see through (read blank). freaky. time to catch the 7'o clock bus....b.t.w this is the shortest entry of mine (barring the poems) on this blog.....
[25/06/2005 09:00:45] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
bad and badminton
girls. they are at it again.now i know its not right to generalize, but frankly , it makes the explaining job a lot easier. for instance, take the latest. we had a badminton tournament and there was a mandatory participation of girls in every team. and guess what....our team girls ditched us at the last moment, due to some flimsy reasons of "its raining". even after explaining the consequences(a walkover), they didnt relent. even after promising the taxi fare. responsibility anyone? so we found one girl at the last moment, who, incidentally (sigh) has never played badminton in her entire life. and i mean never. so i won a singles 15-2, 15-2, and lost the other ladies single and mixed double (which one of my other friends played).
arun has gone to pune for one of his friends wedding.i also wanted to go but for this baddy thing. in the past one month, many thoughts came and went. but i didnt find time to blog. like, how marketable is one's value system. and if not, then whats the use of having one? and then rishi in HR here insisted that i read the fountainhead. coz somebody mentioned in a party that im like howard roark. to boost the ego, the comparison sounds good, but without going into the reasons, i think im not. the novel, to confess, is very absorbing, at least i found it so. i finished the 600-700 odd pages in 4 days. somewhere i think the novel was about dominique much more than howard. ah, chuck it.
my ambitions are growing. much faster than my own growth. nothing wrong in that, but ambitions must be balanced with patience. that i am very much short of. sometimes i have this uncanny feeling that im running short of time. that im growing too fast. and i dont want to. i dont want to be another of my batchmates who got married or going to get very soon. not that there is nething wrong in that, but not me. not me. i want to work. to fulfil my destiny, if there is one. to fulfil each of my and my family's dreams. and i wont rest, i wont stop, i wont slow down. even if i get tired. coz i know there is no time to get tired. i mgt wait, but then i wont wait for things to happen.
kashyap went to dubai. and says he shud be able to save 25K per month. but the better part is that he left leyland. few more years and he would have gotten entirely rotten there. good for him. nonidh went to states. in fact all my known people, worth their salt or not, have gone places. im giving myself another year. after that, i wish i wudnt get time to write this blog. but then again, i know i wud. ta.
bad and badminton
girls. they are at it again.now i know its not right to generalize, but frankly , it makes the explaining job a lot easier. for instance, take the latest. we had a badminton tournament and there was a mandatory participation of girls in every team. and guess what....our team girls ditched us at the last moment, due to some flimsy reasons of "its raining". even after explaining the consequences(a walkover), they didnt relent. even after promising the taxi fare. responsibility anyone? so we found one girl at the last moment, who, incidentally (sigh) has never played badminton in her entire life. and i mean never. so i won a singles 15-2, 15-2, and lost the other ladies single and mixed double (which one of my other friends played).
arun has gone to pune for one of his friends wedding.i also wanted to go but for this baddy thing. in the past one month, many thoughts came and went. but i didnt find time to blog. like, how marketable is one's value system. and if not, then whats the use of having one? and then rishi in HR here insisted that i read the fountainhead. coz somebody mentioned in a party that im like howard roark. to boost the ego, the comparison sounds good, but without going into the reasons, i think im not. the novel, to confess, is very absorbing, at least i found it so. i finished the 600-700 odd pages in 4 days. somewhere i think the novel was about dominique much more than howard. ah, chuck it.
my ambitions are growing. much faster than my own growth. nothing wrong in that, but ambitions must be balanced with patience. that i am very much short of. sometimes i have this uncanny feeling that im running short of time. that im growing too fast. and i dont want to. i dont want to be another of my batchmates who got married or going to get very soon. not that there is nething wrong in that, but not me. not me. i want to work. to fulfil my destiny, if there is one. to fulfil each of my and my family's dreams. and i wont rest, i wont stop, i wont slow down. even if i get tired. coz i know there is no time to get tired. i mgt wait, but then i wont wait for things to happen.
kashyap went to dubai. and says he shud be able to save 25K per month. but the better part is that he left leyland. few more years and he would have gotten entirely rotten there. good for him. nonidh went to states. in fact all my known people, worth their salt or not, have gone places. im giving myself another year. after that, i wish i wudnt get time to write this blog. but then again, i know i wud. ta.
[28/05/2005 03:00:13] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
ads
advertising signs that con u into thinking u r the one,
that can do whats never been done,
that can win whats never been won
ads
advertising signs that con u into thinking u r the one,
that can do whats never been done,
that can win whats never been won
[22/05/2005 01:01:01] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
adieu
there is no such thing as luck in my story,
i fought hard for every second of my glory.
friday was the last day for all the MAs(management associates)-all the MBAs guys who joined this year- to be together. so we had a party at one of our batchmates house at bandra. this was my first visit to this place called bandstand. the place is all glitter with lot of Cs(cars,chics and couples) around. but like most of the other places in mumbai, it is crowded to the hilt.
the party as usual, dominated by us guys, revolved around booze. its the same case which i have been observing since my childhood. party for grown up guys implies rounds and rounds of booze, in all colors and flavours. somehow i manage to spend 2-3 hours there watching my batchmates getting intoxicated. and then, as always, there was the truth and dare, which again as i expected was about the crushes,boyfriends and girlfriends. somehow i get the feeling that ambition is rare these days-dreams yes maybe, but very rarely people want to climb up. and when i say want to, i mean desparately, mercilessly, at all costs. wont go into if its good or bad, but the fact remains.
yesterday we went for nirmal lifestyles. and i was pleasantly shocked on seeing the shoprite (or something like that) store-which is perhaps one of the biggest i have seen till date keeping eatables of all sizes, shapes and sorts. plan was on for going for a flat search but it didnt happen right now im waiting for the JRE to finish downloading so that i can view the anand-kramnik game. then plans for watching the star wars movie -evening or night show.
tomo my actual job starts in vashi. and we have to look for a flat also in the same area. now sitting here in the cafe im feeling really hungry. so i think i will finish here. ta.
adieu
there is no such thing as luck in my story,
i fought hard for every second of my glory.
friday was the last day for all the MAs(management associates)-all the MBAs guys who joined this year- to be together. so we had a party at one of our batchmates house at bandra. this was my first visit to this place called bandstand. the place is all glitter with lot of Cs(cars,chics and couples) around. but like most of the other places in mumbai, it is crowded to the hilt.
the party as usual, dominated by us guys, revolved around booze. its the same case which i have been observing since my childhood. party for grown up guys implies rounds and rounds of booze, in all colors and flavours. somehow i manage to spend 2-3 hours there watching my batchmates getting intoxicated. and then, as always, there was the truth and dare, which again as i expected was about the crushes,boyfriends and girlfriends. somehow i get the feeling that ambition is rare these days-dreams yes maybe, but very rarely people want to climb up. and when i say want to, i mean desparately, mercilessly, at all costs. wont go into if its good or bad, but the fact remains.
yesterday we went for nirmal lifestyles. and i was pleasantly shocked on seeing the shoprite (or something like that) store-which is perhaps one of the biggest i have seen till date keeping eatables of all sizes, shapes and sorts. plan was on for going for a flat search but it didnt happen right now im waiting for the JRE to finish downloading so that i can view the anand-kramnik game. then plans for watching the star wars movie -evening or night show.
tomo my actual job starts in vashi. and we have to look for a flat also in the same area. now sitting here in the cafe im feeling really hungry. so i think i will finish here. ta.
[18/05/2005 03:23:46] | [THENEO@rediffmail.com ]
body double
today shilpi showed the photograph of one of her MDI batchmates-anuja. and can u believe it-her face resembles 99% to tina. i cud be overstating the %, but the resemblance is certainly striking. all the time when i was in IBM training, i was wondering where have i seen this face before. now i know. i dont believe in the native african (or is it south american??? anyways how does it matter) theory that each of us has 7 duplicates somewhere around the world, but somehow this event has left me thinking that the count could certainly be 2 or 3 duplicates-there seems to be a high probability of that.
yesterday we went to heera panna the so called gray market near hazi ali in mumbai. and it doesnt come anywhere closer to khan market or palika. the prices were as steep, in fact in some cases more than what you will get in many shops outside. with this visit, i can safely say that i have seen most of the shopping places around mumbai-"most" by our standards. nirmal lifestyle, fashion street and churchgate are next. but im looking for a big book shop. maybe i can buy mom some gardening books. during coming back, we encountered the famous mumbai local trains-once more-but this time in peak hours. and the experience of getting in or out is nothing short of being swept in a whirlwind, though personally the thing isnt that serious for a guy like me who has spent his youth chasing the delhi buses and travelling with 90% of the body hanging out from the bus gate.
we are almost through with the 2 week training, only 2 more days left. for the past 2 days we are having a training which is based on audio files, i mean u listen to some file with some ppts etc etc. and i must say the sound of the trainers is soooo hypnotising, that before u know, u will start snoozing. so most of us are passing time sleeping, though only in bits and pieces.
i wonder whats going to be the future of our venture, at this moment which looks as uncertain as the possiblilty of mumbai getting snow in this season. until i get a comp or laptop here, things are murky. lets see what happens in the coming few weeks.
body double
today shilpi showed the photograph of one of her MDI batchmates-anuja. and can u believe it-her face resembles 99% to tina. i cud be overstating the %, but the resemblance is certainly striking. all the time when i was in IBM training, i was wondering where have i seen this face before. now i know. i dont believe in the native african (or is it south american??? anyways how does it matter) theory that each of us has 7 duplicates somewhere around the world, but somehow this event has left me thinking that the count could certainly be 2 or 3 duplicates-there seems to be a high probability of that.
yesterday we went to heera panna the so called gray market near hazi ali in mumbai. and it doesnt come anywhere closer to khan market or palika. the prices were as steep, in fact in some cases more than what you will get in many shops outside. with this visit, i can safely say that i have seen most of the shopping places around mumbai-"most" by our standards. nirmal lifestyle, fashion street and churchgate are next. but im looking for a big book shop. maybe i can buy mom some gardening books. during coming back, we encountered the famous mumbai local trains-once more-but this time in peak hours. and the experience of getting in or out is nothing short of being swept in a whirlwind, though personally the thing isnt that serious for a guy like me who has spent his youth chasing the delhi buses and travelling with 90% of the body hanging out from the bus gate.
we are almost through with the 2 week training, only 2 more days left. for the past 2 days we are having a training which is based on audio files, i mean u listen to some file with some ppts etc etc. and i must say the sound of the trainers is soooo hypnotising, that before u know, u will start snoozing. so most of us are passing time sleeping, though only in bits and pieces.
i wonder whats going to be the future of our venture, at this moment which looks as uncertain as the possiblilty of mumbai getting snow in this season. until i get a comp or laptop here, things are murky. lets see what happens in the coming few weeks.
[17/05/2005 00:12:13] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
16 days in mumbai
we got our department yesterday. its business intelligence for me, that means im going to stay in mumbai for the coming few months at least. thankfully its not the jam ridden seepz office (yesterday our bus took a full 2.5-3 hours in the morning), but rather vashi. that should save some money on rentals also, since its not as expensive as andheri like places. 2 guys got noida, but i dont think that i had any chance going there, the work being of totally different nature (fin and BPO).
i bought the cell phone, finally-sony ericsson K700i. and along with that many more things. including a lot of clothes. 6 shirts among others. digicam should also come in the coming few weeks, after mridula confirms the price in delhi-NP. there is nothing much to do after we go back, as we dont a comp yet. lets see how things turn out after we join our deptts starting from next monday.
OOPS training is going on, we being done with C, SQL and MVS. and there is a test of SQL also, slated for the evening. will blog later. ta.
16 days in mumbai
we got our department yesterday. its business intelligence for me, that means im going to stay in mumbai for the coming few months at least. thankfully its not the jam ridden seepz office (yesterday our bus took a full 2.5-3 hours in the morning), but rather vashi. that should save some money on rentals also, since its not as expensive as andheri like places. 2 guys got noida, but i dont think that i had any chance going there, the work being of totally different nature (fin and BPO).
i bought the cell phone, finally-sony ericsson K700i. and along with that many more things. including a lot of clothes. 6 shirts among others. digicam should also come in the coming few weeks, after mridula confirms the price in delhi-NP. there is nothing much to do after we go back, as we dont a comp yet. lets see how things turn out after we join our deptts starting from next monday.
OOPS training is going on, we being done with C, SQL and MVS. and there is a test of SQL also, slated for the evening. will blog later. ta.
[09/05/2005 20:42:52] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
blogging at heaven's door
chances in a lifetime would be few,
when u can cut the past and start anew,
so if its the crossroads u face,
dont stand worrying, pick up the pace,
free ur mind, the days fly fast,
enjoy the journey while it lasts
----me
right now the training class for C is going on in patni as part of our induction. actually its the 2nd day. as expected the class is not much useful to me-as it covers the very basics. so im making use of this free time to blog, sitting in the last bench of the class room. though like most other companies, mail access is blocked here, thankfully blogs are not.
the day started with the half litre of milk and 2 bananas at home. breakfast is going to be a big problem here since the breakfast in the company is pathetic. and i am brought up on heavy breakfasts. the agneda for the rest of the day is to read the 2nd volume of "the art of computer programming" -knuth. and after the class maybe me and arun wil push off for looking for some mp3 players, and possibly i will visit the digicam shop also.
im realizing again that job sucks away ur energy like anything even if ur just on training. by the time we go back, we are pretty tired. and the hours fly, before i notice its 12 o clock-late for sleep and the cycle starts again the next day morning as we rush for catching the 7.50 bus. going by this experience, the days when our actual jobs start are not going to be any easier. so there goes my plans of waking up early in the morning for exercise. i have to schedule my day properly if i plan to find at least 2-3 hours spare time-maybe cut on the tv part.
time to go back (mentally, not physically) in the class. ta.
blogging at heaven's door
chances in a lifetime would be few,
when u can cut the past and start anew,
so if its the crossroads u face,
dont stand worrying, pick up the pace,
free ur mind, the days fly fast,
enjoy the journey while it lasts
----me
right now the training class for C is going on in patni as part of our induction. actually its the 2nd day. as expected the class is not much useful to me-as it covers the very basics. so im making use of this free time to blog, sitting in the last bench of the class room. though like most other companies, mail access is blocked here, thankfully blogs are not.
the day started with the half litre of milk and 2 bananas at home. breakfast is going to be a big problem here since the breakfast in the company is pathetic. and i am brought up on heavy breakfasts. the agneda for the rest of the day is to read the 2nd volume of "the art of computer programming" -knuth. and after the class maybe me and arun wil push off for looking for some mp3 players, and possibly i will visit the digicam shop also.
im realizing again that job sucks away ur energy like anything even if ur just on training. by the time we go back, we are pretty tired. and the hours fly, before i notice its 12 o clock-late for sleep and the cycle starts again the next day morning as we rush for catching the 7.50 bus. going by this experience, the days when our actual jobs start are not going to be any easier. so there goes my plans of waking up early in the morning for exercise. i have to schedule my day properly if i plan to find at least 2-3 hours spare time-maybe cut on the tv part.
time to go back (mentally, not physically) in the class. ta.
[08/05/2005 01:33:57] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
amchi mumbai
one week in mumbai. and one week of ppts at patni. the result of joining a new job is not as drastic as september 1996 when i joined Ashok Leyland for the first time. maybe it was the fact that i was only 18 then, or maybe that was madras-quite the opposite of what delhites expect in a metro. this time however the story was much pleasant. we-me and arun are staying in 7th floor in a company guest house, miles away from the main city hustle. giving us company in the flat are two people- IIMA and MDI grads.
yesterday, we went for shopping in mumbai. and travelled to andheri, vile parle, grant road, parel and mumbai central. the journey which lasted some 8-9 hours saw us rushing through the various local train stations, bridges , autos and taxis. traffic wasnt that bad, it being a saturday, but the unfortunate part was that i didnt get the cell phone, primarily for which we started the tour. didnt find implies didnt find at the right rate. due to VAT (thats what i cqan gather), everybody has started charging 2% on cards' payment which is funny and ironic at the same time - since it included not only the small shops but the malls also. i think i would rather my cousin to buy it directly frm the money which should save me 1-2K. the only hitch in that is i have to get it on cash which will take some time.
and then the sad story of the movie on which we spent hundreds on friday. "kya kool hain hum". one word would be sufficient to describe the movie: "sick". though i can blast this movie further, just the thought of it makes me feel disgusted. i wonder if the movie business can also come under the consumer protection act-so that we can sue them for movies like this. avoid it at any cost-thats my sincere advice.
nothing more to write as of now, except that we would begin a two week technical training from tomo. so for a techie like me-confortable days ahead. so long.
amchi mumbai
one week in mumbai. and one week of ppts at patni. the result of joining a new job is not as drastic as september 1996 when i joined Ashok Leyland for the first time. maybe it was the fact that i was only 18 then, or maybe that was madras-quite the opposite of what delhites expect in a metro. this time however the story was much pleasant. we-me and arun are staying in 7th floor in a company guest house, miles away from the main city hustle. giving us company in the flat are two people- IIMA and MDI grads.
yesterday, we went for shopping in mumbai. and travelled to andheri, vile parle, grant road, parel and mumbai central. the journey which lasted some 8-9 hours saw us rushing through the various local train stations, bridges , autos and taxis. traffic wasnt that bad, it being a saturday, but the unfortunate part was that i didnt get the cell phone, primarily for which we started the tour. didnt find implies didnt find at the right rate. due to VAT (thats what i cqan gather), everybody has started charging 2% on cards' payment which is funny and ironic at the same time - since it included not only the small shops but the malls also. i think i would rather my cousin to buy it directly frm the money which should save me 1-2K. the only hitch in that is i have to get it on cash which will take some time.
and then the sad story of the movie on which we spent hundreds on friday. "kya kool hain hum". one word would be sufficient to describe the movie: "sick". though i can blast this movie further, just the thought of it makes me feel disgusted. i wonder if the movie business can also come under the consumer protection act-so that we can sue them for movies like this. avoid it at any cost-thats my sincere advice.
nothing more to write as of now, except that we would begin a two week technical training from tomo. so for a techie like me-confortable days ahead. so long.
[26/04/2005 01:59:42] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
run run run
precisely my state of affairs at delhi at the moment. i landed at delhi airport by 16th -10.30pm, and after resting for one day, started a training for IBM for 5 days. it being in gurgaon, the day started at 6.30am and ended at 2pm. finally it finished by sat. and then sat was booked for selling old books with mridula. sunday-shopping at karol bagh with mom and sis. and i realized that the calcutta shopping trip with the 3 girls was actually a precursor of this day. owing to the fact that it was way shorter in time duration than the calcutta one, it wasnt that bad. monday was the worst of the lot, when i went to collect my BTech degree. and our director, curse him, who refused to give me a provisional certificate an year back, demanded to produce one for obtaining the final certificate. naturally i was fuming. thankfully , charu with me, so i didnt felt that bored in the coming 2 and half hours, which eventually resulted in me getting the thing.
and then there was waqt. evening show with mridula and charu. and with akshay kumar and amitabh bacchan. if there is one film which is more boring than this movie- i have to see it yet. but i should have guessed it - it being a hindi movie. not that i have anything abt hindi movie per se, but they invlove so much melodrama, added sometimes with the songs of anu malik- that it becomes suicidal. and today i went to NP (nehru place for the uninitiated) and surprise. i asked in three shops on the same floor for the price of a CD ROM drive. and all three gave me different rates. so finally when i came back to the one who was offering the lowest, he came down further by 15 bucks. in retorspect maybe i should have come back twice or thrice more, maybe he would have got down further :-)
anyway, there is a lot to do abhi. starting with the packing of my 4K samsonite bag that i bought frm calcutta forum. but more importantly, the IBM 3 day training which is starting from tomo. and i plan to visit nai sarak abhi to get some books.phew. bye.
run run run
precisely my state of affairs at delhi at the moment. i landed at delhi airport by 16th -10.30pm, and after resting for one day, started a training for IBM for 5 days. it being in gurgaon, the day started at 6.30am and ended at 2pm. finally it finished by sat. and then sat was booked for selling old books with mridula. sunday-shopping at karol bagh with mom and sis. and i realized that the calcutta shopping trip with the 3 girls was actually a precursor of this day. owing to the fact that it was way shorter in time duration than the calcutta one, it wasnt that bad. monday was the worst of the lot, when i went to collect my BTech degree. and our director, curse him, who refused to give me a provisional certificate an year back, demanded to produce one for obtaining the final certificate. naturally i was fuming. thankfully , charu with me, so i didnt felt that bored in the coming 2 and half hours, which eventually resulted in me getting the thing.
and then there was waqt. evening show with mridula and charu. and with akshay kumar and amitabh bacchan. if there is one film which is more boring than this movie- i have to see it yet. but i should have guessed it - it being a hindi movie. not that i have anything abt hindi movie per se, but they invlove so much melodrama, added sometimes with the songs of anu malik- that it becomes suicidal. and today i went to NP (nehru place for the uninitiated) and surprise. i asked in three shops on the same floor for the price of a CD ROM drive. and all three gave me different rates. so finally when i came back to the one who was offering the lowest, he came down further by 15 bucks. in retorspect maybe i should have come back twice or thrice more, maybe he would have got down further :-)
anyway, there is a lot to do abhi. starting with the packing of my 4K samsonite bag that i bought frm calcutta forum. but more importantly, the IBM 3 day training which is starting from tomo. and i plan to visit nai sarak abhi to get some books.phew. bye.
[14/04/2005 09:46:21] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
the end
one more day for the training. thankfully, tomorrow is a holiday giving me the much needed time to recharge my batteries, which are really down at the moment from sleeping 3-4 hours daily. tarana and sid called, and that was the end of my mobile balance. last i saw it was 84, which quickly got down to 2.26. not that im complaining. some more words got exchanged between me and sid abt my past, which im really tired of even talking about now. meanwhile IBM products continue to haunt me, especially looking at the long long stack traces WSAD throws on apparently simple things. only relief now a days is the Psmith omnibus from PGW (somehow i always read Psmith as P-smith, although i know its "smith").
kristein was so excited about her new tailored dresses which she was supposed to get by today. but as fate had it, those got delayed, so nothing for today. sanchita was also leaving for her home for 3-4 days, which she decided not to. and the pizzas which these people ordered for today were just delivered. so there i go.
back. i came to know that im not the only one reg the P-smith thing. sanchita also is in the same league. that reminds me of thomson and thompson of tintin comics. talked to ajay gandhi-a friend of mine from MDI after long. his dad posted in europe and right now he was sitting in germany-and going to visit venice and rest soon. he got into wipro-bangalore on marketing. talked to mridula also, our chats are witty as usual, she explaining me the merits of shopping with girls for hours, which i still cant see that clearly as she tried to make me :-) . enough writing. time to go back and take a shot at WSAD (i call it wassad-rhyming to fasaad in hindi...and actually also very close to being so). chao.
the end
one more day for the training. thankfully, tomorrow is a holiday giving me the much needed time to recharge my batteries, which are really down at the moment from sleeping 3-4 hours daily. tarana and sid called, and that was the end of my mobile balance. last i saw it was 84, which quickly got down to 2.26. not that im complaining. some more words got exchanged between me and sid abt my past, which im really tired of even talking about now. meanwhile IBM products continue to haunt me, especially looking at the long long stack traces WSAD throws on apparently simple things. only relief now a days is the Psmith omnibus from PGW (somehow i always read Psmith as P-smith, although i know its "smith").
kristein was so excited about her new tailored dresses which she was supposed to get by today. but as fate had it, those got delayed, so nothing for today. sanchita was also leaving for her home for 3-4 days, which she decided not to. and the pizzas which these people ordered for today were just delivered. so there i go.
back. i came to know that im not the only one reg the P-smith thing. sanchita also is in the same league. that reminds me of thomson and thompson of tintin comics. talked to ajay gandhi-a friend of mine from MDI after long. his dad posted in europe and right now he was sitting in germany-and going to visit venice and rest soon. he got into wipro-bangalore on marketing. talked to mridula also, our chats are witty as usual, she explaining me the merits of shopping with girls for hours, which i still cant see that clearly as she tried to make me :-) . enough writing. time to go back and take a shot at WSAD (i call it wassad-rhyming to fasaad in hindi...and actually also very close to being so). chao.
[12/04/2005 14:56:08] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
5.66KB/Sec
ya, this is the speed im getting at IIMC at 4.13 in the morning. that makes my IBM redbooks downloads crawl, and enough time to write this entry. its only 3 more days at siemens, and i have already started missing C :-) . today me, sanchita and kristein went for a walk around the IIMC campus, thw howrah bridge and stuff, but apart from natural curiosity, i didnt find the place anything special to be honest. maybe that depends upon the reason a lot, as sachita was telling about the winter when u can barely see across the bridge due to fog. but that too, perhaps, is life as usual for somebody who has spent riding bike in delhi during dec-jan, with fog and only fog around u on the roads.
meanwhile the download says 5.94kb/sec and 85% completed. 8 more minutes and it will be done. so lets see how much can i write in these 8 mins. like usual, i got barely few hours of sleep during this training, but im not complaining. after all, i got to visit C, which normally i would have not ventured to come on an excursion. besides, passing days in delhi with the TV on most of the times was getting boring. strange, whenever im away frm home, i never feel like watching TV. but then, now a days, most of my TV viewing consists of my watching NDTV profit and watching the share market, and fate of my portfolio. right now, its slightly in the red, but im not in a hurry, since i have planned to keep these shares for at least a few months and see how things turn out. at most i can get rid of the pharma shares if the situation improves a bit. otherwise, in any case, keeping money in the bank account is no good, barely fetching u any returns.
the download is done and now its time to wrap up and move from sushma's room in the ladies hostel back to the guest house for maybe an hour of so of morning sleep.ta.
5.66KB/Sec
ya, this is the speed im getting at IIMC at 4.13 in the morning. that makes my IBM redbooks downloads crawl, and enough time to write this entry. its only 3 more days at siemens, and i have already started missing C :-) . today me, sanchita and kristein went for a walk around the IIMC campus, thw howrah bridge and stuff, but apart from natural curiosity, i didnt find the place anything special to be honest. maybe that depends upon the reason a lot, as sachita was telling about the winter when u can barely see across the bridge due to fog. but that too, perhaps, is life as usual for somebody who has spent riding bike in delhi during dec-jan, with fog and only fog around u on the roads.
meanwhile the download says 5.94kb/sec and 85% completed. 8 more minutes and it will be done. so lets see how much can i write in these 8 mins. like usual, i got barely few hours of sleep during this training, but im not complaining. after all, i got to visit C, which normally i would have not ventured to come on an excursion. besides, passing days in delhi with the TV on most of the times was getting boring. strange, whenever im away frm home, i never feel like watching TV. but then, now a days, most of my TV viewing consists of my watching NDTV profit and watching the share market, and fate of my portfolio. right now, its slightly in the red, but im not in a hurry, since i have planned to keep these shares for at least a few months and see how things turn out. at most i can get rid of the pharma shares if the situation improves a bit. otherwise, in any case, keeping money in the bank account is no good, barely fetching u any returns.
the download is done and now its time to wrap up and move from sushma's room in the ladies hostel back to the guest house for maybe an hour of so of morning sleep.ta.
[11/04/2005 13:26:42] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
weird weird weird
i dont understand why these indian airlines chaps auction on net if u have to go to collect ur tickets ultimately (that explains the first "weird"). so finally kristein and me showed up in the IA office to collect the ticket, which was quite prompt, as they had the tickets handy. second weird was my ex. calling me "just like that" and then actually asking me why i called back 30 mins later (she got guts i must say). to top it, she dropped a sms too :-o , which of course i did not reply. im tired of this game really. what abt being nice? - ah, spare me pls. third one was a movie called donnie something, which me, sanchita and kristen watched till 2.30am, with the electricity vanishing three times in 10 mins. i think the writer must be intoxicated when he thought of the story. in comparison, a similar movie called the butterfly effect which i watched months back in IIMK was much better and gripping.
after collecting the ticket, i got my shoes polished, and kristen suggested that we catch the metro, the station just opposite the road. but by the time we reached at the ticket counter, we realized that this was the rush hours and the metro will be very crowded. so we rushed all the way back to get a cab. and what a cab- the driver asked us for directions mid way and was suddenly became enthu and started talking. and after we actually reached IIMC, he said that he had visited the place. and then it was the day of long talks- first it was me and kristen talking abt philosophy and things in the cab for almost an hour. and then me and sanchita talked for long, abt various things, abt an organisation called parivaar which is a home for slum kids. maybe we will visit the place on the 15th, it being an off for me due to the bengali new year.
the best thing in the day was however that i bought fruits-mangoes, grapes and bananas- and we three had a shot at 4 of the mangoes, which were reasonably good. i could have written more but its 2.53am and perhaps time for me to do other things including catching up a bit of sleep. so long then. ta.
weird weird weird
i dont understand why these indian airlines chaps auction on net if u have to go to collect ur tickets ultimately (that explains the first "weird"). so finally kristein and me showed up in the IA office to collect the ticket, which was quite prompt, as they had the tickets handy. second weird was my ex. calling me "just like that" and then actually asking me why i called back 30 mins later (she got guts i must say). to top it, she dropped a sms too :-o , which of course i did not reply. im tired of this game really. what abt being nice? - ah, spare me pls. third one was a movie called donnie something, which me, sanchita and kristen watched till 2.30am, with the electricity vanishing three times in 10 mins. i think the writer must be intoxicated when he thought of the story. in comparison, a similar movie called the butterfly effect which i watched months back in IIMK was much better and gripping.
after collecting the ticket, i got my shoes polished, and kristen suggested that we catch the metro, the station just opposite the road. but by the time we reached at the ticket counter, we realized that this was the rush hours and the metro will be very crowded. so we rushed all the way back to get a cab. and what a cab- the driver asked us for directions mid way and was suddenly became enthu and started talking. and after we actually reached IIMC, he said that he had visited the place. and then it was the day of long talks- first it was me and kristen talking abt philosophy and things in the cab for almost an hour. and then me and sanchita talked for long, abt various things, abt an organisation called parivaar which is a home for slum kids. maybe we will visit the place on the 15th, it being an off for me due to the bengali new year.
the best thing in the day was however that i bought fruits-mangoes, grapes and bananas- and we three had a shot at 4 of the mangoes, which were reasonably good. i could have written more but its 2.53am and perhaps time for me to do other things including catching up a bit of sleep. so long then. ta.
[10/04/2005 10:31:16] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
half way through the mark
the siemens training is 50% over. and im booked for 8 more days in IBM after that. but thats not what im writing this blog for. the highlight for todays was my enlightening experience of shopping with girls. sanchita, kristein and joyonti. and of course me. the place was something called the new market in calcutta. its not their fault, to be honest-i myself agreed for it-thinking that i mgt look for a sari for my mom- and in fact i must also put a word about their making efforts to make me confortable. but in all earnesty, its rather difficult for a guy to go through the experience of a 5-6 hour shopping trip with girls. maybe once in a lifetime, to understand the implications and the consequences, but surely twice would be too much even if u try ur best. taxing on ur soul as PGW would have put it. bought some candies for tarana since the ones last bought at forum, bangalore were left with gidhi when i went to chennai.
i was so tired on saturday that was finding it difficult to speak during the training. maybe the reason was lack for sleep for the past 4-5 days. waking up late on sunday morning helped to certain extent, but the temperature was quite up than the previous days. thankfully it rained today and the temperature came down. hopefully this would go on for a few days, but actually it hardly matters for me, since most of the time im in the AC training room, safely shielded from the calcutta weather. six more days to go and i would be off to delhi. i m planning to have a get together kind of thing in shopper's stop delhi on 17th. lets see who turns up. me, pandey and ruchi and one two more guys should be definitely there.
meanwhile, i have quite learned a few things about life these days. will write sometimes later exactly what. time to do some preparation for tomorrows training. ta.
half way through the mark
the siemens training is 50% over. and im booked for 8 more days in IBM after that. but thats not what im writing this blog for. the highlight for todays was my enlightening experience of shopping with girls. sanchita, kristein and joyonti. and of course me. the place was something called the new market in calcutta. its not their fault, to be honest-i myself agreed for it-thinking that i mgt look for a sari for my mom- and in fact i must also put a word about their making efforts to make me confortable. but in all earnesty, its rather difficult for a guy to go through the experience of a 5-6 hour shopping trip with girls. maybe once in a lifetime, to understand the implications and the consequences, but surely twice would be too much even if u try ur best. taxing on ur soul as PGW would have put it. bought some candies for tarana since the ones last bought at forum, bangalore were left with gidhi when i went to chennai.
i was so tired on saturday that was finding it difficult to speak during the training. maybe the reason was lack for sleep for the past 4-5 days. waking up late on sunday morning helped to certain extent, but the temperature was quite up than the previous days. thankfully it rained today and the temperature came down. hopefully this would go on for a few days, but actually it hardly matters for me, since most of the time im in the AC training room, safely shielded from the calcutta weather. six more days to go and i would be off to delhi. i m planning to have a get together kind of thing in shopper's stop delhi on 17th. lets see who turns up. me, pandey and ruchi and one two more guys should be definitely there.
meanwhile, i have quite learned a few things about life these days. will write sometimes later exactly what. time to do some preparation for tomorrows training. ta.
[06/04/2005 13:52:02] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
the old city
landing in calcutta airport was an experience, when the aircraft gate directly opens in the second floor of the airport building lobby. much like the arrangement they had abroad. but the joys of visiting the 4th metro in my list was soon over, as the taxi passed through the city to IIMC (or jokha management as the cab drivers call it). the city looks like built somewhere in the early 1900s, with i getting the feel of a small city in the narrow roads, and dirty surroundings. maybe the area i was travelling in was different from the rest of the city. or maybe calcutta itself is different from other metros completely. and again i start pondering over the proceedings of the previous days.
sitting in delhi for some time and hunting for trainings(along with the hand of god of course) finally landed me in calcutta for a 12 day session at siemens here. i had no idea about the location of the company, and hence where would i arrange for stay during this period. talking to mridula before catching the flight brought to light the fact that her convo at IIMC was on 2nd, and she would catch train to delhi by 4th only. i being reaching calcutta by 3rd morning decided to give IIMC a visit which was due since mridula joined here. so there i was, standing on the ground floor of his hostel with the laptop and bag in tow. but she was nowhere to be found, and 20 odd calls to her cell resulted in no business, meeting everytime with the "no answer" reply. realizing that shhe must be sleeping somewhere made me scout for her room, and found that she was in karishma's room, blissfully unaware of my existence for the time being. few shouts and she was up and running, as good as new.
now begins the real story. her room was way more dirty and clumsy than mine in IIMK, and i wished if only my mom could see this and appreciate that despite being a guy, i still ranked higher in cleanliness when it comes to hostel rooms. anyways, the weather in IIMC was nice, and seeing the girls there made me regret for the first time about not being serious about CAT thing and missing IIMC's GD. maybe it was the draught of good faces in K which was partially responsible for my sad state. to be fair, with guys like me, the girls in K might have thought the same, but that is part of life. anyways, we ordered some pizzas, garlic bread, baby corn and coke for lunch for us and 3 of her friends, and i got light by 5-6 hundred bucks. not that i would have refused to treat them, but alas, the sacrifice went unnoticed in the rush of everbody packing their bags for going home.
doing some lazing around, surfing, giving a helping hand here and there in re my IT expertise (in removing hard disks!!!! - i never knew i was expert in that-well karishma certainly made me feel like that- and i would have surely avoided the 'compliment' ) brought us to the evening with me still unsure about the coming few days stay. though mridula asked me to stay at the hostel in her room, somehow the idea didnt click- for 2 reasons-first it was a ladies hostel, and second my host-she herself was going to delhi. so we started in a cab to see the location of siemens and if we can find some hotel near it. we spent 600 bucks on the cab and 300 for the food in some place called 'mocambo' - but that proved futile. no hotel worth staying. and those which were - they were either expensive, or very far from the place. so giving an ear to mridula's constant talk of i settling in IIMC for the coming 13 days finally saw me agreeing to the plot, with a slight change. i would take a guest room near the hostel instead of staying in her room. the better part of the day was the evening however, with we talking for hours on all sort of issues- from relationships to IIM students to MM joshi.
in hindsight, the decision seems much better than the other options. two of mridula's friends- sanchita and kristine were staying back in the hostel for some more days and i would have taken their help if the need so arises. and of course, the chatty person that im, i would have got bored very easily somewhere else. here at least i talked to these two ladies. besides, despite all the shortcomings of IIMC (cockroaches, mosquitos, distance from the city and stuff), it still is a better place than a hotel, with freedom from the tension of small small things including net access, printouts, safety etc etc. so, now its my third night in IIMC and i dont regret the decision to stay here. true, i have to spend 400 bucks on cab and 100 bucks for the guest room everyday, but that would anyways be the minimum hotel charges if i stayed outside.
last night though was a bit strange. i kept my cell in my room, and went to sit in the comp room with the laptop to do some work. my ex called at 10pm and obviously the call was missed. i came back and saw the missed call, washed the clothes and went back to the lab. this time, when i came back by 12.50, i saw 4 missed calls from my sis cell and 2 messages- reminding me that i have forgotten to wish my nephew on his birthday. poor me. with so much things on my mind, it can happen to anybody. i tried to call back, but the f*** airtel wont allow me to call, despite my cell having a lot of balance. my ex called again today by noon, informing me that she has sneaked into my yahoo messenger and there were some important offliners, so she would mail me those. after our last fight and resolution not to talk, i was at loss to understand why she would do that, especially when she is happy with her current bf. but, as they say, understanding girls is difficult, and not my forte in any case. not that i try anymore to understand them. as pgw might have commented, its better to leave them alone.
the training is going fine till now, and i fear i might develop a liking for the bongs (sid and tarana would laugh if they hear this), if not to the city. in any case, infrastructure in calcutta is nothing to write about, with the main roads narrower than my locality streets and traffic always being in the state of perpetual jam. im sitting in a vacant room in the ladies hostel whose keys are still with sanchita because the network in my guest room is not working somehow. its 3.17am, and i have to go for training tomorrow also. so i would wrap up and leave for the room to get some sleep, and much wanted rest. those of you, who by any chance, followed this long and tedious entry so far, i presume, would also want to go for some themselves. so long then.
the old city
landing in calcutta airport was an experience, when the aircraft gate directly opens in the second floor of the airport building lobby. much like the arrangement they had abroad. but the joys of visiting the 4th metro in my list was soon over, as the taxi passed through the city to IIMC (or jokha management as the cab drivers call it). the city looks like built somewhere in the early 1900s, with i getting the feel of a small city in the narrow roads, and dirty surroundings. maybe the area i was travelling in was different from the rest of the city. or maybe calcutta itself is different from other metros completely. and again i start pondering over the proceedings of the previous days.
sitting in delhi for some time and hunting for trainings(along with the hand of god of course) finally landed me in calcutta for a 12 day session at siemens here. i had no idea about the location of the company, and hence where would i arrange for stay during this period. talking to mridula before catching the flight brought to light the fact that her convo at IIMC was on 2nd, and she would catch train to delhi by 4th only. i being reaching calcutta by 3rd morning decided to give IIMC a visit which was due since mridula joined here. so there i was, standing on the ground floor of his hostel with the laptop and bag in tow. but she was nowhere to be found, and 20 odd calls to her cell resulted in no business, meeting everytime with the "no answer" reply. realizing that shhe must be sleeping somewhere made me scout for her room, and found that she was in karishma's room, blissfully unaware of my existence for the time being. few shouts and she was up and running, as good as new.
now begins the real story. her room was way more dirty and clumsy than mine in IIMK, and i wished if only my mom could see this and appreciate that despite being a guy, i still ranked higher in cleanliness when it comes to hostel rooms. anyways, the weather in IIMC was nice, and seeing the girls there made me regret for the first time about not being serious about CAT thing and missing IIMC's GD. maybe it was the draught of good faces in K which was partially responsible for my sad state. to be fair, with guys like me, the girls in K might have thought the same, but that is part of life. anyways, we ordered some pizzas, garlic bread, baby corn and coke for lunch for us and 3 of her friends, and i got light by 5-6 hundred bucks. not that i would have refused to treat them, but alas, the sacrifice went unnoticed in the rush of everbody packing their bags for going home.
doing some lazing around, surfing, giving a helping hand here and there in re my IT expertise (in removing hard disks!!!! - i never knew i was expert in that-well karishma certainly made me feel like that- and i would have surely avoided the 'compliment' ) brought us to the evening with me still unsure about the coming few days stay. though mridula asked me to stay at the hostel in her room, somehow the idea didnt click- for 2 reasons-first it was a ladies hostel, and second my host-she herself was going to delhi. so we started in a cab to see the location of siemens and if we can find some hotel near it. we spent 600 bucks on the cab and 300 for the food in some place called 'mocambo' - but that proved futile. no hotel worth staying. and those which were - they were either expensive, or very far from the place. so giving an ear to mridula's constant talk of i settling in IIMC for the coming 13 days finally saw me agreeing to the plot, with a slight change. i would take a guest room near the hostel instead of staying in her room. the better part of the day was the evening however, with we talking for hours on all sort of issues- from relationships to IIM students to MM joshi.
in hindsight, the decision seems much better than the other options. two of mridula's friends- sanchita and kristine were staying back in the hostel for some more days and i would have taken their help if the need so arises. and of course, the chatty person that im, i would have got bored very easily somewhere else. here at least i talked to these two ladies. besides, despite all the shortcomings of IIMC (cockroaches, mosquitos, distance from the city and stuff), it still is a better place than a hotel, with freedom from the tension of small small things including net access, printouts, safety etc etc. so, now its my third night in IIMC and i dont regret the decision to stay here. true, i have to spend 400 bucks on cab and 100 bucks for the guest room everyday, but that would anyways be the minimum hotel charges if i stayed outside.
last night though was a bit strange. i kept my cell in my room, and went to sit in the comp room with the laptop to do some work. my ex called at 10pm and obviously the call was missed. i came back and saw the missed call, washed the clothes and went back to the lab. this time, when i came back by 12.50, i saw 4 missed calls from my sis cell and 2 messages- reminding me that i have forgotten to wish my nephew on his birthday. poor me. with so much things on my mind, it can happen to anybody. i tried to call back, but the f*** airtel wont allow me to call, despite my cell having a lot of balance. my ex called again today by noon, informing me that she has sneaked into my yahoo messenger and there were some important offliners, so she would mail me those. after our last fight and resolution not to talk, i was at loss to understand why she would do that, especially when she is happy with her current bf. but, as they say, understanding girls is difficult, and not my forte in any case. not that i try anymore to understand them. as pgw might have commented, its better to leave them alone.
the training is going fine till now, and i fear i might develop a liking for the bongs (sid and tarana would laugh if they hear this), if not to the city. in any case, infrastructure in calcutta is nothing to write about, with the main roads narrower than my locality streets and traffic always being in the state of perpetual jam. im sitting in a vacant room in the ladies hostel whose keys are still with sanchita because the network in my guest room is not working somehow. its 3.17am, and i have to go for training tomorrow also. so i would wrap up and leave for the room to get some sleep, and much wanted rest. those of you, who by any chance, followed this long and tedious entry so far, i presume, would also want to go for some themselves. so long then.
[30/03/2005 00:16:18] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
26 hours in chennai
now, as fate had it, the air deccan flight (again) got delayed by 2 hours. so we reached chennai only by 12, and by then most of the marriage ceremonies were over. after spending 2-3 hours there, we went to the defense guest house courtesy commander, me and gidhi roamed here and there, and by 6-7pm commander and gidhi were ready to go back to IIMK, they having a train at 8 to catch. the big problem was that where do i pass the next 26 odd hours-my train to delhi being at 10.30pm next day. one option was to take a guest house, but somehow the option was the least attractive. so what to do. here is what actually happened:
20-3-2005:
8.30pm: got my bag parked in cloak room. started for a theatre called devibala. no english movie there. walked to shanti theatre near it. there is a sharwana bhawan-ate a ghee dosa and got a ticket for a movie called "welcome to the jungle" for a 10pm show. 30 bucks.
11.45pm: return to railway station, got the bag back. booked the AC dormitory-190/- for 12 hours- better than a hotel i think. slept sound by 1. 22 hours still left.
21-3-2005:
11.00am: woke up heavy, uncertain what to do. and there was no water in the toilet.hell. conveying this to the caretaker takes me to one of the empty ladies dormitory (which incidentally was much better than ours-almost like a hotel) for a bath.
12.45pm: done with a bath. deposited the bag with cloak room again. this timne i decide to give the cafeteria at the station a try. the masala dosa there was expensive and not as good as the last one. but its ok. started for devi bala again, but this time for the higginsbothams in front of it. the bus journey was good, last i travelled in chennai buses was years back. 12 hours to go.
1.30pm: got a good bargain on 4 PGW and 2 Natgeo magazines at a hawker near the bus stand. down by 200/-.
3pm: after spending 3 hours and 500 bucks, i start for another book store at spencer's plaza. 7 and half hours to go.
9pm: now going to lifestyle at spencers was a wise decision. u can go and read books there, which of course i did-a calvin and hobbes and lots of magazines, having plenty of time at my hands then. one more book, and im down by 450/- more. now im sitting at a cafe here at spencers, thinking of reaching back by 10 to the station to pick the bag and catch the train.
9.45pm: back in the station. before getting the bag, i went and saw the train platform. AND there was the shock. the train was at 10, not 10.30 as i have always imagined. good lord, i would have missed the train if only i was late as usual.
10pm: me and my bag parked at the seat. relief i was starting back.
there were many other things waiting for me in delhi, this time thankfully positive. next time. ta.
26 hours in chennai
now, as fate had it, the air deccan flight (again) got delayed by 2 hours. so we reached chennai only by 12, and by then most of the marriage ceremonies were over. after spending 2-3 hours there, we went to the defense guest house courtesy commander, me and gidhi roamed here and there, and by 6-7pm commander and gidhi were ready to go back to IIMK, they having a train at 8 to catch. the big problem was that where do i pass the next 26 odd hours-my train to delhi being at 10.30pm next day. one option was to take a guest house, but somehow the option was the least attractive. so what to do. here is what actually happened:
20-3-2005:
8.30pm: got my bag parked in cloak room. started for a theatre called devibala. no english movie there. walked to shanti theatre near it. there is a sharwana bhawan-ate a ghee dosa and got a ticket for a movie called "welcome to the jungle" for a 10pm show. 30 bucks.
11.45pm: return to railway station, got the bag back. booked the AC dormitory-190/- for 12 hours- better than a hotel i think. slept sound by 1. 22 hours still left.
21-3-2005:
11.00am: woke up heavy, uncertain what to do. and there was no water in the toilet.hell. conveying this to the caretaker takes me to one of the empty ladies dormitory (which incidentally was much better than ours-almost like a hotel) for a bath.
12.45pm: done with a bath. deposited the bag with cloak room again. this timne i decide to give the cafeteria at the station a try. the masala dosa there was expensive and not as good as the last one. but its ok. started for devi bala again, but this time for the higginsbothams in front of it. the bus journey was good, last i travelled in chennai buses was years back. 12 hours to go.
1.30pm: got a good bargain on 4 PGW and 2 Natgeo magazines at a hawker near the bus stand. down by 200/-.
3pm: after spending 3 hours and 500 bucks, i start for another book store at spencer's plaza. 7 and half hours to go.
9pm: now going to lifestyle at spencers was a wise decision. u can go and read books there, which of course i did-a calvin and hobbes and lots of magazines, having plenty of time at my hands then. one more book, and im down by 450/- more. now im sitting at a cafe here at spencers, thinking of reaching back by 10 to the station to pick the bag and catch the train.
9.45pm: back in the station. before getting the bag, i went and saw the train platform. AND there was the shock. the train was at 10, not 10.30 as i have always imagined. good lord, i would have missed the train if only i was late as usual.
10pm: me and my bag parked at the seat. relief i was starting back.
there were many other things waiting for me in delhi, this time thankfully positive. next time. ta.
[18/03/2005 07:56:22] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
and then there were none
receiving calls when ur number is on roaming is a tricky business. i realized this only after attending a couple of "wrong numbers" on my cell. obviously it cost me 5.50/- per minute. but right now i have a bigger problem- what to do in chennai from 20th noon to 21st night (the time frm deepa's marriage to when i catch the delhi bound train). frankly, i have no answer. and its only tomo when we start for coimbatore to catch the flight.
yesterday, one swiss friend of amit-stefan- has come from delhi. he is on a tour to india, nepal, china and russia. it was really nice talking to him. we went for dinner, and he invited me to his place near ritz in switzerland if i happen to visit the country next year. i think i will definitely visit a place or two next year, maybe somewhere in europe, if i am able to save some money. oh, and yesterday one more batchmate of ours joined us for the marriage. mr gidhi, who came only last evening, and by 1.30, i was booking his ticket online. nice chap. though the ticket cost him 500 bucks more than us, air deccan following the dynapricing or something like that.
today we had a rehearsal for the convocation tomo. and there it was announced that we have to wear ties tomo for the occasion. thankfully, i got a gray tie (now being crazy as im, i would wear a tie only if it matches) from a junior. and i got the cufflinks which my sis sent me from delhi for the shirt i am planning to wear on deepa's wedding.
bought some shares, my first encounter with the share market. its better than getting ur money rotting in the savings account i think. besides, it helps keep oneself busy when u have not much to do.
so, finally the day has arrived when we will be together as a batch for the last time. not that it matters much for me, since i am not much of a nostalgia man. but ya, the days here were good, though i did not enjoy them as much as i could have due to my own problems in the personal life. sometimes the days and especially nights here were pretty scary, driving me nuts due to loneliness. but that is about to end. oh , i cant wait to go back to work again after going through academics for these 5 years.
i am planning to have a LAN party today in the CC with AoE and DPN (my batchmate and AoE fellow), if i get the AoE CD from some junior that is. so will finish here. chao.
and then there were none
receiving calls when ur number is on roaming is a tricky business. i realized this only after attending a couple of "wrong numbers" on my cell. obviously it cost me 5.50/- per minute. but right now i have a bigger problem- what to do in chennai from 20th noon to 21st night (the time frm deepa's marriage to when i catch the delhi bound train). frankly, i have no answer. and its only tomo when we start for coimbatore to catch the flight.
yesterday, one swiss friend of amit-stefan- has come from delhi. he is on a tour to india, nepal, china and russia. it was really nice talking to him. we went for dinner, and he invited me to his place near ritz in switzerland if i happen to visit the country next year. i think i will definitely visit a place or two next year, maybe somewhere in europe, if i am able to save some money. oh, and yesterday one more batchmate of ours joined us for the marriage. mr gidhi, who came only last evening, and by 1.30, i was booking his ticket online. nice chap. though the ticket cost him 500 bucks more than us, air deccan following the dynapricing or something like that.
today we had a rehearsal for the convocation tomo. and there it was announced that we have to wear ties tomo for the occasion. thankfully, i got a gray tie (now being crazy as im, i would wear a tie only if it matches) from a junior. and i got the cufflinks which my sis sent me from delhi for the shirt i am planning to wear on deepa's wedding.
bought some shares, my first encounter with the share market. its better than getting ur money rotting in the savings account i think. besides, it helps keep oneself busy when u have not much to do.
so, finally the day has arrived when we will be together as a batch for the last time. not that it matters much for me, since i am not much of a nostalgia man. but ya, the days here were good, though i did not enjoy them as much as i could have due to my own problems in the personal life. sometimes the days and especially nights here were pretty scary, driving me nuts due to loneliness. but that is about to end. oh , i cant wait to go back to work again after going through academics for these 5 years.
i am planning to have a LAN party today in the CC with AoE and DPN (my batchmate and AoE fellow), if i get the AoE CD from some junior that is. so will finish here. chao.
[17/03/2005 05:11:08] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
short and sweet
after the tiring last two posts, i will try to keep it short. im pretty excited abt the coming few days after the boring routine of the last 25 days. things i m gonna do if nothing goes wrong:
0. attend convo on 19th.
1. goto coimbatore, catch a flight to chennai with commander, attend deepa's marriage.
2. spend a day in chennai before taking off for delhi by 21.
3. goto lucknow on the weekend, visit ankit.
4. holi by 26.
5. get the medical tests done for patni, waste time here and there.
6. go for the river rafting for 2 days - 7-9apr.
7. there is a talk of a training at calcutta for 6-7 days. if not that go for a tour of himchal for 10-12 days.
8. come back, pack and leave for bombay by 1 may.
ah if only. i know something or the other will come up at the last moment. surprisingly, if i do take the flight frm coimbatore to chennai. that will mean that i have been on 5 south indian airports by now (calicut, kochi, chennai, bangalore and coimbatore) apart from delhi and mumbai.
apart frm this, there is little happening on campus. since the day i landed here, not even once i have taken dinner at the IIMK mess. everyday, due to one reason or the other, i had to eat out. surprisingly in the last 2-3 months here, i have eaten out at the marwadi, rajasthani and punjabi dhabas, which i have been searching for in the whole stay here, but found only by the end.
have to still talk to people for taking up a rented flat at mumbai - somewhere near andheri east if possible. so as promised this time, will finish here. tada.
short and sweet
after the tiring last two posts, i will try to keep it short. im pretty excited abt the coming few days after the boring routine of the last 25 days. things i m gonna do if nothing goes wrong:
0. attend convo on 19th.
1. goto coimbatore, catch a flight to chennai with commander, attend deepa's marriage.
2. spend a day in chennai before taking off for delhi by 21.
3. goto lucknow on the weekend, visit ankit.
4. holi by 26.
5. get the medical tests done for patni, waste time here and there.
6. go for the river rafting for 2 days - 7-9apr.
7. there is a talk of a training at calcutta for 6-7 days. if not that go for a tour of himchal for 10-12 days.
8. come back, pack and leave for bombay by 1 may.
ah if only. i know something or the other will come up at the last moment. surprisingly, if i do take the flight frm coimbatore to chennai. that will mean that i have been on 5 south indian airports by now (calicut, kochi, chennai, bangalore and coimbatore) apart from delhi and mumbai.
apart frm this, there is little happening on campus. since the day i landed here, not even once i have taken dinner at the IIMK mess. everyday, due to one reason or the other, i had to eat out. surprisingly in the last 2-3 months here, i have eaten out at the marwadi, rajasthani and punjabi dhabas, which i have been searching for in the whole stay here, but found only by the end.
have to still talk to people for taking up a rented flat at mumbai - somewhere near andheri east if possible. so as promised this time, will finish here. tada.
[15/03/2005 04:53:10] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
comedy of errors-continued
now the training was supposed to happen at the office of system logic-just 3-4 minutes walk from the flat i put up in. so i realized that even if i wake up by 8.30, it should be ok, since the training was to start at 9.30am. besides i have already conducted a similar training for the same client sometime back so i did not have to prepare specifically. about 8am , my cell went ringing. i saw the number-shuiab-from the training company which arranges things for me there. i did not pick the number since anyways i was on roaming-with only a hundred left as balance, and moreover i thought he just called to ask if i have reached. so i slept for 15 more minutes, by then it was 8.15am already. then shuaib called again, this time to inform me that the training is not at thier office (due to some lat minute changes), but at the office of the client-at ITPL-which was a good enough one and half hours away. so i rushed, skipped bath, and got an auto by 8.45.
but the trip took me so long that i landed at there office by 10.25. there were no further issues in the training, atleast nothing significant. it was only at the end of the training at 2nd day-when troubles start pouring. i left their office at 5.15, thinking that it will be better to catch a state trpt bus, since unlike last day-today there was no point of waiting for the company bus-which was scheduled at 6.15. besides catching an auto was out-since it costs a small fortune from ITPL to my place. so i caught a bus to majestic, which i knew was a bit of detour- how much, i came to know only by 6.35, when i reached majestic after going through a series of jams and feeling like i have been on a tour of the city. by then i have called mone of my students at IBM-ashutosh, for a meeting, and possibly to go to shooper's stop to get my belt altered. the belt, unfortunately was lying at my flat, so i decided to go back to the flat and come back to meet him. another idea was to visit lifestyle looking for a cufflink for my new shirt.
bangalore traffic is no longer kind as it was around 4-5 years back. i reached the flat by 7.20, and hurriedly caught an auto back, after taking the belt from the flat, and dropping the CDs there. the auto-wala assured me he knows the place, which very soon i came to know was a big lie. instead of prestige towers, he dropped me at prestige something, and guess what- it was the same place i crossed while coming in the bus frm ITPL to majestic. by then the auto-meter was already showing 50 bucks, and my watch 8pm. add to it, the IBM office was no longer in sight. asking people for directions in bangalore also is no longer good- as i soon realized. after a series of calls to and from ashutosh on my still "on roaming" cell number, i was down further by 40 odd bucks. eventually when i did reach his office- i had walked around 20 mins, and at 8.20-25 there was little hope of getting the work done at shopper's stop and lifestyle since they close by 9. so all the trouble i took for getting the belt went in dump. anyways, thats life. ashutosh, rishabh, rajnish (the IBM gang) and me procceded for dinner in a nearby cafe, after which i saw ashu's newly rented flat and he dropped me back at my flat. i was hoping that they would make some weekened hiking/trek progtam but it never happened, plus we missed the manhattan nandi hills program which was full by the tme ashu called them.
for the next two days (10-11), i have little to do except watching TV, shopping, burning money in the net cafes etc. the only useful thing i did except those was to apply for 25K worth of PNB shares in the IPO. by 12th i was pretty bored, but chetan(BTech classmate) was coming from hyd, and sulabh and me planned to meet in forum. the next day, i dressed up by 11, but chu (chetan's nick) got stuck somewhere, and i decided to get back to IIMK the same night. so i booked the 10pm bus ticket, and visited forum in the evening by 6. rest is like:
7.20: ashu also came, and met me at landmark at forum where i was looking for a couple of books. suddenly i saw a face and felt i know this chap. as usual his name or where i have seen him did not strike me. he also saw me, and to my embarassment, called me by name. i confessed to have forgotten him, and soon realized that he was the chap i taught J2EE in delhi around four and half years back. old memories started flooding in.
8pm: we got out of landmark with the books. i caught one more batchmate of mine-manish-who has joined airforce a year back and now has become a flying office.
8.20 and i was off to buy the candies and gums tarana has asked me to buy frm forum.
8.35-we decided to eat at transit there at forum itself since i was running out of time. the food and especially the 45 buck pista milk shake i took was shit, with no visible traces of milk. it felt like the guy has mixed flavour and sugar wih water. curse them.
9.05: caught an auto to JPnagar (my flat). asked this guy if he will go the bus station at majestic also, which he agreed.
9.20: reached the flat. the auto-chap refused to go to majestic. i tried to hurry, pack and leave but it took another 15 mins.
9.42: i caught another auto to majestic. the auto-chap was good and in the past few months, for the first time, luck was on my side, as i encountered only 1-2 red lights.
10.05: i reached bus station, and rushed for the calicut bus. asking the conductor whether that was the right bus result in a cross Q- if i had seat number 24- which of course i had. seems these guys (bless them) were waiting for me.
thankfully that was the end of my adventures at bangalore. i am sitting at K right now- much soothed, and its time for a snack. so long.
comedy of errors-continued
now the training was supposed to happen at the office of system logic-just 3-4 minutes walk from the flat i put up in. so i realized that even if i wake up by 8.30, it should be ok, since the training was to start at 9.30am. besides i have already conducted a similar training for the same client sometime back so i did not have to prepare specifically. about 8am , my cell went ringing. i saw the number-shuiab-from the training company which arranges things for me there. i did not pick the number since anyways i was on roaming-with only a hundred left as balance, and moreover i thought he just called to ask if i have reached. so i slept for 15 more minutes, by then it was 8.15am already. then shuaib called again, this time to inform me that the training is not at thier office (due to some lat minute changes), but at the office of the client-at ITPL-which was a good enough one and half hours away. so i rushed, skipped bath, and got an auto by 8.45.
but the trip took me so long that i landed at there office by 10.25. there were no further issues in the training, atleast nothing significant. it was only at the end of the training at 2nd day-when troubles start pouring. i left their office at 5.15, thinking that it will be better to catch a state trpt bus, since unlike last day-today there was no point of waiting for the company bus-which was scheduled at 6.15. besides catching an auto was out-since it costs a small fortune from ITPL to my place. so i caught a bus to majestic, which i knew was a bit of detour- how much, i came to know only by 6.35, when i reached majestic after going through a series of jams and feeling like i have been on a tour of the city. by then i have called mone of my students at IBM-ashutosh, for a meeting, and possibly to go to shooper's stop to get my belt altered. the belt, unfortunately was lying at my flat, so i decided to go back to the flat and come back to meet him. another idea was to visit lifestyle looking for a cufflink for my new shirt.
bangalore traffic is no longer kind as it was around 4-5 years back. i reached the flat by 7.20, and hurriedly caught an auto back, after taking the belt from the flat, and dropping the CDs there. the auto-wala assured me he knows the place, which very soon i came to know was a big lie. instead of prestige towers, he dropped me at prestige something, and guess what- it was the same place i crossed while coming in the bus frm ITPL to majestic. by then the auto-meter was already showing 50 bucks, and my watch 8pm. add to it, the IBM office was no longer in sight. asking people for directions in bangalore also is no longer good- as i soon realized. after a series of calls to and from ashutosh on my still "on roaming" cell number, i was down further by 40 odd bucks. eventually when i did reach his office- i had walked around 20 mins, and at 8.20-25 there was little hope of getting the work done at shopper's stop and lifestyle since they close by 9. so all the trouble i took for getting the belt went in dump. anyways, thats life. ashutosh, rishabh, rajnish (the IBM gang) and me procceded for dinner in a nearby cafe, after which i saw ashu's newly rented flat and he dropped me back at my flat. i was hoping that they would make some weekened hiking/trek progtam but it never happened, plus we missed the manhattan nandi hills program which was full by the tme ashu called them.
for the next two days (10-11), i have little to do except watching TV, shopping, burning money in the net cafes etc. the only useful thing i did except those was to apply for 25K worth of PNB shares in the IPO. by 12th i was pretty bored, but chetan(BTech classmate) was coming from hyd, and sulabh and me planned to meet in forum. the next day, i dressed up by 11, but chu (chetan's nick) got stuck somewhere, and i decided to get back to IIMK the same night. so i booked the 10pm bus ticket, and visited forum in the evening by 6. rest is like:
7.20: ashu also came, and met me at landmark at forum where i was looking for a couple of books. suddenly i saw a face and felt i know this chap. as usual his name or where i have seen him did not strike me. he also saw me, and to my embarassment, called me by name. i confessed to have forgotten him, and soon realized that he was the chap i taught J2EE in delhi around four and half years back. old memories started flooding in.
8pm: we got out of landmark with the books. i caught one more batchmate of mine-manish-who has joined airforce a year back and now has become a flying office.
8.20 and i was off to buy the candies and gums tarana has asked me to buy frm forum.
8.35-we decided to eat at transit there at forum itself since i was running out of time. the food and especially the 45 buck pista milk shake i took was shit, with no visible traces of milk. it felt like the guy has mixed flavour and sugar wih water. curse them.
9.05: caught an auto to JPnagar (my flat). asked this guy if he will go the bus station at majestic also, which he agreed.
9.20: reached the flat. the auto-chap refused to go to majestic. i tried to hurry, pack and leave but it took another 15 mins.
9.42: i caught another auto to majestic. the auto-chap was good and in the past few months, for the first time, luck was on my side, as i encountered only 1-2 red lights.
10.05: i reached bus station, and rushed for the calicut bus. asking the conductor whether that was the right bus result in a cross Q- if i had seat number 24- which of course i had. seems these guys (bless them) were waiting for me.
thankfully that was the end of my adventures at bangalore. i am sitting at K right now- much soothed, and its time for a snack. so long.
[13/03/2005 00:19:35] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
the death of sunday and the comdey of errors
today is sunday (what a start!!! :-) ) and its like any other day-i remember the time when sundays were fun,special, complete with disney at 9am slot to sunday movie. maybe its the channels who have sprung in hundreds compared to the old DD in my time, or maybe the character of sunday has changed. or maybe i simply have nothing else to do on other days,so i dont find the free time on sunday as anything different.
but what i really wanted to right abt was how murphy's law (anything which can go wrong, will) is mainfesting itself in my life. i reached delhi on 1 may and after paying courtesy visits to the relatives and meeting old friends, was burning bucks in the internet cafe when there was a proposal for a training in bangalore on 8-9 march. now since i hv to move south for my convocation anyways by 19, and that after discounting the flight money, there were still some bucks to be made, i accepted. i booked a mid-day chennai flight, planning to catch a night bus to bangalore frm there, and called deepa in chennai to tell that i will be keeping my stuff at her place for the afternoon. from here the story starts.
i woke up in the morning, packed my bags, but as my mom wanred me-i missed the chennai flight (again!). obviously my mom wasnt too happy abt it. what happened was that i overestimated the benefits of all the newly constructed flyovers in delhi, and assumed they will save some time. and how wrong i was- i was stuck in four traffic jams, and stopped on 10 red lights before finally reaching the airport only 15 mins before the departure time. and it cost me 2200 bucks more to catch a flight to bangalore late night instead. so mom said to keep my bag in my sis place at IIT-delhi. so me and bro (who was dropping me on his bike) went to my sis place. suddenly i thought that i can still make the day. so called my ex., and told her that we would be lunching together in bengali sweets. now her office is near bengali market, so i started at 12.30 to her office with my bro on the bike-i planned to get there and my bro would have gone to home with the bike. unfortunately mid-way, at AIIMS, about 10 kms from the place, she called me to tell that the lunch is cancelled due to some reason. i told her that i was near the place (of course i lied) by that time.
undecided what to do next, i asked bro to drop me there and carry on to home. standing there for 5 mins, i thought since anyways i am out, let me have lunch at the place, maybe with sid and tarana. so i called tarana and asked her to take a break from office for the lunch. she confirmed by 1 and asked me to pick her from the office (thinking that i had my bike). i caught an auto and travelled to her office- and worse, i took so many wrong turns that the 15 min journey took 30 mins. so finally we started to the bengali sweets by 1.30. meanwhile my ex. called to tell me that she cant come for lunch but she can meet me till 2 at bengali sweets. we were already late and as fate had it, the auto needed to get its CNG refill mid-way. so we were left fuming as the auto chap dropped us there by 2.15- by that time my ex has already gone back to the office.
this was not all though. now sid called and asked us the place, telling us that he will reach the place in his car. by mistake we communicated him bengali sweets, gol market, when actually we were at bengali sweets, bengali market. so he called us after reaching gol market and really blew his top when we finally understood the position, since anyways both the places were 10 kms apart (according to him, i still make the figure at 5 kms :-) ). he came eventually, by that time me and tarana already had some rajma and juice. i called deepa to tell i wont be coming to chennai, and to say sorry for the dosas which her mom has made for my lunch.
so we started back by 3, and sid dropped me near IIT. i slept for some time, but by 5 there was a great pain in my tummy. i blame it to the rajma at the restaurant-rajma if not treated with water, i believe can cause problems with the tummy (something to do with gastric reasons i guess). sid said that he will pick me up and we can wander somewhere before he drops me at the airport. he did pick me up by 7.30- but my stomach pain was all the same. so we ended up going nowhere except the medical shop. the pain continued till i boarded the airplane by 10.30 to 11.30, and subsided just before the airline food was served (what a relief). i landed at bangalore at 1.30 went to the flat and slept sound, only to be awoken by a call and another surprise.
more things at bangalore,but maybe next time. ta.
the death of sunday and the comdey of errors
today is sunday (what a start!!! :-) ) and its like any other day-i remember the time when sundays were fun,special, complete with disney at 9am slot to sunday movie. maybe its the channels who have sprung in hundreds compared to the old DD in my time, or maybe the character of sunday has changed. or maybe i simply have nothing else to do on other days,so i dont find the free time on sunday as anything different.
but what i really wanted to right abt was how murphy's law (anything which can go wrong, will) is mainfesting itself in my life. i reached delhi on 1 may and after paying courtesy visits to the relatives and meeting old friends, was burning bucks in the internet cafe when there was a proposal for a training in bangalore on 8-9 march. now since i hv to move south for my convocation anyways by 19, and that after discounting the flight money, there were still some bucks to be made, i accepted. i booked a mid-day chennai flight, planning to catch a night bus to bangalore frm there, and called deepa in chennai to tell that i will be keeping my stuff at her place for the afternoon. from here the story starts.
i woke up in the morning, packed my bags, but as my mom wanred me-i missed the chennai flight (again!). obviously my mom wasnt too happy abt it. what happened was that i overestimated the benefits of all the newly constructed flyovers in delhi, and assumed they will save some time. and how wrong i was- i was stuck in four traffic jams, and stopped on 10 red lights before finally reaching the airport only 15 mins before the departure time. and it cost me 2200 bucks more to catch a flight to bangalore late night instead. so mom said to keep my bag in my sis place at IIT-delhi. so me and bro (who was dropping me on his bike) went to my sis place. suddenly i thought that i can still make the day. so called my ex., and told her that we would be lunching together in bengali sweets. now her office is near bengali market, so i started at 12.30 to her office with my bro on the bike-i planned to get there and my bro would have gone to home with the bike. unfortunately mid-way, at AIIMS, about 10 kms from the place, she called me to tell that the lunch is cancelled due to some reason. i told her that i was near the place (of course i lied) by that time.
undecided what to do next, i asked bro to drop me there and carry on to home. standing there for 5 mins, i thought since anyways i am out, let me have lunch at the place, maybe with sid and tarana. so i called tarana and asked her to take a break from office for the lunch. she confirmed by 1 and asked me to pick her from the office (thinking that i had my bike). i caught an auto and travelled to her office- and worse, i took so many wrong turns that the 15 min journey took 30 mins. so finally we started to the bengali sweets by 1.30. meanwhile my ex. called to tell me that she cant come for lunch but she can meet me till 2 at bengali sweets. we were already late and as fate had it, the auto needed to get its CNG refill mid-way. so we were left fuming as the auto chap dropped us there by 2.15- by that time my ex has already gone back to the office.
this was not all though. now sid called and asked us the place, telling us that he will reach the place in his car. by mistake we communicated him bengali sweets, gol market, when actually we were at bengali sweets, bengali market. so he called us after reaching gol market and really blew his top when we finally understood the position, since anyways both the places were 10 kms apart (according to him, i still make the figure at 5 kms :-) ). he came eventually, by that time me and tarana already had some rajma and juice. i called deepa to tell i wont be coming to chennai, and to say sorry for the dosas which her mom has made for my lunch.
so we started back by 3, and sid dropped me near IIT. i slept for some time, but by 5 there was a great pain in my tummy. i blame it to the rajma at the restaurant-rajma if not treated with water, i believe can cause problems with the tummy (something to do with gastric reasons i guess). sid said that he will pick me up and we can wander somewhere before he drops me at the airport. he did pick me up by 7.30- but my stomach pain was all the same. so we ended up going nowhere except the medical shop. the pain continued till i boarded the airplane by 10.30 to 11.30, and subsided just before the airline food was served (what a relief). i landed at bangalore at 1.30 went to the flat and slept sound, only to be awoken by a call and another surprise.
more things at bangalore,but maybe next time. ta.
[26/02/2005 22:33:55] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
all my bags are packed....
so this is the day. when i go back after completing my PGDM from IIMK. ah, im a management grad now. and as i promised, there is a lot to write abt. right frm the mad rush of the placement season-which thankfully didnt affect me much, having a job already, and how people behave when it comes to it actually (did i hear-character? yup, it shows in full glory in these moments), feasting in taj for two days (which incidentally i never happened to go in the 20 months here) to packing my 50 odd kilo books. lets take them one by one.
as exams flew by, i got another training at bangalore for saturday and sunday. i got the case studies and answer sheets of perot students, checked them and took with me to bangalore. this time i blew all the money buying clothes, shoes for me, mom , sis, dad and yes a lot and lot of chocolates and candies for my nephew. caught up with two of the perot students, did soem shopping and then took them for a dinner in gujrati restuarant there (which was suggested by one of them only-at Rs 75 a piece the food is quite good). then came back on monday, and on tue and wed were our placements-thursday were allocated but we didnt need that-and many companies were sent back. anyways, if i start writing abt it, it can fill a whole book. but a good observation how people make decisions under stress,and how u can see the true mettle of a person in these moments. the best part was that arun is joining patni with me in mumbai. so im going to be there for atleast 3 months as the HR lady said, starting from 2 may. so finally im going into the IT sector.
then there was the parties as taj-one thrown by arun, rajnish, deepak and co., and the other which we threw for our hostel juniors. strangely on both the days, the service was much below par at taj, in fact many other hotels in calicut have a much better score in that respect.
i was supposed to stay here for a coming training in bangalore on mon and tue, which got postponed. thankfully this time, i didnt cancel the train ticket on 27th to delhi, and i decided to go back to cool off my heels for some time. but this meant that i had to pack the stuff (books, the fat lot of IIMK tshirts and ilk), which took 6 boxes (85 kilos) to be precise. even after this im left with 1 suitcase, 2 bags, a CPU and monitor to carry with me. the last minute packing still needs to be done.
it is getting nostalgic here, if not for the weather, which is hot enough to bring us back to reality. it seems like yesterday when i came to the campus. and i cried a lot, thinking of the two persons-ravi and my ex., who were the major motivation in me landing in IIMK. the only part i didnt like abt K was that sometimes it becomes so lonely here. anyways, now this is behind me. sid and tarana would be happy to see me early in march in delhi, and i myself wanted to go to delhi so badly. somehow these 3 months have been the longest for me.
i went to indiatimes chat after long, and guess whom did i find. babu bisleri aka sohil lurking there with a different nick. it felt good seeing him there after so many days. maybe i will see him when i land in mumbai. i dont like the way in which people converse in the chat rooms now-a-days, 2-3 years back, it was much better. or maybe im turning old, and cynical. i can only pray this isnt true. then boxedor aka girindar went to london. he calls me neo. strangely he is much different than me, but i like this chap. maybe the reason that he is ready to go anywhere anytime (much like my idea of a friendship) brings us together.
with the scene of a comfortable life ahead, im slowly losing the restlessness which drove me to many things. i have to find out new targets soon, to keep myself alive. money which is a major factor for many of us, somewhat has lost its appeal for me. not that i dont like to earn more, but its no longer a deciding factor in my future plans now. the only thing i want money for now is to roam around the world. australia-nz in particular. but then a lot of things need to be done on the domestic front, and my brother is still fighting for his place under the sun. all that needs money which at the moment i need to earn. and then, maybe i have this feeling of "i will show them" (them being my friends, enemies and actually everybody else who knows or dont even know me).
then there is this thought of the peter pan complex. maybe i have it, maybe not. but one thing is for sure, i hate the idea of being an absolute adult. somewhere i want to preserve the kid within so much. in whatever i do. i feel that helps me cope with all the bad things in and around me which i have to witness willingly or unwilllingly. or perhaps that is my pair of rose tinted glasses through which i see the world. ah, no time to get philosophical, the bags are still undone.
there is a lot of ground to be covered, so wish me luck on my journey. and pray i have the same zeal and innocence like yesteryears.
all my bags are packed....
so this is the day. when i go back after completing my PGDM from IIMK. ah, im a management grad now. and as i promised, there is a lot to write abt. right frm the mad rush of the placement season-which thankfully didnt affect me much, having a job already, and how people behave when it comes to it actually (did i hear-character? yup, it shows in full glory in these moments), feasting in taj for two days (which incidentally i never happened to go in the 20 months here) to packing my 50 odd kilo books. lets take them one by one.
as exams flew by, i got another training at bangalore for saturday and sunday. i got the case studies and answer sheets of perot students, checked them and took with me to bangalore. this time i blew all the money buying clothes, shoes for me, mom , sis, dad and yes a lot and lot of chocolates and candies for my nephew. caught up with two of the perot students, did soem shopping and then took them for a dinner in gujrati restuarant there (which was suggested by one of them only-at Rs 75 a piece the food is quite good). then came back on monday, and on tue and wed were our placements-thursday were allocated but we didnt need that-and many companies were sent back. anyways, if i start writing abt it, it can fill a whole book. but a good observation how people make decisions under stress,and how u can see the true mettle of a person in these moments. the best part was that arun is joining patni with me in mumbai. so im going to be there for atleast 3 months as the HR lady said, starting from 2 may. so finally im going into the IT sector.
then there was the parties as taj-one thrown by arun, rajnish, deepak and co., and the other which we threw for our hostel juniors. strangely on both the days, the service was much below par at taj, in fact many other hotels in calicut have a much better score in that respect.
i was supposed to stay here for a coming training in bangalore on mon and tue, which got postponed. thankfully this time, i didnt cancel the train ticket on 27th to delhi, and i decided to go back to cool off my heels for some time. but this meant that i had to pack the stuff (books, the fat lot of IIMK tshirts and ilk), which took 6 boxes (85 kilos) to be precise. even after this im left with 1 suitcase, 2 bags, a CPU and monitor to carry with me. the last minute packing still needs to be done.
it is getting nostalgic here, if not for the weather, which is hot enough to bring us back to reality. it seems like yesterday when i came to the campus. and i cried a lot, thinking of the two persons-ravi and my ex., who were the major motivation in me landing in IIMK. the only part i didnt like abt K was that sometimes it becomes so lonely here. anyways, now this is behind me. sid and tarana would be happy to see me early in march in delhi, and i myself wanted to go to delhi so badly. somehow these 3 months have been the longest for me.
i went to indiatimes chat after long, and guess whom did i find. babu bisleri aka sohil lurking there with a different nick. it felt good seeing him there after so many days. maybe i will see him when i land in mumbai. i dont like the way in which people converse in the chat rooms now-a-days, 2-3 years back, it was much better. or maybe im turning old, and cynical. i can only pray this isnt true. then boxedor aka girindar went to london. he calls me neo. strangely he is much different than me, but i like this chap. maybe the reason that he is ready to go anywhere anytime (much like my idea of a friendship) brings us together.
with the scene of a comfortable life ahead, im slowly losing the restlessness which drove me to many things. i have to find out new targets soon, to keep myself alive. money which is a major factor for many of us, somewhat has lost its appeal for me. not that i dont like to earn more, but its no longer a deciding factor in my future plans now. the only thing i want money for now is to roam around the world. australia-nz in particular. but then a lot of things need to be done on the domestic front, and my brother is still fighting for his place under the sun. all that needs money which at the moment i need to earn. and then, maybe i have this feeling of "i will show them" (them being my friends, enemies and actually everybody else who knows or dont even know me).
then there is this thought of the peter pan complex. maybe i have it, maybe not. but one thing is for sure, i hate the idea of being an absolute adult. somewhere i want to preserve the kid within so much. in whatever i do. i feel that helps me cope with all the bad things in and around me which i have to witness willingly or unwilllingly. or perhaps that is my pair of rose tinted glasses through which i see the world. ah, no time to get philosophical, the bags are still undone.
there is a lot of ground to be covered, so wish me luck on my journey. and pray i have the same zeal and innocence like yesteryears.
[24/02/2005 05:39:06] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
quicky
i think best as i can,
what it takes to be a man,
brain,intellect,lots of wit,
guts,sweat,tears and grit?
.....
--me
sorry getting late right now.will write later- there is a lot to.ta.
quicky
i think best as i can,
what it takes to be a man,
brain,intellect,lots of wit,
guts,sweat,tears and grit?
.....
--me
sorry getting late right now.will write later- there is a lot to.ta.
[22/02/2005 12:23:52] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
"Free Mojtaba and Arash Day"
"Free Mojtaba and Arash Day"
[14/02/2005 08:41:54] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
tick tick tick tick
i saw life,
passing me by,
sometimes time,
watching me cry,
i felt pain,
not my own,
i've seen love,
come and gone,
silence and pause,
dying for a cause,
innocent smiles,
truth and lies
....
....
- me
yup. the time is ticking, only few more days left for us in IIMK. so all the things are appearing in a different light, with this thing in our head that soon v will be out. like the yahoo status messages of my batchmates, which used to count days, are sad abt the fact that the "student" tag will be no more.
today is v day. and i hv the same feeling again. it has moved some pain to disgust it seems. anyways the more i write abt it, the more i pull myself back in it. but wud say 1 thing for sure. it wasnt even days when ravi passed, and i was all into his grief. and she, supposedly my gf at the time, was dating somebody else. not for a moment, i guess, she thought what i was going through after having lost my best friend. but thats life. and it teaches u well believe me.
i went for a training in perot systems in bangalore. met fauzi there again at pizza hut. talked abt our venture. that reminds me, girindar is in london right now, i talked to him, says he will be in india after april till then i think i will pick up (eat and digest) the mobile technologies. coming back to the training, it was for freshers, somehow i like these trainings. freshers are much less cynical and much more enthu than the experienced ones. even if u discount the enthu part for some students, at least they are honest enough to admit that. anyways, most of them were frm delhi/noida/north and i had a good time. despite the fact that one project dealine of IIM dawned (our grp miscalculated the timing)- i had to work full ngt with 15 mins of slp, and for one reason or the other, i had to wake up entire nights. i slept only one day in the 5 day training in fact. but its ok, sometimes u just hv to slog. especially when it means fecthing greenbacks. they had to go thru one exam and case study prepared by me tomo. and then the HR ppl will send it back to me for eval. they hv to score at least 70% to avoid retest. so all the students were worried, despite my assurance that i hv designed it not too tough.
oh and the prof thing :-) how can i forget that. not that im too happy abt how it transpired. there was one prof frm NIBM pune. and she was good, well u know what i mean. young, beautiful, energetic. and somehow it happend that i had to walk her down downhill 2 kms and show around in our SSG fete. so next day the juniors and my classies were all abuzz. as if i was flirting with her. not that wud hv been bad though, :-p . just kidding, u know.
talked to saurabh after a long time. he is also going thru the pains of job. growing up. then sid and tarana also hvnt called since long. and neither hv i. was real busy these days, done 3 assignments entirely on my own. and hv yet to do 2 more. but somehow im enjoying it. and so must be my groupmates :-) having been relieved of the work.
i hv yet to buy sarees for mom and sis and others. and for my nephew, a lot of sweets. i saw that malls like monday to friday hv started keeping candies- all types. would ask somebody to send a couple of kilos when they go to bangalore after placements, since my own chances of going now are few. i hv already booked a ticket to delhi on 27, will reach by 1 march.
enough for today, back to work. miles to go before i zzzzzzzzzzz. chao.
tick tick tick tick
i saw life,
passing me by,
sometimes time,
watching me cry,
i felt pain,
not my own,
i've seen love,
come and gone,
silence and pause,
dying for a cause,
innocent smiles,
truth and lies
....
....
- me
yup. the time is ticking, only few more days left for us in IIMK. so all the things are appearing in a different light, with this thing in our head that soon v will be out. like the yahoo status messages of my batchmates, which used to count days, are sad abt the fact that the "student" tag will be no more.
today is v day. and i hv the same feeling again. it has moved some pain to disgust it seems. anyways the more i write abt it, the more i pull myself back in it. but wud say 1 thing for sure. it wasnt even days when ravi passed, and i was all into his grief. and she, supposedly my gf at the time, was dating somebody else. not for a moment, i guess, she thought what i was going through after having lost my best friend. but thats life. and it teaches u well believe me.
i went for a training in perot systems in bangalore. met fauzi there again at pizza hut. talked abt our venture. that reminds me, girindar is in london right now, i talked to him, says he will be in india after april till then i think i will pick up (eat and digest) the mobile technologies. coming back to the training, it was for freshers, somehow i like these trainings. freshers are much less cynical and much more enthu than the experienced ones. even if u discount the enthu part for some students, at least they are honest enough to admit that. anyways, most of them were frm delhi/noida/north and i had a good time. despite the fact that one project dealine of IIM dawned (our grp miscalculated the timing)- i had to work full ngt with 15 mins of slp, and for one reason or the other, i had to wake up entire nights. i slept only one day in the 5 day training in fact. but its ok, sometimes u just hv to slog. especially when it means fecthing greenbacks. they had to go thru one exam and case study prepared by me tomo. and then the HR ppl will send it back to me for eval. they hv to score at least 70% to avoid retest. so all the students were worried, despite my assurance that i hv designed it not too tough.
oh and the prof thing :-) how can i forget that. not that im too happy abt how it transpired. there was one prof frm NIBM pune. and she was good, well u know what i mean. young, beautiful, energetic. and somehow it happend that i had to walk her down downhill 2 kms and show around in our SSG fete. so next day the juniors and my classies were all abuzz. as if i was flirting with her. not that wud hv been bad though, :-p . just kidding, u know.
talked to saurabh after a long time. he is also going thru the pains of job. growing up. then sid and tarana also hvnt called since long. and neither hv i. was real busy these days, done 3 assignments entirely on my own. and hv yet to do 2 more. but somehow im enjoying it. and so must be my groupmates :-) having been relieved of the work.
i hv yet to buy sarees for mom and sis and others. and for my nephew, a lot of sweets. i saw that malls like monday to friday hv started keeping candies- all types. would ask somebody to send a couple of kilos when they go to bangalore after placements, since my own chances of going now are few. i hv already booked a ticket to delhi on 27, will reach by 1 march.
enough for today, back to work. miles to go before i zzzzzzzzzzz. chao.
[31/01/2005 11:59:30] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
A B C I K L
"Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high....."
now, once again, am i thankful i didnt make it to IIML after being waitlisted there? u bet im. big time. read this http://midnightmare.rediffblogs.com and u know why. i have just heard about the atrocities :-) in IIML, and the gentleman just confirms it. to be honest, K is heaven. here, they dont put u in leashes at least, and the profs are much more receptive. i think many of the profs, even in so called top instts need to undergo behavioural trainings. its high time. some of them flatly dont know how to teach, and the rest behave like dictators ( or to be mild, ur parents maybe, except that they wont treat u like their wards).
so i guess the guy has good points. i think most of the IIM fraternity (if i can call it that) knows abt the GGP- great ganja party in IIMCal. excuse me i im wrong, never experienced that thing first hand, but then u can attribute it to "reliable sources". does that change anything? the answer would be a big no. no from the students and no from the industry as well if the trends are anything to go by.
these rediff blog chaps have gone on a log leave it seems. on the blogs page (blogs.rediff.com), aradhana is still leaving town and somebody is feeling sleepy at 1.30 (in the latest entry section) , there is no update since long. seems like when somebody bombards the city killing everybody, only the empty building remain to remind u of. some bomb of this sort must have been set on the site admins. guess the rest of the system is automated enough for allowing people to blog.anyways.
the other grudges (ya u read it right) are about the levels of customer satisfaction in india. the two examples in question are ICICI and StanChart. i applied for a online trading account for ICICI 52 days before. it shud be active within 7-8 days, but after so many days and 12-15 emails exchanged with the "legendary" customer service officers there, im still waiting for it to be active. somehow they have a very strange problem with their incoming mails (i meanm snail mails)- they never receive it. i couried some documents twice to them, both the times they refused to have received them. somehow they ask for the POD (proof of delivery) details- now i dont understand how POD details can help if they never received it??? that means they must have misplaced it somewhere due to some sloppy system of theirs, despite the fact that i have put the name and designation and every other info in font 16. oh, and of course, my 750/- cheque payment was tranferred within 3 days. shud i ask for a proportionate return since anyways i wasnt able to use the account for close to 2 months?
next in line is stanchart bank. anyone who has even a bit of experience dealing with credit cards know how these people push the cards down ur throat initially. and when u acually require their service, their damn customer service lines would be permanently busy. i mailed them for a very simple query and even after 4-5 days i havent received a reply. that too when i have their card for the past 6 years. seems like they want u to use the card, pay on time, and get lost. dont bother them otherwise. once these buggers billed me for somebody who subscribed to "playboy". though to be honest, they reversed it later, i have to call them many times. who is going to pay for these phone bills, when essentially its their mess. citibank also made a fine example of "what a bank should not do" last year. stanchart and citibank are definitely on my card scrap list. enough with their plastic.
and then one guy in our instt was praising Kisna. the only chap i know of, yo do such a weird thing. or possibly the only guy apart from subash ghai (or maybe not even him, after all ghai is intelligent enough to realize the mistakes).
one of my students - aditya - 1-2 years younger to me, is getting married. and the next month,in march, my classmate deepa. there goes the happy days of two bachelors. all i wish for is, may god give them peace :-)
A B C I K L
"Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high....."
now, once again, am i thankful i didnt make it to IIML after being waitlisted there? u bet im. big time. read this http://midnightmare.rediffblogs.com and u know why. i have just heard about the atrocities :-) in IIML, and the gentleman just confirms it. to be honest, K is heaven. here, they dont put u in leashes at least, and the profs are much more receptive. i think many of the profs, even in so called top instts need to undergo behavioural trainings. its high time. some of them flatly dont know how to teach, and the rest behave like dictators ( or to be mild, ur parents maybe, except that they wont treat u like their wards).
so i guess the guy has good points. i think most of the IIM fraternity (if i can call it that) knows abt the GGP- great ganja party in IIMCal. excuse me i im wrong, never experienced that thing first hand, but then u can attribute it to "reliable sources". does that change anything? the answer would be a big no. no from the students and no from the industry as well if the trends are anything to go by.
these rediff blog chaps have gone on a log leave it seems. on the blogs page (blogs.rediff.com), aradhana is still leaving town and somebody is feeling sleepy at 1.30 (in the latest entry section) , there is no update since long. seems like when somebody bombards the city killing everybody, only the empty building remain to remind u of. some bomb of this sort must have been set on the site admins. guess the rest of the system is automated enough for allowing people to blog.anyways.
the other grudges (ya u read it right) are about the levels of customer satisfaction in india. the two examples in question are ICICI and StanChart. i applied for a online trading account for ICICI 52 days before. it shud be active within 7-8 days, but after so many days and 12-15 emails exchanged with the "legendary" customer service officers there, im still waiting for it to be active. somehow they have a very strange problem with their incoming mails (i meanm snail mails)- they never receive it. i couried some documents twice to them, both the times they refused to have received them. somehow they ask for the POD (proof of delivery) details- now i dont understand how POD details can help if they never received it??? that means they must have misplaced it somewhere due to some sloppy system of theirs, despite the fact that i have put the name and designation and every other info in font 16. oh, and of course, my 750/- cheque payment was tranferred within 3 days. shud i ask for a proportionate return since anyways i wasnt able to use the account for close to 2 months?
next in line is stanchart bank. anyone who has even a bit of experience dealing with credit cards know how these people push the cards down ur throat initially. and when u acually require their service, their damn customer service lines would be permanently busy. i mailed them for a very simple query and even after 4-5 days i havent received a reply. that too when i have their card for the past 6 years. seems like they want u to use the card, pay on time, and get lost. dont bother them otherwise. once these buggers billed me for somebody who subscribed to "playboy". though to be honest, they reversed it later, i have to call them many times. who is going to pay for these phone bills, when essentially its their mess. citibank also made a fine example of "what a bank should not do" last year. stanchart and citibank are definitely on my card scrap list. enough with their plastic.
and then one guy in our instt was praising Kisna. the only chap i know of, yo do such a weird thing. or possibly the only guy apart from subash ghai (or maybe not even him, after all ghai is intelligent enough to realize the mistakes).
one of my students - aditya - 1-2 years younger to me, is getting married. and the next month,in march, my classmate deepa. there goes the happy days of two bachelors. all i wish for is, may god give them peace :-)
[26/01/2005 12:27:12] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
the bug
i know i know, i just blogged. but cant stop myself. just read the lyrics, u will know why i came back to put this here. the best way to start a day. this song was there with me for ages, but somehow i never came to it. but finally i did. alreeady heard it 4 times. so here it is:
well it's a strange old game - you learn it slow
one step forward and it's back to go
you're standing on the throttle
you're standing on the breaks
in the groove 'til you make a mistake
sometimes you're the windshield
sometimes you're the bug
sometimes it all comes together baby
sometimes you're a fool in love
sometimes you're the louisville slugger
sometimes you're the ball
sometimes it all comes together baby
sometimes you're going to lose it all
you gotta know happy - you gotta know glad
because you're gonna know lonely
and you're gonna know bad
when you're rippin' and a ridin'
and you're coming on strong
you start slippin' and slidin'
and it all goes wrong because
sometimes you're the windshield
sometimes you're the bug
sometimes it all comes together baby
sometimes you're a fool in love
sometimes you're the louisville slugger baby
sometimes you're the ball
sometimes it all comes together baby
sometimes you're going to lose it all
one day you got the glory
one day you got none
one day you're a diamond
and then you're a stone
everything can change
in the blink of an eye
so let the good times roll
before we say goodbye, because
sometimes you're the windshield
sometimes you're the bug
sometimes it all comes together baby
sometimes you're a fool in love
sometimes you're the louisville slugger baby
sometimes you're the ball
sometimes it all comes together baby
sometimes you're going to lose it all
-- The Bug by Dire Straits
ta.
the bug
i know i know, i just blogged. but cant stop myself. just read the lyrics, u will know why i came back to put this here. the best way to start a day. this song was there with me for ages, but somehow i never came to it. but finally i did. alreeady heard it 4 times. so here it is:
well it's a strange old game - you learn it slow
one step forward and it's back to go
you're standing on the throttle
you're standing on the breaks
in the groove 'til you make a mistake
sometimes you're the windshield
sometimes you're the bug
sometimes it all comes together baby
sometimes you're a fool in love
sometimes you're the louisville slugger
sometimes you're the ball
sometimes it all comes together baby
sometimes you're going to lose it all
you gotta know happy - you gotta know glad
because you're gonna know lonely
and you're gonna know bad
when you're rippin' and a ridin'
and you're coming on strong
you start slippin' and slidin'
and it all goes wrong because
sometimes you're the windshield
sometimes you're the bug
sometimes it all comes together baby
sometimes you're a fool in love
sometimes you're the louisville slugger baby
sometimes you're the ball
sometimes it all comes together baby
sometimes you're going to lose it all
one day you got the glory
one day you got none
one day you're a diamond
and then you're a stone
everything can change
in the blink of an eye
so let the good times roll
before we say goodbye, because
sometimes you're the windshield
sometimes you're the bug
sometimes it all comes together baby
sometimes you're a fool in love
sometimes you're the louisville slugger baby
sometimes you're the ball
sometimes it all comes together baby
sometimes you're going to lose it all
-- The Bug by Dire Straits
ta.
[26/01/2005 12:09:12] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
life as we know it
life is treating me fine,
and before i knew, its time,
to shake hands and say goodbye,
(and somebody turned my mind off just like that..so will complete the verse sometime later)
its not too long after my last blog. got a lot of time on my hands. so here im. with a crepe bandage wrapped around my left knee. and one whole week of medication.inflammation the doctor said. though im still working on what it exactly means. meanwhile im down by 300 odd bucks coz of that. maybe i played badminton a tad bit much.
she called a couple of days back, frm her office number. needed some info abt ashok leyland, where i used to work. so i called ravinder and kashyap in delhi, got the info and passed on the next day. actually called her for quite sometime. after long she sent a sms, something abt taking care of my leg. i replied. end of story. somehow, i dont feel like calling her now. not that i dont care, just that dont want to interfere with her growing up. b.t.w. addy in SCMHRD got into ITC and pankaj in ICFAI got into igate. good show.
and more expenses ahead. hv to buy a suit for some placement reasons here. cant tell u what it is, it shud be kept secret they say :-). so would run to the city tomo with shiva. actually the raymond guy came today, but he gave only 2 options for color and cloth. though it was cheap, i think it wud be better to go and see the shop itself. and we cant delay, since it must be ready by 3rd. oops.....had i said something abt the "secret"?
and then the CIM and MEC classes tomo. and its 1.37am. time to hit the bed. more later. logging off :-)
life as we know it
life is treating me fine,
and before i knew, its time,
to shake hands and say goodbye,
(and somebody turned my mind off just like that..so will complete the verse sometime later)
its not too long after my last blog. got a lot of time on my hands. so here im. with a crepe bandage wrapped around my left knee. and one whole week of medication.inflammation the doctor said. though im still working on what it exactly means. meanwhile im down by 300 odd bucks coz of that. maybe i played badminton a tad bit much.
she called a couple of days back, frm her office number. needed some info abt ashok leyland, where i used to work. so i called ravinder and kashyap in delhi, got the info and passed on the next day. actually called her for quite sometime. after long she sent a sms, something abt taking care of my leg. i replied. end of story. somehow, i dont feel like calling her now. not that i dont care, just that dont want to interfere with her growing up. b.t.w. addy in SCMHRD got into ITC and pankaj in ICFAI got into igate. good show.
and more expenses ahead. hv to buy a suit for some placement reasons here. cant tell u what it is, it shud be kept secret they say :-). so would run to the city tomo with shiva. actually the raymond guy came today, but he gave only 2 options for color and cloth. though it was cheap, i think it wud be better to go and see the shop itself. and we cant delay, since it must be ready by 3rd. oops.....had i said something abt the "secret"?
and then the CIM and MEC classes tomo. and its 1.37am. time to hit the bed. more later. logging off :-)
[22/01/2005 11:43:33] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
day by day
hey blog, long time no see. actually these days have been tiring. as usual lot of things have happened. na, not much abt me as such. things which i never thought would happen- starting with my formatting of hard disk and reinstalling windows XP (must say, it got sort of a new life-speed, space and all that); then came thunderbird- as good as firefox; then there were lots of ppt and an IIT madras prof(he was GOOD, down to earth and pretty effective-as they say education should open ur mind-with this chap it seems it sure will).
then ashutosh send the skype thingy. few unsuccessful tries and then it work....its used for making calls through net...pretty good, though lag is still much with proxies. talked to rishabh also...he is giving SCJP in near future. oh, for those who dont hv any clue abt these gentlemen-they are working in IBM, i taught them Java couple of months back in a training.
oh and the greatest work load of it-the imagine cup. have to code a lot for it-still not finished. that too in VJ# using all those dlls and thingies-cant tell u how much i hate microsoft-debugging is hell with it. with Java, i cud hv finsihed much earlier. system.out.println is so cute and straightforward. and the worst part is the guns -hold ur horses-electon guns of my monitor. they will suddenly become bright or dull, as if they got some life of their own. so my eyes are aching for the past 3 days. but the good thing is that the deadline has been extended to 7th feb, so i shud comfortably finish it.
yearbook thing is also on, and reading all the comments by my dear batchmates - some of them ego boosting, some of them really sensible even if not totally flattering, and then some of them sounding like the guy just took his brain out before writing them. take one of them for ex.- the gentleman wrote abt my complaining too much abt placement fines. perfectly allright, just two things. he was one of the guys me and mom took pains to find a flat while he was on for his internship in delhi. he conveniently forgets that while making an entry for an "yearbook" and remembers the complaining part?? and the second part is more amusing-somedays back, for the first time this guy also gets fined. and promptly comes the mail from him. moral of the story could be something about people in glass houses, but the point is if u cant do anything good, keep ur mouth shut atleast (now many people might point abt my being talkative, but not even one of them can say i said a bad thing abt anybody-arguments, yes i love them, but around issues, never abt people).
dont know when i will get to write again here, but maybe not pretty soon, loose ends to tie up in the last 30 odd days here. u can take a look at photos.yahoo.com/alokkumar510 meanwhile.tada.
day by day
hey blog, long time no see. actually these days have been tiring. as usual lot of things have happened. na, not much abt me as such. things which i never thought would happen- starting with my formatting of hard disk and reinstalling windows XP (must say, it got sort of a new life-speed, space and all that); then came thunderbird- as good as firefox; then there were lots of ppt and an IIT madras prof(he was GOOD, down to earth and pretty effective-as they say education should open ur mind-with this chap it seems it sure will).
then ashutosh send the skype thingy. few unsuccessful tries and then it work....its used for making calls through net...pretty good, though lag is still much with proxies. talked to rishabh also...he is giving SCJP in near future. oh, for those who dont hv any clue abt these gentlemen-they are working in IBM, i taught them Java couple of months back in a training.
oh and the greatest work load of it-the imagine cup. have to code a lot for it-still not finished. that too in VJ# using all those dlls and thingies-cant tell u how much i hate microsoft-debugging is hell with it. with Java, i cud hv finsihed much earlier. system.out.println is so cute and straightforward. and the worst part is the guns -hold ur horses-electon guns of my monitor. they will suddenly become bright or dull, as if they got some life of their own. so my eyes are aching for the past 3 days. but the good thing is that the deadline has been extended to 7th feb, so i shud comfortably finish it.
yearbook thing is also on, and reading all the comments by my dear batchmates - some of them ego boosting, some of them really sensible even if not totally flattering, and then some of them sounding like the guy just took his brain out before writing them. take one of them for ex.- the gentleman wrote abt my complaining too much abt placement fines. perfectly allright, just two things. he was one of the guys me and mom took pains to find a flat while he was on for his internship in delhi. he conveniently forgets that while making an entry for an "yearbook" and remembers the complaining part?? and the second part is more amusing-somedays back, for the first time this guy also gets fined. and promptly comes the mail from him. moral of the story could be something about people in glass houses, but the point is if u cant do anything good, keep ur mouth shut atleast (now many people might point abt my being talkative, but not even one of them can say i said a bad thing abt anybody-arguments, yes i love them, but around issues, never abt people).
dont know when i will get to write again here, but maybe not pretty soon, loose ends to tie up in the last 30 odd days here. u can take a look at photos.yahoo.com/alokkumar510 meanwhile.tada.
[10/01/2005 03:24:34] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
take two
no, i wont,
run away, lie or die,
wont let myself down,
shed tears or cry,
i would come back,
stand and fight,
i would suvive,
do what is right,
my inner child, the innocence,
forever would stay,
so would the sweetness,
come whatever may,
i would dream,
love, smile and fly,
enjoy the pain,
as time passes by,
i would be the rebel,
the maverick, the crazy,
i would go on and on,
even when the future seems hazy,
i would be the man,
i always wanted to be,
promise, would go farther,
than anyone can possibly see
take two
no, i wont,
run away, lie or die,
wont let myself down,
shed tears or cry,
i would come back,
stand and fight,
i would suvive,
do what is right,
my inner child, the innocence,
forever would stay,
so would the sweetness,
come whatever may,
i would dream,
love, smile and fly,
enjoy the pain,
as time passes by,
i would be the rebel,
the maverick, the crazy,
i would go on and on,
even when the future seems hazy,
i would be the man,
i always wanted to be,
promise, would go farther,
than anyone can possibly see
[06/01/2005 10:28:35] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
the new year resolution
i know exactly how a drug addict feels. and can reason why he fights to continue his addiction when all the people around him tell him not to. thats simple actually for me, since i myself has been going thru this. before ur lips curl in an "OOOO my god", lemme clarify. i was talking abt my own addiction to talk to my ex. and that brings me to one more issue, which i was just pondering abt today- why i hvnt made a new year resolution. well actually till now. right at this moment, i hv made one.
the whole story goes back to how the day started. as usual thinking abt her. thats the same old story for those who have pursuing this blog for some time, but here comes the twist. around 10.30 while i was watching "the usual suspects" abhinav buzzed (or msged, not sure on that part). and i told him that i was feeling low. now to be fair, he didnt say anything new, but somehow it flashed to me. i realized that there is something in "the wisdom of the masses". if many people are saying the same thing there might be something in it ( the thing im referring to is not to talk to her till she does ). and just like that, for the first time, truly, something inside me tells that they are telling the truth. so the first resoultion for my new year is not to talk/sms/msg/mail (what the heck-modern communications makes life so complicated :-) ) to her again except when she does. i think that would do some good to me, but more importantly that should too a lots for her too.
apart from that, there is little new. backwaters(our cult fest) committee has started a caption contest, but my mind is blank as ever. but i sure want to do something for that. will see tomo if something strikes. time to slog for the BI assignment. i hv promised hemant it would be ready by tomo morning. so long then. keep walking :-)
the new year resolution
i know exactly how a drug addict feels. and can reason why he fights to continue his addiction when all the people around him tell him not to. thats simple actually for me, since i myself has been going thru this. before ur lips curl in an "OOOO my god", lemme clarify. i was talking abt my own addiction to talk to my ex. and that brings me to one more issue, which i was just pondering abt today- why i hvnt made a new year resolution. well actually till now. right at this moment, i hv made one.
the whole story goes back to how the day started. as usual thinking abt her. thats the same old story for those who have pursuing this blog for some time, but here comes the twist. around 10.30 while i was watching "the usual suspects" abhinav buzzed (or msged, not sure on that part). and i told him that i was feeling low. now to be fair, he didnt say anything new, but somehow it flashed to me. i realized that there is something in "the wisdom of the masses". if many people are saying the same thing there might be something in it ( the thing im referring to is not to talk to her till she does ). and just like that, for the first time, truly, something inside me tells that they are telling the truth. so the first resoultion for my new year is not to talk/sms/msg/mail (what the heck-modern communications makes life so complicated :-) ) to her again except when she does. i think that would do some good to me, but more importantly that should too a lots for her too.
apart from that, there is little new. backwaters(our cult fest) committee has started a caption contest, but my mind is blank as ever. but i sure want to do something for that. will see tomo if something strikes. time to slog for the BI assignment. i hv promised hemant it would be ready by tomo morning. so long then. keep walking :-)
[03/01/2005 23:36:18] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
quizzing times
there are people who waste their time waiting. and there are others who do something "productive" in this time. take me for example. in today's BI quiz, i didnt know a single word. the sheet was white as driven snow (to borrow a phrase from PGW). but did i waste the 40 mins? no sir, after taking a brief nap for 10 mins (dont know whether the prof noticed it or noty, since my head was down as if i was contemplating something), i started sketching rahul gandhi who was sitting in front of me. so finally by the time everybody submitted their sheets, i was done with the sketch. i requested ankit to submit my answer sheet too, but he mistook it for a rough paper and put it in a corner (he was puzzled by the fact perhaps that the sheet was blank). when finally the mistake was corrected and the sheet submitted to the prof, the puzzling look got transferred to his face. but thats his fate i guess.
yesterday srivastava et al threw a party. and there i came to know a secret. that emmanuel has married. i cud hardly believe it when today morning came another one. em returned frm cochin and i met him on breakfast table. and there i was told (with a straight face frm him as usual) that actually he has married months back, somewhere in oct.
yesterday was special for one more reason. after long i drove a bike > 100 kmph. though it was ngt and the bike had very poor headlights, i must appreciate (and thank) the authorities for building such a smooth road. not a single bump in the 20 km stretch. these kinds of things u rarely see these days :-)
talking of roads, i remember going to the new shopper's stop in bangalore at banergatta road. its simply pathetic. i guess villages have far better road than that. in fact, most of the bangalore roads have turned into giant vehicle sucking potholes. the only reason why there are not many accidents even then, is explained by the traffic jams. u cant drive normally above 20 kmph, if ur lucky enough not to get caught in a jam and being forced to "walk" ur vehicle; so nobody falls/skids due to the potholes. clever planning i must say on the part of authorities :-) but truly, except for some points, bangalore sucks.
yesterday the CIM prof showed a slide which had some fact abt "kippers" written on it. so naturally he asked if anybody knows what are kippers. without even looking at the slide, i replied that perhaps they are the "bunny shoes". and the prof and class started laughing. looking at the slide, i smiled too: the fact written on it was that "kippers are not preferred in winter (or something like that) since they taste bad ". life, sometimes it catches u on the wrong foot. apart frm that the class was cool, most of the times people were laughing on one thing or the other.
time to sign off. ta.
quizzing times
there are people who waste their time waiting. and there are others who do something "productive" in this time. take me for example. in today's BI quiz, i didnt know a single word. the sheet was white as driven snow (to borrow a phrase from PGW). but did i waste the 40 mins? no sir, after taking a brief nap for 10 mins (dont know whether the prof noticed it or noty, since my head was down as if i was contemplating something), i started sketching rahul gandhi who was sitting in front of me. so finally by the time everybody submitted their sheets, i was done with the sketch. i requested ankit to submit my answer sheet too, but he mistook it for a rough paper and put it in a corner (he was puzzled by the fact perhaps that the sheet was blank). when finally the mistake was corrected and the sheet submitted to the prof, the puzzling look got transferred to his face. but thats his fate i guess.
yesterday srivastava et al threw a party. and there i came to know a secret. that emmanuel has married. i cud hardly believe it when today morning came another one. em returned frm cochin and i met him on breakfast table. and there i was told (with a straight face frm him as usual) that actually he has married months back, somewhere in oct.
yesterday was special for one more reason. after long i drove a bike > 100 kmph. though it was ngt and the bike had very poor headlights, i must appreciate (and thank) the authorities for building such a smooth road. not a single bump in the 20 km stretch. these kinds of things u rarely see these days :-)
talking of roads, i remember going to the new shopper's stop in bangalore at banergatta road. its simply pathetic. i guess villages have far better road than that. in fact, most of the bangalore roads have turned into giant vehicle sucking potholes. the only reason why there are not many accidents even then, is explained by the traffic jams. u cant drive normally above 20 kmph, if ur lucky enough not to get caught in a jam and being forced to "walk" ur vehicle; so nobody falls/skids due to the potholes. clever planning i must say on the part of authorities :-) but truly, except for some points, bangalore sucks.
yesterday the CIM prof showed a slide which had some fact abt "kippers" written on it. so naturally he asked if anybody knows what are kippers. without even looking at the slide, i replied that perhaps they are the "bunny shoes". and the prof and class started laughing. looking at the slide, i smiled too: the fact written on it was that "kippers are not preferred in winter (or something like that) since they taste bad ". life, sometimes it catches u on the wrong foot. apart frm that the class was cool, most of the times people were laughing on one thing or the other.
time to sign off. ta.
[01/01/2005 01:32:04] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
lonely and enjoying it
almost the entire campus is empty. the juniors are enjoying their break, and most of my classmates went to coorg, ooty, kodaikanal etc etc. i had a training on the 29-30 in bangalore and when i reached IIMK back by 21 morning , most of the ppl had already left. now we dont hv any classes till 3rd. so i think ppl will start returning only by 2nd ngt.
so, there are a lot of things i need to catch up while others are enjoying their vacations. more so, coz there are almost 50 days left to our departure time. i need to paint, read, write and download. oh and then packing too. in the absence of any work and disturbances, there is plenty of time on hand. and i hope there shud be some more trainings here and there in bangalore. patni still hasnt send the letter, so im not sure abt the joining date. but the sooner the better i guess.
this time i trained in sharp softwarer at ITPL. and some place it is. at lunch and break time, u can see techies all around you. and that too not in dozens, in hundreds. many IT companies have offices there, so unlike places like wipro and infy, where u can see alomst the same number in any of their locations, here the entire thing seems like a circus. but the damn thing is so far from the city that i had to shell out 320 bucks just for plying to and fro from the hotel.
shuaib is leaving system logic. he said that god knows when we will meet again. in such a short time, i think we got along well. besides, he was a great help in terms of giving me time and chances to earn the badly needed money in the past 4 months.
time to take a bath. will write more in the evening if i finish some work by then.yesterday i saw three movies- raincoat, lost in translation and ocean 12. still alexander is there on my hard disk. so not much time till 3rd jan arrives.and yes, a very happy new year. hope this year will be much more positive than the last. adios.
lonely and enjoying it
almost the entire campus is empty. the juniors are enjoying their break, and most of my classmates went to coorg, ooty, kodaikanal etc etc. i had a training on the 29-30 in bangalore and when i reached IIMK back by 21 morning , most of the ppl had already left. now we dont hv any classes till 3rd. so i think ppl will start returning only by 2nd ngt.
so, there are a lot of things i need to catch up while others are enjoying their vacations. more so, coz there are almost 50 days left to our departure time. i need to paint, read, write and download. oh and then packing too. in the absence of any work and disturbances, there is plenty of time on hand. and i hope there shud be some more trainings here and there in bangalore. patni still hasnt send the letter, so im not sure abt the joining date. but the sooner the better i guess.
this time i trained in sharp softwarer at ITPL. and some place it is. at lunch and break time, u can see techies all around you. and that too not in dozens, in hundreds. many IT companies have offices there, so unlike places like wipro and infy, where u can see alomst the same number in any of their locations, here the entire thing seems like a circus. but the damn thing is so far from the city that i had to shell out 320 bucks just for plying to and fro from the hotel.
shuaib is leaving system logic. he said that god knows when we will meet again. in such a short time, i think we got along well. besides, he was a great help in terms of giving me time and chances to earn the badly needed money in the past 4 months.
time to take a bath. will write more in the evening if i finish some work by then.yesterday i saw three movies- raincoat, lost in translation and ocean 12. still alexander is there on my hard disk. so not much time till 3rd jan arrives.and yes, a very happy new year. hope this year will be much more positive than the last. adios.
[26/12/2004 01:10:11] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
long long ago
im a troubled soul. the very things i thought sometime back, that are going to ease life, have brought greater troubles. as they say "be careful what u wish for, coz it might come true". thankfully with them, i also have been given the courage to hang on.i have been reading a book on EQ, which says that "suffering" is good in a way that it teaches many things, which give balance and perspective to life. after a rocky last year i cant agree more. another one on John Chambers (Cisco) tells that he was a dyslexic. made me wonder if despite that he can reach this position, we are certainly better equipped. then ghosh informed me that "seabiscuit" is based on a true story !!! i feel that one shud take shortcomings like a rubber band, which pulls u back just to propel u faster later. "i will show them" and "i can" attitude can take u much far if taken in a positive sense.
oh, and arun dear, CSC came in campus and left, of course without me on their rolls. they did give people postings in noida, but their criteria of shortlisting was IT work ex(sigh), which i dont hv. and the criteria can be justified, as they took people for software development roles, like project lead. anyways, there are many more companies in noida still.
infy also came and went, this time thankfully without me (its roles were similar to patni and compensation was worse. in that case, i feel, and as do many others here, patni is better being a smaller company where u can get more visibility). for now, im more concerned abt my own venture plans. if i wud hv got some capital in my hands, i wud hv not even thought twice before starting it. but for financial reasons, im torn between the two choices (job or venture, that is). then im not sure how committed my other pal are abt this thing. but one thing is for certain, i wont let my dream die, and will do whatever i can.
strangely, the EQ book vindicates many of the fundas i hv felt all my life. and that book is as scientific as it can be, not based on motivation theories alone. now i dont say it as "boast", but surely, it makes u feel good, and more important than that, it makes u feel that ur doing the right thing.
on 25th last year, ravi left us alone. life was never the same after that day. and it wud never be. many times i feel so lonely that i want to run back to delhi. but i know these are my own deserts and i have to cross them all alone. just pray that i would be able to do so like always. may god bless his soul and give me the courage to carry on and fulfill my reponsibilities. amen.
long long ago
im a troubled soul. the very things i thought sometime back, that are going to ease life, have brought greater troubles. as they say "be careful what u wish for, coz it might come true". thankfully with them, i also have been given the courage to hang on.i have been reading a book on EQ, which says that "suffering" is good in a way that it teaches many things, which give balance and perspective to life. after a rocky last year i cant agree more. another one on John Chambers (Cisco) tells that he was a dyslexic. made me wonder if despite that he can reach this position, we are certainly better equipped. then ghosh informed me that "seabiscuit" is based on a true story !!! i feel that one shud take shortcomings like a rubber band, which pulls u back just to propel u faster later. "i will show them" and "i can" attitude can take u much far if taken in a positive sense.
oh, and arun dear, CSC came in campus and left, of course without me on their rolls. they did give people postings in noida, but their criteria of shortlisting was IT work ex(sigh), which i dont hv. and the criteria can be justified, as they took people for software development roles, like project lead. anyways, there are many more companies in noida still.
infy also came and went, this time thankfully without me (its roles were similar to patni and compensation was worse. in that case, i feel, and as do many others here, patni is better being a smaller company where u can get more visibility). for now, im more concerned abt my own venture plans. if i wud hv got some capital in my hands, i wud hv not even thought twice before starting it. but for financial reasons, im torn between the two choices (job or venture, that is). then im not sure how committed my other pal are abt this thing. but one thing is for certain, i wont let my dream die, and will do whatever i can.
strangely, the EQ book vindicates many of the fundas i hv felt all my life. and that book is as scientific as it can be, not based on motivation theories alone. now i dont say it as "boast", but surely, it makes u feel good, and more important than that, it makes u feel that ur doing the right thing.
on 25th last year, ravi left us alone. life was never the same after that day. and it wud never be. many times i feel so lonely that i want to run back to delhi. but i know these are my own deserts and i have to cross them all alone. just pray that i would be able to do so like always. may god bless his soul and give me the courage to carry on and fulfill my reponsibilities. amen.
[21/12/2004 04:04:29] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
bowled over by technology
think of this happening to me !!!! i forgot my ICICI web accnt password and after some retries found it has been locked. placing a STD call to delhi call center didnt help much, they said it will take 5 working days. that means effectively i cant use it for 1 week more. i wonder why cant they send the password by mail, when i hv assigned a mail id for myself. guess they dont rely on technology upto that extent.
talking of other things, classes are pretty thin now, only 2 per day. but guess what, somehow our profs have the ability to stretch time, the 2 hrs in the classroom seem like days. and the quiz today was a massacre. already the Qs were though and then my answers (for example, in one answer i put 35-13 = 12- what was i thinking :-( ) would sure make the prof pull off the remaining hairs from his head.
my ex finally got the job in FICCI. and i got shortlisted in infy. frankly im not much interested if there isnt a considerable difference between their and patni packages. i guess patni is better in some terms than infy if ur getting the same amount of money in both the companies. but i want to work near my home. maybe i will try independently after the campus placements are over.
started playing badminton 3 days back and hurt my foot yesterday. today it feels ok, so i think will go and take a chance. vaise bhi im not having much exercise these days. im having so much of free time aajkal, but nothing to do except sleep and surf the net. the bad thing is that i forgot to bring canvas from delhi. so cant paint also. just painted one tshirt with the "firefox" logo some days back, but apart frm that painting possibilities seem rare.
fauzi didnt make it thru CAT this year. maybe god has thought of othe things for him. time to get off this damn comp, my eyes are already weary.
bye.
bowled over by technology
think of this happening to me !!!! i forgot my ICICI web accnt password and after some retries found it has been locked. placing a STD call to delhi call center didnt help much, they said it will take 5 working days. that means effectively i cant use it for 1 week more. i wonder why cant they send the password by mail, when i hv assigned a mail id for myself. guess they dont rely on technology upto that extent.
talking of other things, classes are pretty thin now, only 2 per day. but guess what, somehow our profs have the ability to stretch time, the 2 hrs in the classroom seem like days. and the quiz today was a massacre. already the Qs were though and then my answers (for example, in one answer i put 35-13 = 12- what was i thinking :-( ) would sure make the prof pull off the remaining hairs from his head.
my ex finally got the job in FICCI. and i got shortlisted in infy. frankly im not much interested if there isnt a considerable difference between their and patni packages. i guess patni is better in some terms than infy if ur getting the same amount of money in both the companies. but i want to work near my home. maybe i will try independently after the campus placements are over.
started playing badminton 3 days back and hurt my foot yesterday. today it feels ok, so i think will go and take a chance. vaise bhi im not having much exercise these days. im having so much of free time aajkal, but nothing to do except sleep and surf the net. the bad thing is that i forgot to bring canvas from delhi. so cant paint also. just painted one tshirt with the "firefox" logo some days back, but apart frm that painting possibilities seem rare.
fauzi didnt make it thru CAT this year. maybe god has thought of othe things for him. time to get off this damn comp, my eyes are already weary.
bye.
[17/12/2004 22:38:29] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
serendipidity
this entry is dedicated to all the fundas of life. call it my pair of rose tinted glasses, but i can tell only what i hv seen and understood, good or bad, true or distorted, right or wrong.
i hv seen many things in life which, at best, i can call destiny. take for example my BTech entrance exam. i has given an inteview in a company for senior developer post and they said they will tell me by saturday. interview went excellent and i was pretty confident that i wud get the job. entrance exam was on sunday, and i had decided if i get the job, i wont sit. as it was to be, they didnt call and i sat for the exam. 14 days later, they called (on the day i submitted the fees for BTech) to tell me that my appointment letter is ready with them and when am i joining. obviously i told that now things are different and i cant join.
related to this is one more. for this xam, i was pretty sure the result will come after 18th Aug, 2000 only and was going on my job as usual. on 12th all of a sudden i took an off due to headache (believe me i hvnt taken a leave coz of this in my entire 4 years of work, for other reasons-yes, but not for a headache). by noon i felt ok, so mom suggested that i shud go and check the result, which i did. and to my surprise result was declared 2 days back and the last day of submitting the fees was 14th. to think of what wud hv happened if i hadnt felt sick on 12th scares me. there are many more but as i said in the last entry- only if somebody pays me for this :-)
not that im suggesting that one shud sit idle and wait, since "whatever has to happen will happen"- this according to me is taking a retrospective view of life, in simpler words, lokking at life in the rear view mirror. rather what im saying is that sometimes u feel just amazed to see how HE opens up doors, when u think none existed. and thats exactly what u need to be prepared for. everybody gets a chance, sooner or later. those who grab it are ones who seem to be more in luck than others whereas actually it has less to do with "being lucky". but all said and done, remember "he gives and he takes away". this line has become the key arnd which my thoughts are revolving these days. and i tell u that this simple concept helps u become more humble.
i hv become a more strong optimist and believer in this one year. somehow all the tears i shed, acted like fuel to the fire within. in my entire life, i hv seen impossible things happening, with me, with others, most coz of sheer will power. if u think im exaggerating, there are several examples around us. thomas muster, who was crippled in an accident and advised never to play tennis again came back and won several tourneys . lance armstrong fought cancer and became a legend in cycling. and there is scientific evidence of ppl doing tasks which seem downright impossible (the lamas-monks in tibet drying wet sheets in a near zero temperature). so much for impossible. as the adidas ad says "impossible is nothing".
saw "seabiscuit" day before. beautiful movie- must watch. and exactly on the lines of the above para. its a story of a horse and a jockey who were crippled for life, and how they come back. watched musafir also-imaginative but story is dead.some parts of the movie reminds me of the movie "run lola run" (another must watch-shows how life can be infused in a seemingly simple story).
many good things happened to me last week. i got an offer frm patni computers, though neither i know the role nor the location yet. my ex got her first job interview scheduled in FICCI, and after long we talked to 2 hours in a day. bless her. felt like old times. i finished the genetics book and another book on indian art (which incidentally was also full of stories how the painters rose to greatness by sheer grit despite of all odds). but more than that after long i felt peaceful.
arun wrote that he thot im some IIT stud . on lighter lines, my Mech Engg diploma heritage reminds me what a stud is - " a headless bolt which is screwed on both sides". so im never comfortable being called a stud :-). and unfortunately, the kind of interaction i had with IITians (actually IIT delhi) made me think that there is more gas than substance. now on an average IITians are better than other ppl, but thats where the comparison ends. to be fair to my IIT friends, actually i feel much the same abt IIMs also. the cliche abt success being "1% inspiration and 99% perspiration" is very true.
b.t.w., i gave an IQ test on the net and the score says 151 (genius or something). cudnt stop laughing after that. how can a guy who has failed thrice in maths (and eventually dropped the subject in BTech) be a genius. its one more marketing gimmick of theirs, im sure.
so long then.
serendipidity
this entry is dedicated to all the fundas of life. call it my pair of rose tinted glasses, but i can tell only what i hv seen and understood, good or bad, true or distorted, right or wrong.
i hv seen many things in life which, at best, i can call destiny. take for example my BTech entrance exam. i has given an inteview in a company for senior developer post and they said they will tell me by saturday. interview went excellent and i was pretty confident that i wud get the job. entrance exam was on sunday, and i had decided if i get the job, i wont sit. as it was to be, they didnt call and i sat for the exam. 14 days later, they called (on the day i submitted the fees for BTech) to tell me that my appointment letter is ready with them and when am i joining. obviously i told that now things are different and i cant join.
related to this is one more. for this xam, i was pretty sure the result will come after 18th Aug, 2000 only and was going on my job as usual. on 12th all of a sudden i took an off due to headache (believe me i hvnt taken a leave coz of this in my entire 4 years of work, for other reasons-yes, but not for a headache). by noon i felt ok, so mom suggested that i shud go and check the result, which i did. and to my surprise result was declared 2 days back and the last day of submitting the fees was 14th. to think of what wud hv happened if i hadnt felt sick on 12th scares me. there are many more but as i said in the last entry- only if somebody pays me for this :-)
not that im suggesting that one shud sit idle and wait, since "whatever has to happen will happen"- this according to me is taking a retrospective view of life, in simpler words, lokking at life in the rear view mirror. rather what im saying is that sometimes u feel just amazed to see how HE opens up doors, when u think none existed. and thats exactly what u need to be prepared for. everybody gets a chance, sooner or later. those who grab it are ones who seem to be more in luck than others whereas actually it has less to do with "being lucky". but all said and done, remember "he gives and he takes away". this line has become the key arnd which my thoughts are revolving these days. and i tell u that this simple concept helps u become more humble.
i hv become a more strong optimist and believer in this one year. somehow all the tears i shed, acted like fuel to the fire within. in my entire life, i hv seen impossible things happening, with me, with others, most coz of sheer will power. if u think im exaggerating, there are several examples around us. thomas muster, who was crippled in an accident and advised never to play tennis again came back and won several tourneys . lance armstrong fought cancer and became a legend in cycling. and there is scientific evidence of ppl doing tasks which seem downright impossible (the lamas-monks in tibet drying wet sheets in a near zero temperature). so much for impossible. as the adidas ad says "impossible is nothing".
saw "seabiscuit" day before. beautiful movie- must watch. and exactly on the lines of the above para. its a story of a horse and a jockey who were crippled for life, and how they come back. watched musafir also-imaginative but story is dead.some parts of the movie reminds me of the movie "run lola run" (another must watch-shows how life can be infused in a seemingly simple story).
many good things happened to me last week. i got an offer frm patni computers, though neither i know the role nor the location yet. my ex got her first job interview scheduled in FICCI, and after long we talked to 2 hours in a day. bless her. felt like old times. i finished the genetics book and another book on indian art (which incidentally was also full of stories how the painters rose to greatness by sheer grit despite of all odds). but more than that after long i felt peaceful.
arun wrote that he thot im some IIT stud . on lighter lines, my Mech Engg diploma heritage reminds me what a stud is - " a headless bolt which is screwed on both sides". so im never comfortable being called a stud :-). and unfortunately, the kind of interaction i had with IITians (actually IIT delhi) made me think that there is more gas than substance. now on an average IITians are better than other ppl, but thats where the comparison ends. to be fair to my IIT friends, actually i feel much the same abt IIMs also. the cliche abt success being "1% inspiration and 99% perspiration" is very true.
b.t.w., i gave an IQ test on the net and the score says 151 (genius or something). cudnt stop laughing after that. how can a guy who has failed thrice in maths (and eventually dropped the subject in BTech) be a genius. its one more marketing gimmick of theirs, im sure.
so long then.
[13/12/2004 23:59:35] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
one more sms poem
and while u work,
and time passes by,
i grow old,
and sun goes high,
as u sit amid,
the sea of words,
and endless lines,
i long for ur smile,
which my heart yearns,
and my soul pines,
wish distance cud disappear,
wish hours wud fly,
while u work,
and time passes by.
one more sms poem
and while u work,
and time passes by,
i grow old,
and sun goes high,
as u sit amid,
the sea of words,
and endless lines,
i long for ur smile,
which my heart yearns,
and my soul pines,
wish distance cud disappear,
wish hours wud fly,
while u work,
and time passes by.
[13/12/2004 09:13:35] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
twinkle twinkle
so the time machine zooms to dec 4. i caught an auto paying 300 bucks to take me frm hostel to airport. my bro told me that he cant come to pick me up. so i thought if i hv to pay for taxi/auto, i better take the suitcase also with me. so there goes the paintings in the case. if u ask me, i hate paying for these auto/taxi to and from airport. i see no value addition in these, i mean it didnt much time,travelling by bus or bike is the same, and much cheaper.
i reached calicut airport, only to realize that the mumbai flight was late. since i had a connecting flight to delhi, i raised my concern to the jet airways ppl there, and was told that there wud be no problem. i reached mumbai by 6, rushed to the security check (dont know why the heck ppl in connecting flight needs security checks again). and there it was, a single line for all the passengers of all the flight. so i reached just in time for the boarding bus. the aircraft took 30 more mins to fly due to some snag.by the time it took off, it was dark already and the glittering view of mumbai below was amazing. i dozed off, to wake up near delhi, and see even better scene below. by jove, it is so good at ngt, u can actually see all the main roads and appreciate how orgainzed delhi is, compared to other cities. landed in delhi by 9.15, the air was cold, but not chilly as i thought. i managed to finish half of the DoCoMo book by then, and realized sharib had pulled a trick on me by asking what is the full form of DoCoMo- there is none- it actually comes from "doko demo" meaning everywhere in Japanese.
travelling frm airport to home is always a problem, as i said i dont like paying the taxis. so i searched for an auto and found none. finally i shared a taxi to pay 300 more bucks to reach home by 11. my nephew woke up upon hearing my voice, and it was really fun to play with him. after changing clothes and getting a "champi", i got down to see "kumar and harold went to whitefield". B grade movie but very hilarious. by the time i slept it was already 3.30-4am.
next one for delhi days. somehow i feel one day i will come back to read all this crap.so much for diaries.
twinkle twinkle
so the time machine zooms to dec 4. i caught an auto paying 300 bucks to take me frm hostel to airport. my bro told me that he cant come to pick me up. so i thought if i hv to pay for taxi/auto, i better take the suitcase also with me. so there goes the paintings in the case. if u ask me, i hate paying for these auto/taxi to and from airport. i see no value addition in these, i mean it didnt much time,travelling by bus or bike is the same, and much cheaper.
i reached calicut airport, only to realize that the mumbai flight was late. since i had a connecting flight to delhi, i raised my concern to the jet airways ppl there, and was told that there wud be no problem. i reached mumbai by 6, rushed to the security check (dont know why the heck ppl in connecting flight needs security checks again). and there it was, a single line for all the passengers of all the flight. so i reached just in time for the boarding bus. the aircraft took 30 more mins to fly due to some snag.by the time it took off, it was dark already and the glittering view of mumbai below was amazing. i dozed off, to wake up near delhi, and see even better scene below. by jove, it is so good at ngt, u can actually see all the main roads and appreciate how orgainzed delhi is, compared to other cities. landed in delhi by 9.15, the air was cold, but not chilly as i thought. i managed to finish half of the DoCoMo book by then, and realized sharib had pulled a trick on me by asking what is the full form of DoCoMo- there is none- it actually comes from "doko demo" meaning everywhere in Japanese.
travelling frm airport to home is always a problem, as i said i dont like paying the taxis. so i searched for an auto and found none. finally i shared a taxi to pay 300 more bucks to reach home by 11. my nephew woke up upon hearing my voice, and it was really fun to play with him. after changing clothes and getting a "champi", i got down to see "kumar and harold went to whitefield". B grade movie but very hilarious. by the time i slept it was already 3.30-4am.
next one for delhi days. somehow i feel one day i will come back to read all this crap.so much for diaries.
[13/12/2004 08:55:37] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
those were the days....(cont)
i would rather not write abt my days in leyland. they can fill a volume. but more importantly i learnt some lessons there which could even shame most sarcastic dilbert cartoons. my favourite is this one:
"my boss always used to criticize me that things are not being done fast enough. one fine morning he called and asked me to do some urgent work in 15 mins (which involved some coordination between various interstate offices). i put all other things to rest and did so. he called back in time and when i passed on to the good news, he groaned. now he didnt want the work to be done, and wondered why i work so fast not to give him enough time to have second thoughts?"
anyways, i worked for almost 4 years in Leyland. when i cudnt take it anymore, i resigned. my resignation was another story, but maybe sometime later.
after i resigned from Leyland, i did some certifications like MCSD and Sun Java. that made some instt call me for a faculty position. i went and got the job. but that was not to be for long. within 2 months i realized that a degree is absolute must if u want to be anywhere. so i started BCA frm IGNOU. but god was willing to give me more. and so i got a chance to sit for a BTech exam in delhi. i got an admission into second year Comp Science in delhi. it was in the college that i recognized that agression suits me fine (hehe IIMK chaps must be cursing this "realization" of mine). anyways, alongwith the degree i started giving corporate trainings for Java and XML, which helped me in numerous ways over the years. these days were very tough, one had to see me doing things which few can imagine. i used to go from my place to NEPZ, noida (25 kms frm my home) during peak summer of summer in morning, and then frm that place to patel nagar (40 km or so) in noon, on my bike. so to save myself frm the heat, i used to pour a bottle over me (literally) wetting my shirt, trouser etc. by the time i was mid way, it was all dry and i used to repeat the procedure.
during the 2nd(which was my first year) year of college, i met my ex during a chat session, and slowly we came close. honestly she has helped in my development in many ways. it was she who put me for this MBA thing. i was more inclined for MS or MTech. god bless her sweet soul.
enough for this stuff. now for aruns answer. my CAT prep. i didnt hv money to spend on CAT actually. so i went to a place called nai sarak in delhi 5-6 months before the xam and bought last year question papers and some IMS material for 600 bucks.my english was quite on target, since me and my ex used to do crosswords very heavily. maths was weak, and DI i guess i had some knack for it. but believe me, after giving CAT i felt that training does help. take my case for example, i didnt even know that u hv to score in every section, rather than scoring marks as a whole. only 1 week before the xam, there was this wedding of my ex's sister, in which some of her friends told me that. and there are some small nitty gritties. so i guess a time frame of 8 months with some instt. may help. my GD and interview were quite poor and that resulted me getting IIMK and not L or C. in hindsight, i found K better than L in many respects.
will break this section now. no more history of mine, till somebody pays me for that (i should admit however that the chances of this happening are less than those of a meteor striking earth and wiping out half of the population).ta.
those were the days....(cont)
i would rather not write abt my days in leyland. they can fill a volume. but more importantly i learnt some lessons there which could even shame most sarcastic dilbert cartoons. my favourite is this one:
"my boss always used to criticize me that things are not being done fast enough. one fine morning he called and asked me to do some urgent work in 15 mins (which involved some coordination between various interstate offices). i put all other things to rest and did so. he called back in time and when i passed on to the good news, he groaned. now he didnt want the work to be done, and wondered why i work so fast not to give him enough time to have second thoughts?"
anyways, i worked for almost 4 years in Leyland. when i cudnt take it anymore, i resigned. my resignation was another story, but maybe sometime later.
after i resigned from Leyland, i did some certifications like MCSD and Sun Java. that made some instt call me for a faculty position. i went and got the job. but that was not to be for long. within 2 months i realized that a degree is absolute must if u want to be anywhere. so i started BCA frm IGNOU. but god was willing to give me more. and so i got a chance to sit for a BTech exam in delhi. i got an admission into second year Comp Science in delhi. it was in the college that i recognized that agression suits me fine (hehe IIMK chaps must be cursing this "realization" of mine). anyways, alongwith the degree i started giving corporate trainings for Java and XML, which helped me in numerous ways over the years. these days were very tough, one had to see me doing things which few can imagine. i used to go from my place to NEPZ, noida (25 kms frm my home) during peak summer of summer in morning, and then frm that place to patel nagar (40 km or so) in noon, on my bike. so to save myself frm the heat, i used to pour a bottle over me (literally) wetting my shirt, trouser etc. by the time i was mid way, it was all dry and i used to repeat the procedure.
during the 2nd(which was my first year) year of college, i met my ex during a chat session, and slowly we came close. honestly she has helped in my development in many ways. it was she who put me for this MBA thing. i was more inclined for MS or MTech. god bless her sweet soul.
enough for this stuff. now for aruns answer. my CAT prep. i didnt hv money to spend on CAT actually. so i went to a place called nai sarak in delhi 5-6 months before the xam and bought last year question papers and some IMS material for 600 bucks.my english was quite on target, since me and my ex used to do crosswords very heavily. maths was weak, and DI i guess i had some knack for it. but believe me, after giving CAT i felt that training does help. take my case for example, i didnt even know that u hv to score in every section, rather than scoring marks as a whole. only 1 week before the xam, there was this wedding of my ex's sister, in which some of her friends told me that. and there are some small nitty gritties. so i guess a time frame of 8 months with some instt. may help. my GD and interview were quite poor and that resulted me getting IIMK and not L or C. in hindsight, i found K better than L in many respects.
will break this section now. no more history of mine, till somebody pays me for that (i should admit however that the chances of this happening are less than those of a meteor striking earth and wiping out half of the population).ta.
[13/12/2004 06:37:56] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
those were the days....
ok, this entry is triggered by mr arun(no no not my pal arun in our campus who unfortunately have few hairs left on his head) who requested to put down something abt my past also. but i hv to seek excuse coz im overdoing by writing my "history". i will try to do this without sounding heroic as much as i can. this reminds of a long time wish of mine-to pen down my story. just for my own record keeping i wud start when i was pretty young. believe me, at times i wonder what i hv gone thru wud hv made a nice movie. but then, so would the stories of many of us. so there i go (this is gonna be long-uninterested ppl may skip to the relevant portion if they want to). arun dude, u can shift to the next entry abt the CAT if all this bores u.
school: what is that?
life for me started when i was in class 2 perhaps. the school(the ringing bells) in which i studied class 1 and 2 was run by a sardarji. that was the time of 1984, after sikh riots, he closed the school down. only a few memories survive frm that school, including the fact that being studious, both me and my sis (1 year elder) were class monitors which was very close to being celebrities those days. and that there was a lady teacher who used to harass me often since her daughter(in my class) wud come up second coz of me. ah, and there was a guy called lucy coz his hairs resembled a character in a TV serial then on air with some "lucy" word in its title. but the thing i remember most is abt a serial called the "giant robot". we used to play that in our recess, and somehow being the coy kid, they used to give me the part of the junior hero in that serial with a big friend of mine playing the role of the "giant robot" protecting me frm the evil. there was one more very funny incidents i clearly recall. once we went for inspection (those things where u are supposed to carry a hanky with ur nails trimmed and so on). my sis was standing in a line just 8 feet besides me. as it happened i forgot to carry the hanky, and my sis's line was inspected before me. so i signalled her that i got no hanky. she tried to throw her own hanky to me, when one of her classmates snatched it frm her and threw to me. now it was a bit windy and the hanky flew straight to the teacher. somehow my sis handled the situation by telling the teacher that it was mine.
i hv to do class 3 and 4 in a different school(arwachin bharti bhawan-ABB which sounded funny then for the BB notation), those days private schools were not so tough to get in. i remember taking a entry test in which i wasnt able to do all the Qs. as the bell rang, i found myself crying since i missed some of the Qs. but eventually i was one of the toppers and got into the A section easily. once again most of the teachers knew me and my sis, being the toppers in their classes. it was there when i first realized that i paint reasonably well. i hv many stories of this school, both good and bad, but i hv patience enough to write only 1-2 of them. once i was called by my sis's teacher in a free period. i had no idea what she is calling me for. but as i stood in the class(with all the senior girls staring at me-i guess they thot i was some prototype) the teacher started telling the class how good i sketch. to top it, she asked me to draw a picture of a tea estate from the SST book on the blackboard. i tried to dodge by saying that i cant since chalks are not pointed like pencils. to my surprise, she asked two students to sharpen few chalks for me so that i can draw. so i had to. dont know how good that was, but certainly it felt good standing in a senior class and getting this much importance. then there was this friend of mine, whom i used to tease by saying that his name(rochak) resembles "kachra" when reversed. there was a property(a very nice garden with swings etc) besides our school which was disputed (once our school bus was turned since they heard gunshots), eventually resulting in the school erecting a wall blocking the passage. my grandpa used to give me 10 paise everyday for expenses, which seemed quite sufficient for me.
i had to leave the school since they suddenly hiked the fees stating funds for building needs, and my dad protested. that was the day when results were declared (31 march) and usually dad treated us with an orange cola ("rush") when we stood first. so off i go, leaving my first prize for class 4th. i didnt know how to react since i had so many friends there but i wasnt happy. in due course of time, i returned to the school once for a IGNOU-BCA exam to notice how much the school had changed.
my next school was nothing short of a shock. for class 5th, i was enrolled into a MCD primary school (the school was only upto 5th) which taught subjects in hindi. so the first few months went by me trying to understand the hindi numbers, and what does "ghaat"(square root) means. there were no desks there and we hv to sit on jute rolls (called "taat patties" in hindi) and everyday a student will take turn in cleaning the classroom. but being frm a private school background, i was way ahead of the ppl there (and frm there starts my downfall-never got good competition, and when i did-it was too late). the teacher there (they had only 1 teacher for all subjects in MCD primary schools) was inspiring, similar to the gentleman in "jagriti". he pushed the shy me to take part into science exhibitions, even if i had no models to exhibit, he will put an aquarium for me, so that i take part at least. and they had a system of "medhavi" and junior science talent search, which gives some scholaship. i got both, fetching me 300 and 150 bucks, with which i bough my first bicycle.then i got a 3rd prize in a delhi district art competetion which would fetch 100 bucks after a year. imagine my dad travelling 2 hrs for this money, but then those were the days. when i stood first in the class, i replaced a guy called puran, who became my good friend (and just short of becoming a small time don later). i also captained and won the first cricket match of my life which fetched me Re 1/- which i shared with 3 of my friends eating a toffee called ("bon bon"-interesting toffee -for many years it retained the 25 paise price tag)-one of these 3 chaps play in the delhi ranji trophy now-bhupinder singh junior. and my grandpa increased my allowance-25 paise per day. i got a lump sum of rs 10/- which i spend treating my friends with frooti (costing rs 3 that time). needless to say, treats like this in a MCD school got me many friends.
then comes the high school(which was also a govt one), which we rather dreaded for many reasons. ragging was one, but to be honest, these were just fears. the classes were held in tents with the students sitting on "taat patties". and to my amazement they taught "abcd" in class 6th (there was no subject for english in 5th). naturally with my private school background, i scored perfect 20/20 in english, and somehow the same in sanskrit too. so i used to be called by teachers in other sections to demonstrate what a studious chap look like. i got all the 6th standard books since i scored the highest-88% in 5th. and once in class 7th, i got two dictionaries since i won a painting competition(i sketched nehru) as well as standing 1st. the principle replaced one with a pen. that day onwards many students knew me as the one who won two prizes-considering that prizes are rare in govt schools. the school's stories are many but i would just wrap up in few lines. i wasted 3 years of my life in 6-8 standards there learning all the "bad" things. somehow i was lucky to escape to a newly created english medium in class 9 and 10. i scored 77.2% in 10th, which was much by the school standards, but as i said lack of competition dulled me a lot. i got 5th place in delhi in geography olympiad which then seemed like a honor.
there was a didi near our home who did a 3 year diploma in achitecture and got a job by the age of 18. inspired by that, my parents decided that a diploma would be best for me. so i applied for one. and got into mech. engg. in one of the good diploma instts in delhi. the day i was leaving i got my biology score 20/20 (to be honest othe subjects were not that good-physics for ex, was only 13/20), but i was very happy that im going to a "college" at the age of 15(they used to call polytechnics also as "colleges"). there i was the baby of the grp, being the youngest of the lot, some of my classmates were even 5-6 elder than me. i studied religiously there, got scholarships and stuff, and stood overall 2nd in the deptt. interestingly my only need based scholarship came in IIMK, all others were merit based. and to the delight of my parents, got the job in the highest paying company then-Ashok Leyland- it paid Rs 5400/- pm then. i was such a nerd there that my classmates used to comment over what i wear. i remember wearing a jeans only at the last day of diploma- that too a white colored one.
time to go get the food now. remaining things in next entry. bye.
those were the days....
ok, this entry is triggered by mr arun(no no not my pal arun in our campus who unfortunately have few hairs left on his head) who requested to put down something abt my past also. but i hv to seek excuse coz im overdoing by writing my "history". i will try to do this without sounding heroic as much as i can. this reminds of a long time wish of mine-to pen down my story. just for my own record keeping i wud start when i was pretty young. believe me, at times i wonder what i hv gone thru wud hv made a nice movie. but then, so would the stories of many of us. so there i go (this is gonna be long-uninterested ppl may skip to the relevant portion if they want to). arun dude, u can shift to the next entry abt the CAT if all this bores u.
school: what is that?
life for me started when i was in class 2 perhaps. the school(the ringing bells) in which i studied class 1 and 2 was run by a sardarji. that was the time of 1984, after sikh riots, he closed the school down. only a few memories survive frm that school, including the fact that being studious, both me and my sis (1 year elder) were class monitors which was very close to being celebrities those days. and that there was a lady teacher who used to harass me often since her daughter(in my class) wud come up second coz of me. ah, and there was a guy called lucy coz his hairs resembled a character in a TV serial then on air with some "lucy" word in its title. but the thing i remember most is abt a serial called the "giant robot". we used to play that in our recess, and somehow being the coy kid, they used to give me the part of the junior hero in that serial with a big friend of mine playing the role of the "giant robot" protecting me frm the evil. there was one more very funny incidents i clearly recall. once we went for inspection (those things where u are supposed to carry a hanky with ur nails trimmed and so on). my sis was standing in a line just 8 feet besides me. as it happened i forgot to carry the hanky, and my sis's line was inspected before me. so i signalled her that i got no hanky. she tried to throw her own hanky to me, when one of her classmates snatched it frm her and threw to me. now it was a bit windy and the hanky flew straight to the teacher. somehow my sis handled the situation by telling the teacher that it was mine.
i hv to do class 3 and 4 in a different school(arwachin bharti bhawan-ABB which sounded funny then for the BB notation), those days private schools were not so tough to get in. i remember taking a entry test in which i wasnt able to do all the Qs. as the bell rang, i found myself crying since i missed some of the Qs. but eventually i was one of the toppers and got into the A section easily. once again most of the teachers knew me and my sis, being the toppers in their classes. it was there when i first realized that i paint reasonably well. i hv many stories of this school, both good and bad, but i hv patience enough to write only 1-2 of them. once i was called by my sis's teacher in a free period. i had no idea what she is calling me for. but as i stood in the class(with all the senior girls staring at me-i guess they thot i was some prototype) the teacher started telling the class how good i sketch. to top it, she asked me to draw a picture of a tea estate from the SST book on the blackboard. i tried to dodge by saying that i cant since chalks are not pointed like pencils. to my surprise, she asked two students to sharpen few chalks for me so that i can draw. so i had to. dont know how good that was, but certainly it felt good standing in a senior class and getting this much importance. then there was this friend of mine, whom i used to tease by saying that his name(rochak) resembles "kachra" when reversed. there was a property(a very nice garden with swings etc) besides our school which was disputed (once our school bus was turned since they heard gunshots), eventually resulting in the school erecting a wall blocking the passage. my grandpa used to give me 10 paise everyday for expenses, which seemed quite sufficient for me.
i had to leave the school since they suddenly hiked the fees stating funds for building needs, and my dad protested. that was the day when results were declared (31 march) and usually dad treated us with an orange cola ("rush") when we stood first. so off i go, leaving my first prize for class 4th. i didnt know how to react since i had so many friends there but i wasnt happy. in due course of time, i returned to the school once for a IGNOU-BCA exam to notice how much the school had changed.
my next school was nothing short of a shock. for class 5th, i was enrolled into a MCD primary school (the school was only upto 5th) which taught subjects in hindi. so the first few months went by me trying to understand the hindi numbers, and what does "ghaat"(square root) means. there were no desks there and we hv to sit on jute rolls (called "taat patties" in hindi) and everyday a student will take turn in cleaning the classroom. but being frm a private school background, i was way ahead of the ppl there (and frm there starts my downfall-never got good competition, and when i did-it was too late). the teacher there (they had only 1 teacher for all subjects in MCD primary schools) was inspiring, similar to the gentleman in "jagriti". he pushed the shy me to take part into science exhibitions, even if i had no models to exhibit, he will put an aquarium for me, so that i take part at least. and they had a system of "medhavi" and junior science talent search, which gives some scholaship. i got both, fetching me 300 and 150 bucks, with which i bough my first bicycle.then i got a 3rd prize in a delhi district art competetion which would fetch 100 bucks after a year. imagine my dad travelling 2 hrs for this money, but then those were the days. when i stood first in the class, i replaced a guy called puran, who became my good friend (and just short of becoming a small time don later). i also captained and won the first cricket match of my life which fetched me Re 1/- which i shared with 3 of my friends eating a toffee called ("bon bon"-interesting toffee -for many years it retained the 25 paise price tag)-one of these 3 chaps play in the delhi ranji trophy now-bhupinder singh junior. and my grandpa increased my allowance-25 paise per day. i got a lump sum of rs 10/- which i spend treating my friends with frooti (costing rs 3 that time). needless to say, treats like this in a MCD school got me many friends.
then comes the high school(which was also a govt one), which we rather dreaded for many reasons. ragging was one, but to be honest, these were just fears. the classes were held in tents with the students sitting on "taat patties". and to my amazement they taught "abcd" in class 6th (there was no subject for english in 5th). naturally with my private school background, i scored perfect 20/20 in english, and somehow the same in sanskrit too. so i used to be called by teachers in other sections to demonstrate what a studious chap look like. i got all the 6th standard books since i scored the highest-88% in 5th. and once in class 7th, i got two dictionaries since i won a painting competition(i sketched nehru) as well as standing 1st. the principle replaced one with a pen. that day onwards many students knew me as the one who won two prizes-considering that prizes are rare in govt schools. the school's stories are many but i would just wrap up in few lines. i wasted 3 years of my life in 6-8 standards there learning all the "bad" things. somehow i was lucky to escape to a newly created english medium in class 9 and 10. i scored 77.2% in 10th, which was much by the school standards, but as i said lack of competition dulled me a lot. i got 5th place in delhi in geography olympiad which then seemed like a honor.
there was a didi near our home who did a 3 year diploma in achitecture and got a job by the age of 18. inspired by that, my parents decided that a diploma would be best for me. so i applied for one. and got into mech. engg. in one of the good diploma instts in delhi. the day i was leaving i got my biology score 20/20 (to be honest othe subjects were not that good-physics for ex, was only 13/20), but i was very happy that im going to a "college" at the age of 15(they used to call polytechnics also as "colleges"). there i was the baby of the grp, being the youngest of the lot, some of my classmates were even 5-6 elder than me. i studied religiously there, got scholarships and stuff, and stood overall 2nd in the deptt. interestingly my only need based scholarship came in IIMK, all others were merit based. and to the delight of my parents, got the job in the highest paying company then-Ashok Leyland- it paid Rs 5400/- pm then. i was such a nerd there that my classmates used to comment over what i wear. i remember wearing a jeans only at the last day of diploma- that too a white colored one.
time to go get the food now. remaining things in next entry. bye.
[03/12/2004 08:57:35] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
aam hain kya
guess what :-) .im so happy. im going home finally. though it cost me 7K (jai ho dear placecom ki, else i hv caught train simply). there goes the intel training's earnings. there is a lot to pack abhi, might hv to leave the paintings back.
the whole ngt i stayed awake. though i was feeling so down with this cold. but one paracetamol seems to hv done the trick. and im the same old chirping chap again. i had two xams today. cant say they went A1, but then i never wished so. compared to last time, yes they were much better. and im one of the only guys who had his xams over by 3rd. bless my sweet soul for having chosen such subjects.
u must be thinking over the title. actually it was a joke which abhi sent. and before i knew it, i was laughing so uncontrollably. u mgt or mgt not like the joke, but i liked it so much that i forwarded it to everybody on my messenger, right from hifi in cyprus to deepak in california to pria in delhi.
i saw dhananjay blogging. i never though he "cud" also write. no offence though. and he is trying to rake as much controversy as he can by having the yahoo status msg as "my escapades with the opposite sex". boy :-). anyways, i good thing is that u get to know who watched which movie by browsing through the blogs. so im downloading "something gotta give" abhi. jack nicholson. shud be good.
Question of the week: How to choke a P-IV 2 giga system?
Answer: Run Norton "anything" on it.
yesterday i msged everybody in hindi. asking abt a "vishay" called "vikray evam vitran prabandhan" (sales and distribution management for the desi firangi). only 3 chaps replied in hindi-vipul, rajat and chaman, to their credit. ashwini tried to help though, despite not getting what i asked. try to talk one whole day in Hindi. would be great fun. and i guess many wont be able to talk.
in our ITM exam today (which was of 2 and half hr duration - i came to know only after the exam was over-the whole time i was thinking it was 2 hrs), i finished the xam by 3.45 and then slept in the hall in my chair(since i hv to wait for john sir for a letter). seeing me arun shouted (almost) - "abe alok" and everybody was looking towards me. now i ask u, cant a poor fella even take the well deserved rest? of course he can- what if the "place" is the xam hall. i tell u, the kinda sleep u get in the classroom, u can never hv in ur own room.
i will reach delhi tomo. sid wud be there, hving reached probably today. and then full hangama on sat and sun evenings. at least that is what i plan. delhi-here i come.
aam hain kya
guess what :-) .im so happy. im going home finally. though it cost me 7K (jai ho dear placecom ki, else i hv caught train simply). there goes the intel training's earnings. there is a lot to pack abhi, might hv to leave the paintings back.
the whole ngt i stayed awake. though i was feeling so down with this cold. but one paracetamol seems to hv done the trick. and im the same old chirping chap again. i had two xams today. cant say they went A1, but then i never wished so. compared to last time, yes they were much better. and im one of the only guys who had his xams over by 3rd. bless my sweet soul for having chosen such subjects.
u must be thinking over the title. actually it was a joke which abhi sent. and before i knew it, i was laughing so uncontrollably. u mgt or mgt not like the joke, but i liked it so much that i forwarded it to everybody on my messenger, right from hifi in cyprus to deepak in california to pria in delhi.
i saw dhananjay blogging. i never though he "cud" also write. no offence though. and he is trying to rake as much controversy as he can by having the yahoo status msg as "my escapades with the opposite sex". boy :-). anyways, i good thing is that u get to know who watched which movie by browsing through the blogs. so im downloading "something gotta give" abhi. jack nicholson. shud be good.
Question of the week: How to choke a P-IV 2 giga system?
Answer: Run Norton "anything" on it.
yesterday i msged everybody in hindi. asking abt a "vishay" called "vikray evam vitran prabandhan" (sales and distribution management for the desi firangi). only 3 chaps replied in hindi-vipul, rajat and chaman, to their credit. ashwini tried to help though, despite not getting what i asked. try to talk one whole day in Hindi. would be great fun. and i guess many wont be able to talk.
in our ITM exam today (which was of 2 and half hr duration - i came to know only after the exam was over-the whole time i was thinking it was 2 hrs), i finished the xam by 3.45 and then slept in the hall in my chair(since i hv to wait for john sir for a letter). seeing me arun shouted (almost) - "abe alok" and everybody was looking towards me. now i ask u, cant a poor fella even take the well deserved rest? of course he can- what if the "place" is the xam hall. i tell u, the kinda sleep u get in the classroom, u can never hv in ur own room.
i will reach delhi tomo. sid wud be there, hving reached probably today. and then full hangama on sat and sun evenings. at least that is what i plan. delhi-here i come.
[02/12/2004 03:41:43] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
mama, im coming home
all i can do right now is sing that song. even if i know vey well that im not going home. only 3 ppl left for HP, rest withdrew, and so they want the interview to be in bangalore, arnd 10. there goes my plan of enjoying delhi's winter. before all of u intelli ppl comment that i can catch the flight frm del to bang, let me tell u its not cheap. after spending much of money with both the hands in the past few years, i dont like to spend even a penny unnecessarily now.
some ppl didnt like my writing abt the chap who got the scholar. in the last blog. they say that i hv no business to comment. some even corrected me saying that he didnt get full. all of them mgt be right. but somehow i cudnt hv digested this thing, and so it came out here. i feel when one can praise somebody for doing something right, one hv the right to mention the wrong things also. anyways, thats a debate which can go on.
wasnt feeling well since last ngt. in fact was feeling completely drained. cold i guess. or maybe spending time on the comp for long is taking its toll on me. so overslept today in noon and missed the lunch. still the same sinking feeling remains. and i hv two exams tomo. last ngt i finished "the monk who sold his ferrari". and cried badly. reading these kinda books always makes me do so. maybe its the wounds of the past, or maybe its my own shortcomings.
sid dropped a msg saying that richa didi was angry over the fact i missed her marriage. but what cud i hv done, xams starting by 1 and all these companies before that. nobody wud hv been more happier had i gone. meanwhile i thought of donating some money to SSG, but they told me they already hv funds which are underutilized. so maybe will donate it to cry or something.
hulchul was rotten. complete waste of time. no comedy at all like it was projected to be. anyways....i thought of painting Tshirts now but dont know if oil paints can be used for it. deepa is blank abt it. abhi and his sis said fabric colors would do, but im not sure how long will they last. surely try on one tshirt, though i mgt need to always hand wash it after painting.
mama, im coming home
all i can do right now is sing that song. even if i know vey well that im not going home. only 3 ppl left for HP, rest withdrew, and so they want the interview to be in bangalore, arnd 10. there goes my plan of enjoying delhi's winter. before all of u intelli ppl comment that i can catch the flight frm del to bang, let me tell u its not cheap. after spending much of money with both the hands in the past few years, i dont like to spend even a penny unnecessarily now.
some ppl didnt like my writing abt the chap who got the scholar. in the last blog. they say that i hv no business to comment. some even corrected me saying that he didnt get full. all of them mgt be right. but somehow i cudnt hv digested this thing, and so it came out here. i feel when one can praise somebody for doing something right, one hv the right to mention the wrong things also. anyways, thats a debate which can go on.
wasnt feeling well since last ngt. in fact was feeling completely drained. cold i guess. or maybe spending time on the comp for long is taking its toll on me. so overslept today in noon and missed the lunch. still the same sinking feeling remains. and i hv two exams tomo. last ngt i finished "the monk who sold his ferrari". and cried badly. reading these kinda books always makes me do so. maybe its the wounds of the past, or maybe its my own shortcomings.
sid dropped a msg saying that richa didi was angry over the fact i missed her marriage. but what cud i hv done, xams starting by 1 and all these companies before that. nobody wud hv been more happier had i gone. meanwhile i thought of donating some money to SSG, but they told me they already hv funds which are underutilized. so maybe will donate it to cry or something.
hulchul was rotten. complete waste of time. no comedy at all like it was projected to be. anyways....i thought of painting Tshirts now but dont know if oil paints can be used for it. deepa is blank abt it. abhi and his sis said fabric colors would do, but im not sure how long will they last. surely try on one tshirt, though i mgt need to always hand wash it after painting.
[30/11/2004 06:42:19] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
anti matter
after long i hv realized that my anti-logic abilities are surely above average, if not extraordinary. what i mean is that i can see what is wrong (or what can go wrong). and this has helped me a lot in many things- one for sure is the trainings i conduct; i can almost hear the participants asking questions about the slides i prepare even before i reach the venue. so mostly im never under prepared. first i used to think that this must be common sense, but slowly over time i realize that they never ask even 25% of questions, though they seem to be very obvious to me. same with any mistakes i hv on the slides, i rarely find anybody questioning whereas to me it flashes like bulls eye. my class mates at K must hv realized it for sure, after all i never lose a chance to ask questions and point out mistakes. not that i enjoy this part (or for that matter,they) but somehow, i feel the mistakes are talking to me. on a personal note, this haunts me more, since i realized that my ex. is getting colder towards me, but by then it was too late.anyways.
i made one more painting, taking the total tally to 7 i guess (remember i wrote some months back that by dec i will paint at least 8-10). i hv one more canvas remaining with me now which shud get colored hopefully by 15 dec. the funny part is that i used oil paints this time. no no, nothing funny in oil paints, but somehow i bought only the mixing oil and not the cleaning oil. so after proudly finishing my creation, i wondered what to do with the palette and the brushes, with all the color smeared with them (for the uninitiated, oil paints do not dissolve in water, hence u cant clean the brushes and palette with water). first i tried distilled turpentine oil (which i bought for mixing), but then i realized it was expensive and i had used almost 80% of the bottle. then i tried after shave with not much success. using soap and water only muddled my hands and the wash basin - anybody going to toilet in A top would hv guessed which colors i used last night). so somehow i cleaned as much i cud, and then the first thing i did in the morning after eating was to go and buy cleaning turpentine oil. right now, the brushes are clean, but palette still bear marks of the colors.
a guy in our campus, i wont name who- though i should hv felt no obligations in this case, applied for need based scholarship. not that there is anything wrong in applying for a need based scholarship, but the fact that the same chap hv a collection of over 120 shirts and 30 watches- and that too good brands-swatch and stuff (those of u who are not in IIMK must be thinking i m joking, but some things need to be seen to be believed). his father is some decent enough shot i recall. how low can one stoop. and the joke is that he got full scholarship, and was telling ppl that he will buy a car from the money. did somebody say "ethics"? apparently some ppl hv none. look at it, first his dad must be cheating the govt by declaring false income(and thus saving taxes) and now he uses the same false documents to prove he is "needy" and gets full scholarship.
IBM came and went. wipro didnt even shortlist me. i dont know why. more humiliating is that after hearing this, many ppl asked if they arent shortlisting u, then whom can they do? pls don get an impression that i suppose myself to be a bond in IT, but relatively speaking, i was more into IT than many of the ppl who were eventually selected. god must hv his own plans. but honestly, wipro thing didnt hurt at all for 2 reasons. somehow i dont hv good impression of wipro(after conducting so many trainings there and talk to many guys), and second they took 14 ppl. shud result in lesser competition :-). HP is now coming on 3 or 4, and my plans to go home took a nose dive. lets see what happens.
tomo xams are starting, but i hvnt yet started, as usual :-). will study in the ngt as much as i can. its time for dinner now, hope i dont see the "cow" again in the canteen, somehow i am seeing too much of her here and there. not that there is anything to complain- i like her eyes infact, but rgt now my tummy is complaining. by the way i just finished "hulchul"-more abt it next time. chao.
anti matter
after long i hv realized that my anti-logic abilities are surely above average, if not extraordinary. what i mean is that i can see what is wrong (or what can go wrong). and this has helped me a lot in many things- one for sure is the trainings i conduct; i can almost hear the participants asking questions about the slides i prepare even before i reach the venue. so mostly im never under prepared. first i used to think that this must be common sense, but slowly over time i realize that they never ask even 25% of questions, though they seem to be very obvious to me. same with any mistakes i hv on the slides, i rarely find anybody questioning whereas to me it flashes like bulls eye. my class mates at K must hv realized it for sure, after all i never lose a chance to ask questions and point out mistakes. not that i enjoy this part (or for that matter,they) but somehow, i feel the mistakes are talking to me. on a personal note, this haunts me more, since i realized that my ex. is getting colder towards me, but by then it was too late.anyways.
i made one more painting, taking the total tally to 7 i guess (remember i wrote some months back that by dec i will paint at least 8-10). i hv one more canvas remaining with me now which shud get colored hopefully by 15 dec. the funny part is that i used oil paints this time. no no, nothing funny in oil paints, but somehow i bought only the mixing oil and not the cleaning oil. so after proudly finishing my creation, i wondered what to do with the palette and the brushes, with all the color smeared with them (for the uninitiated, oil paints do not dissolve in water, hence u cant clean the brushes and palette with water). first i tried distilled turpentine oil (which i bought for mixing), but then i realized it was expensive and i had used almost 80% of the bottle. then i tried after shave with not much success. using soap and water only muddled my hands and the wash basin - anybody going to toilet in A top would hv guessed which colors i used last night). so somehow i cleaned as much i cud, and then the first thing i did in the morning after eating was to go and buy cleaning turpentine oil. right now, the brushes are clean, but palette still bear marks of the colors.
a guy in our campus, i wont name who- though i should hv felt no obligations in this case, applied for need based scholarship. not that there is anything wrong in applying for a need based scholarship, but the fact that the same chap hv a collection of over 120 shirts and 30 watches- and that too good brands-swatch and stuff (those of u who are not in IIMK must be thinking i m joking, but some things need to be seen to be believed). his father is some decent enough shot i recall. how low can one stoop. and the joke is that he got full scholarship, and was telling ppl that he will buy a car from the money. did somebody say "ethics"? apparently some ppl hv none. look at it, first his dad must be cheating the govt by declaring false income(and thus saving taxes) and now he uses the same false documents to prove he is "needy" and gets full scholarship.
IBM came and went. wipro didnt even shortlist me. i dont know why. more humiliating is that after hearing this, many ppl asked if they arent shortlisting u, then whom can they do? pls don get an impression that i suppose myself to be a bond in IT, but relatively speaking, i was more into IT than many of the ppl who were eventually selected. god must hv his own plans. but honestly, wipro thing didnt hurt at all for 2 reasons. somehow i dont hv good impression of wipro(after conducting so many trainings there and talk to many guys), and second they took 14 ppl. shud result in lesser competition :-). HP is now coming on 3 or 4, and my plans to go home took a nose dive. lets see what happens.
tomo xams are starting, but i hvnt yet started, as usual :-). will study in the ngt as much as i can. its time for dinner now, hope i dont see the "cow" again in the canteen, somehow i am seeing too much of her here and there. not that there is anything to complain- i like her eyes infact, but rgt now my tummy is complaining. by the way i just finished "hulchul"-more abt it next time. chao.
[25/11/2004 07:55:54] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
the death of a network
the last time i saw him was perhaps months ago. he wasnt in the best of health but yet, sometimes a glow in the appearance would make u think he is going to go on. like a burden on his shoulders, he carried on all the responsibilities of a good friend, tranferring ur videos, voice and msgs faithfully. and then the intrusion happened. somewhere up the line, somebody decided that he has lived enough. first it was slow choking by the firewall, then suddenly one fine day he was brutally murdered by some uncouth system administrators who thought the proxy server should rule now. and we werent able to do anything. simply coz we were supposed to follow the protocol. and now only the ashes remain. sometimes, his ghost comes back, and we start believing he is back. but the ever malfunctioning yahoo msgr reminds u grimly that he is no longer between us. our dear old network. we miss u pal.
if u find humour in the above, believe me for us its nothing short of a tragedy. we cant use the web cam, sound etc to chat. yahoo msgr drops msgs frquently, turns off /on 100 times a day and what not. usually the surfing speed is good (after the bandwidth was increased), but thats all abt it. what good is speed when i cant play yahoo games or online chess on freechess.org. so much for speed.
oh and coming to matters of a more serious hue. i did receive a comment from IR (thanks man)-whom i dont even know personally, but hey - shame shame to all my "friends". so busy that cant even post a comment ? people, lemme tell u it isnt nice.
i joined orkut. funny name it has. (my joke abt this site is that if we launch a similar indian site, it will be named chirkut.com. hope u ppl know whats chirkut). the site is good. for some strange reason, most of the ppl on orkut are frm brazil. i found many friends of mine hv already joined the network long back. anyways better late than never.
today i was one of the board of directors in the IB course for a grp, which i presume is good in analytical and mathematical skills (they call it META i guess). but surprise, surprise, they even didnt cross check the figures they put in the report. most of the calculations (and im not talkin abt assumptions) were simply not correct. i believe they even didnt proof read the report. so a flurry of questions were thrown, most of which didnt result in any satisfactory answer (actually to be honest, none of the grps, including ours, was able to satisfy the board of directors; reasons of which vary frm case to case).anyways.
i took 1 day training at Intel, bangalore for software analysis and design. and boy what impressive facilities they hv there. after the training, i met fauzi and ashutosh (my IBM student) at Forum in Koramangala. one of the better places in bangalore, where u can get most of the things. we had dinner at pizza hut (after long, the last one in pizza hut was in delhi with sid and ravi on 2002-31 dec i think). but unfortunately i got late, and by the time i reached the travel agency, the bus had already left. so i rushed and got another one in 5 mins. the only issue is that i had to shell out 440 bucks more, but it was better in the way that the bus was empty and i had quite good sleep on the last seats. the bus however was bound for ernakulam, and i woke up when ppl were getting down at calicut city (5 more mins of slp would hv landed me in trouble). so i rushed down to see that the time was only 5.15am. no bus, no jeeps nothing. i cud hv got an auto but somehow i didnt feel like shelling 200 bucks more. so i walked to Baby memorial hospital and waited there for some lift (and got none). but thankfully there is a bus service plying at 5.45 frm there, which took me to the IIM.
the first thing i checked after coming back was my mails. ronald, as i expected, hadnt sent my CV for patni (i was in Intel when the deadline for sending CV expired and i had requested him to forward one of the copies placement already has). i cross checked with neel, and he said that placements do hv a copy of the CVs. god knows why ronald had a problem in sending the CV then. u get to see every type of ppl here.
tomo HP is coming. lets see what happens in this one.
the death of a network
the last time i saw him was perhaps months ago. he wasnt in the best of health but yet, sometimes a glow in the appearance would make u think he is going to go on. like a burden on his shoulders, he carried on all the responsibilities of a good friend, tranferring ur videos, voice and msgs faithfully. and then the intrusion happened. somewhere up the line, somebody decided that he has lived enough. first it was slow choking by the firewall, then suddenly one fine day he was brutally murdered by some uncouth system administrators who thought the proxy server should rule now. and we werent able to do anything. simply coz we were supposed to follow the protocol. and now only the ashes remain. sometimes, his ghost comes back, and we start believing he is back. but the ever malfunctioning yahoo msgr reminds u grimly that he is no longer between us. our dear old network. we miss u pal.
if u find humour in the above, believe me for us its nothing short of a tragedy. we cant use the web cam, sound etc to chat. yahoo msgr drops msgs frquently, turns off /on 100 times a day and what not. usually the surfing speed is good (after the bandwidth was increased), but thats all abt it. what good is speed when i cant play yahoo games or online chess on freechess.org. so much for speed.
oh and coming to matters of a more serious hue. i did receive a comment from IR (thanks man)-whom i dont even know personally, but hey - shame shame to all my "friends". so busy that cant even post a comment ? people, lemme tell u it isnt nice.
i joined orkut. funny name it has. (my joke abt this site is that if we launch a similar indian site, it will be named chirkut.com. hope u ppl know whats chirkut). the site is good. for some strange reason, most of the ppl on orkut are frm brazil. i found many friends of mine hv already joined the network long back. anyways better late than never.
today i was one of the board of directors in the IB course for a grp, which i presume is good in analytical and mathematical skills (they call it META i guess). but surprise, surprise, they even didnt cross check the figures they put in the report. most of the calculations (and im not talkin abt assumptions) were simply not correct. i believe they even didnt proof read the report. so a flurry of questions were thrown, most of which didnt result in any satisfactory answer (actually to be honest, none of the grps, including ours, was able to satisfy the board of directors; reasons of which vary frm case to case).anyways.
i took 1 day training at Intel, bangalore for software analysis and design. and boy what impressive facilities they hv there. after the training, i met fauzi and ashutosh (my IBM student) at Forum in Koramangala. one of the better places in bangalore, where u can get most of the things. we had dinner at pizza hut (after long, the last one in pizza hut was in delhi with sid and ravi on 2002-31 dec i think). but unfortunately i got late, and by the time i reached the travel agency, the bus had already left. so i rushed and got another one in 5 mins. the only issue is that i had to shell out 440 bucks more, but it was better in the way that the bus was empty and i had quite good sleep on the last seats. the bus however was bound for ernakulam, and i woke up when ppl were getting down at calicut city (5 more mins of slp would hv landed me in trouble). so i rushed down to see that the time was only 5.15am. no bus, no jeeps nothing. i cud hv got an auto but somehow i didnt feel like shelling 200 bucks more. so i walked to Baby memorial hospital and waited there for some lift (and got none). but thankfully there is a bus service plying at 5.45 frm there, which took me to the IIM.
the first thing i checked after coming back was my mails. ronald, as i expected, hadnt sent my CV for patni (i was in Intel when the deadline for sending CV expired and i had requested him to forward one of the copies placement already has). i cross checked with neel, and he said that placements do hv a copy of the CVs. god knows why ronald had a problem in sending the CV then. u get to see every type of ppl here.
tomo HP is coming. lets see what happens in this one.
[17/11/2004 06:55:47] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
its being lonely out here
finally its 94 days more. last few days were quite hectic thanks to the IB business plan and Mr Austin university (read abhinav). first IB thing went every possible way, and then abhinav's programs for bellman ford and djikstra algos. so the net result was no slp for 4 days.
we hv the IB presentation tomo and the i hv yet to start making the ppt. so one more ngt goes. the good news is that i started jogging up and down the hill regularly ( at least for the past week :-) ). so essentially i m hoping that 4 kms downhill and uphill does something to me.
sid is shifting to del, and there goes any more chances of visiting Hyd. and due to the 8 days we are getting as "holidays" this winter, only 2-3 ppl are going to del. me of course i wont be able to go.maybe i will buy a pair of bino and go for bird watching in Kerala somewhere. so goto bangalore to catch some fleeting traces of winter, and cool my heels for sometime. the problem is that i get bored so soon by not doing anything that it seems impossible to pass time in bangalore (doing nothing) for more than 2 days.
oh yes, and as divya told me, i went and saw some comments on me, supposed to go in the yearbook these chaps are planning (bless their souls-else we wud hv gone without a yearbook like our respected seniors). some were good, and some were so so. personally i find it difficult to put comments, dont know why.its not i feel its a wastage of time, but rather sometimes i feel action is better than words. must appreciate these guys who take their time to write this stuff.
i dont know who all (still) read this stuff, but will be glad if somebody posts a comment or something (sohil, where r u man?) it becomes kinda lonely sometimes. time to go hunting for food. so will take off now. ta.
its being lonely out here
finally its 94 days more. last few days were quite hectic thanks to the IB business plan and Mr Austin university (read abhinav). first IB thing went every possible way, and then abhinav's programs for bellman ford and djikstra algos. so the net result was no slp for 4 days.
we hv the IB presentation tomo and the i hv yet to start making the ppt. so one more ngt goes. the good news is that i started jogging up and down the hill regularly ( at least for the past week :-) ). so essentially i m hoping that 4 kms downhill and uphill does something to me.
sid is shifting to del, and there goes any more chances of visiting Hyd. and due to the 8 days we are getting as "holidays" this winter, only 2-3 ppl are going to del. me of course i wont be able to go.maybe i will buy a pair of bino and go for bird watching in Kerala somewhere. so goto bangalore to catch some fleeting traces of winter, and cool my heels for sometime. the problem is that i get bored so soon by not doing anything that it seems impossible to pass time in bangalore (doing nothing) for more than 2 days.
oh yes, and as divya told me, i went and saw some comments on me, supposed to go in the yearbook these chaps are planning (bless their souls-else we wud hv gone without a yearbook like our respected seniors). some were good, and some were so so. personally i find it difficult to put comments, dont know why.its not i feel its a wastage of time, but rather sometimes i feel action is better than words. must appreciate these guys who take their time to write this stuff.
i dont know who all (still) read this stuff, but will be glad if somebody posts a comment or something (sohil, where r u man?) it becomes kinda lonely sometimes. time to go hunting for food. so will take off now. ta.
[12/11/2004 02:01:07] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
the enterprise and the enterprising
never saw the sun,
shining so bright,
never saw things,
going so right,
noticing the days,
hurrying by,
when you're in love,
my,how they fly,
oh,blue skies,
smiling at me,
nothing but blue skies,
do i see,
bluebirds singing a song,
nothing but bluebirds,
all day long
-- Irving berlin
wish i cud hv written these beautiful lines. actually i heard these in "star trek-nemesis". in the past 10 hrs or so, i watched 3 movies- village, star trek and hell boy. village disappointed, star trek was good and hell boy was ok ok. we hv 3 days "no classes" period here frm 12-14 here. already half a day has passed, with me doing very little in this time-apart from removing cob webs and a little bit of cleaning here and there. still a lot of material remains to be read - newspapers, library books, text books, PG wodehouse. and then reports for all the subjects.phew.(abhinav this is for u-now u can guess abt the bellford and djikstra :-) )
i hv realized one thing. money in my hands never stays for long. in the past 4 days i hv spent thousands buying stuff like colors, canvas, shampoo, conditioner, juice, chewing gums, body wash, after-shave, contact lenses, t-shirts, headphones, books (that reminds me-i finally got the monk who sold his ferrari-hvnt gone thru it yet), and all sort of curios. and still many things need to be bought. the pair of binoculars for example. god knows when i will get time for bird watching. yesterday i went to an optometrist for eye check and getting contacts. he scared me by telling that i hv a cylindrical of 0.75 and power of 1.5 in the left eye, whereas according to me, it shud hv been 2.0 without any cylindrical, when i questioned him abt this saying that how can i develop a cylindrical of this power in 6 months, he checked again and finally agreed to my old power.i hv decided to try quarterly disposable lenses this time instead of the monthly ones.saves some bucks i guess.
sitting here having missed my lunch isnt feeling too good. actually i overslept and when i woke up finally, it was past lunch time at the mess. so im waiting for 4 o clock to strike, which still it a good 42 mins away, when the canteen opens and i can go and stuff myself. till that time, will try to search the material sudipto asked for the IB report. i tried to sms my ex for wising diwali but somehow the msg failed. she was online on yahoo, so i sent a msg. and received a "same to u" back.
for all my friends who had patience to read this far - happy diwali. may the coming time be blissful wherever u are, and whatever u do. so long.
the enterprise and the enterprising
never saw the sun,
shining so bright,
never saw things,
going so right,
noticing the days,
hurrying by,
when you're in love,
my,how they fly,
oh,blue skies,
smiling at me,
nothing but blue skies,
do i see,
bluebirds singing a song,
nothing but bluebirds,
all day long
-- Irving berlin
wish i cud hv written these beautiful lines. actually i heard these in "star trek-nemesis". in the past 10 hrs or so, i watched 3 movies- village, star trek and hell boy. village disappointed, star trek was good and hell boy was ok ok. we hv 3 days "no classes" period here frm 12-14 here. already half a day has passed, with me doing very little in this time-apart from removing cob webs and a little bit of cleaning here and there. still a lot of material remains to be read - newspapers, library books, text books, PG wodehouse. and then reports for all the subjects.phew.(abhinav this is for u-now u can guess abt the bellford and djikstra :-) )
i hv realized one thing. money in my hands never stays for long. in the past 4 days i hv spent thousands buying stuff like colors, canvas, shampoo, conditioner, juice, chewing gums, body wash, after-shave, contact lenses, t-shirts, headphones, books (that reminds me-i finally got the monk who sold his ferrari-hvnt gone thru it yet), and all sort of curios. and still many things need to be bought. the pair of binoculars for example. god knows when i will get time for bird watching. yesterday i went to an optometrist for eye check and getting contacts. he scared me by telling that i hv a cylindrical of 0.75 and power of 1.5 in the left eye, whereas according to me, it shud hv been 2.0 without any cylindrical, when i questioned him abt this saying that how can i develop a cylindrical of this power in 6 months, he checked again and finally agreed to my old power.i hv decided to try quarterly disposable lenses this time instead of the monthly ones.saves some bucks i guess.
sitting here having missed my lunch isnt feeling too good. actually i overslept and when i woke up finally, it was past lunch time at the mess. so im waiting for 4 o clock to strike, which still it a good 42 mins away, when the canteen opens and i can go and stuff myself. till that time, will try to search the material sudipto asked for the IB report. i tried to sms my ex for wising diwali but somehow the msg failed. she was online on yahoo, so i sent a msg. and received a "same to u" back.
for all my friends who had patience to read this far - happy diwali. may the coming time be blissful wherever u are, and whatever u do. so long.
[10/11/2004 11:18:08] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
devil's advocate
this name is given by one of my prof to me and boy-did i like it. after long, i think i hv found a perfect nick :-)
first things first. wooooh. 4 days of kerala. enchanting. at the same time back breaking. mom, sis, bro, my bro-in-law....and most of them all my 1 1/2 year old nephew. old enough to demand full time attention. we visited periyar, kovalam, kanyakumari, allepe, wayanard. Qualis- 4 days- 1600 km or so - dont know how many classes bunk. but in the end it was worth it. i tell u one must visit kerala at least once.
but in all this trouble, my back hurts. lets go back in time and see what happend:
1st Nov: mom, sis.... arrive. we start for the kerala tour by 6pm. reach trissur by ngt, visit the temple there, start for cochin and spend the ngt in cochin.
2nd : after taking bfast in cochin, we reach periyar by 4.30. boating is closed by then, but we spend some time there, and decide not to go for the night track (7-11pm). move to kovalam. spend the night there.
3rd: morning to noon at kovalam beach. sis, bro and jiju find it to their liking. we start for kanyakumari, but midway a police checking reveals some documents of our qualis driver is lacking. so he shells out 1000 bucks. anyways, we reach kanyakumari by 3. visit vivekanand's rock by 6, do some shopping there. but problems starts appearing- seems i forgot to do the IB assignment which has to be given by 4th. nothing can be done at ngt, so spend the ngt at kanyakumari.
4th: start back towards allepe. reach there by 3pm. take a boat ride till 7pm in the backwaters. it is beautiful. if i get one more chance, mgt visit it again. no time for going to kumarakoam, mom is getting worried abt my assignment, though i try to play cool. by ngt we are in cochin, take dinner there, and then start back for IIMK. reach here by 2am. i spend the ngt in computer center from 3am to 9am completing the IB assignment. so no sleep.
5th: submit the IB thing by 10. the prof tells me that there mgt a penalty for late submission, but in any case it is better than a zero. i call the qualis again and start for wayanad. after spending some time there, come back to K by 5. mom says they want to shop in the city, so i ask the qualis fella to take the vehicle with them after dropping me at IIM.
6th: classes, classes and more classes. sis and jiju travel to city again for some more shopping. shuiab starts pleading to take the 8th and 9th XML training for Tata Elixsi. i try to refuse but little luck.
7th: i decide i will take shuiab out of misery, though at the same time its a big risk. anyways get a ticket to bangalore and catch a ngt bus. mom and others hv to catch the train tomo. i tell the mess contractor at IIM to get them a jeep next day.
8th: 7O' clock i reach the flat at bangalore. hardly slept at ngt. shuaib comes by 8am and tells me i hv to catch a rick, since he is stuck with a peoplesoft training. i do so, and realize Tata Elixsi is 150 bucks far from JP nagar. call back at IIMK, they tell me its a strike at calicut, and jiju has talked to a police chap for escorting them to the station. call rishabh-he says tanushree has been transferred to IBM-gurgaon. i feel bad she didnt even inform me. anyways come back all tired by 8pm. call at K again- sudipo says i hv to do some more work in SDM report. so after dinner i sit in a cafe and finish it by 10pm.
9th: very little sleep last ngt also, since i forgot to switch the lights off before dozing. so wake up with a heavy head. got a rick but the idiot took a wrong route and i reach Tata Elixsi late by 30 min by 10am. shuaib had promised that he will arrange for my ticket back to IIMK. by noon however, he says the company's agents arent able to get any ticket. i m worried now. training is wrapped up by 4.30pm, i goto madiwala on my own, and get a ticket. go back to my flat at JP nagar. realize i need to buy a sweatshirt. deepak says that jayanagar 4th block has good shops. a visit to the place with him proves fruitless in that regard, as i want a UCB sweatshirt and there is no UCB showroom there. however to make the most of that time, i buy oil paints, "the monk who sold his ferrari", linseed and terpentine oils, a canvas and some brushes. it costs me a small fortune, and i realize that painting a sigle canvas costs 150-300 bucks !!!! time is running, so we rush back, i pick the stuff and leave for bus stand. no dinner. the bus looks good, but seats arent meant for sleeping.
10th: reach IIMK by 7. little sleep last ngt too. by now im quite sleepy. but hv to attend classes, frm 11-8pm. but somehow after long, i ate all 3 times :-) . sid called to tell he is shifted back to delhi, and will move after richa didi's marriage. talk to abhinav who tells me a story abt clubs in US. i realize that i mgt not be able to attend richa didi's marriage after richard tells me that IBM is coming arnd 26th. mgt catch 4-5 flights costing arnd 14K, but think it will be worthwhile to put this money to better use-maybe some gift for didi. gautam basak and gang come to my room for hving a programming help. i realize that the problem is going to take a hell lot of time. and wonder this diwali too, i will be stuck here in K.
phewwww. if u thought that was long, consider this- after i wrote this blog entry, by mistake i closed the browser window, and hv to write again. right now im damn sleepy. before i lose senses to know what im writing, i shud post this. so long then.ta.
devil's advocate
this name is given by one of my prof to me and boy-did i like it. after long, i think i hv found a perfect nick :-)
first things first. wooooh. 4 days of kerala. enchanting. at the same time back breaking. mom, sis, bro, my bro-in-law....and most of them all my 1 1/2 year old nephew. old enough to demand full time attention. we visited periyar, kovalam, kanyakumari, allepe, wayanard. Qualis- 4 days- 1600 km or so - dont know how many classes bunk. but in the end it was worth it. i tell u one must visit kerala at least once.
but in all this trouble, my back hurts. lets go back in time and see what happend:
1st Nov: mom, sis.... arrive. we start for the kerala tour by 6pm. reach trissur by ngt, visit the temple there, start for cochin and spend the ngt in cochin.
2nd : after taking bfast in cochin, we reach periyar by 4.30. boating is closed by then, but we spend some time there, and decide not to go for the night track (7-11pm). move to kovalam. spend the night there.
3rd: morning to noon at kovalam beach. sis, bro and jiju find it to their liking. we start for kanyakumari, but midway a police checking reveals some documents of our qualis driver is lacking. so he shells out 1000 bucks. anyways, we reach kanyakumari by 3. visit vivekanand's rock by 6, do some shopping there. but problems starts appearing- seems i forgot to do the IB assignment which has to be given by 4th. nothing can be done at ngt, so spend the ngt at kanyakumari.
4th: start back towards allepe. reach there by 3pm. take a boat ride till 7pm in the backwaters. it is beautiful. if i get one more chance, mgt visit it again. no time for going to kumarakoam, mom is getting worried abt my assignment, though i try to play cool. by ngt we are in cochin, take dinner there, and then start back for IIMK. reach here by 2am. i spend the ngt in computer center from 3am to 9am completing the IB assignment. so no sleep.
5th: submit the IB thing by 10. the prof tells me that there mgt a penalty for late submission, but in any case it is better than a zero. i call the qualis again and start for wayanad. after spending some time there, come back to K by 5. mom says they want to shop in the city, so i ask the qualis fella to take the vehicle with them after dropping me at IIM.
6th: classes, classes and more classes. sis and jiju travel to city again for some more shopping. shuiab starts pleading to take the 8th and 9th XML training for Tata Elixsi. i try to refuse but little luck.
7th: i decide i will take shuiab out of misery, though at the same time its a big risk. anyways get a ticket to bangalore and catch a ngt bus. mom and others hv to catch the train tomo. i tell the mess contractor at IIM to get them a jeep next day.
8th: 7O' clock i reach the flat at bangalore. hardly slept at ngt. shuaib comes by 8am and tells me i hv to catch a rick, since he is stuck with a peoplesoft training. i do so, and realize Tata Elixsi is 150 bucks far from JP nagar. call back at IIMK, they tell me its a strike at calicut, and jiju has talked to a police chap for escorting them to the station. call rishabh-he says tanushree has been transferred to IBM-gurgaon. i feel bad she didnt even inform me. anyways come back all tired by 8pm. call at K again- sudipo says i hv to do some more work in SDM report. so after dinner i sit in a cafe and finish it by 10pm.
9th: very little sleep last ngt also, since i forgot to switch the lights off before dozing. so wake up with a heavy head. got a rick but the idiot took a wrong route and i reach Tata Elixsi late by 30 min by 10am. shuaib had promised that he will arrange for my ticket back to IIMK. by noon however, he says the company's agents arent able to get any ticket. i m worried now. training is wrapped up by 4.30pm, i goto madiwala on my own, and get a ticket. go back to my flat at JP nagar. realize i need to buy a sweatshirt. deepak says that jayanagar 4th block has good shops. a visit to the place with him proves fruitless in that regard, as i want a UCB sweatshirt and there is no UCB showroom there. however to make the most of that time, i buy oil paints, "the monk who sold his ferrari", linseed and terpentine oils, a canvas and some brushes. it costs me a small fortune, and i realize that painting a sigle canvas costs 150-300 bucks !!!! time is running, so we rush back, i pick the stuff and leave for bus stand. no dinner. the bus looks good, but seats arent meant for sleeping.
10th: reach IIMK by 7. little sleep last ngt too. by now im quite sleepy. but hv to attend classes, frm 11-8pm. but somehow after long, i ate all 3 times :-) . sid called to tell he is shifted back to delhi, and will move after richa didi's marriage. talk to abhinav who tells me a story abt clubs in US. i realize that i mgt not be able to attend richa didi's marriage after richard tells me that IBM is coming arnd 26th. mgt catch 4-5 flights costing arnd 14K, but think it will be worthwhile to put this money to better use-maybe some gift for didi. gautam basak and gang come to my room for hving a programming help. i realize that the problem is going to take a hell lot of time. and wonder this diwali too, i will be stuck here in K.
phewwww. if u thought that was long, consider this- after i wrote this blog entry, by mistake i closed the browser window, and hv to write again. right now im damn sleepy. before i lose senses to know what im writing, i shud post this. so long then.ta.
[28/10/2004 20:06:37] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
boolean facts
honesty sells for a dime,
honesty is a crime,
honesty is not their cup of tea,
honest is what nobody wants to be
-- me
its 9.12am. and what a beautiful morning. i slept at 3.30 and woke up at 7.30. not feeling perfect but surprisingly fresh. wish all days start like this. today i will surely paint, which i hv been calling off for days. mid terms got over day before, and as usual i give a damn. just ok ok to be honest.
in retrospective, it was good that the training on 28-29 was called off at the last hour. gave me good time to relax and come back to life. mom will be there by 1 and still some arrangements need to be made. but my sis inlaws wont be able to, since there was somebody ailing to take care of. tarana is already in bangalore, sid mgt be there on weekend. i wud hv also gone if mom wud be coming a bit late. mom was asking abt sid, and i thot i wud invite tarana and sid to calicut, but they hv a busy schedule it seems. sid got a very good job just days back. i think tarana has proved quite luck for him :-)
last ngt nishant came. just like that. i like these kinda friends, who visit u for no reason. especially when i myself very rarely do, feel i shud improve upon that. besides i like his temperament. frequencies, they say. anyways, on contrary to myself counting days left in IIMK, he was worried that only a few months are left. i hv really got bored with all this gyan floating around, and just want to get my feet wet.
net speed is pathetic, but i must confess it is helping me a lot. i waste significantly less time playing chess or surfing/downloading. yes, sometimes it is frustating, but im happy to finish some of the piles of the newspapers and books lying everywhere in my room. oh and i finished the bellman ford algo program abhinav asked for. seemingly simple things and concepts for humans, are quite difficult and cumbersome to code. but nonetheless coding is fun.
i started a yahoo group- the_boolean_people hours back. for all the people i meet on trainings to keep touch with. not the civilians i mean, rather the coders. till now only fauzi and me hv joined it. reminds me, i caught sulabh the other day. his london tenure is finishing by dec, and he is keen for ISB. he mgt go for another bank assignment after dec, to states. lucky chap i must say.
time to go for breakfast. will update later. ta.
boolean facts
honesty sells for a dime,
honesty is a crime,
honesty is not their cup of tea,
honest is what nobody wants to be
-- me
its 9.12am. and what a beautiful morning. i slept at 3.30 and woke up at 7.30. not feeling perfect but surprisingly fresh. wish all days start like this. today i will surely paint, which i hv been calling off for days. mid terms got over day before, and as usual i give a damn. just ok ok to be honest.
in retrospective, it was good that the training on 28-29 was called off at the last hour. gave me good time to relax and come back to life. mom will be there by 1 and still some arrangements need to be made. but my sis inlaws wont be able to, since there was somebody ailing to take care of. tarana is already in bangalore, sid mgt be there on weekend. i wud hv also gone if mom wud be coming a bit late. mom was asking abt sid, and i thot i wud invite tarana and sid to calicut, but they hv a busy schedule it seems. sid got a very good job just days back. i think tarana has proved quite luck for him :-)
last ngt nishant came. just like that. i like these kinda friends, who visit u for no reason. especially when i myself very rarely do, feel i shud improve upon that. besides i like his temperament. frequencies, they say. anyways, on contrary to myself counting days left in IIMK, he was worried that only a few months are left. i hv really got bored with all this gyan floating around, and just want to get my feet wet.
net speed is pathetic, but i must confess it is helping me a lot. i waste significantly less time playing chess or surfing/downloading. yes, sometimes it is frustating, but im happy to finish some of the piles of the newspapers and books lying everywhere in my room. oh and i finished the bellman ford algo program abhinav asked for. seemingly simple things and concepts for humans, are quite difficult and cumbersome to code. but nonetheless coding is fun.
i started a yahoo group- the_boolean_people hours back. for all the people i meet on trainings to keep touch with. not the civilians i mean, rather the coders. till now only fauzi and me hv joined it. reminds me, i caught sulabh the other day. his london tenure is finishing by dec, and he is keen for ISB. he mgt go for another bank assignment after dec, to states. lucky chap i must say.
time to go for breakfast. will update later. ta.
[25/10/2004 05:53:59] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
dude, i read ur blog (dude: i read ur blog)
dont get confused. both the above titles are true at the same time. dude (no not the dude i talked abt in my earlier postings - its my classmate rahul gandhi- and no he has nothing to do with the gandhi family- i mean of course he belongs to his own gandhi family, but not related with the gandhi family we all know abt. what a confusion with the names! ) remarked in the class just that. so the above line shud read: Dude: "Dude, i read ur blog". and he made some suggestive gesture with his thumb and index finger, which in common parlance is considered good. later he burst laughing. trying in vain to understand what he meant, i came to the simple conclusion his strange behavior can be explained by the fact that probably he didnt hv a ciggy for the past few days. poor lad :-)
i just gave my first mid term today. IT management. as usual i feel great after any exam is over. mainly coz the tension is shifted from me to the prof. let him do the hard work now in evaluating my answer sheet. to be fair, i did gave most of the answers correct, but as one of the more studious among us, told me later, that maybe i gave the answers in a wrong sequence. the Q2 answer's theory was perhaps explained under Q7. what the heck-all of them looked just the same. anyways, i think thats a small mistake, and our honourable prof will be wise enough to give credit for my genius whatsoever form it appeared in the answer sheet. 3 more exams to go. 3 more worried profs :-)
talked to abhinav today (no not abhinav goel. no not even abhinav gupta - im talking abt the one who is doing his MS frm Univ of Austin - my Btech mate). he had some problems in some of his problems. one about a sorting algorithm and other bellman ford. more importantly he asked why i didnt write blog for a long time, and told me to write ASAP. seems people still care abt this old man (26 yrs to be precise) rantings. (dude- the gandhi one, if ur reading this, stop laughing, would u? ). net again is amazing as usual. some bytes per second, it makes u turn to philosophy. u start wondering if this net connection is for real or is it just a illusion, if ur senses are deceiving u.
now for serious things. talked to so many ppl yesterday. sid, didi, mom, uncle, arjun -my cousin, tina, deepika. although in the last case it was less of a talk. she just disconnected leaving me amused and shocked at the same time. last i talked to her(which is quite some time) she was ok. i dont know what is going on in her mind since the last 40-45 days. actually i never knew whats going in anybodys mind, hehe. i always tried to guess. anyways i send her a msg, expressing my displeasure and telling that im not gaurav (now i know this seems tricky, i believe she does know im not gaurav :-) ) she msged back saying sorry for disconnecting the call. end of story. called sid afterwards. actually he called me back and we talked for more than 1 hr. tarana and sid were angry over deeps behavior as usual. at times i feel im burdening them with my problems unnecessarily.
it is raining outside. kerala weather is strange. it will start raining suddenly anyday anytime. the coming few days are going to be real hectic. mom i coming on 1st - i tried for the lakshyadeep thing. but it is cumbersome, even the ships ply only on few days. so i guess i wud better arrange a trip in kerala only. that will take 4-5 days at least. then i had wipro training on 28-29 immediately after my mid terms. the PPP presentation and SDM project thing also needs to be done. and shuaib again was asking for IBM dates - 5 days to be precise.
ok ok im finishing now. 2 xams tomo. will write sometime later. chao.
dude, i read ur blog (dude: i read ur blog)
dont get confused. both the above titles are true at the same time. dude (no not the dude i talked abt in my earlier postings - its my classmate rahul gandhi- and no he has nothing to do with the gandhi family- i mean of course he belongs to his own gandhi family, but not related with the gandhi family we all know abt. what a confusion with the names! ) remarked in the class just that. so the above line shud read: Dude: "Dude, i read ur blog". and he made some suggestive gesture with his thumb and index finger, which in common parlance is considered good. later he burst laughing. trying in vain to understand what he meant, i came to the simple conclusion his strange behavior can be explained by the fact that probably he didnt hv a ciggy for the past few days. poor lad :-)
i just gave my first mid term today. IT management. as usual i feel great after any exam is over. mainly coz the tension is shifted from me to the prof. let him do the hard work now in evaluating my answer sheet. to be fair, i did gave most of the answers correct, but as one of the more studious among us, told me later, that maybe i gave the answers in a wrong sequence. the Q2 answer's theory was perhaps explained under Q7. what the heck-all of them looked just the same. anyways, i think thats a small mistake, and our honourable prof will be wise enough to give credit for my genius whatsoever form it appeared in the answer sheet. 3 more exams to go. 3 more worried profs :-)
talked to abhinav today (no not abhinav goel. no not even abhinav gupta - im talking abt the one who is doing his MS frm Univ of Austin - my Btech mate). he had some problems in some of his problems. one about a sorting algorithm and other bellman ford. more importantly he asked why i didnt write blog for a long time, and told me to write ASAP. seems people still care abt this old man (26 yrs to be precise) rantings. (dude- the gandhi one, if ur reading this, stop laughing, would u? ). net again is amazing as usual. some bytes per second, it makes u turn to philosophy. u start wondering if this net connection is for real or is it just a illusion, if ur senses are deceiving u.
now for serious things. talked to so many ppl yesterday. sid, didi, mom, uncle, arjun -my cousin, tina, deepika. although in the last case it was less of a talk. she just disconnected leaving me amused and shocked at the same time. last i talked to her(which is quite some time) she was ok. i dont know what is going on in her mind since the last 40-45 days. actually i never knew whats going in anybodys mind, hehe. i always tried to guess. anyways i send her a msg, expressing my displeasure and telling that im not gaurav (now i know this seems tricky, i believe she does know im not gaurav :-) ) she msged back saying sorry for disconnecting the call. end of story. called sid afterwards. actually he called me back and we talked for more than 1 hr. tarana and sid were angry over deeps behavior as usual. at times i feel im burdening them with my problems unnecessarily.
it is raining outside. kerala weather is strange. it will start raining suddenly anyday anytime. the coming few days are going to be real hectic. mom i coming on 1st - i tried for the lakshyadeep thing. but it is cumbersome, even the ships ply only on few days. so i guess i wud better arrange a trip in kerala only. that will take 4-5 days at least. then i had wipro training on 28-29 immediately after my mid terms. the PPP presentation and SDM project thing also needs to be done. and shuaib again was asking for IBM dates - 5 days to be precise.
ok ok im finishing now. 2 xams tomo. will write sometime later. chao.
[19/10/2004 23:19:51] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
the owl and the pussycat
the owl and the pussycat went to the sea,
in a beautiful pea green boat
they took some honey and plenty of money
wrapped in a five pound note
- divya (she says there is more, but maybe later)
its that time of the month again. in which i get weird feelings and long gone thoughts. like how i used to open for my cricket team and how i was the highest scorer for almost 2-3 years. or the football matches. childhood, the time of bliss. but it also opens some old wounds abt ravi and my ex. but i feel sometimes we shud let tears run free.
meanwhile deepak (my amity classmate who is doing MS in states) sent this....humorous and humiliating....abt indian call centres...http://www.sri-soft.com/Sharon_or_Shalini-IT%20Support.wmv .
we went to bekal fort on this saturday, on one sumo and two bikes, and after long i rode a bike on speeds >100. the whole way i had the feeling that one of us is going to hit somebody, which came true in the form of an accident between pawan and a cycle chap, who got his hand fractured. the whole evening and night was spend in hospital and police station.despite the fact that the cycle chap made a mistake, his companions made every posssible effot to extract money frm us, resulting finally in a case against pawan. anyways, i think i better not talk abt these things, which somehow darken the mood.
i called tina again yesterday, felt that it is my responsibility to ask at least how she is doing in bangalore. she most probably is going to get posted in bangalore only. i mgt go to bangalore this weekend to IIMB as part of the football team, though not very sure abt this. day before, HCL tech has come, and they short listed only guy with IT work ex. now actually it is a gross wastage of our as well as their time, since they could hv clearly told that only IT work ex guys would be considered, before the GD itself. anyways, they picked 6 guys (5 guys and 1 girl technically), and im more than happy. more the number of offers per company the better it is for all of us.
IIMB has a blogging contest, but somehow it doesnt appeal. so i dont see myself taking part. moreover, mom is coming to calicut on 2nd along with sis and my nephew. i hv planned a trip to lakshyadeep. so a lot of arrangements need to be made. lets see.
the owl and the pussycat
the owl and the pussycat went to the sea,
in a beautiful pea green boat
they took some honey and plenty of money
wrapped in a five pound note
- divya (she says there is more, but maybe later)
its that time of the month again. in which i get weird feelings and long gone thoughts. like how i used to open for my cricket team and how i was the highest scorer for almost 2-3 years. or the football matches. childhood, the time of bliss. but it also opens some old wounds abt ravi and my ex. but i feel sometimes we shud let tears run free.
meanwhile deepak (my amity classmate who is doing MS in states) sent this....humorous and humiliating....abt indian call centres...http://www.sri-soft.com/Sharon_or_Shalini-IT%20Support.wmv .
we went to bekal fort on this saturday, on one sumo and two bikes, and after long i rode a bike on speeds >100. the whole way i had the feeling that one of us is going to hit somebody, which came true in the form of an accident between pawan and a cycle chap, who got his hand fractured. the whole evening and night was spend in hospital and police station.despite the fact that the cycle chap made a mistake, his companions made every posssible effot to extract money frm us, resulting finally in a case against pawan. anyways, i think i better not talk abt these things, which somehow darken the mood.
i called tina again yesterday, felt that it is my responsibility to ask at least how she is doing in bangalore. she most probably is going to get posted in bangalore only. i mgt go to bangalore this weekend to IIMB as part of the football team, though not very sure abt this. day before, HCL tech has come, and they short listed only guy with IT work ex. now actually it is a gross wastage of our as well as their time, since they could hv clearly told that only IT work ex guys would be considered, before the GD itself. anyways, they picked 6 guys (5 guys and 1 girl technically), and im more than happy. more the number of offers per company the better it is for all of us.
IIMB has a blogging contest, but somehow it doesnt appeal. so i dont see myself taking part. moreover, mom is coming to calicut on 2nd along with sis and my nephew. i hv planned a trip to lakshyadeep. so a lot of arrangements need to be made. lets see.
[11/10/2004 12:28:11] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
blazing
now life has been zipping in the past few weeks. i got involved with a girl whom i hardly knew for 8 days. we roamed around, ate together, held hands, kissed, sweet talked and what not. but even before i could understand whats going on, she told that maybe we should stop talking. bad things sure happen to nice guys :-) . ya but i did earn some buck, 55 K to be precise, thanx to the 11 day training of IBM. so for the coming some time, no more trainings. let me catch life at K. meanwhile my cash flows are as erratic as possible, though some money is in the pipeline.
there was this sports meet between IIMB and K, for which i spoiled my weekend at bangalore, and took all pains(including a cabin seat in the bus for 8 hours- for those who dont know what a cabin seat is can imagine a 2 feet narrow foamed stool kinda thing). just to see the B guys come down to a level which i long thought of the highly talked temples of learning. i messed up the opening and lost the first game of chess. the second one was played by a junior who probably had not much experience of clock play. obviously he lost. the third one we won on time, but somebody frm the audience shouted over the flag. and they whined for a rematch. which we accepted but after my game. i won the third one, making the score 2-1. now comes the moment of truth. the IIMB chap again had just 2 mins on his clock, when suddenly he complained that our player was playing on time. in all fairness, there were enough pieces on the board, and there was no forced win. he argued, argued and argued, quoting some non-existent rules. forgetting that i could hv penalized him for few things in the match even if i overlook the very argument. the second arbiter frm bangalore was a doorknob. he hardly knew the rules and blindly nodded to whatever the player said. ultimately that match also was cancelled, and the 3rd match took place. by that time, our player was exhausted perhaps, and he blundered and subsequently lost. later i heard that they did something of the same sort in swimming also. moral of the story - there is something fundamentally wrong with how we select on merit perhaps. how can u expect guys who dont even hv a zilch of sportsmanship to hv values and principles in life and career. and then they teach ethics at every B school. sad.
sid had an interview at HP, and i guess he got a reality shock. abt how these big companies manage their affairs. i guess the guy who interviewed him didnt even read his CV properly and went on asking questions which were far frm relevant. there were some good things also though in the past few days - like the mid term test which i thought i missed, was eventually postponed. my DBMS team got an A+ (my first A+ here in K, though to be honest i got some A and A- previously). in this term we got 5/5 in international business.
somehow im pretty tired after coming to K. right now also i hv little energy to go on. so i should stop here. besides we have a class early in the morning tomo. will try to write something interesting later. till then.
blazing
now life has been zipping in the past few weeks. i got involved with a girl whom i hardly knew for 8 days. we roamed around, ate together, held hands, kissed, sweet talked and what not. but even before i could understand whats going on, she told that maybe we should stop talking. bad things sure happen to nice guys :-) . ya but i did earn some buck, 55 K to be precise, thanx to the 11 day training of IBM. so for the coming some time, no more trainings. let me catch life at K. meanwhile my cash flows are as erratic as possible, though some money is in the pipeline.
there was this sports meet between IIMB and K, for which i spoiled my weekend at bangalore, and took all pains(including a cabin seat in the bus for 8 hours- for those who dont know what a cabin seat is can imagine a 2 feet narrow foamed stool kinda thing). just to see the B guys come down to a level which i long thought of the highly talked temples of learning. i messed up the opening and lost the first game of chess. the second one was played by a junior who probably had not much experience of clock play. obviously he lost. the third one we won on time, but somebody frm the audience shouted over the flag. and they whined for a rematch. which we accepted but after my game. i won the third one, making the score 2-1. now comes the moment of truth. the IIMB chap again had just 2 mins on his clock, when suddenly he complained that our player was playing on time. in all fairness, there were enough pieces on the board, and there was no forced win. he argued, argued and argued, quoting some non-existent rules. forgetting that i could hv penalized him for few things in the match even if i overlook the very argument. the second arbiter frm bangalore was a doorknob. he hardly knew the rules and blindly nodded to whatever the player said. ultimately that match also was cancelled, and the 3rd match took place. by that time, our player was exhausted perhaps, and he blundered and subsequently lost. later i heard that they did something of the same sort in swimming also. moral of the story - there is something fundamentally wrong with how we select on merit perhaps. how can u expect guys who dont even hv a zilch of sportsmanship to hv values and principles in life and career. and then they teach ethics at every B school. sad.
sid had an interview at HP, and i guess he got a reality shock. abt how these big companies manage their affairs. i guess the guy who interviewed him didnt even read his CV properly and went on asking questions which were far frm relevant. there were some good things also though in the past few days - like the mid term test which i thought i missed, was eventually postponed. my DBMS team got an A+ (my first A+ here in K, though to be honest i got some A and A- previously). in this term we got 5/5 in international business.
somehow im pretty tired after coming to K. right now also i hv little energy to go on. so i should stop here. besides we have a class early in the morning tomo. will try to write something interesting later. till then.
[09/10/2004 14:14:08] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
no more words
one more life to live,
some more love to give,
one more smile of hers,
and those sweet soft words,
the agony of being away,
and nothing she would say,
one more "pls dont go"
and wish u could really say so,
the joy of meeting again,
after bearing nights of pain,
one glimpse of her beautiful eyes,
after all those "goodbyes"
those ages and eons of wait,
when actually she is just mins late,
one more dream to see,
i wish one more life to live.
no more words
one more life to live,
some more love to give,
one more smile of hers,
and those sweet soft words,
the agony of being away,
and nothing she would say,
one more "pls dont go"
and wish u could really say so,
the joy of meeting again,
after bearing nights of pain,
one glimpse of her beautiful eyes,
after all those "goodbyes"
those ages and eons of wait,
when actually she is just mins late,
one more dream to see,
i wish one more life to live.
[19/09/2004 05:34:59] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
the lost lines....
music can be very powerful. especially listening to a voice like jagjit's. dont know why i feel much peaceful today. i hv been listening to music and reading old newspapers all day. yet a huge bunch of papers still lie. but im determined to finish them today ngt. there is still some stuff on bed, but its lot more manageable now. here in K, dude hasnt returned yet it seems. he started frm delhi 2 days back but i hvnt seen him on campus. god knows where has he gone. not that i m keen to intrude into his personal life, but he is carrying some sweets frm my home, and i hv got a swt tooth, especially for the ladoos which mom has sent. neways, guys will be back here by at most tomo, as usual UD has given a warning abt the repercussions of not registering tomo.
im finding simple things too philosophical now-a-days. take my screen for example, all of a sudden it lost color and turned a mix pale yellow and gray. before today, thing like this never happened. i tried rebooting, changing setting, switching it on and off and all sort of tricks. i thot it mgt be the end of this monitor and i get to buy a new one- implying more expenses. but after some time it became all right by itself. just like that. and i wondered life is much like this, if it loses color someday, it does come back to normal. u just have to be patient.
oh, and abt that title. i just realized i lost some of my poems due to the hard disk crash of my old PC at home. one of them i liked specially. some motivation thing, but unlike most of my other poems, i dont remember more than 1-2 lines of it. hope i hv written it somewhere else also. neways, i chatted to vyom, he is in hyd. perhaps if i get to go to pune in a month or two i will catch him there. talked to sohil also. at times i feel good to meet these two gentlemen on net. good friends as they say, are like gifts.
today after many months i feel like old alok again. emotional-yes, but not depressive. seems a load has been removed frm my head. usually i feel pretty sane after taking a bath, i dont know why. but this feeling is even when i hvnt taken bath for almost 2 days now :-). but seriously, i start to realize many things which i believed previously also, but lacked clarity perhaps. like the fact that i can only do my bit for certain things, and the honesty with which i can act, is a good enough compensation in itself. let others be happy in what they think and do. my good wishes with them.
meanwhile, my monitor still flickers sometimes, but im not worried even a bit now . if u know what i mean. will end here, vaise bhi tarana has complained abt my long entries :-). take care.
the lost lines....
music can be very powerful. especially listening to a voice like jagjit's. dont know why i feel much peaceful today. i hv been listening to music and reading old newspapers all day. yet a huge bunch of papers still lie. but im determined to finish them today ngt. there is still some stuff on bed, but its lot more manageable now. here in K, dude hasnt returned yet it seems. he started frm delhi 2 days back but i hvnt seen him on campus. god knows where has he gone. not that i m keen to intrude into his personal life, but he is carrying some sweets frm my home, and i hv got a swt tooth, especially for the ladoos which mom has sent. neways, guys will be back here by at most tomo, as usual UD has given a warning abt the repercussions of not registering tomo.
im finding simple things too philosophical now-a-days. take my screen for example, all of a sudden it lost color and turned a mix pale yellow and gray. before today, thing like this never happened. i tried rebooting, changing setting, switching it on and off and all sort of tricks. i thot it mgt be the end of this monitor and i get to buy a new one- implying more expenses. but after some time it became all right by itself. just like that. and i wondered life is much like this, if it loses color someday, it does come back to normal. u just have to be patient.
oh, and abt that title. i just realized i lost some of my poems due to the hard disk crash of my old PC at home. one of them i liked specially. some motivation thing, but unlike most of my other poems, i dont remember more than 1-2 lines of it. hope i hv written it somewhere else also. neways, i chatted to vyom, he is in hyd. perhaps if i get to go to pune in a month or two i will catch him there. talked to sohil also. at times i feel good to meet these two gentlemen on net. good friends as they say, are like gifts.
today after many months i feel like old alok again. emotional-yes, but not depressive. seems a load has been removed frm my head. usually i feel pretty sane after taking a bath, i dont know why. but this feeling is even when i hvnt taken bath for almost 2 days now :-). but seriously, i start to realize many things which i believed previously also, but lacked clarity perhaps. like the fact that i can only do my bit for certain things, and the honesty with which i can act, is a good enough compensation in itself. let others be happy in what they think and do. my good wishes with them.
meanwhile, my monitor still flickers sometimes, but im not worried even a bit now . if u know what i mean. will end here, vaise bhi tarana has complained abt my long entries :-). take care.
[18/09/2004 03:21:51] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
ah....to live...
just came back to K from bangalore. in the past 9 days i went to bang, did a seminar there, then to hyd, 5 days there, back to bang, one more training , 2 interviews at IBM and logica, and finally K. bought some fruits frm hyd, but half of them got rotten in 2 days. good thing was that IBM thing was finalized. so i can look for some more trainings in the coming months. oh and how can i forget the great salman K movie (dil ne jise apna kaha)- i came out frm the hall after 15 mins, talked to sohil and vyom thanks to sid's reliance, and waited for sid and tarana to come out.nothing personal against mr salman, but honestly a movie cant be more pathetic that this one. this was even confirmed by tarana who is big hindi movie fan.
the net speed right now is just great. 17K. 22 megs get downloaded in less than 20 mins at that speed. so im downloading some videos for the coming trainings. most of the newspapers and magazines i carried came back as such. actually now they hv company- in banglore i went to a book exhi and bought a PG Wodehouse, one on oil painting and one on EQ. lets see when i finally manage to read these. hopefully i should be able to finish some of the papers before our session starts again at 20.
seems i hv to drop SCM since the prof sazi is too much into hard work. and i cant afford that in the wake of these trainings. now u can accuse me of being too money minded , but frankly, sitting here in K implies that all the stuff i hv in my head is wasted. i think its being put to good use by just speaking it out in companies. and vaise bhi there is not much respect of a techy in a Mgmt course. besides, i do need the money too.
i liked hyd, living is a bit easy there. lots of markets and down to earth prices. except for the painting stuff. the canvasses i used to buy in delhi for 40 bucks cost 130 there. so i asked mom to send me some frm delhi itself. i hope to start oils in the coming time, but first i got to finish the stock of acrylics. which should be within the coming 3 paintings.
talked to mridula after coming back. she again asked to come to IIMC. which i will, probably in the next month. she has gained weight, unlike me, who stands at 13 Kg underweight when last measured in hyd. then she was telling abt IIMC-XLRI sports meet which seemingly is a worse affair than indo-pak matches, with swearing and pofanities being part of the ritual. we also hv planned a IIMB-K meet, hope it doesnt turn that "competitive".
i shud bid adieu then, lot of work to be done here.other things next time. ta.
ah....to live...
just came back to K from bangalore. in the past 9 days i went to bang, did a seminar there, then to hyd, 5 days there, back to bang, one more training , 2 interviews at IBM and logica, and finally K. bought some fruits frm hyd, but half of them got rotten in 2 days. good thing was that IBM thing was finalized. so i can look for some more trainings in the coming months. oh and how can i forget the great salman K movie (dil ne jise apna kaha)- i came out frm the hall after 15 mins, talked to sohil and vyom thanks to sid's reliance, and waited for sid and tarana to come out.nothing personal against mr salman, but honestly a movie cant be more pathetic that this one. this was even confirmed by tarana who is big hindi movie fan.
the net speed right now is just great. 17K. 22 megs get downloaded in less than 20 mins at that speed. so im downloading some videos for the coming trainings. most of the newspapers and magazines i carried came back as such. actually now they hv company- in banglore i went to a book exhi and bought a PG Wodehouse, one on oil painting and one on EQ. lets see when i finally manage to read these. hopefully i should be able to finish some of the papers before our session starts again at 20.
seems i hv to drop SCM since the prof sazi is too much into hard work. and i cant afford that in the wake of these trainings. now u can accuse me of being too money minded , but frankly, sitting here in K implies that all the stuff i hv in my head is wasted. i think its being put to good use by just speaking it out in companies. and vaise bhi there is not much respect of a techy in a Mgmt course. besides, i do need the money too.
i liked hyd, living is a bit easy there. lots of markets and down to earth prices. except for the painting stuff. the canvasses i used to buy in delhi for 40 bucks cost 130 there. so i asked mom to send me some frm delhi itself. i hope to start oils in the coming time, but first i got to finish the stock of acrylics. which should be within the coming 3 paintings.
talked to mridula after coming back. she again asked to come to IIMC. which i will, probably in the next month. she has gained weight, unlike me, who stands at 13 Kg underweight when last measured in hyd. then she was telling abt IIMC-XLRI sports meet which seemingly is a worse affair than indo-pak matches, with swearing and pofanities being part of the ritual. we also hv planned a IIMB-K meet, hope it doesnt turn that "competitive".
i shud bid adieu then, lot of work to be done here.other things next time. ta.
[07/09/2004 10:04:05] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
way to go
and i went on and on without anything in mind,
no destination,no target, nothing of that kind....
- me
the good news is that finally i took a lot of snaps. u can see them at http://photos.yahoo.com/alokkumar510. the bad things is that everything else has come clear, only my snaps are shaky (blame arun for this). neways the bed IS there in full glory. and that despite the fact that i read 8-10 newspapers yesterday and moved away them frm the bed. but why to waste words on it, see it for urself. after all a picture says a thousand words. apart frm the bed, i clicked my latest painting and library books also.and the chimp (arun too). some ppl like me learn so fast :-), just look at quality of the snaps for urself.
the wipro issue finally came to an end. she (my student) called again, asking if she could see me, thinking im in bangalore. i told her my place is quite far. i asked her that whats the answer she gave for the Q.and u know what- she DID give the right answer. so morally i hv nothing to do with the 1 mark she missed. i told this to her also, but she requested that if wipro asks me for some more clarification, then can i help her. being a gentleman as im (moot point according to some), i agreed. though i know nothing of that kind is gonna happen. but i wish all the best for her in any case.
when i first landed in madras in the autumn of 1996 (2 sep to be precise), we hv to contact the Leylands HO at perry's corner. the grp of new joinees was sitting there, and somebody said that washing clothes was gonna be a big hassle. i replied that we can ue launderettes to which he responded that its not US. he was right on the dot. i suddenly recalled the incident days back in bangalore, travelling in an auto, i saw one near koramanagala. its still not US. but yes things are changing fast.
so one last exam tomo-CB (Consumer Behavior). i hv yet to start and also to make ppt for the day after tomo's training. talked to divya today abt the wipro thing, just to make sure i did the right thing. girls i believe are more righteous in this respect. oh and that reminds me, i hv to return the books issued on pragati's card too. i was just going to mention something abt this girl, but i realized that many of my IIMKites read this. so i better watch what i say :-)
the israeli video conf is scheduled for tomo 5, i got cam frm sri. lets see how it goes, though im not sure how much i can commit for pune based trainings. after all its quite far frm this place. meanwhile suhaib (my bangalore contact for trainings) is pushing me to the edge for dates. but of course i cant start training full time,though i would have liked to as of now. its quite lucrative in the short run.
chalo time to study. its gonna be a 3 hour xam. god help us.
way to go
and i went on and on without anything in mind,
no destination,no target, nothing of that kind....
- me
the good news is that finally i took a lot of snaps. u can see them at http://photos.yahoo.com/alokkumar510. the bad things is that everything else has come clear, only my snaps are shaky (blame arun for this). neways the bed IS there in full glory. and that despite the fact that i read 8-10 newspapers yesterday and moved away them frm the bed. but why to waste words on it, see it for urself. after all a picture says a thousand words. apart frm the bed, i clicked my latest painting and library books also.and the chimp (arun too). some ppl like me learn so fast :-), just look at quality of the snaps for urself.
the wipro issue finally came to an end. she (my student) called again, asking if she could see me, thinking im in bangalore. i told her my place is quite far. i asked her that whats the answer she gave for the Q.and u know what- she DID give the right answer. so morally i hv nothing to do with the 1 mark she missed. i told this to her also, but she requested that if wipro asks me for some more clarification, then can i help her. being a gentleman as im (moot point according to some), i agreed. though i know nothing of that kind is gonna happen. but i wish all the best for her in any case.
when i first landed in madras in the autumn of 1996 (2 sep to be precise), we hv to contact the Leylands HO at perry's corner. the grp of new joinees was sitting there, and somebody said that washing clothes was gonna be a big hassle. i replied that we can ue launderettes to which he responded that its not US. he was right on the dot. i suddenly recalled the incident days back in bangalore, travelling in an auto, i saw one near koramanagala. its still not US. but yes things are changing fast.
so one last exam tomo-CB (Consumer Behavior). i hv yet to start and also to make ppt for the day after tomo's training. talked to divya today abt the wipro thing, just to make sure i did the right thing. girls i believe are more righteous in this respect. oh and that reminds me, i hv to return the books issued on pragati's card too. i was just going to mention something abt this girl, but i realized that many of my IIMKites read this. so i better watch what i say :-)
the israeli video conf is scheduled for tomo 5, i got cam frm sri. lets see how it goes, though im not sure how much i can commit for pune based trainings. after all its quite far frm this place. meanwhile suhaib (my bangalore contact for trainings) is pushing me to the edge for dates. but of course i cant start training full time,though i would have liked to as of now. its quite lucrative in the short run.
chalo time to study. its gonna be a 3 hour xam. god help us.
[06/09/2004 09:34:38] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
the joy in the morning
the age is gray,
and day after day,
i yearn to see,
the time to come,
n things to be
....
-me
this entry is going to be a bit long, so hang on. the title apparently comes from a PG Wodehouse novel. now if u dont know abt PG W, i can only say "O MY GAWD" :-) waking up early in the morning is a great experience here. u actually wake up almost between the clouds. apart frm this, i discovered many things today. for example a newspaper dated 12th aug on my bed. and secondly that somewhere in this heap, i lost my calculator, which despite my best efforts remained untraceable till now. and third beneath one pile of newspapers there was a row of dead ants. poor them, didnt even get a proper funeral. i guess at this rate, in the near future, if i dig deep in my bed i mgt get some prehistoric artifacts also. oh yes, and in the past few days many people have "complimented" me about my bed. the words that came out frm their mouths were precisely the following: "Yaar tu sota kahan hain?" . now thats called consistency and brand image. for the lesser mortals, who dont hv the privilege of seeing the fabled bed in person, worry no more. im gonna take some snaps of my room tomo (yes yes including the prized bed) and put them on the net. u can hv once in a lifetime offer of peeking at the snaps at http://photos.yahoo.com/alokkumar510. however u hv to wait till tomo(7 sep), when i upload the room pics.till then u can entertain urself with the other pics. b.t.w. i noticed that yahoo has freed the space limitation on pics. great.
net speed here, at times, reminds u of slow torture. im downloading 2 important files right now at the speeds of 579 and 547 bytes/sec, at that speed it will take only 13 more hours for them to finish.if ur "lucky" enough u might get to start all over again after few hours (in case downloads break in between) - and no, the downloads are push ones so u cant even use a download manager for these. at least i dont hv such downloader. actually watching this slow creeping net speed is also an experience-didnt somebody say "patience is a virtue."
talked to abhinav. he joind Texas univ. for MS this year. within days, he has grown mature and wise. and started his blog too. says he took the clue frm me. now i actually hv make many of my friends start writing blogs of their own. talk of inspiration :-)
i filled the need based scholarship form today. actually the first part of it. this world is a strange place. when u want to declare that u hv some income-u got to show some proof. for crdit cards, banks etc. when u want to declare that u hv no income then also u hv to show some proof. there was some problem regarding dads pension (which incidentally we hvnt got a single installment till now- thanks to some dual between DVB and Reliance-BSES . did i heard somebody talk abt the benefits of privatization. for one, this clearly is not). anyways mom was cool and said it doesnt matter if i dont get the scholarship if they dont believe the words i m putting in, since anyways proof or no proof, those were true. now she is one person to whom i can look upto, always. the altruistic alok (actually the creative alok too) is her making only right frm the beginning, and im so lucky to hv her.
1 unfortunate thing happened today. the last training i took in hyd for wipro-i declared in the class that XML Schemas writing was not in the syllabus and only concepts are there, so will be discussed. and i did spend around an hour or so on the same. but the wipro courseware given to the students had only 1 page abt schemas. so the students thought that it was out of syllabus totally. not such a big problem, but one of the girls scored a 79% (they have to score at least 80%, else will be shown the door). and one Q which she thinks she did wrong pertained to schemas. so she called me thrice to reuqest that i concede that schemas were not covered, so that the authorities there mgt give benefit of doubt. however the training company (thru which i get these trainings) was adamant that i say the truth only. finally i wrote to my training company that i dont want my students who are like an extended family to me to suffer for anything. and that i would not want that somebodys career is put at stake even if it meant that my money and reputation would be compromised in the process. having said that i clarified that the confusion was due to some other factors and we did cover schemas in the training. i requested them to forward the mail to wipro hyd if they think it would be the right thing to do. which they thought was. i dont know what happened to the poor girl, would call her tomo to find out. god bless her.
got over the xams. only i more scheduled for day after. and then next day a training on XML architectures. hvnt prepared for it yet, hv to slog tonight it seems. then pratik called from pune to ask abt perl trainings. i said that im not too much into perl, and gv him the reference of fauzi ( real name gaurav actually- my infy pal in bangalore. man if ur reading this, then pls note that maybe pratik will call u by friday, so pls discuss things with him ). reminds me- in fact my K mate sarkar also asked me to look for some trainings for him too if poss. i hv to talk to my chaps for that too. coming back to pratik, he was telling me abt some israeli company going to set up shop in india and hving a huge training requirement in the coming time. said they want me to hv a video conference in a day or two.
sid n tarana were going to ooty but since im visiting hyd that time, they had to cancel that. didnt feel much good abt that, but i hv nowhere else to go that time.neways. hv lots more to pour but i think this entry has gone quite long.so adios.
the joy in the morning
the age is gray,
and day after day,
i yearn to see,
the time to come,
n things to be
....
-me
this entry is going to be a bit long, so hang on. the title apparently comes from a PG Wodehouse novel. now if u dont know abt PG W, i can only say "O MY GAWD" :-) waking up early in the morning is a great experience here. u actually wake up almost between the clouds. apart frm this, i discovered many things today. for example a newspaper dated 12th aug on my bed. and secondly that somewhere in this heap, i lost my calculator, which despite my best efforts remained untraceable till now. and third beneath one pile of newspapers there was a row of dead ants. poor them, didnt even get a proper funeral. i guess at this rate, in the near future, if i dig deep in my bed i mgt get some prehistoric artifacts also. oh yes, and in the past few days many people have "complimented" me about my bed. the words that came out frm their mouths were precisely the following: "Yaar tu sota kahan hain?" . now thats called consistency and brand image. for the lesser mortals, who dont hv the privilege of seeing the fabled bed in person, worry no more. im gonna take some snaps of my room tomo (yes yes including the prized bed) and put them on the net. u can hv once in a lifetime offer of peeking at the snaps at http://photos.yahoo.com/alokkumar510. however u hv to wait till tomo(7 sep), when i upload the room pics.till then u can entertain urself with the other pics. b.t.w. i noticed that yahoo has freed the space limitation on pics. great.
net speed here, at times, reminds u of slow torture. im downloading 2 important files right now at the speeds of 579 and 547 bytes/sec, at that speed it will take only 13 more hours for them to finish.if ur "lucky" enough u might get to start all over again after few hours (in case downloads break in between) - and no, the downloads are push ones so u cant even use a download manager for these. at least i dont hv such downloader. actually watching this slow creeping net speed is also an experience-didnt somebody say "patience is a virtue."
talked to abhinav. he joind Texas univ. for MS this year. within days, he has grown mature and wise. and started his blog too. says he took the clue frm me. now i actually hv make many of my friends start writing blogs of their own. talk of inspiration :-)
i filled the need based scholarship form today. actually the first part of it. this world is a strange place. when u want to declare that u hv some income-u got to show some proof. for crdit cards, banks etc. when u want to declare that u hv no income then also u hv to show some proof. there was some problem regarding dads pension (which incidentally we hvnt got a single installment till now- thanks to some dual between DVB and Reliance-BSES . did i heard somebody talk abt the benefits of privatization. for one, this clearly is not). anyways mom was cool and said it doesnt matter if i dont get the scholarship if they dont believe the words i m putting in, since anyways proof or no proof, those were true. now she is one person to whom i can look upto, always. the altruistic alok (actually the creative alok too) is her making only right frm the beginning, and im so lucky to hv her.
1 unfortunate thing happened today. the last training i took in hyd for wipro-i declared in the class that XML Schemas writing was not in the syllabus and only concepts are there, so will be discussed. and i did spend around an hour or so on the same. but the wipro courseware given to the students had only 1 page abt schemas. so the students thought that it was out of syllabus totally. not such a big problem, but one of the girls scored a 79% (they have to score at least 80%, else will be shown the door). and one Q which she thinks she did wrong pertained to schemas. so she called me thrice to reuqest that i concede that schemas were not covered, so that the authorities there mgt give benefit of doubt. however the training company (thru which i get these trainings) was adamant that i say the truth only. finally i wrote to my training company that i dont want my students who are like an extended family to me to suffer for anything. and that i would not want that somebodys career is put at stake even if it meant that my money and reputation would be compromised in the process. having said that i clarified that the confusion was due to some other factors and we did cover schemas in the training. i requested them to forward the mail to wipro hyd if they think it would be the right thing to do. which they thought was. i dont know what happened to the poor girl, would call her tomo to find out. god bless her.
got over the xams. only i more scheduled for day after. and then next day a training on XML architectures. hvnt prepared for it yet, hv to slog tonight it seems. then pratik called from pune to ask abt perl trainings. i said that im not too much into perl, and gv him the reference of fauzi ( real name gaurav actually- my infy pal in bangalore. man if ur reading this, then pls note that maybe pratik will call u by friday, so pls discuss things with him ). reminds me- in fact my K mate sarkar also asked me to look for some trainings for him too if poss. i hv to talk to my chaps for that too. coming back to pratik, he was telling me abt some israeli company going to set up shop in india and hving a huge training requirement in the coming time. said they want me to hv a video conference in a day or two.
sid n tarana were going to ooty but since im visiting hyd that time, they had to cancel that. didnt feel much good abt that, but i hv nowhere else to go that time.neways. hv lots more to pour but i think this entry has gone quite long.so adios.
[02/09/2004 12:01:35] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
back to business
guess what i finished the last canvas.since june the 14th, i hv made 5 of them which is not a mean achievement, considering that i wasnt doing that even on paper previously. and canvas being bigger in size, requires more effort than paper. hv told mom to send me 3 more of them. so im on track to complete at least 10 of them before this year end, and with every painting i was trying bigger canvasses. my house shud soon look like a studio with paintings all around. oh and i drew 3 sketches of my classmates. and the results were quite good as expected, but it would hv helped if my subjects stayed a bit more steady :-)
in the past few weeks, life has been on a rollercoaster. ihv travelled 3-4 days every week, hving slept more in buses than my overcrowded bed (though at times my mind refuses to acknowledge the thing as "bed", it seems like a big wide table with books and papers spread across it ). i hv conducted 3 trainings for wipro and so far it had been quite satisfactory, both professionally and personally.4 more in the coming weeks are lined up, one just before my end term starts here, which is on 5th of sep. i feel i need a break frm the rut, but dont see it possible in the coming few months.
visited hyd and sid, tarana are fine.though they werent happy that i was leaving within the next day, and i promised to return in sep. hyd has been quite developed as a city, though population levels everywhere are grown so much that it looks crowded.tell u what sometimes i m so sick seeing crowds everywhere that i want to run away to the calms of garhwal.
this term i didnt do much as far as the course projects are concerned. to look at it, i didnt do anything at all in SM, BM and CB. so in effect i owe much to my helpful batchmates, roshan, sri, paul and emmaneul. the reasons can be attributed to the fact that i hardly get any free time owing to trainings. and whenever i get some, it goes for the preparation of the next one. some of them didnt feel good abt it, i can understand since if i would hv been in their position i might hv felt the same. now its not so that im running after money, but somehow i need it badly right now, with conditions not much good at my home. my parents dont say anything, but i do understand the kind of stress they are in. and i would prefer it to be me than them anytime. so im doing anything i can to get some bucks here and there. god has been kind enough to provide these opportunities.in fact he always has been. as far as my batchies are concerned, sure shot i would try to get even next term.
i called my ex frm banglore, after long. she wasnt well. dont know what came into my mind, but i felt to call her for two more days to know how she was doing. yesterday i felt she is alright now, and anyways she shudnt feel im trying to start it all over again. so i stopped again.i know i m a sentimental fool. and somehow i long to preserve it. i just cant withstand that she is not well and i do not call or care.
i bought two frisbies for the kids in the orphanage from bangalore, but sadly we didnt get a chance to take class last week. in any case i wasnt here on sunday, since hyd to calicut takes good two days.this sunday we hv xams. i will try to take a class in the evening if possible, lets c if the ppl at the orphanage permit an evening class.oh, and maybe we will hv a IIMK-IIMB sports meet, i get to play chess in that.
and that brings me to the subject of badminton. neel and dammy play real good, and at times i miss the effect in me. in most walks of life, im more or less a self learned man, and thats not good always. training at the right age can go a long way, which i lack sorely. of course i cant be best in everything i do, and my philosophy has always been to be good in many fields rather than being the best in only one. but hard work has its limitations, and it can take u only to a certain extent and no further. or maybe im not putting enough to know.
not sure whats bugging me these days, but at times i tend to ask my self, hv i been a good son? a good brother? a good friend? a good teacher? a good human being at least? honestly i do not know the answers. but i know that i hv always tried to be one. even when i failed, the intention was never wrong.
my comp tells me that it is 1.27 and i shud go to get fresh. and vaise bhi, i hv to wake up the entire ngt to finish things. this week i see getting no slp at all.maybe next week at sids place wud be easier.anyways.....
back to business
guess what i finished the last canvas.since june the 14th, i hv made 5 of them which is not a mean achievement, considering that i wasnt doing that even on paper previously. and canvas being bigger in size, requires more effort than paper. hv told mom to send me 3 more of them. so im on track to complete at least 10 of them before this year end, and with every painting i was trying bigger canvasses. my house shud soon look like a studio with paintings all around. oh and i drew 3 sketches of my classmates. and the results were quite good as expected, but it would hv helped if my subjects stayed a bit more steady :-)
in the past few weeks, life has been on a rollercoaster. ihv travelled 3-4 days every week, hving slept more in buses than my overcrowded bed (though at times my mind refuses to acknowledge the thing as "bed", it seems like a big wide table with books and papers spread across it ). i hv conducted 3 trainings for wipro and so far it had been quite satisfactory, both professionally and personally.4 more in the coming weeks are lined up, one just before my end term starts here, which is on 5th of sep. i feel i need a break frm the rut, but dont see it possible in the coming few months.
visited hyd and sid, tarana are fine.though they werent happy that i was leaving within the next day, and i promised to return in sep. hyd has been quite developed as a city, though population levels everywhere are grown so much that it looks crowded.tell u what sometimes i m so sick seeing crowds everywhere that i want to run away to the calms of garhwal.
this term i didnt do much as far as the course projects are concerned. to look at it, i didnt do anything at all in SM, BM and CB. so in effect i owe much to my helpful batchmates, roshan, sri, paul and emmaneul. the reasons can be attributed to the fact that i hardly get any free time owing to trainings. and whenever i get some, it goes for the preparation of the next one. some of them didnt feel good abt it, i can understand since if i would hv been in their position i might hv felt the same. now its not so that im running after money, but somehow i need it badly right now, with conditions not much good at my home. my parents dont say anything, but i do understand the kind of stress they are in. and i would prefer it to be me than them anytime. so im doing anything i can to get some bucks here and there. god has been kind enough to provide these opportunities.in fact he always has been. as far as my batchies are concerned, sure shot i would try to get even next term.
i called my ex frm banglore, after long. she wasnt well. dont know what came into my mind, but i felt to call her for two more days to know how she was doing. yesterday i felt she is alright now, and anyways she shudnt feel im trying to start it all over again. so i stopped again.i know i m a sentimental fool. and somehow i long to preserve it. i just cant withstand that she is not well and i do not call or care.
i bought two frisbies for the kids in the orphanage from bangalore, but sadly we didnt get a chance to take class last week. in any case i wasnt here on sunday, since hyd to calicut takes good two days.this sunday we hv xams. i will try to take a class in the evening if possible, lets c if the ppl at the orphanage permit an evening class.oh, and maybe we will hv a IIMK-IIMB sports meet, i get to play chess in that.
and that brings me to the subject of badminton. neel and dammy play real good, and at times i miss the effect in me. in most walks of life, im more or less a self learned man, and thats not good always. training at the right age can go a long way, which i lack sorely. of course i cant be best in everything i do, and my philosophy has always been to be good in many fields rather than being the best in only one. but hard work has its limitations, and it can take u only to a certain extent and no further. or maybe im not putting enough to know.
not sure whats bugging me these days, but at times i tend to ask my self, hv i been a good son? a good brother? a good friend? a good teacher? a good human being at least? honestly i do not know the answers. but i know that i hv always tried to be one. even when i failed, the intention was never wrong.
my comp tells me that it is 1.27 and i shud go to get fresh. and vaise bhi, i hv to wake up the entire ngt to finish things. this week i see getting no slp at all.maybe next week at sids place wud be easier.anyways.....
[30/08/2004 11:48:42] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
narayan, narayan
"narayan, narayan"
the auto is speeding towards anand rao circle. in the coming 20 mins or so, i hv to catch a bus to hyd frm bangalore. outside, its raining and im a little wet, since it started raining as soon as i got out frm the flat looking for an auto. i wipe out my tears, a bit conscious that the auto chap mgt notice.missed the morning flight to hyd since the bus connecting calicut to bangalore got late coz of the jam at wayanard. so hv to wait the entire day before i can catch the evening bus. sid has called twice to know when i will be reaching. my phone has stopped working, only sms are going. maybe the balance got over in roaming, though i got it recharged only a day back.
i can still hear the words clearly. the whole incident flashes in front of my eyes. those days i was working for Leyland. i got down at my bus stop, it was abt 7.30 in the ngt. as usual i was carrying my briefcase and was quite tired running around in office. summer was over, so it was quite dark at even that time. i crossed the road and proceeded towards my home when i noticed the old man walking with the help of a stick, wearing heavy specs and looking aged around 75-80. i dont remember whether he called for me or whether i went near him to help. all i remember was that he asked me for the shiva temple where his son was supposedly working. it was on my way back home, so i held his hand and slowly helped him move. the temple was 50-100 metres far, but since he was moving very slow, it took a good 20 mins before we crossed the distance. on my way i saw lalit's dad who asked me abt the old man. after 5 more mins or so, i was talking to a priest of the temple asking abt the old man's son narayan. he replied in negative saying that no such person worked there, and suggested that maybe the temple was the other one, around half a kilometer.
by this time i was quite fed up and thot of starting back to home, leaving the old man at the temple gate. the day had been quite heavy and i wasnt sure if his son would be even in the other temple. little confused and not willing to take the chance of being stuck with the man, i actually started back home. still unsure abt what will happen to the old man, but that seemed the best way out that time. once inside my home, i changed and came in the balcony, when i heard somebody shouting 'narayan, narayan'. i heard the words only twice but the voice seemed to come frm nowhere. the old man sure was incapable of shouting to such levels that at my third floor flat it would be audible. he could barely walk or speak. the helpless voice shook me to the core. suddenly i realized what i had done. a little worried now abt what would hv happened to him after i left, i went to the terrace and lookd for him near the temple. but there was nobody. i went down and looked in all directions. but still wasnt able to find anybody. it seemed he disappeared altogether.
by this time, guilt feeling had made my eyes full. the wind was a bit chilly, and i wondered how he could pass the ngt in case he didnt find his son. all the reasons that drove me away some mins back, leaving the poor chap at the temple gate seemed like lame excuses then. 5 more mins and i was home, crying to my full, ashamed of what i had done, ashamed of being not kind and brave enough to help the old man. maybe i could hv brought him home, at the very least i should hv tried to help him for some more time.i felt that god came and went in his form. who knows.if only i had one more chance of undoing my mistake.if only.
since the day im searching for that one more chance. and paying for it with tears. some ppl may find this silly and downright childish. im not a cry baby, but dont know why tears start rolling whenever i recall the incident and i just beg for forgiveness. the words still haunt me. i promised myself that this wont happen again. maybe HE will give me one more chance.
the auto has reached. i wipe my tears again and take out the purse. hv to call sid and then maybe i will be able to catch some long due sleep. hyd is still 9 more hours.lets c.
narayan, narayan
"narayan, narayan"
the auto is speeding towards anand rao circle. in the coming 20 mins or so, i hv to catch a bus to hyd frm bangalore. outside, its raining and im a little wet, since it started raining as soon as i got out frm the flat looking for an auto. i wipe out my tears, a bit conscious that the auto chap mgt notice.missed the morning flight to hyd since the bus connecting calicut to bangalore got late coz of the jam at wayanard. so hv to wait the entire day before i can catch the evening bus. sid has called twice to know when i will be reaching. my phone has stopped working, only sms are going. maybe the balance got over in roaming, though i got it recharged only a day back.
i can still hear the words clearly. the whole incident flashes in front of my eyes. those days i was working for Leyland. i got down at my bus stop, it was abt 7.30 in the ngt. as usual i was carrying my briefcase and was quite tired running around in office. summer was over, so it was quite dark at even that time. i crossed the road and proceeded towards my home when i noticed the old man walking with the help of a stick, wearing heavy specs and looking aged around 75-80. i dont remember whether he called for me or whether i went near him to help. all i remember was that he asked me for the shiva temple where his son was supposedly working. it was on my way back home, so i held his hand and slowly helped him move. the temple was 50-100 metres far, but since he was moving very slow, it took a good 20 mins before we crossed the distance. on my way i saw lalit's dad who asked me abt the old man. after 5 more mins or so, i was talking to a priest of the temple asking abt the old man's son narayan. he replied in negative saying that no such person worked there, and suggested that maybe the temple was the other one, around half a kilometer.
by this time i was quite fed up and thot of starting back to home, leaving the old man at the temple gate. the day had been quite heavy and i wasnt sure if his son would be even in the other temple. little confused and not willing to take the chance of being stuck with the man, i actually started back home. still unsure abt what will happen to the old man, but that seemed the best way out that time. once inside my home, i changed and came in the balcony, when i heard somebody shouting 'narayan, narayan'. i heard the words only twice but the voice seemed to come frm nowhere. the old man sure was incapable of shouting to such levels that at my third floor flat it would be audible. he could barely walk or speak. the helpless voice shook me to the core. suddenly i realized what i had done. a little worried now abt what would hv happened to him after i left, i went to the terrace and lookd for him near the temple. but there was nobody. i went down and looked in all directions. but still wasnt able to find anybody. it seemed he disappeared altogether.
by this time, guilt feeling had made my eyes full. the wind was a bit chilly, and i wondered how he could pass the ngt in case he didnt find his son. all the reasons that drove me away some mins back, leaving the poor chap at the temple gate seemed like lame excuses then. 5 more mins and i was home, crying to my full, ashamed of what i had done, ashamed of being not kind and brave enough to help the old man. maybe i could hv brought him home, at the very least i should hv tried to help him for some more time.i felt that god came and went in his form. who knows.if only i had one more chance of undoing my mistake.if only.
since the day im searching for that one more chance. and paying for it with tears. some ppl may find this silly and downright childish. im not a cry baby, but dont know why tears start rolling whenever i recall the incident and i just beg for forgiveness. the words still haunt me. i promised myself that this wont happen again. maybe HE will give me one more chance.
the auto has reached. i wipe my tears again and take out the purse. hv to call sid and then maybe i will be able to catch some long due sleep. hyd is still 9 more hours.lets c.
[23/08/2004 19:56:20] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
the business of anting....
ok there is no such word as "anting" perhaps. so what? the idea is that this entry is dedicated to ants of my room. in fact ants all over the world. yes u read it right man. and what eaxctly is wrong in dedicating to ants anyways? look at them, they are ubiquitous, low profile, dedicated, team player. and they invade anything sweet in a matter of 1-2 hours in my room. u seal the biscuits in a plastic bag, they will make a hole thru it.u put it in a bag hanging upside down with a hanger, and u will find them marching on the thin wire towards their goal. they make me realize that life is ephermal. today the biscuits are there, tomo gone. so live in the present, eat all the packet at once and dont leave anything for tomo. after all humans dont need to save anything for tomo, like ants themselves.
u know what. van gogh died on 29july, the same the Bday of urs truly. not a happy feeling i must say. anyways, life is sure hectic now a days, with me taking almost 2-3 days off every week for trainings, and neglecting my IIM work in the process.some of grps in various courses arent happy at all. but the point is that i need money at this stage, and trainings like time and tide dont wait for u. so bangalore here i come again.this time we are talking to SAP labs perhaps for a java one. wipro normal xml ones are anyways on course. this time they gv me a bunch of freshies, 45 in no. the batch wasnt easy to say the least. many gave me a rating of 5/5 (didnt i tell u im perfect), but one f***er put it around 2.5-3.but anyways its over now.
met sakshi there, she has changed a lot. but wasnt able to catch up with gaurav and sid this time. this reminds me why. on the last day of the shell contest, i decided that come rain or shine, i will surely write one essay. u kno, it becomes kinda habit if u start taking things easy. so there i was, 9pm to 6am typing something or another, then going back to the hotel to dress for the training. actually that period i didnt slept for 3 days.looking at it, i hvnt slept properly in weeks now. but anyways. the shell thing wasnt something great in the end, but the satisfaction of job done was more important. in the process i spent the ngt listening to the chaps there getting H1B guys for contracts, negotiating 45-75 dollars /hr. at times it was funny, if the person said 55, these chaps said 50, if he said 70 they said 65. is it negotiation is all about? :-)
finshed the history book at last. already many ppl hv asked for that. for me, there is much more to read abhi. and yes SCAM classes in 0.5 hr. hvnt even took bath yet. so long then....
(oh and i started a tech blog - 410k.blogspot.com. check it if u hv time. whats 410? wait till next time)
the business of anting....
ok there is no such word as "anting" perhaps. so what? the idea is that this entry is dedicated to ants of my room. in fact ants all over the world. yes u read it right man. and what eaxctly is wrong in dedicating to ants anyways? look at them, they are ubiquitous, low profile, dedicated, team player. and they invade anything sweet in a matter of 1-2 hours in my room. u seal the biscuits in a plastic bag, they will make a hole thru it.u put it in a bag hanging upside down with a hanger, and u will find them marching on the thin wire towards their goal. they make me realize that life is ephermal. today the biscuits are there, tomo gone. so live in the present, eat all the packet at once and dont leave anything for tomo. after all humans dont need to save anything for tomo, like ants themselves.
u know what. van gogh died on 29july, the same the Bday of urs truly. not a happy feeling i must say. anyways, life is sure hectic now a days, with me taking almost 2-3 days off every week for trainings, and neglecting my IIM work in the process.some of grps in various courses arent happy at all. but the point is that i need money at this stage, and trainings like time and tide dont wait for u. so bangalore here i come again.this time we are talking to SAP labs perhaps for a java one. wipro normal xml ones are anyways on course. this time they gv me a bunch of freshies, 45 in no. the batch wasnt easy to say the least. many gave me a rating of 5/5 (didnt i tell u im perfect), but one f***er put it around 2.5-3.but anyways its over now.
met sakshi there, she has changed a lot. but wasnt able to catch up with gaurav and sid this time. this reminds me why. on the last day of the shell contest, i decided that come rain or shine, i will surely write one essay. u kno, it becomes kinda habit if u start taking things easy. so there i was, 9pm to 6am typing something or another, then going back to the hotel to dress for the training. actually that period i didnt slept for 3 days.looking at it, i hvnt slept properly in weeks now. but anyways. the shell thing wasnt something great in the end, but the satisfaction of job done was more important. in the process i spent the ngt listening to the chaps there getting H1B guys for contracts, negotiating 45-75 dollars /hr. at times it was funny, if the person said 55, these chaps said 50, if he said 70 they said 65. is it negotiation is all about? :-)
finshed the history book at last. already many ppl hv asked for that. for me, there is much more to read abhi. and yes SCAM classes in 0.5 hr. hvnt even took bath yet. so long then....
(oh and i started a tech blog - 410k.blogspot.com. check it if u hv time. whats 410? wait till next time)
[15/08/2004 13:13:45] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
hmmmm.....
whosoever said that money cant buy u happiness, didnt know how to spend it.
-- me
i kno this time i m quite late. but running around cities also takes its toll on ur capability to tell stories. what happened last week was, as follows, though not in any particular order ( before trying to figure out the coming paragraphs, pls keep in mind that its 02.17 here, thought the damned rediff servers still show some US time i guess, talk abt localization. why am i not slping rgt now is another story, for which u hv to wait till the end ):
1. Ran to banaglore for the XSL-FO training. wipro cancelled it just 1 hour before it was supposed to kick off. said that they "will" compensate for that. my foot. left one :-)
so came back the very day. end result - 24 hrs of journeying out of 36. good thing was that i visited gangarams there, which is quite big a book store and bought the 2nd part of bible of computing - Knuth. already own the 1st part. third one will be bought in due time- and then my evil plan of conquering the world will begin.
but seriously, this time i fixed some 3-4 more trainings in sep when we hv break so that earning and learning dont come in conlict.
2. then i met fauzi (gaurav-my btech chum-the only chap i believe possess some techy stuff out of all the Comp Sc class). he paid for my dinner, as usual, says i will hv enough time later to equalize. strange enough, i met him at gangaram. that is a 4 story book store, and i wasnt even in the computers section, rather spending some time in the "bird watching" section. despite that he got to me in 5 mins of entering the building.
3. i finally figured out that bird watching books can wait for a while after seeing the price of the book i hv borrowed frm the lib. 850. no less no more. now its not so that im deterred by the price, but plan to use the lib book as far as poss. binoculars will be looked for in the next banglore visit.
4. this is big for me. i painted two canvasses in a single ngt.even i cant believe that. started at 8, drew some skeletons on the canvasses 10 mins, went for the grp meet for ERC. came back at 11.30. finished the 1st by 2,and then something inside me told to go all over. so started painting 2nd also, and finished by 6.30. the results were very much pleasing. one thot which crossed my mind was to bunk slp totally and go for jog. but thn sanity prevailed.
5. went to the orphange today with ankit and rajat, and there was some function on for 15aug. they called us to sit in the speakers area. since they were talking in malyalam and we dont know a word of it, all we did was to sit smiling. after 20 mins these two chaps got fed up and went out. i decided to brave it ( i wanted to watch the kids actually ), and after 20 more mins, the head called me for a small speech. now consider the situation. the kids sitting there hardly know english (only the 10th class guys know a bit). i dont know malyalam. i dont know what to say. so finally the words which came out were good enough, but irrelevent. however, the teachers there congratulated me for the good lines. one of them even translated my speech for the kids in malyalam.
the good part was the classes. after the usual rounds of teaching english, distributing candies, i gave them the frisbee i carried for them. and i played for 15 mins or so, with 90 odd students all around me. next time im gonna buy 1-2 more such things. one of the perfect uses of money.so who says money cant buy happiness? at least i cant, after seeing all their brightened up faces.
6. went through the drill of ERC seminar and ppt. though to be fair, i didnt do much, apart from discussion.
hv to do a lot of tasks abhi, all these paper writing things on and my resolution to at least take part in them reminding me of the tough days ahead. feel very slpy also rgt now. and for the Q why im awake till now is ............zzzzzzzz.........
hmmmm.....
whosoever said that money cant buy u happiness, didnt know how to spend it.
-- me
i kno this time i m quite late. but running around cities also takes its toll on ur capability to tell stories. what happened last week was, as follows, though not in any particular order ( before trying to figure out the coming paragraphs, pls keep in mind that its 02.17 here, thought the damned rediff servers still show some US time i guess, talk abt localization. why am i not slping rgt now is another story, for which u hv to wait till the end ):
1. Ran to banaglore for the XSL-FO training. wipro cancelled it just 1 hour before it was supposed to kick off. said that they "will" compensate for that. my foot. left one :-)
so came back the very day. end result - 24 hrs of journeying out of 36. good thing was that i visited gangarams there, which is quite big a book store and bought the 2nd part of bible of computing - Knuth. already own the 1st part. third one will be bought in due time- and then my evil plan of conquering the world will begin.
but seriously, this time i fixed some 3-4 more trainings in sep when we hv break so that earning and learning dont come in conlict.
2. then i met fauzi (gaurav-my btech chum-the only chap i believe possess some techy stuff out of all the Comp Sc class). he paid for my dinner, as usual, says i will hv enough time later to equalize. strange enough, i met him at gangaram. that is a 4 story book store, and i wasnt even in the computers section, rather spending some time in the "bird watching" section. despite that he got to me in 5 mins of entering the building.
3. i finally figured out that bird watching books can wait for a while after seeing the price of the book i hv borrowed frm the lib. 850. no less no more. now its not so that im deterred by the price, but plan to use the lib book as far as poss. binoculars will be looked for in the next banglore visit.
4. this is big for me. i painted two canvasses in a single ngt.even i cant believe that. started at 8, drew some skeletons on the canvasses 10 mins, went for the grp meet for ERC. came back at 11.30. finished the 1st by 2,and then something inside me told to go all over. so started painting 2nd also, and finished by 6.30. the results were very much pleasing. one thot which crossed my mind was to bunk slp totally and go for jog. but thn sanity prevailed.
5. went to the orphange today with ankit and rajat, and there was some function on for 15aug. they called us to sit in the speakers area. since they were talking in malyalam and we dont know a word of it, all we did was to sit smiling. after 20 mins these two chaps got fed up and went out. i decided to brave it ( i wanted to watch the kids actually ), and after 20 more mins, the head called me for a small speech. now consider the situation. the kids sitting there hardly know english (only the 10th class guys know a bit). i dont know malyalam. i dont know what to say. so finally the words which came out were good enough, but irrelevent. however, the teachers there congratulated me for the good lines. one of them even translated my speech for the kids in malyalam.
the good part was the classes. after the usual rounds of teaching english, distributing candies, i gave them the frisbee i carried for them. and i played for 15 mins or so, with 90 odd students all around me. next time im gonna buy 1-2 more such things. one of the perfect uses of money.so who says money cant buy happiness? at least i cant, after seeing all their brightened up faces.
6. went through the drill of ERC seminar and ppt. though to be fair, i didnt do much, apart from discussion.
hv to do a lot of tasks abhi, all these paper writing things on and my resolution to at least take part in them reminding me of the tough days ahead. feel very slpy also rgt now. and for the Q why im awake till now is ............zzzzzzzz.........
[07/08/2004 08:05:29] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
the art of loving
i really dont know what to do. or what to write for that matter. hope nobody comes to read blog today, to waste his/her time. i spend 270 bucks today talking to my ex and richa didi. everyday i think things cant be any worse, and the very next day proves me wrong grossly. though, i must seek excuse to stop these "ex" talks abruptly right here. the more i think abt these things, the more painful it becomes. oh, and dude, its ok man. i didnt mind ur comments at all.
seems im back in my "writer" self. and back to the title. its actually inspired by sri sri sri (sorry the lost the count) ravishankar's "the art of living". having too much energy is also a bad things, sometimes it can go in having sleepless nights since ur "thinking". or u may go on plaing chess on length (sometimes 4 hours at a stretch). hey, b.t.w. we have two towers in our school, which keeps a very good 100 feet view of the surrounding area. im planning to take some snaps from it. watched love actually, and actually it is not so bad. tomo i will go with some juniors to the orphanage, since ankit is busy, and in any case, we need to take care of the remaining 25 or so kids also (which being only 2 ppl, we had to left in our english teaching).
didnt take dinner after coming to know that it was my FAVOURITE dosa and paav. nothing intrinsically wrong in them, but maybe like my ex proclaims, they are not MADE for me. plan to hv a mid ngt visit to canteen for relishing some aloo paranthas,and shakes. and of course, i dont feel like sleeping, hving slept few hrs in afternoon. my payment frm wipro still has to come, and at times i thank god that our canteen runs on credit. then received the book which mom sent, and now there is no excuse for not working on the XSL-FO course material.
i hv to do an assignment abhi. so will end here. i kno i kno, some of u mgt be bored by readin the above two (OK 3 not 2 - happy?) paragraphs, but to tell u very honestly, im feeling v.low and lonely myself today, after having cried buckets. dont ask me why. or perhaps by this time u dont need to.
and hey ravi man, missing u badly today. god bless u in heaven.
[06/08/2004 06:35:41] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
love actually
before u start deciphering the title, let me show u something :
"hey dude...dont u guys have an IT Comm ? ask the IT buggers to get their B$%tts moving and get the net connection improved.....the you wont have to wait till lunch for the page to get loaded.... and hey ur writing is really interesting ...keep it up!"
this was the comment on my last blog by a gentleman. thanx dude for the appreciation. however thats not the end of the story, and neither my intention was to reveal that some ppl are actually able to bear my writing. my visiting card pinned on the notice board above me grimly reads:
Alok Kumar
IT Committee
( dude, u will understand the plight now. i did try to get my B$%tt moving but sadly the student IT committee doesnt hv much powers here except to act as an intemediator between the admin and students. however im really grateful u did manage to take time off to read my rantings. )
and divya and other fellow "K-ites" , if ur reading this, STOP laughing now. it isnt that funny actually :-| .
now coming back to more mundane matters (ya u read right, if that wud hv been something really serious and important, i mgt as well hv avoided it ) - somebody told me that love actually is a nice one. i hv one print of it, but sadly the sound and picture was out of sync. and somehow the entire movie moves intermittently (like tracks of 3 secs glued together) as if somebody has recorded it using a cheap digital camera. i wonder what happened to the art of movie piracy, ppl cant even make a good copy.anyways i buzzed one of pals here for the movie, but he seems to be perpetually living in somebody's else room. so i scanned the network, found that 1 junior has shared some movies, and rgt now im copying it.
there is a lot of confusion now-a-days. first i get congratulated twice for my birthday, which actually should hv gone to alok srivastava ( buggers, where were u when it was actually my birthday a week back ) - though being a gentleman as i m, i accepted as "belated birthday" wishes. then one of my group members apologized for not coming to today morning group meet, where in fact there was none. i told him that it was scheduled in evening, and he swore that i HAVE sent him a msg saying that the meeting was today morning. seems i hv a split personality, or the chap has started his day with two neat glasses of the ambrosia.
then there is our student council (scon) which never ceases to amuse (incidentally one of the chaps in scon is the same gentleman described above ). there is another gentleman who religiously counts the number of online section A and B students online on yahoo msgr, to decide who has won at any given time.makes ur life much more interesting. before any of u start accusing me for laughing on that - lemme clarify, they are our representatives, so in a way im laughing on myself. like one of my sardar friends said - "nobody can stop me from laughing on myself".
lemme ask u something - whats "defenestration" ? ok ok, no need to go searching for ur dictionaries, i will tell u. it means throwing somebody out from the window. just some of the things u learn from reading history books. the context here presumably some protestants leaders threw some catholics governors out of the window sometime around 1685 AD, somewhere in Europe.
neways will stop here. time to watch the movie.
(ending quote: Value and worth arises from paucity -- me. Agree? )
[05/08/2004 07:04:31] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
history mystery
(sorry folks, all the prose i wrote was wiped off due to this F***ING Internet Explorer, but im recreating the original entry verbatim for the benefit of the readers ;-) )
History maybe made by those who lose their life in the process, but recorded by only those who survive.
-- Anonymous ( all that is known about him is that his name started with 'A', was born on 29 Jul, 1978 and got educated in the historical cities of Delhi, the capital and Kozhikode, known as Indraprastha and Calicut respectively in years of yore.he spend most of his time in Kozhikode on a hilltop, appreciating and trying to understand nature in its most elemental form. the place was coming into prominence at his time and was soon bound to become one of the major cultural and intellectual centres in India. the city was a mix of cultures of middle east, native indian and medieval europe, and was known as a port and trade centre )
Men are mostly interested in the geography, rather than the history of a woman.
--Anonymous ( Really Anonymous, womanlibs pls excuse me for the quote )
before u start pulling ur hair on the context of the above, lemme clarify. im reading a book, aptly titled "When, Where , Why and How it Happened" , published by readers digest. It tracks the (100) most important events of history through 3000 BC to modern times. its a long book and i hv reached only upto 150 pages out of a 400, which will translate to the era of 1642 AD. interesting read, though one must read these kinda books in high school, so in a way im completing my education. im thinking of buying this for my cousins, though its a bit gory, detailing the tortures and killing methods employed by the greeks, romans, mongols etc- like pulling teeth or intestines (so before pulling ur hair think twice. the idea mgt not be as pleasant as it seems).
seems im winning a chess tourney almost the other day at FICS. today i co-won one and stood 2nd in another ( though i shud hv co-won that also, the bugger played on time in a drawn king and rook ending. may his soul receive the same treatment ). i plan to fully use my 4 day break (which is ONLY 3 days now) by finishing the pile of books, magazines and newspapers on my bed. da vinci code is there too, which is with me for 1 month, but i hvnt even started it yet. then i hv to make some XSL-FO training material for wipro. its all work and no play.....( dont u DARE count chess on the play side, its workm rather duty - what will happen to indian chess elites if i stop playing )
the net speed is amazing now-a-days. u type a URL, click go and then go to breakfast calmly. by the time u come back, the page should be there loaded or almost loaded. for the not so lucky ppl, they mgt need to go to lunch also for seeing a page like google loaded. un-confirmed reports from eye witnesses put an upper limit of few days for tasks like sending mails. quite a blessing i nust say, saves them from un-necessarily surfing and chatting. our network thus reaffirms ur faith in god, some things are better left to him.
yes, my xams finished. my Strategy Management prof in particular will be proud of me. there was this 12 line case in the paper, and thanks to my gift of insight-enabling me to read between the lines,i wrote an answer sprawling across 4-5 pages. he should be amazed to see the work of sheer genius (now he should know how einstein teachers must hv felt like) and to my estimate it should take some time, ranging from few hours from few days to fully comprehend the answer. the time actually depends on his mood, but more importantly his mettle to endure the prize answer. then Brand Management paper also went good. in 1 question, it asked for a pyramid, and i did draw one-contrary to some who drew prisms, though it maybe much more than what he desired.neways....
i should put rest to my literary skills now, before u think i copied a page out of the W,W,W and H it Happened book. aloha.
- aks (its my new pseudo for the uninitiated. OK, smarty now i hv told u, its not a pseudo anymore, but who cares )
[03/08/2004 12:30:16] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
reflections and illusions
i tell u what-living the life of an extremist is not easy. i talked to her today also, and somehow i feel so calm.as expected the recharge i got just days back got over. phone companies would be very happy on my talking with deepika (my ex). i always amass a good bill, for the past 3 years. talked to sid and tarana on yahoo. she was so happy abt my coming to hyd in sept. said that me and arun can stay in their house,provided we hv to eat what she cooks. i told her that was the difficult part, but i would do this sacrifice for them :-). jokes apart, suddenly my situation has become quite like ravi and sid's like me. neways, wont extend this ex topic any longer.
i once said that i dont write for audience. seems like i hv to start writing for them. after prashant (my senior) told me that he reads my blog regularly, and some ppl commented (ok ok that included deepa and divya - i wonder how many 'd' ppl i know) that i write well, the performer in me is coming back. many a things in my life are inspired to get recognition rather than anything else. take my trainings for example, i teach as if im performing on stage and an applause at the end is expected at coda. that makes the job more interesting for my students also. or take pogramming for example which is an art form for me (though i hvnt met many who agree on this). talking of trainings, i remember when i joined my first job at Leyland, i used to get 4.5K as stipend. now i earn more than this in a single day in trainings. but the joy of trainings actually extend much beyond the money. u get to interact with a lot of ppl, and the job is a respectable one. plus u can work on ur own conditions.
the number of tourney wins are going up. i won the 3rd tourney today, which was very satisfying given that i defeated 2 higher rank ones in the quest. then my other friends - pria and tanishka were there today. pria was kinda senti on me months back, though i told her clearly that i cant give her what she desires (love-that is, what were u thinking ?).somewhere im unable to cheat ppl. dont know its a boon or bane. n i tell u, i felt very bad when she cried tonnes. she fought with me day before, but was cool yesterday, blew some pecks on friendship day. she broke up with rohan, whom she was going around for 1-2 months. this chap has left his house for the so-called 'freedom' , she didnt like this among other things. then tanishka has come to mumbai frm dubai, and has joined some college there for mass media. she is living with 2 of her friends, parents are still in dubai.cool.
abhinav-my BTech mate is going to US for MS, some texas univ i gather.will leave by 14 aug, already got his visa and stuff. seems it wont be possible to meet him before that since he leaves bangalore by 6 and i wud be there only by 7. shikha got married and the couple has settled in bangalore. i wonder what happened to vibha, i talked to her once or twice when she shifted to banaglore after marriage, but after that she disappeared altogether. i sent 2-3 mails on her old account, but no reply.
i hvnt painted since june. maybe after tomo exam will splash some colors on 2 of the canvasses i hv brought along. abhi i feel so slpy....zzzzzzzz....ta
[02/08/2004 21:42:54] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
Goodbye to Romance
Yeasterday has been and gone
Tomorrow will I find the sun or will it rain
Everybody's having fun except me I'm the lonely one
I live in shame
I've been the king, I've been the clown
Still broken wings can't hold me down
I'm free again
The jester with a broken crown
It won't be me this time around to love in vain
I said goodbye to romance
Goodbye to friends
Goodbye to all the past
I guess we'll meet, we'll meet in the end
-- Ozzy Osbourne
it feels like my love was an illegitimate child - unknown and unaccounted for. she never revealed it to her friends (though to be fair, her brother and mother were aware), and everytime i raised the issue, she argued that she is waiting for the right time. and when i see her being so enthusiastic abt the new guy in her life,leaving no opportunity to drop a hint, my heart bleeds. maybe a man has to go through this pain sometime in his life. or maybe my way of living, mostly based on responsibilities, many a times ignoring my own feelings, was wrong.neways....
ppl talk abt relationships not working out, like they are talking abt washing machines. perhaps im already outdated in this fast paced life. strangely now i dont want her to come back, and neither i want myself to start seeing somebody else. just want to live my life alone. but yes, sometimes, the selfish me wants her to realize the pain and live with it. someday. all this while i fully understand the futility of emotions at times, look at poor nafisa. though iwont go to that level, at times when im at my most depressed self, the idea doesnt seem that bad. then sanity prevails, and i realize that being the eldest, my parents, who mean the most to me, also look upto me for fulfilling my responsibilities towards my clan.
the school where we were supposed to do our social development project (SDP) refused flatly to give us any work. being a aided instt (largely frm middle east it seems) maybe they were scared of disclosing their inner working. then ICICI bank deducted 1025 bucks for something. god knows what. i called mom to give the bank a call and find out.lets c. and then she called asking me to send a mail, and the chain of thoughts in the above two paragraphs started. so yesterday was a bad day in more ways than one.
its raining again outside, and the weather and scenery outside are beautiful, or as my poetic self would hv said - "one scene which u wont want to miss, the mountain which white clouds seem to kiss". in a sec, the visibility drops frm few kms to few mtrs, and as the rain stops, back to normal again. wish i had wings.
i hv my Brand Management exam today at 2.30. hvnt studied much, so i think shud stop here. so long.
[01/08/2004 22:04:35] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
petals around the rose
i dare not compare,
a poem with one's wife,
but choosing lines is as difficult,
as choosing a partner for life
-- me
in case ur wondering what is the link between the title of this blog and the lines above - let me tell u-there is none :-) . the title actually comes frm a small game whose link one of my batchies sent - http://www.borrett.id.au/computing/petals-bg.htm . check it out if u hv time....pretty cool timepass. though as usual urs truly sent the game packing in few mins,hehe.
it seems that my ex did wished me on my bday after all. though she sent the sms to arun's number and he forgot to tell me on time. actually she was down with viral for a week. so i called her 2 day before yesterday to check hows she doing. she called me on yesterday abt some issue on SPSS. then suddenly i remembered (actually pria, sohil, neetu n prayank reminded me :-) ) that it was friendship day. so i smsed her to wish. she called back and we talked for long. and when we finished, my phone balance was down by a hundred bucks.
talking of phone, u know what? i got a recharge for 300 bucks and got a balance of 180 or so. i made few calls and it was down by 20 or 30 odd rupees. but to my surprise, the balance was up to full 300 the next day. bless these escotel chaps. called mom also twice, my nephew and sis were at home for a month or so. i tell u, he is going to be such a brat, u shud look at how authoritatively he behaves, even at this tender age of 1 and half years.
i reached the finals of FICS (freechess.org) blitz 2004 tourney finals but scored only 4/9 in it. blame my network for this. in one game i mated the opponent, but my clock was so ssssssslow that it showed that my time was up.neways, maybe next time. baddy is back and maybe we will hold a tourney after the mid terms. yes yes my mid terms are starting on 3-incidentally thats tomorrow, but actually this time only 2 xams are there.b.t.w., mr panda (our CB prof) has really impressed me, as a teacher, but much more as a human. i went to him explaining some personal problem, and the response i got was really good. if only all profs wud hv been like him, the world wud hv been a much better place.
oh and my batchy varun g told me abt the perceptions of some of the guys here at K abt the alumni meet issue- that i started the debate to avoid the money. what a joke. but that says a lot abt some of the guys here. i told him that there are more important things in my life than to be politically correct and please everybody. let these smarties think what they want to. and i decided that now on, i wont contribute a penny for alcohol in our parties. ther are far better uses of that money.
i started teaching kids in an orphanage here. it was my dream from a long time. actually i shud thank ankit for this, since this is SSG's idea. so me and ankit goes every sunday for 2-3 hrs. i tell u, no other feeling can come this close in making u realize the goal of life. for me atleast. i hv plans to adopt 2 kids if possible someday. not that im searching for meaning in my life this way, though that wont be entirely false, but rather i feel one shud do what one can.
then wipro liked the training so much that they asked for one more 5 day one. but i refused, since its not possible to take that much time off frm K now. 1-2 day ones shud be no problem, and actually a 2 day one on XSL is almost finalized. i met one of their chaps before coming back and finalized some small ones for their regular trainee batches also. seems some money is coming my way here, and i tell u i need it badly rgt now.
too much for now....adios.
[29/07/2004 14:25:43] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
happy birthday to me....
thats what i sang yesterday on 29. yes, my mom/bro smsed, richa didi called. no, my ex didnt call. what the heck, ppl do change.but this much, in months(?).
neways, first of all, its 3.33 (what a coinci) and im very sleepy. i can only resist till i finish few lines (and watch the first half of julie). now the past few days flew past as always, but this time there was a content feel. actually i accepted a training offer in wipro for 5 days (didnt i tell ya i teach java and XML?), so overall the smell of green notes makes the entire running around seem nice. since sat and sun were off, i came back to K and then again started for bangalore on sun ngt. i actually spend 4 out of 6 nights travelling to and fro between bangalore and calicut. its a 7 hr journey in the bus. met some more wipro chaps for some more small future trainings, seems like its going to be good for coming few months.
i did not do many things in bangalore, but for one, i checked a fish store and found that a gold fish bowl of decent proportions would cost around 500 bucks. called at K one day and found that i was supposed to draw a technical architecture for the OODBMS course by next day noon. so i printed 14 sheets, wasted my ngt, drew a superb architecture, and mailed it to pgp03. only to find at evening that sudipto has sent some other architecture. life....got late while coming back but to my surprise, the state transport bus was waiting for me to come.hmmm,now thats what i call customer service.
oh yes, and i did win one more chess tourney. finished 'animal facts' and now 'principles of genetics' and 'birds of india' are on. then there were some more "holistic" debates on OCS (our internal mailing system) started by urs truly. talked to sid, he is back from honeymooning in mauritius. sent me a link of 108 pics. and i watched each one of it. actually girinder also sent me the links to photos taken when i was in bombay for a day. looks cool.
wasnt able to play baddy for these 7days, and today roshan(my batchmate) slipped and snapped his ankle. julie has been copied. so i will end here, after all a man needs to rest too. will try to write more here. that saves the pain of remembering things. neways, ta.
[19/07/2004 07:59:15] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
they are everywhere
apparently this goes for our juinors :-) actually the story started when one of my batchies dropped a mail with the line suggesting that things are becoming crowded at mess. and actually since we were so used to seeing only 1 or 2 of our seniors here and there, we found it unusual to see ppl everywhere (seems they rarely goto their rooms).OK, i did mention the same thing in my last blog entry also, so? sue me. neways....
my plan of relaxing by taking system courses seems to be paying off. with OODBMS and ERC kinda subjects, not much brain needs to be applied in the classrooms or tests. so im reading books like "animal facts" and "birds of india" (before u smile, let me ask all u smarties, whats the difference between a moth and a butterfly? dont know ? MY turn to smile now) apart frm sweating it out at the badminton court. oh yes, and not to miss, thanks to kula, i hv started playing chess on freechess.org, which is much more speedy as well as pro than yahoo. and i won the first chess tourney of my life albeit an online one.
there is a huge bunch of economic times and business line lying on my bed, making occasional visitors wonder how i slp on it. now that is my little secret, which obviously i dont reveal to "unimportant" ppl :-). and to make things better , these newspapers are joined by "no logo", business worlds, all my course handouts and books, my little (ok, not so small actually) bag, french language book, one shuttle, and a towel. a "ha" to all the non-believers. interestingly my room has met the challenge of a grp meeting successfully, and came out with flying colours (and some flying handouts).
i scored 2.5/2.5 in OODBMS 1st quiz. not a big deal considering many scored 2 and some 2.5, but the fact is that the prof asked me how i fared. maybe he has noticed me always slping or reading "animal facts" in the class. ignoring this little hitch, u must appreciate the fact that i DO attend the classes religiously. the highlight of the fortnight, though, will be the presentation i gave in consumer behaviour class. that was simply out of the world, which is confirmed by the faculty remarks after the class ("i did not understand a word of it"). of course, none of my classmates too was able to rise to the level of the presentation. ordinary mortals, i would say....:-)
and to put things in perspective, lemme tell u that i m grp leader in 2 of my grps. in ERC grp, this may be due to the fact the prof chose the ppl in roll call order as leaders (at times like these, it feels gud to realize that ur name starts with A, bless my parents and bless the pandit for suggesting that "balak ka naam 'AA' se hi shuru hona chahiye). but u cant deny the fact that OODBMS there is no competition at all. MSSQL, Oracle, MySQL, Postgre, Versant, Objectivity u name it and i hv played with it one time or another.(did i hear a WOW? no? man u must be a civilian-my term for a non techy).
and in between the last and this blog entry, i did manage to play diablo2 , reach 20-22 levels, deleted it after realizing that im playing 10pm to 6am, and moved on to freechess.org. then there was superman2, terminal (tom hanks at his usual best), troy, peter pan. man life sure moves fast here.
oh yes and richa didi's marriage has been fixed to 1december. my xams start at 2nd, but there is no question. i WILL go.so long...
[09/07/2004 02:48:52] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
blogging my blues
it has been a liong time since i wrote last. life has been a roller coaster these days. first 2 weeks after coming back saji gave us so many assignments that we rarely slept. then i hv to fly back to delhi and back for sid's marriage. got the news that richa didi's marriage is also fixed somewhere in nov-dec. sid's marriage itself was hectic considering that we friends hv to do most of the things. i took many snaps and they hv one quite nice, especially the one where tarana (sid's gf and now wife) is blowing her nose. missed the flight while returning and has to waste 1 more day there. and though the academic pressure is not that much, still things are quite hectic (if u consider that we hv to waste hours playing games n watching movies too, hehe). i bunked 2 classes today to catch some rest, as i wasnt feeling well since last night. but seriously now the countdown has begun, we know it wont be long before we finish the course.
despite all this running around, i took time to make two painting and one of them came quite nice. plan to make few of them more, at least the first thing on my wish list has started to take shape. tarana and sid hv settled down in hyd and i may gift one of my works to them when i visit hyd. then i watched harry potter, lakshyha, kill bill-1 and 2, peter pan, spider man-2. kill bill-1 was quite cool, depite all the blood and gory. troy is next on the cards, though ppl say its not worth watching.
our juniors hv joined and the scene at mess seems crowded. not coz we are much in number, but rather we are not used to seeing even this many guys. our seniors rarely come to the mess at the same time, so it was mostly us only. i mus say that its good to see new faces, especially when they are pretty enough :-) badminton is back in full swing and one day i played so much (4 hours to be precise) that my legs were aching for 2-3 days.
finally i gathered enough courage to tell my ex. to stop talking/msging. dont know whether i was right or wrong but at least there is some peace of mind, without i hving to worry abt her. it will be quite some time, maybe months, maybe years, till things are clear.neways.... its time to go for the ERC class.
[16/06/2004 13:14:01] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
back in paradise
the view from my new room balcony is absolutely stunning. people pay thousands of bucks in hill stations for this. as far as i can see, hills, greenery and clouds forming rising from the trees. u must see it to believe it. of course, im back in K.
when it rains , it seems like a huge shower has been turned on, and the way fog forms, it is like a curtain being pulled in front of the hills, which takes few seconds to appear and disappear. man, im gonna miss this place. wish i cud film all this to show my folks.
i reachd on 14june. from the moment i arrived, not even a single sec of relief. our OR prof, saji keeps us on the toes. sooooo many cases and problems to solve, sometimes we lose track of which case to do and which ones are next. after waking up with the hill side view, u realize life is not perfect as soon as OR thoughts creep back into ur mind.neways its gonna last for few days only.
the first thing i did after coming here was to unpack my comp and try to log on. but i found that something was wrong. it was a big disappointment , campus means 24x7 net for most of us. the net didnt work for the past 2 days or so, i had to use the CC. bang comes the news, yahoo has gone for 100 MB space and 10 meg attaches. then i came to know that my summer company HR chaps want a hard copy. so got a copy printed, bound and ready to send. but its still with me, didnt get time to courier it.
its ok now (i mean the net, of course) in our hostel now, and im blogging frm my room. oh yes and its 2.41am and i still hv to do tomo exercises.phew. a lot more to add since i wrote last. hopefully will get some more time to blog soon. till then....
[05/06/2004 00:05:32] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
now what?
for every tear u shed for me,
u will hv a year of glee,
i promise hapiness all around u,
as far as u can see,
i know v r not perfect,
but then, v dont hv to be,
coz i know what i mean to u,
and what u mean to me.
-- me
wrote the above lines when i was still dreaming. anyways. so finally im in delhi. just reached yesterday morning. god sure know how to put me in a fix. i got a chance to earn some money, 30K to be precise,as there was a 7day training in bangalore. but that means i had to skip some of the classes at IIMK. so finally had to let this chance fly away just like that. hope some other strikes up in delhi.
i met nishu, my BTech batchmates yesterday at sec-18, noida. i was with my K batchy, singla. she has also joined TCS and thankfully for her, the office is near her place. chatted with her for long and came to know abt many developments. shikha is getting married for one. to one of her infy colleagues. love marriage obviously. then charu is gonna join icfai, hyderabad. waves there at noida is pretty good time pass i must say. and she knew abt arun's affair also. but what embarrased me most was that i forgot nishu's name for the first 30 mins. it just didnt strike me, but as glib as i hv become after joining K, i passed it as a joke :-)
then my ex's sis got operated for some infection in the ear. so she is staying at her place in gurgaon helping her. i really feel pity for her sis sometimes. her mother in law is so mean. u just see ppl like her only in sas-bahu serials mostly.
went to deepti's (my junior at BTech) place and collected my books which i had lent her sometime back. she is gonna join MTech at IIT-Mumbai in IT. pretty cool, i always knew she has something in her. then i went to my college today for collecting the security refund.these fools deducted 800 bucks for alumni, without even asking us. and right now im sitting in ber sarai blogging my time away.hv o visit nehru place too for buying a mosue too abhi.
seems my 1 hour limit is approaching. i better leave now.chao.
[30/05/2004 00:19:46] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
lord, im 500 miles away from home....
last i typed all this 10 mins back, but as i was just going to post, the electricity suddenly left me in dark in the cafe. so im typing all over again.
4 more days to go to delhi. yesterday me and ankur went to sinhgad on a bike i borrowed from my net friend here, vyomkesh. when we started it was raining cats and dogs, rather i shud say we started only coz it was raining so heavily. i love driving in rain and it was a long time since i last did so. and this time it was too much actually , almost 70 kms, out of which around 40-50 km it was raining heavily with sweeping winds. wow, it is some experience.
many of my friends dont believe in net friends, wondering how can ppl call themselves friends, when they hvnt even seen together. but not me. im cool abt all this, actually totally for it, as it allows to avoid time and space boundaries. i wud hv never made so many friends if not for the internet. not that im too shy or introvert to make friends in real life, but rather the fact that it is simply not possible to travel or meet so many ppl so easily.
so today i devote some time for my net friends. one, of course is vyomkesh, who is doing his BE from pune. he is originally frm hyderabad hving passed his life in the IAS academy there till now. i met him in person just 4 days back, and was pleasantly surprised when he offered his bike if i need it for travelling in pune.we talked in length over indian economy and politics when we met, passing the time in cafe coffee day and mcdonalds at FC road.
then there is niharika, years younger to me. but the way she talks is quite impressive. on certain matters i feel she is more mature than me.the new generation is born intelligent i guess :-) .neetu who stays in lucknow, and we exchange mails quite frequently.sohil who stays in bombay and towards whom i hv a elder brotherly attitude.talked to him many a times on phone also, but wasnt able to meet.
i hv to finish my report today in any case.so will stop here.
[23/05/2004 06:04:19] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
the last man standing
this is the first time im writing frm cafe. just came back after watching yuva. contrary to what the critics said, i liked the movie. hey and know what, i watched the movie on a 25 buck seat. actually i planned for a balcony, but the 35 buck one was on black for 50. and it wasnt worth it. i mean the theatre. ask me, the one which i got today was a lot better than the last balcony seat.
back to the movie. mani ratman's are always worth watching, and this one doesnt disappoint at all. and as always, i got the larger than life feel again. somehow, i find movies very inspiring. though doesnt like hindi ones much, im slowly developing a liking for them.
then talked to srivastava today. he met mridula in chennai, she was tense abt some presentation of hers in ITC. her summers is quite long abhi, considering that she has to go back to IIMC only after 7 june. told him abt deeps last msgs, and rightly he pointed out that i shudnt expect everybody to be clear abt what they feel. after all, at her age, its quite natural.anyways, im there for her, baki bhagwaan ki marzi.
tomo is TTL, read tata technologies day. they hv planned a big function there, but ankur and pankhuri, my batchmates at TTL, are giving it a slip. i will attend anyways, since got to do some work at office on monday. only 10 more days in pune. that reminds me, i talked to vyomkesh, my pune net friend, for 40 mins yesterday. he has quite well off background, and he is very frustated at what he is doing in pune. his thinking and mine is very much the same, but the execution differs a lot.talked to sriram also, who is going to UK on a UK govt scholarship. would u believe, i just met him one day on FC road, once only, and now we are friends. my other regular net friend neetu keeps me posted every other day. she has sent 4-5 of her pics also.i must say i find it very strange, i m making acquitance with so many ppl all over india. feels good.
oh yes and abt the title of this entry, just remembered a saying which goes something like "its not the the fastest who win, but rather the ones who preserve." blame yuva for this bromide :-)
god bless u all.
[20/05/2004 01:23:07] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
my 15 minutes of fame :-)
now thats what i like abt the net. u rarely feel alone. one of my net friends told me that she has added some comments on my blog and i should check them. for the first time (sorry for all the kind souls who took their time to add their comments) i read all of them. and discovered many a things. i came to know that somehow my entries were featured in the sizzling blogs section. im sure they made a mistake :-). then ron made some good remarks, though i still think it is all about what he called daily "existence". lemme be clear on this,and excuse me if i sound arrogant. but as a matter of fact, this is not a story book, its abt how i see life and things around me. take it or leave it. i do not write for an audience. period.
and to all my friends, i cant tell u how good i feel abt the very fact of ur being around. it may sound like im reading out the names in an award ceremony, but seriously let me thank all of u who stood by me or even helped in small small ways- nishant,arun,amit, sid, richa didi,tarana and all other ppl so dear to my heart.
b.t.w. where is this sagar arcade in pune? harita wrote that it is a good place to buy books, but unfortunately nobody in the company seems to hv an inkling abt that.
the weather in pune is quite cool in the past few days. especially it looks great with clouds all over the little mountains that surround pune. wish i wud hv a bike here to ride in the rain. slowly the time is approaching when i hv to leave for delhi. so im looking forward to go around places whenever i can. im waiting for "yuva" to release too, but the comments on the movie on rediff dont look that promising. anyways, will try the movie for myself this weekend.
i rejoined my BTech yahoo grp yesterday and found a lot of activity was going around. suddenly i realized that sid sharma is also in the city. mailed him and got a reply with his cell number. will visit him on the weekend. then im planning to see the BTech guys in delhi, maybe we will meet on ansals or priya/PVR. talked to fauzi yesterday abt "cow" (thats the secret name we used for our planned venture, hehe) and saw some more prospects lighting up. then giri wrote that a TCS guy is willing to leave job and join us full time. maybe i can visit bombay once more. one thing is becoming clear, if something concrete has to come up, i hv to travel extensively. so im gearing myself for that.
ankur lost his digicam in the guest house, or rather somebody stole it. very sad, considering that it was gifted by his brother. and i wont be able to attend the delhi freshers meet since they are planning it on 30may, while i will reach only by 4jun.
i started reading the bridge book i bought long back. and hv gone thru quite some chapters. hey, and i made a list of things i want to do or have, whenever possible. these are the things i hv been thinking abt for a long time.lets c how much it takes this this list is ticked off completely. here it comes, of course listing is not done by priority:
1. paint 9-10 painting on canvas
2. scuba-diving
3. parajumping
4. a radio aeroplane model
4. telescope
5. varieties of flowering cactus
6. goldfish bowl
7. turtles
8. bungee jumping
9. a mountain bike
will update it soon :-)
its almost one week since i last talked to my ex. sometimes i wish to ask tarana to talk to her and find if she is ok. my caring for her cant go in a jiffy if at all. but thats what who im. i still care for her. despite whatever happened. i know this is a test of time and happier days will return soon.i will be patient till that time. promise.
[16/05/2004 20:24:32] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
life or something like it....
so finally the last string of attachment has gone. she told me not to call since mukul doesnt like it. and i swore on mom i wont call or msg ever again. suddenly i feel happy again if there is any such thing as happiness at all. i start seeing things which i refused to believe till now, or simply did not notice being busy in my own life. suddenly i realized that im the eldest among all my brothers/ cousins and it reminded me sorely of the very fact that i hv to be strong and responsible, and there is little time to weep over my personal issues. my mausa ji has been diagonsed with throat cancer and one of my dads uncles passed away. there is a lot to take care of, other than my ex, ppl who need me more than her in many ways. so i decided not to bog myself down with her, and be the same rock which i was few years back. i need to pick up a lot of pieces and i hv made my mind to do so whatever happens in my personal life.
talking of my summer internship, i did more work in the past few days than the entire april. the countdown has begin, and i know before long, it will be time for preparing the report. so will try my best to beat the hockey stick this time :-) . i hope we do get computers free in the last days to prepare the report in time, otherwise hv to resort to the cafe.then company visits also need to be completed.lets c.
i saw "run" in a theatre where balcony costs 35 bucks and which, as i expected "leaks" when it rains. but it was overall a fine experience, other than the movie itself. the movie is pathetic, really. and in the midway, suddenly the projector light went off, and the crowd started shouting like anything. that scene was more comic than the movie scenes anyways.for 35 bucks the hall is worth it, if the movie is good.if.
met pralay, who is staying in a much better place than us. he is going back few days before us, and we planned to go to any nearby place whenever possible.we hv only 2 weekeneds left in any case. in this time i m trying to finish the remaining books i bought in pune. i hv already finished quite a lot, but the library ones are still left untouched. the weather now a days is nice, in fact it rained yesterday. so it makes it all the more difficult to stay at the guest house whenever we are free.
time to catch up with work. its already 10 here.here i come....
[13/05/2004 01:43:58] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
The Time to sWatch
this time it really seemed that i wrote last two days back. looking at the date of the last entry however grimly tells me that a week has flied by. anyways. more news happening in pune, with me taking some training courses here. at times it becomes very tiring, especially reaching home after 10 every day, but then its only a matter of some more days. and all of a sudden the pune java user grp started rolling and mails started pouring. i got an invitation to speak in the inaugural (?) session, though im here only for few more days. as somebody said abt planting a tree and not caring abt the fruits, i think my contribution to the java user grp here (JUG) is more on those lines.lets see what happens.
oh, and i ordered a swatch. not such a great news but definitely some thing on the better lines considering i shunned keeping a watch long back. pune's perception is getting better day by day in my mind, especially after enjoying the hospitality of so many bikers giving me hitch hikes at every nook and corner. habit of seeking lifts is new to me, believe me i never used my thumb to travel free before :-)
as always the hockey stick shows itself again, with the end of training approaching fast, and so much work to do, both on the professional as well as the personal front. fortunately, i enjoy slogging, in fact sometimes i fear i crave for it. running is what i loved and still do, whether for business or pleasure.
oh, and one more wonder of this life. suddenly my IIMK group mails stopped coming, just like that. so i dont know what going on, who is spamming and who is cursing whom and so on. met to sid in chicago on yahoo one day, and spent some time seeking partners for the great "cause", which is nothing else but the dream of my own venture.
hv to write a lot more, but perhaps next time, as again i hv to go for a training session for WepSphere AD. quick money this time, without much fuss in the line. so long then...
[05/05/2004 04:24:34] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
main hoon na and other stories...
An artist never shows the real life as it is,
'coz if he did, he would cease to be an artist.
- Oscar Wilde
if u want to see, how far can one stretch the above logic, u shud go and watch 'Main Hoon Na'. many hollywood producers and directors can sue farah khan for such a clear case of copying, if only they had such an IPR. anyways, the movie comes as a shock, not only coz of this feel that u are watching a matrix or MI-2 at times, but also since u wud hv never expected to laugh so much seeing a SRK movie. reminds me of a Jaspal Bhatti serial where he directs a tragedy and gets awarded for a comedy. dont get surprised if SRK wins a filmfare for best actor in a comic role. on serious notes, better than SRK actually, are Boman Irani and Satish Shah, who set the mood right. must watch, but dont waste too much on it.
my french classes didnt start. none of the instts i approached had enough students for an evening batch. so the money which got saved in the process was divided between books, phone calls and other small small things. now it seems it is good, since i wud be stretching myself too much going for these classes. also, i started taking a batch of unix in a computer instt, which though didnt pay much, at least helped my finances a bit.
i talked to richa didi twice or thrice, and we missed ravi's so much at times. but i think i cant afford to be weak at least in front of uncle and didi. and i hv decided that as far as possible , i wud try not to let them feel alone. sid n tarana were also going through some rough patches, but it seems all set now. i feel very happy for them. god bless them.
this two year PGDM seems quite long now, even when i know time will fly like anything. maybe its the place affecting my moods, but i desparately want to work now. and all of a sudden, i find myself discussing a long cherished dream of mine, of starting my own company. it seems like a pipe dream as of now, but if only i wud hv some money at my disposal, things wud hv been drastically different. lets c what the future holds. but i wont let time say that i didnt try hard. rest god is a better planner than me, and i hv full faith in him.
[18/04/2004 20:12:50] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
travel bug
time sure flies fast. i last blogged 2 months back. since then a lot of things hv happened. our end terms got over, i came to pune for my summers, visitd mumbai etc etc. after doing much travelling in these 10-15 days compared to the past 6 months, i feel that travelling gives me so much insight abt life, and to some extent, abt myself. it sure gives u good enough time to ponder abt many things, and somehow all my depression and worries give way to determination and firmness after spending hours shuttling between places.
mumbai is as happening as always and my stay was quite fruitful there, though i didnt stay more than the 2 odd days. visitd a lot of places and travelled almost from one end to another. life there is quite fast even when compared to my favourite city delhi. and the public transportation is much better than at least pune. pune is not a visitor's delight to say the least. the public transportation is pathetic, especially on the outskirts of the city. u end up spending a small fortune on autos if ur work requires a decent amount of travelling within the city even. and the auto fares are also one of the highest among indian cities. wish i cud hv my bike here, which doesnt seem possible at all.considering my decision to go for french classes, the future holds a lot of expenses it seems.
and to say at last, our summers here at tata technologies is quite comfortable. in fact right now im blogging from the office itself. we have been given a nice bungalow to live with all facilities, although its location is quite odd.anyways, u rarely get the best of both worlds. i got a SAP related project, which hopefully should increase my knowledge abt ERP :-) oh, that reminds me that i hv taken all the 8 subjects of Systems electives next year, in a hope that it will improve my CGPA. lets c how correct im.
on the personal front, matters cant be more shaky, with all my fears coming true. but the comforting thought is that the fears now are no longer the fears. so it gives me more freedom and less worries. but i believe god has his own way of teaching things,and i firmly believe in him. so it shudnt be much time, when happier days return.
time to log off and do some work....
[17/02/2004 08:55:52] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
hope floats
things are moving at a very fast pace these days. in the past 2 weeks it seems that i have already lived half of my life. talked to shyla again, mridula, arun, hifi, pawwa etc etc etc. and u guessed it, the subject was always my GF. anyways, shyla and arun (this one is my BTech mate) seemed to make the most sense. and after following shyla's advice for 2 days, i feel like a different person already.anyways, there is a lot more to happen before the old times are back. but i hv decided not to be weak again, even for love.
and on the IIMK front, news is good as always. we had nice placements for the seniors. our mid term xams are on their way, infact we had 2 today and 2 yesterday. the final 2 are due tomo. today it was more of common sense answers than bookish knowledge. at least thats what i did. and im pretty satisfied with how things went. the quake CTF tournament is also going well. althougn we lost our first match, the rest two were terrific. we hd scores of 5-1 and 8-0. and obviously i was defending. (hehe, not that im trying to take credit from my teamies). rest matches will follow after mid terms. but i hv to visit bangalore also this week end. seth topped in IIIT, Bang. will be nice to see him and pawwa there. will collect some simpsons episodes from seth if possible. oh yes, and finally we started playing badminton. although the court is not so good as in MDI, it is quite nice. regarding summers, i got the dates 5 apr to 10 jun in tata tech, pune. have heard a lot about the city.lets c how time passes there.
talked to naomi (shyla's daughter) yesterday. she is in 2nd year of grad-BioTech and was telling me abt toranto. by jove, the temperature there now a days is -26 degrees. :-o .she told me a lot of other things also, which were very informative, to say the least. amit krishnatry also was there yesterday. he has joined SAS in states as a project leader. is getting married on 10mar. was insisting hard on my attending his marriage, even offered me plane tickets :-). but i guess one shudnt take unfair advantage, particularly in a teacher-pupil relationship (yes yes, i taught him a few years back). GE offered him a job in india at a very handsome salary, but i dont think now he can work in india. says he will get a green card soon.good.
last but not the least, the fee reduction controversy. i was quite enlightened after reading the views of one IIMB prof. actually i also felt on similar lines, but my thoughts were not that structured.must read for anybody who wants to give an opinion abt the matter. in short i also feel fees are bit too much, even if the salaries IIM grads get are quite good. for a person like me, it will take years before i repay my loan and start saving for the future. and by then, i will already be in my 30's. so the situation is not that rosy. maybe IIMA,B or C guys would differ on this, but then again, many points raised by them are answered successfully by the IIMB prof actually .
shud stop here. nobody likes long blog entries :-).
[04/02/2004 09:30:17] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
more bad news....
as if time has not given me a shock bad enough, there were more bad news. problems started with the person i expected the least, my gf. Even Freud said that reading a woman's mind is difficult. i can confirm that after having a first hand experience. suddenly i found myself on a plane to delhi, in the middle of things. but the sabbatical was good, thats all i can say. i always believed that things improve after talking with people. though right now im not that sure abt this, but still somewhere i still believe in communicating. talked to shyla in canada after a long time. in fact, for the first time after she left india. she is good as always. and i felt relieved after talking to her so much.
naomi said (shyla's daughter) that nice guys finish last. even after so much has happened in the past 10 days, i still do not entirely believe that. things are pretty confusing right now. wait i must, atleast for some months, then lets see whats in store for me. besides if time starts changing a man, what is that people know as 'strength of character' ? big talk, but down to earth implications. im keeping my fingers crossed.
as far as IIMK is concerned, things are pretty cool. placements were good. and people here are good. hope the upward trend continues at our time also. as far as studies are concerned, i hv become a little lazy, hv to improve on that. besides the marks i missed in the last week also needs to be recovered.
sid is planning to move from malaysia to india. rajiv is already here. we have to reassemble our circle, and be together. ravi has left a big void. if he wud hv been here.......only if. shud stop now, before sentiments take the better of me.
[11/01/2004 23:45:54] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
how things change...
so a new year has begun. not on a happy note for me. in fact this is the worst new year for me till date. ravi is no more. i cant believe this has happened. all i can say is that my life is never going to be the same without him. and sid is in malaysia, i hardly talked to him after the incident. i will end this topic here before i start crying again. may he rest in peace.
we got our MC grades also and i stand 23 finally in the first term. not too good but i never cared for marks. anyways, this is our last term for the first year and then we will be the seniors. and our dear seniors will move on their jobs leaving behind memories of the good time we had together. suddenly i feel the world has changed so much, cant say for good or bad. if it would have been possible, i would go back 6 months and change many things.if that is.
nilesh left the course mid way, nobody knows what were the reasons. but guess is that it must be something serious. hope he does well in life.
major event in the past few days is that i started playing quake. we are around 8 guys who make the team. in the process i mingle more with the people with whom i never talked much. a good sign i think. as far as rest of the things like course in this term are concerned, they are dead boring. everybody has to go through hard times in one's life, so i guess for me this is it.
watched munnabhai MBBS, return of the king and friends. time pass movies. hope something better comes in the coming days.
nothing to write much abhi. so will come back later.
[13/12/2003 23:24:47] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
back again...
i know this time its a gap of almost one month. but the month was hectic after Horizons ended. things have changed a lot in these days. we received our much dreaded MA grades, and they kept their reputation. i got a C, which now does not seem that bad. but just to consider that this single subject brought me down from 13 rank to 28 might tell a story 13 was an unlucky number anyways :-) thankfully MA continues only for this term.
excpet this MA accident,other developments have been good. i finally got summers in tata tech. wrote a paper for MDI contest. dont know whether it will win or not, but for people like me, writing itself is gratifying. besides, paper writing does provide some insight into things which were at best blurry previously. i won an online quiz at IIFT, but surprisingly even after so many days, they havent send the prize yet. ditto for XLRI, where they were supposed to send the prize money to amit. man, we should claim interest on this amount, its already a good few months i guess.
yesterday, the brand seminar kicked off, which will continue today also. honestly, it is really good, with the speakers at their best. fun and gyan at the same time. the only things is that our xams start tomorrow, restricting our participation in the event. wish if only it cud hv been some days before. but lets enjoy the show to the best extent possible.
well as far as the placements are concerned for our seniors, the going is pretty good. almost 60-65% of them had already been placed by now. seems like nobody will be left when our placement week starts. everybody placed before day 0-that will be some news. hope the trend will continue in next year also.
as far as the courses in this sem are concerned i feel that fm was the easiest one. not coz i was scoring in the quizzes, but since i feel that fm-1 at least requires strong basics without much fuss about mundane things. and UD teaches in an interesting manner.
now for the more serious matters :) .i tried rajor for once. and the experience was 'enlightening'. i realized that all the stories about rajors giving u a closer shave than electronic ones are grossly wrong. maybe it was me, but still, the latter is fast, clean and u njoy the experience.
i will sign off now, lot needs to be done before the rituals (read xams starting from tomo). and then it will be time to go back to good old delhi. so long then.
[17/11/2003 08:12:54] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
Horror show
sorry to say things which many ppl wont think appropriate. my perception about MBA schools is vastly changed, more to the negative side. not only coz of our instt., but also from the experience of my friends in other IIMs. But first, to make things simpler, let me confess that still IIMs are the best, compared to other business schools in India. what surprises me are not the relative things, but rather the absolute things. Take for example the two day sessions of Horizons. the questions, behavior, arrangement as far as the students are concerned was perfect, to a tee. but i can't believe that the outside speakers and our director asked more questions than the students themselves. they are all indeed very much learned and successful in their own fields. but students have their own concerns, which a successful person may not realize as a concern in the first instance. overcoming generation gap is a big thing, and i think that it doesnt depend upon education and success. to identify urself with the young generation is a matter of attitude, not altitude.
u hv to pay for the sins for ur forefathers. unfair but true. same with business schools. the image and ranking of a business school has little to do with the current students, rather the performance of past students matter most. and i realize that why very few indian students want to associate with their grad or pg instt. true learning is difficult, more so coz of the courses and some faculties. no im not blaming our gurus, the fault lies with us also, only reiterating the fact that walking the thin line of being a teacher is a difficult task. believe me when i was studying in 6-7, one of my dreams was to invite all my gurus for a grand party (in case i do manage to become rich and famous). but my heart bleeds to realize that if i see this dream now, i will find almost the same bunch, very few recent 'gurus' would hv been added to the list. i know all this sounds very childish, but as picasso once said, i hv somehow managed to save my inner child in all these years of growing up.
coming to the professional issues, i very strongly feel that indian IT industry future lies in products not services. the matter came to my mind coz it has also been mentioned by some of the industry ppl here in Horizons. believe me, no progress is possible only by BPO and services. they might help u sustain the growth, but not for long. anyways...time for fm abhi.
[14/11/2003 13:19:41] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
For the times, they are a-changing
dylan is inspiring. really. as far as other thing are concerned, now i feel i know what time warp means. all of a sudden, Horizons has appeared from nowhere, which was quite some time till yesterday. this time we are having it on our own campus, rather than Taj, which is a good thing in more ways than one. then i hv to work on backwaters website also. we want it to be better and robust than other recent B-schools' online events like IIMB, IIMI, XLRI etc etc. this means more time is needed. let me search for my time machine to go 2 weeks back and start working on it. :-)
i talked to ajay, my 10 day roomie in MDI. he says that summers at our place is pretty good. i also think so now. since their winter break start is 25dec-2 jan i plan to give MDI a visit. just to check my badminton friends, whether i can still win against them. i talked to meera in pramati technologies, but surprisingly the talk was pretty short. lets see what they want. patni, tata info are scheduled next.
i had cold and fever yesterday. which is surprising since i rarely catch cold even in delhi temp, rarely once in 2-3 years touchwood. one pill, 2 glass juices, sleep till 1.30pm and it was all right. i went to reservation office and got my train tickets, before deciding to go to NIT for dinner. the place is cool. since there are a lot of students everywhere, the facilities are also better. i talked to two students there, one from agra and other gwalior. im glad i did my engg from delhi itself, 4 years away is like a small 'vanvaas' in itself.
oh yes, n i watched matrix revolutions last night. not as good as the first one, actually nowhere near it. no wonder it didnt make much money in US. and IBM started promoting SuSe in the guise of general linux, read Novell acquiring SuSe as a clue. well ask me, i always bet on SuSe even before many ppl here were familiar with its name. the product in fact is good than many other distributions.dont know when we will see an 'indian' Linux.
its time to finish some of the ET papers collected over my bed in past few days. so long then...
[09/11/2003 09:24:00] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
topcoder rules...
ok, this time it was a long break. anyways, good to be back. credit goes to satish VM, who reminded me. well for ppl who r not much into coding and stuff, topcoder is a concept of online coding matches. u get some prize if u win, and ur rating keeps going up and down. the reason why i started this entry with TC is that in the past few days, this is one thing that gives me highs. i mean my rating soared more than 100 points in 1 match. not bad. (i did mention abt TC in some previous log, didnt i ? )
listing things which has happened in these days:
1. a lot of ppl has gone for IIM eshtyle cut (credit goes to the barber for this name), that is 'ganje'. seems this thing spread fast. 8 counts till now.
2. we won the XLRI online treasure hunt. so now v will hv some more money to spend. and we won the two cricket matches against F and B hostels too. although my contribution was not so great.
3. companies came and went, but i am here intact. well to be fair, im waiting for systems co.s. Nishant is going to singapore to work for N kidney FS.
4. i realised that talking on cell is a hell lot cheaper. yesterday i made a 19-20 min STD to my swthrt, and it came only 46 Rs. and i can exchange messages too. well well, i mean all this on arun's phone. i can pay him instead of the STD guy.
5. i hv decided to give the shaving razor a try. not that i was not shaving till now, but electronic shavers dont give u that close a cut.
6. mid-terms are back. all of a sudden. like the last time. and ihv not done any major prep. like the last time :-)
7. our grad e-grp has finally seen some mails pouring. many ppl r moving to Pune, Bang , Korea etc etc. some r going to Hughes (i dont know why i dont like this company, something subconscious perhaps ), others TCS, Infy, HCL, LG.
8. my tooth pain is back. today i didnt attend a ppt coz of that, and GD was not so good too.
9. talked to arun abt going for our own company after 6-7 years. seems we agree on many such things.
10. my love is going for MPhil. god pls do that. i mean get her an admission in JNU. will give me some more time also, before i do the inevitable.
11. the IIM-I incident. its more on funny lines. they hosted an online game, and even the organizers did not know the evaluation criteria. i mean their teachers who were the judges didnt tell them.
12. IIM-K fellas won at IIMB fest, IITB-SOM paper pres. and one became the CRISIL young thought leader.
i hv decided to try taking some out regularly for this blog. there are a lot of things which i forget over a period of time. after all i am unofficially a senior citizen now ( railways wont give me a concession, since im over 25 ).
enough for now i guess. MA awaits me....
[24/10/2003 11:01:51] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
let there be light
a lot of things have happened since i last wrote. v got most of the grades, and i am not too happy about mine. though 5 of them were A-, i was surprised not to get a single A+. seems like i didnt try hard. will surely do something abt that.
and then there was this IIMB online contests. real fun, although i felt that some teething problems remained in the application design. overall, it was cool.
today we had diwali celebrations on our campus. small on scale but i enjoyed it. particularly the crackers part. most of the guys were out to goa or nearby places due to 4 days break. it is an experience to see an almost empty campus, and ask me, i like it that way.
but on the other front (read health), there were some issues. i had fever once, and my teeth problem is back. thankfully, one of our senior's wife is a doctor,and i had some pain killers. tomorrow i hv to visit her clinic, and it seems that its high time i got the filling done. more expenses ahead....
surprisingly, in the past one month, when we were relatively few, there were not many new movies. still i managed to waste my time playing ceaser, watching friends and what not. i think i hv a knack for it :-) but the coming days are going to be hard. i hv decided to take part in some paper writing contests, and deadlines are more or less around 1st Nov. lets c what happens.
[12/10/2003 11:16:40] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
stress puppies
two free days and did nothing. this is the story of most of the guys i guess. we are so accustomed to working for deadlines, that we require deadlines to work. funny. the past few days rekindled my interest in finance, thanx largely to UD. that means a lot of hard work in coming days i guess. but experimentation is one thing that the first year of MBA allows. so there is enough time to make up my mind for taking a specialization in 2nd year. on the games front, i learned to play ceaser. and boy, what a complicated game it is. and like AoE, it also takes a lot of time.
there is other developments also. for example, i come to know about a hindu classmate who is so inspired by bible that he remembers almost all the verses. and can u believe this-he has not watched television or movies for years. i wonder whether the christians believe in the darwinian theory of evolution at all. for one, this chap doesnt.
anyways right now i wish that my love had a PC at home. chatting is so easier, fun and saves a lot of money u spend on the telephone bills. not that i regret spending it talking to her, but an expense is an expense. besides, even after spending money, i get very little time to talk to her. at times, i miss her badly. its still a long way to go before i get back. till that, i have to bear this. anyway lots of work to do abhi. so long then...
[08/10/2003 10:10:59] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
down but not out
the past few days have really been depressing. summers can be demanding, and i sometimes have this feel of being a misfit here. apart from wipro story, ICICI and Bharti also showed me the door. ok, to some extent im responsible for this, but logic fails to console at times. but every passing minute i feel this urge to rise again, to fight back, to smile.
on the other hand, i have watched some 8-10 episodes of friends in 2 days, and burnt some of them to distribute. funny, since i never liked it much back home. but now the comdey seems enjoyable. plus pirates of the carribean was goooood, jonny depp as usual at his best. nice movie.
i was amazed to see mridula's cv, i mean i never knew that she has done so much as her cv says. at these times, i really miss the school i never had. but what the heck, i think its time i stop cribbing about the past. i need change, and so does my love. she plans to go to college trip, and i hope she gets a much needed break.
we got my QM mid term grades, and i got A- . but more funny was sudhira's remark after knowing about the A- : "so you are intelligent". seems for some, my grade is my IQ score. anyways....oh yes, i got 29 more points in topcoder, though i did only one problem. but im out of the intel tournament for sure. anyways, i feel i could have done better if i would have woke up on time. lets wait for the google one.code i must. so long then...
[04/10/2003 09:15:15] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
back to square one
finally im back in IIMK. and the timing can not be more hectic. after spending 2 days flat in train, the summers started right after 30 minutes of my arrival. fortunately i hv not applied to most of the companies who are coming in these two days. some of them i didnt apply, and the rest didnt reply. though one did. ICICI. and right now after spending 6-7 hours in their test and GD process, im sitting here waiting for the interview turn, and writing this blog. around me the other candidates go through all the Qs, matrices, fundas and what not. so i find mr chandler drawing BCG on the board, and one more whose name none of us remember. good for us. :-)
the days in delhi went quick. my swtheart is as beautiful as ever and a little worried. so the train hours in the return journey went like hell. the worries got transferred to my head perhaps :-( but thats life. worries and hurries keeps life interesting and worth living.
ICICI will tell the result tonight itself. good. tomorrow i dont hv any schedule it seems. plan to sleep the whole day...let see. how many PPTs must a man go through, before he is selected...
meanwhile my interview number inches close, and i hv to think of the model answers. so long then....
[24/09/2003 08:13:50] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
perfect competition...
I took one Draught of life,
I'll tell you what i paid,
Precisely an existence,
The market price they said.
-Emily Dickinson
Economics is an interesting subject. but like all interesting subjects, it needs time. precisely what we are not able to give. But i must appreciate the way Mr. Balakrishnan set the paper, precise knowledge was required, no global gyan. and best of all, we knew our score by the end of exam. he has posted the right answers on the notice board. great. i like it. i scored 35, but feel that the language was a bit ambigious else it should be around 38-40. anyway, that may sound like a poor attempt to hide the fact that i studied only at the last day.
tomorrow is the last exam-Management Accounting, and His excellency visit day too. but the news of the day is that PC was expelled, and was not allowed to give the exams. though i hv no personal grudges against him, i really feel its for the good. for us as well as for him. hope his parents realize that he needs a psychologist. and soon.
time to put the fullstop now. its eggjam time u know.
[23/09/2003 03:38:12] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
rejoice...
the depression caused by MM was more than cured by todays OB and IT. now exams are two steps far from a happy ending. but the amount of time im wasting is a bit on the higher side. i ont feel like toiling too hard on exam days, it should be an effort through out. not that it always is.
meanwhile, the trend of putting creative messages in yahoo msgr here is rising to a new high. some are really funny, some are informational, and some are warning signs (dont u dare wake me up) :-) our institute has suddenly moved towards a new speed in construction and cleaning as the Preident's visit nears. its good vaise, 2-3 more times like this and we will jump 6-8 months in construction.
one more news is that people here are not happy about the announcement to shift rooms, though im not concerned. i feel that comfort zones should not be formed so easily within 2-3 months. after all, an experience is an experience is an experience. maybe im cool beacuse i dont like the room much. but i guess i never get too attached to the living or eating habits. those in my view are detrimental to resilience. or im not social maybe. anyways, these are different schools of thought :-)
chalo some rest time abhi, then my swtheart's subject-economics will be started. logging off....
[21/09/2003 06:34:54] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
Kotlerspeak...
finally xams have started. MM tomo, so kotler is going on big time. got a mail from seth, and suddenly i feel like visiting B'lore for 1-2 days. IIMC contest seems a bit far fetched abhi to, given the hectic exam schedule. i got AOE-II but a bit late. anyway i hv brought it back from delhi with me.
i gained 99 points from topcoder yesterday. hope i wud reach a decent rating soon here. at least the net does not get DC midway during the contest. but got to bring the algorithm book back with me. that might help.
not much time to write abhi... will be back soon.
[20/09/2003 04:03:59] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
Reports, more reports and some open source...
for the past 2-3 days reports are on. now itself one of them remains. but the progress is ok. meanwhile, the TSS threads are getting longer and longer on issues which have more to do with persons than with technologies. but it is sure interesting. some people think that open source contributers are supposed to be "morally bound" to a product, even if they do not make a living out of that. surprisingly, these critics are the very people who do not contribute to open source in any significant way. i think personal choice and freedom is more important than this debate on "whether mr gavin going to JBoss is a good thing for hibernate". after all, nobody forces developers to use open source. if they think its good (which is the case more than not), then use it. else take ur pick, there are others also.
sun is out with the madhatter version-the Java desktop. im seriously thinking of starting full time linux, getting certified and further on those lines...no traces of management anywhere in my plans...God save IIMK. meanwhile the clock is ticking and my departure date is coming nearer second by second. delhi, here i come...
[19/09/2003 04:27:01] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
How many lions must a man mark before he can count them...
QM over !!! exam went great- at least according to me. many people exercised their imagination today, even in a subject like statistics. after-exam session was equally hilarious, with mr chaudhary verbally approving every version of the answer :-) and im one more day closer to home. sid is moving malaysia, rajiv got into ibm, ravi is on his way to get a MS in IT ...so much is going on. more importantly, my swtheart is getting computer lessons :-) now we will talk in binary.
i wonder sometimes whether i took a right decision joing IIMK. only time can tell. meanwhile i am trying as hard as possible to stay alive. many people are counting me to make it big, and sometimes the pressure becomes a bit too much. but i have seen worse. this too will pass...
meanwhile, our BTech egroup has been reduced to a job post site, with mostly people writing about interviews, CVs etc etc. not that these are bad, but come on, no one has written on it even once after getting jobs. and its not even 4 months since we last met.
wish i could write more, but MC and STI are over my head abhi. so long then...
[18/09/2003 05:34:17] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
Wipro wont consider me for summers. Great. There goes one chance. Not that it is that bad, but rather that it is despite the fact that I might be one of the most "into IT" people here. WikiWiki anyone? Im sure u didnt understand what that was about. anyways...maybe it didnt reflect in my resume. Hope my dream of finally getting into IT will come true :-).
Apart from summers, i must say that this blogging thing is just what i needed to rekindle the writer in me. Oh yes, and i got my first visitor today. Gaurav Singh, my classmate in engg. And he liked it :-). exams are starting from tomorrow, and i havent opened the book yet. QM seems easy. I am waiting for mridula to see whats the climate at IIMC. maybe that will kickstart me also.
sometimes i miss delhi, but more than that i miss my love. hope time flies fast.
Chalo, lets get back to work before its too late...
[17/09/2003 21:24:21] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
with all the deadlines approaching, it is going to be tough for some days. although talking to mridula makes me appreciate the atmosphere here, kinda relaxed, but sometimes i wonder whether doing all these projects is helping us understand or learn. the greatness of the "hockey stick" proves itself again and again. Murphy said that "data expands itself to fill all the available space", but i feel "data transforms itself into reports as the deadlines approach". :-) dont know who actually does all the work in 2 days, when it was still lying there for 1 month. anyway, time to go back to delhi is also approaching. in all my years of living outside home, i have a dreamy feel about them whenever i get back home. feels like i saw the places in dreams rather than actually living there.
the art of loving
i really dont know what to do. or what to write for that matter. hope nobody comes to read blog today, to waste his/her time. i spend 270 bucks today talking to my ex and richa didi. everyday i think things cant be any worse, and the very next day proves me wrong grossly. though, i must seek excuse to stop these "ex" talks abruptly right here. the more i think abt these things, the more painful it becomes. oh, and dude, its ok man. i didnt mind ur comments at all.
seems im back in my "writer" self. and back to the title. its actually inspired by sri sri sri (sorry the lost the count) ravishankar's "the art of living". having too much energy is also a bad things, sometimes it can go in having sleepless nights since ur "thinking". or u may go on plaing chess on length (sometimes 4 hours at a stretch). hey, b.t.w. we have two towers in our school, which keeps a very good 100 feet view of the surrounding area. im planning to take some snaps from it. watched love actually, and actually it is not so bad. tomo i will go with some juniors to the orphanage, since ankit is busy, and in any case, we need to take care of the remaining 25 or so kids also (which being only 2 ppl, we had to left in our english teaching).
didnt take dinner after coming to know that it was my FAVOURITE dosa and paav. nothing intrinsically wrong in them, but maybe like my ex proclaims, they are not MADE for me. plan to hv a mid ngt visit to canteen for relishing some aloo paranthas,and shakes. and of course, i dont feel like sleeping, hving slept few hrs in afternoon. my payment frm wipro still has to come, and at times i thank god that our canteen runs on credit. then received the book which mom sent, and now there is no excuse for not working on the XSL-FO course material.
i hv to do an assignment abhi. so will end here. i kno i kno, some of u mgt be bored by readin the above two (OK 3 not 2 - happy?) paragraphs, but to tell u very honestly, im feeling v.low and lonely myself today, after having cried buckets. dont ask me why. or perhaps by this time u dont need to.
and hey ravi man, missing u badly today. god bless u in heaven.
[06/08/2004 06:35:41] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
love actually
before u start deciphering the title, let me show u something :
"hey dude...dont u guys have an IT Comm ? ask the IT buggers to get their B$%tts moving and get the net connection improved.....the you wont have to wait till lunch for the page to get loaded.... and hey ur writing is really interesting ...keep it up!"
this was the comment on my last blog by a gentleman. thanx dude for the appreciation. however thats not the end of the story, and neither my intention was to reveal that some ppl are actually able to bear my writing. my visiting card pinned on the notice board above me grimly reads:
Alok Kumar
IT Committee
( dude, u will understand the plight now. i did try to get my B$%tt moving but sadly the student IT committee doesnt hv much powers here except to act as an intemediator between the admin and students. however im really grateful u did manage to take time off to read my rantings. )
and divya and other fellow "K-ites" , if ur reading this, STOP laughing now. it isnt that funny actually :-| .
now coming back to more mundane matters (ya u read right, if that wud hv been something really serious and important, i mgt as well hv avoided it ) - somebody told me that love actually is a nice one. i hv one print of it, but sadly the sound and picture was out of sync. and somehow the entire movie moves intermittently (like tracks of 3 secs glued together) as if somebody has recorded it using a cheap digital camera. i wonder what happened to the art of movie piracy, ppl cant even make a good copy.anyways i buzzed one of pals here for the movie, but he seems to be perpetually living in somebody's else room. so i scanned the network, found that 1 junior has shared some movies, and rgt now im copying it.
there is a lot of confusion now-a-days. first i get congratulated twice for my birthday, which actually should hv gone to alok srivastava ( buggers, where were u when it was actually my birthday a week back ) - though being a gentleman as i m, i accepted as "belated birthday" wishes. then one of my group members apologized for not coming to today morning group meet, where in fact there was none. i told him that it was scheduled in evening, and he swore that i HAVE sent him a msg saying that the meeting was today morning. seems i hv a split personality, or the chap has started his day with two neat glasses of the ambrosia.
then there is our student council (scon) which never ceases to amuse (incidentally one of the chaps in scon is the same gentleman described above ). there is another gentleman who religiously counts the number of online section A and B students online on yahoo msgr, to decide who has won at any given time.makes ur life much more interesting. before any of u start accusing me for laughing on that - lemme clarify, they are our representatives, so in a way im laughing on myself. like one of my sardar friends said - "nobody can stop me from laughing on myself".
lemme ask u something - whats "defenestration" ? ok ok, no need to go searching for ur dictionaries, i will tell u. it means throwing somebody out from the window. just some of the things u learn from reading history books. the context here presumably some protestants leaders threw some catholics governors out of the window sometime around 1685 AD, somewhere in Europe.
neways will stop here. time to watch the movie.
(ending quote: Value and worth arises from paucity -- me. Agree? )
[05/08/2004 07:04:31] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
history mystery
(sorry folks, all the prose i wrote was wiped off due to this F***ING Internet Explorer, but im recreating the original entry verbatim for the benefit of the readers ;-) )
History maybe made by those who lose their life in the process, but recorded by only those who survive.
-- Anonymous ( all that is known about him is that his name started with 'A', was born on 29 Jul, 1978 and got educated in the historical cities of Delhi, the capital and Kozhikode, known as Indraprastha and Calicut respectively in years of yore.he spend most of his time in Kozhikode on a hilltop, appreciating and trying to understand nature in its most elemental form. the place was coming into prominence at his time and was soon bound to become one of the major cultural and intellectual centres in India. the city was a mix of cultures of middle east, native indian and medieval europe, and was known as a port and trade centre )
Men are mostly interested in the geography, rather than the history of a woman.
--Anonymous ( Really Anonymous, womanlibs pls excuse me for the quote )
before u start pulling ur hair on the context of the above, lemme clarify. im reading a book, aptly titled "When, Where , Why and How it Happened" , published by readers digest. It tracks the (100) most important events of history through 3000 BC to modern times. its a long book and i hv reached only upto 150 pages out of a 400, which will translate to the era of 1642 AD. interesting read, though one must read these kinda books in high school, so in a way im completing my education. im thinking of buying this for my cousins, though its a bit gory, detailing the tortures and killing methods employed by the greeks, romans, mongols etc- like pulling teeth or intestines (so before pulling ur hair think twice. the idea mgt not be as pleasant as it seems).
seems im winning a chess tourney almost the other day at FICS. today i co-won one and stood 2nd in another ( though i shud hv co-won that also, the bugger played on time in a drawn king and rook ending. may his soul receive the same treatment ). i plan to fully use my 4 day break (which is ONLY 3 days now) by finishing the pile of books, magazines and newspapers on my bed. da vinci code is there too, which is with me for 1 month, but i hvnt even started it yet. then i hv to make some XSL-FO training material for wipro. its all work and no play.....( dont u DARE count chess on the play side, its workm rather duty - what will happen to indian chess elites if i stop playing )
the net speed is amazing now-a-days. u type a URL, click go and then go to breakfast calmly. by the time u come back, the page should be there loaded or almost loaded. for the not so lucky ppl, they mgt need to go to lunch also for seeing a page like google loaded. un-confirmed reports from eye witnesses put an upper limit of few days for tasks like sending mails. quite a blessing i nust say, saves them from un-necessarily surfing and chatting. our network thus reaffirms ur faith in god, some things are better left to him.
yes, my xams finished. my Strategy Management prof in particular will be proud of me. there was this 12 line case in the paper, and thanks to my gift of insight-enabling me to read between the lines,i wrote an answer sprawling across 4-5 pages. he should be amazed to see the work of sheer genius (now he should know how einstein teachers must hv felt like) and to my estimate it should take some time, ranging from few hours from few days to fully comprehend the answer. the time actually depends on his mood, but more importantly his mettle to endure the prize answer. then Brand Management paper also went good. in 1 question, it asked for a pyramid, and i did draw one-contrary to some who drew prisms, though it maybe much more than what he desired.neways....
i should put rest to my literary skills now, before u think i copied a page out of the W,W,W and H it Happened book. aloha.
- aks (its my new pseudo for the uninitiated. OK, smarty now i hv told u, its not a pseudo anymore, but who cares )
[03/08/2004 12:30:16] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
reflections and illusions
i tell u what-living the life of an extremist is not easy. i talked to her today also, and somehow i feel so calm.as expected the recharge i got just days back got over. phone companies would be very happy on my talking with deepika (my ex). i always amass a good bill, for the past 3 years. talked to sid and tarana on yahoo. she was so happy abt my coming to hyd in sept. said that me and arun can stay in their house,provided we hv to eat what she cooks. i told her that was the difficult part, but i would do this sacrifice for them :-). jokes apart, suddenly my situation has become quite like ravi and sid's like me. neways, wont extend this ex topic any longer.
i once said that i dont write for audience. seems like i hv to start writing for them. after prashant (my senior) told me that he reads my blog regularly, and some ppl commented (ok ok that included deepa and divya - i wonder how many 'd' ppl i know) that i write well, the performer in me is coming back. many a things in my life are inspired to get recognition rather than anything else. take my trainings for example, i teach as if im performing on stage and an applause at the end is expected at coda. that makes the job more interesting for my students also. or take pogramming for example which is an art form for me (though i hvnt met many who agree on this). talking of trainings, i remember when i joined my first job at Leyland, i used to get 4.5K as stipend. now i earn more than this in a single day in trainings. but the joy of trainings actually extend much beyond the money. u get to interact with a lot of ppl, and the job is a respectable one. plus u can work on ur own conditions.
the number of tourney wins are going up. i won the 3rd tourney today, which was very satisfying given that i defeated 2 higher rank ones in the quest. then my other friends - pria and tanishka were there today. pria was kinda senti on me months back, though i told her clearly that i cant give her what she desires (love-that is, what were u thinking ?).somewhere im unable to cheat ppl. dont know its a boon or bane. n i tell u, i felt very bad when she cried tonnes. she fought with me day before, but was cool yesterday, blew some pecks on friendship day. she broke up with rohan, whom she was going around for 1-2 months. this chap has left his house for the so-called 'freedom' , she didnt like this among other things. then tanishka has come to mumbai frm dubai, and has joined some college there for mass media. she is living with 2 of her friends, parents are still in dubai.cool.
abhinav-my BTech mate is going to US for MS, some texas univ i gather.will leave by 14 aug, already got his visa and stuff. seems it wont be possible to meet him before that since he leaves bangalore by 6 and i wud be there only by 7. shikha got married and the couple has settled in bangalore. i wonder what happened to vibha, i talked to her once or twice when she shifted to banaglore after marriage, but after that she disappeared altogether. i sent 2-3 mails on her old account, but no reply.
i hvnt painted since june. maybe after tomo exam will splash some colors on 2 of the canvasses i hv brought along. abhi i feel so slpy....zzzzzzzz....ta
[02/08/2004 21:42:54] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
Goodbye to Romance
Yeasterday has been and gone
Tomorrow will I find the sun or will it rain
Everybody's having fun except me I'm the lonely one
I live in shame
I've been the king, I've been the clown
Still broken wings can't hold me down
I'm free again
The jester with a broken crown
It won't be me this time around to love in vain
I said goodbye to romance
Goodbye to friends
Goodbye to all the past
I guess we'll meet, we'll meet in the end
-- Ozzy Osbourne
it feels like my love was an illegitimate child - unknown and unaccounted for. she never revealed it to her friends (though to be fair, her brother and mother were aware), and everytime i raised the issue, she argued that she is waiting for the right time. and when i see her being so enthusiastic abt the new guy in her life,leaving no opportunity to drop a hint, my heart bleeds. maybe a man has to go through this pain sometime in his life. or maybe my way of living, mostly based on responsibilities, many a times ignoring my own feelings, was wrong.neways....
ppl talk abt relationships not working out, like they are talking abt washing machines. perhaps im already outdated in this fast paced life. strangely now i dont want her to come back, and neither i want myself to start seeing somebody else. just want to live my life alone. but yes, sometimes, the selfish me wants her to realize the pain and live with it. someday. all this while i fully understand the futility of emotions at times, look at poor nafisa. though iwont go to that level, at times when im at my most depressed self, the idea doesnt seem that bad. then sanity prevails, and i realize that being the eldest, my parents, who mean the most to me, also look upto me for fulfilling my responsibilities towards my clan.
the school where we were supposed to do our social development project (SDP) refused flatly to give us any work. being a aided instt (largely frm middle east it seems) maybe they were scared of disclosing their inner working. then ICICI bank deducted 1025 bucks for something. god knows what. i called mom to give the bank a call and find out.lets c. and then she called asking me to send a mail, and the chain of thoughts in the above two paragraphs started. so yesterday was a bad day in more ways than one.
its raining again outside, and the weather and scenery outside are beautiful, or as my poetic self would hv said - "one scene which u wont want to miss, the mountain which white clouds seem to kiss". in a sec, the visibility drops frm few kms to few mtrs, and as the rain stops, back to normal again. wish i had wings.
i hv my Brand Management exam today at 2.30. hvnt studied much, so i think shud stop here. so long.
[01/08/2004 22:04:35] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
petals around the rose
i dare not compare,
a poem with one's wife,
but choosing lines is as difficult,
as choosing a partner for life
-- me
in case ur wondering what is the link between the title of this blog and the lines above - let me tell u-there is none :-) . the title actually comes frm a small game whose link one of my batchies sent - http://www.borrett.id.au/computing/petals-bg.htm . check it out if u hv time....pretty cool timepass. though as usual urs truly sent the game packing in few mins,hehe.
it seems that my ex did wished me on my bday after all. though she sent the sms to arun's number and he forgot to tell me on time. actually she was down with viral for a week. so i called her 2 day before yesterday to check hows she doing. she called me on yesterday abt some issue on SPSS. then suddenly i remembered (actually pria, sohil, neetu n prayank reminded me :-) ) that it was friendship day. so i smsed her to wish. she called back and we talked for long. and when we finished, my phone balance was down by a hundred bucks.
talking of phone, u know what? i got a recharge for 300 bucks and got a balance of 180 or so. i made few calls and it was down by 20 or 30 odd rupees. but to my surprise, the balance was up to full 300 the next day. bless these escotel chaps. called mom also twice, my nephew and sis were at home for a month or so. i tell u, he is going to be such a brat, u shud look at how authoritatively he behaves, even at this tender age of 1 and half years.
i reached the finals of FICS (freechess.org) blitz 2004 tourney finals but scored only 4/9 in it. blame my network for this. in one game i mated the opponent, but my clock was so ssssssslow that it showed that my time was up.neways, maybe next time. baddy is back and maybe we will hold a tourney after the mid terms. yes yes my mid terms are starting on 3-incidentally thats tomorrow, but actually this time only 2 xams are there.b.t.w., mr panda (our CB prof) has really impressed me, as a teacher, but much more as a human. i went to him explaining some personal problem, and the response i got was really good. if only all profs wud hv been like him, the world wud hv been a much better place.
oh and my batchy varun g told me abt the perceptions of some of the guys here at K abt the alumni meet issue- that i started the debate to avoid the money. what a joke. but that says a lot abt some of the guys here. i told him that there are more important things in my life than to be politically correct and please everybody. let these smarties think what they want to. and i decided that now on, i wont contribute a penny for alcohol in our parties. ther are far better uses of that money.
i started teaching kids in an orphanage here. it was my dream from a long time. actually i shud thank ankit for this, since this is SSG's idea. so me and ankit goes every sunday for 2-3 hrs. i tell u, no other feeling can come this close in making u realize the goal of life. for me atleast. i hv plans to adopt 2 kids if possible someday. not that im searching for meaning in my life this way, though that wont be entirely false, but rather i feel one shud do what one can.
then wipro liked the training so much that they asked for one more 5 day one. but i refused, since its not possible to take that much time off frm K now. 1-2 day ones shud be no problem, and actually a 2 day one on XSL is almost finalized. i met one of their chaps before coming back and finalized some small ones for their regular trainee batches also. seems some money is coming my way here, and i tell u i need it badly rgt now.
too much for now....adios.
[29/07/2004 14:25:43] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
happy birthday to me....
thats what i sang yesterday on 29. yes, my mom/bro smsed, richa didi called. no, my ex didnt call. what the heck, ppl do change.but this much, in months(?).
neways, first of all, its 3.33 (what a coinci) and im very sleepy. i can only resist till i finish few lines (and watch the first half of julie). now the past few days flew past as always, but this time there was a content feel. actually i accepted a training offer in wipro for 5 days (didnt i tell ya i teach java and XML?), so overall the smell of green notes makes the entire running around seem nice. since sat and sun were off, i came back to K and then again started for bangalore on sun ngt. i actually spend 4 out of 6 nights travelling to and fro between bangalore and calicut. its a 7 hr journey in the bus. met some more wipro chaps for some more small future trainings, seems like its going to be good for coming few months.
i did not do many things in bangalore, but for one, i checked a fish store and found that a gold fish bowl of decent proportions would cost around 500 bucks. called at K one day and found that i was supposed to draw a technical architecture for the OODBMS course by next day noon. so i printed 14 sheets, wasted my ngt, drew a superb architecture, and mailed it to pgp03. only to find at evening that sudipto has sent some other architecture. life....got late while coming back but to my surprise, the state transport bus was waiting for me to come.hmmm,now thats what i call customer service.
oh yes, and i did win one more chess tourney. finished 'animal facts' and now 'principles of genetics' and 'birds of india' are on. then there were some more "holistic" debates on OCS (our internal mailing system) started by urs truly. talked to sid, he is back from honeymooning in mauritius. sent me a link of 108 pics. and i watched each one of it. actually girinder also sent me the links to photos taken when i was in bombay for a day. looks cool.
wasnt able to play baddy for these 7days, and today roshan(my batchmate) slipped and snapped his ankle. julie has been copied. so i will end here, after all a man needs to rest too. will try to write more here. that saves the pain of remembering things. neways, ta.
[19/07/2004 07:59:15] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
they are everywhere
apparently this goes for our juinors :-) actually the story started when one of my batchies dropped a mail with the line suggesting that things are becoming crowded at mess. and actually since we were so used to seeing only 1 or 2 of our seniors here and there, we found it unusual to see ppl everywhere (seems they rarely goto their rooms).OK, i did mention the same thing in my last blog entry also, so? sue me. neways....
my plan of relaxing by taking system courses seems to be paying off. with OODBMS and ERC kinda subjects, not much brain needs to be applied in the classrooms or tests. so im reading books like "animal facts" and "birds of india" (before u smile, let me ask all u smarties, whats the difference between a moth and a butterfly? dont know ? MY turn to smile now) apart frm sweating it out at the badminton court. oh yes, and not to miss, thanks to kula, i hv started playing chess on freechess.org, which is much more speedy as well as pro than yahoo. and i won the first chess tourney of my life albeit an online one.
there is a huge bunch of economic times and business line lying on my bed, making occasional visitors wonder how i slp on it. now that is my little secret, which obviously i dont reveal to "unimportant" ppl :-). and to make things better , these newspapers are joined by "no logo", business worlds, all my course handouts and books, my little (ok, not so small actually) bag, french language book, one shuttle, and a towel. a "ha" to all the non-believers. interestingly my room has met the challenge of a grp meeting successfully, and came out with flying colours (and some flying handouts).
i scored 2.5/2.5 in OODBMS 1st quiz. not a big deal considering many scored 2 and some 2.5, but the fact is that the prof asked me how i fared. maybe he has noticed me always slping or reading "animal facts" in the class. ignoring this little hitch, u must appreciate the fact that i DO attend the classes religiously. the highlight of the fortnight, though, will be the presentation i gave in consumer behaviour class. that was simply out of the world, which is confirmed by the faculty remarks after the class ("i did not understand a word of it"). of course, none of my classmates too was able to rise to the level of the presentation. ordinary mortals, i would say....:-)
and to put things in perspective, lemme tell u that i m grp leader in 2 of my grps. in ERC grp, this may be due to the fact the prof chose the ppl in roll call order as leaders (at times like these, it feels gud to realize that ur name starts with A, bless my parents and bless the pandit for suggesting that "balak ka naam 'AA' se hi shuru hona chahiye). but u cant deny the fact that OODBMS there is no competition at all. MSSQL, Oracle, MySQL, Postgre, Versant, Objectivity u name it and i hv played with it one time or another.(did i hear a WOW? no? man u must be a civilian-my term for a non techy).
and in between the last and this blog entry, i did manage to play diablo2 , reach 20-22 levels, deleted it after realizing that im playing 10pm to 6am, and moved on to freechess.org. then there was superman2, terminal (tom hanks at his usual best), troy, peter pan. man life sure moves fast here.
oh yes and richa didi's marriage has been fixed to 1december. my xams start at 2nd, but there is no question. i WILL go.so long...
[09/07/2004 02:48:52] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
blogging my blues
it has been a liong time since i wrote last. life has been a roller coaster these days. first 2 weeks after coming back saji gave us so many assignments that we rarely slept. then i hv to fly back to delhi and back for sid's marriage. got the news that richa didi's marriage is also fixed somewhere in nov-dec. sid's marriage itself was hectic considering that we friends hv to do most of the things. i took many snaps and they hv one quite nice, especially the one where tarana (sid's gf and now wife) is blowing her nose. missed the flight while returning and has to waste 1 more day there. and though the academic pressure is not that much, still things are quite hectic (if u consider that we hv to waste hours playing games n watching movies too, hehe). i bunked 2 classes today to catch some rest, as i wasnt feeling well since last night. but seriously now the countdown has begun, we know it wont be long before we finish the course.
despite all this running around, i took time to make two painting and one of them came quite nice. plan to make few of them more, at least the first thing on my wish list has started to take shape. tarana and sid hv settled down in hyd and i may gift one of my works to them when i visit hyd. then i watched harry potter, lakshyha, kill bill-1 and 2, peter pan, spider man-2. kill bill-1 was quite cool, depite all the blood and gory. troy is next on the cards, though ppl say its not worth watching.
our juniors hv joined and the scene at mess seems crowded. not coz we are much in number, but rather we are not used to seeing even this many guys. our seniors rarely come to the mess at the same time, so it was mostly us only. i mus say that its good to see new faces, especially when they are pretty enough :-) badminton is back in full swing and one day i played so much (4 hours to be precise) that my legs were aching for 2-3 days.
finally i gathered enough courage to tell my ex. to stop talking/msging. dont know whether i was right or wrong but at least there is some peace of mind, without i hving to worry abt her. it will be quite some time, maybe months, maybe years, till things are clear.neways.... its time to go for the ERC class.
[16/06/2004 13:14:01] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
back in paradise
the view from my new room balcony is absolutely stunning. people pay thousands of bucks in hill stations for this. as far as i can see, hills, greenery and clouds forming rising from the trees. u must see it to believe it. of course, im back in K.
when it rains , it seems like a huge shower has been turned on, and the way fog forms, it is like a curtain being pulled in front of the hills, which takes few seconds to appear and disappear. man, im gonna miss this place. wish i cud film all this to show my folks.
i reachd on 14june. from the moment i arrived, not even a single sec of relief. our OR prof, saji keeps us on the toes. sooooo many cases and problems to solve, sometimes we lose track of which case to do and which ones are next. after waking up with the hill side view, u realize life is not perfect as soon as OR thoughts creep back into ur mind.neways its gonna last for few days only.
the first thing i did after coming here was to unpack my comp and try to log on. but i found that something was wrong. it was a big disappointment , campus means 24x7 net for most of us. the net didnt work for the past 2 days or so, i had to use the CC. bang comes the news, yahoo has gone for 100 MB space and 10 meg attaches. then i came to know that my summer company HR chaps want a hard copy. so got a copy printed, bound and ready to send. but its still with me, didnt get time to courier it.
its ok now (i mean the net, of course) in our hostel now, and im blogging frm my room. oh yes and its 2.41am and i still hv to do tomo exercises.phew. a lot more to add since i wrote last. hopefully will get some more time to blog soon. till then....
[05/06/2004 00:05:32] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
now what?
for every tear u shed for me,
u will hv a year of glee,
i promise hapiness all around u,
as far as u can see,
i know v r not perfect,
but then, v dont hv to be,
coz i know what i mean to u,
and what u mean to me.
-- me
wrote the above lines when i was still dreaming. anyways. so finally im in delhi. just reached yesterday morning. god sure know how to put me in a fix. i got a chance to earn some money, 30K to be precise,as there was a 7day training in bangalore. but that means i had to skip some of the classes at IIMK. so finally had to let this chance fly away just like that. hope some other strikes up in delhi.
i met nishu, my BTech batchmates yesterday at sec-18, noida. i was with my K batchy, singla. she has also joined TCS and thankfully for her, the office is near her place. chatted with her for long and came to know abt many developments. shikha is getting married for one. to one of her infy colleagues. love marriage obviously. then charu is gonna join icfai, hyderabad. waves there at noida is pretty good time pass i must say. and she knew abt arun's affair also. but what embarrased me most was that i forgot nishu's name for the first 30 mins. it just didnt strike me, but as glib as i hv become after joining K, i passed it as a joke :-)
then my ex's sis got operated for some infection in the ear. so she is staying at her place in gurgaon helping her. i really feel pity for her sis sometimes. her mother in law is so mean. u just see ppl like her only in sas-bahu serials mostly.
went to deepti's (my junior at BTech) place and collected my books which i had lent her sometime back. she is gonna join MTech at IIT-Mumbai in IT. pretty cool, i always knew she has something in her. then i went to my college today for collecting the security refund.these fools deducted 800 bucks for alumni, without even asking us. and right now im sitting in ber sarai blogging my time away.hv o visit nehru place too for buying a mosue too abhi.
seems my 1 hour limit is approaching. i better leave now.chao.
[30/05/2004 00:19:46] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
lord, im 500 miles away from home....
last i typed all this 10 mins back, but as i was just going to post, the electricity suddenly left me in dark in the cafe. so im typing all over again.
4 more days to go to delhi. yesterday me and ankur went to sinhgad on a bike i borrowed from my net friend here, vyomkesh. when we started it was raining cats and dogs, rather i shud say we started only coz it was raining so heavily. i love driving in rain and it was a long time since i last did so. and this time it was too much actually , almost 70 kms, out of which around 40-50 km it was raining heavily with sweeping winds. wow, it is some experience.
many of my friends dont believe in net friends, wondering how can ppl call themselves friends, when they hvnt even seen together. but not me. im cool abt all this, actually totally for it, as it allows to avoid time and space boundaries. i wud hv never made so many friends if not for the internet. not that im too shy or introvert to make friends in real life, but rather the fact that it is simply not possible to travel or meet so many ppl so easily.
so today i devote some time for my net friends. one, of course is vyomkesh, who is doing his BE from pune. he is originally frm hyderabad hving passed his life in the IAS academy there till now. i met him in person just 4 days back, and was pleasantly surprised when he offered his bike if i need it for travelling in pune.we talked in length over indian economy and politics when we met, passing the time in cafe coffee day and mcdonalds at FC road.
then there is niharika, years younger to me. but the way she talks is quite impressive. on certain matters i feel she is more mature than me.the new generation is born intelligent i guess :-) .neetu who stays in lucknow, and we exchange mails quite frequently.sohil who stays in bombay and towards whom i hv a elder brotherly attitude.talked to him many a times on phone also, but wasnt able to meet.
i hv to finish my report today in any case.so will stop here.
[23/05/2004 06:04:19] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
the last man standing
this is the first time im writing frm cafe. just came back after watching yuva. contrary to what the critics said, i liked the movie. hey and know what, i watched the movie on a 25 buck seat. actually i planned for a balcony, but the 35 buck one was on black for 50. and it wasnt worth it. i mean the theatre. ask me, the one which i got today was a lot better than the last balcony seat.
back to the movie. mani ratman's are always worth watching, and this one doesnt disappoint at all. and as always, i got the larger than life feel again. somehow, i find movies very inspiring. though doesnt like hindi ones much, im slowly developing a liking for them.
then talked to srivastava today. he met mridula in chennai, she was tense abt some presentation of hers in ITC. her summers is quite long abhi, considering that she has to go back to IIMC only after 7 june. told him abt deeps last msgs, and rightly he pointed out that i shudnt expect everybody to be clear abt what they feel. after all, at her age, its quite natural.anyways, im there for her, baki bhagwaan ki marzi.
tomo is TTL, read tata technologies day. they hv planned a big function there, but ankur and pankhuri, my batchmates at TTL, are giving it a slip. i will attend anyways, since got to do some work at office on monday. only 10 more days in pune. that reminds me, i talked to vyomkesh, my pune net friend, for 40 mins yesterday. he has quite well off background, and he is very frustated at what he is doing in pune. his thinking and mine is very much the same, but the execution differs a lot.talked to sriram also, who is going to UK on a UK govt scholarship. would u believe, i just met him one day on FC road, once only, and now we are friends. my other regular net friend neetu keeps me posted every other day. she has sent 4-5 of her pics also.i must say i find it very strange, i m making acquitance with so many ppl all over india. feels good.
oh yes and abt the title of this entry, just remembered a saying which goes something like "its not the the fastest who win, but rather the ones who preserve." blame yuva for this bromide :-)
god bless u all.
[20/05/2004 01:23:07] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
my 15 minutes of fame :-)
now thats what i like abt the net. u rarely feel alone. one of my net friends told me that she has added some comments on my blog and i should check them. for the first time (sorry for all the kind souls who took their time to add their comments) i read all of them. and discovered many a things. i came to know that somehow my entries were featured in the sizzling blogs section. im sure they made a mistake :-). then ron made some good remarks, though i still think it is all about what he called daily "existence". lemme be clear on this,and excuse me if i sound arrogant. but as a matter of fact, this is not a story book, its abt how i see life and things around me. take it or leave it. i do not write for an audience. period.
and to all my friends, i cant tell u how good i feel abt the very fact of ur being around. it may sound like im reading out the names in an award ceremony, but seriously let me thank all of u who stood by me or even helped in small small ways- nishant,arun,amit, sid, richa didi,tarana and all other ppl so dear to my heart.
b.t.w. where is this sagar arcade in pune? harita wrote that it is a good place to buy books, but unfortunately nobody in the company seems to hv an inkling abt that.
the weather in pune is quite cool in the past few days. especially it looks great with clouds all over the little mountains that surround pune. wish i wud hv a bike here to ride in the rain. slowly the time is approaching when i hv to leave for delhi. so im looking forward to go around places whenever i can. im waiting for "yuva" to release too, but the comments on the movie on rediff dont look that promising. anyways, will try the movie for myself this weekend.
i rejoined my BTech yahoo grp yesterday and found a lot of activity was going around. suddenly i realized that sid sharma is also in the city. mailed him and got a reply with his cell number. will visit him on the weekend. then im planning to see the BTech guys in delhi, maybe we will meet on ansals or priya/PVR. talked to fauzi yesterday abt "cow" (thats the secret name we used for our planned venture, hehe) and saw some more prospects lighting up. then giri wrote that a TCS guy is willing to leave job and join us full time. maybe i can visit bombay once more. one thing is becoming clear, if something concrete has to come up, i hv to travel extensively. so im gearing myself for that.
ankur lost his digicam in the guest house, or rather somebody stole it. very sad, considering that it was gifted by his brother. and i wont be able to attend the delhi freshers meet since they are planning it on 30may, while i will reach only by 4jun.
i started reading the bridge book i bought long back. and hv gone thru quite some chapters. hey, and i made a list of things i want to do or have, whenever possible. these are the things i hv been thinking abt for a long time.lets c how much it takes this this list is ticked off completely. here it comes, of course listing is not done by priority:
1. paint 9-10 painting on canvas
2. scuba-diving
3. parajumping
4. a radio aeroplane model
4. telescope
5. varieties of flowering cactus
6. goldfish bowl
7. turtles
8. bungee jumping
9. a mountain bike
will update it soon :-)
its almost one week since i last talked to my ex. sometimes i wish to ask tarana to talk to her and find if she is ok. my caring for her cant go in a jiffy if at all. but thats what who im. i still care for her. despite whatever happened. i know this is a test of time and happier days will return soon.i will be patient till that time. promise.
[16/05/2004 20:24:32] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
life or something like it....
so finally the last string of attachment has gone. she told me not to call since mukul doesnt like it. and i swore on mom i wont call or msg ever again. suddenly i feel happy again if there is any such thing as happiness at all. i start seeing things which i refused to believe till now, or simply did not notice being busy in my own life. suddenly i realized that im the eldest among all my brothers/ cousins and it reminded me sorely of the very fact that i hv to be strong and responsible, and there is little time to weep over my personal issues. my mausa ji has been diagonsed with throat cancer and one of my dads uncles passed away. there is a lot to take care of, other than my ex, ppl who need me more than her in many ways. so i decided not to bog myself down with her, and be the same rock which i was few years back. i need to pick up a lot of pieces and i hv made my mind to do so whatever happens in my personal life.
talking of my summer internship, i did more work in the past few days than the entire april. the countdown has begin, and i know before long, it will be time for preparing the report. so will try my best to beat the hockey stick this time :-) . i hope we do get computers free in the last days to prepare the report in time, otherwise hv to resort to the cafe.then company visits also need to be completed.lets c.
i saw "run" in a theatre where balcony costs 35 bucks and which, as i expected "leaks" when it rains. but it was overall a fine experience, other than the movie itself. the movie is pathetic, really. and in the midway, suddenly the projector light went off, and the crowd started shouting like anything. that scene was more comic than the movie scenes anyways.for 35 bucks the hall is worth it, if the movie is good.if.
met pralay, who is staying in a much better place than us. he is going back few days before us, and we planned to go to any nearby place whenever possible.we hv only 2 weekeneds left in any case. in this time i m trying to finish the remaining books i bought in pune. i hv already finished quite a lot, but the library ones are still left untouched. the weather now a days is nice, in fact it rained yesterday. so it makes it all the more difficult to stay at the guest house whenever we are free.
time to catch up with work. its already 10 here.here i come....
[13/05/2004 01:43:58] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
The Time to sWatch
this time it really seemed that i wrote last two days back. looking at the date of the last entry however grimly tells me that a week has flied by. anyways. more news happening in pune, with me taking some training courses here. at times it becomes very tiring, especially reaching home after 10 every day, but then its only a matter of some more days. and all of a sudden the pune java user grp started rolling and mails started pouring. i got an invitation to speak in the inaugural (?) session, though im here only for few more days. as somebody said abt planting a tree and not caring abt the fruits, i think my contribution to the java user grp here (JUG) is more on those lines.lets see what happens.
oh, and i ordered a swatch. not such a great news but definitely some thing on the better lines considering i shunned keeping a watch long back. pune's perception is getting better day by day in my mind, especially after enjoying the hospitality of so many bikers giving me hitch hikes at every nook and corner. habit of seeking lifts is new to me, believe me i never used my thumb to travel free before :-)
as always the hockey stick shows itself again, with the end of training approaching fast, and so much work to do, both on the professional as well as the personal front. fortunately, i enjoy slogging, in fact sometimes i fear i crave for it. running is what i loved and still do, whether for business or pleasure.
oh, and one more wonder of this life. suddenly my IIMK group mails stopped coming, just like that. so i dont know what going on, who is spamming and who is cursing whom and so on. met to sid in chicago on yahoo one day, and spent some time seeking partners for the great "cause", which is nothing else but the dream of my own venture.
hv to write a lot more, but perhaps next time, as again i hv to go for a training session for WepSphere AD. quick money this time, without much fuss in the line. so long then...
[05/05/2004 04:24:34] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
main hoon na and other stories...
An artist never shows the real life as it is,
'coz if he did, he would cease to be an artist.
- Oscar Wilde
if u want to see, how far can one stretch the above logic, u shud go and watch 'Main Hoon Na'. many hollywood producers and directors can sue farah khan for such a clear case of copying, if only they had such an IPR. anyways, the movie comes as a shock, not only coz of this feel that u are watching a matrix or MI-2 at times, but also since u wud hv never expected to laugh so much seeing a SRK movie. reminds me of a Jaspal Bhatti serial where he directs a tragedy and gets awarded for a comedy. dont get surprised if SRK wins a filmfare for best actor in a comic role. on serious notes, better than SRK actually, are Boman Irani and Satish Shah, who set the mood right. must watch, but dont waste too much on it.
my french classes didnt start. none of the instts i approached had enough students for an evening batch. so the money which got saved in the process was divided between books, phone calls and other small small things. now it seems it is good, since i wud be stretching myself too much going for these classes. also, i started taking a batch of unix in a computer instt, which though didnt pay much, at least helped my finances a bit.
i talked to richa didi twice or thrice, and we missed ravi's so much at times. but i think i cant afford to be weak at least in front of uncle and didi. and i hv decided that as far as possible , i wud try not to let them feel alone. sid n tarana were also going through some rough patches, but it seems all set now. i feel very happy for them. god bless them.
this two year PGDM seems quite long now, even when i know time will fly like anything. maybe its the place affecting my moods, but i desparately want to work now. and all of a sudden, i find myself discussing a long cherished dream of mine, of starting my own company. it seems like a pipe dream as of now, but if only i wud hv some money at my disposal, things wud hv been drastically different. lets c what the future holds. but i wont let time say that i didnt try hard. rest god is a better planner than me, and i hv full faith in him.
[18/04/2004 20:12:50] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
travel bug
time sure flies fast. i last blogged 2 months back. since then a lot of things hv happened. our end terms got over, i came to pune for my summers, visitd mumbai etc etc. after doing much travelling in these 10-15 days compared to the past 6 months, i feel that travelling gives me so much insight abt life, and to some extent, abt myself. it sure gives u good enough time to ponder abt many things, and somehow all my depression and worries give way to determination and firmness after spending hours shuttling between places.
mumbai is as happening as always and my stay was quite fruitful there, though i didnt stay more than the 2 odd days. visitd a lot of places and travelled almost from one end to another. life there is quite fast even when compared to my favourite city delhi. and the public transportation is much better than at least pune. pune is not a visitor's delight to say the least. the public transportation is pathetic, especially on the outskirts of the city. u end up spending a small fortune on autos if ur work requires a decent amount of travelling within the city even. and the auto fares are also one of the highest among indian cities. wish i cud hv my bike here, which doesnt seem possible at all.considering my decision to go for french classes, the future holds a lot of expenses it seems.
and to say at last, our summers here at tata technologies is quite comfortable. in fact right now im blogging from the office itself. we have been given a nice bungalow to live with all facilities, although its location is quite odd.anyways, u rarely get the best of both worlds. i got a SAP related project, which hopefully should increase my knowledge abt ERP :-) oh, that reminds me that i hv taken all the 8 subjects of Systems electives next year, in a hope that it will improve my CGPA. lets c how correct im.
on the personal front, matters cant be more shaky, with all my fears coming true. but the comforting thought is that the fears now are no longer the fears. so it gives me more freedom and less worries. but i believe god has his own way of teaching things,and i firmly believe in him. so it shudnt be much time, when happier days return.
time to log off and do some work....
[17/02/2004 08:55:52] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
hope floats
things are moving at a very fast pace these days. in the past 2 weeks it seems that i have already lived half of my life. talked to shyla again, mridula, arun, hifi, pawwa etc etc etc. and u guessed it, the subject was always my GF. anyways, shyla and arun (this one is my BTech mate) seemed to make the most sense. and after following shyla's advice for 2 days, i feel like a different person already.anyways, there is a lot more to happen before the old times are back. but i hv decided not to be weak again, even for love.
and on the IIMK front, news is good as always. we had nice placements for the seniors. our mid term xams are on their way, infact we had 2 today and 2 yesterday. the final 2 are due tomo. today it was more of common sense answers than bookish knowledge. at least thats what i did. and im pretty satisfied with how things went. the quake CTF tournament is also going well. althougn we lost our first match, the rest two were terrific. we hd scores of 5-1 and 8-0. and obviously i was defending. (hehe, not that im trying to take credit from my teamies). rest matches will follow after mid terms. but i hv to visit bangalore also this week end. seth topped in IIIT, Bang. will be nice to see him and pawwa there. will collect some simpsons episodes from seth if possible. oh yes, and finally we started playing badminton. although the court is not so good as in MDI, it is quite nice. regarding summers, i got the dates 5 apr to 10 jun in tata tech, pune. have heard a lot about the city.lets c how time passes there.
talked to naomi (shyla's daughter) yesterday. she is in 2nd year of grad-BioTech and was telling me abt toranto. by jove, the temperature there now a days is -26 degrees. :-o .she told me a lot of other things also, which were very informative, to say the least. amit krishnatry also was there yesterday. he has joined SAS in states as a project leader. is getting married on 10mar. was insisting hard on my attending his marriage, even offered me plane tickets :-). but i guess one shudnt take unfair advantage, particularly in a teacher-pupil relationship (yes yes, i taught him a few years back). GE offered him a job in india at a very handsome salary, but i dont think now he can work in india. says he will get a green card soon.good.
last but not the least, the fee reduction controversy. i was quite enlightened after reading the views of one IIMB prof. actually i also felt on similar lines, but my thoughts were not that structured.must read for anybody who wants to give an opinion abt the matter. in short i also feel fees are bit too much, even if the salaries IIM grads get are quite good. for a person like me, it will take years before i repay my loan and start saving for the future. and by then, i will already be in my 30's. so the situation is not that rosy. maybe IIMA,B or C guys would differ on this, but then again, many points raised by them are answered successfully by the IIMB prof actually .
shud stop here. nobody likes long blog entries :-).
[04/02/2004 09:30:17] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
more bad news....
as if time has not given me a shock bad enough, there were more bad news. problems started with the person i expected the least, my gf. Even Freud said that reading a woman's mind is difficult. i can confirm that after having a first hand experience. suddenly i found myself on a plane to delhi, in the middle of things. but the sabbatical was good, thats all i can say. i always believed that things improve after talking with people. though right now im not that sure abt this, but still somewhere i still believe in communicating. talked to shyla in canada after a long time. in fact, for the first time after she left india. she is good as always. and i felt relieved after talking to her so much.
naomi said (shyla's daughter) that nice guys finish last. even after so much has happened in the past 10 days, i still do not entirely believe that. things are pretty confusing right now. wait i must, atleast for some months, then lets see whats in store for me. besides if time starts changing a man, what is that people know as 'strength of character' ? big talk, but down to earth implications. im keeping my fingers crossed.
as far as IIMK is concerned, things are pretty cool. placements were good. and people here are good. hope the upward trend continues at our time also. as far as studies are concerned, i hv become a little lazy, hv to improve on that. besides the marks i missed in the last week also needs to be recovered.
sid is planning to move from malaysia to india. rajiv is already here. we have to reassemble our circle, and be together. ravi has left a big void. if he wud hv been here.......only if. shud stop now, before sentiments take the better of me.
[11/01/2004 23:45:54] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
how things change...
so a new year has begun. not on a happy note for me. in fact this is the worst new year for me till date. ravi is no more. i cant believe this has happened. all i can say is that my life is never going to be the same without him. and sid is in malaysia, i hardly talked to him after the incident. i will end this topic here before i start crying again. may he rest in peace.
we got our MC grades also and i stand 23 finally in the first term. not too good but i never cared for marks. anyways, this is our last term for the first year and then we will be the seniors. and our dear seniors will move on their jobs leaving behind memories of the good time we had together. suddenly i feel the world has changed so much, cant say for good or bad. if it would have been possible, i would go back 6 months and change many things.if that is.
nilesh left the course mid way, nobody knows what were the reasons. but guess is that it must be something serious. hope he does well in life.
major event in the past few days is that i started playing quake. we are around 8 guys who make the team. in the process i mingle more with the people with whom i never talked much. a good sign i think. as far as rest of the things like course in this term are concerned, they are dead boring. everybody has to go through hard times in one's life, so i guess for me this is it.
watched munnabhai MBBS, return of the king and friends. time pass movies. hope something better comes in the coming days.
nothing to write much abhi. so will come back later.
[13/12/2003 23:24:47] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
back again...
i know this time its a gap of almost one month. but the month was hectic after Horizons ended. things have changed a lot in these days. we received our much dreaded MA grades, and they kept their reputation. i got a C, which now does not seem that bad. but just to consider that this single subject brought me down from 13 rank to 28 might tell a story 13 was an unlucky number anyways :-) thankfully MA continues only for this term.
excpet this MA accident,other developments have been good. i finally got summers in tata tech. wrote a paper for MDI contest. dont know whether it will win or not, but for people like me, writing itself is gratifying. besides, paper writing does provide some insight into things which were at best blurry previously. i won an online quiz at IIFT, but surprisingly even after so many days, they havent send the prize yet. ditto for XLRI, where they were supposed to send the prize money to amit. man, we should claim interest on this amount, its already a good few months i guess.
yesterday, the brand seminar kicked off, which will continue today also. honestly, it is really good, with the speakers at their best. fun and gyan at the same time. the only things is that our xams start tomorrow, restricting our participation in the event. wish if only it cud hv been some days before. but lets enjoy the show to the best extent possible.
well as far as the placements are concerned for our seniors, the going is pretty good. almost 60-65% of them had already been placed by now. seems like nobody will be left when our placement week starts. everybody placed before day 0-that will be some news. hope the trend will continue in next year also.
as far as the courses in this sem are concerned i feel that fm was the easiest one. not coz i was scoring in the quizzes, but since i feel that fm-1 at least requires strong basics without much fuss about mundane things. and UD teaches in an interesting manner.
now for the more serious matters :) .i tried rajor for once. and the experience was 'enlightening'. i realized that all the stories about rajors giving u a closer shave than electronic ones are grossly wrong. maybe it was me, but still, the latter is fast, clean and u njoy the experience.
i will sign off now, lot needs to be done before the rituals (read xams starting from tomo). and then it will be time to go back to good old delhi. so long then.
[17/11/2003 08:12:54] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
Horror show
sorry to say things which many ppl wont think appropriate. my perception about MBA schools is vastly changed, more to the negative side. not only coz of our instt., but also from the experience of my friends in other IIMs. But first, to make things simpler, let me confess that still IIMs are the best, compared to other business schools in India. what surprises me are not the relative things, but rather the absolute things. Take for example the two day sessions of Horizons. the questions, behavior, arrangement as far as the students are concerned was perfect, to a tee. but i can't believe that the outside speakers and our director asked more questions than the students themselves. they are all indeed very much learned and successful in their own fields. but students have their own concerns, which a successful person may not realize as a concern in the first instance. overcoming generation gap is a big thing, and i think that it doesnt depend upon education and success. to identify urself with the young generation is a matter of attitude, not altitude.
u hv to pay for the sins for ur forefathers. unfair but true. same with business schools. the image and ranking of a business school has little to do with the current students, rather the performance of past students matter most. and i realize that why very few indian students want to associate with their grad or pg instt. true learning is difficult, more so coz of the courses and some faculties. no im not blaming our gurus, the fault lies with us also, only reiterating the fact that walking the thin line of being a teacher is a difficult task. believe me when i was studying in 6-7, one of my dreams was to invite all my gurus for a grand party (in case i do manage to become rich and famous). but my heart bleeds to realize that if i see this dream now, i will find almost the same bunch, very few recent 'gurus' would hv been added to the list. i know all this sounds very childish, but as picasso once said, i hv somehow managed to save my inner child in all these years of growing up.
coming to the professional issues, i very strongly feel that indian IT industry future lies in products not services. the matter came to my mind coz it has also been mentioned by some of the industry ppl here in Horizons. believe me, no progress is possible only by BPO and services. they might help u sustain the growth, but not for long. anyways...time for fm abhi.
[14/11/2003 13:19:41] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
For the times, they are a-changing
dylan is inspiring. really. as far as other thing are concerned, now i feel i know what time warp means. all of a sudden, Horizons has appeared from nowhere, which was quite some time till yesterday. this time we are having it on our own campus, rather than Taj, which is a good thing in more ways than one. then i hv to work on backwaters website also. we want it to be better and robust than other recent B-schools' online events like IIMB, IIMI, XLRI etc etc. this means more time is needed. let me search for my time machine to go 2 weeks back and start working on it. :-)
i talked to ajay, my 10 day roomie in MDI. he says that summers at our place is pretty good. i also think so now. since their winter break start is 25dec-2 jan i plan to give MDI a visit. just to check my badminton friends, whether i can still win against them. i talked to meera in pramati technologies, but surprisingly the talk was pretty short. lets see what they want. patni, tata info are scheduled next.
i had cold and fever yesterday. which is surprising since i rarely catch cold even in delhi temp, rarely once in 2-3 years touchwood. one pill, 2 glass juices, sleep till 1.30pm and it was all right. i went to reservation office and got my train tickets, before deciding to go to NIT for dinner. the place is cool. since there are a lot of students everywhere, the facilities are also better. i talked to two students there, one from agra and other gwalior. im glad i did my engg from delhi itself, 4 years away is like a small 'vanvaas' in itself.
oh yes, n i watched matrix revolutions last night. not as good as the first one, actually nowhere near it. no wonder it didnt make much money in US. and IBM started promoting SuSe in the guise of general linux, read Novell acquiring SuSe as a clue. well ask me, i always bet on SuSe even before many ppl here were familiar with its name. the product in fact is good than many other distributions.dont know when we will see an 'indian' Linux.
its time to finish some of the ET papers collected over my bed in past few days. so long then...
[09/11/2003 09:24:00] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
topcoder rules...
ok, this time it was a long break. anyways, good to be back. credit goes to satish VM, who reminded me. well for ppl who r not much into coding and stuff, topcoder is a concept of online coding matches. u get some prize if u win, and ur rating keeps going up and down. the reason why i started this entry with TC is that in the past few days, this is one thing that gives me highs. i mean my rating soared more than 100 points in 1 match. not bad. (i did mention abt TC in some previous log, didnt i ? )
listing things which has happened in these days:
1. a lot of ppl has gone for IIM eshtyle cut (credit goes to the barber for this name), that is 'ganje'. seems this thing spread fast. 8 counts till now.
2. we won the XLRI online treasure hunt. so now v will hv some more money to spend. and we won the two cricket matches against F and B hostels too. although my contribution was not so great.
3. companies came and went, but i am here intact. well to be fair, im waiting for systems co.s. Nishant is going to singapore to work for N kidney FS.
4. i realised that talking on cell is a hell lot cheaper. yesterday i made a 19-20 min STD to my swthrt, and it came only 46 Rs. and i can exchange messages too. well well, i mean all this on arun's phone. i can pay him instead of the STD guy.
5. i hv decided to give the shaving razor a try. not that i was not shaving till now, but electronic shavers dont give u that close a cut.
6. mid-terms are back. all of a sudden. like the last time. and ihv not done any major prep. like the last time :-)
7. our grad e-grp has finally seen some mails pouring. many ppl r moving to Pune, Bang , Korea etc etc. some r going to Hughes (i dont know why i dont like this company, something subconscious perhaps ), others TCS, Infy, HCL, LG.
8. my tooth pain is back. today i didnt attend a ppt coz of that, and GD was not so good too.
9. talked to arun abt going for our own company after 6-7 years. seems we agree on many such things.
10. my love is going for MPhil. god pls do that. i mean get her an admission in JNU. will give me some more time also, before i do the inevitable.
11. the IIM-I incident. its more on funny lines. they hosted an online game, and even the organizers did not know the evaluation criteria. i mean their teachers who were the judges didnt tell them.
12. IIM-K fellas won at IIMB fest, IITB-SOM paper pres. and one became the CRISIL young thought leader.
i hv decided to try taking some out regularly for this blog. there are a lot of things which i forget over a period of time. after all i am unofficially a senior citizen now ( railways wont give me a concession, since im over 25 ).
enough for now i guess. MA awaits me....
[24/10/2003 11:01:51] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
let there be light
a lot of things have happened since i last wrote. v got most of the grades, and i am not too happy about mine. though 5 of them were A-, i was surprised not to get a single A+. seems like i didnt try hard. will surely do something abt that.
and then there was this IIMB online contests. real fun, although i felt that some teething problems remained in the application design. overall, it was cool.
today we had diwali celebrations on our campus. small on scale but i enjoyed it. particularly the crackers part. most of the guys were out to goa or nearby places due to 4 days break. it is an experience to see an almost empty campus, and ask me, i like it that way.
but on the other front (read health), there were some issues. i had fever once, and my teeth problem is back. thankfully, one of our senior's wife is a doctor,and i had some pain killers. tomorrow i hv to visit her clinic, and it seems that its high time i got the filling done. more expenses ahead....
surprisingly, in the past one month, when we were relatively few, there were not many new movies. still i managed to waste my time playing ceaser, watching friends and what not. i think i hv a knack for it :-) but the coming days are going to be hard. i hv decided to take part in some paper writing contests, and deadlines are more or less around 1st Nov. lets c what happens.
[12/10/2003 11:16:40] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
stress puppies
two free days and did nothing. this is the story of most of the guys i guess. we are so accustomed to working for deadlines, that we require deadlines to work. funny. the past few days rekindled my interest in finance, thanx largely to UD. that means a lot of hard work in coming days i guess. but experimentation is one thing that the first year of MBA allows. so there is enough time to make up my mind for taking a specialization in 2nd year. on the games front, i learned to play ceaser. and boy, what a complicated game it is. and like AoE, it also takes a lot of time.
there is other developments also. for example, i come to know about a hindu classmate who is so inspired by bible that he remembers almost all the verses. and can u believe this-he has not watched television or movies for years. i wonder whether the christians believe in the darwinian theory of evolution at all. for one, this chap doesnt.
anyways right now i wish that my love had a PC at home. chatting is so easier, fun and saves a lot of money u spend on the telephone bills. not that i regret spending it talking to her, but an expense is an expense. besides, even after spending money, i get very little time to talk to her. at times, i miss her badly. its still a long way to go before i get back. till that, i have to bear this. anyway lots of work to do abhi. so long then...
[08/10/2003 10:10:59] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
down but not out
the past few days have really been depressing. summers can be demanding, and i sometimes have this feel of being a misfit here. apart from wipro story, ICICI and Bharti also showed me the door. ok, to some extent im responsible for this, but logic fails to console at times. but every passing minute i feel this urge to rise again, to fight back, to smile.
on the other hand, i have watched some 8-10 episodes of friends in 2 days, and burnt some of them to distribute. funny, since i never liked it much back home. but now the comdey seems enjoyable. plus pirates of the carribean was goooood, jonny depp as usual at his best. nice movie.
i was amazed to see mridula's cv, i mean i never knew that she has done so much as her cv says. at these times, i really miss the school i never had. but what the heck, i think its time i stop cribbing about the past. i need change, and so does my love. she plans to go to college trip, and i hope she gets a much needed break.
we got my QM mid term grades, and i got A- . but more funny was sudhira's remark after knowing about the A- : "so you are intelligent". seems for some, my grade is my IQ score. anyways....oh yes, i got 29 more points in topcoder, though i did only one problem. but im out of the intel tournament for sure. anyways, i feel i could have done better if i would have woke up on time. lets wait for the google one.code i must. so long then...
[04/10/2003 09:15:15] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
back to square one
finally im back in IIMK. and the timing can not be more hectic. after spending 2 days flat in train, the summers started right after 30 minutes of my arrival. fortunately i hv not applied to most of the companies who are coming in these two days. some of them i didnt apply, and the rest didnt reply. though one did. ICICI. and right now after spending 6-7 hours in their test and GD process, im sitting here waiting for the interview turn, and writing this blog. around me the other candidates go through all the Qs, matrices, fundas and what not. so i find mr chandler drawing BCG on the board, and one more whose name none of us remember. good for us. :-)
the days in delhi went quick. my swtheart is as beautiful as ever and a little worried. so the train hours in the return journey went like hell. the worries got transferred to my head perhaps :-( but thats life. worries and hurries keeps life interesting and worth living.
ICICI will tell the result tonight itself. good. tomorrow i dont hv any schedule it seems. plan to sleep the whole day...let see. how many PPTs must a man go through, before he is selected...
meanwhile my interview number inches close, and i hv to think of the model answers. so long then....
[24/09/2003 08:13:50] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
perfect competition...
I took one Draught of life,
I'll tell you what i paid,
Precisely an existence,
The market price they said.
-Emily Dickinson
Economics is an interesting subject. but like all interesting subjects, it needs time. precisely what we are not able to give. But i must appreciate the way Mr. Balakrishnan set the paper, precise knowledge was required, no global gyan. and best of all, we knew our score by the end of exam. he has posted the right answers on the notice board. great. i like it. i scored 35, but feel that the language was a bit ambigious else it should be around 38-40. anyway, that may sound like a poor attempt to hide the fact that i studied only at the last day.
tomorrow is the last exam-Management Accounting, and His excellency visit day too. but the news of the day is that PC was expelled, and was not allowed to give the exams. though i hv no personal grudges against him, i really feel its for the good. for us as well as for him. hope his parents realize that he needs a psychologist. and soon.
time to put the fullstop now. its eggjam time u know.
[23/09/2003 03:38:12] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
rejoice...
the depression caused by MM was more than cured by todays OB and IT. now exams are two steps far from a happy ending. but the amount of time im wasting is a bit on the higher side. i ont feel like toiling too hard on exam days, it should be an effort through out. not that it always is.
meanwhile, the trend of putting creative messages in yahoo msgr here is rising to a new high. some are really funny, some are informational, and some are warning signs (dont u dare wake me up) :-) our institute has suddenly moved towards a new speed in construction and cleaning as the Preident's visit nears. its good vaise, 2-3 more times like this and we will jump 6-8 months in construction.
one more news is that people here are not happy about the announcement to shift rooms, though im not concerned. i feel that comfort zones should not be formed so easily within 2-3 months. after all, an experience is an experience is an experience. maybe im cool beacuse i dont like the room much. but i guess i never get too attached to the living or eating habits. those in my view are detrimental to resilience. or im not social maybe. anyways, these are different schools of thought :-)
chalo some rest time abhi, then my swtheart's subject-economics will be started. logging off....
[21/09/2003 06:34:54] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
Kotlerspeak...
finally xams have started. MM tomo, so kotler is going on big time. got a mail from seth, and suddenly i feel like visiting B'lore for 1-2 days. IIMC contest seems a bit far fetched abhi to, given the hectic exam schedule. i got AOE-II but a bit late. anyway i hv brought it back from delhi with me.
i gained 99 points from topcoder yesterday. hope i wud reach a decent rating soon here. at least the net does not get DC midway during the contest. but got to bring the algorithm book back with me. that might help.
not much time to write abhi... will be back soon.
[20/09/2003 04:03:59] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
Reports, more reports and some open source...
for the past 2-3 days reports are on. now itself one of them remains. but the progress is ok. meanwhile, the TSS threads are getting longer and longer on issues which have more to do with persons than with technologies. but it is sure interesting. some people think that open source contributers are supposed to be "morally bound" to a product, even if they do not make a living out of that. surprisingly, these critics are the very people who do not contribute to open source in any significant way. i think personal choice and freedom is more important than this debate on "whether mr gavin going to JBoss is a good thing for hibernate". after all, nobody forces developers to use open source. if they think its good (which is the case more than not), then use it. else take ur pick, there are others also.
sun is out with the madhatter version-the Java desktop. im seriously thinking of starting full time linux, getting certified and further on those lines...no traces of management anywhere in my plans...God save IIMK. meanwhile the clock is ticking and my departure date is coming nearer second by second. delhi, here i come...
[19/09/2003 04:27:01] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
How many lions must a man mark before he can count them...
QM over !!! exam went great- at least according to me. many people exercised their imagination today, even in a subject like statistics. after-exam session was equally hilarious, with mr chaudhary verbally approving every version of the answer :-) and im one more day closer to home. sid is moving malaysia, rajiv got into ibm, ravi is on his way to get a MS in IT ...so much is going on. more importantly, my swtheart is getting computer lessons :-) now we will talk in binary.
i wonder sometimes whether i took a right decision joing IIMK. only time can tell. meanwhile i am trying as hard as possible to stay alive. many people are counting me to make it big, and sometimes the pressure becomes a bit too much. but i have seen worse. this too will pass...
meanwhile, our BTech egroup has been reduced to a job post site, with mostly people writing about interviews, CVs etc etc. not that these are bad, but come on, no one has written on it even once after getting jobs. and its not even 4 months since we last met.
wish i could write more, but MC and STI are over my head abhi. so long then...
[18/09/2003 05:34:17] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
Wipro wont consider me for summers. Great. There goes one chance. Not that it is that bad, but rather that it is despite the fact that I might be one of the most "into IT" people here. WikiWiki anyone? Im sure u didnt understand what that was about. anyways...maybe it didnt reflect in my resume. Hope my dream of finally getting into IT will come true :-).
Apart from summers, i must say that this blogging thing is just what i needed to rekindle the writer in me. Oh yes, and i got my first visitor today. Gaurav Singh, my classmate in engg. And he liked it :-). exams are starting from tomorrow, and i havent opened the book yet. QM seems easy. I am waiting for mridula to see whats the climate at IIMC. maybe that will kickstart me also.
sometimes i miss delhi, but more than that i miss my love. hope time flies fast.
Chalo, lets get back to work before its too late...
[17/09/2003 21:24:21] | [theneo@rediffmail.com ]
with all the deadlines approaching, it is going to be tough for some days. although talking to mridula makes me appreciate the atmosphere here, kinda relaxed, but sometimes i wonder whether doing all these projects is helping us understand or learn. the greatness of the "hockey stick" proves itself again and again. Murphy said that "data expands itself to fill all the available space", but i feel "data transforms itself into reports as the deadlines approach". :-) dont know who actually does all the work in 2 days, when it was still lying there for 1 month. anyway, time to go back to delhi is also approaching. in all my years of living outside home, i have a dreamy feel about them whenever i get back home. feels like i saw the places in dreams rather than actually living there.
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