Ever so often one hears of some defamation suit being filed or protest being held because someone’s sentiments were hurt. Oh really? Oh reallllllllllllllllllllllllllllyyyyyyy?
Why is it that the ‘leaders’ and social busybodies who claim to represent those whose sentiments were hurt never get angry about other things as well?
Why don’t they get angry about the poverty in this country? Or the filth in which most of our people live? Or the fact that even after 60 years of Independence we still do not have anything close to 100% literacy (am not even talking about education.. just literacy)? Why don’t they protest about people being malnourished while food grains rot in the Government’s godowns? Doesn’t the site of the widows of slain soldiers weeping on national TV make them want to do anything about this country’s security issues?
I’ll tell you why.
It’s because we’re a bunch of hypocrites. A nation of whiners and over-sensitive adolescents masquerading as adults. The only time we act tough is when we’re in a mob.
We like to talk. About our glorious ancient culture, about how democracy has failed us when we compare ourselves to China, anything that makes our cushy little worlds a little less cushy. Oh yes we like to talk. Getting out of our armchairs and doing something to help is something that we’re not up for. The only time we’ll get out of our chairs is protest about something that hurts our sentiments.
Awwww. Don’t feel bad.
Feel ashamed.
Ashamed that we cling to twin illusions of ‘safety in numbers’ (hope they get the guy next to me instead) and ‘ostrich mentality’ (as long as my family and friends are okay, who cares what happens in some far off village). History tends to repeat itself in our land. The same scams, the same corrupt politicians, the same gullible electorate and tadaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.... the same inefficient, inaccessible, unaccountable system.
H.L. Mencken said, “Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.”. I think the same sad truth could apply to us as well. Our leaders prefer rabble rousing and mob justice to judicial and constitutional channels. Their logic is impeccable. Why spend years fighting for something when you can grab it right away? All you need is to convince the people that in some way their culture, religion, caste or these days – statehood has been insulted.
And this is why the system doesn’t work. Everyone wants to take, no one wants to give back. We demand our constitutional rights, but how about our duties? Duties to ourselves and to those less fortunate than us.
We have one of the world’s largest population of those who live below the, outrageously named, ‘poverty line’. And yet we feel proud when we see 4.. or 5.. or 2.. who cares... Indians being named in the list of richest people in the world. Isn’t there something fundamentally wrong about feeling proud at the sight of obscene wealth & yet being indifferent to obscene poverty? Hypocrites I tell you.
Now take literacy. Most of us have been born after Independence. Which means we were born to a sovereign and independent country which claimed to be socialistic as well. Or at least some of us were. There are many others who were born into the same feudalistic, caste riddled, male dominated societies that their ancestors lived in hundreds of years ago. Which probably explains why we have such a pathetic record when it comes to improving literacy.
We want to host the Olympics, while we can’t put together a decent hockey team.
We want the world to recognize us as an emerging superpower. Yet we can’t convict a terrorist who was caught on CCTV shooting people, including a policeman.
We take pride in the fact that our economy was resilient during the Great Recession. But don’t seem to mind that most of this ‘resilience’ was due to the parallel economy.
We want to be a destination for medical tourism but don’t think it’s necessary to provide basic healthcare to our own countrymen who can’t afford it.
We believe that we have a glorious past, but think nothing of scratching our names on the walls of the monuments that were built during that glorious past.
We get touchy when our neighbour hurts our sentiments, but we don’t mind if the Chinese treat us with disdain; mainly because we bend over backwards to not antagonise them.
At the end of it all, I don’t think that we suffer from delusions of grandeur. We suffer from delusions of competence.
Showing posts with label Viren's Musings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Viren's Musings. Show all posts
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Saturday, January 09, 2010
A New Beginning - 2010
Here’s a list of things that I had asked for in 2009. Let’s see how many of them were answered.
1. Manmohan Singh finally show some spine and take on the pakis.
Verdict: Not really happening. We’re still a soft nation waiting to get whacked. Still, at least there haven’t been any more 26/11 type fiascos.
2. Obama give a huge boost to green technology.
Verdict: Big failure. Copenhagen was a massive let down. So forget Obama, all our leaders have disappointed us.
3. Roger Federer win BOTH the French Open & Wimbledon. (The other two don't really count)
Verdict: Finally!!! The FedEx finally won the French open, thanks to Nadal no doubt. Two sets in Two matches and he would have won the Grand Slam. Oh, what could have been!
4. My credit card bill disappear.
Verdict: It comes and goes. Like all bad things in life. But am quite happy with the way things stand currently.
5. A blanket ban on whaling.
Verdict: Stupid Japanese. Need to kill a 1000 whales for ‘scientific research’. Am glad Sony & Toyota are running into the red. Serves them right. Maybe they’ll do some real research now. Sony – why their products are twice as expensive but only marginally better. Toyota – why their cars are so damn boring!
6. A decent coalition come to power at the centre after the general elections.
Verdict: Score!!! Bye bye lefties. See you in the NCERT history books. And nowhere else.
7. Bin Laden finally gets caught.
Verdict: Who cares anymore? Wasn’t worthy of being on this list actually.
8. The Large Haldron Collider that CERN built actually works & they discover whatever they were looking for.
Verdict: Another blank. Well I guess these things take time.
9. The second season of IPL is shorter, but just as much fun as the first.
Verdict: Hats off to Modi & Co for pulling this one off. Don’t know if the matches were more fun, but they did a good job at such notice.
10. Bayern Munich do well in the Champions League.
Verdict: Losing to Barca is no shame. That too with half your team injured. So yeah I’d say Bayern did pretty well in the CL.
Final Scoreline: 5-5
Now about 2010. Let’s see what I’d like to happen during this year. Hmmm…
1. The GoI shows some balls & stands up to the Chinese – high time we took ourselves seriously
2. Germany do well during the World Cup in South Africa – though with the 20 something youngsters like Ozil, Kroos, Adler, Tasci, Marin & Bender I think they’ll have a better team for Euro 2012 or WC 2014 than now
3. Air fares come back to reasonable rates – am sick of paying airlines so much just so that they can put up their staff in 5 star hotels
4. Indian news channels become more responsible & stop acting like imbeciles – self censorship obviously doesn’t work in media just like self regulation didn’t work in financial markets
5. The Kindle (or similar products) become available in India at reasonable prices – think of the trees that can be saved
6. Inflation comes down – am fed up of paying 40 bucks for an apple & 100 bucks for a kg of daal
7. Google launches a Chrome browser for the Mac – I like the Mac Firefox, but hey Chrome rocks anyday
8. The fad of ‘reality’ shows goes away – need I explain this one?
9. Government of Goa first starts collecting garbage before it builds that sealink between Panjim & Vasco – talk about priorities!!
10. You are nicer to your family & friends – awww, that was soooo sweet. Surely you can do this for me?
1. Manmohan Singh finally show some spine and take on the pakis.
Verdict: Not really happening. We’re still a soft nation waiting to get whacked. Still, at least there haven’t been any more 26/11 type fiascos.
2. Obama give a huge boost to green technology.
Verdict: Big failure. Copenhagen was a massive let down. So forget Obama, all our leaders have disappointed us.
3. Roger Federer win BOTH the French Open & Wimbledon. (The other two don't really count)
Verdict: Finally!!! The FedEx finally won the French open, thanks to Nadal no doubt. Two sets in Two matches and he would have won the Grand Slam. Oh, what could have been!
4. My credit card bill disappear.
Verdict: It comes and goes. Like all bad things in life. But am quite happy with the way things stand currently.
5. A blanket ban on whaling.
Verdict: Stupid Japanese. Need to kill a 1000 whales for ‘scientific research’. Am glad Sony & Toyota are running into the red. Serves them right. Maybe they’ll do some real research now. Sony – why their products are twice as expensive but only marginally better. Toyota – why their cars are so damn boring!
6. A decent coalition come to power at the centre after the general elections.
Verdict: Score!!! Bye bye lefties. See you in the NCERT history books. And nowhere else.
7. Bin Laden finally gets caught.
Verdict: Who cares anymore? Wasn’t worthy of being on this list actually.
8. The Large Haldron Collider that CERN built actually works & they discover whatever they were looking for.
Verdict: Another blank. Well I guess these things take time.
9. The second season of IPL is shorter, but just as much fun as the first.
Verdict: Hats off to Modi & Co for pulling this one off. Don’t know if the matches were more fun, but they did a good job at such notice.
10. Bayern Munich do well in the Champions League.
Verdict: Losing to Barca is no shame. That too with half your team injured. So yeah I’d say Bayern did pretty well in the CL.
Final Scoreline: 5-5
Now about 2010. Let’s see what I’d like to happen during this year. Hmmm…
1. The GoI shows some balls & stands up to the Chinese – high time we took ourselves seriously
2. Germany do well during the World Cup in South Africa – though with the 20 something youngsters like Ozil, Kroos, Adler, Tasci, Marin & Bender I think they’ll have a better team for Euro 2012 or WC 2014 than now
3. Air fares come back to reasonable rates – am sick of paying airlines so much just so that they can put up their staff in 5 star hotels
4. Indian news channels become more responsible & stop acting like imbeciles – self censorship obviously doesn’t work in media just like self regulation didn’t work in financial markets
5. The Kindle (or similar products) become available in India at reasonable prices – think of the trees that can be saved
6. Inflation comes down – am fed up of paying 40 bucks for an apple & 100 bucks for a kg of daal
7. Google launches a Chrome browser for the Mac – I like the Mac Firefox, but hey Chrome rocks anyday
8. The fad of ‘reality’ shows goes away – need I explain this one?
9. Government of Goa first starts collecting garbage before it builds that sealink between Panjim & Vasco – talk about priorities!!
10. You are nicer to your family & friends – awww, that was soooo sweet. Surely you can do this for me?
Monday, July 06, 2009
The Anti-MBA: Return on Documentation & Common Sense
We MBAs love to coin terms, invent frameworks, run regressions and perform analyses. It’s what we get paid to do and, often enough, it’s how we justify our existence in an organization. When you can bandy about terms like ‘positive network externalities’, ‘time compression diseconomics, ‘coefficient of regression’, ‘sustainable competitive advantage’, people tend to think that you are someone who knows a lot.
I’ve seen people run regressions and come out with statements like, ‘In order to turn around the hotel, we need to fire 273 people’. Hmmm, an interesting number and the speaker’s confidence might make you believe that his word was gospel truth. But in this case, there were two minor flaws in the argument. One, people don’t draw the same salaries, so do we pull names out of a hat and say, ‘Sorry old chap. This recession is a real pain’? The second flaw with this brilliant quantitative analysis was that the total number of data points used to run the regression was…. 3. Yes, 3. It’s the number that comes after 2 and before 4. You didn’t need MS Excel 2007 and a bunch of, in this case, overpaid MBAs to do the analysis for you. You could have managed with a 3 year old who knew how to connect the dots with a pencil and a ruler.
Now I am no 3 year old (though I used to be), but I do have an open mind. Today I learnt a new term called Return on Documentation, or as some of you might prefer, ROD. Given the pathetic money I’ve earned from the Google ads on this blog (subtle hint for you) I personally think that ROD has very little significance in the real world. But I wouldn’t want my bitter experiences with Google to taint what should be an objective discussion.
Don’t get me wrong. I think doing an MBA was a marvelous thing. I went from being grossly underpaid to marginally underpaid on the financial front. But intellectually, it opened up many new avenues to my tiny brain and gave me a slightly better understanding of how things work. It also allowed me to meet some of the most interesting, genuine and hardworking people I know – the housekeeping staff and the librarians at ISB.
Jokes apart an MBA did change my life. For the better. The reason I wrote this post is only because I feel that a lot of the jargon is well, just that. Jargon. The same goes for most of the analysis we do. I often get the feeling that it is done to cover our backsides in the event that things go wrong. ‘Look, we did our due diligence, it’s just that the macro-environment changed’.
But isn’t that what we’re supposed to plan for? We’ve all heard of the 5Cs & 4Ps of marketing. To this list of management by alphabet, I would like to add ‘6Ps of Strategy’. The 6Ps are ‘Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance’. Might sound to you as stating the obvious. That’s exactly my point. A lot of what we MBAs pass off as management techniques are actually different forms of a simple thing invented by cave men. It’s called Common Sense. (Cave Man: Fire hot, no touch. Tiger Angry, no tease. Mother-in-law coming, no drink with buddies).
Take some common sense, add plenty of humility & genuineness, throw in some healthy respect for numbers, a touch of street smart and finally a dash of willingness to take decisions and you’ll make a pretty decent manager.
Now that I know the recipe, I need to start making one myself.
I’ve seen people run regressions and come out with statements like, ‘In order to turn around the hotel, we need to fire 273 people’. Hmmm, an interesting number and the speaker’s confidence might make you believe that his word was gospel truth. But in this case, there were two minor flaws in the argument. One, people don’t draw the same salaries, so do we pull names out of a hat and say, ‘Sorry old chap. This recession is a real pain’? The second flaw with this brilliant quantitative analysis was that the total number of data points used to run the regression was…. 3. Yes, 3. It’s the number that comes after 2 and before 4. You didn’t need MS Excel 2007 and a bunch of, in this case, overpaid MBAs to do the analysis for you. You could have managed with a 3 year old who knew how to connect the dots with a pencil and a ruler.
Now I am no 3 year old (though I used to be), but I do have an open mind. Today I learnt a new term called Return on Documentation, or as some of you might prefer, ROD. Given the pathetic money I’ve earned from the Google ads on this blog (subtle hint for you) I personally think that ROD has very little significance in the real world. But I wouldn’t want my bitter experiences with Google to taint what should be an objective discussion.
Don’t get me wrong. I think doing an MBA was a marvelous thing. I went from being grossly underpaid to marginally underpaid on the financial front. But intellectually, it opened up many new avenues to my tiny brain and gave me a slightly better understanding of how things work. It also allowed me to meet some of the most interesting, genuine and hardworking people I know – the housekeeping staff and the librarians at ISB.
Jokes apart an MBA did change my life. For the better. The reason I wrote this post is only because I feel that a lot of the jargon is well, just that. Jargon. The same goes for most of the analysis we do. I often get the feeling that it is done to cover our backsides in the event that things go wrong. ‘Look, we did our due diligence, it’s just that the macro-environment changed’.
But isn’t that what we’re supposed to plan for? We’ve all heard of the 5Cs & 4Ps of marketing. To this list of management by alphabet, I would like to add ‘6Ps of Strategy’. The 6Ps are ‘Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance’. Might sound to you as stating the obvious. That’s exactly my point. A lot of what we MBAs pass off as management techniques are actually different forms of a simple thing invented by cave men. It’s called Common Sense. (Cave Man: Fire hot, no touch. Tiger Angry, no tease. Mother-in-law coming, no drink with buddies).
Take some common sense, add plenty of humility & genuineness, throw in some healthy respect for numbers, a touch of street smart and finally a dash of willingness to take decisions and you’ll make a pretty decent manager.
Now that I know the recipe, I need to start making one myself.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Work and Me
I just realized that if 'work is worship', I am an atheist.
PS - Vaze, please make note of the above statement. Don't try to palm it off as yours.
PS - Vaze, please make note of the above statement. Don't try to palm it off as yours.
Saturday, January 03, 2009
A New Beginning
Hello World,
It's a new year. A chance to make a fresh start. A chance to look back, learn from your mistakes, laugh at the good memories and move ahead. Let's forget 2008 and make the most of 2009.
Here are some things I would like to see happen in this year:
1. Manmohan Singh finally show some spine and take on the pakis.
2. Obama give a huge boost to green technology.
3. Roger Federer win BOTH the French Open & Wimbledon. (The other two don't really count)
4. My credit card bill disappear.
5. A blanket ban on whaling.
6. A decent coalition come to power at the centre after the general elections.
7. Bin Laden finally gets caught.
8. The Large Haldron Collider that CERN built actually works & they discover whatever they were looking for.
9. The second season of IPL is shorter, but just as much fun as the first.
10. Bayern Munich do well in the Champions League.
Most of these 'wishes' are at a global level. But if you really ask me, I'd settle for just wish number 4 coming true. :-)
Cheerio Folks, have a great year ahead. Keep reading, keep commenting and most importantly, keep clicking on the google ads (only those you think are relevant..wink wink).
It's a new year. A chance to make a fresh start. A chance to look back, learn from your mistakes, laugh at the good memories and move ahead. Let's forget 2008 and make the most of 2009.
Here are some things I would like to see happen in this year:
1. Manmohan Singh finally show some spine and take on the pakis.
2. Obama give a huge boost to green technology.
3. Roger Federer win BOTH the French Open & Wimbledon. (The other two don't really count)
4. My credit card bill disappear.
5. A blanket ban on whaling.
6. A decent coalition come to power at the centre after the general elections.
7. Bin Laden finally gets caught.
8. The Large Haldron Collider that CERN built actually works & they discover whatever they were looking for.
9. The second season of IPL is shorter, but just as much fun as the first.
10. Bayern Munich do well in the Champions League.
Most of these 'wishes' are at a global level. But if you really ask me, I'd settle for just wish number 4 coming true. :-)
Cheerio Folks, have a great year ahead. Keep reading, keep commenting and most importantly, keep clicking on the google ads (only those you think are relevant..wink wink).
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Goodbye 2008
Goodbye 2008. I don't think I will miss you too much. You started off well but then slowly showed us your true colours. I think I was a happier person 365 days ago. I really could have done without you.
Sure, you did bring me some good things. A much much much better job, new friends, Abhinav Bindra's gold medal, Dhoni's captaincy, the end of Aussie dominance at cricket, George Bush's 'sole mate', Obama winning, The Dark Knight and many other small pleasures which I can't recall.
But you also brought a load of crap. Federer losing Wimbledon, Germany losing the Euro final, 26/11, Manmohan Singh, Deshmukh, Raj Thackeray, RR Patil, Shivraj Patil, Anutulay, the economy going down the drain, Kumble's injury, the iPhone in India, Solstice 2008. Uggh, the list goes on and on.
The thing that I hold most against you is that you gave us hope and optimism. Then snatched it away. You've been a bad year. We may remember you for a long time, but I doubt we'll ever think well of you. Go away now!!
So 2009, if you're listening... please note that I am already scared of what I've heard you're going to bring. Global warming, economic doomsday, terrorism.... Are you really that nasty? Do take pity on us and try to be nice.
Sure, you did bring me some good things. A much much much better job, new friends, Abhinav Bindra's gold medal, Dhoni's captaincy, the end of Aussie dominance at cricket, George Bush's 'sole mate', Obama winning, The Dark Knight and many other small pleasures which I can't recall.
But you also brought a load of crap. Federer losing Wimbledon, Germany losing the Euro final, 26/11, Manmohan Singh, Deshmukh, Raj Thackeray, RR Patil, Shivraj Patil, Anutulay, the economy going down the drain, Kumble's injury, the iPhone in India, Solstice 2008. Uggh, the list goes on and on.
The thing that I hold most against you is that you gave us hope and optimism. Then snatched it away. You've been a bad year. We may remember you for a long time, but I doubt we'll ever think well of you. Go away now!!
So 2009, if you're listening... please note that I am already scared of what I've heard you're going to bring. Global warming, economic doomsday, terrorism.... Are you really that nasty? Do take pity on us and try to be nice.
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
6 Years Ago
The Time: 7:20 AM
The Date: 2nd December 2002
The Place: Hotel Ganesh, Trivandrum
A group of nervous young men sat in a rickety old Mahindra van. Some of them clutched thick folders filled with educational qualifications, as if to reassure themselves that they belonged here. Others adjusted their ties and smoothened their hair, as if to convince themselves that they looked the part of an IT consultant. One or two messaged their loved ones, seeking comfort as they were about to start on the longest & most important journey of their lives.
All of them wondered what the next two and a half months held in store.
They cast glances at each other. Quick. Furtive. Wary. Some sought allies. Others looked at potential competitors. None of them was willing to break the ice. So they waited, smiled at each other politely and tried to control the tension they felt.
This group of 28 men were later joined by 4 ladies. They were then told that their batch number was T-35. It was a number that was to stay with them for a long time.
Within two weeks, T-35 had forged a unity and an identity that the other trainee batches could only admire. From a distance. This bunch of mechanical, civil, electrical engineers and even one architect learnt more from each other than they did from the visiting faculty.
From Chacha, they learnt how much fun Vietnamese & Thai girls were.
From Shishu, they learnt that you should not drink a whole bottle of neat vodka and then expect to walk home on your own.
From Joker, they learnt that life could always be made a little happier with a good song.
From Predator, they learnt that when people fall asleep during your presentation, it is time to stop.
From Psycho, they learnt a million things about Jadhavpur University.
From Guruji, they learnt how to play TT.
From Badman, they learnt that if you lose your cool, you just might lose your job (Thanks Slow for saving Badman)
From Cartoon, they learnt that artists don't always get the hot babes.
From HTBC, they learnt that you should pay more attention to the person giving you instructions.
From Ganya Don, they learnt that the same joke could be told to the same set of drunk guys a dozen times & still be a hit.
From Bageera, they learnt that Infosys has stronger internal processes than TCS.
From Amma, they learnt that when your teammate refuses to cooperate, you will have to make a presentation on the fly.
From Bhootni, they learnt the term 'ila lala lala'.
From Aunty, they learnt how to be friendly and still be aloof.
From Lady Don, they learnt that not all bong women are... well, bong women.
From Slow, they learnt that sheer brainpower, or luck, would beat laziness hands down.
From Tension, they learnt that Brinda the Queen was divorced thrice, not twice.
From Good Boy, they learnt that you could be the only sober guy at a party and still wake up with puke all over you.
From Deddy, they learnt that even architects can code. Or at least try.
From Rebel, they learnt the true meaning of the term 'Rebel without a cause'.
From Bond, they learnt that if you stay awake till 3 AM every night reading Tintin comics, you won't be able to get ready in time for office.
From Vakeel Babu, they learnt that the workers and management at Ford ate together at the same canteen.
From Metla, they learnt that TCS pays different salaries for people in California than they do for the rest of the US.
From Saa Rukh, they learnt the meaning of the term TUMPA.
They also learnt a lot of other things. How much booze to pour in your glass while dining with a client for one. How you don't need to be a Comp Sci Engineer to be a cyber coolie for another. But the best thing that they learnt is that you can spend just a few months with someone and still remain friends with them for the rest of your lives.
T-35 went on weekend trips together, they got drunk and then saw elephants in the shadows, they walked the streets of Kanyakumari barefoot while looking for precious alcohol, they organized the best parties at the hostel, they were the only batch to defy the 'under inspection order' and cheer when one of them (Amma) won the best student award, they tried to cut the kaddu and share it though that didn't work out, they gave a new meaning to the terms 'batting' and 'bowling'.
Yes T-35, we did 'bring TCS to life'. At least for a few months. :-)
The Date: 2nd December 2002
The Place: Hotel Ganesh, Trivandrum
A group of nervous young men sat in a rickety old Mahindra van. Some of them clutched thick folders filled with educational qualifications, as if to reassure themselves that they belonged here. Others adjusted their ties and smoothened their hair, as if to convince themselves that they looked the part of an IT consultant. One or two messaged their loved ones, seeking comfort as they were about to start on the longest & most important journey of their lives.
All of them wondered what the next two and a half months held in store.
They cast glances at each other. Quick. Furtive. Wary. Some sought allies. Others looked at potential competitors. None of them was willing to break the ice. So they waited, smiled at each other politely and tried to control the tension they felt.
This group of 28 men were later joined by 4 ladies. They were then told that their batch number was T-35. It was a number that was to stay with them for a long time.
Within two weeks, T-35 had forged a unity and an identity that the other trainee batches could only admire. From a distance. This bunch of mechanical, civil, electrical engineers and even one architect learnt more from each other than they did from the visiting faculty.
From Chacha, they learnt how much fun Vietnamese & Thai girls were.
From Shishu, they learnt that you should not drink a whole bottle of neat vodka and then expect to walk home on your own.
From Joker, they learnt that life could always be made a little happier with a good song.
From Predator, they learnt that when people fall asleep during your presentation, it is time to stop.
From Psycho, they learnt a million things about Jadhavpur University.
From Guruji, they learnt how to play TT.
From Badman, they learnt that if you lose your cool, you just might lose your job (Thanks Slow for saving Badman)
From Cartoon, they learnt that artists don't always get the hot babes.
From HTBC, they learnt that you should pay more attention to the person giving you instructions.
From Ganya Don, they learnt that the same joke could be told to the same set of drunk guys a dozen times & still be a hit.
From Bageera, they learnt that Infosys has stronger internal processes than TCS.
From Amma, they learnt that when your teammate refuses to cooperate, you will have to make a presentation on the fly.
From Bhootni, they learnt the term 'ila lala lala'.
From Aunty, they learnt how to be friendly and still be aloof.
From Lady Don, they learnt that not all bong women are... well, bong women.
From Slow, they learnt that sheer brainpower, or luck, would beat laziness hands down.
From Tension, they learnt that Brinda the Queen was divorced thrice, not twice.
From Good Boy, they learnt that you could be the only sober guy at a party and still wake up with puke all over you.
From Deddy, they learnt that even architects can code. Or at least try.
From Rebel, they learnt the true meaning of the term 'Rebel without a cause'.
From Bond, they learnt that if you stay awake till 3 AM every night reading Tintin comics, you won't be able to get ready in time for office.
From Vakeel Babu, they learnt that the workers and management at Ford ate together at the same canteen.
From Metla, they learnt that TCS pays different salaries for people in California than they do for the rest of the US.
From Saa Rukh, they learnt the meaning of the term TUMPA.
They also learnt a lot of other things. How much booze to pour in your glass while dining with a client for one. How you don't need to be a Comp Sci Engineer to be a cyber coolie for another. But the best thing that they learnt is that you can spend just a few months with someone and still remain friends with them for the rest of your lives.
T-35 went on weekend trips together, they got drunk and then saw elephants in the shadows, they walked the streets of Kanyakumari barefoot while looking for precious alcohol, they organized the best parties at the hostel, they were the only batch to defy the 'under inspection order' and cheer when one of them (Amma) won the best student award, they tried to cut the kaddu and share it though that didn't work out, they gave a new meaning to the terms 'batting' and 'bowling'.
Yes T-35, we did 'bring TCS to life'. At least for a few months. :-)
Monday, October 27, 2008
Couchside Romeo
Yesterday I went to see 'Roadside Romeo' with the Wise One and her cub. The theater was small, kinda basic but surprise, surprise... had plush leather couches instead of the usual seats. This is the first time I have been this comfortable while watching a movie. The fact that the screen was small and the audio system pre-dolby surround sound didn't really matter once your butt made friends with the couch.
So there I was, sipping my diet coke, flexing my weary muscles and waiting for the movie to start. In the first few minutes itself I was caught up in the story and found myself pleasantly surprised with the quality of animation. (I later learnt that Walt Disney had done the animation).
Now as is the usual case, there were people who were late. There were the expected shhhs, excuse mes, shuffling, grumbling while people came to term with this interruption. As the line of late comers passed us, a remarkably beautiful lady came in front of me.
When our bodies aligned (and our fates crossed), she lost her balance. Now I swear to you that I had nothing to do with it. I was only being a polite citizen and had even folded my long legs so that no one tripped over them. But sometimes good things happen to good people. So this beautiful lady, god bless her parents, lost her balance and.... plonk... sat down in my lap.
Imagine my surprise! Imagine the lady's good fortune!! For one timeless moment we gazed at each other. Her eyes seemed to ask me, 'Shouldn't I be sorry?'. My smile seemed to tell her, 'Hell no, its cool'. And for that one moment, we were in perfect understanding.
'Ahem, ahem' said the overgrown uncle/husband/jealous male. And with those unholy words broke the spell. The poor lady pretended to be embarrassed. I pretended that to be nonchalant. Like I was used to gorgeous women sitting in my lap everyday.
She jumped up and scurried away. The 'Charlie Anna' who was the villain of the piece glared at me in the dark. What the joker didn't realize was that with the screen to his back, I couldn't make out any of his expressions. Not that I gave a damn. Jealous boyfriends and aggro brothers are something I've learnt to either ignore or deal with a long time ago. This, was an 'ignore the bozo' moment. So I yawned, craned my neck to the side and said, 'Excuse me'. Talk about cool.
During the rest of the movie, I thought of climbing the roof of the theater (you have to see the movie to know what I mean). And am sure she was hoping I would jump on stage like Roadside Romeo and volunteer to get myself killed (again, you have to see the movie to know what I mean). But when the lights came on we went our separate ways. Separated by a mass of shuffling bodies, a couple of rows and one jealous male.
Ah, that is what movies are for. To blur the lines between reality and magic. If you are lucky the movie takes you to the make-believe land. And if you're luckier, the make-believe land comes to you.
So there I was, sipping my diet coke, flexing my weary muscles and waiting for the movie to start. In the first few minutes itself I was caught up in the story and found myself pleasantly surprised with the quality of animation. (I later learnt that Walt Disney had done the animation).
Now as is the usual case, there were people who were late. There were the expected shhhs, excuse mes, shuffling, grumbling while people came to term with this interruption. As the line of late comers passed us, a remarkably beautiful lady came in front of me.
When our bodies aligned (and our fates crossed), she lost her balance. Now I swear to you that I had nothing to do with it. I was only being a polite citizen and had even folded my long legs so that no one tripped over them. But sometimes good things happen to good people. So this beautiful lady, god bless her parents, lost her balance and.... plonk... sat down in my lap.
Imagine my surprise! Imagine the lady's good fortune!! For one timeless moment we gazed at each other. Her eyes seemed to ask me, 'Shouldn't I be sorry?'. My smile seemed to tell her, 'Hell no, its cool'. And for that one moment, we were in perfect understanding.
'Ahem, ahem' said the overgrown uncle/husband/jealous male. And with those unholy words broke the spell. The poor lady pretended to be embarrassed. I pretended that to be nonchalant. Like I was used to gorgeous women sitting in my lap everyday.
She jumped up and scurried away. The 'Charlie Anna' who was the villain of the piece glared at me in the dark. What the joker didn't realize was that with the screen to his back, I couldn't make out any of his expressions. Not that I gave a damn. Jealous boyfriends and aggro brothers are something I've learnt to either ignore or deal with a long time ago. This, was an 'ignore the bozo' moment. So I yawned, craned my neck to the side and said, 'Excuse me'. Talk about cool.
During the rest of the movie, I thought of climbing the roof of the theater (you have to see the movie to know what I mean). And am sure she was hoping I would jump on stage like Roadside Romeo and volunteer to get myself killed (again, you have to see the movie to know what I mean). But when the lights came on we went our separate ways. Separated by a mass of shuffling bodies, a couple of rows and one jealous male.
Ah, that is what movies are for. To blur the lines between reality and magic. If you are lucky the movie takes you to the make-believe land. And if you're luckier, the make-believe land comes to you.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Dog's Best Friend?
'Excuse me, but how dare you compare my husband to your dogs!'....
Okay hang on, I am getting ahead of myself. Allow me to explain. Am writing this entry to ask you a simple question. 'While dog is supposed to be man's best friend, can we honestly say that man is dog's best friend?'
The other day I was catching up with a friend who I haven't been in touch with for quite a while. Since we last met a lot has happened in both our lives. I went to B school, she went onsite. I got a new job, she got a new bodyguard (husband). I moved to a new city, she moved into her in-laws' place. I met new people and made friends, she made new relatives. Okay, so you get the drift.
Anyway, we were exchanging notes about the mischief one of us had been up to and the domesticated bliss the other one has been.. enjoying. She happened to say that her 'jaan' was away and that she hadn't seen him in 3 DAYS. She then went on to enlighten me about what a great guy he was and how MUCH she missed him. Now, I am a good listener and I try to get involved with the story. So I felt that I should also get into the 'missy-missy' mood. Which is when I decided to miss my dogs. Now since I thought we were having a dialogue, I decided to share with the lady the fact that I too hadn't seen my dogs for 3 weeks, how great they were and how MUCH I missed them. Fair enough?
After my own burst of doggy-woggy emotions, I expected a sympathetic ear. Instead, all I heard was the static from the crappy Airtel network. 'Hello, anyone there?'. Turns out that someone was there. Someone who imagined that her husband, and hence herself, had just been insulted. For a moment I was taken aback. I mean, why would I want to insult someone I haven't even met? Wouldn't that be a waste of my brilliant wit?
After an attempt to clear the air(tel), I decided not to take any more crap and gave it back good & proper. I can understand the lady missing her husband, but why on earth couldn't she understand me missing my dogs? Some people, I tell you! Needless to say, I don't think we'll be exchanging notes for a long time.
Now I know that you're probably thinking that I am going to take off on how dogs and husbands are the same. (Actually if you think about it, in a way they are the same). But no, am genuinely irritated by how we inflate the value of human beings and falsely raise them to the level of dogs.
Fellow homo and hetro sapiens, dogs are far superior creatures than we are. They don't go around indiscriminately slaughtering other species, messing up the planet for everyone else and then strut around claiming that they were created in God's image. They don't create value out of nothing and call it services just to get out of doing real work. They don't go around bombing and maiming each other for some goo stuck under the earth for a 100 million years when there are cleaner energy sources around. It isn't a 'dog-eat-dog' world. It's a 'man-kill-man' world. So please, lets stop flattering ourselves and thinking that we own this planet. Long before us, the dinosaurs ruled the earth. And at the rate we're mucking things up, cockroaches will rule the earth long after we're gone.
Next time you're on the road, approach a street dog and look straight at him (Yes, HIM and not IT). Chances are he'll shrink and try to avoid you. Wanna know why? No, its not because he sees your all powerful aura and senses that you are a GM/VP/Big Shot in some fancy company. It's because he's become so used to being kicked and having stones thrown at him that he assumes the worst. So he thinks that it is better to run away.
The sad thing is that if we could ask most animals what they thought of humans they would probably equate us not with other animals, but with the devil himself.
So lady, maybe I should have said.... 'WOAH, excuse me!!! But how dare you insult my dogs by equating them with your husband?'
Okay hang on, I am getting ahead of myself. Allow me to explain. Am writing this entry to ask you a simple question. 'While dog is supposed to be man's best friend, can we honestly say that man is dog's best friend?'
The other day I was catching up with a friend who I haven't been in touch with for quite a while. Since we last met a lot has happened in both our lives. I went to B school, she went onsite. I got a new job, she got a new bodyguard (husband). I moved to a new city, she moved into her in-laws' place. I met new people and made friends, she made new relatives. Okay, so you get the drift.
Anyway, we were exchanging notes about the mischief one of us had been up to and the domesticated bliss the other one has been.. enjoying. She happened to say that her 'jaan' was away and that she hadn't seen him in 3 DAYS. She then went on to enlighten me about what a great guy he was and how MUCH she missed him. Now, I am a good listener and I try to get involved with the story. So I felt that I should also get into the 'missy-missy' mood. Which is when I decided to miss my dogs. Now since I thought we were having a dialogue, I decided to share with the lady the fact that I too hadn't seen my dogs for 3 weeks, how great they were and how MUCH I missed them. Fair enough?
After my own burst of doggy-woggy emotions, I expected a sympathetic ear. Instead, all I heard was the static from the crappy Airtel network. 'Hello, anyone there?'. Turns out that someone was there. Someone who imagined that her husband, and hence herself, had just been insulted. For a moment I was taken aback. I mean, why would I want to insult someone I haven't even met? Wouldn't that be a waste of my brilliant wit?
After an attempt to clear the air(tel), I decided not to take any more crap and gave it back good & proper. I can understand the lady missing her husband, but why on earth couldn't she understand me missing my dogs? Some people, I tell you! Needless to say, I don't think we'll be exchanging notes for a long time.
Now I know that you're probably thinking that I am going to take off on how dogs and husbands are the same. (Actually if you think about it, in a way they are the same). But no, am genuinely irritated by how we inflate the value of human beings and falsely raise them to the level of dogs.
Fellow homo and hetro sapiens, dogs are far superior creatures than we are. They don't go around indiscriminately slaughtering other species, messing up the planet for everyone else and then strut around claiming that they were created in God's image. They don't create value out of nothing and call it services just to get out of doing real work. They don't go around bombing and maiming each other for some goo stuck under the earth for a 100 million years when there are cleaner energy sources around. It isn't a 'dog-eat-dog' world. It's a 'man-kill-man' world. So please, lets stop flattering ourselves and thinking that we own this planet. Long before us, the dinosaurs ruled the earth. And at the rate we're mucking things up, cockroaches will rule the earth long after we're gone.
Next time you're on the road, approach a street dog and look straight at him (Yes, HIM and not IT). Chances are he'll shrink and try to avoid you. Wanna know why? No, its not because he sees your all powerful aura and senses that you are a GM/VP/Big Shot in some fancy company. It's because he's become so used to being kicked and having stones thrown at him that he assumes the worst. So he thinks that it is better to run away.
The sad thing is that if we could ask most animals what they thought of humans they would probably equate us not with other animals, but with the devil himself.
So lady, maybe I should have said.... 'WOAH, excuse me!!! But how dare you insult my dogs by equating them with your husband?'
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Show Me My Money
The other day I came across this rather interesting article that was reprinted from some American newspaper. It featured an imaginary conversation that a poor American man has with an officer of some bank. He asks for a bailout, she tells him that they only offer loans. He asks if he is eligible for a loan given his personal finances and she says no. So he asks her why they are giving $700 Billion to the fat cats at wall street. She replies its because they really need the money. So the article goes on with the man pointing out that his financial position is no different from the investment banks at Wall Street. And the banking officer refusing to give him a loan. Finally he loses his cool and says, ' Okay then. Give me my share of the $700 Billion back'. As you can imagine the lady is stumped. The now irate customer takes her case (and the financial world's) about how no one took his permission before doling out bailouts. And since he thinks he needs the money more than Wall Street, he wants his share back. The story continues with him adding up the various bailout packages that the US Government has handed out to rich CEOs over the years. He then calculates what his share should have been and demands that they give it back to him.
This article got me thinking. What if we were to take this idea even further? What if we gave people the option of deciding how their share of the country's (India) annual budget was spent?
Silence. Pin drop silence. Then hysterical and mocking laughter? Hahaha... you want to give the Aam Aadmi the right to decide how we spend the Government's money? Damn right I do.
To prove my point, I am going to give you a few instances where power was taken from the hands of a chosen (self-nominated) few and given to the people. Let's start with the Right to Vote. Till a few centuries ago almost no country in the world allowed its people to choose their rulers. In fact, till the middle of the 20th century most of the world was ruled by masters sitting 5,000 miles away. Didn't those masters think that their colonial subjects weren't fit to govern themselves? Winston Churchill was certainly one of those gora saabs who thought that we were unfit to rule our own country. (Our netas n babus might be doing their best to prove him right, but that is another matter.. wink wink). But at least today people know that they if they don't like a particular administration they can opt for a change the next election. It is called the Pan India anti-incumbency factor!
What about the right to print books and circulate your ideas? Till Gutenberg came along only the very rich and the very powerful knew how to read and write. The nobles and the priests felt that it would be too dangerous to allow the common people to learn how to read & write. Haven't we come a long way since? Today any idiot can log onto the web and ramble on and on about some silly idea. I know one such fellow very well. But the point is that people today have the choice of not only what to they read, but to a great extent, what they write.
So why don't we take the financial decision making away from the hands of the great planners, open it up to the masses, bring in more transparency and let people have a say in how the government busts up their money. I think that the Right to Information Act is a step in this direction.
As someone who is concerned about the state of our environment, I want the government to spend more money on saving our forests, equipping our forest rangers with better equipment, funding research into renewable energy, educating our children, encouraging sports, providing better health care, improving the courts, and also... improving my country's defense and security.
What I don't like to see is netas busting up money on their pet projects and babus making us bear the bill for their foreign junkets. Neta dude, if you think that building a statue in the sea is a great idea, please convince enough of your followers to spend THEIR share of OUR budget on it. Once they realize that this statue of yours will come at the cost of their health care, education and municipal facilities you may find it a lot more difficult.
Now do you get the picture? Once ministers and their ministries realize that they will have to actually work for their budgets, am certain that things will improve. Still, its only an idea. One that will have to be dissected and refined before it becomes remotely feasible. But eventually, it will force netas and babus to do what they are supposed to do - govern, and not rule.
So I'll leave you with this thought, 'Take a look at your country, your environment and your local surroundings... and then ask yourself what would you want to change, if you had the money to do so?'
This article got me thinking. What if we were to take this idea even further? What if we gave people the option of deciding how their share of the country's (India) annual budget was spent?
Silence. Pin drop silence. Then hysterical and mocking laughter? Hahaha... you want to give the Aam Aadmi the right to decide how we spend the Government's money? Damn right I do.
To prove my point, I am going to give you a few instances where power was taken from the hands of a chosen (self-nominated) few and given to the people. Let's start with the Right to Vote. Till a few centuries ago almost no country in the world allowed its people to choose their rulers. In fact, till the middle of the 20th century most of the world was ruled by masters sitting 5,000 miles away. Didn't those masters think that their colonial subjects weren't fit to govern themselves? Winston Churchill was certainly one of those gora saabs who thought that we were unfit to rule our own country. (Our netas n babus might be doing their best to prove him right, but that is another matter.. wink wink). But at least today people know that they if they don't like a particular administration they can opt for a change the next election. It is called the Pan India anti-incumbency factor!
What about the right to print books and circulate your ideas? Till Gutenberg came along only the very rich and the very powerful knew how to read and write. The nobles and the priests felt that it would be too dangerous to allow the common people to learn how to read & write. Haven't we come a long way since? Today any idiot can log onto the web and ramble on and on about some silly idea. I know one such fellow very well. But the point is that people today have the choice of not only what to they read, but to a great extent, what they write.
So why don't we take the financial decision making away from the hands of the great planners, open it up to the masses, bring in more transparency and let people have a say in how the government busts up their money. I think that the Right to Information Act is a step in this direction.
As someone who is concerned about the state of our environment, I want the government to spend more money on saving our forests, equipping our forest rangers with better equipment, funding research into renewable energy, educating our children, encouraging sports, providing better health care, improving the courts, and also... improving my country's defense and security.
What I don't like to see is netas busting up money on their pet projects and babus making us bear the bill for their foreign junkets. Neta dude, if you think that building a statue in the sea is a great idea, please convince enough of your followers to spend THEIR share of OUR budget on it. Once they realize that this statue of yours will come at the cost of their health care, education and municipal facilities you may find it a lot more difficult.
Now do you get the picture? Once ministers and their ministries realize that they will have to actually work for their budgets, am certain that things will improve. Still, its only an idea. One that will have to be dissected and refined before it becomes remotely feasible. But eventually, it will force netas and babus to do what they are supposed to do - govern, and not rule.
So I'll leave you with this thought, 'Take a look at your country, your environment and your local surroundings... and then ask yourself what would you want to change, if you had the money to do so?'
Monday, August 25, 2008
Drive With Me
Here are a list of songs that I love to play when I am on the highway (in no particular preference) ....
1. Dangerzone by Kenny Loggins
Mood - I feel the need. The need for speed.
Ray Ban aviators, a jacket, a wannabe Tom Cruise grin on your face and a roaring engine. This song had to be on my list.... Makes you want to slam the throttle and go full speed ahead. Great song to start your journey with. Sets the right tone.
Revvin' up your engine
Listen to her howlin' roar
Metal under tension
Beggin' you to touch and go
2. Boys of Summer - Don Henley
Mood - Nostalgia. For friends and days that have long since passed.
This song always makes me think of Goa. Days spent on Spring Beach. The sun, sand, seaweed and surf. :-) Floating in the sea with your feet pointed towards Turtle Island and your eyes watching the planes take off. Ah, those golden days when all you thought about was which party to head to next.
I can see you
your brown skin shining in the sun
you know your walking real slow
smiling at everyone.
3. Someday I'll Be Saturday Night - Bon Jovi
Mood - Hang in there kiddo.
Sometimes you drive just get away from it all. To clear your head and gather your thoughts. Often enough it is only the memory of the good times that keeps you going.
Hey hey hey hey, man gotta live my life
Like I aint got nothin but this roll of the dice
Im feelin like a monday, but someday Ill be saturday night.
4. Coney Island - Van Morrison
Mood - Just you and me babe.
This has to be one of the most underrated love songs ever written. Total comfort and total understanding, thats what this song oozes. None of the usual sentimental over the top 'I wanna hold you hand' thing.
I look at the side of your face as the sunlight comes
Streaming through the window in the autumn sunshine
And all the time going to Coney Island I'm thinking,
Wouldn't it be great if it was like this all the time?
5. Learning to Fly - Pink Floyd
Mood - To hell with everything. I wanna get outta here. Fast.
For those times when you want to run away from yourself. Flirt with the self-destruct button. When you are torn between giving up and gritting your teeth & taking the pain. I have found that it is best to ride out the storm and make peace with yourself. At times like this you should take your foot off the accelerator, slow down and stay alive. ;-)
Ice is forming on the tips of my wings
Unheeded warnings, I thought I thought of everything
No navigator to find my way home
Unladened, empty and turned to stone
6. You'll Think of Me - Keith Urban
Mood - Your loss honey. Maybe someday you'll realize it.
To all the girls I've loved, and lost. I still think very highly of you and hope that you are happy. Just that it is a pity 'what could have been. What should have been.'
Take your records, take your freedom
Take your memories I don't need 'em
Take your space and take your reasons
But you'll think of me.
7. Beautiful Girl - INXS
Mood - Pure mush.... :-)
Love the way this song begins. The moment it begins you know you have a great song playing. One of INXS' best creations. Also a good way to get someone to stay on beyond their curfew. Lol.
Now where did you find her
Among the neon lights
That haunt the streets outside
Stay with me.
8. Escape - Enrique
Mood - Lol. Anyone who has seen the video knows what the mood is.
Come on. Every guy wants to be Enrique in this song. Hooo munga, is she smoking hot!!
Here's how it goes, you and me, up and down at this time
We'll get right, where to fight
Cause love is something you can't shake
When it breaks.
9. Nights in White Satin - The Moody Blues
Mood - I dunno. This song has meant different things to me at different points in my life.
For those times when you ponder about the choices you made. The paths you took or didn't take. One of those 'what if' songs... Its for when you pull over by the side of a river and gaze at the boat on the horizon.
Nights in white satin,
Never reaching the end,
Letters Ive written,
Never meaning to send.
10. How Do You Do - Roxette
Mood - Hey there good looking. Wanna hop in for a ride?
I have to sign off with this song. It is one of the coolest songs I have heard.... Though I've never done it, I would love to pull over next to a gorgeous stranger, lower my sunglasses just a bit, grin and say, 'How do you do?'
I see you comb your hair
and gimme that grin.
It's making me spin now,
spinnin' within.
Before I melt like snow,
I say Hello
How do you do!
Let me leave you with this song...
1. Dangerzone by Kenny Loggins
Mood - I feel the need. The need for speed.
Ray Ban aviators, a jacket, a wannabe Tom Cruise grin on your face and a roaring engine. This song had to be on my list.... Makes you want to slam the throttle and go full speed ahead. Great song to start your journey with. Sets the right tone.
Revvin' up your engine
Listen to her howlin' roar
Metal under tension
Beggin' you to touch and go
2. Boys of Summer - Don Henley
Mood - Nostalgia. For friends and days that have long since passed.
This song always makes me think of Goa. Days spent on Spring Beach. The sun, sand, seaweed and surf. :-) Floating in the sea with your feet pointed towards Turtle Island and your eyes watching the planes take off. Ah, those golden days when all you thought about was which party to head to next.
I can see you
your brown skin shining in the sun
you know your walking real slow
smiling at everyone.
3. Someday I'll Be Saturday Night - Bon Jovi
Mood - Hang in there kiddo.
Sometimes you drive just get away from it all. To clear your head and gather your thoughts. Often enough it is only the memory of the good times that keeps you going.
Hey hey hey hey, man gotta live my life
Like I aint got nothin but this roll of the dice
Im feelin like a monday, but someday Ill be saturday night.
4. Coney Island - Van Morrison
Mood - Just you and me babe.
This has to be one of the most underrated love songs ever written. Total comfort and total understanding, thats what this song oozes. None of the usual sentimental over the top 'I wanna hold you hand' thing.
I look at the side of your face as the sunlight comes
Streaming through the window in the autumn sunshine
And all the time going to Coney Island I'm thinking,
Wouldn't it be great if it was like this all the time?
5. Learning to Fly - Pink Floyd
Mood - To hell with everything. I wanna get outta here. Fast.
For those times when you want to run away from yourself. Flirt with the self-destruct button. When you are torn between giving up and gritting your teeth & taking the pain. I have found that it is best to ride out the storm and make peace with yourself. At times like this you should take your foot off the accelerator, slow down and stay alive. ;-)
Ice is forming on the tips of my wings
Unheeded warnings, I thought I thought of everything
No navigator to find my way home
Unladened, empty and turned to stone
6. You'll Think of Me - Keith Urban
Mood - Your loss honey. Maybe someday you'll realize it.
To all the girls I've loved, and lost. I still think very highly of you and hope that you are happy. Just that it is a pity 'what could have been. What should have been.'
Take your records, take your freedom
Take your memories I don't need 'em
Take your space and take your reasons
But you'll think of me.
7. Beautiful Girl - INXS
Mood - Pure mush.... :-)
Love the way this song begins. The moment it begins you know you have a great song playing. One of INXS' best creations. Also a good way to get someone to stay on beyond their curfew. Lol.
Now where did you find her
Among the neon lights
That haunt the streets outside
Stay with me.
8. Escape - Enrique
Mood - Lol. Anyone who has seen the video knows what the mood is.
Come on. Every guy wants to be Enrique in this song. Hooo munga, is she smoking hot!!
Here's how it goes, you and me, up and down at this time
We'll get right, where to fight
Cause love is something you can't shake
When it breaks.
9. Nights in White Satin - The Moody Blues
Mood - I dunno. This song has meant different things to me at different points in my life.
For those times when you ponder about the choices you made. The paths you took or didn't take. One of those 'what if' songs... Its for when you pull over by the side of a river and gaze at the boat on the horizon.
Nights in white satin,
Never reaching the end,
Letters Ive written,
Never meaning to send.
10. How Do You Do - Roxette
Mood - Hey there good looking. Wanna hop in for a ride?
I have to sign off with this song. It is one of the coolest songs I have heard.... Though I've never done it, I would love to pull over next to a gorgeous stranger, lower my sunglasses just a bit, grin and say, 'How do you do?'
I see you comb your hair
and gimme that grin.
It's making me spin now,
spinnin' within.
Before I melt like snow,
I say Hello
How do you do!
Let me leave you with this song...
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Winning at All Costs
These days I don't seem to have much to do in the evenings. No TV, no new books and no company. So I found myself introspecting and doing some self-analysis mumbo jumbo. I wont deny that the last year hasn't been ideal. It's been a start-stop-turn-reverse kinda year. Many exciting but eventually false starts and yet quite a few unexpectedly pleasant surprises. It's almost as if someone wished me that old Chinese curse, 'May you live during interesting times'. :-)
But one thing that seems to emerge from this (brilliant) thought process is that the main reason why I am where I am (wherever that may be) is because I haven't been totally true to myself. Allow me to explain.
For most of my life I was quintessentially a simple person. If I saw something that I wanted, I went after it. It didn't matter whether it was a sport, a debate competition, a woman or simply knowledge. I would go out there and give it my best shot without worrying about how the world saw me. I remember a time when the only thing on my mind was winning. I played to win. I played hard, rough, even downright mean at times. Why? Coz I knew that there's nothing quite like the thrill of winning. Forget all that HR talk of team building and companionship. In any group of people, especially guys, there is always a top dog. And no matter how hard we may deny it everyone wants to be that top dog.
I used to relish being in a tight spot coz I knew I would keep my cool and get myself out of it. 1-5 (15-40) down in a set and I would be ice cool. I knew that I played my best when under pressure and never felt nervous about being backed into a corner. You could say my motto was, 'Bring em on baby!'. I wont brag and say that I always won, but I never backed down from a challenge.
Somewhere along the way, the boy who wasn't afraid to show that he was a fighter and tell the world to go jump 'grew up'. Someone told him that winning wasn't the only thing. But being gracious and doing it by the book also matter. And at the end of the day one has to fit in and confirm to social norms. Total crap. Win, at all costs. Do whatever it takes but for god's sake.. WIN!!
Still don't agree with me? Okay, tell me how many Grand Slam titles did Vijay Amritraj win? Am guessing it was one less than one. Wanna know why? Maybe its because he was too busy applauding the great shots that his opponents hit rather than charging himself up. Which is why today people talk about McEnroe, Borg, Connors... and then remember, 'Oh yeah, that nice Indian fellow.. whats his name? Veeejay'. Thats right, no one remembers who came in second. And I honestly believe the only good losers are those who are used to it.
Anyway, getting back to me... I have realized that most of the 'problems' I been confronted with the last year or so have been caused by my reluctance to put my foot down and tell the other person or organisation exactly what I think. I've been seduced by the notion that if you are patient and hardworking, you will get what you deserve.. eventually. Thats almost like saying that, 'In the long term the price and the value of a stock will match'.
Sadly, that isn't true. At least not in my case. And I want to see the money. Now!! Not fifteen years from now buddy boy. So I have decided to become more assertive. More 'in-tune' with my own desires and wants. No more Mr Most of the Time Nice Guy. I've awoken from my self imposed slumber. So get out of my way conscience and allow me get ahead in life.
Woo hoo. Here I come.
But one thing that seems to emerge from this (brilliant) thought process is that the main reason why I am where I am (wherever that may be) is because I haven't been totally true to myself. Allow me to explain.
For most of my life I was quintessentially a simple person. If I saw something that I wanted, I went after it. It didn't matter whether it was a sport, a debate competition, a woman or simply knowledge. I would go out there and give it my best shot without worrying about how the world saw me. I remember a time when the only thing on my mind was winning. I played to win. I played hard, rough, even downright mean at times. Why? Coz I knew that there's nothing quite like the thrill of winning. Forget all that HR talk of team building and companionship. In any group of people, especially guys, there is always a top dog. And no matter how hard we may deny it everyone wants to be that top dog.
I used to relish being in a tight spot coz I knew I would keep my cool and get myself out of it. 1-5 (15-40) down in a set and I would be ice cool. I knew that I played my best when under pressure and never felt nervous about being backed into a corner. You could say my motto was, 'Bring em on baby!'. I wont brag and say that I always won, but I never backed down from a challenge.
Somewhere along the way, the boy who wasn't afraid to show that he was a fighter and tell the world to go jump 'grew up'. Someone told him that winning wasn't the only thing. But being gracious and doing it by the book also matter. And at the end of the day one has to fit in and confirm to social norms. Total crap. Win, at all costs. Do whatever it takes but for god's sake.. WIN!!
Still don't agree with me? Okay, tell me how many Grand Slam titles did Vijay Amritraj win? Am guessing it was one less than one. Wanna know why? Maybe its because he was too busy applauding the great shots that his opponents hit rather than charging himself up. Which is why today people talk about McEnroe, Borg, Connors... and then remember, 'Oh yeah, that nice Indian fellow.. whats his name? Veeejay'. Thats right, no one remembers who came in second. And I honestly believe the only good losers are those who are used to it.
Anyway, getting back to me... I have realized that most of the 'problems' I been confronted with the last year or so have been caused by my reluctance to put my foot down and tell the other person or organisation exactly what I think. I've been seduced by the notion that if you are patient and hardworking, you will get what you deserve.. eventually. Thats almost like saying that, 'In the long term the price and the value of a stock will match'.
Sadly, that isn't true. At least not in my case. And I want to see the money. Now!! Not fifteen years from now buddy boy. So I have decided to become more assertive. More 'in-tune' with my own desires and wants. No more Mr Most of the Time Nice Guy. I've awoken from my self imposed slumber. So get out of my way conscience and allow me get ahead in life.
Woo hoo. Here I come.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Always A Woman
For my earlier post on the Nawab who redeemed himself I got a bit of flak from quite a few ladies. I also got a lot of woo hoos from my guy pals but that is another matter. So let me set the record straight. I don't hate women. In fact its quite the opposite. I think women are great and am glad that God didn't stop with Adam. Imagine a world without them. Hmm.. lotsa bars, only sports on TV, world peace, no traffic accidents and in my case, a much smaller phone bill. :-)
Now now, before you think that this post is another wisecrack at all my enslaved male friends let me get to the point. After many years of trying, and failing miserably, to understand women I remembered the Billy Joel song 'Always a Woman' and suddenly my life got a lot simpler. We men are not supposed to understand women, thats what other women are for. We men are supposed to listen, nod our heads, say 'yes darling you are right' or 'its ok sweetie', wait for them while they get ready, hang on to their shopping bags and pretend to not be bored out of our minds. Thats our job. Thats what we're here for. ... to make women happy.
The biggest mistake I made when I was younger was to innocently assume that women think like men do. After being run over by a couple of trains I realized the error of my ways. In fact it was a very wise lady who once told, 'You gullible simpleton. Don't ever make the mistake of thinking that you know what a woman has on her mind. Coz even her best friend doesn't know.' So I have come to treat women with the respect that they deserve. But I don't trust them. Not one single bit. I enjoy being with a pretty girl. You laugh, you try to be witty and talk about stuff you normally wouldn't. But at the back of your mind you know that five minutes after saying goodbye to you she might be on a call with another suitor. That is the way life is, so don't complain.
So what does Billy Joel have to do with all this? Well, if you read the lyrics of the song you might just agree with me when I say that women God's greatest creation, but they are also his most dangerous. :-)
She can kill with a smile
She can wound with her eyes
She can ruin your faith with her casual lies
And she only reveals what she wants you to see
She hides like a child
But she's always a woman to me
I especially like the 'only reveals what she wants you to see' bit. Every woman has her secrets, which she is entitled to keep. Layers under layers. Circles within circles. That sort of thing.
She can lead you to love
She can take you or leave you
She can ask for the truth
But she'll never believe.
And she'll take what you give her, as long as its free
She steals like a thief
But shes always a woman to me
Yes sir, she might ask you for the truth. But she will follow her own intuition when it comes to making her judgment. Which normally is to not trust the guy. :P
And she'll promise you more
Than the Garden of Eden.
Then she'll carelessly cut you
And laugh while you're bleedin
But she'll bring out the best
And the worst you can be.
Blame it all on yourself
Cause she's always a woman to me
The term 'led up the garden path' didn't just pop out of nowhere you know. Lol. But it is true, at least in my case, women bring out the best and the murst, oops worst, in me.
The last para in the song brilliantly sums up how women can be different things at different times.
She is frequently kind
And she's suddenly cruel
She can do as she pleases
Shes nobody's fool
But she cant be convicted
Shes earned her degree
And the most she will do
Is throw shadows at you
But shes always a woman to me.
Ah yes. I used to wonder how someone as loving and tender could turn into someone so cold and aloof. But I guess that is just the way women are. After all, the female of the species is deadlier (and far smarter) than the male.
P.S. - This post wasn't written with anyone in mind. Or may be it was. :-)
Now now, before you think that this post is another wisecrack at all my enslaved male friends let me get to the point. After many years of trying, and failing miserably, to understand women I remembered the Billy Joel song 'Always a Woman' and suddenly my life got a lot simpler. We men are not supposed to understand women, thats what other women are for. We men are supposed to listen, nod our heads, say 'yes darling you are right' or 'its ok sweetie', wait for them while they get ready, hang on to their shopping bags and pretend to not be bored out of our minds. Thats our job. Thats what we're here for. ... to make women happy.
The biggest mistake I made when I was younger was to innocently assume that women think like men do. After being run over by a couple of trains I realized the error of my ways. In fact it was a very wise lady who once told, 'You gullible simpleton. Don't ever make the mistake of thinking that you know what a woman has on her mind. Coz even her best friend doesn't know.' So I have come to treat women with the respect that they deserve. But I don't trust them. Not one single bit. I enjoy being with a pretty girl. You laugh, you try to be witty and talk about stuff you normally wouldn't. But at the back of your mind you know that five minutes after saying goodbye to you she might be on a call with another suitor. That is the way life is, so don't complain.
So what does Billy Joel have to do with all this? Well, if you read the lyrics of the song you might just agree with me when I say that women God's greatest creation, but they are also his most dangerous. :-)
She can kill with a smile
She can wound with her eyes
She can ruin your faith with her casual lies
And she only reveals what she wants you to see
She hides like a child
But she's always a woman to me
I especially like the 'only reveals what she wants you to see' bit. Every woman has her secrets, which she is entitled to keep. Layers under layers. Circles within circles. That sort of thing.
She can lead you to love
She can take you or leave you
She can ask for the truth
But she'll never believe.
And she'll take what you give her, as long as its free
She steals like a thief
But shes always a woman to me
Yes sir, she might ask you for the truth. But she will follow her own intuition when it comes to making her judgment. Which normally is to not trust the guy. :P
And she'll promise you more
Than the Garden of Eden.
Then she'll carelessly cut you
And laugh while you're bleedin
But she'll bring out the best
And the worst you can be.
Blame it all on yourself
Cause she's always a woman to me
The term 'led up the garden path' didn't just pop out of nowhere you know. Lol. But it is true, at least in my case, women bring out the best and the murst, oops worst, in me.
The last para in the song brilliantly sums up how women can be different things at different times.
She is frequently kind
And she's suddenly cruel
She can do as she pleases
Shes nobody's fool
But she cant be convicted
Shes earned her degree
And the most she will do
Is throw shadows at you
But shes always a woman to me.
Ah yes. I used to wonder how someone as loving and tender could turn into someone so cold and aloof. But I guess that is just the way women are. After all, the female of the species is deadlier (and far smarter) than the male.
P.S. - This post wasn't written with anyone in mind. Or may be it was. :-)
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Rainy Mornings
My head is stuck under a rather hard pillow and the rest of my body is wrapped in a thick cotton sheet with red borders. I open my eyes and grimace because I know that it still isn’t time to get out of bed and so I am irritated with myself for ruining a perfectly good sleep. The ever present cell phone confirms my worst fears. There is barely an hour to go before I have to drag my sorry ass out of bed and start the day.
No, no. This is not how it was supposed to be. After ambling around Hyderabad’s horrible footpaths for more than an hour in my uncomfortable Woodland shoes last evening, I have a huge blister on my right foot. It gave me a good excuse to not go to the gym today. Last night I had gleefully planned to sleep till as late as I could. So getting up at 0630 was most certainly not on the agenda.
But now that I was awake I reason that I can either struggle to go back to sleep. And fail miserably at it and then have a grumpy day. Or I can make the most of the extra hour or so that I had. Surprisingly, I decided on the latter.
So I roll over, remove the useless pillow and look outside the window. Hmmm, that’s odd. It’s a little darker outside than it should be and the AC seems more effective in the room. Immediately I know what has happened. After years of living in Bombay, Goa and Lonavala I know how to recognize an early morning shower. My mood brightens, in stark contrast to the ambience outside. I open the windows, shut off the no longer needed AC and grin.
The skies are gray and overcast. Forbidding, stern and even angry. But the mango tree just outside my bedroom is alive and as happy as I am. It sways with the wind and its branches move in rhythm to a beat that only it seems to hear. I honestly think that it is welcoming the rains. The leaves rustle and there is the faint sound of tiny raindrops hitting them. No longer do they look dusty and stiff. Just like the rest of the tree, the leaves seem bursting with new energy. The older leaves appear darker while the new leaves, which are at the top of the branches, seem to be more vibrant. It is as if when the rain washed the man made dust off the mango tree, it also gave it a fresh lease of life.
While I make myself a cup of filter coffee I wonder what the monkeys think of the rains. I hope they don’t decide to use my balcony as a shelter. Monkeys can be very bad tenants. They never pay any rent, make a mess when they leave and sometimes attack their co-occupants. Plus, my landlord warned me not to sublet the apartment. Oh well, I guess the monkeys will fend for themselves.
The coffee tastes great. Maybe it is because I love sitting in a cane chair, with my feet on the ledge of the balcony and listening to the sounds of the rain. Everything seems so energized and young. The newspaper and the rest of the world can wait. Ah, for mornings, and weather, like this throughout the year.....
No, no. This is not how it was supposed to be. After ambling around Hyderabad’s horrible footpaths for more than an hour in my uncomfortable Woodland shoes last evening, I have a huge blister on my right foot. It gave me a good excuse to not go to the gym today. Last night I had gleefully planned to sleep till as late as I could. So getting up at 0630 was most certainly not on the agenda.
But now that I was awake I reason that I can either struggle to go back to sleep. And fail miserably at it and then have a grumpy day. Or I can make the most of the extra hour or so that I had. Surprisingly, I decided on the latter.
So I roll over, remove the useless pillow and look outside the window. Hmmm, that’s odd. It’s a little darker outside than it should be and the AC seems more effective in the room. Immediately I know what has happened. After years of living in Bombay, Goa and Lonavala I know how to recognize an early morning shower. My mood brightens, in stark contrast to the ambience outside. I open the windows, shut off the no longer needed AC and grin.
The skies are gray and overcast. Forbidding, stern and even angry. But the mango tree just outside my bedroom is alive and as happy as I am. It sways with the wind and its branches move in rhythm to a beat that only it seems to hear. I honestly think that it is welcoming the rains. The leaves rustle and there is the faint sound of tiny raindrops hitting them. No longer do they look dusty and stiff. Just like the rest of the tree, the leaves seem bursting with new energy. The older leaves appear darker while the new leaves, which are at the top of the branches, seem to be more vibrant. It is as if when the rain washed the man made dust off the mango tree, it also gave it a fresh lease of life.
While I make myself a cup of filter coffee I wonder what the monkeys think of the rains. I hope they don’t decide to use my balcony as a shelter. Monkeys can be very bad tenants. They never pay any rent, make a mess when they leave and sometimes attack their co-occupants. Plus, my landlord warned me not to sublet the apartment. Oh well, I guess the monkeys will fend for themselves.
The coffee tastes great. Maybe it is because I love sitting in a cane chair, with my feet on the ledge of the balcony and listening to the sounds of the rain. Everything seems so energized and young. The newspaper and the rest of the world can wait. Ah, for mornings, and weather, like this throughout the year.....
Monday, May 19, 2008
Trouble Sleeping
I have been sleeping too much off late. Way too much. In fact, the other day I went to sleep at 2130 hours and got up at 0730 today. That’s ten hours of time spent in dreamy dream land. Not impressed? Try this then. Over the years I have got so attuned to having my cell phone around me that I can hear it or feel the vibration no matter how fast asleep I may have been. Or at least that was the case till yesterday.
Cuz when I got up at 0325 and found myself lying parallel, and next to the head of the bed, I checked my ever present phone and found 3 text messages and 1 missed call. (Please don’t get sidetracked as to why I was sleeping parallel to the bed, I just was). I was surprised cuz this has never happened before. In fact, there have been numerous occasions when I have woken up from some very pleasant dreams because ICICI/HDFC/Citi Bank thought it fit to tell me that my balance on Sunday morning was Rs 257.65. (Why don’t the idiots who run the batch job realize that people like to sleep in on a Sunday morning?).
Anyway, back to my sleeping troubles tragedy. One of the texts was from my bro, the other from my ex-roommate from Delhi and the third from a beautiful woman whom I adore. (The call was from my bro, not her). And surprise, surprise I had even switched off my alarm at 0545 and gone back to dozy land. Which again, is very unlike me.
Maybe this is my body rebelling against the strict regime that I have been subjecting it to in the last few weeks. I can imagine a meeting of all the (millions of) fat cells. They are all screaming, ‘Where the @#$%&* is the KFC and the beer?’…. ‘What are those idiots sitting in the brain doing? We haven’t been fed properly in weeks’…. ‘We are being taxed to death. Look at how much energy the muscles are demanding from us’. So finally one of them must have said ‘Okay, let’s sabotage this entire programme by getting the cells who are responsible for sleep management on our side’. And viola, next thing you know I am sleeping through what should have been time spent at the gym!
You think it’s plausible? I think that it might be. The truth will come out when my thumbs start to get suspicious about the lack of late night smsing and launch an enquiry. The battle of the bulge might just have begun.
Cuz when I got up at 0325 and found myself lying parallel, and next to the head of the bed, I checked my ever present phone and found 3 text messages and 1 missed call. (Please don’t get sidetracked as to why I was sleeping parallel to the bed, I just was). I was surprised cuz this has never happened before. In fact, there have been numerous occasions when I have woken up from some very pleasant dreams because ICICI/HDFC/Citi Bank thought it fit to tell me that my balance on Sunday morning was Rs 257.65. (Why don’t the idiots who run the batch job realize that people like to sleep in on a Sunday morning?).
Anyway, back to my sleeping troubles tragedy. One of the texts was from my bro, the other from my ex-roommate from Delhi and the third from a beautiful woman whom I adore. (The call was from my bro, not her). And surprise, surprise I had even switched off my alarm at 0545 and gone back to dozy land. Which again, is very unlike me.
Maybe this is my body rebelling against the strict regime that I have been subjecting it to in the last few weeks. I can imagine a meeting of all the (millions of) fat cells. They are all screaming, ‘Where the @#$%&* is the KFC and the beer?’…. ‘What are those idiots sitting in the brain doing? We haven’t been fed properly in weeks’…. ‘We are being taxed to death. Look at how much energy the muscles are demanding from us’. So finally one of them must have said ‘Okay, let’s sabotage this entire programme by getting the cells who are responsible for sleep management on our side’. And viola, next thing you know I am sleeping through what should have been time spent at the gym!
You think it’s plausible? I think that it might be. The truth will come out when my thumbs start to get suspicious about the lack of late night smsing and launch an enquiry. The battle of the bulge might just have begun.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Bucket List.. Part 1
I had written a post about a bucket list that I was creating. So based on some introspection and a little help from my friends, this is the first bit of my list. Lemme know what you think. :-)
1. Visit all seven continents
2. See the Grand Canyon
3. Visit one of the 3 poles
4. See the Pyramids of Egypt
5. Watch a football World Cup Final
6. Spend a year with an NGO doing pro bono work
7. Write and publish a book
8. Pay for an underprivileged child’s education
9. Go bungee jumping
10. Go parachuting
11. Watch an opera
12. Learn how to cook biryani from scratch
13. Learn how to windsurf
14. Touch a live whale
15. Drive a Formula 1 car
16. Join the Mile High club
17. Fly a super sonic jet
18. Serenade a beautiful woman on a gondala in Venice
19. Make wine
20. Visit a distillery in Scotland
21. Own a cabin cruiser
22. Build one house on an island or beach and one house in the hills
23. Learn a craft
24. See a match at Centre Court Wimbledon
25. Go on an African Safari
26. Pledge to donate my organs once I die
27. Have my own library
28. Have a patent registered on my name
29. Plant 50 trees
30. Learn at least one dance
31. Go scuba diving
32. Adopt a stray dog
33. Climb to the summit of a live volcano
34. Visit all the major historical sites in India
35. Go white water rafting
36. Learn how to shoot (only for self defense) and buy a firearm
37. Learn how to play golf
PS - Once I finalize the list, I plan to keep a 'Status' column as well.
1. Visit all seven continents
2. See the Grand Canyon
3. Visit one of the 3 poles
4. See the Pyramids of Egypt
5. Watch a football World Cup Final
6. Spend a year with an NGO doing pro bono work
7. Write and publish a book
8. Pay for an underprivileged child’s education
9. Go bungee jumping
10. Go parachuting
11. Watch an opera
12. Learn how to cook biryani from scratch
13. Learn how to windsurf
14. Touch a live whale
15. Drive a Formula 1 car
16. Join the Mile High club
17. Fly a super sonic jet
18. Serenade a beautiful woman on a gondala in Venice
19. Make wine
20. Visit a distillery in Scotland
21. Own a cabin cruiser
22. Build one house on an island or beach and one house in the hills
23. Learn a craft
24. See a match at Centre Court Wimbledon
25. Go on an African Safari
26. Pledge to donate my organs once I die
27. Have my own library
28. Have a patent registered on my name
29. Plant 50 trees
30. Learn at least one dance
31. Go scuba diving
32. Adopt a stray dog
33. Climb to the summit of a live volcano
34. Visit all the major historical sites in India
35. Go white water rafting
36. Learn how to shoot (only for self defense) and buy a firearm
37. Learn how to play golf
PS - Once I finalize the list, I plan to keep a 'Status' column as well.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Homeward Bound
Hey hey hey... am going home!!! Tomorrow I fly to Hyderabad. After 2 days of drinking binges and meeting old friends, am going to fly to Bhubaneshwar. Will be at home till after the new year. Awesome aint it? Been 6 months since I went home. Man, am really missing my dogs. Bobo and Goran. Woooo hoooo
:-)
:-)
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Why Didnt It Strike Me?
The following words of wisdom are from some of our 'finest minds'. Makes you wonder where we are headed as nation. If so called learned people can come up with these paradigm shifting and ground breaking statements it makes me wonder, WHY DID'NT I PUBLISH THIS NONSENSE BEFORE?
- Translate the passion for knowledge into effective learning - My head is still reeling from the understanding it gave me. I guess his next statement would be, 'Translate the passion for work into efficient processes'. People, why didn't we think of this
- No matter what organizations do, they have to bother about their bottom lines - Till I read this statement, which must be the result of 10 months of research, I actually thought that organizations were places where people who had 'effective learnings' could put abstract and unrealistic theories into practice. Hmmmm...
- The key differentiator is the soft side of life - OMG!!!!! Now this has to be one of the gems of the 21st century. Hooooo munga. Guys, next time you wanna stand out in a crowd just start touching n feeling people. Try and get cozy and snuggle up to people. You sure will stand out. I mean, everyone will know u r the pervert who is being chased by a mob.
- Larger the inequality, lower is the economic efficiency of country - Hell yeah. Now we're talking. Am sure the people of Sudan or Mozambique will nod their heads in agreement. If we're all living in mud huts, dancing around fires in the night and hunting rabits for breakfast we'll elevate poverty in no time. Where is that mud I need to smear on myself before I go hunting?
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Why God Allows Pain
Came across a decent forward, after a million years. This is one of the best explanations of why God allows pain and suffering that I have seen...
A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects. When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said: "I don't believe that God exists."
"Why do you say that?" asked the customer. "Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children?If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things." The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop.
Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt. The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber: "You know what? Barbers do not exist." "How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber. "I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!" "No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."
"Ah, but barbers DO exist! That's what happens when people do not come to me." "Exactly!" affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God, too, DOES exist! That's what happens when people do not go to Him and don't look to Him for help. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."
A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects. When they eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said: "I don't believe that God exists."
"Why do you say that?" asked the customer. "Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children?If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things." The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop.
Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt. The customer turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to the barber: "You know what? Barbers do not exist." "How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber. "I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!" "No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."
"Ah, but barbers DO exist! That's what happens when people do not come to me." "Exactly!" affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God, too, DOES exist! That's what happens when people do not go to Him and don't look to Him for help. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world."
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Rang De Basanti
Saw Rang De Basanti again. For the nth time. And it always leaves me a little dry-throated and misty-eyed. Is this the India that people like Mahatma Gandhi (yeah, I admire him. So f**k yourself if you don't agree with me), Subhash Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad and countless unknowns gave their lives for? So that we could remember them, briefly, on certain days and then head to the closest mall for a movie? Haven't we lost the plot when after 60 years of independence 300 million of our people live below the 'poverty line', where state governments run coordinated pogroms and millions of peoples are displaced just to satisfy the needs of a few. Is this what our soldiers lay down their lives for even today? Is this what independence has come to mean?
No. Not to me. I find it very hard to digest the fact that I am part of an elite class that does not seem to think that freedom applies to everyone. How many of us have stopped to think while bursting diwali crackers about the child labourers in Sivakasi? Does it even register in our consciousness when we buy designer clothes that the equisite stitches are in fact done by small children who will never have the chance to wear normal clothes, forget these designer labels? Our sheer callousness doesnt stop with our fellow humans only. Oh no, we have to include the entire animal & plant kingdoms in our greed & apathy. So we lop of trees when they come in the way of our hoardings, shoot dogs on the street when they become too numerous, pollute our holy rivers, strangle gangetic dolphins. All in the name of development. Come again? Dev-what? In whose name?
It's at times like this when I wish that there was an easy solution. But like one of the characters says in Rang De Basanti, 'how many of them are we going to shoot? These corrupt politicians & bureaucrats haven't fallen from the skies. They've come from us'. And hence it is up to us to change things. So do we join the police, the military and the IAS as Rang De Basanti would like us to? Well, yes. Some of the change has to come from within the system. But I think that unless there the system is forced to change, things will never really improve. At least not fast enough. And this is exactly where I think that individual citizens & corporates must take a stand. We cannot use this country like its resources are meant for consumption in only our livetimes. No sir, as cliched as it sounds, unless we think about what country we will leave behind our generation will be remembered as one which had the power and the chance to change things. But instead stood back & waited until it was too late.
No. Not to me. I find it very hard to digest the fact that I am part of an elite class that does not seem to think that freedom applies to everyone. How many of us have stopped to think while bursting diwali crackers about the child labourers in Sivakasi? Does it even register in our consciousness when we buy designer clothes that the equisite stitches are in fact done by small children who will never have the chance to wear normal clothes, forget these designer labels? Our sheer callousness doesnt stop with our fellow humans only. Oh no, we have to include the entire animal & plant kingdoms in our greed & apathy. So we lop of trees when they come in the way of our hoardings, shoot dogs on the street when they become too numerous, pollute our holy rivers, strangle gangetic dolphins. All in the name of development. Come again? Dev-what? In whose name?
It's at times like this when I wish that there was an easy solution. But like one of the characters says in Rang De Basanti, 'how many of them are we going to shoot? These corrupt politicians & bureaucrats haven't fallen from the skies. They've come from us'. And hence it is up to us to change things. So do we join the police, the military and the IAS as Rang De Basanti would like us to? Well, yes. Some of the change has to come from within the system. But I think that unless there the system is forced to change, things will never really improve. At least not fast enough. And this is exactly where I think that individual citizens & corporates must take a stand. We cannot use this country like its resources are meant for consumption in only our livetimes. No sir, as cliched as it sounds, unless we think about what country we will leave behind our generation will be remembered as one which had the power and the chance to change things. But instead stood back & waited until it was too late.
The following snap is from Greenpeace India's website. I think it says it all....
The choice is ours. Everyday one reads newspaper reports of how the Earth is getting into an ecological debt. And as anyone who has any sense will know, there comes a time when a debt must be repayed. The question is this..... are we going to help repay this debt or are we going to pass it on to our children, with accrued interest of course?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)