Its all about strategy

A discussion with a friend of mine revealed to him, how I thought about strategy in most things I did. The fastest, most efficient way or sometimes just the easiest way around things. But strategy was inherent in the way I made my decisions. Sometimes not the best, but there always was a strategy. However, it did not exactly dawn on me how I was deploying strategy in the very moves I made in daily life. Today, a discussion with another friend, and a little bit of retrospective analysis revealed the strategist in me.

There was an article on rediff today that said that Mukesh Ambani became the world's richest many today. I believe the fantastic performance of the stock market (though a bit scary), definitely has a part to play. However, what I was discussing with my friends was the strategy deployed by the many companies under the reliance banner.

One of my friend believes that they are thieves! That they have grown mainly due to the malpractices that a corrupt government (mainly the Congress party) gave them. He also believes that when most SIP (Systematic Investment Plans) were keeping Rs. 1000 per month as a minimum requirement for the plan, reliance came up with a plan that has a minimum of Rs. 100 per month only - His conclusion - Reliance has a way of taking money out of even the poorest of the people; be it investment or retail.

As a business student in this cut throat business world, I like to think of this "way" of extracting money as a strategy. I am not here to judge what was done by which company in the past or is being done today - but what I love to see is a good strategy. I plan to make it a practice to deploy strategy in the way I do business and make important decisions of life - consciously now.

However, amongst all these conversations I remembered a very interesting illustration of my strategic mind, back in my childhood days. If my brother or sister or cousins or even friends, (we are talking 5 year olds here), broke something, for example, they would run away or instinctively say that they did not do it or that someone else, like the maid for example, did it.

Me - however .. would go running to my mom with a rather calm looking face like nothing happened at all, sit in her lap, play with her necklace or something and look at her with the most innocent face ever saying, "you know mumma ____ happened ".. At first shocked.. she'd just laugh and be like.. its okay.. And I'd always get away..

How I know that I was good?
If my dad ever saw it and walked into the room... Just seeing me sit there in moms lap swinging away with that face and those eyes.. He's just say.. Never mind.. and walk out and have someone clean it up..

So, yeah.. its all about strategy :)

The perfect angel & her soul mate

My brother wrote a brilliant piece expressing his emotions and someone who read it asked me if I believed in the so called "true love" or perfect love. I thought back and realized I knew people who lived by the "I will give my life for you" kinda love. The fancy romeo juilet style love. And then, on the same day, I receive a call from, Oh Lord forgive me for saying this, "the perfect angel", (lol - just kidding). Now our angel talks to me about soul mates and stuff. Yes she is a believer of soul mates. I remember her asking me once if I believed in soul mates too.

Now all these questions put together and someone very important to me having asked me what my concept of love, true love, etc was; got me thinking। I always told them I had my own concept. My friends expected that answer, because I have my own theories for a lot of things in life. However, in this case, I realized that I have a lot of beliefs - just that I never articulated them.

So here it is. Those who call Romeo & juilet perfect lovers or those who think filmy love is all perfect, etc. are not going to like my opinions. And, the soul mate / perfect mate believers won't be disappointed, but won't be very happy with my opinions either.

Perception is reality. It really is. Everyone's reality is different. What you perceive is what will become reality for you. However a lot of your perception, I believe is either based in part or full on a choice that you can make, or is a choice that you make. In one of the Hindi movies, Shaadi Se Pehle, I remember Akshay Khanna saying something to the effect that we want to be great lovers, not like romeo and juliet - that you fall in love and at the end go & die. We want to live a long happy life.

That was his perception of perfect love. Living a long and happy life. Someone else has a different perception, and hence a different reality. Some, I know cannot live without big gestures, and expect a filmy life. Fine, I hope that they do find someone like that. Im not saying that they are wrong. I am just saying that keep your choices such that your reality is well real. I know that is highly debatable and my ontology blog will tell you more about it. But in short, keep your reality to do more with tangible things and not base them off other people's imaginations (like for ex, film writer's imaginations).

Of course as I do strongly believe, if you don't make a choice, the choices make you. So you don't step up and make a choice of how you want things, then, well, things will flow into something that you really do not want to be. I have respect for people who know what they are waiting for, example a soul mate, an arranged marriage, both of those, or even a dream. But only those people who do it by a conscious choice. Not by landing up in that situation because they saw too many movies, or because too many of their friends got into relationships. I guess what I am trying to say is that I do not actually believe in "true" or "perfect" love. I don't exactly believe in soul mates either.

Not because there are many flavors of ice-cream out there (like, rocky road, pink cherry, creamy vanilla, etc).. and I wanna try them all.. or that I have options.. (LOL). But because, if my perception is defining my reality, and my reality is making me happy, and being a rational human, I have the option of making my own choices.. then I can choose to make my own choices and be happy, no matter what the situation. Your soul mate can be anyone. Can be a simple and sweet guy. Can be a rich, famous and strong person. May also be a small guy who became really big. Point is simple. Be simple and nice. Learning to adjust and compromise. And most importantly, learning to keep your mind open and broad will help you see different perceptions and hence give you the option to build a reality of your own and there by giving you YOUR true / perfect love / your soul mate. :)

Whiny Traits

So it's a regular day. Tubes messed up. Delays. Picadilly line over crowded because some other line has issues. I'm sitting on the tube - ya I got lucky, got a seat - and, I got luckier, I got one of the free Metro papers as well. I don't want to mess up my book, so I don't get it out, and instead continue to read the paper - when I come across an article that totally cracked me up. Today's Metro, page 21..

"Wimp Chimp: Wild chimpanzees scream like girls when chased or hit by rivals. They also exaggerate the severity of the attack if an ape of equal or senior status to the attacker is nearby. Chimpanzees raised the pitch of their calls for help and made them in longer, slower bouts when faced with serious threats, scientists found...."

Man, that is something. Screaming like girls. Lol. Raising their pitch to that high pitched squeaky sound. Damn. Some women, the wanna be kinds make such terrifyingly squeaky sounds it's unbelievable. Some chimps look at other chimps making squeaky sounds so as to say, WTF.. But.. when its upon them, their squeaks are louder than ever. I know at least a dozen women who do that. Some want to be adored, by similar squeaky species - I am guessing, so they do it much more often and much louder.

But what amazed me was that they exaggerated the severity of the attack. Now that is something. Tell me one woman who you know who won't do that!?!! Some exaggerate a little bit, which is, I guess, understandable - But, some, God Oh God, they will exaggerate like there is no end to the world!

I'd like to think of it as women act like Chimps, rather than say Chimps act like women. And, like we see chimps we make our own judgments / comments and make fun of them, same way there is always someone making their own judgment / comment / making fun of those acting like chimps.

I have no problem with women acting like chimps, in the sense of them making high pitched squeaky sounds every now and then they see a dog or a baby or some fancy shoe.. or anything for that matter.. What normally bothers me about the women in and around my life is that at times I feel that their squeaky pitches are not a part of habit or innate behavior, but that they are in conjunction of another chimp trait - exaggeration. I believe that a lot of women over exaggerate their feelings or at least want to show that they care much more about the thing or situation than they actually do - And I think all of that is due to, what I feel is a part of every woman - a need to get attention. Some more than others - but from what I have seen, it seems they can't do without it!

Conflict and Creativity

Apparently they say that from conflicts rises creativity. So then after all, its probably a good thing that my business partner & I have some serious arguments over a lot of things. I mean he has more experience than my age even, so I always give him that, but at times its just not comprehendable, why two people - who are very structured in their, very logical, practical and have some very similar concepts on those subjects and in terms of real life - sometimes have some severly conflicting ideas.

But if creativity arises from conflict then all of this may be really useful. However, though I believe in Karma, actually in my version of Karma, and in fate, I also believe that a lot of what you will get is in your hands, today. So I feel that what one gets out of conflict - the creativity - is also subject to how the two parties in conflict, treat the conflict. If they decide to use the outcomes of the conflicting situation or the conflict itself in a sensible and matured way, and think out of the box to be able to see either a solution or a work-around the conflict then you have creativity.

I have noticed this in observation. Massive conflicts involving overly emotional feelings and locked up mindsets give out nothing. But if one of the parties is logical, more like sensible about it, then I am sure there are creative solutions possible. Otherwise its like you being in a relationship, and at the time of a break up having to counsel your partner (or ex, so to say) though the relationship, because the just cannot think through a conflict.

I know a couple that went through something like that - and wow, that sounds seriously though. The other partner isnt wrong either, but its just not in the nature of the situation to let either party be happy. However, the one who eventually can tap their creative senses during this situation can get out happy. How well you use this creative resource will help determine how well your post conflict life will shape up. Kinda like a lot of comedians. Apparently most comedians have had rather rough, tough or sad childhoods - but - they tapped into their creativity and were able to bring humor to the situation that led them out of it.

Direction of life - with sign posts

Everyone needs direction in life. Some find their way on their own, some are lucky enough to have people in their life who help them find direction, and some are just lucky tot be moving the right way. Some are, I would say unfortunate and / or silly, because they do not recognize the correct direction when they have it.

I believe that I am rather lucky to have had the right direction in life, and even more so, because I had enough going on around me, to help me realize that I was given this direction. Many years ago I was walkin on Juhu beach with my grand mom and i was being me - the very excited and exhuberent kid that I was, full of energy. I used to do many things in excitement or in the moment, and my dadi (pronounced dah-deeh - for the non Indian folks reading this), as I call her, would teach me things in the most subtle way.

Instead of lecturing, she would tell me the most common things in life, which most people have probably heard - but - in a context or a way, that I always remember it. With the sea water, she had told me a story of how the sea being infinite cannot quench anyone's thirst, but a well being so tiny can quench so many people's thirst. This is a concept that people have probably heard about. I dont know, if she tried to tell me that it does not matter how big you are if you are bitter - you rather be nice. Im not sure what exactly she tried to convey, but I learnt something out of it - that was meaningful to me.

However, the context in which my dadi told it to me, and the way she put it, I will always remember it. Everytime I see sea water I know a lesson in life. I have lessons in life with trees, shadows, - so many earthly objects.

Someone, bless his soul, today made me realize that these were like sign posts that my grandmom put for me, to help me find the real direction of life. I actually miss her right now!

I told someone recently that I do not like high fly-ers.. This isnt true.. Its not about like or not.. its about who I can see the rest of my life with.. And.. that is certainly not dependent on if the other person is a high fly-er or not.. It is dependent on how they see the world as against how I see it.. And the biggest problem is not the one who doesnt have the education (emotional, psychological, theoritical, bookish - anything).. but.. the one who is unwilling to learn.. who is unwilling to keep an open mind..

I have a real life example for this concept too. I just want to keep my dadi's thoughts to me right now. But someday soon, I will put up details of the sign posts of my life, and may be that will help others get some direction in life. By direction I dont mean becoming a monk or priest or something. Just simple things that will make you happy and content, by just realizing them. And then, whatever you have in life, you will live it and feel so much better about it.

Damn! I sound like a philosopher. I like to think of my self as a realist, and even more a logician.. well.. apparently there are a lot more sides to me!!

- Me & my dadi, back in the days when I was keeping long hair!

Modern Science and Ancient Teachings

I was discussing a lot of stuff about meta-physics, quantum physics, etc. like I do with most people, with Marty - in particular string theory. One of the things I reazlied was how a lot of these theories related to real world stuff, that was being passed on over generations, through ancient teachings in India. I do not mean, religious implications, just stuff about real life.

I had a discussion with several people about how, during the time in history that, there is no track of wher Christ was, it is beleived that he traveled to the east and hence if you see what his teachings say (not how the church interprets it), then you will see several traits of influences of Aryan civilization, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc. I also read some Aryan civilization stuff recently, and an email forward that said that Islam was formed when the prophet Mohammed, got pissed off with Lord Shiva (an Indian diety), who he used to worship, and decided to start a religious faith of his own. I also read stuff about how some people claim that Islam is the best, why they think so and how some believe that CHristianity is the only way out.

My point is that, in no way, any of what I am talking about is to relate to religion. I believe that religion is the interpretation by a person or a group of people, of what a person or a group of people learnt by experience to be the "correct" way to live. It can serve as a guide. But, I do believe one should go with, whatever makes you feel like it will make you a better person.

Coming back to my theme. It turns out that a lot of the things I hear about these latest sciences can relate very closely to ancient teachings. I am not necessairly saying that these people back in the day were cleverer than scientists today, but I have always wondered about the kinds of teachings they imparted, in Vedas and other holy books (religion was the main method or path of communicating teachings, back then).

I read somewhere that if we calculate the estimation of the population of the earth at the time of the egyptian pyramids being built and assume that every single soul on earth contributed all their lifetime to building the pyramids, even then it would not be possible to build them, back in the day. Just two days ago I read a forward that the ancient bridge built between India and Sri-Lanka thousands of years ago, a very critical part of the Ramayana (Indian epic/mythology/history) has now been discovered by Nasa and they can prove its existence and date it back to roughly the same time as the epic. They wanna now call it the Adam bridge and that pissed off several Indian priests, but the point is that, back in the day there were many things that happened that cannot be explained in a simple way. Did they know back then, more than they know today, and we are just going around - In time ?

Who knows! But another interesting discussion I had, brought up this point that it doesnt really matter where we came from. Apparently all the theories of evolution (including Darwinian) have flaws in them. But some archaeologists believe that, for example, treatments using things like DNA structures, today, do not really depend on where we came from, say a million years ago. Who knows! May be knowing something about where we came from might help some form of treatment or procedure today, or may be give us better insight into using DNA's or other structures of existing life forms. If nothing else, I am sure man will keep exploring to try and find out more. Curiosity. Like this old guy says in the TV series Lost - Since the dawn of time, man is blessed with curiosity - You know the other one about curiosity, Jack, don't you?

Getting over problems - NLP way

I have always been interested in studying people. Somehow, any communication skills class I took (which was mostly before 10th grade and just for kicks), I felt like it was way too preliminary. Not because I thought too much of my self, but because I realized that I had already noted the stuff being taught in those classes. I had sort of, already learnt those things from personal observation. I mean, I may not have taken advantage or implemented everything I had learnt by myself.. but I had probably already observed it during the course of my life.. And.. I did not come across a single class or course in this category where I thought I learnt anything so striking that it would take me over..

Anyhow, about 6 years ago, I got very interested in NLP or Neuro Linguistic programming. I wanted to do classes on it - at the very least get some NLP books, but somehow I never go around to doing it - kinda like learning the guitar - one of the things I wanted to learn since the longest time but never got around to doing it.. Just some time back, from a friend I picked up a book on NLP by Joseph O'Connor and John Seymour - And I love the book. It is exactly the kind of practical / more realistic stuff I had been looking for.. Im enjoying the book so much !

Normally, I try to use the knowledge i gain in different ways - mostly to improve myself or to learn more. However, just the other day I was at a very specific part of the book and I heard a comment being passed by a not so optimistic friend. It was an advice to another friend - which in essese meant "to get over someone, get under someone else".

And I thought to myself that this is a technique that has worked for lots and lots of people. Till someone new doesnt come into their lives - it is hard for them to get over the previous person. I will tell you my theory first and then talk about the example the book talks about to convey something similar.

I figure that most people treat their previous relationships as bad things. Associate them with something negative. Those who do not - dont have a problem getting over it. Those who do - find something else to, well, get under so they can get over their ex. This may be a new job, more friends, flings, flirting, whatever. But this is only because they treat their previous relationship as a negative.

See, the brain can process negatives only by converting it to a positive. Thats why. In the book the author asks you to think about a kangaroo and then he tries to tell you several times to stop thinking about it. If you try it - you will not be able to stop thinking about it like that. The only way he makes you stop thinking about it is by asking you to think of a television - something else. So, the point is that a negative is processed only as a positive and the only way to forget your problems is to get into other ones.. uuhh.. I mean.. is to do other things in life that make your life full. :) If work is stressful.. write blogs.. yay.. lol..

Take inspiration from the brain. Turn negatives to positives!

Good Service on All Lines

So the London tube strike thing is going on and almost all the tube lines were down. Travel was slow and limited. The strike gets called off early, I go to work, get back and when Im still on my way back.. on one of the most crowded tube station's (Earls court), I see an electronic board that shows all the London underground tube lines and their service status. Never have I seen it like this. It showed good service against all tube lines!

Its never like that! Then I figured that may be the day's break is what gave the tube lines some recuperating time. And they are machines. We are just human.

I should have thought about it. The way life is treating me right now - Im doing uni work in the nights and some pretty damn long work days at work - not to mention the travelling. Sundays are the best working days for me - only because its the least crowded day to get to work.

This previous Friday I had to travel to uni - so I took the day off work - went to uni and though it was a short day, I dint go back to office. I took it easy. Did some work from home thingie on Saturday - but rather relaxed, and belive it or not, my days there after were so much more energetic. I feel like a Kit-Kat now - you know - have a break - have a kit-kat...

Disposal Razors!!

So Iv gotten over my long hair and stuff and now I wanna get a cool, short hair cut. The kinds I can walk out of bed in, and never have to make my hair. Just to keep up with my busy days. Plus something that looks cool.

So once when I got off at Bounds Green tube station in London, I saw this small spanish hair styling thingie. Ah, that reminded me of how once in New York.. in White Plains actually, my friend Alok and I stopped for a hair cut and (lucky for me), the hottest spanish chic I could imagine, came out to cut my hair! So now I had hope. There was nothing to stop me from going in and getting the cut that I so wanted. Ya, I went in just for the hair cut.

Or, so it turned out. One really old guy, and one rather sweet, but young, GUYYY. I figured, go with the younger dude, may be Ill get a bit more trendier cut. So I sit in the chair. As I look up, I see a board that said "We use disposable razor". Or so I thought.

Immidiately, I go into flash back. After I cut my long hair off at T&G in London, I dint get a chance to visit my stylist Pavan in Bombay. Work just kept me busy. But I once stopped by this old place I used to go for a massage, many years ago, for a bit and got a trim. There I read a board. "We use disposal razors." That day I got a frikkin shock of my life.

But eventually, I looked around and realized that this was a small place. People barely spoke english. And the poster itself was a print out, laminated - a cheap one too. So I figured its okay. They just wanted to assure their customers that they are using disposABLE razors. But, well.. turns out they still have a lot of people coming to them despite the disposal razors !

Anyway, so after the haircut, when I get home, I decide to try out a totally new look. And I called it...

- Part beard, Part weird.

Past Memories v/s Future Dreams

There were times when I would sit and wonder why my mind doesn't stop. It thinks about tomorrow, day after, week after, month, year, decade later - mostly planning stuff. However, a lot of my time would go in dreaming - and that sometimes made me wonder if Im wasting my time.. or not..

However, just yesterday while I was finishing my second read of Thomas Friedman's World is Flat, second edition, toward the end of the book I saw a wonderful explanation by him. He mentions that if a company sat and thought about its past.. basically focused on memories, rather than their dreams.. then they are in trouble. He argues further that, "in a flat world", countries do the same too..

Just then I realized, that, duh, individuals need to do the same too! I mean think about it, you spend all your day thinking about the good days, and how things were great back then - versus, thinking about the future, planning, dreaming and planning further! Sounds more exiciting to me. I dont think its a bad thing to think about memories. Sure, if you dont have any good memories, whats the point of the life you already lived? Sometimes the past can help you learn more towards avoiding mistakes or people, etc. However, if your focus is your memories, and not your dreams.. yeah.. I'd say you're in trouble.

Man, Im so happy, and kinda relieved after reading that part of the book!

Sick Leave

So its a regular work day.. chop chop chop, satay satay satay... Oops thats not me.. Thats Monica.. (from friends).. So ya.. its a regular work day.. spec spec spec.. check check check.. and my business partner comes in and he's like, "you got a cold.. and ur coughing.. you know if you have such days when ur not well.. you can just let me know, that ur not coming in.. ill take care of stuff... " .. Im thinking.. thats nice on his part.. and.. get back to work..

A bit later i get up to get some coffee and Im thinking.. and I realize that Iv never taken a sick leave since Iv been here in the UK.. Then I look back and think.. Iv never taken a sick leave back in New York (at IBM) either.. Then I think further behind and I realize that ISU, my university or back in Bombay, here in London.. Iv never taken a single day sick leave while Iv been working !

I was quite happy about that, more like proud.. but then felt like a fool too.. because you know, I could take the sick days off and go have fun, instead.. so I tell my mom this story.. and shes like.. serves you right... I'm like.. huh !??! ... Shes like.. while you were in school, you used to fake falling ill all the time... and she burst out laughing.. And Oh My God.. what memories came back to me.. !

But I was a bit offended, coz I remember have won many certificates n awards in school.. so i look into at my suitcase of honour (ofcourse now its just a folder of scanned jpg files on my computer) and I realize that I had several Honorous Causa Certificates.. These were given to students who had a distinction in the avergae of the entire year and have had perfect attendance records.. So I have these certificates all the way from 4th grade (3rd grade I was down with jaundice for a bit).. until I graduate school and in between, in the 7th or 8th grade I have none.. So I call my mom again and ask her..

She tells me that a year before the 9th & 10 grades (when I got my black belt in Taekwondo, was a member of the student council, became troop leader of the school's scouts, etc).. I went through a phase of what my mom called, "mischief madness". Turns out, I did a lot of things to a lot of teachers, and got out of several important things with the best of the excuses in the world.. Mom said.. according to her thats when my mind started "running like the wind.."

Little does she know that I think almost around the clock and that I probably dont have a stop switch.. I have to get tired and fall asleep.. I cant remember now, but Im sure.. I was planning everything I did from the 8th through the 10th grades, while I was in the 7th! LoL!

List of Fixed Things That Will Change

So its a regular day at work. Not slept enough the previous night, came in by ten.. My business partner (Marty) and I are coming up with software specs to hand over to my programmers back in India.. the regular day..

Now the situation is that the system that we were building was getting more and more complicated. On a very busy day, with a hectic schedule - a packed calendar and a very frustrated hour.. we were trying to come up with things that would not change all the time.. So I stopped and thought, that if the number of changing elements did not change arbitrarily (basically had no logical pattern of change), then it may be easier to handle the changing elements.

I told him that we need "a fixed set of things that will change". Marty laughed and said, "Can I quote you on that one". Then, pointing to a calendar that has a picture of George Bush, "He would say something like that". A moment later it cracked me up too. Just realized that once I get out of code, or out of a series of logical loops and an intense planning and thinking routine, I may be able to come up with more time to do creative stuff. There was an article somewhere that said that, we are so busy doing stuff, that we dont give ourselves enough time to be creative. I realized that was so true. We should put time aside to be creative - I'm sure that will help us in every walk of life.

Later on in the day, I was thinking about fixed sets of things that will change, and also the very arbitrarily dynamic sets of things that one may come across in life. Things to which responses cannot be comprehended, in any way what so ever. And, there's no two guesses to what I stumbled upon. Im not going to spell it out, else people will call me sexist. I'm NOT. Just come across some very demanding, non-understanding women, and seen some of their traits in other women in general. Some say Artificial Intelligence will solve problems of men understanding women and vice versa. Firstly Im not sure whats intelligent about emotional responses, and trust me a lot of the drama I'v seen, is artificial for sure!

Firday the 13th ?

In April this year, I flew my usual Virgin Atlantic VS350 to London on the 13th. It was a Friday. I had heard tons of stories about how Froday the 13th was supposed to be a bad day and stuff like that.. But I dint care at that point.. Turns out.. I got upgraded to first class, with absolutely brilliant service and it became one of the best flights of my life ! This is due to an inspirational soul, who told me that Im good and good things will happen to me. This good soul promised me that Im not alone and if Im not a bad person, there's no need to worry about anything and I shouldn't believe in such stuff.

I come back to Bombay in May, and by July Im ready to fly back to London. I tend to book last minute so have limited options normally. I get a ticket for the 13th. It is a Friday. Again. This time though, I'm really, really happy. Im jumping and trying to think of the possible great things that may happen to me. Turns out nothing happened. Not in a bad way. It was a rather regular flight and everything went very normal and smooth. Dint way at baggage. Days before it were good, days after it were good. No precievable side effects.

When I landed and settled into work and stuff, I realized Jason was coming to London for a bit. And we exchanged flight information. He told me, "dude, froday the 13th? you know its a bad omen right?". That's when I realized that I did not. I had heard random stuff like devil's day, and general stuff like bad omen, bad luck, etc.. But I still dont know whats all the fuss about.. Anyhow, I should email Jas and ask him what he's heard about.. Anyone, any thoughts ?

An afternoon at the ATM center

So its a nice and pleasant day in Bombay.. Im waiting outside an ICICI atm centre.. and theres a really long queue.. I figured everyone needs money.. so I was gladly waiting.. but something was making me really nervous.. There was a lady up ahead in the line..

So ahead of me is this mid aged guy, then this relatively young, in her thirties lady, and then a bunch of guys ahead. I look up and a guy walks out. Roughly 2 mins later another guy walks out. And then another. Not one of them took more than 2 mins. Then this lady goes in.

Its been a minuter. Now two. Ok, another one. And another. My anxiety is rising. Im not sure what happened. The mid aged guy ahead of me left. (I dont think its coz of the lady, but still, sounds like the guy got so tired waiting on the lady that he left!) Anyhow, almost 11 mins later, the lady walks out. I go inside and I look at the machine, and its not working!

Now, I dont know if this lady did something or what, but Im really pissed.. So I ask the guard.. and he tells me.. that there was a guy before the lady, who informed him that the machine had stopped responding. I was just dumb founded. For one, I give her credit for not ruining the machine, but on the other hand, she took eleven minutes in there, ON A NON FUNCTIONAL machine.. doing what, God alone knows.. where as the guy who actually ruined it, or figured that there was a problem with it took less than two...

I chat to the guard a bit and then walk out.. I get a call.. so I talk on the phone.. and eventually.. I walk to my car.. thats when I see the same frikkin lady's car parked in front of mine, and she was reversing.. Her car can easily get out of there.. but its totally slanting and Iv no idea how she got it in that position..

So I walk to my car and as Im stepping into it.. she pops her head out of the window and goes.. "How long are you going to take?"

Wow. She takes 6 times the normal time in an ATM. I come to my car after another 15 mins and shes still trying to get her car out of a spot thats at the very least one and a half times her car - a very comfortable spot.. and shes actually telling me in less than 30 seconds, that Im taking long.

I figured no point fighting. So I turn on my machine, some music, move my car closer to hers, and make a nice long phone call :)

Advanii Enterprises Pvt. Ltd.

So, I'm doing some outsourcing work for a great project. (Ya I'm using general terms because I obviously can't reveal much information due to Non disclosure agreements). Anyhow, so my tiny little Advanii Enterprises is just busy doing its own thing, when one day I decide to get a logo done, and get a website and go fancy ass :)

So, What logo do I pick.. I couldn't come up with anything specific.. My dad with all his occult science knowledge (from his hobbies) and his be positive thing suggested that the logo should have its north and east directions open symbolizing growth potential. My sister, a budding fashion designer, who had come down from London at this time suggested combining a symbol of victory with something that the company does.

Now the company is a tech company so I wanted a symbol of the alphabet i.. To symbolize internet or you know the i-tech kinda feel. So my sister combines 'symbol of victory' with the i. The extra i in Advanii, which again has numerological background to it, and makes up a symbol for my company. And here it is..

Why does one give?

Weather it love, hatred, help or just a few good thoughts, why does one give to another? Is it because they want something back? Instead of rolling back and forth between if a selfless good deed exists or not, (like Pheobe does in Friends), I was trying to think why does one actually give something to another person.

One of the obvious things is that they want something back. The issue here is, is it right to expect something if you are giving something out? Every human being expects to get something in return for what they give. However, there are certain times when it is better to not expect anything in return.

Now, in most cases it is not possible to expect something. Expecting something is inbuilt in the nature of doing something for someone. A philosophy I learnt from a rather valuable friend, was - to expect the least. Basically that ways you minimize the trauma you face if you don’t get what you were expecting. On the other hand, getting more than you expect is always good, isn’t it?

Conditions Apply

I have begun to hate adverts or hoardings or brochures that have a lovely tag line with a little * that says conditions apply. I mean how many more places are we gonna see that. Its not like conditions actually apply to what you are seeing. It just means, "haha, you'v NOOO idea whats coming your way..".

What ticked me off to the point that I wanted to write this blog was a little incident. I was on the piccadilly line, underground tube (subway train) lines going to see a friend. This asian dude, korean would be my best guess, goes around distributing these pampflets. I take one and I look at it. Sure enough it was a big blue add, with an asterisk. Out of curiosity, without looking at anything else.. all I saw was the asterisk.. and my eyes followed it to the "fine print".. which had some really really fine print.. and at the end of the fine print were... TWO ASTERISKS !!!!

Ah man, that pissed me off so much.. I looked back and forth and ripped the paper apart (which obviously was plastic coated to make things harder than ever for me, obviously) but I couldnt find the two asterisks anywhere.. Honestly.. I dont even remember what he was trying to sell.. but I felt like telling him to **. :)

But this asterisk business is getting into some serious relationship stuff as well. I mean think about it, what are pre-nuptial agreements all about? And even worse, people are having relationships that are nothing but a whole set of conditions.. Is that love really ? I will be with you, if you do.. this this this this and that. O-k-a-yyyy.. Whatever..

Mostly its women though, putting all these conditions when they get overly emotional / dramatic and irrational (which is most of the time) and men when they get really jealous for no good reason apparently.. which is also most of the time.. lol..

I guess my point is.. asterisks make me really angry.. I would never want a relationship with conditions and rules and all these threats to live by.. Lets live by dreams now :)

I have no clue!

It’s so odd that sometimes you know what you want to do in life, but you have no clue as to what is going on. I have heard people say “I have no clue”, about so many things in life. Sometimes it means I don’t know; Sometimes it means I don’t want to talk about it; Sometimes it means I’m not sure; And almost never does it mean that I have no clue about the whole thing.

However issues don’t happen when people say these things, issues happen when people take the wrong meanings of “I have no clue”. Recently I was witness to a few, rather interesting incidents of mistaken meanings of “I have no clue”. Almost like someone assuming the other person said I love you and getting all happy, just to realize that the other person said “I have no clue”. Lol. That would be really funny though. Lol.

Anyhow, after seeing the few interesting incidents that I say, I have been trying to think of what is the safest to assume meaning of “I have no clue.” I figured that the simplest way to deal with such a situation, when someone tells you, “I have no clue”, is to assume that you, yourself have no clue of what the person is saying, and just start asking questions! That ways, the other person comes out with something or the other, and slowly you will start having some clue, and hopefully so will the other person!

Greener Grass On The Other Side

Another busy day in the library.. well more like around the library.. coz we aren’t really up to working past the barriers after the previous experiences. It was past 10pm and we were finishing up some work on an important presentation and report. We were all outside the library café, and before the barriers, next to the computers, in the comfy seating area.

I saw that some people, who had probably just finished their assignment, were opening up wine and stuff. Pretty soon we got Chinese take out food to have in the library as well, but it got me to think of the days back in the US when we used to order pizza, right to our engineering labs and work late into the nights.

Just then I started to think about the difference in education patterns in India, the US and the UK. Long back I used to think that the US has four year degrees, the UK has three year degrees and India has both, so it follows like a dual education pattern. Soon I realized that the differences are tremendous.

The US, more often than not has a practical approach. In some courses there is some level of writing skills, referencing, etc. involved, but largely depending on what you study, the courses are practical enough in their respective fields to be able to give you a good insight into things and a good time as well.

The UK on the other hand is a bit crazy. They make you write. And write some more. They will ask you to write essays – no matter what course you take. Whether its accounting and finance which has nothing but numbers, or an engineering course or a management course, they will make you write. Yes, there are good things too, but one cannot deny the nature of the degrees in India being a bit too.. umm.. unrealistic.. I guess.. I don’t have words for it…. YET.

The Indian system is a bit different. I used to curse it a lot in the beginning but now that I think about it I don’t think it’s that bad. They make you memorize everything in almost any course in India. However, over the last decade or so many courses have had very realistic touches to them, the amount of memorizing has reduced and the amount of “understanding” needed has increased. All this, with a practical touch definitely makes the Indian education system good.

Studying in the US though, was one of the best experiences of my life. The UK has had its fun times too, and crazy moments too. Funny thing is that people in all the three countries like education patterns in at least one of the other two countries!

- Me & Artemis on a class day when we made the prof teach in the garden!

Library - Guest Entry

A very busy day at the University of Southampton, led us into the library. Rahul and I have been here for almost a year now and never traveled so far into the depths of the library. A brilliant guy from our class who seems to be a permanent resident of the library saw us there and asked us, “You don’t come here often do you?”, we looked at him and thought, is it that obvious!!! What were we doing wrong?

Anyhow, we told him that his was our first time and he found it really funny. I dint know what to say. Eventually, we found a spot in the really busy building, which is really, really huge by the way. We thought not many people would be going in there, but were rather surprised. Anyhow, when we found a spot, after looking around firstly, for the hot girls around, and secondly for empty seats, we realized that we were not able to access the university’s wireless network in the library. Just the two of us.

We went back to our friend and asked him if he knew why. He said he did not and that his and everyone known, their networks were working great. We waited a few minutes and decided to get up and go. This was the time we got the worse looks ever. People saw us and went like, who the heck are these people. Apparently, it is expected that you come to the library in the morning and stay through the night! They looked at us like we were crazy.

Anyhow, we were so convinced that the library doesn’t want us that we decided to do a test. We tried the internet in the café shop, in the management building, in some other buildings, and even in the garden. Worked great. In the library after stepping in we have a library café and some comfy seating arrangements and some computers. After those are the barriers to pass which we must swipe our cards. Past the barriers are the book shelves and many discussion rooms, and stuff. And past all of that are the scary people. Now, here’s the interesting part. Our internet connections were working great, but the minute we passed the barriers it would just not respond! AND – Just for the two of us! It’s like they did not want us. Talk about discrimination.

Oh, and did I mention that when we were walking away from the weird looks of the people to get our of the scary zone, we were lost. In like a maze. It took us like a few whole minutes for us to find our way out!

- Me, Ai & Dorrie.. One of the few productive library days ;)

Choices In Life

The other day while watching Harry Potter (can’t remember which of the 4 movies), Dumbledore said that, it’s not what we can do, it’s our choices in life that make us what we are. Hmmmm.. Now that’s something to think about – given the fact that today we live our lives our way – i.e. – making the choice of what we want and how we want it.

If you decide to quit a well paying job in New York with a big company and move the lets say the UK, and work for a small start-up type company in say, London, with the hope that someday you will make it really big, and then you decide to move to India and start a business there, would you be making the right choice? It’s crazy to even think about life in ways that make you jump from one end of the world to another, but then again – it’s a choice we make. Just one thing we can never know – is a particular choice made by us, the right choice?

Some say that the heart is on the left but it’s always right. The others say that decisions taken by the heart will be absolutely baseless and dependant on nothing concrete and hence take decisions only by thinking, analyzing and evaluation your options. Once again a choice to make – go with the heart or with the mind?

What if you meet someone or find something and you feel that your heart and mind both support it? Woha. That may not really happen that often, and that’s why I’m not gonna let it go!

My New Machine

I always derived a unique kick from electronics. Weather it was an all functional personal assistant, or a new NAZ| storage device or even a very techie looking watch. It had been a while since I got myself a new toy - A new gadget that would keep me cheerful and my life happy. One day after work, when I got home I realized that the laptop I was using was a work machine and that my personal laptop had crashed a few weeks ago (was an old one by now). That’s it. I could get myself a new laptop and justify the cost to myself.

So I bought a dual core 2ghz Centrino processor, with 2gig of RAM @866 mhz, 4MB L2 cache, 120 gig 7200rpm harddrive, integrated hi res webcam, cd/dvd burner, SD card and flash memory reader, wi-fi, Bluetooth support, all the other standard stuff, on a 12 inch screen, really light machine with a 9-cell lithium-ion battery to last me my long journeys. Ah, it feels good just talking about it.

Now I spend most of my time on my new machine. Hopefully this means Ill get more work done or at the very least get the stuff I wanted to get done, online!

- A sample image of the machine, but mine is Oh So Much Better ;)

What is Confidence?

Let’s assume that you are really confident. You are very cool, and the center of attraction of any group that you associate with. Now, what if something changes in your life and it takes away this confidence?

In addition to that, what if the one soul you depended on, did the one thing you did not expect from them. Well, then, nothing happens – quite literally.

Nothing at all happens. Life moves on. No one can do anything. Some people sulk and get depressed about it, but – NOTHING happens. Bottom line is that, “Fortune favors the prepared mind”.

Be prepared for situations in life and things wont bother you at all. If things happen exactly opposite of the way you expect them to – well too bad; you should have been prepared!

Sounds very practical and logical, and straight forward – but what’s the opposite of all these things – women! Logic and the sense of the senses do not work with them. Hence our only option, as males, is to give in. Give in to the way things are happening. Once again, what if one gives in once, then is taken for granted and has to give in again, and this goes on forever. And then one day, something a hundred times worse happens to you – and you are being blamed for it.

As Rocky Balboa says, “It’s not how hard you can hit; It is how hard a hit you can take and keep going.” So, one takes as much as they can; and beyond. But then what if you get nothing back and the point of the entire effort fails?

Well then again, you should have been prepared!

- At Zar Bar In Bombay..

You people come to our country...

A friend and I are at street junction, about to cross the road. She has a coffee cup in her hand that she has just finished. There is a bin about 2 feet away that has no plastic in it. Some people had left some cups and papers, on the pavement around the bin. So, she leaves her cup there too, and we begin to cross the road. Right next to her a white guy speaks up. Why don’t you put that in the bin?

Everyone can see the situation yet this guy has an issue. Anyhow, my friend says, you do it if you want to. He gets pissed off, and says, “you people” , come to our country and mess it up, blah, blah.

It pisses us off so bad! Well looks like mister white boy forgot that, “YOU PEOPLE”, came to our country first!

You know how, after the bomb blasts in London, there are no trash bins anywhere on the train stations and stuff. Why the heck don’t they put, transparent plastic bag trash bins, really thin and small ones, next to the guards’ offices?

Anyhow, like Russel Peters says, when the English left, some people went, “No no, you cant come to our country and leave, just like that.. take away all our bloody recipes.. macaroni and tandoori cheese.. When they left, some Indians went, No, No, we’re coming with you.. ” … lol …

- Me And Rahul.. Best Buddies In Soton.. Screw The World..

Dont Give Excuses..

You know, I hear that line a lot ? Its like, everytime Im trying to loose weight.. not that I need to loose too much weight.. just a lill bit.. but then.. everytime I attempt whole heartedly to loose weight, something or the other comes up, thats not in my hand and it doesn't work out.. Ofcourse people dont believe me and say, Im giving excuses!

Its the truth though. Either Ill be a little sad, and will sit and hog on pizza and ice-cream, or Ill just not be able to go for a workout, or something or the other will definitely happen to prevent me from loosing weight. Here's something that will probably throw some light on my plight.

So, last week, I had two of my best friend's birthdays and obviously I couldn't not eat. So, there was a lot of fat consumption. And, everyday, I'd either get late from work or something or the other would happen, and I'd not be able to work out. After that, one of my best friend decides to go all rude on me, like a lot. Toh I obviously decide to cut out. When I do that, I realize that though the person deserved it, I wish I had the company. But I say, forget it. Its upto the person to understand where what boundaries are, and that you can't just insult someone over and over again - Specially if I'm being understanding, you can't really blow up for every small thing.

Anyhow, so obviously, I sit and don't feel like going out much, and I sit and eat. What else? Then I realize that enough is enough. I don't wanna waste any time on stupid crap, and instead focus on loosing some weight. The last entry to my gym on a Sunday is 3pm. So I get up realy early.. 7am.. and decide to go.. its kinda too early.. so I wake up again at 11.. and as Im about to get ready, loads of things happen, I hurt my self, I get phone calls from home, some work related ideas pop into my head. I cut through everything, don't give a damn about anything, and finally get ready. My gym bag isn't there now. Just can't find it. So, I said, never mind, Im not giving up. I put my gym stuff in a plastic papa-johns pizza bag and took off on my way for gym.. oh so proudly.

Its raining, a little, but where I'v fought so much, whats a little rain ? I stop by to check the time with someone, just incase I'm too late. Its only 2.15pm. Im so happy. I then realize I don't have my i-pod, because without my kinda music, I tend to workout lesser. I said, never mind, its a start, Im gonna do it. I reach the gym, and theres a notice there. "We deeply regret to inform all our customers that our gym will be closed for renovation and major upgradation from the 12th of August to the end of September. We realize that since this affects your membership status, you will get the time extended on your membership. Once again we apologize for the inconvenience caused."

Inconvenience? What the ****. What's a guy to do. I came back home. After that what I did is just even more depressing, so I'm going to leave it out. But cmon.. What am I to do ? How am I making excuses ?

Long hair isn't looking bad at all !!

A lill weight loss and a lill longer hair, not asking too much, am I ?

No Crap

I so wanted to start by saying, hey Im back to blogging, but seriously - no crap. I hope I continue to blog. The reason, Im here today, is the fact that I had nothing to do. Not that I had nothing at all possibly to do, but nothing of the very, very few options that I have, there wasnt really anything that I wanted to do. So I decided to write down whatever thoughts I had in my head.

My neighbours were fighting today - a couple; and I could clearly hear all the arguments. I was alone, with no intentions of doing anything all day, sitting at my desk with my computer, and I couldn't help but hear the entire conversation. Not that I will reveal it here, but, the things that happened... unbelivable.

What I realized was that, at one point, the guy found himself alone. Im not saying, the fight / argument was the girl's fault or the guy's. Just the fact that at the end of everything, this dude is like totally lonely, he takes off for the riverside all alone, and I can see him down from my window, with a cigarette in his hand. He isn't a smoker really. Or may be I should say not yet.

May be hes just too weak to start smoking or get into a habit, because of a fight or something. But then I thought to myself, how much is anyone there for anyone else. A friend may be there for a short distance, a spouse for a longer distance.. parents may be a little further.. but then.. how far ? Won't it be nice to not be bound in anyway to another person. Not that we ignore our responsibilities or duties to other people, friends, family, etc. but then, if we are bound to them in ways other than necessary, we are just preparing ourselves for further disruption, aren't we?

- Ah, the hair has grown, doesnt look tht bad, does it ?

Well, lets wait a few months and see !!

They did not do their job...

So, Im in Bombay.. meeting up with friends.. taking short/long drives.. hanging out.. eating the zillions of types of foods.. juz living Bombay.. Its going all good.. However.. one fine day.. we decided to go from a bowling place to a New York style restaurant about 3 hours away.

Well not really 3 hours, but its was during the peak hours so... otherwise it was like 30 mins away.. or so.. anyhow.. my friend.. is driving.. a signal turns red.. she slows down and finally stops.. She gets a call.. now shes gotten a new PDA style phone.. so shes trying to figure something out and is still working on the phone... In the meanwhile the signal is green and we gotta move.. but obviously shes doing something important so we are just right there..

The guy behind us.. pissed off.. squeezes himself from behind her car.. passes her by and tells her.. its green madam.. moveee !! and she looks outta the window and scolds him instead... and the poor guy drives away....

Just like you guys, I was wondering whats happening.. well... apparently.. it was all his fault... because he did not hornk when the signal was green.. so she wouldn't know that she has to move!!!!!

What did I say ??? - Fair Point....

It happens only in Bombay

Once again Im back after a big break from a regular series of blogging - Sorry about that guys.. I travelled for a bit and then landed in my home town of Bombay. Ah, the great city. Well, like most big cities one problem that Bombay has is definitely that of traffic and jams. Many of my non Indian friends can just not believe any tales that I tell them about Bombay and this is nothing but funny, because some of them are so commonplace here.

A recent incident that I heard of just cracked me up. College hours, you can obviously not find any parking spots - well like any other hour, just worse. So one of my friend drove and drove and drove around, but found no spot to park for an hour almost. Finally she was exhausted and was about to give up when she saw an open spot! She had to wait and think about it, but because she was so frustrated she decided to just park in there.

Ya sounds allright, but here is the funny part - the "parking spot" was outside the traffic police station, right under the no parking sign and behind the towing van !

And guess what - Nothing happened.

I mean someone did comment that one day you will return and will find a small hook connecting your car to the van in front of it, but that was about it. Oh ya, not to forget, once a cop saw her park and walk away so he called her, and she said Im really sorry, theres nothing around, ill juz be back in two hours, Im getting late for college, pleaseeee !

And what do I say ..... I guess, advantages of being a woman.. in addition to the wonders of Bombay .....

Choice: Red Pill or Blue Pill?

This one time, I was talking about the Matrix to one of the guys and we just discussed how some women just don't understand the Matrix, and probably never will. I mean c'mon, how can you describe THE Matrix as a fight between the good guys and the bad guys! Or, or, the blue pill would have taken him to heaven, but the red pill screwed him over. What?!?! C'mon now !

Anyhow, I guess I got carried away talkin about women. Again. But, the point is that, how do you choose what pill to take, the red or the blue? I want to know what to do? There is this desicion that I want to make, and I have made my desicion, but I'm not able to decide weather to continue what I decided or to alter my desicion, since right now I am at a point where I have a CHOICE, to be able to change my desicion.

And this desicion problem thing comes not only with women, where if you do what she wants you are a wuss and if you don't... ha ha ha... This is real life man.. Like this one guy I know.. how does he decide if he moves to a different country alltogether, coz the love of his life is there, or else he stays where he is and give more importance to his career, coz where he is, his career sure damn is good. I moved to another country, I know what it means doing all that.

How do you pick, weather to do your masters or to get into a job, or may be do an MBA instead ? Or go back to India and start something small there ?? Oh God, help. And on top of all this, which colour/dress/shoe to pick if a girl asks you, is this better or is that? Should I do this or should I do that? I mean, if its you.. thats all okay... but if you tell her this one, and God forbid it was that one, then.... Oonhh Mynn Gaaaad....

- Me & Yesu.. @ Blessie's Halloween Party.. & ya.. Happy Bday Blessie !

Gekx-perience - the ultimate geek experience.

So Im workin on my laptop one fine day and I see the light on the power indicator go into the battery mode, then to the adaptor mode and it keep switching every few seconds. Obviously I get pissed off and hold the power thingie tighter against my laptop socket and its on proper power. This situation gets worse by the day and eventually everyday I have to find a position in which the thing will remain connected and hold it there. I move a lill bit and there I loose like a half damn hour....

I thought may be the wire is twitched or something and what I need is a new adaptor and stuff. So I get onto ebay and buy one. Same problem; 50 bucks gone. So Im using the new one and I leave the machine on and take off for classes and everything. I think two or three days later I needed to remove the adaptor and use it on the battery for a while.

Now some geeks reading this may know that AMD's get much hotter than Intel processors - And I have an AMD processor. What happened was that the new adaptor, apparently of not that great quality; the metal on it kinda melts or something and it fuses into my laptop power socket. OMG, I was so pissed off. Being really busy that I was, I never bothered to get it repaired or anything. Let it go on as it was going.... Until... One day.... The adaptor died....

So now theres no way to use my laptop. I turn it on, and start backing up my important stuff. As luck has it with me, always, the battery died before I could get anything, which killed the connection and for some reason everything that was being cached on the server too was lost. So I saved nothing.

Anyhow, Im running store to store, trying to see if anything can be done. Most people said nothing, except sending it back to the company, and in either case it would probably cost me like 400 to 800 bucks. There's no way I was spending that much, so I let it pass. One day after a crazy party night, I sat to work with it.. may be still a lill buzzed from the previous night.. or what I don't know.. but I decided to open it and see..

I figured, Iv assembled countless machines, I can do it. I start off by borrowing the smallest of the tookits I could find, and collected everything sat in an empty room with beige carpet, so I can see the silver or black screws and started to work on it. Several, several hours later, I got it done. Im not going to sit and write about what exactly happened. But Oh My God, it was so amazing. So satisfying. The feeling I got, just drove me crazyeeeeee..

Like Monica says in Friends, when she sees a really organized and clean lady; one of Pheobe's friend who they are visiting for adoption advice; that seeing her organization skills and stuff, she almost had a tiny orgasm. OMG, I felt sooo like that.. much more actually.. Amm... one sec.. not the orgasm part.. I mean I felt really satisfied.. like.. a lot more.. I mean... Ok.. I hope get the picture... I mean I hope u get the right picture...

- Some more halloween pix.. My last sem @ ISU.. Gonna miss these days...

Whats Technical About English ?

I never really understood why so many people had to spend time studying a language. I always thought that all you need to study should be enough to be able to read, write or communicate in it. I did figure out some reasons for people to study a little more in english and stuff, but what really irritates me is how do people spend their lives studying such stuff. I definitely thing, engineering, medicine, and stuff like that is something substantial to study. You can spend your life doing it. Something that you can actually USE... well... for useful purposes...

Anyhow, for some damn reason we are made to take a technical english class. A "Technical"-English class ? What the heck. Cmon. I thought, okay.. may be there is something about such classes, you know? But I was wrong. And I gladly admit it.
There really is nothing technical about english. Unless describe a toilet seat is technical? Or perhaps, playing with TINKER TOYS is ?!!!! I mean CMONNN, I was like the only graduating senior on campus with a huge can of Tinker Toys!

We are made to do the most ridiculous things in that class. It absolutely doesn't make sense, and my professor, she won't let me skip one extra class... just one extra class.. that too because I want to travel for interviews.. I mean c'mon.. I am so pissed off right now.. that.. I have no words to describe how pissed off I am...

- What posers we are ! Lol ! Halloween Party Pix...

Humor for computer geeks!

So what if you are a computer geek. You can have a sense of humor too. As you walk into a computer engineering building you see a notice, No smoking outside this door.

Ah, ah, ah, now... Don't be mean... Geeks have their jokes too.. Try to get the joke here.. Its like, you are already outside the door.. seee seee.. you are already outside the door and you are not supposed to smoke outside the door... so.. you are not supposed to smoke, on the outside of the outside... seee seee ... essentially.. you are not supposed to smoke inside the building.

Thats something man. I mean, that, right there IS something.. Its a geeks humor.. something that gives him a smile on his face after several dozen hours of glaring at a screen or coding a mini circiuit board. No no, I mean a really mini board.

Anyhow, any geeks out there who want another small programmer thingie... here is a programmer's prayer, from jokesaround :

Our program,
Who art in memory,
"Hello" be thy name.

Thy spreadsheets be formatted,
thy code be downloaded,
from disk
as it will be in memory.

Give us on screen
our data spreads,
and forgive us our typos,
as we forgive those who ask that we document.

Lead us not into frustration,
but deliver us from glitches.

For thine is the algorithm,
the application,
and the solution,
looping forever and ever.

Return.

- Dunno Y This Pic For A Geeky Article...

Isn't that enough ?

Trying too hard. Ever heard of that? What really is the tradeoff between, try try till you succeed and trying too hard ? I just can not believe that things happen like this sometimes.

What do you do when people just don't seem to get it ? I mean you are telling someone that listen this is what I mean, as clear as possible, and they get the exact opposite meaning. What do you do when you are trying really really hard in a class or to get a job or something, and apparently your own efforts are blocking your way to success ?

You know whats worse ?
When you tell someone, something. They get the opposite meaning. AND, you know you can't blame them, AND, then you feel bad about the whole thing, and hey not to mention that there really is no reason for all of this. ( No reason for the whole thing, thats what hurts, you know what I mean ? )

You know my advise guys... Just say sorry dude... and shut up.. See.. Here shut up is really important.. because if you do not shut up then you are gonna get screwed over.. you see... after you shut up, its her turn to yell scream at you, kill you, whatever. Thats just the way these things work.

And no Jon, saying sorry isn't just one of the ways with women. It is THE only way. Good Luck buddy.... on the project, I mean....

- Just getting there.. One of the summer hiking pics.. Bear Mountain Pk..

OMG Parik, You Turned Into A Woman!

What can be a lill more irritating than a normal woman ?
Hmm... A woman-computer-engineer !!!
Ok, now I don't mean like really irritating or something.. I mean... well.... ammmm... Anyhow, so we are at this birthday party, where we don't know anyone. Some stupid girl is really irritating us. Gets really drunk and is trying to make us, "mix" with the crowd. We were just pissed at her. I mean, we generally are totally party kinds, but with this woman, Oh my God, she was driving us crazy. I mean she's like, you look familiar, what do you do ? Im like, Computer Engineering, shes like, haha, another nerd, we are all nerds here, or something of that sort, and I was like.... well.... WHATEVER.

Finally I and Yesu, along with Dhawal, Joe, Jarves and others hit the bars and Yesu is pretty gone by now. He gets us some beer. Now I'm not a beer person at all, I generally prefer harder drinks and shots. But, anyhow, so we are standing is sort of a circle, I'm on Yesu's right hand side. I wait for a while, and finally I take off to go keep my drink somwhere. But just as I move away, a girl comes in my place, and immidiately thereafter Yesu turns and looks at her, and he totally freaks out; OMG Parik, You Turned Into A Woman!!!

Lol, Not to mention that when this other girl came upto him, at the party like really drunk, he calls her a bitch and drives her away, she comes back again at the bars and hes like, "There's the bitch again!"... oh ya.. and he.. well.. almost.. picked a fight with this huge guy, coz he was wearing a Univ of Iowa shirt when he is at a bar in Iowa State Univ and they have just lost the game. Aah, aah, one of the several things we do.

I wonder, what kinda crap I do when I get too drunk. LoL. Now that I graduate this semester, I sure am gonna miss these days! Ah, well.....

- Me & Yesu, one of the nights.. at Element..

We Don't Do Our Research In The Mirror!

So, we are at this mall in des moines and we were checking out this new amazing digital photo frame. Most certainly I wanna buy it. Nice music and stuff too. Soon, me and Yesu are busy discussing the Specifications on certain cameras, PDAs, etc.. Just then we see the girls shop for some stuff and are checking out other stuff.. which obviously we find ridiculous.. I mean we landed up in a store.. which had like millions of purses.. we were on the steps coming down.. and as far as our eyes could seee we saw that.. there were only purses.. of all the weirdest shapes and sizes and fur and different materials, and most importantly different name tags, and these were spread for as far as possilble..

We just started wondering.. why the heck are these here, this way ? I mean, the specs on all of them are the same. They do the same thing. Provide the same functionality. We just couldn't seem to understand the idea of paying a bomb on such stuff.

It's like we were still thinking about spending 150$ on this digital frame thing. We decided to research stuff online, the battery life, the compatibility, the warranty, the ports on it and the itnerface and measure its worth, check out the CNET reviews and stuff, and then we would go for it. On the other hand, the ladies stare in the mirror, talkin something, some weird stuff amongst themselves, oh yeah, they giggle like really loud, and swoossh, the card is swipped and some really high ridiculous amount is gone... on... well... nothing.. I mean its something which they have 100's of, I mean all of them do the same thing, no new features, no additional stuff, nothing.. Oh ya, not to mention.. most of them aren't even used.. And.. if they aren't purses.. (i.e. they are shoes... and they are really expensive... no no.. i mean.. REALLY expensive.. then they hurt).

Anyhow, let me get over this thing, well.... let me try to get over this thing... while you guys reading this, gotta tell me what to do.. No no nooo.. not about purses or shoes... about my Goatee.. Some people feel I should remove it.. some love it.. Im just confused.. was considering a different look for a while.. so you guys gotta gimme a nice suggestion, each.. as a comment response to this blog... and do mention your name !!

- I'v a smiling version of this pic too, but I guess the focus is on me goatee..

Why does it have to happen to me?

I'm back guys. Sorry I haven't written in a long time. But WOW, I got so many requests to start writing again and more so, so many enquiries as to why have I stopped writing that, I just dint know what to do. Im so happy my friends read what I write !

Anyhow, basically, this entry will be mostly about my come back. After my London trip, I got really busy, doing the regular stuff, then attending classes.. yeah.. this time I am attending and studying real hard tooo.. Iv promised someone that I will be trying to get a good grade. It may not be the one that was demanded but I did commit to try real hard. Plus then, doing a job search, and all the other stuff, just had no time to come on or chat or write.

This time I have MS level courses, and even one of the hardest classes ever. It is an Algorithms class for which no one ever gets a good grade, and apparently the text hasnt been changed in years and years, and the edition too has remained the same since like the past two decades. No one knows crap, and its really weird and confusions, but even worse, its too abstract and barely has any practicality, in the sense that we don't really learn to apply anything. And you know, engineers aren't used to that kinda stuff.

So, Im studying real hard, have an A in every single class that I'm taking, and this course, the weird one, I wanted an A too, so decided to study kick ass for it. Was totally into my books and stuff for 5 straight days, did like the last 12 semesters' exams, and was totally determined to get a perfect score.. well I hoped if I aimed high.. I'd atleast get a decent score.

Generally this course starts out with an absolute grading scale of 90% being an A but by mid semester it goes down to 24% being the average, so then everything is scaled down. Also, more than half the people drop the class way before the mid term. The professors for the last several years always give you 20 bonus points to solve in each exam, just so they can push up the average. They also give you over 2 hours to solve an exam meant for 50 minutes. In short, its a crazy ass class, but guess what...

Despite the studies and stuff, I get a D !!! Hahahaa.. And I cant even drop this class... Why ??
Coz he decides to change the pattern, the exam, everything, and he even added a chapter for 20% of the syllabus, which he taught the day before the exam !! And guess what I was doing ? Sloggin my ass out in the library. Why me God, Why me ???????

- Me in my closet.. in my new club wear shirt...

While you are with me...

What would you say, if people said that, hey my friend is so hot that even the cookie man likes him? I guess its okay if you are a girl. But if you are a guy and a cookie man likes you.... Not good man.... Me and some of my friends were at this place called crockdero, an entertainment arcade kinda place, near Picadilly and in there we passed a milles cookie shop...

Nothing unusual, but we were kinda lost there and needed to find some directions. So I go up to the shop guy and ask for directions to some casino type of a place. This dude comes out, all swingy swongy and you know the wrists attached loosely to his hands types... and.. is like, Hi.. I'm like.. Hi.. could you tell me how may I get to blah blah.. and he's like giving me all the directions and stuff but I'm like totally feeling weird there !! And I just did not know what to do ! Suddenly he is done telling me directions and then steps forward, sorta pushes his waist out and swings forth and asks me... Is there anything I can do for you, while you are With Me...

WTF ! I was like.. while I am with him.. Im like No thanks, and I ran for my life.. well.. I ran to save me ass... Quite literally... I mean....

Anyhow, we roamed around.. and a lill later the girls felt like cookies !! And you know women right !!! They drag me to that shop and once again I had to face that guy. This time we ordered the cookies and none of us had any change.. this guy.. was like.. thats allright you dont have to pay for it.. and he gives me back my 20 pound note in my hand but like holds my hand with his hands and places it in between in such a weird way, like eeewwwwwww... Once again I ran.. to save me.. everything...

Since then, Im being teased with weird people, and.. apparently it is very amusing, that the cookie man likes me.. Whatever !! I mean cmon.. why do my friends have to step forward, swish and swosh and ask me, Is there anything that I can do for you, WHILE YOU ARE WITH ME..

You know what.. when these girls say it.. I really feel like telling them... ;) ;) Yea yea.. theres a lot you can do for me ;) hehehe ;) Muah.

- Me at Zizi's In London... Pretty Classy Place.. Nice Food, Nice Wines !