Apun kya bolta hai...

Can leadership be taught...?

2011-02-23T18:32:00.004-05:00

Yes.

Leadership is taking people from point a to point b using various mechanisms.
I think these mechanisms be assimilated in a disciplined fashion thru training and the conscious effort to decode and re-code.

What differentiates born leaders from 'made' leaders is that the latter have to consciously inculcate what the former thinks/says/does 'naturally'. Thus, just a less talented cricketer can overcome his talent limitations, so can a less talented leader overcome his leadership limitations.

Who's to blame...?

2011-02-20T13:40:00.004-05:00

They all contributed to the financial crisis - Wall St, Government, Regulators, and consumers on Main St.

Why did the Government promote home ownership as being so integral to the American dream (Fannie and Freddie being instruments of making it happen...) ? Didn't that cause hordes of citizens to aspire to buying and living in a home (that they couldn't afford at times)? And, of course, campaign contributions that may have forced them to turn a blind eye to potential laws that could have averted it.

Clearly, the regulators were too busy watching porn or being in bed with Wall St's army of banks and law firms to actually do their jobs and play watchdog. Incentive misalignment and all that - sure, but what about their sense of duty?

And, who asked Joe Blow on Main St to buy a home they could not afford? And, of course, get neck deep into debt just because Citibank or Capital One was giving them a credit card? It's simple mathematics - if you spend more than you earn, you will be in trouble. I guess they forgot the lessons their parents taught them.

Last, but not the least, Wall St - who plundered away billions of dollars (and millions of jobs, lives, blah blah) with complex financial instruments, manipulations and outright lying. Their defense is 'We were just responding to what we were incentivized to do'. Cute, but clearly at some point, they lost their sense of right and wrong. Probably, they never had that sense to begin with, right Mr. Gekko?

While everyone has had a role to play, among the lot, Wall St is the one that's getting the most of the rough end of the stick - at least as far as commentary goes. 'I hate Wall St' has become a very popular movement.

Unfair, says Wall St. But, I say its OK. It's this category that's the most mismatched in terms of role played and adverse material impact, i.e. they have had the least to lose for the influence they had on the crisis. Stated otherwise, the other parties played an equal role in causing the crisis, but are having to bear a bigger brunt in material terms (Ok, maybe not the Govt. per se).

While the above argument could be counter argued, all said and done - for once, its ok if Wall St happens to be the fall guy. After all, they make the most money for the least value added to society. So, screw 'em!!!

(That being said, Wall St has only had to face criticism - almost none of the honchos who precipitated the crisis have had to deal with any significant punishment. Bottomline - the common man has gotten screwed and perhaps will continue to get screwed.)

Tolerance...

2011-02-20T13:39:00.000-05:00

In my mind, the most pressing issue facing humanity today is intolerance.
For centuries, there have been several characteristics, such as religion, color, caste, sexual orientation, nationality and race that have differentiated people. Heeding to their survival instincts, people of similar affiliations have clung together. Though this has helped to bring together and unite similar peoples, this has also served to deepen the chasm between different segments of society.

People have become more comfortable with individuals of their own color, religious affiliation or nationality and consequently, less tolerant of people who are ‘different’. Tribal clashes in Africa, the Arab-Israel conflict and the Cincinnati riots of 2001 bear testimony to the rise of intolerance. Intolerance results in negative emotions, thoughts and actions, which ultimately work to the detriment of society.

Intolerance breeds suppressed animosity towards people in the community and at the workplace. This has the effect of decreasing workplace productivity and generating an environment of apprehension in society, which in turn affects the peace of mind and quality of life of individuals.

Intolerance results in potential propagation of hate towards other peoples. Energies begin to be channeled towards activities that are destructive in nature. Such acts of violence that hamper people’s everyday lives and result in property and material losses have a huge impact on the economy of a nation.

Intolerance fosters further intolerance from target groups. When the majority begins to show poor tolerance levels towards the minority, the minority group retaliates with a similar measure of intolerance. Thus, society gets into a vicious cycle of negative emotions and drain of energy that can be constructively used for the progress of mankind.

Intolerance prevents us from looking at the big picture. It prevents us from thinking about the millions of underprivileged citizens of the world who have do not have access to two square meals a day, sufficient clothing and basic amenities such as drinking water and electricity. It dissuades us from harnessing the collective energy of men and women to work on initiatives to improve the quality of life of fellow human beings, a key facet of human existence.

Class struggle and consequently any struggle between peoples of different segments is inevitable. However, just by limiting the amount of time spent on antagonistic thoughts, emotions and actions, mankind has a lot to benefit. Hence, the need of the hour is to increase our tolerance levels in society.

Tagline...

2010-07-24T16:10:00.003-05:00

"Life is about waking up, making your wife happy, and going to bed. The rest is just details."
M thinks this could be a great tagline for a jewelery company. These marketing types, I tell you... :P

Continuous effort...

2010-07-24T16:07:00.003-05:00

Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking your potential. Thus spoke someone called Winston Churchill. Me like.

The 4 Ps...

2010-07-13T23:25:00.003-05:00

The perfect storm is brewing for everything related to energy - in the whole value chain of generation, transmission & distribution, storage & end use of energy efficient products, services, solutions and paradigms.

Rising fuel prices are clearly making a dent into corporate profits.
Increasing concerns over climate change are bringing the safety and longevity of our planet into question
Growing public perception about the 'green' and 'sustainability' credentials of corporations are inspiring change in corporations' demeanour
And, finally, significant policy decisions are catalysing the need for cleaner energies (which in turn are funding technologies which now have a chance to mature faster and become a reality sooner)

So, my mantra: Make better energy, Use energy better!

After the long hiatus...

2010-07-13T23:22:00.002-05:00

...I am back to the blogging world. Lots of movement on various fronts in the last several months - good stuff! Several and sundry thoughts have been lying bottled up for the last few weeks and the decision to return to 'Apun kya bolta hai...' was made!

It's a time...

2008-10-02T23:30:00.002-05:00

...when stock market swings of 5% are the norm rather than the exception
...commas, underscores and dots in the 'sender' category of Outlook are getting me excited
...of being on the tipping point for making critical life choices
...when my errors of the past are coming back to kick me in the butt and make me learn some valuable lessons
...when I am trying to the find the third D.
...of great uncertainty and consequently, promise
...to buckle down and make it happen!

Thatha...

2008-09-17T19:44:00.008-05:00

I knew him from the age of about four till eleven.

Crisply ironed shirt, starched white dhothi, spectacles with bifocal lenses, neatly parted hair, mouthing Shakespearean monologue, a majestic walking stick and a strong gait - that was my Thatha!

I used to hold his hand and walk with him to Krishna Library in Chikkadapalli, Hyderabad where I would get the latest Amar Chitra Kathas, Tinkles and Tintins.
He used to take me to book fairs every year and buy me tons of books, including Children's Knowledge Bank, Tell Me Why, Tom Sawyer, etc. (He bought me my first RK Narayan book, 'Swami and Friends', the hardbound edition. Somebody borrowed it from me in the last two years and has failed to return it. If you do have it, please let me know. That particular object symbolizes a lot to me.) Whatever love for reading I have, is all because of him.

I remember how he used to shield me from my mother's beatings. I remember how my cousin and I locked him up in his room and threw pebbles through the ventilator...for fun!(Sorry, Thatha - I was a mischievious kid!). At times, he used to buy me and Appi 'Five Star' bars at Kashinath. He had a red hard bound book that contained all of Shakespeare's plays and never failed to watch Shakespeare on Saturday afternoons on Doordarshan. Whatever I know of Shylock, Portia and the like is all thanks to him. I remember him recounting stories of his stint as a public prosecutor and the nasty criminals he faced. I inherited his love for tennis - both playing and watching.

I remember him relaxing in his easychair and watching in amazement as his biceps involuntarily twitched. And of course, every afternoon, after I returned from school, him and I would play a game of Scrabble - that was fiercely competitive, mind you!
If I know any flowery language or strange two letter words, you can attribute it to my Thatha. I remember him never complaining about the lack of salt in the sambar and merely adding a pinch before proceeding with his meal.

And, I remember receiving the telegram from my dad at my maternal grandmom's place in Bombay - a terse message that said "Father passed away last night."

A man of values, discipline, patience, perseverance,dignity, courage, scholarship and affection - that was my Thatha. It's been 19+ years since he passed away. But, I think of him and miss him every single day...

Thank you for shaping me into who I am, Thatha!

What Spirit...???

2008-09-17T19:44:00.005-05:00

Yes, the Chinese did a fabulous job in organizing the games. But, to be honest, the games lacked spirit. I was in Athens 4 years ago and in Beijing this summer, so I can draw some comparisons.

Beijing was all about efficiency, sans festivity. If you did see some of the latter, it was more orchestrated and forced than spontaneous. But then, I suppose, there's not a whole lot you can expect from a communist nation in terms of expression of ideas, emotions and thoughts.

Why was there no food at the venues??? GRRR!!! (Ok, there was food. But OH MY GOD! Such limited options)

My unscientific estimate of the # of non-Chinese people at the Games: 5 to 10%. China's policy of squeezing VISAs is indeed deplorable.

In my view, China might have made material progress. But, I don't think they have grown as human beings...

Swami...

2008-09-17T19:44:00.002-05:00

So, I am re-reading Swami and Friends these days. (Yes, I needed some comfort reading.)
It's the sort of book that makes me laugh no matter how many times I have read it.

Swami: Father, my examinations start from day after tomorrow.
Father: And yet you are roaming around the house like an unleashed donkey!

RK Narayan rules. I hear his brother is a decent cartoonist...

Of coffee and tea...

2008-08-26T22:51:00.002-05:00

Babulal: Aaj ke khaas mehmaan ke liye, hum khud special chai banaayenge!
XYZ: Babulal, tumhare baap ne bhi kabhi chai banai thi?
Babulal: Baap ki baat mat karrr, woh to coffee banate the!

Aaya hoon to...

2008-08-25T23:15:00.000-05:00

Implicitly, explicitly, and sometimes subconsciously, Crime Master Gogo has enriched all our lives with his seemingly obscure, yet deep insights and philosophies on life. Thus, he rightfully deserves recognition, admiration and of course,the ultimate stamp of approval - a fan club on Facebook. Join and share your thoughts on Crime Master Goga!

Gold diggers...

2008-08-15T01:07:00.002-05:00

Its the same story every four years.

Before the Olympics, people write/talk about India's medal hopes and how we will win 'at least' a couple of bronzes this time.
At the Olympics, we falter and don't end up with much. (Granted, over the last 3 editions, we have graduated from bronze to silver to gold.
After the event, reams of paper are spent on "Why is it that a country of one billion cannot produce a gold medal, and how we *need* to fix the system"

But, honestly - who cares???
Yes, significant investment in sports infrastructure could generate jobs and medals. But, will it generate substantial employment and results? What if we did infact pump in billions to create a sports infrastructure that created a few hundred or a few thousand jobs and generated a few medals? Is that a 'profitable' investment?

Yes, sports are key for a healthy body and mind. Let's keep it that way. Let's enjoy the game in our backyards and grounds. Why worry about medals at the Olympics? While today's barometer of social and economic progress is tied to Olympic medals, is it a barometer we should be concerned about? NO!

Instead, let's focus our energies on other sectors and aspects of the average Indian's life, to create and distribute wealth. As they say, one cannot achieve everything. If the UK, US, Japan and now, China are ahead of the curve in millions and medals, I suspect they did it piecemeal - baby steps. One thing after another...

Let's come to the realization and acceptance that sports and Olympic glory are not a priority for us. With a slew of issues from water to roads to electricity to poverty that need require transformational solutions, let's not channel our energies into a quest for golds, silvers and bronzes.

Thus far, our lack of Olympic medals has been due to apathy, not due to a conscious choice. Its time for us to make that conscious choice to be apathetic to medals and empathetic to social and economic transformation.

Lords of the Rings...

2008-08-05T20:43:00.002-05:00

While I await the typhoon to pass by Hong Kong, I have spent quality time in my mainland friendly hotel,watching CCTV. Indeed, this is an exciting time in this region and the Olympic fever is intensifying on the streets (and TV sets) in Hong Kong.

One of the oldest/most prolific civilizations around, China has come full circle in its quest for glory and recognition. Nearly thirty years ago, China started opening its door to foreign investment and embracing its own model of capitalistic communist growth. The means of progress (Tiannanmen Square in 1989) and at times, even the outcomes, can certainly be debated (what about the poor in rural China?). That being said, what the Chinese have achieved over the last 2-3 decades is remarkable - the transformation from an agrarian, bicycle riding nation to a Starbucks chugging, high tech manufacturing driven, VW driving people.

Yes, an event of this scale in a country with a communist background is bound to have controversies - Tibet demonstrations, Kashgar terror strike, 'blue skies' or the lack thereof in Beijing and so on...

However, in the final analysis, one can't help but feel awe, envy and admiration about the Chinese juggernaut as this summer's Olympics dawns upon us. I am confident given the hard working ability and the human capital of the Chinese people, this will go down as one of the finest Olympics in recent times - a true celebration of the 're'-emergence of the Chinese civilization on the world scene.

Bravo Beijing! Well done!
Congratulations China - You have arrived!

1 or 2...

2008-07-27T11:38:00.001-05:00

What gives you more relief? Crapping or peeing? It's one of the toughest questions around I think.

The thing is...

2008-07-27T11:37:00.002-05:00

...we are all getting older. But, I for one, just don't want to acknowledge it.
Ah, Peter Pan - you sonova*****!

Post # 100...

2008-07-27T11:28:00.003-05:00

...Yay!!!
I have written about soaps, airports, gas stations, sex, love, relationships, friendships, careers, music, movies, drinking, 9/11, tolerance, arguments and what not and have enjoyed writing and hearing from you.

Thanks to everyone who has been reading/commenting.
Stay tuned for more (of the same and not the same).
Happy hundred Wittynathan!

Bade bade desho mein, aisi choti choti baatein hoti rehti hai...

2008-06-26T11:16:00.000-05:00

At Victoria Peak in Hong Kong, you see the top of an empty escalator, followed by AG Jr, as seen coming up the escalator, eyes searching for a toilet sign, listening to 'Yun hi chala chal' (Background music) on his iPod. The camera catches his expression change from anxiety to surprise as he eyes AG Sr. Camera zooms out and pans at AG Sr with a swoosh. AG Sr. is juggling bags with his wife and kids – family banter and chatter is heard (“Arre baba, give me that bag na…”). AG Jr is seen walking up to AG Sr, agape, earphones being casually dropped, the music dulling down, yet at a very basic level – like what you would hear from an earphone…and is heard saying in an excited tone 'Are you AG Sr?' AG Sr smiles, nods. AG Jr unabashedly extends both hands to clasp AG Sr's hands - camera pans to the handshake in slow motion – to capture the essence of this historic and fateful moment. No music for a few seconds. The words are muted, the slow motion continues...with snippets of 'I thought you did a great job making sure SRK underplays in Swades...' fading in and out with Kailash Kher's 'Ooo ooo ooo ooo' piece from 'Yunhi chala chal' and clinking of glasses in the restaurant behind and the sounds of the people in the mall. Photos are taken, business cards are exchanged, while Kailash and Hariharan continue to croon.
They say their goodbyes. Cut to AG Jr walking out of the mall, hands in his pockets, grinning from ear to ear, earphones back in their place, looking at the bright blue sky. Music back to max with Yunhi chala chal…camera pans to the blue sky….music fades out. Blue fades out into the blackness of the screen.

Babble...

2008-06-24T21:55:00.002-05:00

Epiphanies, boredom, leadership, values, ethics, people, families, children, emotions, lives, loves, procrastination, melody, eyes, touch, sex, sins, fear, labor, entertainment, humor, conviction, confidence, betrayal, nervousness, butterflies, catharasis, countries, cultures, lust, variety, urination, relief,
optimism, hope, joy...

Emptiness...

2008-06-24T21:11:00.001-05:00

At times, isn't there an emptiness that engulfs us all?

Past Present Future...

2008-05-20T16:59:00.002-05:00

I believe the answer is 20-50-30.
There are three components to our lives : looking at the past and reflecting,executing in the present and living the moment and thinking of the future and planning ahead.
While each component has a key role to play in shaping who we are and who we become as human beings (personally and professionally), I believe there does need to be some sort of a balance between the three elements for optimizing our time on Planet Earth (or Mars, if you Martians are reading this).

That answer I believe is 20-50-30.

Really...?

2008-05-17T23:45:00.002-05:00

Its interesting how we get hooked onto popular idioms and phrases and proverbs and come to believe them to be true.

For example. "All's fair in love and war." The link below defines it as " People in love and soldiers in wartime are not bound by the rules of fair play."
Really? Why so? Is it just so we can justify our actions?
"Yes, do whatever you can. It's all good, because 'All's fair in love and war'."

Huh?

http://www.bartleby.com/59/3/allsfairinlo.html

I am currently hooked on to...

2008-05-15T14:08:00.000-05:00

http://youtube.com/watch?v=yzU9emwvU34

Good work Atif bhai!

What to do, what not to do...?

2008-05-12T01:04:00.004-05:00

Strategy Consulting. San Francisco. Healthcare. Operating jobs vs. agency jobs. Brand Management Singapore. High-tech. Start ups vs. behemoths. New York. Non-profits. Investment banking. Ad infinitum ad nauseam.

With a plethora of permutations and combinations of industries, functions, geographies and the like inundating me, I have been at a crossroads in my first few months at business school. While I realized coming in that my school would open the doors for me to explore virtually any and every career opportunity, I have been in awe of the options provided. Like most other students (yes yes, I know there are a few amongst us who knew *exactly* what they wanted to do), I struggled through the process.

I finished up a lunch and learn with the CMO of Kimberly Clark thinking, “Brand management is totally up my alley!”, only to be swayed by BCG at the Operations Consulting panel later in the evening. While a project with a local non-profit made me want to take up a career in non-profits, the ex-CEO of Baxter made me want to try out ‘general management’. Choices, choices!

While navigating through this unending maze, I took a step back to analyze and see if there was indeed a method to this madness, to evaluate if there was a pattern that emerged out of all the chaos. As an engineer by training and a consultant by profession, I had to break it down into a model!

The more I reflected, the more it became clear that there were three distinct pieces to this puzzle. One, was to evaluate what was I best at, i.e. my capability (or ‘core competencies’ for you jargon obsessed folk!) – was it thought leadership, was it managing people or was it my ability to sell? The second, was to realize what I was most passionate about – was it ‘social impact’, was it providing client service or was it managing a P&L? The third was to zero in on what was the best opportunity – financially, geographically, from an overall personal and career growth perspective, etc. And lo and behold, Venn diagrams came to the rescue. As I began to draw out the three circles, I realized that my goal at business school was to hit ‘the sweet spot’, i.e. to optimize my chances of hitting the area between the three circles below.I hope to make the best use of the opportunities that b-school provides to optimize my potential and career growth. I implore you to do the same. Here’s to Venn diagrams!

Steal and rebound...

2008-05-10T05:56:00.003-05:00

No no, I am not going to talk about basketball here.

If I look around, some of the most successful Indian marriages in my generation seem to
have stemmed either from a 'steal' or a 'rebound'. In the western context, one would perhaps see such relationships as merely transient. But, my take is that in the Indian context, nothing (well, almost nothing) works better than a 'steal' (for example, the girl stealing the guy away from another girl) or a 'rebound' (I will not insult your intelligence by defining a 'rebound').

Good food for thought in terms of why this may be happening...
(I just didn't have the patience to analyze! :) Feel free to propound away!)

Solidifying...

2008-05-10T05:51:00.003-05:00

When we are in our teens, our personalities are formed to a lesser degree and our range of 'acceptable' mates (and friends/people for that matter) is very broad. As we progress through undergrad and live through our twenties, our personality starts getting more well defined, our likes and dislikes start getting more solidified and our range of acceptable mates starts declining. Ostensibly, my hypothesis is that this makes mate finding that much harder as you progress in years. Of course, living in a foreign country compounds the issue! (Assuming you are interested in meeting/mating people of the opposite sex from the same country as yours.) Interestingly enough, my observation has been that some of the most successful relationships either begin in high school or in the late twenties.

What now...?

2008-05-10T05:39:00.002-05:00

Growing up, we always had a certain well defined path. As I have said in one of my posts before, 9th grade gave way to 10th, undergrad gave way to grad school or a job and so on. It is right after the three to four year mark as a YUPPIE that it hits you - What do I do now? I have gotten a decent amount of work experience, I am doing well in my career, the cash flow is sweet, I have bought most of the gizmos I ever wanted, I have checked most boxes in life - be it Europe or scuba diving or a threesome! ;)I have even booked a plus 3 bedroom flat, I have done my fair share of dating, I have taken all the classes - be it guitar or salsa or cooking that I ever felt the need for. Seriously, what do I do now? Do I go back to school? Do I 'settle down'? Jeez, I am *so* lost. Welcome to the quarter life crisis!

We are constantly seeking news highs and new forms of excitement. This theme runs constant through most of undergrad and then the early parts of your career. But then, at the aforementioned point in time, we find ourselves at a crossroad in life (obviously that point in time differs for different people - but you do hit that point methinks). It is my opinion that as you get older and 'see' more of the world, the highs in our life start getting less high. We then start having issues coming to terms with th efact that life flows at an even pace after an eventful, tumultuous, exciting, nerve wrecking 25 + years on this planet. It is upto us to accept that such will be the pace of life. Granted, there will still highs and lows, but those will become less dramatic and few and farther between. We must begin to look forward to smaller things in life (which arguably provide more happiness) to keep us going. Perhaps over time a re-calibration will occur, whereby those smaller things will start appearing more and more exciting and provide an equally high high as did the events during our first quarter in this world. Indeed, to a generation that is slowly reducing its attention span, this realization might be tougher to achieve.

I am a sucker for articulation...

2008-05-04T16:16:00.003-05:00

Back in the day when our forefathers were gatherers and hunters, their need for survival not only led to the development of 'weapons', but also a mechanism to perform basic communication. Ostensibly, this led to the creation of symbols, signals, gestures and finally, the spoken word. As our ancestors evolved, the spoken word, while invented for perfunctory means, began to take shape on its own. Words pieced together, with a dash of grammar and syntax, became language. The more right brained ones (Of course, one could argue whether people with such abilities are more right brained versus left.), with fertile imaginations, saw the beauty in the concept of language as a means of expression of thoughts, ideas and philosophies, resulting in elegant works of authorship.

I love words and the notion of language (if that wasn't already apparent in this piece!). Words such as rejuvenate, rekindle, inculcate, imbibe, cogitate, elegant, eloquent, and catharisis are music to my ears. I for one, value people's ability to piece together words to cogently and elegantly articulate a thought or a notion. It is immensely pleasing to either express or hear someone express their views using the beauty of verbiage and/or the rigor of logic.

In short, I am a sucker for articulation...!

PS: Is articulation getting a rarer trait amongst us?

Tolerance, anyone...?

2008-05-04T15:58:00.002-05:00

We humans like humans like ourselves - be it people of similar interests, tastes, region, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and the like. Owing to this trait, since time immemorial, people of similar backgrounds have 'clung' together and formed groups or sub-groups. While this has resulted in strong bonds and communities, it has arguably perpetrated fear and loathing of 'outside' groups or clusters. The belief that people who are unlike you will destroy you and undermine your existence has been sub-consciously imbibed or actively promoted.

The Arab-Israeli conflict, gay-bashing across the globe, Rodney King riots in LA, the demolition of the Babri Masjid are a few events in recent history that reflect this growing intolerance.

When will we realize the need to accept our differences and agree to disagree?
Yes, there are all kinds of people in the world. People who do NOT subscribe to your way of life and who are NOT similar to you. Why is it hard for us to accept that? Why is it becoming more prevalent among us humans to immediately perceive threats to our being and foster hate and intolerance to offset the same? Why are we so insecure? What do we think this will achieve?

Perhaps I am an idealist, who thinks peaceful co-existence would be utopia. While I strongly believe in survival of the fittest, I am not certain that the aforementioned differences really epitomize 'fitness'. Perhaps there is more to conflict than is apparent on the surface - maybe its not about skin color or religion or caste; maybe its about greed, sloth and the rest of the seven sins that are manifested in the conflicts mentioned above. Perhaps these immutable basic human instincts will continue to drive the change and equilibrium in the world...

Thoughts...?

On Indian last names...

2007-11-23T04:11:00.000-05:00

Having lived in quite a few different regions of the country and having studied at an institution where I met people from every state in India, I have had the opportunity to synthesize the variety in Indian last names. I categorize them as below (Please note, this does NOT cover last names of all religions):

1. Use of father's name as the last name - Several South Indians, predominantly Tamilians seem to take this approach. For example, Arun Rajan, Sulu Gopal, Kartik Ramakrishnan, etc.

2. Use of caste / community as the last name - Examples are abound: Satish Iyer, Utpal Patel, Laloo Yadav, etc.

3. Use of the ancestral village/place of origin as the last name - Harish Mysore, Vikram Akkineni, Sanjay Manjrekar (Manjre arguably being the name of the village that this person's ancestors hail from), etc

4. Use of 'Gothram' as the last name - Arjun Bharadwaj, Arun Kashyap, Mita Vashisht, etc.

5. Use of ancestral profession as the last name - Feroz Contractor, Nilesh Batliwala, etc.

There, hope that adds some clarity to the profusion in variety of Indian last names. Feel free to let me know if I missed out any! :)

Some other observations -
1. Christians in the South sometimes have Hindu first names and Christian last names (Harsha Mathew, for example)
2. To further throw a wrench in the works, some south indians use the name of the village and the caste/father's name in their full name: Hardanahalli Doddegowda Devegowda, Gadicherla Venugopal Rao, etc.
3. In Bengal, Bhattacharjee and Bhattacharya both mean the same thing, although they are 'different'.

So, tell me - Which category does your last name fit into?

TPS Report...

2007-11-18T02:25:00.000-05:00

Akshay checked his vibrating Blackberry as he piled into the throngs headed down the escalator at Newport station. At the last minute, Andy, his best buddy and business partner, had emailed him asking him to bring a copy of the latest TPS report from his home office for the client meeting in downtown Manhattan. "Crap! Just when I thought I had enough time to stop by Starbucks for breakfast!"

Muttering under his breath, Akshay made the 12 minute walk back home, picked up the report and trudged back to the subway station. When he got out onto the sidewalk in midtown, he was greeted with chaos and excited crowds. "...Yes, a second plane. This time into the south tower." "..Just 5 minutes ago." As the enormity of the incident hit him, he sunk to his knees and alternated between weeping for Andy and thanking the Lord for saving his life...

I love...

2007-11-16T18:47:00.000-05:00

...women!

Smooth skin that provokes me to caress, beautiful eyes that I can stare into forever,
intoxicating smell that I fall prey to every time, voices that are melody to my ears and...well, I shall leave the fifth sense to your imagination! ;)

Women - they are just so, hmmmmmm, nice! Sigh...

Beyond the mental stimulation and emotional comfort/connection that they provide, I am thankful to the sensual delights that women bring into a male's life!

Strobe lights, alcohol, action....!

2007-11-16T18:27:00.000-05:00

Ever notice how clubs are just designed to promote potentially questionable (?) behavior?

They are always dark, bringing a sense of mystique with them and lulling you into a false sense of comfort that 'no one can really see what you are upto'! ;)

Alcohol flows like water, making you loosen your inhibitions. The music is loud, making you speak directly into the ear of that cute girl you just met (and we all know how critical the 'ear factor' is! ;)) and thus promoting physical proximity.

And then, the strobe lights that impinge on your senses and make it all seem other worldly.

Little wonder why you see the things you do see at clubs! :)

Here's to old pals from ATX...

2007-11-16T18:20:00.000-05:00

Old friends make the best pals they say. Every time I go back to a city that I previously lived in and meet my friends from there, there's a certain comfort factor that I experience and thoroughly enjoy! I was in Austin last weekend and loved seeing my 'old' pals from there. Here's to all you Austin junta!!! Cheers!

The Blow Job...

2007-09-23T15:32:00.001-05:00

Ajay had managed to pick up this vixen called Sunita at the club that night. One moment, they were swaying in sync to hip-hop and the next moment, their hands were exploring each other. In due course, hungry passionate kisses not withstanding, they made their way into his apartment. She turned on some soft music and proceeded to give him a strip tease worthy of his manhood. As she crept towards the couch on all fours in her lingerie, she gingerly used her teeth to work on his zipper and free his equipment. Ajay congratulated himself on his catch of the night. Sunita knew her way around a man's hardness and langorously worshipped his. As she swooped her mouth down and englufed him again, she knew the moment had come. She bared her fangs and dug them deep into his organ with all her might and rage to cut it off. Flabbergasted, Ajay tried in vain to pull her way by grabbing her hair. Sunita persisted and won. Anita would now rest in peace...

Man is a social animal...

2007-09-23T15:32:00.000-05:00

In the spirit of networking and connecting, here goes...

One of the first things I do when I wake up each morning is to - you guessed it right - check my email! It's always pleasant to see unread messages in my numerous email accounts (Note to self - Consolidate!) In the middle of the day, the ding sound from Gtalk / Skype has a certain melody to it that's quite unmatched. Seeing someone's name (especially that certain someone) in bold in my inbox has always made my day a little bit brighter.(Of course, only if the name in bold isn't 'Viagara Pro' or 'College Degree Online' :)). I always experience a small joy in hearing my phone ring or seeing a list of missed calls.

How about you?

I like people and I love reaching out to people and hearing from people. It's just a reflection of the title of this piece. We all like to connect with the world at large and feel like we are integral part of it. Email, phone, etc all serve to reinforce and validate the connections we have with our bretheren.
I'd love to write more, but my phone's ringing... :)

Keep being trigger happy!!!

Untitled...

2007-07-09T23:50:00.000-05:00

Brij and Badri had grown to be good pals with Harini. There was something about her that made Badri's heart skip a beat every time he saw her. With each passing day, Harini on the other hand, began falling madly in love with Brij. Little did she know that Brij was gay and was in fact quite taken in by Badri.

On a foggy March morning, the three of them went for a drive on a two lane road in the Shenandoah Valley, with John Denver for company. There was laughter, banter and good cheer. So much so, that none of them noticed the boulder that had slid from it's seat atop the hill, until it was too late...

Leisure...

2007-07-09T23:49:00.000-05:00

Mr. Davies' nugget:
http://holyjoe.org/poetry/davies.htm

I am happy to report that every week, I take at least an hour to sit/stand and stare in this world full of care. :)

The Hunger Site...

2007-07-09T23:46:00.000-05:00

Pain and suffering are abound in this world. Here's an easy way for you to help alleviate it.

Save this URL to your bookmarks/favorites and click to give every day:

http://www.thehungersite.com/

Amma says...

2007-07-09T16:19:00.000-05:00

This is a plug for my mother's blog. I compiled her writings and put them on the WWW as a gift for her birthday.
Love you ma!

Feel free to drop by : http://sindhuvrao.blogspot.com/

Yes...!

2007-07-08T21:09:00.000-05:00

Screamed the front page of the Boston Globe the day after the Red Sox won it all in the fall of 2004.
Also, my frame of mind on Star Wars Day, 2007! :)

In a galaxy far far away...

2007-07-08T21:08:00.000-05:00

Q. When is Star Wars Day?
A. 4th May.

(May the fourth be with you... gedit? gedit? gedit?)

Cursive...

2007-07-08T21:06:00.000-05:00

These days, the only times I seem to use my right hand to write is when I scribble furiously in meetings, pen a rushed (and hence, mostly insipid - sorry, that's me) note on a birthday card or sign my name on a credit card receipt for coffee at JPs. Though I adore my own signature (who doesn't, right?) and love signing it over and over again (Note to self - Too many cc receipts, reduce expenses. :)), I miss writing in general.

Think about it - When was the last time you wrote with your hand just for the sheer pleasure of writing? (Any 'Dear Diary...' takers?) It would be interesting to know if any of the readers of this blog have actually *gasp* written a letter in the last two years!

Don't get me wrong. I actually like Comic, Arial and SanSerif. But, cursive writing is just another source of joy which seems to have evaporated from our lives in the electronic age.

Stranely enough, there was a time when we used to cringe at the thought of writing an essay on Goldilocks' impact on global warming. But now, I almost seem to yearn for the opportunity to (literally) put pen on paper. Anyone else in the same boat...?

Eggs...

2007-07-08T21:03:00.000-05:00

I can't think of any other naturally occuring liquid that solidifies when heated. Do you know of one...?

Eggs are like pizza in some sense. You can't really go wrong with them any which way you have 'em.

Zwei Hydrogen, Eine Oxygen...

2007-07-08T20:48:00.000-05:00

I love water. Of course, I do love drinking water (especially as a cure for a drinking binge gone wrong. :) ). And thank God for cold showers (Particularly helpful after yet another thwarted attempt to score with that hot co-worker... ;)) . Ok, before I start regurgitating my 5th grade essay on 'Uses of water', let me bring your attention to swimming pools, ponds, lakes, rivers and oceans.

Water bodies seem to have a calming and soothing influence on me. The other day, I went for a walk on one of the lakes in Austin (yes, there's more than one of 'em in this Texan town). The myriad thoughts in my overactive brain seemed to melt away as I gazed into the calmly drifting waters of the Colorado. Kinda hypnotic actually... (But I suppose one could argue that that would be the case if you gazed at something long enough...? :))

Is it just me or are there any others who subscribe to this erm...stream of thought...? :P

And just the other day, when I went exploring with a couple of friends, I found this nice little alcove next to one of the man-made ponds nearby. I was lying flat on the picnic bench, enjoying the sight of the blue sky that peered through the green leaves and the brown arteries running through 'em. Reminded of my days in Boston, when on a lazy Sunday afternoon, I used to trek to the Harvard Yard and just lie in the cool grass and catch an invigorating nap. Sheer bliss! Of course, I remembered, never to pahk my kah in the Hahvad yahd.)

As an aside, do you realize the amount of water you consume every day...? Virtually any liquid and almost all foods that you consume on a day to day basis, has a component of water in it. (Unless of course, you are a die hard fan of having melted sulfur for lunch, in which case, you wouldn't be reading this as I write...). Abrupt end.

I can't sleep...

2007-06-20T02:30:00.001-05:00

I wonder why...

Violet Indigo Blue...

2007-03-28T23:35:00.000-05:00

The other day, a friend of mine made a drastic statement - 'North Indians have a poor-er sense of humor than South Indians." Without getting into the intricacies of the Northie/Southie debate, here's my take on SOH.

To me, it's a pointless statement. Someone's sense of humor could be totally in sync with yours or a tad unconventional or just plain boring and not provoke a chucke from you. But, is it fair to say that X's sense of humor is 'better' than Y's sense of humor?

There are no levels in sense of humor. One can't objectively say that X's is better than Y's, just because it is a very subjective issue. It's akin to saying, "Blue is a better color than red." Huh? Wha..? Similarly, one's sense of humor could fall anywhere in a broad spectrum from your perspective - a spectrum in which no particular color is 'better' than the rest.

Achieve...

2007-03-21T19:11:00.000-05:00

Partly plagiarised and partly inspired from Edison, thought of the week: "Success is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration".

So, you burn the midnight oil, ask yourself thought provoking questions, put pen on paper or fingers on keyboard and keep plugging away. After countless sleepless nights of wondering whether you will achieve your dream, one gloomy Tuesday afternoon, it all falls into place. We have all been there, done that and got the tee-shirt (or the phone call or email or conversation). That feeling of joy, relief and energy has few parallels. Reminiscing those moments in my life never fail to egg me on to do bigger and better things.

Over the last few weeks and months, I have been privy to other people's successes - "Dude, I am *finally* making 100K!!!", "Witty, I got the promotion I worked so hard for!!!", "Yesssss! I got into the school/program that I really really wanted!!". It gives me immense pleasure to have shared this joy with them. Congratulations folks, you dared to dream and achieve! You know who you are! These stories continue to inspire me and make me feel excited about the journey that is life.

I believe our lives are governed by our own efforts as well as destiny. While 80% is what we make of it, 20% is dictated by forces beyond our control. At the end of the day, if one feels that they have put in 100% (or more) of their 80%, that's all one can shoot for. My $0.02 - don't hold back on your piece. Make it happen!

May the euphoria of achievement linger forever....!

PS: Tying into the whole 'Achieve' theme, my latest Gtalk tagline is 'Persevere or perish'. Darwin would have been proud of me! :)

Phew...

2007-02-19T01:41:00.000-05:00

What a year...!!!

Excellence...

2007-02-19T01:40:00.000-05:00

As is my wont, I had been contemplating about 'this, that and the other' and it suddenly hit me that, in every sphere of life,

Excellence is a journey, not a destination!

When in Rome...

2007-02-01T04:04:00.000-05:00

I am probably one of the few desis in the US who religiously makes a trip to India every year. (Now that I have actually said it, I will probably not go this year. I am jinxed that way. Does that ever happen to you? Once you say / claim something, it ceases to happen..? Ok, I am the only weird one I guess! :) ). That being said, there are several others who make that trip once in a couple of years. Here's something about the American desi traveller that never fails to impress me:

We get out of work early on a Friday, drive at 70mph on the right hand side of the road to WalMart, get done with the perfunctory last minute 'India shopping' (I hate doing that by the way. Over the last 4 years, I have reduced my shopping time from 2 hours to 1 hour to 30 minutes to ZERO!), get back to our apartment complex and park our Honda Accords (Ok, I drive a zippier car, but this is about the regular desi! :P ) in a space clearly delineated by two white strips, crank up the heater (It sure does get a bit nippy in December), stuff our stuff into our fancy Samsonite bags, eat authentic Mexican food that you had the restaurant folks pack for you in a 'to go' box and call it a day. You get to the airport on a Saturday afternoon /evening, hold the door at the entrance for the Texan with a stetson and 24 hours later, you land in India.

And then, just like that, you switch gears!

You get out of your seat before the captain switches off the 'fasten seat belt' sign (I hate it when people do it.), scramble to get ahead in the immigration line, search for your bags in a frenzy on the baggage carousel while keeping an eye on the airline/airport baggage handlers (lest they kidnap your bag or pilfer that $9.95 cologne from it), and walk out into a sea of taxi drivers clamouring for passage, while keeping your fingers crossed that you will find your uncle amidst the chaos. Once the customary greetings / hugs are performed, you step into a 'swanky' Toyota Qualis and experience top speeds of 50 kmph (in the middle of the night) on uneven roads, get to your destination, unload, unpack, distribute gifts, have that fun cup of desi chai and snuggle up in a rug/blanket to avoid the cold and to get a good night's sleep, only to be awakened by the milkman mercilesly pounding on the doorbell.

A completely different culture, norms of living and lifestyle. The average American desi traveller makes the transition effortlessly, almost intuitively. One changes their expectations and behavior as soon as one goes across the Arabian Sea.

And then of course, the exact reverse sequence of events finally brings back DesiMan to his cubicle.

And then again, just like that, he switches gears!

Remarkable indeed. Hats off to you, NRI traveller! :)

Decisions Decisions...

2007-02-01T03:35:00.000-05:00

Avid followers of my Google Talk status will notice that I have had the title of this piece as my status for the last few weeks.
Indeed, it is a point in time where I am faced with multiple options and paths and need to decide and embark upon one of them. Each path, filled with its own promises of success and risks of failure, with some knowns and several unknowns, with its own potential ups and downs...

If you flash back a decade or two (depending upon how old you are), you were in 7th grade, writing your final exams, waiting for the summer holidays and then waiting to move into eighth grade.

Of course, when school re-opened, you were excited about your new classrooms, eyed your new class teacher with enormous suspicion, made friends with the new kid from Delhi, loved putting brown paper covers on your textbooks (oh, and which lables do I pick?) and so on and so forth. But, I digress...

There was a familiar pattern to it. Sixth grade gave way to seventh, which gave way to the eight and such. Your path was fixed, there wasn't much room or need to improvise, explore, experiment or take risk. It was a pre-determined course on which you kept chugging along, albeit with some good times (When you won the first prize in that science quiz) and some bad ones (Ugh! That 30 out of 50 in 9th grade Math!). Of course, you had slightly different issues in life then (How do I get my parents to increase my allowance? What sport do I want to play today?)... :)

Flash forward to the present - As we progress into our twenties, get a college education and / or start working, the options for paths to take in life have obscenely multiplied. Each decision point bringing it's own sets of pros and cons into the equation, each decision having that much more of an impact on how your life will shape up 10 years from now, 20 years from now, each decision making you think that much more about what you truly want out of life.

As they say, with each passing year, while life gets that much more complicated, it also brings with it a new set of experiences that are that much more fun! Several readers of this post are perhaps on the cusp of several major decisions in their lives. Remember that the set of constraints you will have to deal with will again keep increasing with time. So, enjoy the present for what it is. Enjoy the challenge that each decision brings with it at this point in time. While it may be taxing at times and downright painful at others, let's not forget the whole 'life is about the journey and not the destination' spiel. Each decision is an adventure, a pact with yourself to make a foray into the unknown, to prove or disprove your own hypotheses, to make new discoveries!

Happy decision making dear readers! :)

Jeevan ke safar mein...

2007-01-16T23:57:00.000-05:00

Jeevan ke safar mein rahi
Milte hai bichad jaane ko
Aur de jaate hai yaadein
Tanhai mein tadpaane ko...

Watch this space for a few more thoughts about the above.

A new beginning...

2007-01-16T23:48:00.000-05:00

(I had been on vacation and I just got back - that should explain the hibernating state of my blog).

I love new beginnings. It's like the counter getting reset to zero! :) Gives you the opportunity to clean out / up the old and ring in the fresh, the new, the inspiring and the thought provoking. Here's to a bright, positive, clean , fresh start to the seventh year of this millenium!

Keeping in mind the Olympic spirit of higher, faster, stronger (and better), I hope and assume people have examined where they are in life and what they hope to accomplish / improve upon in 2007. (I have a modest list of those myself. :P ) And, if you haven't, I strongly urge you to. Not everyone can handle self reflection, but for those of you who can and who do, January provides the perfect opportunity to do so.

That being said, here's wishing everyone a 'nothing less than spectacular' 2007! :)

Go forth and conquer...

Eyes, Ears, Nose, Tongue and...

2006-12-21T11:40:00.000-05:00

The uber intelligent among you have now figured out that this post is about the five senses. Thunderous applause for all ye!

If you think about it, on any given day, we taste a variety of food and drink, see a glorious sunrise and the trash can in our cubes, experience smells that range from vehicle exhaust fumes to your favorite cologne and hear the cacophony of your boss's ramblings and the most relaxing classical music ever. But, how often does one experience the sense of touch? Especially, when it comes to people and more specifically, when it comes to the opposite sex? You see them (and your bpm shoots through the roof), smell their fragrance and hear the melody in their voice.

Single or married, player or saint, I tend to think that the sense of touch is perhaps the least appreciated and experienced amongst all. Perhaps that's why we all crave it...?

Thoughts?

One, two, buckle my shoe...

2006-12-18T18:06:00.000-05:00

Have you ever thought of the number of numbers you are associated with? I conservatively estimate it to be easily around 50.

The date of your birth ( & time of your birth)
Your house # / apartment #
Your SSN
Passport #, VISA #
Checking a/c #, Investment account #, savings a/c #, etc etc
Credit card #s
The licsense plate on your car (plus the vehicle identification #)
Driver's License #
Insurance #s - health and dental and vehicle

Work Badge / ID #
Phone #s - home, work, cell.
Fax #
Cube #
Service Tag # on your computer
All your airline frequent flier, hotel frequent guest numbers

And so on and so FOURTH. (Alright, no smart alecky comments about the correct usage here please. It's intentional. GEDIT?? :P)

Boggling, isn't it? Numbers surround us, they seem to define our existence, to solidify our reality (to the world).
At the end of the day, you're just a number!

(Oh, and not to mention the plethora of USER ids and passwords we own. That's another can of worms…)

And then...

2006-12-12T19:56:00.000-05:00

...there were none.

Move it...

2006-12-05T17:22:00.000-05:00

Isn't the human body a mind boggling system? Balance, symmetry, control, the works - nature at it's best! But it's prone to errors as well.

The pain and suffering to oneself and to one's near and dear ones when afflicted with an injury or a disease is
distressing - be it cancer, AIDS or Alzheimer's (not to mention physical or mental handicaps). it would be a moot point to compare the relative agonies of these conditions. Thoughts and prayers for those afflicted.

However, the one I dread the most is paralysis. The notion of not being able to move a muscle or speak a word sends chills down my spine. One of my idle Google searches brought me to a foundation that is performing research on treatment and cure for paralysis :

http://www.miamiproject.miami.edu/

Quoting from this site:

"Every day the scientists at The Miami Project are finding new insights and discoveries as they uncover the mysteries of how the central nervous system works. The research that they are doing is bringing us closer to the day that they will be able to conduct human clinical trials to find a cure.

Right now, The Miami Project spends more than $45,000 a day on research programs with 86 cents out of every dollar raised going directly towards research. Scientific research is difficult and expensive. Our investigations are particularly demanding: cutting-edge technology is costly; highly trained minds need support. "

End quote.

I urge you to donate generously (you can donate online using your CC) at:

http://www.miamiproject.miami.edu/x28.xml

Hopefully, together, we will all be able to find a cure for paralysis and alleviate the pain and suffering of millions of people around the world. Amen.

Peekaboo...

2006-11-28T23:39:00.000-05:00

Hello there! As is evidenced by the profusion of posts, I am back from a hiatus! (Hush! No groaning please!) Here's to new beginnings...! Cheers!

The power of silence...

2006-11-28T23:36:00.000-05:00

8 balls, 19 to win...

2006-11-28T22:49:00.000-05:00

India - ah, the land of variety! Religions, Cultures, Languages, Attitudes, Dress, Food, Landscape, People, the whole shebang! But, when it comes to one sport, the distinctions blur and the colors of the nation merge into one - Blue!

The power that cricket holds over the country is indescribable, unfathomable and utterly supreme! What is it about cricket that levels the playing field for people from all walks of life? Barriers of caste, creed and social status fade away into oblivion outside the glass walls of a Philips electronics showroom during an India-Australia match. The high flying exec asks Dagdu, the cobbler, 'Sachin ne kitna banaya?'; the Sikh cab driver is seen elaborating on Pathan's wonderful bowling in the match to Ajay Rao; Yuppie Victor James and his project manager, Dilip Ghosh are placing bets on who will win the game; And then, good ole' Maulana sahab enquires with the exuberant teenage girl, 'Kiske saath match hai?'; There are murmurs of ' 8 balls, 19 runs - Jeetna bahut mushkil hai' which are silenced by 'Abey, Rahul aur Sachin hai na, pakka bana denge!'

And then,the moment arrives. McGrath pitches one outside the off stump, a rare full length delivery and Dravid launches into an exquisite texbook cover drive, piercing the off side field, the ball racing away to the fence, eager to embrace the Coke signboard, clinching yet another Indian victory!!! The motley crew outside the Philips showroom explodes! Unbridled screams of joy, unrestrained high fives and generous celerbatory hugs to all and sundry, followed by passionate punches in the air to commemorate the adrenaline rush! In that one transitory instant, India becomes one!

Ah, the magic of cricket and India!
Well, more like - Ah!the magic of cricket in India!!

Saare jahan se achcha...

Movie after movie after movie...

2006-11-28T22:33:00.000-05:00

The last few weeks have been interesting. I have been studying hard and partying harder! :) My routine was - study for an hour, then take a break for half an hour. At one point it got so bad that I was studying for 30 minutes and taking a break for the rest of the hour. (In fact, right since my school days, my concentration levels have failed to exceed the 1 hour mark).So, that gave me plenty of opportunities to catch up on some movie watching. As an aside, I love watching movies and thinking about plots/scenes/screenplay/visuals for a movie that I aspire to make some day.

Thus, I have had the chance to watch about twenty different movies in the last one month. And the grand list:
O Brother where art thou
Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa
Bhopal Express
Kisi Se Na Kehnaa
Hazaron Khwahishein Aisi
Good Will Hunting
Chashme Baddoor
Iqbal
Teen Deewarein
Kal Ho Naa Ho
Ek Khiladi Ek Hasina
Yun Hota to Kya Hota
RainMan
Waisa Bhi Hota Hai Part 2
Team America
Dhoom2
Omkara
Corporate
Mixed Doubles

With the exception of Dhoom2, I wholeheartedly recommend all of the rest. Some more so than the others, but I assure you that none of them will be a waste of your time.

Phew!

The whole 9 yards...

2006-11-10T16:04:00.000-05:00

"What's with men and sarees??!!!", they exclaimed, in unison. Here's my take:

A saree is an intrinsically graceful and elegant piece of clothing.
Thus,it endows the wearer with greater grace and elegance, at least, that's how it's perceived. (Assuming, one can carry it off without being awkward).

There is a greater sense of perceived maturity associated with a woman wearing a saree.

Now, who doesn't love grace, elegance and maturity, right? :)

Most Indian men like Indian women. The saree brings out the Indianness of a desi woman far more than a skirt (I love seeing women in those too, but then that would be a digression!) or a pair of jeans. Never underestimate the appeal/power of the 'ethnic factor'.

And, finally, it's also about demand and supply. How often do you see a pleasant looking twenty something woman wearing a saree? As is the wont of our generation, women prefer the comfort/flexibility/ease of slipping into a pair of jeans to wearing a saree (not that they look any less attractive when they wear jeans). Thus, the less you see them in a saree, the more you crave it/them.

And, that's why, the sight of a lovely young Indian woman wearing a saree tends to warm the cockles of many an Indian man's heart.

That being said, for the record, I find women wearing a salwar kameez as appealing as those that wear sarees(all other factors remaining same/comparable).

On a tangent:

My mum always says - a saree is one twisted (no pun intended) piece of clothing.

One can wear it in the most conservative and elegant fashion and cover every inch.
However, a saree also lends itself easily to creativity, whereby one can find every 'window' of opportunity to tease. There is a thin line between being alluring and going overboard when flaunting curves. That middle path, is probably the best and perhaps the toughest to attain.

Thoughts...?

The joy of small things...

2006-11-06T23:24:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, it's the simple pleasures in life that matter. A bug in your code that you fixed. The new shirt that you look good in. That pat on the back from your boss. That thought provoking movie you saw. That funny comic you read. The bombay chutney sandwich that tasted so yum! That shy smile from a cutie. That neat blog post you made! The affectionate hug from your mum. The pride in your dad's voice when you tell him you have started making six figures. The sexy, invigorating masala chai that your friend's wife makes. The radiance on a kid's face when he's given an extra large ice cream cone. That familiar alcohol induced buzz on a Saturday night. The hole in one you made or the sixer that you hit. That stupendous view of the sun setting beyond the mountains....so on and so forth.

So, the next time you experience one of these (& many more) - rejoice, celebrate, give a high five, smile, laugh, feel happy, punch the air, whatever. Enjoy the moment!

Cheers!

Life in the fast lane...

2006-11-05T22:44:00.000-05:00

One of the things I love about America is the road network. Thanks to Eisenhower's vision, i.e. the interstate system, there is never a shortage of a several miles of roads that you can zip at 70 mph. Road trips are one facet of American life I have come to absolutely love. When I was a grad student, I made several memorable trips.

Razdan and I drove from Austin to Raleigh in a span of 24 hours (with a 3 hour halt in Forest, MS where we slept in the confines of our car, in the parking lot of a Patel owned Super 8 motel that had no availability). The trip is fresh in my memory as the morning dew on leaves. We touched seven different states - Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and finaly North Carolina. We saw a sign for a place called Delhi in Mississippi, we crossed the line where time zones change from Central to Eastern and listened to more than our normal share of classic rock. It was thrilling and exciting!

And then, when Razdan got a job in Chicago, I drove with him from Raleigh to Chicago, a 16 hour trip made longer by the fact that we took a detour to Detroit to pick up another friend of ours. That Sunday afternoon, the 3 of us sat on the steps of a pedestrian Indian restaurant for a few hours sipping on multiple cups of some of the best chai in the continental US, while pontificating on a slew of topics under the sun and moon.

Then of course, is that memorable trip I made with Sachin to Pittsburgh, Philly, DC and back to Raleigh. Wait, in fact, we made that trip twice over the course of a year. The second time round, Razdan accompanied us and we actually stopped by Penn State as well. Somehow, the DC to Raleigh leg was jinxed. The first time round, my car got wrecked by a drunk 18 year old who did not quite comprehend the concept of 'red means stop'. I was probably a few micro seconds away from getting a few bones broken for good. Thank you God! The second time round, Sachin somehow perceived that speed limits in Virginia were not to be taken seriously and got pulled over for doing 87 in a 65 zone. (At one point, I think he thought he was in a Formula 1 race).

The first Pennsylvania trip was more memorable. We drove through the Appalachian mountains in mid October and witnessed some spell binding foliage. When we were close to Pittsburgh, we had to drive through a tunnel. And when we emerged out of the tunnel, we were on an imposing bridge over one of the rivers in Pittsburgh, staring directly at the Pittsburgh skyline. Breathtaking!

There were some other fascinating '16 people' road trips I was on - from Raleigh to DC and back; to the Smokies and back; to the Outer Banks and back. I will save those for a rainy day.

In the summer and fall of 2003, my cousins and I made a few weekend trips from Boston to NYC and back. So much so, that the baristas at the rest stops got to know us on a first name basis!! Pachai Nirame blasting from the sound system, spectacular north eastern fall hues and cruising along Interstate 95 at 75 mph. What a ride! (Best timing: three and a quarter hours from harvard square to times square).

It's been a while and I am itching to get on the road again. Hop in, if you want to live in the fast lane!

Fifty...!

2006-11-05T19:58:00.000-05:00

This is the fiftieth post on my blog. Yay! :)

Underdog...

2006-11-03T15:24:00.000-05:00

In any sport, I have always rooted for the underdog. Team India and the Boston Red Sox are exceptions. Obviously.

In any sport I play, I prefer to be on the less strong team and make my team win rather than just play my part by just joining the winning team.

Even in other facets of life, I love being the underdog. I find it fun, exciting and challenging to be the underdog and then coming out on top.
No one expects much from you. But, you know how good you are. And over time, with your ability and hard work, you prove a point!

How about you? Do you root for the underdog or prefer to go with the prevailing strong and mighty force?

One more thing...

2006-11-02T22:37:00.000-05:00

I just realized that I love reading my posts! Again and agian. Literary narcicissm (excuse the spelling) at it's best!

Thought for the evening...

2006-11-02T22:28:00.000-05:00

Inspired by one of Stern's posts, the thought for the evening is:
Live it up bitches! :)

Toll baaje...

2006-11-02T01:29:00.000-05:00

This maybe much ado about nothing. But, hey, I *OWN* this blog! :P

The new toll road (Loop 1 and SH45) are now open in Austin! I am thrilled and excited. I took the toll way yesterday (Of course, we are not yet paying tolls. An oft practiced clever ploy - the government wants to have a 'test period' to make sure their toll systems are working right. In the meantime, they hand out TxTags to all and sundry they see on the street (or the Slanted E campus, as the case maybe). People started using the 'free' toll ways and get addicted to them. Two months down the line, the government concludes that 'all systems are go' and puts the squeeze on the 'crap, it's 7.45 and I'm still stuck in traffic and I have a meeting at 8' commuter. Bravo!)

Anyhoo...roads and bridges and such are monuments to human thought and progress and ability. (In fact, Golden Gate is one of my most favorite spots in the contiguous United States. I am told I will fall in love with the glaciers in Alaska, so I have added Alaska to my excel spreadsheet of 'places to visit'.) It's an ode to their vision, to their dreams and aspirations. Little do we realize that this new toll way is the culmination of months and years of blood, sweat and tears of men, women (and those in between). Kudos to them all. Roads and bridges hold a warm place in my heart (yes, I am weird. But, I don't think there was a debate about that anyway!) They connect people, dreams, hopes, ideas, thoughts. Every new road and every new bridge is the extra yard we are making in human progress. In fact, that's one of the reasons I love travel as well. You get see new places, people, experience new cultures, the whole nine yards. Stimulating to say the least. I digress again...

Driving along the tollway was pure pleasure. I could now get from parking lot to parking lot with a median time of 12 minutes. I suppose anything that's new and fun always holds that special intrigue and fun factor. We are all explorers and most of us love to try 'new things', whatever it may be. The 'flavor of the month' syndrome.

I was on some elevated roads on the way. I began to see the same old strip malls and the same old apartment complexes in new light (or, I guess, in new elevation! :P ). It reminded me of how new and different perspectives of the same place, situation or people refresh your mind. You start to notice things you never had. You appreciate what you previously had not.

That brings me to a related issue. Perceptions.
Isn't it amazing how we meet someone and in a short time frame, form opinions about them or have a certain perception about them. Perhaps we are so quick to judge them or categorize or box them into a familiar category that we do not allow that person the liberty of being himself or herself. Let people be. Do we fail to do that?

Since the recurring theme about this piece has been digressions and abrupt transitions and the like, I shall conclude by saying -
Ok, I will get off my soapbox now.

Drive safe!
PS: I think this is my longest post ever. I know a few who will not make it past the first two paragraphs. For the ones who hung in there, pat pat.

Fall...

2006-11-02T01:16:00.000-05:00

So, fall is here (Ok, there's not really much 'fall' in Austin, but you get the idea of me trying to set the stage for this piece.).
Leaves are changing colors and swaying gently down onto the ground. Fall intrinsically lends itself to some stupendous visuals (Pachai Nirame, anyone?). The east coast, and more specifically, the north east and more specifically, New England is home to some of the best fall colors in the world. (Yes, given my aversion to the Americo centric view of the 'world', this is one example where my usage of 'world' in this sentence may not be construed as hyperbole! Granted, I am yet to see fall in Austria. Maybe, some day. But, I digress...). Bring out the additional layer of clothing folks! Enjoy maadi.

Home...

2006-10-16T17:34:00.000-05:00

After three and half years of living on the road, I am home. Finally!

My stint with management consulting has been gruelling, fun, rewarding, tiring and exciting, all at the same time. I have flown hundreds of thousands of miles to remote corners of this country (try Ulysses, Ks or Metropolis, Il or Canadian, Tx or Gallipolis Ferry, WV or Crane, Tx), clocked quality car time each week, wined and dined at absolutely abysmal and absolutely fabulous joints, scored a gazillion hotel and credit card points, learnt a great deal about management and consulting and the ways of the big bad corporate world.

A few months back, I decided that a transition to a 'normal' job was prudent for me at this point in time. After much hemming and hawing and such, I finally started today at Slanted E.

A new phase in my life has now begun. Change is always tough, but I love it all the same! I am letting go of the old and charting into unknown territory. I am excited, apprehensive and optimistic!

Good luck Woorkeri Wittynathan! MTFBWU!

Archie Holmes And the Case of the Missing Art...

2006-10-07T16:55:00.000-05:00

Kannadiga me has been surrounded by Tamizhans and Tamizhachis over the last few months - it's kinda like being in undergrad at Trichy, all over agian for me! Given my love and penchant for languages, my affection for Tamizh has been rediscovered. Voila! Here's further proof of how I spent 60 minutes last Thursday, rekindling my relationship with Tamizh.

Reference: Ciara likes to refer to Witty as Archie Boy at times. Witty reminds her of a handsome, dashing, funny, girl crazy, brilliant professor of hers in undergrad, Archie Holmes. Elementary, my dear reader...

Witty to Ciara:
Been a while since I sent you such an email. So, here goes: Bore adikiddhu. Yedha exciting / interesting aa sollu...!

Ciara: Translate this, Witty boy! THANIMAYILE INIMAI KAANA MUDIYUMA?
NAL IRAVINILE SOORIYANUM THERIYUMA?

Witty:

Can I see you today in my loneliness?Does the sun know when the day arrives...? (Ugh...that makes asbolootly no sense though!)

Ciara:

HAHAHA….noooooo archie baby…watch and learn…. In loneliness, can you find happiness?In the middle of the night, can you see sunshine? OK here’s one more: Kaalangalil aval vasanthamKalaigalile aval oviyamMaadhangalil aval maargazhiMalargalile aval malligai I’ll buy u a drink if u score 100%.

Witty:
Dude! I was very close! (Ya, like instead of SFO, I ended up in Bawston!)Anyhoo, take 2, shot 43, lights, camera...action! She is like the spring among seasonsShe is like the moonlight, as far as the time of the day goesShe is like March, among the monthsShe is like the jasmine among flowers Yipeeee!!! I think I cracked this one! Although March, I am sure, is not, Maargazhi. I still deserve a drink! :)

Ciara:
Kalaigalile aval oviyam 2nd try?

Witty:
She is the dawn among times of the day...?

Ciara:
Not even close……….3rd try!!!!!! Cmon archie baby….

Witty:

Oh...kalaigalile...arts?Oviyam - omnipotent? Clue plis! I was tempted to call Stern or Harish, but resisted! :P

Ciara:

ok….kalai = arts….50% oviyam……. another context: en kaadhale en kaadhale ennai enna seyya pogirai?naan OVIYAN endru therindhum nee yen kannirandai ketkiraai….

Witty:

Dammit! You are makin me sweat for every drop of that drink, aren't ya!!!You know, that's the exact song that came to mind when I was trying to evaluate oviyam. Still, no dice. Gimme a coupla more minutes! She is the artiste unparalled in art...?

Ciara:

cmooooooooon kid….i know u can do it!!! spring is a type of seasonmarch is a type of monthjasmine is a type of flower oviyam is a type of kalai!!! what is oviyam??????

What am I gonna do with you??????? naan OVIYAN endru therindhum nee yen kannirandai ketkiraai…. Despite knowing that I am an OVIYAN…you are asking for both my EYES…..

Witty:
serious ans: dancer (expressive eyes?)(supposedly) funny response: photographer? :D

Ciara:

that’s it….I am going to flog you when I see you next!!!!!

Witty:

Artist!!! i.e., painter!???

Ciara:

FINALLY……………..DANG IT!!!!!!!!
Witty:
Archie crawls the final few inches to the finish line and is rewarded with a crown and ginger from C! PHEW!!!!
Ciara:

haha…AWESOME…..

A crown and ginger???? No way!! You will get a bag of peanuts!!
haha….I have four more lines along the same line ready…..but I think even I have had enuf of this!!U want to redeem yourself?

Witty:

Sheesh! Where is the credit and appreciation?Yes, I would like to 'prove myself' again! Redeem...hmph!

Witty:This is going to get recorded on my blog! :D
Ciara:

Haha! AWESOME! J
Ok, here’s another verse…

Paravaigalil aval manipuraPaadalgalil aval thaalaatuKanigalile aval maanganiKaatrinile aval thendral Time starts NOW…!!!

Medley...

2006-10-07T16:42:00.000-05:00

With an impending change in my 'travel' status, I figured I might as well spend some quality time in the kitchen and get attuned.

So, yesterday around 1 pm, in a flash of brilliance, I decided to cook! GASP!

My recipe:
Heat oil in the frying pan for a few minutes
Add some garam masala and jeera
Microwave 1 packet of Smart Style chik n strips (chicken like tofu strips, available at whole foods)
Add to the pan
Add some mixed vegetables (asian stir fry type)
Add some salsa, garlic salt and pepper
Fry for about 10 minutes

Load the taco shells with the afore mentioned medley.

EAT!!! (If it does not taste yum, remember - I am in the federal witness protection program! :) )

A few thoughts:

I loved the exercise. Cooking is fun because of the creative joy it brings!
(I know, I know - "Wait till you have to cook 4 times a week. Then we'll talk, mister!")

What a melting pot America is!! Where else can you get garam masala, taco shells, asian style stir fry vegetables and chicken like tofu all in one place!

Watch this space for more fusion recipes! :)

So, what's cookin' good lookin'?

Circle...

2006-10-03T20:05:00.000-05:00

My buddy, Harish and I were discussing plots for a short film several weeks back. Here's one of the outputs. There's more to the script itself, but that comes later....

So, A likes B, B likes C, C likes D and D likes A.

They are not happy with who they are with or they want someone else. It's a karmic circle...

They realize they are being hurt by the one they love. But at the same time, they are hurting the ones who love them. They know how it feels to be in their partner's shoes, yet they are unflinching.

I guess we always want what we can't get. And we never appreciate what we can get. Perhaps, finding happiness by making others happy is just a myth, when it comes to affairs of the heart? We are all selfish in this regard, and perhaps rightfully so. Perhaps, there is no fun in seeing someone be thrilled at the fact that they are with you. Perhaps, one would much rather be thrilled than thrill....?

Maybe, B will like A one day. Bah, who am I kidding! :P

Alright, alright - in the spirit of optimism, maybe D and A will like each other some sunny day!

Happy fishing readers!

Head or Heart...

2006-09-15T12:25:00.000-05:00

I am back from a hiatus...! Rejoice, all ye!

Just taking a quick poll of the millions of readers of this blog.
Are you a head person or a heart person?

(No, other parts of the body are not an option. I know what some of you are thinkin!)

To do...

2006-08-17T22:28:00.000-05:00

This is a piece I had written a couple of years back and stumbled upon it as I was cleaning my laptop. Here goes:

It’s the first Sunday of the month. As is my wont, I sit down tonight to analyze and dissect my life, to answer lofty questions such as: Where am I? Where am I going? Where am I supposed to be going? What is the ultimate goal of my life?

I scribble furiously on my ‘ThinkPad’. (I thought the idea of calling my journal that was very clever. Hehe, how I revel in the simple joys of life. But wait, this is supposed to be a tale of self admonishment. Sushhh! I chide myself.)

A sampling of my notes – You are losing yourself in the quagmire of day to day ‘To do’ lists. Your existence is as desultory as Ajit Agarkar’s bowling. Do you realize that the computer is not a person? No, sleep does not count as exercise! Don’t sweat the small stuff. All you can think of every weekend is doing laundry, reading Time and getting munchies from the Indian store. Deplorable! You have raised procrastination and inertia to an art form (Hey, that’s a neat idea for a car bumper sticker – “If it weren’t for Newton, I would be moving!”) Why don’t you pursue interesting activities? And so, I make a list of purportedly ‘fun’ activities – dancing lessons (yeah, a good way to meet cute women.), biking in downtown, photography classes (right, that will give vent to my enormous creative energies), join the local Scrabble club, ad infinitum ad nauseam… and resolve to do at least one such ‘fun’ activity every weekend.

Next - for various aspects of my reclining and declining life, I outline what I am missing out on and what I need to do. That thing you call your career, is in shambles…take stock of your skills and your knowledge base. Figure out a good transition strategy to India. Hmm, that R2I mailing list should help. Try to call home every weekend. Organize your documents with a good file storage system. Avoid the cola! If you must, do the diet cola. Start running a mile every other day in the gym. Increase your contribution to your 401 K – it will help in the ‘long run’. Old chap, create a study plan for the GMAT! From the scribbles, emerges a pattern. It tells me what I want versus what I need, it tells me where I am falling short…it tells me what I should be doing to correct the shortfall and slowly but steadily, the picture starts gaining resolution and I hone in on my school of thought…

Yes, that’s it – Eureka! The goal of my life is to be happy!! My mind conjures up the image of a pizza stuck on the wall, titled ‘Happiness’. A pie that has many sectors cut out with a not so sharp pizza cutter – family, career, health & exercise, friends, finances, academics, sports, blah & blah label each sector. The key is to channelize the energy He gives us into various sectors of the pie. Finding the right mix of energies into the right channels, coupled with being productive, effective and efficient will put me on the path of living life to the fullest. Voila! Simple.

Ecstatic at having made my discovery, I step out into the balcony to get some fresh air, promptly light a cigarette and puff away to glory. (Scene fades out.)

(Cut to Friday afternoon.) Thanks to the dolts who are disguised as the maintenance crew of US Airways, my flight has been delayed by 3 hours. As an aside, US Air and American Airlines are running neck to neck on this reality show that I unwittingly participate in, each weekend– ‘Kaun banega Amreeka ka sabse kharab airline?’

And then, I start making mental notes – have to email my itinerary to Rohit tomorrow. Shit! Got to transfer some dough into my money market account. I have to mail my expense report tomorrow or else, those dweebs in corporate will reimburse me diddly squat (actually, they will reimburse squat. Not even diddly.) I lose track of day to day stuff when I start thinking about this big picture crap. I need to get more organized and do the day to day stuff better…blah blah blah. You need to start making To do lists daily. I pop open my journal and create my ‘To do’ list for the weekend. Of course, the usual suspects do show up at the top of the list: Return Blockbuster DVD. Get snacks from Shalimar. Do laundry. Pay American Express bill. Sigh!)

Umm yeah, ‘full circle’ is probably the phrase you are looking for. Can’t wait for the first Sunday of next month!

A passing thought...

2006-08-17T22:26:00.000-05:00

Why is it that we always realize the importance of something only after we have lost it…?

Bombay Dreams...

2006-08-17T14:54:00.000-05:00

Some live and die in debt
Others making millions on the internet
Contradictions, city of extremes
Everything is possible in Bombay Dreams!

- An excerpt from one of the tracks in 'Bombay Dreams'

Never say...

2006-08-15T14:25:00.000-05:00

I was contemplating writing a review of Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna. But, then, I realized that it I would be further wasting my precious time and energy for a ridiculously horrendous movie. So, I shall just say: Please do not watch KANK. It is an extremely bad movie.

Goose bumps...

2006-08-11T09:41:00.000-05:00

Always. Such power, melody, simplicity, passion, longing….

Yeh jo des hai tera
Swades hai tera
Tujhe hai pukaara
Yeh woh bandhan hai jo kabhi toot nahi sakta

ARR – words fail me.

Thank you...

2006-08-11T09:40:00.000-05:00

In the spirit of continuous improvement and wanting more and more out of life, we set goals and achievable targets. At times, we fall short of them – some due to our abilities and at other times due to destiny. In the process, we all experience problems and dissatisfaction.

I wish I were making more money.
I don’t have the physique I want.
Why does he not want to date me?
My boss is such a hard ass.

Yes, we become too involved in ourselves and our needs and wants- Unwilling to settle for nothing but perfect. Wealth, power, career, beauty, popularity, the works.

But then, why don’t we think about the 8 year old kid who can’t play ball because he has polio, let alone go kayaking, biking and hiking all in one weekend? Why don’t we think about the war victims in Iraq who, after having lost half their family, can barely feed themselves, let alone think of driving the glitziest BMW? Why do our thoughts not linger on the young woman who has to walk 40 kilometres a day to fetch a pail of water in remote rural India, let alone think of getting drunk on Vodka cranberry?

Think about it. All parts of your body are intact and you have a sound mind. You have a job that helps you meet and exceed the basic necessities of life – food& water, shelter and clothing. Parents, siblings, relatives and friends who are by your side, who care for you and who love you. You are indeed bleesed!

The next time you wish you had a bigger apartment with more elegant furniture, think about the Haq family in Lebanon who had their house reduced to rubble under Israeli firepower.

There is an abundance of pain and suffering on earth. God has been kind to you and has spared you the kind of agony and excruciating frustration that others have been inflicted with. Be thankful for the life you have and for the people in your life.

Thank you God. Thank you for everything!

Tra la...

2006-08-11T09:39:00.000-05:00

After living for 7 years in the United States, a close pal of mine left for India today, for good! He and I had been playing phone tag for the last few weeks and had not had a chance to have a meaningful conversation about our futures. He called me today from the airport, ‘This is it dude, this is it. I will not have my cell phone in a few minutes. Keep in touch. Goodbye and good luck!’ And, just like that, he was gone. I know I will miss exchanging witty repartees with him on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Tete-a-tete...

2006-07-27T13:58:00.000-05:00

Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:41:11 PM): hey! what are you upto?
Areille (7/26/2006 9:41:17 PM): i am in the middle of a game
Areille (7/26/2006 9:41:20 PM): will call u when i am done
Areille (7/26/2006 9:41:26 PM): i am dying anyway
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:41:28 PM): oh yes. you must be saving the world! i forgot!
Areille (7/26/2006 9:41:30 PM): give me a few more rounds
Areille (7/26/2006 9:41:33 PM): haha
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:41:35 PM): LOL!!! all this sounds so surreal mannn!
Areille (7/26/2006 9:42:00 PM): :D
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:42:01 PM): the other day, Stern was playing some game on my laptop. he kept screaming, ‘dude...the game's getting exciting’ and i could see nothing.
i mean, absolutely nothing happening on the screen!
Areille (7/26/2006 9:42:10 PM): oh yes
Areille (7/26/2006 9:42:14 PM): he was playing blund
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:42:15 PM): some random world map.
Areille (7/26/2006 9:42:16 PM): blind
Areille (7/26/2006 9:42:22 PM): yes thats what i am playing
Areille (7/26/2006 9:42:25 PM): but i am not blind
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:42:30 PM): oooh...arent we quite in the know in the game world now!
Areille (7/26/2006 9:42:36 PM): he likes playing blind
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:42:38 PM): i know u r not blind.
Areille (7/26/2006 9:42:38 PM): :D
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:42:40 PM): :D
Areille (7/26/2006 9:42:42 PM): lol!
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:43:14 PM): please re-read the last 12 lines of this conversation
OUTRAGEOUSLY RIDICULOUS!!!! HAHAHA!
Areille (7/26/2006 9:43:40 PM): :D
Areille (7/26/2006 9:43:50 PM): :D
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:43:54 PM): dude, its cracking me up!!!!!!!!!!
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:43:56 PM): HAHAHAHAHAHA!
Areille (7/26/2006 9:44:18 PM): i think we need to post those lines onto a post
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:44:22 PM): i think i will extract this conversation and post this on a blog!
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:44:24 PM): OMG!!!!
Areille (7/26/2006 9:44:27 PM): OMG!!!!
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:44:39 PM): its official. WE HAVE GONE NUTS!!!!!!!!!
Areille (7/26/2006 9:44:39 PM): ok this is freaky now
Areille (7/26/2006 9:44:43 PM): :D
Areille (7/26/2006 9:44:46 PM): :D
Areille (7/26/2006 9:44:50 PM): ROTFL
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:45:00 PM): I KNOW DUDE! this is ridiculously funny!
Areille (7/26/2006 9:45:07 PM): u need to post
Areille (7/26/2006 9:45:11 PM): pls post!!!!
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:45:14 PM): yes, i will! certainly!
Areille (7/26/2006 9:45:14 PM): this has to be saved
Areille (7/26/2006 9:45:19 PM): and i need to save the world
Areille (7/26/2006 9:46:20 PM): my folks are seriously wondering why i am laughing out aloud staring at the screen
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:46:26 PM): varna saare mohalle mein badnami ho jaayegi!
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:46:33 PM): HAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Areille (7/26/2006 9:46:35 PM): haha that i am blind?
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:46:37 PM): i am seriously LOLing!
Areille (7/26/2006 9:46:42 PM): i knowww me tooo!!
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:46:42 PM): HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!
Areille (7/26/2006 9:46:50 PM): its too funny
Areille (7/26/2006 9:47:14 PM): esp. the grand finale of posting on the blog
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:47:25 PM): oh f***! howlarioius man
Areille (7/26/2006 9:47:30 PM): :D
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:48:02 PM): did you save the world, supergirl??/ huh? huh?
Areille (7/26/2006 9:48:07 PM): no man
Areille (7/26/2006 9:48:11 PM): i am so dying
Areille (7/26/2006 9:48:15 PM): but i will fight till i die
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:48:19 PM): LOLLLLLLLLL
Areille (7/26/2006 9:48:24 PM): i really feel like leaving actually
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:48:32 PM): holy crap areille.. u r really getting into it !
Areille (7/26/2006 9:48:36 PM): but i gues i;'ll wait till i die
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:48:37 PM): re read the last 4 lines.
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:48:39 PM): make that 8
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:48:55 PM): r u playin with stern?
Areille (7/26/2006 9:49:02 PM): no
Areille (7/26/2006 9:49:08 PM): he is too good for me
Areille (7/26/2006 9:49:16 PM): he helped me in the previous round
Areille (7/26/2006 9:49:20 PM): and i timed out
Areille (7/26/2006 9:49:27 PM): so i think he left out of frustration
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:49:27 PM): jesus! please save me!
Areille (7/26/2006 9:49:30 PM): :D
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:49:32 PM): hahahahaha!
Areille (7/26/2006 9:50:10 PM): maybe everyone will leave, and that way there will be noone but me left to have the world all to myself
Areille (7/26/2006 9:50:19 PM): yes, thats the only way i';; win
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:50:27 PM): LOLLLL!
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:50:34 PM): what the fuck did you eat for dinner????
Areille (7/26/2006 9:50:41 PM): :D
Areille (7/26/2006 9:50:51 PM): moong dal usli
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:50:55 PM): dude, this is not even borderline geeky. you have jumped over to the other side
Areille (7/26/2006 9:51:04 PM): ok i am dead
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:51:09 PM): RIP
Areille (7/26/2006 9:51:10 PM): R.I.P
Areille (7/26/2006 9:51:13 PM): OH SUCK
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:51:13 PM): OMG
Areille (7/26/2006 9:51:14 PM): FUCK
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:51:21 PM): what the hell is happening today
Areille (7/26/2006 9:51:21 PM): u r frikkiiinnnggg
Areille (7/26/2006 9:51:31 PM): we have chatted more than the normal levels of chatting
Areille (7/26/2006 9:51:39 PM): we now are just saying the same thing
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:51:52 PM): its like a scary sci fi movie. AAAAAAAAAA!!!!
Areille (7/26/2006 9:51:55 PM): i know
Areille (7/26/2006 9:51:56 PM): shit
Areille (7/26/2006 9:52:06 PM): i wasn't looking at the screen when I typed R.I.P
Areille (7/26/2006 9:52:12 PM): coz i wanted those dots in the middle
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:52:14 PM): Areille: maybe everyone will leave, and that way there will be noone but me left to have the world all to myself Areille: yes, thats the only way i';; win
Areille (7/26/2006 9:52:19 PM): and i look up and i am like whatttt
Areille (7/26/2006 9:52:29 PM): :D
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:52:54 PM): seriously dude. unreal. first the blog, then OMG and now RIP
Areille (7/26/2006 9:53:10 PM): it all needs to be posted!!! sheesh!
Areille (7/26/2006 9:53:19 PM): does yahoo save these
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:53:23 PM): yes. definitely (head shake included)
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:53:24 PM): yep.
Areille (7/26/2006 9:53:27 PM): this one definitely is a masterpiece
Areille (7/26/2006 9:53:29 PM): awesome
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:53:30 PM): message archive. you have to enable it though
Areille (7/26/2006 9:53:39 PM): ok i need to make a phone call, and then will call u
Wittynathan (7/26/2006 9:53:44 PM): okie dokie

Orange...

2006-07-25T19:43:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite movies from the last few years has been, 'Rang De Basanti'. Adjectives run scarce when I try to describe this movie.

If it does not become India's entry to the Oscar's, it better be because there is one that is far better! (which I doubt!). If and when it does go to the Oscar's, I sincerely believe that it will be our best bet thus far!

A few reasons why I absolutely love this movie:

1. The theme is contemporary and the plot/script/storyline is intriguing and engaging: "5 people, representing today's youth, who are seemingly apathetic towards the current state of things in the country, are roped in to make a documentary about passionate revolutionaries. A twist in their real life, inspires them to emulate their on screen characters and become heroes in their own right in today's India!"

2. The movie sends across a message, without being too prescriptive or sentimentally nationalistic. (I thought Swades was equally good in that respect. But, viewers in India did feel that it was very preachy!)

3. Superb casting! Specifically - Kirron Kher as Aamir's mother, Sharman Joshi as the carefree idiot, Soha Ali Khan as the no-nonsense young urban woman.

4. Phenomenal music (Although I do maintain that ARR's best album to date is 'Dil Se'. This comes close to being his 2nd best.) - both background tracks (especially the track during the titles at the beginning of the movie) and otherwise.

Luka Chupi has the power to bring you to your knees.
Roobaroo has an uplifting spirit to it.
Rand de Basanti is vivacious and infectious!
Ik Onkar is soothing and it's picturisation even better
(brilliant shots of the gang at The Golden Temple (one place I have always wanted to visit,
but more about that in another post!)
Khalbali is bound to bring the most somonlent ones to their feet and rejuvenated (one of my
favorite words, but more about that in another post!)
Lalkar is well rendered and has great lyrics (not that the others don't)
Tu bin bataaye is haunting (Legend has it that ARR literally dreamt up this song and
requested the director to make room for his melody. Thank you ARR and ROM)
Paathshala is a must have for every party and every drive!

5. Crisp editing and screenplay. One is never left uncaptivated by the narration and the flow of the movie.
A fave sequence of mine:
Siddharth and Sharman go to drop off Aslam ("...itne nahi talli ke bhoole yaar ki galli"), while
Sue and Aamir have a tete-a-tete!
Aamir breaks down in Sue's apartment after returning from the hospital. The helplessness, the anguish and the frustration could not have been conveyed better. Kudos to Aamir!

6. The back and forth transition from the documentary to real life is seamless and is actually well leveraged, especially in the climactic sequence.

7. Excellent acting by the entire cast. I can't think of one scene which has not been enacted or scripted well.

8. I love the fact that it's not an out and out Aamir Khan movie, with the rest of the gang playing 4th fiddle. Every character has it's nuances - be it Aslam's quiet resilience or Siddharth's 'brooding, ennuied out of life, I couldn't care less' trait (Which he seems to have perfected in the movie. Quite impressed, considering, he was totally insipid in the Tamil version of Yuva.), or the idealistic, nationalist Atul Kulkarni. And, every character gets their pound of flesh, the opportunity to showcase their acting talent. Essentially, screen time is well distributed among all the protagonists.

10. Great photography / locales - especially the 'Paathshala' location and filming.
The sequence where they bike down from the Paathshala locale to the dhaba (the background score for that sequence is exciting!)
The sequence where they throw their shirts and jump! (the signature look of the movie in
the promos.
Even the gang's adda at the university is very authentic. ( Sardarji frying bhajiyas while speaking on the phone is a nice touch)

11. Great dialogues : "Hamara ek paaon past mein hai aur ek future mein, isiliye to hum aaj pe mooth rahe hain!";

12. Oodles of humor to keep you tickled. ("Hello, which country Madam?", "India, I hope!". Incidentally, Sue has done a marvellous job of mouthing dialogues in Hindi. It doesn't hurt that she is cute! :))

13. The title of the movie itself, 'Rang de Basanti' - unusual and apt!

14. Every song is worth watching again and again. The guys jumping into the pool in Khalbali, the brief salsa interlude between Sue and Aamir in Khalbali, the unusual butt slap move in Paathshala, ARR's cry juxtaposed with the arrival of the coffin in Luka Chupi.

15. Hats off to Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra for doing a fantastic job with the conceptualization and the execution. I will just leave it at that!

There are a slew of others. But, I will let you guys chime in with your thoughts as well.

Color me orange, baby!

Come Together...Part 3

2006-07-25T18:26:00.000-05:00

I still stick to the thoughts expressed in the previous 2 posts on this topic. I believe it's a good way to model and analyze a relationship.

Maybe the mental piece overrules the emotional and physical pieces. Perhaps the emotional piece overrules the mental and physical pieces. Or, the physical piece overrules the mental and emotional (which I frankly do not subscribe to).

But, by the same count, in addition to, and sometimes, in lieu of the 3 axes, there does exist an X factor that brings and keeps people together. Perhaps that's what makes it fun and engaging!

PS: Of course, my opinions are subject to change!!! :P

UAL Back in the Black...

2006-07-25T18:02:00.000-05:00

Thus screamed the headline of 'The Rocky Mountain News' this morning, alluding to the fact that United Airlines had their first profitable quarter in the last 7, heralding their return from bankruptcy. I fly frequently for work and chanced upon an article in United's in-flight magazine a couple of months back which summarized the key changes that United had rung in, in order to turn the corner. In an era where 'low fare carrier' seems to be buzzword, I was impressed by the approach that United (a major 'legacy' network airline) took to get out of the red.

UAL realized that their key customer base was the average business traveller. And, hence, chose to focus on that segment of their market, rather than completely jump onto the bandwagon of other low fare carriers or other bankruptcy ridden airlines that were trying to unsuccessfully emulate the business model of, say, a Southwest.

They asked themselves (and presumably, their key customer base) : What does the average business traveller value? Obviously, the answer was : Great Service! Here's a list of things that UAL did to reel people back:

1. Remodelled their planes, such that the first 8-10 rows of economy had greater leg room. They called it 'Economy Plus' and provided such seats only to their valued frequent fliers.

2. Introduced P.S (premium service): Coast to coast service that included, plush (almost) lie flat seats in Economy (of course, for a price!). Essentially, they upgraded the whole of economy class into a quasi-business class!

3. Provided the ability for customers to buy relatively inexpensive upgrades from economy to economy plus and to business class. Let's face it : $ 135 for an upgrade to first class on that 3 hour flight from DFW to SFO is worth it (for a frequent flier)!

4. Increased the # of destinations that they served, while rationalizing the frequency of some of their less profitable routes.

5. Rationalized the # of types of aircraft that they use, thereby reducing maintenance costs, training costs, etc. etc.

6. UAL did go through some lay-offs and ended up trimming their workforce to the optimal amount

7. Of course, in addition, they did the usual re-negotiating of contracts with a slew of their employee unions.

8. Purchased and put in service new regional jets (yes, those itsy bitsy planes) that had business class seats upfront.

9. Introduced a 'low fare airline', called Ted, that provided point to point service between select vacation destinations and helped to reel in some of the cost conscious travelling public as well.

On the other hand, the US's largest airline, American Airlines (who are, by the way, the worst airline in the country!), chose to stop providing pillows on flights, thereby reducing 3-4 million dollars of costs a year. Compare that to the billions in revenue that American makes. What purpose did that move serve??? Umm, lemme guess: irritate and alienate some of their customers?

Essentially, they turned profitable not just by cutting costs, but by improving their margins through innovative products and services. That's what I find exciting about United's return to good health!

Congratulations, United Airlines!!!

If only...

2006-07-19T17:29:00.000-05:00

I think all of us have an idea of the kind of person that we want to be with and want as our significant other. However, when embarking on a relationship or when in a relationship, do we find such thoughts finding space amidst our grey cells:

If only he were taller
If only she could talk Marathi
If only she would be a little less loud in public
If only he was more ambitious

And so on and so forth, ad infinitum, ad nauseam.

Does that mean that we are not happy with who are with? Does that mean we need to look for someone 'better' ? (Again, do we just want to be with someone intrinsically better or someone who is a better fit for us? Do we truly realize that distinction?) Are we just finding reasons to eke out of the relationship, just because that person does not conform to our mental image?
If such thoughts do wander in our head, is it because we are not happy in that relationship?

Do we place so much emphasis on peripheral personality traits, without truly bonding with the person for who he/she is? If we want someone to be taller, speak Marathi, be a little more subdued in public and a tad more ambitious, does that mean that we want the person we are with, to be someone else? Isn't it an implication that we are not accepting, understanding and loving the person for who he/she is? Isn't that the goal?

Agreed, self improvement is always a good motto(even for peripheral personality traits). But, then, where do you draw the line...?

Are we a generation so obsessed with perfection that we refuse to compromise and see the greater good that the bond is bringing to us and to the other person? Is there a tendency for people to want their significant other to morph into their idea of who that person should be?

Random ruminations...

Damn...

2006-07-19T09:53:00.000-05:00

So many thoughts to punch on the word processor, so little time! Hmm, gotta channelize my energy better! :)

Eat fresh...?

2006-07-19T09:51:00.000-05:00

Schlotzsky's began with the tag line: "Funny name, serious sandwich."

Then, when they introduced their pizzas, their print ad campaign carried tag lines like:
"We know you love our sandwiches, but it's ok to cheat once in a while". Very smart, no? :)

...And now, Subway has followed suit (in terms of the product, not the campaign!). Yes, recently, Subway has begun offering pizzas too. I had a chance to partake of some last night.

Verdict? Their sandwiches are definitely better!!

JFDIN!

2006-07-17T13:40:00.000-05:00

We are a generation of instant gratification and low attention spans. We want the world and we want it now. Every third individual seems to subscribe to the 'Carpe Diem', 'You have, but one life', blah blah blah schools of thought.

We want our lives to be on a continuous high, always experiencing every chill, thrill and frill. But, that's not a feasible, sustainable model.
I see several of us coming to terms with the fact that there are going to be dull moments in life. There are going to be troughs and crests.

Employing old school fundaes - You cannot appreciate the highs unless you go through the lows. You can't enjoy the adrenaline rush if you don't have some peaceful, quiet and boring times.

We just need to learn to pace ourselves and realize the aforementioned facts!

Must do something for India...

2006-07-13T14:21:00.000-05:00

A few years ago, I had seen AID (www.aidindia.org) sell this really neat tee-shirt. It had a series of pictures of a man walking, growing older with each successive picture. In each picture, he is shown thinking to himself, 'Must do something for India'. In the final picture, he is old, ragged, gaunt and stooping.

Too late to do anything for India....!

I often think of myself representing that person. There are probably a ton of us out there. How often have we got the thought about doing something for India. And then, it promptly got lost amongst the logistics of living our lives and amidst bawdy partying...?

Food for thought....

WORLD Champions...?

2006-07-13T14:03:00.000-05:00

No, this is not a post about how Italy vanquished France by conquering their penalty kick jinx. (3 times! I ve been heart broken thrice...1990 Semi finals vs Argentina, 1994 finals vs Brazil and 1998 quarterfinals vs France).

Anyhoo, before I start writing about what I claimed I would not write about, let me take my potshots at American sports.

American sports are lazy. They play for 2 minutes, take a 3 minute time off, play again for 3 minutes and then take a 5 minute commerical break, blah blah blah. Compare that with the non-stop energy, entertainment and adrenaline rush of football (i.e., the Beckham/Maradona variety) !
Yes, you are right. American sports pale in comparison.

American sports are self centered.

The whole world gets together once in 4 years to commemorate Greek Gods. In 2004, the US seconds a second string team (because their big wigs are busy playing in their own 'world', i.e. the NBA) and ends up getting beat in the basketball championship. Oh well... 10 months later, the Pistons and the Spurs engage in a best of 7 series and the Spurs become, gasp, 'WORLD champions'. Yes, in a league of 32 teams, they are 'WORLD champions'.

While the rest of the world plays football (soccer) and / or rugby, the Americans bastardize the game and start playing AMERICAN football. An ugly game that is so animal in nature, it probably disgusts the most violent of beasts! And, guess what, every February, 2 teams from the 32 teams get together to play the 'SUPER bowl' (the 'greatest' sporting event of the year...bah! Trust American sports writers to go hyper on hyperbole) and yesss, the winner becomes the 'WORLD champion'.

Notice a trend...?

To top it off, the MLB championship is shamelessly billed as the 'WORLD series'. And, when the time comes for the US to send their team in a true world baseball championship, no prizes for guessing that they tumble out before even making it to the final!

It's ironical. 'World' championships in all sports are held once in, say, 2 years or 4 years, involve NATIONAL teams from multiple countries; competition is gruelling, teams seldom get multiple chances, players have, but, a couple of chances to live their dream of being a true 'WORLD champion'.

However, in American sports, every year there is a world champion drawn from one of the 32 teams in a silly league. Granted, there are people from multiple countries. But, each team gets at least a thousand chances before they are finally eliminated from the race for the title.

Yes, sports in the States are very Americo-centric, especially in their view of the world. Irritating / frustrating / annoying to say the least.

Here's a distress call to all sportswriters to stop referring to winners of American sports leagues as WORLD champions!!!

PS: Hmm, and why do I continue to root for the Boston Red Sox...?

Come Together (Addendum)...

2006-07-10T13:22:00.000-05:00

We talked about the 3 axes of a successful and happy relationship in the previous post - Mental / Emotional / Physical. Granted, at a certain point in time 2 people might complement /supplement /stimulate/connect with
each other on all 3 axes to a satisfactory degree.

However, what truly keeps couples together over time?

As people grow, one would assume that the extents of overlap along the 3 axes are dynamically altered. If 2 people grow together as people, perhaps the dynamic remains unalatered. However, if their personal growth is different, they would tend to grow apart and perhaps the extents of overlap lessen and weaken. Which then might lead to rough patches in the relationship.

At those points in time, perhaps people ask themselves what the overall connection is bringing to them. In the final analysis, if what the bond brings them far outweighs what it does not, I think each party would walk the extra yard and run the extra mile to make it work.

Because, at the end of the day, a successful relationship is also about compromise. About letting go of something in order to gain something bigger / better.

PS: Thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts with me.

Bach!

2006-07-07T10:56:00.000-05:00

Hello readers, I am back from a long hiatus. (I know you guys terribly missed me! :P )That roller coaster ride called 'Life' has been quite interesting in the meantime! Anyway, I have a couple of thoughts that will serve as an addendum to 'Come Together'. Watch this space...

Motherhood and Apple Pie...

2006-05-04T22:06:00.000-05:00

The goal of my life is to be happy. Happiness, to me, is like a pie cut into different sectors:

Family
Friends
Relationships
Greater Good
Financial well being
Career
Knowledge
Skills
Creative Pursuits / Interests
Rest & Relaxation
Prayer & meditation
Health, exercise/sport & diet
Fun & entertainment

The key is to channelize the energy that God gives us into different sectors of the pie, be efficient and effective and thus realize our goals and be happy. Now, the optimal distribution of energy is dynamic and changes as we progress through different phases in life.

I think the difference between happy and not so happy people (keeping this particular model in mind) is people who are able to anticipate the changing phases and who are able to channelize energies in the right proportion.

Come Together...

2006-05-04T21:53:00.000-05:00

In order to have a fruitful, successful, satisfying and happy relationship, I think a couple needs to be compatible, match/gel and complement/supplement each other along 3 different axes:

1. Intellectual / mental, i.e. the ability to relate to each other, ease of
conversation, meaningful dialogue, exchange of ideas/thoughts, the ability to stimulate each other’s minds, to read each other
2. Emotional, i.e. to care for each other, to have affection for each other (which in due course may transform into love), to support each other and ‘be there’ for each other
3. Physical, i.e. attraction, physical comfort with each other, sexual satisfaction

I think that for a couple to be truly complete, each one has to feel that they are getting and / or giving each other enough, such that they both meet at least at the mid-way point.

In addition, it is essential that the two parties are truly comfortable with each other and enjoy being with each other! Bottomline: you need to have fun!

Another theory which I have heard, which is far more simplistic is: “For a great relationship, each party has to feel that they are getting a better deal than the other.”

All said and done, maybe it's just a big black box!

1123581321

2006-04-25T23:10:00.000-05:00

I bought a book at Denver airport yesterday. Incidentally, a friend of mine and I chatted about Mickey Mouse last night. Today, another friend of mine had the Vitruvian man has his google talk icon. This evening, a third friend of mine suggested that I should book tickets in advance, for a forthcoming movie.

Interestingly, all these events are purely unconnected to each other, yet all linked together. Very coincidental.

I bought 'The Da Vinci Code' in Denver. Eerie, bizzare....intricate labyrinth of symbolic connections!

"Welcome to Kwik Shop"

2006-04-19T23:59:00.000-05:00

The other day, I had to refuel my rental car and also stock up on mints. And pronto, I was at ‘Kwik Shop’. As soon as I entered the store, I was pounced upon by 2 card carrying red tee shirt / black trousers wearing employees, who barked at me thus: ‘hello, welcome to kwik shop’. If there ever was a time I didn’t feel remote warmth in someone’s greeting, this was it!

Flashback (color changing to black and white):

Kwik Shop’s VP of Customer Service says in his staff meeting: “Sales at our gas stations are plateauing out. We need to draw in more customers, make them feel welcomed and a part of the Kwik Shop family." (What the heck is he talking about! Kwik Shop family? Huh? I just want gas and gum!)

A cross functional team is put together to brainstorm ideas for improving customer service. The ass-kisser, the outside the box thinker and a plethora of non-descript, bored also-rans provide equally outrageous ideas in an attempt to ‘contribute’ to the discussion.

Mr. VP disses the feasible ideas from outside the box thinker as too revolutionary, the ass-kisser’s brain waves as BS and finally zones in on one of the also-ran’s post-it notes. “Yes, that’s an easy fix. Let’s stipulate that all our employees in a gas station *will* greet every customer who walks through the glass door with a cheerful ‘Hello! Welcome to Kwik Shop’. Great idea, Brian! Guys, these are the kind of ideas that are going to turn the Kwik Shop family around and keep us on the growth curve.(Here we go again….dude, we just want our paychecks. We sell gas and gum for cryin’ out loud!) There’s back slapping, rah rahs and plastic camaraderie. “Yes, sales will go up 3% this quarter.” And VP makes a mental note to confer with Brian on important discussions in future.

Disgruntled outside the box thinker fumes and punches away on his keyboard, the story makes it to Scott Adams’ inbox and Dilbert continues to hit home!

Meanwhile, directives are verbally issued, memos are drafted and sent out to Kwik Shop store managers in remote Idaho. The minimum wage workers at the local Kwik Shop who have reached the zenith of ennui, get the message from George, their young, bright (pun intended), black neophyte manager (Makes a mental note: “Yes, this is my chance to upstage my competition at this store.” Ummm, somehow he didn’t get the memo about the rest of his colleagues being ennui-ed out for life). On hearing the message, the plebs nod their heads, Miguel picks up where he left off on the floor mopping exercise, (Plis to visualize this in slow motion now, with black and white transitioning to Eastman color) and out of the corner of his eye, notices a handsome young man grasping the handle of the glass door, slowly making his way in. Then, it happens….. George pounces (figuratively, not literally, please!) on me and rattles my ear drums with “Hello! Welcome to Kwik Shop”.

PS: Hmm, and what do I do for work again?! :P
PPS: Did you know that most gas stations barely break even on the gasoline they sell? The real money they make is in the margins off of the chips/drinks/beer/candy/chocolate/gum/mints, etc. One of the guys at my client used to own a gas station and went under.