An idle mind is a devil's workshop - an extremely popular proverb in english and my mother's fav one too. She must ve used it a million times probably because she found me doing nothing a billion times!
But I beg to differ and do not agree to mr.anonymous who wrote this line. For I am left with no choice but to disagree coz if i dont, then i should admit that i am some kinda dracula with the devilishness I ve developed in my mind doing nothing! OK, if that sentence confused u, i am sorry, so am I!
Having celebrated 25 years of doing nothing last january, I would like to invite you guys to take a peep into my journey to nowhere so far. Well, things began on a lazy sunday morning of Jan in 1983, around 7:52 a.m. A caesarian child, too lazy to get out of the womb, already comfortably numb, dumb, lazy and overweight ( around 12.5 pounds the day i was born! ). Now if U think it was a bad start, things just got worse from there! I just got number, dumber, lazier and fatter from then on! :) Things were fine till I reached school. Oh damn! I hated school, I hated teachers, I hated subjects and not surprisingly the feeling was mutual. At school, every year I broke all records in the lowest attendance possible set by my elder brother :)
Then, i got to college and life was a lot better. Here, profs expected people to bunk classes and do nothing. I learnt this art well and put it to good use.
What came next was the big surprise, I got a job and started work. To be honest, I got a job but never started work. The company's name is not given for obvious reason - all of u mite end up applying there! Here, I was scarily inactive that even i got scared. Life had to change!
As they say, Change is unavoidable and healthy! Life changed , education beckoned, joined a B school and things were never the same. Earlier i used to sneak out of my cubicle and sleep in the dorm; Now i slept in the last bench of classes. I had changed and got lazier. The only big difference, I dint get paid for it!
Literally slept thru the 2 years and now am back to corporate world. A week in office, I ve done nothing and I am today put in a project where I am expected to watch everybody, observe and do nothing. I must say these guys have quickly identified my strengths and put me in right use!
Now, I know the previous 500 words could ve been boring, monotonous and repetitive. But guys thats my life for 25 years and I am not bored. And more importantly, I consumed 53 mins of my time writing this and 5 mins of all your time in reading this and making all of us less devilish! Hence, in my own small way, made the world a better place :)
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
The significance of insignificance
The MBA is over; So is my student life. Now, in Kochi - taking a break - I spent the whole week literally on roads, 2 road trips, 2 beaches, 1 Boat ride, 1 dense forest and countless miles of beautiful countryside driving in a state rightfully known as the God's own country. I've of sorts started to develop a taste for road trips and the occasional break far away from the normal routine. I love the uncertainties involved in these trips. The occasional tyre punctures, the breakdowns, having no real clue where ur next meal is gonna be from and of course the highly philosophical discussions & analysis we guys get involved in.
This time around i had no choice but to observe the changed eyes with which the seniors, i.e both my immediate and not so immediate relatives view me. Often ignored as a young insignificant boy within the joint family household in my native, i was used to the 'little boy' image within the family and grown to extreme comfort with my insignificance. Lo behold, things have changed!!!
This trip, I am treated by everyone like a young energetic man ready for the big bad corporate world. During one my extra long breakfast sessions, ( trust me, they are long!! :)), my aunt was telling me how MBAs think about a situation in comparison to a more normal being and why they see the practical side of things. She was saying that MBAs keep emotions and sentiments out and just think practical! "That!" she said," makes you different, Ajju!”. Ya rite, I thot. I nodded gently and was never more 'un-convinced' about a gentle nod.
Wait! there's more. During one of my visits to the numerous relatives houses around my place, i ran into this uncle who has retired as a school teacher and now is gonna invest in the sensex and nifty. He was pestering me with questions on investing in the Indian stock exchange. I could not help thinking," Why is this man desperate to come to the streets?" (By streets, I don't mean the wall street or dalal street! :P) I tried my best to leave every bouncer he posed but boy, was he persistent. Even i thot, enuf is enuf! The next five minutes was pure genius! I started with subprime crisis and I ve no idea what i ended with. After the verbal diarrhea, he looked confused but impressed! :D
A family friend, this chap is in real estate, asked me what my take on the industry was! Another man for the " I wanna sleep on the streets” contest. However, I handled the situation far better this time and avoided another verbal bloodshed!
My only relief was when I met an aunt who thot MBA had something to do with dental surgery! At least I knew more than her :)
The new found importance has assured 3 things for me
1) I strictly avoid any conversation lasting more than 5 minutes
2) I’ ve re started reading newspapers to sound more confident for the pre mentioned 5 minutes.
3) and finally, I am keenly looking forward to my flight back!
After all, importance is not a bed of roses neither is it my cup of tea! :)
This time around i had no choice but to observe the changed eyes with which the seniors, i.e both my immediate and not so immediate relatives view me. Often ignored as a young insignificant boy within the joint family household in my native, i was used to the 'little boy' image within the family and grown to extreme comfort with my insignificance. Lo behold, things have changed!!!
This trip, I am treated by everyone like a young energetic man ready for the big bad corporate world. During one my extra long breakfast sessions, ( trust me, they are long!! :)), my aunt was telling me how MBAs think about a situation in comparison to a more normal being and why they see the practical side of things. She was saying that MBAs keep emotions and sentiments out and just think practical! "That!" she said," makes you different, Ajju!”. Ya rite, I thot. I nodded gently and was never more 'un-convinced' about a gentle nod.
Wait! there's more. During one of my visits to the numerous relatives houses around my place, i ran into this uncle who has retired as a school teacher and now is gonna invest in the sensex and nifty. He was pestering me with questions on investing in the Indian stock exchange. I could not help thinking," Why is this man desperate to come to the streets?" (By streets, I don't mean the wall street or dalal street! :P) I tried my best to leave every bouncer he posed but boy, was he persistent. Even i thot, enuf is enuf! The next five minutes was pure genius! I started with subprime crisis and I ve no idea what i ended with. After the verbal diarrhea, he looked confused but impressed! :D
A family friend, this chap is in real estate, asked me what my take on the industry was! Another man for the " I wanna sleep on the streets” contest. However, I handled the situation far better this time and avoided another verbal bloodshed!
My only relief was when I met an aunt who thot MBA had something to do with dental surgery! At least I knew more than her :)
The new found importance has assured 3 things for me
1) I strictly avoid any conversation lasting more than 5 minutes
2) I’ ve re started reading newspapers to sound more confident for the pre mentioned 5 minutes.
3) and finally, I am keenly looking forward to my flight back!
After all, importance is not a bed of roses neither is it my cup of tea! :)
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Who moved my cheese maggi??
After re-reading the classic life changer ' Who moved my cheese?' by Dr Spencer Johnson an umpteenth time, I sadly but surely realised for the umpteenth time, that the only thing that does not change in life is change itself!
The title of this little piece is obviously inspired from the above mentioned book, but the next 300 or so words you gonna read has nothing to do with his philosophy but surely is gonna change ur lives forever!!
Now if u believed that, u've got a serious problem! :D
This incident is more than a couple of years old. The Occasion- My convocation. I went to stage to receive the honour, Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical & Electronics. I asked myself " Had i done justice to the degree?", back came the answer within a nanosecond; A big bold capital NO! I had done everything but studies; learnt to ride bikes, discovered as many restraunts as manipal and neighbourhood could offer, made loads of friends- good ones! Everything except studies. 4 years were heaven. I was lucky to get placed from the campus. So my engineering was 'succesful' but did i do justice to it? Nope. I promised myself then, that i ll pursue further education.
CAT happened. Got through IIM C, more due to divine providence rather than perseverance or quality! Now, i had a promise to deal with and i had no clue how i wud do it. I chose to do what i do best, take the easier route. Conveniently forgot the promise and continued in the same vein as i was during my grads. 1 year passed by, and the internships over too. 2nd year seems to be a replica of the year that just went by. Already a brilliant trek done! Exploring the elusive north east, road trips, Goa and Andaman already on cards for the rest of the year, your guess is as good as mine on wat my next 7 months is gonna be like.
Education and me seem to be like development and West Bengal. It never happens! Now at the twilight of my student days, I have a choice to make. Study Hard coz i never might get another chance or make the most of my last college days. If the reader knows the author ( ME) a wee bit, then you dont need to be a Sherlock Holmes to guess my decision.
.... or may be i shud read " who moved my maggi..... oops ..cheese" again... :)
The title of this little piece is obviously inspired from the above mentioned book, but the next 300 or so words you gonna read has nothing to do with his philosophy but surely is gonna change ur lives forever!!
Now if u believed that, u've got a serious problem! :D
This incident is more than a couple of years old. The Occasion- My convocation. I went to stage to receive the honour, Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical & Electronics. I asked myself " Had i done justice to the degree?", back came the answer within a nanosecond; A big bold capital NO! I had done everything but studies; learnt to ride bikes, discovered as many restraunts as manipal and neighbourhood could offer, made loads of friends- good ones! Everything except studies. 4 years were heaven. I was lucky to get placed from the campus. So my engineering was 'succesful' but did i do justice to it? Nope. I promised myself then, that i ll pursue further education.
CAT happened. Got through IIM C, more due to divine providence rather than perseverance or quality! Now, i had a promise to deal with and i had no clue how i wud do it. I chose to do what i do best, take the easier route. Conveniently forgot the promise and continued in the same vein as i was during my grads. 1 year passed by, and the internships over too. 2nd year seems to be a replica of the year that just went by. Already a brilliant trek done! Exploring the elusive north east, road trips, Goa and Andaman already on cards for the rest of the year, your guess is as good as mine on wat my next 7 months is gonna be like.
Education and me seem to be like development and West Bengal. It never happens! Now at the twilight of my student days, I have a choice to make. Study Hard coz i never might get another chance or make the most of my last college days. If the reader knows the author ( ME) a wee bit, then you dont need to be a Sherlock Holmes to guess my decision.
.... or may be i shud read " who moved my maggi..... oops ..cheese" again... :)
Friday, May 18, 2007
New York Nagaram...
Whenever i heard this super hit piece by my favourite musician, A R Rahman, my thoughts were unknowingly catapulted to my internship due in NY this summer.I used to be excited about the whole experience, overwhelmed at times. Made a million impressions in my mind about the place and kept guessing what the Big Apple would be like. U think NY, U think times square, the Liberty, Empire state building,Madam Tussads etc. I told myself "cover all this in 1 week and then move on to the neighbouring places." One can always build a castle, a castle of dreams and thoughts, as it does not cost u dollars! Trust me everything else in this city does. :)
Its been 6 weeks and ya, its almost over!! Landed in the US on April 7th . Have gained a wealth of experience and learnt what life in a huge city is like. Also got a peep into the famous financial work life of this city.Man, people WORK here, and ya they get PAID too!:)
A brief stint on my life so far. The First fortnight was spent on finding a suitable abode before the travelling was planned. On the contrary, I travelled a lot to find a suitable abode. Works been good, challenging and interesting to say the least. I commute 4hrs a day to office. Food has been a problem, any veggie outside India would CAM( agree- for the benefit of non-IIMCians). But more importantly, I've become a Huge believer in a new religion! Ya, I am still Hindu but MURPHY is GOD. I 've personally experienced all possible forms of Muphy's laws in the last month or so. When u r late, the trains on time! Remember, the converse is also true! Keep the jacket at home, it RAINS! Ur fone runs out of battery, just when u need to make a call and whats worse, when u have to reach on time, u catch the wrong train. Seen it all, Done it all!! :)
I have had my moments in NY too, did mountain biking; went to a Casino twice and made money each time. Quite a CV point should i say :) The Manhattan skyscrapers and the Times square were sights which i ll carry back to Joka. Its been fun!I thought NY, but never went to the Liberty, Empire state building,Madam Tussuad's. Hope to do it in the next fortnight. But when i almost forced the gang here to watch a Hindi movie, sat thru' it even after knowing its gonna be sad and then crappy food from an Indian restaurant, i knew i was missing India and everyone there. Now i don't listen to new york nagaram anymore, i prefer to go to bed with "yeh jo des he tera.... " another masterpiece by the Man himself, AR Rahman. Boy he is a genius!
Its been 6 weeks and ya, its almost over!! Landed in the US on April 7th . Have gained a wealth of experience and learnt what life in a huge city is like. Also got a peep into the famous financial work life of this city.Man, people WORK here, and ya they get PAID too!:)
A brief stint on my life so far. The First fortnight was spent on finding a suitable abode before the travelling was planned. On the contrary, I travelled a lot to find a suitable abode. Works been good, challenging and interesting to say the least. I commute 4hrs a day to office. Food has been a problem, any veggie outside India would CAM( agree- for the benefit of non-IIMCians). But more importantly, I've become a Huge believer in a new religion! Ya, I am still Hindu but MURPHY is GOD. I 've personally experienced all possible forms of Muphy's laws in the last month or so. When u r late, the trains on time! Remember, the converse is also true! Keep the jacket at home, it RAINS! Ur fone runs out of battery, just when u need to make a call and whats worse, when u have to reach on time, u catch the wrong train. Seen it all, Done it all!! :)
I have had my moments in NY too, did mountain biking; went to a Casino twice and made money each time. Quite a CV point should i say :) The Manhattan skyscrapers and the Times square were sights which i ll carry back to Joka. Its been fun!I thought NY, but never went to the Liberty, Empire state building,Madam Tussuad's. Hope to do it in the next fortnight. But when i almost forced the gang here to watch a Hindi movie, sat thru' it even after knowing its gonna be sad and then crappy food from an Indian restaurant, i knew i was missing India and everyone there. Now i don't listen to new york nagaram anymore, i prefer to go to bed with "yeh jo des he tera.... " another masterpiece by the Man himself, AR Rahman. Boy he is a genius!
Saturday, December 9, 2006
Wandering thoughts!
My mother always said i had a flair for writing but none of English teachers thought so. After having cleared CAT... just about cleared... and rejoining the mainstream of learning, my struggle with education continues. The lazy chap that i am, everyone who knows me well say" Ajju, why did u wanna study again??". Monday, 30 hrs from now, my end terms begin and I ask god the same question " Why god?? Why??"
This reminds me of the numerous interviews i attended early this year. Every Interviewer fortunate enough to question me asked " Arjun, Why MBA?" I blurted out the same sequence of sentences in english taught by the coaching centre chap, where half the sentences dint make absolute and in some case partial sense to me. But is nt that what interviews are all about? 20 mins where you put up the stunt of being the perfect candidate almost tailor made for learning the nuances of Business Education.
A perfect analogy would be the " bride -selection" ceremony ( sorry about the terminology, really could not coin it better!) before an arranged marriage s fixed! The Man of the moment ( Bridegroom) with his mom dad, uncles , aunts, neighbours etc ( to cut a long story short, every retired member in the family or vicinity) visit the hapless creatures(wannabe brides) house. The brave young lady puts up the face of the perfect home maker in the making! Whether arranged marriages succeed or not, this ceremony before the wedding has survived across generations. Similarly whether we make good managers or not, the GD/PI process is here to stay!
Welcome to my blog! Considering the time of the night, the state of my mind and randomness of the post, i bet you will go by my English teachers judgements than my mother's. But then, that's why mother's are special... rite?
Arjun
This reminds me of the numerous interviews i attended early this year. Every Interviewer fortunate enough to question me asked " Arjun, Why MBA?" I blurted out the same sequence of sentences in english taught by the coaching centre chap, where half the sentences dint make absolute and in some case partial sense to me. But is nt that what interviews are all about? 20 mins where you put up the stunt of being the perfect candidate almost tailor made for learning the nuances of Business Education.
A perfect analogy would be the " bride -selection" ceremony ( sorry about the terminology, really could not coin it better!) before an arranged marriage s fixed! The Man of the moment ( Bridegroom) with his mom dad, uncles , aunts, neighbours etc ( to cut a long story short, every retired member in the family or vicinity) visit the hapless creatures(wannabe brides) house. The brave young lady puts up the face of the perfect home maker in the making! Whether arranged marriages succeed or not, this ceremony before the wedding has survived across generations. Similarly whether we make good managers or not, the GD/PI process is here to stay!
Welcome to my blog! Considering the time of the night, the state of my mind and randomness of the post, i bet you will go by my English teachers judgements than my mother's. But then, that's why mother's are special... rite?
Arjun
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