Life's like that - am learning...

Learnings over the last 2 weekends..

1. There is no need to show my cards to others, especially to those whom I have seen multiple times to play their cards close to themselves. Will I ever learn?? [:X] Am a little disappointed with myself on this.

2. Am also learning to talk less, listen more, play personal things low.

3. Am trying to practice what I learnt from "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Steven Covey.

This Summer and Me

It's been over a month since summer started. Last summer had it's own flavor - the hectic 8-5 research hours at office, tennis in the evenings, the VB classes after 5, the cookings, the late-night movies and much more. Well, this summer has been totally different for me so far. Vikram's week-long stay here at Binghamton included a Watkins Glen trip and a trip to Six Flags, NJ. Followed that by an exciting Las Vegas trip and back here. Apart from that and a little work till June 1st week, it's been more of a "lost-focus" effort from me to do anything. Lots staring at me for studying :(

This week's just turning better for me, and hope it gets better through this summer. Learnt an important thing that it is upto me to decide how each day turns out in my life. Yes.. I have decided a few things for the remaining summer. Let me see how things turn out. Expecting a few important turns soon this summer for my academic and professional career too. Fingers crossed! Keeping my blog short for now. More later.

Respect the woman in your life

This is from a forward a friend sent me. I felt it worth posting because with the fast world today there has been too much that any married couple expect from the other person. And to have a good understanding, it's always good to realize certain things.

About the girl you will be marrying –

Here is a girl, who is as much educated as you are;

Who is earning almost as much as you do;

One, who has dreams and aspirations just as

you have because she is as human as you are;

One, who has never entered the kitchen in her life just like you or your

sister haven't, as she was busy in studies and competing in a system

that gives no special concession to girls for their culinary achievements

One, who has lived and loved her parents & brothers & sisters, almost as

much as you do for 20-25 years of her life;

One, who has bravely agreed to leave behind all that, her home, people who love her, to adopt your home, your family, your ways and even your family name

One, who is somehow expected to be a master-chef from day #1, while you sleep oblivious to her predicament in her new circumstances, environment and that kitchen

One, who is expected to make the tea, first thing in the morning and cook

food at the end of the day, even if she is as tired as you are, maybe more,

and yet never ever expected to complain; to be a servant, a cook, a mother,

a wife, even if she doesn't want to; and is learning just like you are as

to what you want from her; and is clumsy and sloppy at times and knows that you won't like it if she is too demanding, or if she learns faster than you;

One, who has her own set of friends, and that includes boys and even men at her workplace too, those, who she knows from school days and yet is willing to put all that on the back-burners to avoid your irrational jealousy, unnecessary competition and your inherent insecurities;

Yes, she can drink and dance just as well as you can, but won't, simply

Because you won't like it, even though you say otherwise

One, who can be late from work once in a while when deadlines, just like yours, are to be met;

One, who is doing her level best and wants to make this most important,

relationship in her entire life a grand success, if you just help her some

and trust her;

One, who just wants one thing from you, as you are the only one she knows in your entire house - your unstinted support, your sensitivities and most importantly - your understanding, or love, if you may call it.

Please appreciate "HER"

Cricket’s God

24^th Feb 2010 will be etched in the pages of history of world cricket, deeply, strongly and eternally. That’s the day Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar made a double hundred in ODIs, scoring the first one of its kind since the 16^th century when cricket was documented to have been first played (The record Scorecard!). 442 matches and 20 years is as long as it took, a time period when anything could have happened –from being wiped off the face of cricket to be adored as THE BEST. And Sachin chose the latter. Yes, it was surely his choice that has seen him all this far. It was on this same day in 1988 that he and Vinod Kambli made a 664 run partnership that stunned and silenced the nation. Today, 22 years later, he has stunned the world.

He dictated terms in Gwalior on Feb 24^th, treating the bowlers with disdain. Carried his bat through the innings to earn his 200 – take special note that he had no by-runners. I would have preferred to be in India at my hometown amidst family and friends watching this match.. the shouts, the screams, the cheerings, oh my God, I certainly missed the fun. Nevertheless I did see a huge uproar – in the form of Facebook and Orkut updates.. each person raising to the occasion with innumerous posts for the master blaster, for the GOD of Indian cricket, for the epic writer of World Cricket.

A full length dive by a man nearing his 37 at the first ODI to save a boundary sent India one up in the 3 match series. Two days later he scripted another wonder. Only this man can do it, the little master, the master blaster.

Could anyone who has lost his father come back immediately and play for the team? This man did it for India in the '99 world cup, scored a century and dedicated it to his father. Any cricket fan's eyes would have had a drop of tear that moment then.

Could anyone be more humble than him? Loads of talent, abysmal passion and commitment. If someone said "Failures keep you humble", time to rethink on changing the phrase!

Awards are now just secondary to him - Any podium that acknowledges him with an accolade will only be too small for this great man.

"I don't get tired, If you practise every day, you get used to it" - Sachin [Ref: Cricinfo]. Truly inspiring statement. Take a bow master.

Sozzial Networking Sites - Likes it or Not?

I put together some thoughts that just came to me after the Google Buzz came in, it's one thing that takes away all my privacy... I am not liking it at all.

The pre-‘2000’ era -

This was probably how people who met each other in the late 90s or even before and communicated to get to know each other–

Mr.X: Hello! What do you do for a living?

Mr. Y: I am working with company ABC. What do you do for a living?

Mr.X: I work for company XYZ.

For the purpose of future communications, they exchange Business cards

The post-‘2000’ era -

This is how people communicate these days to get to know each other –

Mr.X: Hey bro, ssup?? What’s you gtalk ID? Do you Buzzzzzzzz?

Mr. Y: Yo man, I am on Facebook most of the time.. ping me there and you can get a response soon.

For the purpose of future communications, they exchange profiles in Orkut, FB, twitter, linkedin.. phew... did I get it all, or miss any?

We are all practically glued to the computer, especially the social networking sites. To be frank, I am addicted too, but for sure it’s not the best thing.

------------------------------------------------

FB and the “likes this” mania

I genuinely appreciate if someone “liked” a post or link that, in their perspective, is worth liking.. That’s individual rights.. But I sincerely don’t understand why for certain posts that do not carry a ‘likes it’ value or intended for a different purpose, people click on the option and say ‘likes it’. Here are some instances I got during the recent past.. real time ones from my FB page!

Post: ‘Happy Diwali’ AND ‘Merry Xmas and Happy New Year!’ (on different occasions, of course!)

Venki's response: Now, that was wishing people. You should either wish back or keep quite!!

Post: 16 Google wave invites...anyone need one?

Venki's response: Does this make sense?? And how many 'Likes this' do you think it got!!

Post: Hurray Tuesday!!!!!!!!!

Venki's response: Okay, so what?? How does a Tuesday in one person’s life affect the other person?????

Post: Mr. M. found some Premium White Mystery Eggs to share with their friends!

Venki's response: Wonderful and hilarious!! What else is required in life!!

Post: Mr. P. threw the mummy at 438 meters !

Venki's response: No comments ;-)

Post: It's not tht I can't it's just that I won't

Venki's response: Here’s someone who’s becoming lazy, and someone else now joins the party :P

Post: 2 more days

Venki's response: hmmm, errr.… and after that??

Post: Watched the toss. Now I can switch off teh tv

Venki's response: Very good. In the first case, an update on that was essential for sustaining the world economy :P And secondly someone liked this person not watching rest of the match, excellent! :D

I think now I have also got to ‘like’ everyone’s post, whatever it be… Next day if you post “Fell down and broke my hand”, I will “LIKE IT”!! After all, that is what is "Facebook Dharma" :-)

Phir - Mile Sur Mera Tumhara

I was listening to the new version of Mile Sur Mera Tumhara. The new song is amazing, no comparison to ARR. Especially the start he gives, the softness and smoothness of the twists and turns of the musical notes – mind-blowing! I am mesmerized by the start ARR gives on the finger-keyboard! Have been listening to this song now repeatedly! Btw, anyone knows which Raagam this is?

A very good attempt to recreate the depth of unity that the older version gave.

But is India and unity all about a bunch of film industry people? This was more like seeing the filmfare awards. The previous one had at least a good number of sportsmen. This one had some of them, but those were too small considering the time the ‘filmis’ dominated.

Aren’t there not enough people who have contributed to the cause of the nation and its upliftment, at least in some small way that has greater value than these bunch of filmi icons?? Haven’t not brave army men, scientists and the likes done India good? Haven’t those individuals gone beyond their linguistic and cultural boundaries and seen India as one? When do we ever recognize them – only posthumously as martyrs??

And yeah, they did show what was intended, but that was the last few seconds of a 16-odd minute long story! A little more creativity in picturization was needed. Was too lengthy and a little disappointing…

My first love in Binghamton

She was my first love after coming to the US. And it was really a touching and emotional moment for me when I bid her goodbye on Thursday, Aug 27th, 2009 at the Vestal road near my school. That day will go in as one of the days which I will remember for a long time to come, or atleast till I meet her again. I am sure that even to this day, many of my closest friends, even in Binghamton, know very little about this.

To tell you the truth and disclose matters silently sleeping in the deepest of my hearts, my first acquaintances with her dates back to the 5th of September, 2008. I still remember the evening I first met her, that lovely September evening that sparked initial communications between us. That was the day when we had a set of seniors whom we had invited for dinner. As preparations for the dinner, which was ‘paav bhaaji’, was going on at full swing in the kitchen, I was glued to a world of my own in a curiosity to know her more.

She was basically a soft spoken person, who hardly communicated much during our initial days of acquaintances. Every morning I woke, I was so desperately longing to get in touch with her – God alone can help me describe; I would say that English vocabulary is too unexpressive to help me explain my then frame of mind.

I was staying in the Leroy side of Binghamton (more precisely in a street called Murray street), which made it all the more easy for me to get a glimpse of her during the mornings. And even more to my surprise, she used to be in the same bus as mine when I went to school. Though we did not speak to each other in the bus, I was sure that there was a placid wave of unspoken understanding that passed through the air between us.

Through due course of time, we became a little more than just friends. Morning meetings extended to an additional dose of evening chats. Classes at school played a villain for me as it started becoming more hectic. Our friendly meetings started turning out into just meeting for the sake of meeting, friendly meetings now started becoming more professional interactions for the sole sake of meeting. Everything started to end slowly. Too many ‘meetings’ in the previous sentence, but too few in reality that I have relished wholly.

However, whenever I got some time, I made it a point to talk to her and try to get as closer as possible. But as fate would have it, classes, assignments and such other more important things predominated my schedule, and I put aside everything until summer would start. I was sure of being able to convince several things then.

India trip at the beginning of summer, and as things would have it, once I got back we were back to touch. It was a lot of one-on-one discussions trying to restore a relationship that was lost in the midst of two busy semesters. I believed that more leisure time would help building a stronger relationship. But to be honest, none of our lengthier conversations ever ended without a heated confrontation. I hardly remember one that ended on a cooler note. I knew that proceeding any further was not going to be fruitful for either of us. Long talks and prolonged attempts to get things fixed followed, and final attempts for restoring relationships were made on the 21st of Aug. I made up my mind to let go her for she needed a solace, a cure far beyond what I could offer her. I would not put the brunt of the blame on fate for it was my decision too to part with her. And finally 27th of August, 2009 – a day I never wanted to face in my life dawned. The last place I met her to send her off was at a place opposite to the Nirchis Pizza on the Vestal road. She then embarked on her way to Texas as I bid goodbye.

PS 1: The ‘She’ here is actually my HP notebook which I have sent to the company for replacing the thermal sink which is not working fine now. Too much of heat(ed) (confrontations) being generated. The meetings that turned professional refer to all the assignments and stuff done using the laptop rather than the much relished chattings and orkuttings!
It’s like a hand lost – without a laptop, gosh, how could things run around?? How could I keep checking the numerous number of e-mails that flood my mail box (yet causing the count of e-mails to remain statically glued to the same number that I saw the last time I checked my mails)? How could I keep track of the latest Airtel Super singer junior on Vijay TV?
I hope I get back my laptop in better condition soon. Please pray for her to return to me safely! :P

PS 2: I said this was my first love, not the only love in Binghamton ;)