2008 in Retro

As I watch the pouring snow from my room window,with a song[Nizanga Nenena ! ] from my most favourite film of the year[Kotha Bangaru Lokam] being the background music, I started to muse about the year about to pass-by in 10Hrs !

I'd start saying that 2008 was the best year in my life short life so far !

Personally and professionally, its been a very enriching year, thanks to the almighty.

But personally, its was nothing short of a roller-coaster ride.

-I went on a pilgrimage to some amazing places near Kumbakonam and rarely had experienced that peace in the past. I spent very memorable time with Shri Krishna Premigal.

-I got through executive MBA of IIMB, but just when I was about to pay the fee, I got engaged. I took no time to brush off MBA aside, as I always believed that stability in personal life is most important for happiness and wanted to dedicate myself completely to laying strong foundation for marital life,rather than being caught between fire and frying pan...But then it was god's will that I lose both. My marriage was called off amidst some very dramatic circumstances and those were the weakest moments in my life...Its was too tough to digest and forget with all the Vedanta I'd read. Bhagavan Ramanar has said that pain can be nullified by asking "Who am i? ". When I tried to, I had a real tough time. I remember the scene in the movie "Kannathil muthamittal" when the girl had just seen a bomb blast very close to her and the memory would just get replayed in mind when she tries to sleep etc. I was more or less in the same state and I couldn't meditate even , as the deeper I go within, the more this thought came out gushing , alloyed with intense anger and vengeance !! But this was the time when my spiritual being became strongest and I had some fascinating dreams of saints guiding me.

And the whole thing happened as a blessing from Tirupati perumal, as he had decided the calling-off for us and re-assured us with shakunams or fortuitous incidents in Tirupati.

-It was then that I realized the true colors of relations and some friends around me. Moral of the story being, I need to SOLELY rely on my inner-strength and god's grace to circumvent tragedies. Nothing else helps much.

-I went on a very uplifting trip to Rameswaram. I used to get goosebumps on the thought that Iam walking on the sand on which Shri Ram had set his foot. Excellent place.

-I went on a wonderful trip to Valparai ,top slip,pollachi and cmbtr. Amazing beauty !

-And then professionally, I leart a lot too .

-Most importantly, I made some very nice friends.

-I learnt quite a bit of investments too[How to play in Casino?]

- I derived great pleasure in Sachin and Vishy Anand's acheivements this year. They are my idols.

I could write pages of the experiences I got in 2008.

Some other time ! But 2008 rocked !!

Thanks you dear god !! Pls send more of it this way !!

In 2009,
May serenity touch you gently
every morning,
May peace be your companion
through each day,
and in every restful hour,
May dreams renew your soul.

Wishing you a year
of health, happiness,
and all good things !!!

I got into Harvard Business School !! Huhoooooooo!!

I am very excited for the past 2 days !

Its because, I visited Harvard Business School and I sat in a class session !! It was an awesome experience.

Well, its an amazing campus and the class room atmosphere is so really wonderful, esp the diversity. Wow !

I spent sometime going around the various buildings. The Baker library was awesome too. I read some journals published by HBS press. The alumni journal was soo very good. The library seems to have journals from almost every country in the world where the word 'Management' is understood. I also went through IIM-A alumni journal. I liked the format of both Alumni journals and I was thinking about such a journal for my alma mater too.

I had a chat with the students about their admission process etc. Interestingly, they said it was luck factor that brought them to HBS :) Unfortunately the class was not the world-famous case discussion.I'd got an appointment for an earlier class in both HBS and Sloan, which would have had a case session but then I had an unscheduled meeting with our Director on the very same day which prevented myHBS and Sloan visit :( . And my next appointment at HBS was at the fag end of the term and it was a review class of "Leadership and Orgtnl Behvr " class. It would have been wonderful to see the students hashing out perspectives and orchestrated by the prof during case discussion. Maybe next time.

Another interesting point was, I was introduced to the class at the beginning and they had misread my institute's name as IIT, instead of IIIT-B. There was another visitor along with me, who went to IIT and MIT .The moment the class heard 'IIT", they started to cheer as if to some war heroes !! We, the alumni of IIITB, have this responsibility to evoke a similar brand awareness worldwide and augment Prof.Sadagopan's ceaseless effort to this end :) I pray that we achieve it soon.

It was overall a very inspiring experience. Just that I'd missed the Sloan school's appointment and I never got one in this term.

I gave a wild thought to applying but then the thought of the fee gave me a jolt and woke me up :) [ $45000 per annum !! ]

I desired to put up a proper post with pictures et al. But cudnt get time to arrange . But since this was long pending, thought of closing pending stuff, before entering 2009 !

Being as you are

I've observed in the past that perception of you changes in people's mind from time to time. Its largely like stock market perhaps. Atleast the indian one.Because a lot of times,am puzzled by the behaviour and attitude of people around me, towards me. One full week,they all treat me like am the most intelligent being around. Some other week, its normal. Some other week,they perceive that your a stupid. Is my state of mind different during each of these sample spaces?Not much am sure.Atleast to a large extent.My self-esteem and expressive power largely has remained the same in these times. And yet, perceptions have been different. I haven't factored the body language aspect into this though, since I can't see it myself. Interestingly, there have been times when people come and ask me if Iam sick, and funnily enough, I'd have been at my thinking best at that moment. And vice versa too :)
So you see, people's perceptions are at random. To add another dimension to this observation, I've checked my astro predictions during those times, and I must admit, they have matched at times. When the prediction is that I'll be recognized for well my efforts, its so happened that I've been recognized for more than my due. And vice versa too.
But then the point I want to make here is that, living by other's perceptions on one's self, would be nothing short of trying to be in the brightest spot in disco lighting. It would be a foolish aspiration, since its largely random. What really matters is how I stand in my conscience's lens. Being honest and conscientous helps one to avoid all the 'Identity crisis' traps, which would eventually make one like a monkey dancing to a crowd.
May god give everyone that balanced state of mind !
Amen ! Peace ! Peace !

Black friday (mis)Adventure !

Coming up ...

In recognition of that lady !

I'd been to Walmart 2 days back to check out thanksgiving sale and I wasn't disappointed. I got some nice T-Shirts and jeans for under 10$ !! Nice quality. But the theme of this post is the lady in the Walmart billing counter. 10 mins left to close the counter ! I jog with my items to the counter.

Lady : So how're you young man?[Ya she was atleast in her late 40's]

Me : Am gud thankQ. How'r you? Been a long day?

Lady : Ya :) So have you tried our these jeans and t-shirts?I hope you got the right fit.

Me : Well, I didn't have the time to wear them, but then I used my intuition and instinct for measurements and picked them up.

Lady: Oh dear ! U've picked up a flannel shirt,which shrinks later.

[Oh really?I pull out the shirt and recheck if it would fit me, by opening it and keeping it in front of me. And oh boy ! It just manages to fit ! ]

Me : [Sheepish smile ] Oh thanks a lot. Am sure I'd have had to give this to my 14 yr old cousin within a single wash[Oh ya, its amazing how fast the cousins grow these days. God knows how many truck loads of complan they attack ! ]

Thanks a lot for telling me though ! Really appreciate it !

Lady : Ur welcome son :)

Well, it was the first time that a billing counter person had ever helped me this way ! She was all kindness and helpfullness ! Bow to your spirit lady ! Just signalled few prayers upward that you may get a fat christmas time hike :)

Adios !