Disclaimer: At the risk of being accused of "running away" from running, this post might appear to be a deviation from "Running".. It might appear so...But then what is life without "Reverse psychology"? Or "Reverse engineering" for that matter? ;-)
So, whats up? Wassup? Sup? How you been? How are you? :)
That last one, I tell you! That smiley, it is one of the most used, overused and abused expressions I have ever known.
But then, what does one expect when one asks "Hey! How are you?"
People would say they're fine no matter what they're going through. Atleast, most people would be.
I have had very few friends who have frankly admitted to me that they're not fine.
No, I am not claiming that I have very good friends who are very frank with me. I guess this would be the case with only people very close to you. You wouldn't tell them exactly how are you as soon as they ask you that innocuous expression of courtesy, "How are you?".
And to be fair to people who ask such questions, what can they do! Asking is better than not asking at all!
And that smiley! SMSese and computerese have so affected us, that we use this combination of keystrokes to pretend a smile. And why shouldn't one? Not only is it easier to hide one's true emotions behind an SMS or a chat message, it is less burdensome when one feels the need to pretend smiles.
What I mean is this: When you're talking to a person face-to-face, pretending is not all that easy. You can't easily hide your thoughts and emotions. You cant hurl abuses at them much as you feel like doing so.
On the other hand, that smiley, as you type it you can recall the choicest of abuses, or make the most intense frowns, depending on what kind of a person you are.
Now, I really don't know why I was and have been thinking about this recently; but we can rest this for a while.
Or, may be I do...
At the risk of being accused of indulging in obscurantism (now, I have to atleast tell you what this means- Obscurantism is deliberate evasion of clarity) - At the risk of being accused of indulging in obscurantism, I will now indulge in weaving Finance "fundas" into what's really on my mind...
As you will see, I have tried to keep it as basic and simple as possible. It is not the ability to understand Alpha and Beta, but it is the analogy I use for the investment that will leave you consufed (confused)! But then, remember, this blog is mine, and I had promised to mix fact, fiction and fantasy together....So, here it goes....
For the benefit of those who don't have even a nodding acquaintance with the Alpha and Beta of Investments and Finance (not that I have more than a nodding or nodding off acquaintance!), Beta is the risk associated with an investment when the investor is passive (merely invests, doesn't take an active role in the business/investment) and Alpha is the risk associated with an investment when the investor takes on an active role in ensuring higher returns from the investments.
Now, one of the sources of Alpha is what one might call activism. This means using financial resources to create, or obtain control over, real assets and to use that control to change the payout obtained on the financial investment. A venture capitalist who transforms an inventor, a garage and an idea into a fully fledged, profitable and professionally managed corporation creates alpha. Otherwise, Alpha is in general very hard to generate. since most ways of doing so depend on the investment manager possessing unique abilities – to pick stocks, identify weaknesses in management and remedy them, or undertake financial innovation. Such abilities are rare. How then can untalented investment managers justify their pay? Unfortunately, all too often it is by creating fake alpha – appearing to create excess returns but in fact taking on hidden tail risks, which produce a steady positive return most of the time as compensation for a rare, very negative, return.
Now you will see why I take sides.
Not only is alpha hard to generate, quite a few so called alpha generators are fakers.
Phew! Now that we are done with understanding Alpha and Beta, please let me elaborate on my theory...
That Alpha and Beta, and investments, can be extended to the ideas of Hope and events in Life in general.
For example, each one of us would want certain things to happen or certain events to occur.
We can either actively work towards making those things happen or just sit back and Hope that things happen.
Please don't get me wrong! I am not making the case for people to resign themselves to Fate and Destiny.
There are always situations one comes across in Life, when despite wanting to do something about some things, one cannot. I am not making the case for excuses. But, there are barriers to doing what one would want to do. Not all barriers are visible or perceivable.
Let me further explain this with an example, just so that it is clear that I am not making the case for people sitting back and let Fate take over.
Consider for example a situation where one of your friends is in trouble. And offering to help, while being courteous, is nothing much. In these situations, you can only hope that your friend gets what he or she wants, or gets out of trouble in this example. This, in my opinion is a classic example of a Beta investment in Hope. You are an investor nevertheless, because you took a position on the occurence of an event. You speculated that the outcome will eventually be favourable. You invested your Hope in it.
Of course, if you are a deeply religious person, a "believer", may be you would even "pray".
With all due respect to Believers, this business of praying in in my opinion is not exactly a "pure" investment. It is a derivative investment, a sub-ordinate form of investment if you will, because you are expecting that this person called "God" will generate the alpha necessary for the favourable outcome.
I honestly believe that in all situations that we can, we should be alpha investors, especially if we are speculating about ourselves. We will be better off only if we try to be better off ourselves. Yes, some help and hope from friends never does one harm, but I wouldn't use Hope or Luck for myself.
I have known a Beta investor myself. He hopes for the good of his friends and others around him. He does not do anything for others really. But, believe me, he is a very rich investor. He has a huge amount of Hope for others. That, he calls his wealth.
As long as investing in matters concerning himself, he is an alpha investor. He does everything possible to generate desirable and favourable outcomes for himself.
And in situations where he can help do the same for others, he does everything possible for them.
But, in situations where he cant do much more than expect a desirable and favourable outcome, he assumes the role of a Beta investor.
He pledges his share of "Luck" or "Hope" in the name of his friends when they need it.
He says something as seemingly silly as "You can have my share of Luck for today".
But, believe me, it works! I have had a lot to learn from him, and I have known it to work when I have done the same....Hope....
Now that we have exhausted Alpha and Beta by metaphorising Investments with Hope, let me bring/take you back to the title of this post...
"Wassup" is not all that superficial as it seems after all....When you cant do much more than ask, asking is what you will do..Exactly the way you hope when you can't do much more than that...
But, in all other situations when you can, be an Alpha investor....In style! ;-)
For now, I will leave you with a song that The Namesake was incidentally and coincidentally listening to the other day on the train...This was just one of the times he was thinking of doing some Beta investment....Hoping that all the violence and fear in the name of religion, land and region end...He wouldn't know then that there would certainly be other avenues for investment....But then, such is life!
Sticks & Stones
Words & Music by Trés
I can see * The possibilities * Destiny * Is not written in the stars * How can we * Avoid responsibility * When who we'll be * Comes from who and what we are * The time has come * There's no place left to run * Time to choose * Will we win or loose
Sticks and stones will break * What is it gonna take * Don't you dream of something more * What are we fighting for
Don't let the hate * Take control of your fate * We have to bend * Or the violence will never end * We can win * It's not giving in * Who cares who's right * When all we do is fight * How many lives * How many children have to die * Because we teach * An eye for an eye
Sticks and stones will break * What is it gonna take * Don't you dream of something more * What are we fighting for * What are we fighting for * What are we fighting for
I can see * The possibilities * Destiny * Is not written in the stars * How can we * Avoid responsibility * When who we'll be * Comes from who and what we are * How many lives * How many children have to die * Because we teach * An eye for an eye
Sticks and stones will break * What is it gonna take * Don't you dream of something more * What are we fighting for * What are we fighting for
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Running away! Bank runs! Carry on running....
Hmmm....So its been a week since he ran the show here, so here it is... "The show"
He, or his friends for that matter, were not really running away from the Mid semester examinations, since they would have to appear for the reexaminations on their return...
So, he, along with his friends, were only running around for permissions until the very last moment...just so that they could run after their pursuits...contests, if you want to call them that...
They had all been invited for the second rounds of races, of a few different varieties..Paper presentation, HR case study, and Operations case study events, some 2000+ kilometres away, at a Symbiotic Bschool in the Western region of The Country.
Now, 30 hours on a train in Sleeper class was a first for him...It would only be ruined towards the end by a drunk idiot who would be semi-silenced by The Namesake and his friends...
The two days they all spent in "Punya Nagari" were not fruitful...in the sense that they could not win hearts or laurels....The only fruitful part of the entire trip were the oranges they managed to buy at that railway station of a city famous for oranges...
Now, they had met people during those days....and learnt lessons..
They had together laughed, slept, studied, all to the extent possible...
They were a bit frustrated since apart from not being able to return victorious, they had not even been able to take time out to enjoy the good things part of the B school fest; They were not even able to eat or pack things for their friends back in the Detention Camp...
What's worse was that...their return train journey...another 30 hours was along with several people...
People running for their lives..
Now, at times like these, sympathy and empathy soon take over any amount of collective or individual selfishness....When you see that 4-5 people don't mind sitting in the loos on the train...for the want of any other space to sit, anyone who has even a pacemaker in the place of a heart would melt...
They all somehow managed to study and sleep amidst these things and people around them....
They would naturally spend some time thinking through what was causing the exodus...
What is it about language or culture or anything else that incites people?
Why do politicians exploit such human emotions, such tendencies of ordinary individuals to equate their identities with language and culture?
Why are human beings so vulnerable fear?
Anyway, "Banking and Insurance" was waiting to be studied, and The Namesake would discover that even Banks run! One of the "takeaways" from that entire trip, was "GoodTaste"..How much he had learnt about the importance of "GoodTaste" and the importance of thinking through all aspects of an issue at hand...He would not forget the GoodTaste for a long time to come...
It's another thing that he Adored and Worshipped Thought...But then...A GoodTaste is something most people desire to develop...
Thinking about Thinking, and GoodTaste brought him to some important questions..
1. Why do people run after things or people?
2. Why do people run in the first place?
3. Why do people falter or fall?
4. Should they consider giving up running?
5. And what is this obsession with running all about? ( I mean, hold on! Even this post and blog is obsessed with running!)
The Namesake has only one answer...
Life....has to go on...
Some races never end...Some pursuits remain just those - pursuits...
He....He, has to carry on running....
Running towards "running things around"...Running away from things and people...
Running after "pursuits"...
Running - in all its forms and variants...
He, or his friends for that matter, were not really running away from the Mid semester examinations, since they would have to appear for the reexaminations on their return...
So, he, along with his friends, were only running around for permissions until the very last moment...just so that they could run after their pursuits...contests, if you want to call them that...
They had all been invited for the second rounds of races, of a few different varieties..Paper presentation, HR case study, and Operations case study events, some 2000+ kilometres away, at a Symbiotic Bschool in the Western region of The Country.
Now, 30 hours on a train in Sleeper class was a first for him...It would only be ruined towards the end by a drunk idiot who would be semi-silenced by The Namesake and his friends...
The two days they all spent in "Punya Nagari" were not fruitful...in the sense that they could not win hearts or laurels....The only fruitful part of the entire trip were the oranges they managed to buy at that railway station of a city famous for oranges...
Now, they had met people during those days....and learnt lessons..
They had together laughed, slept, studied, all to the extent possible...
They were a bit frustrated since apart from not being able to return victorious, they had not even been able to take time out to enjoy the good things part of the B school fest; They were not even able to eat or pack things for their friends back in the Detention Camp...
What's worse was that...their return train journey...another 30 hours was along with several people...
People running for their lives..
Now, at times like these, sympathy and empathy soon take over any amount of collective or individual selfishness....When you see that 4-5 people don't mind sitting in the loos on the train...for the want of any other space to sit, anyone who has even a pacemaker in the place of a heart would melt...
They all somehow managed to study and sleep amidst these things and people around them....
They would naturally spend some time thinking through what was causing the exodus...
What is it about language or culture or anything else that incites people?
Why do politicians exploit such human emotions, such tendencies of ordinary individuals to equate their identities with language and culture?
Why are human beings so vulnerable fear?
Anyway, "Banking and Insurance" was waiting to be studied, and The Namesake would discover that even Banks run! One of the "takeaways" from that entire trip, was "GoodTaste"..How much he had learnt about the importance of "GoodTaste" and the importance of thinking through all aspects of an issue at hand...He would not forget the GoodTaste for a long time to come...
It's another thing that he Adored and Worshipped Thought...But then...A GoodTaste is something most people desire to develop...
Thinking about Thinking, and GoodTaste brought him to some important questions..
1. Why do people run after things or people?
2. Why do people run in the first place?
3. Why do people falter or fall?
4. Should they consider giving up running?
5. And what is this obsession with running all about? ( I mean, hold on! Even this post and blog is obsessed with running!)
The Namesake has only one answer...
Life....has to go on...
Some races never end...Some pursuits remain just those - pursuits...
He....He, has to carry on running....
Running towards "running things around"...Running away from things and people...
Running after "pursuits"...
Running - in all its forms and variants...
Monday, February 18, 2008
Barbering at the gate ; The Spherical Market.
Aaah....Let me stop you right there...The World is still flat...The Spherical Market our planet earth is, we will apparently continue to reel under Globalisation...Reel under Globalisation's Ghost as well ;-) (I seriously hope my fellow YemmBeeYays pick this last sentence up!)
So, the Spherical Market is the most happening market in this part of the world, which we shall call "The Village", or "The Detention camp" as the situation demands ;-)
And Barbarians at the Gate continues to be unread beyond a few pages; Barbers at the gate were closed today, Monday being a holiday for barbers, grocers, and pharmacists alike!
So, our man, swung by the swing of his mood, decides to cycle out to "town", down, to the Spherical market....So what if it is a few kilometres away? When certain thoughts clog your mind, individuals other than just The Namesake would also say
"Its not about the bike"...And you thought only Lance Armstrong could say that!
Rupees 10 for a haircut service is an experience every man should consume, at least once in a lifetime.
In memory of all the thoughts that crossed The Namesake's mind before, during and after the cycling, this blog will now observe a moment's silence...............................................................
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(Yes, holding back can be good at times; Not holding thoughts back; but holding back from expressing them can...Especially when one doesn't really fully understand oneself, one's thoughts or thoughts of people around...Trying to get into the minds of people(including one's own mind) can be an exhausting (so what if interesting) experience...)
Thank the oscillation (mood swing, if you please!) and the forces behind the oscillation for this relatively brief post...In the true spirit of the primordial Deception-Perception balance, this post is hopefully "Deceptively simple, yet perceptibly complex!" !!! :-D
So, the Spherical Market is the most happening market in this part of the world, which we shall call "The Village", or "The Detention camp" as the situation demands ;-)
And Barbarians at the Gate continues to be unread beyond a few pages; Barbers at the gate were closed today, Monday being a holiday for barbers, grocers, and pharmacists alike!
So, our man, swung by the swing of his mood, decides to cycle out to "town", down, to the Spherical market....So what if it is a few kilometres away? When certain thoughts clog your mind, individuals other than just The Namesake would also say
"Its not about the bike"...And you thought only Lance Armstrong could say that!
Rupees 10 for a haircut service is an experience every man should consume, at least once in a lifetime.
In memory of all the thoughts that crossed The Namesake's mind before, during and after the cycling, this blog will now observe a moment's silence...............................................................
............................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................
(Yes, holding back can be good at times; Not holding thoughts back; but holding back from expressing them can...Especially when one doesn't really fully understand oneself, one's thoughts or thoughts of people around...Trying to get into the minds of people(including one's own mind) can be an exhausting (so what if interesting) experience...)
Thank the oscillation (mood swing, if you please!) and the forces behind the oscillation for this relatively brief post...In the true spirit of the primordial Deception-Perception balance, this post is hopefully "Deceptively simple, yet perceptibly complex!" !!! :-D
Friday, February 15, 2008
Congratulations, Valentine's Day, Nostalgia... And then of course, trying to remember the future...
Congratulations!
Yes, it was Congratulations pinging him after a loooong time... Congratulations had been his colleague at this CompleteGood place where they had become best buddies, working in the same office for 22 months...
Well...actually, Congratulations is someone who wouldn't mind his identity being revealed, so for those who don't have even a nodding acquaintance with Samskrit, Abinandan, "The Hero" had spotted The Namesake "going red" on JeeTalk, and so what if The Namesake's timezone said 4 am...So what if he was averaging less than 4 hours of sleep the last coupla days....
Anytime and any length of time is good to speak to friends...those who "almost" know you inside out..
So, Congratulations had caught our man, the Namesake online while the latter was working and reworking on his paper meant to be sent as an entry for a B school contest...
After closing the conversation at 5:30, The Namesake had gone to bed that day hoping to hear "Congratulations" on Valentine's Day...Only that it would be something on the lines of "Congratulations! You are now invited to our B school for the next phase of the contest"..
Its another thing that he, the Namesake heard the Congratulations a full day later, this evening....And it wasn't even for that paper he had been "banking on", but for the Case on human resources...The paper "could wait" he was told..
So, Valentine's Day had been a complete non-event, as eventful as it had been the previous years....
And having "run" around all evening trying to get permission to attend the festival, even if it meant missing the Mid semester examinations and returning mid-way through the mid-semester examinations...
So, having run around all evening and cycling and walking around a bit, he had talked around as well...Talking generally gives people a sense of confidence...that all's well...especially parents...
So, having talked around, he should ideally have started studying or doing something productive and worth while...He even tried it and did it for a while..
But soon another friend caught pinged him from that Land that Vespucci discovered and they got started on talking about their "eventful" Valentine's Days... They remembered their pasts and futures together...
And then The Namesake went back, trying to dig deeper and remember the past better...
Valentine's Day had been thought provoking the previous year as well, and although largely unevntful, it was around the time he had been preparing to get into the place he is in today...
http://vishwas-mn.livejournal.com/8350.html
Wonder what 2009 has in store! I for one cant remember how it will look like...But I am sure The Namesake has a vague idea... ;-)
Yes, it was Congratulations pinging him after a loooong time... Congratulations had been his colleague at this CompleteGood place where they had become best buddies, working in the same office for 22 months...
Well...actually, Congratulations is someone who wouldn't mind his identity being revealed, so for those who don't have even a nodding acquaintance with Samskrit, Abinandan, "The Hero" had spotted The Namesake "going red" on JeeTalk, and so what if The Namesake's timezone said 4 am...So what if he was averaging less than 4 hours of sleep the last coupla days....
Anytime and any length of time is good to speak to friends...those who "almost" know you inside out..
So, Congratulations had caught our man, the Namesake online while the latter was working and reworking on his paper meant to be sent as an entry for a B school contest...
After closing the conversation at 5:30, The Namesake had gone to bed that day hoping to hear "Congratulations" on Valentine's Day...Only that it would be something on the lines of "Congratulations! You are now invited to our B school for the next phase of the contest"..
Its another thing that he, the Namesake heard the Congratulations a full day later, this evening....And it wasn't even for that paper he had been "banking on", but for the Case on human resources...The paper "could wait" he was told..
So, Valentine's Day had been a complete non-event, as eventful as it had been the previous years....
And having "run" around all evening trying to get permission to attend the festival, even if it meant missing the Mid semester examinations and returning mid-way through the mid-semester examinations...
So, having run around all evening and cycling and walking around a bit, he had talked around as well...Talking generally gives people a sense of confidence...that all's well...especially parents...
So, having talked around, he should ideally have started studying or doing something productive and worth while...He even tried it and did it for a while..
But soon another friend caught pinged him from that Land that Vespucci discovered and they got started on talking about their "eventful" Valentine's Days... They remembered their pasts and futures together...
And then The Namesake went back, trying to dig deeper and remember the past better...
Valentine's Day had been thought provoking the previous year as well, and although largely unevntful, it was around the time he had been preparing to get into the place he is in today...
http://vishwas-mn.livejournal.com/8350.html
Wonder what 2009 has in store! I for one cant remember how it will look like...But I am sure The Namesake has a vague idea... ;-)
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Sweet Dreams...His, his Little Sister's...
"Damn! You should have been here to see for yourself! And now, they don't even let me talk to you in private! When you were around, we could sneak into each other's rooms no matter anytime in the night while they were asleep...and talk to our heart's content...Even now, they're trying so hard to listen in on our conversation!"
"Anyways, why I called you earlier; didn't know you had classes even on Saturdays now! I called you to ask you this...Would you ever, if you end up decide to get married, especially in the arranged marriage or rearranged marriage fashion...Tell me, would you insist on "seeing" the girl walk past you again in a different attire, especially a saree? I told Mom and Dad that I would ask you this, and if you answered in the negative, I would be justified in holding that one thing, among other things of course against the guy who is coming down to "see me" this evening".
If it was his "best friend" the previous day, it was Little Sister late this afternoon; the 20th century invention, the cellular telephone, again making distance and physical presence almost irrelevant...
But it was the advise, that his Little Sister gave him was what he probably will never forget...
"Remember, whatever you do or try to do, never feel weak. Not one wee bit...Remember, you are my strong brother ;-) The Big Brother ;-) No matter what happens, don't let weakening things happen to you. You have been your own boss, and don't let that change. Mom, Dad, or me, or anyone else should not be able to change that. Not as easily as others let that happen to them...You are the only person who is going to be your own best company for life as you have more than often claimed, and don't ever forget that...And trust me to speak from experience ;-)"
The Namesake: "Ok! I can't disagree with you, on this, for now. But, I have dreams...sweet ones.."
Little Sister: "Oh! No poetry again! Not now! Please! I am off now, they can be here any moment..."
End of conversation
Our man, The Namesake, having "stumbled upon" Elvis Costello returned to listening to "Sweet Dreams"...Elvis Costello had only recently caught his attention, and having downloaded his music from that famous "Data Collection Plus Plus", The Namesake was lost in his Dreams...Sweet Dreams...
Sweet Dreams
Sweet dreams of you, every night I go through
I should hate you girl the whole night through
Instead Im having sweet dreams all about you
You dont love me its plain
I should have known youd never share my name
Why cant I forget you girl, start loving someone new?
Instead Im having sweet dreams all about you
Why cant I forget my past, start loving someone new?
Instead Im having sweet dreams all about you
Sweet dreams of you, every night I go through
I should hate you girl the whole night through
Instead Im having sweet dreams all about you
Disclaimer: "Sweet Dreams" belong to Elvis Costello and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental, and frankly, pretty confusing! Apart from being confusing, it could be more interesting than almost any other piece of fiction you have ever read!
"Anyways, why I called you earlier; didn't know you had classes even on Saturdays now! I called you to ask you this...Would you ever, if you end up decide to get married, especially in the arranged marriage or rearranged marriage fashion...Tell me, would you insist on "seeing" the girl walk past you again in a different attire, especially a saree? I told Mom and Dad that I would ask you this, and if you answered in the negative, I would be justified in holding that one thing, among other things of course against the guy who is coming down to "see me" this evening".
If it was his "best friend" the previous day, it was Little Sister late this afternoon; the 20th century invention, the cellular telephone, again making distance and physical presence almost irrelevant...
But it was the advise, that his Little Sister gave him was what he probably will never forget...
"Remember, whatever you do or try to do, never feel weak. Not one wee bit...Remember, you are my strong brother ;-) The Big Brother ;-) No matter what happens, don't let weakening things happen to you. You have been your own boss, and don't let that change. Mom, Dad, or me, or anyone else should not be able to change that. Not as easily as others let that happen to them...You are the only person who is going to be your own best company for life as you have more than often claimed, and don't ever forget that...And trust me to speak from experience ;-)"
The Namesake: "Ok! I can't disagree with you, on this, for now. But, I have dreams...sweet ones.."
Little Sister: "Oh! No poetry again! Not now! Please! I am off now, they can be here any moment..."
End of conversation
Our man, The Namesake, having "stumbled upon" Elvis Costello returned to listening to "Sweet Dreams"...Elvis Costello had only recently caught his attention, and having downloaded his music from that famous "Data Collection Plus Plus", The Namesake was lost in his Dreams...Sweet Dreams...
Sweet Dreams
Sweet dreams of you, every night I go through
I should hate you girl the whole night through
Instead Im having sweet dreams all about you
You dont love me its plain
I should have known youd never share my name
Why cant I forget you girl, start loving someone new?
Instead Im having sweet dreams all about you
Why cant I forget my past, start loving someone new?
Instead Im having sweet dreams all about you
Sweet dreams of you, every night I go through
I should hate you girl the whole night through
Instead Im having sweet dreams all about you
Disclaimer: "Sweet Dreams" belong to Elvis Costello and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental, and frankly, pretty confusing! Apart from being confusing, it could be more interesting than almost any other piece of fiction you have ever read!
Friday, February 8, 2008
Stock markets? Fall or rise, the speculation shall go on...It's a poort sort of memory that only works backwards..
At 3:30 pm on a Friday afternoon, if you overheard this conversation, you would be excused for mistaking it to be about the stock markets...After all, the ups and downs, in recent times; more often than not, inexplicable seem to be understood only in retrospect.
Before I talk about the conversation he had late this afternoon, let me take a detour to what lead to the conversation...
Lewis Carroll once said that "It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards".
Now, our "The Namesake", (For the want of a better name, we shall call "Him" thus from this post onwards...)...Our Namesake,
He had read this quote while reading random stuff online a few years ago...But, his thoughts were provoked recently by a really gentle man who, among other things, said that
"Everything happens for a reason".
Now, if there really was no such thing as coincidence; if everything was predetermined, one would automatically be curious to know more about what would or would not come one's way in the near, far and far-fetched future. One would even consider expending efforts towards changing what is to come, if Destiny was really all that believable.
However, "Everything happens for a reason" is something that got him thinking the previous evening, and tempted him to interpret it under the current circumstances and recent occurrences (and non-occurrences alike)...
That one statement, apart from sparking so many thoughts, raised several questions, three of which are worth mentioning; the rest of the questions being worth not mentioning although they were nowhere close to being "unmentionable" in the colloquial sense of the term...
Questions:
1. If Everything was really happening for a reason, what really were the reasons for whatever was happening?
2. More importantly, what was the reason for everything that was not happening? Especially all that he would ideally like to be happening?
(Desiring is not the same as deserving, he was told; but it is very human to desire, and for once, or once in a while, let us suppose that he is human ;-)
3. And, most importantly, what "all" or "everything" was going to happen? And for what "reasons"?
As would "happen to him" more often than not, that one statement "Everything happens for a reason" sparked off so many thoughts and questions, that all other things that were spoken, by that Steely Human, The Vice President of Resources; a man who appeared to have a heart of gold although he could make Steel...The Vedas, "Deserve, then desire", "Shut up and listen"..were all gems, more precious than steel or any other metal...
(If all this is too confusing, imagine the VP-HR of Tata Steel delivering guest lecture in a free flowing question-answer format, and your imagination will not be far from the truth!)
So, the previous evening had generated these random thoughts and questions..But this "raw material" had set off some "work in process" in his mind, and in light of the time constraints and scheduling specifications, he had decided to inventory the work in the "warehouse" that his mind was...
Attempts to make the conversation at 10 30 am the next morning (this morning) had failed...And he was wondering if and when the conversation would happen..
Finally, at 3 30 pm, the constraints seemed to have all disappeared, and it was time to "reduce inventory".
So, while his legs pedalled the bicycle on his way back to "the room", there was, in his mind, now room being created for some fresh air and fresh thoughts alike...
Conversations with friends can sometimes help "reduce inventory", and remove bottlenecks that often unnecessarily and unfortunately choke people's minds...
Now, this friend was "special" in the extra-ordinary sense of the term. "Extra" ordinary only because they could talk and joke about anything..With most others, it would be "talk and joke about almost anything"..But, with her, it was anything...
You could even be excused for concluding that friendship between a man and a woman, when qualified by that most abused adjective "special", almost always means that there is something "brewing" or "cooking"...
But, if you were to know that they had been over a decade now, you would probably consider labelling the relationship "Platonic"..
Well, it was more of a tonic than Platonic, because he could border on being flirtatious, only there would be no room for misunderstanding. The understanding was such that the Platonic or tonic nature of their relationship would almost certainly never change...
Again, "almost certainly", only because, the conclusion of that conversation was that
"Everything happens for a reason" is a debatable assertion...The arguments favouring the assertion were not infallible as they discovered that afternoon...
They agreed that the debate would be inconclusive, but, they nevertheless concluded that the assertion was debatable, especially in the context of the circumstances they were in...
Cities can separate friends physically, but one of the greatest inventions of the 2oth century, the cellular telephone, helps conversation addicts like him and her to continue to live with their innocuous addiction.
Innocuous, it really is, because, the conversation would normally comprise of anything from daily life, to work life to life in a Bschool, to philosophy, to flirting with the idea of flirting, to dreams and desires...basically (am sure you got the point sometime back!) everything.
So, everything happens for a reason. The reason for the conversation about everything was that he heard this one statement the previous evening..
"Everything happens for a reason"
So, while you are totally confused with how everything, including a conversation about everything happens for a reason; the reason being the very statement, let me now tell you about one of the most interesting parts of the conversation...
After all, this post was supposed to talk about stock markets right? Or so you had thought and then initially you had been told that the post was not about stock markets although you would be lead to believe that if you had overheard that part of the conversation...
So...now for that conversation about the stock markets...Remember, this is all light hearted, and conversation for the sake of conversation, in the true spirit of friendship and conversation...
Holy Beauty:
1. Would you show even be a 100th as concerned or caring if you had known that I was not keeping well?
2. Would you have been as caring to me?
The Namesake:
1. But, I never had the opportunity Holy Beauty! We were both staying in our homes, enjoying the care and comforts of our families and homes!
2. And I know that its a bad excuse....but its the best I could come up with spontaneously ;-)
Holy Beauty:
Yes! That's a lame excuse if you don't mind me saying that...And then you say "Its not about the legs"!! How ridiculous!
The Namesake:
But then I had made so many advances. You spurned all my advances ;-) ;-) ;-)
My life was like the bear "run" in the stock markets..
More declines than advances!
Holy Beauty:
Hahaha! (Please imagine a train that speeds past the stations of "Chuckletown", "Giggletown" and roars past "LaughterTown")..
So, where is the "Index" headed now? If the face is the index of the mind, how well are you doing the face-reading?
The Namesake:
Aaah well! Its the Sensex you gotta be talking about...After all it stands for the "Sensitive Index" doesn't it?
Holy Beauty: Hmmm...
The Namesake:
The Sensex has been fluctuating widely these days man...All indexes are, in fact! There is nothing I can say for sure...
HolyBeauty:
Patience is a virtue Mister...Although you have enough, these are testing times for you..
The Namesake:
So, it is Optimism and Quixotism yet again! The best things to "fall back on" that I have ever known!
Holy Beauty:
Look forward to the bright future...
Remember, "It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards" :-)
End of conversation
So, an "MBA in the making" and a "software" engineer can talk about stock markets alrite!
You wouldn't even know about such interesting conversations about the stock markets...Unless I had overheard it and put them here, in a long, possibly boring, and quite confusing post ;-)
If you now ask me
If "It's not about the legs", what is it really about?
What is this blog all about?
What is this post all about?
I would say, "You tell me!"..Scroll right back to the top of this page; Read carefully whats right above that Google Ad..
And yeah, "it" is not even about the Google ad ;-)...It is only above that Google Ad :-P
Before I talk about the conversation he had late this afternoon, let me take a detour to what lead to the conversation...
Lewis Carroll once said that "It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards".
Now, our "The Namesake", (For the want of a better name, we shall call "Him" thus from this post onwards...)...Our Namesake,
He had read this quote while reading random stuff online a few years ago...But, his thoughts were provoked recently by a really gentle man who, among other things, said that
"Everything happens for a reason".
Now, if there really was no such thing as coincidence; if everything was predetermined, one would automatically be curious to know more about what would or would not come one's way in the near, far and far-fetched future. One would even consider expending efforts towards changing what is to come, if Destiny was really all that believable.
However, "Everything happens for a reason" is something that got him thinking the previous evening, and tempted him to interpret it under the current circumstances and recent occurrences (and non-occurrences alike)...
That one statement, apart from sparking so many thoughts, raised several questions, three of which are worth mentioning; the rest of the questions being worth not mentioning although they were nowhere close to being "unmentionable" in the colloquial sense of the term...
Questions:
1. If Everything was really happening for a reason, what really were the reasons for whatever was happening?
2. More importantly, what was the reason for everything that was not happening? Especially all that he would ideally like to be happening?
(Desiring is not the same as deserving, he was told; but it is very human to desire, and for once, or once in a while, let us suppose that he is human ;-)
3. And, most importantly, what "all" or "everything" was going to happen? And for what "reasons"?
As would "happen to him" more often than not, that one statement "Everything happens for a reason" sparked off so many thoughts and questions, that all other things that were spoken, by that Steely Human, The Vice President of Resources; a man who appeared to have a heart of gold although he could make Steel...The Vedas, "Deserve, then desire", "Shut up and listen"..were all gems, more precious than steel or any other metal...
(If all this is too confusing, imagine the VP-HR of Tata Steel delivering guest lecture in a free flowing question-answer format, and your imagination will not be far from the truth!)
So, the previous evening had generated these random thoughts and questions..But this "raw material" had set off some "work in process" in his mind, and in light of the time constraints and scheduling specifications, he had decided to inventory the work in the "warehouse" that his mind was...
Attempts to make the conversation at 10 30 am the next morning (this morning) had failed...And he was wondering if and when the conversation would happen..
Finally, at 3 30 pm, the constraints seemed to have all disappeared, and it was time to "reduce inventory".
So, while his legs pedalled the bicycle on his way back to "the room", there was, in his mind, now room being created for some fresh air and fresh thoughts alike...
Conversations with friends can sometimes help "reduce inventory", and remove bottlenecks that often unnecessarily and unfortunately choke people's minds...
Now, this friend was "special" in the extra-ordinary sense of the term. "Extra" ordinary only because they could talk and joke about anything..With most others, it would be "talk and joke about almost anything"..But, with her, it was anything...
You could even be excused for concluding that friendship between a man and a woman, when qualified by that most abused adjective "special", almost always means that there is something "brewing" or "cooking"...
But, if you were to know that they had been over a decade now, you would probably consider labelling the relationship "Platonic"..
Well, it was more of a tonic than Platonic, because he could border on being flirtatious, only there would be no room for misunderstanding. The understanding was such that the Platonic or tonic nature of their relationship would almost certainly never change...
Again, "almost certainly", only because, the conclusion of that conversation was that
"Everything happens for a reason" is a debatable assertion...The arguments favouring the assertion were not infallible as they discovered that afternoon...
They agreed that the debate would be inconclusive, but, they nevertheless concluded that the assertion was debatable, especially in the context of the circumstances they were in...
Cities can separate friends physically, but one of the greatest inventions of the 2oth century, the cellular telephone, helps conversation addicts like him and her to continue to live with their innocuous addiction.
Innocuous, it really is, because, the conversation would normally comprise of anything from daily life, to work life to life in a Bschool, to philosophy, to flirting with the idea of flirting, to dreams and desires...basically (am sure you got the point sometime back!) everything.
So, everything happens for a reason. The reason for the conversation about everything was that he heard this one statement the previous evening..
"Everything happens for a reason"
So, while you are totally confused with how everything, including a conversation about everything happens for a reason; the reason being the very statement, let me now tell you about one of the most interesting parts of the conversation...
After all, this post was supposed to talk about stock markets right? Or so you had thought and then initially you had been told that the post was not about stock markets although you would be lead to believe that if you had overheard that part of the conversation...
So...now for that conversation about the stock markets...Remember, this is all light hearted, and conversation for the sake of conversation, in the true spirit of friendship and conversation...
Holy Beauty:
1. Would you show even be a 100th as concerned or caring if you had known that I was not keeping well?
2. Would you have been as caring to me?
The Namesake:
1. But, I never had the opportunity Holy Beauty! We were both staying in our homes, enjoying the care and comforts of our families and homes!
2. And I know that its a bad excuse....but its the best I could come up with spontaneously ;-)
Holy Beauty:
Yes! That's a lame excuse if you don't mind me saying that...And then you say "Its not about the legs"!! How ridiculous!
The Namesake:
But then I had made so many advances. You spurned all my advances ;-) ;-) ;-)
My life was like the bear "run" in the stock markets..
More declines than advances!
Holy Beauty:
Hahaha! (Please imagine a train that speeds past the stations of "Chuckletown", "Giggletown" and roars past "LaughterTown")..
So, where is the "Index" headed now? If the face is the index of the mind, how well are you doing the face-reading?
The Namesake:
Aaah well! Its the Sensex you gotta be talking about...After all it stands for the "Sensitive Index" doesn't it?
Holy Beauty: Hmmm...
The Namesake:
The Sensex has been fluctuating widely these days man...All indexes are, in fact! There is nothing I can say for sure...
HolyBeauty:
Patience is a virtue Mister...Although you have enough, these are testing times for you..
The Namesake:
So, it is Optimism and Quixotism yet again! The best things to "fall back on" that I have ever known!
Holy Beauty:
Look forward to the bright future...
Remember, "It's a poor sort of memory that only works backwards" :-)
End of conversation
So, an "MBA in the making" and a "software" engineer can talk about stock markets alrite!
You wouldn't even know about such interesting conversations about the stock markets...Unless I had overheard it and put them here, in a long, possibly boring, and quite confusing post ;-)
If you now ask me
If "It's not about the legs", what is it really about?
What is this blog all about?
What is this post all about?
I would say, "You tell me!"..Scroll right back to the top of this page; Read carefully whats right above that Google Ad..
And yeah, "it" is not even about the Google ad ;-)...It is only above that Google Ad :-P
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Running away from home; "Independence Day"...
He had always been an insomniac. We have known each other since our early childhood days, and from as far back as I can remember, sleep was something that would often elude him.
Most stay-at-home or work-from-home moms find it really hard to "contain" their kids during the summer vacations. The kids want to play out all the time, and Moms generally have a tough time ensuring that the kids don't play outdoors at least during noon times. The hot sun, in their collective opinion, harm the kids. Be that argument as it may, he was not one who would be happy playing indoor games as a kid. Not on all days at least! If he felt like playing outdoors, he would find a way out..Whether or not he had any likelihood of finding good or bad company to play, he would run away from home.
His mom would ensure that he and his Little Sister had a heavy meal every afternoon during those summer holidays. The heavy meal, she thought would be sleep-inducing enough. She would then try and put them to sleep, so she could do some work or get some rest herself. She would even threaten him (his Little Sister would only be too happy to sleep you see) with the black thick rubber gasket that actually rightly belongs to the pressure cooker...
With due respect to the electric cooker gasket and his mom, he would pretend a semblance of sleep...Waiting for his mom to fall for his pretence...He would only have to wait for an opportune moment later, and then..
Run away from home ;-)
Teenage was no different; afternoon naps were unknown to him. Even if he did nothing else or nothing useful, he just could not bring himself around to sleeping!
Sleeping, as he would say is a very healthy thing to do, and why, one must sleep for a minimum of 6 hours each night to stay healthy.
Don't get me wrong, I don't mean to fool you or anyone else into believing that he never slept beyond 6 hours.
The only point I am trying to make here is that he would never sleep unless he needed sleep; and that if he didn't feel the need to sleep, he would even run away...
Running away from home is what really brought back memories of his sleeplessness to me now...And the fact that his sleeplessness persists even till this date, and even so these days, is the other reason that "sleeplessness" and "running away from home" can be inter-related.
And as luck would have it, he has kinda run away from home now, and continues to have sleepless days and nights...
As he was speaking to his Mom this evening, he related to her about how he felt being away from home. Only that this time, he convinced her that this running away from home was justified in more ways than one...
He is out there now, playing in the sun...He had to play this game..So what if he was a grown up now? A "fully grown man" that he may be, this running away from home was the best thing that could have ever happened to him...
He has had many "Independence Days" as a result of this running away...There will be many more "Independence Days" in Delhi. Yes, May through November, including the 15th of August.
All in Delhi, "Independent" in the truest sense of the term...
And then finally he remembered that, apart from summer holidays, he used to run away from home even on August 15th every year ;-)
Most stay-at-home or work-from-home moms find it really hard to "contain" their kids during the summer vacations. The kids want to play out all the time, and Moms generally have a tough time ensuring that the kids don't play outdoors at least during noon times. The hot sun, in their collective opinion, harm the kids. Be that argument as it may, he was not one who would be happy playing indoor games as a kid. Not on all days at least! If he felt like playing outdoors, he would find a way out..Whether or not he had any likelihood of finding good or bad company to play, he would run away from home.
His mom would ensure that he and his Little Sister had a heavy meal every afternoon during those summer holidays. The heavy meal, she thought would be sleep-inducing enough. She would then try and put them to sleep, so she could do some work or get some rest herself. She would even threaten him (his Little Sister would only be too happy to sleep you see) with the black thick rubber gasket that actually rightly belongs to the pressure cooker...
With due respect to the electric cooker gasket and his mom, he would pretend a semblance of sleep...Waiting for his mom to fall for his pretence...He would only have to wait for an opportune moment later, and then..
Run away from home ;-)
Teenage was no different; afternoon naps were unknown to him. Even if he did nothing else or nothing useful, he just could not bring himself around to sleeping!
Sleeping, as he would say is a very healthy thing to do, and why, one must sleep for a minimum of 6 hours each night to stay healthy.
Don't get me wrong, I don't mean to fool you or anyone else into believing that he never slept beyond 6 hours.
The only point I am trying to make here is that he would never sleep unless he needed sleep; and that if he didn't feel the need to sleep, he would even run away...
Running away from home is what really brought back memories of his sleeplessness to me now...And the fact that his sleeplessness persists even till this date, and even so these days, is the other reason that "sleeplessness" and "running away from home" can be inter-related.
And as luck would have it, he has kinda run away from home now, and continues to have sleepless days and nights...
As he was speaking to his Mom this evening, he related to her about how he felt being away from home. Only that this time, he convinced her that this running away from home was justified in more ways than one...
He is out there now, playing in the sun...He had to play this game..So what if he was a grown up now? A "fully grown man" that he may be, this running away from home was the best thing that could have ever happened to him...
He has had many "Independence Days" as a result of this running away...There will be many more "Independence Days" in Delhi. Yes, May through November, including the 15th of August.
All in Delhi, "Independent" in the truest sense of the term...
And then finally he remembered that, apart from summer holidays, he used to run away from home even on August 15th every year ;-)
Monday, February 4, 2008
Running up and down.. Running around.. "Not so merry" go round!
Well...He did not want to complain really...After having "stumbled upon" the concept of "Victim mentality", complaining is the last thing he wanted to do...
But then, when one is made to run around, run up and down, challenged to cut through red tape, the feeling is no more akin to "Victim mentality"..It is more on the lines of anti-establishment.
"Isn't it counter intuitive? " is the one question that kept crossing his mind today.
After a point, rules don't make sense any more. May be this was all designed to test his patience.
While rules, patience tests are all very well, the one point he wanted to make was that life could be so much simpler without the red tape. Ideally, he should be the last person to complain. Some of his friends have cut through "redder tapes" ;-)
But then, he is not exactly "complaining". He very patiently did the running around and the running up and down.
And he wasn't alone. Two others for company; they were exchanging smiles amongst themselves, each one of them knowing that a B-school should ideally be the last place where one has to cut through red-tape.
But then, he was not complaining as I told you earlier.
He was only saying that it was "not so merry".
And before others thought that he was running out of "running", there he was, running up and down for a good part of the day, and that is when he thought about how he hadn't given up on running. "Running" was not to let go of him that easily either! ;-)
But then, when one is made to run around, run up and down, challenged to cut through red tape, the feeling is no more akin to "Victim mentality"..It is more on the lines of anti-establishment.
"Isn't it counter intuitive? " is the one question that kept crossing his mind today.
After a point, rules don't make sense any more. May be this was all designed to test his patience.
While rules, patience tests are all very well, the one point he wanted to make was that life could be so much simpler without the red tape. Ideally, he should be the last person to complain. Some of his friends have cut through "redder tapes" ;-)
But then, he is not exactly "complaining". He very patiently did the running around and the running up and down.
And he wasn't alone. Two others for company; they were exchanging smiles amongst themselves, each one of them knowing that a B-school should ideally be the last place where one has to cut through red-tape.
But then, he was not complaining as I told you earlier.
He was only saying that it was "not so merry".
And before others thought that he was running out of "running", there he was, running up and down for a good part of the day, and that is when he thought about how he hadn't given up on running. "Running" was not to let go of him that easily either! ;-)
Sunday, February 3, 2008
She...
Disclaimer:
1. No. I didn't post this Elvis Costello songs' lyrics for the want of something better to post!
2. I stumbled upon Elvis Costello in a pink newspaper; I don't really have a great taste for music, poetry otherwise.
3. Yes, I set out looking for a different Elvis Costello song after reading what was quoted of it in the pink newspaper.
4. No, I haven't watched the movie despite having been asked to by some friends, including my Little Sister.
5. Yes, this is part of the "But its not about the legs" idea; but don't ask me how or why!
6. No, its not because of any of what you think it could be; I don't know why or how myself ;-)
(Aah....well, I don't know fully well or for sure...I guess "I'm too confused" is convincing enough..like the "escape velocity" equivalent of statements ;-) )
7. Yes and No; this may or may not have caught my attention because of a few spicific thoughts..We ll now rest the disclaimer and get on with Elvis Costello! :P
She
May be the face I can't forget.
A trace of pleasure or regret
May be my treasure or the price I have to pay.
She may be the song that summer sings.
May be the chill that autumn brings.
May be a hundred different things
Within the measure of a day.
She
May be the beauty or the beast.
May be the famine or the feast.
May turn each day into a heaven or a hell.
She may be the mirror of my dreams.
A smile reflected in a stream
She may not be what she may seem
Inside her shell
She who always seems so happy in a crowd.
Whose eyes can be so private and so proud
No one's allowed to see them when they cry.
She may be the love that cannot hope to last
May come to me from shadows of the past.
That I'll remember till the day I die
She
May be the reason I survive
The why and wherefore I'm alive
The one I'll care for through the rough and ready years
Me I'll take her laughter and her tears
And make them all my souvenirs
For where she goes I've got to be
The meaning of my life is
She, she, she
-Elvis Costella.
And should you have any questions, especially about why I've put such a poem up, please read/reread the disclaimer, especially points 2 and 3 which basically imply that "Elvis Costello" was himself a "stumble upon" thanks to a pink newspapers, and on reading about him and looking for what else he had written, I was too tempted to post this, and I kinda yielded to the temptation ;-)
1. No. I didn't post this Elvis Costello songs' lyrics for the want of something better to post!
2. I stumbled upon Elvis Costello in a pink newspaper; I don't really have a great taste for music, poetry otherwise.
3. Yes, I set out looking for a different Elvis Costello song after reading what was quoted of it in the pink newspaper.
4. No, I haven't watched the movie despite having been asked to by some friends, including my Little Sister.
5. Yes, this is part of the "But its not about the legs" idea; but don't ask me how or why!
6. No, its not because of any of what you think it could be; I don't know why or how myself ;-)
(Aah....well, I don't know fully well or for sure...I guess "I'm too confused" is convincing enough..like the "escape velocity" equivalent of statements ;-) )
7. Yes and No; this may or may not have caught my attention because of a few spicific thoughts..We ll now rest the disclaimer and get on with Elvis Costello! :P
She
May be the face I can't forget.
A trace of pleasure or regret
May be my treasure or the price I have to pay.
She may be the song that summer sings.
May be the chill that autumn brings.
May be a hundred different things
Within the measure of a day.
She
May be the beauty or the beast.
May be the famine or the feast.
May turn each day into a heaven or a hell.
She may be the mirror of my dreams.
A smile reflected in a stream
She may not be what she may seem
Inside her shell
She who always seems so happy in a crowd.
Whose eyes can be so private and so proud
No one's allowed to see them when they cry.
She may be the love that cannot hope to last
May come to me from shadows of the past.
That I'll remember till the day I die
She
May be the reason I survive
The why and wherefore I'm alive
The one I'll care for through the rough and ready years
Me I'll take her laughter and her tears
And make them all my souvenirs
For where she goes I've got to be
The meaning of my life is
She, she, she
-Elvis Costella.
And should you have any questions, especially about why I've put such a poem up, please read/reread the disclaimer, especially points 2 and 3 which basically imply that "Elvis Costello" was himself a "stumble upon" thanks to a pink newspapers, and on reading about him and looking for what else he had written, I was too tempted to post this, and I kinda yielded to the temptation ;-)
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