Monday, September 29, 2008

Idiosyncrasy- Those typical ways !

Well the idea to write about this subject clicked when I came across this word. I liked this word, more for its elaborated meaning and I eventually decided to write something down.

I observe people, I try to understand them and then make them understand me by exercising a mutual bond. This habit of mine has led me come in close contact with so many people and rarely have I seen similarity between any two of them. Every one has their own typical ways to act, react, argue, admit, criticise, admire, love, fight, and live.
Some of them are very remarkable in their ways and leave an impression and you start identifying them by their habits and not by names.

One of this way was of a person whom I met and could not stop falling in love with. This person has a great listening capabilities and would hardly ever display his emotions. He resorts to letters or mail to get his word of mouth and always expects that others will understand him without being asked for. Well he is famous in his circles of friends and rightly so. He is like a kid whose mom takes care of him for everything and also loves him the most. However, sometimes you cannot live up to his expectation as spoken words takes the precedence and you break his heart and yours in turn. This has taken time for me to learn and implement and now I no longer need him to make me understand what he needs.

A second personality comes in mind is of a person who never shows his emotions and never even want others to know what he is going through. He is a friend of himself and do not want anyone to enter his personal circle of trust. However, he breaks down sometimes and then resorts to those with the personality of showing trust and love and thereby he confesses his guilt, his setbacks and his desires. I like to be on the receiving end of these traits but could not admire them completely more to my belief of living life in my way.

A third one is of the person who is friend to some, enemy to few, and unknown to many. He likes occasional visits of limelight but still want to keep himself bounded to the circle of few trust worthies. One takes times to enter his circle of trust and when entered can be there forever without much efforts.

Fourth one is of an anthropologist, He loves mankind and is there to help others always. He does not need any motivation of personal interest to serve others. He, however irritates his own near ones as they grow the belief of losing him gradually. He, however is shallow from the within and takes this service as a way of gaining confidence within as he has lost it quite early. I feel pity on them since it is not luck but their own acts which has led them to do so.

A fifth one is of a person who is there just to influence others by either taming them or by loving them. Actually this comprises of two traits, those who tame them forcefully and those with love. I shun those people who take wicked means to come on top, and want to remain away from them as much as possible. Also ,they are the ones who actually come across many setbacks and when they get a chance want to come on top of everything and everyone who come across. The sub category of those who use love as a means to influence others are the one whom everyone loves in return. These are people who are average in intelligence but are hard workers and without any selfish interest loves others and do charity. It is in their habit to help others in need and thereby gets lot of acclaim from many others.
A sixth and quite similar to the 5-b described above is of the person who believes words are better spoken when required in the beginning of any relationship and not when you secured the one. He helps to most, cares for many and loves to some and expects the same in return. He is a family guy and is loved by all. He is an ideal person to take to your family and also is a must in your circle to get a shoulder to cry upon and to get an ear to pour your heart out. However , the setback with this trait is they expect returns. These are hence not a very easy maintenance category.

Some of other traits are :
Intelligent but not gaudy - They earn the title of Guru and are the ideal ones.
Intelligent and gaudy- They are enforced with the title of Guru and people take benefit of them by resorting to them in need.
Accommodating- Everyone is welcomed and served. Likes to be served as well. Should have people with these traits in ur circle to enjoy time
Foolish and Gaudy- Enjoy these traits, they are the best time pass.
Foolish and hardworking- Pity on these, help them come to speed.

I believe I fall in the sixth and 5-b category and I keep trying to get the assets of 1st category.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Too many options confuse me !!

I need to do MBA, or rather I should improve on my technical skills and try for a better job and earn more by using my H1 B option or rather I should switch job at offshore and settle in some good city or I should not do any of these and keep going on with whatever life gives me and just improving on my day to day goals of learning tennis, reducing weight and improving stamina..God, someone help me please in this turmoil.

Well, as I guess everyone would have experienced, I am too confused with multiple options. I do not have my goals clearly lied down. I am on the crossroads of career and dunno where to go from here!!

Why does life gives so many options when only one can be fulfilled at a time. When I ponder more over this, I conclude that it is actually my cowardiness or lack of confidence in myself that is driving all these confusion. I am not excellent at technical skills, I agree I have learnt whatever technical skills I know, over a period of time while at job, but my roots are not deep down, they are very shallow on ground level and a mere breeze can unroot my professional tree. I try to improve upon these aspect of mine but I hardly get time to do this or rather I am not so willing to.

When it comes to pursue a business post graduation, I think am good at root level though, as a true Marwari blood runs deep down my nerves even after a good IT career. But here too the failure comes to my thoughts since the tree is without leaves or rather stems itself. I have not gathered much information over time on various aspects of life, business, and in short any and every worldly, past and current affairs. This makes me feel that I will have to do a lot of exercise to get to a point of succeeding in any personal interview or group discussion. The turmoil hence continues.

I am a H1 B holder, I can switch to any damn company offering me a good job here, I can encash this opportunity atleast, but then comes the thought of all the US recession going on, job markets getting worse and worse, and even if I get one, what my future has after marriage is a question, never answered yet..I don't know whether I will continue in US or will go back to India and get settle there itself.

Well, amidst all these dilemmas, I am continuing my present state of affairs and with whatever I have on palette, but this keeps killing me everyday as I can't concentrate on anything. I lost all my tennis matches, I am not taking care of my body and health, I am not giving much output at work too, and not doing those things which used to make me feel great like cooking and chatting to friends. I am just behaving very much opposite of what I was before.

Reading Unbound India, inspired me today with a risk taking approach of marwaris and gujjus as in Birlas and Ambanis. If I believe I can do it even somewhat, it is better to give it a shot rather than just filling white space of this blog. but stil I am in search of a trigger, a provocating thought or advice, a word of comfort for my mind, a feeling of backing me up with whatever I get in risking my career.
Can you help me out?

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Nostalgia !

Wat has happened to me, I am not the same Vikas any more !!
I can't focus on work, in fact don't feel like working anymore, just wanna take a long vacation and enjoy life as it is. I lost my concentration from so many things including writing, sports & even friends..Man I am lost..............



India trip was so beautiful but after that nothing has remain the same as I left it before. Life's killing me here in US with all new faces..Time keeps on rolling without much of personal development. I m just not liking it and feeling as if I am lost..

I do not know what to do when I come from office, I do not know whom to talk to when I m down. I think I m missing someone very dearly. Am I missing all those dear ones whom I left for my own sake? I decided long ago that I will never miss them, or at least I would pretend not to, then why I m not able to do so now. Why am I feeling nostalgic?
Why am I craving for the best times spent back in India rather than enjoying the fruits of US? Why am I longing for my fiancee, my parents and my friend??

Its human to miss and long. It is that psychological behavior of human mind that leaves impression of better times more distinct than not so better. And under those longing times the logical part of mind is overtaken by the emotional part and results in agony and pain of missing someone dear. These are the times when if someone or something tries to come near by showing warmth and love, can easily enter the circle of trust. Also, these are the times when one can be easily uprooten and taken advantage of.

Well, the best thing to do in these times is resort to old trusted friends than making any new commitments. Also, try to do things that you like apart form talking to dear ones. Its kinda jet lag which takes its own time to go.

I m sure with all these facts known to me, I will surely be over this sooner than later, However, I hope that I never have to depart from my loved ones anymore ever !

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Its hard to accept oneself's follies but easy to criticise others !!

Isn't it right?
We always find so easy to find follies with people, to criticize them even many time when they in noways, associated to your life, but that's quite human to find faults with others, then y its divine to improve on your follies?. I really hate this kinda people ..
Y can't people just admit to their mistakes and try to improve? Y can't they learn that its human to err, and its very much the human who can improve by learning lessons from his own mistakes?
When you mistake initially, there will be couple of wise men around who will criticize you for your wrong done and advise you to improve, but oh poor , the more wise you, you were busy enough to discard that and to prove that you were never wrong. Good job you did by turning the people around you not to advise anymore and thereby cutting down your path to improve. These wise men, now no longer are wise for you and instead of feeling to be fool by advising, they just ignore your mistakes and move ahead in life. In long run, TIME, the almighty teaches you in a harder way the same lesson and the same wise men were brought into picture again as a mock viewer of the show enjoying every bit of it !! Do you really wanna be one of that fool or the wise men?
Well, The phrase I believe, and I swear, this is for and with everyone that I find around, "be open to criticism". This gives you an opportunity to learn not for the current mistake but any forthcoming ones too. you can never be perfect , neither those wise men, but the mutual exchange of intellect can help you improve upon. It leaves you not with embarassment but with a goodwill of being a learner and listener !!
As is rightly said by someone, Always have the enthusiasm to do things like a fresher in the job, so that you never cut your scope to train yourself, to build yourself.
Well, This was followed by Gandhiji , this is followed by those wise men, and this should be practised universally, to really overcome many of our worries!!
Lets try to be as quick as a hare keeping the wisdom of the tortoise intact :-)
Amen

Monday, December 10, 2007

Gujaratism @ Newark Liberty Int'l Airport

It was 5:30 pm on a cloudy day of 5th Dec 2007 when I landed at EWR from Atlanta for my AI flight to Mumbai.
Filled with all exciting thoughts of meeting dear ones and few surprises, I wanted to pass this time asap. I just wanted to close my eyes n be there in arms of my parents & dear friend at Mumbai airport. Quite touched by the snow fall at Newark, I was in search of AI terminal. There was some chaos since the Delta flight from Atlanta was 1.5 hours late. Assistants were helping the passengers to find out the right way. I thought I can follow the signs and reach AI terminal, since it was mentioned to be the same terminal. I roamed for sometime, asked Security guard for the directions, they guided me for one floor down, but I was a bit reluctant to move forward and thought to reassure facts. Finally I took out the print copy of my reservation to find out the terminal and other details which very much matched where I was headed !!I stepped forward and saw directions for AI terminal pointing me to take escalator to one storey down & I took it, quite innocent to the fact that some mysterious moments are anxiously waiting for me to arrive :)


I reached the level floor, and was guided to the AI terminal, only 20 feet away but blocked by a wall. As soon as I cleared my vision, a whole new world arrived in front of me- A world full of Gujju people whether they be passengers, air crew, AI customer executives, ticketing officers, escorts, AI ground crew..all full of gujju people. I was amazed by this inflow of Gujjus in Newark, the capital of state of New Jersey & to add it, I hear this announcement about passenger needs to come to ticketing counter in Gujarati..I had a similar experience at US consulate in Mumbai when I went for my visa personal appearance, but never thought that this gujjus, sweet by nature will so gently and perfectly dissolve in an ever embracing culture of US. It was hard to determine who the native Americans are in NJ. I had to spend 2 hours there, and I was sure of this to be a different but unforgettable eve !!

I was in the queue waiting for my turn to come for ticketing and was exercising my neck 180 degrees around to get some glimpse of some gujju beauty, well I found one !!But once she started talking with her co passengers, I was taken aback !!
It was kinda being in some town in Saurashtra region of Gujarat !! I was watching many more families pouring in the Airport to depart for the homeland India, to b precise Gujarat !! The relatives & friends who came to drop were all over the place and bidding bye in native Gujju style. I eventually got to the Ticket counter wherein I was again startled when the cargo crew with no US like discipline talked to me in Gujarati !! I, then took my tickets and moved towards terminal, the security check in crew was all American, but the passengers were still Gujarati, and there started one more funny scene. The lady in front of me was not ready to remove the bangles and other ornaments when asked to pass through the metal detector, the security staff was shocked and upon insisting ,the lady argued that they are tight enough to be removed, the staff after enough discussion got frustrated and commented,' Ok mam, if this detector can allow u to go, we do not have any issues' , The lady was happy and tried moving in, & the metal detector started shouting and so the other fellow passengers. The climax came herein where the lady then removed all the ornaments with so ease and everyone including me could not control our laugh !!
I was so anxious to tell this to every friend of mine and I did the same when I reached terminal.I then had to stand in the queue to board the flight ,wherein I heard a shout of 'Hedo, hedo' from behind which pointed me to move on!! The on board crew announced the passenger with seats from 60 + numbers should proceed first along with the ones with kids. My seat # was 76 so I was ready to start, & the family behind me were the ones with kids & so they went before me, but to my surprise many other passenger with no kids also joined him as if it was a scene at a suburb of Mumbai metro. I eventually boarded the plane with all high hopes of having even more of a memorable time during the journey.
The AI flight could not take off owing to snowfall and everyone was getting frustrated !! But our Gujju families started eating the rice crackers (' Sev-Mamra') and passed it over my head to other family members seating behind me. I really could not believe that I was in this land of Liberty where the Gujjus are enjoying ultimate dominance whether it be business, profession or personal life !!
The flight landed in Paris and the french customs came to check for any unclaimed baggage. Since passengers were shuffled all over the flight to sit near by their loved members ( as always is the case with any train serving the western part of India) they found couple of such bags, One of them had a name written on it as 'Jaysukh Patel' & so did French authority announced. But they dint knew that the plane is bound to Ahmedabad, the capital city of Gujjus because they took that name as ' Mr. Patel'. At this one of the enthusiastic passenger commented that, 'Ahiyaan badha patel aj chey- Everyone here is Patel', All of the passengers laughed a lot at this. Another incidence which made this trip memorable was that no one ever followed the privacy for Air hostesses and in spite of those ladies puling the curtains every time, they went into their compartments. The passengers never tried to knock before entering it, forget about the continuous bells that they always rang !! Finally, when we landed Mumbai ,to my shock, the hostess told one of the passenger, when he commented that the service was very poor, not to ever board AI flight, since he just don't know how to behave!! I can neither forget the expressions on that hostess's face nor the hidden laughter on passenger's !!
I had all the glimpse of a typical gujju life and felt to be in India even before reaching the motherland
24 hours passed so fast..

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Family Matters !!




Of course it does and more when you are not near !!
Can't think of surviving one day without talking to at least 1 of my dear ones..
Life's all about family, making relationships and maintaining them, I am very much a social being, may be unlike many others of my age in this part of the world.
I am away from my home, from my dear ones, the ones for whom I can die , for whom I cherish to be always near me but still I am not alone. I understood the importance of having people ( preferably good) around quite well at an early stage in my life and I' ve thereby made a bunch of friends everywhere I went. These friends have been my family away from my family and have supported me quite well and have made every moment enjoyable.

Initially, I needed them, I was dependent on them, I was like a new born baby who started growing and learning and now after being an integral part of them, I am kinda self dependent so as to make myself worthy for my family. Its a feeling of being a family head, who needs to be integral but at the same time be able to virtuous enough to support everyone else in the family. I like when my parents feel proud of me, I love when my relatives look upon me as someone to inspire from, I feel great when my friends feel to come to me to share their sorrows and happiness and I feel responsible when my siblings put trust in me for everything they own. It has been a remarkable journey till date on personal front, a loving wife, a caring family, an amazing friend cum bro and a bunch of excellent friends.. What else you can ask for !!

I now have goals to achieve for my family, to make them proud. I've something to aspire for outside the personal relations now, since the relations I have cultivated will always be there with me. I m sure of it..
Lets give this new change in me, this self realization , my best shot and rise high from this superb foundation, I've laid out for myself,

Lovez' life or vice versa?


Lovez life or Lifez love, well a question that I do not have any boolean answer to..
I rather now believe both are one and the same, unless I come across some1 who can change tihs perception of mine.
I believe, one cannot survive without loving, without sharing anything and everything he/ she owns. Everyone need someone to talk to, someone to listen to, someone to complaint to, and someone to complaint for..

A pair of eyes to watch you
while you find yourself;
A hand to tap the back,
whenever you succeed;
A pair of legs to follow,
on the path of good and God;
A chick to touch and pamper,
to show that you care for;
A lock of hair to curl,
to feel the warmth when you sleep;
A touch of lips on lips,
to say you can die for;
A forehead to kiss,
to wish good luck in all endeavors;
A shoulder to cry upon,
when eyes full of pearls;
A belly to touch and feel,
the life you gave within;
A hand to hold,
to share the journey of life;
A heart to pour out,
and sink every grief of yours
A mouth to say that,
I love you

Lovez really the life and lifez nothing without love...
So all you friends, Love and let love = Live and let live !!

Desirez Unlimited..


I have desires, they are strong
I kept them hidden for so long
I was frightened by the failures
and lived to fulfil dreams of others
Never thought of living up to my own
To get the glory and endorse the crown
I was shy, I was lame
I thought of showing myself to others as a shame
I realise now I realize it hard
This is my life, I shall play my card
Only when I play and win the toss
Will be worthy then to possess
Some may reap me benefits, some loss
The path but will surely take me to the moses.

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Why?

Things happen and they happen for a reason. But I wonder why they happen at the first place, at least those things which I do not like.
Why I have to separate from my dear ones?
Why I have to listen to rubbish of my boss?
Why do I lose enthusiasm to do what I do not like to, and at the first place, why do I have to do things I do not like to..
I sometimes feel would I have done something differently which would have changed the course of things and would not have lead me to a point where I have to ask myself Why?
There are many things actually that I think I could have done or not done, but Did I knew their outcomes at that time ? No, in most cases No..So why am I irritating myself asking this question? I chose this path cos I wanted to be on this path, and now If there are some thorns on it, then I need to bear them and should be patience enough to reach the end of it. And which path would not have any thorns on it, none.. A ride will never be a smooth , there always will be some bumps and actually those bumps only will make the smooth part of ride worthy to be enjoyed.
So, here I console myself saying, Whatever happens, happen for a reason and whatever I chose to do, I should start it and work till I finish so as not to repent of not doing it at least.

Neophyte's Serendipity


The Alchemist introduced me to this phrase and I believe every bit of it.

If you are wondering what Neophyte's serendipity means - Beginner's luck.
Everything in life has a beginning and many things in life go unfinished as one can't be enthusiast till the end. But a good beginning always increases the chances of ending gracefully. And to get good beginning , one needs luck to favor him at least initially.
To cite few examples, lets start with the petite Gambling experience of mine in a casino at LV. I was hesitant to play, but wanted to try my luck, started playing and here I go. I bet for 1$ in a slot machine and in jsut 30 seconds, earned 12.5 $ and decided to quit just to make me feel that this really is what I have won. I really did, and all subsequent chances of mine resulted in loss and i eventually lost more than 25$.
Another example is of trading in Stocks, the scrips I took , gave me good returns in the beginning and to realize some early profits, I did book some profit, but then greed overtook me and I thought of waiting and see my profits grow and then at an appropriate time sell the lot.
It took me more than 3 years to get the initial profits again and I eventually sold it for lesser profit. But the early luck did put me in the game and I m still playing it ..
There can be many other examples to cite but the essence is play the game to win it ( or lose it and to decide that you are not meant for this game) and to get that early motive, the serendipty plays an important role.
Get into the game and you will surely see favor following you.