Book Review: The Broker

Book Review -> The Broker by John Grisham.

One more masterpiece by the thriller and mystery king Grisham. The broker is the story about an astonishingly successful attorney Joel Backman in Washington DC. The broker as the people in the business circle calls him, used to charge 5K per minute with a new client, before he himself pleaded guilty and sent behind the bars for 14 years. As media said, he was afraid that he will also be killed as his fellow partner Hubbard, an ex Illinois senator and a person with great influence at White house. What was that secret which already took many lives and that forced the broker to go behind the bars for 14 long years.
Well, Grisham is anything but not a science freak at least but here he brings fictitious spy satellites and the hacking software JAM to his resort.Developed by three Pakistanis, the software hacked a spy satellite unknown to many and hence could have reaped fortunes to them if sold to the one who can bid the most. And here comes our broker in picture who known for his contacts in White house, becomes the middle man to sell the software. The negotiations happened with Chinese,Israelis,Arabs along with Americans. The process in turn creates a lot of enemies all of whom wanted to get the same at any cost. The deal went good with Arabs but since others were also chasing it, Hubbard, Joel's partner gets killed in the process and this pushes Joel to go behind the bars for the charges of compromising the US security. Although, he reveals nothing and hence till the time he lives, the secret will also. As anticipated, CIA wants to bail him out and kill him, of course not on his own soil.
The pen picture of old man in his late seventies and about to retire but with ever lasting glory and guts on his side were neatly depicted to describe Teddy Maynard, the CIA director, who convinces the leaving President Morgan to pardon Joel at the 24th hour. This spreads the resting story of the broker after 6 years and Dan Sandberg, a Washington Post veteran with great contacts at every US agency publishes it as a scandal wherein the broker has paid a hefty amount to the president for his pardon.
However, things were completely different for Joel who was shifted to Italy in a town called Travisia with a fake name of Marco Lazzeri.He was then shifted to a slightly bigger University town of Bologna. He was made to learn Italian, which he hated continuously more for his depressive student tutor Ermanno. The perfection with which Grisham draw the pen picture of his characters and the daily routines of their lives and the surroundings is something to be appreciated. Italy will not be more beautiful than what Grisham has depicted through his words. The broker's attempt to learn Italian also leaves Grisham's readers to learn few of it. The concept behind Cappuccino aids in creating a picture of stranger in the foreign country forcing himself to learn it to live or to die. His numerous lunches and dinners at local cafe's and restaurants with Luigi, his CIA sent advisor cum spy also compels one to visit a foreign country and to stay there enough to learn and appreciate its culture and heritage through language and food habits and city guides.
The broker however continues to be a puppet at the hands of CIA till the time he learns the reason behind his pardon and his hiding from everyone including himself. He practically has no family now, his three wives had been nothing lesser than bitches, the only contact he has now is with his ailing mother in CA, and the son Neal Backman, who now is an ordinary lawyer in a small town of Culpeper, VA with no traces of Joel Backman on his career. Gradually, Joel learns that if he continues to live as Marco, he will be dead quite soon. But since he is also aware that he has been watched almost every moment, he cannot act openly. The broker than uses his tricks and techniques that he was quite flamboyant at when in full bloom at work. He makes a University professor, Rudolph his friend and in a uniquely plotted way reaches his son Neal for help. To do so he secretly travels to Milan int'nl Airport and hands a letter to a lady to mail it to Neal's address making her believe that its a greeting card meant for his mother and wants it to reach her before his birthday the next week as he is unable to travel after his passport has been stolen. As the letter deemed, the help comes from Neal, who somewhat perplexed, somewhat anticipated that his old father will contact him sends him a latest web enabled Motorola phone and some 2000 $ cash. Joel, who is not an internet- savvy person soon finds himself learning the new gadget and hiding it at the same time. With an encrypted e-mail account, Joel was able to talk to Neal and eventually plots his escape route. The climax however waits for the new Italian teacher Signorra Ferro who being a serious figure at one hand, is an attractive Italian woman. With the warmth of the company of a woman after 6 years. Joel keeps coming closer enough to Signorra to make her his partner in crime or escape.
Teddy Maynard, with the growing fear of the secret of the JAM software lying beneath the professional brains of the broker from the new president and with the increasing media pressure decides to leak the co ordinates of the broker to those interested before his forced retirement. CIA also tried enough to frighten Joel to get the secret, but he did not break and decided to move on. However, with the Israeli kudon(gang) in Bologna and Arabs, Chinese and Russian also suppossedly arriving soon, the broker is getting more and more worrisome and one evening after the lesson with Signorra, the feeling within is growing more and more panicking. Although, Joel already got admission to Signorra's residence after the nice feat. of rescuing her when met with accident atop the mountain ,since he learnt about her dying husband and her old mother taking care of him, he did not want to put Signorra in trouble by asking for a help. He also had to leak his originals if he wish to ask her any help , which he did not want to at the first instant. However, with his confidence with women, he decided to take this least preferred but only option and told everything about himself. He told her that he is not a Canadian and also that he is innocent enough to be trusted. Signorra already quite captivated by his chasm immediately rose to help him and offered her husband's passport and a leather suitcase and clothes to get dressed to disguise his onlookers. He was pleased to get her help and bid farewell and upon getting asked about his return to the streets of Bologna ever again, he simply told he owe one. Started for Milan, he wanted to reach Zurich, where he would meet his banker. Although the train would have taken him directly to Milan and then any rail/ road/ air connection would have taken him to his destination quickly, he decided not to leave his trail. Started in a bus, hiring a cab halfway, reaching Milan, dressing oddly again to get a 2nd disguised look, taking a train to some small town in Switzerland, getting midway at a small village, spending a short night in a deserted looking hotel, taking a cab to Zurich from there followed as a chain of incidences on his journey to the secret.
Adapted to his profession, he has always liked the quite busy attitude of the city of Zurich. He entered his vault at the bank and took out some cash, the set of CDs containing the software, wired 100K to a new account in DC and got the courtesy help with getting tickets to DC from Munich as asked to his banker. Finally he reached the most awaited moment of his second life and was at Marriott watching White House at a distance. Called his son, Neal and his partner at firm, Prats and an old friend, ex senator and ex head of Intelligence from South Carolina he went on with the entire sequence of events with him since the JAM curse was bestowed and discussed his next move wherein they agreed not to involve CIA but the Intelligence. The senator arranged for the meeting and eventually Joel got rid of the curse of JAM and was a free men now. Enjoyed his dinner with his grand daughter and daughter in law, he lived a moment he longed for when in prison. He got two passports one each for Canada and Australia from Intelligence in return but he never wanted to use them not for his own safety but he had a promise to keep, before he sleep.

Book Review : The Deception Point

Book Review : Deception Point by Dan Brown.

Huhh...8 hours of non stop reading to finish the story from 150th page to 569th..What made me do so...of course I was in clutches of the thrill produced by Brown in this fiction of his. Deception point is an epitome of Politics, Science and drama. Such a nice plot with equally well crafted execution makes it the master piece by the genius.
The story begins with the senator Sedgewick Sexton who is contesting for the presidential race and is giving tough time to the existing idealistic president Zachary Herney on the issue of overspending by NASA. Sexton's daughter Rachel is an Intelligence Analyst at NRO. One morning after returning from a forced visit to her dad, whom she has started disliking more and more owing to his carelessness, selfishness and cheating on her deceased mother, she gets a urgent page to meet William Pickering, the NRO Director. Upon arrival, she learns that the president wants to meet her immediately and has sent him his private jet for transport, Pickering warns her of her political misuse against her father and she too is reluctant. The description of AirForce one, the official Boeing of the PResident of USA is wonderful. Rachel feels awkward at first to meet the president inside his private Boeing, but as she learns that she has to be sent on a special mission, the specifics of which will be revealed only when she arrives, converts her awkwardness into amusement and curiosity. She is transported to the North Pole on a glacier called Milne Ice Shelf. In contrast to her anticipation, she finds the place surrounded by some NASA scientists. The Director of NASA, Lawrence Ekstrom directs her to a group of scientist who will further explain her, her role in a trail.
Michael Tolland, an oceanographer and a well known TV celebrity, thanks to his series- Amazing Seas, greets her and take her inside something made like an observatory where Corky Marlinson, an astrophysicist explains her that NASA has achieved a major breakthrough in the human history by finding a meteorite with fossils of life, hidden inside the Milne Ice Shelf. It was revealed by PODS, a satellite constantly monitoring the globe for signs of large-scale change and the one which was quite in controversy for its mal functioning software and over budgeted expenditures. If proved true, this discovery will bring an end to all doubts on NASA and also the presidential campaign of Senator Sexton. The civilian scientist were appointed by President to confirm the claim made by NASA before she goes into public with the discovery. Norah Magnor, a glaciologist is the only lady scientist of the group of four, the last one being Dr Wailee Ming. Norah crafts the process to extract the rock from the depths of ice and she astoundingly believes that the discovery is truly a breakthrough. However, Rachel is still not clear of her role in this entire picture and suspects that the president might use her in public against her dad.
Dan Brown has so nicely crafted the entire science around this discovery that any layman can understand the physics of meteorite and truly believe to be standing near the meteorite, feeling the traces of life in it. All the scientist are convinced that the rock is authentic and there is no doubt over the NASA claims. President is however cautious with his public appearance and wants someone to convince his staff at White House, the smallest Presidential office of the world, and who better to fit in that role than Rachel Sexton, the Intelligence analyst who has so many times previously edited the information for President. She was convinced that it will be an In house address where she will address his staff about the discovery and she does her job with perfection. At 8 PM the president decided to go air on all channels with the discovery. Tolland has made a documentary to touch base of every aspect of the discovery directly from the center. The Milne Ice shelf is now turned into a studio with media lights all over.
The same noon, in a CNN debate between Senator Sexton and Marjorie Tench, the President's chief adviser, Senator Sexton was trapped to announce in public his complete anti support to NASA and to privatize the same to save dollars for other better purposes like education etc. Gabrielle Ash, the senator's advisor cum secretory who, although guilty on her being in bed with the senator once, is a young black lady with ideals and principles who has joined Sexton as she respected her ideologies. She used to feed Sexton with all the facts about NASA spendings, her source being some stranger whom she never knew before that day when she gets an e-mail to meet her outside the White House.
Gabrielle is taken inside the White House where she learns that her messenger is no one but Trench herself who wants her to go in public with her affair with Sexton in lieu of not publicizing the proofs of the Senator's illegal campaign funding from private space agencies and the pictures of their love. She refuses and seeks comfort in her ABC news editor Yola who advises her to keep silence.
Back there onsite, Dr Ming is suspicious about something that he see in the pit dug to extract the rock, but the moment he tries to prove it, he finds himself dead, drowned into the same pit. The US secret service commando team known as Delta has been assigned the task of keeping the secret behind the meteorite intact.
Soon the other 3 civilian scientist also observe the pit but could not still fathom the truth, Norah Magnor takes the step to prove it along with the 2 other civilians in the crew and Rachel. And here starts the expected Dan Brown Trail. Norah is killed by the same commando, and the other 3 fortunately after quite a hussle escapes from their grip and get rescued by a submarine USS Charlotte. Rachel calls up president to inform him the latest happenings before he can go live to the world but is blocked by his adviser Trench who looks hell suspicious behind guarding the secret. In vain, Rachel calls up Pickering who arranges for their transport to DC to take matter into his hand.
What is that secret and who wants to keep it that way and that too with the security service commandos? Well, the first doubt goes to the President, who desperately wants to prove his NASA spending worth. The other guy can be Lawrence Ekstrom, the NASA director who wants to get his last pride. Marjorie Trench also looks suspicious since he calls up Pickering to keep Rachel out of this and wants to meet him.
The President goes public with the NASA discovery and justifies the worth of PODS. Rachel breathes air since it was not a live defamation of herself with Senator. Although set back, Sexton gains strengths from his allies who feels that the discovery has the element of doubt and that NASA's project leader of PODS, Chris Harper was not much comfortable a person to announce. Soon Gabrielle too is on hunt of truth and plays a remarkable role to get truth out of Harper.
On board of the flight to DC, the three hunters plays a riddle to solve the mystery wherein they conclude that there is something they missing to prove hat the meteorite is an imitation and that the whole story is a deception. Tolland, tries to access his ship crew to talk, wherein he learn that Xavia, his on board marine geologist has something that Tolland has missed in his documentary. With Pickering's orders they successfully divert the route to NJ coast and lands on his ship Goya. There they prove that the meteorite can be nothing but a rock formation at the deepest level of the ocean bed, The fossil is suspected to be a kind of ocean lice, something that is yet to be to be taxanomised and would have got trapped into the rock many years ago and is now fossilized.
At DC, Trench gets killed by Delta who explodes her car and are on their way to Goya to kill the rest. After some brutal fight where one delta commando out of 3 gets killed, finally the master mind has to come in picture. Rachel is shocked but confused about the intention. The NRO director then reveals the entire motive. Although academic, the means to achieve has involved many a killings and betrayals. Pickering is also eventually killed in the combat over Goya.
When Sexton learns the fact about the meteorite through a fax from Rachel, he decided to go in public with it in spite of her daughter being in jeopardy.
Despite Gabrielle's denial, he calls for the media and hands over them the envelopes containing the proofs of the deceit. Although being warned by Rachel, the greed could not let Sexton stop from throwing mud over the president and NASA. But her comes Ms Gabrielle who has lost all her faith in Sexton's ideology and smartly turns the envelopes and replace it with the copies of his illegal transactions with private Space companies, while Sexton was in talks with Rachel. The President also modestly announces the entire story to the public and seeks their forgiveness. The story ends on a love note with Rachel and Tolland spending night together in the famous Lincoln bedroom as the guest of White House.

Book Review: Unbound India by Gurcharan Das

''How a rich country became poor and will be rich again.'' This is what this book is all about.
It reflects the Indian society post independence, appreciates that of the early nineties and lays out the trajectory for new millenium from an politico-economic perspective.
It starts from the era of independence , talks about ambitious plans post independence, shortfalls of the government, attitude of Indians, the era of free market and ends with the extrapolation of the current growth.
Let me copy the excerpts of someone else's here rather than writing myself.

Das tells the stories of the major players in a period of rapid and profound change -- from schoolchildren inspired by Nehru's speeches in the early days of Independence to the current software impresarios -- and makes comprehensible and compelling the economic and political development responsible for these changes. He weaves his personal story into the larger context of contemporary history: his family's move to America in the mid-1950s, his education at Harvard, his years in India as a young marketing executive wrestling with a socialist system he feared would undermine the country's vast potential. He also shows us the reasons behind his optimism for his nation's future, among which is the exciting landscape of information technology today.

Das argues that the changes of the past fifty years have, at last, amounted to a revolution -- and it is one that has not been chronicled before. With India Unbound, he gives us a book that is at once vigorously analytical and vividly written -- an essential insider's road map to India, then and now.

The reason why I like this book is:
- It gives a good overview of the economic stand of India post independence unknown to many of my generation
- It enlists the shortfalls of Indian economy from political standpoint
- It is interesting with many stories to share like that of a child inspired by Nehru, or of Birlas, Ambanis, Bajajs, Tatas and so on..
- It is not only a critique but an overall bibliograph of Indian economy in a plain language.
- And also as said by Narayana Murthy- "I do not know of any book that describes the impact of India's economic policies on her growth during the post-independent India as analytically, logically and vividly as this one"

For more excerpts refer
http://www.ccsindia.org/people_gd_reviews.asp

Book Review : Digital Fortress

1 more science fiction by Dan Brown , which I thought of reading with my brains aside and thinking as If I am Science freshman and Dan, a professor.

Cryptography, when was in my engineering fascinated me as it is such a vast field full of challenges. You design one code and the moment later someone breaks it. It is all about permutation n combination and there is never an attempt short not to break one. However, I also believed that if the code is dynamic, it will be difficult to break and the same is emphasized in this sci-fi fiction. However, up to the expectation, Brown has tried to exaggerate to make his point clear, but it is fair to do so in a fiction. So let me give you a glimpse of this book, and by the way I liked it.

This time I am not going to write a book review of the story here with the exact characters and the plot, However will let you know a brief gist of the same.

NSA, the National Security wing of American Govt, possess a very big deciphering machine called TRANSLTR which can possibly encrypt any code by going through multiple iterations ( a value large enough per second) to get a result in considerable time. However when a code comes which is convoluted and dynamic and keeps the giant m/c busy for hours together and puts everyone of the great minds on alarm. Who has written that code, What is that suppose to serve, How can one write such a code which cannot be cracked even by TRANSLTR, all these questions come in mind of NSA director and her gorgeously described cryptographic whiz. Also somewhere in Europe is a death scene of some Asian named Ensei Tankando believed to had a fatal stroke in a public park runs parallel. The Asian is none but a key part of NSA who resigned and later on came to be known as the master mind behind the unbreakable code called Digital Fortress. A professor, who supposedly the boy friend of the whiz lady at NSA is sent to get the passcode for digital fortress from any clue or belongings left in Spain post death of the Japanese mastermind.
There are many people behind the code from multinationals to govt, but NSA has everything at stake to possess it or destroy it. Is that really Ensei who wanted to revenge on NSA who created this with destructive aim or is there someone else involved.

This pseudo sci-fi tale leads into a political trail to a bloody trail. There are good twists, some unrealistic but exciting. Enjoy the story with a touch of humor and fiction and a non science mindset. You will like it if you like the genre of mystery trail.

That's it from my end on Dan brown for this time. I have now read every one of his famous books and waiting for the next release - ' The Solomon Key'

Till then,
adios

Some thoughts

When I was in a state of toiling hard for myself, in a proces to understand myself, I learnt few things from the time I was passing in, and penned down them.
Sharing the same now, when I realize its importance even more

-> When life seems a tough job, add some excitement to it by adding some anticipation; This would go a long way in making it worth living.

-> My today is so good, I fear what the tomorrow would be like !!

-> Don't crave for anybody or anything, it makes you a slave of circumstances, rather make others crave for you, it will make you a master of your destiny.

-> Feel proud for accompilshing your duties but never let other sense your dedication for them as it may lose your self respect.

-> Silence should be practiced more as it makes you feel others in a better way.

-> When you feel that nobody cares for you, then understand that time has come that you care for yourself quitting the job of doing for others.

-> People will love you only if you love yourself.

-> Practice flattery often, that is the best way to attract people towards you and find your way out of the troubles else criticism will kill you.

-> Love and keep on loving amidst all the circumstances, it will give you good results some later than sooner.

Every time passes by

Everything in life is temporary,
Darkness of the night or brightness of the day
Even sunrise is temporary so is the sunset.

Time when going good should be enjoyed, it won't last forever.
Time when going bad should not be worried, it won't last forever either.

Every time passes by !!

यह ज़िंदगी !!

Zindagee tere gam ne hamein,
Rishtey naye samjhaaye;
Miley jo hamein Dhoop mein mile,
Chaaon ke thande saaye.

Is Zindagee ki raah mein,
Kaarwein anek bane;
Kuch ne sath diya,
Kuch ko hami ne alvida keh diya;
Har us kaarwaan se jise hamne choda,
Sikha bahut kuch, Paaya bhi aur khoya bhi bahut kuch;
Par kaarwein chalte rahe, log bichadte rahe,
Kabhi koi mila, jisey hamnein chaha, jisne hamein...
Fir bhi zindagi ab tak mazdhar mein hi hai,
Duniya ka yeh bhi ek naya pehloo hai.
Yunhi kabhi kahin meri zindagi bhi ek mod pe aa jaaegi,
par kaarwaein fir bhi chalte rahenge, log milte bichadte rahenge..
Yeh sadak hi seedhi hai .....zindagi ki


Now, when I have rached a big benchmark of my life, I feel the importance of this attempt of mine when I was a bachelor written back in 2006.
This still holds true for some who are still turmoiled by life's uncertainties.
May God grant all what they deserve.
Love for all,
Vikas

Book Review : Angels and Demons

Hahaha, whoa.. Who is this guy to write a review of one of the most successful and critically acclaimed book by Dan Brown. I know, I am no one, but I could not stop myself penning down the feelings immediately after reading this book, And here I go !
569 pages and around 14 hrs spanning across 5 days, thats what it took for me to read this fiction. I was in deep clutches of the plot wherein the characters and the mystery kept unfolding with every chapter bringing a new one every time along with. I kept talking about this for the entire week when I was into it and I am certain this is going to have an everlasting impression on every reader of it. The charisma was so great that while reading it, I was in no mood of doing anything, even the essentials took a back seat.
With The Da Vinci Code already in attire along with its screen version , I could visualise Tom Hankes as Mr Robert Langdon, the Harvard symbology art scholar and the hero of the thriller. Although, I can easily say that even if I would have been unknown to any of the other works of Brown, I would have visualised the entire book with equal ease.
With Antimatter, the author's usage of science was put to a test, however Brown's genius levelled all the barracades quite comfortably. With no doubts on the in depth knowledge of Vatican history, Brown depicted a real picture of the marvellous architecture of the city along with its pen piucture of Swiss guards and cardinals, so true as to be come out of the pages of the book and stand infront of you showing their full vigor. At the same time, the layout of the city of Rome and the four churches symbolising the basic elements of Illuminati, the secret self enlightened sect presented a treasure hunt to every reader forcing one to go to Google Maps and check & confirm the same. I could not stop myself reading the wiki of Galileo and Bernini, the so believed Illuminati masters while reading the book. I also read about Professor Langdonn & came to know that the on screen name 'Robert' was actually pointing to the Drexel professor John langdon, an expert at ambigrams. Ofcourse not to mention the spectular ambigrams of Illuminati, Earth, Air, Fire and Water along with the Illuminatus diamond. I bet everyone who read the book would have tried drawing one. I also recorded for my own personal interest, the speech given by Cameralango to the BBC reporter at the hour of ultimate crisis.
I initially had 3 people (not mentioning their names for the sake of those who have not yet read) in mind as Janus, the mastermind behind the entire conspiracy. The third ( least probable one) was removed quite early though,when he died. However, I must admit that the actual one was my second bet, and when it was revealed and the way in which it was, made perfect sense to me. It left no doubt about the motto behind the plot and the adjustment made in the same by Janus to achieve the destination.
With my second nature of finding the alternative ending or should I say no ending to any story, I analysed the entire book after finishing the same for few minutes wherein I concluded that if the deceased pope would have used object/ task based gramar in his conversation rather than subject based, the story would have had no beginning itself. There would have had no shattered confidence in faith and no science overtaking God and there would have had no Angels and Demons for us. Dan did an excellent job by din't doing it. Overall, it is one of that book which made me satifisfied from within, the one which put my heart and brain cells to equal use and the one which I can tell anyone around me to read and feel contented.

For more curious folowers of Brown, here is a link to the trailer of the movie based on the same novel supposed to release in May' 09
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd5v4yW-RKg

0ne night @ Atlanta Airport

Heading for the United Airways flight to Charlotte at 8:10 pm on a sunny day of Oct 6th & bound for Lexington for a business trip, I started from my office in Alpharetta at 5 for my home.
Dressed, had a cup of tea and headed for Airport at 5:30. The Airport is 45 miles from my place and I was sure that even in the worst of traffic, I would be able to make it in time & so did I.

I reached Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta Int'nl Airport at 7:15 pm, got security clearance by 7:30 and was at US airways terminal (Concourse D, Gate 26) by 7:45 pm. Just 100 meters before the terminal was my fav Chili’s. Quite tempted and thinking of getting no dinner at midnight when I will reach Lexington, I thought of grabbing something quickly. However once I reached there, the idea shifted from take away to dine in. I knew that I had only 15 minutes to dine, but still hopeful of making it, I stood in the queue for getting in the restaurant. There I met a lady who was greeting everyone in the queue. She was quite obese but upon talking to her about my veggie habits, she mentioned that she has also turned veggie for reducing herself. She added that daily meat diet at Burger King has made her such. She was quite joy to talk to and I really enjoyed those 2 minutes laughing and exploring new views on being a vegetarian.

I was served by a Malay lady to whom I asked for a home salad and French fries with lemonade. It was 7:50 pm when I was served. Thinking, I still have plenty time to make it to my flight, which was around 15 minutes, I ate watching AFL. At 8 pm I asked for the cheque and with few happy moments of eating something, though not the greatest of foods, I rushed for the gate 26. To my surprise there wasn’t anyone there except the on ground staff of United Airways. I still had no hopes lost since I could see the carrier still outside. Quite unaware of the fact that the gate actually closes 10 minutes prior to the departure and that entry is prohibited after that, I asked the lady to guide me for the flight. At that my thoughts came to a halt when I realized I have missed it..She said that they announced my name quite a time and that they cannot help me except booking me for the next flight which is at 5:30 am in the morning. I was perplexed as to what to do now, I had to give a presentation at 10 am in morning and the next flight is going to land me on Lexington soil at 8:50 am. I will hardly have anytime to reach to Hotel and get ready for the presentation which I was sure going to be a 2+ hours long. Along with that came the thoughts of spending the entire night at airport since I could not afford to go to a Hotel and miss my flight for the 2nd time as getting ready by 5 am in the morning was itself a daunting task.
Apart from that I was getting angry to myself for having that salad in chilies which costed me such an inconvenient night. With a second thought of trying to reach Customer care to see if they can accommodate me in any other carrier (Delta had one for Lexington at 9:30 pm). However it was a very costly affair since they could not transfer me directly to other carrier and that my (my company's) ticket for United will be wasted (costing around 750 $ for a return fare) and would have to give around 700$ one way for Delta. I decided wisely and went back to the United crew and asked them to book me for the 5:30 am flight. I consoled myself by saying that it is going to be an exciting journey for sure now and the rest was although not great was something different for me.

I found myself a seat near a power outlet so as to charge my lappie and cell phone as I was sure of making their max use this night. Also, I was carrying few of my GMAT exercises to be given, which I instantly planned to give tonight. Didn’t wanna tell this to anyone for a moment so got engrossed in GMAT exercise. However in 15 minutes, I got bored and started wandering around, a teenage girl was talking to some of her friend on the phone booth very near to my seat. With an unintentional eavesdropping, I came to realize that she is also one of my kinds today, she sat beside me after finishing her call and I could not stop confirming about her situation and hence asked her about it. Therein, she told me that she has missed due to wrong terminal map and that she has been given a next flight at 10:30. However, she consoled me by saying it feels relieving when you know that you're not the only one who has missed. I really laughed at that, getting consoled at the same time. After she left, I called up my friend back in Alpharetta to inform that I have missed. However I could not tell them the exact reason for the same more because was not still convinced that I missed my flight. Talked to my fiancée back in India and told her about the same. She, like my other friends, expressed her concerns about spending night at airport but at the same time laughed also upon my mentioning the reason for the same. I eventually decided to content it to myself.

Thinking of the 7 long hours still ahead of me before seating in the plane, I recalled the desert survival game played in ILP & checked all the options and essentials. Instantly I stood up and went to Chilies again before it gets closed. Quite contrary to the previous time, I opted for a take away this time. Took the traditional chips and chili sauce from them and went back to my seat. The water bottle I was carrying was enough for the night. I started eating some of it while watching the same AFL, live from Philips Arena. Eventually after eating a few, I got bored of it, more since I never used to dine alone, I decided to stop eating and do some internet surfing. Also was on my minds the tomorrow's presentation and the impact my spending the night at Airport will make on the same, There was no free internet connectivity, so I thought for first checking the presentation I had to give, I also informed about the incidence to the manager at Lexington, so as to keep him ready with backup plans. I went through the presentation once and decided to go back to my GMAT exercise. Did like 60 Questions on Data Sufficiency in an hour when I saw a crowd full of Airport maintenance staff around the area where I was seated, the Gate 26 of Concourse D

I could not understand what this lot of people, around 30 of them all with Red T-shirts, was doing there. Then came to know that it is their usual place of gathering since there was a room to keep all their belongings/ equipments just opposite to this part of Airport. They were quite aloud in their conversation and were in plenty, I initially was amazed, somewhat scared later on and eventually got back to my work thinking that I might be there usual stuff. I was for sure had no Enochiophobia. However I could not focus anymore on the math questions and decided otherwise, It was already 11:45 and I decided to give a call to my parents and talked to them for long, With excitement I called up my dearest buddy and informed him about the same, Quite natural to our relation, he gave me all the teasers of being a gujju, worrying about eating more than anything else etc. it was a nice little talk which cleared my brain and ticked the sleeping alarm of my mind. Therein began my hunt for a suitable place to sleep. I had no expectations of getting a cozy 4 star hotel room as was booked for me in Lexington, but still had my hopes high to get something worth lying upon. Could not find anything except a deserted cluster of chairs without any partitions at gate 24. I decided to use my bag pack as a pillow and thought of spending some hours trying to sleep. I put all kind of alarms to be sure of not waiting any more after 5:30.am. I almost woke up every hour and tried to check my watch and eventually at 4 am got up and decided to spare the rest of few minutes at gate 26 itself.
The new day saw no unforeseen incidences, I reached at 8:45 am and quite adeptly got ready and reached the conference room by 10 am, It was my first visit to Lexington and everyone I interacted with on phone were strangers to me but the moment I entered the room wherein everyone was waiting on me became quite a good scene, The presentation lasted for > 3 hrs and was awesome. In the eve I was back on my way to Atlanta. At 10 pm I reached Atlanta, looking back at the terminal where I spent my night the other day.
All in all, the day was a happening one with me boarding 4 flights a day to fulfill what I was supposed to !

The XAM Consternation

For a person who has always been phenomenal at studies and cracking exams, it was quite an absurd to think about consternation for exams. But when you will take a deeper look on the psychology of such a person, it is the one who has the maximum fear of it. The reason is quite simple, more you are aware of the potential roadblocks in the success, more you assess them for failure and in the process increase your fear for the things that may not happen in reality. However, in my case I do analyze all the situations with utmost importance to its probability of occurrence also, but I really find it as a challenge to prove myself when such a calamity occurs and I put my max efforts therein to come out as a winner
Well, a similar kind of scenario happened to me when I went to give GMAT. It was a sunny day with no chance of any thunderstorms, or heavy rains at all. I had to reach 30 min prior to the exam time of 4:30 pm on a Friday. Quite satisfied with the timings I chose for the exam, I decided to start from home at 2 pm for a 10 mile trip to Pearson exam Center. While commuting by GA 400 freeway, the Google estimated a total time of 23 min. I still thought of taking 30 minutes as was wondering what I will do reaching so early to the center. Still I did not wanted to spend my time at home doing nothing as I stopped studying a day back itself and was doing office work till 1:30 pm.

I had my lunch at 1, took a shower and got dressed up by 2, started at 2:15 pm from home. I borrowed GPS navigator from one of my friend to make sure that I reach proper destination. With excitement in my mind of cracking it and to get a good score, at least the one I used to get in mocks, I pressed Gas and the 2008 Honda civic was on the roads. I also was thinking about all the times I will enjoy after giving the exam as I was out of reach of dear ones for quite a week now, Also was in my mind, my friend who has come down from NC to stay with me for some time and today being his first day, I should have been with him more than any other day. In 5 minutes, I was on GA 400 freeway heading south for Dunwoody.

I entered the freeway from exit 11 and barely reached exit 10 wherein I noticed the brakes sign of every car in front of me. I was amazed and also was concerned with such a heavy traffic on the road with no car driving at more than 10 mph. eventually the speed kept decreasing with every yard and the vehicle got to a halt at around exit 9, me being in the right most lanes. The sirens of Ambulance, Police cabs and Fire Brigade were the next to come. The Doppler effect of the same came to a stationary level at a distance of around 1 mile from where I was. I sensed some kind of accident ahead and thought of it as a temporary situation. With all high hopes on US police capabilities of clearing the scene quickly, I checked my watch which showed 2:45 pm. With 7.5 more miles to go according to GPS and more than 1.5 hours in hand, I was easing out and tuned the radio to hip-hops. The wait time kept on increasing and now it was 3:15 and I could see the signs for exit 8 around 500 meters away.

Although was quite hesitant to take to state roads, I decided to give this a try since there was no movement yet on freeway and also I had my navigator with me to help me out with the directions. I drank some water and adeptly crossed 3 lanes and came in exit lane. The road was full of thousands of others like me and the situation looked worse here with a traffic signal at every half a mile on average. Struggling to reach on time, I kept trying whatever I could. I also tried to keep checking with my GPS navigator about shortest distance/ fastest time etc options but with no success. The final distance on the state route has increased from 7 miles now to 8 miles. I also tried with all my analytical capabilities to understand roads, which no doubt is good, and I successfully was able to commute for 1 mile on a deserted road parallel to the crowded street. But I eventually had to merge with the main street of Alpharetta highway/State route 9 and could not help myself but wait. I also, in my efforts to reach on time and to avoid traffic, took myself in every mall which had an exit opening even after 100 meters; this helped me save few but precious minutes. At this time I told myself, that it is really my time, the stage is all set for me to prove myself. I already got the challenging situation to prove myself. The exam more than anything else needed concentration of mind, and this incidence of today was more than enough for anyone to shatter the confidence.

Eventually at 4:15 pm, I was still 6 miles away from my exam center and in desperation called my friend who advised me to connect to the center and let them know of my situation. This was a wise advice and I followed it immediately. The guy who responded was quite calm and listened to me patiently and confirmed my admission if I reach the center by 5, and will have to decide at the time only if I reach after 5 pm. I assured myself that I can reach now and can make it before 5 for sure. I drove for 15 more minutes and crossed around 1 mile on that busy road. By luck or by chance, I could see now an open road ahead and I just could not stop myself pressing thru gas as hard as I could. The Civic float like air on that open road and I could just feel that excitement again. At 4:35, I was at my destination according to GPS; however I could not find the center anywhere. In the despair, I asked a guy to help me out but he was apparently new to the place as well. I again checked my navigator and this time it told me to drive 1 more mile. I was disappointed with the performance of the machine but eventually consoled myself saying after all that is bound to make some error. At 4:40 , I was in the parking and rushed to the building, As was in a hurry, instead of checking the directions to the center, I thought it wise to ask a lady who was just passing by, she took me to the directory and guided me for the 5th floor. At 4:45, I was in center and in front of the receptionist, believing I really made it and now it is on me to make this a worthwhile day.

I am not sure how many times I drove the new Honda Civic on the curb today, I am not sure how many times luck favored me today, I am not sure whether my decision of taking it to a state road was good or not, but as it turned out at the end, I did everything on time and was out with flying colors. It was truly the Neophyte's serendipity that I observed for myself today.