Change: Accept it

There comes a time in everyone’s life when a relationship becomes stagnant or job is not challenging enough, or the city simply sucks! The indications are clear and straight. Time for a change. But how many of us have the courage and wisdom to accept what we are feeling and move on? My guess is quite few. We have become so habituated to our routine life that a mere thought of change sends shivers down our spines. We have got used to what is called the “Comfort Zone”. We get stuck in a relationship inspite of knowing the fact that it is giving us no happiness whatsoever, but we are afraid to move on, even if we move on the baggage is still there with us which affects our future relationships with others. We castigate our luck when change occurs without realizing a simple fact that change brings in with it seeds of a better tomorrow. We cry over so many things which we don’t have control over; only to laugh over same thing after some years that how could we behave in such a puerile manner.

Remember one thing; life is a journey in which change is inevitable. We cry when we lose our loved ones, we cry when our relationship goes awry, but do we realize that everyday some or the other changes are happening around us. We have bought nothing to this world and won’t take anything with us when we die. Do we mourn when we cut our hair, do we mourn when we cut our nails, do we mourn when certain cells in our body die. We don’t, because we know that new hair will grow, nails will grow again and new cells will be there. We cannot be a teenager throughout our life. Childhood gives way to youth, youth gives way to middle age and finally middle age gives way to old age and finally inexorable death finds everyone sooner or later. Change is necessary for a better tomorrow. Without change life becomes banal.

So tomorrow when you are stuck in a bad relationship or a job which is making you feel sick, remember you don’t loose anything or anyone because you don’t own anyone, because what thing is yours today was someone’ else’s yesterday and will be someone’s else’s tomorrow. So just move on and come out of that comfort zone because the future is waiting for you to accept you with open arms. So get started, keep rolling, because time does not wait for anyone and no matter what the “show” must go on.

To be or not to be: The perpetual dilemma of human life

Everyday when we get up in the morning , we have plethora of choices in front of us, the first being whether we want to get up from the bed or not. We have choices whether we should do a particular thing or not, life always gives us a choice-To be or not to be, the decision is completely ours. To have courage or remain in comfort zone, to be happy or sad etc. We all know smoking cigarette is deleterious to health but people still smoke , again it is their choice to be healthy or not to be. Many times people take wrong decisions and repent, again they had a choice and more over taking decision is in our hand. Sometimes we get stuck up in a bad relationship only to realize later that it was a wrong decision.
We all make mistakes, but the important thing is to learn from it and not repeat it. We all need to be cognizant of whatever decisions we take in our life. Impetuous decisions only make us suffer later. Actions are corollary to what we think. So more positive we think , better will be our actions. It is very easy to get into comfort zone and take decisions which don’t require much courage. So guys next time when you are faced with a tough choice to make, remember 1 thing, take the road which is less travelled , because there will be less traffic and though u may struggle initially but eventually success will be yours because it takes courage to be different . And remember you have a choice-“To Be or not to Be”

Laughter is the best medicine

When was the last time u laughed heartily?? or cracked up a joke that people still remember and laugh?? Sounds difficult to remember, isn't it? it is actually difficult to recollect when we actually laughed till our wits end. We have become so used to cribbing and taking stress that we have forgottten to smile and laugh. We are always in a hurry, right from the beginning of the day, from brushing our teeth, to having our breakfast, to catch the local train, work n rushing back home that we have no time to relax. We have started taking life far too seriously and in the bargain we have become dull and despondent, our hair is getting white by the day and because of that business of hair dyers are flourshing. So people relax, dont grip life so tightly. We need to take life as it comes rather than worrying about future or remembering the past. Joke around sometimes and you will realize that life is pretty simple and not as complex as it made out to be. People with good sense of humour are always wanted because they lit up the room even when the situation is tense and their enthusiasm is very infectious and it rubs onto you. The best amongst among us dont take themselves too seriously but do their best and leave the rest to Almighty. We must never lose our sense of humor. One loses everything when one loses one’s sense of humor. Nothing’s really sacred than a sense of humor. So the next time ur stressed out, or ur boss has given u a real dressing down or ur parents are giving u “Sound” advice and u feel like running away, just crack up some witty comments on them or smile but dont allow that stress to get better of u, because life was never meant to be an ordeal, it was meant to be a joy.
P.S. I myself was a victim of stress and now I have realized its no point taking things to ur heart...

To Hell and Back and How

So after a month of hibernation, Iam back to my blogspace.Well the past 1 month was an eventful month for me. Getting hospitalized for the first time in 23 years of my life was an experience which I wont forget soon. Malaria got relapsed and matter was exacerbated by the fact that my blood count went low and internal bleeding started. It was nothing short of a nightmare. As it was an exigency case I had to get hospitalized. The entire hospital envoirnment made me feel despodent and the matter was made worse by the fact that sanitation out there was simply pathetic. I was hospitalized for 3 days and had to take 10 injections everyday for speedy recovery. My parents had flown down to nagpur and after spending 3 days in hospital I was then taken to hotel as I had become extremely weak and spent the next 3 days with my parents. I missed the entire week of my college, and with mid term exams which were coming up I knew I had my back against the wall.
The 3 days in the hospital made me realized that Health is truly a Wealth, and that there were so many people out there who were suffering much more than me. I did realize a fact that Iam truly blessed and I didnt had to suffer much, specially after looking at the amount of pain and trauma people were undergoing in that hospital. This incident has made me a bit more cautious about my health, and it was truly a hell of a experience which I dont want to repeat again. I hope someone up there in the sky is listening to me.

The return of my salad days: Life starts at IMT Nagpur

It is said that moments make memories and some memories do live with you for the rest of your life. My first day at IMT will be one such day that will remain etched in my memory for the rest of my life. When I left Mumbai for the first time in 23 years, my heart was filled with mixed emotions, leaving behind your family, friends, and going into unknown place, out of the comfort zone. I was cognizant of the fact that IMT N is a new college but I also knew it had a strong brand name attached to it. When I entered the college gate I was struck with awe and admiration for the infrastructure it had in place. I heard the chirping of birds as if they were they were telling me “ Jay welcome to this new world. Hope you have a wonderful 2 year stay at IMT”.
Then as the day passed and I started to settle down, I was told that a “healthy interaction” will take place between seniors and juniors, well I just discovered another meaning of ragging. We were given certain instructions that we had to follow or else face serious consequences. Well for some strange reasons I was pretty ebullient of this entire thing. After having worked for 2 years in corporate world and being back to college life, ragging did appear a puerile activity but I wanted to see how it goes. With all earnest the “healthy interaction” began and to be honest some activities were preposterous to say the least. The juniors were scared to hell and seniors enjoyed every bit of it. But at the end of the day it was fun.
Lectures started and all of us were bubbling with loads of enthusiasm and just getting back to my books makes me really feel that my salad days are back. Assignments, projects, case studies phew!! and the list just keeps on increasing. So here it is a brief summary of my first few days at IMT N. I really hope I can collect as many sweet memories as I can from the 2 year stay I will be having here, so that 20 years down the line when I will be sitting in my balcony with my wife and kids, I will be telling them that these were the “BEST DAYS OF MY LIFE”.

I miss U all!!

Sometimes things happen so fast that you don’t have time to ponder as to what has happened. Leaving home for the first time in 23 years and staying away from parents and friends whom you took for granted right throughout these years, I now realize what I am actually missing. Life has taken a complete turn around, just last week I was wondering where I am heading in my career and here I am at IMT pursuing my MBA in finance. Just reliving those final days in Mumbai where I wont be going for another 2 years made me realize how much I am going to miss this city and its people. I am going to miss all my friends whom I spend so much time be it in office or anywhere else, the bitching we did, the comments we passed, talks about the future and cribbing about the present, the lanes I took to reach my office, the lanes which took me to my home, the buses I took for commuting, the night life, the fast life of the city. There are so many things which I am going to miss that 1 blog wont be enough. Change is really the only constant thing in life and the sooner 1 accepts it the better. I really don’t know what more should I write because right now Iam at complete loss of words. So here I take this opportunity to say a big thanks to all the people, my parents, people from my office, people from my community, my close pals, who have made a big difference to my life and helped me to reach where I am today. No matter how good this place will be, no matter how good friends i will be making here, one thing is for certain, Guys I am really missing you all big time!!!!.

Work-Life balance

This blog is dedicated to all those souls who suffer from compulsive disorder of over working. Well in today’s world of rat race everyone is working so hard that they sometimes forget they have a family life. Money power, position is all they have in mind, well we all do isn’t it?? We work so hard throughout the day, that by the time night comes we have no time for our family. We are ebullient in the morning and equally lethargic in the night. Office issues are bought home and sometimes because of this we start treating our own family members with utter disdain for no fault of theirs. No man on his death-bed ever said "I wish I'd spent more time in the office." Watching your child grow up, spending time with loved ones, being there at those special moments in other people's lives - all these can probably give you as much joy as a deal clinched or a market share point gained. 20 years down the line when you will be sitting in your balcony on a beautiful evening, u will remember those fights you had with your friends, the laughter you shared with them, your first kiss, your marriage day, the joy you had when you became a father/mother, and not the obnoxious comments your boss use to give you throughout the day.
"What would you do differently if you knew you had only six months to live?" We could all probably answer that one quite easily (spend more time with the family, play with the kids, take off on that vacation to the hills, write that book...). Alas, none of us really knows when precisely we have only six months to go. So guys promise yourself one thing that you will balance your life in a such a manner that your family and close friends are not neglected one bit. Remember you can change your job upteen times but not your parents because of whom you are here!!!! So go ahead and start spending time with your family and friends and enjoy the magic called LIFE!!!

Life and times at 2nd floor south tower east wing

It is said that change is only constant thing in life and that reality bites hard. When my group left the department I realized these emotions. We were group of 8 people and all boys or should I put men, and I was the youngest among them. Our daily routine involved drinking tea at 10am, going for lunch at 12:30 pm, going for snacks at 5 pm and yes we found time to work also. The fun and frolic we had was unmatched and our group was the soul of our department. It was the most affable group where none of the member had an attitude. Today when I look back at those 2 years I only smile but somewhere down the line there is a sense of grief too. It is hard to accept that Iam alone now in my cubicle and when I turn around to see who all are there I find nothing but empty seats. I am going to miss all those preposterous talks, the puerile comments and yes being the youngest I got far more attention than I desired but I am not complaining, copious advice from everyone as to how handle boss and my career. I am also going to miss how we pulled each other’s leg all the time, the feedback session and yes the drinking session which use to be convivial gathering of sorts and the bitching session we had everyday without fail. We shared our sorrows, our angst, our laughter and today I don’t have any one to share anything, seats have become empty, life is there but soul is missing, I need to move on in life and so are my other colleagues. No one knows how our life is going to shape up, some of us may move to different company, someone will head to some or the other department, some may go abroad but one thing is for sure we will always think of these 2 years as the most memorable times of our life. The ruckus is missing, the chirpiness is missing, the bitching is missing and life too is missing and now life will never be the same again at second floor south tower east wing.

P.S. South tower second floor east wing is the place where I sit in my company.

Moral Police: The founders of Banana Republic!!!

Meet the new Gods of 21st century....give them a round of applause and a standing ovation for they are the ones who are deciding whether we should celebrate valentine day,what we should wear, which channels we should watch and what not. Are these people some reincarnation of some saints of 17th century?? but one thing is for sure they have opinions on anything and everything. They are the Indian talibans, FTV was banned, why, because it is anti Indian to view such cheap channel where models are showing off too much, they tried to ban AXN because of too much violence...and yes the real police how can I forget them, banning couples from getting cozy because again it is anti Indian to do so, sex education is being banned in schools because the book on sex potrays explicit contents which is harmful for kids....gosh...lets get real guys....we are nothing but bunch of hypocrites...we are sex starved nation hence the most populous country on this earth after china....aids is spreading like fire and we want to ban sex education...every second day some violence breaks out in our country but we will ban Axn for violence, which is so preposterous. The so called moral policemen will register cases on films which shows some smooches(remember Dhoom2 and now Richard Gere and Shilpa Shetty saga) and courts are one step ahead they will summon them to court but there are other 1 lakh cases pending and nothing will happen to them. But you know what, ogling at women, trying to touch them in crowded places, itching genitals and urinating in public is what makes U an Indian, the whole world is a toilet for Indian men. Also asking for dowry, raping women in broad day light is what makes one an Indian, but courts will show alacrity in registering petty cases of obscenity and kisses and our so called moral police will approve that but they wont raise their voice over corruption, over poverty, over injustice that is being meted out to so many people and the list goes on. These talibans complain that west is defaming our culture, is our culture so weak that it will get ruined by these petty incidents?? Do you guys follow any culture?? God if you’re listening to me please give these jerks salvation once they die, we don’t want these people to be reincarnated again!!!!.

Woh lamhe: Some memories live forever.......

There comes a time in everyone's life when u experience some unforgettable moments, which leave an indelible mark on ur psyche. Its also v rare to find people and gel with them so fast that u start to believe u knew them for years! I met such people on my trip to pune. My trip to pune was divided into 2 parts of 3 days each, the first one where I introspected myself as in where I am going in life and the other part was a training on managerial effectiveness which was complete fun. We were 18 of us but we made a group of 4 which included 2 guys(jb and ka) and 2 guls(pk and kk) and the rapport that got built among us was simply unbelievable. Right from day 1 we started having fun, we played cards, we danced, went out for dinner, slept only for the sake of it and between all this we found time for training also. I found both the guls of exceptional perspicacity, which is very incongruous...., Ka's sense of humour rather puerile but acceptable and of course my own mood swings which will put any woman to shame(pun intended)...the best part was we enjoyed more than the previous day....i cant forget the innocent 1 liners from kk, which made us laugh till our wits end, pk's expressions and her talent for massaging, ka's propensity for pj's, my health which detoriated for some minutes and pk's concern for it...i never asked her but she voluntarily helped me, the dance we did at 2am on bhidi jaliyle, yes I finally danced...and yes our desire to dance in a disco remained a desire....and 5 of us returning back to our hotel in 1 autorickshaw..phew. Then the final day of our training came and I dont know somehow i felt iam going to miss something big time, I realized the time to say good bye had indeed arrived. No body showed emotions but our hearts had become heavy and I realized all good things have to end and this too had to end,we had to part ways, I don’t what is in store for us,i dont know where our lives will take each one of us,I dont know 5 years down the line where we will be, I don’t know how many times we are going to meet again, but 1 thing I know for sure that we have become friends for life and we will be there for each other whenever need arises. And yes those moments we shared together have become memories and will live with us forever because memories make a journey called LIFE!!!!!!

Humility: A timeless virtue

”Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance” so goes a saying. What makes humility so desirable is the marvelous thing it does to us; it makes us feel closer to God. Humility is one virtue which separates a good human being from a great human being. It is very easy to feel on top of the world when the going is good. But how many of us have it in us to remain rooted to the earth when the times are good. Just some weeks back there was a photo of Narayan Murthy sitting on footpath of his Mysore campus waiting for the President to arrive. That picture spoke so many things about the man, about his humility. Truly inspiring. We need to remember one thing that when we are climbing the steps to glory we need to show humility towards people who are not as fortunate as we are because when we start coming down we will meet the same people whom we had met while we were going up. If you want to become truly great you have to stand with the people and not above them. That is a mark of a truly humble and a great person. Pride only makes us artificial because both success and failures are ephemeral and are nothing but mere illusion but it is the humility which makes us real. You will be immortalized in the eyes of the people because of this noble virtue. So the next time when you feel on top of the world, success is kissing your feet, dont fly, dont feel proud, just be rooted and just be humble and the world will be yours forever.

Australia: Mortals or Martians??

Let us summon the FBI, or Interpol or for that matter hire some top detective agency, man I want to know what is the secret behind their ruthless form and why other teams look like amateurs in front of them. Are these people from some other planet or they are also normal mortals who breath in oxygen and breath out carbon dioxide...let FBI do that investigation The other teams will require powers of Jadu(ala Koi mil gaya) then it will be an even contest i.e martians vs martians, else same story will continue to repeat..Ok on a serious note no team even came close to beat them,in 2003 at least England and New Zealand came close(remember Bond took 6 wickets!!) but in this WC they won always by a margin of 50 runs or more or 5 wickets or less…..Glen mcgrath and company did not even batted once…..and in every match the same old story was repeated…and yes their average age was 32 years whovever said that that it was a dad's army..doesnt matter any more…bottomline they were simply the best. Gilchrist wooaha I just don't have adjectives to describe him, his halcyon years are behind him but he batted like a 18 year old, fearless and ruthless…..Thank God India lost in first round and did not reach the finals else some more window panes would have been broken and media anyways they have nothing to do, whole day India's debacle would have been dissected on every news channel….Neways my hearty congratulations to this team. May u start losing matches may your bowlers and batsmen get loose motions in next world cup final which u guys are neways going to play.

P.S. If u want to beat this team in next WC in India please mix some spice in their food…at least we will hope that they wont be in a position to play and by default other teams will win….till then FBI its all yours please start investigations….

Count your Blessings: A sure way to live longer

“I cursed the fact I had no shoes until i met a man who had no feet." So goes a persian proverb. Do we realize that how much blessed we are? We berate ourselves for not owning a car, a big house, a good looking spouse, not enough money, not enough salt in the food so on and so forth. But do we realize that there are millions of people still without home, countless number of couples separated through divorce or death and their kids getting affected, millions of people not having good health, millions still starving to death. It is a human nature to curse for things we don't possess until we have lost it all, but we need to realize that a rich person is not one who has most, but the one who needs the least, easier said than done, but not impossible. Every day we hear news of children dying of malnutrition, being sexually abused, Aids virus killing more people than terrorism, India being one of the haven for aids, farmers committing suicide, and what we do, we berate the long traffic signals, we get depressed when sensex falls, we waste time on jealousy and the list of dissatisfaction just becomes bigger by the day. Instead we should thank God for giving us this wonderful life, a proper body with no deformations, parents who take care of us all the time and allowing us to live this day without any fuss or fear to experience another day in this beautiful world. So the next time when you want to complain for not having a big house or not having a beautiful spouse or tasteless food just put yourself in shoes of the person who lives on road or of a widower/widow or a divorce or that of a hungry human being and you will realize the difference. Celebrate the blessings you have and you will realize how fortunate you are.
P.S.- Even I am one of those mortal who sometimes complains for petty things but I am making a sincere effort to overlook them and count my blessings instead. And trust me it is working. It has helped to change my outlook towards lot of things in this life.

Media's Day Out(20 April 2007)

Take a bow!! Indian media has once again done us proud by showing news that is out of the world in the literal sense and simply mind blowing again literally. By showcasing Abhi-Ash wedding saga for the entire day on 20 april 2007 they have once again proved that the days of responsible journalism is a thing of past. What relevance this news has to a common man? The height of absurdity and irresponsibility just goes on increasing with each passing day. Were they even invited for the wedding??These guys can do anything to get their TRP's soaring.What did the bride and bridegroom wear, what jewellary was worn by bridegroom, who all came, who all were not invited the Jhanavi kapoor saga which was totally out of the blue and given unnecessary footage and so on and so forth....This is insanity at its very best. The next day all daily newspapers carried this story as their headlines. Does this story deserves so much attention??Couldnt it be put on 3rd or 5th page?? Every news has become a breaking news for the channels...from sneezing of the Prime Minister to the breakup of an actor with his/her girlfriend/boyfriend. Can we call this as responsible journalism?The media is hell bent that they will not show or print anything which is of relevance. The media should realize that they have power to influence people, that they can change the course of history. Today every news channel has become a mirror image of another. If any media person is reading this blog I would request you to please get real and give news which will be helpful and informative to anyone and everyone. Jago mediawale Jago(Ahem for a good purpose).....

P.S. I have nothing against the media but the irresponsibility that they are showing just drives me crazy....(Crazy Kiya Re)

Why Blogging??

Phew ...Blame it on months of rigorous prep of GD/Pi for B schools where I had to prepare for Questions like WHY Mba, WHY finance??, WHY XYZ school?? well Iam still Possessed by such kind of questions and now WHY blogs?? I have discovered a hidden talent of mine, guess it wasn't that hidden for my school buddy KJ, who suggested that I should write my thoughts down and i do realize writing helps me to vent out my anger and frustration for things/topics I strongly feel about rather than breaking people's head or even worst breaking window panes(ahem I need yoga classes to reduce my anger). Well i really dont know how my blogs will shape up but iam sure they will evoke some kind of emotions or reactions....I hope my grammar will improve or else I will keep on blogging...