Just two more hours for the huge football fixture of "Barca Vs. Chelsea". Last year this fixture was an absolute stunner. Today, for the whole day I did nothing more than make a list of work that is to be done before my week long deccan trip.
Instead of writing this blog I should try to wind up some work from that list.
Last year during the morning of the match, I had that IIM A interview. I pretty much screwed up the interview when I said "I've been waiting for tonight's match more than this interview". What fool I made of myself in that damn interview, sitting in front of that panel with that :D type of smile.
Yesterday's Arsenal vs. Real match was not that fun. I've a feeling that today's match will also be a let down. Jab bhee kisi ke leeye bahut excite hoke wait karo, it always lets you down.
Yesterday I also went for a Ghulam Ali show, it was also a let down. Ustad sang only two songs which I had heard before. However bad you sing there is no fun in music concert if you can't sing along.
Today i was having lunch at HFC with usual ppl, I made a comment which I think is worth writing. "Those who have girlfriend(s) usually have lot of problems. Those who don't have just one problem: "Damn! I need a girlfriend"" :)
One hour fourty five minutes left.
ta ta
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Keertan Rock Concert
The best part of having your own business is that you can pick your weekends.Today, on saturday, I'm here in office after my weekend break at home. With Pitashri's guruji visiting home, it was a kind of spritual break.
I attended a keertan yesterday. Despite my best efforts I could not make any sense of the lyrics the lead singer was singing, for me it was like a rock show. I could not help, but notice the similarities. Much like rock, music was prominently based on beats. Mridang & cymbals together produced distincly evident sound, very similar to that of a drum. There was definately a bass guitar type background sound. I'm not sure where it was coming from, perhaps it was the ghurrr ghurrrr disturbance from the loudspeaker system coz it was played in a room much smaller than it is meant for.
Headbanging started soon enough. Initiated by some babaji type people who were most definately high on hashish. And I've reasons to believe that they did go out for mid performance round of grass. Then they were joined by those awkward uncle jee's who were trying to get in to the 'rock club'. Some popular numbers were greeted by audience with wild roars, special effets were added on those numbers with some people throwing rose petals on audience. The saffron dress code definately looked better than those black eminem t shirts. By the end of the performance the whole crowd was dancing and head banging. And it wasn't like the "shadi dance" in which people keep pulling each other on dance floor with the motto "you cant stand in the corner, while I make fool of myself".
I had the feeling which I always have when I attend a rock show, feeling of pity on myself for being unable to appreciate the music and let my hair down to the beats of the drum.
I attended a keertan yesterday. Despite my best efforts I could not make any sense of the lyrics the lead singer was singing, for me it was like a rock show. I could not help, but notice the similarities. Much like rock, music was prominently based on beats. Mridang & cymbals together produced distincly evident sound, very similar to that of a drum. There was definately a bass guitar type background sound. I'm not sure where it was coming from, perhaps it was the ghurrr ghurrrr disturbance from the loudspeaker system coz it was played in a room much smaller than it is meant for.
Headbanging started soon enough. Initiated by some babaji type people who were most definately high on hashish. And I've reasons to believe that they did go out for mid performance round of grass. Then they were joined by those awkward uncle jee's who were trying to get in to the 'rock club'. Some popular numbers were greeted by audience with wild roars, special effets were added on those numbers with some people throwing rose petals on audience. The saffron dress code definately looked better than those black eminem t shirts. By the end of the performance the whole crowd was dancing and head banging. And it wasn't like the "shadi dance" in which people keep pulling each other on dance floor with the motto "you cant stand in the corner, while I make fool of myself".
I had the feeling which I always have when I attend a rock show, feeling of pity on myself for being unable to appreciate the music and let my hair down to the beats of the drum.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
How to do something you like?
How to do something you like?" is the latest post on the blog page of Paul Graham.
This guy is has an amazing clarity of thoughts, its a delight to read him. I'm sure, if he publishes a book compiling all his articles that would be an instant best seller. Thats the reason I keep visiting his website and quickly read any new post before he decides to publish them and removes from the internet {Waise now as I'm thinking over it, I'm realising that's a really stupid botheration in this age of open source}. Anyways in the article he explains why most people are not able to do something they like despite the fact that its most obvious thing to do.
He talks about three powerful forces leading us astray. The first is the conditioning that we get from childhood that work is supposed to be pain. My inherent lathargy and reluctance to work in general on painful and boring stuff has saved me from this conditioning. The second force that he mentioned was money. It sure is a powerful force but since I'm working at a job which pays me much less than what I can earn otherwise, I think this force hasn't affected me much either. This I believe is due to my upbringing in an environment in which money was treated the way it should be. It was not something which was very important, neither it was something which was to be treated with disrespect. It was just a thing to buy food, clothes and video game coins. The third thing he mentioned was prestige. Well prestige does have its effects on me. Sadly, I do think about what other people will think about what I'm doing. That's the reason I've not been able to take singing classes despite a deep desire to be able to sing aloud without feeling embarrassed. He defines prestige as consideration of what people other than your friends will think. As I'm writing this blog I'm thinking what some random person reading it, will think about me. Mr. Shishir Gupta get this phony prestige thing out of your mind.
One thing that Paul mentioned in his article was really heartening; if you don't know what you like then that's not such a serious problem. What the hell do I like? I remember myself, in my early teens arguing with my mother why being a movie director is not such a bad career choice. That's one job that has fantasized me since childhood. Later in my life when I realised, other tertiary advantages of the job, like casting couch, that further added to the charm. Lately I've felt that had I been born around Manchester or in Brazil I would have been a professional footballer. People who have seen me play will find this really funny, but the fact of matter is that I really enjoy it. I started very late, when I was already 22 or something. I feel that in the limited time that I have spent on football field, I've learned alot. I'm at the right places in the ground at the right time, I've developed decent ball skills, I can run fast with the ball. The most important thing is that I really enjoy playing. But who doesnt? Every other person would like to be a movie director/footballer/fly jet planes.
I don't think I've met anybody in my life so far who genuinely loves his job. May be Anjum Rajabali, the scriptwriter I met did, but he took his time and did lot of ping pong thing in his career to finally get on to scripting. I thought KD really did, reading his blog I realised that he is also searching. The suggestion made by Paul that early in life you should choose a job that enables to do a lot of things, makes a lot of sense. I felt really happy for my current choice after reading the article. In a startup company there's lot be done and you can choose what would you like to do. Had I continued with my job or gone for MBA that would have been really sad. Hurrrah.. I made a right choice, and I'm not doing bad compared to people I've known :). Articles by this guy has always this elating effect on me. He kind of validates my attitude toward life, which I myself would never be able to do.
This guy is has an amazing clarity of thoughts, its a delight to read him. I'm sure, if he publishes a book compiling all his articles that would be an instant best seller. Thats the reason I keep visiting his website and quickly read any new post before he decides to publish them and removes from the internet {Waise now as I'm thinking over it, I'm realising that's a really stupid botheration in this age of open source}. Anyways in the article he explains why most people are not able to do something they like despite the fact that its most obvious thing to do.
He talks about three powerful forces leading us astray. The first is the conditioning that we get from childhood that work is supposed to be pain. My inherent lathargy and reluctance to work in general on painful and boring stuff has saved me from this conditioning. The second force that he mentioned was money. It sure is a powerful force but since I'm working at a job which pays me much less than what I can earn otherwise, I think this force hasn't affected me much either. This I believe is due to my upbringing in an environment in which money was treated the way it should be. It was not something which was very important, neither it was something which was to be treated with disrespect. It was just a thing to buy food, clothes and video game coins. The third thing he mentioned was prestige. Well prestige does have its effects on me. Sadly, I do think about what other people will think about what I'm doing. That's the reason I've not been able to take singing classes despite a deep desire to be able to sing aloud without feeling embarrassed. He defines prestige as consideration of what people other than your friends will think. As I'm writing this blog I'm thinking what some random person reading it, will think about me. Mr. Shishir Gupta get this phony prestige thing out of your mind.
One thing that Paul mentioned in his article was really heartening; if you don't know what you like then that's not such a serious problem. What the hell do I like? I remember myself, in my early teens arguing with my mother why being a movie director is not such a bad career choice. That's one job that has fantasized me since childhood. Later in my life when I realised, other tertiary advantages of the job, like casting couch, that further added to the charm. Lately I've felt that had I been born around Manchester or in Brazil I would have been a professional footballer. People who have seen me play will find this really funny, but the fact of matter is that I really enjoy it. I started very late, when I was already 22 or something. I feel that in the limited time that I have spent on football field, I've learned alot. I'm at the right places in the ground at the right time, I've developed decent ball skills, I can run fast with the ball. The most important thing is that I really enjoy playing. But who doesnt? Every other person would like to be a movie director/footballer/fly jet planes.
I don't think I've met anybody in my life so far who genuinely loves his job. May be Anjum Rajabali, the scriptwriter I met did, but he took his time and did lot of ping pong thing in his career to finally get on to scripting. I thought KD really did, reading his blog I realised that he is also searching. The suggestion made by Paul that early in life you should choose a job that enables to do a lot of things, makes a lot of sense. I felt really happy for my current choice after reading the article. In a startup company there's lot be done and you can choose what would you like to do. Had I continued with my job or gone for MBA that would have been really sad. Hurrrah.. I made a right choice, and I'm not doing bad compared to people I've known :). Articles by this guy has always this elating effect on me. He kind of validates my attitude toward life, which I myself would never be able to do.
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Why I'm getting on to blogdom and other related issues
What sense does it make? The blogging thing?
What purpose does it solve?
If you have to write why not on a word processor and keep it in your hard disk?
I think these were the questions that kept this phenomenon of blogging from catching up, much before than it actually did. Its imperative of every blogger to answer these questions (to himself atleast) before start posting. My answers are not philosophical, they are more to do with convenience.
What purpose does it solve?
If you have to write why not on a word processor and keep it in your hard disk?
I think these were the questions that kept this phenomenon of blogging from catching up, much before than it actually did. Its imperative of every blogger to answer these questions (to himself atleast) before start posting. My answers are not philosophical, they are more to do with convenience.
- It's so damn easy.
- I'm of the kind who like to travel light in the journey of life. Species of my kind like to keep minimal load attached to us. This web thing is a real blessing; a lot of stuff collected during the journey can be kept virtual.
- I would have to write well, with proper thought and all. Its there for everybody to see, I need to cover up my stupidity with proper rhetoric.
- It's a nice timepass. Vella that I am, it gives me something to be occupied with (something i like)
That was cool. I came up with good unambiguous reasons. Perhaps not in the right order, but I think they are more or less the top 4 reasons. Writing does make your thoughts clear.
What would I blog about?. I think the title 'phatte' of the blog does gives some clarity on what I intend to write. The fact of the matter is that whatever I write, I would like to be read. There is no real fun in writing if people are not willing to read you. Easier said (read written) than done. Other than that I can not decide anything. I believe that decision should be made only when there is no other choice but to make one. Its like a corollary to "Don't fix it, if it ain't broken". This is one of the golden rules of my life.
Why 'cacofnix'; well that’s becoz of one my other golden rule, which says “ Use cacofnix as a web identity, wherever a login is needed”. It’s not that I’m a paying homage works by Goscinny & Uderzo(I'm just a smalltime fan); neither do I identify too much with the character cacophonix (I just sing like him). The thing is that either my given name is very common or there is one particular bastard by the name of Shishir Gupta who has taken up login at around 300 terabyte data on world wide web. Whatever is the case now I don’t even bother to try out permutation and combination of my name, I simply resort to cacofnix to save time and energy.
Why am I answering all these non essential and un-interesting questions? They are more to get me moving and start posting.
Chalo then, bie byes.
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