Miraculous knowledge

Albert Einstein once said….

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.

I think we often tend to choose the first way. Miracle by definition is a wonder or a supernatural happening for which we have no explanations. It directly results in powerlessness…. "The inability to control”. The tendency on our part to rationalize everything is leading us to become more and more implacable. Nothing satisfies us now. We want simplified answers for everything.

I’d like to believe that earth rotating on its axis is a miracle. I’d like to believe that the cycle of seasons is a miracle. I’d like to believe that the weather systems are a miracle. I’d like to believe that the working of cell phones, TV, my car, my computer…. are all miracles. I’d like to believe that human mind is a miracle. I’d also like to believe that you and me living, existing and prospering on the face of this earth is a miracle!!

However, this is all at the cost of being labeled as ignorant or uneducated! And I’m not too sure if I want that…So I tell myself to believe that there is an answer to everything even though I might know it…. but I pretend I do!! I pretend I know why the earth revolves, why we think the way we do and why we exist! Heck …I even pretend to know how my mobile works!!

Its all about being in the circle of knowledge…. the comfort zone!!!

Talking of which…. here’s a piece of news !! I’m being pulled away from mine…(Read Delhi) and being put in a totally alien world (Read Kolkata ) ….and that all thanks to my new job!! I like to look at things positively…but I ain’t seeing too many positives coming out of this. I guess you gotta endure what you can’t cure! So Kolkata…”Here I come…and u better treat me well!!”

Obscure Realizations

This is something that I had been thinking abt writing for a long time. The other day while talking to sumone I realized that the previous post gives out a sense that I did not enjoy my time as a member of the placecom. And I had to set it right. I gained a lot…a lot more than I think I was able to give back.

The earliest memories I have are those of standing outside ‘Chanakya’ for the interview in my green shirt feeling lost and wondering if it was the right thing I was doing. I was sure that I’d get in if….. IF I wanted it. I had heard a lot of stories abt it….some true, some false! The responsibility it involved, the effort it required, the time it needed. More than my capability, I was doubting my willingness. I was a totally obscure entity at IMT till then. I had chosen to be that way I guess. The only driver for me was doing it for the people I was standing up for. They deserved it…for their efforts, for their money, for their futures. Maybe they deserved better!

The initial few days were strange for me…I felt unusually out of place. It seemed that everyone knew everyone else except me! This was the ‘reward’ of obscurity. The first task was that of choosing the junior placement committee. And man was it a task….I would never forget those all nighters!! I guess I just went through the motions then, without knowing what I expected outta myself let alone the expectations of others! Am sure people were disappointed in me after that!!! I was too…! But hey..I was learning.

And learn I did…loads of things..! The bunch of people I worked with were wonderful and I learnt a lot from them….each and everyone of them were unique….! Here’s what the 6 months taught me…Let me know if u agree with them!

• Don’t give in until the very end…as they say…until the fat lady sings!

• Don’t ever shy away from taking tough decisions….some of which might even seem unfair at that time.

• Whatever you say, you have to manage your image in a positive manner..!!

• Enjoy small victories!

• Always try and walk the middle path…it’s the smart thing to do even though it might appear cowardly to others.

• You gotta be tough at times and you have to ‘show’ the displeasure. Else you get branded as a “softie”.

• Never let personal interactions decide your professional relationships.

• Always be prepared for criticism and take it constructively.

• PRIORITIZE

• Think big and achieve bigger!

• Work hard…and be visible when you do!

• If you aren’t an asset to the team, you are a liability!!

Quarantined SLOGging

Life’s Weird….

The same time last year I was neck deep into my project SLOGging my a** to get it going. The SLOGging worked and my project ended fairly well. I came back to my college content and satisfied …my chip up and the head held high. I thought now’s the time when I can lie down and relax. Life had other things in store for me! Of all the twists that I’ve ever had in my life this was the biggest and I’d say the most painful.

I got into the placement committee (affectionately called the placecom). To this day I fail to understand what made me sign up for it. I thought that it was the stupidest thing that I doing…(I didn’t change my opinion until the day I got into Bharti). I had to SLOG again!! Classes, the placement trips, the calls to companies, the projects, the assignments, the late nights, (or should I say the early mornings), the ‘meetings”, the deadlines and worst of all the skyrocketing percentage…. (In the unwanted direction I might add…DOWN). I always wanted to run away from it all!

Along came December and the excitement amongst everyone grew. N I was still SLOGging…almost! 24^th of December…my first interview. I suddenly realized that I had forgotten to SLOG where it most mattered…studies!!

The company…Satyam…I was generously humiliated in the interview…ripped apart!!! I am glad I was…. coz that’s when I began to SLOG…yet again!!! (U’d think my life was a one-day international and I was in the 50^th over). Two people helped me pull through… I wouldn’t name them but I think they know who they are!! 28^th …the D-day…. that’s the last time I remember that I SLOGged…. 3 companies…3 interviews…I’m glad I got through this one…

Life after that has been an awesomely slow moving river. From the Goa trip to the classes to the projects to the exams and the convocation…. not once did I put in any efforts. As I sit here today and look at what I’ve been doing…(all those people who think I’m having a good time…read on…).

I am basically restricted to my room with TV that has nothing on ever, ever busy friends ( I don’t blame u guyssss), computer with a filthy net connection and books which I never read and nothing better to do but to lie down on my back and look our fan.

(P.s. I even caught myself trying to count the number of revolutions the fan was making a couple of days back which basically was the snapping point and it prompted me to write this…..)

4^th month of no efforts and total vellapan…! I look at this and then look back at my last year…. and wonder…what is it that I enjoy more?? N I have no answer….do u??