I bought a laptop, early January with a sole idea of getting back at video editing. Why a laptop? Because of my nomadic nature. Well, with night shifts and stormy personal life, I couldn’t concentrate on my passion. Now that I’ve enough of free time at hand and the fact that cooking is taken care of by my Mom, I decided to dive into editing. I transferred videos of my trip to Disneyland (Paris), southern Egypt and Christmas markets in Aachen and Dusseldorf (Germany). This weekend, I concentrated and produced the first edited tape. It is just a great feeling that I get about editing. Going back on the sweet memories, adding narrations, titles and music all adds a flavor to it. Mom watched the finished tape and we had lots of discussions on each of those trips. Isn’t it fantastic to show case your ventures and trips to your family? I feel so.
Category Archives: Life is like that
Networking
Have you done things that are out of your regular nature? Well, that is what I did yesterday. I attended the inaugural OpenBC meet in Chennai. I don’t go out of my way to meet people. All acquaintances and friends (including those who hate me) are in a way or the other connected in the regular walk of life – college mates, office colleagues, friends of my sister and so on. Well, I joined OpenBC because one of my Belgian friend invited me to join. I wasn’t an active participant of the forum. However, when I was invited to their inaugural meet in Chennai, I thought to myself, “Well, let me go and see”. The meet was in the Presidency Club, Egmore. Though the meet was between 20h00 – 23h00, I stayed only until 21h30. But in that time, I did meet lots of interesting people – an antique bike collector, a movie producer for NGOs, a real-estate and a metal scrap business men and someone involved in establishing knowledge centers across the state (This guy studied in IIT, Chennai and then did a PG in the US. But didn’t like to be in the US and returned. You wouldn’t tell that he is a ‘US return’. He was so casual and down-to-earth. Pity, I didn’t get more time to interact with him). It was an fascinating evening talking to lots of people from industries other than software. Though I didn’t stay for the entire meet (I get restless after an hour or two), I did enjoy and I’ve decided to go for their upcoming meets, if informed.
Geetanjali
I have read history, philosophy, theology and various other related topics. For a change, I bought, ‘The best of Rabindranath Tagore – Geetanjali and other stories’, a classic literature. I am very glad that I bought the epic that got him the Nobel prize. The depth of his thought and simplicity of his words captivates and refreshes your soul.
At the very first stanza he sings,
Thou hast made me endless, such is thy pleasure. this frail vessel thou emptiest again and again, and fillest it ever with fresh life.
This little flute of a reed thou hast carried over hills and dales, and hast breathed through it melodies eternally new.
At the immortal touch of thy hands my little heart loses its limits in joy and gives birth to utterance ineffable.
Thy infinite gifts come to me only on these very small hands of mine. Ages pass, and still thou pourest, and still there is room to fill.
So simple words, but such profound thoughts. And this one comforted me and gave me hope and strength to carry on:
I thought that my voyage had come to its end at the last limit of my power, – that the path before me was closed, that provisions were exhausted and the time come to take shelter in a silent obscurity.
But I find that thy will knows no end in me. And when old words die out on the tongue, new melodies break forth from the heart; and where the old tracks are lost, new country is revealed with its wonders.
I’ve never heard it before – when old words die, new melodies break forth; where old tracks are lost, new country is revealed with its wonders. Whenever I get discouraged, I keep repeating it and tell myself to break from the past and look for those melodies and the wonderful country.
I’m no one to write of such a composition. I could only say, it is simply wonderful.
Too many good-byes
An introvert as I am, I pledged to make friends this year. To my surprise, I made a pretty good progress. I even made good contacts with my neighbor. However, the unfair life made its play again. As I kept making friends and was content with the result, one by one started leaving Chennai – one to Bangalore, one to the UK and three to the US, all on a long term basis. Even my neighbor left to Malaysia today (though this was known for sometime). On one hand, I laugh at my misfortune – I’m just recovering from a personal tragedy and I need friends to carry on. On the other hand, I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to make more friends and also the fact that I now have friends across the oceans.
Living the dream
In the recent days, I’ve understood that it is one thing to realize a dream and it is entirely another matter to live the realized dreams. In the past month, I moved to a house near the beach, bought a new car and got a project manager post in an ERP division – three of my wishes for sometime now coming to pass. Once the initial vibes settled down, I see that living in the ‘promised land’ is not that easy: driving such a big car through Chennai traffic is a challenge on its own. Having learnt and driven in lane-based-driving, I find it extremely difficult to drive in a chaotic and unruly traffic. At office, being a new joinee, no project is allocated; only a PC without a net access is given – which is equivalent to having none. At home, due to recent rain, motor to pump the water got repaired and so the whole of yesterday passed without water and I had to continuously follow-up in getting it rectified. As of writing this entry, it is still not done; having a sick mother with me only increases the concern.
All of these do disturb me but I’ve decided to stay put and see it through. After all, isn’t these events that make life, an enjoyable ride?
Maiden day
After the end of seven year’s passion, it was time to fall in love again. I drove through the bustling Chennai traffic for the maiden day in the new firm. Well, what I saw was neither attractive nor exciting. When someone enters my earlier firm, they are overwhelmed by the magnificent campus, with trees and plants all around. Such a green campus is hard and pleasant to find in the otherwise dry Chennai. The interior in each project area, the massive dinning hall, plethora of cars – all display the richness of the firm. However, once they get past the glitter and perceives the essence, it is no different from most of the software firms – messy management and displeased employees. Ok! enough of past glory! Coming back to the new firm, it is a small building in the heart of the city, which of course gives the feeling that I am joining a much smaller firm. But I did see in the reception, ‘We welcome the new joinees in ERP section’ and my name appeared there along with three others. Not so bad to start with!
The firm is spread in multiple locations within the city and I had to go to another building to complete the joining formalities. I called up my brother-in-law to find out the route. (Now, these are the instances when I miss my map reading and guiding Belgian friend). I took the car out and there was ‘showers of blessings’. Hey! it is not suppose to rain this month. (For those unfamiliar with Chennai weather, we have only two seasons – perspiring hot summer and drenching rainy days). I thought to myself, ‘what the hell! I need to learn to drive here, so lets go’. As soon as I joined the main road, that boldness was turned into something like, ‘oh! boy, what have I decided to do’. Somehow, I managed to find the other building and finished up the joining formalities. Now back to the earlier building. Often times, we take decisions that we think are smart and later it turns out, they are not so smart – I am not talking about joining this firm, rather about getting my car to the parking lot through an exceptionally narrow entrance. While doing so, bang! one side of the car got scratched (later I found out that it would cost me Rs. 5000 to get it repaired). Man! that was not so good, especially on just-a-week old car. Anyway, I succeeded in getting the car into the parking lot. There were only 10 slots. Yes, you read it correct, there were only 10. What a parking lot, for a software firm! With thoughts rolling back and forth, I climbed the stairs and met with HR folks. Obviously being the first day, that too so late in the day, there was nothing to do. So I took the car out, this time very carefully, and reached home – tired and sad.
That is it, it is over
Today at 17h30 today, I logged off for the final time. I remembered a line from a song in the movie ‘Pretty Woman’ – ‘It has been good; but it is over now’. Very true in this instance! Eventful 7 year association has come to an end. I got the letters from HR; though the final financial settlement would take some time. As expected, I also said Good-bye to all the folks I know. Anyone could observe the overflowing happiness in me. I’m glad to leave with a sense of achievement and gladness thereof. If I would’ve left any time earlier, it wouldn’t have been the case. Timing was perfect.
I lived and enjoyed every moment: took a coffee in the cafe and walked through the trees; had lunch with two of the team mates; met with almost all the people I know. As I was driving back, thoughts kept flowing back: the day I joined as a developer; the day I was informed of the US trip; the day I left to Belgium; the day I came back; the day I had wine with few of female colleagues during lunch; the day I filled petrol in a water bottle to help a stranded friend and so on and on. Incidentally I was playing ‘Moments’ by ‘Kenny G’. I also went to St. Thomas mount and spend few minutes.
How do I feel? Happy, Sad, Anxious? May be all together.
It is back again
Little before midnight, I got a call from the boys in the night shift – “There is a severe earth-quake in Indonesia, you better get to a safe place”. A colleague called to say, “Get your parents to my home”. Well, I didn’t want to take any risk with my parent’s life. So I quickly jumped into the car and drove them to my colleague’s home which is at the other side of the city.
Panic is set on the beach residents. Just now, the fishermen folks are regaining their mental strength and getting back to sea; hope the damage is not going to be devastating as like before.
Afterword: There was nothing to worry about. Later the Tsunami alerts were withdrawn.
A seven year passion comes to an end
It was 26th, March 1998. I set my foot into this software firm as a developer. By all means, it was a big career move. I entered with passion for growth, devotion for work and an un-quenching zeal to excel. As I look back, I could firmly say that I have kept the flame burning and achieved more than what I dreamt. These achievements may not be spectacular but looking from where I started, the path is filled with unbelievable events.
As much as the path is full of such events, time has come to move on; a time to say good-bye has come. In few more days, I’ll leave this organization. It is a strange feeling, a love and hate feeling, that engulfs me when I think of my last day. I am as much happy as I am sad. I only wish that I’ll be a success even in the new organization.
I got a car
As I said in an earlier entry, I decided, it was time to stop living out-of-the-suitcase. First move was to realize a long time dream of beach-house. And an obvious sequel was to go for a car. At first, I tossed with the idea of a second-hand car. Then after checking with the prices and financing options, I said, ‘Na! lets go for a new one!’. That’s when I deeply liked (little short of love), ‘Honda City’. With an add-on, it would definitely be a sports car. I kept imagining driving in a ruby-red Honda City on the long stretch of ECR. Lo! Honda has only one dealer in Chennai and their pre-sales service (note it, even the pre-sales) was so bad that I switched to Hyundai Accent. I should mention the polite and warm service from the charming Suresh Babu of Hyundai Motor Plaza. Though another dealer offered a huge cash discount, his prompt service made me to stay with HMP. Cutting the story short, I got the car delivered on Thursday. My colleagues Ramesh and Saran came along to pick-up the car.
On the next day (incidentally it was a Good Friday), I took the family to St. Thomas Mount Church. Man! how much life can change in a short period. In the past few months, I had been to this serene church almost every day with a broken heart and I would simply sit and weep for a long time. I am not a practicing Christian, but I did say a little prayer – ‘This place has seen me being crushed and cry; it should see me joyful and blessed’. Little did I know what was in store, but I already see things changing for the better.
Well, with the new car and the family being with me, it goes without saying that I drove a lot. Just now, I am back from dropping my sister and brother-in-law in the railway station. Though I’ve driven to my heart’s content in Belgium, this is different – its my own car and I am able to take my family. And notably driving through Chennai traffic needs eyes that could see 360° and other special skills. I’ll reserve those experiences for another entry. As of now, let me go and take some rest.
Before I forget, you can see some pictures at worldisround webpage.