This blog was earlier titled "Freedom - To Ask Nothing. To Expect Nothing. To Depend on Nothing."
But over the period of time, I have written about many things surrounding me. Some thoughts, some frustrations and some inspirations. Today, I enjoy writing about whatever I feel and thus the name - I Write.
I have been blogging and tweeting quite consistently this week (and plan to do so).
Why?
There are two reasons for this sudden surge of blogging:
1) I am working on a new marketing blog which will cover most of what I have learned in these 1.5 years. It’s a good platform and I need to develop a good sense of writing ‘cos it will be a not-so-personal blog and I just can’t write crap.
2) I am working on a story…no details!
So I need to let go off my daily frustration and random thoughts off my brain and need to actually work on the above mentioned “projects” (and ya, those are my hands)
Sumanta Roy tweeted me a link today. A link to 89 cover page pics of Steve Jobs. Since I couldn’t apply it as my wallpaper, I modified it a li’l to suit my Dell 15” Screen. The image looks something like this…
A li’l cluttered, but I don’t mind :) Just a small way to express my “fan-itude” towards one of the most brilliant minds in the business today.
One rule I have always followed to my “friends’” dismay is that I have the habit of chipping in the last bit of money that is due from my side (though i don’t expect them to do so).
This is more of a habit and matter of personal choice than to do with anything about me being miser or “kanjoos” or worried about the money.
Infact, i won’t ask if someone owes me (ofcourse the amount has to be in consideration) but on the other hand, will go and pay it myself if there’s anything to be paid from my side. (I’ll make a lousy businessman…that’s why I wanna do a job)
That’s what happened recently. If you’ve been to Hyderabad, you’ll have heard of Karachi Biscuits which are “world famous in Hyderabad” and they are tasty too. A “friend” recently visited her sister and I had asked to get a box of biscuit for me. Of course, before she left I HAD mentioned that I’ll be paying the money though she must have taken it as a joke.
She’s back and the debate has begun.
Take your biscuits. No, first tell me, what’s the price. Shut up, and take it. No, what’s the price. Okay fine, don’t take it. Okay, as you wish!!!!
I may sound rude, and I am a li’l here…but they have to understand. I am paying it ‘cos I had asked for them…she’s bought it on my behalf…so I have to pay it right?
my only condition is –
Never bring any relations in money, and never bring money in any relation
which means – if there is something you owe to someone, go and give it yourself without taking it for granted that the person is your friend/relative. And if the friend/relative wants your help, never think of the amount when helping him/her.
Bad economics…I know. But for me, it’s one of those things that will not make my relationship with anyone sour. If i owe, I’ll pay. If you owe, it’s up to you whether you pay or not. what say!?
It's placement season at Alliance Business School for my batch...
After lot of deliberate thinking, being choosy, showing some attitude and after getting over my laziness, I applied for a famous 5 star hotel that had visited my campus (along with a surprise of 3 more colleges taking up the competition from 63 to 300 :O)
Anyway, bein my first interview, I was predictably anxious and a li'l nervous for the fact that I have given only 4 interviews so far and all were during my grad college placements at K.C. College, and got selected in Accenture (though i didn't take my offer letter and "unfornately" decided to come here). However, this was going to be my first management interview (if at all i cleared the preliminary rounds and all that shit)
OK, coming to the point. The Hotel's management who were supposed to come for the interview were late by 2 hours and so we had a break after spending an eternity in the seminar hall. As expected, once it was announced that the company will be coming a little later, I decided to go to my room to get freshen up and come back in a better, relaxed mood.
Alas, it wasn't going to be.
I met an ex-group mate, a person who doesn't really know what should be spoken where. Anyway, as i was on my way to my room and I saw her, as a matter of habit I waved my hand in a salaam and was about to leave. (why i did that..???). But no...bang came the questions!
Group mate - "Kunal, tumne bhi apply kara hain?" (Kunal, did you also apply for Hotel *****)
Me - "haan, meri pehli company where i am applying" (yeah, my first company....)
GM - But why?
Me - Huh?
GM - I mean, you're not for this company.
Me - Why so?
GM - I mean, I always thought you were for a cubicle sort of a thing, an office kind of guy. you are fit for some software engg thingy and should apply for those IT companies only!
Me - oh really???.. thanks for the motivation just before the interview...
GM - oh no no, i didn't mean that. i Just said it. It's my opinion. Best of luck. I am sure you'll get selected. (grin)
wow! That's what I was told just before my interview. Imagine. That in her opinion I am not eligible for a hospitality industry (the reasons - i don't socialize with many people for the sake of it, i don't go to parties where alcohol will be inevitable cos me being a non-drinker and other stuffs) And ya, I dont look good and handsome and fit for a 5 star hotel.
I let it go so as not to ruin my day. But the same thing happened when another ass-hole who has a habit of commenting on every damn thing even if he has got nothing to do with anything. He shares his name with the future prime minister of India (from Indian national Congress and the "baba" of politics these days)
He met me and his question (in Gujarati) - "Tu ***** ma bese che? pan mhane lagyo aa tara mate nathi. tu toh mothi company ma apply karwanu toh ne?"
(You sitting for this company? but i thought you are not fit for it. You were gonna sit for some big company na?)
I snapped at him. And with the anger went whatever li'l confidence I had mustered for the interview. As you can predict, I was not selected. I knew I was never was going to...but then, I lost in the most basic question - "tell me about yourself". I went blank, stuttered and finally said some shit ending up sounding like the biggest loser of the 12 candidates in the room!!!
the only lesson i learnt was - not to come across anyone for my next interview. and secondly, i will have to ask these "experts" if i should sit for any other company!!
"Opinions are like assholes. Everybody's got one and everyone thinks everyone else's stinks."
Bythe way, that's my opinion too!! :D
Adios,
Kunal
P.S.: Please never interrupt anyone before his/her interview. It's a request! If you can't say good luck, then it's better you keep your effin' mouth shut! And this is my first and last post with the swearing. Sorry, but had to get the frustration out :D
Was walking back to the hostel after a bite of some "aalu parathas" from the little stall outside my college campus. Actually, Stalin wanted to eat something for lunch, and since i had nothing to do (as usual), I decided to join him. Was having a "cutting" in my hand, and while taking a small sip, i looked up at the sky - to see the setting sun and the reddish-orangish lit clouds in the blue background, a familiar sight in the winter evenings.
However, I was surprised to see a contrast of colors in the clouds. The clouds under which I was walking was dark, with no light, while a few steps ahead were bright white clouds with the blue sky lit up behind it.
I felt some kind of an amazement. I felt like I was walking under a dark cloud, a time of hardships, pessimism and loneliness that has gripped me and would eat me alive. I thought this is how my life has (or had) become for such a long time. But still I continued to walk. My eyes were not on the dark clouds but on the white ones. The ones that were ahead of me and calling me. I swear one of them was in the shape of arms spread out to take me out of the darkness and bring me to happier times. I felt an excitement surge through my chest and I almost sprinting to reach out to those white clouds (i am lying, i was walking briskly that's it), trying to run away from my despairing life to a life of optimism and faith and hope. I reached under the sky, stood there for a minute, smiled to myself and felt the breeze around me....
This was just a small incident, nothing significant or nothing about to be blogged. but yet, it was something unusual, something like the nature itself tells us that whatever is the situations, you'll always find light ahead. There is always going to be some way that will lead you to the kind of life you desire. And everybody wants a happy life, isn't it. Only the definition of happiness differs. But whatever it is, the only thing that you have to look out for is the one white cloud that will guide you..guide you to happiness, to love, to faith and to one thing that will always be yours...yourself..your true self.
That's when we'll find freedom - when we'll forget about the black cloud hovering above us and look ahead to the white clouds that are a few steps ahead. the only thing that will decide how quick we reach them, is the speed we decide to run towards it. It's our heart that decides whether we choose -the black clouds or the white ones!
I finally started what I like doing....Customizing.
This time it's my browser and it's not Firefox (FF). Though i feel horrible for switching from FF, but it has become suckier (if that's a word) than before. Almost like IE. Hell, I have made people switch from IE to FF by the dozens. But, like it's said all good things must come to an end! :(
I switched to google chrome after ranting about it not being as fast as it claims to be on many occasions. I always wanted to blame Chrome for not being better than FF cos
1) it had no add-ons
2) I "knew" it works faster only for google's sites and its affiliated ones
3) I was under the "Halo effect"of FF
However, Google chrome did what i had been waiting for. It launched add-ons and extensions like FF. and i got the chance to customize and compare both the browsers again. (the extensions and add-ons are available in the beta version and not the stable one...you'll have to install the beta version for trying these...Chrome beta available here)
And what i see is, Chrome is MUCH better than FF (so far, i am not sure if it will sustain..even FF lost the sense trying to get more add ons and speed and ended up losing on both)
Here are the list of extensions I am currently using
1) Gmail Checker Plus - No need to go to gmail.com. You get a list of all you new emails and also a preview in the window you are using. Nice updates and all the options like archiving, deleting, spamming, etc in the embedded window.
2) WOT- I was waiting for this one for a long time. Web of Trust is an excellent site which provides you results about how safe a site is. I was a fan of this on FF and now its on Chrome too.
3) AdThwart - Blocks unnecessary ads on the websites. Heaven!!!
4) Aviary - Screenshots of the webpage and editing online. IT's pretty cool Though I am not sure if the privacy-maniac people will like it. You can capture images as and when you want from others' profiles on any of the social networking sites (it's also done by the snipping tool available in Windows Vista)
5) Chrowety - By far the most amazing extension i have seen on FF or Chrome. It allows you to see your tweets in an embedded pop up with alerts and constant updates. You can do all the actions from a small window without going to the site or using any other API for twitter.
6) RSS feeds - Chrome never had any support for RSS feeds and now it has several. I use three of 'em. Google reader Plus (customizing google reader), Chrome reader (to get the RSS feeds from the blogs and sites) and Google Reader Notifier(as the name suggests, to let me know if there are any new posts available)
7)Easy youtube Downloader - :)
8) Inline search and lookup - for getting information from various sites like Wikipedia, Answer.com, or dictionaries about a word or term i find on the sites. It again grabs and shows the information in an embedded window. You dont have to go to a new tab.
10) Feedly – A RSS reader which organizes your RSS feed in an amazing format.
Most of these extensions are so useful as I can pretty much work from ONE browser window and 2-3 tabs and still get to do all my surfing activities without switching between tabs or other 3rd party apps.
The incredible thing about this is - Chrome still loads much faster than FF even after like 13 extensions installed. Though some of these extensions are available for FF as well, it's the speed that acts as the Point of Difference (POD) for Chrome. And again, the loading time for FF is like 5 times more than chrome...you get my point? It's light, fast and pleasure to use.
I pray that Google don't get carried away and keep the interface clean just like it is now. If at all, it goes the FF way of trying to please all the users, I'll have to look for a new browser (which i doubt will be available to compete against Chrome)
There are a few more which sync all Gmail, wave, voicemail, and reader in ONE button. Though you cant get previews, you ll get to know if there is any new update available.
I am still searching for some nice extensions and if you get any, let me know.
Adios,
Kunal
P.S.: These are the extensions that i am using and found useful. Some may work for others while some may not...there are other Google chrome extensions for social networking sites. Try them!!
One of the bloggers from my college,Stalin Mohanty, has a penchant for writing simple yet amazing thoughts and can lead the reader to think about the realities of life. Though he sticks to marketing and other related topics, hisone of the recent postsreally triggered my thought process and made me comment on the post.
Deepak: Stalin, you did not wish me on my birthday Stalin : Oh, i am so sorry. Your birthday just went right. Deepak: Anyways you forgot. That's the truth Stalin : Why you removed your birth day stauts from Orkut Deepak: I was just checking who were wishing without knowing it from Orkut, but i was expecting your call. Stalin : I am really sorry. Belated happy birthday.
This is a part of my conversation with my friend Deepak two days after his birth day. No body can deny the fact that we are used to web,internet and social networking sites now a days. I can even say that we are totally dependent on internet. Previously we have to remember so many things , but now no need. On social networking sites friend's,relatives birth day keep coming and we simply by watching that wish them. But if someone will hide his/her birth day status, then we will not be able to wish him/her. There comes the problem. The person who may be expecting your wish will definitely feel bad. Because emotion plays a very crucial role in every human's life. Unintentionally we will keep hurting our beloved persons. What can i term this fault of human or technology?
MY comment -
What was the last time we left our room without our mobile phone!? What was the last time we spent an entire day without checking our emails? what was the last time we had a "real" conversation with out loved ones!
There are many such questions one can ask him/herself and get into an introspection mode without getting any answer. The worst part is, we don't feel guilty of losing out on our human touch today. We feel "illiterate" if we do not have the knowledge of the latest social networking site.Most of us have 200+ friends on Orkut and Facebook. But how many will come to us when we need. If someone doesn't poke us on Facebook or send an Application request for a long time, we ignore him 'cos he's ain't a friend of us anymore. This is the reality of our life today.
I have altered the definition of Friends as - A contact whom you prominently see on your social networking profile list. That's it. There ain't no real friends no more. Many of you might disagree, but think of the time you last forgot everything else - your cell, smses, mails, and just sat down and let your heart out to a person.
We have become skeptical of humans. We find solace in playing Farmville. We get the kick by playing Mafia wars. But we do not have the time to remember our friends' birthdays. Technology empowers us to gain knowledge, but imprisons us in it's claws.
Nice post Stalin. Keep it up.
What I find is that we have slowly detached ourselves from others. But that's not the core of the problem. The problem is we are detached from our true self too. It is not the fault of anyone but us.
No posts since a long time....nothing interesting (or sad) to write about :D
So i thought to put in something - a quote which people have read in my gmail status msg and appreciated!
The quote is again from an Ayn Rand book, Atlas Shrugged. The main protagonist John Galt's oath and one of the most important messages that could be take from the book.
The Oath...
“I swear, by my life and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.”
So simple. So true. And please don't argue - what about your parents, family, friends, loved ones etc.
For what I see is that unless you think about yourself clearly, you can't think about anyone, you can't live for them. Actually speaking, you shouldn't. If you do, your living doesn't make sense. If you think you'll make someone happy by living their way it won't be. You'll be unhappy by not fulfilling your desires - and if the person truly loves you, s/he will not be happy to see you in any trouble (emotional or physical). Secondly, if you bring in discussion great people like Mother Teresa and Gandhiji and Nelson Mandela - their living for others was also a part of their selfish need (no disrespect meant, I revere all three) - the selfish motive of being happy in seeing others happy.
We pretend to be living for our loved ones, then why is such misery, so many worries around? Shouldn't there be love and peace when everyone lives for others here (or so everyone claims). It's not we ignore anyone, it's just a matter of being able to identify what you are, what you care for. Once you know this, you'll see how things change.
The oath is not that one SHOULD follow, but if everyone can follow even a tenth of it, I guess the world would be much better. Vague thoughts, but it's just my interpretation.
I hope I soon get something to write...I am getting rusty! :)
I have to admit - I've got better responses to my last post than I had thought. Though nobody was free enough to comment on the post but they responded in chat windows or while talkin'.
One thing all of 'em agree (me too) that my posts are pretty sad and depressin'. One of 'em even told me not to post him any link again if the posts are in the same "blue" writing. He wants happy posts and would love to read them (dude, I would be more than happy to write "happy" posts than you would be to read them)
Anyway, in one of my earlier posts I had mentioned I wont write anything sad. And I have stuck to my promise. If you see my earlier poems they are depressin' with a capital "D" whereas my new one is based on optimism that I'll be happy now and move on to explore my new life (or whatever you think)
Well, I am just startin' to understand somethin'. So I decided when I was in the process of receiving comments that I'll do 2 things:
1) To stop my sarcastic comments(people who know me will also know that it is really difficult for me) 2) To concentrate more on myself than others - what others do, think and project. (this is more difficult than the first one)
I have given myself a time period, till my birthday, and I hope to achieve it till then.
I still have time. I want to achieve it.
That'll be the day when I'll be able to justify my blog title. If I couldn't then I'll change it (that'll hurt)
So expect some hard hitting, realistic but positive posts from Kunal now.
Adios.
Kunal Lodha
PS: one more thing I wanna do is to keep my posts shorter. It's the most difficult thing. I have difficulty in cutting words when writin'!
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