Weekend / 2012 movie review

What a crazy hectic weekend. Friday was a quarterly compliance test at work. Got 83% and cleared  (80% was minimum passing, and did I tell you the syllabus was about 140 pages of boring documentation stuff?). Then a client meeting on Saturday, followed by photography class and dance practice for a friend's wedding that went till 1:30 in the night. Sunday last photo class and then saw a movie "life of pi" in the night.

The movie is so brilliantly made. It compels you to think. It is not about a boy trapped in a boat in the ocean with a tiger, it is about a boy and his struggle with his animal instinct and a test of his faith. Two versions of the story are there, you pick your favourite one. The rational ones like me would like to pick the one that is closer to the truth, full of harsh reality and ugly. The ones with faith would choose the "irrational" version (pi is an irrational number, remember), that has hope, that has triumph and that is like a fairy tale.
Once I was presented with the second version through a narration by the boy, I had to look back at the entire story and was amazed at what each little incident represents.

2012 was a year full of nonsensical Bollywood crappy movies like Heroine, Son of Sardaar, Jab tak hai Jaan and one that was an utter disappointment at the end after a brilliant build up (Talash). But there were some good movies along the way too. Gangs of Wasseypur was a pure violent "Noir" movie. It was raw, it was real and it was brut. Barfi was according to me the best love story. Since the lead characters were not "normal", the focus was not on tear-inducing dialogues or melodrama, but on the innocence and the true type of love, the only type of love that can happen between a deaf & dumb guy and a mentally challenged girl. But the best among the ones I saw was Life of Pi.

A state of mind

The smell of marsh gas and the cool moist air as I passed through the mangroves. The uplifting part of "hokkaido feat duality - deya (cressida mix)" playing in my earphones. That bright yellow full moon said that this is what nirvana would feel like

Disney Movies: Single Father and trust

Some time ago I saw 3 animation movies almost back to back. Kung Fu Panda, Finding Nemo and Chicken Little. It dawned on me that these movies have a lot in common. Apart from all of them being animated and Disney movies, they all had a running theme. They all had a single father, struggling to connect with their only child, wishing if the kid's mummy would be there it would be alright, and having problems trusting their kid but in the end trusting the boy. Does the success of these movies represent the demographic of the developed world? Are their more single parents now than ever before? Is the nucleus of the society called Family breaking apart?

The Wealth pyramid

Many people think that the rich should give away their money and the poor should receive it and that's the only way the financial disparity will disappear and the world economy will improve. It is in our fantasies, this redistribution. We have many a times romanced with the idea, secretly wishing that a modern day Robin Hood will appear who will rob the rich to give to the poor. And as much as I hate to be the harbinger of bad news, alas, it isn't going to work in the real life. Because the wealth distribution is naturally a pyramid, not a cube. The Lower half of the pyramid, which represents the "have nots" is three times the number of the Upper half residents, the "haves". So even if some revolution manages to take all the wealth lying in the upper half and distribute it to the lower half, it will only fill the needs of one third of the have nots, which would mean that the other two-thirds will continue to remain have nots. The revolution will have only wasted a huge effort and the end result would be worse than the situation right now.

There is a reason why communism failed so badly. Not that I am saying that democracy is the knight in shining armor that has rescued the world. The present economic situation would lead many to believe that democracy has only resulted in increased debt and unemployment. But before forming any strong opinion, we must realise that economy doesn't go linear, it is always cyclical, and a large part of the world is in recessionary phase right now, beginning with Europe. While the policy makers are battling hard to find out solution to get out of this sticky mess, people are growing impatient. 2011 was a year of revolutions, beginning from Mid East and North Africa, that overturned a lot of anarchies. So while we hang in this delicate state of Lack of growth and political inaction, I hope we don't end up acting irrational and end up spreading violence in the hope that it will somehow cause the rich to give up their money and it ends up in the pockets of the poor.

I am not in the rich category, and in my country I am somewhere in the middle (we have a term for that, we are the "Middle class"). So I am not advocating the rich or trying to promote poverty. I am just pointing out what is not considered obvious by many. Where does the solution to the economic mess lie then? I would say it lies in Governments making rational decisions like cutting back spending on non essential things and increasing spending on generating employment. Austerity has never worked and it never will, but cutting back  multi billion kickbacks on Wars in other countries (monthly US expenditure on Iraq war is upwards of 9 Billion $. It's only prudent of the US to systematically get out of it. As the internet meme would say, Good guy Obama) and Space programs (oh c'mon, was there really a need to spend billions of public money to send ANOTHER space wanderer to Mars? What result were you expecting?) and focusing on creating infrastructure like China is doing seems the sane thing forward.

Diary Entry: Change is the only permanent thing in life

I recently came across an article that explained why time seems to "fly" once you cross the age of 20. It essentially highlighted a phenomenon of our brain that practically ignores the routine and only stores the "outliers" or the unusual experiences. After our brains physically reorganise in our teen years; resulting in the most torrid times filled with emotional rollercoasters and vivid memories; most of us get into the routine mode of work after we reach the age of 20-21. When someone at the age of 80 looks back into their lives, the middle point is not 40 but 20! Hence it is important to try and pack in different experiences as much as one can.
I have had the fortune of experiencing different experiences and changes in these past few weeks therefore I am assured that I'll have a little to look back to at the age of 28. Not keeping the post long, here are the few changes in the past few weeks:

1. Appreciation from a colleague at BoB corporate office
I had initially planned this as a separate blog entry but part thanks to laziness and part thanks to avoiding total narcissm, it finds a mention only as a bullet point in a separate blog. Yes I do count my blessings and try to forget criticisms. This was important not only because it was the first time someone who doesn't work in my office appreciated my work, it was also a kind of a redemption and a boost to my confidence and belief that I can work well if I put my mind to something. That the ridiculous behaviour I faced from certain someone was indeed unbiased and not based on facts or reality.
2. Farewell and the last few days at BoB
Even though it took a whole 3 months for my relieving letter to be delivered into my hands, the moving process was associated with a whole sea of emotions. Uncertainty about people and working environment, moving out of comfort zone, not being able to enjoy certain "perks" that came with the old workplace, and in general having to work harder, smarter and fitting into a new role with targets. It is moving beyond words when the entire office has only good words at the farewell. When I realised that I had touched so many souls and was a positive influence in so many lives, it feels very very good. No wonder that I still want to meet up with my BoB buddies and they want to meet me too and we call and keep in touch.
3. Coorg, Mysore and Hampi trip
A vacation is always necessary. More so when someone is as travelholic as me and hasn't had a chance to go out since Nov '11. Add to that the fact that his usual travel partner, his mom, also couldn't get a chance to travel because of the dental issues that took away her whole summer vacation. And as a last straw, add to the fact that the new workplace is not going to let you have any casual leave for a whole year. The dreary routine was beginning to take its toll and I decided that enough is enough. I took a leave without pay in my last week at work and proceeded to a tour of a place that I always wanted to visit. Coorg was heavenly in monsoon, and also did River rafting for the first time. Mom fell in love with Hampi and wants to visit it again, this time for a longer time to take in all of its beauty.
4. New job, new office, new role.
It's just been a week here so I won't come to judge of the new place and the new role. But I do like the fact that the work environment is awesome and that everything else is taken care of. Just need to focus on my job  and everything else should be alright. Also enjoying the saturdays off. Well, as long as it lasts :)

So keep the new experiences coming. Visit new places, do something that you haven't done before, try out a new cuisine, meet new people. It gives you a whole new perspective to life.

Diary Entry: Changes

Today was the first day of having left BoB, which was my first job post MBA. I have still not officially "left" the organisation, as I will get my relieving letter on 3rd August. There are, as expected, mixed feelings, of having butterflies in my stomach (What lies ahead? How will the people there be? Will I be able to adjust to the pressure at ICICI?) and that I will miss the people here whom I consider friends. But more than that there is this feeling of relief. Maybe because I hadn't really taken a break since 2011 November (not counting those single day Casual Leaves that I took when I caught the cold or had to study for JAIIB). And another feeling of being "energised".

I always thought that I will spend the first two days of the break doing absolutely nothing, but things didn't quite turn out as expected. Today I went all the way to the fort area, not for official work, but to attend a BoB friend's treat. As somebody said today, these moments won't come back. Also finished a lot of pending work. Finally gave away 2 bags worth of old clothes for Goonj, the NGO that supports the underprivileged. The last couple months I was trying, the volunteers at the Vashi drop center were not picking up the phone. Perhaps they had gone for a vacation. Also added about 123 payback points from the clothes shopping I had done at Central last week. Their payback machine wasn't working then but it did today. They also suggested me to get the new card (iMint is now Payback) and I did! Paid my net bill online and now going to  file my tax returns online.
Then will round off the night by searching hotels and doing bookings for the Coorg trip that I am soooo looking forward to (and I soooo deserve). This was probably the first time that my mom's entire summer vacation went without doing a trip. So going to do a monsoon trip. Happy times!

Benefits

Less crowded trains & buses, late work start time, no formals, free lunch, compensatory leaves...working on holidays isn't so bad after all

Demotivational Poster

Here is my first attempt at the demotivational poster meme. I just can't stand the prevalent fake-ness that constitutes the majority of the glamour world

Thoughts: First of 2012

According to numerology, anything to do with number 5 is lucky for me. So fingers crossed that the year 2012 (2+0+1+2 = 5) will be as lucky as always :)
Here's my first "thoughts" post for 2012

If you think everyone is wrong, then probably you are the most

It's not the ego that's the problem, it's the lack of control on it

"This rickshaw ain't big enough for the three of us"

They say dreaming's dead

Would love to see the movie "Waking Life". Philosophy, dreams, questions on existentialism. Loved this quote. Heard it on a piano background (Probably mixing "American Dream"'s Piano section).
"Hey. You a dreamer?" "Yeah." "Haven't seen too many of you around lately. Things have been tough lately for dreamers. They say dreaming's dead: no one does it anymore. It's not dead, it's just that it's been forgotten. Removed from our language. Nobody teaches it, so nobody knows it exists. Dreamers are banished to obscurity. I'm trying to change all that, and I hope you are too. By dreaming, everyday. Dreaming with our hands and dreaming with our minds. Our planet is facing the greatest problems it's ever faced, ever. So whatever you do, don't be bored. This is absolutely the most exciting time we could have possibly hoped to be alive. Things have just started." "Hey, thanks." "Not a problem!"

Project Mood lift

Problem: Hard week at work. Quarter closing. Being pulled apart from all directions...auditors, higher authorities, clients, experienced senior team mate just transferred and "new" experienced senior team mate doesn't have similar experience so additional responsibility. Birthday in week. Repair work going on in office so constant sounds of drills, smells of welding (fumes of magnesium oxide?).
Symptoms: Sleep deprivation resulting in swollen eyes. Sounds and smells of repair resulting in groggy head. Digestive system cycle gone for a toss. Saturday particularly bad day at work, having to wait much longer than would've liked.

Activity:
1> Drink carbs. Packaged mango pulp with water and sugar.
2> Listen to trance.
3> Eat spicy fatty chips
4> Nap deeply in train while traveling home
5> Watch sunset melodies 10 (again) on mobile...progressive trance with stunning relaxing visuals.

And watch http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1cVClialBk (accidentally discovered as Armin had posted it on his facebook wall)
Result: Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhh
Stress busted. As in the game sims, "Mood: Inspired"

Birthday Diaries

I've always had pleasant memories of my birthdays. Always good. Always felt special that day. Even yesterday was great. Some highlights from the day when I completed 28 trips around the Sun (will be fun to remember the names when I read this again when I am old...very old):

Got calls from 4 different friends from different walks of life from 12 am to 1 am:

1. Snigdha my maternal cousin sister
2. Jay my new colleague from Bank of Baroda
3. Dhyanesh my engineering/mba buddy
4. Jignasa my mba friend

Treated colleagues with a very unique menu: A Paneer puff and a chocolate Ball from the Jimmy Boy bakery

Instead of speaking out the compulsory resolutions in the boring way, I read this poem for the "personal resolution" part:
Ho Paron me itni taakat,
Cheel ki tarah ud jaaoo,
Aasmaan ke aage pahuch jaaoo,
Dost, Pahaad, Kinaare
Jab Jab mujhe pukare,
laut laut kar unke paas aaoon

Got over 130 different wishes from friends from all over the world on Facebook. Got so many different unique wishes styles and names:
Saurabh Thakur called me Panda, a name I had got in TCS ILP days in Trivandrum.
Omkar Kulkarni wished me Amitabh Bachchan style : Aee Pandey saala, happy birthday...aain"
All of my crushes during MBA wished me. Even the one just before did.
Nada Popovic, A serbian who lives in Venice, wished me "Auguri" to which I replied "Grazie", to which she replied "Cin Cin". I looked up and realised it meant, Cheers, and so I obliged :)
Yukes Hayama, posted a link of a Youtube song that went on the tunes of Happy Birthday, but remixed in trance mode. \m/

P.S. In 2009, It was Kunal Hakim, Swapnil, Kapil and Amol who surprised me during the day and gave me bumps and cakes. Best Birthday surprise ever!
In 2010, It was Ambujesh and Chitra who waited in Vashi till I came back from office to loot me in a Garden restaurant in Inorbit mall. The staff of the hotel, in spite of my requests not to, sang a full blast "Happy Birthday" in front of everyone else, and even gave a complimentary cake.