I seek...

A video I made in Mumbai for Voyages. The marathon was three years old and the idea was catching up.
I have always been fascinated by the image of a runner. Cutting the wind with nothing but his body. Pushing the limits of the human heart as they say.
I used to run a lot at one time when a lot was on my mind. But after the run, I felt a peace which is unparalleled. Maybe it was the tiring of the limbs including the mind but I still can't explain it fully.
I also wrote a script to get it approved. Am afraid it didn't come out as I had written but still came out good.

Sweden

Later this year I would hopefully be in Sweden finishing one term at University of Lund.
While working on a Multi-national presentation on Saab, I came across this excellent ad by Saab, a company which takes pride in its Bio-Power initiatives. The video features amazing vocals by a Swedish singer Frida Ohrn from the band Oh Laura.
And Sweden plans to be the first oil free country by 2020. In 2003, 26% of their energy needs were met by renewable resources.
I am turning a fan already.

Jaguar - OK TATA - Bye-Bye

I was having this interesting conversation with my Marketing Prof. and was amazed how closely Tata is being watched here in US. She ended up asking me to write the change such deals are bringing to the overall entrepreneurial morale of the country (she is writing an entrepreneurial guide for emerging economies along with numerous other Profs from different schools in US).

Here is the story that she didn't know and is going to use it :-

For-Profit Business – Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, India’s First Prime Minister told J.R.D. Tata, then Chairman of Tata Group that ‘Profit’ was ‘a dirty word’. He was to be proved very wrong. Little did he know that Tata Motors would go on and acquire UK based luxury brands Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford Motors for 2.3Billion USD. Although a relatively small deal for Tata, it sends a very clear message to people. Profit is NOT a dirty word. In fact, it’s the opposite. Today an Indian seldom would have his or her life not affected by the Tata Group somehow; be it through employment, use of Group’s products, value addition to his shareholder’s wealth or through Group’s philanthropic efforts.
As immense opportunities surface in emerging economies for entrepreneurs to satisfy the needs of market, For-Profit Businesses will capture more pie of the National Income. Entrepreneurs will want to create more profits for themselves and their shareholders. Free Market forces are already taking over what Govt. used to do earlier and forcing it to become more of a facilitator.
The need to create, better one’s life, leave a legacy, etc had always been a basic human need. With more economic freedom and right to self-ownership satisfying that need seems to be hard-and-smart work away. That is the reason you are reading this book. Congratulations and all the best for your Entrepreneurial journey. It is going to be one hell of a ride!


I think she is throwing away 'one hell of a ride' from there. Rest all stays. It seems the world is watching. The foreigners who are traveling to India say they feel a different vibe now. Sign of better times to come?

Biji

My favorite memory of Grandma is how she would shower us kids (I being one of the twenty) with money and gifts, every time we visited her. There were always reasons like belated birthdays, good results or simply because she was seeing us after a long time. Yet, every year she would refuse to buy slightly expensive 'Woodland' shoes for herself. Things would heat up to the extent of us fighting with her to get new shoes. But she would politely brush it off by saying that her other shoes were more comfortable. It wasn't brand loyalty. It was something that I couldn't fathom then.

Twelve years on, I am still to meet a richer woman than her. She was frugal with her needs but most generous when it came to giving her family and people around her. Her humility and the way she would pass her wisdom to me by calling me, 'Bhai' (Brother) is what I would miss the most.

I pray to God that I get some of her character. May she see us kids grow into better human beings and feel proud of us. 

She will be missed. Dearly. Fondly. Badly. 

 

Conversion

I have converted. 

Apple is my new religion.

Work is worship.

Rewind

The Video reminds me of James Blunt's 'You are Beautiful'. However the voice is better than his. Apart from a small patch where the lyrics go amateurish, this is a guy to look forward to. Very promising etc.

'Pickin up the pieces

Of the wreck you went and left

And I'm dealing with dilemmas

In my not-so-stressful life

And I'm drinking stronger spirits

I made my home here on the floor

And I'm losing all ambition

I'm a ghost

And I'm going all out

And I'm thinking you're just as bad

No sleeping at night

But I'm going from bar to bar

Why can't we just rewind

Why can't we just rewind

Why can't we just rewind...'

This is for you.

One more night in Hollywood

Counting Crows' A Long December used to be one of my favorites a few years ago. Today, going over my old music, I wondered why I have 'four-stars' against it in my i-Tunes. And I played it again.

Few songs in the past year have made such a sense as this one. Maybe because I live 'up in the Canyon'. Maybe because 'there's reason to believe that this year will be better than the last...'

Maybe because I am a wee bit sad again. Oh well.

'Its been so long since I have seen the ocean...guess I should...na, na, na,..'

2008 - A sneak peak

1. Cleansing my system. No Caffeine. No Cocoa. No fried and spicy food. Guys please excuse me. I am not accompanying you to ISS. In n Out OK. Wine OK. Beer well...

2. More push ups. Touch the target of 120 which I was doing rather comfortably till July of this year. Then school happened.

3. Find love. I am sick of being alone. No love no glory. Period.

4. Write/blog more often.

Last Man Holding On - Ep # 2

EXT. - FOUNTAIN PARK PARKING LOT - NIGHT

M gets out of his car and towers above the Mitsubishi convertible as he locks it. He then walks quickly up to his apartment on the first floor, taking three steps in one stride.

INT. - M'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

After turning on the heating, M fishes out the tiny Nokia mobile and dials to his EX-GIRLFRIEND.

EX-GIRLFRIEND

Hello?

M

How tall am I?

Beat. Recognition.

EX

(chukling)

What kind of a question is that?

M

It's a straight, simple one.

EX

6 and a half feet.

He he.

M

No seriosly...

EX

In intellectual stature,

two feet.

M is also smiling now.

M

No...physically.

EX

Thats a good question.

Hmm..lets see...

You are Sixish..

M

Would you say that I am

comfortably in Six Feet

and above range?

EX

No...I dont know...

M

No or you dont know.

Being pushed against the wall, EX changes her tact.

EX

Does it matter sweetie?

M

It matters to a girl

I met today.

EX

Why? Is she tall?

M

Very.

EX

Like how tall? Taller than me?

M

Ya...she is 5'9"

EX

Get lost! You don't even

know how tall you are.

Now when I come to think

of it, I think YOU are

5'9".

M

Buzz off. You are jealous.

EX

Why would I be jealous!!

For God's Sake!

(beat)

Is she attractive?

M

(visibly amused)

Very. And has a very sweet

voice. To die for...

EX

Hah! What kind of a

girl would care about

height that much.

Lemme guess, A bimbette!

M

You are not helping you know...

EX

I am sorry sweetie...

M

I call you for a reassurance

and...

EX

Listen sweetie...

Like Einstien once said....

M

Tell me about it.

EX

OK, Einstien was really short right..

M

(cutting in)

Like how short?

Ex

Doesn't matter. Listen to this.

And he was asked once that ideally

how tall a man should be.

The journalist was trying

to pull his leg.

And Einstien said that he

should be tall enough so

that his feet can reach

the ground.

M

Really?

EX

Yes.

M

Is it part of his funny quotes?

EX

Yeah...should be.

M

Should be on the internet then.

EX

Geez..M! Whats wrong with

you! I read it in a book.

M

OK. That makes sense.

M has stopped pacing the living room. He looks at the clock. Its getting late.

M

Listen thanks for listening.

EX

Sure. And M you are a stud

once girls get to know you.

M

Geez, you don't have

to be so nice...

(beat)

You are the hottest woman

I have ever met.

EX

(chuckling)

Ya..ya.

M

So how is (your boyfriend)

EX

Oh..we broke up.

M

Woman!!! You never told me.

I could sense something wrong

the last time I spoke to you.

EX

ya..well.

M

So what happened?

Are you all right?

EX

Yes, I am fine. I am

OK. I am relieved rather.

It wasn't working out

so I dumped him.

M

But why? He seemed like

a nice guy.

EX

Ya, he was nice.

He just wasn't tall enough for

me!!

M takes the phone away from his year and EX's cackle on the phone fills the whole room.

George Orwell turns in his grave

'With more than 30 million surveillance cameras in this country, the average American is caught on tape more than 200 times a day: on the street, at the ATM, in department stores, even in public restrooms.'

Shot entirely through public surveillance cameras, 'Look' is something I am looking forward to. Here is an interview by the filmmaker on Newsweek.