all Gyan BIG & small

A post after a long time – for those who know me well, they must be wondering how come the cranking sound of thoughts sounded so silent for so long a time, and ah from John – is everything alright? As I look back over the hiatus, something I really learnt to appreciate (or rather embrace) – silence. Silence, something that needs no words sometimes and avoids words sometimes, and both have their place and time. In this period of silence, I have seen “adults” write me off, as being naïve, “happening” guys give gyan about life, “morally upright” sign me off as evil, professional equations change based on perceptions, personal equations change based on impressions of “accomplishment possible”, and a few ( for whom I remained the same ) for whom nothing else mattered, even silence. Ecoute le silence – a French phrase I use occasionally, and it just about sounds so good – The literal translation of the same – “Hear the silence”. In what seems to be a tumultuous rage of changes, memory echoe...

I really really hope that the words “American Indian” is considered as a racist term, and I wanna call a lot of desi babus here by that name. It’s funny to meet the breed out here – Most guys from the land of Gult (50%) and the rest are Mallus, Tams and North Indians. You need to answer the following 3 questions, or have a placard, that you can handover to all “American Indians” 1. What Visa are you on 2. How long in the US 3. What’s your Salary The answers to these questions decide how you will be treated, and how long you will be spoken to, and how many times you can probably call! Visa / Length of Stay – Essentially, if you are on a short stay, you will be kept at bay – everyone lives with this morbid fear that, you will cling on to them, and suck their blood out, and ask for favours! Even responses about locale are guarded – The stranger on the street, is much more responsive! Once they know you are not on a H1 / L1 – every alternate guy offers deals on how to get a H1. The followi...

Well, like I stated it many times – You can do well in India (both numerically and otherwise), and it does not always mean that only the best go to the land of infinite promises, but a few choose to stay back too. Here I am, in usa-puram (like I called it all along) and much to the disappointment of many people back home, I am not the excited jack, pumping excitement. Touch down at Newark – the first thought that crosses my mind – Hey John, you are in the US – Single, available and not sleepy. The single part is important, and has a small history to it. Rewind to the winter of 2000 – Young (ya really young), the flamboyant yuppie of a PM, chosen against all odds to head to the US, to be the guy to manage the new line of business, the company had bet its money on. Standing in the simmering heat of Chennai, outside the American Consulate, even before I entered the fortified building, a strange thought crossed my head – You will not go to the US till you are married. Really strange, I t...

The best thing about “Moving Ahead”, is that there is movement, and there is a hope for the future. The irony is that, there is a sense of negativity built around the word, and the general feeling of it. Quite a few changes have taken place over the last 1 month, and I hear these words – move ahead, moving ahead, things will be fine etc. Ya, time to act, time to be a lil nice to myself. I pray, I wish, I hope, I look ahead, I miss .. :) Don’t really know about silver linings in the clouds – I wanna enjoy the clouds as much, and yes ……… ..........

Maybe I just expect too much, or I really live well, or my standards are high, or most of the world is just mediocre, or maybe I have become paranoid, or maybe I am missing a few intimate ones very much, or maybe I am having initial blues, or maybe I should have waited for sometime, or maybe I am in a hurry, or maybe….. All these questions were playing on my mind, a few still playing… The answer is – I really don’t know. Finally, I feel a little alive – got internet access, messengers on, and at least feel that I can ping and contact a few with a few key strokes. P.S:Moved to Mumbai – New Job – Will shortly move to USA Puram