Cheers!! Slumdog team..

Today morning, I woke up at around 8.30. But as soon as I realised that I was that much late, I jumped out of the bed and ran towards the tv room. I didn't want to miss a single minute of the 81st academy awards. I had already missed a few moments. Tv room was crowded as it was a Manu-Chelsea encounter or a 20-20 match. Everyone clapped and rejoiced each and every time slumdog got an award. It was a total of eight. Well, deserved, according to me. The awards procured by Mr.Rasool and Mr.A.R.Rahman certainly turned out to be great for India. The awards didn't really surprise me other than the best actor. I expected it to be Brad Pitt. But I was glad to see Anthony Hopkins there, he is one of my favourites. It was him who introduced Brad.

Now, this what I want to say about slumdog. There has been plenty of arguments and debates going on regarding the movie "slumdog millionaire" in the recent few days and it's success in the Oscar arena has brought glory to India as well.. The movie's success was celebrated extensively in India while a few were keen to criticize it severely. The truth is that it really not is an Indian movie. It is a British movie in which a few Indians were involved and which describes the story in the background of slums in India. But it's our habit to treat everything which succeeds and has a little bit of involvement from us just like our own. Eventhough the good work of the Indians involved is to be appreciated, let us not forget that there has been better movies and better music in our regional languages.

Regarding the content of the movie, I strongly feel there is nothing wrong in showing the truth. Truth, however bitter it is, is to be accepted. The things which were shown in the movie do happen in our country, even worse than that. Eighty percent of the wealth in our country is in the hands of 1.8 % of the population. So let us not raise our voices against those who brought it into spotlight. Instead, let us do something to change the scenario.

The duel with labs

Being engineering students, labs are supposed to be of great importance to us. But, that has never been my case. I have always struggled with labs. After completing my course, I would say that I have acquired a b tech certificate rather than telling that I've become an engineer. I would definitely be a 'so called engineer' who doesn't know much about electronics. A few of my friends also fall into the same category.

Whenever a lab exam approaches, we run around and try to familiarize ourselves with the experiments, and somehow score pass marks. This time also, the story wasn't different. Our DSP lab was to be conducted on 17th. So, on 16th, we decided to try our best to get through. We had to install matlab, the software using which all the experiments are performed, somewhere. None of us usually waste the space in computers installing such things. No one had the set up also. At last, we decided to go to Bond's room, install matlab and start studying. There were six of us. Me, Bond, gunda, kallu, Nibin and Pradeep. Bond also didn't want to waste the space but just for one day he could adjust. Normally, he wouldn't install anything other than the essential soft wares and games, not even anti virus.

We copied the set up from Manish and started to install it. But the damn thing was not getting installed. We tried again and again, but no use. At last, we arrived at one conclusion. Bond's computer has seen hardly any of such softwares. It's familiar with only those games with high graphics requirements. May be the computer got confused, and thought that this is a virus or something.

We sat there till evening, shared jokes, had great laughs, as if there was no exam on the next day. In the evening, me and Nibin left for the hostel. On the way I was thinking " May be I'll have to pay for this tomorrow. A lab suppli doesn't seem that great, that too in s7". But luckily for us, lab got postponed to 24th. Now, we have to wrestle with matlab again... Desp!!

What do I want?

I opened my eyes in the morning, and the first decision of the day was made very soon. To spend some more time lying on the bed. I tried to listen to the sounds of birds from outside, as I've read in poems and all, but there was hardly any sound except for the shouting voices from hostel corridor. May be it's too late for the birds, but not for me. I looked into the watch, it was 8'o' clock.

Suddenly, one of my hostel mates barged into the room, kicking the door,making a loud noise and destroying my peace of mind. I frowned, but who cares? He opened my cupboard as if it was his own, and started to search for tooth paste. All he could find was an empty tube. He used his whole strength to get something out of it. For one moment, I felt that he might crush it, but fortunately he didn't.

He gave me an angry look and threw the tube back in to my cupboard.

"What's this mate? can't you at least buy a tube of tooth paste?"

He asked as if it was my responsibility to make him brush every morning.

I smiled back. I got up from the bed and wrestled a bit with the tube of paste, but failure was obvious. Then, I myself set out.

While brushing my teeth, I thought of the second decision of the day, whether to go to class or not. That was a bit tougher, since I had to consider the attendence factor. I didn't want to go to class, for sure. But throughout the life, people rarely end up doing what they want. Same is applicable here also.
I have to, eventhough I don't like to. One of the greatest pleasures of life is definitely the opportunity to do what we really want to do. But it's not possible to do only what we want during the journey of life.

'Listen to your heart' is all what I would say to anyone who doesn't know what to do in their life. Do what you want to rather than what you are supposed to and what you are forced to.

Then, I realized that I had to hurry, or I'd be late for classes. Classes must be included among those unwanted, but unavoidable things.. phew..

If god was a banker - Worth a read

It has been a while since I finished the book. But it's now only that I thought of writing about it.

In recent times, many of the corporate personnels have started writing books on their experiences, which seems to be a nice trend. I've read some very interesting books written by such people. 'If god was a banker' is the debut novel of Ravi Subramanian, an IIM B alumnus. The book is based on his experience of working in corporate banks.

The story begins with two young professionals joining New York National bank right after completing their MBA from IIM. Both are highly talented, it didn't take much time for them to make a mark there. One of them, Swami, is pretty straight forward and honest, while, the other, Sundeep, does anything to conquer new heights. The story progresses mainly around Sundeep's activities and finally he had to regret for all those that he did.

Ravi Subramanian's language is good and simple. But It turns out to be a bit nasty sometimes, especially when he describes Sundeep's sexual encounters.

Even though it's not a nail biter or a must read it provides us with an honest description of what all vicious things people do in a large corporate in order to acquire higher posts and make larger sum of money.

Here begins my last sem

Today was my first day in college in this sem. Went to college on friday also but didn't attend much of the classes. Had all three hours class in the morning and lab in the after noon.

I just felt the same way, pretty much bored. But still, compared to the exam times, this is much better. No tension, no responsibilities..

But em sure that I'll miss these times soon.. The fun that I have along with the friends in this college is unmatchable.

In the beginning of each sem, I take a decision to attend all classes carefully, which hardly lasts for two days. So things are different this time..

I think we've got better teachers in s8(not that strict, I mean...). So that gives us the chance to have some fun during the class time itself. Today, we were busy passing messages and playing mobile games.