Driver No. 1

A couple of months back, this blog saw a post (Failed yet again) from a dejected individual counting the failures of his life. But, the guy did not give up and he kept trying and this reminds of the oft quoted line from "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho -

If you aspire for something very earnestly, the whole world conspires to do it for you

I got my driving license for both 2 wheelers and LMVs yesterday after having failed the test on November 19, 2007. It took extra efforts from my instructor, Mr. Mehboob to train a dumb head like me.

Thanks to Sumit and Ashok from my dorm, I can comfortably drive motorcycles on Ahmedabad roads which is a big achievement if you take into account the unruly traffic and the gujjus who are always in a hurry. Though I am still a little jittery when it comes to driving a car, I hope to be able to ride it comfortably soon.

My next target - Perfecting my skills as a car driver, buying a nice silver color car and taking my mother for the maiden drive beside the sea on the Mumbai marine drive.

Expected Time line: 1-2 years

Love

It was 9th of January, 2008. I was spending a lazy evening in the gallaries of Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai. While I was getting bored, I visted the Landmark store in the gallery and found this book - The road less travelled By M.Scott Peck.

The book is divided into four sections - Discipline, love, growth and religion and grace. I would not recommend you to read the whole book but I like the section on love. I am quoting a few interesting thoughts verbatim from the book.

Feel free to share your views about them - I myself do not agree with all of them.

The temporary collapse of egos that constitutes falling in love
is a stereotypic response of human beings to internal sex drives
and external sexual stimuli which serves to increase the
probability of sexual pairing.


Falling in love is a trick that our genes pull on an otherwise
perceptive mind to trap us into marriage.

The myth of romantic love is a dreadful lie.

Falling out of love may be the beginning of "real" love.

Sex and love are basically dissociate phenomena.
In itself, making love is not an act of love.

If being loved is your goal, you will fail to achieve it.
The only way to be assured of being loved is to be a person
worthy of love and you cannot be a person worthy of love when
your primary goal in life is to passively be loved.

Marriage is an efficient division of labor between the two spouses.

A successful marriage can exist only between two strong independent persons,
who are into it not due to compulsion of dependency but by sheer choice.

Dependency destroys rather than build relationships.
It destroys rather than builds people.

Love is not simply giving, it is judicious giving and judicious withholding as well.

23 and still going

I turned 23 today. It felt really great when all my friends called me right from the stroke of the midnight to convey the birthday wishes. Those sweet words took me to the top of the world. I am really amazed how all these people remember the date as I am really bad at it.

Friends are really a treasure for life. The campus friends arrived at the room, right at the stroke of the midnight. The friends from school days and IIT days were also calling right from the morning. I am really surprised at the patient lot who kept on trying my number while i was attending the early morning class.

Thanks to all of you.

2008 - The year Ahead

We started the year on a happy note with a game of poker (no money involved, we don't gamble :P) and a fun filled roof top party. This was supplemented with a new year gift of a nicely written orkut testimonial. But, the dream 2008 comes to an end with an early morning class and an MIPM quiz.

But, you know there is much more to this year than these silly things. I would not even remember them few years down the line. This year is going to leave indelible imprints on my life as I would join the IIMA batch of 2008. This is the year when I would leave the cosy environment of academics and campus life to enter the real practical world. I am yet not sure of what job I am going to take, where will I be few months from now but my belief in God says, it will all turn out to be great, even better than what I can dream of.

Here comes the new year,
filled with fun and cheer.

Another brick in the wall,
makes us all stronger.
Another step of the path,
brings the destiny closer.


The hopes are very high,
I have wings to fly.
The troubles may come by,
But Never say Die.

Come, join the ranks
walk with the comrades.
The sun is rising from the bay,
We will make our own way.