I am not superstitious. But I do believe in Omens. Especially when there are repeated Omens, I guess its Gods way of trying to show me the way.
Yesterday night, I was having a beer with a friend of mine. Cribbing on how life is meaningless, how different people have wronged us, how life is going directionless etc.
Skipping through different channels, I stopped at NDTV to catch the latest headlines and then gave a much needed break to the remote. And then it happened. The first omen.
It was a programmed called “The Forgotten Millions”. A feature on the millions who lost everything in the Bihar floods. It was shocking. Kids with tears in their eyes mentioning how they haven’t ate anything after the day the floods ravaged their homes. Men swimming through high waters for some food that is being distributed as part of relief measures. Women crying about no food no drinking water no medicines for their sick children. Men telling how their family has no shelter, not even a dress to change into.
No food no water no clothes no shelter no medicines. The basic things that every human needs just does not exist in Bihar after the floods. The civic authorities are even warning that once the water recedes there would be the breakout of epidemic as everything is infected and there could be many more dead bodies lying rotting somewhere.
And here I am, enjoying my beer and cribbing about my life.
Then comes the second omen. I was cleaning up the house. The newspaper used by the local wine shop guy to cover the beer was lying on the floor. I picked it up and a quick glance to the headline caught my attention. The article was about how the food wasting habits of people in developed countries could cost a fortune. I had just thrown some food into the waste bin.
The third omen was a mix of events. The late night news mentioned how oil soared by around 16 dollars a barrel. the highest ever rise in a day. And then the Dow Jones went down by 1.5% today morning fearing a USD700 billion bailout to rescue the US economy. Increased government borrowing could lead to liquidity crisis, rising interest rates and a sharp increase in commodity prices.
The crisis is expected to deepen. Investors are wary of the stock markets. No one trusts their investments anymore. People even suspect that many more big firms might go bust.
You never know when a blast will occur in your neighbourhood.Your life is not safe. Your investments are not safe. Your properties are not safe. The big word that comes into use more often these days is RISK.
My omens tell me. its time to tighten the strings. the worst is yet to come.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Tomorrow never dies
Lehman goes bust! Meryll lynched! AIG sold off!
All newspapers worth the name carried this prominently on their front page.
Rewind to 2004-2005 to a major business school in Pune.
Students were brimming with confidence. Why would they not? The BRIC report was projecting a huge growth for Indian economy. India Shining was the motto everywhere.
FM was reiterating the 9% GDP growth story at every street corner meeting. Jobs were up for grabs with mind boggling salaries. It was a picture perfect setting.
2006-2008
Traveling to different parts of the country could not paint a different picture. IT, the backbone of India Inc flourished.Malls adorned every street. Retail chains boasted abut double digit growth, while foreign retailers tried to get government approval for direct entry into India. Traffic jams caused by cars of all makes and sizes were routing affairs.
Sensex crossed hurdles with the ease of an Olympic athlete participating in 400 m hurdles.
Life style changes were amazing driven by the growth story of the great Indian middle class.
India was truly shining.
2008 Mid August.
Some figures were still heading north. Inflation crossed double digits. Crude soared to touch record highs. Commodity prices shot through the roof. No of pink slips given by many IT firms went up (though they claimed that it is a regular retrenchment of non performers).
Couple of years back, the news of a Lehman would mean nothing to a layman.
But today, every man is talking about the news.
1. Will the Indian real estate story be intact given that many foreign institutions have invested heavily in Indian realty space?
2. Will the Indian IT continue growing given that outsourcing deals will be fewer?
3. Will the economic growth be sluggish given the global economic scenario?
Ok Ok you might argue that these questions are for politicians, economists or academicians. What about these below?
1. Is my savings in MNC Indian banks (with operations abroad) intact?
2. Is my investments in Insurance companies (which have tie ups with MNC firms) safe?
3. Is the hard earned money invested in ULIP’s or ELSS safe (given the way sensex and other indices are plummeting)?
We Indians are born live and die with the concept of saving for a better tomorrow. Are our savings safe?
Is it wise to struggle today for a brighter tomorrow or should I just live my life king size today?
Will the big bang experiment really lead to the end of the world ;-)
Does the future really hold a meaning?
The TV in the background sings “ Hey Baby,jeene de is pal ko,Kal ke bare mey sochenge kal ko .( Hey baby, let me live this moment, Tomorrow I will think about tomorrow ).
All newspapers worth the name carried this prominently on their front page.
Rewind to 2004-2005 to a major business school in Pune.
Students were brimming with confidence. Why would they not? The BRIC report was projecting a huge growth for Indian economy. India Shining was the motto everywhere.
FM was reiterating the 9% GDP growth story at every street corner meeting. Jobs were up for grabs with mind boggling salaries. It was a picture perfect setting.
2006-2008
Traveling to different parts of the country could not paint a different picture. IT, the backbone of India Inc flourished.Malls adorned every street. Retail chains boasted abut double digit growth, while foreign retailers tried to get government approval for direct entry into India. Traffic jams caused by cars of all makes and sizes were routing affairs.
Sensex crossed hurdles with the ease of an Olympic athlete participating in 400 m hurdles.
Life style changes were amazing driven by the growth story of the great Indian middle class.
India was truly shining.
2008 Mid August.
Some figures were still heading north. Inflation crossed double digits. Crude soared to touch record highs. Commodity prices shot through the roof. No of pink slips given by many IT firms went up (though they claimed that it is a regular retrenchment of non performers).
Couple of years back, the news of a Lehman would mean nothing to a layman.
But today, every man is talking about the news.
1. Will the Indian real estate story be intact given that many foreign institutions have invested heavily in Indian realty space?
2. Will the Indian IT continue growing given that outsourcing deals will be fewer?
3. Will the economic growth be sluggish given the global economic scenario?
Ok Ok you might argue that these questions are for politicians, economists or academicians. What about these below?
1. Is my savings in MNC Indian banks (with operations abroad) intact?
2. Is my investments in Insurance companies (which have tie ups with MNC firms) safe?
3. Is the hard earned money invested in ULIP’s or ELSS safe (given the way sensex and other indices are plummeting)?
We Indians are born live and die with the concept of saving for a better tomorrow. Are our savings safe?
Is it wise to struggle today for a brighter tomorrow or should I just live my life king size today?
Will the big bang experiment really lead to the end of the world ;-)
Does the future really hold a meaning?
The TV in the background sings “ Hey Baby,jeene de is pal ko,Kal ke bare mey sochenge kal ko .( Hey baby, let me live this moment, Tomorrow I will think about tomorrow ).
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
AWAKENING
Oops..this blog is not any philosophy or about any inner call that i had.Just a little thought I had today morning while getting up from bed.
The best thing that I enjoy everyday is snoozing the alarm for 5 mins and enjoying the pleasure that those 5 mins give.I have always been a big time sleeper and a regular late riser.I can sleep for hours but still get the feeling that i had jsut slept for couple of hours and i need more sleep.
But at the same time,I have always felt guilty of sleeping more and getting up late.Might be because of the times my grandparents used to tell me the benefits of geting up early and studying to have a better memory.Or might be because of the jealousy seeing guys having great physique and the feeling that they get up early and hit the gym.I have always tried but regularly failed to get up early.
The first experiences i remember are keeping the alarm with a aluminium plate to increase the sound of the alarm.But I guess my neighbours had a tough time and my mother had to complain regularly of disturbing her sleep.
Other experience include keeping the alarm over a tall cupboard by climbing over a chair.Or crawling under the bed and keeping the alarm.The logic in both cases was that I would have to do some effort to switch offthe alarm and that would get me out of my sleep.But they rightly say neccessity is the mother of invention.And that man learns to adjust to his surroundings.I learned to sleep with a pillow covering my ears.
I figured out few friends who wanted to get up early and go for walks.I formed an alliance with them and made them give me a call in the morning.But after few days they complained of losing money calling me up and waiting for me at the gates while I blissfully slept.
The latest failed experiment was that of two alarms.One in the hall and one in my mobile.The modus operandi is this.My mobile alarm would ring and that would awake me.Within few seconds the alarm in the hall would ring and I would walk upto the hall and switch it off.Hurrah this worked.
Alas for one day.The shortcut was even better.I placed a bed near the alarm in the hall.So after switching this alarm,i didnt have to walk back to the bedroom.I can hit the sack in the hall itself.:-)
Thats when I knew..i regularly wear the Nike shoe.and that means I am what I am.I am Nocturnal
The best thing that I enjoy everyday is snoozing the alarm for 5 mins and enjoying the pleasure that those 5 mins give.I have always been a big time sleeper and a regular late riser.I can sleep for hours but still get the feeling that i had jsut slept for couple of hours and i need more sleep.
But at the same time,I have always felt guilty of sleeping more and getting up late.Might be because of the times my grandparents used to tell me the benefits of geting up early and studying to have a better memory.Or might be because of the jealousy seeing guys having great physique and the feeling that they get up early and hit the gym.I have always tried but regularly failed to get up early.
The first experiences i remember are keeping the alarm with a aluminium plate to increase the sound of the alarm.But I guess my neighbours had a tough time and my mother had to complain regularly of disturbing her sleep.
Other experience include keeping the alarm over a tall cupboard by climbing over a chair.Or crawling under the bed and keeping the alarm.The logic in both cases was that I would have to do some effort to switch offthe alarm and that would get me out of my sleep.But they rightly say neccessity is the mother of invention.And that man learns to adjust to his surroundings.I learned to sleep with a pillow covering my ears.
I figured out few friends who wanted to get up early and go for walks.I formed an alliance with them and made them give me a call in the morning.But after few days they complained of losing money calling me up and waiting for me at the gates while I blissfully slept.
The latest failed experiment was that of two alarms.One in the hall and one in my mobile.The modus operandi is this.My mobile alarm would ring and that would awake me.Within few seconds the alarm in the hall would ring and I would walk upto the hall and switch it off.Hurrah this worked.
Alas for one day.The shortcut was even better.I placed a bed near the alarm in the hall.So after switching this alarm,i didnt have to walk back to the bedroom.I can hit the sack in the hall itself.:-)
Thats when I knew..i regularly wear the Nike shoe.and that means I am what I am.I am Nocturnal
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