one year in Bangalore

To be honest, this has been one of the most satisfying years of recent memory. Surprisingly, the year before had me graduating out and lapping up my first naukri and year ahead will most probably when I get fall prey to my family’s vicious plans of getting me hitched, yet neither the landmarks of past nor the promises of tomorrow can dim the radiance of this wonderful passing by calendar. For one, I finally felt at ease with myself and this has happened after a long long time. Notion of being ‘in control’ has a vague condescending tinge of smugness and henceforth acceptance is what I would strive for. Acceptance of things I could have effected and could not, endurance of pricks I could not have changed and have not. Consequences of action are one load and sighs of inaction even heavier. Coming close to the realization that I am the sum total of my judgments and bias, I have started to let go of opinions concerning people, much more than ever.
I would rather be an outlier in the maudlin vortex of social Venn’s and namby pamby demonstrations have always made me uneasy. This year, I have made real attempt to pull the plug off on the biggest trigger of all, yes, I kissed goodbye to all the beers, brandy and blends. Single malts would be accorded due respect on need basis, need being a linear function of company I choose to drink with. I have been told by some of my peers that need to be gentler in my personal dealings and hell I’ll try that, regardless of how synthetic it may appear in execution. With my friends, I don’t choose my words and err on the lighter side with sprinkling of brutal logic and argumentative dressing. Never cared a toss if that’s making a dent, now will exercise more restraint and better judgment in such interactions. Guess, my teetotaler musings have a tad to do with enabling such ambience where i weigh my words and don’t become reckless myself.

I am finally settled with the idea of making a career in IT industry. Only challenge I foresee is to inculcate a dose of moderation in my articulation and be more thorough in my understanding of technological constructs. The phase so far has been more fulfilling and I guess that’s rewarding enough. Surprisingly, my mild cynicism for IT services industry has melted in the face of some of the smartest folks I have had the privilege to work with. I still distinctly remember when to a question on whither Indian IT industry, I had cribbed about their lack of ascent on value chain and how then stand no chance to the might and bright of product companies like Google and Yahoos (this was 2008). Wrong conclusion with pitifully un-informed generalization of companies which are as different in their business model as apple from oranges (again a lovely metaphorical banality in IT industry). Product companies like Microsoft, Oracle and apple have their revenues tied to the sale of the proprietary codes that enables the hardware for specific functions. To run a set of complex activities circumscribed by the IT division of any organization, high degree of customizations are required in the application. Many organizations have legacy and bespoke applications to support the unique set of business demands. Engineering arm relies on developments and testing of several separately developed modules of the final demonstrable prototype. Again, all these components have to been monitored for their availability and performance on a relentless basis lest business suffers due to breakdown in customer interfaces and productivity of employees. This is where our good old IT players pitch in and assist Boeings and Wal-Mart’s of the world. Just a look at the landscape they compete in and tags of HP, Accenture and IBM are hard to miss. Would like to mention even the swindling fortunes of IBM was revived by retrospectively applauded decision of Lui Gerstner to make a significant shft in business focus from products to services market. Deep pockets and wide-spread incumbency of global companies have traditionally been the odds against the IT services companies of Indian legacy and going by the count of new deals they are pocketing against strong global players they may well even it out in foreseeable future. This hypothesis has been many local variables and global imperatives and is a debate for some other time. Discounting the relevant digression, point I was driving home was about my sense of relative comfort courtesy fair and unobtrusive work culture of much scrutinized IT industry.
Then in my relationship spectrum- with my parents, I have touched a nadir, jumped to crescendo and then again been adrift in a strong wave of indifference. This volatility will go on for a while till the time either they see the man in me or I acknowledge the child in them. Don’t know why, but elders have always evoked my Sheldon Cooper’ish moment with all the befuddleness and bambozzleness of ‘aisa hi hota hai’ crippling my arguments before they germinate. Would love to understand them better but at present its respect... And peace.
I am buying a bike, albeit a used one. It checks my 11th grade dream of owning a Pulsar. Fond memories, I used to have a Pulsar ad cut from the last page of India today beneath my bed. Now I have one. Coming days will be fun with rides in divine Bangalore weather. Need to check if have ever showered gems and sung homilies in love of Banglorean weather on my blog or not. If not, then may be because I was too busy basking in the soothing winds than staring at my laptop and arranging some random words in a lame attempt to make sense in a funny way as I am doing now when it has become a lot nipping.

PS: just finished The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo…nice read