A post for my son

My friend's idea kind of triggered this post. So this one is for you Varun on your Second Birthday.

I hope you enjoyed the day. We didn't throw a party like most parents do. Soon you are gonna be dictating what the party theme should be, how the cake should look like, who should be invited and what goes inside the goody-bag. And we'll be all ears to that. Yes, last year we celebrated because that was the first anniversary of our parenthood.;-)

You are a great kid. I get a high everytime I say I am a Mom and I thank you for that. Someday I might brag or tell codescendingly that I quit my job to take care of you. But that would be a lie. I quit because I wanted to be with you. I don't think you needed me as much as I need(ed) you. So quitting was the only option. You are two today and in a few months' time you would head to school (albeit for a couple of hours) So I decide to go to a business school myself just around that time. You, in a very indirect way, helped me make that decision. Thanks again. I am a hyper-parent I agree. I need to be around for every milestone of yours but I am not that proud-parent-of bumper-sticker types. I haven't uploaded any picture of yours, never talked about any of your "achievements" proudly in this space but I hope at the end of the day you get to feel our "Unconditional love". Thats what matters. Now that I think of that post, I wonder if parent-child love is unconditional. If loving unconditionally gives the parents utmost pleasure, that cant be deemed a selfless act for sure. Varun, this post has turned out to be a little too sentimental than I had imagined. Moral is, be a good boy and be nice to me. After all, I quit my well-paying job to take care of you.:-)

IR and my heartbreak

My liking for Ilayaraaja borders on devotion. Although he is past his prime now, I feel some of the music he created can only be created by a genius. And if you take the quality of music, the quantity of hits, originality into account, I don't think he has any successor. I was upset when he re-cycled, a la Rehman, his own music for the hindi movie, Cheeni Kum. But my heart really broke when I discovered that one of my favourite songs that he composed music for was actually a copy. I would've used the word "inspiration" at the slightest of excuse to defend my idol. But after hearing this, I just couldn't. Deva can do this, infact he is supposed to do this. Vidyasaagar can do this, even ARR can. But how could Ilayaraaja? I am still recovering.......

Equal pay

From this year onwards Wimbledon, like the US open, pays both the men and women players equally. As a woman, I am supposed to feel happy about the development and all. Venus Williams thanked Billie Jean King during the award ceremony for pushing this rule. But if women cant play 5 sets like the men, why should they get the same pay? Wouldn't no one have asked this question? After watching the women's finals, the one-sided, easy and boring game, I am sure the men playing the game at Wimbledon would've thought its gross injustice. I feel that way while I am watching the men's finals' fist set (7-6). 75 minutes!

A link

Almost exactly (is that an oxymoron?) ten years ago, I was working in an IT firm in Chennai. I was having tea with 2 other people, One and Two. The conversation went thus.

One - I applied to TCS. I would have to take their test soon. Do you have their question paper?
Two - No, I have Infosys'.
One - I might apply there too. Give me the question paper anyway.
Two - I have it in my bag. Will give you.
One - Do you have the answers?
Two - Yes, but just the answers. You'll have to figure out the method to arrive at the answer though.
One - I don't think I have time for that. Lets see if I get lucky.

One and Two were/are very smart people. They are real go-getters and are doing really well now but still the conversation doesn't reflect that. And I think the question papers of Infosys and TCS remained the same for years.

What one learns in college/school is different from what the companies expect from graduates. Can analytical thinking be taught? I wonder. Maybe, if this website is to be believed. I loved this site. Its aptly named as gymnasium. Its developed by someone I know. And I thought for once I'd give a productive link.:-) If you do visit, leave a comment if you have the time and enthusiasm.

This is not a post

Yes. This is just an expression of happiness - result of excitement. I saw the Ind-SA match today. Sachin was the Man of the series and my devotion is restored.:-)