The NYSE .. Sept 15 2006

As part of my class at cornell, we had the fortune of being invited to the closing bell at the NYSE on Friday Sept 15 2006. Of course, I had to come off with the funny looking face

Funny looking eggplant

We had bought this sometime in June/July of 2006 and I had taken a picture. Forgot completely about it, but here it is.. funny a heck...

Its raining outside and i couldn't help but talk about it. so much happens when it rains, people scurry for cover, cars splash water on the road, the leaves go pitter-patter with drops of water... life takes on a new beginning as the source of life re-invigorates the plants. The dark skies remind me of days gone by as a kid, enjoying the monsoons in india. Innocent, an innocence I hope to be back to someday.

~Rain~

Have you ever enjoyed a rainy day,
skies overcast,
wondering what it is
to be outside and free at last

Have you ever sat by the window,
and watched the drops fall
not really seeing the story
of what the raindrops have to tell?

Have you ever thought that nature
is a friend of this rain
that lifes whole circle, is around,
find happiness in the pain.

Beer recipes

Found a site for managing beer recipes :) nice little place...
Beer Recipator
Beer Tutor
Introduction to homebrewing for Newbies
Links to other beer sites

More poetry

~ Friends ~

my world has so many
yet my life has so few
friends in that trusted circle
and more friendships anew

If lessons learned can explain
the harsh realities too
through forgiveness can i gain
a true friend in you

We walk down this road
and never know where it will end
we might have different paths
but each other as friends

more words

my usual thoughts struck me, and i captured them uncut..


I can look at the mirror
and see shades of myself
i still dont recognize the man
that person who is become me.

I sometimes wonder where it all changed
perhaps materials in the way
my means to an end hasn't lost it focus
i need to realign each day.

step back, analyze, introspect and realize
my interactions and relationships
those that will survive, those with a sweet demise
i need to be a better person today

Of Cricket and the Annual Bandra Boys BBQ

Aug 05: Our third annua Mac BBQ. All of the families and growing kids. Was a lovely day outside and had fun. Arvind, don't be sooo competitive yaar, we all are here for fun (and to cheat and win the game)

Satara - The memories keep coming

Been trying to reconnect with a bunch of friends from college. If you went to COE Satara from 1991-1995, then you know who you are. Some pictures below:

Of College and all that

Now that I've gotten into Cornell for my Exec MBA, class brings back some crazy memories of life left behind in India. All those days of yearning to be out in the world and doing my own thing, all those days of stress about studies..and most important of all... bonding and making lifelong friends.

Thought I'd post some pictures from my 2005 trip back to college (for the faint of heart, don't look):

Mike and his recovery

A friend and colleague Mike was diagnosed with bladder cancer sometime last year. This was all too much deja-vu what with stuff that happened to my dad. Mike did undergo full chemotherapy and radiation treatment and was built a new bladder from his intestine.

I happened to be in Orlando right before my trip to the bahamas and had that opportunity to catch up with him. Physically he was a shadow of his healthy-self, mentally...well a much stronger man and more spiritual being. We ran in the sun until his energy was sapped and then broke for lunch. It was fun to see someone on his path to recovery albeit with a dose of caution. Mike had left the chemo-port that is plugged into his aorta in place, he didnt want to get ahead of the game until he got a full report back stating that his cancer was in remission.

That news came last week (an excerpt from his email):

"My 3 month check up --- full body scan --- completely clear!!I wanted to share this sweeeeeeeeeeeeeett news.

I have just one more thing to do.....get my chemo port removed next Friday!! YEA!!

You all have been a great source of encouragement and prayer that I want to write a bit and tell you what it's like now. I have some residual issues, some aches and pains, but hey, we all do! When I think about where I've been, I can't really complain right now.

It's was a life changing experience....forever changed. I've heard some people say that eventually people forget the details of a trial like that....at this time, I don't think that's possible....I feel I'll never forget. I don't even think I can begin to describe how it feels.

I've been blessed to have been healed and for this I am overwhelmingly thankful to God and the friends and family that helped get me through."

Welcome back to the recovery Mike, we really are happy and are pulling for you just as we did when the chips were down.

Im amazed at his fortitude, I hope someday when faced with a problem, I will be able to stand up to it like Mike did.

Bomb blasts in Bombay

Seems like once again the city I love and grew up in has been hit with a series of bomb blasts. The body count stands at 147, but given that fact that it was 8 bombs on crowded commuter trains at rush hour..i'm sure its a lot more.

May god bless the souls of those who have died, may he provide solace to the families of those who have lost someone, and may he give strength in survival for those who have been injured.

I'm frustrated with this whole terrorist situation...why ARE they doing this? If its over kashmir, lets pick a battle there...we have special forces that will kick their ass out there. Stop attacking innocent people who are working stiffs trying to eke a living in an otherwise merciless and expensive city.

Whatever happens, i hope they find those responsible, and hang them without a trial. I feel for you Bombay, i really do. I know we will overcome scum like these and stand on our feet again.

Summer's here

Well it HAS been some time and a lot has been going on. Obviously done with my year end reviews at the company i work for (turned out OK -- nothing to cheer about). Went with my wife down to the bahamas and had a blast there, enjoyed all the conch they had to offer.

Other than that, been working out recently, and i feel pretty good about myself on that one. Not lost much weight, but at least the ole ticker is getting some exercise.

World cup is on, been trying to catch every match possible, shed a tear when germany lost to italy ....oh well life goes on

Freeware Utilities

Discovered a link to a bunch of freeware stuff. All good stuff (I use a bunch of it already). Of course for those of you that don't already know, besides spyware, there's also rootkits. Check out some utils to detect and remove them.

Freeware Lists

6.42 am Saturday morning and my head feels like lead...i think its the extra spice I had in my food last night. Well, I knew right then that it was gonna hurt twice...I'm right now in the middle of round 2.

Don't know how many of you have been following the stock market lately,but, MSFT took a huge (11%) hit over the past day when it announced that it was going to miss its earnings. Well, I have some money invested in there, hope I can make back that 11%

Merger Integration

The M&A engagement was a huge success. Had a couple of cocktails with the prez of the organization who was really happy with the way things went. I'm sure there's disgruntled employees who took the severance and are without a job rigth now, but...its the way things work. Companies have to stay profitable to stay afloat..and that sometimes means eliminating redundancies.

That being said, its time to kick back for a couple of weeks in mid-may. Wife thinks Miami beach perhaps.

Doctors test results

Got a call today from the doc while she went over my xrays etc...turns out i have a problem with my spine and need an MRI + physiotherapy. gonna go in on apr 24th and have that conversation in person. lets hope for the best

Retirement?

Its 6.47 pm on a wednesday and I'm sitting here at work waiting for my wife to show up and pick me up. Im also looking at retirement planning with Quicken. Threw in a few imaginative numbers and realized that 50 is not a bad age to retire...gives me some life and movement to go see the world at that point. Its also hit me that I will be 50 in 2023, in exactly 17 yrs from now.

Just the fact that I'm not that far from 50 (yes, 17 yrs can go by pretty darn quickly as I realized from High School to a professional career in Management Consulting) has really gotten me thinking on my wish list of things to do before I go into the next world to see my dad.

Off the top of my head, here's some (and I'm sure this list will evolve once my wife and I work on it together):

• Sponsor the education of one child in India. Not just high school, high school through college
• Sponsor my neice (and godchild) for her education in the US. I know her mom (my sis) isnt doing all that well, but given that it doesnt look like we'll have our own kids, why not make someone elses life better
• Continue to look after my mother so that she never has the need for outside help
• Make a list of places I want to see (right now that would be Seychelles, Mauritius, Eastern Bloc, Rome, and yes Jerusalem ... the Roman Catholic part of me wants to see the so-called holy land that has been the cause of so much bloodshed)
• Make a living will for my wife and dependents to ensure that they are taken care of (wow this makes me sound rich, but, whatever I have -- even if its furniture, im sure someone can benefit from it)
• Become an organ donor (not just eyes, everything)
• Pick a grave at the graveyard in Bombay that my dad is buried in...I want to be close to that old man...he still means the world to me
• Take care of my wife and continue to provide her with the love, security and affections that I always have (I know this seems way down on my list, but its truly No 1)

More posts later as I start to build out this laundry list. Im sure I will start checking off a few things already :)

Post-Merger days

Today was Day-One of a merger integration effort that I have been working on for the past year. It was fun to interact with my clients and realize the dream that we had once envisioned some 365 days ago. The celebrations, held at the Marriott Parsippany were a good indicator of how well the companies cultures integrated as well as how the people were going to come together. More importantly (for me), it was a super opportunity to tell my team that they had done a great job and some much needed rest was on the horizon.

Don't ever forget the little people, they are instrumental in making today work and are the leaders of tomorrow. :)

March Madness

Yes, it is March Madness for us. We're signing a lease on a new apartment today (we've decided to stop looking for homes and just keep renting until the market settles down a bit). So, lease today, pre-move next saturday, final move the saturday of the 25th...can't do the last week of march because the Merger Integration engagement I'm heading up goes live that day.

Pack, Pack, Pack, Lift, Drop, Unpack, re-arrange, sit down -- Thats the order for the next couple of weeks. More later.

Wanna see the real estate market fall: Northern NJ Real estate Bubble

Thoughts from a friend

Got this in an email from a friend. Before you think I'm going all "preacher" on you..read it. I just thought it was insightful as to things we take for granted.


Thank you, God!

FOR THE WIFE
WHO SAYS IT'S HOT DOGS TONIGHT,
BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME,
AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.

FOR THE HUSBAND
WHO IS ON THE SOFA
BEING A COUCH POTATO,
BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME
AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.

FOR THE TEENAGER
WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES
BECAUSE IT MEANS HE/SHE IS AT HOME,
NOT ON THE STREETS.

FOR THE TAXES I PAY
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I AM EMPLOYED.

FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE
BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.

FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.

FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE

FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING,
WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING,
AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME.

FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING
I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT
BECAUSE IT MEANS
WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH..

FOR THE PARKING SPOT
I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING
AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION.

FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I AM WARM.

FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH
WHO SINGS OFF KEY BECAUSE IT MEANS
I CAN HEAR.

FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.

FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES
AT THE END OF THE DAY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN
CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.

FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF
IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE.

AND FINALLY, FOR TOO MUCH E-MAIL
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE
FRIENDS WHO ARE THINKING OF ME.