Virtual Ramblings

“You” are a Male
“You” are a Kannadiga
“You” are a South Indian
“You” are an Indian
“You” are an Asian
“You” are a Hindu
“You” are Brown
“You” are a IT Professional

When am I going to be “me” , Just “me”?
When am “I” going to be blamed for “my” mistakes ?
when am “I” going to get credit for “my” success?

1. People who do not affect us, people who really do not care much about us, people who were close to us once upon a time, people who have grown up and apart, why do they still matter to us so much?, why can’t we forget that people who have drifted apart?

2. People whom you have never met, people with whom you have connected, people whom you don’t know in person, why do they still matter to us?, why do we have a feeling of a strong belonging associated with them.

What do you do when a friend of your’s comes back from a vacation, I mean what questions do you ask them, sounds pretty silly right..but just think over…

Now imagine that your friend has come back from his/her honeymoon, now the same questions give totally different meaning…
don’t believe me? just look at these questions..

How was it?

Did you have fun?

What all did you see?

Can I see the photographs?

Was it too tiring?

Did you fall ill during the vacation?

How did you spend your evenings?

Did you get things to eat?

Was 1 week too short for it?

Do you think I will like it?

What do you recommend?

hehheh…shouldn’t we think twice before asking the pleasantries the next time around
Any question I could think off gave a wrong sense in that situation..

Topic of yesterday’s post lunch walk, was recession. Looks like all we can think of at work these days is how recession is going to affect us and India in general.

Bangalore is known as the IT capital of India, when we were in school there was nothing like IT industry, but this IT industry kind of started only in early 90’s and picked up by mid 90’s and was at peak in late 90’s. People in my parent’s generation, were very keen on getting into a government job, a 9 to 5 permanent source of income, then came the intermediate generation of 80’s where people really had no clue what to do, with no government jobs to take and not much happening in private sector. That followed with IT, drawing people from far parts of India to Bangalore. One thing this did was, the land values sky rocketed, the service industry which was never heard before, like office cleaners, consultants, HR firms providing profiles for jobs, caterers for ever increasing population, the hotel industry ranging from the road side vendors to 5/7 star restaurants, every one started making money. Banking sector also saw a boom, from a conservative India, where people thought saving is the ultimate aim, it drifted away and people began to live on credit, taking huge home loans, vehicle and personal loans, hence banking sector too made a lot of money, employing more people with a high pay packet.

Then came in the BPO, the call center brought in even more moolah, with the youth being pulled into the tech support arena. It became a good source of income to non engineers with a good degree, providing decent to very good pay packets. More money for the youth, meant more money being spent for recreation, movies, restaurants, pubs, coffee places, you name it people started spending more money. Flow of money revolutionized the market, the textile industry, lifestyle stores, even the retail grocery market started making huge profits, and started employing even more people, making the money flow even better.

The economy now seems to be more based on the cash flow, I mean no one seems to be saving too much, people seem to be investing more and more, and spending more and more. So the Indian economy is more or less changing fast into the US economy model. But what would really happen if the incoming money stops, what if IT does really slow down, and many people get back to conservative money saving mode? How badly will the economy be affected. Can the economy still survive with the money that has already flown in?. Can it continue to flow around keeping all of us in a good state?

I was of the opinion that no, we are going to see huge troubles if the IT generated income stops. I feel the chain will get broken and hence all other sectors might get affected. The business might slow down, and hence other businesses might get affected too, the real estate values might come down, and since many people already have huge loans, the banking sector is also going to see losses, service industry is going to get affected, and almost every one is going to see a dip.

My friend felt no, its not going to affect that much, according to him, the IT industry is still a very small part of Indian economy, and we have enough businesses to keep up the economy. Cities like Bangalore and Noida might get affected, because of the high technology population, but then rest of India is going to survive.

I do not think so, look at travel industry, I mean domestic airlines might see a dip, even the middle men in many areas might have to find a different job.

All this leaves me with just one question, what next, whats going to be the next big industry which is going to take the place of the IT world. Ideas anyone?

I think in this world, there are two kinds of people,

One who set themselves up for challenges, work hard, conquer them, and then try to move onto better challenges.

One who set themselves up for challenges, work hard, conquer them, enjoy the results, and continue to look for challenges in what they do.

I am talking purely about professional career here.

I and my friend S might have spoken about this topic like thousand times. She more or less belonged to the former category and me the later one.

I had a tough time when I left my first company; I am really of the old school of thought where one works for a company for a lifetime, if allowed. I had to quit because I was very dissatisfied with my job. I have been with this job ever since.

People, young professionals like us, [well we are not young anymoreJ], but people who just move out of college are generally very enthusiastic about work they do. With years of hard work put into studies, they want to show their talent in things they do. When they join a company, and within few months come to terms with reality, they realize that not every aspect of the job is challenging, and not all work that happens around the technology company is the kind of research they dreamt off.

I have been there, I have lived the days where I felt any stupid person can do what I do, I have seen people around me feel the same about the standard of work that happens in technology companies here in Bangalore. Slowly we begin to learn the “job”, even though we had the basic knowledge of how to do, we were so raw. I can really see the difference in professional me, when compared to me from days of college. The work still excites me is still the same, but the work items that excite me have changed so much.

Coming back to the topic, of moving on or sticking to a company, I guess both are right, it’s just what you choose.

Somewhere when we work in a company for many years, we get into a comfort zone, we tend to do the things in a way which is fit only for that company, we get used to it, and after that many years it might get tougher to get used to the other company outside. Mental ability too, I mean you keep on working on a particular product or a project, your knowledge gets very streamlined, so chances of survival when that product dooms might be very difficult.

I kind of agree with S, when she thinks in the above manner. She always told me that many settle in their comfort zone, and never try to come out of it.

I am not defending myself here, but still my ideologies are different, when you work so hard to build your legacy in a company, learn the tricks of trade over there, when you still enjoy to do what you are doing, should you really quit because you are used to it?, or you need to get out of the comfort zone?. I know the answer is not simple.

The Rupee appreciation in front of the dollar has hit the Indian job market badly, but still there is demand for talent, if you market yourself properly, and if I get to jump out of my current job, and join another company, I am sure I can look forward to a raise of at least 30-40% raise in my annual compensation. Isn’t that a good enough reason I should change?, also company I am currently working for is not doing that great in the market, so there is always clouds of uncertainty about the future, but then every technology company is not doing well right now, the doubt will be there in any other company.

Again it all boils down to the individual, one who likes to move on, would chose to move onto various other challenges outside, look for a constant challenges outside in different companies, go test new waters, learn and move onto newer companies.

I wouldn’t say that’s bad at all. It does sound very exciting. But there are people who like to stick on, learn more, dig deep, enjoy the success, search for challenges, and build a legacy within.

Debates never end, well that’s what I like about friends and friends with different view point, and they provide so much to think about.

Should we judge our capability based on what others are capable off?. If I have a master’s degree, and you have bachelors, and the he just has a degree, does this mean I must have more capability than you and him?. If I am doing the same work as a person who has done Bachelors in science, than does it mean I am not working at a level much lesser than what I am capable of?. Should one always work at the brim of their capability?

Looks like I am making this “over at” post a weekly feature :).. This weeks pursuit happened to be on the topic of  “flirting”, more than flirting it was about how people see flirting as, so guys drop in and let me know what you think about it.

“A confusion called flirting“

Why did you give me life?.
I ask.
GOD,
Why did you give me life?.

Warming sun, melting ice,
Extinct animals, cut tree,
Lack of water, and no fuel too,
to top it all, hole in Ozone too.

People fighting all around,
Religion, Country, Power and more.
People dieing all around,
Hunger, War, Terror and more.

“Humanity”, no more,
“Harmony”, distant,
“Humbleness”, forgotten,
“Honesty”, no takers.

Why did you give me life?.
I ask.
GOD,
Why did you give me life?.

Simple as he looks,
With not much of a fuss,
With expressions that, as though tell,
“You’re not the only one with question,
With calmness enough to settle a sea storm,
He smiles as he says,
“You’re alive to keep others alive”
—————————————————————————————
As I had said before, I had stopped doing Totally Optional Prompts, The topic over there yesterday was “Why are we here, why are we alive”. This made me think a little more. And I break my routine, and post this one. Every time I get frustrated looking at the problems around, I feel the same thing, why is life still existing, just thought that this could be the possible reason, may be some one up there wants us to help others, keep others alive.

Guys the request is back again.. as I run out of pages to read from the book “On the road” which I am almost half way through, I want to stack up my shelf yet again. Please let me know if there is any book which you found really good, and want others to read as well. It could be of any genre, anything which you found interesting.

Why do I not feel bad, not feel offended when someone calls me”wierd”, why?