Archive for the ‘life’ Category

5
Jul

‘cuz we all wanna be Rockstars…

   Posted by: Shantanu Goel   in blog, life, work

Read: My Blog | My Tech Blog
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But we don’t want to do the effort involved in playing the guitar, or the drums or even just head-banging to the music. All we want is to flick the long curly hair back, raise both the hands towards the sky and soak in the euphoria of the crowd chanting our name.

For the people who still didn’t get it, the above lines are just a metaphor (go dig out your Wren & Martin’s).

There exists a “matrix” in this world. Matrix is all around you. But fortunately this one is of the can-be-told-and-explained types unlike the one in which Neo and Morpheus had to fuss over red and blue pills. Every day when the world wakes up to the sweet baritones of trucks/buses honking (birds chirping, you say? in the city? joking, right?), the only thought that covers everyone’s minds is “How do I score another point today?”, in the manager’s score book, that is. Working, producing results isn’t a concern anymore. It’s all about the game and how you play it. As the Neo in you fights through the “sentinels” of bugs in the code, the “agents” are busy firing away e-mails at the rate of gazillions per hour. After all, its the one who sent the email that counts.

But before you jump to conclusions, let me tell you it’s not the agents’ fault. The “architect” designed them this way. Some time ago I bought a t-shirt which said “Job Appraisals are blackmail” (and I made it a point to wear it to all my appraisal meetings, until it faded down to the extreme that it began to read “i blackmail”). So far I have been unable to fathom the dynamics that govern this. The anomalies in the equation seem to be just too many for any human being to solve. May be it’s like that “Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle” we read about. The moment you measure the anomalies, the rest of the equation changes, and you are left with a jigsaw puzzle with a few pieces too less or too many.

The easiest way out would be to request the dolphins to approach the mice and get them to carry out a simulation that gives us our “42″. After all, the dolphins are indebted to us for all the fish and it’d be easy for them to pitch in a bit more than just saying “so long, and thanks…”. But of course, the mice have better
things to deal with than the minor nuances of measly human beings’ daily lives.

The next best thing would be to get an audience with the architect, but who is he? Everyone. Each one of us is the architect of one’s own demolition, and of everyone else around us. Each one of us contributes to the fallacies that plague “the equation”.

But of course, we can’t rectify it, because we can’t accept it.

‘cuz we all just wanna be Rockstars………….

without playing the guitar, or the drums, or head-banging………..

(PS: You, at the back, in all your “frowning” glory, how much more coherence do you want from a guy ranting away at 3:00 in the morning?)

Quote of the day: Morpheus: Throughout human history, we have been dependent on machines to survive. Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony.
© Shantanu Goel | ‘cuz we all wanna be Rockstars…
28
Mar

Our Radha Krishna: Aaj Biraj Mein Holi Re Rasiya

   Posted by: Shantanu Goel   in life

Read: My Blog | My Tech Blog
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Radha_krishna_holi

Quote of the day: I didn't do it. Nobody saw me do it, you can't prove anything - Bart Simpson
© Shantanu Goel | Our Radha Krishna: Aaj Biraj Mein Holi Re Rasiya
28
Jan

Life is beautiful again….(again??)

   Posted by: Shantanu Goel   in Shantanu, blog, life

Read: My Blog | My Tech Blog
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Falls down slowly,
seeps into the ground
isn’t just flowing water,
won’t stop until your brain is found….

Acid…..Acid Rain…..

Such was my state of mind, when I quit blogging. One thing after another kept smashing into me like a hurricane. Things aren’t normal even now, but now I know, the only way to become normal is to try to “be normal”. And what’s better than a new home to rejuvenate you. So, here it is. My shiny, flowery, and over-all feel-good blawg is back for your bouquets and brick-bats. Most of the things have been migrated from my old blog http://iamhuman.blogspot.com minus a few paining posts, plus not all the posts are tagged, categorized yet. Will do that gradually. Blogs shall be added back to the blogroll after some cutting-shutting. The theme is also be polished around the corners. Just getting the hang of this cool thing-a-magic that wordpress is.

Not just this, I’ve also given shape to an old desire - to have my own tech blog. Head over to My Technophilic Musings.
Thats it for today. Hope to see you back here soon.

Quote of the day: "Kenny's family is so poor that yesterday, they had to put their cardboard box up for a second mortgage." -- Cartman
© Shantanu Goel | Life is beautiful again….(again??)
28
May

I’ve learnt…..

   Posted by: Shantanu Goel   in fun, life

Read: My Blog | My Tech Blog
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Today was a day when some important lessons were learnt, lessons that would change my outlook towards life, lessons that would leave imprint on me forever. What lessons? These lessons:
1. No matter how hard you try, whatever you buy will be available at a lower price somwhere else. The hard disk enclosure that I bought for 60$, after a research of 3 weeks, was available for just 30$ at fry’s.

2. Never fill in you mail-in-rebate form before checking the stuff that u’ve bought. The linksys router that I bought today doesnt work, but I realized this only after i had filled in and mailed the rebate form. The chances of a refund on this one look bleak. :( (Another 40 bucks down the drain).

3. Good times don’t last long, they are always eaten up by greed. The blazing net speeds here just compelled me into downloading a bit too much and my ethernet port was blocked by the Hotel’s ISP today. Have got it unblocked now but with a warning. :(

4. A blog is a man’s best friend. As I sit here in the dark corner of my hotel room, with no one to talk to, with no shoulder to rest my head upon, the blog is my only reprieve, my only confidante, *sob* *sob*

Neways, I’ll be strong. The dark force cometh. O sysadmin, beware, may the force (of port forwarding, Mac spoofing and packet encrypting, be with me….

And yeah, here is a pic of my new found love. :)

[Listening to: Mercyful fate - Metallica - Garage Inc. (11:08)]
Quote of the day: "Every war is the result of a difference of opinion. Maybe the biggest questions can only be answered by the greatest of conflicts." - JC Denton
© Shantanu Goel | I’ve learnt…..
22
Apr

Leaving on a jet plane…

   Posted by: Shantanu Goel   in life, work

Read: My Blog | My Tech Blog
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All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go..
am standing here outside ur door….
and so goes the song, but the difference is that I don’t hate to go. I’m excited…
So guys, my next post will be from Dallas as my flight leaves tonight…:)

[Listening to: End of the line - The Offsprings - (3:02)]
Quote of the day: Ralph: Me fail English? That's unpossible.
© Shantanu Goel | Leaving on a jet plane…
16
Apr

Woes of a "holiday" Tortured soul..

   Posted by: Shantanu Goel   in Government, india, life

Read: My Blog | My Tech Blog
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My friends told me that you cant survive in Dallas without driving and you can’t drive without an IDP (International Driving Permit)…
So began my crusade to get one. Left for chandigarh on thursday. The mission was simple:
1. Go to State Transport Office.
2. Give forms to officer (all forms already completed) for stamp and signature.
3. Come Back

But as it turned out later, the enemy was prepared. The 3-point agenda was just a trap to lure me behind enemy lines…
Each point branched off to several other points and to perplex and torture me further, even recursion was thrown in.

WARNING: For the weak at heart, this is a good point to stop. Cuz the details below are quite gory and graphic. Any resultant effects, like frustration, hair tearing, teeth grinding, etc, will not be my responsibility.

So, let the story begin…
Woke up to a melodious tone ringing in my cell. It was my alarm…
After such a long time, I had seen morning, yeah, I woke up at 7:00. Birds were chirping, a mild breeze blowing outside…The day seemed to be off to a good start…
Came out of my place to find a baba (saint) standing there, who, on seeing me, instantly uttered the words “Videsh yatra nikat hai baccha“. (Foreign travel is near, my child). The day was indeed good. I managed a smile…:)
Well, the first point went off well. Reached the STO (State Transport Office)….
Knocked at the door of the official who had to sign and stamp my papers. No response…
Waited a bit and knocked again. No Response. Opened the door and peered in.. It was empty.. A peon saw me and said, “Madam Chhutti pe hai” (Ma’am is on leave). Is it starting to go wrong? I thought.
Met another officer and was told “Since wednesday and thursday were holidays, so she took the friday off. She’s the only one in this office who can sign ur papers. However you can go to another office near high court. One Mr. X is also authorised to sign.”
Nothing to worry yaar, i told myself..
Went to the office and what do I find, Mr. X is absent. Why? Same reason as before…But then you can go to DC’s office. ADC will sign it.
At ADC’s office when the same episode was repeated I had started to crumble…
Someone told me to go to old STO but they said nothing was done there now. Then came back to new STO. Then a guy gave me a ray of hope. Gave me a slip and asked me to meet someone in the second office. Then in the second office i was given a slip and asked to meet someone in the first office and told that work will surely be done. And guess who was i supposed to meet.
I found out when I came to room no 3. It was the same room where I had knocked first thing in the morning…
Then I was told that my work would be done on monday…But alas, our merciful Government, Monday has also been declared a holiday and here I am, the tortured soul, back in my office, torturing souls like you and deriving sadistic pleasures out of it…

[Listening to: Sweet Child O' Mine - GNR - GNR (0:-1)]
Quote of the day: "You will be who you will be. We are our choices. And we can choose to lead humanity away from this... darkness." - Icarus/Helios
© Shantanu Goel | Woes of a "holiday" Tortured soul..
13
Apr

Life is beautiful again :)

   Posted by: Shantanu Goel   in fun, gadgets, life

Read: My Blog | My Tech Blog
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Thanks for cheering me up and for being there for me, guys. Am feeling much better now that I spent a few days with my family. My parents and bro came down to gurgaon for a couple of days and we talked so much. Went around shopping like a family. And it was so much fun. More fun than any outings with my friends. I really feel refreshed….

Meanwhile, the date for my leaving is coming closer and I havent planned anything. This is my first time so am quite excited but also a bit uncertain whether I’ll be able to sustain this enthusiasm for three months. But am not thinking much about that right now. Lets take things as they come. But at present the worry is that everybody is telling me to start buying things for my stay there and I havent even started making a list as yet. the only list am making right now is what I’ll buy from there. Currently, following 2 things are certain (Have been on the list for a long time):
1. An iPod (thinking of getting a 30 GB photo)
2. A decent 4-5 MP digi cam. (Canon/Sony or Nikon)

The things that are almost on the list are:
1. A gaming console (PS2/XBOX??)
2. A laptop

Do share with me any thoughts, advice, suggestion that you may have about any of these things. What models would be good. Where to buy them from? Any other options available? Know of any discount coupons/ rebates or other deals?
Or may be u can add something to the list…
Chalo, mez off to slickdeals, pricegrabber, etc for now.. :)

[Listening to: devil's child - JUDAS PRIEST - screaming for vengeance (0:-1)]
Quote of the day: "Human beings may not be perfect, but a computer program with language synthesis is hardly the answer to the world's problems." - JC Denton
© Shantanu Goel | Life is beautiful again :)
8
Apr

Why….

   Posted by: Shantanu Goel   in life, work

Read: My Blog | My Tech Blog
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Its 8:15 PM. Am sitting in the office. And will keep sitting for atleast another 4-5 hours. Working? Nah.. Doing nothing at all….Its not that I don’t have work. Got loadsa it right now. Have to do so much for the oncoming trip….but its that I just dont feel like working. Life’s become a drag…
The same old routine everyday. Wake up, get ready, go to office, work, come back, sleep. Throw in a couple of eating time slots in there too. Even the games now bore me…
What am I missing??For Christ’s sake its been only about 10 months since I’ve been working and I already feel spent….No enthu left for anything…
While in school, it was always like, just pass 10th, then life’ll be cool.
Then college, I thought, just get into a good engg college, then life’ll be cool.
In engg college, the feeling was, its just the last hurdle man. clear this, get a good job, then life’ll be cool…
Now it feels life has surely become cool, rather, *thandi* (for those not knowing hindi: *without any spark*) as it should be put..
Read on someone’s blog a few days ago: The motto of life should be “Wake up happy, sing a tune during the day, and go to sleep with a smile”. And the way I am living right now, its more like:
“Wake up with a splitting head ache, roam around like zombie through the day (the only tune on the lips being that of the grim reaper’s song), and go to sleep wondering if i’ll indeed be able to sleep”

GOD, whats happening to me….
Is it homesickness?? Is it my laziness coming to fore?? or maybe I’m going crazy..
Or maybe its nothing at all…
Hope this phase gets over soon…

Quote of the day: Morpheus: If real is what you can feel, smell, taste and see, then 'real' is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain
© Shantanu Goel | Why….
1
Apr

Visa Update

   Posted by: Shantanu Goel   in Shantanu, life, work

Read: My Blog | My Tech Blog
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Just received this mail from the HR deptt:
———-
Hi
You have been given a 2 year multiple entry Visa. Please collect your passport from me..
———
What do I say now???
“Yipppeee” is the only correct word I think… :)

[Listening to: Born to Raise Hell - Motor head - (4:57)]
Quote of the day: Homer: [drunk] Look, the thing about my family is there's five of us. Marge, Bart, Girl Bart, the one who doesn't talk, and the fat guy. How I loathe him.
© Shantanu Goel | Visa Update