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The Blogger in me! March 31, 2005

Posted by Simba in : Uncategorized , 7 comments

LOL, Managed to steal this quiz from Vish I dont usually have the time for all these but what the heck. :-)


You Are a Life Blogger!

Your blog is the story of your life - a living diary.
If it happens, you blog it. And make it as entertaining as possible.
What kind of blogger are you?

Yoga, I go Ga Ga March 29, 2005

Posted by Simba in : Uncategorized , 8 comments

Nah, I am no saint who can twist all my muscles through deep breathing but I have always been fascinated by people who practice yoga regularly. Though I have lived in India throughout, I have never ever had a chance to learn this great science. Now that I am all set to leave, I thought I will take one final dip in this ‘yoga’ fad and then move on. I totally agree that it is no fad but hey, no denying its turning into one pretty soon. So, for two continuous days (can u beat it, 2 days!!) I have woken up at 5ish & done my yogic exercises. LOL, the tutor keeps saying, “Dont call it exercise!” :-) I shall blog about it if I come across some changes within myself!!

On the other front, things have been lull. Its like the storm took away everything. After Wharton decision, I am trying to move on with a heavy heart. Not upset but terribly disappointed! I took about 2-3 days just to start moving on. Its difficult when you get to hear “You are very good but not great!” Hmmm, I am moving ahead with my visa plans. I have been moving mountains to clear up a few issues with regards to my passport. Once that is set, I can send in my confirmation deposit to Fuqua. I hate it that I am doing it with sucha heavy heart & people who have heard about US BSchools are surprised that I am not going gungho about my Duke Admit. Everything is relative in life, last year I was almost ready to go to Manchester Business School and funny, the finances didnt work out. This year I am sitting with a Top 10 admit and I am still cribbing about that one admit. I even contemplated on a re-applicantion but somehow it just doesnt make sense. I am getting old ;-) and I rather get this MBA done with and move on. But also, this would be the last time I would ever ever get into a school, so why not get into the Best I possibly can!!?? But whats the gurantee that I can significantly improve my darn GMAT score and get an admit to W next year!! I dont have the energy and enthu to go into the same rigmarole next year too…So, Duke it is!!

Waitlisted at Wharton March 24, 2005

Posted by Simba in : Uncategorized , 15 comments

LOL, this was the last thing I wanted. With my nerves & jitters, I could have taken a ding and gone back home. But now, things again look blurry for the next couple of months. Ahh, possibly I cant do much even if I make it in R3 considering the visa issues etc. So, its official…

“Dear Simba,

Thank you for your application to the Wharton MBA program. The Admissions Committee has completed its review of your candidacy and decided to place you on the waitlist…”

Hmmm, am I sad… not really but dont want to prove the cynics right! So, for now, let me get ready to head on with Duke. First setback in terms of admit… first in the period of 2 years!

The Edgy me…

Posted by Simba in : Uncategorized , 7 comments

Errr.. its the D-Day afterall. Wharton result will be out in another 10 hrs or so and I have not been able to sleep well for the past few days, nor have been able to speak coherently for the last 24 hrs.. it is not me to be anxious for the results.. I have always been dead scared before exams and never ever before the results… but what the heck.. not everyday do u wait for THE WHARTON result… Ok, now I go slumping back….*Hrrrrmphhhhh* ^0^

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It’s funny… March 21, 2005

Posted by Simba in : Uncategorized , 8 comments

..how things work out attimes. I have been working in my present company for a while now and nowhere did I see a good appraisal coming. Though I was lauded for the work I have done & some interesting changes I have been able to bring about, I never got to hear that magical word of ‘pay-hike’. :-) But now that I am all set to pack my bags and wave at everyone, I see a nice letter coming my way. LOL, they sure are happy to get rid of me. Though things are not really clear at this point, there is a word going around that all the employees will be getting a nice cushion to rest on for a while. Nothing official about it.. ;-)

And I have just started gathering information about the visa. Right now, I am running around to update my passport and things dont really look that cheerful at this point. I have another month’s time to confirm my place in the Fuqua Class of ‘07 and about a lil lesser time for Oxford. I have already given my Adios to ISB. Yeah, again! Now, my only golden egg is Wharton…though deep within, I feel that I am not sucha great a candidate for W, still a hope lingers. :-) Guess another 2 days the wait will be over and guess, I can finally move on…

These days, I am really looking forward to the time I spend at NASEOH. Though I am not really into teaching, I find myself speaking to the guys who are interested in going ahead in life. These physically challenged people hardly get an opportunity to interact with educated people. Its attimes a little sad to see them struggle with their language, but I feel good that they have begun to trust us. Initially, they were pretty shy to even speak but seeing a number of volunteers every week has gotten them accustomed to ‘normal’ people and they are no longer intimidated by ‘normalcy’. The learning has been on both sides, I too have learnt something. I have grown to accept these people the way they are. There were times much earlier when I used to feel sad when I saw a disabled person but now, I dont feel the need to stare or to feel the ‘pity’, I take them in my stride and I also expect them to think & dream like me. LOL, I actually scold these guys during ‘class’ hours and its funny when, attimes, they answer back in ‘English’!! LOL!!

Assimilating info March 17, 2005

Posted by Simba in : Uncategorized , 2 comments

Attimes it is surprising how much information you get first-hand after you get accepted in a TOP program. I have been having an assimilating problem.. LOL!! There are the current students (viz. Harry & others), the posts of old batch of students via yahoogroups & the Admissions office & ofcourse the current students. As of now, I am trying to grasp all the info I can with regards to the Funding & Visa. I am still clueless about Wharton. I am getting nervous as the D-day comes closer.

No doubts that I am absolutely thrilled about my Fuqua admit and meeting the current students & the Class of ‘07 makes me real happy. But that doesnt stop me from keeping my fingers crossed for W. I still have no news about MIT. I consider it a clear ding as by April 1st week, they need to finalize the decision after the interview. But deep within I am not really that keen about M. The ‘hack’ scandal has left a bitter taste and I am disappointed looking at M’s reaction. They having a ‘tech’ niche, their reaction was highly unwarranted. Also, after reading about MIT through Dave’s blog, I am not sure I belong there. Its a question of ‘fit’. I am sure I would feel uncomfortable with geniuses & math gurus around me. Though I am an engineer, I am not really sure about my prospects at MIT. Come to think of it now, Wharton & Duke are more like my kinda schools. So, we will just wait and watch…

Margadarshi… March 15, 2005

Posted by Simba in : Uncategorized , 4 comments

Means ‘Guide’ or ’someone/ something who/which shows the way’. If u look up the left-hand panel in my blog, you can come across this NGO. I have been planning to do something for them but I am clueless at this point. Any idea on this front will surely be a benefit. My aunt happens to run this non-profit organization in Bangalore, India. She is a physically challenged person herself but has helped innumerable disabled people to set up their respective lives. She definitely has a great spirit and every Sunday,when I interact with people like her at NASEOH, I think about Margadarshi.

All these years, my aunt has been rehabilitating and giving food & shelter & means to earn a livelihood. And the organization is now plannig to move ahead a build something that will stand the test of time. Something on the lines of ‘NASEOH’ but on a much bigger scale. For which they are trying their hand at fund-raising. It is a BIG DEAL as the amount of money involved is HUGE. They have been trying corporates but nothing much has come out of it. We all being youngsters can render volunteer work and try to get volunteers but raising money on a large scale would be extremely challenging if not impossible. Any thoughts?

Funny Quote of the Day: You know you are getting old when the candles cost more than the cake - Bob Hope. LOL, that sure is funny!

Official Fuqua Friday March 12, 2005

Posted by Simba in : Uncategorized , 17 comments

Last evening, I had an amazing time and loved it completely. I was really looking forward to meet the Fuqua community and I guess, I got the closest look at it yesterday. I must say, I am pretty excited about going to Duke now. Nah, not for just the fun & parties but for kind of people I will get to meet and the chance to learn so much from each of them. I felt soooo goood :-)

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Just Chilling Out!

Hooooo, it all started out as I went to the Library Bar at the Taj President, Mumbai. I still wonder who would even look at a book in a bar, but that apart, I got a chance to meet the a 2-yr student who gave me a nice lapel-pin and a Duke pen. :-) Slowly the guys started streaming in and soon, we had occupied a big strech of the bar. And then started the first round of Champagne to celebrate the intake of ‘07.

Then I got to speak to a nice lady who had thought about getting back to school after 18 years of her corporate life. She was sure an inspiration indeed and then got to meet another man in his 40s who was doing pretty good at the school. Conversation moved from Fuqua Community, Team Fuqua, ILEs, GATE, SIPs, Curriculum, Job markets etc.

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Catching up…

I am not a great drinker and so, for the second round, I settled for a nice fruit-punch. I got to meet and speak to somebody from the Entertainment industry, Technology sector, IB and Strategy. It sure was diversity in full force. :-)

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Getting Drunk.. *Burp*

And then, we had the high-light of the evening. Operation Professor at Fuqua (an Indian, IIT- IIMC - Phd dude!) singing ‘Hotel California’ in a ‘Indianish’ accent. LOL, it was so damn hilarious.. with all of us encouraging and cheering him. He was so friendly to speak to and was absolutely thrilled to be on the ‘other-side’ of the exam scenario. :-)

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Prof in Full Steam :-)

And finally, it was time to get back home and I had to say ‘Adios’ to all the Fuqua guys. All of them tried to persuade me to take Fuqua no matter what happenned!! LOL, they tried real hard to take Wharton off my mind. Thanks guys, You all are sure fun! Finally, we had a small pic of the Class of ‘07 at Duke University, Fuqua School of Business.

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Class of ‘07 (plus or minus some) ;-)

Virgin Records March 11, 2005

Posted by Simba in : Uncategorized , 7 comments

Ohhh, as I said earlier I have been reading Richard’s Branson autobiography. The making of a businessman and wow, is it interesting or what! I am absolutely loving it and can’t wait to finish that big fat book. I have seen people harp a lot about the music of the 70’s and so on. At school, almost everybody knew the hottest bands et al whereas I was happier listening to all that talk. Haha, we never even had a TV or the ‘Dish’ connection for a long time, so that left me out of the gang of music-lovers. As a young girl, somewhere in in the down south of India in a lower-middle class family, what else can you expect! :-) Even now, I do not have distinct taste in music. As Branson says, “You play English music, I can just tell you whether I like it or not”. Yeah, Dont ask me about the genesis or the culture behind it! ;-) So, whatever little bit I know is an acquired taste.. acquired of late!

I was dreading a bad day at work today. It seems like it is not bad as I anticipated. I work with a good team but attimes, things get unrealistically out of hand. But I have seen that any problem, somehow or the other finds it way back to me. Why, who knows and I don’t like it one bit. I am not an exceptional example of leadership and I too have terrible days but taking responsibility for every single fault of every single person within the group is not me. And I have seen that once I put my foot down, things just stall. Nothing happens to the person who has defaulted. And I come out as bad person. Shucks! I always tell myself to remain calm at such times but like hell, I am anything but calm. I lose my wits & all semblance to sanity. LOL! :-)

Hey, I am looking forward to today evening where I will get to meet some of the professors & first-year students of Fuqua. That will surely be awesome! And yup, you might just get to see a coupla snaps here! What say, Attagirl!? :-)

Quiet days March 9, 2005

Posted by Simba in : Uncategorized , 8 comments

I am living very quiet days and I dont like it one bit. See, being in my position is not very envious. On my MBA front, yes things seem to be working out but trust me, I will be crestfallen if I get dinged at Wharton. I am being confident & keeping my faith on but at some damn spot I am wondering, why am I even waiting for W! Have I completely lost it or I am pretty close to losing my senses! Either ways, I am constantly talking to the man above. He surely seems to have a mind of his own with absolutely no connections to mortal hearts. Ah, these serene days are killing me…

After that fall, my exercise routine too is messed up and I am pretty much doing nothing. To top it all, my computer seems to be acting up and these days, I am trying to figure out those darn viruses, worms & what not. One interesting thing I am looking forward to is the Fuqua Friday coming up in a couple of days. Actually, the second year Fuqua students are coming down for the GATE (Global Academic Travel Experience) to India and all the admits at different metros have a chance to get a first-hand experience of the school. We will be meeting up with our future faculties & the surrent students. :-) Yeah, sure I shall put up some of the pictures if I manage to take a camera with me.

I got a little bored with the books I was reading. Both of them are very distinct and these days, I need some kicks to allow me to stay positive and happy.. so, I picked up Richard Branson’s ‘Losing My Virginity’. Its amazing and is keeping me a little busy. I am also not so entusiastic at work these days. Maybe the lack of purpose for the next fortnight is making me lazy. How to keep things perky??!!