I invested in the share market.

It is a kind of courageous statement for someone who had a painful answer to a rather curious question: how can I be rich? The lessons from my stock market investments have been too costly for me to venture getting the complete answer. But over time, I have learnt that investing is not necessarily the best way to learn the trade. There are other sources too! And frankly, in the kind of financial complexity that we live in, I think one needs to be aware of various investment opportunities and how they might fare well before putting in their money. Thanks to the recent developments I went through; my boss, the head of the department has recently been trained by SEBI, India to deliver such awareness sessions, and he had done one of his first few sessions in our college itself. I would not call it a complete guide to financial investing, however, it at least sets up a platform from where I can plan further.

Recalling, there were times I said, I will never again invest in stock market. Perhaps it is time for me to revisit that line and see if it is worth sticking in my head. At the moment, I just wish as I am about to experiment again, that the financial systems offered to its consumers, a way out of complexity through straight talk.

______

Here is one website I have recently stumbled on, Loans.net. On the face of it, it was hard for me to identify what this was all about. But soon figured out that this was one system that integrates financial instruments for various organisations and offers the one that best fits the customers’ need. It also has lots of content that talks about different kinds of loans. Perhaps, this is one kind of place where I want to begin–draw money, and then invest.

Question One: Why do we select the point of intersection that is closest to the horizontal axis when we solve games using graphical method?

Question Two: In a transportation problem, why do we form a circuit when we want to identify how much the allocation should be modified and where?

Question Three: If we talk of Six sigma, is it really about accommodating six standard deviations in the process or should it be about reducing the absolute standard deviation?

Goodness me, there is some talent out there.

That is not all I had this semester. There were a couple of embarrassing moments that is attributed to the efforts to try and over teach (not so desirable) and to the efforts of trying to explain the fundamentals more than required (no so needed, I find now). The first moment, I missed computing the standard deviation and got the problem wrong, and it took me a second after stepping out of the class to identify what mistake I committed. But the twenty minutes I struggled in the class remains an experience. On the second moment, I explained game theory very convincingly through out only spoiling one last procedure. I had forgotten substituting calculated values in the original equations to find out the whole range of values required.

If you think these were silly, I am assuming (actually I shouldn’t hope) the students caught more than what I had known myself committing in lectures.

If I were to mention one significant learning from this semester of teaching, I would say it, but it would not be ground-breaking. I figured out that supplying material to students prior to the class is as effective as supplying no material. The later can at least save me some time and energy.

What would I be doing next semester? I am eagerly planning things.

Wish me good luck.

I persisted with a habit for two years, and I can proudly claim to be a passionate blogger. Before I proceed to write something about the last year of blogging, it was refreshing to read what I had written at the end of first year. Much of what was written in that post is now a part of why I began blogging and lies in the ‘About‘ page. And now, blogging means even more to me! Here is a sneak peek into my blogging so far.

Posts:

In the first year of blogging, I had published 160 posts, most of which were amateur fiction. In the second year, I had published 165 posts, most of which were about my fascinating life. The change is because I have observed that there are more real stories around me than the ones I wanted to create. And true to the point, the posts in second year did flow more smoothly compared the dramatic twists I created in my little one-minute stories. Also, the posts in second year had presented varied emotions which I experienced, which were not always ecstatic. What more! Since I was writing my experiences, my posting frequency grew more consistent.

Readers:

At the end of first year, the hit count on my blog was a little under 4000. At the end of second year, the hit count is a little over 20000. That is a four-fold improvement in the number of hits. Also, at the end of first year, I had three subscribers to my blog. And now, there are 24 subscribers, and a lot more who follow it on twitter/facebook. The site statistics convince me that the readers base is quite broad and is spread across the country, and in case of specific posts across the world, more specifically in Scottish, North-American, and Australian Regions. What I want to say here is… “Thanks for reading. You encourage me to write more.”

Theme:

WordPress.com does a great job at providing themes that can fit any blogger’s requirements. Celebrating my blog’s second anniversary, I decided to own a premium theme that offered a little more customization options unlike the open themes. So, I bought ‘Linen’, a theme in which you would read this blog for most part of the next year, or until I find a more appealing theme. And taking my friends’ suggestion, I increased the font size in the posts to make them easier to read. Hope you find it good.

Anomalies: 

Surprising me too, the most read post on my blog even today is the ‘Bales SYMLOG Model‘. That alone has more than a thousand reads, and speaks for how significant the topic is. Sometimes I wonder, if I should consider doing a little more research and post a little more on the same. But then, that is reserved for a different time. For now, that remains as it is, an anomaly.

Hit on the funny bone:

It is indeed funny admitting this. But at one point or another, you would have found this out. Looking back at my posts, I figured that I made some silly grammatical mistakes in writing. This is not a new observation. Therefore, I am embarrassingly placed with myself  that I could not avoid it. However, the good point is I am not hurt. Rather, these mistakes I made make me smile. And I recall, I am human too. And wordpress is yet to develop in terms of suggesting corrections! That is it for now.

Eagerly looking forward for another year of fascinating life and blogging…

Celebrating the Second Anniversary of My Dear Blog.

Dear Bay, 

Thanks to the real estate restrictions, I am pleasedat hell to share the corner with you. No one except you could have had the uncontrollable need to throw in a towel to reserve that place. Come the first opportunity to leave that place, I am off from there, for such a place is reserved for your uncorking highness! If you ever want to spare a thought for why I think I cannot afford to share your corner–which I know for sure your highness shouldn’t bother to, and even if you did, I am sure your highness has the brains only to read the lines as published–here are some of my thoughts.

Firstly, your highness has the ‘extra’ordinary sense that a workplace cannot be made a platform to promote religion. But, assuming you loved to one religion, I am downright misplaced on what your religion could be. Because, preaching a character after watching a movie..that is something only you can do. And placing that character, right beside a collection of your idols which include politicians, spiritual leaders, and then gods, I sometimes tended to think if you even understood what religion might mean, or for your highness religion lays low at the dust of your feet. Well! That apart, do you even have a sense that kissing those idols every time you walk in and out conveys different things to different people. For  sure, kissing is not the way you can idolize some one. But for your highness, the demi’gad’ may be it is acceptable.

Secondly, for a team that has less than dozen individuals, did you ever realize you were the only odd one in it? If you didn’t, realize it now. Knowing your highness’s lack of the necessity (ability) to see from the others’ perspective, let me spell this for you. Leaving others out of this, I find you as primarily an wonderful obnoxious weed who cannot be done away with. The fact that you hold the record for picking up the maximum number of fights at the workplace speaks a lot about your willingness to challenge yourself, and your effort to keep breaking your own records. I understand that I shouldn’t stand in contest with you for it is a glorious waste of your time, challenging someone as normal as I am. And hence, please take my apology again, and if necessary again and again. I could assist by maintaining a register of apologies, and I don’t expect to be reward by your highness, for the vision of your highness has it to make me blind. 

Thirdly, I have found out from your gospels over time, that what you do is the best, and what you don’t does not matter. Having learnt that, I would like to know what exactly you can do, apart from saying ‘PhD does not matter‘. Blame the vices of our minds having chosen to pursue the path most elders have tread, we are already pursuing one. However, if we could be educated on what is better, and if that education can come from a guru like you, probably we can hope to be on the path that can take us to heavens in shorter time, if not a state where life is unwanted again, attaining a kaksha of moksha. 

Fourthly, I have found that your highness has a way of speaking with the opposite sex. Oops! I am sorry. You are a demi’gad’ who is beyond sexes, and there is no opposite to yours; for you suggest us through your body language such as hugging the pillar while you talk to women, cleaning and biting nails when you speak to men, touching and kissing walls, making a beautiful cacophony with your seamless voice when others are working, and smiling aloud to shatter the hearts that were otherwise slogging their brains at work. 

Fifthly.. I think I can be spared for using ‘We’. We have all observed your highness being deeply admired by the qualities of Super Star Rajnikanth. How we wish you could show us some of his stunts! That apart, for us normal beings, Rajnikanth stands as a symbol of modesty and humbleness, and however far we are from him, we still try to learn those qualities. How we wish you helped us learn them! If only you could demonstrate a percentage of Rajni despite your highness not having any experience in any acting on stage, we could have benefited so largely off stage.

This is my earnest request hence, Mr. Bay. You are everything you are, as I have showered my love for you in this letter. But we find, you are still not Rajni who is more mortal for us to understand. Could you please teach us something practical henceforth? It would make waves in our hearts and rip out all the angst we had built for several reasons.

Thanks in anticipation that you find this letter, among your most other precious ones. And more thanks if you can spare some time to read and understand my feelings, and respond to them more in line with the noble profession we are in. 

Wishing you… or I am no one to wish you.

Filed under: My Fascinating Life Tagged: Admiration, Gospels, Lessons, Love, Noble Profession, Rajnikanth, Satire, Super Star ]]> http://vinaychaganti.org/2011/12/15/mr-bay-you-are-not-rajni/feed/ 0 17.371096 78.433983 17.371096 78.433983 Kumar Atreya http://vinaychaganti.org/2011/12/07/secretary-or-satan/ http://vinaychaganti.org/2011/12/07/secretary-or-satan/#comments Wed, 07 Dec 2011 06:06:32 +0000 Vinay Chaganti http://vinaychaganti.org/?p=3200 Continue reading →]]> Sometimes, I blog to vent my fumes. Today is one such occasion. Even more, this is the second time in less than a month, I am having to vent because of the same person. On the first occasion, as to my original way of learning, I saw that person as of different type. But as I am learning more, I realize that the difference she brings is more satanic.  And after today, I consider her as having done one too many irritating deeds.

Don’t mistake me as complaining on my boss; because this time around,  it is the department’s junior assistant who is creating trouble. To me, it seems as though she has got control on my time table. Whenever I meet her, not only do I end up getting bullshit (suggestions and looks-through-lens), but I am also being dictated on my priorities. Now, let me remind–this is the JUNIOR ASSISTANT. Sometimes, it is worthwhile to remind people of where they are, and what they are supposed to do.

Of a lot of things that she has done to cause my expression in this post, here are a few you might enjoy:

Me: Can I have a print out?

Her: For now, Yes. And do it only page after page. And the next time, give the prints from your system and collect it here. And don’t forget the page by page rule. So, come and keep inserting page after page when you give print from your system. 

Between the lines, I have to tell you, that her office and my office are a good 60 yards away. And what stupidity it must be–even as I understand the technical difficulty that forces the page by page print–to offer a suggestion like that!

Me: Here are the marks of the students.

Her: You could have considered giving more marks.

Me: But how?

Her: They are our students na! You should give them more marks.

What a way for a teacher to be dictated about how to evaluate and how to award marks!?

Me: Can I get a print out of the report I need to send to the Bulletin Committee?

As she prints, she looks at the matter, and then she says,

Her: The list of new joiners is put up in the wrong direction. It has to be put up in the order of seniority. The list of publications is put up in the wrong order, it has to be put up in the order of seniority. 

Me: But, new joiners are NEW, and the last person to join comes first on list. And publications have a date to control its order. 

Her: You must understand why I am suggesting. Listen to it, or face the consequences!

What happened later is part comical and part conventional.

And today,

Me: Can I have the spreadsheet with details of the students?

Her: I am working now. I will give it later. 

Looking at how she was struggling with simple Excel operations, I suggested,

Me: It takes only a second to copy. If you could, then I can continue my work for the day. 

Students walk in to the room to give her some data. She has the time to connect the USB device and copy the data. I recall her rejecting to connect my USB device complaining possible virus. And even as she was trying to refresh the explorer page to find the USB, she could have copied the data I wanted on the shared folder. She did not… and then, as I stood there watching the action, she says to me,

Her: Like I said, I am busy now. I will put it up on the shared folder. Give me time. I am doing a very important job. 

It is two hours since this happened. And in two minutes my post is alive and published. I see reasons to claim my department secretary as being more satanic than secretarial. There is strong evidence to the claim that she is inefficient, but that story is kept aside for another day. Hope she reads this!

I would not want to describe the details of the picnic and make my post look like a technical report. But, in short, there were almost a  hundred adult participants, and fifty eligible (I mean, kids ) participants. The place was a garden (allegedly) somewhere close to Savaravilli, Vizag. Women participants pooled up to play a couple of rounds of ‘Housie’, while Men had their idiosyncratic ways of killing time with Playing Cards, Cricket, and Volley Ball. Few couples (actually COUPLES) took part in games. And many couples ended up searching for their spouses when it was gift-giving time. Kids wanted us to conduct games and competitions till each one of them got a prize, and I failed miserably in explaining them the philosophy behind giving a prize. Entertainment was so much that there was only one active photographer who clicked whatever caught his eye; but then, there was only one, and he could not see much. Satire was a little more than comedy, or perhaps comedy is what satire is meant to be: The day gave opportunity to cut across hierarchies as they exist in the college, and speak everyone’s heart out. Fruits and Sweets nourished the participants, while the opportunity to take-away Gifts definitely engaged the participants. Need I say more? Watch a few snaps in the slideshow here.

Click to view slideshow.

For more pictures, Visit: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2436670909150.2128984.1023048545&type=3

“A teacher must have maturity. Maturity to not blame students for their failure, maturity to accept that their impressions on teacher could be short-sighted, and maturity to understand that the only way to get an acceptance from student community is to teach better. A teacher’s maturity is reflected in his ability to control the ignorance of the student.”

“Be sincere in giving your best. Be strict if you don’t get response. Be approachable, and be respectable.”

“One teacher training all students is impossible. Therefore, a teacher has to develop coördination in groups of students, and make sure that students share the best of what they know with others.”

“When it comes to teaching, going slow is better than going fast; even if going slow is to discipline the students.”

Frankly, I think I am a better reader than I am a teacher. But I know now that I am under the supervision of one of the best. How lucky I am to have been associated with so many great teachers!

Words from Dr. K. S. S. Rama Raju–To whom I dedicate this post

నా మొదటి ఉద్యోగం లో, అంటే నేను సత్యం కంప్యూటర్స్ లో పనిచేసెటప్పుడు, ఉచిత సలహాలు ఎన్నో విన్నాను. వాటిలో ఎన్ని నేను తీసుకున్నాను, ఎన్ని నాకు మంచి చేసాయి అనేవి పక్కన పెట్టండి. విషయమేంటంటే, నేను సలహాలు విననప్పుడు మాత్రం “నేనప్పుడే చెప్పాను” అనే దెప్పుడు మాత్రం నాకు తప్పేదికాదు. మొదట్లో సీనియర్ల సలహాలు వినటం మంచిదేమో అనే అనిపించింది. కానీ, వారు ప్రతి సలహాకి “నేను చెప్పాను కానీ, నువ్వే నిర్ణయం తీసుకో” అని కలిపి చెప్పటం వల్ల, నేను ఎప్పుడూ అదోరకమైన సంధిగ్ధావస్థలో ఉండిపొయాను.

తరువాత కొంతకాలానికి సీనియర్లన్న తర్వాత సలహాలు సహజం అని సరిపెట్టుకున్నాను. మరికొంతకాలానికి ఉద్యోగం మారాను. ఎ.టి.జి కన్సల్టింగ్ వారితో కలిసి పనిచేసాను. ఇక్కడ ఎవరూ సలహాలు ఇవ్వరు, కానీ తీసుకోకపోతే మాత్రం తప్పుచేసామని గుర్తుచేస్తారు. ఉదాహరణకి, నేను ఇక్కడ ఉద్యోగం మానేసే సమయం లో ఒక మేనేజరు అన్న మాటేంటంటే, “సీనియర్ డైరెక్టర్ గారి సలహా తీసుకోకపోయారా!?“. చెప్పే వాడెదో వాడికి తోచింది చెప్పక ఇలా పక్క వాళ్ళ మాట వినండి అనడం, ఇదో రకమైన హింసగా అనిపించేది నాకు. ఇలాంటి మాటలు సరిగ్గా చేసే పనేంటంటే, సమయం వ్రుధా చెయ్యటం.

తర్వాత నేను పనిచేసిన కాలేజీ ఎప్పుదూ సలహాలు ఇచ్చిన పాపాన పోలేదు. బాధేమిటంటే, వీళ్ళు సలహాలు తీసుకున్న పాపాన కూడా పోలేదు. నవ్వుకుంటున్నారా? అంతేలెండి, ఏది ఏవైనా, ఎవరేమనుకున్నా, నేనుకుడా ఒక ఉద్యోగినే కదా!

ఇప్పుడు మరో రకం పరిచయమైంది నాకు. వీరు సలహాలు సూటిగా ఇవ్వరు, కానీ మరేవరో ఐతే “అలా” చేసేవారు అని చెప్తారు. ఆ “అలా” అనేది మనకి “అలా” చెయ్యమని చెప్పారని మనకి అర్ధం అయితే బాగానే ఉంటుంది. కానీ, నేను నాకు తెలిసిన పని తెలిసినట్టుగా చేసి, “అలా” చెయ్యటం అనవసరం అని సరిపెట్టుకున్నాను. నేను మర్చిపొయిన విషయం (అర్ధం చేసుకోని విషయం కూడా), నాకు “మరేవరో ఐతే” అని చెప్పిన వారే, ఆ “మరెవరో” అయ్యి ఉంటారని తెలుసుకోలేకపోవడం. తర్వాత మన సీనియర్ వచ్చి, “ఆ” సలహా ఇచ్చినప్పుడు తెలుస్తుంది, అది వారివల్ల వచ్చిన పర్యావసానమే అని. సీనియర్ చెప్పిన మాట కాదనలేక మనం “ఆ” సలహా పాఠించామే అనుకోండి, ఆ తర్వాత మనం వినే మొదటి మాట, “నేనప్పుడే చెప్పాను“. ఆ మాట ఎ”వారి“నించి వస్తుందో తెలిసిందా?

అమ్మకి దేవుడంటే భక్తి. నాన్నకి అమ్మంటే ప్రేమ.

టి.వి.లో రివ్యూ చూసి, నయనతారకి పూజలుచేస్తున్నారని విని, బాలక్రిష్న తన తండ్రిని తలపించాడని పేపర్లో చదివి, పిల్లలు మహాద్భుతంగా భావాలు పలికించారని కొందరు నేస్తాలు చెప్పగా; మనసులో కలవరాన్ని పక్కన పెట్టీ, నాలుగు తిక్కెట్లు కొని, అమ్మ, నాన్న, నా అర్ధాంగి, నేనూ, జగదాంబలో ఆడుతున్న “శ్రీ రామరాజ్యం”కి వెళ్ళాం.

వెళ్ళిన తర్వాత దురద్రుష్టం మమ్మల్ని చూసి నవ్వింది, తన అద్రుష్టానికి పులకరించిది,  బాలక్రిష్ణ రూపంలో పలకరించింది. రామానందసాగర్ రామాయణం చూసి,రాముడు చిద్విలాసంతో ఉంటాడని నమ్మి పెరిగాను. కానీ రాముడు కూడా ఊహించలేనంత వైనంగా ఏడుస్తాడు, ఏడిపిస్తాడు అని ఈరోజే తెలిసింది. రామాయణం విని, “రాముడు మంచి బాలుడు” అన్న నోరు, ఇవ్వాళ ఎందుకో, “రాముడు వెర్రి బండడు” అనే అంటోంది.

నయనతార చాలా తెలివైన ఆర్టిస్ట్. ఈ సినిమా ఆవిడ కెరీర్లో ఆఖరి సినిమా అంటే, వాలంటరీ రిటైర్మెంట్ అనుకున్నాను. కానీ అది ఇంటలిజెంట్ రిటైర్మెంట్ అని ఇప్పుడు అర్ధమైంది. ఈ సినిమాలో ఆవిడ ఎన్నిసార్లు “మనసారా పాపం చేసిందో” లెక్క పెట్టనివాడికి సినిమా పరిజ్ఞ్యానం లేనట్టే.

ఆర్ట్ అంటే తెలియని చిన్నతనంలో పిచ్చిగీతలు అని అన్నా, బుధ్ధి పెరిగే కొద్దీ బాపుగారి బొమ్మలంటే గౌరవం ఏర్పడింది. ఆ గౌరవం వారి మీద కుడా లేకపోలేదు. ఆయనలోని విభిన్న కళలు మనకి ఈ రాజ్యంలో చూపించే ప్రయత్నంలో, పాపం వారు మతి కోల్పోయారేమో, భాషకీ, భావానికీ కూడా పెద్ద పరీక్షే పెట్టారు.

ఇక పిల్లల విషయానికొస్తే చెప్పుకోవటానికి ఏమీలేదు. పిల్లలు కదా, తోచినట్టు చేసారు. ఇతరత్రా ఏడుపుల మధ్యలో ఒక నిమిషం ఉల్లసంగా ఉందనిపించింది. వారిక్కూడా తెలిసిపోయిందేమో, ఈ సినిమాకి ఏ అవార్డు వచ్చినా, అది వారికే దక్కుతుందని!

కధ, కధనం విషయానికొస్తే, తోటి బాధితుడు అన్నమాటే గుర్తొస్తుంది, “ఇది రామాయణమా?”. మా అనుభవం మాటేంటంటారా? ఏడుపుకి కొత్త అర్ధాన్ని చూపించే సినిమాకి వెళ్ళి వచ్చిన వికారం తగ్గడానికి మరో రోజు పట్టొచ్చు.