Mrs. Binu Ninan???? Aaaaarrrrgggghhhhhhhh

Got woken up at 3:30 am with a sinister cackling from the abode of Aunt Shrutz. She had done it again!!! That…… fiend! How dare she tag me again? And that too with the scariest of concepts??!!! Now I am trapped.. tagged rather… Enslaved by her sadism, forced to do what she says.. Im telling u… Shrutz… I let you go last time around cuz my AK 47 was stuck and I didn’t have cash to buy more bullets. But this is the last time I’m gonna take this!!

Anyways now that Ive been chained to the keyboard, let me type my way to freedom (what a great concept on Republic day!, but we shall discuss that later) I am supposed to convey the following points to you. Dammmit Binu, think… think!!!

1) I am supposed to talk about eight characteristics of my ideal lover.

2) Tag eight other people. This would be the most sadistic thing that happened after the Abu Graib prison incidents. Please don’t jail me for this. I have been commanded to do so!
3) Inform them in their comments that they are screwed

4) Get freed from the chains and do the best that your hands are supposed to do (NO double meanings intended!)

OK. Before starting off, I wanna make some things clear.

1. I believe in love, however I don’t believe all the crap that’s written about love and comes into your mailbox a zillion times a day. i.e. It is eternal, heavenly, blah blah..
2. I do not think I need a partner in my life right now. I would like to go single until I can go no more or until I find someone so exceptional that would make me fall head over heels (hmm, a very rare possibility) or I decide to settle down and have a lil Binu into the world (Jeez, was Hitler’s or Osama’s parents quite famous?? If so I can think of the third option..)

What do I want from my partner, if there is someone so unfortunate to fill that post? Well I haven’t thought of that, however I am kinda sure I know what I DO NOT want in my partner.

1. Pretentiousness – Absolute NO!! I hate females who try to hide who they are and “build” a personality around themselves. I would like to have someone who is honest to the core and who says what they feel truly and genuinely from their heart.
2. Smile – Total YES!! I dunno, I have the funda in life that people who have a very toothy smile are very independent and don’t think too much of what impression society has for them. So someone who can have a wide smile or a hearty laugh will definitely turn me on! (Moreover I can probably get her to model in some Colgate / Pepsodent ads, u gotta think practical u know!)
3. Self Obsession – definite NO!! I hate people who think about nothing but themselves, their family, their looks, lifestyle etc etc.
4. Independence - definite YES!! I repect people who are independent and lead their own professional lives. However I expect them to expect independence in return from my side. If some of you girls think marriage is all about bonding (literally!) to an extent that you follow your partner like the Hutch puppy, then I am sorry; probably you can get married to James Bond or Gun Master G 9 – he might give you some tips on spying.
5. Openness and flexibility – Yes!! If someone has some preconceived notions about their ideal husband after seeing crappy candyfloss movies like KKHH, DDLJ, and all those acronyms, let me warn you I am your worst nightmare! And only if someone can accept my craziness will any relationship work.
6. LOTS of common sense – YES!!! Someone who can listen to my raves n ratings and knock some senses into me. Cuz most of the time, that’s what I need most in my senseless mind..
7. Someone who doesn’t take life too seriously. I mean if you swear by Kafka and Ayn Rand, go take a hike buggers! You can either join other “intellectuals” or get married to the librarian in your institute.
8. Well coming down to last quality, I know me.. I will probably take all the 7 criteria, weigh the advantages and disadvantages…. And select the girl with the prettiest face :D …. Well I am me… cant do too much about it!!!

Well anyways that’s about me…. Now whom to tag?? I dunno if I have 8 blogger pals, lemme see

§ Abhinav – I WANT to see what he writes about this one

§ Mukund – cuz he doesn’t know what tagging is!

§ Thomachan – I am sure he will find some abstract formula for this

§ Deepa – cuz she thinks too much!

§ Binoy – cuz his first blog rocks !!

§ SKUS – cuz he is the laziest gorilla ive ever seen

§ Auster – cuz he has started to take a liking towards my blog

§ Shani – cuz he might have some opinions on this one!

Hats off to an Indomitable spirit!

Malli Mastan Babu has done it again! He has started on his conquest of the seven highest peaks in the world by climbing Mt. Vinson in Antartica.

The News Article

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-1379989,curpg-1.cms

When I read this news, with the placement fever in the background I just realized how big a decision he had made in his life and how he had actually made “following a dream” into a reality.

What am I talking about?

Rewind 2 years, Mr. Malli was a student at IIM Calcutta. He had his graduation from IIT Kharagpur and in all probability would have been placed in a great firm with an amazing salary.

He had set up the adventure club in campus. While others would sit in their rooms or go out drinking during the evening, he used to swim in the lakes in campus. While others used to long to go back home and get cozy on ur fav couch, he longed to go to Himalayas. He used to arrange treks for other students and alumni.

In the month of Jan, 2004 Malli did the unthinkable for any IIM student, leave any IIM student; any student in this part of the world. He opted out of the placement process to start a career in mountaineering.

Ok… (takes deep breath)… I gotta repeat that. He decided not to sit for placements in IIM Calcutta because he wanted to climb mountains! The very thought of such a concept sends chills down my spine. I know how much career focused people here are. I know the peer pressure that gets into you once you get into an IIM. Such a decision from anyone would be insane to say the least!

But IIMC being what IIMC is.. approves and cultivates diversity. You think I’m crapping? Well the guy was awarded the “Dr. B.C. Roy award for best outstanding contribution to campus life” during the convocation.

Malli is a cult figure in IIMC. He started the adventure club, which is one of the most active clubs in campus; but more importantly he rekindled a trend amongst the students to find their passion. I’ve met him in campus many times – he is just like one of us, mild mannered, fun loving IIMCian. However unlike many of us he had the clarity to know what he wanted in life and the guts to stick to that goal and follow it up.

Hats off to you Malli!!! Hope you conquer the next 6 peaks too… Keep the IIMC flag flying high!

You can visit Malli’s website here

Placements!

Placement season is here again! It seemed like yesterday when I went thru the dusty and sweaty streets of Calcutta to reach Jokaland. I watched the seniors in their trials and tribulations. Within a couple of months, here I am, in their shoes.. Trust me I’m not feeling too good about it!

It is a privilege in India to have the opportunity to choose the job that u wanna join. However I have noticed one fact of life, take the best and strongest rats from the country; give them literally assured careers which are world class, but still they will race. Cuz it doesn’t matter wat happens in the end. It’s the inherent nature in man to be at the top, in whichever situation he is in, which keeps him alive.

So after 2 years of total joblessness and vellagiri, its time to put a miniscule of effort. First of all I gotta figure out what job to take and then which company to take up. Unfortunately unlike the US B Schools, the students here are kids – totally unaware of the careers that they have to take. So companies use all tactics to get them in:

Company A: U get to be as famous and rich as rock stars! We will shower u with money, but by the way u might not get any time to spend them.

Company B: We will send u to all countries from Taiwan to Timbuktu, You will travel so much that you’ll end up forgetting your nationality!

Company C: Free food, free car, free acco! What more do u want? As a token gift, here are some free T Shirts!

Company D: I am so happy with my work, I sleep in the office building daily!

I guess u cant blame them. They know they are bullshitting and I guess they know that we know that too.. But I guess its all part of the game.

For my sake, I know I suck at finance. I’m glad about that cuz that automatically eliminates around 50% jobs for me. I love marketing and would be quite happy in an FMCG firm selling soaps on a bullock cart to unsuspecting consumers in Jhumri Thalaiyya. One thing I definitely don’t want is a desk job. I just hate the concept of coming back to the same place to work every day! I was in HLL for 2 months, and although they thought I sucked at my job, I just loved the job and the place. So I’m just fine with working any FMCG company. As long as I get to travel around, meet people and work with some good looking models ;o)

But there is a whole new monster out there called Consulting. It consists of very serious people wearing black suits telling CEOs how to make their businesses success stories. I guess then they ought to wear long coats and pointed hats with a magic wand in their hands. Anyways, they select the best students from campus. I don’t think I fall in that category, so I don’t know if I have to take them seriously. However I have been interested in the concept of working with different companies, again traveling, meeting people, talking crap and impressing them… So I don’t think that’s a bad option either.

Anyways all I’m hoping is that I don’t get sucked into a trap and end up choosing a career which I don’t like. After all I used to get paid just 10k per month in Ushus and trust me, I was super happy with that job. Any job from IIMC will easily give me at least 3 times that amount, so I’m not too worried.

Anyways lets see.. for the time being I’m supposed to look super excited and interested at all the “informal sessions” with the firms… I only wish my last days at IIMC would be as enjoyable and memorable as the entire stint here!