Sports and Me

I think it started very early. In my dictionary Sports always mean fun and smiles. I had people with me to play cricket and badminton even at 1^st std. Chess, carom, video games, cricket, football, volleyball and even I tried basket ball and every other game that was there available at school.

I think sport is the best thing I learnt from school. I walk to my school till 5^th std when at Chennai.(I mean my home is so close to the school so that we can play till late evening) I think that was the best period of my sports life. Every body loves to play. There will be schedule for competitions all over the year. I think that is the best part of Chennai schools. (at least the one I studied)

Then got shifted to Coimbatore and I could only find bookworms in the new school though there is good ground. The truth is there are no sports activities. Matches come once in a year and after that no body goes to ground except people like me who loves to ‘relax’ after several hours being in class.

Like most of the Indians I am also impressed of cricket. Well for playing rather than watching. We played in streets and even in smallest possible places. I was one of the youngest to be in the school team that usually gets lost in either first or second match. I remember playing 50 overs match and we were all out in 15^th over.

My childhood heros for me were the best players and the sports staffs in school.

College it was different. I was not even selected in top 20 list for cricket. (Actually I was not that interested as I thought college is the best and last chance that I have, to show to the world that I have some brain.

So did not turn to sports till I got placed) :((

And in final year, back to the ground, quenched all my thirst for games. 3 hrs in the morning then go to sleep and 3 hrs in the evening and have a nice dinner with friends and sleep. This was my routine after I got placed. (And in 7th sem I think I got my least marks )

Still after coming to Gurgaon we sometimes find time to play. If late night it will be football and in holidays we played cricket especially during winter. The best part here is the company organises events and hence it would have waving period of lull and peak.

And one more, there is an automatic alarm set in my brain - when ever my waist exceeds 34 inches, I start to work out heavily in gym. I think it first happened in college when I became a 82 kg idiot at the end of third year and brought it down to 72 kgs (sporty) at the end of final year.

I am sure I will take care of my waist as it is the confidence meter for me I guess.

I love sports and be sportive. Ha ha

My Junior in College joins as junior at Corporate as well

From the day we joined Maruti we 6 classmates (brother from another mother!!!) are staying together in a rented home. After our one year of training, 2 guys got the opportunity to leave Japan for another one year of training. So our count reduced and we badly needed at least one person to share the home (at least the bills). Fortunately we had our junior joining in the same month.

What good things happened to be after that?

1. He gets up early and wakes me up on time. (it is six sigma till now. No errors)

At least once in a week I will be late to office. I sleep late and hence one alarm is not enough to wake me up the next morning. In fact he is better than alarm. Sometimes I used to have shock treatments (shocks but not electric) and wake up baffled.

2. We burn out in gym. We get motivated by each other. The attendance has terribly improved to more than 20 days a month which used to be 5~6 days a month

3. A good source of information also. Our conversations sway from anything to anything on earth. Just out of college !! they will obviously be very very curious about industry that makes us to think.

Well these things are not because I got a junior; it is because of the person. (And these are what I have mentioned others will even write more)

I remember when I was in college I used to dump him with all club activities and at last I took him for a grand dinner in one of the best hotels in Coimbatore (as a way of telling him a big thanks for his support).

Being with college mates (hostellers in fact) itself is a real blessing and when ‘best’ junior also joins the club, ha ha, my personal life is rocking with fun.

Thank you junior.

You have been a positive change for us.

Car, car and cars

I think of most of the people in India, buying a car is really a big thing at least in my family. From the day I joined Maruti I force my dad to go for one. I suggested him an Alto as he can learn driving and may be after few years we can upgrade. But his answer surprised me.
“Naresh I think, Alto is little puny and I think I will go for SWIFT”

This happened at around 2008. And I succeeded in end of 2009. And still he feels that it is something a sort of expense rather than a need. (Unfortunately the SWIFTs have become hot selling car in recent times that we have a huge waiting period).
This is one part

Second one, a car for me, to use in Gurgaon. (Gurgaon has one of the worst weather conditions, best roads and good must visit places in just a 6 hrs drive which makes it a need rather than a pleasure toy). I started to hint for a car to dad once I finished my training. My dad never refused but he did not comment as well. I saw some of the second hand vehicles Altos, Wagon R etc (but only Maruti cars as I can understand and service small issues by myself) but every thing I felt like shit. I told my father I am going for a newly launched vehicle and he said OK.

Now the confusion starts.

Should I go for a vehicle that costs about 3.5 ~ 4 lakhs or should I save?
Am I going beyond my limits?
Will a car turn to be a burden?

And to add to that my sister also confused me.

“Naresh do you really need it? You are so young to own one? Save money? What will happen if there is economic slowdown again? What will happen if you bang somewhere and cry for help (Ladies have their own imagination)”

I also think car is not a necessity.Also I love cars. I want it. So I need it. I trust the future is great and I do not go bankrupt because of buying a car. I feel I am missing a car badly.

Ohh sister I am buying just a car, not an airplane.