Review of Highs, Lows and Few Striking Tales

                     My odyssey in the last job ended before anything serious really began. This once again left few daunting questions for an answer. Will I ever find any employment? Can I continue to work in the job for a considerable period? Will I make any income after the humongous expenditure in effort? These questions puzzled me while I remained unchanged and still look hopeful. Even the best of companies from which a bit of compassion can be expected did not tolerated and find a place for me. I need not tell about the remaining companies. This only deflects the reality further from my imagination of finding a source of income after giving a number of interviews. I mentioned about keeping up the spirits when you are lying low in the last post. Success will ultimately make you forget all the phases of struggle and rejections. Till then the fight continues against one and all.

                     The march in the home land goes on with the intensity never receding. After the job came tuitions, classes and interviews. If you do high-intensity good work for a short period of time it will haunt you forever. There is no switching to any lower mode and it will trap you in a whirlpool without a way out but to keep on moving with much higher speeds which is also expected. The praise you get for such work is also to keep up the ante which is not personally beneficial. You can try to sidestep but it also depends on the person and how he responds to the circumstances with a decision. A good person will carry on for the good of all for no personal returns. It is not a understatement if I mention that I work like a head of a state or country. The biggest downside is the effort is largely unproductive and do not generate any income.  

                     Let me comment on a few significant happenings around. The untimely demise of Tamil Nadu chief minister - Jayalalitha. She is yet another person who lost her life while being the head of a state and at her powerful best. They are the kind of persons who risk everything in line of duty. You will know the value of people in their absence. This person with illustrious career in films also had a worthy political career. She symbolizes the women power and reached the stature of being called as ‘Amma’ for the service rendered. She silently served as Chief Minister for 14 years in 5 different terms. Under the leadership, her party won the elections for the second consecutive term last year with defining majority. This is not only a loss to the state but also leaves a large political vacuum which has been filled by her for many years.

                     The next one to really impact is the note ban. This is a step to ban the existing high denomination notes in the larger scheme of things to curb black money. It is a step towards cleaning the corrupt-ridden system which has been dreamt about since many years. The decision is very bold and unlike any other government measure. Every person was affected by the move and the transition took place without any issues. This just highlights the performance of the government which must be the representation of the public it rules. The discomfort to the public is touted as the small price for a larger result. Corruption in the country is common since ages and practiced at all levels. Time has come to neutralize it to some extent.

                       Presidential elections happened in U.S. and I had been following them since last few years due to proximity. The process of becoming a president starts with candidates opting to run under each party and pitting against each other. The phrase ‘running for president’ is very frequently used and I don’t understand what this ‘running’ is all about. Is it the candidates suddenly decides from a slumber and then switch modes? If the activity of candidates alone is termed as running then what everyone else will do? Sleep? Is it to put some sport shoes and look athletic at the age of 70 or 80 ? The lengthy process reaches half stage when the candidates win the nomination to contest on behalf of two major parties. By this time itself, I felt almost tired watching and lost track from here. Two conventions take place and the candidates function like they already became Presidents while the actual President is hardly seen. Two running mates will be chosen to run along with the candidates in the last phase who would eventually become vice-president if the candidate wins. On the election day, the person who ran the longest marathon will win. It is a prize for length in stipulated time. After winning the running competition, the candidate becomes the President – elect. At last, after running the heats for few more months he would be sworn in as President. In the mean time, I travelled to India couple of times and returned as well. The person who went through the grinding and won is a 70 year old. Of all the times, he decided to run for president at that ripe age when everyone hangs up and retire. Anyhow, the millionaire business-man also became the President and became example of what a man can achieve – anything and everything.

                       Last year saw the release of two films on fighting in Hindi and both won big at the box office. The last of the two, Dangal became all time highest grosser winning fights and breaking records. I watched the entire film and waited for heroine, only to know aftermath that the woman draped completely in saree is the lead actress. The lead actor for most part is the person with a pot belly. There is nothing obscene and the film is similar to a documentary and yet performed better than a mainstream commercial flick. Hope I post more often and cover many other subjects other than my own.