The twin power packed personalities called Parents

She grew up in an inconspicuous village far removed from the limits of a southern Indian city. A carefree and chirpy Christian girl who attended a local school in the morning and lent a hand with the chores at home and the backyard in the even time. I would imagine that brooms, water pitchers, cow refuse and wood fired ovens would have been her playthings then. But her passion for learning coupled with sheer industry broke her free from the cocoon her home had spun over her. She went on to liberate herself from a speak-Tamil-only-please girl to pick up English, finish schooling, venture for a Graduate degree in Training and cap it with a triple Master's in Tamil, in Economics and in Education. I often wondered how such a cute thing can with such deftness juggle the roles of a prayer warrior, home maker, dutiful wife, loving mother, professional teacher, youth counsellor, prolific writer, church activist, house maid, master chef, treasurer, etc. while safely and sanely remaining a bundle of bubbling joy.

Now, about him. He matches her laurels line for line and in a few cases also overshadows her. The provider, protector and property manager, he was a super-astute thinker, exquisite writer, powerful social networker, public welfare lobbyist and spokesperson and an able administrator. Though from a unremarkable background with no access to English education till the age of eleven, he plodded his way to a triple feat too with Bachelor's degrees in Mathematics and in Engineering, adding a Master's in Business Administration to round it off. He came packaged in a five and half feet tall, sinewy muscle toned frame with a fiery pair of eyes and a surprisingly tender heart that inspired both awe and affection. He was a leader all the way, perhaps predestined to be one.

Now, to this power couple was born this beleaguered blog writer. It was both a matter of joy and on occasions anguish to have been born to such decorated parents. You may well understand where the pride and joy stems from, but whence the anguish ? Yes, unassuaged anguish in part because they were often my yardstick or reference line against whom I was measured. Believe me, it was really hard to be juxtaposed beside these imposing folks as I could often offer no excuse for my shortcomings. Most often, all possible avenues for my errant reasoning for substandard accomplishments were aptly plugged air tight.

They were an also unwritten poem on unity .. of a religious Christian coping with a titular one, of a village belle knit to an urban thoroughbred, of a serene heart blending with a poignant mind, of ignorance at peaceful coexistence with bridled arrogance and of a beauty in love with a "tender" beast.

The folks have since long retired from their former professions, but it's a wonder to see their engines still in prime condition ever raring to go. They together, have not bequeathed to me just the usual portion of their heritage alone, but also the incorruptible value of godliness, humane love, education, humility and small town attitude, hard work, money, food, health, struggles and life's odds. A relative underachiever that I am, I would not have driven myself to be wherever I stand now if it were not for my reverence and fear for these towering personalities. Mom and Dad !! I love you both.

My observations on the effect of Rock music on behaviour !!

Pink Floyd, AC-DC, Metallica, Def Leppard .. heard those names ? Rock-bands and Stars ? Yeah !! I can recall how it infiltrated my college campus through just three passionate Assamese listeners, became pervasive and thereafter was raging during my college days. I was a victim of that craze too in good measure. The power of the pounding beats, the ripping leads and the volume levels could cause gyrations and tantrums in anyone so easily. And it gradually began to eat into the mind and govern one's instincts too ..the crass and incoherent lyrics, the vociferously resonating noise of guitars, high pitched lead voices and the weird images and videos. Yes, all of that was like a heady brew.

Funnily enough, there were guys and girls who had known nothing but Karagaattam or Kathakali or Kucchipudi musical themes all their lifetime being swayed by the new genre and appeal of Rock music. Then came the attempt to personify the lifestyle of the stars on stage and mimic the themes of their video albums .. guys imitating their atheistic beliefs, practicing black arts, getting high on smoking pot, drinking themselves drunk, spewing language punctuated with downright filthy words, being mavericks without a cause, showing loss of mental composure etc. Some went to the extent of copying their moral depravity too. Attire went through a transformation next with crotch grabbing & figure hugging apparel, shredded jeans, T-shirts with eerie images and vulgar catch words, amulets and talismans, unkempt hair and ear piercings etc. becoming the flavor of the times. Folks who were not into the zeitgeist were looked down upon as worthless nerds a.k.a. "pazhams".

There were occasions when guys fought over musical preferences in cultural programs and informal gatherings, one group standing in favor of lilting Indian movie songs while a larger group lobbying for the new age Rock music. Shamefully, we were not just divided by our religious, linguistic and geographical differences alone but also by our musical preferences for a change. And, I must confess that my behavior was influenced in large part by the practitioners of this degenerate form of music that appeals to the base instincts, till I received the merciful "touch of God" that bailed me out for good.

But I have a word of caution for the present day Christian Rock music lovers. To me it is the work of Satan's subtlety in facilitating a covenant or a reconciliation between good and evil to suit the times. I am able to see how unwary folks, in their expression of their love for God, are getting enticed more by the musical element of the compositions which is so persuasively and dangerously mingled with the devotional rendering of lyrics. I pray that the good Lord open the eyes of the ignorant young to the light of this fact and that he save the Church from this growing adulteration.

My evolution from an aimless gambler into an informed investor

It was the occasion of the maiden receipt of my US-based company stock options that got me all sexed up about stock market investing. I must therefore admit that my subsequent affair with the Indian markets began just 3 years ago and was born more out of genuine interest than out of gaping greed. An amazing fact that stung and stirred me to action was the fact that some confessed dull-heads seemed to be making intelligent money management decisions despite their acclaimed folly. So, as is my wont when faced with a new drive, I resorted to finding a good book that can get "dummies" off the block, landed one authored by a naive Indian professor and got the necessary basics up my sleeve. I was now faced with the arduous task of getting 70 odd signatures replicated one-to-one in my application documents and have them processed if I was to have the distinction of making icicidirect.com my broker of choice. It was a true test of calligraphic and hand stability skills on someone who was used more to wielding a keyboard than a pen. I strained, trembled, bungled and blotched my way to turning in my signs as needed, cruised through the requisite checks with elan and was aptly rewarded a Demat account to commence trading.

I took my first baby steps towards investing equipped with Rs. 5,000/-. I began, following an insane herd, pitching for a few spectacularly rallying stocks in the secondary market only to find myself at the grim end of Mr. Murphy's laws a few days hence. Well, I took a 20% beating on my tiny portfolio. So much for starters. But, undeterred and given to an innate appetite for risk, I ventured to increase my stake to Rs. 50,000/- and thereafter in excess of Rs. 2 lakhs in the next 4 months. Admitting unabashedly, though my 4 month dabbling with IPOs, equities and MFs was nothing except being a zero sum game, it nonetheless gave me an invaluable crash course on understanding company fundamentals, industry dynamics, macroeconomics, currencies and commodities, investor behavior, etc. and their relevance in the context of stock markets. It sharpened my business acumen in a such a way that no degree or course can ever do. To add, frankly, apart from the occasional short term gains, I have still yet to create lasting value with any of my portfolio postions in my entire 3 years. How is that for a real change ? But, pardon me for making this presumptuous claim .. I am now more "experienced", the definition I wish to give to my collection of mistakes.

However, the beautiful side of the story is that I have matured from a disorganized buy-today-sell-tomorrow day trader aimlessly gambling for a few quick bucks to an informed and disciplined buy-and-hold Buffet-clone who understands the nuances of creating long term value and lasting wealth.