Fastest finger – A concept which I saw for the first time in KBC – Kaun Banega Crorepati , the Indian version of Who wants to become a millionaire ?
No doubt – being an ardent fan of Big B, I was always eager to see the way he would introduce the fastest finger to the 10 contestants every episode.
The next time I came across this fastest finger was when I received a mail from Dawn Dekle – Dean, Center for Leadership – back here at Singapore campus. She had indicated that there were 3 tickets for a show (don't remember exactly which one) and who ever replied to the mail first would be getting the free tickets. By the time, I checked this mail, the three people were already selected and that mail was also in my mailbox. It happened similarly for 3 times. Finally I shot out a mail to Dawn indicating my disapproval for the process. However, it was very kind of her to reply stating that she would make sure that everyone would get a chance to go out.
Then on a particular day she again sent out a mail, which told she would take 3 people for hiking to Mac Ritchie. It was already 45 min from the time she had sent the mail. I thought there is no use in replying, thinking that there are far more dynamic people than me. However, I observed there wasn't any selection mail from her – Hence I just replied indicating my interest. After around 20 min, I got a mail which told that Hrishi, Amey and myself would be going with her for the hike on 3rd Jan – Sunday. Then I felt that – "Good Shravan... You aren't so bad; you can still win a fastest fingerJ"
Later in the evening I found out that our 1st Term Exams were starting on 4th Jan. I then realized why many had not replied. This is human psychology – I had mixed feeling – Feeling bad because my assumption that I was good at fastest finger was proved falseL; Feeling better because I wasn't alone, there were 2 moreJ.
On 3rd Jan, I woke up at 6am for the first time in Singapore. Got ready and we were all down at the reception by 6:45am. Dawn was on time, exactly by 6:45am at the reception. We requested her to cut short the hike, owing to our exams, next day.
We entered the Mac Ritchie Reservoir, and it was like a blend of artificial beauty and natural ambience. We hiked through the forests and there were many people who were jogging and few were doing some kind of Chinese exercise. We came across a big tortoise, few peculiar types of fish and lots of monkeys.
The best part of the hike was Dawn – Her company added so much value to our hike that we hardly realized that we had hiked for 3hrs 15 min and covered almost 9.5 kms. She shared a lot of her experience, it may be teaching in IIMs or working in McKinsey or discussing the critical areas for Management Schools. Albert Einstein once said – "Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school." I am sure even if I forget the statistics/Economics/Quants, I would not forget this trip and the experience.
Thanks a lot Dawn, I am sure everyone would be eager to spend more and more time with you, as we have a lot to share and learn from you. We did take a lot of snaps – thanks to Hrishi and Amey, the slide show of which is embedded.
Finally we came back in Merc, to college by 10:30am. And the story continues – the part which we would forget, Managerial Economics Exam, the next day…….
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Perception Matters!!!
Avatar –
One of the most successful movies of all time!
James Cameroon – Next only to God!
Most amazing movie of the year!
Must see – or Die!!
I must say Prof Solomon Asch's work on social pressure is an exceptional one. His did experiments on the how most people succumb to social pressure and might end up accepting the wrong thing even after being known what is right. Well after all human perception is all important.
It was night 11:25 show – I went for Avatar, with a lot of excitement, not because I am going for Avatar, but I am going for a movie, having a break from my regular routine. Well, it was the 3D version. The movie was everything but a feature film. The visual retreat was the best part that I adored about the movie. I went to the movie theater and realized that nothing much was going fast in the first 40-60 min, and as usually dosed off, with the glasses on, atleast let me dreams be 3D . However it was short nap. I realized that the story was going on with amazing cinematography, loved the hanging mountains, and all the nature which was splendidly shown across. Well, but I wanted to watch a movie and not an artificial creative forest.
The movie tested my patience, and the long screenplay made it a more painful. I did rather watch Deewar, Muttinahaara (one of my all time Kannada movies), or any typical South Indian movie where we see the hero fighting for the poor/ saving someone's life/ losing his family and he takes revenge in an anti-climax. The movie was finally over and I came out with my friends, and saw everybody so ecstatic and told profound comments. As I was about to open my mouth, I realized that I would be spoiling the aura around.
Next day I came to class and everyone were using adjectives which I even didn't know till that time. The perception so worked that I literally didn't tell many that I didn't like, but for my close aides. I was seeing amazing reviews popping up through various net sources and strong one-liners in the chat-messages. I almost made up my mind that I had actually missed out some major part during my nap in the 3D movie and decided that I would watch it again. But my exams started and I got busy with them. The day of the last exam, we had our group going to the movie, and I got going with them. This time I made sure I don't dose off, and frankly the pain was a bit more this time. But thanks to my group, it somehow was memorable, as we were mocking at many of the practices and was relating to many of our experiences.
People who have heard me giving light hearted comments about the movie, would consider me a hypocrite, but putting it in white and black, trust me I didn't like the movie the way I liked some of Cameroon's previous work. He deserves a lot of appreciation for putting across a simple concept of saving nature, in a complicated manner. But most of my heartfelt appreciation would go to the creative technocrats (it is not an oxymoron) who have worked behind the scenes for bringing out such magnificent scenery and its 3D effects.
Now what has Prof Solomon Asch got to do with this..?
It's been almost 2 days that I have seen it the second time, and this time with full conviction, I state my reviews, and surprisingly, considerable (not majority) people backed my opinion. Infact with the group when with whom I went the second time, most of them were pragmatic and enjoyed the movie as more of a comic style, than for what the movie was meant for.
I realized the impact of opinions which had sucked me into watching it for the second time, even though I had clearly realized that I didn't like it the first time. This is social pressure. After watching it for the second time, I realized that many were pulled into the majority opinion, the way I was. This realization did cost me an extra ticket & precious time (off course, I would have slept otherwise).
It is worthwhile to have a glimpse of Solomon Asch's psychological experiment –
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon_Asch
One of the most successful movies of all time!
James Cameroon – Next only to God!
Most amazing movie of the year!
Must see – or Die!!
I must say Prof Solomon Asch's work on social pressure is an exceptional one. His did experiments on the how most people succumb to social pressure and might end up accepting the wrong thing even after being known what is right. Well after all human perception is all important.
It was night 11:25 show – I went for Avatar, with a lot of excitement, not because I am going for Avatar, but I am going for a movie, having a break from my regular routine. Well, it was the 3D version. The movie was everything but a feature film. The visual retreat was the best part that I adored about the movie. I went to the movie theater and realized that nothing much was going fast in the first 40-60 min, and as usually dosed off, with the glasses on, atleast let me dreams be 3D . However it was short nap. I realized that the story was going on with amazing cinematography, loved the hanging mountains, and all the nature which was splendidly shown across. Well, but I wanted to watch a movie and not an artificial creative forest.
The movie tested my patience, and the long screenplay made it a more painful. I did rather watch Deewar, Muttinahaara (one of my all time Kannada movies), or any typical South Indian movie where we see the hero fighting for the poor/ saving someone's life/ losing his family and he takes revenge in an anti-climax. The movie was finally over and I came out with my friends, and saw everybody so ecstatic and told profound comments. As I was about to open my mouth, I realized that I would be spoiling the aura around.
Next day I came to class and everyone were using adjectives which I even didn't know till that time. The perception so worked that I literally didn't tell many that I didn't like, but for my close aides. I was seeing amazing reviews popping up through various net sources and strong one-liners in the chat-messages. I almost made up my mind that I had actually missed out some major part during my nap in the 3D movie and decided that I would watch it again. But my exams started and I got busy with them. The day of the last exam, we had our group going to the movie, and I got going with them. This time I made sure I don't dose off, and frankly the pain was a bit more this time. But thanks to my group, it somehow was memorable, as we were mocking at many of the practices and was relating to many of our experiences.
People who have heard me giving light hearted comments about the movie, would consider me a hypocrite, but putting it in white and black, trust me I didn't like the movie the way I liked some of Cameroon's previous work. He deserves a lot of appreciation for putting across a simple concept of saving nature, in a complicated manner. But most of my heartfelt appreciation would go to the creative technocrats (it is not an oxymoron) who have worked behind the scenes for bringing out such magnificent scenery and its 3D effects.
Now what has Prof Solomon Asch got to do with this..?
It's been almost 2 days that I have seen it the second time, and this time with full conviction, I state my reviews, and surprisingly, considerable (not majority) people backed my opinion. Infact with the group when with whom I went the second time, most of them were pragmatic and enjoyed the movie as more of a comic style, than for what the movie was meant for. I realized the impact of opinions which had sucked me into watching it for the second time, even though I had clearly realized that I didn't like it the first time. This is social pressure. After watching it for the second time, I realized that many were pulled into the majority opinion, the way I was. This realization did cost me an extra ticket & precious time (off course, I would have slept otherwise).
It is worthwhile to have a glimpse of Solomon Asch's psychological experiment –
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon_Asch
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Wake Up !!!
It was around 4:00 am, on a Tuesday. I was reading a case study for the morning session. Let me also confess that I wasn't doing just that - I was checking out some interesting websites for some information about financial crisis, along with chatting, etc. To hit the nail on the head - not all the time till 4:00 am was spent in a fruitful manner. Finally I made up my mind to sleep by 4.15 am. I set the alarm for 8:00 am and slept. I must say my crazy dreams were a bit more berserk, than normal.
I opened my eyes in trouble and saw that my roomie - Chetan was still asleep, and so I again went back to sleep. Next time, I opened my eyes and out of sheer desperation, I took the mobile to check out the time. And it was 9:07 ................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The worst part was Chetan was also still sleeping - even though he had slept by midnight 12. I literally shouted - "Shiiiiittttttttt... 9........ 7......." and within seconds we both had to be in the class. The lift time was utilized in combing and finally for the first time ever in my life - I entered the class in slippers. The attire was mediocre and face was clearly indicating that I was totally sleep -deprived. Adding insult to injury, my program coordinator(This person is responsible for the smooth running of the class - She was also responsible for taking attendance and seldom sits in the class to check if the learning experience is really happening - Infact this is one of the good things that I like here. ) was sitting in the class. This is what I called destiny - She was on leave for the past 2 weeks and I had been punctual all through, but all of a sudden, she is sitting inside the class. Either ways, I didn't have time to talk to her and just ran to my place like a bull in a competition. The class was that of the Business Strategy - and I had actually prepared for the case-study that we would be discussing in the class. But what is the point in having prepared, when you are not in a position to know what was happening in the class, and whether your preparation is relevant to the class.
Having already known for sleeping in the class, it was a bit difficult for me to digest this extra embarrassment.. Anyways, what is study if not for this..??!!!! That too for an engineer...!!
However, if this wasn't sufficient, destiny had a few more surprises lined up for me. During one of the case -study discussions, I had prepared myself for a particular question, and I desperately wanted to complete my turn that day itself, because, I was skeptical if I missed the chance that day, I had to prepare another case for the next day. Thanks to few irritating (pun definitely not intended) characters in the class, the number of nonsense questions were a bit a more and ate up everybody's air-time. Just in the last 5 min, i finally got the mike and I had my answer prepared on my laptop screen, destiny had a different story - Now our dearest professor had to leave a bit early and disbursed the class 5 min before time. The happy part however was that the prof told that he would continue with the same case n with me, the next day. So I didn't have to read another case- relieved :))
One more similar incidence, with my friend - Amey, it was a similar case-study discussion - and the question- answer session was to start with him and he was prepared to present his view on the first question. Now again, few unknown sources wanted a different climax - the professor started to ask from second question - His face was a mixture of emotions, which were waiting to flow out but he was holding on. Now this is what I say engineers, not everyone would find a strategy the way he found out - he said that the mike was not working and asked for another, there by gaining another 3-4 min, through which he could just push-through the question.
A person's intelligence is actually tested in such situation handling and is more ridiculed in examinations...
Hail Engineers!!!!!!
I opened my eyes in trouble and saw that my roomie - Chetan was still asleep, and so I again went back to sleep. Next time, I opened my eyes and out of sheer desperation, I took the mobile to check out the time. And it was 9:07 ................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The worst part was Chetan was also still sleeping - even though he had slept by midnight 12. I literally shouted - "Shiiiiittttttttt... 9........ 7......." and within seconds we both had to be in the class. The lift time was utilized in combing and finally for the first time ever in my life - I entered the class in slippers. The attire was mediocre and face was clearly indicating that I was totally sleep -deprived. Adding insult to injury, my program coordinator(This person is responsible for the smooth running of the class - She was also responsible for taking attendance and seldom sits in the class to check if the learning experience is really happening - Infact this is one of the good things that I like here. ) was sitting in the class. This is what I called destiny - She was on leave for the past 2 weeks and I had been punctual all through, but all of a sudden, she is sitting inside the class. Either ways, I didn't have time to talk to her and just ran to my place like a bull in a competition. The class was that of the Business Strategy - and I had actually prepared for the case-study that we would be discussing in the class. But what is the point in having prepared, when you are not in a position to know what was happening in the class, and whether your preparation is relevant to the class.
Having already known for sleeping in the class, it was a bit difficult for me to digest this extra embarrassment.. Anyways, what is study if not for this..??!!!! That too for an engineer...!!
However, if this wasn't sufficient, destiny had a few more surprises lined up for me. During one of the case -study discussions, I had prepared myself for a particular question, and I desperately wanted to complete my turn that day itself, because, I was skeptical if I missed the chance that day, I had to prepare another case for the next day. Thanks to few irritating (pun definitely not intended) characters in the class, the number of nonsense questions were a bit a more and ate up everybody's air-time. Just in the last 5 min, i finally got the mike and I had my answer prepared on my laptop screen, destiny had a different story - Now our dearest professor had to leave a bit early and disbursed the class 5 min before time. The happy part however was that the prof told that he would continue with the same case n with me, the next day. So I didn't have to read another case- relieved :))
One more similar incidence, with my friend - Amey, it was a similar case-study discussion - and the question- answer session was to start with him and he was prepared to present his view on the first question. Now again, few unknown sources wanted a different climax - the professor started to ask from second question - His face was a mixture of emotions, which were waiting to flow out but he was holding on. Now this is what I say engineers, not everyone would find a strategy the way he found out - he said that the mike was not working and asked for another, there by gaining another 3-4 min, through which he could just push-through the question.
A person's intelligence is actually tested in such situation handling and is more ridiculed in examinations...
Hail Engineers!!!!!!
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