Resolution - One topic expert in a month

As I read the novel, I dare you....one thing that I have decided to do to increase my mental power is to select a topic and be an expert in that industry in a month. Atleast put the effort to know more about the topic then others around me.

Since the auto industry crisis is on currently, my topic for April is on Auto's. Let me see how I come out of April as an auto expert.

I dare you!

I am reading this novel "I dare you" by William Danforth currently. Before I go ahead more about it, I must say it is a must read for everyone.

I have read halfway till now and it basically tells about the importance of phisical exercise and mental exercise to succeed in this life. Apart from that, it stresses the importance of sharing things for them to grow.

Having read halfway, I have thought for myself some of the things that I will try and change in my life.

1) Live healthy - Some of the basic things that I would start doing for that for the next couple of months till they become a habit are:

a) Sit straight

b) Walk Straight

c) Study on the table.

d) Eat breakfast

e) Start by exercising every morning - stretches.

2) Think healthy - Some of the basic things that I would start doing for that for the next couple of months till they become a habit are:

a) Select a topic and become an expert on that or atleast try to know more then anybody else on that topic in a month.

b) Write a blog everyday on something current.

Some of the things that I have changed at the moments or trying to change are:

- Trying to sit straight

- Sitting and studying on table - This is how I will clear CFA if I clear it.

Trip to Indianapolis....

I just came back exhausted after a fun trip to Indianapolis. It so happend that Anukul and myself were chatting around 11.00am in the morning regarding planning to do something for the weekend or atleast in the evening. He said he was bored of staying inside for a week as I was preparing for my Monsanto interview.

Then we realized that Ankur had taken a new car and we could ask him for going on a drive. And so we started thinking where we could go. Chicago was ruled out as it is too far away and so the next closest place was Indianapolis. I proposed and he agreed and we were calling Girish and Ankur and after initial 'No' both of them were game for it. By the way, did I tell that there was a winter warning for St Louis and adjoining areas and it was raining pretty heaviliy here at St Louis also. And so as usual, my red jetta did not start because of the rain and so Ankur and Girish, Dia decided to come and pick us up. So here we were, ready to leave for Indianapolis, without any idea of where we were going and without any plan as such.

Anyway, the four hours in the car was fun. It was a different feeling sitting on the back sit rather then driving all the way. So had fun joking and pulling each other's legs....basically ankurs. On our way , we decided that since we were driving for four hours, what is the point of coming back and so stayed at Super 8 motels...deciding after few phone calls after reaching Indianapolis. Its amazing how technology has made things so easy. After refreshing for a few minutes, we went out to roam around the downtown.

After lot of discussion, we decided to have dinner at P F Chang. The food was really good and delicious. The fortune cookies made anukul and ankur...partners for life and Ankur finally knew that he saw "rab...laughing budha"...in anukul. After the dinner, we headed out to have a walk around the downtown and saw the memorial. The clouds and the lights and light rain created a beautiful view.Check out the pics. When all of us were almost freezing, we decided that enough was enough and headed for Sub Terra. The pub was pretty good with nice music. A little bit of dance till late in the night and we headed for home. I knew I was going to fall sick by that time because I already had a little cold in the morning. 

The next day we headed for south indian restaurant near by...Uduppi. I have to say...although it was veggie...the food was really good and authentic. After a heavy brunch, we went to the motor sport hall of fame and I was flooded with memories of 2005 when I was there in the stadium watching the last F1 race in the stadium. But this was from the other side and it was different to be on the tracks, on the podium and the media center and where all the VVIPs sit. It was around 3 by that time and we were on our way back. I was feeling sick and I slept almost all the way. Oh by the way while coming back, we happen to see two cars colliding right infront of us while taking the exit. So all of us were shocked for a while but then we went ahead and reached home safely...ofcourse now that I am writing this..u know I have reached home.

Benefits of Recession!

1) Some of the brightest people go back to India which is an example of reverse brain drain .

2) This could be the turning point for a shift of power from US to China. China being the most powerful and economic superpower would also benefit India in terms of proximity effect.

3) This is an economic tragedy that significantly increases the chances the next Intel or Cisco Systems will launch outside the U.S.," Wadhwa wrote.

4) The economic recession will only boost outsourcing further.

5) Fewer Indian students would plan to come to US and would prefer staying in India.

Places visited!

While sitting on the airport, Prachi said that a friend of her had a dream to visit 30 countries by the age of 30. That made me to think of the different places I have visited till now and do I know much about those places to engage in some small talk. So the purpose of this blog is to think back about all the places I have visited and recollect something special about those places.

Places visited in India:

1) Bhubaneswar

2) Hyderabad

3) Bangalore

4) Goa

5) Mumbai

6) Pune

7) Delhi

8) Chennai

9) Kolkatta

10) Cochin

11) Trivandrum

12) Trichi

13) Mangalore

14) Manipal

15) Puri

16) Rourkela

17) Ranchi

18) Jamshedpur

Places visited in US

1) Wausau

2) St Louis

3) Chicago

4) Niagara

5) Washington DC

6) Heuston

7) San Francisco

8) Omaha

9) Dallas

10) New Orleans

11) Springfield

12) Las Vegas

13) Minneapolis

14) Milwaukee

15) Champaign

16) Lubbock

17) Atlanta

18) Gatlinburg

19) Indianapolis

20) Wisconsin Dells

21) Madison

22) Muscatine

These are all the places I have visited so far. I will be posting more on this blog going ahead.