Snow and a song

It was snowing last morning,
And I was feeling like a kid.
I thought of taking some in my bag,
Rest assured I did.

I want mom to be here some time,
With flakes of snow all around.
I want to jump up and down again,
My joy would know no bound.

"What crap", you might think
"This is a nursery rhyme"
I totally agree with you but,
the kid in me had a bloody good time.

Help needed!

Hi,
I am doing a project on "Ethics in International Business" and I can use your help.
Irrespective of the country you are reading this in, please spare 2 minutes of your time to take this survey.
http://www.esurveyspro.com/Survey.aspx?id=c17b5f08-31cc-460d-9cc6-c3cd7be9a71f
Please spread it among your friends as I can use as many responses as I get. The more geographies I cover, the better.
Thanks in advance.

Desperation and Inspiration

I have completed a year in a B-School. But the learning has just begun.
In case you want to join a top B-School in the country and are reading this for all the good things that happen to you in a B-School, sorry, I will disappoint you.
The first year went by and I felt that I have not learnt much. I came with an idea that I will come across open minds, people sharing their experiences and willing to learn as they argue. I have now realized that when your own mind is preoccupied, you cannot learn new things. I know I am restating the age old wisdom, but you only realize that it is wisdom and not a fancy quote when it happens to you.
We all joined with high hopes and dreams of making millions. Then the sub prime happened. And now the markets are bleeding. Just today a friend of mine was not offered a job because he did his internship on Credit desk and nobody wants to utter that word in the market today, leave aside dealing in it. The future is not as rosy as we thought it would be. The India growth story seems history. From the dreams of the best job we are slowly preparing ourselves to the reality of any job, as long as it is some job! Add to that the expectations people have when they know where you are studying. The media doesn't help it either! I never thought that the news could be so far away from truth before I came here.
The times are turbulent. I have this opportunity to start something of my own. But I lack the courage and the conviction to do it. All these years of schooling has indeed done one thing, killed my risk appetite. In case you want to read what B-Schools should be doing and what they do, this is an excellent article. THE AMERICAN SCHOLAR
Just as I was getting into one of those spirals of disillusionment and disappointment, I came across this gentleman's lecture. I have heard inspirational talks before, but this is just not any other talk. In case you have the time, please watch this 76 minute long video on youtube. I am sure you will find something worthwhile, just I like I have found inspiration.
Randy Pausch - The Last Lecture
Now that the fear of future has subdued, the reality is here and it is not very pleasant one to look at. I have my exams from Monday and just like the last year, I know NOTHING!! Got to study Indian Legal System for the exam! Who wants to read that subject, I mean, if I am the manager, I would hire a lawyer if I need one! Somebody should teach Specialization of Labour to my Institute's directors!
But a man must do what he has to do before he can do what he wants to do!
I am off to study, but I want to thank Mr Pausch again! Thank you sir. Thanks a ton.

The best morning in quite some time!

Today was one of the few days when I am glad I studying in this college!
I was busy chatting last night and by the time I realized that I need to sleep to attend the morning 8 o'clock class, it was already 4.30 a.m! I chose to watch a movie, "Khuda Ke Liye" which is a pretty decent flick!
Had the breakfast, served hot. Puris and Aaloo! These are the times I like the mess food!
Then I went to attend the lecture for Management, Culture and Creativity! That is the name of the course that I have taken. There was a performance by Dr Rajeeb. The gentleman is not only a famous Sarod player but also holds a PhD with his thesis on "Use of Computing to teach North Indian Classical Music"!
It was such a pleasure listening to him in the pin drop silence, sitting in the MCHV center! Then to hear his views on creativity and risks in making a career in music industry was equally amazing!
Then I came back and slept for 8 hours! :-)
Before I end, my heartfelt thanks to the Anonymous who gave me a lead for my project! Thank you very much!
I am doing my project on "Child labour in the Apparel Industry- Case Study: Nike".
Thanks!

Project blues!

I never thought that deciding on the topic of the project would be the most difficult thing in my Post Graduation! It is not just any project, it has to be a report on some issue that should have something to do with Business, International and yes, ETHICS!
I have thought long and hard, and the ideas that I have, well, I will surely get an 'F" if I do something on them.
Nopes, you just cannot research on the Web and put something together. You have to interview the person concerned with that line of Business. So if I have to do something with auctioning of players in the Indian Premier League, I would have to interview Mr Mallya or Mr Sharukh Khan! Wonderful!
Somebody please tell my Prof that if I had the access to either of them, I would be making more money than what I would make when I pass out of this place!
I wanted to do a study of sustainability of ethical business in beverages industry. I thought that I can use Starbucks as a case and build on that. I was told that I would have to interview the CEO of Starbucks! Thank you sir, for making my job simple!
Now I am stuck! I have ideas coming to me thick and fast but at the mere thought of getting in touch of some international business head to interview him/her, they disappear faster than a drop of water in a microwave oven!
This is my SOS call to all of you! If you know someone who is somebody in some international firm, be it related to marketing, advertising, accounting, sales and distribution, please let me know! All I would do is a 15 minutes interview on some contemporary issue regarding ethics in that domain.

Good to be back!

I am back to college. It felt a bit like the first day, new room, empty roads and no food to eat! :)
It has been a long time. 5 different places in last 2 and a half months have not yielded much in terms of experience to share but has been a good experience to live.
Mumbai is a peculiar city. Alive and dead at the same time! It epitomises the Indian growth story but also houses the backward looking political forces.
It is not about politics and hence I wont talk of it any further. Two things in Mumbai stand out for me.
The most private space for a couple is the most public of them all in Mumbai. Along the Marine Lines' shoreline, you can see couples doing, well, a lot of things! Wonder why has it not warranted some wrath of the activists?
Secondly, what the hell do the Mumbai girls eat? I mean, in Calcutta you would go weeks without looking at a girl worth giving a second glance, but in Mumbai, it would come down to minutes! The crowd out there is very much 'in'. I fell in love 8 times a day!
I miss travelling in the local! The joy in throwing yourself on the sea of people, great fun! I travelled second class and committed every punishable offence in the trains except travelling in the Ladies' compartment. Travelled without ticket, with improper ticket, with a second class ticket in the first class, I have done it all! I was never pulled up for ticket checking! Maybe, my formal dressing had something to do with it!
When I was travelling back, I saw a damn pretty chick at the airport and my hand went up to comb my hair. And I smiled at my own stupidity! I felt like a kid all over again!
The flight back witnessed some turbulent weather and I was the only one on-board who was having a good time! I was even reprimanded by my neighbour 'to wipe that smile off my face'.
I guess my sense of adventure is a bit misplaced!
Nonetheless, it was fun!

Chaibasa Diaries contd...

I have nothing much to do these days so I watch a lot of TV and things that I see have, well, have opened my eyes to a world that I have not been in touch with at all, in the last year or so.

Roadies: I find it difficult to hate or love this show. I am amused that there is a crowd, which so desperately want to ‘be’ that everything is fair for them. I am a mere spectator of an event I just cannot classify. It is not a game as there is not a fair chance for people who are playing. It is not reality TV as there is too much of an impetus from an external source. I have lived in metros long enough to realize that this is not a representative sample. I have not met enough idiots, honestly. It is a bunch of characters who want a short cut to money and fame who believe that they are putting up a show not knowing that they are the show!
But it is cheap entertainment. Pure mockery of all what the old school believes as values.
PS: I am in love with Sambhavi!

Media: I love India TV. It makes me hate myself that I am an Indian. Seriously, the bad roads, the pathetic sanitation and drinking water problems, the lack of basic civic amenities after 60 years of independence, the corrupt bureaucracy, all pales to insignificance in what India TV presents as news. I feel bad for Vandana, the poor soul did not deserve to spend so much time in a pit but that was the effect, not the cause. Did you do enough as a news channel to make people accountable for the incident? No!
There was this news about a bicycle thief who was caught red handed by the crowd and he was beaten all black and blue by the mob. What I hate was the endorsement of the crowd behavior on the grounds that the courts and police are not competent enough. Somebody should tell them that two wrongs do not a right make!
There was more, an hour special on Tanushree Dutta! And also on the fact that a women was beaten up because she was considered a ‘Dayan’ (witch) by the villagers. You have the audacity to cover that live, bring the ‘experts’ in your studio to discuss whether someone can actually be a ‘Dayan’!
I think I read it somewhere that a society’s decay is reflected in the media. I am not quite sure of the fact that the reverse is not happening in India. For two minutes of fame, people might just want to try the extreme. An accused of murder calling media to surrender is an example of easy popularity. A few days back, a truck driver was burnt alive in Asansol (West Bengal) who had hit a school girl and she died on the spot. Well, will this change anything? More and more such incident will happen as long as the media does not condemn these acts of cowardice!

My municipality elections: Things went well, the noise pollution is over, we had Holi and Diwali at the same time in the processions and the buzz is over. I did use my right to cast my vote and it had no bearing on the election results. The candidates I supported lost badly! As always, the worthy is not the winner!

Amidst all this, Shewag provided some excitement. Thank you for an eventful innings in an uneventful contest.

The Chaibasa Diaries!

I was born and brought up in this town and it is here that I am spending my time now. It has been a while since I last spent so much of my time here and things are really different. I have spent last 8 years of my life away from this town, and I get more respect than love these days when I come back. I am seen as ‘worldly wise’ but the affection that this town has for my peers is not there for me. As if I lost my innocence by studying and working outside.
On the bright side we have this branch of ICICI bank coming up. Now that will put this small, almost forgotten town on the banking map atleast! So instead of people queuing up in front of tellers, they would line up in front of the ATM. Too bad for the small talks that happened in the long queues - the cribbing on the inefficiency of the teller, on the fact that female tellers never come on time, on the hot and humid bank interior, on the political system, will pave way to impatience with another customer. The system will no longer will be the focal point of verbal brickbats but another peer would have to tolerate the verbal assault for his inability to use the technology! And I must add, people here have mastered the art of assaulting verbally. No, it is not Delhi-type verbal rape nor Calcutta-type verbal indecency, but a light hearted banter that is embarrassing and tickling at the same time! One doesn't really know whether to laugh or blush!
Sample this post lunch conversation between a teller and a customer at the bank:
Customer: “Lagta hai bhabhi ne aaj khana bahut achcha banaya tha tiffin mein”.
Teller: “Aap ko kaise pata?”
Customer: “Daba ke khaane ke baad aapke haath dheere chal rahe hain isiliye poochha.”

So the social fabric will be distorted. Someday, sociologists will study the impact of ATM machines on society.

We have municipal elections coming up! And the verbiage has achieved new heights! I was told that I belong to “Chaibasa ki yuva, shikshit, pragatisheel aur vikashsheel peedhi jiska Chaibasa ke prati kartavya hai ke who usse ek achcha ummedvaar chun kar de.” (That I represent the young, educated, progressive generation whose duty it is to elect a suitable candidate for Chaibasa municipality). You won’t believe that it was my barber who said that to me. Nopes, he was not in the preaching mode but he is one of the 155 candidates contesting the elections for 10 wards.
I just wondered where would I go if I need a hair cut next time!

Visiting the barber has some added fun as well. It is not a sophisticated saloon, but a Malgudi Days type place where you sit on a wooden chair, people of my height have the misfortune of having their knees pressed against the front wall, no AC, no magazines to read. You have this one newspaper, of which you might be lucky to get one page if you are waiting. Eight people each will have one page and it would be your bad day if you are stuck with the business news page. There is not much joy in reading about the bullions! The Hindi dailies that we get in this part of the world, make sure that they publish some or the other hot photograph on the gossip page. It sells! If you are really lucky, you will get that page. If you are not, try to find out who has it, and make sure you make the eye contact the moment he is done with that. If you have the front page, you will get to read half the news, because inadvertently, all the news articles on the front page conclude on some other page.
In the time that my barber is busy with my hair, he tells me all that has happened in the town since my last visit. It is almost like doing a system restore. He asks me when I was last in the town and gives me an update after that ‘cut-off’ date. I learn about all the affairs going on, how many and which of the girls ran away from their homes with their boy friends, how many of them are planning to run away, all the family feuds and dowry cases. It is a boring place as there are no page 3 parties happening. Out here, a cow died of electric shock is a page 3 news. When the best selling newspaper in the region is called “Chamakta Aaena” (Shining Mirror) you don’t really have much choice.

There is more to come! The broadband has not yet arrived here and the dial up connection isn’t very exciting here! I am off to have a cup of tea. The time of the day doesn’t really matter! You can have a cup of tea any time here! After all, it is Chai-basa!

The retail model of MBA placements!

I have a theory!

Seriously, for a change I have a theory and not an opinion! And I might want to get it published in some International Journal with a fancy name, one which no one reads but always recommends!

How do the 'Sale' in retails work? You have this over production or under demand of a particular good. Or, you have some oddments, you see, the red may be a shade darker or lighter, the size may be a bit off. Whatever may be the reason, you have product which is either not in vogue or not in demand.

What do you then? Simple, discount! Slash the prices, club some useless offers, gloss things up and some one who wants labels and cannot afford them normally, will buy that! The poor shirt went for 50% off for no fault of it at all! It just happened to be different! And different is not in fashion any more! The 70's are over my dear!

Now think of the B-Schools! You have people classified based on their graduate education, CG, summers etc. And then you are compartmentalized. You are slot 0 box material, you will be sold at a premium. Then slot 1 will be at 30% discount, slot 2 at 50% discount! The big players come, bid and 'buy'. There are firms who cannot pay top of the bracket salaries and are slotted in the slot 2 category, pick the left overs and take pride in the fact that they recruit from the top B Schools! Aren't the ones slotted in the slot 2 oddments?

And then just as in the case of the shirt, there are so many parameters out of your control! The place you were born at, which school you went to, whether your family could afford a IIT coaching or not.

But then, no body has the time to read between the lines! So, the easiest way is to look in the boxes and pick your favorites.

The Big MBA sale is on. Hurry, offer only till stock lasts!

The week that was! Part 2

There were some good things as well in the last week, things that I often ignore when I am in the not-so-good mood.
My blog is read across 4 countries and it has crossed 100 hits! A stat that I am really happy with! I agree that I have to pester my readers to know what they think about what I blog( I will refrain from using the verb 'write', I don't think that most of the things on my blog qualify as 'writings') but then, a feedback is always welcome!
I get frequent hits from USA, all thanks to my friend Akhil who made my blog his status message on gtalk and thus popularised it!
I have hits from France and Brazil too, but they are mostly because of my misspellings! Not sure if they should count as readers but adding them makes my blog 'global' and I would rather count them!
I have been told that my blog has a good female readership. Makes me feel happy and sad at the same time! The virtual me is more in demand than the real me! Talk about duality.
My friend got placed in Lehman Brothers, a much coveted company. Another one had his wedding dates finalised. My group has grown up!
A friend of mine got married and I fell for her the day she told me that she is going to get married. It has happened to me quite a few times now. Now I know what they mean by 'The forbidden fruit is always sweeter!'.
I just noticed that the number of blogs in this year so far is more than the whole of last year put together. I don't know if I am more creative/frustrated/simply 'lukkha'/interesting than last year. I will think about that when I will have absolutely nothing to do after the next few days!

PS: Just wanted to do a sequel to something, and hence is the title of this blog. Now that the itch is over, I will return to normalcy, whatever that is!

A week that was!

When I first learnt about the funda of Fractal, I was amused to say the least! I never thought that there is a belief that says that what ever happens at a large scale also happens at the small small scale. To put it in more clear terms, as per the fractal theory, stock market will have similar behaviour in a minute as in a year, a hill will look the same if you look at it from whatever distance! The structure of the solar system is analogous to that of an atom!
Basically, the scale doesn't matter and the patterns repeat themselves.
When my week started on Monday with my paper of Financial Management, I was hopeful! The next day, I was happy to have done well in OR. I moved to Production Management and I was thinking about the least painful and scandalous way to commit suicide! I was so hopeless! Then Indian Economies went well and I was back to my normal self! Post HRM, I think I have achieved Nirvana!
Looking at the week in the light of the fractal theory brought me new wisdom! What ever happens in your life, similar things will happen in a week as well! Purely going through the emotions, I think I led a life in a week! You think I missed sadness, no I have not!
The week is over and so is my first year of management education!
All I have is examinations every 35 days and how much have I hated that. The assignments, reports, grades...
But now when I plan to leave all this behind for 2 and a half months during my summers, I think I am going to miss all these! I am so much used to a hectic life that I am scared that I will find ways to waste myself in my leisure!
I wont see some of friends for sometime and the useless cribbing will surely be missed!
Just as in life, I started missing the same things I hated a day ago!
One portion of life served, one portion of it lived!

Die or Fly?

There are times in my life when I feel vulnerable! I have always believed that the fallibility of humans is their greatest strength, but at times like these my beliefs betray me! And surprisingly, makes me more human!
Through the glasses of arrogance you see things and smile! Much ado about nothing!
But when things happen to me, I feel like shouting at the top of my voice! I shout but the sound echoes within! It takes me a while to come to terms with the fact that I am indulging myself in a futile activity! Everyone tells me to forget and focus on task at hand, but what when the task at hand pales to insignificance compared to what you are asked to forget?
I wish to to be dead, beyond sorrow and grief, but then, the drive is so strong, that just when the firing squad is about to pull the trigger, I feel like smiling! I want to have one more try, one more hurrah, one more attempt to fly!
And thus I live on, winning and losing battles within, but, alive!
Less alive than before though! A part of me always goes numb with each such encounter. As if you have to pay a price to have the chance to breathe again. Paying my mortgages, if you can say so! They call it growing up.
No wonder when you grow up enough, you are dead!

Doing a life to life!

I believe that if life had a life and a body to live in, it would have been a pretty lady, and that, at times makes me imagine myself taking her by the scruf of the neck, kissing her hard, and then dumping her!
Wouldn't that be doing to life what life does to you?

Valentine's Day collage!

So it is 14th February. Just another day but not for a lot of people. I went out with a friend to get away from the hostel and this is what I am back with:
1) An aunty in early thirties with an uncle in mid thirties eating "Paani Puri" at a joint:
Uncle made it clear that he wants no chillies in his "paani puri". Plain and simple instruction.
Round 1: Aunty: Bhaiya, please add some chillies.
Round 2: Aunty: Bhaiya, add some "khataayi".
Round 3: Aunty: Bhaiya, put some green chillies.
Round 4: Aunty: Bhaiya, add some masala.
Poor Bhaiya!
Do women actually know what they want?
2) City Center, the famous mall in salt lake, had hosted a free dj show and there was this crowd of 300 odd, struggling to find an inch of space to put their foot and still managing to dance.
Interestingly, there was this couple of 40 year olds onlooking. I am not sure what they were wondering about. My guess is that it could be either of:
It was so simple in our times. A pigeon, a kite and a letter! OR
Wish we had this in our times!
I think it is the former. What's your take?
3)I heard of this 10th class student in a school neraby kissing a letter, which I suppose was from his girlfriend.
I wonder, is it what they show in movies that has become love now?
4) I saw this couple who would be easily past their 50s. Uncle helping Aunt have her "chaat" and instructing the vendor how she wants her dish done!
Old school of romance, zindabaad!
5) A lot of pretty gals with dumb guys, and a lot of sighs!
What price being pseudo intelligent?

Lessons from Kaju Singh

One look at Kaju Singh will bring the memories of an anonymous Bihari villain from any Hindi movie. About 5ft 10, dark, overweight, with a ‘tilak’ on his forehead that makes him look all the more villainous, dressed in a Red T-shirt and a jacket that was white once upon a time and selling tea outside Dhanbaad railway station, one look at him and you would say, a very uninspiring individual!
That’s what I thought when I walked into his shop one chilly January night, a few days back. It was about 1 in the morning and I was waiting for another train which, not surprisingly, was late! (I can never understand why the trains get delayed when you are all alone, making the wait seem even longer!)
I walked out of the station, hoping to eat something and stumbled upon this tea shop. A VCD player and a TV set blaring out the songs from the forgotten movie “Aashiqi” and a bunch of people spending time watching that, the cheap Chinese miniature lights doing what they do best- irritate, I stepped near the stove to heat up and asked for a cup of tea.
While I waited for my cup of tea, my gaze shifted from the TV set to the signboard at the top of the shop’s door. It was not the name of the tea stall, to my surprise, it read in Hindi: “Stay away from AIDS. Only awareness can stop the epidemic. For free condoms, contact Kaju Singh” I couldn’t help a smile, the idea of vending condoms at a tea shop was a novel one!
Then I looked at the back wall, and it was full of framed certificates which sang praises for the community service that Kaju Singh had done. They spoke of his contribution in spreading AIDS awareness and I saw that he had worked in all day long camps! And I looked at him going about his business! The kid who works in his shop fumbled and broke two glasses. He just bent down, picked up the pieces and threw them away.
I just stood there, watching him go about his job as if nothing had happened!
Many of us who have donated blood make sure that it appears in our CVs and forms that we fill, and here is this guy, letting go of a day’s income many a times to work in spreading awareness!
We argue with the taxiwalas to save 10 bucks, and this guy lost Rs10 because of someone else’s fault and was still unruffled!
And I am the ‘educated’ one! I wondered, how much have I lost to education and greed?

That night, when I paid for my tea, I said ‘thank you’. I walked back, humbled, and with a lump in my throat.
May be, we all can learn from Kaju Singh.

And yes, he is a Bihari, one of the many whom Raj Thackrey hates!

Democracy!

To put it simply, it is the form of government where every one has equal rights.

To put it in practice: At a party, a bunch of jokers play what they think is music, another bunch of losers do what they think is dance, I drink what we all know is alcohol, and we all have what we think is fun!

I love democracy! I can write what I think! And you still have a choice of not reading it!

PowerScrap - cut the crap!

This new year, I received 100s of new year wishes. How much I wish at least one was for me!
The fact that you can send same scrap to all the people in your friendlist at one go, and you do, makes me think that you are some really lazy bugger, who is caught between scared of being neglected by people and hence wants to make his/her prsence felt, and simultaneously not caring enough to be personal and direct.
I know you are busy, and you dont really have the time for me but why do you have to tell me that on my face? You are putting a long esteemed relationship, an acquaintance, someone you have not even met and someone who just happens to be in your friendlist, all on the same page. I might be anyone of these to you, but then, someone or the other might have been the one with whom you had a long relationship!
A scrap is an impersonal thing, so far detached. Just like an SMS! You have not wished me well, not even thought about me. I get a scrap because I happen to be in your friendlist. Because I exist, not because I matter!
It is not me that I am talking about. It very well could have been anyone of those who read this, and those who don't.
And just to make the matters worse:
I had a very good friend who passed away in a road accident. I do visit his profile once in a while. The last time I was there, I saw this: 'Wishing you and your family a very happy new year - Poweescrap".
Yes, he needs this wish, in heaven. His family will also have a great year ahead without him! Thank you! I am very sorry that he cannot reply your (s)crap so I am saying thank you on his behalf. Thanks for remembering him!

Next time you use the mass scrapping thing, just remember that you could have hurt someone by wishing him/her well!

The cynic in me!

I was talking to a batchmate of mine and learnt that Rajnikant is a god to him.

And over the course of last few years, I have come to realize that there are human beings who are 'God' to many people.

Only today I have realized that I have none! Here I am, with no idol, no religion, no God! For a moment I felt like an orphan.

I am sure there are more like me. (And if you are a female reading this and we happen to meet sometime over a cup of coffee, I would go any length to prove that I am unique! ) I have always held the opinion that being a really strong believer in god/religion/actors doesn't really help. If I need help, neither Rama nor Rajnikant(or Superstar Rajnikant as my friend warned me to call him) will come to help me! So why should I pray or follow someone?

But it is more than religion or filmstars. I have no political belief as well! I have never cast my vote because I do not believe in the system. Hell, I even abstained from voting in election for some posts in my college!

I do not have any specific taste in movies! I like psycho movies, but I like romantic movies as well! Check my profile and you would know my likings. In music, nopes,no hope there as well!

So at 24, I do not have any preference for anything in life! But my friend (I won't name him, else he would kill me!) is writing a learning algorithm that will compartmentalize my tastes and would tell me what kind of soup I would like today depending upon which side of the bed I have woken up! Jokes apart, he has a case that people actually show similar preferences in shopping and is doing a market research on that and he agrees that I am an exception.(See, I told you I am unique.)

Now that I sound like a totally uninteresting guy, there is a little positive to it!

I don't have any preference in people as well. Just don't be too sophisticated and don't think that you are god, and I can get along with you. I said "can", it doesn't mean that I will, but it gives you a chance. Wanna play? ;-)

OK, its neither matrimonial, nor dating profile so I will come back to the central idea.
So how bad/good it is to be ideal less? Honestly, I feel that makes me more open to people and experiences. I do not have staunch beliefs to shut people off. (There is a completely different set of reasons to explain my unpopularity but this is certainly not one of them.)

I have friends from all religions, all age groups, all strata of society, or as they call them in Marketing Research, SEC-A, B and C! Yes, I am limited to friendship with people belonging to either of the sexes only, but I guess that does not dilute my case. :-) And I haven't done too badly in life so, cheers to the cynical me!

Cheers!!