Finance and technology

While I have started writing about my day to day travel, I also wanted to write few things on what I do. I'm working in financial technology space. I work with capital market firms in implementing their operational strategy.

For now, I'm in a bit of learning mode. Learning that is about real life that takes place at the capital market firms. I'm very familiar with financial products and technology but the operational stuff is something I'm getting my hand on.

I hope to write about my learning in future posts that has helped me see a whole new world of financial operations.

My Mnnesota trip

For past few days, I'm in Minnesota on a business assignment. The first impression I got from after landing last Sunday was, this place has a lot of resemblance to Main, my long long ago residence (1998). And I'm not wrong, the days are longer, the highways are emptier (no peak hours), people are warmer. But besides similarities there are peculiarities that Minnesota would call it's own.

Minnesota is called land of 10,000 lakes. Anywhere you go you find lakes. The other few things I hear from natives here is everyone heads to Cabins during th week end. Either everyone has a cabin or knows some one who has a cabin. Another funny thing I heard was, Minnesota has two seasons 1. Winter and 2. Road development. I guess in summer they can't do anything and every Summer, which is particularly hot, they have road construction going on everywhere.

Oh before I forget, I almost had an encounter with Tornado yesterday. No I did not see it, but we had a Tornado warning yesterday evening on my way back home. I was just few miles away from the expected path. So this is the closest I came to real Tornado for now.

I wish I had brought a camera... may be next trip.. I'll be coming here often...

My current book read : "The monk who sold his ferrari " - 1

I’m currently reading this book “the monk who sold his Ferrari”. Some one had told me few months ago that this book was not worth spending time. So the copy has been sitting and being ignored as untouchable.

But to get some break from my learning of financial operations and in general life, I just opened the book. Wallah, for me book has become an addiction. I’m reading hoping to finish this book in one week. This one week is after 12/day job & the commute+ 4/5 hours/day family. So I’m hoping to spend every hour I can on this book.

I must have read about 60/70 pages in a day and so far the books has been surprisingly no-nonsense, easy for anyone to relate and a different approach of teaching some basic Indian philosophical lessons.

The book so far speaks about Julian – the lawyer turned monk’s journey to India and some of his experiences in Sivanas. Talks about few techniques of mind control
try to remove as many or all bad thoughts
watch for 10-20 minutes a day rose technique
spend 10 minutes a day on the daily retrospection + tomorrows betterment thinking

These are really powerful yet simple and simply put techniques for removing clutter out of the mind.

A good book so far … :-)

Is chivillary dead?

Are people that uncivilized in New York? Today, I heard from a lady in her fifties that she did not get place to sit in her trai commute when she was pregnant. This is the second time I have heard, rather third time I have heard this statement in last few weeks.

On my 8:16 today, I got the seat from Newark. I got a seat next to this lady. So I’m listening to my podcasts and next stop come Secaucus. I saw a African American lady looking for a seat. So I got up. I guess she did not want to sit by making some one else stand. So she politely refused. And than I hear the comment from my neighbor lady of Indian decent.

The same thing had happened few days ago on my Bus ride back to home from Metrpoark. The context was different the group of ladies and a guy (who in his opinion was himself was the most civilized person on the earth) were discussing should people offer ladies to get in to the bus first. I was of the different opinion exceptions should only be made for pregnant, disabled and elderly and not for ladies. But I kept my opinion to myself and kept listening.

The ladies who were speaking were talking about their examples few years ago about how they did not get sit on Metropark train when they were pregnant. I and a pregnant lady were the silent listeners. So I guess this may not be an isolated incidence. In our hurry we may have forgotten on being polite and caring. I’m not sure if there is any law or not for having pregnant ladies preferential seating. I’ll look on my next train ride.

Anycase, this is a depressing sentiment for a society that has all the comforts and prides for itself being a multicultural accommodative society.

One thing that was also striking, all the ladies I heard the statement from were either Indian (2) or African American (1). Was this just the coincidence? It could be so because as many as 9 out of 10 folks from metropark are colored. I hope so it’s just a coincidence.

Some India TV

While I have left working in india this time again, I miss india more than I did before. Afterall we lived a one year of action packed/fun packed life.

One thing though has changed from a year ago in US is helping me stay close to India is the Online News channels ...

here are the links ...

CNN IBN
CNBC TV 18
CNBC Awaaz - The Indian-Hindi CNBC
The IBN 7 - live

All these TV stations are keeping me closer to India than I had thought of.