At Home Playlist #1

• Cupids Chokehold, Gym Class Heroes (The Papercut Chronicles, 2004)
• Baba O'Riley, The Who (Who's Next, 1995) [Heard this first on House M.D., awesome intro]
• Oceans, Rob Dickinson (Fresh Wine For The Horses, 2005)
• Worn Me Down, Rachael Yamagata (EP, 2003) [Heard this plenty randomly but got attached to it when I heard it on an episode of The O.C. and inspired this post.]
• The Story, Brandi Carlile (The Story, 2007) [Reminds me of a friend that I made the same time I discovered this song. The song is kinda like quiet stormy outcry, whatever that means.]
• Dump Opinion, Diana Anaid (Beautiful Obscene, 2004)
• Umbrella, Rihanna (Good Girl Gone Bad, 2007) [One of those average songs that gets stuck in my head. Annoyed a lot of people when I put this as a 'CallerBack' tune.]
• Before He Cheats, Carrie Underwood (Some Hearts, 2005)
• (I Just) Died In Your Arms, Cutting Crew (Broadcast, 1987)
• Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, Sarah McLachlan (Mirror Ball, 1999) [My favorite singer / songwriter]
• You Oughta Know, Alanis Morissette (Jagged Little Pill, 1995)
• Your Latest Trick, Dire Straits (Brothers In Arms, 1985)
• Don't Speak, No Doubt (Tragic Kingdom, 1995)
• Pictures, Sia (Lady Croissant, 2007)
• Your Eyes Open, Keane (Hopes And Fears, 2004) [Currently my favorite British Pop Group]
  
• Wires, Athlete (Tourist, 2005) [Favorite British Alternative group probably because of a sentimental reason - I went to see their concert with someone. sigh!]
• What Happens Tomorrow, Duran Duran (Astronaut, 2004)
• All You Want, Dido (No Angel, 1999)
  

Insourcing

Indian conglomerate Tata has been acquiring / opening call centers in USA! Insourcing has been happening for a while now, but I thought mostly by companies trying to be patriotic or generally more out of concern for the American worker at their own cost. But now, it seems it makes business sense.

In this case the center in Reno is targeted toward companies willing to pay a
premium - its workers there cost up to 40 percent more than their counterparts
in India - to give their U.S. customers a more culturally fluent, less
frustrating 1-800 experience. (No more hearing someone read from a script ten
time zones away.) [Link]

Specifically, Expedia outsources to Tata who insources to a call center in the U.S. because they can understand the geography better and provide a better service.

... and more companies are finding that hiring Americans offers distinct
advantages. Some companies feel hearing a fellow American makes callers feel
more comfortable. Other foreign firms think Americans bring a more
entrepreneurial attitude to their work. In Expedia's case, its call-center
workers need a firm grasp on U.S. geography.

Now I can believe outsourcing is not going to be seen as evil for too long by the American worker. They know their skill set better than their competing counterparts from other countries, and can focus on what sets them apart in the international economy. The world may now be flat, but they can't always beat out the locals at their own business.

Pursuits after college

...Nine to five
Living lies
Everyday
Stealing time...

Life after college is just not the same. It feels true more and more everyday. It's the first time you really have to make a schedule and start sticking to it. No more just doing whatever. It's been over four years since I was in graduate school. Looking back at it now, a lot has changed, but the one thing that is truly and fundamentally different from then and now is - the pursuit of a worthwhile goal.

Education was always a given. The pursuit of it was an unquestionable goal. For me, it was an excuse to come to the U.S. Nevertheless, it was still an unquestionable and worthwhile pursuit. Nothing else mattered. Got on a plane and left my family behind without another thought. Friends were lost, but they could be replaced. The city I grew up in, the familiarity, the comforts, love interests, whatever! I didn't care. I had to make it. I did.

Today, I feel like I'm standing perfectly still. Which is what I wanted to do for a long while. Enough of that rat race and the constant need to prove that I can do something better. I want to be happy staying wherever I am. Take a moment, take a break. Can it happen? It's such an unfamiliar and somewhat uncomfortable pursuit. I miss the feeling I had in high school and college. That unflinching focus, hope, investment on a goal, a constant goal.

I'm actually quite busy. Yeah, standing still doesn't exactly translate to doing nothing in my life right now. I've got a job that pays the bills and a really expensive apartment that keeps me reasonably busy from time to time. I've taken up not 1 but 2 volunteer jobs that keep me busy the rest of the time. I'm involved with someone on and off. I go on plenty of first dates and nothing comes out of them. Also trying to keep an active interest in photography whenever I get the chance. I constantly meet new people and make new friends almost every other week. I keep up with my multiple social circles in Atlanta and a few close friends that are all over the U.S. and one in India. I love playing PS2 with my niece and nephew and hanging out at my sister's place. Oh, and my parents are visiting from India as well.

Strangely, I don't feel invested in any of these. None of them seem worthy of pursuit towards any a goal right now, or worthy of spending my time. I do it now cause it's there. I'm busy but aimless. I work hard but I'm not invested. I feel close to my friends and family when I'm with them, but somewhat detached the rest of the time. I used to read better but have been compulsively inching the same boring novel all this year. It certainly doesn't feel like college.

Next year, if everything changes and I find myself engaged with some other totally new tasks, I won't mind. None of them will be worthwhile anyway probably, but I wonder... What will they be? For now I'm just drifting. I'm waiting.

...Motionless wheel
Nothing is real
Wasting my time
In the waiting line...

(Lyrics from In The Waiting Line by Zero 7)

Green Card Tease

If you are a skilled foreign worker (or at least know someone closely), you probably heard about what's been going on with USCIS reversal of a surprise opportunity for permanent residency.

On June 12, 2007, USCIS published a Visa Bulletin which stated that all skilled foreign workers that were waiting to apply for an 'adjustment of status' through employment, were allowed to apply immediately. This especially was a rare opportunity for workers from India, China, Mexico and Philippines that have to wait upwards of 4 years to even apply. Without questioning their motivations, tens of thousands of foreign workers like me scrambled to get our applications in by meeting our lawyers and getting all the paperwork done, paying for medical exam. Due to the short notice, many workers and their dependants that were abroad had to change their plans overnight and come back to the U.S. as required for the process. This meant changes in even wedding plans for some friends of friends I know.

On July 2, they announce that a new bulletin has been issued, effectively reversing the June 12 bulletin and they were no longer accepting any new applications. I didn't have sufficient time to apply and the money I already spent was a loss. Successful applicants who were able to file before June 30, must have gone to enormous trouble with time, effort and money and they have it even worse. If their applications weren't part of the first 140,000 for the entire current fiscal year, then their applications were being returned as being rejected outright.

Needless to say, this disappointed everyone and devastated quite a lot of people. According to Murthy.com, the AILF is filing a class action lawsuit already. A congresswoman disapproves.

When Will I Really Learn To Cook?

you know when life is good, but something is still missing. when i know what it is, and i no longer want to pay it any attention. and yet it keeps coming up everywhere i go. in conversations, and on tv. especially what seems to come so naturally to everyone else around me. and so i wait, for something to change. not so much wanting to be a cause for the change, but rather expecting the universe to tell me it has. and from time to time, i wake up feeling like something has shifted. i've had a really cheerful week so far and hope comes in profusion. i think i can take things to the next level. and finally have the meaningful change in life i deserve to. i get excited about being seen in a new light, about possibilities leading into new avenues. may be i will finally stop feeling jealous when i am around them. i head towards this new venture with determination. it's finally my turn. it's finally coming around and happening to me. i turn that last corner, ready to get started.

disappointments are a part of life. we all know this. but isn't it just plain wrong when you are no longer surprised? it's really sad, when i know i'm supposed to be sad about the way things turned out, but it actually brings me a smile cause i think it's funny somehow. things usually start out just fine. have every reason to believe it is going to work out. except i never see when i'm already too late. it's already gone bad. i'm not torn up about it. what was i really expecting after so many times? if someone would have told me a few years ago that i would be stuck at this point in life, i would have never believed them.

at the end of it all, i've left only one thing to do. look at it one last time for now. i know that it's what is still missing. i turn around, smile and walk away. i did everything i could. and now i can't stop thinking about ...

St. Patrick's Day

A couple month's late posting this, but nevertheless ...

Went to Savannah for a weekend with a bunch of friends for St. Patrick's Day.

The place was awesome. Tons of people showed up from everywhere proud of their Irish background. Apparently Savannah is Irish Central for St. Patty's. So I was glad to be there to enjoy the parade and take part in the general festivities of being green and getting drunk.

The trip was a disaster for me. I thought I was going with a bunch of singles planning on getting wasted. The moment we get there, everyone decides to come out with their "new" relationship. Apparently everyone in the group had paired up and I was the only loser (and one other guy who couldn't take it anymore and left before the weekend ended) who was single and had absolutely no clue. Yeah, I do NOT recommend getting stuck in another city with no transportation with a bunch of PDA-inflicted new couples. I wanted to kill myself.

55Friday: Miserable

55Friday: The "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" Edition

allergies,
birthdays forgotten,
choices I didn't choose,
disappointed mom,
early morning meetings,
fourth circle of hell,
hiccups,
incomplete projects,
jackasses in power,
lost phone numbers,
my morning echo,
new year resolutions,
photographer's block,
questioning my loyalty,
regret,
sleepless nights,
thoughtless mistakes,
untold tragedies,
words of an ex,
your latest complaints

make me sad and miserable.