The 2 questions that I've been fielding for the last 3 weeks:
- You actually quit without another job in hand?
- And what next?
Initially I was giving people the "real" answer. Unfortunately, I found a majority of them would not be able to understand, or would be confused. The older generation gets too worried if their kith and kin are without a job or any work. I'm not saying that I find that wierd. It's totally understandable. I felt the same way when I heard similar things about others. But now the situation has turned on me.
Yes. I quit without another job in hand. And I've written so much about this in my earlier web entries. The short and simple point is that I want to explore my capabilities - I know I'm good at software (or at least my bosses say so) - but I want to know what else I can do - maybe there's something I can do that will be more enjoyable and satisfying that software. And I can't just dream that up, it'll come with experimentation, hard work, patience, and with time.
What next? Geez. How can I say! If I'm out to explore, how can I say what next? I have so many things on my mind. To me, it looks like a box of chocolates. I can enjoy each one of them. But then there'll be one that will be the best. It's difficult to just say which one will be the best, unless I start tasting each of them. Wierd analogy, but for now, the best I could come up with.
Just now, I want to do so many things. At personal level, I'm working on a electro-mechanical project that could turn out to be a huge success and contribute to improving the quality of life. Another small electronics project, again of great consequence, that could result in humongous energy and cost savings.
Then there's Prakash and Ashihs, my friends, who are just as innovative (or more) as I am, and we all want to do something that is fun, exciting, and will give us a break from our monotonous lives. And for this, we meet at breakfast once a week. ICH (India Coffe House) on MG Road and Hotel Airlines (Lavelle Road) are the 2 places we meet, either Saturday or Sunday mornings.
I'm also interested in working part time at a regular office where I can learn the way the world works, sans the IT world. This is also mainly to learn accounting. My sisters is a certified Chartered Accountant. I've taken her CA course material and kept it in safe custody for myself. I feel, someday they'll come in handy.
The one aspect of my life that has changed drastically is my interest in reading. I've started reading more and more books. I find myself attracted to books that talk about finance, marketing, economics. I also have started reading a book to prepare for GMAT, without any notions of actually writing it in the near future.
Overall, it looks like I'll end up either starting my own business, or joining in somewhere. The changes of me getting another job look slim. But I can't rule that out. Last weekend, I went to Naveens house for dinner, and he forced me to look at the weekly job supplement. And guess what, after many many months, I actually found something that interested me. The position was of a financial market analyst, with skills that somewhat matched mine.
Doesn't it feel like I'm getting inclined towards finance and economics in general? I feel that way. For that matter, someone did comment about this - "it's in my blood". That it is. I'm a marwadi, and marwadis are born businessmen. My dad is one, my uncles, my grandfather, all of them. Let see. Time will tell.
In the meantime, there's a wedding in Mumbai on 12-Dec and another in Indore in Feb next year. Both are important to me and I will be attending. After my experience in organising and administrating the wedding at Bangalore, I feel it is my duty to contribute in every which way to all the weddings in the family.
One last thing. I've had this thought earlier, but was running very busy to do anything about it. All this time I've been writing on this page, and have given no opportunity to those who read it to speak their words, be it their thoughts, ideas, criticism, praise (I like that one), anything at all. I've made this my private journal. The only way that you can reach me is by email or from the "Write to me" link above. Now I'm working on a way to let you add comments (or entries) to this page. It'll come soon.
Cheers
Mayur Poddar
