Just not cricket...

The World Cup is over and the consistently better team won.
But Cricket has lost. Period.
The Aussie win, their third time in succession and the fourth overall, has tarnished Cricket in an odd, monopolistic way. I’m not saying the Aussies should have reduced their standards and played like mere mortals but, with grudging acquiescence of their superiority in the game, and with a tinge of envy, I berate the way they played the game, a way no other team can even hope to play, and a way which, if continued, will cause an already dying sport (maybe even in the Indian Sub-continent) to come to a swift end. The Aussies won every match by a considerable margin, their resources not being stretched even once in twelve matches they played and in the process made fewer fans than they would have deserved. However, it is ironic, and I pity the Aussies for it, that this World Cup will be remembered for a lot of things, the least of which would be the Aussies’ domination and their third straight win.

There was no spark left in the world cup after the first week itself, once both the sub-continental giants crashed out and the remaining 40 odd days of cricket were just an obligation. The four semi-final slots were decided even before the super-eights stage started. South Africa and New Zealand may have made it to the semi-finals but they were never going to be a challenge to the cold-blooded efficiency of the men from down under. The only teams who could and would have troubled the Aussies (and the Aussies will probably reluctantly admit to it) were the two Asian teams, who did not even make it to the super-eight stage, because they had a certain something which no other team in world cricket has – Unpredictability, a trait which was very much evident in the way they lost to so-called minnows.

A day after the conclusion of the World Cup, a leading Australian commentator & ex-cricketer comes out with a statement ridiculing the number of associate countries and insisting that the WC should only showcase the best. Sorry mate, but the most interesting match of the WC was provided by the minnows - the Zimbabwe-Ireland Tie and if there weren't any minnows, your country would probably have lost to a South Asian team and we would not have had the ignominy of having to watch Bangladesh & Ireland playing what should have been a colossal contest between the sub-continental adversaries. I can’t think of anything positive that came out of this 49 day, 51 match burlesque of Cricket (except perhaps Ireland getting into the ICC rankings) but the list of negatives is endless – The Longest schedule ever, Poor turnouts, No typical West Indian calypso music, poor infrastructures, under-prepared pitches, pathetic television coverage (never got to see the last ball of the over being completed and the first ball of the over about to be delivered due to the commercial breaks), Indian cricket down in the dumps, Windies cricket in pretty much the same place (been there for a long time now) and Pakistan cricket in an even worse condition, the umpiring joke of the finals, one sided matches, gutless cricket, financial losses for the sponsors, premature retirements, pre and post-match mindless gibberish by the Experts and a murder (not just of the game).

I envy, rather than pity, the late Paki Coach. He was lucky that he did not live to see his (and my) favorite game in such a pitiful state.
RIP, dear Cricket.

A Tough Decision

This week, I had to make a decision, which I found the most uncomfortable I had to make so far. And no, it did not concern a woman. It was, in hindsight, a pretty simple career decision, but which I complicated by thinking too much of things that were flimsy, to say the least. I got a good offer from a new company, not as established as the one I’m working for right now, but it was a better paying job with better prospects for career advancement. The decision should have been simple enough.
I had made the decision to join the new company even before they offered me a good package. But it was when I realized that I had to put in my papers and leave behind all that has been a part and parcel of my life for more than the last five years, that I developed cold feet. It was not just that I was leaving behind people who were much more than just colleagues; they were friends. I knew I’ll keep in touch with them over phone or through Orkut, but things would be different. We would have no office politics to discuss, no seniors to cuss over mugs of Beer, no conspiracies to cook up – it’ll be just an exchange of courtesies.
I would have to join as the junior-most person of my grade in my new company, even though most of my colleagues there would be ex-employees of my present company, some of whom were my protégés at some point of time. I would hate to work under some of those people but I keep reminding myself that I’m far more experienced than any of them. This is in contrast to my present position, where I have delegated most of my responsibilities to others and the majority of my work is to supervise them doing the job and going to extremes to keep myself out of their way so that the work goes on smoothly.
The main reason however, I think, was my qualms about settling down to a new set of people, new rules, new office timings and a new work culture (the latter being more relaxed than to which I am used to.) My fears were compounded by the fact that I’m more of an introvert at heart. I decided to talk to my boss and his boss about my decision and after reminding me about how my present company was loath to appreciate proficient people like me, both of them were vehement in their suggestion that I leave as soon as possible. My juniors amongst my colleagues were more cheerful and encouraging but what their motives were, I could not discern.

Looking back, I realize how silly my apprehensions were. Starting ab initio is a small price to pay for all that I would deservedly get in the imminent years. I’m planning to resign tomorrow and join my new company in a couple of days time. There would be new friends, new politics of a different kind, new people to cuss and new responsibilities to delegate to others. Hopefully, it would be a better place to work and this might be the start of a very rewarding career.
Touchwood.

Being Nasty… & enjoying it

I’ve been actually looking forward to getting calls from telemarketers ever since I decided to spice up the conversation by wasting their time as they are wasting mine.
Most conversations would begin as, “Good Morning, sir. This is Aarthi, (or Bhavana, Caroline, Divya, etc.) from ICICI (or HDFC, ABN-AMRO, Citibank etc.) I cut them off here, repeat their name and say, “Hi, Aarthi. A very Good Morning to you, too. How’re you?”
Most callers are happy to hear their name back though some of them are very professional and stick to their point of soliciting for a Personal Loan or Credit Card. These persons are quickly rebuffed and the call ends. But, a majority of them deviate from their purpose and do reply. And it is these people who make my day. Maybe they are happy to take a break from their monotonous existence or, think that they can convince me to go for their products or, like most females, are just plain dumb to realize that I’m having fun at their expense.
I talk about the weather (most calls are from local nos.), about their shift timings, ask them politely as to how they got my number (most of them mention a database – I’d like to strangle the fellow who made the database) and which part of Bangalore do they stay in. I’m surprised at how many people are happy to chat with me instead of going about their business. And finally, when they do come to the point, I just say, “Sorry Aarthi, I don’t need a personal loan right now but I’ll call u first when I need it.” Or “Sorry Aarthi, I already have a credit card of the same bank, but it was nice talking to you.” The call ends there but, I bet they are more cheerful when they dial up the next number. This is my idea of social service - bringing a smile to the face of some poor girl who is sitting in a cubicle for eight hours and talking to surly people.
If the caller is a male, I cut him off rather brusquely. Call me chauvinistic, but I just have no respect for a male sitting in a cubicle all day, wasting his life, trying to talk people into being interested in his products. If the caller is a female and refuses to fall for my bait, I am rather scornful and make it show in my words and when they disconnect the call abruptly, it makes me feel smug for a few minutes.
I have noticed that over the last few weeks that the number of calls I received from telemarketers have gone down from about 4 a-day to about 4 a-week.
Hmmm, I wonder why!!!