Wandering Soul

I was missing in action for a long time, and for good reasons. I was preparing for the GMAT, and with the test now behind me, here I am, back on the blog.

I scored 710 (Q=48; V=40) on the GMAT. While I know my score is not world-beating, I am happy with it. A score of 700+ on the GMAT does give you an edge when applying to B-schools. If you are planning to take the GMAT and are unable to decide between the host of prep material out there, then let me make it a bit easier for you.

I had a mix of online study material and books. I referred to an online compilation of GMAT material to start with. It was brought to my notice by my buddy, Saumil. Unfortunately that site is unavailable now.

After that came the books and their accompanying CDs. I used Kaplan GMAT Premier Program, Princeton Review’s Cracking the GMAT and The Official Guide to GMAT Review 11. I should thank my close friend Anuj Kacker, who’s presently pursuing his MBA at The Indian School of Business, for lending me these books.

A week before the test, I downloaded the official GMATprep software from mba.com. The GMATPrep will give you an idea of what you can expect from the real test, as this software carries actual questions from earlier GMATs.

The best method of preparation is to practise solving the questions. Once you get comfortable with the various types of questions, then you’ll actually start enjoying the tests.

Microsoft wants to catch up with Google. Google is way ahead in the Internet Search market, and ads linked to text-search. And with Google developing its own internet based softwares and office applications that directly compete with Microsoft Office, Microsoft wants to go on the offensive.

In order to catch up, Microsoft wants to take over Yahoo! and increase its market share in Internet Search and search-linked advertising. Yahoo! is the second most-used search engine after Google.

Microsoft was in talks with Yahoo! last year for a proposed takeover. Since then the push from Microsoft had slackened. According to the report on New York Post, Micorsoft has intensified its pursuit of a deal with Yahoo! after losing DoubleClick to Google last month. Microsoft has apparently employed Goldman Sachs to see the deal through.

Microsoft has an option of catapulting itself into a competitive position by buying 5 - 10 smaller companies. But with the loss of DoubleClick, that option seems to be fading. The only other option is to buy something like Yahoo!

According to New York Post, a deal between Microsoft and Yahoo! would up the combined companies’ share of the all-important search advertising market to 27 percent against Google’s 65 percent. It would also narrow the gap in overall online ads with Google to just 13 percent.

More importantly, a deal would drastically increase the eyeballs, potentially increasing advertising. Microsoft and Yahoo! also feature complimentary offerings on the content side. MSN draws an older audience with its news focus, whereas Yahoo! attracts a younger demographic with its entertainment coverage.

The talks are still in the initial stages and neither company is commenting on anything. Let’s wait and watch how the deal goes through and how Google reacts to it…

UPDATE: Bloomberg reports Yusuf Mehdi, Microsoft’s top internet ad man, as saying that it could take at least five and maybe 10 years for Microsoft to gain significant traction against Google’s search. A Yahoo partnership could make Microsoft a threat right away and may be its only choice to keep up with Google’s acquisitions. In another story, alarm:clock reports that Google is stepping up its efforts to buy the Internet job portal SimplyHired. The purchase makes sense for Google, as it doesn’t have a job site in its folds, when the online job search market is growing rapidly. This buy out news is close on the heels of the Microsoft-Yahoo news. Is it the case of Google trying to consolidate it’s position as the leader in online services and advertising market?

I had recently posted on my visit to Goa. My friends refused to believe that I could actually find a peaceful beach in Goa during winter, which is the peak season there. But yes, I did find one! Morjim, is what it is called.

And better than the beach, is the place where I stayed - Camp 69. Lots of people have asked me about this place, so this post is for all of you.

Camp 69 is an ensemble of log cabins, right across from Morjim beach. To reach the hotel, follow the signs to Montego Bay Resort, and when you arrive at Montego Bay, turn right along the road and around 200 metres down you will see Camp 69. If you use Google Earth, you can download the placemark (KML) for this place.

There are about 9 cabins apart from the restaurant, which is the central hub. The cabins are clean and spacious. The walls are made of wood, but the floor is tiled, which explains the cleanliness. All the cabins have attached bathrooms. They have a ‘running’ hot water facility, as in when you call for hot water, the boy from the restaurant comes running with a bucket of hot water None of the cabins are air conditioned, but believe me, with the cool sea breeze blowing, you won’t miss the a/c. The cabins are well spaced out, so there’s complete privacy.

The restaurant is the high point of this place. It’s an open hut kind of a set-up. The food is delicious and generous in quantity. It serves continental and Goan cuisines. If you want something that’s not on the menu, you can request the chef to make it for you, and he will be glad to do so. You can expect good music in the restaurant, especially old numbers.

The place is run by a local person, Bosco. All the staff is local Goan and the staff is really friendly and helpful. More importantly, the staff is trustworthy. They will help you out if you want to hire bikes to move around, or even if you want directions to some town. They also have safe-locker facility to keep your valuables and passport while you frolic on the beach.

If you want to enjoy a non-crowded, clean and peaceful beach in Goa, you should head to Morjim, and stay at Camp 69. In my opinion, it is the loveliest and most peaceful little hotel around Morjim/Aswem beaches.

On this day, thirteen years ago, Kurt Cobain ended an era in rock music and brought the music world to tears. The lead singer of Nirvana committed suicide by shooting himself with a shotgun. Although I am not a huge fan of Nirvana, The man who sold the world is one of my all-time favourite songs.

Cobain’s death came as a shocker to his millions of fans around the world. He was an intriguing personality, and equally intriguing was the suicide note that he left behind:

To Boddah
Speaking from the tongue of an experienced simpleton who obviously would rather be an emasculated, infantile complain-ee. This note should be pretty easy to understand. All the warnings from the punk rock 101 courses over the years, since my first introduction to the, shall we say, ethics involved with independence and the embracement of your community has proven to be very true. I haven’t felt the excitement of listening to as well as creating music along with reading and writing for too many years now. I feel guilty beyond words about these things.

For example when we’re back stage and the lights go out and the manic roar of the crowds begins, it doesn’t affect me the way in which it did for Freddie Mercury, who seemed to love, relish in the the love and adoration from the crowd which is something I totally admire and envy. The fact is, I can’t fool you, any one of you. It simply isn’t fair to you or me. The worst crime I can think of would be to rip people off by faking it and pretending as if I’m having 100% fun. Sometimes I feel as if I should have a punch-in time clock before I walk out on stage. I’ve tried everything within my power to appreciate it (and I do, God, believe me I do, but it’s not enough.) I appreciate the fact that I and we have affected and entertained a lot of people. It must be one of those narcissists who only appreciate things when they’re gone. I’m too sensitive. I need to be slightly numb in order to regain the enthusiasms I once had as a child.

On our last 3 tours, I’ve had a much better appreciation for all the people I’ve known personally, and as fans of our music, but I still can’t get over the frustration, the guilt and empathy I have for everyone. There’s good in all of us and I think I simply love people too much, so much that it makes me feel too fucking sad. The sad little, sensitive, unappreciative, Pisces, Jesus man. Why don’t you just enjoy it? I don’t know!

I have a goddess of a wife who sweats ambition and empathy and a daughter who reminds me too much of what i used to be, full of love and joy, kissing every person she meets because everyone is good and will do her no harm. And that terrifies me to the point to where I can barely function. I can’t stand the thought of Frances becoming the miserable, self-destructive, death rocker that I’ve become.

I have it good, very good, and I’m grateful, but since the age of seven, I’ve become hateful towards all humans in general. Only because it seems so easy for people to get along that have empathy. Only because I love and feel sorry for people too much I guess.

Thank you all from the pit of my burning, nauseous stomach for your letters and concern during the past years. I’m too much of an erratic, moody baby! I don’t have the passion anymore, and so remember, it’s better to burn out than to fade away.

Peace, love, empathy.
Kurt Cobain

Frances and Courtney, I’ll be at your altar.
Please keep going Courtney, for Frances.
For her life, which will be so much happier without me.

I love you, I love you!

May his soul rest in peace!

I am back after a long hiatus. My first post of 2007, and here’s wishing you a very happy new year. So what have I been upto? After all the hectic work schedules, a break was in the offing. So I took leave from office, and went to the paradise land that is Goa.

For the uninitiated, Goa is state on the west coast of India. It was a Portuguese colony until 1960, when it was admitted into the Indian Union. Goa still retains a distinctly colonial Portuguese atmosphere and architecture. It is particularly famous for its beautiful churches and Hindu temples, and of course the pristine beaches. As a tourist destination, it’s quite popular among Indian as well as international tourists, especially the British.I left on 12th January from Mumbai and returned from Goa on 21st January, after having a gala time and clicking loads of pictures.

During the first half of my trip, I stayed at Morjim, in the Camp 69 hotel, which comprises of Log cabins. It’s a beautiful place, and Morjim is a very quiet and peaceful beach. Saturday evening I went to Ingo’s Saturday Night Bazaar, which is at Arpora, and is a major attraction. I whole day I spent in Old Goa, visiting all the lovely churches and cathedrals there.

During the second half of my trip, I stayed at Cafe Del Mar hotel in Palolem. Cafe Del Mar is made up of beach huts and has a 24 hour bar with good music. Palolem is a very picturesque beach, and I spent the 3 days doing nothing other than enjoying the sea and the sea-food.

Read more about it on my Travel Blog.