A Bend in the Lane

I have been accepted into the Kellogg School of Management (1 year program) as well as the Harvard Business School for my MBA. I dont know which one to go to. It's an agonizing decision. Which one, dear reader? Which one?  Some very mature ways of decision making I have resorted to - - if I see two mynahs , it;s a sign I have to go to Kellogg. If I see three, I have to go to Harvard. - if the bus arrives in the next one minute, i have to go to Harvard. - if the leaf falls off the branch and touches my right shoulder, I go to Kellogg. ad infinitum, ad infinitum,and so on.

There was a store in our colony where we did most of our grocery shopping. I often ran the chore of getting a dozen eggs from the store for Mother.  I liked that chore. I liked to feel eggy cool smoothness. Hunt for cracks. Jiggle 'em a bit. Pick the largest. I took my time. The owner didn't mind. He knew me since my toddler years and he let me select my own dozen eggs.  On one particular trip when I was 9, I laid them carefully in a paper bag and walked over to pay up. While walking, I counted them all over again. I counted 11. So I grabbed one more egg and added it to the paper bag. At the counter, the owner-uncle took my money. Before stapling it, he took a quick peek and counted. He counted 13. He looked up and looked at me. Or rather, he gave me a look. A very quiet look. A very very quiet look. A look that held me guilty. Without saying a word, he took one egg out and stapled the bag.  I, very puzzled, opened my mouth to protest. I grabbed the bag and co...

There are days when you feel utterly empty. You will yourself to feel something. Anything, and yet you dont. Not a tingle. Not a whisper. What is the cure for those days? A change? A walk in the park at eventide? Getting a dog? Or a goldfish? Reading a book? Cuddling up to mom? What is the cure? Tell me right now!

My parent's wedding anniversary was around the corner. In preparation of a surprise, i decided to go to ABC Travel Agents to get them a nice weekend holiday. The ABC happens to be the Walmart of travel agents in Singapore. Except that they are not as cheap as Walmart. (Which actually means that they cant be the Walmart of travel agents, but thats beside the point.).  I had a bit of a nasty experience. One chirpy day was spent being put on hold by their really advanced telephone system for 50 minutes, being directed to the wrong branch (they have all these silly branches which serve you depending on the region of travel, the mode of travel, your race, ethnicity, mother's name, last name, time of birth. No seriously!), spending 1 hour in the queue system (again supah advanced) and talking to the officer and then being directed to the correct branch, only to find it closed.  The second day was a lot less painful. But, the prices quoted were..lets say, not Walmart...

Suddenly i have a guzillion books that I have to read and are staring at me from my bedside table. The Known World, Cloud Atlas, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Prozac Nation ...just to name a few. And, i am so terribly excited that I could jump up and down on my mattress had I been 5 years younger. I want to read 'em all at once. A new year and a new resolution to be more disciplined. That has saddled me with the burden of bearing the agony of many options and only one choice.