MBA meet and the Bomb Blast.

Planned. Cancelled. Re-planned. Re-cancelled.

This is the current status of a proposed meeting among prospective students from Bangalore. After re-planning few (about 8) of us were scheduled to meet on Sunday, July 27 but because of the bomb blasts that created terror in the city, we were forced to cancel the same. Now, we are again re-planning it and hope to meet soon, but the count of people attending that meet may change. Probably all of us will meet not before September 28 and that too at the university housing center.

This is the first time I have been directly impacted by a bomb blast. I sympathise with those who are directly affected by this dastardly act. I am safe, sound and unhealthy (I am feeling sick and down with fever since Saturday evening), but I believe that sooner all who have been impacted by the blast will be able to overcome the fear.

BTW, I am attending office today and have to go for the VISA appointment tomorrow (which I am going to cancel because of my ill-health) and was in hospital for the better part of my not so cherished Sunday.

New way to click photos

I was weaving through the information and few profiles on linkedin today and came across this interesting site. Now, I haven't navigated through the site (www.photojojo.com) but found their newsletter content to be pretty interesting. The man behind newsletter is an Indian and shares the same name as one of my good old friends (both are completely unrelated).

The newsletter talks about mounting your good old/new digital camera on your bicycle handlebar (my contribution - it can be done on your motorbike or car rooftop even) and shoot as you go. The result, you get good action photographs or video and you don't have to stop at any place to click the action.

Here's the URL to the newsletter - http://photojojo.com/content/diy/attach-a-camera-to-your-bike/

I am going to try it at Lancaster and not on Bangalore roads.

Disclosure - I do not have a bicycle and the only possession in relation to this post is a SONY cybershot.

functional web board, class composition

Now, this is a news.

University's MBA web board (aka message board) is functional. I got my details yesterday and bang bang I find everyone on the board. In all there are 73 future classmates who will study along with me so including me 74. The nationality varies but I presume they are from following countries on the globe.

• India
• Japan
• UK
• Nigeria
• Russia
• Taiwan
• China
• Germany

Other nationalities may be there but I am not yet aware of. Probably when all classmates publish there profiles by July 31, a better picture will emerge. But there is no doubt that Indians will be a major force in the class. So, much for diversity. My only other hope is people from India are from as diverse backgrounds as possible (sales, advertising, IT, telecom, finance, etc.) and I have firm belief that adcom would have duly thought about it.

Next step for me will to publish my profile (a brief biography) before 31.

On a side note, I am not yet done with my VISA.

finished applying and a great video.

Last week nothing much happened but I had certain personal committments to cater to. Other than personal stuff, the accommodation link was made available by the university and after much deliberations I applied yesterday for the en-suite accommodation. Alums said go for a 40 week let and later extend the contract if need be. This comes from the presumption that you will be working far away or closer home on your project/internship for the last three months and hence why pay extra. Sound advice indeed. So, last night I finished applying.

Someone from 07-08 batch created a cool photo video about their experiences and posted on YouTube. Here is the video.



I hope 08-09 batch will be equally good or even better.

Booked my flight tickets.

I am flying FinnAir. I confirmed and booked my flight tickets with them today. I had blocked them on Wednesday and had planned to book on Thursday, but it was late evening when I called them up yesterday and the lady over phone said she could hold the booking for me until Friday. She held me in surprise when she said that the student ticket prices have been reduced today. From Rs. 18,157 I got my ticket for Rs. 15,911.

The price was fair and today I made the payment.

The only hitch is the baggage allowance. FinnAir only gives 30 kg as a baggage allowance, so I am now stuck with the choices I will have to make. 30 kg will be exhausted in just one luggage, nothing extra allowed. Shucks.. that sucks, but low fare price and the a good baggage allowance, it seems I can't have both. I had the option to fly Jet Airways with the baggage allowance of upto 50 kg, but overall, that was more expensive.

Anyway I am happy. I am flying this September.