Untitled

I'm a river creeping to the sea,
I'm a lemming rushing to its fate,
Let me be please let me be,
Its too late, its too late.

With empty words I amuse,
Profound in my decadent state,
I neither accept nor refuse,
Its too late, its too late.

With quiet and indifferent eyes,
I stare blankly at the date,
Silent, watching as time flies,
Its too late, its too late.

The truth makes way for lies,
As the floods of sanity abate,
Songs subside, give way to sighs,
Its too late, please, Its too late.

I feel no love,
I feel no hate,
I feel nothing,
Its too late.

- Yours Truly

Test Batsmen ?

Look at the records below and assuming all of these players play in the same domestic tournament, on similar pitches against similar teams, please select 3 middle order test batsmen.
The numbers are Matches, innings, not outs, runs, highest, average.
j : First-class 51 86 3 3648 203 44.38
i : First-class 89 141 17 5348 209 43.12
h : First-class 31 44 4 1917 259 47.92
g : First-class 46 74 11 3603 302* 57.19
f : First-class 36 52 4 2641 309* 55.02
e : First-class 36 60 6 3437 265* 63.64
d : First-class 25 36 6 1673 197 55.76
c : First-class 83 120 14 6189 250 58.38
b : First-class 34 55 2 2891 243 54.54
a : First-class 15 24 1 1149 194 49.95














it is obvious that the selection should be c, followed by g and e.

now the key :

a : Manish Pandey : 15 24 1 1149 194 49.95 : give him a few more seasons. he has some way to go.
b : M. Vijay : 34 55 2 2891 243 54.54 : among the better ones, has his chance now. Has to make the most of it.
c : S. Badrinath : 83 120 14 6189 250 58.38 : has his chance now, and should have had it a few years ago. Should be able to make himself a regular.
d : Virat Kohli : 25 36 6 1673 197 55.76 : A decent first class record, as good as M. Vijays. but young....he will have his chance.
e : Ajinkya Rahane : 36 60 6 3437 265* 63.64 : amazing record, 2 splendid seasons, he must get a crack at the test scene before the future Indian middle order is decided, surely. also a youngster...he will have his chance.
f : Rohit Sharma : 36 52 4 2641 309* 55.02 : another good record, he seems to be on the verge of getting his break in the test team.
g : Chheteshwar Pujara : 46 74 11 3603 302* 57.19 : another young man with a superb record. He too much get a crack before the future of the Indian batting order is settled.
h : Abhishek Nayar : 31 44 4 1917 259 47.92 : Probably not test material.
i : Yuvraj Singh : 89 141 17 5348 209 43.12 : definitely not test material, but he has played 33 and is a first choice bat in the middle order.
j : Suresh Raina : 51 86 3 3648 203 44.38 : In the running only because he was Greg Chappel's protege. He has his first test call-up for the second test between India and SA. His first class record is sub-par.

oh the vagaries of selection :)

Whats Important ?

1. Health
2. Human Contact
3. Fun
4. Constraints

baaki,

ever since I was a little kid, Ive wanted to build a model aircraft (one that actually flies under its own power) and I still do, more than ever.
and not just from a kit....I want to come up with my own designs. how hard can it be :-)

I want to do something really cool with my iTouch and the iPad I know I will one day own. Heck....Id like to control my model plane using my iPad :D

I want to make money by doing something 'useful' in society. Make pans, provide advice(!!), build spaceships, whatever.

Im not sure I want to do a Phd any more....but I need to find a good substitute for a Phd. something I can spend a couple of years doing, thats ridiculous, unlikely, high risk, high return and high impact. before I go home, get married and start trying to not be boring and irrelevant.

Im irrelevant now too of course....but I dont feel it. Im in a place where people are moving, its 'the place to be' in theoretical physics. If a great discovery is made - in any of a staggeringly large number of fields - chances are it'll be by someone associated with PI or someone known to people associated with PI. and then the discoverer will soon be associated with PI :P

Perhaps the reason Im scared of going back home is that I feel I need to be in the 'right place' in order to feel useful and competent. Im scared once I let go of all this, the phd offers, the scholarships and the world in which these things matter, Ill be a nonentity, with no intrinsic value or interest. Maybe I rely too much on where I am in order to feel good about myself.

Maybe this would not be the case if I had some nice round meaty piece of original research in my kitty. Of any sort....something I had built, anything, anything that had come to fruition. other than scholarships I have got based on impressions I have made upon people. I keep telling myself...these are great people (and they are) both as human beings and as scientists, and if they think Im good enough....maybe I am.

Once I go home, whats to certify Im good enough for anything ? Its a family business....I would be much less concerned about taking up a random job. there, the fact that someone was paying me good money would tell me that I was worth something to them.

Nope.....I cant go back unless I resolve this. I need to go home after Ive convinced myself that my worth is something I carry around with me, not something that is bestowed upon me by the institute I am in, or the scholarship I get.
which brings me back to "doing something thats ridiculous, unlikely, high risk, high return and high impact." :D