Martini of the Day - Dec 29, 2008 - Melontini

This awesome drink comes loaded with great taste and a lot of punch. The melontini I had contained 1.5 oz Midori, 1oz lime juice, and 2oz Vodka....shaken and garnished with raspberries....

The taste was just out of the world man.... another personal favorite of mine! Here's the pic!

Martini of the day - Dec 28, 2008 - Zentini

This great Martini comes from my favorite hangout spot in San Diego downtown called "Dussini's"

This place has killer drinks and awesome appetizers and is seriously one of the chillest place to hang out in San Diego! The drinks are strong...so go out there and have a couple...be sure to talk to the ever cool Kim...

The martini of the night was called Zentini. It was a solid mix of Vodka, cucumber and lime juice....a real taste for my dry lips...

Pics... hmmm.... I don't have my camera on me, but will try and update them sooon....

Martini of the Day - Dec 27, 2008 - Mangotini

Aight. The saga continues.....with just 4 more days to go, I feel like I lived up to my promise of having a different martini every night until the New year's eve!
The martini of the day comes straight from the heart of Sunset Blvd in the Los Angeles Mondrian hotel bar called Skybar!
It was a Mangotini. Not very strong, but still delicious, it was a refreshing change from the recent series of deadly strong martinis I have been having!

Pic will be updated soon as my friend has the pics!

I bought the perfect pair of Jeans this month!

BUYING A PAIR OF DENIMS THAT LOOK REALLY AWESOME IS SO HARD!!

This is true of in most parts of the country... but people cannot find good stylish jeans in their hometowns anymore. I am talking about denims that rock the house and clear out the competition! I am talking about denims that make people come up to you and ask you, "where the hell did you get those from man?"



I recently ended up going to my friend, who is in the clothing industry and found out some great denims for prices almost unheard of....yes prices almost unheard of!! I bought mine much cheaper (since this guy is a friend doh!), but I think I can manage to get a great pair in $100. If you really think about this....people pay around $250+ to buy jeans from custom boutiques. And these jeans are just marginally good....nothing special...

I was a victim of this system once, but once I made some right friends, I can now tell you, that I will never go back to that "system" again.

So I bought a perfect pair of jeans one for my little brother who lives in Dallas and one for myself.... I buy me a pair every month now.... or have been since I made this friend. My brother told me that everywhere he goes in Dallas, he gets asked. It doesn't matter whether he is in a Starbucks, or in a mall, or in a club.... "HOT is HOT!"

So I think I gave him a good pair of jeans at a very reasonable price....now that's what I call a perfect pair of jeans!

Martini of the Day - Dec 26, 2008 - Lychee Martini Up!

Boy oh boy! Head out over to Bali Hai restaurant and try this Martini... it is by far the roughest martini i have had! This Lychee Martini comes loaded with Vokda and minor amount of Lychee Syrup just for the flavor...

Bali Hai is a great place with a great location. You can see the entire San Diego downtown from this place....and you're sitting right by the water!

Here's a pic of me having my really rough Lychee Martini

Martini of the day - Dec 25, 2008 - Chocolate Latte Martini

Merry Christmas to all you readers out there! Today is Christmas day, so most of the restaurants are closed, but the Casino is always open! We headed out to Viejas Casino in Alpine because my friend Amy oh so loves to gamble! I hate gambling, but I can always sit at the bar waiting for an interesting looking woman to come sit by me :)..... Once that happens, I really don't care how many hours I sit there :).... like Bond, my only weakness is women :)

Back to the story... I hate the fact that I was not able to take a picture of the martini tonight! The bartender literally told me they would take my memory card if I took any pictures in the Casino! I have been to Vegas, Palm Springs etc and have never heard a shitty rule like this....

Anyways, the martini of the night was Chocolate Latte Martini which was surprisingly pretty refreshing and did taste like a mix of Chocolate Mocha and Vodka.... but nicer!

I still wish I had the picture....

Martini of the Day - Dec 24, 2008 - Guavatini

I gotta admit one thing... I have new found respect for Vodka.Vodka is the aqua vitae ("water of life") in my book. I have never seen anything that offers so many endless possibilities....I mean if you have something you think you can mix with Vodka, try it and it will do wonders....

As I was browsing through the potential candidates for Martini for the night, I ran into the Guavatini.... it contains 4oz of Vodka (strong!), 1oz of Guava juice, 1oz of lime juice and raspberries to garnish the taste.

The results are absolutely phenomenal.....Guavatini rocks...but was very strong...!

Martini of the Day - Dec 23, 2008 - James Bond Martini

OK, this one comes straight from the one and only James Bond, from the book Casino Royale by Ian Fleming! The Vesper Martini can knock you down like no other :)
To celebrate Christmas Eve Eve I had the rocking solid Vesper Martini also commonly known as the James Bond Martini @ Nunu's where my friend Doug the bartender added 3oz Gin, 1 oz Vodka, a twist of lemon and of course I had it dirty style! If you go to Nunu's get a discount by mentioning my name! LOL!

Here's a pic!

Martini of the Day - Dec 22, 2008 - Peartini

OK! Bad news, I broke my Martini Glass! Sucks! Too much enthusiasm can lead to trouble! Good news... "I have more glasses!" Bad Joke.... Anyways, the martini of the night is Peartini! Enjoyed my drink to the fullest... :)

Here's a nice pic of me wearing one of my favorite T-shirts! :)

Martini of the Day - December 21, 2008 - Grape Escape Martini

Sundays are usually long, drawn out, relaxing... especially after two nights of hard core partying with very little sleep, I felt pretty un-enthusiastic about my Martini tonight.

A great friend of mine once said, "Good things take dedication..." so I got up, and headed out to my neighborhood friendly TGIF! I found out a perfect martini for sunday night.... it was called the Grape Escape Martini.... Grape juice and Vodka blended together....OK I admit it did taste a little like KoolAid.... don't know if I will have this martini again.... !

Here's a pic though!

Martini of the day - Dec 20, 2008 - Orange Ginger Martini

Saturday night was a very fun night. Drove up to LA, hung out at the Standard Hotel and ended up having dinner at the sushi place on the 21st floor of 811 Wilshire Blvd called Takami!
The bartender there made me an Orange Ginger martini! Man that was great!!! a mixture of orange with shades of ginger spice up this martini making it a perfect concoction!

Here's a pic!

Martini of the Day - Dec 19, 2008 - Dirty Martini

Friday nights are dirttty nights! Time to have a Dirty Martini!
Hanging out at our local Irish Pub O Harley's, and having a nice dirty martini.... a perfect beginning to a long night of drunken revelry!
Enjoy the pic!

Martini of the day : Dec 18, 2008 - AcaiTini

The story continues! I decided to utilize the powers of Acai berries in my martini so that I get the strength and the courage to continue on! Acai berries are known for their nutritional value, their healing powers....and ofcourse, their Weight Loss capabilities.... I can say I need all three....

This sensation AcaiTini comes packed with Belvedere Vodka, Peach Schnapps, Acai Juice (doh!), Lime Juice and sugar all blended to perfection and shaken like crazy.... the end result is a treat for your taste buds... mmmm.... I really wanted to have one more.... :(

Here's a pic!

Martini of the Day: Dec 17, 2008 - Appletini!

So this one has a lot of memories...good and bad. I won't go into the bad ones, but the good part is that this is my personal ROCK YOU LIKE A HURRICANE martini!

So turn off those lights, turn on some nice sexy music, and sip this delicious AppleTini as it takes you back into the days so good, so nice....

Doc Yo rightly says, "An Apple(tini) a day, keeps da Doctor Away!!!"

Here's a pic of me enjoying the tangy, twisty sensational delight....called the "Appletini!"


What am I going to have tomorrow? Hmmm... my friend Jenna thought Ginger Martini is good....sounds very interesting......I may have to find a place that serves that....or I can always resort to my personal creative skills!

Martini of the Day: Dec 16: Fuzzy Navel Martini

Alright, so I am taking this thing really seriously! It started with a whim but is going to end up with something unique and fun! As long as the drinks keep pouring in, life is fun huh!

To start of, my trustworthy bartender Amy made me a Fuzzy Navel Martini. For all those who know Amy, should also know that her Martinis can knock you down in a couple of sips at the most if not in the first one....!

Boy this delicious martini with Peach Schnapps and Orange Juice did tickle my taste buds and made me fuzzy in no time!

Till tomorrow, here's a pic of me enjoying my Fuzzy Navel Martini....

Martini of the Day - A New Way To Get A Little Fun In Life

Well, 'tis the time to be merry, 'tis the season to love and enjoy.
So I thought I would make things a little interesting by having a different Martini every day of the night until the new years eve. On the New Years Eve, I will end up having my favorite martini from the many I tried over that period!

Things are going to get very interesting.... keep you posted!

2008 - A Year In Review - Auto Industry Bailout

THE DETROIT BAILOUT

Before I boarded my much delayed flight from Kansas City, I got a chance to check in on the news.

The big 3 Auto bailout in Detroit was turning into reality. This is the by far the most disappointing thing I have heard in 2008.

The car companies like Ford, Chrysler and GM have single-handedly embarassed the nation and ruined the great city of Detroit. This is something that should not be taken lightly.

In a time when European and Japanese counterparts are producing cars that excel in quality, our "proud to be American" car companies are actually going backwards in the "excellence" curve. Would you be surprised if I told you that a Ford car provided more miles/gallon in 1908 than it does now?

Would you be surprised that China (yes China!) actually has the technology ready to produce cars that are more eco-friendly and superior in technology that our "proud to be American" car companies?!

This is no laughing matter.

We are a nation where we strive to be "excellent". We pride in being the best of the best, the smartest in the pack and yet we allow our car companies to produce what has been called time and again, "a backward product."

Year after year, we push to excel in every area, we achieve technological innovations, we identify cure for diseases previously incurable and yet we leave these car companies unchecked despite a common and very prevalent agreement that "American cars suck."

Why do we want to live in a country where people want to live with a false pride. Why are we so "American" that we let these few companies ruin our nation in front of our very eyes.

Our commitment to excellence is broken.

Not only that, these car companies that are notorious for suing the Govt. are now asking for help from the Govt! Whoa! Did I just say that? Hell Yea. Look back into history and you will see....

Why Detroit is so proud of these companies, I will never understand. I think for companies like these, it's time to close shop until they excel and innovate. Detroit, wake up! Kick them out. Move out and find jobs elsewhere. A little struggle now will save us years and years of misery.

This bailout is just going to delay the dying of these companies that have resisted change for about 40yrs or so now.

The principles, the fundamentals and the ethics that these companies are based on are "flawed".

They deserve to die, and die they will. The question is, how much of your tax payer money are they going to take with you before they die.

Wake up! Question your Government. Ask them why would they want to invest in typewriters in this world of the Internet (cited from a very good article in NY Times)

In my next post, I will tackle the once so easy to make $$, the Mortgage Industry. I want the millions of Mortgage professionals that tricked unknowing people into buying homes they could not afford go down with these companies. I want these quick buck earners to go bankrupt as well.

I want Fannie and Freddie to pay and their CEO's dealt with the highest punishment possible. If I was the President, I would call for immediate jail sentences for these CEO's. They deserve to be jailed. In a country where people cannot afford to live in their own homes anymore, something is really WRONG.

Next I want to tackle the Healthcare industry. In a country where people pay $50+ for medicines that cost 10cents across the border, something is really WRONG. If people cannot afford healthcare, what nation are we building.

My final question is, "If you are a proud American, what are you doing about this?"

2008 - A Year In Review (Epilogue) - Part 1

I am writing this article on a long journey from Kansas City to San Diego which involved a delayed take off from Kansas City resulting in late arrival to Houston giving me no time for lunch (did I say I couldn't eat breakfast either), not to mention that I won't be reaching San Diego until 3:45pm.

Anyone who has changed planes in Houston (IAH) knows that the terminal assignment is outrageous. Just to get from Continental Express to Continental takes about 20mins for a young person like me. Think what would happen to a single woman with 2 kids, or our elderly who desperately want to catch their flight so that they don't get re-routed to Alaska and back before they finally get to their destination. Trust me, if we don't take action against our Airline Industry right now, 3 yrs from now, you will be bailing these idiots out as well.

When I am hungry, I tend to forget all my personal worries and focus on our world issues. It's good to miss meals sometimes; reminds you of the fact that there are atleast a billion people on this planet that cannot afford a single meal/day.

We are the privileged....and look what we have done.....


Life right now is a pretty sad state of affairs. From a 30 foot view, we are responsible for this mess. We are responsible for allowing out leaders to continue lowering the standards that were once set so high by our forefathers. We are letting this nation, and therefore the entire world sink into a very sorry state that will be impossible to pull out of, if it gets too late. We need to wake up before it is too late.

The pessimist in me tells me it is already too late. We have the highest debt ever. Our banking, mortgage, insurance, health care, automobile and airline industries are all falling apart, all at the same time! I call these the "AXIS OF EVIL" in our country.

Each of these industries require MANUAL INTERVENTION and triple/quadruple review system so that we never get ourselves into what we have right now.

We need "whistle-blowers." We need someone to say "Time Out. Close Shop"

These companies and their quarterly goal meeting criteria have ruined the quality of life in this nation. I would love to pass a law that provides maximum jail time for CEO's that knowingly took their companies and this nation down a path we cannot come back from.

The optimist in me says that there is still some time and that we need to really start thinking out of the box if we want to remember this as a great nation and a great world it once really was. We have to CHANGE if we want to pass on to our kids and grand kids a world that is safe to live in, a world that is free of terror, epidemics, natural and corporate disasters.

I have had a lot of opportunity to think about the year 2008, which in history may go down as a year of bailouts, or a year of "things this country should've looked into a long time ago", or a year of "I can't believe our leaders are taking our tax-payer money and pouring it into a bottomless abyss."

The smarty pants in me can come up with 100 such one liners for this, but I don't want to digress to much from the topic at hand.

Let's rewind back through last year and recap some of the poor decisions this country made to save "the average American."

I want to start with the most disappointing.....

To be continued...

Constitution to NOT VOTE FOR CORRUPT POLITICIANS

Found this email....and surprisingly...it is true!

Did you know?
> Section 49-O of the Constitution
>
> Did you know that there is a system in our constitution, as per the 1969 act, in section '49-O' that a person can go to the polling booth, confirm his identity, get his finger marked, and convey the presiding election officer that he / she doesn't want to vote anyone!
>
>
> Yes, such a feature is available, but obviously these seemingly notorious leaders have never disclosed it. This is called '49-O'.
>
> Why should you go and say 'I VOTE NOBODY'? ... Because, in a ward, if a candidate wins, say by 123 votes, and that particular ward has received '49-O' votes more than 123, then that polling will be cancelled and will have to be re-polled. Not only that, but the candidate of the contestants will be removed and they cannot contest the re-polling, since people had already expressed their decision on them.
>
>
> This would bring fear into parties and hence look for genuine candidates for their parties for election. This would change the way, of our whole political system... it is seemingly surprising why the election commission has not revealed such a feature to the public.... Please spread this news to as many as you know... Seems to be a wonderful weapon against corrupt parties in India... show your power, expressing your desire not to vote for anybody, is even more powerful than voting... so don't miss your chance.
>
>
> So either vote, or vote not to vote (vote '49-O') and pass on this info...
>
> Please forward this mail to as many as possible, so that we, the People of India, can really use this power to save our nation.
>
>
> Use your voting right for a better INDIA.
> Jago India .!!!

India needs SWAT

Let's set the record straight. Our country needs a SWAT team. Simple! We need a SWAT Team.
India needs a SWAT Team!

No matter how many times you look at it, we desperately need a SWAT team.
In a city of 18+ Million people, we don't have a SWAT team? Most of the NSG Commandos are busy protecting politicians...what about the people of the country? We need to create a petition forcing the Indian Govt. to establish SWAT teams for the nations metropolitan cities.

We need:
1. A SWAT Team
2. Better equipment for all our police personnel.
3. Better arms and ammunitions
4. Better safeguarded vehicles

The terrorists who attacked Mumbai were laughing at the equipment and bullet-proof vests our police personnel had. Can we take this lightly? No. If we let the Govt. get away with this, we will really suffer major consequences.

India needs SWAT! Period!

Very disappointed,
Anup

Mumbai Terrorist Attack: My Feedback

After what has been 2 days of intensive operation against the terrorists, things are finally coming to an end... They say that an end brings a new beginning and I think it is time we take steps that this new beginning is in the right direction.

Being here in the US, I can definitely tell you that I felt helpless watching the entire ordeal live on the internet. India is a very complicated state of affairs. With the constant manipulation by the politicians to its growing regionalism, it is taking a step that is exactly opposite to the direction we should be moving in. This post is not aimed towards those who manipulate the system and make it a joke.

I am proposing a platform to brainstorm and actually formulate an organization or a series of organizations that can allow us to ensure that we are better prepared for this sort of an attack and actually have an upper hand over these terrorists if and when this happens again.

A very important thing to highlight:
"We are not dealing with ordinary killers anymore. These are highly trained, highly effective killing machines who know how to operate on the state of the art equipment which is now available readily in open markets! We can't fight them using old tactics and measures. We need to move fast, before a second one comes in."

Here are my observations:

Landmark Specialists - We don't have any!

After listening to the NSG Black Cat Commandos, I realized how bad our system is. I remember getting lost in a big hotel when I was a kid, I looked for maps everywhere, nowhere to be found. The only way out if bellboys and hotel staff. They know these places better than everyone else.

Our NSG Commandos today faced the same thing, they did not know the internals of the buildings they were operating in. It seems like the terrorists knew a whole lot more. We don't have specialists outside of the hotel managers and the staff that can guide our commandos through the maze of hotel rooms and corridors in dark? Really?

Solution: The solutions could be many:

1. Create building plans using professional tools and technologies and make them available on-demand to any authorized individual whenever necessary. This means specialized mini-GPS type systems preloaded with maps that focus on internal location guidance. Or even better headset video cameras with live streams so that a specialist can guide a commando from a remote location
   
2. We need eyes and ears! This means sophisticated video devices that can be thrown into this buildings to provide live feeds to a control unit outside.
   
3. Create a team of people who are so called specialists and who understand these buildings inside out and render services as joint ops whenever required.

Ideal specialists should have the following:

• Complete knowledge about all major landmarks in the city. This includes hotels, hospitals, airports, cinema theaters, shopping malls. This person should only focus on knowing every place at the back of his hand. He should be able to guide you through a labyrinth of alleys inside any given hotel even under the worst of situations.
• Training on operating arms
• Martial Arts training
• Ability to speak multiple languages, understand various different dialects

This will ensure that under a situation like we saw today, someone can actually guide our men in a much better fashion than they were led this time.

I actually want this to be a private organization since I have completely lost my faith in the Indian governments abilities to execute anything to perfection. The rules in a private organization can be made very very strict thereby ensuring the highest quality.

SWAT Team
OK, let's face it, this has been a long time need in Mumbai. After the 1993 riots, I thought we would have one. Years have passed and there still isn't a mention of the need to have a SWAT team. Who are we kidding? While the commandos do a great job, I feel it is very important for a city like Bombay/Mumbai to be completely self sufficient. It is a joke that we don't have a SWAT team in a city of 18+ million.

We have ATS, but the SWAT was formed in 1960 in LA with the intent of solving problems similar to the ones we faced. Here's the Wikipiedia entry on this one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWAT

This should be our top most priority. If we don't take action now, we will forget, as we always have. Our citizens need to set up a dialog with authorities in the USA to find an immediate way to train some of our top notched policemen to convert into SWAT. Even better, pick some of those Z-security commandos that are assigned to our politicians and convert them into SWAT. Seriously, let the politicians stay at home, we need more help out in the field.

This means:

• Better equipment. Are you surprised that the terrorists had better equipment than most of our police forces? Are you surprised that they were constantly communication with each other? Did you look at the quality of our bullet proof vests? Where is the money going!!!!
  
• Night Vision glasses! Where are they when we need them the most. Our commandos are going in risking their lives, and we don't provide them with night vision! How will we ever give them an upper hand over the terrorists.
• What about radio communication systems between teams? Was there a mothership set up? This mothership should know the location and should be able to communicate with every man out in the field. I would never be comfortable doing what the NSG Commandos did without the pre-requisites. I mean come on, we are growing economically at a rate that has been unheard of in most of the countries, where is it going? Politicians?

How about we set up a private organization that provides all the equipment on lease to the government. Are we going to wait forever for the govt. to equip our commandos? It will never happen. Trust me, it will never happen.

Living in a foreign country teaches you three things:

1. It opens your mind
2. It opens your eyes
3. It opens your options

I am very open to the option of talking to like minded individuals to see what can be done in terms of concrete steps that can be taken to expedite this process. We the people here should initiate the dialog from the US and force our Indian govt to accept these changes.

There are multiple reasons why the reverse dialog process will succeed:

1. Americans travel to India in huge numbers. Westerners are being targeted. If we want to protect them from being targeted, we need to get our systems right. If we need to get our systems right, we need to get our people well equipped and well trained. The only way you can do that is by enforcing from the outside, impositions on our govt to start taking these actions.
2. Anything that happens in India, adversely affects multiple different countries
Let's face it, India has a lot of saying on a lot of systems worldwide. If we are not able to get up and running in 2 days, we risk global instability. We need people who do business with the Indians to enforce infrastructure improvement. It has to start from the bottom all the way to the top. No infrastructure improvements = No pay. You cut their money, and see how they get stuff done.

I say, we should go back to the basics. It's nothing to be ashamed of. We created a system that doesn't function for the current times. It's good to change, we should change.

What I want to know is, how people like me, who are here, can actually help cause a change. How can we make a change? I know I can sit here and say this and that, but I want to see if we can actually do something, by creating platforms for change!

[UPDATE - Nov 28, 2008]
It is very discomforting to see the obvious un-professionalism of our media personnel. I cannot believe that there does not exist any concept of orderly behavior between our television reporters. Cursing while setting up equipment, use of 3rd grade languages while live shots are going on are some of the things that need to change! We need to set up rules that identify how journalists can set up their equipment at distinct intervals. There has to be a service provided to these men in uniforms to speak from behind a booth using a sound system! Either way, these journalists really make it hard to obtain a decent interview. While someone is answering a question, you can already here some other journalist asking questions before the answer is over. C-H-A-O-S. What is wrong? Aren't these people supposed to be trained? Or am I missing something? Why is everything in the country so badly organized? I think it's really time to go back to the basics!

Very curious to hear some constructive feedback...

Totally Washed away

I have to admit, I have been meaning to write a blog entry for a long long time, but I got washed away with stuff.
They say the moment you stop doing what you like doing, or start pushing things for another day, you need to sit back and re-engage your mind to come up with a better way of doing things.

Last 2 weeks have been a mess, working crazy hours, trying to figure out where to take my business etc. has taken a toll on me....I spent 4hrs trying to set up a BBQ grill I bought because I thought it would save me some $$, but in the end I realized I probably would've made 4x that amount if I had just researched on my projects or business propositions in that much time.....

A good thing has happened, I have started taking health very seriously.....I have started working out. I intend to be exactly how I was about 5yrs ago....

So i am going to take this weekend and conjure up some ideas to manage myself more effectively. Working hard never got anyone anywhere, working smart did!

Till then.....adios!

Armani Exchange or Guess?

Personally, I think Armani Exchange has gone way down in quality stuff. Was a time when I would not wear anything but A/X, but I think I have seen Guess make some tremendous improvements in their style....
Here's the latest Armani Exchange look book:

Compare that to Guess:

I think the results should be obvious! :)

Go Guess!

Current Books

Books I read in the past few weeks:

1.

http://www.amazon.com/How-Come-That-Idiots-Rich/dp/0307395073

2. The E-Myth Mastery (Highly, highly recommended by Me)http://www.amazon.com/E-Myth-Mastery-Essential-Disciplines-Building/dp/0060723181/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1220818190&sr=1-5

Sunday Ramblings....

Sometimes I just sit, sit and wonder, what has become of me...

• Why do I feel tied down to things I shouldn't be tied down to?
• Why should I live a slow life with calculated decisions when in the past I have been most happy with the art of exploring and finding the best without any rules or regulations?
• Who am I?
• What drives me?

I sit and I think, and I know the answer, but a part of me has gotten so comfortable with things around me that even though they cause me tremendous pain, I fail to change them....

You would not understand, because I am still living a great life, I have great friends, great ambitions, good ventures in my life. But I still don't feel that I am happy....

They say that happiness is a bliss that very few understand, happiness isn't tied to material things, it's tied to moments in life that take your breath away. I feel utter happiness on days when I do things that remain a memory, and then there are days I just do things that I do because of bad decisions I have taken....compromises I have made.

The key to changing things around you actually lies within yourself. You need to change yourself to see the change in the world....I have come to the crossroads many times now and it feels like I have taken the safe exit in life to avoid the chaos....primarily because I do not have the energy to deal with bad things anymore.....

Introspection is a big thing....looking at yourself objectively will yield answers unlike none. You really need to ask yourself, "Who am I?" "Am I just a reflection in the mirror?" I see this person, who can make changes, I see this person who can do good things, create new things, cause a change in lives, create enthusiasm within others, create a lot of change within others.... I see it...I know I can....so what is holding me back? Mere rules laid down by society? Everyone knows deep inside that you cannot succeed if you do what society drives you to do. So why do people still follow? Part of the problem is we are all scared of chaos...we are all scared that we won't be able to pay for the next cup of latte @ Starbucks....or we won't be able to enjoy the crab cakes at this very expensive seafood restaurant.....

Most of us yield to the pressure and give up, some of us know that we could do better, but how? There's no guarantee, there's no assurance. That my friends is your negative voice speaking within you. It's the voice that you have to have. It's the voice that is used to living the life you have made it live....it fears change....and it should....

Meanwhile there's another voice, hidden somewhere in your heart.....it speaks the truth...all things equal, it would win over any battle....but given the parameters in today's life, it hardly has a voice. It is buried somewhere so deep that not even you can identify with it anymore.

How does one overcome such a huge challenge? The answer is asking yourself objectively, without any emotions, questions that a 4yr old kid would probably ask you. Questions that really don't make any sense, or actually they make sense, but you fear answering because you know they are true.

Sometimes I just sit and wonder, is this what I really really want? Do I want to be married? Do I want to be around someone who ties me down? Do I want to work at a job that doesn't give me time to think? Do I want a life that is not the best? Remember, we all have very few days on this earth.....when counted in weekends, we hardly have many weekends....many people live for the weekends...I remember working like a dog on weekdays so that I could party on weekends....now I want to live more each day so that I do things that matter to ME.

You have to be selfish in life....many times when you are not and you get hurt, you tend to realize "If only I had been a little more selfish...." You have to ingrain your values, your identity and your goals.....and chart a plan to accomplish them...and grow your identity.

People are selfish. Get used to it.

Women dump you when they find a better person, when you strive to be a better person, they try to restrict you from becoming a better person because they fear losing you in the process...

Your bosses start feeling insecure when you work on yourself and become more adept than them. Politics @ work largely involves backstabbing and at many instances undermining the good work done by someone else so as to save your own ass.....life is like that.....even some of the top most CEO's do so....

You need to ask yourself....do you want to be like that? Backstabbing? Abusing? Apologizing for life? Or do you want to be the CHAMP?

What if you had a life partner who would encourage you to be the best? What if you had a boss who would make sure that you are better than him....because after all, he has his standards set so high, that he only works with the best....

What if you just worked on yourself day in, day out? What if you just did what you like day in, day out? Would you see the improvement in yourself? Hell yea! Would you see a change in the way you do things? Hell Yea! Do you see the change you bring in the world now that you are better equipped to face the world? Hallelujah!



Now life makes sense. Now I can sleep peacefully, I can be happy that when they nail the last nail through my coffin, I will sleep peacefully knowing that I did what I wanted in the very little time I had. I changed the world and the people around me.....I really did something. I created something beautiful. I created life. A life that most of you would only dream of. A life that most of you would never understand.

Life without purpose....is no life at all.....

ATV Riding - Oceano Dunes, CA

Another fun filled weekend riding ATV's in Oceano Dunes CA. The ATV's were rented from Steve's Rentals....

I can now happily scratch off one more item from my TODO list that my imagination has conjured up. :)

ATV riding is tough, but once you understand sand and the tricks it can play on you, I think it gets really interesting.

While I spent the first 1/2hr just figuring that out, the other half was a lot of wicked fun riding the dunes, getting thrown off of the ATV into the sand, almost falling into a 20+foot vertical hill (THANK GOD THEY INVENTED BRAKES)....and of course, finishing up with a big smile....phew! Would I give this a second try...HELL YEAH!!!

Until then.....
Blowing some mud in a city near you,
Anup

ATV Riding in Pismo Beach + Santa Barbara...Twittered!!

CLICK ON IMAGE ABOVE

Things to do in Life

Realistically speaking, my list of things to do in life keeps on getting longer and longer the more I learn about life and the things it has to offer. Here is my checklist:

• Learn Swimming (my personal challenge - now challenge no more)
• Drive on Pacific Coast highway from San Diego to San Francisco
• Have your own blog, (spread wisdom?)
• Ride ATV on Sand Dunes (wanna do it again!!!)
  
• Learn Tango
• Learn Salsa
  
• Write a movie script
• Be an entrepreneur
• PAINT A SELF PORTRAIT [now matter how bad it looks]
• INTERVIEW YOUR FRIENDS
• Travel as much as you can
  
• Learn Painting (Acrylic)
  
• Compose and record 1 song in your lifetime
• Shake hands with a celebrity (David Copperfield...am hunting for some more)
  
• WRITE A SITCOM
• LEARN PHOTOGRAPHY
• LEARN A MAGIC TRICK
• LEARN A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT
• ACT IN A PLAY
• GO SEE A TONIGHT SHOW LIVE IN NYC
• TOUR THE BEAUTIFUL WINE COUNTIES OF CALIFORNIA
• FALL COMPLETELY HEAD OVER HEELS FOR SOMEONE
• WATCH A SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH
• SEND A MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
• STAY OUT ALL NIGHT DANCING, AND GO TO WORK NEXT DAY WITHOUT GOING HOME
• OVERCOME FEAR OF FAILURE
• MAKE YOUR OWN WEBSITE
• DRIVE THE AUTOBAHN
• SKYDIVE
• SWIM WITH A DOLPHIN

Del Mar Fair

Just got back from the Del Mar Fair!
It was a lot of fun! I would sit @ Brigantine and watch the fairgrounds...but I didn't know it was this big! It was a lot of fun....we sat in many rides that keep on circling round and round....for anyone who knows me....knows that anything that spins round and round is not really my specialty....but guess what?? I SURVIVED....hahahah

Here's some pics:

I WANT HER

BUT I GUESS SHE WILL DO JUST FINE.... :)

the Standard - Downtown LA

Anyone who has been to the Standard in Downtown LA will be completely overwhelmed by the visual treat this hotel has to offer. The movie "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" starring Robert Downey Jr. was shot in this hotel for most part. The hotel is so chic that words cannot describe the beauty and elegance it has to offer.

Having stayed there most of the times when I hang out in LA, I can say that it definitely delivers the goods! For e.g. you have the 24x7 bar/restaurant. I cannot even begin to tell you how important this is when it's about 3am and you don't wanna drive around for more drinks or food! This restaurant is packed all day (except for wee hours of the morning) when people are trying to tell their hands from their feet :)

Here's a quick snapshot of the visual treat the 24x7 restaurant has to offer:
The next best thing is the rooftop bar....this bar turns into a party destination for all trendy LA troopers! Here's a view of the rooftop bar:

The mystical orb shaped water beds and the fancy hotel rooms make it an experience everyone will remember. I would highly recommend staying in the Standard for people who don't want to worry about driving around too much and still want to have the best night in LA. I've been there 3 times now and never have I regretted staying there. It is just so convenient.....and luxurious!



Live Life.....King size!!!

Lifestyle Design (Contd.)

ESCAPE THE MUNDANE BORING LIFE!

Continuing with a great lifestyle requires a lot of time management. My inspiration is Tim Ferris from the book "The 4hr Workweek". I have finally come to a point where I don't think I want to work for someone else anymore. It gives me a lot of time in the day to work on my business and also gives me time to have an exciting life.

I have been traveling a lot. I have been going out a lot. I have been working out and have finally started doing things like playing my guitar and taking swimming lessons. These are things I have procrastinated for years. I haven't practiced playing the guitar for years and I have been trying to take swimming lessons for more than 2yrs. Its time to reclaim my life back!

Life is all about health, wealth and relationships. The time you invest in yourself will provide you with more benefits over a period of years. Research has it that the more you spend time on yourself, the better things will be for you. Your job will be even more better if you work on yourself first. Survival is the key here. Once you learn to survive at your job, the next phase involves working on your self!

Some other things I am interested in doing in the next few months:
1. Mountain biking
2. Kayaking
3. ATV Riding
4. Painting (more!)
5. Learning Salsa
6. Traveling

Professionally I would also love to work on my business and release some new products that I have in my mind.

Los Angeles Comes A Callin'

Living in San Diego is a lot of fun! You have the Gaslamp District, you have Pacific Beach, the endless beauty of La Jolla and the mystical charm of Del Mar.

But once in a while when I feel the itch to take my luxurious lifestyle to the next level, Los Angeles definitely comes to my mind.

Previously I have pretty much stayed at The Standard Hotel in Downtown LA. You can view the pics here

Every now and then, I head out to Los Angeles to relax and find a peace of mind. One would think that people from LA escape for peace of mind. I on the contrary, actually run towards it for my peace of mind. Ironical as it may sound, I actually thrive on it. Blame it on being born and brought up in the fast life in Bombay!

So I am heading out to LA (again!) for the weekend and will post my escapades as early as I can.

Here's a little bit of the items on my TO DO THINGS IN LA:
1. Have a nice sushi dinner @ KATANA
2. Buy killer pair of jeans from Melrose Place
3. Visit Foxtail Lounge
4. Visit Ketchup Restaurant
5. Eat @ JJ's Indian Chinese again (box it up to last for 2 more meals)
6. Take my uncle and aunt out for a good dinner.
7. Meet my good friends Gary and KF for a day and hang out!

Life is good, and will be great!

Reading - An Essential Skill

Some of the most successful men read a lot of books. It is said that on an average, a CEO of a big corporation reads about 4 books a month and earns up to 567 times more than an average man!

Take some time to sink that last statement in. This is really some indicator of the wealth of knowledge that reading brings in. Reading also adds multiple dimensions to your personality. Just after reading a month's worth of books, you will notice a tremendous shift in your vocabulary, your thought processes and your overall personality. I highly recommend that you compile a master list of books to read on each avenue of life.
Here is my list of books that I am reading or going to read for my business/professional skills:
The striked or red ones are already read.


Unlimited Power - Tony Robbins
Awaken the Giant Within - Tony Robbins
Awakening the Entrepreneur Within - Michael Gerber
Wikinomics
The Four Hour Workweek - Tim Ferris
Tuned In (great link: http://www.tunedinblog.com/)

Theory of Capitalism

The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World--by Alan Greenspan;

The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable--by Nassim Nicholas Taleb;

Wealth and Poverty--by George Gilder;

Prophet of Innovation: Joseph Schumpeter and Creative Destruction--by Thomas K. McCraw;

On the Wealth of Nations--by P. J. O'Rourke;

The Road to Serfdom-- by Friedrich Hayek;

Flat Tax Revolution: Using a Postcard to Abolish the IRS--by Steve Forbes;

The Way the World Works--by Jude Wanniski;

The Twilight of Sovereignty--by Walter Wriston.

History and Heroes

Losing My Virginity: How I've Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way--by Richard Branson;

Bowerman and the Men of Oregon: The Story of Oregon's Legendary Coach and Nike (nyse: NKE - news - people )'s Cofounder--by Kenny Moore; Bill & Dave:

How Hewlett and Packard Built the World's Greatest Company--by Michael S. Malone;

Gates: How Microsoft (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people )'s Mogul Reinvented an Industry and Made Himself the Richest Man in America--by Stephen Manes and Paul Andrews;

Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist--by Roger Lowenstein;

Walt Disney (nyse: DIS - news - people ): The Triumph of the American Imagination--by Neal Gabler;

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin--by Benjamin Franklin;

The House of Morgan: An American Banking Dynasty and the Rise of Modern Finance--by Ron Chernow; The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression--by Amity Shlaes.

How Capitalism Works Today

Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow's Big Changes--by Mark Penn and E. Kinney Zalesne;

The New Normal: Great Opportunities in a Time of Great Risk--by Roger McNamee;

The Innovator's Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail--by Clayton Christensen;

The Elephant and the Dragon: The Rise of India and China and What It Means for All of Us--by Robyn Meredith;

Basic Economics: A Common Sense Guide to the Economy--by Thomas Sowell.

Instructional Tips

Bull's Eye Investing: Targeting Real Returns in a Smoke and Mirrors Market--by John Mauldin;

Rule #1: The Simple Strategy for Successful Investing in Only 15 Minutes a Week!--by Phil Town;

Boomtown USA: The 7 1 / 2 Keys to Big Success in Small Towns--by John M. Schultz;

The Intelligent Investor--by Benjamin Graham;

The Only Three Questions That Count: Investing by Knowing What Others Don't--by Kenneth L. Fisher;

The Elements of Style--by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White;

Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind--by Al Ries and Jack Trout;

Guerrilla Marketing: Secrets for Making Big Profits From Your Small Business--by Jay Conrad Levinson;

Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!--by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon L. Lechter;

How We Got Here: A Slightly Irreverent History of Technology and Markets--by Andy Kessler;

The Art of the Start: The Time-Tested, Battle-Hardened Guide for Anyone Starting Anything--by Guy Kawasaki;

Accounting Workbook for Dummies--by John A. Tracy.

Management Secrets

In Search of Excellence: Lessons From America's Best-Run Companies--by Thomas J. Peters and Robert H. Waterman;

It's Your Ship: Management Techniques From the Best Damn Ship in the Navy--by Captain D. Michael Abrashoff;

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap … and Others Don't--by Jim Collins.

5 Dysfunctions of a Team

Food for the Soul

They Call Me Coach--by John Wooden with Jack Tobin;

Think and Grow Rich--by Napoleon Hill;

The Fountainhead--by Ayn Rand;

The Acts of the Apostles--by Luke;

The Purpose-Driven Church--by Rick Warren;

Move Ahead With Possibility Thinking--by Robert Schuller;

The Greatest Salesman in the World--by Og Mandino;

The Richest Man in Babylon--by George Clason;

The Soul of a New Machine--by Tracy Kidder.

Useful Entertainment

Options: The Secret Life of Steve Jobs, a Parody--by Fake Steve Jobs;

The Hypomanic Edge: The Link Between a Little Craziness and a Lot of Success in America--by John D. Gartner;

Investment Biker--by Jim Rogers;

All the Money in the World: How The Forbes 400 Make--and Spend--Their Fortunes--by Peter Bernstein and Annalyn Swan;

Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game--by Michael Lewis;

The Bonfire of the Vanities--by Tom Wolfe.

[Updated July 10, 2008]

[Updated Aug 03, 2008]

ROWE Mania

It is finally happening! What I have been doing since I was a kid now finally is accepted! YoHooo!! I used to tell my parents that it doesn't matter where I study as long as I get the results! When I came here for master's i would sit @ Starbucks every day instead of slogging in a library. Then I moved to an area where there were pretty women...it just drives me!
For 3Yrs, i have been preaching the power of allowing people to have the flexibility of working from anywhere at anytime (within reason) as long as they can produce the same results. I have observed in my case that I work better and am more productive and happier......

Read More Here

Get Up, Stand Up...Don't Give Up The Fight

This could be the second line to Bob Marley's iconic song....or it could be a blog post that will change the way you look at things forever. Like I always said, I have been a super-believer, if such a term exists. I believe that everything is possible. Sometimes people label me as crazy because I try to make stuff happen despite everyone else just giving up.
That is me. I have a model in my head, a model that says, "Never give up."

There comes a time in our life when everything seems unfair. A time when our faith, our values, our patience, our compassion, our ability to persist, are all pushed to our limits and beyond - Tony Robbins. It is in these times that some people identify their true self and learn and excel, while it is in these same times that many fail and falter.

It is all a matter of beliefs. People who are unhappy and who live broken lives are often people without the results they have wanted for so long. They often believe that they can no longer produce the same results with their actions - Tony Robbins.

The difference is how you empower your belief system. Why is it that some of us live the exact same lives and yet product enormously different results. Others model excellence, while some model failure.

I want you to model excellence! There is no failure, it's only feedback. There is no end to the ups and downs in life. i have gone through so many downs lately that I can't even begin to count, and yet I manage to smile. The words: depression, frustration, anger do not even come to my mind. Yes I am not perfect. Yes I do get carried away and go through each of the above mentioned negative emotions, but I come back. And I stand up taller and I fight.

That is who I am....I am a fire sign....I am a fighter. I may not be 6 feet tall....I may not be externally strong, but internally, I am the ROCK! I have the power to change lives of people around me.

The above paragraph is my belief system. I recommend you start building your own belief system as well.

Never, Ever, Never, Ever, Never Ever....Give Up.

Life is too short, and too precious. Time wasted is time lost. Time that never comes back. But learn from the experience. Learn to live better than before with each passing day. That is the true essence of life.

Until next time,
Charged,
Anup Marwadi

San Francisco Days, San Francisco Nights

Whoa! San Francisco, the land of Golden Gate Bridge, sea-food by Fisherman's Wharf, and ofcourse trolley trains and gays!
Had a blast hanging out with my fellow brothers in San Fran! We also drove up to Stinson Beach and Napa Valley for some more fun and ended up going to XYZ Lounge in W and Redwood Room @ the Clift

The best time was @ this place called Paragon in Berkley!

Had a great time with Tarun, GK and Baddu! Cheerz! Photos coming pretty soon!

Kapslock Locks San Diego

It finally happened!! Kapslock made his way to San Diego after a much hyped series of NO SHOWS!! The latest 'No Longer Single - Sindhi Sensation', Kumar Kapil Assudani Hingorani was finally here with his biwi [fortunately these are not his fobi Shimla honeymoon pictures :)] !

Not only was he here, but he was here for full 10 days which meant only one thing...."WORSHIPPING THE TOILET SEAT EVERY SINGLE MORNING FOR 10 FRICKIN' DAYS!!"

We had a great time showing him and his wife around San Diego. While we managed to show him the best of San Diego, I still wish he was here for another week or so as there is still so much that I wanted to show!!!

Honorable mentions go to: J6, TOP OF THE HYATT, IVY, W, HARD ROCK (who can forget Hard Rock!), PB, Extra-Ordinary Desserts and the Spanish Tortilla in Dussini's!!! Missed out on: Humphreys, Tower 23, Bar West, Jade, Moondoggies, Wavehouse....... :( :( :(

ENJOY THE PICS HERE!!!

Survival of the fittest

"Don't rely on anyone else for your survival." Manage your expectations. If you start relying too much on people for your reality pings (as I call them), you will be let down.

This world is a crazy place. You have zero chance of making it wonderful unless you really train and retrain yourself to be fit. By fit I mean C-H-A-M-P. You have to be on your "A-Game" all the time. You snooze, you lose. I have constantly been in the ON mode in many areas of my life. The times I am in the ON mode, I can take on any challenge, any situation and handle it right. It's days when I am not in the ON mode that I seem to get challenged the most.

It almost looks like people can look at your body language, or your tonality and pick up cues and put you on a pedestal. I've had people at work run me over on my worst days and I am left thinking, "Oh man, not today...." But the reality is that I have to fight it today, and not yesterday or tomorrow. RIGHT NOW is what we're living for. Tomorrow, I have not seen. Yesterday is so "yesterday" to worry about.

Overall, I think in order to survive this world, you have to be fit. Being fit means being fit mentally, physically and emotionally.

Training yourself to get better and better is the only answer. Be honest to yourself and ask yourself...."now what do i need to improve in myself?" and you will have at least 2-3 things instantly pop up in your mind. Let's write them down and start working on ways to work on them.

Here are three things that come to my mind:
1. I need to stop being impatient
2. I need to live my own life and not be outcome dependent
3. I need to sleep better

Well, I have answers on how I wanna handle each of these areas. Every month, go back and look at these three things and see how you have fared over the past month. Add 3 other things to improve on. It is a lot of hard work. But people who want big rewards, usually work really hard.

Remember to thank yourself and the people around you for giving you the opportunity to prove yourself. And also remember that sometimes you just need to take a break NO MATTER WHAT!

Don't get run over by society's rules. Make your own rules (within reason).

Remember, physical fitness leads to a lot of mental fitness! Make sure you work out, even if it is just for a little bit. It will give you renewed vigor!