The problem with thinking about future

Trudging on a path, or driving, I cannot help but look at the immediate pothole or bump. And I have to make sure that I handle it properly. Even if I do know that there's a big pothole after 2 kms, I can't do anything until I really reach the spot. Yes of course, I can think of ways to go around the pothole but if I think a lot, with reasonable certainty I would be running into a lot of potholes anyway before even reaching the one I would be thinking of avoiding.

I can think of the future but I can't act in the future.

I can act in the present based on my vision of the future but even so only when my act is well adapted to the present, and to all that are a part of the present.

I sense I have been trying the impossible. I sense a big pothole in the future and am trying to avoid it right from this moment on. The world around doesn't even wanna know about the pothole!

I suppose future is only as far away or as near as your next step.

Burly Red Beast

Couldn't resist motorcycling any more. While I liked the yellow one for sure, I couldn't move away from the red. And I booked one yesterday. Should get my hands on it tomorrow or, in any case, in a couple of days.

So the strange list of motorcycles I've owned and ridden now looks like this:

1. Hero Honda Splendor (1996-1998)
2. Yamaha RXG 135 (1998-2004)
3. Bajaj Kawasaki Wind 125 (2004-2006)
4. Royal Enfield Machismo (2006-2008)
5. Bajaj Avenger 200 (2007-2009)
6. Yamaha FZ16 (2011...)

And of course, I've experienced quite a few other bikes as well in all these years.

So yes, after a 2-year hiatus, am back to motorcycling. Why FZ16? Not that I am a very knowledgeable motorcyclist or a motorcycle tourist. Though I ride fast and have deft reflexes, never had an instinct or desire to race or stunt or turn sharply around corners. Whatever it is, for me when it comes to automobiles, nothing beats the simple pleasure of riding on two wheels. And while riding is the best experience, I can sense the refinement of a motorcycle simply on the basis of the engine sound and the way it looks. My feeling before and after riding the FZ stayed the same - it is the most-refined and most-exciting little motorcycle India has. That's why the choice.

I'll keep readers posted on my experience with the burly little red beast.

Getting into 'brick and mortar' retail business

In writing this, I assume that budding/aspiring entrepreneurs have good retail business models but are unable to get off the ground for some reasons.

I find that the aspirations of the entrepreneurs themselves act as big stumbling blocks; other reasons have only peripheral importance at best.

What are the typical aspirations of the to-be-entrepreneurs? A nice house. A good car. A good place, a nice set-up to work in, a desire to visit places, etc.

The thing is that real estate prices are very high. All investments can be clubbed on one side and investment in a real estate property can be placed on the other side. In such a situation, either you invest in buying a house for living, or buying space 'for executing your retail business model'. The trade-off is precisely that I sense.

Yes, of course, venture capital is available to maintain your 'lifestyle'. However, a proof of concept is the best bet to attract even venture capital. So, for at least a while 'lifestyle' and 'typical aspirations' will have to take a backseat anyway. Besides, 'executing a business model' is the greatest style and the best aspiration anyway, given we are not sportsmen/artists by profession.

A few li'l bits about Mississippi Earrings

It has taken 4 years of experimentation and dabbling, and 5 months of full-time effort to give it a concrete shape finally.

I don't know how I took a fascination for earrings. But anyhow I did :). I think I was looking for a gift and I realized that earrings make for such beautiful gifts. Earrings add so much to a woman's face.

As and when I would save some monies, I would try to get some designs made. A lot of them came out beautiful, some of them didn't impress me much. But the response of people around was encouraging nonetheless. So the dabbling continued.

For a long time, I was trying to figure out how to afford to spend more time towards this fascination of mine. Made 'business' presentations and projections and met quite a few people... I elicited interest but never kind of got a 'nod'. Until I met Amit; I worked with him for about an year and a half before moving to Mumbai. He was ready to bet on me without seeing any presentation. But I guess, when I did make the presentation to him, he was convinced that the concept was definitely interesting enough to give a shot.

So, finally Mississippi happened.

Of course, people raised a lot of questions too. I was into a 'good' job, a 'good' company and so on... And of course, the MICA background. Guess all new initiatives have to somehow make their way out of the 'well' of past. And the well of past achievements/experiences is a really really deep one. Even to see light from that real deep well is one mighty task. I saw light :D.

I hope to sustain the momentum. And I hope to thrill those who visit MISSISSIPPI... Good day.

Searching for responsiveness

Was reading a post on Royal Enfield's future plans on bikeadvice.in. One statement struck me in particular; I've been talking about this to a few people around me and to quite a few others on occasions:

“The good thing about the brand is that people want a relationship with it and are tolerant to the extent that we are responsive,” Dr Padmanabhan said.

I've been failing with Doudods just there. Have been trying different models, different ways of approaching people but it just doesn't cut. Seems to me that wherever money is the primary driver, responsiveness is highly likely to be misunderstood. Every software developer wants to do a project which is defined to the T and carries a fixed sum of money as compensation. To the specs, nothing else. Sounds so much like home-work done in school. I wonder if that's how great soft-social-ware can be built. Social responses have to be felt socially and have to be responded to socially. Conversations do not conform to the T.

When I hate myself

A few days back while taking my car out of the parking, I bumped into another car parked close-by, denting it a little on the front door. I really didn't spot the car earlier; wonder how I missed it but it happened. Was scheduled for a meeting so moved out quickly thinking when I would come back I would inform the owner and apologize.

Forgot the apology that evening. Forgot the next day too. Few days passed until today I came face to face with the car owner and recalled that little accident. Without a surprise, he was annoyed. I couldn't say much.

The thing that troubles me isn't the accident but my own lack of responsiveness. How many times things happen to us and, to our frustration, the other person just doesn't bother to respond in any manner. Thinking about the car-owner's frustration makes me livid inside.

Just called him and apologized. Hope my apologies offer some peace after all.

b-Twin Sport 1 - the beginning of a ride

Delivered on 24th, this b-Twin Sport 1 was packed in a huge box. I've placed it against an empty wall in my room. My room's now a little closer to my always-imagined type of room. ;)

Well to begin my first ride on the b-twin was 18kms long, on 25th. Yesterday, I rode 22kms. I sensed I could do more but couldn't trust the entire setting. Cycle and me, on a highway going far and farther with no money or mobile phone or water-bottle in the pocket. Still baby steps in terms of cycling I guess...