Sairam friends,
As I wrote earlier, I was asked to work on a Corporate Video project in the last minute. I basically like doing it but felt why they don’t ask for it when I have ample of time? I quickly gathered couple of girls and 3 guys to speak. They cooperated a lot but its honestly not easy to make people speak fluently in front of the Camera. A friend of mine helped me during the shoot.
One of this girl whom I filmed told me she was from Jaipur. When ever I come across anyone from Rajasthan, I ask them if they have been to Karni Mata temple in Deshnok. I felt she may not be inclined to such religious stuff and hence din’t ask about it.
I have never traveled beyond Mumbai but fascinated by several small towns and villages of India. So I often look into different places on Google Maps. When ever Sai devotees write me from several parts of India, I ask them to send photos of their place, their home etc. I understand their way of life when I see these pictures.
No Pongal holidays for me as I have to edit the video.
We made a payment to purchase stock footage and from then on the problem started. The payment was not successful and hence the vendor locked our account.
I spoke to customer service guys for over 6 times. From 2 PM to 6 PM, I tried my best to explain them that it was an official transaction and did all they instructed me to do but still the payment was not released to the Vendor. The first one to pick my call was really harsh. After that guy, all the girls who spoke to me were customer friendly. They din’t resolved the problem but atleast understood that because of no fault at our end, my work is getting stopped.
One of this girl Vandana, was very kind. She did all she could to help me.
I have immense respect on people who do such simple jobs. They may not be a rocket scientist but a scientist is not all this world needs.
We need ordinary people doing ordinary jobs for the world to work.
I even told Vandana that only one of the customer service guy in their team was harsh. Surprisingly, she seems to know him and supported him. I don’t wanted to raise a complaint on him as it doesn’t make sense that someone gets trouble in their career just because they were harsh to me.
When I first heard the quote by Marc Andreessen, “Software is eating the world“, I could not understand what he means.
Andreessen, as some of you know if the co-founder of Netscape. Later, as a Venture capitalist he has invested in Facebook, Foursquare, GitHub, Pinterest, Twitter, and also LinkedIn.
In 2011, Andreessen’s article on Wall Street Journal became very popular. Here’s an excerpt.
In the Journal, Andreessen wrote about the growing importance of software to businesses of all types:
“More and more major businesses and industries are being run on software and delivered as online services—from movies to agriculture to national defense. Many of the winners are Silicon Valley-style entrepreneurial technology companies that are invading and overturning established industry structures. Over the next 10 years, I expect many more industries to be disrupted by software, with new world-beating Silicon Valley companies doing the disruption in more cases than not.”
This has become very true today.
Gradually, Every industry is going to adopt and depend on Software that every company in every sector will become a Software company.
We already have Software’s driving cars. So its not a car manufacturer anymore. Vast chuck of their resource will actually be software engineers. Gradually, each and every stuff we deal with will be run by software.
Already, we see Fintech companies are dominating banks creating innovative ways to transact money. So what would happen to banks? They indeed will automate more and make it more sophisticated. Eventually, its the software which is going to dominate the world.
Isn’t it right – Software certainly is eating the world?
So that’s the story about the quote by Andreessen.
Why did I write about it today?
I felt no matter how much you automate the world and make the world work seamlessly through Software and any kind of innovation, in the end its the “Human touch” which can run the world.
Today, I spoke to customer service representatives of Global Electronic Payment company. The guy who spoke was harsh. I felt very bad. Later, when another girl spoke, I felt someone is understanding my problem. She told me that she could not help me as the back end team is on leave as its weekend and festival days in India.
I stopped her there and asked her – “You are telling that I have to wait 2-3 days from …………..(Their brand name which I don’t wanna reveal because you can guess) – A company which revolutionized online payments?”
She immediately started laughing because when the system doesn’t allow me to Signup and kept asking for various passwords, She inquired if my Password has all symbols and numbers. I told her, Yes. I have also tried the world’s longest password in the history of Internet…he he…
I was frustrated the whole day as I could not edit my video because of the issue in Payment processing tech company. I was irritated when their customer service guy spoke harshly. Later, when Vandana atleast listened to my problem and showed she cares – I felt a bit OK.
This is what I call as “Human touch”
“You don’t have to solve my problem. Atleast listen to me. Understand me and do little you can do. This is all the world expects from you”
In the software and technology dominated world, its hard for us to survive if we don’t have people who speak with some concern and takes real interest in helping us.
Coming back to my story!
After loosing all chances of getting the payment processed, I went to office late in the evening. I was so tensed that I forgot my ID card. Since it was already over 6 PM, I was the only one in my place. I used footage I took last year as I hardly had time to shoot freshly.
Sometimes, I enjoy being alone. I liked it that the whole office was dark. I could not make it to Saibaba temple. Not even to the Saibaba temple near office. I never keep Sai statue in my place because my Sister had told this to me few years back.
That I am speaking often about Sai and I must not take such topic at work place.
Even then, many people knew that I like Sai. Naturally, people come to know what I am. Few years back, one of my friend asked for Bluetooth name in my mobile and I told him its “Saitooth”. Everyone started laughing but to me, its natural tendency to include Sai in everything around me.
Only recently, I kept Gods photo in my place.
In 2016, I had a very strange experience.
I used to get scared a lot right from childhood looking at darkness. I remember holding my Sister’s palm while I sleep. Its been 7 years since I met my Sister because she keeps postponing her trip to India.
More than a year back, It was a Sunday evening when had to go to office. I simply walked into the 3rd floor from my place. The steps were dark. I thought – Only the steps were dark and kept walking happily. I entered the 3rd floor and found the whole floor completely dark. None were there. I just saw some light from the monitors lit up. I suddenly felt that my fear for darkness is still intact. I thought may be, a ghost would come and haunt me. So I ran back to my place immediately. I never said this to anyone else because I myself don’t know that I still fear for being alone in a dark place.
I was remembering that incident and laughing to myself. I desperately wanted to see Sai statue as I didn’t go temple today. Hence I went to a place to see Sai statue. I touched him, spoke to him and pleaded him not to embarrass me anymore and started home.
There’s a little Ganesha temple opposite to our campus where I stopped the car few minutes and started thinking about my life. None would do it late at night. These days, I like being lonely and thinking like this.
I also have another funny habit which you also can try at home when you are bored at night.
I watch some scary movie. It will be thrilling and I will get little scared as I imagine a ghost might come anytime to haunt me. After this, I hug Sai book tightly and sleep. Sounds stupid but that’s how life works.
Between the evil and divine.
Between bad and the good.
Between worries and Happiness.
Life goes on!
Sai is always with you. Hug him tight!
I will come back with how much I get scared of ghost and how during Saibaba’s life time Sai saved a devotee Tarkad from Ghost. Most of you don’t know what Sai is capable of. Most of you don’t even know what these evil spirits can do to harm your life. If you are deeply devoted to Sai, he will put you into lots of experiences. I have experienced a few.
Venkat
