What I learnt from Jon Stewart about show-biz

Thanks to Andy who got the tix, we went to a live taping of the Jon Stewart show. I learnt a LOT of things from the show, here are some of my observations.

• Waiting makes you appreciate the main act more. They kinda have an online ticketing system. They could have used it to give away confirmed tickets (anyway all tickets are free). But they still want you to come early and wait in line hours before the show. The whole waiting game is there so that you value the experience much more.
• Scarcity creates value. Same deal as above. They have only a limited audience. You feel like one of the chosen few who managed to score something awesome.
• They don't really need the live audience (or do they?) If you look at it one way, the whole 'live audience' story seems like a sham. The real audience for Jon is the millions who watch him on TV. So why does he need the live audience? My theory is that he feeds on the energy of the live audience. Remember, he is not trying to create one perfect show, he's trying to create a great show, every single day. If he doesn't get the feedback, he can't carry on, as simple as that.
• The 'priming' of the audience (1). A not-so-popular comedian came up first and warmed up the audience. This is to be expected, but I found two things to be very striking. One, his jokes were mildly offensive to the participants. Sure, this is the nature of stand-up comedy, but I think this is necessary because this is the nature of the show (one man's tragedy is other's comedy). 
• The 'priming' of the audience (2). Two (and I think this is more crucial), he made us cheer Jon as if Jon was a huge celebrity. Ordinarily, if we were to pay for this show, this priming might not be needed, but we were about 200 of us picked off the street (so to say) and paid nothing for it. There is no guarantee that we really liked Jon, no guarantee that we wanted to see him in particular. He made sure that we would become his fans for the rest of the show.
• Jon likes to connect to his audience and take care of them. I noticed this as a recurring theme. He mentioned that he saw us standing outside in the rain, took personal questions and so on. I think this is a great selling tactic. Jon is trying to please two sets of audience at once (an admittedly difficult task) but really he's making sure the act remains spontaneous and true to stand-up comedy roots.
• Jon is always super-excited, even when the cameras are off. This is necessary to keep the momentum going. He always seems to be hyper-caffeinated and busy as a bee. He's always fidgeting with his fingers, rocking his chair, or continuously scribbling something. Having run the show successfully for 13 years, I bet he isn't nervous. No, I think it's because he has to maintain the momentum even if there's a break. He has to keep the tempo up which reflects in his show.

Overall, I think Jon is awesome, he has a gift and a charisma. But it's also obvious that he has worked very very hard and takes care of a lot of minute things to make the show a success. Everything is the way he wants it and he is under control.

I have never seen Steve Jobs live on stage, but I have no doubt that he was a master of this kind of show-business too.

Here are some clips of the Daily Show by Jon Stewart: http://www.thedailyshow.com/ (I'll post a link to the Jan 26 episode once it's up)

Many thousand miles of travel - V

(See previous editions 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2007.)


By far the least amount of travel as compared to the previous 4 years.

Feb: India! Delhi, Aurangabad, Pune, Mumbai. Caught up with friends, including school friends who I had not met in like 10 or 15 years! Also spent some really good time with family.


I did not feel like coming back after the trip!

Jul: Providence, Rhode Island and Mystic. Continuing my Northeastern US explorations from the last year. Saw the water fire show in Providence, the mansions in Newport and sailing in the mystic harbor.

Sep: Paris! Definitely the highlight of the year. We had an absolutely fantastic time. We were hosted by a lively Parisian lady (spoke only French, no English), and that was truly the highlight of the trip. French food, French coffee, the baguettes, ah, I miss Paris. It definitely deserves the reputation it has. A great place to roam around

2 books that influenced me the most in 2011

Here are two books that I really loved reading in 2011

Reality is Broken by Jane McGonigal. Wonderful take on why games are so engaging as compared to reality. Why is it that people can spend hours playing games and even do monotonous actions in a game, but when asked them to do such repetitive actions in real life they hate it? What makes games so engaging that people are willing to help others who they don't know in a collaborative game but are not typically generous? And so on. I thought the author's approach is very fresh, though sometimes impractical.

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. Remember the time when, straight out of college you were out there to change the world and not make money. And then somewhere along the road you lost your way and the small bonus and the one promotion is all that you wanted? Yeah, me too. But this book - and Jobs - inspired me so much that I am back to my energetic younger self, out there to change the world, or die trying. On a professional level, Steve Jobs way of Product Management, when applied to myself is inspiring on so many levels.

Here's a must-watch video. The "Think Different" commercial in Jobs' voice:

The moment I miss the most

It's late evening and the sun is setting with fiery red and orange color. These are some of the longest days of the year. The wind is blowing, sometimes turning into a gust. Loose papers and plastic bags fly across. On hot roofs, tin cans rattle and make a distinctive clang. The wind causes swirls of dust to rise up from the parched ground. The weather is changing and it seems it's in a hurry. There is a moistness in the air and a sweet smell. It has rained somewhere nearby, it seems.

Late into the evening, children play cricket, fly kites or play marbles. And they won't stop till it's late into the dusk and difficult to see the ball or the kite or take aim. School has just started, or is about to start, but that's the least of their concern. An occasional airplane flies by in the skies, stirring in the young minds a hope and a yearning.

Evenings are spent eating ice creams and slushies and watermelons. The laughter continues on the roofs late into the night. Faint melodies of Bollywood music fill the night. It's impossible to say where the music is coming from, but it is pleasant. You sleep under the stars, spotting an occasional planet and trying to find the constellations.

Late summer, just before the monsoons, India is a magical place to be. And that evening sunset is the moment I miss the most. I'm waiting to experience the magic again, since 2004.

Me with my meditation teacher John Osborne at the International Art of Living center in Quebec, Canada.

I'm truly blessed to have a teacher like John in my life. Words fail to express the gratitude I have for John and the knowledge and love I have received from him. I treasure every moment spent with him.

Many thousand miles of travel - IV

I just realized that I never posted a 2010 edition. 6 months late, but here we go! (See previous 2009, 2008 and 2007.)

Oregon/California Coast: I had done the Pacific coast highway going south from SF, this time, I did Seattle to SF. The coastal redwoods are like nothing else on the planet and I feel truly grateful to have had a chance to experience the majesty of these humble giants. Trying to capture the beauty in a photograph is nearly impossible, but here's a sample (click thru goes to flickr to view a bigger version)

Montreal and Thousand Islands: Fun roadtrip. Absolutely loved the Montreal bagels!! The Mont Royal park was lovely and Old Montreal has a certain charm to it. Thousand Islands is a touristy detour.

Switzerland: By far the highlight of the year. As I like to say, if Steve Jobs were to design a country, it'd be Switzerland. The country is engineered to perfection! We did - Zurich (during the Zurich Fest!), Lucern, Geneva, Jungfrau and a ton of other small towns. Great trip. Unforgettable on so many counts. Cannot imagine the astounding beauty everywhere in this country, be it the lakes or the mountains. I also did the Canyon Jump - definitely the most brave act of my life yet! ;) Here's a picture of the enchanting Swiss Alps


Cape Cod / Martha's Vineyard: Continuing our explorations of the New England. We had a great time on the island and the pretty beaches. Rented a moped for a day which was tremendous fun!

Boston: You get the idea .. New England! Boston is a lovely city. Lots of variety packed in a small city. Boston reminds me of San Francisco a lot. There's a lot of culture in this city, from history and food to just places to hang out and be with people. A lot of old-world charm.

Fall trip - Vermont and upstate New York (Thacher state park): Can't blame us this time! New England is best for fall colors. Vermont is pretty of course, but the highlight was the Thacher state park and the Indian ladder trail. Breathtaking fall colors and a delightful weather. Overall, I'd say Thacher is a hidden gem. If you're around, definitely worth going.

Atlanta and Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Seeing off Aniket and Moush. Tons of fun with the gang at the German themed village of Helen and around. Did a Halloween night super-scary maze. People dress up really scary and you're in a maze with no way to get out. Not for the faint of heart. Also did the magical underground Ruby Falls (pictured left)

Los Angeles: Thanksgiving. The highlight was the Getty. Great architecture! (Didn't bother much with the art though). Also hit the charming gardens at the Huntington Library and the ever so pretty Malibu and Santa Monica beach.

The online/offline connection (ecommerce)

A couple of weeks back, I went shoe shopping and found something I liked. Just before buying the shoes, I checked the price online and was shocked to discover that it was cheaper by about 20%. Of course I did not buy the shoes at the store, I bought them online instead.

The curious thing is, I'd have never bought them online without checking them out in a store first, and on the other hand, I'd never pay 20% more for instant gratification.

So what is the future of commerce in this scenario? In the short term, I think online players will win big as people go to buy things in-store, but smartphones make it easy to check the price online. But if enough people start doing that (and I guess they will), the stores will close and then what? Will people be forced to buy things online without trying them out first? I don't think I'd do that.

Another scenario is that a whole new breed of 'lean stores' will crop up which will be run with very little manpower (salesmen) and will serve the sole purpose of giving a real feel of the product to the consumer. You can't buy anything there, any order will go through the online store. Still, if the product is not distributed via a single distribution channel, there will always be a cheaper option online.

I don't know how this will pan out, but the future is certainly going to be interesting!

Paycheck player

Two quotes, saying essentially the same thing, inspired me last week:

. Here's why you don't have your ten million dollars yet. You are a paycheck player. You play with your head. Not your heart. In your personal life? Heart. But when you get on the field -- you're a businessman. - from the movie Jerry Maguire

By the early '80s, the Greater Boston Track Club had half a dozen guys who could run a 2:12 marathon. ... Twenty years later, you couldn't find a single 2:12 marathoner anywhere in the country. The United States couldn't even get one runner to meet the 2:14 qualifying standard for the 2000 Olympics...

What happened? How did we go from leader of the pack to lost and left behind? ... the answer is best summed up as follows: $.

... the fact is, American distance running went into a death spiral precisely when cash entered the equation. - Christopher McDougall (Born to run)

What's true for sports is true for every single profession. The good news is, the realization sets you free.

The story behind the act

All our wants are either related to money, relationships or health. Assume, for a moment that regardless of what you do now, you will have enough money for the rest of your life and you'll have good health for the rest of your life and your relationships will all be as desired for the rest of your life.

What now? What will you choose to do now? (note again,  in this scenario, whatever you do now will not affect the outcome) How does it compare with what you're actually doing now?

Now assume for a moment that regardless of your current actions, none of your monetary, health or relationship desires would be fulfilled.

What now? What will you choose to do now? (note again,  in this scenario, whatever you do now will not affect the outcome) How does it compare with what you're actually doing now?

Are you aware of your actions and what makes you act that way?

Back to blogging

Been a while since I wrote my last post. I've been missing writing and I've also been told to write.Good idea. I guess the better idea is to implement the good idea.

Everyday, so much passed by - so many emails, status updates, buzzes, tweets, oh my. But what strikes you? What makes an impact on you? What makes a change in your life?

Here's one thing that struck me today: http://nathanmarz.com/blog/you-should-blog-even-if-you-have-no-readers.html

Many thousand miles of travel - III

Continuing the 2008 and 2007 tradition, here's the 2009 edition:

Jan: Hawai'i - probably my best vacation ever! Went to Oahu and Big Island. The beaches, the ocean, the volcano. Amazing. Hawai'i feels so spiritually uplifting. The people are so nice. There's peace in the air. There's nothing like it.

Mar/Jun: Washington DC. First to meet Guruji, next to do TTC! :-) I'm a YES!+ teacher now.

Sep: Univ of Virginia at Charlotesville and Shenandoah National Park. Was cold, rainy, foggy, but we ended up having a good time anyway! Shenandoah drive is awesome.

Oct: Fingerlakes region. Obligatory fall trip to see fall colors! This was a quick one though and we never ended up staying in Ithaca. Brilliant fall colors though.

Nov: Las Vegas. What a riot. Great trip, very memorable. Had so much fun, I don't want to go back again, coz it'll be hard to beat this trip! ;-)

Nov/Dec: India (Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad): 3 weddings. What fun. Met everyone I know and honestly, didn't feel like coming back. Explored South Mumbai and loved it!

Dec: Walt Disney World, Orlando. My first visit to a theme park! Was a lot of fun. New Year's is a great time to be there and enjoy the festivities!

Other trips: Bear Mountain, New York

Celebrating Ideas!

This blog post is inspired by an article from one of my favorite blogs.

And I would like to post something really interesting today: motivation and ability.

Motivation comes naturally in 2 cases: when you are new or when you see a huge gain. When you are new in a field, new in an organization, new in a team, you are highly motivated. It's obvious if you look at it the other way: you are trying out something new because you are motivated. You are full of expectations and have a strong desire to perform and succeed.

You are also motivated if you see a huge gain. Maybe at the end of the task, or maybe as a result of the task. But somewhere you know that you will get more than what you put in.

Ability also comprises of two parts: one is your knowledge and two your experience. The funny part is that when you are new to some task, you have motivation but almost no ability. You probably have prior experience or prior education which has convinced the leader that you will perform well in this task but you have yet to demonstrate the ability.

Now look back at a time when you quit a long running project (or a hobby/task). You clearly had a lot of ability. The only reason to quit is lack of motivation.

So to sum up:
In the beginning: high motivation + low ability.
In the end: low motivation + high ability.

Successful people understand and realize this fully. When they lose motivation, they try to develop it back, or they quit quickly. The trick is to quit quickly. Only you know yourself. Make the decision now. Do something new which motivates you. Don't fear the jump into the unknown. You have the ability already or you'll develop it along the way anyway.

Thoughts about The City

I ♥ NY. But adjusting to NY and enjoying it is not easy. Not natural at all.

Here's a great article on NYTimes.com (where else ;): Newcomers Adjust, Eventually, to New York

I think the City has a mind of it's own. You can't have it on your terms. Exactly when you think that you are in control and have it all figured out, things can go wrong. If the City does not feel like amusing you, it won't! And no matter how much you fight, it won't budge. Money Quote from the article:

There also usually comes a time, early on, when newcomers must accept that the city is a power greater than they are.

And yet, this is the only city where while lazing at my friend's at 11:30PM my friend says: Let's get something to eat - I'm hungry. We walk down and there's a great place open right around the corner. (No, not a McDonald or some other chain, this is a proper good restaurant). We go, sit there for a while thinking what to order when Rita says: Don't they have fries? It was a classy Italian place, so the answer was unfortunately, no, they didn't.

We three look at each other and say, hmmm - so let's go get good fries! We hop into a cab, takes us 5 mins to get to Lucien which has some of the best fries in NYC (we always ask them to be made well done) and hang out there till 1AM. And when we come out, we still have options to go places, to have fun. The avenue looks like it's daytime. So many people on the street at 1AM!

Tell me any other city where you can do this. Not SF, nor London, nor Mumbai. The reason to love New York is that although it's a whimsical city with a mind of it's own, it has everything to offer and much more. If you play by it's rules, you'll have the most fun of anywhere else.

Another quote from the article:

Every day you encounter situations where you have to step out of your safety zone, and it’s really kind of a self-discovery experience

Many thousands miles of travel - II

Just like 2007 (see this post), I'm posting my 2008 travels:

January 08: India. And not just that, got married in India. :) If you ever have an option to get married anywhere in the world, choose India. It's amazing to be in the middle of a couple of thousand people when you get married.

February 08: St-Mathieu-du-Parc, Canada (near Montreal). The cold. The snow. The Guru. What else can I say? :)

May 08: Rocky Mountains & Arches National Park. Amazing trip with Smitha. Arches is so lovely. Rocky was cold. This is probably the only place I went to twice in two years! Yes, it's _that_ lovely.

July 08: St-Mathieu-du-Parc, Canada (near Montreal). The beauty. The Lake. The Meditations. The Guru. What else can I say? :)

August / September 08: Upstate New York. The ever-lovely Cornell, the ever-enchanting Ithaca Falls, the ever-beautiful wineries. The blue Seneca Lake and the intriguing Watkins Glen. The Corning glass factory and museum. We did it all. Also went to Vraj, PA Srinathji temple.

September 08: Las Vegas / Bryce Canyon / Zion. Amazing. Bryce Canyon is so delightful, and IMHO way better than Grand Canyon. The sunrise and sunset at Bryce is breathtaking. Zion was also beautiful. Las Vegas was exciting!! The Gondola ride at Venetian and Eiffel Tower at Paris are must do!

October 08: Vermont Fall Trip. The fall colors here are so unbelievable. It's like a painter has splashed some color here and there. The bouquets of yellow, red, orange and all shades in between are guaranteed to enchant.

November: LA - to meet our dear friend Viraj. Had coffee at Intelligentsia! I liked this trip to LA. Of course Santa Monica is impossible to dislike anyway! We also went to Encinitas to pay a visit to Paramhansa Yogananda's ashram (or whatever they call it). It is one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. The California coast is a natural wonder in itself, and the spiritual energy at this place is guaranteed to stir your inner spirit. You feel the energy and the presence of an enlightened being there.

November: India Home food, rest and relaxation. Relaxing and nice trip to home, filled with love! (unfortunately, this was the same week as Mumbai attacks)

Stay tuned for more adventures in 2009!

List of good friends who've left NY grows longer

Is NY meant to be the city where good friends leave? :(

1. Aakash
2. Viraj
and now 3. Tom ...

Sigh. All good things in life must come to an end, I guess.

You will be missed Tom, you'll be missed a lot.
Guitar Hero,
coffee (especially Grumpy),
bridge (Mongolian Flannery is unforgettable),
go,
pumpkins,
Indian food (remember the bulk orders in 1440?)
and most importantly Faulkner ... the list is endless.

Life, probably, will never be the same.