A conversation aboard a private jet

Last week, a Xoogler I know made some public comments about his fortunes… And how lucky he was to offload some of his stock when GOOG was at $600…

At the same week we made an announcement about Nokia intentions to acquire Trolltech - which as a result I received a few (funny?) emails assessing my interest in Ferraris. So for the record, no - I am not interested in one. Neither can I afford it.

Which reminded me of one of the most honest and insightful conversations I had on the topic

In 2001, while I was at OPWV, Chimene was still at Yale finishing her law degree. One of the executives I was close to @ OPWV was valued at the time in the few hundred $M range, and like many other execs had his own private jet. His family was in Boston, so to help the long distance relationship, I was sometimes invited to join him as he commuted back and forth to the East coast.

In one of those flights, as the two of seat happily seat in the jet @ 36K feet and sip wine he said … “you know Ram… I have made more money then I ever thought I will. And more then I probably deserved. Why? Luck. I was at the right place at the right time.”

If you dont realize that luck had a major part to the amount of money you made, you might mistakenly start attributing it to how smart you are. Which explains why there are so many over inflated egos around here. Or maybe how hard you have been working. Which might explain why there are so many workaholics here as well. But when you look deep down in it - yes, smartness and hard work play a role and are *required* elements - but most of the new Googlers, Facebookers, Youtuber, meSqlrs and the like should say thank you to Tyche

And if you wonder where the executive is today - he gave significant amounts of his fortune to orphanages in Easter Europe. Anonymously. And stepped out of high tech to spend in time helping others.

Around and around

So ‘Idani’ is finally (i) figured out how to slide down the slide. not conssitently - and tends to either go head first once in a while (I have to catch him) or leave a leg behind (kind of get stuck as he gets ready to slide down). But mostly the kid slides. Climbs back up. And slides again. Fun being a 15 month old…

It’s about time

To start putting some of my writing in my own blog. Not only in other people blogs… or heads.

Why “Brief” ? Because writing is not easy for me. English is my second language. And writing was never my strength. At the same time I will write a paragraph, my wife (who has an English degree among others) will finish a few pages of small font flawless prose.

So it will have to be brief

And why ‘rowing’ ?  Not sure if you have seen ‘The Emperor Club’ but if you have you might remember one of the early scenes. In which the narator explains that “Days that begin with rowing are better then days that do not”. True. So I am back to twice a week 0515 on the water.