Random thoughts...and all that

Again, it has been some time. Long time. But this dual nature of occupation, that includes my avocation (GRE word, look it up) swallows up the time without thinking too many times, like a lizard on the wall does to a fly. Or a python to a rabbit. Or someone else to another someone. I forget both the names here. (of the someone)

Not even twice it thinks.

No excuses, and no, frankly, for a change I have not even been lazy.

Talking about the stuff in life, the C-day is coming closer; yes, that is right, the day before the D-day. D-day happens much later. The realisation dawning slowly, but the 'dress-rehersal' before the D-day should tell me how I feel.

Talking of this previous line, I have been asked - as is the people's wont - about how I feel. And I shall reiterate the same that I have, above. Haven't got much chance to let the thinking process to even commence; let alone the hows, whats and the what-ifs of the whole process.

Lately, I have been suffering from a new syndrome. It is called the 'Sleepless Sunday-night Syndrome' or SSS. As the name suggests, SSS strikes on Sundays (with the exception being any other weekday holiday that is followed by a working day), and gets into a debate with my eyes at that exact time when I hit the bed on a Sunday night. It vetos the fundamental rights of sleeping soundly, till much after the stress induced by the realisation that a client-call next day late in the evening would mean really long hours at work push the eyes wide-awake. This forms the input to another syndrome that others know as the Monday Morning Blues (MMB).

For me, the MMB is just an extension of SSS, and can be really damaging in certain scenarios; especially with the kind of role that I need to perform. Anyways...

Oh and yes, today is Diwali. Holiday. Which means that a minor tremor of a variation of SSS may be felt today as well. Luckily, I have had a tiring day, and so, could probably help my cause.
And to end this 'random' piece, there is good news. Had a conversation with a couple of them today, and the list of 'clientele' has been propped up again. November should be good.

Yawn...I am sleepy. Might just not be hit by SSS today.

Arbit thoughts

Lessons/experiences/secrets from the recent past:
1. Getting out of the proverbial jail is always a good thing. However, it is much better, to avoid getting inside it.
2. Some think that pretending to do one good overshadows the one bad they have done. I wonder why. Probably they think that the rest of them are dimwits. Probably.
3. Cricket World Cup years have not been so good so far for me. 1992 saw me have chicken pox, 2003 saw a break-up, and 2007 saw a motley of events that attempted to screw happiness. Attempted only. Did not actually. Of the three, the chicken pox was the worst; the doctor did not allow me to watch the matches as they would aggravate the same. Kuchh bhi man.
4. I love reality shows. How much ever stage managed they are, I do. But I have used my mobile phone to vote out someone only once. It was Rakhee Sawant in the first season of Bigg Boss.
5. Talking of her, my feelings for Ms. Sawant are as lovely as for some of them whom I met in the last couple of years. Lesser said the better though, public channel here and all.
6. Continuing with Ms. Sawant, argggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh....the only reaction that comes to mind.
7. Moving on, it is good to move on. And it is the most difficult thing to do.
8. The worst of times sometimes bring out the best of results. And in more ways of than one. No, I have not copied this from a book on philosophy, a first hand experience talking.
9. I recently was a spectator to an appraisal cycle. I mut say that almost all the people took the whole thing very well.
10. Whatever goes around, comes around. Patience is the key. Someone frustrated yours truly in the month of May because the person did not respond to me. Three months down the line, I became the person's primary requirement. With no hard feelings, I can only say that I could not have been gladder to have spoken to the person. Amazing things in store.
11. Opportunity really comes when one ain't looking. Most do not realise it is an opportunity. Nor did I. I just got lucky.
12. Beyond a certain point, money means nothing.
13. Beyond a certain point, most people also mean nothing.
14. It is time that Sachin Tendulkar thinks about his life after cricket. His body would now be creaking on every movement that he makes. Dude, have you heard of this punctuation called full stop?
15. The same goes for some other cricketers as well.
16. Why is Harshad Warsi not hosting Bigg Boss-II? Shilpa Shetty is good looking and all that, but not half as good as what Messr Warsi was.
17. In case you still don't get it, I dislike Rakhee Sawant from the bottom of heart. They say it is good to have someone so in-your-face so that one does not back-stab. In your face does not mean that you spit in your face and get away, aint it?

Itna-ich for now. Will be back with more in some days.

Too surprised

Second post in two days. I must be kidding.

Rather, today, there is a feeling of vindication. A sense of 'I-told-you-so'. And a sense of high ended irritation about what has actually happened. In the end my perception about this particular person did come out right, only problem being that it does not help me any more and the person has managed to screw up things for some other people.

I can only be thankful that I did not succumb to what one could have at that time, and took the way out.

I would not be too off the mark if I said that this person was the best fake I have seen in my time of existence. Best because it has taken many of us over months and years to realise this. So dear person, you rocked while you could, unfortunately, you managed to rock people's life now. And thats the saddest thing you could. I pity you.

And I pity some others around.

It's all happening

Clearly it looks like I have moved on. That is definitely not the truth. I still miss you and think about you daily. But had no time whatsoever, to talk to you.

My dear blog.

Normally, updating on what is happening in life was a daily activity. But the way the events have shaped up in my life in the last couple of months have ensured that the only time that I could ever deem as free were the eight hours of snooze that I managed through the night. Someone asked me a question. Where had I disappeared.

I said I was in heaven. No, I was alive. Yet, I was there.

In heaven.

Oh, and for that matter, I still am.

Very soon, and I am talking of a period of around an year, or probably even lesser than that, I would have to make a decision. A call. A very tough one at that. Shall see after that.

As for updates, Accenture's good. I would not mind sticking my head out and saying that this was exactly the profile I was aiming for, around two years back, when MBA had just begun. So, it does make me happy. Having said that, the difference in these two years is that things have changed. Drastically. And in more ways than one. I am closer to my dream than I ever was. Ever thought I could be. This latest twist in the tale has been as surprising as an Alfred Hitchcock thriller and has put me in a quandry. A quandry I would want to be in, any day.

For now, its all happening.

Updates and more...

Another long hiatus, another neglect! But then, such is life that when one gets better things, one forgets the good ones! Just like I have forgotten my blog. Or not exactly forgotten, but probably put it into the deep recesses of the mind, making it difficult for me to get it out of there.

The update from my life has been good enough. The rendezvous with cricket writing continues to yield good results for me, and I am getting convinced about certain things associated with it by the minute. With the job at Accenture coming around, the writing has happened at a feverish pace, but it has definitely helped me that I have shifted to a house which is exactly six minutes away from my office.

The flip to that obviously is that the next time I bunk office - like is my wont - I would not have the excuse that it seemed so far!

There are indications, that the work would barrage me with its presence in the coming week or so, for now its more of the document reading and self based training. So, its pretty chilled. The cafeterias in the office are humongous and ther are atleast eight different caterers around. I have gone on an experimenting spree and am trying out a new dish every meal, and I can safely vouch for the fact that it would take me a zillion years and more to try every bit on the menu. I hope I stick to the job that long. So far, there have not been too many favourites though.

Getting back to the rented appartment, have shifted in with a couple of guys, one of whom was an acquaintance earlier. Its been fun so far, though I must admit that I have spoilt his habits by making them watch the boring, one-sided cricket matches of the Asia Cup. And post that, we have also had the fortune of viewing a couple of movies on my laptop.

Speaking of which, my lappy seems to be on the last stretch of its life. As if the constant crashing - at the rate of once every couple of hours - was not good enough, it has started to cause me some hair raising experiences; er, its battery lasts for fifteen minutes flat, and once put on the charger, it becomes untouchable with the shocks it emanates! Such is life!

Back to my microcosm called cricket. Yo.

After a long time...

I have almost neglected this blog and afforded it step-motherly treatment, but then I have a valid, genuine reason. And no, it is not the writers' block, or the bloggers' block that one does encounter quite so often. It has been something else.

Not often one ends up doing something that one loves, and in turn getting paid handsomely for it too. When you combine that with your full-time job, it is a lethal enough combination to keep you away from blogging for some time! Precisely why the hiatus on this space!


For starters, office's begun in full flow, and although, it is not as hectic as it could get in times to come, the travelling is really getting to me. Two years of a honeymoon called MBA has made me so used to the 'aishon-aaram' that Vikhroli seems a couple of light years away. But then, the person I am, even the local grocery store looks quite far, so does my hair dresser, the post office, my bank, my Wester Union Money Transfer counter...basically you get the gist. So, the commuting is killing, and the heavy rains followed by the even more muggy climate has made thngs a little intolerable.

I must thank my stars though, for the role that I have got. It is exactly what I expected it to when I started my MBA a couple of years back, and that is not something a lot can boast of. Whether it continues in the same vein remains to be seen, but we shall cross the river when we even think of setting out to get there.

For now, cricket has - as always - dominated my life; the real reason for this absence. The office day is usually between 8 and 8, and the rest of the time is dedicated to the completion of a truck load of cricket articles for a slew of websites. In fact, it gives me immense pleasure - that sounded so Vice-Chancellorish - to say that, I have had my column post come out on this website here. That I am thrilled is an obvious understatement. However, to put it in perspective, there are many more miles to go before I even decide to take a snooze, let alone thinking of sleeping.

Talking of sleep, it is on a strict bumper-to-bumper basis. As mentioned earlier, office is 8 to 8, cricket is 9-12, and sleep is 12 to 7. Full-stop. Nothing more, and God forbid if sometime I fail to sleep by 12 - a rarity so far given that by 12, I type with my eyes closed sometimes - I am a goner next day.

Yet, I am enjoying this life. I really am. This was something I dreamed of all my life. And it is just a start! If I ever was to jot down a thank you speech- and mind you, it is too erly yet - it would consist of a couple of obvious names, but also one of Mr Lalit Modi and that of another lady whose face I cannot stand, would top the list; for different reasons. For want of cordiality - if ever there was such a word - I would refrain from using language that could be termed as 'Parliamentary', but rest assured, the venom towards her was channelised by me in a direction that gives me immense pleasure today. As for Modi is concerned, if it wasnt for him, it would have been no IPL and no chances at all, whatsoever.

And in the end, I think that the 'business' of cricket is here to stay, to grow and expand, and provide for a lot of opportunities to many peripheral guy like me. But if I discount myself for the minute, I also think it is a great chance for other businesses to thrive on this sport, and for those brilliant, start-up-oriented guys around, do think of a business model that could be based on this sport, and yet be different from the rest. And if you need, I could assist you as well, cricket consulting is just about the nearest I could get to consulting!

Praise is good. It always is. I enjoy it as much as anyone else.

I am enjoying it presently as well.

But, right now, I need something more. I need a crystal ball to gauge why is it so forthcoming. And do I really deserve it. And the repercussions. As you can see, the confusion from the previous post continues.

Anyone? I mean, for the crystal ball?

क्या करें क्या ना करें यह कैसी मुश्किल हाई !

It is the 1st June. At least officially, with the clock having just ticked over the twelve mark.

And I am very exhausted, its been that kind of a day. And very confused.

It begun with a late night yesterday, as I managed to catch a wink only at 4.30 - yeah, in the morning - before waking up at 8. If this was not enough, I was lucky enough to have a good friend call me over to Churchgate to meet him, but the heat sapped whatever little energy that remained. To add to that, I sat through the whole first half of IPL's second semi-final, before deciding that my body had had enough and I need to get home.

Here I am, devouring away at a pack of cooked Maggi, like someone who hasn't had a meal for some years and more.

Now the confusion. I know that it is soon going to be decision time, something that only I can take, and not rely on anyone else's judgement. Some pros, as many cons, and then there is a soup. In which I am.

The good thing is, that this soup tastes nice, it really does. But the the fact is, that I need to swim out soon, read, take a decision.

Hmmmm....what to do!

Tick tick tick...

I have less than fourteen days to myself. Only fourteen.

Need to 'live' every second of it as if its the last.

Hit me baby, one more time!

...listening to too much Britney Spears does that to you.

And why am I doing so...its got auto-added to my playlist...! have heard her twice already before realising the gravity of the situation.

Hrumpppph!