Here I am

Time has passed quite briskly, or else how could one explain the difference in timestamp between this and my previous post? Feels like I had taken this short break from blogging, but then when I log back on to twitter I feel like one of those shady characters who are imprisoned for several years, and when finally released are amazed by the speed at which civilisation has moved ahead leaving them aeons behind. Bloggers seems to have done that to me. Several things have changed, but then treading through alien lands is nothing new to me, at least now!

While in college, I always looked forward to having a job. I would imagine my salary getting credited, and how thrilled I would be to get that money and spend, and all that childish crap one goes through in college. Ya, it did and does happen sometimes but then the job I looked at from my college boy eye is entirely different from what I do for a living now. This is much more challenging, and much more intriguing.

Job has kept me busy and off from several things. College was much different. I now interact very less with my friends. Definition of fun has now emerged to be a quiet dinner and a sound sleep. And ya, even funnier part of my life is acting very serious all day. I havent yet realised if I appear serious, or am serious or act that way for the heck of it to eke out a living. I just be so, and at the end of the day, manage to pull through all the requirements of my job!

That apart, my job has brought me another step closer to the rural hinterlands. Several times earlier, I had tiny stints/rendezvous with the rural life, but never as close as this one. I now live in a small town, and commute every day to several remote villages where my non-A/C Maruti 800 is quite an item! That - not the recognition - has added some zing to my job.

Its been very long since I typed more than 160 characters. I send out 10s of SMSs everyday and an equal number of tweets. Probably that has kept me from missing blogger. But then, how many ever T20s and ODIs you watch, a test is a Test... Real Class! Probably that is what Blogger to me is!

When I think of what exactly is the meaning or reason for this post, or will I continue blogging, I have no answers... All that I know is that Here I am, after a long time... And what was I doing all this while?! Enjoying life, job and the monies! :D And ya, what made me break my sabbatical? This post - after a good 2 yrs on this blog!

God... Save this country!

Isnt the world so full of pseudo-intellectuals? Everyone wants to be a ‘wanna be’, and takes pleasure in giving you the feeling of ‘oh, you are too desi, I am firang’ kinda attitude. This reflects in every aspect of behavior of many 15-28 yr olds, male or female, earning or studying, intelligent or dumb. They seem to show off their English Quotient at every drop of a hat!

 

The first identification of this sect is at their sniggering anything bollywood. They are like ‘Oh… you still watch bollywood bakwaas?’ They watch The Dark Knight time and again even if they don’t understand it, all because they have a hangover that they are cool. They tune into English channels on tv, no matter how hurting to the eye the transmission is… They groove to any English song, only cos they are above desi masala numbers you know… They always have this ‘cooler than thou’ look on their faces! God save this country from such people!

 

There is very good probability that you, one of those I still like to stumble upon deserted blog kinds, reading this stuff belong to that. These are people who laugh at you when you say Singh is Kinng is worth a second watch, and instead go watch a dumb ‘The hero is here to save the world’ Hollywood non-sense. Okie, I agree Singh is Kinng is not a masterpiece, but it is just a case in point.

 

These are people who have completely given into the western culture. They seek solace and acceptance in the fact that they are aping a cooler culture. But then, I strongly feel this society, this public, this streets, this crowdy streets, this over-the-top Bollywood numbers is what our society is. You may not appreciate it, but if you feel alienated from it, you don’t belong here and you are welcome to go find yourself non-sense that fits your bill as cool!  If you don’t identify with this society, this country, please buzz off from here is my sincere advice to all these people… This Independence day, I wanted the country to be free of this breed, but alas, it is only multiplying… God, save the nation!

Why... So... Serious...

Isn’t Heath Ledger amazing?! I have been in the Dark Knight hangover ever since I saw the film last weekend. My office desk is full of Why… So… Serious… posters now! :D

Khatron Ke Khiladi

Akshay Kumar is the man of the moment, and the past year or year and a half in Indian entertainment has had his name written bold and wide. Probably, that is when he could sense the scent of the mega opportunity called TV and ventured on to host Khatron Ke Khiladi. It was definitely not a small deal, monetarily or in terms of scale. Viacom launched their brand new GEC Colors with this show as the trump card.

Finally when the date did dawn, what did we get? A mediocre fare! Mediocre stunts, mediocre babes and a mediocre Mr. Kumar. Hope things will only get better from now.

Roti, Kapda, Makaan aur Mobile

 

Mobile is the buzz word of the country today. It so happened years ago that when someone purchased a mobile, it was news in the entire colony and when someone wanted a new mobile connection, they had to pay for receiving calls too. Then mobile slowly made its presence felt in day to day chores, and mobile starting popping out of many pockets. This was the time when having lost my dad’s mobile, I was dead scared to face him and called my sister to ask her if we could trace lost mobiles back.

Cut to present, mobile is anything but a luxury. Mobile is something that started off like an Armani, and is on the verge of being a jockey, with absolutely no offence to any of them. Mobile never seemed to be a necessity in the country to the depth of justifying the title I put, but the advent of lower tariffs, cheaper handsets made it what it is today.

In villages with no toilets, no schools, no hospitals, we have mobile stores today, and I honestly don’t know if I should be proud of it or feel a sense of self-pity for my country! :S Is mobile really that much a necessity as we perceive and make it out to be? Is it really that indispensable, at the cost of what the family could have at the cost of the mobile especially in rural India?

Back 2 Blog

Its B2B time, people… Back to Blogging… Have been away from it, thanks to office restrictions. Now, am back, thanks to blog thru mail and Prasoon :D

Its been quite a while and life has changed completely in the midst. Have been working on Rural Markets for about a month now, and must say, my first brush with job is really really fascinating. Walking down the streets of villages gives you so many lessons, no am not talking Swades style, but am talking true MBA style. It throws open many many opportunities, many bullet points to throw in presentations, and many ideas to work on. More than all of that, it throws open to you an entirely new world, a world where no rules exist. All the sales lessons, MBA sophistication (if any) go for a toss when you get your hands dirty (literally! :P) It tells you that whatever you thought was the world waiting out there for you, it is anything but what you expect it to be. The world has surprises to throw at you, eternally, and all of them are rich, invaluable lessons for life.

 

The best part of going to the villages is the travel. Travelling through those roadways buses, sitting in those 8-seater tempos carrying 17 people, jeeps carrying 20 – 22 people… Its all been amazing, the best part being the interactions with different kinds of people adding inputs and information to my work.

 

Work beckons! More later…

 

PS: This is a pilot mail. If this mail thingy succeeds, would resume blogging full time! :D

Tagged by Reva!

Welcome change from posts I have been writing, I have been tagged by Reva to answer a few questions. This coincides with my finishing MBA in a week, does that imply me to stop writing what I write and get back to tag days?! :P

Anyway, here is the questionnaire I had to fill (Major Project lingo does that to u! :P)

1. LAST MOVIE YOU SAW IN A THEATRE:

Tashan. Seen it just a cupla days back. Dont ask me how it is... That will need another post altogether! :P

2. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING?

The Joy of Selling by Steve Chandler. Its a mini-series on his take-aways on Selling and Sales Management. Fun read!

3. FAVORITE BOARD GAME?
Flash :D Teen Patti, anyday! Amazing fun to burn all the midnight's oil and a little dough! :P An ideal Last semester getaway that has proven itself twice for me... Now that orkut also has it, everyone should try their hands at it! Strongly Recommended, people!

4. FAVORITE MAGAZINE?
Maxim? :P Vogue? I mean... Come on... Do I look like someone who reads magazines?! Its all online, baby! 8)

5. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Freshly ground coffee... Thats the best smell I have ever felt. After that comes the scent of paper in a new book! :D

6. FAVORITE SOUND?
Imagine a soundless space. Just the flutter of air the fan is cutting through! No light too... Just sleep... Nirvana! :D

7. WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD?
You wake up early in the morning and push yourselves very hard to make it to the class or exam or whatever, and realise that it has been cancelled or rescheduled. Try beating that! :P

8. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE?
When can I sleep again?! :D

9. FAVORITE FAST FOOD PLACE?
Saddi Dilli is THE place for Fast Food... From Kathi Zone to Chataak Chaat to Currims and Nizams, I love them all! :D Btw, the fastest food joint that I always haunt is my Hostel mess. No matter how hard I try, I cant spend more than 5 minutes there! :P

10. FINISH THIS STATEMENT. "IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY I’D...?
Spend it! As simple as that! :P

11. DO YOU SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL?
Heck! No... Nothing on my bed except me! :D

12. STORMS-COOL OR SCARY?
Cool...

13. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?
Will take this offline! :P

14. FAVORITE DRINK?
Budweiser!

15. FINISH THIS STATEMENT, "IF I HAD THE TIME I WOULD...
Sleep! :D Trust me, you dont get to do that in an MBA!

16. DO YOU EAT THE STEMS ON BROCCOLI?
Broccoli what?

17. IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY COLOR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE?
Ahem Ahem! Why fiddle around with rare resources?! Let the poor thing be!

18. NAME ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES/TOWNS YOU HAVE LIVED IN.
Hyderabad, Warangal, Gandhinagar, Delhi.

19. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Soccer never had a partner until IPL happened!

20. ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU.
Reva... She is a bundle of good things! An awesome friend, so full of life. She is one who lives her life to the fullest! Amazing girl!

21. WHAT'S UNDER YOUR BED?
I just checked. Nothing. Why? Did you keep something?!

22. WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE BORN AS YOURSELF AGAIN?
Definitely! None else but me, me and me again! :D

23. MORNING PERSON, OR NIGHT OWL?
Night Owl, Nights are always productive, arent they?! ;)

24. OVER EASY, OR SUNNY SIDE UP?
Sunny Side Up! :D Tasty and Bright! :D

25. FAVORITE PLACE TO RELAX?
Home... Sweet Home... Heavy Lunched, and lazing around.. Whatelse do u need in life?! :D

26. FAVORITE PIE?
Is American Pie on the list?

27. FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?
Chocolate Chip Rocks, Cookie and Cream is awesome!

28. OF ALL THE PEOPLE YOU TAGGED THIS TO, WHO'S MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND FIRST?
Amod or Megha!


And I am tagging...

Amod, Steve and Megha! :D

Cricket Redefined!

Welcome the new era of Cricket in India, dear Indian Cricket fan! While you embark on this journey, let us inform you that things are not going to be same anymore. Do not save your pop corn for an Ishant-Ponting encounter any more, for they are going to pat each other on their backs as part of being members of the same team. Boundaries are redefined now. Dada will call the shots of when to hand the ball to Akhtar so as to tame down Sachin!

Come April 18th and the curtains shall rise to the most extravagant cricket bonanza we cricket buffs have been waiting with bated breaths for! Bangalore shall host the first IPL match between Bangalore Royal Challengers and Kolkata Knight Riders (the Royal Challengers website surprisingly doesn’t mention this in their schedule though)

What does IPL mean for young India? Its cricketing buzz redefined. Many cricket-bored fans have been complaining that Cricket is losing its sheen to Football in the country, especially in the urban areas like Bangalore. Probably, IPL will get back all those club-crazy youth to cricket. It is BCCI’s magnum opus for you to watch over a beer with friends. It is their way of showing the world how worthy is Indian Cricket, for IPL has made a ‘crore’ look very tiny now!

With websites filled with fan clubs, team anthems, discussion boards and team portfolios for individual teams, IPL is all about segregating the Cricket Crazy Nation that we are into Clubs and creating entertainment in them. So, does the buck stop at cricket? Oh come on… You must be kidding to say an Yes! With the likes of Vijay Mallya, Shah Rukh Khan, Priety Zinta, Deccan Chronicle helming various clubs, do you expect it to be a pure cricketing contest? So, where does it stop? What all does this flavor of cricket try to encapsulate? Thats a question time shall answer, friends, for given the item numbers and fashion shows at ICL that have been in the news last couple of weeks, you never know what the maestros of entertainment at IPL shall unveil to us soon. IPL has brought Cricket to Music Channels, Daler Mehndi to Cricket, and created several ways to flaunt your loyalties - team anthems, logos, ring tones, jerseys and the show is yet to begin! While Kolkata Knight Riders seem to have been creating the buzz since the word Go, others like Deccan Chargers, Royal Challengers are catching up pretty fast!

What does this mean for local club-hosts? IPL is the hub for popularisation of local content. It is an opportunity for promoting tourism in the country. Imagine local tourist agencies coming up with a Heritage Tour of Delhi for Kolkatans who come visiting to cheer their Knight Riders! Imagine all those local, not-so-famous bands of Hyderabad performing for their Chargers during one of those IPL matches. The canvas is ready, and we are waiting eagerly to see how the drawing comes about!

All in all, come what may, there is unlimited entertainment on the cards - both on-field and off-field - for all of us in the coming months. Lets see how the cookie crumbles!