Reading a book is not so easy anymore. I just finished reading ‘The Islamist’ by Ed Hussein. While going to play squash I get off at Matunga station. The only way to get off that train is to stand by the doorway from the first itself. I read till Parel and then it’s impossible to read thanks to the crowd. I just stuff the book into my waist and wait two stops till Matunga.
One day a guy saw the cover and asked me about Ed Hussein. I told him it’s the author of the book. He then asked me my name. Now any one in Mumbai knows that some one asking you your name in a conversation is mostly trying to get your religion. He then asked if I was Hindu. How do I tell him that I am a Pantheist, but whatever, ok. so, carry on… I ask him his name. ‘Mohammad’. He then asks what the book is about – he reads the words ‘The Islamist’. He can read English but I am not sure if he can understand the spoken word. So I try to explain the premise of the book. I explain in Hindi that author is a religious person in England who was an Islamist but then went back to practicing Islam without being an Islamist. Or whatever. It was difficult to explain in Hindi. He then asked me if the name of the prophet is in the book. I am like ‘ya, I think so’. This getting potentially dangerous. He then tells me that, if so, I must not carry the book like that. Oops. I take it out. Hold it respectfully. I tell him thank you. It’s good that you tell me. We do not understand. We are only trying to understand. He gives me advice like – nothing will come off by standing in front of a stone and praying. I say yup, thank you thank you. We learn by listening to others. Reading is not enough. Thank you. Station arrives, I get off. Bye. Whew. That was close.
Ed if you are reading this – what on earth was that?
On the book. I loved it. It began ok, I lost it in the middle, but it ended powerful. Left an impact in my mind. I understood much more, I know much more now. Good, recommended read. Read it, but be careful in the local trains.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Thursday, December 13, 2007
pain and the great escape
I never imagined that I would be typing so much in my life. I thought I would be doomed to live my life with my ugly handwriting and would have difficulty progressing in life. Well life sure has changed. I write a lot but I hardly life a pen! Qwerty is so much a part of my life! My thumb is injured. I have no clue how or when but the nail seems to be affected and its quite painful. I can barely hold the pen and write well but it has not affected my work majorly. Just an odd angle in which the thumb presses the space bar.
Yesterday I missed getting caught by the skin of my teeth. These days I have been going to play squash. For that I have to get to Matunga station. That’s not on my normal line and therefore I require tickets. I have bought the tickets before hand and I have to punch in the valid fares before getting on. For some reason I though the amount was 4 bucks and I have been punching the same for a few days. Yesterday the TC caught me and pointed out that the fare is 6 bucks. It 4 bucks to Dadar and Matunga is one station further. Ok. “You have to pay the fine”; oh come on “an honest mistake by and honest citizen” its not as if I am trying to dodge fare. Nothing doing, he marches me to the office to get me to pay the differential. Then suddenly lightning strikes, “what’s the fare from Masjid” Four, he says. Great. Then here is my pass that goes from VT to Vadala. This includes the common journey from VT to Masjid. So the ticket I punched becomes a journey extension ticket from Masjid to Matunga, which is 4 bucks so I am home and dry. Wah wah.. I was impressed by myself. He took a little while to digest it. He didn’t like but, the law is on my side. “be careful next time’ he says. ‘Thank you Bye Bye’, you dickhead I think in my mind.
Yesterday I missed getting caught by the skin of my teeth. These days I have been going to play squash. For that I have to get to Matunga station. That’s not on my normal line and therefore I require tickets. I have bought the tickets before hand and I have to punch in the valid fares before getting on. For some reason I though the amount was 4 bucks and I have been punching the same for a few days. Yesterday the TC caught me and pointed out that the fare is 6 bucks. It 4 bucks to Dadar and Matunga is one station further. Ok. “You have to pay the fine”; oh come on “an honest mistake by and honest citizen” its not as if I am trying to dodge fare. Nothing doing, he marches me to the office to get me to pay the differential. Then suddenly lightning strikes, “what’s the fare from Masjid” Four, he says. Great. Then here is my pass that goes from VT to Vadala. This includes the common journey from VT to Masjid. So the ticket I punched becomes a journey extension ticket from Masjid to Matunga, which is 4 bucks so I am home and dry. Wah wah.. I was impressed by myself. He took a little while to digest it. He didn’t like but, the law is on my side. “be careful next time’ he says. ‘Thank you Bye Bye’, you dickhead I think in my mind.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Adventures of Chakram
While Jispa was getting to draw on the wall I was feeling left out I think. So I started painting the adventures of Chakram. Have a look:-
Jispa really found this one funny:-
The wordings go something like this:-
Chakram:-
I am never afraid
I run fast
I jump high
I am strong
I fight hard
Big bully:- FIGHT
Chakram:- Good that I run fast
The second one has the wordings quite legible in the photograph. This one was insipred by Jispa talking about her school students.
Jispa really found this one funny:-
The wordings go something like this:-
Chakram:-
I am never afraid
I run fast
I jump high
I am strong
I fight hard
Big bully:- FIGHT
Chakram:- Good that I run fast
The second one has the wordings quite legible in the photograph. This one was insipred by Jispa talking about her school students.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
enriched by talking
How does a multi billionaire get to his hotel after exiting Heathrow airport? Well, like all of us he stands in a line and takes a black cab.
I have been intending to write this piece for quite some time now. I have been a big fan of our vice chairman and promoter. I think he is a very level headed sweet guy. The reason I don’t write his name is thanks to the billion guys in office who must be putting blog alerts on his name. But it’s a simple one – he owns the place I work. So here’s the piece.
I am getting off at Heathrow and am standing in the immigration line. He walks up behind. A couple of guys between us. I say hi and walk up to him. We know each other well. We generally start off talking. We both are having a relaxed conversation. Its obviously not a formal ‘in office’ conversation but a relaxed, waiting in the queue conversation. Always better this way. We generally chat up about work. My thing is that I can’t just give out blatant lies. He asks me how am I doing and am I enjoying and so on. I told him, that our company sucks at marketing and its quite a pain to be in marketing while we fight for our understanding and respectability all the time. But the reason I am working with him is that I love the company. I love the way we work. No stress, zero politics, cool happy working environment and a lot of freedom to do what you want to. He asked about my back ground. I told him about the zillion jobs that I have changed. We were talking about how my kids fight out with sales all the time and the frustration that they encounter. That time he said “Jaimit, tane khabhar che. Te ghat ghat nu pani pidhu che ekle”. That felt nice. All that job hopping viewed in a positive light. But it truly is a positive thingie. Not that I advise it too much for others though.
While we were talking I generally asked him where he was staying and how far was it from my hotel. He said “should be around 5 minutes, why?” Now this thing had been on my mind for some time now. I was told that a cab would cost 60 pounds from the airport that 4800 rupees. That’s way too much to pay even if it was company expense. So I told him as much and told him I was hoping for a ride with him and it could save us some money. In hindsight I some times think that I actually spoke about saving 60 pounds to a guy worth 5 billion dollars at last count. Well… he kinda liked the idea and gave me a lift. We wondered if it made sense to get dropped off at his hotel and take a cab, when I figured that it was best (economically) for me to drop him off and take the cab further to my hotel. We hailed a cab accordingly.
It’s around less than an hour to the city centre. It was one of the best conversations I have ever had, we spoke about work, vision, marketing (we both abhor mass media). When he realized that I was in London for the first time, he took on the role of a guide talking me about the various places on the way and the fun that I should have on the weekend that I was there. He asked me if I had enough money, I kind of vaguely said ‘just enough’. I normally carry less exchange but use the debit / credit cards often enough. He removed his wallet and handed me all the pounds he had in there. There were only about 20. Rest he was carrying euros. “rakh, kaam aavse” I did not know what to tell him. what do you do when your uncle gives you cash? Meekly take it. Mid way into another conversation in the cab he suddenly remembers something and opens his briefcase. He removes a cover and there sure enough – more pounds. He gives me 40 more and says “well, that takes care of you cab at least”. I was like ya, but I have some….. “rakh rakh, kaam aavse”. He insisted that I take something from London for my wife since it’s my first time there. There were so many things we spoke about (kids, parents, growing up, politics etc) but the undercurrent was clear – I was having a conversation with my uncle not my boss. An uncle who is not your dad’s age but more like the uncles that are the youngest in the family and therefore much more clued onto your lives. Dam cool. This will stay with me for a long long time.
I always admired the guy, but now I love him. I hope it remains that way. Amen.
Here is a photo I once took of him. I like it. It’s not your standard boring portrait.
I have been intending to write this piece for quite some time now. I have been a big fan of our vice chairman and promoter. I think he is a very level headed sweet guy. The reason I don’t write his name is thanks to the billion guys in office who must be putting blog alerts on his name. But it’s a simple one – he owns the place I work. So here’s the piece.
I am getting off at Heathrow and am standing in the immigration line. He walks up behind. A couple of guys between us. I say hi and walk up to him. We know each other well. We generally start off talking. We both are having a relaxed conversation. Its obviously not a formal ‘in office’ conversation but a relaxed, waiting in the queue conversation. Always better this way. We generally chat up about work. My thing is that I can’t just give out blatant lies. He asks me how am I doing and am I enjoying and so on. I told him, that our company sucks at marketing and its quite a pain to be in marketing while we fight for our understanding and respectability all the time. But the reason I am working with him is that I love the company. I love the way we work. No stress, zero politics, cool happy working environment and a lot of freedom to do what you want to. He asked about my back ground. I told him about the zillion jobs that I have changed. We were talking about how my kids fight out with sales all the time and the frustration that they encounter. That time he said “Jaimit, tane khabhar che. Te ghat ghat nu pani pidhu che ekle”. That felt nice. All that job hopping viewed in a positive light. But it truly is a positive thingie. Not that I advise it too much for others though.
While we were talking I generally asked him where he was staying and how far was it from my hotel. He said “should be around 5 minutes, why?” Now this thing had been on my mind for some time now. I was told that a cab would cost 60 pounds from the airport that 4800 rupees. That’s way too much to pay even if it was company expense. So I told him as much and told him I was hoping for a ride with him and it could save us some money. In hindsight I some times think that I actually spoke about saving 60 pounds to a guy worth 5 billion dollars at last count. Well… he kinda liked the idea and gave me a lift. We wondered if it made sense to get dropped off at his hotel and take a cab, when I figured that it was best (economically) for me to drop him off and take the cab further to my hotel. We hailed a cab accordingly.
It’s around less than an hour to the city centre. It was one of the best conversations I have ever had, we spoke about work, vision, marketing (we both abhor mass media). When he realized that I was in London for the first time, he took on the role of a guide talking me about the various places on the way and the fun that I should have on the weekend that I was there. He asked me if I had enough money, I kind of vaguely said ‘just enough’. I normally carry less exchange but use the debit / credit cards often enough. He removed his wallet and handed me all the pounds he had in there. There were only about 20. Rest he was carrying euros. “rakh, kaam aavse” I did not know what to tell him. what do you do when your uncle gives you cash? Meekly take it. Mid way into another conversation in the cab he suddenly remembers something and opens his briefcase. He removes a cover and there sure enough – more pounds. He gives me 40 more and says “well, that takes care of you cab at least”. I was like ya, but I have some….. “rakh rakh, kaam aavse”. He insisted that I take something from London for my wife since it’s my first time there. There were so many things we spoke about (kids, parents, growing up, politics etc) but the undercurrent was clear – I was having a conversation with my uncle not my boss. An uncle who is not your dad’s age but more like the uncles that are the youngest in the family and therefore much more clued onto your lives. Dam cool. This will stay with me for a long long time.
I always admired the guy, but now I love him. I hope it remains that way. Amen.
Here is a photo I once took of him. I like it. It’s not your standard boring portrait.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Give me logic, take away the rest
You normally don’t pangas with Jispa. She has a memory of an elephant. She remembers stuff from two years back. Well she is growing, and with my patience to keep arguing till logic prevails and memory to back it, she is quite the potent combination that can drive the non logic fighters away.
While I was in Igatpuri with my sister, my sis was talking about my legendary ability to argue with parents. Actually I remember it very clearly. I would only argue if I did not see logic for doing something or being told about something. If I knew I was wrong, my arguments would not be long (nor not even argue), but you can’t give me bullshit explanations and get away with it. Give me logic and I will listen. Also be consistent with logic. The logic can’t keep changing with the tasks and at your whims and fancies. So it was not like I was arguing, it was simply your logic which went awry.
Jispa is like that. Give her proper logical answers. Keep logic consistent and for heaven sake don’t patronize. She has a mind, respect it. That’s what I try to do most of the time. She absorbs much better than we expect her to.
Today morning, she generally asked what the date was. My watch said 3rd, and jasmine also thought it was the 3rd. Jispa disagreed and said 4th. I said ‘no it’s the 3rd’ she stuck to her 4th. Jasmine said “we believe it’s the 3rd, if you want you belive it’s the 4th”. I have over the last 5 years learnt not to take a conversation with Jispa lightly, especially when she sticks to her point of view. So I said “hang on. Let me check my cell phone.” Sure enough. It was the 4th. “Yup Jispa, you are right. It is the 4th”
The other day we got a letter from her school inviting us for school annual function. I was teasing her that the letter said ‘don’t come, Jispa has been a naughty girl’. She came back from school and told me that she asked her teacher about the letter and her teacher said that “ the letter said that Jispa is a star kid so come to see the concert”. Hmmm. She remembers, clarifies and then confronts. Hehehehehe. It was quite funny.
I lose and this is not the going to be the last time.
While I was in Igatpuri with my sister, my sis was talking about my legendary ability to argue with parents. Actually I remember it very clearly. I would only argue if I did not see logic for doing something or being told about something. If I knew I was wrong, my arguments would not be long (nor not even argue), but you can’t give me bullshit explanations and get away with it. Give me logic and I will listen. Also be consistent with logic. The logic can’t keep changing with the tasks and at your whims and fancies. So it was not like I was arguing, it was simply your logic which went awry.
Jispa is like that. Give her proper logical answers. Keep logic consistent and for heaven sake don’t patronize. She has a mind, respect it. That’s what I try to do most of the time. She absorbs much better than we expect her to.
Today morning, she generally asked what the date was. My watch said 3rd, and jasmine also thought it was the 3rd. Jispa disagreed and said 4th. I said ‘no it’s the 3rd’ she stuck to her 4th. Jasmine said “we believe it’s the 3rd, if you want you belive it’s the 4th”. I have over the last 5 years learnt not to take a conversation with Jispa lightly, especially when she sticks to her point of view. So I said “hang on. Let me check my cell phone.” Sure enough. It was the 4th. “Yup Jispa, you are right. It is the 4th”
The other day we got a letter from her school inviting us for school annual function. I was teasing her that the letter said ‘don’t come, Jispa has been a naughty girl’. She came back from school and told me that she asked her teacher about the letter and her teacher said that “ the letter said that Jispa is a star kid so come to see the concert”. Hmmm. She remembers, clarifies and then confronts. Hehehehehe. It was quite funny.
I lose and this is not the going to be the last time.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
zen in squash and conversation
Well the first day of squash was fun. I love the way different games have wildly different techniques. I kept slicing the racket on top of the ball and ball kept hitting low. It was fun. I think after my first bits of knocking the ball around, I got a sense of how the ball moves. It was also a little funny trying not to be too wristy which is a fantastic thing in cricket and I love using it there. Backhand was even tougher. I can’t believe I missed the ball completely at times. Just an air swing. Oh god that was bad. Was someone watching? Well there was a pro sitting behind me. I just looked and smiled at him and he smiled back. Then I realized that one has to time the ball. I remembered my cricket and also the one time I learnt golf. Its timing the ball. So I just waited as the ball bounced and that split second where I could see it stationery and thapack…. Now that’s nice. Good shot. At least it went forward. Now as I write I remember the amazing book (May all time favorite), Zen in the art of Archery. I remember portions of it and it has helped me in cricket. I was applying similar principals yesterday as well without realizing. Hmm interesting how it has become a part of my consciousness. Now to reread the same after a bit of practice. But I just love that book. It is absolutely amazing.
Another thing I realized yesterday. I was meeting an old friend of mine. She used to work for me long time back but now she is working elsewhere. She has a very high EQ and is a sharp chick (now lady). We talk les often but when we do, it rarely small talk. Its about life, about other stuff. I realized one thing is that I am supremely bored by small talk. Ya, I seem to be having fun at parties cracking really stupid PJ’s but I hate getting into small, random talk which leads nowhere. I hate getting drawn into those conversations. Man now I know why I hate parties, marriages and the types. They are soo bloody boring. I hate it. If we must talk it should either be complete fun or oscillate to the other side. These in betweens are so fucking boring.
Eeeps. I have to control abuse in office. I don’t like it. Will try to get it off my vocab. Am trying!
Random:- picture of breakfast at my hotel in Geneva. Full style! Muesli, berries and bread with 'designer butter'
Another thing I realized yesterday. I was meeting an old friend of mine. She used to work for me long time back but now she is working elsewhere. She has a very high EQ and is a sharp chick (now lady). We talk les often but when we do, it rarely small talk. Its about life, about other stuff. I realized one thing is that I am supremely bored by small talk. Ya, I seem to be having fun at parties cracking really stupid PJ’s but I hate getting into small, random talk which leads nowhere. I hate getting drawn into those conversations. Man now I know why I hate parties, marriages and the types. They are soo bloody boring. I hate it. If we must talk it should either be complete fun or oscillate to the other side. These in betweens are so fucking boring.
Eeeps. I have to control abuse in office. I don’t like it. Will try to get it off my vocab. Am trying!
Random:- picture of breakfast at my hotel in Geneva. Full style! Muesli, berries and bread with 'designer butter'
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
all fun zone - sports, pets and books
Sometimes I wonder how my blogs have lost a bit of their ‘zing’. Work pressure is so much at times. I had promised that I would start some activity. Well I started. I bought squash court shoes. Hope to start playing today evening. I kinda look forward to the game. This was something I wanted to do since childhood. Good exciting stuff. Hope my knee holds on and does not give way. I will be soo devastated not to play. I have spoken to the coach and he has asked to me to come in the evening, when there is some free time on the court. I have always believed that one has to play some game or the other. One can always learn from multiple games. Learning a game is important and learning it well is even more so. I hope the coach is a decent good guy who might be able to correct techniques before they get bad, unlike my cricket, which I think is impossible to really correct. This also reminds me that I must try and see if there are cricket nets in the morning on Saturday / Sundays. That should be good fun as well. What can a coach do to a 32 year old trying to learn to play better? Lets see. I am on a fitness spree… atleats thought wise. The actions should follow through boss.
My brother and his wife adopted a pup – Angel. She is dam sweet. I spent all evening playing with her yesterday. She is so amazing, so full of play. She is like a new kid in the family. My brother is acting like a dad. It’s fun to look at him. I am waiting for Angel to grow up and take her running in the park. As for yesterday, I think she played so much with me that she fell asleep while we were there it self. Thak gayi bechari khel khel ke. Pets are fun, especially if they are someone else’s. Just like kids!
For the record the book ‘understanding comics’ is easily amongst the top 10 books in my collection. Scott – you are good. Thank you. I am supremely enriched.
Now onto more such ‘serious’ comics. I am reading The Persepolis 1 and 2 by Marjane Satrapi. This kinda completes the triology. The first was the eight part series Buddha by Osamu Tezuka, the second was the two part Maus by Art Spiegleman. Understanding Comics then becomes a prequel kind of book to this trilogy consisting of 12 books.
My brother and his wife adopted a pup – Angel. She is dam sweet. I spent all evening playing with her yesterday. She is so amazing, so full of play. She is like a new kid in the family. My brother is acting like a dad. It’s fun to look at him. I am waiting for Angel to grow up and take her running in the park. As for yesterday, I think she played so much with me that she fell asleep while we were there it self. Thak gayi bechari khel khel ke. Pets are fun, especially if they are someone else’s. Just like kids!
For the record the book ‘understanding comics’ is easily amongst the top 10 books in my collection. Scott – you are good. Thank you. I am supremely enriched.
Now onto more such ‘serious’ comics. I am reading The Persepolis 1 and 2 by Marjane Satrapi. This kinda completes the triology. The first was the eight part series Buddha by Osamu Tezuka, the second was the two part Maus by Art Spiegleman. Understanding Comics then becomes a prequel kind of book to this trilogy consisting of 12 books.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
book woe
Sometimes one gets stuck with boring books and sometimes one has unputdownabes. Normally I don’t buy books if I have a backlog to finish. Last few weeks I was not buying any. As I came to the end of the backlog, all forces converged. The books I had ordered were suddenly in stock, I saw a couple of fantastic books at Hong Kong airport, I ordered one from somewhere and voila, what have you – a backlog. Two books I am reading currently are quite interesting. Together they are causing me enough stress. I want to read and finish them both. One is “the design of everyday things” and the other is “Understanding Comics”. Both require concentrated reading to fully appreciate and understand. To top it up there is osme real shortage of time and mental energy. I have been sleeping 5-6 hour nights since last Wednesday. Today I just completely collapsed in the train and did not know when the station came. I am soo sleepy. Hopefully I should catch up on sleep today. So I have lots of books and no sleep. A few more books that I am looking forward to are coming in the post today. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa… bachao!
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
priorities
Sometimes I cant write because there are so many things to write about. I am just back in from Hong Kong. Nice place. Will take Jispa and jasmine there. Hopefully next year…
But one thing is for sure, I am really done with traveling. I have just made up my mind that I will avoid all travel tats on Saturday or Sunday. Sunday specially. I think I deserve a better deal; my family deserves a better deal. My next Hong Kong trip is cut short so that I come back on a Saturday. Then another temptation came up. This time it was Saturday, Sunday and Monday in Seoul. Now Seoul is a place that I am most likely not to see on my own and it would have been lovely to go there. I almost gave in and thought about it. But then it’s a no. I think I value the time that I spend with Jispa and Jasmine much more. I think I will just go swimming with Jispa instead.
Yup… that’s right. Also I now plan to join some classes. I have to learn tennis or squash. Clear priority for me this year! Also adjacent priority – start cardio exercises in the gym. I have to get much better at fitness. HAVE TO.
But one thing is for sure, I am really done with traveling. I have just made up my mind that I will avoid all travel tats on Saturday or Sunday. Sunday specially. I think I deserve a better deal; my family deserves a better deal. My next Hong Kong trip is cut short so that I come back on a Saturday. Then another temptation came up. This time it was Saturday, Sunday and Monday in Seoul. Now Seoul is a place that I am most likely not to see on my own and it would have been lovely to go there. I almost gave in and thought about it. But then it’s a no. I think I value the time that I spend with Jispa and Jasmine much more. I think I will just go swimming with Jispa instead.
Yup… that’s right. Also I now plan to join some classes. I have to learn tennis or squash. Clear priority for me this year! Also adjacent priority – start cardio exercises in the gym. I have to get much better at fitness. HAVE TO.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
the jungle calling
I have returned from an interesting vacation. We went to Ranthambore and Bharatpur. The verdict – Ratham Bore, but Bharatpur is amazing. The stupid Tiger safari is one of the most boringthings that you could do in Rathambore. They load you on canters and take you on an bumpy dusty dirt track in an effort to see the tiger. The tiger is obviously in no mood to oblige every tourist that visits the park. The idiots at the park have all wrong. When the odds of the tiger are so clearly stacked against you its obviouslya better option to build the story ofteh jungle by itself. There a billions things you can say about the spotted deer, the sambars, the birds, the crocs and even the bloody monkeys. The guide has to educate, talk, weave a story, explain the jungle, but I don’t think anyone is listening. Just drive like a maniac and show the tiger. Ya sure, but where is he? She? Whatever?
There we stayed at this place called the Tiger Moon Resort. The idiots at the Mumbai booking office somehow just screwed up and gave us canter safaris instead of the jeep safaris. In spite of booking the stay with them weeks before the safari bookings opened. But the resort was redeemed by the amazingly polite and caring staff, their interested naturalist and their clean functional rooms with lovely hot water. The naturalist took some time aside to give Jispa lessons on wildlife, which we recorded on tape. His assistant took us to the fort and a nature walk and we really enjoyed the bird life. Jasmine as it turns out is quite a bird enthusiast. A book on birds in India (I bought years ago for Jispa) and a pair of binocs and she was having a world warp of her own. Most of my trip I think I enjoyed thanks to her enthusiasm. Jispa is as enthused about a earthworm as she is enthused about a tiger, or even the Taj. She merely reflects your enthusiasm. She is game for almost anything. This set up the next halt of the Bharatpur bird park quite nicely. Here we really enjoyed the place. I would recommend it as a must visit for any one. The rains have not been good and the bird life it seems is severly reduced but it was still way beyond what one could imagine. A guide is a must take. Without him you can notice 90% of the birds and he help you identify them. The rickshawwala claims to bw enough but don’t let that fool you. We tried both, the guide wins hands up. We took cycles and drove Jispa double seat for the whole day. A full seven hours. By the end of the trip we were naming the birds ourselves. Jispa could name a few herself. I am going there again. For sure! There we stayed at the Birder’s Inn. Nice clean place. Value for money. But only annoying tendency is to lay out a compulsory buffet (outrageously priced at 250 a head) when he has multiple groups. Really irritating especially if you are a vegetarian. But hell. Still a nice clean place. After a few years of five star corporate travel my wife chides me for being too soft for the rigors of backpacking. Well, I redeemed myself! My point all along has been clear. I want clean rooms, clean toilets, clean sheets and a responsive staff. That’s all! As for the Taj Mahal that we went visting. All I can say that somehow its beauty has grown on me a bit. I am seeing it for the third time. It’s a tad overrated. I think the Abu Delwara na deras might be much better. But hell it more amazing to see the tons and tons of tourists at the Taj! Wow, I have seen so many tourists anywhere.
All in all. Full time pass and paisa vasool vacation. Jispa has been a cute fun loving and an obedient kid. She is amazing in her ability to mimic your enthusiasm or lack of it as well. I think she just likes to stay together. The touring, the seeing is just incidental.
There we stayed at this place called the Tiger Moon Resort. The idiots at the Mumbai booking office somehow just screwed up and gave us canter safaris instead of the jeep safaris. In spite of booking the stay with them weeks before the safari bookings opened. But the resort was redeemed by the amazingly polite and caring staff, their interested naturalist and their clean functional rooms with lovely hot water. The naturalist took some time aside to give Jispa lessons on wildlife, which we recorded on tape. His assistant took us to the fort and a nature walk and we really enjoyed the bird life. Jasmine as it turns out is quite a bird enthusiast. A book on birds in India (I bought years ago for Jispa) and a pair of binocs and she was having a world warp of her own. Most of my trip I think I enjoyed thanks to her enthusiasm. Jispa is as enthused about a earthworm as she is enthused about a tiger, or even the Taj. She merely reflects your enthusiasm. She is game for almost anything. This set up the next halt of the Bharatpur bird park quite nicely. Here we really enjoyed the place. I would recommend it as a must visit for any one. The rains have not been good and the bird life it seems is severly reduced but it was still way beyond what one could imagine. A guide is a must take. Without him you can notice 90% of the birds and he help you identify them. The rickshawwala claims to bw enough but don’t let that fool you. We tried both, the guide wins hands up. We took cycles and drove Jispa double seat for the whole day. A full seven hours. By the end of the trip we were naming the birds ourselves. Jispa could name a few herself. I am going there again. For sure! There we stayed at the Birder’s Inn. Nice clean place. Value for money. But only annoying tendency is to lay out a compulsory buffet (outrageously priced at 250 a head) when he has multiple groups. Really irritating especially if you are a vegetarian. But hell. Still a nice clean place. After a few years of five star corporate travel my wife chides me for being too soft for the rigors of backpacking. Well, I redeemed myself! My point all along has been clear. I want clean rooms, clean toilets, clean sheets and a responsive staff. That’s all! As for the Taj Mahal that we went visting. All I can say that somehow its beauty has grown on me a bit. I am seeing it for the third time. It’s a tad overrated. I think the Abu Delwara na deras might be much better. But hell it more amazing to see the tons and tons of tourists at the Taj! Wow, I have seen so many tourists anywhere.
All in all. Full time pass and paisa vasool vacation. Jispa has been a cute fun loving and an obedient kid. She is amazing in her ability to mimic your enthusiasm or lack of it as well. I think she just likes to stay together. The touring, the seeing is just incidental.
Friday, November 02, 2007
we the holocaust
Reading two distinctly separate mediums , talking about two separate incidents but having a common line can be quite disconcerting. Whatever. basically I was reading the fantastically crafted book (in a comic format) ‘Maus’ about the Jewish holocaust and at the same time was reading the expose by the magazine Tehelka on the Gujarat Riots. I am not here making judgments. I am sure whatever the consequence the cause is always strong in the persons mind, but some how it is unnerving that man can foster so much hatred. Tejpal is right in comparing both of them. Reading both is so weird. We have not learnt, we will continue to kill, we will continue to live selfishly, we will continue to believe in powers of above, we will continue to forget love. We will hate in the name of love. Wow.
But Jispa, read them together. Read them.
tehelka link - http://www.tehelka.com/story_main35.asp?filename=Ne031107Tarunspiece.asp
Maus - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maus
But Jispa, read them together. Read them.
tehelka link - http://www.tehelka.com/story_main35.asp?filename=Ne031107Tarunspiece.asp
Maus - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maus
Friday, October 26, 2007
random frustrations :)
The biggest curse in corporate world is to do well. The First KRAISE and then the quarterlies did well. I wrote some edgy stuff. Got reactions, Both sides. This time too many got involved into the act. I have been briefed by too many people. Result highly sanitized stuff. I told my Exec Director, that I just got a bottle of Dettol poured over my bloody head. Result is that I am so damn frustrated with that little thing that I want to give it up. As it is I was doing it out of pure charity. I don’t get salary or promotion for it. Fuck it man. Just fuck it. I just get some free joy by putting in some sublimals that no one except me understands! They range from double meanings to kicking someone’s butt. But then life is nothing but small bits of get backs!!!
One of the main reasons I like my job is that I don’t get too much supervision. People let me be as I am. They don’t get too much in my lives. I deliver. Period. its an amazing arrangement. Simple. I hope to someday lead like that. But I believe the team needs ot grow up for that. You have to earn freedom. Once you deliver without issues and make a habit out of it then you get eth freedom, till then you have to be used to supervision.
My advice to all wannabe media career people. The place is full of shit. I have met only pathological liars, bastards, turncoats and the rest. Hardly a good man /woman exists. Corporate fuckese at its best.
One of the main reasons I like my job is that I don’t get too much supervision. People let me be as I am. They don’t get too much in my lives. I deliver. Period. its an amazing arrangement. Simple. I hope to someday lead like that. But I believe the team needs ot grow up for that. You have to earn freedom. Once you deliver without issues and make a habit out of it then you get eth freedom, till then you have to be used to supervision.
My advice to all wannabe media career people. The place is full of shit. I have met only pathological liars, bastards, turncoats and the rest. Hardly a good man /woman exists. Corporate fuckese at its best.
Monday, October 22, 2007
cricket weekend
That’s not supposed to happen. It’s a 5 step run up. I am supposed to whack the shit out of your short of good length balls by going through the line. But instead the balls comes close to my chest and I almost glove it to the wicket keeper. Whew! Welcome to where the bug boys play. Yesterday was an 8 a side tournament which I was leading one of the two Kotak teams. We got through to the semis with a decent show. Normally the banks send their sales guys for the matches but some banks decide to only send their professional team. Sure even I could send my A team, but then the whole idea was to play and have fun with the amateurs. The team in the semis was the pro team. All the guys have played some district level or some probables for some state / zone.
The guy bowling of 5 paces generated pace and bounce that screwed the shit out of me. Luckily I have always kept my eyes on the ball and I don’t try playing shots I can’t, to a really fast bowler, for example the hook / pull. Partly because I am not stupid to attempt it and partly I can’t get into position fast enough. You have to be really quick on your feet to do it. I have limited ability and I learnt the game only after I was 25, that too as an amateur with no formal coaching. These guys have been getting coached since they were babies. I have survived through sheer determination, willingness to learn, keeping ears and eyes open and of course keeping the eye on the ball.
I was doing pretty good till the semis, smashing other part time bowlers all around the park and getting some phenomenal averages. This game I was happy to just stay there getting off the strike. My opening partner, subbu, was a pro player and he was doing all the batting. There, one run, its your strike now. Later on, I thought of accelerating and hitting a few more. I quickly conferred with Subbu and figured that lets not. The other guys to follow will get hit and hurt. Its better that we stick in there. I got one ball pitched outside off. I slashed at it opening the face of my bat. Whack in the middle of the bat, with the sweet smell of leather and I watched in amazement the ball traveling high and far, going going going….. into the light towers and a little above and falling out of the ground into the train tracks adjoining. Wow, that’s the biggest six I have hit square of the wicket. Massive by any standards, any ground. While I like to take credit for that shot, I can only take credit for connecting, the pace at which it was bowled was the reason it went that far. My power shots aren’t that powerful. Now I know how the players at world level might be playing. It is extremely fast and powerful. How they get into position early, how can they judge the length so early, how do they do that.
I got a chance to watch these masters play at the Braborne Stadium watching an India Australia T20 match. I had tickets for Jispa and Jasmine. But Jispa didn’t want to come. The five year old decided that the match would be too loud and also the fact that her friend had invited her to her house. The last match I saw was in the 10k rupee stand and it was bloody boring, so this time I was in the 500 buck stand. That was fun! No seats only standing and fairly engaging three hours fast paced action. Really fast. Death to one day cricket. No more full day waste of time. But it was good that Jispa did not come. You don’t get water inside the stadium. You will get coke and the rest, but no water. Yup, no tap, no bottle no glass. Of course you aren’t supposed to get anything inside the stadium as well from outside. Really irritating thing. We need to take our spectators more seriously. You have give much more value or people will vote with their feet.
So that was that. A fairly engaging weekend. Overworked and under slept, but hell, you are 32 only once in your life
The guy bowling of 5 paces generated pace and bounce that screwed the shit out of me. Luckily I have always kept my eyes on the ball and I don’t try playing shots I can’t, to a really fast bowler, for example the hook / pull. Partly because I am not stupid to attempt it and partly I can’t get into position fast enough. You have to be really quick on your feet to do it. I have limited ability and I learnt the game only after I was 25, that too as an amateur with no formal coaching. These guys have been getting coached since they were babies. I have survived through sheer determination, willingness to learn, keeping ears and eyes open and of course keeping the eye on the ball.
I was doing pretty good till the semis, smashing other part time bowlers all around the park and getting some phenomenal averages. This game I was happy to just stay there getting off the strike. My opening partner, subbu, was a pro player and he was doing all the batting. There, one run, its your strike now. Later on, I thought of accelerating and hitting a few more. I quickly conferred with Subbu and figured that lets not. The other guys to follow will get hit and hurt. Its better that we stick in there. I got one ball pitched outside off. I slashed at it opening the face of my bat. Whack in the middle of the bat, with the sweet smell of leather and I watched in amazement the ball traveling high and far, going going going….. into the light towers and a little above and falling out of the ground into the train tracks adjoining. Wow, that’s the biggest six I have hit square of the wicket. Massive by any standards, any ground. While I like to take credit for that shot, I can only take credit for connecting, the pace at which it was bowled was the reason it went that far. My power shots aren’t that powerful. Now I know how the players at world level might be playing. It is extremely fast and powerful. How they get into position early, how can they judge the length so early, how do they do that.
I got a chance to watch these masters play at the Braborne Stadium watching an India Australia T20 match. I had tickets for Jispa and Jasmine. But Jispa didn’t want to come. The five year old decided that the match would be too loud and also the fact that her friend had invited her to her house. The last match I saw was in the 10k rupee stand and it was bloody boring, so this time I was in the 500 buck stand. That was fun! No seats only standing and fairly engaging three hours fast paced action. Really fast. Death to one day cricket. No more full day waste of time. But it was good that Jispa did not come. You don’t get water inside the stadium. You will get coke and the rest, but no water. Yup, no tap, no bottle no glass. Of course you aren’t supposed to get anything inside the stadium as well from outside. Really irritating thing. We need to take our spectators more seriously. You have give much more value or people will vote with their feet.
So that was that. A fairly engaging weekend. Overworked and under slept, but hell, you are 32 only once in your life
Friday, October 19, 2007
Fortune favors the Brave
well well well, I am on the cover of the Fortune magazine. What more can I say - a picture speaks a thousand words.
But 90% of those seeing this feel that it is a computer job. There is no sanctity to digital images these days. People only belive what they can touch and feel. Interesting insight for the future.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
office space
I can get really weird. My office kids get the brunt of it at times.
The seat behind mine has been empty for sometime. My boys use this seat to dump and store stuff. I hate it. If you can’t have clean offices spaces then there are issues. If you are unable to order in advance and figure out where to store stuff then there are issues. If you are ordering entire India figures then you must courier the stuff from the printer office itself to all India. What’s the bloody point of storing the stuff in office? The space behind mine just got allotted a few days back to a new joinee. Today morning I come in to see 15 – 20 boxes of folders completely jamming his desk space. He has been on training last few days and therefore the desk has been a empty. But that still does not give the guys any right to jam anybody’s space. A new guy is more sensitive to all these cues as compared to anyone else. So I did the next best thing. I took these boxes and jammed their desks. Have fun. It helps to some in early in the morning. How does it feel to get a dose of their own medicine? Take that!
Here is the picture of their desks jammed. The two desks jammed are the culprits of the crime.
The seat behind mine has been empty for sometime. My boys use this seat to dump and store stuff. I hate it. If you can’t have clean offices spaces then there are issues. If you are unable to order in advance and figure out where to store stuff then there are issues. If you are ordering entire India figures then you must courier the stuff from the printer office itself to all India. What’s the bloody point of storing the stuff in office? The space behind mine just got allotted a few days back to a new joinee. Today morning I come in to see 15 – 20 boxes of folders completely jamming his desk space. He has been on training last few days and therefore the desk has been a empty. But that still does not give the guys any right to jam anybody’s space. A new guy is more sensitive to all these cues as compared to anyone else. So I did the next best thing. I took these boxes and jammed their desks. Have fun. It helps to some in early in the morning. How does it feel to get a dose of their own medicine? Take that!
Here is the picture of their desks jammed. The two desks jammed are the culprits of the crime.
Hey I never did tell you how my first fast went off. One full day of not eating. It was fun to start with. Difficult to keep away from popping random things into your mouth. I had tons of water whenever I was hungry but it was fun. The night dinner was surely the toughest to avoid. It is soo easy for the mind to tell you that – eat, it does not matter, it’s not religious, it does not matter. And it was fun fighting it off and saying I don’t care. I am not eating. Sleep came nice and fast so it was helpful. But it was fun. Who knows, next time I will attempt two days perhaps? Worth a shot! You could write tomes on hunger but it has to be felt the hard way to really feel it! I loved it. I am richer for the experience.
I had booked online with rajasthan tourism. It was a please to book online. I cancelled the reservation. It was even faster. Now to see if the monies get deposited in the bank account as fast. Will keep you posted.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
one large leap
“Ritu and I both will be 15 min late. My chappal fell off d train n she is coming to station with a spare pair 4 me :(” – this is the SMS I received from one of my reportees. Fact is sometimes stranger than fiction.
Life comes a full circle. Sonal used to stay at Bandra all her life. Her dad retired and moved to Kandivili from where she jostles and fights her way to office. I had another girl once who stayed at Marine drive and came to work at Nariman point. Just 5 minutes by road. She got married and moved to Jogeshwari. That’s one and a half hour to work everyday. I had asked to look for the tabelas (hindi for cow sheds). She just nodded thinking this was us pulling her leg. She called up soon after in all excitement saying that she saw the tabelas. Well I told you they were there!
This is but a small example of how women get displaced by marriage and is such a big radical step for them. I am not so sure it’s that big a step for the guy. Best of luck to all the girls!
Life comes a full circle. Sonal used to stay at Bandra all her life. Her dad retired and moved to Kandivili from where she jostles and fights her way to office. I had another girl once who stayed at Marine drive and came to work at Nariman point. Just 5 minutes by road. She got married and moved to Jogeshwari. That’s one and a half hour to work everyday. I had asked to look for the tabelas (hindi for cow sheds). She just nodded thinking this was us pulling her leg. She called up soon after in all excitement saying that she saw the tabelas. Well I told you they were there!
This is but a small example of how women get displaced by marriage and is such a big radical step for them. I am not so sure it’s that big a step for the guy. Best of luck to all the girls!
Thursday, October 04, 2007
philosophy has its uses
Five years back when Jispa was born, a friend of mine (Ashutosh) remarked that “the birth of the child is the death of the father” apparently quoted by the great poet Kabir. The statement has great significance. As he explained to me, that once the child is born, the father will do anything to save the child from harm. If it means putting his life for the child he will do so without hesitation. So in a matter of speaking the father’s life is not his own, he has already given it to / up for the child, so in other words he is already dead. Now that’s an interesting thought.
We were holidaying in matheran the other day. I got some hot soup for Jispa. I then got a two litre mineral water bottle and placed it on the table and turned. As I turned I heard a commotion and I turned back to see the bottle toppling over and hitting the soup bowl. Normally one sees this in slow motion. Not this time though. I saw this in super warp speed. The bottle hit the soup bowl and the soup tippled over and was falling on Jispa. My only reaction was to extend my palms as wide as possible in between Jispa and the soup bowl so that the impact of the hot soup was maximum on my hand and minimum on Jispa. Successful - Jispa only got a drop on her pants and I bore the brunt. I jumped around a bit and luckily it did not burn me much. But I realized what I did and what Kabir meant.
The other day the stupid IT guy in the office (they all are) decided to break a hole in my table and put the printer plug point inside my cupboard. This incensed me to a great extent. I tried reasoning with him but he just would not understand. The next day I realized the business at risk issue and wrote a mail. Result – the plug was dutifully removed within 24 hours. Here’s the mail. You decide.
The cast though – Nagraj – the IT guy, Shama – the admin, Vareena – the HR.
My next fight – get that bloody hole repaired.
SUB: Business At Risk
In my cupboard where I keep my books and papers we suddenly have an electric point!
Where there is an electric point, there you will have sparks (invariably). Even Jispa knows that. (if you don’t know who Jispa is, I don’t know you). When spark touches paper, it burns. Remember your 6th standard science class. When paper burns, more paper next to it burns. This leads to a chain reaction where the entire desk catches fire. Desks are predominately wood and what have you here? A catastrophe waiting to happen. Nero fiddled while Bakhtawar burned. Who is Nero? I dunno, ask him. Who him? Ask Nero for all I care. So it might be the boy who cried wolf, but who knows; if it looks like a wolf, feels like a wolf, behaves like a wolf, it is not likely to be a kangaroo. Jispa knows that as well. (what? you still don’t know who is Jispa? get outta here)
So kindly remove the point from there (the electric point, got the point?) and please can I have my desk back. Its missing me and the feeling is mutual.
How did this get about:-
I ask Nagraj, Nagraj tells me that he tell Shama, Shama obviously does it because Nagraj told her. Who gave Nagraj authority, well he spoke to Vareena. Why did Vareena say yes, well because Nagraj told her. Why did Nagraj get it done, beacuase Vareena and Shama said so. In excel parlance this is called circular reference. So where does the buck stop. You silly goose, the buck cannot stop – it’s a circle and it’s twisted, so that makes it’s a mobius strip. A mobius strip has no start no end, its just keeps going around. So much so that some scientists have hypothesized that if it does not start or end it does not exist. It is not even there.
A mathematician confided
That a Möbius band is one-sided,
And you'll get quite a laugh,
If you cut one in half,
For it stays in one piece when divided
So who has the hole in the end:- my desk. I am not sure about anyone’s mind yet. Hope this burned a hole in your mind as well.
While at the topic – does putting a hole in my desk require my permission? Oh ya – the circle has decided on its own I guess (the circular reference circle). It’s like a snow ball and it’s got sufficient momentum on its side. So, GET OUT OF THE WAY! But while putting the hole in, musn’t you remove my stuff so that it does not get dirty? GET OUT OF THE WAAAY, SNOW BALL IS SNOWBALLING. But….AVALANCE..tttttt.
I have just been exterminated. Exterminated employees need not feel anything. Especially motivation, desire to call the place your own, belonging, clean perhaps. Anything. Just work. But I have just been exterminated – so what? Those exterminated are transported to the netherworld – where you just work. Well at least you don’t burn here. Well the place night burn down, but you might as well might be saved. Should I feel grateful. I should.
Thank you
Yours truly
Do I need to add my name? is the email id enough? Sombody answer, someone pull me out, someone show me a sign that I am alive. Someoneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee…………………………….aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
We were holidaying in matheran the other day. I got some hot soup for Jispa. I then got a two litre mineral water bottle and placed it on the table and turned. As I turned I heard a commotion and I turned back to see the bottle toppling over and hitting the soup bowl. Normally one sees this in slow motion. Not this time though. I saw this in super warp speed. The bottle hit the soup bowl and the soup tippled over and was falling on Jispa. My only reaction was to extend my palms as wide as possible in between Jispa and the soup bowl so that the impact of the hot soup was maximum on my hand and minimum on Jispa. Successful - Jispa only got a drop on her pants and I bore the brunt. I jumped around a bit and luckily it did not burn me much. But I realized what I did and what Kabir meant.
The other day the stupid IT guy in the office (they all are) decided to break a hole in my table and put the printer plug point inside my cupboard. This incensed me to a great extent. I tried reasoning with him but he just would not understand. The next day I realized the business at risk issue and wrote a mail. Result – the plug was dutifully removed within 24 hours. Here’s the mail. You decide.
The cast though – Nagraj – the IT guy, Shama – the admin, Vareena – the HR.
My next fight – get that bloody hole repaired.
SUB: Business At Risk
In my cupboard where I keep my books and papers we suddenly have an electric point!
Where there is an electric point, there you will have sparks (invariably). Even Jispa knows that. (if you don’t know who Jispa is, I don’t know you). When spark touches paper, it burns. Remember your 6th standard science class. When paper burns, more paper next to it burns. This leads to a chain reaction where the entire desk catches fire. Desks are predominately wood and what have you here? A catastrophe waiting to happen. Nero fiddled while Bakhtawar burned. Who is Nero? I dunno, ask him. Who him? Ask Nero for all I care. So it might be the boy who cried wolf, but who knows; if it looks like a wolf, feels like a wolf, behaves like a wolf, it is not likely to be a kangaroo. Jispa knows that as well. (what? you still don’t know who is Jispa? get outta here)
So kindly remove the point from there (the electric point, got the point?) and please can I have my desk back. Its missing me and the feeling is mutual.
How did this get about:-
I ask Nagraj, Nagraj tells me that he tell Shama, Shama obviously does it because Nagraj told her. Who gave Nagraj authority, well he spoke to Vareena. Why did Vareena say yes, well because Nagraj told her. Why did Nagraj get it done, beacuase Vareena and Shama said so. In excel parlance this is called circular reference. So where does the buck stop. You silly goose, the buck cannot stop – it’s a circle and it’s twisted, so that makes it’s a mobius strip. A mobius strip has no start no end, its just keeps going around. So much so that some scientists have hypothesized that if it does not start or end it does not exist. It is not even there.
A mathematician confided
That a Möbius band is one-sided,
And you'll get quite a laugh,
If you cut one in half,
For it stays in one piece when divided
So who has the hole in the end:- my desk. I am not sure about anyone’s mind yet. Hope this burned a hole in your mind as well.
While at the topic – does putting a hole in my desk require my permission? Oh ya – the circle has decided on its own I guess (the circular reference circle). It’s like a snow ball and it’s got sufficient momentum on its side. So, GET OUT OF THE WAY! But while putting the hole in, musn’t you remove my stuff so that it does not get dirty? GET OUT OF THE WAAAY, SNOW BALL IS SNOWBALLING. But….AVALANCE..tttttt.
I have just been exterminated. Exterminated employees need not feel anything. Especially motivation, desire to call the place your own, belonging, clean perhaps. Anything. Just work. But I have just been exterminated – so what? Those exterminated are transported to the netherworld – where you just work. Well at least you don’t burn here. Well the place night burn down, but you might as well might be saved. Should I feel grateful. I should.
Thank you
Yours truly
Do I need to add my name? is the email id enough? Sombody answer, someone pull me out, someone show me a sign that I am alive. Someoneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee…………………………….aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Friday, September 28, 2007
service and smile
I like, no no lets rephrase that, I love… that’s better… I love low points in life. That is what defines my high points. Whenever I have felt low is when I fight back to get my high. Till about a minute back I was low. Shit in office, shit everywhere. That has helped me define my high. I am suddenly on an adrenaline rush. I am giving shit back. And how! I could not have felt better. In the words of the Mask – Somebody….stop me.
I am just back from a trip to Geneva, Brussels, Antwerp and London. All official. Yaya… I am the lucky guy. One thing I figures. British Airways (BA) is a piece of shit. The brits have not learnt anything about service. They cant service to save their asses. I have always believed that good advertising will come to naught if you don’t follow through on the service. This is a classic case study. BA will have all the classic ads that have service written all over it. They believe in service they say. They will have a chick air hostess in a namaste. The stupid agency wont even get the bow right. The namaste in India is not like a western ‘hi, how are you doing?’ it’s a more submissive gesture (full of reverence) for Indian. Complete dickhead of a job and some amazing dickhead of follow through. For breakfast as we were reaching London, they served us milk and muesli. And I liked it and dared to ask for more. MORE?? Now I know what Oliver Twist felt like. They said they don’t have more. What the hell? They don’t have more food for someone traveling in Business Class. God knows what happens in Economy. Do they just stand up and start laughing. “hey somebody look at this guy. He wants MORE. Hahahahah.” On the way back I wanted to go to the pee pee. The seat belt sign just came on as I stood up. The steward told me to get back to my seat. Not do politely of course, but hell he is a BA staff. He is obviously near God. Then in about 10 seconds he tells me that if I want to go to the bath room I got one minute. That’s about the time he is going to take. So I better hurry up and get it done with. OK sir! Thanks a lot. Wow….that sure saved from pissing in their Business class water bottle. What a bloody piss off. I am not traveling BA again ever. I would not advise anyone either. The option – the best service I have seen is Jet Airways. Good old humble service Jet. They are way above every one. Not that BA is too difficult to top. I have asked for more in domestic flights in economy and have always got more in return. Ask for one small after mint and you always get two. Aks for a bottle of water, you will get two. That’s the way dude. Service is king! Someday the rest of us mortals will get it as well. I also have been in many hotels, no one even comes close to the Taj hotels. We do a lot of stay and banqueting. The Taj is head over heels compared to anyone else. Well its interesting that home grown Indian brands will teach eth world what service is like. Mr. Goyal, I don’t care what anyone says. I believe in you.
Coming to something else. People in office around the world are generally short on humor. I put an out of office mail that I thought was very average and not really funny. But I got a lot of kudos for it. I got people forwarding the out of office mail to others, I got people just mailing to check the response, and of course a few conversations begin with the topic. Here it is. You judge you decide. But one thing it has given me for sure, and that’s some more confidence to get whackier! Somebody Stop me.
(I have masked the phone numbers. This is the internet after all)
Hi,
Since you have got an out of office reply – well, I AM actually out of office. Cool nah?
I will be back on the 27th of September 07.
Since this is a tour on official duty you may contact me on my official cell. But before you do so, kindly keep in mind the following pointers:-
Think of the obscene roaming rates before you try my cell.
If you still want try and contact me please buy some telecommunication stocks before you call. Somebody must benefit in the bargain I guess.
Before calling minus four to five hours from Indian time and think a bit if you really want to wake me up for I can return the favor five hours past your bed time.
Try calling Ritu (XXXXXXXXX) for international work, Venkat (981XXXXXXX) for Wealth Management work and Manish (981XXXXXXX) for all the other group work.
And if everything else fails, have faith… for this too shall pass.
Have fun while I am hard at work
Jaimit
I am just back from a trip to Geneva, Brussels, Antwerp and London. All official. Yaya… I am the lucky guy. One thing I figures. British Airways (BA) is a piece of shit. The brits have not learnt anything about service. They cant service to save their asses. I have always believed that good advertising will come to naught if you don’t follow through on the service. This is a classic case study. BA will have all the classic ads that have service written all over it. They believe in service they say. They will have a chick air hostess in a namaste. The stupid agency wont even get the bow right. The namaste in India is not like a western ‘hi, how are you doing?’ it’s a more submissive gesture (full of reverence) for Indian. Complete dickhead of a job and some amazing dickhead of follow through. For breakfast as we were reaching London, they served us milk and muesli. And I liked it and dared to ask for more. MORE?? Now I know what Oliver Twist felt like. They said they don’t have more. What the hell? They don’t have more food for someone traveling in Business Class. God knows what happens in Economy. Do they just stand up and start laughing. “hey somebody look at this guy. He wants MORE. Hahahahah.” On the way back I wanted to go to the pee pee. The seat belt sign just came on as I stood up. The steward told me to get back to my seat. Not do politely of course, but hell he is a BA staff. He is obviously near God. Then in about 10 seconds he tells me that if I want to go to the bath room I got one minute. That’s about the time he is going to take. So I better hurry up and get it done with. OK sir! Thanks a lot. Wow….that sure saved from pissing in their Business class water bottle. What a bloody piss off. I am not traveling BA again ever. I would not advise anyone either. The option – the best service I have seen is Jet Airways. Good old humble service Jet. They are way above every one. Not that BA is too difficult to top. I have asked for more in domestic flights in economy and have always got more in return. Ask for one small after mint and you always get two. Aks for a bottle of water, you will get two. That’s the way dude. Service is king! Someday the rest of us mortals will get it as well. I also have been in many hotels, no one even comes close to the Taj hotels. We do a lot of stay and banqueting. The Taj is head over heels compared to anyone else. Well its interesting that home grown Indian brands will teach eth world what service is like. Mr. Goyal, I don’t care what anyone says. I believe in you.
Coming to something else. People in office around the world are generally short on humor. I put an out of office mail that I thought was very average and not really funny. But I got a lot of kudos for it. I got people forwarding the out of office mail to others, I got people just mailing to check the response, and of course a few conversations begin with the topic. Here it is. You judge you decide. But one thing it has given me for sure, and that’s some more confidence to get whackier! Somebody Stop me.
(I have masked the phone numbers. This is the internet after all)
Hi,
Since you have got an out of office reply – well, I AM actually out of office. Cool nah?
I will be back on the 27th of September 07.
Since this is a tour on official duty you may contact me on my official cell. But before you do so, kindly keep in mind the following pointers:-
Think of the obscene roaming rates before you try my cell.
If you still want try and contact me please buy some telecommunication stocks before you call. Somebody must benefit in the bargain I guess.
Before calling minus four to five hours from Indian time and think a bit if you really want to wake me up for I can return the favor five hours past your bed time.
Try calling Ritu (XXXXXXXXX) for international work, Venkat (981XXXXXXX) for Wealth Management work and Manish (981XXXXXXX) for all the other group work.
And if everything else fails, have faith… for this too shall pass.
Have fun while I am hard at work
Jaimit
Friday, September 14, 2007
thats a fast one
We are jains but I am a little bit of a radical. Yah sure I believ in god and some super human power but going to temples for prayer is not my scene. The mega jain festival – paryushan is on. The seven days of fasting and I assume austerity is on. But there is nothing austere about it. It’s as in your face richness and silkiness (paradoxically for Jainism) as any other hindu festival. The temple is decorated with lights and pandals. Women and men roam around in their finest marriage finery with goady jewelry. People moving form one temple to another, form one golden idol to another. The orgy of flowers decorating is so sickening. The power of context is at its bets here. I would loved ot see flower décor but to see it in all splendor at a Jain temple is somewhat a bad idea. We gloss over the very principles we are celebrating. I even remember having a fight with my mom for letting me and Jasmine watch a movie during this stupid carnage festival. She said that its not right and you must not go, and for the hell of me I could not figure out why? I love Jainism but I hate the Jains!
I normally won’t even know when the festival is approaching. Tomorrow is the last day and if somebody would have told me that I would be fasting, I would laughed my head off. But wonders never cease. I for some whacked off reason have decided to fast today. I don’t know why the thought popped into my head but no food today only water. There is definitely no religious belief – DEFINITELY NOT, but I wanted to know what it is to fast for a day. How does the body react, how does one feel, what is the meaning of craving. One can read tomes on hunger but one has to feel it to understand it. I remember I used to try and do some fasting as a kid. I remember giving it up at night and having food. How would I feel today? It’s a normal day as ever. I accidentally popped a small ginger chip in today, so I have definitely missed the religious angle. I have always believed on learning something new regularly, doing something new, something else. This defines us and shapes us as we go along. One more learning, one more step. Right now it’s fun to feel the stomach grumbling, making weird noises, asking for food. Good cleansing for the system. A bit of detoxification never hurt too many.
I normally won’t even know when the festival is approaching. Tomorrow is the last day and if somebody would have told me that I would be fasting, I would laughed my head off. But wonders never cease. I for some whacked off reason have decided to fast today. I don’t know why the thought popped into my head but no food today only water. There is definitely no religious belief – DEFINITELY NOT, but I wanted to know what it is to fast for a day. How does the body react, how does one feel, what is the meaning of craving. One can read tomes on hunger but one has to feel it to understand it. I remember I used to try and do some fasting as a kid. I remember giving it up at night and having food. How would I feel today? It’s a normal day as ever. I accidentally popped a small ginger chip in today, so I have definitely missed the religious angle. I have always believed on learning something new regularly, doing something new, something else. This defines us and shapes us as we go along. One more learning, one more step. Right now it’s fun to feel the stomach grumbling, making weird noises, asking for food. Good cleansing for the system. A bit of detoxification never hurt too many.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
hush my boy, the puppies are shrinking
Does your foot actually shrink after a certain age... after lets say 32 years! Well that’s what happened to me, if hush puppies are to be believed. I have been wearing large sizes. Sport shoes typically are at ten and half, even 11. Most formal shoes are at 10. My last hush puppies were 10. So this time I walk into the store and ask for 10 in a particular type. I want the simplest one with no extravagant designs. He gives me a size 10. hmmm feels very roomy. My toe ends way before the shoe ends. Haan sir, is mein ek size chota hi chalta hai. Ok. Give me a size 9. whoops.. a little roomy again. Errrr… size 8, I ask sheepishly, a little hesitant. He checks for my foot size on his measuring scale – it shows a ten. He gets a size eight nevertheless. Size eight I keep thinking. The last time I wore 8 was probably when I was 13 – 14 years old. Size eight is just a little narrow, but marginally so. Funny. This is ridiculous. I wear 10 in hush puppies! I can’t believe it. I try all the other types, I ask for all the different sizes in the others. I cant just wear these new Italian styled narrow pointed ones. My feet are way too broad for that. I probably need to wear size 15 in those and end up looking like Ian Thorpe (the Australian swimmer, duh). While I am trying out all the others, I look at the poor size 8 hush puppies and decide to try them again. My wife is not a bit fazed. She had budgeted a good one hour as she knew I have to buy shoes. She has been through many of my show buying sojourns. I could buy a shirt and a tie and a suit fast but shoes take forever. Sport shoes, formal shoes, simple sandals, they all take a looong time to buy. I guess it’s my foot contours that make the entire thing difficult. They are definitely not the average Joe ratios for sure. So I pick up the size 8 and they seem definitely more comfortable than the others. Oh what the hell, let buy them. I have been wearing them now for three days. They sure fit well. So much for standard sizes!
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