day by day

Life Goes On

2006-07-11T15:37:00.000+05:00

Life after FMS @ www.simplysatire.blogspot.com

Breathe Easy

2006-03-17T20:24:00.001+05:00

Made this post last week.problem with blogger ensured the postdating

Attended the final class finally!!!!How did it feel????Made me feel old :( But then good things in life dont last.And the feeling that aint gonna come back fades away slowly but surely.We have a viva tomm.And that would be the last internal assessment...yaaaaay.......Spent the day reading Positioning.Currently started reading "Barbarians at the gate" - the era of LBOs and sinful riches of the managements......would love to watch the movie........Mite watch 'crash' today......with the exams having a 4 day break in between, a whitewater rafting trip to rishikesh looks very much in the offing :)

Flavor of the Week

Eagles

2006-03-11T04:59:00.000+05:00

Been thinking of posting since quite sometime and this is when i get to do it!!!!With the lovely rains i felt that this was the perfect time for a night out(it is a different issue that i have quite a bit of work to do).It has been raining here for the last 24hours.Adding to all this is the chota mota parties taking place.

The last few days at the school after getting placed is a feeling that lotsa bschoolers love.It is the best time to catch up with the pile of movies on the server, see the city, eat out half the time.......But then absolute reality(one that is not in the head) is something that one can never get rid of.So the assignments and the exams continue.

There is a feeling of nostalgia among all of us.In that sense lemme put down a few more things that ive seen or learnt here(no particular order)

1. Guys go around wearing full hand shirts and shorts!!!!!
2. People live and die by deadlines(literally)
3. You learn to sleep or stay awake any point of time.You learn to manage without sleep for coupla days.You are a survivor.
4. An opportunity cost is created which makes people less courageous.An organization is your best shield when you make mistakes!!!!When you are on your own, you take it all home.
5. Lotsa things are done for CV value.Sad but true/Sad and true/true but sad?? ...well,the opinion is yours and it doesnt matter!!!!
6. Also,leaders and men of conviction are shaped here.You learn the importance of action and not reaction.You learn to appreciate the finer details(my learning on this aspect will not end).If you are wondering then yes,4 can exist with 6.
7. You stop being a dreamer and start becoming a wisher
8. You start using jargon and euphemisms.When a bschooler says point taken,it prolly means point taken and thrown away......
9. While management means to simplify things, you do the exact opposite(the reasons are many)
10. You know yourself much much better.The biggest takeaway are not the acads(the distance between acads and practicality gets even more obvious) nor the fat paychecks.It is the set of interactions that will help you in the long run.

2006-01-15T15:05:00.000+05:00

With the classes suspended for coupla days due to the FMS entrance exam, the timing was just perfect for me to attend the AUTO EXPO here.It being the first ever auto expo that ive been to, I felt that it was quite good. The place has got everything – right from small scooterettes to the Hayabusa, from hydrogen powered autos to huge military truckers that would definitely be the “Make your own road types”, from the audis to the F1 car of takuma sato. Some of the stalls are a treat for the extreme auto techies with variants of the braking, gear and other high tech gadgets like satellite positioning etc on display. The event sure did miss Daimler Chrysler and Toyota. The notable aspect of this was the huge crowds wherever there was a dance show or a fashion show.Well……..some things just don’t change……All in all it was definitely worth the 10000 indian paise I ended up paying for it.

As one of my friends said, the winter has mellowed down after lohri and normalcy is slowly returning to life what with the extreme cold making hibernating and watching movies the most productive activities possible……..Hoping to make tremendous productivity gains in the coming days……

2005-12-16T16:31:00.000+05:00

The ideation for this post was from a conversation I couldn’t help overhearing in the bathrooms. With four generation of actresses trying to help shahrukh khan get out of the bathtub, the metrosexual man is on the way to be transformed into a ubersexual man who will later be transformed to ribersexual man(whatever that means) if this ad’s theme is continued into the next two decades. One of my batchmates was describing exfoliation to someone who just cannot believe that there is no relation between foliage and exfoliation(the language never ceases to surprise). The conversation made me realize the earthy nature of the homosapien and his long-lasting relation with snakes. If we integrate the scientific theories along with the religious ones, we kinda get a unified theory that leads me to believe that we are in the midst of a change that might never end. It starts of with the evolution of the sea creatures from a single-celled organism. Then came reptiles like snakes, then the mammals and then man. After this, god made woman and while this adam and eve lived happily in paradise, the snake tempted them to have apple. God took the snakes legs and banished man. But with the vagaries of life, man has to resort to different ways of exfoliating. While the snakes can have a heavy lunch, drink lot of water, lay still with eyes open for days together man cannot afford to do this(the bschools say that if u stay still, the competition will run you down and I have been running ever since). And this is where you cosmetic companies come in. You are provided with pastes, creams and applications that perform complex activities which only the best scientists can discern(they attempt to explain it with diagrams which results in ppl who do not want the product ending up buying it-I have lost 20 pounds ever since). And during this time,you need not drink lot of water to moult yourself. And thus, the modern man is able to rip off a layer regularly(ofcourse there are layers and layers) thus enabling the companies to reverse the old adage to “Infront of every woman lies a man”

Thought of the Week

If there is no materialism, then everything is immaterial

2005-12-08T15:35:00.000+05:00

With the exams outta da way, the last consequential exams of my life seem to be over(hopefully!!).........While the teachers contribute their bit towards making the exams a challenge, what makes em even more challenging is the winter-the kiss of death that nearly forced people to miss their exams............This was immediately followed by a International Conference on Human Capital(and its inhuman consequences!!!).......While we are busy wrapping it up,we have the FMS fest FIESTA from 10th-12th......The rather sober look of the website should not fool the participants into the amount of serious fun that can be experienced.......The themes have been fresh and new........A lotta work has gone into making it a reality......I have not been involved in all of this but i surely am able to appreciate the effort that has gone in...........

B-school life has entered the last phase.......Starts off with the induction summers and wham.......six-eight months gone.........then some competitions,campus events, juniors summers and wham 3/4ths of it gone..........The last period when you are burdened by the academic rigor the least, then come the placements........life at a bschool is patterned.Like the Oracle in matrix said "You have already made a choice.You are here to find out why you made a choice"........Quite a few people still are clueless(though they claim otherwise).........

Got some wok,will post later about the "Competitive Frenzy in b-schools".Hoping to get some inspiration from,well..............

2005-11-10T01:32:00.000+05:00

With the cold going onto the next plane, i have been forced to reschedule the timing of my somatic cycle!!!(its strange what a bschool can do to you).........Right now have decided to sleep in the afternoons in order to ensure that i dont end up sleeping for more than needed(money value of time you see,all the more important before the exams)..........Living a BPO schedule life sure is not new to a bschool but definetely new to me.......I manage to stay awake by pursuing activities that just eat away time(Blogging), eating and in activities that develop the overall personality(playing table tennis and engaging in pointless discussions)- all this apart from reading. While i juggle between transalation exposure and alternative simplex method for goal programming, its time for this break to end........Looking forward to the next break

Thought for the month

"This time is different"!!!!!!!

2005-11-06T21:33:00.000+05:00

Supposed to be posted at 2am:

Here i am, with my biological clock thrown outta gear(for a bschooler,i seem to crib a lot and might seem like a schooler but hey,meri marzi) and doin some base but important !!! work.Todays class was the epitome of powerpoint poisoning with 8 presentations being made.We decided to cut the class some slack by not making ours(group decision) although i felt we should have gone for the overkill :D

I have one more assignment to finish and am leaving it to the group dynamics to reach a conclusive if not meaningful end........!!!!!!!Hpoing to have a peaceful day tomm watching cricket and them hafta kick off exmas prep......One difference compared to the other bschools in india is the high degree of weightage to the end sem exams dat come across as a major pain to me..........need to pick up tempo now

Getting up in the mornings is getting quite painful and next to impossible with the cold.Even simpsons is not a motivating factor anymore :(

Flavor of the Month

Lounge and Disco Music

2005-10-26T23:34:00.000+05:00

"101 ways how not to cook 101 dishes"

This is the art the mess chappie has managed to perfect over the last few months.And he is hopefully on his way out.

When the prof(a guy with over 40-45 years workex in banking sector) says he plans to take a test and then keeps conducting the class in the normal course of manner,do not be deceived.While i dont wanna talk about the past here, there is always room for improvement!!!Will be leaving for blore early morning day after.....Hoping to be welcomed by pleasant weather.........

2005-10-25T12:24:00.000+05:00

After managing to delegate some work(you reap what you sow), ive been able to get rid of the assignments burden.The winters are good for souls who:
1. Are too lazy to perform their ablutions
2. Are too lazy
3. Like sleeping
4. Like making their bed their cubicle

With me falling in more than one category, the future seems cold and nice:D

The markets are nervous due to the possibility of a rate hike as expected.

Yesterday was spent working on a ppt and then playing mousetrap.The simulation seems to be on par with the simulation we had in our strategy course.Its just bigger as of now.A has been known to win it regularly over the years;).

Da zvidanye

Zdrastuiche

2005-10-22T22:19:00.000+05:00

Well.........Something that ive been upto, thanks to the Delhi University :)

Havent posted in a loong time not because i dint have time but was way too lazy and a lil outta groove to be posting. With the winter slowly firming up its grip of death, all i can hope to do is to wake up to write my exams.......A painful week ahead with 3 submissions and a ppt on tuesday, a test on wednesday, another one on thursday and an assignment on friday.

Asta la vista

2005-09-01T17:10:00.000+05:00

As i wait for eternity(downloading docs in the cc), i thought id visit my oft neglected blog. A good thing about being associated with DU!!!!(continue reading) is that one has the flexibility of picking up courses from other departments - right from arts to sociology to geography. And that is what im exactly doing on the one free day i have(the choice of electives being such) picking up "Organizational Psychology" in MHROD(Dept of Commerce).While im a bit late enrolling for the course, the classes continue to interest me(with OB/OD being an area of interest).The teacher is quite good at the practical aspects of the subject, the various areas being put to a demonstration in the class. Well,eternity has arrived and it is time to bid goodbye........PARTY in the offing tomm.......Life goes on(again!!)

2005-08-18T16:29:00.000+05:00

Am back after a trip to Nainital and other places in and around it.The extended weekend was the right time to undertake the trip.Managed to visit ranikhet,patal bhuvaneshwar and pittoragarh apart from nainital.Amazing trip,beautiful locales and most importantly unlimited masti.Shall make a detailed post later.Have a big case presentation on monday so working on it.Getting back in touch with a few people from school does feel nice :)

2005-08-08T15:04:00.000+05:00

Eventful weekend i must say,the highlight being the freshers party ;).Was a short one.Wont dwell too much into the details.Managed to get a half-good 9 hr nap on satday.With delhi cooling off,it seemed the best thing to do.Usual reading,playing TT and stuff.All in all,a good weekend.Its gonna be tuesday tomm and tuesdays are a pain with all the prep needed for the classes.Might head off to nainital for a few days.Keeping my fingers crossed........

Flavor of the Week

Oasis

2005-08-02T16:03:00.000+05:00

Another weekend rolls by without me havin any idea of any productive activity being done.We had an official induction for the fucchas on sunday.Amazingly sultry weather(no pun intended)!!!!!.Looked like we came outta a steambath.

Tuesdays are always a pain with the electives ive chosen.A fully loaded day for which i was barely prepared for.Ever since there has been a metro from the campus to CP(more importantly the SALE), the folks here have been paying regular visits with some of them becoming the guides for navigating the chakravyuha called CP(what with the poor bearing sense ive got).And i just happened to pick up a pair of funky reebok slipons yesterday.And ended up working till 3am.Havent had a good day so far.Missing the customary 12 hr weekend nap is taking its toll :(

Had a bad class in the morning.Dint get better in the next 2 hrs.But the MOS class was too good.The blend of simplicity and complexity is the USP.

"As simple as complex can get and as complex as simple can get"

2005-07-28T10:56:00.000+05:00

Had a International Financial Management class early in the morning.With the electives ive chosen,im free for the day.But am i???I have to work on my project report and have a presentation tomorrow and maybe one on monday.One assignment in the offing too.Some reading of my own.And meeting mom today.So 'there might be light at the end of the tunnel,but the tunnel is a circle!!!'

2005-07-26T17:38:00.000+05:00

Am back after a vacation well-spent at home.This blog has reached half its life and seems to have served it's purpose :) .It is meant to give a peek into life at FMS.No gyaan(a lil frustus though).

Its been a week into the second year.Starting with a four hour session of strategic poisoning is a wonderful way to start the week ;).The last hour is one of the most difficult to get by even though this class gets quite vocal.And the prof is one of the best across the country.And this is one class where the shortcoming of the case method is felt very strongly(purely personal opinion).Agreed we have simulation run throughout the entire period,i feel that the decision-making is influenced as we do not have to live with the decisions.The attribute that cannot be tested in a class??????COURAGE.To make a decision and live with and by it.Looks like im getting into the gyaan mode which is a strict-no.

I have taken four finance electives,1 marketing and 1 operations research elective this sem.Surprisingly, the feel of the course hasnt changed much with the transition from the first year to the second.

Looking back,i think it is time to see what b-school has taught me

1.Learn to do without too much of sleep-Sleep is the closest thing to a bschoolers' heart as far as daily life is concerned.Being used to sleeping at 10:30pm !!!!!,the bschool life comes as a very rude shock.But i think it is an experience that will change one forever.You get used to sleeping and waking at odd hours,infact anytime!!!!.

2.Not to get awed by anything-The regular corporate interactions,the peers and the summers go a long way in facilitating this.The thing is not to get awed but to appreciate.

3.Make something out of anything(that includes nothing)-The countless presentations,the surprise quizzes and the innumerable reports ensure that you become a cyborg who is capable of thinking while generating ??????'stuff' mechanically.

4.One thing that is specific to FMS is the batch camaraderie(i might sound boastful but it is the truth).Rarely are there incidents of misleading,groupism,favoritism and the batch unity is too good.Not that these dont happen but they happen rarely.I hope the readers take this point in the right perspective.Whenever my friends across bschools ask me about one distinct and distinguishing fact about FMS,i tell them it is the camaraderie.Agreed that one should be exposed to the machinations and vile but not all the time.If one doesnt get to experience it,it could be a bad and painful experience in the worklife.All in all,a little of everything is fine ;)

Flavor of the week

Linkin Park and U2

2005-06-06T16:35:00.000+05:00

"Freedom is mine and i shall have it" - Tilak

And yes it is.Made my presentation to the CFO.Seemed mightily impressed......Posting to rem another once in a lifetime event.........more details later......

Thought For the Day

Celebrate Life

2005-06-06T11:52:00.000+05:00

Rite now,im in my office making full use of the free internet connection,reading all possible comic strips i can lay my hands on.......Have my presentation scheduled at 3:30.......Hopefully shall be a free man after that.........Mite go to my unca's place in miraj or mayb.............mayb...........

Watched 'the exorcist' friday nite.........and at 2:30,i get a call from a friend who had changed the plans and wanted me to go to wilsons........and i thought i knew xaviers and ended up creating quite some confusion...........and the sad part was that we did not even go to lonavla after the entire running around........but managed to go to tendulkars.........their speciality was seafood but the continental cuisine was too tempting.........since my friend was a veggie,i had to go in for veg starters........it seemed unfamiliar to me......and so to my veggie friend!!!!!!Asked for chinese okra and when we were told that it was bhindi,we ordered the ever safe babycorn........And when we were served,i totally admired the way in which the dish was done.......so different........so new...........and halfway through,it struck me and i realised...........it is so not babycorn!!!!!!!!I was eating bhindi.......ANd my friend on the other side was munching away quietly and when i ask him,he says he realised it just then..........Well.........The waiter seemed ruffled when we told him this......ANd then i ordered myself roasted potatoes(its not aloo u see ;) )and chargrilled chicken........and i get mashed potatoes......This waiter managed to screw up my evening and his.......The panic-stricken guy got me roasted potatoes also......So i end up having dinner that filled my stomach........and it sure was yummy........Ended up with a tiramisu.Wanted to try 1 more dessert but we were too full......Paid a visit to the souvenir shop and bought some stuff........

WOke up late at 1 on sunday and had lunch at a Irani Restaurant......Watched some series called monty python or something.......totally hilarious.......Went to parel as my friend wanted to make a few purchases and i thot id pick up some stuff if i found anything interesting.......ended up having kokom and dabheri......Watched the movie "life is beautiful".....Brilliant.......

Flavor of the Month

Hyderabadi Food and Jagjit Singh (Yaaaaaaaay)

2005-06-02T16:30:00.000+05:00

A booring day spent trying to redo the entire presentation so that it becomes easier for nontech ppl to understand.And since my guide is busy,i will hafta come tomm........Experiencing parkinson's law.........Have finished all the work i could and am leaving for a evening of roaming arnd...........

Yesterday was also spent in making minor corrections......But am leaving this place on 6th for sure.......mite go to lonavla/khandala for the weekend......hoping that it materialises......

Flavor of the last 2 months

Microsoft excel

And am just c/p ing some interesting stuff that i found.........usual disclaimers apply

If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today ...
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello's infamous sketch "Who's on first?" might have turned out something like this:
COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT
ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: Thanks. I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about buying a computer.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou.
ABBOTT: Your computer?
COSTELLO: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou.
ABBOTT: What about Windows?
COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?
ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?
COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look in the windows?
ABBOTT: Wallpaper.
COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.
ABBOTT: Software for Windows?
COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What have you got?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?
ABBOTT: I just did.
COSTELLO: You just did what?
ABBOTT: Recommend something.
COSTELLO: You recommended something?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: For my office?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!
ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.
COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, lets just say I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?
ABBOTT: Word.
COSTELLO: What word?
ABBOTT: Word in Office.
COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.
ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.
COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?
ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue "W".
COSTELLO: I'm going to click your blue "w" if you don't start with some straight answers. OK, forget that. Can I watch movies on the Internet?
ABBOTT: Yes, you want Real One.
COSTELLO: Maybe a real one, maybe a cartoon. What I watch is none of your business. Just tell me what I need!
ABBOTT: Real One.
COSTELLO: If it's a long movie I also want to see reel 2, 3 & 4. Can I watch them?
ABBOTT: Of course.
COSTELLO: Great! With what?
ABBOTT: Real One.
COSTELLO: OK, I'm at my computer and I want to watch a movie. What do I do?
ABBOTT: You click the blue "1".
COSTELLO: I click the blue one what?
ABBOTT: The blue "1".
COSTELLO: Is that different from the blue w?
ABBOTT: The blue "1" is Real One and the blue "W" is Word.
COSTELLO: What word?
ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.
COSTELLO: But there's three words in "office for windows"!
ABBOTT: No, just one. But it's the most popular Word in the world.
COSTELLO: It is?
ABBOTT: Yes, but to be fair, there aren't many other Words left. It pretty much wiped out all the other Words out there.
COSTELLO: And that word is real one?
ABBOTT: Real One has nothing to do with Word. Real One isn't even part of Office.
COSTELLO: STOP! Don't start that again. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: That's right. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?
ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.
COSTELLO: What's bundled with my computer?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?
ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge.
COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?
ABBOTT: One copy.
COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money?
ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.
COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?
ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!
A FEW DAYS LATER . . .
ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?
ABBOTT: Click on "START".......

source:http://xynext.com/Abbot-Costello-Whos-on-First-Computer-Joke/

2005-06-01T09:11:00.000+05:00

My final presentation was yesterday.The CIO was happy with the presentation and as a reward,i get to work till the end of my contract(which happens rarely in the summers,u fin it 7-10 days b4 the scheduled date):( Upon that i was forced to attend the bday party and since i turned up last,i was forced to sing a song.......thoroughly rotten day....Yesterday's was a technical presentation.Now i hafta make another presentation to an audience which has zilch knowledge abt this.And since the audience aint available till 6th,i wait for them till then!!!!!!!!!Minor changes in the data.So im staying here for another 6 days for a total work output worth 6 hrs!!!!Overall,life is chill but the painful part is the travelling in mumbai...

There is no concept of personal space in mumbai.After travelling in the trains,ppl here have forgotten this concept.If they want you to move,they will get hold of ur back,shoulder or waist(whichever they can get hold of) and move you!!!!The next few lines are in brief about my travel travails here in mumbai

Trains

If you are lucky,you mite get a seat but you usually have to fight for it.And after that,if you get the aisle seat,you will have to accomodate a 4th person who usually ensures that he either 1.Sticks his sweaty back against ya or 2.Sits so comfortably that you almost fall of the seat.And if you are the 4th guy, it is like russian army training where you place ur Bu!! on the smallest piece of wood as possible.......And if you get to stand, you will be subject to a good round of tenderising where you are subjected to the P force(people force)from all possible directions except the soles!!!!It gets to be an amazing bone crunching experience and so i have started taking in more calcium and phosphorus since ive realised it.Standing is a bad experience especially if you have someone short in front of you.You get to smell their hair.And it is no Angelina jolie but a 40yr old who is there so it aint fun by any standard.The funda is to go with the flow........But it happens even at times you dont want to and you almost end up getting down at a station you dont want to!!!!This is the time when you are hanging onto the handles with ur lower body being stretched to the hilt with ur feet in air almost all the time.And then you get a magical feeling.The feeling of having lost a lot of weight,the feeling of freedom...;) And if you thought that it is over,it isnt.Getting down is another wonderful experience if ur in the middle.You just move.The entire feeling can be summed up as that of a water molecule subject to conventional currents.And here,people use all sortsa tactics.They will place their palm on ur back and push you as if you were a disabled person.Not a day passes without me giving a angry stare to some idiot who has dared to do that.It isn’t happening frequently nowadays though.And this is the reason I use a bag so that I do not have sweaty palms on my back but my friend says ppl do it all the more as it is a bag.But I will tell you when it becomes useful.Pot-bellied ppl are few in Bombay(what with all the traveling) but they take complete advantage of their assets.They bump into you when they have to get down and you are in front of them.Sometimes they cant help it.And this is when the bag is useful.Not only do you not have the uncomfortable feeling of having someone thrust his extended zone into you but you can also jab them back!!!

Buses

In major stops,ppl form queues to get into buses but it is one of the most inefficient but fair ways to get into buses with 4 other similar buses right behind.And after that,if you are lucky enough you get a seat.I always wondered why Mumbai ppl are obsessed with window seats.Now I know.If you have the aisle seat,”Teri to lag gayi”!!!!You will have ppl thrust their groin against ur shoulder almost all the time(remember that there is no concept of personal space)Upon that,you will have bags shoved in your face and coupla jabs if you are unlucky enough.And if you are standing,you will feel sealed.And sometimes,you get to travel in one of those buses where the driver is taking it out on the bus and thus you.He will brake hard come what may.While this is what ppl pray for if there are lotsa good looking gals standing around you,it sure is a pain if you have a 5 feet tall corpulent lady who carries enormous momentum such that if you are standing in front of her, “teri to lag gayi”.Y?She will strike you down like the bowling ball strikes down the pin.And sometimes,when the bus is empty,you get to see instances of ppl hurtling down almost 1.5 metres.And while this is the moment that you have to feel sorry for the homo sapien who let down his guard, you cant help laughing at the sight.Everyone has a hearty laugh(just to mask the embarrassment).

11th is the alum meet after which I shall be leaving for home………Till then……..peace(whats that)

2005-05-30T13:06:00.000+05:00

Back in office.Met up junta on satday eve near McDs.Bumped into a senior.After a lil chatting,we went to the lokhanwala multiplex.Nice place.Since everyone was in a generous mood,i got the chance to take em to a italian restaurant.And it was the opening day.The saddest part was that it was a vegetarian restaurant and we ended up having soups and desserts.By far the most expensive 100gms of tomato ive ever had!!!!!Then picked up some junk before heading into theatre.And then we felt totally miserable......The theatre offered much more variety than the restaurant and at cheaper prices......Picked up a black currant from B&R.........the movie-KUNG FU HUSTLE-during the first 15 mins,i was wondering whether it was the perfect ending to a miserable evening......and then the movie turned good...........i mite be a bit liberal wen saying this but i aint a connoisseur of movies.......this was fun.......with a extra dose of blood i must add :(

woke up at 11 next day........went to friends place to watch F1 racing..........montoya as usual manages to end up screwing schumis chances..........too bad that raikkonen's supension gave up with barely a lap left but with the kind of off track driving that he did,it wasnt surprising to me.......u have the rite to ur opinion though ;) there are just 2 restaurants and they serve veg food :( went to a mysore restaurant and had masala dosa and sheera for dinner..........

My guide has given me appointment at 4.......But insists that i mite hafta stay till 3rd-4th if the feedback insists that a lil more work is needed :( ..........i hope none of that is needed.........else pakjaoonga..........crossing my fingers and hoping for the best......

2005-05-28T17:37:00.000+05:00

Had an alarm for 6am but my eyes were completely sealed then.Finally managed to wake up at 7:30.Reached office by 9:45.Have been in office till now.Almost done with my project report.Cant work anymore.I think hardwork is a wrong usage coz all work is hard!!!!Had enough of this.Aint coming to office tomm.Will meet up friends now and then dinner and movie.Maybe water kingdom tomm.Will try to prep for the presentation in between ;)

Have a nice weekend.

PS-I am making this insignificant post to remember my first overtime!!

2005-05-26T18:06:00.000+05:00

Its been a loooooooooooong time since ive made a post here.It is not like I am busier than the Indian PM but its just that something nor the other crops up whenever I plan to blog.And now when I almost made a lengthy post and pressed the backspace key to erase a char,voila……..Im taken to the login screen!@@##$$%@%&@.ANd then i retype the entire thing and the computer hangs up!!!!!"to err is human,to screw up is a computer".Anyways,word recovered the doc partially,so here goes

I have prepared my second final presentation and the date has been given as 31st.Hoping to finish my project report by then.I haven’t even started working on it but if I cud borrow the phrase from the architectof matrix “Hope is the quintessential human characteristic that is simultaneously the source of greatest strength and weakness” ………..not that I dint know this,its just pertinent here…….The alum meet in hydbad is postponed to this satday.i can make it but it wud be too much of traveling with the amount of work I gotta do……..im planning to come on satday and Sunday …………….i knew it when a kid called me uncle a few days back!!!!!!!fin this thing so that I can go home for 10days before coming back for the alum meet here………

My first ‘final’ presentation was made at the group level.We were asked to make a presentation on the project status……I started preparing my notes 8 hrs before the session at 2 am in the morning………B-school teaches you to use JIT………..and be good at it…………..I totally hate it when it is applied to people processes but that is the subject of another post………..

Reached the place at 9:30 after roaming around this big city for sometime-15 mins before the scheduled time…………..The first thing that hit me in the face was the amazing facility………It was characterized by something that is endearing to me……..open space………Once inside,the only thing you will see in the lobby is 4 tables and 8 chairs with a pic of aditya Birla………the reception is tucked away in a discreet corner of the oval shaped lounge……….the wall are made of colored marble with lights in between so the entire place is lit up beautifully in the evening…………

The powerpoint poisoning session started at 10am with a presentation on allowances by some HR guy.This was followed by 4 other ppts on FI/Co modules in SAP,market research on louis philippe etc……..We had the lunch session at 1:30.The cafeteria was a good place but the food dint match up to the expectations…………but was 100 times better than steve’s food………….

Let me digress for a moment to tell you about an amazing person called steve(he still amazes me)………He is the official cafeteria owner here at my company.Since we interns here aren’t given sodex-ho,we have to pay for the food from our own pocket.And steve literally mugs you in broad daylight with food which never seems to get better and always seems to be getting less in quantity………..

I should go back to the original topic before any steve loyalists spot me.We had lunch at 1:30.Three more ppts post lunch and mine was the second last………Wont go into the details but started with a witty joke and then an anecdote.Being the only fin guy in the group(apart from the panel),it was important for me to get the attention of the people who have the impression that fin guys drown you in an ocean of numbers and arcane jargon(for emphasis)!!!!!I was the only guy who was not asked any questions………..Good for them!!!!!!

This was followed by two more presentations(phew)by the business leaders………….loved every bit of it……….their clarity of thought……….their vision…….

After this,we went to the Hilton for a evening of pampering………..Dance,drinks and dinner……….we know which one rules the roost ;) all the biz honchos let their hair down…….had dinner at 11 and though id play football at the beach(its s different matter that ive never played football).Junta left early so I met them at their hostel……..reached my place at 2……slept at 4.This was the longest week in my short stint……

1 more week to go

2005-05-04T11:57:00.000+05:00

I am having to retype this thing.ANyways.It is kinda late writing about my weekend on wednesday but better late than never.Have shifted my coordinates from NITIE,powai to UDCT,Matunga.ANd this place is a lovely place.The only places i could go to in andheri was Hiranandani's or andheri station!!!!!!!And i dont have to shell out a princely sum of 4.5 grand pm for acco......

From there,i went to dadar and got a ticket to shirdi where i would be joining my parents.The ride in volvo was painful as i had to hear a hindi movie.A piece of advice to ppl who are planning to travel by a volvo.Take the seats at the end of the bus or else you will end up sleeping only when the conductor does!!!!!

Reached shirdi at 7am.Had breakfast and then went to temple(god helps those who help themselves!!!!!).Managed to avoid the rush when things get ugly with people jostle for space.Had a punjabi thali for lunch and it was yummy.After that,i watched travel and discovery for 4-5 hrs.I must add that it was satisfying as i was watching tv after a looooong span of 3 months.....

After dinner,i took the overnite bus back to bbay.This time i had to watch a hindi movie as the tv was right in my face.Managed to get a quick nap before getting the room in place.Reached gateway at 1.Had lunch in a weird restaurant where trippal fried rice and other exotic dishes were being served.Took a ferry to elephanta caves.It is a decent place for trekking.Was an incident where my friend resisted a monkey who was hell-bent upon having the fanta that he was having.He finally had to give up.Wondering if monkeys have any affinity to drinks being promoted by rani mukherjee......The ride back was fun with water splashig all over our side.ANd after sometime,the sunset was beautiful.After that,went to McDs.ANd then roamed around in the local market,finding out about some info about gramaphones and encapsulated clocks.

Then went to bade miyan for dinner.Had to wait an extraordinary long time before we got a table.And upon that,we got an overconfident waiter who insisted on remebering a huge order resluting in my order being forgotten.And the food was nowhere close to sufficient.Bloody.The place WAS costly.and i felt that the food was no big deal(coming from hyd,i think it is fair).Then had a softy and walked to VT from where i took a train to vadala.

Right now,am exploring the place.Seems to be a fun place(not in the girgaon chaupati way though).Will post my experiences later.

2005-04-26T08:43:00.000+05:00

The trip to alibagh this saturday was one of the most memorable experiences ive had.The speciality of this place is that there is a fort almost a kilometer into the sea from the beach(if i could call it one).We took a steamer from the gateway to a place called mandvi.This is almost 75 minutes ride.And the weather added positive vibes.From mandvi,we took a bus to alibagh which is almost 20km away.After having our lunch,we took a rick to alibagh beach.

At around three,the low tide causes the water to recede quite some distance and in a hour,there is practically a vast expanse of ground stretching from the coast to the fort.But we did not wait so long.We waded all the way with the water upto the knees.It took us almost 40minutes.And it was a completely fun experience.Unfortunately,the camera ran out of charge.Hope that i am able to salvage some pics.

Myself,Nupur and KVK

2005-04-19T16:08:00.000+05:00

Today was spent in assessing the granularity of data requirements ;) Had to understand the processing of each metric.Did some basic analysis.Will be getting more data tomm.

One of the shittiest bus rides ive ever experienced was the last thursday.The stretch from my office to hostel is notorious for the innumerable painfully long traffic jams.I used to curse it but then i realised that i just had to walk down the road to catch my bus which would be struck in a jam!!!!!No pain no gain.......

But thursday was the worst.I got struck in a jam which was caused JLT.Was struck at the same place for an hr.After that another 15 minutes of ride and then got struck behind a procession.It was ambedkar jayanti.While it is good to celebrate such events,causing public nuisance in its name is uncalled for.Well.....Ive been told that it is a very important day in maharashtra.But the spirit in which the entire thing was celebrated and put me to severe inconvenience has left a bad taste in mhy mouth.....well......whatever

2005-04-18T08:55:00.000+05:00

Had a fun-filled weekend.After sleeping through the entire saturday,i woke up at 5PM.We had a gettogether of all the interns in abidtya birla group in bombay.But disappiontingly,on a few turned up(thank god for that).While the black pepper cheese chicken took a long time to get served with the order seeming to have been forgotten,the wait was worth it.Reached my room at 1.Slept at 2:30-3ish.

The next day,i met up with my batchmates at borivali and we went to gorai beach(as u might not have guessed it,it is the ferry point to go to ESSEL WORLD
.The sun was beating down hard but nevertheless the ferryride was enjoyable.

Got ourselves a pass which would give us entry to the place thrice a year which is as cheap as it gets!!!!!!!WIll mention about a few experiences here.

The first ride was in something like a wheel in which two people sit a you are swirled around.It was totally fun getting in and out of that thing.And then i decided that it was time for some three dimensional spatial disorientation.

The highlight of the day was thunder.a huge BAAP of columbus that takes you 360degrees almost 6 times .The wait in the queue was the most psyching out part of it.And the first minute of the ride turned me to concrete.And then,the entire thing changed.Seeing the sun and the sky alternately with a gap of two seconds,enclosed in a machine that was hurtling as fast as it could,bound only by the axle(this is sounding like poetry !!!!) was an enthralling experience.Came out totally excited.

Then we went for ice skating.Being a guy who has never done skating on wheels,this was a funny experience for me,trying to walk.Was wondering about my first steps!!!!!After hitting the rink ground hard coupla times,i started to get a feel of it.And it sure was fun.But the ground was not even which further compunded my woes.And the best part was when i asked the instructor,"How do we stop?",he says,"Well that requires a lot of practise" and zoomed away,leaving me to fend myself.Made sure i bumped into coupla friends who were kinda doin it right.

And then went for a game of bowling.Managed to score 156.Decent score since i am playing after a year and a half.After that was another scintillating ride that takes u vertically up and down.But it moved in one direction at almost a constant speed.No acceleration/decelration.So it wasnt so scary.Sat again for coupla times.Got bored.came out.And then it started happening.I started feeling dazed and couldnt feel my steps.Got over it soon.Will post the pics.

Lying down on the bed in my room,i felt strange visceral sensations making me feel as if i was swoshing around like in those rides.All in all a good weekend.

2005-04-14T15:55:00.000+05:00

Too good a day........did almost close to nothing........still waiting to lay my hands on some data here.

As of now,almost a third of the class seems to be here in mumbai........i think i wont get bored........

Have some plans of sleeping for the weekend.then some meeting up with the interns in Aditya Birla in Mumbai if possible this weekend.

Have held up my reading to start reading up on portfolio analysis.quite cool.

Havent explored this place a bit.

time to get back to work(if any).

2005-04-13T17:01:00.000+05:00

I just think that i have hit 2-3 jackpots in my project.Am damn glad that it has worked out.Just have to come up with some analysis and proofs to reinforce it.

The entire day was spent reading and posting messages on my school's message boards.Am kinda missing all my junta back at school.Lunch was as usual too less for me.I need to have atleast two such meals to satiate my hunger.

Gotta catch a bus.so will post tomm morning again.

Room.Sweet room!!!

2005-04-12T15:10:00.000+05:00

Major research and reading work today.Read up about sharpe ratio,VAR models,efficient frontier,Modern portfolio theory and the most interesting of em all,the fama-french 3 factor model.Also its relevance in the indian context.

Have got quite some jargon as of now that i can dump in my methodolgy.Hopefully should be able to lay my hands on a few books.

Major credit goes to google for making my task so much easier.I dread to think of life before google and yahoo.Definetely one of the major inflection points in the history of mankind.

Right now,im reading the about imputation and the role of theory of distribution in measurement of this in one of the essays of hayek(i hope i sound a lil esoteric!!!)

Hoping to end this day on a satisfactory note after talking to the chief investments officer.

2005-04-11T15:39:00.000+05:00

I think I can spend the time waiting for some input from the direct sales division by composing a post.

Am feeling the Monday blues.Worked during the weekend on the law fart of IRDA.OH boy!!!!I think laws were designed to confuse. Am working hard to develop the mindset of a lawyer than of a portfolio analyst.The amazing number of connectors(jumping around),the huge number of subsections and clauses combine to form a chakravyuha.I can empathize with that guy who mentioned that lawyers were the first employers needed to start retail.

Mumbais weather is much better than hyds or delhis.Hope it doesn’t get too harsh.

Somehow gotta try to get hold of the librarian at this place.could definitely do with some books of upcoming courses.

Have almost finished my work on the guidelines and prudential norms. Am working on devising the methodology. Hoping that it works out good.

2005-04-09T12:12:00.000+05:00

Yesterday was spent reading on the IRDA guidelines on investments and other stuff.And the CIO gave me quite some idea as to what was required from the project.It is quite interesting and should give me a holistic(cliched but cant help it) perspective of the entire business.

Have quite some work for the weekend.Gotta come up with a report on my understanding of the investment guidelines and the policies in BSLI.APart from that,a small report on my understanding of my project.Have a few deadlines coming up.

Something about the company.Amazingly open culture.A very young employee group.Aesthetically pleasing office(quite different in its design).Helpful hr :)

Have been feeling sleepy since quite a few days.Slept at 9:30 pm yest and woke up at 11:30 am today.Have tro make amends for it though.Will go to hiranandani today.

Gotta get my hands on books related to portfolio analysis and quantitative analysis of financial decisions.

Good Day

PS-happy ugadi

2005-04-09T12:09:00.000+05:00

This was supposed to be posted yesterday.

Well. Officially,it was my first day of summers.But not much to do around.Had to talk to the CIO(invst) regarding the project.But with some expats coming down,she was a lil busy.So had to wait for quite sometime before I got the chance to talk to her.Finally decided to take up a portfolio analysis project after a lot of discussion.Will have to come up with a one-pager about my understanding regarding the project.Gotta read up on IRDA guidelines this weekend.My project guide is a senior analyst in the investments section.He has another two members in his team.One I think is an analyst while the other is a dealer.Oh boy.It sure will be interesting working with these guys.Shall make the most out of it.Couldnt have asked for more(well it’s a figure of speech). 

The NITIE guys have their last exam today.I will try to get access to their library soon. Hoping that there are some good fin books. As of now,im reading Money Capital and Fluctuations which is a collection of early essays of F.A.Hayek(1925-1935).Im able to appreciate all the macroeconomics stuff which started developing around this time.It was difficult initially coz when the author wrote what he wrote,he didn’t know what we know now.It takes quite some time to understand the historical backdrop of the book.And yes.It is as complex to understand as it can when it is written by a Nobel Prize Winner.Just wishing that my eco teacher was around to help me out with this.As Leanne Rimes sang “Life goes on………”

2005-04-03T15:35:00.000+05:00

Well.The exams are over and im home for the weekend before i hit the shores of mumbai for my summers.I hope to have an enriching experience.It sure will be a lot of fun too what with almost half the batch accompanying me.My summers is in a company that has been ranked in the top-10 for employee satisfaction.I sure would like to see whether these employer rankings conducted every year convey what they are supposed to.

The exams turned me into an insomniac for a few days and now i feel sleepy all the time.Hope to be back in shape before the summers start off.

With the academic session coming to an end,i will be having time to post regularly(once a day atleast) on my blog.I hope i give all those people complaining about me not posting,enough to chew on.

Schumi has qualified second and i hope that he gets back to doing what he does best.

Flavor of the Month

Buddha Bar

2005-03-05T19:23:00.000+05:00

With the 1st yr drawing to an end, life sure has changed after coming to this place.From having my food for 1.5hrs watching the tv,eating out every alternate day and sleeping for 9 hrs per day to having food in 5-10 mins,tolerating the mess food and sleeping for a period ranging from 1.5-15hrs, i can surely say "i've come a long way baby".I havent had too much of time and enthu to make a post what with the cold weather and the placements.

The gd/pi sessions are gonna take off in another week.I wish all the very best to yall.This place is near VIDHAN SABHA right opposite Kirorimal college.

This week had lotsa ppts and assignments and this looks like its gonna carry into the next week but with a coupla major tests.So life aint getting any better.My summers are in bbay starting from 7th april.and im waiting for the project details.

The weather played havoc in alberta park.Massa and schumi drove through a lil storm before they drove into the pit lane.Karthikeyan finished 9th and drove pretty well in the conditions and in the constrained car.Its nice to see the indian flag on the scoreboard.It should be an exciting day tomorrow.

Well.......it is one of those periods in a b-school when all u can do is wait for time to flyby.And this next 1 month is one of those periods with the semester coming to a close.May the force be with me.

The mosquitoes are back!!!!!!!!

2005-02-13T13:33:00.000+05:00

Well.What the title essentially means is that, the hot delhi summer is back.And it brings along a host of good and bad things along with it.The bad things are the mosquitoes, the dripping sweat and u being forced to take bath everyday.The good things are that u dont warm up trying to kick start ur bike, the clothes dry quickly and u dont shiver when u touch water. Coming from a place like hyd, i prefer the summer to the winter.But thanx to this place, my cold tolerance has gone up.

One of the best things about FMS is the small batch size. And this means that u r forced to be a part of the system that keeps the place running day-in day-out.And u get to see and experience things from very close quarters.And being in the capital of the country is an added advantage.u also get some perks like participating in tv shows on NDTV, CNBC etc. And i was a part of one such show called youth speak.Its about the upcoming budget.The host was none other that shireen bhan.A congress leader was present to take the questions.For all my fans,wellwishers and not so wellwishers(if any),u can catch this show this thursday at 10pm on CNBC.Some of tha answers were 'global' ones in the bschool terminology.Well......politicians have to be like that!!!!!!!

Flavor of the week

KennyG

2005-01-31T13:08:00.000+05:00

The weekend was spent in travelling to bombay and back to delhi.I had to attend a scholarship interview.The organization was BPCL.Though they have an office in delhi,they refused to shift the location saying that the panel is in bbay.Once a PSU,always a PSU.

I was trapped with a bunch of kids in the compartment on both the trips.ANd the rampant ticketless travelling further compounded things.Will try to make a detailed post later but as of now,its a long day.Have had classes till now.

Also,the fms entrance results have been declared.Congrats to all the call getters and ATB for the next round.Hoping to see a few familiar faces on campus.

Winter Redux

2005-01-24T17:33:00.000+05:00

I know that there've been quite a few posts in which i keep cribbing about the cold here.And this is one of the last additions.The winter has come back with a big bang.Here is my experience:

Place : VKRV Rao Hostel
Time:1:30 AM
People Involved:Only Me
Purpose:None

In this backdrop,all of a sudden i felt pangs of pain.I looked up to the heavens.It was cold.And it was HAIL.Coming from a place like hyderabad,this was something totally new that i have experienced.And boy,i did run for cover.And the temperature fell drastically in a short span of time.And i must say,shivers were running down my spine.And it has been very very cold ever since.I hope it eases out very soon.

Had classes till 2:45 today.Did some tp till now.Have a presentation to attend.And then i will be getting back to the books.

Flavor of the week

Psychedelic Trance

2005-01-22T10:40:00.000+05:00

Yesterday was by far the coldest day ive experienced in delhi.But i am used to it so am able to withstand it.

The authorities are cruel here.Expecting junta to attend classes at 9am is asking for too much.It is a major pain trying to concentrate on organizational change or decision support systems while ur @$$ is freezing.

I have started reading a book by george soros- 'capitalism in crisis',open society endangered.A very very interesting book on financial analysis from the perspective of sociology.It provides an amazing insight into the mind and personality of one of the most successful fund managers.

I guess muh summers will be in bombay.So a lil respite from the sweltering delhi summer.Hoping to get the details soon.

Flavor of the week

Le Ann Rimes

2005-01-20T15:42:00.000+05:00

Its one of those times when the entire batches on campus look forward to - with hope,,anticipation and fear.Its PLACEMENTS season.The placements will kick off in the topb-schools in a month or so.All the two years of studies,cramming,learning boil down to this dday.

And this is one major reason why my blog isnt being updated regularly(well,i always have a reasion).Was busy with some of this work,the details of which i cannot post here at this point in time.

The delhi winter has done an about turn and is back with a fury.Its touched 4deg here.But i am inured to this so it hasnt been a major problem as it was initially.It is near impossible getting up in the morning to attend classes.And im being forced to make decisions where i have to choose between taking bath(i think it has been 4 days or is it 5???) and having lunch.So the learning has not ended!!!!!!!!

Coming down to acads,this week has been slightly painful with the teachers deciding to go into an overdrive by conducting lotsa painful quizzes,the outcome of which(as vivekananda has said)is discounted by us(obviously it will be considered for evaluation).The extended weekend is the ideal time to get back to the books.Its gonna be a tough two montha ahead.Wishing myself luck.

2005-01-18T13:33:00.000+05:00

This was supposed to be posted 3 days back.Anways………..

Well.Its been almost a week since I came back to FMS after the winter break.And im glad I was able to run away from the peak delhi winter.Junta says that we have been lucky as the intensity of the delhi winter this year has been nowhere close to the usual.But as my roomie says “Id rather believe that my tolerance levels have gone up”!!!!!!Surprisingly after the first two days, it has gotten more cold.

This week was characterised by CitiBank conducting a Forex Operation simulation which received a huge response from the campus.There was a prize for the most ethical team which was won by team “Hawala”!!!!!!The junta received accolades with the CitiBanker mentioning that among the top bschools the game was played in the most ethical manner in FMS.That is something which one can definitely be proud of. J

The FMS entrance exam is scheduled this Sunday. The craze for MBA seems to be getting wilder and this can be seen from the 1.4odd(mayb more) lakh candidates who have appeared for cat.There are approx 1100 seats(mayb more).Well,it doesn’t get any better for the FMS exam.Approximately,45K(mayb more) candidates across the country are taking up the test for 90 seats.I wish all the best to the ppl taking up the test.

I have been reading “My Years With General Motors” by Alfred Sloan Jr.A Highly detailed book about management in General Motors.My perseverance is being put to the test here.Hoping to finish the book by the end of the semester.Meanwhile,I have read other books parallelly. Market Wizards has been one of them.A very interesting book.

But I guess its time to get cozy with the textbooks rather than these so I shall try not to read any more new books.But you never know.

How to drive in Hyderabad!!!!!!!!!!

2005-01-04T13:44:00.000+05:00

Well.I felt like making this post after experiencing the change in Hyderabadi road attitude.Somehow,with the change in the polity at the state level,the attitude of the people seems to have change.Spitting on the road,jumping signals,honking at guys who are waiting for the signal to turn green!!!(from experience) has reached a very high level.Im in a philanthropic mood right now so here goes

1. One important thing to observe is the head movement of the typical hyberabadi biker.He will turn his head in the direction in which he is about to move or take a turn.This is followed by driving while keeping looking sideways.Thus,important observational skills which form an important component in a continuous feedback mechanism is a must.

2. Observe the speed of the vehicle.While this is a difficult trick to master due to the subtlety invovlved,it is an essential one as it gives you a beforehand signal of whether the vehicle is going to stop all of a sudden or going to take a sudden turn.

3. Some people drive cars as if they were bikes.They are taking sometime in graduating to the next level.These guys generally overtake from left(even if u give them side),have very little proficiency in using the brake and believe in making their own road.Watch out for these people.They need your help.

4. What is this world so full of care,
we have no time to stand and stare
---Alfred Lord Tennyson

Tennyson would be glad if he were alive.Though bogged down by the materialities of the urban life,we find time to appreciate beauty of the lord's creation.Even if it is right in the middle of peak traffic.A good looking girl will always get more than her share of appreciative!!! looks.If you are stuck in such a situation,go with the flow!!!!!!

It could also be some film shooting that catches the eye of a typical hyderabadi that could lead to the above stuation.It makes for some good gossip and insider information which will put you in the limelight.

5. A very unusual(usual in hyd though) situation is when all of a sudden,u have a bike overtaking you from the right and a big truck/car overtaking you from the left.This is a very tricky position.If u drive a 1500 cc car or a 200 cc bike,u can take chance and push the pedal.But this is at your own expense.It is always better to let them fight it out.

6. The autowallahs generally are experts at driving hovercrafts but since they are not available in hyderabad,they have resigned to the fate of driving autos.These guys call the shots on the roads.Do not take them head on.

7. The hyderabadi buses are some of the most unique.The fully follow the principle of busstops-they will stop anywhere except in the busstops.This is a manifestation of the hyderabadi courtesy.Help anyone,anywhere,anytime.All you can generally do is stay alert and pray

8. Last but not the least are the cyclewallahs.They are generally the least harmful but cud get dangerous sometimes.With their near olympic gold capabilities of speed cycling and sixth sense of anticipation they are the embodiments of zip-driving on hyd roads.All u have to do is keep going at the same speed.Not a mile more or a mile less.

Happy driving

2004-12-20T17:10:00.000+05:00

One of my batchmates had met with a major accident a few days back.Seems to be doing well now.I did not get the time to make any posts as i was busy with all the classes,ppts and hospital trips.Got some time on hand now.

Just a few minutes before the OR class,there was a buzz that there could be a surprise quiz.And then everyone got down to reading.The prof then enters the class:

Prof-Dont worry.Close those books.I am not taking any quiz.

Me-Geee......

10 minutes later,the clerk comes in with a bunch of papers

Me-Oh My god!!!!!!!!!!No test.heeeeeeeeeeelp

Prof-Since a surprise quiz has to be a surprise one,here goes.But it will be conducted before the end of the class.All 3 questions COMPULSORY.

Me-Bloody hell.Whats this????This freak might even test us on what he's gonna teach in this class also!!!!!!!!!!!

A tense hour passes.

Prof-Now let us do some exercise problems

and he hands over the sheets!!!!!!!!!!!!!It was a false alarm.Im sure the prof had a hearty laugh saying this to his grandson....!!!!!!!!!!!

All in all,another good experience.

Had classes till now.A loong day which began at 10!!!!!!!!!!Managed to miss the first class.
Hoping to hold on to the sense of sanity for the next 24hrs.

2004-12-14T13:39:00.000+05:00

Woke up the next day morning and had uttappam(yes.you read it right)!!!! for breakfast in some smalltime hotel.

First destination was the Raja Man singh????? palace.There was the world's largest steel pot and also a thunderbird.I managed to take a pic with the beauty.This was the prefect place to take pics.And some guys made sure they got the most out of it.I wont be surprised to see these guys come out with their matrimonials!!!!!!

Next on the list was the Jantar Mantar which is a stone's throw away from the palace.We hired the services of a guide who described to us the methodology of usage of the instruments.The level of advancement of the ancient indian civilization never ceases to amaze me.

Did some petty shopping after this.And from here we were off to a fort on the hills.The drive was breathtaking with all the sharp turns and the clouds.We had our lunch at a restaurant just outside the fort.This was run by the former royal chef who is now 95.The food was delicious but it couldve been better.After this was a visit to the museum in the fort.This held guns and cannons of all shapes and sizes.After this was the tour of the fort.There were many paths inside the fort.Totally confusing for a guy like me who has no bearing sense.And it did offer many breathtaking views.The central garden which was the masterpiece was closed to the public though.A lotsa pics were taken here.The best one was the firing squad one which i will post soon.

And then it was a loooong 5hr trip back to delhi.We stopped at the state border for having something for dinner.We reached the hostel at around 11:30 in the night.

It was a memorable trip which became all the more exciting because we were always constrained for time and had to be on our toes.Another extra day wouldve made it boring.And no.Im not turning into some typr of a dilbert style management zombie!!!!!!

Jaipur Trip

2004-12-11T20:42:00.000+05:00

We reached jaipur on saturday morning at around 8 am.Instead of finding lodging as LI suggested,we had a picture session near the lake of Jaigadh Fort.

(i am in green jacket and blue jeans)
Slightly misty morning added that lil ???? that makes pictures look gud.Went to the Jaigadh fort after that.It was a steep climb with the smell of elephant $#!t all around.It was time for some more pics.After that we went to the main section of the fort and the view was great.

The sun just above the horizon shining not too brightly,the ancient walls of the fort,the misty morning and the elephants-all made a fine picture.Here we went about taking pics in quite a few poses.This was followed by a 'Mirchi Bajji' session at the end.And it was the finest bajjis i have ever had.YUMMY is all i can say.After eating the bland food in north,this sure was a welcome relief.Then we were scampering our way down,overtaking elephants,dodging elephants coming in the oppposite direction and playing a game of stepping stones with the elephant dung all around,i finally managed to reach the base.Unfortunately,I suffered a casuality.I had lost my cap.

It was around 10am by the time we found lodging.We took a short break to freshen up and went to the hotel's restaurant for brunch.Amazingly baaad food.I was hoping for a refreshing cusine and this seemed to be no good.Just edible.

Next on the agenda was the jauhari bazar.It consists of a line of shops on either side of the road.Roadside hawkers were in abundance.It is time for bargaining.

I would like to digress for a moment and write about the 'bargaining' that happens in delhi.This aspect flows in the blood of ur average delhiite.And i dont know how this started.But i surely have had to change myself-as long as i stay here.The typical bargaining goes like this

----------------------
Bhai yeh Kitne ka hai.

250 saab.

100 ko deh do.

Nahi saab yeh toh sau rupaiya ke liye nahi milega.

Mil jayega yaar.Deh do.

Saab,150 ko le lo.

125 final.dena hai to doh.

theekh hai saab!!!!!!!!!

If u thought that was ridiculous(atleast that is what i thought), beat this.A friend of mine bought a shirt quoted for Rs 500 for Rs 85.He quoted 75 initially and got it for 85.It was a fake nike but what the hell.Any newbie couldve been fleeced.

A typical auto conversation

CP jaaoge??????????

Baaithiye.

Kitna loge?????

Rs100

Nahi.Pachaas rupaiye(50)

Theekh hai.Baithiye!!!!!!!!!!!!

--------------------
U even find aunties haggling in small retail shops!!!!!!!!

Anyways.I went shopping in jauhari bazaar and bought all sorts of weird stuff right from processed mango to a hookah!!!!In the middle of the entire flank was a huge sweet shop.As soon as i went in,i was mesmerised.This is HEAVEN.Bloody.These guys even made me have lunch.But that did not stop me from trying 4-5 sweets before i realized that we were short of time.On my way back,i came across this shop.I was attracted like a fly is attracted to fire before my friends warned me to stay away.

Next was the birla mandir.And it was such a beautiful monument.After the darshan,it was time for a photo shoot.And next was the planetorium.But there were the paani puri bhandars waiting for us to devour their contents.After initial hesitation,i decided to go for it.And i had paani puris as long as these guys were around.Though a slow eater, i managed to have 25 odd gol gappas in the 10-12 minutes.I could go on!!!!!!!!!And inside the planetorium,once the lights were turned off,so did we.That was the soundest bit of sleep ive had in quite some time.

Refreshed,it was time to go to the other end of the city to Chowki Dhani(ala Dhola ri Dhani in Hyd) which is a rajasthani village setting.Went for a camel ride and it sure was fun trying to hold on from falling.Visited some shops,saw some amazing folk dance before we went for dinner.

And it sure was some dinner.We had 12-14 items served.Butter and ghee were served generously as if we were some guinea pigs.Even jaggery was served.It surely was a dinner that made up for the losses in the entire day.Some took it as a challenge,some gave up initially.Among those who took it up,some succeeded but many failed.Some people's plates gave the impression that they hadent even started.And among those who succeeded were the bengali babus of our batch.I barely made it through.In the end,people were having difficulties trying to tie their shoelaces or in getting up from the floor.Battered and bruised we lived on for another day!!!!!!

Birthday Times

2004-12-09T16:13:00.000+05:00

Lets whack his @$$.No.This is not some italian mafia lord talking to his goons.Its BIRTHDAY TIME!!!!!!!

Birthday celebrations are one of the most interestening happenings on campus. If one is late for the celebrations even by a minute,it becomes difficult to find out whose bday it is.So much for participative management!!!!!!!!!!! By the end of the first couple of minutes,everyone is covered with cake.

The ritual begins with kicking the bday boy out of his room,followed by a masai style dance or a choir.This is followed by a butt-warming ass kick session.Then the cake is cut(either using the knife but mostly using our prehensile abilities).Before this some part of the cake is also smeared on the bday boy's face.

This is when he becomes dangerous.Like a wounded lion,he is ready to seek out his prey.And then all hell breaks loose.He chases his victims down,smearing cake by hugging/rubbing these guys.Sometimes-especially during exams time when people are looking for a way to let out their frustus-things get ugly,or should i say interesting.The management freak in each of us takes over and everyone is dragged out of his room one by one and drenched completely.People who resist do at their own peril.Almost seems like a pogrom to me.Only that everyone gets a chance!!!!!!!!!!!!

With the winter slowly covering us in its sleepy arms,the water games have ended.And yesterday was one of our cul secy's bday.Running around wildly,he made us all scamper for cover.And someone was holding me by my sweater all the time.Fearing it was the bday boy,i ran even more wildly only to see that it was a false call.Boy.He was a good runner.

Hoping i get some time to post about my jaipur trip.I have a crisil ppt to attend right now.So here i go.

Prof Kim Clarke

2004-12-08T13:03:00.000+05:00

Am back from the jaipur trip.Was a fun-filled experience.Will fill in details later when i get sometime.

This monday, we hosted Professor Kim Clarke,Dean,Faculty,Harvard Business School @ Le Meridian. He spoke about Leadership and Values in Turbulent times. The talk was about our personal bright line etc etc.

I was the unofficial photographer.Hope the pictures have come out well or else the entire batch(es) will be rooting for my blood.

One important point he made was that if course on leadership and values were not to be taught in b-schools,then the students would assume that they are not important.This is felt was a very pertinent point.How often have we come across endless debates about how values cannot be taught to 25+s and how leadership cannot be taught.This point of his justifies it all.And it surely does add a new perspective to learn from other people's experiences.

And of all the things,I was not able to stand the food at Le Meridian!!!!!!!!!!!!!Had a rough time trying to digest it.Have got over the hangover though.

Am done with my classes now.Will have lunch and then some margin trading classes by a senior.Shall try to fit in having a bath in the middle of all this!!!!!!!

2004-12-03T18:02:00.000+05:00

so here comes the weekend.......I am going to jaipur before this term gets rolling...........Spent the entire day till 4am reading the newspapers of the last two weeks.Courtesy the exams.

There was a session by ranbaxy about innovation in leapfrogging and boy it was interesting. At one point of time,we were almost on a high!!!!!!!!!!!Was about brand essence,role of innovation and communication.Marketing sessions tend to be interesting always.

Had just two classes today.Marketing research was the new one.

My senses have numbed out and so i am not posting much here.Hoping to get into form once im back...........

Flavor of the Month

Joe satriani

2004-12-02T16:59:00.000+05:00

One of the most interesting subjects i have come across is Organizational Behavior.This supplemented by reading "seven habits of highly effective people","born to win","im ok ur ok" has been a major learning for me from this course.

Understanding people dynamics etc was interesting.I have another course in related area called organizational effectiveness and change.Am looking forward to that subject as well.

Have a gl to attend.Will come back and finish this post.

2004-12-01T21:36:00.000+05:00

The winter seems to be setting in steadily.Days are getting colder and foggier.Had 3 classes today.Later had a gl by an alumnus from Bank AM on structure of financial institutions and raising debt.Was a interesting one and not that much of a bouncer as was yesterday's gl on risk management and ALM.

The exam perios was one of a kind for me.Was able to say goodnight and good morning to atleast one person every half-an-hour.My biological clock is completely shaken right now. Guess the winter will set a few things right!!!!!!!!!!!

It is almost 3 weeks since i last watched 'the simpsons'.It is kind of depressing to miss out on this for so long.We had a screening of the movie 50 first dates.It is worth watching once.

PS-There might me traces of exaggeration and my posts should be taken with a spoon of salt.The discontinuity in the last 2-3 posts can be attributed to the scorching pace with which this sem has started.It looks more like a report from a journalist in the middle of a war!!!!!!!!!Guess it will cool down by this weekend.

2004-11-30T09:47:00.000+05:00

well.The ITC competition went off well.Cant post the details as of now.One thing that the entire panel(A group of 5 CEOs and a prof from our school) had in common was commonsense.And plenty of it.When people start thinking big(as is the case with competitions),sometimes we tend to miss out on things that seem so obvious.Like there was one brilliant b-plan but it could be attracting the restrictive trade policy act.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Had a MIS class. Will have a Fin Man class followed by a MR class and MacroEco class.

The delhi winter is shaping up slowly.I totally feel like hibernating!!!!!!!!!!Was totally frozen after driving from the campus to the hostel.

One interesting incident that took place a few days back opened me up to the reality of this place.Immediately after the fin acc exam which was the 2nd last exam,we had a 2 day break for the marketing exam.So we played a game of cricket.My friend accompanied me on the way back.He was having difficulty holding the stumps and near one turning,one of them fell on the road.As we were in a hurry,he started running with two stumps in hand to pick up the third one.And there was this lady who started shouting for help at the top of her voice.And my startled friend was almost runover!!!!!!She assumed that my friend was out to get her!!!!!!!!!!!!!Just goes to show how insecure the capital of this country is........Just unbelievable..........

where have i been????

2004-11-29T11:09:00.000+05:00

Guess its time to put some life into this blog.I have been a victim of a human fraility called laziness.This combined with the worms on the lan and exam period was the perfect concoction or should i say the 'perfect excuse' for ignoring my blog. Am through with two classes-Management science , Organizational effectiveness and change.Have a class 'management accounting' and then it will be a looooong day with the ITC competition kicking off.Could extend past midnight.A very high profile event with coverage from CNBC.

Had just one day break between the two semesters.The delhi winter has not lived up to its reputation as of now and im glad.With the exams around, the last thing i need is to be all cozy in the bed.

Have a lot of stuff to fill up here so i guess there will be more action.This semester has a notorious reputation and is the toughest at this place.Hope im up to the task.

Have a society meeting and then lunch.Will then be back on campus to configure my wifi card and the it it the ITC thingie.

2004-09-25T15:17:00.000+05:00

after sleeping at 3:30am(which i am not used to) and getting up at 7am, i desperately needed some sleep and took a quick nap from 3 to 5 before heading for the college.The dinner was amazing with tandoori chicken,another chicken curry and some other fab dishes.Made the most of it.:D .After a long time, i finally got some time which i could waste.Ended up watching bruce almighty and killbill-1 till 2:30am.Then got up in the morning and went to college.Came back and slept till 1.Had lunch till 2.With some free time, life sure feels good..........And to top it,schumi has set the record for the fastest lap.Hoping this bodes well for the shanghai race tomorrow.Will read up some newspapers and finish reading a book.Then some kotlering.So the feel good factor still exists.............

Food for thought- I am my destination

2004-09-22T20:57:00.000+05:00

yesterday was a looong unproductive day.slept from 9 to 9.and no.unlike a bschool grad,this was from PM to AM.Missed a class today.Better to sleep in the bed than in the class.I am still feeling sleepy.Guess there is never too much of anything in life.My room feels a lil cold right now.Guess the winter is creeping on delhi soon.brrrrr........havent experienced winters anywhere close to the ones in delhi.......guess i will have to pay someone to wake me up daily .he he.time to work on some financial accounting and a ppt in computers followed by a ppt in quant....

PS-I have recently read somewhere that listening to lot of rock music makes holes in ur lungs.After a lot of thinking,Ive decided to start smoking.................

2004-09-19T13:16:00.000+05:00

We had the Vp(sales and marketing) of business standard come down and talk about branding-successes and failures.And there was so much commonsense in his talk.A true marketeer is one who is in touch with reality.And this i guess is my reason for not studying kotler. :D Jokes apart,this session got our grey cells ticking and was interspersed with some quality humor.

The other day i was reading something about koan(s) and boy, they were interesting.These are basically examples meant to guide life.They get us thinking about things that seem obvious and thus out of our scope of thought.

I went out for dinner after a long time and realised the futility of having rice in restaurants here.Overall was a decent experience.Went to a pseud "chawla's chic-inn".Have some work loaded for the day.

PS-would like to have some comments posted by reader-if any.Just wanna see where this is goin.

2004-09-17T07:13:00.000+05:00

My head smells as nowadays i take headbath once a week every saturday and today is a friday.So i felt that this was an appropriate time to make a post when the "smell of intellectual thinking" is at it's "best".I never got the chance to listen to the songs on yahoo messenger until coupla days back.And they ROCK.All the classic love songs that can be accessed is simply awesome.Nice way to get the heat off.I have a long a$$-kick(no dollars though :( ) day ahead.Have classes till 2:30.This is what i need to strengthen the smell of "intellectual thinking".Just hoping i dont have to do any major CP today.Aint in the mood for all that.

PS-and i haven't has a pizza hut pizza since i came to this place.

'cry freedom cry'-Dave Matthews Band.

2004-09-15T21:24:00.000+05:00

This is like a break from my schedule.Looks like another long night ahead(not open to interpretations :D).Had decent sleep yesterday.Huge assignments with lotsa weightages are coming up.Hoping to start off before the deadlines start creeping up on me.Had a chill day during classes except for one assignment that was given.BAM goes the weekend.Right now will kill for a looong,leisurely day.Cant afford to spend more time writing this.Have a presentation tomorrow.So

here i am, this is me,there's anywhere else(other than the other hells) on earth id rather be,
here i am,it's just me and only me,tonite is gonna be a looooong one......................zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Tifosi Rocks

2004-09-13T19:42:00.000+05:00

Whatta race.amazing finish.ferrari 1 2.Monza mustve gone crazy.Amazing twists and turns to the race.Much needed reprieve.But this little escapade(:D) of mine made me stay up till 5:15 am to finish my work.woke up at 8.and had a string of classes.One surprise test which really took me by surprise.A few sessions after that.And am not feeling sleepy with that amount of sleep.I guess my roomie has caught the disease.Anyways.Its time to have some nonsense dished out by the messwallah that keeps the blood flowing and heart beating.So its time to load up and then back to work.

Flavor of the week

Linkin Park

2004-09-11T16:40:00.000+05:00

Off all the things, the least i expected was to see a pillion rider wear a cricket helmet.I dunno abt the accident rate and other issues that go into making this mandatory but it sure isnt being followed in the true spirit.I mean if there were to be an accident,all these helmets might save the head of the pillion-rider but surely it will not reduce the chance of wringing of neck of pillion-riders.

Did some catching up with the rest of the world(called newspaper reading),researched coupla articles and am back in my room.Will prioritize work(one of the most important work to be done during the weekend) and then get on with it.Am in no mood to watch india v/s kenya.The qualifying is on but since there is just one tv and loads of cricket maniacs in the hostel,i will have to compromise.Just praying that there is no match tomorrow so that i can get to watch Monza GP peacefully.Gotta finish quite some work to free up tomorrow's schedule.Cant wait for monza.

2004-09-11T01:07:00.000+05:00

I woke up sometime back.had brenner(breakfast+dinner and no the word does not exist).Dint go to the party coz i was already feeling heady and did not want to create more trouble for myself and oothers :D and have quite some work to be completed.so here i am.We had a guest lecture on SMEs by ICICI.Was damn good and gave a insightful perspective.Makes me all the more itchy to get into the corporate world.

I wanna narrate one incident which took place on the second day in my b-school.In order to get us to "open up",our business communication teacher gave us an exercise where we had to answer the following questions.
1.Identify one characteristic that you would associate with urself???
2.Through a tagline or a poem or whatever,express it.
3.With what would u identify urself?????

She also said dat wid so many engineers in the batch,she would like to see our responses.He he.We sure kicked some ass.The talent pool totally amazed me.Profound poems with even more abstruse meaning.Was absolutely a brilliant session.The teacher was as overwhelmed as we were.I managed to come up with a small poem,my first one.Infact small is an understatement.Anyhow,this is how it goes

Through wind and through rain,
Through storm and through pain,
Never give up hope,
And keep on moving anyway.

Ok.Time to work.

2004-09-10T13:14:00.000+05:00

I had test in economics today.I did it okie dokie.With just 3hrs of sleep i am feeling heady.tried to get some sleep but failed miserably.at the other end of the spectrum, i got really good scores in one case analysis.Some parity restored he he.Will have lunch and then back to school for some lectures etc.Have a party today evening but the kind of workload makes me contemplate about the opportunity cost of attending the party.should i shouldnt i should i shouldnt i.............i dunno.

2004-09-09T07:14:00.000+05:00

There are stories floating around about how hectic the life in b-school is and how people stay up till 4-5am.My life is slowly getting onto this track and i have decided to be proactive about this.I used to be the typical jack-early to bed,early to rise.Somehow,this discipline has been lost in the last 15 days.I havent watched simpsons in 10days and this was the prime discipline setter in my life.I have decided to press the reset button and let my passion for simpsons and desire for discipline take over.I hope to maintain this and keep posting here at 7:30 am rather than 3 am.(i havent watched simpsons though)I'd better go and work on my assignments and read for the upcoming economics midterm if i dont want my life to be retrofitted so here i go.

I AM BACK AGAIN

2004-09-07T01:47:00.000+05:00

Yes.I am back again.The reasons for my absence have been my laziness,schedule combined with temporary resource crunch(open to interpretation :) ).I have neglected my blog for a long time and have decided to put an end to this.The days have been hectic and i have so far successfully have avoided metamorphosis into an insomniac but this could come to an end very soon.The seniors have been a friendly bunch,guiding us through all the intricacies of the system(open to interpretation again).I had an openbook test sometime last week which incidentally was my first and well,open book exam is fun provided you read and come.atleast,that is the sort of experience ive had till now.Went to music world last week and picked up coupla CD's which i felt were a good buy.Hoping that lightning never strikes twice at the same place(:D).

Flavor of the Week

Deep Forest

PS-any signs of insanity are purely imaginary and are manifestations of the perceptions of the person reading and yes,aloo is still in.

2004-08-12T15:58:00.000+05:00

had a day filled with really boring classes.was the first time i felt sleepy throughout most of the classes and nearly dozed of in one class .btw had 7hrs of sleep.couldnt help it.had lunch.am going out for dinner with my FINSOC(finance society) members.Will have to prepare for a case and mayb a test and a presentation.so another long day ahead of me.one lesson i learnt here is the importance of being a team player.it is very important to put the team in front of you.not that i didnt know it but never went through one such experience which made me realise how important the fact is.have the weekend coming up.am planning to catch up on sleeping and if there is some time then will catch up on studying.

2004-08-11T22:20:00.000+05:00

the good thing about being in a bschool is that everyday is different.we were given an economics assignment(group task) and a test would be conducted.the evaluation would be subtracting marks for the individual and the group for every question an individual in the group has claimed to have solved and hasnt been able to when asked to(whatta sentence).The worst part is when the test never took place.Bad coz its gonna take place someother day and it could be the day when u have only tests.after a interaction with the placements team,it was a time for the freshers party,the details of which i cannot reveal coz of obvious reasons.boy.it was fun.had the best meal till now in delhi.got to eat tandoori chicken after a long time.if only they could serve this food all the time.wishful thinking.am gonna hit the sack now.might have a test(correlation and regression analysis) but i aint worried too much right now as i am too tired and have another long day ahead of me.may the lord be with me.

2004-08-10T21:44:00.000+05:00

just had my dinner.the rasgolla at the mess was good enough to be used to play ball badminton.but was too hungry to let go of it.coupla classes were cancelled today.so my group(that includes me) got together to work on the economics assignment.went to my room after that .got 1.5hrs of sleep but am still craving for the 12hr sleeping session.had lunch and got back to work on the assignment.went to the computer centre and then a 3hr session at the library.caught up with the rest of the world and had to do some groundwork for my first of the three term papers(quantitative methods).there was a lecture cum interactive session with Mr.Alex Kuruvilla,managing director, MTV India, and senior vice-president, MTV NetworksAsia.had to miss out on it though.gotta get back to work now.

flavor of the week
john mayor

Wishful Thinking

2004-08-09T23:56:00.000+05:00

OOF.What a tiring day.I have had just two days where i was able to get over 6hrs of sleep.I need to take a looooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnng nap.I have got used to it though and i manage to keep myself awake during the classes.Had a workshop on powerpoint today.I must say that it was pretty insightful.And i still have to read for tomorrow's class and read up for the economics assignment day after.I have been selected to be a part of the finance society and boy am i glad.It was the only society i had applied to and i was keen on getting into it.Looking forward to some serious fun. Came back to hostel at 9:15.had dinner and played TT for sometime.And now i am back here.Am waiting for the day when i get to laze around.

I AM BACK

2004-08-09T06:40:00.000+05:00

Am feeling bad that i had to neglect my blog for the last n days :( . have had lotsa experiences to write about.will keep posting whenever i can recollect em.One thing that i have tried to make sure is to watch simpsons daily at 6AM.People say i am crazy but i think i am a fanatic.Had slept at 2 yesterday working on a presentation on equity shares and reading up quantitative methods for a possible test.have quite some load this week.And it hasnt even started at this point of writing.I aint complaining though.Will keep posting regularly.Will be back after classes.

tech NO (know) ledge

2004-06-07T22:48:00.000+05:00

I have been trying to transfer files from my pc to notebook but without any success.Bah.Me and technology have never been good bedfellows and will never be.And now,even my notebook pc doesnt listen to me.So much for a new notebook.

I was reading this interesting story of one Yury Gitman.He goes around on his magicbike which broadcasts wifi connectivity,thereby creating the area around the bike into a hotspot.So a technology artist goes around creating waves(literally too).

Am looking to catch up with some reading and possibly,finalize some trivial investment decisions this week.

Venus Transit

2004-06-06T01:01:00.008+05:00

I have always been interested in astronomy.This interest has been fuelled by watching various documentaries on discovery channel.They have been mindnumbing and intellectually stimulating(cant help the paradox).It is one of my wishes to stay in a observatory which is a few thousand feet above the sealevel and observe the vast ocean of space.The only book i have read till now is "A Brief History of Time" by stephen hawkings.One helluva genius who rightly deserves the seat which was held by Issac Newton.Black holes to neutron stars to near earth asteroids to black matter,it has been a overwhelming learning experience that will never end.I have never been good at mathematics and that rules me out for any job other than that of an astronomer(;)).

On june 8th is going to be a venus transit when the planet passes between the earth and the sun.Venus comes in front of the sun twice in eight years and then only after 121.5 yrs.This will repeat on june6th,2012 again.This transit helps in accurately measuring the astronomical unit-the mean distance between the earth and the sun.

This transit will take place for 6hrs from 10:45 am to 4:50 pm and i shall try to witness this.For indian observers,the updates are available on www.http://www.vigyanprasar.com/venus/.Next stop.VENUS.

2004-06-03T09:52:00.000+05:00

I aint a political analyst but am writing this just as a concerned citizen.It is very surprising to see the behaviour of the commies in India.With a mere 60+ strength in the lok sabha,they are behaving as if they have obtained a clear mandate from the people.We want this to be scrapped.We want that to be scrapped.Right from the disinvestment ministry(which i partially agree with) to privatisation to private players in pension funds.Infact a lot more.While they attribute their opposition to the social responsibilities that have to be fulfilled,they have turned a blind eye to the opportunity costs.One way out seems to be to create a body that insulates the enterprises from the whims of the politicians.This should act as an interface between the companies and the govenment.This should strive to enhance the transparency and the autonomy of the PSU's.But right now we seem to be going nowhere on this front.

To say the truth,all this will lead nowhere.I for one seriously believe that all procedural,institutional issues that have huge ramifications are due to the lack of conviction on the part of the concerned authorities.We have some of the best laws,best plans.But rarely have they been implemented.These have remained as paper tigers.It is not like we have been shorn of ideas.The corruption,inefficiency has contributed immensely to this.No wonder privatisation seems to be the way out for these companies.They might be having the potential to perform but it is difficult to perform with all the babudom that characterises these companies.I hope all these blusters remain just that.Empty rhetoric.So much for continuity.

Potpourri

2004-06-02T22:25:00.000+05:00

Had a pretty eventful week outta town.I get the chance to drive in one of the worst rains where the visibilty factor was tending to zero.Boy o boy.It was long since i had seen such rains.Was praying that the car wouldnt be blown away.The trip back home was almost the same.All of a sudden the bus runs into hard rain and it was decided that we halt for sometime.There was nature in all its strength.And it was kinda scary.I mean with zero visibility all we needed was a truck ramming into us.With the winds blowing so hard,well,we could be flying without wings soon.Finally we got moving and soon reached a rain shadow region and boy was i glad.

BTW,the place i had been to-miraj is famous for 3 D's.No pun intended here.Those 3 D's are-dust,donkeys and doctors if i can copy that phrase from my 10yr old cousin who preponed her Bday for us.Cho chweet.

And couldnt watch the european grandprix after 40laps.And the master was in his best colors.There were two races.One was schumi against himself and the other was among the rest.Who says the season is closed???In the next place is barrichello.It has been a dream season except for the the monaco gp where the only way the champion could be beaten took place.I hope this season makes all the other teams go red in the face. ;)

Adding to the weekend scare was me watching "The Day After Tomorrow".It was a very nice idea to project something that could happen if we change the face of this earth and not be bothered.June 5th is environmental day.And one thing that we can all do is to create awareness.I wonder what are the thoughts of employees of companies like monsanto,cargill which have been embroiled in a variety of issues.I come across as a strange guy sometimes-like i dont like to burn cd's,use plastic,even paper if it is unnecessary,dont upgrade mobiles.Now you know the reason.

Read an article where a 14yr old boy weaves a plot on the net to get himself killed.What has the world turned into?????

Nelson Mandela finally calls it a day.Has been a long journey for this illustrious personality who has been such an essential part of SouthAfrican history.

Flavor of the week

Sarnath Banerjee writes the first illustrated indian novel "Corridor".Shall try to lay my hands on the book.Never liked reading fat books with small font sizes.So sarnath.thank you.

Virals

2004-05-28T18:42:00.000+05:00

No.This post is definitely not related in any way to pathology.What im referring to here are the viral ads.For a sample go to www.subservientchicken.com .This ad has been done for Burger King and was produced by Crispin Porter & Bogusky ad agency which is based in miami.The chicken carries out commands like die,sleep,run etc.The whole idea of this ad is to show that is to show that one can have crisp chicken sandwich the way one wants it to be.Usually,most of these virals tend to be a bit risque and mostly humorous.They are the most difficult ads to create.With the internet becoming such an important media,virals have added a new dimension to the meaning of advertising by exploiting this media.

As the post here is about advertising in general,let me state a few thoughts of mine here.This is about the huge billboards that feature katrina kaif in all her glory.This is an advertisement for our mirchi paper DC.Though it is a very good way of capuring eyeballs,I strongly advocate the removal of these hoardings.The reason being that these cause distractions to the people who are driving and could lead to accidents(first hand experiences).These curve enhancing,larger than life billboards not only capture the eyeballs but also snatch the souls of bholas like me.I dont wanna end up in hell so soon.;)

Im gonna be outta town for a coupla days and will be missing one or two parties.Well.I shall try my level best to more than make up for this @ FMS.

Fools Paradise

2004-05-27T22:59:00.000+05:00

Well.I am through with my viva and boy it was total bullS#!t....
The "profs" were never even trying to understand what our(did it with coupla other friends) project was......And to top it,the "prof" from my college started targetting me and left me with a strong resolve that given a chance to kill a person without facing any consequences,it would be this guy(this person keeps changing with the day and the season).After I got over with the ritual,off i was to hog like a pig.Got out of the restaurant with a feeling that i should have eaten a little less.(for further info on this,refer the heading description).Spent some time with friends in botanical gardens chatting and later with a cousin.Am dead tired right now and am off to dozeeeeeeeeeeeee..............
PS-the title reflects my opinion about my college which has been reiterated today and yes,i was a part of the "paradise" ;)

2004-05-24T20:04:00.000+05:00

This place is a collection of my insignificant musings apart from my experiences @FMS.

With my project viva being postponed to 26th,the liberation day has been postponed by another two days.

Had watched the Monaco GP yesterday.What was montoya trying to do with the safety car and being a lap down?????No amount of invectives would be enough to describe this big baby who looks like he's never gonna grow up. ;) The whole race was awesome to say the least but wouldnt want it to be so eventful though.So schumi misses a shot at a world record.He still has 3/4th of the season ahead of him.Im sure there are a lot more records due from him this season.

Going a day back,i attended a meet of FMS batches of 2005(the seniors) and 2006(muh batch) in hyderabad.The seniors were in hyderabad for their summers.We are planning to have one more alumni reunion.Am eagerly looking forward to it.

Flavor of the week

Norah Jones
Delirium

Day after tomorrow
Passion of the Christ