Barbarians on the road

Someone just smashed my brand new car! Are people just going crazy? Barbarians.

Since I decided to stay back in Mumbai instead of taking up a lucrative offer in the dark continent, there has been a terror strike, a street fight with a hooligan and my car has been smashed. 

It could surely have not been worse in the Africas.

Confluence

I don't know if I want to write a lot. Guess I'd just ramble a bit. Finally it hit. After all these years, it happened. I knew the intensity. I was aware from what I had heard. But when it hit me, I was still taken aback But somehow I have stabilized. Actually that's not entirely true. Nights are generally good. Mornings are the real test.

I am in Cal for the weekend. Couldn't spend  my birthday and Holi in Mumbai.
Came home to friends and family. Well came home to parents actually. Just came home.

God, how it seems that life is just about 1-2 things.When this all started, I remember telling someone that "I am feeling like a teenager", Well now also I feel something like that. Didn't know I was so weak.

Well, on 2nd thought I amn't. I just took some time to realize the other good things in life. I wish I had Tagore around. Would head to the other house to get some of his work tomorrow. He has never failed me so far. I know he won;t in the future. Was just discussing Seser Kobita with Aru.
Came across this from Wiki:

"Even the theme was novel - after building up their affair and obtaining the blessings of Labannya's aunt, the lovers decide to marry other suitors, without the air of tragedy. In the text, the reason appears to be that they feel that daily chores of living together will kill the purity of their romance:

"Most barbarians equate marriage with the union, and look upon the real union thereafter with contempt.^[3]... ketakI and I - our love is like water in my kalsi (jug) ; I fill it each morning, and use it all day long. But Labannya's love is like a vast lake, not to be brought home, but into which my mind can immerse itself. ^[4]"

Isn't this just fabulous. Wonder how one man could have experienced all these emotions.

I don't understand friendship. How is that even possible? Strangely, I think I am going to be fine. It take s alot, but u can change feelings.

Hope tomorrow morning I don;t go back to being me.

New life

It's been a while since I last wrote a blog post. I've now moved to Mumbai. Life in a new city is always an exhilarating feeling. First few months were a stretch just getting used to the sights and the sounds of this city. And I must say it was hard getting used to the filth and the dirt. I had a different idea about Mumbai when I first came in. I expected it to be rich in splendour, heavy in vigor and thick in taste. Initially all I saw were the disjointed flyovers, the traffic and the pollution. Then I got to know the people.
I think the people is what makes the city. The reason many outsiders don;t get Calcutta is that they just breeze through the city and never stay long enough to get enamoured by its charm. I think in that, Mumbai is also pretty similar. It's the vibrancy and the quality of people around. And of course if you are ready to splurge, there is no place that can give you such a rich life.

I have been lucky to have a nice set of people around me so far. Cheers to the road ahead.

Introducing TheTripMagic

Just wanted to introduce a unique travel portal that some friends from ISB and outside have recently launched. It's called TheTripMagic: http://thetripmagic.com. It's a complete travel portal with blogs, forum, community, social network, etc. To quote form the site:
"

We believe in the simple philosophy that happiness multiplies by sharing. So if you’ve had the trip of a lifetime, write a blog and let the world know.

The blogs are powered by WordPress, the most powerful blogging platform known to man!

You can create your own online space for free with us: your website, your blog, your album, and so on and everything for free. You can even get your own domain. For example, if your name is say Joe, you may name your personal site: http://joe.thetripmagic.com.

We know that sometimes, you want to venture out to that unknown place. At TheTripMagic, you can find folks who’ve been there, done that.

You may even find a travel buddy who is going to that place at the same time!

If you are in college, you can form public or private groups with your friends and discuss plans collaboratively through our group wiki.

This is all just for starters. Next up, eclectic choice of getaways especially for you.

In the near future we will have some innovative travel solutions for our members.

Some eclectic hotels are also going to be launched from Monday which you can browse and book from. Do check back in the site coz the content is updated almost daily."

I have also helped a bit in the design etc. Would appreciate some feedback on it. Please leave a comment if you want some new features and/or destinations.

Mothers

Suffering with 104 degree fever, acute breathing trouble because of bronchitis, sitting in doctor's chamber, while answering the doctor's questions, she looks at me and asks "Why are you standing dear? Take a Seat"! Mothers.

The whys of MBA curriculum

Having now joined the workforce, I can now appreciate the method in the apparent madness of the MBA curriculum. I think these info will helo the prospective students.

A few days back, I got a call from a director at another office about help regarding a proposal. I was given 2 hours to go through the project specifics-public announcements of a merger. After 2 hours, I was asked what I feel about this. Then over the weekend I wrote a proposal on the post merger integration of these 2 firms.
Sounds familiar? This is just what you do for a case prep. We are given copious case study notes with miniscule time. We read up on case for 2 hours, discuss the case in class - state our point of view and then write a case summary. THis rigour really helps now in job scenario.

Similarly, I'm also working on a strategy project with a team spread across India. Off course the colleagues have different wavelengths and pre-ISB there might have been a friction. But the rich (and forced) experienced via study groups of working with unknown people from different backgrounds over a long period of time and managing egos and personalities really helps avoid frictions now.

So in addition to the actual content of an MBA curriculum, the design itself also helps cope with post-MBA work environment. We also had courses that taught us how to cope with office politics. Maybe I'll write about that sometime!

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