The bewilderment & the certainty

The turn, it took again, as it does, now & again. Perhaps a little different this time. For over a decade now, I have been compulsively taking things in stride, big or small, no one influenced my decision, except me.

One of the most beautiful moments in life, knocks at my door and guess what I am most bewildered & certain, both at the same time. It has been a pretty blissful, chaotic though, due to my doings or un-doings, so far.

This time I decided, not to decide.

I am glad the way it is happening for it is happening now and in a manner which keeps the larger picture happy. I just hope that it’s worth it and doesn’t become another trail of what I have been doing & getting through.

The indecision doesn’t prevail and life takes it turn. I just wish I could be a little less sadist to enjoy it a little more.

Tanz in den Mai!

Cometh the May, cometh the rain. The smell of moist earth (after an overnight drizzle) coming from vast & expansive green fields. Sounds amusing? Not much for me though.

Last month ended with me being crucified and succeeding in rejuvenating the writing, this one does not seem to be ending better either.

Extended weekend marking the end of month three for me in a similar fashion as it had begun. While everyone is off for a lazy comforting stay or exploring some new adventure in upcountry, I am traveling through the vast fields, but short of enough time to enjoy it.

Looks like it will be another Haymarket Affair; hopefully I would not become a martyr like those unfortunate ones.

Labor Day it is. Hope that next month ends more peacefully as I would be traveling again, though back home :)

The STAR’ episode

5000. That’s what I started with I guess. Or was it 10000? No sooner than later I was into it; was enjoying it, to the fullest or to minimal. I would never know. Did spend few years getting to know it, like an occasional date. Being stupid, horrified by it, sustained by it, subdued or being vigorous. A couple of years, in the Capital, known as my own Dilli, with unqualified absence (Hope I didn’t fail through it). Guess was being nurtured by another enigma or so to speak of. Then came the cold and who better than an Old Monk to cruise me through. On a river bank, snow pouring outside, relishing freshly caught n cooked fish, vilifying the so damn. The blessings of that Monk; so Old it was to not take an offence. Then came the Margarita, the Smirnoff; so pure, so Absolute, so blissful. The least expected, was the last and the latest one. A daily affair, just like a soap opera and what better title than STAR. The proud of the place, the taste with no match.

Oh yea, few ups n downs, lean n peak periods, I sailed through or it sailed through me: P. Few traditions I can’t forget or they can’t let me forget. Especially something called the Khus which became the pride of those PCom gatherings at 143. One more chance to live the same, again, for a while, would do anything for it. Guess that’s what I call L-E-G-E-N-D-A-R-Y (courtesy Barney@HIMYM or BoodhaKher@ITM.PCom.com). Not to speak of some PMG congregation at Aura :D. The journey shall continue, so should the prodigious enigma. Both so blissful, complementing each other. Am I too drunk or just overwhelmed. Watevr it is, let it continue, so blissful, so peaceful.

a FRIENDS confession

3 colleges, 8 years of blissful hostel life. Every damn moment of that to be craved for. Well, have to admit something here. Unlike most of other college-goers, I had have missed lots of “other” stuff which includes one of the most common ones, i.e. being awake whole night, esp. before the exams (not for study though) and watching sitcoms nonstop. So, finally being in a phase (one could easily say over-aged) I started with the one of the most famous ones as a friend had suggested “watch one episode and you will yearn for it” Glad that I did and honestly, didn’t take me more than 60 days to finish whole 10 seasons. Looks like that I finally graduated, a little late though 

Business (non) sense.

Economies of scale. First term a person gets familiar with (most likely) entering a B-School (in class I mean, not otherwise). So, the funda says, as volumes go up, prices go down (with few exception of high value goods etc).A couple of degrees (at least on paper), little work-ex & some common sense. This is all I have and assumingly, based on this, I can get the basics right. Two months here and all such stuff seems to be irrelevant. Why so? Here are few examples.

• Local call rate = 3 times international call rate (more the volume, more the margin)
• Coke/ Pepsi = 50 Rs. For 500 ml (Everyone will drink it thrice a day even if that’s the only thing he/she could afford)
• Flat rents (people have to stay somewhere) = 1.5-2 lakh/ month (INR) at a place comparable to Andheri and = 4-6 lakh/ month (INR) at a place comparable to HN/ Bandra. Guess one could buy n own a flat for such amount in India in a year or so. (Virtual monopoly, take or stay on foothpath)
• Food products (esp. packaged juice, milk, vegetables) = very highly priced (well the only reason this time is scarcity, nothing else)

In nutshell, whatever sells more, increase the price, get higher margin. People would buy anyway. And on nutshell, an average Nigerian still thinks that cashew kernel is for the purpose of supporting apple on the tree and not to be treated as commodity :P

Nothing makes sense in a way we perceive in India or some other part of the world. Still, it’s common sense here and the business thrives. Big time.

n if you didn’t get any of above, the question to be asked “u say?” not “what does that mean or come again”. Will give details on the pigeon English later, which freaks me out sometimes to the extent that a sober soul like me doesn’t hesitate to pour in few Punjabi names in between while making the poor fellow understand what I “u say” …. Gosh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The second month ends. And how

Resurrection of Jesus on 3rd day after crucifixion. Extended weekend coming up with loads of time to enjoy the local festival. Or should I say the global festival?

First one was eventful. 3 countries, 7 cities and lots of experiment with food. Second came with its own share of weight. Adjusting the lifestyle at a new place, amid handful of Indians, meeting lots of native people every day. Fun it was again. Though, first was living and second was more of surviving. No pun intended here.

Of course, experiments with food continue. With neither I or the maid knows great deal on how to cook Indian food. Lots of travel, not air-bound this time though. Upcountry travel, duping ever-hungry policemen who start with demands and end up begging. Be it the minister in government, local king, policemen or any person whom you get in touch with; all it needs is few bucks and get the work done.

The disparity is huge and it took me some time to believe it is more than India. No concept of middle class per se. If one is rich, he is rich to the extent of building a huge mansion and owns a Mercedes or BMW (which is like Maruti in India). And believe me, there are a large number of such people and roads are always full of them though rarely jammed as, unbelievably, such infrastructure is world class, even in remote places. The poor, doesn’t matter how much, will spend on drinking a coke with a meal whether money is enough to buy water or not. Guess survival is important, but living is more.

Won’t talk about work, not only because it sucks, I just had have too much of it.

The extended weekend, will not be fun though. Thanks to few review meetings & visits. Hope my writing resurrects, amid this lean period, though I might be crucified before that. Easter it is.

Happy Easter.

Ah to Build ....

The journey continues. Taking another turn. Just at the right time. Just at the right place. Donno, maybe the right corner.

A change. New people. New place. New environment. New aspirations. New expectations. New opportunities. The desires remain the same, though, also the feelings.

A tough choice, had to be made, had made. Am I happy or glad. That's not be questioned. Only things is to be content. Am I. Absolutely not.

Need something more. Guess it never stops. Never ends. Everytime a new beginning. A new hope. Though it's different this time. Why so?

What am I missing? A lot actually. The desire to live the most, perhaps. The little kiddos. The kiddo I hope for. The family. or just myself.

Well. Period. It can't be that bad, right? Need to bounce back. Will I? Have to. There is no other choice. As the wiseman said "Ah to build. To build is noblest of all the arts" ... Here I go. To build something from scratch. Burying the old thoughts. To rise up. Higher. What will it take though ?

The journey continues. As it ever has been. So peaceful. So blissful.