Reflections Of Life

“I just forgot a mug!” That was at the end of a 3 hour shopping spree to set up my new home! I was moving in the weekend, three days before I can officially occupy my home, partly because I was pulled out of company provided luxuries by Sunday and partly because of the ease of setting up things in the weekend! But I definitely underestimated the efforts needed to convert even a mostly furnished flat into a comfortable living space!! I must thank my landlords who helped me shop and carry all those stuff back home.

I still have that ‘half-done’ feeling ‘coz of the wiring and cleaning work that’s going on in the kitchen… after that’s done the place would be more clean and for myself and maybe I would be more satisfied. The red and white curtains that adorn my windows are the best, priced and favorite acquisition of my shopping expedition :)

The challenges of a career shift aren’t supposed to end too soon and so I do need to spend some extra time gearing up for work… right now just doing some basic analysis helping the VPs who do the pitch to the client, but hoping it would get more interesting as it goes… as usual, there are huge documents, guidelines and regulations that are to be read and understood but never make sense until the day they are needed in the deal!

The To-Do list seems never ending and I seem to be in an impractical hurry to settle down! Planning a day seems impossible or have I lost the only art I was good at?? Too many things running in my mind, I love to complicate my life and am surprised by the things I discover I can do!! Life seems more interesting and more difficult at the same time!!!

Did someone say that my love or wrath for Mumbai would be determined at the end of the first train journey? I decided to try it, but choose the wrong day… The last weekend was jam packed because of the blocks that had caused the delays! I struggled, missed my station and traveled back ticketless and hated it at that moment but then have chosen to stay in Bandra… that implies I need to do 30 mins one way everyday… so have decided to enjoy it as it is! :)

Have got more used to the work place… a new boss arrived and the settings in the work place act changes! I am still thinking if I am fortunate or unfortunate to have him as my boss! The person from whom I can learn the most in this place, but then the person who can embarrass me the most with the questions he throws at me every few mins!... would be on my toes with him around!!

Met my first client… was asked to just observe when the vice-presidents spoke… the CEO and the CFO on the other side… if this mandate comes through, my first deal would be private equity!

Am shifting this weekend as the luxuries at the Ambassador end… need to set up the new place and next week is to get used to the trains… am sure I would bump into many ISBians and BITSians in Bandra.

Less than a week in Mumbai, new city, new workplace, new people and a lot more new things!

Mumbai… haven’t yet stepped on the train, have been in Churchgate right from the time I came in. I-Sec has been kind enough to let me stay at Hotel Ambassdor for 15 days and I need to just walk 10 mins to work… well, the luxury wouldn’t last long and hence the tedious house hunting has to begin and end this weekend! I am loving the duplex room I have been provided, am loving the walk around the Marine Drive and loving the fact that no one has the time to bother who is walking on the road! But then, I am missing the yapping I could do if I had some company post-dinner!! A lot more to go...

I-Sec… a small organization with comparisons in no measure to my ex-employer but then so far, I am loving it! An informal atmosphere, helpful colleagues and a good rapport between the senior associates who seem to be working hard and partying harder. A lot to learn from this bunch of people who only seem eager to welcome us on board!

Associates… the 8 of us who have joined Corporate Finance are like the new attractions at a museum… are being stared at or ignored for most part of the day and sometimes left to feel guilty of opening the gmail / blogger / outlook when everyone around seems to be too busy to talk!! We are just a few training sessions old but then many more café breaks have been passed :) The most frequently opened xls right now is the tax calculator as we plan out our fixed pay break-up and someone actually made an optimized break-up using solver!

Markets have begun the plunge right from the day I stepped into an I-bank(!) but then the past year has been good enough for some team celebrations in Mauritius during the June first weekend… a great way to begin work :)

A pretty clueless first week even among the luxuries provided… hope to settle in soon!