Almost Single
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
‘Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?’
‘That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,’ said the Cat.
‘I don’t much care where -,’ said Alice.
‘Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,’ said the Cat.
‘- so long as I get somewhere,’ Alice added as an explanation.
‘Oh, you’re sure to do that,’ said the Cat, ‘if you only walk long enough.’
Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
~another 300 pager for the eternal optimist.
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Author: Raghini » Comments:
300 pagers
Monday, July 16, 2007
One more failed attempt at the Suitable Boy… hence decided to buy only less than 300 pagers… Read 4 books in a month when one Suitable Boy was attempting to impede my reading abilities!
Conquered:
Catcher in the Rye
By the river piedra I sat down and wept
A Breath of Fresh Air
Above Average
Reader Beckons for the week.
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Author: Raghini » Comments:
The Floor
Friday, July 13, 2007
feels different… is empty even when people are around.
Unlike ever, people are busy in their own thoughts… or they are there but not here.
The seniors are long gone… all the Ms are either traveling or interviewing… one busy friend with his head phones on and the other in cal… she is getting into the mode of coming to office only when she doesn’t have work! ... it’s the boss last week… the only people who are still the same are the secretaries (actually not all).
I am back to office after a long week… am already in the Saturday mood… and there are still deadlines around… reader beckons after a week’s break… searching for a chocolat… want to change something… and the hairstyle cannot be touched so soon.
Federer wins… Nadal is still my hero… and Sampras is still the God.
Ferrari is back to winning days… but it is never the same in the post Schumi-era.
Sachin and Saurav opening again… pleasure to watch… those were the days…but I am not mad again.
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Author: Raghini » Comments:
...
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Someone with no hands and no legs… saw him twice right outside my building… his world is just the 10 steps around that area where he sleeps and people are considerate to get him food from his every day begging.
A set of families with kids sleeping peacefully on the pavement opposite to the Mahalakshmi station… 8.30 pm peak traffic time… horns blazing… the dad snoring… is everyone alive?
Labels: off the track, people
Author: Raghini » Comments:
I love…
Saturday, June 09, 2007
CCD, the choco frappe, the sea side and the walk…
Dominoes, the thin crusts and the hunger driven souls…
Pizza Hut, the mushroom pasta, the veggie supreme and the 2 pepsis - w and w/o ice
Mcdonalds, the burgers, the cones and those favorite tables…
Ruby Tuesday, the pastas, the salad and the inox nearby…
Subway, Italian BMT, chicken n turkey ham and my hunger un-appeased…
Inox, pop corns, cokes, cup corn and water – the smoke break and the corner seats…
Classic, Pav bhajjis, curd rice, the butter naans with the dals - with its open space and the CCD next door…
And the non-stop chatters in between :)
Labels: off the track, the brighter side
Author: Raghini » Comments:
Lazy me
Yesterday I read,
“There are no ugly woman… there are only lazy ones”
how true!
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Author: Raghini » Comments:
FIFO…LIFO…FO?
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
There are three kinds of items on my to-do list
The Last In First Out – this is usually related to everyday work that needs to get done, not be choice but by the lure of that end of month packet… the list that goes into my everyday notepad early in the morning or in most cases when I get outta office the previous evening.
The First in First Out – This is my never ending list… every time I have the energy I try to do as much as possible, but the quality of the list is such that things keep accumulating at the other end while I am trying to manage one end! All petty things that people ignore or do as part of life… but I have to write it down and put it in this list to get it done (could be as simple as paying my electricity bill). And this is the list that can make me love myself or get me on my nerves depending on which alternate day I am in :)
The First In Last Out – this is my dream category :) yes, literally… like my never ending “Suitable Boy” to “attempt at going to the gym”. There are these sparks when things in this list do get done, but they take their own sweet time… sometimes even years! I trust myself that I would get everything done in this dream category… and that’s what motivates my life :)
* even the LIFO has a sub FILO list that no one at work knows about… hush hush
Sometimes I am so tempted to just take a break without a to-do list in my mind... I don’t know if I would be able to… or if I really want to? Would life still be interesting if I don’t have my to-do list to wake up to? :)
Labels: off the track
Author: Raghini » Comments:
Hol – (i) – day
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Am dead… very close to that… after today’s work.
If I ask for a holiday every alternate day, is that asking for too much? Hmmm… seems so :(
Labels: just in the mood, off the track
Author: Raghini » Comments:
Ponytail
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
I don’t like my hair style… have been having the itch to cut it off… & still have been too patient with it… ‘coz it’s the most comfortable thing to have during the summer.
The itch to have it the way I want vs the comfort that doesn’t look too great… how long is the battle gonna last?
Labels: off the track
Author: Raghini » Comments:
Silence
Sunday, May 13, 2007
… is a word I don’t understand! I am silent only when there are a zillion things running inside my mind and I just don’t want to think of any of them… it is just one of my crazy moods… or lack of sleep which gets me to that snappy state!
There are also the days when I feel lazy and sleep all day… and then curse myself for sleeping so much and I am in a snappy state all evening :(
Or those days when I haven’t worked as much as I should have and then feel guilty and trying to concentrate…
But I can’t be silent for too long… it is just not me :)
Labels: off the track
Author: Raghini » Comments:
Class of 2007
Monday, April 09, 2007
It’s been a year since I graduated from b-school. I didn’t have a convocation ceremony when I completed my undergrad, so was too excited about the b-school convocation. I enjoyed the dress rehearsal and the photo shoot the previous day than the actual convo of 348 ppl walking up on stage to collect the dummy certificates!
Another class had their convocation today. A class which connected me to my Alma matter. There were a few I got to know during the application phase, a few I got to know during the academic phase, many I got to know during the placement phase… and when they finish and go in different directions, I feel a connection that’s getting broken :(
I do not know so many in the batch that’s coming in… I wouldn’t know so many in the batches yet to come… Still, I wish the connection remains… the link to the place which made a difference.
Labels: off the track
Author: Raghini » Comments:
Self evaluation
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Have been getting too many reminder mails from one Ms. KM to fill in the form… 2 weeks of incessant harassment which I choose to ignore. And then the boss of all beings decides to do his job to my disappointment and I have no excuse to the deadline today evening!
I wish someone gave it to me the way I want it… but I don’t choose to ask! And now in a few hours I need to fill in two pages of all I did in the past 11 months and relate it to the Customer - Process - People perspective! This is why I should have taken my b-school one pagers more seriously… SK, need your help to fill this damn Appraisal form… but then yeah, you are busy filling many pages of your life :)
The only good news is that I still haven’t found where this will matter… did hear from the ultimate source that the numbers have already been sent to the management… so I am not sure if anyone will ever read this… though I wish to believe otherwise!
Well, I still haven’t finished one page – but then have taken at least 5 breaks, browsed for some good songs to hear, read a few posts and now I am posting this and going back to filling that damm form! :(
Labels: off the track
Author: Raghini » Comments:
Weddings and my friends
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
A couple of months ago, I was receiving at least one wedding invitation per week!
These days my trips back home are determined by when my next friend is getting married!
The first question that any long lost friend I meet asks is “when are u getting married”!
My b-school batch which showed 25% married status a year ago would show 75% married status by now! Someone I know asked me “how come you are not part of the band?”… ppl, I was too young for my batch!
Both my close friends from my ex-workplace have got married in the past couple of months.
The only exception seems to be my wingies from my undergrad days… though two of the eight are married (one with kids) and another one is to tie the knot in the later half of the year, the rest of us seem to be too happy the way we are!
And when two single friends have a vela day to discuss the same, we define the ‘happy the way we are’ as:
The fear of needing to sleep with a stranger in an arranged marriage!
vs
The fear of staying single for the rest of the life!
Jawz… am waiting for your comments :)
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Author: Raghini » Comments:
Why do I blog?
Friday, February 02, 2007
The post is the result of this simple question posed to me by a friend… just thinking aloud.
The concept of a blog was introduced to me during my final few days at Infy when I started reading a few to get to know abt ISB and to-be batchmates. And it took more than a month after joining b-school for me to start writing.
I don’t think I was a regular blog reader when I wasn’t writing. I don’t think I am one right now. But when I used to write regularly, I used to read regularly.
Started of as a substitute for those scribbled diary entries in those big notebooks which had more blank pages and Sachin’s statistics than anything about me! (I still have them :) )
I can’t say that I don’t write for others to read… ‘coz I marketed this space by adding it to my signature all thro’ my b-school days. And it does feel good when someone identifies me because of my blog.
But then if I think of all the people who read my blog and make opinions about me and the way I think, I wouldn’t write a line out here. When I write, I tell myself I am not answerable to anyone and can write anysense or nonsense here and all that matters is what I feel when I post it or read it again after a few days or months later :) yeah, there have been times when I have actually read thro’ lengths of my posts to just revive a few memories and also admire my own writing a few times!
I sometimes do wish I could write about everything and keep it an open book… don’t think that would ever happen. What else are friends for?
An answer to the subject of this post: The space where I think aloud, assuming there is no one around and not looking for an answer to everything! Just a substitute for a piece of paper and sometimes for a friend’s ear.
The different people who make a difference:
Some of my very good friends who have known me much before this space was born but refuse to read here. Would love them to visit sometimes, though I know they are the ones to best understand that the blog me and the real me are the same.
Many of my friends who do read my blog and get to know more about me because they visit the space. I know these people pretty well and have no qualms in them knowing me any better ‘coz they know the real me more than the blog me.
The acquaintances who got to know my blog too and so pop out a few times to keep in touch.
A few people who have been reading me, know the blog me and suddenly they get to know the real me. I think I must be very different to them. I don’t know and do I wish I knew?
A few / many unassuming readers who know me through my blog and I don’t know them… my sitemeter tells me they are there and I am just happy with that info alone. Just gives me the gladness that there should be something interesting I still write for that counter to tick.
Labels: off the track
Author: Raghini » Comments:
Investment Banker for life?
Saturday, January 27, 2007
As a continuation of my last post, sitting at home for the past couple of days, in a well deserved break, I have been wondering how long I can sustain being an Investment Banker?
Day 0: Thanking Air Deccan for postponing my flight and cursing myself for not finishing one small additional task I was supposed to do :(
Day 1: Feeling guilty for taking a break, on phone and on mail trying to do as much as I can, but not making much of a difference. If I wanted to work, I should have been in Mumbai.
Day 2: Slowly giving up, realizing I am not as sincere as I think I am and work still goes on without me! Convince myself to switch off!
Day 3: At last feels like a break with my family, have given 100% here.
As in any other job, there are those moments when you do feel good about what you have done, and moments when you curse yourself for giving so much. I haven’t met many Investment Bankers who love what they do… though many wouldn’t admit, Investment Bankers are Bankers for love of the money and not for the love of being a Banker!
I still haven’t figured out what I like about my job!! Is it just the money? I don’t work in a place that is known to pay anywhere close to Investment Banking bonuses and I don’t think I would sustain for too long if I was here just for the money. But I truthfully don’t know the answer right now. And I guess I would be here only until I find an answer!
Labels: off the track
Author: Raghini » Comments:
Stop running…
Friday, January 26, 2007
…& Start living!
Am I really thankful to Air Deccan for once… for making me travel post 10 pm… even though I would reach Chennai post midnight and have no clue how I am gonna reach home from there!
A friend’s wedding that I wouldn’t like to miss for anything makes me plan for a week long holiday, more than a month ago (I was actually searching for my tickets today evening for a good 15 mins before I discovered them :)… was impressed with myself! Holiday faces the threat of cancellation and the threat only gets confirmed when my first IPO gets scheduled to open bang in the middle of it. Loads of luck and some good people help to convert the one day break to a long weekend and I promise myself to be back on Monday in time for the issue to open.
Milestones in the week… After efforts in a maximum of 8 transactions at one point in time, disappointments of non-closure and sometimes disappointments of non-beginnings, at least one of my deals is getting closed this week. The delisting offer isn’t successful, but it marks the closure of my first deal with a public announcement in today’s newspapers and final formalities in the next couple of days.
First IPO getting launched… yes, I do wish the first one was not as a CBRLM, but then at least it was a start to reckon.
Have worked on all days this month… have had a good share of entertainment too… But sometimes I do wonder if I really like what I am doing… The same things that make me feel good make me feel that I can’t sustain this for a lifetime (well, I doubt if I can sustain anything for a lifetime!)
I sometimes do wish I could be the person I was 4 years ago… thinking back, it does seem like an eventful life but sometimes do think what if life had taken a different turn at those eventful times!
Wrote this on the flight a couple of days back, and got to post just now!
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Author: Raghini » Comments:
Midnight ramblings...
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
If the first work week of the year was any indication of how the year is gonna be, I would require a lot more energy and should learn to have a long distance relationship with my first love! But then I am happy at the end of the work I have done over the past few days and looking forward to the meeting tomorrow in Hyderabad. Seems like there would be a lot more to do when I return, but I didn’t want to let go of the opportunity tomorrow when I had put in so much effort.
Feels good to do some good work :)
Also, I am going to ISB tomorrow for ISec’s pre-placement talk – would be a different kinda ISB visit. I am gonna give the head of our investment banking team a grand tour of the place I am proud to have spent a year of my life.
Looking forward to tomorrow :)
I wish I could live with lesser sleep so that I can do a lot more… like, right now at 2 am, I am blogging when I have a flight to catch early morning… wish I could still have the energy to sustain for the next 2 days of scarce sleep. I wish I could be like all my colleagues who say 6 hours of sleep is enough for a sane day!
But then when was I ever sane :)
One of my good friends said this to me over the weekend… “we are amazed that you still have the energy and you just don’t give up”… this is not true for everything that I do, but one particular context we were discussing… this is one thing about myself that amazes me too! Feels good and hope everyone feels the same!
Just an eternal optimist :)
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Author: Raghini » Comments:
