All I want is a room somewhere,
Far away from the cold night air,
With one enormous chair,
Aww, wouldn't it be loverly?
Wouldn't happen to know anyone ready to rent a place out, would you guvnor?
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
The Upset Basket
As I sit here in my new office, contemplating the changes I made in the last few months, my memory stretched back to this blog, a one-time solace from the bewitched life I lead. Of course, those of you who actually still visit back to the blog ever-so-often truly deserve an honor most meritorious.
I'm tired of making excuses for lack of posts, and so none shall follow this time. Instead let me proceed to quickly summarize what's been going on in my life, and the series of events that have lead to this unexpected post.
1. In May this year I had the good fortune of visiting that great country across the Atlantic - the United States of America. Walking down the streets of New York after my busy day attending a microfinance conference, I felt as if I had accomplished what any young professional seeks - a comfortable, well-paying job, the appreciation of colleagues, the ability to walk down Wall Street in a business suit and accompanying laptop. Yet, I was conscious that perhaps I hadn't in fact achieved anything terribly significant. More importantly I hadn't the faintest idea of what my next move in life was going to be.
2. After returning to India, I decided to quit my job in Mumbai. I figured I needed to do something else with my work-life. While I had achieved much in my two years at my previous organization, there was an element of lethargy setting in. The work was becoming more mundane, my "learning curve" had plateaued now for some time. On a personal level, I was growing tired of Mumbai - the crowd, the noise, the pollution, the expensive lifestyle. I needed something more meaningful.
3. So in August I took off on an indefinite sabbatical. I hoped the following few months would allow me to recharge, to look for the right job, and to re-connect to family and friends.
4. After wandering the globe through September and October, I started work at a social business incubator in Chennai three weeks ago. The new life promised to be exciting.
5. ....not so much, though. Its been difficult finding a place to stay (more on that later), I'm a little disoriented at work, and have much planning to do. I have a little too much traveling lined up for my first month here and that's making the "settling in" a little difficult. The rains are making things terrible, and I have the occasional Mumbai withdrawal pangs.
In short, I feel like I need a break....all over again :) Is it possible that I suffer from some sort of psychological problem that doesn't allow me to see things simply for what they are - merely a combination of events beyond my control, yet perfectly normal? Rather than Oh-my-gosh-what-the-#(%@ acts of connivance?
Not the "I feel so much at home in Chennai" experience I was hoping for. Hopefully these set of emotions are just part of settling in to a new place. Sigh.
I'm tired of making excuses for lack of posts, and so none shall follow this time. Instead let me proceed to quickly summarize what's been going on in my life, and the series of events that have lead to this unexpected post.
1. In May this year I had the good fortune of visiting that great country across the Atlantic - the United States of America. Walking down the streets of New York after my busy day attending a microfinance conference, I felt as if I had accomplished what any young professional seeks - a comfortable, well-paying job, the appreciation of colleagues, the ability to walk down Wall Street in a business suit and accompanying laptop. Yet, I was conscious that perhaps I hadn't in fact achieved anything terribly significant. More importantly I hadn't the faintest idea of what my next move in life was going to be.
2. After returning to India, I decided to quit my job in Mumbai. I figured I needed to do something else with my work-life. While I had achieved much in my two years at my previous organization, there was an element of lethargy setting in. The work was becoming more mundane, my "learning curve" had plateaued now for some time. On a personal level, I was growing tired of Mumbai - the crowd, the noise, the pollution, the expensive lifestyle. I needed something more meaningful.
3. So in August I took off on an indefinite sabbatical. I hoped the following few months would allow me to recharge, to look for the right job, and to re-connect to family and friends.
4. After wandering the globe through September and October, I started work at a social business incubator in Chennai three weeks ago. The new life promised to be exciting.
5. ....not so much, though. Its been difficult finding a place to stay (more on that later), I'm a little disoriented at work, and have much planning to do. I have a little too much traveling lined up for my first month here and that's making the "settling in" a little difficult. The rains are making things terrible, and I have the occasional Mumbai withdrawal pangs.
In short, I feel like I need a break....all over again :) Is it possible that I suffer from some sort of psychological problem that doesn't allow me to see things simply for what they are - merely a combination of events beyond my control, yet perfectly normal? Rather than Oh-my-gosh-what-the-#(%@ acts of connivance?
Not the "I feel so much at home in Chennai" experience I was hoping for. Hopefully these set of emotions are just part of settling in to a new place. Sigh.
Friday, March 20, 2009
New phone
I just bought myself a fairly expensive phone. The Nokia E71. I'm sending this post from my mobile. It's dangerous what plastic money makes you do. Ah well... We're all headed the American way anyway. I might as well be ahead of the technology curve for once.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Random Thoughts... at 630 AM
Just a few minutes ago I woke up to the sound of my bathroom tank overflowing. And not just by a trickle, but quite a flood. Normally by this stage of the overflow the pesky Goan landlady (and the building association's to-be former secretary), Mrs. Rodrigues from downstairs, will be banging at my door screaming her lungs out "What man? Can't you be careful? You youngsters are such specimens, I tell you. Drinking and sleeping with women before marriage. 1000 rupees fine only I'm charging you." But this morning was different. There was no apologetic, just-out-of-bed me standing at the door (in my boxers) trying to placate the woman. You see, Mrs. R has been summarily dismissed from her post as building secretary by an Association-wide revolt lead by another pesky Goan woman, Mrs. D'Souza (of the third floor). This seems to have brought much relief to most of the Usual Suspects - the single men on the 6th and 7th floor, the sole Muslim family in a building full of Macs, the chorus of guards, sweepers and whatnots we have to take care of the area. Let's see how long the peace lasts.
Anyway...much as I tried falling back to sleep, I couldn't. My thoughts lead back to the days when being up and about at 630 AM was normal. When I knew what the world outside looked like before the sun actually came out over the horizon. When I would head the chitter-chatter of birds, and not the cawing of a crow.
That was back in the 1990s. I wonder how on earth I ever managed to wake up so early all those years. I wonder how on earth my wiry frame allowed me to carry those frickin heavy bags. I wonder how on earth I traveled 12 kms each day on crowded, humid Tamil Nadu buses (with accompanying moustachioed men and oil-drenched, jasmine-haired women).
Today, I'm only up at 630 if Mrs. R is at the door. And the most I can put up with is a 10 minute bus ride. Oh woe is stuck-up, I-will-only-take-autos me.
School was such a different ball game altogether. I used to think that dealing with cranky teachers, and Hindi classes were a nightmare. Ha. Have you tried the annoying colleague, or Microsoft Excel? I used to think that my weekly allowance of Rs. 50 (to cover bus fare, emergencey stationary needs, and snacks) was difficult to manage. Have you tried a five-figure salary, with three bank accounts, and one credit card? Not to mention filing tax.
Yesterday evening a friend of mine shared photographs taken at the recent wedding of a classmate from school. This classmate dated for five years, had the traditional church wedding and the traditonal reception (with biryani of course!). In those photographs were people I hadn't seen in years -- the girl in class that every guy had a crush on, bubbly JenPen (who once sat on a freshly-painted see-saw and had her bum-length hair turn green); an assortment of the class nerds who will soon be neurosurgeons, cardiologists, and so on. And then there was my high-school sweetheart.....with her fiance.
Recently a lot of my friends, classmates, former colleagues have announced their nuptuals. All of it is beginning to make me wonder if this (seemingly) fast-paced, career-oriented life I lead is anti-thesis to human practice. I'm sure it isn't, but you can't help wonder, can you? Especially when somone you've shared a close relationship with is engaged. Words of cyber-wisdom anyone?
I guess this is what happens when you let your mind wander at 630 AM. Better make sure I secure the tank faucet tonight.
Anyway...much as I tried falling back to sleep, I couldn't. My thoughts lead back to the days when being up and about at 630 AM was normal. When I knew what the world outside looked like before the sun actually came out over the horizon. When I would head the chitter-chatter of birds, and not the cawing of a crow.
That was back in the 1990s. I wonder how on earth I ever managed to wake up so early all those years. I wonder how on earth my wiry frame allowed me to carry those frickin heavy bags. I wonder how on earth I traveled 12 kms each day on crowded, humid Tamil Nadu buses (with accompanying moustachioed men and oil-drenched, jasmine-haired women).
Today, I'm only up at 630 if Mrs. R is at the door. And the most I can put up with is a 10 minute bus ride. Oh woe is stuck-up, I-will-only-take-autos me.
School was such a different ball game altogether. I used to think that dealing with cranky teachers, and Hindi classes were a nightmare. Ha. Have you tried the annoying colleague, or Microsoft Excel? I used to think that my weekly allowance of Rs. 50 (to cover bus fare, emergencey stationary needs, and snacks) was difficult to manage. Have you tried a five-figure salary, with three bank accounts, and one credit card? Not to mention filing tax.
Yesterday evening a friend of mine shared photographs taken at the recent wedding of a classmate from school. This classmate dated for five years, had the traditional church wedding and the traditonal reception (with biryani of course!). In those photographs were people I hadn't seen in years -- the girl in class that every guy had a crush on, bubbly JenPen (who once sat on a freshly-painted see-saw and had her bum-length hair turn green); an assortment of the class nerds who will soon be neurosurgeons, cardiologists, and so on. And then there was my high-school sweetheart.....with her fiance.
Recently a lot of my friends, classmates, former colleagues have announced their nuptuals. All of it is beginning to make me wonder if this (seemingly) fast-paced, career-oriented life I lead is anti-thesis to human practice. I'm sure it isn't, but you can't help wonder, can you? Especially when somone you've shared a close relationship with is engaged. Words of cyber-wisdom anyone?
I guess this is what happens when you let your mind wander at 630 AM. Better make sure I secure the tank faucet tonight.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
To be resolute or not.. that is the question
Hello again,
How are you doing in this New Year? Three weeks into the New Year, and I know people who've already broken their resolutions, made new ones afresh, and some who are contemplating making them before the end of January. A few years ago, I decided never to even try subjecting myself to some notion of discipline, when clearly I lack the will to keep the one's I truly must. Like for instance, in 2008 I had this master plan to get fit. You know the plan - gym regularly, lose some belly fat, add some muscle, generally eat healthy and all that jazz. Ha. If I couldn't actually count the number of days I worked out I'd feel less guilty about my gym membership. After a relatively successful January and February, somewhere along the way I fell prey to work-related travel, a slightly over bearing instructor, a very comfortable bed, and general laziness. And as if laughing all the way to the bank weren't enough, V3 Fitness Commune (yes, yes, sounds a tad shady, doesn't it), actually sends me a reminder that my membership is about to expire in a week's time, and has once again generously offered me the opportunity to get a 50% discount on my annual membership. Not this time you blood suckers, not this time.
Last night, I was asked by my dear friend S, "So tell me, despite having visited 3 countries in 2008, why is your blog still empty? When are you going to update your blog? Why are you so lazy? Useless." Of course, I had no real answer to these questions. None that would stand the test of legitimacy by her standards anyway. And since she was busy preparing the chicken I would eat for dinner, I decided this was the best time to escape the eventual whack with the spatula.
On a more serious note though, despite what came off my gymming (and my blog), 2008 was quite an eventuful year. I got a raise (always a good thing), I was Best Man at a friend's wedding (doesn't happen every year does, it?), I learned to cook a little bit (and not just Maggie or MTR Ready-to-eat), I started on an actual plan to save some money (and managed to save a fair bit), and I did more traveling than ever before - Goa, Pune, Hyderabad, Delhi, Matheran, Devbagh, Jalna, Cochin, Doha, Nairobi, Rome, and 3 trips home to good 'ol Vellore.
I hope the year ahead is filled with lots of goodness for all of you out there. Meanwhile, I'm heading off to rummage for some food. More about my travels in upcoming posts.
Till then...
How are you doing in this New Year? Three weeks into the New Year, and I know people who've already broken their resolutions, made new ones afresh, and some who are contemplating making them before the end of January. A few years ago, I decided never to even try subjecting myself to some notion of discipline, when clearly I lack the will to keep the one's I truly must. Like for instance, in 2008 I had this master plan to get fit. You know the plan - gym regularly, lose some belly fat, add some muscle, generally eat healthy and all that jazz. Ha. If I couldn't actually count the number of days I worked out I'd feel less guilty about my gym membership. After a relatively successful January and February, somewhere along the way I fell prey to work-related travel, a slightly over bearing instructor, a very comfortable bed, and general laziness. And as if laughing all the way to the bank weren't enough, V3 Fitness Commune (yes, yes, sounds a tad shady, doesn't it), actually sends me a reminder that my membership is about to expire in a week's time, and has once again generously offered me the opportunity to get a 50% discount on my annual membership. Not this time you blood suckers, not this time.
Last night, I was asked by my dear friend S, "So tell me, despite having visited 3 countries in 2008, why is your blog still empty? When are you going to update your blog? Why are you so lazy? Useless." Of course, I had no real answer to these questions. None that would stand the test of legitimacy by her standards anyway. And since she was busy preparing the chicken I would eat for dinner, I decided this was the best time to escape the eventual whack with the spatula.
On a more serious note though, despite what came off my gymming (and my blog), 2008 was quite an eventuful year. I got a raise (always a good thing), I was Best Man at a friend's wedding (doesn't happen every year does, it?), I learned to cook a little bit (and not just Maggie or MTR Ready-to-eat), I started on an actual plan to save some money (and managed to save a fair bit), and I did more traveling than ever before - Goa, Pune, Hyderabad, Delhi, Matheran, Devbagh, Jalna, Cochin, Doha, Nairobi, Rome, and 3 trips home to good 'ol Vellore.
I hope the year ahead is filled with lots of goodness for all of you out there. Meanwhile, I'm heading off to rummage for some food. More about my travels in upcoming posts.
Till then...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)