The Tale of AUDIs and BMWs

When I was in Jaipur doing my graduation, I always thought of Honda City as my dream car with the Audis and the BMWs were to be seen and to be adored only on Google images. That time it was a status symbol to have a Honda City and was a rare species to be found. Then I moved to my post graduation and the dream status symbol also shifted its axis from Honda City to Honda Civic. Here again the BMWs and the Audis were only to be seen on Google Images. It looked like future was in the womb of the Mother Nature and I was not able to see it.

So I have completed my post grad and have moved to a city which carries a name tag of “village” with its name however, is in no sense one. Yes it is Gur-“GAON” and I feel that it is one of the most advanced cities of the country. I said this because when I drive from my residence to my office, I see a lot of Audis and BMWs on my way apart from a large number of Skodas and Toyotas and Hondas. At times, these premium cars can be seen in the form of taxis as well.

However as far as my status goes, I was driving a Hero Honda Splendor plus then and I am driving the same vehicle now as well. The only change that has happened is that now these cars can be seen on the road and I don’t need to access Google images to see them.

dukhi man ki dastan

Days are spinning at the speed of the wheels of a Ferrari. I feel like it was yesterday when I was in college, living a free life without any burdens and pressure, free to play, sleep, enjoy, eat, and do the thing which we were very good at – “bhasad”. But then when I open my eyes in reality, I find myself in the fast moving corporate world. Yes….it has been 2 months since I entered this world and I don’t want to get out of the college mode, but ye zaalim duniyaaa....

It has been a bumpy ride so far - full of excitement, a little bit of fear, nervousness, tension and many other unknown and unnoticed emotions. At times I feel I have understood my work and just a moment after that I feel I am still at the basement of the learning pyramid.

Off late, I have made some friends out here but have distorted a few newly made friendships well due to reasons beyond my understanding. Yet have not been able to gain the confidence of my boss. The schedule of the day however remains erratic. Sometimes I am extremely busy but at the end of the day when I analyze what I have done that day, I find nothing substantial. And at other times I am genuinely free.

That’s why I say the days are spinning like the wheels of Ferrari however unlike Schumacher driving it to the chequered flag, the fuel of my Ferrari is wasted fruitlessly.

Prized Asset

It has been 7 days since my “first” “Corporate date” commenced and here I am staring at another of my “first”, a prized asset that I will treasure throughout my entire life. The first seven days have been more of dull and no work types, yet exciting in some sense. The post lunch times have been so sleepy that I have to spend more time in the washroom washing my face or the cafeteria than on my seat.

Yeah, I was talking about the “prized asset”. Hmmm. So yesterday the accounts person approached me with this asset in his hand and it looked like he was holding garland in his hands with a light violin music playing all around, all set and ready to hand me over this asset and thus welcoming me to a different class all together.

And me, I was very happy. Though my hands were shivering and I had a feeling which I can’t explain because I don’t remember how I felt at that moment. From that I could gather, I was like the king who has captured the last state remaining in the world and is now crowned as the king of the world. Ohh that feeling enthralls me and I feel like sitting in the seventh heaven. I devoted this one to my parents, God and teachers and all my friends who made me capable to have achieved this feat.

Yes that was the thing that everybody desires and dreams of while he is studying laboriously in the most exciting period of his life. It is a priceless possession for me (more precious than Sachin Tendulkar’s bat with which he hit 200* or the Queen Elizabeth’s ring or the Kohinoor diamond itself) and I wish to keep it as a memoir, but I will have to take it to the bank, no choices :). I guess by this time you must have guessed it. It is my first salary cheque.

P.S. - Those dating (corporate date) for the first time will understand me better.

My first CORPORATE DATE.....direct from office

My work has ended already and thus starts the herculean task of passing time before I can leave….its not that I don’t like being here, but the very fact that everyone is very busy (its financial year closing time here) and thus they are unable to allot any wok to us and thus we are totally free but bound to the clutches of the office walls and discipline…

I started my first “corporate date” just 4 days ago and already passing time has become an issue…well the first day was classic in its own sense…we were two joinees and we reached office before time at 9:15 AM and thus paid the price of waiting for some extra time…we had to wait for an hour or so before some came to brief us…she briefed us for half an hour and then left us on our fate before one of our seniors bumped into us and introduced us to the entire staff….some time passed…

Everyone questioned our date of joining and said that we should have joined after 1st April only…but some said its good that u have joined now….this period of 6-7 days can be your “honeymoon period”…no work…no one to monitor u….just enjoy and relax….there was one more question which was directed towards us by almost everyone and this was “which team u are allotted in?” and we had no answer to that…

So after meeting the entire staff, we went on to have our lunch and for that we went to the food court downstairs and that helped the clock to tick fast for us…when we came back, the lady that briefed us in the morning caught us again and then we were allotted to teams and (un)fortunately I am in the team of a person who makes everyone work very hard…

Then I was shown my seat and given some documents to read…..now starts the fun…post lunch time and some uninteresting docs to read….no prizes to be given to judge what happens next…I find myself sleeping in the office…..so I went to the cafeteria to have some coffee and found one of my colleague there and did some chit chat with him….he said pass ur time till 4 yaar then IPL will start, so come to cafeteria and watch the match…

So this is how I spent my first day in office….
The next two days went relatively cooler for me…since I was given some work to do and this kept me busy and I got some learning too….nevertheless we will have to find ways to pass time till at least 1st April (closing ends and new financial year begins)…

Do I really deserve this degree??? I guess not !!!

So here I am.....an MBA i.e. Master of Business hmmm something...(lemme google this to find out) Google - MBA's biggest friend apart from his laptop, movies, sitcoms, serials, live sports and sleepless nights ( I m not forgetting the unforgettable and great friends that I made here....friends here include living human beings)

Someone asked me the biggest take away from these two years.....without giving a second thought I said - HOSTEL LIFE...yeah...its true.....not any knowledge,....not the degree...not even my job....I'll say the hostel life as my biggest take away from these two years.....this was my first time and hence not only did I enjoyed a lot but I also got to learn a whole lot of things which can't be described in words.

If somebody has to ask me what I did during these two years, my answer would be that I became a pro in "seep" (game of cards) and contributed in making many more the same. Apart from this, I learnt to play volley ball, then tennis and then started playing TT after a very long time. Enough of sports,...hmm....I watched movies (Hindi movies for a change...thanks to my roomie), series, sitcoms and documentaries. And if there was some time left....did some assignments and studies (just for a few hours during the exams)

So looking at this, no body will agree to the question that "Do I really deserve this Degree???" and now when I have the time to retrospect and introspect, I also feel the same....It looks like I have wasted a couple of years of my life enjoying....but still i am happy since I can't...in no way...can get these two years of my life back....

Those sleepness nights during the exams..trying to do the last minute studies...trying to gauge the paper by looking at the last years' papers...dividing the chapters and then combined studies (even if the no. of chapters were very less)...Those superb cut copy paste assignmnets that we did and submitted in pdf format to avoid getting the plagiarism check or spending time to change the language (just a word here or there to get a less % of plagiarism)....The allegations that i have done the entire project and u have done nothing.....the delegation of work.....u do this..u do this...u get the print out.....and I will present.....and then fights...no i will not do this....i did this last time.....just like small kids.....

Fighting for seats in the quizzes....cursing the teacher for not letting us cheat or changing the seat at the last moment....of for taking a quiz in the class in which we were absent......and many a times (almost every time) cursing him/her for taking a quiz in the first place,.....

Then how can we forget the parties...the late night Traditional MDI parties....especially the farewell party for the seniors....that was awesome....everyone at his/HER best.....then comes the awesome mess....don't have words to express here..so no comments......

To all my friends who made these two years unforgettable...thanks...thanks a lot...I love u all....very much....I can't and will never ever forget these happy moments.....
........THOSE WERE THE BEST DAYS OF MY LIFE.........

What to write???

Well I was thinking to pen my thoughts this time on the awesome last night that we spent in MDI...but something happened today which swerved my thoughts....

Its none other than the great little master blaster...I don't know what adjectives to put behind his name since each one would demean his stature...Some how I feel lucky to have watched the entire match on television, though I envy people in Gwalior who got the opportunity to watch it live in front of them...I assume all those people who have missed the match, have missed a treasureable moment of their lifetime....

Great great innings....though i liked the entire innings but the way he played post his century, he reminded of the old Sachin, the sachin of 90s..i don't have words and enough space to explicitly tell the greatness of the innings and hence i will save myself from the pain of doing the same...

This was the only record that was untouched by the great man which was true to his caliber.. and yet another step towards CENTURY OF CENTURIES....keep going man....

Kudos to others as well especially Kartik who played a superb innings and to Pathan and Dhoni as well....Ohh this reminds me of the powerful shots hit by him and then Ravi Shastri's comment on that - "Everyone has to keep an eye on the ball, even if he is a spectator"...

Lets c how our bowlers perform...since we can't forget the fact that it was the same South African team which defeated the undefeatable champions, the Aussies, by making 434....

Here is a list of comments on fb....

1) To all those critics who ever doubted SAchin's capability to score at this age:

2) There should be a wine by the name of "Sachin"; gets better with Age and makes everyone die for one glimpse of his performance !!! Cheers !!

3) Today i saw God playing with mortals.....it was ecstacy.....thought about one dialogue from the movie trainspotting.."think about the best orgasm u ever had, multiply it by 1000 times n still u can't beat this shit" perchance same i can say today.....:)

4) To Sachin, who made a difference, who made me his fan, who gave me something to cheer, To you sachin - I bow to thee

5) d moment u think that v hav seen ol d great innings of tendulkar.. d vry next moment he proves u wrong...hats off....

6) sachin 200 ... i think that purpose of my life is fulfilled .. :) :)

7) There is nothing enthralling about it. He was the only one who deserved it...He got it..off course without a runner..:) It is my fortune to see every ball of that inning.

8) For the first time in my life, I envy people in Gwalior...they got the opportunity to witness the great man playing an AWESOME innings....well done...he truly deserved yet another record.....

9) speechless n splendid 200..thanks sachin..

10) i am witnessing God today..:)...am blessed..:)..

and many more.....

Not a perfect ending to the MBA course

Everyone was so happy before something very evil came up in the last two days....though a little sad that the course is ending and then everyone will go back to their busy lives after an awesome couple of years spent here....lemme tell you firstly that we did everything here in these two years except for studying and fortunately got a job as well...

This is exam time and most of us are even done with theirs but unfortunate me has one more to go tomorrow morning...but nobody is getting even a slightest of the feeling that the exams are going on...we are playing TT, cards, involving in hours of something very important of these 2 years of life, "bhasad"...(please note that the "WE" here in the start of the sentence does not involve the regular "Ghissus" which are still "Ghissing, ghissing and ghissing")..so everyone is trying to enjoy in the most awesome way they can think of....

But some events unfolded today and yesterday that has not only disturbed many of us...but has made me think again and again that it is the era of "Ghor Kalyug" for sure...

Well everyone wants to forget that issue and so do we...and therefore we were playing cards...we took a tea break of 10 min and thats when I got the time to write this...the team has arrived on the mecca (my room was rebranded as "MECCA" of cards {seep in particular}) and hence I should bid bbye and get back to playing....this round will go for another couple of hours before we sleep.....I am in no mood of giving the last exam which is scheduled tomorrow at 10:00AM.....but poor me..have to go to write the exams....more later...its cards time first

Not the end I expected to the D-day

Kids........way back in Sep 2008, something happened which was repeated in a similar fashion yesterday. 3rd Feb, a day in my life that I will never forget. Lemme xplain how....

One thing which every student of a college wants is a satisfactory job with good profile and handsome package in a great company. But my preferences were somewhat different. I wanted a job which could offer me a handsome salary, in a reputed organization and then yeah...some known and reasonably well profile (the three points mentioned do have a priority order)

So I jumped into the war which was more intense than the freedom struggle (looking at the way some of my DEAR friends behaved during the GDs that we had). I had a few processes scheduled for the day and my friends had lot of confidence that I'll get placed easily in these companies on the day zero.

But I was tensed and this led me down in a couple of processes. When I came out of this fear and agony, I had only two important and one ok-ok types company in my hand. So I went for the GD of the ok-ok types and trust me giving that the name of a GD will be a sin. It was scheduled for 10 min and I was forced to keep quiet for 9 minutes. Then I spoke a point and then was asked to summarize by the moderator. So this was more of a war since there were persons (though i DESPERATELY want to name them, but ETHICALLY i shouldn't) who had just one thing in mind - they had to speak and speak and speak and not let others do this one thing which I believe everyone was good at, obviously except me (am i getting modest here??? I guess not !!!)

So being eliminated from here, I had to rush to the process of the company which I wanted to join at any cost (note that I haven't used the word DESPERATELY and this was intentional). But the GD had already started there and I just got 2 mins to read the case as against 5-7 mins taken by others. Well not to blame neone here, the discussion started and I spoke decently well since I analysed it decently well and surprisingly I cleared the GD.

Now comes the most interesting part of the entire day: tussle between the last company's(Comp A) PI and the new company (comp B) which just came to campus. Comp B takes interviews and leaves the campus in a short time and does not wait for neone. Comp A is taking 30 mins interviews. In the interview list, I was 7th or 8th for A, but suddenly the order changed and I was neither called for A nor for B. So, after a long wait, i was called for A and then I made some "jugad" to go to B first and give the interview. So I reached company B and the interview started:

I: Gold medalist..hmmm Tell me different layers in road

Me: there are 3 layers

I: there are 6. tell me 6

Me: Don't know

I: tell me difference between Bitumin 50 and Bitumin 500

Me: don't know

I: tell me different types of footings

Me: Column, Isolated, stepped,......mmmmm......

I: ye to koi bachcha bhi bata de,...tum to CIVIL Engg aur GOLD MEDALIST ho....aur batao

Me: Don't know

(Thinking in mind - what profile is he hiring for - something related to construction????----doubtful...)

I: What do we do

Me: Told

I: how do we do this

Me: Don't know

I: why do you want to join us

Me: Don't know...just looking at a different kind of profile and faff

I: some technical questions

Me; toote foote answers with lots of don't knows in between

I: do u have any locational constraints

(Shocked by this question - since the interview was comparatively pathetic but they asked this question,,,,in excitement i said no, i can work anywhere)

I: thanks, we will let u know

So the person handling the company goes in and tells more abt my candidature but the company calls in next candidate and my chances of getting thru get blurred

So I move to comp A where I was the last one to enter the interview process and

I: so ankit, u r late again

Me: (smile....nothing else that i can do)sorry sir

I: some technical questions

Me: Some technical very satisfactory answers......by far the best interview I had ever

But the company had already taken "n" (they came with a mindset of "n-1") and they can't take more. So i was disappointed and heartbroken. Everyone was with me consoling that Ok, u'll get placed tomorrow ......no issues....but human behavior- "It hurts more when ur friends are placed and u r not"...so I was in extreme pain...

I went to my room, changed, cried (not literally but figuratively) for 15 20 mins and then went back downstairs. After another 20 mins or so, came a phone call which completely changed my life. The person was my roomie and he said that u r thru in comp B. Ohh my dear lord.....this was the last thing that i expected to come to me......thank god...i rushed to confirm and then a huge huge sigh of relief towards the end of the day........

Then my T-shirt was torn and got my ass kicked (the most hardest of my stay here) but I was elated and was feeling no pain.....I finally got a job...but was not sure of the PACKAGE and less importantly profile they offered....so I asked someone and then was extremely joyful to hear that both these things were way above par.....

So overall the day ended in an exciting and thrilling way for me...

So kids...never lose hope because it ain't over till its over......chillax njoii

The Barrier

This new year eve, I crossed the one barrier of my life which i never even in wildest of my dreams thought would cross.
For the last one and half years, I got ample of opportunities of breaking "the barrier" but fortunately for me I was successful in not doing the same. Parties came and went but I was weak enough to not to try and cross "the Barrier". But I don't what happened this time that made me gather so much courage to cross it.
Let bygones be bygones. But I don't know how to react. Whether to feel ecstatic about it or to think that this was a pathetic thing to do.
The story goes in flash back. Way back in history, on Jan 1 2010, the new year party and I committed this blunder of crossing "the Barrier". It was in this party that I agreed, I don't why, to go for it. The entire world seemed to ask me the question "why the hell are you not going for it"???
So..... I did it.
But afterwards when all my friends knew that I did it, some of them asked me to repeat it. But I told them the truth of life. "There is a quantum of rules in everyone's life. The width of this Quantum decreases as we move along in our lives. But the reduction is very slow. I have reduced the one here and the next reduction will be after a long time and hence I will not repeat it"
I don't remember how many times I said this statement. But according to many of friends I said it quite a lot of times. This was the Vodka effect.
Yes, I drank one complete peg of VODKA. Oh my god I crossed "The Barrier". Now the question is when will be the next reduction in the quantum. I hope it doesn't come soon.