Kolkata is probably one of the better places in India to celebrate christmas. In fact I've been recently told that Kol is one of the best 3 places for Christmas. The other two being the North East and Goa.
Anyway ushered in Christmas with Parul, Parnil, Neha, Sandy, Jeevesh and Raja and loads of Christmas cake and pudding courtesy yours truly and some wine courtesy Raja.
Christmas also brought in a christmas miracle in the form of some work which I managed to pull off courtesy some special people. Thank god for friends.
Ended christmas night with dinner at Taza's before singing christmas carols (felt most amazing) and heading to church which I visited twice in the day.
Christmas was lovely. Now hoping for a lovelier New year.
Luv,
PR
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
My wonderful Christmas
Monday, December 22, 2008
Tunnel vision
A freak cricket accident lead to me getting tunnel vision in my right eye, which is basically not being able to see anything in my periphary, more specifically my right side.
But truly speaking tunnel vision has happened to me quite recently. I've been so focussed on me and my life that I've quite forgotten everyone around me. I've lately been forgetting to call my parents. My friends are tracking my life through my blog and my nephew by now must've forgotten me.
My new year resolution is to get back in touch with all my friends. There is too much happiness in life to limit myself to my own life, my own problems and my own selfishness. Just read an IIMK junior's blog on praying for others. Don't seem to be doing that lately.
There's not much I can do about my physical tunnel vision but the mental tunnel vision stops right now.
Metaphorically and categorically,
Luv,
Pranay
But truly speaking tunnel vision has happened to me quite recently. I've been so focussed on me and my life that I've quite forgotten everyone around me. I've lately been forgetting to call my parents. My friends are tracking my life through my blog and my nephew by now must've forgotten me.
My new year resolution is to get back in touch with all my friends. There is too much happiness in life to limit myself to my own life, my own problems and my own selfishness. Just read an IIMK junior's blog on praying for others. Don't seem to be doing that lately.
There's not much I can do about my physical tunnel vision but the mental tunnel vision stops right now.
Metaphorically and categorically,
Luv,
Pranay
Sunday, December 21, 2008
'The longest week' or 'What's happening around me'
Tuesday night was impromptu Chaat night at Neha - Sandy's which extended late into the night, which was not a good idea considering an early morning flight. Have lately not been able to sleep so atayed awake till morning, thinking I'll catch up the next day which thanks to some work to do ended at 3 am.
24 Hours 0 hours sleep
Last trip to Hyderabad led to me doing something I never thought I'd ever do and definitely not at 27. This trip led to another (hopefully) once in a life experience.
Our meeting ended in time for us (me and 3 bosses) heading back to Kolkata.
The first funny part happened when some placement consultant decided to give me a call right in the middle of the trip back to the airport. It's actually quite hillarious but not describeable in public. Which also proves my point that you get the maximum job calls when you are least thinking of leaving and vice versa.
Anyway we reached the airport, gorged down a biryani and bought the tipping point. See most of the day had been punctuated with simple things being messed up, though the final presentation went off perfect.
48 hours 3 hours sleep
So I thought the worst was over and went off to sleep when the pilot announced something about the descent to Kol and then 5 mins later anounces that visibility is low so we're heading back to....
Now think of all possible locations a flight from Hyd to Kol can head to due to bad visibility
...Shamshabad airport (Hyderabad). I realized that this was just my bad day and I promptly went back to sleep and got up at Hyd.
We were supposed to rush back to a meeting in Kol the next morning so tried charming/persuading/bluffing our way into some early morning flight before we realized the futility and headed to the hotel which Kingfisher (must commend them for their amazing handling of the situation) put us up at. We reached around 2:00. Dropped to sleep at 2:30 and suddenly were woken up at 3:40 by a lady telling us to get ready by 4:00 because the flight was to leave at 5:00.
66 Hours 4 hour sleep
We reached the airport(40 kms from the hotel) by 5 and grabbed breakfast at the lounge before we headed out back to Kolkata where we headed back to office which I thought I'd leave early but that never happened so that I went to sleep finally at night which meant I had 4 hours of proper sleep in 66 hours
I did make up for it by sleeping through Saturday morning before heading to office. From where Lal and I decided to head to Big Ben where believe it or not the kitchen caught fire. Being nice people that we are we headed back into the smoke filled room to pay for drinks and the game of pool in which I won :) before heading to Tina/Parul's where we ushered in Lal's birthday with two chocolate pastries. I thought that I messed up by not getting a cake in time, but frankly found the cake cutting with two pastries much more personal.
BTW also managed to buy myself a PSP 3004 in between, which must've been the most expensive impulsive purchase I've made. Actually that would be the home theatre in Mumbai. The PSP is most wonderful and had me awake late in the night, which meant I missed church in the morning.
Anyway evening is planned out with as a treat by Sam Lal which begins with Madagascar and ends with dinner. With my life lately, god knows what exciting thing is going to happen.
Never a dull moment,
Luv,
P.R.
24 Hours 0 hours sleep
Last trip to Hyderabad led to me doing something I never thought I'd ever do and definitely not at 27. This trip led to another (hopefully) once in a life experience.
Our meeting ended in time for us (me and 3 bosses) heading back to Kolkata.
The first funny part happened when some placement consultant decided to give me a call right in the middle of the trip back to the airport. It's actually quite hillarious but not describeable in public. Which also proves my point that you get the maximum job calls when you are least thinking of leaving and vice versa.
Anyway we reached the airport, gorged down a biryani and bought the tipping point. See most of the day had been punctuated with simple things being messed up, though the final presentation went off perfect.
48 hours 3 hours sleep
So I thought the worst was over and went off to sleep when the pilot announced something about the descent to Kol and then 5 mins later anounces that visibility is low so we're heading back to....
Now think of all possible locations a flight from Hyd to Kol can head to due to bad visibility
...Shamshabad airport (Hyderabad). I realized that this was just my bad day and I promptly went back to sleep and got up at Hyd.
We were supposed to rush back to a meeting in Kol the next morning so tried charming/persuading/bluffing our way into some early morning flight before we realized the futility and headed to the hotel which Kingfisher (must commend them for their amazing handling of the situation) put us up at. We reached around 2:00. Dropped to sleep at 2:30 and suddenly were woken up at 3:40 by a lady telling us to get ready by 4:00 because the flight was to leave at 5:00.
66 Hours 4 hour sleep
We reached the airport(40 kms from the hotel) by 5 and grabbed breakfast at the lounge before we headed out back to Kolkata where we headed back to office which I thought I'd leave early but that never happened so that I went to sleep finally at night which meant I had 4 hours of proper sleep in 66 hours
I did make up for it by sleeping through Saturday morning before heading to office. From where Lal and I decided to head to Big Ben where believe it or not the kitchen caught fire. Being nice people that we are we headed back into the smoke filled room to pay for drinks and the game of pool in which I won :) before heading to Tina/Parul's where we ushered in Lal's birthday with two chocolate pastries. I thought that I messed up by not getting a cake in time, but frankly found the cake cutting with two pastries much more personal.
BTW also managed to buy myself a PSP 3004 in between, which must've been the most expensive impulsive purchase I've made. Actually that would be the home theatre in Mumbai. The PSP is most wonderful and had me awake late in the night, which meant I missed church in the morning.
Anyway evening is planned out with as a treat by Sam Lal which begins with Madagascar and ends with dinner. With my life lately, god knows what exciting thing is going to happen.
Never a dull moment,
Luv,
P.R.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Life in an ideal world
I'd wake up in the morning and the sun would rise. I'd slip into my slippers placed right where I keep my feet down. I'd then pick up my phone and wish a good morning to that special some one before heading to the gym where I would work out just the muscles that I enjoy with zero lower body exercises required. I'd then step into this just right temperature shower and head out to my office where my boss would appreciate me for the wonderful work I've done.
I'd breeze through the day with a lunch break where I would be served warm croissants with amazing pasta. I'd work till 6 o clock and then head out to my french/music/kickboxing class. On the odd chance that someone would want me to work late, I'd turn to them and say 'Itna paisa mein itnaich milenga :)'.
After my class I'd head home and eat my dinner before spending some quality phone time with near and dear ones before tucking myself into my room with this lovely autobiography of some revolutionary leader before turning off my bed side lamp and slipping into deep sleep.
Yours Ideally,
Pranay Rao
I'd breeze through the day with a lunch break where I would be served warm croissants with amazing pasta. I'd work till 6 o clock and then head out to my french/music/kickboxing class. On the odd chance that someone would want me to work late, I'd turn to them and say 'Itna paisa mein itnaich milenga :)'.
After my class I'd head home and eat my dinner before spending some quality phone time with near and dear ones before tucking myself into my room with this lovely autobiography of some revolutionary leader before turning off my bed side lamp and slipping into deep sleep.
Yours Ideally,
Pranay Rao
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
I am what I dream
I want to live a thousand dreams,
I want to set the sun on fire.
I want to reach out to the sky,
reach the point where I can't go no higher.
I know my life is mine to live,
I can become what I aspire.
I have my faith my trust in god,
which helps me attain what I desire.
Life has been a wonderful roller coaster ride,
With more highs than lows.
What will come tomorrow,
Is something I will never know.
My dreams are my oxygen,
the only thing that keeps me alive.
They help me face the really bad days,
In adversity they help me thrive.
I know my dream shall help me prosper,
I know my dreams shall set me apart.
You can never put me down,
As long as I have a dream in my heart.
- Pranay Rao
I want to set the sun on fire.
I want to reach out to the sky,
reach the point where I can't go no higher.
I know my life is mine to live,
I can become what I aspire.
I have my faith my trust in god,
which helps me attain what I desire.
Life has been a wonderful roller coaster ride,
With more highs than lows.
What will come tomorrow,
Is something I will never know.
My dreams are my oxygen,
the only thing that keeps me alive.
They help me face the really bad days,
In adversity they help me thrive.
I know my dream shall help me prosper,
I know my dreams shall set me apart.
You can never put me down,
As long as I have a dream in my heart.
- Pranay Rao
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Living an evolved dream
Just think about it. What as a child did you dream to always become? For me it was a soldier. A footballer in school a computer engineer by the end of school. A photographer, a poet, even a theatre actor (any1 remember our college street play :)), a writer etc etc. But never in my wildest imagination did I ever consider marketing. Cmon driving a train would seem so much more exciting to a kid and yet in many more ways than I could count, I am in a career I quite like.
Marketing as an option actually occured to me, believe it or not, when I read parts of my sister's Kotler and no I was never a nerd. She showed me some interesting snippet and it was love at first sight. At that point it was not a textbook for me, just something interesting.
Marketing in a fmcg company is basically 3 functions - Sales, Brands and research. Brands helps create a package with the help of research which is then sold by the sales team. My sales stint was by far the most interesting thanks to being in charge of Himachal Pradesh. Research involved working in the biggest research set up in Asia and brands involves new product launches in the personal care business which competes with MNC giants.
Till recently I believed that if you want something really badly, all of the universe conspires to get it for you and frankly it's happened a lot for me. What I have been forgetting is that in many ways I have been living my dream.
Luv,
P.R.
Marketing as an option actually occured to me, believe it or not, when I read parts of my sister's Kotler and no I was never a nerd. She showed me some interesting snippet and it was love at first sight. At that point it was not a textbook for me, just something interesting.
Marketing in a fmcg company is basically 3 functions - Sales, Brands and research. Brands helps create a package with the help of research which is then sold by the sales team. My sales stint was by far the most interesting thanks to being in charge of Himachal Pradesh. Research involved working in the biggest research set up in Asia and brands involves new product launches in the personal care business which competes with MNC giants.
Till recently I believed that if you want something really badly, all of the universe conspires to get it for you and frankly it's happened a lot for me. What I have been forgetting is that in many ways I have been living my dream.
Luv,
P.R.
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