Tuff Times

It has been a strange sort of month....Nothing much happening...in life..in markets..have postponed my American dreams for a year...November 26th ..thanks to the media is still very fresh..for me it was the best testament to the fact how we have become suckers to reality TV...I am thankful to God I chose have dinner in Bandra that night and not go to our favourite Colaba Causeway..
As always we have pointed fingers at our neighbours..and they have thrown mud at us...I don't know how long this will continue...Some say War is the only solution while others say that the only thing War will solve is ..Nothing...Condoleeza Rice's hurried visit to India shows how the US views this problem..I just fear...that they don't turn Pakistan into another Iraq...These are definitely tough times...

Finally I feel Kevin Petersen has shown himself to be a true statesman and conducted himself and the team in the best possible manner..Convincing the "homesick" Harmison and Flintoff shows he has got a good hold on the team...

Nani...You will be always there

I know when I tell ppl my grandmom is no longer there..and at the age of 78..it does not come as a shock..

But you have to know my context..

I lived with her from the age of two till i moved to high school..and even then whenever I used to come from vacations i used to live with her..She was like a buddy for me..used to watch Wimbledon (like all women..used to like Agassi), had seen Indian cricket for the last 50 yrs..had so many interesting stories from the Raj..

It still has not sunk in..It will when i go to Simla and do not find her sitting in the window smiling at the passer bys..The 100 Rs she always used to give me when I was coming back..the smile she used to have talking to my wife, she used to say I was her 3rd son..i hope i have lived up to her expectations..

I dont know..There are so many memories..she gave me a 90 years old cricket ball..once..she kept my dinky cars safe..she gave me a bongo to play..she made amazing achaars for me and always remembered what I loved to eat..she used to be at the entrance to welcome me whenever I came back..

I know things will never be the same..I miss u Nani... so much

Sachin Chaaleesa (40th)..provided the Quantum of Solace

I borrowed this title from either India TV or Star News..cant remember as both of them show crap..anyways congratulations to SRT for the 40th century and taking the milestone a little further for Ponting.............Anyways 331/5 is neither the best nor the worst...Will be interesting day's cricket tomorrow... The two debutants Vijay and Krejza made their presence felt which is always good for the sport....I am sure Gambhir would come out of this as a much more mature and stronger batsmen..

The weekend is approaching and so is Mr. Bond..I am itching to see the movie tomorrow..In case I do manage to please wait for a movie review by Saturday...God I am really troubling you guys...:) I HAVE THE POWER

Mahabharath..Then & Now

Yesterday one of the greats of Indian cinema, BR Chopra passed away...I think it was because of that man that our generation knows about Hindu mythology...For us how Krishna is always Nitish Bhardwaj and how Bheem is always Praveen Kumar...I thank him for the the weekly entertainment of gizmo fights between Karan and Arjun..It was just amazing

Although most people feel that his death was age related I personally feel he was quite shocked to see "Kahani Hamaray Mahabharath Kee"..I would not be surprised if there are further lawsuits against the Balaji Telefilms family in the coming months..:)

Bachna Aay Osama..Le aa gaya Obama

Sorry..guys its a real bad title..but it rhymes..and that's my best effort in poetry..

Anyways Obama is the 44th president of the US and I am not too sure of what it holds for us.........He is expected to be a protectionist..hmm (does that mean shipping back of jobs)..I don't know and neither do most of the experts out there...What I know is that somehow out of the two, Obama seems just the right man for the really tough job...He is known to be a devotee of Lord Hanuman and I think he has chosen the right god as he would need enormous strength of character and a smart think tank to get the United States and the world out of this mess...

Coming back to closer home, India take on Australia in the final test tomorrow in Nagpur. Gambhir is set to miss the test...which will give Australia the booster it so badly deserves..In the last 3 days of the Mohali test, India seems to be loosing momentum and Gambhir's non availability will not be ideal for their preparation...Anyways it will be gripping test cricket...Lets wait and watch.....:)

Mommy Love...Their children are always winners...

This is an incident..which happened a really long time..I have always wanted to pen it down but finally I am doing it..

Me and my wife were waiting to board an Air India flight at 8 pm for Mumbai at the Indira Gandhi International Airport at Delhi ..It was already one hour late and suddenly an air hostess comes and announces that the flight has been cancelled....This was the last straw on the waiting passengers back..All hell broke loose after that....People got after the Air India staff ..there were fights...I distinctly remember a Mom who was taking her son to the auditions of Indian Idol..She says and I quote, "My son has auditions tomorrow...Who will be responsible for his future if he does not reach there on time.." Like all other moms in the world she had already concluded that her son was the new idol..

I don't know what happened to the kid..but I am sure the mother gave SONY TV a hard time the next day...:)

Lakshmi..Where are you??

Today was a day i will never forget...I finally saw a police station...please dont get me wrong...I didnt do anything...LakshmiBai..No no not the Rani of Jhansi but the maid who used to clean my house..did her job too well...lost my cell and some money...but then things could have been worse...

In other stories today..I have eaten lot of sweets today to get rid of my depression and nullified my gymming..

Short term--sell, long term buy

.....Just that as John Maynard Keynes said in the long term we are all dead. And the problem is that nobody knows how short or for that matter how long the short term is....

As the markets continue to quantify the amount of CDS positions in the markets there is more and more speculation of how we are sitting on something more dangerous than a nuclear bomb...

Job markets are so bad that chances are..u might have to sit in office (if you are lucky) with a colleague who goes on and on about how great he is..But you have no choice..Take it or Take it..
People are talking about career shifts..investment banking to audit/ taxation and more...I would have laughed at them in the past but now things are different and scary..

I remember my friends of b-school who dreamt of joining FMCG..Was it because they had the foresight that this industry was countercyclical..Coz this along with pharma is the place to be in..I read somewhere that sales of lifestyle drugs like anti-depressants has shot up as people come to terms with their losses..

Thats it for now..Ill go and find some doses for myself...

End of an ERA..cracks in the WALL

As the shadows lenghthened at the Firozshah Kotla...and KUmble bowled the final JUMBOish over..it brought an end to something which a lot of Indians of my generation have grown up on..India in dire straits and praying to God (read Kumble). Invariably he got us a breakthrough...He was the only strike bowler we have had in the last 18 years....PERIOD....

Indian cricket has taken many leaves from the OZzy cricket almanac and this decision is no exception...As we saw Warne, Mcgrath and then later Gilchrist they have all retired at their own condition and not been forced out of the team by youngsters. Kumble also realised that the young Mishy was breathing down his neck and then there are Pragyan Ojha and Piyush Chawla...The frequent injuries have not helped his coz and lastly the unforgiving Indian public and media scrutiny at every action..Even Sourav has succumbed to this and will be retiring after the Nagpur test...The tremendous pressure under which these guys are is going to have more victims as there are already cracks in the "WALL"..good luck TEAM India

Happy Diwali..

I hope and pray that you guys hade a fantastic Diwali..Even the markets for a change were in the green...I just hope this was not a flash in the pan...Gambhir has just completed another hundred..What a find he has been for India...I wonder who would replace Ganguly after this series..Will it be the Mumbai lad..Rohit Sharma or Sada Desi Puttar..Yuvi...

Busy..weekend...

The latest eviction in the house of "Big Boss" proves that nice people are sometimes not so popular...Debojit the nice guy was not supported by the junta coz he did not give them enough spice. Even the viewer who pays 300 bucks to the cable wallah needs some return on his money and therefore gives rahul, raja, monika etc..some more time in the house...

Indian Idol 4 has started...and its good to see Sony starting the trend of being more exclusive and recognising the huge TV audience in the north east...

Neways I am preparing for a sunday..a sunday where I have to take Ma'am out for Diwali shopping...sometimes I do wish I lose my credit card..:)

Strange Deewali

If someone with had joked with me..couple of months back..that companies like Lehman and Bear Sterns could go bankrupt in a day... I would have had a laugh but now..as ADIDAS says...Impossible is Nothing..:) Sorry Mr. Dassler

Coming to the point.....The only person who is oblivious of this recession is Mr. Bush..and he too will..get a taste of reality if he visits Mumbai.......This year it has been a strange run up to the festiwal of fights..err.lights...THere is something missing..There is no buzz..There are no sales for me to change my wardrobe...The Malls are empty....but the food courts are brimming..as if its in the middle of Somalia...

Tips Required..

If anyone is reading this blog I need some help to fight the bulge..no not of my wallet..thats most welcome..These are weighty issues...How to loose 15 kgs fast.........without running and dieting and gymming............

Its so Unfair!!!!!!!

Why are all delicious things in this world unhealthy...While I was having Hummus and pita bread..my friends were enjoying...Aloo Cheese Parnatha..Chollaa Bhatooora...Paneeer....Methi Malaiii...and then i had to skip the Hot chocolate fudge too...

Coming to my favourite topic..Australia still is not sure why they did not bowl Lee....slow over rate is the latest excuse doing the rounds...Why dont you ozzies admit..Lee is not LEEthal enough??? The WARNEings were always there...Kumble says he is raring to go...We say we are with him..He should go.........

And I dont understand one thing..why do ppl cc their bosses on everything...even love letters...:)

Good Morning...World

Well beginning a day..after 5 days of intense cricket (read Australia bashing)..makes it a little dull...But then seeing Anand extend his lead against Kramnik to 3 points was a welcome news....I am hoping to get some readers/ critics for my blog..as I am just starting out...but I realise..there is so much happening around us...The Fed has announced some more liquidity measures...but no-one knows how much more is enough....Yeh Dil Maange MORE

Ek Khiladi..Ek Hasina and Ek Broker...

Looking at the positive response I am getting from my colleagues I have decided to write some more.....:) GOd Save the World............and the financial markets...Damn the Contrarion..If you have to goto Churchgate..dont try to sit in a train bound for Virar..You will be thrown out...I will remember this lesson..always...And I think you can add stock markets to some of the "ice-breaking" topics along with Cricket and Bollywood....Long Live..Ek Khiadi..Ek Hasina and Ek Broker...

FINALLY...

Its strange that my first "posting" is called FINALLY but then for someone who has an interest in writing..I am a very late entrant to the world of BLOGGING..Anyways..Better late than Never... I would like to thank a lot of people who pushed me into this...but then I hope I am able to contribute something....no..no not World Peace..but...err..even I dont know..Anyways today is definitely a good day to start as India has thrashed the Ozzies...Well yes when there is nothing to talk..Talk Bollywood/ Cricket...Dhoni Keee Jai and Kumble I am sure the shoulder must be hurting some more today...(sorry for being mean..:) But I am better than IndiaTV....