There are days when all the hard work done is wiped out because of one mistake. Today seems one of those days. I have been working on a report over the last couple of days and finally after 2-3 reviews released the same, only to find out there were a couple of mistakes in it. The nature of mistakes does not really count as a mistake is a mistake no matter how small or large. Sucks really because all the effort is now wasted and what stands out are mistakes. I have already taken measures to ensure that the same thing does not happen again but the damage has been done. Oh well.. cant do much about it now.
Category: Work
A comment
The other day a me and a friend of mine were discussing about work and she commented that you have to struggle so much to get to the office. While at that moment I didn’t really understand what she meant by struggle, since being in Mumbai and traveling regularly in the trains here, I am quite used to the daily pushing and jostling for tiniest of spaces. But after a while when the comment really sinked in, I realized commute was much better when I was in Washington DC. I didn’t have any jump in the entering train just to get a better place to stand, neither did I get crowded in, or drenched in someone else’ sweat and there no pushing and fighting or arguing. Just everyone going about their business in a very comfortable manner.
Even in Kolkata, the commute was much better. I didn’t have to take the train here, the auto rickshaw journey was comfortable as again there was not “struggle” to get to office. Getting to work place for only tough some days when I used to travel by the overcrowded “killer” blue buses.
Enter Mumbai. I can now understand how much struggle it is to get to work. By the time you have reached office, almost half of your energy is drained. This by far is the biggest challenge a new comer might face when he/ she arrives here. May be Raj Thackeray should take up such issues, rather than focusing on who said what. A lot of Marathi manoos also travel in the trains. I am sure he will get their votes if he makes their, and with them, our commute comfortable.
Random Ramblings
The last few days all of a sudden have gotten very busy. I have been running around from one place to another. Currently, I am working on 3 different projects and all 3 require to me work in 3 different areas. Just last week, I was complaining to my cousin that I don’t have enough work and this week I am overwhelmed with work. But the best part is, I am thoroughly enjoying what I am doing. I think when you are working in a start-up, you get to put your hands in all the areas and learn about everything. At the same time, I may end up becoming Jack of all Trades and Master of none or may be one. I don’t know. Right now, I am currently thinking of starting my studies again. It has been 3 years since I have graduated and I think it is the correct time for me to have a Management degree. I have been doing some basic research about the institutions and courses, but haven’t been able to find a right one yet. But hopefully, will find something soon. In the mean time, I will be giving CISA exam on Dec 13th. I will be doing the early bird registration this week.
Btw, I have started going to the gym again. Well I have been going since last 3 weeks and it feels good to workout. My mornings are really packed, with gym from 6:15am-7:30am and then catching the train at 8:30am with breakfast, shower etc in between. Sometimes it gets really hectic but then it is worth it. I have also registered for Mumbai Marathon. I will be participating in the half marathon. I have never run in one before, so have no idea if I can even run so much. But today was a very good start on the treadmill. I finished 2kms in about 12 minutes. I know treadmill and streets are different but still it felt good. I am aiming to improve the running stamina to 5kms by the end of this month and then another 5 by the end of September. I know high hopes, but then one can’t do anything without planning.
Anyways I have written a lot on this post.. I am going to shut up now and get back to work.
6 days work week
I have started working 6 days a week, since I have joined the new company. It is quite a change when you are so used to working 5 days a week and eagerly await for Friday to come. In my case, I don’t really get excited about Saturday since by the time half of Sunday is over, I am thinking about going to office the next day. Also it becomes terribly hard to get up early in the morning on a Saturday. Plus, if I have to attend social obligations on Sunday..then God only help me. Having a Saturday off I think is essential.. since it allows people to have a night out on Friday and Saturday and then relax on Sunday. I guess I can always have a night out on Saturday but…The positives about working 6 days a week is that I get to go to the gym 6 days a week instead of 5. I guess I will get fitter more quickly. I seriously need to lose some weight.. I am about 5kgs over the ideal weight. Hopefully working out 6 days a week will help me reduce down quickly. Lets see how it goes.
For all my ex-team members
Warning Long Post
This post has been long over due. I have been wanting to write it for a very long time but have been delaying it or getting delayed for some reason or the other. I also know Aabu has been pushing me a lot to write this post since a month and half ago.. so here it goes.
To be honest, I have been really lucky to work with such a talented group of individuals. People who know how to have fun and do the work at the same time, while meeting the production as well as the quality levels expected by the client. We have had some really good times while working together, the memories of which will be embedded in me for a really long time. I would like to mention a word about all my team members, may be this could be their unofficial mid-year review. As per my blog rules, I am not going to take names here..just use their LH initials. I also know some of you may not agree with what I have to say or may not get a chance to view this post.
ARP: I would always be thankful to you for the way you helped me out during my initial days in Kolkata, be it coming along to check an apartment with me or our boys night out or going around in Chandni Chowk and taking me around places. You were a great friend until you changed. I still dont know why you did things that you did. It felt really sad that I lost you as a friend. In the your last few days CG, your behavior was not worthy of a team lead. Anyways, I hope you are doing well wherever you are and grow up further in the corporate chain.
CSG: The ‘Mamata Banerjee’ of the team, always feisty. I remember all the arguments we have had on the smallest matter. I think it is because of those arguments initially, that we became a lot closer later on. I dont have much to say to you except, just be the way you are. May be you need to get married soon. 😛 and obviously invite me to it.
SC: Again, I would like to thankful to you for all the help that I got while finding an apartment for myself. I remember the times we went looking for a house and finally deciding on the right one. We have had our fair share of arguments, which have been very interesting to say the least. I remember how sad it was for us, when you had to move to Bangalore and how interesting it was for me to manage your working from there. It was sad that in spite of you working on LH for such a long time, we got to see very little of you in Kolkata.
ZB: To be honest, I dont know what I should say about you. You have been my closest friend, my confidante, my advisor everything. I will always remember the trust you have shown in me. Right from the first day our wavelengths matched. I remember how we would be telling the rest of the guys to speak in English or Hindi, while in the office to all the little things that we shared, personal and professional. I miss you a lot.
The post has already become too long. I will write about the rest of the guys in the next post(s). Until then adios.
Lately..
I have been very much depressed with the way things are turning up around me. It is more or less got to do with the current work environment that is around me. A lot of people are feeling that they have not been treated properly by their employers and thus do not seem to have that motivation to work. This is sort of created a very negative atmosphere in the team, which makes my life more difficult than before. Secondly, what has been bothering me is an office romance between two of my colleagues. I am a firm believer of the saying “one should not dip his pen in the company ink”. I just feel that if you are going to have an affair with a colleague, you might as well keep it under wraps. But here I have people busy chatting on their office IM’s or dialing each others extension numbers and chatting during office hours. This is what I hate about an office romance. It just becomes a distraction for everyone else. 
I hope that the involved couple realizes this and takes this affair outside the office. Other than that, I have been suffering from a minor chest infection because of the cold. Been taking medication for that and feeling better than last week. Other than this.. I think I dont have anything much to share.
The week so far…
I have never had a week in my work life which has been as stressful as this one. The past few days have been really bad for me and my team. Just, last week we were awarded the Super Team of the Year and this week, it seems like the Super Team is without it’s power. We are just a team. I understand that work also has its highs and lows, but believe me being on lower end is no good. Anyways, I guess I should take it as a learning curve and not worry too much about it. The good part is we are getting better day by day and getting our powers back :). This weekend I am flying to Mumbai to attend a wedding, my best friend is getting married to this wonderful girl and I wish them A Very Happy Future.
Blogging taking a back seat
The last couple of months have been the busiest of my life. I feel I have been stretched too thin and I don’t know what to do. This has come as a very pleasant shock to me. I thought after getting more people on board, I will be able to relax, but as it turns out, I have been working more than before. My mornings start at around 11am and I don’t come home until 2am, the next day. According to a couple of people whom I know, I am going to spoil my health by working like this. I kind of agree with them, but then I don’t really know what else to do. The people whom I have delegated the work are unable to achieve the required results and thus I end up doing their work also. I believe this schedule is going to last until the end of this month and only after it, I may be getting a breather.
Work aside, I celebrated my 25th birthday last Saturday. It was one of the best days of my life. I got home at around 1:30am and found my family awake. They had kept a cake with a candle at the center of the table. We had the cake cutting ceremony and then in the afternoon, I went shopping, got myself some needed clothes. According to someone close to me, I need to change my entire wardrobe, so I indulged in a bit of extra shopping. In the evening, Dad got me an iPod (80GB Video) and mom made some wonderful dinner which included my favorite sabzi and dessert. Overall it was a wonderful birthday and I really enjoyed spending time with my loved ones. I just wish I can spend some more time with my family.. but then I am going to write about it some other time.
Too much on my plate
Too many reports to make. Not sleeping enough. Feeling very tired. Need a vacation.
My work mates…
I usually dont post much about my work on my blog.. but this is something that I had to post. This happened between a colleague from my project and a colleague from a different project. It seems we have this cold war going on between our projects and hence there is not much friendly interaction. But anyways.. so my project colleague, S, was sitting on the left side of the window in the car and we were waiting to pick up M, from the another project. Well M comes and she opens the left side door, while S was leaning on it. What happens next is best described in the conversation below..
S: I could have fallen. Didnt you see I was sitting here?
M: How do I know you were sitting here?
S: You should have got in from the other side.
M: Does anyone get in from the wrong side?
S: You could have atleast noticed if anyone was sitting here or not.
M: The glass is tinted. I could not see.
S: You could have seen if you had tried to see
M: Strange girl!!
Obviously this conversation was in bengali so I might have missed a couple of sentences.. but I enjoyed the cat fight to the fullest. I hope 2007 brings me lots of these. Buhahah
My thoughts...My story 