IPL: Cricket Personified

Greetings Cricket/IPL Lovers

Hope all my fellow batsmen and bowlers are happily leading their innings. IPL 6 just took off and i'm sure all of you are all padded and guarded to face near two months of non-stop nail biters. With every passing year IPL is becoming a bigger and fattier phenomena. Thanks to all the big money and effort being poured into the Gentlemen's Game. Everywhere I go these days, the only thing people discuss about is cricket and IPL. At the restaurant, the owner and waiters; at the office, my colleagues; at the saloon, the barber(without bothering whether he is cutting thru my hair or neck), at the market, people in the front and people at the back.....everybody is talking about IPL.

And to tell you more, our dear IPL is second to none when it comes to making judicious use of social media. You can watch live matches on Youtube IPL Channel(sponsored by Indiatimes), tweet your views on the ongoing matches and get latest news using the #IPL Twitter Handle, can log onto the IPL Facebook Fan Page for getting to know more facts about this cricketing phenomena, and even join IPL Google+ Hangout(sponsored by Google) to interact directly with cricket experts over matches. Amazingly interactive...isn't it!?

I have a confession to make...I am so in love with social media!!!

Coming back onto the discussion, I believe its the larger than life image of IPL that appeals to the 1.27 billion people out there(add another 5 to the 1.27 billion who just popped out in the 5 seconds you took to read this). Everything including media, big money, flashy life, adverts, brands, popularity, cult following, make it all the more desired by you, me and every other tom, dick and harry(and seeta and geeta too).

Brands(as always) are leveraging a lot from IPL in any and every way possible. Associating something with cricket in India, and that too with such a favored platform, you are surely going to leave an impression on the eyeballs and make a mark on the minds of the onlookers and followers. IPL as a platform can make you reach as many Indians as possible and make you visible like no one else can. Such is the power of this event!!!

Brands like DLF, Pepsi, Kingfisher, Star, Yes Bank, Matrix, Bajaj Allianz and many many more are leaving no stone unturned to associate with this mega event and become the preferred brands for a whole nation.

* Crazy Idea Begins*

So I was just sitting and rocking my head(as usual) for some ideas to seep out when a thought struck me. Why not draw an analogy between the coveted game of Cricket and our routine lives. Probably thats another reason why we can connect so well with it(just kidding, its the "fun" part thats the reason :p)

So a match is like our life, players are "we the people", runs are our dreams, dismissals are the failures, wickets are "things we value", umpires are the influencers(parents, teachers, bosses) and third umpire is none other than GOD himself!(joking about the last one...haha)

Point to be noted, much like our shortening lives, Cricket matches have also shortened with time. From the earlier times of only Test Matches to the modern day 20-20. God knows how much more they are going to cut it short.

So everybody these days is busy playing their IPL innings. They change stances depending upon the situations faced; batting or bowling when they want to achieve something and fielding when they must grab opportunities coming their way. Its always the singles that matter more in life much like working constantly towards achievement of smaller goals and missions, whereas fours and sixes act more as bigger achievements that motivate and exhilarate us. There are times when we tend to let some opportunities pass by and someone else grabs a catch of them and you fail. And then there are times when someone throws an opportunity towards you and it is either seized or dropped, depending upon how well prepared you are for it. And then there are times when you are unaware whether you have failed or succeeded; and there comes indications and signals from our parents, partners, teachers, bosses and friends, making us realize the outcomes.
That said, I take pride in proving my hypothesis...
LHS = RHS
Hence Proved! :p

* Crazy Idea Ends *

I believe IPL has given us another way of rejoicing ourselves by dancing, singing, shouting, laughing out loudly and having fun to the maximum!

Choose your team today, start shouting and enjoy it to the max. And in the end I'll say...Divided by Teams, United by the Spirit of IPL.

Let that trumpet sing aloud!!!!!(play the video below to immerse yourself in the sound of IPL)

Keep watching and keep smiling.....



Cheers!

Gagan

We, the Social Media Animals!!!

Hi Guys

Hope you're all doing well in your personal/online lives. The reason why I mentioned "online" is for the simple fact that these days online presence has become such an important aspect of our lives that bank accounts are opened many years after opening online accounts on social networking websites. Those days are not far away when you'll have to validate yourself using a social network account in order to secure an admission in a college or get a job in a company. Anybody not having online presence would be considered a martian/plutonian/non-earthling.

They say humans are social animals, but looking at the rapid escalation of users at networking sites, it would not be wrong to identify us with the new pseudonym "social networking animals". A number of social networking platforms with whacky names(remember....."whacky is appealing") have come up for the internet users to use and improve their social networking. Unlike earlier times when in order to know the credibility of someone, people used to inquire about the test score of others, they now inquire about their "Klout Score". The social status of an individual is based on his social media status. Some of the famous social media platforms and their personalities(my suggestions) are:

Orkut: The Dead Man

Facebook: The Advertiser

Twitter: The Short Man/The Man who likes Brevity

Google+: The New Boy in the Town

Instagram: The Photographer

Pinterest: The Visual Artist

Four Square: The Detective

I still remember those old times when i was first introduced to orkut. It was an amazing way of expressing oneself, showing off your possessions, telling other about your moods,displaying your photos and what not. I never knew at that point of time that Social Media was just a toddler growing fast...really fast! Though orkut has now become like a retired hurt batsman, but there are 10 new batsmen standing ready to substitute it(as i always say, India is a cricket crazy nation.....you need to relate everything to cricket for a majority to approve your point).

So i sat quietly and thought for a while, what are the supplements behind this enormous muscle growth of this toddler. Lets take a look:


1) Youngistan: Its that time of this nation when the estimated population of India under 35 years of age is 66%. This set is computer literate,outgoing, ambitious, socially hyperactive. Presently there are 5+ crore such Indian members on FB and the numbers are growing everyday.

2) Coveted Internet: Internet availability even in the remotest of areas has improved significantly over the past few years. Broadband has high penetration levels across cities now. This has made internet access to Tom, Dick & Harry pretty easy. They can now be online for as long as they want unlike old times when they had to keep a track of minute hand of the clock hung in the cyber cafe.

3) Radiation Devices: Yeah you're right, i meant mobiles. With the smartphones finding their place in every pocket these days, getting in touch with your social media circle is just a tap away. There are 3G connections(i know 2G scam crossed your mind too) readily available on these superman smartphones. That's a complete recipe to social media.

4) Information Hunger: Its an information hungry youth. It can be any sorts of information like, news, humor, movies, sports etc which these people are seeking. Due to ease of access and functionality of these social media networks, you can share any sort and amount of information you intend to share. People now depend more on the advices posted about a restaurant on social media by their peers than what the restaurant website claims. The best info is first hand self experienced info.

5) Escalating Statuses: Its in fashion to possess multiple social network accounts. One gives you freedom to share anything, the other gives you freedom to share your thoughts, another gives you the freedom of sharing what you click. If people around you get to know that you are someone with social networking absenteeism, a number of eyebrows will surely be raised.

6) Commercial Twist: Taking into consideration the number of people using such social networks the commercial lions(read companies, organizations, retailers) have waken up to devour on the consumer lamb(read we the spenders). The numbers of companies making use of social media is incrementing every day. They do realize the power of interacting directly with the consumers and converting them into influencers for others. Four Square is one such application which provides its users with offers and discounts as and when they check-in to their favorite restaurants and eateries.

It'll be nice if you can share other such factors in the comments, which i mite have missed out on.

I believe that's enough of the social media gyan to turn you into a social media animal, or if you are already one, to turn you into a more fierce species of it.

Till the next time, keep posting, tweeting, checking-in and most important of all..... Keep Smiling :)


Cheers!
Gagan(Your very own social media animal in the making)

Eureka! Its Simple!

Hey Guys

First of all, a Very Happy New Year to all of you. Lets hope this year brings about loads of happiness, peace, prosperity.....blah and blah and blah. My wishes would hardly make a difference.....all depends upon how "you" want it to be. Just be positive about things happening around, make sincere efforts in doing what you are doing, do something selflessly, and things would start falling in place.
Anyhow, hope you all are doing good in your lives. Had some ideas running a marathon across my restless mind.Time to provide these ideas the turf of this blog post to run free.....

Disclaimer: This post might be inclined a bit towards the philosophical side. Will try and make it interesting though, still if at all it starts boring you, remember the red cross button on the top of the browser is your friend, just press it and voila, its all gone :)

So there were days when i used to shy away just at the mere thought of meeting someone I've never met before.....
"How would I face someone?", "What would I talk to them about?", "How should I conduct myself in front of them?" Such questions used to haunt me at the back of mind. Though, outside I could pretend to be the usual cool dude.
They say "slow and steady wins the race". Yes it does, only if on your way to the finish line you learn from your mistakes, realize your strengths and catch hold of cues that would help you win.
Gradually, trust me, as gradually as it could be.....I realized, the factors that enable you to win over this "People Inhibitive Disorder" and become an interesting personality(This is no self bragging, just some self realization...). These might already be there in your mind and in practice too, but hey its always good to refresh those grey cells ;)
Let me take you thru this miraculous list. Please feel free to make any additions, deletions, modifications as the case may be:

1) Non-Martian: Trust me, you are going to interact with an earthling and not a Martian(Do they even exist!?). Your counterpart is just a normal person much like you. They have their personal traits, strengths, weaknesses, insecurities. They might just be good at presenting a very polished self in front of you. Remember, this polish they used to shine it all up is readily available within you as well.....in your mind. Just feel good about yourself.

2) Body Language: It matters a lot lot. At times I come across people who would walk up to me and shake hands as if I am in a fish market and the hawker just handed over a trout in my hand or as if I have just been endowed with Knighthood and the Queen just extended her hand for me to give it a peck. Right from walking down to your counterpart, to shaking hands, to standing in a posture, to the position of your hands, it all matters. Offer a stiff hand for a handshake, stand tall, never quiver like the Red Riding Hood.....be aware of your limbs. Ensure they are in your control all the while.

3) Ears are for listening: Though you can also wear and show-off pricy ornaments on these if you wish to. Jokes apart, it is an important task to ensure you register what your counterpart is trying to convey. Don't let your ears act like a tunnel, what goes in from one end comes out of the other in the same form. Make these like a food processor, carrot goes in...juice comes out.

4) Take genuine interest: Everybody desires and deserves attention. Make sure you bring down some justice to the speaker or else they'll go out in pursuit of another "interest taker". People take interest in you when they know you are interested in what they are talking about.

5) Be Informed: Its always good to try your hand on a bit of things happening around you. Its not essential to know the architecture of a jet engine to strike a conversation. Merely knowing that Rolce Royce makes these engines is more than enough.

6) Simplicity Rules: No one is expecting you to churn out tongue twisting bulldozer form words to make yourself heard. Make it effective by using much clear and simple words that the world can understand and connect with. People always welcome simple and eloquent talks rather than rattling words the size of Burj Khalifa.

7) Red Button: Always keep the red button to stop in your own hands. Its not essential to speak like a radio when you get the opportunity. Take turns to speak and insert your idea in the talk.

8) (2+2=4): Look the person straight in the eyes while talking. Let there be that invisible mode of contact between the two of you. This will always make an impact upon the listener. Shows that you do not lack confidence.

These are some of the "self-assessed" points I believe can make you come out as a person people would like to interact with. Obviously, there are no thumb rules when it comes to us humans. There can be numerous other additions to the list above.
I know this serpentine form of a post must have made your eyes and mind bleed, but I told you to be aware of this in the beginning(remember your friend, the savior red button).
I'll try and come up with something less torturing the next time.

Thats it. The fuel of this post has exhausted and time for me to park it here.

Don't forget to keep that smile on :)


Cheers!
Gagan ;)

Year 2011: Work, Thailand, Guitar & Singing an Anthem!!!!!

Hello Homo-Sapiens

Disclaimer: It is going to be a long long post owing to the long long break I took in between. Kindly adjust with me guys. If you can't adjust.....I'll request you again to please adjust :)

Been a while since my crazy thoughts condensed into something readable. Was busy with the usual stuff in life; family, my six strings, friends, job, and ironically most important of all.....trivia.

Was just wondering, one noticeable change since we all started working is that now last day of the year for us is 31st March in stead of 31st December. So from now on we should celebrate 1st April as a "New Year's Day". This brings us to the conclusion that the first day of the year now for us is an "April Fool's Day". What a pity!!!!!

The year had a positive beginning to it, with the very first few days bringing in the news that my company has well exceeded its targets and as a result we would be going to Thailand for a Sales Conference. I must admit, I SERIOUSLY LOVE such sales conferences. I am absolutely ready for such conferences even if these are held on a quarterly basis. No issues at all from my end!!!!!

Anyhow, before we could set forth for Amazing Thailand, there was a big hurdle on the way.....My Yearly Appraisal. Its that time of the year when bosses can take out all their inner desires of revenge, enmity, frustration in the form of an objective questionnaire. All you can do is pray to God and look as innocent as a little school girl. Luckily for me, my boss didn't prove to be the evil Voldemort trying to cast his evil spells on the innocent Potter riding his broom towards an increment and an yearly bonus and finally out of this financial year.

Meanwhile, I started taking guitar classes once again. This time with a stronger will and resolution of not discontinuing the learning process. Over the years, I've felt a longing for learning this wonderful instrument. As the time passed by, this longing grew even stronger. Finally I took it up in MBA days but had to discontinue for some time due to my job. Now that I've started, its always a constant endeavor to squeeze in time for practice no matter where I am or what I am doing. In fact, to let you in on a secret.....there are days when I am away and don't have access to my guitars. I simply walk up to a music shop(as a potential customer) and satiate my urge of playing. I know that sounds a bit cheezy and outlandish, but what can i do, can't control it(you can imagine me saying it in the same tone as the one in old and famous PEPSI Adverts....."Kya karein control nahi hota").
Although, I have recently stopped taking classes from my music teacher, but this time I have started Self-Teaching myself for this passion. Hope to keep it going for this lifetime now.

Ok, enough of the aspirationally serious stuff. What happened in Thailand??? :P

Thailand is an amazing place. The first thing you notice is the humongous airport(Suvarnabhumi) in Bangkok. The shopping area alone in the airport is bigger than any of the shopping malls I've come across in India. From there we went on a 1.5 hours bus journey to Pattaya, the venue for our sales conference. Pattaya is a beautifullllllllll place(i hope you can understand how beautiful i found it owing to the number of "ls" in "beautiful"). People are very courteous towards tourists(after all thats where a chunk of their revenue comes from). There is street food all around the streets(dissected crocodiles, octopuses, ducks, prawns, beef, dragons, dinosaurs, anacondas and God knows what else.....). It is a non-vegetarian's paradise.
A very intriguing fact about the vehicular traffic is that people don't honk no matter what. As a pedestrian, you just need to step down on the road and the traffic stops. You can then take a King's Stroll across the road :P. Also, wear a white shirt and it does not go black by the evening no matter for how much time you were out on the streets. Pretty much unlike our beloved country where even a black shirt needs to be washed once you step out.
Now the most amazing part of all.....Nightlife. People in Thailand go crazyyyyyyy. They sing, dance, eat, drink, get laid(as if you don't know this.....a majority of people go to Thailand with this in mind). The Walking Street in Pattaya is a major tourist attraction during the night. At street side makeshift shops alongside the beach, you can find virtually anything you desire. There are concerts happening and people singing and dancing to the tunes of their favorite songs.

I would act as an endorser for Thailand and say this: If you want to enjoy at a beautiful and serene place with a wonderful nightlife, Pattaya is the place to be.....

Finally we bid good bye to Pattaya and Thailand after a 3 day halt. About to start, was another Financial Year and vicious circle of work, boss's attitude, employee politics, targets and all such similar stuff.

Recently, we were given an opportunity to do something creative at work. We were asked to develop and sing an anthem for Godfrey Phillips Bravery Awards. This was the kind of an opportunity I've always looked forward to. After all, its places and events like these that make your creativity reach newer heights and that too in the context of music. I was super excited from the very day i learned about this event.
After a couple of months we were called at JW Mariott for a one day workshop with professional musicians. Here, we would be selecting a theme, write lyrics and finally sing the song. This song would then be composed by musicians and handed over to us after polishing. The whole process went smoothly and I ended up singing 2 stanzas in the song. It was certainly a dream come true. Thank You God :)

With all that said and done, its time that I free your mind from the shackles of this post and let you do something productive in this life. I hope to write more often from now on. Lets see how well can I fulfill this hope.

Till the next time. Take care guys. You've always been an amazing and quiet audience. Keep Smiling :)



Cheers

Gags ;)

Bye Bye 2010.....U behaved like a good boy!

And here we are.....at the ending of yet another eventful year and the beginning of yet another pestering blog post.

It was an year to be remembered, an year to be rejoiced, and an year that brought along with it a bag of mixed emotions such as fulfilment, anxiety, achievement, confusion, happiness, sadness, "sadness for being still single"(believe me, that can really be counted as just one word, ask me how! :P) and laughter(Rajnikant jokes were a major contributor to this one).

The year started on a good note with the feeling of achievement and fulfilment; fulfilment of things i had been looking forward to since quite some time now. I had recently started learning guitar and bought myself a new one(and i still continue making people stuff cotton buds in their ears). The cherry on the cake was that i didn't borrow money from either my parents or my friends. It was something i "owned completely".
Then came our farewell party, where i got this opportunity to perform on stage with a couple of friends(yes it was my usual hip-hop and rap, and yes we sucked at it.....but i fulfilled my dream to go out there and entertain the crowds). Those 5 minutes of glory will always be registered in my cerebrum.

Next came in the long wait and anxiety. MBA was over but not over. Placement scenario at our college was pretty much like a shoe sale; you have plenty of stuff to pick up, but it doesn't match your taste and seldom do you get the right size for yourself. All banking and insurance companies found comfort in our campus, something not of my liking. I tried and failed a number of times in other companies. It was the learning of a lifetime. The shoe branded as "failure" had kicked me pretty hard in the rear end.
The funny thing about a "shoe sale" is that you try your level best to find the right fit and are lost amongst the crowd, but eventually you do happen to stumble upon something worthy. I had finally got a shoe of my liking and it was a good fit at the same time. Though somehow i knew this one won't last for long.....

Working at Matrix was fun. There were learnings i drew out from my short stint with the company: COLD CALLING is certainly a cold skill to learn. But once you get on with it, things really warm up. There were accolades i received from my team mates and bosses for the work i accomplished. Not much time had passed when i got this opportunity from Godfrey Phillips. Believe me, its not only the cigarettes that draw people, but also the companies that manufacture these death sticks. Since i joined GPI, life and along with it, me, are on the move 24/7. Though there are no cold calls here, but there are numerous other things to learn. And considering the fact that i am a somewhat "extra enthusiastic learner", full advantage of this opportunity is being grabbed by yours truly :).

Some Trivia: This year has seen a bombardment of Rajnikant jokes. It was pretty analogical to the the pepsi advert, with the exception that here we eat, drink and sleep rajnikant jokes. I myself must have set a personal record of sending the maximum rajni jokes as sms. Whatever phobia or fever it was, it surely was fun and certainly made me laugh my guts out at times. All respect to Rajni Ji(i hope he bestows his blessings upon GOD so that he can protect us).....YANNA RASCALAA.....MIND IT!!!!!

So now that i am a post graduate and working, my parents imagine their son sitting on the hot seat (hot sofa actually, with a creature named 'bride') in near future. They say all parents have that "dark side", i just saw it in my parents :P. There's still a lot more to be done and explored before making my way up to the 'guillotine of marriage'.

Quite contrary to my habit of breaking rules, i won't be breaking the tradition of making resolutions for the new year. Start working out again, keep learning guitar, add some value to myself(ooooo.....sounds pretty cool eh!), possess some gadgets on my wish list, meet the woman of my dreams(ah cmon, every guy has this one on his list at the onset of an year, although we never divulge it ;)) and last but not the least(and also the most important), making people around smile no matter what (even if it takes more rajnikant jokes :P).

With all that said, and making you waste your (not so) precious time on this post, here's wishing you and your family a very happy and prosperous new year.

Here we come 2011!!!!!


Keep Smiling :)


Gags ;)

Time to VENT IT OUT!!!!!

Alright, ok, don't be worried reading the title of this one. Those CAPS do not represent an infuriated "me". And no, i won't be abusing anybody in this "effort_to_make_u_stretch_your_lips_until_u_laugh". Its been a while since i scribbled something and there have been a number of "WOW's" in the meanwhile. Wanted to write since some time, but my busy schedule(yeah i know many of you would not be able to establish an analogy between me and the word "busy") made sure to keep me away from pen & paper(i mean keyboard and screen). But thats how it has been since past some days. Lets unwind it like a tangled landline phone's headset cable.

First of all warm wishes(oops, i just added to the already warm weather) to everyone from "the one and only" Gagandeep Rana(well actually a quick google search reveals 189000 results). Hope things are moving with a steady pace at your end. And if not so.....then what are you waiting for!!!!!

Life was moving at a not_so_steady pace for me after starting off my career with a campus placement. I was giving in my best shot and was being applauded as well for the same by my superiors. But somewhere inside it felt this is not what i've aspired to do. It was FMCG or FMCD where my heart lies. Nevertheless I just kept putting in my best efforts till the time my time arrived (pause.....i know that was one helluva performance.....i wont mind being nominated for the best melancholic role.....you can wipe off your tears before i continue).

It was a normal day and i was working in the office and pop! comes out something in the newspaper that causes my eyes to glare. There it was: Vacancies in the company of my dreams. I just took the resolve to make it through no matter what. Lets move ahead some days(here, you can visualise the same scene that runs thru a number of hindi movies where "the hero" takes up a challenge and burns midnight oil to learn "ABCD" and "1 to 10").
Finally the D-Day(Drama Day) arrived. There were a huge number of contestants for this beauty pea-gent. All the varieties had arrived. Short, tall(thats me), weird, handsome(thats me), blabbers, intelligent(thats me), and offcourse liers(thats actual me :P). It was a three-fold process much like a guillotine stopping three times before chopping off your Adams apple.
The interview lasted for around 45 minutes(i never knew it took so much time for the minutes hand to budge 45 times) and left water content in my body severely short of its normal quantity.
It was my day.....a day to be remembered, a day of fulfilling my dreams, a day when i got what i wanted, a day.....which was as usual as other days lasting 24 hours :P

Since the day I've joined, its been tours day-in day-out, with the best part that i am liking what i am doing. I am working with the industry i've dreamt of working with. An FMCG.....

Recently I went to the factory of my company where I saw the manufacturing process of "Death Stick"(popularly called a Cigarette). It surely is a process worth applauding. Taking a seed which doesn't have even a trace of tar or nicotine, nurture its plant in the right environment using the right inputs, plucking the leaves and processing them and ultimately reducing them into the most tiniest of bits which are then bundled into sticks. These sticks when lit enable its consumer to fulfil their aspirations and dreams, to feel superior and to overcome their lacunae.

Marketing.....isn't it wonderful!!!!!

Well, i guess thats all there is to this post. You have strained your grey cells enough to take them to the threshold of disappearing. I would not like to see that happen. So with that in mind I apply the brakes to this roller coaster. Thanks for letting me..........


.....VENT IT OUT!!!!! ;)


Keep Smiling and making people around you smile along :)


Signing Off

Gags

My First Pay-cheque

Greetings everybody!!!!!

Its been a long long time since I wrote something. My apologies for this procrastination. So meanwhile, a number of events took place since I last updated my blog: I became an MBA from a "pursuing MBA", winters became summers, my college shifted to an old building, the earth rotated 128 times(woah!), India crashed out of the T-20 world cup(cricket should always be there in any discussion, debate.....after all its a religion in India!!!!!......am i right cricket lovers???), I got placed and got my first ever pay-cheque. :P


MBA got over with the satisfaction that I managed to pull off some tasks I've been looking forward towards. Managed a scholarship for performing well in studies, started learning guitar(I've been wanting to do this since a long time), bought a new guitar for myself, and could perform on the stage(my usual punjabi rap) on the day of MBA farewell.

On the very last day of MBA, after the last exam got over(so no more peeking-->cheating-->whispering-->scolding-->avoiding-->peeking-->cheating-->whispering from now on) we celebrated scribble day. On this day we wrote(some deliberately, some forcibly) on each others' t-shirts what we thought(something good.....obviously) about them. Scribble Day was not only important from a "passing out" student's point of view but also as an economic point of view when around 300 students bought white t-shirts and markers to write on these t-shirts. Lets get more deep into this:

- Number of T-shirts bought: 300 (minimum, considering the fact that some also bought 2 t-shirts)
- Average cost of a plain white t-shirt: Rs. 100
- Average amount one person spent on a pen: Rs. 15

Amount spent on T-shirt: Rs. 30000
Amount Spent on pens: Rs. 4500

Total Amount spent = Rs. 35000 (approx.)

So that puts an end to our financial analysis(something to be noted here: I was awesomely terrible in finance during MBA days; I guess this inferiority complex, to some extent, made me perform this analysis...hehe :D). I won't be giving a speech on how many people could have been fed with that money. The need of the hour at that time was to cherish the time we had with our peers.....and we did so.


Life has taken a 90 degree turn since (our beloved)student life ended and professional life kick started. Student life had its own glamour, and so has this professional life.

With the advent of this new phase an altogether new persona has appeared over the usual gregarious college going student. Numbers did matter back then; numbers do matter now as well. We ran after numbers back then; we do so now. We were praised by our teachers on scoring good marks; we are praised by our bosses on achieving good numbers. Numbers have become increasingly important since we first met them in kindergarten.

Quite satisfying was the feeling of independence that I got after having the first look at my visiting card. There was a name and a designation mentioned on it. Nowhere was this feeling of being dependent on anyone. Wherever I go now, people know me by my name, by who I am, by what I am. A sense of responsibility has started setting in. I am the sole person responsible and answerable for my actions.

So, now there is a need to start doing some budget planning(OMG, finance again.....its all over my mind and life :O) about my first salary. The time has arrived to fulfil all my "boys toys" and gadget needs(a DSLR, a good smartphone, an ipod.....and many more.....yippeee!!!!!)

I hope I've not scared anyone with these (somewhat) serious talks. The usual weirdish_humourish_normalish talks would continue to tickle and make you giggle in my future posts.

Till the next time.


Signing Off

Gags (Now Employed) ;)

Quarter Life Crisis.........or is it?

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First of all, A Very Happy New Year!!!!!

Its Been a long time since I posted something. My 25^th birthday seems to be the perfect avenue to increase the post count to a number which can be arrived at by “square rooting” my current birthday number (yea yea, I am trying to showcase my mathematical skills.....you can envy me). So in a sense, this time when I make a slit in the birthday cake (chocolate truffle, please) I’ll be rejoicing upon my silver jubilee.

So what purpose does this post serve????? Well, this is yet another effort wherein I try and satiate the humour seeking urge of my readers by providing a tinge of observational humour. Lets see what this post has in store for you.................

I could relate the Pooja to mark this silver jubilee event with something. A PARTY!!!!! There was a gathering of people at my place to take part in the Pooja much like the gathering at a party. Punditji was reciting the mantras pretty much like the rap music played at such parties with all the rest trying to ape his rattling of mantras. Another such similarity and the most exciting part was the “bonfire”, with the only exception that this bonfire was lit-up inside the house!!!!! At the end the performer (Dear Punditji) was paid in cash for his performance and the “party” ended.

So, this birthday onwards a lot will be changing. Firstly, from now on whenever I register myself on a website, I’ll have to select an altogether different age bracket (the disliked “25-30 years”). Not only this, but on similar lines there will be a new option waiting to be marked on the retail store survey form.

Secondly, and the most irritating of ‘em all, the 25^th birthday brings along with it innumerable eyes staring at you and imagining you as a bride or groom (believe me or not, this really happens). The onset of 25^th year in our lives auto-activates the bride or groom beacon installed on us, making us visible on the “matchmaking radar” of various breeds of Auntis, Chaachis, Buaas, Maasis........all determined to make you sit on the electric chair.

This age has also been termed as that part of the life which comprises of the “Quarter Life Crisis”. This is so because during this age a person becomes independent in their life; start earning on their own; wants the elders geeks to consider their (supposedly expert) opinions and younger “kids” to respect them (which, in any case, they never do, lol). The “Crisis” word comes into the picture when any of these are not returned in adequate quantities by the other two groups. BANG! The car of aspirations takes a hit against the wall of self-esteem. The fourth block from bottom in the “Hierarchy of Needs” pyramid (calling attention of all my fellow MBAs.....) is predominant in this age.

Well, like all other bad omens, this can also be fended off pretty easily by making oneself realise that it is a phase that comes in every person’s life and is completely upto us to deal with it much like a daily chore. Don’t let things around affect you to an extent that it overwhelms your real self; be positive towards changes around you and try and adapt to such changes. It happens with everyone out there, you are no Martian among Earthlings, stop whining about things around yourself and look at the brighter side.

I read a line some days back and no matter how hard I try to veto my inner desire of using it again and again, I lose all the time. These were the words of the famous writer Chetan Bhagat: “In life, don’t be serious, be sincere”. Amazing! Isn’t it?

So by now even I have started showing the signs of “25-30” age bracket by bombarding you with all of my "Self-Gyan". The 25^th anniversary hangover you see. But no matter what all changes this silver jubilee brings about, I will never stop doing certain things: watching cartoons, laughing loudly without any full stops, expressing without hesitations and pestering my near n dear ones.

Signing Off

Gags (Since 1985 :P) ;)

Examophobia

Finally, I have been able to infuse life into this post by extracting it from a "word file" and posting it on the blog. The reason for this was: unavailability of internet and a small sojourn to Chandigarh, my home town. This post was intended to be posted during the exam time to ease off the exam pressure(if, at all, it was there) but due to the above mentioned excuses this could not be achieved. As they say, "Its never too late to do the right thing". So, without further ado(oops......sounds pretty formal eh!!!) lets treat you to the next post.................

So when we thought we were safe sitting in our bunkers doing out-of-the-world things on Facebook, they have unleashed yet another civil war on us. Its a battle lasting 7 days and each soldier will fight for a duration of 9 hours. Some extra dedicated soldiers fight for even 10 hours.

OK.....OK.....it’s not a war fought with swords but with pens. They said it right – “Pen is mightier than the sword”, yes it is, the exception being this time its might is backed by our diminishing mind(less) power. It’s the focal point of semester 4 and Mid-Semester exams have made their way into our minds and lives.

Believe it or not, most of my “Farmville Enthusiast” friends at college are worried about their “so called” harvest which might be harmed as they go untended due to this mid-semester brain churn. Well, I’ve already thrown “flood light” on our respectable farmers in a previous post. Let’s not ring the bells of history and get back to our fable of mid-semester-brain-numbing-week.

I was trying to down some “Business Ethics” from the book onto my mind when I noticed something. The first chapter of all our books, more or less, starts with one or the other complex word which has been derived from some Greek word. I am pretty sure Greek Gods were not only into poetry, art and literature but also ICMR books to be published centuries later. A majority of students (including me, that is) commence writing answers in the exam explaining these Greek words. (Example: The word strategy is derived from the word Strategos)

The amount of speculations about our exam syllabus surpass even the ones being made at BSE about our unpredictable economy. Everyone here pretends to be Warren Buffett and rise to the occasion of “syllabus estimation” only to realise that it is another effort in vain. E-mails, SMS, and all such mediums are exploited to communicate "our version" of syllabus to others. Even I had a telephonic conversation with a couple of friends a night before the exam to decide the fate of our subject textbook.

Another physiological change that can be observed(other than grim looking faces) during exams is an increased desire to sleep. Even the greatest of nocturnals cannot evade this sleep inducing state due to the lullaby filled textbooks. For this "segment", mid-sems are positioned as a sleep enhancing drug, prolonging the length of their hibernation period.

No matter how much we curse these exams but they do bring an element of "spice" in the monotonous MBA routine. In fact life would have been too dull in the absence of this mid-sem jolt.

Thats it for this edition. Will be back soon with more of such fun and frolic.


Cheers!!!!!

Gags ;)

Blitzkrieg...........A battle of Corporate Assassins

Blitzkrieg - "A headline word applied retrospectively to describe a military doctrine of an all-mechanized force concentrating its attack on a small section of the enemy front then, once the latter is broken, proceeding without regard to its flank."
Thanks to Wikipedia for this insight. The ultimate source of all our assignments and projects.

Well I won't be taking you back to the blood-bath of any German invasion. What I intend to do here is describe another such battle; a battle of managers, a battle of b-schools, a battle to prove one's acuminous mettle. Its Blitzkrieg(Blitz); the coveted inter B-school fest of IBS-Gurgaon.

Statutory Warning: This post will be limited to the "make-up" of our college walls using posters and other such similar elements. It is not the complete description of the fest itself.

The excitement and zeal can be felt all over the campus with multi coloured posters embracing the walls. The very first sight one comes across while entering the campus is that of a long black banner with "Blitzkrieg-09" pasted on it with silver letters. It seems much like the parachute of a paratrooper who just crash landed on our college building. That's not all, there is a lot more to be seen ahead. Lets unfold this mystery................

The first and foremost paper figure I came across was that of a headless "Corporate Assassin" wearing a black suit and holding a blood stained knife in the right hand. It pretty much seems as if our "Corporate Assassin" was enraged and motivated enough to show his skills(with the knife, that is.....) and decapitated himself.

The most prominent type of charts I came across were cut in the shape of hand. Many such "baby and mummy" hands can be seen all around the campus. Blitzkrieg 09 seems more like a campaign being run by the "always power seeking" Congress party. Nevertheless, the amount of effort put into making these hands must have made real hands pain. Never had these artists thought that the innovative minds at IBS-G could turn pernicious for their "handmade hands" by trying to close all fingers but one, much like the gesture shown by Greg Chappell to Kolkata cricket fans.

A place in all the classrooms is well known for bringing us injurious news such as assignments, projects, evaluation marks. This infamous place is a square shaped class noticeboard which reminds me of the Tiananmen Square - both signify a massacre in one way or the other. The look of the noticeboard was adorned and complimented by a poster carrying skull on it(this poster marks the launch of Blitz).

As I was writing this post something on the table caught my eye. It was an Airtel Broadband bill(Bah......they never forget to send it) carrying a small proclamation: "Say NO to paper bills. Save paper, save trees". Had this message aired at our campus, a whole family of trees could have been saved..............my apologies for hijacking the topic. Lets get back to it!!!!!!!!!!!!

Paper figures of gun wielding soldiers can be seen all around the campus ready to fire at you at the blink of an eye. Looks pretty much like a SWAT operation in progress. Well, we do need such a SWAT operation at our campus owing to the kidnapper-hostage situation we are subjected to by our faculties.

Sometimes, by chance, things represent something which was never intended but is true to the core. A poster of Inve$tomania(an event where people obsessed with investments and stocks come and play) at our canteen pretty much signifies the state of the US Economy as the "$" in the name of the event can be seen waggling and dropping.

The SPARTANS club at IBS-G chose such an appropriate place to make their presence felt that it coincides perfectly with the famous dialogue from the movie "300" - our college canteen..................."Tonight we dine in hell".

Well, that said and done, I suppose I have played my role of being a Super-Critic pretty well here. No matter what parodies I've suggested here, the work accomplished by the hard working future managers is commendable. They have infused life by their colours and never ending spirits at IBS-G. Kudos to all!!!!!!!!!

Signing Off...........

Cheers!!!!!!!!!


Gags ;)

Food, Cloth, Shelter..........and Facebook.........

Facebook(FB)............the very first tab I open in my browser. Hotmail comes after that. This has become a default task as soon as my laptop starts. I can state it with full conviction, same is the plight of majority of my batchmates at IBS Gurgaon. This post is an extension to a status message I recently left on "my Facebook" profile.

When Mark Zuckerberg created FB in his dorm room at Harvard, he would have never imagined that his baby would be ranked as the number one social networking site just four years down the line. Anyhow, all such facts are already available on various websites and I would not be presenting an example of plagiarism on my blog.


Lets take it on the lighter side. My Way. My Style..............


The most common word I come across at FB is "Farmville". Little did I know that my batch mates in MBA had an innate talent for farming. Well if I had to describe the happenings on Farmville it would sound something like this:

Agriculture sector in India has hit a boom. Soon, this sector will be the major contributor towards GDP of India surpassing the 22% mark by leaps. Barter system has found refuge with these farmers, exchanging goods of interest with each other. All of a sudden, the latent love for animals has found a channel to outflow. Farmers are adopting animals found wandering on their farms and grooming them to a better form. Also, feeling of companionship and camaraderie has become predominant over all materialistic desires. Farmers of Farmville are going beyond limits to help their counterparts. Strategic alliances being formed to aid each other and maintain a high degree of mutual trust and overall well being of everyone.
Its not only the "K" serials that dominate a woman's mind. I came across this reality when a friend told me she was busy teaching her Fiancé how to play Farmville and seemed genuinely elated on discovering that his farm was right next to hers and they were neighbours now!!!!!


I was intrigued by a message on FB recently which read "Your friend won a fight with your help and wants to gift you a gun". WOAHHHHHH.............when did I fight someone?, and why in this world is he gifting me a gun??? Even if I had to fight, I would have postponed it by a couple of days owing to my tight schedule of extra-classes at college!!!!!
Then a much awaited revelation took place and I was glad to know that this message has its roots in another FB application named "Mafia Wars". Mafia Wars on one hand has urged people to come together forming clans and working as a team to "execute" their rivals and satiate their inner sadistic drives, on the other hand it has shown us perfect examples of "brother-against-brother" situations(oh no no, relax. it was just a simple internet gangwar). A friend pinged me on gtalk the other day and frantically told me he is being attacked by his brother along with his friends (on Mafia Wars, that is). The war had intensified to such an extent that it was now being fought between two b-schools rather than two brothers. Calls were made, SMS were sent and no matter whichever communication method was present, it was exploited to the best of its capabilities. IBS Gurgaon Won !!!!!!!!!!!

Facebook has provided us an avenue to keep in touch with friends we otherwise would have lost touch with. Uploading pictures(the ones where we look good!!!!) and showing them off to friends has become a fad. Friends are gratifying their inner whims and fancies by asking questions to a "BABA" who would answer in either "yes" or "no". Friends and foes are being ascertained by applications like "Friend of the Day". The most interesting update is "relationship status", and if by any chance it changes to "single" will be glanced upon by the maximum number of corneas.

FB also is the home for some inspiring moments. Recently a senior did an amazing deed by singing and uploading a song he sung for his ailing friend and expressed the concern he carried for him.

Facebook has surely revolutionized the way we interact with friends and known ones. Its another way of expressing humour, happiness, distress, and all such inner states.

In the meantime and in between time, that's it, another post meeting its end. See you soon!!!!!


Cheers

Gags ;)

There has to be a start..........this is it!!!!!

Gagandeep Rana, Rana, Gaggi, Gaggu, Gags or simply Gagan. These are some of the names his family and friends use for him.

So who is he ? He is just an average Joe who has his own ambitions, insecurities, strengths, weaknesses and such similar adjectives. Lets end the dramatic feel here itself and let me take you from a third person tone to a much desired first person tone..............

I belong to a Himachali Rajput family but was born and brought up in Chandigarh, which led me to patronise the Punjabi culture. It seems as if Punjabi runs in the blood. Though this has never resulted in diminishing of respect I carry for other cultures. At the end its humanity that matters the most.

Life in retrospect was mostly fun and a modicum of studies. Did my schooling from St. Xavier's Chandigarh till Xth class and joined a Govt. Model School for secondary education which I completed with Non-Medical stream. By now I had enough interest about computers infused in me that it seemed certain I'll be pursuing my higher education tinkering with computers. Joined BCA as a graduation stream which seemed to suit my interest perfectly just like the right key for a lock. The coming three years had a lot in store for me. Saw many aspects of life viz. love, achievement, friendship, betrayal. Alongside, I also felt another transformation transpiring. The keen interest I carried in computers was intact but due to some reason I was not able to take it to an extent in order for me to adopt it as a career. "Who would sit all day long in front of the computer developing codes and finding bugs. This would make my life an infinite loop with nothing more to do." Interacting with people seemed to be much more interesting and would make life much more fun. My belief was cemented further by faculties who knew me well and had taught me over the past three years.

MCA? Nahhhhhhhhh.............MBA? Here I come!!!!!!!

While preparing for MBA I generated certain interests and hobbies I still take out time for to this date.
Gymming was one of them. Its a fact that our body secrets a hormone called "Endorphin" whenever we exercise or do some strenuous physical work. Its Endorphin that gives us a "feel good" factor. I make sure I never run short of Endorphin.

I also became part of a team that started an online magazine named "theScene" which covers diverse topics such as health, movie and music reviews, hardware and software reviews, computer games reviews (Talking about computer games, this is one interest I cultivated some years back and is growing with time).

Music has always appealed me through almost all its forms; oldies, ghazals, rap, desi hip hop, indi- pop...............and the list goes on n on n on. Amongst all these forms of music the two which appeal to me the most are rap and desi hip hop owing to the challenging and vernacular verses these songs are composed of. Its been some years now since I've been working on my "verse rattling" skills. Its Fun!!!!!!

An obsession I contracted recently is that of a "Photo-frenetic". Photography reveals many hidden meanings that otherwise would go unnoticed. It makes the most meagrely important aspects seem utmost important. Brings out the beauty that would not be revealed otherwise. It is these aspects of this art that excites me the most. Subsequently, this makes a DSLR camera take the topmost spot in my gadgets wishlist.

Why I started this blog?
Expression is a powerful trait possessed by an individual. I have recently seen many friends expressing their ideas on blogs. It sure is an effective medium to voice your opinion and getting to know what others think about the same. Another inner state(which I also exhibit explicitly) that I'll bring out on this coveted blog is "HUMOR". No matter in whatsoever form it is, humor it seems, is intertwined deeply within me, much like siamese twins. I try to search for something humorous (believe me!) in everything.

That said and done, I'll stop the atrocity I am inflicting upon my laptop's keyboard(until the time I come across something else worth sharing).


Cheers!!!!!

Gags ;)