The itch to travel

If I ever make my CV, I would include travel as one of my hobbies. To be honest, travel to me is more than a mere hobby. Its a very serious passion and I take it seriously. Thankfully I work at a place that makes me travel about 15 days a month. The way I travel is not really ideal but I dont really complain because if I was the complaining kinds, I wouldn't have seen all those countries and all those cities that I have been to in last two or so years.

WROTE THIS BIT ABOUT A WEEK BACK
So today in the morning, I was getting bored and was generally checking my Dopplr. It tells me that the last trip I made out of Delhi (not counting the daily trips between Delhi and Gurgaon) was in December of 2011. And its been more than one and a half month since I went out. No wonder my heads spinning and I am moving around in circle.

Last few days, some restlessness had set in. I had no clue why. One of the ways to cure that itch would be to travel. I need to plan a trip out of the city somehow. And sooner the better.

WROTE THIS TODAY
Now that I am back from the Chennai/Mumbai trip, I can safely say that it was indeed the lack of travel that was fucking around with my head. Of course there are other things but now that I am back after a good three day trip, I am far better.

And ya, like I keep saying, I am destiny's child. After I wrote what I wrote a week back, I got an unexpected call for a meeting in Chennai. And then once I was in Chennai, I got another unexpected call for a meeting in Mumbai. And the boring trip turned out to be an amazing time that I spent with Neo in Mumbai. I mean not that I partied like crazy or something but we lazed around, ate awesome stuff and made that mandatory trip to Sunny ka dhaba on the Pune Expressway.

Next thing I am hoping that destiny would shower on me, is her. Lets see when.

Untitled - 30 Jan 2012

Yet another untitled post (the last one was on 28th). To be honest, the entire concept of untitled is inspired from Hugh's blog. Anyways here are things that I learnt/saw/observed/etc today (and yesterday).

1. Anyways is NOT a word. Apparently. That's what someone (@mooodles) on twitter told me. If this is true, about 90% of my posts now are grammatically incorrect. Anyways, I use anyways more often that I use I.
2. I am now hooked onto Foursquare. Its been just a couple of days that I have started using and I absolutely love the experience. More than that, their BB application is awesome. It just adds on to the experience. This is my handle at foursquare.
3. Meeting real people is more fun that chit chatting with them on twitter or on blog. Real people have real comments. They are more candid and open. They are lot more fun. The conversations are more meaningful. Since time is the most precious commodity, I'd rather spend it with real people than crating virtual linkages to people. I like talking about marketing, technology, starting up, ideas, poker, people, India and a host of other things. If you think you would want to meet over coffee, I am @saurabh on twitter.
4. I will have to restart using Facebook. Because it has the audience that I want to reach. Both as an individual and as a marketer. Especially when I am serious about seeding a couple of ideas. I am hoping that my last login on FB is still active. I will decide in a few days about it.
5. Finally, I am a big fan of Jason Statham. He is the epitome of how I want to look, if I ever get fit. I've already achieved the bald part, just need to work on the fitness bits.

And I guess that's it for the time being!

Eight years of blogging

This month, in 2004, I started writing this blog. Its been 8 years. If Malcolm Gladwell and the research he unearthed in his book is to be believed, I would become an awesome writer in another two years (10 years or 10000 hours to perfect a skill/craft rule).

Like I say every year, there is no other thing that I have done regularly for these many years, apart from living. People I know blame it on my attention spam lasting a mere 3 nanoseconds. I, on my ADD.

Hope I continue writing. And someday, actually get good enough to move people with my words. Till that overnight success happens to me, here is an awesome nugget from Calvin.

Link: GoComics

Untitled - 28 Jan 2012

As I write this, I am sitting at the Chennai airport. I have had a whirlwind day. Woke up at 4 to catch a flight, fought with an aunty who liked throwing her feminine side to people at 5, caught a flight at 6:30, landed in Chennai and navigated my way through the alien language, wrote a presentation about a project I had no clue about, delivered that presentation and rushed back to the airport to catch a plane to Mumbai. In the entire day, I hardly had time to breathe. I mean I did tweet about mundance things, installed foursquare on my phone, go out for that leisurely lunch at Sarvana Bhawan and bought a Grappo Fizz and an ice cream from Spencer's and created time to write this blogpost. But I had no time to think of things that otherwise bother me. sgMS to start with. Despite all the time that has elapsed since she and I spoke I still cant get her out of my head. Then there are things related to work. I am losing hair at the speed of light and am still poor. On the other hand, every Tom, Dick and Harry seems to be minting money as if they are the modern day incarnation of Scrooge McDuck! Then there is some shit brewing up at home. I dont even want to talk about it.

Anyways, the point of this post is that I have reazlied that I am the thinking kinds (MBTI - thinking) and more time I have on my hands, more I think. And more unhappy I become. May be the immediate solution to all my vows is actually finding something that can keep my head occupied for good. Something that makes me trapped in the rut so deep that I spend all my time wading through the shit. Something like what a bank teller does. Sits on a seat and attends to queries all day long. Now, if I had a degree that made me fit to be a teller!

P.S.: I wrote this in Chennai. Now as I hit the publish button, I am in Mumbai, waiting for Neo to come pick me up.

The Mastery of AR Rahman

AR Rahman needs no introduction. Last thing that I remember him doing (I dont watch a lot of movies btw) is the new Hero Motocorp jingle. At first I hated it. I thought it was too flowery and too flowing and was a bit of a drag. Neo, on the other hand, loved it from the word go. He even downloaded the jingle and put in his car. I distinctly remember laughing on his face when he first played it.

This week, Hero released their new TVC. Its a montage of "real" people from across the country, singing the jingle. And they are asking people to record their own version of the jingle and get a shot at getting featured in the next TVC. Good idea. But then this is not about the idea. This is about AR Rahman and his mastery. The same jingle that I hated when I heard for the first time, I loved it. Its so brilliant that I want to hum when its playing. I would not mind having it as my ring tone or caller tune. I would love to play this, along with all the other fab tracks I play every morning.

Like all AR Rahman songs, this jingle has grown on me. I dint like it initially but with repeated exposure, rather than getting bored of it, I now like it. With all other composers, you get bored when you hear something repeatedly, most AR Rahman songs, you get more attached to them. Salute to him for cooking this up. And salute to brand managers at Hero for letting this out. And salaam to Neo for identifying the genius when I missed.

Games People Play

Since I have some time on my hands, lemme think (with my fingers) on the reasons why I like playing poker. Of course like any other blog entry, this would have a long preface, followed by an even longer back story about he game. I would then beat around the bush aimlessly for a while, before I start uncovering the layers from the real reason why I am writing this. Finally after all the million words, I would write one line about it and then end it abruptly. And I know that once I read the draft after I have finished writing it, it would be about something else altogether.


So, here's the preface.
I have always played card games as a kid, but most of those were those Indian British games like teen patti and seep. And then since these were played with family, betting was a strict no. Not even on Diwali when even the Marsians gamble. Cards was more of an excuse to stay indoors during those fiery summers. And since playing cards helped with maths and brains, parents encouraged and we played for long hours.

The long back story.
But despite playing cards for all those years, my first tryst with gambling happened at MDI in 2005. I was the founding member of the teen patti club. We played a lot of Flush during those two years. So much so that at point in time, we were playing almost everyday.

It was at MDI, I think this was the time when I first heard about Poker. It is apparently Warren Buffet's and Bill Gates' favorite card game. And since I am on a perpetual ape-the-intelligent mode, I had to learn the game. I read about it, tried playing it with a couple of friends but I dint really like it. I even played it with some guys from IIMA who I bumped into on a trek trip. But again, I dint like it. Like everything, one thing lead to another and I passed out of MDI. I forgot about it all till I went to a casino sometime in 2007 and I played some poker on a real table. I ended up winning some 10000 bucks and it felt awesome to have the extra cash. Not that I would make castles from the poker money but it was something I hadnt anticipated. And like all humans, I like surprises and I like extra moolah.

Beating around the bush.
I think that was the time when I told myself that I need to start playing poker again. And I think once I came back from Mumbai, I started playing poker seriously. Started playing it online and every offline opportunity that I got - read home games, casinos etc. I even entered into a couple of tournaments at Macau and Amsterdam (no I dint specifically go there to participate, I was there and hence I participated). Both places, I was out before I knew I was in. I was that bad am still that bad. Last time I was playing on a real table (I think Casino Prime in Goa), I started with 10k, went down to 3k, went up to 90k and finally ended the game with 12. I must have played for well over five hours. I made 2k in 6 hours. Mr. Ahluwalia and the planning commission he deputy-chairs would be disappointed. I am after all in the elite category of skilled labour.

Anyways, so I started playing poker seriously in 2009 and played it on and off. I never got around to allocating a particular time of the day to it but I do try and play when I can. I tried creating a couple of groups in Delhi that could help me find some home games but I realized that for most people, poker is a mere hobby. For me, poker is something that I want to pursue as a professional. I am not sure but from Daniel Negreanu's tweets, it sounds like awesome fun.

One line about the reason why I am writing this.
I could have summarized the entire post in a few bullet points. They would have been (in no particular order if read it top down and in decreasing order of importance if you read it bottom up)

• I want to get rich!
• I want to develop myself as an individual.
• I like the unpredictability of the entire game. 
• I like the thrill and excitement of being on the poker table.
• I want to play some sport at the professional level, even if its a mundane card game.

Abrupt end.
Anyways, I have been writing this for well over an hour. Enough. Blogger should actually create a feature that tracks the time that is spent on crafting a particular post. I would use it because it will tell me if I get my writing in the first attempt or I need revisions.And may be, some day bill some client for the time ;P

What I wanted to write about and what I wrote about.
I wanted to write about the reason why I play poker and this ended up being a bried biography. I think I suffer from, as Shatru puts it, verbal diarrhea. Oh, by the way, if you live in Delhi/NCR and are keen on poker home games, do write in. And if you arent, request you to please spread the word.

Incoherent thoughts on my car

En route to Patiala with Neo, Feb 2011

When I moved back to Delhi in 2009, I dint know how to drive a car. While I was away, my sis/folks had bought this car and since I loath using public transport, I got the rights to use this car. I learned (learnt?) how to drive on this car and now more than two years and 75,000 KMs later, I can confidently say that I am a good driver. More importantly, I enjoy love driving. So much so that at times I take longer routes while going home. I love the control I have over the car. I love the fact that I can judge the distances and gaps with clock-like precision. I love the response that the car gives me. In fact at times, like I was telling #sgMS during one of those rides, the car feels like an extension of my body. The way I can control my limbs effortlessly and subconsciously, the same way, I control the movements of my car. I dont have to divert any  attention when I am supposed to change the gears or step on the paddles or maneuver on the road. Its all ingrained in my head and it now comes naturally to me.

Lucky that despite more than 75000 KMs on it, so far I havent had no major accidents. Apart from that one incident near Haridwar when a truck banged my car from the back. And for the record, no fault of mine. And the other time I scratched againt a truck and it blew away my left rear view mirror (this was lapse in my judgement). And then there were tons of small scratches that you cant really avoid when the most part of drives happen in Delhi.

Just in case, I drive a Hyundai Santro. This is one of those entry level cars where they promise you comfort and yet leave a lot to be desrired for. Its not really powerful but can zip around for sure. India, the speeds are typically 60KMph and my Santro can easily handle it. It runs on petrol and I know it is an expensive proposition but then I think this is the only luxury I indulge in (dont like buying clothes or watches or fancy things). I dont make a lot of money and I could hypothetically travel in the awesome Delhi Metro or the other modes of public transprt, but I refuse to do so. I want my space and my car gives me that. Hopefully, things would take a turn for the good soon and I would be able to upgrade to a new car this year or the next year. Till then sgSantro would have to be around.

P.S. Dint know what to write about but had to update the blog today.

P.P.S. For all the bots and other social media aficionados, this post is NOT about a Santro, but is about my love for driving. And this could have been any other brand. Santro is incidental. And on the other hand, my posts about sgElectra, are VERY MUCH about the brand. You cant replace a Royal Enfield with any other bike. 

On blogging and the chase

Ever since I started taking my blog seriously (I mean I have always taken my blog seriously but for last few weeks I have been trying to put in more effort than usual in terms of thinking about what to write), I have seen something terible happening to me. Rather than worrying about what to write, I am obsesed with getting more and more readers. I get some 40 odd readers everyday, from Google mostly, and most of these are one off hits. They stumble on to my blog from obscure sources and read posts on Javed Akhtar and Harivashh Rai Bachchan and then move on, never to come back (btw these two were written in 2005 and 2004 respectively). Nothing wrong with it if I was writing to make a quick buck. But I am not. My objective with this blog is to improve my craft and try create a tribe that likes the way I write. And get that tribe to feed me back with their feedback. So I rather want people to read posts that have taken much more time and patience to craft. And the ones that reflect the style that I want my writing to evolve into. For example this post on Mumbai. Or this on Panchgani.

Ofcourse its not an easy task. It takes time and effort to create any tribe. I have already done the homework. I have committed myself to it. I would write and write and hopefully see some traction (a column with a weekly/monthly magazine etc) by the end of 2012. So far, just been 10 odd days, I have lived upto the promise. I have been able to write something or other almost every day. Even if its crap. Of course I need to figure out a genre that makes me want to write. I dont really have a strategy in place apart from writing something or the other regularly.

I would also try and write some stuff for blogs/websites that get far larger audience than this one. I submitted this one on Sachin Tendulkar to cricinfo last week. They chose not to publish it. I sent this one to afaqs in December last year. They said they like it but I dont think they published it. Anyways, rejections are fine. Rejections mean that things are moving. The outcome is not what you intended it to be they are outcomes none the less. Things are moving. I am hoping to send things to 50 publications this year. And keep a track. So if you are an editor, beware ;P

Anyways, for some reason, even I am not sure why am I doing it, I would move all the serious writing to a new blog/domain. Need to think of a name for it. This shall remain a repository of whatever I write but I would have a separate domain for my serious writing efforts. And then I would try and market that domain. Even on facebook/twitter etc.

Only thing that I need to remain careful is that I dont want to be chasing readers and hits. And p.s. if you do read this blog, please please let me know (comments or emails or phone calls) that you do read this blog and I would send you a small questionnaire and see what can I do to improve things.

Subah Hone Na De

Heres something for the otherwise mundane boring Monday mornings.

If you havent heard this song danced your heart out on this song, you have missed a very important thing that life offered you. Next time you get an opportunity, try shaking a leg and you'd know what I meant.
 

Home Alone 2012

Despite my age, I still live with my parents. Most Indian men in middle class families do so. Anyways, the point is that my parents have been away for a week. And I was all alone for those days. First time in I think three years when I was alone for this long. And I learnt a lot of things. I mean I have lived along in the past when I was in Mumbai, and that too for more than 2 years but somehow I dint realize things back then.

So here are few things that I have learnt/observed in the last few days when I have been home alone.

1. When you are alone, you dont sulk. I was fucked up in my head read bad on Monday night. Normally, when I am fucked up, I go home and sulk. And sulk so bad that I dont even have my dinner, dont speak to my parents, shut myself in my room and just not do anything. But then when you dont have your parents, you dont know what to do when you want to sulk. Like, on Monday, I reached home, I was alone. I put on the TV, played some poker and slept. I woke up the next day as fresh as a baby. I mean I did ignore work that I was supposed to do but I dint sulk.
2. Time expands to take up all available work. I could do everything that I was supposed to do/fix/buy etc. For a change I dint want opinion of my mom or dad to buy the soap or what to order for dinner. With lesser opinions, things get done faster. You get lot of free time. You actually create time. I used that time to live like a free bird. I could wake up at any time I wanted. I could sit anywhere in the entire house.
3. Breakfast gets screwed. Ever since I came home from Mumbai, I have always had a good and heavy breakfast. And since my mom is the world best cook, the breakfast was super awesome. Compare it to a time when I was living alone. That time, I would grab a sandwich or a fruit on the way to work and thats about it. It also meant that I would have a heavy lunch and that translated into the 36" belly! To be honest, I dont like to be erratic with something as important as food but I dint have an option. Once I start staying alone again, I would put a schedule in place. I really like the diet that they taught us during Vipassana. Two simple meals and an empty stomach while sleeping.
4. Simple tasks lose their meaning. Like every day when I get up, I am used to folding my rajai neatly into 5 folds and then putting it in an almirah where we store all other quilts, from all other rooms. Now with me living alone, I know that I would come back at night, goto the almirah, unfold the rajai, bring it to my bed and sleep with it. So today, while I was getting up, it occurred to me, that if I left it on the bed, it would be ok and actually save me trouble of folding it, storing it, retrieving it, opening it etc. Of course it's not about a mere rajai, but about larger things. This is how anarchy in initiated. Seemingly harmless things, balloon into stuff that is easily labeled anti establishment and we start talking of blasphemous ideas like revolutions!
5. You hardly speak ten words (apart from conversations with your work colleagues). I have always had an innate need to speak up and express myself (a large reason why I maintain this blog). But when your folks are not home, you cant really speak to anyone (assuming you are married and sgMS is not around). Does that translate into more thoughts and more productive things? I am not too sure but its an area that is worth exploring.
6. You party lot more. Since there is nothing that you do apart from office, that is anyways boring, you attend lot more parties. I partied on three consecutive nights. Each day I reached home well after midnight. And for the record, the number of times I went out is more than the combined number of times I have been inside a club. Ya, I am boring like that. I'd rather be on the open sky, on a highway, heading towards dunno where.

And I think this is it. Ofcourse I was alone for just a few days. I am not too sure if I was to live alone for longer, what how would it be. But all in all it was an interesting break. Both for my parents and for me.