Better week

this. On Monday, I updated my framework document. I did nothing commendable on Tuesday. Y’day, I wrote a script to template-ise stuff copy-pasted from Excel. Left office early at 5.30 n’ went to Brigade Rd., where I met up with OC, Ashish, Tanya n’ Geetz.. We did some shopping/drank coffee n’ then went for ‘Hitch‘ (starring Will Smith and Eva Mendes). Excellent time-pass of a movie indeed! I really needed to watch something like that; recommended by Gaurav J. [my weekend-b’ball-ing colleague]. We all enjoyed it. Do read the review here. Got home after midnight by which time Amol had already slept (he’s shifted in for a few weeks, whilst he’s here in B’lore for his MBA internship).

He left today before I woke up at 7.30. Got to office to discover the mad guy isn’t gonna be in today/tomorrow. He’s got a 2-day-leadership programme to attend. We all believe its a mandatory remedial thing the company has forced upon him. But the other folks are neck-deep in work, so we can’t play. I’m totally jobless, so I’m thinking of catching the 4 pm shuttle today n’ going again to Brigade Rd. to accompany Geetz for some more shopping.. 😀

Can’t wait for tomorrow when I’m going home, sweet home!! 🙂

Eff-ing luck!!

Skipped lunch to blog!! 🙂

This goes way back.. to the Bahrain GP, where Kimi did me proud by finally claiming his first podium of the season. Monty’s replacement de la Rosa not only came fifth, but also provided unending entertainment to viewers around the world. Notwithstanding his antics which took him off the track on more than one occasion, he still managed to set the fastest lap of the race!! The way he overtook Webber n’ Rubinho was to die for! But nothing pleased me more than the hydraulics failure which caused Schuey‘s retirement, especially ‘cuz the newfound speed of the Ferrari had me on edge..

Y’day changed all that, the only saving grace being the great show that Wurz put up, just as I expected. I think Pedro did right by conceding his race spot- its only fair that both are given equal chances. Trust McLaren’s sense of egalité to work on the MP4-20 to accommodate Alex. With Kimi’s consecutive poles in both qualifying sessions, I thought the time had finally come for the drought to end and Kimi to ascend to the top step of the podium, which he had been denied all these months..

It looked like McLaren had finally got their act together. Well, I guess I hoped for too much. Kimi did shoot into the lead and put a stunning 3.5 seconds between him and Alonso in just a few laps. I’d just chided Anoop for criticising McLaren’s reliability, when the unthinkable happened. With no news about the incident on any F1 site, I fail to understand what made Kimi’s car lose speed, slow down and eventually have to be taken out of the race..

I thought things couldn’t get any worse, when I noticed Schumi working his way up the order.. my old school pals had dropped in, so we went out for a long tea break. When we got back, Schuey unbelievably was in no less than 2nd place!! 😮 I have no choice but to admit that the guy is indeed very good. To show so much determination at his age certainly deserves applause. I didn’t think Alonso would manage to stay ahead of the Schumster- I didn’t consider him capable or mature enough. Never was I happier to be proved wrong. 🙂

Fortunately, he kept that 0.3 sec lead over ten laps of faultless driving till the chequered flag.. One tiny error would have been enough to let Schu through. Their tussle and Wurz’ fourth place finish were the only good things at Imola y’day.. I also did hope Minardi‘s new car would give NK a run for his place, but the Jordan still is decidedly better.

Working conditions..

..are as lovely as could be.

1) Catch office bus at 8 a.m. to go 15 km by dusty, bumpy, accident-prone road.
Option: Go 5 km to old office n’ catch 10 a.m. shuttle to reach office two hours late!
2) Pay Rs.15 for a cold unhealthy not-filling tasteless breakfast.
3) Work a full eight hours in a cubicle with non-functioning airconditioning (at >26 deg. C)
4) Thanks to sunlight glare all day, crane neck to catch sight of whatever’s on the monitor.
5) Report to a mentally-unstable PM who expects a miracle from me everyday.
6) Go 1.5 km to-n-fro for lunch at a roadside restaurant. Option: Be at the mercy of the crappy fare the company cafeteria has to offer people after waiting half an hour in queue.
7) With an engineering degree from RECT and two years of work experience in C/Linux, get paid a paltry 14k per month. Meanwhile, with bated breath, wait for July which brings with it a 10% “hike” (knowing full well how negligible it is).

Why do I work here?
‘cuz I’m a f*ckin’ idiot.

What I haven’t..

..done in ages:

1. Blogged
2. Listened to music
3. Called friends up
4. Slept well
5. Sat idle
6. Ridden a bike
7. Sent/Checked Email

Well, I did all of that today!! 🙂
What a life! 😦

Stuff

Finally got some time.. Sudip [my old PM] didn’t come today- Even tho’ he’s one of the coolest guys I’ve met, y’day he got so totally pissed off with my new PM [who’s mad- no kidding!] that he actually came to me after a meeting n’ swore under his breath!!

Basu’s back after his wedding n’ has started purchases already- bought a Samsung washing machine y’day- he’s shifting out tonight. Harith will be replacing him.. We haven’t got anyone else yet. Hoping to drag Pankaj, who’s back.. with his gal this time! She’s started work- got a job at Naukri.com, so I can take her help when I shift 🙂

The new office is great, except that my floor [1st] is still to be fully developed. I have no aircon n’ the sunlight glare on the monitor is very disturbing in the mornings. Its cool otherwise. Work has been hectic, but the best thing is that I cannot be delayed beyond 6.30 ‘cuz I can’t miss the only bus on my route 🙂 I’m reaching before Anoop n’ Lazith – at 7.30!

Found a new dining spot- Kovai Saravana Bhavan– perfect Thambi food! Ate there y’day n’ day before. The stuff there is too cool.. Had ven pongal n’ masala dosai– also kotthu parotta y’day n’ thakkali utthappam day before Everything with perfect sambar!! 🙂
Terrible news.. about Monty’s fracture! 😦 Hope de La Rosa rises up to the occasion to give McLaren some much-needed points this weekend at Bahrain.

[Listening to: 04- Stargazer – The very best of Rainbow – (8:23)]