Day 518:23rd Feb, 2011

These days, the body clock of all PGP2s has adjusted itself to a new external factor - the ppt schedule. Some 20 minutes before some ppt is scheduled, you could see all soggy eyelid-heavy faces going to the bathroom for a quick wash, and in extreme cases a quicker shave. 

So was it with me. Was glad I managed to wake up on time for the 1.45 afternoon presentation. Was infinitely more glad, when the last mover advantage played out and I could manage to stay outside the classroom and get attendance for nothing :D 

But just like two days back, this was avenged too. We had this presentation by one global bank. And another at around the same time by a local Indian bank. As per sat for the ppt, we saw from the back windows that pizzas were kept outside, and became all happy (free food some how has that effect), especially because, no way would a local Indian bank spend as against a global giant right? But Murphy's law won, mocked at us fair and square, through the pizza stuffed mouths of the students who went for the other one :( . BTW, should we take it as a sign of changing times? :-)

Some more wrap-up work w.r.t. INDEX. Had called an old vendor for some "negotiations", thanks to some things that weren't delivered as promised. As expected, didn't reach a definite conclusion, but made some headway in better understanding some points. Missed dinner (and apparently, one awesome new dessert :-( ...) and subsequently fell back on Fauzi. Had a nice time recalling and remembering some of the kaand that happened till now :-)

Have just spent some good bit of time mechanically reading and consciously closing the too many tabs that had been opened up on my browser. And now, one Contra session, TBBT episode and night snacks @ Fauzi later, it's time to bid good night!

Day 482:18th Jan, 2011 - Kronos is here!

The day started with the usual FRA class. What followed though was not so usual. Motivated by AdiJ's prior condition to have me as a disciple, I read up a little bit of fin (1.5 years late, but better than never). Was fun actually, and surprisingly, I did know quite a bit of it ;-)

Had the Brand Management class in the afternoon. Now that is one super fantastic prof - personally, the best we have had till now. Normally, I have a complete blackout 5min into the lecture, but this I have been able to hear for the entire 90min. Great stuff!

A batchmate and member of Team SynapsE has come up with this new portal - Kronos. And true to what it claimed in the teaser, it is going to change the way people live at helL! It is a fantastic shared calendar. Something that you see and wonder why it hadn't been done before! Hats off!

Just got back after celebrating TG's birthday. As last year, he got hyper, had a big chase with Pachpan and somewhere in between threw cake on my jacket :-S . But man, he did get some awesome beating! Thanks to a new weapon of mass destruction that has been recently discovered - Shomo's chappals!

Day 439:30th Nov, 2010

I generally diligently attend all initial classes and save up my bunks for towards the end. Unfortunately though, strategy failed as we had a "final project quiz" in the CBM class today and I had to attend it. Not that much came out of giving that quiz anyway.

Pretty packed day though. This was immediately followed by a session about a company that evokes dichotomous reactions. A lot of us are very enthusiastic about it and an even greater lot want to have nothing to do with it. Mainly due to the location where they send us. And of course, the "rumours" about what kind of heads comprise of their CTC. Anyways, an alum had come down for the session, and it was pretty much informal (except for the dress code). The job sounds exciting and adventurous to me. Wouldn't mind it at all!

Immediately after that, I had to revamp a ppt for a presentation we had in our SM class. Did that in my room and then in the back benches of the classroom. The presentation itself went off smoothly though - that's one thing we have had enough practice of here :D

That was followed by an LTL class. Somehow, because of a few cancellations and reschedulings, turns out we have 5 whole sessions of LTL left. Still time for me to use my buffer. Also, funny thing during attendance - the prof looked up at me after I had answered my attendance. Courteously, even I looked back at him. Then he enquiringly nodded at me. I nodded back - confused. (Absolutely didn't understand where the dumb-charades game was going.) Then I realised the prof was asking me why I had missed the previous lecture. I had no clue why (!! ... who keeps a track of everything) and that is exactly what I told him :-p . Don't know why the class found it funny though :-p

Had a small meeting in the evening. Closing small small issues. Leaving the bigger ones for later discussion, since we all need to sleep early and wake up really really early tomorrow!

Day 424:15th Nov, 2010

Thanks to yesterday's power-play, gloriously slept through my stipulated CBM early morning lecture. But grade drops are the lousiest way of pulling your scores down. So I don't like losing out on attendance (and I don't give/take proxy either), and hence attended the 12.30pm session. Too good prof though - seeing the high strength in his class, all by himself he called out people who had been absent in his morning sessions, since he easily understood they have all attended this lecture :D

Remaining afternoon and evening again went in continuation of yesterday's topic. Finally reached a closure, which "right now" seems to be a bit unfair, but definitely better than what was being decided earlier.

Funny thing happened in the midst of all this. Exactly the kind of mischief your batchmates would play on you. We had a clubbed 3hr session for LTL, and I was able to attend only the first part. So after the 2nd lecture, I sheepishly went to the prof to tell him I couldn't attend the 2nd session and requested him to give me attendance for the first. On which I was told by the prof that he didn't have the attendance register, and hence everyone would get attendance! Argghhh - why didn't someone tell that to me before I went to the prof!

Day 422:13th Nov, 2010

Was super chilly inside the classroom too for some reason. Not to mention my own internal running nose problem. And already I have an issue in not being capable of sleeping in a uncomfortable sitting posture. All these powers combined to ensure I couldn't even catch up on a wink of sleep during the lecture.

Anyways, broke all time records today. We launched our last MR project of the season. The final tally now stands at 18! That makes it more than any other INDEX by atleast 25%! \m/

Had an insti party. Got loads of work, but insti parties are not to be avoided. So I thought I'll just go there for 15min or so, hear some loud music and make my way out. The plan went off beautifully except for part 3. And instead of making my way out, I stayed on right till the very end, the part when we have randomly begun sitting in the lights AFTER the music is off, and singing a random bunch of songs :D. Pretty masaledaar party though :-p . Lots of happening stuff on the dance floor :-p . No limit to the things people do (and entertainment they provide to us) when they are a couple (ok, a little more than that) of drinks down ;-) . Finally back in my room. 4.45am. Work postponed to tomorrow :-p

Day 418: 9th Nov, 2010

Such a blissful feelings to wake up the morning, find out your class has been cancelled and go back to sleep again! :D . Did break my record of sleeping past noon though. Woke up at a much early 11am.

Had enough attendance (full :-p) in the subsequent lectures of the day. Bunked those to go to the city with Pachpan and get some INDEX work done. Roamed all the way from Gomti Nagar to Hazratganj. Discovered a whole new eating place near WAVE - those small roadside joints that serve good food! At Hazratganj, met up with Kisaan who had his own set of follow-ups to do. Indulged in some pillion-swapping :-p and Pachpan went off with him to meet a few other people; while I thought I'll go check out the status of my cellphone.

Yes, btw, my great cellphone was STILL NOT OK! :-( . Been more than 3 months since I had it in proper working condition! As you would recall (:-p), the last time I gave my phone for repairs, I got a new piece after the 15 day wait. Call it my luck - Turned out even that piece wasn't working! So today, when I went in after another 15 days, I got yet another new piece. This one wasn't a stunner in looks though :-( . Somehow, the silver grey front panel wasn't impressive. When I asked about that, I was told "The company uses any readily available piece". Which is downright silly, because I paid specifically for a good-looking phone! When I asked if it could get replaced, the response - "It will have to be sent back to the company again!". And that I just can't wait. But silly people - why can't they just keep an extra set of panels with the Care Centers :-S

When I came back to my room, I got to know some urgent modifications required in the hoarding creative. Sat on it. Almost 4am now. Not even sure how it is going to be received by others in my team. Just a sign of times to come, over the next one week :-)

Day 412: 3rd Nov, 2010

Almost forgot that classes are also a part of life :D . Was mighty bored to drag myself back to the routine of attending classes. And that too starting with one at 8.45 am. But kya karein.

For the past week, 30-70% of my talktime with my mom goes into combating queries as to whether or not I have "bought anything for Diwali". Now, this "Diwali shopping" is a concept that I have not been able to understand fully; I am the kinds who would rather buy "as and when needed". But, mainly to have a simple answer to this question, I have been making plans to go and buy something since the last couple of days, but unfortunately some stumbling block comes up! Today some stupid submission required people to go to the city and meet some distributor and all, and I was left with no company to go even today! Tomorrow - for sure! (No other option :) .. :-p)

PS: Got a great new business idea \m/ :D

Day 382: 4th Oct, 2010

I sometimes amaze myself. Today was one of those days. What else can explain still managing to wake up at 8.20am and attending the class, and not sleeping a wink in it?

20 min after the class, I realized I was under the influence of what I would like to call 'The Tubelight Effect'. My pride at being neither sleepy nor feeling any pain suddenly took a massive beating. As soon as I came back to my room, an extreme state of drowsiness and body ache took over me and there I lay temporarily dead for another couple of hours.

I did manage to wake up again, in time for a quick lunch before I attended my remaining classes of the day. However, this time I could neither shake off the drowsiness nor the stiffness in my body. I desperately need to overcome this shortcoming of not being able to sleep in anything that is a not-comfortable state, like travelling, lectures etc. Can't maximize available time :-p

Anyways, guess I'll take off a little early today. Sayonara.

Day 378: 30th Sep, 2010

Class over the past couple of days have passed off in a breeze. That is because of the Ultimate Championship that I am playing with Vanki. Which game, did you ask? Cows and Bulls! :D

The atmosphere was slightly tainted with the tension of the Ayodhya verdict. However, one cannot emphasize the kind of secure feeling that a campus provides. Even though we weren't too far away from the epicenter. Good to hear a solution which appears to be amicable. Things are OK, inside and outside both :-) 

Day 365: 17th Sep, 2010

The urge to avoid the right-up-the-front benches is pervasive across all student communities. I have usually always been someone who magnetically gets attracted towards the back benches (in school because of height, now because of name, but mostly because of choice). And of course, the last bench phenomenon is an interesting game. Sitting on the very last bench is risky; high chances of being called ahead! It is safer to take a middle position in the last but one row. However, in a land where this kind of smartness permeates every brain, it also becomes very difficult to get that place, because of the high demand.

Anyways, I digressed again. Even as we became comfortable in our chosen thrones (location-wise), the prof asked everyone seated behind to occupy the benches in front - because - we were having some sort of a photoshoot! :-P . Trying to capture students while they are learning in the classroom ;-) . Now things like that are no attraction to me. But to one self-obsessed guy like Pachpan, it was an opportunity that just should not be missed. So, off we were, to the 2nd bench or something. Can't remember the last time I was encountering a lecture from that close a range :-| . In all fairness to the prof, he allowed students to go back once the photoshoot was over :D , but I was overcome by too much inertia to change my place again.

Had an INDEX meet at night. Turned out to be one helluva discussion. Rules, rural, rumour. But always interesting to see extreme views eventually converging at one single point :-)