When someone decides to message you all of a sudden and grumble that you are not blogging, then it is an indication that it has been a while. Well, I know it has, considering the last post was a month back. However, my life is so full of work, that I honestly, don’t have much to blog about.

Anyway, as an update, I have been working long hours all through the week and the concept of weekend is a blur. e.g. I worked till 1.30am on both Thursday and Friday! Weekends that do come along are spent with me resting all day long.

Well, that’s life of an investment banker. I knew the hours would be long, but didn’t expect it to be this long. Normally, this would have been a problem, if I wasn’t enjoying the work so much, I would definitely have hated it!

Talking about investment banking, as of yesterday, I completed two whole months as an investment banker! I know these two months have been simply amazing. The learning curve has been very steep, but I think I’m doing just fine.

What about my plugins, blogging and the rest of the world of IT? Well, it is there. I did put in a few posts at Techtites a while back when I had a full two days. Otherwise, Umar has been doing a good job so far. And, Shahrzaad’s occasional posts have been helpful in keeping the blog alive.

As for the plugins, sadly, they require a dedicated amount of time which hasn’t been a luxury I can afford. However, I have tried my best to support the same in the forums.

I am taking leave at the end of this month, as a break and also to take a trip back home. Hopefully, I should have the time to get in some coding as well!

My last post was in Mumbai. And here I am back again posting from my home city.

Returned to Pune after Diwali vacation on 30th itself to make sure that we study for the Corporate Finance and Software Project Management exams on 1st. Well, study we did, but managed to mess up SPM

The rest of the week passed by with some good, some bad and some really really ugly papers. Well, January 3rd is the tentative date for the results.

Had originally planned on leaving for Mumbai on 10th itself. However, I had to attend a student interaction session by the NAAC team. Symbiosis International University is currently being accredited by NAAC.

Namrata and me set out for Mumbai by the 7.15am bus. The driver refused to take it through Parihar Chowk and insisted on taking the bypass route. The drivers can be really frustrating at times.

The MSRTC bus turned out to be full, which is rather suprising for a Tuesday morning. Anyway, got into the Neeta bus which got to Mumbair rather fast. Ended up watching Tashan on the bus. I really wonder how they allow some Bollywood movies to be made!

Got down at Santa Cruz and picked up my bike from Jana who studies in NMIMS. The bike runs well, but as usual I plan on getting it serviced tomorrow. Have a lot of riding to do this week.

Not sure when I’m heading back to Pune. I’ve got to start studying for my upcoming placements.

This always happens at the end of the semester and this time is no different. Have an extremely intensive week lined up with tests, presentations and assignment submissions.

Here’s to give you an idea about the same:

30th September – Supply Chain Modeling FCQ & Social Entrepreneurship presentation

1st October – Corporate Governance Final Exam

2nd October – Financial Statement Analysis Project Submissions

3rd October – Software Project Management and Financial Statement Analysis presentations

4th October – Mergers and Acquisitions submission

5th October – Supply Chain Modeling assignment submission

All this calls for a lot of sleepless nights and worse

I’ve had an extremely frustrating week. Began Monday itself on a really bad note (details soon).

But, it kind of helped me get through the rest of the week

The rest of the week was quite exhausting as I have been working on completely the handover process which is nearly done.

I also started a countdown to 11th August, which is my last day at work, by changing my display name on IPMessenger. This has created quite a sensation in office and I was reminded when I forgot to update it last morning.

Sleep has been pretty much on the back seat for the past two days because of the release of my meebo me plugin. With an aim to get one out first, I ended up sleeping at 2am day before.
Last night was also a late night because of the update. But, no complains.

Got quite a few plugins in mind, which I plan on releasing once I sit at home.

And as usual, my weekend is packed. Need a rest.

Have had a long, tiring and not very productive week. Things sometime just don’t go the way you want them and that can be really really demoralizing!

My weekend hasn’t been all that great either, but for Saturday morning with I spent with a lil while mouse

My 4pm lecture at TIME didn’t happen but in its place I attended the intro lecture by the director.
The IIMs have made getting into them a lot more difficult this time inspite of the increase in the duration of the CAT. Forms are also out today.

Had an extremely pathetic AIMCAT today and I’m thankful I didn’t get a negative in DI! (

Attended mass in the evening and now I am off to U. Conrad‘s place to celebrate A. Anita‘s birthday party celebrations.

Have been meaning to post regularly but somehow it kept slipping by. Have finally gotten down to make a nice long post.

Tuesday was the engagement of a good pal at Mayfair Rooms. Planned to take an half day at work which actually spilled upto 4pm. Was pretty much a rush home, getting ready and rushing off to Bandra by 6pm!

The party was good (though I didn’t know many) and food was even better and in all humility I will say I was looking really really nice
Will post pics as soon as I get them.

Wednesday was planned to goto Wellingdon to watch the Carol singing there, but I was a bit under the weather (still am) and so just planned on spending the evening at home. Had planned on visiting the doc, but couldn’t find a single one at 9.30pm (except one who was so crowded that I would have to wait till 11)
Met Anjali and her folks to discuss about the Christmas dance. Decided to pick up tickets on Thursday.

So Thursday evening we set off to Wellingdon to pickup tickets. The last ticket was sold in front of us!

Grrr…. called up Anjali’s cousin through whom we were able to contact a guy whose mom was selling tickets to Bandra Gym. (yup distant connections)

Met him, gave him the money and then went to Melody‘s house to drop off her license. However, she had a party going on and invited us in. Spent a while there before we set out towards home.

Stopped off for dinner at Gulistan. Had been there a long time back when in college and simply loved the food. Dropped her home. Hung out for a while helping them with their star.

Friday was pretty much a day to get through at work cause it was the day before Christmas weekend!!!

Got home and slept from 10pm till this morning 10am. I seldom sleep for 12 hours flat, but I really needed the sleep!

Am off now for lunch with Madam C. Details about this when I get back.

It almost the end of a really tiring, frustrating week.

Monday was a nice day at work. Didn’t go for practice as I had to work in the evening.

Tuesday the 26th will always be remembered as one disastrous day in Mumbai history.

It is the day that Mumbai received the highest rainfall of 944mms in Indian history since 1910 when Chirapunji got 830mm of rain.

The simple result was flooding of all low lying areas and several others which normally do not get flooded.

To make matters worse it was high-tide and the waters couldnt recede into the sea. Adding to this, several dams were opened to prevent overflowing of the lakes and so the water levels just got higher.

Even my area which seldom gets flooded had water upto waist level in certain areas.

The flooding all over Mumbai and Navi Mumbai left thousands of people stranted at their offices, schools and other places.

I was at work on Tuesday when the torrential rains began. Around 4.30pm our UPS tripped which meant no work that day. I didn’t realize why, but I think because our basement got totally flooded.

Though we wanted to go early, the buses weren’t available and so we had to wait till 6pm to leave.

The Andheri bus (in which I travel) driver was stuck in Mankhurd, which meant no bus for us. Got into the Borivali bus and though I would make my way home from there.

Rhea called (surprisingly she got through because all the phone lines were jammed and several places the network was down) and told me that the situation in Andheri was bad and I would be better off staying away.

Thankfully, I was in the Borivali bus and was able to stop over at Abhijeet Jana‘s house in Thane.

Spent the night there. Most of Mumbai didn’t have electricity as the power companies had switched off the supply to prevent electrocuting people.
As a result almost all of Thane was closed. We were able to find a restaurant and have our dinner there.
After getting back home we chatted for a while and hit the beds.
Jana lent me a pair of his shorts for the night, so I didn’t have to sleep in my wet trousers

It wasn’t hot because of the rains but the flys were irritating.

Woke up a little later than I do on weekdays, mainly because we knew there wouldnt be work on Wednesday.

We went for lunch around 1.30pm and then I headed for Mulund Checknaka Bus Station to catch a bus for home.
Unfortunately the BEST buses were in major shortage as only 450 of their 3000+ buses reported back on Tuesday night. Many were unable to because of either breakdown or were stuck in traffic.

So, that meant a long wait of over an hour before I finally got a bus to get me home and then had to stand in the crowded bus for more than an hour.

On my return journey as we passed Powai lake I could really see the effect of the rains, because the water level had risen several feet.

Near Saki Naka (which is the scene of a major landslide where the deathtoll is very high) there was a large number of abandoned cars and buses lining the streets.
The death toll in Mumbai as of today stands over 400 and way over 1000 for the state of Maharashtra.

My bus which was supposed to go to Andheri East suddenly took the route to Andheri West and I ended up walking a good deal to get back to the East bus stop only to find that there were no buses there!

Rickshaws refused to come near my area (which is really sick attitude especially during such troubled times) and at long last I found a person willing to take me home

On getting back home, heard Mum‘s experience of Tuesday. I had been able to get across two SMSes to them informing that I wont be coming home, so they weren’t that worried.

She walked a home from Santacruz on the flooded Western Express highway, because her bus couldnt move any further as the highway was blocked with many people having abandoned their cars.

Wednesday and Thursday were declared public holidays by our Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.

We didnt have work as a result. Besides, we wouldnt have been able to as there was no electricity nor water.

Had work on Friday and Saturday to compensate for the holidays.

Needed to work those days as my project delivery dates are nearing and I must confess am in a bad state.

Saturday especially was pretty bad. Though we didnt have Internet for most of the day, I didn’t need it at all.

Day ended rather rough as well and I was rather irritated with myself. Well, it’s work. I won’t complain about it.

Have spent the whole of Sunday at home today (except for mass in the morning) and I don’t think I will be leaving the house as well as the rains have begun again and warnings have been issued to stay indoors.

I do hope I have work tomorrow. Lots of things to set right!

And I really hope that the week to come will not be like the week that went.

Have had a rather exhausting week at work. But, it has been fun so I won’t complain too much.

Had choir practice on Monday and A. Anita treated us as it was her birthday last Sunday.

Went out with Anjali on Thursday evening for soup to Lom Chings. I only like the place because of the soup. Not much for their dinner.

This once in a while outings with my pals keeps me uptodate with their lives, though I know my girlfriend isn’t always very pleased that I go out with other girls. Well, she’s a real sweetheart and trust is something our relationship is built on so well… no problems so far

Didn’t go for practice on Friday because I was really very irritated on some situation that had cropped up on Friday. Won’t post about it here because it would be bad publicity for those it concerns.

Saturday was the much awaited weekend as usual. Woke up nice and late.

Had to rush to the bank because of this. Visited my barber for a haircut and shave and after a quick wash rushed off to meet Madam C.

Since there wasn’t any good movie running we just decided to go for lunch at Lucky’s. After a good lunch (yes, her eyes are still bigger than her stomach) we went to Bandstand.

Placed turned out to be rather hot, being mid-afternoon, so we went to Reclamation which has a kindoff subway. Unfortunately, there happened to be some film shooting running there and we weren’t allowed there. And we were too bored to leave by then, so we just hung out along the wall there until nearly 4.15pm.

Left her home early as she was off to Khandala with her choir pals for a picnic.

Went to Melody‘s house after this for a while before heading back home.

Woke up early this Sunday morning to go for 9.30am mass. Dropped Rhea home after mass and then went home. Had a late breakfast and so skipped lunch.

Spent a good deal of the afternoon working on WebberZone as well as the graphics for Canossa.
Went there in the evening. They like my work. Just few modifications.

Few hours left for today. Plan on going to bed early today. Yet another long tiring work week begins tomorrow.