Posts

Womens Day 2021

It was a regular day at the office filled with back-to-back conference calls, unrealistic client requests, colleagues complaining about slow wi-fi and whining about bosses who constantly nag.  In the discreet corner of the office, near the water-cooler, which more often than not becomes a hub of office gossip and harmless banter, somebody spoke. Such things happen when the environment is conducive enough. People let their guards down and unknowingly expose their innermost, crude and lewd biases. This someone basically cribbed that Women's day is celebrated every year with such enthusiasm as against to Men's day which is a relatively low-key affair. This someone also added numerous examples of sacrifices that men make in their daily lives but which go unrecognized. Added that modern women are supposedly empowered enough with the world rooting for them. Needless to say, this somebody was a he. And then everybody in the nodded in agreement and the banter continued. I thought o...

Movie Review - The Girl on the Train (2021)

A slugfest of bad acting, editing and screenplay. In an attempt to create shock value, completely misses the point of the book. Unnecessarily shoves terrible subplots into the story and ends up leaving too many open ended questions. Overthrows everything that made the book an amazing read and a runaway success, and serves the audience with a confused alternative instead.  Save yourself the trouble, and read the book if you want to actually experience fantastic storytelling. Else, if short on time, watch the 2016 version instead where Emily Blunt makes a far better attempt to portray The Girl on the Train.

A Man Called Ove - Book Review

I generally don't do book reviews. I read for pleasure, gaining more knowledge, passing time, having a wider perspective. Basically for consumption. I might bring about some anecdotes learnt from books in casual conversations here and there. But nothing more. Books are a gateway for me to reflect. It has always been this way.   But there are some rare books that demand an exception. A kind of book that moves you on so many levels that it becomes important to bare you heart out. It demands being talked about. It compels you to share what you are feeling. Because what you are feeling is a combination of so many emotions that if you don't talk about it you will be overwhelmed. And you know that once you talk about it, you will feel so much lighter. Because you know that you will have spread a story that is, without an iota of doubt, a kind of story that is needed so much in today's times. It's importance in today's world cannot be overestimated. Such purity in emotions...

The Lessons of Loss!

What this loss has taught me? I cannot be selfish. and that I am not that selfish that I thought i was  That I can make sacrifices That I am able to let lose the control and be fine with it I am able to give because i was given something previously

Consultant’s Chart Cheat-sheet

Image
As a Consultant, one has to work extensively with Excel and PowerPoint. These two software, probably consume most of the working time of a consultant. Preparing good presentations is a crucial skill that any consultant must muster. One of the most important aspect of a good presentation if its visual appeal. One may choose to call it aesthetics or simplicity or refined or sophisticated or anything else. The point remains that visual appeal is a must for any good presentation. A good presentation also is the one which brings out the intended message with clarity and simplicity. This brings us to Charts. One of the most crucial component of the presentation is Charts & Graphs. Data analysis and number crunching is integral to a consultant’s recommendation. Any recommendation holds water only when it is backed by solid research and the data which supports the hypothesis. So, let us see what makes up good charts. A good chart has to be  SUAVE . •      ...

Add Magic to Your Memories! How Photobooks can make an super amazing gift?

Image
Amusement Park Photobook on Letsdelight.com How many times have you wondered about organizing all your pictures into an album and failed miserably? The answer is probably way more than you're proud of . Everyone's always looking to capture and preserve their memories in the most creative way possible. Photobooks are your answer to every question you've ever had about organizing your pictures. They capture the magic behind your pictures beyond anything an album can do and present them to you in a custom made book. There is a wonderful website http://LetsDelight.com that has numerous Photobook themes on various occasions. It also has a collection of personalized gifts and merchandise for various occasions. LetsDelight.com have made Photobook creation easy and fun. In a simple 3 step process anyone can order a Photobook. Just upload the photos, place the photos on the design and order! It is as simple as that. There are a thousand different things that makes ...

The curious case of Sarabhai vs Sarabhai: Take 2

Image
Oh, how excited we were when we heard that we will get to see the Sarabhai family again. We fell in love with everything about the show’s first endeavor. The motley bunch of non-pretentious, quirky characters, the excellent and talented star cast, the rock solid screenplay, the friendly banter and especially the situations that everyone can identify with irrespective of one’s  social or financial background. Sarabhai vs Sarabhai was a breath of fresh air when it was first released in 2004. It did not matter that the show was released on a newly launched channel (Star one, Star’s daring attempt to target the audience of 21 st century with fresh content). The show was successful in creating an impact and no doubt that it gathered a cult following. It filled a huge void in Indian sitcom space. And became immortal along with arguably the best Hindi sitcoms including but not limited to Dekh Bhai Dekh, Hum Paanch, and Khichdi. So there is no doubt that when in mid-2016 the star...

Harishchandragarh - The Encore

Image
“I am going out for a run.” said Anees. Mandeep just growled. “In this heat?” he asked. Part to hide his laziness, part to discourage Anees so that he could have a partner to share the cigarette. Anees said yes, determinedly. He did not want to miss the run for anything. Leave alone a cigarette. “Ah! Whatever man. I will got to the common room and watch the India-Australia test series on TV instead of following live scores on the internet.” And with that Mandeep got up and left. Anees glanced at him. Mandeep’s boxers were way too below the socially accepted decency lines. He know that Mandeep thought it was charming of him to do a skin-show so he decided to not comment on it. Just as Mandeep was leaving, Pratham entered. He was all sweaty and breathing heavily from the recently completed run. He too could not help but notice Mandeep’s waistline and winked at Anees. Anees gestured, leave him alone, with a wave of hand. Pratham knew that it was hopeless advising Mandeep. ...