Here's my number call me may be

Having been in a service focused industry, I am constantly either seeking business ( for the agencies I work for) or speaking with media. I have also had a tryst with recruiters ( yes whilst trying to change jobs).

I have come to live with the fact that you are going to come across nasty folks, wether you are trying to pitch new business or look for a suitable job. The worst are the ones that behave you are their best friend when you are in front of them and when you ask fro some help ( not monetary, rather referral or new business) they just stop taking your calls and respond to your SMS.

You know what, it doesn't matter, you can behave like that. Nothing is constant and remember, someday you will also be in a similar situation. Coming from India, I believe in concept of Karma. It eventually comes back.

But my advice to people is this, dont avoid the sms or call, just say" hey I dont think I can help". Its not rocket scince lah!

Hmph! Never mind life is like that, its teaches you a new thing everyday. But never lose hope, keep saying" here's my number, call me maybe".

Colds and Singapore

So I dont know why but you fall sick more often in Singapore. I thought that was rubbish, but then I asked my doctor if that was the case and he said yeah, the unique strains of foreign body in Singapore can be high, due to the number of people, planes and ships that pass through this Big little city. The other reason is, Singapore is in a sea of third world countries, but is first world by itself ( look at the infrastructure facilities etc). I think the most unique point being the strenght of the Singapore dollar, pegged at 1.3 its almost at par with mighty green back. Why am I telling you this, well that makes Singapore an expensive labour market. Typically organizations want more for less and that leads to overwork, increased stress and long hours. There has been a study around this: 8 in 10 young Singaporeans suffer from stress: survey. Its a marvel what they have achieved in short time, but the levels of stress are high, pressure to be kiasu is high. Having lived here three years now, I realized that they are nice people ( yeah you do find differential treatment at times from the local folks for us blessed Indians) but can you blame them. Plus, look at it this way, if you had to deal with foreigners all the time, how would you feel? Not that being mean is justified at times, but I in my life here have seen coworkers, vendors clients ( yeah that sucks) taking that out on you.

Look this is not a Singapore bashing blog, I dont blame them, but I am also a person, I just feel bad. But you have to learn to take it in your stride, when you are a foreigner living abroad, you are bound to face this wherever you are. I suppose hence the song "I am a legal alien, an englishman in new york" by Sting I think

Anyways, I got diverted from my topic, but this is also related, all of the factors I mentioned above lead to one thing and one thing only, STRESS. Its known as the silent killer, I think Singaporeans are one of the most stressed people in the world, sometimes to meet socities demands, and meeting the harsh economic reality. This I suppose leads to lower immunity, compounded with the high influx of foreigners ( Singapore is one of the most visited places on earth) and there you have a receipe for illness and sickness, with lower immunity my dear Singapore friends stand a little chance.

Why can I say this, well I am living here so I know, I understand their issues. Anyways clods suck, but WTF can anyone do!

Unfortnately, there is no cure for cold, only prevention. So

Food Poisoning

So had a quiet dinner last night ( actually I was so hungry I thought I was going to die) anyways. Went to a food court near my house, at Harbourfront Center, Harbourfront. Went to an Indonesian food stall and bought rice, chicken curry, beansprouts and some soyabean vegetable. ( come to think of it either the soya bean vegetable or the bean sprouts tasted funny). I had my meal, my girlfriend was saying her food is tasting funny, so she didnt eat, but I was famished so chomped down.

Anyways, woke up this morning with a super duper upset tummy and stomach cramps ( imagine I woke up due to the cramps). Went to the doctor, told him what was happening, and he said I had food poisoning:(.

I thought I should write about it as others dont eat there and fall sick. Please don't eat at the Indonesian food stall at level there Harbourfront center, or you will also fall sick

Time to work out

I wonder what happened to my regime, i could find time to workout and do so much in my day. Currently I am strugling to even go for a walk. Damn this man. But who else but me is blame. I just have to figure my priorities and go after it. I can get a lot of other things, but I cant get- my health back and if I get a heart attack and die, i will not get my life back. So fuck it, I need to work out, come what may. Everything else can wait! Working out and losing weight makes me happy, thats what I am going to be doing!

Living in Fine Singapore

Hi, so this is what has happened in the last two months. I quit my job in Mumbai with Text 100 and moved to Singapore for brighter prospects to Fleishman Hillard Singapore. You know I miss home and all, but this city so conv. to live in. Somethings are good somethings I could do without. But all in all one heck of a ride. Yes I miss being king of the mountain, but its a matter of time when I caan prove what I am made of. What I do miss is my friends and family my fish. But I guess its a matter of time. Cant belive it a month has passed and som much has changed. Simple things like driving a car or knowing every every corner of the city is amiss here. But I know one thing I will prevail and Singapore will toast to me. I like the people @ work, atleast some of them who have great spirit and gusto. I see a great team shaping up. So here's to the FIne City and the Bombay boy making it in the peral of the orient

This thing we call life

Every one is juxtaposed by this thing we call life. The hounding questions that came to you as a kid, still hides in the crevices of your mind. ‘Why am I here, what is the purpose of my life?

But the fact is, in the daily rush of life these questions lose their significance. Paying the cell phone bill or your utility bill becomes mightier, than questions of such nature. Not that I stopped caring, but where do you get the time.

Then you think about success, why don’t I have a bigger house, a bigger car, a better job, more money. When I earned two thousand rupees in my first job doing market research, and was studying in SYBCOM, I saved more money.

Today I am 30 years, I earn significantly more that ‘princely’ sum, but still can’t save like I did then. Even after giving away Rs. 1500 to my mum, I managed in 500 bucks and lived lavishly. So do we become greedier as we grow up?

Then you have your friends, some of them really love you, some of them make it up. I never thought I would get caught up in doing things for the sake of it. But societies norms demand you remain civil to people that backstab you. Ideally, I would like to bitch slap the bastards but that’s not seen as ‘propah’.

So does this mean you are a misfit if you want to do what your heart says, your mad if you sing to a song you like, or dance if the rhythm moves your legs by yourself, or stand in the rain without your t-shirt feeling the raindrops on your face and body because you are hurting someone’s sensibilities or sense of morality.?

It’s the simple things in life that I am amazed by. Take for example love, I thought it was the overwhelming passion that engulfs you and you choose to be with that person irrespective of whatever. But Wait just a moment, love is a matter of convenience these days, it’s a marriage of bank balance and social status. Having said that it is important to have financial security, after all you can’t live on love and fresh air. But in our times of instant gratification and fast food, love is also a commodity that can be bought at the right price.

I am no revolutionary or a catalyst for change, I want to be part of the world, and be on top of it. But as I venture out on my quest to conquer the world, I remember the couplet that Wordsworth said, “For oft, when on my couch I lie, In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye, Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills,And dances with the daffodils.”