Wednesday 21 December 2011

Sometimes its just about anything. Literally.

What a crazy 2 weeks has it been. As fancy as it may sound, I didn't travel or take off. I was married to my laptop. Now I am a self-admitted workaholic. In my case, I didn't choose to be one. Coming to think of it, is it a matter of choice?


6 months into my job of being in the travel & hospitality industry has taught me a few valuable things. December is the month to be petrified of and June is the month to sleep to your heart's content. You can never ever be thankful enough to Google or Justdial. Sir/Madam can never leave your vocabulary. When we say 24*7, we really have to mean it. I had this client who gave me sleepless nights - One thing I would never have imagined happen. Its a risky world - plenty of things can go wrong. But when you do know that you've built for someone a lifetime of memories, its so just worth it all. I've missed updating posts, I think about doing it and something immediately comes up. Mom absolutely hates me seeing anywhere near the laptop at home and well, she has been hating me every single day!

But I did find my moment of joy this week. 3 of my friends are getting their rooms renovated and whom did they turn to for opinions, but....? Smartly answered , yes, that was me :) This was probably the first unofficial consulting I could do and it felt so right. Like this is what I would be happy doing for the rest of my life.

I have to admit, I did find time for baking. And that one piece of chocolate cake awakened the tiny lil monster in me - munching has seen no boundaries. Guilt-free munching. :)

Yes, I have to kick-start Yoga tomorrow. In style. Let's just hope it will be tomorrow. And not the tomorrow-tomorrow!

Monday 5 December 2011

The Foreign Funda

Its one of those conversations. I'm lazily slumped on the couch as I type this - after having broken my no-meal-post-7 pm rule for Mom's yummylicious Haleem and Creme Caramel. With just a generous helping of fish biryani (Minus the fish, of course). I read articles online and discuss them with Dad. I love every bit about that - even though he did spend a fair share of his life abroad, he has all the knowledge in the world. Today its about the FDI War - to let go of the strings or tie them even tighter.

Allowing 51 percent FDI in multi brand retail sure is a controversial topic. I can easily sketch the likes of Wal Mart, Carrefour and other giants redefining the Indian shopping experience. Impeccable Service, quality produce and wider choices.  On the other hand, we have the classic tale of our country being the kickass agricultural economy. Once the biggies sweep in, the kiranas (small stores) will be sidelined. More like butchered.

Now's when Dad helped me with the reality check. The truth is, our farmers have always been poor and will most likely remain so. Here's why - the only people that make money now are the kiranas. When a farmer sells a kilogram of bananas, he gets Rs.10. The same is sold for Rs.30 by the middleman. Tomatoes have an even sadder story - a figure of Rs.2 compared to a whopping selling price of Rs.18. Its a sad story - They spend sleepless nights to bring about the yield and someone else gets away with the fruits of the painstaking effort. Not surprisingly, a large number of farmers favour the proposal. To teach everyone a fine lesson. And the argument that farmers will be exploited doesn't hold in my view. The ball will definitely be in their court.

Maybe a phased out plan will provide to be the solution. Bring about the change gradually. Much as you hate it or ignore it, you can't deny the change that it will initiate. IKEA will change your homes. Carrefour will bring French Croissants right to your pantry. You will know why everyone's bonkers over Starbucks. And not to forget the best part of it all, our farmers will become worrrld class :)