Prisoner of Dreams

We are all prisoner of our dreams. Sitting at a park's bench, the fence separated us from the Ocean. We are happy sitting on this side, happy to keep away from the waves and face the music.

"It all started a few years back, when the aircraft pilot died. In fact, a lot of pilots die at a very young age. Even before they are eligible for a two-wheeler's driving license. Then there was the architect who wanted to design a new city. He died rather late, at an age of fifteen. The fear of blood killed the doctor at almost the same time. And now, a year later, the cricketer joined them in the heaven. The increasing burden of academics were taking its toll on my dreams and the board exams were now only a couple of months away. The matter was worsened by the team paceman, Raju, whose full pitched ball hit me on my right foot and barred me from playing for a few weeks. I never knew that was the end of it all. The cricketer died though the game lived on inside me."

Khawahishen Kaisi Kaisi

Today was a lazy day for me. Got up very late in the morning, after a long night. Went to a friend's house yesterday to have a long night chat session, cut short by circumstances. Returned back, only to feel like going out again. And then I was at the nearby ground, at 4 AM in the morning, getting drenched in the rain. It was simply awesome.

Went to the ground again in the afternoon today. The playgrounds make me wish I were good at sports. The scene of the empty stadium, with its flood lights on, and me standing in the middle, still come in my dreams. I would learn one outdoor sport someday. Mostly on my return to India, would try my hand at tennis.

Federer vs Nadal

A year back I was a great fan of Roger Federer. I always believed that there is a lot I could learn from him. He was my idea of a perfect role model. He was an awesome player with all the shots in the book, was equally strong on backhands and forehands, and finally was a very good human being off the court.

A year later I admire Nadal more. Don't exactly know the reasons, may be you always favor the 2nd best. You feel for him, want him to succeed. Nadal seems to be the guy with an imperfect range of shots, can't really match Federer stroke for stroke. And thats what makes him much more admirable. His is a story of living with your limitations, and yet strive to be the best.

I believe I can't be perfect, I can never be a Federer. But atleast I can be like Nadal, living up with my limitations, and yet never lose it.

The Flying Machine

Time is flying in HK. I had decided to maintain an account of my day to day activities, and I haven't written a word in more than a month. It only 4 more weeks here for me, and am already counting my days here. I would be flying to Manila after my assignments here, and then would finally go to Mumbai.

I'm currently working on a lot of stuff, and am usually very tired by the time I am back at my apartment. We have a meeting tomorrow in the morning to discuss some important issues, and here I'm, at 2 AM in the night writing this post. So many things have happened in last one month that I wouldn't be able to put them into words. I'm growing, am learning a lot of things, both inside and outside the office.Investment Banking is a strange world, full of caricatures. Everyone is idiosyncratic in their own way, and there is a great scarcity of normal people whom you can miss in a crowd. The trading floor is an amazing place to be, it has a pulse of its own. And when you go to the office on a weekend, you feel like you own the place. Its so silent, the contrast is maddening. 

Realized that there are three companies that drive the investment banking industry - (a) Bloomberg, (b) Microsoft (Excel), and most importantly, (c) Starbucks. Someday will write on the trading floor in detail. Have to catch up on sleep now.

Life @ HK

Life has been good in Hong Kong so far. There were a few days in the middle when I was completely frustrated with the HR and the company. Have learnt not to expect any good or sane things from them.

Now its back to normal. I have been working pretty late hours (I'm on the public side, so even 10 PM is considered late). Have been given some real good work, and usually am brain-dead by the time I leave the office. But am enjoying the brainstorming sessions with my desk. I'm the youngest guy there, and I hardly speak anything there. Most of the times they are discussing the implementation part of the problems, and given my 6-weeks-only experience, I avoid speaking there. Will be a more active participant once the work really kicks off.

Celebrated a friend's birthday last week and most people from our college were present. We had our dinner at the an Egyptian restaurant called 'Habibi'. Last year my boss took me there for the first time, and it was then I realised that their cuisines were very much like the Indian ones. A little difference in preparations, but the materials and tastes are very similar.