The Chocolate Run is an unusual occurance that happens quite frequently in my office.
I call it unusual, because I have not heard of similar things happening in any friend's office.
Once in every few days , we get a mail from our Resource manager / HR generalists about a bag or sometimes 2 bags of chocolates/sweets lying on their desk. We are to come grab as many as we can ASAP..
He He that's not exactly how these kind, well meaning ladies put it.
It's a practice to get chocolates when one comes back from onsite. Bringing chocolates back from onsite marks your entry into the upper echelons of the complicated and much misunderstood office social structure. Now you're known to be at least ankle deep in dollars.. while your contemporaries are neck deep in work and bull&*@%.
Well, in order to become socially accepted, the chocolates must be distributed.
So.. the normal course of events - Mail from resource manager , a mad rush to her desk, a barely dignified scuffle to grab as many as you can in both your hands, running back the desk, stocking the loot in the workstation and then run back again for a second round before they all run out. If you're lucky or extremely quick, by the time you reach your desk, you would still have a couple of chocolates left for yourself. Mostly , they are snatched away by the waiting and watching bystanders.
There are two kinds of people who participate in a chocolate run - Runners and Sitters. Sitters are the ones who are on the lookout - an email , or the crackle of packaging, or an unusually fruity smell - the sitters note them all. They then nudge the Runners into action. The Runner may run for various reasons, philanthropy and love for chocolates being the main ones. Some may simply be prompted by the fact that the sitter nudging them is their immediate reporting manager :P
There is also a third category - the ones who can't reach / don't care. They are the people sitting on the other extremity of the floor, or on a different floor altogether , or people who don't care to run the saccharine mile.
As I write this , I can see another run happening. The mail has come, the chairs are being pushed back.. and I must nudge the guy sitting next to me :) Cya
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Friends I Miss a Lot - 2
This one is for one of the longest and most eventful friendships in my life. To a person I have seen mature from a irresponsible brat, to a super responsible, level headed, determined, go-getter, from someone who slept on the day of the dreaded sessionals, to someone who stayed late in office to finish her teammates' work. From someone who would perpetually announce to the world how broke she is, to someone who can manage and run an entire house single handedly. And the ONLY person I have met, who has achieved EVERYTHING she has aimed at. Hats off to one of my Best Friends - and I Proudly mention her name - Pankhuri Patni.
The first memory I have of her is from my first day in college, an excessively fair, chubby little child, with Bloodshot eyes, walking off to the hospital inspite of the ragging threat Looming large on us .
While most of us were busy cowering behind our hostel room doors, this little braveheart had been 'Tried' and 'OK Tested' by the most terrifying seniors in all Seniordom. Then she shifted to my impeccably tidy room and life with her untidy mess (Read- Belongings)and changed them forever and for good.
I was a nervous, just out of convent school, super padhaku girl who didnt know a SINGLE swear word. Naturally, I used to shudder at her before exams when she calmly unfolded winnie-the pooh blanket and went off to sleep right before my hazy-with-sleep-from-mugging-up-environmentalstudies eyes at 9 PM SHARP. I would shake my head in dismay and look across the room at a person just as scared as me. Both of us would silently mouth the long boring environmental studies answers while our hearts wept for miss P.
First year passed by in a haze of BET lessons, Chemistry lessons and EVS lessons.. Lessons from me to Miss Patni. We progressed into second year of ECE where not trying to flunk took most of my time, the rest of it being taken up by my first experiences of Boy Trouble. Patni was by me through it all like a loyal little shadow, never silent like a shadow though. Her perspective on life and its various oddities could pull me out of the deepest rut I may have fallen into.
Then came third year and final, where we were recruited by the same bigshot company. From being my college friend Patni graduated to being my colleague. But some things did not change, including her sleeping off at 9 the night before an exam and so on.
We spent an eventful year in hyderabad as housemates. The highlights of the year were moving from one crappy place to another, getting our second hand furniture moved from one place to another, riding around in trucks with our luggage, trying to get used to the idea that we were no longer in manipal, and learning more about ourselves and each other. This was the big bad real world, where electrical appliances got damaged and had to be fixed and the fixes had to be paid for, where maids bunked every other day, leaving the kitchen looking like a crime scene, where income was always less than expenditure and where you always wondered how was one supposed to deal with all of it, and still work and survive.
Patni and me grew up together . And like a fledgeling that leaves the nest one day, she left the cocoon of comfort and went off to MICA to follow her passion - Creativity. She is one of the most creative people I know and the creativity manifests itself at the oddest of times, in clever little one liners.
Unfortunately, we didn't catch up before she left for college. I wish I had.
Well, there she is today, Kicking ASS like always, and this time it's even harder, because she is doing what she really wants.
So if there ever was a person for getting things done, while others were busy wondering how on earth was it ever going to get done with the dozing off by 9, It is Pankhuri Patni. Keep making us proud Girl !
The first memory I have of her is from my first day in college, an excessively fair, chubby little child, with Bloodshot eyes, walking off to the hospital inspite of the ragging threat Looming large on us .
While most of us were busy cowering behind our hostel room doors, this little braveheart had been 'Tried' and 'OK Tested' by the most terrifying seniors in all Seniordom. Then she shifted to my impeccably tidy room and life with her untidy mess (Read- Belongings)and changed them forever and for good.
I was a nervous, just out of convent school, super padhaku girl who didnt know a SINGLE swear word. Naturally, I used to shudder at her before exams when she calmly unfolded winnie-the pooh blanket and went off to sleep right before my hazy-with-sleep-from-mugging-up-environmentalstudies eyes at 9 PM SHARP. I would shake my head in dismay and look across the room at a person just as scared as me. Both of us would silently mouth the long boring environmental studies answers while our hearts wept for miss P.
First year passed by in a haze of BET lessons, Chemistry lessons and EVS lessons.. Lessons from me to Miss Patni. We progressed into second year of ECE where not trying to flunk took most of my time, the rest of it being taken up by my first experiences of Boy Trouble. Patni was by me through it all like a loyal little shadow, never silent like a shadow though. Her perspective on life and its various oddities could pull me out of the deepest rut I may have fallen into.
Then came third year and final, where we were recruited by the same bigshot company. From being my college friend Patni graduated to being my colleague. But some things did not change, including her sleeping off at 9 the night before an exam and so on.
We spent an eventful year in hyderabad as housemates. The highlights of the year were moving from one crappy place to another, getting our second hand furniture moved from one place to another, riding around in trucks with our luggage, trying to get used to the idea that we were no longer in manipal, and learning more about ourselves and each other. This was the big bad real world, where electrical appliances got damaged and had to be fixed and the fixes had to be paid for, where maids bunked every other day, leaving the kitchen looking like a crime scene, where income was always less than expenditure and where you always wondered how was one supposed to deal with all of it, and still work and survive.
Patni and me grew up together . And like a fledgeling that leaves the nest one day, she left the cocoon of comfort and went off to MICA to follow her passion - Creativity. She is one of the most creative people I know and the creativity manifests itself at the oddest of times, in clever little one liners.
Unfortunately, we didn't catch up before she left for college. I wish I had.
Well, there she is today, Kicking ASS like always, and this time it's even harder, because she is doing what she really wants.
So if there ever was a person for getting things done, while others were busy wondering how on earth was it ever going to get done with the dozing off by 9, It is Pankhuri Patni. Keep making us proud Girl !
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Friends I Miss a Lot - 1
Life isn't really the same again now that A is gone. Yes, My Friend and Bro, A has gone off to sacrifice himself at the hallowed alter of MBA in Finance. It is a dream come true for him, but those of us whom he has left behind really miss him.
I have known A closely for almost a year and a half now. We went to the same college, and back in college I knew him as the Geekiness Personified. A is your regular, decent, charming, as-good-as-they-come 10 pointer and much more than that
I discovered the latter when I began working with him in the same company after college. I came to know of his great sense of humour, his extremely colourful vocabulary,his adventurous streak, his 'cullinary' skills, his absulute devotion for his mother, his immense affection for his lady love, his loyalty to his close friends.. I really came to know and admire A a lot.
He would rise every morning with regularity that would shame an alarm clock, get ready, do his starting MBA prep for the day,and read the paper all this while his flatmates were exercising their muscles by hitting the snooze button on the alarm clock.Then he would arm himself to deal with the hostile corporate world, by taking in healthy breakfast in FIXED quantities. There are many stories around this , my favourite being the one where A clamours for oranges and claims "If i dont get vitamin C, I'll DIE".
While in office, he'd give his best to the work there, even though, he claimed he hated it. He was very good at it for somone who claims that.
After office , it was again his daily grind of MBA prep.
Somewhere in between all this, he'd always find time to drop by my desk with a cup of tea/coffee for a quick chat, or ping me on our internal messenger, send me invites to Toastmasters meetings or listen to me crib about work and agree wholeheartedly with me. He has helped me get through a lot of bad workdays.
And A in the Kitchen ! This bit deserves a separate blog post, but I will do as much Justice to it as I can. Back in our early days in Hyderabad, A, his flatmates V & SMA , and me used to cook together at their place. V and me were the operating chefs, A and SMA were the assistants. we knew it was time to start cooking when A began to get restless. A would then help us by chopping up tomatoes and onions along with SMA and abusing SMA to the maximum extent possible , just to amuse us.. Perodically, he'd warn us that the food was not going to be enough as he was very hungry and he had a lion's apetite. We knew him well enough not to believe him :)
I could keep on writing.. but this food talk has reminded me that its dinner time. If A is reading this,
You Rock Bro !
All the best in life.
I have known A closely for almost a year and a half now. We went to the same college, and back in college I knew him as the Geekiness Personified. A is your regular, decent, charming, as-good-as-they-come 10 pointer and much more than that
I discovered the latter when I began working with him in the same company after college. I came to know of his great sense of humour, his extremely colourful vocabulary,his adventurous streak, his 'cullinary' skills, his absulute devotion for his mother, his immense affection for his lady love, his loyalty to his close friends.. I really came to know and admire A a lot.
He would rise every morning with regularity that would shame an alarm clock, get ready, do his starting MBA prep for the day,and read the paper all this while his flatmates were exercising their muscles by hitting the snooze button on the alarm clock.Then he would arm himself to deal with the hostile corporate world, by taking in healthy breakfast in FIXED quantities. There are many stories around this , my favourite being the one where A clamours for oranges and claims "If i dont get vitamin C, I'll DIE".
While in office, he'd give his best to the work there, even though, he claimed he hated it. He was very good at it for somone who claims that.
After office , it was again his daily grind of MBA prep.
Somewhere in between all this, he'd always find time to drop by my desk with a cup of tea/coffee for a quick chat, or ping me on our internal messenger, send me invites to Toastmasters meetings or listen to me crib about work and agree wholeheartedly with me. He has helped me get through a lot of bad workdays.
And A in the Kitchen ! This bit deserves a separate blog post, but I will do as much Justice to it as I can. Back in our early days in Hyderabad, A, his flatmates V & SMA , and me used to cook together at their place. V and me were the operating chefs, A and SMA were the assistants. we knew it was time to start cooking when A began to get restless. A would then help us by chopping up tomatoes and onions along with SMA and abusing SMA to the maximum extent possible , just to amuse us.. Perodically, he'd warn us that the food was not going to be enough as he was very hungry and he had a lion's apetite. We knew him well enough not to believe him :)
I could keep on writing.. but this food talk has reminded me that its dinner time. If A is reading this,
You Rock Bro !
All the best in life.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Kitchen Comfort..
Most people I get along with really well are foodies. This claim will be substantiated by the fact that my most commented upon post, commented upon my some of my favourite people, is about food.
I am a foodie too, a claim which will be visibly substantiated once you meet me in person. For me , food takes the centrestage. If I happen to go to a restaurant I like, all I can talk about is the food, much to the annoyance of my companion, who has probably brought me here for some life changing conversation :P
Little surprise then, that when I did eventually pair up, I paired up with a Foodie. The Capital F is to emphasize the fact that he is a bigger foodie than I am. I think the day his love for me went from the level of a 4 storeyed building to the level of the Burj Khalifa , is the day I made 'Pakora' for him. The golden coloured batter covering a crispy onion ring, gently bobbing up and down in the oil in the hot 'Kadai', sent him into transports of delight yet unknown by me.
Ok, I'm not exaggerating, He nearly had tears in His eyes once he started wolfing them down. Yes, no slow savoury mouthfuls for Y. You know how much He likes the food by the speed at which He wolfs it down. :) "Ye bilkul mumma jaise bane hain !" , He all but sobbed.
Ok He is not a sob !! Its just that food brings out his noblest emotions. Since that day,He has appointed himself as the Procurement Manager for my humble kitchen.
I'm a lucky girl. And Y is a lucky guy. He is I think one of the few people who are everyday fed by Two Doting Women (Who actually like each other) . My new flatmate is an awesome cook too. I guess it runs in her genes, her father owns a restaurant. But she is skinny. This has made her the butt of jokes all her little life. "Never promote your dad's restaurant.. you'll put it out of business !!" So S is now happily settled here and the kitchen is her favourite part of the house. :)
As I embark on this long ful'FILLING' journey towards cullinary excellence in my little kitchen, I would once again like to pay Homage to Hari Bhai and Johnny , the urban legends who have greatly influenced me and thank my little foodie friend, who told me about them.
Till the next post.. cheers !!
I am a foodie too, a claim which will be visibly substantiated once you meet me in person. For me , food takes the centrestage. If I happen to go to a restaurant I like, all I can talk about is the food, much to the annoyance of my companion, who has probably brought me here for some life changing conversation :P
Little surprise then, that when I did eventually pair up, I paired up with a Foodie. The Capital F is to emphasize the fact that he is a bigger foodie than I am. I think the day his love for me went from the level of a 4 storeyed building to the level of the Burj Khalifa , is the day I made 'Pakora' for him. The golden coloured batter covering a crispy onion ring, gently bobbing up and down in the oil in the hot 'Kadai', sent him into transports of delight yet unknown by me.
Ok, I'm not exaggerating, He nearly had tears in His eyes once he started wolfing them down. Yes, no slow savoury mouthfuls for Y. You know how much He likes the food by the speed at which He wolfs it down. :) "Ye bilkul mumma jaise bane hain !" , He all but sobbed.
Ok He is not a sob !! Its just that food brings out his noblest emotions. Since that day,He has appointed himself as the Procurement Manager for my humble kitchen.
I'm a lucky girl. And Y is a lucky guy. He is I think one of the few people who are everyday fed by Two Doting Women (Who actually like each other) . My new flatmate is an awesome cook too. I guess it runs in her genes, her father owns a restaurant. But she is skinny. This has made her the butt of jokes all her little life. "Never promote your dad's restaurant.. you'll put it out of business !!" So S is now happily settled here and the kitchen is her favourite part of the house. :)
As I embark on this long ful'FILLING' journey towards cullinary excellence in my little kitchen, I would once again like to pay Homage to Hari Bhai and Johnny , the urban legends who have greatly influenced me and thank my little foodie friend, who told me about them.
Till the next post.. cheers !!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
New beginnings...
My friend.. very sadistically reminded me that he is stil having 'Canteen wala fun'..
What can I say other than the fact that I miss it like hell. No matter how much you try.. noone can have fun.. like real fun.. once they're out of college. Well.. I do not want to take credit away from my office.. who try to bring back the fainest imitaion of the Canteen fun into our lives. But how much fun can one have on a 'Fun Friday' ??
He he.. before I come across as obsessed with this word.. let me change the topic.. not so subtly.. I'd like to congratulate all my friends whose orkut and facebook profiles are already filled with congratulations on their wedding ,engagement and in some cases, honeymoon pics. May this year keep that lovely million dollar smile fixed to your face. :)
I'd also like to congratulate all those 'GRE Bashing' friends of mine who are putting up lovely snow pictures on their profiles.. Enjoy the fruits of your labour and while you're at it.. water the trees for more fruits in the future.
And I'd like to congratulate Amir Khan and Vidhu Vinod Chopra and team, for making the most enjoyable film of the year. For anyone who has not seen it yet.. do go see it.. and for everyone who has seen it or will see it. If you think that the film is promoting ragging, do contact the Maharashtra Government. The will definitely welcome you for a chai and chat.. Because I dont see any other way they can 'Act' without censure from intelligent and informed citizens from their own state..
On that 'award-ceremony announcement' note.. Cya..
What can I say other than the fact that I miss it like hell. No matter how much you try.. noone can have fun.. like real fun.. once they're out of college. Well.. I do not want to take credit away from my office.. who try to bring back the fainest imitaion of the Canteen fun into our lives. But how much fun can one have on a 'Fun Friday' ??
He he.. before I come across as obsessed with this word.. let me change the topic.. not so subtly.. I'd like to congratulate all my friends whose orkut and facebook profiles are already filled with congratulations on their wedding ,engagement and in some cases, honeymoon pics. May this year keep that lovely million dollar smile fixed to your face. :)
I'd also like to congratulate all those 'GRE Bashing' friends of mine who are putting up lovely snow pictures on their profiles.. Enjoy the fruits of your labour and while you're at it.. water the trees for more fruits in the future.
And I'd like to congratulate Amir Khan and Vidhu Vinod Chopra and team, for making the most enjoyable film of the year. For anyone who has not seen it yet.. do go see it.. and for everyone who has seen it or will see it. If you think that the film is promoting ragging, do contact the Maharashtra Government. The will definitely welcome you for a chai and chat.. Because I dont see any other way they can 'Act' without censure from intelligent and informed citizens from their own state..
On that 'award-ceremony announcement' note.. Cya..
Monday, November 30, 2009
Hello Again
I have been consumed by work. The company I work for , stresses a lot on some elusive concept called 'Work-Life balance'. I have seriously lost track of which is which. Is work = Life or is Life = Work? i felt i just could not go on without taking a few moments to think about. This is one equation everyone tells me I must Master.
Once upon a time, i was the typical engg college-having the time of my life in a heavenly place-give a damn abt the world kind of person. The change been gradual and i never knew when i changed. I've now become the typical B.E-recruited by a big brand-slogging to make myself known kinda person. 'Fun' times in office have replaced FUN time in classes, I miss the college canteen every time i enter the office cafeteria. But i'm still enjoying my life-work-or-whatever-you-will-call-it.
So i've come back to the old love of my life.. writing.. Hello again world.. you'll hear from me soon and often enough now..
Once upon a time, i was the typical engg college-having the time of my life in a heavenly place-give a damn abt the world kind of person. The change been gradual and i never knew when i changed. I've now become the typical B.E-recruited by a big brand-slogging to make myself known kinda person. 'Fun' times in office have replaced FUN time in classes, I miss the college canteen every time i enter the office cafeteria. But i'm still enjoying my life-work-or-whatever-you-will-call-it.
So i've come back to the old love of my life.. writing.. Hello again world.. you'll hear from me soon and often enough now..
Saturday, February 21, 2009
@ Home in Hyderabad
we're finally settled.. even though we still dont have a fridge and keep throwing food away every alternate day.. we have a place to call home.. its an amazing flat we have named 'The Disco House' . we have bright blue and yellow textured walls in some parts of the house .. and we have friends with ideal bouncer dimensions.. and we have music and lights.. so the disco house it has become.. :)
our landlord is called Chakradhar.. he is one of the most accomplished men i know.. he owns a grocery / vegetable shop, has rented out two flats with brilliantly coloured walls and also possesses unmatched plumbing and climbing skills.. he climbed up on my roommate's commode to fix her geyser.. what he doesnt possess is good sense and probably knowledge of english.. the lease has our names as MRS ketaki gupta Mrs sneha Dutta and mrs pankhuri patni.. but what the hell
The house has some more absurdities but we're taking everything in stride. It's a new life with the old people I love. And I hope we'll get through it.
our landlord is called Chakradhar.. he is one of the most accomplished men i know.. he owns a grocery / vegetable shop, has rented out two flats with brilliantly coloured walls and also possesses unmatched plumbing and climbing skills.. he climbed up on my roommate's commode to fix her geyser.. what he doesnt possess is good sense and probably knowledge of english.. the lease has our names as MRS ketaki gupta Mrs sneha Dutta and mrs pankhuri patni.. but what the hell
The house has some more absurdities but we're taking everything in stride. It's a new life with the old people I love. And I hope we'll get through it.
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