I need to get in touch with Valorie ASAP. I need help.
The days have been busy and hectic. And I have had lesser and lesser opportunities to blog. I hate the feeling when life has complete control over me and I have no control on life and I just seem to be swept away with the current. But times like these happen and it is about how quickly you can get back in control.
Its one of those times when too many things are happening at the same time. There is a senior delegation which has come from India and I need to take care of them, in addition to my current work. It is an absolutely enriching experience to be in the company of consultants of the kind of seniority these guys have, but it is still additional full time work. I am enamoured, impressed and floored, almost in awe. Consulting as a profession is under-rated and the likes of Dilbert have undermined the profession no end. Yes, a cartoon does have a huge impact on public opinion about anything, especially if it is as popular as Dilbert. Tacky as it may sound, some of these senior level consultants who charge a bomb per hour do have the capability of looking at any given corporate problem and come up with solutions which make you say "Damn, why didnt I think of that before"! If you think thats a myth, take it from me, it is not. It is amazing how they do it, and I am in awe. For me it is aspiration value. What IS a myth though is that these guys are balding old men with no social lives who have sold their souls to work. Not true, some of these guys are young, funny and good company.
I have met a few of them before. What is different this time on is that the guy I am interacting with now is Indian. And it dispels my impression that Business Consulting is the forte of nations much more advanced than India. I will have to admit that the guy in question has spent 7 years in the US, but still, this is a guy who is now based out of India working for an Indian firm. Makes me feel that India has come of age. It now has the capability of attracting talent from across the globe. Someday I dream of that kind of life. I call it the "In-India-In-Demand" kind of life. I have a long way to go before I reach there, but someday I will be there :).
I am organizing a fun event for the Sweden team. It is tough in a multi cultural environment, the Indians dont want to go to an expensive Swedish place, the europeans wouldnt want to come to a more reasonably priced Indian joint. But I am managing, 20 out of the 24 people invited have accepted. The execs have sent tentative acceptance (dont they always?). I am juggling organizing this event (which is Bowling + Dinner) in addition to taking care of the Indian senior delegation and preparing for my parents trip and also trying to plan out the itenary of my own trip to Manchester. All this in addition to my regular hectic work schedule of client meetings, presentations, financial reports and more blah. Whew! Oh, did I tell you that I have planned a Europe tour for my parents and my Uncle and Aunt. It has not been quite the quick task I had thought it to be. It turned out to be quite a herculean task, especially as I insisted on using the travel agent ONLY for Switzerland. Now I feel I could have done that as well, considering I took care of Paris, Rome, Stockholm and the cruise. I admit it would have not have been possible without all the help from my best friend, she is so much better at all this than I am. Damn, with her help I could become a travel agent, I have planned too many trips around Europe. :)
I always ask the people I trust for their opinion of my actions and deeds and about me in general. I welcome criticism. I always ponder and chew on it, sometimes I spit it out and dismiss it, but not without appreciating the concern associated with the person who bothered to give it. Sometimes I digest and process it for better purposes. Heres two pieces criticism that has come my way in recent times, related to blogging:
1. "Blogging is about the thoughts, the flow of ideas, not about the way of writing." I think thats a nice perspective. But I do not agree. I cannot read a blog where the person cannot express him/herself in an interesting way. Or a blog where the language sucks to an extent where it is irritating. Even if the thoughts are very nice and he/she has amazing ideas and opinions. On the other hand I can... to an extent... tolerate bullshit if the person writes it in an interesting way. Its like stand up comedy. You can talk bull shit as long as the laugh track keeps up the impression that it is funny and you have the attention of the audience. Packaging, and the way of expression IS important.
2. "How can you avoid writing about people? There is only so much you can write about yourself, forget what people think, write about people". Again a very interesting people. Just to be cheeky, I am tempted to use Olive Oyls blog description "I write here only about myself. I know I am a narcissist." Umm.. but to be honest, I have been on a narcissistic trip and I have gotten some pretty testy reactions. It amuses me. But yes, I will write about people, just that they will always be related to me and just like in life, I will always be the centre of my universe. Isnt that true for everyone?
Yes I think a lot about what people tell me. SIGH! More about the people I interact with in the next blog. :)
I agree with you that if a blog isn't well written it isn't a good read. It's a different issue that people should write even in a jittery language just to vent out or express their thoughts. But they shouldn't expect a wide spectrum of readers if the packaging isn't appealing. I am sure Coke would have been a less popular brand if it came a medicine bottle, same with a blog and most of the products on earth (presumably including us human beings struggling in this big bad world :p)
ReplyDeleteOh did I ever tell you that I like your blog? :))
ReplyDelete@ Olive: :)
ReplyDelete@ Rhapsody: Thanks, I am honoured!