Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara

Last weekend, Yash, Abhishek and I went on a short trip to Kashid beach. Abhishek is getting married next month. So we thought let’s do it like Spain trip of trio Farhan, Hrithik, and Abhay from Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara movie. Of course, we didn’t have money to go to Spain and participate in Tomatino festival and the bull chase so we finalized on Kashid beach which was around 200 kms from Pune – a 3 hour drive.

So what did we do?

Had a nice drive to Kashid – Yash did the honours. He drove down and we passed through amazing scenery on the way. He also put some old chartbusters of Pink Floyd and Metallica. I was poor in understanding the lyrics of songs…so told him to put some Hindi songs…and after getting irritated he put on K L Saigal songs thinking that I would be tortured.  But after a while, when he couldn’t fathom that I enjoyed Ek bangala bane Nyaara, we both settled for Jee Le Zara from Talaash to save him from the third degree!!!

Getting accommodation – We just went there without doing any bookings. A drunkard helped us in getting a room…He called me…”JatinBhei hic hic hyac”. As a good gesture, we paid him little commission for Kesto’s act.

Beer all the way – I believed that this was the key reason for the trip! Abhishek broke four 650 ml London Pilsners; but more than that, he was injured. Some glass pieces had to be removed from his foot. Luckily, Yash had some first aid tool for that.

Beach time – We were there for half a day at the shacks (or whatever you want to call) and ate hot maggis. We performed Gangam style which would have beaten the original Psy records (maybe we put him to shame). However, there was hardly any crowd to put it on Youtube. Psy, thank us for not uploading the video… Your video still is number one watched youtube video!

Trekking – Trekked one hill which was almost perpendicular to the ground! Yash lost his Tupperware water bottle and was grumpy since then! (I believed that he was constipated but he finally told that bottle was the primary reason. He had got it as wedding anniversary gift from Reema. Wondered what happened when he reached home. On Monday I noticed he had a swelling beneath in right eye :) I didn’t have guts to ask him…why this mark!)

Had to cut short trip as Mr. Balasaheb passed away and we couldn’t go to Murud Janjira (one of the most invincible fort built by Shivaji Maharaj). Yash was hungry and couldn’t find anything to eat, so he drove at 130 kmph to reach Pune. Thank god, Abhiman was open and we had hearty wadapav chai breakfast!

Tour ends…

Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie

Recently, I finished reading auto biography of Andrew Carnegie. Dale Carnegie (author of How to Win Friends and Influence people) had mentioned his name many times in his books. Apart from him, he had also mentioned Lincoln in his books.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Carnegie

Andrew Carnegie was one of the most revered philanthropist of his times; rather in today's time too (adjusting for inflation). Walt Disney's Scrooge Mcduck is said to have been inspired by Andrew Carnegie. Scrooge was also shown as a Scott.

Few points mentioned in his book which I really liked: 

•   “A man who acquires the ability to take full possession of his own mind may take possession of anything else to which he is justly entitled.”
• "The man who can master the patience ... Can master anything else”
• The men who have succeeded are men who have chosen one line and stuck to it.
• The way to become rich is to put all your eggs in one basket and then watch that basket.
• You cannot push anyone up the ladder unless he is willing to climb himself
• Don’t speculate in the stock markets
• Put your money in the business which you are currently running, not in something which you don't know

Another amazing individual, a miser but later turned into active philanthropist, was John D Rockfeller. He was one of the most hated persons in US, but later on he distributed most of his wealth for human betterment.

What I am doing these days?

Two months have passed by and I haven’t written anything on my blog. So what I am upto these days?

After 4-5 months, I have come to Mumbai to visit my Grandparents and my uncle
Last month saw many movies:
The batman begins
The dark Knight
The Schindlers List
Oh My God!

About the books; I have been reading
On the back of napkin – Mid way
Gods, demons and others - done
The margin of Safety – Just started
The Gospel of Wealth – To begin

Also, working on a project (which is really interesting – can’t disclose but something related to water).

Yeah, as of now that’s my life…

Pleasures of siesta

This is perhaps the best time I wait in the whole week for. The day, when do really do nothing- enjoy getting up late and still have enough strength to go off to sleep on Saturday afternoon for 2 odd hours dreaming about the stuff you can’t remember when you wake up.

So after watching Taarak Mehta Na Oondha Chasma back to back episodes I fall asleep to world of adventures, business, movies, and romance. I can’t remember but I am part of everything. So when I wake up it feels so much invigorating that I start writing something like this blog or some stupid story that only I can understand.

There is Sunday’s siesta too but Saturday’s one just can't be juxtaposed. On Sunday, I can't have proper siesta as I have random thoughts about the week ahead. So guys go to sleep on Saturday afternoon, maybe I may reach your dreams too!Well it may become a nightmare then :P

Peel the potatoes

On Last Saturday, I was pondering over something related to projects and how I can do them more efficiently. But thoughts are always random, Within few minutes I started thinking of something else…I wanted to watch a movie or may be step outside and enjoy the rains; enough of thinking going on…Though it was just drizzling I didn’t want to get soaked, so I just stayed indoors and started watching the movie “Braveheart”. Ruchi wanted to experiment some cookery stuff, but she also wanted to watch the movie (She doesn’t leave me alone!).

Act II Scene 1 -

I took laptop in the kitchen and started the movie. Half an hour later she suddenly yells! I had to go a parlor. I survived the heartattack.

She was peeling boiled potatoes. “You will have to do this stuff…” She said imperiously.

Annoyed I asked, Why? I am watching Braveheart…

“You can do these two things at one point of time.” She explained.

" I am not a multitasker"…I retorted.

“You are a manager, I presume.”

“I manage projects…I don’t work!”

"Managers do have to work in case there is some emergency (I can’t understand how going to the parlor is cited as an emergency)."

I couldn’t argue further…She is right sometimes…However I just wanted to recite Dilbert principle “Man rises to his level of incompetency”. She had already left…

Curtain Falls

Flipkart turns booklover bankrupt!

I am emptying my pockets on books...though I am reading only few books these days, I am becoming quite a prodigal spender. Courtesy - Flipkart.com

Last month I purchased Calvin and Hobbes - Complete collection for Rs.3600/-, amazing deal I must say...but I have hardly read it. Even then, today I had another fit for purchasing two other books - Handful of Nuts by Ruskin Bond and See you at the top-By Zig Ziglar.

Ruchi says, I am becoming more of a collector than a reader. Though I want to vehemently deny that...Ms. Agony Aunt is right!

Specialist Restaurants IPO - Whats so special on the menu?

We, Generation-next urbanites are always eager to hang out and looking out for various occasions to dine out – be it pubs, theme and upscale restaurants to satisfy our tasting buds. In midst of that we now have a company running fine dine restaurants –Mainland China, Machan, Oh! Calcutta…So just like in US which had TACO Bells, Dunkin Donuts, McDonalds etc. we too now have the companies operating restaurants.

The restaurant business is pretty simple to understand and is usually cash flow positive. This was the primary reason of evaluating whether to invest in Specialty Restaurants owning these above brands of Mainland China, Machan, and Oh! Calcutta. The company currently runs 69 restaurants and 13 confectionary stores across 22 cities in India. Mainland China, its biggest brand, accounts for 60.3% of its revenues, followed by Oh! Calcutta at 12.3%.

The company is planning to raise Rs.182 crores
•FY 11 Sales – Rs. 173 crores
•Operating Profit –Rs.38 crores (OPM of 22%)
•NPM - 9%
•Debt / equity -0.28x
•ROE – 17%
•Zero dividend

Looking at above why won’t I invest:
PE is ~40x – Given the company is only growing 40% CAGR since 5 years, it doesn’t give any significant bargain. Also, the ROE is just 17%. There are other companies available on exchanges which has +20% ROE, consistent dividend payers but still available at the cheaper rates. Also, the company said it wants to focus more Company Owned Company operated stores (COCO) instead of franshise operations. This won’t be helpful for the company as it has to divert money in expensive real estate in metros and Tier 1 cities. So 40% growth in the long-run looks somewhat far-fetched.
Yes, one may miss out on listing gains (don’t know if there will be any) but one has to know the difference between investment and speculation. So parting with the quote of Ben Graham - "An investment operation is one which, upon thorough analysis, promises safety of principal and an adequate return. Operations not meeting these requirements are speculative."

As usual, Guinea Pigs, pl do your own research

Instant gratification!!!

Yesterday I was chatting with my sister...that itself is a daunting task...but still I tried to maintain my flow...she actually was waiting for someone...that friend had already left her home before 15 mins and was on her way to my residence. This topic inadvertently came across when she called her to ask where are you?

Flashback 15 years, imagine she calls....well, can she call? There were no mobiles then, but we had one virtue which we hadn’t lost-Patience, and moreover, we didn’t seek any instant gratification. We waited for things to happen in their own sweet time...And this is just a synecdoche, which can encompass many small things..for which we had patience to wait

• Buying your first car
• Buying your AC
• Going for movies after 4-5 weeks
• Many more examples

However, is patience good for the economy? Something to think about...
Credit growth will decline, people postponing their gratification will lead to fall in desire to purchase things and deny any sense of pleasure

So we do need fast life, where we earn and then spend whatever we earn...Savings decline will help boost in economy. Ok so what? There is no right answer as it depends on person to person

Just wrote this post after reading Kabir's Doha

Dhire dhire re mana, dhire sab kuch hoye
mali sinche sau gadha, hritu aaye fal hoye

Think about it...

Stubble

Stubble is the order of the say. New actors now sport the stubble which makes the leading ladies fall for this guy. Take Aayushyaman from Vicky Donor or Arjun Kapoor from ishaqzaade. They both have beards to woo their prospective mates. Times are changing – who wants to go around with clean shaven guys. This observation is coming from pubs and workplace too. Even Abhishek Bacchan used stubble for impressing Aishwaria :P. Have to adapt to the new age – Next Change – Rathin’s stubble look….

How was your weekend?

Its Sunday today, and as usual I am sitting home and doing nothing, so thought of writing a blog on weekends? Tomorrow, it’s Monday, and there is one dreaded question which I quite often face.” How was your Weekend?”

Coupled with Monday morning blues, Monday therefore becomes my worst day of the week. However, most people ask this question to beat their Monday morning blues!!! So on each Monday I am completely dumbfounded and speechless to this intrusive question, not which I care about it though. My friends know me as a no-party animal (they call me Xenophobic sometimes and much to their annoyance I don’t have girlfriend too). As a result, I prefer staying at my home-sweet-home.

I try to think of various answers but unfortunately I am not able to get it. So I give the answer – I was at home. But people don’t stop at this point. They would like to know the reason that why was I at home and not utilizing the weekend more productively.

Why can’t I just sit at home and do nothing? I like doing nothing and just contemplate for hours and hours about myriad things happening in my life and all around. I think of the past which is never going to come back and future which is beyond my control. So thinking is what I do over the weekend. But who is going to understand that explanation so I add to the above answer that I saw some episodes of Carolyne in the City and The Big Bang Theory episodes. Sometimes I also say that I read few books and comics (though sometimes I genuinely do that).

Next time someone’s asks me this ubiquitous question, I will divert them to this blog. So I will summarize some answers for them.

•I do nothing (if they stop at this – end conversation, and speak of something else, else give the following answers)

•I watched BBT and CITC (some would be satisfied with this answer – Sorry I can’t remember episodes names)

•I read some books and Comics (Calvin and Hobbes)

•I was at my friends place (chatting with him)

•I was at Bombay

All these answers will become repetitive in course of time and hence I have to think of some new ones. But atleast I am preparing the list, have you started yet??

Tribute to Whitney Houston

Tribute to Whitney Houston...We have lost one of the best voices...

Song from Bodyguard OST

If I should stay,
I would only be in your way.
So I'll go, but I know
I'll think of you ev'ry step of the way.

And I will always love you.
I will always love you.
You, my darling you. Hmm.

Bittersweet memories
that is all I'm taking with me.
So, goodbye. Please, don't cry.
We both know I'm not what you, you need.

And I will always love you.
I will always love you.

(Instrumental solo)

I hope life treats you kind
And I hope you have all you've dreamed of.
And I wish to you, joy and happiness.
But above all this, I wish you love.

And I will always love you.
I will always love you.
I will always love you.
I will always love you.
I will always love you.
I, I will always love you.

You, darling, I love you.
Ooh, I'll always, I'll always love you.