W. Somerset Maugham

I have been reading quite a lot of W. Somerset Maugham of late. I like his writing style; often narrating the entire story by being a key member. His short stories are really well written and versatile as he defines and describes his characters well. Even the surroundings he makes it come as if we are just witnessing them.

I have read couple of volumes f his short stories and three of his novels (cakes and ale, Razors edge and Of Human Bondage). 

All the three are good, but I enjoyed Of Human Bondage the most. The character Phillip Carey (autobiographical) is one of the best created characters. And of course, Mildred! She is probably the best character in this story.

Experience

“Experience is what you got when you didn’t get what you wanted.”

Insure or Invest?

I have been asked most of the times where should I invest (young friends and colleagues)? Typically I always mention consistent performing and good quality equity mutual funds to many of my friends. They have some surplus funds which they want to invest. I recommend doing a SIP, just like a regular recurring deposit. If one doesn’t have time or skill to invest on their own, this often provides decent returns. It has worked for me.

However, many friends will first jump on investments without looking at their own security. Insurance before investments philosophy has to be imbibed. Most of the people should do that. First, buying a term plan from LIC / HDFC / ICICI (for around 50 L – premium should be around 7000 for a 25-30 old guy). They need to understand that insurance is not investment and it has to be treated separately. The concept of not getting back the money is unheard of. They need to be aware of the fact that insurance is not for them but for the security of his dependents incase any eventuality occurs and it has to meet their current standard of living.

Similarly, it is necessary to spend on their health plans / mediclaim (around 5 lakh atleast as of today – premium of around 10000) to cover their hospital and medical bills in case one is hospitalized. It wont then put any stress on the persons savings and investments.

So overall if one is ready (generally) to spend around ~1400 monthly (for securing himself first) and as the earnings grow, he then starts doing a SIP in a good equity MF. That’s how normal progression should ideally happen.

Dear Zindagi

Listened to this song Love You Zindagi.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZBPjt9NQtk
Nice track. And given that this film is by Gauri Shinde, it might be worth a watch. I liked her debut film, English Vinglish as well. So, looking forward to it.

Inner child - Burning man sculpture

One of the best images one can come across, especially to be seen when we feel stubborn...

Sherlock Homes quote on love

“From the first day I met her, she was the only woman to me. Every day of that voyage I loved her more, and many a time since have I kneeled down in the darkness of the night watch and kissed the deck of that ship because I knew her dear feet had trod it. She was never engaged to me. She treated me as fairly as ever a woman treated a man. I have no complaint to make. It was all love on my side, and all good comradeship and friendship on hers. When we parted she was a free woman, but I could never again be a free man.”

Great expectations (3)

“She had curiously thoughtful and attentive eyes; eyes that were very pretty and very good.”

“The agony is exquisite, is it not? A broken heart. You think you will die. But you just keep living. Day after day, after terrible day.” 

“If she wounds you, love her. If she tears your heart to pieces-- love her, love her, love her!”

Great expectations quote (2)

“You are part of my existence, part of myself. You have been in every line I have ever read, since I first came here, the rough common boy whose poor heart you wounded even then. You have been in every prospect I have ever seen since-on the river, on the sails of the ships, on the marshes, in the clouds, in the light, in the darkness, in the wind, in the woods, in the sea, in the streets. You have been the embodiment of every graceful fancy that my mind has ever become acquainted with.”

“Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has taught me to understand what your heart used to be.” 

“But, in this separation I associate you only with the good and I will faithfully hold you to that always, for you have done far more good than harm, let me feel now what sharp distress I may.”

“And still I stood looking at the house, thinking how happy I should be if I lived there with her, and knowing that I never was happy with her, but always miserable.

“Do you want to be a gentleman, to spite her or to gain her over? Because, if it is to spite her, I should think - but you know best - that might be better and more independently done by caring nothing for her words. And if it is to gain her over, I should think - but you know best - she was not worth gaining over.”

Great expectations quotes

“I'll tell you," said she, in the same hurried passionate whisper, "what real love it. It is blind devotion, unquestioning self-humiliation, utter submission, trust and belief against yourself and against the whole world, giving up your whole heart and soul to the smiter - as I did!”


“The unqualified truth is, that when I loved Estella with the love of a man, I loved her simply because I found her irresistible. Once for all; I knew to my sorrow, often and often, if not always, that I loved her against reason, against promise, against peace, against hope, against happiness, against all discouragement that could be. Once for all; I love her none the less because I knew it, and it had no more influence in restraining me, than if I had devoutly believed her to be human perfection.” ― Great Expectations

“Take nothing on its looks; take everything on evidence. There's no better rule.” ― Great Expectations 

Ted Mosby quote

"Actually, there is a word for that. It's love. I'm in love with her, okay? If you're looking for the word that means caring for someone beyond all rationality and wanting them to have everything they want no matter how much it destroys you, its love!"

"When you love someone you just, you...you don't stop. Ever. Even when people roll their eyes or call you crazy. Even then. Especially then. You just- you don't give up because if I could give up... If I could just, you know, take the whole world's advice and- and move on and find someone else, that wouldn't be love. That would be... That would be some other disposable thing that is not worth fighting for. But that is not what this is." — Ted Mosby, How I Met Your Mother Season 9

Only when the tide goes back…

Being in a research company has its own advantages. You become aware of many sectors. However, you are still going to be “Jack of all” but a pupil of few of them. Lately, we have been getting various requests in consumer goods domain. It is not hard to figure out what is it regarding? Patanjali – You guessed it right…

Few sources cite that its revenues have crossed Rs.5000 cr. It has reached this milestone in almost half a decade, the feat rarely achieved by even large multinationals. You need to give them their due. The way Ramkrishna Yadav (better known as Baba Ramdev) marketed himself and the company Patanjali really well by making themselves an authority on Yoga, Ayurveda, and natural products is quite commendable. They have found a huge fan following; which has now began new wave of going back to the natural products – natural and organic products for the health conscious people.

However, I am surprised that the research requests came in so late. I believe being in the market has its own positives. You are aware of how the companies and its competitors are performing. Then why didn’t they see the trends shifting. Why didn’t the request come when the revenues were just Rs. 100 cr, Rs. 500 cr. or even Rs. 1000 cr. Maybe the competition didn’t perceive that Patanjali will emerge as such a serious competitor. In investment circles there is a saying that never mention – This time it’s different.

In a capitalist society it’s a hara-kiri to assume that the new challenger is going to lose. Time and again, it has happened – Nirma challenging HUL, LG and Samsung overthrowing BPL. There were different issues associated to both of them. However, the outcome was similar.

The new players get in the market. The existing players overlook the seriousness of the new comer and then find themselves threatened by them. They will adopt “wait and watch” stance and by that time  the challenger reaches the inflection point from which the existing players will face herculean task of gaining back the market share.

We all want to quote Peter Lynch and Philip Fischer but we rarely pay heed to their advice. Didn’t we realize when some people within our circles started to use Dant kranti (toothpaste), Patanjali Honey. We all saw them but conveniently chose to ignore these shifts. Therefore the entire research request coming now might be construed as a herd behavior.

These new shifts indicate the lure of natural and health conscious organic food. I am not saying that existing FMCG majors will keep quiet. In fact, the companies like  Dabur, Emami, etc. who are also into selling of Ayurveda and natural products may have some added advantage. However, smart marketing is needed by these companies. This could have been avoided if they could have spotted the trends early. But it is difficult to define early stage. Maybe early stage is defined as a stage which is not too obvious to entire crowd but is still noticeable to a few people.

Coming of age

Hobbits come of age at 33. Having crossed that in Nov 2015, I look upto them for the sense of adventure.

The Good Old landline

Over the last few days, I am extensively using my home landline phone. You may question who uses landline in the age of smartphones. Well to be honest my mobile phone conked off and I had no option than to use my jealous little landline. He expected to get his due and wanted to show how worthy it is still. In offices people still use landline phones but at home, its usage has dropped significantly.

The network is so clear that I don’t have to say “hello” multiple times and of course there are no call drops. So it is a nice task for our telecom minister (no sure, who is it though) to solve call drops. Propagate the usage of landline phones. J