A Long Weekend

It’s been a long hiatus that I should say, rather I must say, that it takes a lot to get a lazy blog owner and in addition, it also requires a lot of continual blogging before I call myself a blogger.

As I'm about to share something which is unlike from my first blog and will try my extreme best to keep it as simple as possible, as most of them suggested it. This is “totally” about my profession and as blog goes further you would realize how professional it is –So read it “formally”

After reading you would say that my job is cruel and ironic.

Let’s get started folks!

Working on weekends is like me working in GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries which I had and I am desirous of. I still enforce myself to believe, that I work on weekends and moreover I agreed for it. Few of my colleagues were sceptical, but finally they had to consider as I started coming on weekends as I suppose to get weekly off on Thursdays and Fridays.

Hey! Hang on!

Am I in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia or under absolute monarchy???

No!!

I Wish I could be there!!!

I’m not going to regret for what fate has offered me. At the end neither complaints nor do I anticipate any quirk in fate. I’m extremely happy where I’m, as my own belief is “whatever happens, happens for good”.

I got several notes from many friends.

Some people have a habit to have a finger in every pie and in fact you too will second this, I reckon.

They abstain me saying,

‘Dude, come on! Are you serious’!

It is utter nonsensical!

Why the heck did you agree to come on weekends? Absolute absurdity!

Discontinue it! You are made a scapegoat here and bullied at times .

Being mum will not rally round you at any cost.

Just wonder,

The Rest of the world will be enjoying and you alone should come to office and work.

Neither marriage parties nor weekend outing (with family) are a delicacy for my life.

We will call you a loser, big time! You feel like jumping out from the window as and when you sit alone at office and indeed, the whole world will remorse for you.

One said, from every nook and corner of the floor there will be only one sound ‘the clock ticks ’ I replied in jest, no buddy, you missed the other one, the sniff of other colleague’ as well.... LOL! 

Being in the same department few haven’t spoken with me before and them too got an opportunity to say a ‘bunch of advise’.

Oh boy! Ain't I really pissed off! As free advises are unworthy in nature.

      Yes, I'm stunned! (not promoting anything here, anyhow, its on-

      going.You are an absolute imbecile if you haven’t guessed it yet.

After listening to their banter (I feel) for a while and with a mature 'Chance Pe Dance' attitude I affirm and persist to come on weekends as my imaginary list (High competitive salary, full company benefits, short working hours ,"Three- day-work-week'', company credit card, company limousine with driver and lastly, 3 months paid vacation annually) was respectfully taken care 'at least' couple of them and yeah I'm on my way to be a trendsetter (overstated,aa ,ha ha) 

“Weekends are a bit like rainbows, they look good from a distance but disappear when you get up close to them". Indisputably, this quote isn't for me and that's for sure .

Apparently, I have made a conscious decision to develop an extremely cool facade, unfazed, unchanged and unruffled regardless of the situation.

Conversely, I never paid attention to those comments nor I was looking all at sea (Once you accept to come on weekends then it’s really hard to pull back yourself) Neither it bothered, irked or befuddled me because moreover I love to be at home on Blissful Friday as it fascinates me rather than working in particular.

Spending blissful Friday at home made me contented & motivated and  therefore, could have appetizing Mutton 'Biryani/Curry/'Rogan Josh ......etc, cooked by Mother (Indeed, The best Chef) as she constantly says me, that you’re one helluva ‘full time appetite’.

Oh dear! I really adore the homemade food.

Unquestionably, Mothers are supreme gift of All-Mighty.

Mother – Let me enlighten few things here.

After the status of Almighty Allah and his Messenger (Prophet Mohammed, Pbuh), the most beloved and respected person is 'Mother'! Almighty has given the mother such status/stature that He Says,

“Paradise lies under the feet of mother.” Check! 

Furthermore, The Obedience and respect towards your mother is a significant duty as advised in Islam which is similar to performing Salaah (the ritual prayers prescribed by Islam to be observed five times a day) and keeping fast (In the month of Ramadan). In contradict to this, hurting your mother in any way is the second biggest sin and those who commit this evil sin will be harshly punished by Almighty Allah in the hereafter and even in this world .

The above words are for those who keep faith on The Day of Judgment, the Day of Reckoning and on the Last Day –In simple words, the person who believes in the hereafter life.

Hoping that a word to the wise would be enough.

Heading towards the other direction, right? 

Okay, coming back to the actual weekend’s work,

You would be wondering, why do I come on weekend?

Is he working in a call centre?

No way! Not at all!

Let me tell you, out of 10 teams in the department solely my team works on weekend as one Analyst comes on Saturday & two on Sunday to cover the Real time data for All Gulf and Middle East Stock exchanges. Do you want me to tell what does Stock exchange means, what is Equity,Right issue,Bonus share, Derivatives, Futures & Options, Call option, Put Option,Fixed income or at least how does an equity trade executed and definitely this you will surely want to know, that what is the process of our team? Shall I?

Of course, I’ll....

Read it religiously and make double sure that absent mindedness, zoning out and unwarranted distraction of attention from the object of focus by irrelevant thoughts and all of this shouldn't exists.

Keep your face more focused towards the screen and be hyper focus and yeah being oblivious will not help here.

Perhaps you'd be looking wried, as a result, let me try cracking a joke consequent to improve your level of concentration of reading my blog –Knowledge knows a tomato is a fruit and therefore wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

Enjoyed!

Mind-numbing? Yes?? No???

I guess, this is ‘A Bit’ ‘Three’ much.

Enough of causes and remedies for lapse in concentration.

Are you ready!

All set!

Here we go!

You aren't letting me to start.

Forget it! You’re giving an impression of being inordinately pale as you want to rush towards your mother after reading the intrinsic values and transgress for Mother.

To sum it up - Unfortunately, for now, we have a rotation policy in place as Mahindra Singh Dhoni had in Australia (VB series)- Same term used in our team too “rotation policy” that is every month all the members of the team would get a 'chance' to come on weekend and enjoy!

Oops!

Err, I mean would get a chance to come on weekend and 'work for 8 hours'.Henceforth, you shall call me a workaholic ;) Please, go ahead! 

I could sense that (might be slightly wrong in this case) you’re looking pretty enigmatic and a tad confused with my job profile/work/process as everyone does, any-ways,  it’s not your bread and butter so why scratching your head on it.

Here is a word to the wise: Never or dare to forget that small piece of advice which I have mentioned in the midst of the blog.

BFN!

The More The Merrier

                                                       

It’s a bit complicated to start a blog .

Let me give a try –what’s stopping me from it.

Let’s get to the show. And yeah, I’m least bothered of a good or a bad beginning/ending.

I confess that neither It’s a piece of cake nor a dime a dozen.

Ahh!! I’m immensely excited! The thing which was being planned from quite sometime, looks like coming my way.

I guess it’s a little too much of buzzing. Okay! Enough of those juvenile words.

Moving On …

The life has several parts as it is an unpredictable, inconsistent, variable, inconstant, erratic, fluctuating, unreliable, iffy, dicey & at times peculiar too and I’m going to share you a part of it.

Just felt like sharing my pivotal part of the life as it has many ups and downs, wax and wanes, pros and cons & several ifs and buts.

Here we go!

When I left my hometown for the first time to work, I didn't have any accommodation set or any pre-plans.

Arguably, it was my primary gaffe.

On the other hand, I had my pal (Owaise) from bachelor’s who was pursuing MBA at Bangalore. I just gave him a buzz a night before dropping in the land of opportunities & the city of dreams, and his reply was *It’s all yours, brother*. He was from Kashmir, apparently I got gelled to his way of approach towards everything, since I had a tad practice of it.

One of my best friends(Nawaz Ahmed) who had just completed his training at Infosys, gave me a phone call after a month or so saying, what plans..?? Want to stay there or you have any superior one’s..?? I mildly said I have a better ploy, listen......; maybe he had some plans running in his mind, so he started ignoring it. Eventually, I agreed with his plan which suited both of us.

No, never, not at all, we weren’t interested in the PG’s. I hate the life over there, standing in queues for washroom, (If it’s an emergency <Loo or Pee> still I must follow the same old process) food and many other things. It’s totally disgusting & misery bounded with full of conditions.

We got a master room with ease (‘chum’ had few contacts) and to tell about the place it was a terrific room with wonderful interiors, I can admit that, this was a place where one can stay comfortably, a couple was quite satisfactory at that point of situation & I was located in the west part (HBR Layout) of Bangalore and we moved towards the south (BTM Layout).

Followed by that, we started getting many phone calls from our hometown saying, we’ve been placed in Bangalore and in initial days we want to accompany you guys .We wanted to choose only one, in view of the fact that the place was not enough for more than three, but contenders were more. We went on with the utter selection process of it, scrutinizing each’s behaviour, character, attitude, approach and more towards one’s personal life with his known ones. Then we discussed and conferred with the landlord (he had strictly said that only a Two. 2. Yeradu. Iki. Dho. Twee. Isnain. Deux. Dόs. Două. A couple. A pair .One, and one upon that, should only stay) pleasing him that he’ll stay only for a month, after so much of interrogation I could convince him, as I had a persuasion & negotiating skills. No, I’m not in adulation frame of mind now.

Commiserations for those, who couldn't make it for some sort of reasons.

My 2^nd and the Biggest blunder.

Our third chum (Abrar) was (MBA in HR) and was working for a consultancy which was a famed one. No I’m not going to share the name. Let’s not get into that crap now.

A month passed by, no phone calls from our landlord and we were slightly loosening up from that, then a couple of months later as it is quite perennial he asked, how about that guy..?? Does he have any plans to leave..?? Afterwards, we started playing around and as it happens in old Hindi movies, we said him the sad story , he is the only son to earn and his sister is in the marriage stage, landlord showed the sympathy towards it and we became complacent.

Yep, we considered we’ve triumphantly done it but, he had some malice feelings towards us.

I’m under severe grieve and incredibly pitiful to say it that, one day our landlord (An absolute rogue) came up with enormously ferocious goon and started abusing (believe me ,It was feeding frenzy) and tremendously curios to fight, in reply my friend (Abrar) had an impassive face. Fortunately, on that day, I reached home from office at the right point of time and tried exceedingly best to control the situation. At this moment I said, “Give us a week’s time, we’ll be vacating the house” (this decision was made impulsive by watching his furiousness) and showed our dislike to continue.

Presently, I realize that, it was “All Bark and No Bite”.

Undeniably, it was ,the worst of times. 

He said, please don’t be mistaken, I would be glad if you and your old friend (Nawaz Ahmed) stay here (with frowning face) but not this (MBA) guy. I dint even attempt to become a Vindicator because I knew it’s utterly futile at that moment. Don’t know what was perturbing him?? Still under a lot of befuddle & bewilderment on that, I told him we’re seeking a 2bhk. Subsequently he said, as your wish (with F***ing expression).

Those things are still lingering in my head and considerably mysterious.

At that instant, yet again the entire process of flat searching (Note:-we had only a week’s time) started. (No, I dint despair) Searching on net, having errands, calling brokers and their hype towards everything & to enlighten you about the brokers in the city, there are characters from a typical masala Hindi film. Some were enormously loud, some were exceptionally rude, but I did not for once complain, trust me, they were all highly entertaining. Well! I don’t want to go deep into those instances now.

Then, the twist in the tale arrives.

3 techies (Nouman-ITC , Faaran-IBM & Khizer-IBM) (absolutely the best of all) who got placed at Bangalore. I used to call them & ask about their plans of accommodation and everyone had different notions & opines where some were just cockeyed & absurd. And yeah, I’m at the midst of all these things.

This is what I call an absolute answer of fate, in fact, there is also a saying in which I strongly believe, i.e. though we (human beings) have many desires and wishes, Almighty will have a particular plan for us and which cannot be deterred.That is what happened to me as it is quite habitual.

One of my best 'chums’ (Nawaz Ahmed), who was with me for a year wanted to stay in the south part of Bangalore, but techies doesn’t want to come there as it was pretty far from their offices.

Don’t ask about the height of dilemma I was in. Ultimately, the thing which contended and brought into winding up this critical issue was that, my brother (Mohammed Salahuddin) who wanted to do his project at Bangalore would also want to stay with me for a  couple of days in a week (that’s correct, only two days in a week). Further to that, I decided to search again where I had stayed, right in the west (HBR Layout) part of it.

Unfortunately, I must say, chum had to stay in the south region (BTM Layout) with him (Abrar). It was a bit regretting portion of the relocation.

The opportune moments wasn't happening or looking like coming my way (Only wish takes place which Almighty has scripted- In case you’d forgotten)

Well! Well! Then the real picture took place, I started seeking a 2bhk and consequently 3 techies were supporting me in initial days. I can understand that, one techie (Khizer) was in quandary over to stay with us or to stay at his sister’s place, who was settled in Bangalore with her family. I considered that others were supporting me, but Nooooo, one more techie (Nouman) was also having a vague notion about staying together.

Just want to add on to his tale, He is merely a dummy character & always wanted to be in the limelight as he was telling his parents and relatives that he’ll be staying with us and creating an illusion as a kingpin, but it wasn’t a fact. I guess he had some other things to look ahead with another techie(Wasiq) (No he is not under that 3).

Furthermore, out of three, 2 techies (Khizer & Nouman) refused of stay together for some personal reasons.

Retaining the information - we wanted a 2BHK in suburb and we were only 2 (me & a techie (Faaran-A bit of an androgynous ;)

Oh no! We are only two and 2 BHK?? It’s “An Arm and A Leg” was not looking possible but from the cycle/chain of techies we got another two. One from Kanpur (Zahid) who got placed in Ericsson and another (Parveez) who got placed in Schneider and yes, he is from our hometown .That moment I was overjoyed, delighted, thrilled, ecstatic and elated. The perfect matching of combination, I should acknowledge that.

I started dialing all day to the agents without any sigh, but it wasn’t matching to our requirements.

I got a number from <Sulekha.in> and I just gave a call, the receiver was the owner of the house. Yeah, that’s true! He (a retired military man) was extremely lucid with his words 10k –rent   and 1lakh –advance .As it is customary, we started negotiating it, but noooo, he wasn’t a typical retired person, but a real greedy character. Then finally, we agreed. Yeah we have to!! (Remember?? I had given a word that, will vacate the room in a week’s time)

Thanks to Almighty! He is all the time with me when I happen to be in trouble.

After all, we got settled. Everything was going in a normal pace, my brother was coming on weekends and we four were having some bonding build every day and were feeling sanguine at the flash.

A couple of months later, my brother kept a word that, one of his friends (Shameer-he was his mate from schooling to engineering, I too know him very well) wanted to stay with us for a month or so. I had a discussion about it with my flatmates and we went with my bro’s request.

At the same phase, our Kanpur flat mate( Zahid) said, I’m calling my younger brother (An ultimate demurer) for a few days to have certain change in his routine life. I don’t want to elaborate anything on this.

A real shocker, which I was completely incognizant off, my bro’s friend (Shameer ) have a tendency of staying back in flat on weekends for some reasons and my brother’s friend’s friend (still Unknown) use to stay on weekends (an eye-opener issue) without letting us know. Since, we come to hometown on every weekend & probably that might be the case .He was the commuter and our flatmate dint like that .Nonetheless, it persisted only for a month, I reckon.

We were five, out of 5, one (Parveez) had to go to France intermittently for his project work so we intended to keep my brother’s friend (Shameer) with us.

And the latest news is that he has to leave to France for 8 months(sudden requirement of project), another techie (Khizer-who was staying at his sister’s house) also wanted to come as a replacement.

At present, even my conscience feels “The More the Merrier”. As my brother’s project is also over and done & where we’re five/four -Kanpur mate (Zahid), bro’s friend (Shameer) , a replacer (Khizer-still not confirmed), an androgynous (Faaran) & .............., Indeed, the best of all. No, I’m not going to mention the identity, as you all know it better.

That’s all I have to say about the re-location and let me end up with an encouraging note - I know I can’t stop the members coming,as its never-ending,endless,uncontrolled,unlimited,inestimable ,immeasurable ,unbounded, nonstop &limitless .

I still believe it’s not a guest house, but numerous instances compels me to believe that and let my door open for others all the time as I consider we should be philanthropies, besides I strongly believe in gregarious living and not solitary.

Have your say!