“It's weird...you know the end of something great is coming, but you want to hold on, just for one more second...just so it can hurt a little more.”

I left work yesterday...I started the day taking mental pictures of everything...the way to work through the beautiful English countryside, parking my car, signing in, leaving sweets for everyone, turning on my laptop, logging in, the walk after lunch...and a myriad of other "routine" things. I just wanted to remember everything. My friends and colleagues gave me a really nice send off...with "gifts for the man who is trying to get rid of everything". I was fine for most of the day but, right at the end as I was slowly packing up and switching things off, I felt really alone and sad. So, I switched off the lights in my office and sat for a while in the dark absorbing the energy from the room, reflecting back on my time at the company, and taking back my soul before moving on. It was the place that made me grow up...a place that truly has helped define who I am today. But, life goes on, and I need to move on and continue chasing my dream.

I also managed to get tickets for my trip to Thailand so really pleased with that. I leave tomorrow and will be back in two weeks or so having done a million air miles. :-)

The Last Walk

After all that...

...I cannot get tickets for Thailand from India on the dates I want...got to find a way...got to pray...got to use my wit...or got to wait until the next time!!!! Arrrrggggggggggggggggggg...

I leave work tomorrow...we are all set for a big night out. And, on Sunday, I will be on the plane with my son...get ready world, father and son will be on the move soon! :-)

LHR > DEL > IMF > CCU > BKK > CNX > BKK > CCU > IMF > DEL > LHR

Yupe, that's right! That's a lot of air miles...I have booked my tickets and am departing next Sunday on my 'epic' journey with my son. My wife and my parents didn't like the idea of him travelling to Thailand at such a young age so I guess I will be doing it alone! Perhaps, we will return together when he is a bit older. And, even before I started advertising in the local supermarkets, my car has been snapped up! And, the neighbours have been around to help us in our house clearance - now, if only one of them would buy the house too! ;-)

The other day, I was bored and was looking for a few books to read on Amazon, my favorite bookshop, and found not that accountancy book that I was looking for but a book called Freakonomics. If you have not read it, I would suggest you do...just because it is fun to read!

The ever changing plans...

So, I was on the train to the city yesterday evening to meet folks from NYU Stern about the dual-MBA program with HEC Paris when my wife called to say she has been offered a job by an American pharmaceutical company based in Paris. Really chuffed about it! This makes me wonder if I should continue thinking about the dual-MBA course, or should I just focus on HEC and enjoy Paris, may be, with an exchange program with an American school...but, things are moving so fast these days that we have a new plan almost everyday.

Regarding the Stern presentation, I really enjoyed it. The alumni are great and the school will really suit me. I like their team spirit and their very "down to earth" approach even though they are all high-flying professionals. If not HEC Paris, I would have liked to go there...well, I can still do both! :-)

Came across two articles recently about office jargons, and how workers are striking back. You have got to love these so read on...

Just jumping back to the student profile of NYU Stern, we were told that the student population consisted of 38% international students but I am beginning to wonder if the American demographic profile is by itself so diverse that even though many of the students may be classed as Americans, their parents are of different national origins, which helps to add to the cultural diversity of the schools...some food for thought eh?

Thailand or no Thailand???

Southeast Asia is one place I have not explored much and I am thinking of paying Thailand a visit before I start my MBA at HEC Paris. Once the course has started, I will have to put a curfew on my travels and stay put for a while, studying for the all too glamorous MBA! So, I am thinking that I will take a break now and visit Thailand while I am in India (oh yes!). A friend who lives in Bangkok has kindly offered me his apartment while he is away, and I have a cousin who is stationed in Chiang Mai (how lucky is that!) so this seems like the perfect opportunity. But then, I have to think about the house sale...not a good idea to leave it all to mon épouse. Let's hope it all gets sorted soon and I can then book my last-minute tickets!

In the meantime, following a discussion on foams, I have been searching for a video I had seen a while ago. It is about these two guys making a theatrical show out of Coke and Mentos. So, did a search and found the video below. As it says on their site, it is "entertainment for the curious mind". Are you? :-)

Sorry, this video is from YouTube...the original one was just too slow.

Bonfire night

In November 1605, some guy called Guy Fawkes, and his mates, attempted to blow up the English Parliament using gunpowder. Of course, he was arrested and King James I declared a bonfire celebration for being alive! So, early in November every year, each local council would organise a bonfire night with fireworks...and, just to spice things up a bit, an effigy of Guy is also burnt! We had one today in the local park where I normally go running.

Homliness to homelessness in two signatures...

The challenge of splitting the family and moving to a new country for an MBA is not enough so we have decided to take a path towards homelessness. We signed a contract today agreeing to put up our house on sale. We have not lived in it for long but we have put in a lot of blood and sweat to make it shine! The previous owner, who was quite elderly, had not been able to keep up the maintenance and upkeeping of the property, which with time had turned into a relic! So, as soon as we moved in, we went about installing a new kitchen, a new bathroom, new electrical wiring, new floors and carpets, new wallpapers - new everything except for the four walls and the roof! And, as soon as we finished renovating, I was assigned to a project abroad and madame went to France on maternity leave. So, the house is as new as new! We believe the time has come to seek pastures anew and start a new life in a 'new' country, at least for a while, and then see where things go. Didn't someone say 'life just isn't worth living unless you're willing to take some big chances and go for broke'? So, here's our big decision; to uproot ourselves and move to Paris...to see how things turn out...and we will take it one step at a time. We will be homeless but who really cares!

I tried posting this earlier today and wanted to include a picture of the house as well but Blogger had some issues and I just could not post it so here it is...