Passionné par les parfums

Very few things in life that I am really passionate about. One of 'em is perfumes. There is no measure about how much I absolutely dig good perfumes. Every time I step into a departmental store or a mall or duty free, by default I get dragged to the perfume section checking out the latest testers. I make notes on which I like and hope to add to my collection. Ah, by 'collection' don't get wrong ideas. I have a rather modest collection. But am determined to increase it moving forward.

I think a good fragrance is like a person's identity. And careful consideration should be taken before selecting one. Not just pick something that smells good but check if that fragrance goes with your overall personality. I'm no expert on personality traits neither on perfumes but, little that I can understand, I try and keep these aspects in mind before selecting one.

And hence it does not take a genius to figure out that the gifts I've given out most often are perfumes. I know what fragrances go best on me. There's not much left to uncover actually. So what's the next best way to keep this passion rolling?! Buy for others! :)

I don't remember when this started. Back in college, all that mattered was a good deo. And Adidas was a clear winner then. I did have a large collection of deos though but again, they were purchased mostly on offers or bulk and they were cheap. No passion per se. When I got to b-school, my bro bought me my first real one. He took me into this store, walked to the perfume section and asked me to go crazy! Imagine my excitement!!! After almost an hour, I finally picked up Baldesarini from Hugo Boss. It was my most prized possession - A Hugo Boss perfume! I still have it :)

As I got to my first job and more financial independence, which I think was the key, the passion really kicked in: Dunhill Desire Blue, Davidoff Deep, Remy Marquis, Eternity by CK, Gio by Armani, Euphoria by CK & Davidoff Echo. Next on my desirables list is Bvlgari Soir, Ferrari Black and Dior Homme.

This is one passion I wish to continue pursuing in the future. Ofcourse, provided Oracle keeps rolling out those commission cheques! ;)

How I met John Grisham

My fascination for John Grisham's work started when I first read 'The Partner'. This was way back in 1998.

Books were an unchartered territory for me then. All I'd ever read was Archie comics, Enid Blyton short stories, Hardy Boys, Secret Seven, you know what I mean. Real mainstream fiction did not exist in my world. My world did not have place for anything else. Then I stumbled upon a copy of 'The Partner'. My brother had just finished reading it and couldn't stop raving about it. First reaction on seeing a 416 page novel - like hell I'm gonna read this! It was lying around for a week. I always heard him say that a book is a whole new world. Always got me thinking: What world is he talking about?

"They found him in Ponta Porp, a pleasant little town in Brazil, on the border of Paraguay, in a land still known as the Frontier. They found him alone, as best they could tell, though a maid came and went at odd hours during the eight days they hid and watched."

Woah! That opening hit me like a thunderbolt. Who found who? Why were they searching for him? Why was he hiding? Or was he hiding? Did he know they were there? What did they want?

And thus began my amazing journey living the lives of fictional characters created by Grisham. All characters are etched in my memory as if they are a part of me now. Or maybe I am a part of them. I was lost in Grisham's world. Nothing else mattered. He could take you to places you will never go to, meet people you will never meet, do things you will never do and live the life you may never live! How about being a gay American senator lined up for the top job at the white house and have 3 former supreme court judges know your secret? Or how about being that rookie lawyer who fights and wins the lawsuit of a lifetime? Or how about being that jury member who can manipulate an entire jury and deliver whatever verdict you want but only at a price? Or how about trying to save a man on an electric chair? Or how about defending a black client who is on trial for the murder of 2 rednecks who had raped his 7 yr old daughter? Or how about having someone buy you a judge seat in the supreme court? Or how about writing a report that could implicate the whose who of American legislature and then run for your life?

There is more. But I cannot finish. I can only get started. And then the mind takes over.

In a Jiffy

A year looks like a reasonably long time when we think about it but it passes off in a jiffy when you have to live it. That's how fast this last year of my blogger life has passed - in a jiffy!

This blog has become an important part of my life. It's my diary, only public. Just as Iya stated in the first comment I received on the blog, this is the world of 'self-expression'. More on Iya later. Coming back to the blog, I always wanted to be part of the blogger community. For more than 2 years, was just a follower, sometimes expressing my views via comments but mostly just a reader cum observer. Then, my wedding date got finalized. And what better time to start 'self-expression' than a wedding! And that's when this journey started.

From the preparations, the shopping sprees, the fears and inhibitions, the honeymoon planning to the actual wedding and the honeymoon - I covered this beautiful phase of my life here.

And in the midst of 'marriage mania', I went to Dublin (Ireland) for two weeks on training.

Come March and with everything behind me, it was back to routine work and married life. Some events had an epochal impact on me like the accident and the milestone. Some brought delight and happiness like success at work, Dad's birthday and Roger Federer. Some disappointments like my driving license ordeal. Some observations on current affairs, Dubai taxi or Ramadan. A few movies. And some just brought plain 'ol satisfaction or nostalgia like completing 3 years at Oracle, Bangalore, IPL, my team in Oracle India and my birthday. All in all, it's been fun!

I would like to thank Priyanka, whose blog opened my eyes and the doors to the blogger world.

My wife for being my strength and inspiration. And for being my most silent reader! For the record - she has not commented ever.

Thank you, Iya, for your generous comments and for always being there.

My sister, Ruhi, for being an ardent follower with crispy comments.

And a big thank you to everyone else as well. There is going to be more. This is just the beginning. Stay tuned.

He's back - Federer wins 5th US Open

Roger Federer wins his 5th consecutive US Open championship. He is the first man since 1928 to win 5 straight finals. And the only man in history to win 5 consecutive championships in 2 grandslams - US Open and Wimbledon.

What a champion! After loosing the Wimbledon and French Open finals, nobody gave Fed a chance to win any other grandslam. Why? They said the psychological impact of loosing at Wimbledon would be so profound on him that it would be his end. And he then lost the world number 1 ranking to Nadal after spending a record 237 weeks on the top. Were we ever going to see the same Roger Federer again? Will he ever win again?

And how did he respond?

With absolute magic on Arthur Ash stadium last evening. Murray had no chance against the Federer juggernaut. He just went ahead and proved why he is arguably the greatest player ever to pick up a tennis racket. Last night's match was one for the fairytales.

Roger Federer is back and with a BANG.

Disappointing weekend

This weekend was way too disappointing for my liking. The buildup was phenomenal but the climax, a complete anticlimax.

1. Federer lost the Wimbledon finals to Nadal.
2. India lost the Asia cup finals to Srilanka.
3. Ferrari not on the podium at the British F1 Grand Prix.

Bummer.

Even worse, they lost to guys or teams I despise the most!

BUMMER!

Tiger Woods & Roger Federer - What is their secret?

Tiger Woods has clinched yet another major title, his 14th I think. The US Open 2008. Now he's only 4 away from the all-time majors record of 18 set by Jack Nicklaus. The great Jack Nicklaus. No other player in Golfing history has come even close to what these two have achieved. Truly the game's greats! But the greatest? Is it Woods or Nicklaus? This question has been baffling golf fans all over the globe. I think Nicklaus is the greatest right now! And I think Woods is on his way to greatness. And rest assured, by the time he hangs up his boots, he would have reached where no other golfer in history has ever reached. He's just 32.

A similar story is being scripted in another sport - Tennis. Roger! Roger! Roger!!! Yes, Roger Federer is close to reaching tennis immortality. 12 grand slam titles - and 2 shy off the record set by Pete Sampras. But like Sampras, Federer too has not won the French Open. Sampras never made it past the semis though. Federer has lost the final 3 times in a row to clay court nemesis Nadal. Does not take any luster of Federer's achievements and domination of the men's tennis circuit. Maybe just a little for the purists. He is and has been the world number 1 for the last five years, which is also the record for the most consecutive weeks as number 1. At 27, he has the second highest career earnings in history. For some, he already is the greatest ever! For some, he is one of the greats. And for some more, he is on the way! But you know what? Let's visit this space again in, say, 3 yrs, when he is 30 (usually the crossroads for all tennis players) and take up this argument. I think there will be no argument.

What's common between these two gentlemen - Mr. Woods and Mr. Federer? Couple of points come to mind right away - masters of their sport, rich, innovative, great suits and watches, the Gillette ad etc. But all this is superficial. I think it's the kind of human beings they are. Both of them have never been caught on the wrong foot or with their pants down. Both have exemplary behavior in public (on and off the court), superb sportsmanship, do not succumb to pressure, lead by example, support many noble and humanitarian causes, have revolutionized their sport, are honest and even modest. Millions of people all over the world look up to these guys. And, boy, have they obliged or what!

These two are great sportsmen but even greater human beings. They don't make too many of 'em anymore!

Woozy Indian cricket

The way team India crumpled today against South Africa reminds me of the way we played cricket in our school days. Generally matches were either 15 overs or 20 overs a side. Usually we ended up scoring between 70-80 runs. Highest scorer (and Man of the match) used to be someone who crossed 30 runs or took 3 wickets or more. It took about 2 hrs to complete an innings. See the similarities?

Any Indian cricket lover would be under serious dilemma today. How can a team that scores 600+ runs a few days back get bundled out for less than 100 in the very next innings? That too under home conditions, on a pitch created by a local curator, in front of thousands of local spectators, with most players in decent to good form etc etc. Beats me! No one wanted a dead track like the one in Chennai. And hence a seaming pitch was prepared. The result? India 76 all out. And on the same track, South Africa are comfortably poised at 223/4 - perfect example of the great uncertainties of this sport!

I think Dale Steyn has been a revelation the last couple of seasons. 22 matches for 114 wickets at just over 21 runs a wicket with 8 five-fors - this is the making of a genius. And he is just 24!

This match may have well been lost in the first hour of the test unless we see some heroics in the Indian second innings. Another flash of brilliance of Sehwag, another innings of lazy elegance from Laxman, another wallish performance from Dravid or another innings from Ganguly to reinstate that he really is next to God on the off-side! I am optimistic of an Indian fightback. All is not lost. After all, isn't cricket known for its uncertainties?