birthday number 3

Envigo turns 3 today. I am not sure if we are doing better or worse than expected, but only because there was not much of a plan, which I had to beat. I am sure I need to start planning - Planning and tracking are important.

I learnt this at ebookers. The results speak for themselves. Before that, ebookers was famous only for the wrong reasons - for lack of corporate governance, for buying something for $70mn and selling it back for $15mn, for being sold at 3x of fair valuation and so on.
Post-Orbitz, we started having daily meetings in which MTD and YTD numbers were compared to plan.
It was a very simple thing to do - it seemed magical because I was seeing it done for the first time. ebookers is now one of the fastest growing OTAs and is profitable to boot.

Even at Envigo, we need to plan better and anticipate business better. I am still under the table there - fixing computers, working with accounts. I need to be out in the field a bit more.

A lot of twists and turns are happening elsewhere. I hope and pray for the best for my parents, my sister and my wife.

Papa's birthday

My surprise party score is now tied at 2 all. 4 parties attempted in which in two, the target remained in the dark till the very end. Papa was an easy target - completely clueless till the end to all the deception that was going on.
There are some snaps, but before that, I am attaching a video which was made by K and S on this occasion. 

Generally.

It is a beautiful day here in Gurgaon - a slight winter chill, bright sun and nothing to do. It could have almost made me want to look forward to the shopping expedition planned for later in the day, but maybe not. 

I need to figure out the other movie which was there with Masoom on its audio tape. 

Snow snow everywhere....

All my friends and relatives who have visited us this year from the US/UK have tales of heavy snow. Given that the grass is always greener elsewhere, I would like one week every year in India when things would S-T-O-P. No work, no travel - no movement. Just sit at home and eat and drink and try to think about the year gone by.

The wife has made an excellent collection of photos of the year gone by - she wants to get them printed - the debate is ongoing. Eventually we will run out of space. We already have I think, without even printing those pictures. This is an excellent example of the 'hindu rate of growth way of thinking'. An American would probably say - whoa we need a damned room in the house only for them photos... lets go get some wood. My middle class brain says no. Practicality has ruled my life, especially if I have to impose it on someone else.

2010 went by in a flash. It was a simple year - work, home, movies, travel but simple.

2011 has started off with Yoga and a determined effort to work harder. Interesting times ahead!