BooksBarbecue
Back Dork Save as PDF
Contents ( 212)
  1. PENGUIN BOOKS DORK
  2. Contents
  3. 1. DISCOVERY
  4. Under the Sink
  5. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  6. 2. DUFRESNE
  7. Robin ‘Einstein’ Varghese’s Diary
  8. 2 April 2006
  9. 4 p.m.
  10. ROBIN WERE GEESE—WIMWI
  11. 3 April 2006
  12. 3 a.m.
  13. 11 a.m.
  14. 2 p.m.
  15. 6 p.m.
  16. 7 p.m.
  17. 10 p.m.
  18. 5 April 2006
  19. 11 a.m.
  20. 2 p.m.
  21. 5 p.m.
  22. 7 p.m.
  23. 6 April 2006
  24. 11 a.m.
  25. 3 p.m.
  26. 7 p.m.
  27. 10 p.m.
  28. 11.24 p.m.
  29. 9 April 2006
  30. 10.23 a.m.
  31. 7 p.m.
  32. 10.55 p.m.
  33. 11.26 p.m.
  34. 10 April 2006
  35. 8 a.m.
  36. 11 April 2006
  37. 11.13 a.m.
  38. 12.15 p.m.
  39. 4.20 p.m.
  40. 6 p.m.
  41. 15 May 2006
  42. 8 p.m.
  43. 11.23 p.m.
  44. 16 May 2006
  45. 7 p.m.
  46. 12.34 a.m.
  47. 17 May 2006
  48. 7.45 a.m.
  49. 7.53 a.m.
  50. 6.15 p.m.
  51. 7 p.m.
  52. 8 p.m.
  53. 8.15 p.m.
  54. 9 p.m.
  55. 9.43 p.m.
  56. 18 May 2006
  57. 10.10 p.m.
  58. 10.34 p.m.
  59. 20 May 2006
  60. 9.46 p.m.
  61. 21 May 2006
  62. 7 p.m.
  63. 22 May 2006
  64. 10.15 p.m.
  65. 23 May 2006
  66. 7 p.m.
  67. 24 May 2006
  68. 8 p.m.
  69. 11 p.m.
  70. 11.23 p.m.
  71. 11.25 p.m.
  72. 25 May 2006
  73. 2 p.m.
  74. 7.43 p.m.
  75. 8.13 p.m.
  76. 9 p.m.
  77. 9.32 p.m.
  78. 26 May 2006
  79. 8.30 p.m.
  80. 27 May 2006
  81. 7.23 p.m.
  82. 9.15 p.m.
  83. 28 May 2006
  84. 6.45 p.m.
  85. 29 May 2006
  86. 11 p.m.
  87. 4 June 2006
  88. 7.15 p.m.
  89. 9.20 p.m.
  90. 5 June 2006
  91. 7.13 p.m.
  92. 3. PANCHATANTRA
  93. 11 August 2006
  94. 11.23 p.m.
  95. 3 a.m.
  96. 3.32 a.m.
  97. 4.20 a.m.
  98. 12 August 2006
  99. 9.20 p.m.
  100. 13 August 2006
  101. 8.25 a.m.
  102. 18 August 2006
  103. 8.50 p.m.
  104. 24 August 2006
  105. 11.12 p.m.
  106. ANALYSIS
  107. PRESENTATION
  108. CLIENT RELATIONSHIP
  109. LEADERSHIP
  110. SUSTAINABLE PROJECT EXECUTION AND DIVERSIFIABILITY
  111. OVERALL
  112. 26 August 2006
  113. 7.38 p.m.
  114. 11.45 p.m.
  115. 27 August 2006
  116. 8.30 p.m.
  117. 28 August 2006
  118. 9.10 p.m.
  119. 11 p.m.
  120. 11.20 p.m.
  121. 3 September 2006
  122. 7 p.m.
  123. 4 September 2006
  124. 8.07 p.m.
  125. 10.20 p.m.
  126. 5 September 2006
  127. 11.09 p.m.
  128. 8 September 2006
  129. 1.02 a.m.
  130. 11 September 2006
  131. 8.02 p.m.
  132. 13 September 2006
  133. 2.16 a.m.
  134. 14 September 2006
  135. 10.35 p.m.
  136. 17 September 2006
  137. 12.14 a.m.
  138. 19 September 2006
  139. 11.15 a.m.
  140. 30 September 2006
  141. 10.30 p.m.
  142. 11.02 p.m.
  143. 4. EOQ
  144. 12 November 2006
  145. 8.20 p.m.
  146. 13 November 2006
  147. 10.23 p.m.
  148. 12.15 a.m.
  149. 14 November 2006
  150. 11.23 p.m.
  151. 12.30 a.m.
  152. 15 November 2006
  153. 8 p.m.
  154. 16 November 2006
  155. 7.40 p.m.
  156. 9 p.m.
  157. 17 November 2006
  158. 8.22 p.m.
  159. 20 November 2006
  160. 7.56 p.m.
  161. 10.20 p.m.
  162. 1 a.m.
  163. 22 November 2006
  164. 9.13 p.m.
  165. 26 November 2006
  166. 10.12 p.m.
  167. 12.05 a.m.
  168. 1.23 a.m.
  169. 27 November 2006
  170. 11.23 p.m.
  171. 12.15 a.m.
  172. 28 November 2006
  173. 9.36 p.m.
  174. 11.20 p.m.
  175. 29 November 2006
  176. 8.32 p.m.
  177. 30 November 2006
  178. 10.03 p.m.
  179. 5. ASSOCIATE???
  180. 11 December 2006
  181. 7.20 p.m.
  182. 13 December 2006
  183. 2.20 a.m.
  184. 15 December 2006
  185. 10.10 p.m.
  186. 20 December 2006
  187. 11.23 p.m.
  188. 22 December 2006
  189. 9.03 p.m.
  190. 24 December 2006
  191. 11.23 p.m.
  192. 3 January 2007
  193. 8.43 p.m.
  194. 4 January 2007
  195. 10.03 p.m.
  196. 3.40 a.m.
  197. 6 January 2007
  198. 2.23 a.m.
  199. 4.15 a.m.
  200. 8 a.m.
  201. 9.14 p.m.
  202. 7 January 2007
  203. 8.15 a.m.
  204. 2.23 p.m.
  205. 10.23 p.m.
  206. 8 January 2007
  207. 11.54 p.m.
  208. 10 January 2007
  209. 11.07 p.m.
  210. 11 January 2007
  211. 12.35 a.m.
  212. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I was of course quite taken aback that someone so senior would even bother to give me a call. He told me that he’d been trying to get in touch with me for a while now but I’d been cutting his calls. I told him that I was involved with a massive highly confidential global strategy project for a secret client.

Blossom told me that while Lederman had already begun talking to several consulting firms, he was hoping to chat with me to figure out how good Dufresne really was. He said that since I was a personal friend of the family he was hoping I’d give a frank opinion.

We’re meeting for coffee day after tomorrow after work.

This situation raises an ethical dilemma.

If indeed I am going to be fired from Dufresne, I should be telling Babykutty the truth. That Dufresne is really just a shady outfit that does not trust its employees, has poor people management, and promotes all the wrong talent. And, of course, its senior leadership has repressed sexual desires.

On the other hand if I did stay with Dufresne then I had to tell him that the firm was a reliable partner to have and with consultants like me, Lederman had a superb chance of getting its global strategy right.

Both these opinions are absolutely true. It really depends on what approach I want to take.

And, purely for the sake of argument, if NO other firm shows any interest in me—Yeah, right!—then, and only then, will I recommend ONLY Dufresne to Blossom. This way I am assured of being able to work with the Lederman project come what may.

This is, without doubt, a brilliant strategy. Expect no diary entries tomorrow. Lots of résumé building and emailing to do. I will probably spend all day choosing between a number of attractive consulting job offers …

Licking lips and wringing hands with anticipation …

24 December 2006

11.23 p.m.

I have recommended only Dufresne to Blossom.

I don’t want to talk about it.

3 January 2007

8.43 p.m.

The suspense is killing me.

What will happen tomorrow? Why do the partners want to meet me? I haven’t been able to eat anything since New Year’s Eve.

Six months ago I was almost ninety-nine per cent sure that I would be made associate by March. Now I might get fired in January. It is a pitiable, terrible turn of fortune.

I have sent a desperate email to Tony with my résumé. I suggested that since his company has been hiring so many people from Dufresne, perhaps they could make room for one more. He replied saying that he would try to find out if there was a chance of potential hires now or in the future, if at all. I told him that this meant the world to me.

Gouri is being very supportive of course. Because of this crisis I haven’t really had the chance to be nice to her these last few days. But she hasn’t said a word in complaint ever since that JHA meeting happened.