I wept because I had no shoes, until I saw a man who had no feet
When I see people around me cribbing, complaining, making noises about the things/people/situations that they don't have by their side, or as they would want them to be, that they, according to them, so righfully deserve, I feel a sense of gratitude filling up inside of me. No, I am not (that) crazy to experience a wildly off the track emotion as a reaction, neither am I a saint, I have my share of complains as well, though I try to minimise them. But I feel grateful for everything that defines me, for everyone who has made me, who is responsible, in some way or the other for me being alive and enjoying life. Why? Because I think I have learnt a little respect along the way.
Big words? Let me bring some facts down to earth by the way of a simple example for everyone's benefit. Just work with me.
Do you drink a cup of tea or coffee every morning? Well most of us would say yes, after all tea is the world's second most popular beverage, right after water. Now, have you paused for a moment and pondered what goes into bringing that cup of tea to your table/bed? I am sure that not many would go beyond the person who is making/serving the tea at this point. That's exactly where I want to expand the horizons, the views. Here's what goes into your daily cup of tea:
1>Water:
Thousands of Kilometers of well planned, working, monitored pipelines passing water from Vaitarna lake around 50 kms from a western Mumbai suburb to your home. The water passing through probably 7 stages of filtering, chlorination, reverse osmosis, more filtering. Your household filter that uses even more technology like activated carbon and electricity to make it even more pure. I haven't even started thanking your builder, your plumber, your society watchman (who starts the tap at 7 am daily, religiously)
2>Sugar (optional of course):
Months of preparation of soil, hard work from farmers; tractors, bulls, ploughing the fields relentlessly. Fertilizer industry and chemical industry being invovled. Ground water drilling pipes for irrigation. Loads of trucks to carry those fertilizers and other tools required for producing Sugar cane. Sugar mill separating those unwanted impurities and converting it into sugar. Yet another fleet of trucks to carry those sacks of Sugar from those farms to the APMC market, then from there to your grocery store. Let's also not forget the labourers working under the municipal contractors who maintain those roads, the motor industry that provides such utilities like trucks, the rubber industry that makes their tyres.
3>Milk:
Let's talk about the huge dairies that hold hundreds of cows, buffaloes, the fodder that feeds them, the labour required for their upkeep and milking them. The packaging industry that works overnight so that it gets distributed along the proper channel to your doorstep at sharp 6 am.
4>Gas (or Electricity for the electric stove)
Do you really want me to write about the huge process by which Crude oil is drilled from ocean beds, refined, then transported to your homes; or do you get the idea? Or do you want me now to write about how Uranium is mined in an eastern-central state in India and then processed to be sent to Tarapore to be fissioned to produce energy for electricity?
I should stop here. There is no limit to this thinking. But the point is, there is a huge clockwork of processes running around us to provide the things that we think of nothing more than "basic". And we need to be grateful to all the people, all the machinery that works just so that we can fulfil our "basic" needs. If just one cog fails to work properly in this machinery, the whole machinery will grind to a halt.
To sum it up, at the risk of it sounding like an award speech, I am thankful to:
1>My parents. For bringing me into this wonderful and amazing world that never ceases to amaze me. For teaching me how to walk, to talk. For patiently answering my really stupid queries. For making me stand on my own feets. For being my friends, my confidantes.
2>My teachers. For not just teaching me the whats, the hows, the whys, the wheres, the whos and the whens, but also for instilling the values that make me a human. For making me a part of the society, the country. For showing me the way, for selflessly working so that I can progress.
3>My friends. For developing me as a person. For sharing and letting me share my passions, secrets, desires, loathings and love. For providing me with different point of views. For talking to me, for listening me. For helping me throughout. For removing the unnecessary fear and shame from my head. For playing with me. For pointing out my shortcomings. For helping me discover my sexuality (I am not kidding, it is an integral part of growth).
4>Mother nature. I am sure that those who know me closely, will associate this line as my line: "My mother nature is a babe. She is a hottie, she is that beautiful"
For unconditionally providing me with all the resources that I use, sometimes squander, but I require just so that I can live. For the air, the water, the food, the beauty, the inspiration. You are the reason for me to live. The more I explore you, the more I fall in love with you. I really am indebted to you. No one can justify the statement "The best things in life are for free" better than you.
5>Evolution. For giving every living thing a purpose to live. For starting this magical phenomenon called life. For giving us the power to learn, to understand, to question, to deal with the worldly phenomenas, to change things for good.
6>The society. I am thankful to the roadside cobbler who mends my slippers so that I can walk again, freely. To my doctor who gives me the medicines so that I can get back to enjoying life. To my vegetable vendor. To my daily newspaper supplier, my cable wala, my mobile service provider. The railway clerk who parts with the change for a 100 rs note because I don't have the exact change. The traffic policeman who helps me find a landmark. The exam invigilator who ensures that my answer sheet goes to the correct person. The 3 year old kid who lives on the second floor, for teaching me the power of simplicity, the miracle of an innocent smile, the excitement of an untainted mind. The buddhist monk who explains to me the rituals that they perform to please the God at Enchey monastery. The temple priest who conveys the ideas that first evolved in the minds of my forefathers thousands of years ago. The forest rangers who fight poachers from getting the better of helpless big cats just so that the balance can be maintained. The news readers who mouth the latest happenings in this world. The people who don't agree with me, for adding a whole new dimension.
I want to conclude with the most important part of it all. My gratitude doesn't end here. I feel that if I am alive, if I am doing what I want to do, it is possible only because of everyone and everything that I mentioned above. Hence, in a way, I am answerable to them for my deeds. That if I say or do something, it shouldn't be something that brings shame upon them, that lets them down. That I should not just take everything I can get, but carry their good work forward. That I should be able to return a part to them. It is this same thought that motivates me to donate my blood multiple times. The same thought that makes me part with a small amount of my earnings to make the life of at least one child in rural India better. That makes me buy a gift for my parents. That makes me call my PC dealer to pursue him to give a good deal for the Rickshaw driver, who lives nearby and wants to add more value to his Son's education. That makes me carry heavy weights for the neighbourhood aunty. I hope I get more opportunities to return something in life.
So the next time you want to complain about the quality of food that you get in your college/office canteen, just try to remember the photos that were circulating in an e-mail first. You know, the one that showed a starving child trying to make it to a nearby food camp, and a vulture waiting for it to die. Or if you feel that you don't have enough friends in your vicinity/work, just remember the female colleague who has left her home town/village, her friends, her family, to adjust everything possible in another city, only so that she can earn a living.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Why?
There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened.
-Douglas Adams
And came adolescence. From that hormone filled roller coaster ride onwards, almost all of our actions have been directed towards fulfilling the singular purpose: to pass our genes in the pool. Men are drawn to women with waist to hip ratio of 0.7; like moths are drawn to light. Evolution programmed men's brains to calculate that without the aid of any external tool. Women are inevitably drawn to "providers"; you know, the ones with dollops of moolah, or the ones with a potential to earn bucks, in the form of inheritance/intelligence. Women are born with the concept of "commitment" and "long term" - which is mostly foreign to men. After all, their provider should be willing to help them out with the entire process of raising the offspring, which is the sole purpose of their existence. Oops, did I just answer the question asked by men all over the world: "Why do women want marriage, then children, as soon as possible?"
I think not, I think I just asked the question to the supreme creator; 'God' for the believers, 'Evolution' for the atheists like me.
I am nobody to ask this question. I am only a part of the 6 X 10^18 kgs of the mass on this earth that is different than the rest of it by a factor of 4 letters, "life". Yet, today, I dare ask the question, "Why are we here?" "Where are you headed?"
We have all been fascinated by the question of our origins. We have dug deep for million year old bones for answers. We have sent giant telescopes out of atmospheric disturbance to look at the darkest corners of our Universe to give us a clue of the big-bang, the supposed beginning of "time". But I think the correct thing to ask right now is "Why is God/Evolution making us do what we are doing?" Why is every species spending all the effort to procreate (All the fight/amongst males for "dominance") then protect the young ones (The supernatural urge to protect "children" first; in case of an emergency; and the attention that these "cute" ones draw from all adults)
How many times have we heard that a proportionate face represents a lineage of sexual health? (And hence, the feature that attracts one first). That 'Love' is nothing but a trick that nature plays on us so that we procreate? It is a poor explanation, in my opinion , to explain why you can't get that "special one" out of your head for the first 4-12 months. But what the chemical reactions don't explain is the purpose. Why are we fighting to get the 'perfect' partner? Why do we (animals/plants included in 'we') die after our purpose is served? In some cases the male of the species dies as soon as the purpose is served.
So we are all refining the pool, increasing its quality with every generation, and multiplying relentlessly. Evolution is throwing new designs, testing permutations every now and then. It started with 16/18 basic designs in prehistoric oceans. It killed off the ones it didn't think appropriate. It killed off the mighty dinosaurs too. It reduced the size of the bodies of animals whose area of roaming reduced. It introduced - balance, food-chain/web, diseases. For what? What is it trying to achieve?
There are many theories that suggest what will happen in the end. The most wiely accepted one, it seems, is this one. The universe is in the expansion stage, and will reach the limit eventually. It will shrink once it hits the bounds. All the rules regarding entropy, enthalpy will be reversed. Imagine keeping a cup of cold coffee on your desk to find it heating up by itself to boiling point. But if one exists in that stage, it will be difficult for her to imagine what happens "normally" for us. What will evolution do then? Move back to unicellular life?
When we look around ourselves, we find that things are changing. We carry remnants of our own species that suggest presence of Evolution. Our Vestigial organs like ear muscles and appendix are enough to prompt us to think. I just hope that sometime in future we are able to answer this question, like we have answered so many. What are your views?
-Douglas Adams
And came adolescence. From that hormone filled roller coaster ride onwards, almost all of our actions have been directed towards fulfilling the singular purpose: to pass our genes in the pool. Men are drawn to women with waist to hip ratio of 0.7; like moths are drawn to light. Evolution programmed men's brains to calculate that without the aid of any external tool. Women are inevitably drawn to "providers"; you know, the ones with dollops of moolah, or the ones with a potential to earn bucks, in the form of inheritance/intelligence. Women are born with the concept of "commitment" and "long term" - which is mostly foreign to men. After all, their provider should be willing to help them out with the entire process of raising the offspring, which is the sole purpose of their existence. Oops, did I just answer the question asked by men all over the world: "Why do women want marriage, then children, as soon as possible?"
I think not, I think I just asked the question to the supreme creator; 'God' for the believers, 'Evolution' for the atheists like me.
I am nobody to ask this question. I am only a part of the 6 X 10^18 kgs of the mass on this earth that is different than the rest of it by a factor of 4 letters, "life". Yet, today, I dare ask the question, "Why are we here?" "Where are you headed?"
We have all been fascinated by the question of our origins. We have dug deep for million year old bones for answers. We have sent giant telescopes out of atmospheric disturbance to look at the darkest corners of our Universe to give us a clue of the big-bang, the supposed beginning of "time". But I think the correct thing to ask right now is "Why is God/Evolution making us do what we are doing?" Why is every species spending all the effort to procreate (All the fight/amongst males for "dominance") then protect the young ones (The supernatural urge to protect "children" first; in case of an emergency; and the attention that these "cute" ones draw from all adults)
How many times have we heard that a proportionate face represents a lineage of sexual health? (And hence, the feature that attracts one first). That 'Love' is nothing but a trick that nature plays on us so that we procreate? It is a poor explanation, in my opinion , to explain why you can't get that "special one" out of your head for the first 4-12 months. But what the chemical reactions don't explain is the purpose. Why are we fighting to get the 'perfect' partner? Why do we (animals/plants included in 'we') die after our purpose is served? In some cases the male of the species dies as soon as the purpose is served.
So we are all refining the pool, increasing its quality with every generation, and multiplying relentlessly. Evolution is throwing new designs, testing permutations every now and then. It started with 16/18 basic designs in prehistoric oceans. It killed off the ones it didn't think appropriate. It killed off the mighty dinosaurs too. It reduced the size of the bodies of animals whose area of roaming reduced. It introduced - balance, food-chain/web, diseases. For what? What is it trying to achieve?
There are many theories that suggest what will happen in the end. The most wiely accepted one, it seems, is this one. The universe is in the expansion stage, and will reach the limit eventually. It will shrink once it hits the bounds. All the rules regarding entropy, enthalpy will be reversed. Imagine keeping a cup of cold coffee on your desk to find it heating up by itself to boiling point. But if one exists in that stage, it will be difficult for her to imagine what happens "normally" for us. What will evolution do then? Move back to unicellular life?
When we look around ourselves, we find that things are changing. We carry remnants of our own species that suggest presence of Evolution. Our Vestigial organs like ear muscles and appendix are enough to prompt us to think. I just hope that sometime in future we are able to answer this question, like we have answered so many. What are your views?
Friday, September 14, 2007
Shaken......and Stirred......and Dizzy
When the stakes are high, when the money involved is a lot, when the competition is tough, and when the goal to be achieved is heavily desired, by many, the very basics of principles and ethics are severely compromised with. It was proved, much to my disgust, once again in the ongoing "spy row". Being an ardent fan of Motorsport, and Formula one (till now) I feel a moral obligation on the behalf of everyone who is remotely interested with sports to clear the closet of the skeletons that have been piling up heavily in the recent days.
I am feeling shaken to the core, my basic trust has been broken. The sickening feeling is awefully similar to the feeling I got in my childhood when I learnt that the "sport" we call as a "religion" is nothing but a farce. Yes, I am referring to the match fixing scandal in cricket that left me broken. No, it was not only the Indian team that was tainted. The likes of Late Hansie Cronje proved the depth to which the sickness was spread. Similarly, it is not just McLaren that is tainted (as i will put forth later).
What the match fixing scandal did to every Indian was possibly nothing more than to give an ugly scar on the face of its history, which is, visible, but it doesn't bother the eye much and we can happily go back to watch the Twenty20 world cup. But what it did to me was to shake the very foundations of my beliefs. That the sport is about prestige, national pride, and the players are out there to prove their worth in the sport. That they are playing to win. That they are principled. Hence my passion in cricket was gone forever. Yes I have watched a few matches off on occassionaly since then, but with zero emotion. It has never retained me long enough to be glued to the screen for the entire length of the match. It is just not the same knowing that a few mobile phone calls from a bookie can change the very outcome of a match.
It is like being a child believing all through that Santa Claus exists and climbs through the chimney of its house to give it gifts. The child is rudely awakened to the fact that there is, in fact, no santa claus and the friendly ho ho ho that it hears every christmas indeed comes from the father. The future efforts of the father to dress up like a santa claus with the fake pot belly will not instill the same passion and the excitement in the child anymore.
The spy scandal has proved the ugliness of the situation. It has rudely awakened all of us Die hard Formula one fans that how individual interests and ambitions can snatch the beauty of the sport and leave it at being called a farce. Yes, a few individuals at McLaren were guilty. Even the Ferrarri mechanic was guilty. Yes, there was an exchange of information between them all in the interest of the coveted top spot. The funny thing is, that how this is not the first time that it has happened in the so called "sport". Let me remind you of the 2005 Honda incidence.
How they manipulated their Fuel tanks to carry that little bit of extra that was outside the regulation. If you are a Ferrarri fan beaming with a grin that how "justice" was done to your favourite "clean" team, let me remind you that Ferrarri is equally guilty in this case. You don't even need to look that far back to come up with an incidence that proves you in the wrong. The Melbourne fiasco earlier this year proved that even the "best" team can resort to cheap tactics like movable floors to gain the advantage. If you are a Renault fan laughing at the hapless Ferrarri McLaren and Honda fans, let me also remind you of the accusation (yet to be proved)that an engineer by the name of Phil took with him 3 CDs carrying confidential data about the cooling system and what not from the McLaren garage when he joined your favourite team earlier this season. If for some unfathomable reason you are a fan of any other team, then your happiness is short lived, as it is just a matter of time when it will be proved that your team also resorted to something beyond the legal boundaries to gain the edge.
The feeling of disgust is so gripping that many fans have simply resigned from the sport altogether. It has definitely played with my passion in such a cheap way that I will no longer have the passion or the rigor with which i used to watch this dear sport. I will watch a few races, yes, I will watch a few completely also, yes (as the race doesn't take more than 1 hour 45 minutes). But it will take a full one and a half season before I can even begin to imagine that it is a "fair" sport. Even if I become a full fledged fan then, i will never believe in the sport completely. Coming to the favourite team aspect. It will continue to be McLaren, because of the
basic reasons I started supporting it initially (Equal driver policy, drive to improve performance, balance in all the aspects, not a blind focus on speed or acceleration, consistency, independent thinking and behaviour). I will start watching A1 from now on (For those who don't know, everyone is given an equal car there, and drivers represent their country, and India has been an integral part of that sport). If a parallel series comes up challenging F1, yes, I will watch it also.
There is only one truely pure sport left for me now, and it is football. I can find solace in the fact that any tweaking in the performance is clearly visible (as proven by the Serie A controversy 2 seasons ago) and it is the most transparent sport available. I hope this trust doesn't get shattered so easily.
As for the general Indian Public blissfuly unaware of the details of Formula one, you will know what it is next year, when the liquor baron from India (Vijay Mallya) starts applying his business strategy to Spyker team that he bought out recently. The average indian's knowledge about the sport will grow more than the presence of a certain Karthikeyan not so long ago.
Hope for the best for all sports and all competitions in life. I vow that I will not play aroundwith core values in whatever i do in life. I hope to give integrity more preference than success.
I am feeling shaken to the core, my basic trust has been broken. The sickening feeling is awefully similar to the feeling I got in my childhood when I learnt that the "sport" we call as a "religion" is nothing but a farce. Yes, I am referring to the match fixing scandal in cricket that left me broken. No, it was not only the Indian team that was tainted. The likes of Late Hansie Cronje proved the depth to which the sickness was spread. Similarly, it is not just McLaren that is tainted (as i will put forth later).
What the match fixing scandal did to every Indian was possibly nothing more than to give an ugly scar on the face of its history, which is, visible, but it doesn't bother the eye much and we can happily go back to watch the Twenty20 world cup. But what it did to me was to shake the very foundations of my beliefs. That the sport is about prestige, national pride, and the players are out there to prove their worth in the sport. That they are playing to win. That they are principled. Hence my passion in cricket was gone forever. Yes I have watched a few matches off on occassionaly since then, but with zero emotion. It has never retained me long enough to be glued to the screen for the entire length of the match. It is just not the same knowing that a few mobile phone calls from a bookie can change the very outcome of a match.
It is like being a child believing all through that Santa Claus exists and climbs through the chimney of its house to give it gifts. The child is rudely awakened to the fact that there is, in fact, no santa claus and the friendly ho ho ho that it hears every christmas indeed comes from the father. The future efforts of the father to dress up like a santa claus with the fake pot belly will not instill the same passion and the excitement in the child anymore.
The spy scandal has proved the ugliness of the situation. It has rudely awakened all of us Die hard Formula one fans that how individual interests and ambitions can snatch the beauty of the sport and leave it at being called a farce. Yes, a few individuals at McLaren were guilty. Even the Ferrarri mechanic was guilty. Yes, there was an exchange of information between them all in the interest of the coveted top spot. The funny thing is, that how this is not the first time that it has happened in the so called "sport". Let me remind you of the 2005 Honda incidence.
How they manipulated their Fuel tanks to carry that little bit of extra that was outside the regulation. If you are a Ferrarri fan beaming with a grin that how "justice" was done to your favourite "clean" team, let me remind you that Ferrarri is equally guilty in this case. You don't even need to look that far back to come up with an incidence that proves you in the wrong. The Melbourne fiasco earlier this year proved that even the "best" team can resort to cheap tactics like movable floors to gain the advantage. If you are a Renault fan laughing at the hapless Ferrarri McLaren and Honda fans, let me also remind you of the accusation (yet to be proved)that an engineer by the name of Phil took with him 3 CDs carrying confidential data about the cooling system and what not from the McLaren garage when he joined your favourite team earlier this season. If for some unfathomable reason you are a fan of any other team, then your happiness is short lived, as it is just a matter of time when it will be proved that your team also resorted to something beyond the legal boundaries to gain the edge.
The feeling of disgust is so gripping that many fans have simply resigned from the sport altogether. It has definitely played with my passion in such a cheap way that I will no longer have the passion or the rigor with which i used to watch this dear sport. I will watch a few races, yes, I will watch a few completely also, yes (as the race doesn't take more than 1 hour 45 minutes). But it will take a full one and a half season before I can even begin to imagine that it is a "fair" sport. Even if I become a full fledged fan then, i will never believe in the sport completely. Coming to the favourite team aspect. It will continue to be McLaren, because of the
basic reasons I started supporting it initially (Equal driver policy, drive to improve performance, balance in all the aspects, not a blind focus on speed or acceleration, consistency, independent thinking and behaviour). I will start watching A1 from now on (For those who don't know, everyone is given an equal car there, and drivers represent their country, and India has been an integral part of that sport). If a parallel series comes up challenging F1, yes, I will watch it also.
There is only one truely pure sport left for me now, and it is football. I can find solace in the fact that any tweaking in the performance is clearly visible (as proven by the Serie A controversy 2 seasons ago) and it is the most transparent sport available. I hope this trust doesn't get shattered so easily.
As for the general Indian Public blissfuly unaware of the details of Formula one, you will know what it is next year, when the liquor baron from India (Vijay Mallya) starts applying his business strategy to Spyker team that he bought out recently. The average indian's knowledge about the sport will grow more than the presence of a certain Karthikeyan not so long ago.
Hope for the best for all sports and all competitions in life. I vow that I will not play aroundwith core values in whatever i do in life. I hope to give integrity more preference than success.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
The adjective
Pre Script:
1) Blog entries are not supposed to follow any rule. I have many other areas in life where I have to follow "formats" and rules, and I don't come here to apply or extend those rules.
2) Everyone has her/his own opinion, that's what makes us "individuals". I am presenting some of mine in my blogs, I am not forcing anyone to accept them. If you like them, you would probably read the blog longer than someone who hates them. I can accept both trains of thoughts as it is not my goal to dictate one's thoughts.
Coming back to the intended subject.......
Dull routine. Monotonous schedule. Hard work. Tough job. Steep learning. Higher goals. Improvement intent. Financial Independence. Compromise of personal Independence. Mental Adjustment. Physical adjustment. People skills. Polite exterior. Restless interior. MP3 Distractions. Caffeine Distractions. Grapevine Distractions. Lack of satisfaction. Getaway dreams. Paradise dreams. Getaway suggestions. Relevant Research. Irrelevant Research. Striking gold. Constraint checking. Narrowing down. Peer Convincing. Pal convincing. Family convincing. Anticipation. Excitement. Apprehension. Rumour mongering. Dusty closet. Dirty bag. Easy goods. Difficult takeaways. Accessible market. Full Debit card. Reserved tickets. Misty Dawn. Dank dawn. Cold dawn. Mobile alarm. Hot antioxidant. Caffeine rush. Adrenaline rush. Weekend rush. Holiday rush. Brief conversation. Brief meeting. Satisfaction. New batteries. Old gadgets. Double check. Almost missed transportation. Comfortable seats. Long roads. Winding roads. Long iron tracks. Passing-by greenery. Decreasing population. Decreasing density. Decreasing housing. Satisfaction. Black sky. Navy blue sky. brown sky. Hazy sky. Beige sky. Orange spurt. Orange splash. Grey clouds. Golden break open. Scattered Chirping. Solitary Roosting. Forgotten gadgets. Remembered gadgets. Fond memories. Fond melody. Narrow road. Winding road. Climbing road. Steep slope. 22 Hairpins. Active check post. Inactive parking lot. Bright shoes. Heavy bag. Fast snack. Lush meadow. Lush valley. Olive green vegetation. Bright green leaves. Dewy leaves. Foggy path. Scattered chirping. Solitary roosting. Cracked path. Transparent Waterfalls. Wet shoes. Dark shoes. Crackling branches. Rising smoke. Distant smoke. Melodious folk song. Distant civilisation. Realisation. Distant hustle bustle. Distant din. Forgotten din. Forgotten concrete. Realisation. Satisfaction. Fresh day. Foggy day. Cold Drizzle. Wet eyebrows. Heavy eyebrows. Realisation. Ancient structure. Ancient faith. Crumbling structure. Stable structure. Stable faith. Old rituals. Pure prayer. Purity. Good will. Green grass. Flowing grass. Wind. Cold wind. Breezy day. Flowing water. Gushing Stream. Pure stream. Rocky stream. Black waterhole. 6 legged creatures. Colourful creatures. White rock. Round rock. Wet rock. Black rock. Black dent. Black rock. Black cave. Narrow water source. Adrenaline rush. Adventure. Realisation. Huge surge. Thrilling Discovery. Offbeat track. No track. New track. Black wall. Non-uniform wall. Green grass. Slit grass. Lashing wind. Wet wind. Foggy view. Large tree. Branches-into-the-roots tree. Ancient tree. Unwanted graffiti. Higher ground. Lush meadow. Flowing grass. Unspoilt nature. Virgin nature. New Promise. Newfound Determination. High Cliff. Wet cliff. Steep Edge. Panoramic view. Breathtaking view. High place. Wide place. Distant civilisation. Realisation. New Surge. Impulse Activity. Rising temperature. Sweet fatigue. Relaxation. Binge lunch. Forgotten Survival. Forgotten Lineage. Forgotten Philosophy. Intense discussion. Realisation. Worthy feeling. Alive feeling. Energetic feeling. Half-hearted goodbye. Acknowledged Reality. Realisation. Rephrased truth. Necessary Soliloquy. The universe is one. We are one with nature.
1) Blog entries are not supposed to follow any rule. I have many other areas in life where I have to follow "formats" and rules, and I don't come here to apply or extend those rules.
2) Everyone has her/his own opinion, that's what makes us "individuals". I am presenting some of mine in my blogs, I am not forcing anyone to accept them. If you like them, you would probably read the blog longer than someone who hates them. I can accept both trains of thoughts as it is not my goal to dictate one's thoughts.
Coming back to the intended subject.......
Dull routine. Monotonous schedule. Hard work. Tough job. Steep learning. Higher goals. Improvement intent. Financial Independence. Compromise of personal Independence. Mental Adjustment. Physical adjustment. People skills. Polite exterior. Restless interior. MP3 Distractions. Caffeine Distractions. Grapevine Distractions. Lack of satisfaction. Getaway dreams. Paradise dreams. Getaway suggestions. Relevant Research. Irrelevant Research. Striking gold. Constraint checking. Narrowing down. Peer Convincing. Pal convincing. Family convincing. Anticipation. Excitement. Apprehension. Rumour mongering. Dusty closet. Dirty bag. Easy goods. Difficult takeaways. Accessible market. Full Debit card. Reserved tickets. Misty Dawn. Dank dawn. Cold dawn. Mobile alarm. Hot antioxidant. Caffeine rush. Adrenaline rush. Weekend rush. Holiday rush. Brief conversation. Brief meeting. Satisfaction. New batteries. Old gadgets. Double check. Almost missed transportation. Comfortable seats. Long roads. Winding roads. Long iron tracks. Passing-by greenery. Decreasing population. Decreasing density. Decreasing housing. Satisfaction. Black sky. Navy blue sky. brown sky. Hazy sky. Beige sky. Orange spurt. Orange splash. Grey clouds. Golden break open. Scattered Chirping. Solitary Roosting. Forgotten gadgets. Remembered gadgets. Fond memories. Fond melody. Narrow road. Winding road. Climbing road. Steep slope. 22 Hairpins. Active check post. Inactive parking lot. Bright shoes. Heavy bag. Fast snack. Lush meadow. Lush valley. Olive green vegetation. Bright green leaves. Dewy leaves. Foggy path. Scattered chirping. Solitary roosting. Cracked path. Transparent Waterfalls. Wet shoes. Dark shoes. Crackling branches. Rising smoke. Distant smoke. Melodious folk song. Distant civilisation. Realisation. Distant hustle bustle. Distant din. Forgotten din. Forgotten concrete. Realisation. Satisfaction. Fresh day. Foggy day. Cold Drizzle. Wet eyebrows. Heavy eyebrows. Realisation. Ancient structure. Ancient faith. Crumbling structure. Stable structure. Stable faith. Old rituals. Pure prayer. Purity. Good will. Green grass. Flowing grass. Wind. Cold wind. Breezy day. Flowing water. Gushing Stream. Pure stream. Rocky stream. Black waterhole. 6 legged creatures. Colourful creatures. White rock. Round rock. Wet rock. Black rock. Black dent. Black rock. Black cave. Narrow water source. Adrenaline rush. Adventure. Realisation. Huge surge. Thrilling Discovery. Offbeat track. No track. New track. Black wall. Non-uniform wall. Green grass. Slit grass. Lashing wind. Wet wind. Foggy view. Large tree. Branches-into-the-roots tree. Ancient tree. Unwanted graffiti. Higher ground. Lush meadow. Flowing grass. Unspoilt nature. Virgin nature. New Promise. Newfound Determination. High Cliff. Wet cliff. Steep Edge. Panoramic view. Breathtaking view. High place. Wide place. Distant civilisation. Realisation. New Surge. Impulse Activity. Rising temperature. Sweet fatigue. Relaxation. Binge lunch. Forgotten Survival. Forgotten Lineage. Forgotten Philosophy. Intense discussion. Realisation. Worthy feeling. Alive feeling. Energetic feeling. Half-hearted goodbye. Acknowledged Reality. Realisation. Rephrased truth. Necessary Soliloquy. The universe is one. We are one with nature.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
In God we trust; all others must pay cash
A promise is a promise, and, well, a few, are meant to be kept!!
The credit for the topic goes to my full time friend Prashant aka Kaalu aka Hritik.
A challenge is a challenge, and sometimes it comes in the form of writing about something that one has not thought of. Fathom a topic that is not dear to my heart (I am only saying this because I didn't give birth to it, not because it doesn't have enough fuel). And trying to do justice with it. Well not everything is supposed to make downright sense.
OK, let's go.
What is the difference between a prayer that is offered in a church and a casino? Well, the one that comes from the casino is for real!!
So it's not about the highest chance of winning (0.5%) on a 21-blackjack game that we trust. We trust in God!!
We do not trust your intentions when you say you are coming from your island city of India's financial capital and saying that you just want to visit a friend who has been living in new Mumbai. But we do trust that 25-er you are giving to us everytime you cross this 2 km bridge!! Therefore it becomes mandatory for you to trust us back!! Trust that we are going to religiously account for all the passing vehicles every hour of the day and put all that we collect to the development of 8 new projects throughout new Mumbai. Oh what did you say mr.? You are a superstar movie director who wants to see the locale of a waterfall in khopoli for a potential shoot-spot and might actually promote tourism for our city? Umm....well.....see we don't trust words and promises. We believe in now. That translates into.....that's right.....money.
What happens when we combine the two concepts of God and trust? Better still, throw in the third one of cash too. We put the words (that more people will approve of) to be in charge of the moolah. Yes, the "temple trust". The "trust" manages the cash that believers readily give in for the (hope of) return of trust from God. Which brings me to this piece narrated very well by my childhood teacher. This is about God, even when he taught us science back then.
"Once upon a time an avid devotee goes to the temple to get the darshan of his beloved God. Of course, being the temple-law abiding citizen, he leaves his shoes back outside, un-monitored and dangerously prone to theft. When God sees the level of devotion in him, he decides to give him the luxury of a private prakatikaran (appearance). God gives him a modest worldly ichchha poorti (granting of a wish). But there is a catch. The ichchha poorti can take place but it will take time and in the meantime the devotee's shoes would have been surely gone. The devotee thinks about it and decides to ask God for his expensive shoes back, giving the ichchha poorti back to God."
Isn't it an amazing story? Why? What's so special? You might ask. The speciality of this story can be summed up as: "And they live happily ever after". Just be with me if you haven't wandered off already.
1>The devotee is not trapped in the viles of greed. He learns ultimately that whatever he has already got is indeed something worth being content with. (What can be more important than keeping the possession of expensive earthly possessions while being here on earth).
2>God does not have to cleanse the morale of anyone on this earth. (Why him God? What's wrong with my devotion? Don't I listen to enough T-series tapes singing your praises?).
3>The devotee does not have to explain the tax department/gossipy relatives/suspicious wife that this "gift" was indeed a gift and does not form the part of an undeclared income/undeclared love.
This story also has a deeper meaning. That somewhere in the realms of the world we live in, the concepts of God, trust and money are all intertwined.
Perhaps we should be looking for more. No, not more cash, but more things that we can trust upon, that don't require the stamp of association with God. Loans require guarantees. Book Issues require entries. Recruitment of full time housekeepers require police registration. Apples require "imported from amreeka" sign. Hmmmm come to think of it, haven't these "things" originated in the presence of, that's right, God?
The credit for the topic goes to my full time friend Prashant aka Kaalu aka Hritik.
A challenge is a challenge, and sometimes it comes in the form of writing about something that one has not thought of. Fathom a topic that is not dear to my heart (I am only saying this because I didn't give birth to it, not because it doesn't have enough fuel). And trying to do justice with it. Well not everything is supposed to make downright sense.
OK, let's go.
What is the difference between a prayer that is offered in a church and a casino? Well, the one that comes from the casino is for real!!
So it's not about the highest chance of winning (0.5%) on a 21-blackjack game that we trust. We trust in God!!
We do not trust your intentions when you say you are coming from your island city of India's financial capital and saying that you just want to visit a friend who has been living in new Mumbai. But we do trust that 25-er you are giving to us everytime you cross this 2 km bridge!! Therefore it becomes mandatory for you to trust us back!! Trust that we are going to religiously account for all the passing vehicles every hour of the day and put all that we collect to the development of 8 new projects throughout new Mumbai. Oh what did you say mr.? You are a superstar movie director who wants to see the locale of a waterfall in khopoli for a potential shoot-spot and might actually promote tourism for our city? Umm....well.....see we don't trust words and promises. We believe in now. That translates into.....that's right.....money.
What happens when we combine the two concepts of God and trust? Better still, throw in the third one of cash too. We put the words (that more people will approve of) to be in charge of the moolah. Yes, the "temple trust". The "trust" manages the cash that believers readily give in for the (hope of) return of trust from God. Which brings me to this piece narrated very well by my childhood teacher. This is about God, even when he taught us science back then.
"Once upon a time an avid devotee goes to the temple to get the darshan of his beloved God. Of course, being the temple-law abiding citizen, he leaves his shoes back outside, un-monitored and dangerously prone to theft. When God sees the level of devotion in him, he decides to give him the luxury of a private prakatikaran (appearance). God gives him a modest worldly ichchha poorti (granting of a wish). But there is a catch. The ichchha poorti can take place but it will take time and in the meantime the devotee's shoes would have been surely gone. The devotee thinks about it and decides to ask God for his expensive shoes back, giving the ichchha poorti back to God."
Isn't it an amazing story? Why? What's so special? You might ask. The speciality of this story can be summed up as: "And they live happily ever after". Just be with me if you haven't wandered off already.
1>The devotee is not trapped in the viles of greed. He learns ultimately that whatever he has already got is indeed something worth being content with. (What can be more important than keeping the possession of expensive earthly possessions while being here on earth).
2>God does not have to cleanse the morale of anyone on this earth. (Why him God? What's wrong with my devotion? Don't I listen to enough T-series tapes singing your praises?).
3>The devotee does not have to explain the tax department/gossipy relatives/suspicious wife that this "gift" was indeed a gift and does not form the part of an undeclared income/undeclared love.
This story also has a deeper meaning. That somewhere in the realms of the world we live in, the concepts of God, trust and money are all intertwined.
Perhaps we should be looking for more. No, not more cash, but more things that we can trust upon, that don't require the stamp of association with God. Loans require guarantees. Book Issues require entries. Recruitment of full time housekeepers require police registration. Apples require "imported from amreeka" sign. Hmmmm come to think of it, haven't these "things" originated in the presence of, that's right, God?
Friday, May 25, 2007
The 80-20 principle
Howdy peeps,
This is my second attempt to dissect some topic and to create something out of perhaps nothing too important.
So here goes.
For those who don't know, I am referring to the pareto principle. According to this article at wikipedia, Italian economist Pareto observed that 80% of Italy's wealth was owned by 20% of the population. In less nerdy terms, this principle can be put in a nutshell as "80% of the consequences stem from 20% of the causes"
Ya...um...ok...this sounds so boring, what does it have for me?
Well the practical applications this will unfold will make you think how relevant this thing is, and I am sure you will think of your own experiences after this.
Consider this,
*80% of your sales come from 20% of your clients
*80% of the resources are typically used by 20% of the operations
No these are all big words......Not convinced??
Ok, now look at this:
*we wear our 20% most favoured clothes about 80% of the time
*we spend 80% of the time with 20% of our acquaintances
And now for the confused philosopher to go to work :P
*80% of the guys have the hots only for 20% of the chicks (n 80% of the chicks have the hots for 20% of the guys; on a parallel note, it's very much possible that the majority of these 20% guys are the guys that are also in the top 20% of the wealthy junta :D )
*80% of fresh graduates want to get in 20% of the MNCs in the market to begin their careers with (Yes that friend of yours who wanted to start at a relatively unknown company forms a part of the remaining 20%)
*80% of all candidates taking an entrance exam apply to the top 20% colleges
*80% of people taking up studies choose 20% of the courses/fields available
*80% of the sports watching junta watch 20% of the matches being broadcast
*80% of the aware people are aware of 20% of the news happenings
*80% of the talks of gossip mongers are about 20% celebrities/neighbours
*80% of your nostalgic memories are occupied by 20% of what happened during school/college/work
*80% of your thoughts are occupied by 20% of your near n dear ones
*80% tourists visit 20% places??
now since the wheel is set in motion......
This is my second attempt to dissect some topic and to create something out of perhaps nothing too important.
So here goes.
For those who don't know, I am referring to the pareto principle. According to this article at wikipedia, Italian economist Pareto observed that 80% of Italy's wealth was owned by 20% of the population. In less nerdy terms, this principle can be put in a nutshell as "80% of the consequences stem from 20% of the causes"
Ya...um...ok...this sounds so boring, what does it have for me?
Well the practical applications this will unfold will make you think how relevant this thing is, and I am sure you will think of your own experiences after this.
Consider this,
*80% of your sales come from 20% of your clients
*80% of the resources are typically used by 20% of the operations
No these are all big words......Not convinced??
Ok, now look at this:
*we wear our 20% most favoured clothes about 80% of the time
*we spend 80% of the time with 20% of our acquaintances
And now for the confused philosopher to go to work :P
*80% of the guys have the hots only for 20% of the chicks (n 80% of the chicks have the hots for 20% of the guys; on a parallel note, it's very much possible that the majority of these 20% guys are the guys that are also in the top 20% of the wealthy junta :D )
*80% of fresh graduates want to get in 20% of the MNCs in the market to begin their careers with (Yes that friend of yours who wanted to start at a relatively unknown company forms a part of the remaining 20%)
*80% of all candidates taking an entrance exam apply to the top 20% colleges
*80% of people taking up studies choose 20% of the courses/fields available
*80% of the sports watching junta watch 20% of the matches being broadcast
*80% of the aware people are aware of 20% of the news happenings
*80% of the talks of gossip mongers are about 20% celebrities/neighbours
*80% of your nostalgic memories are occupied by 20% of what happened during school/college/work
*80% of your thoughts are occupied by 20% of your near n dear ones
*80% tourists visit 20% places??
now since the wheel is set in motion......
Monday, May 21, 2007
philosophy is for geeks - provoke factor
"The only thing a philosopher is good at is contradicting other philosophers"
Why this mundane topic as my first one?
Simply because every one has been a philosopher at least once in their tiny existence on this cradle of life called earth. As there are stimuli for every sense, there is a stimuli for this otherwise dormant part of our minds too.
Consider this:
What provokes a swear word from you?
-The chappal clad office goer who steps on to your boot-polished shoes when you are travelling in the bus/train?
-The great indian legendary batsman defining "duck" for dummies?
-Watching cruelty against some living being you are passionate about?
What makes your heart melt?
-A romantic-tragic scene a la "titanic"?
-Watching your 4 legged companion feed her little ones?
And What invokes the philosopher in you?
-Post match post mortem shown on the tv?
"yaar mujhe samajh me nahi aata aakhir saurav ko team me wapas kyu bulaya"
"hoo haa india....the team with the maximum passion wins and not the team with a billion fans"
"if only i could get a char-aana everytime i feel the match was fixed"
-T-shirt quotes?
->10 reasons why beer is better than a woman
"reason one is good......hahaha on reason 2......hmmmm...never thought of reason 3 before" by no. 5 the original "reason" pops up from inside of you
->Come to india, one billion people can't be wrong
"sau me se nabbe beimaan, fir bhi mera bharat mahaan"
->God first created man, then the woman, after all, the rough draft comes before the masterpiece
"Damn, what was the reason no 8 why beer is better than a woman?? I'll figure it out after I have one foster's"
->Filthy stinking rich......Well two out of three ain't bad
"Hic, I have been drinking too much beer.......heck...it only adds to the two 'qualities' i have according to that t-shirt quote over there.....burp....there goes the first one......beware supermodels.....here i come....hic"
-Thought provoking movies?
"I love jaane bhi do yaaro, it is so funny and so sarcastic at the same time"
"Rang de basanti has made me believe that if everyone decides to do something for our country, she can be a much better place to live"
"Life in a metro has made me think ki sab ko apni gaadi bahar nikalni chahiye"
-The occassional book that your friend gave to you
->Who moved my cheese?
"Wow yaar, before i read this book i didn't know i can be such a rat running after those pesky materialistic possessions called cheese"
->The Dilbert principle
"Man, how did the author know? Even at my workplace i have trolls for accountants and the red prime evil as my boss"
->The Alchemist
"My poor grades this semester/rejected promotion is but an omen that this universe is sending me. I need to choose a different major/switch companies. As I am still young and the universe is conspiring for me to get me the 9 point something/Junior manager post I so deserve. Look, a coaching class advertisement/new job opening in the newspaper, another omen"
-A song you heard before getting out of home today?
->Ab ke saavan, jam ke barse, bheege tan man.....
"Hmmm....I wonder if this was the song that was playing on vividh bharti on 26/05 (the day it rained so much in mumbai that people died from the floods)"
->Meri awaaz suno.....mujhe azaad karo....
"Insaaf do.....Insaaf do..... I wonder if my principal/boss ever sang this in front of his/her superior (Do they even have a superior??)"
->Kitni haseen zindagi hai ye.....hoto pe jaise kahani hai
"Yea sure, you son of a star, you rich spoilt singer, you have the privelege of roaming around in a '47 convertible chevy in the streets of brazil for the song and the guts to leave your first wife for a bombshell.....sure your life is 'haseen'"
-Something I haven't mentioned here? :D
happy commenting!!
Why this mundane topic as my first one?
Simply because every one has been a philosopher at least once in their tiny existence on this cradle of life called earth. As there are stimuli for every sense, there is a stimuli for this otherwise dormant part of our minds too.
Consider this:
What provokes a swear word from you?
-The chappal clad office goer who steps on to your boot-polished shoes when you are travelling in the bus/train?
-The great indian legendary batsman defining "duck" for dummies?
-Watching cruelty against some living being you are passionate about?
What makes your heart melt?
-A romantic-tragic scene a la "titanic"?
-Watching your 4 legged companion feed her little ones?
And What invokes the philosopher in you?
-Post match post mortem shown on the tv?
"yaar mujhe samajh me nahi aata aakhir saurav ko team me wapas kyu bulaya"
"hoo haa india....the team with the maximum passion wins and not the team with a billion fans"
"if only i could get a char-aana everytime i feel the match was fixed"
-T-shirt quotes?
->10 reasons why beer is better than a woman
"reason one is good......hahaha on reason 2......hmmmm...never thought of reason 3 before" by no. 5 the original "reason" pops up from inside of you
->Come to india, one billion people can't be wrong
"sau me se nabbe beimaan, fir bhi mera bharat mahaan"
->God first created man, then the woman, after all, the rough draft comes before the masterpiece
"Damn, what was the reason no 8 why beer is better than a woman?? I'll figure it out after I have one foster's"
->Filthy stinking rich......Well two out of three ain't bad
"Hic, I have been drinking too much beer.......heck...it only adds to the two 'qualities' i have according to that t-shirt quote over there.....burp....there goes the first one......beware supermodels.....here i come....hic"
-Thought provoking movies?
"I love jaane bhi do yaaro, it is so funny and so sarcastic at the same time"
"Rang de basanti has made me believe that if everyone decides to do something for our country, she can be a much better place to live"
"Life in a metro has made me think ki sab ko apni gaadi bahar nikalni chahiye"
-The occassional book that your friend gave to you
->Who moved my cheese?
"Wow yaar, before i read this book i didn't know i can be such a rat running after those pesky materialistic possessions called cheese"
->The Dilbert principle
"Man, how did the author know? Even at my workplace i have trolls for accountants and the red prime evil as my boss"
->The Alchemist
"My poor grades this semester/rejected promotion is but an omen that this universe is sending me. I need to choose a different major/switch companies. As I am still young and the universe is conspiring for me to get me the 9 point something/Junior manager post I so deserve. Look, a coaching class advertisement/new job opening in the newspaper, another omen"
-A song you heard before getting out of home today?
->Ab ke saavan, jam ke barse, bheege tan man.....
"Hmmm....I wonder if this was the song that was playing on vividh bharti on 26/05 (the day it rained so much in mumbai that people died from the floods)"
->Meri awaaz suno.....mujhe azaad karo....
"Insaaf do.....Insaaf do..... I wonder if my principal/boss ever sang this in front of his/her superior (Do they even have a superior??)"
->Kitni haseen zindagi hai ye.....hoto pe jaise kahani hai
"Yea sure, you son of a star, you rich spoilt singer, you have the privelege of roaming around in a '47 convertible chevy in the streets of brazil for the song and the guts to leave your first wife for a bombshell.....sure your life is 'haseen'"
-Something I haven't mentioned here? :D
happy commenting!!
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