tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39109627835453373982024-03-20T15:24:39.498+05:30flowing ashesPassion for writing makes this blog possible.The authors talk about authentic experiences and not borrowed folklore.So add our URL to your favourites and be a regular!!!
Double click on any unfamiliar word to know its meaning...So u never get lost!!!Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04642715553380140519noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-26468391863835584542012-05-18T22:15:00.001+05:302012-05-24T17:54:58.491+05:30Relationship - a meeting of personal realities<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"><script src="http://site.answers.com/main/js/web_answertip.js?ANSW.nafid=8" type="text/javascript"></script><span id="answerTipEnabled"></span><script type="text/javascript">ANSW.Trigger.showLogoIfEnabled("AnswerTips_landing_horiz.gif","");</script>We are seeing a phase where relationship issues and conflicts are becoming common day by day. I would wonder why this happens, till I realized something very important. Let me explain with a simple scenario. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd4N38P9uU9EyhneW09wsxalyY4_6lupuZMQJrj64h8HkCCUg8fbI8PMZ6-RjTkEYoPIFmpXEfWIr98w6gHER6pXN_eSrIux1sy9NEIDQWDohnNgc17NAFr0jbVl4QvzCQWf1eXpgw4SPt/s1600/vicky.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd4N38P9uU9EyhneW09wsxalyY4_6lupuZMQJrj64h8HkCCUg8fbI8PMZ6-RjTkEYoPIFmpXEfWIr98w6gHER6pXN_eSrIux1sy9NEIDQWDohnNgc17NAFr0jbVl4QvzCQWf1eXpgw4SPt/s1600/vicky.jpeg" border="0" /></a>“Boy meets girl, somehow boy likes girl and girl likes boy. They decide to be in some relationship and all is rosy and lovely. One fine day, conflict XYZ happens between boy and girl and there seems to be no way out of the blame games and ego clashes. Finally, relationship goes for a toss. “ </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> This might be an oversimplified version of events taken from a third person’s perspective. It made me wonder, boy knows girl and girl knows boy, so why is it that they cannot resolve the matter? </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Over time I realized from my own experiences that relationship is a meeting of two individuals having their own personal realities. Their personal realities are two different worlds and both of them are aliens to the others world. Yes, sounds crazy but this is the truth. So what stops boy from knowing girl’s reality and vice versa. Well did they really care to know? The fact is that they don’t really care because they are busy pushing their own agendas and making oneself right. Also, there is a deep inhibition for expressing ones concerns fearing a reaction or indifference. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Knowing each other’s world is not stepping into personal freedom but truly stepping into our partner’s shoes with empathy to make our relationships work. It is time that we have another look at the way we perceive relationships and make a shift from filling voids in our own life with relationships to truly sharing and understanding each other’s wholeness and depth.</div></div>Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04642715553380140519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-21839899947854852742011-05-12T00:37:00.001+05:302012-05-24T17:59:48.893+05:30Simplicity – The Ultimate SophisticationThese days I am going EUREKA about a simple fact which I had always read and heard but had never experienced firsthand. Right from childhood I had heard about ‘Simple living and high thinking’ but never knew how this holds true in an era when we all jump for greater complexity. Our choice of vehicles, gadgets, clothes and lifestyle in general are instances of how we choose the complex in our leap towards the bigger and the better. Being a witness and sometimes a reluctant participant in this race to aim for the stars, I overlooked a basic premise that eternally holds true – Keeping it simple and getting the basics right.<br /><br />When there is talk of simplicity, I am reminded of the zipper incident in the movie 3 Idiots. The lead character Rancho gives the example of a trouser zipper as a simple machine. However, this hurts the ego of the professor who prides himself on the complexity of what he teaches. One thing we all crave for is home food. What makes home food special is that the dishes are simple and basic without excessive spices, masalas, oils , flavors and ketchups. I never remember asking for chutney or ketchup while eating a cutlet or potato wedges or pakodas made at home.<br /><br /><align>There is something very 'like'able about simple people and simple situations. In school, we all loved the mathematics teacher who made the toughest problems seem like a cakewalk by simplifying things. Simplicity makes stuff more digestable to all. Classic oldie songs are cherished by all and even liked by modern generations, even though they have none of the beats and <span style="font-style: italic;">hungama </span>of modern music. These songs were simple and one could soak in the undiluted concoction of lyrics, vocals and tunes.</align><br /><br />The power of simple could impress the genius Da Vinci and made him state that, 'simplicity is the ultimate sophistication'. One has to be simple to truly innovate because you need to be conceiving something that is so real, that the complexity seekers would never touch that area. It doesn't surprise me at all that great ideas were shot at first sight. Keeping simple is indeed simple and straight. It is simple to make things appear complex for others and feed one's ego. However, to be in step with the universal harmony and strike a chord with existence, only simplest beats simple.Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04642715553380140519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-24026040541117240902010-11-09T17:19:00.000+05:302010-11-09T17:20:21.612+05:30Solo Bike Ride - Lavasa!!!After a prolonged monsoon, thanks to our negligent attitude towards the threats of climate change, I was rearing to make a long ride (So many donkeys left their machines switched on and left for diwali vacations). This diwali long weekend seemed to be the ideal time to move out with my cruiser. As usual, after fighting a battle against my sleep, I finally woke up at 7.30 AM in the morning. It was a tough call considering that I had terrible nausea the night before due to excess of sweets. The only motivator was the line “Abhi nahi to kabhi nahi”(Now or never) which kept coming to my mind every now and then. I finally got done with my ablutions and left at 9 AM, still unsure whether I would ride all the way up to Lavasa, after eating a complete delicious apple as breakfast ( An apple a day , keeps the doctor away … remember? ). <br /><br />After going through the calm city traffic , I arrived at Chandni Chowk and the first signboard to Lavasa greeted me, LAVASA – 42kms straight. I liked the sight of it and there was no turning back now. If there was one word to describe the ride, it would be twisty. I encountered the various ghats like Piranghut, Mutha and Dasve with twisting curves. The stretch between Lavasa dam and the Lavasa entry gate had real ‘U’ curves, the kind I never encountered before. The weather was pleasant and I took many halts to capture the beautiful scenery on my humble cell phone camera. Tourists travelling with their families in the hired cars envied me and my freedom on wheels. I loved the attention they paid to my cruiser bike and allowed them to pose with my babe (bikeJ) for pics.<br /><br />I was pleasantly surprised when the security personnel at the future city entry gate checked my number plate and allowed me to enter the township. I had read in blogs and heard from friends that bikes were not allowed inside but this was a welcome development. After Dasve road, I reached the lake town and found myself very hungry. I decided to have a sub, a decision I regretted dearly. Salad and bread, you call that food?! ..Sick! After the so-called lunch, I decided to stroll and enjoy the view around the lake.I felt I was roaming in a European city. The ride back home was speedier and I decided to stay high on the throttle. It was a pleasure to speed through the villages – herds of goats, sheep and cattle made me brake. It was welcome, the countryside belongs to them. I was amazed at the extent to which we urban folks are detached from our country’s rural reality. There seems to be no going back once we are stuck in this collective and deceptive great urban Indian dream. <br /><br />I am looking forward to many such long (and even longer) rides. Till then, stay tuned!Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04642715553380140519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-90168616758837767852010-07-01T15:09:00.007+05:302010-07-03T12:34:54.501+05:30Brutally Frank<font face="ARIAL, serif" size="3"> <div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "> </div> <div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><i>Please note that the following is not intended to be a book review...</i></div> <div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; ">The last time I visited ‘Crossword’ book store, a very flashy title caught my eye <font face="Tahoma, sans-serif">–</font> <b>‘Think Big and Kick ***** in business and life’. </b>I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the cover picture. It belonged to none other than Donald Trump, American real estate magnate and TV celebrity (‘The Apprentice’ fame). One of the review comments mentioned on the paperback was <i>“Trump’s version of the Secret”.</i> I was gifted with a revelation when I browsed the contents. Only a Donald Trump can be so brutally frank and realistic while writing a book meant to inspire and motivate. Jaggi Vasudev once said that a true Guru is the one who shakes up a person and drags him out of his comfort zone. This is exactly what Trump dishes out, practical wisdom and an aggressive approach to achieve one’s big dreams. <i>‘Attack is the best form of defense’… </i>This seems to be Trump’s approach and he has very frankly illustrated by citing instances from his own life. These instances are about how he tasted victory in defeat and defeat in victory, how he was down but never out.</div> <div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicQTWg48NLaeNxQyxviN2o-8cfdUi8p599onAPYkvxIWCehueIAu3T_45RF2KIt9NT0kDQWWfhf6YzxyzAvQuArKjjDjfI5hk-Mi78F0ZAFsmEuQLwsmR7KN_NyQS_YcQYFXMrgNXYf1ET/s1600/images_don.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 271px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicQTWg48NLaeNxQyxviN2o-8cfdUi8p599onAPYkvxIWCehueIAu3T_45RF2KIt9NT0kDQWWfhf6YzxyzAvQuArKjjDjfI5hk-Mi78F0ZAFsmEuQLwsmR7KN_NyQS_YcQYFXMrgNXYf1ET/s400/images_don.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488873542308568770" /></a>After reading the above para, many folks will surely google out info by copy pasting ‘Donald Trump’. They are sure to come across the fact that Trump is the son of a wealthy real estate developer. Upon encountering this, many a person would feel that Donald Trump had it easy. Most people have this false perception that the second and third generation business tycoons have it easy and get everything on the platter, so to say. I beg to differ, personally, even if I had to inherit a billion dollar business, I would still find it very much a pain to learn on the job from my dad. I am very certain that taking over the reins is a daunting task and not just a joyride in a Mercedes with a laptop. Vijay Mallya could capture the imagination of an entire generation and the generations to come by daring to revive a very old Kingfisher brand of beer. The brand no longer represents only a brew but an entire lifestyle which includes a domestic airline (I swear by the service). The Ambani brothers have gone ahead and truly made Reliance a very popular and recognizable brand. Innovation and not inheritance is the name of the game when it comes to these successful gen-nex tycoons.</div> <div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; ">Donald Trump admits to having his share of the limelight and fun. The following is short excerpt which I leave you with….</div> <div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><i>“People always ask me, “How did you get so rich?” The way I do things has allowed me to succeed financially far beyond what I had expected. I have had a lot of fun, and I have made a lot of money. I have known many celebrities, billionaire businesspeople, and superstar sports figures. It is not easy to explain in a couple of words, but I have noticed that all these successful people have traits that set them apart from the pack: their attitudes, actions, persistence, and passion, plus a whole slew of other qualities that separate the winners from the losers. “</i></div> <div> </div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2"> </font></div> </font>Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04642715553380140519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-67269358335645546812010-06-28T15:54:00.006+05:302010-06-30T15:21:27.472+05:30The Beloved<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXo9q4wGKOtIMo8ZaimxiXm0clJaxqYnnA0PHCgVSQ2yr9_d7t-VDlE0yvPxMGXd51l7MolFQQ6NdvrPKqGX6LRYTjmJ9X-ZDtfJTTfkhurzYDhqGW-eFUjwWn-0ja-0HXKXf-R_S4wcA/s400/Radha2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXo9q4wGKOtIMo8ZaimxiXm0clJaxqYnnA0PHCgVSQ2yr9_d7t-VDlE0yvPxMGXd51l7MolFQQ6NdvrPKqGX6LRYTjmJ9X-ZDtfJTTfkhurzYDhqGW-eFUjwWn-0ja-0HXKXf-R_S4wcA/s400/Radha2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><em>Very wonderful words .. sure to make you fall in love all over again.</em><br /><br /><strong>"</strong>The truth -- that love is the ultimate and the highest goal to which man can aspire. Then I grasped the meaning of the greatest secret that human poetry and human thought and belief have to impart: The salvation of man is through love and in love.<br /><br />I understood how a man who has nothing left in this world still may know bliss, be it only for a brief moment, in the contemplation of his beloved. In a position of utter desolation, when man cannot express himself in positive action, when his only achievement may consist in enduring his sufferings in the right way—an honorable way—in such a position man can, through loving contemplation of the image he carries of his beloved, achieve fulfillment.<strong>"</strong>--<strong>Viktor Frankl</strong>Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04642715553380140519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-37271524258714286722010-04-09T20:50:00.002+05:302010-04-09T20:54:54.328+05:30In anticipation of the unpredictable..<script type="text/javascript">ANSW.Trigger.showLogoIfEnabled("AnswerTips_landing_horiz.gif","");</script><br /><br />For some people, its a daunting task to clear their mind.. to break free from the constant processing of their brain, while some manage to exercise control over it just as easily.<br />What i am about to say might just sound like a load of gibberish, then i guess,my gray cells are processing a load of crap..<br /><br />There is always an influx of questions in my head !One among these is how come I live in anticipation of melancholy to come knocking even wen I am surrounded by the most happiest of moments. Whether it be the satisfaction in my dad's voice to hear i'm going to start out a new venture, or it be the magical words uttered by my beau, sadly, my brain keeps prodding me as to when all of this would vanish!<br /><br />Seeing people around me who seem to be hassle-free or else unperturbed by any worries is mere frustrating.Call me a sadist,but thats just how i feel.<br />Makes me wonder, does happiness exist.. or is it a figment of our imagination..if it does exist, then why doesn't it last? Why does it keep distancing itself from me !! :-(<br />I am faced with multifarious issues everyday.. Some give me satisfaction..some immense pleasure.. but mostly, I am just left with a feeling of emptiness..Is it just my stupid over-working brain that generates these emotions??<br /> <br />Anway, what i have come to realise is that being happy isn’t quite as simple as clearing your papers or getting a job, (both of which i have achieved only after a lot of perseverance) despite what the elders may tell you. We need to dig past the superficiality and realise the true meaning of happiness. <br />The question as to how to achieve it still gnaws me endlessly, and <br /> I shall leave u with this thought a certain classmate shared with me: "Happiness is like a butterfly, If u run after it, it keeps flying away, but if u stand still, it comes and sits on your shoulder".. Funny pun, isn't it !Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-54910730436220176792010-04-01T19:55:00.003+05:302010-04-05T19:35:51.958+05:30Rant about April, fools and phools<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6a_cHAcDsV-UC0C36AWmWwFxQR8I1I4PpZ7fkTT4MDzhAg4HoUKfc-UDv6VItsgnS1ipVE9rDKakptgi6jBTtZuyr7Ulkl3GD-7TJiK7DEunB7alRRjkX71EtgzqP23V3hNGEZ96imLK/s1600/russian_beauty_with_rose.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 276px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI6a_cHAcDsV-UC0C36AWmWwFxQR8I1I4PpZ7fkTT4MDzhAg4HoUKfc-UDv6VItsgnS1ipVE9rDKakptgi6jBTtZuyr7Ulkl3GD-7TJiK7DEunB7alRRjkX71EtgzqP23V3hNGEZ96imLK/s320/russian_beauty_with_rose.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456654305382933474" /></a><br />Today morning, I was pleasantly surprised to see an email from my HR SPOC, what was it about? ... It was about April fool’s day celebration plan for our company. It was decided that we can give flowers to the people whomsoever we appreciate in our company(or anywhere in Tech M I guess) and flowers would be made available. Other tokens of appreciation like gifts, chocs etc. could also be gifted. The person receiving most flowers would be declared <span style="font-style:italic;">phool</span> of the day.<br /><br /> <br /><br />I must say it is an innovative way to celebrate April fool’s day (though pretty boring). April fool’s day pranks are always memorable, the recent one last year was with my roomie. I loved the way he acted drunk on the phone and called a female friend to tell her that he is madly in love with her, the aspiring director made a great job with the <span style="font-style:italic;">Devdas aka Bevdas</span> act. The next day when he called her she very cutely reprimanded him saying he should not be calling her when he is drunk which was followed by a great belly laughter by our roomies. The image of Rajdeep laughing is etched in my mind.<br /><br /> <br /><br />However, the best April fool’s prank at whose receiving end I found myself was played on me by my cable operator. I had finished my boards on 31st March and as is the case when answering exams I did not really remember the date. I was watching the late night TV shows and suddenly the cable guys flashed a message that they would be showing a naughty movie at midnight. This was really welcome after the examination stress ( <span style="font-style:italic;">not that male lust hibernates during exam days, in fact the opposite is true at times</span>). I waited eagerly to see it, only to be greeted by the message that I am an April fool L ..BAKRA!!<br /><br /> <br /><br />Nowadays, the stress is on commercializing all these events rather then making them eventful in the real sense. Valentine’s day was not more than a card and chocolates two decades back but now things are very different. Coming from a business family, I am all for commercialization.Giving flowers is not really mushy any more. WHY? ...I can imagine a disgruntled employee handing over a rose to his boss while slowly grumbling an inaudible ‘get well soon’… LOL!... If the guy at the receiving end does manage to step down the pedestal, he may realize or maybe that is not possible. However, the sarcasm or <span style="font-style:italic;">gandhigiri</span> is not to be restricted to the senior-subordinate equation, it could well be extended to the cubicle jungle. The fairer species loves chocolates, give a chocolate to someone arrogant .. “something small , hope it makes you sweet” , it better be inaudible or audible with a time delay ( Post graduation making me a geek!).<br /><br /> <br /><br />The good news is we can still be bad on this day .. Happy April fool’s day!Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04642715553380140519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-44758648533543725472010-04-01T12:13:00.002+05:302010-04-01T12:18:54.034+05:30As someone cald it.. a "tale of tragedy"<script src="http://site.answers.com/main/js/web_answertip.js?ANSW.nafid=8" type="text/javascript"></script><br /><br />She was a typical middle class girl brought up like any other TamBram. Her parents had inculcated in her the values that they believed in. She was told from the outset what was important. Respect for elders and education meant everything for her parents.<br />'Nothing is as important as education in this world',it was etched in her brain cells.<br />And so, when she did embark upon her journey, she had no other thought in her mind. She was bright, inquisitive and more importantly focussed. Now, at that young age, even her parents were in awe of her sincerity.<br />She took up daily errands in the house which none of her siblings had done. She wanted to help with the household especially since her grandmother had so much to do. Her work was despicable. Her cousins saw this as an aberrant behaviour because she was like no one in the family. Contrary to the general trend, she was timid and voiceless. She would never converse unless she was spoken to. She never demanded for a birthday gift..nor did she ever complain that her mother wasn't around like the other kids. She was happy with the independence she had.<br /><br />It came as a shock when she was apprised of her father's transfer to Mumbai. She was elated,more than anyone in the family. Secretly she was surprised by her ambivalent emotions..the separation from her extended family and the joy of a new place.<br />It was a new start. She was finally going to move out of Chennai, the place that she despised.<br /><br />The transition was quick. Within a fornight, she found herself amidst the Mumbaikars. Her admission in the school was an exception made by the principal, owing to her excellent academic records and her performance in the induction test.The principal said so herself. Her mother's anxiety had turned into pride that her daughter had been accepted in one of the best schools. Being a carreer oriented mother, she never had to worry about her well-disciplined daughter.<br /><br />Well,the little girl was blosooming into a woman. Little did she know that the place was going to transform her. She was aware that she ahd a lot to learn.<br />She would carefully observe her classmates who were forthright and shrewd, something she never was. Slowly, she adjusted herself to this new place. She became one among them.<br />From being the quiet timid girl, she became the confident out-spoken daring girl. I guess thats was the air of Mumbai instills in you.<br /><br />Her academics spoke for itself. She impressed the teachers with her aptitude for maths and the fluency in English.As her granfather would say, luckily, she had inherited her dad's humbleness.<br />She never interacted much with her mother. However, the father-daughter chats were frequent. She would always wonder why her mother never found time to have these chats. It would bring a tear to her eyes,so she would immedialtely shun it to the back of her head. She had not been taught to cry. Her father was so strong. She wanted to be like him. She knew he was proud of her. It was her mother she wanted to impress. So, she kept trying, pushing herself beyond the limits set by herself. She hoped one day she would succeed.<br /><br />Soon, she discovered a new side of her, something she never thought she had. In a society like in Mumbai, it was hard not to socialise. Even harder when everyone around you is doing it. However, this interest did not appeal to her mother.<br /><br />Unable to obtain her mother's approbation, she realised what most teenager do. "what she doesnt know will not hurt her." Then began the lying. The first one was a little difficult, the second comparitively easier..and finally it became easier to lie rather than try to combat with her mother to seek approval.<br /><br />Despite the lies, she never let her education take a backseat. She was still a topper and remained so for a long time. She had great friends.. few guys whom she fancied..and in short a normal teenage life.<br /><br />Well, life doesnt go smoothly. The teenager din't know this at that time! Good things have to come to an end. The much dreaded transfer happened again. There was no packing-the-luggage with alacrity to see a new place. Her parents' apathy towards moving to a new place angered her. She did not want to move. She was unaware of what they were punishing her for. Teenage mind is a fickle mind.<br />The emotions she felt that time, she could not express to anyone, simply because she had never done it before. She did not know how to. She had become so attached to the place, the air, the pollution, the fast-paced life, the sweaty people around her in the bus, the first smell of rain , her best friend.<br />It seemed impossible to separate from the place.She was aghast. She knew deep down inside her father would have tried his best to stay there but she had to blame someone and it cudnt be herself. She became belligerent. She knew she was fighting a losing battle.<br /><br />When she moved into the new place, she had an aversion towards everything. For one, the school she was admitted into did not appeal to her. She realised she couldn't let her father feel bad about it. So she did take it in her stride.. well she put up an act. After a while, it was etched in her that in time, she would go back there. After living in the crowded metropolis, Goa felt like the most desolated place in the world !<br />Her father tried to raise her hopes but she well knew they were all delusive promises.<br />The only way was to put this behind her and start afresh, build new memories. It was painful. She lost that spark . Probably, Mumbai took away her spark when she left.<br /><br /><br />They say, life happens when you are busy doing other things. She couldn't fret about her new life anymore. She was faced with exams, which she was told , dictated her future. But this time, she found herself in a different situation. She refused to<br />make a conscious effort.Her apathy towards studies resulted in a<br />paranoid Mother.<br /><br />In the end when it mattered, she did perform well. Not for anyone, but just to tell her parents that she had done her duty even though they had not.However,this time, her parents, were not too proud of her simply because she had not performed to her capability.<br />Her mother was disappointed. After all, somebody else's kid had fared much better.From then on, things changed. The family nature of always feeling someone else's kid is better than mine started to show in her mother as well.<br /><br />This continued from then on.Being constantly reminded of her "failure" did little to help. She was no more a teenager. She became a college graduate. Even then, what she had achieved wasn't enough. There was still a feeling of "you could have done much better".<br /><br />At the end of it all, She had grown to be just another kid who failed to please her parents. She had finally lost hope that she would ever be able to please anyone.<br /><br /><br /><script type="text/javascript">ANSW.Trigger.showLogoIfEnabled("AnswerTips_landing_horiz.gif","");</script>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-76551668066016562382010-03-20T20:32:00.000+05:302010-03-20T20:33:16.871+05:30Be 'Idiotic'Speech by Mr Chetan Bhagat at Symbiosis ...must read...<br /><br /><br /><br />Don't just have career or academic goals. Set goals to give you a balanced, successful life. I use the word balanced before successful. Balanced means ensuring your health, relationships, mental peace are all in good order.<br /><br />There is no point of getting a promotion on the day of your breakup. There is no fun in driving a car if your back hurts. Shopping is not enjoyable if your mind is full of tensions.<br /><br />"Life is one of those races in nursery school where you have to run with a marble in a spoon kept in your mouth. If the marble falls, there is no point coming first. Same is with life where health and relationships are the marble. Your striving is only worth it if there is harmony in your life. Else, you may achieve the success, but this spark, this feeling of being excited and alive, will start to die. .......<br /><br />One thing about nurturing the spark - don't take life seriously. Life is not meant to be taken seriously, as we are really temporary here. We are like a pre-paid card with limited validity. If we are lucky, we may last another 50 years. And 50 years is just 2,500 weekends. Do we really need to get so worked up? ......<br /><br />It's ok, bunk a few classes, scoring low in couple of papers, goof up a few interviews, take leave from work, fall in love, little fights with your spouse. We are people, not programmed devices........." :)<br /><br />"Don't be serious, be sincere."!!Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04642715553380140519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-2270389016288408252010-03-08T17:55:00.001+05:302010-03-08T17:55:20.651+05:30Moments of Inertia<font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="3"> <div> </div> <div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font face="Times New Roman, serif">Nehru said, “<i>Aaram haraam hai”</i> …… This was the motivating thought for me whenever I needed to stretch and work hard for exams in school days. However, now I think otherwise. Nowadays, there is a lot of talk about dynamism and being the <i>‘go-getter’</i>. Winning the rat race and ‘achieving’ is the mantra that most corporate <i>niwasis</i> swear by. </font></div> <div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font face="Times New Roman, serif">Reminds me a wonderful story I heard about the Mughal emperor Babar. Babar was famous for his military exploits. A wise man visited his court. The wise man was utterly shocked at the way Babar behaved. Babar cracked lewd jokes and laughed profanely with his courtiers. The wise man was saddened by this. Before leaving the court, he told Babar the motive of his visit and the fact that he was very disappointed. Babar told the wise man that if that is the case he should leave immediately, but before the wise man left he showed him a bow hanging in one of the corners in his court. The wise man did not understand. Babar explained that just like the bow needs to rest without being stretched or aimed at something ( lest it loses it’s flexibility), in the same way he prefers to rest and just ‘be’, so that he can give his best in the demanding phases of administration and battles.</font></div> <div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font face="Times New Roman, serif">Hierarchies are put in place for division of labour and decomposition of tasks to achieve business goals. However, climbing up the corporate ladder has become an ego and ‘status’ issue. Isn’t that sad? In this rat race obsession how many times have we not been good listeners to our parents or spouses or children? Doesn’t make good business sense to me. About 70% of what we achieve is for our family and how good does it hold when we cannot ‘connect’ with them.</font></div> <div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font face="Times New Roman, serif">The bell which ‘tolls’ in the church or temple or the Maulvi melodiously reciting the Namaz in the mosque at dusk are all wake up calls. Wake up, stop and proceed home, not as a corporate executive but as a father or a son or husband, etc…. </font></div> <div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font face="Times New Roman, serif">Unless, we stop and lay back how can we ever excel and ever ‘connect’? The character Rancho in 3 Idiots is interested in excellence, not the rat race and not the competition. </font></div> <div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font face="Times New Roman, serif">Dynamism and enthusiasm are very important but it does not entail a hectic race where we neglect the scenery along the way. Human nature is to swing between extremes.When our country was not so developed, the stress was on answering ‘competitive’ exams and making a mark for oneself. Have we gone overboard with this? More urban youth in India die by committing suicide then in accidents or disease. Calls for a <b>‘reality’</b> check.</font></div> <div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font face="Times New Roman, serif">The key is not to relinquish ‘efforts’ but to do away with ‘doership’. Being lazy is not the answer but ‘restful activity’ seems to be the answer. Focusing and fully believing in our innate potential can work wonders. When you feel good, you look good and you get into the zone where you truly enjoy what you do. Look at a Anand Mahindra or a Sanjay Kalra., they exude tremendous energy and dynamism but at the same time they are relaxed and enjoy what they do. If we are not relaxed, how can we ever ‘connect’?</font></div> <div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font face="Times New Roman, serif">To conclude with my rant (or GYAAN), I quote my Dad’s favorite verse (<i>by W. H. Davies</i>)</font></div> <div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><i>WHAT is this life if, full of care,<br> We have no time to stand and stare?</i><font face="Tahoma, sans-serif"><i>—</i></font><i> </i></font></div> <div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><i>No time to stand beneath the boughs,<br> And stare as long as sheep and cows: </i></font></div> <div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><i>No time to see, when woods we pass,<br> Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass: </i></font></div> <div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><i>No time to see, in broad daylight,<br> Streams full of stars, like skies at night: </i></font></div> <div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><i>No time to turn at Beauty's glance,<br> And watch her feet, how they can dance: </i></font></div> <div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><i>No time to wait till her mouth can<br> enrich that smile her eyes began? </i></font></div> <div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font face="Times New Roman, serif"><i>A poor life this if, full of care,<br> We have no time to stand and stare</i></font></div> <div><font face="Times New Roman, serif"> </font></div> <div><font size="2"> </font></div> </font> Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04642715553380140519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-64593928011292836762010-02-13T21:20:00.002+05:302010-02-13T21:25:40.310+05:30Wave at nobody?Hi,<br /><br />Talking about politicians, here is an interesting blog post by my fav blogger Amit Verma,<br /><br /><a href="http://indiauncut.com/iublog/article/waving-to-nobody/">http://indiauncut.com/iublog/article/waving-to-nobody/</a>Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04642715553380140519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-24286506992060584592010-02-06T19:19:00.001+05:302010-02-06T19:19:11.814+05:30Rahul magic<font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="3"> <div> </div> <div><font size="2">After the IPL drama, Rahul Gandhi visited Mumbai. I think there is nothing great about it.</font></div> <div><font size="2"> </font></div> <div><font size="2">The good news is that India might just be on the verge of a huge revolution. A youth revoultion.</font></div> <div><font size="2"> </font></div> <div><font size="2">Are we all not tired of seeing ailing politicians?</font></div> <div><font size="2"> </font></div> <div><font size="2">Rahul Gandhi, probably the most charismatic Indian politician after his dad Rajiv Gandhi is a whiff of fresh air. It is not an exaggeration when people call him the crown prince of India.</font></div> <div><font size="2">However, I think Rahul has good intentions. It is not easy to travel by local trains, meet the aam aadmi and give them hope when your dad and grandma have been assasinated in public.</font></div> <div><font size="2"> </font></div> <div><font size="2">Also, the fact that he is doing it in non-election time is very big deal.I have this strong gut feeling that India is moving towards greatness.Rahul is doing a good job by trying to connect with </font></div> <div><font size="2">Common man and more importatntly the youth of our nation.</font></div> <div><font size="2"> </font></div> <div><font size="2">Let us hope for the best.</font></div> <div><font size="2"> </font></div> <div><font size="2">More on this in my next post.</font></div> <div><font size="2"> </font></div> <div><font size="2">God Bless!</font></div> <div><font size="2"> </font></div> <div><font size="2">DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a Congress Supporter/Gandhi family fan/Rahul Gandhi fan.</font></div> <div><font size="2" color="#C0C0C0"> </font></div> <div><font size="2"> </font></div> <div><font size="2"> </font></div> <div><font size="2"> </font></div> </font> Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04642715553380140519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-69538193779157659712010-02-04T20:08:00.001+05:302010-02-05T19:26:47.986+05:30Dharti Pe Bhoj<font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="3"> <div><font color="#0000FF"> </font></div> <div> </div> <div style="text-indent: 36pt; "> </div> <div><font face="Times New Roman, serif">The title in Hindi can be literally translated as “Burden on the earth”. You guessed it wrong, I am not swearing at anyone. This write up aims to share an important concept which I learnt about recently, namely, ‘ecological footprint’.</font></div> <div><font face="Times New Roman, serif"> </font></div> <div><font face="Times New Roman, serif">The ecological footprint is a measure of human demand on the Earth's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystems">ecosystems</a>. It compares human demand with planet <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth">Earth</a>'s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecology">ecological</a> capacity to regenerate. It represents the amount of biologically productive land and sea area needed to regenerate the resources a human <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Population">population</a> consumes and to absorb and render harmless the corresponding waste.</font></div> <div><font face="Times New Roman, serif"> </font></div> <div><font face="Times New Roman, serif"> Using this assessment, it is possible to estimate how much of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth">Earth</a> (or how many planet Earths) it would take to support humanity if everybody lived a given lifestyle. </font></div> <div><font face="Times New Roman, serif"> </font></div> <div><font face="Times New Roman, serif">Now, you might just be wondering how this applies to you.</font></div> <div><font face="Times New Roman, serif"> </font></div> <div><font face="Times New Roman, serif">Well, instead of writing further about “how YOU can know as to how much of a ‘Dharti Pe Bhoj’ you are”, I would very strongly suggest you do a little bit of research on the internet and find out for yourselves.The findings will surely be an eye opener.</font></div> <div><font face="Times New Roman, serif"> </font></div> <div><font size="2"> </font></div> </font>Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04642715553380140519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-53510710230576796432010-01-16T15:23:00.002+05:302010-02-10T21:15:56.916+05:30Blogging in 2010,AtlastAfter the IPL drama, Rahul Gandhi visited Mumbai.There isn't anything great about it.<br /> <br />The good news is that India might just be on the verge of a huge revolution.<br /><br />A youth revolution.<br /> <br />Are we all not tired of seeing ailing politicians?<br /> <br />Rahul Gandhi, probably the most charismatic Indian politician after his dad Rajiv Gandhi, is a whiff of fresh air. It is not an exaggeration when people call him the crown prince of India ( sarcastically or otherwise).<br /><br />However, I think Rahul has some good intentions. It is not easy to travel by local trains, meet the aam aadmi and give them hope when your dad and grandma have been assasinated in public.<br /> <br />Also, the fact that he is doing during a non-election season is very big deal ( atleast, Maharashtra and Goa did not have elections).I have a gut feeling that India is moving towards greatness.Rahul is doing a good job by trying to connect with the<br />common man, particularly, the youth of our nation.<br /> <br />More on this in my next post.<br /> <br />God Bless!<br /> <br />DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a Congress Supporter/Gandhi family fan/Rahul Gandhi fan.Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04642715553380140519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-56036112746054726672009-11-08T14:26:00.004+05:302009-11-08T14:50:37.274+05:30Choice to chooseWhen there are two equally good options it is really gets tough to choose . I remember senior Art of Living teacher Bawa once writing that it is tough to choose when you two equally irresistible options like a sexy girl or a rich girl. It is so true , but my experience is that the very moment a choice is given ( even not so irresistible) , then confusion follows. <br /><br />What is the sensible thing to do in such situations?<br /><br />I really don't know as of now , but I feel that if one has the foresight or visibility of the future one should choose the option that gives long term gain ( with possibly short term pain ) .<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static-p3.fotolia.com/jpg/00/13/03/04/400_F_13030467_VFyTLGb1AI2OJLXDwkr9hmCp7NfpDYbZ.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://static-p3.fotolia.com/jpg/00/13/03/04/400_F_13030467_VFyTLGb1AI2OJLXDwkr9hmCp7NfpDYbZ.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />What if that visibility is not available at the moment?<br /><br />Then , I wonder how does one choose? ... maybe go for a random pick and hope for the best :) or postpone the decision till the options eliminate themselves and you are forced to choose what you get. LOL!!! <br /><br /><center><span style="font-style:italic;">play of life , myriad emotions <br />splash of expressions ,<br />clash of impressions ,<br />But the fact of the matter being,<br />it doesn't even matter </span><br /></center><br /><br />All for now ... God Bless!Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04642715553380140519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-56233747471622696522009-10-25T13:50:00.003+05:302009-10-25T14:07:40.292+05:30Reality Shows , Real money<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6VV5EU_VcIraBu6s3pCzV0k9NoSbAY3iujFNi6kVsU3XQ1_tAwZiwNbmbBl7JV6qXeSMkelk_4QXk3bziiunS-44nJASlx-RsGdiRbHPurKOhoReAi2W9hNMGPHiONI4whG2gAD6iKtg/s1600-h/nauhed-11.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 237px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6VV5EU_VcIraBu6s3pCzV0k9NoSbAY3iujFNi6kVsU3XQ1_tAwZiwNbmbBl7JV6qXeSMkelk_4QXk3bziiunS-44nJASlx-RsGdiRbHPurKOhoReAi2W9hNMGPHiONI4whG2gAD6iKtg/s320/nauhed-11.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396453244297281730" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />Rakhi Sawant reportedly earns <span style="font-weight:bold;">Rs. 60-80 Lakhs</span> per season of her reality show ' Rakhi ka Swayamwar'. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />An executive at a major production company says networks pay such actors approximately <span style="font-weight:bold;">Rs 10-12 lakh</span> as a one-time signing bonus for reality shows, an additional <span style="font-weight:bold;">Rs 2-3 lakh per week</span> for the duration of the show. These actors are also paid for the time they spend rehearsing. Depending on the time such participants last on a show, they end up earning anywhere between <span style="font-weight:bold;">Rs15 lakh and Rs30 lakh in less than three months.</span></span><br /><br />Amazing isn't it ? <br /><br />They earn in three months what I plan to earn in more then three years. <br /><br />( News Source : http://www.livemint.com/2009/10/22002828/Dose-of-reality-spells-big-mon.html?h=A1 )Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04642715553380140519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-34859970261561359652009-10-13T17:07:00.002+05:302009-10-13T17:17:11.549+05:30Premature rewardsHi,<br /><br />I was wondering as to what would be the subject of my next blog .I am recovering from diarrhea , so sitting at home.<br /><br />Started surfing my fav blogs and found out that they are actually awarding Nobel peace prize to Obama. It really does not make sense to me.It is like my boss rewarding me for my potential and not the results. I don't know about the struggle that Obama has gone through to become the first black president but I doubt if it is any close to what Nobel laureates like Nelson Mandela and Mother Theresa has gone through.<br /><br />All for now! <br /><br />God Bless!Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04642715553380140519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-85904058596020791942009-10-04T13:44:00.003+05:302009-10-04T13:56:03.044+05:30Hmmmm!Hi,<br /><br />Feeling v/s commitments is the biggest battle man fights all the time.Both of them are inversely proportional to each other.Many a times I feel like postponing something just because I don't <span style="font-style:italic;">FEEL</span> like doing it. Life is not a bed of roses but neither is it a crown of thorns.It is paradoxical.<br /><br /><center><span style="font-style:italic;">she surfaced<br />made known her identity<br />brought me fascination<br />bought I obsession<br />what or who are you<br />a mirage or oasis?<br />a mirage or oasis?</span></center>Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04642715553380140519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-21583995759651792132009-09-25T22:22:00.002+05:302009-09-25T22:34:02.727+05:30Studies Again!Hi,<br /><br />Just when I thought I had completed one study-free year after finishing my engineering degree, I decided to make things more 'exciting' by enrolling for my masters.Its been a little more then a month and my mid-sem exams are fast approaching. In short , I need to get back to books.<br /><br />Lots of unread portion and little time ... that has always been the case with me . It only leads to my long study sessions where I sit in the company of my books and learn and learn and learn more. Water is important since I like to read aloud while studying.One thing I will miss this time is my mom - her talks , stories and of course the snacks and meals which came at very regular intervals.I am not the types who can sit for hours together and go on cramming. <br /><br />There are two ways I make myself study , one is to really try and enjoy the content and when this doesn't work I put my endurance to test and keep going. Of late though , I feel enjoying and studying is more cool and agreeable to the human body and mind.<br /><br />I plan a study marathon for the next three days but will take breaks and enjoy the evenings .<br /><br />God Bless.Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04642715553380140519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-58516485144588926282009-08-31T23:05:00.002+05:302009-08-31T23:10:39.573+05:30Awaiting the beautyIt is coming to India ...... <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiget7K5LP6zgu3XpmoxHogpGY2PQx3kve7X6MIwgmVoJUzfUptoQRm2BmoYJ4nfgiWiXl4roZX-yI7CP137MKiM1aVWO-_sX-46UxB8IsQ81ptyC9EpM7p-AFOgSvnU8erstU5oZr39xSX/s400/harley-davidson-fxdl-motorcycles-5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiget7K5LP6zgu3XpmoxHogpGY2PQx3kve7X6MIwgmVoJUzfUptoQRm2BmoYJ4nfgiWiXl4roZX-yI7CP137MKiM1aVWO-_sX-46UxB8IsQ81ptyC9EpM7p-AFOgSvnU8erstU5oZr39xSX/s400/harley-davidson-fxdl-motorcycles-5.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Check this link : http://www.indiauto.in/2009/02/harley-davidson-bikes-plans-in-india.htmlFloydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04642715553380140519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-1585592423769455042009-08-23T11:37:00.004+05:302009-08-23T12:11:53.628+05:30The SecretHi,<br /><br />Thanks to my internet operator I was forced to dig into the folders of my PC and find out something to keep myself busy after work.This search led me to the documentary of 'The Secret' which was lying unwatched by me. My roomies had watched it , two of them are too lazy (as usual) to apply those things and one guy is applying it . Before watching the movie I was skeptical because I had read many self help books by western authors and to be frank I did not like their ideas especially about affirmations and positive thinking ( I still don't :) ).<br /><br />After watching the entire documentary I felt that it was in no conflict to what I learned at the Art of Living sessions and the Bible.<br /><br />Here are some of my conclusions after watching it :<br /><br />1) The Secret is not a philosophy/school of thought. It is the existential reality.<br /><br />2) Due to the above point , the Secret cannot be in conflict.<br /><br />3) The Secret is nothing new but it is a masterpiece only because it has summed up the knowledge very beautifully.<br /><br />4) Whatever you say or think will manifest . That is what they called 'Tathastu' in India. "Your wish is my command".This is the very reason elderly people in India scold you when you talk about misery or death. Some people ( including me ) usually don't say Bye in India , because Bye means your ending the meeting at that very moment. I use 'see you' , 'cya' or 'ciao' which is more hopeful and the hope is that I will meet the other person many times again.<br /><br />However , we considered those people superstitious and ignorant . They were blindly following some parts of what is now known as the Secret.<br /><br />The essence of the Secret is to feel good about things and the doors of possibility will just open. I find it funny when people say they are applying the Secret.The Secret is just feeling good about what you are and what you want.As Sri Sri says "Living life in an expanded state" . <br /><br />Leave your comments and educate me more about this :). I will love it.<br /><br />God Bless!Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04642715553380140519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-63088716446319921542009-08-09T14:55:00.004+05:302009-08-09T15:18:34.946+05:30Hi,<br /><br />A relaxed Sunday after a long time,relaxed doesn't mean I am spending the day on my bed but it means I get the opportunity to do household chores like cooking , cleaning and so on.My female friends like this part of my bio-data :), The days are not too far when there will be hardcore working women and full fledged homemaker husbands. Can you picture that ?<br /><br />Last two months Sundays have passed by without me noticing that it was indeed a Sunday.Attending AOL programs , catching up with friends are some of the things that kept my Sundays occupied . Now with the re-scheduling of AOL activities in Pune , I will have a lot of time on my hands. Also , my boss is out of office for the next two days.I plan to catch up on my hobby of cooking during this free time .Hoping to make some rich and delicious dishes.May try some sweet dishes too.<br /><br />Last time , I wrote about gay rights in India . Though I am straight , I feel India has become freer after this verdict to decriminalize homosexuality.Being narrow minded and restricted is not helping our nation in any case.People who spend their time moral policing on others should use that time constructively to promote the growth and flourish of ancient Indian wisdom like the Mahabharata , ayurveda , hypnosis and the list is endless. I read once that our government spends only 10-20% of the medical budget on alternative medical systems. If this percentage was increased and more funds were pumped , I am sure we would have desi cures for diseases like swine flu.<br /><br />Thanks for reading .. Till next time .. God Bless!Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04642715553380140519noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-2624500551808738872009-07-11T12:13:00.005+05:302009-07-21T21:39:32.789+05:302nd July!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blogs.reuters.com/india/files/2009/07/gay1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 466px; height: 600px;" src="http://blogs.reuters.com/india/files/2009/07/gay1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Hi,<br /><br />As I was deciding or rather wondering what to cook for lunch . The decision also involved whether I should cook in the first place considering the dry taps and limited water here in Pune.<br /><br />Anyways! ... on 2nd July at last the courts decriminalized homosexuality.Though this judgment vitally affects the lives of few gay people . There are many other opportunists who seek such events to bask in the limelight by making fancy statements about the events.Its funny!<br /><br />Baba Ramdev has fiercely opposed the move and said that homosexuals are diseased people in need of treatment and nothing else.This is one time I feel the yoga guru has gone a bit too far , but he is entitled to his opinions.<br /><br />There are also people who said that it is not the state's business as to what two consenting adults do in the privacy of their bedrooms . That makes sense but there are many dumbos who questioned as to whether should rape , murder , incest and pedophilia happen behind closed doors . These idiots don't even understand what is meant by consenting adults and they want to express their silly opinions and create chaos. <br /><br />Gay individuals did the most of the new found freedom and have come out of the closet . It is wonderful to see such freedom in out nation.People who oppose this judgment are the same people who have no opposition to 'horny' uncles or despos thrusting and rubbing their groins against females in crowded buses .. yuck!<br /><br />God Bless our amazing nation!Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04642715553380140519noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-3099714871193046312009-07-05T21:39:00.002+05:302009-07-05T22:12:58.475+05:30Light on relationshipsHi,<br /><br />Spirituality is the core and it transcends any religion.The more I attend to my spiritual side the more firmly I feel that religion is not where we ought to stop . <br /><br />I was watching a video of a discourse by mystic and spiritual guru Jaggi Vasudev. The commonly held perception is that when people have mystical leanings they become loners living in solitude.<br /><br />Is this true? Do spiritual people not value relationships?<br /><br />Spiritual people can also be in relationships and fulfill their commitments to the fullest.In fact they can do it much better then the so-called <span style="font-style:italic;">sansari</span> ( worldly) people.Normally, in this world when people get into or find themselves in any relationship, they try to make the most out of the other person. To put it in a better they try to <span style="font-weight:bold;">extract </span>happiness from the other person.This becomes the cause of downfall in the long run.Spirituality means finding bliss in oneself and when a truly spiritual person gets into a relationship he uses it as a chance to share this bliss or happiness or joy.I always used to wonder when my Art of Living teacher used to say " relationships are all about giving " . I took it in a very material sense and hence it did not click with me for a long time.<br /><br />What I realized now can be summed up very easily : <span style="font-style:italic;">" Relationships will truly succeed if you use them as means to express your joy and not to extract joy " </span><br /><br />Another analogy is about beggars . Can two beggars beg from each other? .<br />Obviously No. Then how can two individuals extract happiness from each other in a relationship . It doesn't even sound logical doing so.<br /><br />The above analogy and scenario was mutual.In some relationships which we generally call "one way traffic" , it so happens that a person looks for happiness in another person and that person in turn is searching for it somewhere else in somebody else.Again a recipe for disaster.Taking the begging bowl in one's hand is perfectly fine but we have to do it for much higher and much nobler causes.<br /><br />God Bless!Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04642715553380140519noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3910962783545337398.post-34501087284215771132009-06-29T13:52:00.001+05:302009-06-29T13:52:08.954+05:30Win some, lose some<font face="Times New Roman, serif" size="3"> <div><font color="#333333"> </font></div> <div><font color="#333333"> </font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"><i>The story as promised </i><i>……………………………</i><i>.</i></font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"> </font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"> </font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"> </font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"><i>(All characters in this story are fictional and any resemblance to people in real life, living or dead, is purely coincidental)</i></font></div> <div style="text-align: center; "><font color="#333333"> </font></div> <div><font color="#333333"> </font></div> <div style="text-align: justify; "><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">Mehek was the highlight of this batch of corporate trainees just out of engineering school. As usual, the guys spared no efforts to make this evident to her. She was the Rajput princess – wheatish complexion, coffee brown eyes and straightened hair, her pony tail was really like a pony’s tail. However, she held no airs about her beauty. Right from the day I entered this training batch I knew that Radhik would be the most talked about guy. He looked the dare devil types but later I realized he was cent percent insane with not even an iota of sanity. Grey matter he did have, no wonder he was a programming wizard. On the other hand, Subroto was the mama’s boy getting his first taste of freedom outside his city of joy, beloved Kolkata. With such a star cast, or rather, should I say ‘characters’ the stage was set for a roller coaster ride of mind games , deception , romance etc.</font></div> <div style="text-align: justify; "><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"> </font></div> <div style="text-align: justify; "><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">Pune is considered to be the city of two wheelers and rightly so, the city has a very poor network of public transport like buses. Radhik had his own Royal Enfield motorbike which made him self-reliant as far as transportation was concerned. Though Mehek was never the <i>matlabi </i> types she realized that in a new city with no friends, befriending Radhik was not a bad idea. As it always happens, intentions of care and friendship from the fairer sex are usually received with lust and opportunism by the males. Mehek knew this very well but she knew her limits and if she was my daughter or sister I would bank on her decisions. The point of convergence for both was that they believed in working hard and partying harder but in a recession hit era none of the other trainees were willing to take chances. That meant most of their other colleagues would have working weekends spent in office without letting their hair down. Pune had the malls , ice-cream parlours , theatres , pizza huts and McDonalds which never disappointed people looking for fun and frolic on a day out. Rajput princess and Delhi biker made most of this on their weekends. They looked every bit the stereotypical mismatched couples which are a common sight in Pune.</font></div> <div style="text-align: justify; "><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"> </font></div> <div style="text-align: justify; "><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">Heyo ! ~.. Na-Na-Na!~ .. Na-Na-Na! !~, played the hip-hop dummy lyrics of a Hindi song on Subroto’s cell phone while he banged his head. Subroto knew that she was stuff that dreams are made of but he dared to dream that dream, though everybody including himself knew he stood no chance. Nonetheless, he built castles in air. Mehek was the elusive desert rose he adored and wanted to pursue. It was apparently nothing but a kiddish puppy love with no meaning and consequence. Subroto knew nothing about love and all the warped notions he had about attraction and romance came from the kilos of movies he had watched in his otherwise insignificant existence. As much as the sight of Mehek would stir him, seeing her with Radhik was agony for him. Subroto could never be discreet about anything and same was the case in this situation, everything was out in the public domain which in his case did not help his cause at all. He refused to recognize this bitter fact.</font></div> <div style="text-align: justify; "><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"> </font></div> <div style="text-align: justify; "><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">Radhik shared a good rapport with Subroto and if it was not for Mehek then they might well have been buddies for life. Subroto knew Radhik had a way with women and sought advice from him about wooing Mehek. Radhik promised to guide him and in a way guaranteed success for him. Radhik’s room mate and friend Vikram knew all the time that Radhik would do no such thing but he could not be articulate about this to Subroto. Subroto was doomed for disappointment in love but he still dared to dream and Radhik’s promise came as a thin ray of hope. At last, Subroto could hang out with ‘the’ princess and he did not mind Radhik’s presence at all. Radhik would get touchy with Mehek but Subroto overlooked that, but sometimes he would cry alone fearing that Radhik would confirm his worst fears.</font></div> <div><font color="#333333"> </font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">In the meanwhile, the corporate training was coming toward its last phases and getting rigorous and brain racking. The company could no longer sustain the trainees and on Christmas Eve decided to send them all on a long undefined sabbatical to survive on love and fresh air (<i>love was no option for Subroto</i>). The HR personnel used polished language and assured the trainees that the company was committed to forward their careers. Nobody believed that and the vibes of disappointment and dejection filled the atmosphere for the remaining days of the trainings. </font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"> </font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">Amidst all the chaos, Subroto could find a quantum of solace in his dreams. Once while chatting with Mehek , he dropped hints about his feelings towards her. Surprisingly, the usually calm princess freaked out and shouted profanities at him. However, the wrath was not towards him. She was already committed back home in Udaipur and she did not like guys asking her out. In her fit of rage, she admitted that even Radhik had expressed such feelings towards her and she was surely not amused. Subroto was frozen. Radhik had deceived him, Mehek did not care, and all this added to an uncertain career transported him to the depths of despair. Dreams shattered !</font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"> </font></div> <div style="text-align: center; "><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"><i>Dreams held in my eyes</i></font></div> <div style="text-align: center; "><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"><i>Dreams of glass shattered</i></font></div> <div style="text-align: center; "><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"><i>The fragments hurt my eyes</i></font></div> <div style="text-align: center; "><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"><i>Weep I tears of blood</i></font></div> <div><font color="#333333"> </font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">Mehek and Radhik, though not in a relationship according to the grapevine, continued to be the best of friends .They decided to visit Goa on a weekend. Subroto saw this as salt on his wounds but he was powerless as usual , he felt his princess was acting cheap by going out with a guy just for fun when she was already committed to someone. Mehek left the office but forgot to take her cell phone with her. Subroto saw it but he could not figure out how he could inform her because that was her sole contact number and the handset was in his hands. Subroto was perfectly well-mannered but his curiosity got the better of him and he decided to read her sms. Far from what he expected , the messages were very surprising. Most of the sms were from a foreign number. He looked up the country code of the number and found that most of the messages were from Dubai. Mehek never mentioned about connections in Dubai. Women are complicated, it is well known, but the messages baffled Subroto.</font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"> </font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">Her inbox :</font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">“Send the fool alone to Goa with the package and then he gets his stuff”</font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">“No money, he has to pay in kind”</font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">Her Sent sms:</font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">“Yes boss, will get done”</font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">“Yes boss, done!”</font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"> </font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">Who was the fool?.... Who was Mehek reporting to with such submission ? .. Such queries cluttered Subroto’s smart but relatively innocent mind. Should he ask her? NO! , he did not like what he saw. It sickened him. Suddenly, Mehek entered the office drenched in sweat, she asked about the cell phone. Subroto pretended to know nothing. He also realized that it was already 4 PM, the time her bus was scheduled for departure. Was she not leaving? Subroto felt like asking but something stopped him. Mehek made a quick exit with her phone looking a lot more relieved then when she had entered. Subroto could not keep this to himself. He knew he would be ridiculed by his friends. Who could he share this with? He decided to leave office , go home and have a good nap to forget it all.</font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"> </font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">As he left office, he met his Java programming trainer Karan. Karan’s bald plate and French beard made him look profound. It was as if the vibe possessed Subroto and he told Karan all about what had happened. As expected, Karan listened carefully and gave a good thought to it. Karan was disappointed because Mehek was his favourite student but he knew something was fishy about all this. He spoke to his friend, Police Inspector Joshi. Joshi promised to look into the matter .</font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"> </font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">Subroto sleepily opened the door next morning. The newspaper was a surprise.</font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"> </font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"> </font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">NEWS FLASH! </font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"> </font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">SECURITY ATTACK FOILED!</font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"> </font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">Mehek and Radhik’s pictures featured on the first page. </font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"> </font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">POLICE FOILS ATTEMPT OF BLACKMAILED DRUG ADDICT TO TRANSPORT RDX FROM PUNE TO GOA<b>. </b></font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"> </font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">Subroto was no where in the picture but he felt proud and relieved. The phone rang. It was Karan. </font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333"> </font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">He laughed and said “Good Morning !… Congrats!”</font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">Subroto smiled and replied “Good morning Sir, thanks!”</font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">Karan asked “Weekend hai, movie dekhne chale? “</font></div> <div><font face="Arial, sans-serif" size="2" color="#333333">Subroto replied in the affirmative.</font></div> <div><font color="#333333"> </font></div> <div> </div> <div> </div> </font> Floydhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04642715553380140519noreply@blogger.com0