Deepti'sBlog

The Inclusion-Exclusion Principle

2013-10-05T20:29:00.003-07:00

Humans are social creatures. One of our primary wants is the need to connect with other humans, be accepted and share our thoughts and feelings with each other. There are lots of animals that are not loners. Wolves for example, always move around in packs. So do elephants and primates(monkeys, chimpanzees). Even small little ant is not alone. In fact many of them have pretty complex structures.

However none is as complex as the human structure. Humans are part of many groups at any given time. Family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances etc. Now being the complex beings that we are, we divide these into numerous categories and sub-categories. Relatives get divided into close and distant. Friends into good, bad, just know, BFF and so on.

So what is it that makes us include some and exclude some from our circles. Basic human nature is to blame. We like to be around people that make us feel comfortable. If more people in a group (any group- family/friend) feel threatened or inferior to one particular individual they tend to gang up and exclude that one individual. And this is common across any social structure. Even in primates, if the head(dominant individual) of the pack doesnt like a particular individual, he/she drives that individual out of the group and since the head is doing that, the group follows suit. However, humans are not that kind. They will play games. They dont want the unwanted and unliked individual to "feel bad". Hence they will taunt, or get together and not invite, etc.

The root of all this is insecurities within the group. Maybe because of the way they have behaved in the past or experienced things in the past. Sadly this behavior cannot be changed. Hence, we have so many groups, based on ethnicity, religion, region, language, caste. Basically, anything to classify or label each other. Acceptance of each other comes only with maturity and that is rare. Just because someone is young doesnt make them immature and just because someone is older doesnt make them mature.
Humans are complex no doubt. But science and nature have shown us that simplicity is the best. Simplify your lives and relationships. Tolerance and acceptance of each other is paramount to a happy and carefree existence that we all crave for. It is achievable. Just Simplify...

The Hurt and the Reality...

2013-07-13T06:11:00.001-07:00

Sometimes in life, you have to accept that there are certain things that cant happen anymore.
And when those moments arrive and hit you, one does have a hard time reconciling with the reality that is life.
Like when you are small, you dont realise, that everyday is life happening and your past forming. When you "grow up" you realise that you never were that person you thought you were and are not the person you thought you would become. You never were part of that perfect family they showed on TV, you may not be living that life you had envisioned for yourself, you may have missed certain goals and deadlines that you had set for yourself, you may never graduate from that fancy college with a fancy degree, you may never be a priority in that one persons life. But, life is a little kind. She gives us these happy realisations in steps and installments, sort of like EMIs that come all through your life. But then there comes a moment when it all hits you all at once in a flash and then life never feels the same again.

But the beauty of the human spirit is such that it allows us to dream new dreams and hope new hopes. However now those hopes and dreams get tainted with the bitter doses of reality. What we have to do is try and dream with all our might and soul. For even when it hurts, you still have the chance to be the person you want to be and live the life you want to lead. The hurt is like a flu shot. It doesnt insulate you from all the flues of world, but gives you antibodies to fight the ones that you have faced, fight back and flourish!
BE HAPPY ALWAYS!

Who are you?

2012-10-17T19:54:00.001-07:00

Who are you? - How often do you get asked this question? My guess is very rarely. The question you get asked is What do you do ? So, you introduce yourself as "my name is John Doe and I am a professional artist" for example. Did you just notice the subtlety in the above two sentences ? The answer to the question who are you is "I am a professional artist". This is mind blowing. It means that who you are is tied down to what you do as a profession. For many of us, what we do prfessionaly doesnt really define who we are.
This boils down to a basic question- Why do we choose the professions that we do? When we are kids, we are asked the question,
"What do you want to be when you grow up?"
And we answer" I want to be a doctor".
"Why do you want to be a doctor?"
"I want to help and heal people"
And that, is the real answer as to why should you become a doctor- to help and heal people.
Why should you become a lawyer - to help people fight for their rights and get what is theirs
Why should you become a teacher - to spread knowledge and help in empowering people
But as we grow, society corrupts our minds. Now your success is measured by how much money you make. But is that really correct. If you want to know how successful a doctor is, go chat with his patients. Are they happy and healthy? Or a teacher, ask her students how do they feel about their studies and coming to class? Do they come running and skipping to class with a smile on their faces?
If the answer to these questions is yes, then yes you are a successful doctor, you are a successful teacher.
In life we can rarely do the things we love everyday. The trick is to leave that greed of earning a fatter pay check, owning a bigger car and come down to the basics. For the above things can give you happiness, but its short lived. Its not true happiness. Its just a satisfaction of having acquired a thing which will be soon replaced with a desire to acquire more. And this chain is endless. Whereas true happiness can be found in something as simple as taking your dog for a walk, playing and spending time with your children, cooking a nice meal for your famliy, having a nice quiet conversation with your partner...The possibilities are endless.
Who are you? The answer to this question has infinite answers. YOu can be a adventurer, or an artist or a warm human being who loves meeting people or a readaholic who loves reading books...The choice is yours. So, who are you? :)

What do YOU think ?

2012-05-24T01:50:00.004-07:00

You must be wondering why I am asking you this question. You may ask " What do you think about what .." But this is a general question. What do you think about anything. Anything under the sun. The first prerequisite to this would be do you think at all?
In this fast paced world full of social media, social connections and people all around, do you think any thoughts of your own ?

Our minds are constantly bombarded by thoughts and feelings of others: be it via social media, television programs, advertisements and people around us. It is up to us to make sense of all this information overload and make sense of the things and form our own opinions.So your thoughts can definitely be influenced, I mean that's how we evolve and grow. But your decisions should be taken only after due consideration. This is especially true when your decisions affect the lives of your loved ones. For e.g. we hear of kids misusing the internet and BBM and other messengers. So by getting influenced by and without thinking it through, you ban your kids from all sources of internet, TV etc. One may argue that prevention is better than cure. But then by that philosophy, vaccines would not exist now would they ?
By proper and monitored exposure, I am sure you can teach your kids the difference between right and wrong, good and bad. After some time they will be able to distinguish on their own as the human mind is an amazing machine. But if they don't know what is wrong, how will they recognize something when its wrong.

So before doing anything take a minute and think. The human mind is capable of storing millions of things and using them to decide. Don't let others decide your life and thoughts for you. For then that is the difference between an animal in the zoo and one in the Jungle. The former gets food and glances but cannot decide anything and can nothing but stay behind bars and let the zoo keepers decide when they walk and sleep and eat.
Ah! But the ones in the wild. They are free to make their own mistakes and learn and adapt. They can decide for themselves whether they want to walk or sleep or even if they want to eat. That my dear readers is true freedom. Freedom to think. As a very famous poem by Rabrindranath Tagore and I quote ,
"Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high,
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments,
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake. "

I would like to replace the word country with "MIND".
Let me know what you think!

All that glitters is Gold!

2012-03-26T00:05:00.005-07:00

We as a country are obsessed with Gold. When I say obsessed I mean super obsessed. Any major function calls for a visit to the Goldsmith. If its a festival or any auspicious day like Gudi Padwa, Akshay Tritiya, it is not surprising to see a huge line to buy gold outside most of the prominent and well known Jewelers' shops. No matter what, people will buy gold. Whatever the price whatever the hardship(standing in the sun for hours to just get into the gold shop). And people like me just find it amusing to watch. Any auspicious day and gold prices are sure to shoot through the roof. So buying the day before the auspicious occasion and selling it the next day seems more auspicious to me (You may frown here).

What is this age old love affair with the glittering metal ? Well, it stems from the fact that we Indians are very conservative in our approach to everything. Be it our dressing, our homes and even our investments. No one believes in the stock market. Most excuses seem to hover around reasons like - It is just too unpredictable., I dont understand it, I think its very volatile, you never know when is the right time to buy. Umm, one may argue these excuses are very valid, but isnt that true about gold as well? Do we really understand gold? Isnt it unpredictable too? I mean there is sometimes a difference of 1000 rs per day in the price for 10 gms.
There was a recent article in a reputed finance newspaper about how Indians keep buying gold, whereas that money could have been invested in equity which would mean that companies would have more capital to work on and expand and grow. Gold on the other hand just sits at home, needs to be guarded and does not really do anything except put more worry into our already over stressed heads.
Don't get me wrong. I am not anti-gold. Like every fellow Indian I too love Gold jewellary. But I dont believe in it as an investment. Its like any other Commodity I may buy. A cell phone or a laptop, It is mine. I will not sell it. The Gold chain and earrings mean something to me and have sentimental value which is the exact reason why gold just piles up at home. You will never sell it.

So buy gold but use it. Dont let it gather dust in the dark dingy lockers in the bank and in the cupboards.
Because for anything to shine there has to be light.

The Water Crisis : Credit v/s Debit

2012-03-19T05:27:00.002-07:00

The recent water shortage has everyone up in arms. The very mention of a water cut sends jitters down the spine of most people. I am no different. I love water. I have been swimming, playing holi, watering my garden etc etc. All the activities I enjoy have one major component. Water. What are we without water. approx 70% of the human body is made up of water. SO when there's going to be a shortage, everyone should be worried.

Water is found in abundance in most places where civilizations flourish. Or let me put it the other way round. Civilizations and life flourishes where there is abundance of water.
So most cities have a river or two running through the heart of the city. Now earlier the river was the main life line of the settlement. All the activities would center around the river. The river was the local deity. The "Karta Dharta" of the village. Since there were no dams or storage reservoirs, how good or bad the summer was going to be could be predicted by looking at the water and the health of the river.

Fast forward to today. The rivers have been reduced to a stinking mass of sewage. It is no longer a sight to behold. The chances are that if one is crossing a bridge, most probably the noses would be wrinkled in disdain at the stench emanating out of the waters. The water is now stored in huge reservoirs outside the city where the rivers originate and thankfully they have been maintained clean and pure. Thanks in part to the various crocodiles that supposedly dwell in their waters.

But the problem of water shortage seems to occur over and over. This year the city received 1.5 times more rainfall than the previous year. And still we have a water problem even before the start of the summer. What may be the cause of this? Well, the same thing that seems to be causing the numerous recessions and debt crisis. Mismanagement of resources. Consuming more that we have. What needs to be remembered here is that money can be spent in credit. But the water reservoirs are more like debit cards. What you see is the amount you have. You cant borrow water from nature when the reservoirs dry up. You will have to wait for the monsoons to fill it up kind of like you have to wait for your paycheck. And one more key difference is, there may or may not be an increment in the rainfall this year similar to your paycheck. So spend wisely and enjoy the fruits for a longer time. A penny saved is a penny earned and a drop saved is a drop earned.

India and Corruption

2012-01-30T02:44:00.000-08:00

Well, if you have been following the news, the recent Team Anna v/s Government war is all pervasive. Its everywhere. Even if you don't see the news, you will see people wearing the humber white Gandhi topi with "I am Anna" written on it and marching with the flag of India in their hands with much pride and gusto.
Why has Anna, a humble soft spoken man, a man who believes in simple leaving and high thinking, taken the country and her people by storm? In this era of superficiality, where stars are made and destroyed in a day, where mobile phones are even more necessary than clothes, where idea of having a good time is spending lots of money and partying: what is it about Anna that has struck such a deep chord with the people young and old alike?
Well, if you see most revolutions happen when masses are oppressed and fed up with the existing structure. There are many revolutions that are spread throughout the history of our civilization. India has been independent for 64 years, which is pretty young for a country. These 64 years have been marked with a lot of turmoil, changes, advancements, development. India was born a democratic country. Government of the people, by the people and for the people.
Well, the first two were true(of the people and by the people). The third and most important point , for the people was missed by the politicians and lawmakers of the country.
But, when India became free, she didnt really become free. She aquired a different kind of bondage. One that was supposedly shed. That of Caste ism and corruption. These are the deadliest evils that can affect democracy.
Unless these are weeded out, we will always be on the path of a developing country, not a developed one.
Lets see how this struggle for a corruption free India plays out.
Hopefully we will see a brighter, shining future free from poverty, illiteracy, corruption.

You belong to...

2011-10-27T08:29:00.000-07:00

I am sure you must have heard the quote " YOu are unique" many times over. And of course the sarcastic after thought "just like everybody else". Humans are unique in their desire to fit in and at the same time stand out. Throughout the animal kingdom, individuals of a species are very similar in the way they look. The thing that differentiates them is the individual behavior. Like in a flock of geese, they all look the same at first glance. It would be very difficult if not impossible to tell them apart at first glance. But then if you look at the flock long enough you will notice subtle differences amongst them. And they are noticed because of their distinguishing behavior traits. You notice the ruffian who breaks out of line. You will notice a fighter picking a fight with anyone willing to take him on. And so on.

Humans are obsessed with classification. There's nothing wrong with that. I mean that is what helps us make sense of the myriad and complex world that we live in. But the trouble is this classificaiton also extends to other humans. Just look at the number of zodiac signs, personality tests, physical shapes, religions, nationalities, races etc.
There are twelve zodiac signs each based on the period in which an individual is born. Suppose you read the traits of each of them without considering your birthdate, you will find that some of the characteristics apply to you. And this is true for most people. I have nothing against Zodiac signs or any other form of classificaiton. But I feel each person is truly unique. Just because you are slightly in decisive or slightly round at the edges doesnt make you a Libra or a Apple Shaped Body Person respectively. Each person is a complex and unique blend of different characteristics and the proportion of these is dynamic. Its ever changing and is shaped by desires, circumstances and other people around.
So you truly are unique. All the systems are just ways of helping other people understand a part of you and help them make sense of the insanity in the world.
So, you are classified into the category "YOU". And that's that!

A Thought

2011-05-10T10:10:00.000-07:00

A poem written by me as I was thinking about things and life...Hope you like it.

A Thought

One day as I awoke,
And looked back at Life,
What had I gained and what lost,
Spare a thought said my mind.

Spare a thought for the time spent,
Of shattered dreams and broken hopes
Of friends forgotten and friendships lost
Spare a thought said my mind.

Spare a thought for tears unshed,
And a thought for words left unsaid,
Spare a thought for the good times,
Spare a thought for the nursery rhymes;
Spare a thought said my mind,
For childish dreams and sweet nothings

Spare a thought for the life you have lived
And live it like you thought you did.
Spare a thought said my mind.

Born Wild...Born Free

2011-04-14T06:02:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wished you could fly like a bird

Have you ever wished you could scamper like a deer
Have you ever wished you could buzz like a bee
Have you ever wished you could run like a cheetah
Have you ever wished you could roar like a lion
Have you ever wished you could swim like a dolphin
Have you ever wished you could sway like an elephant
Have you ever wished you could rule like a tiger
Have you ever wished you were born without a care in the world... born wild...born free....

Raindrops falling on my head...

2011-04-11T08:56:00.000-07:00

What is it about the rains that makes us so happy? It was a hot hot summer day. The whole day it was alternatively clouded and sunny, as if the rain gods were tormenting and teasing everyone with the promise of rain. Then suddenly towards the evening, when one had all but given up hope that its going to rain, there was a huge rumble of thunder and the skies just opened up. The aromatic smell of water falling on the parched earth and pavements filled the nose. It was utter and sheer nostalgia...
People everywhere :some enjoying the rain, some running to get out of it, children dancing in the rain, the traffic on the road squishing and splashing along, fresh vegetables, the trees swinging in the rain, some bent with the weight of the water...Everything new and fresh with a new lease of life. Everyone laughing and chatting away, no frowning faces, no anger..just happiness and joy. Got to love the rain! It just washes all the negativity and cares away and only leaves love, laughter and life behind.

You know you grew up in the 90s if...

2011-03-24T19:58:00.001-07:00

A very nice email I received. Thought I should share it. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did! :)

You Know You Grew Up in India in the 90s When…

1) You know the words to ‘In-pin-safety-pin’ and ‘akkad-bakkad’ by heart
2) Cricket is almost a religion for you, and you idolize at least one of Rahul Dravid/Sachin Tendulkar/Saurav Ganguly
3) You have read at least some Chacha Chaudhary or Tinkle comics
4) You’ve watched Shaktimaan on TV at least once in your life. And you can immediately recognize the character when you see him.
5) You watched corny dubbed versions of Small Wonder, Silver Spoon, and I Dream of Jeanie
7) A visit to Pizza Hut used to mean a special treat
8) You have seen Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Hum Aapke Hain Kaun at least 5 times each
9) You still remember the theme song of Hum Paanch. (Hum Paanch, Pam Pam Pam Paanch!)
10) You have played hours upon hour of running and catching, chor-police, lagori, saankli, ‘Doctor, doctor, help us!’, ‘Lock and key’

11) Dog ‘in’ the bone was your favorite co-ed game.
12) You collected trump cards of wrestlers, cricketers, and airplanes, and did not quite understand why your younger siblings were obsessed with Pokemon and the other Japanese trends that followed.
13) Your summer vacations were often synonymous with visiting your grandparents or cousins
14) Bole mere lips, I love uncle Chips!
15) You know the song ‘Made in India’ by Alisha Chinai

16) You have seen many many many episodes of ‘Antakshari’ on Zee TV and know the only thing constant in the show is Annu Kapoor.
17) You were the coolest thing in class if you had a computer in your house while it was still the 90s.
18) You couldn’t wait to start 4th standard so you could start writing with PENS instead of with pencils!
19) You often used terms and phrases like ‘two-say’, ‘same to you, back to you, with no returns’, and ‘shame shame, puppy shame, all the donkeys know your name.’
20) You most probably saw Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge at the cinema at least once. You also fantasized about singing songs in mustard fields as in the movie.

21) You have said ‘haw’ or ‘yuck’ when you saw people kissing in English movies. (nowadays kids are used to it!)
22) Titanic was your FIRST favourite english movie.
23) You thought seeing English movies and speaking English made you the coolest thing ever.
24) You remember the Gujarat earthquake very clearly and could possibly tell everyone EXACTLY what you were doing when the earthquake occurred (yes, this happened in 2001, January 26, 2001, to be exact — but this group is about the things that Indian kids that GREW UP in the 90s remember and identify with).
25) Barbies for girls, and GI Joes for boys were the ultimate status symbols. You just wanted more more more and more. And how can I forget Hot Wheels, for both boys and girls?

26) You thought ‘imported’ clothes were definitely way better than ‘made in India’ clothes (never mind that a lot of clothes brought from overseas by NRI relatives were actually made in India, before ‘Made in China’ started appearing on EVERY existing thing)
27) "Jungle Jungle Baat Chali Hai Pata Chala Hai! Chaddi Pehen Ke Phool Khila Hai Phool Khila Hai!" You watched "The Jungle Book" every Sunday morning at 9.a.m" and just loved mowgli, bhalu and bagheera. A few years later, you watched Disney Hour, which had cartoons like Aladdin, Gummy Bears, Tail Spin, Uncle Scrooge!
28) At some point or other, cool was your favourite, and therefore, most overused word.
29) You loved licking off the cream from the centre of Bourbon biscuits.
30) There were no Nike, Reebok, Adidas, Puma- Bata and Liberty was the way to go for your sports shoes.

31) You have probably consumed more Frooti in your lifetime than there is oil in Iraq.
32) You bought packets of potato chips for the specific purpose of collecting Tazos. And you had Tazos depicting everyone from Confucius to Daffy Duck to Daffy Duck dressed as Confucius.
33) For the longest time, the Maruti 800, the Premier Padmini, THE Fiat, and THE Ambassador were the only cars you saw on the road, and the Contessa was cool because it was bigger.
34) You would literally jump up in excitement if you ever chanced upon an imported car (Oh my gosh, is that really a MERCEDES?)!
35) You used to Fuzen gum. You also chewed Big (big) Babool and/or Boom Boom Boomer chewing gum. They were bright pink and disgusting tasting, but you loved them for the temporary tattoos.

36) Talking of temporary tattoos, you sometimes had contests with your classmates about who had more tattoos on their arm, leg, knee, hand, forehead, wherever.
37) You thought Mario and Contra were the coolest things ever invented, especially if you were a boy.
38) You knew that having the latest Hero or Atlas bicycle would make you the coolest kid on the block.
39) You can imitate Sushmita Sen’s winning gasp to perfection
40) You have, at some point of time, worn GAP clothes (real or fake) like SRK in KKHH.

46) Seemingly senseless acronyms like SRK, DDLJ, DTPH, KKHH actually make sense to you..
47) You have at some point debated who was more beautiful- Aishwarya or Sushmita.
48) You would watch WWF keenly every evening/afternoon and loved Bret Hart "Hitman"! really thought Undertaker had seven lives and he made an “actual” appearance in the Akshay Kumar- starrer Khiladiyon ka Khiladi.
49) You remember the Nirma girl.
50) You remember the ‘doodh doodh piyo glass full doodh’ ad and also the ‘laal kaala peela, gulabi hara neela classic hai badia bristles wala’ and 'roz khao ande' ads.

51) You grew up reading, if you read at all, some or all of Nancy Drews, Enid Blyton books, Hardy Boys, Babysitters Club, Animorphs, Goosebumps, Sweet Valley series, Judy Blumes, and Tintin, or Archie comics. Because naturally, reading foreign authors made you much cooler than reading Tinkle.
52) Towards the late 90s (1998-99) at least some of us started our Harry Potter obsessions!
53) You absolutely HAD to go to Essel World if you were with cousins! “Essel World mein rahoonga main, ghar nahin nahin jaaonga main!”
54) You watched the Bournvita Quiz contest on TV pretty religiously. The smarter ones amongst you actually took part in it and had your entire school and your entire extended families watch you on it!
55) Maggi 2 Minute Noodles = ultimate snack (and tiffin, lunch, dinner)!

56) If you grew up in the early 90s, you recall the nation’s obsession with Mahabharata on TV
57) In the later 90s, you religiously followed Hip Hip Hooray on Zee. Maybe Just Mohabbat on Sony too
58) You remember parzan dastur sayin "JALEBI!!!!" in the Dhara Ad
59) You eagerly awaited Friendship Day, so you could give friendship bands to all your friends, and get bands from them in return. Then, of course, those with the most bands loved to show them off.
60) Backstreet Boys' "Quit Playing Games" was one of the first english songs that you LOVED!
61) Andaz Apna Apna is and most probably will always be your favourite comedy flick!! "Aila Jhakaas!!!"
62) This list made you smile.

Miss that age, it was sooo awesome!

And I could relate to each n every one of them actually.. fortunate to do so.. J

Happy Women's Day : A celebration of being a woman!

2011-03-09T08:59:00.001-08:00

First of all Happy Women's Day! I know this post is a bit late, but I was busy with work. Women's Day does not entitle me to special privileges like missing work:P
I was asked by many of my male friends and colleagues, why do you need a special day like Women's Day? Especially in this day and age where women are treated as equals in all walks of life.
And i had one answer , the very fact that we need to justify that we want a women's day entitles us to have one. Jokes apart, Women's Day is a celebration of womanhood. Not that we don't revel in the joy of being a woman everyday, but like everyday is a celebration of life, but we still have birthdays don't we!
It is also a tribute for all the women who fought for our rights throughout history so that we may be free today! It is a day when we must remind ourselvess that it isn't easy being who we are. It is to remind others how much they take us for granted and for us to realize how much we love being tank for granted by those that we love.
It is a day to celebrate beauty and friendship, joy and happiness.

So, revel in the happiness and glory and pride in being a woman. You are truly special<3!

A new line of thinking

2010-11-26T21:02:00.000-08:00

Take a hard look at your accomplishments. What have you created of a personal nature in the last ten years? Have you followed someone else's example because you doubted yourself? Have you been eternally “almost” ready? Have you dared to jump into projects that were still imperfect? These are the questions that need to be addressed.

my first post from my android

2010-10-11T04:50:00.001-07:00

This is my first post from my new android phone and i must say,this phone rocks (:

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3

Travelogue

2010-08-24T05:55:00.000-07:00

Location: Chennai

Well, I love travelling, but i havent really had the oppurtunity to do it alone. This is the first time I am travelling to a new city and a new state altogether. Quite a giant leap if you consider the extent of my tgravel alone has been Mumbai. It has been a great experience so far. The journey began with reaching the Pune Airport. The pickup cab was bingo on time. Then it was the checkin and security check at the airport. That was a different experience. And I mean different because, you are alone. You see and observer everything and everyone around you with a different viewpoint altogether. There is no one else with you whose comments and opinions can affect the way you think. So whatever your thoughts are, you have to keep them to yourself, and then eithger ruminagte over them or dismiss them..depends on your take;)
The flight itself was pretty uneventful, with a few turbulences thrown in here and there, but as such quite a mundane flight. I was sandwiched between two elderly gentlemen, who seemed to doze off tghe entire flight.(so now you know what i mean : uneventful :P) Once the flight landed, the reality of the situation sank in. I was in a different state, different city, new people, new languagge i have no way of knowing. I knew nothin about Chennai. I still had tgo arrange transport to a hotel booked witgh justa phone call. But, I assured myself, I will get there. And sure enough, finding tgransportation was a cinch, as i hired a prepaid taxi at the airport. THe driver got us to the hotel safely. And gasp, the hotel was wonderful..the rooms were clean and spacious there was air con, and hold your breaths, a fantastic and fast WIFI. So not as totally cut off as i thought. I happily had dinner and tgucked myself in with the TV remote and thought of what a wonderful city Chennai is, the wonderful polite people and everything about the place and my first day in the city.
More on my stay later.
See you later! :)

Inception: The brilliance to dream..

2010-08-24T05:38:00.000-07:00

I recently saw the movie “Inception”. It came highly recommended by friends…Before going for the movie, I happened to read a bit on the movie and the plot on “Wikipedia”.

Well that was my saving grace.. I could understand the movie right from the first 5 mins.. which otherwise would have been a bit tough.

To tell you the truth, the movie is very complex. Its not your typical run of the mill entertainment flick. To understand, appreciate the movie, go with a open mind. Go with no limits to possibilities and an open imagination.

May be

2010-05-25T19:58:00.000-07:00

Courtesy: A Wonderful Email I received a few days back. Thought I would share it...

Maybe. . we were supposed to meet the
wrong people before meeting the right
one so that, when we finally meet the
right person, we will know how to be
grateful for that gift.

Maybe . . . it is true that we don't
know what we have until we lose it,
but it is also true that we don't know
what we have been missing until it
arrives.

Maybe . . . the brightest future will
always be based on a forgotten past;
after all, you can't go on
successfully in life until you let go
of your past mistakes, failures and
heartaches.

Maybe . . you should hope for enough
happiness to make you sweet, enough
trials to make you strong, enough
sorrow to keep you human, and enough
hope to make you happy.

Maybe . . . the happiest of people
don't necessarily have the best of
everything; they just make the most of
everything that comes along their way.

Maybe . . . the best kind of friend is
the kind you can sit on a porch and
swing with, never say a word, and then
walk away feeling like it was the best
conversation you've ever had.

Maybe . . .. happiness waits for all
those who cry, all those who hurt, all
those who have searched, and all those
who have tried, for only they can
appreciate the importance of all the
people who have touched their lives.

May be . . you should do something nice
for someone every single day, even if
it is simply to leave them alone .

Maybe . . . there are moments in life
when you miss someone -- a parent, a
spouse, a friend, a child -- so much
that you just want to pick them from
your dreams and hug them for real, so
that once they are around you
appreciate them more.

Maybe … giving someone all your love
is never an assurance that they will
love you back. Don't expect love in
return; just wait for it to grow in
their heart; but, if it doesn't, be
content that it grew in yours.

Maybe . . . you should dream what you
want to dream; go where you want to
go, be what you want to be, because
you have only one life and one chance
to do all the things you dream of, and
want to do.

LTSC syndrome

2010-05-21T21:22:00.000-07:00

What if there was no concept of time? What if there were no timelines and no deadlines? Would you cease to exist? Or would only you and you exist in this universe? Would that mean that you wouldn't live? My guess is that many of us wouldn’t be able to comprehend the enormity of the thought that there is no such thing called as time. The clock has become an almost inseparable part of our being, almost as if our legs move of the volition of the two hands on the face of the clock. How many times have you gone to the gym because you felt like it and not because the clock says it 8:00 clock and time to hit the gym? When was the last time you ate because you felt like it and not because its lunch time? When was the last time you drove anyplace you liked on a weekday? If the answer to the above questions is mostly yes, you have the "Live to See Clock syndrome" aka LTSC Syndrome.
More on how to find a cure for this in my next blog post. :)

Hope & Faith

2010-01-01T06:16:00.000-08:00

There was a very nice and popular TV show by the name of Hope and Faith. I loved the show. It had wonderful combination of humor, wit, grace, wit and philosophy, a few of life's lesson all rolled into one. It set me thinking on the two words that make up the name and essentially the content of the entire show. In the script, Hope and Faith are two sisters that cannot do without each other.
In reality, I likened Hope and Faith to the feelings of hope and faith. They are like twin sisters. They cannot exist without each other. If you have faith, you can hope. Faith is the belief that something "IS". It gives themind strength. But, wait...Hope and Faith have a step sister they rarely acknowledge...Despair. Despair is Hope without Faith. When you hope for something whihc you have no faith in, or your faith is shaekn, it leads to despair. And Despair is not nice.
So, Hope with Faith and Despair stays away...
Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T06:08:00.000-08:00

A very Happy New Year!! May this year bring in prosperity, peace, health, happiness to one and all.

Ever Wonder...??

2009-12-12T10:04:00.000-08:00

I think this post of mine leans a bit towards spirituality, the greater meaning of life, the force of the universe...

From Deepti'sBlog

Today we take for granted the food that we buy, the fields that grow crops, the farmers who farm land. But, have you ever stopped to think how this journey must have begun and how it has progressed? How man progressed from eating raw fruits and vegetables to eating the sophisticated multi-cuisine that we eat today? How he went from depending on nature for his food, to growing it himself and thus ensuring his survival? How did he discover that seeds that are thrown into the ground sprout and turn into a plant?
I find this journey fascinating to visualize. How was electricity discovered? How many times Thomas Edison must have tried and failed and then succeeded in lighting that bulb? How jubilant he must have been when he saw the glow of the bulb? How that simple bulb has gone to the hi-fi technology that we use and take for granted today?

I feel that we as a civilization take so many things for granted without thiking about the efforts that may have gone into making them. As we progress we are becoming more jaded in our outlook towards things. We are losing the sense of wonder and curiosity we are all born with. The ones who nurture this sense are the ones who invent new things, they are the ones who think "why not?","what if".
So, always stop and think for yourself. Dont let someone else do it for you.

Life is...

2009-11-25T08:32:00.001-08:00

Life is funny: life is cool,
life is empty, life is sad,
life is lonely, life is bad,
life is color, life is a rainbow,
life is water, life is rain;

life is company, life is friends,
life is money, life has no gains,
life is true, life is good,
life is happy, life is joy,

Life is a song, life is not long
Life is the sun, life is like the moon.
Life is a walk, life is a talk
Life is a cuppa coffee in rain, its a boat rocking in the lake.

Life is a drive in the night, a cruise along the countryside.
Life is to fight, life is to be there with all your might.
Life is forest trail, life is like a monkeys tail.
Life is a gust of wind, life is a gentle breeze.

Life is to live, life is to be free

Words are all I have

2009-11-18T19:43:00.000-08:00

Words are all I have...

Many a song has been written about the power of words. What are words? How do you go about defining them? What do they mean? Why does the word Apple mean Apple? How did these associations come about?
As i am writing this down,I am kinda wondering, what is it I am writing about? I am writing in words about words. Confusing right! Words are logical expressions of thoughts.What you think, you express! Now what you think may not always be expressible in words. You have other means as well, liken signs, body language, sounds.
Sounds...the word to think about...Words are sounds that sound like what they do and signify a common meaning to a mass of people. So a sound that is accepted by a population of people to signify something becomes a word.
So, I have achieved my aim: I have expressed in words what words mean :)

To Err is Human...

2009-10-10T23:11:00.000-07:00

Mistakes and Incidents happen. Hitler's Army is one big example of how things go wrong, even in one of the most organized armies the world has ever seen. Hitler had 4 major branches:

The Nazis (political party)
The Gestapo (Secret Service)
SS (police)
The Army

The world only saw the face of the army. The Olympics is generally a symbol of peace. But when it was held in Germany after the World War I, during the reign of Hitler, he brought out and paraded to the world his entire military might. He showed all his military tankers and fighter planes. The World was in awe.
Even though Hitler's Army was powerful, each one of his Generals and individuals were equally powerful and magnetic in their own right.One of his Generals, Rommell had developed his own army called as the Desert Fox that could penetrate though to anywhere and anyplace. Rommell's nickname was Wüstenfuchs (Desert Fox). Another one of Hitler's Generals was Hoth. He commanded the Panzer Unit.

Well even though the facade was of strength, nobody really knew what was happening ebhind the scenes. Only one man said that the way Hitler and his army were goind, they were going to run into trouble. That man was Svatantrya Veer Savarkar. And sure enough, the day dawned when the Nazis accepted defeat. On that day an order was placed for 9000 typewriters. Such was the state of anarchy.

So in an organised team, there are individuals that are highly driven, they have their resposibilities and duties, but they may not go in the right direction. And when the energy levels are high, more so.

Whenever you have said something wrong, there are two ways to deal with it. One way is to hold your ground and tell the others to keep their opinions to themselves. The second and according to me a more graceful way is to acccept that what you have said may be wrong. You can ask individual feedback. But never backtrack and try to save face. You may end up losing it.