THINK ANEW !!!!!!!!

When bombarded......

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 15:28:00 +0000

What do you do when the 60 or so of the 68 of your classmates demand that you do what they think is right and the rest 10 are not bold enough to stand their ground?

What do you do when they start talking against you?

Change?
Be someone else for somebody else?
Be who you are not?

I don't intend to. My ideals stay strong and I'm not gonna change.

I am who I am.

Best of ___?

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Wed, 23 May 2012 18:08:00 +0000

Best of Luck

All The Best

Do I hear a "what's the difference?" ?

Think about it.

A guy (or a girl for that matter) is going to write an exam. Tell him 'Best of Luck' and it implies "you'd need all the luck that you can get to get through this one. I don't think you are good enough on your own to get through with it."

Tell him "All the Best" and you are just wishing that he turns out fine in all respects which implies that "I believe that you are good enough to get through this with your capabilities and may you fare well through this and through the path further ahead".

Most people don't realize the very subtle and yet significant difference between the two and, frankly, most don't care. But, it becomes significant when you say this to someone who realizes it. And, of course, the other way round works too. When someone who realizes this wishes others with these wishes, listen carefully and you'll know what he thinks about them.

Got a problem with this theory of mine. Then bring it on! ;-)

ALL THE BEST!

Regards

Diff.Thinkr

Those Winter Days : A short story with a twist

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 13:30:00 +0000

"I wonder which furry little rodent ate my node this time!"
"Ah, there it is! Look, right there on the walkway is where I stood last winter.Winter has always been my favorite. Not very surprising I guess. The days are wonderful and cold. The kids, the snow balls, and the skiers...
Have I told you? Once, a skier crashed into me and I got so angry that I almost impaled him with my arm! But thought people call us "cold-hearted", I let him go. It was winter! Everyone has the right to enjoy, right? The nights are colder and sometimes I feel lonely. Just standing there all night, all alone, it feels as though I'm no more wanted but the cold day brings good news, its still winter!

Now that we have chilled for so long, let me tell you a secret. Promise to keep quiet about it? Well, last winter I met a girl. Snow had never been whiter, noses never brighter, arms never so branched and girls never so round! She was cold and gorgeous but try as I might, I could never get her to respond . Neither could I get close to her , the hard road kept our cold hearts apart. But I knew it would never last! It never does. We never know where we would end up next winter! Nevertheless, oh, how I wish to meet her again!

I'm glad you cared enough to talk to me. People almost never realise we too have a heart, cold by your standards but ones with feelings definitely. We too feel hurt and happy and just because we love the cold doesn't mean that we don't love just as you do so "warmly". You might see us around only in winter but keep in mind, we are always around watching you.

Hey! hear that bell? That's my buddy coming along. Too bad he has such a short life! Care to buy an ice cream so that I could spend some time with him? Afterall, we snowmen too need friends , you know?

Let Your Heart....

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:52:00 +0000

Let Your Heart float in the air,

Let fly your sorrows in the breeze,

Laugh out loud,

N' think of Love!!

Ants - A Magnificent Symbiosis

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:36:00 +0000

A Senior Secondary School student returns home.
Nobody's home; All are at work. He lets himself in. Its dark. He's tired after the 15 minute ride in the jam packed KSRTC bus. He sets down the bag and flips the light switch. And there on the white (not so sparkling clean) floor was a thick row of ants.

All marching in unison and yet in chaos. An army ,efficient even without a commander. An army of workers willing to sacrifice for the greater good of the colony. An army of diligent workers who works without complain, lifting weights 50 times their own. Following the strongest scent to the nearest food. Working day and night for the very same purpose that drives all creatures on this planet, to survive.

I had often mentioned my fascination with insects in general and ants in particular. In an article I wrote a while ago, I had promised to write in detail about my fascination and a wonderful symbiosis with ants. Frankly, I had forgotten about this, what with all the college excitement and the topsy-turvy way my life is turning out to be (which is wonderful!)

The scene is set in a wonderful October afternoon. It hasn't rained in while and the sky is at its best blue. A warm breeze cools the mind after the hectic half-day even though the sun shining down would make easy work out of even the strongest tan. The school was dispersed for some reason by noon......

Apparently, he's lazy as can be. So he lets them be. His attitude, "They mind their business and me mine".

A delicious lunch later, curiosity gets the better of him. He starts tracking down the ants.
"Where are they heading? What's the target? What's for lunch, guys?" After a roller coaster ride past the couch, along the wall, up the edge, above the door and through the window. Oops! That was the wrong way!! He traced back to the couch, and under there was what he was looking for. It was a cockroach. A dead one and already in parts. The ants had already started their work!

A couple of hours later, by evening, all activity died down. By 4.30 pm, there was not a single trace of that hectic and frantic cleaning team. No wonder this secret was not found out earlier!

Of course, the guy is me and this is a true story.

The amazing thing to note is the fact that the ants come out only when the house is empty. The go everywhere cleaning up the whole house, from dead insects to food crumbs on the floor, everything that one would usually have to take the pains to clean up.

Well, occasionally, there comes up a couple of clashes, mostly due to the "language barrier" but hey! is there any incidence of collaboration where even a slight clash hasn't occurred?

Did I mention that they also helps to keep out pests? Very few insects can match upto a swarm of ants.working in unison.

In fact, most wise farmers, especially ones with a good traditional backing ( references 1, 2 ) has relied on ants and termites for pest control on their farms. Not only is it sustainable, eco-friendly, literally cost-free , this has been advised by many studies too!!

So, the next time you see a colony of ants marching, just let them be!
Live with Nature
not against Her,
for you'll be fighting a losing battle right form the beginning!

Indian Republic Day - Proud To Be an Indian!

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:52:00 +0000

A Billion people...
Dozens of Religions...
Hundreds of Languages...
Thousands of Cultures...
Even more Outlooks...
Far more Aspirations...
A huge lot more Talent!!

A Blooming economy...
An ever Evolving culture...
A Prospering population...
A geographic Marvel...
A sub-Continent in itself...
The largest Democracy...
A world of Dreamers and Doers!!!

Proud to be INDIAN!!!

Vande Mataram
JAI HIND!!! Forever and ever more!!

Indian,
My Country,
My mother,
My protector,
My sustainer

I have never been so proud to be an Indian. The warmth of the day still burns and the flag flutters even as the day has almost come to an end. Today, when the united India turns 63 on this 26th of January, the Republic of India has stands proud and unequaled on more than a few aspects. The world does and forever will watch this huge population of diversity as can be seen NOWHERE else,
growing as one,
thinking as one,
singing "Vande Mataram" as one.

India faces challenges faced by no other nation in the world. Its one Billion citizens share not one or two but 1,652 languages, innumerable cultures having its roots deep in the history and from around the world. A logistical, technological, in fact in all ways, a huge nightmare. Add to that the fact that it is the world's largest active, participative democracy with over 738 million eligible voters employing nearly 7 billion goverment officials as election personnel.
The voice of a billion heard and heeded.
A land Of the People, By the People, For the People.

With climate of all ranges, geographic features of all kinds from volcanoes to glacier, from flood plains to the Thar Desert 9th largest in the world, from 5717 km of coast line to 8611 m high mountains, with 3 oceans and thousands of rivers, India has is blessed with all that mother nature has to offer. Vivid views, vibrant biodiversity, a wonderful climate and being able to watch both the sunset and the sunrise from the same spot is definitely thrilling!

Still holding fast to the high ideals of our freedom fighters and the never to be forgotten Mahatma Gandhi, who truly was a "Great Soul", of secularism, peace, love and tolerance. A military strength to be reckoned with and yet one which never wishes to use its might. A technological marvel, which, even in the face of millions struggling (which is nothing to be proud of), is forging ahead with a steadfast pace towards even more technological dominance with a space program that is among the best in the world. A space program for the people, technology with humanity as its priority!

Bharath Mata Ki....

JAI!!!

As Promised

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 18:14:00 +0000

As I promised just yesterday, here I am writing about the future.

Today was a good day with a wonderful session on the Indian space technology by the former deputy chairman of ISRO followed by a quiz and a modification of a treasure hunt. ( My team grabbed the first prize , a bottle of Fanta and a milkybar for each of us, SWEET!! ;-) !! )

But, obviously, that is not what I've planned to talk about. Its the future! Not just future, but our future, ie, each of our future. Let me just cut to the chase ;-)

Today, I spoke with two of my friends, one from my college and the other , I met at the program. I asked the former if he chose Engineering by choice. He said, he had no preference to engineering or electronics. He told me his plan is the management field. He took engineering because (according to him) having an engineering degree would give him a better base to get a good job after an MBA.

The second one, he took Aeronautical Engineering. I asked him the same thing , did he take it by choice or chance? He said choice and I salute him for that.

So few these days actually know what their heart yearns to do. And even fewer have the guts to pursue it. During the finals of our "IEEE Best Fresher" contest, one of the guys told that his passions were management and journalism. When "cross-examined" further by the judges on this topic, he was at his wits end because he had already told that he loved journalism and that he would try to take it as his "side business". Then, when he was asked if he would forfeit a 10 or 26 lakh per annum job for jouranlism and he said no! That is the value that many give to their passion. I don't know him personally and hence can't say if what he said was the complete truth. All I can say is passionate people are hard to find. Especially in engineering colleges (and medical colleges too) these days.

Whenever I'm out for an IEEE meeting or any other program, I'm always on the lookout for such passionate people, and I just started ranking them on a star basis, 1 to 5. I wonder when I'll meet a 5 star guy (or girl, of course!)

If you think you are worthy of a star, come talk to me. No, I don't have anything to give for you, nor do I have much contacts or talents that might come in handy, but I will always treat you with a certain kind of respect for "Being Who You Are"!

That said, there are some people who are passionate and truly committed to learn and enjoy the subject to the fullest.
And to these people ,
KUDOS!!
Keep doing it!!
Keep being passionate!!
Keep LIVING the true LIFE!!!
Think Different!!

Once upon a time, there was a blogger ....

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:35:00 +0000

Once upon a time,

there was a blogger

who went by the name Diff.Thinkr and fortunately , he's still alive and in college!!

Hey guys, its been such a long time since my last post and just now I deleted 2 of my old posts that I started writing but left after a single para. But this time I'm determined to complete :D

Life has been fun so far. College has presented itself lots of wonderful opportunities, great friends and new insights. A new outlook, a new openness, a whole new world to explore.
And amazingly, a good number of my friends are open minded enough to listen and even accept many of my ideas!

Being a member of IEEE, is proving very useful and has opened a lot of new avenues to explore and, possibly get lost in too! Our college's cultural fest "Dhwani" completely rocked (I simply can't find a better word to describe it! )

Ok, I'm ending this short update and hopefully, the next time I write, I'll be able to remember the "different thoughts" that I still keep getting. (I keep forgetting them :( )

The Essence of Onam

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 09:54:00 +0000

Another Prosperous Onam has arrived at our door steps at Kerala.
A celebration of prosperity and life.
Of the harvest and the bounty of nature.
Of the vibrant colours of the spring and the mouth watering treats.
Of the refreshing fragrance of the blossoms and the sweet chirps of the birds.

But today, regretfully,even this celebration of life too has been commercialised!

Pookalam (Floral Carpets) ,one of the most integral parts of Onam , is inarguably one of the most enjoyable activites of Onam. Traditionally children (mostly) went around collecting flowers, wild and grown, planned, designed and set the pookalam. Since a couple of years, flowers can be bought taking out ,in my opinion, the most enjoyable facet of making a pookalam, ie. collecting flowers with friends and family. And now its possible to go walk upto a flower shop, pick a design, hand over the money and they'll come and setup the whole pookalam! Where's the fun in that?

One might argue that this is aimed at all the companies and such who put up pookalam. Yes its true that most ventures setup a pookalam in their offices often incorporating their own symbols. But, if you can't invest a couple of hours for this then why bother even putting up a pookalam?

On to the next issue. There aren't any flowers! My sis and I spent a lot of time searching for flowers along the roadsides and were hard pressed to find enough flowers for a decent pookalam. That said, it turned out pretty well at the end.

This year I was feeling a bit adventurous and went ahead a step further and made this.....

Yes, an "Electronic Carpet" if you may.....

Hope the years to come will preserve or even revive the age old traditions of Onam........

Notes to the Future Me - The Little Girl

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 13:20:00 +0000

If you are wondering about the title, I'm leaving this post to the future me so that one day when I read my old posts, I would remember these occasions and moments and they might come in handy at the time.

Well, here goes....

For my college admission process, I had to go to Trivandrum. We went by train and near our seat was a small family, father, mother and a girl of 4-5 years. Her (the girl's) name is Shangari. They were from Mangalore.

I usually don't play around with small kids. I think its more a result of my circumstances than a choice but that's a whole another story..... On with the story, the girl was very much interested in playing with me and we did so for the next 4 hours, almost the whole length of our journey. She was an astonishingly smart and bright girl.

At the end of the journey, she was woken up (she was made to sleep for sometime) and she bid me farewell by wishing me "Study Well". To think that a 4 year old wished me so was so very surprising to me. She was told earlier that I was going to college but I would never ever even have dreamt about such a wish. Thank You dear.

Afterwards, I was just wondering how weird and wonderful it would be to meet her again after many years. I hope so.....

A Breath of Fresh Air

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 10:52:00 +0000

Its been a long time since my last post. I've been trying to find the reason for this but still not so sure about it. But what prompted me to write this is a very timely poem sent by my English Teacher Vijayalakshmi, affectionately called Viji miss....

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann c.1920

I'm on the very brink of another phase of my life, college. I've been busy with a couple of huge projects the keystone of which is Coders On Cloud. But I must admit that a couple of thoughts have been in and around my head and raking it pretty well. One of the latest just happens to be about my image in the eyes of my fellow beings. I know this goes against all that I've ever written on this blog or elsewhere but I guess every once in a while a rock has to give way to bring a fresh breath of life to a sleeping cavern of treasures. This poem did just that and for that I'm speechlessly grateful to her.

To be precise, these are the words that mean the most to me

If you compare yourself with others,

you may become vain or bitter,

for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;

it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

And I can truly and wholeheartedly vouch for the fact that those words are indeed true to the fullest. And now I'm as happy as ever to be me.

On a side note, I think it is high time for my "Most Influential" article and that will be up next.

Guru - The Forgotten Truths

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:54:00 +0000

Today, on my way home, thinking about some stuff, I struck upon an analogy that is so profound and meaningful and yet so unrealized.

Right: Reghuraman. Left: The King.
If I remember correctly, this scene comes towards the end.

Guru, meaning "teacher" in the deepest and truest sense, is the name of a movie in Malayalam . Until today, the film (which is a favorite of mine) was nothing more than an interesting story to me. But today, I realized how potent an idea it poses and frankly, I was absolutely amazed upon realizing it.

Here's a brief of the story ....

The story transports the protagonist, Reghuraman, into a fantasy world, a valley, where everyone is blind. They had no concept about sight and thought that the eyes were just two balls that were there for no purpose what-so-ever. Reghuraman was considered evil when he told the others that could see. But some people sheltered him and introduced him to their culture. He was given their sacred fruit ('elama pazham'), a (fictional) fruit that they believed to be given by their god. In fact, they fed its juice to all newborn babies under the assumption thatdevasangeetham - Guru the babies would otherwise die. When Reghuraman ate the fruit, he too turned blind! He was caught by the king, asked to prove his ability to see, failed and was sentenced to death.

This song is not only melodious but also gives a good insight into the valley-residents' lifestyle

The form of death? By drinking the (supposedly) deadly poisonous juice of the seed of the very same fruit. The common knowledge that the seed is poisonous kept everyone from having any of the seeds. When the sentence was executed, Reghuraman regained his sight!

Well, that much of the story should do for my purpose....

So, whats the analogy that I've been so keenly try to reveal?

Still didn't get it?

(If you did, my hearty congrats. I would love to hear about it. )

The world is filled with a mind boggling array of cultures, traditions and of course most obviously, religions. All of them talk about how one should think, act and live. Anyone who challenges it is deemed the 'satan' or the ruffian. Anyone who dares to question is 'put down', anyone who speaks up is isolated and 'drowned'. And so people live in fear, fear of being labelled, fear of being put down, fear of being drowned or being burned at the stake.

Just as the land that Reghuraman fell into is blinded by the fruit, the world we live in is blinded by centuries of stories and cultures, 'unspoken truths' and 'unwritten laws' that literally steer most of our lives. Anyone who dares speak up the truth of the matter is sentenced to death (socially) and often mercilessly executed.

Children are fed these so-called 'truths' right from the moment they are born, just as the juice of the fruit was given to all new born babies and whats more, its for the same reason too! For the fear that they may 'die' (not literally but socially) if this were not done. And just like the people of the valley, we are taught not to try the seed, it is poisonous.

But my question is, who told you that it is poisonous? Somebody who was told the same by their earlier generation? But who told them? The same answer! Its a 'wisdom' that has prevailed for generations, some might say.

But then, so was the 'wisdom' that the seed is poisonous and that the fruit is essential for life! And it turned out way off the track!

The next time you do something, something that you just do because you've been told to, think!
Does it make any sense? Would it make any sense if you were not told to do so? Could you do it some other way? Could you do without it?

Make sure you question your deepest of beliefs and your most routine actions.

I would love to hear your retorts and,
if you were moved to think, its outcomes.

PS: Please do not hesitate, as I don't judge my readers (ie when they write under their name). But I can understand if your are hesitant to reveal yourselves. That's why anonymous exists. So, Please don't refrain yourself from expressing.

A couple of chats

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 08:12:00 +0000

A few days back I had a chat with one of my good friends. He is a great guy but he was very sad about how he performed for his exams. But, the matter of fact is, we both performed almost the same in almost all the exams. However, that chat session was a real gem and I would like to share it with you.

Yesterday, I had another chat with another of my friend. This one was a short one but I wasn't quite expecting such replies from such a brilliant (perhaps a bit wacky but brilliant) girl. That one doesn't have much but just a single point that I would like to highlight. But a very important one nevertheless.

The original conversations were in "chat-language", so I had to edit them. I'm publishing only the relevant (but continous) parts and have added some clarifications in [ ] but apart from that, these are 100% honest and real conversations.

Him: I did way below my expectations for the exams

and I'm totally disappointed

Me: which exam?

Him: That may be pulling me back.

The exams that we wrote a month ago. Have you already forgotten?

"THE ENTRANCES"

Me: Learn from the past, live in the present, work for the future.

Its over so leave it.

Him: How do u like to see yourself after 10 years?

Me: Well & fine, happy & content, hardworking & diligent,

curious & childish in learning as ever,

What about you?

I would like to talk a bit about that last statement.
It just came like flow to me. Didn't stop to think about it even once. I think that's because I truly believe that this is what I really want and it is really all that I want to be, the last one being my top priority. Curiosity is something most of us seem to forget on the way. More on that later though...

While thinking about writing this post earlier today, I struck upon another question and found a surprisingly satisfying answer almost instantly.

How do you know if you are successful. Are there any indicators?
Yes.
Just ask yourself
"If I were to leave the world now, will I be leaving it a better place than how I received it?
Have I contributed to its well being?"

If you can confidently and spontaneously answer yes to both these questions without any room for doubt, then you have achieved what millions are daily striving to achieve, often without even knowing what it is that they are after!

Well, back to the chats,

Him: Nicely said

Don't ask me now [about his future]

I have to really think it over

Him: I'm asking this question to many

and taking the positives

Me: Its nothing to think .

Its all about your outlook

Him: And I have to set a goal

Me: You cant take it from others

You have to develop it yourself

Him: before I go to a college and work to achieve

Me: There is a mistake

Him: Its complicated............ I really have to sort out my priorities

and make some kind of a list .

Me: You don't go to a college & work to achieve

You work to achieve & go to a college just for help

Lists WILL not help you .

I'll tell you frankly .

Him: yep, there you said it .

Me: Its about the outlook .

Its about ideals .

Its about vision .

Lists will be made & left around...

The list should be forged in your mind

deep in your mind

I think he's one of the very few of those who I know who have managed to get at least this far, realising and identifying the source of problem. Most are unaware of the fact that they are wandering through a huge jungle with no idea of where to head to or even where they want to be.

The other thing that I find interesting and important is, in his own words, 'priorities'. Often people are confused between the destination and the path. The destination is, in this case, the future and the path, handwork . College is one of the paths that you can take to reach that destination. But it is not the only path nor is it a path that will take you all the way. It is just a side road that leads to the highway. If you think that the side road is dangerous, wait till you see the highway. But that shouldn't stop you, because, a mind made up to succeed is an unstoppable force.

Unwavering Diligence is another of my principles that I hold very dearly. These two words have helped me push myself further even when the possibilities seemed bleak. And it still pushes me on. I think I got the phrase from one of the Harry Potter books but am not able to find it now. If anyone finds any references, please do let me know.

Well, back to the chats again,

Him: There's relief talking to you

I don't know why

Me: Good to know.

Him: But I'm really worried these few days

Feels like I'm living for nothing...........

going 2 school .......... then 2 college

Me: A couple of my close friends have told me the same

[I was referring to the relief]

Although most of the time they have no idea what I'm taking about

You should live to learn

If you ask me what is the one thing that I would like to keep for the rest of my life

I would say "a child's curiosity"

I think its the most precious ability one can ever have

Unbound , Fearless, Relentless curiosity

Him: Does it come naturally to you or have you developed it?

Me: I feel like giving an interview for my biography!!

Curiosity, everyone has.

Him: You are helping me

Me: Its just that people forget or becomes afraid to ask

Question what you see around.

You'll probably get beaten around a couple of times

(not just metaphorically !!!)

but its gives an amazing feeling of happiness & satisfaction to learn things on your own

Its possible, just keep your senses open

Remember the small red light that kept blinking in the KSRTC bus?

Him: yes...........................did u figure that out

Me: Nope, I didn't. I guess because I don't know where to ask....

[Me breaking my own resolutions!!]

but if you see something keep it in your mind

just a reference

You never know when its gonna help

in my house, if I kill a mosquito, I'll just leave it on the ground

the ants will do the garbage collection.

I had to fight a lot with my mom & dad to convince

them of this but they kind of are, finally!

Now we can coexist!

A type of symbiosis!

Him: so what are you saying?

Me: Its about the fighting ...

Him: I'm listening

It was nice talking to you

Him: If I've wasted your time.. sorry

but it really made a difference to me

Thank you very very much

Me: Hey! Helping friends is never a waste of time,

so don't worry & happy that I was able to make a difference

Some of my resolutions are a tad bit too difficult to keep, but whenever I'm aware of myself, I try my best to do it. In this case, it was about excuses. I have resolved to stop making excuses because

"One may have a thousand reasons for failure but not a single excuses"

Well, regarding the ants, that's a matter big enough and important enough to deserve its own article, so keep an eye out for it.

The stuff about curiosity is even more important, so much so that not only does it deserve an article of its own, it also deserves an explicit mention here. After this chat session, I was talking about the topic to a dear friend of mine when she said playfully,
"Curiosity is not that good"
to which I instinctively replied,
"If one doesn't have curiosity, what else is there to live for?"

Think about it. If you are not curious, it is impossible to learn anything (take 'learn' in its deepest sense, which is the only way of understanding). And without learning, even a 7 year old is too old. If you learn and keep learning throughout your life, even when 70, you will be young. So, curiosity is the only thing that keeps you young, the moment you lose it, start preparing your obituary because you'll be as good as dead very soon!! So, stay keen to learn and if you lose your curiosity along the way, always turn back and get it back , no matter what monster lurks in the shadow where you lost it!!

I know, this post is a bit too long, but I'll wrap up with the second chat, here goes,

Me: Definitely not true, what do you think the

rest of the companies are doing?

Its just that unlike CS [Computer Science], other jobs may not give you huge income in a few years & then kick you out

For those who are passionate , jobs will always be there

Her: sure sure.

Why sweat your ass when there is always an easy way to being rich?

Me: But, when you sit on a pile of cash thinking

"What the hell am I doing with my life??",

you wouldn't get the same feeling of satisfaction that hardwork gives you

Hardwork pays in more than currency!

Her: oh sure. nice philosophy.

Me: well, its a philosophy that I truly believe in;

Have been true so far in my life.

First off, let me clarify that I'm not saying that all IT companies take in recruits, work their heads off and kick them out. But there are many that do.

We were talking about the prospects of different branches of engineering. Of late, in these parts, it seems most graduates are absorbed by IT companies irrespective of the brach. But I find it kind of wrong. It think its not because the other industries don't want new recruits, but because of the fact that IT field pays a lot more in a very short time. I think there is also a very evident dip in the knowledge level of the average student who passes out of a graduate course. They may know something from their text (sadly, sometimes not even that can be said confidently! ) but most don't know to or don't bother to venture beyond the realms of their textbooks or the exam syllabus. The world is full of opportunities, one just needs to open the eyes instead of complaining of darkness while keeping the eyes shut.

For my part, I feel and believe that money and knowledge earned through hardwork is far more satisfying. It is far sweeter to enjoy and it is far more precious than the "Easy come, easy go" money.
The world has enough to sustain anyone willing to work for the daily bread. I'm not saying luxury is bad or that one shouldn't enjoy the "finer things of life", but just make sure that you earn it before you enjoy it.

That is definitely my longest post and I hope that it helps someone, somewhere, sometime.....
Till next time,
--Diff.Thinkr

Beauty?

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 04:48:00 +0000

I just couldn't stop myself from expressing this, but what happened to all that talk about natural beauty and self acceptance? Of late I've been seeing more and more ads about beauty products in the course of my short cartoon, science shows and movies and the newer ones really have started to bother me. The latest one is a new "Underarm fairness cream/deodorant" or something of that sort!!

Why this obsession with extreme fairness? One of the latest ads featured two girls, one of them as pale skinned as the 'white people' (please don't take this as a racist phrase) and this one asking the other how she got an even paler skin!! Frankly
the second girl looked absolutely sick and it is very much obvious that the 'glow' was a visual effect. But thats where the cosmetic companies set the standards in people's minds. I remember an episode of Phineas and Ferb (my favourite cartoon) which talked of the same stuff.

In it, Candace (Phineas & ferb's sister who drank a growth elixir ) says

I just realized something.You both make money off of people's natural insecurities. You show people oddballs so that they'll feel better about themselves, and you make beauty totally unattainable so they'll feel worse about themselves. Look at me. I'm 50 feet tall now and it's still out of reach.

Well, that's exactly what the cosmetics companies do. They advertise products not because they know that people want their products but to make sure that they grow a need for the products in their prospective customers. They plant it, feed it, nurture it just like a plant and finally reap their rewards leaving their customers no room for doubt or remorse because they (the customers) are in no way aware of the 'rat trap' they are in. Once they are in, most stay there trapped for the rest of their lives, unaware of the illusion that they live, see and breath.

Sometimes I see ladies who are covered in makeup and wonder "Why would they go to all this trouble just to look so hideous?". I'm not exaggerating. Its a fact. Many just put on as much make up as they can, so much so that you don't see the person at all, just a puppet made of make up controlled by a poor fool who got too obsessed with what others told him/her that they forgot to listen to their own hearts and bodies.

And I'm not talking just about the fairer sex. Its the men too. They too have fallen prey. A couple of years back, fairness cream for men was completely unheard of, at least in these parts of the world. But now they too are on the rise, maybe its the price hike that's forcing to companies to scam more of the demography!

And speaking of perfumes, I often wonder, "What happened to all the people's noses??" I didn't know there were so many anosmic (impaired sense of smell) people in the world. Many so called 'perfumes' are often so irritating that its not occasionally that I've had to hold my breath to stop myself from suffering. But then, most people are not bothered by it and definitely not the one wearing it. Well, that's owing to the amazing wizardry of our Mother Nature. The nose, our other sensory organs are extremely adaptive to any changes. Just think back to a time when you stepped out of the sunlight into a dark room. The eye slowly adapts itself to the lack of light or in other words it adapts itself back from a state of excess light. Similarly, if you are exposed to a particular smell for an extend period of time, the nose automatically decreases our sensitivity to that particular smell. But the process is much slower than that for the eye and is even more slower when it comes to recovering the sensitivity.

Do I hear you thinking "Hey, what's wrong with losing a bit of sensitivity to smell?" Well, whats wrong with losing a hand or a foot? Nothing much except that you would be handicapped with regard to any related action. If you have a particular talent or power, why lose it? By willingly sacrificing your senses you sacrifice your ability to enjoy the finer things of life, the smell of the first rain, the morning dew, the blooming flowers.

Then comes the anti-perspirants. Weighing a bit of sweat against stopping the body from wanting to cool itself, in my balance, the former is much much heavier. I think its downright wrong to force the body against its wills. I'm not advocating against medicines but remember, just because it comes in handy doesn't make its hasty overuse more handy. It just makes it more dangerous. Deodorants definitively are better than anti-perspirants! But I dont advocate either of these.

Every one is beautiful in their own right. A little bit of something to enhance it isn't wrong but as the saying goes "Too much of even ambrosia is a poison". If you must use a perfume, prefer lighter tones, the ones that don't overpower but complements you, if you must use make up, use lightly and sparingly, make it complement you not hide you.

Wanting to overpower is a sign of weakness. A sign that says very loudly, "I don't really look good or smell good. That's why I'm presenting you with this look or smell and hiding the real ones". It sometimes says, "Hey people, I don't bother about what you think about me as long as you notice me" and it secretly says "I'm afraid and ashamed of myself and so don't see the real me, but you may look at this fake me as much as you like."

Personally, I'm proud to say, I don't use any of these stuff, not even talcum powder and never faced any problems. Not because I'm good looking but because I'm confident on my stand and that's how I intend to be.

But there is one more topic that's worth mentioning since I got your attention. Body Image.

In psychology, it typically refers to one's perceptions, beliefs, and emotional attitudes towards one's body. --Wikipedia

Seeing people tying to get thinner and thinner and then a little more thinner is extremely saddening. Trying to stay fit and healthy is not wrong, on the contrary, it is essential. But trying to get a 'hourglass' or any similar perceptions is utterly wrong. Its unhealthy and unnatural.

Here is an audio of a program from a CBC reporter on body Images in India. It's amazing what resources one can find if one puts a few hours into it! This is the original link. Amazingly, the program talks about the preceptions of Indian society about both body size and skin color!!

Other Reads: Some links that I came across in the process of searching supporting articles for this post.

How fair is Fair & Lovely?
Indian's and Fairness
Photoshop-ed Images as ads
Body Image: Loving your body inside and out
Myths and Legends: An FAQ

Just a legal statement: All of these links were "safe" at the time of posting. I'm in no way responsible for the contents of any external links.

If you know of any other links, please let me know.

PS: If you know of someone suffering from a bad body image or the social stigma of skin tone, don't leave it be. Please talk out and create awareness. Direct them to this post or any similar ones but please make sure that you got through it before referring someone to it or you could end up doing more harm than good!!

I, Me & Myself

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 01:46:00 +0000

Ever felt bad when you've had a great day followed by a bland one?
It made me think, "Hey, if all days were bland, then I wouldn't have felt bad." It isn't the most ideal solution. In fact, it isn't a solution at all nor do I claim it to be one. It's just a thought that popped into my head. I wonder why I felt bad about it.

A smile..

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 05:09:00 +0000

When I leave a post half way through for more than a month at a stretch I know that I'm getting obsessed with my "hobbies".

Back to the more important stuff, the other day , one of my old classmate put up a picture of hers on Facebook and I was astonished. Back then, all of us knew that we couldn't stop her from smiling but now, after two years, when I asked her about the serious looking photo she had put up, all she said was, "I've changed. Can't I be serious?".

Of course people can change, but the question is, for the better or for worse?

Of all the people that I've met, very few have the uncanny ability to keep smiling even in the face of adversity. I've always admired their ability to fill any group with life and energy and to keep people active. It is a trait that I keep trying to acquire and I can confidently say "I haven't" . Maybe this admiration is due to the fact that I'm unable to keep any conversation going on with most people barring a handful or because I once forgot how to smile or because ... no, I don't know why, but I do admire them and it is such a shame that they do not realise the immense power of a simple sweet smile can have on the world and its beings. I hope she does.

Looking Back...

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 04:41:00 +0000

I'm just about to step into another 'phase' of my life, from schools to colleges (hopefully) and I just read through most of my older posts. Now I feel that starting this blog was a great idea. It brings back old and forgotten times back to life, long forgotten ideas back to the lime light and makes sweet memories and (sometimes sour) feelings astonishingly real.

The main chord that I felt is "Enjoy Life". Hopefully, I wouldn't forget so often again. Excuses is yet another field I feel I need to improve in. No, not make them better but rather not make them at all.

Here's an easy way to get an easy view of all the posts

On to my offline activities, I read one of the poems that I had to learn 2 years back. It's a great Malayalam poem. One of the few Malayalam stuff that I read willingly. I felt it was as apt time for me to read it.

Ears and a Brain

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Tue, 10 May 2011 14:38:00 +0000

The other day, I was discussing some things with a friend of mine when I suddenly came up with a metaphor ( I'm sure its not a metaphor but have no idea what else to call it! )

How come we have two ears and bang in the middle sits our brain? Its because we are supposed to take everything through one ear and let everything through the other. The brain sits there to filter and process. We should not take the things we hear as such but should think about it, rationalize it with your own arguments and then and only then accept it.

If in case you are wondering why I said that we must let everything through the other ear, I guess I was "drawing power" from an old and famous Buddhist saying, "Only an empty cup can be filled".

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 08:03:00 +0000

In case someone wondered, I'm still alive and breathing. Sorry for the long gap, had lots of exams and looking forward to a couple more.

This "exam season" was a real eye opener for me. All the exams that I wrote in the past two months are supposed to be "important" and "life-changing" exams. But for some reason, I felt not a bit of anxiety or fear. My friends were almost cursing me for my carefree attitude.

Fear is a monster lurking in the shadows to catch the unwary. It is like a "logic suppressant". I say this for good reason for I have experienced it.

One day, a couple of months back I was completely overcome by an irrational fear ... I don't know why! But it completely froze me out and I was almost paranoid that day and to this day I still don't know what I was afraid of that day. I tried my best to reason myself out of it but it was no good. That incident made me realized how dangerous a phenomenon fear is. Of course, in certain cases, fear helps with adrenaline as when your are about to face a black bear but then in today's world, adrenaline seems too slow especially with all the speeding cars on todays roads!

The fact that it almost always seems to decrease performance is all the more reason to avoid it at all cost!

Moving on, even with all these exams on hand I have managed to keep my 'work' schedule intact. It was something I had promised myself that I would do this season as most of the time in the past I used to completely change my timetables and it would wreck everything. Now, some days I program from 8 am to 9pm with maybe an hour of lunch and a couple of naps towards the evening. That around 10 hours a day! Thanks to workrave I'm still almost fit. Sometimes I think that I'm going crazy and then realize that I'm safe from such a situation as I already am crazy!!

Well, ces't la vie ...

Education, Supernaturalism and Madness!!

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 16:28:00 +0000

Today, we had our formal farewell function at school but just before that we had 3 to 4 hours of pooja ( its a Hindu ritual like an invocation).

I think I can safely say that my position on such things are clear for most people who know me (otherwise it will be as you read along) but what disturbed me the most is not the fact that most of the students didn't even care what was going on but the fact that even when the teachers are "trying" their best to help the students (through the pooja) the students still remained unruly and kept played pranks on each other. What's the point of prayers if you cant behave well to our friends and elders?

Well, I couldn't bear all this, so I said so to my class teacher and moved out of the room. A nearby classroom was empty, so I just went inside and found a note book lying around. Inquisitive as I am, I started reading the book and guess what?
I found even the answers of an 8th standard student revealing!!

It was the English (as in English subject) notebook. The first page was an essay on positive attitude. (Too bad I don't remember the contents of the book exactly. They were much better. But I'll try my best to convey the meaning). It said , in the first line,

"Positive attitude may not make much of a change but the fact that I annoys people enough makes it worth the effort."

The teacher had circled 'annoys' but I am of the opinion that she (the child) was very much right. Notice the word 'enough'. That conveys that it (annoying) actually performs some function other than just for the sake of annoying. Sometimes people just wont listen to reason but something annoying certainly catches any ones attention!

I continued flipping through the pages and I came across another revealing essay.
It was about "Supernatural vs Realism". The first paragraph was about supernatural. It said (approximately)

"These days we see a lot of rituals and functions to move away negative energies, so I believe that supernatural exists".

The second paragraph was about realism which said (again approximately)

"Realism is the tendency to view or represent things as they really are. ...( some other stuff that said something like realism is to how things really are etc. ) .... I believe in the supernatural than realism!!

That last comment made me think, what are we teaching our children. Whose ideals are the real and true ideals. Who is right about anything when it comes to such controversial topics. Most will believe what they hear without giving it a second thought. But what I find unacceptable is the fact that if we feed small children with certain thoughts or opinions, especially by people whom they trust completely (like their teachers) then it will stick to them. They will never even think about question it. They will never have the power or will to break out of that web which weaves around their mind! That box which closes itself pretty tightly! Well, most don't. Some however do, and when they talk, the others say "he's mad"

Remember Horton Hears A Who the elephant who heard little people on a clover? In it the mayor tells the city council that their centennial celebrations have to be postponed because of the anomalies caused by their moving home. And the council is too engrossed in celebrating that they forgo the safety of the citizens and says that the Mayor is a "boob". Horton (the elephant) who is the only person who can hear the people on the clover (by virtue of his large ears) too faces a similar dilemma. Nobody believes him and says (in effect) that he is mad.

For some reason, I seem to be able acknowledge such comments about me. Over the years I have heard it many a times from many of my close friends and my reply is yes. After all madness is relative. One man's madness might be another's genius!

Getting on with the events of the day, we had the formal function where some school authorities and the principal and teachers were present apart from us 99 students and a couple of juniors. We heard a couple of speeches and all the while the phrase "Good Education" kept turning up. And then one of the teachers said,

'You should listen to and obey your teachers always. They might be wrong sometimes but you have to listen and obey no matter.'

These two phrases totally cranked my head up.

What is a good education? For the most part of it, there is a good consensus but as in the case above, what is right is a question that can always rise up once in a while. But then people go with the majority opinion. But is the majority always right? Certainly not! Just because a hundred people solves an equation wrongly doesn't make the wrong way the 'right way'. It just makes it an attractive (and deadly) hideout.

On to the second point, how could any one justify obeying an advice that you know is wrong? Making mistakes is not a fault but (in my honest opinion) saying that one has to blindly listen to anyone ( a teacher or parent or any other for that matter) seems absurd to me. If in doubt, ask them for their justification. It may just be that they might have taken an accidental wrong turn in their thought process. Work it out. Reason and justify as far as possible. As the heroine of a Bollywood movie said (in the movie Jab We Met)

"It is better to live life according to your own opinion. That way, if something doesn't turn out right, you wouldn't have to blame others for your failure !"

Before I wrap up, I would like to narrate one more incident of the day. We all were expecting to receive our hall tickets today, but later came to know that we would have to go get it on another day. So, when I got some time, just before the beginning of the function, I went and talked to my English teacher who was about. I asked her if she knew why we were not given the hall tickets that day and she replied she didn't know and said that the "person who gives the orders" (the Principal) said so and so, it is so. Then I asked her if she could ask the Principal to give us the Hall tickets today and what she said next really annoyed me. She said "When you grow up and live your life, you come to realise that there is something called self respect and that it is sometimes better to keep quiet." That may be true to some extent but it sounded like a lame excuse for not doing things that you know are true but you are too 'shaken' or 'afraid of retribution' to speak up about. Then I just told her that

"That is what always happens. We know what is right and we 'talk about talking about it' (its not an accidental repetition but exactly what I meant) but never do so. Actions are what we need, not words."

That just about wraps up a most revealing day!! What do you think?

P.S. Reading this article, please don't conclude that I don't respect my teachers or mentors. I do respect all my teachers from the bottom of my heart for their commitment and dedication and make my best efforts to not sound disrespectful.

Forget... A Fool's Ramblings?

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 06:10:00 +0000

In this busy life,
Amidst the rush and rife,
Often do we forget our kith and kin
Our friends but not enemies
Love but not hatred
Reason and often logic.

In the quest for the big
and the thirst for power
Often do we forget the beauty of the small.
The flutter of the wings
The sound of the raindrops
The smell of the first rain
The twinkling of the stars.

In the wake of a new age
And a new found life
Often do we forget what we ought realise.
The balance of nature
Our eternal bonds with it
The insignificance of our beings
And the echoes of the past.

Where are we sprinting off to?
In search of a golden treasure
at the end of the rainbow?
In pursuit of some greater content?
To make the world a better place?
[But for whom?]
Or is it just some great big misunderstanding
Or just a fool's ramblings?

What's in a name?

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 08:11:00 +0000

Often, when people who don't know me for long hear me addressing my sister (she's 7 years elder) , they are surprised or even questioning.

Well, I just address her as if she's someone of my own age or sometimes even someone younger. It's not a pronoun that means exactly 'younger sister' or anything even close ( I just don't know any equivalent or similar expression in English! ). It's just like an informal address. But, let me make clear that it isn't because I don't respect her or love her, it's just that we are really good 'friends' too.

It's weird that we consider something more respectful than the other. Consider this. One may call ones sister , 'sister', dee dee (दीदी) (Remember Dexter's sister, well, its actually a Hindi word meaning the same! ), sis or any other local word.

There's this story that might get things into a better perspective.

Once upon a time there was a fool and he wanted to become wise. So, he went to a wise but arrogant sage and asked for advice but as it happened, the sage was very angry at that moment and told him to "mind his own business",so to speak. (the exact translation is something more like "idiotic ash-gourd"(വിഡ്ഢി കൂശ്മാണ്ടം) but it sounds right only in Malayalam.) Well, the poor fool believing that it was some kind of spell kept on chanting the phrase over and over again for many years.

Years later, (if my memory serves right) the sage somehow encounters a very wise man and the man thanks him (the sage) and upon enquiry it was found that it was the same fool (who became wise). When asked how it came to be so, the man reminded the sage the story of the phrase. (The rest, I don't remember! Sorry!).

But the important point is that even though it was just a scolding, by just believing the that it was something powerful or helpful helped (more like a placebo effect!) the man achieve his goal. So, its not in the words or sounds that we use but what they mean to us that matters. After all, words and sounds are 'defined' by us. So, its effects change with the definitions.

Its what you think and how you respect or consider someone or something that matters in the end. So take care... and Think...

Kudos ..

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 12:31:00 +0000

Kudos to James Cameron for Titanic the movie. I know its 14 years late but just yesterday I saw the whole movie after a long time.

The last time I saw it , I was pretty young. But yesterday, I realised that I was such a hugely powerful movie. Never before have I been so awestruck by a movie that I was stuck for half an hour after that. The emotions, the pain, the power of true love, the true human nature, all beautifully brought out.

Simply Amazing...

It's That Time Again!!

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 13:33:00 +0000

Another year is passing us by,
a year of hectic schedules, loads of work, endless list of things to study.

Yet, a year of revelations, thoughts, words, actions, self discovery, seeding of thoughts, influencing, (and, to some extent being influenced), discovering new friends and old ones too, surprising facts, mind boggling riddles, little naughtiness ;) and loads of fun.

I learnt a lot this year, more than what my schools taught me, a lot more! I now see beauty in all creatures. Everything fascinates me. I'm more observant and a lot more curious. And it is my honest belief that I think I have passed on at least some of these thoughts, insights and way of life to my friends, which I think will make a difference.

The year past may have taught us much but may the year ahead teach us much much more. And it's finally time to do it again...

THINK ANEW!!

--Diff Thinkr

Just Be Yourself

noreply@blogger.com (Diff.Thinkr) — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 15:07:00 +0000

"jz b urself..!!..no more an no less!!"

(Just be Yourself..!! no more and no less!!)

So wrote a close friend of mine while chatting and over the past few days the same message came up over many media. Each time I put them aside but this time I Write!

Remember Ratatouille ? That movie about a cute little mouse that wanted to be a chef and finally rose up to be one?

Remember Po? That Big Fat Panda who fought the strong and most feared tiger to save the whole Valley ?

None of them were anything above the rest and they were certainly not 'born' to be the 'one' and yet by just being themselves , not by their race, caste, creed, or relatives, but just themselves, they did what they dreamed to.

Why would being yourself serve you better than trying to be someone else like some great hero form the past? For a very simple reason which we often forget. "You are what you are." You are best equipped to be yourself and only yourself. Trying to be someone else is like living the rest of your lives behind a mask of shame.

Did anybody watch Narnia:The voyage of the Dawn Treader? Well, in it Lucy wishes to be more like her sister Susan and the 'Lion' Aslan shows her how important she (Lucy) is as she is. Aslan reminds her that it was because of Lucy that the four of them found Narnia and hence is extremely important and reminds her to be , in effect, be herself.

Now, I wish to take you on a journey (not much of a journey but still for namesakes let it be called so) to an incident from my English class.

One day our English teacher asked us to name our role models/ favourites. Most of them named either a movie star or a national leader or their parents or someone of that sort. As it happened I was to say mine almost to the end and when I got my chance all I had to say was "None". I told her that I take something from everyone. When you think about it , no one is perfect. Then how can you have a single 'Role model' . As I find it, the best thing one can do is learn what seems apt from everyone that you meet. What you learn and imbibe from someone will always be in tune with what you really are. It will be always be you.

Also, don't think that if your are 'different' in any way, people would not accept you. Always keep in mind, there will always be some who accept you for who you are and love you just because you are you. I believe that only such friendships and relations have the ability to be happy and last a long time. If you are a 'geek', don't think that you wont get friends or that people wouldn't 'hang out' with you. Never, I repeat, Never Ever change yourself with such ideas in mind. Those who are with you when you are 'you' will be the only ones who will be there when you are in need the most.

If there is one resolution that I take on every birthday of mine, its " I'll not change in any way just because I'm an year older " (and probably not even a day wiser). Over the years, as soon as I started realising 'things' I decided I'll always try to keep the 'child' in me alive. The curiosity, and inexhaustible inquisitiveness of a child are the most valuable things that everyone has to retain throughout life. I bet that It's going to be your key to success.

Above all , Keep in mind,

You are what you Believe You are, not what others say or think you are.
Destiny Is what You make of it, so don't sulk around about 'circumstances'.

Adieu for now ..

PS. I have started a new Photo Blog . Do check it out at ThinkabtBeauty.

PPS (PS after a PS ;) ) Here's what Sky mentioned. (BTW, she's my one and only sister. And if you are wondering if she is as crazy, maybe this will help.) But I can assure you, I'm not "that" small...

Him:	I did way below my expectations for the exams
	and I'm totally disappointed
Me:	which exam?
Him:	That may be pulling me back.
	The exams that we wrote a month ago. Have you already forgotten?
	"THE ENTRANCES"
Me:	Learn from the past, live in the present, work for the future.
	Its over so leave it.
Him:	How do u like to see yourself after 10 years?
Me:	Well & fine, happy & content, hardworking & diligent,
	curious & childish in learning as ever,
	What about you?

Him:	Nicely said
	Don't ask me now [about his future]
	I have to really think it over
Him:	I'm asking this question to many
	and taking the positives
Me:	Its nothing to think .
	Its all about your outlook
Him:	And I have to set a goal
Me:	You cant take it from others
	You have to develop it yourself
Him:	before I go to a college and work to achieve
Me:	There is a mistake
Him:	Its complicated............ I really have to sort out my priorities
	and make some kind of a list .
Me:	You don't go to a college & work to achieve
	You work to achieve & go to a college just for help
	Lists WILL not help you .
	I'll tell you frankly .
Him:	yep, there you said it .
Me:	Its about the outlook .
	Its about ideals .
	Its about vision .
	Lists will be made & left around...
	The list should be forged in your mind
	deep in your mind

Him:	There's relief talking to you
	I don't know why
Me:	Good to know.
Him:	But I'm really worried these few days
	Feels like I'm living for nothing...........
	going 2 school .......... then 2 college
Me:	A couple of my close friends have told me the same
	[I was referring to the relief]
	Although most of the time they have no idea what I'm taking about
	You should live to learn
	If you ask me what is the one thing that I would like to keep for the rest of my life
	I would say "a child's curiosity"
	I think its the most precious ability one can ever have
	Unbound , Fearless, Relentless curiosity
Him:	Does it come naturally to you or have you developed it?
Me:	I feel like giving an interview for my biography!!
	Curiosity, everyone has.
Him:	You are helping me
Me:	Its just that people forget or becomes afraid to ask
	Question what you see around.
	You'll probably get beaten around a couple of times
	(not just metaphorically !!!)
	but its gives an amazing feeling of happiness & satisfaction to learn things on your own
	Its possible, just keep your senses open
	Remember the small red light that kept blinking in the KSRTC bus?
Him:	yes...........................did u figure that out
Me:	Nope, I didn't. I guess because I don't know where to ask....
	[Me breaking my own resolutions!!]
	but if you see something keep it in your mind
	just a reference
	You never know when its gonna help
	in my house, if I kill a mosquito, I'll just leave it on the ground
	the ants will do the garbage collection.
	I had to fight a lot with my mom & dad to convince
	them of this but they kind of are, finally!
	Now we can coexist!
	A type of symbiosis!
Him:	so what are you saying?
Me:	Its about the fighting ...
Him:	I'm listening
	It was nice talking to you
Him:	If I've wasted your time.. sorry
	but it really made a difference to me
	Thank you very very much
Me:	Hey! Helping friends is never a waste of time,
	so don't worry & happy that I was able to make a difference

Me:	Definitely not true, what do you think the
	rest of the companies are doing?
	Its just that unlike CS [Computer Science], other jobs may not give you huge income in a few years & then kick you out
	For those who are passionate , jobs will always be there
Her:	sure sure.
	Why sweat your ass when there is always an easy way to being rich?
Me:	But, when you sit on a pile of cash thinking
	"What the hell am I doing with my life??",
	you wouldn't get the same feeling of satisfaction that hardwork gives you
	Hardwork pays in more than currency!
Her:	oh sure. nice philosophy.
Me:	well, its a philosophy that I truly believe in;
	Have been true so far in my life.