Long time.

Long Long Long Long time, posting some thing. I am missing this too, with many other matters :-)
nowadays I am working on the job actually ;-) Well, jokes apart...there is lots to post. Work & life & travel & family & friends & neighbours & play & thoughts & lots & lots ...On the verge of finishing the 2009 whole caboodle of posts are waiting to be read by...

Close up:
‘Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter’.
- Satchel Paige

Socialism

The late Adrian Rogers said, "you cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."
This man is truly a genius! An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before, but had once failed an entire class. That class had insisted that Obama's socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer.
The professor then said, "OK, we will have an experiment in this class on Obama's plan". All grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive an A. After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone got a B. The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy. As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too so they studied little. The second test average was a D! No one was happy. When the 3rd test rolled around, the average was an F. The scores never increased as bickering, blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else.
All failed, to their great surprise, and the professor told them that socialism would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great but when government takes all the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed. Could not be any simpler than that.

~ An email forward.

Close up:
“KSHAMA VIRASYA BHUSHANAM"
(Forgiveness adorns the brave Or forgiveness is the hero's adornment)

I search Between…

Between a worry and a wonder,
In the opus of time, between each day and night.
That spactrum in the drop of dew,
Between the sun and the drop.
A little seed, has grown into tree with flowers.
Between the seed and the flower.
Dusted dreams,
Between the sapience and sin.
Still searching for you,
Between a decision and a mistake.

Close up:

"A witty saying proves nothing."
~ Voltaire (1694-1778)"

Of Ghalib and Bakshi

A poet and an author, A piece in personality...here are some picks.
Hum ko malum hai jannat ki haqiqat lekin
Dil ko khush rakhne ko Ghalib, yeh khayal accha hai
“Though, I do know the realness of Paradise;However, for consoling my heart, the idea is good Ghalib !”

qaasid ke aate-aate KHat ik aur likh rakhooN
maiN jaanta hooN jo woh likhenge jawaab meiN
[qaasid = messenger (who brings a ‘khat’ = letter)]
“Oh my eagerness… Before the Postman arrives, I am ready with my letter. Well, I already know what would have been written in the response though.”

Aah ko chahiye ek umra asar hone tak, Kaun jeeta hai teri zulf ke sar hone tak?
“A sigh needs a lifetime until the coming-about of an effect, who [habitually] lives until the becoming- (subdued/tamed) of your curls? “

Aata hai dag-e-hasrat-dil ka shumar yaad
Mujse mere gunah ka hisab ee khuda na maang.
“Oh Lord! The number of wounds/scars of the longing/grief of the heart comes to my mind when you ask the account of my sin. (My unfulfilled yearnings left scars in my heart. I counted these scars as long as I lived. My life was measured in the reckoning of these scars of defeat. Now that you ask me for an account of my sins (my moments of pleasure), I am reminded of my life in your world...)”

Dil he toh hai na sang-o-Khisht, Dard say bhar na aye kyun?
Royengay hum hazar baar, koi humein sataye kyun?
Qaid-e-Hayat-o-Band-e-Ghum asl mein donon ek hain,
Maut say pehlay aadmi ghum say nijaat paye kyun?
“Just a Heart it is, not a brick or stone. Why shouldn't it feel the pain? Life and grief are one actually, If I am relived from pain, won't I just die off ? (The formulas of life and bonds of sorrow, In reality are the (same) one manifestation, Before realizing the ultimate truth How can then one attain liberation?)”
~ Ghalib Mirza Asadullah Khan
-----------------*------------------*-----------------------

-Neither he comes on open land nor does he go into deep water. Turtle. Under 2 feet water or half dried mud, anything different and it goes in the shell, Life is truly Longer and safer if you know to how to live like a Turtle.
-You need tons of logic to justify your own point.
-If you work too hard for the fun Boy, you are ill.
-Body is a house of mirrors, And a dog trapped in, keeps barking at its own reflections.
-"Get me the Cactus, with flowers, doesn't die easily and can survive without water."
-Those who expect too less from the life don't get anything at all.
~Chandrakant Bakshi.


Close up:
"Love must surely reside in the gap between desire and fulfillment, in the lack, not the contentment. Love is the ache, the anticipation, the retreat, everything around it but the emotion itself."
~Kiran Desai

Shoe saga

I don’t know but I find my shoes create more fuss than me. And now I recollect all the flutters related to my sandals ......Back home in my sisters wedding, I was all dressed up, with shiny Cinderella shoes. I left home with my cousin on his bike. We were heading a function; I had rested my one foot on exhaust pipe…by the time we reached the marriage hall, only one foot had the shoe and another shoe was melted.
That was about couple of years ago, something nice was happening in my life. I used to go to temple those days. One pair of white sandals, which I loved, with turquoise stone over it…Was flicked from that temple. Finally, I had prayed, “God! Let the thief enjoys my favorite sandals.”
During my car smash when dealing with reckless auto driver-police, my stiletto broke off, to add the drama into action.
It was an important meeting at office. As I arrived early at 7AM, soon after I sat at my desk…’thak’…Another endearing pair of shoes betrayed me, I pleaded my male colleague to get me something to wear for the entire day. However, first, I asked all the girls to land me their footwear and they refused considering my shoe-size.
This guy brought me green color bathroom slippers with big flowers on it … Anyways, I was deeply grateful for that even.
Yesterday me and my Friend went shopping, I was still talking about this fine-looking expensive footgear, with delicate white strings….
So engrossed in the talk, unknowing, I kicked (not stepped) on the edge of the pothole …’Khatak… Aah’ There it goes one more pair… L whole of the evening I dragged myself with broken footwear. And I am looking forward to get my “fine-looking expensive footgear, with delicate white strings” repaired. :-)

Close up:
"You laugh at me because I am different, but I laugh at you because you are all the same."
~ Unknown

The Logical Song - Supertramp

When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderful,a miracle, oh it was beautiful, magical.
And all the birds in the trees, well they’d be singing so happily,joyfully, playfully watching me.
But then they send me away to teach me how to be sensible,logical, responsible, practical.
And they showed me a world where I could be so dependable,clinical, intellectual, cynical.
There are times when all the world’s asleep,the questions run too deep for such a simple man.
Won’t you please, please tell me what we’ve learned I know it sounds absurd but please tell me who I am.
Now watch what you say or they’ll be calling you a radical, liberal, fanatical, criminal.
Won’t you sign up your name. we’d like to feel you’re acceptable, respectable, presentable, a vegetable!
At night, when all the world’s asleep, the questions run so deep for such a simple man.
Won’t you please, please tell me what we’ve learned I know it sounds absurd but please tell me who I am? who I am? who I am?
- Reading of the week, Image from flickr (Angle Conde).


Close up:
"Life's disappointments are harder to take when you don't know any swear words."
-Calvin

Why...

They loose who are to win,
They win who are to loose.
They forgot who retained,
They retained who forgot.

Close up:
“When my daughter was seven years old, she asked me one day what I did at work. I told her I worked at the college - my job was to teach people how to draw. She stared at me, incredulous, and said, You mean they forget?‟
- Howard Ikemoto (artist and art professor)

Blah…Blah…Blah.

‘N’ is intelligent and cute and affectionate….and so young (Naturally at my age my other single friends seem sOoOo young…hee hee). I am friends with ‘N’ from past 14 months. I was appointed as mentor to ‘N’ and the friendship strengthened …to amaze me.
I am so very touched with this friendship and innocent liking.
With the extreme gratefulness… I confess … It is Shangri-la !!!
Mmmmmuha to my all friends.
The freedom. The thankfulness for being accepted for whatever load of crap we are.

I met her some three weeks back. While talking to me she cited “This is a new part of my being so far, the situation made me realize my personality consists even this”.
I had a counter thought “I am the joint efforts of everyone - Disarranged - Stochastic - So little in me is original.”

This weird feeling is following me from past 25 years…Then I was 6-7, I wanted to be 16-17, then 26-27 quickly. I awaited the decade ahead, to see if any magic unfolds. However, it never happened though…I am still looking forward to it…
Now I wanna grow 36-37 and reach 46-47 then 56-57 instantly.
To check ..what actually happens after these many countless years to life?
I was in the cafeteria; I saw the printed photo of the 104 year old lady in the news paper.
There I was gazing my stick hands – and envisaged my skin being wrinkled like how the hair irrupts on Jack Nicolson in ‘Woolf’. My imagination continued, Like in the flashback movies, does the surrounding looks yellowish? Have people turned at me as if I have grown to an IT honcho?
NO. Not yet….Wait.
It remains unrevealed, difficult to decipher….Damn, What the hell is going on !?
I remember asking my parents, “Did the darkness have the same color when you guys were young”? They said “Yes”. Dingy Grey.
And I left thinking that the color of the darkness going to change….So, I have to stop getting scared of darkness.
Time tells everything, but I want time to tell me everything - Now, Right here – Right Now.
It’s very important to keep on living to see what happens at last !! :-)
My borrowed wisdom is not going to work. We have to sit and make our own mistakes to figure that out.
I am indeed impatient.

Close up:
"Philosophy is what losers use to pretend that losing doesn’t matter"
~Radhika Jha

Reading of the week - (Music and lyrics)

I know what it's like, to live with a shadow overhead.
I've been lonely for so long.
Trapped in the past, I just can't seem to move on
I've been hiding all my hopes, And dreams away
Just in case, I ever need 'em, Again someday
I've been setting aside time
To clear a little space, In the corners of my mind
There are moments, When I don't know if it's real…
Or if anybody feels the way I feel…
I need inspiration, Not just another negotiation…
All I wanna do, Is find a way back...

Close up:
A morning breeze has a secret to tell me “Do not go back to sleep again”.
~Rumi

It happens:

These people are my neighbors in Surat. Beautiful family of four. Daughter got married long ago. Younger one is a son (say Alok). My sister’s friend (say Aarti) used to come to my house and this guy fell in love with the girl.It’s an old story though. They are Rajasthani and they have quite a strong following of the Dowry system. Aunty is kind of dominant and little difficult but nice person otherwise. She got to know about the Alok & Aarti…
And there goes the Rocking and reeling. :-) Aunty asked Alok to bring Aarti home, and she had a straight talk, ‘How much your father can afford to give for Alok? He is my only loving son.’Aarti must have looked at Alok. Alok must have been speechless. Aunty was happy. After a week, Alok took the charge and gave the stalemate, Either Aarti or nobody. Haa Haa…. Aunty had better weapons in her arsenal. Hunger strike. Alok was helpless. Since Aunty was taken to hospital, He gave up after a week. Hale Mother !! Alok asked Aarti to get married to another man. She said NO. He pleaded saying, “unless you get married I can’t, and my mother is dying”. Ten days later, Aarti got married to the first person she found and next week Alok was engaged to another rich girl. Aunty was happy with the copious amount of Dowry….
And they lived little-little-death-each-day ever after….
Every time I see them I think “How can parents be so smart and wise to pain their child for the entire life? May be its tough for me to believe because I have not seen, there exists a father who rapes the daughter, there exists a mother who sale the new born for 2500/- cash, there exists a set of parents who gunned down the young couple in Punjab for getting married…Its Life Baby. All of us have our own share. Doing good/right costs.”

But Again, Why is Aunty’s hatred (towards Aarti’s misery) was stronger than the love (for her adored son)?
Close up:
‘If you make a mistake and get all tangled up, you just tango on.’
~ Scent of a woman.

The IDIOT.

One day, Mullah Nasruddin had invited a high literate professor to his house for the lunch. Upon the arrival of the arrogant professor at Nasruddin’s house, the professor knocked and knocked and knocked. When nobody answered, he looked through the windows and found no one. The professor still waited, and as he waited, he became angrier and angrier and angrier.
“Why, doesn’t he know who am I?” the proud professor roared as he stamped around in the front courtyard. Finally, he became so angry he grabbed a pencil and scrabbled on his door, “IDIOT”!

Well, at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, Nasruddin came back home and suddenly recalled!
“Oh Good God” !!
He ran back to the market looking for the professor and when he found him, Nasruddin said, “I’m so sorry, please forgive me. I thought back our meeting when I saw your name written of my door.”

Close up: “Hypocrisy, arrogance, pride, anger, harshness, and ignorance; these are the marks of those who are born with demonic qualities, O Arjun.”
~ Gita

On performance (IV).

With the participation in the Sunfeast 10K on 31st May, Two more factors were received which would be bearing on individual’s performance.

The winning volition:
On the track as the grand spectacle of the race afforded, it was flourishing to be enthralled by the unassailable performance of the cream of runners from Ethiopia and Kenya.
I was ogling at them….OH MY GOD !! This effortlessness must be an illusion …
Even the youngest stellar has essentially put in numberless years of preparation and had endured repeated failures. What drove these foreign elite performance was a fierce desire to compete – and win. Even so, most of those participating in the race this summer will walk away from the games without grabbing a single medal. Those with real spunk will get back into training again, that’s what truly separates elite performance from ordinary high achievers.
Check out in office too, It has been observed, those who work considering the appraisal and ratings are tend to do better then those who just work to take the salary home…
It takes supreme, almost unimaginable grit and courage to get back into the ring and fight to the better end. That’s what the Olympic athlete does. If you want to be an elite performer in business also, that’s what we need to do.

Rejoice the victory:
Guys !! They work hard and party harder … Indeed.
Though, I can’t compare myself with these record holder runners but I had bought iPod Neno to motivate myself for 10K…. After seeing these professional runners pampering their self, I stopped feeling bad for spending fortune on the music system. They put just the same efforts into their after hours as much as they into their victory on the fields. There is a well-known linksman who bought an expensive watch, a funky car, beautiful house, these were the milestones of his achievements and symbolized to him the hard work, allegiance, and dedication, For all the years he had in the game.
No wonder corporates keep the All-hands meets at five star hotels with state-of-the-art solemnization. It is not just emotional reveries, when required expression of joy involves a deep level of analysis and enhanced awareness too.

And …there ends my say on performance….

Close up:
"Old age is not so bad when you consider the alternatives".
~unknown

Good Will Hunting

Beautiful heart-to-heart scene in Boston Public Garden, in this movie gave me the whizz. Dr. Sean and Will share a something more then one sided doctor-patient relationships. When Will declines an honest reply to Sean’s queries Sean says bye bye to Will…with the below conversation… Dr.Sean: “So if I asked you about art, you'd probably give me the skinny on every art book ever written. Michelangelo, you know a lot about him. Life's work, political aspirations, him and the pope, sexual orientations, the whole works, right? But I'll bet you can't tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel. You've never actually stood there and looked up at that beautiful ceiling; seen that.
If I ask you about women, you'd probably give me a syllabus about your personal favorites. You may have even been laid a few times. But you can't tell me what it feels like to wake up next to a woman and feel truly happy. You're a tough kid. And I'd ask you about war, you'd probably throw Shakespeare at me, right, "once more unto the breach dear friends." But you've never been near one. You've never held your best friend's head in your lap, watch him gasp his last breath looking to you for help. I'd ask you about love, you'd probably quote me a sonnet. But you've never looked at a woman and been totally vulnerable. Known someone that could level you with her eyes, feeling like God put an angel on earth just for you. Who could rescue you from the depths of hell. And you wouldn't know what it's like to be her angel, to have that love for her, be there forever, through anything, through cancer. And you wouldn't know about sleeping sitting up in the hospital room for two months, holding her hand, because the doctors could see in your eyes, that the terms "visiting hours" don't apply to you. You don't know about real loss, 'cause it only occurs when you've loved something more than you love yourself. And I doubt you've ever dared to love anybody that much.
And look at you... I don't see an intelligent, confident man... I see a cocky, scared shitless kid.But you're a genius Will. No one denies that. No one could possibly understand the depths of you.
You think I know the first thing about how hard your life has been, how you feel, who you are, because I read Oliver Twist? Does that encapsulate you? Personally... I don't give a shit about all that, because you know what, I can't learn anything from you, I can't read in some **** book. Unless you want to talk about you, who you are. Then I'm fascinated. I'm in. But you don't want to do that do you sport? You're terrified of what you might say. Your move, chief.”
[Will nods]

Close up:
"As is the thought, so one becomes."
-Upnishada

On performance (III)

As the time runs, how nice to explore it in deepest of the depths and widest of the widths…How these many elements work together in heightening our performance.
Use the competition:
With on going preparation or Sunfeast world 10K, which is happening on May 31, the group under training is creating competition to out grow each other’s distance and timings. In the group the bests inspire me too to higher achievement. We realized that we need to run faster, stronger then we anticipated while running alone. I am sure each of us has ended up improving their personal bests.
If we wish to make it to the top like any of the ace performers, we too have to make sure we “train” with the people, who will push us hardest.
Quite similarly, in the office, let’s say there is an executive, this man was known for burning people out. He declined the position as a second in-charge, at rival’s firm at twice his present salary. He realized that if he left he would continue the same pattern of conduct. He stayed back in the same job because he knew that his current company was deeply committed to coaching him and a legion of other seniors on how to become good leaders. He approved that his instructor and peers would help him grow and change his ways.
A good company creates the circumstances in which their elite performers push one another to level they would never reach if they were working with less-accomplished colleagues. That’s what the talent development programs do, they bring headliners together for intensive training often serve precisely such as purpose.
Reinvent yourself:
Hitting the 10K on treadmill was arduous for the feeble me, but the tougher part was still waiting……Do it on the ground Baby!
I needed the different accessories and completely different set of the motivation.
It’s indeed hard to reach the top. The challenge is difficult to embark on other cycle of the goals... Especially you know that you can do it and you have to do it in different settings again. Its kinnda you got to retain the benchmark, you have set it with yourself.
This thought coincides with the insatiable appetite for feedback at work. We see, All the top performance at office have a particularly strong need for the feedback & to use that feedback to reinvent their self. I read it somewhere about a Director, “Credit goes to CEO’s relentless, sometimes brutally honest critiques else I had never stayed on the current position.”
I look at this 42-year-old member of my running group and wish “let me have the enormous hunger for advice on how to develop and progress”, with just one little condition, feedbacks are constructive and nothing deterring.

That‘s it … :-)

Close up:
“The world is a tragedy to those who feel, but a comedy to those who think”.
~ Unknown
(Image from the flicker)

Sunfeast 10K

In contention, unflaggingly I Run…
Elongated path, I Run…
I run down & I Run…
Who cares the Destination? It is a Lark…I Run.

Close up:
"Love vanquishes time".
~ Unknown

A wonderful Day !!

What a wonderful day!!
Few days come with the conviction …
loved all the 24 hours…
The silent smile, with no obvious reason…

Close up:
“There is nothing lost or wasted in this life.”
~Gita

The God.

After spending the decades in moderated Brahmin family, It's a time to resign my thoughts to the awkwardness of God’s existence…who/What the heck is It/ She/ He?

We all want to know, we are (humans) blessed (cursed?) with never-ending curiosity ….or may be we are afraid of the UNKNOWNS. We want to reveal the entire cosmos … to be sure, whether to monish or not.

What are we doing here? Why are we here? It’s only deeds or the destiny? Where do the prayers & blessings go? Another world is not only possible, when I am on my way… Whatever, we are repeatedly instructed to have faith. I have to negotiate my terms with the world on my own and THE GOD remains till faith. My teaching says human life has four objectives –Salvation- is one among that…but if I was rich, governing king of the entire earth and was loved by many beautiful queens; who wants the crap salvation? :-)

‘Indu shakha nyaya’ - Do not look at the branches, I am showing you the moon.

We are here on our own…like writings on the sand few years of consciousness, we try to encrypt and decrypt, and the wave called death comes and wipe us off. The god is as if writings on the water….we just don’t know, the ever evolving entity, impossible to retain, Keeps on happening to us after the interval of every life. Misunderstanding is very likely. Who knows? if we have misinterpreted life as death and death as life. It is somewhat scary to know that we are on our own. Once you come here, some how you through it…little prayers, little hope, little fear, little deeds and the destiny. We clandestinely tug our encrypted utile in the conscious to be used after the mighty wave rub us off…to ward off the UNKNOWNS.

As the Love is a biggest illusion, God is the heftiest gimmick we deal with. As my father says, he is a god because you believe. Just your bowing down is capable of turning a stone into deity. As Karl Marx said, ‘Religion is the impotence of the human mind to deal with occurrences it cannot understand. It is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions, Man created the God and not the God created the Man”.

Literal meaning of the word ‘Bhagwan’ is "possessing fortune, blessed, prosperous" (from the noun ‘bhaga’ meaning "fortune, wealth", and hence "illustrious, divine, venerable, holy", etc.)
What wealths?
There are six types of wealths, viz.shama, dama, uparati, titiksha, shraddha and samadhana.

1) shama - tranquility of the mind. "When the mind wants to do too many things, it gets completely scattered." With shama, you can focus your mind and be more alert.

2) Dama - having a say over your senses; essential, because many times you don't want to do something, yet you do! With dama, your senses don't drag you; instead, "you will say `yes' or `no' to the senses."

3) Titiksha - `endurance or forbearance.' When difficult things come, forbearance allows you to go on without getting completely shaken and shattered. Opposites such as health-sickness, losses-gains... come and go; armed with titiksha, however, you aren't deterred by whatever happens. "Often, whatever is unpleasant can become pleasant later on. These changes go on in life... The ability to not get carried away by the events, the judgments, is titiksha."

4) uparati- rejoicing in your own nature. How? By not doing things because someone else says or does something, by not laboring hard to win approval, or keeping up with the Joneses. "Being in the present moment, being in the joy that you are, the ability to rejoice in anything that you do, that is uparati."

5) shraddha - "Faith is needed when you have found the limit of your knowing... Your willingness to know the unknown is shraddha." It would be fanaticism to think there is nothing beyond. Absence of faith is doubt — in yourself, others, or the whole. "Ninety nine per cent of people doubt the whole, because they do not believe that there is a whole that is functioning."

6) samadhana - being at ease, being content. "Being at ease with everything, the whole existence... a great wealth by itself."

we are actually worshiping the fictitious self. Same as Love. You, me any layman on the earth obtains the above given can become God, like Mahavir Swamy or the Gautam Buddha…Anyways the Water has the power to cliff the rock; May be sand will dissolve in the water someday …
(Citations from wikipedia and a gifted book ‘Wisdom of the millennium’)

Close up:

‘A heart is not a plaything, A heart is not a toy

But if you want it broken, Just give it to a boy’

~An old SMS from a fresh heart broken friend :-)

Single and Smiling.

One who is not married is called single. What bigger benefit one could ask for than to have this ultimate freedom in our lives? :-)

The single can still enjoy the lifestyle of a married person without certain commitments. The single person has the freedom to make all his/her decisions without discussion, emailing, texting, or waiting for someone else's approval. I can be true to myself. I can remain independent and in control of my career, finances, and living arrangements, there are no manuals for behavior and bondings. I don’t have to answer to unless I want to. You can do anything when the mood hits plus the family and friends are always an option if at all change is desired. Staying single is financially wise too. No worries of work on weekends rather I cherish the thought of two whole days to myself. Singles know better, how to have good time with their own selves. Whether it's taking off for a walk in the park on afternoon, or reading the books in bed, with the second repast, on Sunday, single folk know how to enjoy every minute.

Another advantage is you become responsible, whether it's being responsible for getting the car serviced, manage the travels, the insurance policy with the bank or dealing with a angry auto driver, I am the one who has to do it. Singles reduce the domestic ill-treatment cases, child abuse cases and suicides by having some of society live the single life. Being single should be as acceptable as being married, split up or widowed.

Society does not always recognize that some people have good causes to stay single. However, some people still acknowledge, its all right, few people who choose to stay single and sane. Therefore, Instead of being miserably married stay single - stand proud and confident.

Close up:
‘Who wants to be a cynic who knows the price of everything and value of nothing?’
~ Oscar Wilde

On Performance: (II)

Unsuccessful ending is a failure. I know it’s mundane having known some people run 50, 100 & 200 KM… When I started on the 10K, the structure was having a break after every 2KM; to run the full 10K, finally it was all merged. Though I was reluctant initially, after a bit of pondering, I expend about 30 mins on my strength training daily to see if I can improve on my running. Moreover, I am loving the results. Proper break ups in every orbit, considering long term is the maven’s ability to rebound. Even at desk the key is the short intermissions with right outlook, what exactly is required to be completed at the end of the day? Let’s have an elaborate look …

Settle on long run:

The magic is punctiliously plan the small, little goals so that the performance will peak at major events. You know?! Olympic participants are trained for four years just for one single event. In 1988, Moorhouse and his trainer calculated 62 seconds for 100 meters, four years in advance, thinking that should be fine to win the Gold medal, then they just had to focus on doing better then this. He must have carefully worked upon specific goals in several areas like –strength training, nutrition, mental hardiness, techniques etc., to check if it effect his goal or he can improve on the existing timings – or to make sure, if he can achieve his ultimate goal.

I know a friend of mine a big shot in giant company; when he joined the organization, he says that he had actually planned for this. I have seen the spreadsheets to rise up in the office, he made as a fresher, each field with precise position and a year spent. In the comments section he had identified the areas in which he was lacking the proficiency and worked on to improve upon. As he grew up on the ladder the comment were changed to ‘Increase the reputation’, ‘Influence the executives of other departments’, ‘manage complex initiatives and bring it to end successfully.’ He must have placed minor goals in this regard, to accomplish the major one. What a diligent work he must have put in persevering this! . It paid up…now he rules about 1000 people and an impressive unit.

They have a complete system built for to watch the tiny steps towards their target.

Well, this was a second release ‘On Performance’.

Close up:
‘I have never let my schooling interfere with my education’.
~Mark Twain

I will meet you there...

Looks like Spring has captured me, I am in poetic mood all of a sudden. Here is the one more :)

Where the rays educe,
And the moon hides,
Where the color is created,
and beauty is experienced,
From where the melodies emerge,
and smiles dissolve,
Where the sleep fells,
and dreams are spawned,
Where the time travels,
And new little leaves sprout,
I know, there is a realm,
With no laws of love,
I will meet you there…

New Rain.

Saltates my heart, with the scent of the soil,
Clouds are stormed, swashing their thunder,
After a long wait, It rained today.
Plants swayed and birds tremble,
It rained after a wait.
The cold collyrium on my eyes,
Blue joy spread over my face and dribbled from finger tips.
Some one is there in the green garment, in the reeds ! Oh, it's the wind.
Woods vibrated and leaves are soaked.
Come along, to swing on the branches of the oaks.
Longing, distractedly....It rained after all.

On Performance: (I)

Never in my life have I taken my running this seriously & my work either. I am pushing my limits as much as I can in both the arenas. There is kindda similarity in Work and Workouts.

Once upon a time, as per the doctors, a mile in a four minute can be deadly, until Bannister broke that in 3 min 59.4 sec; though later, he said, “I figured I was dead, when I got up from collapsing at the finish line.” J In the work, too ‘the impossible’ is a self-limiting mindset. Ace performers are not born but made. The actual key is not the ability to swim faster or to execute the algorithm quickly in your head; instead, it is the mental toughness. My trainer stands so very next to me, and I feel pressured, its called thriving in pressure. We severalize when the heat is on.

Enjoy the pressure:

One has to be cool in the stressful situation. It’s an ability of the elite performers and said to be inborn, as most of the time, I disagree. In my opinion, we think, what we want to think, we understand, what we what want to understand. So make a choice, decide to enjoy the pressure, the best will come out of you. Dealing with the pressure is much easier when you focus on your on excel lance. On the verge of breaking down during my runs, I keep on uttering in my mind ‘Relax-Power-Glide’ continuously. This helps to control the go and forget everything.

Likewise, the high flyers in the offices are also inner focused. There was an executive, he was passionate about wrestling. An offer from Harvard, to attend less prominent under graduate school that had a better-ranked wrestling team, was declined by him. After he earned his MBA, he was recruited by investment-Banking firm, he rose to the level of CEO, Even then he was not driven by any of the need to impress others, As he said “Don’t think for a minute I am doing this for the status. I am doing for myself; this is the stuff I think about in the shower, I would do it even if I didn’t earn a penny. ” When the motivation is of this depth, we don’t need self- flagellation. Top players and executives are indeed hard on them selves, else they wouldn’t have achieved all that, but when things go awry, they dust off and move on.

These guys never let anything sidetrack them, its called command over compartmentalization. They have the ability to switch their endeavors on and off. Having a secondary passion helps in doing this. Dr. Homi Bhabha had a deep love for classical music, dance and sculpture. This keen interest made him worship art throughout his life. It also influenced the pattern of his life. There was a one lady Rower, who always set time aside to practice the piano, despite her arduous athlete-training schedule. She was a 2004 Olympic medal winner and fine pianist by time being.

People laugh at me, 'Why do you need work outs?' & I can't tell that I need a adrenalin rush. I can’t sleep in the night If I have missed my exertion, I think people who earned big titles in office also be feeling the same adictive adrenalin rush. They all unavoidably run the risk of burning out. Passion enables us enjoy this pressure.

Looking back, I acknowledge that of my choices were of passion, governed neither by logic nor by common sense. Many of these were good choices, though not all of them, but taking stock of my life I wish I had been more passionate…I would have gone much far then.

(SO much to write yet – released in portion) J Have Fun !!!

Close up:
‘The heart has its reason that reason cannot know’.
~Blaise Pascal.

My first Car Crash.

Why did I leave early from work? Now I know …To dent my beloved car…
It was an untouched beauty until today 4.30 PM and whizzed along first 7 Km. The traffic light made me stop and I was as usual sitting preoccupied & quiet. On the spur of the moment it was aloud blow “Baaaaaaangggggg!!!!” No tickets and no dashes… Voila…perfectly clean driving record breaks.

Naturally, I'm sOooO happy it wasn't my fault. :-) That Idiot Autofella bumped into my car’s trunk. I was pushed ahead on my seat with the solid hit and immediately jumped out to see the damage. Luckly the Policeman at the traffic signal saw all the action and rushed on the spot. The real drama starts now, I was pulling my vehicle over, after the Auto guy, since the policeman asked us to, But hey! This Auto man swiftly fleeted, the policeman got into the car and asked me to follow the Auto, It was like a movie scene. The most funny part is few of the by watchers followed us too :-). Chase included First Auto man, then me with a policeman in my car then some 3-4 two wheelers into interior roads for about 5 to 7 mins. Unknown of this trail Auto man was caught asking for the passenger on the nook of the street, The policeman furiously leapt out to beat that Auto fella black and blue. The crowed had already been coming after from the accident venue.

We all are taken to traffic police station. I was angry. Very angry. The Auto guy was pleading me, literally holding my feet, to not to file a case. To add the beauty in the entire episode, my sandal broke off, due to that either I was limping or holding the sandals in my hands. I called up my brother, the car Insurance and the vehicle showroom to know the procedure and to get the more information on how to handle this in best my benefits. Police assured me to provide all the papers to claim the insurance. I am surprised, though I am not interested in FIR; why police did not give me the acknowledgement then and there? BRIBE??? :-( Whatever, I will Follow up the litigates and get the things done. Auto man was there until I left the police station. May be he would have been let off after some warnings.

Lesson learnt:
- When you are hit at back only the opposite person at fault, So Chill.
- To deal in the situation when I am alone, not at fault, with traffic police, with Auto man and the vehicle insurance stuff too.
- Now that is called the adventure and fun ‘The chasing part & next day the story telling part’.
- Still I think I am not a professional driver, unless I become the opposite party (God forbids) :-)

Close up:
"What ‘state’ do you live in?"
"Denial."
- Miss Wormwood & Calvin

Feed my clothes.

One day the Mullah Nasrudin went to a rich merchant's house for a feast. As he was wearing a laborer's clothe he was shown to the servant's entrance and given a few scraps.

Next week he was invited to the same place and he dressed in his best attire looking as good as any prince. He was welcomed at the front door and given the place of the honor next to the host. He ate a morsel of bread and then started putting all the rich food offered to him into his sleeves.

His host asked him, "What are doing my good man?" "I'm feeding my clothes," the Mullah replied, "It deserves the good food since my worth was established last week."

Close up:
‘I have to do for what I feel in my heart to be right - for I'll be criticized anyway.
I'll be damned if I do, and damned if I don't. Who cares…!’
~ Unknown

Have you fought for …

I met a girl on Sunday, She told me 'I want to be like you'...I was amused and astonished. I was still staring at her, & my close friend took the charge to elaborate me to her. After that girl departed, my friend told me her scrambling living..., which made me think the STRUGGLE.

I feel, little less lucky are those, who do not have to fight for anything (one thing at least) in life.

There are people who go through the unconvincing hardship, unequaled difficulties in life. Beyond the imagination of a common man, who peacefully goes to school, then college, then office, then after a wife/husband, then after money and at last dies off in dust. But some people are chosen by life, to reveal the numerous obscure lessons by injecting the stimulating struggles. Isn’t it surprising for the way some lives are tempered to understand the countless matters. As I say, “We must get understanding from all our gettings.”

Think of the child character in movie ‘Slumdog millionaire’, the inspector asked him “No damn Doctor, engineer or any intellectual have gone beyond 15 questions, How come a slum dog is winning millions?” & then the shuddery journey starts into child’s past that has made him prevail the entire so-called sophisticated social rational.

We have to understand the whole of the story (Life) not just little ‘Goody-Goody-Spotless-Fancy-Part’, which says life is a bed of roses. We should Read, look at the Skies, Sing, and Dance, Write poems and Suffer, Get lost, Cry, Loose hope and Get depressed too for all that is life. The marks on the skin should say how we have lived. Lets not forget, lower you fall higher you fly. (If you remember all the lessons given by life, like Jamal Malik.)

Close up:
‘A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same’
~ Unknown.

Me ?

There was a book in which author relates a word with the city e.g., New York –‘Achieve’, Rome – ‘Sex’, Mumbai – ‘Dreams’ and I learnt to relate the one word to each person like Father – ‘Security’, Mother – ‘Care’, Friend – ‘Relax’….What word would I associate with myself then? Yeah…that one word bundles me up totally. ‘Freedom’…?! Or ‘Self Respect’!?

Ok I will go with the later one *Me - Tremendous amount of Self-esteem*.

Close up:
“The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.”
~ Ayn Rand

Relinquishing the moments.

The period of time that is happening now is an interesting phase in life so far; It is patchworks of scattered feelings; Versatility in the Feelings of voids, Analyzing nothing, Thinking nothing and Not writing even, Planning nothing, Dreaming nothing, neither I am reading anything nor studying. No drawings & No travels too… No opinions, No judgments, No worries, No prayers…. A Whole Lot Of Nothing. It is neither bad, nor good.

I remember where I have to reach in this year…Change in the project has given me this ample time to enjoy the grand nothingness may be. I sprinkle the rays of light on my days and grow the moon in the night. Surroundings smell like ‘Nyctanthes’ flowers (-Tree of sorrow-). Evenings I seat with the wind and a hot cup of tea to observe the pattern in the branches, leaves and clouds. Calls are made to Vrishti alone. Her unclear words sway something inside below my neck…I go for long runs and assure my heart; yoga assures my body and meditations assures my breathings. I have started cooking delightfully to assure my senses. My mind assured all my assurances…everything is all right. :-)
In the nutshell, we should stop operating the weather on the mind sometimes, what is the point in controlling everything always? Or on the other hand, is this called waiting for the spring again?

I listen to the difference, I discover the detachment….Seems, I am in an extended transition time these days, for sure, which means there are lots of choices to be made, and I have no clue where it will all lead. Yes, I am enjoying this too. We must know being our self could mean any number of things & rather just Be.

Close up:
‘Reality is frequently inaccurate.’
- Douglas Adams

Mullah Nasrudin is called again…

Few wise citizenries decide to call upon Mullah Nasrudin for a speech. This time Mullah was not in a mood to deliver any lecture...after much of the begging persistently and desperately, Nasrudin agreed reluctantly.

There was a group of literates already waiting for Nasrudin insightful didactics. Holding his chin up, looking at the assembly, he asked, “You guys have any idea, what am I going to talk about?” Crowed nodded with amazement… “NO”. Mullah smirked, and walked down the stage, “What is the point in wasting my time; you guys don’t have any guess on my speech?”

In the second grim trial Mullah was again invited for the lecture. On the venue, compelled Mullah asked the forum, “So, Now You guys have an idea, what am I going to talk about?” Everybody in the group nodded saying, “YES”…Nasrudin said, “Aahaa… How nice, since all of you already know what I am going to talk about, I better be going home then.” :-)

It was a third call and Mullah decided to go there anyway. On arrival he glanced at perplexed crowed, and he asked them from the stage, “Well, Gentlemen…Do you have any idea on the lecture I am going to deliver today?” Few heads shook saying “YES” and few people said “NO”.

Mullah Nasrudin smiled and said, “Wonderful, Those who know what I am going to talk, Please tell it to the other group who don’t know what I am going to talk today !” Walking down with his donkey. :-)

Close up:
“Na Dainyam, Na Palanayam”.
(No self-pity, No escapism, OR I shall neither fear nor escape.)
“Buddhi yoga Dadami Tvam”
(Use your head; I have given you the wits)
- Lord Krishna to Arjun in Bhagvad Gita.

Egyptian Tradition.

I live as I please, I wander where I like;
I go and out each day according to my pleasure;
I move where my inclination leads me;
I assume all the forms, which it pleases me to assume;
I hold in my right hand the Lapis stone;
I wear in my right ear the Flower of Ankham for ornament;
I am flourishing; I am prosperous; I am a perennial youth in the garden of immortality;
I am a proof of the power of the Gods.

-Reading of the week.

Run Doggie Run:

Run Dog Run, Slumdog run,
Minutes to the Millions, Miles to the Millions,

Millionaire dog run.
Run Run Run.
Run for the Oscar, Run for the globe,
Run to lead , whole of the orb.
Run ’Slumdog Millionaire’ Run.
:-)

Close up:
“A.R. Rehman should be declared a National treasure. Before he linked North & South Now he connected the East and West”
-Prakash Zha

Parenting: you and me half the life away.

Two days ago my parents left to my hometown, after spending a week with me. Now I have started seeing my Grandpa’s face in my father’s. I feel he is not my father but someone else, there are few decades to live together, the set of parents change with each generations.
Before it used to be Daji and Baa, then big brother and Ben, for me its Momy and Papa, Few others call Mom and dad, may be again that original address might come back but Maa, mama or momy will never change. An ‘elder’ is the word for parents. Their roles and importance changes based on country and time. Parents used to be on the top of the family pyramid, now in nuclear families, FAMILY is a different reality.
Mother’s role is exaggerated and expanded to almost God, but there are two females leaving in same body, mother and mother-in-law!!! The enthusiastic ladies see daughter in daughter-in-law without knowing they are different creatures with separate genes and nerves. Being parents, being parents of grown up children is a complex matter. Lewis Carroll had written in one poem: ‘A clean kid with straight brows, with tomorrow’s dreams in his eyes, time is running, you and me are at the distance of half of the life’. After the child comes out from mother’s tummy, there are two separate destinies. There was a short story in which dead father talks to his son, in front of 3 yrs old sleeping grandson. Son is telling his dead father, ‘we could have understood each other better if we had lived this age together’. Dead father asks son, ‘Did you cry’? Son said, ‘yes… in dreams’. May be my father will also ask me ‘Did you cry?’
By 1993 Grandpa had no teeth, upper joint fracture, 2 heart attacks, all white hair…I had gone to see him burnings after his death, my father set the fire and I thought so much of love & such a little time…he had the color of the night. We will keep on dying by pulling the chain of the same blood. Our ‘us & we’ will go on forever…but grandpa doesn’t have the shadow even.
Unable to be measured, Parenting. Every kinsfolk have their own style of carrying their ancestries. There are tough fathers and mothers, who want their offspring to leave the nest and fly away … ‘Putrat Shishyat Parajayet’ is a Sanskrit proverb which says ‘our victory is in being defeated by our children’. Parenting brings it’s own responsibility, Fathers need to make lot of money to create the sparkling future for the children. Life is international in 2009, competition is cruel, roughshod hard work and number one hasn’t any alternatives…then there is a little home, Loving mother and a father whom you can protest silently, and you feel like growing small again…

Close up:

"The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves."

-Victor Hugo

Nasrudin arranged to give a lecture

Nasrudin arranged to give a lecture at two o’clock in the afternoon, and it looked set to be a great success: the thousand seats were completely sold out and more then seven hundred people were left outside, watching the lecture on closed circuit television.
At two 0’clock precisely, an assistant of Nasrudin’s came in saying that, for unavoidable reasons, the lecture would begin late. Some got up indignantly, asked for their money back and left. Even so, a lot of people reminded both inside and outside the lecture hall.
By four in the afternoon, the Sufi master had still not appeared and people gradually began to leave the place, picking up their money at the box office. The working day was coming to an end, it was time to home. When it was six o’clock, the original one thousand seven hundred spectators had dwindled to less than a hundred.
At that moment, Nasrudin came in. He appeared to be extremely drunk and began to flirt with a beautiful young woman sitting in the front row.
Astonished the people remained behind began to feel indignant, How come a man can behave like that after making them wait four solid hours? There were some disapproving murmurs, but the Sufi masters ignored them. He went on, in a loud voice, to say how sexy the young woman was, and invited her to go with him to France.
After crushing the people who were complaining, Nasrudin tried to get up, but fell heavily to the floor. Disgusted some more people decided to leave, saying that it was pure charlatanism, that they would denounce the degrading spectacle to the press.
Only nine people remained. (Actually, only that many people had come to listen to him I think ) As soon as the final group of outraged spectators had left, Nasrudin got up; he was complete sober, his eye glowed, and he had about him an air of great authority and wisdom, “Those of you who stayed are the ones who will hear me”, he said. “You have passed the two hardest tests on the spiritual road: the patient to wait for the right moment and the courage not to be disappointed with what you encounter. It is you I will teach.”
And Nasrudin share with them some of the Sufi techniques.

Close up:
"I wanted an adventure in life and not an adventurous life." :-)

When did they die?

11th August 1908. Khudiram was taken out of the prison cell.
“Last wish?”
Khudiram said, “Vand-e-matram”. With the Bhagavad-Gita in his hands and a cramping rope on the neck…Later, he was listed among martyrs forever. His date of birth 3 Dec 1889…he was 19 years when hung.

23rd march 1931, Bhagat Singh was 24 yrs old when executed.

In June 1858 a lady had sacrificed her life against English commander Sir Hueogh, Queen of Zansi ‘Rani Lakshmibai’…age at death, 22 years and 7 months.

And fire brand Mangal Pandy burnt the British realm in his twenties.

I lost my dear close friend when he was 31. He was a medal holder from REC (NIT).

How many years are enough to this life?
There are renowned names drowned in the ocean of the unknown after few coruscate years. Now people live longer 70, 75, 80 years…but achievement has no retardations, they had infinite life on work board than on the earth board. The great Shankaracharya died at 33, Jesus Christ was crucified at 33 too. The respectable Tamil poet Bhathiyar died at the age of 35 while offering a coconut to an elephant. Swami Vivekananda attained the highest superlatives achieved by any man at just 39 and wrapped his aliveness. The honorable Subhash Chandra Bose who died in the plane crash at Taipei, had experienced 48 years on this land. Pundit Jawaharlal, Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel expired at 75, 79 and 75 respectively …
Now in awe… what is the age to live it up and when to die it out?

Close up:
“When I get old, I’d rather regret the things I did, than regret the things I didn’t do.”