The Muse Whispers...

Day 19/365 : Another goal for the new year...

2010-01-20T00:17:00.001-08:00

Day 19/365 : Another goal for the new year..., originally uploaded by TanviClicks.

Another step towards a healthier more creative lifestyle. The 365 project is already broadening my vision - I think I 'see' more than I used to, my brain processes visual data way faster, I get through at least double the chores than I used to, I have more energy than I used to, I'm seeing micro details in everyday life which I never did notice until today and suddenly the world seems more colorful than before, and no I'm not on psychedelic substances though the camera does have that effect on me :D. I'm happy and I'm loving this :D.

2010-01-16T02:13:00.000-08:00

The old wallet vs the new...Any wonder it's so easy to spend more than you have? And why the worls economy is a house of cards so to speak?

Day 5/365 : One more version...

2010-01-06T01:03:00.001-08:00

Day 5/365 : One more version..., originally uploaded by TanviClicks.

It did get quite misty...

Day 1/365 :Reflections...

2010-01-01T22:22:00.001-08:00

Day 1/365 :Reflections..., originally uploaded by TanviClicks.

On every new beginning - we are slightly more mature, a little more cautious and more experienced than before. That's because we have the experiences from the past to guide us on - sometimes our own - sometimes of others we know. Unpleasant as some parts of our pasts may be...somehow the dots always connect in the future. I leave you with this to ponder over in the new year - they are the words of the person whose story to me - is one of the best comebacks this century has seen:

Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backwards, so you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.You have to trust in something--your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever--because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well-worn path, and that will make all the difference.

- Steven P Jobs, CEO Apple Computers, CEO of the decade

New year Resolution

2009-12-16T10:26:00.000-08:00

A new 365 day photo project and website :). Will try to hone my skills.

Try to walk 10k steps everyday.

De-clutter better than this year now that the experiment has succeeded :).

Every new purchase will be a barter**(Exclusions - obviously routine purchases required to meet daily needs). - (Eg: New t-shirt when one old one is thrown out. New gear when when one old piece is sold/trashed as condition permits and so on and so forth.).

Reduce procrastination.

Acquire one new technical skill - 1 year should be good for this.

At least one new blog post per week :).

Planner/diary to keep track of these goals :).

Weigh 5 pounds less on December 31, 2010 than I do on January 1,2010.
-------------------------------------------------------
http://www.flickr.com/tanvis
http://musingswhispered.blogspot.com

Essence of life

2009-11-16T11:30:00.000-08:00

To love is to suffer. To avoid suffering, one must not love. But then, one suffers from not loving. Therefore, to love is to suffer; not to love is to suffer; to suffer is to suffer. To be happy is to love. To be happy, then, is to suffer, but suffering makes one unhappy. Therefore, to be happy, one must love or love to suffer or suffer from too much happiness.

- Woody Allen

Lessons from life...

2009-11-06T22:13:00.000-08:00

1. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

2. Don’t worry about what people think, they don’t do it very often.

3. Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian anymore than standing in a garage makes you a car.

4. Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.

5. If you must choose between two evils, pick the one you’ve never tried before.

6. My idea of housework is to sweep the room with a glance.

7. Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.

8. A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person.

9. For every action, there is an equal and opposite government program.

10. If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip.

11. Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of checks.

12. A conscience is what hurts when all of your other parts feel so good.

13. Eat well, stay fit, die anyway.

1 4. Men are from earth. Women are from earth. Deal with it.

15. No man has ever been shot while doing the dishes.

16. A balanced diet is a muffin in each hand.

17. Middle age is when broadness of the mind and narrowness of the waist change places.

18. Opportunities always look bigger going than coming.

19. Junk is something you’ve kept for years and throw away three weeks before you need it.

20. There is always one more imbecile than you counted on.

21. Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.

22. By the time you can make ends meet, they move the ends.

23. Thou shalt not weigh more than thy refrigerator.

24. Someone who thinks logically provides nice contrast to the real world.

25. It ain’t the jeans that make your butt look fat.

26. If you had to identify in one word the reason why the human race has not achieved it’s full potential, that word would be ‘meetings’.

27. There is a very fine line between ‘hobby’ and ‘mental illness.’

28. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.

29. You should not confuse your career with your life.

30. Nobody cares if you can’t dance well. Just get up and dance.

31. Never lick a steak knife.

32. The most destructive force in the universe is gossip.

33. You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time.

34. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she’s pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.

35. The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that deep down inside we ALL believe we are good drivers.

36. Your friends love you anyway. Your enemies hate you anyway.

Happy Halloween...

2009-11-02T11:53:00.001-08:00

Indy celebrates halloween..., originally uploaded by TanviClicks.

Celebrate your gang of girls

2009-10-29T17:32:00.001-07:00

A compelling article by actress and former Miss World Priyanka Chopra I felt like sharing...

I love them. I share every smile and tear with them and quite frankly my life would be less meaningful without them. I am referring to my 'gang of girls', the wonderful group of four friends, who make my every day and everything I do so much more exciting and memorable!

As with most things, the relationship that we girls share with our friends, is hugely different from the way boys connect. Having seen both types of relationships, I have to admit that I am so glad (among a million other reasons) to be a part of the fairer sex... we just have so much more fun! So, in continuation of the Sister Series and in recognition of every 'gang of girls' in the universe, I'm penning some reasons why this special collection of friends makes life so... well... special!

With the girls... no pretence is needed. You can just be who you really are... bad hair days, cellulite, runny noses et all. That's why they love you and vice versa. You can share your deepest secrets... the latest crush, your true weight, an embarrassing moment... they'll never judge you.
This is your very own fan club. They will cheer you on in good times and in bad with shinny pom poms and a special song included!
Distance, geographies never hamper these relationships. They can discuss the same TV show while sitting in two different cities or can chat until the wee hours of the night as if they were having a sleepover!
They can be brutally honest... but only because they care about you enough to tell you the truth... even when you don't want to hear it!
You never need a reason to hang out with them... painting your nails is also a good enough reason!
The girls will understand that a wardrobe crisis or the need to wash your hair is a perfectly justifiable reason for being late!
When you call them... you never need to ask if they have a minute to talk... For you, they will and vice versa!
They don't need wi-fi, bluetooth, SMS or the internet to connect... a simple knowing glance will do the trick! Girl Power!
Their shoulders can carry the heaviest loads with no complaints... from your unstoppable tears to a box full of chocolates and ice-cream!
These girls mean having a larger... wardrobe, shoe collection, make-up room... almost like having a multi-brand mall at your disposal!
They are like your sisters, but you get to choose them! Which means they're with you with no duties to the rest of your family!
I don't know about you, but I'm inspired to take time out today to reach out to my friends and show them just how special they are to me!

-------------------------------------------------------
http://www.flickr.com/tanvis
http://musingswhispered.blogspot.com

Perception

2009-10-22T17:48:00.000-07:00

Stumbled on this piece and made me wonder and wonder...

Something to think about….

Washington, DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approximately. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later:

The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes:

A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes:

A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes:

The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour:

He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.

The questions raised:

*In a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?

*Do we stop to appreciate it?

*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.

How many other things are we missing?

-------------------------------------------------------
http://www.flickr.com/tanvis
http://musingswhispered.blogspot.com

CollegeHumor.com: Pixar Intro Parody

2009-10-21T18:00:00.001-07:00

CollegeHumor.com serves up a knee-slapping viral in this parody of the classic Pixar intro. (Thanks, Seth!)

Posted on Motionographer

Apple, Google Separated at Birth? Financial Results Suggest Yes

2009-10-21T15:08:00.001-07:00

Apple, Google Separated at Birth? Financial Results Suggest Yes

Posted using ShareThis

Naseeruddin Shah & Ratna Pathak Shah

2009-10-14T20:00:00.000-07:00

Jim Cramer's TheStreet Now Resorting To $500/Hour Psychics For Stock Picks

2009-10-08T11:52:00.000-07:00

Really?

Feeling Blue...

2009-10-08T10:56:00.001-07:00

Storm clouds, originally uploaded by TanviClicks.

The world suddenly feels so blue,
Makes me feel like I have no clue.

Friends, family - faces around me change so fast,
Its only the memories that last.

The winds are bitter and cold,
Make me want to tighten my hold.

The tighter my memories I try to clasp,
Faster life seems to be slipping from my grasp.

Faster than I can comprehend,
Parts of my life disappear and fall behind.

Lake Tahoe...

2009-09-08T10:33:00.001-07:00

Lake Tahoe..., originally uploaded by TanviClicks.

Some time during my labor day weekend trip to Lake Tahoe - I wondered off on my own. Having a quiet moment to myself - I found this piece of dry wood which gave me the impression of a peacock head set in a backdrop of the lake. Like it was waiting...for me to come by and get this beautiful shot...

Moon ...

2009-08-12T11:37:00.001-07:00

Moon ..., originally uploaded by TanviClicks.

This was the night I was trying to view the Perseid meteor shower. Did'nt see the shower - but got something equally beautiful in return.

Home Sweet Home

2009-07-30T14:07:00.001-07:00

Home Sweet Home

via Slope Of Hope with Tim Knight by Tim Knight on 7/30/09

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Home Crisis Investigation

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Joke of the Day

vi.sualize.us

2009-07-28T11:04:00.001-07:00

vi.sualize.us

via Black and White on 7/25/09

vi.sualize.us

Guts. Courage.

2009-07-27T15:36:00.001-07:00

MUMBAI: It has been a tense six years for Shivnarain Pandey, the taxi driver who fate dictated would become the key eyewitness in the high-profile twin blasts case. It was in Pandey's taxi that the Syeds had placed the Gateway bomb before going off to ''shop''. Pandey wanted to settle down for his tiffin, but first went to answer nature's call, and that's when the bomb went off.

In these six years there has been risk, insecurity and fear, but Pandey has overcome his nerves and not flinched. ''I helped the police identify the terrorists and told myself that no matter what the consequences, I would help get them convicted. We were confident that the court would pronounce them guilty,'' he said on Monday at the undisclosed location he is being kept in Mumbai by the authorities.

Pandey has high regard for encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar, who helped crack the twin blasts case but lost his life in the 26/11 attack. ''I couldn't stay at home after the blasts, because of the
threat to my life. I am thankful to Salaskar saheb for providing me protection,'' he said.

Only once did Pandey let his nerves get the better of him, it was during the trial, when he recalled the events of the tragic day. He was unable to stand in the witness box, so court proceedings were halted for an hour. He said, ''That was the only moment when I feared for my life. But after that I decided that I would do everything I could to make sure that these people were punished for their crimes.''

Pandey and his family have been keeping a close watch on the court case and welcomed the verdict on Monday. Pandey said he ''expected'' the verdict. On August 25, 2003, he was shocked to see his taxi explode from a distance. It was a moment he'll never forget.

He immediately approached the police and narrated the entire incident to them and provided a description of the suspects. His evidence helped crack the case and also secure the conviction.

Pandey's daughter-in-law, who was married a few months at the time of the blasts, was at her parents' home on the ill-fated day. She and other family members have been alert ever since then. They rarely discuss their home and family with strangers. His daughter-in-law, while watching news of the trial on Monday, said, ''The court found them guilty and we are very happy with the decision. We are very careful while discussing details about ourselves with strangers because of the seriousness of the crime and our safety.''

-------------------------------------------------------
http://www.flickr.com/tanvis
http://musingswhispered.blogspot.com

Contradictions 101.

2009-07-27T11:42:00.001-07:00

Interesting...

2009-07-14T20:44:00.001-07:00

AN OBITUARY

An Obituary printed in the London Times - Interesting and sadly rather true.

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, *Common Sense*, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
- Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
- Why the early bird gets the worm;
- Life isn't always fair;
- and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;
-I Know My Rights
-I Want It Now
-Someone Else Is To Blame
-I'm A Victim

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.

-------------------------------------------------------
http://www.flickr.com/tanvis
http://musingswhispered.blogspot.com

Watching TV

2009-07-11T19:45:00.000-07:00

Watching TV, originally uploaded by TanviClicks.

That's me with my substitute for the elixir of life :). And H.

Me and the hubby out for a drive :).

2009-07-06T23:47:00.001-07:00

Me and the hubby out for a drive :)., originally uploaded by TanviClicks.

Bizarre!

2009-06-30T11:22:00.000-07:00

-------------------------------------------------------
http://www.flickr.com/tanvis
http://musingswhispered.blogspot.com

Do you enjoy what you do?

2009-06-15T15:53:00.000-07:00

I was listening to the Radio when driving back from work. And the topic of discussion was - kids following their parents into a profession. A third generation neuro-surgeon raised a very important aspect in connection with this. I quote -

" I wanted to follow my father into his profession because of how happy he seemed doing what he did. At the end of the day, he shared wonderful stories about his day. I guess if he had complained instead - I'd have grown up knowing I did not want to be a neuro-surgeon instead of knowing where my skills were and what i wanted to do to be happy."

While this topic may have been re-hashed multiple times - I see this specially in the technology field. People fall "out of love" with their work. I'm blessed enough to still love, worship and be passionate about my work, and I thank my stars every single day for this piece of fortune.

Please share your thoughts and take the poll to the right of this page.

-------------------------------------------------------
http://www.flickr.com/tanvis
http://musingswhispered.blogspot.com

Marketing skills :).

2009-05-30T12:56:00.000-07:00

An interesting concept found on Wikipedia

Russell's teapot, sometimes called the Celestial Teapot, was an analogy first coined by the philosopher Bertrand Russell (1872–1970), intended to refute the idea that the burden of proof lies upon the sceptic to disprove unfalsifiable claims of religions. In an article entitled "Is There a God?"^[1] commissioned (but never published) by Illustrated magazine in 1952, Russell wrote:^[2]

If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is an intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense. If, however, the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday, and instilled into the minds of children at school, hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor in an earlier time.

Russell's teapot analogy is still used in the debate over religious belief. Richard Dawkins used it in his 2003 book A Devil's Chaplain,^[3]

The reason organized religion merits outright hostility is that, unlike belief in Russell's teapot, religion is powerful, influential, tax-exempt and systematically passed on to children too young to defend themselves. Children are not compelled to spend their formative years memorizing loony books about teapots. Government-subsidized schools don't exclude children whose parents prefer the wrong shape of teapot. Teapot-believers don't stone teapot-unbelievers, teapot-apostates, teapot-heretics and teapot-blasphemers to death. Mothers don't warn their sons off marrying teapot-shiksas whose parents believe in three teapots rather than one. People who put the milk in first don't kneecap those who put the tea in first.

My thoughts were so loud, I couldn't hear my mouth

2009-05-18T13:08:00.000-07:00

Every child's vocabulary :)

2009-05-08T17:57:00.000-07:00

At any stage in life,
At any age , when there is strife,
Mommy knows the way
She's there to shoot troubles away.

I know I'm a bit late with this post - but Happy Mother's day MA.

Defenestration - What I wanna do with my windows machine.

2009-05-06T20:47:00.001-07:00

Defenestration, originally uploaded by billsmugs.

A man gets rather angry at his computer.

p.s.
If throwing something OUT of a window is defenstration, is throwing something IN through a window refenestration?

Uploaded by billsmugs on 3 May 09,

A case of too many cases.

2009-04-30T18:10:00.000-07:00

I cast an eye around my desk looking for a sheet of paper containing something I needed. When I saw my various gizmos lying there. If you are anything like me or even remotely know me - you know that I love technology and I love gadgets. That love extends to ensuring that they do not accumulate dust or scratches. Which means - every time I buy/receive a gadget - I spend some time (and money of-course) searching for an appropriate case. A case can't be just any case :). It's my signature addition to the gizmo which personalizes it without altering its original state :) - no etching - no scratches - nothing. Be it the beautiful rubber-finish red-black speck case of my beloved MBP (late 2008edition) or the touch thru case on my iPhone :).

Then there's obviously the clingy film thing that goes onto the device before the case so that the case doesn't scratch the device :). Then there is the mirror finish on my iPod nano case :). Rubber back ensures grip - and the mirror finish front ensures that the screen is visible only when the screen is in use and the whole surface looks like a mirror when not in use. And then - there is my favorite shock-absorber case for the old iPod (old old version:) - my first apple product ever). And then - a case for the earphones that go with all these awesome iPods/Phones.

Of course there are also smaller cases lying here and there. A couple for my flash drives and another couple for my memory cards which go into various versions of my other eye:). Various slim and higher capacity backpacks for laptops (a sleeve, a couple of backpacks and a study shock-proof laptop case - these were thankfully given to me at work) - camera cases for the camcorder, camcorder cables, wii portability case. Then of course there's the kit-bag for the camera and its lenses. Peering in there you'd find the case for the external flash unit :) and a couple for my portable hard drives :). And of course peering at me with the kit - you would of course note me carrying something like a bazooka in a black case slung over my shoulder - the tripod :).

And mind you - buying this protection for the gadgets takes the same effort searching-reviewing-deciding-affording cycle that the gadgets themselves take :). Plus the added dimension of colors :).

Clearly - a case of too many cases :).
-------------------------------------------------------
http://www.flickr.com/tanvis

Risk free investment.

2009-04-28T14:24:00.000-07:00

Sweet sweet sugar plum moms.

2009-04-28T13:41:00.000-07:00

When I came home drenched in the rain my brother said –
“Why don’t you take an umbrella with you !”

My sister said –
“Why didn’t you wait till the rain stopped !”

My father angrily said –
“You will only learn after getting a cold !”

But my mother while drying my hair said –
“Stupid rain !”

Dance India Dance

2009-04-24T22:06:00.001-07:00

See the dance. No one can tell she is blind unless you know it.

Jaane kahaan gaye wo din..

2009-04-24T14:47:00.000-07:00

Since the last few weeks - my constant resource for winding down in the last hour of the day has been watching reruns of old sitcoms on DVDs from Netflix with the husband or like on a long drive a few weeks ago with friends - I was watching reruns of old Indian commercials on YouTube (on our shiny iPhones of course). These have brought back memories from old times and how different things used to be then. At that time, the ideal representation of the average Indian were the happenings in the lives of Renu and Ranjit (Yeh Jo hai Zindagi...) or Mr Wagle and his wife in (Wagle ki Duniya). The humor in their everyday lives was captured by shows like Filmi Chakkar and Flop Show.

"Yeh Jo hai...Zindagi...ise has kar...jeene kaa....alag hi thaa mazaa...."

Now these depicitions of daily life have been replaced by depicitons of daily quarrels and the "Ghar ki politics" type of soap operas. Multi-Million rupee scams in every household? Really? Is that our Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki...? And now there are the constant obviously engineered "emosional atyaachaar" moments in every reality show that has hit the Tube lately. Where has all the fun and sense of humor disappeared? In fact with the proliferation in 24 x 7 news channels, and the need for these channels to have something or the other to show in order to even remain viable - I find myself having to actually dig and filter out the news hidden somewhere in whats shown in the so called "NEWS".

As kids - we (me and my chhota brother) have participated in many extra curricular activities - quizzes - debates - school cultural activities, local festivities... played with legos and ataris, exchanged comic books and novels and spent summers attending camps or lazing around at home. Now I hardly hear about kids having any time to do anything. Eight and ten year olds suffer burnouts from too many activities forced by pushy parents. Television channels are scrambling to put kids on TV right from Boogie Woogie and Amul Voice Of India to serials like Baalika Vadhu to more famous examples of movies like Slumdog Millionaire. Is it a sign of the times ? Kids trying to work their way into college from a young age? Opportunity opens doors but does it also put undue and immense pressure on the average people to perform? Being bomarded with achievers and achievements everyday can make even powerhouses feel like under-achievers instead of happy, relaxed individuals who are a result of the ability to sit back and laugh at the lighter, funnier moments in life. If gully and school cricket can give us Sachin Tendulkar and college plays can give us Amitabh Bachchans...

I leave you with this food for thought. -

A need is something that is necessary for humans to live a healthy life. Needs are distinguished from wants because a deficiency would cause a clear negative outcome, such as dysfunction or death. Needs can be objective and physical, such as food and water, or they can be subjective and psychological, such as the need for self-esteem. On a societal level, needs are sometimes controversial, such as the need for a nationalized health care system.

In economics, a want is something that is desired. It is said that people have unlimited wants, but limited resources. Thus, people cannot have everything they want and must look for the best alternatives which they can afford.Some economists have rejected this distinction and maintain that all of these are simply wants, with varying levels of importance. By this viewpoint, wants and needs can be understood as examples of the overall concept of demand.

We, as a western-izing society have crossed the point where wants are rapidly turning into needs and turning us into a restless, unsatisfied people with lower self esteem as a collective society than ever before.

Maybe happy times are like people too. They have a life-span. Enjoy them while they are around and scramble for memories to cherish when they are not.
-------------------------------------------------------
http://www.flickr.com/tanvis

Steven Wright - "A lot of people are afraid of heights. Not me, I'm afraid of widths."

One Red Paper Clip ABC 20/20

2009-04-19T13:09:00.001-07:00

WiigoBot: The Perfect Game

2009-04-16T20:42:00.001-07:00

I miss you..

2009-04-14T11:51:00.000-07:00

Bored to the hilt with nothing to do, here I post an ode to my camera with much ado:

Without thee,
less I see

Nothing to shoot,
Am so bored to boot...

No hues no enhancements,
No views no comments

Oh How lost I am without thee,
Nature's beauty I can't share for all to see...

Booooring Weekends...!

2009-04-12T12:55:00.001-07:00

Sums it up - accurately enough :).

The perfect rose...

2009-04-08T14:42:00.001-07:00

The perfect rose..., originally uploaded by TanviClicks.

What some hobbies need for good achievements is an ability to make a fool of yourself. Stand up comedians, actors do a great job and win fan followings for this. But the real skill is achieving this w/o any loss of dignity.

You might wonder what this has to do with the photo above. Well I found this beauty left in a conference room by a green-thumbed colleague who loves spreading fragrance and color in our office through strategically placed flower vases.

I waited till end of day to take the photo to wait for my colleagues to go home and reduce the probabilities of them looking at me and making a mental note to ask HR to get a mental fitness evaluation report on me. However, as luck might have it - one of my colleagues did walk in on me trying to take the photo. At that point my brain was telling me - "You are the best person to evaluate what you are doing at any given moment, in any given situation. "

The desire to capture this rose's blooming beauty and my other eye left me with a beautiful thought that is the sum total of the gifts my life gives me daily:

Relish...your knowledge today,
for you have never known,
all that you do today.

Treasure...your ignorance today,
for never again will you be
Allowed to get through a day
Knowing as little as you do today.

My Other eye...

2009-04-06T13:48:00.000-07:00

I originally bought this camera for multiple reasons. I bought it because a friend pointed out I had a good eye for beautiful, appealing images (thanks SD). I bought it because I wanted to record amazing "Canon" moments of my parent's first trip(together) to the US of A. What I did not know was it would become my other eye. That it would teach me to look at the world in a different light. Spot the delicate flowers blooming in the unlikeliest of places, spot the still-standing forlorn trunk of a long fallen tree or capture nature's beautiful art hidden in a tree trunk.
So why do I drone on and on about it? Well because I just had an encounter to the worst enemy of our beautiful relationship - Sensor dust! - hundreds of specs of sensor dust :(. I had to actually ship the camera out and will be without my beloved other eye for 4 weeks! Can you believe it? A 22mm silicon surface can take 4 weeks to clean? Sob!

Sign of the times?

2009-04-03T11:59:00.001-07:00

Sign of the times?, originally uploaded by TanviClicks.

Sad times...Perfectly honest and talented folks aboard a doomed aircraft while the corrupt and greedy in the elite class jump out with Golden chutes...

Promised land...

2009-04-02T16:31:00.001-07:00

Promised land..., originally uploaded by TanviClicks.

Or a UFO landing? Captured on a hike to Mission Peak, San Jose,CA

Bridge to nowhere...

2009-04-02T16:29:00.001-07:00

Bridge to nowhere..., originally uploaded by TanviClicks.

Shot at Yosemite National Park, CA

Governmentium

2009-04-01T15:49:00.001-07:00

Lawrence Livermore Laboratories has discovered the heaviest element yet known to science. The new element, Governmentium (Gv), has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.

These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A tiny amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second, to take from 4 days to 4 years to complete.

Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2- 6 years. It does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places.

In fact, Governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes. This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass.

When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.

-Saw this somewhere and cldnt resist sharing. Original author please contact - I'd love to credit you!

E-mail bankruptcy

2009-04-01T15:07:00.000-07:00

Also known as "e-mail fatigue", e-mail bankruptcy is when a user ignores a large number of e-mail messages after falling behind in reading and answering them. The reason for falling behind is often due to information overload and a general sense there is so much information that it is not possible to read it all. As a solution, people occasionally send a boilerplate message explaining that the e-mail inbox is being cleared out. Stanford University law professor Lawrence Lessig is credited with coining this term, but he may only have popularized it.

-Interesting nugget of information gleaned from stumbling wikipedia:).

Gender Cravings

2009-04-01T13:20:00.001-07:00

Are cravings really that gender specific?

A list of common cravings I've experience - trust me some of em drove H crazy...feel free to add your own:

1. Something salty
2. Something picklish
3. Chocolate ice-cream with chocolate sauce and nuts (not just any nuts - toasted salted almonds).
4. Chocolate.
5. Something sweet -(No sugar alone does'nt cut it - it has to be mithai...)
6. Window shopping (I know guys do this - they just do it online because they are too chicken to admit they like shopping - specially the married fellows who will do anything to go shopping with their wives..(H is a blessing in this respect))

Feel free to add your own in your comments...

Kindred spirits

2009-03-25T13:10:00.001-07:00

Have you ever felt an instant connection to someone the first time you met them? Or spoke to someone or received some email or blog post which made you go - "Hey - this person is thinking exactly what I am! Is he/she reading my mind or something?". Specially in today's world. It's spooky in one way because all the technology is taking away human and personal contact. And on the other hand - blogs - photography and other forms of digital art - rather the ability to put yourself and your thoughts online for people to find allows you to connect like never before. I have found people I never would have - people who have never seen me teach me cutting edge technology - polish my craft - encourage and egg me on. I guess the emergence of social networking in the way it has just points to the fact that man is still very much a social animal. We have now found a way to personally connect with more people than we ever would have - to keep in touch in newer ways - something that allows you to eliminate geographical and time-related barriers. I have discovered old friends from childhood - some who were searching for me - they had lost touch and didn't know where to look. One of them had even written letters and kept them because she didn't know where to send them! The old complaint that technology reduces communication can now be changed to technology changes the means and overheads of communication. For people reading this post - thanks for stopping by - you are now part of my virtual world - and you're always welcome back.

Take a moment...

2009-01-21T11:17:00.001-08:00

Take A Moment To Listen Today To what others are trying to say.
Listen today, whatever you do, Or they won't be there to listen to you.
Listen to their problems, listen to their needs
Praise their smallest triumphs, praise their smallest deeds.
Tolerate their chatter, amplify their laughter,
Find out what's the matter, find out what they're after
But tell them that you love them, every single night,
And though you scold them, be sure you hold them tight
Tell them, 'Everything's all right -- Tomorrow's looking bright!
Take a moment to listen today To what others are trying to say.
Listen today, whatever you do, And they will come back to listen to you.

2008-05-09T10:46:00.001-07:00

There's a reason there is no title for this post. Read on...and maybe you'll find out...Today morning, as I walked into my cube, I saw my System Administrators email stating that the Database was down. So I was suddenly left with 2 hours of nothing to do. My team leader said - "Have fun!", but no wonder he sounded like the prophet of doom and rightly so because with a major event dangling like a giant Gulliver sword over our collective Lilliputian heads, two hours of downtime early in the morning was something we could scarcely afford.

But all of a sudden I realized, how much I have lost myself in a daily grind. Even if I am ordered to stop and rest, it comes as a bit of a shock and an inconvenience! If I were a child, and school were to suddenly give me an off day, I wouldn't have wondered what to do with it, an impromptu game of basketball or badminton or carom could take away all the boredom. Not so now! For the first ten minutes I found myself at a loss for what to do. In the last two days, I've been reading two books by Paulo Coelho, the famous Brazilian author of the alchemist. One of them was The Valkyries and the other is The Fifth Mountain. And before that, I finished reading The Zahir. All this while, I've been dreaming up posts to write about them, but I kept putting it off. Sometimes because I felt there are more important tasks I should be doing, sometimes because I felt they would take up too much time and I really don't have that much free time on my hands - somehow dreaming up excuses to not do what I really wanted to do became much easier. Life is comfortable and the job is well paying - I'm soon entering a new phase in my personal life as well, what is not perfect? Why change and do anything new at this time?

It's pretty much the same with life. Most of us have dreams - even smaller ones - about doing something we really want to do. We give them up. Stop chasing them. For two reasons - one - we keep putting them off chiding ourselves saying that those are whims - the time is better spent doing more "meaningful tasks". The other is we don't know what we'd chase after achieving those dreams. I've felt that. Giving up my hearts desire - when it was simply handed to me - like a gift - after years of toil - because I didn't know what I'd toil for after already having achieved it? And there was the lingering doubt - if it came to me without any struggle - just like that - then it was surely the wrong thing! If it was so easy then why did I have to toil so hard for so many years?

I see people around me - fulfilling their desires. Not just for themselves - for others as well - unknown people they feel like reaching out to. They seem to be busy - they seem to have no time for themselves - but that's just to us, people who are observing from the sidelines. I think they are the people who have most time for themselves, because they are doing what they desire. They help others, volunteer, teach - not for others - but because it adds meaning to their own existence. I have many such desires I agonize over - wanting to do this and that - and every day I chide myself - that today will be different - today I have to begin - irrespective of what else I "have" to do besides what I want to do. I hope this post will break that cycle. And soon, I'll find myself branching out in new directions.

I want to be like a tree -firmly rooted to the ground - held by my roots - reaching out to the sky - through new branches - spreading out in different directions.

PS: To some of my readers who find I admire their dedication through this post - accept my heartfelt gratitude for the inspiration you provide. To others - share your thoughts and struggles with me - they will help my journey :).

Journey

2008-04-18T20:49:00.000-07:00

When choosing the path to follow, I selected the road heading west.
It began in the Forest of Childhood, and ceased in the City of Success.

My bag was packed full of knowledge, but also some fears and some weights.
My most precious cargo was a vision of entering the city's bright gates.

I reached an impassable river, and feared that my dream has been lost.
But I found a sharp rock, cut down a tree, and created a bridge, which I crossed.

It started to rain, and I was so cold, I shivered and started to doubt.
But I made an umbrella out of some leaves and kept all the cold water out.

The journey took longer than I had planned; I had no food left in my dish.
Rather than starve before reaching my dream, I taught myself how to fish.

I grew awfully tired as I walked on and on, and I thought of the weights in my pack.
I tossed them aside, and I sped up again. Fear was all that was holding me back.

I could see the City of Success, just beyond a small grove of tress.
At last, I thought I have reached my goal! The whole world will envy me!

I arrived at the city, but the gate was locked. The man at the door frowned and hissed,
"You have wasted your time. I can't let you in. Your name is not on my list."

I cried and I screamed and I kicked and I shook; I felt that my life had just ceased.
For the first time ever, I turned my head, and for once in my life faced the east.

I saw all the things I had done on my way, all the obstacles I'd overcome.
I couldn't enter the city, but that didn't mean I hadn't won.

I had taught myself how to ford rivers, and how to stay dry in the rain.
I had learned how to keep my heart open, even if sometimes it lets in some pain.

I learned, facing backwards, that life meant more than just survival.
My success was in my journey, not in my arrival!!!!!

Pebbles...

2008-04-16T21:41:00.001-07:00

Small, large, in their various colors - shapes and sizes...these are
the obstacles strewn on the path of my life....they bring color,
variety and a purpose to my journey...

My mind - colorful.

2008-03-28T19:06:00.000-07:00

Your Mind is Purple

Of all the mind types, yours is the most idealistic.

You tend to think wild, amazing thoughts. Your dreams and fantasies are intense.

Your thoughts are creative, inventive, and without boundaries.

You tend to spend a lot of time thinking of fictional people and places - or a very different life for yourself.

What Color Is Your Mind?

Collective Intelligence...or not?

2008-01-31T11:56:00.001-08:00

A friend of mine recently sent me a nice little anecdote on human herd behavior and what we have come to categorize as "Collective Intelligence Quotient." Its a technology that allows Amazon to make recommendations as to what you would like to see next. It allows companies like NetFlix to suggest newer movies depending on what you told them you like. Now they don't sit and compare details of movies, they give u recommendations based on what other people said they like. When their likes match yours and there are movies they liked that u have'nt watched yet, that's what they recommend to you. You get the picture. But what happens when there are cycles in such a system? Read on...

It was autumn, and the Red Indians on the remote reservation asked their New Chief if the winter was going to be cold or mild. Since he was a Red Indian chief in a modern society, he couldn't tell what the weather was Going to be. Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, he replied to his Tribe that the winter was indeed going to be cold and that the members Of the village should collect wood to be prepared.

But also being a practical leader, after several days he got an idea.

He Went to the phone booth, called the National Weather Service and asked "Is the coming winter going to be cold?" "It looks like this winter is Going to be quite cold indeed," the meteorologist at the weather service Responded.

So the Chief went back to his people and told them to collect even more Wood. A week later, he called the National Weather Service again. "Is it Going to be a very cold winter?" "Yes," the man at National Weather Service again replied, "It's definitely going to be a very cold winter."

The Chief again went back to his people and ordered them to collect Every scrap of wood they could find.

Two weeks later, he called the National Weather Service again. "Are you Absolutely sure that the winter is going to
be very cold?" "Absolutely," The Man replied. "It's going to be one of the coldest winters ever."

"How can you be so sure?" the Chief asked.

The weatherman replied, "The Red Indians are collecting wood like Crazy."

This is how stock markets work!!!

Nostalgia (version 2.0)...Bachpan ke din.

2007-11-02T14:04:00.001-07:00

All that hullabaloo about human emotion re-experiencing stuff and the like actually stemmed from what I miss about childhood and how I sometimes get transported back there in my dreams...so I'm going to go ahead and make a list of those things...Feel free to add your own in the comments section...as usual. I'd like to make a note here - that I was born and brought up in Mumbai - yes , that actually might be a good point to keep in mind when enjoying this post to understand the relevancy of certain things.

Rains - colorful raincoats, wind cheaters and umbrellas - a wunderfool excuse to wear something very something cool to school :P.
Winters - again a wunderfool excuse to wear something very something cool to school :P.
Being teacher's pet.
Shopping for the latest school bag, stationery, tiffin box and water bottle.
Free periods - because your teacher finally collapsed from the migraine headaches you had worked so hard to diligently give her - that the substitute teacher would actually ask you to put your head down, close your eyes and go to sleep.
Physical training at school - when if the school was not planning an annual sports day that year (now I know they were just "cost-cutting") - you could play "langadi" or "sakhali" or "lock and key" or just plain old basketball :).
Annual prize distribution day - when u generally got rewarded for being teachers pet - or learnt who they "actually" were.
Getting permission to miss class because you had to go practise your speech, skit, dance etc for the annual function.
"Diwali vacation". Two whole weeks. Do you believe that? But those suckers generally had half-yearly exams right after that.
Wondering why dad made such a big deal about doing his homework once a year(tax-time!) that his tuition teacher (the family CA) had to come over, and dadaji would have to sit with him when you did yours everyday with mom's help at most.
Wearing a tie to school - I used to love to make the perfect "samosa" knot.
Having a ready ironed uniform to wear to school. No worries about how you looked and what to wear.
Having a special uniform to wear - because you belonged to a privileged group - school prefects. You even get to handout "remarks" to your class mates and sign your name in their calendars when they were late.
Being able to get up at 6:30 Am, and being in school by the first bell at 7Am, and not being thought of as a nut for doing it. Imagine what it would be like if you were ready, dressed and at work at 7 AM - every friggin day. You'd be so "uncool".
Being able to describe a picnic to the moon in your school essay about your dream and not getting off without being packed off to the insane asylum. :-).
Ravalgaon, Melody, Poppins, Rola Cola.
Collecting chocolate wrappers or bottle caps to rake up some "points" and then exchange for cool stuff(generally promotional marketing targeted at school kids) - which your pesky kid brother would then take away from you to exchange for a pair of plastic fangs or "joke" soap which would turn your face black when you used it.
Shopping for the latest "52/108" game cartridge for you oh-so-new Atari, Sega TV Video game set.
Being the only one allowed to mess around with the family computer because you had attended summer classes.
Shopping for board games.
Playing "saanp-seedi", "ludo" and taking away your brother's marbles to replace ones you lost from your "Brain vita" set.
Reading Tinkle, Champak, Chandamama, Amar Chitra Katha, Nancy Drew and Hardy boys.
The "cable-wallahs" private channel - where he'd play movies and cartoons by request. Our cable guy also organized "Housie" games as a promotional gimmick during summer.
Covering school books.
When "projects" meant playing with craft-paper, scissors, glue, paper chart, paints and all sorts of scrapbooking "bling".
Actually having a religion and Morals period at school where marks were awarded on how well you could decorate your notebook.
Having a separate notebook for eight different subjects, managing to fill them all up, and having a rough book to add.
When being the best just meant knowing the answers to all the "extra" questions in Navneet Digest and Vikas workbooks.
The teacher asking for your notebook to keep as reference to avoid having to re-write her notes for next years class.
Annual sports day march-past practice for the school parade.
Being made to stand outside the class and enjoy the weather for forgetting to do your homework or forgetting to bring your text book! I cant actually believe that was punishment! I'd have done it more often if I had more sense.
"Drawing and painting" class at school.
Not having to wear school uniform on your birthday.
A class full of 60 students would actually stand up and sing "Happy Birthday to You".
You get to hand out sweets and other small baubles to your classmates while they had to study and pay attention to what the teacher was teaching - because it was your birthday.
You get to skip class and go all over the school and go handout chocolates to your favorite teachers.(That's when you could snub the ones you did not like.)
Being called to the principals office because you won something at some silly competition/exam where you were representing the school.
Official permission to skip school because you were representing the school at some silly competition.
Being handed your report card at the school assembly because you came first in your class.(No one knew that was because you were the teacher's pet!)
Collecting merit cards for various other activities at school.
Spelling tests in class.
Ice candy, samosas, pop corn, Energee and Masala Milk sold at the school canteen.
Being able to mimic "I Love you Rasna" and "Nirma Washing powder" and "Rin" ads at school and getting prizes for it.
Not having to pay tax.
Writing articles for the school magazine.
Writing essays in school exams.
Having your paintings displayed in the school art exhibition.
Birthday parties. You'd take gifts to other kids birthday parties, eat cake, wafers, samosas and paav bhaaji, wear a party cap, play some silly games and come back home with a return gift.
Blowing soap water bubbles.
Phooljari - fuwara and chakra, and other fire crackers at Diwali.
Doing Rangoli at Diwali.
Using wierdly shaped sharpeners and scented erasers.

iMiss...

2007-10-23T19:08:00.000-07:00

I'm back in the kinda missing home phase...and I'm missing really a whole lot of things. So I thought, I'd take a little trip down memory lane and try and remember some of the things I used to enjoy and would still love to enjoy given a chance...

Mom
Dad
My brother - he loved to bug me when he was free - it was irritating then, but I'd love the attention now :).
Daada - daadi.
Food - on demand. :)))))). Anytime...anything...
Having mom tuck me into bed, make sure I did'nt stay up too late, and mom's soothing voice bringing me back from slumber.
My snug lil corner wid a ton of books, a lamp...and on rainy days a hot cuppa coffee and pepper spiced banana wafers :).
Painting.
Free SMS.
Watching Tom and Jerry, followed by the Flintstones, followed by the Jetsons.
Having a newspaper to read with my morning tea.
Eating chaat at what we mumbaikars called "Laari".
Roasted salted Indian peanuts.
Hand made chocolate and roasted almond ice cream.
Rains. No - not the paper boats. I loved the extra half day/holiday I could get, not to mention hot bhajiyas and tea.
Going to college/work by bus. I used to love the luxury of yapping on the phone or reading when traveling not to mention not having to drive.
The little trinket stores all over the place where I could buy cute stuff I liked.
Pajama parties with my friends.
Sports days in college.
Hanging out with a group of 40 friends cheering Aamir Khan's team in Lagaan.
Watching an India Pakistan match with family and 40 of your friends.
Having the worlds best Paav Bhaaji while watching the match.
Shopping with mom. And bargaining during shopping. First with mom and then the store guy. :P
Bugging and bargaining with a salesman for 3 hours and then walking out without buying anything. :))))))).
Not having to worry about anything bigger than the big exam tommorrow.
The smaller joys that completing a painting or good scores on an exam could bring...
Dinner in front of the TV - watching 24x7 Indian News Channels, Kaun Banega Crorepati, etc etc.
Smart sensible commercials.
After dinner hour-long stroll with mom and/or cousins.
The anticipation in the pit of my stomach when I stood watching my dad or brother sample my latest experiment in the kitchen.
Diwali atmosphere.
Not having to worry about cleaning, laundry and bills. :)))).

Feel free to add your own...
In the comments section of course. :)))))))).

You forget what you want to remember and you remember what you want to forget.

2007-10-22T23:48:00.001-07:00

There are some things about my thoughts and dreams and whatever abstract processes that go on in my head that I cannot quite explain. I have tried, thought over it (how I managed that also escapes my reasoning - but I skipped over that one step since I do not want to descend into infinite levels of recursion...) but could not come up with a suitable explanation. Sometimes, people have very vivid dreams - I bet most people experience them quite often during their lifetimes...when you wake up, you cannot help being confused about whether what you saw or should I say experienced was a dream at all? Was it real life and it so happened that you were in a daze and just sleepwalked through the whole thing? More so during high stress times like interviews and examinations...

But these things are may/may not phenomena. Some people know them...some don't. But whats really observed, experienced and accepted is the feeling of pain. And I don't mean just an emotional reaction. It is somewhere close to hardwired in the human physiology, going as far as entrenching itself in our reflexes. One may almost consider it as natural as growing up.The very simple example being that of a child or an infant who has touched a candle flame or maybe touched a hot utensil. It is then forever ingrained deeply in him, and the next time around its a reflex to withdraw to a safe distance from such an object.

What I'm coming to is the phenomenon of trying to re-live, or put more accurately re-experience something that one has gone through before. A person can relive painful/traumatic incidences in life much more vividly than one can re-experience a pleasurable experience of the same intensity. It is not unheard of for recent or sometimes even not-so-recent victims of accident/tragedy or abuse to wake up screaming, scared and drenched in sweat. But we don't exactly hear about people waking up roaring with laughter. Why is there this difference between the way happy and sad impulses of the same intensity are recorded on the human mind? Is it just an evolutionary quirk or is there something deeper here? Does our very basic, very primal sense, our basis of feeling and emotion consist of fear and the experience of happiness a lack of it? Or is it vice versa, with happiness being a basic sense and sadness an absence of it or the experience of it being smothered? Though they may seem like two different points of view, there is a vast difference. The first case needs you to conquer fear, the second one needs you only to be aware of a feeling of "happiness" at all times, which makes it much easier to feel positive.

Knowing this I believe is the key to achieving happiness. I am sure healing from such an experience would be much easier if one were secure in the belief of happiness. Physiological proof of how deeply this affects human health and well being exists in human reaction to the sensation of pain - and the absence of it. Pain is generally accompanied by the release of stress hormones which generally trigger a higher sense of threat or imminent danger. A pain killer however manages to induce a feeling of well being by simply suppressing the ability to experience these phenomena even if they do nothing to alleviate the root cause of trauma. However, if treating pain meant replenishing hormones that bring a feeling of well being instead of suppressing those that bring pain, then treating it would be like watering the seed of life, and less like fighting a war against the forces that ravage it.

At he bottom of all this lies the very core question...why do we forget what we want to remember - our happiest - healthiest moments, and why do we remember in such vivid detail, something we'd do better to forget - our worst - most painful moments?

What's easier?

2007-09-10T11:05:00.001-07:00

Easy is to get a place is someone's address book.
Difficult is to get a place in someone's heart.

Easy is to judge the mistakes of others
Difficult is to recognize our own mistakes

Easy is to talk without thinking
Difficult is to refrain the tongue

Easy is to hurt someone who loves us.
Difficult is to heal the wound...

Easy is to forgive others
Difficult is to ask for forgiveness

Easy is to set rules.
Difficult is to follow them...

Easy is to dream every night.
Difficult is to fight for a dream...

Easy is to show victory.
Difficult is to assume defeat with dignity...

Easy is to admire a full moon.
Difficult to see the other side...

Easy is to stumble with a stone.
Difficult is to get up...

Easy is to enjoy life every day.
Difficult to give its real value...

Easy is to promise something to someone.
Difficult is to fulfill that promise...

Easy is to say we love.
Difficult is to show it every day...

Easy is to criticize others.
Difficult is to improve oneself.

-Author Unknown

It Could'nt be done...

2007-08-10T19:09:00.001-07:00

Somebody said that it couldn't be done,
But he with a chuckle replied
That "maybe it couldn't," but he would be one
Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
on his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.

Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it";
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he'd begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That "cannot be done," and you'll do it.

-Author unknown to me

Wisdom at work....

2007-06-22T18:58:00.001-07:00

A few wisecracks and quips stored in our Bug - tracking system...feel free to add some of your own in the comments...

this is the best restaurant i've ever eaten in.
QUIS CUSTODIET IPSES CUSTODIES?
check out
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- I took the one less traveled by -- And that has made all the difference.
"Life is on the wire. The rest is just waiting." -- Karl Wallenda, high-wire legend
I hate Mondays!
GOD is Near
are you gonna turn it up a notch?
Pain is inevitable,suffering is optional.
Don't believe anything you think.
I never forget a face, but in your case I'll be glad to make an exception. - Groucho Marx
Mondays are the sand traps in the fairway of life.
If you love what you do, you'll never work another day in your life.
Yes, I am in Flavor Country.
It is a good thing for an uneducated man to read books of quotations. - Sir Winston Churchill
Negative Ghostrider, the pattern is full.
I bought powdered water. But I don't know what to add.
All generalizations are false.
If snakes had legs, they'd be lizards.
This one goes to eleven!
To err is human...to really foul things up, it takes a computer.
A woman got into her car and discovered that the steering wheel was gone, the radio was gone, the accelerator and brake pedals were gone. She was just about to report it to the police when she discovered she was in the back seat. -- Naman
"The resume was just unstructured text. It's kinda funny for a UI engineer." --linde
"[BEEP] (for 5 solid minutes)" --w_ctierney, on cvs up -d -p
"Whoever after due and proper warning shall be heard to utter the abominable word 'Frisco', which has no linguistic or other warrant, shall be deemed guilty of a High Misdemeanor, and shall pay into the Imperial Treasury as penalty the sum of twenty-five dollars." --Emperor Norton I, Emperor of the United States, and Protector of Mexico
"Bother!" said Pooh, as he hid the Death Star plans in his hunny pot.
An army of principles can penetrate where an army of soldiers cannot.
I am always free! - Somewhere by Bill Gates.
They say our generation is ignorant and apathetic, but I'm not sure what that means and I don't really care.
Some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them. -- Naman
Wherever you go, there you are.
"No matter where you go, there you are"
It wasn't me. I was out of town at the time.
even doves have pride.
Energizer Bunny arrested! Charged with battery.
A man never discloses his own character so clearly as when he describes another's ~ RK
If you want to get there, make sure you are here first.
The more that I've been right, the more that I've been wrong
A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking. - Arthur McBride Bloch [nataraj]
whatever man, all i do is push bits.
IT CAN BE DONE !!!!
A plateau is the highest form of flattery.
"(P.S. You hold the record for tickets that fall into the "Complaint - Network-Wide Change needed" category, hehe)" --acarhart, on troscoe
If at first you don't succeed, call it version 1.0! --- Naman
Do Some Work!!
us.areBelong( yourBase.all() ) ;
It works on my machine!
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.
A computer is almost human - except that it does not blame its mistakes on another computer.
it's all fun and games til someone loses an eyeball
The Websense category "Bug Tracking Systems" is filtered.
i'll meet you downstairs in 5 minutes!
It's not like I invited him. He just remembered....
"Oh, right, i forgot that you're Mr. Bright Side."
"I can't take it anymore!" she said, mistakenly.
hmm
There are two ways of constructing a software design. One way is to make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies. And the other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies. -- C.A.R. Hoare
Vegetarians eat vegetables. I'm a humanitarian...
"If frogs had sidepockets, they'd carry handguns." --Dan Rather, on election returns
Get back to work
Maybe the dingo ate your baby.
Maturity begins to grow when you can sense your concern for others outweighing your concern for yourself.
"Insane people are always sure that they are fine. It is only the sane people who are willing to admit that they are crazy."
"If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything."
It's nice to be important but it is more important to be nice !!
"java doesn't actually work on Linux" -- dan gorman, nextag
Solaris is so cool. I don't even know why we use Linux. --dan gorman
"if we automate it enough that a monkey CAN do it, Dan Gorman MIGHT be able to do it" -- mike steczo
[jimmy] i'm like miss maryann
Physics and Law Enforcement - if it weren't for those two, I'd be unstoppable.
trying to run java on linux? surely you jest!
Round the decay Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.
Just do what must be done. This may not be happiness, but it is greatness. - George Bernard Shaw
If ignorance is bliss, you'd think more people would be happier when you pointed out what morons they are
We can ignore that
Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it. -- Ferris Bueller
He who laughs last often never got the joke
If you even dream of beating me you'd better wake up and apologize - Muhammad Ali
The only basket that you can score on me in a basketball game is if I accidentially goal tend your basket and you get the benefit of the doubt (serious doubt by the way).
what in the world?! this redhat cd doesn't even have a setup.exe!
You never know what real happiness is until you get married, and then it is too late. -- Naman
" If you cant be free, at least you can be cheap" ... Frank Zappa
its better to live a short life of Fame, than a long one of Obscurity
Men are like parking spaces - the good ones are taken and the rest are handicapped. -- Naman
"A good plan today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow" - Sandeep Pal Batra
two roads diverged in the woods. I took the one on the right. and got a flat tire....relax
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and he might invite you over for dinner.
Pauli's exclusive, Heisenberg's uncertain, and Schroedinger just waves.
Guns Don't Kill - Taxes Do! -- Naman
A fine is a tax for doing wrong - A tax is a fine for doing well -- Naman
Volume of a pizza with radius z and depth a is (pi)(z)(z)(a)
Love is like a rose; blinded by its beauty you overlook the thorns - Naman
UpdateActivePhrases
Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings, they did it by killing all those who opposed them--Sindhu
Wanted, dead or alive: Schroedinger's cat.
QVO VADIS - gautam
Identify the opportunities is disguise, and you will rise, rise, rise - Naman
True love begins when nothing is looked for in return. --Naman
I said I've been to the zoo!
That's not a moon, that's a space station!
This sentence is false.
I HATE MYSELF FOR LOVING YOU --- NAMAN
A bug a day keeps Rama away. --Abhi
There should be only two days in the week........ 1. Saturday, 2. Sunday.........
A waist is a terrible thing to mind.
me - >" in nextag when some clicks we make money " ....friend-> " so you sell mouse"
The Websense category "Proxy Avoidance" is filtered.
If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything.
Early to bed and early to rise make Jack a dull boy.
The answer to this is very simple. It was a joke. It had to be a number, an ordinary, smallish number, and I chose that one. Binary representations, base thirteen, Tibetan monks are all complete nonsense. I sat at my desk, stared into the garden and thought '42 will do' I typed it out. End of story. -- Douglas Adams
*Looks in the mirror* Well well well we meet again you handsome devil...
Any sufficiently advanced bug is indistinguishable from a feature.
"Insane people are always sure that they are fine. It is only the sane people who are willing to admit that they are crazy." - VSA
Have your people call my people.
You can't control how things happen, but you can control how you react to it - Alex
All work and no play make a many healthy wealthy and wise.
Success comes to those who can rise above ground level! --
Happiness is rewarding, the more you give the more you receive!
The universe comes alive, when you become the star that you are!
When it comes to success, there is plenty for everybody!
Life is the art of drawing without an eraser.-----Sindhu Jose
I didnt start the fire
the feature doesn't actually exist until there are tests that prove it works."
Am I ambivalent? Well, yes and no.
When it comes to success, there is plenty for everybody!
"Impossible" means," I M POSSIBLE"----Virendra
Stay cool with moderate amounts of rest and relaxation !
Be cool in Circus -- Ateesh Narang
Dream Big & Believe In Yourself
To Change The Way You Live , You Have To Change The Way You Think
The only thing that stands between a man and what he wants from life is often merely the will to try it and the faith to believe that it is possible.
It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.
Chris thinks that he can take Amit out in a cage fight.
Some people are born on third base thinking they hit a triple.
Many decisions on life has its gain and loss. If we spend our time to grow an apple tree, we get apple as it turns out but most likely people are still going to complain why we don't have any orange from our work.
George Lucas: "With my new Star Wars: The Expensive Edition, I've re-re-re-mastered the entire series. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to master it again." - mgoel [penny-arcade]
"The true worth of a man is to be measured by the objects he pursues."---Marcus Aurelius
While one person hesitates because he feels inferior, the other is busy making mistakes and becoming superior
While one person hesitates because he feels inferior, the other is busy making mistakes and becoming superior
It is not what we profess, but what we practice, that makes us great- Harish
Silence is an avenue for discovery! -- Naman
The days and years will be full, when you are grateful -- Naman
Memories can serve us well, when we see the stories they tell - Naman
Climb the mountain with struggle and sacrifice, because the view at the top is worth it! - Naman
One of the best ways to communicate, is to write now! - Naman
When our focus is right, our days will be bright! - Naman
Hope today will show you the way! - Naman
The human mind is like a parachute - works only when it is open
The human mind is like a parachute - works only when it is open
Have a Heart to believe and a mind to Achieve-Bhupal
It may be in the open, or it may try to hide, but there is always a bright side! -- Naman
its better to live a short life of Fame, than a long one of Obscurity - Gautam
Be consistent - but don't do it all the time.
Sharing a meal, is really a great deal! - Naman
With the proper amount of time, success you will find! - Naman
Success over the long term will be, when moderation is the key! - Naman
our warrenty covers everything except parts and labor
Honesty is always the best policy, even if it hurts - Naman
A true friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out..
" Forget about the days when it's been cloudy, but don't forget your hours in the sun."
�Everything you desire in life may not be achieveable. Everything you achieve in life may not be desirable -- Naman
I am your father.
Homer: "Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals ... except the weasel."
�Everything you desire in life may not be achieveable. Everything you achieve in life may not be desirable.� --- TARUN
When you want to go home.... expect a P0.
A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.
"java doesn't actually work on Linux" -- dan gorman, nextag ??? Are u joking baby... come to line???
People are essential, so see their potential - Naman
I am a leaf on the wind
I love SD5
I am a leaf on the wind!
Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all. - Ambrose Redmoon
"We lost a lot of good men out there...I don't want to talk about it." [mgoel]
welcome to the MATRIX
The friendship door can make life's journey so much more! - Naman
Travel is a great way to appreciate the things at home -- Naman
Never Putt Off Till Tomorrow One Smile You Can Give Today...!
If you notice this notice then you will notice that noticing this notice was worth noticing..
Impossible says I am possible so don't worry.....!!
Build a bridge, and a smooth path is created - Naman
Believe it or not -- I don't ever have to lock my machine at work; it hangs so often (and for so long) and people can't really steal any information in a minute.
5 out of 4 people have trouble with fractions.
My life for Aiur
See ya LA-ter! -PVD
Virginia is for lovers.
I suppose if you don't know that the perfect active form of vinco is vici... you need to submit the same misspelled quip twice! Goes to show you that if you need to be careful quoting Julius Caesar.
Whatever goes comes back 2 u - Arthur
Do it now. Then it's done.
If you want to sacrifice the admiration of many men for the criticism of one, go ahead, get married.
When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.
Talk happiness. The world is sad enough without your woe.
Never explain--your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway
The rule is perfect: In all matters of opinion our adversaries are insane
Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.
They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.
Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great.
Life's strict rule is this; you get more of what you focus on.
Don't fear failure so much that you refuse to try new things. The saddest summary of a life is: could have, might have, and should have.
Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it, you can never get it back.
A day without laughter is a day wasted. -Charlie Chaplin
When I hear somebody say, "Life is hard," I am always tempted to ask, "Compared to what?" - Sydney J. Harris
Victory is not won in miles but in inches. Win a little now, hold your ground, and later win a little more. - Louis L'Amour
Keep away from people who belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great, make you feel that you too can become great. - Mark Twain
Too much of a good thing can be wonderful. - Mae West
The only way to get finished is to get started. - Melissa Mull
I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward. -Thomas Edison
Some people are wise, some otherwise
You can't change what you are
The Jack Of All Trades remained Jack throughout his life.
Heisenberg was pulled over by a cop one day. "Sir, do you know how fast you were going?" "No, but I know where I am."
Knowledge is Supreme Power - Neelesh
One smile travels many miles- Naman
The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will. - Neelesh
You do not lead by hitting people over the head - that's assault, not leadership. - Neelesh
Speak when you're angry , and you'll make the best speech you'll ever regret -- Naman
Winning isn't everything. But wanting to win is --->Vikas Kaushik
You would achieve more, if you don't mind who gets ---->Vikas Kaushik
When everything else is lost, the future still --->Vikas Kaushik
The only job you start at the top is when you dig a Grave --->Vikas Kaushik
If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for something, you'll fall for everything---->Vikas Kaushik
There are two kinds of failures. Those who think and never do, and those who do and never think ---Vikas Kaushik
All progress has resulted from unpopular decisions.----Vikas Kaushik
Change your thoughts and you change your world ---Vikas Kaushik
Management is doing things right. Leadership is doing the right things.---Vikas Kaushik
Quote from one of our sales, "This lender does not like the quality of our leads, but he liks Tammy".
Bad command or file name! Go stand in the corner.
It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious.
"I don't know, more than the sun...sets, I like the sun...rises."
Think ahead, look ahead, see ahead....and you will get ahead! - Naman
Laughter is contagious - Ravz
While I can run, I'll run; while I can walk, I'll walk; when I can only crawl, I'll crawl. But by the grace of God, I'll always be moving forward.
Got Mole problems? Call Avagadro: 6.02 x 10-23.
Reality is for people who can't face science fiction.
Time is just nature's way of keeping everything >from happening all at once.
There's no future in time travel.
Health is simply the slowest possible rate at which one can die.
The reason computer chips are so small is that computers don't eat much.
My software never has bugs. It just develops random features. -Vishal
India QA: "You've got questions. We've got dancing paperclips."
I would love to change the world, but they won't give me the source code
The box said 'Requires Windows 95 or better'. So I installed LINUX.
In a world without fences and walls, who needs Gates and Windows?
A computer lets you make more mistakes faster than any invention in human history - with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila.
A penny saved is 1.39 cents earned, if you consider income tax
There are 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't.
If at first you don't succeed; call it version 1.0
Unix, DOS and Windows...the good, the bad and the ugly.
The code that is the hardest to debug is the code that you know cannot possibly be wrong.
UNIX is basically a simple operating system, but you have to be a genius to understand the simplicity.
Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning.
Walking on water and developing software from a specification are easy if both are frozen
"Too many fingers on the keyboard" error....
When you're down to nothing, God is up to something. The faithful see the invisible, believe the incredible and then receive the impossible.
The body shouldn't bear the consequences of an untamed heart -- Riju
BC17 has new home page : http://bugzilla.nextag.com/attachment.cgi?id=6163&action=view
The most important shot in golf is your next one - Unknown
Warning: Dates in Department Calendar are closer than they appear.
Ever notice how fast Windows runs? Neither did I.
We are NOT mindreaders! - Desktop Support
Hang loose, stay fit! - Harmail
Lock your computer when you walk away. - IT Nazi
There is good in him, I have felt it!~ Luke Skywalker
Your children will become what you are; So be what you want them to be - ravz
"A true soul need not hide his thoughts." Tarun
One does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time -->Vikas Kaushik
The only limits to the possibilities in your life tomorrow are the buts you use today --->Vikas Kaushik
The sun is not yellow. It is chicken.
Good times are even better when they're shared - Tarun
A good long talk can cure almost anything - Tarun
Everyone needs someone with whom to share their secrets - Tarun
Listening is just as important as talking - Tarun
Laughter makes the world a happier place - Tarun
Friends are like wine; they get better with age - Tarun
S MAY BE PRECIOUS, BUT FRIENDSHIP IS PRICELESS!!!!! - TARUN
Each mile is progress, on the road to success! -- Naman
One goal, many efforts, sweet success! -- Naman
With determination,we can break through any wall that life puts before us - NaMan
Choice is an OVERKILL to Preference.
Justify People in All Time & Space...They are just a reflection of your past,present or future....
When Vin Diesel goes to donate blood, he declines the syringe, and instead requests a hand gun and a bucket.
jeene bhi do yaaron ab kya bug file karna
I've seen u somewhere......Oh yes! at your funeral, now I remember.........or was it mine? ---Riju
Hope is a waking dream. - Deepak
"I wish I knew how to quit you!" -- Jack Twist
"Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye." -- Naman
Geography is the study of things six feet above the ground and six thousand kms beneath it. -- Riju
If you can't fix it, you gotta stand it.
Sometimes it's better to be a good loser rather than being a bad winner ------ Riju
Man tries to exit the society he is born into, while contributing to it throughout his lifetime -- Riju
What the soul cherishes can be harmful to the body -- Riju
It's a condescending thing, dear - you wouldn't understand.
Thanks to Freud, I can blame all my actions on Id, Ego, & Superego ---- Riju
Being sad with the right people is better than being happy with the wrong ones. - Naman
I didn't know they made bastards as sexy as you, man!
When you're right, no one remembers. When you're wrong, no one forgets - Tarun
Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die
To do one good act is better than building a nine-storeyed pagoda
Think Global by Acting Local. Soon you will not be able to stop yourself from doing what is right.
Love Can Create Miracles -- Naman
Christopher Robin Hood steals from the rich and gives to the Pooh.
Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try. - Homer Simpson
Oh, so they have internet on computers now! - Homer Simpson
Im�possible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they have been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Im�possible is not a fact. Its an opinion. Im�possible is not a de�clar�a�tion. It's a dare.---Vikas Kaushik
Just when I got all the answers of LIFE, they changed the question... -- Naman
There are many things in ure life that will catch ure eye but only a few will catch ure heart....pursue those -- Naman
LOVE CAN CREATE MAGIC BUT MAGIC CAN'T CREATE LOVE -- Naman
If you feel like doing some work, sit down and wait until that feeling goes away -- Naman
March 2 2006, Mike Doisk wears the same black jacket that he wore the day before
" MONEY SPEAKS I HEARD IT ONCE SAYING GOODBYE" -- Naman
Life's a big tragedy is someone else is dictating terms to you
Crash = Worst movie of the year!
If your Kicked from the rear, it means your in Front - G
Guns don't kill people. Chuck Norris kills people.
The Only Difference between working with Goal and without Goal -- Is the Result - - - - - - > Vikas Kaushik
Every Day I get up and look through the Forbes list of the richest people . If I'm not there , I go to work -- Naman
Soomkaplaskasingsinganashonkyoublonkyouiginaiginaboogboogboogaboogabooga
If A is a success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut. -Albert Einstein
Failure to acknowledge an issue when there's one, is one hell of an issue -- Riju
Failure to acknowledge an issue, when there's one, is one hell of an issue -- Riju
"Night is longer than day for those who dream... & day is longer than night for those who make their dreams come true!"-- Naman
What thee seeketh yonder when the best-of-the-best is at thy arm's distance -- Riju
The more time you take to arrive at a decision, the more critical people are going to be about it, & the worse decision it's going to be -- Riju
Good relationships are akin to long-forgotten wine buried under the earth in oak barrels; you find that it tastes a lot better after all those years in oblivion -- Riju
pna|nalbar|thrff|jung|guvf|fragrapr|vf|?
Ab ovo usque ad mala
Abiit, excessit, evasit, erupit
Absum! - I'm outta here!
A friend is someone who knows the "song" in your heart, and can sing it back to you when you suddenly forget the "words"! -Quincy Jones
The Person Behind You is Staring At You!!!
A celebrity is a person who works hard all his life to become well known, and then wears dark glasses to avoid being recognised -- Naman
Be blessed and comfort someone else with these words -- Naman
Just because you can't see something, it can't be said that it doesn't exist
A synchronize doesn't protect against Chuck Norris, if he wants the object, he takes it.
Chuck Norris never has a bug in his code, EVER!
Chuck Norris can divide by 0!
There is no theory of evolution. Just a list of creatures Chuck Norris has allowed to live.
http://bugzilla.nextag.com/quips.cgi
One who follows the crowd is never followed by the crowd -- Naman
"Success Doesn't Need Hard Work It needs Smart Work" - TAZ
If ur successful, u'll win some false friends and some true enemies - TAZ
"A true friend is someone who knows you're a good egg even if you're a little cracked."-- Naman
Amor Vincit Omnia (Latin -- means "Love Conquers All")
Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people. ---- Naman
Jack Bauer removed the "Escape" button from his keyboard. Jack Bauer never needs to escape.
The intelligent man finds almost everything ridiculous, the sensible man hardly anything. -- Naman
Pray as if everything depended upon God and work as if everything depended upon man. -- Naman
Nobody got anywhere in the world by simply being content.- Naman
A champion is someone who gets up,even when they can't.- Naman
The only place where dreams are impossible is in your own mind - Naman
"i have the answer in my head. i just havent found it yet" -- Naman
"Give up for a second and that is where you will finish." -- Naman
Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work."- Naman
It is better to die on your feet than live on your knees." - Naman
Who's the guy with this obvious Chuck Norris fetish? Get over it. Chuck sucks.
Television enables you to be entertained in your home by people you wouldn't have in your home -- Naman
You guys are special!
Don't try to explain security to your manager's manager if he doesn't know what triple-A's, C-List, ACL, ROT13, and PKI are.
I'm not supposed to be here today! - Dante.
"What do you hear?" "Nothin' but the rain." "Grab your gun and bring the cat in."
0.1 = 0.1000000000000000055511151231257827021181583404541015625
No Defeat Is Final Untill U Stop Trying -- Naman
A Little Progress Everyday Adds Upto Big Result -- Naman
"The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it" -- Naman
bs|pbhefr|rirelbar|xabjf|guvf|vf|ebg|guvegrra!
Men forget but never forgive. Women forgive but never forget. -- Naman
Nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. If you�re a man, you take it. -- Naman Nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. If you�re a man, you take it.
Nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. If you�re a man, you take it. -- Naman
Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much - Wilde
I think that God in creating Man somewhat overestimated his ability - Wilde
why is it that, ChangeControl Ticket is for others not me
http://isitfriday.net/
All of us should create a change control ticket and get approvals for every change we make. disclaimer in small text, 'all of us" means 'you' not 'me'
"The harder I work, the luckier I get"
All your hard work will soon pay off.
It's not personal...it's politics.
The light at the end of the tunnel - could be an incoming train!
ALife Spent Making Mistakes Is Not Only More Honorable But More Useful Than A Life Spent Doing Nothing -- Naman
The one thing I've learned in life is to regret nothing, life is short ,nature is hostile, and man is ridiculous.
Things u Love, u will lose one day; Things you fear you will face them one day; do what you have to do and make the best out of every moment -- Naman
There are two types of people in this world. Those who categorize people into two types, and those who don't.
One man practicing sportsmanship is far better than fifty preaching it. -- Naman
It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation. -- Naman
everyone wants to go to heaven, but none wants to die-- Rohit Sabikhi
The volume of a pizza with radius z and thickness a is (pi)(z)(z)(a)
Can We Automate That?
The obsolute was once a revolution --- Rohit Sabikhi
The shortest book in the world has one word in it : everything. The title? "What Women Want...!!!"
You must learn to Twalk in other's shoes. hat way when they find out, you are a mile away and you have their shoes!
Computers can sort in O(n log n); Chuck Norris can do it in O(1).
Wise men learn more from fools, than fools from the wise.
So, do what you can as long as the quality of your life and the quality of the project do not suffer
bootless cries
a real huge moron
a real huge moron
a real huge moron
I have filed a bug for this...
- "No soup for you!" (The Soup Nazi, "Seinfeld")
- "Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy" (Lloyd Bentsen to Dan Quayle)
I am the only female here who has written the most bugs! Sallie Severns
Sallie is the best Media Buyer ever!
The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance, the wise grows it under his feet. -- Naman
Since light travels faster than sound, people appear bright until you hear them speak.
Rudolphus naso rubro, naso nitidissimo, se umquam eum spectes, dicas eo ludere ...
Do or do not. There is no try! ~~ Master Yoda
What's the deal with all of these Chuck Norris quips? What about Charles Bronson?
I live by only one rule: there are no rules.
I can't believe I ate the whole thing!
"You can't make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious."
It's only a flesh wound...
How come my quips never show up?
Now cloning bugs...!!!
Women marry men hoping they will change , Men marry women hoping they will not , So each is inevitably disappointed -- Naman
We all lose our looks eventually . Better develop your character and interest in life -- Naman
Maybe, just once, someone will call me 'Sir' without adding, 'You're making a scene.'
Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand. - Homer Simpson
I'm normally not a praying man, but if you're up there, please save me Superman!
I once caught a fish <---------------------------------------------------------------- THIS BIG ------------------------------------------------------------------->
I once caught a fish <-------------------THIS BIG------------------>
There are 3 kinds of lies. Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics. -Mark Twain
One of these days I'm moving to the world of Theory - everything works there - Jijoe
Questions are ignorance, structured and ranked - jijoe
If you can't beat 'em, arrange to have them beaten.
Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter if you are a lion or a gazelle, when the sun comes up, you better start running. - An African Proverb
Who wants a sandwich from Safeway - Guillermo
Live well its greatest revenge
Dont feel yourself alone - I AM WITH U ALWAYS
I m sorry but i was rite
The earliest bug in the system is 13
Exaggerated sensitiveness is an expression of the feeling of inferiority--- Neha
A cheerful frame of mind, reinforced by relaxation... is the medicine that puts all ghosts of fear on the run------- Neha
Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned. ----Neha
Doesn't really matter because Lions hunt at night and sleep during the day!
To err is human, but to really foul things up, it takes a computer.
Chuck Norris does not fix bugs; he threatens a roundhouse and the bug fixes itself!
"I am not the best "I am not the best...<<>> but I am not like the rest.." CrAzY ViRuS
CrAzY ViRuS = Tarun Sharma
Life's a big tragedy is someone else is dictating terms to you."Its not tragedy it shows that you have caliber to learn new things and u r getting opportunity"
"When The Going Gets Tough,The Tough Gets Going"-- RaviSati
867-5309
"I love you like a fat kid love cake." - 50 Cent
Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you are a mile away and you have their shoes!
I'm hot cause i'm fly, you ain't 'cause you not
if it feels good do it
bears are godless killing machines
Be what you are,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Dont try to copy anyone
``imposibel itself means i m possible
Wining is everything, The only ones who remember you when you come second are your wife and your dog -- Naman
Haikus are easy :: But sometimes they don't make sense :: Refrigerat

Thinking blogger Award

2007-06-18T23:03:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I'm writing after ages. Good way to begin, picking up a tag from DJ. I would've tagged him, if I'd gotten the tag from someone else. Now, I have to tag 5 more people who make me think.

The rules are simple: I have to name the person who gave it me, and as I mentioned, it is DJ. I
now have to pass this award on to 5 more bloggers who make me think.

But I'm going to Tag only 2 here.

1. Sahil Shah

2. Dhwani, Sanket(anyone of you two can pick it up)

Another one I would have tagged would have been Arti. But she's already been tagged.

The participation rules are simple:

If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think.
Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the theme.
Optional: Proudly display the ‘Thinking Blogger Award’ with a link to the post that you wrote.
Please, remember to tag blogs with real merits, i.e. relative content, and above all — blogs that really get you thinking!

Achievement......

2007-05-22T10:19:00.001-07:00

Seems like others words are working better for me these days...

2007-03-22T11:57:00.001-07:00

rozaana jiye rozaana mare
rozaana jiye rozaana mare
teri yaadon mein hum
teri yaadon mein hum
rozaana
rozaana

rozaana jiye rozaana mare
teri yaadon mein hum
teri yaadon mein hum
rozaana

ungali teri thame huye har lamha chalta hoon mein
ungali teri thame huye har lamha chalta hoon mein
tujhko liye ghar lautu, aur ghar se nikalta hoon mein
ek pal ko bhi jata nahi tere bin kahin
yun raat din
bas tujhmein hi
bas tujhmein hi
lipta rehta hoon mein
rozaana rozaana rozaana rozaana
rozaana jiye rozaana mare
teri yaadon mein hum
rozaana jale rozaana ghoole
teri yaadon mein hum
teri yaadon mein hum
rozaana rozaana rozaana rozaana

har din teri ankhon se iss duniya ko takta hoon mein
tu jiss tarah rakhti thi ghar, vaise hi rakhta hoon mein
teri tarah sang sang chale yaadein teri
yun har ghadi baaaton mein bas, baaton mein teri
gumsa rehta hoon mein
rozaana rozaana rozaana rozaana

kuchh gaao to yaad aaate ho...
gungunao to yaad aate ho...
kuchh phehnu to yaad aate ho...
kahin jaanu to yaad aate ho...
kuchh khone pe yaad aate ho...
kuchh paanu to yaaad aate ho...

rozaana chale yaadon mein teri, zindagi ka safar
tujhse hai roshan, tujse hai zinda,
yeh dil ka sheher
yeh dil ka sheher
rozaana rozaana rozaana rozaana
rozaana rozaana rozaana rozaana

The Kabuliwallah.

2007-03-21T12:18:00.001-07:00

Dear uncle....
This is one story I remember u told me. You were the kabuliwallah and I was your Mini. The only difference is, you are gone to your son..and I cant get over it...
Here's to your memory...

THE KABULIWALLAH (The Fruit Seller from Kabul) by Rabindranath Tagore
from The Hungry Stones and Other Stories (1916) Translated from the original Bengali

My five years' old daughter Mini cannot live without chattering. I really believe that in all her life she has not wasted a minute in silence. Her mother is often vexed at this, and would stop her prattle, but I would not. To see Mini quiet is unnatural, and I cannot bear it long. And so my own talk with her is always lively.

One morning, for instance, when I was in the midst of the seventeenth chapter of my new novel, my little Mini stole into the room, and putting her hand into mine, said: "Father! Ramdayal the door-keeper calls a crow a krow! He doesn't know anything, does he?"

Before I could explain to her the differences of language in this world, she was embarked on the full tide of another subject. "What do you think, Father? Bhola says there is an elephant in the clouds, blowing water out of his trunk, and that is why it rains!" And then, darting off anew, while I sat still making ready some reply to this last saying, "Father! what relation is Mother to you?"

"My dear little sister in the law!" I murmured involuntarily to myself, but with a grave face contrived to answer: "Go and play with Bhola, Mini! I am busy!"

The window of my room overlooks the road. The child had seated herself at my feet near my table, and was playing softly, drumming on her knees. I was hard at work on my seventeenth chapter, where Protrap Singh, the hero, had just caught Kanchanlata, the heroine, in his arms, and was about to escape with her by the third story window of the castle, when all of a sudden Mini left her play, and ran to the window, crying, "A Kabuliwallah! a Kabuliwallah!" Sure enough in the street below was a Kabuliwallah, passing slowly along. He wore the loose soiled clothing of his people, with a tall turban; there was a bag on his back, and he carried boxes of grapes in his hand.

I cannot tell what were my daughter's feelings at the sight of this man, but she began to call him loudly. "Ah!" I thought, "he will come in, and my seventeenth chapter will never be finished!" At which exact moment the Kabuliwallah turned, and looked up at the child. When she saw this, overcome by terror, she fled to her mother's protection, and disappeared. She had a blind belief that inside the bag, which the big man carried, there were perhaps two or three other children like herself. The peddler meanwhile entered my doorway, and greeted me with a smiling face.

So precarious was the position of my hero and my heroine, that my first impulse was to stop and buy something, since the man had been called. I made some small purchases, and a conversation began about Abdurrahman, the Russians, the English, and the Frontier Policy. As he was about to leave, he asked: "And where is the little girl, sir?" And I, thinking that Mini must get rid of her false fear, had her brought out.

She stood by my chair, and looked at the Kabuliwallah and his bag. He offered her nuts and raisins, but she would not be tempted, and only clung the closer to me, with all her doubts increased. This was their first meeting.

One morning, however, not many days later, as I was leaving the house, I was startled to find Mini, seated on a bench near the door, laughing and talking, with the great Kabuliwallah at her feet. In all her life, it appeared, my small daughter had never found so patient a listener, save her father, and already the corner of her little sari was stuffed with almonds and raisins, the gift of her visitor. "Why did you give her those?" I said, and taking out an eight-anna bit, I handed it to him. The man accepted the money without demur, and slipped it into his pocket.

Alas, on my return an hour later, I found the unfortunate coin had made twice its own worth of trouble! For the Kabuliwallah had given it to Mini, and her mother catching sight of the bright round object, had pounced on the child with: "Where did you get that eight-anna bit?"

"The Kabuliwallah gave it me," said Mini cheerfully.

"The Kabuliwallah gave it you!" cried her mother much shocked. "Oh, Mini! how could you take it from him?" I, entering at the moment, saved her from impending disaster, and proceeded to make my own inquiries.

It was not the first or second time, I found, that the two had met. The Kabuliwallah had overcome the child's first terror by a judicious bribery of nuts and almonds, and the two were now great friends.

They had many quaint jokes, which afforded them much amusement. Seated in front of him, looking down on his gigantic frame in all her tiny dignity, Mini would ripple her face with laughter, and begin: "O Kabuliwallah, Kabuliwallah, what have you got in your bag?"

And he would reply, in the nasal accents of the mountaineer: "An elephant!" Not much cause for merriment, perhaps; but how they both enjoyed the witticism! And for me, this child's talk with a grown-up man had always in it something strangely fascinating.

Then the Kabuliwallah, not to be behindhand, would take his turn: "Well, little one, and when are you going to the father-in-law's house?"

Now most small Bengali maidens have heard long ago about the father-in-law's house; but we, being a little new-fangled, had kept these things from our child, and Mini at this question must have been a trifle bewildered. But she would not show it, and with ready tact replied: "Are you going there?"

Amongst men of the Kabuliwallah's class, however, it is well known that the words father-in-law's house have a double meaning. It is a euphemism for jail, the place where we are well cared for, at no expense to ourselves. In this sense would the sturdy peddler take my daughter's question. "Ah," he would say, shaking his fist at an invisible policeman, "I will thrash my father-in-law!" Hearing this, and picturing the poor discomfited relative, Mini would go off into peals of laughter, in which her formidable friend would join.

These were autumn mornings, the very time of year when kings of old went forth to conquest; and I, never stirring from my little corner in Calcutta, would let my mind wander over the whole world. At the very name of another country, my heart would go out to it, and at the sight of a foreigner in the streets, I would fall to weaving a network of dreams - the mountains, the glens, and the forests of his distant home, with his cottage in its setting, and the free and independent life of far-away wilds. Perhaps the scenes of travel conjure themselves up before me, and pass and repass in my imagination all the more vividly, because I lead such a vegetable existence, that a call to travel would fall upon me like a thunderbolt. In the presence of this Kabuliwallah, I was immediately transported to the foot of arid mountain peaks, with narrow little defiles twisting in and out amongst their towering heights. I could see the string of camels bearing the merchandise, and the company of turbaned merchants, carrying some of their queer old firearms, and some of their spears, journeying downward towards the plains. I could see - but at some such point Mini's mother would intervene, imploring me to "beware of that man."

Mini's mother is unfortunately a very timid lady. Whenever she hears a noise in the street, or sees people coming towards the house, she always jumps to the conclusion that they are either thieves, or drunkards, or snakes, or tigers, or malaria or cockroaches, or caterpillars, or an English sailor. Even after all these years of experience, she is not able to overcome her terror. So she was full of doubts about the Kabuliwallah, and used to beg me to keep a watchful eye on him.

I tried to laugh her fear gently away, but then she would turn round on me seriously, and ask me solemn questions. Were children never kidnapped? Was it, then, not true that there was slavery in Kabul? Was it so very absurd that this big man should be able to carry off a tiny child?

I urged that, though not impossible, it was highly improbable. But this was not enough, and her dread persisted. As it was indefinite, however, it did not seem right to forbid the man the house, and the intimacy went on unchecked.

Once a year in the middle of January Rahmun, the Kabuliwallah, was in the habit of returning to his country, and as the time approached he would be very busy, going from house to house collecting his debts. This year, however, he could always find time to come and see Mini. It would have seemed to an outsider that there was some conspiracy between the two, for when he could not come in the morning, he would appear in the evening.

Even to me it was a little startling now and then, in the corner of a dark room, suddenly to surprise this tall, loose-garmented, much bebagged man; but when Mini would run in smiling, with her, "O! Kabuliwallah! Kabuliwallah!" and the two friends, so far apart in age, would subside into their old laughter and their old jokes, I felt reassured.

One morning, a few days before he had made up his mind to go, I was correcting my proof sheets in my study. It was chilly weather. Through the window the rays of the sun touched my feet, and the slight warmth was very welcome. It was almost eight o'clock, and the early pedestrians were returning home, with their heads covered. All at once, I heard an uproar in the street, and, looking out, saw Rahmun being led away bound between two policemen, and behind them a crowd of curious boys. There were blood-stains on the clothes of the Kabuliwallah, and one of the policemen carried a knife. Hurrying out, I stopped them, and enquired what it all meant. Partly from one, partly from another, I gathered that a certain neighbour had owed the pedlar something for a Rampuri shawl, but had falsely denied having bought it, and that in the course of the quarrel, Rahmun had struck him. Now in the heat of his excitement, the prisoner began calling his enemy all sorts of names, when suddenly in a verandah of my house appeared my little Mini, with her usual exclamation: "O Kabuliwallah! Kabuliwallah!" Rahmun's face lighted up as he turned to her. He had no bag under his arm today, so she could not discuss the elephant with him. She at once therefore proceeded to the next question: "Are you going to the father-in-law's house?" Rahmun laughed and said: "Just where I am going, little one!" Then seeing that the reply did not amuse the child, he held up his fettered hands. "Ah," he said, "I would have thrashed that old father-in-law, but my hands are bound!"

On a charge of murderous assault, Rahmun was sentenced to some years' imprisonment.Time passed away, and he was not remembered. The accustomed work in the accustomed place was ours, and the thought of the once-free mountaineer spending his years in prison seldom or never occurred to us. Even my light-hearted Mini, I am ashamed to say, forgot her old friend. New companions filled her life. As she grew older, she spent more of her time with girls. So much time indeed did she spend with them that she came no more, as she used to do, to her father's room. I was scarcely on speaking terms with her.

Years had passed away. It was once more autumn and we had made arrangements for our Mini's marriage. It was to take place during the Puja Holidays. With Durga returning to Kailas, the light of our home also was to depart to her husband's house, and leave her father's in the shadow.

The morning was bright. After the rains, there was a sense of ablution in the air, and the sun-rays looked like pure gold. So bright were they that they gave a beautiful radiance even to the sordid brick walls of our Calcutta lanes. Since early dawn today the wedding-pipes had been sounding, and at each beat my own heart throbbed. The wail of the tune, Bhairavi, seemed to intensify my pain at the approaching separation. My Mini was to be married to-night.

From early morning noise and bustle had pervaded the house. In the courtyard the canopy had to be slung on its bamboo poles; the chandeliers with their tinkling sound must be hung in each room and verandah. There was no end of hurry and excitement. I was sitting in my study, looking through the accounts, when some one entered, saluting respectfully, and stood before me. It was Rahmun the Kabuliwallah. At first I did not recognise him. He had no bag, nor the long hair, nor the same vigour that he used to have. But he smiled, and I knew him again.

"When did you come, Rahmun?" I asked him.
"Last evening," he said, "I was released from jail."

The words struck harsh upon my ears. I had never before talked with one who had wounded his fellow, and my heart shrank within itself, when I realised this, for I felt that the day would have been better-omened had he not turned up. "There are ceremonies going on," I said, "and I am busy. Could you perhaps come another day?"

At once he turned to go; but as he reached the door he hesitated, and said: "May I not see the little one, sir, for a moment?" It was his belief that Mini was still the same. He had pictured her running to him as she used, calling "O Kabuliwallah! Kabuliwallah!" He had imagined too that they would laugh and talk together, just as of old. In fact, in memory of former days he had brought, carefully wrapped up in paper, a few almonds and raisins and grapes, obtained somehow from a countryman, for his own little fund was dispersed. I said again: "There is a ceremony in the house, and you will not be able to see anyone today."

The man's face fell. He looked wistfully at me for a moment, said "Good morning," and went out. I felt a little sorry, and would have called him back, but I found he was returning of his own accord. He came close up to me holding out his offerings and said: "I brought these few things, sir, for the little one. Will you give them to her?"

I took them and was going to pay him, but he caught my hand and said: "You are very kind, sir! Keep me in your recollection. Do not offer me money! - You have a little girl, I too have one like her in my own home. I think of her, and bring fruits to your child, not to make a profit for myself."

Saying this, he put his hand inside his big loose robe, and brought out a small and dirty piece of paper. With great care he unfolded this, and smoothed it out with both hands on my table. It bore the impression of a little hand. Not a photograph. Not a drawing. The impression of an ink-smeared hand laid flat on the paper. This touch of his own little daughter had been always on his heart, as he had come year after year to Calcutta, to sell his wares in the streets.

Tears came to my eyes. I forgot that he was a poor Kabuli fruit-seller, while I was - but no, what was I more than he? He also was a father. That impression of the hand of his little Parbati in her distant mountain home reminded me of my own little Mini.

I sent for Mini immediately from the inner apartment. Many difficulties were raised, but I would not listen. Clad in the red silk of her wedding-day, with the sandal paste on her forehead, and adorned as a young bride, Mini came, and stood bashfully before me.

The Kabuliwallah looked a little staggered at the apparition. He could not revive their old friendship. At last he smiled and said: "Little one, are you going to your father-in-law's house?"

But Mini now understood the meaning of the word "father-in-law," and she could not reply to him as of old. She flushed up at the question, and stood before him with her bride-like face turned down.

I remembered the day when the Kabuliwallah and my Mini had first met, and I felt sad. When she had gone, Rahmun heaved a deep sigh, and sat down on the floor. The idea had suddenly come to him that his daughter too must have grown in this long time, and that he would have to make friends with her anew. Assuredly he would not find her, as he used to know her. And besides, what might not have happened to her in these eight years?

The marriage-pipes sounded, and the mild autumn sun streamed round us. But Rahmun sat in the little Calcutta lane, and saw before him the barren mountains of Afghanistan.

I took out a banknote, and gave it to him, saying: "Go back to your own daughter, Rahmun, in your own country, and may the happiness of your meeting bring good fortune to my child!"

Having made this present, I had to curtail some of the festivities. I could not have the electric lights I had intended, nor the military band, and the ladies of the house were despondent at it. But to me the wedding feast was all the brighter for the thought that in a distant land a long-lost father met again with his only child.

Finally...

2007-03-21T09:28:00.001-07:00

Something has rankled inside me...bugged me for weeks. Its been ages since I havent been able to fall asleep...dreamy, peaceful restful sleep...I guess too much to ask for that is...been too tired for it...Finally i found something to voice my thoughts...lyrics of the song " Fix you" by coldplay...

When you try your best, but you don't succeed
When you get what you want but not what you need
When you feel so tired but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home,
And ignite your bones,
And I will try to fix you,

High up above or down below
When you're too in love to let it go
But if you never try you'll never know
Just what you're worth

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Tears stream down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
Tears stream down on your face
And I

Tears stream down your face
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes
Tears stream down on your face
And I

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you.

When tears streak down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace.
When tears streak down your face and I
When tears streak down you face upon when i see you for my mistakes.
when tears streak down you face and i.

lights will guide you home and ignite your bones
and i will try to fix you.

So darn true!!!

2007-03-15T12:11:00.000-07:00

In memorium...

2007-03-15T01:48:00.000-07:00

Dear dear Jagan uncle....

I dont know what to say. I still cant bring mysef to face it. That you are gone. I am never ever going to hear that voice again...never hear that advice again....never ever. No one is going to teach me to understand what I read to interpret it with the wisdom of the ages. You have played the true Guru to me. Taking my every thought seriously. Thinking about it. Reading about it. And talking to me about it. You made me feel comfortable in a world that made me insecure. My thoughts were to be treasured, my insecurities to be taken seriously. I was treasured, you made me feel valued.

I was but a mere child...when you worried what would happen when I went into the world. I used to think...you were used to worrying...that adults worry about everything. But now, as I face each day with an increasing trepidation...I feel your worries. And I see your love. How I wish I could tell you...that I could talk to you just one last time...to tell you how much I treasure the care you bestowed on me. How much I valued being so loved.

But all I have is your letters. And your advice. I am going to try...very hard to follow each bit of it. To keep the child in me alive. To value its thoughts as you did...and not treat them as mere emotional worries or thoughts to be dismissed as "baseless" worries.

There were these "impulses" I had...to call you. But I did not know what I would say. I did not know how to face you. I had not kept my promises. I could not keep my talents alive...I lost myself in the pursuit of material successes...I failed...to nurture the seeds of true "thought" you had sown in me. What I did not realise though...was that...in my fear I was losing what would be my last few opportunities to talk to you...to hear you...to say goodbye...I hated facing my deepest fear...that I would lose you...would never see you again...and maybe I will regret this for a long long time to come. But all I can do to honor ur memory is that I will treasure and nurture the gifts you have given me...that I will grow old...still a child at heart...and never ever again...will I avoid an impulse to call.

In your very first letter to me...you said you saw a streak of something deep seated in my paintings...and you said "Child..treasure urself...be honest to urself...never ever give up painting its the one true gift you have"...I lost it uncle...but I promise I will go back...it will return. You are, you were and you always will be one of the few individuals in whose view I judge my actions...and want to be judged right...my heart will still seek your approval.., always.

I do hope you are among the stars...and you have found Ashwin...I hope you are happy now...and that streak of sadness I always saw in you has gone. I hope you are glad uncle...to be with your little boy...it is his turn now. A silent tear escapes my eye as I bid you farewell...and I hope you will not forget a little girl who you treasured...who appreciates the loving care of the mind that moulded her into an individual who can venture out in the wild and still remain a child...who will want you to be proud of her.

Your loving grand niece,
Tanvi

This post is dedicated to the memory of my grand-uncle Jagan who passed away last month. The man who taught me to think what I write...understand what I read...and value...what I am.

Just a question...

2007-02-19T16:47:00.000-08:00

Just a small lil question....cant understand what people mean when they say "Enjoy life..". I invite my readers to share their views on what they think the phrase means to them...what they suppose it is to enjoy life...and how you can enjoy something you dont know totally till it is actually over and then...its just too late...

For you

2007-02-09T13:52:00.001-08:00

Assurance

I know friend,
sometimes life acts tough,
as the sea wild and rough.
Sailboats and big ships too,
surrender to the deep sea blue!
Nothing seems perfect and nothing seems safe
every single moment is scary and life at stake!

Worry not friend,
you are not alone, assures a voice from the dark,
and amidst the darkness you will see a guiding spark.
The sky will clear out and the storm will cease
out from the darkness my hand will take grip of your hand
and then you would feel no more scared.
That's what friendship is all about!
And that's the reason I am here!!

Arti Honrao

Smart guy...Dont you think?

2007-02-05T11:57:00.000-08:00

A young boy enters a barber shop and the barber whispers to his Customer, "This is the dumbest kid in the world. Watch while I prove it to you."

The barber puts a dollar in one hand and two quarters in the other, then calls the boy over and asks, "Which do you want, son?"

The boy takes the quarters and leaves. "What did I tell you?" said the barber. "That kid never learns!"

Later, when the customer leaves, he sees the same young boy coming out of the ice cream store. "Hey, son! May I ask you a question? Why did you take the quarters instead of the dollar?"

The boy licked his cone and replied, "Because the day I take the dollar, the game's over!"

Moral: When you think the other is dumb, you are making a fool of yourself.

Eerily true horoscope for the day..!!!

2007-02-01T14:34:00.001-08:00

You have been swimming in powerful emotional currents, but your confidence keeps you afloat even in the roughest waters. Even in these times of adversity, you find the strength to maintain your direction. This storm, however, is taking energy from other areas of your life. You might not have as much choice these days with respect to what you do. Don't worry about it; survival is what matters most.

Thursday, February 1, 2007

Asking...

2007-01-29T10:32:00.001-08:00

Always Have Hope
-=-=-=-=-=-= -
By Henri Nouwen

I hope that I will always be for each person
what he or she needs me to be.

I hope that each person's death will diminish me,
but that fear of my own will never diminish my joy of life.

I hope that my love for those whom I like will never lessen
my love for those whom I do not.

I hope that another person's love for me will never
be a measure of my love for him or her.

I hope that everybody will accept me as I am,
but that I never will.

I hope that I will always ask for forgiveness from others,
but will never need to be asked for my own . . .

I hope that I will always recognize my limitations,
but that I will construct none.

I hope that loving will always be my goal,
but that love will never be my idol.

I hope that everyone will always have hope.

Funny take...Why Indian marriages are stronger....

2007-01-26T17:43:00.001-08:00

It happens only in India...
14 Year wait to end a 7-year marriage..

THEY LIVED together in the courtroom for 14 years.

Thanks to the Indian justice delivery system, Manjari Saxena and her husband Parag (names changed) went through the longest ever case of dissolution of marriage in Maharashtra. It could well be the longest such firstappeal case in the country.

Ironically, the couple lived together only for seven years.

The deputy registrar of the Family Court, M.M. Mate, confirmed that it was indeed the longest appeal in the court, which was on for a staggering 5,170 days despite a clinical confirmation of paranoid schizophrenia of the husband from KEM Hospital in 1993.

It would have taken longer had their children — two sons — not attained adulthood, and the custody cases got automatically dropped.

The case (No 1356/1992) lodged in 1992 became a talking point in the family lawyers opted out and new ones were appointed. court. At least five judges changed,

The divorce decree was finally pronounced on December 5 on grounds of mental disorder that Parag was suffering from. A detailed copy of the order was served to the parties in January.

"Some judges are very strict about time-wasting tactics of lawyers but others are not," said Amarjit Kaur, who handled Manjari's case.

Parag's lawyer Manjula Rao also criticised the system, while putting part of the blame on Manjari. "With laws favouring women, they are manipulating the court and misusing legal privileges," she said.

Lawyers say such long divorce battles were uncalled for.

"While the administration is not sensitive enough and keeps rotating judges, arbitrary transfers, holidays and loss of manhours plague the system," said Family Court Bar Association Secretary Sandhya Sharma.

Many cases are already over 10 years old with average disposal time ranging from three to six years when contested.

aditya.ghosh@hindustantimes.com

Dear Dear Darling mum...

2007-01-25T20:33:00.001-08:00

JUST A MOM?

A woman, renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk 's office was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself. "What I mean is," explained the recorder, "do you have a job or are you just a......?"

"Of course I have a job," snapped the woman. "I'm a Mom."

"We don't list 'Mom' as an occupation, 'housewife' covers it," said the recorder emphatically.

I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall.

The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient and possessed of a high sounding title like, "Official Interrogator" or "Town Registrar."

"What is your occupation?" she probed.

What made me say it? I do not know. The words simply popped out. "I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations."

The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in midair and looked up as though she had not heard right.

I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words.

Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written, in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

"Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field?"

Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, "I have a continuing program of research, (what mother doesn't) in the laboratory and in the field,(normally I would have said indoors and out).

I'm working for my Masters, (first the Lord and then the whole family) and already have four credits (all daughters).

Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities, (any mother care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it).

But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money."

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up and personally ushered me to the door.

As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 13, 7, and 3.

Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6 month old baby) in the child development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.

I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy!

And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than "just another Mom." Motherhood!

What a glorious career!

Especially when there's a title on the door.

Does this make grandmothers "Senior Research associates in the field of Child Development and Human Relations" and great grandmothers "Executive Senior Research Associates"?

I think so!!!

I also think it makes Aunts "Associate Research Assistants".

Thinking...

2007-01-19T10:29:00.001-08:00

Many of you must've read this one before...but I could not resist posting it.

An old man lived alone in a village. He wanted to spade his potato garden, but it was very hard work. His only son, who would have helped him, was in prison.

The old man wrote a letter to his son and mentioned his situation:

Dear Son,

I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I won't be able to plant my potato garden this year. I hate to miss doing the garden, because your mother always loved planting time. I'm just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. If you were here, all my troubles would be over. I know you would dig the plot for me, if you weren't in prison.

Love,
Dad

Shortly, the old man received this telegram: "For Heaven's sake, Dad, don't dig up the garden!! That's where I buried the GUNS!!"

At 4 a.m. the next morning, a dozen FBI agents and local police officersshowed up and dug up the entire garden without finding any guns.

Confused, the old man wrote another note to his son telling him what happened, and asked him what to do next.
His son's reply was: "Go ahead and plant your potatoes, Dad.. It's the best I could do for you from here."

Moral:

NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN THE WORLD, IF YOU HAVE DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING DEEP FROM YOUR HEART YOU CAN DO IT. IT IS THE THOUGHT THAT MATTERS NOT WHERE YOU ARE OR WHERE THE PERSON IS

Dear Dear...

2007-01-18T16:23:00.001-08:00

Even I dont know why I'm posting this...just want to make sure some people never go away...

smile, an ever lasting smile
a smile can bring you near to me
don't ever let me find you gone '
cause that would bring a tear to me

this world has lost its glory
let's start a brand new story
now, my love you think that
I don't even mean a single word I say

it's only words and words are all I have
to take your heart away
talk in ever lasting words
and dedicate them all to me
and I will give you all my life

i'm here if you should call to me
you think that I don't even mean
a single word I say
it's only words and words are all I have
to take your heart away

it's only words
and words are all I have
to take your heart away

da da da da da da
da da da da da da
da da da da da da
da da da da da da
da da da da da da
da da da da

this world has lost its glory
let's start a brand new story
now my love
you think that I don't even mean
a single word I say
it's only words
and words are all I have
to take your heart away

it's only words
and words are all I have
to take your heart away

A Request...to my own mind...

2007-01-16T11:18:00.001-08:00

A song from the Hindi film Guru...

jaage hain der tak
hamein kuch der sone do
thodi se raat aur hai
subah to hone do
aadhe adhure khwaab jo
pure na ho sake
ek baar phir se neend mein
woh khwaab bone do
ye khaab toot jaane ka
ehsaas hi to hai
thodi si raat aur,
saher paas hi to hai..

--
A simple English translation...as I understand it...

One too many storms have kept me awake
Through the night...
A few moments more before the day dawns
And I prepare myself to face my fight...
Let me dream on...a few moments more...
Dreams that are no more...
They need to be reborn...
I need to sow the seeds...
In the fields of my dreams...
To meet my heart's biggest need...
The need to dream on...

A case of need...

2007-01-11T15:37:00.001-08:00

I think its time to cater to my *need* to let my storms out of me rather than just writing because I thought of something. I'm in a foreign land quite far far away from my loved ones. More so like the shepherd boy in "The Alchemist". But he was lucky. He didnt have his sheep anymore. They didnt encumber him anymore. No clutter, no possessions, no emotional bonds with *stuff* he needed to break, just himself to move on. He left his father and moved on and he left his love (Fatima) and moved on in search of his personal legend - his purpose in life. So did I. But I think I moved with a lot of clutter, a lot of bonds. I've moved on and built friendships along the way. I've had my friends and foes, and sometimes even foes who seem to be friends and vice versa. I achieved what I wanted, graduating like I wanted to with a silver spoon and all of that. Or did I? This is one question I've asked myself and always avoided answering. As I've moved on I've lost parts of myself as I left them behind with people who became a part of my life along my journey. There are and were many who I never wanted to lose; some I lost to death and some were lost in the madding crowds.I still like to try and reach out to people I left behind and hope never to lose the ones I have now.

Behind all of these questions lies a question,a need , deeply rooted in my heart and mind. A need to belong -- somewhere. To belong at home with my family. To belong in a group of rejoicing friends. To celebrate their joys and ease their hardships, to share their burdens and wipe their tears, to applaude their success and rejoice at their happiness. A thirst to see happiness and -- approval in the eyes of people around me, to feel the warmth of their joy. Why is there such a need? Is it primal and deeply ingrained in the human psyche? Over time civilizations have come and gone, traditions have come and gone. What has endured universally is the institution -- for lack of a better word -- of family, the notion of a home to go back to. Something to return to. Maybe because of our innate love for the hands that protect us, feed us ,teach and equip us to survive. That, maybe expected. What I cannot understand is our need to care for someone else. When we think we are caring or doing something for someone else, we experience a wonderful sense of "feel good". Feeling good about giving yourself away.To care for every need of the person, just for the love in his/her eyes. That I think more than anything is what binds. A pet to its master, a friend to a friend, a child to its parent, basically any two living creatures. Any creature meets another with a sense of maybe fear and foreboding aware in a sense of a lack of approval even if not the presence of disapproval, hoping to maintain the status quo if not improving it. No matter how much we despise someone or something, a sense of appreciation from it exudes a certain warmth melting the ice though not exactly resulting in everlasting bonds. This is not ego, its a sense of being accepted, of not being unwanted. Is it why every living creature wants a family? To have a *smaller closer group of its own* even within a larger group of its own kind? When youngsters set out to seek someone to start their own families with, what really encourages them to do so inspite of having a family that already cares for him/her? When they already have the love they crave? Why do people go out and adopt others, sometimes when they cant have a family, sometimes inspite of it? It I think is that need, the need to give and belong -- not just take and own. It is not born out of fear, it is not born out of a need to possess. As selfish as things or reasons may appear, this very old and strong association begins with a need to belong. It is indeed fascinating how the most unrelenting and possessive people surrender to a newborn. To innocent , undemanding love. A twinkle, a smile, the feel of a newborn's hand on your shoulder, specially thier own.

I crave...for the feeling of belonging, for the approval and appreciation in my father's eyes, for the feel of my mother's hand in my hair, the admiration in my brother's eyes. For the people who love me with all my faults. And in my search for my success, for my ambitions and my glory, this craving torments me. All I hanker for is overwhelming pride and joy in their eyes, because of me. A family is not just a reason to live, its a need to belong. A need to give.

And more so where I am now...people struggle hard to live and get by comfortably and yet never seem to cease making efforts to reach out. Foster parents and adoptions are not unknown of here. I do admire the grit , courage, love and strength of heart and mind along with a strong belief in human goodness. Someday, I hope to have enough courage to reach out and be loved in such a way too.

India Poised

2007-01-10T12:06:00.001-08:00

The Rise of a country...

A matter of perspective...

2007-01-06T14:37:00.000-08:00

People often talk about understanding and relating to people like they have known them for years. I think thats hard to do unless the person himself/herself is so transparent and easy to relate to. When they want to accept you, as you are with all your imperfections and failures. A lot of people talk about reading people like a book. But does any one really have the patience to do so? Do people really like to treat people that way? Do we really ever care to put ourselves in another person's spot and see the world view as they would? Do people even really consider doing it. Try this exercise for once. Think of the person closest to you, who really cares for you and is there for you. and then, close your eyes. And visualize yourself from that person's perspective. A totally objective view. Visualize yourself doing what you normally do, talking how you normally talk. And see yourself. Observe your body language, tone and your thinking. This exercise helps in may ways. Understanding your thinking...yourself more objectively, less emotionally and yet with a lot of care. It makes you see the world from someone else's perspective. It teaches us compassion and respect for other's views. It is easy to think you understand it, but it really is very different to feel those things. You probably gain a lot more because you experience the trials and tribulations of life without actually facing any of them in real life. A valuable tool to improve yourself and experience things by feeling them in your mind, but not . Much like immersing yourself in a movie or a book, only you are the actor, and you are the audience. The emotions you are feeling and the problems you are facing are real and yet not real. See how you stand up to the test...spread your wings and test your strength. Its never easy. Try it out and you will see what I am trying to say. Trust me it can be pretty hard, specially when that someone is having a hard time.

Coming back to my original thought that had me started on this post. Its hard to read a person like a book. No one ever as the patience to read every page...to walk through to the last page.No one even lasts that long. There is no dictionary to help and no one to explain. The only way is to listen and accept the person in an unbiased manner. Instill in him/her the trust to open every page of his thoughts to you without fear of rejection and misunderstanding...till then. Before you ever claim to understand what a person means or says, stop for a moment, take a deep breath and do the exercise above. Reach out to the people around you and show you care....by sharing their tears and smiles for a few moments. A moment of your time is the most priceless gift you can give anyone...and it takes courage and a great big heart to do so.

So much for now.

A sense of closure for dessert perhaps?

2007-01-05T19:59:00.000-08:00

So many questions...
No answers.

So many doubts...
No clarifications.

So many events...
No finale.

So many trains of thoughts...
No conclusions.

So many fears...
No comfort.

So many desires...
No fulfillment.

So many dreams...
None true.

So many plans...
No resources.

So many pals...
No contacts.

So many days...
No achievements.

So many moments...
No joy.

So many fires...
No warmth.

So many tasks...
No work.

So many calls...
No conversations.

So many journeys...
No destinations.

So many clouds...
No silver linings.

So many years...
No life.

So many riches...
No wealth.

So many stones...
No jewels.

So many facts...
No knowledge.

So much knowledge...
No wisdom.

So many faces...
No recognition.

So much pain...
No relief.

So much sympathy...
No empathy.

So many crowds...
No people.

So many authorities...
No leader.

So much bravado...
No poise.

So many winds...
No breeze.

So much commotion...
No calm.

So many races...
No finish lines.

So much rain...
No rainbows.

So many tears...
No smiles.

So many shades...
No colors.

So much rest...
No relaxation.

So many challenges...
No rewards.

So many conflicts...
No resolutions.

So many wars...
No winners.

So many victims...
No justice.

So much suffering...
No healing.

So many explanations...
No meaning.

So much reconciliation...
No acceptance.

So many flavors...
No taste.

So many responsibilities...
No rights.

So many puzzles...
No solutions.

So much noise...
No music.

So much freedom...
No liberty.

So many options...
No choices.

So much festivity...
No celebrations.

So many wins...
No victories.

So many heights...
No peaks.

So many comforts...
No pleasure.

So many sights...
No vision.

So many appetizers and entrees on the menu of life...
No satisfaction.

How about a sense of closure for dessert, eh?

On the “trivial” thoughts of an ordinary human being….continued

2007-01-04T17:16:00.001-08:00

Ohhkay….so my last post was about how I felt we treat the feelings of those who we try to trust and confide in. But what I do not understand why people find it so difficult to listen to somebody who just needs an ear? Why do even pets feel depressed when you talk about hard times and tougher emotions? Is it because of the tendency to feel empathy? Why do external factors totally unrelated to what's happening in our personal lives affect us so? Why do they contribute to our gloom? I personally have felt the pain and gloom surrounding people around me. I think its hard not to. Because there do exist certain vibes among all living creatures. It is this vibes that we give out through various media ranging from verbal to eye contact to simply tone and body language that affect people around us. Maybe that's why even things happening in remote corners of the planet or sometimes even movies elicit extreme emotions. And all of us need the "feel good" vibes. That I guess is the main reason it's harder to stay away from people you are comfortable with. That's why a person covets approval from the people around them. That is why I think people feel motivated enough to make sacrifices…to take harder decisions. As the world saw the sun set on the lives of two of the most influential politicians in recent times, I am surprised to see human behavior. One was a legend, an exemplary luminary about whom I've been thinking over the weekend. President Gerald Ford is someone I respect more than even Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi preached non-violence and a lot of other virtues, but he could not resist the temptation to bestow undue favors on his protégé Jawaharlal Nehru, whose dynasty treated the country like its fiefdom. And an entire country paid the price. On the other hand is President Ford. He stood against the temptation to punish someone who had done grievous wrong. And he had the conviction to stand for his decision. I am sure the outcry at his decision made him realize quite well that he stood a mighty slim chance of ever being elected to the presidency if any. I believe it takes extreme strength of character and a total dedication to do what's right, to resist being corrupted by power. Make no mistake, he was in power, enjoying it, feeling it, when he made a decision that was to decide his place in the echelons of time. He did not have to pay a price, he did not have to suffer, he just had to punish someone who he and the rest of the world knew had done wrong, and he mighty well knew what he would be giving up to pardon him. Feeling in control, being in probably one of the most significant, efficient and influential posts in the modern era and being able to give it up without any self-doubt, second guessing, uncertainty, is a strong statement of character. What I do not understand is why it takes his death and a eulogy to understand true greatness. Or do people understand it even now? On the other hand we sent a ruthless dictator to the gallows. And in the process of doing so lost many young innocent lives. The very same man who took the decision to enter the country of a despotic dictator on a false pretense, tried to engage the world in a war and fight against him, ended up was escorting President Ford's widow to his funeral. What a contrast!!! His tribute seemed so hollow. Maybe their deaths in one single week is fate's way of telling us something…its not just a silly coincidence.

Maybe it is proof…that Death is not a leveler. It is the ultimate statement distinguishing the glorious from infamy. One goes to permanent glory, another to permanent infamy. It's the ultimate classifier.

On the “trivial” thoughts of an average human being…

2007-01-03T13:11:00.000-08:00

My feelings these days can best be described only as a riot. Of sorts. More so like the riot of colors this image represents here. Even though I understand that expectations are a sure shot way to set oneself up for disappointment, I feel the need to talk and let my emotions out to someone alive. Sometimes, I wish I had a pet, but I live in a manner too cramped to have one. And I guess the concern of not being able to care for it also stops me from having one. Well that maybe went off track. What I do not understand though is the human tendency to what I call “trivialize” emotions of people around them. So many times people tell you that you are not the only one going through it, everybody faces the same things and so on and so forth. If that is the case, then even though everyone as to face it someday or the other why are people so scared of death? Why does the world sympathize with this loss then? Does not the knowledge that every single living creature faces this fear comfort us enough? Why do we spend millions of dollars and man hours trying to make things safer…trying to prevent/delay/reduce death and destruction? Does the sense that you have to face it some day or the other stop you from being scared of it? That I believe is true for every single thing that happens. “You knew it was coming. It had to happen some day. Come on…everyone goes through it at some stage in their lives”. This is not what one wants to hear. A person already down and in despair needs hope. He does not need to know how miserable earth is …he does not need to know there are millions of others feeling the same pain everyday. He does not need to know the generality of misery; he needs to know the generality of happiness. He needs the view from the window he cannot see. If we are incapable of describing the view to him or helping him to the window the last thing one should really do is to trivialize that persons emotions. Then why is it so difficult for people to comprehend that what you need is not that, neither do you need a solution, all you need is an ear to get things out of your system. Maybe a quiet corner somewhere would help more than anything else. Because really what one needs is not a solution, but an outlet. Knowing that other people are in/were in as deep shit as you are does not help in anyway. Every day and every moment of life is precious, its something that’s never ever going to come back. I guess its because we don’t honor life as much as we do death. We take moments of life for granted smug in the belief that there’s more where this came from. It’s only a sense of finality that brings us to our senses. I just hope I stop drifting through life. That I learn to live with and accept this sense of finality. Yes, acceptance I think is the only single solution. Someday my bliss will come to me.

On the lighter side:

My Inner Hero...Supposedly !!!! :-))

2006-12-30T18:32:00.000-08:00

Hello, Warrior.

Character Stats:

Rogue (0)
Warrior (21)
Wizard (19)
Paladin (8)

Your Profile:

You're tough, courageous, and up to your eyebrows in chutzpah. If you're still in school, your teachers probably talk a lot about your "potential." If you work, your boss calls you a "pro-active self-starter," whatever that means. You don't shy away from hard work, that's for sure. When it comes to leisure, you'd rather be out hiking or biking or snowboarding than sitting around watching TV or reading a book. You care about your health, and have strong opinions.

Above all, you're a man/woman of action and a born leader. You see obstacles as challenges and hardship as an opportunity to build your character (and your muscles). You're not afraid of conflict - in fact, you're not afraid of much of anything. You tend to dive into things headfirst and sort out the consequences later.

Your Mission:

You were put on this earth to lead others. They will follow you, because they are bowled over by your forceful personality, your charisma, and your willingness to do what they're afraid to do. You are the one who has to make things happen, because everyone else is too afraid of rocking the boat.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to Start Something. Something small, or something big. Start a club at your school. Propose a new project to your boss. Invent a new family tradition. Start a small business. Start SOMETHING.

And don't dally about it. We WILL be checking up on you.

A Warning:

Try to remember: it's not all about you. Yes, people tend to do what you say, but don't abuse that power. Don't be a bully, even if you feel like the weaklings really deserve it. Have a Paladin teach you how to "make nice" when necessary. You have the potential to become a great leader, but only if you curb your tendency to be thoughtless, egocentric, and well, sometimes just plain rude.

And by the way, just because you don't understand something, that doesn't mean it's "stupid." Get a Wizard to figure things out for you instead of just giving up when your attention span runs out.

2006-12-27T18:28:00.000-08:00

An ode to the fear of the coming day...

2006-12-26T15:22:00.000-08:00

A thought...

2006-12-22T17:33:00.001-08:00

Writing gives you the illusion of control, and then you realize it's just an illusion, that people are going to bring their own stuff into it.
- David Sedaris

I felt this way after reading some of the comments that came my way...but then I guess I now realise thats the purpose I write for. To draw people into a discussion and see what they think on topics I really value. Or maybe just like that.

Milk and Skittles - the break fast of champions!!!

2006-12-21T11:17:00.001-08:00

So said one of my senior colleagues when he saw the stuff i had gathered from the office Pantry this morning :). The milk was actually for tea and the skittles to ward off sleepyness later in the day...But what hit me was that inspite of my despair...and frustration with humanity as a whole...people do care...even today...total strangers care enough to point out what I seemed to be planning to have was not a very healthy combination...Maybe all is not lost yet, there is hope left after all...!!!

Calvin The Code breaker...Muahahaha

2006-12-20T20:05:00.001-08:00

Someday...it'll be a glorious new dawn..

2006-12-20T09:32:00.000-08:00

Yahoo! News Story - Bush signs nuclear deal with India - Yahoo! News

2006-12-18T16:15:00.001-08:00

Bush signs nuclear deal with India - Yahoo! News

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061218/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_india_nuclear

============================================================

On Dreamz...

2006-12-16T15:26:00.001-08:00

I've dreamed many dreams that never came true.
I've seen them vanish at dawn.
But I've realized enough of my dreams, Thank God,
To make me want to dream on.

I've prayed many prayers, when no answers came,
Though I waited patient and long,
But answers came to enough of my prayers
To make me keep praying on.

I've trusted many a friend that failed
And left me to weep alone,
But I've found enough of my friends true blue
To make me keep trusting on.

I've sown many seeds that fell by the way
For the birds to feed upon,
But I have held enough golden sheaves in my hands
To make me keep sowing on.

I've drained the cup of disappointment and pain
And gone many days without song,
But I've sipped enough nectar from the roses of life
To make me want to live on.

Saturday's coming...

2006-12-15T18:58:00.000-08:00

And then...There is hope...

2006-12-15T10:32:00.000-08:00

Better Days Are Coming
-=-=-=-=-=-= -
by Wish Belkin

If you fear losing somebody you love
like rejection would be no surprise
even if they never said it out loud
you just knew by the look in their eyes
accept that anxiety is due to some action
we took while sleepwalking through life
we would be lying if we tried denying
we cause our own misery and strife.

There is a voice inside of our heads
that tells us of what is to come
deja vu turned upside down
is what it may seem like to some
whether it's foresight or just premonition
it leaves you feeling quite strange
whisper or shout, it allows for no doubt
that your fortunes are due for a change.

The cyclical nature of the human condition
prevents us from being at ease
it bars the door to the peace that we seek
it's a lock without any keys
hope and fear are two sides of a coin
a little like Abel and Cane
it's not every day that just one will hold sway
in the end it adds up to the same.

Listen to this then, if you should find
your emotions won't give you a breather
I'm telling you, dreams don't often come true
but the nightmares rarely do either.

The Verdict...

2006-12-11T18:42:00.001-08:00

When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day,
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself
And see what that man has to say.

For it isn't your father or mother or wife
Whose judgment upon you must pass.
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one staring back from the glass.

You may be like Jack Horner and chisel a plum
And think you're a wonderful guy.
But the man in the glass says you're only a bum
If you can't look him straight in the eye.

He's the fellow to please - never mind all the rest,
For he's with you clear to the end.
And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years
And get pats on the back as you pass.
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
If you've cheated the man in the glass.

2006-12-11T18:35:00.000-08:00

This...is so true...

2006-12-11T17:54:00.000-08:00

It Couldn't Be Done -by Edgar A. Guest

Somebody said that it couldn't be done,
But with a chuckle replied
That maybe it couldn't, but he would be one
Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.

So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
on his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.

Somebody scoffed: Oh, you'll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it;
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he'd begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That cannot be done, and you'll do it.

The good, The bad and The Perfect - continued.

2006-12-01T10:29:00.000-08:00

Okay so heaven and hell are states of the mind. Then why is it so difficult to be in heaven all the time? Why cant we control our state? Why do people slide into despair or hell as I call it?

It just because we are too captivated by our own mind. We think we have control, sometimes we do sometimes we dont. We need to "look" to understand and make sure that we are actually seeing not seeing what we think we want to see. The difference is very subtle. If we "look" with our minds in the grips of a predetermined thought, we see what we want to see not what we ought to see. Our thoughts, are influenced by our past, our needs in the present, our ideas of the future, our dreams.What we skip then, is reality. What we dont see is that release from hell and ascension to heaven lies in our own mind. We need to feel the power of the mind not see it. Since we see it, we think of it as something external to us - something beyond our control. Its only when we feel it will we realise it actually lies within our mind, within our control.

A guilty, fearful mind can kill you, a happy mind can liberate you. Just how many of us have spent sleepless nights over something we did/did'nt do? And slept like a child the day we achieved something? Bad thoughts - experience hell, good thoughts - heaven. That is why for everything we do, the heart and mind both look for the feel good factor - sense of high power, that feeling in the depths of your mind that help you differentiate the good from the bad. That's the only point they unite. The only time we obey impulses without dread or fear. Karma - making the choice, willing the self and making the move - upwards or downwards. The result of Karma - power or weakness...heaven...or hell.

The good, The bad and The Perfect.

2006-12-01T00:12:00.001-08:00

Any human being I am sure always wonders about this question. What is good? What is bad? Why did the supreme create a world where evil can exist? And in the midst of this where is self evolution, where is the movement towards perfection and what is perfection?

The cosmos as I see it, is a flow of energy. It is the difference in the good and the bad that causes this flow. We percieve good as something that gives us or-- atleast gives us a sense -- of power or a moral advantage or an edge. And then there is the energy flow so there has to be a lower level. A sense of loss of power -- a feeling of servitude or bondage. Enter - the bad. But then it always so easy to go with the flow. That's why its so easy to be bad. There is no struggle in it, and therefore very rarely a realisation of the depths to which you are sinking -- of what you are losing. Its only when you land, do the force of your fall and the despair of the depths to which you have sunk -- hit you.

So then what is improvement? It is movement towards what u percieve is the good. So an upward climb, against a strong downward current. Energy sapping, strength sapping. But the culmination puts you at a higher energy level, a more free, relaxed soaring state of mind. Ironically, as we move away from the earth...the easier it is to break gravity's force. So it is with the entire cosmos. The higher you move the less and less you feel the fatigue of fighting against the opposing flow of energy.

Improvement,...the journey towards perfection. An upward climb. One can fight and fight. Or just lose energy. This is where courage to cling on to your values comes in. Just how much energy can you pull out of your hat? Out of nothing? Out of the strength of character. Out of the strength of our position in the energy levels of the universe.

So then, every thing has a culmination. Even good. It culminates in the perfect.The "notion" of absence of perfection is the remaining distance in the journey to perfection. When the mind breaks the downward pull, no longer feels it, the influence cannot touch you, even the notion doesnt exist any more. The point of breaking is the summit. Beyond that, there exists only the vast sky of perfection. Bliss. Freedom. Enter - Nirvana. Perfection. Infinite perfection. Perfection is not a single point. Its an endless expanse. It needs courage and immense will power to lose yourself in it. To wander off in it. Knowing in your heart of hearts. Nothing bad can touch you now...nothing bad can ever happen. The ultimate test of faith...in your own power and strength.

The entire cosmos is nothing but change in your states of the mind. All you need is not to be afraid of it, not to be awed by it but to accept it. The immense and supreme power of your mind, your ultimate ties in oneness with the universe. It exists in you, you exist in it. It engulfs you, absorbs you, is in the very essence of your being. And yet breaking through is the only way to bliss..

And that is why my friend...heaven and hell are just states of your mind. That is why...both seem endless.

(may be continued...)

The Beginnings...

2006-11-30T10:40:00.000-08:00

As I start "penning" down my musings enriched by a life away from home I have/maybe I imagine I percieve and understand the many colours of life.I today truly have come to experience the shades of life I imagined lived only in movies and novels. I do not know whether it is my imagination/realization but now I respect fear and covet success like never before. The fire within me burns more fiercely than it ever did.

Nothing rewards more than success and nothing isolates more either.All I hope for is that its radiance and warmth draws my dear ones nearer and chases the wolves away. Anger, Love, Ecstasy, Ambition and power, a strong combination of emotions... I just hope I have the strength and maturity to absorb this and more..