Scribblings

The Nov 14th Special

2008-11-14T12:00:00.006+05:30

Today , the 14th day of November is Childrens day!!!. Im not a child anymore to be excited about Children's day :-) (But still there is a child within.. for that matter who doesnt..)
But being the day for children, the Kochi FM station had this translated version of Khalil Gibran's poem dedicated to them today morning..and I heard it while having my breakfast... Its wonderful..
So as soon as I landed in office, did a google search and un-webbed the same. And along with it ,got a bonus... an other three..
here it is...

On Children...
And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, "Speak to us of
Children."
And he said:
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not
even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with
His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is
stable.

On Friendship...
And a youth said, "Speak to us of Friendship."
Your friend is your needs answered.
He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving.
And he is your board and your fireside.
For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace.
When your friend speaks his mind you fear not the "nay" in your own mind,
nor do you withhold the "ay."
And when he is silent your heart ceases not to listen to his heart;
For without words, in friendship, all thoughts, all desires, all expectations are
born and shared, with joy that is unacclaimed.
When you part from your friend, you grieve not;
For that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence, as the
mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain.
And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit.
For love that seeks aught but the disclosure of its own mystery is not love but
a net cast forth: and only the unprofitable is caught.
And let your best be for your friend.
If he must know the ebb of your tide, let him know its flood also.
For what is your friend that you should seek him with hours to kill?
Seek him always with hours to live.
For it is his to fill your need, but not your emptiness.
And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of
pleasures.
For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.

On Love...
Then said Almitra, "Speak to us of Love."
And he raised his head and looked upon the people, and there fell a stillness
upon them. And with a great voice he said:
When love beckons to you follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the
garden.
For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your
growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that
quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the
earth.
Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread
for God's sacred feast.
All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your
heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.
But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's
threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter,
and weep, but not all of your tears.
Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.
When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, I am in
the heart of God."
And think not you can direct the course of love, if it finds you worthy, directs
your course.
Love has no other desire but to fulfil itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of
loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of
praise upon your lips.

On Marriage...
Then Almitra spoke again and said, "And what of Marriage, master?"
And he answered saying:
You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.
You shall be together when white wings of death scatter your days.
Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.
Love one another but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same
music.
Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together, yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

Find out more here

http://www.leb.net/gibran/

Inspiring

2008-11-05T13:08:00.003+05:30

Mail forwads ... Mostly its boring..sometimes its funny ... and rarely Inspiring..

This one was of the latter type... So thought.. will share it.. Read on..

Speech by Bryan Dyson, CEO Coca Cola

Imagine Life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them -

Work
Family
Health
Friends
Spirit

and you're keeping all of these in the air.You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls - family, health, friends and spirit - are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for Balance in your life.

How??

Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special. Don't set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you. Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless. Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life. Don't give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying. Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect. It is this fragile thread that binds us to each together. Don't be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave. Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find time. The quickest way to receive love is to give; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings! Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've been, but also where you are going. Don't forget, a person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated. Don't be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily. Don't use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved. Life is not a race, but a journey to be savoured each step of the way...
ByBryan Dyson

Garbage In... Methane Out

2008-07-25T13:59:00.006+05:30

The old adage "Garbage In .. Garbage out " is very much valid..in most instances, but not here..
With cities and population growing and living spaces shrinking by the minute, this one is noteworthy..

The Story
We have a "Bio-gas" plant installed at home.. and here " Garbage In" is "Methane Out" and whatever garbage that comes out (the slurry, I mean) is too good to be garbage.. That good, that it has to be diluted before feeding the plants, or else you risk the plants of over nutrition :-).

My dad has this habit of trying out new things... and if he has made his mind on something.. he would just see to it that he accomplish it somehow or the other , and has this knack of talking over people to agree to it. On topics he is keen to promote he just goes flat out..

So it was he who masterminded the Operation Bio-Gas plant at home.. me n my brother was totally against it .. but somehow he managed to get my mom ( who was pretty neutral on this topic) to vote in his favour ... and finally we had to give up ... Yield to his justifications ( which I felt were overly exaggerated).

The whole task of installing the the B-plant was a "shitty Business". Yeah.. After the plant was shipped home, it had to be filled with "Bull Shit" ( read Cow dung ) first thing and that too Fresh !!!.
The whole exercise was on a Saturday, meaning, I was at home....
Now, inside the city, where the hell do you get cows, let alone Dung !!! ... and without this .. nothing would work...

Finally the lady who was supervising the installation , said that there was someone known to her, who had 4-5 cows. We drove all the way to his house, hired a man( Kutappan), hired a box auto ( petty auto ) and filled in the shit.. 2 loads to be exact. The aroma of the freshly laid shit .. and to top it Big B 'z buzzing around.. it was a spectacle , both for eyes n for the nostrils !!!!
We rode back, us in front and the shit load following , with Kuttappan, standing atop the shit-pile, as if he were on top of Mount everest.

Now that we reached home, there was hardly any place to download the bull shit.. so I parked the car outside and the petty-auto rolled-in.. and Kuttappan jupmed out ..nd unloaded the stuff on to our porch ... I saw mom's face going shapeless and dad looking somewhere else as if he never knew what was happening.. I just coudnt stand the smell and the sight of kuttappan.. that I ran off and locked myslef in my room.. But smell doesnt know that i dont like it, he made his way into my room and " you are not welcome " blabbers.. didnt matter .. I had to get out or my abode .. and face the shit...

When I came out, Kuttappan had turned "Shitappan".. he was mixing shit and water to a pureee kind of consistency and pouring it into buckets.. .. and that too by hand.. had it smeared all over his face ( i guess he was wiping of the sweat) and body.. God save him !!!

Seeing my uneasiness, mom tried to ease me.. by giving lectures on how people in the past, used it to smear their floors and even use it for "sudhikalasam" and all..She even went to the extent that , there used to be a saying that ," chanakam arakkunavan ammaye verukkum"enno.. somthing of that sort .. to which I could do nothing but laugh !!!.. Ente ammede oru karyam !!! Enikku vayya... :-) . She always comes up with some sayings.. most I guess are self made :-)) but funny I must say...

And, finally by evening.. all the business was done.. and Kuttappan , cleaned up the enitre place and himslef....( I wondered how he will get back home?? ppl will not let him in any bus.. )

I must say , after that.. It wasnt as bad as I thought.. i mean the smell n all... ( mebbe bcos I was facing it since morning.. )...

But the next day.. all the smell was gone... Methane was ready , waiting to be set on Fire... Dad was happy, mom was glad.. me - speechless... :-)
Thats the end of ... the Methane Story :-)

Now The Facts..
In fact this intiative by my dad... has actually turned out to be very very fruitful and rewarding... We get home made gas to last each day for upto 4 hours..We dont have to worry much about the wastes from the kitchen..We dont have to dig holes around to bury the waste of fish and meat .. the premises are very very clean... and above all ... the LPG gas lasts much much longer than it used to....( I hear the LPG has been running for more than 3 months now).. given the rate at which the LPG prices are soaring up.. my dad had his ideas SPOT ON !!! ...
It really is worth the smell and investments !!! ... and All that Stinks is not all that bad...

The suggestion..
If u have some space at home, ... a day u can stress your nostrils and lungs..,and ..waste ny ways we create (instead of dumping it by the road or someone else compound) to dump... give it a try... its worth it..

GO GREEN .. save the planet :-)) ( Jokes apart. I mean it )...

and pls dont come to my home to see how it works.. for you stand the risk of facing the explanations ( to the very minutest of details ) from my DAD... :)))

When the going gets tough !!!!!

2007-10-22T14:19:00.000+05:30

What a Grand Finale to the F1 2007. Couldn’t have asked for more. Thrilling, gripping, exhilarating…I was on the edge of my seat right from the word GO … It was one hell of a race at Interlagos, Brazil… with Hamilton, Alonso and Raikkonen all going for the kill… the tracks were set on fire…

All thru the season, McLaren had it very much in their control. A superb car, a two time world champion in Alonso… and the Best of all, the wonder kid Lewis Hamilton, Ron Dennis’ very own boy… For a rookie (he never seemed to be one, the way he monstered his Mclaren and gave every other driver in the circuit a chill down the spine…) he did drive his heart out. He had the championship, well within reach, going into the penultimate race of the season…. So near…and then he literally drove the tires off his Mclaren to park in the gravel…at the very entrance of the pit lanes…. and later to see from the pit lanes a Ferrari 1-3… and his “Best Friend “this season ,splitting the two Ferraris. This just set the stage up for the final showdown in the “FORMULA 1 Grande Prêmio do Brasil 2007”.

Hamilton was under enormous pressure...not from other drivers… but his own teammate Alonso… In the former part of the race…he had proved that he wasn’t the one to break down under pressure…but towards the latter part it just was too much for him to handle…In the final race, he gave it his all...but was outdone by some splendid driving by Kimi, Massa and Alonso. Lewis came back strongly, and at times I felt like, he was asking too much from his car… that it almost gave up once or twice… but then he and his car fought back to the 7th position…That was all he could manage, for the drivers ahead were way too far ahead for him to catch-up with !!.

I’m a die hard fan of Kimi....yet my heart went out to Hamilton… But then there lies the beauty of Formula1. You just can’t count anybody out till the last race, the last lap….

Alonso was there, very much in the race for the championships… close on Hamilton’s tail…both on the track and the points table. Coming into the final race all he needed to do was to get to at least the 2nd place if not 1st and pray that Hamilton didn’t finish the race :-) ( and if he did, not better then 7th)….but that was not the case to be …. on RACE DAY…

Ferrari had other plans….a plan tailor made and executed to suit the very situation…starring Kimi Raikkonen, Fillipe Massa. Directed by Jean Todd, Screen Play- Chris Dyer (Kimi’s Race Engineer) and the entire Ferrari crew for support…They were just one COHESIVE unit (as Sidhu would put it)… Fighting it out for one mission…The championship for Raikkonen… and how well did Massa played his part…He was a guinea pig in the Race in Shanghai…Ferrari testing out during the race as to how the dry tries would work in the wet conditions… and then clearing it for Raikkonen to go flat out to the chequered flag. He is one hell of a team man. Without his support Kimi wouldn’t have made it…

A plan Mclaren couldn’t even think of, let alone executing it….They had the best of everything… the Car, the Drivers, the strategy, sponsors….They had it all, but for mutual respect and understanding…When you are fighting it out.. all for your glory alone…nothing else will help… It’s good to have a healthy rivalry... but not like what was there between Alonso and Hamilton…And to add insult to injury, Alonso was in war with everyone within his team… lots of controversies… Still he drove like a champion….There’s no doubt on his capabilities… But only on his attitude…

This is a lesson for all... as in how not to be within a team… Had it not been for this unhealthy rivalry, Hamilton or Alonso could have easily sealed the tournament for themselves and Mclaren…

Having said all that…let me get to my favorite driver…the ICEMAN…the FLYING FINN… After a superb start to the season, he fell back… Sometimes the car giving up and sometimes he not delivering…But he came back strongly. Did he not drive that Scarlet of his, right up to the limit.., if not over it? He gave it his all, setting lap times, each bettering the previous, lap after lap… When under pressure… he is the one… he delivers. Keeps him cool… Cool as ice…he was simply superb... “When the racing got tough…Kimi got going...”

For him to win the championship…his efforts were not merely enough…He needed the support of Massa and the rest of his team…on which he never had the slightest of doubts…But he badly needed his stroke of luck and fortune. But then fortune favors the brave… and Kimi was brave and fortunate enough……. to be the F1 Champion 2007.

Hats off to Team Ferrari and Kimi Raikkonen.They were a treat to watch… and F1 can’t get better than this…

Looking forward to the next season... India too is to have its own team… A Ferrari Engine powered Car... Thanks to Vijay Mallya…

Confessions of a moderate blogger ....

2007-10-03T18:32:00.000+05:30

I had almost forgotten that this really existed.. No that I was too busy or anyhting...just that i forgot...

Shuld find some time ...to fill in some junk... lots of subjects around... worth being blogged about....Just cant get started...

Celebration - A joyous Diversion

2007-06-08T09:07:00.000+05:30

Got this one as a forwarded mail... A simple explanation of how simple a celebration is !!!!

Celebration means......

Four friends.
Bahar barsaat.
Four glasses of beer.

Celebration means......

Hundred bucks of petrol.
A rusty old bike.
And an open road.

Celebration means......

Maggi noodles.
A hostel room.
4.25 a.m.

Celebration means......

3 old friends.
3 separate cities.
3 coffee mugs.
1 internet messenger.

Celebration means......

Rain on a hot tin roof.
Pakoras deep-frying.
Neighbours dropping in.
A party.

Celebration means......

You and mom.
A summer night.
A bottle of coconut oil.
A head massage.

We can spend
Hundreds on birthdays,
Thousands on festivals,
Lakhs on weddings,
but to really celebrate

all we need to do is spend a little time with our loved ones.

********************************************************************

A TROG# – The Road to Paniyeli -Poru

2007-06-04T09:55:00.000+05:30

With us… nothing is planned (cannot be planed for that matter)... We are the “take the world as it comes” people. Friday evening we tentatively agreed on “Poru” as our destination for the next day...The place was suggested by Pali… None of us had heard about this place before…Only thing we knew was…. .It’s after Perumbavoor… So naturally Pali had his disclaimer well in advance… “This is supposedly a beautiful place, where we can have a bath in the river.. And ‘m okay with any other place u suggest…”

As for planning we didn’t miss out on this…. “We will buy Kallu*”. Now the problem with Kallu is we will have to buy it early in the morning, and from people whom we know…So the only solid plan we had for travel day… was to get some Gud kallu…V####h and J####n took the ownership for this task….. (Names are encrypted,for all are "Eligible" bachelors...If some one feels Kallu is not aristocratic enuf :-))

It’s said.. “The early bird catches the prey”... Same is the case with Kallu…
So “the early V#####h got the kallu”… Had it canned neatly…. Corked the can with a little hole in it.. Otherwise it will fizz out just like champagne... when u open :-)

We were a group of five…”the awesome five some”
So by about 10 AM. Pali came to my house and from there we proceeded to J####’s house where S####h and V####h were ready…

Now the million Dollar Question…”Where are we going??…. We will go to Poru…
Ok so... who knows the route.. Well err.. hmm.. no one .. That’s ok.. we will find it as we go…” After all where’s the thrill in going to a place we all know???

We didn’t think much… we all jumped in and set off... “Chalo Poru”… God knows where… and what…

All we knew was we had to hit Perumbavoor first… now that’s 40 kms odd from Kochin… All of us were proud residents of Kochin...But none of us were sure of the roads that led us to perumbavoor... We knew we had to start from Kakkanad…and we did…
But whenever the road forked… we braked…. and asked some one for “The road to Permubavoor”… When u do not know the roads the strategy is simple “Chodichu chodichu Pokam”…

So we kept going and on this beautiful little junction, where we stopped for advice on the further road to perumbavoor… A gentle man…knowing our hopeless situation told…”Don’t u worry ppl … just follow the white marker on the middle of the road… All white markers lead to Perumbavoor…”

We all thought… what an easy way to reach Perumbavoor… We thanked that gentle man for his intelligent suggestion… and accelerated our way ahead….Hardly did we travel 200 mtrs…. I thought I had become “white blind”... for I cudnt see any white markers on the road… Soon I knew… others where White blind too….for they too didn’t see any...by the time we gathered our thoughts we were into an unmarked road…and for the first time that day … we were on the wrong way…had to turn back.. and again trace the white markers… So we never really tried to follow the markers any further… Like this we drove on and finally reached Perumbavoor…and then with the help of locals finally managed to find the road... “Paniyeli – Poru “ about 20 kms from there..

Now the roads were narrow and winding… taking us to the interiors of a beautiful village… Suddenly Pali asked...” What about our food… this place looks like we won't get anything to eat…” .. So we stopped at the first shop we saw. Pali and V####h got and was back soon…Pali has some snacks… V####h… has a strainer in his had…All of us asked together…” what is this for “….A smiling V####h… said... Forgot the get the kallu strained... :-)..

In another 30 mins we were there…”Paniyeli –Poru”...

We took tickets and tried to take ourselves and Kallu inside... But the duty bound guard pointed to a board... that said... “Plastics and alcohol prohibited”… We tried to explain him that Kallu is a non alcoholic beverage…and the volume- wise percentage of alcohol per litre of kallu and all that stuff… He stood his ground… I guess he was drunk :-)…

So we turned back to the car.... one holding the strainer over each glass while the other pouring kallu…. had it as an aperitif… and left the rest... safe in the boot of the car…

We then walked a bit by the riverside and finally reached a place where the water was crystal clear and there was good shade too….

The water was cool, clear and refreshing… all our tiredness was washed off…we spent quite some time in the water..

Had some foto sessions…and the time just flew …

It was great…Nature in its pristine form…no much crowd.. No pollution… only company we had were a herd of cows…butterflies... beautifully colored dragonflies etc…

We finally walked back….decided on coming back again….a place worth visiting again…. Reached the car… finished the rest of the kallu … which was getting sour…and strong… and we started our drive back home…

It was a nice short trip… A day well spent…

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

#TROG – read it as a TRavel blOG
*Kallu is the national Drink of Kerala- Slightly alcoholic. A natural juice from the Coconut tree.

Give it a thought

2007-05-23T10:45:00.000+05:30

A priest once asked a gathering...” How many of you love Jesus”, and asked them to raise their hands if they really did. Almost every one raised their hands… He continued” I’m going to prove that you are wrong”. There was a hushed resentment among the gathering as to what the priest is about to do for they all were sure they loved Jesus.

The Priest called up a young boy from the crowd who was with his father…and asked

“Who is that??” pointing to his father... He replied…
“He is my father….”

The priest then pointed to a kid in his fathers hand and asked again

Who is that???
Again came the reply
“He is my little young brother”…

He then suddenly pointed to the crucifix of Jesus on the altar and asked the boy again…

Who is that??
Soon came the reply… as if wondering what a question to ask….
“That is Jesus Christ”

He then asked the gathering again …
Who is that???The crowd replied in unison…
“That is Jesus Christ”…

The priest smiled… and declared… I have just proved you wrong!!!!

The priest continued…

You say “My Father, My Brother, My Son, My Wife, My Friend, My Money, My Dog, My car… My, My… My….”…

But you will never say “My Jesus Christ… My God “…

************************************************************

Oh Shit !!!

2007-04-19T17:20:00.000+05:30

How often do we use this 4 letter word, when desperate...when in anger..when in joy.. ….Infact... it just suits aptly for a hell lot of moods..

Ever wondered how it came???...
A Google search on SHIT revealed this interesting story behind it.

As the story goes, this word can be traced back to merchant vessels of the 17th century which used to ship bales of Dry manure from one port to another in their holds.If the bales were stored low enough, they would come into contact with water that inevitably leaked into the bilge. The water would then cause the manure to decompose, creating methane gas as well as a rather bad odor. The unlucky sailor sent to investigate the smell would of course take with him a candle or lantern to light the dark area below deck. The open flame would ignite the methane/air mixture in the confined space, causing a massive explosion and sinking the ship. When the cause of these strange accidents was discovered, bales of manure to be transported by ship were marked "Store High In Transit" or "Ship High In Transit" to remind those loading them to keep them above the bilge water. This was eventually shortened to "S.H.I.T."

Quite a shitty piece of Information :-)

Epilogue:-
I posted this blog successfully and, (I must also add that I wrote and published this from my Office PC :-) ) and I proceed to see how my “work” is from my blog home page. I expectantly clicked on the Link “Oh Shit” and SHIT…unexpectedly a window popped up….
it stated

"The url
http://scribbles-n-such.blogspot.com/2007/04/oh-shit.html
falls under a restricted category.

If you think this is an error, please log a call in helpline.XYZ.com with the above information "
"IT Management Group
Your friendly IT Manager"

I do not want to say how I felt :-(((

HABITs

2007-04-19T16:34:00.000+05:30

hab•it (hăb'ĭt)
n.

1. A recurrent,often unconscious pattern of behavior that is acquired through frequent repetition.
2. An established disposition of the mind or character.
3. Customary manner or practice.

This is how dictionaries define “Habit”

I don’t remember where, but I happened to listen to this talk where the speaker was beautifully explaining HABITs. Quite interesting… Read on

“Habit…
Remove the “H”, “a bit” remains.
Remove the “a” and a”bit” still remains.
Remove the “b” and “it” still remains.”

So… make GOOD habits…its really tough to get rid of it… good or bad!!!.It just hangs on…and on and on ………………

Seasons

2007-04-17T19:44:00.000+05:30

I’ve been thru Winters…
That froze me from head to toe….
That left me bare and lonely….

I’ve been thru Springs…
That gave me hope of warmth…
That kept me going ahead…

I’ve been thru Summers…
That warmed me and my spirits…
That brought out the best in me….

I’ve been thru Autumns…
That warned me of the winters forthcoming...
That made me mindful…

This I learn are the seasons of Life…
This I learn is the Circle of Life…
Taking its turn from birth to death…..

**************************************

IN OTHERS SHOEs...

2007-04-13T14:42:00.000+05:30

“You have to put on others shoes….”
“You have to be in others shoes”…
“Only then, can you size up the situation as they feel it…”

I have tried many a times… to visualize the situation from “their” point of view. To be more precise. Put myself in their shoe…..Honestly…. I have never felt it so grave as they say… (for it was never mine)…and have always wondered…why make so much fuss about such silly and irrelevant matters…. They just seem nonexistent issues…something that’s just blown out of proportion….

It took me a while to figure it out…that….

When I put on others shoe…I did a big mistake….I never knew it until recently….

I FORGOT TO TAKE OFF MINE BEFORE I PUT ON THEIRS….!!!!

.........

Problems… Problems ....More Problems!!!!!!

2007-04-13T10:06:00.000+05:30

Someone tell me of anyone whom you know as the One who doesn’t have any problems….
Absolutely no one…!!!! Every one is plagued by problems….

As I believe it, The GOD created man and problems together (He created women too :-) ,but I’m not talking about that. )….So that, he who surmounts it….will live… and live well…

Ones problem isn’t/might not be a problem for another…It can very well be his solution!!

So as a far as an individual is concerned
All those problems that exist in this universe are of 2 types. Believe me. Just 2 types..!!!

1. The ones that can be solved ...
and
2. The ones that cannot be….

If you agree with me… just think about this…. And you will feel much better…

“If you know that there is a problem, and if you know that you can solve it…then why worry about it????
If you know that there is a problem, and if you know that you can’t solve it…again…why worry about it???? “

The Sunscreen Song..

2007-04-11T09:31:00.000+05:30

The Sunscreen Song
I came across this beautiful song on VHI. Originally an article written by Chicago Newspaper Columnist Mary Schmich, was recorded with music by Baz Luhrmann , more famous for his Silverscreen prescence as a Director,with famous movies like Romeo and Juliet, Moulin Rouge. etc.Though very simple, a kind of inspirational stuff that could move you. I really enjoyed it very much.Hope you enjoy it as well…Again “the choice is completely yours”.This is how it goes…

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’97... wear sunscreen.If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be IT.The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked.

You are NOT as fat as you imagine.!!!

Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Sing.

Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind. The race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself.

Remember compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.

Get plenty of calcium.Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone.

Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself, either. Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s.

Enjoy your body, use it every way you can. Don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own.

Dance.

Even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.

Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for good.Be nice to your siblings; they are your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on.

Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography in lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out.

Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen......

I AM BACK

2007-04-11T09:20:00.000+05:30

I am Back
Prelude:-This is a sequel to a discussion thread, with my friend J, i left halfway thru.......

I am Back
Agreed , what I am today is the result of the choices I made in the Past.That has just streamlined the array of choices I had left myself open with .It has not completely cut off the other options I gave up earlier to reach to this point of my life.Had I made a wrong choice and stuck on with it knowing that it is not what I really wanted, I can always go back and do what I wanted to.To do this I have to be courageous.I have to give up lifes psuedo riches which are the little crumbs of rewards I recieved for having taken up other peoples choices and kept going with the flow.I might have a car, I might have a heavy purse, a huge bank balance.To others i might look a successful being, but the real me knows this is not what I really wanted.But I satisfy myself by listening to others assessment of what I am. What a pity????.The problem is I look up to others , listen to others to know what I am, what I want, rather than aks my inner self, just because, it simply is a tad too tough to accomplish.What it says can completely leave me in disarray, it can completely shatter me.So why take a risk.?????As it happened, it is happening and it will happen in our material world , the elephant majority is just following the paths which some one had cleared, because it easy that way.The one who actually cut this path, really had toiled hard and soiled himself with contemp and humiliation, because he knew it was the right one for him and he cared a damn about what others had to say. But now that it has turned out to be succesful, no one remembers the blames he received, his sufferings, but just sits back and enjoys the fruits of his labour.I just cruise down this easy highway. Its easy that way!!!!.But If i dare look into myself, i can see a lesser mortal, easly satisfied with small liitle things like peace, harmony and self satisfaction,but I might not see material riches.Its not guaranteed,for i have to share what i have to makes others happy, to make myself happy.This to others is failure.Can't help it.So i conclude"You sometimes need to let go off the choices of the past so that you could have a wonderful future"

You Name Him!!!!

2007-04-09T15:16:00.000+05:30

Before I begin…All characters you encounter here are fictitious. Any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental….!!!!!

What would you call a person, who gives a wrong account no, for his salary account? Hey hold on… your right to christen this person, a bit more, for I’m sure you will want to rechristen him when I tell you this. Doesn’t matter how bad your vocab is… you will want to; take the trouble to, even “GOOGLE” to find an apt name for him... I can assure you, your efforts won’t be in vain, for he deserves it. He even confirmed this wrong account to be the right one, “The One”, to which all his hard earned money would be credited!!!!

He didn’t even realize it, till the time for salary credit came. On the last working day, like every other person, he too got a mail from the salary department, rather a online salary slip giving details of the Account holder, his “ACCOUNT NO”, and the credited amount. As the Last line it said “Your Salary for the Month has been Credited to the account no XXXXXXXXXX”
He glanced at the amount, just the amount and was satisfied, for this was his first “FULL” salary…the fruit of a months toil :-)

For two days, he forgot about the salary, for he was in no need of money…He is happily staying with his parents…So he generally don’t need any money :-)…One fine morning, suddenly (call it Sixth sense) a thought crossed his mind…just check your account….So he visited the ATM, during his lunch break…Swiped his card…recollected his PIN…pushed it in ..and did his Balance Enquiry…It showed. “00.00”… What the Heck... He cursed his Employer, He cursed his salary dept, He cursed the bank... How could they be so irresponsible with someone else’s money...He even did a lecture to his colleagues about how inefficient the whole system was…But he was interrupted by one of his colleagues, who apparently held an account with the same bank…He however had his salary credited the very same day it was disbursed….

I must tell you, though my friend is carelessness personified, he is sharp…Bells ring too soon in his head… and loud too!!!Mebbe that is what saves him every now and then. He smelled a rat…He ran back to his little den… (Corporate’s call it a bay…a cubicle...) he pulled out his runner…and unearthed his Bank Pass Book…He then logged into his online salary system (a pretty efficient one!!!)…and browsed to the “My Payroll/Bank”…. It vividly displayed his “Name”, the “Bank Name” and the “Account No”…. A glance into the Pass Book and back to the 15“TFT monitor (known and proven to be the best to avoid harmful radiations which affects your sight) …”Blinded him”…. It was (as he told me in his own words) “A lightning hitting my eyes and making its way thru my head…charring everything inside… Felt like nothing’s left inside”…

After a few minutes of numbness, thinking about his dumbness…he regained consciousness… He wondered...”How on earth did I unearth an Account No Like this”…
You know what, he actually got the last 3 digits of his account No: wrong…In his search for the “ROOT cause analysis” for how this no’s creeped in…. He couldn’t make any logical conclusions, for there is no way, not even a remote chance that he had mistyped (“Typo”) adjacent no’s to the actual ones… for there was no “Co-relation” between them.
Bells rang again…Loud…. loud and deafening ….And the truth dawned on him…Clear as daylight!!!

He held a second account with the same bank… The one all have to have for the reimbursement credits…And while updating his details on the online salary system database, he did the “Herculean”, the “humongous” (can’t find a word heavier than this in my vocab) blunder of scripting a new account no… the one which had its former part from the actual account and the latter part from the Reimbursement account…He could do nothing but laugh at his discovery…. Suddenly all his laugh was wiped away… another fear erupted…If the salary is actually credited to the wrong account as the mail from the salary department said…and if the person who holds the account refuses to pay back… what on earth will he do…he felt like the world spinning around him. His vision blurring….but soon he regained his consciousness…He realized... It’s time for action…He set out… for his mission. “Operation Salary salvage”

He ran to the Bank…. the bank was crowded…He somehow managed to locate the Branch manager’s cabin…He calmly made his way in…The manager had a huge log book in front of him and was completely lost in it…for it was the financial year ending…He was busy..

He was brought back from the book of numbers to the life of blunders... by an “Excuse me”. He raised his head to find a young man smiling at him… Here is the dialogue as it actually happened and as my friend told me...

Friend: “I have a small problem. Can you please help me?”
Manager:” Sorry, We are having the financail year end and I’m very busy rite now. Can you come after a week’s time?”
Friend: “Ayooo, its much more urgent than that…I cant wait for a week…Someone else might go with my money”
Manager:”ohhh… Really what’s the matter???”
Friend: “I made a mistake of giving a wrong account no for my salary account… and my salary has been credited to that account.”
Manager: “Oh…really!!! careless.. Ok let me see…“

The manager was a good man. My friend was lucky… He soon opened something on his computer and...
Manager:” Give me the account no which you gave wrong”
My friend showed his salary slip and soon the manager entered it into his computer…and came back smiling!!!

Manager: “Hey young man, you are lucky... that account no doesn’t exist… Now if you would kindly excuse me …. “

My friend heaved a sigh of relief…. He wanted to ask something more… But didn’t want to disturb him further…He thanked him and walked out…

He is lucky… he’s damn lucky….. As some one said… “Even if he stands right in the middle of a Highway, he won’t get run over…” (But don’t u think… he’s too smart… how cud one get run over… in the middle of a Highway… U always have medians... right in the middle :-) )

Now I leave it you… and I bet… you definitely would want to change the description u initially had thought/given when I said “What would you call a person, who gives a wrong account no, for his salary account?”… Isn’t it :-)

Foot note: - You won’t loose money so easily…With corporate transfers they always check the Account No against the Account Holders Name. and if it doesn’t match, it will get back to the originator.. So even if you make these kinds of mistakes... You still stand a good chance of getting back your money…
Else consider yourself Lucky… God Damn lucky!!!!! The one who got it was in “Real” need of it…and You got the best chance to help him out in his hour of need… :-)))))))

Driving my Car

2007-04-05T12:02:00.000+05:30

Life from the perspective of a Driver -:

I 'm the “driver”... driving the car of my life. ... thru the lanes of my Life!!! A peek into the innumerable nuances, Life offers…..

In the beginning, my Car was fuelled into this world; I didn’t know how to drive and where to drive. I was taken on a drive, and taught the basics of driving, the so called rules of driving my car. I didn’t like the rules…. I’m forced to follow it, for there are others too driving theirs...
I got a license… and soon I’m driving on my own…. On my way….

Here is my driving experience..

I find myself…driving on “one- ways”… it’s the low risk drive... for I never bang/get banged head on !!!... no one blinds me with High-beams…no one flashes their headlights on my face. I just follow the stream of traffic….like a floating log... carried way by the current…I’m not excited about it…

I find myself stuck in traffic…stagnant…nowhere to move…nowhere to take a turn and get away…completely trapped….I’m honked at and there is chaos…I see deserted bye lanes where I can avoid the traffic...But I’m not sure where it leads…I’m not ready to take the risk of driving the unknown lanes..Im scared where I will end up…I worry what other drivers will think of me....So I suffocate in the din…But I have to keep myself calm....I take refuge in what I like and idle my time off… I pump-up the volume of the soothing music and try to relax… for I wait and hope the traffic will clear and I will drive away.

I find myself at empty cross-roads… the kind that doesn’t have any pointers…But I need to drive on. I do not know where I will reach… but still I have to …I need to take a chance, a choice… and keep driving…there is no other go… and I don’t have the choice of stopping, for this is a continuous drive… a drive that will end only when I’m out of fuel.. And if I stop…I will be left behind... all alone…

I find myself driving on… now that I am driving… I have to drive well and let others drive too…mebbe I can help others on their driving… but it’s absolutely not in my control.…mine and their cars are a different make altogether..…but still I feel I have to drive well… that’s all I know and I shud…
I have to be careful too… for the lane is not my own… there are a lot others driving, ahead of me, behind me, besides me, and the ones driving past me… I might get bumped from behind.. the car ahead of me might make a sudden halt… the one driving beside me might push me off the lane… and the one driving past me might suddenly get in my way…I need to be alert and awake… for its my car and I have to take care of the dents... on my own…

I pick up people on the way… some get down on the way …some drive on…and some I intentionally drop on the way-the incompatible ones… its fun to drive with people who drive the way I drive…

I drive on…I enjoy the beauty of the country roads… the drive by the lake side… the meandering roads that wind up the hill… the hair pins…a drive into the jungle roads…It refreshes my mind…it eases my tensions…I enjoy it..

I find myself…. driving on highways and free ways, its really thrilling and exhilarating. The adrenaline pumping…I feel like I am flying. The best of my driving experiences. I wish all the roads I drive were highways n freeways…No restrictions… drive the way I enjoy the most…High speed…No stopping…no one crossing annoyingly before me.. no honking at my back….Easy n smooth ….

This way …I drive on…
I realize… the roads becoming unclear….my car wearing out…. my fuel levels dropping… my tire deflating…. I stop. I look back. I take stock of how I drove. How I let others drive…I cherish the good experiences… I repent the bad ones…I know my car is about to halt….. I’m done with my driving..

So I park.… Park my car into oblivion….

Me and My car ceases to exist

May My Car Park In Peace!!!!!