My recent fb addiction is the Terribly Tiny Tales, TTT page :)
I am floored by the crisp and awesome tales on the page, and have become a big time fan :) :)
So when they invited new TTT on 'hope', I had to put aside my Wednesday evening's work and write :)
Here are their rules.
And I don't have the patience to wait for them (to select, in the first place) to publish my entry :-P;
So here goes :
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tale #1:
The street urchin he saw on the way to work each day lay bleeding on the pavement.
Oblivious to the stares and apathy around, he rushed him to the hospital. Doctors had hope the boy would survive.
His white shirt, he noticed had turned red. Smiling to himself, he realised it was Xmas eve.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tale #2:
It was a terrible bomb blast. Shattered glasses, abandoned homes, and piles of debris for miles around.
The sniffer dogs tried to look for clues amidst the chaos.
In the aftermath of despair, and tales of loss, hope survived.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tale #3:
His teacher announced a Math test the next day.
Having played around all day, he kept his Math notebook under the newly cut, yet undecorated Xmas tree.
He believed in early miracles. He hoped Santa wouldn't mind.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A very merry Christmas and a Happy 2014 to all! :)
Monday, December 23, 2013
Friday, November 22, 2013
Invictus
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
~William Ernest Henley
Came across this awesome poem @ the zenpencils site.
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
~William Ernest Henley
Came across this awesome poem @ the zenpencils site.
Friday, October 25, 2013
Perspective!
The other day a funny thing happened...
I was about to sleep when I remembered some email update I had promised to send...so I hurriedly pulled out my laptop from under the bed and started typing...too lazy to get up and walk the teeny tiny distance to switch on the light...
As I was typing, suddenly I saw a huge shadow across the keypad...I almost let out a tiny "knee-jerk" reaction shriek thinking some big insect had flown in through the window...and was hovering near the tube-light...I looked up...but the tube-light wasn't on...and I could still see that huge shadow on the keypad; but there was no sign of that apparent 'huge' insect anywhere in the room!
I stopped typing, hoping to hear some sound - a tiny flutter of wings or some other sound...but all I could see was a shadow prancing around the keyboard and irritating me...
It was then that I saw the teeny weeny fruit fly (yes, I googled the english name of the insect we call "चिल्ट" in marathi :P) right in front of the laptop light that illuminated my keyboard...:P
The light was making the small fruit fly look like a huge insect to me. And before I dared to look up and try to find the actual source, I imagined all sorts of huge insects flying around my bed...:-(
"Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow", said some Swedish proverb I had come across, and it fits, quite literally, to the case in point.
Sometimes, in the 'light' of fear, we see many small issues projected as big huge insurmountable problems - before we dare to look fear in the face and realize that those were just simple issues we are capable of easily dealing with!
All it needs is a shift of perspective...
A #'face-your-fear' moment...[O:)]
PS: This is the 50th post on the blog! Woohooo :D :D :D
I was about to sleep when I remembered some email update I had promised to send...so I hurriedly pulled out my laptop from under the bed and started typing...too lazy to get up and walk the teeny tiny distance to switch on the light...
As I was typing, suddenly I saw a huge shadow across the keypad...I almost let out a tiny "knee-jerk" reaction shriek thinking some big insect had flown in through the window...and was hovering near the tube-light...I looked up...but the tube-light wasn't on...and I could still see that huge shadow on the keypad; but there was no sign of that apparent 'huge' insect anywhere in the room!
I stopped typing, hoping to hear some sound - a tiny flutter of wings or some other sound...but all I could see was a shadow prancing around the keyboard and irritating me...
It was then that I saw the teeny weeny fruit fly (yes, I googled the english name of the insect we call "चिल्ट" in marathi :P) right in front of the laptop light that illuminated my keyboard...:P
The light was making the small fruit fly look like a huge insect to me. And before I dared to look up and try to find the actual source, I imagined all sorts of huge insects flying around my bed...:-(
"Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow", said some Swedish proverb I had come across, and it fits, quite literally, to the case in point.
Sometimes, in the 'light' of fear, we see many small issues projected as big huge insurmountable problems - before we dare to look fear in the face and realize that those were just simple issues we are capable of easily dealing with!
All it needs is a shift of perspective...
A #'face-your-fear' moment...[O:)]
PS: This is the 50th post on the blog! Woohooo :D :D :D
Saturday, September 14, 2013
The Little Monsters
I am sure you are familiar with the little monsters we all face. I'll call them 'little' because they usually end up affecting our day-to-day life...
I imagine them sitting on my left shoulder and whispering (not so heart warming) thoughts in my ear.
This is also yet another reason to call them 'little', coz otherwise you'll start walking funnily if you imagine a huge monster landing on your left shoulder :P (a pathetic joke...agreed :-P)
The best way to fight them is to notice them, recognize them for who they are...acknowledge them, brush them off...and then shrug as if nothing's the matter at all!
The little blue monster with its drooping face, and a smile that looks at you as if you are the most utterly helpless creature in this world.
Its big round eyes shine like a mirror and seem to say, "Look at you, you poor old dear...why do only you have to suffer..?"
*Sigh*'
You know what its called?
Self pity.
Sometimes it comes disguised as 'Sadness', but you'll find that mostly, it is indeed self pity masking itself.
Its dangerous.
It gnaws at your heart, makes you weak and feel 'oh-so-helpless'.
It brings tears more easily than any other thing...and takes you on a thankless, never ending journey in the sea of woe, on a shabby boat titled 'Pity' in big bold lettering.
Look at it in the eye, give it your 'sunniest-ever' smile and shove it away with a brush of your arm.
The monsterly red creature with devilish horns, wielding a spear, that sends fiery sparks into your head and you can't think straight.
All you want is to destroy/hurt the thing/person who's provoked you (no matter how small a reason).
All sense seems to leave you, and you often end up hurting the people you love.
There's a name for it. Anger. Hatred.
And Regret/Remorse is the best friend of this little red devil, who often follows in its footsteps to enjoy the aftermath.
Send off the red devil with cool, calm, firm blows (the kind you use on those magic birthday candles that glow up every time you blow them off) and watch it melt away.
The orange, plump (actually cute looking) dwarf who lands on your shoulder and doesn't seem to leave you alone...who pesters you and waves a huge post-it in front of you all day long, to remind you of 'what you didn't do' or 'what you did do', every time you go about your day-to-day work.
Who drives away peace of mind and is the worst enemy of your self worth.
It's better known in our world as Guilt. Remorse.
Trap it as soon as you sense it landing on your (left) shoulder.
Although, do read and 'act' on its post-it note. Its never too late :)
This one needs no introduction. Its Green. Its familiar. And is thought to be an oft visiting one (or so everyone says) and yet, no one claims familiarity with it.
It makes the grass always look greener on the other side. (Needless to say, it hides the "other side's" sky high water bill too) :P
Yeah, you guessed it right.
Jealousy. Envy.
Hmm...just remind yourself of your 'decent', 'managable' water bill and your garden will start looking much greener ;)
This monster tends to leave by itself if you just ignore it. Don't pay any heed to its taunts. Act as if its not there.
And it goes away from the lack of your attention. Whoosh!
Another "red family" colour monster comes most times by invitation. i.e by our own doing or mindset.
It paralyses.
You go absolutely numb.
Fingers cold. Toes as stiff as icicles. And the forehead as hot as burning coals.
Fear.
Way to fight it? Acknowledge it, give it a warm welcome, and watch it lose its power as soon as it realizes you have recognized it and are ready to tackle it.
Yes, easy to preach. Really difficult to practice.
The black monster. Its weapon is smoke. It silently comes and puts a hood of thick big black smoke around you...
Your vision blurs. Your senses go numb.
All you can see is what the monster wants you to see.
Black.
Pitch black.
Depression.
You need a lot of willpower to remove the hood and shove off the monster with all your strength.
Then it vanishes and the sun shines through.
There's yet another li'l monster, although people often get confused whether to call it an Angel or a Monster. ;)
This monster is extremely good looking, and with purple robes and a golden crown to boot; it has the attitude of a king. And it makes you feel like you own the world too!
Ah, Ego.
Entertain this one too much and it will surely get in the mood to partyyy away. It then becomes a most generous host and invites all its friends - Jealousy, Anger, Hate and Fear - to party at your expense - literally! :-|
And if you don't entertain this one at all, it will still call its friends - Self Pity and Depression to party (again) at your expense!!
Beware of this one, that's all I can say, coz I struggle to keep too little, or too much of this one on my left shoulder :-|
There's another one. Probably less scarier than the others, but equally dangerous.
And I can already see it just trying to land on my shoulder, because I can't seem to think of a colour for it...and suddenly am thinking of ending this blog post right here.
It ventures around people who look 'busy doing nothing'.
Hah! Laziness.
It also often drags along its best friend too - Boredom.
You can never say who visits first. :P
Want to drive it mad? Go get something done.
It dares not venture around people who are busy 'doing something' (meaningful, if you might)
I think I barely managed to drive off the last mentioned monster.
However, an angel called Sleep beckons me now and I would really love to go along and drift off in lands far away, dream onn...and may be fight some monsters of my own ;-)
Happy Monster Fighting to you! :)
Adios.
I imagine them sitting on my left shoulder and whispering (not so heart warming) thoughts in my ear.
This is also yet another reason to call them 'little', coz otherwise you'll start walking funnily if you imagine a huge monster landing on your left shoulder :P (a pathetic joke...agreed :-P)
The best way to fight them is to notice them, recognize them for who they are...acknowledge them, brush them off...and then shrug as if nothing's the matter at all!
The little blue monster with its drooping face, and a smile that looks at you as if you are the most utterly helpless creature in this world.
Its big round eyes shine like a mirror and seem to say, "Look at you, you poor old dear...why do only you have to suffer..?"
*Sigh*'
You know what its called?
Self pity.
Sometimes it comes disguised as 'Sadness', but you'll find that mostly, it is indeed self pity masking itself.
Its dangerous.
It gnaws at your heart, makes you weak and feel 'oh-so-helpless'.
It brings tears more easily than any other thing...and takes you on a thankless, never ending journey in the sea of woe, on a shabby boat titled 'Pity' in big bold lettering.
Look at it in the eye, give it your 'sunniest-ever' smile and shove it away with a brush of your arm.
The monsterly red creature with devilish horns, wielding a spear, that sends fiery sparks into your head and you can't think straight.
All you want is to destroy/hurt the thing/person who's provoked you (no matter how small a reason).
All sense seems to leave you, and you often end up hurting the people you love.
There's a name for it. Anger. Hatred.
And Regret/Remorse is the best friend of this little red devil, who often follows in its footsteps to enjoy the aftermath.
Send off the red devil with cool, calm, firm blows (the kind you use on those magic birthday candles that glow up every time you blow them off) and watch it melt away.
The orange, plump (actually cute looking) dwarf who lands on your shoulder and doesn't seem to leave you alone...who pesters you and waves a huge post-it in front of you all day long, to remind you of 'what you didn't do' or 'what you did do', every time you go about your day-to-day work.
Who drives away peace of mind and is the worst enemy of your self worth.
It's better known in our world as Guilt. Remorse.
Trap it as soon as you sense it landing on your (left) shoulder.
Although, do read and 'act' on its post-it note. Its never too late :)
This one needs no introduction. Its Green. Its familiar. And is thought to be an oft visiting one (or so everyone says) and yet, no one claims familiarity with it.
It makes the grass always look greener on the other side. (Needless to say, it hides the "other side's" sky high water bill too) :P
Yeah, you guessed it right.
Jealousy. Envy.
Hmm...just remind yourself of your 'decent', 'managable' water bill and your garden will start looking much greener ;)
This monster tends to leave by itself if you just ignore it. Don't pay any heed to its taunts. Act as if its not there.
And it goes away from the lack of your attention. Whoosh!
Another "red family" colour monster comes most times by invitation. i.e by our own doing or mindset.
It paralyses.
You go absolutely numb.
Fingers cold. Toes as stiff as icicles. And the forehead as hot as burning coals.
Fear.
Way to fight it? Acknowledge it, give it a warm welcome, and watch it lose its power as soon as it realizes you have recognized it and are ready to tackle it.
Yes, easy to preach. Really difficult to practice.
The black monster. Its weapon is smoke. It silently comes and puts a hood of thick big black smoke around you...
Your vision blurs. Your senses go numb.
All you can see is what the monster wants you to see.
Black.
Pitch black.
Depression.
You need a lot of willpower to remove the hood and shove off the monster with all your strength.
Then it vanishes and the sun shines through.
There's yet another li'l monster, although people often get confused whether to call it an Angel or a Monster. ;)
This monster is extremely good looking, and with purple robes and a golden crown to boot; it has the attitude of a king. And it makes you feel like you own the world too!
Ah, Ego.
Entertain this one too much and it will surely get in the mood to partyyy away. It then becomes a most generous host and invites all its friends - Jealousy, Anger, Hate and Fear - to party at your expense - literally! :-|
And if you don't entertain this one at all, it will still call its friends - Self Pity and Depression to party (again) at your expense!!
Beware of this one, that's all I can say, coz I struggle to keep too little, or too much of this one on my left shoulder :-|
There's another one. Probably less scarier than the others, but equally dangerous.
And I can already see it just trying to land on my shoulder, because I can't seem to think of a colour for it...and suddenly am thinking of ending this blog post right here.
It ventures around people who look 'busy doing nothing'.
Hah! Laziness.
It also often drags along its best friend too - Boredom.
You can never say who visits first. :P
Want to drive it mad? Go get something done.
It dares not venture around people who are busy 'doing something' (meaningful, if you might)
I think I barely managed to drive off the last mentioned monster.
However, an angel called Sleep beckons me now and I would really love to go along and drift off in lands far away, dream onn...and may be fight some monsters of my own ;-)
Happy Monster Fighting to you! :)
Adios.
Friday, September 6, 2013
Random Thought #79
"When life shows you the worst, even the bad starts to seem 'good enough'..." #original
PS: A series of original random thoughts that are concise...or may be I am just too lazy to follow up with longer text...
PS: A series of original random thoughts that are concise...or may be I am just too lazy to follow up with longer text...
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Turning 27!!
A list of random thoughts on 'turning 27'
1. "How old would you be if you didn't know how old you were?", read my friend N's gtalk status, and although (obviously) an answer wasn't expected, I couldn't help replying...
"I would be five...five is an awesome age...you are just about to begin to try and understand the world around you, learning new words, and everything seems awesomely new to that ever-so-curious mind of yours :)"
"But then..." I typed, "on second thoughts, my brother wouldn't be born till I was six, and life wouldn't be as much fun without having a younger brother to bully! :P Also, add a few years for him to grow up just a li'l bit...so, eight!! I would be eight..."
And my equally crazy friend didn't laugh it off, but came up with this limerick,
"Can't wait to be again eight
to rewrite fate
on a new clean slate" ;) :P B-)
Awesome, ain't it? ;)
2. Was talking to my brother yesterday, and suddenly I realized that I would be "turning 27", umm...or was it "turning 28", coz I 'completed' 27? :-P
With a sigh of relief, I realized "turning 27" it is, and "turning 28" will have to wait another year :D ;-)
3. Insignificant and subtle changes, like for example, I would now have to deal with multiple auto-complete values of age, 26 as well as 27, while booking my irctc tickets, which is an activity I do quite often (for a while, at least till I clear my browser's cache/cookies) :P
And I was already thinking of "being 27" a few weeks back, coz when I booked tickets for Sept in the beginning of the month, I did put 27. #being politically correct...
4. There are just 3 years left before turning 30...which reminds me I have to make complete my "30 before 30" list - the list of thirty things to do before I turn thirty...:P
It's something that's been on my mind since quite some time now...have become a list-o-phile of late...;-)
5. The one thing that I am realizing since some days is that many things we sweat about, aren't really worth a dime of worry.
A completely random point, but then I never promised a logic to this list!
6. I am sure I'll be having a good laugh looking at this list some years down the line, or may be even some months down the line! ;-) Coz I have this uncanny feeling of #growingup...the views/thoughts I had about a year back are (sometimes) completely different from my most recent views/thoughts...sounds scary...yes, even to me...but isn't it all about #change? I wonder...
7. Being independent is an awesome feeling. As long as you keep the 'being responsible' part of it intact, life's good. Really good. :)
8. I intended the list to span atleast 27 bullets. #list-o-phile@work :P
I am not even halfway through the list...and I'm feeling exhausted, and sleepy after a long day...And since I already said "I would be eight...", I'd rather stop at 8 bullets...:-D :-P
1. "How old would you be if you didn't know how old you were?", read my friend N's gtalk status, and although (obviously) an answer wasn't expected, I couldn't help replying...
"I would be five...five is an awesome age...you are just about to begin to try and understand the world around you, learning new words, and everything seems awesomely new to that ever-so-curious mind of yours :)"
"But then..." I typed, "on second thoughts, my brother wouldn't be born till I was six, and life wouldn't be as much fun without having a younger brother to bully! :P Also, add a few years for him to grow up just a li'l bit...so, eight!! I would be eight..."
And my equally crazy friend didn't laugh it off, but came up with this limerick,
"Can't wait to be again eight
to rewrite fate
on a new clean slate" ;) :P B-)
Awesome, ain't it? ;)
2. Was talking to my brother yesterday, and suddenly I realized that I would be "turning 27", umm...or was it "turning 28", coz I 'completed' 27? :-P
With a sigh of relief, I realized "turning 27" it is, and "turning 28" will have to wait another year :D ;-)
3. Insignificant and subtle changes, like for example, I would now have to deal with multiple auto-complete values of age, 26 as well as 27, while booking my irctc tickets, which is an activity I do quite often (for a while, at least till I clear my browser's cache/cookies) :P
And I was already thinking of "being 27" a few weeks back, coz when I booked tickets for Sept in the beginning of the month, I did put 27. #being politically correct...
It's something that's been on my mind since quite some time now...have become a list-o-phile of late...;-)
 |
| Photo Credit : My very own pro photographer HC :) |
5. The one thing that I am realizing since some days is that many things we sweat about, aren't really worth a dime of worry.
A completely random point, but then I never promised a logic to this list!
6. I am sure I'll be having a good laugh looking at this list some years down the line, or may be even some months down the line! ;-) Coz I have this uncanny feeling of #growingup...the views/thoughts I had about a year back are (sometimes) completely different from my most recent views/thoughts...sounds scary...yes, even to me...but isn't it all about #change? I wonder...
7. Being independent is an awesome feeling. As long as you keep the 'being responsible' part of it intact, life's good. Really good. :)
8. I intended the list to span atleast 27 bullets. #list-o-phile@work :P
I am not even halfway through the list...and I'm feeling exhausted, and sleepy after a long day...And since I already said "I would be eight...", I'd rather stop at 8 bullets...:-D :-P
Friday, July 26, 2013
My friend Sancho
As I walked into my room the other day, I saw Sancho sitting in the corner. And although it had been quite some time since I
last saw Sancho, I really shouldn't have been surprised - given his habit of showing up in my room at odd times - when he's least expected (and least wanted as well!)
Seeing him there that day took me back to H11 A#70 where I first made friends with Sancho.
I had just shifted to a swanky new single room at the hostel, had decided the where the bed, the cupboard and the table should go, had arranged all my belongings neatly (:)) and was just settling down to admire my new room, when I first heard his voice and then saw Sancho.
My first reaction was disgust. Then anger - at having to share my new room with Sancho. But there was nothing much I could do.
Although Sancho and I never could get along from day one, we had this unsaid, unwritten treaty of having our own ends of the room. And we both respected that treaty...I never ventured near Sancho's part of the room - from the window to the cupboard (Well, at least never went there whenever I knew Sancho was around) and always ensured I came back to my part of the room as soon as (as soon as was humanly possible ) I had fetched whatever I wanted from the cupboard :-|
To his credit, Sancho never tried to encroach my end of the room either - from the door to the bed.
After a lot of initial disgust and (futile) attempts to reclaim my room, I gave up and resigned myself to the fact that I better accept Sancho's presence.
Slowly, I came to depend on Sancho's (always) being there.
Late nights - when I was up fighting with some algo problem - Sancho was there. Sancho kept me company as I struggled to make sense of the innumerable symbols jotted down in my machine learning notes. When I used to come back from my lab after a night of squashing code bugs and still lie awake from anxiety of the unresolved bugs, Sancho used to be there - he knew the joy and pain of squashing bugs too.
I never realised when I started taking his presence for granted...until one day, (although I can't recollect exactly when) Sancho was no longer to be seen. He stopped visiting.
I took a few days to realize Sancho was missing, because I thought he'll obviously come back soon enough.
But my friend Sancho never came back - at least not until I was at H11A#70.
So imagine my surprise when I saw Sancho again, after almost two years, at my room in Pune - sitting in the corner - just like old times!
I didn't question Sancho regarding his whereabouts nor did Sancho ask me how I was doing...It was like when old friends meet after a long time - you don't question, you don't explain, you just start back together from where you had left off...
This was what happened - only this time I didn't want Sancho to stay for long...
Oh, btw, I really should have posted a pic of Sancho, but he's really really shy and doesn't like posing for pictures. So you will have to do with one of his pics I found on google (Yeah, my friend Sancho is quite famous you see :) )
PS: The post's title is dhapofied from the title of a book my friend M had. (It also had a pic of Sancho on its cover :) )
PPS: I really really hope Sancho doesn't take a liking to my new room and goes away real soon :P
Seeing him there that day took me back to H11 A#70 where I first made friends with Sancho.
I had just shifted to a swanky new single room at the hostel, had decided the where the bed, the cupboard and the table should go, had arranged all my belongings neatly (:)) and was just settling down to admire my new room, when I first heard his voice and then saw Sancho.
My first reaction was disgust. Then anger - at having to share my new room with Sancho. But there was nothing much I could do.
Although Sancho and I never could get along from day one, we had this unsaid, unwritten treaty of having our own ends of the room. And we both respected that treaty...I never ventured near Sancho's part of the room - from the window to the cupboard (Well, at least never went there whenever I knew Sancho was around) and always ensured I came back to my part of the room as soon as (as soon as was humanly possible ) I had fetched whatever I wanted from the cupboard :-|
To his credit, Sancho never tried to encroach my end of the room either - from the door to the bed.
After a lot of initial disgust and (futile) attempts to reclaim my room, I gave up and resigned myself to the fact that I better accept Sancho's presence.
Slowly, I came to depend on Sancho's (always) being there.
Late nights - when I was up fighting with some algo problem - Sancho was there. Sancho kept me company as I struggled to make sense of the innumerable symbols jotted down in my machine learning notes. When I used to come back from my lab after a night of squashing code bugs and still lie awake from anxiety of the unresolved bugs, Sancho used to be there - he knew the joy and pain of squashing bugs too.
I never realised when I started taking his presence for granted...until one day, (although I can't recollect exactly when) Sancho was no longer to be seen. He stopped visiting.
I took a few days to realize Sancho was missing, because I thought he'll obviously come back soon enough.
But my friend Sancho never came back - at least not until I was at H11A#70.
So imagine my surprise when I saw Sancho again, after almost two years, at my room in Pune - sitting in the corner - just like old times!
I didn't question Sancho regarding his whereabouts nor did Sancho ask me how I was doing...It was like when old friends meet after a long time - you don't question, you don't explain, you just start back together from where you had left off...
This was what happened - only this time I didn't want Sancho to stay for long...
Oh, btw, I really should have posted a pic of Sancho, but he's really really shy and doesn't like posing for pictures. So you will have to do with one of his pics I found on google (Yeah, my friend Sancho is quite famous you see :) )
PS: The post's title is dhapofied from the title of a book my friend M had. (It also had a pic of Sancho on its cover :) )
PPS: I really really hope Sancho doesn't take a liking to my new room and goes away real soon :P
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Stack Overflow...Or not...
I had one of my #philosophical moments the other day.
There was just too much going on all of a sudden, and I felt like life was taking me on a super tizzying giant wheel, spinning away so fast that everything around was just a daze, and I could barely hold on and keep myself from falling off.
Round. Round. Round. Round it went...People, Events, Mishaps, Happenings, News, Celebrations, Facts, Hearsays, Snide Comments, Meetings, Petty Politics, Emails, and Yet more Events, People and Happenings. Whew!
It was pretty hard to keep a track of all that was on my mind...and I got around to being even more forgetful and confused than ever...:-|
This "stack" of things on my mind had really started getting the better of me.
Then I realized that the best way to deal with all of this "too much happening all at once" feeling is to deal with the topmost feeling in my head and sort it out. Simple. Call this.pop(). Deal with it. Do it till you feel a bit better. :)
Guess this is what most people usually do, knowingly or unknowingly...
while (_confused){
_dealwith = this.pop();
if (feeling_better)
break;
}
Note: This assumes that you will feel better before your mind stack gets empty and hence isn't included as the breaking condition :P
And I realized that more often than not, it's not that important workitem assigned to you, or your finance sheet, or that house hunt, or your health in general, or even your family troubles that actually bother you.
When you do call this.pop(), you'll realise that the topmost item bothering you is usually made of much much smaller (and dealable) stuff - the status email@work you have been meaning to send to your mentor, the electricity bill due in a few days, the property ad on sulekha you have been planning to long reply to, the neck pain you have long been ignoring, the visit to your granny you had planned for last week and postponed...the disarray on your workdesk, the umbrella that needs oiling, the gift voucher you won and never en-cashed because you couldn't decide which book on your wishlist to buy, the haircut you've postponed since eternity, that call from your friend you missed and then completely forgot to call back, the birthdays of near and dear ones, the new backpack you promised you'll get your maid for her kid's new school term, the refund from your cancelled ticket you never got and need to follow up with the booking agent, the trip you've always been planning, the blog posts that merely sit as idea bullets in your evernote list...I could go on and on and on...but you get the point...:)
So, without meaning to sound preachy, just call this.pop() and resolve the thing that's bothering you the most.
Take a bet, it'll be easier than you think ;-)
...And thus ends my feverish 'filosofical' bout.
There was just too much going on all of a sudden, and I felt like life was taking me on a super tizzying giant wheel, spinning away so fast that everything around was just a daze, and I could barely hold on and keep myself from falling off.
Round. Round. Round. Round it went...People, Events, Mishaps, Happenings, News, Celebrations, Facts, Hearsays, Snide Comments, Meetings, Petty Politics, Emails, and Yet more Events, People and Happenings. Whew!
It was pretty hard to keep a track of all that was on my mind...and I got around to being even more forgetful and confused than ever...:-|
This "stack" of things on my mind had really started getting the better of me.
Then I realized that the best way to deal with all of this "too much happening all at once" feeling is to deal with the topmost feeling in my head and sort it out. Simple. Call this.pop(). Deal with it. Do it till you feel a bit better. :)
Guess this is what most people usually do, knowingly or unknowingly...
while (_confused){
_dealwith = this.pop();
if (feeling_better)
break;
}
Note: This assumes that you will feel better before your mind stack gets empty and hence isn't included as the breaking condition :P
And I realized that more often than not, it's not that important workitem assigned to you, or your finance sheet, or that house hunt, or your health in general, or even your family troubles that actually bother you.
When you do call this.pop(), you'll realise that the topmost item bothering you is usually made of much much smaller (and dealable) stuff - the status email@work you have been meaning to send to your mentor, the electricity bill due in a few days, the property ad on sulekha you have been planning to long reply to, the neck pain you have long been ignoring, the visit to your granny you had planned for last week and postponed...the disarray on your workdesk, the umbrella that needs oiling, the gift voucher you won and never en-cashed because you couldn't decide which book on your wishlist to buy, the haircut you've postponed since eternity, that call from your friend you missed and then completely forgot to call back, the birthdays of near and dear ones, the new backpack you promised you'll get your maid for her kid's new school term, the refund from your cancelled ticket you never got and need to follow up with the booking agent, the trip you've always been planning, the blog posts that merely sit as idea bullets in your evernote list...I could go on and on and on...but you get the point...:)
So, without meaning to sound preachy, just call this.pop() and resolve the thing that's bothering you the most.
Take a bet, it'll be easier than you think ;-)
...And thus ends my feverish 'filosofical' bout.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Prejudices!
Some days back, I don't remember how exactly, but I came across the line,
"Prejudices are also cages, very subtle and self created. First we create them, then becoming imprisoned in them, we lose all capacity to fly in the open sky of truth..."
and it brought back memories of a rainy Sunday afternoon, guess I was in the 3rd or 4th standard, and a handwriting competition in a distant school I had attended.
My favorite green and gold 'China' pen. A single sheet of paper to write on, one that you aren't suppose to smudge and the wooden benches in an alien school. They had given a printed sheet of Osho's para that we were supposed to copy in the best handwriting. (Ah, good old days!) :D
And I distinctly remember not understanding much of it, especially the word 'prejudice'. I had read the para over and over, never quite understanding the crux, so much so that the above lines somehow are still written indelibly in my mind (perhaps with the same green China pen too). The lines came flooding back to memory the moment I read it somewhere, some days ago.
Back then, I was trying to mull over how 'prejudice' (an alien word to me then) and a bird in a cage could be related, but it confounded my eight year old self.
I also remember having stashed that sheet of paper somewhere in my drawer for safekeeping. (I still have it somewhere, but it's easier finding stuff on google (this is the link) than delving in my old cupboard) :-P ;-)
Here goes :
"While returning from my morning walk, I saw a bird in a cage. It reminded me of people imprisoned in prejudices.
Prejudices are also cages, very subtle and self created. First we create them, then becoming imprisoned in them, we lose all capacity to fly in the open sky of truth.
And just now I see a kite flying in the sky. What freedom, what a liberation in its flights! One is a bird in a cage, the other a bird in flight in the open sky, symbolic of two different states of mind.
Those who are liberated, fly in the sky of truth, but neither are any footprints left behind, nor is any path created... there is no readymade path, everybody has to create his own path to truth..."
~Osho
Amen to that.
"Prejudices are also cages, very subtle and self created. First we create them, then becoming imprisoned in them, we lose all capacity to fly in the open sky of truth..."
and it brought back memories of a rainy Sunday afternoon, guess I was in the 3rd or 4th standard, and a handwriting competition in a distant school I had attended.
My favorite green and gold 'China' pen. A single sheet of paper to write on, one that you aren't suppose to smudge and the wooden benches in an alien school. They had given a printed sheet of Osho's para that we were supposed to copy in the best handwriting. (Ah, good old days!) :D
And I distinctly remember not understanding much of it, especially the word 'prejudice'. I had read the para over and over, never quite understanding the crux, so much so that the above lines somehow are still written indelibly in my mind (perhaps with the same green China pen too). The lines came flooding back to memory the moment I read it somewhere, some days ago.
Back then, I was trying to mull over how 'prejudice' (an alien word to me then) and a bird in a cage could be related, but it confounded my eight year old self.
I also remember having stashed that sheet of paper somewhere in my drawer for safekeeping. (I still have it somewhere, but it's easier finding stuff on google (this is the link) than delving in my old cupboard) :-P ;-)
Here goes :
"While returning from my morning walk, I saw a bird in a cage. It reminded me of people imprisoned in prejudices.
Prejudices are also cages, very subtle and self created. First we create them, then becoming imprisoned in them, we lose all capacity to fly in the open sky of truth.
And just now I see a kite flying in the sky. What freedom, what a liberation in its flights! One is a bird in a cage, the other a bird in flight in the open sky, symbolic of two different states of mind.
Those who are liberated, fly in the sky of truth, but neither are any footprints left behind, nor is any path created... there is no readymade path, everybody has to create his own path to truth..."
~Osho
Amen to that.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Dream(s)
You paint a dream.
Vivid. Colourful. Lively.
You use up all the patterns and techniques you've learnt. You put in the hues you've thought up till now. You practice it over and over.
Till its near perfect. Almost. Perfect.
You put in all of your heart in it. All of your mind. All of your soul. Till it becomes almost synonymous with you. Your existence. Your breath. The boundaries between your dream and your self blur.
It is a work of a lifetime. A dream of a lifetime.
Shiny. Sparkling. Fragile.
It shatters.
What do you do?
You dream another dream.
Equally vivid. Equally close to your soul. Equally 'you'.
Its OK to fail after you have tried all you could. Because you can always try again. Failure is not fatal. So long as you are true to yourself and know that you tried your best.
PS: This post is the result of a late night show of the movie "Bombay Talkies". ;-)
I especially loved the last story in it, and this post an interpretation of that last story.
Its a story where a father teaches his son the 'importance' of failure, the fact that sometimes however truly you might try, there are chances you might fail.
An awesome awesome story. Awesome lyrics (सब्र की मीठी चाशनी में भिगो के, वक़्त खड़ा है मर्तबान में ले के...) Awesomely scripted. Awesomely shot. Loved it!
Vivid. Colourful. Lively.
You use up all the patterns and techniques you've learnt. You put in the hues you've thought up till now. You practice it over and over.
Till its near perfect. Almost. Perfect.
You put in all of your heart in it. All of your mind. All of your soul. Till it becomes almost synonymous with you. Your existence. Your breath. The boundaries between your dream and your self blur.
It is a work of a lifetime. A dream of a lifetime.
Shiny. Sparkling. Fragile.
It shatters.
What do you do?
You dream another dream.
Equally vivid. Equally close to your soul. Equally 'you'.
Its OK to fail after you have tried all you could. Because you can always try again. Failure is not fatal. So long as you are true to yourself and know that you tried your best.
PS: This post is the result of a late night show of the movie "Bombay Talkies". ;-)
I especially loved the last story in it, and this post an interpretation of that last story.
Its a story where a father teaches his son the 'importance' of failure, the fact that sometimes however truly you might try, there are chances you might fail.
An awesome awesome story. Awesome lyrics (सब्र की मीठी चाशनी में भिगो के, वक़्त खड़ा है मर्तबान में ले के...) Awesomely scripted. Awesomely shot. Loved it!
Friday, April 19, 2013
Epiphanies and self-realizations...
Came across this somewhere and had to put it here...
It so reminds me of what my mom often times chides me for! :-|
There's one sad truth in life I've found
While journeying east and west -
The only folks we really wound
Are those we love the best.
We flatter those we scarcely know,
We please the fleeting guest,
And deal full many a thoughtless blow
To those who love us best.
~Ella Wheeler Wilcox
#Epiphanies and self-realizations, I would call it.
It so reminds me of what my mom often times chides me for! :-|
There's one sad truth in life I've found
While journeying east and west -
The only folks we really wound
Are those we love the best.
We flatter those we scarcely know,
We please the fleeting guest,
And deal full many a thoughtless blow
To those who love us best.
~Ella Wheeler Wilcox
#Epiphanies and self-realizations, I would call it.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
What Dreams are made of...
Image taken from somewhere on the Internet.
(read: I don't remember the link, so can't cite :P )
Purple Haze
Golden Glaze
Emerald Silk
of a butterfly's wings
Inky Mist
Silver Dust
Crimson Rays
of a setting sun
Orange Velvet
Yellow Fields
Translucent Drops
of morning dew
Burnt Barks
Brown Clods
Green Leaves
of a tender shoot
Dusky Clouds
Grey Winds
Electric Bolts
of lightning too
Sunny Horizons
Blue Ships
Black Silhouettes
of flocking birds
Many Hues
Many Cues
So many things to say and do
Are these what make up
your Dreams too?
~Written on 20th March 2013 #Original
PS: The post's title is "inspired" by a Hilary Duff song of the same name...:)
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Sharp Edges and Blunt Corners...
Have you ever hurt your toe or little finger against a particularly rough furniture edge? Ouch! Stings and hurts like hell, especially if the
furniture is new, or its arrangement is new and you keep on bumping into the same corner and hurting the same toe, every now and then.
Neither do you seem to learn your way about that particular corner, nor does the edge seem to blunt over time (even if you and others in the family have
been hurt by it like a zillion times :( )
Sometimes, I think certain traits in our personalities can be like these rough furniture edges, you keep on hurting others (and yourself too) against them, again and again.
Bump. Sting. Curse. Ouch. Glare. Get by.
Never seeming to lose that sharp edge which cuts and hurts and keeps on aching sometimes for days together. It's almost like your very own bitter armour that you wear in the hope that it'll eventually protect you. But it never seems to do so...unless - you accept that the armour isn't what it seems to be, and is in fact your "furniture edge" - a sharp edge capable of stinging and bleeding people who are unfortunate enough to venture near and hurt themselves...unless - you accept that the "edge" is a problem and decide to do something about it, lest you keep on hurting people near you.
Wonder what's the solution? Waiting for this edge to blunt over a period of time, or try and be more conscious of our "rough edges" and avoid hurting people (and ourselves too) in the first place?
Hmm...think think think!
PS: Daemnn!! I have been suffering from the "rough edge" syndrome lately, and this is probably my guilt getting the better of me...*sigh* :-| ;-)
Guess its time to go and fix things up :-))
Sometimes, I think certain traits in our personalities can be like these rough furniture edges, you keep on hurting others (and yourself too) against them, again and again.
Bump. Sting. Curse. Ouch. Glare. Get by.
Never seeming to lose that sharp edge which cuts and hurts and keeps on aching sometimes for days together. It's almost like your very own bitter armour that you wear in the hope that it'll eventually protect you. But it never seems to do so...unless - you accept that the armour isn't what it seems to be, and is in fact your "furniture edge" - a sharp edge capable of stinging and bleeding people who are unfortunate enough to venture near and hurt themselves...unless - you accept that the "edge" is a problem and decide to do something about it, lest you keep on hurting people near you.
Wonder what's the solution? Waiting for this edge to blunt over a period of time, or try and be more conscious of our "rough edges" and avoid hurting people (and ourselves too) in the first place?
Hmm...think think think!
PS: Daemnn!! I have been suffering from the "rough edge" syndrome lately, and this is probably my guilt getting the better of me...*sigh* :-| ;-)
Guess its time to go and fix things up :-))
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Bangalore Diaries - Nostalgia+Gratitude
Bangalore, or Bengaluru, has come to hold a really special place in my life...and this post was really long due, but as it
happens when you try to write about something that's special or favorite, nothing seems to do justice to the subject... :)
When I just moved there, I had actually listed down tons of things I noticed/felt, and wanted to write about the "new" city and its sights, clicked a lot of pics for my blog posts, and even had thought of a having a series on the blog titled - "Bangalore Diaries",(which is the title I would be using for this post as well...since I can't think of anything else right now).
But I never understood when that "new" city became a part of my life, so much so that now I can't write about the city as a third person... need to spend some more time before I can embark on writing something about the city, and its people :)
But since I was feeling pretty nostalgic since the past few days, I felt I should pen down a few thoughts...
It will be nearly a year since I switched jobs and shifted from B'lore... I clearly remember the evening in July when I first landed at B I A, with not much luggage to boot, a bit resentful at not having gotten a job I had then tried for, and slightly grumpy at having to join a firm I had always considered an 'option'.
But B'lore the city,never judged me harshly for my initial prejudice towards it...as if oblivious to (or may be in spite of) my preconceived notions, it extended a friendly hand, never judged me for being an 'outsider' to the culture, and taught me things I am really grateful for...
I can only feel gratitude - to the city that accepted me, the city that gave me my first 'job', the city that gave me a really awesome work experience and introduced me to a lot of amazing people and professionals. The city that taught me independence and self reliance. The city where I learnt that #growing up is as much about paying rent, managing bills and finances, worrying about price hikes, the pinch of 'month ends', the joy of getting the 'salary credited' SMS, as it is about being able to shop and eat out on a whim...;) The city where I learnt to make decisions and own up to their consequences. The city which taught me making mistakes is alright, even necessary, learning from them is what matters. (well, in an ideal world, not repeating them as well);)
The city that taught me that it's OK not to get your own way every single time. The city where I learnt that its not always bad if things don't go as per your plans.
Thank you Bangalore.
The major credit of my being at ease in a new city, has to go to my friends...friends I knew before, and friends I made at B'lore... writing anything like 'thank you' or expressing gratitude would seem really really shallow, and I mean it when I say I can't express feelings about fav people/things...words never do justice :)
Love you folks! You know who you are :) (Most probably, by now, I would have pinged you incessantly till you read this post too ;-) )
I think that should do for now, and since I haven't really written anything here, except explain a hundred times how/why I can't write; I better sign off...
Ciao!
When I just moved there, I had actually listed down tons of things I noticed/felt, and wanted to write about the "new" city and its sights, clicked a lot of pics for my blog posts, and even had thought of a having a series on the blog titled - "Bangalore Diaries",(which is the title I would be using for this post as well...since I can't think of anything else right now).
But I never understood when that "new" city became a part of my life, so much so that now I can't write about the city as a third person... need to spend some more time before I can embark on writing something about the city, and its people :)
But since I was feeling pretty nostalgic since the past few days, I felt I should pen down a few thoughts...
It will be nearly a year since I switched jobs and shifted from B'lore... I clearly remember the evening in July when I first landed at B I A, with not much luggage to boot, a bit resentful at not having gotten a job I had then tried for, and slightly grumpy at having to join a firm I had always considered an 'option'.
But B'lore the city,never judged me harshly for my initial prejudice towards it...as if oblivious to (or may be in spite of) my preconceived notions, it extended a friendly hand, never judged me for being an 'outsider' to the culture, and taught me things I am really grateful for...
I can only feel gratitude - to the city that accepted me, the city that gave me my first 'job', the city that gave me a really awesome work experience and introduced me to a lot of amazing people and professionals. The city that taught me independence and self reliance. The city where I learnt that #growing up is as much about paying rent, managing bills and finances, worrying about price hikes, the pinch of 'month ends', the joy of getting the 'salary credited' SMS, as it is about being able to shop and eat out on a whim...;) The city where I learnt to make decisions and own up to their consequences. The city which taught me making mistakes is alright, even necessary, learning from them is what matters. (well, in an ideal world, not repeating them as well);)
The city that taught me that it's OK not to get your own way every single time. The city where I learnt that its not always bad if things don't go as per your plans.
Thank you Bangalore.
The major credit of my being at ease in a new city, has to go to my friends...friends I knew before, and friends I made at B'lore... writing anything like 'thank you' or expressing gratitude would seem really really shallow, and I mean it when I say I can't express feelings about fav people/things...words never do justice :)
Love you folks! You know who you are :) (Most probably, by now, I would have pinged you incessantly till you read this post too ;-) )
I think that should do for now, and since I haven't really written anything here, except explain a hundred times how/why I can't write; I better sign off...
Ciao!
Thursday, January 3, 2013
A "Wishlist Wednesday" post
This is the first time I am participating in any online writing contest. :)
Came across this contest, called "Wishlist Wednesdays", in Preeti Shenoy's blog , and thought of contributing an entry.
The contest was to complete the following writing prompt Preeti had posted : "I wish everyone loved..."
Here's my entry for Wishlist Wednesday #4.
I wish everyone loved their own company. I wish that people would feel happy just to "be" with their own selves.
I am not a saint and I too am guilty of "that feeling when you HAVE to call/ping/talk/meet somebody". In fact, that's the feeling I fight every single day as I walk back from office... :-P
These are the days of wireless connectivity, instant gratification. However, cliched it might sound, the irony is that we are in tune with what the entire world is doing/thinking/sharing (including the people we hardly know); everyone, except our own selves!
We need to be more centered. More focused. More calm.
Many times as I walk back from office, I have this urge to call people. Talk. Ping. Share. WhatsApp. Radio. Playlists.
Anything, but walk back by myself.
Strange, but true.
It's not that I detest walking, or even walking alone, but somehow I have gotten into this habit...especially when I walk out of office. (And yes, I am also indirectly boasting that my home is within walking distance from office :D)
The weird feeling of "I need to be connected. NOW. This very minute." grips me as soon as I set my foot out of the office.
I feel we need to start being at ease with ourselves. It's OK if you don't call anyone immediately. Its OK if you don't tune in to your radio as soon as you step out. Its OK if you forget your headphones (intentionally) and give your ears much needed relief. :P
Its OK if you take time out, look around, appreciate the fact that you have a home and family to go back to, at the end of the day. Its OK to try and see the changes seasons bring about in nature, the skies and trees around you. Its OK to fight the urge to call people. Its OK to learn to be by yourself.
Wishing everyone a wonderful 2013 and hope you enjoy your own company some more this year! :D
PS: The result of the contest is here .
Yours truly got a special mention, something like a first runner's up :P :D
The contest was to complete the following writing prompt Preeti had posted : "I wish everyone loved..."
Here's my entry for Wishlist Wednesday #4.
I wish everyone loved their own company. I wish that people would feel happy just to "be" with their own selves.
I am not a saint and I too am guilty of "that feeling when you HAVE to call/ping/talk/meet somebody". In fact, that's the feeling I fight every single day as I walk back from office... :-P
These are the days of wireless connectivity, instant gratification. However, cliched it might sound, the irony is that we are in tune with what the entire world is doing/thinking/sharing (including the people we hardly know); everyone, except our own selves!
We need to be more centered. More focused. More calm.
Many times as I walk back from office, I have this urge to call people. Talk. Ping. Share. WhatsApp. Radio. Playlists.
Anything, but walk back by myself.
Strange, but true.
It's not that I detest walking, or even walking alone, but somehow I have gotten into this habit...especially when I walk out of office. (And yes, I am also indirectly boasting that my home is within walking distance from office :D)
The weird feeling of "I need to be connected. NOW. This very minute." grips me as soon as I set my foot out of the office.
I feel we need to start being at ease with ourselves. It's OK if you don't call anyone immediately. Its OK if you don't tune in to your radio as soon as you step out. Its OK if you forget your headphones (intentionally) and give your ears much needed relief. :P
Its OK if you take time out, look around, appreciate the fact that you have a home and family to go back to, at the end of the day. Its OK to try and see the changes seasons bring about in nature, the skies and trees around you. Its OK to fight the urge to call people. Its OK to learn to be by yourself.
Wishing everyone a wonderful 2013 and hope you enjoy your own company some more this year! :D
PS: The result of the contest is here .
Yours truly got a special mention, something like a first runner's up :P
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)