Someone really special told me that I had no real problems in life and hence I was looking for one. That bewildered me for a moment, but set me thinking. Do we give importance to trivial issues a little too much? I considered myself a die-hard optimist, but sometimes I come across as a rebel without a cause. Yesterday someone mentioned this video and for millions in the world, this is an inspirational video on how to be happy. I can relate to it in a limited way because of my sister who also suffers from the same terminal illness, and I would like to wish that she recovers completely. But this video is worth a look and the end is going to bring a lump to your throat. So, are we looking for problems till we get one serious one to concentrate on?
Thursday, 3 September 2009
Wednesday, 2 September 2009
Into the future--another world
Financial engineering, destination management, intuitive management, fashion space...what do these terms mean? Ask me, nothing!
I happened to attend a career counselling workshop at my daughter's school this afternoon and have come out with my head buzzing, not with ideas but trying to keep track of the new fangled courses and careers the lady spoke about.
Well, she waxed eloquent about how this century is going to be the Indian one and India with its young skilled talent population will get back its glory after 15 centuries after the golden age of the Gupta dynasty. Quite a pipedream, I must say.
Then she talked about the futuristic courses that are going to be popular, and when someone asked her if these courses will sustain, she did not have much of an answer.
She asked us to let our daughters follow their dreams and not burden them for careers they do not have an aptitude for or are not inclined.
Fine, but we as parents today in India are a confused generation. On one hand we want our daughters to do what their hearts tell them to and on the other, we give premium, voice our admiration for those children who are successful in entering time tested professions like doctors, engineers, bureaucrats, lawyers. So where do we take it from here? We are pulled by our own parents' conditioning over the years and we are unable to shake off the yoke and on the other we want our children to live their dreams....
All the girls were put through an aptitude test and my daughter is naturally inclined towards creative design. I had known this all along, but never paid heed to it. Her sketches, dressing up her little sister with odds and ends, styling hair, teaming up scarves and jackets creatively all to make a fashion statement... Her quick understanding of all the designer shows on television which I constantly feel are a waste of time. But now the prospect of competing and getting into Design School is looming large over her head. So, where am I?
I happened to attend a career counselling workshop at my daughter's school this afternoon and have come out with my head buzzing, not with ideas but trying to keep track of the new fangled courses and careers the lady spoke about.
Well, she waxed eloquent about how this century is going to be the Indian one and India with its young skilled talent population will get back its glory after 15 centuries after the golden age of the Gupta dynasty. Quite a pipedream, I must say.
Then she talked about the futuristic courses that are going to be popular, and when someone asked her if these courses will sustain, she did not have much of an answer.
She asked us to let our daughters follow their dreams and not burden them for careers they do not have an aptitude for or are not inclined.
Fine, but we as parents today in India are a confused generation. On one hand we want our daughters to do what their hearts tell them to and on the other, we give premium, voice our admiration for those children who are successful in entering time tested professions like doctors, engineers, bureaucrats, lawyers. So where do we take it from here? We are pulled by our own parents' conditioning over the years and we are unable to shake off the yoke and on the other we want our children to live their dreams....
All the girls were put through an aptitude test and my daughter is naturally inclined towards creative design. I had known this all along, but never paid heed to it. Her sketches, dressing up her little sister with odds and ends, styling hair, teaming up scarves and jackets creatively all to make a fashion statement... Her quick understanding of all the designer shows on television which I constantly feel are a waste of time. But now the prospect of competing and getting into Design School is looming large over her head. So, where am I?
Tuesday, 1 September 2009
Beautiful lives
August has been a cruel month...A month of endings of beautiful things. Nothing personal about it, but we saw the passing away of two timeless Indian beauties...Maharani Gayatri Devi of Jaipur and Leela Naidu, a breathtakingly beautiful Indian actress of yesteryears.
Also the end of the month signified the 12th death anniversary of Princess Diana, one of my favourite women in the contemporary world. There were a spate of movies connected with her on HBO and I saw two of them....'The Queen' and 'The Murder of Princess Diana.' Both superb movies and fitting tributes to the Peoples' Princess.
Princess Diana changed the whole idea of royalty, she brought a whole new world of humaneness to the word. And she, like other ordinary women, suffered from neglect and betrayal from her husband, which made her vulnerable and she sought true love for most of her life. Sad, but cannot help thinking, if it can happen to her, it could happen to anyone.
Friday, 21 August 2009
What Makes The World Go Round?
This week has been manic! A VIP visit in our patch, a mid term review, hourly meetings, telecons, zero carb lunches, tummy crunches and an MBA project which I can never get down to starting!! Whew!
But I finished the week with a conversation so refreshing... Brought my faith back in mankind. Gosh, genuine people are rare and I am happy I know one of them.....
I got out of office with a smile on my face Friday evening and headed to Oxford Bookstore, my favourite haunt when in a good mood. Just browsing around and I did not find anything particularly interesting. Suddenly, near the cash counter I saw a basket filled with tiny bound books...generic stuff about cats, sisters, and other inane things, My glance rested awhile on a small gold coloured cover which had multicoloured hearts in it.
The title...'Love makes the world go round' a Helen Exley giftbook....Intriguing, especially for me for whom words like 'love' and 'relationships' mean nothing except looking back in anger....
However, I made this tiny purchase to understand what the whole great concept of love was about. If you may have noticed, I have never mentioned the word 'love' in this blog, except once, since I have never understood what it is. I particularly dislike the l-word because it comes with inherent boundaries, which limits the whole idea of something beautiful. Then there are questions of what one means, one says and one does.....They necesarily not always match...Really dicey.
However, on my way back home, I riffled through the pages and here are some lovely lines which I did not expect. Some were corny, but some really genuine... So here goes..
Love lives the moment; it's neither lost in yesterday nor does it crave for tomorrow. Love is NoW!
Age does not protect you from love. But love to some extent, protects you from age.
To love someone is to be the only one to see a miracle invisible to others.
Love is the poetry of the senses.
Couple who love each other tell each other a thousand things without talking.
I see her everyday and always see her for the first time.
And finally....
Love consists in this: that two solitudes protect and touch and greet each other...
Saturday, 15 August 2009
Many languages, one feeling
Modern India completes 62 years. A slow process of ageing, but no real maturity, is only one way to describe it. Many interpretations of high GDP growth rates, but how many people pulled up from below poverty line? We don't know. So what do we do with these empty numbers?
This blog headline symbolises my country as also myself. People speak different languages, have different cultures, but for those who are special, there is only one feeling.
I had been pondering over some valuable advice given to me recently. I do take some advice quite seriously as I am doing with this. I was asked to learn a new language.. Persian or Urdu and for the first time in my life, I am giving it a thought. Three Persian/Urdu words today which are special to me Falak (Sky, infinity) Fanaa (perdition) and my most favourite Aqueedat (devotion, adoration).
And here are some words which come to me when I think of the adviser
Kind
Caring
Comfortable
Confident
Trustworthy
Safe
Soul
Peace
This blog headline symbolises my country as also myself. People speak different languages, have different cultures, but for those who are special, there is only one feeling.
I had been pondering over some valuable advice given to me recently. I do take some advice quite seriously as I am doing with this. I was asked to learn a new language.. Persian or Urdu and for the first time in my life, I am giving it a thought. Three Persian/Urdu words today which are special to me Falak (Sky, infinity) Fanaa (perdition) and my most favourite Aqueedat (devotion, adoration).
And here are some words which come to me when I think of the adviser
Kind
Caring
Comfortable
Confident
Trustworthy
Safe
Soul
Peace
Friday, 14 August 2009
What's your type?
I recently underwent a very interesting psychometric test which gave me a lot about myself I did'nt know.
The Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) which gave the verdict that I was INTP. Stands for Introvert, Intuitive, Thinking, Perceptive. A strange mix, if contradictory, I personally think. But this is one of the 16 personality type found in human beings.
A lot of my colleagues were surprised to find that I was an introvert. That goes to show how successfully I have worked at reaching out to people and socialising when I would rather be at home, sitting on my favourite chair, reading a book or pottering at my blog....
All my readers who have undergone this test, please comment with your type and that will help me know you better. :-) I realise now that most other people who I have thought to be kindred souls have been introverts.
Here is a snapshot for knowing the real me as spelt out in Wikipedia...
INTP types are quiet, thoughtful, analytical individuals who enjoy spending long periods of time on their own, working through problems and forming solutions. They are curious about systems and how things work. Consequently, they are frequently found in careers such as science, architecture, and law. INTPs tend to be less at ease in social situations or in the "caring professions," although they enjoy the company of those who share their interests. They also tend to be impatient with the bureaucracy, rigid hierarchies, and the politics prevalent in many professions. They prefer to work informally with others as equals.
INTPs organize their understanding of any topic by articulating principles, and they are especially drawn to theoretical constructs. Having articulated these principles for themselves, they can demonstrate remarkable skill in explaining complex ideas to others in simple terms, especially in writing. On the other hand, their ability to grasp complexity may also lead them to provide overly detailed explanations of "simple" ideas, and listeners may judge that the INTP makes things more difficult than they are. To the INTP, however, this is incomprehensible: They are merely presenting all the information.
Given their independent nature, INTPs may prefer working alone to leading or following in a group. During interactions with others, if INTPs are focused on gathering information, they may seem oblivious, aloof, or even rebellious—when in fact they are concentrating on listening and understanding. However, INTPs' extraverted intuition often gives them a quick wit, especially with language. They may defuse tension through comical observations and references. They can be charming, even in their quiet reserve, and are sometimes surprised by the high esteem in which their friends and colleagues hold them.
When INTPs feel insulted, however, they may respond with sudden, cutting criticism. After such an incident, INTPs are likely to be as bewildered as the recipient. They have broken the rules of debate and exposed their raw emotions. To INTPs, this is the crux of the problem: emotions must be dealt with logically—because improperly handled emotions, INTPs believe, can only harm
Another insight...Cohorts have reason to believe that Albert Einstein was an INTP..ahem, that explains a lot of things...:-))
The Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) which gave the verdict that I was INTP. Stands for Introvert, Intuitive, Thinking, Perceptive. A strange mix, if contradictory, I personally think. But this is one of the 16 personality type found in human beings.
A lot of my colleagues were surprised to find that I was an introvert. That goes to show how successfully I have worked at reaching out to people and socialising when I would rather be at home, sitting on my favourite chair, reading a book or pottering at my blog....
All my readers who have undergone this test, please comment with your type and that will help me know you better. :-) I realise now that most other people who I have thought to be kindred souls have been introverts.
Here is a snapshot for knowing the real me as spelt out in Wikipedia...
INTP types are quiet, thoughtful, analytical individuals who enjoy spending long periods of time on their own, working through problems and forming solutions. They are curious about systems and how things work. Consequently, they are frequently found in careers such as science, architecture, and law. INTPs tend to be less at ease in social situations or in the "caring professions," although they enjoy the company of those who share their interests. They also tend to be impatient with the bureaucracy, rigid hierarchies, and the politics prevalent in many professions. They prefer to work informally with others as equals.
INTPs organize their understanding of any topic by articulating principles, and they are especially drawn to theoretical constructs. Having articulated these principles for themselves, they can demonstrate remarkable skill in explaining complex ideas to others in simple terms, especially in writing. On the other hand, their ability to grasp complexity may also lead them to provide overly detailed explanations of "simple" ideas, and listeners may judge that the INTP makes things more difficult than they are. To the INTP, however, this is incomprehensible: They are merely presenting all the information.
Given their independent nature, INTPs may prefer working alone to leading or following in a group. During interactions with others, if INTPs are focused on gathering information, they may seem oblivious, aloof, or even rebellious—when in fact they are concentrating on listening and understanding. However, INTPs' extraverted intuition often gives them a quick wit, especially with language. They may defuse tension through comical observations and references. They can be charming, even in their quiet reserve, and are sometimes surprised by the high esteem in which their friends and colleagues hold them.
When INTPs feel insulted, however, they may respond with sudden, cutting criticism. After such an incident, INTPs are likely to be as bewildered as the recipient. They have broken the rules of debate and exposed their raw emotions. To INTPs, this is the crux of the problem: emotions must be dealt with logically—because improperly handled emotions, INTPs believe, can only harm
Another insight...Cohorts have reason to believe that Albert Einstein was an INTP..ahem, that explains a lot of things...:-))
Tuesday, 4 August 2009
Are dreams for real?
My soul starvation days seem to be back. Endless routine, practical chores make my mind a spinning wheel. The buzz, the whirl and no real contact with my true self has made my soul breathless for its personal oxygen. More than just two weeks ago, my soul felt as if it had taken a swig from the fluted sparkling glass called life and here I am devoid of anything that brings a smile to my face.
I know its just the start of the week, but I am bracing myself for the silent phase that might strike. The phase that cuts off my personal oxygen and leaves me gasping for breath....
It is therefore not coincidental that I went back to reading the first chapter of Brian Weiss's book..'Only Love Is Real'. Some lines are uncanny and I reproduce them here because I can relate to these lines completely.
'He may not recognise you, even though you have finally met again, even though you know him. You can feel the bond. You can see the potential, the future. But he does not. His fears, his intellect, his problems keep a veil over his heart's eyes. He does not let you sweep the veil aside. You mourn and grieve, and he moves on. Destiny can be so delicate. When both recognise each other, no volcano can erupt with more passion.'
Another line I can completely identify with: 'A sudden feeling of familiarity, of knowling this new person at depths far beyond what the conscious mind could know...a feeling of safety and a trust far greater than could be earned in only one day or one week or one month'...
So, is reality a dream or is my dream a reality?
I know its just the start of the week, but I am bracing myself for the silent phase that might strike. The phase that cuts off my personal oxygen and leaves me gasping for breath....
It is therefore not coincidental that I went back to reading the first chapter of Brian Weiss's book..'Only Love Is Real'. Some lines are uncanny and I reproduce them here because I can relate to these lines completely.
'He may not recognise you, even though you have finally met again, even though you know him. You can feel the bond. You can see the potential, the future. But he does not. His fears, his intellect, his problems keep a veil over his heart's eyes. He does not let you sweep the veil aside. You mourn and grieve, and he moves on. Destiny can be so delicate. When both recognise each other, no volcano can erupt with more passion.'
Another line I can completely identify with: 'A sudden feeling of familiarity, of knowling this new person at depths far beyond what the conscious mind could know...a feeling of safety and a trust far greater than could be earned in only one day or one week or one month'...
So, is reality a dream or is my dream a reality?
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