DISTANCES

In this ever widening world where boundaries seem to be shrinking, strangely enough distances seem to be increasing. I mean seriously, people now are able to travel a great spanse in what is the blink of an eye but no amount of phone calls or even video conferencing could bring you closer to home. A lot of people these days have found their dream jobs far away from their home towns and have traveled far. Of course, you do find new friends and new lives in these wonderful new cities but you do leave behind your old friends and your old lives. I have had the experience of leaving my beautiful city for a few months and I have despised the move. I met a lot of new people and a lot of new opportunities fell my way but I was always home sick. I couldn’t stay in touch with my friends and felt I was moving away from them. Yuck, I wonder how some people leave behind their wives and girlfriends to earn a few more bucks. Ok, ok so its not just a few bucks but a six figure sum but nonetheless, what good is the money to you and your family if you don’t have each other? I would rather have my family and friends with me, with me earning paltry alms than being miles away from them and earning millions. Ironic that I am writing this when I am a week away from leaving Pune for Mumbai. Nonetheless, my hearts not in the move. I would only be counting the days till I can get back to my beloved city and my beloved friends. Damn, I really am gonna miss everyone so much…

Platonic Relationships

Ever since I have understood the meaning of the words “platonic relationship” I have been in awe of the guys who manage to honour the implications of the term. To be able to be in a relationship with a woman with absolute detatchment and no intentions of getting emotionally involved with them is such a novel concept. For the select few men to harbour such complex understanding of women is truly an admirable quality, especially in a world where few men have their heads on their shoulders and not elsewhere. Why wouldn’t you respect someone who truly appreciates a woman for her being and not her physical existence. Such amicable qualities must truly be admired to the extent of being idealized!
Why would any guy not want to share an emotional relationship with a woman? Either he is extra-ordinarily enlightened and knows the secret to eternal happiness is bachelorhood (which is highly unlikely because we all know that but have a chink in our armour which inevitably leads us to women) or he drives on the wrong side of the road. Then again, it could be the perfect excuse to justify the fact that no woman is interested in an emotional relationship with that person for whatever reasons. Maybe justifying platonic relationships is the only way they can get closer to women, close enough to atleast be able to speak with them. I don’t believe guys and girls can remain ‘best friends’ for a lifetime in a purely platonic term. Yes all you women, curse my backward train of thought as much as you like, call me a pig but that is the truth. Men do not understand the implications of the word ‘platonic.’ As much as they would like you to believe otherwise, they simply cannot stay away from getting emotionally involved with women. All men are capable of falling in love with any woman and in my views are culpable of the offense of harbouring feelings for all the women in their life. How they choose to hide it is their perrogative. They remain softies inside and need women to shell the inner selves that they hide from the eyes of the rest of the world. No matter what they tell women, all men will fall in love with them at one point or another. All men will have their hearts broken at one point or another. If they are man enough to admit it and handle it, no mature man would drop all inhibitions to jump into a purely platonic relationship with women. There will always be boundaries. Maybe I am wrong but my limited experience in this lifetime leads me to believe I cannot honour the implications of the term ‘platonic relationships’ and as a mark of respect to all the women that have ever been kind enough to lend me their support, I shall not feign the same. I would not be caught dead in a relationship that is built even faintly around the term ‘platonic.’

Do you control your dreams or do your dreams control you?

Yesterday night, whilst i was sleeping i realised i had the power to control my dreams and see whatever i chose doing whatever i want but for some reason, i chose not to and as always, i chose to sit back and enjoy the ride!!! Ridiculous i know but when i thought deeper about it, i realised why i was doing it. Dunno whether i could generalise to include most of the human race but i could certainly vouch for myself. I hate being able to control everything. Its the same reason why i enjoy listening to the radio and why i enable the shuffle option in any playlist. It allows me to enjoy the ride with parameters that are totally beyond my control. I love not knowing what might happen next and enjoy living in a world of uncertainty where i am able enjoy the entire spectrum of human emotions.
I know i dont control my dreams and that my dreams control me... How about you?

You can write about anything at all!!!

You know what? Writing isnt as complex a task as it is made out to be by so many people. Its really quite simple, for starters you could begin writing anything that comes to your mind when you come across a word. For e.g. NAILS:You could write about how much you bite your nails when you are nervous and then go on to describe some moments that make you nervous and you would have a whole short essay on it. Or you could even write about the time you whacked that thumb of yours instead of the nail you were trying to grind into the wall. Sweet revenge for the nail huh?
SCALES:Remember those little scales we used back in school? I bet everyone has some tales to tell about the downright stupid things we did with those scales. I remember we used it to make noise as we set the scales vibrating and passed them through the slits between the planks that made our desks or the launch pads for those spit-balls or as the hockey stick to play with your bench-mate or simply as a sword or to demonstrate static...
MICE:Your like or dislike of them. How your mother is absolutely petrified of mice and lizards. About that one time i carried one in my bag and let it free in my class under the desk of the only girl in class (sorry peeyushi, that was me!!!) and how she didnt get scared but the guy sitting behind her screamed instead...

There is so much to write. In fact, if you put yourself to it, you could form small passages with writing about just about any word that you pick out from the dictionary. Just remember to be a little patient and bank on your imagination and your memories... All the best with writing!!!

Weather Prediction

I know predicting weather is a terribly difficult science and no one has mastered it as yet. Especially difficult is predicting the exact day that the monsoons will begin. So many have tried and have always failed. Complex satellite imaging and what not has been used to try and predict when the rains shall actually commence but to no great accuracy. Terrible is the science. Wonder how many careers have been destroyed by delay in the monsoons from the estimated date. A miserable field to be in.
Of course, the engineers who have passed out from the UoP will know how to predict the exact date of the monsoons, the day that the skies will darken and the heavens will burst letting out the fury of the monsoons. An occasional shower a few days before is just a cursory glimpse that the monsoons will give you saying that they are nearby but the exact date is known to us engineering students of the UoP. On that very day, the skies darken so much that all daylight is seemingly wiped off. The heavens open up their abundance to such an extent that all power supply in our city is disrupted. Unfortunately for the students of the first year, it is a day of glum disappointments.
Dunno how, but the UoP manages to schedule the Engineering Graphics paper on the very day that all this happens and no it hasnt happened just once or twice but for four years running as per my observation. I still remember that day when i was a victim. I sat there in the darkness that the classroom was suddenly enveloped in as i was intently drawing up the most complex diagrams i could conjure, those flashes of brightness followed by the shattering thunder.
Nonetheless, should you want to know when the monssons are arriving in pune, do not trust the 2nd June date predicted by the met. dept. I would suggest you find out when the UoP has Engineering Graphics scheduled for its first year engineering students!!!

Bad Liars

Some people are terrible liars. They really cant come up with convincing lies, not even to save their skins. I don’t understand why is it so difficult for them to come with great lies. Its so simple to spin a believable tale. You just have to make sure you have your bases covered that’s all. Well anyways, these are the top qualities on display in terrible liars…

They will always come up with a single ridiculous character in their tales. (Joey in F.R.I.E.N.D.S. keeps coming up with the raccoon but that is an extremity.) Our specimens will almost always talk about this friend you never seem to be able to meet.
Their tales are long and spindly. Absolutely far-fetched and stupendously unbelievable. They will always claim to have been in some extra-ordinary sequence of events that even you and me wouldn’t believe could have happened.
Some morons will tell different versions of the same lie to different people and even if they have spun a believable lie, it is totally shattered because the audience that has heard two different versions are bench-mates…
Some would be so dazed, they are like rabbits in a headlight. They are frozen solid and have absolutely no clue of what to say and begin stammering.
Then there are those who refuse to lie no matter what the situation. They will fall in trouble themselves and ensure you are snared too. Idiots I tell you.


Well so there you have it. My summary of the leading qualities in bad liars. If you are aware of people with such qualities (or worse still find these traits exist in you) I recommend a good book on lying (like ‘LIES FOR DUMMIES’ or something) or better still come to me for advice!!!
Hehehe…

The First Step

You know what they say, ‘Well begun is half done?’ I totally agree. I was in a conversation with a friend of mine yesterday talking about how to ensure success in your relationships and we discovered a few interesting results. The most important factor in determining the future of a potential relationship is the way you begin. At the very onset you have to be clear as to where the both of you stand and what might be the problems that you might have to face in the future should the two of you decide to take the plunge. You need to be clear about the course you are going to take and be aware that there is the slight possibility that it might not work out but at the same time be prepared to give it your best shot in trying to make it work. If you are wondering when would be the right time to discuss it and how you could know whether she/he really is the person that you are looking for, its not too difficult to find out. In the first couple of weeks that you have met someone, you pretty much know whether the both of you like each other or not. (Of course in this period you are also enlightened as to what the relationship status of that person is and my advice is that you steer clear of someone who is already committed no matter how well the two of you hit it off. Severe complications arise later…) You talk it out with them and make sure you know where the two of you are going. Leave it for later and it just might turn out to be too late. Clearing things out at the very onset avoids getting you into reading situations and what the other person just said. No amount of hints that are dropped can ever be conclusive enough so as far as possible, remember to begin well.
Advice of course is easier given than taken. Take me for instance. I will not be able to take that first step towards any woman. For all my accomplishments at reading others very well, I am a very bad judge of my own life. When I am friends with women, I really cannot read whether they truly are interested in me or whether they only wanna be friends. I could live with a broken heart but not with having lost a good friend. I suppose I am saying this because I am scared of taking the first step but whatever the reason, I am pretty sure, if I ever get into a relationship, I will not be the one who took the first step. I am too nervy for that. I guess that is why I still remain single…

Between the Lines

I was reading through some poems that my brothers text book has and not that it was the first time that I was reading them but this time around, I was actually able to read between the lines and figure out what exactly was it that the poet was hinting at. Reading between the lines is not exactly something that I have discovered recently but the depth with which I am able to interpret has been truly refined in this past year. There was a beautiful poem written by some old poet about the spate of the human heart and the emotions it went through especially when in love. It was brought to my notice by some of the people I was studying for CAT with and although on the surface it appeared to be a very sober and lighthearted poem, the poet was able to convey many emotions by actually holding them back. I wouldn’t be able to explain it to you because I don’t have the poem with me anymore but it was amazing how the others didn’t seem to pick up what the poet hinted at. Upon a long and detailed discussion with them, I was able to enlighten them on my appreciation of the piece. I must say, even to me it looked dubious at times but when I had finished the whole poem, it couldn’t have been otherwise.
Right, now comes the important part of this post. If you are reading through my posts, try to find places where I am stating something without actually stating it. I know at times not everyone will be able to pin point them because I keep hinting at particular situations in individual lives hoping they would read it and understand but all in all, I am pretty sure there are quite a few posts in this past month wherein you would have guessed a lot of things I was saying without me having actually stated them or you having been involved. That’s reading between the lines.

Jobs

I have failed to grasp the true essence behind working and holding a steady job. I suppose it is mainly because everything in my life has come to me without me having to sweat for it. I have unfortunately grown up to be one of the whack individuals who fail to grasp the importance of a truck load of money in my backyard. I would possibly be as happy in a slum as I would in a mansion. Perhaps, I might be happier in the former.
I shall elaborate on my views here. However, I must warn you, that unless you are a hopeless romantic you might not subscribe to the views I hold. To understand me and my thoughts, ask yourself not why you live but what you expect from life now that you are living. Quite honestly, I have observed three kinds of people:

The first kind do not seem to be bothered with the question of life at all and will continue living as per the paths set before them by their parents or the one their friends seem to be following. These are the kinds that will finish graduation (most likely as engineers) and hold up a steady job for the larger part of their lives. Money seems to drive them but only to the extent of affording a decent roof over their heads, owning one piece of road worthy machinery and marrying a girl of their parents choice.(this last one is generally a forced option because even if they had wanted to, they couldn’t find a girl of their choice cause women don’t generally take up engineering. They are the smarter of the sexes I must concede, at least on this count!)

The second kind ponder long over their existence and are so overwhelmed by the enormity of the anomaly of our existence they adopt an ‘I couldn’t care less’ attitude towards life. they don’t achieve much in life and are often noticeable as the pessimistic and unhappy individuals in the crowd.

The third kind are the ones who accept the anomaly of our existence and instead of being overburdened with the enormity of the situation, realise that the only course of action in their power is deciding how to optimally spend the time allotted to them on the face of this planet. These are the kind that are generally seen laughing and smiling, even at the most daunting hours.

Interestingly enough, there are a majority of people from the first kind who walk this land. The second follow and the third are insignificant in their existence. I shall limit myself to talking about the first and third kind and I would like to quote an sms I received a few days ago that quite suitably summarises the two.
“some people spend all their life doing one thing,
and then there are others who do all things in one life.”
Now comes my question: why would you limit yourself to one field all your life?

There are answers to this question of course. The first one being your responsibility towards your parents and your families. The second one being the need for your basics i.e. food, shelter and clothing. The third one being the all important source to meeting these two i.e. earning money and the general notion being, the more the merrier. The more you earn, the happier and more secure does your life get. To be the richest though, you have to gamble and risk it all and this generally is something that the third kind are good at. Though if you meet the most successful of this peculiar type you will notice that they didn’t get rich cause they were after the money, they just got rich doing what they loved most. So my advice to you is find something you love and pursue it to the best of your abilities. Even if you aren’t the best at it, look at it this way, you wouldn’t be better at anything else!!!
There was this story I heard form someone that helped him quit his job and pursue something that he wanted to. This guy was trekking to some really remote fort in the Sahyadris with his pal and they had lost all money they were carrying with them. When they reached the fort, they took shelter in the lone hut on the fort occupied by an old hagrid. When they set out they next day, they offered him whatever money the had in terms of change and the old man refused telling them that all he valued was supplies that they might carry on them like potatoes or medicine cause so far away from civilization, money mattered little. Ten years down the line when he had to quit his high paying job, he recalled this incident and gathered strength from the knowledge that there was one man he knew who didn’t need money to live out his life. He gathered up the courage and quit to pursue his dream. Just to let you know, at the time he narrated this incident to me, he headed a group of people responsible for corporate development of employee skills through outdoor programmes like rafting, rock climbing and other abstract activities. He wasn’t doing too bad either. He drove a Skoda Octavia, carried an obscenely expensive cell and wore a Citizen on his wrist. So if you ever find something you really love and are having second thoughts about quitting a steady job, do recall this story.
Hope you can earn your millions with this piece of advice from me and when you do, send me a nominal amount (say 0.5% of your worth) as a token of goodwill! Of course should you go bust, I wouldn’t be able to help you out too much cause as you might have guessed, I am gonna be pursuing my dreams too!

Loud Ears

Work is a great place to observe people. I truly enjoy observing the way people behave in their work environments. The huge egos, the bloated sense of superiority and the urge to impress are some of the common facets of the human nature I have observed across all departments. It was the only factor that led me to enjoy those miserable hours at work. (there were some other trainees there too that helped me have a ball of a time but that will be some other time)
Oh, coming back to the title. I saw that the most intelligent people in all those meetings I did attend weren’t people who were expressing their opinions at all times possible but people who sat silently through the meetings without much of a participation. Had I not known better I would have easily assumed they were preoccupied and distracted but that isn’t the case with such peculiar people. The best way for you to impose yourself on someone is not by expressing what you think but by listening to what they are thinking. After all, you cant get your point across if you don’t know what stance the person in front of you holds and more importantly you need to play your hand according to the cards your opponents hold.
It’s an old concept that isn’t too easy to implement. Silence is golden, speech is silver. In my case though I realized that more often than not, the ears can be louder than the mouth…