Randomness
Here are the rules and then on to the random fun!
- Link to the person who tagged you
- Post the rules to your blog
- Write 4 random things about yourself.
- Tag 2-5 people at the end of your post and link to them
- Let each person you have tagged know by leaving a comment on their blog.
- Let the tagger know when your entry is posted.
Sadly the person who tagged me does not have a blog that I can link to 
randomness #1
This has to be on the top of the list. I hate formal clothes. For some reason, I feel very awkward in it, that like a girl I would constantly check myself to make sure its all ok 
randomness #2
I do not get angry that easily. Only when something goes real wrong or someone pisses me off very much, that I show my anger. But I just shout at them or walk away from the spot and vent out the rage on my mobile phone or anything that’s close by 
.
randomness #3
one of my favorite things to do is spend time in a coffee shop or sit in the beach watching the waves/sunset - either alone or with a friend. But off late I have been spending far more time alone 
. Either people don’t want to come out or I have only a few friends 
who have been bugged and annoyed a lot by me 
.
randomness #4
I am a very simple person with simple thoughts and a no nonsense approach to life 
.
That’s it.
2 people I am going to tag are
A bit of this and bit of that
Right now I have no idea what to write about. Lots of thoughts swirling around but unable to “fix” on to one and write 
.
On Friday, my last day at work finished off rather peacefully and while I was glad to leave the place, I left behind a lot of good memories and good people. But its that time where we can still keep in touch via email, mobile or at times catch up in person as well . Only time will tell 
.
Saturday was a wonderful day. The morning started with a “beautiful” meeting and sadly I was the one doing the talking for most of the time. While I would have loved to spend more time, it finished rather quickly . The evening was time well spent catching up on a lot of things and again like morning, it had to finish a bit quickly 
.
Sunday was just spent relaxing at home finishing off the preparation for a brand new start on Monday.
Finally, Monday saw me take up a new and exciting role. One that is bound to keep occupied and learning a lot of new stuff for sometime to come 
.
That should it for the time being as I am really bored to type more at this time .
Mission Moon: Chandrayaan-I unveiled
INDIA’S FIRST MISSION TO MOON
Heart vs Mind
One of the things that I strongly believe is, in order to understand the world better I must first understand myself. There are a lot of times when I have questioned myself as to why I am certain things and why I am not doing others. It is easy for me to ignore all these and just shrug my shoulders and say “this is what I am” - an unstable brat who does not know what he is doing.
The fact is whatever I have done so far is not out of instinct or out of arrogance (whatever you want to call it). Any thing I have done is only after thinking about it and only, I repeat, only when my heart says yes to it.
Human mind is like a monkey. It can jump anytime, anywhere without any control. That’s why I do not trust my mind and instead trust what my heart says . It might sound a bit strange, but the fact is the shortest way to happiness is doing what your heart wants you to do rather than allowing the mind.
Generally speaking, for most people it will make much more sense to lead from their mind in their business lives. This is primarily because the priorities of most businesses (maximizing profits, niche marketing, strategic planning, etc.) are best accomplished from strategies that are developed from your mind.
On the other hand, leading from your heart will make your life more peaceful and fulfilling. Generally speaking, it is the superior choice for your personal life if things like peace, purpose, fulfillment, and inspiration are important to you.
Money is required to lead a life. But so far I have never run behind it nor allowed it take “control” of my life. What I have is sufficient for my life style. Once I let my mind take control, sadly everything else takes a back seat - relationships, health, social life etc.. etc… I get turned into a machine out to achieve a certain goal and it means losing a lot of other things. In my quest to earn more and more, I would simply forget to live and repent for it at a later point in life when it is of no use trying to live again.
The great thing about listening to my heart is I never have to fight my emotions. Instead I embrace the very emotions that define me as an individual. If something feels right, I go ahead and do it else I do not 
. In this way, there is no second thought on what I have done is right or wrong, simply because my heart knows what is right for me in any moment based on my emotional needs, body needs etc… Ofcourse, this means I live a simple life where happiness, peace and love means a lot to me than money. If you have not figured it out, I listen to my heart .
Ofcourse there are times when the heart is wrong and the mind is right. But ultimately it all boils down to one single thing - when to listen to the heart and when to listen to the mind. Once you figure this out, life will be very simple.
When I started to write this one, I remembered this story of “The Businessman and the Fisherman”.
What do you really hope to achieve in life? Read this story and you may find what you are always hoping to achieve, you may be already having it.
There was once an American businessman who was sitting by the beach in a small Mexican village. As he sat, he saw a Mexican fisherman rowing a small boat towards the shore and noticed that the fisherman has caught quite a number of big fishes that is known to be a delicacy. The American was really impressed and asked the fisherman, “How long does it take you to catch so many fishes?”
The fisherman replied, “Oh, just a short while.”
“Then why don’t you stay longer at sea and you could catch even more?” The businessman was astonished.
The fisherman simply does not agree. “This is enough to feed my whole family,” he says.
The businessman then asked, “So, what do you do for the rest of the day then?”
The fisherman replied, “Well, I usually wake up early in the morning, go out to sea and catch a few fishes, then I would go back and play with my kids. In the afternoon, I will take a nap with my wife, and evening comes, I will join my buddies in the village for a drink, we play guitar, sing and dance throughout the night. My days are ever so complete and carefree.”
The businessman does not agree with his way of life and offered a suggestion to the fisherman.
“I am a PhD holder graduated from Harvard University, specializing in business management. I could help you to become a more successful person. From now on, you have to spend more time at sea and try to catch as many fishes as possible. And when you have saved enough money, you could buy a bigger boat and catch even more fishes. As you go on, you will be able to afford to buy more boats, recruit more fishermen and lead a team of your own. Soon you will be able to set up your own company, your very own production plant for canned food and do direct selling to your distributors. At that time, you will have moved out of this village and to Mexico City, and then expand your operation to LA, and finally to New York City, where you can set up your HQ to manage all your other branches.”
The fisherman asks, “So, how long would that take?”
The businessman reply, “About 15 to 20 years.”
The fisherman continues, “And after that?”
The businessman laughs heartily, “After that, you can live like a king in your own house, and when the time is right, you can go public and float your shares in the Stock Exchange, by then you will be rich, your income will be coming in by the millions!”
The fisherman asks, “And after that?”
The businessman says, “After that, you can finally retire, you can move to a house by the fishing village, wake up early in the morning and catch a few fishes, then return home to play with kids, have a nice afternoon nap with your wife, and when evening comes, you can join your buddies for a drink, play the guitar, sing and dance throughout the night!”
The fisherman was puzzled, “Isn’t that what I am doing now?”
So, what does one really hope to achieve in life? Do we really need to work so hard in life? What do you hope to accomplish in the end?
Quote of the day
In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is stoned to death.
- Joan D. Vinge
Stuck in a moment
Ever since I started to write again problems seem to be cropping up again and again. Each and every time I sit down to write something, the question of what to write arises invariably.
Poetry is fine as it’s an expression of emotions and thoughts weaved around a simple theme. I am not someone who writes a lot of stuff especially long blog posts. Poems are always short and crisp, but writing a blog post takes some time and a lot of thinking to arrive at a subject. By the time I end up thinking about a subject and what to write, various other thoughts come in or I end up using those thoughts towards a poem.
I definitely do not want to write on current affairs or stuff making news cos there are a zillion other blogs writing about it. In this new avatar, I am trying to write something original, something mine.
The problem is what I like and what I believe in are so random, that people would “label” me as a “weirdo” 
. But then, this is my blog and I write what I want to write. Oh yeah, except for a few (certain) people (I wonder what is the plural for people???) in my life, I really do not bother with what others think, as end of the day, I am what I am and I am happy being that, even if I look like a weirdo . But yeah, do let me know what you think, cos that helps me to know what you think about me and maybe prove you wrong 
.
ps: at the start of writing this, I had nothing to write about, yet still managed to write so much 
. hmm… hmm…
Why I write and What I Write
Something long pending, but never quite got around writing it.
Whenever people hear that I write poems, their first reaction is that of a deep shock and surprise . Not even in their wildest imagination, anyone would have thought so. And I don’t blame them, because I never thought I could write something meaningful .
One thing I never do is, talk about what has happened - be it yesterday or couple of years ago. Only a very few people actually know about it and I prefer that only a few only know about it. It’s not something that I want to say to all because it might change what people think about me 
. And at the same time, I am very much happy with letting people think what they want because I know what I am and that’s what matters most (ofcourse, there are certain people whom I trust, respect, care about whose opinion I value a lot and only to them, I tell about the past ) .
It is purely by accident that I realized I could write and due to certain incidents, I started writing . Initially it was purely to keep myself distracted from certain things and thoughts. Over time, I felt confident to publish them in a discussion forum, I frequented and that changed everything. I came into contact with a very good friend and an extremely talented poet, who through his writings inspired, educated and honed my “rather amateurish” writing .
As I started to experiment by writing more and with expert guidance from him, I gradually settled down to a form/style of writing that was very comfortable for me. But then I got stuck as to what to write. Then I decided to write what I wanted to say. I do not express or say my emotions to people, so what better way than to get them out as poetry.
To cut a rather long story, right now my writing falls broadly into 3 categories
- What I feel - my emotions, thoughts and feelings.
- What I see - movies, other people, other incidents etc…
- What inspires/affects me - again from movies, music, real life incidents etc…
To a normal person, what I write may sound very random and lacking any meaning. Simply because they might not be comfortable in acknowledging certain inner emotions, which I am very comfortable in dealing with.
Yeah, if you don’t seem to understand my poetry, it’s ok, time will come when it will make perfect sense to you. Till then, keep reading while I continue writing 
Know Your Strength for More Success: Are you a Connector, a Maven, or a Salesman?
Originally posted in Stepcase Lifehack by Mary Jaksch
In his book “The Tipping Point”, Malcolm Gladwell describes three different types of people, Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen.
Which are you?
Connectors are people specialists.
The following questions will help you decide whether you are a Connector:
- Do you know a lot of people?
- Do you like people?
- Do you tend to remember peoples’ names?
- Do you enjoy going to parties and meeting new people?
- Do you collect acquaintances?
If you answered ‘yes’ to four or five of these questions, you are a Connector.
The strength of Connectors is that they know and keep in touch with many people.
They also tend to associate with other Connectors. Because of their rich network of friends and acquaintances, Connector are trendsetters. The upside of a Connector is that he or she is able to create and maintain long-lasting friendships. The downside is that Connectors can be dazzled by their vast collection of acquaintances, without investing in real friendships. Gladwell explains:
Connector are people who link us up with the world. People with a special gift for bringing the world together.
The power of Social Media on the Internet is the power of connectors. Power-users of StumbleUpon or Digg are Connectors. They can make or break the success of a blogpost because they are people specialists who cultivate a network of online friends.
Mavens are information specialists.
They are the ones who tell Connectors about what’s hot. They always have the newest inside scoops on gadgets and specials. The upside of Mavens is that they amass a vast store of knowledge and are eager to share it with others. The downside is that Mavens can sometimes be a bit geeky and awkward around people.
Here are some questions that will help you decide whether you are a Maven:
- Do you enjoy reading junkmail?
- Do you seek out the specials in your local supermarket?
- Do you tend to watch trends and know what’s ‘in’?
- Do you study the market before buying a new gadget?
- Do you tell your friends about special deals?
If you said ‘yes’ to four or five of these questions, you are a Maven.
Mavens want to educate, not to sell.
They take delight in finding out the special deals that will save them money. And they are interested in new technology. They are the ones on the Internet who are the first to investigate new software, or a new laptop or mobile phone. And they don’t keep what they find to themselves. They publish articles about their findings or let their socia media friends know what they think.
Salesmen are charismatic.
They are able to build instant rapport with another person and gain their trust. That Salesmen are able to build rapport implies that they can tune in to others. But there is also another dimension: others find it easy to tune into the emotions of Salesmen. Gladwell explains that some people are very good at expressing emotions and feelings, which means that they are much more ’socially contagious’ than others.
Here are some questions that will help you find out if you are a salesman:
- Do you find it difficult to sit still when hearing good dance music?
- Do you have a loud laugh?
- Do you touch friends when you talk with them?
- Are you good at seduction?
- Do you like being the center of attention?
If you answered ‘yes’ to four or five of these questions, you are a Salesman.
Salesmen make good politicians, spiritual teachers and pastors, and, well…salespeople. Salesmen are larger than life and can make others feel good with their high spirits. The downside of salesmen is that they can be dangerous if they use their charisma in order to manipulate others.
Are you a Connector, a Maven, or a Salesman?
Maybe the results aren’t clear cut? Most of us have some talent in all three areas. But there will be one area where you have answered most answers with ‘yes’. That is your primary orientation.
Now let’s take a look at what to do with this knowledge. How can knowing whether you are a Connector, a Maven, or a Salesman improve your life?
There are two basic schools of thought in the world of personal growth. One is that one should work on one’s weak sides in order to prosper. The other is that one should accept one’s weaknesses gracefully and focus on developing one’s strength. I tend to agree with the second strategy. For example, I pour my energy into becoming a better writer, instead of taking up painting - which is one of my talent wastelands.
The strategy of enhancing our talents means that we should foster the strength we have as a Connector, a Maven, or a Salesman.
- As a Connector we can focus on connecting others with each other, as well as creating groups where people feel at home.
. - As a Maven, we can focus on sharing our information with others so that they can benefit from our research.
. - As a Salesman, we can focus on making others happy with our good cheer.
What is your experience of being a Connector, Maven, or Salesman?
Originally posted in Stepcase Lifehack by Mary Jaksch
What can i say…
A boring week, kick started into action by Blindwreck (again). This time around she has been very generous in awarding (the recently turned active lazy blogger) me with the ‘Brilliant Weblog Award 2008’. Normally, i talk a lot or rather write a lot of things (as poems), but this around i am wordless . Along with giving this, she also mentioned that i have to tag a minimum of 7 more bloggers.
In the normal world, this would be fine. But, being a lazy blogger, i forgot to attend to this hyper space and over time everything disappeared 
Been thinking and thinking and thinking and thinking , but sadly i only know couple of people whom i can tag. There are others, but i do not know what they will think if i tag them ;). But yeah, consider yourself tagged as well if you reading this and do let me know, so that i know you are out there when something like this comes up again and i can add you in my blog roll
There are some rules to it as well:
- When you receive the prize you must write a post showing it, together with the name of who has given it to you, and link them back
- Choose a minimum of 7 blogs (or even more) that you find brilliant in their content or design
- Show their names and links and leave them a comment informing they were prized with ‘Brilliant Weblog Award’
- Show a picture of those who awarded you and those you give the prize (optional).
- And pass it on!
here are the two people i can/want to tag:
Back to the one who (kick)started this revival of this space (
) - Blindwreck
Someone who writes good, dark, nice poems but missing in action for some time, trying to get a good name at work by writing a lot of travelogues - Obscurityspeaks
sadly, i am unable to tag more, but this post can always be edited and more names could be added. So, get in touch soon 
Accidental Techie
Continuing with the newly found “desire” to write more about non-tech stuff, this is a rewind to the past that only a few actually know about.
Many people assume that I have always wanted to be a computer geek/techie. Sadly that is not the case at all. Computers happened by accident, better still, my attempt at doing something that I wanted did not materialize.
Right after school when I wasn’t sure of what to do (like almost everyone else), I decided to become a Chef!
It might sound very strange and surprising, but that’s the fact. Along with one of my best buddy, we applied for a course in Food and Catering Technology. As fate/luck (whatever you want to call it ), I did not get through the entrance exams and had to opt for computers.
But, my association with food did not end right there. Immediately after the first semester of my Masters, I got a part-time job with one of UK’s top Fresh/Food retailer. And that kick-started the whole thing once again. From being a part-time staff, in less than 4 months, I was promoted as the Assistant Manager for one of their biggest retail units in the whole of SE England. For the next 2-3 years, computers just became an hobby, something that I did only in the evenings or during the weekends. While I did get to become a “proper chef”, I was still into food 
.
Still, I did not let go of what I had studied. I made sure, even though, I did not practice it fully, I kept myself in the loop and in touch with all things related to building/maintaining web sites.
That came in handy, when due to various reasons, I came back to computers in late 2005 and the rest, as they say, is history .
While there are no plans to leave computers and go back to food again, I still get to enjoy the best of both worlds . My penchant for good food and desire to be associated with food made me create a web site on what is considered to be one of the world’s most diverse cuisines.
The journey is not over yet and for now, it still goes on mixing food with technology! 
