HAPPY NEW YEAR!
To all my friends, let me begin with my Season's Greetings and best wishes for a Happy New Year! Although the date for New Year's Day is not identical in every community, this is always a time for celebration and exchanging good wishes.
Clearly, the New Year's day celebrates the passage of time. It is a time to reflect on the year gone by and set an agenda for the year ahead. For many, this is the occasion to re-evaluate, and set future goals. Promises are made for self-improvement with little intention of keeping them. Here is a sampling of the responses that I got to my query on the resolutions people are planning for the New Year.
1. I'm going to focus on my job do everything to keep it.
2. It's time for me to turn spiritual and learn the Bhagavad Gita.
3. Cooperate and live harmoniously with my husband.
4. Let me think of organizing my library of books, tapes, and CDs.
5. I want to come out of my shell and discover hidden talents.
6. It's time for me to learn how to play golf.
7. I want to examine my financial status and plan new investments.
8. Last year was no good. I am hoping to lose weight in 2008.
9. My goal is to help energy conservation. I will use the car less per week.
10. Get out of bed within 10 minutes of when my alarm clock goes off.
11. I want to change my career path into a new line of activity.
12. No resolution — I'll just continue to be my normal self!
Does any of these resonate with your own New Year resolution?
Well. the most important aspect of making a New Year's resolution is to keep it.
But, keeping at bay the dissolution of resolutions is not an easy task.
For a great many people, the New Year's resolutions do not succeed. There may be several reasons for this but I think any failure should be viewed as an opportunity to learn. Who knows, with some planetary forces working in your favour, you can really make your resolutions come true this coming year. Good Luck to you!
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Monday, October 08, 2007
The Wonder of Words and Letters
In my childhood, my friends and I used to play a wonderful game of words. It is an easy, no-expense game that can be played almost anywhere, anytime with no equipment requirements. The game requires at least two players who are conversant with English words and spellings.
The game had two popular versions -one was called 'word-building' and the other 'word-ending'. In the first version, a player begins to build a word with a letter -say A. The second player adds B to the the third O, the fourth can add either U or V, and the last player T or E. The built word turns out to be either ABOVE or ABOUT. In the 'word-ending' version of the game, the first player says a word - for example 'CAT'. The next player picks the last letter of the word that is 'T'. and says another word that begins with T. The game continues this way until some one's vocabulary is exhausted or makes a spelling mistake. I got trapped many times in this funny game. In the process, I learnt new words and so did others who played with me.
Talking about letters, wonder what are some of the most popular letters used today? The most crowded part in my personal phone directory is the section 'S'. It seems to me that more people prefer personal names beginning with S. My Webster's college dictionary devotes close to 200 pages for S out of a total of something like 1660 pages-that is about 12% of all the entire alphabet.
The least used letters are X and Z -the thinnest section in the same dictionary!
In the context of present usages, the letter W seems to be rapidly gaining popularity. Ever since the World Wide Web (www) entered our lives, people seem more concerned of many Ws - like Wealth, Work, Watching Weight, Women, Worry, Winning, Weaknesses .... the list goes on and on. In this law-ridden world, one comes across more questions like Who, What, Why, Where and When.
Newspapers and magazines too carry more of Ws - like Wages, Wal-mart, War, Water, Warming, Weather, Western,Women, Wounds, Wall Street, White House, Whiz-kids, Warnings, and all kinds of Wild things.
My home is located in Warbler Way!
Sure enough, W is getting in the limelight.
Well! Whatever - My mind Wanders! Am I Wrong? or just Worn-out?
The game had two popular versions -one was called 'word-building' and the other 'word-ending'. In the first version, a player begins to build a word with a letter -say A. The second player adds B to the the third O, the fourth can add either U or V, and the last player T or E. The built word turns out to be either ABOVE or ABOUT. In the 'word-ending' version of the game, the first player says a word - for example 'CAT'. The next player picks the last letter of the word that is 'T'. and says another word that begins with T. The game continues this way until some one's vocabulary is exhausted or makes a spelling mistake. I got trapped many times in this funny game. In the process, I learnt new words and so did others who played with me.
Talking about letters, wonder what are some of the most popular letters used today? The most crowded part in my personal phone directory is the section 'S'. It seems to me that more people prefer personal names beginning with S. My Webster's college dictionary devotes close to 200 pages for S out of a total of something like 1660 pages-that is about 12% of all the entire alphabet.
The least used letters are X and Z -the thinnest section in the same dictionary!
In the context of present usages, the letter W seems to be rapidly gaining popularity. Ever since the World Wide Web (www) entered our lives, people seem more concerned of many Ws - like Wealth, Work, Watching Weight, Women, Worry, Winning, Weaknesses .... the list goes on and on. In this law-ridden world, one comes across more questions like Who, What, Why, Where and When.
Newspapers and magazines too carry more of Ws - like Wages, Wal-mart, War, Water, Warming, Weather, Western,Women, Wounds, Wall Street, White House, Whiz-kids, Warnings, and all kinds of Wild things.
My home is located in Warbler Way!
Sure enough, W is getting in the limelight.
Well! Whatever - My mind Wanders! Am I Wrong? or just Worn-out?
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Summer Holidays
With temperatures hovering in mid-90s, summertime is in full swing. I have been watching the weather channel on the TV. It has been unusually warm all across the U.S. with record temperatures recorded from coast-to-coast. No matter where you live, you are most likely experiencing heat and humidity that is well above normal.
Whatever be the temperatures, summertime means vacation, fun and freedom for the kids. I recall nostalgic memories of the long summer vacations that I had during my school days. In those days, there were special summer discounts for groups of kids to travel by trains. Parents made the best use of the rail concessions and sent the kids to visit grandparents or uncles. Long distance trains were typically hauled by steam locomotives that used coal for fuel. As a child I was extremely fascinated by the majestic steam locos and the sound of shrill whistles they emitted besides lots of black smoke.
My younger brother and I used to travel over 800 miles by train to visit my grandmother and maternal uncle who were living in a real hot city called Pudukottai in South India. Like us, my cousins will travel from different directions to the same destination. There were about a dozen kids in the age group of 8-15 all congregating in the same house around the same time.
In my uncle's home, there was no TV, not even a radio. Nevertheless, we were never short of entertainment. We enjoyed all kinds of 'inexpensive' fun. There was no swimming pool anywhere in the city but then there was a pond nearby that served as a pool to all. We spent hours in that not-so-clean greenish pond. We enacted small plays at home with a sizable audience of neighborhood kids who cheered us and clapped hands for every little act. With so many children around, I must admit that food was somewhat scarce but we never cared much. After all, with so much fun, hunger was not a priority. We ate whatever was available like for instance peanuts, jack fruit,sugar cane and many other forms of uncooked edibles.
I had my thrills with a 'Kodak' box camera that I considered a great treasure. It was gifted to me by my father after my repeated pleas over several years. Thanks to the kind intervention of my dear grand ma, my father ultimately yielded to the pressures and bought the camera. The pictures that I took with that box camera serve today as a mute testimony to my photographic skills and the wonderful summer vacation that I enjoyed with my dear relatives.
Occasionally, my uncle used to take all of us to a local movie theatre that was nothing but a huge warehouse type shed. It had no side walls but only a sloping roof, a screen and a projector room. Movies were shown in late evening only after it became dark. Typically, a movie lasted about 4 hours that included a long interval during which snack/soda hawkers will swarm inside the theatre. The noise levels used to be atrocious and the mosquitos terrible.
Thinking back, I have nothing but great admiration to my old grand mother who successfully managed over a dozen energetic kids at home. She hardly slept and kept a constant watch on us. She held small contests for the children that kept us out of trouble at least for some time. All the children happily ran many errands for her - getting groceries, vegetables, posting letters and drawing water from the deep well. She was a tireless woman who was a great inspiration to me.
Holidays never last too long. Soon, we all returned to our respective homes to join school and restart our studies. My dear cousins (and their families too) have all grown up and live in different parts of the world. Pitifully, some of them are no more.
Those were glorious summer vacations that would never ever return.
Whatever be the temperatures, summertime means vacation, fun and freedom for the kids. I recall nostalgic memories of the long summer vacations that I had during my school days. In those days, there were special summer discounts for groups of kids to travel by trains. Parents made the best use of the rail concessions and sent the kids to visit grandparents or uncles. Long distance trains were typically hauled by steam locomotives that used coal for fuel. As a child I was extremely fascinated by the majestic steam locos and the sound of shrill whistles they emitted besides lots of black smoke.
My younger brother and I used to travel over 800 miles by train to visit my grandmother and maternal uncle who were living in a real hot city called Pudukottai in South India. Like us, my cousins will travel from different directions to the same destination. There were about a dozen kids in the age group of 8-15 all congregating in the same house around the same time.
In my uncle's home, there was no TV, not even a radio. Nevertheless, we were never short of entertainment. We enjoyed all kinds of 'inexpensive' fun. There was no swimming pool anywhere in the city but then there was a pond nearby that served as a pool to all. We spent hours in that not-so-clean greenish pond. We enacted small plays at home with a sizable audience of neighborhood kids who cheered us and clapped hands for every little act. With so many children around, I must admit that food was somewhat scarce but we never cared much. After all, with so much fun, hunger was not a priority. We ate whatever was available like for instance peanuts, jack fruit,sugar cane and many other forms of uncooked edibles.
I had my thrills with a 'Kodak' box camera that I considered a great treasure. It was gifted to me by my father after my repeated pleas over several years. Thanks to the kind intervention of my dear grand ma, my father ultimately yielded to the pressures and bought the camera. The pictures that I took with that box camera serve today as a mute testimony to my photographic skills and the wonderful summer vacation that I enjoyed with my dear relatives.
Occasionally, my uncle used to take all of us to a local movie theatre that was nothing but a huge warehouse type shed. It had no side walls but only a sloping roof, a screen and a projector room. Movies were shown in late evening only after it became dark. Typically, a movie lasted about 4 hours that included a long interval during which snack/soda hawkers will swarm inside the theatre. The noise levels used to be atrocious and the mosquitos terrible.
Thinking back, I have nothing but great admiration to my old grand mother who successfully managed over a dozen energetic kids at home. She hardly slept and kept a constant watch on us. She held small contests for the children that kept us out of trouble at least for some time. All the children happily ran many errands for her - getting groceries, vegetables, posting letters and drawing water from the deep well. She was a tireless woman who was a great inspiration to me.
Holidays never last too long. Soon, we all returned to our respective homes to join school and restart our studies. My dear cousins (and their families too) have all grown up and live in different parts of the world. Pitifully, some of them are no more.
Those were glorious summer vacations that would never ever return.
Thursday, August 02, 2007
The Power of Perseverance
Albert Einstein said, "It's not that I am so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer."
When I was a school boy, homework in mathematics used to bug me. I used to feel frustrated at not being able to solve some of the problems. If homework was not done fully, some of the teachers awarded severe punishments including caning that led to humiliation in the class. When I moved to college, there were no punishments and the fear was gone. With perseverance, I had learnt how to solve the problems. The result was that my grades improved significantly and I received merit scholarships on three occasions.
The power of perseverance is really great. In life, everyone gets discouraged once in a while. It is perfectly normal.
We all have our setbacks. But, at the very point where we give up trying, there is a fine line between the winners and losers. The losers quit. The winners persevere.
I love to give the example of one great man. His biography reads like this:
Age 22 - Failed in business; Age 23 - Defeated for the legislature; Age 24 - Again failed in business; Age 25 - Elected to the legislature; Age 26 - Sweetheart died; Age 27 - Suffered nervous breakdown; Age 29 - Defeated for Speaker; Age 34 - Defeated for Congress; Age 37 - Elected for Congress; Age 39 - Defeated for Congress; Age 46 - Defeated for Senate; Age 47- Defeated for Vice President; Age 49 Defeated for Senate; Age 51- Elected President of the United States.
Looks like a roller coaster ride of failures and successes? Can you guess whose biography is this? The man's name was Abraham Lincoln.
There are many such stories illustrating the power of perseverance. If you want to witness perseverance, take a look at a baby trying to stand up. Read the biographies of some great people like Thomas Alva Edison, Helen Keller, Mahatma Gandhi, and Vivekananda. All of them faced adversities in life but held on to succeed in what they believed in.
Here are some suggestions to lead you on the path to perseverance.
* Face and accept what happens in your life.
* Learn from your experiences, including the failures.
* Express your feelings to someone you love.
* Write about your feelings, like in a diary.
* Get help if you need it from a mentor.
* Pray to God "Give me courage, give me strength."
You win some; you lose some. Never despair, keep pushing on! You have got to realize there is plenty of power in perseverance and it works.
When I was a school boy, homework in mathematics used to bug me. I used to feel frustrated at not being able to solve some of the problems. If homework was not done fully, some of the teachers awarded severe punishments including caning that led to humiliation in the class. When I moved to college, there were no punishments and the fear was gone. With perseverance, I had learnt how to solve the problems. The result was that my grades improved significantly and I received merit scholarships on three occasions.
The power of perseverance is really great. In life, everyone gets discouraged once in a while. It is perfectly normal.
We all have our setbacks. But, at the very point where we give up trying, there is a fine line between the winners and losers. The losers quit. The winners persevere.
I love to give the example of one great man. His biography reads like this:
Age 22 - Failed in business; Age 23 - Defeated for the legislature; Age 24 - Again failed in business; Age 25 - Elected to the legislature; Age 26 - Sweetheart died; Age 27 - Suffered nervous breakdown; Age 29 - Defeated for Speaker; Age 34 - Defeated for Congress; Age 37 - Elected for Congress; Age 39 - Defeated for Congress; Age 46 - Defeated for Senate; Age 47- Defeated for Vice President; Age 49 Defeated for Senate; Age 51- Elected President of the United States.
Looks like a roller coaster ride of failures and successes? Can you guess whose biography is this? The man's name was Abraham Lincoln.
There are many such stories illustrating the power of perseverance. If you want to witness perseverance, take a look at a baby trying to stand up. Read the biographies of some great people like Thomas Alva Edison, Helen Keller, Mahatma Gandhi, and Vivekananda. All of them faced adversities in life but held on to succeed in what they believed in.
Here are some suggestions to lead you on the path to perseverance.
* Face and accept what happens in your life.
* Learn from your experiences, including the failures.
* Express your feelings to someone you love.
* Write about your feelings, like in a diary.
* Get help if you need it from a mentor.
* Pray to God "Give me courage, give me strength."
You win some; you lose some. Never despair, keep pushing on! You have got to realize there is plenty of power in perseverance and it works.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Managing Transformation
In life, our role keeps changing. From being an innocent baby, one grows into an impulsive kid. Learning at home from parents and at school from teachers, we become students and nurture dreams about future. A day suddenly dawns when each individual begins a career to earn a living. I have vivid memories of standing in line and collecting my first salary - in hard cash! It was a wonderful feeling to earn one's own bread. Later in the growth phase, one acquires many other things such as a spouse, kids, new relatives, new friends, car, home etc.
A Challenge: Managing transformation of role especially in mid-life can be really challenging. In today’s fast-growth, high-pressure environment, expectations run high everywhere. I pondered over the big question -What exactly one should be doing to effectively manage transformation in life? The exact nature of the actions will be influenced by the magnitude, urgency, and nature of the transformation; the capabilities and the personal style an individual.
The most important and hardest part of managing transformation is “to convince people of what you believe in and in doing the right things". My observation is that many people often waste energy by "sweating around small stuff" leaving out more important ones. For example, personal health issues are often ignored at the cost of some frivolous pursuits. Some people nurse old grievances and allow these to injure their own moods besides impacting others. With a fast-changing environment, one needs to be clear on priorities.
Change Yourself: Remember the old adage "Charity begins at home". The best approach is to begin with yourself and lead by example. Every move you make, everything you say, is visible and makes an impact on those around you. Mahatma Gandhi once said, “For things to change, first I must change.” It is a process of reinventing oneself by making a short list of personal transformation objectives. In deciding objectives, one might include such items like - learn something new to advance your career/improve life, invest time wisely, avoid time wasters and whiners, keep watch on health issues, cultivate concentration and mental poise through self-analysis and nurturing positive open-minded thoughts. Sadhu Vaswani recommends laughing aloud atleast three times a day to release stress.
As I watch people, some people will go to any length to assert their own views even if ill-conceived with least concern to others. Fortunately, there is another class of people who talk measuredly, careful not to step on somebody's toes, and perform activities so smoothly and quietly. They reflect an inner peace and mental strength. It is often a pleasure to hear them because the words are tailored so beautifully. Such people do not fail to roll up their sleeves when it is needed.
Major part of our waking hours are spent either in talking with people or watching others talk. Effective conversation requires a well-structured agenda, and developing a healthy thought process. Typically it means spending ample time in personal reflection, reading appropriate material including our age-old scriptures like Bhagavad Gita, and interacting with the right people.
Find time to reflect on your new realizations, new ideas, and new insights into life. Then you will begin to see you are not the same person but someone who is better equipped to manage transformation.
A Challenge: Managing transformation of role especially in mid-life can be really challenging. In today’s fast-growth, high-pressure environment, expectations run high everywhere. I pondered over the big question -What exactly one should be doing to effectively manage transformation in life? The exact nature of the actions will be influenced by the magnitude, urgency, and nature of the transformation; the capabilities and the personal style an individual.
The most important and hardest part of managing transformation is “to convince people of what you believe in and in doing the right things". My observation is that many people often waste energy by "sweating around small stuff" leaving out more important ones. For example, personal health issues are often ignored at the cost of some frivolous pursuits. Some people nurse old grievances and allow these to injure their own moods besides impacting others. With a fast-changing environment, one needs to be clear on priorities.
Change Yourself: Remember the old adage "Charity begins at home". The best approach is to begin with yourself and lead by example. Every move you make, everything you say, is visible and makes an impact on those around you. Mahatma Gandhi once said, “For things to change, first I must change.” It is a process of reinventing oneself by making a short list of personal transformation objectives. In deciding objectives, one might include such items like - learn something new to advance your career/improve life, invest time wisely, avoid time wasters and whiners, keep watch on health issues, cultivate concentration and mental poise through self-analysis and nurturing positive open-minded thoughts. Sadhu Vaswani recommends laughing aloud atleast three times a day to release stress.
As I watch people, some people will go to any length to assert their own views even if ill-conceived with least concern to others. Fortunately, there is another class of people who talk measuredly, careful not to step on somebody's toes, and perform activities so smoothly and quietly. They reflect an inner peace and mental strength. It is often a pleasure to hear them because the words are tailored so beautifully. Such people do not fail to roll up their sleeves when it is needed.
Major part of our waking hours are spent either in talking with people or watching others talk. Effective conversation requires a well-structured agenda, and developing a healthy thought process. Typically it means spending ample time in personal reflection, reading appropriate material including our age-old scriptures like Bhagavad Gita, and interacting with the right people.
Find time to reflect on your new realizations, new ideas, and new insights into life. Then you will begin to see you are not the same person but someone who is better equipped to manage transformation.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
GURU PURNIMA
With the birth of 'Ashadh' month in mid-July, the festival days are here again!
Guru Purnima will be celebrated on July 29th 2007. In Sanskrit, the day of full moon is known as Purnima. The full moon day in the Hindu month of Ashadh is traditionally celebrated as 'Guru Purnima'. It is also known as 'Vyaas Purnima' in remembrance of the great sage Ved Vyaasa, the divine guru who wrote the great epic 'Mahabharatha', the eighteen 'Puranas' and classified the 'Vedas' of the Hindu Dharma. On this day, all spiritual aspirants and devotees worship Sage Vyaasa and all disciples perform a 'puja' to their respective ‘Gurus’.
Who is a Guru? The Sanskrit root "Gu" means darkness or ignorance. "Ru" denotes that hich dispels darkness. Therefore one who removes darkness caused by our ignorance is a Guru. Students also refer to their school teacher as Guru. The Guru in this case is one who imparts knowledge that enlightens the students and therefore, worthy of respect.
In the Hindu tradition, the Guru is looked upon as an embodiment of God himself. For, it is through the Guru’s grace and guidance that one reaches the highest state of wisdom and bliss.
Many of you may know the popular Sanskrit hymn that reads:
Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu Guru Devo Maheswara; /
Gurur Sakshat Para Brahma Thasmai Sri Gurave Namaha //
"My salutations to the Guru who is Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara. The Guru is Parabrahma (God) incarnate"
Indian culture places 'Gurus' who impart knowledge, equivalent to God. Acquiring knowledge forms the basis to shape a person’s future. So worshipping a guru is like worshipping truth, knowledge and invaluable experiences. On this day, students visit their teachers in order to show respect to them and offer some gifts to express their gratitude.
Guru Purnima is the day we reflect on the knowledge imparted to us. The annual function of Guru Purnima presents an opportunity of introspection to monitor our progress in learning over the last one year, and take lessons from it to march faster in the current year.
Therefore, on the day of Guru Purnima, let us resolve to offer puja and reverence to the Guru in mind, action and speech; obey the Guru, and serve him as a worthy disciple who would bring glory to the Guru. The Guru helps our minds to grow. Let us show our gratitude and appreciation for all the wisdom, and blessings, that we constantly receive from our Gurus.
Guru Purnima will be celebrated on July 29th 2007. In Sanskrit, the day of full moon is known as Purnima. The full moon day in the Hindu month of Ashadh is traditionally celebrated as 'Guru Purnima'. It is also known as 'Vyaas Purnima' in remembrance of the great sage Ved Vyaasa, the divine guru who wrote the great epic 'Mahabharatha', the eighteen 'Puranas' and classified the 'Vedas' of the Hindu Dharma. On this day, all spiritual aspirants and devotees worship Sage Vyaasa and all disciples perform a 'puja' to their respective ‘Gurus’.
Who is a Guru? The Sanskrit root "Gu" means darkness or ignorance. "Ru" denotes that hich dispels darkness. Therefore one who removes darkness caused by our ignorance is a Guru. Students also refer to their school teacher as Guru. The Guru in this case is one who imparts knowledge that enlightens the students and therefore, worthy of respect.
In the Hindu tradition, the Guru is looked upon as an embodiment of God himself. For, it is through the Guru’s grace and guidance that one reaches the highest state of wisdom and bliss.
Many of you may know the popular Sanskrit hymn that reads:
Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu Guru Devo Maheswara; /
Gurur Sakshat Para Brahma Thasmai Sri Gurave Namaha //
"My salutations to the Guru who is Brahma, Vishnu and Maheswara. The Guru is Parabrahma (God) incarnate"
Indian culture places 'Gurus' who impart knowledge, equivalent to God. Acquiring knowledge forms the basis to shape a person’s future. So worshipping a guru is like worshipping truth, knowledge and invaluable experiences. On this day, students visit their teachers in order to show respect to them and offer some gifts to express their gratitude.
Guru Purnima is the day we reflect on the knowledge imparted to us. The annual function of Guru Purnima presents an opportunity of introspection to monitor our progress in learning over the last one year, and take lessons from it to march faster in the current year.
Therefore, on the day of Guru Purnima, let us resolve to offer puja and reverence to the Guru in mind, action and speech; obey the Guru, and serve him as a worthy disciple who would bring glory to the Guru. The Guru helps our minds to grow. Let us show our gratitude and appreciation for all the wisdom, and blessings, that we constantly receive from our Gurus.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Only in America!
This morning I drove my dear wife to the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) office to get a state ID card for her. As I reached the DMV office, I got a parking slot within a few yards from the entrance door. We walked into a clean and spacious office space. At the counter, we were smilingly greeted by an elderly person who politely asked 'how may I help you?'. After hearing the purpose of our visit, he asked for some identification papers. He took just a few seconds to take a look at the documents and directed us to the lady at the next counter. The young lady quickly made some entries in her computer and directed my wife to pay the fees to the cashier. The cashier took the money, gave a receipt and asked my wife to proceed to the photograph counter. Within seconds, a snap shot was taken and signature taken. A little later, the ID card was delivered. The entire process took less than 10 minutes. No lengthy forms to fill, no hassles. This could happen only in America - may be in some parts of America but still only in America!
Later, I had to get some documents notarized. On the way, I stopped by at a notary office. It took less than 3 minutes for me to get the notary's signatures after verification of the necessary documents. I felt great - this is America!
There are many such trivial things that can happen so well only in this great country. Take for instance, the drive-in banks. Sitting in the comfort of my car, I can deposit/withdraw money within a few minutes. Senior citizens like me who face financial constraints, enjoy many privileges including lower fares for train and movie tickets.
Let me give you a few more examples of what are most comforting to many of us.
- Weeks after I buy a product, if I am not happy with it for any reason, I can return it to the store and get a refund.
- There is no bother of cigarette smoke in public places. The city I live in is almost a smoke-free zone.
- Despite drastic and abrupt changes in the weather, the forecasts are still fairly accurate.
- If there is an unfortunate accident on the road, cops and paramedics rush to the site within minutes.
Where else can all this happen so well?
Every nation has its own set of problems and the USA is not an exception. Of course, there are negatives in this country too but the common man here enjoys many positives - thanks to the ancestors of this country who worked hard and the people of current generation who continue to work hard to improve the quality of life. God bless America!
Later, I had to get some documents notarized. On the way, I stopped by at a notary office. It took less than 3 minutes for me to get the notary's signatures after verification of the necessary documents. I felt great - this is America!
There are many such trivial things that can happen so well only in this great country. Take for instance, the drive-in banks. Sitting in the comfort of my car, I can deposit/withdraw money within a few minutes. Senior citizens like me who face financial constraints, enjoy many privileges including lower fares for train and movie tickets.
Let me give you a few more examples of what are most comforting to many of us.
- Weeks after I buy a product, if I am not happy with it for any reason, I can return it to the store and get a refund.
- There is no bother of cigarette smoke in public places. The city I live in is almost a smoke-free zone.
- Despite drastic and abrupt changes in the weather, the forecasts are still fairly accurate.
- If there is an unfortunate accident on the road, cops and paramedics rush to the site within minutes.
Where else can all this happen so well?
Every nation has its own set of problems and the USA is not an exception. Of course, there are negatives in this country too but the common man here enjoys many positives - thanks to the ancestors of this country who worked hard and the people of current generation who continue to work hard to improve the quality of life. God bless America!
Friday, July 13, 2007
Amusing Laws
Do you hear the telephone ring when you are in the shower? Do you fret about things going wrong?
Authors like Parkinson, Peter, and Scott Adams have ferreted out some of the operating principles that govern the frustrating lives that we mortals live. Here is a small sampling of these amusing laws from my collection.
Parkinson's Laws by Prof. Cyril Northcote Parkinson.
Law One: "Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion."
Law Two: "Expenditures rise to meet income."
Law Three:"Expansion means complexity and complexity, decay."
The Peter Principle - formulated by Dr. Laurence J. Peter.
"In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence."
Dilbert Principle — Coined by Scott Adams, author of the Dilbert comic strip.
"The most ineffective workers are systematically moved to the place where they can do the least damage: Management."
Murphy's Laws - Ascribed to Major Edward A. Murphy, Jr.
"If anything can go wrong, it will."
"If you perceive that there are four possible ways in which something can go wrong, and circumvent these, then a fifth way, unprepared for, will promptly develop."
"Left to themselves, things tend to go from bad to worse."
"Whatever has happened wrong, is bound to happen again ... maybe even worse."
Howe's Law
"Every man has a scheme that will not work."
Though the laws are satirical, I found them valid in many situations. Arising from my personal experience, I can perhaps add one more law of my own.
Subi's Law: "Clutter expands itself to fill up the space available"
Authors like Parkinson, Peter, and Scott Adams have ferreted out some of the operating principles that govern the frustrating lives that we mortals live. Here is a small sampling of these amusing laws from my collection.
Parkinson's Laws by Prof. Cyril Northcote Parkinson.
Law One: "Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion."
Law Two: "Expenditures rise to meet income."
Law Three:"Expansion means complexity and complexity, decay."
The Peter Principle - formulated by Dr. Laurence J. Peter.
"In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence."
Dilbert Principle — Coined by Scott Adams, author of the Dilbert comic strip.
"The most ineffective workers are systematically moved to the place where they can do the least damage: Management."
Murphy's Laws - Ascribed to Major Edward A. Murphy, Jr.
"If anything can go wrong, it will."
"If you perceive that there are four possible ways in which something can go wrong, and circumvent these, then a fifth way, unprepared for, will promptly develop."
"Left to themselves, things tend to go from bad to worse."
"Whatever has happened wrong, is bound to happen again ... maybe even worse."
Howe's Law
"Every man has a scheme that will not work."
Though the laws are satirical, I found them valid in many situations. Arising from my personal experience, I can perhaps add one more law of my own.
Subi's Law: "Clutter expands itself to fill up the space available"
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
"New World" Expressions
Often new expressions are introduced into the English language by foreign countries specially America. Some of these expressions are new to the Indian diaspora who may otherwise be well-versed in English language.
Here are a few common expressions used in the "New World" with their meanings:
Airhead, Dumb, Dope: All meaning a stupid person
Aisle: Gangway
Attorney: Lawyer
Bill: Paper money, Federal Reserve Banknote
Butterflies in stomach: Nervous with feeling of fear
Candy: Sweets
Check: Bill (in restaurants), Invoice
Con: Deceive
Correctional Facility: Prison, Jail
Couch Potato: Lazy person
Drug Store: Chemist shop
Doll: Girl, woman
Dude: Man
Flagstaff: Flag pole
Flight attendant: Air hostess
Geek: Technical expert, unlettered slob
Grub: Food
Go bananas: Go crazy
I need: I want, or wish to have
Kick ass: Reprimand, punish lightly
Kiss and Ride: Passenger drop off area
Last name: Surname
Latino: humans of Mexican, Spanish, or Portuguese descent
Movies: Cinema
Overpass: Fly over
Rest room: Toilet
Senior Citizen: Elderly person, above 60 yrs
Solicitor: beggar, house-to-house canvasser
Take a hike: Go away, do not bother me
Youth-Challenged: Old person
Zee: The letter Z
Here are a few common expressions used in the "New World" with their meanings:
Airhead, Dumb, Dope: All meaning a stupid person
Aisle: Gangway
Attorney: Lawyer
Bill: Paper money, Federal Reserve Banknote
Butterflies in stomach: Nervous with feeling of fear
Candy: Sweets
Check: Bill (in restaurants), Invoice
Con: Deceive
Correctional Facility: Prison, Jail
Couch Potato: Lazy person
Drug Store: Chemist shop
Doll: Girl, woman
Dude: Man
Flagstaff: Flag pole
Flight attendant: Air hostess
Geek: Technical expert, unlettered slob
Grub: Food
Go bananas: Go crazy
I need: I want, or wish to have
Kick ass: Reprimand, punish lightly
Kiss and Ride: Passenger drop off area
Last name: Surname
Latino: humans of Mexican, Spanish, or Portuguese descent
Movies: Cinema
Overpass: Fly over
Rest room: Toilet
Senior Citizen: Elderly person, above 60 yrs
Solicitor: beggar, house-to-house canvasser
Take a hike: Go away, do not bother me
Youth-Challenged: Old person
Zee: The letter Z
Saturday, July 07, 2007
The Number 7
Good morning everybody! What is so special about today?
Today is 07.07.07. The triple seven date is a rare combination.
If a string of seven brings luck, this might be the best day. In the U.S., thousands of couples have chosen this date for their wedding. I am not sure how the planets and stars are on this date but certainly it is an easy anniversary date to remember.
Seven is considered by many as a lucky number and is symbolic in religion and numerology. Here are some sevens:
- In the musical scale, we have the 'Saptaswaras', the seven fundamental notes.
- There are seven days of the week.
- In Indian astronomy, the number of Rishis appearing in a constellation is called "Saptharishi Mandalam".
- In Hindu weddings, the couple take the 'Sapthapati', the seven holy steps.
- Christianity refers to seven virtues and seven deadly sins.
- Lord Venkateswara's abode is known as 'Sapthagiri' , meaning seven hills.
- We have seven wonders of the world.
- In the casino slot machines, the numbers 7-7-7 hits the jackpot.
- 7-Up is a popular soft drink. Some of you may remember 77 cola drink that was launched in 1977 in India following the withdrawal of coco-cola.
- In North America, phone numbers have seven digits, besides the area code.
- 7 AM is considered a good time to begin the day. Remember 7'O Clock razor blades?
Everybody knows about 007 - the famous James Bond. Any more on 'sevens' ?
Today is 07.07.07. The triple seven date is a rare combination.
If a string of seven brings luck, this might be the best day. In the U.S., thousands of couples have chosen this date for their wedding. I am not sure how the planets and stars are on this date but certainly it is an easy anniversary date to remember.
Seven is considered by many as a lucky number and is symbolic in religion and numerology. Here are some sevens:
- In the musical scale, we have the 'Saptaswaras', the seven fundamental notes.
- There are seven days of the week.
- In Indian astronomy, the number of Rishis appearing in a constellation is called "Saptharishi Mandalam".
- In Hindu weddings, the couple take the 'Sapthapati', the seven holy steps.
- Christianity refers to seven virtues and seven deadly sins.
- Lord Venkateswara's abode is known as 'Sapthagiri' , meaning seven hills.
- We have seven wonders of the world.
- In the casino slot machines, the numbers 7-7-7 hits the jackpot.
- 7-Up is a popular soft drink. Some of you may remember 77 cola drink that was launched in 1977 in India following the withdrawal of coco-cola.
- In North America, phone numbers have seven digits, besides the area code.
- 7 AM is considered a good time to begin the day. Remember 7'O Clock razor blades?
Everybody knows about 007 - the famous James Bond. Any more on 'sevens' ?
Friday, July 06, 2007
The Art of Self-Management - 5
Do not worry if others do not understand you. Worry if you do not understand them. - Confucius
One of the discoveries in my life is that nothing is more important than healthy human relationships. God has made each human being a unique individual. Managing people is perhaps the most complex of all activities. Take your own family as an example. Is everybody same in terms of attitudes, habits, intelligence, likes and dislikes? -probably not. Think of the large numbers of your friends, neighbours, co-workers and community members. Each one is different and may not respond to your expectations.
A common problem is - how do you deal with all types of people around
you and effectively manage situations? The hard truth is, if you ever want to manage others/situations, you first need to know and manage yourself. One has to be attuned to the art of self-management before attempting to manage others.
Suggestion # 4 Know thyself.
Very often, we don't really look at ourselves at all. We tend to offer excuses. Take a hard look at yourself. Some things to observe include:
- The ease or difficulty of getting out of bed in the morning.
- The posture of your body at work, while talking with others, while walking.
- The way our moods swing - ideally, one should have no wild swings.
- How comfortable you are when talking with your boss, peers, friends and strangers.
- The level of concentration at work - do you get easily distracted?
- Are you able to express your thoughts and feelings articulately when needed?
The steps to effective self-management start with discovering yourself - your abilities, your limitations, your habits, your beliefs, and most importantly, your attitudes.
'Seek yourself' is the fundamental teaching in Hinduism. Our religion preaches 'You become what you think'. Believe that you have the power to shape your life and you will do well.
One should first practise hard before preaching and then preach what he practises. Look at the biography of a few world leaders - Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Vivekananda, and many others. They were all people who had high self-discipline and strongly believed in themselves. A person with high self-esteem gets motivated easily and is able to inspire others too as a leader. Be a leader, not a master. Draw inspirations from our religious scriptures like Bhagawad Gita, and the Upanishads.
People don't grow old. When they stop learning, they stop growing, and then they become old.
I can keep writing more and more on this subject. Right now, I think it is adequate if one begins to see the value in my four suggestions and try to follow them. It will be a big step to learn the art of self-management. I would welcome your comments.
One of the discoveries in my life is that nothing is more important than healthy human relationships. God has made each human being a unique individual. Managing people is perhaps the most complex of all activities. Take your own family as an example. Is everybody same in terms of attitudes, habits, intelligence, likes and dislikes? -probably not. Think of the large numbers of your friends, neighbours, co-workers and community members. Each one is different and may not respond to your expectations.
A common problem is - how do you deal with all types of people around
you and effectively manage situations? The hard truth is, if you ever want to manage others/situations, you first need to know and manage yourself. One has to be attuned to the art of self-management before attempting to manage others.
Suggestion # 4 Know thyself.
Very often, we don't really look at ourselves at all. We tend to offer excuses. Take a hard look at yourself. Some things to observe include:
- The ease or difficulty of getting out of bed in the morning.
- The posture of your body at work, while talking with others, while walking.
- The way our moods swing - ideally, one should have no wild swings.
- How comfortable you are when talking with your boss, peers, friends and strangers.
- The level of concentration at work - do you get easily distracted?
- Are you able to express your thoughts and feelings articulately when needed?
The steps to effective self-management start with discovering yourself - your abilities, your limitations, your habits, your beliefs, and most importantly, your attitudes.
'Seek yourself' is the fundamental teaching in Hinduism. Our religion preaches 'You become what you think'. Believe that you have the power to shape your life and you will do well.
One should first practise hard before preaching and then preach what he practises. Look at the biography of a few world leaders - Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Vivekananda, and many others. They were all people who had high self-discipline and strongly believed in themselves. A person with high self-esteem gets motivated easily and is able to inspire others too as a leader. Be a leader, not a master. Draw inspirations from our religious scriptures like Bhagawad Gita, and the Upanishads.
People don't grow old. When they stop learning, they stop growing, and then they become old.
I can keep writing more and more on this subject. Right now, I think it is adequate if one begins to see the value in my four suggestions and try to follow them. It will be a big step to learn the art of self-management. I would welcome your comments.
Sunday, July 01, 2007
The Art of Self-Management - 4
Have you ever thought why some people age in failing health and sadness, while others grow old gracefully with vitality and happiness? Who you become is shaped by the choices you make, how you think, how you manage your life, and the ways you take care of yourself - not just when you are 65 but right from younger age.
I have already spoken about the importance of healthy nourishment and the need for efficient time management. Let me now turn to strengthening oneself with clear thinking and healthy attitudes.
Suggestion # 3 Develop Clear Thinking and Healthy Attitudes
Success or failure is often caused more by faulty mental attitudes than by mental capacities. Some people just refuse to see the benefits of developing open-minded attitudes. As an old saying goes -One can drag a horse to a pond but cannot make it drink. Do we not see people around us who have inflexible attitudes and closed views about many things in life? In contrast, look at young kids in the age group of 2-5. In general, they have carefree and open minds with curiosity to learn things. I feel delighted to watch the kids and love to learn from them. Believe me, there is more to living than just physical health. A combination of healthy functioning of your mind and healthy attitudes is a key ingredient to effective self-management.
Around us, there are millions things that can lure us to wrong paths, confuse us and upset our mental balance. One has to always remain alert and develop clear thinking. A strong body can be well utilized when it has a strong mind within.
One should have dreams and goals in life. A life without purpose is like a ship without a rudder. Your mind will work toward achievement only when it has a goal. Establish a goal worth working for. Your goal will keep you going in tough times.
Do what you can do well, and do well whatever you can do. In Sanskrit, there is a word called "Shraddha". I am not sure of it's exact equivalent word in English. Shraddha means a sincere interest that includes many things such as aptitude, attitude, application, ability and assimilation as well. A verse in Sanskrit reads -"Shraddhavan labhate jnanam; Shraddhavan labhate jayam; Shraddhavan labhate sarvam; Shraddhavan labhate moksham". It is only by Shraddha one can have knowledge, wealth, strength, success and everything including self-realisation. A-shradda or disinterest could lead to failures.
Surround yourself with positive-minded, enthusiastic friends and relatives - avoid the whiners. Develop positive attitudes. Whenever you start a new activity with a purpose in mind, do not ever think of failure. Think of success, plan and work hard towards your goal.
In life, one cannot avoid problems and failures. The ability to face the problems and take appropriate corrective actions is the first benefit of mental strength. It is not the fall that matters. What matters is how you get up after the fall and work again towards success. People who have a "can do" attitude and who engage themselves in various activities as they grow older are far more likely to retain their mental abilities.
We have a lot to learn about positive thinking from our ancient scriptures, especially the Upanishads. Read them with meanings to the Sanskrit verses. The popular Shanti Mantra says "Sanno Astu Dvipade, Sanchatushpate" meaning "Let the bipeds (human beings) and the quadrapeds (four-legged animals) be well". Another example is "Lokah Samasta Sukino Bhavantu" that means 'Let everybody in the world be happy'. Wishing others well is a way to look at life positively!
I have already spoken about the importance of healthy nourishment and the need for efficient time management. Let me now turn to strengthening oneself with clear thinking and healthy attitudes.
Suggestion # 3 Develop Clear Thinking and Healthy Attitudes
Success or failure is often caused more by faulty mental attitudes than by mental capacities. Some people just refuse to see the benefits of developing open-minded attitudes. As an old saying goes -One can drag a horse to a pond but cannot make it drink. Do we not see people around us who have inflexible attitudes and closed views about many things in life? In contrast, look at young kids in the age group of 2-5. In general, they have carefree and open minds with curiosity to learn things. I feel delighted to watch the kids and love to learn from them. Believe me, there is more to living than just physical health. A combination of healthy functioning of your mind and healthy attitudes is a key ingredient to effective self-management.
Around us, there are millions things that can lure us to wrong paths, confuse us and upset our mental balance. One has to always remain alert and develop clear thinking. A strong body can be well utilized when it has a strong mind within.
One should have dreams and goals in life. A life without purpose is like a ship without a rudder. Your mind will work toward achievement only when it has a goal. Establish a goal worth working for. Your goal will keep you going in tough times.
Do what you can do well, and do well whatever you can do. In Sanskrit, there is a word called "Shraddha". I am not sure of it's exact equivalent word in English. Shraddha means a sincere interest that includes many things such as aptitude, attitude, application, ability and assimilation as well. A verse in Sanskrit reads -"Shraddhavan labhate jnanam; Shraddhavan labhate jayam; Shraddhavan labhate sarvam; Shraddhavan labhate moksham". It is only by Shraddha one can have knowledge, wealth, strength, success and everything including self-realisation. A-shradda or disinterest could lead to failures.
Surround yourself with positive-minded, enthusiastic friends and relatives - avoid the whiners. Develop positive attitudes. Whenever you start a new activity with a purpose in mind, do not ever think of failure. Think of success, plan and work hard towards your goal.
In life, one cannot avoid problems and failures. The ability to face the problems and take appropriate corrective actions is the first benefit of mental strength. It is not the fall that matters. What matters is how you get up after the fall and work again towards success. People who have a "can do" attitude and who engage themselves in various activities as they grow older are far more likely to retain their mental abilities.
We have a lot to learn about positive thinking from our ancient scriptures, especially the Upanishads. Read them with meanings to the Sanskrit verses. The popular Shanti Mantra says "Sanno Astu Dvipade, Sanchatushpate" meaning "Let the bipeds (human beings) and the quadrapeds (four-legged animals) be well". Another example is "Lokah Samasta Sukino Bhavantu" that means 'Let everybody in the world be happy'. Wishing others well is a way to look at life positively!
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
The Art of Self-Management - 3
Time is a precious commodity. It remains unconquerable. It cannot be expanded, accumulated, mortgaged, hastened or retarded. The supply of time is fixed at a constant 24 hours per day no matter who you are. Time is beyond man's control. Managing the available time is, therefore, an important aspect of self-management. This leads me to the next suggestion.
Suggestion # 2 Respect thy Time
Make it a habit to rise early around the same time. Activities for the day need to be well planned and profitably utilized. Stress and strain, haste and anxiety are chiefly due to improper planning or absence of planning. You will avoid unnecessary tension if you observe the discipline of time. Have a time for every activity and do it to the best of your ability in the allotted time. Try always to be punctual. Postponement and advancement, speeding up and slowing down, limping and flaring up--are all indicative of poor time management.
Quite often, we lose a lot of time in searching for little things like pen, home/car/office keys, wallet, cell phone, belt, ID card etc. Set a place for every object and invariably make it a point to keep every object in its allotted space. We save thereby time and a lot of energy. We need not have to search for misplaced articles. If you have too many keys to handle, make sure each key is color-coded so that you don't waste time in trying out the keys. Proper labeling of files, CDs, tapes, kitchen containers, power cords for various devices etc can really help to pick out what you want quickly.
Too many things in a given space can give a cluttered look. Some habitats look almost like mini-jungles. Misplaced items are often difficult to find - at least until you buy a replacement. The advantages of organizing things properly and physical discipline are immense. You will not only save time and money but you will find the orderliness a beauty.
Hindu rituals attach a lot of importance to time management. In Indian marriages, we have an auspicious time earmarked as "Muhurtam". It is intended for the marriage to be solemnized during that period. The priests will drive everyone to ensure that the rituals are completed and 'managlyadharanam' (tying the sacred thread) is carried out before the 'Muhurtam' expires. The Hindu Almanac (panchangam) will generally specify the phases of the moon, times of eclipses, days and times for major festivals - all to enable planning of rituals. For every activity, there is a time.
Maintain a time calendar, schedule appointments and tasks. Nowadays, there are many electronic devices available for this purpose. One can use a PDA, a laptop computer, cell phone or an organizer. If you find it cumbersome to use an electronic aid, just keep a simple handwritten diary. Make sure it is updated everyday.
Avoid time-wasters and unproductive talks. There are people who talk and talk on matters that are of least concern to you. They are your time-stealers. Keep away from them.
We live in an era of time-saving devices- computers, pressure cookers, timers, cell phones and what not. Remember how cumbersome and time-consuming it was to correct a typo on manual typewriters. Today, it is history. As I type this on my computer, it is so easy for me to make corrections or rewrite! You can save a lot of time by selectively using some of the modern time-aid devices. One has to spend sometime to learn how to use such devices.
Respect thy Time! Invest in it. It will pay rich dividends and make you a better manager of yourself.
Suggestion # 2 Respect thy Time
Make it a habit to rise early around the same time. Activities for the day need to be well planned and profitably utilized. Stress and strain, haste and anxiety are chiefly due to improper planning or absence of planning. You will avoid unnecessary tension if you observe the discipline of time. Have a time for every activity and do it to the best of your ability in the allotted time. Try always to be punctual. Postponement and advancement, speeding up and slowing down, limping and flaring up--are all indicative of poor time management.
Quite often, we lose a lot of time in searching for little things like pen, home/car/office keys, wallet, cell phone, belt, ID card etc. Set a place for every object and invariably make it a point to keep every object in its allotted space. We save thereby time and a lot of energy. We need not have to search for misplaced articles. If you have too many keys to handle, make sure each key is color-coded so that you don't waste time in trying out the keys. Proper labeling of files, CDs, tapes, kitchen containers, power cords for various devices etc can really help to pick out what you want quickly.
Too many things in a given space can give a cluttered look. Some habitats look almost like mini-jungles. Misplaced items are often difficult to find - at least until you buy a replacement. The advantages of organizing things properly and physical discipline are immense. You will not only save time and money but you will find the orderliness a beauty.
Hindu rituals attach a lot of importance to time management. In Indian marriages, we have an auspicious time earmarked as "Muhurtam". It is intended for the marriage to be solemnized during that period. The priests will drive everyone to ensure that the rituals are completed and 'managlyadharanam' (tying the sacred thread) is carried out before the 'Muhurtam' expires. The Hindu Almanac (panchangam) will generally specify the phases of the moon, times of eclipses, days and times for major festivals - all to enable planning of rituals. For every activity, there is a time.
Maintain a time calendar, schedule appointments and tasks. Nowadays, there are many electronic devices available for this purpose. One can use a PDA, a laptop computer, cell phone or an organizer. If you find it cumbersome to use an electronic aid, just keep a simple handwritten diary. Make sure it is updated everyday.
Avoid time-wasters and unproductive talks. There are people who talk and talk on matters that are of least concern to you. They are your time-stealers. Keep away from them.
We live in an era of time-saving devices- computers, pressure cookers, timers, cell phones and what not. Remember how cumbersome and time-consuming it was to correct a typo on manual typewriters. Today, it is history. As I type this on my computer, it is so easy for me to make corrections or rewrite! You can save a lot of time by selectively using some of the modern time-aid devices. One has to spend sometime to learn how to use such devices.
Respect thy Time! Invest in it. It will pay rich dividends and make you a better manager of yourself.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
The Art of Self-Management - 2
How do we improve managing ourselves? My thoughts follow in the form of suggestions:
Suggestion # 1 Manage Your Health
As the old adage goes - Health is Wealth! Diet and exercise play an important part in keeping ourselves healthy. We like to eat and drink many things especially from restaurants but not all of them are good for our body. It is rather unfortunate that we are now living in an age of all-round pollution. The air we breath is polluted, the water we drink is often polluted, and we have everywhere impure food, adulterated food, fast food and just plain junk food. With the mad rush to somehow make money, many people eat unhealthy food and neglect to take care of their health. To maintain good health, it is essential that we develop regular eating habits.
Impure water is the cause for most diseases. In my travels to various construction sites in India, I have often seen manual workers drinking warm ginger water from a kettle-even on very hot days! They do not drink cold sodas though it might be tempting to do so in sweating conditions.They work hard, eat simple inexpensive food, and rarely get sick. You can see how healthy their children are by looking at their gleaming eyes!
Balanced diet with pure water, regular exercise and positive thoughts are essential ingredients to a healthy body. If the body is fed well but the mind is ill fed, then, it is nothing but slow poisoning. The evils of the minds will spoil the body. Our education and religion offer great material and one has to make the best use of them to nurture both the mind and intellect.
What is good food and how does one choose it? It depends on your age, your constitution, the type of work you do, and what is available around you. For a soldier fighting a war, meat and more quantities of food may be necessary. In contrast, a white collared worker may be content with a plain sandwich or wheat chappatis and some fruits. Good food includes cereals, milk, rice and/or wheat, fruits and vegetables (preferably organic). Choose the food that suits your constitution/occupation, whets your appetite, and gives you an overall healthy feeling.
Eat at regular intervals in moderate quantities. Do not overeat! Drink at least eight glasses of water everyday. Spiritual food is equally important as it helps to develop positive thoughts and steady the mind. So, read or recite some religious material daily -it can be anything from doing Surya Namaskar (Sun worship) or Sandyavandhanam, reciting or listening to Vishnu Sahasranamam, or just performing simple meditation in a quiet corner of your home. Devote some time for spiritual development everyday. It helps you to feed your mind with pleasant thoughts thereby contributing to good health.
More suggestions to follow.
Suggestion # 1 Manage Your Health
As the old adage goes - Health is Wealth! Diet and exercise play an important part in keeping ourselves healthy. We like to eat and drink many things especially from restaurants but not all of them are good for our body. It is rather unfortunate that we are now living in an age of all-round pollution. The air we breath is polluted, the water we drink is often polluted, and we have everywhere impure food, adulterated food, fast food and just plain junk food. With the mad rush to somehow make money, many people eat unhealthy food and neglect to take care of their health. To maintain good health, it is essential that we develop regular eating habits.
Impure water is the cause for most diseases. In my travels to various construction sites in India, I have often seen manual workers drinking warm ginger water from a kettle-even on very hot days! They do not drink cold sodas though it might be tempting to do so in sweating conditions.They work hard, eat simple inexpensive food, and rarely get sick. You can see how healthy their children are by looking at their gleaming eyes!
Balanced diet with pure water, regular exercise and positive thoughts are essential ingredients to a healthy body. If the body is fed well but the mind is ill fed, then, it is nothing but slow poisoning. The evils of the minds will spoil the body. Our education and religion offer great material and one has to make the best use of them to nurture both the mind and intellect.
What is good food and how does one choose it? It depends on your age, your constitution, the type of work you do, and what is available around you. For a soldier fighting a war, meat and more quantities of food may be necessary. In contrast, a white collared worker may be content with a plain sandwich or wheat chappatis and some fruits. Good food includes cereals, milk, rice and/or wheat, fruits and vegetables (preferably organic). Choose the food that suits your constitution/occupation, whets your appetite, and gives you an overall healthy feeling.
Eat at regular intervals in moderate quantities. Do not overeat! Drink at least eight glasses of water everyday. Spiritual food is equally important as it helps to develop positive thoughts and steady the mind. So, read or recite some religious material daily -it can be anything from doing Surya Namaskar (Sun worship) or Sandyavandhanam, reciting or listening to Vishnu Sahasranamam, or just performing simple meditation in a quiet corner of your home. Devote some time for spiritual development everyday. It helps you to feed your mind with pleasant thoughts thereby contributing to good health.
More suggestions to follow.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
The Art of Self-Management -1
Having worked for over three decades as a manager in several organizations, I am tempted to write a piece on the "Art of Self-Management". Managing oneself and managing an organization are intertwined. If one can effectively manage oneself, chances are better for a person to mould as an all-round manager. The purpose of my writing is to draw upon some of India's ancient wisdom and provide quick guidelines to learn the secrets of Self-Management. I intend covering the subject in several phases. This article is the first in the series.
Take a look at ourselves. Each one of us is a manager, consciously or unconsciously. Don't we manage our bodies, our homes, our money, our families and so on? Our growth is related to our ability to manage our thoughts and attitude towards the objects and individuals around us.
Swami Vivekananda said, 'Expansion is life. Contraction is death'. Expansion that is guided and managed positively for the welfare of all, is indeed good management. Self-management has to be both broad-based and goal-oriented, both for internal growth and external endearment.
When the whole world is changing rapidly, we cannot but change. So, this may be a good time to give a thought on how we should change and learn the techniques of improved Self-Management.
When we refer to self, we usually refer to personality, that is conditioned by behaviour. A sense of self is a connection to one's natural state of being. Once we are aware of our conditioning factors, we can also bring about a change in the conditioning. Recognize that self-management is conditioned by various factors. The most common factors are - I call them 4Is- Inertia, Impulse, Instinct and Intellect. Since it is believed that humanity evolved from the inert matter, impulsive plant kingdom and the instinctive animals, our intellect is to a great extent governed by them. Whether it is true or not, it does seem that among the human beings there is intelligence expressing itself as inert or inactive brain, as impulses, as instincts, as intellect and as intuition. All of us are governed by one or more of them. Every person is endowed with intellect. It is left to the individual either to use it, abuse it, ignore it, or make it powerful to make it intuitive. Much depends on how we use our intellect to conduct ourselves.
In short, Self-management is recognizing the conditioning factors, managing them and improving one's own intellect. When the intellect is not used, it is inertia. When it is sporadically used, it is impulse. When it is silently used, it is instinct. When it is actively used, it is reason or discrimination or rationalism. However, if it learns from earlier mistakes and blossoms into better judgement in every situation, it becomes intuition. Effective Self-management should unfold that latent intuition.
Ancient Wisdom
Our ancestors lived in an environment conducive to contemplation, meditation and self-luminous intuition. The world today has significantly changed. We now live in the age of cut-throat competition, high-speed internet and instant results, materialism, selfishness, and globalization. Survival is getting tougher. Morals are getting outmoded. Righteousness is becoming scarce.
Despite such a frightening scenario, let us not lose hope. Divinity is hidden in each of us. Let us take guidance from our ancient scriptures. all and dynamism is the conspicuous trait of the youth. Direction is the need of the hour. The latent light of Godliness will very soon shine well for the well being of all.
We often hear of the words "Aham Brahmasmi" meaning 'I am Brahma". Hinduism believes that each soul is potentially divine. That means, we have the ability to outgrow all inertia, impulses, instincts and perversions, and thereby shine with inherent radiance. Our thoughts affect our character and eventually our destiny. Let us draw upon the experience of our wise ancestors and learn the art of self-management.More to follow.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Nostalgic Memories of Urban Transportation
While zooming across cities in the US in my new Honda CR-V (it's a delight!), I suddenly recalled memories of my childhood rides on trams in Madras (now Chennai)and Bombay (now Mumbai). They were most exciting rides. In later years, I had the opportunity of tram rides in the city of Calcutta. In the US, I enjoyed riding on the tram cars in San Francisco and New Orleans.
In the 40's and early 50's, trams used to ply between Kings Circle and Museum in Bombay; The name Dadar T.T. still in use refers to Dadar Tram Terminus. In Madras, trams used to ply on various city routes. Whenever my family was in either of these cities, I got the opportunity to ride on the electric trams. The tram provided a very cheap mode of city transportation, and all the excitement of getting in or out while it was in motion.
Research on the internet reveals that tram service came to Madras/India in 1895. Operated by the Madras Electric Tramway Company it had the distinction of being the oldest such service in South-east Asia and also affordable by the people of Madras. Trams operated on the following routes in Madras:
* Mylapore to Parry’s Corner (and Royapuram)
* Triplicane to Washermanpet (via China Bazaar)
* Purasawalkam to Parry’s Corner (via Elephant Gate Junction)
* Purasawalkam to Central Station (via Elephant Gate Junction and Wall Tax Rd)
* Egmore to Parry’s Corner (and Royapuram)
* Parry’s Corner to Mount Rd (via Chindadaripet)
In the mid-fifties when Labour Unions protested that major part of the Profit was being sent back to Shareholders in Britain, the Tram Service was killed in a hurry (Midnight of April 12th 1953 to be exact) and the State Government could not step in to save a key Heritage of Madras.
Some interesting information on trams in Madras, again from the internet:
Trams were incorporated in Madras in 1882.
Trams were a way of life from 1895 to 1953.
There were 110 Tramcars on the Rolls
16.5 Miles of Effective Tramline covered the City.
And then, there were animal-powered (horses and bulls)carts that provided short hauls in most cities. Hand-pulled Rikshas were another common mode of urban transportation in the cities of Madras and Calcutta. They were most environment-friendly because they ran on human power without the need for hydro-carbon fuels.
Oh! How wonderful were those good-old days!!
In the 40's and early 50's, trams used to ply between Kings Circle and Museum in Bombay; The name Dadar T.T. still in use refers to Dadar Tram Terminus. In Madras, trams used to ply on various city routes. Whenever my family was in either of these cities, I got the opportunity to ride on the electric trams. The tram provided a very cheap mode of city transportation, and all the excitement of getting in or out while it was in motion.
Research on the internet reveals that tram service came to Madras/India in 1895. Operated by the Madras Electric Tramway Company it had the distinction of being the oldest such service in South-east Asia and also affordable by the people of Madras. Trams operated on the following routes in Madras:
* Mylapore to Parry’s Corner (and Royapuram)
* Triplicane to Washermanpet (via China Bazaar)
* Purasawalkam to Parry’s Corner (via Elephant Gate Junction)
* Purasawalkam to Central Station (via Elephant Gate Junction and Wall Tax Rd)
* Egmore to Parry’s Corner (and Royapuram)
* Parry’s Corner to Mount Rd (via Chindadaripet)
In the mid-fifties when Labour Unions protested that major part of the Profit was being sent back to Shareholders in Britain, the Tram Service was killed in a hurry (Midnight of April 12th 1953 to be exact) and the State Government could not step in to save a key Heritage of Madras.
Some interesting information on trams in Madras, again from the internet:
Trams were incorporated in Madras in 1882.
Trams were a way of life from 1895 to 1953.
There were 110 Tramcars on the Rolls
16.5 Miles of Effective Tramline covered the City.
And then, there were animal-powered (horses and bulls)carts that provided short hauls in most cities. Hand-pulled Rikshas were another common mode of urban transportation in the cities of Madras and Calcutta. They were most environment-friendly because they ran on human power without the need for hydro-carbon fuels.
Oh! How wonderful were those good-old days!!
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
TEN STEPS TO HAPPINESS
HAPPINESS - the most pursued goal of every human being! Go to any good book shop and you will find the shelves are loaded with books that preach on how to be happy. You don't have the time or money to read those books. Don't worry. Here are ten simple ten steps that hold the promise of leading you to the path of happiness.
1. Plant something and nurture it. See it grow into something big.
2. Count your blessings - at least five - at the end of each day.
3. Take time to talk - say about an hour- long conversation with a loved one each week.
4. Phone a friend whom you have not spoken to for a while and arrange to meet up.
5. Give yourself a treat every day, however small, and take the time to really enjoy it.
6. Read something humorous (a comic strip) and have a good laugh at least once a day.
7. Get physical - exercise for at least half an hour three times a week.
8. Smile at and/or say hello to a stranger at least once each day.
9. Cut your TV viewing by half or more. Instead, cultivate friends who are enthusiastic.
10. Spread some kindness - do a good turn for someone every day.
May Heaven and Earth be gracious unto you,
May those two splendors set you free from suffering!
May the Sun warm you with blessings!
May the Wind waft its propitious breezes to your heart!
May the heavenly Streams, rich in milk, flow within you auspiciously!
- Atharva Veda VIII, 2, 14
1. Plant something and nurture it. See it grow into something big.
2. Count your blessings - at least five - at the end of each day.
3. Take time to talk - say about an hour- long conversation with a loved one each week.
4. Phone a friend whom you have not spoken to for a while and arrange to meet up.
5. Give yourself a treat every day, however small, and take the time to really enjoy it.
6. Read something humorous (a comic strip) and have a good laugh at least once a day.
7. Get physical - exercise for at least half an hour three times a week.
8. Smile at and/or say hello to a stranger at least once each day.
9. Cut your TV viewing by half or more. Instead, cultivate friends who are enthusiastic.
10. Spread some kindness - do a good turn for someone every day.
May Heaven and Earth be gracious unto you,
May those two splendors set you free from suffering!
May the Sun warm you with blessings!
May the Wind waft its propitious breezes to your heart!
May the heavenly Streams, rich in milk, flow within you auspiciously!
- Atharva Veda VIII, 2, 14
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