Life Is Interesting

Old Habits

2011-09-29T10:18:00.000-07:00

Remember a typical Villain-Hero Movie climax? In this ultimate scene, hero beats villain up bigtime. Villain clearly sees defeat, and begs for mercy. The hero being the hero, forgives the villain, thinks that villain is showing some remorse and he will be a better man now. The moment it appears that the hero takes eyes off this villain guy, he makes one last attempt to finish the hero off, but hero being the hero and villain being the villain, nothing else to be expected than the dynamic response on the hero's part and "Sachchai ki jeet".
Something that is portrayed in a major way here is that "Old Habits never die." And how true is that! One fine day, a 50+ guy in our office comes to play TT. He hasn't played TT in almost ten years. And yet when he starts to play, the smoothness, comfort with the sport and the finesse is clearly visible. This applies to bad habits as well. When someone is telling an interesting story, some other person necessarily has to come up with a better one(at least as per his standards), or else he'll feel that others think of him as a complete idiot. What really makes others think about him as a complete idiot, is a different issue.
Of course, habits become old habits when you get out of them, by choice or by force. After getting out of college, I tried to get out of some habits(good or bad-I won't comment. It completely depends on perspectives.) And with this experience, I can tell you that getting out of your habits is difficult. Curbing your natural instincts and acting differently takes out a lot from you. And it is much more difficult when you are experimenting, "What if I act this way in this situation? I am not sure, let's see." For example, if a gregarious person tries to keep mostly to himself, doesn't lookout for making friends with new people anymore, he/she may literally be holding himself/herself back every second.
As I said, I have been trying to change some habits. There was a time period in Trivandrum when I was staying aloof from most of the things happening around me. Then a time period when I refrained from making any silly comments on anything or anyone around. There was a time period when I stopped taking part in "Extra-curricular" activities as we know them. Nothing really out of depression or anything as such. Just a part of self-analysis. Maybe thought of studying a bit more helped me go through it.
But every time I had to go back to any habbit, it came out very naturally. The best day in my Trivandrum days so far was the day I had volunteered in Trinfy Carnival, an event for Infosys employees and their families. We were given responsibilities of the game stalls, and the joy on kids' and elders' faces after playing the games was beyond description. It didn't matter that I didn't know Malayaalam at all back then when 95% people asking information about the game were doing so in Malayaalam.
Did I regret coming back to my old habits? Yes. I had stopped expecting that I will get "friends" here. But then I came in contact with some people with whom things became pretty natural. Started pulling each other's leg and in the meantime I forgot that eventhough things look to be merry, it is not like back in college. And so I stepped out of the "line", just because of coming back to the old habit. Yes someone got offended, and I feel bad about it, and so this thought in head-"Old Habits never die."
Again, to come back to general sense, I think even you must have had such experiences in life, when you couldn't stop yourself from doing something, and regretted it just moments later, thinking that I probably could do this with someone else, but not now. A good thing about it though, is that, such experiences are food for thought, and always help you to grow, and quite frankly, are necessary.

Where it all started...

2011-08-06T11:48:00.000-07:00

Hello people... Writing here after a long time... And just when I start typing, I really understand how long it has been...

Mysore was the next stop in the journey, when I last wrote in the world of blogs... It was not going to be a long journey, I had thought... How foolish I was... As they say, it was just the begining. Of what? Of an enlightening, ever teaching, mind broadening ride... If you are starting to get a feeling that it is another cribbing post about how things have changed... Hell yeah, you are absolutely right...!!!

Ok not really, I was just kidding... Kidding just about the "Cribbng" part though... Yes things have changed, but who said they were going to remain the same anyway? Some say that I have changed, and I feel they are absolutely right. of course, my interpretation and their interpretation of this change may vary(to a large extent in case of some people)... What I really want to say is that some things haven't changed. Some things are just the same as they were in "The Golden Days". The people who made them "Golden". All the shining "FRIENDS"...

As the days have passed since that beautiful time, more and more realisation sinks in... Realisation of what really gave me "kick" to do things... What really made me the person I was(past tense deliberate... Not sure if I still "am" that person...). It was all, due to the jackasses, the idiots, the fools, the breed that is called "Friends". I take this moment here to say that I miss them. Once upon a time, when we all thought that we'll spend lives in the same merry way as we did back then, somewhere deep down was that wisdom that it will be a mirracle if we actually can... But what was the point of speaking out the truth, when it was inevitable and everyone more or less knew that it was inevitable? Why would one have spent time on this truth, when time was a scarcity? Resources like oil, gold are fast depleting, and even with this full understanding, we extract them with ever increasing speed. Was it not the same what we were doing back then?
You tend to get a grip on the undestanding of the importance of things when you go away from them, and so did I... I moved out of my comfort zone the moment I parted from friends... And then I really understood what the world really is... As I write, a memory flashes by... Reading a blog "Sach ka Saamna"... It spoke about how friendships are fake and all. Back then, I ridiculed that kind of thinking. Over these 11 months, I was able to comprehend what made that article come up. I understood what kind of situations that person might have been in, what kind of people that person might have encountered with... I remember a few friends saying back then that they pity that blogger. And now I do... I really do, because I am(present tense here is deliberate as well) lucky enough to have my friends with me... You guys rock...!!!
I apologise for the times when I could not deliver like I promised, and I thank my friends for being... The memories are wonderful, and we'll definitely relive them... Not once, many times... Just a few moments back I wrote that some things have changed. But some haven't. An occasion like friendship day still makes me write all this "crap", this "bakwaas"... If any reaction after reading this is like "Grow up", I will give out my best wicked smile and say nothing else... The same old thing coincidentally made me start second inning of "Life is interesting", FRIENDSHIP... Where it all began....
Happy friendship day everyone...!!!!!

Yaaron...

2010-09-11T13:00:00.000-07:00

"Na..Na Na Na Na Na Na..Na Na Na Na Na Na..Na Na Na Na Na Na....."

"Na..Na Na Na Na Na Na..Na Na Na Na Na Na..Na Na Na Na Na Na....."

This tune rings in my ears. From a movie called New York. It's really amazing how the same tune, same lyrics mean differently in different situations. Like this song- I had always liked it, but I perceive it in a bit different way now...

My SPIT journey began with this enthusiasm, this excitement...

"Yaaron...jee bhar ke jee le pal...lagta hai aaj kal...daur apna aayega...
Yaaron...jo khud pe ho yakeen...toh zindagi haseen...tujhe kal bulayega...

Hai junoon...hai junoon sa seene mein...
Hai junoon...hai junoon sa jeene mein..."

Now these lyrics describe very closely what my first year was like. It was starting of a new journey with all the enthu and a hope of makin things come true for me.

Then came the wonderful second year...

"Kahin...jaise koi dhun baje...raahoon mein dekho hai manzar saje saare...
Hum hi...hum jahaan pe...har jagah...sapne sajaane ki hum ko mili wajah...
yeh agar...jo sach nahi...toh sach bhala...hai kya......"

The world-well by that time college started to feel like pretty much the world for us-was full of opportunities. Plenty of things were there to do, which I probably had never done in my life. Participating in various things, hanging back in college for no real reason, interacting with more people...It also provided base to a lot of friendships, which I am sure are going to last long...

Then came the third year...By now, I had realised that college is THE thing for me...It holds many things dear to me. Having created firm base in previous two years, I (and I'm sure many others) dared to do even more, with all the more enthusiasm...

"Yaaron...apne hisaab se...dil ki kitaab pe...kuch toh naya likho...
Yaaron...anjaam ki fiqar...na karti yeh umar...fir kyun bhala daro..."

Yes we had our own funda's, our own equations...We defied some of the unjustified non-sense coming our way, be it a lecture or anythinhg else...

And then, very soon...It was the fourth year...As this final year was proceeding ahead, it's speed seemed to hav doubled, or trippled, or watever...And suddenly following thoughts started to come in the head...

"Kabhi...jo milenge...raaste...pal mein hi chamkegi hasee purani
Toh kaho...kya kahoge...fir humein...kaise chupaaoge namee yeh palko ki...
Yeh bata...hai kya hua...hua hai kyun...bata..."

Well these beautiful lines explain for themselves...I'll keep it as it is...

And merely hours left, before I begin a new journey of my life...The professional journey...I hav left with everything I gained in college, with every friend (at least metaphorically if not physically) I was lucky to have...All the fun moments safely in the ROM...

And the song ends with the same lines with which it began...

"Yaaron...jee bhar ke jee le pal...lagta hai aaj kal...daur apna aayega...

Yaaron...jo khud pe ho yakeen...toh zindagi haseen...tujhe kal bulayega...
Hai junoon...hai junoon sa seene mein...
Hai junoon...hai junoon sa jeene mein..."

And so does the journey...

An Engineer(?) and Imraan

2010-07-22T03:38:00.000-07:00

It was a normal day. An "Engineer To Be" got up in the morning, went through his usual morning chores, had breakfast, read a bit, had lunch. Very normal day. Surprisingly, his head was filled with no random thought that day.
Then he remembered that he had to take his car to a mechanic for some repair. It was going to be boring but it had to be done. So reluctantly, with an empty head he took his car and went to the mechanic. Sureshbhai, the in-charge over there asked what the problem was. The "Engineer To Be" started blabbering words like "Motor tak patrol pohoch nahi raha hai...Battery perfect hai.." After checking it out a bit, he said "Theek hai ruko...Main aadmi ko bhejta hoon..."
So there the Engineer was waiting, enjoying the breeze flowing. There was nothing else to do anyway. And then came the man Sureshbhai had sent and the engineer was surprised, bigtime. He was a normal person, nothing of that sorts, except that he was a boy of merely 13-14 years of age, maximum!
Some sort of doubt flashed in the mind of that "Engineer To Be" for a few seconds. "This kid is going to repair my car?" But the kid came, asked with a smile "Kya hua hai?" And there was "Engineer To Be" explaining him what the problem was.
As normally as a Doctor says after diagnosing a patient for mere two minutes that he has got a bit of throat infection and it'll be cured within no time, the kid explained what the problem was and said "Ho jayega fataak se!" And he just started working. Well, working and talking.
Imraan was his name and he was talking so casually as if he was talking to a friend. He was talking about various things. As vague as "main rickshaw chalana toh janta hoon...par gaadi mein thoda taklif hota hai..." He was so full of life! He once even got into a bit of quarrel with a fellow mechanic, and the way he faced it was astonishing. No bad word from him as such, but made the other one understand exactly what his point was. He knew hospitality pretty well, for he offered "a Cutting" to the engineer and insisted that he had it.
None of this affected his work nonetheless. He was working efficiently, with minimum tools and applying some simple physics "fundas" which the engineer had learnt. Well, learnt yet somehow seldom applied.
Imraan was a guy who probably never went to school. He wasn't introduced to the "Education" perhaps, and yet he was there, with tools in his hand, knowing and doing things practically, standing on his own with pride. That pride showed in his eyes, the manner in which he talked. Yet politeness never left him. He may not know the theory at all as to how parts like condenser and all worked. But he applied his simple logic to everything and said things that almost always made sense. That was the day "Engineer To Be" bought "tambakhoo" for the first time in his life. And why? To put it near the pipes of the fuel tank and all so that rats and mice don't chew them and destroy them.
And after some time, the "Engineer To Be" had once again started to evaluate his formal education so far. It was necessary no doubt, but not satisfactory. His car was repaired, fuel started reaching to the motor. Engine started roaring with the accelerator and so did the thoughts of "Engineer To Be". He went home with repaired car, lot of thoughts and sheer respect for Imraan.

The moon

2010-06-10T01:00:00.000-07:00

It was a night of no moon and I was bored with studying. So I was just looking around and up in the sky. When I realized that there was no moon in the sky, these thoughts combined with thoughts of secondary body revolving around primary body (courtesy satellite communication-engineering subject) and came up with this.....

Earth circles around the sun
she thinks he's the brightest one

Day time it's energy earth inhales
but during night there is someone else

Calm, soothing moon is comparatively small
but he's the one breaking darkness wall

Sun's brightness shadows moon's importance
does earth think about moon even once

Maybe that hurts moon very much sometimes
maybe that's why very high tides arise

Earth looks up to moon in dark times
moon doesn't disappoint barring two monthly nights

Moon wants to say to earth
"My world is you,
my life has always been
literally revolving around you"

The situation appears to be very funny
after all there exists something called irony

I myself am confused as I write
just a point of view, don't know wrong or right

THE LAST HURDLE...

2010-04-18T15:21:00.000-07:00

He's been running...and running...and running...
He's been running in this race for quite some time now. In this race though, there are no competitors. That is, he's not competing against anyone but the time. A Time Trial let's say.
Although he has been running for a lot of time, strangely enough, he is not short of breath. He takes a moment while running, and goes over the memories of the start. Where the race began. It was a slow start. The track condition was neither encouraging, nor discouraging. Climate was also neither hot nor cool. Neither raining nor sunny. He just wanted to wait for a while and take a look at how track conditions go on changing. How the climate stands.
Then he felt like he was warmed up. Or the track eased a bit for him to run. Or the climate just got cooler. Or all of them together. But he felt like accelerating. And so he did. He was making distance very fast. For a period of time, breeze was flowing his way. His legs felt lighter than air. At a point of time, he thought he had lost contact with the ground and he was just floating ahead.
But this was not a DREAM run was it? Soon enough, his feet touched the ground, his speed remaining the same nevertheless. He told himself, "This race is really interesting, but far from over. So keep going." And he continued running. Later on as the time progressed, there came variations in the track, the climate. Sometimes climate was cool but track was rough. Sometimes track was flat, but climate very hot. Sometimes he had to run on a rough track in very hot climate. But he kept going. He knew that these obstacles are not going to last forever. He told himself, "You are bigger than this. And this race is far from over. So keep going." And he continued running.
Soon, as he had expected, there was a betterment in track, in climate. Even if it was bad, he had got accustomed to it and knew how to tackle it. Then smooth or rough, hot or cold ceased to make any difference. He was running with renowned vigour. He wanted to run harder. Because he thought, "The race is far from over."
He had been through so many kinds of places. He had been running up the hill surrounded by grass and trees and and water-falls and all the greenery. He had run through desert sand, beautiful in it's own way. Snowy mountains through the snowfall; in starry nights from villages far far away from all the hussle; on sea-shores with roars of it's waves matching his capacity. He had realised one thing. He had run in a few races earlier. But this race was the most important in his lifetime. And no race in future can probably match the quality of this one, he thought. He had to do his best. He would never get such opportunity again once this race was over. But then he as always thought, "The race is far from over."
Suddenly he came back to present. And he realised---"The race is not that far from over." FINISH-LINE was in his sights now, distant but visible. It struck him hard initially. Because the tranisition came too fast. But he smiled. He knew that the race was going to get over at some time. He always knew. He wanted to run through all the various kind of places and sure he did. Yes this was an amazing race, and it would be sad not be able to run longer. But he knew an aspect of human nature. One appreciates less what he has, and strives more for what he doesn't and tends to value it more. So this would remain the best race he had run, once it was over.
But it's not. It's not over yet. Some distance to go. And there's no question of speeding down until you finish the race, is there? One last hurdle remaining.....And here he goes....!!!!

This can't be real....

2010-01-31T08:27:00.000-08:00

It was an unusual morning. I got up, and I immediately felt something different. No no, wait, it had nothing to do with my stomach or my excretory system, no. It was something else. Let's call it unusual only.
I got ready. Surprisingly, it was 9.00 am and water was still available. Normally, thanks to BMC water cuts, we would be using water from local tank installed at my place at this time. So anyway, I got ready, and reached Borivli station. And my usual train in which to catch the front standing position I have to display some athletic skills, was empty. The front standing position was vacant, as if reserved for me. Reservation of these places-pretty good idea. Anand and Chandan know about this.
So, listening to my music, I reached college. Actually, I reached Vrindavan corner.
                                                  God knows why,
                                            I decided to have a chai.
That too in Vrindavan and not in Shetty's. So I entered Vrindavan, and a blow struck me. There I saw Pratap with a hot girl. I went and said "Hi.." And I got to know, from the man himself, that he was on a date with the girl. Whoa..No sooner than I was starting to take this in, another blow came, in the form of "fruit salad". Yes, Pratap and his date had ordered a fruit salad.
                                        I dumped the idea of having chai,
                                                  I said goodbye.
I just entered SPCE entrance and I heard singing. It was a group of people singing songs cheerfully. When I looked closely, it turned out to be Nikita, Komal, Rashmi and Sanket Pednekar. Just to be sure, I asked them, "People, is this part of your project?" The reply I got, "Project? Who cares about that?Waise bhi R.K. ne lecture free diya hai. She said ke 'Let the kids enjoy their lives. Yehi to umar hai.' And waise bhi gaane mein jo maza hai woh aur kis mein hai?" As they said this, Gaurav Dobhal, Sanket Godbole and Anand passed by. I just heard them saying,"Kya idiot log hain..Gaane gaate rehte hain..Project chod ke ye sab dikhta hai ye log ko.." Jhol hai bhai jhol hai!
I started moving towards my class. I thought, 'Free lecture hai. Kuch toh timepass chalu rahega class mein.' I entered our class, and there he was. Mr. Vivek Sagale, on first bench, with a reference book. Yes, with a reference book, completely engrossed in it. I just couldn't disturb him. A few benches back, I saw Vicky. I screamed out at him, "Chal yaar football khelte hain." And he said, "Abe pakta hai yaar football mein. Class mein baith ke hi kuch karte hain na!"
After hearing this, I could no longer stay in class. I called up Ruchika and asked her where were other people. She said, she was with Ankitha and Snehal in Bhavan's canteen. I went there, got a Masala Dosa and Masala Paav and joined them. And suddenly Ruchika shouted, "Ye kaun si faltu dishes le ke aaya hai? Ye sab nahi bhaati mujhe!" Before I could reply, Ankitha spotted some 'so called dude', and went off to get his phone number. Snehal reacted, "Kya maza aata hai dudes ke saath flirt karne mein?"
So I got out of Bhavan's canteen also. There was Tanmay, holding out a banner that said, "SAY NO TO DRINKING!" A couple of girls running in track suit passed by me. I turned around to see who they were, and it was Pratiksha and Swati. They were preparing for some race. Itne mein, I got a call from Rupesh. He asked me to come to Kirti mam's lab. So I went there and asked him what the problem was. He said, with a cardboard in hand, "Saala kab se ye circle ke shape mein kaatne ko try kar raha hoon, jam hi nahi raha hai. Please kaat ke de na! In fact, poora gift hi bana ke de na!" I stopped him and said, "Dost ye mere se digest nahi ho raha. Ruk main kisi aur ko bhejta hoon." Bahar nikalte hi mujhe Amey Patil mila. I asked him to go and help Rupesh out. He said, "Sure. Plus achche handwritting mein usko kuch likh ke bhi deta hoon. Aakhir Chandan ne mujhe achchi handwritting sikha di hai!"
I decided not to try my luck any more and to go home. But as I was getting into the lift on 5th floor, a group of G.T., Ankit Shah, Gurtej, Chandan, Ann, Himali and a few others came out of the lift. G.T. said, "Alas Omkar we found you. Please teach us this chapter from XYZ subject. None of us understand it." Inside my head I said, "What the hell?" But my hands were taking out 'Reference Book of XYZ' from my bag, my feet were taking me back into the class along with all the scholars, my mouth started saying words from the book, they all seemed to understand what I was saying, I had no control over what was happening, and........
And I woke up. Thank god I woke up. Of course this can't be real. This just can't be. But can some bits of this dream turn out to be true? You never know! After all Life Is Interesting!!

Always moving ahead..

2010-01-02T10:51:00.000-08:00

It happened a few days ago. I had come to college in the evening. Tired from a nightout the previous night(lack of sleep I mean to say) and a 3-hour GD-PI session in class just minutes ago, I reached college. I was to meet my friends. But it turned out, they still had an hour or so to come. I thought, what can I do? My thoughts could easily wander on the lines, "shit yaar..I'm bored..I'll cancel the plan and go home". But I thought, let's do something else. So I decided to go and sit in the temple in the campus. It was such a relaxing experience. I didn't actually sleep, but it gave me what I needed.
This always happens, with almost everyone at one point of time or another. One's life comes to such terms that he doesn't know what to do. He has time but no clue as to how to utilize that time. It is often heard, "Kuch karne ko hai nahi re...bas so raha hoon..". For ones who just love sleeping, great thing. But for some idiots such as me, sleeping for more time than what your body and soul asks for, doesn't even account for as a choice. And the choice isn't even needed.
There's so much to do around, it just needs to strike to onself. Life never becomes stagnant. There are so many things to explore, it just needs a little bit of thinking. If seen with right perspective, there's joy in almost everything(I asked myself immediately, "What joy you had whole last month while studying for stupid exams?" I thought twice and still dared to make this statement). There are so many things we don't know. Of course, hardly any of them seem important as to not miss out on. But still, what harm is in it, just in trying out? Who knows, what seems unimportant today may turn out to be the silver-lining of your life tomorrow..
One may feel, I have done everything I was supposed to do. Think again, and try something else if you actually have done everything you are supposed to do. If one feels, "I have accomplished everything! I'm the supremacy..", congratulations. But still there ought to be something missing. Try and find that out. If one thinks "I am just a waste of space. I haven't done anything..", well, even more congratulations. Because you have nothing to loose and everything to gain.
Some feel that I know very well the people around me and then live with those respective images of those people. There's almost always something more about every personality, and sometimes there's a chance that you have overlooked a thing here and there. By chance or deliberately, different issue. I, for an instance, am still getting to know things(I dont mean gossip here..although I confess I enjoy a bit of that also) about many people with whom I spent many years..Most of these things are good. Many even tend to overestimate themselves by saying, "I know myself very well". A slim chance of that being wrong also. There's so much to explore even about yourself!
All I'm saying is that never stop in a phase permanantly. Look back, see what all you have got, take a break every once a while and set out to enjoy the journey of life again. More than anyone else, I tell this to myself. Be happy with whatever you have, and make others happy too. Happy new year to everyone.
Cheers!!!

SAD-RAKSHANAY KHALA-NIGRAHANAY

2009-11-25T20:43:00.000-08:00

Two days back, in a TV programme which is basically a singing competition, a special episode was telecast. It was a tribute to all those who fought on 26/11 last year. Well, 26/11 is all over the media these days as it should be. I don't intend to go into all the latest conspiracies that are pouring in. Instead, I'll take this opportunity to write on something else.
The programme I mentioned had some 'MUMBAI POLICE' officers as special guests. They talked about a few things. Some were related to the details of 26/11. But there was also something else. While saying some things, they had tears in their eyes. Contrary to the image of policemen that is framed otherwise, isn't it? In this image, a police man is a corrupt person, always irritated and thus arrogant, with no real will to work. But that's not the entire picture.
Police Officers are one of the most overstressed people. If we take a look at their working hours(both on duty and otherwise), we may be able to infer that. How much sleep we get on an average a day? Six hours, minimum? This figure reduces down to four hours, sometimes even three hours, in case of policemen. At times, they don't get to sleep at all in a 48-hour span. With lack of man-force as compared to what there should be, they have additional work most often. Bound to be a little more irritated than what we think they should be, aren't they? Still, many manage to be very patient with the common man and try to hear them out. It is sometimes we who fail to understand them. It is we who don't co-operate with them
We sometimes tend to think that every policeman we come across is bound to be corrupt, which is not true. Yes there is a lot of 'chai-pani' involved here and there. I'm not trying to justify it. But if a thought is given as to why such things happen, we may see a different side of it. Considering the time they spend on duty and enormous responsibilty they carry on their shoulders, they get paid a little less(if not very less). An IT professional(no offense) gets paid thrice or four times of what the policeman gets. It is this policeman, because of whom an IT proffessional and every civilian as a matter of fact is able to live a relaxed, happy family life. (Family life-another thing a common policeman misses out bigtime). It is him, because of whom we are able to celebrate all the festivals throughout the year without any tension, while this policeman is engeaged here and there for our security so that we have great festivities.
Yes, there are Police Officials who create conspiracies, who fail to realize their duties, who act for their own good rather than that of a common man. But then one should never expect a stock of 100% ideal, perfect items. Imperfections are bound to be there. But as my friend Sanket says, we should look beyond these imperfections and try to realize what a policeman means to a common man. And it is at such times like 26/11, we get to see truly what most of these policemen are made of. They may not have the best weapons, they may not have the best of the technological back-up. But it is their courage, their bravado that differentiates them. We should always remember that we owe them a lot. Thus co-operate with them any time we come across such situation, be it an investigation of stealth or even a 'naka-bandi'. Even if we can't do anything directly for them, the least we can do is not letting die a person inside us who feels for them, who identifies with them. Even if it is the motto of 'Maharashtra Police Seva', it can be applied to every individual who fights for this country. Be it the police, army, navy, air-force, NSG........"SAD-RAKSHANAY KHALA-NIGRAHANAY"--"For protection of the good, For destruction of the evil"...This is what they give their life for...Salute to all these brave men...

Empathy, Self-centrism, Businessmen and The Pretenders

2009-11-14T08:10:00.000-08:00

There are various kinds of people around us aren't there..?? But one interesting thing about them is that how differently they can act!! Even while writing this, I don't know what and exactly why I'm writing this, but here it goes..
Empathy-It is putting yourself into other's shoes and feeling,thinking from their point of view..as if you only are in that situation...Well, it's not what I say, this is what we have been taught since "Communication Skills" times..I personally agree with it though. I wonder, how hard can empathising be? I mean, if you know a person well, can't you make out what will make him happy and what is the thing he wants the least? And this is what happens. There is a person X. He has a problem with person Y with something. That time, he is very clear with his reasons, and ends up concluding that Y is wrong. X doesn't really think whether he is thinking in right sense or not. Fine upto this point. But then, X doesn't realize that a person Z has same problems with him. If told, he tries to defend himself without even giving it a thought, "Am i actually wrong?" This time, Z is wrong for him. Is this because X can't think from Z's point of view?
It's not just this. Everyone is used to think in a particular way. But then does that mean all the other ways of thinking are wrong? Is everyone always in same situation? Certainly not. But very few actually take pain and think from other's point of view..that is, "empathize"..
Can self-centrism be the answer to this question? People are so involved with themselves, that they find it totally unimportant to think about others. If someone enters a room, it takes hardly 5 seconds to greet that fellow with a smile, and then one can continue with his own work. But no, some people can't even take pain to do it. Even with the people they "call" Friends. If it is accidental, no problem. But if it is out of "Attitude", then there's a problem. This is just a small example. When doing something, why can't one think if it is affecting your close one very badly? Is it really worth doing that thing considering your closeness with that person? One doesn't really have time to think about others but about himself. Is it lack of empathy, or self-centrism? How can it be, that people expect sacrifices made for them, but they can't sacrifice even a bit for anyone?
Or is there a bit of business-like stuff involved in it? Invest only from where you can get profit, and don't care about something that can't fetch you profit? People do change parties(I'm not speaking in political sense although that can be a very good example) once they know they have got nothing to get from the current one. These are the ones who always look to take advantage of others, even if it causes uncomfort to them. "Hell, why should I care? I am getting what I want." For months, X doesn't consider Y, bad-mouths about him; but when needed something from Y, suddenly X becomes so polite and kind...It can be as simple as some help during exams and vivas...
And here come the deadlier ones--> The pretenders. It is one thing, not revealing every bit of ur intellectual, emotional self to everyone. But to project yourself as one person to X, different person to Y, still different person to Z...And that too for personal gain, or as pathetic as just to have some fun? These are the people who can never accept their mistakes and pretend to be perfect. They have explanation for every thing they do, and reasons(read excuses) for everything they can't do. It is like "what I do-fantastic, rocking...we rock..what you do-boring.."
There are some things they either can't understand or they don't want to understand. Hiding your emotions and all(that too with no intention of doing harm to someone) is but natural. But different situations, different personalities to acheive maximum gain at the cost of your "friends"-crime..Let's say, there are two groups. Group X and group Y. group X is of the normal people with some acceptable abnormalities(obviously, noone can be perfect) and group Y, filled with pretenders. Generally, when surrounded by lot of people, group Y people act very nicely, very decently. But as soon as they get a chance to outnumber people from group X, they are their real selves. Worse, if they corner one of the X lot, that too a very nice and kind of emotional one, they pounce on that chance as a wild dog does on a rabbit. Cheap man, very cheap...To add to it, next day, they are again back to their pretending mode-decent, nice, with explanations ready for their actions...Pathetic..
Does everyone belong to only one of the categories I mentioned?? No..I think everyone has a bit of all the things I said..Even I may have-no denying. Everyone has a person inside who can empathize, who wants to be self-centered, who thinks of the world as a business market and who can pretend. But which of these aspects dominate which individual-Well, personal choice, I think determines that.

P.S. Sorry for so many he, himself, someone, one, they, X, Y, Z...but didn't really know how to go about it..And also for every time mentioning he, himself..Well I am no "male chauvenist", just had to go one way for less complexity..
And again, the incidents mentioned, all need not be from personal experience. Many come from my close pals. Views are mine nevertheless.

Sardar Patel Institute of Acting

2009-08-24T10:04:00.000-07:00

Who says that we are in engineering college? I mean, yes we are in engineering college, but the knowledge and skill that is practiced here the most is acting.
Here, almosst all the people act. Most of the students act in lectures and practicals as if they either understand what is being taught, or at least trying to comprehend the crap spoken by the prof. When lecturer's head turns around to write something on board, students either crack silly jokes, express love(read hatred) for prof very silently and carefully so that everyone but the prof gets to hear it. But as soon as the prof turns back his/her head, students straighten up their faces as if they never even moved a muscle of their face. They act as if they will remain in that state of concentration like a statue and won't move even if a hurricane comes up. They never let their actual life and thoughts(sports, gf/bf, food) interfere with their acting.
Some fail in doing so and their misbehaving(read original face hidden beneath the character) is caught by the prof. As if to punish them for not aacting properly, prof asks some stupid questions. The poor student puts all his acting experience into it(mam I wasn't doing anything, sir I was paying attention etc). Some brilliant actors even manage to phrase the dialogues (read answers) and answer the question so confidently as if they are already done with the subject. They manage to read out whatever is written on the board, get some back-stage help(read hints from other actors sitting around), use 3-4 other english words repeatatively, phrase a sentence in active voice, rephrase it in passive voice, and this goes on till the patience of the prof run out. What spontaneous acting!
After coming late for the lecture, they act out so many justifications like "outhouse project", "late trains" etc. They never show on their faces that they actually were in gymkhana or canteen. When a proxy is caught every actor like us looks here and there with expressions like "who does such shameful act?" What actually is in their mind is "saala aaj wapas pakayega ab".
But hang on! Students are not the only actors aaround here. "Chele" are like this, then "Guru's" are supposed to be better than them. Most of the profs are far better actors than us, the students. They enter the class with a body-language that commands(read demands) respect. For hours, they act as if they know everything. Their "I know it all" expressions are amazing. To stand in front of a class for hours and to keep on acting..boy it's a tough job! But they do it so well!
They can act stubborn as well. When we, the students, undergo our acting tests e.g. project prsentation, they all stick to one dialogue of their own. One keeps saying "Idea Clear nahi hai", other reiterates "Concept is very good, but how are you going to implement it?" (Had we known the answer, we would have completed the project and thrown it on their faces). The other more intelligent(read oversmart) actress, who carries the name project co-ordinator, asks such doubts that test the students very hard. What student think-"What is she asking? Is it related to my project?" What they express-"yes mam, we'll surely work on it." (of course with a straight face)
There are some exceptions though. Some of the lot, that includes some students and office-staff don't feel the need to act at all. Such students on seeing the prof, or such office-staff on seeing students, make their faces as if a pig farted on their mouths. They can act, they just don't.
But there are some rare breeds. They arre the non-actors. Either they don't know how to act or it is not at all required for them to act. This category includes some genuine students and some exceptional profs e.g. Ambavade Sir, who never act. They are what they are. We the actors are so ashamed(read proud) of them!
Rest everywhere, acting goes on and on and on.............

Adversity = Opportunity

2009-08-16T21:21:00.000-07:00

A few days back, I had attended a seminar as a part of "management conclave" by CPLC. There was a lecture by Mr. Ajay Piramal, a successful entrepreneur. In that speech of his, one of the things he mentioned really caught my attention and triggered my thought process-
"Adversity = Opportunity"
What a brilliant comparison it was! Often, adversity leads to unhappiness, depression. And yes, it's normal. We are humans with emotions after all. But should things stop here only? Absolutely not.
One can also look at such unfortunate incident as an opportunity. An opportunity to explore yourself. To explore huge amount of possibilities that surround us. A student who has got a drop in his engineering (man angineering is so close to me-1st example that crops up in my mind and engineering is there..), he/she may have the potential to achieve much greater success in some other field, say music or acting or even a race jockey to go to an extent. Who knows, maybe engineering was holding him behind, and the drop could make him understand his/her own self!
We find a number of stories around us, of some famous and successful people. Many of them have had encountered really bad situations in their lives. Perhaps that was the reason, they say, that they are so successful today. Others, if not famous, at least are very much satisfied in their lives.
And hell, this is what differentiates an optimist from a pessimist. Does misfortune stop one's life? No, it actually opens many doors for one. It brings out talents amd qualities in one, of which, he himself may not be aware of till that point of time. Explore such opportunities, explore yourself, look beyond adversities, and you'll be happy-that is what i tell to myself...

Friendship Rocks!!

2009-08-15T04:33:00.000-07:00

When I thought, what would be the first thing about which I'll write, I had an answer immediately. It's the thing that makes life interesting. The thing that mkes life fun. the thing that prevents life from getting monotonous. It's-"Friendship".
I call myself lucky. Why? Because over the years, I have been blessed with great friends. Right from the school days. And wait, I'm not talking about people with whom we only do timepass and hangout and all. There are plenty of such people. But I'm talking about friends who mean more than that.
One of the turning points in my life was my friendship with 2-3 fellows back in school who completely changed my attitude towarde my friends. Friendship with them gave birth to a new "me". I sort of got out of a box- a box that made me think only in a particular direction. My ways of thinking started to find new dimensions.
After that, be it Junior College, Classes or the great great SPIT, I have had wonderful people as my friends and I have much of a respect for them. Why do these people mean so much to me?
These friends are the people with whom I can speak literally on anything. The most important part of any relation is the love, care and value one has for another. And luckily enough, these friends of mine have all these things "in-built" in them.
Why is friendship one of the most beautiful things on earth? I think, it is the purest form of a relation. In a sense that, family relations are there because they are there. One doesn't really have an option to "choose" relatives. But there is such option as far as friends are concerned. Friendship is based on no compulsion, but only on one's own wish.
Whenever I am in trouble or I have any sorrow, my friends have always been there to help me out. They can make out if I'm not alright without me even telling them so. Even if they sometimes can't really do anything to help me out, it's their support that does the trick. My friends, just being there with me is a great boost in itself.
The time spent with such friends has been very much cherishable. Those hangouts at Vazira Ganpati Mandir(odd place for hangouts, isn't it?), those late night talks at Haridas Nagar corner, those "sessions" at Andheri Bus-stop, those times working with them for some activities, those songs sung with them, those trips and travels with them, those sports played with them, those times in Quad and Canteen, those hugs from them when they were needed the most........These are the memories that can last for the lifetime.
I just want to thank all my friends for being there.
Friendship really rocks!!!

Start of something new

2009-08-15T04:24:00.000-07:00

Last semester, many asked me, "What are you planning to do in B.E.?" I had an answer, although I did not disclose it at that time. I thought of starting my blog. Not because many have one, not because it's cool to have one.
The reason is, I always thought that sometimes a communicaation that is not face to face but with the help of text can be more effective. I have been reading blogs of my classmaates for some time now and that belief has been strengthened. So i decided to have a blog myself.
I'm not sure as to how frequently I can update. But whenever I'll feel like writing or sharing, I will do so. Hope you all accept me in the world of blogs.