Here's a piece I wrote on the redundancy of perfection, primarily in body shape:
"Aim at perfection in everything, though in most things it is unattainable. However, they who aim at it, and persevere, will come much nearer to it than those whose laziness and despondency make them give it up as unattainable."
Lord Chesterfield must have been a wise man; who else could have given humanity a never-ending goal to strive for?
But maybe, just maybe, he didn't quite get it right. Why should we aim to hit perfection, knowing fully well that it is as unreal as mathematical infinity, or rather iota? Sure, it is a way of constantly reinventing yourself; sure it ensures you don't get complacent; definitely, it helps you reach zeniths of success you might never have acknowledged the possibility of... But there is a catch. A rather big one, actually. Of course, as opposed to "laziness", perfection is... let's just say a perfect option. But between the black and the white, there are quite a few rich shades of grey. After all, grey is the new black!
The pursuit of perfection carries around a transparent cloak of unrealness. While we deliberate, discuss, or debate, the cloak remains invisible. But when it comes to being in the real world, things change.
How many of us genuinely don't want a bikini-babe/ramp-hunk body? Yet how many of the rest have one? I could go on with the statistics now, but what are we getting to? Are we robo sapiens, expectedly crafted to perfection, all manufactured and quality-checked to ensure size-zeroes or eight-packs? In case anyone's waiting for an answer, go figure.
We frequently notice the flabby using the evergreen khaate-peete-khaandaan-ke-log as an argument-stopper. The ones far on the other side of the spectrum of course are assumed to be happy and satisfied.
This is where we get carried away into the wrong territory. Whoever started the idea of happiness coming from having things? True happiness and satisfaction are not outside-in phenomena. They're exactly 180 degrees away from that—inside-out. I'm happier with my few-extra-pounds than my next-door neighbour with enviably chiselled curves. And the reason is simply that body shape (or salary, or car brand, for that matter) is not the right yardstick to measure happiness.
It's actually interesting to wonder how the thought of desirability and body fat being inversely proportional originated... But who cares? Now is the time to question it! Don't get me wrong here; I'm not defending couch-potato behaviour or condoning sedentary lifestyles, and the bunch of grapes in my palm is perfectly sweet. I'm simply hoping to shake up some closed minds. It's not merely a matter of perspective: Researchers recently combined the best features of the faces of some of the world's sexiest women, including Kiera Knightly, Angelina Jolie and Megan Fox. And no goodies for guessing that the end result was a face just above average, at best. Irrelevant example, you may say, but the point is that literature accepts that the greatest perfection is imperfection.
There you go! With a reasonable and scientific proof against the real existence of perfection, a mere mortal doesn't even need to go on rambling about it.
And hence she stops.
On Relaxation
I vehemently agree with the idea that relaxation is not a waste of time but a way to recharge for another spell of peak performance. It's very important to work hard, and then give yourself a break, before you're back. Recreation is re-creation within us of the mechanism that helps us focus and work towards getting where we have to.
What I try to do when I start working (studying) again is to tell myself: "Okay, you've had your time to relax and unwind. Now it's time to get back and focus hard."
Your thoughts?
What I try to do when I start working (studying) again is to tell myself: "Okay, you've had your time to relax and unwind. Now it's time to get back and focus hard."
Your thoughts?
7 Photography Tips for the Beginner
1. Read the owner's manual. This one might win an award for obviousness, but it really is important. The owner's manual is an easy-to-understand way to familiarize yourself with everything your camera is capable of.
2. Do not stick with the Auto settings. This will of course require you to have read the owner's manual first. The idea is to not only know all the settings, but also use them for every picture you take. Auto of course saves time, and usually works well, but in some cases you can really see the difference if you adjust the settings first.
3. Optical zoom good. Digital zoom bad. The idea is simple. Optical zoom is what happens as a result of your camera's lens moving towards the object. And it's good. Digital zoom, however, is (umm, err, eh...) a digital thing. The badness of it lies in the fact that it leaves your picture looking grainy, and drastically reduces the quality, which becomes very obvious on a larger screen/print.
4. Keep reviewing for later. Not only does this save battery and time, it also ensures you don't delete a picture that looks bad only on a little screen, and not a bigger one, where you'll end up seeing it way more frequently.
5. Carry around your camera everywhere. With extra memory cards and battery pack/s. That's two tips rolled into one, but they're both very obvious too. Always try to be prepared for a good shot by keeping memory cards/films and battery packs plus your camera handy at all times, so you never have to miss a great shot, or make do with your cell phone's camera.
MAKE SURE you don't keep it away from yourself, though. (Lesson learnt the hard way.)
MAKE SURE you don't keep it away from yourself, though. (Lesson learnt the hard way.)
6. Transfer pictures often to your computer. Makes it easy to review, delete and edit pictures by reducing the number you have to deal with in one go, and also frees up memory on your card. And minimizes your loss in case your camera gets lost/stolen.
7. Capture from as many different angles as possible--try every new idea you can think of. This usually generates great pictures out of everyday subjects.
Bonus: Shoot in the RAW format, rather than JPEG, if your camera will let you. It might be inconvenient when you start, but really helps with post-production. I'm still learning more on this, so I recommend you look it up.
Share your own in the comments!
Bonus: Shoot in the RAW format, rather than JPEG, if your camera will let you. It might be inconvenient when you start, but really helps with post-production. I'm still learning more on this, so I recommend you look it up.
Share your own in the comments!
Winter Wonders!
As North India shivers its way through a cold wave, and some unfortunate people succumb to it, I sit here talking about the wonders of winter... Heartless? Maybe I am.
But no matter what, I'm loving the fog outside. Or maybe not exactly outside; because it's actually trying its best to come barging right into my hostel room. On the way I walked right through a thick foggy curry.
And even within the hostel, which normally carries the aura of a safe and enclosed open space, I can hardly see the breathing souls more than a few inches away! And what to say about the aura—it's just... Well, fogged up!
Here are two interesting facts:
1. While most of us hardly have a directly visible square inch of skin even indoors, there are a few out on the terrace, busy on the phone. (I don't know how to react.)
2. The entire day was clouded/foggy, and the only times the sun was visible, it took everyone a moment to realize it's not the moon that got yellower and farther—IT'S THE SUN! And the weather forecast for the entire week was that it'll be sunny, with single digit positive temperatures (Celcius) and highs around 20 degrees. I can now tell why looking up the weather hasn't really caught on in India. Or maybe this is the reason the forecast doesn't come after enough research. And then again... Oh well.
But no matter what, I'm loving the fog outside. Or maybe not exactly outside; because it's actually trying its best to come barging right into my hostel room. On the way I walked right through a thick foggy curry.
And even within the hostel, which normally carries the aura of a safe and enclosed open space, I can hardly see the breathing souls more than a few inches away! And what to say about the aura—it's just... Well, fogged up!
Here are two interesting facts:
1. While most of us hardly have a directly visible square inch of skin even indoors, there are a few out on the terrace, busy on the phone. (I don't know how to react.)
2. The entire day was clouded/foggy, and the only times the sun was visible, it took everyone a moment to realize it's not the moon that got yellower and farther—IT'S THE SUN! And the weather forecast for the entire week was that it'll be sunny, with single digit positive temperatures (Celcius) and highs around 20 degrees. I can now tell why looking up the weather hasn't really caught on in India. Or maybe this is the reason the forecast doesn't come after enough research. And then again... Oh well.
Welcoming 2010
Happy new year, everyone!
It's a great feeling to welcome a new year--a representation of a new dawn, new beginning, new hope... and the rest of the clichés. I genuinely hope that 2010 brings for everyone, joy, success and satisfaction.
2009 has definitely been the best year of my life. It's been a wonderful concoction of happiness, wonderful people who brought wonderful experiences, and lessons, of course. Kind of like a few drops of a bitter drink that make you grateful for every crystal of sugar that would otherwise just sit around on the kitchen counter. (What am I saying? :-/)
Anyway the point is just that I hope we all have a great year ahead. Wishing that everyone can take baby steps towards living their best lives. :)
It's a great feeling to welcome a new year--a representation of a new dawn, new beginning, new hope... and the rest of the clichés. I genuinely hope that 2010 brings for everyone, joy, success and satisfaction.
2009 has definitely been the best year of my life. It's been a wonderful concoction of happiness, wonderful people who brought wonderful experiences, and lessons, of course. Kind of like a few drops of a bitter drink that make you grateful for every crystal of sugar that would otherwise just sit around on the kitchen counter. (What am I saying? :-/)
Anyway the point is just that I hope we all have a great year ahead. Wishing that everyone can take baby steps towards living their best lives. :)
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