One-word Inspiration
Think. Dream. Be. Do. Act. Laugh. Create. Rise. Shine. Smile. Ideate. Begin. Energize. Stimulate. Ask. Engage. Appreciate. Compliment. Inspire. Enliven. Read. Write. Listen. Innovate. Rejuvenate. Love. Hug. Focus.
"The Creativ3 Bee" Email Newsletter [ANN]
[EDIT: I just sent out # 1 and it got spammed. Please check your spam emails and mark it as not spam! This is so bad.]
Hey everyone!
I'm starting a fortnightly email newsletter called The Creativ3 Bee. (That was abrupt!)
What I intend is for this to be a community learning, sharing, inspiration and happiness project.
In case you're wondering where in the world this came from:
During the first few days of this idea, I was telling my sister how sometimes inspiration just won't strike (in the context of writing) and that it is not very often that the creativity bee stings. So what I hope is that the ideas I share help us all find the bee-sting. :)
To subscribe, you can hit me back either here or on thecreativ3bee@gmail.com or on twitter.com/thecreativ3bee. Privacy issues and value for your time will be taken care of well. :)
Hope to get a lot of hits! I will get back to you soon with the content details.
The image is courtesy of flickr user aussiegall (who has some of the awesomest pictures ever). It is under a Creative Commons licence, and will be the logo for TCB until I make one myself.
Hey everyone!
I'm starting a fortnightly email newsletter called The Creativ3 Bee. (That was abrupt!)
In case you're wondering where in the world this came from:
During the first few days of this idea, I was telling my sister how sometimes inspiration just won't strike (in the context of writing) and that it is not very often that the creativity bee stings. So what I hope is that the ideas I share help us all find the bee-sting. :)
To subscribe, you can hit me back either here or on thecreativ3bee@gmail.com or on twitter.com/thecreativ3bee. Privacy issues and value for your time will be taken care of well. :)
Hope to get a lot of hits! I will get back to you soon with the content details.
The image is courtesy of flickr user aussiegall (who has some of the awesomest pictures ever). It is under a Creative Commons licence, and will be the logo for TCB until I make one myself.
10 Software Tools Every Computer Deserves
Before I'm off to the list, let me tell you that you don't need any "qualification" to like these softwares. The average computer user might not feel the need for any of these, but I highly recommend each one. I'm not including any security software here, because I expect even the average computer user to feel the need to have them. :P
1. CCleaner
This nifty tool was actually named "Crap Cleaner", and does everything the name promises, and more.
2. Defraggler
Way better than the default Windows defragment tool.
Defragment your hard drive a couple times a year to keep it running fast and well. However, as I recently learnt (Thanks, Karan Kantoor), do not defragment too often, because moving large chunks of data on your drive needs lots of setting and resetting, and is therefore not good for the drive's health.
3. Google Chrome
No matter what browser you primarily use, (I hope you don't say Internet Explorer :P) you should have Google Chrome installed. It's very fast, and comes with a generous set of features despite the minimalist approach, the "Incognito" mode being one of my favourites.
4. Evernote
This powerful note-taking app is a must-have for almost everyone. Sign up for an account, and download the desktop client. There's an online account where all your information gets synced, and there are iPhone and BlackBerry clients too. Write notes, make lists, take screenshots... and I'll tell you more as I discover. MS Office fans might like OneNote for its similar features, but I appreciate Evernote's generous free plan too much to not use it.
5. Recuva
This one can be a true life-saver, especially for fans of the dangerously useful Shift + Delete combination. Pronounced recover, this software does one simple job, and does it well—recover files from your hard drive once you've permanently deleted them but they have not yet been totally effaced.
6. Q10
Here comes my favourite text editor of all time. This is the software I'm using to type right now. There's a plain black background, covering my entire screen, green Matrix-style text on it, and a bar on the bottom that helps me track the time, number of words, pages, etc. There are lots of customizable features, and this tiny software is also portable, so you can even take it on a flash drive anywhere you want to.
7. Caffeine
This microscopically light app is a wonderful way to keep your computer active and awake. All it does is simulate a Shift keypress every 59 seconds, to make sure your computer does not sleep or activate the screensaver if you don't want it to. And for the curious, the Shift key is almost harmless, and indicates to the computer that a user is around.
8. JPEG Lossless Rotator
The name really does say enough. Lossless Rotator has a very simple purpose: it rotates digital pictures in a way that does very little damage to their quality, if at all. It's very user-friendly and integrates directly into the shell, so all you have to do is right-click a picture and select "Lossless Rotate Left/Right".
9. Foxit Reader
This is not really a must-have, because most of us use Adobe Acrobat Reader for pdf files anyway. But in case you're looking at better speed and features, Foxit is a quick answer. For a quicker one, check out Sumatra PDF, a light, portable and ultra-fast pdf reader.
Edit: Nitro PDF Reader. Period.
10. Universal Viewer
If there could be a Swiss Army knife equivalent of softwares, Universal Viewer would be a contender, if not the winner. Under one common roof, you can open tons of file formats that cover pictures, audio, video, and lots more.
Most of these come with decent alternatives, also free. These are just my favourites, and they do their job handsomely. Some of these are Windows-only, so feel free to recommend cross-platform/Mac/Linux alternatives, and also share your own favourite tools in the comments.
1. CCleaner
This nifty tool was actually named "Crap Cleaner", and does everything the name promises, and more.
2. Defraggler
Way better than the default Windows defragment tool.
Defragment your hard drive a couple times a year to keep it running fast and well. However, as I recently learnt (Thanks, Karan Kantoor), do not defragment too often, because moving large chunks of data on your drive needs lots of setting and resetting, and is therefore not good for the drive's health.
3. Google Chrome
No matter what browser you primarily use, (I hope you don't say Internet Explorer :P) you should have Google Chrome installed. It's very fast, and comes with a generous set of features despite the minimalist approach, the "Incognito" mode being one of my favourites.
4. Evernote
This powerful note-taking app is a must-have for almost everyone. Sign up for an account, and download the desktop client. There's an online account where all your information gets synced, and there are iPhone and BlackBerry clients too. Write notes, make lists, take screenshots... and I'll tell you more as I discover. MS Office fans might like OneNote for its similar features, but I appreciate Evernote's generous free plan too much to not use it.
5. Recuva
This one can be a true life-saver, especially for fans of the dangerously useful Shift + Delete combination. Pronounced recover, this software does one simple job, and does it well—recover files from your hard drive once you've permanently deleted them but they have not yet been totally effaced.
6. Q10
Here comes my favourite text editor of all time. This is the software I'm using to type right now. There's a plain black background, covering my entire screen, green Matrix-style text on it, and a bar on the bottom that helps me track the time, number of words, pages, etc. There are lots of customizable features, and this tiny software is also portable, so you can even take it on a flash drive anywhere you want to.
7. Caffeine
This microscopically light app is a wonderful way to keep your computer active and awake. All it does is simulate a Shift keypress every 59 seconds, to make sure your computer does not sleep or activate the screensaver if you don't want it to. And for the curious, the Shift key is almost harmless, and indicates to the computer that a user is around.
8. JPEG Lossless Rotator
The name really does say enough. Lossless Rotator has a very simple purpose: it rotates digital pictures in a way that does very little damage to their quality, if at all. It's very user-friendly and integrates directly into the shell, so all you have to do is right-click a picture and select "Lossless Rotate Left/Right".
9. Foxit Reader
This is not really a must-have, because most of us use Adobe Acrobat Reader for pdf files anyway. But in case you're looking at better speed and features, Foxit is a quick answer. For a quicker one, check out Sumatra PDF, a light, portable and ultra-fast pdf reader.
Edit: Nitro PDF Reader. Period.
10. Universal Viewer
If there could be a Swiss Army knife equivalent of softwares, Universal Viewer would be a contender, if not the winner. Under one common roof, you can open tons of file formats that cover pictures, audio, video, and lots more.
Most of these come with decent alternatives, also free. These are just my favourites, and they do their job handsomely. Some of these are Windows-only, so feel free to recommend cross-platform/Mac/Linux alternatives, and also share your own favourite tools in the comments.
Run to Simplicity
There was the Notepad Age, there was the WordPad Age, the MS Word Age, and then, somewhere down the line, a crossroads appeared—on the one side, MS Word and other word processors were increasing and improving their features, and on another, the simplicity bandwagon was accelerating and preparing to overtake the heavy feature-laden softwares.
(Writeroom, Q10, JDarkRoom, Writer, DarkCopy)
And today, the scene is that there are known hacks in the computer-geek circles to achieve Writeroom-like simplicity--black screen, green text, and no other features--in the more ubiquitous Word/Google Docs interfaces. Wow.
This makes me think of simplicity in a wider perspective. Leo Babatua talks highly of simplicity as a way of life, and to me the extent of simplicity in his life is alarming. I personally do not have a fixed opinion on this. I've made a comfortable place for myself on the fence, and keep jumping to either side every so often.
What do you think about reverting to the simple in various aspects of life? Do share your thoughts.
(Writeroom, Q10, JDarkRoom, Writer, DarkCopy)
And today, the scene is that there are known hacks in the computer-geek circles to achieve Writeroom-like simplicity--black screen, green text, and no other features--in the more ubiquitous Word/Google Docs interfaces. Wow.
This makes me think of simplicity in a wider perspective. Leo Babatua talks highly of simplicity as a way of life, and to me the extent of simplicity in his life is alarming. I personally do not have a fixed opinion on this. I've made a comfortable place for myself on the fence, and keep jumping to either side every so often.
What do you think about reverting to the simple in various aspects of life? Do share your thoughts.
The Hidden Dream [CrWr]
The leaves made soft, rustling sounds. The wind blew softly on her face and played with her blonde hair. As her golden locks flew about her face she realized this was what she had been waiting for, all twenty eight years of her life—to enjoy herself and just watch, as time sails past her. If only this could be real.
"Cut! We have to do this again. Coffee break for now."
The director's interruption brought her back to reality. Her harsh reality—she wasn't the simple girl she got be for several hours these days, being laid-back was no longer part of her busy life, and worse, the wind came from seven large fans around her, the soft hair was fake and the yellow leaves were barely anything apart from died dry paper.
Roll back into time to ten years back, and you could meet the happy Melanie. Youthful, beautiful, enthusiastic, brave, wild, intelligent, and ready to take over the world. She had just graduated from high school, and in the week that followed, finished working on a TV commercial for Walmart. She had an unmistakable talent for acting. It took her less than two years to move on from heading the school drama club to being a known face all-over after appearing on national television. And in another three months the movie industry had taken her away. Forever. Every few months the Orangeway neighborhood buzzed with excitement as their little big star got ready to make another appearance on one of the screens at Studio 16.
It was almost like a fairy tale. Melanie's life had been perfectly smooth and in some ways too good to be true. And it was. It didn't take her too long to realize that she was trapped in the quicksand of the glitzy world. Try to escape, and only be dragged further into it. She knew her only option was to not resist and let things just happen.
Today she had come a long sad way from being excited to being unsatisfied at what life had to offer. She no longer had the time to enjoy the little joys of life that brightened her up when she was younger. It felt more like a previous life than just her past—so beautiful, too distant. If she ever got the time to stop by and admire the beauty of a snowy mountain, a young flower bud, or puppies playing in the dirt, a beep on her cell or her manager's "Much as I hate to interrupt you at this moment, Mr./Ms. ____ is waiting to..." would be sure to interrupt. With every passing day, she felt the strings of time pull her further away from her real self—the free bird.
Everything she had considered 'sins' was part of her life today—monotony, a perpetual irritation, and most of all lack of the freedom that was so dear to her. Shimmering dresses, sparkling diamonds, and the most impressive beaus had started to depress, rather than impress her. She longed for a day when she didn't have to smile at pretentious women and appear to be awfully concerned about their latest adventures or the latest piece of **** they had gotten into; when she didn't have to look her best for every trashy party that maniacs threw; when she didn't have to get up early every morning and be driven to a studio where the crew would pile her up with pounds of makeup, jewelry and instructions.
At times she got so caught up in the rut that she forgot all about what she really wanted from life. It was on one such morning that, unknown to her, her life-altering opportunity came to her. A debutant director wanted to cast her as a preschool teacher who loses her memory in an accident, and the erstwhile 'devilish' kids help her emotionally survive the incident. The story was touching, and she didn't even feel the need to read the entire script or negotiate the money to sign the contract. Within a month, work began and she started visiting preschool teachers and three year olds to discover more about their lives. For the first time in years she could feel her past self coming back to her, beckoning to her! She didn't have the time to acknowledge the feeling, but she felt happier than she ever had. Without wondering why, she continued to work on the movie with all her soul and gave one of her best performances.
On April 29, the day after the movie released, Page Six had all about the first look of Angels In Disguise, with interviews, audience's views and critics' reviews. And there, on the bottom was the news that skeptics still doubt today, months after it was published:
"Melanie decides to quit acting
Takes up job as preschool teacher at Orangeway Preschool, LA"
(29 December 2008)
"Cut! We have to do this again. Coffee break for now."
The director's interruption brought her back to reality. Her harsh reality—she wasn't the simple girl she got be for several hours these days, being laid-back was no longer part of her busy life, and worse, the wind came from seven large fans around her, the soft hair was fake and the yellow leaves were barely anything apart from died dry paper.
Roll back into time to ten years back, and you could meet the happy Melanie. Youthful, beautiful, enthusiastic, brave, wild, intelligent, and ready to take over the world. She had just graduated from high school, and in the week that followed, finished working on a TV commercial for Walmart. She had an unmistakable talent for acting. It took her less than two years to move on from heading the school drama club to being a known face all-over after appearing on national television. And in another three months the movie industry had taken her away. Forever. Every few months the Orangeway neighborhood buzzed with excitement as their little big star got ready to make another appearance on one of the screens at Studio 16.
It was almost like a fairy tale. Melanie's life had been perfectly smooth and in some ways too good to be true. And it was. It didn't take her too long to realize that she was trapped in the quicksand of the glitzy world. Try to escape, and only be dragged further into it. She knew her only option was to not resist and let things just happen.
Today she had come a long sad way from being excited to being unsatisfied at what life had to offer. She no longer had the time to enjoy the little joys of life that brightened her up when she was younger. It felt more like a previous life than just her past—so beautiful, too distant. If she ever got the time to stop by and admire the beauty of a snowy mountain, a young flower bud, or puppies playing in the dirt, a beep on her cell or her manager's "Much as I hate to interrupt you at this moment, Mr./Ms. ____ is waiting to..." would be sure to interrupt. With every passing day, she felt the strings of time pull her further away from her real self—the free bird.
Everything she had considered 'sins' was part of her life today—monotony, a perpetual irritation, and most of all lack of the freedom that was so dear to her. Shimmering dresses, sparkling diamonds, and the most impressive beaus had started to depress, rather than impress her. She longed for a day when she didn't have to smile at pretentious women and appear to be awfully concerned about their latest adventures or the latest piece of **** they had gotten into; when she didn't have to look her best for every trashy party that maniacs threw; when she didn't have to get up early every morning and be driven to a studio where the crew would pile her up with pounds of makeup, jewelry and instructions.
At times she got so caught up in the rut that she forgot all about what she really wanted from life. It was on one such morning that, unknown to her, her life-altering opportunity came to her. A debutant director wanted to cast her as a preschool teacher who loses her memory in an accident, and the erstwhile 'devilish' kids help her emotionally survive the incident. The story was touching, and she didn't even feel the need to read the entire script or negotiate the money to sign the contract. Within a month, work began and she started visiting preschool teachers and three year olds to discover more about their lives. For the first time in years she could feel her past self coming back to her, beckoning to her! She didn't have the time to acknowledge the feeling, but she felt happier than she ever had. Without wondering why, she continued to work on the movie with all her soul and gave one of her best performances.
On April 29, the day after the movie released, Page Six had all about the first look of Angels In Disguise, with interviews, audience's views and critics' reviews. And there, on the bottom was the news that skeptics still doubt today, months after it was published:
"Melanie decides to quit acting
Takes up job as preschool teacher at Orangeway Preschool, LA"
(29 December 2008)
Transcending the "System"
Just entered my room after a quiz* and a lecture. I don't intend to raise a voice against anyone at all, but this is what happened in the last couple hours:
The quiz started almost at scheduled time, but only in some of the exam rooms—roughly for half of the test-takers. I was in this lot.
The questions were unfair at best. We hadn't covered at least 3 of the 10 questions. Yet, with a combination of intelligence, guess-work and copying, we managed. (Don't doubt my actions, though—this is about the general public.) We were asked to stay back after the quiz was over. The justification: "If you go outside, you'll text the answers to friends." Needless to mention, even within the classes, all cell phones were discreetly lit up, and fingers were moving at warp speed to ask for/give help.
The result was that the first lot of students didn't do too well, and the others did way better.
Fast forward to the lecture. An extra lecture scheduled to make sure the course gets covered before we call it a semester. Anyway, those three questions got covered—either within the lecture, or as part of the topics delegated as homework. Some people had heard the quiz has been cancelled, and that another one will be taken in lieu of it. I seriously doubt this rumour.
So that was what happened. My reactions:
Really really cross from start of quiz to end of lecture. Mentally using lots of not-very-nice words on the way back. And now thinking:
There are people who will blame their destiny, their circumstances, or more relevantly, the system. And there are people who will be so good, even the screwed-up (Pardon me.) system can't get them down.
JOIN THEM.
Lesson learnt.
*"Objective" tests typically lasting ten minutes and contributing 5-10% towards the total marks for a course. Particularly renowned for the usually effortless copying opportunities.
The quiz started almost at scheduled time, but only in some of the exam rooms—roughly for half of the test-takers. I was in this lot.
The questions were unfair at best. We hadn't covered at least 3 of the 10 questions. Yet, with a combination of intelligence, guess-work and copying, we managed. (Don't doubt my actions, though—this is about the general public.) We were asked to stay back after the quiz was over. The justification: "If you go outside, you'll text the answers to friends." Needless to mention, even within the classes, all cell phones were discreetly lit up, and fingers were moving at warp speed to ask for/give help.
The result was that the first lot of students didn't do too well, and the others did way better.
Fast forward to the lecture. An extra lecture scheduled to make sure the course gets covered before we call it a semester. Anyway, those three questions got covered—either within the lecture, or as part of the topics delegated as homework. Some people had heard the quiz has been cancelled, and that another one will be taken in lieu of it. I seriously doubt this rumour.
So that was what happened. My reactions:
Really really cross from start of quiz to end of lecture. Mentally using lots of not-very-nice words on the way back. And now thinking:
There are people who will blame their destiny, their circumstances, or more relevantly, the system. And there are people who will be so good, even the screwed-up (Pardon me.) system can't get them down.
JOIN THEM.
Lesson learnt.
*"Objective" tests typically lasting ten minutes and contributing 5-10% towards the total marks for a course. Particularly renowned for the usually effortless copying opportunities.
(Title Undecided) [CrWr]
[Writer's note:
This poem was written when I was in twelfth grade, working towards getting into a good engineering college. The tough competition and pressure to perform sometimes used to get very frustrating. This is one of the creative vents of those negative emotions.
I'm still awaiting suggestions for a good title. Which reminds me that the credit for the titles for most of my works go to my wonderful friend Rasadhika Sharma, aka Kid.]
I kick, I yell, I shout, I scream,
O God, why isn’t this just an ugly dream?
My future drowns in fire,
My life burns in a pyre,
To my rescue comes no fairy nor elf,
What do I do when I’m angry at myself?
I know I can, yet I won’t.
The world is amazed why I won’t.
(Did God invest in me, this talent for nought?
What good is a war, a war never fought?)
Yet to my rescue comes no fairy nor elf,
What do I do when I’m angry at myself?
Am I waiting for when it’s too late?
Isn’t a glorious future, good enough bait?
Opportunity is knocking, too busy am I.
Life’s zipping past, but here waiting am I.
But to my rescue comes no fairy nor elf,
What do I do when I’m angry at myself?
Wake up, girl, that was indeed a dream:
What you thought poison, is actually cream.
Only sweet nectar, there’s no evil brew.
Wake up now to what is true.
A visitor is knocking, get up Miss Poetess:
“I’m here to be yours, my name Success.”
Finally I’ve reached, and well in time,
And spared some to sit and rhyme!
Neither words nor music express my elation,
Far gone by are the days of desperation.
My saviour not a fairy, nor an elf,
But Presence of the Lord, and belief in self!
[The positive ending, as of then was just a hope. Thankfully today I actually am where I wanted to be in terms of engineering colleges, among much else. :)]
(March 2008)
This poem was written when I was in twelfth grade, working towards getting into a good engineering college. The tough competition and pressure to perform sometimes used to get very frustrating. This is one of the creative vents of those negative emotions.
I'm still awaiting suggestions for a good title. Which reminds me that the credit for the titles for most of my works go to my wonderful friend Rasadhika Sharma, aka Kid.]
I kick, I yell, I shout, I scream,
O God, why isn’t this just an ugly dream?
My future drowns in fire,
My life burns in a pyre,
To my rescue comes no fairy nor elf,
What do I do when I’m angry at myself?
I know I can, yet I won’t.
The world is amazed why I won’t.
(Did God invest in me, this talent for nought?
What good is a war, a war never fought?)
Yet to my rescue comes no fairy nor elf,
What do I do when I’m angry at myself?
Am I waiting for when it’s too late?
Isn’t a glorious future, good enough bait?
Opportunity is knocking, too busy am I.
Life’s zipping past, but here waiting am I.
But to my rescue comes no fairy nor elf,
What do I do when I’m angry at myself?
Wake up, girl, that was indeed a dream:
What you thought poison, is actually cream.
Only sweet nectar, there’s no evil brew.
Wake up now to what is true.
A visitor is knocking, get up Miss Poetess:
“I’m here to be yours, my name Success.”
Finally I’ve reached, and well in time,
And spared some to sit and rhyme!
Neither words nor music express my elation,
Far gone by are the days of desperation.
My saviour not a fairy, nor an elf,
But Presence of the Lord, and belief in self!
[The positive ending, as of then was just a hope. Thankfully today I actually am where I wanted to be in terms of engineering colleges, among much else. :)]
(March 2008)
Looking back...
As the end of my third semester here at TU approaches, I am evaluating how the last few months have been. (Great, no doubt.) The best part is that I've discovered what I'd been missing out on all through the first year. And here is that list!
What I sincerely intend is for this list to be a constant reminder to not postpone squeezing out the maximum from each moment, and being on a constant look-out for the new.
- Taking pictures for the sake of photography
- Finding a wonderful friend in Priya Mahajan
- Lemonade/fruit shakes @ the Campus Fruit Store, flavoured soy milk @ "Confect", coffee @ Amul
- Exercising on the terrace, first thing in the morning (I HAVE to start doing this again.)
- Using worthless lectures to catch up on shut-eye time :P
- Working for T and I. The official campus newspaper is one of the coolest things around. Followed closely by the team that makes it happen. And now I'm part of it. This rocks!
- Blogging more actively, and commenting on my favourite blogs :D
- Watching movies on a screen larger—way larger—than my laptop's
- Having food delivered to the hostel room--well, almost. (Love you for that, Surbhi Agarwal!)
- Quizzing. A few of my friends had been trying to convince me to get into this (and it was even on one of my old list of things to do while in college), but I just never found that internal push. However during Elixir '09, I was almost forced to represent my year in two quizzes, and that was SO much fun. I happily stand corrected.
- Following mental_floss. I was going to mention this only in the follow-up on the My Favourite Blogs list, but mental_floss is by far the most interestingly compiled blog (like, ever) and a great way to learn tons of interesting stuff. I'm getting addicted to their quizzes, and overall really glad to have stumbled upon the site/magazine. (Although that did not happen through StumbleUpon. ;])
Thanks to all my friends who've been a huge part of these discoveries. A huge thanks particularly to my buddies from the Cellar Door Productions team. :)
What I sincerely intend is for this list to be a constant reminder to not postpone squeezing out the maximum from each moment, and being on a constant look-out for the new.
- Taking pictures for the sake of photography
- Finding a wonderful friend in Priya Mahajan
- Lemonade/fruit shakes @ the Campus Fruit Store, flavoured soy milk @ "Confect", coffee @ Amul
- Exercising on the terrace, first thing in the morning (I HAVE to start doing this again.)
- Using worthless lectures to catch up on shut-eye time :P
- Working for T and I. The official campus newspaper is one of the coolest things around. Followed closely by the team that makes it happen. And now I'm part of it. This rocks!
- Blogging more actively, and commenting on my favourite blogs :D
- Watching movies on a screen larger—way larger—than my laptop's
- Having food delivered to the hostel room--well, almost. (Love you for that, Surbhi Agarwal!)
- Quizzing. A few of my friends had been trying to convince me to get into this (and it was even on one of my old list of things to do while in college), but I just never found that internal push. However during Elixir '09, I was almost forced to represent my year in two quizzes, and that was SO much fun. I happily stand corrected.
- Following mental_floss. I was going to mention this only in the follow-up on the My Favourite Blogs list, but mental_floss is by far the most interestingly compiled blog (like, ever) and a great way to learn tons of interesting stuff. I'm getting addicted to their quizzes, and overall really glad to have stumbled upon the site/magazine. (Although that did not happen through StumbleUpon. ;])
Thanks to all my friends who've been a huge part of these discoveries. A huge thanks particularly to my buddies from the Cellar Door Productions team. :)
Only the Beginning [CrWr]
The first step is always tough,
The walk seems long and the road rough.
But stepping ahead won’t kill,
After the first, it’s all downhill.
Fight the pain, conquer the fear,
Let go of all you hold dear. . .
The road will show you the way,
Waiting to dawn on you is a fresh new day.
Unleash the infinite strength within,
You will reach the goal, at least begin!
(6 March 2007)
The walk seems long and the road rough.
But stepping ahead won’t kill,
After the first, it’s all downhill.
Fight the pain, conquer the fear,
Let go of all you hold dear. . .
The road will show you the way,
Waiting to dawn on you is a fresh new day.
Unleash the infinite strength within,
You will reach the goal, at least begin!
(6 March 2007)
Beautiful Penance [CrWr]
As the years pass by... and peace triumphantly lives on... sometimes the satanic instinct arises, and engulfs all that’s good...
Such is my story...
Once upon a time, billions and billions of years ago, I was but a young kid, just about a couple of million years ago. My cousins and I were always at play! I was young, bold and restless—a winner by blood, a winner who knew not defeat...
That fateful day we were playing yet another game; I knew I’d win, I always did, but no, not this time. One of my little cousins, the youngest, the tiniest one, defeated me! I couldn’t believe it! I, the mighty Earth, defeated? No way! I always had to win, no matter what.
My obsession with winning had nurtured a devil within me that I never knew of, till I saw the ugly face of defeat. And now, when I saw it, I let the devil rule. He talked, I listened, he commanded, I followed, and I ate up my cousin. My little cousin! I ate him up! As the others watched in horror and disbelief, I ate up my cousin! He instantly melted into me, making me feel like he was never meant to have an independent existence. I felt so great, so powerful. I had become bigger, stronger, mightier. I loved the new me!
Years passed by--millions of years that is. My bent of mind shifted from shock to pride to loneliness to grief... My passion to win gave way to my yearning to play again, to lose again—hoping that would rid me of the albatross around my neck. But I myself had severed the delicate ties of relationship so cruelly! Who would play with me now?! I shivered with the cold—within. Not knowing what to do, I continued to be the cold, lifeless planet I had become.
And one day... I suddenly felt an excruciating pain. My penance? I hoped. A meteor, a distant relative, had struck me. Dust flew off in all directions spectacularly. I was still, shocked, and in great pain. But by and by, with each passing day, my pain became more bearable, and the dust collected, into a solid mass, about a quarter of my size!
You all know this mass, he is my little kid. He’s is the eternal symbol of love, beauty and charm. . . popularly known as THE MOON.
(6 March 2007)
Such is my story...
Once upon a time, billions and billions of years ago, I was but a young kid, just about a couple of million years ago. My cousins and I were always at play! I was young, bold and restless—a winner by blood, a winner who knew not defeat...
That fateful day we were playing yet another game; I knew I’d win, I always did, but no, not this time. One of my little cousins, the youngest, the tiniest one, defeated me! I couldn’t believe it! I, the mighty Earth, defeated? No way! I always had to win, no matter what.
My obsession with winning had nurtured a devil within me that I never knew of, till I saw the ugly face of defeat. And now, when I saw it, I let the devil rule. He talked, I listened, he commanded, I followed, and I ate up my cousin. My little cousin! I ate him up! As the others watched in horror and disbelief, I ate up my cousin! He instantly melted into me, making me feel like he was never meant to have an independent existence. I felt so great, so powerful. I had become bigger, stronger, mightier. I loved the new me!
Years passed by--millions of years that is. My bent of mind shifted from shock to pride to loneliness to grief... My passion to win gave way to my yearning to play again, to lose again—hoping that would rid me of the albatross around my neck. But I myself had severed the delicate ties of relationship so cruelly! Who would play with me now?! I shivered with the cold—within. Not knowing what to do, I continued to be the cold, lifeless planet I had become.
And one day... I suddenly felt an excruciating pain. My penance? I hoped. A meteor, a distant relative, had struck me. Dust flew off in all directions spectacularly. I was still, shocked, and in great pain. But by and by, with each passing day, my pain became more bearable, and the dust collected, into a solid mass, about a quarter of my size!
You all know this mass, he is my little kid. He’s is the eternal symbol of love, beauty and charm. . . popularly known as THE MOON.
(6 March 2007)
Appreciation, gratefully received :)
My Intellectual Property Rights prof at the university, Mr. Apurva Bakshi, took the time to go through this blog, and has very generously said the following: (This is his reply to one of my comments on his blog*.)
I'm probably being childishly over-excited, but hey, that actually is important--finding joy in the little things of life...
Thank you, sir.
I hope I continue to get enough of such good stuff, but not so much that it doesn't excite me anymore. ;)
*Wasn't trying to conceal anything by deleting the comment. I'd forgotten I had said the same thing here. (For the ones who don't trust me at all. :P)
Sudeep. Thanks very much for all comments. I think your blog 'Life's a glorious gift' has some highly readable, very fine and interesting posts. Appreciate the remarkable clarity of thought and the beauty of expression. Have already read all your posts and will soon comment on each of them on your blog. Was great reading!! Keep writing and all the best!!
I'm probably being childishly over-excited, but hey, that actually is important--finding joy in the little things of life...
Thank you, sir.
I hope I continue to get enough of such good stuff, but not so much that it doesn't excite me anymore. ;)
*Wasn't trying to conceal anything by deleting the comment. I'd forgotten I had said the same thing here. (For the ones who don't trust me at all. :P)
Change Beckons! [ANN]
Today...
This blog is not turning 42.5249687 months old, my first post is not 3.58165989 years old, and neither is it a certain web designer's birthday--not that I know of.
Yet, because days aren't special; you have to make them special, I'm making this day special--by revamping this blog.
The entire look now comes with a fresh splash of colour... [Full credit goes to the developers of this blogger theme.]
Please let me know what you think about this change... Or change in general, of course. Here's a thought from Christina Baldwin to leave you with.
(Screenshots of the old look are available here.)
This blog is not turning 42.5249687 months old, my first post is not 3.58165989 years old, and neither is it a certain web designer's birthday--not that I know of.
Yet, because days aren't special; you have to make them special, I'm making this day special--by revamping this blog.
The entire look now comes with a fresh splash of colour... [Full credit goes to the developers of this blogger theme.]
Please let me know what you think about this change... Or change in general, of course. Here's a thought from Christina Baldwin to leave you with.
Change is the constant, the signal for rebirth, the egg of the phoenix.
(Screenshots of the old look are available here.)
At Last the World Won [CrWr]
My heart asks me a question I can't answer:
"Am I earthly, or am I infernal?"
This amazes me; my thinking hits a start,
Ah, at least I still have a ‘heart'!
O you cruel world, I was born selfless,
And you wish to make me heartless!
You wish to draw out of me, all my goodness,
And in the success of that, lies your happiness!
I pity the puppets in your demonic hands,
Trapped like the past buried in the sands.
I was born an angel, serene and pure
You change me, of that I'm sure.
I smile, when actually I'm ready to kill,
I dance when I'd rather be still,
Within me, the colour of purity fades,
Instead of love, there are killing spades.
You desire that I praise and flatter,
Just because it pleases you better.
You think changing wouldn't cost a shilling,
But to change, you are never willing.
You preach of love, humility, and justice,
But you are made up of hate, pride, and malice.
Ablaze within you is a devilish fire,
Goodness you've burnt in the crucible of your ire.
But I can see this is the way to be,
Only in my dreams can I be a spirit free.
I too will ask my heart not to beat,
Kill my conscience and let myself cheat.
I will be what I was never ought to,
Because you desire it, and it shall be true.
I've understood things aren't flowery good,
Covers our pure hearts, your evil hood.
You wish to change me, and change I will.
The good in me, I will myself kill.
From now on, till my death,
Pretence shall fill each breath.
Into my new home, you fake world, I enter,
Defeated by your puissance, I finally surrender. . .
(30 January 2007)
"Am I earthly, or am I infernal?"
This amazes me; my thinking hits a start,
Ah, at least I still have a ‘heart'!
O you cruel world, I was born selfless,
And you wish to make me heartless!
You wish to draw out of me, all my goodness,
And in the success of that, lies your happiness!
I pity the puppets in your demonic hands,
Trapped like the past buried in the sands.
I was born an angel, serene and pure
You change me, of that I'm sure.
I smile, when actually I'm ready to kill,
I dance when I'd rather be still,
Within me, the colour of purity fades,
Instead of love, there are killing spades.
You desire that I praise and flatter,
Just because it pleases you better.
You think changing wouldn't cost a shilling,
But to change, you are never willing.
You preach of love, humility, and justice,
But you are made up of hate, pride, and malice.
Ablaze within you is a devilish fire,
Goodness you've burnt in the crucible of your ire.
But I can see this is the way to be,
Only in my dreams can I be a spirit free.
I too will ask my heart not to beat,
Kill my conscience and let myself cheat.
I will be what I was never ought to,
Because you desire it, and it shall be true.
I've understood things aren't flowery good,
Covers our pure hearts, your evil hood.
You wish to change me, and change I will.
The good in me, I will myself kill.
From now on, till my death,
Pretence shall fill each breath.
Into my new home, you fake world, I enter,
Defeated by your puissance, I finally surrender. . .
(30 January 2007)
Questions, Comments, Critique
For a person producing a creative/artistic piece, feedback is one of the most important steps towards improvement.
I see myself as a writer and a photographer in the making, so it is important for me to know what people think of my work. I want to work in a way that people can like and appreciate. And the three best ways to measure public opinion in this regard are Questions, Comments and Critique.
Questions: Do you wish to ask me anything related to the work? Does it leave you with any puzzles? Did any of my thoughts/expression confuse you?
Comments: Tell me what you think of my work. What emotion did it arouse within you? Could you relate with it? Did I end up fulfilling the objective/s I started out with? Generally, what do you think?
Critique: Give me a critical analysis of the work. Point out technical, grammatical, ideological errors, etc. Help me improve my skills and expression.
On this post, and elsewhere and everywhere, QCC are always welcome. I'm a big strong girl, you know--I can take whatever you got! :)
I see myself as a writer and a photographer in the making, so it is important for me to know what people think of my work. I want to work in a way that people can like and appreciate. And the three best ways to measure public opinion in this regard are Questions, Comments and Critique.
Questions: Do you wish to ask me anything related to the work? Does it leave you with any puzzles? Did any of my thoughts/expression confuse you?
Comments: Tell me what you think of my work. What emotion did it arouse within you? Could you relate with it? Did I end up fulfilling the objective/s I started out with? Generally, what do you think?
Critique: Give me a critical analysis of the work. Point out technical, grammatical, ideological errors, etc. Help me improve my skills and expression.
On this post, and elsewhere and everywhere, QCC are always welcome. I'm a big strong girl, you know--I can take whatever you got! :)
My Writing Pieces [ANN]
This is an announcement [ANN] that from now onwards, I shall be using this blog as one of the platforms to showcase my experiments with creative writing.
This decision has come as a result of my extreme laziness—I had actually registered a blog on WordPress which was to be solely for my stories and poems. I have had several potential theme files for this blog in my Downloads folder, I have had "WP blog" as a permanent fixture on my to-do list for every vacation since 2007, and for months I've been mentally planning how to publicize that blog.
However, finally I've acknowledged that I'm too lazy, and since I cannot keep this whole idea hanging in mid-air forever, here's the not-so-grand unison of writabulous.wordpress.com with a-glorious-gift.blogspot.com.
Every week roughly, I'll post from my tiny collection of writing pieces that deserve to be here.
In the meanwhile, you can check them out at one of these links:
writing/com/authors/sudeep1110
storywrite.com/sudeep1110
allpoetry.com/sudeep1110
This decision has come as a result of my extreme laziness—I had actually registered a blog on WordPress which was to be solely for my stories and poems. I have had several potential theme files for this blog in my Downloads folder, I have had "WP blog" as a permanent fixture on my to-do list for every vacation since 2007, and for months I've been mentally planning how to publicize that blog.
However, finally I've acknowledged that I'm too lazy, and since I cannot keep this whole idea hanging in mid-air forever, here's the not-so-grand unison of writabulous.wordpress.com with a-glorious-gift.blogspot.com.
Every week roughly, I'll post from my tiny collection of writing pieces that deserve to be here.
In the meanwhile, you can check them out at one of these links:
writing/com/authors/sudeep1110
storywrite.com/sudeep1110
allpoetry.com/sudeep1110
The Three A's of a Great Relationship
In the last few weeks I've been a bad person. A bad friend more than anything else. I've been irritated, irritable and irritating. Now finally I've taken a break from college and am at home, unwinding and organizing my thoughts. And unexpectedly, it's working. Only a few hours of serious thinking, and I've already discovered a huge hidden part of my entangled web of ideas, and—believe it or not—I've almost entangled it too:
Relationships are probably the single most important part of life. Every relationship requires you to adjust, accommodate, and accept. These three A's can often be the difference between a lasting relationship and a failed relationship. However, it is very important to truly understand what these words really mean.
Adjust: It is very rare that someone can get along with you exactly as you are. In the real world, some (or many) small changes are required. Make those changes. These changes should not come as a burden or obligation—you would happily make them for a loved one.
Accommodate: Accommodating is the complement of adjustment, in that it has to be everywhere that adjustment is. If another person cannot adjust in a certain situation, you should accommodate. Keep in mind though, that there is no other way for this to work than on a reciprocal basis.
Watch out that adjusting and accommodating should never require you to curb your personality. Never let anyone in the world restrict you to a person that's less than the real you. Minor changes here and there are great, but a relationship that seems to become successful only if you shake up the foundations of your very being isn't a very good idea at all.
Accept: Where adjust and accommodate fail, and otherwise, acceptance comes into the picture and probably erases all negativity. Acceptance is never easy, and in fact requires more selflessness than most of us have. Yet, it is one of the strongest foundations of love. Sometimes an incompatibility cannot be removed; instead embrace it, respect it, enjoy it.
All of this said, there are two very important "boundary conditions" (engineer-speak):
1. None of the three A's (or let's say a relationship) should ever come in the way of your becoming a better human being. Be a work in progress and strive to be continuously in the process of improving. At least with me, the conscience is enough to decide which traits need to go in transcending to a higher self. So there is usually a clear line between improving and not having to curb myself.
2. Like I've mentioned already, there's no way a relationship can work unless both (or all) the persons involved contribute their share of love, attention and the three A's, among much else. If a relationship ever gets abusive, the best thing to do is to call it quits.
It's perfectly normal for things to not work out even when you have given your best. You didn't end up with a great relationship, but with a great lesson. Trust me, that's not bad at all.
From my learning, I've certainly become a happier person, and am ready to make the people around me happier. Hope this can have the same effect on you too. :)
Relationships are probably the single most important part of life. Every relationship requires you to adjust, accommodate, and accept. These three A's can often be the difference between a lasting relationship and a failed relationship. However, it is very important to truly understand what these words really mean.
Adjust: It is very rare that someone can get along with you exactly as you are. In the real world, some (or many) small changes are required. Make those changes. These changes should not come as a burden or obligation—you would happily make them for a loved one.
Accommodate: Accommodating is the complement of adjustment, in that it has to be everywhere that adjustment is. If another person cannot adjust in a certain situation, you should accommodate. Keep in mind though, that there is no other way for this to work than on a reciprocal basis.
Watch out that adjusting and accommodating should never require you to curb your personality. Never let anyone in the world restrict you to a person that's less than the real you. Minor changes here and there are great, but a relationship that seems to become successful only if you shake up the foundations of your very being isn't a very good idea at all.
Accept: Where adjust and accommodate fail, and otherwise, acceptance comes into the picture and probably erases all negativity. Acceptance is never easy, and in fact requires more selflessness than most of us have. Yet, it is one of the strongest foundations of love. Sometimes an incompatibility cannot be removed; instead embrace it, respect it, enjoy it.
All of this said, there are two very important "boundary conditions" (engineer-speak):
1. None of the three A's (or let's say a relationship) should ever come in the way of your becoming a better human being. Be a work in progress and strive to be continuously in the process of improving. At least with me, the conscience is enough to decide which traits need to go in transcending to a higher self. So there is usually a clear line between improving and not having to curb myself.
2. Like I've mentioned already, there's no way a relationship can work unless both (or all) the persons involved contribute their share of love, attention and the three A's, among much else. If a relationship ever gets abusive, the best thing to do is to call it quits.
It's perfectly normal for things to not work out even when you have given your best. You didn't end up with a great relationship, but with a great lesson. Trust me, that's not bad at all.
From my learning, I've certainly become a happier person, and am ready to make the people around me happier. Hope this can have the same effect on you too. :)
"Justify the title"*
Back in the day when I was in eighth grade, we had a literature chapter by the name of "Life's a Glorious Gift". It is a beautifully written play about the interpretation of life as a functional gift, that should be used, and not merely displayed like a piece of art on a glass showcase.
The play has a beautiful message, and especially for someone raised in a very secure environment, is an eye-opening insight into the life, thinking and strength of people--young and old--living in warn-torn areas. For me covering this play was a profound experience: it was one of the first times when we covered literature that had a more mature side to it than most children's stories. And most importantly my English teacher who taught us that year is the person who single-handedly forced the writer within me to surface. She continues to be a great source of inspiration, as well as one of my favourite people ever. (Thanks always, Namita ma'am.)
With all these thoughts in mind, I had started this blog a couple years back. My idea behind the name is more about my belief that life (human life in particular) is an invaluable gift. No matter what goes wrong, there are always ways to truly live it in a commited and fulfilling way...
Let's go out then, and starting right now, live our best lives!
*"Justify the title" was a very common question in our English exams. Ah, nostalgia...
The play has a beautiful message, and especially for someone raised in a very secure environment, is an eye-opening insight into the life, thinking and strength of people--young and old--living in warn-torn areas. For me covering this play was a profound experience: it was one of the first times when we covered literature that had a more mature side to it than most children's stories. And most importantly my English teacher who taught us that year is the person who single-handedly forced the writer within me to surface. She continues to be a great source of inspiration, as well as one of my favourite people ever. (Thanks always, Namita ma'am.)
With all these thoughts in mind, I had started this blog a couple years back. My idea behind the name is more about my belief that life (human life in particular) is an invaluable gift. No matter what goes wrong, there are always ways to truly live it in a commited and fulfilling way...
Let's go out then, and starting right now, live our best lives!
*"Justify the title" was a very common question in our English exams. Ah, nostalgia...
Top Ten Things to Do for a Loved One
I have no memory of how and when I fell into this thought trap, but fall I did for sure, so here are the results of being in the trap for several hours:
(These are not only for sweethearts, but also for friends, parents... Yeah basically, loved ones. Here's a bonus: most of them are easy on the pocket. :D)
10. Meet up, in a "Zero Technology Space-time"
The fancy term is grossly inaccurate, but it conveys the idea well, I think. This one is especially for people who don't get to share a lot of quality time with their loved ones. Make the time to meet, in a quiet place, and keep cell phones, laptops, televisions etc. totally away. (Mentally away is more important than physically.)
9. Work for a Cause Together
This can work extremely well if you both feel strongly about a certain issue. Help spread AIDS/cancer awareness, participate in an anti-corruption rally, or help spread the "Go Green" message.
8. Create Something Together—And it Doesn't Have to be a Baby :P
This can give you a very wide range of choices--paint your house, assemble a computer or do an art/craft project together. Create something tangible that will be a lasting symbol of your collective hard work. A baby actually fits into this pretty well, if that's applicable in your case. ;)
7. Give Them a Nickname
A friend of mine used to call me "Blossom" and it's one of the sweetest names I've ever had. Think of a name that's cute and sounds nice--but don't use it all of the time. “Sunshine” and “Cupcake” are my personal favourites, although I hate that they’re so hackneyed.
6. Take (Long) Walks Together
The utopian idea about this would be a long, slow walk after dinner, when it's not totally dark yet, with a scenic view around. Perfect for interesting and warm conversations, and exercise too. Long drives work too, but they're not really the same.
5. Make a Slideshow/Scrapbook of Your Shared Memories
Don't worry too much about putting the pictures together; just pick out your mutual favourites. Once you're done and satisfied, make sure you can have some uninterrupted and quiet time together to look at the slideshow/scrapbook. By the way, Windows Movie Maker, Animoto, Stupeflix, Picnik, Slide, etc. can be helpful apps.
4. Allow Them to Relax and Leave Things to You
Particularly if you live together: This is perfect for an evening during a busy week. Also a great background to a special dinner or some lazying together. I'll leave rest of the imagining to you. ;)
3. Surprise Them
Meet them where and when you're least expected; of course having double-checked that the plan won't backfire! Give some minutes to each other, tell them how special they are, and leave them with a flower or a small gift as a cute memory of the moment. Or just leave “Boo!” or “Gotcha!” or of course “Love You!” notes where they’d be least expected.
2. Gift Them an Experience
It could be a movie and dinner date, or a dance/cooking class together, but doesn't have to be that fancy. For me, coffee and breakfast in bed on a cold weekend morning is great too. (Aha!)
And finally, point # 1. (Thank you for the drum-roll!)
1. Keep It Real
Nothing expresses your love for a person better than truly, deeply loving them. Listen to them, genuinely care for them, and most of all, accept them for who they are. You wouldn't need much more if you can just do this well.
So those were my top ten. Let me know what yours are, and which ones of these you like best, and worst.
(These are not only for sweethearts, but also for friends, parents... Yeah basically, loved ones. Here's a bonus: most of them are easy on the pocket. :D)
10. Meet up, in a "Zero Technology Space-time"
The fancy term is grossly inaccurate, but it conveys the idea well, I think. This one is especially for people who don't get to share a lot of quality time with their loved ones. Make the time to meet, in a quiet place, and keep cell phones, laptops, televisions etc. totally away. (Mentally away is more important than physically.)
9. Work for a Cause Together
This can work extremely well if you both feel strongly about a certain issue. Help spread AIDS/cancer awareness, participate in an anti-corruption rally, or help spread the "Go Green" message.
8. Create Something Together—And it Doesn't Have to be a Baby :P
This can give you a very wide range of choices--paint your house, assemble a computer or do an art/craft project together. Create something tangible that will be a lasting symbol of your collective hard work. A baby actually fits into this pretty well, if that's applicable in your case. ;)
7. Give Them a Nickname
A friend of mine used to call me "Blossom" and it's one of the sweetest names I've ever had. Think of a name that's cute and sounds nice--but don't use it all of the time. “Sunshine” and “Cupcake” are my personal favourites, although I hate that they’re so hackneyed.
6. Take (Long) Walks Together
The utopian idea about this would be a long, slow walk after dinner, when it's not totally dark yet, with a scenic view around. Perfect for interesting and warm conversations, and exercise too. Long drives work too, but they're not really the same.
5. Make a Slideshow/Scrapbook of Your Shared Memories
Don't worry too much about putting the pictures together; just pick out your mutual favourites. Once you're done and satisfied, make sure you can have some uninterrupted and quiet time together to look at the slideshow/scrapbook. By the way, Windows Movie Maker, Animoto, Stupeflix, Picnik, Slide, etc. can be helpful apps.
4. Allow Them to Relax and Leave Things to You
Particularly if you live together: This is perfect for an evening during a busy week. Also a great background to a special dinner or some lazying together. I'll leave rest of the imagining to you. ;)
3. Surprise Them
Meet them where and when you're least expected; of course having double-checked that the plan won't backfire! Give some minutes to each other, tell them how special they are, and leave them with a flower or a small gift as a cute memory of the moment. Or just leave “Boo!” or “Gotcha!” or of course “Love You!” notes where they’d be least expected.
2. Gift Them an Experience
It could be a movie and dinner date, or a dance/cooking class together, but doesn't have to be that fancy. For me, coffee and breakfast in bed on a cold weekend morning is great too. (Aha!)
And finally, point # 1. (Thank you for the drum-roll!)
1. Keep It Real
Nothing expresses your love for a person better than truly, deeply loving them. Listen to them, genuinely care for them, and most of all, accept them for who they are. You wouldn't need much more if you can just do this well.
So those were my top ten. Let me know what yours are, and which ones of these you like best, and worst.
Selflessness--an illusion?
This is going to be a short post, because the idea, I believe, is strong enough to speak volumes for itself. I heard this on a Robin Sharma podcast, and it stayed with me:
It sure is a beautiful metaphor, but just made me think of how people say that no act is truly selfless--even when you donate to charities it's because you want the satisfaction that it brings.
I guess perception is a bigger deal than most of us think...
The sun gives away everything it has, without being selfish, and in return flowers grow directly towards it.
It sure is a beautiful metaphor, but just made me think of how people say that no act is truly selfless--even when you donate to charities it's because you want the satisfaction that it brings.
I guess perception is a bigger deal than most of us think...
The Big Secret to Success
Okay... So the title's probably really got your attention. Good. So let's head off to the big secret, shall we?
But before that:
"There's some good news and some bad news...
The bad news is that there is no good news."
(From the Beau Peep comic strip in The Times of India many months back)
Disappointing for sure, and here's another one:
"The big secret of success is that there's no secret."
(From my crazy mind that's no good at comic strips)
I haven't done anything exceptional or achieved anything wondrous in my life yet. So I am nobody to be giving out success gyaan. But I do have some thoughts on success that I'd like to share. And I hope that one day I will have moved from Dream to Action and be moving from bigger dreams to better action.
That said, let's get back to the big secret, or rather the absence of it.
In whatever little success I have achieved so far, I've realized that it really was a direct result of focus, commitment, and hard work. So, my point in this post is that success isn't really that complicated. We tend to have the expectation of a shortcut, and waste a lot of time trying to find it, whereas the real need is to spend our time doing what we instinctually know. Really, my belief is that the actual basics reside deep within us--again, focus, commitment, hard work, and sometimes practice. And a big one--being consistent around your goals. Along with these, embracing failure as just a step towards success is also crucial. This might go against what we think, but is still a major part of nearly every success story. Unless we look at failure as something that has been sent our way to inflame us even more, we cannot succeed. I hate to use the cliché, but "Failure is the stepping stone to success."
Back to the instincts then: For students nothing is as important as sticking to the right path, and incessantly contributing towards achieving their (academic and other) goals. For a salesperson, I guess the biggest thing is to show empathy for the customer's needs and think from their perspective. And in case of entrepreneurs/managers, probably the biggest tip would be to treat the employees well and try to create a balance between concern for productivity and concern for people.
Nothing new, right? See! That exactly is my point. So, the bottom-line really is that success--personal, organizational, at virtually any level--mostly comes as a direct result of the things we know are its ingredients. And if possible, we need to garnish the dish with smart work (versus hard work), productivity tips, and life hacks. These are supposed to help; they can hardly do much just by themselves.
I hope you find this post inspirational. Hit back with comments sharing your thoughts on this, and your own little formulas for success.
But before that:
"There's some good news and some bad news...
The bad news is that there is no good news."
(From the Beau Peep comic strip in The Times of India many months back)
Disappointing for sure, and here's another one:
"The big secret of success is that there's no secret."
(From my crazy mind that's no good at comic strips)
I haven't done anything exceptional or achieved anything wondrous in my life yet. So I am nobody to be giving out success gyaan. But I do have some thoughts on success that I'd like to share. And I hope that one day I will have moved from Dream to Action and be moving from bigger dreams to better action.
That said, let's get back to the big secret, or rather the absence of it.
In whatever little success I have achieved so far, I've realized that it really was a direct result of focus, commitment, and hard work. So, my point in this post is that success isn't really that complicated. We tend to have the expectation of a shortcut, and waste a lot of time trying to find it, whereas the real need is to spend our time doing what we instinctually know. Really, my belief is that the actual basics reside deep within us--again, focus, commitment, hard work, and sometimes practice. And a big one--being consistent around your goals. Along with these, embracing failure as just a step towards success is also crucial. This might go against what we think, but is still a major part of nearly every success story. Unless we look at failure as something that has been sent our way to inflame us even more, we cannot succeed. I hate to use the cliché, but "Failure is the stepping stone to success."
Back to the instincts then: For students nothing is as important as sticking to the right path, and incessantly contributing towards achieving their (academic and other) goals. For a salesperson, I guess the biggest thing is to show empathy for the customer's needs and think from their perspective. And in case of entrepreneurs/managers, probably the biggest tip would be to treat the employees well and try to create a balance between concern for productivity and concern for people.
Nothing new, right? See! That exactly is my point. So, the bottom-line really is that success--personal, organizational, at virtually any level--mostly comes as a direct result of the things we know are its ingredients. And if possible, we need to garnish the dish with smart work (versus hard work), productivity tips, and life hacks. These are supposed to help; they can hardly do much just by themselves.
I hope you find this post inspirational. Hit back with comments sharing your thoughts on this, and your own little formulas for success.
My Favourite Blogs
I've been spending lots of time these days with highly intellectual and creative people, and well, the downside is that I'm being made fun of how infrequent my posts here are. And the upside of that is this post--not quite like the earlier ones, but really something I feel an urge to share.
The idea is simple enough--these are my favourite blogs, all regularly followed. (Thanks, Google Reader!) I don't read every post, but definitely glance through them all and slow down when I find something that really interests me. And that does happen often enough. ;)
The number of great blogs around is limitless, but my time and typing ability are not, so I thought I’d keep myself to the ones I'm really addicted to.
(The list is really random about order and categorization; that's just me. :D)
Seth's Blog
Stepcase Lifehack
Health Nut Wannabee Mom
Wise Bread
ReadWriteWeb
Digital Photography School
43 Folders
Ultimate Geek Girl
Lifehacker
Mashable!
Make Use Of
Digital Inspiration
Mintywhite (Windows Tools, Help & Guides)
TechCrunch
Ask The Admin
The idea is simple enough--these are my favourite blogs, all regularly followed. (Thanks, Google Reader!) I don't read every post, but definitely glance through them all and slow down when I find something that really interests me. And that does happen often enough. ;)
The number of great blogs around is limitless, but my time and typing ability are not, so I thought I’d keep myself to the ones I'm really addicted to.
(The list is really random about order and categorization; that's just me. :D)
Seth's Blog
Stepcase Lifehack
Health Nut Wannabee Mom
Wise Bread
ReadWriteWeb
Digital Photography School
43 Folders
Ultimate Geek Girl
Lifehacker
Mashable!
Make Use Of
Digital Inspiration
Mintywhite (Windows Tools, Help & Guides)
TechCrunch
Ask The Admin
Zen Habits, Write to Done
Newsman--Rajdeep Sardesai's Blog
A big big thank you to all those wonderful bloggers. You're a huge help and inspiration. And hey, intellectual, creative people, thanks for the inspiration here too! You guys finally made me type what I've been meaning to for weeks. :)
Newsman--Rajdeep Sardesai's Blog
A big big thank you to all those wonderful bloggers. You're a huge help and inspiration. And hey, intellectual, creative people, thanks for the inspiration here too! You guys finally made me type what I've been meaning to for weeks. :)
My "Productivity System"
During the last many months I've been reading about productivity like crazy. Some of the great people around are coming up with highly effective systems for efficient time management and happiness. I'm lagging in the race and hardly know beyond the ABCs of Getting Things Done, Zen To Done, or Stephen Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Successful people. Recently I read an article on Stepcase Lifehack (one of my favourite blogs) on why you should learn a productivity system. The basic idea is that people who make these great productivity systems have loads of experience and knowledge to be sure their ideas are practically successful. This is what they do best, and we should leave this job to them.
The information overload on productivity was making me guilty somewhat, because I seem to be the only one not managing all my tasks according to a world-famous system. I'm still not perfectly convinced that this is a job best left to the experts. If something works for you, use it. If you can't decide what's best for you, the experts are always there to help. Makes sense to me! So yesterday I got thinking, and realized that, no matter how simple, I do have a productivity system after all. My very own! And here it is:
1. If you want it done, schedule it.
Every task that needs serious time and attention from me has to be planned. I don't have a fancy notebook or software that keeps track of these things. My to-do lists are usually in the form of a note to self on my cell phone, or as a new sticky, or penned down on a small scrap of paper that stays in my wallet. The idea is simply this: if something needs my time, it has to be scheduled. Maybe for "some time within this week" if I can't focus on the timing too well, but usually my to-do's are on a daily basis.
2. Acknowledge the importance of voids. (An idea originally Umberto Eco's.)
Even when I plan each hour or so of my day, there are always voids I keep in between. Rather than keeping time aside for relaxation, I use the voids. An example of this would be:
4-5.30 pm: Math
6-8 pm: Physics
9 pm: Revision
So after I'm done with math I know I have some time for a tea break. This also takes care of things that unexpectedly pop up, and there's some room for stretching in case math takes longer. Similarly, after physics I know I have enough time for dinner and walk and if I have time to spare it can be used for something unplanned.
3. Plan more than you know you will do.
My usual daily plan has about 110% of what I really want to achieve within the day. Goes with the idea of "Shoot for the moon, and you'll at least land among the stars." I make sure the more important tasks get higher priority, and at least those get done for sure. And sometimes I actually end up doing the extra tasks as well.
So this is how I (try to) stay organized. My system is far from perfect and I keep borrowing ideas from the experts to make it better. So far I'm managing just fine this way. If ever I think I'm overwhelmed, I know there's David Allen or Leo Babuata (among others) to help me out!
The information overload on productivity was making me guilty somewhat, because I seem to be the only one not managing all my tasks according to a world-famous system. I'm still not perfectly convinced that this is a job best left to the experts. If something works for you, use it. If you can't decide what's best for you, the experts are always there to help. Makes sense to me! So yesterday I got thinking, and realized that, no matter how simple, I do have a productivity system after all. My very own! And here it is:
1. If you want it done, schedule it.
Every task that needs serious time and attention from me has to be planned. I don't have a fancy notebook or software that keeps track of these things. My to-do lists are usually in the form of a note to self on my cell phone, or as a new sticky, or penned down on a small scrap of paper that stays in my wallet. The idea is simply this: if something needs my time, it has to be scheduled. Maybe for "some time within this week" if I can't focus on the timing too well, but usually my to-do's are on a daily basis.
2. Acknowledge the importance of voids. (An idea originally Umberto Eco's.)
Even when I plan each hour or so of my day, there are always voids I keep in between. Rather than keeping time aside for relaxation, I use the voids. An example of this would be:
4-5.30 pm: Math
6-8 pm: Physics
9 pm: Revision
So after I'm done with math I know I have some time for a tea break. This also takes care of things that unexpectedly pop up, and there's some room for stretching in case math takes longer. Similarly, after physics I know I have enough time for dinner and walk and if I have time to spare it can be used for something unplanned.
3. Plan more than you know you will do.
My usual daily plan has about 110% of what I really want to achieve within the day. Goes with the idea of "Shoot for the moon, and you'll at least land among the stars." I make sure the more important tasks get higher priority, and at least those get done for sure. And sometimes I actually end up doing the extra tasks as well.
So this is how I (try to) stay organized. My system is far from perfect and I keep borrowing ideas from the experts to make it better. So far I'm managing just fine this way. If ever I think I'm overwhelmed, I know there's David Allen or Leo Babuata (among others) to help me out!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)