Jeevana Mareechike

What's on my mind at the moment - 

Lonely traveller in the desert of life......in pursuit of an oasis...All ending in a MIRAGE.....Truly life is a Mirage (That's what is reflected in the title of the post)....

Hey Doc, I got a tree in my lung

This piece of news in today's newspaper triggered my memory buds and took me back to my childhood. I still remember my grandma joking about a tree growing inside the body whenever we accidentally swallowed the seeds of fruits like watermelon, oranges, sweetlime etc,. I could not believe that it has actually happened in a man's body which was found by some Russian surgeons. They found a small fir tree growing in a man's lung after he complained of chest pain and excessive coughing. I could not resist blogging about this topic.

On a serious thought, it should be very painful for the person. My wishes are with that guy for a speedy recovery. 

But on a lighter note, imagine that I swallowed orange seeds accidentally and an orange tree grew inside my body. Let's say it's a bonsai plant (try to understand yaar...space constraints :-)). A fully grown orange tree starts giving fruits and ripe oranges start popping out of my mouth, nose, ears and any other possible outlets :-). I'm trying to imagine the humourous situations that can arise. 

Friends, let's play this game of imagination and pour out our funny, humourous ideas. Start pouring in.....

Waiting to see the various innovative, witty ideas.........

Loving Mind, Thinking Heart

It was a normal day. As usual I got down from the BMTC and was walking towards home. I was generally recollecting some thoughts and conversation with friends and wondered about the two wonderful creations - A "Loving Heart" and a "Thoughtful Mind".  Things like these, many of us might have experienced:

Heart breaks, whether it is because of breakup in friendship/ love or misunderstandings with the friends and loved ones - something which most of us will have experienced at somepoint in our lives. Many a times the effect of it is so severe that we start losing our self confidence and tend to move into depression. It renders us emotionally handicapped. But then, see the beauty of mind, which makes us think calmly and analyze the situation from different angles and from the opponent's perspective. Believe me, it is the most effective healer to our bleeding hearts. Infact, it makes us a stronger person.

Health problems - More than the physical problems, it the emotional burden which takes a toll on us. It is kind of contagious and spreads to everyone around who care for us. Thoughts about future and social pressures are the major culprits of their worries and seeing them worried for us adds to our emotional state. But then human beings have a wonderful gift - "WILLPOWER" which is a wonderful antidote for this suffering. It is actually the "sanjeevini" for the heart. Sometimes we tend to get suicidal due to unbearable pain, then just a thought comes to the rescue as an effective pain manager. A thought about the existence of people with more pain or about the people who have overcome all the pain and emerged winners.

Unpredictable life leaves us dejected and low on morale most of the times. But everytime we come out of it with an assurance of better prospects in the future. I have experienced this innumerable times and everytime it leaves me pondering "how does it happen", "afterall what is it that brings in a sudden ray of hope".

All this and many more such experiences make us wonder how the mind and heart acts as natural healers for each other. It is very aptly a "Loving Mind" and a "Thinking Heart".

On a second thought, I perceive it as another way of defining "HOPE". What say people??

See you in the next

My Most Memorable

All through the journey of life, we meet a lot of people who influence our lives in different ways.

I owe my personality to a lot of people – family, friends, and acquaintances. Here’s an attempt to revive those memories of the unforgettable people in my life.

• My Family – my parents, my brother top my list. They have been the backbone of what I am today. It’s because of their guidance and support that I am able to face the world today with such confidence
  
• My Grandfather – I'm very much attached to my mom’s father since childhood. I will always cherish the tons of sweet memories of this relationship. His death changed the track of my life completely.
  

  -- I, who was crazy about the becoming a doctor changed my mind to the extent of hating the profession within a very little time.

  -- This was probably what triggered the deadly and darker side of my life; that which is proving to be the greatest curse in my life till today – my health

• My best friend, Soumya – A relationship beyond words.
  
• Shakthi - What we share is a "True" friendship
  
• Monty – A wonderful person and a good friend
  

It is actually surprising for me to see Shakthi and Monty in the list already. Becoz the kind of relationship and closeness I have developed with these guys in so little time beats my character totally. Generally it takes a lot of time for me to get close with people. But honestly, a wonderful relationship that I would love to cherish.

• NCJ007 gang – my college group, fantastic group of friends
  
• Another friends group which I will always cherish – Deepthi, Vanditha, Soumya, Susmitha, Vani – the fabulous five :-).
  
• Tej – the irony of my life, the closed yet unforgettable chapter of my life.
  
• Rajesh Nadhe - my Kanbay friend who I can call my “mutual funds guru”.
  
• Jyothi, Bindu & Annapurna – my roommates in Pune; the worst experiences in my life in their company
  
• Kanbay colleagues – Life in Pune has played a significant role in what I am today. Thanks to my colleagues for making it a memorable stay.
  
• Prafulla – She was my classmate in school and a very good friend of mine then. We have been out of touch after school but somehow I can never forget her.
  
• Ritesh - This guy was my classmate for 3 years from 1st to 3rd standard. He was the one who taught me hindi in school. That was my weakest subject and he helped me a lot to improve it.
  
• Shreyas – he was my senior in my school. Very cute, smart, intelligent boy. I was so impressed by his personality that I insisted my brother to be named the same.
  
• Indira  – my SSVM class teacher
  
• Radha  – my Montessori teacher
  

I know this list is not an exhaustive one. But these are few people who are always in my mind when it comes to people whom I cannot forget.

See you in the next

Think about it......

Just came across an interesting article from my collection. Thought of sharing it here:

... Why is it called a building when it is already built?

... If pro is the opposite of con, is progress the opposite of congress?

…If you drop a chameleon in water, will it turn clear?

…If tin whistles are made of tin, what do they make fog horns out of?

…Is it possible to be totally partial?

…If a book about failures doesn't sell, is it a success?

…Isn't it a bit unnerving that doctors call what they do "practice"?

…If all the world is a stage where is the audience sitting?

…If work is so terrific, how come they have to pay you to do it?

…If you're not supposed to drink and drive, then why do bars have parking lots?

…If you take an Oriental person and spin him around several times, does he become disoriented?

…If people from Poland are called Poles, why aren't people from Holland called Holes?

…Do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults enjoy adultery?

…Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?

…When cheese gets its picture taken what does it say?

…If horrific means to make horrible, does terrific mean to make terrible?

…Why isn't 11 pronounced onety one?

…If lawyers are debarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that electricians can be delighted, musicians denoted, cowboys deranged, models deposed, dry cleaners depressed?

…Why is it if someone tells you there are 1 billion stars in the universe, you will believe them but if they tell you a wall has wet paint you will have to touch it to be sure?

…If Fed Ex and UPS were to merge, would they call it Fed UP?

…Do Lipton Tea employees take coffee breaks?

…I thought how people seem to read the Bible a whole lot more as they get older, then it dawned on me ...they are cramming for their final exams.

…I thought how mothers feed their babies with tiny little spoons and forks so I wondered what do Chinese mothers use? Toothpicks?

…Why do they put pictures of criminals up in the post Office? Are we supposed to write to them? Why don't they put their pictures on the postage stamps so the mailman could look for them while delivering the mail?

…If olive oil comes from olives, where does baby oil come from?

Hope you enjoyed reading it :-)

Man Proposes God Disposes?

Life is too unpredictable to live by a schedule

Truly, Life is a series of unpredictable turns. We climb the mount expecting a lush, inviting view on the other side and all we find is a route to a mount to be traced.
It is not biased, it comes to all not once but innumerable times in life. Hopes of greener pastures leads to a barren land and gigantic dreams end up in short memories.

A classic example - A day in the life of an enthusiastic, aspiring young gentleman, looking out for a job and all set to attend an interview.

He gets up in the morning with a promising day in the mind. He has done his homework and is all set to give the interview. He wants to be there well before the given time and this discovery...the tap has run out of water!!! Borrowed water comes as a blessing from his neighbor GOD.

Rejuvenated, he sets off to the interview only to find a deflated tyre. This time he is obliged by a slightly bigger GOD, the cabby and.........guess what??? traffic jams don't need a more special occasion than these to cross you.

Reassuring himself of a better day ahead he enters a lofty office, a grand reception arcade and a sweet voice says "The gentleman is in a meeting, please have a seat in the waiting area". Sitting in the lobby, starts to read a magazine lying on the table, hoping for a better turnout for the rest of the day. As luck might have it, he meets the concerned person only to find out that some not very close but highly resourceful relative has already been offered the job. :-(

A quick, rather practical analysis of the situation presents itself as a clash of titans - Man and Destiny
Had the young gentleman ensured that his vehicle is in perfect condition, he probably could have avoided the deflated tyre and the consequent traffic jam. A better farsighted planning might have also avoided the water episode in the morning.
But what do you say about the interview? It's a perfect check and mate by destiny...

Truly, DESTINY RULES.....but all those small human errors are apparently perceived as the very BIG but soundless GOD!!!

This is only one of those unpleasant experiences each one of us have in our day to day lives. While every disposal brings with it it's own share of disappointments, it also brings with it an all new set of aspirations and hope of a better endeavor. This, my dear friends, is what I call the Beauty of Life. The onus of making it more beautiful lies within us.

Be an optimist, Death of one hope is the birth of another. What say people??

Take care and enjoy life!!
Signoff note: Beautiful life is just an imagination...But life is more beautiful than imagination

Is it so difficult to be Sniff and Scurry?

To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.

Change is and has always been the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. But how many of us are brave enough to come out of our comfort zones and be ready at any moment to give up what we are for what we might become. Generally when things/ routines get monotonous, the human mind naturally gets accustomed with that way of life. We are so carried away with the comforts and the luxuries of the current that we fail to observe the changes happening around us. This is the general human tendency. But, in today’s world where things are changing with accelerating speed, how far will this state of mind (of that of “Hem”) let us survive? It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one more responsive to change. But we must admit that it takes a lot of courage and determination to release the familiar and seemingly secure and embrace the new. Most of the times, it’s not that we are afraid of change or so in love with the old and familiar, but it’s that place in between that we fear….It’s like being between trapezes.

Idenappa ivalige yenaithu? Sudden agi istond heavy doses kodtiddale andkotiddira?

Actually, this whole thought process was triggered from the anticipating developments in my life, both professionally and personally. Two main things that I have decided to do in this year put me into this thought. Because both of them require me to come out of my comfort or the so called “familiar” zone and accept new things. When we talk about change there is a cloud of uncertainty and the associated risks that contributes to the underlying fear within us. This is exactly what I’m going through right now.

First thing is about changing the path of my career to achieve what I have always dreamt of. I have always wanted to manage not managed. I want to be a leader in whatever field I choose. In this direction, I decided to move ahead and get into leading, managing projects kind of roles unlike the ones I’m into at present. Oh man, past few days have been a roller coaster ride in my mind. At this moment, I’m not sure where this will lead me to. But then, making or breaking, all lies within me.

A bigger change/ bigger risk is awaiting me on the personal front - the decision of choosing a life partner. This is probably the most difficult decision making situation I have faced till now. This, at this moment is still a big question mark and the biggest uncertainty for me. This will probably be the biggest risk of my life. But I love taking risks. It is always good to have a thirlling and challenging life.

All this actually inspired me to revisit Dr Spencer Johnson’s book “Who Moved My Cheese?” Today, when I was going through, It seemed to be reflection of what I’m going through now. If not Hem, I have till now been a kind of Ham. It’s just that I need to make up my mind a little bit and push myself in becoming the likes of Sniff and Scurry. What say? I just could not resist quoting these from the book here:

Change Happens

They keep moving the cheese

Anticipate Change

Get ready for the cheese to move

Monitor Change

Smell the cheese often so you know when it is getting old

Adapt to change quickly

The quicker you let go of Old cheese,the sooner you can enjoy New cheese

Change

Move with the cheese

Enjoy Change!

Savor the adventure and enjoy the taste of New cheese

Be ready to change quickly and enjot it again and again

They keep moving the cheese

In a nutshell, nan thale chitra vichitravagi chitranna aagide. You may probably not be able to find a more tastier chitranna than this J. 

Happy New Year 2009

This note comes to you all, to wish you a marvellous start as the year begins.

Hope that all your dreams come true, making it truly a Wonderful year for you.

Au Revoir 2008

At the onset of New Year, my warmest wishes to all of you. Let the coming year be a glorious one that rewards all your future endeavors with success.

New Year is no doubt a time to celebrate and welcome the new year with new hopes and aspirations but it is also the time to celebrate the beautiful memories and forget the regrets of old year. This post is my attempt to bid adieu to the year gone. It’s a reflection of my life in 2008.

Thankfully for me 2008 was not any repeat of the roller coaster ride of 2007. It was relatively a good year with mixed feelings and experiences and lots of memorable events. Here’s a glimpse of hits and misses in 2008.

Hits –

1. To start with was the Project Star Award that I received. It is a one of those quarterly recognitions given by our company for outstanding contribution to the project. 

2. One of my very good friends, Deepthi came down to India with her daughter and husband. The last time I had met her before this was at her wedding. I had never got a chance to meet her thereafter. Soumya and I visited her at her mom’s place. It was a pleasant reunion I should say. 

3. Up above the sky and Down on the tracks 

There has been significant amount of travel in the past year. 3 trips to different places with different set of people. Outings, trips, as we all know, means new experiences, new friends and loads of adventures and experiences… 

Atlanta Trip:

It all started off with my official trip to Atlanta in the month of February. Initially, when I was asked to go on a short trip to Atlanta, I was a little skeptical about it, thanks to my boring first trip to US. But then considering the state of mind I was in, at that moment, I badly needed a break from the usual life. I accepted the offer with the anticipation of finding the much needed break and should I say, lucky me….it turned out to be one of my most memorable trips…both within and outside India. Thanks to Monty, Rajesh (my new found friends) and others who made it a memorable one. Though it was a short trip of one month, there was not a single day where we felt the boredom. I should say wonderful weekend plans and perfect execution of it was the key to the success of the trip. To summarize our weekend trip around Atlanta, traveling in Marta trains (the public transport there), our cooking experiments, tennis, basketball in the hotel and of course how can I forget the breakfast at Residence Inn - Scrambled Eggs, baked potatoes, French toast. Overall loads of fun along with a good experience at work place.

Team Outing – Nature Nirvana

The next was our team outing to Nature Nirvana, a resort amidst the coffee plantations of Chikmagalur. This was probably the first overnight trip we had in our team. It was peaceful, stress free weekend for all of us. We kind of forgot all our tensions, worries amidst Mother Nature. Infact it worked out to be good platform to know about each other in the team. The cycling, badminton matches, all the “school days” games that we played in the bus, the musical chair, campfire, the so called “barbeque” :-) and the wonderful food and hospitality of the resort in charge – all these and many more made it a wonderful trip overall. 

Friends Get-together – Matheran Trip

The travel story ends with the trip with our NCJ Gang last month. It was one of our friend, Lalitha’s wedding in Lonavala. All of us planned to take sometime off from work and make the best use of this trip. For me it was the long awaited reunion as I had missed one of my other friend’s wedding earlier in the year. It was good to get together and have fun with friends. Everything in the trip was fun and exciting. The dance on the day of Sangeet, the marriage, lots of food, the trek to restaurant on the tracks, our adventures with finding the restaurant, the long walks thereafter and the return journey. But, the jackpot goes to Ashwin for his mesmerizing dancing :-) his jokes and superb sense of humor. Overall a good trip for all of us after a long time. 

Misses – 

1. The major share of the unfortunate events goes to the nasty accident I met with around the same time when Deeps was here. Some technical problem in our vehicle and fell down so badly that I had to get around 25 stitches and 15-20 days of rest to get back to normal. Actually it was the first ever major accident I have had in my life. Well, at one point this fact made it a very exciting experience for me :-). 

2. But then the sad part is the side effects it brought along with it. I had to miss Deeps’ daughter’s Namakarana ceremony. I lost another chance to meet one of my other friends, Vani. 

3. I also had to miss one another friend, Venky’s marriage, another chance missed of meeting our NCJ Gang. But this was somehow covered up by our Matheran trip. 

Well, otherwise it was business as usual.  Quite hectic week days in office for most of the year… It’s only from the last month that I’m kind of relaxed. But then, as long as I have friends like Shakthi and his team (Monty, Jags, Rajesh, Sampath, Pavan) office is never a burden or stress for me. Thank you everyone for being there. 

This was pretty much my life in 2008. I hope to have a more exciting and eventful 2009 and I wish you all the same.