The Art of doing Nothing.

 
Work, work, work. Play hard. Take a holiday. Go out. Have you seen the latest ? And yet …. I crave to walk the mountains, not alone, but in solitude, allowing my mind to breathe, to listen to the quite whispers going on between me and my mind. Between my conscious and subconscious. Every day to get to know myself again, to say a quite hello to myself, and give myself a gentle hug. And seemingly to do nothing. Nothing except just be…..
…. for if not, I am no longer active. I fool myself into thinking that the flurry of activity is real. That it gives my presence on this planet worth
It is an illusion.
For it is just a flurry of reactivity.. It’s like my mind is leaving my heart behind.
Often we believe that what happens is so directly related to what we do. Our actions.
That is just our Ego. For often our actions are mere reactions. Reactions that actually impede what we set out to achieve. To do.
Sometimes, it is good to sit back and believe. Just believe. Knowing that sometimes it is not merely in the doing, but also in the believing.
Till Next then.
CIAO

Time for a Free Hug…!!

A couple of days ago, I was prepared to blog angrily about something that was sticking in my craw, namely the accusations of bias and expectations that pop into my life almost daily. They make any day terribly frustrating, especially at a time of high tension.
& then I got a free hug -- actually two of them -- and the world seemed a little better.

Feeling depressed and lonely after numerous personal difficulties, Australian Juan Mann was deeply touched by a random hug from a stranger at a party. What began as one person giving hugs in a Sydney mall eventually evolved into a worldwide social movement of individuals offering hugs to strangers in public places.
The "Free Hug" movement began with one man in Sydney, Australia, who decided to cure a case of the blues by going to a mall with a hand-lettered "Free Hugs" sign. His only motive was to spread a little cheer with a universal human gesture of kindness (In fact, he goes by a pseudonym -- Juan Mann -- to avoid personalizing the movement.) The idea took off in Australia, and eventually around the world, thanks in part to a music video by the band Sick Puppies that featured inspiring footage of Mann at work. (The video, which you can watch to the left, has been viewed 71 million times and counting.)

Sometimes, a hug is all that we need. The Free Hugs Campaign is a real life controversial story of Juan Mann, a man whose sole mission was simply to reach out and hug a stranger. He merely wanted to bring some joy into a fellow humans life.
In an age where human contact rarely seems to occur, this Sydney, Australian man started a virtual revolution. Visit YouTube to watch this amazing video and see how the public was inspired and rallied around Juan when the police decided to ban hugs.
“It’s a way to make people smile,” Mann said.
“For every person who gets a hug, you see five walk past with a smile on their face.”
I never realized how far a hug could go! The whole free hugs thing completely make anyone’s day. Hugging complete strangers really does break the barriers. And it really makes you a lot less paranoid when in a group of people you don't know.
And I love this. I was inspired. From today onwards…this entire year… Its FREE HUGS YEAR for me…
FREE HUGS to each & every one who needs it
FREE HUGS for all who believe in it…
New Fact from today: We need 4 hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth.
Hugs will make you healthier, younger, thinner, more relaxed, live longer, fight depression and make you age slower.
You should try it… Because even if someone isn’t hugging you, they’re walking by… feeling good

Till Next..
CIAO..!!

Mr. Sibal…Are you reading this?

Just as ‘ Facebook protests’ give rise to democratic protests in Russia against rigging of elections by Mr Putin, the Indian Government seeks to curtail the reach and the voice of individual protest in the world’s largest democracy.
So what’s the Government (not only in India) afraid of? It’s afraid of the unknown. Social Network is a game changer in the playing out of democracy, and the Government (and Governments all over the world) are caught unawares. All political parties, their elected representatives, whether they sit in opposition or in Government have spent their political lives based on a set of parameters they have come see as sacrosanct. Moral or immoral, those parameters are the only ones they understand. The world has changed beneath their feet.
Yes there are video’s posted, or content posted on the Internet that are immoral and against the law. That encourage racial conflict.  But I believe the platforming companies are pretty good about removing such content.  All you have to do is report, and if there are enough complaints then that content will be taken off. You only have to look at how quickly the Internet companies and Governments all over respond to child pornography on the net (least in India actually).  But hey ! if there is something against a politician (say a video) and that gets 10 million odd hits in a week, and thousands of comments, does that not say something about how the community feels ?  To try and stop that is completely undemocratic, is it not ?
One last thing.  Censorship on the Internet is only possible if you shut the Internet down.  Google, Facebook and Twitter are only vulnerable because of their size and desire for valuation. Take them down and thousands of alternate sites for platforming content will sprout up.  Take them down and ten thousand will sprout up.  People have found the power to express themselves and will not give it up easily.  The growing community of hackers, some still in their teens, have shown that no Government or Corporation in the world is able to ‘ban’ them.
The Internet and freedom of expression are here to stay.

Dont we all need a good laugh!!

I just rolled over laughing when I saw this. Do watch, for this gentleman just got his 15 minutes of fame

Imperfections.!

The chat with her left me thinking. Is there a perfect gesture? Can ‘anything’ be done perfectly? Can anything ever feel perfect? A talk? An argument , even?


Well… the night, for starters was perfect. Clear sky, full of stars. A cool breeze. The walk felt good. Lonely. But good. Not at any moment did it feel like a 6 km walk. It was light. I felt light.


So maybe perfect things do exist, around us, in our lives. Now coming to what we mortals do. Can we mortals do perfects things? Like having perfect conversations? Closing a deal perfectly? Mmm… Having a perfect argument.. say? Can we?


I guess not. Humans are imperfect. In fact humans are far from being perfect. All of them. Not one work can ever be executed perfectly. No relationship can ever be perfect. No emotion delivered perfectly. So we humans are imperfect. Face it..!


But then doesn’t that very quality set us apart? From animals? From other humans? Then, Perfectness would mean there would be just one perfect human, one perfect attitude set, one perfect skill set, one perfect profession, one perfect car, one perfect city to live in, one perfect dish to eat daily, one perfect..of anything.


And achieving ‘that’ Perfect thing would mean we would all be the same. Exact replicas of each other. All behave exactly the same. All would look exactly alike, drive the same car, live in the same city, all of ‘em, eat the same thing everyday.


Aiming for the ‘Perfect’ would mean loosing your ‘Individuality’. Loosing that, would mean… well you yourself would cease to exist, ..figuratively..of course.!


Abhimanyu: “All right Life..! Lesson taken. Do not aim for the Perfect.. Done deal..!”
Life: Mind it..! Yenna Rascalla..!


P.S: Now who cares about perfect arguments anymore… haha..!
(Special regards to YM for helping me getting rid of my ‘block’…and JS, who is..well…shall we say My Imperfect Inspiration..!)

Engineering Roxx..

 

A compilation of a few Engineering Rib-ticklers..

 

1. Law of Mechanical Repair - After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch and you'll have to pee.
2. Law of Gravity - Any tool, nut, bolt, screw, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner....
3. Law of Probability - The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.
4. Law of Random Numbers - If you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy signal and someone always answers.
6. Variation Law - If you change lines (or traffic lanes), the one
you were in will always move faster than the one you are in now (works every time).
7. Law of the Bath - When the body is fully immersed in water, the telephone rings.
8. Law of Close Encounters - The probability of meeting someone you know increases dramatically when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.
9. Law of the Result - When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, it will.
10. Law of Biomechanics - The severity of the itch is inversely
proportional to the reach.
11.. Law of the Theater & Hockey Arena - At any event, the people whose seats are furthest from the aisle, always arrive last. They are the ones who will leave their seats several times to go for food, beer, or the toilet and who leave early before the end of the performance or the game is over. The folks in the aisle seats come early, never move once, have long gangly legs or big bellies and stay to the bitter end of the performance. The aisle people also are very surly folk.
12. The Coffee Law - As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.
13. Murphy's Law of Lockers - If there are only 2 people in a locker room, they will have adjacent lockers.
14. Law of Physical Surfaces - The chances of an open-faced jelly
sandwich landing face down on a floor, are directly correlated to the newness and cost of the carpet or rug.
15. Law of Logical Argument - Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
16. Brown's Law of Physical Appearance - If the clothes fit, they're ugly.
17. Oliver's Law of Public Speaking - A closed mouth gathers no feet.
18. Wilson's Law of Commercial Marketing Strategy - As soon as you find a product that you really like, they will stop making it.
19. Doctors' Law - If you don't feel well, make an appointment to go to the doctor, by the time you get there you'll feel better.. But don't make an appointment, and you'll stay sick.
Just a refresh:
Murphy's Law: If anything 'can' happen, it 'will'

A Mistake should only be rectified, not cultured.

This is with reference to an article that appeared in the Ahmedabad Mirror (Friday, Sept 09, 2011)
http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/2011090920110909025359361ed16ed49/PDPU-officials-ban-students-for-campus-violence.html
Following was my reply to the very biased comments that followed the post.
First of all, my dear fellow PDPU mates, please understand that this is a public forum and not any wall on the campus, where you will write anything you wish to. Not just you guys, not just the whole of PDPU family, this forum is open to the entire world out there. Having said that, do you seriously wish to put up such a tainted picture of your own University in front of the world? I am not saying you are wrong. You have said things with such frankness, there has to be a great deal of truth in it. Then why hide? All you guys are bold enough to reveal huge things about the ill management of the system i.e. PDPU, yet so timid that you can't even display your actual identities? Making fake email IDs and posting anonymous comments! Come on, you can do better! Commenting is easy. But remember, nobody pays heed to a faceless comment. Be bold to at least reveal your real identities.
Secondly, a group of 6 students from the B.Tech 08 batch were involved in the incident. Do not go on blaming the entire batch for what they did. Of course what they did was shameful. But shouldn't we all be ashamed that such a heinous thing took place in our campus? The 'anonymous' guys who have commented before me, they wish to say that 6 seniors had persuaded 14 juniors to 'fight'. My dear friend, "Ashish" (if that is what you wish to call yourself) It always takes 2 palms to make a clap. Don't the juniors have their own decision making ability? Would they do anything and everything that the seniors ever asked them to do? Admit it guys, it was a mistake, committed by 'all' of them, in a state of anger, over petty issues. Even I could go on commenting what a mess B.Tech 09 guys create time and again. And I sure can keep on praising my own batch of its timeless glory. But I won't. Not here!
Thirdly, please do not talk about unity, we all have our own definitions. If I may, remind you of the PDPU Protest, Feb 2011. I am sure you shall never forget that kind of uproar ever in your life.
Fourth, "Ashish", we are in the same college now, who knows we might be in the same company tomorrow. Would you always want to have such a "love-filled" relation with your seniors, and that too all of them? Then , I must, and must wish you all the very best. You shall be respected only when you know how respect others.
PDPU is not the management. It is not the professors. It isn't the huge packages it gets either. It is us, the students. What we do is what defines what PDPU is. And it isn't going to make our career if we keep on lamenting that we are here, or continuously complaining about it. Do something for the university first, and then complain that it is not doing anything in return. Because you like it or not, this name, "PDPU" will stick to you forever. Now if you wish to taint that name, or take it to newer heights, is all your wish.
With solidarity and pride for my University
Abhimanyu Manna
Class of 2012
PDPU

I have nothing more to say for now!

Mmmm… Chicken

I dedicate this post to a dear friend, Saloni Gupta, from Indore, who I have met, for a very brief 15 seconds only, and that too when I didn’t know it was her.
Today, almost a month after my b’day, I finally received the gift she had sent me. And I can’t stop wondering what I would do to her if she had handed this over to me face-to-face ( ) !

The said cookbook which is a heavenly compilation of over a 100 Chicken recipes, says:
“Chicken is one of the tastiest and most versatile meats you can use – it goes with almost every sauce, spice and vegetable under the sun! This cookbook contains mouth-watering recipes for all manner of chicken dishes, including warming soups, quick and easy lunches and impressive main courses.

With its practical advice, easy-to-follow recipes and fabulous photography of each finished dish, there is nothing difficult about this cookbook. In fact, the hardest part will be deciding which of the delicious recipes to try first!

Chicken is a popular favourite with adults and children alike, perhaps because it is such a versatile ingredient that there are heaps of different dishes to suit all tastes.  It can be prepared in lots of ways, from classic roasts to speedy fries and from spicy curries to rich and satisfying stews. It makes great sandwiches, wraps, salads, soups and kebabs and is the perfect partner for pasta and rice. It is perfect for any occasion from an elegant dinner party with friends to a relaxed family barbeque.”

My Chicken Song:
When I wake up in the morning
There is one thing on my mind
Its Chicken! Chicken! Chicken!
And more Chicken all the time.
And every now and then I think
How sad this world would be
Without my tasty little friends
So plump and feathery



C – H – I – C – K – E – N
Yeah.. Chicken is my best friend
When I’m down or feeling grey
I grab my fork and clear my plate
Where am I supposed to begin
To explain how much I am in
Love with C – H – I – C – K – E – N
Breakfast Chicken!
Lunch Chicken!
Dinner too Chicken!

Now..what more can I say.. except for..
 Sweet ‘Chicken’ Dreams..!!

Ankleshwar et al.

 

…now, for the greater part of last couple of months I was in Ankleshwar, Gujarat interning at ONGC, in Drilling services. 45 days. You wouldn’t really expect me to take you into the technical aspect of the intern…would you? Now, one thing that I’m sure I learnt, and for ever, was elementary cooking. I experimented with any and every kinda food I caught hold of. Even tried cooking ‘ready to serve’ stuff. Tried a few ‘tougher’ recipes too. And I know what you would be saying under your breath when I say, “It was awesome.” But none of it really matters, does it? Coz I had ‘all’ of them.

Also had a lot of time for myself during these days. ‘Myself’ bole to about my past, present, and (maybe) sometimes about the future too. The difficult part was that I fell asleep whenever I started thinking about my future. And I wouldn’t really wish to share my dreams, with you, here. Although it would be a gigantic treat if my future remotely resembled my dreams.

My laptop has been causing tantrums lately. So I’m having a  new one soon. Its a swanky peacock blue Dell Inspiron 15R (N5110).

I came back to campus early, for a reason I do not see being fulfilled anytime soon.

Life is damp and gloomy.

Till next (& I hope its sooner).

Cheerio!

8 hours to go…

Hey People…Here I am…yet again…

Just 8 hours before my ‘Advanced’ Drilling Technology end semesters, not willing to study anymore (any at all, actually), my mind drifted from one thought to another. Let me try to recall the thought train…

Drilling – Armageddon (movie based on ‘Advanced’ Drilling) – Good movies – Forrest Gump – Idiot - 3 Idiots – Viru Sahastrabudhhe aka Virus – Frizzy hair – No hair – Raghu-Rajiv – Roadies – Karizma – I don’t have a bike – I will have a bike – Graduation next year – Next year 2012 – How would I like to die – How long would I like to live – Who would I live with till my last – Would the ones I have now, be there then too – Future seems so distant – If only I had a Time Machine -

and on…and on…and on…

Many of you would know exactly what I am talking about…burning the midnight oil a night before an exam only sets your mind into a random-er motion. The thought trails get hazy, and it becomes extremely difficult to concentrate.  You would know you are going through one such whirlpool if you close your eyes for a while…pictures flash at speeds you did not think your mind could process… 2 PM becomes 5 PM in no time… And its really weird how more the speed of the flashing, more you feel sedated… I mean…shouldn’t the mind become alert..!!?

Or maybe not… Human mind is a bitch… and is a real mystery… still every year millions of fools try ‘decoding’ it… I ask, “What is the need to ‘understand an understanding’?”

Can’t, ‘at least’ the human mind be free?

I don’t expect my mind to answer that question anytime soon…there I gave it an ounce of freedom…

Feels good to be sedated…

Till next…Cheerio!