August 25, 2007
I came across this while surfing the web and was amazed at this project taken by the Harvard Business school which puts forth a question to all its students. This question taken from the last lines of a poem by Pulitzer prize winning author - Mary Oliver. Ponder over this question and answer it for yourself. “What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
The following link portrays the answers by Harvard Graduates of 05-06 batch. http://www.alumni.hbs.edu/2006portrait/index.html
Carpe Diem!
February 24, 2007
Living in this highly stressful world, I was just reading an article about 52 proven Stress Reducers. One for every week eh!!! Some of the good ones i like and hopefully i am looking at implementing
1. Procrastination is stressful. Whatever you want to do tomorrow, do today; whatever you want to do today, do it now.
2. Eliminate (or restrict) the amount of caffeine in your diet.
3. Say “No!” Saying “no” to extra projects, social activities, and invitations you know you don’t have the time or energy for takes practice, self-respect, and a belief that everyone, everyday, needs quiet time to relax and be alone.
4. Simplify, simplify, simplify. . .
5. Writing your thoughts and feelings down (in a journal, or on paper to be thrown away) can help you clarify things and can give you a renewed perspective
6. Every day, do something you really enjoy.
7. Do something for somebody else.
8. Allow yourself time - everyday - for privacy, quiet, and introspection.
9. Learn to delegate responsibility to capable others.
10. Have an optimistic view of the world. Believe that most people are doing the best they can.
Read the rest of the article at http://www.twu.edu…
November 8, 2006
Imagine you are at an Airport. While you’re waiting for your flight, you notice a kiosk selling cookies. You buy a box, put them in your traveling bag and then you patiently search for an available seat so you can sit down and enjoy your cookies. Finally, you find a seat next to a gentleman.You reach down into your traveling bag and pull out your box of cookies. As you do so, you notice that the gentleman starts watching you intensely. He stares as you open the box and his eyes follow your hand as you pick up the cookie and bring it to your mouth. Just then he reaches over and takes one of your cookies from the box, and eats it! You’re more than a little surprised at this. Actually, you’re at a loss for words. Not only does he take one cookie, but also he alternates with you. For every one cookie you take, he takes one.Now, what’s your immediate impression of this guy? Crazy? Greedy?He’s got some nerve? Can you imagine the words you might use to describe this man to your associates back at the office? Meanwhile, you both continue eating the cookies until there’s just one left. To your surprise, the man reaches over and takes it. But then he does something unexpected. He breaks it in half, and gives half to you. After he’s finished with his half he gets up, and without a word, he leaves.You think to yourself, “Did this really happen?” You’re left sitting there dumbfounded and still hungry. So you go back to the kiosk and buy another box of cookies. You then return to your seat and begin opening your new box of cookies when you glance down into your traveling bag. Sitting there in your bag is your original box of cookies - still unopened.
Only then do you realize that when you reached down earlier, you had reached into the other man’s bag, and grabbed his box of cookies by mistake. Now what do you think of the man? Generous? Tolerant? You’ve just experienced a profound paradigm shift. You’re seeing things from a new point of view. Is it time to change your point of view? Your comments are welcome.
November 4, 2006
As we reach the halfway point of the semester and midterms have come and gone, I have come to the realization that there is a serious problem with the values we have been taught throughout our education. College students are more stressed than ever because we have been spoon-fed the belief that we need to get perfect grades if we want to get anywhere in life. Many of us get too caught up in grades and miss the bigger picture of what is really important. From now on, my college career, and life after that, is going to be directed by this simple slogan: “Take initiative, have a clue and give a damn.” After that, all else will follow… Just think of anybody that is successful, and it is clear that they took initiative, had a clue and gave a damn. Bill Gates didn’t even finish college, but he is enormously successful. Why? Because he took initiative (developed his own company), had a clue (knew how computer systems worked) and gave a damn (was willing to work hard to succeed). This strategy helps put things in perspective and will hopefully help me calm down.
Read the rest of the article
(Thanks to John Collins for contributing this article in Daily Trojan). I found it useful 
October 28, 2006
From an episode of F.R.I.E.N.D.S.
Chandler: So how does it feel knowing you’re about to die?
Joey: In 5 minutes my pain will be over. But you’ll have to live with the knowledge that you sent an honest man….to DIE.
Chandler: So…what do you want from me, Demon?…huh?
Joey: I just wanna go back to my cell. Cuz in my cell, I can smoke…
Chandler: Smoke Away!
*Joey takes a puff from the cigarette and there follows a series of gut wrenching coughs*
Chandler: I think this is why probably Demon smokes in his cell….ALONE!
Basically I have a couple of ‘friends’ who smoke, so I write this post in the face of a great deal of threat to my social life. lolz
A random scanning the internet brought me to the article where smoking was banned in Scotland. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3996587.stm
I have, for as long as I can remember, detested smoking. This probably had something to do with the fact that a few moments spent in the presence of a smoker ushered me into gut wrenching coughs.
I have to say I got major problems with smoking. Maybe this is primarily because, unlike other self destructing habits such as alcoholism or drug abuse, smoking is not just about self destruction; you widen the circle with it, endangering the lives of those around you and whether or not you are a victim of the habit. But then again I’m not in support of drug abuse or alchoholism either, and now don’t get me started on that. (I have people calling me a fundamentalist for this, but then I honestly don’t give a damn).
If you hang out with a smoker long enough, you might also get to spend some extra time together bonding…in the cancer ward of a hospital in the next couple of years. It is for this reason that I am completely in support of a ban of smoking in public. For the smokers who believe this is an erosion of their ‘civil liberties’, all I want to say is …you forget about the ‘minority’ of others whose right to fresh air and health is being encroached upon by you. We could do a lot better without the tobacco infested air we are encountered with everyday!
I, however am in support of the creation of small cubicles outside restaurants or theatres where these nicotine addicts can squeeze in and take a puff that will help them ‘escape’ from their load of troubles like a nagging wife at home, a dictatorial boss or a rather extravagant girlfriend; and help them get through the next hour.
It is scary that smoking is equated with being cool and that young teens are pushed into a world of nicotine addiction because of peer pressure. It is tragic that families continue to lose their children and children their parents because of the diseases caused by smoking. And it is horrifying to see the intricate and complex connections that exist between the tobacco industry and governments across the world. (Intricate and complex mean much less the same, but wth…I can’t find words to lay more emphasis).
One only hopes that smokers will now make the smarter choice… that of opting for fresher air to inhale, for the problems that smoking leads to, for them and others are not those that can be puffed away.
Anticipating a better world with fresher air, till next time,
Paras Mamania.
September 18, 2006
The last week has been so busy with assignments and studies that i am going crazy completing everything. Here’s one poem remembering my good ol’ days back in Mumbai, India:
I want to play football carelessly in the muck again,
I wanna pelt stones at the mango tree and thn hug it for saying sorry for the pain..
I wanna wander around not caring a damn about time,
I wanna dance til i am drop dead tired just to know tht the next day ill b fine..
I wanna rewind my life
Just to get that carefree attitude and innocence back..
But i also wanna fastforward in the future
Just to improve NOW on the things i lack..
Wasn’t I jst a kid yesterday??
Did i suddenly grow up 2 find a new today??
Duh no..I had my own time for everything,
Life moves on so fast tht you wonder whatz happenin..
Curiosity is the only thing that never changes,
How,When,Where and Why is only what the mind searches..
The answer is alwayz right in front of us..
All we have to do is open our eyes and search for the clues..
Hope all of you are doing well and have a nice week ahead.