Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Mann...

मन का हो तो अच्छा, मन का ना हो तो और भी अच्छा... (If you get your desire its good, and if not... its better).

हरिवंश राय बच्चन की यह पंक्तियां शायद आज के समय की सब से उपयुक्त पंक्तियां है। आज भी मुझे याद है जब मैंने इन शब्दों को पहली बार पढ़ा था, तब शायद मुझे भी इन का महत्व समज नही आया था। लेकिन आज जब वापस सोचा जाए तो ऐसा लगता है की शायद पुरी ज़िन्दगी ही इन में सिमट गई है, कुछ बातें कभी बहौत परेशान करती है तो फिर कुछ समय निकल जाने के बाद लगता है की अच्छा ही हुआ। शायद इसी का नाम ज़िन्दगी है, और ऐसे ही आगे बढ़ते जाना है...

These are the random thoughts collected by me sometime back... out of the blue... at some unknown time at some unknown place...


Monday, September 29, 2008

Behind every successful...

When I was a child, I used to laugh at some of the old sayings... like the one in the title. Behind every successful man, there is a woman, then I started looking around to check the factual content of this saying. After fooling around for some days, I came to conclusion that in some cases it might me true considering the inspirational and motivational support but on the other hand there are a lot of successful men around those have written their own success story, no one standing behind them. Taking all credit off and giving that to some woman is injustice to half of the world's population. Though, I know that one of the most successful man in our country (Mr. Manmohan Singh) has woman behind him :).

Then looking at these facts, my mind started boggling to find more details about it. I talked to some of the guys around me, also looked at some of the stories available online. Then I came to conclusion that there are two main reasons behind... one that I have mentioned above, the motivational, inspirational and emotional support... and the other, which I find in most of the cases is related to ego. I think for most of the men on this planet, its too hard to digest if some woman kick on your ego (common' guys lets accept it that we have a big... big ego problem, and I think we should have that!), probably that impact make you more focused to your goal and take an eye off that impact. Probably, we want to prove ourselves (and definitely the person on the other side) that we are better and this lead us to a path of success! ha ha ha... I know I am right, accept it or not...

Friday, September 26, 2008

Meet the greatest management guru of all time

Since my childhood, I have been fascinated towards the ancient Indian Wisdom and visionaries. Chanakya (Kautlya) is always being on top of the list. A Management Guru, The man who evolve economics, and may be called a man who knows all aspects of governance. This blog is dedicated to him with some of his very famous quotes-

1) "A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and honest people are screwed first.”

2) “Even if a snake is not poisonous, it should pretend to be venomous.”

3) “The biggest guru-mantra is: Never share your secrets with anybody. It will destroy you.”

4) “There is some self-interest behind every friendship. There is no friendship without self-interests. This is a bitter truth.”

5) “Before you start some work, always ask yourself three questions - Why am I doing it, What the results might be and Will I be successful. Only when you think deeply and find satisfactory answers to these questions, go ahead.”

6) “As soon as the fear approaches near, attack and destroy it.”

7) “The world’s biggest power is the youth and beauty of a woman.”

8) “Once you start a working on something, don’t be afraid of failure and don’t abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest.”

9) “The fragrance of flowers spreads only in the direction of the wind. But the goodness of a person spreads in all direction.”

10) “Whores don’t live in company of poor men, citizens never support a weak company and birds don’t build nests on a tree that doesn’t bear fruits.”

11) “God is not present in idols. Your feelings are your god. The soul is your temple.”

12) “A man is great by deeds, not by birth.”

13) “Never make friends with people who are above or below you in status. Such friendships will never give you any happiness.”

14) “Treat your kid like a darling for the first five years. For the next five years, scold them. By the time they turn sixteen, treat them like a friend. Your grown up children are your best friends.”

15) “Books are as useful to a stupid person as a mirror is useful to a blind person.”

16) “Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere. Education beats the beauty and the youth.”

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish...

Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish... one of the few mantras that Steve Jobs (CEO of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios) gave in his Stanford University commencement address in 2005. Hungry to learn... and foolish enough to look around...

Just keeping this blog short, posting the link for text of his commencement address. It is one of the very practical and and honest speech I have ever heard-

http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505.html

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Vo Jubaan kuch kah jati shayaad,
Vo ghadi u hi ruk jati shayaad,
De jati kuch nishan aage badne ke,
Zindagi u tham na jati shayaad...

Socha aage badhenge un raston par,
Jahan kuch nishan abhi bhi baaki hai,
Mann kuch bhi kahta ho ab,
Yaadon ki dastan abhi baaki hai...

Waqt shayaad tham sa gaya hai,
Un lamhon ko ji lene ke liye,
Ya phir shayaad kah raha hai,
In aasoon ko peene ke liye...

Is samandar ke kinare bhi dikhne lage the,
Is zameen par bhi badal barasne lage the,
Kya pata tha ki aakh u hi khul jayegi,
Aur zindagi u hi sach dikha jayegi,
Ya phir shayaad.... khud "Zindagi" se hi ruth jayegi

-anoop

P.S.- I am still looking for a name... suggestions are welcome!

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Loud Silence

Sometimes silence seem so loud, and it has such a great impact that loudest voice on earth in nothing compare to it. I experienced such a 'loud' silence this Saturday night. I think it's going to have a great impact on me and people around me. Sometimes you expect a loud and firm reaction for your deeds, but when you get noting but a very small voice comparable to silence then it become very hard to face that voice coming out of this silence.

Anyways, talking on the serious note today sometime you try too hard to avoid mistakes and then you see that you are more prone to mistakes. Things that you do unknowingly, becomes your mistake and also any step towards saving yourself take you one step closer to it. Some call it bad phase, some call it bad luck and lot of other words have been given to it. Person whom you think mentally strong and stable commits some of the errors that are least expected from him. I am trying to figure it out, why most of the things in life are like send... more you try to hold it in your hand, more it slip off it through fingers.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Davil's Icebox

So, finally I got time to write about one of my best experience in US... The Devil's Icebox!!!

Its a cave located near Columbia, about 10 miles long in its full length, no sign of outer atmosphere and light, no man made structures, no human being, about 6 species of bates, full of wet and very wet mud, lot of small hole to pass on, very low tempeture and flowing water springs (some places its as deep as 9-10 feet). So the total package makes it true adventure.

Pre-preparation-> I have been told to buy at least two waterproof headlamps with super bright light, a water proof torch, learn about Kayaking, but a pair of very good mud shoes and get ready to put life at risk...

And here it starts-> I reached at base office at about 8:00 AM in morning, after checking all equipments they told us to get to parking area close to the cave (about .5 miles away). They gave us Kayak there each wt. about 60 pounds and told us to lift them and carry to the entrance of cave. It was a group of 9, we took out Kayak to entrance passing through some wooden ladders and muddy pathways.

Just at the entrance of the caves, on top of my surprise it was a deep water spring and we have divided us in a group of two with one Kayak each, as soon as we got in I got to know that me any my partner, we both are novice in Kayak and we were the last one to follow the whole group, after passing half way on some shallow water area our group leader has changed our partners. Then after 45 min of peddling we have reached to the first point, there we left our kayaks and start walking down. It was smelling really bad there with lots of bats poo...

We were walking on muddy surface, through water spring up to 4-5 feet deep and through some natural holes with whole body in mud, but really after some time I started enjoying that mud too, putting myself down and crawling through those small pathways at about 12:00 PM we reached on some plane surface. We stayed there for lunch (that was with me in my backpack, in a waterproof container) and then at 12:30 PM we started walking towards waterfall... this was rather easy way to pass on and at about 2:00 PM we reached there. It was one of the most beautiful structure I have seen in my life... simply amazing, how water has made such a beautiful thing by sedimentation.

As return journey always took less time, so on the common consensus we decided t0 take a new way and also to look into most of the muddy holes to make journey more adventurous. I must say, it was hell of a difficult journey back... I slept couple to times and two time I was skidding like anything on muddy ground and towards water body (thank god it was shallow there!). After looking into a lot of holes and couple of bat colonies we reached to our kayaks and this time we were leading the whole group with my new partner and covered the whole 45 min journey in 30 min.

After reaching outside, it was a pleasant feeling to see sunlight after almost 9 hours. It was 5:30 in my watch and again after taking our kayaks to parking area I tore out some of the trash bags in my car and tied them to seat as the whole body and cloths were in mud.

We drove back to base camp and it was time to clean all the stuff, thanks to high pressure pipe most of the stuff was clean in one hour. Me and my partner were starving like anything so we decided to go to Cici's pizza (eat unlimited pizza, pasta and salad in $4.49 ;-))...

After that great lunch and dinner, its time to go back home to prepare for next day adventure at six flags!!! The whole body was in pain... but I was enjoying that and thus ends one of the exciting day of my life!!!

P.S.- It was hard to explain the whole adventure in words... I will upload pictures soon on this page...

Saturday, September 20, 2008

A 'Wonderful' Wednesday....

What a movie!!!
Superb, fantastic, mind blowing....
Acting- 9/10
Direction- 9/10
Movie- 9/10
Dialogue- 9/10

This movie has proved again that India has got some talent, this movie has proved that we do have some original ideas, we do have good actors and we do have nice directors!!!

It was really good to see the true talents of actors like Anupam and Nasir, which we hidden behind the glamorous casting and crappy comic characters. Hates off to duo!!! I can frankly say that after a long time I have seen a bollywood movie that has fixed me on my couch.... I really didn't know when the whole time has passed watching this fast paced and well made movie.

Cheers,

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Balloon Festival

Before talking about my caving experience, let me tell you about the balloon festival in Columbia. Its was simply rocking time and experience. Just on the next day to my birthday, I went to Columbia annual balloon festival, it was Saturday and we left at late afternoon, I was there with four of my friends. It was not a good condition for balloons to go high in sky and organizers have canceled the race but they announced that there illumination and other scheduled events will be there.

We reached there about 5:00 PM and for the first time in my life I have seen about 30 balloons together, while walking down the ground I was observing the whole process the set up the balloons and how they were filling hot air in it. I could see some balloons flying in sky in twilight conditions but most of them were standing on ground. I could see most of the balloons with some themes specially one with tiger theme (Go Mizzou Tigers!!!). It was more like a family fun fest and I have seen this many children together for the first time in US, also on the same note I could see most of the balloons were set up by families rather then a group of individuals.

Finally after some wait the illumination has started, telling you the truth it was a hack of experience... the whole show was gorgeous with the sound all lights are up in all balloons and also some rhythmic fire as well. I didn't even realized that how next one hour passed in watching show and taking photographs.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Birthday...

So finally I got time to get back to Voyage...
Lets have headlines first-
1. Celebrated my birthday after a long three year break that too with some surprises on stack
2. Finally got chance to go on wild cave exploration and spend a whole day underground
3. Went to Six Flags at St. Louis for the whole day fun
4. Celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi (Indian Festival) with Ganesh Sthapana

I can bet that this post will not be enough for explaining all these together, so lets start the recap with my Birthday-
The whole story started with new students coming for Fall'08 semester, and as the president of Indian Association of university I was taking care of their initial arrangements etc. As of my usual habit no one knows my birthday in advance, but just because of one of my friends prank on orkut these guys came to know about my birthday...

It was evening of 21st Aug, Harshil came to me as ask for going out for a walk then suddenly he changed plan and said that lets go at 11:30 this night... this was enough signal to ring bells in my mind, but as time passed I could seance some thing was cooking around but I thought that they may arrange some small party tonight, but as it was close to 12:00 I could feel a bunch of people outside my apartment and inside, Harshil was trying his best to keep me busy with some videos on you tube... then suddenly door opens and 5-6 guys came in and locked me in my room. Finally room opened after a while and up to top of my surprise it was a whole group of about 25 (or may be more) new and old students there is my apartment... I said to my self... OMG its not happening... then cake... candles... ice cream (as I don't eat cake) and gifts to add on to surprise (as gifts are very uncommon here). Full 2-3 hours of fun that too a very decent fun which is very unlikely here.

So finally, the day started I was very busy for first half of the day I got time to have lunch about 4:30 PM (WOW!!!). I was having a foot long at subway then suddenly my mobile phone rang and it was Hitoshi calling from international center (where I was volunteering for last 1.5 years), and he invited me for dinner with new students at 6:00 PM, well I thought lets go there and have some fun with newbies from around the world... we went to international cafe and for the first time in my life I ordered some middle eastern dist named 'Falafal'... but again a surprise was waiting for me... it was not the casual dinner party... rather it was my BIRTHDAY PARTY... gush! everyone was around and singing happy birthday to you!!! I got wishes from most of the languages from world... and it was time to go back home to throw a birthday party in desi style... I arranged a small pizza party that evening (courtesy: Domino's for cheap pizza!) and it went on till 12:00 but it was not the end... still to come a friend and again we ordered a pizza and then she left at 2:00 and I went back for a most awaited sleep...