Richard Bach's - The Bridge Across Forever

I finished up reading this amazing book by Richard Bach. As much I am awed by the story, I am ever further impressed by his unique writing style and insights. Some of the things I noted are:

1. The observer funda – Richard explains something and then prints what an observer, sitting on his shoulder and taking notes would have said at that time – Rates himself and notes the reactions of the situation. An insightful way to write the conflicting parts of yours.
2. He frequently talks of things that could have happened as Alternate Future.
3. Richard writes a letter to himself – when he was 20 years younger. Wow !!
4. Touches the gate and speaks to her love lady – someday you will be touching this gate along with me.
5. Says close your eyes and think that when I open my eyes, the world that I see, the moment I live is the world that I have created. How did it happen and what led me here? Then write about it. Beautiful.
6. The only thing that shatters dreams is compromise.
7. Keep notes that capture thoughts. Turn them into stories n anecdotes. Remember n re-quote.
8. Can be a listener as well as a talker
9. Losing, in a curious way, is winning.
10. Dream lady – should complement in every manner, should have stories that you can listen forever, should listen to your stories as if it excites her to hell, you can talk to her long after the food is gone, you can listen her the whole night, may be next day. It should be mystic, mutual, and very natural. Nothing fabricated.
11. Have u ever been so happy that you could not stand it and want it to end?
12. You have money, fine. But never try to use it to buy women.

Damn Good !!!!

A popular motivational speaker was entertaining his audience. He Said : "The best years of my life were spent in the arms of a woman who wasn't my wife!" The audience was in silence and shock. The speaker added: "And that woman was my mother!"

Laughter and applause.

A week later, a top manager trained by the motivational speaker tried to crack this very effective joke at home. He was a bit foggy after a drink. He said loudly to his wife who was preparing dinner, "The greatest years of my life were spent in the arms of a woman who was not my wife!"

The wife went; "ah!" with shock and rage. Standing there for 20 seconds trying to recall the second half of the joke, the manager finally blurted out "....and I can't remember who she was!"

By the time the manager regained his consciousness, he was on a hospital bed nursing burns from boiling water


Moral of the story: Don't copy if you can't paste!

Tame the Beast – Getting through a B-school!!

The euphoria of ‘getting in’ a top B-school has settled down long back. The excitement and uncertainly around ‘getting through’ has been catching up. How life would be ISB? What changes will it bring in and what I should never allow to be changed – if at all I do have few such things in me? What would be my immediate or persistent pressures? What is it that I can be aware of now rather than 6 months down the line and think “Darn, I missed it”. What I should not know at all? Will I really turn into someone who thinks “To sleep is to waste time”. I am scared. Are there things that I can chuck out and make my life much easier at ISB? Easier life. In a B-school. School - my thoughts were interrupted for a moment by that word and I was taken 3 months back. “School”, exclaimed an innocent friend and asked a novice question “It must be MBA College. Why do you keep on calling it a School”.. Millimeters of this light thought and Killjoy was back. Easier Life. HAA. It’s a 1 Year MBA. 600+ prowling around. Huh, easier life You got be kidding me. Too much was running across a jobless geek’s mind, fresh from a 12 hour long sleep, to surround itself in myriad controversies.

To kill the nagging feeling, I logged on to start over again, to look for other people’s blog, articles, and advise – this time about getting through a Business school. Amazing source of information – this World Wide Web. As Richard Bach said in “Bridge across Forever” - if you don’t know anything about something, pick a book about it. In today’s context, perhaps the best way is to Google it. Only thing one has to know is what one does not know and the rest has already been taken care by someone somewhere. Just connect the dots.

This intuit led me to this extremely useful relevant comprehensive post at a fellow admit’s blog – Nitin Pulayi – the Khabri. A good start to what each new admit should be thinking and cognizant about. I am not going to repeat or recompile what has already been so beautifully described. I hope I can produce a similar, personalized, version of ‘getting through’ B-school by the end of my coursework at ISB in one sitting – of course without looking back at this post. Darn, you believers in cut & copy! As for now the above post will be my guide to unravel the imminent uncertainties about life @ ISB!

My Global Blog!!

Just had a chance look at the Cluster Map widget I put long back on my blog. It kind of caught me off-guard with the compiled information about visitors to my blog and respective countries. Here is the list of all countries and respective hits:


I can understand India, US, UK, Australia, Singapore, Canada, UAE etc where I know few people. However, hits from countries that I haven’t even heard off, kind of surprise me. So much for the power of Internet and Globalization!!!

Dreams Dreams Dreams... All Over !!!

Exactly 3 months away from the roller coster ride, I think my next 3 months are going to be laziest ever in my life. These days, I have to motivate myself a lot to do almost anything, even for writing this blog.

The good part is that I think now-a-days there is absolutely nothing left that I wish but can't accomplish. All it takes it to close your eyes and here you go.......I have travlled to all Wonders of world, dated with Priyanka Chopra, owned a BMW, met all my childhood friends, took revenge from all those bowlers against whom I didn't score well during my gully cricket days, single handedly brought Satyam out of its current crisis, rallied the whole nation to give befitting reply to Mumbai attackers, beat Aamir Khan's Ghajini 8 packs, took my parents in flight to Singapore, toured with friends at beaches of Goa,..Hmmmm what next.....

Few things that I wish that really happen when I wake up next time are:
1. I get a call from my manager that he agreed to send me back to India sooner than Feburary.
2. I get a mailfrom my manager that he agreed to send me back to India sooner than Feburary.
3. My managers takes me out to coffee and agrees to send me back to India sooner than Feburary.
Ahem !!!!!

Operation Valkyrie !!!

I was excited by the trailers for this Tom Cruise flick “Valkyrie” and finally got a chance to see it today. Decent movie and Tom Cruise Rocks.

I also ventured to explore more on the operation and reached
here. This proves that movie is actually based on true story.

One time Watch and help you enhance your General Knowledge a bit!!!

Missing my target big time !!

I started off the year 2008 with a resolution to write 100 posts on this blog. With the current count at 37, I sure am going to miss my target big time. In my opinion, it does not help to state that I have been busy in pursuing more important targets. The goals for me are never going to smaller than what were in this year.

However, I have now crossed a critical threshold in my life and my posts need to take a better direction and frequency now. I will cover whatever I can in this year and definately hit my target of 100 posts next year !! God..give me some ideas ....

Quotes !!

While reorganizing some stuff on my lappy, I came across some good quotes that I noted down sometime back. Thought to share some words of wisdom here:

Never tell your problems to anyone...20% don't care and the other 80% are glad you have them. -Lou Holtz

Never explain yourself. Your friends dont need it and your enemies wont believe it.

Forgive your enemies, but never, never forget their names. -John F. Kennedy

The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good. -Ann Landers

Being sad with the right people is better than being happy with the wrong ones. -Philippos

Throughout life people will make you mad, disrespect you and treat you bad. Let God deal with the things they do, cause hate in your heart will consume you too. -Will Smith

If your problem has a solution then...why worry about it? If your problem doesnt have solution then...why worry about it? -Chinese Proverb

Laugh when you can, apologize when you should, and let go of what you can't change. Kiss slowly, play hard, forgive quickly, take chances, give everything and have no regrets. Life's too short

The ultimate measure of man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Pain never really goes away; you just elevate and get used to it by growing stronger. -Philippos

You have to take the good with the bad, smile with the sad, love what you've got, remember what you had, learn from your mistakes, but never regret, people change, things go wrong, but remember life goes on!

Sometimes the people who hurt us the most are people who were hurt more than us. -Philippos

I like to pretend that everything's alright. Because when everybody else thinks you're fine, sometimes you forget for a while that you're not.

"Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us." -Thomas Paine

The things that made me stronger are the ones that didn't let me sleep at first.

Not much on web these days !!

I haven't been able to take out time to write something on my blog for many days now. When you are short of time to breathe, perhaps blogging takes a lower priority. Over the last month, life has been hectic - much more than I have ever experienced. The divergent priorities - Professional and Personal - each at peak in its own terms have taught me numerous things in one month.

First, I have learnt and applied more time-management techniques these days. I attempt to visualize my day and plan for the same during shower / during travel to work. This has helped me to recollect my priorities of the day often.

Second, I have also learnt to stay composed under pressure situation. I have learnt it hard way when I reacted impulsively to a situation at work that had rippling effect on my work. I escalated about an person whereas I could have handled the situation more calmly and talked personally first to the person. However, I learnt the importance of carrying everyone along in tough situation. You never know in delicate situations how things sway in various directions quickly.

Third, I have also realized the importance to disconnet yourself from work / personal things. It is important to stay in present. When at work, focus on work. When at home, focus on your stuff. Trust me, this ain't easy. Yet I feel I have succeeded in many ways to achieve this and till now, I am satisafied with my performance.

To conclude, I value this intense period of time in my life and I have the courage to think that this will pay rich dividends in time to come. At the same time, not everything is exactly on track and I have much more to accomplish in coming month. I am on !!!

All set to Fly - Once again !!

Folks, it the time again in the year for the third consecutive time that I am all set to fly.

Again going through the troubles of packing your bags in hope to dispose old stuff and get new things at new place, leaving a cozy environment of friends and acquitance around hoping to find even better arrangements, breaking some commitments and promise I made to myself and others in aspiration to scale new heights. Each time I have take this leap - each time I have unsettled myself to break out of comfortable zone, I have gained something. I am hoping this experience turns out to be the deal closer for me in many ways !!

Rest updates from a new IP address :)))

I am sick ! I am Imagning !!

I hate to be sick. Perhaps, everyone does. But there are people who are too good at getting well after falling sick and then, there are few like I, who are absolute nerd at getting well. The first category and the major ones would take appropriate medicine, avoid things they should in sickness, and even take extended caution once they are well. The second category and the crazier ones, try to behave and become normal just at slight signs of recovery. Take for instance the fact that I went to office on Friday just because I felt little okay and didn’t wanted to be get boar alone at home – an action good enough to turn me further sick.

Interestingly, I found a doctor who kind of approved of my acts – the second category, An extremely practical guy, he didn’t asked me to avoid working on computer, avoiding various things to eat, or even watching movie. He said, it’s a viral and you will get well in 4 days - not before. I took it Not later also :P.

Lying in my bed, I have come to an interesting conclusion. I think sickness is direct challenge to your imagination potential. The more imaginative you can get, the easier it is to traverse through dull sick period. You like it or not, you have to stay in your bed most of the time. And there is a limit to your sleeping hours. Rest of the time, you got to get imaginative. If not, you bound to find it difficult to get well. So next time you call ill – god forbid though – imagine incessantly and cruise through your sickness.

This is not a Post !!

I just didn't get a chance to write for some time - Really busy at work. As I opened my blog today, I simply could not think of anything to write - Something unusual. Suddenly, it struck - why do I always have to write something? From where did I get this idea to write on a consistent basis?

I recollected I hired this idea from Robin Sharma. He said that if you do 'something' with consistency, everyday or perhaps couple of times a week, and pursue that activity regularly, within 3-5 years you will be deemed expert in that 'something'. I began to introspect on what I could do. I took out my diary and began to scribble something. I realized I could not organize my thoughts properly, as Robin often does in his blog and books. I decided that my 'something' will be writing. I started writing in blog, took my email communication very seriously, noted words used by eminent people and inducted those words in my write ups, wrote number of articles for citizen journalists websites, and participated in Essay writing competitions ( Never won any -- YET). Today I feel so good about writing - Many times, I open up my old emails just to check whether it was well crafted – What could I have done better there. In retrospect, I think Robin was quite insightful - It's not that just by doing something regularly you will become an expert, the idea with which it all started for me. It's the fact that when you pursue something regularly, you grow passionate about it and your threshold keeps on growing. You continue to upgrade yourself. You continue to be Hungry – for more.

I am far from an expert today to pen down my thoughts, I doubt I ever will be. I am million miles away from my dream to write a book. I even don't have an idea to write a book. For someone who is currently struggling to find a decent topic to write a blog, writing a book seems to be far fetched idea. Yet, in many ways I am proud of my writing skills today. It’s heartening when some friends want me to review their important e-mails. It’s even more satisfying when people, in attempts to pull my leg, comment on my writing skills. If this could be an inspiration for you, to start doing something on a regular basis – I shall feel a part of Robin Sharma’s journey to enlighten people.

Lastly, as I re-read this post, I thought to change the heading for I have ended up writing a decent post. In second thought, I choose to keep it that way - Thanks to Robin that I am able to write well on the fly.

De-Stress the Rain Way !!!

Last few weeks have been taxing with number of threads in my life going on. On Saturday evening as I was contemplating my course of action through tides that have disrupting my boat, I suddenly heard thunders of rain outside.

It was the first rain of the monsoon season. Delhi has been receiving significant and unusual rains this year. However, Saturdays rain was very different – First because it was heavy & perhaps first actual monsoon rain. Second because the rain sprung me in action.

I decided to get wet in rain. Not sure whether I decided so because of the frustrating events but I did. I went outside in the community where I noticed most people getting out their cars were rushing to get back to the apartments and I was doing exactly the opposite. I believe I am quite good a judging people from there gestures and comments. I could make out that while some were thinking 'Who the hell is this guy' but a majority simply wanted to join me.

Initially, I just walked in the rain. I recollected that as a kid we used to jump in the water. I thought I should do that now. At the onset, deep down my heart I felt little reserved to do this action because number of people standing in their balcony would have a clear view of me doing these childlike activities. At second thought, exactly for the same reason I decided to jump. I had just started when bunch of kids came running from a direction. We became a group of 5 and I was sure that if I add ages of rest 4 members of my group, I will still win !! We jumped in water and it reminded me of Dia Mirza’s entry in the movie ‘Rehna hai Tere Dil Mein’. Not sure if some girl noticed me this time :P..Will find out soon  !!

Later, the kids proposed me to play ‘Pakan Pakdai’ (A game in which one person runs and other chase him to catch him). What a fun it was. And trust me, these kids have some stamina. They tired the hell out of me. I loved those kids for everything but one. They called me ‘Uncle’ and I educated them that you should call Uncle to only those who are married. I am still happy and therefore call me ‘Bhaiya’. They obeyed and most importantly, agreed.

To conclude, it was a huge stress buster. I made some wonderful decisions lying in the rain. I completed many pending activities with enthusiasm and rejuvenated passion. Most importantly, I feel happy since I can’t recollect when last time I pursued such activities and let free the child that resides deep down inside of each one of us. Try it out sometime !!! Rains aren’t scare in Delhi anymore, just the attitude and approach to life needs to be !!

On the Dot Mr. AB

It's a well said old adage that 'You don't know importance of something unless you loose it'. Something similar happened to me today. Sometimes we are so accustomed to something that we donot realize how that thing uncounciously becomes an integral part of our life. I am referring to my habit to sit for many hours on my laptop and surf various websites, informational articles, blogs, business journals. Suddenly today, as I sat with my lappy, I realized I am not able to open GMAIL. I am not able to open my Blog. I am not able to open www.economictimes.com. Gtalk is also not working. What's wrong ? After diligent analysis, I found that my internet is not working. I checked my router & modem. Everything looked fine. Perhaps Airtel has discontinued the services since we did not pay bills for past 2 months. What a way to remind your customers !!

I was clueless for few minutes. What do I do with this laptop in front of me ? Counciousness struck that Internet and Laptop are two different things. Now that I have Laptop but not Internet I have to think how to best utilize this opportunity that's different and little boaring to start with. At the onset the best options seemed to give my lappy some rest and turn to some book or TV. But, I was hell bent on spending time on my laptop without internet. So here is the list of activities that I did in next couple of hours:

> Organized all the random data, articles, and softwares that I have collected over a time.
> Listened music - Perhaps the only activity on this list that I do even when I have internet
> Prepared a Video Song from the pics of the wonderful time spent at ILP, Trivandrum
> Add / Remov unused programs, disk formatting, and cleared cache to enhance the performance of the system.
> Played some creative games I downloaded sometime back but never touched.
> Uploaded my I-POD with new songs and podcasts.
> Wrote this Blog.

Seriously, it was fun. It was different and interesting. Try it out sometime. For Old times sake !!! Just sit on your computer and decide not to connect to internet. You will break monotony, find loads of untouched files, and feel fresh to get online the next day :) and most importantly, remember days few years back when getting online was such a privelege. We are changing as fast as things around us are. Perhaps that's why it took me couple of minutes to realize that without internet I can't open websites as I do everyday.

Lastly, I close this blog recollecting Amitabh Bachan's dialouge from Sarkar Raj when his wife tries to convince him that 'badtale waqt ke sath badalna chahiye' and he replies 'Badlte Waqt ke se sath agar hum badal gaye to kaise pata chalega ki Waqt badal gaya'. On the Dot Mr. AB !!

Is there something like 'SongMania' ?

I searched Oxford dictionary to see if the word 'SongMania' exists but it does not. So I choose to put it as 'Song Mania' although convinced after my experience that such word should exist. This happened with the sensational song 'Kabhi Kabhi Aditi' from movie Jaane Tu.....

As I was traveling from Jaipur to Gurgaon after dropping my sister at her new college, IIHRM Jaipur, I simply got hooked to this song. I could not let my Ipod play the next song. I could not sleep. I could not even think anything. I simply listened to this song again n again. And again.

Here I write the lyrics of the song that I have learnt after listening the song for hours ..Yeah literally ..For hours !!!

Kabhi Kabhi Aditi Zindagi Me Yun Hi Koi Apna Lagta Hai
Kabhi Kabhi Aditi Woh Bichad Jaye Toh Ek Sapna Lagta Hai
Aise Me Koi Kaise Apne Aansuon Ko Bahene Se Roke
Aur Kaise Koi Sochle Everything Gonna Be Okay
Kabhi Kabhi Toh Lage Zindagi Me Rahi Na Khushi Aur Na Maza
Kabhi Kabhi Toh Lage Har Din Mushkil Aur Har Pal Ek Saza
Aise Me Koi Kaise Muskuraaye ,Kaise Has De Khush Hoke
Aur Kaise Koi Sochle Everything Gonna Be Okay

Soch Zara Jaane Ja Tujuko Hume Kitna Chahte Hain
Rote Hum Bhi Agar Tere Aankhon Me Aansun Aate Hain
Gaan Toh Aata Nahi Hai Magar Fir Bhi Gaate Hain
Hey Aditi Maan Kabhi Kabhi Saare Jahan Me Andhera Hota Hai
Lekin Raat Ke Baad Hi Toh Savera Hota Hai

Kabhi Kabhi Aditi Zindagi Me Yun Hi Koi Apna Lagta Hai
Kabhi Kabhi Aditi Woh Bichad Jaye Toh Ek Sapna Lagta Hai
Hey Aditi Has De Has De Has De Has De Has De Tu Zara
Nahi Toh Bas Thoda Thoda Thoda Thoda Thoda Thoda Muskura

Tu Khush Hai Toh Lage Ke Jahan Chaiyi Hai Khushi
Sooraj Nikle Baadalon Se Aur Baaten Zindagi
Sun Toh Zara Madhosh Hawa Tujhse Kehne Lagi
Ki Aditi Woh Jo Bichadte Hain Ik Na Ik Din Fir Mil Jate
Yeh Aditi Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na Phool Fir Khil Jate Hain

Kabhi Kabhi Aditi Zindagi Me Yun Hi Koi Apna Lagta Hai
Kabhi Kabhi Aditi Who Bichad Jaye Toh Ek Sapna Lagta Hai

Hey Aditi Has De Has De Has De Has De Has De Tu Zara
Nahi Toh Bas Thoda Thoda Thoda Thoda Thoda Thoda Muskura - 5

Happy listening to the song. I am sure I need not give you a video / audio link !!

Can you get this one ?

Today, I was surfing across just to find something crazy, something stimulating. My search ended with the following illusion pic - one of the best I have ever seen.



Now the concept is: Both the A and B blocks are same shades of Grey. Period !!! Spend sometime here to really have a look before I lead to resolve the mystery. I know you will need my help :)

Done ? Perhaps you can read the explanation here. Could you make it ?

Perhaps try desi estyle. Copy this image in your mspaint, cut a piece from each block and compare. The explanation above will start make sense :). One of craziest things I have seen. How about you ?

Ciao
~Vinit

100 in a Year ?????

Hearing feedback on my blog from a dear friend suddenly brought me back to this unforgotten world wide Web URL - www.vinitgarg.blogspot.com.

At the start of the year 2008, as jubilant I was about hitting a 50 of blog articles I wrote in 2007 as aspirational I was to resolve that I will write 100 articles in year 2008. With the current pace, it seems for sure the resolution is bound to fail.

Seems like a urgent need to focus back on the blog and externalize myself again is the doctor's order at this moment..Hmmm !! Game On !!

B2B : Back to Blog and Back to Best

I have taken a sabbatical from my Blog. I notice the last write was on August 24. A significant SLA miss of 2-3 blogs a week. However, the activity that took the centerstage in my life has been close to what blogging is : Writing and sharing your experiences.

I have relentlessly shared my story with a group of highly skilled individuals. Perhaps right now my story is getting evaluated from the dimensions I could never imagnie. Once I get corroboration that the story is worth sharing, I will publish it here.

Meanwhile, I missed blogging during this time. I have a number of interesting stories to share; I will come up soon.

To forecast the writes coming up : LA and LV experience, How to win in Casino Gambling, How not to "Loose Control" in a convertible car in California, What to do when you have to eat rice on a single day > equal to your toal intake of a Year, What does 20-20 Cricket mean to me, What is so special about Giza, The Farmer turned Consultant ..... Many more !!!!

Today's Orkut forecast !!

When winter comes heaven will rain success on you!!!!

---Amen-----

Fabolous Story !!!!

One day Kuttappan's dad bought a robot.
The robot was special in that it could detect a lie and would slap the person who lied on the face.

Kuttappan returned late from school that day and his dad asked him, " Son why are you late from school?".

Kuttappan answered, "Dad we had extra classes today".

Much to his astonishment the Robot jumped up and slapped Kuttappan on his face.

His dad told him Mone (son) This robot is special in that he can detect a lie and will then slap the person who lied now come on tell me the truth, " Why are you late?"

"Dad I went for a movie", " Which movie?" "The Ten Commandments", Splatt Kuttappan got a tight slap on the face from the robot.

" No dad honest I went for the movie Hot Queen."

Shame on you son when I was your age I never used to do such shameful things."

Splattttttttt, the dad gets a tight slap on the face from the robot.

Hearing all this, Kuttappans mother comes walking out of the kitchen saying, "Athu pinne enginnenaa, ningalude monealle?" ( After all he is your son, he will be like you), to which the robot steps up and gives a resounding slap on Kuttappans mothers face.

:))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Moral : Jin ke ghar sheeshe ke hote hain woh dusroin pe pathar nahin marte !!!