Quote of the week!

Something that Adobe's CEO mentioned in his sunday interview in the NY times -

If you already know the path to a goal or you can connect all the dots between what you see today and where you want to go, then its probably not ambitious or aspirational enough.

Love it!

Quote of the week!

MOST PEOPLE WORK HARD AND SPEND THEIR HEALTH TRYING TO ACHIEVE WEALTH. THEN THEY RETIRE AND SPEND THEIR WEALTH TRYING TO GET BACK THEIR HEALTH.Many FAIL'

The best of 811 RV

My Role Models

http://foodnsport.com/blog/articles/801010-Allstar-Kathleen-Leonard.html

http://foodnsport.com/blog/articles/801010-Allstar-Michael-Arnstein.html

History Sucks

Thats right. In my school days, my least favorite subject was History. Oh, why did I have to remember when the Princely states got dissolved, or when Tipu Sultan became king of mysore. Neither Indian or Asian or European or World history interested me. History sucked then!

Now, it sucks me in! I love it now. Maybe because I dont have to write key historical dates on an answer sheet in 3 hours. As I sit back and try to lap up all that the world offered for centuries, I hope that the history text in our school textbooks of today is much more interesting. I also hope that history examinations are not set on asking the students to remember the dates of each occurance and instead focus on the event and the significance of it.

Ved's writings

I have recently taken fancy to Ved Mehta's writings. He has a way of writing 'it'. Did you know that Ved Mehta is blind? Each time I read one of his books, or for that matter any page where he builds his character or narrates the grandiose of a moment, I wonder, how on earth can a blind man met out such penmanship that can only be articulated by people who can not just feel, but see the moment, atleast as per my perception. Ved, in one of his books, (I think its in his first book, Face to Face) goes on to explain how he develops an heightened level of facial vision or human echolocation that helps him 'see'.

My limited research on facial vision makes me understand that it does help a blind person to sometimes identify the location and size of a nearby object and use this information to steer around obstacles and travel from place to place. Definitely a boon and Ved through the portryal of his life through his various writings, seems to have mastered this science or technique. But how on earth does he describe facial demeanours, the mood swings, the decoration of a room, the beauty of a photograph and the subject(s) in it, the narration of physical features of a lady friend when she was alone with him, among other vivid descriptions. Yes, he did employ readers to read his books to him. Mainly study materials and the occasional letters he received. But he definitely didnt have a reader, to his beck and call, to explain every moment of his life, which he captures so well in this books.

I am sure, many who have read his literature, would have similar thoughts. I for one, dont deny the pleasure his writings have given me. I would have read, probably six of his books, and each one of them has been a treat. Its only after reading so much about him, his family, his life, his years at Dadar school for the blind, Arkansas school of the blind, his time at Oxford and Harvard, his complilations and analysis about Mahatma Gandhi and the pre and post emergency era, and his synposis on Rajeev Gandhi and the ram rajya, do I feel that I know him well. And hence, the urge to question. Was he completely blind? Completely blind, all the time? Did he regain some vision, some ray of hope, which he failed to disclose? Remember, Ved, literally completed all his education through one grant or another.At any point of time, did he feel, that acknowledging any partial sight blessings from the almighty, might actually ruin his chances of acquiring the elite erudition that he and his father always seeked? He was not born blind, but at the age of three, to his doctor father's utter dismay, succummed to a severe bout of meningitis, and lost his vision.

Date my Mom and then there is Frasier

I put on the TV today and came across a show called 'Date my mom' on MTV. American TPT (Trailer park trash) at full display!! Moms as sleazy as their daugthers, and fully exhibiting the whore culture.

And then there is a show called Frasier. Off the charts now, but my sanctuary to watch and appreciate some classy television. Whenever I binge on junk TV due to my sheer curiosity (Once I was so curious about the Jerry Springer show, that I watched three back to back episodes to understand what the show was about), I detox, by turning to the Crane brothers.

Thanks to youtube, I dont have to resurrect my Frasier collection from my network drive. Well, now back to Seattle's trademark show...

P

New Year's Eve

Was at NYC, Times Square.
Very Very Cold weather.
Amidst a multiethnic crowd, visiting from different parts of the world.

Cheers!

I look forward to 2009 !!!!

The Job

One desk after another. One kitchen after another. Thats my life for the last four and a half years. The desk, for my laptop, and the kitchen, for refreshments (mostly water) and gossip. I have been doing the rounds of offices, meeting rooms, conference calls, across cities and continents, as a traveling consultant, that I feel, I have simply lost the sense of space and belonging. I meet new clients, make new friends, setup teams, brainstorm, 'solutionize', execute projects, try to remain politically astute without getting political, and among other things get the job done. I then pack my bags, and head on to my next desk. I wonder when will this stop. Or do I even want it to. I dont know.

Am I happy? Am I sad? Am I petrified? Am I jubiliant? Am I beat? Am I lost? Am I sane?

Am I ..........................