Are you doing the things you love?

Was discussing generally with a friend today, when this question came up. Are you doing the things you love?

I thought about it for a short while, and I realized (to my shock and disbelief) that NO, I was not. This put me in a really uncomfortable situation for a while.

I realize that it is not that I waste the time doing nothing, but its just that other things have been taking precedence. I also know that the moment requires that I spent time on those things only.


So here's what I think I should do to come out of that situation.

Restart to do the things I really loved doing in the time slots that I get as 'free time' atleast. Some of those things include writing, doing some graphic design stuff, and of course some decent amount of photography. Also this activity could act as the de-stressing activity in the middle of the other important stuff.
 

When life smiles at you

..you smile back and say Thank You.
 
Some time back, I was reading an interview of a millionaire in the US, who confessed that inspite of all the money he had, he traveled only economy class. This allowed him to not only save up a lot, but also stay in his humble self and not get an attitude and let him remain down to earth. The story had an impact on me and I realized that what he said was so true.

However at the same time, when someone gives you a chance to experience something at no cost, then why not grab the opportunity.

Recently on a flight to Patna from New Delhi, all I requested for was an aisle seat. Only to my surprise I found that I had been alloted a business class seat at the cost of an economy seat. Now this was the first time, so I checked with the air hostess if there was anything wrong. And what good had I done to get the business seat. However I guessed that it was either the flight was overbooked in the economy class, or just that they did not know what airbus would be flying in that sector when they gave the tickets.

I just confirmed whether that was the only 3D seat in the flight, and then sat. Enjoyed the seat experience and smiled all through out the flight :)

Moments like these make you say, Life Rocks. :)

Jai Mata Di

I spend another year in Bangalore, and away from home during the Durga Puja (which happens to be the festival that is most celebrated at home).  I miss home during this festival the most.

Here is a shot from the Puja celebrations in the BTM layout, (the area that I live in Bangalore). I really thank the Vaishali Puja Samiti, for organizing it and I hope they continue to do so in the future too.

Also here is a song that I really love and listen to often. Which also is a constant reminder that I need to visit Vaishno Devi soon.


Happy Durga Puja all.

Following your dream

Everytime I come across someone who has given up the luxury of a well laid out life to follow their dreams and built things from scratch, I salute them.

Recently a friend of mine, quit her job to start something she has always dreamt of and is truly passionate about. Agree that there are bound to be obstacles and hurdles that would attempt to make the journey a lot difficult, but then no one ever said that the task of fulfilling the dream is going to be an easy one.

Having been in that similar position a year ago, I can imagine what she is going through. In-spite of the areas being different, the basics of entrepreneurship remain the same and its applicable to all.

I wish her all the very best, and I know for a fact that I will always be there to support her in this venture of hers.


Cheers!

Please do not dirty my lake

On of the things I will miss about the present house when I shift to the new house is the proximity to the Madiwala Lake here in Bangalore. The closeness of the lake keeps me motivated to go there to the park along side it for my morning jog and exercise.

Some of the views I get to see every morning, include fishermen on their coracle, doing their daily rituals, migratory birds and the sun's rays dancing on the water, the people who come to feed the fist everyday and the kids who come to try their hands at fishing as i watch them experience something wow every morning. 

Needless to say, it is one of the most beautiful time in the day for me, and something that I have got to do almost daily.  It is my moment of Bliss every day. I follow up the jog with the sound of the water and the birds. The traffic noise in the yonder does play spoilsport, but I get so mesmerized with the beauty of the lake that i just ignore the traffic noises.

I really applaud the officials who have tried to clean the lake, and also maintain it. Water planktons and other plants that form a mess on the beautiful water is painstakingly removed by them and made into piles on the shores. The effort to remove them is evident just by the piles of these water plants.

However, recently I was disappointed at the incidents of two 'well-educated' people, who shamelessly went about polluting it in the name of performing a Puja. What irritated me was the fact that they were throwing polythene in the lake. When I saw this, I went up and spoke to them. Both of them from the Northern part of the country, and mentioned that the rituals require the stuff to be deposited in the lake.
I found the argument really ridiculous and said, hello I appreciate your religious sentiments, but that does not give you the right to pollute the lake. I also mentioned that as you can see, it takes a lot of effort to clean the lake. And with people like you polluting the lake, it is really difficult to keep it clean.
The authorities have placed these large dustbins in the park for you to throw the plastics, so why not use them.

Thankfully one of them went back and picked up the polythene that he had thrown. The other one had thrown it too far into the lake, and hence could not pick it up.

I just requested them to consider these things before they do the act again. I hope they understood.
:)