October Rain

How to destroy a well built career : Anti Patterns of IT industry

What you think of as success, is merely a trap. 

Things that are bothering me right now

Blaring horns

Cab that charged 2x at peak time

Rain at the beginning of travel

Bikers pushing their way when there isn't any

Collective sound of people blabbering

Frantic last minute passengers running around 

Engine cranking noise from cars of hosts who came to see off someone

Lookalike travel buses which make you rise in your seat

The incessant sound of bell from a roadside shopkeeper 

Dissolute me.

Tags and Labels

Money spinners get tags and labels.

Less achievers get tags and labels.

Average people get tags and labels too.


Doers non doers all get tags and labels.


It wasn't the case before 50 years.

As the ambitions grew, markets opened, opportunities increased, everyone started competing and started getting tags and labels.

In a far away town in Austria, lapped in the mountains, there's a coffee & pizza shop. A small town.

Less ambition or no ambition. Not much of internet.

Serving the travellers and localities, the shop owner lives a simple yet contented life.

He has a fireplace and enough wood to last the winter.

He has a roof over his head and ample space to grow flowers around his house.

He has a small family which works with him and does not demand moving to another place.

He doesn't know much about politics, materialistic needs, wealthy ambitions of world.

He is happy and contented, surrounded by the mountains, greenery all around, round the year and earns much from occasional tourists and locals to carry out daily business.

Who decides whether he is successful or not?
Who decides whether he is wasting his life living on his own terms?
Who decides whether he should continue to live like that or aspire for more?

He loves the rain.

He loves the start of snow.

He loves the howling of wolves in night.

He loves to hike when it's sunny.

He was indifferent, He was once in the epicenter of action, in a buzzing city, boozing every night partying amidst city people. But at heart, he never forgot his destiny.


Will he be able to make it to that small town?
Will he be able to hear the truth amidst the unnecessary cacophonous worldly noise?
Will he be able to shade the tags and labels and not care about them any longer?

Meaning of Life

Meaning of Life

This post will not be concluded ever.

It will be extended and written over time when life reveals itself in finer details.

By no means it’s going to be easily comprehensible.

May be after few years things will start to make sense and this can be redrafted into simpler ways.

Let’s go back to point of origin.

What brings us to this pertinent question?

Is it meaningless to even think about it?

Isn't it pure waste of time if an ant sits all day long without collecting grains it need for livelihood and instead keep pondering about what's the meaning of being an ant and living a life of an ant?

What’s the difference between an ant’s life and a human?

It’s all about chemicals. The chemical composition of brain, giving way to electrical pulses inside the cranial cavity, which urges human race to go beyond obvious and pushes them to make links between experiences.

It will get more incomprehensible now. It’s all going down to neural networks. Biological neural networks. Even the brightest minds on Earth cannot artificially replicate 0.00001% of it’s huge potential.

It’s not as simple as it appears on surface. 

At times it will feel like this post is veering off from the main topic but sometimes its necessary to cover the information surrounding a topic to make it inclusive.

Lets make links of information in simplest forms.

Sun->SolarSystem->Earth->water->lifeforms->humans->reproduction->species

Universe->Galaxies->habitable planets->order

Universe->galaxies->dark matter->singularities->chaos

Humans->emotions->actions->reactions->cycle of life->death

Humans->hunters->wanderers->survival of the fittest

Birth->a clean slate->experiences->coding the biological neural networks begin-> learning from surroundings->A functioning lifeform.

Death-> wipes everything clean-> end of a one lifeform. 

I don't believe in Darwin’s theory of evolution, neither did I believe in concepts of theism.

“The lifeforms on Earth is a gift of Universe, a comet or asteroid that planted seeds of life on Earth”

We owe a lot to this universe. Its difficult to see the insides of body when the eyes are outward. But if we get the eyes that can go along with blood cells, a whole new universe will appear in front of us widening our knowledge of unknown.

Now the most complicated question. Even I have not gone any further thinking about this.

Before 1,01,94,77,501 seconds (or 32.3 years) I was a clean slate. Since that time, till today when I'm typing these letters on my macbook…. a little while ago before that time, neither did I existed nor the macbook and not even a single experience that I writing down today.

So what changed in these 1,01,94,77,501 seconds?

A Lot.

My generation has seen the growth of technology, changing psychological behaviours, easily wandering around the globe.

Stop at this moment and rewind and recollect every little thing.

If I wasn't born, would this all have not happened? Do I contribute to these things? The answer is YES. I’m an ant who is as insignificant as a single ant, but as much responsible as part of thousands of ants building the ant hill.

So I may be taken out of the system at any time but not my species. If the species goes off, the balance of ecosystem will be gone. 

So coming back to the birth. It’s the beginning of life. Everything starts with birth and ends with death. This not quite true, it starts with birth but it doesn't end with death. You are part of this network, you leave a lasting impression on this network and you contribute to the overall learning of this network which will be carried forward by your surrounding species and your generations.

Our behaviour (what we learn from the network) goes back into the same network as input (feedback control system). 

We derive our life goals from this learning. Now we are coming close to the topic “Meaning of Life”.

Most of us believe in "achieving goals of life" as "fulfilling meaning of life”, but that is not true;

In the most primal and truest sense, as species our first and foremost responsibility is to survive, reproduce and keep the continuation of genes. It’s not very different from the life of an ant. Remember this life is gift and gifting this opportunity to another lifeform is what Universe wants from you. 

We think a lot. So what if we have fulfilled this duty to reproduce. What next? Was that the only purpose I was brought into this world?

Here we begin to ponder beyond our limitations, into the grey area and this is what makes us different from ants.

First of all let’s discuss about PERCEPTIONS.

What is perception?

perception

pəˈsɛpʃ(ə)n/

noun

1. the ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses.
   "the normal limits to human perception"
2. the way in which something is regarded, understood, or interpreted.

When we were born we were gifted with sense organs, thats the beginning of all.

The way we have perceived this world has a huge impact on our thinking and living. The sense organs rules life's decisions.

Pleasure and pain derived from experiences (companionship, sexual pleasure, childbirth, injuries, diseases, deep meditation) teaches us about how valuable this life is. Most of times the meaning of life comes from one of these. 

But perception is an individual thing. Varying greatly from one lifeform to another and from one person to another.

In the microcosm of Earth, in our perceived knowledge we derive our own meaning of life. For some it could be very outgoing, for others it could be to go totally unnoticed. 

Having seen the way of life in three different continents, I believe the basic human necessities are almost same everywhere. 

Update: 25 Aug 2015

Take a deep look at this picture. 

All talks about purpose & meaning of life, problem and emotions, happiness and illusions; exist below that stratosphere. 

Does Universe care? 

-No. It doesnt.

Then why it enabled you to come out of stratophere?

-So that you be wise enough to look beyong trivial madness and work towards greater good.

Are we doing it?

-No, How much time we will take to fully understand the purpose of life, is to rise beyong pettiness of human character and nourish the values that lift us (humans) up. 

Being in the problem domain, your vision is blurred, you cant effectively solve a problem untill you separate yourself from it. 

This untethered spacewalk is manifestation of human will to solve problems beyond comprehension of those who are caught in thousands of tethers down there on Earth. 

In our limited senses, we have made our own definitions of happiness and grief and the whole life oscillates between these two. There's a third kind of feeling, awakening. It lets you know that "Universe doesnt care", it tell you to do the same in moments of happiness and grief. It doesnt mean you should not laugh or cry... It means even though you do, have a strong belief deep down that this is transient phase. This isnt going to last for lifetime. 

To Be Continued...

Inversion Principle.

The world is on the brink of collapsing. Collapsing doesn't always mean chaos. Chaos sometimes mean order. Order doesnt have to be fixed form. Form is ever changing. Change is the only constant. Constants are inflexible. Inflexibility is the new age disorder. Disorders are more prevelant in the cyber age. Cyber age is virtual. Virtual life is taking away first hand experiences. Experiences are being fake. Fake is the new nature of todays generation. Generation of fools hooked to screens. Screen time is wasting lifetime.

-ciao

Aakhari Salam..... Kalam.

Great loss to a nation.

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam was a gem of a person. Someone who dedicated his entire life for the country and its youth. 

No words can justify the grief at heart. 

RIP Sir.

Your vision is our mission.

Time ...........like a breeze!

Time goes by like breeze...

4th July Celebration ... Awesome... Urbandale Parade was too goo.

In this duration of 18 days ..ran 77 Kms. (Runtastic)

Cant wait to visit Boston in coming week.... to see my sister, BIL and most eagerly my nephew Omi.

-ciao

Traveler Again ...

Visiting US for 1 month.

Glad! I will be there to see the 4th July Celebrations :)

#Samjhohohigaya

http://youtu.be/U6neWQvW4ho

April Rain

Most of the times, I'm on autopilot these days, following the SOS (standard operating procedures).
It's the time I want to loose control. I don't want to take any responsibilities and just want to go with the flow. It's only until I get back the fervor to chart a new path, new direction and the courage to blaze a whole new trail.


Meanwhile this song is buzzing in my head.

Movie was very bad ....
but few songs were superb.

Cricket - World Cup Mania

World cup ....

#WeWontGiveItback

turned to

#WeWillTakeItBack2019

India - Union Budget 2015

For the first time it felt like its not a populist budget and is strongly based on nationalist interests. Riding on full majority Mr. Modi led BJP Governmnet doesn't need it too. Hence they made a Budget which is forward looking and socially uplifting. But while doing so they completely forgot the tax reforms which they should have brought as promised. As a sincere taxpayer (corporate employee with all white money) I dont see it soothes me. Hopes were riding high on Mr. Arun Jaitley to present budget which takes care of this strata of society who contributes to Indian economy without hiding even a single rupee of their income. 

On the positive side, this budget has done well to build an insured, pentioned and thus financially secure society. I would have been much happier if they had shown same empathy towards poor farmers. Their livelihood is not insured. There should be a mininum crop insurance which aids poor farmers during bad seasons or natural calamities.

Overall I rate it 6/10. 

-ciao

From last leaf to full of Life...

It doesn't mean you are down and out when you are shedding the leaves, it may mean you are getting ready for the new and being more alive !

Happy New Year 2015

Frames of references

Life goes transitioning from one frame of reference to other. No... This is not a lecture on Einstein's thought experiments but yes it sure do is a mind game. Trick and treat. It all begins, when your mind takes a step ahead in future and starts living in an imagined frame of reference. Have you watched the movie "In Pursuit of Happyness"? The lead in the movie always imagines to be a stock broker, he imagines himself to be part of that frame of reference, where; according to him people are happy and contented. Life is all about transitioning from one frame of reference to another. Sometimes better sometimes bitter. One always looks ahead to fit into what his/her mind says as the next destination. Its like a stop in journey. You visit that frame, be a part of it, behave like you belong there and then you move on to some other frame. Some people need not have to go through these transformations but they have their own problems to deal with. This transitioning from one frame to another brings struggle in life, both physical and mental. This is what keeps people alive and aspiring. This is what asks more from them everyday so that one day they wake up in their desired frame. This is what life is.

Firstscope - Celestron NexStar 6SE Telescope

This Diwali another wish got fullfilled. And this was a childhood dream to own a telescope and focus at infinity. Keep gazing at stars, planets and other marvels of Universe. I dont belive in rhetorics, but to get a good deal at the time you want is something "...whole universe has to conspire to make it happen". In many ways it happened exactly same way to me. After a lot of deliberation, searching and by timely search found a generous seller who sold it to me at throwaway price. Otherwise this telescope costs a fortune .. With all accesories it will come around 1.5 Lacs in India. 

Here's some pics of my firstscope.

Ice cream

I always wanted to write about it...

About eating Ice cream. 

Journey of that cup of Ice cream. Pampered from the beginning, taken care and kept in favorable conditions since it's made. Reaching to the tongues in same way ... cold and creamy.

Cut to the childhood. 

We didn't had fridge at home when I was a child. Ice or Ice cream was like a delicacy. Going to eat Ice cream used to be a planned event. Going to Ice cream parlor, looking inside that mini sliding fridge at the cups of different flavors. Taking each bite as small as possible so that it wont finish soon...

As a child I had dreamed of a fridge as tall as me when I grow up filled with Ice cream cups, cones and kulfies.

Cut to the adulthood.

Life has been fair and given a chance to grow and achieve the dreams.

Still I haven't loaded the fridge which is taller than me with Ice cream.

Whenever I hold cup of Ice cream or cone in my hand, I get a surge of unexplainable emotions.

It's a consumable delicacy brought to customer's with utmost care. Right from manufacturing, transportation and storage - it's given special treatment.

We care so much for Ice cream but we do not care for..... childhood of million of children dying of hunger. A cup of Ice cream at decent hotel can easily afford a two time meal for anyone who has not dipped his presence into luxuries of life.

Parched tongues at traffic signals, begging for few rupees or selling items to make a livelihood.

I'm not against spending money on luxurious possessions and good lifestyle, but at the same time I would never shy away from generously donating money for social causes.

I live with this battle everyday. Minimalistic living or Consumerism. Donations or Seva.

Donations are indirect ways of helping the cause but Seva is superior.

Giving your time is the best contribution you can make to better your soul. I have observed with self experience, Seva is the only way to free this soul of worries and stress. It is superior to what money can do. I guess this is the reason of profound faith and smile on faces of most NGO workers who work directly with the downtrodden. Joy of Seva is incomparable to any other joy.

Back to Ice cream

I eat after meal or a drink or two but I feel disgusted at my apathy at that moment.


-ciao

Sometimes...

Sometimes I think.... What if all this scientological developments wouldn't have happened? What if there was no invention (or should it be called discovery as it represented itself in universe in form of different shapes) of 0, Shunya, Zero. It's as important as discovery of wheel. Only difference: one is real, tangible and one is manifestation in symbol. But wheel is a Shunya as a circle. I didn't want to use that word Circle because it itself is another manifestation of a natural shape for human understanding.

So what if there was no Shunya?

What if there were no Computers, machines that operate on 1's and 0's?

These thoughts are rushing in because of recently successful Mars Orbiter Insertion of India's ISRO's Mars Orbiter Mission satellite (MOM).

My line of thinking is going back to Invention of Zero. India gave Zero to the world, then somewhere down the line it became country of snake charmers and now it's again proving it's worth by indigenously making a interplanetary mission successful. Have a look into Nasa Eyes DSN website (http://eyes.nasa.gov/dsn/dsn.html). It fills my heart with pride to see ISRO's MOM sending signals back to Earth from Martian orbit. India might be late to Mars party but ISRO did it perfectly on first time and using a complicated yet very very cost effective method. And it's only the fourth to do so. JustSaying... Someone unaware, looking at MOM at DSN website might ask what's that? Well that's a satellite revolving around Mars sent from the country of snake charmers by the very same people. Well every country has its problems. India has dire poverty and millions still cant afford single square meal a day. But that doesn't mean India should not look beyond. Poverty exists owing to many reasons and individuals not taking initiatives to work is the biggest of them all. Our infrastructure development projects cost many more times than ISRO's Mars Mission. Well I'm stopping here about progress, poverty, third world problems etc.

What I was really pondering about was the ability of humans to conquer the space with their limited resources and technological prowess. Sending life on Moon and bringing it back safely, sending rovers on another planet and sending satellites to outer space. "This is where manifestations are helping us to meet the real world...The Universe" 

All those equations and formulae on paper are actually propelling tons of mass to another planets. It does mean a lot to us because these things never existed before. These representations and creations are man made. The Universe is a vast sea of possibilities.

-ciao

May be

I may stay single for life, coz love is distant and I'm not able to accept this arrange marriage ideology. Bullshit this thing is. Crappiest custom in hypocrite India.

It's a tie. 

Ciao.