Monday, February 28, 2005

Mind games, playing with yourself ;)

They say “One can only know the true joy of victory by being well acquainted with the agony of defeat." I truly agree. I have always been of the opinion that what we experience in life is what we are. But it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to experience everything in life yourself, you can learn by reading, you can learn by looking around you, learning from other’s mistakes is another huge bonus, learning from history, even movies and songs. The most important thing is to analyze and ask questions about these things that you come across in life and make mental notes about the do’s and don’ts. Experience cannot be bought but can be acquired.

A classic example of using your Mind to your advantage is Muhammed Ali, also known as Cassius Clay. The boxing legend used to belittle his opponents badly before any fight. He has since admitted that he used the fear of failure to motivate himself. Genius! He will imagine the scenario where after talking so boldly, he loses – what all would happen? He said by thinking through the consequences he can push himself to put in that bit extra to avoid the same from happening. It can be applied to ourselves too, use your experience, spend some time alone and imagine your worst fears, mentally live through the worse things that can happen to you, even if the list is short, its ok. Use the do’s and don’ts that you have learnt from life so far and work out contingencies (If you think the situation is not avoidable) or develop a plan for you to avoid these scenarios from happening. Being prepared will never hurt.

Risk Management is prominent in work today, when we plan for absurd situations like the second data centre being demolished by a bomb, why not do the same for our own life?

Thursday, February 24, 2005

Pakistan Cricket Team's tour to India

When Indian Cricket Team toured Pakistan last year, the Indian Cricket contingent (Team, management and Fans) were showered with love and support that shocked the world and in a subtle way supported my claims that the Indo-Pak Hostility is only over Kashmir and it’s the excuse used by both governments to cover up the social problems within both countries.

Now the question is everyone’s mind is, how is India going to welcome their fiercest rivals? I read an article on today’s paper doubting that even if we receive the Pakistanis into our country with open arms, it may only be because we want to return the favor extended by the Pakistani public. My opinion on this, as long as the outcome is a good one, as long as they are shown respect and love, the reason and motivation is immaterial. I do have slight reservations on this because of the political parties, BJP, VHP and organizations like RSS. I personally believe that they might seek political mileage out of this, I hope not but won’t be surprised if they do try and spoil it for everyone else.

Talking about Pakistani Cricket Team, I have to discuss my much maligned support to their Cricket team. I have always admired great leaders, Imran was one. A true captain, the way the entire team looked up to him, followed him, worked for him was what impressed me most. The passion that the Indian cricket team shows against the Pakistani Cricket team was evident on Imran’s team every time it took to the field and that’s what impressed me most. Wasim, Qadir, Miandad are few others not far behind the great man.
Its not the same now, the petulance and inflated ego of Akthar, the corruption scandals are killing what was once a great team. Many a times, I have been branded a traitor but then, I only see these as games and nothing more, it’s the same as Manchester United vs Manchester City or Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal.

India vs Pakistan cricket matches have always been high octane, end of the seat spectacles, I like another billion others enjoy the occasion immensely and let’s all hope and pray to the common god, for a repeat of last year’s action - ON and OFF the pitch.

Monday, February 21, 2005

Racism....is there any better motivation?

Recently two prominent footballers, Thiery Henry and Rio Ferdinand, two black footballers came together to fight racism, good thoughts and appreciable effort from two millionaires who probably had better things to do if they did not care enough.

I am always been skeptical of these things, will this work? Should it be the black footballers that should get this going? Why will a white person who thinks the coloured are inferior take a piece of advice from exactly the same people, no matter how gifted the person's abilities are......will a racist person even acknowledge their gifts in the first place to even respect them? It should be white or supposedly superior people who should start these things and set the example. Would it not have been better if David Beckham and Micheal Owen or Rooney set off the fight against Racism? And why is these people are not so "open" about thier support to the fight against Racism - why is always a one-liner about its "bad" and "inappropriate"........if they are not really supporting is all those hugs and smiles on the pitch fake?

As for the coloured, why should it be considered inferior to be called what you are? Yeah its really obscene when the monkey calls happen but then it is a oppurtunity to be the bigger person and use it as an oppurtunity to self-motivate and reach the top and then take a look down with a big grin that would explain itself. Every white person working for a coloured person is compensation for the hardships faced by our ancestors. Its what fairytales are made of - the triumph of the underdogs, rising against the odds........ no better sense of achievement.

The coloured for their part have a different role in this whole issue, to ignore the silly behaviour of the "uneducated" and succeed in life and not form cliques but to get amongst poeple and prove others wrong. My friends, who are chinese by race went to school in Australia, they said they were racially victimised. Then they formed cliques, rented a seperate house, cooked for themselves, did not mingle. I can vouch they are not racist but these actions of thiers probably had a part to play in this. I for one dont think they would have been racially scarred if were amongst the locals.

Again, I just feel that there are always two sides to a coin and for every successful coloured person, there is a specific lot that blames racism for their plight, expect everyone else feel bad for themselves and waste away thier life blaming everybody else .....just one word to people who belong to that category, wake up or even following bleaching yourself will not help!

There you go.....my thoughts on racism, if you are victim put up with it, life goes in circles, things are changing for the better. If you are on the other side of the river, pls understand that people's skin is of a particular colour not because they had a choice, but that was what they were given and nobody can be held responsible, and if you are still unconvinced and if you have any paper certificates to show you are educated, its time to tear them up as they have not served their purpose! As Jesse Jackson puts it, Never look down on anybody unless you're helping him up.

Tuesday, February 08, 2005

Give this a thought....some serious thought

I was planning to write about three things in this week, ambition, happiness and fulfillment.....as I was writing, I was watching the movie Swadesh......something struck me...

This is just a idea, not trying to be a revolutionary and something that does not need to be done tomorrow but something we all should try and remember and if we believe in it, I am sure we will do it sometime before our final goodbye to mother earth.....

Why this sudden inspiration? Well as the director of this movie suggest we Indians take pride in the achievements of fellow Indians or as in the case of Kalpana Chawla, achievements of foriegners with Indian roots, but we never give a thought to "WHAT HAVE I DONE". Yeah I am also referring to the millions who take pride in the achievements of the Sportsmen and team PLAYING for our nation, dont forget the significance of the word "playing". We use the word partiortism so freely that we only end up shaming what our soldiers do day in day out at the borders risking thier lives.........so the famous question, what have I/YOU done for MY/YOUR Nation? Whenever I was asked this question, I would always point to the Foriegn exchange that I have sent back over the past few years but only this movie posts the follow-up question, so what have I done to my country that has improved my country as a whole? I still dont have an answer, yeah I always had a few plans if I had done it by now, maybe I wont be this sorry....... India has contributed in more ways than one to what I am today, if all the vice-versa is true, it wont be something I would be proud of :)

So enough of the harping, the idea is to adopt or identify 2 children in a remote village or a poor family that you know, or from a orphange and take responsibility of their basic needs i.e. Food, Shelter and Education. By taking responsibility I am not referring to just sending money to them every month, but to follow-up and show love and concern and take them atleast to levels we have reached or better, just like what we would do to our own. The bigger sacrifice would be adopt them as our children but sometimes if takes more than a single person's effort for that.....We need not do extreme things like bring electricity to a village or give up everything and return to India, but then I think this suggestion is completely feasible if we apply ourselves to it. Just imagine how many lives this can change over time, the love it will spread........its beautiful!

I have spent thousands to date on most silly things in life, seriously silly and hopeless things , but doing something like this, will make up for all our bad karma and will finally make us all a better person, and it the concept of heaven is at all true, god will atleast give a thought before banishing us to hell ;)

Thursday, February 03, 2005

What really happens at a SDU gathering?

I have a lot of friends, some even attached who attend these SDU activities to "meet" new people, prospective brides/bridegrooms. Is this right? How different is it from a Dating agency or a matchmaking agency?

How do people who attend these things trust other people, mostly strangers, on what they are projecting themselves as....since these people are selling themselves as good husbands/wives, like any job interview, they will be on their best behaviour....
How does someone get to know the "real person"?

Wont it be ackward to know that everthing a person says is being remembered and analysed by the listening party? Is this the right way to find love? Is this why many marriages dont work out?

Finally, what happens when a person "selling" himself/herself suddenly notices something better available on the next table :) Very Interesting....

Tuesday, February 01, 2005

Arsenal Vs Manchester United - 01/02/05 -

Its 28 Millionaires being managed by another 2 millinaires chasing after a single ball at a football stadium in North London. Yet over 600 Million people will be staring into their TV screens with the match result affecting them financially or emotionally.

How did we let ourselves be consumed by something that is supposed to entertain us? Depending on the result, few would be thanking god and a certain few cursing god. 2000 miles away from the stadium there maybe one idiot thinking his team would have won if he had sat on his fav chair during the match or never left his fav spot on the sofa...

These people are not educated, dont work for over 5 hrs a day, yet make millions just because kick a ball better than others, some cannot even do that! All this from the 20 over GBP that ppl pay at the stadium stadium turnstiles and by silly money that we pay for our cable TV + people who try to influence those minds that watch commercials by over-hyping thier products during half-time.

So the question is - Is it advisable to concentrate on sports from a young age? and what makes a person sitting in India assume his actions at home can influence something happening 1000s of miles away in North London?