Doing nothing can be Addictive - Bhagavad Gita - 2.3

Its been very long since I wrote a blog post or read a book. The creative part of me has been in hibernation for sometime. If I start giving excuses , there can be a big list. of course more work load, chores at home etc. But this did not stop me from watching web series or movies on TV! Silicon Valley being one of them.

My friend has been following up with me to resume with the recordings for our podcasts. I have not been able to find time for that either. 

This made me think that the thread of "not doing things" if started will have cascaded effect and we will get addicted to it mush faster.

In Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna after listening to Arjuna's lamentation for a long time (all of chapter 1) says that -

क्षुद्रं हृदयदौर्बल्यं त्यक्त्वोत्तिष्ठ परन्तप

that is it does not suit you to have such petty weakness, Leave it aside and Get up and Do your Dharma!

Weakness of not doing things(Read it as meaningful things) is so natural. It is a least resistive path!

Only way to come out of it is to Start Doing Things. One of our CEO always said that  - The trick is in Doing! I couldn't agree more!

I realized that I have already written a post on verse 2.3 here! 

Comedy and Communication - Random Thoughts

Today after a long time watched Jaspal Bhatti's Ulta Pulta and Full Tension. It felt so light and calm.

Sets are so simple, actors so relatable, and comedy evergreen. Most of the issues talked about in these episodes are still applicable! Does that mean that we have not progressed much or that some issues are universal and at every age, these will exist in one way or the other? Like Corruption, getting PhD, politicians etc.

Jaspal Bhatti's comedy was so much ahead of its time. Never feels like repetition and jokes are not forced! The satire was so subtle! 

Watching an episode of Telephone Department with my daughter, I could share a lot about Life in the 80s and 90s. 

Also, it made me think about what we gained and what is lost with Revolution in Communication...

• Those days having a telephone at home was such a luxury and nobody felt the invasion of privacy even when talking with the whole family around!
• Now even with personal phones, a peek at other's phones by chance will be considered an intervention...
• It's ironic that with so many gadgets and advancements in communication, the gap between people has increased than bringing them together! 
• The Big Fat Phone has become Smarter but the phone call quality has hardly improved in these years.

Friends, what do you feel? 

Week of Exams - Writing vs Scribing an Exam

Last week was a week of Exams for me in more than just one way!

I was preparing to take up one of the professional certifications which I am overly impressed with. After a week-long preparation, I made up my mind, prepared well in the morning, and on a quiet afternoon in the weekend, I took the exam. It was an online exam that could be taken in the comfort of home. Given all these conveniences, I was a bit anxious and really had fear of failure...

Immediate next day,  I got to write an examination as a Scribe for BA exams. I had to go and write for a visually challenged girl at a Government College. I made some changes to my day so that I was there on time at the Examination Hall. Got ready with pens needed, water, and much-needed mask and sanitizer.

I reached 15 minutes before time and was waiting for Vani to come. She had called me twice to ensure that I was coming to write for her. This was my second time as a Scribe. I was not expecting things will all be set up. Usually, the question paper and answer papers are given late and there won't be room identified for students with scribes. I had to collect the question and answer papers from one hall and walk to a faraway room which took away the first 15 mins of the 3-hour exam.. by this time Vani was worried about what are the questions and whether she knows it not.. we found a place and say down and I started to write. 

Meanwhile, about 8 other students came to the same room with their scribes. It was many different subjects though. Vani managed to dictate about 1/3 rd of the paper which is quite remarkable considering this year(2020!) they didn't have any classes and online classes did not turn out to be effective! I had written this much in super speed and since I am out of touch with Kannada writing and with speed my writing went haywire.

After this, there was a sudden stop...She was just not able to say anything...I became nervous at this point and counted and recounted if she will pass with minimum marks or not...I figured out there are still a couple of ten marks needed to be on the safer side...

I turn around and see the situation is the same in the room... Many students are just blank and all scribes were so genuinely concerned. A girl studying MBA with beautiful Kannada handwriting, a girl who is doing architecture, a very good-hearted homemaker...all trying their best to bring out sensible responses from students to the questions in the paper.

Likewise, I tried to provide her some pointers and get some responses and then connect to the questions that are asked. I ensured that I answered all the questions with a couple of points to get a good score. I am keeping my fingers crossed until the results and wish her well. 

One thing which I could clearly see in that room that day was that none of the students had any kind of fear on their faces...

This put me into deep introspection about the Mental and Physical abilities of a person. Is there a way to measure mental abilities more than physical abilities before we judge anyone? and many more questions.???????

Water Day - Valuing water

The summer is here. That means naturally we at home are very careful about the water consumption. I was never very much given importance to water usage or water shortage until I came to Bangalore. I understood and realized what an ailment it was in a very hard way and for many days.

Since ours is a pushtainee(read it as old!), there was no sump in the house when I came here after marriage. In the past, the BWSSB supplied water had so much pressure that it could pump itself up to the overhead tank which was just on the first floor of the house. 

For a very long time, the idea to make a sump had not crossed as it was working just right. As time went on, many of the old houses around were demolished and 4+ storied buildings sprang up. As houses increased, the water pressure decreased.

At this point, our house water storage set up started to break and many days we had to go without enough water not because of supply but because of storage. It was one's job to go to the terrace, inspect the tank water level and to tell everyone at home how much water is available. Then all of us will calibrate and use the water accordingly. 

With God's blessings and some of our efforts, we resolved the problem. My husband MM who frets over this problem ensured that all available measures are taken to avoid this. We get the plumber every time we see a leakage in the taps, reuse water for watering the plants, automatic water level controller and indicator installed, enough storage in the sump and in the overhead tank, etc.

After all, on this Monday 22nd, we faced a serious water shortage as there was no water supply for a week to our area! Coincidentally it was World Water Day(March 22) as well! We ended up getting water supplied from a tanker after about 8 years.

I consider this as a refresher to understand the Value of Water( which is also the theme of Water Day 2021). and a time when all the old memories gushed back in while the tanker water filled the sump.

My post in Quora on the same topic

Random Records- Modern day Dilemmas

These days I face a new dilemma... More so if it's any of my friend's and family's birthdays.

Here is how it goes:

Let's say I have a friend to whom I am connected in many channels like Facebook, WhatsApp, with atleast 2 common Whatsapp groups.

When it is someone's birthday, I do DM on WhatsApp...and I get a response.. In the ideal case, the loop should close here..

But...

After a while, I see that people have started to send their wishes in one of the WhatsApp groups... for which my friend responds to them by thanking each one of them who has wished ..

Here is My first dilemma... Should I message again here?

I do not want others to think that I don’t message on someone's birthday...

                      So I send another wish to the Group. and get a response...Now this feels cool 😎

By evening I check my Facebook..

There again there are timeline wishes pouring and again there are responses to each of the messages...Also, I notice that people who had wished on the group also wrote on Facebook...

This was my second dilemma... Should I write on FB Timeline or not?

Then I reasoned that Facebook messages will stay for years and Whatsapp message does not..

So for the sake of longevity, I wish again on the Facebook timeline... Finally!

 I am happy that I am not on Signal, Telegram, Instagram and Twitter!

Random Records - Story of Face Mask - Discomfort to Comfort and vice versa!

It happened about ten years back! I had a colleague who was also commuting a long distance with me on the office shuttle. He was super allergic to the pollution in Bangalore and was in persistent cold throughout the year. As per his doctor’s advice, he started to wear a Face mask during the commute. Firstly, in those days the face masks that were available for general use were not aesthetically good. Secondly, people were not used to seeing people wearing face masks outside of hospitals. Bus mates thought it was usual. Some were very amused by his face mask also sort of made fun of him and thought it is like using a sword in place of a needle. Some got awkward to sit next to him. The discomfort was mutual for my colleague as well as for others.

2020 surely reversed this situation! Now it awkward, offensive, and of course unsafe if someone does not wear a face mask.

I had two such experiences this week. In a Doctor's clinic, A lady was sitting with her helmet on. This looked strange but the fact was that she had forgotten her face mask at home, and this was her only alternative. Else she was not allowed to walk in!

I went for a 'just in time' shopping to a nearby shop in my two-wheeler. Since it was close-by I did not use a Helmet, but I had forgotten my face mask as well! I did not want to go back home, so I used the cloth bag as a handheld face mask while walking to the shop with much discomfort avoiding stares from other people and security.  Alas! the security caught me and asked me to wear the face mask. He let me in only when I convinced him that I will buy one at the shop and wear it there.

I bought one immediately in the store and wore it in a jiffy. That is when all around me felt comfortable!  what a change in perception!

Random Records - Lockdown and Hole in the Wall shops

The lockdown of 2020 brought an unknown fear in me. I imagined that walking on the road, shopping and eating out is going to go away.. Not only that, but because people will not go out for work, it may create scarcity... Like the olden days of 80s.. Where people had to stand in lines for ration and all that.. 

This was an irrational fear since I had discounted the power of technology. The fact that internet and offshoots of it like Amazon, big basket, Facebook, Paytm were the new norms. Like everyone else, I too shopped online than never before in 2020.

Meanwhile, there was another thing that was finding the light of the day-the hole is the wall( small shops) which had almost died with the advent of Malls.  Near my home many such shops reopened and sprang to business. These small shops which were now using digital payment boosted their business..I always liked the personal touch of the small shops. In last few years I missed it so much since all the shops nearby closed down.. the Big Mall fishes were eating the small fishes..

It may be a way nature balances everything and tells us that there is a place for everything and everyone here.. it's so amazing..

Random Records - The need to talk and 3Cs

Of late, when I meet people  (face to face) one thing is coming out loud and clear. Everyone seems to say that there is "no one to talk". I heard this in the houses with two, four, and even six people.

With so much technology around us, how is it that there is no one to talk to??? Everyone is just a video call away! A Facebook post away or a WhatsApp message away...

So why are people complaining about "No one to Talk"

When I reflect on this, I presume that it's the people with common interests and "responsive" - will only make it a wholesome conversation.

3Cs - Common theme and Common thread and Compassionate ears are all that's required for everyone to feel belonged. The lack of someone to talk to is one of the side effects of the pandemic as well.

Random Records - Are you the Master?

Today while reading "The Prophet" I came across these beautiful lines in the poem "On Houses" by Kahlil Gibran

"And tell me, people of Orphalese, what have you in these houses? And what is it you guard with fastened doors?

Have you peace, the quiet urge that reveals your power?

Have you remembrances, the glimmering arches that span the summits of the mind?

Have you beauty, that leads the heart from things fashioned of wood and stone to the holy mountain?

Tell me, have you these in your houses?

Or have you only comfort, and the lust for comfort, that stealthy thing that enters the house a guest, and then becomes a host, and then a master? "

I am thinking about all such things that enter our lives and houses as a mere comfort and ultimately makes us its slaves while we think we are the masters. 

Mobile is a bigger master than one could imagine. When mobile phones came into existence it was for communication, now that is the last thing it is meant to be doing. It's more about the phone model we possess, the GBs, the camera, and whatnot. When it comes to using it is all about attending to it whenever it screams for a message, a mail, a notification. If there is no wifi the feeling is worse than someone who has difficulty breathing! So we may think that mobile is here to serve me..but we are serving it most of the time. This is a classic case of a Master-slave relationship reversed!

This is an illustration by Manu Cornet on "Mobile Relationship" which says it all!

 

I have also heard of such a reversal of relationships from people who own dogs or in general pets. Write in the comments about your experiences if you are a pet owner.