Sridevi Koneru

Ringing in the New Year..

2012-01-02T13:39:00.000-08:00

yeah, with the zest and all.. dancing feet, bleary eyed as the festivities end in all parts of the world, by the close of the first day of 2012, we had to call it a night!
First time this new years day, I found myself thanking for all the blessings and good fortune of 2011 and not so much about the future of 2012. What brings about such a perspective overhaul? perspective that's zen like and at the same time, so real that the moist cheeks with tears rolling down keep me grounded to what is and what isn't.

There have been times where I found myself defining moments and times in the last year that made me feel dismally low, cloistered in a dark hole where hope was a dream..... and frustrated with what I could envision but could not influence. It does not help to realize there is only so much you could do, and no matter how strongly you feel about it, how sure you are about the goal, how selflessly driven you can be, you still have to prepare to give in to a defeat. Yes, it will hurt, and the saying 'everything happens for a reason' seems like 'breathe deeply' to a sinking man! However, I must say that 2011 has humbled me into a place of helplessness and realism at the same time, and yet required me to be at my strongest self will and keep the foot on the pedal for what I believed in, and focus on what I can influence and let all else slide by. I have taught myself how to look at things holistically, and continue to be the future orientated person I tend to be. Being able to mentally process future events and the resulting actions and outcomes can be burdensome, if you cannot do anything to mitigate or prepare. However, I would rather be prepared when struck by lightening, than just stand there hands down!

New Year resolutions don't come naturally to me because reneging is unacceptable, but again why wait till end of year to introspect and then to the beginning of the next year to do something right.. do it now already! A year is after all a sojourn in eternity, so why wait ? and why limit, when you can create a festoon of love and laughter, people and relationships that can take life a bit further .....

I step into 2012, arms locked with loved ones, smiling into the giving love..of near and dear, and yearn some more for where the heart is brave and sun shines.

Calistoga: summer or winter or..

2011-12-30T11:43:00.001-08:00

It's one of those places where time and day, season and weather don't matter as much as who you are with and what you are doing. I love the energy in this place, and no, it's not always the inebriated condition associated with the wine tasting!
Right from the drive over from home, I love the wine country. Lovely sceneries all along the drive, the vast expanses of vineyards and the quaint downtowns each little town proudly sports, it all blends in with the experience of being here.
Now it seems pointless to leave without staying the night every time we visit, so focus is on different places to stay, B&B or resorts, or any place you can find, they all have something unique and pleasant to offer.
First of all, average speed of life is reduced by at least 50%, and a couple tastings later, further down on speed and further up on entertainment!
The dining choices are just about fantastic, from a delectable brunch choice, which is always my favorite meal of the day, to fine dining, multi course French indulgence!
As I prepare my bucket list of places to visit, I have to punctuate every one of them with a retreat to wine country for a bike ride, run up the green laced lichen laden trails adequately mingled with wine tastings, photography and fine dining....
So, one place to visit without needing to check the weather or the time, come here already..

Seductive Sedona..

2011-11-29T16:56:00.001-08:00

Its beautiful, its whimsical, its got its reputation of energy and vortex.. I guess it all depends on which side of the twist you fall into!
We had a wonderful time in Sedona, but I must say we did feel the energy vortex. I totally felt it more when my AT&T signal was warped and just refused to work even with the signal level showing highest.
We could not have picked a better time to visit Sedona.. the Fall colors were simply splendid.. with the red rock back drop. The sky with the dry air was as blue as can be and there can be no bad picture opportunity.. its perfect setting.
The nights are especially scintillating. Starry sky with the clear atmosphere, millions of stars shining down, you can clearly see the Milky way and use your Andriod app for star gazing and do your astronomy lesson!
Given the proximity to Grand Canyon, we did a day trip. A comfortable 2 hour drive each way, expect for the extremely squiggly 30 miles to Flagstaff!
Sedona can be easily reached by flying into Phoenix, and driving 2 hours into Sedona uptown. The spa treatments are fantastic.
Restaurants are mostly family run and you can sense the intimacy and pride when they service you.
Food::
We had a great Thanksgiving dinner at The Cottage Place in Flagstaff.
In Sedona, Dahl and Di Luca, Hundred Rox @ Amara and Javalina Cantina were nice dinner choices. For breakfast, Wildflower Bakery on 89A is fantastic with great patio seating and views. Pink Java cafe is a good coffee
Vistas::
Airport Mesa has great vista points if you want easy access without hiking.

The Cathedral Rock is the most photographed place in Sedona and can be accessed via 89A or 179. Any hotel can give a simple map. Easy to navigate around in Sedona.

Tlaquepaque has a good walk around and art galleries.
Activities::

Plenty of hiking trails. Spa treatments. Hummer and off-road rides to explore back country (opt for an adventurous version otherwise its not worth the money). Fine dining. Psychic reading..ahem Vortex.

We missed he psychic readings.. perhaps next time, until then I will just read the WSJ.

What's in Brugge?

2011-10-26T23:11:00.000-07:00

Brugge or more often known in rest of world as Bruges is located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is now a UNESCO world heritage site, with most of its medivial architecture intact. With several canals making their way all over the city, it is popularly known as the 'Venice of the North'.

Today the city has a lot to offer besides being one of the most important ports in Belgium.
We made our way to Brugge from Paris by train, crossing over from Lille, France. Brugge is all cobblestone and hard to walk with sharp heels, but as most European town, no one wears tennis shoes to walk around. Fortunately I had a decent pair of shoes with a wedge heel!
Walking through the Markt was a pleasant surprise as there was a Farmers market where they exhibited fresh cheese, and other savories.
Art was everywhere.. in the historic buildings, the landmark of Belfry, Groeninge Museum, Minnewater park and the Beguinage. The old windmills along the canal are a sight to enjoy. There are less crowded, and walking along the canal or biking, which is what we chose to do, allows to enjoy the scenic beauty.

The waffles are available all the time, and freshly made. With all kinds of toppings..these are a must-have. I did not think much of the cup cakes and other sweet stuff, and stayed with the Belgian chocolates and Belgian beer.
All the restuarants are small and made to order with fresh ingredients, with small selections, but delicately prepared.
All in all, there is a lot in Brugge to enjoy.. the people are friendly, the roads are clean, the scenery is breathtaking, the architecture takes you back in time and the food is amazing. It is Belgiums Hidden Gem!

Because a Mother's job is never done..

2011-05-20T09:02:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Hallmark, there is a Mother's day.. and I see this more of a celebration of Motherhood than being a Mother itself.

Women have the ability to shape societies at an intrinsic level by being engaged and committed caregivers. The health of our communities is reflective of the Mothers amidst us. Unconditional love, giving and disciplining to balance the emotions are only few of the obvious ways Mothers touch us.

The intangible comfort one can feel knowing that Mother's love is always above you, enveloping you and guarding you is in our everyday life.

The conflict can arise when you are at odd with Mother or the Mother figure in your life. Then you will shut off an aspect or part of you to preserve the relationship with Mother that is held at utmost regard in all societal circles.

I have had the opportunity to experience far end of the spectrum where an individual can be transformed into who they are not, in order to sustain the bond. And the other end, where the love and admiration is so unconditional and hollistic, that the individual can grow to their fullest.

Mothers shape the society directly and indirectly, Happy Mothers Day!

Desi Weddings..

2011-04-29T13:25:00.000-07:00

Big Fat ..does not quite summarize it.. its bigger than that and Fatter than that! With the large meshed family network .. of course every year there is at least one wedding. This year was unfortunate that we had a funeral and a wedding! We lost our dear Uncle, the eldest in our family, whose liberal thinking and evangelic attitude has blessed happiness on many within the family and friends.

Last week we enjoyed one of the best attended family weddings of our youngest nephew! Kids nowadays..... seem to know exactly what they want and when they want it.

It was a beautiful gathering with mixed emotions, meeting of the minds and heart that was delectable.

Conversations with the older folks, reminiscing the past, catching them up on the current events is especially endearing, because they have rapt attention, unlike the other social conversations of our daily lives!

Then of course there are highly wired, bouncing off the wall conversations with the teenagers and the 20-somethings! Even I cant remember a few minutes later what we were talking about. Its entertaining while it last and leaves absolutely no impression and surely no knowledge of any kind.

The best experience for me is to view myself as a figment of the much larger than life system around me.. and knowing that this is where I 'belong' and this is how I 'identify'. Touche..

Sweet Somethings..

2011-03-28T13:52:00.000-07:00

When words fail you, resort to writing..they will come right back! Why do I find myself more tongue tied now than I did when I was younger? perhaps..all that experience and wisdom of the years is taking away the spontaneity or impulsiveness. Erring on the side of conservatism, I often hesitate to say what I want to say, hesitate to do what I want to do.. in other words I have become a real adult! I have finally grown up.
Constantly catching myself weighing the pro-cons of every thing can be exhausting. The only thing I dont hold myself back on is when I have to express my love to my youngins.. and hugs and kisses are just never enough.

Roles we play

2011-02-28T15:11:00.000-08:00

How many roles do you play in a span of 24 hours? at which point are you losing identity and at which point do you feel its a pinnacle? Every day, I wake up ready to be Mom.. OMG..just enough time prepare and pack lunches, check on homeworks, check on pick up timings............screeching halt. I feel the sudden urge to be myself.. take a deep breath, and roll up my Yoga mat and head on for Bikram practice. Now that I am reconnected with my praana, lets get back where we started an hour ago!

Juggling between headphones and conference calls, packing lunches, discussing health with Dad recipes with Mom, I start my day. I have been up for 3 hours and I have already been through the full spectrum of all the roles I play in my life.
I truly enjoy this diversity. Its great to belong and its great to love. Among the stress of suburbia and seemingly cold bay area weather, never ending to-do lists and several cups of coffee and green tea lattes, abysmal ignorance and plentiful emotion is a beautiful life..waiting to be experienced and sought after.. not for the goal but for the journey.

Placid Lucidity

2011-01-25T12:17:00.000-08:00

If something needs to be easily understood, it should be clear, unambiguous, and super intelligible. With nothing left to your interpretative imagination, now this information is so lucid that its placid!! Ouch..

Why does one confuse a placid personality to a boring personality? because nothing unnerves them, moves them or derails them.. how consistent and how predictable! dont you like that? you dont need to second guess anything, what you see is what you get and its authentic. However, for the rest of us, that just does not do it!

Our own interpretations, feeding in multiple spatial inputs along with the seemingly mainstream input derives upon conclusions and decisions that may not always be channeled right. Hence its important to keep all the inputs active while still holding a high bar on the basic lucidity.

I am a big fan of over communication, transparency and emotional discussions to be layered with logical facts. All this requires is that your audience be aware that this is what you expect to give and to get, and hence not all conversations are likely to be pleasant and placid , but real and vivid.

talk more.. feel more.. experience more..

amen

Stumbling on Happiness?

2011-01-13T12:34:00.000-08:00

When I first heard about this this book by Gilbert, I thought it would be about an individual's quest for happiness. But the surprising element emerges with how the imagination of the mind can leave you anticipating something quite different from what is real. Cognitive bias happens because of our own experiences and expectations of the future. However, if we were to predict the future instead of imagine (which is the core of what you wish as opposed to what is likely), the opportunity to stumble on happiness is higher.

Why do we call people stupid when they make the same mistake twice!? because we expect them to learn from their mistakes and not make it again, however, we forget what happened, we only have the memory of the experience, not the experience itself. If this sounds too abstruse, then try thinking about why our memories of the past are not accurate and hence apply the same reason to why our ability to envision the future is also inaccurate!

My take away is that its possible to learn from others experiences as much as from your own. I have done this subliminally all my life and endorse the same. Never be afraid to ask, seek to learn, seek to better yourself each day.

I have stumbled on my own happiness and reporting live from tomorrow.. I wish the world the same.

Finishing on a high note..

2010-12-30T11:43:00.000-08:00

2010 was quite a year. Just as most others, I cannot help but reflect on the tumultuous travel through the year. Is my carriage bereft of shock absorbers and hence the rocky travel or is the road rocky? what is the difference.. the brunt is to be borne anyway..

Tried and tested principles of exercising fortitude and optimism has been the wind in my sail. Moving across continents, uprooting and replanting was anything but trivial this year. More so because it involved so many lives so near and dear, there was no room for failure. But I am not a perfectionist either.. how do I balance this.. walk the white box path of every 'what-if' scenario and eventually land on the dry side with no causalities!

My eternal gratitude to my parents for being the strong supporting cast in my move.. twice in 2 years at this stage of their lives. Never second guessing , and always boldly confident with me. My love and surprise at the resilience of the children.. three school changes in 2 years, change in location, culture, social structure..... these are global children with tremendous zeal for adventure.

At the end of 2010, we are all at a better place than ever before.. and just as I bend my head in gratitude and humility, I am surprised at further turn of events. All good and all favorable. Looking forward to a fantastic 2011..

Are you also looking for what I am looking for?

2010-11-30T10:16:00.000-08:00

Enter the grocery store and ask::

Excuse me sir: which aisle can I find happiness?

Hmm.. pursuit of happiness.. aren't we all? for many of us happiness is derived from freedom. Somehow being free or feeling free makes us feel happy. Flexible hours at work = happy environment for Enterprise workers!

Everywhere we look, material or otherwise, is all about acquiring such freedom. We relate the feeling of freedom from the availability of choices that we have access to.

Now this means that the more choice s we have , the more happy we should be.. however, the anxiety and fatigue that comes with having to make decisions: meta and micro level, to wade through these choices, takes away the pleasure of the choice we end up making. Even if you were to pick something that best suits you, you are always thinking about : "could you have done better".

Opportunity cost, as in business lingo, takes away from the happiness derived from current choice. Often times, the exposure to all these choices elevate the expectations of what can be achieved by picking one of them and Missed expectations will end up leading to misery !

We lose the ability to live in the 'now' because we are always somewhere else.. past or present of 'what it could be or has been'.

How can we make it more simple to acquire happiness?

Nothing.. because as someone wise said: Happiness is not a destination; it is a journey. We are hence better of seeking happiness in what we do and what we say than what we want others to do or say.

What if everything you do and everything you say is treated like the last thing you can ever do or say?

Fun at Half Dome

2010-10-17T20:54:00.000-07:00

18 years in the valley and I have aspired to hike up the Half Dome in Yosemite for most of that time. Finally made it up the 8860 ft peak last week! It was definitely the best day hike I have ever done. What made it especially enjoyable was the company of the friends I was with and the preparation for the hike.
We are regular hikers during the week and did not particularly prepare or train for this hike. What may have helped was doubling up some of the daily hikes up Mission Peak and PG&E so there was a feel to hiking for an extended number of hours than the usual 2-3 hour hikes.
Half dome was a good 4,737 ft climb in approximately 9 miles, and can be a challenge in places.

On the actual day of the hike, we made sure to eat a good meal (with carbs) by 8pm the previous night (at a Chinese restaurant a few miles before the Cedar lodge on the way). Since it was early October, the weather was dicey with a 30% chance of showers. The good side was that the cool weather made the hike up bearable, hot sun would have been draining!
We started at the trail head by 6:30am after a strong cup of coffee and some cereal and fruit.
Loaded up well on the food section. We packed multi grain high fiber sandwhiches with cheese, veggies and chicken salad. Plenty of trail mix with dry fruit like cranberries, raisins, pineapple and mixed nuts. Power bars and plenty of water. At least 2 litres of water each, and two bottles of vitamin or electrolyte water.
Dressing in layers was a also a smart idea, especially since it had a cool start, and then started warming up. Packing a light rain jacket or poncho is a must, since it did hail and rain on our way back.
A well fitted back pack and the right hiking shoes (shoes that you at least hiked 100 miles before the big hike!) make a huge difference to the comfort and allow you to enjoy the sights and sounds of the valley. The varying topology from dirt to granite and clearings to switchbacks make the hike very enjoyable even when arduous.
The waterfalls at Vernal and Nevada were not as full as spring, but were still a great sight.
The last 2 hours are especially hard with steep climb, so taking frequent breaks and staying hydrated makes a difference.
We took frequent food and restroom breaks to make sure we were comfortable and rested.
All along the way, I would ask every returning hiker if they went up to the top and each one of them replied an enthusiastic 'yes' and 'it was a lot of fun!'. When at the base of the last rock, I was not sure if I wanted to do the cables to the top. But something in the energy of the day, the spirit of my fellow hikers urged me on and took to the cables. I had my winter gloves on to beat the cold, and put on a pair of gardening gloves over that to help get a grip over the cables.
The incline of the last 400ft is anywhere between 45 to 55 degrees!
Walking up requires sound footing , so good focus, and strong upper arm strength. Taking breaks at every other plank was good, and making way for people going the other way. Air is thin on top, so conscious deep breathing is a must. The views on the top are exhilarating! you are above the clouds! and wonderful views of the valley.You can spend as much time as you want on the top.
While coming down, it is very slippery, so strong and dry footing is vital. Always hold the cables for balance. After the victorious trip down, we stopped for food and then it started hailing. We also made some really fun friends along the way who made the trip enjoyable.
The curry village has a nice cafeteria buffet for dinner after the tough day, and it was so needed to refuel!

Next day we woke up bright and early and did the Glacier Peak trail, which is reputed as one of the steepest hikes in the valley. It is 7,214 feet high and about 3,200 feet elevation in 4.6 miles! We were short on time and could not climb all the way to the top, and turned around after 3.6 miles. Well, something to look forward to go back to!
Having had a great time in my trip, a big take away is : sound prep, weekday vs weekend travel and good weather makes a great hike greater!
Look forward to doing this every year.

DONE is better than PERFECT

2010-10-11T15:34:00.001-07:00

When does moss happen? when nothing moves.. and there is plenty of moisture. In other words, life gets too comfortable!

All you perfectionists out there can disagree with me till the cows come home.. but this is what I will stick with! Done is better than Perfect!
Seriously, would you rather do one thing and one thing only, but of course do it perfectly? So perfect that you fall in love with it, and forgot why you did it to begin with.. because you are so caught up in the act of the doing that the act of the being is lost!
But if there is one thing even harder to accept than a perfectionist is one who claims to be a perfectionist and waddle around doing nothing claiming to be perfecting that one thing.. and eventually what comes out of this person? .. yeah.. nothing!
I am sure we all struggle in our highly ADD and multi tasking world to juggle and stay on top of things. We use all kinds of calendering and reminder tools from post-its, to back-of-napkin, to digital devices and to tie a knot on your finger tactics. Its hard and gets harder to plan.. plan A, plan B.. plan D (for Dog)! but someones gotto do it. Pick a simpler life so you dont need to do all this, get bored and get back into mainstream..
I have always subscribed to Done is better than Perfect, however, have learnt to appreciate the need to do somethings right, and right the first time. Especially when working in teams and collaborating across geographies and time zones, its important to get things done right and on time.
My guiding principle now is to do as much as you can, but dont fall apart, so you can enjoy the act of the being and the doing, and then enjoy the fruit of the doing.

Alone in a Crowd?

2010-09-30T18:40:00.000-07:00

Have you felt alone with everyone around you? how do you describe alone? of the heart, mind or body.. or the soul, the eternal confluence of mind and body.
I have never felt alone in my heart, because I have never left 'me'. But I have been alone in the mind many a time. Its the art of compartmentalization that is absolutely required to keep the sanity, and of course keep the momentum on individual activities. When the compartments bleed into each other, they stall each other, and nothing gets done right. We feel overloaded and overwhelmed.

But I have seen this carried to another extreme where the goodness of compartmentalization can cripple your emotional reactions and hurdle your spontaneity. Your immensely acquired and trained skill is now going to be rendered useless when it comes to empathetic relationships! Hmm.. cannot win this all can you..

There is an overriding need to be in control.. what does that mean? It means you don’t need to be whacked on the head and heart when you least expect it! It means that you learn with your bruises and get up and shake it off, and be smarter next time. Over time, you have mastered maneuvering, but you have left your heart behind. Its time to make that U-turn and go pick up the heart, and walk the path again. God does give a second chance, but you have to recognize that and use it.

Its an ongoing dichotomy of what it takes to be a rockstar in being productive, and what it takes to be in fulfilling social and emotional relationships.

emotional flooding

2010-08-16T08:16:00.000-07:00

When I first heard this term from Laura Kastner, I paused in my racing mind.. what does that mean? Dr Kastner describes this as the neurons that fire in the emotional part of the brain. And when this flooding happens, we are caught up in the fright-flight-freeze cycle. Heart rates increase, cognition gets distorted and people often think in simple black-and-white terms. This can happen in any meaningful and intimate relationship.
All terms and analysis aside, its necessary to hold house at all times and surround yourself with love and support.

Words of Wisdom or Walk in the Park ?

2010-07-19T14:59:00.000-07:00

How nostalgic can this be from my view!? I remember so many evenings where my Dad and I would talk endlessly on so many different topics while growing up in Hyderabad. I could not wait until he would come home from work, and while he sipped his tea, and munched on desi ghee chaklis, I would be rattling away about my day. We would transcend through multiple dimensions of sentiments and relationships while relating through instances through the day. Somewhere in the idyllic chatter, Dad would have sage advice and undisputable rationale via examples to bring home several nuances that my adoloscent brain can process. Those teachings have become the fabric of who I am and how I think. As I have evolved in the context of my own life and environment this was a continuum or otherwise known as the process of maturing through experience.

Is there a short cut? perhaps.. there surely seems to be a fast forward on some such learnings. As the experience, exposure and education .. the 3 Es are all on steroids with the avenues we have today in the digital world.. world of books, internet, people, media, today's generation is certainly learning at warp-speed. And why not.. thats why the world is interesting!

As I note my daughter spend time with her Grandfather, I cannot help but reminisce my own childhood and the constant urgency of learning, absorbing, conflicts of right and wrong and so many untold stories.....

Sunaina is a pleasure to talk to, she understand more than she articulates and its interesting how much I discover her each time we traverse through varying topics. She is an adult in so many ways and a brat of a teenager all else.. but still cute and still holds on to the smarts! how can I ever argue against that?!

Raising children is hardly a walk in the park!! but enjoying them certainly feels like a walk in the park. The non stop banter, the brain dead arguments, the wise old brain sparks and then some. Relationship with daughters is so primal, that they soon become a source of internal strength and fulfillment that rejuvenates a true understanding of yourself at many levels.

What is June..

2010-06-30T16:43:00.000-07:00

its a month ..what did you think? its the month following may and preceding july. Its the summer solstice too.
But to me, it was a lot more than that.. it was the month of roller coaster events. All positive momentum, all meant to be.... and here I am, wondering WoW! all that was just one month!
With all this and the FIFA matches, it was fun to navigate all of June. Lots of hiking, running and flexing. So much so, that I have now gone into hibernation and need to jump start right back.
There were no mistakes, but many lessons learnt. Where is the focus?? on the learning and not the remorse.
I can now say that there is nothing that deterring ambition and focus cannot attain, the results may not be aligned and tangible and almost never are. Keeping faith and not being distracted will get you there.. but I have to share my sentiment here that makes me say that sometimes you get so focused on the end goal , that you almost forget why you had set out to attain it in the first place,is it even relevant anymore in the current context, and you get it at what cost? I would encourage the introspection at every stage, so we stay focused on the results, not the delirious state of attainment.

Desi Kids and Coke

2010-05-03T13:36:00.000-07:00

Great marketing, great taste.. and sure great job at keeping the secret sauce quite 'secret'. Seeing how much kids seem to like Coke, its not even because of the image of everyone else liking it, they just love the cold, sugary, carbonated water.. yikes.. thats 3 bad words in one sentence! But.. its how it is, whether I take my little son out on a biking expedition in Napa along the Silverado trail, or its my nephew's wedding in Los Angles where we are all dressed in fancy Bollywood Desi outfits, the drink of the day is always a COKE!

Shiny Shadow.. are you a believer?

2010-04-27T14:22:00.000-07:00

Shadows are muted, monotonous forms that rarely depict the beauty and the boldness of the true object. We often do not look at the shadow to guess the object, but focus on the object and accept the shadow.
How often have you found yourself chasing a shadow, in hope of reaching the real deal and found the futility of such a venture?
Many times the shadows are indeed shinier than the real object. Its beautiful, its lively, its inviting and its unreal. Here you see the reflection of the wine in the glass, which can be glossed over..but the reflection itself is shiny and attractive. Can we seek to see the 'shiny object' in every person and every situation? and sustain the energy and desire to pursue? We have the innate attraction to bright light and shiny surfaces. Heavenly shiny objects at night have prompted many a poet to write beautiful verses that captivate mind and soul.
I have been chasing the shiny shadow as well and seeking the gratification to be derived upon finding the object of satisfaction. Such dreams and desires have compelled people to make great sacrifices just to hold on to them.
Its natural to be crestfallen time to time, to reach out and touch the intangible and unforgiving shadow and the futile effort associated with such a behavior, but if you are like me, you will always believe that there is the object that's casting that shadow and yes, you will see it and touch it and it is real.

whatcha got in the back pocket?

2010-04-15T13:42:00.000-07:00

"keep it in your back pocket". What does that really mean? just like what does "keep it on your fingertips".
Anything that you may not need it constantly, but may end up needing instantly, you should keep it in in your reach so that it becomes easily deployable at the most propitious moment.
And what better place to do that than your "back pocket"!

As I trudge along the challenges of a simple day or the simplicity of a rough day, I keep referring to the note to self "prioritize"; do not need to tackle all the problems at the same time with the same intensity. Take your time, take your pick, and then charge.
What does my back pocket have?
- prioritize daily and at multiple levels: different things can crop up to the top of the list depending on the context
- remember who is important to you, and cherish the relationship, lets the little things pass, and focus on the big picture with these people
- work is worship, give it your best, do not expect anything in return other than a raise, a promotion and recognition!!
- stay healthy, stay fit
- travel to all corners.. get aware, get smart
- help at least one person every day.. cash, kind, give what you have the most (love..its an Akshaya patra.. as you give, it replenishes!)

I want to go home..

2010-03-30T15:14:00.000-07:00

Oh but wait, I am home. Sunseting on one phase.. and sunrise on the other..OK..there was time when I was doing interviews on how it felt to move across cultures and continents. Straddling the life of what was and what is. And it felt great! it was fun.. there was a lot of energy in embracing the change, the learning , the faltering, the unknowns.
I did not see myself thinking of what I had left behind, just excited about the new opportunities. It felt like a child being taken to a theme park .. every bend has a new view.. only here the dimensions of the view were physical and emotional.
Now as I come back home..and this is strange, because "where is home"? home is where the heart is.. and my heart is upside down right now.. so hard to feel everything right.

Now I reminisce, I miss, I fondly remember the roadside vendors, the loud noises, the colorful fruit and chaat stalls. The run-ins with the 3-wheeler-auto-drivers, the arguments of how 'service is not a priority for your guys' discussions, the 'garam chai' at any time of day and night, the pan, the predictable unpredictability of just about anything. It was all real and it was beautiful. I am glad I got to experience it. Now I am getting back into the predictable routine, shopping aisle after aisle on groceries just to find salt and sugar.. I wish I could 'ask' someone..

Everything is automated, automatic, auto-something.. But you have to fill your own gas, cart out your own groceries, and change your own tyre.. can that be automated too? OK, I will just share room with a robot and get the chores out of the way.
I live and love everything here, I love the warmth of the coffee shop as I walk in and order my usual 'tall, non-fat, extra hot latte'.. life is good!
Looking forward to a great spring and summer.. good to be back.

Buddhist Because..

2010-02-16T21:12:00.000-08:00

Why the sudden fascination with Buddha? and Buddhism and all the envelope of peace that comes with it?

Questions on the origination of this old religion takes us to Gautam Siddhartha , who lived 26 centuries ago in what is now Nepal and NE India. Profound realization of the nature of life, death and the very existence that "awakened" Gautam Siddhartha on him the name of Buddha: the enlightened one.
What attracts me to this calming philosophy is 's words that awakening comes through one's own direct experience, not through beliefs and dogmas. This is very close to what we believe in as 'Karma'. Life's experiences is what makes us who we are, some purposely acquired traits and some through osmosis. Even though we know it to be the 4th largest religion in the world, it begs the question if its even a religion!? it seems like what I would say a Post Graduate course after you identify with any religion or belief. It does not take away what you believe, but makes you believe in yourself and what you do and how that value and ethics makes you who you are.

The 4 noble truths of Buddhism: suffering (dhuka), cause of suffering (samudaya), end of suffering (nirodha) and path that frees us from suffering (magga); allows for one to explore the meaning of life, existence and suffering at multiple levels. It is this process of exploring, understanding, testing and realizing that leads to what is Buddhism.. why religion? why not enlightenment?

I forgot..

2010-01-25T11:34:00.000-08:00

..... among other things, to say thank you to my Mother this morning, to give a hug to my Father albeit over the virtual communication devices, to call my best friend ....
Why is that.. perhaps because my to-do lists and check boxes only contain the reminders of the bills to be paid, the calls to be made to the nitwits screwed up the bills to be paid and etc..
I do not seem to forget to kiss my son, and hug my daughter.. they become the life of who you are. I do not seem to forget to wear my best shirt and pick my cell phone on my way to work. Neither do I forget the smell of coffee that lures me into the coffee shop round the corner..
Not a day goes by when I forget to reminisce a thought from the past that has the sound or the smell of what I call my childhood.. my Mother's jingle of the bangles as she walks towards my room, and I quickly put away the novel I was reading hidden in my history textbook, or hurriedly throw the chocolate wrapper behind the headboard of the large double bed where I still slept with my parents!
Today, my conversations with my Father are all around healthcare, insurance plans, travel, etc. With my Mother.. I do not remember the last meaningful conversation.. Alas.. I forgot .. I forgot to ask her to make my favorite sweet for dessert or the aromatic mouth watering chicken curry that takes me down memory lane..I forgot to ask Dad for the extra money to enroll in the extended badminton class and please please allow me to play after school for that longer hour..

Question I ask myself.. have I left my childhood behind or the childlike desires? have I grown up too much that I revolve around the me, my children, my house, my job, my family and my friends.. and forgot the roots that put me here. My Dad tells me that he lives through me.. my challenges, my ambitions and my laughter.. but I forgot.. I forgot to laugh today, I forgot to make you laugh today..
so I tell myself .. smile, and look up to those who give me energy, carefully navigate away from those who take away my energy.. and do remember to do all things that I forgot..

Corridor to 2010 :: Happy New Year

2010-01-07T22:12:00.000-08:00

In a country infused with works of art and architecture, how can we not have passed through the numerous corridors and arch ways along the way..
In my recent trip to parts of North India, I was overwhelmed by the diverse corridors that I would walk through either in the modern day setting or at the historic monumental and archaeological sites. Some intricate, some imposing, then some others are an epitomy of symmetry while others are seemingly infinite.. somewhat strangely like my dreams and thoughts..
Throughout India, the influence of Mughal architecture, which is essentially a blend of Islamic, Persian and Indian style is very evident in the double domes, the recessed archways and minars. such style reflects not only the architectural techniques and affluence, but also love for poetry, personality and aesthetic inclination.
As I walked through several of these archways, I could not help but reflect on how I had to bend to go through some (shows humility), just when you think you know it all, there is something that will always surprise or shock you. Especially when you bend through one only to enter into a vast open space, that houses one of the most magnificent architectural wonder of the world: the TAJ MAHAL! If only you could embrace humility, there is so much you could learn in the world.

Some archways and corridors have such beautiful and intricate artistry over it that indicates, how much detail there exists in every bend and turn of life. We can walk right past and gloss over, or you could stop to examine and the more you look, the more you learn. The more you learn, the more you appreciate the attention to detail, the message in every act and design.

What do you do when you see more than one archway to enter? hmm, the paradox of choice! Often times, the multitude of choices that we are faced with at different bends is perplexing. When the Mughal dynasty was designing their facades that eventually lead into the main monument, they have numerous archways lined up on all sides. This can not only confuse, but also deter the unwanted and perhaps the less witty ones of the lot from entering. When we are faced with such choices in daily life, the selection you make, is a sliding-door that decides your fate and you will never know the what-if of the other choices that you did not make!

How can I now not be intimidated by the large, imposing and seemingly formidable archways that are looming tall over me, and how small I am in contrast. Are these a depiction of the larger than life challenges we face, and how they can crush over us, if we don't take them head-on? Do you cower, do you go at them with double breasted armor, or do you accept that they are indeed bigger than you and pass through? Alas, I don't have an answer and nor do I seek one, as I am of the belief that you do what works for you and those you love and those who look up to you. But stay aware that there will be these corridors and archways in the walk of life, that when you pass through them, you will see beauty and feel the peace.

Hmm, then the one that causes me to go into an infinite loop, are the corridors that seem to be going on and on and on.... Are they truly endless? perhaps, but there is only one way to find out.. you have to walk that path to seek the end. Parenting is infinite and endless, its not a responsibility, its an experience.. who would ever want it to end. It may have bends and bumps, but its infinite and the emotions of love, sadness, pride and happiness keep energizing you to move on through the seemingly never ending corridor.
Quest for knowledge, quest for peace, are all endless journeys and many such ethereal thoughts and passion that keeps us driven and motivated at different junctures of life are all infinite.
And as I walked through these, I was surprised that I did not feel the anxiety, but adopted the rejuvenation to keep going, unfaltering, unwavering and blissful.

And then some archways are broken.. and just stand there, erect and proud to remind us of what it once was and what it once did. So do we now drop the purpose or continue to do what we do, and pay our homage to this injured pathway....? its a choice.. its always your choice.. and that is why we are who we think we are, and we become who we project to be..

Happy New Year to 2010.. through the diverse archways and corridors!

Mumbai:: मुंबई में : मैं और मेरी तन्हाई ...

2009-10-29T00:23:00.000-07:00

This city never ceases to surprise you or amaze you at every turn. One second you see the remarkable Bandra-Worli sealink.. and even as you blink and get off, the slums overflowing into the main street. Just as you recovered that, you step on the brakes to avoid hitting a crowd that suddenly gathered on the street to watch a Bollywood movie being shot on the street and surrounded by cast and crew!The food in Mumbai is great, the parties are really there to swing through the night and the history of the beautiful architecture makes your heart grow fonder each time you are in this city.
To confirm that there is such a thing as mind over body, me and my best friend walked over to the Juhu beach food stalls and ate at every one of them.. the bhel, the pani puri, the chaat and etc. And no, we did not fall sick, and it was the best street food in India!

The fashion stores in Mumbai are awesome. With Bollywood ruling the movie industry in the city, the styles from the cinema get doled out to the footpaths of Bandra and the glitzy multi-floor stores at the same time.

Don't look back..

2009-10-17T14:14:00.000-07:00

Taking a few steps forward, and slipping back some.. leaves you farther away from where you set out to be. So do yourself a favor, don't look back. In fact, keep sight of the rear view nonetheless, so you can always remember what you did and what you are leaving behind, to help guide you going forward.
As I contemplate during the festive times in Bangalore at Diwali.. its apparent to me that as I have kept pushing forward, sometimes have lost track of the untreaded paths ..the roads less traveled and the feelings less emoted, alas! what I would give to rewind and immerse myself in the blanket of memories.
But, time moves on, and so should you. Do not look back, because there is a reason that you moved forward to leave it behind, stay the course and uncover the new ground, face the happening and soar high, yet again.... and look down.. but not behind!

Sense and Sensibilities

2009-10-01T04:12:00.001-07:00

Holiday season can be unsettling and provide a subversive challenge to our modern philosophical assumptions of nuclear families and relationships. As I straddle life in USA and India.. my holiday season starts in September over Dusshera and Diwali and keeps the relentless momentum through Thanksgiving and Christmas.
While we define ourselves into going more and more towards a nuclear family structure, I struggle with the definition. Its parents and children, so my parents and my children is nuclear? I think so.. it keeps us together as the unit.
As far as my mental comprehension can seek to reach, and my sensibilities are tickled, everyone's nucleus is a definition of their emotional relationships. Physical proximity is less of a requirement, as the technologies and need to articulate and communicate supersedes the haptics of today's world.
Of course, I synthesize.. my real emotions to suit the reality of proximity or lack thereof.. in reality when a Mother thinks of her children, the only communication is a touch, which says I care, says I know, says it will all be ok.

Colors of Navarathri

2009-09-29T03:15:00.000-07:00

What can color do for you? it can certainly do a lot for this artistically laid out banners during the Navarathri season in India. Bangalore is popular for its festive colors and gaiety during the months of Dusshera Diwali.

Women take their creativity to a new extreme as they lay out the bommala-kollu at home. Terraced layers, each decorated with excruciating detail adorning dolls, idols, jewelery and colorful clothes. Dances to the dandia beats, fashionable outfits and jingling bangles is more than music to the ears. The tantric effect of the festive season, combined with the sweets and puja music in the air, is a community offering of prayer and service to the Gods.

And just like any other Hindu festival, the theme of Navarathri is the triumph of good over evil !

Star-struck damsels during one of the many starry nights of Navarathri dance beats. The festival of Dusshera is celebrated to worship Durga: embodiment of Devi, who is the supreme goddess. The form of the goddess Durga is said to symbolise creative energy and the feminine body.

Vacation tax !!

2009-08-05T23:42:00.000-07:00

For someone like me who is more wired than the average Joe (read Jane if struggling with sexism), planning a vacation is no different from planning my next project (work or personal). Ok, this time its an island getaway.. get the spreadsheet working: the sunscreen, the swimsuits, the shades, sun caps, bug repellents, yada yada.....
Turn on the out-of-office on email, delegate authority, micro-instructions to the cook, the driver, write your will.. ok, now I am stretching it too far!
But, I have made a disciplined attempt this time and made an effort to detach. I took my shades to the beach instead of my laptop.
It was a great vacation on all counts. If being productive is my only measure of a good time, it was a productive vacation. We must rest, but only long enough to gather strength to get back to productivity and this was a great rest. Friendship is probably the greatest support system in the world, and having spent the time with friends was not only rewarding but rejuvenating.
There was something unique and magical being there with my family, bonding without saying much and doing nothing and experiencing the solemn sunrise and silent sunset.

It was a blended experience that brought together vitality, innocence, boundless energy, power, influence, uniqueness and happiness.

And as you drink up that unique drink, wear your shades, and smile because it makes you feel beautiful !

Years are passing by..

2009-07-07T01:08:00.000-07:00

And I am having fun.. each year is getting better than the one before. How can that be? Someone I know well , once classified me as a 'rapid': as someone who needs a new bend in the course every so often that will allow me to see a new scenery that will pose a new challenge and freshness!
Each year, as I blow the birthday candles, I reflect on how beautiful life is and how blessed I am to be surrounded by love.. from family, friends, and well wishers. No doubt that we go through tough times and difficult days. Hard emotions and ruthless decisions, but it still is the whole sum of a beautiful life!
This year, I had the first cake in Bangkok with some of my best buddies and then a second cake in Bangalore with more family and friends. I cant help but relive the moments that I spent the last year with my dearest friends backhome in California, and I cant help but appreciate and love the new friends in India.
Bangkok is a fun city, and clearly different people remember it for different reasons. I for one, remember it for the sweetest coldest coconut water, brush with a rockstar, and the numerous laughs with the most beautiful women I know!

Bangles and Biriyani

2009-07-02T06:32:00.000-07:00

Charminar is the signature monument of Hyderabad, India, so much so that its a brand in itself! For many people today the 1400 stores at Charminar are a shopping haven for bangles, dress material and other handcrafted accessories. For many others, its the world of livelihood. Laad bazaar is the alley of bangles galore. Color everywhere, vendors spilling out of their stores to attract the local women in burkhas, and tourists strolling around. Several of us just enter into the store to escape the heat of the day into the stores with glittering bangles. Only soon realize that the one million 100 watt overhanging lights in the store (dangling to create overhead light to glitter the stone studded bangles) make the store hotter than its outside!
Shellac bangles that dazzle with the glass gems studded into them, spirals of base metal wire amid a wavy striping with a variety of colors are the signature look of the Charminar craftsmen.
Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah built Charminar in 1591 shortly after he had shifted his capital from Golkonda to what now is known as Hyderabad. Built with granite and lime mortar, Charminar is an of the Cazia style. Cazia style of architecture is unique in that its mixed it self with Islamic as well as Deccan culture.

Well, whatever you buy or do not buy, you surely must step in to Paradise for a taste of the world known 'Hyderabadi Biriyani'. Started as a small roadside shop many years ago in old Hyderabad, Paradise is now a multi story high rise catering to hundreds of patrons every day for lunch and dinner. Where they really make their money is by the volumes of parcels that get wrapped 'to-go'!

No room for Failure!

2009-06-06T08:23:00.000-07:00

When you have a project description to do once and do it right the first time, failure is not an option. The statue of Bahubali in Shravan Bellagola is the largest monolith in the world at 57ft. This Jain religious place is in between the hills of Vindyagiri and Chandragiri roughly 160km from Bangalore. The well known Mauryan emperor Chandragupta had spent the last few years of his life here. Several Jain monks led by Monk Bhadrabahu who led the group around 300 BC had performed several religious activities here, making this one of the pious sites for all Jains. The monolith statue itself was set in 980 AD.
Since it is a religious site, no footwear is allowed and you are expected to climb the 620 steps to the summit in a steep climb to see the statue from close quarters.
In spite of the heat of the morning sun, I enjoyed the climb up to the top. To add to my religious venture, I had laced in a couple of photography-enthusiasts which made the trip to the statue and the view of the country down below well worth the effort.

The temples at Belur and Halebid from the Hoysalesvara dynasty are a must visit for all those who come in to Bangalore. Though Belur is still a temple used for devotional purposes, its open to the public for sight seeing as well. Halebid is no longer a temple that performs any devotional rites. These temples from the 12th century, are a wealth of artistic sculptures that are quite intact after all these years. There are 2 monolithic Nandi bulls made out of soap stone outside the main temple that are great sight. No two scultpures are alike in these temples which are all depictions of Hindu mythology and dancing figures.

Holding on to Motherhood..

2009-05-10T19:56:00.001-07:00

Sunaina is growing faster than Mommy can keep up ! My older daughter, Sunaina, who gave me the privilege and pride of experiencing Motherhood, is growing up. My life is no different as a parent than any other parent, the same pleasures, the same pain, the same anxieties and the same aspirations. As I think about her and the life ahead for her, I cannot help but think about my own Mother and her experience of raising me as a child. So I sit down my Mother and chat her up to get some snippets into my flashback. As she unravels her pleasure and pain of dealing with me, with a wistful twinkle in her eye, I have to admit, my life as a parent feels so much more complex. Why is it that in today's day and age Motherhood is not a single dimensional simple responsibility with intuition being the only guiding light?
Today we have books, online resources, videos, seminars, support groups, counselors and then some more aids, that all attempt to tell us how to be the better parent. How can that be? Or is it marketing to push more products?
My take is that as times advance, our access to plentiful resources has increased which resulted in superior awareness and the need to excel. So I certainly see the benefit to learn and absorb the abundance of experience that is shared all around us and strive to be the part of our lives that defines us best: Motherhood. And I also know that for me, the trained intuition is what ulitmatley resonates from within in every moment being a Mother and also that of being a daughter of an exceptionally generous and giving Mother.

Where is Petra?

2009-04-02T04:56:00.000-07:00

The rose-red city of Petra is well known for its rock-cut architecture into the faces of the mountains. Adjoining the Dead Sea, this is the capital city of the Nabateans. The Nabateans were smart traders and skilled water engineers. In the dry arid area, they figured a way to irrigate their land with an extensive system of dams and reservoirs. Petra declined rapidly under Roman rule, in large part due to the revision of sea-based trade routes. Later earthquakes destroyed many buildings and their vital water system.
Petra is one of Jordan's famous attractions and a must visit in your trip to the Middle East.
In 2007, Petra was named one of New Open World Corporation's New 7 Wonders of the World.

"The Treasury," the first facade you see as you enter Petra, is world famous because of the Indiana Jones "The Last Crusade" movie and is carved into the cliff.

Following Petra's decline, most of its buildings were buried by sand which sheltered the carvings over the centuries. Petra was rediscovered in 1812. Now, without the protection of the sand and because of the growing number of tourists, its definitely at risk of preservation.
Visiting Petra and walking around the ruins need good walking shoes and large bottle of water. Every turn is a gasp of wonder at the colored palettes of sandstone erosion and smooth ledges. Walking up to the High point of Sacrifice and the Monastery is a tiring and steep one hour hike. But surely worth the effort. If you cant walk, there are many Bedouin children and peddlers offering donkey rides!
To make the visit worthwhile, I was amused to see people (celebrities that too!) take to climbing up the structure and film at the top! I did try and gave up.... since I was not a celebrity, why bother?

Walk with me..

2009-03-31T03:50:00.001-07:00

As I stroll along the brown city of Cairo, I realize I am quite at home, the hustle-bustle, the chaos, the blaring horns of the cars and the beaten down black and yellow things aka taxi-cabs ! Got off the plane and went to the most important place.. restaurant to eat the kebabs. With that behind me, it was time to head to the Egyptian Museum and God! was it overwhelming! Mummies, masks, huge statues of names I struggle to pronounce. Lots of kings, where are the Egyptian queens?
Spending a few days in Cairo is necessary because it takes that long to orient yourself, the language, the roads and the 'baksheesh'. Don't leave home without spare change!
Islamic Cairo is calm and peaceful. Enjoyed the prayers transcending as the sun sets and people collect around the local food joints to enjoy the 'sheesha' and social interactions.

Walking the bridge across the Nile during sunset was quite a charming experience. All the dining boats anchored around the coast provide a 5-star restaurant ambiance with a view of the Nile.
To really take in the Egyptian history, you should go to the Valley of the Kings and the Temples of Luxor, Karnak, etc. As a city Luxor is
quaint, less crowded and quite laid back.
The food was inexpensive and tasty, the people are friendly.
Valley of the Kings certainly is an endurance test! its dry,
arid, dusty and dry, did I say dry..very dry! But thats precisely why they build the tombs there so no one would access the wealth hidden away in the tombs.
King Tut still seems to be lying in peace and getting ready for resurrection at some point.
After surviving the long days of walking around the temples and deserts, I found my shopatherapy in the souks of Luxor. An encounter with a Sufi Saint turned out to be the highlight because he not only wanted to negotiate price on the precious stones I wanted to buy, he insisted on telling my past and whats in store for my future. He was quite right, which blew me away!

Anyone leaving Egypt without a visit to Abu Simbel is missing out on a magnificient experience. The setting with a man made sea-lake : Lake Nasser, that is as blue as the mediterranean ocean and the behemoth statues of the Ramses right next to it is an overwhelming sight.

Lets add some color..

2009-03-15T23:42:00.000-07:00

How many times we hear this comment in meeting rooms? 'let me add some color to that comment....' what does this usually mean? If a statement or comment is made that in itself is not very clear because of lack of prior context or other extensible information, let me add useful information.
In a wholly different world, like the world of Holi, adding color is more like splashing color and playing with color that depict different moments and moods. This colorful festival that was originally an agricultural celebration that denoted the arrival of spring, is now celebrated all over India in rural and urban settings alike. In many places, the colored water and colored powder play during the day is followed by a music and dance around the bonfire in the evening.

Every year, I enjoy playing this wonderful zest filled festival be it in USA or in India. When I think about why I enjoy this so much, its quite clear to me that its one of the moments when everyone comes together with no pre-conceived color and are ready to be colored!! How often do we feel so open about our opinions and thoughts that we will willingly adapt to what the other person doles out? Before you swing to the other end of the spectrum to read too much into the chameleon that would change colors to adapt, may I remind you that even the chameleon does it for survival and not frivolously?

Luck by Chance

2009-03-07T04:49:00.000-08:00

Its cliche to hear that Luck favors the Brave. But how about the possibility that luck is what we call when preparation marries opportunity? If you are not prepared, aka, not tooling, not anticipating, not planning, how would you know when the opportunity presents itself? you probably would be busy fretting about how others keep getting lucky by being there at the right place at the right time. There is some truth to that too, they (the so called 'lucky' ones) have made the effort to be there.

While we often tend to confuse our efforts with results, it happens every so often on how we try to quantify how hard we work and how diligently we try, but the results do not favor us. Instead of thinking of how else to get to the goal, we are all about how wasted the efforts have been or how unfair the system is. This disgruntlement slows us down, because there is more emotional and mental energy dissipated in negative thoughts. Instead, keep your eye on the ball of the greater purpose of your ambition, and allow the mind to transcend all inhibitions and barriers and watch the dormant talents and faculties come alive to get you to the desired result.
Luck will happen, opportunity will strike.. because you have spent the effort to prepare and be ready and there is a vibe that is resonating in the system. I would rather prepare and patiently wait to get lucky than being unprepared and miss the bus!

Cultural Entropy ..

2009-02-25T09:59:00.000-08:00

Entropy in the simplest definition is nothing but a measure of disorder in the system. But more attention to detailed meaning and you would see that its actually a measure of the 'system's' inability to do the work.

What then is cultural entropy? According to Barrett Values Center , Cultural entropy is the amount of energy in an organization that is consumed in unproductive work.
Comparing this to the actual physical phenomenon, where entropy is caused by changes in isolated systems that create in the system, cultural entropy also results from individuals who have values and missions that are different from the rest of the system. In a work environment this results in less resilience and more dissonance in the organization that prevents any form of cohesive action or alignment. In a family situation, this causes strain in relationships and unhappiness.

Okay, with the definitions out of the way, the more interesting topic would be '' so what".. should I worry? is this happening with me?
If you have often wondered why you seem to work so hard but the 'system' bogs you down and hence your productivity or impact is compromised, here is an attempt to explain why that may very well be the case. How can you differentiate what is the disconnect within you and how much can you attribute to the system around you?

It very well could be, its necessary to look at what do you define as your values, what are the values of the system that you are a part of and what would you like it to be. The differences along each of these, will allow you to pinpoint your source of dissonance.
Meanwhile I find the 7-layer model on discovering your inner consciousness with the physical needs and growing up to the spiritual need, compares well with the OSI 7-layer model! Just as the data needs to go from the physical layer first before reaching the application (the beautiful and utilitarian front end), it is nothing but a depiction of becoming aware of the immediate physical and spiritual need, and then honing the required skills that are necessary to satisfy those needs.
I highly recommend speed reading on the http://www.valuescentre.com/ to get a better understanding on how to master the full spectrum of the seven levels. Learning the first 3 which cater to physical and emotional needs, and neglecting the higher 4, would make one selfish and self centered. And learning the higher 4 and neglecting the lower 3 would result in not being able to fulfil the basic needs for yourself and hence what we term as 'not grounded'.

Pausing for Effect

2009-02-13T18:49:00.000-08:00

Life is running me by, at 100 mph.. okay, different metric system, 100 kmph. I am on it, doing the speed and increasing the pace too at times. As I sit with my son to help with the homework on reading clocks and understanding time, I pause for effect....... I realize how much time has gone by and how little I have done. But, then thats a feeling, is it backed by a fact? I cannot differentiate, as I have not stopped long enough to smell and take in the beauty of what I have achieved thus far. When I hear that 'what got you here, will not get you there', I just react by running faster. Little do I note, that it may not need a change in speed, what it may really need is shifting of the gears. Am I now on an uphill, is that why its causing me to work so much harder and yet moving so little? How do I change the gear to maximize momentum?
Right now, I would like to pause, smell the roses and enjoy the beauty around me..understand the people around me better, take in the pleasure of all the relationships, emotions - the high and the low.

and here I go, yet again, restless and relentless, chasing yet another dream..

Silence of the Sunset

2009-02-08T03:42:00.000-08:00

Sunsets are beautiful, just plain breathtakingly beautiful! The blending of the colors of the sky, the huge ball of fire changing colors by the second.. no matter where in the world you are, you are guaranteed this sight. Whether you are watching sunset in the hills, or in the ocean, or just outside your plane as you are flying, it brings a peace and appreciation of God's palette in the sky.

The colors of the sunset come from the Earth’s atmosphere, which is thickest nearer the ground. As sunlight enters through the atmosphere, it is invisibly full of color — red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. As the light is hits the tiny particles the colors in the pure light spread into the sky creating a beautiful sunset. As red has longer wavelength, it is scattered less, than the blues and violets.

Watching the sunset seems to bring people together who are otherwise driving at varying speeds in life. Some are on overdrive, perpetual relentless and restless, some are taking the days as they come and some others are looking for meaning and making the most of what they have.
Can all of these types, sit still..hold hands (or not:), and watch the sunset and feel the calmness as yet another day goes by, bring you promise of a beautiful tomorrow, where you will have another chance to fulfill your dreams?This is the promise of life.. that you can rely on, that there is a sunset and there will be a dawn, that will open up yet another day of opportunities and promise..

Tranquility of Complacence

2009-01-14T01:37:00.000-08:00

I have heard people talk about peace, meditation.. different embodiments of tranquility and solace. I may have felt it from time to time, if I bothered to slow down and connect, but I keep moving.....restless and eager. I have yet to find the ability to meditate, I will one day, just not today!

Meanwhile, I stumble upon people who seem to be in a state of utmost disconnect and seemingly trance like, not spiritual, but a form of isolation. Things crumbling around them do not seem to make an impact. The assets, liabilities and pressure infused into relationships do not play a part, there is no cognizance, or maybe there is recognition, just followed by gross inaction.
Ah, an oxymoron.. how does one excel at inaction? is it a chosen state of what one may say 'do not sweat the small stuff?' or is it a convenient state of complacence?
Whatever it may be, I do envy the ability of knowing and understanding and not feeling compelled to respond.
Actions : what you say and do and Reactions: how you feel about what others say and do; are so vital to feeling human, how does one master the tranquility of complacence? or does one need to ?

Predictability

2009-01-01T19:19:00.000-08:00

There is solace in predictability.. thank goodness. Though I would never catch myself admitting that.. because I have sought peace in change. In fact my close friends would say that I am like a rapid, seeking a new scene at every turn!
However, I will also say that there is comfort in knowing that every day, certain things do not change. And you would not want them to change. Much as the new world will have you embrace the concept of change being the only constant, you still need a nucleus that does stick with you through that change. Each to his own, will describe what that nucleus is. It surely has to be defined by love and trust, more than that is bound by duty and obligation.
My sole strength in life has been my friends and family, and there is deep love, trust and comfort in knowing that I will wake up tomorrow with the bond being stronger than it was yesterday.
When predictability causes comfort, and that comfort causes boredom.. we have landed ourselves in a rut. So, how does one stay comfortable and not bored? By changing the context, by feeling uncomfortable.. which is a clear indication of confidence and development. When I am uncomfortable in any setting, I know I am exercising a skill that is dormant or under-developed. hence I emerge fuller than I was. Of course, it all depends on why even put yourself there.. and that takes you to the point of self-confidence. You would cause yourself that discomfort if you have the confidence that you will learn and master and emerge smarter.
I digress here.. the real theme of this post is to say thankyou to the wonderful wishes and love my friends and family have bestowed on me and my nucleus and made my life fulfilling and rich. I wish the very best to all in 2009 and look forward to spending time with people I love and cherish. Cheers!

The Pizzas and the Oversized Sodas..

2008-12-28T19:56:00.000-08:00

Kids who have lived across continents, especially those transplanted from US to India.. or any where else other than the US.. will tell you that they miss the United States. Next question.. as to why? you will get some unintelligible responses and some really smart and articulate ones too. However, I have one response that I have zeroe'd in on.... being in US is having access to the pizzas and the sugar laden sodas.. all over-sized and super-value meals at that!
Hmm.. how long before we can replicate that in the rest of the world? very long.. because the same food that we lackadaisically chuck to the garbage in the US.... would feed many an impoverished nation, and end the hunger crisis in the less fortunate parts of the world..
In todays flat internet world, this is an indication that walls exist, and its economic, and its geographic. Can we do away with this disparity and can we create a really flat world with less standard deviation on pangs of hunger and leave the definition of strata to the Pradas and the Guccis ?

Daniel Craig looks Chinese?

2008-11-22T03:52:00.000-08:00

007 - best of them all- Daniel Craig entered past the Great Wall of China making a mark as the first ever Bond to enter the communist country. In 44 years of Bond movie history, the Chinese censor board had never approved the Bond to enter. So why now? because its Daniel Craig, of course, how can one resist!
As the Brit enters the Forbidden City of Beijing, he has left a mark. Some of the swankiest theatres in China now proudly show the Quantum of Solace by the half-hour.
And I get to watch the movie with Chinese subtitles, I also realise I paid the most I ever paid for a movie in any part of the world. But it was worth it..

Mosquitoes and Houseboats

2008-11-02T03:07:00.000-08:00

Actually the title should be Kerala and Paradise. But then, it would be an anti climax, to the real deal. As always, planning vacation is fun, only this time, I am consumed working on a 26 hr day in the interest of the flat world which stretches the day 24+12+12+......

So, I relied on a local travel agent to plan the chronology, timing and duration of our trip. Highlight was the train ride with the family of course. We played cards, word game, clapping jack, and provided social entertainment for the whole boggie. The kids were enamoured with the concept of a moving floor in a bathroom!

Our first stop was at Thekkady, which is a photographer's dream. Its one of the most fascinating natural wildlife sanctuary. We managed to get in a boat tour on the Periyar lake and also an elephant ride on the tuskers! After which we headed to Kumarakom Lake resort to stay in the beautiful log cabins in the backwaters. This was one lazy vacation! So we had to add some activities to justify our lavish lunches and dinners, and decided to pedal in a pedal-row boat. After the trip to Kumily and the spice gardens, this was a good way to work up an appetite.

The true highlight and much awaited part of the whole trip was the stay over on the houseboat. Here is where I may differ in experience than most people! I loved the ride, the sunset was breathtaking. We tried to buy tiger praws on a village side too, near the paddy fields. I would do the ride again. I was not too happy post sunset, there was no way to avoid the bugs falling in the food and biting a piece of me! It took away the relaxing charm and kept us too busy fighting them off. Kerala is indeed God's Own Country and though short, the trip was well worth it.

पान मसाला

2008-10-12T22:32:00.000-07:00

Hmm.. whats going on here. Its past midnight, these two guys are at the peak of their business .. right outside the premium dinner restaurant strip. Meet Shannu and Prabhu, who have had this Paan Masaala baddi for the last 18 years .. same spot, real estate / square foot you ask? Don't know, don't care.. why? because the real estate here is put to better use than any other real estate moghul can envision. It feeds two families and their extensions, because nothing in India is limited to nucleic family :-)
It satiates the overfed, "calorie conscious during weekday-indulge on weekend" population for their digestive Paan cravings after sumptuous dinners.. and its open late, one of the rare places thats open late in this city.
Unlike Starbucks for the experience, where you can customize your drink to the nth degree, here you can customize the experience!

Did I ever go to Pondy ?

2008-10-04T19:22:00.000-07:00

Why do I ask? I have no recollection of having been to Pondicherry, alas the ocean swallowed my camera!

Travel inspires me, rejuvenates me and allows me the purview to see a new window to the world. There is so much I do not know, so much that I love to be part of.. each time I am in a new city, country, I make it a point to pick up a few local words, eat the local food.. Sometimes this is challenging when I make short trips, but enriching nevertheless.

The Aurobindo Ashram is less of a site seeing spot, and more of a 'stop and feel' moment. The peace can transcend if you allow yourself that moment, or could become a bloggable item in your travel log.
The beaches in Pondy are mostly rocky, with a few sand beaches. Fitting in to the scene at the beach is not quite what I had in mind, but was happy to see the children enjoy themselves in the scorching heat and warm ocean.
Nice laid back weekend is whats in the cards to anyone planning a trip to Pondy.
Pet peeve? I have one.. I did not get to order coffee or tea till 7 am !! for a South Indian town, that was unexpected!!
I did my usual routine of waking up at 5am and walking on the beach, but my addicted body was craving for the drop of caffeine !!
All in all, our time together as a family.. driving together, eating together and laughing together.. was simply awesome and leaves me wanting for more..

Spirituality?

2008-09-29T06:36:00.000-07:00

Yes , there is such thing..... at the very least there is such a word in the English language. What does it mean? Its a description that is closely tied with religious belief and a transcendent of reality. Here is what I think: its a feeling that allows you to dream without having to explain, its a state that allows you to hope without having to account, its a strength that allows you to believe without having to reason..... its real, it exists and we all get to experience it at some point in our lives, and many of us have the fortune to experience it multiple points in our life.

I am touched, I am touched by something divine..... is it grace, is it faith or is it my belief that there is a power? what it is so not important, but what it does is influence my very being, makes me rejuvenated with a new life and new faith and new surge of energy...... all I want and more.. why is the sunset more beautiful than it ever was? why is Satya Sai Baba so divine and yet so real? is he my prop or is he God?
I believe that there is a spirit. The spirit is the creator of all thoughts and decisions. Its my spirit that allows me to be me.. love the life and enable my life to be useful to several other lives.. Om Sai Ram.

Coffee @ Coorg

2008-08-18T01:56:00.000-07:00

I love south Indian coffee and I had abundance of it in my vacation at Madikeri aka Marcara in Coorg. Surrounded by coffee plantations interspersed with pepper trees and betelnut, the town of Madikeri in Kodagu valley was quaint with all the glory of a laid back hill station. The incessant sprinkling rain, with the smell of wet mud and no other noise but that of crickets, birds and the wind, was indeed a relaxation of its own. Alas, there is not yet an easy way to capture the 'smell' and 'sounds' of nature as intuitively as there is the capability to capture 'sights' in photographs and videos.
Kodagu is a small district perched at a height of 4000 ft, with immense scenic beauty to offer. During the monsoon, the Abbi falls are at their fullest and a beautiful shower as you get closer. The food and drive was great, and if there was one gripe to pick, it was that I could not order tea in any part of the district!On the way back the Golden temple in Kushalnagar was overwhelmingly beautiful and the Buddhist chanting made it serene. The Namdroling Monastery is a thriving community and houses many lamas, monks and nuns, making it the largest Nyingmapa teaching center in the world.

The World is not flat afterall......

2008-08-12T20:23:00.000-07:00

Granted we are all learning to intuitively stop looking at differences across geographies as difficulties to overcome, and instead as potential to create value in localization. Its cool to be different! Really, what are the border-crossing advantages? These advantages become obvious when you can adapt, overcome and exploit the differences across the boundaries. The perception of someone in US or Europe about globalization is clearly different from someone in a developing nation. They may want to see localization first, so the opportunity of arbitrage is created for large corporations to take advantage.
And then I see how corporations try harder to merge across geographies, create same context everywhere, simulate the touch and feel, but what can we do with the timezone differences? shall we swap our night and day definitions across the planet?
While there is a strong notion that the world is flat and we should be able to work transparently across boundaries, there is a large part of the our working system and world that is characterized by tension caused by differences. How can the supply and demand that drive global economy work in perfect harmony in this flat world along with the disparities? The evolution of networks, tools that enable virtual presence, communication, sophisticated equipment and lowered cost of dedicated connections have indeed flattened the world. But its worth pausing to think that the internet world is without any walls, the human world still thrives on the beauty of the ivy that is growing on the walls.
I love the differences,and am motivated with the newness, how boring it would be if the whole world was one big gray conference room ?

Intuition:: The Language of Silence

2008-07-31T01:12:00.000-07:00

Enjoy the silence....

Whats your guiding light? Intuition has been mine in more ways than one. As Gladwell talks about in his renowned book "Blink", trained intuition is a skill that can be acquired. Experience in diverse areas, enables us to thread the individual pieces of information that can lead to what seems like an intuition. How is instinct created? Why do we say " I felt it in my gut?" is there a bilogical and chemical reaction that happens that connects the mind and body. Apparently, yes.... and I must say that I have felt this several times. A sinking feeling in my gut has often cautioned me on a situation that I should walk away from, avoid or diffuse. Ability to detect and aptly react to such instincts vary within individuals, some are adept and instantaneous and jump the gun at times! Some are calculated, take a deep breath and analyse.....that can cause them to paralyse, but come out ahead in the long run!
I think through this now because I have realized that I have made significant life changing decisions based on my 'gut'! Most recently, I have chosen to uproot myself and transplant across the seven seas! And everything to this day, all the beautiful sights, sounds and people along with the hurdles and hiccups, leave me thinking "Why did I wait this long?" I love it, everything about it and anticipate more..

World is My Oyster ?

2008-06-12T22:38:00.000-07:00

Heard it many times, read it often, what does it mean? I have always construed it as the whole world is yours for the taking, go find your happiness. Explore different countries, different cultures, different environments, go find the pearl in the oyster.. you do not know until you try!
I am all for change, I believe that settling into comfort zone does move one from a norming to a performing state of execution, and too much time there, slowly settles into stagnation. A very common state of happiness and if we are not careful, could make us lazy and soon lose context of who we are and what we are. Creating a change, a healthy constructive change, with enriching experiences and relationships can rejuvenate energy and creativity and allow for lot more mental, emotional and physical development.

"world is my oyster", I say this when I am ecstatic and when I am down, it seems to have a heavy meaning each time. You do not have to be rich, young or arrogant as Shakespeare would have you believe in this quote, but you need to believe.. yes believe.. I can and hence I will.
As I was growing up, my Mother often said to me, " Don't feel bad, whatever happens, happens for the best!" It is a cliche, no doubt, but a darn good one at that. Over time, I have certainly learned to look for the best, each time things do not turn out my way, or per my expectations. Ah, the magic word.. "expectations"! When and where do we learn what to expect? But, I digress.. I want to get back to the art of finding the good in each situation and context. Seemingly hard, but utterly possible. This is truly the sustenance of a peaceful life and by allowing your intelligence and creativity step in, you not only find the best, but could create an opportunity out of it. Inflection points do not happen, we have to make the inflection happen.

Whats your Attitude?

2008-04-30T20:48:00.000-07:00

Each of us will interpret this question differently. The same person will interpret it differently at different stages of their life. Some may interpret it as the changing attitude during the course of a day!
The beauty of this is that we can 'choose' our attitude. That will define our posture. It will also decide what your project and hence what others will perceive of you. This is by no means to say that you need to feign an attitude, but goes on to say that you could be aware of your attitude which has a far reaching implication on your life.
An easy task becomes difficult when you have a poor attitude (aka pessimistic approach about the 10 reasons why it cannot be done, should not be done, external factors that stop you from doing it, so on and so forth..).
A difficult task becomes challenging when you have a good attitude (aka optimistic approach that acknowledges the difficulty and is seeking ways to overcome the hurdles to reach the goal, and motivated by the challenge that is posed..).
I refrain from labels of 'good' and 'bad' attitude and like to think of it as a 'healthy' attitude. An attitude that far surpasses the mere facts and allows me to be in an empowered state of being. Now I am moving from a victim mindset to a control mindset.
A very obvious projection of a healthy attitude is posture! Square shoulders, confident stance, meet the eye and head tilt. I realize that even when the situation or conversation is causing me anxiety or negative emotion, I am able to maintain a calm smile and relaxed vision. Of course, this is great in a professional setting, distances me in a social setting! It took a while to strike the balance..
Quality of your life is the quality of the consistent emotion.. keep a picture of a happy incident or loving person in your mental mind.
Regular exercise, happy thoughts, postive feelings help with the postive attitude. You will be an asset in every setting.
A pessimist sees difficulty in an opportunity and an optimist sees opportunity in an difficulty.. are you ready to seek your opportunity?

But Mom....

2008-03-21T19:35:00.000-07:00

Hmm, that phase is not too far off with my 11 year old or my 5 year old (going on 10..). Fortunately, I think, my pretty daughter does not always talk back. But then I started reading more into her unsaid language than said language.. She is "but Mom.." in her head.

Isn't it amazing how we are toughest on those we love the most? Why does this syndrome happen? Especially, where it relates with our children, is it anxiety, lest they face the same hardships we did, will they know how to get themselves out?
Of course, they will, they are your offspring, they are at the very least as smart as you if not smarter!
I cant help but recall what my hiking partner said to me this morning "I dont understand why people say: my daughter is most important to me, so I cannot do anything else to compromise the priority!:" But isn't this a redundant statement for every sensible parent? Of course our children are always the highest priority. I don't beleive that your ability to do other things in life besides raising good kids is a measure of your priority for your kids relative to everything else. In fact, I would argue that different people have different capacity to do multiple things in life and give it all the same tilt. So, this seems like a natural reason we give ourselves as to why we can't follow other passions.
As a parent, I have steered clear of being a victim to this mindset. I will pursue my passions and coach my children on how they should also learn to identify with their passion and pursue. We only live once, why live someone else's life? We do not have to listen to what other tell us we should rather do, or fall prey to other peoples's opinion of your decisions, instead being strong and steadfast in what motivates you makes you a healthy person and hence a healthy parent.

My day starts with kissing my kids good morning in bed and when they are not around, I catch myself smiling thinking of what my daughter would say or some of my son's antics.. and that captures the next wave of energy and enthusiasm for me to get through my day.

Do you have time ?

2008-03-19T11:49:00.000-07:00

Often heard statement for not having done something "I don't have the time!". But then who does? If all of us feel that we do not have the time, where did all the time go?
I tell myself, time is never there, you have to make it. As soon as you make it, you use it, as soon as you use it, you lose it and you are back at the same spot.."where is the time?".
I struggle with this concept, and each day passes by with the to-do list barely attended to. I have worked hard the whole nevertheless, but don't feel accomplished at the end of the day. I quickly groped my way out of the dark in this downward spiral and now I do not make to do lists of everything that needs to be done.
I only list things that I have to do today as a priority, the rest are notes, not tasks. I make an effort to keep this list small so its realistic. Its governed by urgency followed by importance. The rest can be dealt with later.
Hmm..thats procrastination, isn't it? It sure is, but its managed procrastination, so its not fatal! Often times, we get caught up doing small and unimportant things because we either like them or we want the immediate gratification of completing something. But the urgent and critical tasks are starving and may be costly or painful to deal with the slack.
I like to make time for things I enjoy. I did not enjoy exercise as much as I do now. I enjoy it now because I made it my time to 'think', 'download some educational podcasts to listen', or run with a friend that I have meaning to catch up with. Over weekends, Sunaina and Nihar run with me, and we go and enjoy a big brunch at Shoreline..captures my family time. Its not work-life balance, its work-life integration!!
The four domains: Work, Home, Self and Community are the main compartments of all our lives. The best way to integrate these domains is to step back and see how to combine your day to day tasks so you could move the needle on each of them and not starve any of them.
Courtesy: Prof Stew Friedman; I have learnt this tool: tabulate how important each of these domains are for you on a 100% scale, now tabulate how much time and energy you spend on each of these domains again on a 100% scale. Voila!! the gap in what you want and what you do will be obvious.
The rest of how you would address such a gap and take stock of what to do is a very personal choice and involved execution plan. It works for me, I was doing some of this on my own and have become more aware after I started thinking along these lines.
Good luck..
"what will you now do with all this time??!!"

Why do you keep coming back??

2008-03-12T16:55:00.000-07:00

We are all creatures of habit, we like to do the things the same way we grew up doing them. Its comforting. Even the adventurous kinds amongst us, have a few things that they do by routine. How often do you wake up in the morning and think "let me take a different route to go to work today!" or "stop at a different coffee shop for my steamy latte!"
This is where the emotion behind the customer stickiness is created as well..of course it needs the product, the features, the whole nine yards.. but, its the wanting to come back to something that you 'know', 'like'.. Hence the excruciating attention to the monetizing mantra 'Service'!
Stop selling products, start selling the service, the feeling, the memory. With the advent of social networking phenomenon, viral networks, this is all the more necessary. Whether you sell soap or the next Gigabit router, think service..
Effective customization techniques, without having to ask the same questions repeatedly, make the experience so much richer. This is a well known fact with traditional service industry such as beauty salons, therapists, florists, etc. The trend is now catching on to the technology and product industry as well.
Repeat business and customer loyalty speak to themselves to attract new business in this new world and I urge every business owner to actively think of analytics to tackle this..

Anyone can relate with this??

2008-02-14T19:20:00.000-08:00

I heard this quote today at a panel discussion " Life is what happens while you are planning" and it stuck in my head!
Isn't this so very true!? Some of us are eternal planners, almost to a fault, that we rarely execute, all that planning..whatever is it good for?
and then some of us are the doers, almost compulsive and impulsive, again, great executers, but could be executing the wrong plan dude !!
As with everything else, there has to be a sane judgment and balance between the two extremes, there is certainly goodness to planning and strategy and then making the call as to when do you make a decision to execute and start working on it.

Another label that comes to mind is the procrastinators, thats usually the kind who claim that they are still planning, and hence have not yet gotten around to doing anything! Yeah , right, of course. I am guilty too of this at times, more so when I dislike the task at hand, its way to hard to gather the wits and energy to get it moving.

I digress, but the point of reflecting on this epiphanatic quote was that it left me thinking, of how futile our detailed plans could be at times, and how we should stop in the moment and enjoy it to the fullest. Plan your financial portfolio, plan your career, plan your vacation, just do not get stuck planning your life!..keep moving...

Out of Focus

2008-02-02T01:05:00.000-08:00

Ever tried driving in dense fog with less than two feet visibility? Its frustrating..you are pressing on the gas, but always ready to hit on the brakes, and not quite sure where you are headed. Yeah, the last 3-4 weeks have been something like that for me .. not quite on the road, but in life! Car is in gear, general direction is known, but unsure of how hard to press on the pedal..lest I go faster than I should, or suffer consequences that I would regret.
Life is hardly a coloring book that you could pick your own colors and get creative. Its more like a picture book with a set chronological order, that you flip through.. merely controlling the speed at which you move and maybe sneak in a few fast-forwards :-)
I like where I am, so I move slow, but I want to get ahead, so need to move fast..alas conflict of choices again.. but I shall soar, just as I did before, the right thing to do will magically transcend onto my being and shall happen, soon..
Until then, the out of focus picture can only be enjoyed because its so very cute and warm !

Happy New Year-2008

2008-01-28T12:22:00.001-08:00

I had expected everything to look and feel different on Jan 1st 2008. In fact, I even had a good plan of what I would do after my world around me changed........but, strangely no such thing happened.
I wonder often what makes me click. I have the easy, top of the mind answers such as 'challenge', 'energy', 'fun', and the like, but then thats not the tangible part. What is it deeper than that? If you think that I would have an interesting answer written here, you could not be further from reality! I intend to spend 2008 figuring this piece out for myself. This could be very well true for many people. We hold our values and priorities very close to heart. Everything we think and do during the course of the day are an embodiment of the same. We go into a whirlwind when we are not able to adhere to our basic values, and that puts us into what we commonly like to call 'stress'. My five year old knows the meaning of that word now!
For the more geeky kind, a question such as what makes you click is usually answered in a jiffy with "a compelling ad online would make me click" and no wonder the Googles and Yahoos of the world make money per/click!
As a general rule, I do not make resolutions for new year, but do take the time to reflect on everything that ensued the past year and mentally key in areas that need my energy and attention moving forward.
That whole world would of course now circle around the munchkins.. his cuteness and her highness!!
My son is cutest when he is thinking, of course that consumes a very small percentage of any 5-year old's time, its all action..so hard to capture a thinking moment like this one.
Of course Sunaina is hardly a little girl anymore, blossoming into a beautiful young adult with a mind of her own. I love to watch her grow, despite the arguments aka mis-alignment (geez! the corporate lingo..), despite the 'i know better than you' looks that I get every day..its priceless.
January has been a busy month so far, two weddings, poker trip to sin-city, several projects committed, golf lessons, several assignments submitted, ...... somewhat productive in most areas and much room to improve in some others. And that is why, my to-do list is never clean. In fact, if it was, I would have no idea what to do!! I would probably be twitching..
All in all.. I was blessed to start the new year driving in line with the rest of the devotees in the area for a glimpse of God!

Winding Down - 2007

2007-12-31T19:00:00.001-08:00

As we wind down 2007, I make one last attempt at a make over.........
Will it work ? only the new 2008 can tell us that story.
December 31st..2007, its a good time to reflect on the memories of the year.........
There are so many events that have left a positive effect on me. Several people that I have met during the year that have considerably added value to my thoughts, experience and learning.
As a reflection, I am glad that I have also had a chance to touch several lives in a positive way. My energy on starting a cultural network at work, contributing voluntary hours at rural scholars, ICC, and other budding Indian ventures make me feel that there is so much we can all do by influencing the society around us. You do not just leave back a footprint in time of 'you', but a footprint of everything that you had an impact on. So why not start today, to think of ways to integrate your time and energy that you spend at work, home and social life to contribute to the less fortunate.
It also reminds me of the not so happy times, where I was spiraling into thoughts of trying to do the 'right' thing and caught between conflicts. I thank all the friends and family who reached out and gave me unconditional support and love during all those times. Earnestly listened to my ramblings and stories and gave me a strong shoulder.

This year, has made me wiser, stronger and more conscious of how blessed I am.

Year 2007 also had me reading several papers, books and cases..that my speed reading score is off the chart!!

The last day of the year started with a long bike ride with Sunaina and Nihar, a champagne toast with parents and ending with dancing all night !

Cheers and Welcome 2008!

Beautiful Highway 1

2007-12-28T22:51:00.000-08:00

This is why Northern California real estate is HOT! Two days before Christmas, driving down highway 1 to Cambria was an impromptu plan. But nevertheless a great one at that! The weather could not have been better for a December day. It was bright and clear morning and the scenic beauty along the wiggly road was enthralling.
Its hard for me to function without a structured agenda and time based activity plan. But I willed myself to have none of the usual expectations and resigned to the idea of relaxation. Hmm, what in the world is that? Well, its end of the year, yet another year, plenty of Highs....strewn with a few Lows, and I wanted to turn down the volume on my never ending list of things-to-do.
It was by far the best decision of the year 2007 ! Packed a few overnight things, booked a ocean front B&B and took to the road. Made plenty of stops along the way to enjoy the sun and the inspiring views.

The highlight of the drive was the beautiful orange sunset on the ocean to my right, and a simultaneous gorgeous full moon rise to the left. Pictures could never do justice, but I did make my humble attempt to capture the moment.
Waking up in the morning to watch the full moon light up the ocean in all of its glistening glory was tempting me to step out in the 45 F cold!
A long run along the boardwalk jump started the holiday of Christmas Eve.

The ride back is just as much fun, more so because now you do not feel the compelling need to capture everything on your 2Gig memory card.
Life's simple pleasures are hidden in the beauties of nature: the sound of the ocean waves late in the night, the color of the sky as the furiously orange sun dips into the welcoming ocean, the calming light of the moon on the vast waters of the ocean................. reminds me to Thank God for giving so much and asking so little!

Patagonia and El Calafate

2007-12-14T23:27:00.000-08:00

Patagonia is analogous with wilderness. Patagonia occupies a good part of Argentina and part of Chile.
El Calafate is a small village in Patagonia. Its towards the southern part of the big lake Argentino. Its name comes from a little bush with yellow flowers that is found all over Patagonia. It is declared as the national capital of glaciers.
Perito Moreno glacier is the royal attraction here. This village has the look and feel like a ski-town. Very similar eateries, rough cold weather apparel, memorabilia, cafes, etc.
Its also well known for its local chocolate, which we ate in large quantities after the long tiring hike on the glaciers!
The tour on the glacier was one of a lifetime. The ice was blue in color! astounding, that you could really see color on ice. We had to wear clamps on our shoes to trek the glacier, and learn the strange walking style to avoid slipping and sliding. At the end of it, the tour guide had us drinking scotch on the rocks (yes, the rocks came from the glacier..in its purest form).
The surrounding area near the glacier was so serene and quiet, that we could hear the ice break! And when the pieces fell in the water, it was like a huge gun-shot and echo! Quite an experience.

Zen..... its in everything, what is it?

2007-12-10T15:27:00.000-08:00

Often used word "Zen", what is it anyway?
Well, depends on who you would ask.. A gadget geek would say Zen is the latest from Creative- their 32 GB(God yes!!) cool looking MP3 player.
A more philsophically astute friend (if you have any such kind) would tell you that first of all its pronounced "Zzen" [zeɴ]. If a fanatic of etymology, they will go on to further educate you that its the Japanese read of the Chinese character 禅. Zen refers to a specific type or aspect of meditation. Its what Indians would call 'dhyana'.
Zen is most known for its emphasis on practice and experimental wisdom to attain awakening. The interesting part of this school of thought is that it does not focus on theory or religious writings. Focus is on the direct personal experiences of one's own nature.
Then there is the well known book called the Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance which explores the metaphysics of quality.

Role of Dad......Memories and Musings..

2007-12-09T10:19:00.000-08:00

The relationship between father and daughter is one that almost defies description. We have all heard several symbolisms of a Father-as the primary male role model in a girl's life. Fathers influence their daughters in profound ways, from how they see themselves to what they come to expect from men and the world at large. Most often heard notion that communication becomes difficult, was downright untrue in my case!
As I was growing up, I craved for time with Dad. I often wonder what our conversations were in the little town of Bhopal, some 30 years ago! I remember that I had wanted to go out and disliked being indoors- that has not changed even now :-)
Dad was often traveling when I was young, but spent so much time with me when he was in town, that I don't remember the times that he was gone. Of course, the terminology used for such time is "quality time", I know what it means now.
When we moved to the bustling city of Hyderabad, I clearly remember long conversations that Dad and I would have that would be about topics dear to both of us. By no means, was he a generous and lenient Father, I vividly remember strong reprimanding sessions that meant business. As I clumsily entered into adolescence, these reprimanding session turned into heated arguments. Senseless of course, but I would not concede this then, I had a point, it was valid one! But alas, I would almost always lose out to my wise and serious Dad!
I know from the bottom of my heart that I have always feared my Father, but it was never our of fear as in Fear, but it was out of respect. I know this now, I was not too happy about this back at home.
There was nothing that we would not talk about. I rarely remembered that I had no siblings, because my Dad would be my best friend and talk about everything, he always seemed to know. One can surely relate with the warmth and comfort of a relationship, where words are barely uttered, but the air is pregnant with the emotion. Thats the beauty of my conversations with Dad, I often don't have to finish the whole sentence, he gets it and responds before I am done!
Okay, so its not all great, there are times then and there are times now when I cannot get him to agree to my way of thinking! But, I am out of India, out of my roots for over 15 years now, I am not the same person anymore. I have changed, so had dear Dad..older, wiser and just as sharp witted.
All my life, there has not been an event that felt complete without sharing it with Dad in some way, even if just a phone call or email, and I look forward to many more such beautiful days to come.

ThanksGiving-Collage

2007-11-25T18:21:00.000-08:00

Thursday started off with a great Sumptuous dinner for Thanksgiving! Turkey-Desi style..kindof, and socializing with friends and family. Conversations as stimulating as why the kids grow up faster than we can keep up with them, to the extent of why the stock market fluctuates more than my weighing scale on a daily basis was gist of the social chatter. The highlight for me was the game of Telugu movies with Dumb Charades at the end, and I truly was astounded that I did not know a single one of them!! God, am I left behind or what. Where was I when all this was happening..probably burning midnight oil getting my corporate finance assignments submitted on time!

2007 Thanksgiving was as multi colored as the delayed fall colors you would see in North California. This was the first Thanksgiving weekend in 5 years that I had decided to stay home. With the 3Es of Energy, Emotion and Excitement being stretched to the maximum the last two years, this weekend was my time to unwind and relax.
True to my intent, I spent every day around friends and family with no agenda and no schedule! It was a hard concept, but a successfully executed one :-) I actually found quiet time to read a book by the lake where I did not use a HIGHLIGHTER to mark out things to remember! For those who have seen me plough through my business school readings, this is the first ever that I have ventured to read a fiction book in nearly 2 years. It was great!
Kids enjoyed trips to Alcatraz, Ripley's, biking at the Vasona, and lazy strolls in downtown. Thank God for Sunny California, we were able to enjoy brunches on the patio every morning.

Capping it off with watching the city get ready for Christmas 2007..

Quality Time

2007-10-09T21:12:00.000-07:00

Amid all the deadlines, tough conversations, unending negotiations, long commutes and stop-and-go traffic, like a bout of O2 come the loving cuties, wrapping themselves around me like love-blankets!
Much as the art of compartmentalization is mastered and execution is impeccable each morning and each evening, the lazy relaxed evening on the couch is like a panacea. For someone who is always driven by an objective and asking whats the agenda, its truly an effort to unwind and realize that there is none..and thats the objective! I love it, and what I love even more is that I am able to enjoy such moments to the fullest. The warmth and affection from Sunaina's and Nihar's hugs and non-stop conversations and silly squabbles keep me smiling! I think I drive them up the wall when I don't interfere and 'settle' their arguments, and instead laugh myself silly at their interchanges.
You could have all the rules and do's and don't's as the family next door about "quality time", but the utmost happiness is that warm cheek on your face and the tight bear hug that does not want to let go.........I tell myself to remember to Thank God every night for giving me the utmost happiness of it all!!

>10% inflation

2007-10-03T08:48:00.000-07:00

Okay, just when I thought the first 90 days is key to success in a new role: http://sridevikoneru.blogspot.com/2006/06/first-90-days.html
Just as with everything else, there is more than a 10% inflation!! The latest word on the street is how the first 100 days are critical. At the dizzying speed at which business world moves, there is little to no scope for error or experiment. In corporate setting, there is always immense pressure for success. How quickly and smoothly a new leader of an organization can transition seamlessly is what identifies great leaders.
There is a review comment on this new book: The New Boss::""The window of opportunity for achieving a seamless transition is the first 100 days — that’s all the time a new manager typically has to ensure that he or she will be effective in the long run and that employees stay motivated.""
How did they come up with that? what am I missing between the first 90 and 100 days?
Don't expect a review from me on this book, I will be reading this and more, on all kinds and forms of leadership and organizational behavior..its not a science or art, but a inter-twined combination of emotional and intellectual acumen. Its a fascinating area of interest and even though admittedly there is boatloads of ink spilled on such topics, there is always something to glean.

Quote

2007-09-26T20:48:00.000-07:00

"Efficiency and Politeness are inversely correlated" - Ms Grau

Complying = Active Listening?

2007-09-26T20:36:00.000-07:00

One's willingness to listen is the most vital component of his or hers' ability to listen. Several of us have been to different 'soft skills' training that touches on listening skill and in some cases, a whole 2-day class dedicated to Power of Listening.
Most of us tend to tune out or start thinking about what to say next to be the active listener. The frequently heard concept of 'paraphrasing' what is heard to promote engagement from the audience, is often misunderstood and mis-implemented. It certainly does not mean repeating in different words as to what the speaker said, it is more of integrating the ideas and information from the speaker that was absorbed by both verbal and non-verbal communication.
Three key elements rise to the occasion: 1. involved silence i.e., eye contact, vocal encouragement), probes i.e., supportive inquiries with a 'what' instead of an aggressive 'why' and paraphrasing as enumerated above.
Often times in personal relationships, failure to comply is misunderstood as not having listened!!

Everyone loves Rio

2007-09-25T23:28:00.000-07:00

Rio de Janerio is more beautiful than any pictures that you have ever seen! (pictures..courtesy Gagan)

But I loved Sau Paulo....in Brazil. Its always the experience that counts of course. The beaches, the churrascaria, the caipiriniah-made with cachaça, and the warm people .....made the evenings really fun! The business visits were of course educational, but we don't need to discuss those details here, Ron Park always covers them in his official blog and I have submitted my inputs there!

Gender agnostic

2007-09-25T23:01:00.001-07:00

Its always flattering to be praised and recognized by the people that you grew up with. In my recent trip to Hyderabad-the pearl city-I was surprised at first at being accosted by the local TV channels and local newspapers wanting to interview me. It was unclear why they wanted to talk to me. Within 24 hours of my descent at the Hyderabad international airport, I found myself in the gray-white corridors of Hyderabad Doordharshan television studio under harsh lights and ridiculously loud make up! I was told that the local public would be interested in hearing from me about how I made my education choices, career choices and what message I would like to give the new generation and women in particular.
Then the big request came that I should speak in 100% Telugu! Of course, I can do this, but how do I say 'technology' and 'ambition' in Telugu? I had to think quickly and trying to be nimble within the forays of the jet lag was not exactly conducive at the time. I was also told that it would be an uninterrupted, unedited 25min interview! OK, now I was really sure I would do all the wrong things for the TV crew. Good news is that I was able to wing it..all the questions were personal and familiar and close to my heart and touched on various facets of my ambition and passion. I loved the interview and hardly felt that I was on TV..it was a rewarding experience.
After this, I also did another interview with the popular E-TV channel who said they would use snippets for a whole year depending on topic of interest. My interview with the local newspaper Eenadu was most rewarding. This gave me the opportunity to reach out to a large Telugu population and the goal was to serve as an inspiration to young girls and ambitious youth in various regions. My recent endeavor to enable awareness in rural parts of the state with respect to education and career got a boost with this publicity. I look forward to working with smart and capable students in rural areas and inculcating a feeling of ambition by sharing information regarding the innumerable possibilities in the world of academia and corporate!

Golconda Fort- Hyderabad

2007-09-21T15:57:00.001-07:00

We all know Hyderabad for its Biriyani..yumm.........more so the midnight biriyani is to die for!! I would stay up all evening, just so I could enjoy the midnight biriyani in Green Park, Viceroy and Ohris. Ideal evening for me in Hyderabad is to watch a late show of a telugu or hindi film, enjoy the food in Viceroy or swing to the desi music in Touch lounge!! I was so impressed with the clientele, the music and the management of some of the local nightclubs in Hyderabad. The city and the entertainment it has to offer has certainly come a long ways from when I lived there in the late 80's.
Visiting the Golconda fort after nearly 15 years was a nostalgic experience. Its a magnificent fortress that dates back to the early 13th century, when this south eastern part of the country was ruled by the Kakatiyas. The bulk of the ruins of this fort, date from the time of the Qutub Shahi kings, who had ruled this area in the 16th and 17th century. The fortress is built on a granite hill.

New addition to our Family- Radhika

2007-09-21T15:49:00.000-07:00

We are so blessed to see new life every so often as an extension of our family. It was a pleasure to play with my new niece Radhika and enjoy the bliss of holding and caressing the newborn!
Nihar was practicing his reading skills on baby and also enjoyed his reunion with cousins Arjun and Menaka.

Delightful Delhi

2007-09-21T15:27:00.000-07:00

Capital city of India and a wide spectrum of tastes and sites makes New Delhi one of the delightful travel spots of India.
The red fort is a spectacular example of Mughal Architecture built by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan in 1648. Its also known as the Lal Quila. Shah Jahan moved his capital from Agra in a move designed to bring prestige to his reign, and to provide ample opportunity to apply his ambitious building schemes and interests.

The Qutub Minar is the largest tower in India. Its a 239ft sandstone tower and is an Indo-Islamic architectural wonder of ancient India. The word 'Qutab Minar' means 'axis minaret'. Today this tower has a slight tilt, but has held up remarkably well through the centuries.

The Rajpath is also known as the Rashtrapathi Marg (known as King's Way) is the ceremonial avenue. It runs from Rashtrapathi Bhawan to Vijay Chowk to India Gate.

Cheeni Kum

2007-08-24T01:37:00.000-07:00

What should I wish for?

Air India - what a disaster!

2007-08-24T01:22:00.000-07:00

Living in the West Coast of US, I have been lucky enough that Air India was never a choice of Airlines to fly to India. I would often have a toss up of choice between Singapore airlines (great service, clean airplanes, decent food, on schedule, expensive tickets and long layovers); Cathay-Pacific ( good service, decent airplanes, good food, on schedule, reasonably priced, reasonable layovers but hard connection flights) and Lufthansa (mediocre service, clean airplanes, mediocre food, on schedule, reasonable prices, short layovers, effiecient connections). This last trip I made the mistake of picking Air India for other reasons. Air India can boast of nothing more than pathetic service, dirty old airplanes, bad food, delayed schedules of over 3 hours or more, reasonable prices but a costly experience!
Given the lack of margins in the airline industry and high competition with high operating expense, one would think that its time that the Govt of India handed off this sector to a private company. Keeping disgruntled staff not only creates a bad experience to passengers, but makes Air India one of the hardest to hire organizations! NACIL is already struggling with the topline, how is it planning their next 5-10 years with fierce competetion from JET airways and KingFisher?

Sania Mirza from HYDERABAD

2007-07-30T17:55:00.000-07:00

I wonder what motivates me more about following Sania's tennis game, her or the fact that she is also from Hyderabad and an alumni of the same high school as I am !! Its probably all of the above. All in all, it was great fun watching her play live at the Bank of the West classic tournament last week. I dislike being in scorching 80+ temperature in any situation, but I gladly made an exception to watch Ms Mirza in one of her best games ever. She had a strong hand and consistent play throughout and was a pleasure to watch her.
The Bank of the West Classic, is now onto its 37th year. It is the longest-running women-only professional tennis tournament in the world. Its also a Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Tier II event, and has 28-player singles draw and a 16-team doubles draw with total prize money of $600,000.

Austrian Sybille Bammer had a good game and strong forehand shots and had Sania playing all 3 sets before losing 6-2, 5-7, 6-3.
It was the biggest victory for Sania thus far. Its a pity she lost the final to top seeded Russian Anna Chalvetadze 6-3, 6-2.
Israeli Shahar Peer and Sania Mirza were a great doubles pair to watch and their win against Victoria Azarenka and Anna Chakvetadze 6-4, 7-6.
This now has Sania to the 31-st rank, a jump from 35th!!

Desi fans in Stanford were cheering Sania all through and she seemed to be fueled by the energy from the crowds. Of course, I was one of them too!!

Mentoring and Community

2007-07-25T22:46:00.000-07:00

As part of mentoring and community outreach, it has been one of my favorite activities to address an audience of high school girls. Most recent were the ones at USF and CalPloy, SanLuis Obispo. Interesting commonalities in both of these series was the fact that the girls at the ages of 13-18 now seem to know so much more than I would have ever associated with. Its incredibly different from when I was in high school! The information that is at the disposal of students today via the WWW, rich media content online and in schools allows for a wholesome enriching experience.
When I was invited by the universities to speak and mentor the students as a career counsel, I was not very clear on where to start as a base. So I prepared two sets of slide decks..technical jargon and presentations and one for personal career moves and choices with a flavor of technical introductions.
Both were inadequate !! I realized while in the midst of the presentations that the students connected much more with me as a person than what I had to share in terms of careers and technology. It was then easy to open up as Q&A and it was encouraging to see how much the schools have to offer these students and how well aware they were of what they could choose. Most questions were around, how to choose the right area of interest, how to switch between specialisations after you get a job, etc.
http://www.cs.usfca.edu/~sep2007/speakerinfo.html

http://www.calpoly.edu/

Lunch with Scott Adams

2007-07-25T22:39:00.000-07:00

It was an unexpected treat to be seated with Scott Adams. Scott is a very engaging conversationist and also had clever quipps of high tech corporate life!! I told him if he ever wanted a desi-corporate version of woman (man was already taken by our Asok:-) , he should consider me!
Dilbert blogs are really cool for those who follow it. Recent career advice(courtesy Dilbert): If you want an average successful life, it doesn’t take much planning. Just stay out of trouble, go to school, and apply for jobs you might like. But if you want something extraordinary, you have two paths:
1. Become the best at one specific thing.2. Become very good (top 25%) at two or more things.
First is incredibly hard to master and even harder to be a differentiatior. But, it’s the combination of any two that makes anyone offer up a rare set of skills to be successful. Of course, two is not a magic number. Capitalism rewards things that are both rare and valuable. You make yourself rare by combining two or more “pretty goods” until no one else has your mix. At least one of the skills in your mixture should involve communication, either written or verbal. And it could be as simple as learning how to sell more effectively than 75% of the world. That’s one. Now add to that whatever your passion is, and you have two, because that’s the thing you’ll easily put enough energy into to reach the top 25%. If you have an aptitude for a third skill, perhaps business or public speaking, develop that too.
It sounds like generic advice, but you’d be hard pressed to find any successful person who didn’t have about three skills in the top 25%.
What are your three?

The Acropolis and Athens

2007-05-26T13:19:00.000-07:00

Named for the city's patron goddess, Athena, the city of Athens represents history as long back as the 5th century BC, when it was part of the Byzantine Empire.
Staying at the Syntagma Square made the entire city of Athens very accessible. The ever popular Acropolis (The Sacred Rock) is remarkable tourist spot that depicts the history of this city. The most spectacular part of the Acropolis was its grandioseness. The Parthenon, temple of the Greek Goddess stands out part of the Greek architecture. The Erechtheum, Porch of the Maidens, Theatre of the Herodes Atticus and the Propylea are the highlights of the Acropolis.
The Ancient Agora and the famous museums speak to the amazing history of the city.
The cafes and restaurants are great in Athens, plenty of nightlife and hip restaurants open late into the night. Service is not something to brag about!
I was underwhelmed with Athens overall, in spite of the vastness and old architecture in the city. The magnitude and royalty does not encompass you when walking the regular city roads as you would feel in a city like Rome!
Nevertheless, I would go back to Greece to visit more of the Cyclades islands.

Sunset @ Santorini

2007-05-25T15:30:00.000-07:00

The island of Santorini is related to the myth of Atlantis, name comes from ‘Santa Irini’ and it is officially called Thera. The amazing views from the villages of Fira, Oia perched on cliffs, the sunset, the black and red beaches, the wine…..make this one of the most beautiful and picturesque island in the Mediterranean.

Santorini is one of the Cyclades islands, in the Aegean Sea, Mediterranean. It was circular and that was the reason it was also called Strongili, which means circular in Greek. The volcano’s eruption destroyed the centre of the island, causing it to sink and to create today’s caldera.

The most memorable part of Santorini from my time there is the peaceful ambience. Friendly locals and restaurant hosts made it a pleasant stay. It’s an ideal place to kick back and relax….something that I always find a big challenge to do! However, the air in Santorini was compelling to do exactly that! I was able to reflect on my recent past and turbulent present. It did not seem so turbulent anymore, and I must admit that I had several epiphany moments.

The tomato keftedes, the local retsina and white wine and gyro sandwhiches are delicious.

Aroma suites was a beautiful set of white rooms set on the edge of the cliff in Fira. The rooms were names after spices, mine was Saffron! When I stepped out of the room early morning, with the fog still low, the white architecture all along the rim of the island made it look like the mountain was topped with snow!! Breathtakingly beautiful.

Sunset at Oia, the long hike up Ancient Thira, steep hike up after the volcano tour and ferry, black sand beaches and the restaurants are the highlights.

Nandan Nilekani - Truly Global CEO

2007-05-23T09:53:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege to meet Nandan in person and listen to his thoughts of new global world. He is a modest and affable person and a pleasure to chat with.
Nandan is the founder, and currently president, of Infosys Technologies Ltd., based in Bangalore—India's Silicon Valley. Infosys, Wipro and Tata Consultancy Services are the Microsoft, IBM and Sun Microsystems of India. What makes Nilekani unique is his ability to explain! he has a unique ability not simply to program software but also to explain how that program fits into the emerging trends in computing, how those trends will transform the computing business and how that transformation will affect global politics and economics. It was his insight that the global playing field was being "leveled" by technology that inspired the book The World Is Flat.

BAY to BREAKERS-2007

2007-05-22T08:18:00.000-07:00

ING Bay to Breakers: Only in SF !! Its fun to be part of the race on the 3rd sunday of May every year. Living in the bay area for over 15 years, I am surprised at myself for not participating in this yet. This year was motivated by several groups of friends wanting to run together with silly themes!
I decided to sign up with my b-school buddies and run with the best in business....get some free advertising, what the heck!
Embarrassingly, we did ~ 80 min to the finish line, but pride still holds.... ran all the way for all 12K ! The real tiring part was getting back after the run, crawling up the streets of SF trying to flag buses and trains! We finally ended up at Crepevine and had a huge brunch and called out victory..

The highlight in all was the train ride from south bay to the city! At 6am, it was packed and splitting at the seams with enthusiastic B2B runners and watchers..most of them already drunk by then and the others carrying 6-packs in their backpacks.
Glad I did it .. aim to do it every year now:-)

Mother's Day

2007-05-15T09:01:00.000-07:00

This is the US, there is a day for everyone ..

I got curious and wanted to know how did Mother's day start?

The Brits celebrated the 4th Sunday in Lent as a day to honor Mothers. Other countries and faiths had different ways of honoring Mothers. But it took a young American woman to create a special day that is celebrated around the world.

Miss Anna Jarvis, from West Virginia in the United States came up with the idea of honoring all Mother's on the second Sunday in May. The first Mother's Day event was held in 1908. It was a religious service (her Mother had taught Sunday School for 20 years). As part of the service, each Mother was given a carnation which was her Mother's favorite flower. In 1914, the US President designated the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. Within a few years, countries all around the world were celebrating Mother's Day.

I think thats when Hallmark saw the makings of a business opportunity! and thus the Mother's Day takes over and now is well celebrated all over the world!

Every year this is a very emotional and beautiful day for me. I remember to hug and kiss my children so much more that its never enuf! thats our family slogan now!

Thankyou Sunaina and Nihar for making me the happiest Mom in the world!

Istanbul

2007-04-29T21:15:00.000-07:00

Beautiful city with a warm hospitality! I was pleasantly surprised at the the experience in the capital of the Byzantine empire, Istanbul. The cities tourist sights were amazing, people friendly and food great. The highlight of the stay at Istanbul was the Hamam- rejuvenating experience!!
The city hosts at least two of the "1001 places to see before you die" and I was fortunate enough to do both.
The Blue Mosque is beautiful with 6 minarets and derives its name from the blue tiled exterior. Also known as the Sultan Ahmet mosque, with Ottoman architecture, its still an active prayer location.

The bosphorous bridge connecting the continents of Europe and Asia.
The Topkapi Palace is grandiose beyond description with the Harem as the highlight.

The shop till you drop at the grand bazaar was accompanied by countless apple teas and Turkish coffee served on the house. Of course, you should have a Masters in bargaining prowess. I just got tierd after a point and would sit down at the shops and tell the owner, "you know, lets just skip to step 6: just about where we are ready to make the deal!!" In a couple cases, it worked, mostly because the guys thought it was amusing!!

The spice bazaar was a haven for the Turkish delight sweets and the popular Turkish viagra! We just had our 'sweet' breakfast by stopping at each store!

Optimisitc or Realistic

2007-04-29T21:07:00.000-07:00

Is a high achiever an optimist? Or an eternal fool, always hoping to accomplish more and more, such that there is never satisfaction?
Is a low achiever a loser or just a realist?
In yet another journey through the weeks and months, I was astounded at the decisions that I see people around me make on their lives. It seems to me that they are compromising, or is that my view? maybe they are being realistic and settling for life as its dished out?
I am a believer in taking life as it comes and making the most of it, not just accept it vanilla. Why blame someone else for our fate, lets take charge!

Movie profiler: "THE HOLIDAY" Chick flick?

2007-04-28T15:17:00.000-07:00

One of the nicest movies I have enjoyed in a long time is The Holiday. This movie has certainly surprised my expectations. It may be labeled as a chick flick, but I have heard many people (men and women) who could relate with the characters on screen! Most certainly Amanda and Iris (played by Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet) represent each one of us women at one point or other in our lives! Their characterization as two independent, confused and then clear and happy, all in one movie! was entertaining and hilarious.
The highlight for me was a scene where Kate Winslet and Jack Black are having a drink at home, and Kate is trying to comfort Jack on his cheating girlfriend situation. Kate has a long dialogue that about sums up a lot of what I directly relate with. It would be unfair to repeat that here, you have to see the movie to know what it is!
A good lightweight movie for your movie rental weekend.

Mom's Joy

2007-04-01T18:59:00.000-07:00

Sunaina and Nihar..filling my life with Joy every day:-) As the days go by in 2007, its amazing to see Sue get closer to being a 10 year old. She is so much more mature and responsible than an average 10yr old. Holding high expectations of children seems such a high hurdle to jump nowadays and is a popular topic of debate amongst many parents. Experts in child psychology say that children are so resilient that they can be stretched and can overachieve, surprising themselves and their parents. Nihar of course is the never-tierd socialite. His 'never enuf' is so addictive, that I can't imaging a day going by without hearing it. Talking to both of them endlessly and their bickering over who is getting more of my time and kisses, leaves no room in my heart and mind to think of anything else......what could be more fulfilling!
Moving at the speed of life in the Silicon Valley, is a challenge in itself. I am afraid that I miss out on so much more that I could be doing with my kids...........

Happy Ugadi 2007

2007-03-19T13:47:00.000-07:00

Ugadi (yuga and adi) means beginning of new age. It is believed that Lord Brahma started the creation process on this day. Ugadi is the New Year for Telugu and Kannada speaking people and it ushers in the spring season. It is also the first day of Chaitra, the first month of the Hindu calendar.

Good Morning Mission Peak !

2007-03-18T21:49:00.000-07:00

Week 1: 2007: Start:

Its summer time almost in the bay area. It felt wonderful to hike up Mission Peak to announce the start of the wonderful spring and summer in beautiful bay area. Mission Peak in Fremont is one of bay area's less popular, but highly intense hike trails. The locals in Fremont are regulars to this trailhead, but few venture from other Silicon valley cities. From the Stanford Ave entrance its ~ 5.6 mile hike to the top and a quick gain of ~2100 ft in altitude.
My best yet has been 1hr 50 minutes, but cut some slack for start of the season today for a 2hr 25 mins !!
Most gratifying was the sunrise at 7:05am from the peak, and my naive attempt to capture nature's beauty at the onset.
Week 2: 2007:
We started the hike in midst of a foggy morning again. It was walking in the semi dark the first 30 mins of the hike and as we reached closer to the peak, the clouds started clearing to show glimpses of the bay. Here is a picture of the bay with a blanket over it. Today we decided to break the monotony of the climb by counting the number of Desi people that we would come across, and we counted a total of 81 !! Incredible number eh?
today's time was 2h:2om

Week 3: 2007:
Today was a very different experience hiking up Mission Peak. We were both tierd at the start and were sure that we wont keep our usual pace. So we took it easy. Clearly spring has onset..the mountains were clear with no overhanging clouds! Half way up, we could see the sunrise and bright day light. Spring flowers have started showing up..beautiful lavender. Today's time was 2h:33m :-(

Dad who never slows down

2007-03-07T19:29:00.000-08:00

After an eventful weekend in the ER and Oscars in the ICU, I know everything there is to know about every Ace designer and walking the red carpet in Hollywood. When to hang the hair down, when to tie it up, when to leave it 'windblown' (yep! thats a style too.....and I sport that every day....least effort!).
El Camino hospital, heart of high tech valley, yet slow on tech adoption! They have wireless communication and guest access (of course, how else would I have kept up with the countless hours!), but they have to hand write every communication with the patient. Each one does not pass note to another until the next day, whatever happened to digital recording and PID tags? I have a lot of sales pitch to do now, so I took it upon myself to talk to their IT support manager and got the emails of their CIO-teams..... yippee...revenue for my business...
OK, that aside, the real deal, was watching Dad on the reclined bed, laptop, Sidney Sheldon and cell phone.... all at the same time. Yes, Dad from AndhraPradesh, now in Silicon Valley and High tech yuppie...the nurses could not stop flirting with him.
Well, in all seriousness, life flashed in front of us, and thank Heavens, alls well that ends well.

TIME: most precious

2007-03-06T22:39:00.000-08:00

The best gift I have ever given anyone is my TIME. Anything can be given generously and it also ok to expect nothing in return. Time once given is never retrieved, so don't waste it on something thats not worth it, or someone who does not appreciate it or reciprocate the same.
I have read several books and journals on how to effectively multi-task, and get more productivity into a day. However, everything is in concept and measurement of time. How often do you hear " I could not do it, I ran out of time", " I wanted to call you, but I did not have time" ?
Its always a true reason, there is just never enough time! Precisely why the need to use it as the most precious treasure. Time once lost is never regained.
I have gone overboard in trying to be efficient and organized. If I have to write or talk about how much involuntary thinking goes on in my head to plan a simple grocery trip, it would tire me!! I would never do just a grocery trip, it has to be on the way to something else or while waiting to pick up the food I ordered "to go" next door.
But all this is so elementary. Deeper is the gift of time you give to your friend, partner, child or parent. The time you take to see them, hug them, listen to them and talk to them. The time that you spend thinking about them even when you are driving or watching a movie. I find that the love and affection grows exponentially each time you think about them. Is that beautiful or beautiful?!
Money comes and goes, friends come and go, sickness and health come and go, time ONLY goes......
Everyday, before going to bed, the most important thought " is to thank God for giving me yet another day".

"Distilled Success"

2007-01-30T21:33:00.000-08:00

Success is described as an event that accomplishes its intended purpose, it is also defined as a state of prosperity or fame.
But, of late, I don't know if I agree with these definitions anymore. I have often been in conversations where everyone will use this term, and it carries very different meanings for each. I remember being taken over by surprise on hearing a young 10 year old, relate with success as buying the Nintendo"W-ii" before anyone else in their class, to a 65 year old saying that they feel successful if they can switch careers!
Of course, the typical type-A diagnosed person can only have one unanimous definition of success! Set a goal, achieve the goal, does not matter what else happens.....!
I feel that success should be distilled.
Distillation is a method of separating chemical substances based on differences in their volatilities. Ok, so this is the science part of the process.
Does this make sense in real life? How about separating away with the negative emotions, dislikes, and other catalysts that stimulate volatile behavior and feelings, this would lead to success of the finest form. Easier said than done. What would then be the distillation process? A supportive and fulfilling relationship would be the panacea for such a mode. Be it a friend, parent, sibling, child or partner........ Someone who can trust and love and who can be trusted and loved is simply irreplaceable.
All other manifestations are jewels on this definition of success.

Win the Battle, But Lose the War?

2007-01-10T22:14:00.000-08:00

Its important to realize what is at stake, before you go to war. Intelligence and maturity lies in knowing which battle is ok to lose to win the war in the end.
I have always practiced this and encourage all to adopt the same. Myopic view of what may appear to be a victory is Alas! a mirage that will fade away as you go closer, only to see a dry patch!!
To be trusted is more of a compliment than to be loved. Today, serenity is attainable to few that can trust and be trusted.
I have heard words over and over again begging for forgiveness, and now I am in search of understanding what it means. If forgiven, would imply forgotten? or vice versa? Or does forgiven mean denial? Whatever it may be, I note that forgiveness certainly does not mean that its ok , but only until the next time....
In all happiness, its beautiful to live in peace..
Nirvana......almost :-)

Happy New Year- 2007

2007-01-02T11:37:00.000-08:00

Yet another year has passed by - 2006 !! It was a multi-faceted year with many twists and turns. It had its highs and lows for me. Golden take away was to realize what is most valuable in life. This new year -2007 will be the first year where I have not written down any New Year resolutions!!
If my core goals are not the fabric of my very being, will writing it down make a difference? I dont know the answer to this..... its very clear to me on whats important to me and my family. I kick off this new year-2007 with a prayer to God to grant me every strength and happiness to sail through yet another prosperous new year.

Why are some Journals empty?

2006-12-25T21:10:00.000-08:00

Or maybe a bigger question to ask is why do people write journals? For some its a way or organizing their thoughts, for some its a way of priortizing and a way to sift the important from the not so important. For several others its a way to write down things that you would like to forget! Ironic as it may sound, I have learnt to write down events in my diary that I would rather forget. Often times, its been my way of sharing my thoughts and burying them too, never having to relive them or rehash them. However, reality was that the facts themselves would keep repeating, then it seemed futile to write anymore, so I did not.
Its true that the very fabric that makes a person is a compilation of all the events that happen in one's life. So why bother writing anymore, its ingrained in you anyway!
If you have read the book "Blink" (a must read BTW), you will understand the art of thin-slicing. When you hear the word intuition, also realise that intuition can be trained. Trained to recognize and demonstrate the experiences of life thus far.
Several of my friends, male, female alike do take to writing.....journaling, blogging or a diary.

Now to question why some journals are empty? as in white blank space? nothing to write? nothing to convey or nothing to remember or forget?

Self learning starts young

2006-12-23T23:10:00.000-08:00

Highly over rated in this country is the need for formal classes for children of all ages. Important characteristics of tenacity, passion and spontaneity are often underplayed. Many a time I have noticed in my own kids the over riding need to achieve and drive. When I let that be, the results are heart warming and makes parenting a boon to live.
Of course, there is also the flip side of channellizing talent..the role of a prudent parent is to tap into the interests of the children and seek formal training for the discipline and mastering of the skill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=645NasbjfuU
This is a very funny video clip of little Nihar left on the skating rink by himself for the first time at age 4 !! He spent more than an hour teaching himself on how to walk and balance on the ice! It was delightful and funny to watch him tumble numerous times, but the tenacity and resilience that he displayed was a trophy in its own!

?? Choices ??

2006-12-13T11:07:00.000-08:00

Whats with the choices? Wholemilk, lowfat, nonfat, soy.......
Ironically, I still dont have what I would like in my coffee! I need a blend of whole milk and non fat to make my coffee taste exactly the way I want it. Beauty of this is that there is a method to this madness and means to the end, and above all a solid awareness of what you want. Point to be made is the cognizance of the goal is what makes the journey and the means to get to the goal so much more enjoyable and fruitful.
We often scorn at how many choices we have and wouldn't life be simpler if there were not so many choices to make. However, wouldn't that also make you a follower of something that you often times don't even know 'what'?
The thrill of the journey is stimulating and hardships forgotten when the goal is in sight. The achievment of the same comes with all the gratification laced with victory!!
I have had to make some really difficult choices in life, none as exciting as the soy milk or non fat decisions. At which point would one know if it is the right choice? where and when is the end, that will allow you to reflect back and ponder over the 'what if'?
I wish I had a rear view mirror that could tell (but alas thats broken and was never replaced!)
December 13th is a day to note, life was something before and something else after.

San Francisco

2006-12-09T22:32:00.000-08:00

Beautiful city with a splendid skyline.