The gift of silence

I recently finally understood why I loved flights so much ( besides the amazing views). I love it for its inaccessibility. For a while, you are literally away (above) from the world. I mostly believe in solitary flights and window seats. So its just you and the endless clouds and some landscapes as you leave or reach them. I love the lift offs. Not so much the landings. I love the idea of being in the sky. Flying. I even love the much hated flight food. I cherish the silence, literal and in the mind that one experiences. It is the one public transport where people do not generally chatter. It is the one time noone can reach you. For a while one is away from everything. And there is no sense of guilt, responsibility or expectation. It's a unique freedom in today's fast paced world. So yes, my idea of every ideal holiday is with flights :)

Recently I experienced such silence on an away evening. The meetings were done for the day. I walked to my room, visiting a church, shopping a little, losing and finding my way about a few times. When I finally reached, I knew the evening was just mine. I felt no need for TV, music or even the phone. I kept them away. Silence was blissful. Time for some introspective writing. Reading a new book (that, I couldn't do without). Reviewing life. It's necessary I realized. Every few months, we should give ourselves the gift of silence. One day. Two days. Quality time with self.  What one does could vary from person to person but it should be just them. No media and no other people. Only the one person you can never escape though you may avoid many times every day.

This can even bring about some interesting ideas, solutions to places where we are stuck and in some cases, life changing ideas. It's not surprising that so many scientific discoveries were by scietists when in bath, about to sleep, wake up..the alone states.

So where do you find your peace?

Home

Recently we shifted residences and I realized there was a phobia associated with the new place or maybe it was resistance to change.

It took time for it to become "home". Home is not elegant sofas and high profile paintings with perfect teasets. Home is your favourite pajamas and slippers. Watching your favourite tv show with the people who will watch it with you because they love you. A place where you tie your hair loosely and ask for a cup of extra sweet tea on a tough day. Where you place your favourite trinklets all crooked but just as you like them. Home is where you like to  cook. Where you even like to be alone. Where you  stumble to the loo at night in the dark. Home is the best place in the world with the right people. Where you are accepted as such.  Where you fight and make up and fight again. And laugh about it later someday. Home is that familiar blanket and your kids chocolate kisses.  Home is much loved broken toys and paint splashes. Home is where you belong and look forward to coming not just on work days but even on vacations to different locations.

Home is where you are at peace and inspired to write.  :)

New lessons

Today I completed 2 years in a single place in the industry. Well, a lot has changed from that first post I wrote after completing 6 months.

This is the second chapter. The first chapter of the experience changed my perspective of the industry and the second one rechanged it again. Sometimes there are irrevocable changes which change the place or the way one views a place.

There could be a lot of discussion points here. Many I started and discontinued even in this post.They could come as individual posts later on in different ways.

With time there are also struggles in most cases. Sometimes those are struggles at a personal level, at a level of balancing different aspect of lives, the actual work , the stress at the edge which may or may not be directly to actual work or that of growth.

Maybe it's like life. There are different phases. What is most important is to have the basics right. To know which factor is most important and then strive to stabilize there and make sure to sustain it. They all offer chances of growth. The growth can happen in different directions. Sometimes the most important aspect of growth is how one handles the points of struggle or even how well one identifies those aspects.

Sometimes it's the simple stuff like taking time out to talk to friends or rest or destress. Sometimes it's about expressing oneself and clarifying areas of confusion. Sometimes it's just about belonging to a place. Sometimes it's about learning new stuff. Sometimes it's new stuff about the core work and knowing where and when to learn more.

Just like life, one learns different lessons through different kinds of phases and it's always possible to keep learning.

Before bidding adieu

Before the dusk draws near
And the sun sets in,
And day closes for me too,
Let's smile and then bid adieu

Today I am hale, jolly and hearty,
Before the health fades,
Freedom diminishes and dependencies grow in lieu,
Let's play once again before bidding adieu

Before life fades, the body shrinks,
And one gets exposed to weakness, pity and ridicule
Before smiles that I can bring become few,
Let's laugh and then bid adieu

I am but one phase,
While waiting for you are phases many and new
Before it's my cue,
Let's close this chapter and bid adieu

Before one needs,
Before has to,
But while one still wants to,
Let's talk and talk before bidding adieu

Let's enjoy life's brightness and hue,
Green grass and its dew,
Before dusk brings darkness,
Let us walk together and glimpse  at it once more before we bid adieu

The rat race ends,
And we come to the end of the queue,
Let us pause once before bidding adieu

The story of my life: the best is yet to come

Recently a blog competition wanted the writers to write about the story of their lives, give a title and also define the chapters.

It seemed so tempting and interesting and yet I realized I couldn't define it as yet. It's too early.  So much is left "undone" as yet...But as I set about thinking of some of titles, I had a few insights about the journey so far:

1. It's a good life: So many times our daily stress, the pace of the rat race and other minor setbacks get us down. There are less smiles and more frowns. Joys seem scarce. During a recent such phase,  I came across this blog title and upon reflection, it made me realize afresh how beautiful life is. The minor potholes are just scatters of background noise which can easily be removed and don't even affect the main picture. One just needs to remember this.

2. "The secret" is valid: Whatever the heart desires does happen. This is a proven fact in the story of my life. Be in personal or professional achievements or even minor goals. They can all be mapped to this. If they meant enough to me to truly want them, they finally worked out. No matter how far they initially seemed. Whether it was getting my first 100% marks in an exam, finding the right partner, doing PhD, health or hobby related ones or some very targetted, shorter, specific goals. The ones that didn't work out, well they didn't matter enough. I didn't keep thinking of them, they didn't rhythmically beat with my heartbeat. If they did, they did till they happened. No sour grapes here. Just wonder at how simple it really is to make things happen. Of course, they need to be goals, not just dreams. Not all dreams are goals. One needs to be the main doer in them. Not a spectator. If the main action is independent of you then it is not a goal, just a dream.

3. Have faith: Continuing from previous point, one just needs to have faith. One needs to bid time sometimes. I wish as a teenager I knew that things do work out finally. There would have been so much less stress! I wish there was a huge way to convey this at the largest possible scale somehow. It's so important. It's so important to know when one is lost that the ways still exist and one is bound to find them ultimately.

4. Keep making memories: Some of the most memorable times are also the times of maximum struggle. How we made it through previous tough times hold us good for the next ones to come. It could be some motivating motto, songs, books, some life mantras, practices or our support system in the form of people. What gets us through once gives us the strength for the times ahead and a feel good factor that it all worked out. And good times and good memories are created through it all, not after it all. Life keeps happening. It's important to keep living for those joyful moments and making memories along the way instead of waiting for things to get easier or better. These moments are what make things better.

5. Don't get stagnant: Keep dreaming: The end of one dream is often the beginning of another. Living means having something to look forward to. Something that makes us constantly feel alive. Sometimes we need to rest a while between goals. But one must find the next one soon enough before complacency sets in.

Because, the best is yet to come....

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.’ 

This post won for the WoW post of the week award.

Mindfulness and the pause that sometimes happens

Sometimes one just needs to switch off and focus on just the immediate needs. Like a wound that takes all your attention. One needs to shut out the world to avoid all else which seems like background noise. That focus is mindfulness. It is at a similar level to meditation.

Recently while waiting at the hospital, I realized people somehow continue their activities there also at times. You visit someone and while there, you utilize that time for a few "urgent" calls, check new messages and drop a few mails. It's required to continue in the pace of life which we have created for ourselves. Otherwise we get left behind or fall off the pace. It's almost like a norm.

But this changes sometimes. Maybe when it affects you or family or someone close directly. Or it could be someother circumstances. Sometimes one just needs to get off the life's treadmill. Sometime's it's enough to just watch close ones sleep peacefully, just observe breathing, realizing nothing else matters as much.  I experienced this recently. There were gaps when I could have technically done stuff probably but the mind froze. The heart didn't want to. For a while I did not want those disturbances or distractions. No new sources of information from the outside world. No questions. No tasks. Nothing more than the daily life at that stage. A kind of inner withdrawl. Away from the outer frenzy. Multitasking has its limits. It's not always about time or physical energy but also about peace of mind. The mind's capacity at a particular time. Crisis takes it's toll and requires more from the mind to just process it and go on. One looks at the outside world for support but all else disolves away like a small island on its own.

This time my mind could handle no more than the daily tasks. And while waiting at the hospital, I just heard breathing and observed the colors of the painting. The shades, the details. Just living in those moments while the mind also stayed still. It found no need to wander towards anything else. It  worked towards recuperating itself. And that, I believe, is mindfulness. Sometimes it is sudden, sometimes forced but if added as a practice, it may prove to be beneficial. The pause can be good in the long run as the race continues.

Hyderabad trip: Green tea and bread (part 2)

Sometimes some parts of our daily activities get so ingrained into our routine that we hardly realize their significance until for some reason, we have to deviate from them.

This I realized at the recent trip to Hyderabad. The accomodation was fine except for one fine detail: it had no tea maker! The first evening soon after arriving, I ordered my first cup of tea and ploughed ahead thinking that there would be tea at the conference and they of course offer tea upon ordering. But what they didn't have in their menu was green/black tea/chamomile tea, in short any milkless flavoured tea!

Over the next few days, I realized another missing item, bread from breakfast! Whether it was at the conference or the accomodation, the multiple options of breakfast offered didn't include. The multiple tea options didn't include green tea. At one point, they even kept the elusive packets of all variety of teas. I reached eagerly and asked for my option, only to be told that there is no hot water currently!
Well my struggles with breakfast did have some memorable breaks in between where such options were made available or pursued.  I was slowly becoming the kind of person who should carry their own tea!

However, this experience surprised me. I never realized before this trip that these two items played such a vital role in my morning rountine. I was reading my morning routine earlier and tried to analyze my routine. It seemed rushed. Green tea as a part of healthy choice but also because it is a quicker choice. This was generally followed by  grabbing a quick sandwich for the way.  This hardly seemed like a routine. Kind of rushed with scope for lots of improvement. But with time, it became a part of my routine that gave me peace. Few minutes of peaceful green tea and the blandness of a simple sandwich.

The blandness, simplicity and flavorlessness is nice in the morning and forms an intrinsic part of my morning and hence daily life. It somehow calms the mind to concentrate on the day ahead without itself taking any energy. No oilyness, spice and hence no heaviness. It just supports. Just like certain people in life.  They just support. And they are such an intrinsic part of our lives that with time we start taking them for granted. They are supposed to just be there. Exactly as they are, everyday of our lives. Because they are the reason we function.  They are our staples. Our bread and green tea. They are our family.  And sometimes it's the deviations which make us rediscover their true value which we would see everyday without observing properly.

Invent A Gadget. What Would It Do?

‘This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.’ 

The challenge here is the following:

Invent A Gadget. What Would It Do?‘. Think about a gadget that can help you complete one dreadful task or multiple tasks and write about all that it can do. How will that be useful and make your life simpler or well, maybe happier? Well, here it is....

The challenge in this case is to mention one favourite imagined invention. Well, I will mention my favourite childhood fantasy which in today's world is definitely sliding more towards reality. My fantasy is towards locomotion. Right now telepresence is possible but what would be great would be great would be teleporting. Or to be more precise, a kind of device which generates rays that allow the user to travel in air from one location to another without any vehicle. The rays would propel us as we  provide directions to steer according to our path. With that,  each way becomes 3 dimensional. For each path, we can travel at multiple heights. We travel freely, any time, any where and much faster than currently possible. The device would get charged by solar energy and thus also be a completely environment friendly device.

If I could extend this further, I would say this allows the user the comfort of travel by allowing options such as virtual standing or sitting or lying down. It further allows one to travel great distances at a glimpse. Imagine fulfilling all your travelling dreams when it fancies you. Or visiting that distant, close one at a blink instead video calling. Or even running errands without worrying about traffic!

Well, lets dream on! Maybe this becomes a reality in some form by 2100! 

This blog post is selected by blogadda as shown here

2018 Complete Reading list

2018 was a good year, reading wise. Actually, fortunately, most years are at least in this one respect.  I read 59 complete books including some nonfiction after a long time. Some Indian authors, some new authors, some serious, some light and some of slightly new genre also. 30 out of 59 were new reads. An almost 50% ratio of old vs new reads is perfect in most ways (bold ones are new).

Book 1: Best of Friends by Cathy Kelly

Book 2: The Wish List by Jane Costello

Book 3: The Scandal (Theodore Boone ) by John Grisham

Book 4: High School Musical: Poetry in motion by Alice Alfonsi

Book 5: Thinking of you by Jill Mansell

Book 6: Sleeping Arrangements
Sophie Kinsella as Madeline Wickam

Book 7: Chicken Soup for the Soul
(Reader's Choice) by Jack Canfield

Book 8: The railway children by E.

Book 9: The Dare Game ( A Tracy Beaker Story) by Jacqueline Wilson

Book 10:  One Suitable Girl by Chetan Bhagat

Book 11: The year I met you by Cecelia Ahern

Book 12: The girl on the train by Paula Hawkins

Book 13 Pollyanna by Eleanor H Porter

Book 14: Bone Magic by Yasmine Galenorn

Book 15:  Jessica's secret diary...Sweet Valley series...By Francine Pascal

Book 16: Elizabeth's secret diary...Sweet Valley series...By Francine Pascal

Book 17:  Secret at Mystic Lake
Nancy Drew diaries
By Carolyn Keene

Book 18:
Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie

Book 19:
The bomb girls by Daisy Steel

Book 20: The Perfect Holiday : by Cathy Kelly

Book 21:Heidi by Johanna Spyri

Book 22: The woman who went to bed for a year By Sue Townsend

Book 23: The short second life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

Book 24: Double Act by Jacqueline Wilson

Book 25: The private lives of Pippa Lee
By Rebecca Miller

Book 26: Koi Good News by Zareen Khan

Book 27: The  Demigod Files( Heros of Olympus) Rick Riordan

Book 28: The Red Pyramid (The Kane Chronicles) by Rick Riordan

Book 29: Nancy Drew series: (Green with Envy)

Book 30: Agatha Christie  ( at Bertram's Hotel)

Book 31: Granny Dan by Danielle Steel

Book 32: Who moved my cheese?
By Dr. Spencer Johnson

Book 33:  The murder of roger ackroyd Agatha Christie

Book 34: Medical Romance : A family Christmas by Josie Metcalfe

Book 35: How to fall in love
By Cecelia Ahern

Book 36: Divergent By Veronica Roth

Book 37: My not so perfect life By Sophie Kinsella

Book 38-39: Babysittersclub..number 81-82
By Ann M. Martin

Book  40: Insurgent By Veronica Roth

Book 41: Allegiant By Veronica Roth

Book 42: The Babysitters' Club ( 2 books in the series) By Ann M. Martin

Book 43: Nancy Drew books ( 5 books)
* The emerald eyed cat mystery
* En garde 
* Swami's Ring
* Ice cream soda
* Intruder
(Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene )

Book 44:  Here's to you Rachel Robinson by Judy Blume

Book 45: One Minute Manager by Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson

Book 46: Surprise me by Sophie Kinsella

Book 47: Malory towers (next gen series) by Enid Blyton.

Book 48: Blubber by Judy Blume

Book 49: Princess Diaries (Princess in love)

Book 50: Turtles all the way down by John Green

Book 51: I heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk

Book 52: Speedpost by Shobha De

Book 53: I heart Vegas by Lindsey Kelk

Book 54:
Rules for girls(moving day) by Meg Cabot

Book 55: Sabrina the teenage witch

Book 56: Scrambled legs...2 parts

Book 57: Loved by PC Cast

Book 58: After you by Jojo Moyes

Book 59: Homecoming Cathy Kelly

Hyderabad trip: finding my way (part 1)

This is in continuation to the post "escape". For a while I thought this would be the escape from stress, daily worries as they kept getting piled up. And in some ways, it was. Though in some ways it also exhausted while creating an entirely new journey.

Finding my way, literally

This journey started very differently from others. It was less organized. I packed light, too light it turned out! I got late for my flight and just made it in the nick of time. There was none of the usual time to hangout at the airport. Yes, I love planes and airports. I would stroll, windowshop and eat. And pick a good book. Well, this time I just entered and rushed to board. As a result I was also too late for the window seat, another almost norm for me. Well, I adapted, rushed and got into the plane, relieved just not to miss it. I peeked at the window, absorbing views, got out a packed book, ordered some snacks and got into my flight mode. There's something so blissful about eating while watching the clouds, even it is instant noodles and instant tea. Well, here's the weirdness, I actually enjoy instant meals and even instant tea even when options are available! And of course, a good book can accompany just about anything.

Upon landing, the struggle and observations started parallely. I had expected this to be a kind of normal trip...with a flight and a busy city. Compared to the previous conference in Mandi, this was expected to be a breeze. Except that it was breeze which I experienced! The first thing I realized was it was going to be much colder than I had anticipated or packed for. The next was rocks, everywhere, of all shapes, sizes and color.  All the way from the airport. It is what forms the picture of Hyderabad for me. The big rocks, almost cave like structures. With flowers surrounding them.  Water bodies coming and going. It all presented a quaint picture, as if from a different era.

The next was Paradise biryani, just as I gazed at it, the driver abruptly stopped and dropped me off at the wrong hotel, despite my protestations! Maybe I should have heeded when he asked to talk to over the phone for directions. At that time I had thought "who needs to ask directions in the time of google maps?"  Or maybe it all started when even locating the taxi stall took so much time.

Well then, it was a journey for my map and I. Seems there a lots of Oyo's everywhere, even on a single street. Luggage in one hand, google map in another, I walked the busy street of Gachibowli. And again. And resorted to asking people. Noone seemed to know the existence of this place! Finally I turned to a dark alley with misgivings, got more directions, turned another dark alley and ..lo and behond...it was there. What a welcoming sight from within!

I got into the room and ordered tea. Missed the kettle and its welcoming instant tea to my taste. Shivered. Closed the ac and fans which they seem to turn on just to show you that switches work. Realized I had in fact packed too lightly for this cold, struggled with a stubborn wifi and fell asleep with the thought that "this may not be easy as it seemed".

Well,  this was part 1. This series has more to follow given time, hopefully :)

November booklist

Book 48: Blubber by Judy Blume
Rating: 3
A light reread.

Book 49: Princess Diaries (Princess in love)
Rating 3.5
A light reread.

Book 50: Turtles all the way down by John Green
Rating 4.5

Not so much for the plot or story but for all the words. Such perfect and thought provoking sentences!

Book 51: I heart Paris by Lindsey Kelk
Rating: 3.5
The story is interesting, light, the pace is right. But it doesn't do justice to the title. There is not enough about Paris. I heart Vegas caught the spirit of Vegas in a much better manner than this does for Paris.

Book 52: Speedpost by Shobha De
Rating: 4.5
An amazing book. Letters ftom Shobha De to her children. As a child, I enjoyed reading this book as a guide to understand the generation gap. And now, as a mother myself, it's come round an entire cycle now. It now gives a new perspective of the limited time we have as parents to actually enjoy and cherish our children's childhood and take care of them.

Book 53:
I heart Vegas by Lindsey Kelk
Rating: 4
A good reread.

Book 54:
Rules for girls(moving day) by Meg Cabot
Rating:3.5
A light, fun book.

It's easy to fear

An attempt at quick poetry for WOW!
"This weekend, we would want you to Write A Poem Using These Words – Fear, Ready, Wide, Tie, Will. This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda."
I might have missed it by a minute, but here's the entry

It's easy to fear losing all that is dear
It's easy to look far and wide
And not tie oneself to a fixed goal, a fixed life
What's tough is to be ready for change,
To risk all for a new horizon
One needs the will of iron
A heart full of grit
And foolhardiness even if just a bit

But jump you must only if you must
Risk only if it holds true to self
And not just because it glitters in the distance like a pretty pearl, a closed shell

This blogpost was selected as WOW post

It's easy to fear

An attempt at quick poetry for WOW!

It's easy to fear losing all that is dear
It's easy to look far and wide
And not tie oneself to a fixed goal, a fixed life
What's tough is to be ready for change,
To risk all for a new horizon
One needs the will of iron
A heart full of grit
And foolhardiness even if just a bit

But jump you must only if you must
Risk only if it holds true to self
And not just because it glutters in the distance like a pretty pearl, a closed shell

December booklist

Book 55: Sabrina the teenage witch
Rating 3.5
Light and fun

Book 56: Scrambled legs...2
Rating 4
An old favourite. It was hood it after years.

Book 57: Loved by PC Cast
Rating 4
A continuation to a much loved series. This brought some twists while maintaining the continuity of the older characters.

Book 58: After you by Jojo Moyes
Rating 4.5
The sequel to "Me before you" . Such a touching, fast paced book with such well placed emotions. The perfect sequel to a book which had been left at such a tough end. Can't wait for the next in the series.

Book 59: Homecoming Cathy Kelly
Rating 4.5
A cosy, comfortable, book full of warmth. 

Life's priorities

Noone really knows when they would  cross their personal middleage mark. But after a while, we reach a threshold beyond which we feel a greater urge to do all the stuff that we planned out to do.

Companies set prorities at regular intervals and then kind of work around doing the best for the top priorities. Because everything can't be done and is not required to be done. Won't it be great if similar prorities could be set for life? But measurability becomes an issue. How does one measure what is more important in life? There is no maths, no formula, no fixed parameters. Is happiness a parameter? Is success another? Yet both of these are themselves subjective. How do we measure happiness or rather for what time period do we measure? If we are happy currently is that enough to focus on the moment? Or do we stall, forestall and prepare for a safer future which may or may not actually exist? Yet if it did, it would become present again. Or do we set about doing first what we would regret not doing the most if we realized we had limited time on earth?

Each of the above three has their own pros and cons and thus defines different ways of living. Maybe that is also true for different phases of life for the same person...
For now I would be more inclined towards first or third but would be interesting to get different opinions in this.....

How do we set about priorities?

Turtles all the way down

There are novels and then there are novels  which fantastic stories or plots. Yet others with seemingly ordinary plots but amazing words. The kind where you want sit with a highlighter or notepad to make a note of all the gems you come across. Well this was one of those. Words worth noting, remembering, discussing. Each of these can themselves be a fullfledged blog. Maybe I will add that someday but for now, here are gems. I may or may not agree with all of them but definitely find them worthwhile.

Man can do what he wills but he cannot will what he wills
....
Your life is a story told about you, not one that you tell
...
Anyone can look at you. It's quite rare to find someone who sees the same world as you see.
....
I don't like to throw the L word around, it's too good and rare a feeling to cheapen woth overuse.
...
True terror isn't being scared, it's not having a choice in the matter.
....
Whether it hurts is kind of irrelevant.
...
He who doesn't fear death,  dies only once.
....
The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another. ~William James
...
I is the hardest word to define
....
Maybe you are what you can't not be
...
The thing is,when you lose someone, you realize you'll eventually  lose everyone
.....
The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity. ~Yeats
...
In love like a sea you drown in or a town you live in. You don't get to be in anything else, in friendship or in anger or in hope.
....
Reading someone's poetry is like seeing them naked
...
I enjoyed being with him in this nonphysical space, but I also felt the need to board up the windows of myself.
....
In 3 words, I can sum up everything I know about life. It goes on.  ~Robert Frost
...
Even the silence has a story to tell you.~ Woodson.
....
What I love about Science is that as you learn, you don't get answers. You just get better questions.
...
You can't let the light catch up with the present. Otherwise you'd forget.
...
In the best of conversations, you don't even remember what you talked about, only how it felt.
....
The most important part of the body isn't the brain or heart but the part that hurts.
...
"None of them work.
The other side....None of them have worked as yet".
....
It's turtles all the way down.
Like, the world is billions of years old and life is a product of the nucleotide mutation and everything. But the world is also the stories we tell about it.
...
I remember what I've imagined and imagine what I remember.
....
The problem with happy endings is that they're  either not really happy, or not really endings, you know. In real life, some things better and some things get worse. And then eventually you die.

The other perspective:

You pick your endings and your beginnings. You get to pick the frame. Maybe you don't choose what's in the picture but you decide on the frame.
.....
I get nothing lasts. But why do I have to miss everybody so much.

To be alive is to be missing.
....
Nobody ever says goodbye
unless they want to see you again....

Escape

We all feel the need to escape sometimes. All of us have different points of escape. For some, it is the regular places like home or workplace. For some, or others in different situations, it may not be the regular places but some other physical place where one is at peace. Sometimes it's not a physical space but some other point of escape...a call to a friend, book, movie or some other activity. A holiday.
It kind of depends on what we are escaping from. Some routine, people near us, some task or some situtation. Sometimes it's just ourselves. And then the escape place itself can get kind of lost.
Maybe that's when we go off to "find" ourselves.

Finding your way in this wilderness called life

Sometimes you are shoved in a direction about which you know nothing. You march ahead based on past experience and instinct. You falter, stumble and  get up. You may pause, wondering what would be right. Suddenly you may realize you know what is generally right but don't know what is right in different situations or paths. You may just follow a direction which you like and have followed earlier only realize you don't know the entire way. When one is following, it is not necessary to know the entire way. But when you are alone in a path or suppossed to show the way, it becomes essential. Sometimes you may ask the way randomly and get more lost. You realise that all people don't know the way or the path where you want to head. You realize you even have to be selective about whom or where to ask the way. You can't follow all paths. You may follow a sense of direction where you feel a basic confidence. But somewhere down the road, ultimately you have to chart out your own detailed way. It may get you lost at times, you may be unsure at times but slowly, as familiar landmarks get crossed, one learns how to create the way. You never stop making mistakes but slowly, you learn to trust your instinct and look ahead more than around. Because you know even if you get lost, you can look for a new way. Of course it helps when you know you can still ask for the approximate way when greatly lost. It gives you faith that you would never be really be lost as you embark the journey of exploration.

What strikes you first when you read the above scenario? It can depict different life situations: new parenting, any kind of relationship, changes in career or roles. It could also be a new hobby or even literally exploring a new place. Anything new requires a certain amount of exploration.

Guess the song

When a new project dominates your life such that hearing songs makes you relate to situations funnily....here is one slightly exaggerated version.... lets just say one uses poetic license...but is basically the translation of a song twisted around this project..

Neither is this a gain, nor is this a loss, (ok so that would actually be incorrect !:))
Whether you are active or not, you kind of remain there
You start my days, you end my nights
Don't know why..
But you do...you do...
The Vision ( cvip) is all yours, the calls are all yours
Why you gained this dominance
The "me" time vanished somewhere
Why did it happen...
Whereever I go, you kind of remain there
Through messages, mails and calls,
you kind of remain there
Don't know why
But you do...you do...
During activity and during silence
With teams and during alone time
You kind of  remain there...
Don't know why
But you do...you do...

October Booklist

Book 45: One Minute Manager by Kenneth Blanchard & Spenser Johnson
Rating: 4
An interesting read. A first of this kind of book for me. But it kept the interest. Concise, yet conveys its ideas very clearly. Ideas themselves are sensible and useable.

Book 46: Surprise me by Sophie Kinsella
Rating: 3.5
Falls a little short of the usual Sophie Kinsella books but still holds the readers' intetesr for the entire duration.

Book 47: Malory towers (next gen series) by Enid Blyton.
Rating: 4
Well if one is writing a children's book, there is no better series to use for research. This has the advantage of freshness, similar characters, newer stories.