Day 2

Right I have decided to give up on the diet. To be very honest I did not feel pangs of hunger or anything of that sort. But you do feel light headed and also the low energy levels are a killer. It is difficult when you have to have high energy levels through the day. So I decided to modify it. Club the GM diet with the Israeli army diet lets see how it goes.

Day 1

Right so today is day 1.

The diet says I am supposed to eat only fruits so off I went to the supermarket and bought I bunch of fruits thinking about it I feel I bought a little too many anyways. I had 2 apples and one pear for breakfast and a mug of earl gray without milk of course. So lets see how the day goes on.

I have musk melon for lunch today :P

GM Diet

Right so tomorrow I start the fabled GM diet. I have decided that at the start of each day of the diet I will write about it. To be honest I don't know which is tougher the dieting part or the writing part.

Don't look at the scoreboard

At work, how many of us look forward to the scoreboard. I bet a lot of people do. I used to do the same thing. This was to ensure that I get some extra money. But then I started working in a hospital and although the same thing is often practiced in the "professional" hospitals around the world, I honestly believe we have lost the ethos somewhere.

The ethos of serving human beings who happen to have an illness seems to be lost somewhere. But that is not all Education has become scoreboard oriented. Where the intellect of a student depends on how many marks he / she scores and not on what they have learnt.

When we look for a job it is always about how heavy my resume is which college did you study, it is never about your ethos. This goes for all fields. Yep even I am guilty of this sin. It is not cardinal but I have looked at people from the top colleges as having a slight edge.

The thing is as a society that looks up at only scoreboards the statement by coach Wooden speaks a truth that many of us wish was true.

I need a remedy

Football and transfer rumors are quintessential to Summer in England. With the local Pub man becoming the expert on the happenings in your local football club. But the transfer is more than money it is more than ambition it belongs only to the marquee stars like in a Broadway show. The smaller fry are usually left out of the rumors. By the time the transfer season is over the majority of the transfers will be low key players changing hands between clubs.

Much like other fields of enterprise where the normal person is thought of my family and friends. I understand and appreciate talent, but have we gone to far with it. I mean we have talent shows on all TV channels with a wide spectrum of people participating.

We have even brought this quest for talent into education. Yes it is competitive but that does not mean you throw a young child in a coaching class and then another and make their life revolve around classes and entrance exams. It does not mean that you send them to so called coaching class heavens and make them learn by rote subjects that need to understood. I asked one such child what was his favorite subject and without thinking he said Physics. I asked him what in Physics did he like and his answer was the mathematical problems because he knows all the formulas by heart. Have you really learnt physics then? Have you really learnt why the we have those formulas? Have you really learnt where they can be applied and how we can see them in action in everyday life?

We blame the system. We blame the competition. We blame the colleges. But we are to blame. We are the ones who think the world will only be better if children only study.

Have you let your child develop today?

Dream, Defy and Destiny

One of artistically inclined friend once asked me from a small but indicative symbol that he could graffiti on walls. And I came up with 3 D. Well the D's stood for Dream, Defy and Destiny.

As the years rolled by I started believing in these 3 words resolutely. I believe in dreams, a life without dreams is a little too simplistic according to me. My dreams do not follow convention I often think differently from others at times maybe because I grew up with a lot of times to think and I utilized it a lot. Defy convention, defy norms that make no sense and do the right thing.

I have always maintained that there is nothing called destiny. We make our own and we should dream and defy norms to achieve are dream to make our own destiny

Say no to politics

Well I have blogged about politics and I don't think it is a good enough topic to talk about.

The change is in you is what I believe. We need to change to even expect change.

There was a young man who was fresh out of medical college. This was pre-independence this was a time when being a doctor and more specifically a surgeon would get you out of India pretty fast but he decided to leave the cultured big city and travel to the hinterlands. He worked for years in only serving the people.

He did go to Scotland but only for a short period of time that too to learn so that he could provide better medical services to his patients. He did all that a man could to help improve the hospital in this barren neglected land. He succeeded in saving lives.

He didn't die a rich man but he died a great man, A man for whom the whole town cried and mourned. A man who set the standard for others to be judged by. Who will not be put in the history books but who deserves a place in the history of society.

We all may not go into the history books but what have we done to ask for change. A lot of us don't even pay taxes properly. A lot of us would rather pay the traffic cop a bribe than pay the fine and not repeat the mistake. We look for loopholes and then we expect change. When we have not done anything to deserve it what right do we have to demand it?

Let me be free

Let me live

I want to breathe 

I don't want you to tell me how to live

I have played your game for too long

I don't want to be bogged down

Let me walk my own path

Let me do my thing

let me follow my heart 

and let me live within

Too many choices have been made my others

I want to make this one alone

I want to listen to the wind

and dance with the seas

Give me freedom not land not money

Give me equality

Let me live let me breathe

Stay Calm and Carry On

I watched RocknRolla for the nth time yesterday (Yes I have a thing for Brit gangster flicks). But it was brilliant to hear the Johnny Quid bamboozler on the packet of Virginia Smokies.

This whole Baba thing was anyways a little too much for me to handle. We cannot have a parallel government and NO fasting for a few days is not going to suddenly make us less corrupt.

We are not doing anything about it but we want the government to act. Have you stopped giving a bribe to the traffic constable that stops you. Have you stopped having a beer and driving on the road. Have you suddenly stopped giving "corporate gifts" and "power lunchs" to clients who you want a contract from?

Once you stop this and we are still corrupt go and overthrow the god damn government for all I care, but till then stop being wussy

Bowling for Dharavi

A few days back as I flipped through TV channels I merely chanced upon Bowling for Columbine. I find it a rather brilliant and thought-provoking story. Imagine if there was no arm control in India. It is difficult to know what would have happened but the results would definitely been absurd.

This got me thinking about something else, we need monitoring. We have a law against child labor. But walk around any slum not just Dharavi and you will see children working. We have NGO's trying their best to stop the rot but it is not going to change until 'WE' stop.

I recently decided to stop going to a shop because he had a small boy doing the work and I made it a point to tell him too. There are thousands of small and big establishments in our country that are no different. Bombay according to me is also the land of chai tapris. How many of these do you know that where there is no chotu working?

But lets be real. There are a number of children who are doing this for money. Yes the government is feeding them to go to school but have you eaten what they serve? These kids need to be taught a trade not history. Those who want to become scientists and engineers should obviously be taught and nobody should be denied an opportunity but helping them learn a trade and setting up someway in which they can monetize that trade opportunity is more important.

This is what I feel. Your turn champ!

Souffle

This is not a recipe this is a story that revolves around the mentioned savory.

Growing up in a small town and always surrounded by doctors dinner parties were a norm. The usual thing was everyone would get one dish and dinner was usually followed by a old fashioned game of scrabble or a few rounds of pictionary.

In this whole group of people there was one gem of a person who was extremely clever and brilliant in her work and good bless her soul an amazing human being but she would always decide to make the dessert which would invariably be souffle which passeth all understanding. But it developed something in me the curiosity and love for food that is not necessarily Indian.

Many years later I went to the US as an exchange student and only real reason I was happy there and was able to adapt was the food. I loved the smell of cheese burgers and the sizzle of a steak on the grill it helped me bond with people helped me in making friends this thing continued in the UK but was oriented a lot to non-curry food. The chips-cheese-beans still make me feel like opening a kebab van. The whole reason people feel not at home is food according to me. The global village that we live in today has made it possible to get the popular food anywhere in the world but it is just not the same. I mean fish and chips looking out of window in Pune and seeing other buildings is not the same as fish and chips looking out of a window in Portsmouth and watching the huge ships go by.

New day, innit?

That word first it drove me mad

then it made me feel understood and now it makes me miss the things.

Yes it was a decision that I made that I did not want to work in "innit" but I do miss some things. I definitely pine for nightingale road. Me house on the commons. The walks along the Pompey fort walk where on one side is the sea and the other side is the fort. Brilliant I say.

Well that and the assortment of things we used to do as the E-7 Massive.

My journey to the UK needs to be credited to someone else though not me. Thank you. I would never have experienced the splendor of oxford from the eyes of a non-tourist. I would not have walked along river watching the rowers. Well these places would not have been haunting memories if it were not for the company.

Pompey I can sing an ode to. I can compose ballads for thee. Me house was exactly what I wanted and still want. The pub around the corner where you know the owner and pop by to have a word on your evening job. The sandwich shop run by the two French girls who tried teaching me French. The flat-mates from different countries. All beautiful and alluring but I still felt "Do I Belong?" same as I do now. Are my ideals very different from others? Is the way I think a little too radical?

I may not know the answer today. But I know I have had a good life so far and met some amazing people along the way.

First docs removed 226 uteruses, now go on strike

Right, this would not be a big deal for many but since I belong to a family of doctors it is obviously painful to see something like this. A few doctors cause so much negativity that all doctors are suddenly under the scanner even if they are doing things that a normal man would not do. Even if they are sacrificing themselves for the greater good. Because we will never highlight the good.

The India I want to live in...

I have a dream that one day there will be school in each village, a day when healthcare will be provided to each and every citizen.

I have a dream that one day the roads will be clean and no filth everywhere. I have a dream that one day children will be given options. A day when religion will not be the calling card for people where it will not matter which state or region you are from.

One day when every normal citizen will not pay the traffic police to get away where we will not pay to get into school where we will not forge certificates and degrees.

I have a dream that one day each child in this country will be allowed to follow her / his dream. Where they will not be frowned upon for the choices they make.

I have a dream that one day my country will rise from the past and live for future where the farmers will be given their due. The true leaders honored and the petty issues resolved.

I have a dream that one day we will be one again.

PS: Cycling to work gives me time to think

Did anyone see NZ lose yesterday.

Yes they lost. Yes they seemed outplayed but they never gave up which is more important. A team which was whitewashed by India and Sri-Lanka and also for crying out loud Bangladesh reached the semi-finals of the world cup that is story of motivation a story of strength of will. Yes if it were a movie they would have won the cup and what not. But this is reality and they run as much as they could but they did it with the Maori spirit hats off to them and their performance. Well done Kiwis.

The idiot box will show it's true power tomorrow when the India Vs Pakistan cricket match is on. Much like the days of Ramayana on DD when the roads used to be empty, the shops closed and the masses stuck to the TV screen.

Like the days of yore when children discussed the last episode of Chandrakanta and I looked on like an amused buffoon because I never saw it and when I did try it was too imbecilic to me.

The whole commotion around the match is quite unnerving. I mean one team will lose no matter what even if they play their heart out. What then, there will be group of nincompoops who will call for the heads of the players does not matter which side of the border I am referring to both the sides are the same. There will be huge stories on conspiracy and someone will become the scapegoat. All thanks to the team you say? No all thanks to the idiot box which has given us the freedom to do this.

Oh then don't watch it you say? I am not against it I am in awe of it the influence that it has on our lives. It does not matter if it is sports, politics, social life, etc it influences us all. Amazingly it is called idiot box.

Sunday: The day of relaxation? Unwinding? Hanging out? Pursuing your hobby? or just contemplating?

I thought I did not do anything and it was boring. But I did contemplate on a wide array of things and it felt nice. In the hustle bustle of daily life we forget to think about us. Sometimes it is nice to take a step back cook a nice meal and think about what has happened in the last few weeks how life seems to have changed has anything gone wrong.

How much of influence does media have on a court's judgement?

If the media is convinced that someone is guilty they do have the tools to make people believe them. What would happen if a person is charged with something that they have not done and the media portrays him as guilty with the general consensus being the same the court would then have to play the tough part of being impartial listening to all the arguments and making an informed decision. But the person has been pronounced guilty by the media what happens to them then? Can what has been said be taken back? It could be undone in other manners but I doubt it is.

What is happening?

There are protests and deaths in the middle east,
And we choose to concentrate more on cricket.
There are nuclear crisis looming in close vicinity
there are earthquakes and tsunamis showing the force of nature
And we focus on How bright the moon is going to be and the superstitions associated with it.
There are pirates who are minors and in international waters
and we see that some actress will not dance with some hero.

Is it time to think of Media differently?

Yes we do have 24 hours News channels and they carry many things that seem important but they have become less logical. One of the headlines this morning was Clinton asked for information regarding the Indian economic policy makers. Does that mean they were influenced? That is what the news channels say. I am not a supporter of any political party but I am a proponent of good governance. This is a stupid debate seeking information about someone does not mean you are doing so to influence them there can be other possibilities why not focus on things where the media's help is needed.

Why are we not showing the plight of the people in rural areas who do not have medical care, schools, simple infrastructure. India is a country of villages and we focus on not focusing on them.

Never try to be better than someone else

John Wooden says it in a talk on TED. Inspiring and thought provoking. Be the best you can be through the means you have and you will be successful.

A lot of people will walk away from something like this for the simple reason that we want to grow bigger than our neighbor. I have a friend who will always talk about his salary and how it is higher than the rest of the people from his class or his circle of friends but does that make him a success. In the eyes of society which has become very materialistic maybe. But there is always a guy / girl who is earning more so he is only going to be top dog till someone else comes along and we go out to get him / her out of the 1st spot.

To me as a trainer and as an HR professional success is touching people and making a difference. It is also implementing practices that make the organisation capable of facing any storm and making the future bright. It is also making the experience that my customers have a beautiful one. May be I am wrong but May be I am not.

People do not realize their true potential until they are shown what they can achieve.

I have been interacting with doctors lately and have realized that they need to be reminded at times about their importance. About how important a part of society they really are. Its interesting when you think about it because growing up around doctors I never really realized it but when I have a look from outside I feel they need to be motivated too. Gone are the days when work alone was enough.

Happy Womens day :)

It is obviously a good day to talk about how Women have influenced my life. The two most important women who have played a major role in my life are my Grandmother and my mom.

My Grandma was a double PhD one in English and one in Sanskrit in an age when women did not work she was the head of two departments. she used to drive a car and did so much even for the community. She passed away due to cancer when I was still young but she taught me a lot her hands were there to guide me as a child. I never understood what was wrong with her because I was too young to understand, but I thank her everyday for who she was.

My Mother what can I say about her. I always wonder how she has so much energy after working all day. A doctor par excellence and an amazing human being. She has always been my comfort cushion. I have grown up to realize that nobody can come close to my mother's greatness. She is the epitome of calm and the saint of compassion. She has changed a community one at a time.

When I look the strong women in my life I feel it is wrong to thank them and appreciate them only one day in the year. Everyday they deserve to be appreciated and told how much you love them.

It was quite interesting to see perceptions that people have. Gettinh thru security at pune airport and not being in my formals was a eye opener people look at you different we have different tones very damn interesting to me
I got on a bus in b town and there was a french family next to me very nice a huge change from the sterotype lol... But the way they felt deceived by the bus operator for promising that the bus would leave in 5 mins and not leaving for 15 made me realize that what we take as a given should not be an international perception none the less but a thought we should spare...

Have you every had the urge to take a step back and take a look at things from the past and think to yourself WHY?

There have a few developments since I last wrote one of the biggest ones is a new location. Not home as yet I really don't know how I can call any place other than Bombay home.