Easy vs Right

It was a long night, last night. Me and a close friend were trying to get a lab report done. We were up till 3 figuring out things and putting all the stresses and strains together.

Civil labs are usually self-explanatory. They list down provisions and expectations quite explicitly. You just have to get the experiment right and make sure your data makes sense. While THIS had always been a tough job, we faced something more rigorous with last night's report. The provisions were insufficient. The expectations were sky high. It required a more engaging performance from us. We had to look up information and collect equations to formulate the results. And that obviously took more time and effort.

Anyway, getting back to the night. We went to bed at 3 but ended up having one of those deep conversations about life. I dont even know when we dozed off.

...

The alarm from both our phones went crazy at 8 am. We both had early classes. My body cringed for more sleep and I was reluctantly trying to open my dead eyes. It was decision time. Should I bunk my class? It was graded. Sure. But I had gone to ALL my classes every week till today. It should be okay to bunk one day right? I would get to sleep. I needed that badly. On the other hand, I would break off my chain. I would miss a percent or two for bunking that class. Did it matter though? You know, in the grand scheme of things. I am sure it dint.

But then I remembered something 'you always have to choose between whats easy and whats right..'. Easy, is simply easy and right is almost always hard. I bit my lips and sat up. I knew what I had to do. I rushed to get ready and ran off to class.

All was well. The class was interesting. The report was submitted on time. The right decision always turns out to be .. well, 'right'! Of course and the fruits of benefits are amazing.

Also, I am going to bed early.

Night!

The sugar-coated X!

I started this semester with a checklist that measures my productivity every week. It was going well. But at one point it got boring to fill out the form. A close friend was helping me monitor my progress and grill me if dont stick to targets.

Slowly after a month and a half I was getting irregular at filling it out. Even though, I did what I set out to do each day, the feeling of staying on a mission was lost. And that killed some amount of enthusiasm. 'What goes around, comes around' and it eventually affected the performance also.

At the right time, I was introduced to the X-ing by another friend! Its been ten days and I have a much more positive feeling about this one than the older method.

I have a list of essential tasks for each day. At the end of the day if I am done with the task, I get a HUGE CHOCOLATY cross on the calendar for that task! The feeling of putting that cross, ah heaven - and knowing you have earned it. Its an amazing little five seconds. A huge grin runs around my face! Its pure triumph, really.

Whatever happens and I am unable to stick to the scheduled timing for a task, I cram it in the day somehow. Like right now. The blogpost was due early morning. Thanks to being a bit lenient on myself, I get a deserved-cross for the day if I get it done somehow :)

Mom believes in it and encourages the innocence of a child in us like no other. This simple celebration of victory excites the kid!

Have a simple task to get done? Try X-ing it away, it is working for me :) Detailed article here!

I've learned

Reblogged from A Learning a day! A lovely note :)


I’ve learned-
that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them.

I’ve learned-
that no matter how much I care, some people just don’t care back.

I’ve learned-
that it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it.

I’ve learned-
that no matter how good a friend is, they’re going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I’ve learned-
that it’s not what you have in your life but who you have in your life that counts.

I’ve learned-
that you should never ruin an apology with an excuse.

I’ve learned-
that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you’d better know something.

I’ve learned-
that you shouldn’t compare yourself to the best others can do.

I’ve learned-
that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I’ve learned-
that it’s taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I’ve learned-
that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I’ve learned-
that you can keep going long after you can’t.

I’ve learned-
that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I’ve learned-
that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I’ve learned-
that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.

I’ve learned-
that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I’ve learned-
that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I’ve learned-
that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I’ve learned-
that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you’re down will be the ones to help you get back up.

I’ve learned-
that sometimes when I’m angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn’t give me the right to be cruel.

I’ve learned-
that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I’ve learned-
that just because someone doesn’t love you the way you want them to doesn’t mean they don’t love you with all they have.

I’ve learned-
that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you’ve had and what you’ve learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you’ve celebrated.

I’ve learned-
that you should never tell a child their dreams are unlikely or outlandish. Few things are more humiliating, and what a tragedy it would be if they believed it.

I’ve learned-
that your family won’t always be there for you. It may seem funny, but people you aren’t related to can take care of you and love you and teach you to trust people again. Families aren’t biological.

I’ve learned-
that it isn’t always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you are to learn to forgive yourself.

I’ve learned-
that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn’t stop for your grief.

I’ve learned-
that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I’ve learned-
that a rich person is not the one who has the most, but is one who needs the least.

I’ve learned-
that just because two people argue, it doesn’t mean they don’t love each other. And just because they don’t argue, it doesn’t mean they do.

I’ve learned-
that we don’t have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I’ve learned-
that you shouldn’t be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.

I’ve learned-
that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I’ve learned-
that no matter how you try to protect your children, they will eventually get hurt and you will hurt in the process.

I’ve learned-
that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.

I’ve learned-
that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I’ve learned-
that the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

I’ve learned-
that it’s hard to determine where to draw the line between being nice and not hurting people’s feelings, and standing up for what you believe.

I’ve learned-
that people will forget what you said, and people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

Unknown unknowns!

There are known knowns; there are things we know we know.
We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know.
But there are also unknown unknowns – there are things we do not know we don't know.

- Donald Rumsfeld

My professor quoted this wonderful saying at a soil lecture today. He used it to explain how there might be numerous factors involved in foundation design and we can only make sure we account until the known unknowns. 

It struck me how this quote applies to life in general. Our knowledge is a tiny speck in this huge universe. What we know about anything is only so much. Unknown unknowns account for everything that happens around us without our consent. Unknown unknowns are probably the dudes whom we have named destiny. Remarkable realization today. 

In such an ignorant existence, we can only aim to expand our tiny speck of knowledge! Why waste time judging others. We don't know what we don't know about the world. Well then why waste time on it. Why not make the known knowns matter! 

Love and live :)

Also reminded me of an e-mail I received once. An artist's portrayal of the same thought. Heres the painting made into a lovely video, do watch!

With all my heart

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart"

- "I will be found by you"

Lovely.

I have this little note stuck on my notice board. I find it extremely inspiring. Everytime I think of procastinating a to-do or discarding a work or giving up on someone, this little red note flashes inside my mind.

I have been coming across the concept of 'staying longer' a lot these days. A lot of endorsement for letting the game go on till you get what you want. Profound.

Seek, I will. With all my heart.

I Wont Give Up

I am on an energising morning roll the past three weeks. I wake up at 7 take a couple of energy pills with books, meditation and exercise. It made me feel new and vibrant. Helped me get on with the rest of the day. Three weeks of bliss.

All was well till today. I did not go to bed on time, and hence I refused to listen to my alarm at 7. I snoozed all the way till 8. I was going to push snooze one more time at 8.05 when I noticed my to-do list on the phone. The first one was 'I wont give up'. I did not understand how that came on my to-do list. I usually write down things which are due the next day, or things which I have to tell close friends. This did not make sense. It must be divine intervention I told myself.

Whatever it was, it sure woke me up. I skipped the energy pills, felt lost for sometime and got on with work. I bunked my classes after a long time. I couldnt concentrate on my assignment and ended up submitting some half-baked stuff.

It hit me.

A close friend was telling me about this song of Jason Mraz 'I wont give up'. I had written it down so I wouldnt forget. The song turned out to be a nice hear.

I realised what happened. I gave up for a short while and the day was almost ruined. I wont, not now! Back on track now. Oh and it surely must have been divine intervention :P

The song btw,

Love

You only lose what you love - and you often love what you lose.

I read this on a friend's facebook. Very beautiful and very deep I thought. I am going to just speak for myself. I always seem to be running away from what I love. I probably took the old Tamil saying a tad too serious. 'Dushtanai kandaal dhoora vilaghu' (read 'When you see an enemy, stay away from him'). Enemy is analogical to a lot of things. Be it choosing my course, parents or boys. 

So, how do you draw the line between loving and losing? I havnt figured out the answer, but I'll be sure to tell you when I do. 

Joy

Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good, things really are - Marianne Williamson

Conquer Yourself

It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell 

- Buddha

Thankyou Nithya!

Never regret anything..

..because at one point it was exactly what you wanted!

I love it. Whenever I think about choices I made and things I did, I tend to wonder if I should have done it. And especially when things go wrong after my choices I upset myself.

Not anymore. This has enlightened me enough. To make choices I 'want' to make. Everything else will fall into place. Or maybe not.

The upside is that I never have to wonder what 'could' have happened.


Will go to bed with a peaceful mind tonight! Clears up a lot of things :)

Leadership is conviction in action!

What a insightful way to put it.

I was at a leadership camp in a rain forest in Malaysia. We went through three days of intensive adventure activities and workshops, everything tied down to leadership. It was a very eye-opening experience. Its wonderful how little things that affect a small game can teach you so much about how to handle real-time situations. One of the activities was around a wooden plank built like a see-saw. So 15 people climb on top of it and try to balance the plank. We tried for 20 minutes moving from left to right and right to left. And somewhere after a hundred tries we balanced the plank for 5 seconds before we went to square one. It was all about how you work with each other and understand the situation. Its all about how you make use of the team members. Its all about how you satisfy each team members goal while satisfying the teams goal. Its about how you encourage people. Its about how you inspire them. Its about being true to yourself and to your commitment.

And like Prof.Tan Teck Koon put it, Its about conviction in action.

Conversations

“The most important thing in all human relationships is conversation, but people don’t talk anymore, they don’t sit down to talk and listen. They go to the theatre, the cinema, watch television, listen to the radio, read books, but they almost never talk. If we want to change the world, we have to go back to a time when warriors would gather around a fire and tell stories.”

-Paulo Coelho

How true! I love conversations. Like in 'Before Sunrise'. People can explore so much about each other and about the world. I keep trying to get my close friends here in uni to do this, in vain. Sadly, no one shares my excitement about this idea. Though I have had quite a number of stimulating conversations once in a while. About God, plants, animals, future, chocolates, peace, religion, India, even doodie.  

PS: If any of you who is reading this post feel like having 'A' conversation, feel free to buzz me! Always around :)

Closeness

I am watching an 18th century drama and heard this,

'If you were close, the closeness never dies'

I wonder if this is true. I am yet to disprove this line. Thank goodness for that. Still, just a thought. I hope it is true.

The difference between how a person treats the powerless versus the powerful is as good a measure of human character as I know

- Robert I Sutton

How you do anything is how you do everything

Apologising

Does not always mean you are wrong and the other person is right
It just means you value your relationship more than your ego

Seven Blunders of the World

1. Wealth without work

2. Pleasure without conscience

3. Knowledge without character

4. Commerce without morality

5. Science without humanity

6. Worship without sacrifice

7. Politics without principle


—Mahatma Gandhi

"I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it's the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It's probably the most important thing in a person."

— Audrey Hepburn

JUDGING PEOPLE

See that boy doing his homework in homeroom? … He couldn’t do it last night because he was too busy talking his best friend out of suicide. See that girl, with her face caked in make up? … She’s bullied, she needs to feel beautiful. See him, the one who wears long sleeves everyday? … He covers his arms to hide the scars. See her, with the cheap, hand-me-down clothes? … Her family can’t afford food for half the month, let alone get brand names. See the girl who laughs and smiles at every little thing? … She cries herself to sleep every night. Wonder why she never lets her friends over her house? … Because she’s afraid they’ll see her dad passed out drunk on the floor, as always. See how that girl cringes as rape jokes? … She was raped. See the boy who everyone goes to for advice? … He wishes someone would do the same for him. See the girl who never brings a lunch? … She’s disgusted by her body. See her, with the little waist? … She goes to the bathroom and forces herself to throw up so that she can keep her waist that way. See the boy over there, see the dark circles under his eyes? … He has insomnia, he fears what he’ll see in his dreams. See that girl daydreaming over there? … She has schizophrenia. See the boy biting his nails? … He has cancer and he’s wondering how much time he has left. See your best friend? … She’s addicted to drugs, but she can’t tell you because you wont understand. See that boy reading all about 9/11? … His parents died on that day. See her, with her phone on her at all times? … She’s waiting for a call saying her sister was found after a kidnapping 4 years ago. Don’t judge.

I have judged people in the past. From this day on, I make a promise to self. I wont. Ever again.

Source: http://alonetilforever.tumblr.com/post/3992368091/osee-that-boy-doing-his-homework-in-homeroom-he

Karma. again.

Hahaha, I love karma jokes. Guess because I believe in it TOO much.