Random musings

WEATHER

2009-04-03T14:05:00.001-05:00

It’s a quiet Friday afternoon of what feels like a never ending week. I have been searching for things to do to wile away the remaining afternoon hours and nothing really seems appealing. It occurs to me that it has been quite a while since I have actually written anything for my blog so I figured I may as well do that today. There is only one problem, if you will; I really don’t know what to write about. My thoughts are very scattered at the moment and I find that I have lost practice with picking a particular topic and focusing on it to be able to write something about it……..SIGH!!! I am sure I will relearn this skill once I start writing again and I do mean to do this quite frequently from now on.
The one thing that is most prevalent on my mind this week has been the weather. Yes, it’s a cliché topic and often times the safest subject to stick to during conversations but we will touch upon that in another post. The reason it has been on my mind is because this week has been a trailer for diff types of weather available. Today, as I reflect back on the week, one could say that this week has been Mother Nature’s idea of giving us a sample of all she can offer in terms of weather. We have had sunshine, gloomy rainy weather, cloudy days, windy days, and today we have had a combination of all of the above. This morning started out with rain which turned into snow which turned into freezing rain and eventually into sunshine. I had the pleasure of experiencing 3 of the 4 previously mentioned scenarios during my morning commute. I am at a point where I am ready to make my selection from the choices presented above; if only, Mother Nature would listen………

Instant Messaging at work

2008-09-16T13:09:00.001-05:00

Instant Messaging and visiting social networking sites (i.e. Facebook, Orkut, etc) are a big discussion points at work places. Most work places block these sites to prevent employees from wasting their work productivity. I will focus on instant messaging in this post as this is something that until 1.5 weeks ago was commingled with me working. I would log onto gmail and gchat at the same time that I would log into my work email. This was part of my daily routine. I considered it my window to stay sane and feel connected with friends and family while at work. Then I got the earth shattering news that I can no longer access gchat while at work. I was simply devastated by this. I understand why this needs to be done from a security perspective but I still don’t like it.

Furthermore, I have noticed that my productivity has not been altered with this. I still waste time at work as before but only this time it’s by web surfing and emailing. Heck, I even found myself resorting to using an ancient mode of communication: TELEPHONE. I know, I’m appalled also but desperate means call for desperate measures.

Speaking of emailing, let me just say that it requires more time and effort to email 5 people then it would to chat with 5 people. I would even go as far as saying that chatting allows you to be more productive while at work b/c you can instantaneously vent to others thereby getting rid of the negative energy forces within you and thus being more positive towards work.

I have concluded that instead of blocking these sites, companies really should focus on educating their workforce to not abuse these sites. But wait a minute; this is an impossible task thanks to the idiots who make up majority of corporate America……..sigh!!!

Work Environment and Satisfaction Dynamic

2008-07-15T13:23:00.003-05:00

Have you ever wondered what kind of role work environment plays in the dynamic of work satisfaction? Well, wonder no longer as I will tell you that this is a critical factor in the dynamic equation. Let me start by providing some background. Recently, my department at work had to relocate to a temporary location since we got booted out of our work area and our new lodgings if you will were not ready yet. So, where did we end up you might ask? We got stuck on a floor that is under the process of being remodeled. To protect us from construction noise and debris, a wall has been build to separate our work area from the rest of the floor. A perfect analogy is that they have built the Berlin Wall and now we are waiting for the demolition to begin.

I don’t know about anyone else but I for one certainly am not a happy camper at work. Not only do we have this abominable location to work in, the lack of privacy is despicable. We don’t even have full cubes for God’s sake and therefore everyone is in each other’s face. Suffice to say, I HATE this situation. Not to mention the little fact that now my computer monitor is situated directly in my manager’s sight which interferes with my web surfing, emailing, gtalking, facebooking, blogging, etc therefore directly affecting my productivity and happiness at work.

Time

2008-06-24T13:40:00.004-05:00

I can't believe its been over 2 months since I last blogged. Time has certainly flown by. It certainly has been crazy and way too much has happened during this time frame. Most of it is a part of life but has been an experience to say the least. I really don't have much to say at this point except that I need to stop slacking off and get in touch with the so called 'artistic' side of myself and express my thoughts/feelings in writing.

Movie Review - Vantage Point

2008-04-11T10:46:00.000-05:00

Last night, I went to watch Vantage Point with my friends. I must admit that prior to couple days ago, I hadn’t even heard of this movie. The only reason we went to see this movie was because this was the only movie that was remotely interesting and playing at a time that suited our schedules. Some may not consider this a good reason to watch a movie but it works as any other.
This movie focuses on the assassination of a president and the story is depicted from 6 different perspectives. More and more information is revealed in each vantage point with it culminating in the last. The movie has good actions and some good thrill but has too many loose ends and farfetched action scenes. While it is revealed that the attempt at assassination is by a terrorist group, the reason for this is conveniently left unexplained. Another thing that is hard to swallow is that the terrorists who without mercy killed thousands of people earlier in an explosion suddenly don’t want to run over a little girl………..GIVE ME A BREAK!!
Another thing that is quite farfetched is the action sequence in this movie. The car chase in the climax of the movie certainly defies all known laws of Physics. The only cool thing about it was that it reminded me of the video game: Need for Speed with all the chasing and smashing into buildings and other vehicles.
All in all it was good times as we had the theatre to ourselves and thus could freely make comments throughout the movie without worry about disturbing others.

No Lack of Stupidity in this World

2008-03-11T12:21:00.003-05:00

I have often said that there is no shortage of stupid people in this world but very rarely does one meet someone who touts their own stupidity to the world. I have the pleasure of working with one such person. This person recently made an investment in a property against the better judgment of her family and friends. Since this property has been purchased, there have been nothing but problems. Granted some of these problems couldn’t have been avoided but one should do some preliminary research on their own prior to making any investment. For example if one were to buy a car, one would get it from a reputed dealer so it can only be reasoned that one would do the same for any builder who is selling homes. Did my co-worker do this? No, no why would she do that? Isn’t it enough that the builder hit on her even though he is married? As ridiculous as it sounds, it is true that she bought this property because she had the ‘hots’ for her builder. This has got to be the most asinine reason ever but this is the only logical explanation for this purchase.

Now, if the above wasn’t enough, we all get to hear about her plethora of problems on a daily basis. Initially I sympathized but the more I hear about them, the more I am convinced it’s all her fault. She didn’t research her builder, she didn’t get an inspection done for her property and on top of it all she didn’t trust the advice of family and friends when they told her not to invest in this place. Now what is she doing? She is calling everyone under the sun and telling them of the conundrum she has placed herself in. Furthermore, she is now treating this as her personal quest to teach the builder a lesson. Give me a BREAK!!! We all know none of this would’ve happened had she not been stupid and now she is only in this to rake in as much money as she can.

I cannot tolerate much of this nonsense any more. I am at a point where I want to sit her down and tell her that this is all her damn fault for being stupid and I have no interest in hearing this crap everyday. If she wants to discuss her problems on the phone with people, then she should have the common courtesy to leave the work area so the peace is not disrupted for the rest of us!!!!!!!!! But alas no, I am trying my best to rein in my impatience and not give her a piece of my mind to maintain the tranquility of the work place.

Jodhaa Akbar

2008-02-27T14:01:00.004-06:00

Jodhaa Akbar stars Hrititk Roshan as Akbar and Aishwariya Rai as his wife Jodha. The story focuses on how Jodha and Akbar married for a political alliance but were fortunate enough to find LOVE within their union. While the whole getting married for a political alliance seems rather far-fetched these days, many people can associate with entering a marriage and learning to trust that person. One of the key points that they focus on in this movie is that a relationship needs the foundation of TRUST to become stronger. One person should trust the other person and there should be open communication between them to prevent misunderstandings. This key point should be taken home by all the viewers of this movie.

I had mixed feelings about watching this movie in the theatre. From the promos that I had seen, the set design looked very elaborate, the costumes and jewelry: breath taking, the scale of the production: grand and the actors who starred in this historic drama: beautiful. As for the story, I knew it was a historical subject matter and a ‘love-story’…now this was a hit or miss in my opinion. Not to mention the little fact that the movie was almost 4 hours long and watching it in a regular theatre meant no intermission breaks!!! Anyhow, I bit the bullet so to speak and went to see the movie in the theatre. It was a smart move on my part as I consider it time well spent.

WEDDINGS

2008-02-21T08:29:00.001-06:00

Weddings are a time of celebration for the joining of 2 individuals. Regardless of what some people may say, this is not a union of 2 individuals but rather of 2 families as when you marry another you also get their family with them. It’s a packaged deal where one cannot pick and choose. It is also important to have family and friends present at the wedding so one can have their blessings and emotional support while entering this union. While all weddings are fun, Indian weddings are fun due to the customs/rituals associated with them. The pragmatist may call these rituals old fashioned but they are a part of our culture and I truly believe they somehow strengthen the bonds.

I personally just love weddings because they are the perfect time to dress up, party and generally have a good time. I just attended a wedding recently and it was the best time ever. Not only was I excited for the bride and groom to begin their lives together, I was also very happy to meet all the relatives who came to the wedding. This made the celebration even more enjoyable.

In my opinion, the wedding reception has got to be the best part of the wedding though as it provides an excuse for everyone to let loose. For the parties involved in the wedding, this is a time to sit back and enjoy as all their hard work for planning the wedding has paid off. For the attendees, it’s the time to eat, drink, mingle with others, and dance. The best part for me is the dancing. There is so much fun to be had on the dance floor. Not only does one get to dance with their family and friends but one also has the opportunity to observe the ‘uninhibited dancers’ if you will. Now, these people are the best to watch as they completely shed their inhibitions (thanks to alcohol) and completely set themselves loose on the dance floor. Sometimes I think the bride and groom should send special thank-you cards to these individuals for entertaining their guests.

Feb 14th – A ‘Hallmark’ holiday or a day that causes us to reflect????

2008-02-12T10:41:00.000-06:00

I simply cannot believe that I am about to write another post on romance, love, etc. but this topic just cannot be avoided at this time of the year as one is just surrounded by signs of it. As there is an upcoming wedding in my family, it just seems that this topic is discussed a lot and is therefore on my mind.
What I am wondering/debating these days is why do we give such significance to a day that is a ‘hallmark’ holiday created by them to sell their cards? What makes this day more special than any other day? Why do people buy flowers, presents, etc for their loved ones on this day and not on any other day? Furthermore, who is to say that you need to give presents to someone or go on a romantic date on this day to show that you love someone?
Another part of me believes that this day just give people an excuse to show their appreciation and love for someone. Often times, we get so engrossed in our daily lives that we don’t take time to spend with our loved ones or to tell them how much they mean to us. I know some people may argue as to how giving someone flowers proves how much you love them? I say one should remember that the old adage ‘Actions speak louder than words’ also has some merit. If this day can make everyone take the time out to reflect on the important things in our life (the people we love and care about), then I say what’s the harm in it?

Foolishness and Love – Is there a correlation?

2008-01-24T13:39:00.001-06:00

I was at the Salt Lake City airport the other day and while waiting to board my plane I noticed that I was sitting directly behind a young Indian couple who seemed to be in their 20s. While this normally may have been insignificant event, it wasn’t in this case due to what happened. From all appearances they seemed like a couple in love. Within 5 minutes of sitting there, I had already concluded that the girl loved to talk and the guy was extremely quiet as I don‘t believe I heard him mention more than 2 words the entire time we were sitting there. Initially she was talking normal to him in Hindi and English and then she decided he must hear the song she had written for him. Here I was sitting there minding my own business while eating my parfait, when this girl started to sing to him. I had to control myself with great difficulty as I was afraid I was going to start laughing out loud. I mean come on, you happen to be at the airport. Granted that she was singing in Hindi and probably thought that no one could understand her or maybe she just didn’t care, the fact still remains that there were other people there who could understand her. Just imagine if I had started laughing out loud after hearing her song, how she would have felt then.

This incident made me wonder if people who are in ‘love’ are really oblivious to the world around them and simply just do not care what people think. I mean it didn’t seem to matter to the girl one whit that the guy to whom she was serenading to didn’t even react to the song. I concluded the guy’s behavior to as being embarrassed of her actions; my guess would be that he was just dumbfounded and thinking what the hell is wrong with her…LOL. I for one just had to get up and walk away so I won’t be rude and start laughing right there.

When I described this incident to someone this morning, they thought it was rather romantic of the girl to sing to the guy. Now, don’t get me wrong as I’m as romantic as the next person….some people would argue this claim but that is neither here nor there at the moment…..I thought she was being plain silly to behave like this in public. So this difference of opinion is making me question if all people who are in love behave like fools? I mean is there really a correlation between behaving foolishly and being in love? Is acting in a rather foolish manner a requirement for people in love? All in all, I want someone to tell me what the hell is wrong with the people in this world???? Oh well, screw it all I say because the girl did make this trip rather interesting and provided entertainment for me what otherwise would have been a rather tedious wait.

Allergic to Work?

2008-01-15T12:54:00.000-06:00

Is it possible to be actually allergic to work? This question has been on my mind quite a lot recently as I have been sick for what seems like the longest time. It has been pointed out to me that I was never sick this often prior to starting work at my current job. I am of the opinion that this is a good observation and considering we have absolutely no ventilation in our corner of the floor we are situated at, this very well may be true. You may ask, how do you know there is no ventilation there? Well, good thing that you ask. I know this because I recall last summer when there was remodeling going on our floor and they had to paint near our wing of the floor, the entire wing had to be evacuated. We all literally worked from home for 2 days as the odor was simply unbearable.

So, for the sake of the argument, let’s assume that I truly am allergic to the workplace as the particles in the workplace’s environment are truly causing me sickness. Having a corner cube doesn’t help much either. Now, the question becomes: how does one fix this problem and more importantly how do I go about getting compensation for the emotional, mental and physical torture I have had to endure due to the toll being sick has taken on me???? Maybe I should try to take advantage of this situation and ask my boss for a corner office with windows or better yet a satellite office where I can work from wherever I please. These perks won’t make up for what I have gone through but definitely increase the joy I could possible obtain during the upcoming spring and summer when I won’t have to slave in the office.

ESCAPE

2008-01-03T13:19:00.000-06:00

It’s only the 3rd day of the New Year and already I am wishing that I could escape for a little while. Since this morning, I have been thinking that I would really like to go on a vacation to a nice island and have no connection/interaction with the world. Yes, this does mean no phones and no internet. Normally, the concept of having no phone or internet sounds archaic; today, however, it holds a strange appeal. I envision myself sitting on a beach, in the shade of course, reading a book and just relaxing. No one is there to bother me or distract me. One only sees water for as far as the eye can see. The waves are calm and soothing thereby providing the peace and tranquility that is so often lost in the daily hustle and bustle of life. I can sleep in the sun for as long as I want and just laze around doing nothing.

Alas, this is not to be as there is no such thing as escaping life but there is no harm in daydreaming about it and deciding how it would be if it could be.

Welcome 2008

2008-01-02T08:39:00.000-06:00

I often times think that January 2nd is truly the day when the New Year begins. For most part, the first of January is spent wishing everyone a happy new year and recovering from too much partying on December 31st. It is on the 2nd of January when most of us resume our normal lives and we head back to work. So far, nothing seems different from last year other than a subtle change in the mindset even though I have the exact same lack of motivation for work today as I did last year.

It is quite funny how a single number change can alter our attitudes towards life. Many of us take the approach that the proverbial slate is wiped clean when the New Year begins thus we can start fresh. While this is a good approach to take and gives us motivation, it still is an illusion of the mind and only lasts a few days (if we are lucky) or few moments before reality sinks in and wipes away the rosy glow with it the realization that nothing really has changed since December 31st.

Aaja Nachle - Comeback of the dancing diva of Bollywood

2007-12-27T09:02:00.000-06:00

Madhuri Dixit is BACK and what an interesting mode has she chosen to come back with. Let me first just say that she looks absolutely GORGEOUS!!! No one ever doubted her dancing or acting skills so I won’t even discuss them.

The concept of the movie Aaja Nachle is very unique. It focuses on the world of theatre and how Madhuri’s character brings together a group of misfits and pulls of a successful production of ‘Laila Majnu – the Musical’. Infact, the best part of the movie is Madhuri’s performance on the title song ‘Aaja Nachle’ and the play that is shown in the climax of the movie. Focusing the story of the play on Laila Majnu was a very nice touch as it most likely introduced this pair to today’s generation.

When discussing Aaja Nachle, one must simply discuss the surprise package of the film – Konkona Sen. She is an absolute treat to watch and suited the role of ‘Anokhi’ perfectly. Kunal Kapoor was thoroughly wasted in the movie in my opinion but he did fit the role of ‘Majnu’ quite nicely so maybe that’s why he was chosen for this role. Akshaye Khanna does justice to his small role in the movie; I wouldn’t have minded seeing more of a romantic angle between him and Madhuri.

By no means is this movie a masterpiece; very few rarily are. This movie has more than its share of flaws but in my excitement to watch Madhuri's movie, I managed to overlook them. As with all Indian movies, I encourage the viewers to give their brains a break by simply sitting back and enjoying.

2007 - Year in Retrospect

2007-12-26T08:37:00.001-06:00

As 2007 is winding down, I thought to reflect upon all that has taken place this year. Some things have been inconsequential while others have had a profound impact on my life. This year has been quite significant for me both personally and professionally. On a professional level, I made a career change earlier in the year which for the most part has been a good move on my part and I have also obtained certifications that have made me recall what I didn’t like about my college days (Hint: STUDYING).

On a personal level, I believe I have grown quite a lot over this last year. Partially, this is due to the people I have met this year whom in turn have variably altered the equation of my life forever. It has been quite enlightening to experience this shift in the equation and watching my own emotional growth almost as an outsider. It’s quite amazing how we can separate ourselves from the things that are going on in our lives and simply observe them as a third person. Too bad we don’t take this approach more often therefore not losing subjectivity in our lives but that’s neither here nor there at the moment and we will save that topic for another post.

I have also reconnected with friends that I had lost contact with over time. This has made me realize that some friendships do not change with time.

Overall, I would say that this has been a GREAT year for me. While it’s true that it could have been even better, one must take into account the little fact that it could have been a lot worse. All I can say now is that lets hope 2008 brings with it more joy and strengthening of the bonds that we have formed/maintained thus far in our lives.

Introspections during the move

2007-12-04T08:39:00.000-06:00

As I am preparing to move to the new house, I have been going through my belongings and finding things that I didn’t even know I possessed. The hardest part thus far has been going through and identifying things that I no longer have any use for. For example, I recently went through my collection of audio tapes that I had accumulated throughout my adolescent years. I no longer even listen to these tapes as I don’t have a tape player in my car or in my room yet I have held on to these tapes as a cherished possession. As I was going through them, I realized that there were some tapes that I probably have never listened to nor ever will yet I have been reluctant to throw them away. After deliberating for about an hour, I did manage to clean out this collection to only keep the ones that I liked at this point in time. This might seem an insignificant thing yet it was very tough to do; more so than sorting out clothes that one never wears.
Another example is a pen holder wooden plate that I made in ‘shop class’ while in middle school. The pen holder is broken yet I cherish this possession as a medal of sort because I recall the time I spent carving and smoothing the wood to make this. The fact that this is the only object that I have ever made with my hands and will most likely not do so ever again may have something to do with it.
This has made me question the tendency of holding on to objects that we no longer need or use. Is this merely a form of ‘nesting’ that we share with other animals or is it more because we associate memories and feelings with these objects?

Time

2007-11-29T08:01:00.000-06:00

So, I have been thinking recently as to why most of us are so time-conscious these days? Time is something we, humans, invented yet we have allowed it to overtake us and somehow it is now controlling us rather than the other way around. What after all is so important about time that we gauge everything by it; be it a relationship, the amount of time required to do something and even finding time to spend with someone? It is a concept that is mostly popular in the ‘civilized’ world if you will. There are many countries around the world where time is irrelevant and the concept of wearing a watch or having a clock is unnatural. One may argue that those people are forever late for meetings, appointments, etc but the key to note is that they probably realize that the value of time should be judged by how it is spent not how much is spent. Who I wonder is better off in the long run if you will: the people who let their lives be controlled by time and therefore have no ‘time’ for their families or loved ones or those who continue going about living their lives without letting ‘time’ overrule them?

The Trials of the Workplace (cont’d)

2007-11-19T15:23:00.001-06:00

I am having what I described as a ‘bad day’ in my previous post on this topic. I really want to know what people were thinking when they offered a job to a particular nuisance at my job. Normally I try to think of this person as my source of entertainment but it’s not funny anymore. The minor annoyances have now fully blown up to the point that I so want to dish out a piece of my mind. Should I even express my thoughts or should I save them for the day when either one of us leaves this organization? The latter would be the ideal because honestly how do you go about telling someone that you believe they are totally incompetent and saying that he/she has the mentality of a 5 year old will actually be an insult to the child? I suppose I will just add this question to my every growing list of trials one must endure while at work.

Being Sick SUCKS!!!

2007-11-16T11:14:00.000-06:00

Not to state an obvious fact but being sick truly sucks. Not only do you feel like crap and have no energy, the medications one takes in hopes of recovering have their share of side-effects. I have been sick for what now seems like forever and most of this time I have felt like I’m truly buzzed. I don’t know if it’s really ‘buzzed’ as I have had no exposure to drugs but it’s what I would describe this feeling of being out of it with the world. One goes through the day simply existing most of the times; not really being impacted by what’s going on around them. I wonder if this separation of the mind from our immediate environment is part of our body’s defensive mechanism to protect ourselves as we are not physically or emotionally capable of dealing with it while being sick.

Russian Stories not meant for Indian Cinema.

2007-11-13T10:23:00.001-06:00

I thought I should start writing my reviews of movies on this blog as one of my favorites pass times is to do film analysis. After months of anticipation, I went to see the movie Saawariya last night and let me just tell you that the movie fully lived up to my expectations of being a disappointment. Initially, when the promos were released for this movie about a month or so ago, I was super excited about this. As it is a Sanjay Leela Bansali film, the promos were a visual treat to the eyes. Granted the actors were newcomers in the movie and hence no expectations existed for them, the expectations were still there in terms of the story. Not to mention the little fact, that one of my favorite actors, Salman Khan was in the movie as well but this turned out to be a disappointment as well.

So many things went wrong with this movie; the major being that Russian stories are not meant for Indian Cinema as they are too surreal for us. While those of us who are connoisseurs of Indian cinema enjoy watching make-believe cinema, we also expect some type of realism from the movie. The set designs can be as grandeur and unrealistic as possible and we won’t even make a comment but even we draw the line at seeing the same set for 2+ hours.

This movie also proves that having good actors in a movie will do nothing for its success if the characters of those actors are not developed. For example, let’s take a look at Rani Mukherjee’s character ‘Gulab ji’. She is supposed to be the best of her trade in prostitution, yet one always finds her lurking around the streets by herself. This makes it very hard to swallow, how is she the best in her trade when she is always by herself? Not to mention the fact that there are like 40 + prostitutes in this red light district and one only sees about 4 or 5 men total in that area. How the hell do these women make a living?

Then we have Salman Khan’s character of Imaan. The viewer never gets to know who is Imaan, what he does for a living, why does he leave Sakina, where does he go and why in god’s name is he shown praying namaaz in the rain? Couldn’t he find a place of shelter to pray? Whenever he came on screen, I was distracted with questions/thoughts such as ‘why is he wearing so much eyeliner when she has none? His diamond studs are amazing although a little too big for a guy. He has a gorgeous smile, why wasn’t he given a chance to portray the smile in the movie? The fact that his character is fanatically religious and his mention of the word ‘camp’ made me think he might be a terrorist.’

All of the above combined with the lack of acting /expression by the main lead Sonam Kapoor made for a not worthwhile movie. The girl seriously needs to work on emoting. I also found her laughter to be quite annoying; my companion compared her laughter to that of a witch one sees in Halloween movies and I cannot help but concur.

One character in the movie that I enjoyed immensily was Zohra Sehgal’s character of Lillipop. She did a phenomenal job and her character was purely a treat to the viewer. Speaking of treats, one cannot help but mention Ranbir Kapoor. He shows potential of becoming a good actor although someone should tell him to lay off of imitating his grand father because I didn’t really care for Raj Kapoor acting that way and thus certainly don’t care to see it repeated.

The best part of the movie was the company I had while watching the movie. All in all, we enjoyed ourselves while making fun of the movie and I guess that’s all that matters at the end of the day.

Birthdays

2007-11-08T08:42:00.000-06:00

As children, we all look forward to our birthdays every year with so much anticipation. With the innocence of a child who has not been exposed to the harsh realities of the world, we wonder what gifts we will receive; whether we will really get the gift we have been wanting for so long, will there be cake and a party? The questions and the anxiousness is never ending. With certain birthdays come certain milestone events that make the birthday even more special. For example, most people in the US can not wait for their 16th birthday as they know they will get their license after they turn 16; for girls this milestone birthday holds even more significance. Then comes one’s 18th birthday and with it comes the realization that you are now an adult; never mind the fact that one still has the mentality of a teenager. Then arrives 21st birthday; the day when one has all the rights associated with adulthood including getting legally drunk.

Somewhere after this 21st birthday, we start becoming indifferent towards our birthdays. We no longer look forward to it with anticipation; on the contrary, the excitement of the child eagerly awaiting the day is replaced with a dread. The only thing we have in common with the child of our youth is wondering how we will change after this birthday. As a child, one assumes that turning a year older will give us more maturity and intelligence than our friends who have not yet caught up with us in age. As an adult, we worry how turning another year older will change us. I, for one, was not looking forward to turning 27. There was no logical reasoning for this except that I found 26 to be the perfect age: not too young and not too old. I absolutely dreaded turning 27. I remember that a few days after my 27th birthday, the realization arrived that this is no different than being 26.

How and when do we loose that childhood innocence of looking forward to birthdays and become so indifferent? What causes this extreme change in us? Is it because we realize that birthdays are nothing but another day in the year? All of this makes me wonder who is better off: the child who perceives the world with a rosy glow of innocence or us adults who perceive the world with a cautious attitude? Is growing up worth the indifference we adapt towards the simple pleasures of life? I hope not because everyone should look forward to their birthdays with the anticipation of a child where birthdays equal cake and presents. Wouldn’t life be grand if we all approached it like this?

A mystery - The workings of the human mind

2007-11-06T08:12:00.000-06:00

I thought I should discuss what has to be one of the oldest mysteries known to mankind: the workings of the human mind. In particular, I have been pondering why we react to certain situations as we do and the different factors (chemical, environmental) that are responsible for our reactions.

One simple explanation is: The human brain is a complex circuitary of neurons that are responsible for inducing the release of certain chemicals that send signals to different parts of our brains thus making us react. However, this does not provide us the complete picture as our environment has a lot of impact on our reactions as well. For example, one reacts differently to a bad news received at a social gathering then one would if the said news was received at home.

While all this makes sense, there is another factor that is also a big contributor to our reactions and at times seems to overshadow the rest: EMOTIONS. While one could argue that emotions are also part of the chemical factor, I disagree and believe this should be its own independent factor. I firmly believe that when one's emotions are engaged, the reaction is not always predictable. For example, if a stranger breaks your favorite heirloom one is naturally upset but if the said heirloom is broken by a loved one the reaction is much more intense because the loved one knows the sentimental value associated with the heirloom.

What totally throws me off is why one reacts strongly to little things that are insignificant but is totally blase about the so called 'major things' and take them in good stride. This particular reaction doesn't fit any of the above categories so I'm at a loss as to how to describe it. Is this reaction normal for most individuals and what causes it? Is this part of a defensive mechanism that we humans have built in us for self preservation?

Rethinking of AIDS policies

2007-11-02T12:53:00.001-05:00

I came across this article and reading it has disturbed me greatly:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21571977/

The article talks about using the funds allocated to AIDS relief in preventative methods rather than on research to find a cure. While I agree that prevention of HIV virus is very important, we should not forget all those who suffer from it or the very fact that no prevention is 100% guaranteed.

I just cannot get myself to believe that people are seriously considering giving up on this. Granted we have not found a cure yet but that doesn't mean that there is no cure. Science and scientists give humanity a hope at a chance to overcome diseases and other natural catastrophes. How can we give up hope? After all, what is humanity without hope???

The Trials of the workplace

2007-11-01T09:50:00.000-05:00

One of the questions that has been on my mind recently is that why do people at work feel that our sole purpose in existing is listening to their problems? Yes, I understand that as humans, it is our fundamental right of existence to complain but no one said anything about enduring the relentless complaining of others.

I don't solely come to work so I can listen to someone whine about their life (be it their pets, their lack of love life, marriage, kids, family, etc). Granted that sometimes listening to this makes me realize how lucky I am and how minuscile my problems/issues are compared to these other individuals but GIVE ME A BREAK!! I don't want to listen to all of this before I have had a chance to drink my morning coffee.

Why can't someone send a memo to all offices across the world instructing everyone on how not to annihlate their co-workers sanity? I don't think it makes for a very productive work enviornment when all you really want to do is sit your co-worker down and introduce them to the health benefits offered by your organization for 'mental health'? The aforementioned is on a good day; lets just not go to what one would like to do on a bad day....we will save that for another time.

The beginning of a new era

2007-11-01T09:15:00.000-05:00

Today, I have stepped into a new era by creating a blog. I don't really have a clear idea of what I will blog about. All I know is that this was started because it seems like a good hobby to keep oneself occupied at work. So, we shall see how successful this new hobby is. The intent is to post on any thing that I find interesting or thought worthy or something I wish to comment upon.

Now, that I have created this blog (and let me just say that the hardest decision thus far has been coming up with a name for the blog; who knew it would be so difficult of a choice) I am beginning to wonder if anything I post will be of interest to anyone besides me. Then the thought occurs to me that it really doesn't matter what others will think because the main question here really should be 'will I continue with this new hobby of blogging or will I come to realize that its really not worth my time?"