The Year it was and the year that will come!

Phew...hate to start with a slang like hate to start the new year with a bang!
This year was eventful and not to say that others in past were not so but just to suggest that this year was eventful too. Politically, we saw new equations in India and reinforcement of Gandhian belief in anna's methods. Although so many people are still divided on acknowledging that this method will work but at least all are united in one thought that corruption is very deep rooted in political class now. It was not so different in US too. Bipartisanship is just a term to use in speeches but hardly seen in action on issues unless pushed to wall.
Economically, it wasn't much better. Whole year people are waiting for recovery and it came in patches. Still lots to be done on this and one should remain hopeful.This will remain a major theme for discussion for 2012 too.
Socially, India is on fast track to catch up with the western ways. Not much to talk about and I think that this is very natural way of evolution and social activism. Western society will keep embracing the eastern philosophies on life and societies in east will keep looking to western styles.
Technology is affecting the society a lot more than any philosophies. SoCoMo (Social sites, Cloud devices/apps, and Mobility) will become not only the ways for companies to think but even the ways for society to evolve. People are spending more and more time on social sites than any other communication media. Even emails are looking things of past and only carry business significance now.
Personally, it was a year of paperwork for me. Got the taste of the new processes in immigration. Driving license, passport, visa, bank papers, loans, house etc all featured in my list this year.
Overall like all other years, I'm happy for the way it went and hope more for next year - no new year resolutions but just the renewed vigor to do more. I believe that it's a moment for all of us to celebrate and then take a pause to take deep breath and then get ready for next ride!

Some day!

Recently visited the CGI, San Francisco, work - correction in the passport. Imagine it or not, it's a tough job. I'm always scared of touching anything on these kinds of documents at any place - be it in India or in US. Red tape is vicious at any place. It's the nature of the devil. Whatever you want to call me for this, but I expect it this way only. You'll always be desperate to get it done and people on the other side will always be relaxed, or should I say indifferent, enough that your patience will be tested. You are irritated, but you have to smile and show that you are indifferent too.

Anyway coming back to visit to CGI. I did the mistake of dreaming something else as I thought that I'm in a developed world and humans are masters in adapting. I was so wrong. Whatever happens, it's difficult to change the basic nature and only a temporary veil can be put. It's difficult to adapt and hence the process of evolution is slow. Big fonts were used to display that "cell phones are not allowed inside" and several signs of them. Even a message was their on website but we (read Indian) are so not used to follow such measures unless someone has a stick to show it. Then you can see people shouting about the arrangements that what should they do with the phones and all other such damned stuffs. I never saw same people even moaning about the same arrangements outside the US consulate office. I don't need to lay out the next scene once you are inside; one can imagine it very well. The less I should say about security and professionalism, the better.

I understood one thing, for sure, that, with whatever high decibels, we keep screaming that India will be a superpower in coming years but there is a long way to go in terms of etiquette and how we do the things. Some day!

PS: I got my passport back with all the required things in place within 4 weeks. So things are working just fine! 

I listened to some talks as well as read few interviews in which successful people describe how much planning is important. They think about the day at morning; some call that hour in morning as the most important hour - "the holy hour". Have you tried it?

Typically I don't try to blindly imitate the success path already traversed by someone. I ponder over it whether the traversed path makes sense for me and accordingly decide for it. In addition I have my own way of thinking and interpreting but sometime I also get inspired by these talks to apply for myself. Coming back to "the holy hour", I'm trying it for sometime now, and it really works...lol! Many days I felt so happy at the end of day if I did all what I thought at the start of the day. I, however, still want the unpredictable excitement in my life so I let the life takes its own course but still plan for few things. And also it need not be an hour as "holy hour" but few minutes given to myself to think what I should expect on this day.

So if you like it enough to try it, do so and do share your experiences!

Expectation should be synonymous with Emotion. Even if not in the English thesaurus but in the world where a thinking living being is there. You sense - see, smell, hear, touch - any thing, you build an expectation. It is natural as you cannot stop thinking that brings all the emotions out. It can be instantaneous based on instincts or comprehensively cognitive. For me, it is one of the things I know but cannot stop being trapped in the web of emotions build out of expectations. The effect is profound and insane at times. You simply love being the slave of your emotions.

So now I want to experience the other side of coin. Is it possible to shut myself down enough to feel no emotions and then come out of that state to feel the way I feel now? You try meditation, introspection, induced trances but nothing seems to change except moving from one emotional state to another. I guess the day I'll know the answer I'll be something else...lol!

While reading current affairs, I came across an interesting news for development - 18637 KM of expressway will be built by 2022. I said, "it is interesting" for several reasons, few of them are:

1. Within so many trash news headlines like "Shiv Sena again rebukes Sachin", one forgets if there is ever going to be any talk on development

2. My experience till now is that once in a year some positive talk for development happens; this year may be an exception when several visions shared

3. Not only developed states but commercially viable states are considered in deciding - no north/south/east/west distribution logic but commercially active points were chosen

There are many more positive thinking in this news item and I'm hopeful again for development of India:).

Joined twitter (@twitt_amit) a few days back. Enjoying the fun of looking at what people send but still not sure about how effectively to use it.

I was in same state when joined facebook a few months back. Now I'm fine with using it and in a controlled way to not to get addicted to it. I'm liking a few feature of "fb" - one which I like most you don't have to keep track of things happening at your friend's end (in orkut the scraps are always one-to-one).

Yeah, I know! I lagged behind this revolution of internet but catching up.

"A greyish black samsonite, hard shell, size-guess 28"", I was saying that upteenth times to the operators of the American Airlines' lost luggage department.

This story started on my recent travel from India to USA. I had, till date, heard of many stories for lost luggages and I just thought that I must be lucky. The luck, however, didn't go in my favor. I usually wait anxiously at the conveyor belt and sigh a relief when see my luggage. I was so happy to see it all there at Chicago and all happy that I made one more journey without any lost luggage story. I, however, was so wrong as you must wait to celebrate till you reach the finish line. I now believe in this more than ever.

Next journey was for 25 mins flight from Chicago to Milwaukee and after 3 hour gap from Chicago. So when I reached Milwaukee after this short flight, I was just apalled on not finding my luggage at Milwaukee - one of the bags was missing. I was given a bag locator number and that's my number for next few weeks. I was still hopeful as only one bag was missing and it happens with small flights and so it will come by next flight. Less I was aware of the things coming to me to be so hopeful.

Next 3 days, I kept calling them of knowing the status and they kept telling me that they will find it. Meanwhile they gave me a reimbursable $150/- voucher. After 3 days, I got a call and lady was more excited than me, to tell that she located the bag and delivering to my hotel address. With all expectations and excitation, I went to hotel's front desk in evening. Ha! I never imagined this. They delivered a wrong bag. I was so furious; one, it's not my bag, second, the other person must also be feeling the same agony as me. Anyway, they took this bag and then assured me again to find it. It was almost a week now.

I called then up again after a week. I was in another shock now when came to know that they closed my case by saying that it is delivered. Although they had put a note that wrong bag delivered but still someone closed it. I was so furious on them. They tried to placate me by offering one more $100 voucher. I was so patient till now knowing that mistakes can be made. I did try my best to scold them and give some threat. At this time they escalated the priority (as they told me) and sent out a questionaire to me for putting all the details including things in the luggage with price. The interesting part was that they asked for reciept of anything over $100. I guess it has been expected that one will carry such reciepts. My case wass now with central lost luggage department of the airlines.

These people were nicer; at least they explained it a lot better of what's going to happen now. And I started waiting for the call from the claims department to know what I'm going to get. Meanwhile I purchased things for my $250 voucher and got it reimbursed. They gave me a timeframe of starting a claim after 5 weeks.

Suddenly like a streak of light in dark hole, I got a call just before end of 5 weeks deadline that one bag is located and it looked similar to my bag's description. I hoped for good this time and indeed it was my bag. It was all good and no damage. So after my 5 weeks of travel, I got my bag back with $250/- from airlines. For sure, I didn't suffer much as not too important and necessary things in the bag. One mystery is still there that what was happening to my bag in these 5 weeks for travel from Chicago to Milwaukee but I'm happy enough to not to ask:-).

One of the funniest feeling is when you are waiting for something so deperately and that thing comes and goes. The human feelings and actions-reactions are always mysterical and people, for long, trying to decipher it. I'm talking about the people who are considered among intelligentia. Have you ever felt such funny feeling? For sure, you must have. I recently felt it. It was funny and that's the only word I have right now to describe.

For now, in this country one of the most talked about thing is Mr. Obama's health-care policy reforms. Wherever I go I must hear some comments about it. People are really divided over it. I don't have really great opinion but believe that Mr. President is living upto his image of a democrat. Either way the system now in place needs some shaking. Hope all this hoopla will do the same.

And a seperate blog for my experiences on lost luggage in airline travel - watch for it!

You never know how you changed my soul,

Who felt so wretched but blissful now,
Who knew no fear but fearful now,
I believe it is love on our minds,
But I want to feel, we are truthful now!

Today is Friendship day. Wish you all a very happy friendship day!

I came to know about it last night from a female friend. First thought was that in this era of communication and considering myself a little active on all such communication channels, I was surprised I missed it. Lol...so there are still something which sometime are not advertised so greatly or you can miss even being active on such channels. So i need to be more careful about these things as I have taken it granted for such days that I'll know and don't need to remember or try to remember to wish people who care.

Then a lot of people don't care if they are being wished on such days or not. Honestly, I usually don't care but feel good that one is wishing. For a few I don't care to tell as we know each other well enough to leave out these formalities. Something like the same old debate whether every morning after waking up you must tell your parents - "I love you mom; I love you dad" or for that matter say this to your wife or kid or fiancee. Personally, I don't believe in it but , for sure, believe that you should say only when you feel to say.

And I read a very interesting article for cross-sex friends. The term itself is amusing but it gives the idea that we are talking about the concept of friends of opposite sex. The article tried to put some quotes (and people views) for the platonic friendship vs turning it into romance. For sure, I also don't know about it and it hurts the head when think more about it. Guess, I'll better leave it till I have to deal with it.

After a long time but hope to put a post every week or more. First of all, let me catch up with comments on an event which I am really proud of - Saina's victory. She is so single-minded that I sometime fear that she will burn out; just hope it never happens.

Next, Federer epitomizing the consistency and embracing history in front of the legends. Debate will keep going over that it would have been much sweeter if Nadal was still there. I hope that both will be playing soon again at their peaks. Andy was at his best in finals but I don't have too high hopes for him or other rivals.

Enough sport...but the win of congress in general election was also not less than any sport's climax. I'm happy, for sure, that now it will not be the musical chairs and a few people got the drubbing as needed. It could have been much sweeter if all such crooked people were taught a lesson but it's fine as you should not expect all sweet things in one sudden move. I just hope this is going to continue and irrational ideas and people are weeded out.

I'm as peeved, irritated, and disgusted as anyone else in the country at the turn of events on 26/11 in Mumbai. I, however, don’t blame the politicians squarely for this. They have some role to play and they failed, but I ask what we did in our role. I’m watching all the debates going on the TV, in the neighborhood, and everywhere else. This is our mindset for so long. We need some hero to look upon with hope in despairs; same way we need some villain to blame. While making heroes and villains we absolve ourselves from all the responsibilities we should do. For now we have found NSG commands as heroes and politicians as villains.
I have few simple questions:
1. Who made these politicians?
2. Who give them power and role to play with lives?
3. What the so called “intellectuals” including media doing about it?
4. Is the terror our ultimate and the most priority problem?
5. Why this kind of blame game or basic debate never happened in US after 9/11?
There are many more but I start with these only. My thoughts and observations on these are:
Politicians are people among us. We only make some of us politicians. We only give them power and role. So why put all the blame on them and not something on us? I find the people coming on TV and screaming on these debates equally hypocritical and disgusting. Even the media, when blaming those politicians who are trying to come at site and taking advantage of the situation, forgets that they are doing the same. I saw several times the police have to intervene by repeated requests to ask them to stay away and still they are trying to sneak through for one shot. They are also glamorizing it. It is just disgusting when the same reporters start blaming others but forget their own roles when time comes. This is what happens in all walks of life; everywhere. When the so called intellectuals come and debate on TV or some other media, about how the root of all evils are the politicians, I want to ask them a simple question – what are you doing about it other than talking right now? Then what’s the difference between a politician and you? If anyone has any idea where they are doing something on their own, not suggesting the steps the government should take, I’m ready to listen to that person. I have never seen any such talk happening or any such conviction. It’s very easy to put the blames and that’s what we do all the time.
When the train blast had happened and a security mechanism was put, but 70-80% of us or even more were not trying to use any of those. Why we assume that police will come after us to ask to follow it when it is for our own benefits? It’s a country with so high population that most of the things that work in other countries will not work here. There can never be adequate number of police to enforce it. So it will be always the responsibility of the people who understand the benefits to follow it and lead the way. And surprising factor is that most of these 70-80% people are educated. Rather the high percentages who follow the rule are uneducated or less educated; may be following it just out of curiosity. I have even heard the argument that it is a farce and nothing happens out of this check; I can take a bomb through it and it will not detect etc. It’s all fine but what are you doing? You are just not following the rule. What if the instrument is latest now and can detect something? It might have taken a few more seconds but you fix your eyes on the person beside you who may be able to reach the train a few seconds ahead and hence looking at you victoriously. You don’t think to look back at him with a look “You cheat!”
There are several such instances that I can keep mentioning. I think the idea is conveyed. If you think a little more, you’ll, for sure, find that the deep rooted cause for the system failure to rise to occasion is something else. In my view, terrorism is not the number one issue here. It is a priority issue but not for whole country. At this moment also you can go to many places in country and ask, “What do you say about Mumbai attack?” People will say, “It’s horrible and must not happen.” If you ask next “What are you going to do about it?” Most likely the answer will be “First I’m going to look for day’s ration and feed my family then think something but it’s very bad and someone should do something.” People worry about these things but do not have luxury of time to ponder over these. They are too tied to their daily struggle and the majority of people in India are in this category. I was reading a story in the newspaper sometime back when one person was proudly saying how Lalu Yadav came in flood to give him Rs. 2500/- which helped him. So now he will vote for him. He and his family don’t care for this issue. Even when you leave these people out, you will be surprised to see if a politician will come at these sites and several scores of people are still following him, supporting him, and chanting eulogies. This all happen just because our loyalties are not with national or social interest but the individual interest and we all are to blame for this.
Contrary to popular perception that government took a lot of security measures to prevent an incident like 9/11 to happen again, I feel that it has not happened there for these many years because of people. Although they complaint about the long time to catch a flight but no one tries to find a way out of it. Majority of them comply even without security officials guiding them at each step. People feel from within themselves to not debate on such issues but united. Even an issue like current ongoing financial crisis united all the parties to pass the bailout package. In our country all parties united only when time came to stop the legislation for definition of “Office of Profit”. It’s the same mindset for which our honorable former president Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam once said that same people will follow the same rules once outside our country but not when within the country. This is a national shame.
I’m the same too. I’m waiting for someone to take lead and then I’ll do the easy things like contribute some money, sign an online petition, go stand somewhere with a lit candle, speak out something in some debate or write an article. I’m not willing to take any tough decision or tough route. I, however, don’t blame others for this but myself. I hope these thoughts will someday stir me enough to take some tough decision which will not only help me but the country. I have started the process with small steps by putting the changes in daily habits however small that can be like wearing the seat belts whenever driving the car. I know a lot of others are doing the same and my hope lies in them.

The concept of “quicksand” is interesting. One can argue that it is a geographical formation and not a concept but I’m talking about the concept.

When I was 7 years old, I heard about this concept in a storybook (I don’t remember the name of the book now). It was explained in geographical terms. I always had some bad dreams about it although it was not to a level of nightmare. Later I came to know that it is more myth about quicksand than facts and most of the facts are distorted. Still the mythical descriptions really intrigued me but dreams stopped and thoughts went to some unconscious plane as I forgot about it. Also when I started distinguishing concepts, facts, and myths, I classified my understanding of quicksand as abstract concept. I never thought what after being trapped in a “quicksand”.
It was long before I thought about this subject and then one fine day I suddenly got interested in this subject again while watching the movie “The Replacements”. The football coach (played by Gene Hackman) asked a bunch of players, “What you fear most?” Among lots of funny answers, the hero (Keanu Reeves) came with the answer, “Quicksand”. Everyone had a bewildered look on the face and one of the fellow players even sarcastically said, “It is a scary m@#$.” The coach interrupted to talk about the concept. I don’t want to say the story of movie but it just all flashed in front of me and I almost screamed, “Here it is.” This is what I thought almost 20 years back. I felt so excited and repeatedly watched that sequence of dialogues. Still I never thought about what after being trapped in “quicksand”.

I am again remembering it. Before I move on to say more let me tell you what I mean by the concept “quicksand”. Those who have watched Keanu explaining it in movie, I’ll repeat it for them but in my own words.
“Quicksand” is a state of mind or a situation, in which more you struggle to come out deeper you get into it. Then you will feel all trapped and suffocated. In the end, your existence is destroyed. A chill runs through your spine thinking of such a trap. It is a painful destruction. You can feel all happening but you cannot do anything. If you do something you get trapped more, feel suffocated more. You suffer the most in such a slow destruction. The most dangerous part is that it looks all the same and beautiful till the time you step into it. You don’t know you are stepping into it and when you realize you are into a quicksand it may be late.

I always think of a situation of quicksand. You failed for a purpose. If the purpose is so strong that it supersedes everything else you are doing in life then it is a situation of quicksand. The more you will think for the reasons or the purpose or the things happened, your judgment will be clouded. You will not be able to think of anything other than failures. You will be depressed; it can be minor or major. This cycle will continue – the more you think, you are more depressed.
So is there any way out of this? I think, “Yes”. It is the individual’s “will-power”. Sometime the “will-power” alone will not be sufficient and you need to go in right direction. In such a trap, the right direction is to think of immediate survival; think of immediate goals, think of the next moment only. No quicksand is limitless and once your survive enough to see the limits, you can start thinking to get out of it.

Nothing left to say except that I am in a quicksand. Now I think what after being trapped in “quicksand”. A good thing for me is that I started thinking to come out as soon I stepped into it. Rather I was aware beforehand I’m going to step into it but could not find a way in time to stop myself. I’m depending on my will-power and method. I believe’ I’ll come out.

So it is not the natural beauty or I should say the strangeness that has attracted me to this subject but the psychological manifestations which make you fear it. I am feeling it.

Check the new photos....

http://picasaweb.google.com/2amitprakash

and don't forget to put your comments. Enjoy!

I recently visited sikkim. Enjoy the photos - http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=dtsm4zd.5fhmujkl&x=0&y=-ndpzu7.