Reaching There

There are so many things going through my mind right at this moment. It's amazing how much stuff flies through my mind every second. How much would my hike be this year? Why the heck can't I copy a movie on my laptop without getting this "cyclic redundancy check" error (btw any ideas..)? I should definitely call this friend of mine today. Now I am suddenly staring at the white blinking light of my external drive. Wow! But do you know what I am really trying to do right now? I am just trying to write a post for my blog but all hell has broken loose in my mind. The task at hand has taken the back seat and everything else is playing musical chair on the front seat. Multi-tasking sucks! Heck, I am not even multi-tasking here. I am just trying to write a post but the mind is just switching between other channels. I guess the mind tries to fit in as many things as possible during a single moment in time. Is that the nature of the beast? Maybe it is, however it doesn...

If you have ever spent hours to prepare a dish you'll immediately know what I am going to talk about next. It's been a while since I cooked but I do remember spending hours trying to perfect a dish and eventually just adding a bit more of 'that' to get 'that' taste (feel free to fill in for the that'). The 'that' that comes to the rescue could be a bit more salt or it could be one of those exquisite Indian spices. Regardless the search for personal perfection is a continuous and tough job. A lot of times people have ended up with bitterness that follows a failure. Some claimed to have found perfection others have just faked it. In any case those who have continued to earnestly pursue the path have lived fulfilling and wonderful lives. For starters, this article is not about food. Someone in a more philosophical mood than I am currently in, compared life to wandering around in darkness. A rather gloomy thought to consider lost under the dar...

Life is all about hits and misses. You win some and you lose some. So what's the difference between those who seem to go through rough times with smile a and those who keep seeking help from outside? I feel there's just one difference, those who like to survive have dug deep into their mind and devised a surviving mechanism. It is their philosophy in life, attitude, and confidence; call it whatever you want to but it is something personal that drives them. Recently I came across two such "philosophies" and this post is simply about sharing these gems without tainting with my opinion. So here are those words by a couple of persons whose name you may not necessarily recognize. John Picarello "If you love something but choose not to do it professionally, it's not a waste. Because, you know, you still have it. You have it forever." Sounds so refreshing and honest, right? To find out who is John Picarello you'll have to go through this...

The Global Recession: A Look Back from an Ex-Non-Immigrant’s Eyes In my second year of undergraduate studies in India I decided to go abroad for further studies. Like thousands of students across India I went through my word lists, brushed up my maths and went to the nearest testing center to give my GRE and TOEFL. At the end of the exams the screen showed me my tentative scores. The minute the number flashed up on the screen I knew my American dreams were on. It was in August of 2006, a week before Indian Independence Day, I landed in the international terminal of JFK Airport. As I scampered with my friends through the busy terminal to catch the connecting flight, we couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. As we flew over Buffalo I noticed the baseball fields underneath. I knew I was in U.S.A.! However this post is not about my studies, life in school or even my first job. But it is a commentary on the Great Recession that shrouded the country and keeps it wrapp...

The other day I was wandering down some unknown alleys of the brain-land. I was searching for a rather peculiar place known as 'The Nothing Box'. I had been dying to come out of my peaceful apartments located in the distant suburbs; called 'The Complacence' for sometime now.  While wandering through the 'Tough St' I took some time to glance around the surrounding area. It was full of shanties with clouds of hopelessness hovering in the sky; with drops of frustration bent on wetting my peaceful attire. I was on the brink of giving up. Suddenly I heard a melodious tune which was coming out of a small pub with a sign hanging that said 'The Faithfuls'. I wasn't sure whether I should stop in this infamous ' Tough St ' and risk being robbed of my peace (I had only few left in my wallet). I went in through the creaking door and saw a lot of guys like me just blowing out puffs of smoke; with glasses clanking against the wooden tables...

This is my first attempt at writing a review for a musical album. The album is 'Modern Love' by Matt Nathanson released on June 21, 2011. So here I go! When The Beatles gave world a message in 'All you need is love' they were asked for simple words that can catch the imagination of the world. As some say the beauty is in the simplicity, a sentiment that echoes within the songs of the new album 'Modern Love' from Matt Nathanson. It's an album entirely about love and all the things that go around it. Most of you remember the song 'Come on get higher' and all of you remember the rendition of 'Laid' in the movie American Wedding. I won't be exaggerating if I say 'Come on get higher' was a radio hit that brought Matt Nathanson to the world and me. Scrubs introduced me to couple of other songs that immediately made me Google his name and listen to his other songs. I've earnestly followed Matt Nathanson over the past...

Sometimes in life someone or something puts you 'there'. It is difficult to define that place as it exists only in your mind, sans any description. However it is the place you always long for in life. It's a place where you like to go often and while in there hope you never come back.  I was listening to the rendition of ' O Mio Babbino Caro ' by American violinist Joshua Bell . It was a piece of music I had never heard before. But somehow it managed to struck a chord in my heart that took me 'there'. However what is so special about that place? It is the place where I forgive myself and forget about myself. A place where the cord that connects me to the world is pulled off for a few moments. And it seems the moment the worldly cord is unplugged the divine cord jumps in to bring a fresh breath of life.  But why is it so important to forgive yourself? Simply because we're too harsh on ourselves sometimes. The truth is we cannot meet all the...