Health is Wealth

Today morning began with a sombre call from one of our friends who live nearby; but we have not been in touch for the last couple of weeks. She is a busy professional mom with a lot already in her plate. Her day begins at 6 AM packing lunch for herself, her kids, husband followed by ferrying children to school and various other activities and her office and then back home - which in a regular day ends at 10 PM. A very nice active and caring person that she is.
She called in the morning to tell about the little bit of extra work they have been doing lately - looking after their neighbor. This neighbor I knew of hers was suffering from cancer for the last one and half years and has undergone 4 surgeries and countless number of chemo therapies. The latest surgery he had was during thanksgiving, where they have taken off most of his intestinal organs except for the bowl. In Jan first week, barely 6 weeks after the last surgery, they took off his bowel. I don't like to post sad things, but this is the best I can do at the moment to overcome the sadness I feel for the person. He is under palliative care and one and only earning member in the family with 2 college going girls and one school going girl and a wife who never worked outside of her home. To top it all they have no insurance. What can I say, I am just so overwhelmed by the thought that people can have so many problems and still lead a near normal life. All of this boils down to health is your ultimate wealth and one has to preserve it.
The best way to take care of your health is to put it under the rigor of exercise at least 3 times a week. Build healthy muscular mass. Progressively silence your noisy mind that generates 40-50 thousand thoughts per day. For thoughts are the first step that builds into what we really become. Practice paranayam(breathing exercises) and Yoga at least 3-4 times a week. Fast at least for 24 hours in a week and drink healthy, nutritious food. Drink plenty of water and take life easy. For us, we are the most important person, but compared to the universe we are just a small atomic entity. Few days back a manic bus driver mowed down 9 people to death and injured 30 others in Pune, India. Such things also happen to people so suddenly that leaves no time for them to prepare for the ultimate. We don't know when and where tragedy may strike us, so take one day at a time and take things easy. Happy 63rd Republic day India!!

Big C's (Criticism, Complaints, Condemnation)

Today on twitter, one post caught my imagination: That says refrain from 3 C's e.g; Criticism, Complaints and Condemnation. How true is that? I wish I could practice to reduce these 3 C's from this year onwards till it diminishes and reaches to a zero level.
What other new year wishes I have?

• To take up exercise more seriously ( at least 5 times a week), Yoga and pranayama at least 4 times a week;
• To fast at least for 24 hours in a week with just water or lemon water; 
• Reduce stress and weight; 
• Think and look positive; 
• Stay happy.

One other thing I am really working on is the effect of other people's behavior on me. I should try and stay calm irrespective of the judgement of the people surrounding me. I should not get affected by what other people say or do to me as long as it is not harming me in anyways. Sounds difficult, but I can give it a try.
All these sound too good to be true, but we are what we train ourselves to be. At this age, I am trying hard to change myself to a better me, no matter how little I change but that should be it.

A very happy new year to all my friends!!

My Blog earnings

This is a thought that never touched my mind that I can earn through my blog!!! Well, I have been blogging though not regularly since 2006, but my blog has been read over 10,000 times and I have earned about $6.25. Waiting for my payments to arrive once it reaches the threshold i.e; $10.. :-))

We Vs Them

Here 'We' means we the Indians and 'Them' means the Americans/Europeans/developed country citizens. In my 10 years stay in this country, I have learnt many things and one of them is "them" as people are far better then "we" the people - personally, spiritually, intellectually, independently:)). I will discuss that in a while.

While working, I have noticed involuntarily, I tend to ask a silly question without doing my ground work or giving proper thought. That does not mean I am incapable of thinking or doing my ground work, but rather that is the way I am groomed. And as you all know old habits die hard.

For example, in one of our common projects there is are common word docs, where a lot of the details about the project are documented. I could easily look through the doc to find the information I am seeking, but I prefer to ask that instead. Earlier on, numerous times we ask questions on the mailing forums that has already been answered, but we never go back and check. What would you call this - Lazy, Silly, Stupid? I don't know, I will call it "our attitude". This is the way we are raised and we grew up in an environment where we are overtly dependent on people for things that we can do it ourselves. For example, say in India you are going to the market and will need a ride, the first thing you would do is call to find out if someone knew a auto rikshaw driver or a taxi driver, rather than going out and venturing it herself to find one. I would say this as "familiarity" syndrome, where we are afraid to delve into unfamiliar terrain.

Similarly, there are numerous other examples when you are seeking directions to some place. We don't hesitate and ask anyone and everyone about it and are non-apologetic about it. We take it for granted that, the person we are asking this information is at our service and we are entitled to get an answer. This happens in every sphere of our lives. So, as a result till now we feel helpless if we have to go somewhere, find directions and other stuff by ourselves. We wish somebody tells us how to go there and what to find there.

On the other hand "them" are amazing people. They do their home work first. They invariably get the information brochures from the front desk, browse through and try to figure out first what they want to do and how they would do it. Once, I attended Plant and Animal Genome meeting at San Diego. I shared my room with an Israel woman scientist. Towards the end of the meeting she suggested we go and see the zoo, which happens to be very famous. I shrugged my shoulder and was wondering "what, how, don't know etc.". But, looking at her I realized that she means it and is equipped with all the "information" that is required. For example, from the front desk, she has grabbed a few information brochures and she had train/bus schedule brochure. The next question popping on my head was how to use these to really travel? But thankfully, I did not ask. She smartly led me to the bus stop and started reading the map and schedule and charted a plan on how to get to the zoo. Viola! I was bowled over. You ask me to do that - aa aa - I can't do it. In any case, I learnt there is a big difference between "we" the people and "them" the people. The "them" people are more independent, open minded, driven then "we" the people.

I will be very wrong to say that I am alone like that. It is quite evident from the way most of Indians act. For example, I had a friend who asked me few technical questions and the answers of which are buried in a paper that I gave her for reading. Now she is mad at me that I did not read and summarize and give the her content. Now what should I say, she is most certainly "we" the people and one like me. Now I wonder is there a transition possible from "we" the people to "them" the people?:)