Sometimes Jispa needs someone to sit beside her to sleep. She needs a security blanket of sorts. Yesterday was one such day. She kept making all sorts of excuses for not getting sleep. After a long time she got back into our room. ‘I am not getting sleep’. Since jasmine and me were too sleepy to say anything and it was getting late for her, we just took her in. She was knocked out in two minutes flat.
Jasmine and I looked at each other; ‘no I am not lifting her’, we said to each other. So as was predictable, Jasmine got up did the weasel thing. She slept in Jispa’s bed. It was a good thing that in some amazing stroke of wisdom we had made a full size bed for Jispa.
I am not complaining, I got my tiny warm teddy bear to sleep with last night. In morning I was searching for my teddy bear. Where was it? Ah, there it is, all curled up in the froggy pose at the edge of the bed. I picked it up and lay it correctly on the pillow and put my blanket over it. Hmmmmm…nice warm fuzzy froggy teddy bear to wake up to.
Every one needs a security teddy. I’ve got mine.
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Monday, December 07, 2009
mom proposes...
Yesterday Jispa stayed over at my mom’s place so today morning I had to go and pick her. So instead of giving the snack tiffin, my wife decided to give her food coupons for the school canteen. Normally Jispa likes to have some snack and a juice so this time Jasmine decided to give her extra coupons. Typically the juice costs 15 and the food around that as well. So, almost like a treat Jasmine put a full 35 rupees in the wallet. More than she ever has put at one time. It’s normally only 20 or 25. Full treat was on for Jispa.
This is what transpired. At the counter Jispa first saw a cake, so she took one for 12 bucks and then she saw the juice which she took for 15. So now she couldn’t really have anything else as there isn’t anything available for remaining 8 bucks in her wallet. Hahaha.
Jasmine’s attempt at a wholesome snack was effectively thwarted and foiled by Jispa.
I would assume most mothers would find this story exasperating; most fathers would find this highly amusing, most childless couples might find this sweet and bachelors would ask – So?
This is what transpired. At the counter Jispa first saw a cake, so she took one for 12 bucks and then she saw the juice which she took for 15. So now she couldn’t really have anything else as there isn’t anything available for remaining 8 bucks in her wallet. Hahaha.
Jasmine’s attempt at a wholesome snack was effectively thwarted and foiled by Jispa.
I would assume most mothers would find this story exasperating; most fathers would find this highly amusing, most childless couples might find this sweet and bachelors would ask – So?
random thoughts are not philosophy... ok they are... or atleast at least could be...some day... perhaps
Hey what an innings I played… I hit 30 runs in one over.. uhh… ok, it was a tennis ball match, but it was in a proper cricket ground… uhh, ok the boundary was brought a bit inside.. but it was a proper match… ok it was a 8 a side match… but it was a proper match… uhh it was a internal tournament… but it was their opening bowler.. ok ok… he was a bowler who might have bowled after 10 years. But I still whacked it out of the park. Didn’t I? I said this some blogs ago… if you set your standards reasonably low you will always be happy. It works well for cricket for sure. Hehe. But it was good highlight for a Saturday.
On Sunday Jasmine, Dinesh and me went for a coffee at café coffe day. There we had this petit girl serving us. Quite a small thing but cheerful and fun. I quite like her attitude. And I do like seeing young people work. And as a contrast, I saw a bunch of girls descending the steps. The typical college going girls with a ‘I am so bored’ look on their face. Forgive my typecasts, but they did look like bimbettes, ok there is no word like bimbette but you get the drift. I couldn’t help but think that while it’s likely that my daughter will grow up to be the customer at the coffee shop but I would consider it tragic if she did not even once in her life play the role of the waiter. Too much mumble jumble? Here is the short of it – Get a summer job and grow up
On Sunday Jasmine, Dinesh and me went for a coffee at café coffe day. There we had this petit girl serving us. Quite a small thing but cheerful and fun. I quite like her attitude. And I do like seeing young people work. And as a contrast, I saw a bunch of girls descending the steps. The typical college going girls with a ‘I am so bored’ look on their face. Forgive my typecasts, but they did look like bimbettes, ok there is no word like bimbette but you get the drift. I couldn’t help but think that while it’s likely that my daughter will grow up to be the customer at the coffee shop but I would consider it tragic if she did not even once in her life play the role of the waiter. Too much mumble jumble? Here is the short of it – Get a summer job and grow up
Thursday, December 03, 2009
getting back to basics
I quote William Dalrymple from ‘the age of kali’. Here Benezir Bhutto was talking to him about the book – Freedom at Midnight.
“Was she being serious? Freedom at Midnight is terrible schlock pop/history – the Indian independence movement for imbeciles – hardly the sort of book you would expect to find a senior south Asian statesman admitting to read. Moreover, its account of the events of 1947 is deeply biased against Pakistan, and presents Jinha as a little more than a crazed megalomaniac. Assuming she was joking and now regarded the purchase as an embarrassing mistake, I laughed – only for it to become immediately clear that she was in fact entirely serious.”
I had read Freedom at Midnight and I though it’s an awesome book. My interest and regard for Gandhi started off from that book. My interest in partition started off from that book. Both of these topics amongst others in the book set me off to many more books that I subsequently read. I recommend that book to all those with a vague interest in history. But in my zeal I forgot my basic lesson. Every book is just that ‘a point of view’. No that I look back I think I was blind to this. This is a lot of weight in what William says. Louis Fisher’s Gandhi too does not really describe Gandhi in Kolkata at the time of partition in the way FaM does. But then the way Louis closes the chapter on the salt satyagraha will remain permanently etched in my memory. To jog back to the book, it was terribly poetic to be history.
So where does leave me. Hehehe. Well, it’s left me with a hard knock on my head. I have spoken about this in the past. Reading books gives you and advantage over mortal non readers. But it also gives you an inflated ego. I try and battle this ego daily. Reading books also gives me an attitude that helps me tide over the ego. The notion that truth is so subjective. Two individuals watching the same incident may such conflicting versions of the truth. There is no absolute truth. It is only a point of view. Such a vicious attack on my favourite book has left me scurrying for cover. While I hold it high esteem (I still do, albeit a bit lower), I am suddenly more open and circumspect while thinking about it, talking about it and recommending it.
This clearing of hubris is not limited to books. Over time I have realised that hubris gets entrenched in your head all the time. Anything that you do well has a potential to create it. The confidence that you get is by doing things well is the positive aspect and the ego is the negative aspect. Both come in together. In cricket after you just hit the bowler for a six, you have to clear your head and your thoughts else you will perish the next ball. You have to forget that you have just hit a six and treat the next ball again on its own merit. Even after doing an action again and again, repeatedly and brilliantly, the follow up action cannot have any of the hangovers of the first. If you let hubris get to you, read this link on hubris by Devdutt to understand the consequences.
I battle this everyday. This passage was a good tight slap to my hubris. Schlock? Imbecile? Wow. Bahut maara re… I will remember this slap for a long time to come. You have no idea what it means when someone destroys your favourite book thus.
Sometimes I too forget the title of my blog. Things seem opposite in nature and they cannot come together. But somehow in life opposites reconcile. In fact in my title I have put an additional word ‘must’. ‘Must’ gives an idea of action, which is a bit misleading. Many times they remain without doing anything. That itself is an act of reconciliation. Hence in your mind they ‘must’ reconcile. Sorry for the ‘schlock’ philosophy for imbeciles. But I have just been proved one so it does work for me :)
Thank you William. But I still do love the book. It has given me a lot.
“Was she being serious? Freedom at Midnight is terrible schlock pop/history – the Indian independence movement for imbeciles – hardly the sort of book you would expect to find a senior south Asian statesman admitting to read. Moreover, its account of the events of 1947 is deeply biased against Pakistan, and presents Jinha as a little more than a crazed megalomaniac. Assuming she was joking and now regarded the purchase as an embarrassing mistake, I laughed – only for it to become immediately clear that she was in fact entirely serious.”
I had read Freedom at Midnight and I though it’s an awesome book. My interest and regard for Gandhi started off from that book. My interest in partition started off from that book. Both of these topics amongst others in the book set me off to many more books that I subsequently read. I recommend that book to all those with a vague interest in history. But in my zeal I forgot my basic lesson. Every book is just that ‘a point of view’. No that I look back I think I was blind to this. This is a lot of weight in what William says. Louis Fisher’s Gandhi too does not really describe Gandhi in Kolkata at the time of partition in the way FaM does. But then the way Louis closes the chapter on the salt satyagraha will remain permanently etched in my memory. To jog back to the book, it was terribly poetic to be history.
So where does leave me. Hehehe. Well, it’s left me with a hard knock on my head. I have spoken about this in the past. Reading books gives you and advantage over mortal non readers. But it also gives you an inflated ego. I try and battle this ego daily. Reading books also gives me an attitude that helps me tide over the ego. The notion that truth is so subjective. Two individuals watching the same incident may such conflicting versions of the truth. There is no absolute truth. It is only a point of view. Such a vicious attack on my favourite book has left me scurrying for cover. While I hold it high esteem (I still do, albeit a bit lower), I am suddenly more open and circumspect while thinking about it, talking about it and recommending it.
This clearing of hubris is not limited to books. Over time I have realised that hubris gets entrenched in your head all the time. Anything that you do well has a potential to create it. The confidence that you get is by doing things well is the positive aspect and the ego is the negative aspect. Both come in together. In cricket after you just hit the bowler for a six, you have to clear your head and your thoughts else you will perish the next ball. You have to forget that you have just hit a six and treat the next ball again on its own merit. Even after doing an action again and again, repeatedly and brilliantly, the follow up action cannot have any of the hangovers of the first. If you let hubris get to you, read this link on hubris by Devdutt to understand the consequences.
I battle this everyday. This passage was a good tight slap to my hubris. Schlock? Imbecile? Wow. Bahut maara re… I will remember this slap for a long time to come. You have no idea what it means when someone destroys your favourite book thus.
Sometimes I too forget the title of my blog. Things seem opposite in nature and they cannot come together. But somehow in life opposites reconcile. In fact in my title I have put an additional word ‘must’. ‘Must’ gives an idea of action, which is a bit misleading. Many times they remain without doing anything. That itself is an act of reconciliation. Hence in your mind they ‘must’ reconcile. Sorry for the ‘schlock’ philosophy for imbeciles. But I have just been proved one so it does work for me :)
Thank you William. But I still do love the book. It has given me a lot.
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
so lonely
This is so right…
I quote “Loneliness is like a disease -- and what's worse, it's contagious. Although it may sound counter-intuitive, loneliness can spread from one person to another, according to research being released Tuesday that underscores the power of one person's emotions to affect friends, family and neighbours.” (link to full article)
Lonely people spread loneliness the same way that depressed people spread depression. While in an altruistic world, one would not shun such people but try actively to bring them out to the normal world and make them the see the ‘beauty of life’. But this shit works only if the feeling is not in tune with their essential character. If you recognise this as an essential character of the person in question – my advice to you would be – RUN. FAST.
There are so many negative characters you meet, characters who are cynical, depressed, forever getting bugged and irritated. If you stay with them you will slowly mimic them. Any mood is contagious. You can try passing on your ‘positivity’ (whatever) to them but the risk is just not worth it.
In office there are constant naysayers, constant argumentative nuts, constant idiots who just don’t see the point and according to Devdutt, the bums who fight on both sides (link here) – the proverbial ‘devil’s advocate’.
Whenever someone really gets to me by constant bitching, complaining, arguing, I just refuse to fight. Either I run or I stop the argument. One interesting way to make a bitcher run away from you is to praise exactly what they are bitching. If that’s too difficult this trick never fails – take a reverse perspective of the same and ask him to consider the other side. See him run like a black buck with Salman Khan on his tail. (wasn’t that a sad metaphor. But I couldn’t help it)
a few videos...
a political one...
and finally the one I wanted to show...
I quote “Loneliness is like a disease -- and what's worse, it's contagious. Although it may sound counter-intuitive, loneliness can spread from one person to another, according to research being released Tuesday that underscores the power of one person's emotions to affect friends, family and neighbours.” (link to full article)
Lonely people spread loneliness the same way that depressed people spread depression. While in an altruistic world, one would not shun such people but try actively to bring them out to the normal world and make them the see the ‘beauty of life’. But this shit works only if the feeling is not in tune with their essential character. If you recognise this as an essential character of the person in question – my advice to you would be – RUN. FAST.
There are so many negative characters you meet, characters who are cynical, depressed, forever getting bugged and irritated. If you stay with them you will slowly mimic them. Any mood is contagious. You can try passing on your ‘positivity’ (whatever) to them but the risk is just not worth it.
In office there are constant naysayers, constant argumentative nuts, constant idiots who just don’t see the point and according to Devdutt, the bums who fight on both sides (link here) – the proverbial ‘devil’s advocate’.
Whenever someone really gets to me by constant bitching, complaining, arguing, I just refuse to fight. Either I run or I stop the argument. One interesting way to make a bitcher run away from you is to praise exactly what they are bitching. If that’s too difficult this trick never fails – take a reverse perspective of the same and ask him to consider the other side. See him run like a black buck with Salman Khan on his tail. (wasn’t that a sad metaphor. But I couldn’t help it)
a few videos...
a political one...
and finally the one I wanted to show...
getting it right
What happens when you have two trainers? Hehehe. First we train her at home for the elocution competition and then yesterday her elocution teacher at school trained her. While she did not change the narration too much, basic differences were there in the approach. I teach to be a little over the top in emotion. A little over emotion is ok. With all the kids going for one or two tones, I like to teach at least five six tones if not more. So not everything is loud. Some words are soft, some loud, some with a chuckle, a sad one, a surprise etc… This ensures she stands out in the crowd. With kids coming and going in a procession, elocutions can get boring for the judges as well. My belief is that only if you first entertain, then will you have a chance to win. The teacher has an obvious emphasis on the clarity. She sacrifices emotion for clarity while I do the reverse. Clarity aa jaaye ga if the emotion is right.
But I guess it is wrong to undermine the teachers experience. So as I was training her today (95% of training is in the car while I drop her to the bus stop), she kept telling me that her teacher taught her otherwise. Like good parents I conceded. I allowed her to keep what the teacher said but I still tried to push for subtle emotions within the words. So that there is still enough variation in the poem. I have to teach something that takes the clarity that the teacher teaches while allowing for the emotion that makes the poem come alive.
What I am also happy is that her teacher does not simply teach the emotion. She explains why the emotion fits into the story. Like one line (“which added up to 46, or its it 52?) Where she says that you can’t be loud because you are thinking and calculating. Fair. I had told her to be loud in – ‘added upto 46’, as she is jumping to a number and then think for ‘or is it 52’ as now you sheepishly think you have made a error.
Aaaaaa. I don’t really bother. It’s right as long as there is a justification. And as long as Jispa understands it, she will be getting it right either way.
The greatest thing in parenting is that I remember my childhood. I remember a lot of incidents even from as long back as 2nd standard. So at least I know which mistakes to avoid. At least I am making fresh mistakes. I clearly remember having conflict when mom taught differently from what the teacher taught. I used to argue with mom, when she insisted otherwise. Some times I was right while I assume that most of the time mom would have been right, but the stress of POSSIBLY getting it wrong was greater the stress ACTUALLY getting it wrong. As the latter is a small thing when you just get corrected, while the former shimmers all through, from when you do home work till you hit school. So with Jispa I never argue with her if she tells me that the teacher taught her otherwise. I merely explain my point and let her do it her way. The stress is just not worth it. She will soon figure. Making mistakes is a better way to learn than to get it right all the time.
One incident jumps to memory. While I was an average to above average kid in class (rank 8 to15 out of 60 kids), in tenth standard I really started doing well in maths. I was always good but in tenth, focussed studies and better practice helped me shine in my favourite subject. Also my teachers were pretty cool. I even figured a different way of solving a sum which I thought was right. My school teacher Mr Thomas, allowed me to keep that way while just telling me to write down the calculation in steps and not jump to the answer. That was great motivation I guess. So in tenth in one of the unit tests I scored 49 on 50. Mr. Thomas looked at the final score and asked if I knew where I went wrong. I showed him and he got pissed. He said he should have cut more marks for that mistake. I had done everything right everywhere but in one sum in the end I had totalled 7+5 as 11. That was my only chance of scoring a perfect score ever in my life. I had blown it up. I knew in the finals the boards wouldn’t let me score a perfect score. Sure enough, I got 74 on 75 in algebra and 73 on 75 in geometry. There was only a one mark error in algebra where there was a fill in the blank on a technical math issue. So yes, I missed my perfect score as 7+5 is 12 and not eleven. Till today whenever I see 7+5, I will first think 11 and then see that problem in front of me and I know the answer is 12, and I regret missing the perfect score. I remember solving the sum in the exam, I remember checking it, I remember saying to myself – 7 +5 = 11. Then I remember the paper duly corrected and I remember Mr. Thomas’s words. This was all in 1990. I just won’t forget it.
Look at the trade off, if I had got it right, this would have not been a part of my memory. At best I might have remembered the perfect score, that’s all. My memories would have been worse off. Aarrggghhh. I want the score and I want the memory.
But I guess it is wrong to undermine the teachers experience. So as I was training her today (95% of training is in the car while I drop her to the bus stop), she kept telling me that her teacher taught her otherwise. Like good parents I conceded. I allowed her to keep what the teacher said but I still tried to push for subtle emotions within the words. So that there is still enough variation in the poem. I have to teach something that takes the clarity that the teacher teaches while allowing for the emotion that makes the poem come alive.
What I am also happy is that her teacher does not simply teach the emotion. She explains why the emotion fits into the story. Like one line (“which added up to 46, or its it 52?) Where she says that you can’t be loud because you are thinking and calculating. Fair. I had told her to be loud in – ‘added upto 46’, as she is jumping to a number and then think for ‘or is it 52’ as now you sheepishly think you have made a error.
Aaaaaa. I don’t really bother. It’s right as long as there is a justification. And as long as Jispa understands it, she will be getting it right either way.
The greatest thing in parenting is that I remember my childhood. I remember a lot of incidents even from as long back as 2nd standard. So at least I know which mistakes to avoid. At least I am making fresh mistakes. I clearly remember having conflict when mom taught differently from what the teacher taught. I used to argue with mom, when she insisted otherwise. Some times I was right while I assume that most of the time mom would have been right, but the stress of POSSIBLY getting it wrong was greater the stress ACTUALLY getting it wrong. As the latter is a small thing when you just get corrected, while the former shimmers all through, from when you do home work till you hit school. So with Jispa I never argue with her if she tells me that the teacher taught her otherwise. I merely explain my point and let her do it her way. The stress is just not worth it. She will soon figure. Making mistakes is a better way to learn than to get it right all the time.
One incident jumps to memory. While I was an average to above average kid in class (rank 8 to15 out of 60 kids), in tenth standard I really started doing well in maths. I was always good but in tenth, focussed studies and better practice helped me shine in my favourite subject. Also my teachers were pretty cool. I even figured a different way of solving a sum which I thought was right. My school teacher Mr Thomas, allowed me to keep that way while just telling me to write down the calculation in steps and not jump to the answer. That was great motivation I guess. So in tenth in one of the unit tests I scored 49 on 50. Mr. Thomas looked at the final score and asked if I knew where I went wrong. I showed him and he got pissed. He said he should have cut more marks for that mistake. I had done everything right everywhere but in one sum in the end I had totalled 7+5 as 11. That was my only chance of scoring a perfect score ever in my life. I had blown it up. I knew in the finals the boards wouldn’t let me score a perfect score. Sure enough, I got 74 on 75 in algebra and 73 on 75 in geometry. There was only a one mark error in algebra where there was a fill in the blank on a technical math issue. So yes, I missed my perfect score as 7+5 is 12 and not eleven. Till today whenever I see 7+5, I will first think 11 and then see that problem in front of me and I know the answer is 12, and I regret missing the perfect score. I remember solving the sum in the exam, I remember checking it, I remember saying to myself – 7 +5 = 11. Then I remember the paper duly corrected and I remember Mr. Thomas’s words. This was all in 1990. I just won’t forget it.
Look at the trade off, if I had got it right, this would have not been a part of my memory. At best I might have remembered the perfect score, that’s all. My memories would have been worse off. Aarrggghhh. I want the score and I want the memory.
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
role model? look around
Once a friend came out from an interview and was talking about it. He said that he was asked a question on his role model. His answer ‘my father’ was dismissed as being boring. He then proceeded to narrate how he explained that actually, there are many role models, in all walks of life. If one person bats better, then he is role model for batting, if another presents well, then he would be my role model for presentation.
This was in college during my management when Shoppers Stop had come for summer interns. And the friend in question was the affable Cherian Varghese. God bless you Cherian. I don’t know weather he meant it or he was being sharp in an interview, but he gave me the wisdom that I have held for a long time.
Every one, everything can teach you a thing or two. No matter how bad they are, they still can teach you.
I have learnt to learn from everything and everyone. Everyone is good and look at the good side of it. It’s easy to be critical and find fault with probably anything. I have learnt that fault is a way of life and most of the time it is important for the fault to be there else the good will not be there as well. A simplistic example – a great painters vanity may be his driving force, another aggression might lead him to do great work but also is responsible for burning his team. Etc etc..
This is a video of Orhan Pamuk, 2006 Nobel winner in literature. A lot of us fail or have many failures. What do you look at? What do you look for?
This was in college during my management when Shoppers Stop had come for summer interns. And the friend in question was the affable Cherian Varghese. God bless you Cherian. I don’t know weather he meant it or he was being sharp in an interview, but he gave me the wisdom that I have held for a long time.
Every one, everything can teach you a thing or two. No matter how bad they are, they still can teach you.
I have learnt to learn from everything and everyone. Everyone is good and look at the good side of it. It’s easy to be critical and find fault with probably anything. I have learnt that fault is a way of life and most of the time it is important for the fault to be there else the good will not be there as well. A simplistic example – a great painters vanity may be his driving force, another aggression might lead him to do great work but also is responsible for burning his team. Etc etc..
This is a video of Orhan Pamuk, 2006 Nobel winner in literature. A lot of us fail or have many failures. What do you look at? What do you look for?
but daaaaad
Yesterday I caught Jispa reading ‘the wimpy kid’ again. I told her to read it only on the condition that she asks us what she does not understand. Else no more reading for her. Later into the evening as she was reading I caught her again and asked her to read aloud some line. As we thought – she was skimming through. One word she knew the meaning but couldn’t read it was ‘definitely’. That’s when I looked at her and said… ‘no more reading’. She looked at me and a tear swelled in her eye. ‘no more Wimpy kid’ she said ‘not no more reading’. I just kept quiet and looked at her ‘nooo… you cant stop my reading’ she cried.
Did I feel like a third grade villain? I did not know what to do. I did not want to give in easily. Just giving up the wimpy kid would not have been strict enough and anything more would have been too strict.
I did the dad thing. ‘Now get and go for bath, brush your teeth and get ready for bed’. I just side stepped the punishment. What to do. I was not going to punish someone for reading but I sure want her to read and not skip words.
And then before bed another test of parenting. Teaching and preparing Jispa for the interschool elocution. I don’t want to push but if I don’t she does not improve. She wants to improve but that would mean making her rehearse again and again… these are not so easy calls. I would like her to do her best, win and compete. But I don’t want her to pay a price for it. So I try to tell sweetly. Keep telling her that I don’t mind if she does not practice, use emotional to make her practice. I even let her put her own emotions even if they aren’t 100% right, so that she has some ownership. And after all I also don’t know what the judges will be looking for. Her guess is as good as mine. I am happy she is processing and trying to use her brain. That’s the real battle. She competes this Friday. I hope to polish some rough edges by then. Without pushing her too hard. I really want her to enjoy it as opposed to having pressure.
I am not sure if I should go to the finals though Jasmine is keen to be there.
I would love to see her perform but I don’t want any burden of expectation. Go ahead and spit out on stage… it’s the fun that counts. If you had fun and did your best, then only will you want to do it again. What’s the point of a flash in the pan? Doing regularly what you like doing is the ultimate elixir.
Did I feel like a third grade villain? I did not know what to do. I did not want to give in easily. Just giving up the wimpy kid would not have been strict enough and anything more would have been too strict.
I did the dad thing. ‘Now get and go for bath, brush your teeth and get ready for bed’. I just side stepped the punishment. What to do. I was not going to punish someone for reading but I sure want her to read and not skip words.
And then before bed another test of parenting. Teaching and preparing Jispa for the interschool elocution. I don’t want to push but if I don’t she does not improve. She wants to improve but that would mean making her rehearse again and again… these are not so easy calls. I would like her to do her best, win and compete. But I don’t want her to pay a price for it. So I try to tell sweetly. Keep telling her that I don’t mind if she does not practice, use emotional to make her practice. I even let her put her own emotions even if they aren’t 100% right, so that she has some ownership. And after all I also don’t know what the judges will be looking for. Her guess is as good as mine. I am happy she is processing and trying to use her brain. That’s the real battle. She competes this Friday. I hope to polish some rough edges by then. Without pushing her too hard. I really want her to enjoy it as opposed to having pressure.
I am not sure if I should go to the finals though Jasmine is keen to be there.
I would love to see her perform but I don’t want any burden of expectation. Go ahead and spit out on stage… it’s the fun that counts. If you had fun and did your best, then only will you want to do it again. What’s the point of a flash in the pan? Doing regularly what you like doing is the ultimate elixir.
Monday, November 30, 2009
weekend fun
This Saturday our B team played a match. Now I just love the B team. Here I magically become one of the most experienced players. So this time around we had a match with some really good players. Some 20 plus somethings who play and practise regularly. I was given eth responsibility to open the innings. It was one of the most hostile pace attacks that I might have played. The ball coming on fast and pitching and moving off the seam. Wow. The ball hit me a quite a few times. The ones that are still sore are - Once it moved off middle stump and went on to hit my bums, the other bounced and hit my thigh pad, and the third moved and hit my shin. The fact that it still hurts through all that padding goes on to show how fast they were bowling. I survived the opening six overs without getting out or beaten even once. This just goes on to prove that if your standards are adequately low you can always figure out a victory.
One Sunday we decided to have lunch at a restaurant near the gateway. Since there was a small waiting, I decided to take the kids to the Gateway. Jispa was game as usual, one other friend joined in and the third thought it was too hot. The other parents also thought it was too hot. How could that be my excuse? I just played in the same sun on Saturday. So Jispa, a friend and me went sightseeing. There you could see the standard tourists and the camera guys who now roam around with highly portable photo printers in their back packs. They give you the photos instantly. Their stated charge is 30 bucks a pop but I sure they can be bargained down cheaper. I paid 50 bucks for two prints of the same picture. I love getting these cheap touristy thrills.
While we were posing I did my usual nonsense posing and Jispa happily followed. She too is used to this. Her poor friend took some time to figure out that being silly in public is normal by our standards. You can see her a bit restrained (at least by our standards).
The original photo is a bit bleached out. I think they do that to ensure that maximum white is used and hence the colour cartridge is used much less – or they just don’t know more. Our photographer was using a Nikon D60 with his knob on manual. The other photo is what I like, a little more saturated (hat tip – the other kids mommy).
One Sunday we decided to have lunch at a restaurant near the gateway. Since there was a small waiting, I decided to take the kids to the Gateway. Jispa was game as usual, one other friend joined in and the third thought it was too hot. The other parents also thought it was too hot. How could that be my excuse? I just played in the same sun on Saturday. So Jispa, a friend and me went sightseeing. There you could see the standard tourists and the camera guys who now roam around with highly portable photo printers in their back packs. They give you the photos instantly. Their stated charge is 30 bucks a pop but I sure they can be bargained down cheaper. I paid 50 bucks for two prints of the same picture. I love getting these cheap touristy thrills.
While we were posing I did my usual nonsense posing and Jispa happily followed. She too is used to this. Her poor friend took some time to figure out that being silly in public is normal by our standards. You can see her a bit restrained (at least by our standards).
The original photo is a bit bleached out. I think they do that to ensure that maximum white is used and hence the colour cartridge is used much less – or they just don’t know more. Our photographer was using a Nikon D60 with his knob on manual. The other photo is what I like, a little more saturated (hat tip – the other kids mommy).
Thursday, November 26, 2009
The fathers curse
Jispa has been reading a lot these days. She recently finished the book Matilda by Roald Dahl. Awesome achievement considering she is only 7 years old. It is a 225 page book. I think that’s quite something.
But the dad in me is a bit worried. We don’t change over all these years do we?
But why on earth am I worried?
I am worried that while she is reading more than her age suggests, she might be skipping words. This way while she might follow the entire story, the habit of skipping words you don’t understand is not exactly a good thing to do.
Yesterday she was reading ‘diary of a Wimpy kid’. The book is recommended for 9+. So I made her read it aloud. One line said – and rocky primitive mind said… I asked her if she understood what ‘primitive mind’ is. She replied ‘smart mind’. There, issues in my book. So while I was happy she is reading a lot but, I told her to be sure of what she reads and ask for what she does not understand.
So that’s daddying. Keep a close watch on everything. Big daddy is actually big brother. But I find it so ironic that even good things need to be regulated. That reminds me of an age old maxim that ‘if it’s too good to be true, it’s too good to be true.’
But the dad in me is a bit worried. We don’t change over all these years do we?
But why on earth am I worried?
I am worried that while she is reading more than her age suggests, she might be skipping words. This way while she might follow the entire story, the habit of skipping words you don’t understand is not exactly a good thing to do.
Yesterday she was reading ‘diary of a Wimpy kid’. The book is recommended for 9+. So I made her read it aloud. One line said – and rocky primitive mind said… I asked her if she understood what ‘primitive mind’ is. She replied ‘smart mind’. There, issues in my book. So while I was happy she is reading a lot but, I told her to be sure of what she reads and ask for what she does not understand.
So that’s daddying. Keep a close watch on everything. Big daddy is actually big brother. But I find it so ironic that even good things need to be regulated. That reminds me of an age old maxim that ‘if it’s too good to be true, it’s too good to be true.’
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
random thoughts of a unfettered mind (the adjective is for effect)
Corporate speak. One guy N wants data. He tell his flunk V. V asks R. R say H has it. H says A has it. A says only R can give. So circular loop happens and the V is flustered as he is the fall guy. N tells V to write mail. I get marked on it, as H and A report to me. I raise hands. Tell him to buzz off. V calls me and cries. I call V and R. Tell V to tell R what exactly he wants. I tell A to give whatever is required and matter solved. All it required is a guy who calls everyone else’s bluff. That was my value add to something I wasn’t even involved with. Corporate is such a bitch.
Forget that. Lets come to something I like. Teaching. This year I am given the job of teaching something I don’t know. Well I actually don’t know too much of what I assume to know but atleast I know how much I know or don’t know. This time I don’t even know that. Basically I am being asked to take some lectures on quali research. I have a fair exposure to the same and I guess any half decent guy is better than a half a point decent academic.
But this time I have resolved it to be different. I researched on some high end sites for white papers. Taken the trouble to understand these and give it to the kids to read before they come to class. Today I had to kick out around a dozen of them for not reading and coming. It is difficult thing to do but if they have to shape up then I have no option. My only worry is how much to push them and not have them break. But they must grow up and I must be tough for that. Let’s see how much that takes them and me. But at least thanks to this I am learning more, understanding more and improving my knowledge on the dam subject. It’s a good thing to be outside your comfort zone.
While you are driving around Mumbai you realise the rank stupidity of Mumbai road planning where, you have really broad roads becoming tiny and narrow suddenly. If that doesn’t jam what will? I faced this today morning at 630 am. Purely a case of narrowing. So bloody frustrating. We need mass rapid transport and connections to the stations.
One of my team is on leave. That gives me the chance to sit on her desk and with my team. I dunno about their feelings but I sure feel better. The senior cube holes are so disconnected form the rest. This is where the action is and where I don’t feel bored. Now I realise what happens in my appointed nice corner. I am disconnected with anything and everything around the office. Its nice to get demoted once in a while. This place is so much fun. It takes 10 odd years to realise that length of your cube is no barometer of fun in your office. In fact I think there is an inverse relationship there.
Forget that. Lets come to something I like. Teaching. This year I am given the job of teaching something I don’t know. Well I actually don’t know too much of what I assume to know but atleast I know how much I know or don’t know. This time I don’t even know that. Basically I am being asked to take some lectures on quali research. I have a fair exposure to the same and I guess any half decent guy is better than a half a point decent academic.
But this time I have resolved it to be different. I researched on some high end sites for white papers. Taken the trouble to understand these and give it to the kids to read before they come to class. Today I had to kick out around a dozen of them for not reading and coming. It is difficult thing to do but if they have to shape up then I have no option. My only worry is how much to push them and not have them break. But they must grow up and I must be tough for that. Let’s see how much that takes them and me. But at least thanks to this I am learning more, understanding more and improving my knowledge on the dam subject. It’s a good thing to be outside your comfort zone.
While you are driving around Mumbai you realise the rank stupidity of Mumbai road planning where, you have really broad roads becoming tiny and narrow suddenly. If that doesn’t jam what will? I faced this today morning at 630 am. Purely a case of narrowing. So bloody frustrating. We need mass rapid transport and connections to the stations.
One of my team is on leave. That gives me the chance to sit on her desk and with my team. I dunno about their feelings but I sure feel better. The senior cube holes are so disconnected form the rest. This is where the action is and where I don’t feel bored. Now I realise what happens in my appointed nice corner. I am disconnected with anything and everything around the office. Its nice to get demoted once in a while. This place is so much fun. It takes 10 odd years to realise that length of your cube is no barometer of fun in your office. In fact I think there is an inverse relationship there.
Monday, November 23, 2009
excuses excuses
This is easily the funniest thing I have read this month. The world’s most powerful particle accelerator was shot due to some bread (baguette) being dropped by a bird. Read here and here
This is same LHC that critics said was extremely powerful and could produce anti matter that could end the world. Something like matter meeting anti matter and BOOM – end of the world.
After the hilarity of the dropping, one another thing struck me. They actually seemed to have told the truth no matter how embarrassing it would be. Or it is the most implausible of excuses. I am sure a lot of the scientists working at the LHC would be teaching somewhere and what would their reaction be if a student gave a similar excuse for not having the assignment on time. “I finished it but a stork flying overhead shat (diarrhoea perhaps) on my laptop, short-circuiting it”.
jispa - when you do get older, remember the excuse - if a bird can shut down a LHC with a bread piece, imagine what they can dow ith your assignment. Especially if you are studying physics.
graft
I had such a long week end. It started with my trip to Igatpuri where I bought some land. Someday when I save enough I might decide to build my small home there. I remember a Nancy comic that I read many years ago. It was at least more than 25 years ago. Nancy takes her small doll house and walks to the forest. She leaves her doll house in the middle of the forest and then walks away remarking… ‘now we too can talk about our home in the woods’. I remember that comic strip as if it was yesterday. I guess, this is the first step in that direction, though the Igatpuri land is definitely not in the woods but the feel is like a hill station.
Though one thing realy bugs me is the cash dealings that in India land or almost anything is subjected to. People like us are salaried guys with zero black money and no cash income. Hence we like paying by card and cheque wherever we go. This has ye to percolate in the innards of India. Our tax laws and system seem hopelessly inadequate for the sheer breadth of this country. But atleast now the paperwork is getting computerised and they take the photos from their webcam and thumb scans for the records. That should solve a lot of issues.
While Jasmine and me were talking about cash I was explaining to her the various source of scam cash that I have come across while working. It is crazy to see the ethics of the white collared workers. We keep coming across strong instances of people across sectors siphoning off money or asking for bribe for almost anything, right from printing, ad films, stamp papers, passing routine bills for payment, choosing vendors, anything. The sheer scale and shamelessness is shocking. I even send back diwali gifts that I think cross ethic levels. Pens, watches, silver and even pressure cookers have been on the list. Somebody once asked me why? What motivates me to do this and be clean? I told him, I want to show my face to my dad. I wouldn’t be able to do so if I did this. That my dad passed away 11 years ago des not make any difference.
On Saturday while I was talking to Jasmine explaining my position I was explaining that cash is always a bad thing. In my estimate any one in my position could have taken at least rupees fity lakhs to 100 lakhs. This kind of cash would have social repercussions. Imagine if I had this cash lying around the house. I would not know where to use it. We would end up buying a lot of stuff, gadgets, premium luxury, ostentatious vacations; we would let Jispa buy a lot of stuff, pander to her whims and what not, make a brat out of her. God knows what physiographical changes it would have on us. The cash in your pocket is always ready to go out… Jasmine and I are quite clear on the values we don’t want Jispa to have. Not having cash is not a value in itself but is an important value driver. I am so glad. Ethics have their payoff in different directions.
We also saw the movie A Christmas Carol. Nice movie, but it should have been rated U/A.
Though one thing realy bugs me is the cash dealings that in India land or almost anything is subjected to. People like us are salaried guys with zero black money and no cash income. Hence we like paying by card and cheque wherever we go. This has ye to percolate in the innards of India. Our tax laws and system seem hopelessly inadequate for the sheer breadth of this country. But atleast now the paperwork is getting computerised and they take the photos from their webcam and thumb scans for the records. That should solve a lot of issues.
While Jasmine and me were talking about cash I was explaining to her the various source of scam cash that I have come across while working. It is crazy to see the ethics of the white collared workers. We keep coming across strong instances of people across sectors siphoning off money or asking for bribe for almost anything, right from printing, ad films, stamp papers, passing routine bills for payment, choosing vendors, anything. The sheer scale and shamelessness is shocking. I even send back diwali gifts that I think cross ethic levels. Pens, watches, silver and even pressure cookers have been on the list. Somebody once asked me why? What motivates me to do this and be clean? I told him, I want to show my face to my dad. I wouldn’t be able to do so if I did this. That my dad passed away 11 years ago des not make any difference.
On Saturday while I was talking to Jasmine explaining my position I was explaining that cash is always a bad thing. In my estimate any one in my position could have taken at least rupees fity lakhs to 100 lakhs. This kind of cash would have social repercussions. Imagine if I had this cash lying around the house. I would not know where to use it. We would end up buying a lot of stuff, gadgets, premium luxury, ostentatious vacations; we would let Jispa buy a lot of stuff, pander to her whims and what not, make a brat out of her. God knows what physiographical changes it would have on us. The cash in your pocket is always ready to go out… Jasmine and I are quite clear on the values we don’t want Jispa to have. Not having cash is not a value in itself but is an important value driver. I am so glad. Ethics have their payoff in different directions.
We also saw the movie A Christmas Carol. Nice movie, but it should have been rated U/A.
Friday, November 20, 2009
office wars
I came across this amazing para from this source. http://cheeptalk.wordpress.com/2009/11/18/inside-story-saddams-strategic-thinking/
"Saddam lived in fear of a coup mounted by the Republican Guard. His solution was to create the Special Republican Guard, whose main remit was to protect him against coups particularly from the Republican Guard. You would think that the head of this outfit would be a fearsome figure who would terrify any budding coup plotters. Woods asked other leading figures if this was indeed the case and the answer was a resounding NO! Why? Saddam was well aware of the “who monitors the monitor problem” – what is the head of the Special Guard mounted a coup himself? Saddam’s solution was not original: appoint a relative. Make sure the appointee is a coward so he would not dream of mounting a coup. Just in case he is tougher than you might think, choose someone stupid so he cannot mount a successful coup and is too stupid to recognize someone else’s good ideas for a coup."
I see this happening in corporate life as well; when an insecure though seemingly smart head has an amazingly dumb guy as his side kick. Many times this amazingly dumb guy is a guy from his same caste and village. Thick caste / language loyalties substitute blood loyalties as the latter can be easily accused of nepotism.
Look around you. There are Saddam’s everywhere. One way to look at it his fate is - look at where Saddam is now, the other way is – look at how far he went.
"Saddam lived in fear of a coup mounted by the Republican Guard. His solution was to create the Special Republican Guard, whose main remit was to protect him against coups particularly from the Republican Guard. You would think that the head of this outfit would be a fearsome figure who would terrify any budding coup plotters. Woods asked other leading figures if this was indeed the case and the answer was a resounding NO! Why? Saddam was well aware of the “who monitors the monitor problem” – what is the head of the Special Guard mounted a coup himself? Saddam’s solution was not original: appoint a relative. Make sure the appointee is a coward so he would not dream of mounting a coup. Just in case he is tougher than you might think, choose someone stupid so he cannot mount a successful coup and is too stupid to recognize someone else’s good ideas for a coup."
I see this happening in corporate life as well; when an insecure though seemingly smart head has an amazingly dumb guy as his side kick. Many times this amazingly dumb guy is a guy from his same caste and village. Thick caste / language loyalties substitute blood loyalties as the latter can be easily accused of nepotism.
Look around you. There are Saddam’s everywhere. One way to look at it his fate is - look at where Saddam is now, the other way is – look at how far he went.
manhood ki lalkaar
Taking from yesterday’s post, where I spoke aloud of my quest to be grey before I get bald… I was at the barber’s shop where he encountered white hair above my ears in plenty. He told me ‘saab, there is a lot of white hair inside’. “Great” I answered. I think that left him a little flummoxed and bereft of a hair dye client.
I hadn’t been shaving since the last ten days and hence I even had a beard with strands of white. I normally don’t like getting a shave outside but this I made an exception. The experience is rarely nice as they are used to really tough beards and they get a chance to butcher my skin which is still (happily) soft. I rarely get away from such butchering without a few red spots, that too after I tell him that shave only once. Otherwise they shave twice and get rid off the complete epidermis, exposing a lot of red spots. They might be trying their best to justify their price I guess. But shaving twice is an interesting habit that I see a lot of guys having, when I first took to shaving after my 10th exams, I too used to shave twice. In fact in college days, I shaved everyday and that too twice, with about 1/10th the beard that I have today. These days I shave just once and that too on alternate days. These days my laziness quotient is up to three days or even a week.
I remember around ten years back I had a shave at one of the various villages around Ahmedabad. It was a typical barber shop with a wooden rickety chair and a scruffian for a barber. He gave me a tough man’s shave. First they splash water, then apply the cream, works up a lather on your face with the bristles then give you a shave pulling and pinching your skin, then start again. After you are through with the shave, he splashes water, wipes it with a napkin (ugh), then applies alum all over the face, then wipes that off (same napkin), then takes a bottle with vile green liquid (warned poison with a death skull) and splashes it on his hand onto your face. Whew, its only an after shave. But then that’s not all. He takes an afghan snow look-alike bottle and takes some in his hand and gives you a face massage. All this is happening with his very rough hands. Why would anyone want to be subjected to this? And yes if anyone wants to know… I did tip him (I think).
Yesterday I got away with three red spots and some burning sensation. But its worth testing your manhood once a year I guess.
I hadn’t been shaving since the last ten days and hence I even had a beard with strands of white. I normally don’t like getting a shave outside but this I made an exception. The experience is rarely nice as they are used to really tough beards and they get a chance to butcher my skin which is still (happily) soft. I rarely get away from such butchering without a few red spots, that too after I tell him that shave only once. Otherwise they shave twice and get rid off the complete epidermis, exposing a lot of red spots. They might be trying their best to justify their price I guess. But shaving twice is an interesting habit that I see a lot of guys having, when I first took to shaving after my 10th exams, I too used to shave twice. In fact in college days, I shaved everyday and that too twice, with about 1/10th the beard that I have today. These days I shave just once and that too on alternate days. These days my laziness quotient is up to three days or even a week.
I remember around ten years back I had a shave at one of the various villages around Ahmedabad. It was a typical barber shop with a wooden rickety chair and a scruffian for a barber. He gave me a tough man’s shave. First they splash water, then apply the cream, works up a lather on your face with the bristles then give you a shave pulling and pinching your skin, then start again. After you are through with the shave, he splashes water, wipes it with a napkin (ugh), then applies alum all over the face, then wipes that off (same napkin), then takes a bottle with vile green liquid (warned poison with a death skull) and splashes it on his hand onto your face. Whew, its only an after shave. But then that’s not all. He takes an afghan snow look-alike bottle and takes some in his hand and gives you a face massage. All this is happening with his very rough hands. Why would anyone want to be subjected to this? And yes if anyone wants to know… I did tip him (I think).
Yesterday I got away with three red spots and some burning sensation. But its worth testing your manhood once a year I guess.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
father of the bride
Two days and two functions to attend. One was a simple marriage ceremony of a simple colleague which was in a simple hall with minimal fuss and décor. The other was a massive celebration of the fact that a friend’s kid (friend’s brothers actually) completed five years and hence was able to finally shave his hair! Yeah yeah. The latter was an elaborate affair with three separate functions, all done in the splendour of an elaborate ceremony. What on earth? I keep thinking that one day Jispa will grow up. I have tried to keep aside some money for her for her education but have no money set aside for her marriage. It’s a complete waste. Jasmine and I are in a way quite ‘practicallists’ who don’t understand the value of splendour. We are the cheapo who have not celebrated her first birthday. Our reasoning being she was too small to figure anything. In all these functions the baby is inevitably harassed by the lights, the attention and the noise.
On all her birthdays we take Jispa and some of her key friends for a fun outing and ensure that the occasion is celebrated in a small but hopefully meaningful way. Jasmine has also struck a deal with Jispa that she will celebrate her 10th birthday in any way she chooses.
So when she grows up I am planning to oppose every prospective groom that comes our way. This way she will be forced to elope and then I could forgive all and call them back. Imagine the money we would save in the bargain. And the pain… has anyone seen the movie ‘father of the bride’, I might just fit the archetype. Only one issue – I have to figure out a way to go white before I go bald.
On all her birthdays we take Jispa and some of her key friends for a fun outing and ensure that the occasion is celebrated in a small but hopefully meaningful way. Jasmine has also struck a deal with Jispa that she will celebrate her 10th birthday in any way she chooses.
So when she grows up I am planning to oppose every prospective groom that comes our way. This way she will be forced to elope and then I could forgive all and call them back. Imagine the money we would save in the bargain. And the pain… has anyone seen the movie ‘father of the bride’, I might just fit the archetype. Only one issue – I have to figure out a way to go white before I go bald.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
superman in action
Stop press: we have photos of the spider game we played.
Here is the basic game. You can see the net and that you have to pass people through the net without touching the net itself. This is the most popular way to do it. And once on the other side you cannot come back to this side, hence in the end there will be one man standing.
So either an easy hole gets left behind or you resort to superman…. the guy with the hat is the trainer looking in disbelief.
Here is the basic game. You can see the net and that you have to pass people through the net without touching the net itself. This is the most popular way to do it. And once on the other side you cannot come back to this side, hence in the end there will be one man standing.
So either an easy hole gets left behind or you resort to superman…. the guy with the hat is the trainer looking in disbelief.
Sense and sensibility
One of the things I hear these days is the radio commercial where Red FM plays in support of the mid day meal scheme. Basically the scheme gives school going children one full meal a day. Now if memory strikes me right, when MGR introduced this scheme in Tamil Nadu it was dismissed as a fancy publicity stunt by a flamboyant politician. But the results put some of the staunchest critics to shame. I quote from the hindu business line…
“…brought to mind a visit my colleague and I had made many years ago — 1980 to be specific — to Chingleput district, near Chennai. We made a round of visits to schools in villages run in sheds or under a tree to make a study of the Midday Meal scheme launched by the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M.G. Ramachandran. Of course, the learned scoffed at the idea and the newspapers had dismissed it as a populist stunt. The Indian Express, Madras, decided to have a field survey before drawing conclusions. My colleague from the reporting team was just a year old in the profession, and was very enthusiastic about doing the assignment given to us by none less than the Resident Editor himself. We spent the next two days visiting several village schools and spent a lot of time talking to the children, the teachers and parents about this scheme. Slowly, the negative thoughts of the scheme we nursed gave way to a positive outlook. True, the cooking could have been more hygienic, the quality of the grains used better, the plates in which they were served cleaner... . but the villages were happy that their children were getting a much-needed meal. They were happier still at the thought of the kids showing eagerness at long last to attend school!
It is difficult for us, the city folk, to imagine what a morsel of food means to these children. Or to their parents, small farmers or farm labourers, who toil in the fields from morning to evening, having hardly any time to take care of the children. To cook a meal or finding food means a lot of hardship.
But entered the mid-day meal scheme and suddenly the three `Rs' of education assumed significance and the school suddenly became a place the child looked forward to each morning.” read full article here
This taught me not to dismiss politics and policy with a sleight. But understand the potential value within each. It also helps me not completely dismiss the now in vogue NREGA.
But that is not the point I want to make. I was at the radio commercial on the channel which has rightly partnered with the cause. The voice over is of a child who talks about the mid day meal scheme and the fact that he gets to go to school thanks to the scheme. It was fine and ok (though personally I did not like it) till it got to the last line where the kid urges you to support the scheme for some paltry sum of rupees. That would keep him in school. … Read it again… support the scheme for X rupees a month and I can eat well and stay in school…. Read it again… didn’t that amount to begging? Since when did we teach our kids to beg? Sure the scheme is good and the heart is in the right place but you can get the kid in question to beg on air. What message does it send? Beg for your food, beg for your school. I wouldn’t want any kid in the world to beg. Even for a schooling? I wish they had some RJ voice over in the end doing the begging instead. They talk a lot of rubbish in any case.
“…brought to mind a visit my colleague and I had made many years ago — 1980 to be specific — to Chingleput district, near Chennai. We made a round of visits to schools in villages run in sheds or under a tree to make a study of the Midday Meal scheme launched by the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M.G. Ramachandran. Of course, the learned scoffed at the idea and the newspapers had dismissed it as a populist stunt. The Indian Express, Madras, decided to have a field survey before drawing conclusions. My colleague from the reporting team was just a year old in the profession, and was very enthusiastic about doing the assignment given to us by none less than the Resident Editor himself. We spent the next two days visiting several village schools and spent a lot of time talking to the children, the teachers and parents about this scheme. Slowly, the negative thoughts of the scheme we nursed gave way to a positive outlook. True, the cooking could have been more hygienic, the quality of the grains used better, the plates in which they were served cleaner... . but the villages were happy that their children were getting a much-needed meal. They were happier still at the thought of the kids showing eagerness at long last to attend school!
It is difficult for us, the city folk, to imagine what a morsel of food means to these children. Or to their parents, small farmers or farm labourers, who toil in the fields from morning to evening, having hardly any time to take care of the children. To cook a meal or finding food means a lot of hardship.
But entered the mid-day meal scheme and suddenly the three `Rs' of education assumed significance and the school suddenly became a place the child looked forward to each morning.” read full article here
This taught me not to dismiss politics and policy with a sleight. But understand the potential value within each. It also helps me not completely dismiss the now in vogue NREGA.
But that is not the point I want to make. I was at the radio commercial on the channel which has rightly partnered with the cause. The voice over is of a child who talks about the mid day meal scheme and the fact that he gets to go to school thanks to the scheme. It was fine and ok (though personally I did not like it) till it got to the last line where the kid urges you to support the scheme for some paltry sum of rupees. That would keep him in school. … Read it again… support the scheme for X rupees a month and I can eat well and stay in school…. Read it again… didn’t that amount to begging? Since when did we teach our kids to beg? Sure the scheme is good and the heart is in the right place but you can get the kid in question to beg on air. What message does it send? Beg for your food, beg for your school. I wouldn’t want any kid in the world to beg. Even for a schooling? I wish they had some RJ voice over in the end doing the begging instead. They talk a lot of rubbish in any case.
Inspirational irreverence
v-inu wouldn’t care two hoots about commenting directly on blog but is a regular reader. He reads almost everything but gets tuned off when I chatter philosophically or moralistically or any other callys.
Here is a video he sent for Jispa
The lyrics are as under
An Effervescing Elephant
with tiny eyes and great big trunk
once whispered to the tiny ear
the ear of one inferior
that by next June he'd die, oh yeah!
because the tiger would roam.
The little one said: "Oh my goodness I must stay at home!
and every time I hear a growl
I'll know the tiger's on the prowl
and I'll be really safe, you know
the elephant he told me so."
Everyone was nervy, oh yeah!
and the message was spread
to zebra, mongoose, and the dirty hippopotamus who wallowed in the mud and chewed his spicy hippo-plankton food and tended to ignore the word preferring to survey a herd of stupid water bison, oh yeah!
And all the jungle took fright,
and ran around for all the day and the night but all in vain, because, you see, the tiger came and said: "Who me?!
You know, I wouldn't hurt not one of you.
I'd much prefer something to chew
and you're all to scant." oh yeah!
He ate the Elephant
He also writes that “This is by Syd Barrett - one of the founders of Pink Floyd. Teachers wouldn't exactly prefer him as a role model for a kid.”
Well I guess so, but she can take all the inspiration she can get.
PS: she seems to be doing well with Lester for the elocution competition but I guess its not as funny as the original Crocodile's toothache. This one has a limited set of emotions and does not allow for sharp contrasts. Am I making sense? Atleast to me ... I think.
Here is a video he sent for Jispa
The lyrics are as under
An Effervescing Elephant
with tiny eyes and great big trunk
once whispered to the tiny ear
the ear of one inferior
that by next June he'd die, oh yeah!
because the tiger would roam.
The little one said: "Oh my goodness I must stay at home!
and every time I hear a growl
I'll know the tiger's on the prowl
and I'll be really safe, you know
the elephant he told me so."
Everyone was nervy, oh yeah!
and the message was spread
to zebra, mongoose, and the dirty hippopotamus who wallowed in the mud and chewed his spicy hippo-plankton food and tended to ignore the word preferring to survey a herd of stupid water bison, oh yeah!
And all the jungle took fright,
and ran around for all the day and the night but all in vain, because, you see, the tiger came and said: "Who me?!
You know, I wouldn't hurt not one of you.
I'd much prefer something to chew
and you're all to scant." oh yeah!
He ate the Elephant
He also writes that “This is by Syd Barrett - one of the founders of Pink Floyd. Teachers wouldn't exactly prefer him as a role model for a kid.”
Well I guess so, but she can take all the inspiration she can get.
PS: she seems to be doing well with Lester for the elocution competition but I guess its not as funny as the original Crocodile's toothache. This one has a limited set of emotions and does not allow for sharp contrasts. Am I making sense? Atleast to me ... I think.
While we are on the topic, I would rate the above equally inspirational for Jispa as this link here http://www.ted.com/talks/pranav_mistry_the_thrilling_potential_of_sixthsense_technology.html
Monday, November 16, 2009
superman in spider shadow
Just went for another training program over the weekend. This time it was an outbound training program. I don’t what the objectives were but it sure is better than being cooped up in a conference room with no light coming in, both from the sun and the speaker. Out in the open one can be assured of at least one source.
The games were good but the debriefs were quite pathetic. One should have short focussed group with clear objective based discussions; that would take the group forward. But the highlight for me was that while being amongst the oldest I managed to attack all the activities with some of the highest levels of enthusiasm and gusto. Yes that itself is no indicator of performance, only an indicator of intent but, I was the top performer in almost every activity. As I was explaining to someone, these games are tailor made for me. I have some higher than average sense of visual reasoning and most of the problems are typically that. So while others would argue I would see the solution in an instant. But sometimes I wonder why the others don’t really get it so fast. It is not that difficult. The gap cannot be that high. Am I dumb to be surrounded by dimwits or it’s a case of people being different from me. I dunno, but at least my benchmarks on all these activities were not those around but others who I consider top class in their fields.
One of the greatest moments for me was an ego boosting one. We played a game which is called the spider web (I think). Basically each team of about 12 is taken to what looks like a set up badminton net. The net is made up of rope tied around in a way that it has many holes of various sizes extending till about a foot from the ground. The team has to cross over to the other side through the net without touching it. Each hole can be used only once. The first guy takes the easy hole and then helps collect the people that we pass on horizontally over to the other side. Soon the easy ones gets taken and the light ones pass over. With some difficulty more pass. As we were passing more and more people over I was one the last one left. The only possible hole was one that was about 2 feet wide and two and half foot tall. It was around five feet from the ground. What to do. In a rush of blood I went back, ran hard and jumped… right through the hole like superman. I landed softly on the other side with my palms breaking the fall. I had done it. There… easy a pie (this is a mixed up phrase, no?) After the team went ecstatic I realised what I had done. The trainer said that this is the first time he had seen something like this. He made everyone clap for me etc etc… Everybody was talking about it for a long time. Those who missed it, regreted it and told me as such. Even they were animatedly talking about the jump as if it happened before their very eyes. I truly realised what I had done the next day, when one of the staff who worked at the site came up to me to ask “sir, have you done commando training anywhere?” “err.. no… why?” “the way you jumped over the web. We thought you had done something like that so I wanted to join such a course”. .. WTF, I am now a freak stunt man. I told him that “it just happened and there was no way I was trying something like that again. Just be fit and agile and you will be able to do it as well” Testosterone is a stupid thing. It clouds your better judgement. Imagine one leg getting stuck in the net and you could be left dangling like a bat caught in a spider’s web. It looked good because it was pulled off else it would be pretty dumb thing to do. Kids – don’t try this at home. It was performed by an experienced dumb ass. It was just his lucky day.
The games were good but the debriefs were quite pathetic. One should have short focussed group with clear objective based discussions; that would take the group forward. But the highlight for me was that while being amongst the oldest I managed to attack all the activities with some of the highest levels of enthusiasm and gusto. Yes that itself is no indicator of performance, only an indicator of intent but, I was the top performer in almost every activity. As I was explaining to someone, these games are tailor made for me. I have some higher than average sense of visual reasoning and most of the problems are typically that. So while others would argue I would see the solution in an instant. But sometimes I wonder why the others don’t really get it so fast. It is not that difficult. The gap cannot be that high. Am I dumb to be surrounded by dimwits or it’s a case of people being different from me. I dunno, but at least my benchmarks on all these activities were not those around but others who I consider top class in their fields.
One of the greatest moments for me was an ego boosting one. We played a game which is called the spider web (I think). Basically each team of about 12 is taken to what looks like a set up badminton net. The net is made up of rope tied around in a way that it has many holes of various sizes extending till about a foot from the ground. The team has to cross over to the other side through the net without touching it. Each hole can be used only once. The first guy takes the easy hole and then helps collect the people that we pass on horizontally over to the other side. Soon the easy ones gets taken and the light ones pass over. With some difficulty more pass. As we were passing more and more people over I was one the last one left. The only possible hole was one that was about 2 feet wide and two and half foot tall. It was around five feet from the ground. What to do. In a rush of blood I went back, ran hard and jumped… right through the hole like superman. I landed softly on the other side with my palms breaking the fall. I had done it. There… easy a pie (this is a mixed up phrase, no?) After the team went ecstatic I realised what I had done. The trainer said that this is the first time he had seen something like this. He made everyone clap for me etc etc… Everybody was talking about it for a long time. Those who missed it, regreted it and told me as such. Even they were animatedly talking about the jump as if it happened before their very eyes. I truly realised what I had done the next day, when one of the staff who worked at the site came up to me to ask “sir, have you done commando training anywhere?” “err.. no… why?” “the way you jumped over the web. We thought you had done something like that so I wanted to join such a course”. .. WTF, I am now a freak stunt man. I told him that “it just happened and there was no way I was trying something like that again. Just be fit and agile and you will be able to do it as well” Testosterone is a stupid thing. It clouds your better judgement. Imagine one leg getting stuck in the net and you could be left dangling like a bat caught in a spider’s web. It looked good because it was pulled off else it would be pretty dumb thing to do. Kids – don’t try this at home. It was performed by an experienced dumb ass. It was just his lucky day.
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