5 Hrs!!

Those 5 hrs yesterday were like being in hell.. Because I had nothing to look up to, share my thoughts with and to see what was happening in the outside world. It was a mere adapter failure and my laptop's charge got drained out. So  I was rendered without a laptop.

These one& half years, my laptop has been my best companion and my worst enemy. I have shared everything with it right from my joy to my discursive thoughts and writings. I've seen the outside world through this notebook for the best part of these days.  All of a sudden, when I was rendered without a lappy, I realised how dependent and lazy I had become. Everything came to a standstill for me (from searching for recipes for dinner to going through articles relating to my study and to going thru' the various online news websites). I had developed a routine this is way and when it was disturbed, I dint know what to do. I searched for a novel in my book shelf(Thank God, I had some books)and started gng through it only to find me even more restless. Insane isn't it? When I was wondering how people lived without this luxury, I realised certain facts.

In my childhood, I've often come across a debatable topic "HUMANS Vs COMPUTERS" . My opinion has always been pro human. I used to say that since humans created these computers, they can never overpower humanbeings. I always vehemently denied my oponents' arguments of how computers were taking over control and that we would all be addicted and to it one day. But today I realise that they were "mostly" true.  From children to elderly, we all depend on this box for almost every damn thing on Earth. Earlier days, men and women had more time for their families and thus there was physical exercises involved. Children weren't hooked on to the computers. They had the opportunity to harness their team skills by playing in groups. Everything has reduced drastically resulting in a global impact!!  

Now-a-days, we use  search engines and we get umpteen number of choices. And the intelligence of these search engines is increasing and you get so many other options for a particular search term. For calculation, we take up the spreadsheets, maintain our day to day accounts, for mailing use gmail or yahoomail and what not? Now-a-days rarely do I(we) use the Inland-letters nor do I(we) use postcards to our near and dear ones. Instead of going to a post office and buying a post card and sending it across, I(we) prefer to send an email or an e-card. There are these social-networking sites anyway to help us peep into our friends' and others' lives in the form of comments and pics. My goodness, everything is based on a computer activity. Coming to childeren, they are taught how to handle a computer since they are 6months old. I find it strange when ppl start judging you based on your computer diligence!! The whole concept of shrinking the world using computer with the  means of Internet has only made humans lazier and I am no different. In all this, the simple pleasures of life have decreased and  the global warming has increased.  Yes, for e.g.  the computer usage for searching has a lot of effects.I was worried when I read the article on the Effect of google searches on Environment  

On the flip side, being hooked on to a computer or not is again based on ones' needs. This small box has been a boon to many rather than being a bane to some! The advent of technology has helped us to connect to any part of the world from any.  Getting almost everything we want with the advent of e-commerce is magnificient!! There are so many gogs things to pen down in this small place. All good things come with some disadvantages and in this case we are losing the simple pleasures. Yet, we still remain connected.

I felt happy when I realised that I was not a part of carbon emission atleast for 5 hrs. Every little helps!!

Rules are Rules !!????!!

Venky-Dedicated to you sweet heart!! 

Have been thinking to pen down my thoughts for a long time now. Not really been able to steal time from the hectic schedule and the mechanical daily chores around. But during this span, a lot of things have conspired. Each day has been an experience. These have taught a lot of things and polished my thought process. Coming to the point, there is one topic that has been circling around for a long time now. Rationalising things!! should we rationalise or should we leave things as it is for the people around us to be happy?

Everything  around us happens for a reason and there is one supreme power that takes control of these. Yes, I am talking about the Ultimate power for which we have given the name "GOD". We see God in the form of Shiva, Vishnu, Jesus, Allah and many more. We associate ourselves with one of these religions  which comes as a package. Yes, they come as a set of rules that we need to follow without finding the rationale behind them. There are many medium to understand. But we fail to understand the underlying fact of what they try to convey and blindly follow these rules ultimately to hate the fellow human beings. 

I have been on amongst the millions who follow the rules. Every time my husband tried to question me on certain customs, I've either ridiculed him or asked him not to question me b'cos I've had no answer questions. Subconsciously, I've ensured that things are done either my way or no way, stating, this is how I was brought up. I am a literate yet 've remained unenlightened! Many around me are like that as well. No doubt!! I am not happy but relieved that I am not alone.  Coming back to customs, how many of us really know what we are doing and why we are doing certain things? 

For e.g, from following the set of rules,  to not questioning the practice, many of us have remained ignorant !! How many of us really think that we need to know what is what? We have our own principles(if at all we have one) or principles of the society and a way of life to which we want to stick on to. When we see someone who takes the first step to change things, we make a complete mockery of that person and call him/her an idiot. The general norm in the society is to follow what the society thinks is right and not to follow one's heart. When a person wants to find a rationale behind an act, those who are not able to answer his/her question  just snub that person making him/her wonder what value he/she is going to add in all this by questioning everything. That person ultimately relents to peer pressure to only end up accepting what the society wants him/her to do! Poor souls. Are they that bad in asking us not to blindly follow certain things? I've realised my mistake and  feel it is high time we started questioning the norms. The journey is not going to be smooth. Will have to face a lot of opposition. Questioning doesn't mean we are turning into an atheist. We are theists who want to find a reason behind the set of rules and who want to answer the questions put forth by the rationalists. With this "Know what/why  you do" approach, we can build our knowledge as well pass on the knowledge and traditions to the future generations!!

Now, eagerly looking forward to getting inputs on why we follow certain customs and rules in Hinduism!! Can I get some?

Endless break

When I see some of the posts that I had posted, I get a feeling that I am in a different zone. But why am I getting that feeling? I am happy and chirpy as ever. But sometimes, I do get the feeling of being left alone to chase my dream. This is all b'cos of the time I have got on hand. God has given me a break. But I dont know for how long this is going to last. Is it going to last forever. I know it is not so. But deep inside, I am not able to take in the fact that I am sitting idle for most of the day. Is it because I am over enthusiastic and ambitious or is it because of the peer pressure? I ask myself. At one point of time, I feel that it is because I want to achieve more and more in life and another time, I feel that it is because of the peer pressure. I see my friends and colleagues achieving something or the other and me not doing so upsets me. But is it going to help me in anyway? I feel that comparison is absurd but again there is a lot of competition. I want to be a winner. I dont want to be like another of the scapegoats working for someone and being satisfied with whatever perks I recieve.

I discuss this with my husband whenever I feel that talking to myself will no longer help. Yes, he is the victim of all my idiotic thought processes. Yest when I told him about what I wanted to do, he suggested that I analyse the pros & cons and also asked me tell what my suggestion would be when someone near and dear comes up with an idea similar to what I had suggested. I have no idea what I would have suggested had I been in his position. Poor soul. He is neither able to accept nor reject my request. I can only feel sorry for him. As far as what my suggestion would be, I ve not given it a thought.

Coming to my way of life and thought processes, I have always been cuddled and life has always been a bed of roses. When I started to face the reality, I dealt it my own way. The "CRY baby" way. Even now, it is the same. I dont want to see me this way. I want to stand strong and want to prove to myself that the josh in me hasn't gone anywhere. I want to fight but will I ever get the opportunity to? I have to knock the doors but will I ever be allowed to? I get this doubt cos, ppl still treat me like a kid. I've started to search for the individuality and identity that I want to create for myself. No offence intended and nobody is to be blamed for the course of action in my life. If someone has to be praised or blamed for whatever I am today, it has to be me and only me and no one else.

At present, I can only visualize what I want to do. I do have a strong feeling that one day, I'll achieve it. I tell myself that if want to be a winner, I should shed all my inhibitions and work towards my goal. At any cost, I shall learn to live my dreams and stand for my views. As I type, I can actually feel the unusual brightness coming in through the window on an otherwise dull day. I have strong feeling that whenever we dream and give our 100% the Universe will conspire to achieve what we want. I have had my own experiences.

But, how am I gng to achieve it? What do I need to do for this to happen? I ve started to plot my plans. I shall post the answers to these questions soon..