Riding gear

Why I always wear riding gear even for short distances - because walking away in disgust beats leaving in an ambulance.

TOTD

There is always more misery among the lower classes than there is humanity in the higher - Victor Hugo

Work life balance (Senior Management)

No. This is not about work life balance in the conventional sense. This is about how your personality changes when you are not able to maintain work life balance in your mind. More so when one is important in their office. One may need to rethink one's priorities when these happen:

• You talk to your spouse as if you are reading minutes of a meeting
• You believe that all actionable points are to be handled by someone else and you are there to give direction / guidance
• You feel that home is where you have dinner (occasionaly) and sleep (much like a Hotel)
• Your biggest contribution is financial assistance & you believe that your role is limited to whatever that can be bought and anything else is someone else's responsibility
• You can be reached by your family only after min 5 attempts at your various phones
• Your standard answer if they ever reach you is that you are in a very important meeting and you will get back (since all meetings are 'very important' meetings)
• You find it hard to change tone (talking to subordinates and talking to family)
• You firmly believe that all plans are to be made keeping your schedule in mind (which is anyways subject to change any minute)
• You would rather check your mails on blackberry / chat on google talk than have a word with family
• You believe everyone should agree with everything you say because people generally agree with you in office (certainly the subordinates)

And these are just some of the indicators.

TOTD

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, all foes to true understanding. Likewise tolerance, or broad, wholesome charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in our little corner of the earth all one's lifetime. - Mark Twain

Am I materialistic?

Last few days I been asked by many as to what I would want as a gift.. no, its not my birthday or anything.. just that my mom is returning from US and my bro & sis wants to send some gifts with her.. and that my wife is returning from Dubai after a couple of months and wants to bring something for me...

So what is so wrong with that, you ask... nothing, if one does not read between the lines... when I think about it a bit more... i wonder why my wife keeps asking me if I want an iphone.. is it just because she thinks I need a new phone (my current phone is not in great shape) or is it that she thinks that buying me a gift will cover up for her extended absence... that I would prefer getting the iphone than her presence.... I don't know... may it is.. maybe it isn't... and ofcourse I will give her the benefit of doubt... I always do (ok ok... atleast mostly do)

but this raises the bigger question.. irrespective of their motives... am I looking at happiness from material things... maybe I do.. recently I have been spending all my 'internet' time on surfing websites selling stuff that i like (electronics, bike gear etc), looking for new house, new car and on Bike related sites... while time spent on bike / tours related sites is to experience the life what I would like to live... and believe me I will never have the kind of time required for that kind of touring... but what about the other sites... why am I spending so much time of that... guess I am trying to look for happiness from material things.. and while everyone enjoy some luxuries, I always thought real happiness come from relationships.. all kinds of relationships (wife, parents, siblings, children, friends, colleagues... i guess u get the idea :-)).. and from little things that do not require money...

so am I changing... maybe i have been changing since some time now... its only realisation has dawned upon me only now... but I have also realised that these things don't make me happy...

reckon my current state can be summed up by the statement in the book 'Shantaram' - My heart moves through deep and silent water. No-one and nothing, can really hurt me. N0-one and nothing, can make me very happy. I am tough, which is probably the saddest thing you can say about a man.

but that's just the current state... It will be over... sooner than later... and as Arnold would have said it 'I 'ill be back'.... you bet your **s I will... I have to...

Zindagi ke liye waqt

another poem that I like... source unknown (to me)

हर खुशी है लोगों के दामन में,
पर एक हँसी के लिए वकत नही.
दिन रात दौड़ती दुनिया में,
ज़िंदगी के लिए ही वकत नही.

माँ की लोरी का एहसास तो है,
पर माँ को माँ कहने का वकत नही.
सारे रिश्तों को तो हम मार चुके,
अब उन्हें दफनाने का भी वक्त नही.

सारे नाम मोबाइल में हैं,
पर दोस्ती के लिए वकत नही.
गैरों की क्या बात करें,
जब अपनों के लिए ही वक्त नही.

आंखों मे है नींद बड़ी,
पर सोने का भी वकत नही.
दिल है ग़मों से भरा हुआ,
पर रोने का भी वक्त नही.

पैसों की दौड़ मे ऐसे दौडे,
की थकने का भी वक्त नही.
पराये एहसासों की क्या कद्र करें,
जब अपने सप्नों के लिए ही वकत नही.

तू ही बता ऐ ज़िंदगी,
इस ज़िंदगी का क्या होगा,
की हर पल मरने वालों को,
जीने के लिए भी वकत नही.......

Patience or cowardice

Patience has its limits. Take it too far, and it's cowardice - George Jackson

Something for me to think about????? May be.