Costa Rica

I am off.. Flying on the wings of my dreams.. Traveling back in time.. To meet an old friend of mine.. Excitement in the air..

Annika and Rachel in San Francisco, 2004.. Rachel is whom I am visiting..!!

Bye.. I'll catch you all once I am back..

@ Me..

I just got a dedication from a friend.. Not sure why she does not wish to be named.. But found the words to be interesting..

"

heyyy.

sum people r stupid

sum people r idiot

sum people r complicated

sum people r funny

sum people r simple

sum people r bad

sum people r good

but u r a good mixture of everything....

cheers!!!!!"

Thanks buddy! :)

Rain rain..

This is amazing.. It's been drizzling, raining since last 3 days! Just like Pune..!!

Starting day before, I was to leave for School, after spending a day and a half at home. I walk out of the complex, and feel the droplets on my skin! The sky is haze blue, mixed with orange on horizon.. Cool breeze.. The grass turning green.. A few of the trees ready for spring, already changing colors.. It is beautiful. I am in no mood to climb the bus, but have no choice. Need to reach school..

Day II: Saturday.. Morning is a bit dry. Slowly the rain starts, proceeding from drizzle to proper rain. I am too tempted to resist.. And I decide to walk out. To soak my self, get drenched in that rain.. Ironically, I have to wear a sweat shirt too, cos it is not only rainy, but it is chilly! Leaving my precious cell home, holding a carry bag (cos I need to check post), I walk out! It's been long since I have experienced this bliss.. My room-mate is confused.. What kind of a person is this guy (me)? Has he lost his brain to walk out on a chilly evening in rains? Probably yes.. But, it is worth it!

Day III: Sunday.. Raining since morning.. I am supposed to leave for volunteering at a Community dinner! My duty is with a bunch of other friends, to direct the traffic to appropriate parking lots. Temperature outside: 1 degree Celsius. Expected to dip to -4 degrees. 3 to 6 inches of snow anticipated. Sure, if I still choose to go, I need to be fully prepared. A sweater over a Tee, topped by a jacket, gloves and a woolen cap, borrowing my roommates umbrella, I am out, walking towards the middle school, where the dinner is organized. Headphones plugged in ears, swaying to the music, feel the drizzle, I am absorbed in the bounty of mother nature. Reaching school, I am given an orange jacket, the ones which traffic people wear, and I am assigned right at the main entrance. I know, it will be tough to manage the umbrella, and then speak with people and guide vehicles, so I choose to leave back the umbrella, and it is at that moment, I have chosen my day's destiny! Next 3 hours, I am standing in a increasing flow of rain and reducing range of temperature. Initially it is ok.. Slowly, as time passes, I start freezing. If one wanted to see human fazes of reaction to reducing temperatures, it was perfect day. From properly moving limbs, to a point where I was moving like a Robot, I felt it through!

And, now, when I am back home.. In warmth of my bed.. I still wish I was out, getting drenched.. Freezing.. Enjoying!

Executive Leaders: the "Companion" theory!

"Would Bapu exist without Ba?" A question that I had put forth in one of my earlier postings..

Mr. President, Obama, starts his first official speech to the Congress, by saying, "My dear Congressmen, ... ... , and the first lady of the United States.." Reinforcing the locus of his personal strength..

The question of the existence of leaders, in absence of their pivotal support points.. I found a few relevant quotes to the answer in most unexpected places.. In the readings for one of my classes..

"Leaders cannot succeed on their own; even the most outwardly confident executives need support and advice. Without strong relationships to provide perspective, it is very easy to loose your way.

... ... After their hardest day, leaders find comfort in being with people on whom they can rely so they can be open and vulnerable. During the low points, they cherish the friends (read: relations) who appreciate them for who they are, not what they are. Authentic leaders find that their support teams (read: family) provide affirmation, advice, perspective, and call for course correction when needed.

... ... It starts with having at least one person in your life with whom you can be completely yourself, warts and all, and still be accepted unconditionally. Often, that person is the only one who can tell you the honest truth. Most leaders have their closest relationship with their spouses.. ... ..."

You might be wondering, where does this come from? This comes from the horses mouth, one of the most esteemed journals of executive world: Harvard Business Review.. Believe it or not, it is true!

("Discovering your authentic leadership, 2007, by Bill George, Peter Sims, Andrew N. McLean, and Diana Mayer, from Harvard Business Review, pp. 1-9)

Friendship

Friendship

We have genuine friendship
when it is based on true human feeling,
a feeling of closeness in which there is
a sense of sharing and connectedness.
I would call this type of friendship genuine,
because it is not affected by the increase
or decrease of the individual's
wealth, status, or power.
The factor that sustains the friendship is
whether or not the two people will have
mutual feelings of love and affection.
Genuine human friendship is
on the basis of human affection,
irrespective of your position.
Therefore, the more you show concern
about the welfare and right of others,
the more you are a genuine friend.
The more you remain open and sincere,
then ultimately the benefits will come to you.
If you forget or do not bother about others,
then eventually you will loose your benefit.

(By His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama)

thump..

thump.. thump.. thump..

I can hear my own heartbeats.. I can feel my heart banging against my rib cage.. the body is shuddering.. Sweaty palms.. And I suddenly wake up.. Shivering.. Feeling cold..

It feels like something is being taken away from me.. As if the dementors are sucking all my energy.. Yes, exactly that is how it can be described.. Something sucking out the soul..

A fear of loosing.. Loosing something that is way beyond the materialistic things around.. Loosing an opportunity to live.. Like, someone's pulling my life out of my hands..

But, now this has become a routine.. A phenomena that repeats, when ever I try to sleep..
I am scared.. Scared of sleeping anymore..

My throat's dry.. I'm still shivering.. I don't know what it is.. Why does it happen? Neither do I understand it, nor the one who understood it is to be seen anywhere around..

Where are you? Where are your protective arms? Where is the love you emanate? Where is the embrace, embrace of my life? The gentle warm grip, I cannot find it anymore..

Where are you?

You know it.. You know I need you.. I know, you need me too..
Please come back, save me if you can..

Incredible India

Kamakshi, Love ya for this forward..

For all those who are planning to visit my dear, incredible Indyaahh..

FAQ:

"
Apparently these are the answers to travel queries in India; the actual responses by the website officials who obviously have an excellent sense of humour! In any case, it's a hilarious read...

Q: Does it ever get windy in India? I have never seen it rain on TV, how do the plants grow? (UK).
A: We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around watching them die.

Q: Will I be able to see elephants in the street? (USA)
A: Depends how much you've been drinking.

Q: Is it safe to run around in the bushes in India? (Sweden)
A: So it's true what they say about Swedes.

Q: I want to walk from Delhi to Goa- can I follow the railroad tracks? (Sweden)

A: Sure, it's only three thousand kms, take lots of water.

Q: Are there any ATMs (cash machines) in India? Can you send me a list of them in Delhi, Chennai, Calcutta and Bangalore? (UK)

A: What did your last slave die of?

Q: Can you give me some information about hippo racing in India? (USA)
A: A-fri-ca is the big triangle shaped continent south of Europe. In-di-a is that big triangle in the middle of the Pacific & Indian Ocean which does not.. oh forget it. ....... Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in Goa. Come naked.

Q: Which direction is North in India? (USA)
A: Face south and then turn 180 degrees.. Contact us when you get here and we'll send the rest of the directions..

Q: Can I bring cutlery into India? ( UK)
A: Why? Just use your fingers like we do.

Q: Can you send me the Indiana Pacers matches schedule? (France)
A: Indiana is a state in the Unites States of...oh forget it.
Sure, the Indiana Pacers matches are played every Tuesday night in
Goa, straight after the hippo races. Come naked.

Q: Can I wear high heels in India? ( UK )
A: You're a British politician, right?

Q: Are there supermarkets in Bangalore, and is milk available all
year round? (Germany)
A: No, we are a peaceful civilization of vegan hunter/ gatherers.
Milk is illegal.

Q: Please send a list of all doctors in India who can dispense
rattlesnake serum. (USA)
A: Rattlesnakes live in A-meri-ca which is where YOU come from.
All Indian snakes are perfectly harmless, can be safely handled and make good pets.

Q: Do you have perfume in India? ( France)
A: No, WE don't stink.

Q: I have developed a new product that is the fountain of youth.
Can you tell me where I can sell it in India? (USA)
A: Anywhere significant numbers of Americans gather.

Q: Do you celebrate Christmas in India? (France)
A: Only at Christmas.

Q: Will I be able to speak English most places I go? (USA)
A: Yes, but you'll have to learn it first

Q: Can I see Taj Mahal anytime? (Italy)
A: As long as you are not blind, you can see it anytime.

Q: Do you have Toilet paper? (USA)
A: No, we use sand paper. (we have different grades)
"

(Taken from an internet forward.. Images, courtesy Google!)
And.. I forgot to mention.. This email is thanks to an amazing friend of mine.. KAMAKSHI.. You rock.. (And sorry, missed you on the earlier post.. Love ya!)