Today’s list: Friends who understand and accept my foolishness. Realizing when I have made a mistake (without being pointed out), and having the guts to apologize. CSK qualifying for IPL finals. Yay! The TV show Family Guy. All the bloggers who have taught me to disconnect from myself and observe.
Today’s list: Pizza delivery. Subway sandwiches. Using rationality to overcome doubt. A failed prank. Recovering from an illness.
Don’t bother reading this post, if you don’t know how to empathize, or choose not to empathize. Seriously, self-obsessed narcissist, piss off! I recently met a 19 year old engineering student, courtesy of my parents (who mistakenly believe I am settled, sigh if only), who was going through a difficult time, making some career choices. He was caught between spending his time preparing for job interviews and higher studies. He had listed the pros and they were as follows. The pros for taking a job were: Money in the pocket. Industry experience. Flashy wardrobe and gadgets. Partying. Getting laid (A proposal posed by his girlfriend.). The pros for going for higher studies were: Specialized education. Better career prospects. Get over with education! Already in habit of studying, so nothing will get disturbed. Strong prospects for getting married, and consequently get laid.(An ultimatum posed by his girlfriend’s father.) For reasons unknown to me and god (assuming such a being exists), my parents thought it wise to recommend this impressionable lad to me (unfortunately, the same doesn’t apply to lasses; per my parents I’m the demon who tells lasses to focus on career, and dump marriage into the garbage). Given that I was in a similar position when I was 19, I took it upon myself (with a lot of pride, might I add), to be the guiding post to this poor conflicted soul. I talked to him for days; I took down notes to understand his thought process. I went back [...]
Have been unwell for the past few days. Hence haven’t been posting. Here’s today’s list: Easy access to doctors and medicines. 24 hour television. Realizing one’s own worth and potential. Learning from past experiences – the cheesy lines which worked on me two years ago, don’t anymore. Suck it! Finding out people’s true nature, as hurtful as that might be. A long conversation with an old friend, who kept encouraging me to keep the hope alive. Friends who are there of me. Celebrating 2 years of MISF!T website. Writing again after a long time. Being part of a play reading. Soft fluffy idlis. Cleaning out the closet. The TV show “Las Vegas”.
I was at a coffee shop a few months back, and reading a book on Neuroscience, “The Tell Tale Brain”, by V S Ramachandran of UCSD. The case studies mentioned in the book are very exciting, and I like his approach of using abnormalities, to understand how the normal brain functions. What I really enjoy about the book is the simple experiments, which can be done at home, he uses to study and explain the nuances of human brain functioning. There’s a big advantage of reading a book on human behavior in a coffee shop, the first one is the endless supply of coffee. But the most exciting aspect is that I can read a section, and then observe people’s behavior, and try to understand what’s running in their brain, and how their brains are processing all the information available to them. As I was lost in another of his experiments, I heard a voice – “Hi”. I looked up, and noticed a woman smiling at me. As usual, 2 things happened: firstly, my mind tried to recollect who this person was, and secondly all my defenses went up. And then the following conversation transpired: Me: “Hi. How can I help you?”. Her: “I noticed you were reading this book on neuroscience.”. Me: “Yeah?” Her: “So, do you work in the field of neuroscience?” Me: “No.” Her: “Oh…I have never met people outside the field of neuroscience reading a book like this.” Me: My mind’s going – “What? This book [...]
Today’s list Ability to laugh at oneself. CSK’s comprehensive victory over RR. Listening to some Industrial Metal. Clarity (particularly, when it comes from the most unexpected of sources).
Today’s list: The aroma when making pop corn in the microwave. Cold water after being thirsty for a long time. Realizing that what I have been searching for has been there the entire time. A conversation, which was the strongest counterexample to a belief I held for a long time. The first coffee of the day, when it’s had in the evening.
Today’s list: Watching and listening kids run around joyfully and shout delightfully while playing. (It’s been ages since I have felt that free.) Spicy food at an Andhra restaurant. Reminiscing a old story about me chaperoning a friend, a guy nonetheless. An unexpected call. The line, “You are the GodFocker”, from the movie Little Fockers. That one scene is reason enough to watch the movie!
Today’s list: The inspirational story about Jackline Akinyi Odongo. (And I thought I had difficulties) One of the best articles I have read on Procrastination. Facing my fear of commenting on others’ blogs – I left my first comment on the above mentioned blog. Yay! Auto drivers who don’t fuss or charge extra. The “I love Alaska” movie series on minimovies.org A friend’s comment which knocked back some sense into me. Thanks Vishal!
Today’s list: Conversations over lunch. Barney Stinson. Steamed corn with spices. High caffeine drinks. Coming across a person with highly interesting mannerisms. 38 things I have learnt in 38 years – by Leo Babauta. White Chocolate Iced Mocha.