The Last Lecture from Randy Pausch

Here is a link for a very famous "The Last Lecture" from Late Prof Randy Pausch. Its titled as Achieving your childood dreams...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo


I have taken some dot points from the lecture...I hope we find them useful..atleast I do.
1. If people perceive as a jerk, you are limiting your accomplishment.
2. Selling something worthwhile like education.
3. Have FUN
4. Never loose child like wonder
5. Help others
6. Loyalty is a two way street
7. Never give up
8. Brick walls let us show our dedication

• Get a feedback loop and heed it
• Show gratitude
• Dont complain, just work hard
• Be good at something, that makes you valuable
• Find the best in everybody, no one is all evil
• WORK HARD

Audi A6 Ride

Wow!
Thats what comes out of your heart when you hitch a ride in such a lavish car, the Audi A6.
The moment I saw it at the main gate of our institute (as I was waiting to take hike from somebody or the other) I was excited. Only the driver was there in the car. So, I just waved my hand and asked for hitch. And he paused at once.
And then, the moment he opened the front door, I was just awed ..simply awed by the beauty of the car. The interiors, the seat, the comfort, the dashboard, the multimedia devices...etc etc etc..., it was the first time I was sitting in such a luxurious car.
The ride was very small, just 2kms to say. Five minutes maximum I guess. But, all through those few minutes, I was volatile and unstable inside.
There was a unique excitement and smile on my face. My eyes were glowing. I was so happy that I just couldnt believe it. I had just seen all those things in movies...but for real...this was it.
And it was THE CAR I had ever been inside.

I wanted to smile fully, I wanted to express the joy, but being seated besides the driver, continuously I was trying to suppress those expressions and showing up just a little smile. I had to. And then when I came out of it, I was so happy. It was like you get something that you have dreamt about but never thought of coming so close to it.


All of it sounds so childish..and yea it is. But there are a few things which you just dream of, and if all of a sudden you get even an inch closer to them, you feel awesome. So did I felt.
Awesome!

Poem by Dushyant Kumar

A poem by very famous poet Dushyant Kumar

हो गई है पीर पर्वत-सी पिघलनी चाहिए,
इस हिमालय से कोई गंगा निकलनी चाहिए।

आज यह दीवार, परदों की तरह हिलने लगी,
शर्त लेकिन थी कि ये बुनियाद हिलनी चाहिए।

हर सड़क पर, हर गली में, हर नगर, हर गाँव में,
हाथ लहराते हुए हर लाश चलनी चाहिए।

सिर्फ हंगामा खड़ा करना मेरा मकसद नहीं,
सारी कोशिश है कि ये सूरत बदलनी चाहिए।

मेरे सीने में नहीं तो तेरे सीने में सही,
हो कहीं भी आग, लेकिन आग जलनी चाहिए।

- दुष्यन्त कुमार

Life Under Construction

0-5 years: Version 0.0 to 0.5 -
Being a kid, pooping and peeing here and there, learning to shout to speak to walk to run to smile and to Love.

5-10 years: Version 1.0 to 1.5-
Still a kid, Getting primarily educated, recognizing locality and surroundings, roads and streets and people around me;
Introduction to Uttar Pradesh stereotype surrounding;
abused a neighbour of mine in front of my mom, a rememberance.

10-11 years- Version 1.5Beta- Transient phase to the outer world. Gearing up to shell out of cocoon.

11-16 years- Version 2.0 to 2.5-
Going to sainik schools at Ghorakhal,Nainital and Lucknow(a unique life experience), Living in hostels, socializing, self dependence, adolescence, puberty, realizing that girls are really pretty and that something happens chemically inside us ;)
Infatuation with a girl, confessing her to which she kept me waiting for next four years until she finally just forgot me; had a lot of crushes; had loads of fun;
Asked too many questions in schools. Gave a good result for my high school.
Had a wonderful camp and tour to Goa in 2002-03 winters.
Had a few wonderful teachers, rendering some life time inspirations and lessons.
Nationalist, patriotic, socialist thoughts high in my mind.
Made a few lifetime friends;
Abuse n curses on highs.
Life was fun..all of it. Never cared for anything else.

16-18 years: Version 3.0 to 3.2-
Life in Kota, coaching at Bansal classes, living alone, working hard, sucking life, miserable it was which finally paid off resulting me landing in IIT Madras. I was and still am very miser.
Lifestyle prevented from all cash spending funs. Didnt watch a single movie in theater in Two years in Kota.
Was quite famous( ok, notorious) at Bansal Classes for asking doubts.

18-20 years: Version 4.0 to 4.2-
Life at IIT Madras. Two years at hostel.
Life sucked at times and it rocked at others.
Got screwed for saying What The Fuck to one of my seniors. :X
Frustration, ego, silly mistakes, attitude problem, shouting, carelessness.
Girls are never comfortable in my presence. I am too despo looking form my face.
Choreo, Drama, Robotics, Poetry, Blogging, and nothing serious.
Painful for others.
Lessons learnt- not much.
Met a few of the greatest seniors.

20-21 years: Version 5.0 Alpha & Beta-
Art of living, a bit of self realization.
Reinvented myself. Smile on my face.
Hectic life. Taking a part time teaching job. Earning some cash of my own.
Mono-acting.
A failure in a course. A bit more self realization. Interests in academics.
Singing. Dont care what others think about me.
Reconstructing and structuring myself.
A bit more sincere for acads n other works. Started to dream about the rarest thing I thought of in my first two years: pursuing a PhD.
Working harder. PanIIT 08- Drank for the first time- Banged the DJ Floor Harder
After 450+ applications, secured four internships.
Being more practical.
Getting a girlfriend. :)
Moving towards atheism.
Experiencing bureaucracy.
Enjoying the lucky charm.
Finally making my dream come true: taking my first ever flight (and its international as I always dreamt my first flight to be)




Looking ahead: Endsems of April 09, Internship at Germany & a wonderful Eurotrip ahead,
Deepening my research interests, Upgrading myself with reinventing process, Loosing my virginity ( getting laid someday somewhere very soon) ;)
Securing a strong base for further professional career ahead.

Waiting for the new release of Version 5.1 Alpha

e-Letter to GOD

Dear Mr God!
I am not sorry if you are offended when I call you a Mister.
After spending almost twenty one years of my so called life, which has just been a long long series of incidents, I just wanted to talk to you. So here I am. Well, its not the first I am talking to you...but ofcourse its the first time when I perceive you no more as the so called ALMIGHTY.
Things have happened to me...as they do with others. Not boasting for my hard working deeds nor calling myself lucky...I would just like to conclude that this fate, on an average, has been just a NEUTRAL, & I hope you understand what I mean by this NEUTRAL. There large number of arguments I can provide, to tell you that I have been quite unfortunate and my bad luck has deprived me of so many things I wished for. But...at the same time...you can give an equal number of arguments for what all I have been provided and privileged with. So lets not argue about that. Lets just forget what the hell or heaven you might have written...or thought to be written in my fate.
I recall from the beginning of my childhood..being brought up in a typical middle class vaishya Hindu family..you have been given quite a lot of verbal importance in every context, no matter what it might be. So, the influence on this poor man writing this letter to you, had been quite a lot.For so long, I believed that you certainly do exist somewhere in the seventh sky or some galaxy or somewhere else in this universe..and observing all of us. And trust me...for most of the cases ..its was the fear for your presence and not the encouragement..that we had to do good deeds. That very belief in my subconscious mind, I have not been able to remove it completely from my head. And you know what, I hate you for all this non sense. Your presence or absence, practically, has not been effective at all. Infact the faith has been degrading my performance quite a few times. There have been times when I had cried recalling you...demanding something..in lieu of keeping my faith. There have been other times when for a long duration I didnt care if you are there. You were indeed an irritation for my thoughts.
So why am I writing all this today???
All of a sudden, what happened that I am talking all this non-sense, or may be sense.
Its just that I want you to know...and I want the others to know......that I cant digest your conception any more. It ll take me some more time to remove you completely out of my mind.
Its just ridiculous...when at times I used to call you ..or recall you....assuming that you will help me out. I was so wrong. I mean think practically, out of more than 6 billion people on this bloody earth, what would be the probability of you listening to me...even if you actually existed.
This life around me has been running so well or unwell...just because of the humans around me are messed up in all the things- good or bad. I dont have to talk about if you control my fate or anybody's fate for that matter.
My knowledge & wisdom, how so ever small it may be, has compelled me to draw this conclusion, atleast for myself, that...you are nothing more than an imposed composition and illusion.
Things happening in life, events taking place, incidents & accidents caused so far...they just have been...I dont want to call them destiny. They just happened....you know just like every other thing does.
I am capable of doing what I can..and react accordingly of what I am. I cant recall you or pray you anymore. Neither can I devote 1001/- prasadam for you at the temples. If I do something good..I dont expect from you to tap my shoulders. And if I do something wrong, neither do I expect you to blame me. I shall do the things I want. You may wait and watch..if you are so jobless....OR..you may simply lie down in front of your devotees in thousands of temples and chuches and mosques and god (you) knows where....and have free lunch.
But take it from me...I dont have a single penny to give you...I dont have a single second to remember you.....and I dont have a single word to praise you...and I dont have a single word to criticize you either. I just dont care if you are...or if you arent. But for sure I want my belief of your non existence to be preserved and protected. I dont want some Tom Dick n Harry coming to me and telling me that the GOD says....blah blah blah....Its my belief or non belief...and I shall fight to protect it. You may feel jealous..after all you are loosing lots of prasadam from me..which you, so happily, could have feast upon while millions of other creatures keep on fighting for the single grain.
Events happening here have been related to me...problems are mine...and I shall do my own efforts to solve them out. I dont need your leverage at any step.
I hope you might have clearly got the idea of what I want to convey.

Good luck for you Mister.

And yeah, by the way, GOD bless you...(you may bless yourself, ofcourse).

See you again on earth.(I dont want your hell or heaven)

Good Bye

This is life..

Laugh a loud sometime
cry hard sometime
Fall in love with someone..
get ditched by a few ones.
Work hard ..burn off your backs..
get a pot belly..not just the 6 packs.
love a stranger..heed a few beggers..
mess up in the streets...jus like those niggers..
Stare at a cleavage..whistle for some babes...
stalk some girls..get into some rages.
Help an stranger..forget it off...
put on shiny plastics...a little show off
Work like an ass...get crooked by a shrewd
take away some chances..be a a little rude...
Cook something veg..roast some nice meat..
some what messed up..n somewhat neat.
Be a tech savvy...put on some formals...
dust yourself..and move on as normals.
sometimes...wear a mask, cheat with 'em
pity on them..regret for them..
forget the almighty...as if u dont care..
take up the things you dont even dare.
pull up your sleeves..and strike with no fear..
but heed the pain..when bad times are near.
Nothing is free ...and the pains we bear..
give us the fruits of life my dear!!!

Abduction

This is inspired from the incident when terrorist/militants arrive at the doorstep of a house and are abducting the child of that family...they are going to train him and make him like themselves..and this boy's life is never going to be the same....
Following lines are describing the situation of the moment when The Danger Man is standing at your doorstep and the feeling that you have inside you..
I wrote these line when I read the article in The New Indian Express.


दर्द है क्या ये तड़प है कैसी ,
आग लग रही बदन में जैसी
हर आहट में डर है भरा सा,
सामने मेरे यम् है खड़ा सा ॥
हाथ में उसके मौत का फंदा
और आगे आतंक का राज
आई है चुनने की बारी
जीवन और इस मौत में आज ॥
हर आहट में डर है भरा सा
सामने मेरे यम् है खड़ा सा ॥
आया वो मुझको है लेने
काल स्वयं हो आया जैसे
आशा की हर किरन है बुझी
शून्य अन्धकार हओ जैसे॥
हर आहट में डर है भरा सा
सामने मेरे यम् है खड़ा सा ॥


as of now..its not complete and left in the middle..i am still wondering to write it further...didnt get anything relevant at the moment..so just thought I would share this much piece of work itself.

one of the very first and most beautiful poems I learnt as a child...

लाला जी ने केला खाया
केला खाके मुँह पिचकाया
मुँह पिचका कर तोंद फुलाई
तोंद फुलाकर छड़ी उठाई
छड़ी उठाकर कदम बढाया
कदम के नीचे छिलका आया
लालाजी गिरे धडाम
मुँह से निकला हाय राम !

Laugh and the world laughs along

प्रिय मित्रों ,
पेश है मेरी नई रचना .........


"चलते चलते भी हम हँसते
रुक रुक कर हम फ़िर से हँसते,
जीवन की इस भाग दौड़ में
खून पसीना बहा बहाकर
हाथ जोड़ते पैर पकड़ते
तान ये सीना फ़िर से हँसते,
कौन है असली कौन है नकली
फर्क क्या इससे हमको पड़ता,
आज है कोई और कोई कल
साथ में इनके चले चला चल ,
जो भी है बस आज ही है सब
जो होगा कल देखेंगे तब ,
कल किसने देखा है यारा
कभी मैं जीता कभी मैं हारा,
इक हँसी है मेरी जो है अपनी
आज भी है और रहेगी कल तक
चलते फिरते हँसी बांटते
साथ साथ हम चलेंगे जब तक
साथ में है ये दुनिया अपने
सदा से है और रहेगी तब तक "

Me

You see me first
I may annoy you
You see me first
I look frust( frustrated)
You see me first
I look plump
You see me first
I may look pervert
You see me first
I look desperate
You see me first
I may look awful

Then,
You see me again
I make you laugh
You see me again
you get a friend in me
You accept me
I get a friend in you
You see me again
I hang out with you
You see me again
you realize I am pleasantly plump
You see me again
you can count on me
You see me again
you know my weakness
You see me again
you know I am honest
You see me again
you know my past
You see me again
you see my life is a open book
You see me again
you be a part of that book
You see me again
you know you can always trust me
and you realize, you can count on me for the times when you need to count for someone


Finally, when you see me off,
you know I am a part of you.... you cant forget me so easily....

Welcome to ME....

Chhod de sari duniya: Lyrics from Saraswati Chandra

Kaha Chala Aye Mere Jogi, Jeewan Se Tu Bhaag Ke
kisi Ek Dil Ke Karan, Yun Sari Duniya Tyaag Ke

chhod De Sari Duniya Kisi Ke Liye
yeh Munaasib Nahin Aadmi Ke Liye
pyaar Se Bhi Zaroori Kayi Kam Hain
pyaar Sab Kuchh Nahin Zindagi Ke Liye
chhod De Sari Duniya Kisi Ke Liye

tann Se Tann Ka Milan Ho Na Paaya To Kya
mann Se Mann Ka Milan Koi Kam To Nahin (2)
khushboo Aati Rahe Door Hi Se Sahi
saamne Ho Chaman Koi Kam To Nahin (2)
chand Milta Nahin Sabko Sansaar Mein
hai Diya Hi Bahut Roshni Ke Liye
chhod De Sari Duniya Kisi Ke Liye

kitni Hasrat Se Takti Hain Kaliyan Tumhe
kyun Bahaaron Ko Phir Se Bulaate Nahin (2)
ek Duniya Ujad Hi Gayi Hai To Kya
doosra Tum Jahan Kyun Basaate Nahin
dil Ne Chaahe Bhi To Saath Sansaar Ke
chalna Padta Hai Sab Ki Khushi Ke Liye
chhod De Sari Duniya Kisi Ke Liye

Namma Chennai

Its been almost two and a half years in IIT Madras, Chennai.
I still recall those days in the beginning when we used to say (& sometimes even now we say) that Chennai Sucks Man!
But, its a very strange relationship between a city and its people. A city, like a recipe, consists of its people as the main ingredients. And they significantly affect the way, a city tastes to them, to outsiders , to everyone.
Two n half years back, we had all those problems while travelling from A to B. All jam packed buses, high fare autos, ignorance about the locations, and not to mention the inability to speak Tamil.
Well, all these things still persist, but its like the city has changed a little and we have changed a little. Thats how it works, isnt it?? We evolve and the city evolves with us. We adapt the city and the city adapts us. Now, we know much more than what we knew then. Now, we know the locations for many places. Now we know, what to catch, from where to catch and where to land. Extension on this local train route near Madhya Kailash, for example, has made our journeys on that route much easier. Now we know, how to bargain with autos. Now we know what to speak in Tamil to get better bargains.Now, we know whom to ask and how to reach.

There are times, when you would say "I hate Chennai, Man!" But surely, there are times, when I say, " I love Chennai". Not everywhere in India, you get to enjoy Murugan Idli or Marina Beach or pleasant winter and many more things. There are times when people dont like the weather. Summers, the HOT summers of Chennai, they are so unbearable, but still I have faced them in both of my summer vacations ( though I live in IIT M campuse which is slightly cooler than outside). We dont feel cold here. Winters are awesome here. Such a pleasant weather it is.
And not to mention the heavy rains. They are simply amazing. It feels great when it rains.

There was a time, when we didnt like idlis n dosas n vadais. But now, I dont have anything like that in mind. I have adapted to Chennai. I love eating idlis n dosas. We used to say, we wouldnt like to get placed in Chennai after IIT. But now I say, It doesnt matter for me...infact I would love to stay here, learn more tamil n njoy this place. Now, I feel the affection ...the attachment with it.....
See how proudly we used relate our spirits when Chennai Super Kings were there in IPL.
We used to crib about tamil movies , songs, etc etc etc. Well, ofcourse they havent changed much, but surely I have accepted all these things as they are. Things are globalised as they say. Thats how a metro is...perhaps a new experience for a person like me ( who didnt get to live in such a big city earlier). People are helpful in general. Things are costly in general. People dont care much about others, in general. All of them are busy in their works, as usual. Well, thats how a city is. Millions of people living together serving each others' needs.
Compared to other cities, say Delhi or Bombay, we have less extravaganza here. Less show off. more conservation. Yeah, that sound a little odd...but thats how it is. They have still preserved those traditions so well. And I really admire those beautifully designed dravidian style temples. Such intricate details in the scriptures simply leaves you jaw dropped.
And not to mention,
One of the most peaceful cities in the country with no terror threats so far.
This is so wonderful, man!
Just like they say Hamari Dilli, Aamchi Mumbai, ...
I feel proud to say NAMMA CHENNAI.
I love chennai. The music, the food, the weather, the people and so many things....

Technically, someone would say, all this affection is the result of my two n half yrs stay at Chennai and it will be same with any other city. Well, in that case, how wonderful it is to realise that wherever you go, you start loving that place. Just like you start loving your new house and after some time you call it HOME.
But I love all this. Things become much simpler as the time continues. The city as adopted us and we have adapted to the city.
I love Chennai.

LEARN THE TRUE RELIGION

Courtesy: Amitabh Bachchhan's Blog. Day 231, www..bigb.bigadda.com

An old man was visiting a city for the first time in his life. He had grown up in a remote mountain village, worked hard raising his children, and was then enjoying his first visit to his children”s modern homes.

While being shown around the city, the old man heard a sound that stung his ears. He had never heard such an awful noise in his quiet mountain village. Following the grating sound back to its source, he came to a room in the back of a house where a small boy was practising on a violin.

“Screech! Screech!” came the discordant notes form the groaning violin. When he was told that it was called a “violin”, he decided he never wanted to hear such a horrible thing again.

The next day, in a different part of the city, the old man heard a beautiful sound, which seemed to caress his aged ears. He had never heard such an enchanting melody in his mountain valley. Following the delightful sound back to its source, he came to a room in the front of a house where an old lady, a maestro, was performing a sonata on a violin.

At once, the old man realised his mistake. The terrible sound that he had heard the previous day was not the fault of the violin, nor even the boy. It was just that the young man had yet to learn his instrument well.

With a wisdom reserved for the simple folk, the old man thought it was the same with religion. When we come across a religious enthusiast causing such strife with his beliefs, it is incorrect to blame the religion.

It is just that the novice has yet to learn his religion well. When we come across a saint, a maestro of her religion, it is such a sweet encounter that it inspires us for many years, whatever their beliefs.

But that was not the end of the story…..

The third day, in a different part of the city, the old man heardanother sound that surpassed in its beauty and purity even that of the maestro on her violin. What do you think that sound was?

It was a sound more beautiful than the cascade of the mountain stream in spring, than the autumn wind through the forest groves, or than the mountain birds singing after a heavy rain. It was even more beautiful than the silence in the mountain hollows on a still winter”s night. What was that sound that moved the old man”s heart more powerfully than anything before?

It was a large orchestra playing a symphony.

The reason it was, for the old man, the most beautiful sound in the world is that firstly, every member of that orchestra was a maestro of their own instrument; and secondly, they had further learned how to play together in harmony.

“May it be the same with religion,” the old man thought. “Let each one of us learn through the lessons of life the soft heart of our beliefs. Let us each be a maestro of the love within our religion. Then, having learned our religion well, let us go further and learn how to play, like members of an orchestra, with other religions in harmony together!”

That would be the most beautiful melody!