Tag: Life

Book Review: Springboard by G. Richard Shell

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‘The end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.’ – T.S. Eliot

‘Happiness is just three things: good health, meaningful work and love. You have that, you are happy.’ – The Wise Angel

‘You must bake with the flour you have.’ – Danish folk saying

The book ‘Springboard: Launching Your Personal Search for SUCCESS’ by the creator Wharton School’s ‘Success Course,’ Professor G. Richard Shell is not a breezy read superficial success book that one likes to read while waiting at a railway station or an airport. It is rather a complete success workbook that is filled with a number of exercises that helps us to reflect on what success is to us and how can we go about achieving it in our life.

The Book is divided into two parts. In the first four chapters that constitute the first section, Professor Shell tries to help us in answering the question ‘What is Success?’ In the next five chapters Professor Shell tries to help in answering the question ‘How will I Achieve Success?’ The book starts with the six lives exercise wherein Professor Shell briefly chronicles the lives of six individuals to drive home the point that ‘there is nothing called a perfect life and there are trade-offs involved in every kind of life.’

In each chapter, in addition to introducing a few solid foundations that would aid us in quest, the author also uses the case study of some famous and some not so famous lives to illustrate the point that he is making. Some of the lives that we get to see in this book are that of Tennis Legend Andre Agassi, Celebrity Chef & TV personality Julia Child, social entrepreneur Eric Adler, one of California lottery winners Cynthia Stafford, the first person to a solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic Charles Lindbergh and one of the most influential naval architects in American history William Francis Gibbs. What I liked about this book is that the author does not leave out the dark sides of success for some of the very people that he uses as case studies.

But the first narrative in the book is about Professor Shell himself. As a young man during Vietnam War era, Professor Shell shunned his family tradition of joining the U.S. military services and as a result estranged his relationship with his parents. From then on he embarked on perilous journey towards self-defeat and its lowest point had the wisdom to turn around to embark on an odyssey that will lead to his metamorphosis into a Wharton Professor helping talented embark on their unique journey towards success.

The book introduces us to multiple concepts including: Simcha, three types of happiness: Momentary Happiness, Overall Happiness and Wisdom Experiences, two types of respect: Recognition Respect and Informed Respect, Hungry Ghosts of Fame and Fortune, three ways of looking at work: jobs, career and calling/meaningful work, the SAME Personality Assessment, the PERFECT work motivations, three types of friendships: friends of pleasure, friends of utility and friends of virtue, among others.

In a way this is more of a workbook cum reference book and one would gain maximum benefit from this book by truthfully working on the various exercises given in the book. The book does a very good job of explaining the multi-dimensional aspect of success and the various trade-offs and pitfalls of following the cultural and societal stereotypes of success. The book would serve as a light house or guiding beacon when we get swept in the rat-race and by referring back to this book from time to time we can ensure that we are not led astray from our own unique success journey. The book could serve as a virtual mentor for people who have difficulty finding a real-life mentor.

The 5 Lessons 2015 has taught me

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As I look towards 2016 with hope and optimism for all the opportunities that lie ahead, I am writing this blog post about the five key lessons that that I have learnt in 2015.

Life is Fragile: The havoc caused by incessant rains in November and December 2015 in Tamil Nadu have shown the fragility of life. Nothing is guaranteed. We need to appreciate and be thankful for the good things in our life. The rains also showed the power of the human mind to bounce back after set-backs.

A Good Book is a True Friend: I realized how the saying ‘a good book is a true friend’ is actually true. I spent reading multiple, mostly non-fiction books throughout the year. The more I read, I realized the more there is to read. Books actually gave new perspective on a lot of issues that I have encountered in the past.  In this world full of noise and negativity, books can be a true lighting beacon for the mind.

Life would be just fine without Television: My TV viewing habit has been waning in the last few years. This year I almost avoided TV, viewing it only during dinner time (about 20 – 30 minutes per day). I realized that I did not miss watching television much. I realized that I did not like reality shows (too much artificial drams) and news (too much focus on negative news). I used the freed up time to read books that were of interest to me.

There is happiness to be had in pursuit: I started blogging in late 2014. 2015 was the first full year of blogging for me. As the year progressed I realized that writing is something that I enjoyed. I posted some of the articles that I thought were worth sharing. Finishing an article or journal entry, editing it and the posting it on the blog gave me a sense of momentary happiness. It was a nice feeling to reach these small milestones throughout the year.

It’s no shame to fall; to remain fallen is a shame: A friend of mine once told me a Tamil saying which roughly translates to: ‘It’s no shame to fall; to remain fallen is a shame.’ As the year 2015 progressed, this saying is something that I reminded myself on various occasions when things did not proceed as expected and I was slipping back on my goals. Each time I slipped back on my goals, be it writing journal entries or blogging or my morning walks, I used this saying to motivate myself to get back on the right track.

Note: I wrote this post for IndiBlogger’s IndiSpire Edition 98 topic ‘What are the 5 Lessons 2015 has taught you?’

Car-free Sundays at Elliot’s Beach

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The Roads at Elliot’s Beach, Chennai are notoriously prone to over speeding and reckless driving. The problem gets aggravated further on Sundays due to increase in the number people coming to the beach. When I went to the beach for my morning walk today, I was hoping to see a mad scrambling for parking space. Instead I came across a different problem. The road leading to the beach road was barricaded and a policeman informed me that none of the vehicles have access to the beach road as it was Car-free Sunday. I parked my scooter in a different road and went about my morning walk.

The ‘Car-free Sundays’ initiative started in October 2015. From 6 AM to 9 AM on Sundays vehicles will not be allowed on beach road at Elliot’s Beach and the roads would be used for community activities. I had read about this initiative in newspaper but somehow I forgot about it today.

The scene at the road near the beach was welcome change from what one used to witness every day: Vehicles parked along the stretch of the road, the Vroom-Vroom sound of silencer modified bikes, vehicles coming to a screeching halt had all given way to sounds of laughter and encouragement. Youngsters were playing or competing with each other; elders were either applauding or taking snaps using mobiles.

Kids were even drawing on the road using color chalk. A bunch of Tai Chi students were even giving a demo of Tai Chi under the watchful eyes of their master near Cozee restaurant. A couple of youngsters were even displaying their whistling skills to a small but receptive audience. All along the beach stretch and the roads leading to the beach front, policemen were present in adequate numbers. Overall the Elliot’s beach resembled a carnival ground today. Hope this nice initiative continues in the weeks ahead. Three cheers to all those who were responsible for making ‘Car-free Sunday’ a reality.

Admiring the Sunrise on January 1, 2016

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In January 2015 I read the post ‘New Year: My One Word for 2015 and Why I Can’t Leave 2014 Behind’ by Lily Ellyn. Lily started the blog post by narrating a practice in Korea. Quoting from Lily’s blog: ‘In Korea people don’t stay up until midnight to ring in the New Year. Instead, they get up in the middle of the night and they hike a mountain. They climb through the dark, snowy pre-dawn hours and when they reach the top they stand with their faces to the sky to greet the first sunrise of the New Year.’

On reading this post I got inspired to not to stay awake until midnight on December 31st 2015 but wake up early morning on January 1st 2016 and witness the sunrise at Elliot’s Beach, Chennai. Somehow the thought stayed in mind throughout 2015. I have enjoyed viewing many a sunsets at Marina Beach, Elliot’s Beach (both at Chennai), Hussain Sagar Lake (Hyderabad), Pennar River (Nellore), etc. but have witnessed very few sunrises, being a late riser. I have been trying for quite some time to wake up early but have not able to implement it. By the second half of 2015 I was waking up early but not as early as I wanted to.

As the New Year approached I was doubly determined to view the sunrise on New Year’s Day. On 29th December one of my friend who is settled in Abu Dhabi called me and informed that he is in Chennai. We decided to meet for Dinner on December 31. Our families met at his place at around 7 PM and from there proceeded to a restaurant at 8.30 PM. Our respective families were meeting after more than 2 years and it was a wonderful get together. My daughter and my friend’s daughter enjoyed each other’s company very much. Post dinner as we were getting back home, the traffic jams due to mad rush of bikers proceeding to beach fronts for mid-night celebration ensured that we got back home only around mid-night. I think I slept around 12.45 AM but set the alarm for 5 AM but was not sure whether I will wake up so early.

However to my pleasant surprise I woke up at 5 AM, got ready and proceeded to Elliot’s Beach. A lot of morning people had already gathered at the beach front to witness the sunrise. But a thick blanket of clouds was playing spoilsport and ensured that there would not be a perfect sunrise. The sun which emerged from behind the clouds for a brief moment was very beautiful in reddish orange color. I took a few snaps at the beach front. Then I proceeded for my morning walk.

As I was returning home on my bike, I was determined to wake up early every day. When I reached home, I was pleasantly surprised to see that my wife had drawn a very nice New Year Kolam/ Rangoli at our flat’s entrance. I used a photo of the Kolam for my New Year Wish Blog Post. As the year progresses I am hoping to continue to wake up early and go for morning walks. Best Wishes to all of you for achieving all your goals and dreams in 2016. Have a Wonderful Year.

Note: I cam across a wonderful sunrise picture from January 1, 2016at Derwentvalleyphotography Blog. Enjoy the awesome sunrise photo.

A Visit to Rameswaram

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We went from Ramanadhapuram to Rameswaram by Car. Google maps was fairly accurate in showing even small waterbodies. All along the way we saw different kinds of birds lazing around in water bodies. The real treat to the eyes started around the area where the Indian mainland protrudes into the sea like a thin strand of hair. Suddenly from nowhere the sea appears barely a few feet from the road on either side. As we started driving up the Indira Gandhi Bridge, the view was breathtaking.

We stopped at a spot on the bridge where most other vehicles had been parked. Somehow the temptation of selfies had not eluded even the Sabarimala Pilgrims who were present in droves everywhere; selfies were in full swing. It was very windy. On one side we could see the Pambhan Bridge and the railway line. The sea was at its pristine beauty; I guess that’s how the seawater is supposed to look. Compared with this standard, the sea water in Chennai is basically nothing but drainage water.

On the other side of the bridge we could see a fishing hamlet and numerous fishing boats indulging in their everyday odyssey. The view on this side was equally beautiful. Sadly, we were short of time and had to head towards the temple. I think one at least needs an hour to admire the beauty on either side of the bridge.

Once at temple we were running to take a holy dip/ bath from one well to another just like migrant animals running from one waterhole to another. Though it was around closing time, luckily we got to see all the deities. As I was about to leave the temple, I noticed the Nandhi near the Flag-mast; my God, it was one giant Nandhi.

Post lunch we started on our onward journey. As we were already running way behind schedule we could not visit Danushkodi or even take another pit stop at Indira Gandhi Bridge.

A Visit to Sethukarai

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I and my family went on a quick pilgrimage trip to Rameswaram and nearby temples. Our first stop was Thirupullani. From there we went to Sethukarai where we had to do a poojai. The view from Sethukarai beach was amazing. We had reached there by around 7 AM, the sun was still hidden behind a thick patch of clouds. As a result the sky resembled a cake made of blue and orange layers with the dark cloud serving as the icing.

The color of the sea made me wonder if it was some kind of magic potion with swirls of emerald green, turquoise and aquamarine. The nomadic fishing boats with wind sails and the rising sun as the backdrop would be any photographers dream come true. Alas I did not have even a point and shoot camera and was shooting with my mobile camera.

The sight at the shore was an eyesore. Clothes strewn all over the shore was strangulating the beauty of the beach. With not much of a tide in the water, kids were having time of their life playing in the water. The multiple fishing boats somehow added to the beauty of the sea. It was surreal to see the sea change to multiple shades as the sun kept ascending.

A Time of Need and a Time for Greed

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‘The world has enough for everyone’s need, but not enough for everyone’s greed.’ – Mahatma Gandhi

‘Neither a man nor a crowd nor a nation can be trusted to act humanely or to think sanely under the influence of a great fear.’ – Bertrand Russell, Unpopular Essays

As the rains receded on December 3rd, I and my brother in law ventured out to buy essential household items. It was around 11.30 AM and we had to go from one shop to another as there was stock out situation for some of the essential items. I had walk the entire Kottur area in search of Milk and Candles. Not a single candle was available in any of the stores. A solitary vendor was selling milk outside a big vegetable store in Kottur market. But instead of the usual Rs. 40 per liter he was charging Rs. 100 per liter, a full 150% mark-up to the usual price. Most people were buying multiple packets of milk from him and yet after walking a few feet from the shop complained that it was wrong on the part of the vendor to hike the price in that hour of distress.

After an extended period of incessant rains, the prices of some of the vegetables had reached the stratosphere. On this particular day these darlings of every household’s kitchen were not even available at even these extremely inflated prices. Bread and Rice were running out of stock too. A couple of days later as I was standing in line to buy milk at another milk depot, a woman was hoarding about hundreds of packets of milk in her tricycle. When one of the customers asked why the woman was siphoning off milk meant to be distributed through regular channel, she hurled abuses at the customer. The irony was that within a few minutes she was selling the same milk packets in a nearby street with a fat markup.

Though most of us complain about the greediness of opportunistic vendors, we are opportunistic and greedy too. A case in point was a trip a petrol pump on the same day. My brother in law’s two wheeler was almost at the verge of running out of petrol. By this time most petrol pumps were closing down as they had no more petrol or diesel to sell. The unending lines of people outside petrol pumps rivaled the queues outside places of worship on auspicious days. I went along with my nephew to one of the petrol pumps near Royapettah. Among the crowd to my disappointment and chagrin, there were a bunch of guys who had come with multiple 30 to 40 liter cans. Why would anybody need so much petrol or diesel? Clearly they were greedy arbitrageur who was planning to sell the fuel at much higher prices in suburban localities. Even people who were buying for their own use too were buying more than necessary.

Around the same time, another irrational phenomenon was unfolding across the city. There was a run on the banks, no actually there was a run on ATMs. With most of the bank branches in Chennai on leave due to rains, the cash balance in ATMs was already low. The situation was made even worse by a lot of anxious people (foreseeing more rain and bank holiday) each withdrawing up to their daily permissible limit. The anxious withdrawal pattern resulted in most ATMs going out of cash by afternoon that day and as result the entire city was indulging a real life treasure-hunt, running from one ATM to another. Only after bank branches opened the following day and some of the banks started operating mobile ATMs the situation limped back to normalcy.

While it is understandable that there were long queues at grocery stores, milk vending booths, ATMs and petrol pumps to everyone’s surprise there was queue in wine shops too. And contrary to ATMs and petrol pumps that ran out of stock, these wine shops were fully stocked and was buzzing with so much activity and life that one could have easily mistaken them for an ant colony or a beehive. It is billion dollar puzzle that how in a democratic country there is stock out for essential commodities but wine shops are fully stocked.

No amount of technology can serve as replacement for irrationality of human beings. No amount of rules and processes can check human greed. As I think back on the events that unfolded during the recent rainy spell, I get reminded of a dialogue from a recent movie: ‘By eating even a single mouthful of food after our hunger has been quenched, we are ensuring that another person remains hungry.’ This principle is very apt in situations of natural or man-made calamities like the recent rainy spell.