Facts and Confessions -2

My only regret is not doing justice to education.

I put more focus on brothers life than mine.

First time went by air plane was in 2002. Air India flight from Trivandrum to Mumbai. Airhostess told me if could exchange seats with a fellow passenger. I was thirty years old.

Iam reading Jack Kerouac and  Shunryu Suzuki simultaneously now.

I failed much in  twenties. I learnt to hate failure. That is basis of grit.

The only thing enjoyed in twenties was bus and train travel with my friend.

A young boy came up to me in a club saying ” I want to become like you, every one makes so much noise, you are quiet and calm”. The place Taj—Connemara, Chennai.

When my father was in hospital. I would take the bus often and walk home. A woman came up to me  and asked ” Hello, where do you stay, you have good eyes.”  I was scared.

I thought Bruce Springsteen and Osho had all the answers in the world.  I still think so.

Prakash Padukone and Vijay Amritraj are best Indian sports persons.

I feel every one must study and get a Ph.d. Just for themselves. Make it a fundamental right.

I feel every one must do one painting.

I feel every one should make one film. ( short film or a documentary)

I feel evey one must play one sport. ( Except office politics)

The truth is when no one embraces you. Religion does. Sprituality does. That’s the reason for truck load of believers. Every god man has a constituency.

Science is the best intent and work of man. We all must be scientiffic in temper.

Good intentions dont work. Good efforts do.

The luckiest man or woman is the one who has children. They are always young.

Great Book is such a pleasure and reinvigorates you.

Hustle and dont give up. Don’t listen to experts. Nobody knows anything for certain.

The only exception to  expert opinion rule is medical doctors and teachers.

Those who judge must try standing upside down.

I feel we must love every one. We must hug every one. What’s the harm..

Lastly Think Life is a blessing. It will work like a blessing.

This for today. Have a good weekend dear friends!

Love, Suresh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Facts and confessions

I couldn’t get what wanted. I decided to be the best can be.

I read. I bought old magazines, old books, even from newspaper godowns.( warehouses).

Iam shy. My friend called me ” Shy guy ”

I have done assignments with Amazon and RM.

My father was my only supporter.  I miss him.

I spent maximum time first with my brother and then with my mother.

My sister gave me great joy. She and her friends brought warmth and happiness.

I have two dear friends. They have been so for more than fifteen years. I couldn’t have survived without them.

I gave interviews for one and half years for current job. I have now finished one and half years. That’s three years for a role.

My heroes were doctors. It such happened spent lot of time with them. I realised they are just human with great stamina to study.

I admire everyone who has studied well. I think that is best gift to yourself.

I love teachers. My favorite teacher is my school teacher.

My first love is science. The second was philosophy. I stick to literature now.

I love racquet sports and soccer.  Tennis and badminton should be religion.

Women run better than men at long distances.

The best advice given to me was ” If you work hard like this, you will do well in private sector”. That was in nineties.

Too many street smart people have won. That disconcerts me.

I have since realised have only two bankable traits. Grit and hardwork.

I realised relationships are fragile. It can come to an end. The love never changes.

I never talk about women. I love them.

I think one is a spoke in wheel of life. Your will, others will, God’s will all have to prevail simultaneously. Else how it would be..

My current inspiration is  my brother. He  finishes books. I need to read an hour every day before sleep. I have distractions, blog, social media..

Charles Aznavour said in a interview ” I learn something in a new language every day and read one hour at night every day”.  I need to do that. He also said ” If you don’t like Armenian. I say Good Bye”. Never mind.

To do some exercise for an hour.  To read an hour. To give best to work. That is my goal.

If you know how to find a partner, please let me know:)

Good night dear friends!

Have a good day!

Love, Suresh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ellen and Padma Lakshmi : Yoghurt Rice

Iam posting this for Yoghurt rice. Before that ten or eleven years ago went for business lunch with a graceful lady and a Indian gentleman.  Seeing the sea food and variety of food ordered by my then counter part. I confessed to the wonderful woman ” I can’t eat this with forks. I’ll eat with my hands”. She showed me her hands ( meaning she is using her hands too). The Indian gentleman told me endearingly ” You should eat curd rice ( Yoghurt rice)”. He read my mind.  I ordered curdrice. I always remember their generosity and kindness.

Being born  south Indian. This is my favorite food. Simple no frills food. I used to eat this and go to school. My mother still gives me this as breakfast. I worry now about pounds though. I still like Yoghurt rice.

Now for Padma Lakshmi and she speaks beautifully and see the way she speaks ” These are black mustard seeds you gonna hear them pop and crackle when they get hot sort of like microwave popcorns ..”

I had read a review of her new book ” Love, Loss and What We Ate “. I’ll skip the men. I liked from the review piece what Vedica  Kant wrote ” the book is packed with food memories, every important event in her life connected back to some favourite comfort dish. The disclosure that the glamorous Lakshmi reaches for thayir sadam (curd rice) and khichdi as her soul food is nothing if not endearing. As a lover of tangy, sweet and sour things this reviewer has to disclose that Lakshmi won her heart when she declares the taste she looks for to make her universe go round is “chatpati” , the combination of salty, sweet, tart and spice that makes you click you tongue against the roof of your mouth in sated satisfaction. ” For more : http://scroll.in/article/806687/padma-lakshmis-memoir-is-about-the-end-of-mrs-rushdie-4-and-a-restart-of-life

I also liked from the  review ” I couldn’t help but admire that hustle, the need and desire Lakshmi makes clear she had to make a name for herself. ” I like that. I second that. The hustle is important.

For that and Curd Rice and memories and  Padma Lakshmi. Try mixing youghurt with rice like Elllen does 🙂

I like Yoghurt rice. I never ate with pomegranate seeds though. I must try this.

Goodnight dear friends! I needed to get  back to blogging to find my little voice.

Have a good day!

Love, Suresh

 

 

Prince – Gold

 

I want to share this song in memory of the great artiste..

Gold – Prince

There’s a mountain and it’s mighty high
You cannot see the top unless you fly
And there’s a molehill of proven ground
There ain’t nowhere to go if you hang around

Everybody wants to sell what’s already been sold
Everybody wants to tell what’s already been told
What’s the use of money if you ain’t gonna break the mold?
Even at the center of fire there is cold

All that glitters ain’t gold
All that glitters ain’t gold, mm

There’s an ocean of despair, there are people livin’ there
They’re unhappy and each and every day
But hell is not fashion, so what you tryin’ to say?

Everybody wants to sell what’s already been sold
Everybody wants to tell what’s already been told
What’s the use of money if you ain’t gonna break the mold?
Even at the center of fire there is cold

All that glitters ain’t gold, no, no
All that glitters ain’t gold, no, no

There’s a lady, 99 years old
If she led a good life, heaven takes her soul
Now, that’s a theory and if you don’t wanna know
Step aside and make a way for those who want to go

Everybody wants to sell what’s already been sold
Everybody wants to tell what’s already been told
What’s the use of bein’ young if you ain’t gonna get old?
Even at the center of fire there is cold

All that glitters ain’t gold, no, no, no, no, no
All that glitters ain’t gold, alright, all that glitters
All that glitters, all that glitters ain’t gold

Na na na, na na, na, na na, na na
(Gold, gold, gold, gold)
Na na na, na na, na, na na, na na
(Gold, gold, gold, gold)
Gold, gold, gold

All that glitters ain’t gold, gold, gold
All that glitters ain’t gold, gold, gold
(Na na na, na na, na, na na, na na)

All that glitters ain’t gold, gold, gold
(Na na na, na na, na, na na, na na)
All that glitters ain’t gold, oh, oh yeah

One, two, one, two, three, let’s go

Na na na, na na, na, na na, na na
Na na na, na na, na, na na, na na
Na na na, na na, na, na na, na na

(Na na na, na na, na, na na, na na)
You are now an official member
Of the New Power Generation
Welcome to The Dawn

(Na na na, na na, na, na na, na na)
All that glitters ain’t

(Na na na, na na, na, na na, na na)
All that glitters ain’t

(Na na na, na na, na, na na, na na)
All that glitters ain’t

Read more: Prince – Gold Lyrics | MetroLyrics

I love this song. Many of the greats are gone and Prince is a truly great artiste and wrote great songs too..

I never meant to cause you any sorrow
I never meant to cause you any pain
I only wanted one time to see you laughing
I only want to see you laughing in the purple rain

I only want to see you, only want to see you
In the purple rain

– Purple Rain

I love Prince.  Great artiste and a musical genius. ” If you know what I’m singing about up here. C’mon raise your hand…Purple Rain Purple Rain”

Love, Suresh

 

Life is a miracle

We lead extremely busy lives. Even though we do not have to do as much manual labor as people in former times. we never seem to have enough time for ourselves.  I know people who say they do not even have enough time to eat or breathe, and it appears to me to be true! What can we do about this ? Can we take hold of time with both hands and slow it down?

First, let us light the torch of our awareness and learn again how to drink tea, eat, wash dishes, walk, sit, drive and work in awareness. We do not have to be swept along by circumstances. We are not just a leaf or a log in a rushing river.With awareness, each of our daily acts takes on a new meaning, and we discover that we are more than machines, that our activities are not just mindless repetitions. We find that life is a miracle, the universe is a miracle, and we too are a miracle.

―  Thich Nhat Hanh , The Sun My Heart

I read this morning. I start the day in mindful practices. Today spent the day in hospital . I tried to be one with drive, consultations, tests that goes in Hospital. It’s not easy always to be in awareness. It can make you one dimensional.

I want to say a rider. My yearning for peace stems from adolescence and it became my greatest need for a very long time. So pursued interest in meditation and studies of masters. Hence the inclination and posts on the spiritual side.

If life did not happen to you this way, please do not worry about spiritual posts, just be a happy, productive and a good person. As the great Dalai lama says”Just be a nice warm person, that’s enough.”

If you are young and pass by this side, ensure you study well, read some books and play a sport. That’s a super life.

Iam not one for advise, am more for learning, observation and insights.

Now must sleep. Good night dear dear friends! Life is a miracle.

Love, Suresh

 

The human element of care

What is this vengayapuli ?

( Which is this lemon)

This is his normal banter. A potpourri of english and strange malyalam ( my native language). Sometimes he mixes other Indian languages with English. He is good at concoctions with  local indian languages Marathi, Gujarati, Sindhi and Tamil with English. He is strangely idiotic and funny. Ofcourse he can be deeply embarrasing. He seems alive and has good energy for a elderly man. I asked him with smile ” How old are you now” . His wife replied ” He was born in 1941..”

This is not about him. He likes and revels in harmless nonsense. It’s about his wife and partner.  He showed good symptom’s of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and was hospitalised in recent past. Given his  energy combined with AD he is impossible to manage. The memory loss. The dysfunctional talk. He cannot go out alone because he would forget his way back home. The medicines. The other tests that come with medical care. The entire thing.

I saw him recently and was stunned at the improvement. He had come visiting and immediately greeted me with a smile and usual nonsense. I knew he has recovered well.  I knew it’s all about element of human care. The super human or may be loving efforts of his partner and wife. The medications in time, the food at time, regular morning walk at 5 am, regular monitoring of diet and doctors visits. I think element of human care with good medical care can go a long way to restore good health. I think nursing and love is supremely important. I think only women have this extraordinary repertoire of care, conscience and love. I think so…

I am amazed at his recovery. May be that is a sign of a good marriage. He is nonsencial and immensely lucky.

I am waiting for him to throw next gibberish in another language  next time…

He seems to like me though, may be because am quiet and laugh at his stupid stuff. As an acknowledgement he wears the watch that had gifted him, my first watch..

He is doing fine. Only because of his wife.

The element of human care is most heart warming not just in sickness but in real life..

May be that’s best form of life. To care..

Have a good day dear friends!

Love, Suresh

 

 

 

Tea

“Take some more tea,” the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly.
“I’ve had nothing yet,” Alice replied in an offended tone, “so I can’t take more.”
“You mean you can’t take less,” said the Hatter: “it’s very easy to take more than nothing.”
“Nobody asked your opinion,” said Alice.”

― Lewis Caroll, Alice in Wonderland 

I don’t know if it’s right. Tea is my afternoon indulgence. I for some reason like afternoons. It was always this way. I drink tea without sugar now. Yesterday was not a graceful day. Afternoons were okay. It just got worse in evening and late evening. I struggled to drive back home.

I have reached a threshold perhaps. I kept thinking of a threshold. May be it’s a mental formation as the beloved zen master teaches. It’s very difficult. I hope today will be a better day. I need to get my groove back.

A cup of tea is my only salvation and may be its not good for summer..

Have a good day dear friends!

Love, Suresh

Bill Campbell

“There’s something deeply human about him.”

― Steve Jobs

I read a heartfelt  tribute by Ben Horowitz :https://medium.com/@bhorowitz/bill-d9151e6f7538#.rkmxoheq5

I had read about Bill Campbell and was aware of the extraordinary coach’s contribution to Silicon Valley. I was not aware of the immensity and humaness of the good coach. It moved me. I was inspired that there is place for good, decent people to make a impact in the industry.

” Campbell has had an impressive collection of day jobs during his 25 years in the tech business: He has run Intuit (INTU) (maker of Quicken and TurboTax), where he’s still chairman, and has been on Apple’s (AAPL, Fortune 500) board since 1997, just to name a couple. He has the trophies too – he’s rich, has a Gulfstream IV; beyond that, he chairs the Columbia board of trustees. But all that doesn’t come close to explaining why so many luminaries – and regular folk, too – talk about the man as if he’s some kind of profane cosmic mash-up of Oprah, Yoda and Joe Paterno.”

Please read a profile of the great coach : http://archive.fortune.com/2008/07/21/technology/reingold_coach.fortune/index.htm

Bill Campbell had the operating experience to advise some of the greatest and best of Silicon Valley –  Steve Jobs, Larry Page, Eric Schmidt, Jeff Bezos, John Doerr and others. Vinod Khosla in a Stanford business school talk had said ” One has to have that frontline experience of facing obstacles and situations to viscerally understand and give advice.” This is what impressed me so much of Bill Campbell. To have that operating experince to advise a Google, Amazon and Apple Founders to build such great companies. The humaness has deeply reinforced my faith in essential goodness of human species in business. I was disappointed with experiences of ultra competitiveness, ruthlessness  and yelling. Bill campbell’s work inspires me. Please check the tributes:

” Bill Campbell, our very close friend, died this morning. A man with a huge heart, who hugged everyone he met with, was more than a mentor. He helped us build Google and in countless ways made our success possible. We started with him as an external coach but he quickly became the internal management expert. He attended our staff meetings, met with management, and spent countless hours with our leadership. He helped build our Board of Directors, and helped build our culture. He worked very very closely with our founders in every possible way.

His contribution to the success of Google and now Alphabet is incalculable. His legacy is the smile that he created on everyone’s face, and the great leaders of the Valley whom he coached. Bill was a truly gifted man, and the world lost a great leader this morning.”

― Eric Schmidt

Please see write ups and tributes to a extra ordinary coach:

http://archive.fortune.com/2008/07/21/technology/reingold_coach.fortune/index.htm

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/coach-bill-campbell-dies-why-so-beloved-in-silicon-valley-tech-and-role-in-apple-ad-180041939.html

http://www.forbes.com/sites/miguelhelft/2016/04/18/bill-campbell-coach-to-silicon-valley-luminaries-like-jobs-page-has-died/#79cd9a5a6094

Bill Campbell, go-to advisor for Silicon Valley’s brightest, receives loving tributes after his passing

http://www.newyorker.com/business/currency/postscript-bill-campbell-1940-2016

http://recode.net/2016/04/18/silicon-valleys-legendary-coach-bill-campbell-has-died/

I liked most was what Kara Swisher wrote in a tribute ” Mostly, Campbell was just a really decent man, with little ego and a well of generosity in an industry much in need of it.” I wrote this down in my notebook.

What a guy. What a man. Great work.

I love start ups and founders. Iam inspired by the depth and decency of Bill Campbell’s work and life. He changed the world quietly with conscience and wisdom.

Have a good day dear friends!

Love, Suresh

 

Something – George Harrison & Eric Clapton

I am listening to this song…

Something : George Harrison

Something in the way she moves
Attracts me like no other lover
Something in the way she woos me
I don’t want to leave her now
You know I believe and how

Somewhere in her smile she knows
That I don’t need no other lover
Something in her style that shows me
I don’t want to leave her now
You know I believe and how

You’re asking me will my love grow
I don’t know, I don’t know
You stick around and it may show
I don’t know, I don’t know

Something in the way she knows
And all I have to do is think of her
Something in the things she shows me
I don’t want to leave her now
You know I believe and how

Read more: George Harrison – Something Lyrics | MetroLyrics

I love George Harrison. I hope you like this song dear friends. We all fall in love and me too and there is something about a person….a smile, the way they move, in their being , kindness…something.

This dedicate to all people whom love and they inspire me, they locate in a corner of mind and illumine something my master taught me..

Something about them…

Have a good day dear friends!

Love, Suresh

Blogging – Third Anniversary

“One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple.”

―  Jack Kerouac, The Dharma Burns 

” Happy Anniversary” is the notification that showed up yesterday. I realised it’s been three years. I have been more or less consistent. I am good with discipline and sincerity. I try to share my experiences , struggles and learnings,  they are limited by my exposure to life. I try to keep my heart and mind open. Here are a few things that feel about this journey

– I do not read old posts. Iam often embarrassed by old posts. Sometimes though they plesantly surprise me. I am not self congratulatory and am mostly shy.

– I may be shy but am not a coward. I am open with struggles and vulnerability. I know am judged by people who love me and who dislike me, both will not acknowledge it, that’s the way it goes. I am not scared.

–  I am not perfect and have no such grand desires or illusion. But I love people very much, men, women, children. I would like every one to have  a happy experience of life both friends and detractors.

– The blog is my slice of life and experiences. It’s not about me though. It’s for you. If you find anything beneficial, favourable or even discern ” that mistake should not do or do not want to be that.” I will be very happy. It’s only for you through my little take on life.

– I try to keep it original. This is my interpretation of world. I always kept my little work original and so is the voice here. I have influences that openly share but this is my voice. You can’t fault me for that. It’s all that have. I will live and die with this voice.

– As a young person was interested in many  things, many things went wrong, but the voice remained, it has something to share and may be this is my little journal to existence.

– Martin Scorcese once quoted a parish priest saying about his movies ” Too many Good Fridays, not enough Easter sundays.”  We can only be ourselves. It may not be to every one’s tastes. It is not necessary also.

– Leonard Cohen said in a interview ” if two or three poems remain after a poets lifetime, he is considered a major poet, generally nothing remains ..” The master humbly acknowledged ” he has written a few good songs..” Like if wise, even if few posts have been useful or given you a moment of pleasure, will be very happy. Generally nothings remains.

–  My influences are Gandhi, Mandela, Leonard Cohen, Martin Scorcese, Robert de Niro, Shah Rukh Khan, Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh and many other writers, sports persons and personalities. I have special love for school, teachers and childhood.

–  The blog is not to further my career or job prospects. It is a personal blog and my slice of life.

I dedicate this blog post to my friend Sameer. It was he who encouraged me to write a blog in April 2013.

Thanks for stopping by and immensely grateful for your kindness to read little musings. It’s my gift to you. It’s not wrapped perfectly. It’s intent is love and is threadbare and sincere.

Have a good day dear friends!

Love, Suresh