Year 2020: A reset the World required & Universe conspired  

Posted by PRACHI......

The zealous energy and the enthusiasm with which we brought upon the 2020 New Year’s Eve slowly seems to be diminishing our spirits each passing day.

Every single month of the much-hyped year 2020 has so far brought upon a new calamity  with its consequences being faced by the whole world.  And we are only 3 months into it…





All those not-so-well-kept resolutions about starting good habits, having a positive outlook, travelling the world, earning big etc. etc. are now starting to look far-fetched as we face the existential crisis (not so-to-speak but quite literally).

While we have found ourselves surrounded by such catastrophic conditions that  have dampen our spirits and impacted our outlook.






Why don’t we all take a moment to maybe see a silver lining or a hope for humanity that the universe is trying to convey to us.

What if the universe is trying to tell us to slow down? To spend more time with our loved ones. To stop hustling in life for a bit and be at home and plan our priorities right.

To let the earth be refreshed again and for us to breathe a little pure air. To take a step back and realize how we have been impacting the environment and earth with our actions.

And also, to remind us that we aren’t as significant and prepared as we thought we are when nature, universe decides to take its course…

Maybe this is the time to reflect on our actions and decide what kind of future we intend to leave for generations to come.

Seems like year 2020 in some ways is about uniting humanity, the world to defend itself and usher in better tomorrow for our own sake.





With all the tragic things that are happening around us, now might seem like an unusual time to talk about silver linings.

Now, more than ever, perhaps is the time for us to be proactive and optimistic about creating small moments of happiness. Ever since the world is going on lockdown it has also brought lot of positive changes to the environment.






May be the year 2020 is going to be all about us bracing ourselves for the great reset that the world required and the universe conspired.
May be this year is about reevaluating our actions, interactions and re-tuning humanity’s relationship with nature and universe.

Because when this is all over we may never again take anything for granted even the most simplest of things like..
Being told by our grandparents infinite times to wash hands when we come home from outside or before we eat.
A jog in park
Shopping at supermarket even for buying single item
Friday night out , smell of popcorn in the crowded theater
Coffee with our colleagues and conversations with our neighbors
Mundane daily routine or
Simply just getting out of house for some fresh air..


When this crisis ends, may we find that we have become better version of ourselves….healthy, kind, resilient, compassionate, grateful, patient and take each day as a blessing for the worst may not be over, but at least our minds are better equipped to deal with situations that may arise in the future in an optimistic way





New Year and New Beginnings  

Posted by PRACHI...... in



Being a Maharastrian, the occasion of Gudhi Padwa holds special significance, it is considered as the beginning of our New Year, not that we don’t celebrate 31st Dec, but it is also considered to be one of the three and half auspicious days of the year. On this occasion we hoist a Gudhi outside our house/window, symbolically to keep off adversity and usher in prosperity and happiness.

This is what most of us have come to know since childhood, as kids it just meant an occasion to hog on sweets, buy new clothes, wake up early, visit temple and meet relatives as it goes for every other festive occasion, growing up it meant one of the bank holidays to spend some leisure time and this year viola extended weekend joy :)

I don’t think I was ever curious to know more about festive occasion and what it really means until now. I am not sure if this sudden inclination to dig deeper comes from being into a profession where there is need to be informed about everything that is being talked about in online social universe ( aka facebook/twitter trends #gudipadwa) or just merely out of curiosity or as matter of fact that being Maharashtrian I should be aware of it.

Either ways it is fascinating to know how meaningful and thought through occasions/rituals can be. It is also surprising to find that we can to describe the significance of an event with a spiritual, historic, mythological and natural/seasonal context at the same time.
 
Spiritually this day marks the beginning of the time when universe came into existence; historically it signifies victories of Shivaji Maharaj in many battles, mythological significance is the victory of Rama by slaying Ravana in battle. And the natural phenomenon of commencement of spring season.

Well I didn't know that each of these things present in this Gudhi have this richer meaning, I think the image says it all for what we actually look forward to when we celebrate New Year.



(image courtesy- family whatsapp group, label courtesy- extensive google research)




Having now known the real significance of an occasion/ ritual it kind of makes our participation and contribution to such occasions more active and meaningful rather than the usual ‘follow and nod to what our parents say’ approach. What say you?


Personally I think everyday can be one’s New Year, everyday can be a start of something new, be it new beginnings, ventures, explorations, learning’s, discoveries. And these occasions just provides with that necessary push get us started. At times we all do require a beacon of hope, assurance, strength and courage to take on something new and challenging, think this Gudhi serves that purpose. :)



Happy Gudhi Padwa and happy New beginnings to one and all.



P.S- For me this day would be a new beginning to restart blogging again :)

 

Posted by PRACHI...... in


Realizations…



Definition: [noun] - C
oming to understand something clearly and distinctly.

Realized.. the value of each and every moment.. second… penny

Realized the things you been yearning for…. to do.. to have.. to be there .. suddenly appear like trails in fog… and also soon disappear.. as the trails in the fog…

Realized how much ever, time we think we have it is never quite that much.. much enough either.

Realized.. the moment you start thinking.. you have nothing to do .. you are zapped with everything.


Realized that what you’ve been wanting unknowingly …is what you will end up getting.

Realized if I could list down the number of things I’ve done in past 2 years, it doesn’t even remotely equate to the things I’ve done in the past 6 months.


Realized that ever soon you realise the fact that you have managed to dabble in lot of things at a time, that’s the only time , you realise it was nothing compared to what is more to come..

Realize with each passing day I’ve been a fool yesterday..

Realized vulnerability actually makes you stronger.

Realized the same things that make you happy have the capacity to make you sad as well.

Realise it’s the people, friendship, relationships … that keeps us moving forward.. and backward too

Realised setbacks.. actually acts as motivational kicks in the future…

Realized that being alone is far better than feeling alone in the crowd.

Realised each day your priority keeps changing..

Realized the things that can’t be defined are only meant to be figments of imagination.

Realized the most certain thing is uncertainty !!




 

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The CAT-astrophic Fever….




"Picture This"


Scene 1- A night before the D day- jittery

I should be nervous, anxious.. anticipate... look forward to successfully complete the exam.. atleast attempt to hope to clear it.. achieve or atleast try to

But i am not.. i don’t have an answer for it..
What is it ???
Its seems like its a last bus to heaven.. everyone is keen to catch up..
sheer overhyped blunder..

Grapes are sour.. sure might be.. but what if I don’t want grapes.. what if I don’t like them at all.. What if I want something else...
why should I be wasting my time and energy.. in seeking something I don’t look forward to.. sure I want a great career.. but I cant be pursuing something that would make me unhappy.. and my zeal and enthusiasm in pursuing the same is lost in process.

After giving a thought about what is…. getting an entry into this institution going to give me.. great career.. good money...
Happiness.. umm I don’t know yet..

Why should I let my life be ruled by an entrance exam???

Its competitive.. its tougher.. people are smarter.. people work hard..
Is it what defines.. success.. is it what defines.. NOT being a failure...
Its coveted seat.. a treasure of knowledge seeks the right candidate..

Is it the only place???

Lot of emotions, literally gushing through mind....yeah “emotions from mind” … not just me.. But I guess every CAT taker


Scene 2: Pre exam

As an apparent result of me paying my application fees at the last moment, I get my test centre at Kharghar.. If your everyday life revolves around suburbs then Kharghar is like a distant village. Anyhow.. it was the closest compared to the next destination nashik… phew!!!


The D-day: Eventful.. 2nd Dec 2009

In the hopes of reaching the test centre at 1:30 pm, 2 hrs prior to the examination time as thoroughly advised by the Prometric (online exam software developers) and also by their videos posted on youtube.
I had to leave home by 10:30 ( yess good 5 hrs prior to exam)
Guided by a friend on all means of transportation and routes to reach Kharghar.
I choose the most frequented!!!
[Robert Frost poem doesn’t apply to traveling in Mumbai, here if you choose the route less traveled by… you are bound to get lost].

So this was my route.. ummm errrrr routes..


The journey was made possible without me loosing my patience by reading Paulo Coelho ”Like Flowing River”
[Yeah I preferred not to carry any mathematical formula books and stuff..last minute studies screws up brain]

On reaching the station I was delighted not to find any rickshaw, or bus.. as matter of fact any other means of transport to reach test centre.
So the trusted means of transportation is to walk. The apparent 10 min walk as local suggested is infact good 25 min walk..


Scene 3: At the Venue

There… finally I reach the centre, have a glance at it and heaved momentary sigh of relief having reached like dot on time…
No sooner that sigh ended…with phew!!! I saw a huge queue of students getting to check in.

After the person matched my identity with card which took him good 2-3 mins..
Another check point greets me …frisking I have to keep my belongings including my wrist watch I mean cuh..mon how the hell am I supposed to know the time.. ( isn’t it critical factor), then I was taken to fingerprint analysis [yes for first time in history of any exam held in India.. I think.] Fingerprinting...followed by photo-op…
The anxiety on everyone’s face was apparent. It was CAT after all, the
photo-op person asked me smile twice, but I could be least bothered
[I think my smile might have resembled similar to Chandelr’s :-S ]
In my mind: dude.. CAT isn’t funny!!!

After the stringent procedural checks I am allotted a computer desk with a chair.. and a thin sheet of “cardboard” separates two computers..
[The irony of it all.. fingerprinting and cardboard paper separators, voila!!!]

Highlights of situation:
Oh yeah !! 10 mins after reading the instruction note stapled on my desk I realized, my computer doesn’t have a CPU…
okay now I was nervous.. I checked around ,others did have CPU in place..
[Since the pre exam drama was so techie.. thought they must have a centralized unit with just monitor on desk.. but yeah that wasn’t the case]
After bringing it to the notice, I was told I’ll be shifted elsewhere

In my mind:.. You better.. I don’t want to return without giving the exam

Well to my surprise, I was taken to another lab,where I was allotted an LCD monitor, a brand new desktop set..[ my apparent love for computers made this happen I guess .. :P]

CRUCH Time :

15 mins to go for the exam- screen greets me, antivirus scanner also greets me.. my worst fear.. not a virus.. please not a virus.. I don’t want to come back all the way to give this exam..

My PC is rebooted 3 times, my nervousness reached its highest crest.. and so did my anger..

Finally, the screen changes to “start exam”..
[ Yeah mayn.. I have been waiting for this forever]

5 hours of anticipating this moment.. goes.. PUFF

2 hrs 15 mins.. seemed only 15 mins..

I hit “End the Test” that’s it I am done..


Results :
Good they don’t give results immediately after the test..
But yeah what the hell..
A month after the exams….results out..
I successfully managed to screw it up once again..



Conclusion: I never really liked Grapes !!!!

 

Posted by PRACHI...... in

INSOMNIA....zzzzzzzzzzzz

Insomnia, had herd this word for the first time when it was associated as a symptom of a disease, must have been long time back, had mugged up pretty badly along with the illness and its symptoms.. Coming to think about it now, I think I had liked the word, coz I didn’t knew what it meant then and it stood out amongst the ordinary symptoms listed in our syllabus at that time.. :)
Sleeplessness.. Sleep deprivation...was its meaning as explained by our teachers, found it rather silly to have sleeplessness as a symptom back then..

Funnily realizing now and kind of witnessing the symptom…but..

Insomnia.. What makes me be awake???

Well if one truly tries to reason it out I don’t know... sometimes there are many reasons.. Sometimes you are just plain awake.. No reason whatsoever..

Today is one such day, I am awake for absolutely no reason, but I want to reason out to myself the very reason for simply not sleeping…

(This was one of the dialogues from popular series, found it apt as one the reason I consider for Sleeplessness…)
“When you're little, night time is scary because there are monsters under the bed. When you get older the monsters are different. Self doubt, loneliness, regrets. And though you may be older and wiser, you still find yourself scared of the dark.
Sleep. It’s the easiest thing to do; you just close your eyes,but for so many of us, sleep seems out of grasp. We want it, but we don't know how to get it. Yet once we face our fears and turn to each other for help, night time isn't so scary because we realize even in the dark, we aren't all alone.”

Sometimes it’s perhaps because you don’t have good enough reason to wake up next morning, to look upto something worthwhile, so better yet give no chance to “wake up”

Sometimes it’s due to the pursuit of something that has interested you immensely and grappled you that you don’t want to let go of it even for a moment to catch up on sleep

The two things contradict itself.. but its paradoxical to the core..

Sometimes the night time is the only time you’ve got all by yourself to indulge in things that you wanna do say read a book, write about something, catch on missed series, catch up with friends from busy daily schedule, think over the day past by, think over about the next day….

INSOMNIA-(I define it as.) I ‘am Not Sleepy, Ordinary Mind Needs Inordinary Activity..
Connoting it lil funnily as - I’am Never Sleepy Ofcourse My Notion is Adaptable :P

Sometimes night time is the only time when ideas hits you, where imagination is at its best, when your mind works wonders and you wouldn’t waste a moment over even consider trying to sleep….. which results into something I denote as Natural High!!!
( Insomnia gives you a natural high and it doesnt even give time for hangover)
Sometimes, its sheer mind wanderings. finding out ways to get certain unfulfilled things done, exploring and knowing new things, sometimes sleeplessness is coz you delve into your dreams, aspirations, thoughts, imaginations…

“Dream is not what you see when you sleep.. It’s the thing which does not let you sleep”

It’s this constant pursuit of oneself to do something, be something, to keep mind occupied all the time..

Sometimes it feels that whatever time you’ve got for yourself its pretty lame to waste it on SLEEP......zzzzzzz

 

Posted by PRACHI...... in ,

In my Mind…..



It seems...
It hits me, strikes me ,bounces off me..




sometimes strongly sometimes weak…
sometimes vaguely.. sometimes discrete..
in the middle of night,
while day dreaming..
anytime..... anywhere..
constantly now and again...



If it
settles for a moment



I strive to grasp it...
if unable then it
disappears in oblivion...
making me restless
making me wanting for more....



It seems….
it is scattered, cluttered, jumbled,ceaseless...




I hope to discern,gather,unravel it
don’t know what should
I do about it..
I can’t live with it....
I can’t live without it..

 

Posted by PRACHI...... in ,

Distractions.....

[Def: an obstacle to attention, derangement of mind, a diversity of direction]

Ever since we were kid.. our parents used to distract us, or probably try to divert our attention to.... some glowing lights, something eye catching, something that made noise, when we started crying or when we were annoying them or when we used to harass them.
Basically they tried something to grab our attention to get us attracted to something else.

And as we grow old they keep saying to us don’t do this thing, that thing, stay focused, don’t loose your concentration, mark your way, achieve your goal, don’t be side tracked….
Don’t Get DISTRACTED !!!

Quite a contradiction…

Distractions have always been those attractive things placed before us..meant to grab our attention.

Distractions have been those alluring things,moments,instances put in place before us so that we could experience them, seek them, enjoy them maybe learn from them....

Why aren’t the things that we are meant to do presented to us in such way.. and if they are.. because we have choose them.. then what exactly are Distractions?????

Why can’t the things we get distracted to... be the things we actually wanna do...

Why is it not possible that these roadblocks can be our milestones.. and why cant they be our stepping stones rather than hindrances.

Why isn’t the path that we get distracted to… meant to be our way..

 

Posted by PRACHI...... in ,

A nail biting story…

Just yesterday… I was wearing a this brand new pair of shoes (chappals,if I may say so..). It might not even have been like 4-5 hrs .. I felt little uneasy wearing them…
Actually my shoes doesn’t last for even week forget months..
That’s like my trademark thing.. I still haven’t figured out why, how for myself..

Later on I realized that a nail was stuck on rear of my shoe, I dint bother to remove it then but later on it started pricking me.. I obviously couldn’t let it be that way…
It disabled my walking…
So I removed it…. I figured it was one those notice board nail pins.


The strange /Funny part is…

Later that night, my chappals broke, making me completely unable to walk, I was shopping in the mall, limping my way thru and that was the last place I could probably find a cobbler, the only other option being buying a brand new pair of chappals …
Well I wasn’t that keen on buying brand new pair again…
( I realized our dependency on shoes soo much, I cudnt just remove it and walk barefoot, I was too embarrassed to do so..)

Ahan! The other quick fix solution for mending it was.. glueing it.. Well looking out for shops wasn’t big deal in mall (thank god). I went to “hobby ideas” to find glue which could gel in cloth..
In middle of mall I was glueing my black chappals, with white glue..
(I know that’s pretty lame.. but I was adamant on buying new pair of shoes)

Well the glue it seems was adamant on sticking my shoe as well....
Something struck me while doing this..
I went to stationary store in the mall, bought a packet of “noticeboard nailpins”….
This time I pierced the same nail pin in my shoe and....

Eureka !!!! it worked..

My chappals were mended.. I shopped.. I returned back home.. and I still have those “noticeboard nailpin” stuck in my shoe… this time.. Making me enable to walk…

Sometimes you dont realize what will strike you where( pun intended) !!!!! he he he

 

Posted by PRACHI...... in ,

Confessions of an Addict…

[Addiction is defined by “A dependence on a behavior or a thing that a person is powerless to stop.” In snapshot it is described an obsession, compulsion, or excessive dependence of /on something.]

It all started with a friend suggesting to open an account on latest social networking site that was the buzz doing rounds in the virtual “WWW” ….

It was meant to stay connected ..to keep in touch with them.
Instant messengers and mails didn’t exist for me then.
Internet was a remote possibility…

I lacked an email-id…I lacked a virtual identity.

The only source my computer provided to me was for playing games (which I still do ),, listening to music etc etc.. so it wasn’t that very important for me perhaps, just a means of entertainment…

Coming to think about it now, I feel…
My computer was dead for long time … In a way I was too..


Now..

The first thing I do coming back home is log onto my pc, actually I plug into my internet connection even before that.. ( O.C.D).

Google ( Blackle- trying to be eco-friendly) being my home page I am its huge fan as well. Not just for my home pc but for work pc as well ( I like personalizing things. :-))

Tab one: Gmail
Tab two: Orkut
Tab three: Facebook..
Tab four: Messengers

New Window: Rest of the things

thats my routine I think (another O.C.D)..


Tab one: Gmail

I have got to check it, more often then usual I prefer reading to mails, then to net- surfing. It’s like “the more the merrier” when it comes to my inbox…
There is thrill of some kind to read the mails in your inbox, an anticipation for something new to be discovered.. something new to be known.. I guess….

There is this feeling that someone bothered to bother about you, someone felt… to share something with you…


Somehow.. I also like the red, green dots, showing up in the Gmail
(especially when they are besides the people you really want them to )..
Although I don’t like the orange ones that much …

There is this feeling of being together somehow when your are distances apart..


*[ There is something exciting when 5-10 windows pops onto screen. greeting you …
as soon as you log onto to your messengers…

In between the perplexed condition that you are into, of switching from one tab to another from one messenger to another, basically multitasking here as well…
You like it….. when you tell our friends that you are taking time to reply him/her becoz you are talking to 10 other people.. The “sorry wrong window” phrase.. sounds cooler than it might actually be ]


The feeling that you have someone there to talk to / to listen to you in this “busy” world is gratifying.


Tab two: Orkut

Well … you get a peep into the lives of your friends, long lost ones, some relatives
(whom you hardly talk to but wanna stay in touch anyways).

* [Albums,photos,communities,videos status updates.. gotta check them all once in a while..
You wanna know where your friends have been, what are they doing, how do they look now.. lolz
Scrapbook allows you to talk to people who aren’t as net savy as you and you got to check that as well also once in while.]


Tab three: Facebook.

The ultimate thing that has gripped everyone I am no different..

* [You update your status more frequently than you think ..you gotta blurt it out .. whatever that is going in your mind.. You like it when people notice that…
You like to flaunt your friendlist… so force your friends to join in.. add up new acquaintances, You like no. of comments you get on your newly updated status, on your newly updated photo album..You feel popular when someone tags you in their album..
You find yourself thinking about facebook even if you are out on vacation and enjoying yourself, you have got to check your account and update your status.. somehow..
You find applications are an easier way of knowing yourself better, in comparing yourself with others no matter how insanely ridiculous they might be..]

Tab four: Messengers

As soon as you log onto it …. The screen goes pop…pop…pop


Abc: hi wassup
Xyz: hey hi ,hows u
Abc: I am fine what abut you?
Xyz: I am gr8..
Xyz: how was ur day?
Abc: hmm well you know what happened today……..
…………………………….
……………………………
…………………………….
Xyz : aaahh
Abc: yeah k…
……………………..
……………………..
…………………….

Another window pops

Efg: hey mayn.. whr r u
Abc: hey hie m gud,yeah been lil busy
( even if you manage to talk to same person everyday)

Efg: wats going on
Abc: kuch nahi some work
Efg: hmm
………………….long pauses………………….
Efg: u thr?
Abc: yeha yeah.. teme
Efg: nothing much
Abc ok..

Previous window
Xyz: hey gtg
Abc: c ya laterz.. gd nt tc sd
Xyz: gd nt tc sd. Bubye

* [ Routine eehh !! but you like it somehow, you like to talk it all out that’s been bothering you, you like to hear from others who might be in similar situation, and messengers just bridges the gap for you]

Its one of the easier means of communication, typing was only an effort one had to take.. but voice chat solves it all.. he he he

But I prefer the the good ‘ol way..

I like to put in thoughts, emotions, feelings in writing then emoting it out, ( well emoticons solves that problem too…)


The thing I like most about virtuality is that you don’t get to judge people by the way they look, or by the way they are…

It’s like you open your (chat) window into their soul…
You get to judge them from what they are from within..

( I dunno how people can fake themselves, or their identity in the virtual world, I feel they might just reveal their true identity )

Looks can be deceptive.. but thoughts are difficult to deceive…


* [You have check your messengers for offliners, to check if somebody has just buzzed in to say “hows ya”.. all in all your glad to know.. people remembered you for some other reason.. ]


After the countless hours ( that’s another reason for your insomnia) you spent online, living in the virtual world…

You suddenly realize that Virtuality .. is getting better of you..…
But then Reality is no better either..

So you are happy as long as……. you are happy..

You realize you have become an addict …. You have become an addict to that happiness that it brings along..

But at the end of it .

All these things that make me an addict.. an addict to my computer, internet, facebook etc etc
My addiction to “non –living things”… The things that make me happy..

But in true sense of terms.. its and addiction to feelings… to emotions… to people, to others just like me..

As soon as I unplug myself from this world, I have an awful feeling, that I just disconnected myself from happiness… from people who no longer are just a part of my life… they have become my life…

In the end it’s about knowing I am no different then others…

However insane it is.. however worse it might be…
Addiction is actually what keeps you going.. day before a day… a day after a day.

I am glad I am an Addict………

[ *- This symbol refers to signs of addiction, if you agree with them…
You have just discovered that you are an “Addict” too.....]

 

Posted by PRACHI...... in

Meaning.......

Sometimes we derive our answers, to those unsettled questions which have our mind lingering over, all the time in bizarre ways..

Sometimes a book makes the reader wait till that very moment, when the reader could understand its true value, not in terms of just the text that it holds but it terms of the meaning that could perhaps in a way matter to the reader.

Sometimes suddenly just this day out of blue... through some instances.. like perhaps talking to somebody, watching T V, reading a newspaper or probably from a cut out of the paper you just had your bhel in you figure it out.....

Something connects, something fits into that jigsaw puzzle that your mind has created by itself which then it tries to resolve as well.

"Meaning" is something each one of us is trying to figure out, about and from every aspect of our life...

There are times when some things bother you so much that, it starts to affect everything around you. and then you start blaming that everything.. for your difficulties, when the problem lies in perhaps yourself.

How long does it take for us to figure that out?

So is it that we derive our answers all by ourselves.. or the answers are just lying around , waiting for us to seek them.
Its like those multiple choice questions we have for most of our exams, you have questions and then you have answers just lying in front of you.

All you have to do is figure it out, seek the Right one...

Choice is what we have, Results are certain, Fate is.......